BusinessDay 28 Feb 2021

Should we be talking of amnesty for terrorists or Page 7 prosecution?

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2023: Nigeria’s power rotation controversy rages, amid clamour for competence Page 6

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‘The more multifaceted women are, the easier they can overcome adversities’

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Badagry in long wait for Michael Jackson’s centre Page 20

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We shall work to unite the body of Christ, says CAN

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Devt projects: How insecurity puts wedge in Nigerian governors’ competition See page 3

L-R: Doyin Salami, chairman Nigeria’s Economic Advisory Council; Ben Akabueze, director general, Budget Office; Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, CEO Fidelity Bank and Bismarck Rewane, CEO Financial Derivatives, at the One-Day Summit on the Economy by bank CEOs, organised by the CBN/Bankers Committee and Vanguard Newspapers in Lagos, Friday.

Oyetola, reaping the fruit of hard work in Osun

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She Said Yes-and I DoAll in the Same Day

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COVID-19 still a huge concern in Nigeria one year after Experts say there is still much to be done to fix Nigeria’s healthcare Churchill Okoro, Benin City

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n March 2020, Philip Jimoh (not real names), a 46-year old Italian-based Nigerian, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos State, with a broad smile and a longing

feeling to see his parents.

After he alighted from a cab hired to drive him home, the middle-aged man, who hoped to see his loving parents, received a call from an unknown number that he was among those on the list of Continues on page 4

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Sunday 28 February 2021

News Oyo North PDP affirms support for Makinde ...urges members to conduct LG poll with decorum REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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yo North Senatorial District chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), at the weekend, unanimously affirmed its continued loyalty and support to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, stating that the party would “fully support his future aspirations.”

The party also enjoined its members in the senatorial district to eschew politics of bitterness and to promote peace and harmony at all times, stating that only these could help to strengthen the party ahead of future general elections.

A resolution signed by the senatorial chairman of the party, Oluwakemi Waheed,

indicated that the meeting, which was held at the Iseyin Town Hall, Iseyin, appreciated Governor Makinde’s leadership style and governance drive and the positive impact they are having on the people of the state.

The meeting had in attendance the senatorial chairman of the party, local government party chairmen, chairmen of local governments and LCDAs and leaders from the 10 local government areas of the district and party leaders including Senator Gbenga Babalola, Jacob Adetoro, Raheem Dinojayo and Najeem Omirinde.

Others were Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Adeniyi Farinto, Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Hon. Niyi Adebisi, Commissioner for Agriculture, Ojekunle Ojemuyiwa,

Commissioner for Women Affairs, Fausat Joke Sanni and Samuel Ademola Adejumobi, Special Adviser, Legislative, among others.

According to the resolution, the Oyo North PDP equally called on party members to conduct party processes and primaries leading to the forthcoming local government election with decorum and to put the interest of the party at heart at all times before, during and after the exercise.

It admonished the party chapters in all the local governments to engage in effective crisis management in the build-up to the local government election.

The party equally stated that Governor Makinde’s efforts have been endearing the PDP to the hearts of Oyo State residents, expressing satisfaction with the

L-R: Shina Atilola, Divisional Head, Retail and Consumer Banking, Sterling Bank PLC receiving the Special Recognition Award for Tourism Support in 2020 from Efetobo Ahwana, CEO, Balearica Awards in Lagos.

government presence in Oyo North Senatorial District far above what obtained in previous administrations.

It liste d t he Mon iy a Iseyin Road reconstruction, the siting of the Satellite Campus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Iseyin, the ongoing dualisation of Saki Township Road, the location of the headquarter of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) in Saki, the total reconstruction of Saki-Ogboro-Igboho road, the commissioned Saki Specialist Hospital, the IseyinOgbomoso Road and IdikoIle-Ijio-Wasinmi Road already approved for reconstruction as the laudable efforts of the government in the senatorial district.

The resolution read: “The meeting unanimously affirmed our continuous loyalty and support to His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde at all times and to fully support his future aspiration. “ The meeting fur ther enjoined party members in the Oyo North Senatorial District to eschew politics of bitterness and promote all times peace, love and harmony that can strengthen our great party and prepare for future general elections.

“The leadership style and the governance drive of Governor Seyi Makinde are profoundly appreciated. This is premised on the positive impact on the people of the State, which are endearing our party to the hearts of the masses.”

On the build-up to the local government election, the Oyo North PDP directed the party in each local government, thus, “As it is well known that politics is crisis management, each Local Government is directed to engage in effective crisis management techniques that can ensure harmony and love amongst party members.”

VDT SMEmpower offers huge value to SMEs

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ustomers across the Nigeria applaud SMEmpower, the SME package of VDT Communications Limited, a leading broadband communications provider, for the huge value it is offering to support the SMEs in the country.

The SME support package popularly known as VDT SMEmpower is a premium quality internet service package at affordable cost for the SMEs. VDT Communications adapted the SME internet service from the same premium broadband communications services it is offering to about 90percent of banks and 80percent of insurance companies as well as prominent multinational and indigenousblue-chip companies across all sectors in Nigeria to support the SMEs at more affordable cost. This is to enable the SMEsachieve smoother and speedieroperations thereby ensuring accelerated growth and continuous business success.

SMEmpower offers immense benefits to customers through the provision of superfast and reliable internet service at affordable cost nationwide.

The service uptime is upto 99.9%. This means that with SMEmpower your business enjoys readily available high quality internet service 24/7.

SMEmpower also provides proactive and superior quality customer ser vice support 24/7/365.

Apart from affordable monthly data plans such as a whopping 35 GB unlimited data for just N10,000, 60GB for N13,500 and 120GB for N20,000 etc, the service offers free night usage; from 8pm

to 6am and the possibility to rollover the unused data. Also, customers who make payment for 3months get free 25GB in addition to their subscribed data bundle and those who pay for 6months get free 50GB. In addition, the SMEmpower offers immense value added services such as Branded Website Creation, Web Space Hosting, Business Domain Name Registration an d Un l i m it e d B u s i n e s s Emails – all which are aimed at helping SMEs to achieve more speedyand hassle-free operations and at affordable cost.

VDT Communications Limited, an ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 20000:2018 internationally certified for excellent IT service management is passionate about consistently offering the highest possible quality of service to her customers.

Apart from SMEmpower, premiumEnterprise MPLS Broadband Services offered by VDT include: Digital Leased C i rc u it , Me t ro Wi re l e s s Access, Metro Fibre, Corporate Internet, ATM solutions, Wifi Hotspot and Cloud services.

VDT also offers4G Lte Advanced Retail Internet Servicesfor individual and homes. In all her services, the company strives to maintain innovative, world class service quality and best practices; satisfying and delighting her customers.

SMEmpower is delighting her current customers across Nigeria. With SMEmpower, the challenges usually faced by SMEs in achieving accelerated growth have been significantly reduced. We are inviting all SMEs in Nigeria to come on board, take advantage of the immense benefits offered by SMEmpowerand take their businesses to the next level.

Agency set to develop youths’ creative capacity through talent, modelling competition IFEOMA OKEKE

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Awardees of Osaide For Girls Foundation during the first anniversary of the foundation held recently.

n a bid to develop Nigerian youths’ creative capacity, support upskilling and create employment opportunities, AYKO Agency has announced AYKO2021- a talent and modelling competition open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 years old with a compelling story.

AYKO Agency which is a talent and modelling agency born of a shared passion of the co-founders, has a vision of: “creating a platform that enables African talents and models to have equitable opportunities and an unbiased start in life”.

The Agency was formed out of the names of its co-founders, Ayoola Bakare (@ayoola) and Koya Onagoruwa (@adeonagoruwa). Both have restated their commitment to giving back to society and in addition to the aforementioned, are committed to supporting other worthwhile causes including mental health awareness, digital poverty, and community support.

Entries are open from March 8, 2021 to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 years old.

Twelve models and/or talents will be selected from the poll of applications and presented before our judges on June 11, 2021, at a glitzy event managed by Pride Rock Entertainment, where we

will pick five lucky winners.

These five winners will be going home with a cash prize of N500,000 each, a three-week intensive Bootcamp training session with AYKO Agency to help them hone and develop their skills, financial literacy and personal development and an exclusive sign on as a model or talent with AYKO Agency.

AYKO Agency has stated that is not only out to develop the creative capacity of the models and talents, but strongly believe that investing in the wellbeing and improving the lifestyle of talents and models will encourage self-growth, which will help it’s talents and models realise their own potential.

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Cover Devt projects: How insecurity puts wedge in Nigerian governors’ competition OBINNA EMELIKE and INIOBONG IWOK

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erhaps, at no other time than now, since the return of Nigeria to civil rule, have the governors on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) taken to the media space to call one another unprintable names.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, according to Wikipedia, is a nonpartisan platform that was created to enhance collaboration among the executive governors of Nigeria.

The major aims and objectives are for public policy discussions; promotion of inclusive governance, promotion of sustainable development, and collaboration between the governors and society.

Although the Forum has continued to operate within the objectives, the quality of collaboration among members appears doubtful.

In the last few weeks, there has been bitter exchange of words among some of them.

They sharply disagree among themselves on important national issues. For instance, the issue of rising wave of insecurity in the country seems to threaten the once existed camaraderie among them.

Where they should be comparing notes on projects to put in place for the people of their states, they are now busy calling one another names.

Although disagreement is welcome in every group made up of human beings, it becomes dangerous when it is not controlled among the political elite that should be good role models in society.

Recently, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State expressed reservation over the handling of the upsurge in banditry in the north, blaming it on lack of synergy among the governors, but he was tongue-lashed by the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed came heavily on Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State over the latter’s observation on the spate of insecurity in Benue.

What that shows is that there is no more a united governors’ forum that sees things from the same perspective. This affects a healthy competition in the Forum.

Rather than emulate a governor who is doing well in his state, it is verbal attack from his colleagues to make nonsense of the exploits. The governors no longer compare notes.

Bickering and petty politics have divided the ranks of the governors.

In 2003, during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the Federal Ministry of Information in order to enthrone good governance, organised tours alongside journalists from various media houses to inspect the progress of work on the projects executed by the different agencies of the federal and the state governments.

The focus of the tour was for the media to evaluate the performance of elected public officials at all the strata of governance. At that time governors competed among themselves and borrowed some good governance styles and strategies from one another in the interest of their states.

Between 1999 and 2007, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the then governor of Lagos State, was leading his colleagues in developmental projects.

Then, Lagos was being talked about and was visited by other governors to emulate the developmental strides of the aptly performing governor.

After that era, the likes of Babatunde Fashola, Godswill Akpabio, and Sullivan Chime, the then governors of Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Enugu states, respectively, were competing in infrastructure development in their respective states.

Today, nothing seems to be happening to engender healthy rivalry among the governors, instead infrastructure put in place by past administrations are fast deteriorating.

Today’s governors have millions of excuses to offer for their low performance. From recession, dwindling revenue, especially monthly federal allocation, pandemic and to #EndSARS protests, the excuses abound.

Insecurity however, assumes the major reason most governors are citing for their little or no performance since the inauguration of this administration. One sad example is the collapse of the Lake Rice production agreement between the Lagos State and Kebbi State governments. Today, the much-talked about local rice brand has disappeared in the market.

While some people blame it on the high wire politics, and the exit of Akinwunmi Ambode, former governor of Lagos State, who initiated the

deal, many insisted that the insecurity in the country is the major reason for the disappearance of Lake Rice.

According to Inua Jega, a rice farmer in Kamba, Kebbi State, the lives of farmers are not safe again, and the government is not making efforts at safeguarding them from bandits and kidnappers.

Inua noted that most commercial rice farm owners in Kebbi State have abandoned the farms because of insecurity.

Apart from Kebbi, the same insecurity, according to Chacha Onwuli, an inspector with SocietyForPeace, an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has affected other rice production zones such as Abakaliki, Ogoni, Jigawa, Taraba and Nasarawa.

As well, the competitive spirit in infrastructural development, especially in road construction is gone

today, except in Ebonyi State, where Dave Umahi, the governor, is showing light.

Reacting to questions on reasons for bad roads in his state during the election campaign, a certain governor in the middle belt of the country had blamed it on insecurity, citing the harassment of construction workers and kidnapping as excuses.

Since decamping to the ruling party, the Ebonyi State governor has been exchanging words with some governors in the eastern part of the country on insecurity.

Recently, Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State, was attacked verbally by Imo indigenes on insecurity in the state, while the governor was busy pointing to other states within the region with worse security situations.

The only thriving thing is the building of airports by governors

even when such projects are not viable, like the Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Anambra airports and others.

But the airports are also affected by insecurity.

Emeka Unanka, an aviation expert and airport lounge owner, disclosed that most people are no longer travelling within the country as they used to because of insecurity and that it is affecting the volume of air passengers.

“If bandits can attack trains on the Abuja-Kaduna route, kidnappers cluster along major highways, and security operatives hide from Boko Haram, which carry superior arms, then you must have guts to travel within the country, and even foreigners know that”, Unanka said.

Another area that governors still compete today, according Unanka, is improving internally generated revenue (IGR), following Lagos State year-on-year increment example.

According to him, all the governors have given directives to their boards of internal revenue to double their earnings in line with dwindling federal allocations, but insecurity is also affecting it. “Lagos is still feeling the impact of #EndSARS protest as its revenue target may not be realised this year. Business is on standstill in the whole of the North East region because of insecurity and now the North West is beginning to boil. So, governors cannot compete again, except first to restore full security in their states”, he said.

To estimate the cost of insecurity and what it is denying states across the country, Unanka said that the amount Nyesom Wike governor of Rivers State, have spent on security in the state, is enough to build a new city replica of Abuja in the state.

He thinks that the trend of blaming their poor performance on security will continue as long as the Federal Government keeps playing politics and lacks the will power to address the insecurity challenge.

L-R: Peace Obichere, MD/CEO, B&S Power Nigeria Limited; Aminatu Olawuyi, deputy director, representative of the Ministry of Labour and Employment; Olawale Akinwunmi, co-founder, president/CEO, Green Plinth Africa; Victor Fodeke, co-founder, vice president/GMD, Green Plinth Africa; Osazuwa Manfred, chairman/CEO, SunnyFred Global, and William Okyere-Henaku, Africa representative of B&S Power Holding PTE at project roadmap presentation of the Ashama 200MW solar PV-Delta State, Nigeria, in Lagos.

Pic by Olawale Amoo

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COVID-19 still a huge concern ...

Continued from Page 1

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor and Senator Muhammad Abba Aji, director general, North East Governors representing Borno State Governor during the CBN/Bankers’ Committee One-Day summit themed: “Bankers Initiatives for Economic Growth”, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, on Friday, February 26, 2021.

Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos pays Condolence Visit to the family of Late first civilian Governor of Lagos State Alhaji Lateef Jakande R-L President Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos (ISCL) Sunday Udeh; Wife of Late Jakande Abimbola Jakande; Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, Secretary General (ISCL); Chukwuma Odimegwu, deputy president Hyacinth Ugwu-Umunna, former chairman Awuwo Odofin local Government Area Comrade Ayodele Adewale, during the Condolence visit of Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos to the family of Late first Civilian Governor of Lagos State Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

IBEDC moves to improve power supply to Oyo’s Lalupon, environs Ngozi Okpalakunne

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he management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC) has assured the Lalupon community of its determination to ensure improved power supply in the area.

Lalupon 33kV Feeder, is said to be a leg on Adogba 33kV feeder from Ibadan North 132/33kV transmission substation tugged somewhere in Ojoo area.

A release signed by the Chief Technical officer of IBEDC, stated that the management has rehabilitated the Lalupon 33kV line by reconducting and changing failed components on the line.

The statement reads, “As

part of remedies under proposal, IBEDC Management plans to run a new 33kV line from Iwo transmission substation to Lalupon, thereby changing the source of supply from Ibadan North transmission substation to Iwo transmission substation.

With this, we believe the much-desired respite would be achieved.

“Funding of the project which hitherto has been hampering the execution is now receiving priority attention. It is also planned that when this line is completed, an Injection Substation will be constructed at Lalupon to complement the line project.

On the other, the management in the statement condemned the consistent rejection of their electricity

bills, apathy to payment and assault on their staff when carrying out their lawful duties by some customers at Lalupon community.

“It frustrates our laudable business projections for Lalupon and its environs.

“This attitude is negative and counter-productive. We hereby appeal to the good people of Lalupon Community to toe the path of peace and dialogue, and to support IBEDC in permanently resolving the present power supply challenges in that area.

“The, Management of IBEDC is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all issues, including tariff related are amicably and permanently resolved,” the statement added.

persons that came in contact with someone diagnosed with an infectious disease, and was directed to self isolate.

“I was informed by an unknown caller that one of the passengers in the plane we boarded had fallen ill. I became frightened and thought seeing my family right away would have been my greatest joy,” he said.

Jimoh ended the call, looked back on Nigeria’s ailing health system with nostalgia, stared bleary-eyed at his parents’ picture on his phone, and was lost in his own thoughts.

A year ago, we all watched with amazement the emergence of a strange respiratory ailment with feverish symptoms, spreading at a breakneck pace and claiming lives.

One year on, Nigeria is still struggling under the weight of the pandemic.

The novel infectious disease was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, and was termed Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organisation declared it as a global pandemic.

Precisely February 27, 2020, Nigeria recorded an index case who was an Italian.

Subsequently, many persons, including prominent Nigerians became infected and some lost their lives from COVID-19 complications.

While Nigeria recorded its first fatality in March 23, the total number of confirmed cases rose to near hundred in March 29.

Today, more than 153,000 confirmed cases have been reported, number of deaths has surpassed 1,800 while more than 130,000 persons have recovered according to case update announced on February 24, 2021 by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

To watch and direct efforts by government at all levels in curtailing the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country, the Federal Government established the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 chaired by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of the Federation.

Other members of the task force include ministers and senior government officers, other departments and relevant agencies.

Strikingly, the emergence of COVID-19 brought the NCDC to limelight– an agency saddled with the responsibility of coordinating public health emergencies.

The NCDC under the leadership of Chikwe Ihekweazu, no doubt, has been working assiduously with all states to enhance surveillance and support response to the pandemic.

To protect Nigerians against the deadly virus, the government urged all residents to strictly adhere to all health and safety protocols, especially maintaining social distance, regular washing of hands with soap under running water and compulsory use of facemasks in public.

Also, state governments were supported financially to build and expand existing isolation centres to ramp up testing of COVID-19.

The new normal As days go by, stay home or mask up, keep COVID-19 away became the survival mantra. These precautionary measures were adopted as non-medical measures to control the spread of the virus.

Before now, Nigerians attended schools physically, there were no restrictions on the number of persons in public places, and majority saluted their friends and colleagues by shaking hands. And human beings were allowed to sneeze freely even with a short pray of “bless you” being offered to the person who expresses such a reflex action.

Unfortunately, on March 30, lockdown was imposed by the Federal Government on three states, including Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ogun for an initial period of 14 days.

International flights and interstate travels were banned; schools, businesses and offices were closed down with exemption to those rendering essential services.

Consequently, the decision affected livelihoods and made it difficult to eke out a living.

The restrictive measures increased unemployment rate, crippled Nigeria’s economy.

Though there was gradual easing of the lockdown, the devastating effect of the disease has left a footprint on everyone.

Response to COVID-19 has changed the way people live, work or take part in social activities, including weddings and funerals. These days, people meet, receive lectures through online as part of complying with the physical distancing measure to reduce the spread of the disease; sneezing has become dreadful as one is advised to sneeze into one’s elbow while coughing in public is now almost a stigma.

Remote treatments and wearing of face masks have become the order of the day. Fashion designers have found a new avenue of making money through sewing of face masks.

For few months ago, there was a decline in daily recorded cases, however, the number of positive cases surged during the festive period.

Fortunately, in December the news of approved vac-

cines in developed countries brought a huge sigh of relief to everyone.

While numerous vaccines are currently at different stages of trial, there are several others that have been approved for use. They include Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford/AstraZeneca.

These vaccines have different effective rates and storage temperatures.

After preliminary investigation on the safety and efficacy of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approved it for use.

The pandemic has ravaged many parts of the world, leaving behind high death figures and miseries. The questions which no one has really answered are, will the world ever be the same again? Can people ever again exchange pleasantries like the good old days?

Managing future emergencies “The system meant for intervention must be ready.

The Federal Government and indeed the national health system should ensure the national health information system is strengthened,” says Omokhoa Adeleye, a professor of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

Adeleye explained that disease control measures are successful based on the extent emergencies are detected, urging the government to promote confidence building in the health system in order to have a stable and reliable disease management information system.

“The federal and state governments have responded moderately well. With the level of economy and resources we have, one cannot but commend the FG and the Lagos State government for the prompt response. The response actually limited the disease in Nigeria otherwise it would have been worse,” the professor said.

On COVID-19 vaccines, he stressed the need for the Federal Government to prioritise vulnerable people, noting that vaccinating them would help to drastically reduce deaths from COVID-19.

Another medical expert, Anthony Obi said that building a strong emergence response mechanism and strengthening the health system across the country can go a long way to help manage emergencies that may come up in the future.

Obi, who is the Edo State COVID-19 Incident manager, identified weak health system as a major challenge, saying that “when people see the health system is strong, they will think of utilising it”.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

Politics 2023: Nigeria’s power rotation controversy rages, amid clamour for competence Iniobong Iwok

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ith about two years to the 2023 general election in Nigeria, one of the issues that have dominated debates across the country is which region should produce the next president after the expiration of the second term of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari?

Such is the heat and weight the issue is generating that recent turmoil in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been linked to the quest by political gladiators to reposition themselves ahead of possible zoning of the presidency in 2023.

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, there have been a rotation of the presidency between the Southern and the Northern regions; the arrangement was in place during the sixteen years the PDP ruled the country.

Though not constitutionally backed, political leaders say that due to the heterogeneous nature of the country, power rotation arrangement had become necessary to address complaints of marginalisation and domination, and to give equal power to ethnic groups.

Zoning has worked well leading to a seamless transfer of power by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who ruled for eight years, to Musa Yar’ Adua, a Northerner. Though Yar’ Adua’s death unfortunately truncated that zoning arrangement leading to the emergence of another Southerner, Goodluck Jonathan.

Among political leaders in the South, especially in the South East, it is expected that after President Buhari must have served the constitutional guaranteed eight years in office that power should shift to the region.

However, it appears that some political actors and stakeholders, especially in the North are opposed to the idea. While some would want power to remain in the North, others are of the view that competence should rather determine who governs the country and not ethnicity.

The talk about zoning has already pitched many politicians against one another. Currently, in the APC, there is disquiet and uncertainty over the party’s position on the issue. In the last few months, different party leaders have been making conflicting statements on the issue.

Perhaps, what has become apparent is that the issue of zoning may lead to a major implosion and crisis in the two major political parties if not well managed ahead 2023.

“You see, I don’t think there is anything like agreement. You can ask the President, he led the group, Asiwaju was there, I was part of it, and there was no meeting. The agreement can’t be verbal, it has to be written,” Sanni Yerima, a former governor of Zamfara State and chieftain of the APC had said recently

Mai Mala Buni

while declaring his intention to vie for the presidency in 2023.

Yerima further noted that there was no written agreement in the APC zoning the presidency to the South in 2023.

“Such an agreement can’t be verbal; it has to be written. In any case, any agreement that is contrary to the laws of this country is not an agreement. The constitution is very clear, the Constitution of the political parties, the Electoral Act. We are in a democracy and democracy is governed by processes and procedures and bylaws,” he further said.

But speaking recently, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola countered Yerima, saying that the APC had an unwritten agreement to zone the presidency to the South in 2023 that must be respected.

According to him, “Political parties are clubs where you write agreements just like the social clubs and you can decide that it is the youngest person who will be the chairman of the club or party or that the oldest person or woman should lead.

“That is a matter of agreement among people. But the constitution that sets up the requirements of political party formation does not prescribe zoning. So, if people made an agreement, as a matter of honour, they should keep to the terms of their agreement, whether it is written or verbal.

“The truth is that what makes an agreement efficacious is the honour with which it is made, not whether it is written or verbal. If it was right there would be no court cases on breach of contract because it is all the documents, the written and signed agreements that always go to court. But the private agreement you make with your brother or sister and you deal with it, there is no dispute, it is the honour”.

Perhaps, a similar situation exists in the PDP where the party had on several occasions categorically said it had not taken a position yet on where to zone the presidential

Uche Secondus

ticket in 2023. This stand is already causing ripples within the party with various chieftains, especially from the Southeast calming that the party must zone the presidential ticket to the region to gain its support.

But Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the PDP, said recently that the party was yet to decide on zoning, stressing that the party’s ticket was open to all Nigerians.

He said: “We must study our last outing before looking ahead. We can’t be talking of zoning when we have not appraised how we fared in the last election.

“By the time they (appraisal committee) finish, we will take decisions and the decision is not for the National Working Committee (NWC) but for the entirety of our party. And I believe that whoever is interested in 2023, maybe including the former President, the chances are there because the PDP is a party of all”.

However, observers say that PDP may just be waiting to see the turn of events in the APC before deciding on what to do. They, however, urged the party to be strategic before arriving at a decision to avoid a major crisis in the party because the Southeast may lay claim to the ticket.

Meanwhile, among the reasons given by the Ebonyi State Governor for dumping the opposition party for the APC was the refusal of the leadership of the PDP to commit to zoning the presidential ticket to the Southeast. Umahi said the region had done enough to deserve the PDP ticket.

However, it appears, Umahi may not be alone in the fight, in recent times agitations for Igbo presidency in 2023 had gained wide support in the region where leaders had consistently complained of being marginalised in Nigeria.

Chekwas Okorie, an Igbo leader and one of the founders of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), expressed dismay that the region had continuously been denied the presidency, stressing that there was no better time to actualise the Igbo

presidency than 2023.

He warned the two major parties in the country that the region was tired of being used and abandoned, adding that it would not accept any position other than the presidency from the two major parties in Nigeria.

According to him, “Igbo presidency is realisable; it is far more realisable in 2023 than any other time.

It is conventional but not in the constitution, even that rotation is in the PDP constitution and in APC where I belong. It is becoming a bit difficult to convince Nigerians that after eight years of President Buhari that another Northerner would want to continue from there.”

According to him, “Everything looks favourable for the South to be considered for the APC ticket.

But when you now talk about the South, the Yorubas have had their turn when Obasanjo ruled for eight years, after that we had Umaru Musa Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan tenure, we know that Jonathan moved on to rule for six years.

“So, it is only the Southeast and for the interest of equity, it is appropriate that the region gets the presidential slot in 2023. But the way I am seeing it, the PDP may not zone the presidency to the Southeast in 2023”.

Similarly, some stakeholders have kicked against zoning; they say who rules the country should be based on merit and not because such an individual is from an ethnic group. One of such individuals is the President’s nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, who argued that competence, not geography should determine the next president of Nigeria in 2023.

Daura had demised the clamour for power shift, saying that it was time for the country to unite and go for the most competent person.

“Since Nigerians have tried the rotational presidency about thrice already, it would be better to go for the most qualified candidate in 2023 irrespective of whether he comes from the North or the South,” Daura had said.

Among political watchers, the is-

sue has continued to generate mixed reactions, while some have called for caution, saying zoning could encourage mediocrity, others say it was the best way of carrying every one along in a divided and multi-ethnic country like Nigeria.

Political Analyst, Ayo Kusamotu said Nigerians should not see zoning as a right and that it may not solve the nation leadership problem, adding that he would rather prefer the best candidate to lead the country.

“On the issue of zoning, it is a party affair decided by the party constitution and not a national constitutional issue. Thus, it is irrelevant. Politics is about capturing power and the objective of the party is to see how best to win. Zoning isn’t a right but a privilege unless enshrined in the constitution of the party.

“The parties should give us the best candidate that will be detribalised. Zoning itself also brings about ugly effects and promotion of mediocrity. I do not wonder about our obsession with power and not service.

We should learn from the United States of America. Where you come from is irrelevant, it is what you can do. Nigerians should stop being deceived. Let us choose the best person that can lead this country and be watchful of politicians who are obfuscating the real issues.”

However, analyst Festus Eriye disagreed with Kusamotu’s view, saying that zoning was the best way of fostering oneness in a diverse nation like Nigeria.

“For all their flaws and failings, zoning is one thing the political class has got right as a way of reducing heat in the polity and fostering a sense of belonging in a culturally and ethnically-diverse country as ours.

“It is a device which, despite its imperfections, provides hope that at national level even minorities outside of the big three ethnic groups can ascend the highest heights of political power with time. The same holds true at state level”.

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State Of The Nation Should we be talking of amnesty for terrorists or prosecution?

INIOBONG IWOK

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Martin Ogunleye, former Lagos State MBA chairman ou don’t give amnesty to people who request for it. Why are you giving them amnesty; is it a reward for committing crime? It is a sign that you have failed as a leader and unable to deal with the killings and atrocities that people are committing. It is also a failure of the government.

Amnesty comes from negotiation, people who have decided to come to the table to talk and tell why they are fighting, not you going to beg people to take amnesty and stop killing.

What do the bandits have to negotiate for is a different thing when Boko Haram is asking for amnesty; we know they are fighting against western education, killing their leader, etc.

What are the bandits fighting for?

And if we are not careful somebody would walk to a bank, steal, kill people and be asking for amnesty. Even those in the prison would be asking for amnesty. What we need to do is to ask ourselves why we are like this and what is wrong?

We are here because we have done the wrong thing since twenty years ago, the number of police and other security officials is not enough.

There has been decay in the last twenty years which needs fixing.

Our county is so large for the number of men we have now out there as policemen.

Moshood Savaldor, APC chieftain It is unfortunate for Nigeria, but I would not say much because I am tired of talking, saying the same thing all the time and nothing is being done. They would leave there one day and let them do what they like.

Ayo Kusamotu, lawyer, political analyst I think amnesty for terrorists is a crime against humanity. It is an aberration. It is negative and encourages savages and murderers. In that case why don’t we give amnesty to all violent criminals’? What message are we trying to send out there, please?

Adeoye Adelaja, politician, real estate developer I think it is a crazy idea for the government to think of granting amnesty to terrorists who have been killing and destroying lives and property of innocent citizens.

There is no country in the world that does that, except Nigeria, under President Buhari. Recall that Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai once said that he

Martin Ogunleye

Moshood Savaldor

Ayo Kusamotu

Adeoye Adelaja

Ahmed Oseni

John Cardinal Onaiyekan

paid terrorists so that they could stop killing people. But, today has terrorism stopped in Kaduna State?

There is no justifiable reason for granting killers of innocent people any amnesty, except there is a conspiracy somewhere.

The government is supposed to clamp down and go hard against terrorists, not paying them. Paying them huge amount of money, as we hear daily, won’t stop them, but will further empower them to have more money to buy arms for more crimes.

It is sad that while Boko Haram are killing and shelling our soldiers, the government will now be granting amnesty, scholarships and financial benefits to the same killers, while families of the slain soldiers are in anguish, poverty, neglect and pains. This is very unfair, the government will only be encouraging more criminality if they go ahead

to grant amnesty to these mindless killers.

The government should arrest and prosecute terrorists in line with the law of the land and not pamper them in the guise of amnesty.

Ahmed Oseni, Politician and businessman The idea of amnesty for bandits is a bad thing. I don’t know why the government has decided to adopt this method as a way out of the problem but I don’t see it succeeding. Check the history of where this has been adopted, especially when they are not keen on stopping their nefarious activities. All this just shows government failure; it appears we are helpless and clueless in dealing with this people.

Rather than prosecute them, you are encouraging them. I am of the view that since our government has failed in tackling crime and

spate of security they should seek international help. Because the way things are going God forbid, no one and no place is safe from attack.

Nigeria must be careful - John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Bishop Emeritus of Abuja diocese If a criminal genuinely repents he should be forgiven; this should also apply to those in the correctional homes (prisons). Before we talk about amnesty or forgiveness, we must be saying that those people have really repented and should be ready to go back to their home.

Such persons should not be seen to glamorise as if they are saying they are above everybody and above the society. That option should not be considered because the nation is overwhelmed and wants to be intimidated into some kind of amnesty. We must be careful not

to make it an easy way for other people to join criminality. Nigeria has become a place where people come in, steal and do all manner of things and get away with it, and that’s probably why we are talking about guarding our borders. Why are our borders so porous that everybody can just come in? When you have organised gangs moving across our borders, we must be very concerned about that; we must overhaul our laws; this is one of the areas where we had the contradiction in our constitution. You say state governors are the chief security officers of their states yet whenever anything happens in their state; they have no control of the police there. There is need to change all that. That is why those calling for restructuring believe things are not working well and that restructuring could make states more autonomous.

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Oyetola, reaping the fruit of hard work in Osun

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INIOBONG IWOK

nside the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja last Thursday, February 25, 2021, his face shorn brightly as he stepped forward to be recognised for excellence in governance.

He was with his wife, and Kafayat, First Lady Osun State, to savour the joy that comes with reward for good work.

Indeed, it was a moment of joy for everyone associated with the Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola.

There is a saying that what you do as a leader has far greater impact than what you say. This statement perhaps, explains the personality of Oyetola.

Barely three years in office, the governor has been described as a silent achiever due to his giant strides, monumental transformation that has taken place in Osun State since he assumed office in November 2018.

A tour round the state reveals that Oyetola’s administration has brought a giant imprint to bear on different sectors in Osun; including health, education, security and inclusive governance.

Observers say his administration has brought, institutional transformations, created a friendly business environment, expanded opportunities and a shift towards socio-economic development of Osun State in the last three years.

Perhaps, one of the other areas the Oyetola administration has also scored a pass mark is the high influx of industrialists and investors into Osun State. These investors have come from across the world and have invested billions in the mining and other sectors in the state.

Recently, one of the governor’s aides gave a description of his boss. He said that Oyetola never arrogated to himself a feat he never achieved, and would not allow any of his aides to exaggerate what he never did.

He said that when he was trying to make up his mind whether or not accept the offer to work with the governor, four incidents were to convince him that he was with a good man.

“The first happened when we were to respond to the LAUTECH Ogbomoso issue.

I was barely two weeks old on the job and needed to issue a statement on the contentious Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) matter. I had gone to see Mr. Governor on the need to respond to certain misinformation in the public space concerning the issue at the time.

“Mr. Governor reluctantly accepted that I do the statement. His initial hesitation was borne out of the fact that he detests controversy, no matter how little.

As I reached for the door, Governor Oyetola called me back, saying ‘CPS, be sure of your facts, don’t give account of what we haven’t done.

Don’t say things that will embarrass us. Say only those things we have done.”

According to him, “The second incident had to do with his speech. A draft was made. But as we were reviewing it together, we got to a stage, he said: ‘CPS, these are all lies. Remove those paragraphs. We haven’t done anything of the sort.’ By the time we were done reviewing the speech, more than half of the body was gone. Many a principal would certainly have gladly read those lies and half truths to the public and still feels good.

“The third incident happened at the Government House. It was in the evening.

I was asked to contribute to a discussion. I had a contrary view to that of my Principal, the Governor. I stated this. He conceded to me, but said: ‘Look, come out of your shelf. Be free with me.

Feel free with me. If I had not asked you, I would have taken a decision without hearing from you.’

“The fourth occurred in Abuja. It was my first official trip with him. After the day’s job, he called me around 8pm, saying ‘CPS, have you been offered an accommodation’. I said no, but I quickly added: “I don’t need one. I have a home here. My family lives here, sir.” He said: ‘In that case, do not be in a hurry to set out tomorrow.

Take your time. Spend time with your family.’

“I was happy that here is a man that values family. I got home that night, told my wife and we both concluded that a Principal who bothers about one’s family, not about his job alone, is worth one’s sacrifice.

That was the day I made up

my mind to stay.”

Governor Oyetola was born September 29, 1954 in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State.

He started his secondary education at Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo and graduated in 1972.

Oyetola proceeded to the University of Lagos and graduated with a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos in 1990.

In 1980, Oyetola joined Leadway assurance company Limited as an area manager and worked there till 1987 when he moved on to join Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager between 1987 and 1990.

Perhaps not many know that Oyetola served as chief of staff to the former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola where he worked closely with the former governor to transform the state.

The governor started his political career as member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He has been in the party through its metamorphosis to Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Success does not occur in the vacuum. First, it takes a vision, then a plan and a successful execution of that plan.

Without these elements, success will elude anyone.

“So, what seemed like a ‘crawl’ in the first quarter of the first year in office of Oyetola was actually preparing the grounds for a rocket take-off on a supper sprint to Osun’s economic transformation,” Oshola Osufa, a chieftain of the APC in Osun said.

Though the governor has been decorated with several awards in the last three years as a testimony to his good work in the state, a major award came his way last Thursday when he was honoured by BusinessDay Media Limited as the Best Governor of the Year 2020.

As he continues his developmental stride in the state, observers say that perhaps what is working for him are his humility, character and high pedigree which has not gone unnoticed.

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Remarkable steps in off-grid energy space show govt doing well

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s an organization, we have a l w ay s c a n vassed that the private sector should play a leading role in the economy while the government supports through smart regulations. We see evidence of this in the offgrid energy sector which not only validates our position, but also shows what can happen if competent people are empowered to act.

When this government first came to power on May 29, 2015, the previous government had already begun a National Renewable and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) which was meant to be the blueprint for sustained development, supply, and utilization of renewable energy resources within the economy for on-grid and offgrid. The Buhari government adopted this blueprint.

Under NREEEP, there was provision for complete tariff waivers for all solar use components (panels, TV, batteries, bulbs) to attract investments, create downstream jobs and build scale It also institute priority clearance at the ports for the above as observed with Kenya and Ghana to promote ease of doing business.

In 2016, the electricity sector regulator, the Nigerian

Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) created a Mini-grid Regulation which provides guidance on the operations of minigrids in Nigeria with the objective to increase unserved electricity access and encourage the use of renewables on a small scale.

This regulation has become a gamechanger in providing energy access for previously unserved communities. Soon after this regulation was enacted, investors began taking advantage of the provisions that allowed cost recovery in the tariff model and optional license for energy systems below 1MW. This regulation helped spur hundreds of new businesses and created thousands of jobs in the offgrid space. It also prioritized solar mini-grid applications at the NERC. Another interesting policy implemented by this government is the National Content Development for Power Sector Regulation that aims to promote the deliberate utilisation of the local human workforce and material resources across the value chain of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

This policy empowered the NESI Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NNCCF) to carry out periodic surveys to determine the national content participation in the sector. It provided for the specific inclusion of women’s participation in the local content regulation quota for jobs across NESI.

Perhaps the most impactful policy yet is the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP), a Federal Government credit facility initiative driven by the private sector which seeks to provide electricity access to households, micro, small and medium enterprises in off-grid communities across the country through renewable power sources.

NEP is being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in collaboration with the World Bank, AfDB, and other partners. This programme has increased electricity access to households and micro small and medium enterprises MSMEs).

It helped to provide clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity through renewable power sources to unserved and underserved rural communities. It has also developed a data-driven offgrid model for Nigeria that will become an exemplar for SubSaharan Africa.

The programme has ambitions to provide a reliable power supply for 250,000 (MSMEs) and 1 million households. Already facets of the programme have led to the delivery of solar energy power to universities, markets, and hospitals across the country.

The most recent policy initiative which operators are excited about is the Solar Power Naija programme to support the economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government launched an

initiative as part of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to achieve the roll-out of 5 million new solar-based connections in off-grid communities.

The Solar Connection Intervention Facility will complement the Federal Government’s efforts in providing affordable electricity through the provision of long term low-interest credit facilities to the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) pre-qualified home solar value chain players, expand energy access to 25 million individuals (5 million new connections) through the provision of solar home systems (SHS) or connection to a mini-grid, increase local content in the off-grid solar value chain and facilitating the growth of the local manufacturing industry and incentivize the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector.

Allowing private sector operators lead the charge to increase energy in underserved communities, creating forward-looking policies in conjunction with development partners and operators have opened the sector for investors like All On to play an active role seeding new businesses with grants and hiring competent people to manage the process like the erstwhile managing director of REA, Damilola Ogunbiyi and the new MD, Salihijo Ahmed were the key success factors. We urge the government to replicate this success across other sectors of the economy.

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Perspective Banditry as resource control DONS EZE Dr. Eze writes from Enugu

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s far as Nigeria is concerned, we explain resource control to be a system where a group of people will use their comparative advantage to force the government to funnel the nation’s common wealth to their side.

It started after the “One Million Man March” organized by Daniel Kanu of the ‘Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA)’ infamy, where Nigerian youths were asked to march all the way to Abuja to “beg” former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to put off his military uniform, and put on babariga, and transmute to a civilian President.

Youths from all over the country had converged in Abuja for the “One Million Man March”, including youths from the Niger Delta region, who after seeing magnificent edifices at the nation’s capital, ostensibly built with the oil wealth from their area, became agitated, began to compare themselves with the goose that laid the golden egg, but got nothing in return.

When they returned home, some of them entered the creeks, and began to fire at, and to seize ships in the high seas, destroyed oil installations, and kidnapped oil workers, Asari Dokubo, Atake Tom, and many their ilk. In no time, the entire Niger Delta region became restive and high security risk, and people feared venturing into the area, while the lifting of crude oil from the country, the mainstay of Nigerian economy, significantly dropped.

After a long battle, the government responded by not only granting oil bearing states in the Niger Delta region, thirteen percent derivation of the country’s oil revenue, but also granted amnesty

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CHINASA (‘NASA) KEN-UGWUH

deniyi Adenubi (‘Niyi) is the Executive Director, Investment Management and Investor Relations VFD Group Plc. – a group of financial services companies in Nigeria. Niyi has over 15 years of experience in Institutional and Corporate Banking, Investment Management and Consulting. He is the Chairman of Anchoria Asset Management and also serves on the Boards of several companies. ‘Niyi is passionate about Corporate Governance and brings this to bear on all the boards on which he serves.

My relationship with ‘Niyi is both professional and personal; and in all the years I have known him, we have always sat on different sides of the fence with our starkly opposing views of socialism and capitalism. I oftentimes referred to him as the ultimate capitalist, just because I believed he had such strong views about business profitability. His profile clearly does not help matters – how do you work in financial services and not have such strong capitalist beliefs.

However, in recent times, I started to have more balanced conversations with him – I saw a business leader that was adapting to the ever dynamic world of business, and taking into account the need to have non-capitalist considerations if a business must remain sustainably profitable.

With this context, I invited ‘Niyi and Uzoma Dozie to SCwN last week, to share their views on, what I had coined, The 21st Century Capitalist’s Dilemma: Social Impact or Profitable Value Creation. It was a pleasantly refreshing

to the militants. Some of the Niger Delta warlords were also awarded one huge contract or the other as part of their settlement. That was how the war in the Niger Delta region somehow subsided.

Borrowing a leaf from the Niger Delta experience, youths from the northern part of the country began to press for their own resource control. For more than ten years now, the North has been holding the country to ransom through one form of violent activity or the other, and the government has been responding by funneling the nation’s common wealth to them through various means.

They started with Boko Haram, which they told us simply means “Western education is evil”.

But ironically, this same people have been making use of Western made weapons - guns, rocket launchers, etc., to terrorise, kidnap, kill, maim and rape Nigerians, and also, use Western made communication equipment or gadgets like video clips, to communicate their activities to the outside world.

Because the northern youths have nothing concrete on the ground to trade off, or to exchange, unlike the youths in the Niger Delta region who have crude oil buried under the belly of their land, the Nigerian government began to funnel the resources of the nation to them, through different other means.

Every year, a huge chunk of the country’s budget is dedicated to “fighting insurgency” in the North East. These budgetary allocations are used to buy weapons for the fighting forces in the field; to build camps, scattered all over the North East for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of the area, feed and clothe millions of these IDPs; and pay huge ransoms to the terrorists, to free their captives.

Paradoxically, and very often, most of these weapons meant for our fighting forces, also found their way in the hands of the terrorists.

When it looked like the government was focusing more attention on youths in the North East, youths in the North West of the country began to agitate, to draw government attention to their own side, so as to have their own resource control.

Pretending to be herdsmen, but armed with AK-47 rifles, they began to kidnap, maim, kill, and rape unarmed other Nigerians, and burn down their houses and farmlands. In the various negotiations

for the release of their captives that followed, billions of government money was parted with, through intermediaries or negotiators before the kidnappers would agree to free their victims.

While we call these banditry or criminality, used to surreptitiously defraud the nation, or to steal the nation’s common wealth, those who hold the lever of power in the North, see them differently, and try to justify the acts, one way, or the other. Bauchi State Governor, Bala Muhammed, said the Fulani herdsmen were free to carry AK-47 rifles and use them anyway they wished, while Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawelle, said the bandits were “not criminals”.

On his part, renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, categorically stated that the armed Fulani herdsmen were not bandits, but “militants fighting for ethnic survival”. According to Gumi, who always has free access to these kidnappers in their various dens inside the forests. “I hate to call them bandits. They are militants fighting for ethnic survival. They want to defend themselves. If you are talking about victims, they have more victims on their side than others”.

Sheikh Gumi claimed that these murderous Fulani herdsmen were “fighting a war of existence. If you have seen them (herdsmen), you will discover they have nothing like civilisation other than the guns they are carrying. They are not killing people; they are just engaged in ethnic revenge. The Fulani herdsmen are kidnapping to make money,” he stated.

What all these entail is that the Fulani herdsmen, with their very influential backers, have discovered a new means of making money, which is kidnapping for ransom, as Sheikh Gumi clearly stated, and this has turned out to become a very lucrative business for the Fulani people.

The bandits will enter into a school compound, collect as many school children as they would want, herd them inside some waiting vehicles, or take them on foot, inside the forest. A go-between will suddenly emerge to begin negotiation with both the government and the kidnappers, on how much would be paid as ransom in order to secure the release of the hostages. No security agent will

know where these kidnappers and their victims are staying, or have access to the place, only the mysterious go-betweens.

At the end of the negotiation, the government will play the necessary ball, and the hostages are released. The government will tell the world that no ransom was paid to secure the release of the victims.

We will all clap for them.

The next day, another group of kidnappers, or even the same group of people, will surface and repeat the same act, and the government will equally play the same ball. Any wonder why a common Fulani herder can afford to wield an AK-47 rifle that costs between N300,000 to N400,000.

Kidnapping of school children has become a recurring decimal in many parts of Northern Nigeria these past few years. It happened in Chibok, in Dapchi, in Kankara, in Kagara, etc., the same commando style attack by the bandits, sorry, “freedom fighters,” according to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

How will it look like, if a well known Igbo leader, be he secular or religious, enters the forest of the South East to dialogue with the Eastern Security Network (ESN) would such a person not become instantly a guest to our no-nonsense security agencies, who will force him to explain how he got to know the ESN, its activities, and his role in the organisation?

But no such thing has ever happened to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and many other Northern negotiators with the Fulani bandits. They are very powerful people. They are untouchable people. Nobody will ask them questions regarding what they know or do not know about these bandits or terrorists, the motivations behind their actions, and their roles in the organisation.

At the moment, everybody pretends not to know about these bandits, who they are, and where they stay, even our eagle-eyed security agencies. They live in the air. Nobody knows how they are funded.

They are not human beings. They are spirits, without flesh and blood. That is why it will be very difficult to defeat terrorism in Nigeria, anytime so soon, or why it will take twenty years to defeat terrorism in Nigeria, as former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, had stated.

The 21st Century Capitalist’s Dilemma (1): VFD’s balancing act and empathy as a new core value (In conversation with Adeniyi Adenubi) conversation, as the two business leaders shed light on their perspectives and the new social order that has forced more people to start to think more laterally about these matters.

This edition of the article will focus on ‘Niyi’s perspectives and I will share Uzoma’s views in the next edition.

According to ‘Niyi, in light of the role of capitalism in the new world - “At VFD Group, we are socially conscious, but if you are socially conscious and you don’t make profit, then your business is not sustainable.”

As obvious as this statement may seem in terms of logic – balancing the divergent interests of stakeholders and making key business decisions has got to be a herculean task.

A simple illustration is when the pandemic broke out in the country and businesses were confronted with the difficult decision of shutting down operations to ensure that the spread of the virus was curbed. On the one hand you are thinking about your customers who need your services and on the other had you are considering the safety of your employees and then your regulators are issuing directives that you must comply with. With this, one can easily see that, while playing the balancing act is ideal, it’s not an easy process and at the end of the day, the most optimal decision in view of all key stakeholders will have to be taken.

For ‘Niyi, similar to Uzoma, in terms of stakeholder interest prioritisation – the customers and employees are the priorities followed by the regulators. This only stands to reason, if you don’t have the right employees to

deliver your services or goods, then you don’t have a business. Likewise, if your customers are not interested in or demanding for your products or services, then you don’t have a business.

According to a2019 White Paper by the World Economic Forum - the essential ingredients for building trust and retaining a license to operate, for claiming corporate citizenship, are purpose, strategy, culture, values and governance. I asked Niyi to share if this was same for the VFDGroup. He shared - “Our values at the VFD Group are, integrity, innovation, teamwork and newly empathy. The whole idea of pushing empathy as a value, is that it actually drives our business.”

The newly added core value of Empathy piqued my interest, I wanted to understand why the organisation thought it was critical and how it’s been taught ‘Niyi believes that, once you are able to put yourself in another person’s shoes and understand where they are coming from, there is less friction. For instance, a customer could call to make an enquiry about a business that’s part of the VFD Group that you don’t belong to, the expectation is to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, to understand that they see the group as one organisation; and so whoever they speak to should be able to address their concerns.

In addition, ‘Niyi shared that the management at VFD ensures to clarify that putting people first and foremost doesn’t mean you are soft; but understanding what the other person is feeling helps you.

It was refreshing to learn first-hand, the

active steps organisations like VFD are taking to be more socially conscious. For me I would say its baby-steps yet, and the consciousness backed by action, no matter how little, is an indication of progress. As shared with Niyi, the litmus test of this consciousness is if I saw a VFD staff on the road and asked if it was a great place to work.

My conversation with ‘Niyi and Uzoma was enlightening and I can’t wait to share some of my take-outs from Uzoma’s views in my next article.

Till then, please visit www.socialconscience. africa or www.africabusinessradio.com to listen to the full conversation.

I remain, yours conscientiously, ‘Nasa

Adeniyi Adenubi - ED, Investment Management and Investor Relations VFD Group Plc

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She Said Yes-and I DoAll in the Same Day

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ach and I met while I was working at a Marriott in Austin. He travels for work each week so we saw each other a few times at the hotel. One day he handed me a business card and said if I wasn’t doing anything we should grab dinner or drinks.

He said he was stuck in Austin due to a storm in Dallas where he was living. For some reason, I felt a wave of courage and said, “Why the hell not?”

Dinner and drinks went great and we would meet when we were in each other’s cities which was almost monthly. Soon after Zach moved

to Austin and we began hanging out more often. Finally we made it official and starting dating. Then we moved to Denver together!

Zach and I went up to Vail for what I thought was a getaway weekend just the two of us. Little did I know Zach’s months of hard work were

beginning to fall in place.

So, we arrive in Vail, get checked in, and head up the gondola for lunch.

As we walk over to a scenic viewing area with a huge wooden deck, Zach cannot hold in the anticipation and almost immediately drops to one knee. “Catie Winona Bossard… will you marry me.”

I am pretty sure I said “Yes” before he could even finish.

Luckily, Zach and I have discussed marriage for quite some time so it was not necessarily unexpected but none the less a very exciting moment. He told me “Everyone is here but I have a second question for you.”

I look up and see his family and a few friends come running down to celebrate.

Then he says… “I have a second question. Would you want to marry me today? Everything is set up. Your dress, plans and everyone is here.”

As I turn around I see my mom, sister, best friends, aunt and uncle come running to greet us. Ecstatic and confused, I burst into tears and start crying and hugging on Zach then the entire family.

Everyone is still waiting for my answer but I am still unsure of the question. “Catie, do you want to get married today? I have everything ready to go in about 3 hours.” I am quickly trying to process exactly what is happening. My answer…

“Yes. Let’s do it!”

As the wedding begins, immediately

Ways to take care of your skin during harmattan

BY SKIN 101

T

aking care of dry skin during harmattan could be challenging especially with the extra dryness that comes with the harmattan period. The skin looks dry, whitish or ashy and sometimes flaky when not properly taken care

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

Sunday 2828 February 20212021 Sunday February

after the engagement, we make our way back to the hotel and started getting ready. The guys all gather in one room and my family had a bridal room setup for me. Luckily, we have the most amazing family and friends so everything was so easy… hair, make-up, ties, suites… and the dress. Everyone we tell this story to is so concerned about THE DRESS! My mom and sister picked out a dress and my two best friends Alex and Amanda picked out another.

It was easy. Tried them both on and went with the one that I felt most comfortable in. Oh, and it was beautiful.

The ceremony was on top of Vail mountain overlooking the most beautiful view I have ever seen.

One of my best friends and fellow coaches, Bryce married us about 4 hours after the engagement. Zach’s friend, Landon was even there to help get everything on camera.

I will never fully understand what was going on in Zach’s head but I am certain he knows me better than anyone in this world. I never wanted a big wedding. I never wanted to spend hours finding a “perfect dress”. I never wanted to make a guest list and think I left someone out. I never wanted to plan this “perfect wedding” that I never wanted. What I wanted was to marry my best friend. I wanted exactly what Zach gave me. Love, friendship, a sense of peace when he’s around. Marriage is so much more than a wedding or party.

Thank you to all of our family and friends for help. I know Zach is a great delegator and had you all busy. Y’all pulled it off! Best surprise wedding ever!

And most of all… Thank you Zach.

Words do not explain how surprised, happy and grateful I am. I love you babe.

2. Do not use very soapy cleansing products. Non-soap based cleansers are preferred as soap strips your skin of moisture. Soap products are made from natural surfactant ingredients that could be harsh on the skin while non-soap products are typically made from synthetic surfactant ingredients which are milder.

of.

3. Choose moisturizers with humectant and occlusive properties. Humectants draw moisture to the skin while occlusives seal moisture. Examples of humectants are hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, glycerin, urea. The 101 Clinical Skincare Hydrating & Soothing Moisturizer contains glycerin and squalane and it is suitable for both face and body.

People dread the dr y season and harmattan because of the dryness and extra care required, especially those with dry skin type and occupations that keep them outdoors for long hours. Humidity drop during harmattan in Nigeria results in a drastic reduction of moisture levels. This is what causes dry skin during harmattan and worsening for people with dry skin type.

However, taking care of dry skin during harmattan could be a walk in the park when necessary lifestyle and habit modifications are made and the right products are used.

SKIN DURING HARMATTAN

TIPS ON TAKING CARE OF DRY

1. Do not have hot baths. Especially the long baths! Hot water and long

baths strip the skin of moisture.

Limit bath time to 5 to 10 minutes and use warm water instead of hot or very hot water.

4. Seek professional help. It is important to note that dry skin could also be caused by other underlying health conditions and aggravated by harmattan. The type of products used when there is an underlying condition play a vital role and you don’t want to use wrong combinations that could further dry or irritate the skin.

Sunday 2828 February 20212021 Sunday February

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Spinach stew (Efo riro) SPINACH STEW (EFO RIRO) chef lola’s kitchen

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he African Stewed Spinach also popularly known as Efo riro is a one-pot stew with layers of flavor. It requires quite a number of ingredients but little work from the cook putting it all together (as long as you already have all your ingredients prepped).

INGREDIENTS • •

• • • •

1.5 lb spinach blanched Peppers 3 large red bell peppers, 2 scotch bonnet and 1 very small onion 1/4 Cup Palm Oil 2 Tbsp crayfish blended 2 Tablespoon locust bean 1/2 Cup stock Fish About 2 handfuls of shredded

• • • • •

1 Prawn about a handful, Dried 1 Onion medium sizediced 1 Bouillon Cube 1 lb Beef A mixture of Beef, Tripe, and cow Skin.

US Customary - Metric INSTRUCTIONS

•

•

•

Preheat the Palm oil - I like it hot but not bleached.

Add the diced Onion and stir-fry till golden brown.

Add the blended peppers (check notes above for details) and fry until the Sauce thickens up.

Season with the stock cube, add Salt to taste, Crayfish and locust bean.

•

Stir until everything is well blended.

Add the Meat, Stockfish, and dried Prawns and add some water or stock to thin out the sauce, then

•

cover it up again and allow it to come to a simmer.

Finally, add the Spinach and mix thoroughly. Then leave it to cook uncovered

•

for about 2 to 5 minutes.

Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve with your favorite swallow like be, Amala, Fufu or Rice, Yam ... Enjoy!

Procrastination...

The real villain of time OSARENNOMA OGBEIDE

P

rocrastination, often called the thief of time can be defined in many ways. It is the act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially habitually or intentionally. A famous saying goes ‘’never leave until tomorrow what you can do today’’ but the mind of a procrastinator goes ‘’why do it today when you can do it tomorrow? ‘’ Procrastination is a common habit repeated by many of us. It starts from little things like postponing cleaning

our room, doing chores, postponing car repairs, writing documents and many other things.

What exactly could be attributed to the reason we procrastinate? A common one is laziness. Many at times we are not in the ‘mood’ to do certain things or we claim we don’t have the energy to, but the time needed to do the task, we spend doing less important and rather irrelevant things.

Als o, another reas on is because we find the task boring hence we lose interest in doing it. For example,

students from time to time lack interest in a course which results in them not studying or doing assignments.

Other reasons why we procrastinate are because we place more importance on other things, we believe that we lack the abilities, too many distractions, fear of success and many more we are unaware of.

Having seen a few causes, let’s look at a way forward, how to overcome procrastination and get work done. A simple yet challenging one is the Nike slogan, “Just do it”. If you never start the task,

you’ll never have a chance to fail, but you’ll never have a chance to succeed either.

Don’t give excuses, instead make sacrifices and just do it.

Als o, it is impor tant to motivate yourself into action.

Be your own cheer leader, focus on the task and be determined to complete it. My friend once told me how she motivated herself in reading a subject she found boring. She would put sweets in between some pages like bookmarks and won’t lick them until she finished reading the previous pages. Surprisingly, it worked for her. This was her own form

of motivation and this helped her in studying. It may or may not work for some people but the message here is, create our own motivation.

Other ways to overcome procrastination includes preparing thoroughly before you begin the task, believing you can do it and not giving up.

According to Charles Dickens, “procrastination is the thief of time, collar him”. Abraham Lincoln said “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” Let us all take to their advice and conquer the real villain in time.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

Feature How Awotan dumpsite will create jobs, generate 6 megawatts of electricity in Oyo

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REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan ecently, the upgraded and rehabilitated Awotan dumpsite, Akufo Road, Awotan, Ibadan was commissioned by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The journey of remodelling of the landfill started last year when Oyo State Government brought on board Macpresse West Africa Limited, a waste management and recycling facility, headed by Idowu Salawu.

The company, with over 20 years experience in the Environment sector, was contracted to assist the State Government in reducing pollution at Ajakanga and Awotan dumpsites and effectively manage Oyo State’s waste management system to meet international standard and practice of waste disposal and evacuation while exploring the option of converting waste to wealth through recycling.

The project, a largely privatesector driven system, is part of the sustainable solid waste management architecture (clean and green) implemented by the present administration.

According to the governor, the state has put in place, proper measures to upscale the solid waste management, which is better efficient and would solve the problem of urban solid waste management in the state, which would henceforth not have adverse effects on residents of Awotan and its environs.

The contractor, Macpresse West Africa Limited moved to site early last year, and that is said to have created 12,000 direct jobs for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled income earners in Oyo State, during the ongoing rehabilitation at the dumpsite.

Salawu, the Chief Operating Officer, revealed that the project birthed 500 registered private companies that were engaged in the refuse collection at the 11 LGAs in the 1st phase of the programme in Awotan and Akanga dumpsites.

“Each registered company invested in the purchase of a minimum of two refuse collection trucks valued at N24million and each truck employs a minimum of six persons in its day to day running,” he said.

According to him, “The scheme, called clean and green initiative, has created 6,000 direct employment opportunities. Each, presently engaged 500 PSP operators having six personnel managing the 1,000 trucks with drivers, motor boys and four refuse parkers engaged on a permanent basis”.

“Other employment created from the scheme include 100 daily workers at the host community of Awotan, Apete and Akufo in Ido LGA where the ongoing rehabilitation of dumpsite has provided jobs for about 100 refuse dump scavengers and construction workers that make their daily livelihood at the dumpsite,” he added.

Salawu further said the total value of investment injected into the

Governor Seyi Makinde

Oyo State economy is estimated at N12billion from private sectors just to add value into waste management in line with international best practice.

The contractor said the projects would make better positive economic impacts on the people of the state.

He further added that since the opening of the dumpsite, over ten million metric tonnes of waste had been dumped so far and with this, Oyo State can take advantage and produce thousands of megawatts of electricity for the people of the state.

“The dumpsite which sits on a 25-hectare large expanse of land was not utilised to the optimum because of the lack of access roads to reach the other ends of the site, many waste disposal trucks offload their contents at the entrance because they cannot reach the end; we have constructed about 1km road network to link all the dump hangars we have compartmentalize,” he added.

But speaking at the commissioning last week, Salawu said that the Awotan landfill is characteristic of any landfill in the world, adding that history was made because the 50 scavengers, who have been working at the site could not be sure of Material Recovery Facility (MRF) that will handle 50 tonnes waste material every day and increase their income.

He said: “Another good thing that we have derived from here is, before we completed this project, we had been receiving commendation from the residents of this area. What we did here is purely scientific. The gas component here can power 1megawatt of electricity on 1 hectare of land. So, since we have six hectares here, we can generate 6 megawatts of electricity.

“On renewable energy, we will partner LAUTECH for them to use this place as the practical aspect of the department the government recently created.”

On his part, Governor Makinde said with the successful completion and commissioning of the Awotan landfill, the contractor will mobilise to Ajakanga dump site for its rehabilitation and upgrading to landfill status, stating that the contractor has promised to complete the project in record time.

Makinde also said that the project would provide job opportunities for 3,000 residents of the community.

“When we were confronted with the issue of waste in Oyo State, we had two main choices. One, a quick fix, which could have happened sooner, or a more complex and farreaching solution, which would take some time. As you can see, the video clip we just watched is quite com-

plex.

“The quick fix would have just meant that we are just kicking the ball further down the road. Sometimes in the future, we will, again, be confronted with the issue of waste disposal. Maybe then, it will be another administration that will deal with it but we would have gone away with the tag of ‘Architect of Modern Oyo State.’

“One, those who live near this dumpsite, the nearest settlement is just about 200 meters away from where we are right now, would have had to continue dealing with their groundwater contamination and their water will have remained unsafe for them to drink.”

The governor further said: “The Baale of Awotan has asked us to fix the health centre here and I want to assure you that we will do it. We already put a plan in place to have one standard health care facility in every ward in Oyo State and we will have 351 of them.

“Secondly, they would have continued to live with the stench coming from this dumpsite. The multiplier effect is that those who have properties for rent around here would have a hard time letting them out and, of course, I have spoken about the health implications as well.

“As a matter of fact, when I met some people here, they said they abandoned their houses here and relocated to the city but, the good news is, they are coming back now.

“I want to acknowledge the immense contribution of our late compatriot and former Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Kehinde Ayoola. He did all the planning and groundwork to make sure that this project turns out as it is today.

“May the good Lord continually be with his family. Let me also thank the current Commissioner for Environment, Barrister Idowu Oyeleke, for seeing the project to a logical conclusion.

“So, as I said earlier, we decided on the second option. Yes, it took more time, which meant that people complained about refuse disposal for a little longer but we knew that when we accomplish what we set out to accomplish here, the result will be glaring to all.”

He maintained that the success of the landfill project has led to the creation of massive job opportunities, as, according to him, 500 private companies have been registered for refuse collection, with each of them expected to recruit at least six people, including drivers and refuse packers.

“We are standing on the ground now and we can see everywhere. So, apart from this environment, the total rehabilitation of this landfill resulted in engaging over 500 registered private companies in refuse collection. Each of those companies will employ at least a driver, a number of packers and others. If you multiply six by five hundred it will give you 3,000 direct jobs.

“Also, about 50 people worked here as scavengers and I don’t think they will continue to scavenge again, because there will be a rise in their take-home. They will be staying here now and those who need whatever they separate will have to come down and buy from them here.

“So, these individuals who worked on this project; contractors and others, we appreciate their efforts and the resultant effect is that we have more funds into Oyo State’s economy. Now that the site is completed, what is next? The benefit of upgrading this dumpsite is immense. We are all breathing easily right now.

“The last time we came here, we discovered that access will be a challenge. We had to look for an alternative route. The Apete-Awotan road is less than 1,500 metres and once you pass this place further down to Akufo junction, the traffic will be less.

“So, in less than six to eight weeks, the problem of access to this place will have been completely solved.

And another added sweetener is there is methane gas under here, which will be converted to electricity that will in turn be used to install street lights around here. We will provide the street light and this place will provide the gas that will be used to generate electricity for that purpose,” the governor explained.

Earlier, in his welcome address at the inauguration, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abdulateef Oyeleke said that the landfill project was a crucial part of the broad plan to reposition Oyo State, especially the state capital, Ibadan, as a sustainable and ideal metropolitan city free from dirt and filth.

He maintained that the desire of the Makinde administration is to modernise its solid waste management and that the project would create a clean, green, and environmentally friendly state.

According to him, “This project has bridged the sad gap of 21st century urban waste transportation, by introducing the clean and green trucks through PPP arrangement. The trucks are well-equipped to evacuate refuse from the various collection points and safely transport the same to the landfill.”

“We appreciate commitment, support, and supervision and prompt release of funds to this project. We also thank the Awotan community for the support to the state government, PSP Waste Contractors throughout the execution period of this project and other stakeholders who have formidably partnered with the government in contributing their own quota to the development of the state,” he said.

The commissioner appealed to all house owners and facility owners, either private, commercial or industrial in Oyo State to complement the efforts of the state government by promptly paying waste bills in order to achieve a safe, clean and healthy environment.

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Nutritious meals at healthy garage Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

W

ith the new foray into the vast and viable food industry by agripreneurs and the competitive spirit it engenders, the focus on innovation has made the difference for some smart players. One of these is the company that goes by the name Healthy Garage. Its offering has to do with sustainable nutrition awareness.

For instance, it provides its esteemed customers ideas on proper and ultimate guide on how to achieve and maintain a healthy eating or living pattern. With it has got tons of delicious recipes for every taste and dietary preference. In this wise, its dietitians prepare specialty meal plans offer balance nutrition each week and can be easily customized to the customer’s personal taste. So if you want to eat healthy and stay healthy

one can subscribe at a very affordable rate to itsHealthy Meal Prep Plan which gives your body the nutrients it needs everyday.

Specifically, the Low Carb/ Ketogenic Diet Meal Prep Plan helps you lose and maintain your desired weight. Its Keto diet plan is made available educated and experienced experts to help you achieve your desired result. One can also order his daily meal from Healthy Garage before 4 or 5pm the previous day at an affordable rate. And all the meals are prepared with @saladmaster cookware, the best stainless cookware that retains 80 to 90% of the nutrients in your food after cooking.

There are also various healthy food products for sale. These include organic seeds, low carb breads, low carb/oat granola, slim rice/noodles/pasta and other healthy food items.

We hereby take a closer look at the organic seeds that are loaded with many health benefits. The WHITE (HULLED) SESAME SEED is a nutritious source of protein which is a necessary building block for your body. High in magnesium it helps to lower blood pressure. It also contains calcium for the bones and several other nutrients. It can be used to garnish salad, stir fried vegetables, cakes, cookies, breads, used as substitutes for peanuts. It can also be grounded into a paste for flavouring sauces.

Another healthy, organic seed are the CHIA SEEDS. They are loaded with fibre, protein, calcium, magnesium and antioxidants. They can be eaten raw, soaked in juice, added to smoothies, sprinkled on top of yogurt, cereal and also used as egg substitutes in recipes.

As for PUMPKIN SEEDS, the

15

benefits are numerous. They are high in fibre, antioxidants and magnesium.

They assist to lower blood sugar levels as well as preventing cancer and diabetes. It can be eaten alone as a snack, or can be added to dishes for extra test. It is used for granola and also as salad topping. They are Ketocompliant.

For the hugely popular NIGERIAN PEPPER SOUPthere are different recipes that are made with different kinds of meat and fish. In fact, Nigerian pepper soup generally are named according to the type of meat used for the preparation of it, such as catfish pepper soup, assorted pepper soup, beef meat pepper soup, goat meat pepper soup, chicken pepper soup, dry or fresh fish pepper soup, lamb pepper soup.

For the preparation of pepper soup, Healthy Garage says the main ingredients include meat or fish (of choice), scent leaf (nchuawu) as a handful, crayfish (ground 2 tbsp ), ehuru (calabar nutmeg ) 5 seeds, red or yellow peppers (to taste), onion (1 large size) and stock cubes (of desire and choice). Others are garlic (2 crushed cloves), ginger (crushed half finger), uziza seeds (ground 2 tsp ), pepper soup spice, and salt to taste.

The whole types of pepper soups are almost prepared in the same way.

Nigerian pepper soup is usually cooked with healthy spices and herbs. The utensils to be used include chopping board, cooking pot, kitchen knife, spice grinder, blender and large bowl.

Healthy Garage provides the guide for the reparation before cooking of the pepper soup as follow: The Ehuru seeds should be roasted in an open flame or on an old frying pan. This will

enable you peel the skin off easily while activating the aromatic compound of the Ehuru.

Stir constantly till you start to perceive the aroma. Don’t worry, you would know when it is ok to take it off from the fire because it has a distinctive aroma. Another way to know that it is ok is to take one of the seeds and try to remove the outer membrane. If the membrane comes off easily, then the Ehuru is done. Peel off the membrane from the Ehuru seeds and grind with add mill.

You can combine the Ehuru seeds, uziza seeds, and uda, tetraptra, gbafilo, and alligator peppers in a dry mill and grind/blend till you have a smooth powder, and store in an air tight container. This is called pepper soup spice. This could last for several months.

To prepare the uda (Negro pepper) which are long dark possible with very bitter seeds. Hit the uda pods with something heavy and open up the pods, remove and discard the sticky black seeds in it. The pod can be added whole while you are cooking the pepper soup, as it would later be discarded once the cooking is over. It also can be grounded in a dry mill and used in cooking the pepper soup. It is commonly used in the preparation of pepper soup for nursing mothers, as it helps in cleansing the tummy.

•If you are using meat to cook your pepper soup, wash them thoroughly, before cooking them. •If you are using fish, wash it with hot water and salt.

•Wash the red onion and fresh peppers, place in a blender and blend till smooth or you can slice your onion into tiny pieces. •Crush the garlic and ginger.

•Ground your crayfish •Wash and pick

the scent leaves and tear them up with your fingers into small pieces or any other leaf you want to use.

Cooking of the Catfish Pepper Soup Catfish pepper soup is also called point and kill because of how the catfish is bought at local markets. You select your desired fish by pointing at it and it is killed and prepared for you.

Step 1: Boil some water, pour on the cut fish and wash with salt, lime, or lemon to remove the slimy. Rinse thoroughly well with cold water. This hot water toughens the skin of the fish, so that it does not fall apart during cooking.

Step 2: Place the washed catfish in a cooking pot and start cooking with just water to cover the fish and allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes before adding your stock cubes, sliced onion, fresh grounded peppers, crushed garlic, ginger and salt and bring it to boil for another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add grounded pepper soup spice, fish seasoning and crayfish and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4: You can now add the scent leaves.

Step 5: Once the catfish is done, taste for salt and other spices, and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Turn off the heat and your catfish pepper soup is ready.

With all the above stated, it is obvious that Healthy Garage is here in Nigeria to up the ante on nutrition awareness.

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

Q4 2020: Jumia boost investor confidence, show signs of profitability SEYI JOHN SALAU

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f the figures coming out from the recently released Jumia Q4 2020 results are anything to go by; it sure shows that the eCommerce company is putting investors’ money to use while keeping growth momentum enroute profitability.

Annual active consumers reached 6.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, up 12per cent year-on-year with continued growth in both new and returning consumers. Orders reached 8.1 million, down 3per cent year-onyear on the back of a 14per cent decrease in digital services transactions on the JumiaPay app, while orders on the rest of the platform were stable.

The trend within the digital services on the JumiaPay app is concentrated in airtime recharge transactions as a result of reduced consumer incentives within this category which has historically been promotionally intensive.

To support its path to profitability, Jumia decreased promotional intensity and consumer incentives on lower consumer lifetime value business, while increasing its focus on everyday product categories to drive consumer adoption and usage.

On the other hand, the business mix rebalancing, alongside enhanced promotional discipline, was a meaningful driver of the unit economics improvement experienced throughout 2020, with adjusted EBITDA loss per order declining by 46per cent from €6.5 in Q3 2019 to €3.5 Q4 2020.

In addition, this rebalancing allowed the eCommerce company to

diversify its business mix, reducing reliance on phones and electronics categories which went from contributing approximately 50per cent of GMV in Q4 2019 to approximately 40per cent in Q4 2020.

“We are making meaningful progress in the reduction of the overall rate of Cancellations, Failed Deliveries and Returns (“CFDR”) as we drive further operational efficiencies, including an increase in prepayment penetration via JumiaPay. While actual rates of CFDR may vary from one quarter to the other, we observed a significant reduction in this ratio between 2019 and 2020,” said Jeremy Hodara, cochief executive officers of Jumia.

When Jumia announced in its third (Q3) 2020 results that it was ‘‘making significant progress on its path to 7profitability’’, it was certainly not a ‘feel-good’ statement to impress investors and other stakeholders.

At the close of business in September 30 last year, Jumia for the first time at group level had amongst others posted double positives in both Gross Profit After Fulfillment Expenses (GPAFE) and (Sales & Advertising), with the majority of countries breaking even at this level in Q3 2020.

Jumia consolidated the impressive Q3 run rallying even stronger as it closed the year with more wins. Key headlines in the just released Q4 and Full Year 2020 report highlighted quite a number of significant gains, thereby keeping the African e-commerce giant’s growth momentum in the run to profitability.

First, was the spike in Jumia’s enterprise value (EV) to 2,450% over the past year to roughly $5.4 billion. The bullish performance of Jumia’s stock in recent weeks was a cheering news for investors and a boost on Jumia’s investors’ confidence index.

Further, the financial year closed on a positive note as Jumia’s Gross Profit increased by 12per cent year-on-year while Gross Profit After Fulfillment Expenses reached a record €8.4 million, compared to €1.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Also, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) loss was €28.3 million, decreasing by 47per cent yearon-year.

Jumia further showed equity strength with Q4 2020 returning Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) – the total worth of goods sold over a period of time – worth €231.1 million, a quarter-on-quarter acceleration of 23% supported by the Black Fridays’ activation in November 2020. GMV was, however, down 21per cent yearon-year, as the effects of the business mix rebalancing initiated late 2019 continued playing out during the fourth quarter of 2020.

Sales and advertising expense was €10.2 million, a year-on-year decrease of 34per cent, while general and administrative costs, excluding sharebased compensation expense, reached €21.8 million, a decrease of 36per cent year-on-year.

Jumia’s fintech platform JumiaPay also had a good take in the last quarter of 2020 as Total Payment Volume

(TPV) reached €59.3 million, increasing by 30per cent year-on-year. Onplatform TPV penetration increased from 15.6% of GMV in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 25.7per cent of GMV in Q4 of 2020.

Another significant metric of growth was Jumia Logistics, which more than doubled the monthly average deliveries in Q4. The strength of Jumia Logistics backbone was exemplified handling 4.8 million packages during Black Fridays, more than double the monthly average for the rest of the year. Jumia Logistics reached new milestones of delivery speed with 55per cent of packages reaching consumers in less than 24 hours, compared to 44per cent in 2019.

Other metrics of growth saw Jumia’s customer acquisition grew by 12per cent in 2020, from 6.1 million customers in 2019 to 6.8 million customers. That means the company added 700,000 customers more in 2020.

Commenting, Jeremy Hodara and Sacha Poignonnec, Co-Chief Executive Officers of Jumia, said, “We continued to make significant strides towards breakeven during the fourth quarter of 2020. Gross Profit after Fulfillment expense reached a record €8.4 million during the quarter.

In parallel, efficiencies across the full cost structure allowed us to decrease Fulfillment, Sales & Advertising and General & Administrative expenses (excluding share-based compensation) by 18%, 34% and 36% respectively, year-over-year. As a result, Adjusted EBITDA loss contracted by 47% year-over-year, reaching €28.3

million,” said Sacha Poignonnec, cochief executive officers, Jumia.

According to Poignonnec, one certain reality of the present time is that the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 virus seem not abating, thus escalating the difficult operating environment for businesses generally, and impacting negatively on individuals, families and countries.

While acknowledging the impact of coronavirus on the e-tailer, the eCommerce company attributed sound business model adapted by Jumia as a leverage to pilot the company on the path to sustainability and profitability.

“While 2020 has been a challenging year operationally with COVID-19 related supply and logistics disruption, it has been a transformative one for our economic model, as we firmly put the business on track towards break even.

In addition, we raised approximately €203 million in a primary offering in December 2020. This strengthened our balance sheet, enhanced our unit economics and overall positioned Jumia to scale efficiently towards profitability. Beyond the near-term objective of break even, our long-term focus remains on fueling the growth of our e-commerce and payment platforms in Africa for decades to come,” the Jumia CEO stated.

With an expected global e-commerce annual growth rate of 14.7per cent through 2027, and with Jumia continuing to innovative business repositioning model, months ahead look promising for Jumia’s full growth, return of profits to investors and a choice profitable equity to invest.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

TheWorshipper We shall work to unite the body of Christ, says CAN SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State chapter, has reassured the body of Christ of the willingness to work in the unity of faith towards uniting the Church in Lagos.

“Our administration has started to bring all together and we shall continue to work together as one indivisible entity because Christ charged us in John 17:21 ‘that they all may be one’. United we stand, divided we fall. I am the Chairman for all, and all shall be treated equally to the glory of God,” said Stephen Adegbite, CAN chairman in Lagos.

Adegbite made the pledge at the 2021 Interdenominational Divine Service (IDDS) organised by CAN, Lagos State with the theme, ‘A New Beginning, A New Dawn and A New Glory’, held at The Apostolic Church, LAWNA territorial headquarters, Ketu, Lagos.

Bishop Adegbite, on behalf of the new CAN executive, pledged that the current leadership would carry on with the work of building a formidable force for the enhancement of God’s kingdom.

The CAN leadership equally reassures the Lagos State government of its continued support and prayers for the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, especially in regards to projects that will make life meaningful to the ordinary Lagosian.

On the level of insecurity in Nigeria, CAN said, “The state of insecurity is unimaginable in our country today; we call on the Federal Government to improve on this and protect lives and property of our people”.

Speaking on the need for a unifying secretariat for the umbrella body of the Church in Lagos, Adegbite said: “God is about to do something new about our secretariat. He has told me clearly that this shall be achieved very, very soon. We shall have our own place built on the land at Jobi Fele Way, Alausa, Ikeja given to us by the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Asiwaju Bola

Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure by the special grace of God. Let us continue to pray and keep hope alive,” Adegbite stated.

Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, said that the bloc is fully in support of CAN. He further disclosed that he will be available for further engagement with the Church leadership on personal capacity going forward.

“As we gather together today, hosting this is a statement that the CSN identifies with the ideals of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and therefore identifies with the activities that takes place in the association,” said Martins stating that even with COVID-19 still with us; “but we know that in all things, God’s presence overcomes every adversity”.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos equally called on all Christians to pray for the peace of Nigeria in the spirit of lent. “We as Christians in the body of Christ; let us continue to pray for Nigeria. The chalRev. Fr. Oluwafemi Raphael Oshigbohun, CAN chairman, Southwest; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor; Rev. Mother Esther lenges in Northeast, Northwest, Abimbola Ajay; Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Lagos CAN chairman, and Fadekemi Otitolaye, representing Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who North Central, South East, South was honoured as Lagos CAN Matron at the 2021 IDDS West and South-South are many,” said Martins.

Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, the Prelate Methodist Church Nigeria, in his short sermon titled, ‘Rule your world’, said God has given Nigeria all the necessary raw materials for her to utilise towards nation’s development.

According to Uche, God did not intend that man produce weapon of mass destruction; rather he wanted man to do something out of nothing.

The Methodist prelate in charging the CAN chairman urged him to be a man after Obafemi Owolowo, just as he charged other church leaders to give full support to the new CAN leadership in Lagos for the Church to move forward.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was decorated grand patron of the CAN, while Revd. Mother Esther Ajayi, Founder Love of Christ Generation Church was decorated the grand matron.

Also Sir Chief Olu Okeowo and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Yayi were also made patrons with Senator Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Lagos state CAN chairman decorating Esther Ajayi (Iya Adura) as grand matron of Lagos CAN at the IDDS (Pastor) Oluremi Tinubu appointed Matron.

2021, held at The Apostolic Church, LAWNA territory headquarters, Ketu, Lagos

Nigeria’s problem is leadership - Bishop Marioghae

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he Presiding Bishop of The Evangelical Ark Mission International (TEAM International), Tony Marioghae has ascribed the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria to lack of leadership. “The problem facing Nigeria is leadership. Progress will continue to elude the country if we do not elect patriotic and visionary leaders, who can reform the broken institutions of the nation”.

According to him, it takes courage and integrity to achieve this.

“Unfortunately, the Buhari regime has

failed to live up to the expectations of millions of Nigerians, who brought him to power, because his campaign promises changed. What we have witnessed so far, is change in the wrong direction,” said Marioghae, expressing the optimism that with prayer, determination and sincerity, the president can reverse the negative trend.

Speaking further on the failed prophesy by some religious leaders in regard to the last U.S elections, the cleric said the apostles of Jesus that turned the world upside down, didn’t achieve their objective by political

means. According to him, they transformed the world through prayer.

Hence, believers should learn from the old Apostles.

“The purpose of God is bigger than Donald Trump or Joe Biden.

Their electoral fortunes or misfortunes cannot derail His divine agenda for the nations. Therefore, it is unscriptural for believers to continue to tie their spiritual victory or success to Donald Trump rather than Jesus.

“The failed prophecies about this man’s re-election, which embarrassed the church of God globally, should

teach every believer the wisdom of hearing properly from God first before making bold predictions,” Marioghae said.

On the response of the church to COVID-19 and how it caught the church unawares, Marioghae said nothing happens on earth without God revealing it to the church. According to him, God does this to prepare believers and assist them to take the necessary safety measures.

“The fact that the Covid-19 pandemic took the church by surprise is an indictment of the kind of fel-

lowship that we have with the Lord.

This should be a wake-up call for all believers. We must be sensitive to the voice of God by not being distracted by earthly concerns.

“God still speaks and if we move closer to Him or allow the Holy Spirit to guide us consistently, we will never be taken unaware or be shaken by any global tragedy of such magnitude.

Notwithstanding, we have the power to stop the Coronavirus from creating more havoc, if and when we pray diligently in faith, and not succumb to fear,” said Marioghae.

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TheWorshipper Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

Y

e s , I m e ant Chinos.’ That was what my son told me when I asked quizzically if I heard him right.

We were having a conversation about our fading faith, younger generation, types of believers we have out there today, and modern-day challenges for people who want to Love God passionately. He told me that the Believers we have today are called CHINOs in some circles

‘

CH.I.N.Os and I asked him what CHINOs meant, the answer brought mixed feelings immediately and I just slumped into deep thoughts.

CH.I.N.Os – Christian In Name Only! I totally agree that we have more Christians In Name Only today than several years ago. I remember when I first became a young Believer, my Sunday School teacher clearly explained the difference between those called ‘nominal’ Christians and ‘practicing’ Christians.

He told be that being born again is a personal act of giving your life over to Christ to be Lord and not just Saviour because many people agree that He is the Saviour but not their personal Lord.

Our Lord Jesus made similar assertion when He told us how to know True Believers and distinguish False Teachers from Genuine Teachers. He said, ‘by their fruits you shall know them’ (Matt 7 v 16,20).

This is a very popular phrase used today but many people aren’t even aware of the Fruits to look for in those who are true Believers. We believe that Believers are known by ‘Name Only’ instead of other quali-

Spirit and Scriptures. The Bible says, ‘as many as are led by the Holy Spirit are the sons of God’ (Rom 8 v 14). These people are only Believers in Name only and not in practice.

ties that are mentioned in the scriptures. In fact, we seem to believe anyone who calls himself a Pastor is indeed one, without us looking for other qualities (fruits) in their lives.

5 Ways to know Chinos today Selective obedience than total obedience: A Chinos is someone who is selective in obeying God’s Word. This person always looks for part of scriptures that suits the flesh and the natural man to obey while brazenly disobeying other seemingly ‘tough’ directives in the Bible. They hardly pay their tithes but also

demand that God blesses them unconditionally.

Worldly than godly: Those we call Chinos today are more worldly than godly and follow the trends of the world without questioning the purposes of the same. They see nothing wrong in the Silhouette Challenge and even encourage their friend to do the same while condemning preachers and teachers that speak against this shameless show of public nudity.

Social media above holy spirit: The modern-day Chinos are led by Google and Social media not the Holy

Church above kingdom: I see many church leaders have encouraged their followers to make choice of Church as more important t han b eing in t he Kingdom. Jesus didn’t preach Church at any point in time but Kingdom. He wanted those in the Kingdom to be United and advance the same Kingdom but Chinos only brag about the church they attend, the celebrities that attend the same and not the presence of God during the assembling of ourselves.

S ex is ok ay any time: Lowering the standards of scriptures concerning Sex and Sexuality is another major fruit of knowing a Chinos today. They deliberately undermine the Holy scriptures concerning this knotty issue.

We should trace our ways back to the Bible and agree with the Holy Book on these matters today.

I’m sure there are many more ways of knowing a Chinos today. Kindly drop me a note and mention additional ways of knowing people that are Christians In Name Only (CH.I.N.Os). I would love to do a part two of this article and would want to really add the Fruits of Chinos that you submit today. By Their Fruits We Shall Know Them....tell me of some of the Fruits of Chinos today.

Drop me a note of acknowledgment and encouragement and also follow me on my Social media handles below: Instagram: @yomi_kasali Twitter: @yomi_kasali Facebook: www.facebook. com/revyomikasali Youtube: www.youtube. com/revyomikasali Be Inspired!

Rev Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos.

NEWS Lagos unveils creative industries initiative, partners EbonyLife, DelYork on free skills training for 1500 next generation of filmmakers Obinna Emelike

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he Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has launched the Lagos State Creative Industries Initiative (LACI) at a brand unveiling ceremony on Tuesday. The aim of the initiative is to make Lagos a destination for a skilled, well-trained workforce for the creative industries, thereby boosting the state’s economy as the sector continues to thrive.

According to Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and

Culture, LACI will serve as a training platform for practitioners in the creative sector on the use of modern technology, to enhance the content and quality of Nigeria’s entertainment.

The objectives of LACI are in line with two of Lagos State’s development pillars – education & technology and entertainment & tourism–and will help to attract film productions from around Nigeria, the rest of Africa and the world.

As part of its strategy to fasttrack the output of LACI, Lagos State is partnering with two creative firms, EbonyLife Media and

Del-York Creative Academy, to enhance the skills and exposure of approximately 1,500 practitioners in the state’s creative industry.

In the training initiative, EbonyLife Creative Academy will offer free, practical three-month courses for up to 480 learners, covering all aspects of filmmaking and media content production. Through its Creative Lagos programme, Del-York will offer a hybrid of online and offline courses for approximately 1,000 students, in filmmaking, media, arts, technology, and digital marketing.

Some of the beneficiries of the CFAO Group’s support in Epe

CFAO Group supports fish farmers in Epe with revolving loan, training Obinna Emelike

F L-R: Mo Abudu, CEO, EbonyLife Media; Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, and Linus Idahosa, founder, Del-York Creative Academy, at the launch of the Lagos State Creative Industries Initiative (LACI) recently at Ebonylife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos.

ish farmers in Ebute Afuye in Epe, Lagos, recently received huge support from a CSR initiative sponsored by CFAO Group through CFAO Yamaha Motor Nigeria Limited in partnership with HEDA Resource Centre, a local NGO. The empowerment programme, which was launched on February 18, 2021 in Epe, is expected to provide aquaculture training, extension service support and highly nutritious floating fish feed for the farming season for 20 beneficiaries in a revolving loan format that will see other members of the Ire-Akari Fish Farmers Association take turns at accessing the fund.

Sulaimon Arigbabu, executive secretary, HEDA Resource Centre, expressed joy in the initiative and assured the community that HEDA would continue to work at bringing partnerships and initiatives that will empower the average fish farmer and ensure they get maximum returns in their fish farming operations.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture, who was represented at the event by Emmanuel Audu, assistant director of Fisheries Services, said Lagos State is happy with this initiative and would provide support by assigning agriculture extension officers who would periodically visit the beneficiaries to provide technical support for their fishing operation to ensure they get

a bumper harvest at the end of the farming season. Emmanuel also enjoined the leadership of Ire Akari Fish Farmers Association to closely monitor and support the beneficiaries to ensure the support provided by CFAO Yamaha is maximally utilised.

Victor Momodu, marketing lead, CFAO Yamaha, disclosed that the support provided for the fish farmers is in line with CFAO Group’s commitment to Nigeria and Africa, the group’s mission is to contribute to economic growth that develops faster than demographic growth, contribute to the industrialisation of the continent and the emergence of the middle class by creating jobs and manufacturing affordable products.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

Interview ‘The more multifaceted women are, the easier they can overcome adversities’ Funmi Akinsanya-Alake is a Transition & Accountability Coach, helping women who have had setbacks in their journey of life, go through the process of moving on from being stuck to getting back on track.

Having experienced a period of adversity herself following redundancy from a lucrative role as a Financial Accountant in the UK, Funmi who bagged her first degree in Chemistry at the Lagos State University, Nigeria, then went on to study for a second degree in Learning Disability Nursing. In this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE, she speaks on what women can do to reduce the odds of career setbacks.

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t is not easy to suddenly find oneself in the precarious situation of losing a source of livelihood. You have been there. What is the experience like and how dangerous could it be for a woman?

Losing a job is one of life’s major stresses and the impact it can have on anyone can be devastating in many ways. In my case, I didn’t begin to feel the effect until I applied for hundreds of roles and still after a year, nothing was forthcoming.

I obviously could not afford to meet my regular needs nor pay my bills and found myself having to consolidate my debts. At a point, I began to lose my confidence and self-esteem and most times will withdraw into myself. I was fortunate that as a Christian, I held on to the promises in the word of God and leveraged on the relationship with other believers around me.

Having no income for a woman can leave you feeling vulnerable. If you are married, the prayer is that you have a supportive husband to at least help ease some of the burden. For a single woman, there is a tendency to want to do anything at any cost to make ends meet.

Setbacks are facts of life. What can a young woman do to reduce the odds of career setbacks in future?

We are in an era where there is so much awareness about having multiple streams of income.

And I am glad to see that a lot of women are embracing this idea and becoming serial entrepreneurs. There are no guarantees in life and setbacks are inevitable, so the more multifaceted one is, the easier it will be to overcome any adversity. I was having this conversation with my 15-year-old daughter recently, looking at the things she enjoys doing and she’s skilled at, that could ultimately create a source of income. We need to continue to have these conversations with our daughters.

Young women need to begin to harness the gifts in them early so as to have something to fall back on when their corporate careers fail them, should they choose to go that route. Even as a career woman, always ensure to update your skills regularly.

against. This ought not to be so.

There must be equal participation of both men and women in areas that matter, and the voices of women should count more.

So far, have you been making significant impact to justify your commitment to the advocacy?

Yes. In the UK, I am actively involved in my community as part of the planning committee for the women empowerment events especially as part of the yearly international women’s day. I also help to facilitate, anchor, and speak at various women’s awards ceremonies, fundraising dinner, and other events across the UK.

Advocacy for people with learning disabilities is one area of interest and engagement. What significant event got you interested in it and what has sustained your passion thus far?

Interestingly, I did not set out to be a learning disability nurse. I ventured into the health care sector when I wasn’t successful in getting back into employment after being made redundant from my previous role as a financial accountant, in an organisation where I had worked for a little over 10 years.

Desperate to earn a living, I settled for a much lower-paid role as a health care assistant on zero-hour contract, which meant you work when there’s availability. For me then, I was intentional that the only way has got to be to get back up. So, working as an HCA for about three years, I decided to go back to college to study Nursing, since I have found myself in the healthcare sector, I might as well make the best of the experience, and look for the opportunities within it. When I was choosing the area of specialisation, I wanted to study, I did a bit of research and I was quickly attracted to learning disability. I love the holistic approach to providing care, which

meant that we not only treat the physical, but also support the mental, emotional, psychological, educational, spiritual, and social needs of people with learning disability.

For me, being able to empower and enable someone with a learning disability to live an inclusive and independent life within their community, and also involving their careers/family in the process gives me a sense of fulfillment.

You also devote your time, resources, and energy to championing the cause of women. Why is this important to you?

Oh well, can I be bias and say firstly that I am a woman, so my allegiance is to champion the cause of women. An African proverb says, “If ‘you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation’. Truly so. A woman is a multiplier by nature.

When a woman is educated (not just formal), she in turns educate her family, who then educates the nation. And you know that when a nation is educated, the economy is built. As strong as women are, there are still a lot of areas where we are relegated to second-class status, violated, and discriminated

As an entrepreneur, how did you get to choose the event niche where your company currently operate?

I have always loved to plan and manage events because I love when things are well organised. I started to help organise events at my local church and was then invited to anchor a former Pastor’s 50th birthday celebrations several years back. I then began to anchor other social event, community events, concerts, and host exhibitions and conferences.

As a certified coaching practitioner, I carved a niche as a Transition & Accountability Coach, helping women who have had setbacks in their journey of life, go through the process of moving on from being stuck to getting back on track.

It can be particularly difficult for women especially those who have had a considerable measure of success in the past and are now going through a period of adversity, to pick up themselves and start again.

I have walked in that path, started all over again and now better for it. I see myself as a bridge who helps connect people who are at crossroads reach their destination.

What are the big lessons you learnt in your early days?

When I started doing events, I was volunteering and therefore not getting paid and there is nothing wrong with that for starters. But I soon realised that to build a sustainable business, you have to go from free to fee. You have to make your stand known especially to

those who have been used to getting free services from you. Even if you were going to provide your service at a discount, they must reward you for your labour.

One other thing I didn’t learn early was to expand my horizon.

For the event business, we sometimes rely on people we know for businesses or referrals. It is important to seek other ways of getting clients, and form collaborations where possible with others in a similar type of business.

You have written a book about overcoming adversity. Briefly, what are your practical steps for someone who found herself in such difficult circumstances?

In the first chapter of my book, I started with the fact that we need to realise that change is a given but the way we react to change is an option we have to take. It is therefore important that we do not be in denial when adversity happens, but we must seek to understand and accept the reality at the time and then go on to make that adversity work for us. I am a firm believer in the fact that all things work together for our greater good.

Your mental well-being should be taken care of in times of adversity. Please do not keep silent, ask for help and don’t go through the journey alone. It is easy to slip into depression and I have seen this happen to many people. Hold on to your faith and find like-minded people or those who are strong in faith to join theirs with yours.

Maintain a positive attitude.

Don’t give in to failure so easily because what has happened to you does not define you. You are only more than a conqueror when you uphold a winning attitude. It is your attitude rather than your aptitude that will determine your altitude – Zig Ziglar A period of adversity is not the time to withdraw and keep to yourself. Get yourself busy. Learn new skills, volunteer in organisations or in your community, have somebody you are accountable to, but more importantly, seek new adventures within the adversity.

Whatever the case may be, don’t lose the lessons you have learnt from that experience.

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Entertainment How Todalael successfully created work culture for millennials imbibing values

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odalaelKafang is a young, vibrant woman from Southern Kaduna. She was raised in Jos Plateau State.Her deep passion for great Art led her to the big city of Lagos, Nigeria.

In each community she has been, she is known to leave her mark on the lives of the people and companies she has worked in.

Whether it is from starting out as the first Artist and Repertoire hire for MI Abaga’s then Loopy Music in 2011 or as the COO of a fast growing Marketing Agency (TASCK Creative Agency). Toda has been intentional about creating Cultures of continuous improvement. She has led teams of well experienced individuals and has stood for a culture that supports Gender Equality, excellence in work and a communityfocused on change.

When she started her Career in 2011, she was mentored by MI Abaga personally in A and Ring talent. During the Loopy Music/

Chocolate City merger in 2016 she became the Head of Music tasked with signing and developing talent. She signed artists such as MI Abaga, Ruby Gyang, BlaqBonez, Ckay, Candy Bleakz, Yung L to mention a few.

Through her experience she created and Artist Development process for the company making it easy to sign, develop and invest with clarity. She hired, managed and trained teams of A and R’s and talent managers for six years.

Before leaving Chocolate City/ Warner in 2019 Toda held the post of Vice President Music.

During this time, she worked with the CEO MI Abaga to find innovative solutions in Label Management and investment.

They did this as pioneers, as the first Label to set up and invest in a Sub-Label system in Nigeria.

Thus, growing the company, acquiring and creating new investment opportunities through events, touring, merchandising and artist development.

Ehiz, Folu Storms, Nenny B revealed as members of VCNA’s Pan-African Culture Squad …as brand welcomes new MTV Base VJs in South Africa

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iacomCBS Networks Africa has over the years captured the hearts and minds of viewers with their leading youth, entertainment and lifestyle brands MTV, MTV Base and BET Africa as well as the VJs who viewers have come to know and love.

VJs are the original influencers and through their popular MTV Base VJ search the network has opened up the industry and introduced us to the likes of Ehiz Okoeguale, Folu Storms, Nenny B, Sammy Walsh, NomuziMabena, Sizwe Dhlomo, Kim Jayde, Fikile ‘Fiks’ Moeti, TshegoKoke and Ntandose to name a few.

These individuals have shaped popular culture, rubbed shoulders with global superstars and represented Africa on international stages via one touchpoint, ViacomCBS Networks Africa. The brand will be deepening this impact by reintroducing fan favourites and fresh faces with the launch of the

Culture Squad.

The Culture Squad is a team of visionaries, creatives and trendsetters who are pushing the culture forward across the network’s youth brands MTV, MTV Base and BET Africa. This platform will give African talents a bigger stage to showcase their distinct originality, highlighting how they are influencing cultural shifts, setting trends and leading the conversation through a VJ centred content portfolio. VJs across the network’s Pan African platforms will be at the forefront of the culture hosting iconic moments, meeting industry movers at home and abroad, entertaining viewers across several shows and getting involved in meaningful causes that are close to their hearts.

Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa said: “Base Day is a celebration and recognition of the power of youth culture across Africa.

MTV base will continue to

partner with trendsetters across all our brands. The Culture Squad reaffirms that commitment and we are thrilled to welcome our new MTV Base VJs Shamiso and Uncle Vinny to the family, as we elevate African talent to even greater heights and open up the industry.”

The Culture Squad will consist of viewers’ fan favourites, including Nigeria’s Ehiz Okoeguale whose first introduction to fame was through winning the MTV Base VJ Search competition in 2011 and his career has soared ever since.

Alongside being one of the most recognisable presenters on the continent, Ehiz has also left his imprint in the African fashion and modelling sphere. Folu Storms needs no introduction having competed in the 2012 edition of the MTV Base VJ Search. She has since made a name for herself on radio and as an actress, starring on MTV’s Shuga series. Nenny B joined the MTV Base family as a VJ in 2018 and

has since grown to become a popular and sought after VJ on Nigerian TV screens.

She continues to blossom as a content curator for various brands.

Commenting on how he feels about being a pioneer member of the Culture Squad, Ehiz said, “Being part of the MTV Base family, has been a thrilling experience for me. Working with a team that not just allows me to lend my voice to this huge platform that constantly embraces and advocates for youth inclusivity in pop culture is beyond amazing. These are exciting times.”

“I am proud to be part of a team that keeps finding ways to move the culture forward. Knowing that I have a part to play and a voice to lend to this generation is truly magical,” Folu Storms further said.

The Culture S quad promises to deliver Afrocentric, vibrant and innovative content to viewers across the network’s entertainment and lifestyle brands.

She is very proud of how she and her then colleagues, great entertainment professionals, created a structure for the company in an industry that didn’t function with one, proper accounting, investment and maximizing income streams for talent.

Today, Todalael is currently the COO and partner of TASCK Creative Agency. She has partnered with 3 other entertainment professionals (Kamara Bature, Debbie Romeo and Longterm mentor, Jude L. Abaga) to create a Marketing Agency that creates change through impactful creative ideas and over 40 years of experience in marketing combined.

She is honored to lead a team of experienced professionals and reach its goals through innovation. She has successfully created a work culture for millennials and sentinels imbibing values that ensure our team is committed and can grow, agile and can work from anywhere.

Artpedia Nigeria holds ‘The Persistence of Time’ exhibition

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rtpedia Nigeria has launched a new gallery space tagged ‘The Persistence of Time’, a group art exhibitions featuring top Nigerian contemporary artists.

The exhibitions, which ends on Friday, April 30, brings together 28 paintings from the gallery’s expansive collection.

It features Ada Godspower, Elizabeth Ekpetorson, Frederick Idele, Ikechukwu Ezeig we, Habeeb Andu and SejiroAvoseh.

The title of the exhibition borrows from the iconic painting of Spanish artist, Salvador Dalí, one of the remarkable artists of the Surrealism art movement named The Persistence of Memory (1931).

In line with the movement, it presents a school of artistry that has been shaped by time — through individual experiences and social events — and distinctively marked by the capricious forms and precise reflections of the unconscious mind.

The show is a walk through the socio-political

connotations of Avoseh easily identified for his style of fusing collage and painting techniques to create dissimilar forms layered in a complex manner to the hasty-yet-measured brushstrokes of Elizabeth Ekpetorson who logs the time and allows its resulting elements such as emotions and reactions fuel her artistic production.

The exhibition theorises the influence of time in artistic innovation, as this is reflected in the interconnectedness of the 28 randomly selected and displayed artworks by six artists who have independently produced each body of work at different times since 2017.

Est ablishe d in November 2020 by Onomen “Nomzky” Onohi, a familiar name amongst the Nigerian music scene as well as an avid collector of art, this exhibition is the first in the Artpedia gallery space, officially launching it into the art community and sector.

The Persistence of Time is curated by Lagos-based curator, KenniiEkundayo.

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Travel Badagry in long wait for Michael Jackson’s centre

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OBINNA EMELIKE

t the mention of Gberefu Island, what comes to mind is slave trade. Truly, the island in Badagry, the border town in Lagos, was once the epicenter of the infamous slave trade.

Opened in 1473 during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade era, the island was a major slave port where as many as 10,000 slaves were shipped to the Americas between 1518 and 1880.

Today, many relics stand to remind visitors of the slave trade era on the island, especially the Point of No Return (two poles slightly slanted towards each other), which is synonymous to the Gberefu Island.

While there have been efforts by the Nigerian government, private sector and international bodies to repackage, create awareness and market the tourism potential and appeal of the island, such efforts have not yielded the anticipated result as the island keeps attracting less visitations, mainly from researchers, field workers, historians and international agencies.

In 2009, there was hope of resuscitating tourism on the island when the famous Jackson family from the United States of America visited and expressed interest at establishing a theme park and resort of international standard on the island.

Sadly, 12 years down the line, nothing has happened beyond the visit and Motherland, the partner that facilitated the visit, can no longer be reached.

The worst is that if there was a site earmarked for the project, it may have been encroached, reassigned for other developmental projects and such enormous land mass may not be available again, judging by land scarcity in Lagos.

Gberefu Island

Moreover, the residents of the sleepy island, whose hopes were raised by the 2009 august visitors, are hard hit.

They are disappointed because 12 years down the line, the project seems to have been forgotten as nothing, even foundation, has not been laid on the land for the proposed project expected to attract over one million foreigners and African Diaspora in a year, and by so doing create jobs, give the needed facelift to facilities in the town and improve revenue generation for further development in the area.

Those in search of adventure and are already bored with visiting Badagry and seeing the usual first storey building in Nigeria, the Angia Tree, where the gospel was first preached in Nigeria, the barracoons and the slave relics, are even more disappointed because of the delay in the project they thought would bring the long overdue spice

Some visitors trailing the slave route at Gberefu Island

Point Of No-Return Badagry

and change to sights in the border town.

However, the rationale behind the project is the fact that about 200 years after the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, not much has changed on the island and for the natives, Gberefu is a home that is yet to come to terms with modernity. Besides this rich historical background, the Jackson family is interested in developing the island because of its breathtaking landscape and tourism appeal.

The island is a tropical rainforest covered by coconut trees. There are little or no buildings in the island except for the tiny huts of the natives built over the years. Gberefu, separated from Badagry by the lagoon, bears a touch of mystery.

Digging a little further, one would discover it was also a theatre of nightmare. Years back, it was the place where the final nail was driven into slaves about to be taken to the New World.

One could imagine here being the final place where a young

lover’s dream of getting back his heartthrob was shattered. In the soil of Gberefu, a father’s hope of reuniting with his family died and dreams die fast. Gberefu has the foreboding name of the ‘Point of no Return.’

It is particularly for the ‘Point of no Return’ saga rather than the fame that the Jackson family wanted to undo with the planned theme park.

However, Hosu Sewanu, a prominent indigene of the Island and hotelier, regrets that the project is taking time to come to fruition because since the first, second and third editions of the Black Heritage Festival from 2000, during the administration of Bola Tinubu, a lot has been written about Gberefu, but there is still not much in terms of development.

The Michael Jackson Memorial Centre, according to him, is an appropriate investment on the island reserved solely for tourism by the Lagos State government.

While the Lagos State govern-

ment was for ages waiting for the right private developer or investor to partner in projects that will turn the place into a tourism paradise, the Ade Senami, another indigene, says the kicking off of the Jackson centre will have been the driving force for other investments on the island.

According to him, the project is being done in partnership with the Lagos State government.

Although the late pop icon, Michael Jackson was part of the project before his demise, Senami hopes that the family would still continue with it. “Both Marlon and the elder sister of Jackson, Latoya, are still continuing with the project. It would likely kick off next year”, says Senami.

That was in 2009, and 12 years have dragged with no sign of work on the site.

It baffles a lot of tourism stakeholders that at the signing of the initial documents for the project in Badagry some years ago, Jackson family and the Lagos State government were well represented and yet the state seems quite over the partnership that will turn things around for Badagry.

A statement from an anonymous senior staff of the Lagos State Ministry of Art, Culture and Tourism, notes that though the state participation implies providing land, necessary assistance, enabling environment and security, the funding is supposed to be provided by the Jackson family.

Marlon was quoted to have said sometime in November 2011 that the project will still go on, especially now that Michael is dead, to immortalise him and draw many Diasporas back to their roots.

But some tourism stakeholders believe that lack of funds is most probably the reason the project is yet to kick off. “Michael Jackson was almost bankrupt before his demise and a lot of money went into his burial. There may be nothing left for this project,” he states, noting further that his fans, Lagos State government and, especially Nigerians in the Diaspora should organise fundraising to get the required fund for the project.

However, the point, according to Sewanu, is not to let the dream and project die. Truly, what better credential to fame could a place have than to be part of the legacy of probably the greatest showman the world has ever seen.

Pointing the way forward, most concerned tourism stakeholders and indigenes of the island, are urging the Lagos State government to reach out to the Jackson family once again to reignite their interest and possible action on the proposed site, if it is still available.

Sunday 28 February 2021

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Art Nigerian artist, celebrities join global line-up of stars in Draw The Line campaign

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OBINNA EMELIKE new youth-focused creative campaign powered by African stars has launched to ‘draw the line’ against malaria, one of humanity’s oldest and deadliest diseases. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign is championed by a global coalition of change-makers and culture influencers inspiring Africa’s youths to demand political action from their leaders to end malaria within a generation.

Popular faces featured on the campaign include; Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Nigerian actress and philanthropist; Laolu Sebanjo, Nigerian-British artist; Osas Ighodaro, NigerianAmerican actress/producer and Meji Alabi, critically acclaimed filmmaker and music director. Other stars in the lineup are; Saray Khumalo, South African explorer and Eliud Kipchoge, Kenyan athlete and Olympic gold-medalist.

Combining an interactive digital platform with a pow-

erful campaign film, young people across the continent are charged to visit www.zeromalaria.org and add a personal line of Muundo art to a growing piece of crowd sourced artwork, which represents a visual call to action to world leaders.

The artwork will be shared at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, being held on the eve of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda on June 24, 2021.

The Summit is a milestone moment in the malaria fight and enabler of game changing political decisions including delivering the commitment to halve malaria across the Commonwealth by 2023.

Laolu Senbanjo, a global artist from Nigeria and art director for the Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign, is the creator of Muundo, the first universal malaria language, comprising lines, symbols and patterns, which represent an eye-catching visualization of the actions needed to end malaria once and for all.

Recording over 60 million

cases in 2019 and 95,000 deaths, Nigeria is the country with the highest number of malaria cases and deaths in the world.

The DTL campaign launches at a critical time, with setbacks to malaria progress suffered amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the country set to unveil the new national malaria elimination strategy, which will run from 2021-2025.

Abdourahmane Diallo, CEO of RBM Partnership to End Malaria, addresses the renewed urgency in the fight against malaria saying, “Long-time in-

vestments in the malaria fight continue to pay dividends and are pulling double duty during the pandemic. By strengthening our health care systems, we can better respond to both new and existing health threats. Today, we must all draw the line against malaria and recommit to achieving zero malaria in Africa and around the world.”

The Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign, which supports the growing Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement, reflects the human story of malaria and the devastating

impact it has on education, employment, health, and prospects of Africa’s growing young population.

Speaking on the creative concept, Meji Alabi says, “It is refreshing to talk about the world’s oldest disease in a new way and to focus on young people while showcasing the infectious energy, talent and inspiration coming out of Africa right now. From art, to music, culture, and fashion – the influence and creativity is palpable.”

At a time when young people are facing unprecedented chal-

lenges from COVID-19, malaria steals time, work, salaries, education, and futures. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde captures the severity of the situation, noting “I have known this disease my whole life. This campaign is a moment for us to unite in determination, action and it is time to take our futures back.”

The ‘Draw The Line’ campaign is fronted by a coalition of global partners including the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), the African Union (AU), The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Impact Santé Afrique, Dentsu International, Malaria No More UK, RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Speak Up Africa.

In the run up to the Kigali Summit on Malaria and NTDs Summit, the ‘Draw The Line’ campaign will roll out youthcentric initiatives of cultural resonance, sounding a rallying cry for them to step up action in the fight against malaria and join the confluence of voices reclaiming their futures “till we see and celebrate a day when malaria is no more.”

Nigerian digital content creators leveraging Affinity Art Gallery unveils duo exhibition TikTok for impactful engagement by contemporary African artists SEYI JOHN SALAU

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nown for viral trends and iconic memes, TikTok has been loved by many as a place where spreading joy and information goes beyond age.

Whether it is quick educational videos or fun tips on how to get involved in the latest viral challenge, TikTok is an all-inclusive platform where adults can come to express themselves creatively and be their authentic selves.

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. To this end, Nigerian digital content creators are leveraging TikTok in the process of generating topic ideas that appeal to audiences through written and visual content around those topics.

Contents produced hover around a variety of digital platforms, including websites, blogs, videos, email marketing campaigns, advertising campaigns, social media posts, infographics, and whitepapers.

TikTok is not only for teenagers. Nigerian digital content creators are finding the short video platform more engaging with fans as TikTok continues to gain traction in Nigeria.

A sizable number of Nigerian content creators on TikTok are well above the age bracket of

teenagers. Hence, a list of Nigerian digital content creators and celebs over 30 on TikTok are needed.

The below list is a mix of 30 TikTok celebs and creators, all over the age of 30, who constantly remind us that TikTok is a place where everyone belongs. Arewa Tricks: Known as one of the most popular Nigerian magicians on TikTok, is an extraordinary creator who loves to perform optical illusions and card tricks for his fans. With these tricks, he is constantly keeping his following engaged.

Afrovirtues is a popular fashion and beauty enthusiast, who loves to share facts about fashion and other fun videos on TikTok, all of which has helped build up her audience. In addition to her fashion advice, her sense of humour also keeps people coming back for more.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Nigerian actress

Denola Grey, a famous fashion influencer, shares images and videos of himself in different outfits with the aim of inspiring others to try out his daring fashion looks. He loves to encourage his followers to take part in trending TikTok challenges just as he does.

Don Jazzy is on too and there is no predicting what content he might post next on TikTok. His videos vary each day and can be anything from dope music to comedy, and challenges too.

Elenu is a popular standup comedian, who loved to share videos of his day-to-day thoughts, opinions, and his views on trending topics in a humorous manner.

Elozonam loves to share his day-to-day activities with his followers. His videos often showcase him doing everyday things like chores while listening to dope music and recreating childhood horror-punk.

Falzthebahdguy, an allround entertainer, is an active member of TikTok’s community as he shares videos of himself speaking in his humorous tones or participating in popular challenges.

Fionafaks is just living her best life. The digital content creator is most popular for sharing videos of herself participating in singalongs and dance competitions with her family members.

IFEOMA OKEKE

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ffinity Art Gallery has announced ‘Coalesce’, an exhibition

by Damilola Onosowobo Marcus and Daniel Pengrapher Oshundaro, two contemporary African artists whose works exist in the space between realism, figurative and abstract expressionism.

The exhibition mirrors the transience of time and is a meditation on drawing out the strains between isolation and contact. The word coalesce means to unite and the definition creates the starting point for the exhibition. The artists explore themes around solitude, waiting, isolation, rest, and taking into consideration what was, what is and what is to be. Recently, conversations about time have dominated discussions within communities, and the conversations border on the realms of what is familiar and unfamiliar.

Coalesce inspires dialogues on the concepts of isolation, contact and considers the emotional and physical effects it has on people.

Created during the period of unprecedented uncertainty and vulnerability, the selection of works reveals both artists’ ability to draw from a nexus of ideas to produce a distinctive and experiential body of works.

Damilola Onosowobo Marcus, Unitled, 2021, oil on canvas, 24x36 inches

Damilola Onosowobo’s work uncovers questions bordering on perceptions of reality and lived experiences. Through the subtle use of tropes, composition, colours, light, and subject, she pulls together her artistic configurations and reconceptualises them within a modern cultural setting. Her works intend to initiate discourse that asks the question, “What memories are triggered by isolation?”

She looks to capture an obvious candidness in her subjects while permitting much room for translation and interpretation from the viewers. The figures in Daniel Pengrapher’s canvases are bound within ab-

Daniel Pengrapher Oshundaro, Clerk, 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 30x47.6 inches

stract and textured flourishes of paint leaning towards the abstract expressionism movement.

His latest body of work presents classical compositions of balanced polychromatic sequences that are imaginative and adorned with symbolism.

Encountering the work of Daniel Pengrapher is a peculiar, unsettling experience as if the viewer has intruded into a space and a moment to which they are alien yet familiar.

Coalesce examines the fusion of private and public memories, challenging the human mind capacity to recollect and remember experiences.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

Focus

Nigeria and the glamorisation of terrorism ZEBULON AGOMUO

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he release a few days ago of the victims of Kagara kidnapping by their ab ductors excited Nigerians.

What seems a sour grape in their mouth, however, is the manner of their release and acceptable practice of open negotiation and ransom payment by the Federal Government.

Ma ny Ni g e r i a n s h av e d e scribed this as a dangerous trend and glamorisation of terrorism.

A band of terrorists swooped on Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State at about 2pm, last Wednesday, kidnapping a number of students, staff and members of their families.

President Muhammadu Buhari had immediately, while condemning the abduction, directed the armed forces and police to ensure the safe return of the victims.

A day after the abduction, a video had gone viral on the social media, uploaded by the kidnappers, where they threatened to waste the victims if a hefty ransom was not paid, and on time.

In the video, the distraught victims were also seen profusely pleading for the ransom to be paid to secure their freedom.

By Saturday last week, the social media was again abuzz with a viral video of some negotiators led by Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi in a forest with the terrorists.

Gumi, the chief negotiator, is an Islamic cleric, scholar and former military officer with the rank of captain in the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA). He is the current Mufti and mufassir at the Kaduna central mosque, Sultan Bello.

Open negotiation with terrorists appears to have become the Federal Government’s preferred strategy of seeking a temporary relief from the activities of bandits and terrorists that have become too frequent in recent times.

On February 19, 2018, about 110 school girls were abducted at the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State, by terrorists.

A l l t h e g i r l s , e xc e pt L e a h Sharibu, regained their freedom in a jiffy. Those in the know said a huge ransom was paid to secure their release.

It is becoming clearer with the episodes in Kankara, Katsina State and the recent Kagara abduction that a dangerous precedent may have been established.

In December 2020 when hundreds of boys were kidnapped

from their school in Kankara, government appointed some negotiators to secure their release.

Analysts express fears that the pattern which appears to have been embraced by government, though may seem to be paying off in the immediate term, has the tendency of ruining Nigeria in the long run.

While government believes it is scoring a bull’s eye by engaging in negotiation and ransom payment, security experts and other well-meaning Nigerians say the Federal Government may be unwittingly transferring its sovereignty to a band of terrorists and bandits who now dictate and call the shots at the negotiation table.

The release of the Kagara victims came a day after the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Ibrahim Attahiru gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole to clear some communities in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State which was recently attacked and taken over by the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

He also ordered the troops to clear Ngala Local Government Areas of the state, and crush Boko Haram. Analysts say that what is playing out in Nigeria and the dangerous rhetoric surrounding the prosecution of the low-grade war in the North East may negatively affect the psyche of military personnel involved in the fight.

The fe ar is t hat w hi le t he terrorists use the hefty ransom they collect from government to acquire more arms and ammunition to fortify themselves, the Nigerian soldiers that should

dislodge them are ill-equipped.

Moreover, the huge ransom the terrorists are paid now seems like an empowerment for them to continue on that dangerous venture.

In May 2019, the BBC in its story, ‘How Nigeria and its president are being held to ransom’, reported that the business of abduction and ransom payment may have taken root in Nigeria.

It recalled that in March of that year, a well-known Muslim cleric in Kano, who campaigned for President Buhari ahead of his re-election, Ahmed Sulaiman was held for 12 days by kidnappers who demanded $833,000 (£657,000) for his release.

It quoted Sulaiman as saying that “eight young men were assigned to guard us. They would smoke cigarettes and marijuana and blow the smoke into the hut, abusing and threatening to kill us since our people didn’t care to bring the ransom in time. They issued all sorts of threats.”

BBC in the report noted that “gangs nationwide kidnap both rich and poor people, often collecting ransoms of up to $150,000 - and sometimes killing abductees whose families fail to pay.”

Here is a country where youth unemployment is rising on a daily basis and the youth idle away with no future in sight. With the seeming lucrative nature of mass kidnapping of students, the 2023 general election could be imperiled. Unscrupulous elements may find kidnapping and ransom-taking as an avenue to raise money to prosecute their political ambition.

A l i y u Um a r B a b a n g i d a , a

retired Army Captain, says no serious country engages in negotiation and ransom payment the way the Nigerian government goes about it.

“If I were the Chief of Army Staff, I would have flushed out the rebels. I would need not more than fifteen thousand soldiers to rout them. It is insulting to allow them to be negotiating with our government on position of strength, calling $100million; $500million ransom. Government should have an upper hand, and talk to them from a position of strength,” Babangida said.

He urged Nigeria to borrow a leaf from some African countries that have stamped out terrorism from their domain.

“If you publicly execute about 10 of them (terrorists), others would be afraid. The terrorists are a band of fearful people and the only language they understand is brute force. Nigeria should not engage with them to the point of negotiating ransom and all that; that is making bandits look important,” he further said.

A Cleric, Rev. Father, George Omaku Ehusani, had shared the view of the security expert, when he advised the Federal Government not to us e t he nat ion’s wealth to settle criminals.

“If we were running a proper democracy and federalism, then if the Governor of Zamfara State decides to take money to settle criminals rather than fight them, that’s ok for them. But we cannot use our national money to settle criminals,” Ehusani said.

His response followed the proposal by Gumi and the Governor

of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle for amnesty and compensation for bandits who have been terrorising some states in the northwest as a way to resolve the insecurity challenges in that region.

Dakuku Peterside, a former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), urged the Federal Government to deal decisively with bandits, as according to him, “Criminality is unlawful and should be treated according to the provisions of our laws. The crucial issue is the reassertion of the supremacy of the Nigerian state in the control of the power of coercion. Sovereign power should never be shared with non-state actors.”

Peterside also noted that “most criminals lack moral compulsion and negotiating with them is useless, as they are not known to keep to agreements.”

He pointed out that, “It is always dangerous to allow kidnappers of innocent school children to glamorise their evil deeds, as it has been happening recently. This inspires other wannabe abductors to plan and execute the next despicable ‘soap opera’, whereby a part of the actors (bandits) gets money and fame. The other part (victims and their families) lives a life of pain and anguish.”

Indeed, it’s high time government showed capacity and sincerely prosecute the war without allowing itself to be deceived by some elements whose prayer is to see insecurity in the country grow worse, for narrow personal interest.

Sunday 28 February 2021

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Sports

Hennessy becomes NBA’s first global spirits partner

H Top four race heats up as Man Utd battle rejuvenated Chelsea

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Stories by ANTHONY NLEBEM lockbuster football actions beckons this weekend as Manchester United clash at Stamford Bridge against a rejuvenated Chelsea side in Premier League top four race.

Chelsea can boost their Champions League qualification ambitions with victory and also closing the gap to United to just three points.

United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, believes the race for the Premier League top four will go down to the wire as Manchester United prepare to face Thomas Tuchel’s revitalised Chelsea on Sunday.

United were knocked off top spot by Manchester City on January 26 and a run of just two wins in six top-flight matches means they are now 10 points behind their rivals.

Second-placed United head to the Etihad Stadium for a Manchester derby clash on March 7 but before then they have back-to-back fixtures away to London clubs, with Sunday’s match against Chelsea followed by Wednesday’s game with Crystal Palace.

“We’ve got Chelsea just behind us, we’ve got City away in front of us,” said Solskjaer. “Of course we

can’t let them run further away if we have ambitions of catching them and we can’t give Chelsea too much hope to catch us either.”

Solskjaer believes United are over their recent wobble ahead of the match at Stamford Bridge, where Tuchel has made an impressive impact since succeeding Frank Lampard last month.

The Blues have yet to lose under the German and can halve the six-point gap to United on Sunday as the race for Champions League qualification spots heats up.

“You can see the results, you can see the stats, the possession they’ve had, they keep teams away from their own goal, keep the possession,” Solskjaer said.

“Tuchel has done really well. It’s never easy coming into a season halfway through so he must be pleased as well. Hopefully we can stop that run. That’s my job now.”

The Norwegian predicted a tense battle for Champions League places with a third of the season still to go.

City, United, Leicester and West Ham are currently in the top four but a clutch of teams, including Chelsea and champions Liverpool, harbour ambitions of dislodging them.

“I don’t think the positions will

be decided early,” said former United striker Solskjaer. “With this season as well, it’s unpredictable.

“We’ve seen teams going through bad phases then a run and then who knows what’s going to happen with injuries, with how players react to the circumstances.”

Thomas Tuchel has been a breath of fresh air since taking the coaching reign at Stamford Bridge.

The enigmatic German is unbeaten since jetting in from the continent; overseeing four straight Premier League wins bookended by draws with Wolves and, last weekend, against stubborn hosts Southampton.

Two points is the gap between the Blues and London rivals West Ham in fourth place, with Tuchel’s pressing game prompting a rise back up the EPL rankings as the business end of the campaign approaches.

Thiago Silva is the only major doubt for Tuchel, who may have held the veteran back in the Champions League in midweek with an eye on domestic matters.

Old schemer Olivier Giroud will also hope his eye-catching European winner is enough to keep his starting berth up front.

ennessy, the world’s bestselling cognac, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a global expansion of their partnership, making Hennessy the “Official Spirit of the NBA” worldwide. The multiyear agreement, which marks the league’s first-ever global partnership with a spirits brand, ushers in the next chapter of Hennessy’s relationship with the NBA and expands on the North American deal that was announced in February 2020.

“We are honored by the distinction as the first global spirit partner in the NBA’s history,” said Julie Nollet, Hennessy global CMO. “The NBA is more than basketball, and Hennessy is more than cognac. We represent global communities, and this partnership empowers us to support a game and culture that brings people together through entertainment and camaraderie despite the current challenges faced by fans around the world. We share the NBA’s core values of integrity, teamwork, respect and innovation, which are more powerful than ever as we work to inspire and unite people across the globe.”

“This partnership expansion marks an exciting milestone for the league as Hennessy becomes the NBA’s first-ever global spirits partner,” said Dan Rossomondo, NBA Senior Vice President, Media and Business Development.

“We look forward to continuing to celebrate the game of basketball alongside this iconic brand and our fans around the world.”

The expanded partnership will tip off in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and South America with the launch of an adaptation of the “Hennessy x NBA: Lines” campaign that celebrates those who push the game forward.

Fans around the world will be

able to toast with new exclusive Hennessy VS and VSOP Limited Edition bottles, specially designed to commemorate the partnership.

The Limited Edition bottles are now available in the U.S., and a worldwide release is planned for the second quarter of 2021.

For more than 250 years, Hennessy has celebrated those who embody the “Never Stop. Never Settle” ethos that is personified by the players’ unwavering commitment to drive culture forward.

Throughout the year, Hennessy will celebrate the tradition and mindset of basketball fans around the world through a range of consumer events, activations and localized content.

Funding key to successful Olympics outing- Amukamara D’Tigress point guard, Promise Amukamara, has restated the importance of funding for the team in their quest to compete favorably against some of the best at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Speaking from her base in France, the 36th overall WNBA overall draft pick (2015) said to get the best out of the players and turn them into a cohesive unit, long term preparation is needed which is hinged on heavy funding.

D’Tigress recently concluded a 10-day camping exercise in Atlanta, USA in line with the Nigeria Basketball Federation decision to start early preparation for the games.

According to the 2019 Afrobasket winner, ‘to whom much is expected, much must be given’.

“My expectation from the federation and the government is for them to provide us with the right funding so that we can prepare well for the Olympics. I know on our schedule, we have a lot of preparation games before the Olympics and I think all those preparation games will be beneficial to us to do well in the Olympics.”

With a back to back Afrobasket title, quarter final finish at the 2018 World Cup and an Olympics ticket, the 27 year old point guard is confident in the ability of the team to make Nigerians and

Africans proud at the Tokyo 2020 games.

“I think we have a great team, great coaching staff to do well at the Olympics, but to get to that stage, it requires funding. If we get that, everything will be good and the sky will be the limit for us.”

Currently ranked first in Africa and 14th in the world, D’Tigress is the only African team that will be competing in the basketball event.

Apart from their men’s c o u nt e r p a r t , D’ Ti g r e s s grouped alongside world number one- USA, France (5th) and Japan (10th), under Coach Otis Hughley will also be the only team out of Nigeria competing in Tokyo.

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Sunday 28 February 2021

Of Gumi, bandits and impunity!

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he current socio-political perversion of the Nigerian state, courtesy of the twin paradoxes of anomie and anarchy in a so-called democracy, reads like a fast-paced book of fiction and evolves like a midnight horror movie. Nature, abhors vacuum. That may perhaps explain the sudden emergence of one Sheik Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric as the master negotiator between fully armed bandits and some state governors up north, with the collapse of government as the provider of security for the citizens.

As Isabel Allende, theChilean journalist and author rightly noted: “Nothing is as dangerous as power with impunity”. So, Gumi is emboldened to stroll into the much-dreaded foresthideouts of kidnap kingpins called bandits and fully armed herdsmen both in Zamfara and Niger states. And he returns safely to advise the slumbering political leaders on the best way forward. What could that be?

That the Federal Government should without further delay accord the bandits who have maimed, raped and sent some of their victims to their early graves amnesty just like it operated during the tenure of Umar Musa Yar’Ardua (of blessed memory) for the Niger Delta militants.

Explaining to Gumi and his ilk that there is no moral and economic justification for comparing the actions of the militants and the heartless bandits terrorising innocent lives is like pouring water into a basket! While the militants took up arms to draw the needed attention to the criminal neglect of their oil-rich geo-political zone by the federal government, that has for decades fed fat on its God-given resources, the armed bandits on the other hand, ride roughshod on the waves of sheer laziness, brazen extortion and religious extremism.

No other geo-political zone in Nigeria would have watched on, arms folded while their environment was left naked to massive oil spillage, the killing spree of aquatic fauna, despoliation of their farmlands and left to stew amidst debilitating diseases.

But Gumi wants the killers, kidnappers and rapists provided with “reasonable means of livelihood including jobs, working capital,

“When a leader encourages the culture of impunity, the society is lost and it makes the work harder for the rest of us” Prof. Wole Soyinka

entrepreneurship training as well as clinics and school”. Read that again! The sense of revulsion yours truly felt going through all these is enough to give up on Nigeria. But we cannot.

Not now and not ever. Our unrelenting pursuit is that of good governance.

For instance,in the wise words ofJeanJacques Rousseau: “In a well governed state, there are few punishments, not because there are many pardons, but because criminals are rare; it is when a state is in decay that the multitude of crimes is a guarantee of impunity”. Let us all digest these as food for thought.

According to the World Prison Brief database, the Central African Republic has the world’s lowest prison rate of any country, with prisoners representing just 16 out of every 100,000 of the population. Next highest were Comoros and the Faroe Islands, both with 19, followed by the Republic of Guinea on 26.

Of great interest is that of Netherlands, a country that has no one to put behind the bars!

Back in 2013, Netherlands had 19 prisoners only and some five years later,in 2018, the country had no criminals! That has been one’s dream for our dear country, Nigeria. Who says it not possible?

It is achievable if we have the right set of leaders and political structures that promote the spirit of patriotism and selfless leadership.

We are talking about politicians who do not have to steal billions of Naira to pay for party nomination forms, bribe greed-driven godfathers, party members and eventually electoral

officials to be elected into office, to serve the self instead of the state.

Instead, their noble aim would be to seek for the best for the majority of the people and not to satisfy their whims and caprices as dictated by ethnic jingoism and religious sentiments to the point of pampering criminals as Sheik Gumi is currently canvassing.

As Marcus Tullius Cicero succinctly stated: “The hope of impunity is the greatest inducement to do wrong”.That explains the insidious and unpatriotic policy of granting amnesty to terrorists who have wasted several innocent lives only to be rewarded with free food, accommodation, clothing and the very western education they took up arms against!

It therefore, goes against the grains of natural justice, morality, equity and peaceful society for the governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, to repeatedly call on thefederal government to grant amnesty to the so called “repentant”bandits. These are conscienceless and cruel citizens who have killed or kidnapped hundreds of fellow Nigerians in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa states in recent years.Forgiving them stands logic on its head.

We are now in a better position to understand why the payment of huge sums of ransom to the kidnappers of Kankara students has emboldened those with similar criminal minds to execute what recently transpired in Kagara, Niger state. And Gumi has stepped in where the soldiers dared not tread! So, who is fooling who and which Nigerian is still allowing himself to be fooled again?

According to the ‘Wall Street Journal’, three boys out of the 344 victims of the kidnapping at Kankara Science school said that the kidnappers told them that a ransom was paid for their release. The boys endured beatings, threats and deprivations at the hands of their kidnappers.

But the Jihadist group, Boko Haram which claimed responsibility for the abduction has been empowered with more funds to buy more sophisticated arms and ammunition to waste more innocent lives.

This was my candid position when the Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai admit-

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

ted paying off Fulani herdsmen with millions of naira with the expectation for peace to reign in the state, as agreed years ago. But has peace returned to the state? Up till the moment, Kaduna State remains one of the killing fields of the country; couched with increased Christian victims. As el-Rufai has admitted, the bandits are used to big money far above what can be earned by legitimate means. What a country!

Now riding a similar ship of grand betrayal by the vampire bandits is the Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari. His policy of Dialogue and Amnesty Programme to pay off the criminals running into millions of naira has had the opposite effect. The killings continue!

All these means that even the current state governors have not learnt enough lessons from former governors of Bornu and Rivers states.

If indeed, the statement credited to the Niger State governor, Sanni Bello that, “we don’t believe in what Gumi is doing” is to be taken seriously; the bandits should be fished out by the policemen and soldiers, publicly prosecuted and punished according to the law. Only this would serve as a form of deterrence to other young minds waiting in the wings to fly.

A government, going by Section 14(2) (b) of the 1999 constitution as amended is supposed to be a father-figure; to protect and provide for members of the family, not pampering errant children only to cry over spilt milk when the harm has been committed. What moral lessons are the Gumis teaching our children? To steal, rape and kill with the hope of forgiveness through some insulting amnesty programme?

Never again!

Battle for Nigeria: Our bandits are better than yours

IKEDDY ISIGUZO Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues

S

OON all parts of Nigeria would be boasting about the quality of their bandits. Since criminal atrocities have been down-graded to banditry, the perpetual battle for ownership of Nigeria has assumed newer, more intriguing dimensions. Where is South East in the on-going restructuring of Nigeria?

Some indicators: • Nigeria deploys full military might on the Eastern Security Network (ESN), but negotiates with AK-47-bearing bandits in the forests of Northern Nigeria. Governors of those parts, their leaders, intellectuals are locked in multi-layered debates about appeasing bandits. Is this option with the knowledge of the Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi who has ordered self-defence?

• South East’s biggest headlines were the intra conflicts of Governor Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Senator Rochas Anayo Okorocha.

Governors of South East, whose tongues have been tied about the massacres in Orlu found, their tongues - they would intervene in the

tangles between Uzodinma and Okorocha. They have chosen their fight.

• Wines were on the table, the event was celebratory, when brand new President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor and his officers visited Ndigbo Lagos secretariat.

Military air and land strikes on Orlu did not make the agenda. Instructively, Uzodinma, Okorocha, and Obiozor are from Orlu Zone, the centre of the most recent attacks on South East.

• Elsewhere, Professor Obiozor was on zoom meetings on re-structuring Nigeria. He does not realise that Nigeria is being re-structured along ownership of forests and bandits to populate them.

• Does South East have leaders – spiritual, special, specious, or temporal – who can negotiate with bandits? Let us create a dictum, “Where there are no forests, there are no bandits”.

• There is a hope, no matter how blighted.

Governor Uzodinma claims South East has dreaded forests on the Anambra-Imo boundary that harbour criminals (alas, not bandits). He said the forests were inacessible. They may therefore not be worthy forests for negotiations we see in other parts of Nigeria.

• Did you notice that South-South militants have revved their arsenals though they have creeks and unconfirmed forests? Someone just drew my attention to the thinning lines in the definitions of bandits, criminals, freedom fighters, marauders, and terrorists.

• Minister of Information, the imitable Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has ruled out any chances of

ridding forests of bandits. Government must protect the forests in line with global clamouring for pro-climate change practices. So, all the arsenals we spent millions of dollars acquiring would only be used on forests that are unimportant to climate change. Had Alhaji Mohammad not been away battling for his rightful ownership of the All Progressives Congress franchise in Kwara, confusion over bandits and forests would not have risen. The military would not have sent the craft that crashed last week to climate-change protected forests in Niger State.

• Enter Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour, and former Governor of Anambra State, who threatened to conquer Anambra, not its forests, by all forces available to him. Ngige knows about forests; after all, he publicly admitted that some processes that erected his governorship were sealed in the feared woods of Okija. Ngige niggled about everything except the non-recognition of South East’s bandits and forests.

• National President of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Muhammad Tahir had served notice of a strike after loss of property and several members. AUFCDN wants N475billion compensation from the Federal Government or it would stop trading its vegetables, tomatoes and onions, in Southern Nigeria. What does South East export to Northern Nigeria? Not even bandits to contest space in the North’s forests. o Who will save 29-year-old farmer,

Sunday Jackson of Dong community in Demsa Local Government Area, Adamawa State, sentenced to death by hanging for stabbing Buba Ardo Bawuro, a herdsman to death in a bush in Kodomti community, Numan LGA. Buba’s cattle destroyed his farm. Sunday said instead of the herdsman to heed his plea to take his cattle away, he stabbed Sunday, who seized the knife, and stabbed Buba to death. Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida ruled that on gaining control of the knife, Sunday should have sought safety, not kill Buba.

The 11 February 2021 judgment was ahead of the Minister of Defence’s orders that we should shun cowardice and defend ourselves. The lacuna is that the Minister position was on bandits who had AK-47, not knives.

Other zones would remind South East of an additional reason it cannot produce a President in 2023. How can a zone that cannot protect its bandit protect Nigeria from bandits, including foreign ones who enjoy diplomatic immunity to lug Ak-47s across Nigeria, kidnap, kill, maim, rape, and their activities are explained away by a culture that abhors forgiveness of a wrong, no matter how long ago it was?

As these issues raged, a proposed meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors would be on the more important matter of increasing the pump price of fuel.

Government has decided we would use fuel if we are alive or at our funerals. It is unfair then to keep accusing President Buhari of not thinking about the welfare of Nigerians.

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