THEWILL APR. 11-17 EDITION

SECURITY SITUATION IN NIGERIA SAD, FRIGHTENING - BABATOPE – page 12

NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL: TIME TO RETURN TO THE BASICS – page 46

Price: N250

YINKA DAVIES: A WOMAN OF MANY PARTS – page 37

T H EWI LLN I GERI A

APRIL 11- APRIL 17, 2021 VOL . 1 NO. 9

T H EWI LLNG

www.thewillnigeria.com

RE VE AL E D :

Why ‘Unknown Gunmen’ Set South East on Fire ●

●

●

Forces Behind Owerri Attacks – Inside Sources IPOB/ESN Not Responsible – Uzodinma Secession Inevitable – IPOB Legal Officer SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

NIGERIAN BREWERIES: STARVING INVESTORS TO OVERFEED DIRECTORS

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

BREAKING NEW GROUNDS

THE FUTURE IS AITEO. With capabilities in energy exploration and production, upstream services, gas, both liquefied and natural, power large-scale storage, and a fast-developing distribution network, we are the one partner you can depend on to power your way into the future.

Learn more online at aiteogroup.com

PAGE 2

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

COVER Forces Behind Owerri Attacks - Inside Sources

BY THEWILL CORRESPONDENTS

O

werri, the capital of Imo, the state also known as the Eastern Heartland, is now quiet. Political gladiators in the state appear to have recoiled to their tents for fear of being associated with the bombings and massive destructions, last Monday, of two Federal institutions in the state capital - the Police Headquarters and the State Correctional Centre. While the well-coordinated and deadly attacks that rocked the once-peaceful town to its foundation sent jitters down the spine of the much-rattled state governor, Hope Uzodinma, as well as the residents, President Muhammadu Buhari, from his hospital bed in far-away London, could not help but describe the actions of the faceless attackers as the handiwork of terrorists.

SHOCKING AND UNPRECEDENTED Though the shocking and quite unprecedented incident in the state was the last straw that broke the camel’s back for the immediate past Inspector - General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, as he was fired while on a trip to the troubled town for a first-hand assessment of the magnitude of damage done to Police facility, most residents are still worried about what really happened in the wee hours of that fateful Monday. They were woken up by the deafening sound of dynamites and explosives deployed by the attackers to blow up the Police Command Headquarters and the Nigerian Correctional Service Centre, where over 600 detainees and 1,881 inmates respectively, were released.

INITIAL ASSUMPTIONS Adamu was quick to fire the first salvo, accusing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) of being responsible for the attacks.

The State Governor, Uzodimma, however contradicted the claims of the immediate past IGP, saying the hoodlums were hired from outside the state by disgruntled politicians, noting that they were only disguising to be IPOB members.

“What happened in Imo state last Monday is unbelievable. A group of hoodlums, of course, sponsored by some known politicians in Imo state, decided to destroy public infrastructure and government facilities — and attacked a correctional centre facility and also attacked a police state headquarters.

“I have done some thorough investigation and I have a credible lead as to those who are sponsoring these activities of these hoodlums. We are working hard to ensure that the sponsors of these dastardly acts must be brought to book,” he said.

The Governor added: “They (politicians) try to identify grievances of people in a particular area. They hire hoodlums from outside Imo state. They bring them in pretending to be IPOB and they commit this crime and they go away.

“It is not about IPOB. Yes, we agree, we have aggrieved IPOB members. But I can tell you, those who are doing these destructions, most of them were brought from outside Imo state.”

CONTRADICTIONS AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, has denied involvement of the separatist groups in the attack, saying: “The Nigeria Government should stop linking IPOB and ESN to the multiple attacks going on in Nigeria now. IPOB was formed on the principle of peace and we are still in it. Unknown gunmen are different people; we don’t know them and they are not IPOB or ESN security outfit.”

An insider source close to IPOB, however, said the attacks might not be unconnected with the 40-Day ultimatum allegedly given by IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to all government security agencies to vacate ‘Biafra’ land as the mayhem in Owerri happened two days to the expiration of the ultimatum.

“We had to carry out the instruction of our leader,” the source, who craved anonymity, told THEWILL. “The security agencies and any form of Federal presence in Igbo land are considered by IPOB as an attempt to overpower the agitating youths and members. The attack on the Police Command and the Correctional Center was an expression of our rejection of Federal presence in Igbo land.”

According to the source, “When we engaged in peaceful protest of our plight to the United Nations and the government of the United Kingdom, nothing came from it.

Even our leaders here do not mean well. They are selling our land and we do not feel answerable to them anymore.”

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

Uzodinma

“But what is important to take home is for Nigerians to know of the plot by a group of aggrieved politicians to destablise the government of APC.

WHAT TRIGGERED THE ATTACKS Though people are still wondering what would have triggered these attacks, especially as there have been blames, accusations and denials as to those behind the attack, THEWILL investigation has however revealed not only the forces behind the Owerri attacks and their real reasons for the massive destruction of the security infrastructure in the state, it is now becoming more evident that the freedom forcefully gained by the fleeing criminals have increased the tempo of crime rate not only across the state but the entire South East region since the incident occurred.

EMBARRASSING SITUATION Barrister Ohaeto Uwazie, the Legal Officer of IPOB, offered a great insight into the whole mayhem even as he described the incident as “an embarrassing situation.”

In an exclusive chat with THEWILL, Uwazie said: “Nobody expected it, but it happened. It wasn’t the IPOB nor the Eastern Security Network who did it. IPOB is different from ESN and ESN is different from Unknown Gunmen. There are different groups involved in the struggle. I am speaking in my capacity as one of the officials of IPOB. In fact, we don’t even know those in ESN and vice-versa. IPOB are those who are carrying flags, the Biafran flag, and they do their agitation openly.

The ESN is out to chase out the Fulani, they are against the Fulani occupation of Biafran land; they don’t want the cattle-rearing Fulani, occupying our ancestral land, killing our farmers and raping our women. They don’t want them; that’s their own rule of engagement.

ESN NOT PART OF IPOB

*Continues on Page 4

PAGE 3

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

COVER

...IPOB/ESN Not Responsible – Uzodinma *Continued from Page 3

Barrister Uwazie also condemned what he described as a growing misconception by Nigerians who refer to the ESN as a part of IPOB. “It is not true, it’s wrong,” he said. “They are not the same thing because the IPOB doesn’t know them and they don’t know IPOB. IPOB is Nnamdi Kanu’s, he’s the Commander. But ESN is a different group. There is IPOB, ESN and a lot of others.”

UNKNOWN GUNMEN He was however emphatic on the difference in the modus operandi of the various groups in the Biafran struggle.

“And when this thing started in Imo State, they started looking for IPOB and I told them that if you start this thing, you are creating more problems, it’s like pouring fuel to a burning fire. If you touch any IPOB member, the state would be set ablaze.”

DESTROYING SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE On the destruction of the security infrastructure across Igboland and the implications for the South East as a region, Uwazie was blunt.

“Yes, the infrastructure must be destroyed,” he fired back.

“Because the infrastructure are being used to oppress the innocent people by the police. Innocent people are being detained because they are Biafran agitators, they are being killed and detained. If you arrest somebody and you don’t take him to court, they keep them in police detention. And the ones they take to court, they put them in the prisons, awaiting trial for more than 10 years under terrible conditions. IPOB members that have been arrested, some are dying in detention. So these people came to salvage the situation. I know what I’m talking about. The infrastructure is our own and they use the infrastructure as an instrument of suppression. When you oppress somebody to the extent that that person picks a gun, then you must know that things have changed.”

READY TO DIE Continuing, Uwazie declared: “Let me tell you, most people in the East see themselves as dead persons, even myself. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a dead man. Since 2020, I considered myself as a dead man. It was the year I died and celebrated my funeral ceremony. So, you cannot intimidate me with death. And the strong IPOB members are like that. You cannot intimidate them with death. And all the guys carrying guns are all dead people. So it is a soldier who is being paid by the Federal Government with tax payers’ money that should be afraid of death, not the people who are already dead.”

IPOB DON’T CARRY GUNS Describing IPOB as the intellectual arm of the struggle, he maintained that IPOB doesn’t carrying guns. He said the government should rather dialogue with the agitators

PAGE 4

Baba

“The Unknown Gunmen are different. They are the ones that kicked against the Nigerian soldiers, the police killing innocent people, their loved ones, some years ago. So, they are on a revenge mission to get back at the soldiers, the police who were killing innocent people, putting them in prisons and detention. Then, we were crying and shouting that you don’t treat people like that. If you say you want Nigeria, these people said they don’t want Nigeria, they want to go and you are forcing them, killing them. Instead of you to pacify them, talk to them, you keep shooting them, killing them like animals, killing people anyhow, wasting innocent souls. Now, their children have come to revenge and everybody is happy. That is just the truth, we speak the truth here. So, the Unknown Gunmen is an arm of the struggle to revenge for those who the soldiers and the police killed innocently,” he said.

“

The Unknown Gunmen are different.

They are the ones that kicked against the Nigerian soldiers, the police killing innocent people, their loved ones, some years ago. So, they are on a revenge mission to get back at the soldiers, the police who were killing innocent people, putting them in prisons and detention

other than fighting and killing them. But when asked whether IPOB is still open to dialogue with the Federal Government, “I doubt,” was his reply. “Hmm, I doubt” because according to him, “the era of dialogue has already passed. Now, it is secession! What you have now is declaration of referendum, declaration of Biafra, that’s all. We want to go and we can be good neighbours with Nigeria. Any other region that wants to go, we will help them to be free. So, whatever the North wants from us, we will give them and whatever we want from them, they will give us. Some of them who want to stay in Biafraland will be very free. In fact, there is a rule now in IPOB, if you molest any Fulani man in the cities, and they report you, we’ll deal with you. But those in the bushes, we don’t want. Come into the city, pay your house rent and do legitimate business.”

FIGHT TO THE FINISH

“Yes, the era of dialogue is already gone. The Federal Government has brought in British soldiers. Can you imagine how stupid the British Government is? When they left the European Union, nobody stopped them, but they want us to remain in Nigeria. They brought in British soldiers, that High Commissioner in Abuja, she is the one ruling Nigeria now, not Buhari. She is the one advising them on how to deal with Easterners and is the one giving logistics advice to the Fulani cabal. She has left her office at the British High Commission and relocated to Ask Rock. But we are ready to defeat them, both the British and the Federal Government because we are no longer comfortable in Nigeria. How can you go and bring your Fulani brothers from Mali, Sudan, Libya, Central Africa Republic, Niger, Mauritania and Senegal to come and take over Nigeria. You give them AK 47 for them to take our land. If Usman dan Fodio did that in Sokoto, Minna and Kano in 1804, you cannot do that here now. We say no, we are ready for them and we are equal to the task. We’ll fight for our land and we’ll defeat them.”

SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS He described the actions of the South East Governors as unfortunate.

“For Hope Uzodinma, it’s the way he came to power. He was not the one who won the election but surreptiously became the governor through the help of the Fulani cabal.

But he’s very simple, he’s a gentle man, better than his predecessor, Okorocha. Honestly, I tend to pity him because of the circumstances that brought him to power and his level of education, he’s handicapped somewhere.

I pray that God will give him the wisdom to tackle the issue,” the lawyer said.

IT’S PLOT TO SUBDUE NDIGBO AGAINST 2O23 Speaking to THEWILL, the President General of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL), Goodluck Ibem, THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

COVER

...Secession Inevitable – IPOB Legal Officer HEIGHTENED CRIME RATE THEWILL gathered that the dastardly acts have now increased the crime rate in the town. On the outskirts of the state capital, especially on Bank and Douglas Roads, daredevil criminals now ambush bank customers, snatching their money and valuables at gunpoint.

On Tuesday, a day after the jail-break, just as former IGP Adamu was inspecting the attacked state command headquarters, some criminals were busy attacking bank customers along Bank Road close to the state Government House.

One of the victims, who was robbed of N340,000 which he withdrew from a first generation bank on Bank Road, said passers-by watched him as he was being robbed of his bag.

“While the three boys were attacking me and trying to collect the bag containing my money, I was begging passersby for help but everyone was minding his business.

I sustained bruises as they were tearing my clothes,” he told THEWILL on condition of anonymity.

Kanu

Uwazie

Also, passers-by narrated their various experiences on the highways particularly along the Port Harcourt Road where criminal elements have increased their activities as the police have abandoned patrols on the road and many other highways in the state since the incident.

said after a careful analysis of the attacks in Ebonyi and Enugu States that left over 30 people dead, the destruction of the police headquarters and correctional facility in Owerri and harassment of innocent people by the police in Aba, Abia State, his group could deduce that “it is a calculated evil plot to deny Ndigbo the opportunity of producing a Nigerian president in 2023.”

According to Ibem, “The evil plotters brought in mercenaries to Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Abia States to wreak havoc and blame it on IPOB or ESN. By so doing, the federal government will draft in the military and other security agencies to kill Igbo youth. The main aim is to make the South-East a disaster area.

“The whole scenario is just an evil plot to retain power in the North after President Buhari’s tenure. The attack started in Ebonyi because the plotters believe it’s better to start from the head being that Governor Dave Umahi is the chairman of South-East governors forum and is one of those championing the cause of an Igbo man to be Nigerian president in 2023.

“They saw him as a threat to their plans, so they have to kill his people, destabilize his state, create fear and panic.

While the governor is busy trying to resolve the security challenges in his state he will not have time to pursue the 2023 presidential agenda.

“We call on the federal government to immediately gather credible intelligence and arrest those Fulani herdsmen that killed scores of people in Ebonyi and Enugu states. The same people have also threatened to attack Ebonyi state again and we are yet to see any seriousness to stop the planned attack. Federal government must stand-up to its responsibility of protecting lives and properties.”

According to him, the same people that sponsored the attack in Ebonyi and Enugu are the same people that THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

“

The evil plotters brought in mercenaries to Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Abia States to wreak havoc and blame it on IPOB or ESN. By so doing, the federal government will draft in the military and other security agencies to kill Igbo youth. The main aim is to make the South-East a disaster area

sponsored the attack in Imo state.

He expressed shock that the military base in Obinze is just seven minutes drive to the police headquarters and correctional facility in Owerri and wondered how come the military and the police did not challenge them.

“They had all the time to perpetuate their evil plan without any challenge from security agents. The whole scenario shows that there are powerful forces backing the perpetrators of the crime.”

ATTACKS CARRIED OUT WITH PRECISION Apparently working to details during the attacks carried out with precision, files containing vital details of the detainees, particularly those awaiting trial and on death roll, were destroyed by the attackers while over 38 vehicles were burnt to ashes.

Ifeoma Anyanwu, a petty trader, said the criminals are not sparing hawkers. She narrated how she was dispossessed of her valuable along Port Harcourt Road without anyone coming to her rescue.

Again, within 48 hours of the attack at the facilities, three more Divisional Police stations at Ehime Mbano and Mbaitoli Council Areas of the state were attacked and more suspects set free with arms and ammunition carted away.

Also, the pervading tension in the state hit another spike within 72 hours when the news broke that a traditional ruler and his entire cabinet had been abducted by yet-tobe-identified assailants.

The traditional ruler, Eze Charles Iroegbu of Umuezie community in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise council area, and his entire cabinet were abducted while returning from a traditional wedding ceremony they attended at IhitteUboma council area of the state.

The heightening insecurity and social tension in the South-East has ominous implications on the economic existence of the area. The region is Nigeria’s business and commercial hub, contributing meaningfully to the nation’s GDP. The region’s economic activities are creating robust value for the economy through trading, manufacturing, agriculture, export and hospitality. Flooded with viable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) the SouthEast has remained the engine of Nigeria’s economy where skill acquisition is an age-long tradition.

Industries like Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, breweries, pharmaceuticals, textiles, motor parts, plastics, assembly plants, paper conversion, footwear, agriculture and processing facilities among others exist in the region.

Industrial hubs of Nnewi and Aba are sprouting into international business communities that will transform Nigeria into another Japan or Germany.

The consequence of allowing the conflagration of the North-East replicated in the South-East will spell doom for the nation. Every self-destruct action runs on an in-built character.

PAGE 5

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

NEWS Bawa Charges Staff To Maintain Core Values In Tackling Graft

BY AMOS ESELE

E

xecutive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has charged staff of the Commission to adhere to the virtues of courage, integrity and professionalism, which are the core values of the Commission, in tackling economic and financial crimes.

He stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while addressing staff of the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC. According to him, the task of combating economic and financial crimes requires that extant laws are enforced as they should and for staff of the Commission to do this, they must adhere to the core values of the EFCC. “ Leaders of the EFCC should enforce the laws the way they are expected to be enforced. If you cross the line, the EFCC will investigate you and take you to court. But above all, we must do this with “courage, integrity and professionalism which are the core values of the Commission and these are the values we should maintain”, he said.

First Lady, Aisha Buhari (R); Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan (L), and other dignitaries during the public presentation of the Book Aisha Buhari Being Different at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on 8/4/2021

He tasked every staff of the Zone to be prepared to take the EFCC to the next level, stressing that taking responsibilities for actions and inactions was imperative. “ We know what is expected of us.

We should be ready to take the Commission to the next level”, he said. He assured every staff of equal opportunity in the area of welfare, placement and acceptance, stressing that “each of us is important. We should always work as a team and there should be no dichotomy of any kind”.

•Say APC Lacks Capacity to Govern

The Chairman also stated that a well- articulated career path was underway for every staff of the EFCC and that Standard Operation Procedure( SOP) would be institutionalised to discourage arbitrariness and discretion in carrying out official assignments.

He warned staff against deliberate mistakes, stressing that such conduct would not be tolerated.

Nigeria Adrift, PDP Govs Warn

BY AYO ESAN

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Forum rose from its meeting in Makurdi Thursday and condemned what it called the alarming drift of Nigeria.

The governors in a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Chairman, PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said if the situation is allowed to continue, it will make Nigeria a failed state under the watch of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), government.

They expressed deep concern over the deteriorating relations between various groups in Nigeria.

present government as a result of leadership incompetence and mismanagement of the nation’s affairs. While noting that governors have a role to play in the handling of some of the worsening situations, they regretted that their hands were tied as the entire coercive authority in the country is monopolised by the APC federal government.

“Time has come to take advantage of the ongoing Constitution Amendment process to decentralise the security architecture of Nigeria and involve States and Local Governments”, the Governors said.

The governors reaffirmed their conviction that an urgent devolution of powers and restructuring of the country in a way that brings together various groups and tendencies in the country have become timely now as Nigeria cannot afford another civil war.

Falana Calls for Constitutional Reform To Make INEC Decide Winner of Elections

BY AMOS ESELE

A

“ We call on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to send a new Revenue Allocation Formula that allocates more resources to States and Local Governments to Mr President for National Assembly’s action. It is a scandal that 21 years after the 1999 Constitution came into being, no new Revenue Formula is in place. Furthermore, the meeting called for a more transparent and accountable running and operation of the NNPC”.

gainst the backdrop of the lingering litigation over the right candidate that won the Imo North Senatorial election, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, (SAN) has called for an amendment to the Constitutional provision that makes the party rather than the candidate the winner of an election.

The meeting further condemned the intimidation of sitting governors by the APC administration using all sorts of weapons like security agencies, unequal access to federal resources, promotion of divisions in the opposition political parties with fake promises and falsehoods.

OPC Kicks Against Creation of Oduduwa Republic

In a chat with THEWILL, Falana said, “It is a stupid provision that says it is the political party that wins election. It does not make sense. You can see how the Imo senatorial poll is playing out. The law says it is a political party that wins elections. The party has won but it is now left for the courts to determine which candidate has won. How can you determine a candidate after an election has been held.? Now the battle is going up to the Supreme Court.”

T

According to Section 223 and 224 of the 1999 Constitution, political parties nominate candidates for elections and therefore is become the winner of any poll conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The governors expressed worry that, indeed, “all our fault lines and differences are being stretched to the limit by a government that clearly lacks the capacity to govern”. The meeting agreed that this has given rise to ethnic and tribal tensions, religious divisions, and various forms of social and political cleavages.

They concluded that Nigeria is in dire need of leadership at the Federal level to avert the looming disaster.

The meeting similarly raised the alarm, “that security of lives and property of Nigerians are no longer guaranteed under the

BY AYO ESAN

he Pan –Yoruba Group, Oodua People’s Congress, (OPC) has said that it is not in support of those agitating for the creation of Oduduwa Republic out of Nigeria, saying its founder, Late Dr Frederick Fasehun never made such demands while alive.

Speaking in Lagos, the newly elected President of OPC, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi said what Dr Fasehun fought for before his death and which the OPC will continue to pursue is the convening of a Sovereign National Conference to restructure the country from a pseudo federalism that is currently in practice.

Afolabi was elected the OPC President along other executive members including Comrade Adeleke Adebayo, (Vice President), Olubunmi Fasehun, (National Secretary) and Ademola Balogun (Treasurer) among others at a well-attended convention of OPC in Lagos which featured delegates from all over the country.

Afolabi who was Deputy President to Dr Fasehun for over eight years, said; “we undertook several projects, programmes and journeys together with Baba. In his lifetime, Dr Fredrick Fasehun

PAGE 6

never spoke to us about Yoruba independence from Nigeria, and anyone who tells you Baba ever said so is a liar.

“What Dr Fasehun was concerned about was for Nigeria to hold a Sovereign National Conference (SNC). Baba preached the gospel of restructuring, in which the state or regions would enjoy devolution of power and resource control. He believed that the current 1999 constitution did not give any hope for an equitable, just and progressive Nigeria. But Dr Fasehun never, ever spoke about an Oduduwa Republic” “Like our great Founder fought for all his lifetime, OPC stands for the convening of a Sovereign National Conference that will give Nigeria a truly Federal Constitution. We need to have a Constitution that will guarantee equity and justice for all parts of the country. Once that happens Yoruba will be content to remain in one Nigeria.

“Going to war will not benefit anybody because the innocent will suffer. Even after the war, we shall still need to return back to the negotiation table for dialogue. Why do we not simply engage in dialogue now before the war?” Afolabi said.

On the strength of that provision, the electoral Commission declared the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the Imo North Senatorial by-election it conducted on December 5, 2020.

But two candidates of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and Mr Frank Ibezim, have been laying claim to the ticket in the courts following their disqualification on the eve of the poll.

Falana said the ongoing Electoral and Constitutional reforms should empower the INEC, to determine the winner in any election it conducted freely and fairly. “ I have repeatedly made the point that INEC is the one that says we have conducted an election. So it must prove it, “ he said.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

Nigerian Breweries: Starving Investors To Overfeed Directors

BY SAM DIALA

A

curious twist in the annual reports of some Nigeria’s quoted companies for the 2020 financial year was that they jerked up the emoluments of their directors. This occurred in a year that businesses were faced with insalubrious operating environment occasioned by COVID-19 which knocked life out of many firms, while others walked a tight rope to survive.

As would be expected, revenues dipped while anticipated opportunities failed to materialise. Investors received little or no dividend. Jerking up directors’ remuneration in such a foggy mix should be in the bottommost layer of corporate priority. But that was not the case with Nigerian Breweries Plc which jerked up their directors’ emolument in the COVID-19 year amidst low profit and little or no dividend for the shareholders.

NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC When the shareholders of Nigerian Breweries Plc converge on the Lagos venue of its 75th Annual General Meeting (AGM) later this month (April), one knotty issue to resolve will be the astonishing raise in the Directors’ remuneration at a time the company is battling to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19. The board will certainly do extra work to convince likely agitated THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

“

Fees and emoluments of other Nonexecutive Directors jumped from N85.887 million in 2019 to N107.531 million in 2020, a spike of 25.2 per cent

shareholders on the justification for the 25.2 per cent raise in Directors’ earnings while the investors receive paltry dividend.

The 74-year-old foremost brewer was not spared the gash of the COVID-19 restrictions and the 15-months land border closure imposed by the Nigeria government. These combined to hit its operations badly, leading to huge decline in profit and dividend for the shareholders. While it managed to weather the storm, albeit at a huge cost, the jump in the Director’s remuneration to N702.537 million from the N561.245 in 2019 will need more explanations, particularly, when corporate leadership across industries

are accepting pay cuts.

A look at the Nigerian Breweries audited 2020 financial statements showed that the company spent a total of N702.537 million as Directors’ emoluments compared to N561.245 million in the preceding year, representing 25.2 per cent raise.

Virtually all the emolument components showed an increase in their sub-areas: Chairman’s fees and other emoluments rose to N18.172 million in 2020, from N16.552 million in 2019, representing 9.8 per cent jump.

This excludes reimbursable expenses for the Chrisman’s office which dropped to N17.7 million in 2020 from N37.1 million in the preceding period, representing 52.3 per cent.

Fees and emoluments of other Non-executive Directors jumped from N85.887 million in 2019 to N107.531 million in 2020, a spike of 25.2 per cent.

According to the report, the emolument (excluding pension contributions) of the highest paid Director jumped to ₦379.386 million in 2020 from ₦270.542 million in 2019, or 40.23 per cent.

*Continue on Page 8

PAGE 7

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION Further details of the report showed that 8 Directors earned between ₦4,000,001₦30,000,000 as against 9 in 2019; while 3 earned 30,000,001 and above as against 2 in 2019.

An investment analyst, Benson Obaigbon did not hide his feelings about the raise in the Directors’ remunerations in a year that other executives took pay cuts among other sacrifice. “No matter the reason, the Board and Management of Nigerian Breweries should not consider any pay rise at this time because the cake had been reduced and needed to be re-baked before sharing it.

The company recorded a profit after tax of N7.5 billion in 2020 as against N16.10 billion in 2019. The 2020 profit and dividend are the least in decades of its operations occasioned by the COVID-19 lockdown, restrictions and the prolonged land border closure. The N7.5 billion dividend which translates to 94 kobo per share as against N1.51 per share paid in 2019, is the lowest dividend paid its shareholders in about 15 years.

“The jump is on the high side. The company should have maintained the figure it recorded in the previous year if it has so much money. This is not the time for such largesse, particularly when the shareholders are getting peanut”, Obaigbon said in a note to THEWILL. The Nigerian Breweries management explained that their Directors’ remuneration was not jerked up as being reported. The Head of Communications, Mr Uchenna Ibemere, said the higher figures occurred because of foreign exchange variations which affect the emolument of the company’s expatriate directors whose entitlements are denominated and paid in foreign currency, especially in Euro. Ibemere also disclosed that “the Directors made huge sacrifices at the peak of COVID-19”, adding that companies with expatriate Directors had similar experience in the payment of their emolument.

The 2,990 employees (3,102 in 2019) of the company were compensated with emolument raise of N3.3 billion resulting to N16.7 billion from N13.4 billion in 2019, suggesting that the management also looked their way while the Directors’ remunerations were being considered for a lift.

Dimmed prospect was expressed when the Board of Directors of Nigerian Breweries released the company’s results for the ninemonth period ended September 30, 2020 which showed a 0.7 per cent decline in net revenue from N235.7 billion in September 2019 to N234 billion in 2020.

In a note signed by Nigerian Breweries’ Corporate Affairs Director, Sade Morgan and made available to THEWILL, the company denied insinuations that its Directors got a big pay boost amid COVID-19, adding that the salary emolument of the company’s Directors, like in other multinationals, are benchmarked in their home country currency.

The company explained that the marginal decline was attributable to various environmental and regulatory factors such as an increase in Excise Duty, a rise in inflation, an increase in VAT from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent and most importantly, the severe impact of the COVID-19 on businesses globally.

The statement further explained that the appreciation in the naira value of the expatriate Directors’ salary was largely due to the devaluation of the naira, “a factor over which we have no control”, adding that this applies to the “top management team members of the board of directors who are expatriates.”

‘In addition, the Financial Statements clearly showed that the total remuneration of NonExecutive Directors paid out in 2020 was lower than that of 2019.

A statement signed by the Company Secretary/Legal Director, Mr. Uaboi Agbebaku, said the company will continue to focus on efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on its operations, while protecting the health, safety and welfare of employees, customers and partners. The move seems to have achieved the result as sales recorded a boost at full year.

Notwithstanding, the COVID-19 challenges of lockdowns and restrictions during most part of 2020, Nigerian Breweries recorded impressive revenue of N337 billion compared to N323 billion in 2019, representing 4.3 per cent rise. Analysts attribute this to strong brand loyalty which earned it continued patronage even at the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions.

Stakeholders and industry experts who spoke to THEWILL expressed divergent views about the raise in the remunerations of the Nigerian Breweries amid negative impacts of COVID-19.

The National President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr Boniface Okezie, was both sympathetic and optimistic towards Nigerian Breweries, a firm he described as “strong players in the economy with the culture of regular dividend payment to shareholders even in difficult times”.

Okezie said the hike in the Directors’ emoluments may be the result of accumulated entitlements to retiring Directors of the company. He also praised the brewer for recognising the sacrifice of the staff during the COVID-19 restrictions by approving a raise in their entitlements.

“Nigerian Breweries experienced challenging times during the COVID-19 restrictions which affected the circulation of its products to hotels, beer parlous, events

PAGE 8

“Indeed, it is common knowledge within the Company that our Managing Director and other senior management staff took the unprecedented action of forfeiting their short term and long-term incentives, with some executives also donating a percentage of their salaries towards supporting the company’s COVID-19 efforts in 2020.

and other outlets because of the lockdown. This must have affected their revenue severely with low profit and low dividend for the shareholders compared to the previous year.

“As for the raise in Directors’ emolument, this could be because of retiring Directors whose accumulated entitlements had to be settled. And for the raise in the staff pay, I think they deserve it because they worked hard and made a lot of sacrifice to keep the company running during the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions.

“I am aware that Nigerian Breweries made handsome donations as palliatives last year to cushion the effects of COVID-19, which is commendable. As for the drop in dividend, I would advise the shareholders to be patient knowing that the company passed through a rough time during the period,” Okezie told THEWILL in a telephone chat.

“We wish to stress that as a publicly listed company, we are readily available to provide clarification to the media, and we urge them (in the interest of fairness, impartiality and neutrality) to always contact the company’s representatives on such matters.

“In conclusion, we wish to reassure our shareholders, customers, staff and the general public, that Nigerian Breweries remains well-positioned to continue to deliver return on investment, as well as protecting the health, safety and welfare of our employees, customers and partners.”

Nigerian Breweries is among the firms at the forefront of promoting Nigeria’s backward integration policy which emphasizes local sourcing of raw materials. Its support to farmers in the areas of sorghum and cassava plantations has helped in boosting local supply of these commodities across the country. The decision by Nigerian Breweries, a Heineken subsidiary, to use locally grown sorghum in beer production in 1988 led to a catalyst for the creation of an industrial market for sorghum.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS but a policeman, some INEC regular and ad hoc staff who sustained gunshot injuries during the melee were said to be receiving medical attention.

“This situation is unacceptable. In its avowed commitment to electoral integrity, the Commission has suspended the election indefinitely,” Okoye said, saying “to continue with the process would amount to rewarding bad behavour.”

Aside the above mentioned, when we talk of electoral violence in Nigeria, one incident that is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians is the gruesome murder of the Peoples Democratic Party Women Leader in Kogi State, Madam Achejuh Abuh, who was killed shortly after election in 2019.

The killing of Abuh drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari who wondered what could have spurred anyone to take the life of another human being, particularly a woman, who was burnt to death in her home in the most gruesome manner.

The President while speaking on this also cautioned Nigerians saying. “We must learn to behave decently, whether during elections or at other times. No life should be taken wantonly under any guise, and the fact that this reprehensible act occurred two days after voting shows primitive behaviour, which should not be accepted in a decent society.”

Yakubu

Political observers believe that the current voters’ apathy being witnessed in elections in Nigeria may worsen with the recurring electoral violence saying this pose a danger to our nascent democracy.

Electoral Violence, Imminent Threat to Democracy

BY AYO ESAN

T

wo off season elections held recently in Abia and Ekiti States have brought to the fore, the danger posed to Nigerias nascent democracy by people who engaged in electoral violence.

The Aba North/Aba South Federal election conducted on Saturday, March 27, 2021 witnessed violent acts as explosives were reported to have been used in one polling unit in Aba. In another unit, a collation officer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was allegedly abducted.

A week earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had to suspend the Ekiti East 1 State Constituency by-election indefinitely over cases of violence.

The commission announced the indefinite suspension of the election in a statement issued by Mr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.

“

If we can have killings in a state by-election, an off season election, what will happen when we have general elections in 2023. Something must be done to correct these bad behavior on elections day

Okoye said that the Commission received a report from the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State that the by-election was disrupted by violent attacks on voters, election officials and security personnel.

for the election, adding that personnel and materials arrived on time in all the 39 Polling Units spread across 5 Wards of the Constituency for the 23,670 registered voters to exercise their franchise in a free and fair process. He said, however, no sooner had voting commenced than unidentified gunmen unleashed mayhem at some polling units, thereby disrupting the process.

He noted that INEC made adequate arrangements

“Unfortunately, some innocent voters were shot dead,

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

Speaking on the development, Adaetan Ojo, a Political commentator based in Abuja told THEWILL that, “As of now the turn out for elections have been very poor as most times less than 30 per cent of voters who registered for the election turn up on election day to vote. I believe the apathy on the part of voters will get worse and if care is not taken, democracy which has been defined as government of the people, by the people and for the people may turn out to be government of the brave few who are able to summon courage and turn out on election day, not minding the risk”.

“If we can have killings in a state by- election, an off season elections, what will happen when we have general election in 2023. Something must be done to correct these bad behavior on elections day”, he said.

Since 1999 when democratic rule was restored in the country, politicians appear to have failed to make attempt to deepen and strengthen democratic principles in the country. Rather, sad memories of electoral violence in the past have been re-enacted.

For instance, the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015 elections have been marred by widespread fraud and unprecedented political violence.

Political violence at this period took a disproportionate shape; there were cases of political assassinations.

President Olusegun Obasanjo had in early 2002 warned that politicians were raising private militias that could make the elections bloody and indeed, the election turned out to be bloody.

“In November 2002, disturbances broke out in Kaduna State with high profile killings with clear political undertone” .

The 2007 general elections which domestic and foreign observers described as the worst in Nigeria’s history also witnessed terrible violence.

This was not unconnected to President Obasanjo’s *Continue on Page 10

PAGE 9

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS ... Imminent Threat to Democracy *Continued from Page 9

proclamation weeks before the election that the 2007 elections would be a “do or die affair.”

Little surprise that available evidence had it that the 2007 elections were deadly and frightening in nature.

The illegalities and sundry violence that featured prominently in the 2007 elections were succinctly captured by international monitors.

However in the build up to 2011 general elections, concerted efforts were made to drastically reduce electoral violence to the barest minimum.

One of such moves was a meeting of the 36 state governors of the federation which was chaired by the Chairman of then Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Bukola Saraki, which was held on 8th February, 2011 at Abuja where the governors signed an undertaking.

Despite the lofty goals of the undertaking, political violence featured prominently in all the elections. There were cases of electoral violence across the Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. The electoral violence started with deadly campaigns as violent clashes ensued among supporters of different political parties which led to the death of several people while many sustained injuries of various degrees just nine days to the general elections

Buhari

The pact was to among other things ensure free, fair, credible and transparent electoral process in the upcoming elections; to do their best to ensure that the elections were devoid of any form of manipulation, thuggery, violence, rigging and any other form of underhand tactics.

Immediately the presidential election result was announced and to stem any untoward reaction from the main contender – Alhaji Atiku Abubakar – and his supporters, the National Peace Committee swung into action and met with him and thereafter with the incumbent President – Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)

The former and his supporters laid their grievances before the committee about the conduct of the elections and made it clear that they would contest the outcome constitutionally.

EMERGENCE OF NATIONAL PEACE COMMITTEE The National Peace Committee came into prominence in the build up to the 2015 general elections when ominous signs hung on the nation like the sword of Damocles on what the outcome of the elections, especially the Presidential, portend for the nation.

The Committee which is made up of very prominent Nigerians including top clerics, Matthew Hassan Kukah who is the current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto and the Sultan of Sokoto and Head of the Islamic Religion in Nigeria, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar as well as former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakat .

It followed through to its self-assigned mandate by getting the then incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, to put a call across to its main rival, the current President, congratulating him on his success at the polls even when the result had not been officially declared by the electoral umpire – Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

With that singular move, tension was diffused and the nation heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Consequently, the Committee had since etched itself on national marble and the psyche of Nigerians as the moral compass of the nation.

Just before the 2019 general elections, the committee repeated what it did in 2015 elections; the contending political gladiators were again made to sign the peace accord.

PAGE 10

Speaking with THEWILL on the development, the Secretary General of the Pan Yoruba Group, Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, said the solution lies in the introduction of electronic voting.

Baba

The committee was able to reduce tension just before the elections by committing the contending forces then to sign peace accord that parties should shun violence and self help if the elections did not go their way. It advocated constitutional and peaceful means of ventilating any grievances arising from the conduct of the elections.

Political observers believe the electoral violence may only reduce if Nigeria changes ‘ the winner takes all’ stance as enshrined in the Electoral Act.

“

You can hardly blame the violence on the security agents. Police at polling booths are not usually armed, as they only carry batons, while the electoral violators are usually armed

According to him, “ When we resort to electronic voting, there will be less of violence, like ballot box snatching and killing of electoral officers. If everyone can vote through electronic process , violence will reduce.

“You can hardly blame the violence on the security agents. Police at polling booths are not usually armed, as they only carry batons, while the electoral violators are usually armed”, he said.

Also speaking, a member of the Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Sola Olawale, said “violence erupts in our elections because of the desperation of our politicians. They want to win at all cost because they would have expended much money before election.

So the way out is to change our electoral system by making public offices less attractive.”

Whichever way one look at it, both the INEC and security agencies as well as the judiciary have to do something and on time too to discourage political violence and save democracy from going into extinction.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS Even as he is said not to have yielded to pressure to vie for the governorship position at the moment, findings indicate that the Benue - born media icon has continued to receive wide publicity as regards the governorship race.

Akase who represents the younger generation is seen as a perfect transitory agent between the older and the younger generation of political leadership in the state, a development which is believed has continued to give his rumoured governorship ambition a very wide acceptance.

Others in the race include, Right Honourable Titus Uba who is the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and who is also of the Jechira bloc.

Uba

Ityavyar

Those outside of the incumbent governor’s aides are Dr Paul Angya, a former Director General at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, a business mogul and Chairman, Benue State Chambers of Commerce , Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Paul Ubwa.

According to investigations, while some of the aspirants in the governor’s cabinet will largely be depending on Ortom’s influence to sail through, feelers however point to the fact that even if they receive the governor’s endorsement, their personal pedigree especially as it regards their dealings with the people will greatly play a role in marketing them to the Benue populace.

Findings indicate that while some of the aspirants are banking on government’s support, others are craving to cash on the goodwill they had got through their engagements with the people over time.

Terwase Orbunde is a former Federal legislator with a very vast experience in the art of politics and governance. Believed to be very close to the governor, his ambition is widely said to be tied around the governor as he is generally seen as one of the governor’s favoured aspirants for the governorship position by 2023.

As Chief of Staff to the governor, Orbunde according to findings enjoys good support on his aspirations to succeed his boss from a vast segment of the governor’s inner circle.

Akase

Hembaor

It was further gathered that he equally enjoys some level of support from traditional Institutions, a development believed to be an added advantage to his aspiration.

Benue 2023: PDP Aspirants Jostle to Succeed Ortom As the battle to choose the candidate to succeed Governor Samuel Ortom gathers momentum in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, AUSTINE JOR, in this report, examines the chances of the various aspirants ahead of the 2023 governorship election.

As Ortom leaves office in 2023 which also marks a completion of the vicious circle as all the blocs would have produced a governor, there seems to be heated arguments as to which of the blocs will produce Ortom”s successor.

overnor Samuel Ortom will graciously bow out of the Benue State Government House by 2023 as demanded by the Nigerian constitution having succeeded in getting himself re-elected for a second term in 2019.

G

Though the Kwande bloc which produced the first civilian governor of the state in the person of late Apollos Aper Aku would have been without any form of debate the zone to be handed the governorship on the ground that the seat had gone round, the Jechira axis are equally advancing arguments in the reasoning that their turn was truncated during the General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition programme when its son in the person of late Rev.Father Moses Adasu was sacked after 18 months in office as governor and are saying they be allowed to complete their tenure come 2023.

As it is normal with politics, those interested in the Benue’s plum job have kick-started consultations in earnest with a view to driving to the coast of reality their ambitions.

Giving this development, findings by THEWILL has revealed that most of those aspiring for the position are from the Kwande and Jechira political blocs.

Findings by THEWILL indicate that aspirants on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) are comprised mostly of Ortom’s aides while few are members of the party who are not directly involved in his administration.

Notable among those that have intensified consultations are Honourable Terwase Orbunde(Kwande) who is governor Ortom’s Chief of Staff. Also in the race is Professor Dennis Ityavyar(Jechira) who currently serves as Commissioner for Education.

The governorship position in Benue State which has been monopolized by the Tiv majority ethnic nationality usually rotates among the five geo- political blocs of Kwande, Minda, Jechira, Sankera and Jemgbagh respectively.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

Mr. Terver Akase ( Jechira), is governor Samuel Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary and is also said to be a man to watch.

However, pundits are of the opinion that his personal relationship with the people especially as it regards alms giving might be his major baggage.

Dennis Ityavyar is a Professor of Sociology. Though not much is known about him within political circles, his inclusion in the Ortom’s administration as Commissioner places him in a vantage position as one of the key drivers of the Ortom administration’s policies.

His entrance into the governorship race is also believed to be hinged on his closeness to Governor Samuel Ortom.

Though relatively unpopular among the Benue political class, Ityavyar’s strength remains in his perceived closeness to the governor. Investigations indicate that he may be willing to ditch his ambition should it become glaring that he will not get Ortom’s tacit endorsement for the Benue governorship seat.

Speaker Titus Uba has made his governorship ambition public and is also consulting very widely according to investigations by THEWILL. He is from the Jechira geo- political bloc. His ambition did not come to many as a surprise, been the highest political office holder from the bloc as Speaker of the State Assembly. One of his major strength according to findings is his perceived loyalty to the governor who, it is viewed, will not have issues having him as a successor.

For Dr. Paul Ubwa, his strength largely lies in his impact on the Benue economy through his transport outfit (Pleasure Travels) which is believed to have given jobs to several youths in the state and even beyond.

He is also believed to be consulting very widely with the aim to driving home his message regarding his ambition. Though not a very popular name in the political circle in the state, THEWILL gathered his humane disposition and track record of achievements in the private sector, according to political observers, are some of his selling points.

With less than two years to the governorship primaries of the PDP in Benue State, the stakes are said to be no less high. The choice of a governorship candidate by the party will either brighten or lower its chances at the general elections in 2023.

PAGE 11

“

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS/INTERVIEW

Security Situation in Nigeria Sad, Frightening - Babatope Chief Ebenezer Babatope is the former Minister of Transport. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party. In this interview with AYO ESAN, he speaks on different issues as they relate to the country and his party. Excerpts: How will you react to the current insecurity in the country?

The security situation is terrible that everybody should be afraid. The security situation is so serious, nowhere in the country is safe for anybody now. And that is a challenge for all of us to get together and ensure that we have a country where all of us can freely live. I am not happy about it, it is a very sad situation and believe me, it is frightening. Very frightening.

But recently, the Yoruba Leader, Professor Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho said they want a Yoruba nation. How will you react to that?

Well, that is an intelligent thing to say, Yoruba nation, because you can have a Hausa nation, you can have an Igbo nation, but what all of us will want is that, we don’t want Nigeria to break up. We want Nigeria to remain as one country but then, the life of every nationality must be given to it. The life of every Nigerian should be given to them to ensure that they live in peace with themselves. And we should not have anything that will make us feel sorry that we were once called Nigerians.

The recent attack on the Yoruba people especially the killings, maiming, kidnapping and raping of women by the Fulani herdsmen, are you satisfied with the response of the governors in the South West region to the attack?

I think the South West governors are doing their best. They don’t belong to my party, only one of them is from the Peoples Democratic Party. But having said that, I think the Fulani herdsmen should know that this country belongs to all of us, even though one of their kinsmen is the President of the country. That is President Muhammadu Buhari, but the country belongs to all of us. And we must ensure that we live in peace, and we live as brothers and sisters in a country that is fair. The country must also ensure that there is peace and security for everyone.

How do you see the Federal Government’s effort to restore security in the country?

PAGE 12

Babatope

Do you support the creation of state police as solution for the current insecurity?

The state police will help. If it will help us to achieve peace and also help us to toe the path of true federalism, let’s get ahead with it. If state police will help, let’s go ahead with it.

But I think what is important is for all of us to know that we are all Nigerians and we should ensure as much as possible we have a safe country for all of us to live in.

I can’t be satisfied with the effort of the Federal Government to curb insecurity in the country. How would I be satisfied?

The insecurity is a terrible, frightening situation. The Federal Government should increase what it is doing and ensure that there is peace in the country and that we should have a country we can call our own. Frankly speaking, I am a 78 years old Nigerian and I would not want to be a member of another country entirely. But when we are talking of nationhood, it is recognised in law in every part of the World. Having said that, the country must remain one, indivisible and united. And the Federal Government should ensure that it increased its effort to give us a peaceful country.

You are one of those who fought for this democracy Nigerians are enjoying now. Are you satisfied with what is going on in this democracy? Or put differently, is our democracy on the right path?

Well, we should improve. We should call on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that democracy thrives in the country. This is because there is nothing as good as democracy in any country. When Fela Anikulapo of blessed

memory sang his song, he said Nigerian democracy can be classified as ‘demon crazy, crazy demon. Demonstration of crazy’. He was talking sense because our democracy makes no sense now. It has no definite meaning. We should improve and ensure that democracy thrives in our land, because a democratic state is a free state.

How will you assess the managers of your party, the PDP at the national level?

They are trying their best. We are waiting for their blue card and their blueprint on where the party should go in 2023 election. I am a loyal PDP man and I have no complaint against anyone of them but they must give us their blue card so that we will know where we are going as to getting power back to the PDP.

You mentioned 2023 election now and many Nigerians are eagerly awaiting that date. How prepared is the PDP for that election?

We are very, very ready. We made mistakes in the past, we have realised those mistakes and we won’t make such mistakes again because we badly paid for it. We were paid THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS/INTERVIEW move towards 2023?

My advice to them is that they should allow the will of the people to thrive. They should also allow the will of the people to thrive within the PDP. They must not do that which is arbitrary, they must not do things that are not sanctioned by law and not sanctioned by the constitution of the party.

Babatope

The issue of restructuring has been a recurring one.

What is your position on restructuring?

Honestly speaking, restructuring is in my mind. If you want me to give it meaning, it is redefinition of the Federal nature of the country’s existence. We are a federal state and should not only restructure but we should restructure in a way that gives federalism proper meaning in the country and that is what we have been saying all along. The military changed the tune and we must really push the military out of it now because they should not have been involved in it.

We should ensure we restructure in a manner that we would have a new federal authority, a new federalism that will bring unity in the country.

“

I can’t be satisfied with the effort of the Federal Government to curb insecurity in the country. How would I be satisfied? The insecurity is a terrible, frightening situation.

The Federal Government should increase what it is doing and ensure that there is peace in the country and that we should have a country we can call our own

back for it, we want power back in the country. We want the PDP to be at the head of that struggle to liberalise Nigerians and we are prepared for it and if by the Grace of God, we are given back the power this time around, we won’t make mistakes.

One issue that is of importance concerning 2023 election is the issue of zoning of president. A committee of your party recently said that zoning should be jettisoned.

What is your opinion on the issue of zoning?

Whatever the people at the party echelon decide is what we will take, provided it will guarantee us the victory at the election. I think the party should know what to do on zoning when we know what other party is doing. The other party is in power now and it will complete the Buhari administration in 2023.

Having said that, we want power. The National Executive Committee of the PDP should ensure that the power is given to the area that will maximally give PDP victory in the election.

Many people are of the opinion that the South East that has not been given the opportunity of producing the THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

president should be given the chance in 2023. Are you in support of this view?

There is nothing bad in that, because it is only the South East that has not produced the president. I am not against them, they should be given the slot.

Recently some PDP leaders in the South West geopolitical zone like former House of Representatives’ Speaker, Dimeji Bankole and former two – term Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, left the party and joined APC. How do you see this development?

I am very sad about that, very sad because Bankole and Daniel are good materials for any party. I am so sad that they have gone to the APC. I hope they will retreat their steps and come back to the PDP because they are very important people and well respected. I respect and like Daniel and Bankole but I won’t support their going into APC. They have taken wrong steps by joining APC, if they return, we would be happy and I am sure they are going to do that very soon.

The National Assembly said it will embark on review of the 1999 constitution. It also promised to reform the Electoral Act. Which areas do you want changes in the electoral reform?

Well, the electoral reform is a good thing. Reform that is good is a reform that will give the people of Nigeria the freedom to choose those who will guide them in the elections and the freedom to choose those who in fact will plan to reshape the future of the country. This is because right now, people are being chosen at will and that is very bad. People should not be chosen at will, we should have election that will give the people of Nigeria the chance to elect those who should govern them.

Some Nigerians are saying if concrete steps are not taken to curb the insecurity ravaging the country, the 2023 general election may not hold. What is your take on this?

I won’t pray for that. I will pray for the continuity of the country in a manner that it will make democracy to thrive, in a manner that it will make the people to have rights to participate in elections and make people to elect those who are to govern them. And I also pray for a situation that will make them to be happy to do so.

What is your advice to the managers of the PDP as we

How soon can we achieve restructuring?

Buhari was going to allow it but some hawks within his party changed his mind. I believe he should restructure the country. If we don’t restructure the country quickly, we will be courting failure and disaster and that will be very dangerous for us.

Do you want us to have another constitutional conference or the government should adopt the reports of the past conferences in achieving the desired restructuring?

I think the past conferences should guide us particularly the last one which was held in 2014. That was a conference that examined almost all the problems of Nigeria. And that was a conference that gave proper meaning to what is called Federal Nigeria. The military gave it a wrong meaning in which authority was concentrated in a particular person and did not even allow the people the choice of how they should be governed. When we do that, then we are restructuring the country and we are redefining the federal nature of our country’s existence.

The situation in the country has made people weakened, economically, they are down and there is also problem of insecurity. If you were to address majority of Nigerians what would your message to them be?

Well, I want to appeal to them not to be deterred in fighting for one Nigeria. They should not be tired in ensuring that they put together and stop this insecurity that is threatening our peaceful co– existence.

How would you advise the Independent National Electoral Commission as it prepares for the 2023 general election?

INEC? I have never in my life time believe that, that INEC can do anything. They should change because the only election they have conducted which Nigerians have applauded is the Edo election, the rest they have failed.

Unless INEC changes, the country is in trouble

What exactly do you want INEC to do ?

They should give us free and fair election. They have not done that. They should guarantee free and fair poll. They should also guarantee the right of Nigeria people to elect those who should govern them. They should fashion out a system that will check election fraud. It is election fraud when you say somebody who has not won election has won election. They should do that which is right, which is fair and that which is just.

What is your advice to President Muhammadu Buhari as he continues piloting the affairs of the nation?

I want to advise him that he should be above partisan politics. It is difficult but he should do so. He should also try as much as possible to ensure that the people of Nigeria have the freedom like I said earlier in this interview to elect those who should govern them. Once President Muhammadu Buhari does that, he would have done the correct thing and history will have him in hall of fame. He should not be rigidly committed to making APC the only party in the country.

PAGE 13

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

EDITORIAL NSF Edo 2020: Needless Controversy Over Funds T

he recent controversy over release of funds for the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival in Edo State, has, once again, raised concerns about our seriousness with matters of national significance.

Three days into the event being hosted by Edo State Government at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin- City, the Local Organising Committee, LOC, raised the alarm that the state had ran out of funds and may be forced to abruptly end the national event unless the Federal Government released funds it promised as part of counterpart funding.

Then on Thursday, April 9, the state government carried out its threat. Deputy Governor Phillip Shuabu, who also doubles as Chairman of the LOC, led government official to shut down offices of the Main Organising Committee, MOC and LOC, stating that vendors and traders were calling for payments which the state government could not meet. It gave the Federal Government Friday, April 9 noon deadline to honour its pledge.

The Federal Government did and the games continued.

But did the government need to come to threats and make headlines in the public over the issue before reason could prevail? We do not think so. It was needless.

The Edo 2020 sports fiesta had all the trappings to make it successful and memorable. Right from the

start, both the local and central government jointly fought against the odds that militated against holding the event. Twice, the games were shifted and new dates given. Also, the main actors continued giving assurances that the games were on course: If the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare, was not justifying why the fiesta would be held, the Edo Government would be reminding stakeholders of its determination to host the event, despite the huge financial implications under the current financial squeeze.

In the face of the ravaging global Coronavirus pandemic with its devastating impact on the economy and social life, that decision to reschedule the games is commendable.

In a country where sports generate such excitement that often overrides, though momentarily, the divisive fault lines created and sustained by the absence of purposeful leadership and baleful policies, the decision to host the event was wise.

It is needless to say that sports have become a unifying factor in Nigeria through the years and the presence of athletes, officials from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja at such annual events continues to foster that competitive and cooperative spirit that binds people from diverse backgrounds together.

Abruptly ending the game, therefore, would have been the last straw on the fragile peace and alarming poverty and general fear in the polity occasioned by the worsening insecurity in the country.

While commending both governments for overcoming the temptation to stop the games midway, we call on the MOC and LOC officials to make the remaining days memorable for all the participants. There had been big talk about inadequate accommodation, poor feeding and irregular and delayed posting of results, obviously because of the lingering financial issues arising from poor funding.

Now that it has been settled, we call on the organising officials to also address these challenges which, if left unaddressed, can contribute to dampening morale and zeal of unfulfilled athletes and turn their remaining days there into a jamboree. That is not what they bargained for and that should not be what they get by any stretch of the imagination.

Going forward, we hope that the funding issue and how it was resolved would have provided important lessons for the organisers and participants alike for future events of this nature. Organising events of such national scale and importance must be done on the basis of trust and understanding and partners must be informed when unforeseen challenges start showing up.

That way, team spirit would prevail all through the event for the good of all- the athletes who would be free to showcase their talents and go on to aspire to higher grounds, the governments who would benefit from upgrading and modernising facilities to global standard as well as officials who would have honed their managerial and organisational skills.

m

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief - Austyn Ogannah Editor - Olaolu Olusina Deputy Editor - Amos Esele Politics Editor - Ayo Esan Business Editor - Sam Diala News Editor (Online) - Felix Oboagwina Cartoon Editor - Victor Asowata Entertainment/Society Editor - Ivory Ukonu Photo Editor - Peace Udugba Head, Graphics - Tosin Yusuph Circulation Manager - Victor Nwokoh

Nigeria Bureau: 36AA Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. info@thewillnigeria.com / @THEWILLNG +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888. EDITOR: Olaolu Olusina @OLUSINA (Letters/Opinions: opinion.letters@thewillnigeria.com) PAGE 14

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

OPINION Ortom, Open Grazing Prohibition Law & Benue 2023 W

BY SIMON IMOBO-TSWAM

ith 2023 silhouetted against the political horizon, and with political discussions in the Benue market-square getting louder, it is needful for one more interested observer to join the conversation. The aim is to enliven the conversation by enriching it with fresh perspectives, putting disparate issues in context, placing others in sharp relief as well as expanding the conversational space and provoking critical input. This is one classic case of the more, the merrier.

significance of 2023, every sane Benue person is advised to begin making an open demand of every guber-aspirant to voice his/her position on the Open Grazing Prohibition Law publicly, loudly, consistently and unambiguously – be it at rallies, Church functions, marriage ceremonies or any social engagements. No stammering should be accepted, and this is not a task to delegated to PAs or campaign spokesmen! When a candidate says he would review the law, let it be clear that he is on a special assignment!

The foregoing is not just to appear busy – it is rather to stress the importance of the discussion to the discerning. Where else, 2023 may be just another election-year or another chance at power-grab, but for Benue state, 2023 will be a revalidation of our right to life, our right to live on our ancestral land and our right to human dignity. Of course, it is understood by any perceptive mind that the first validation was in 2019.

Perfunctory mentions of the law – whether casual or impassioned – in the Manifestoes/Blueprints should not do. Everyone knows the witchcraft of the political elite, especially the demagogic kind: candidates have little do with their blueprints, preferring to outsource same, wholesale, to consultants and content developers. This explains why candidates rarely bother about their blueprints, once they access power. Benue should remain alert so as not to fall prey to this political/ professional witchcraft – not after the wounds, the burials and the lingering traumas.

In other words, Benue 2023 will be squarely and categorically about checking the hydra-headed menace of killer-Fulani herdsmen, and the regime of insecurity it has spawned by way of murderous bandits and criminal gangs across the state. And the principal instrument of achieving this would be the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

The existential threat of the killer-Fulani herdsmen and blood-thirsty bandits is real to every Benue person. And this is true – be he Etulo, Idoma, Igede, Igbo or Tiv; and be he an APC faithful, PDP member or altogether non-partisan.

Aspirants/candidates with grammatical sophistications, eminent preparations, vaunting ambitions, academic pedigrees, cognate experiences, stakeholder endorsements, godfather anointings and zonal arithmetic – whether individually or collectively – will be mere jokers if they detach themselves from this all-important law. Let the truth be told, and it is hereby told, the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law is not merely about Agriculture or its value-chain Economics – the law is further about the identity, the dignity and the survival of the Benue man beyond the decade.

So, let no one make any mistake about this. In previous election cycles, the electioneering issues centred around the provision of infrastructure – be it physical or intestinal. In 2023, however, one critical issue will dominate the campaigns and the votes-quest: the strategic, herdsmen-powered insecurity. This is because without removing the bloody, killer-herdsmen signature on the Benue landscape, it would be impossible to eliminate the local, misguided hoodlums who have turned the Sankera Axis of the state into a virtual gangland. And we know that without peace, no meaningful development can take place.

As a matter of fact, because of this historic and existentialist

The grim truth is that when the terrorist hordes invade the ancestral Homestead from Niger, Mali, Chad, Sudan, Libya or even Iraq, they do not ask for evidence of political affiliations like PDP or APC membership cards – they simply sneak into homes, in the dead of the night: murdering, maiming, burning, looting and dispossessing.

This is why in the several and ever-expanding IDPs in the state, one will find haggard and melancholic APC, PDP, APGA…members, all united by pain, and collectively painting living portraits of abandonment, shame, misery, trauma, hopelessness and depression.

It would, therefore, be thoughtless, idiotic and imbecilic for any sane Benue person to hide under the leaking canopies of political partisanship and start justifying gruesome herdsmen massacres and/ or feign disinterest in who succeeds Ortom as if it doesn’t matter.

It is not a political party thing. It is not a question of labels. And talking of labels, labels, on their own, often mean nothing, especially in our system where political parties have no ideological differences, but are just platforms for accessing power. This being the case, labels should not excite consternation or inspire prejudice. Nonetheless, if a label divorces itself from its environment and continues to see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing; or if its prime marketers continue to live in self-denial, even appearing to mock victims for

whatever season, such a label should trigger justified suspicion and invite close scrutiny, Come 2023.

And yes: Benue 2023 will be a crowded affair, with even cripples and sponsored agents of native colonialism pretending to be saviours.

And no critical mind should be shocked – for if foreign interests allegedly sponsored two candidates for the largely ceremonial Tor Tiv stool in the last selection exercise, they would really be dumb if they don’t flood the race with “credible candidates” who have the executive powers to repeal the offending law!

The other thing is that Gov. Ortom has played an admirable part in this on-going well-oiled, well-calibrated and well-supervised saga of a grand takeover of Benue state. Despite the microphones of cheerleaders trying all too hard to muddle the message, the megaphones of Miyetti Allah, MACBAN and their belligerent ideologues have passed the message across, loudly and clearly.

For much of Ortom’s first term, I criticised him most ferociously; and this, on account of his initial inattentiveness to matters of infrastructure. However, I have since come to realize that leadership is not only about infrastructure; that leadership cannot have only one yardstick of evaluation; and that every environment or time asks a peculiar leadership question, and, consequently, calls for a peculiar leadership answer.

Against such a backdrop, Ortom has delivered, and delivered well.

Government is a continuum – not a bus-stop; and his successors will, thus, have all the time to major in infrastructure. The challenge of the moment is to live! But refreshingly enough, as happened in the homestretch of his first term, Ortom’s second term is witnessing a rash of infrastructural developments, showing that, even here, the man has found redemption and is ably redeeming himself.

This redemption can be seen in the stunning validation of his politics with a second term mandate in 2019 against all odds and despite all permutations in Abuja. In clear, analytical terms, it means Ortom has connected with the people to whom power belongs, particularly in his courageous rhetoric against the continuous and impunious brutalization of his people. The people seemed to have spoken with their votes in 2019 that: “It is the living that receive salaries; it is the living that marry and it is those who are alive that admire skyscrapers!” Like Benjamin Disraeli, Ortom may say: “I must follow my people. Am I not their servant?”

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

Attack on Soludo and ‘The Politics of Bitterness’ I

BY CHARLES OKEKE

t was on Wednesday, the 31st of March, 2021, a key event that will likely shape the nature and direction of Anambra politics, as well as the fate of Anambra State 2021 gubernatorial election scheduled for November took place in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government, Anambra State. It was the day when unknown gunmen stormed the Isuofia Civic Centre, where a key candidate in the scheduled election, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the likely flag-bearer of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), was holding interactive meeting with his supporters and youths of Isuofia. The gun men had at the end of their siege left on its trail deaths and agony.

Already, a lot of politics are trailing the incident as politicians allegedly made partisan comments on the issue, many at times through their proxies, the development that attracted the critical comments/reactions of the Anambra State government, which accused some politicians of not sympathizing with the families of the victims of the tragedy.

The interaction/meeting was going on when the gunmen in their characteristic manner, stormed the arena, on a shooting spree, at the end of which three armed security officers attached to Soludo were killed, while the State Commissioner for Public Utilities, Engr.

Emeka Ezenwanne who was abducted by the gunmen that same day and who spent some days in captivity, was on the 4th of April, 2021, reportedly released.

Since the incident occurred, key publics and stakeholders in Anambra politics have reacted to the sad event, which took place few weeks, after similar tragedy which took the lives of security operatives drawn from the army and police, took place at Ekwuluobi, Neni, Awkuzu Junction, Onitsha and Nkpologwu area of Aguata Local Government.

Already, the Anambra State Police Command led by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Bala Kuryas, FSL, has announced the arrest of five suspects, four of who were named accordingly.

The spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, had in a statement released to journalists on the issue, said the arrested suspects confessed to have taken part in the attack and subsequent abduction of the Commissioner for Public Utilities, THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

Engr. Ezenwanne, while urging the public not to relent in providing useful information that will assist the Command in checking all forms of criminality in the state. Soludo is a front-runner for the ticket of APGA, and its believed that he is the anointed candidate of the running party led by Chief Willie M. Obiano and if eventually he emerges as the candidate of APGA, he will fight for governorship position along with candidates drawn from other political parties, such as PDP, APC, ADC, among others.

Among those who are jostling for the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) include Chief Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, a serving senator, Chidi Onyemelukwe, daughter of the late second Republic VicePresident, Chief Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, Mrs. Genevieve Elewochi, former Commissioner in the defunct Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s administration, Chief Obiora Okonkwo, Hon. Chris Azubogu, a serving member of the House of Representatives, Wiston Ude, Valentine Ozigbo, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, Dr. Godwin Maduka, a USA based medical practitioner, Ifedi Okwenna, Ugochukwu Uba, Dr. Tony Nwoye, Walter Okeke and Emeka Etiaba, SAN, among others who may show face in the course of discreet politicking for the ticket of PDP. And as for the APC, those jostling for its ticket include, Chief George Moghalu a veteran in the dialectics of Anambra politics, Engr. Johnbosco Onunkwo, Dr. Andy Uba, who is now making a fresh bid for the APC ticket, having lost the first bid to Dr. Tony Nwoye some years ago.

So far, the Isuofia incident has mellowed down the initial high tempo of the polities being engineered across the state recently by the politicians who are jostling for the ticket of their respective party.

And while the impact of the incident on the current tempo of Anambra politics persists, a civil society group known as Anambra Civil Society Network led by Prince Chris Azor has reacted to the incident, especially, as it affects the coming election. The group had in their statement released to Journalists, said “that this incident was one of the envisaged early warning signs of precursory to the vital election”, while imploring the state Governor to declare a state of emergency on security and ensure safety of lives and property of citizens.

It should also be noted that since the Isuofia incident took place, plethora of politicians who reacted on the issue have been taken to ask by the State Government, which felt that some interested persons with political ambition, were politicizing the whole thing,

to the extent that they were accused of not showing sympathy for Professor Soludo, who the government alleged was the main target of the dastardly attack.

Speaking on behalf of the State Government, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, had in their positional statement on the issue titled, “unconscionable reactions of some politicians to the Isuofia incident” contended that “we are however breaking our silence because of the determined attempt by some politicians in Anambra State to politicize the Isuofia tragedy just 48 hours after the incident, the politicians had begun to make all manner of statements through their miniors on the social media”.

The Commissioner berated the politicians who were alleged to have been politicizing the Isuofia incident, He said, “the statements show no sympathy for Prof Soludo who was apparently the main target the dastardly attack. Indeed, they do not care about the people of Anambra state led by Obiano who in the last seven years has not spared any resources to make Anambra State, the safest state in Nigeria”.

He maintained that the alleged immoral politicizing over the tragedy which occurred in Isuofia on March 31, by a handful of those he described as “noisy and inelegant politicians is not in the character of Anambra people.

The Commissioner urged those allegedly politicizing the act of terrorism which took place on March 31st to retrace their steps immediately, adding that the Anambra State Government will no longer condone such behavior which does tremendous violence to the reputation of their people.

Summing up the state government position on the issue, especially as it relates to the alleged politicization of the Isuofia tragedy by some unnamed politicians, the state governor, Chief Obiano had in his Easter message contended that as politics and its activities manifest in Anambra State in the months ahead, he was urging all actors and participants to eschew, violence and be mature in all dealings. According to Obiano, “Our state is on a consistent rise to greatness and we have a duty to ensure it doesn’t derail as a result of politics of bitterness”.

• Okeke sent in this piece from Awka, Anambra State.

PAGE 15

m

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

Investors Move To Save $1bn Capital Flight In Aircraft Maintenance PAGE 33

FMDQ To Fast-track Derivatives Market Project PAGE 34

Furore Over Ogun State N2bn Airport Project At Wasimi PAGE 35

Anchor Borrowers’ Programme: CBN Moves to Avert 2m Job Losses

BY SAM DIALA

T

o save over two million jobs and avert threats to about N200 billion projects nationwide, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered the suspension of all facilities under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) domiciled at the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). The apex bank said the move was in line with its stock-taking process to monitor the intervention programmes because of their crucial role in developing the economy.

The NIRSAL and the ABP are initiatives of the Nigerian government through the CBN to revolutionize agriculture and boost non-oil revenue which has remained an elusive low-hanging fruit over the decades. They are positioned as hallmarks of the Bank’s Development Finance programme to create jobs and diversify the economy.

Over two million jobs have been created under the ABP since inception in 2015, while institutions were appointed to participate in the disbursement of the CBN N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) intervention fund launched in 2013. It is on this basis that NIRSAL was appointed one of the Participating Financial Institutions (PFI) of the scheme.

SCHEME IMPLEMENTATION The NIRSAL-ABP integration has created avenue to tackle the funding challenge of the small-holder farmers as the CBN has made massive pool of concessionary funds available to beneficiaries. Among the beneficiaries are 400,000 farmers of Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soybeans and Groundnut. The apex bank has also, through the scheme, created 1.2 million indirect jobs. Collectively, these farmers are estimated to have, on the back of the ABP, cultivated over 400,000 hectares of land which is a boost to employment.

The establishment’s strategic risk management framework is designed to achieve high loan performance rates and curb defaults. According to records, NIRSAL has facilitated highly affordable, single-digit interest rate finance of about N5.7 billion to over 33,000 farmers for the wet and dry seasons since 2017.

It also undertakes the matching of farmers’ details with Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) for those who have account numbers and the creation of new ones for those who do not. Through this, about 500,000 farmers have had their details captured nationwide in the NIRSAL farmer database, which serves as the pool from where beneficiaries of the program are taken.

The CBN said the strategic importance of the initiatives makes strict monitoring imperative; hence it carries out stock-taking at the appropriate times to assess performance and provide directions where necessary. This was the case when it ordered the temporary suspension of the ABP loans during a stock-taking exercise at NIRSAL, a decision that has created widespread reactions in the media space.

WHAT WE DID The CBN Ag. Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi, told THEWILL that, contrary to media reports linking the suspension of the ABP to alleged corruption at

PAGE 16

“

Over two million jobs have been created under the ABP since inception in 2015, while institutions were appointed to participate in the disbursement of the CBN N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) intervention fund launched in 2013

NIRSAL, the apex bank only told the agric risk agency “to stop” further lending in order to carry out a stock-taking in line with the tradition of the Bank.

“We are doing stock-taking; we told them to stop so we can carry out the exercise and do it effectively. I don’t know what people mean by ‘suspension’; but what I am telling you is that we did not stop the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. The scheme is still running at NIRSAL. There was no corruption case involved. It is a routine process and that is what it is. But if ‘suspension’ is the only way people can understand it, then bear in mind that the Programme has not been brought to a halt,” Nwanisobi said in a telephone chat.

When contacted, Head of Corporate Communications, NIRSAL, Anne Ihugba, forwarded the establishment’s response entitled, ‘NIRSAL Plc and the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme: The incontrovertible facts beyond baseless fictions’.

Debunking the allegation of corruption against its leadership, NIRSAL said “The (media) report is not only lacking in credibility but is also totally ridiculous when clear facts and contexts are considered.”

“This statement is in response to enquiries from concerned stakeholders, partners and other associates following the publication of a sponsored and defamatory report by an online medium that is fast gaining notoriety for the dissemination of elaborate fictions in the name of journalism.

“The report was based on a document that was unofficially obtained to hoodwink the public with a distorted interpretation of privileged official communication between NIRSAL Plc and its owner, the Central Bank of Nigeria, which oversees our operations.

“In their desperation to throw mud, a routine communication between CBN and NIRSAL Plc to activate a workable loan repayment/recovery agreement with Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) farmers was transformed into a ‘corruption scandal’ allegedly perpetrated by NIRSAL Plc’s leadership.”

The NIRSAL’s publication however revealed that the CBN ordered ‘a stop’ to the ABP facilities to scrutinize a huge backlog of unrepaid loans by beneficiaries of the scheme: “At harvest, farmers are expected to pay back their loans in *Continue on Page 34

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

AVIATION industry experts, is huge considering the low contribution of the aviation sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Records have shown that about $1 billion was spent in 2019 on maintenance alone and $1.3 billion on training and insurance, putting the operators under financial pressure.

However, at the global stage, growing aircraft fleets have propelled the commercial airline MRO sector into steady growth for the next decade.

Pre-COVID-19 estimates by industry analyst Oliver Wyman had estimated the MRO market for 2020 at USD $91.2 billion.

Current MRO market for 2020 is $50.3 billion. It is expected however, that post-COVID-19 may record a brighter outlook.

To bridge the gap in aircraft maintenance in the country, the authorities and private sector investors are working out ways to see how MRO in the country could help save huge costs expended by the domestic airlines. As part of the collaboration, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had already given Aero Contractors Airlines the nod to operate an MRO with capacity for aircraft C-checks and other comprehensive levels of maintenance.

The MRO facility which is now operating at the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA) office of the carrier, would save the country an estimated $90m annually.

Similarly, Leadstream Aviation Training Organization has been given the approval by NCAA to carry out type rating system courses (initial and refresher) on the Boeing 737 series, CRJ series, Challenger aircraft and Embraer, Hawker 125 series, ATR, Donier and DHCB. The approval and certification confirm Leadstream’s capabilities to conduct training for engineers and technicians in almost all the types of aircraft flown in the country.

Speaking on the acquisition of the certificate, the Executive Director, Roland Ahmed Maikudi, expressed delight and commended the management of NCAA for doing a diligent job and promised to uphold high standards in line with global operational practices.

Sirika

He noted that the journey so far has been both challenging and interesting, adding that the effort has been rewarding.

Investors Set to Save $1bn Capital Flight In Aircraft Maintenance

BY ANTHONY OKECHUKWU

A

s the cost of overseas aircraft maintenance for Nigerian airlines becomes increasingly expensive, mainly due to the devaluation of the Naira, some indigenous investors have initiated plans to set up Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities locally.

Nigeria’s aviation industry has suffered some setbacks arising from the absence of proper MRO facilities -- a crucial infrastructure for achieving cost-intensity balance in the business. Aviation experts estimate that domestic airlines could save $1 billion (about N480 billion) annually if there are standard aircraft maintenance facilities to meet local demand.

It becomes even more difficult since there are only a few MROs in the whole of Africa. For instance, there are just two in Northern Africa, two in Eastern Africa and one in Southern Africa. The implication is that most Nigerian airlines had to take aircraft to other parts of Africa and beyond the shores of the continent for maintenance at great cost.

In addition to the cost implications, the experts also identify high cost of maintenance overseas as the major reason why Nigerian airlines go under after a short period of operation, which is now put at just 10 years. Recently, and even before COVID-19 outbreak, most Nigerian airlines have been THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

“

Aviation experts estimate that domestic airlines could save $1 billion (about N480 billion) annually if there are standard aircraft maintenance facilities to meet local demand

operating with low capacity, occasioned by depleting fleet size.

THEWILL gathered that the shrinking of fleet among the airlines is because many aircraft have been ferried out for maintenance checks, most of which are done outside the country. Many a time, the aircraft are delayed overseas beyond their expected period of return to Nigeria, mainly due to the high cost incurred in the exercise. The amount, according to

“The next line of action is to continue to do more, improve on what we have, seek for additional approvals until we get to the point that no engineer on technician would have a reason to travel out for training.”

Ahmed explained that the organisation will expand into pilot training (flight training), where they will be expected to take delivery of its B737CL full flight simulator.

Also, Onedot Aviation had in 2014 seen the gap in the maintenance sub-sector of the Aviation industry in Nigeria and took a giant step to cover this gap by establishing an Aircraft Maintenance Organization (AMO) in Lagos.

Since inception, six years ago, Onedot Aviation has taken a giant leap in developing the Nigerian Aviation industry by ranking the first MRO in Nigeria with capability to perform heavy checks on the B737 series thereby saving capital flights that occur by ferrying over 350 aircraft overseas for heavy checks.

Similarly, a new entrant into the nation’s aviation industry, Santos Aviation Limited. is set to create employment for Nigerian youth and reduce the incidence of capital flight that occur in overseas aircraft maintenance.

Chief Executive Officer, 7-Stars Global Hangar, Engr Isaac David Balami, said Santos aviation, an outfit specialised in aircraft interior furnishing, will solve the problem of Nigerian aircraft owners who go abroad to have their aircraft interiors refurbished.

According to Balami, the initiative will save huge money for the airlines as over $100,000 dollars will be saved annually by local airlines when carrying out interior refurbishing locally.

He added that 7-Stars global will work together with Santos Aviation to give airlines value for their money with quality sourced materials overseas.

“It is a huge relief; it is going to create jobs, increase safety and boost the comfort of our passengers”, Balami noted. He also expressed optimism that 7-Stars Global Hangar working together with Santos Aviation will enjoy the patronage of other African countries.

PAGE 33

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

BUSINESS To Fast-track Derivatives Market Project

F

MDQ Securities Exchange Limited is to fasttrack its derivatives market project for rapid transformation of the Nigerian Capital Market as implementation on its platform nears completion.

The Exchange disclosed this to Capital Market Correspondents during its Academy Derivatives Market Webinar series themed; ‘Understanding Exchange Traded Derivatives Market’ which was anchored in Lagos.

L-R –Dabo Japhet Taiwo, Deputy Director/Vice Principal, GSGS, Ikoyi; Olamide Adeosun, Chief Financial Officer, FBNQuest Merchant Bank; Tutu Owolabi-Kadiku, Vice President, FBNQuest, and Akintunde Johnson, Principal Education Officer, GSGS, Ikoyi, at the 2021 Financial Literacy Day celebration in Lagos as part of Global Money Week on 7/4/2021. Photo: Peace Udugba

...CBN to Avert 2m Job Losses *Continued from Page 16

cash or kind or both.

“Where farmers cannot pay back over the tenor of their loan facility, the CBN in most cases provides these farmers additional time to enable them to pay back.

“Where farmers refuse to pay back, the CBN rightly suspends further loan disbursements to these farmers, gives them forbearance to pay back in return for re-consideration to re-join the programme through the PFI that organized them in the first place.

“It is this ordinary, internal, day-to-day program management and administrative communication between two related institutions that these unscrupulous online media platforms have illegally acquired and made an issue of ‘corruption scandal against NIRSAL Plc and its Management’.”

However, a source close to NIRSAL said the action by the CBN was necessary to save the scheme, jobs and huge resources committed to it. “The measure is necessary to ensure the scheme does not go the way of government businesses in this country. That would spell a doom to the well-conceived programme that has created over two million direct and indirect jobs with not less than N200 billion in facility exposure”, the source, a financial service consultant, told THEWILL on point of anonymity.

ATTACKS, ATTACKS Both NIRSAL and ABP have been targets of attacks in recent past by various stakeholders who accuse them of corruption and failure to make funding accessible to the farmers.

The groups include the coalition of farmers under the auspices of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) which had petitioned the Federal Government to investigate the activities of NIRSAL over corruption allegations.

The Nigerian Agricultural Commodity Associations also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to beam its anticorruption searchlight on the ABP over what it called ‘insider dealings and total failure of the scheme’.

The immediate past chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, in September 2019, accused operators of the ABP as engaging in corruption.

“Corruption has crept into the implementation of the programme. We want to ensure that we don’t create more crisis from a crisis situation. In the Anchor Borrower’s Programme, there are people who are bagging sand instead of fertiliser”, Magu said at the 15th Anti-Corruption Situation Room organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in Kaduna.

PAGE 34

On the flipside, beneficiaries of the ABP have also fallen victims to natural causes such as flood and the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmer groups including the Maize, Poultry, Catfish associations in July 2020 lamented over the inability of their members to repay their 2019/2020 N5.4 billion loans due to the ravaging effects of COVID-19.

The president of Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Dr Bello Abubakar-Annur, in an interview with a national daily, said that his members participated in the 2019 ABP credit facilities for the first time, “but unfortunately, COVID-19 had truncated the repayment of the loans”.

SCHEME ON COURSE Notwithstanding the criticisms and protests, stakeholders commend the CBN intervention initiatives that gave birth to NIRSAL and ABP, especially the support to MSMEs which are recognized as engine of the economy.

“Over the last few years, the ABP has turned out to be one of the most successful programs of the CBN and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) with outcomes that include reduction in food importation, full capacity utilization of agricultural firms, preservation of scarce foreign exchange and creation of jobs. It is important to note that the ABP has also helped Nigeria exit recession two times in record time “NIRSAL Plc will continue to focus on making progress on its mission and mandate as we strive to achieve more critical outcomes and milestones for the agricultural and financial sectors in the larger interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” NIRSAL management reassured in the public notice made available to THEWIIL. The NIRSAL is a US$500 million Non-Bank Financial Institution wholly-owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It was created to Redefine, Dimension, Measure, Re-Price and Share agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria. The body was established in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and Nigerian Bankers’ Committee in 2013 with the mandate to stimulate the flow of affordable finance and investments into the agricultural sector.

The ABP which was launched in November 2015 by President Buhari, was designed to provide farm inputs in cash and kind to Small Holder Farmers (SHFs). The programme was intended to create a linkage between Anchor Companies involved in food processing and SHFs of the required key agricultural commodities through the commodity associations. Integrating NIRSAL with ABP was a strategic move to accelerate the development of agriculture in the bid to overtake oil as Nigeria’s main revenue earner.

Nigeria’s agricultural sector contributed 27 percent of the country’s GDP in Q4 2020 while it accounted for 34.66 percent of total employment during the period.

An exchange traded derivative is a financial contract that is listed and trades on a regulated exchange and have become increasingly popular because of the advantages they have over over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, such as standardization, liquidity, and elimination of default risk.

Speaking during the event, the Vice President, Market Architecture at the FMDQ, Jumoke Olaniyan, said the project started about two and half years ago as the exchange saw the need to introduce derivatives into the capital market.

Olaniyan noted that exchange traded derivatives can be used to hedge exposure or speculate on a wide range of financial assets like commodities, equities, currencies, and even interest rates while adding that the global market is now moving in the direction of derivatives.

She noted that the gross market value of OTC derivatives which provides a measure of amounts at risk, rose from $11.6 trillion to $15.5 trillion during the first half of 2020, led by increases in interest rate derivatives.

She said with the introduction of derivatives, the government could leverage the products to hedge against crude oil prices.

“The exchange derivatives space remains to be tapped by the government. We have a 91 per cent focus on OTC derivatives while it is 9 per cent on the part of the exchange traded derivatives and the globe is now shifting to this aspect due to the fact that it performed impeccably well during the global financial crisis.

“It is this form of exchange that is being implemented by the FMDQ in which we have been working on its implementation status which is now in Phase II. “Once it is introduced and takes off, it would present an opportunity for our own government to leverage on traded derivatives and use it to hedge risks. In actual fact, the capital market needs derivatives to hedge against market volatilities”, Olaniyan said.

Also commenting, the Group Head, Derivatives Market Group, FMDQ, Oluwaseun Afolabi, noted that with the introduction of the derivatives market development project, there will be an increased participation by local and foreign investors and market liquidity.

“Derivatives are needed in the market as it will bring an increase in the secondary market liquidity, efficient capital allocation and risk management, financial system stability, market transparency, market sophistication, human capital development and economic growth”, he said.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

BUSINESS NEWS AIB-N Boss Tasks Workers On Commitment, Professionalism

BY ANTHONY OKECHUKWU

T

he Commissioner/ Chief Executive Officer of the Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N), Engr. Akin Olateru has solicited for the maximum cooperation, diligence, conscientiousness and professionalism of members of staff of the Bureau.

According to Engr Olateru, such attributes are essential tools needed to achieve the Bureau’s mandate of investigating aircraft accidents and serious incidents.

Engr Olateru made the plea while addressing the Bureau’s staff across the country virtually from the corporate headquarters in Abuja.

He said: “It has been an honour to work with you all over the last four years, and I look forward to the next four years with great expectations for how much more we will achieve together. I invite you now to look back on the last four years, at the events, the challenges, our successes and aspirations and work with me to continue the path of innovation and strategic development.

L-R: Pastor Tolu Bolaji, Chairman, DAN Limited; Alhaji Yousouf Olarewaju, PRO, Iyana iyesi / Bells Egusi, Area Community Development Committee (ACDC): Mrs Olusisi Yemisi, Deputy Director, Community Development Area (CDA), Adodo Ota, L.G.A; Chief Abeleboja Akintoye, Chairman, Iyana Iyesi / Bells Egusi ACDC, (holding photograph, presented to him by Aina Egusi CDA, for his 70th birthday ); Engnr Kamilu Soaga, Deputy Chairman, Iyana Iyesi / Bells Egusi, ACDC; Alhahi Balogun Abdul Fatah, CEO, SADA International; Mrs. Adebola Idowu, Woman leader, Aina Egusi CDA, and Engnr. Olaide Orekoya, Chairman Harmony CDA, at the hosting of Iyana iyesi / Bells Egusi ACDC meeting by Harmony CDA, Ota, Ogun State on 7/4/2021. PHOTO: PEACE UDUGBA.

Moreplex TV Set to Enter Nigeria Markets A

BY ANTHONY OKECHUKWU

new pay TV service provider company, Moreplex TV is set to disrupt the pay TV sector in Nigeria, with a robust plan to enter into the local market.

President/Chief Executive Officer of Moreplex TV, John Okorocha who disclosed the plan in Lagos recently said that they are set to break into the existing tough pay TV markets by providing the consumers efficient services, in addition to indigenous contents that reflect the Nigerian tradition and culture at a very reasonable price.

Okorocha also added that the promoters of the Moreplex TV will provide flexible payment that will make it easy for the consumers to sign on, at prices so low and so flexible that they will continue to subscribe.

He said “we basically will be giving control back to where it belongs, which are the subscribers. We are focusing on the economics of number to succeed in the Pay TV business. With our platform, there will not be any need for anyone to purchase a decoder and not use it. Consumers can also return their decoders for a refund, as long as it is in good working condition, we do not think that it is right for Nigerians to purchase many decoders, only for them not to use them but continue to accumulate dust”.

According to the CEO “We will use price and quality indigenous

contents to keep our customers, we are very confident that our product will be so good that no one will want to reject our service, and that is why we are willing to give you back your money after you have made a purchase”.

“Moreplex TV has designed any sort of flexibility that you can think of, we have channels grouped into the traditional packages that most people already know. We have daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly pay for the packages, we also have a la carte payment per channel per day. That means that someone can choose to watch a particular channel in any particular day, we also have Pay Per View, in terms premium contents, like brand new cinema movies, live sporting events, and so on, all will be at affordable prices.”, he added.

Okorocha who is also the Chairman 9Ja Ltd. Lagos, the parent company of 9ja-TV, a pidgin English television station mentioned some of the unique channels from Moreplex TV that customers will be enjoying. This includes the Afrocentric group of channels.

Explaining further, he pointed out that “We are pro African culture and most of our contents will be reflecting that. Our tagline is “For us, by us”, Moreplex TV is about us telling our own stories, we are focusing on Kids, cultural, and local sports contents, in addition to the international sports and contents that are already existing, we are focusing on quality contents and not quantity that will be unwatched garbage”

“We must continue to deliver on our mandate with the highest standards of professionalism as we always have, and to continue to grow thereon.”

The Commissioner, however, assured that his administration “will continue to innovate and establish the AIB-N even further, to align with the best in class globally.”

“I plan to improve our infrastructure and equipment, strengthen our human capital, further simplify our processes, and eliminate bottlenecks in our procedures, making AIB a highly reputable institution,” he added.

On his reappointment, Olateru expressed “sincere gratitude to the President and the Hon. Minister of Aviation for the trust and confidence reposed in me to continue to lead the AIB.” He added that he is humbled by the progress that has been achieved at AIB-N since he assumed office in 2017. “I am even more humbled by the recognition and acknowledgement of these achievements by our Hon. Minister, my colleagues, staff, and the media,” he said.

Appreciating the staff for their continuous hardwork and professionalism in ensuring the Bureau fulfil its mandate, the Commissioner said, “In the last four years, with your help, hard work and commitment, we have taken the Agency from relative obscurity to its rightful place.

According to him, “we improved our infrastructure, equipment, human capital, and staff welfare. We also reviewed and improved our systems, processes and procedures.”

“I am very proud of what we have achieved, and I hope that you can all take pride in your individual and collective contributions to realising this feat,” he added.

Furore Over Ogun State N2bn Airport Project At Wasimi

BY ANTHONY OKECHUKWU

T

here are fresh controversies trailing the N2 billion airport project proposed to be built at Wasimi in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

THEWILL gathered that the then Minister of State for Transport in charge of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika in 2018, allegedly made a request to President Muhammadu Buhari for the establishment of a passenger airport in Wasimi.

As a follow up, Sirika who is now the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika is said to have sought approval for a N2 billion grant from the Presidency and to site the Ogun airport project at Wasimi in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state.

Not too long after the project was conceived, the state governor, Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun started having disagreement over the airport project and its location.

While Abiodun prefers an Agro-Allied Cargo airport, located at Ilishan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, Amosun is pushing for a passenger airport at Wasimi.

Recently, the Senate Committee Chairman on Aviation paid a visit THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

to the state and decided to inspect both sites as the Governor and his predecessor frantically pushed for their preferred location and the airport type.

The issue was first raised in March this year by the Committee on Aviation when the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu was invited but he denied knowledge of the airport and claimed Presidential approval.

But a letter made available to THE WILL indicated that the plan, ab initio, was in Wasimi in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The letter signed by Senator Hadi Abubakar Sirika with reference FMA/DSTP/402/S86/1/196 written to the President May 7, 2018 titled: Request of Payment for the sum of Two Billion Naira (N2, 000, 000, 000.00) only Capital Support Grant for Construction of Ogun State Airport at Wasimi, Abeokuta.

According to the letter, the ministerial technical team on site selection considered Mosan-Wasinmi 60 kilometers from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos as location with aim to facilitate VIP movement, Border Control, Agro Pesticide Control and Medical Emergency Evacuation in a quest to enhance economic development in the state and complement the MMA.

Part of the letter reads: “The sum of Two Billion Naira (N2, 000, 000, 000.00) has been appropriated in the 2017 Capital Appropriation of the Ministry to support the implementation of the project in earnest”.

“It is in the light of the foregoing and the determination to support the upgrade of the Airstrip in Wasinmi, Abeokuta into a fullfledged airport that Mr. President is most humbly solicited to kindly consider and graciously approve release of the sum of Two Billion Naira (N2, 000, 000, 000.00) only which has been approved for the project in the Ministry’s 2017 capital budget in favour of Ogun State Government as Capital Support Grant as earlier pledged to facilitate timely completion of the project”.

Three years after the huge fund was requested, the project still remains in Limbo.

It was however, not clear yet, whether the money was granted by the then Ministry of Transport based on the request by Senator Hadi Sirika who was then in the Ministry as Minister of State Transport in charge of Aviation.

Attempts made to reach out to the Director, Public Affairs of the Ministry of Aviation, Mr. James Odaudu, as at the time of filing this report proved abortive.

PAGE 35

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

NEWS Peace keeping, a Daily Project Senator Daduut

FROM UKANDI ODEY, JOS

T

L-R: Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata; Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Abiodun Aikomo, Special Adviser on Financial Crimes and Contracts to the Minister, during a news conference on debt and Paris Club Refund, in Abuja on 6/4/2021.

Tor Tiv Confers Titles On Tambuwal, Wike, Ugwuanyi •Sule, Gbajabiamila Shun Event FROM AUSTINE JOR, MAKURDI

G

boko, the traditional headquarters of the Tiv nation was agog Thursday as the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Professor James Ayatse, conferred on seven prominent Nigerians honorary traditional titles for their contributions to the development of Tivland.

The event, which also coincided with the official commissioning of the newly- constructed palace of the Tiv paramount ruler, was graced by dignitaries across the country and beyond.

Those honoured at the event included Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike and that of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Governor Abdulahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who were also billed to be honoured did not show up nor sent in representatives to the event.

The duo are of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while those who attended in person and had their titles conferred on them, it was gathered, all belong to the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP).

Professor Shima Igyo, a renowned medical consultant and a retired federal Permanent Secretary was also on hand and had his title conferred on him.

Tor Tiv Ayatse, while conferring the titles, informed that the selection process was apolitical and based on individual’s contributions to the growth of the Tiv nation over the years.

He charged the recipients to redouble their efforts in their engagements especially on the political turf with a view to impacting more positively on the society.

He further urged them to henceforth regard themselves as bonafide prominent sons of the Tiv nation, assuring that the Tiv nation would also on its part continue to stand by them in their endeavours in all circumstances.

Governor Samuel Ortom, on his part, underscored the importance of the traditional institution and disclosed that work on the Ochi Idoma palace in Otukpo had commenced in earnest.

He thanked all those who made the event a reality as well as the recipients for creating time out of their very tight schedules to travel down to Gboko to receive their titles.

Political watchers, some of who spoke to THEWILL, however insinuated that the absence of the two top APC leaders at the event may have been informed by issues that has to do with politics of 2023.

According to them, Tambuwal is being speculated to be eyeing the Presidency in 2023 with Wike strategising towards deputising for him, and hence in their judgement, the event may have been put together to provide an avenue for the duo to advance their political interest.

Gov. Diri Eulogises Mama Azazi, Late NSA’s Mother

FROM DAVID AMOUS - OWEI

B

ayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has described Mama Mary Tuapamoeyenemugha Azazi, mother of the late National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Owoeye Azazi (rtd), as a role model who lived a life worthy of emulation.

Governor Diri spoke at the vigil mass in Yenagoa in honour of Mama Azazi, who died at the age of 103 years.

to 103 years. We always pray for long life and prosperity. God blessed our mother with life and with children.

“So, on behalf of the government and people of the state, I condole with the Azazi family, the Peretorugbene and Ojobo communities, all of us from Bayelsa and Delta states, and indeed the Ijaw race. We lost a mother who is never too old to die.

His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor while condoling with the Azazi family of Peretorugbene Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state, as saying that despite the challenges she encountered in life, she remained strong and kept faith with God.

“I enjoin us to look at the life of our late mother. Even at those critical points that she lost her own children, she still kept believing in God. Let us look at her life as a role model. Let us live a life that the day we are called home, there would be so many good things to be said about us just as we are saying about mama.”

The state helmsman urged the living to emulate the worthy lifestyle of the departed centenarian, stressing that everyone would be remembered for what they did while alive.

Earlier, the officiating priest, Rev. Fr Anthony Suowari, said the best way to prepare for death is by living a life worthy of emulation.

Diri urged the family to take solace in the fact that she lived a good life and sustained her legacy by putting humanity ahead of personal considerations.

Describing death as inevitable, he noted that Mama Azazi lived a good life, and urged those alive to give a good account of themselves before they are called upon by God.

He said: “We came here not to mourn a mother who lived up

The mass featured hymns, prayers and communion.

PAGE 36

he Senator representing Plateau South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, has described her commitment to peace making and peace keeping in Plateau state as a “daily project”.

Responding to media inquiries in Jos, the Senator said: “The issue of peace keeping is a huge commitment which should concern every well meaning person. And for me, it’s a daily project.”

She said right from the start of her senatorial election campaign, she has never undermined the imperative of peace and peace keeping, for which reason she engaged stake holders on the need to achieve enduring peace in the state.

Thus, she said, she consciously appointed women leaders and engaged women groups, knowing that the home or family unit is the cradle of peace.

Senator Daduut also explained that even after her election and inauguration as Senator, she has continued to maintain her peace keeping structures and engagements, and she has beeninterfacing with relevant agents and agencies to ensure restoration of peace as the fulcrum of human development.

Senator Daduut, who recalled that she is just about one hundred days in the National Assembly, however expressed concern about developments in Plateau South senatorial district, especially in relation to the Pandam Reserve in Quan Pan local government area recently being dreaded by the natives for fast becoming a bandits’ haven.

She said she is going to work in collaboration with the State Government as it liaises with the federal government to explore the nature and wealth available in the Pandam Reserve, and rid it of becoming a criminal hide out but revenue resource and employment base for the terming youth population.

Senator Daduut lamented the recent unfortunate incident in Quan Pan in which fire gutted Nigeria’s largest yam Market in Namu and destroyed yams and other farm produce worth millions of Naira. She accordingly called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other humanitarian agencies to intervene to raise both farmers and traders counting losses as a result of the inferno.

Land Dispute: Deputy Gov. Tasks Communities on Peaceful Co-existence FROM DAVID AMOUS - OWEI, YENAGOA

B

ayelsa State Government has again urged the people of Isoni and Azama feuding communties to keep the peace, saying its mediatory committee is doing everything possible to resolve the age-long land dispute between them amicably.

The deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who made the call at a meeting with representatives of the two neighbouring communities in his office in Yenagoa, noted that the Committee has recorded appreciable progress in its assignment.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the deputy governor commended both communities for their show of understanding and cooperation so far, and urged them to maintain the prevailing peaceful disposition.

He, however, said government would not hesitate to make good its earlier warning of dealing decisively with any individual who does anything to threaten or disrupt the existing peace in the area under the pretext of protecting his or her interest in the dispute.

Ewhrudjakpo restated that the present administration places high premium on the protection of lives and property, and therefore would not fold its arms and watch anybody take the laws into his or her hands for any reason.

While assuring law abiding members of the two communities of government’s protection, the Deputy Governor charged them to promptly report individuals whose activities might constitute a security threat in the area to appropriate government agencies for action.

In their separate submissions, the Ibenanaowei of Oyakiri Clan, King Joshua Igbagara and his Apoi counterpart, King Ikpangi Perekibina, commended the state government for the steps taken so far to resolve the land dispute between Isoni Community in Sagbama Local Council Area and Azama in Southern Ijaw.

They both committed to the peace process and assured government of their support in the maintenance of law and order in the area.

Present at the meeting were the Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Chief Nigeria Kia, his Sagbama counterpart, Mr Embeleakpo Alale, the Attorney General, Mr Biriyai Dambo (SAN), Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr Esau Andrew and the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Development, Chief Thompson Amule.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

INSIDE:

•How Love Affair Gone Bad, Led to Imprisonment of Prophet Israel Oladele

40

•Lady Sent Packing From Matrimonial Home Weeks After Tattooing Tinubu On Her Back

41

YINKA DAVIES: A Woman of Many Parts

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

PAGE 37

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

More Ladies Should Find Their Way Into The Music Industry – Yinka Davies

Talented vocalist, dancer, stage performer, actor and a former judge of Nigerian Idol, Yinka Davies is a delight to be with.

Her charm easily rubs off on a sad soul.

The multilinguist who has been off the entertainment scene for a while, opens up to SHADE METIBOGUN on love, music, finding Christ and sundry issues. Excerpts.

U

You are blessed with a powerful vocal range but you have not been making and recording music. Why is this so?

Art for me is a very precious gift from God; I can’t tell you that I love you when I don’t mean it. There are tricks to the trade. Some people have a love centered music kind of lifestyle and then some people think of the curve. I think of the curve when I am working with other people. We can always create on the spot but, for me to write a song, it must get beyond the curve, I must be inspired and the Holy Spirit is my only helper when it gets to that. I cannot force myself to write because I just want to write or make money.

Of course, it is not a bad idea to make money, you need it but that is not my reason. So making more music may take a while. I am probably buying time so that when I hit you guys with a bang, you will enjoy it.

What is your opinion about the music industry right now in terms of lyrics, artist management and record labels?

I can’t blame the younger generation for the kind of music they do. The people who were before them are way too far from them.

I am like the closest thing for them to see and I am not even out there like before and so what they see on television that is foreign, is what they turn to and appropriate our culture into it. The slang is Nigeria, the innuendo is Nigeria. It is really a lot of concern and I can’t blame them for it. We are not there for them. As for the record label, we don’t have them anymore, sad to say, it is one of the main setbacks in the scene. The structure is missing, we need to bring back the blueprint of what is left of it. When a good record label comes, everybody will know. And then if you observe, if you are not from a wealthy or influential family, you will find out that there is no way for you in the industry.

One should be able to get ahead irrespective of the person’s background, and it is just a matter of time. I love every one of them, we see, we hug and chat and we move on.

What is your idea of a good record label, what are the structures you are talking about?

Let us get the blueprint first. There should be a structure on ground; collecting royalty is there, getting money off every record album sold, which is not the same anymore. This is a new generation, everything is gone to the cloud, life has changed. If you don’t know how to make money through the internet you are gone. You don’t need record labels anymore. That was what happened to Teni, she pumped money into herself, she went

PAGE 38

Yinka Davies

p until the sad news about your son, you were off the entertainment scene for a while. What have you been up to lately?

I have been remodeling, I am trying to fix my house, as you can see. I have been trying to do right for so long. Now I am trying to diversify. Music wise, I have written quite a lot, I need them to find expression. I have been at it but the situation on ground made me pause. Artists are interactive kind of people, the reason we are who we are is because of you people. We imitate your lives and we present your life to you so when we don’t have the chance to do that, you are more or less crippled. I have to use the word crippled and I am not using it lightly. When we don’t get such opportunities, we cripple the beauty of giving you something you never want to forget, something that will make you ask for more, you know that excitement. That is what we live for.

online, posted herself there, got her friends to vote for her so her rating will be very high and that is it, she is reaping the benefits today.

Why do you think such a thing is happening? Is it that those who are supposed to be role models are too preoccupied to tutor the younger generation?

You have used the right words; we are too preoccupied with nothing.

There are now so many record labels out there that just sign on artists, get them flashy cars but after two years, they just fade off the scene. What is your take on this style?

Those ones did not come for music; they came for a different kind of business. The music is a front if you ask me. It is sad but it is true. Our job gives people license to do and undo. Those who know how to throw money around have discovered that secret, it is not even a secret, it has always been like that. Artists are the best thing to put in front to cover up for a lot of evil you are going to do around, it has been going on since like forever.

Veterans like Mike Okri are staging a comeback and plan to give the younger ones a run for their money. What do you make of his decision?

Yes oh, he needs to come back, he is just a magnificent crooner, I salute his depth and talent.

As a former judge on Idol West Africa, do you think music reality shows are the way forward for music talents?

It is just one of the many outlets for people to shine, it is never a way forward.

There was uproar on social media after one of the judges of a music reality show recently judged a contestant harshly. As

a former judge of a reality show, do you think judges should pamper contestants in reality shows or tell them the hard truth?

From the look of stuff, we all differ. I don’t really know the scenario you are painting but one thing I will say is that Nigeria is so blessed, though it is taking so long to nurture young children.

The country is 60 years old now, you can imagine those born when Nigeria got independence, they are 60 now, do you know what that means? The ones that had it are tired of fighting; the ones that are behind don’t know what to fight for. Give the people some respect a little bit, we don’t have music schools, we don’t have drama schools and there are no teachers. A lot of good minded, incredible professors are being taken away by international communities. So, who will train the people on the street? When we saw the likes of Daddy Showkey, we started singing along with them. Some of these street guys are not learned, they are just trying to showcase their talents. They should be respected for coming out, they should be applauded for making a trial, that is all I have to say.

You are very passionate about Nigeria. Where do you think we got it wrong and how can we retrace our steps?

That is a strong question. Let me say the nastiest thing you have ever heard. I will say it was when Nigerians rejected God. We think we are church goers; we pray but we don’t believe in him, that is rejection. It is just like asking a person how you look when in reality you want them to admire you and your dressing, which is what I call rejection. If you care for this country, the first place you begin with is in your community. The person that will help a child cross the road; is the person still doing the same thing?

There were no area boys before, they were not even called touts, they were just handyman in the street but now, the touts have become governors and presidents, what do you expect? And it is never too late to retrace our steps, we are still alive but pride, THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

“

Art is like a town crier, you tell them the current affairs of the town and also include what the king wants his people to do, that is the work of a town crier.

If you don’t have information to give to the people, then what are you doing there

the Holy Spirit every day and I have a love affair with the lord Jesus Christ, what else do you want? And you don’t want me to be young? The bible says he will renew your days like an eagle.

What does that mean? It means I can’t be old; it is too late. I have the sexiest of being; I am just starting life. I don’t have any beauty routine; I do try though.

You are one of the advocates of ensuring more ladies find their way into the music industry. Do you think we have more ladies in entertainment now?

Yes, I think more women with so much desire to see the entertainment world strive, not just any kind of lady, but the ones that believe in the art for what the art is all about, they should be in entertainment. I mean ladies that believe that art is a form of expression.

Does that mean some of them are there because of the money and not for the love of entertainment?

Yes, it is obvious. Some of them have talents, some of them don’t have, some of them want to be, and some of them aren’t.

ego, I better pass my neighbor will not make a lot of people turn around to do what is right. Apart from that, the bible says, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life - a lot of people will rather die there. I don’t want that nonsense.

You sound religious now. When did this transformation take place?

God has been close to me and I was not aware but when I found him, I wouldn’t let him go. There is a lot of self-assessment, a lot of examination in Christ Jesus. There is a picture of Ife that was shown in the olden days, their thatched houses of the 16th and 17th century were so high, most especially their roofs, but their doors were low, before you can enter such a building, you have to bend or bow. Where is it today in Nigeria? The tradition was showing people who we were. People did things out of love, that is where Christ is concerned now, we are not forced to do it but it is done out of submission to one another. When anything is done out of fear, that is not life, it is like a dead man walking. In him is life and his life is the fullness of me.

A lot of people believe that as they grow older, they need to be closer to God. Will you say turning 50 made you rediscover God? Those ones turned Jesus to their comfort zone. It is not the same for me because I got to know him when I was younger. It was in my early twenties, very early. I was 21 years when I developed a personal relationship with him. I was talking about God then too but I was too playful. I give God the glory. God said we should come as we are, he didn’t say we should change, just come and experience him.

You don’t look your age by the way. What are the unique things you do to keep you looking young?

I have a unique relationship with God. I have a tête-à-tête with THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

of them.

You are an artist, a stage performer and now you are also into movies, which one would you say you shine most in?

Everyone will pick music but I usually pick something else. But the glory is the singing; I think I should concentrate on it. I love music, I love writing, I love stage acting, it is quite intense for me, it takes a lot, it takes blood to act, and you are putting your life into it.

You once said that listening to Jazz inspired your music career. What about the acting aspect, how did you discover that aspect of you?

I wasn’t aware, it just happened. I gate crashed into them. That is it. I enjoy all aspects of my career but I derive so much pleasure in dance, rhythm and balance. Jazz brought life into sound for me but improvisation helped me a lot as an actor. I wanted to write a book but I am waiting for another person to help me put it into words.

While growing up, you were so close to your dad but you have never mentioned anything about your mum. Why? They were divorced. I went with my dad when it happened, I was older and without hesitation, I followed him. My mum is still around, we are like strange bedfellows, a lot of Nigerians are close to their mum. When the time is right, a lot of information will come and a lot of healing will take place.

Were there issues that happened in the past you haven’t forgotten about?

Why wouldn’t I forgive her, she is my mum. We were six children, my younger sister passed on and now we are five. When they divorced, three followed my mum and three followed my dad. Those who were older went with my dad and the younger ones went with my mom.

Accept my condolence on the demise of your son. What actually happened?

I wouldn’t know, all I can say is that his sickness started with toothache. We didn’t know he had autoimmune blood tissue disorder. We discovered that around May into June last year. The doctors did all they could do, they tried their best for him. We were on treatment from around July till December. In January this year, he went to be with Jesus.

How have you been coping with his death?

I am coping, I have moved on, I am back to working and fixing stuff.

If you are to advise them, what will you say to them?

I will first of all ask them what they are looking for. ‘What are you looking for? What are you in this for?’ A lot of art is information, educating the populace, the community. Art is like a town crier, you tell them the current affairs of the town and also include what the king wants his people to do, that is the work of a town crier. If you don’t have information to give to the people, then what are you doing there? They need to hear these things, whether we like it or not, the world will still need some people to lead them. Those who practice art should help people improve their lives. For instance, fashion comes from what you see people wear; if you don’t see people wear it, will you wear it? So let us decide, that is what art is all about. Artists are responsible for lives, if we don’t know it, then, there is a problem. That is why I have been out of circulation because I have to think about the things I put out to the people to listen to and dance to. I have heard some songs that really got to me and I had to ask myself if that is what we really listen to and also dance to. A lot of people are dancing away when somebody’s life is gone.

Was he married before he passed, I saw pictures of him and two young children on social media?

He wasn’t married but he had two children. I don’t know how it happened. I sent him to school, and he came back with children.

I am a grandmother now, his children are fine. They are in our family house. I want to take care of things here and get settled before I can think of moving them over here. Where I am now is not yet conducive to bring anybody, let me just settle things first.

But can we really blame the people involved? They are also thinking about the commercial aspect of art, they also have to survive A lot of things can be done but after a while, you ask yourself what next? When you get money to take care of yourself, fix the things you want to fix in your life, must you still continue in the filth you got yourself entangled in? Everything must be done in moderation. Just like we are fighting some people in government, when you have stolen what you want to steal, are you not supposed to take care of the people who elected you there? Do me a favor, wake up, pull your sleeve, get to the street and take care of people. You think people will fight you when you start taking care of them, they wouldn’t. But you now stay there as if it is your father’s property and you will continue to upset and oppress. It can’t go on for long because, your time, your days are numbered.

Are you seeing someone now?

I told you that I am in love with someone; I am in love with Jesus.

And he is not invisible. Anyway, when the man comes we will know.

Is that one of the reasons music artists reign for a while and they then go into oblivion?

It is because there is a need to balance the sheet, you must balance the sheet. You can’t eat off anything and not give back.

After a while, what you have been eating will turn against you. It is the way life is, you can’t go on for long. It is life, life demands it from all of us. Everything will catch up with you. That is why I don’t blame the musicians now; when they are really ready for something to change in their lives you will see it. You will know that the person is genuine in what he or she is doing. Let me give you a very nasty example. The day I heard Timaya’s song, it was so beautiful, I enjoyed it but, the last thing I heard him sing is that “I can’t kill myself,” I thought that was the most incredibly annoying song I have ever heard. He is laid back, he is tired. You need to hear the undertone of some of the songs these artists sing.

They are crying, they need help, something is wrong with some

There are conflicting reports that you were once married No Are you worried that you are not married at your young age?

Why should I be worried? Is it written on the forehead that you have to be worried when you are not married?

What if the right man comes?

Let him come now or am I going to be crying that he has not come, is that what you want me to be doing?

What qualities do you desire in your man?

Don’t worry about the qualities, it is not about it, it is for you to be available to submit, not to love the man. It is the man that should love you. Rebecca in the bible did not automatically love her husband. Even now, people still do arranged marriage and it works. Women like power; they want their man to have it all but why can’t, they just follow even if the man has nothing. You can do it; Patience Jonathan once said that it was because of her that her husband became president. You marry because you are willing to submit. You are ready to be given to a man that you would take care of you and it is not for love but for submission.

Women are very capable of destroying the order so you must know what you are looking for. Don’t look for the man, let the man look for you. Christianity is the way, don’t let anyone deceive you.

Do you have anything you are currently working on?

Let me tell you a little bit about my next album, it is called the Ninth Mile, there are so many things connected to the ninth mile.

I love the sound of the East, the relishing of the sound that comes with a lot of bass; I want to explore their side. I have done the West, I will still do it again though, then I will move to the North.

It was because Dan Maraya died. I begged one of my friends in the North so I could go over there to work but when it was almost time to go there, Dan Maraya died, that was how I paused so I could go to the East. That is what I am waiting for; I will go to the East to stay for some months and I will be working on my album.

PAGE 39

E

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

How Love Affair Gone Bad, Led to Imprisonment of Prophet Israel Oladele

Yahaya Bello and The Burden of Keeping Three Wives Amina Bello

Bello & 2nd wife, Rasheedat

Hafiza Bello

F

or a lot of people, this may come as news as not many know that the youthful governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has ‘several’ first ladies. And this is because only one of the wives, the second one precisely, Hajiya Rasheedat, is the most visible of the three and the one who many like to refer to as the first lady. But a few weeks ago, the grapevine was agog with news that all was not well in his household. The story was that the 45-year-old governor was having marital problems with Rasheedat, prompting her to move out of the Government House. Well Bello whose favourite pastime is to engage in boxing in the Government House’s gym has debunked the story insisting that all is well with his family. Bello while describing the story as a rumour, said it is the handiwork of disgruntled elements on social media who for lack of a formidable tool of distraction, struggle hard for traffic, by concocting falsehood alleging a crack in his household. He reiterated that he is in full control of his wives the same way he is in full control of Kogi State.

Earlier in the year, there was no doubt that something was amiss between him and his third wife as he made no effort to shield this fact. While receiving an award of honour from the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) and Global Gold Consult as ‘The most gender sensitive governor in Nigeria,’ Bello thanked his first wife, Amina Oyiza and Rasheedat the second wife. He refused to mention or thank his third wife, Hafiza for reasons best known to him. His latest ‘rumoured’ tiff with Rasheedat has got many questioning his ability to properly manage the affairs of the state if he is unable to keep it together in his family.

Captain Hosa Okunbo Revives Winning Streak

Okunbo

H

e may have lost the battle to install Osagie Ize Iyamu as the substantive governor of Edo state, following his fallout with Governor Godwin Obaseki, what with the millions of naira he deployed to ensure that Obaseki’s dream of a second tenure remained a mirage. He may also be critically ill, having spent close to eight months in a London hospital treating a terminal illness, but that has not stopped him from forging on.

The stupendously wealthy chairman of Ocean Marine Solutions Limited, an offshore asset protection company, has managed to keep his pulse on the scheme of things and maintained his winning streak.

First, a petition written by his erstwhile business partner, businessman and former Skye Bank chairman, Tunde Ayeni, to the police force and anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accusing him of gross mismanagement and criminal diversion of company funds, was thrown out for lack of evidence. Ayeni had claimed that Okunbo, in 2003, deceived him and took over control of Ocean Marine Solutions Limited which they both supposedly own, while he was undergoing a court trial, claiming that the trial distracted him. Following ‘careful investigation,’ the police concluded that Ayeni’s allegation was baseless, malicious and false while adding that documentary evidence provided by Okunbo clearly shows that he (Okunbo) lawfully acquired Ayeni’s interest in Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMS) for the valuable consideration of two billion naira.

Still basking in the euphoria of this pronouncement, his son in-law, Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko was announced as the 21st Olu of Warri. Married to Ivie Uhunoma, one of his daughters from his first wife, the union is blessed with three children. The 37-year-old Olu designate is the founder of Noble Nigeria Ltd. and Coral Curator Ltd. He is also the Chairman of Ocean Marine Security Limited and a director in Gulf of Guinea Ltd, Vessel Link Big Limited.

Aliko Dangote’s Nephew, Sadiq Dantata, Picks Bride From Niger Republic

W

hen the Lagos State Court of Appeal granted the Senior Shepherd-in-Charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Global, Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe, a post-conviction bail last week, on grounds of failing health, quite a number of people, particularly members of his congregation, were very happy with the news. This is because the televangelist’s previous bail applications were all turned down. Oladele was arraigned on seven counts bordering on obtaining by stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretences, unlawful conversion of property and forgery, fraudulently collected N14m and £12,000 in various tranches from the complainant between August 30, 2002 and 2005. He was found guilty on two counts of stealing and unlawful conversion of property not delivered. And on November 18 2020, he was sentenced to one-year imprisonment on each count and ordered to pay to the complainant, a certain Mrs Olaide Williams-Oni, the sum of N11m, which he obtained from her illegally.

The journey to Oladele being an ex-convict began around 2007 when as a young man in his twenties who had just begun his church ministry, his path and that of Olaide Williams-Oni crossed. In her thirties then, she was living in the United Kingdom when she heard about his unusual gift of spiritual insight. She came to Nigeria to see him. He prayed for her, she went back to the UK and had testimonies regrding the things she came to see him for. At that time, she was married in the UK but maintained close communication with Oladele whom she soon began to allegedly pressure for love. Oladele in his own ‘wisdom’ saw her as a life saver who could take him and his family out of penury. They started a relationship that was known to quite a number of people and rented an apartment where they both lived with her sister and Oladele’s. Olaide indeed supported Oladele in many ways. She spent so lavishly that Oladele suggested she put money together to purchase landed properties. They purchased three landed properties. Trouble however began when Oladele realized she had lied to him about divorcing her husband who she said was habitually cheating on her. He called off the relationship and handed over the documents of the landed properties which all carried her name to her, excluding one which had a little issue, pending when it will be rectified. She then went back to her base in the UK. After a while, she sent some baby pictures to Oladele’s mum and told her the baby’s father is her son. A few years later, Oladele, who had moved on, got married. The pain of seeing someone whom she had done so much for, move on, was too much for her to bear and she allegedly vowed to take her pound of flesh. She wrote a first petition against him to the special Anti-robbery squad claiming that he had guns in his house. When that didn’t work, she wrote another petition against him detailing money owed her which she said she spent on him and his parents’ home, totaling N2m. He promised to pay her as he couldn’t afford the money at that time. This is in addition to being asked to write an undertaking to pay her N8.5million for the third landed property which had issues. Olaide even denied they were ever lovers.

The issue ended up in court and all attempts to get Olaide settle out of court proved abortive and after 11 years, Olaide finally exacted her pound of flesh.

A

PAGE 40

Ogundipe

Dangote, couple & mother of bride

bout two weeks ago, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, led members of his immediate family to Niger Republic for the first leg of the wedding ceremony between Rachida Hamoudi and his nephew, Sadiq Dantata. Knowing the family their daughter was getting married into, the bride’s family did their best to show that they have what it takes to hold an extravagant wedding. Wealth, coupled with their deep culture was on full display as they made an effort to impress their inlaws. The second leg of the wedding was held a week later in Kano and as with everything Nigerian, the lavish wedding ceremony which spanned almost a week was nothing short of a display of the proper use of wealth. Nothing fell short of expectation. From the déco, to the various events lined up to welcome the bride who is partly from Mali, to the exquisite bridal clothings of the bride and the groom etc – everything was as extravagant as the wedding planner could muster, to say the least.

It is however pertinent to state that in the midst of the celebrations, Covid19 protocols were thrown to the winds.

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

BY SHADE METIBOGUN

At 79, Marriage Not on The Agenda For Ebenezer Obey

Lady Sent Packing From Matrimonial Home Weeks After Tattooing Tinubu On Her Back

A

O

few weeks ago, a fair skinned lady known as Ayokunmi Babatope joined the band wagon of youths tattooing their favourite celebrities on their body. The diehard fan of the Jagaban of Lagos tattooed Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s face on her back with his name, date of birth and his mother’s name boldly inscribed on her back in honour of the All Progressives Congress, APC leader’s 69th birthday celebration which spanned one week.

Her action however was greeted with criticism from Nigerians on social media.

Unfortunately, Ayokunmi has now been sent packing from her matrimonial home and all efforts to appease her husband has proved abortive. Since she was sent out of the house, she has been wailing and crying, calling on Nigerians to come to her aid because she has nowhere to go. Information has it that all her relatives and friends have deserted her because of her action as they all frowned against the fact that as a mother, she shouldn’t have joined the teeming youth tattooing celebrities on their body parts. Some well-meaning Nigerians even advised her to move to Bourdillion so she can get the attention of Tinubu.

However, sources insist Ayokunmi is just seeking public sympathy and monetary reward from the Jagaban. Findings reveal that she is a successful business woman who has her hands in the beauty and logistic businesses and she owns two motor bikes for the logistic business, both of which are branded with her business name ‘Tollyfaz’.

Obey

n April 3, 2021, foremost high life juju maestro, Ebenezer Remilekun Obey-Fabiyi more popularly known as Chief Commander clocked 79 years. The musician who is thankful to God for sparing his life to witness his 79th birthday couldn’t roll out the drums because of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world. But he was celebrated by friends and family members. The musician who popularised juju music has said he has no regret that none of his children is taking after him musically. He stated that despite the fact that none of them is a musician, music still runs in their blood and that he will forever be grateful to God because he is fulfilled as a musician, having impacted a lot of people with his music.

While speaking on his retirement plans, he said, “Retirement is in the hands of the almighty God, when the body refuses to move again, then one can stop but I will still be involved in music, I will still be writing and composing songs”.

He also cleared the air on the rumour that he would be remarrying. According to him, “I am not planning to remarry. At 79, what else am I looking for? I have children around me taking care of me, I have helps around me, I am happy, and I don’t need another wife.”

MC Galaxy Dumps Music For Food Business

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

Banky W & Adesua

I

n November 2017, Olubankole Wellington more popularly known as Banky W and his beautiful actress wife, Adesua Etomi, walked down the aisle in a fairy tale wedding that lasted for three days. They had their traditional wedding on November 19, their court wedding on November 20 and white wedding on November 25, 2017 in faraway Dubai. Their love affair and union got a lot of goodwill, interest and admiration from Nigerians who followed their love story, most especially after they both featured in the Nollywood blockbuster, ‘The Wedding Party’. Little did the beautiful couple know they would encounter some roller coaster experience that would test their love and dedication to each other. They had to wait for almost four years to birth their first child, Hazaiah. In a video which has since gone viral, the couple shared their experience and the challenges they faced in the course of waiting for the fruit of the womb. According to them, they considered having a child through surrogacy before their prayer was eventually answered and they welcomed the tiny patter of a baby’s feet earlier this year in February.

Adesua in the testimony she shared at The Water Brook Church where they both had a no holds barred chat about their infertility challenge said the doctor had already gotten a surrogate mother to carry her pregnancy before God gave them the directive to wait on him through faith, praise and worship. Adesua revealed she did In Vitro fertilisation, IVF twice, both of which failed, before she considered surrogacy.

Kelly Handsome Opens Up Old Wounds, Accuse Don Jazzy of Maltreatment

F

ollowing an interview Mavin Record Label boss, Micheal Collins Ajereh more popularly known as Don Jazzy granted to Media personality, Ebuka Obi Uchendu in his Black Box series, where he dared anyone to come out and accuse him of any wrongdoing, Kelechi Orji more popularly known as Kelly Handsome has accused the foremost music producer of getting him arrested years ago. According to Kelly Handsome, Don Jazzy and his girlfriend got him arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS and he was moved from Kano to Abuja in handcuffs. He said he was maltreated because he made the cover to the song ‘Feeling Good’. At that time, he was also recording a campaign song for the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kano state, but was moved after his arrest from Kano and taken to Abuja where he was locked up. Luck however smiled on him because he got along with the inmates who chanted some of his songs and turned the cell into a concert and shortly after, he was released. In his revelation, Kelly said he isn’t mad with Don Jazzy but just wanted to straighten up issues because he wasn’t happy with how he was treated. Kelly Handsome also didn’t spare those who said that his career was dead. He revealed that he has gone back to the drawing board and sooner than they envisaged, his next project which will blow them all away would be unleashed on his haters.

Kelly Hansome & Don Jazzy

Udofot

We Considered Surrogacy Before We Had Our Son – Banky W, Adesua Etomi

Babatope

F

ormer singer, Innocent Udeme Udofot, more popularly known as MC Galaxy is living his dreams.

After years of churning out hit singles the ‘Sekem’ dance originator seems to have dumped music for good, having not released any song for a while now. Instead he has concentrated on fulfilling his dream of owning an indigenous eatery with specialty in local cuisines. In 2019, the Uyo born artist gave his fans a sneak peek of what he has been up to since he disappeared from the music scene. Located in the highbrow area of Lekki Phase One, the restaurant has since welcomed some of his celebrity friends who support his new hustle. Not resting on his oars with his restaurant business, THEWILL reliably gathered that he also has his eyes in the real estate business too which he is planning to launch after Sekem Kitchen must have recorded some level of success. He is currently making preparations to commence the building of his short-let homes in Victoria Island.

Being a man of many parts, MC Galaxy has competed favorably with entertainers in the music industry. He is also a gifted dancer as he once won a dancing competition organized by Davido where he carted away N500, 000. The popular entertainer once tried his hands on standup comedy.

PAGE 41

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

BY JOY ONUORAH

W

AY Live Show Goes Virtual

Winning couple of plot of land on Island

The stage play: As is the tradition with every AY Live show, there was a stage play that featured the combination of, ex Big Brother Naija star, Nengi, popular Instagram skit makers, Taaoma, Broda Shaggy, Mr Macaroni and the promoter of the show himself, AY. The play centered on the hilarious interpretation of some of the things that happened between late last year and in recent times. From the #EndSars protest in October, to the harassment and brief spell of Mr Macaroni in prison to the shocking news of actress Tonto Dikeh’s ex-husband marrying his former personal assistant cum actress, Rosy Meurer and welcoming a son etc. The guests had a good laugh.

The performers: The show has always centred on comedy and music. Hence, it wasn’t surprising to see quite a number of artists perform at the show.

AY has always made it a habit to give upcoming artists the chance to market their crafts to a large audience at his shows. This year was not different.

After Veentage Band kick started the event, a number of up-and-coming artists took to the stage to do their thing including contestants from AY’s Open Mic Comedy Challenge. One of the upcoming artists who wowed the audience was actress turned singer, Angela Okorie. Others who performed at the show were Acapella, Seyilaw, I Go Dye, Destalker, MI, Iyanya.

Celebrities who graced the show: Apart from the PAGE 42

Mr & Mrs Makun

Item number 7: For the first time since the inception of the show, meals were served to the invited guests.

Usually, the norm at the show was to serve assorted finger foods accompanied with all kinds of soft drinks, spirits, wines, brandy, champagne etc. But this year’s edition featured a buffet.

Winning couple of plot of land on Mainland

Two couples win land gifts: One of the sponsors of the show, RevolutionPlus Properties, a real estate firm, gifted two couples at the show landed properties. But to decide on which couple to gift the parcels of land, couples were asked to dance to the delight of guests who acted as judges. The couples were eventually pruned to two couples. The best dancing couple was gifted a parcel of land on the island while the 1st runner up couple got a parcel of land on the mainland.

fun aspect of the show, it was a night of glam and glitz as several celebrities and captain of industries attended the show. People like NFA chairman, Amaju Pinnick, Kate Henshaw, Alex Ekubo, IK Ogbonna, Lilian Esoro, Yvonne Jegede, quite a number of ex Big Brother Naija stars etc.

Lanre Makun, the man with the magic hands: AY likes to keep things in the family and so the contract for packaging the flawlessly seamless show was given to his younger brother, Lanre Makun who has been responsible since inception, for packaging

all of AY’s shows which holds in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Owerri via his Lanre Makun Events. For his dexterity at his job, Lanre gets contracted to package about 70 per cent of the shows that take place in Lagos and beyond.

THEWILLNIGERIA

Nengi

AY Live Show and Covid19: Unlike in time past when all roads leading to Eko Hotel and Suites would have been jam packed from the afternoon of Easter Sunday, by people rushing to get seated in the Expo hall of the hotel for the show, this year’s edition was partly virtual, partly live show in keeping to Covid-19 protocols. The live show accommodated only a limited and approved number of persons. The virtual aspect which was also the first of its kind was transmitted to a worldwide audience for a token.

The show lasted for four hours, between 8 pm to 12 midnight. Prior to the show, there was a red-carpet session which only had two approved photographers clicking away as the few invited guests posed for pictures.

Mr Macaroni, Taaoma, AY, Broda Shaggi

hen you hear “AY Live Show”, it’s appropriate to expect nothing but pure entertainment ranging from comedy, music, dance etc. Promoted annually by comedian cum movie producer and actor, Ayo Makun, more popularly known as AY, the AY Live Show is the biggest comedy and music show in Nigeria. The 2021 edition was no different. As has been the tradition from inception, it was held on Easter Sunday and despite the peculiarity of this year’s edition, it was nothing short of fun.

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

SHOTS OF THE WEEK PHOTO EDITOR: PEACE UDUGBA (08033050729)

L-R: Senator Zainab Kure; PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; celebrant a former President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark; his wife, Helen; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, and others during Sen. Mark’s 73rd birthday celebration at Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja on (8/4/21).

L-R:Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba; Speaker, Ogun State, Rt. Hon Olakunle Oluomo; Chairman, Conference of Speakers /Bauchi State Speaker, Rt Hon _Abubakar Suleiman; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Speaker Ekiti State, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, and Speaker, Kogi State, Rt Hon Mathew Kolawole, during their visit to the Governor in Ado-Ekiti on 6/4/21.

L-R: Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Prof. Edith Nwosu; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Charles Igwe; and Deputy Registrar, Mr Charles Ugwoke, during a facility visit to the Varsity which launched a ‘Refuse Derived Fuel 100KVA Electricity Generating Plant, in Enugu State on 7/4/2021

L-R: Jennifer Ukoh, GOtv Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice, presenting One Hundred Thousand Naira cheque for school fees to Ngozi Onuoha and her daughter, during the presentation of GOtv Awoof Overload promotion, held at MultiChoice Office in Victoria Island, Lagos on 6/4/1021. Photo: Peace Udugba THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

L-R: Trade partner, Enyo Retail and Supply Limited, Olusegun Adebayo; his wife, Mrs. Taiwo Adebayo, and Chief Executive Officer, Enyo Retail and Supply Limited, Abayomi Awobokun at the official unveiling of the 95th Enyo Retail station in Badore, Lagos on 4/4/2021. Photo: Peace Udugba

Bayelsa state governor, Senator Douye Diri, during the presentation of gifts to female athletes in Bayelsa on. 6 /4 /2021

PAGE 43

e 45

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

FEATURES

Interrogating Baba’s Choice As New IGP

BY FELIX OBOAGWINA

A

fter two months of grandstanding, President Muhammadu Buhari caves in and finally allows Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to retire in peace. In Adamu’s place, the Commander-in-Chief has named a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, as Acting Inspector-General of Police.

Like his predecessor Adamu from Nasarawa State, Baba hails from the North, Yobe State, specifically.

ADAMU’S TURBULENT LEGACY IGP Adamu had been due for retirement since February when he clocked the 35 years in service beyond which the police rules forbade an officer from serving. Against popular opinion, however, Buhari decided to retain Adamu on the beat. It amounted to a rather controversial move when the President on 4th February announced the extension of the lapsed tenure of the 20th indigenous IGP for three more months. It stirred up a dust of disenchantment.

Not a few wondered why Buhari wanted to keep a not-so-fantastic IGP. Under Adamu’s watch, kidnapping had soared unabated, with highways and educational institutions turning into kidnappers’ favourite haunting grounds. Killings and cultism have gone unabated. Today, the country has turned into a virtual crime jungle with the police appearing incapable of restoring law and order. In fact, police officers became prime targets for killers, who made away with service rifles and pistols like bounty hunters.

Under his watch, EndSARS protests rocked the entire nation.

Nigerian youth organised a mass action that specifically targeted nothing but police brutality. In answer to the agitations, Adamu hurriedly replaced the infamous SARS with a half-baked contraption, that many contemptuously stigmatised as a rather unintelligent attempt to replicate the American outfit, SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) unit. No one bought Adamu’s SWAT. It apparently died on arrival. Following the Lekki Tollgate killings by those whom eyewitnesses described as soldiers followed by SARS operatives, violence broke out nationwide with police as prime targets of a long-suffering citizenry. By the time the smoke died down, 22 policemen were killed and 205 stations burnt.

That legacy will haunt Adamu’s turbulent and truculent tenure.

But the President could not be bothered and rewarded Adamu with an extended term. Aides backed the tenure extension and even Adamu said he could remain in office for the next three years and the heavens would not fall.

The heavens did not fall upon Adamu; but on Tuesday the seat moved from beneath him.

A NEW SHERIFF On the day the inevitable happened, the man who had spent what many regarded as an unproductive and turbulent two years and three months as IGP was on tour of Owerri, Imo State, inspecting the debris of the police headquarters that unknown gunmen had set on fire alongside the nearby prisons from where over 2,000 inmates broke out to steal the breath of freedom. Suddenly, on that trip, news hit the streets that Adamu’s days were numbered. A new Sheriff had come to town.

The new Sheriff in town, the 21st indigenous IGP, goes by the name Usman Alkali Baba. An indigene of Yobe Sta te, he was born in 1963. Baba is an alumnus of Bayero University, Kano, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Maiduguri. He is also a fellow of the National Defence College and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, all of which have seen him attending several professional courses and workshops.

Recruited into the officer cadre of the Nigerian Police in March 1988, he rose from the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police to the rank of Commissioner, during which he had charge of several strategic responsibilities, including: • Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone-5 Benin • Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone-4 Makurdi • Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone-7 Abuja • Commissioner of Police FCT • Commissioner of Police Delta Commands He later got promoted to the rank of AIG in which capacity he served as Force Secretary from November 2020. In December 2020, IGP Adamu approved Baba’s posting to take charge of Finance and Administration. Four months ago in December 2020, the Police Service Commission promoted AIG Alkali Baba along

PAGE 44

“

Congratulations to the new Acting Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force, Usamn Alkali Baba, who I had the honour of decorating earlier today

with others to the rank of Deputy Inspector General, in which capacity he served in-charge of Finance and Administration as well as a member of the Nigeria Police Force Management Team.

THE POLITICS OF BUHARI’S 3RD NORTHERN IGP For many, the focus remains why the President ignored equally qualified officers from other regions and selected another Northerner for the post. Already, socio-political groups like the Ohanaeze have confronted him for turning a blind eye to sensitivity, national balancing and Federal Character. There were at least three DIGs of other zones from which Buhari could have taken a pick.

Under ex-IGP Adamu seven DIGs held sway: Sanusi N. Lemu, Usman Alkali Baba, David Folawiyo, Joseph Egbunike, DanMallam Mohammed, Moses A. Jitoboh, Baba Tijjani and Zana Ibrahim. In that list of DIGs are at least three non-Northerners.

Buhari ignored them all.

People are already interrogating this new choice. For one, that Buhari settled for Yobe-born Baba makes it three unbroken runs of Northern IGPs back-to-back that Buhari has appointed since taking office. Buhari inherited Solomon Arase (appointed by President

Goodluck Jonathan in April 2015), but replaced him with Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (2016 to 2019), followed by Mohammed Abubakar Adamu (2019 to 2021). In fact, the President frog-leaped Adamu, then an Assistant Inspector General of Police, over his seniors in the DIG cadre, and landed him directly as IGP. Not a few had hoped that Buhari’s selection of a Police IG this time around from the South would dilute a security architecture facing fierce criticism for being lopsidedly weighted towards the North.

The National Assembly must still confirm the appointment of Alkali Baba as the country’s 21st Inspector General of Police.

And for this Ninth Assembly that has never questioned Buhari’s security appointments, Usman Alkali Baba’s appointment as IGP is as good as a done deal.

Meanwhile, Baba, was on Wednesday decorated with his new rank in the State House, Abuja by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Present at the decoration ceremony taking place at Vice President Conference Hall were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, former IGP, Mohammed Adamu, Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, and his colleague in the office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande.

Also present was the Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Mr Temitope Fashedemi.

Osinbajo, in his twitter handle after the decoration ceremony extended his congratulation to the new IGP: “Congratulations to the new Acting Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force, Usamn Alkali Baba, who I had the honour of decorating earlier today.

The safety and protection of all Nigerians remains a priority of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration”

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

FEATURES respective local government areas to ensure effective protection of the reserves.

The governor also granted the request by the Ministry of Environment to adopt six proposed forest reserves.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, said the International Day of Forests was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness on the importance of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations.

Gbaranbiri remarked that healthy forests strongly influence the quantity of water yielded from watersheds, discharge the highest quality of water and provide logs, fuel woods, fodder and medicinal plants used by local and indigenous communities.

According to him, the state has six forest reserves namely the Taylor Creek, Edumanom, Apoi Creek, Nun River, Igbedi Creek and Ikebiri Creek Forest Reserves.

He said since these proposed forest reserves have not been constituted, “ l use this occasion to call on His Excellency to set in motion the process for the constitution of four forest reserves in the state.”

It is noteworthy that the Federal Government has signified intention to upgrade conservation of Apoi, the Apoi Creek Forest Reserve and Edumanon Forest Reserve.

Battling Illegal Logging, Deforestation in Bayelsa In its maiden commemoration of the International World Forest Day, which held recently, Bayelsa State expressed commitment to protecting the state’s forest reserves as the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, read a riot act to those working against the government’s interest. DAVID AMOUS - OWEI reports from Yenagoa

T

he Bayelsa State Government has placed a ban on various logging, and deforestation activities that have been perpetrated under the watch of past administrations since the creation of the only homogeneous state of the Ijaws in Niger Delta region.

Bayelsa State government has thus halted logging without permit and other deforestation activities in order to protect the state’s forest reserves.

Henceforth, all commercial timber dealers are to obtain permit from the Ministry of Environment before embarking on logging activities.

Governor Douye Diri, who stated this during this year’s International Day of Forests celebration in Yenagoa, also directed that an executive bill in consultation with the Environment Ministry and related civil society organisations be prepared and forwarded to the House of Assembly.

The governor also said that the new bill would repeal THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

existing environmental laws that are now obsolete, though without enforcements by relevant agencies of government.

His words: “Henceforth, all timber dealers are to obtain permit before taking out logs from our forest reserves.

This is to protect our forests.

The commissioner also said that Bayelsa State has been known for its luxuriant flora and fauna, but it is also a known fact that deforestation in the state is very high, just as the destruction of mangrove vegetation is alarming, reducing their capacity as natural coastal areas more vulnerable to effects of sea level rise. “Mangrove are important source of timber,fuel wood, post and other minor forest products,mangrove bark provides cheap plywood industry,” he added.

He said in order to preserve the dwindling and rapidly vanishing forest, there is urgent need to rejig or formulate new policies to address current realities .

Coordinator of the Red Colobus Conservation Network, Miss Florence Aghomo from Cameroon, stressed the need for Bayelsans to be responsible in forest preservation saying, its socio-economic benefits cannot be over-emphasised.

According to Aghomo, Nigeria is a home to two of 18 Taxa species known to science and the Niger Delta Red Colobus can only be found in Bayelsa and Preuss’s Red Colobus in Cross River State.

“I hereby direct that an executive bill in consultation with the state Ministry of Environment and related civil society organisations be sent immediately to the House of Assembly.

Also speaking, Mr. Morris Alagoa from the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) on behalf of Chima Williams, Acting Executive Director , who lauded the governor for the epochal event, appealed for the establishment of a zoological garden and community forest-driven management in the state.”

“This bill should repeal every other existing laws. I trust the State Assembly to do justice to this bill so that we can protect our forests.”

ERA/FoEN appreciates the event organised by the state ministry of environment , as it is first of its kind and we hope there would be positive outcomes,” he said.

Governor Diri emphasised that his administration was determined to protect such reserves through the legal framework.

He further said, already, communities like Apoi in Southern Ijaw and Egbebiri in Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area have laws preventing the felling of certain fruits like Irvingia gabonesis (ogbono or bush mango and bush bean). He added that there is need to support such communities driven efforts with enabling laws with a view to preserving our forests stressing that.

This can boost Tourism industry.”

“It is interesting that somebody that came from Cameroon has told us about an only specie in the world found in our state and yet we cannot protect it. So this bill should look at ways and means of preserving such few species in our forests.”

The governor, who also frowned at the use of dynamite by fishermen, noted that the bill should make the use of explosives on the state’s waterways an offence.

Diri asserted that as a government that preaches prosperity, it cannot fold its arms and watch forests in the state being degraded.

He directed the Commissioner for Environment to rejuvenate the forest guards and deploy them to their

In the same vein, Executive Director of Trees For Life Initiative, Chief B. Okolo, presented a medicinal plant, Dogoyaro, to the governor and his deputy. He lauded the Ministry of Environment for the programme which is aimed creating awareness and sustainability of the Forest Reserves which have, ignorantly, been depleted for pecuniary gains .

Highpoint of the ceremony was the planting of trees by Senator Diri alongside his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and other top government functionaries.

PAGE 45

“

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

SportsLive

National Sports Festival: Time to Return to The Basics

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

I

t has been non-stop thrills at the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Edo2020, taking place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Studium, in Benin City.

From the very first day, records have fallen and stars have emerged to the limelight of reckoning in different categories. In the same vein, there have been moments that have stirred controversies, such as the fielding of heavily pregnant Amina Idrees who won gold in the Poomsae Taekwondo Event at the Games. Even at that, the Games can be seen to have provided concurrence with the position of the President Muhammadu Buhari.

The National Sports Festival almost came to an abrupt end on Thursday as the Edo State Government threatened to stop the fiesta over non-release of funds promised by the Federal Government.

On Tuesday, President Buhari had affirmed the unitive power of sports in festering unity in the country in his remarks at the opening ceremony and urged the athletes representing different states and picked from the pool of athletes available to give it their all so that they too can be be considered worthy to represent the nation at global sporting events as their forebears have so reverently done before them.

While declaring the Games open, the President traced the trajectory of the competition all the way back to its roots when he remarked that holding another edition of the Games was “indeed in consonant with the aspiration of our founding fathers such as General Yakubu Gowon, late Major General Henry Adebokwe, late Brigadier Samuel Ogbumudia and others who initiated and brought this event to the limelight.”

THEWILL considered it intriguing that by a stroke of good fortune, the 20th edition of the NSF hosted in an ultra modern stadium named after none other than Ogbemudia, one of the pioneering patrons of the whole idea of a national competition that will provide a basis for bonding, camaraderie, sportsmanship, friendship and ultimately convivial unity at a time when a varied set of divisive issues threaten the very fabric of national cohesion.

To more readily appreciate the significance of these two aspects of this specific 20th edition, that is the coincidence of the Games taking place in the venue named after Samuel Ogbemudia, on the one hand, and the objective of a united Nigeria that was at the ideation of a nationwide sports festival, and to highlight the need to continuously support festivals like this for the discovering of talents, THEWILL looks at the NSF from its origins to its current terminal at the revered ancient city of Benin.

The NSF was conceived as a biennial multi-sport event organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Sports Commission for athletes from all the States of Nigeria. The vision of the General Yakubu Gowon administration was to exploit the uniting characteristics of sports to promoting peace and cross-cultural affiliation in Nigeria and use it as an instrument to reconcile Nigerians after the bloody 30-month long Civil War ended in January 1970.

Lagos played host of the maiden edition of the festival in July 1973, staging the festival at the magnificent National Stadium, Surulere, which was an architectural marvel at the time. All the 12 States of the federation were duly represented at the festival and, unlike what currently applies, it was designed to accommodate three categories of athletes: athletes aged under-13, the intermediate and then, the senior athletes.

It so happened that Bendel State (Bendel State was formed in 1963 from the Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region) under their then sports loving Military Governor, Brigadier Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, after whom the current host venue is named, won the inaugural edition, beating the host Lagos to emerge overall winner.

As an end-product of the uniting purpose of initiation of these Games, the competitions were to have the added role of developing and training of athletes who will come as representatives of their various States and will emerge as national champions to represent Nigeria at continental and international meets. Combined, these two purposes became the foundational basis for the NSF at conception.

Around these twin purposes, the following founding objectives were crafted to keep the purposes in perspective on the decades to come: To build a robust talent pool of athletes; To enhance and elevate sports at grassroots level; To establish a standard programme for athletes’ succession; To enhance and elevate sports at grassroots level; To curb age cheating in Sports; To encourage early participation in Sports;

PAGE 46

“

A longer interval of postponements ensued as there were no Games held until 1996 in Makurdi after which a run of regular games continued with Imo in 1998, Bauchi’s second in 2000, Edo in 2002, the Federal Capital Territory Abuja in 2004 and Ogun in 2006.

To engage young athletes in the Olympic Movement, skill development and social responsibility; To enhance cultural and educational development; To promote National unity.

These were noble objectives that, were they religiously adhered to today as they used to in the years that followed that debut edition at the National Stadium in Lagos, the sports fortunes of Nigeria will have been the toast of, not just the rest of the continent alone but, countries across the globe. This is so because all major sporting events were entered for the Games and were accorded equal treatments.

However, no sooner had the NSF kicked off than its very existence was threatened at the 2nd edition. There was a bloodless coup that ousted the Gowon regime just as the contingents from the States in the country had already converged on Lagos. But, because of the importance attached to the unity character of sports and desiring to keep anything promoting unity alive, the new regime of General Murtala Mohammed decided to allow the Games proceed as scheduled.

In the editions that followed, the process of qualification was straightforward. Athletes were selected for state-wide competitions based on those who succeeded at grassroots competitions at the local government level. Those who were victorious at the states’ sports festivals automatically became contingents that represented their States to participate at the NSF. The governors of the States provided support to enable their representatives participate and so it continued.

After the second hosting in Lagos in 1975, which the General

Mohamed junta allowed to hold, the National Sports Commission (NSC), under whose auspices the events are organised, believed that it was in keeping with the basis of national unity to rotate the hosting rights of the NSF so that States can work towards hosting to welcome athletes from other states, develop their own capacity, have athletes from other States learn about different parts of the country and to give Lagos State a break.

In the immediate aftermath of that rotational decision, Kaduna State picked up the first non-Lagos hosting rights and was, therefore, the venue of the festival in 1977. Athletes discovered during the festivals formed the bedrock of the country’s national teams and majority of them represented the country in the third All Africa Games in Algeria in 1978.

Oyo State succeeded Kaduna for the rights to be the host of the 4th edition of the NSF, which they tagged Oluyole ‘79. In 1981, it fell to the current hosts, Edo State, for their first rodeo of hosting a nationwide festival. In like manner, the festival moved around the different states in the country. There was Kwara 1985 and Bendel 81.

Yet, just as State representatives were beginning to get into the cycle of a biennial challenge of their gifts and talents, and those ready for the 1983 edition of the Games, the history of postponements that the NSF was to suddenly become infamous for began. An uncertain political situation in the country from the military coup of General Muhammadu Buhari was responsible for the officials to the Ministry of Sports preventing the Games from holding.

The next time another event held was in 1988, after a seven-year gap caused by instability and a lack of vision in the planning phase. The 1988 edition was hosted by Rivers State and took place in the capital city of Port Harcourt. Then, there was the case of Bauchi that nearly turned into a bloody footnote in the annals of the NSF. Bauchi’s first hosting, of 1991, was marred by violence of a religious nature.

A longer interval of postponements ensued as there were no Games held until 1996 in Makurdi after which a run of regular games continued with Imo in 1998, Bauchi’s second in 2000, Edo in 2002, the Federal Capital Territory Abuja in 2004 and Ogun in 2006.

Kaduna hosted again, after a year-long delay to get ready, in 2009, then Rivers State followed for their second in 2011, while Lagos picked the responsibilities for the 2012 edition because it had been agreed upon before the delays caused by Kaduna.

Then came the drama of the 2014 set of disappointing setbacks for States and, especially, the athletes. The hosting responsibility fell on Cross River State, which was having the honour of organising the events for the first time and it was the first time that a city bidded to host the Games. Former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke was set to use the 19th edition of the NSF to showcase the rich heritage and hospitality of Calabar to everyone watching, for which they tagged it “Paradise Games”. *Continues online at www. thewillnigeria.com

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG

PAGE 47

APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2021 www.thewillnigeria.com

PAGE 48

THEWILLNIGERIA

THEWILLNG