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Labour Party: Nigeria’s Emerging ‘Third Force’

Katangua: Flea Market For All

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IS NOW WHOLLY DIGITAL And so, during this issue’s TOC meeting, our Downtown Confidential writer pitched ‘Getting Deflowered,’ I thought ‘that should juggle a few memories.’ And like Betty’s manager said, “It's happening every day, and people want to hear about it.”

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

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nly recently, while I waited in the queue (not a long one at all) for fuel, the song Tonight is The Night by Betty Wright played on the radio, and I remembered hearing it play in our family living room as a little girl. I hadn’t really listened to the song’s lyrics, but that day, as I waited my turn at the petrol station, I realised why the singer’s mum said, “I like the music, you know baby, the melody is very nice. But I know you’re not gonna sing that song!”

The last sentence was the only line I knew from the song, perhaps because of her dramatic rendition of her mother’s reaction to the lyrics.

Our story talks about how a young lady and her first love decided it was time.

That is a vital ingredient for any young woman who decides to embark on sexual activities for the ‘first time.’ She must first be sure that she is ready and absolutely certain that she wants it with that person. It should never be to please her partner because you never know where that relationship will go. That’s my opinion; it’s different for everyone. While for some people it’s a big deal, for others, it’s a simple act that needs to happen, and then life goes on.

I have heard horrid tales of being forced by the boyfriend at the time with threats of leaving her if she didn’t give in, and the young girl in love, or so she thought at the time, gave him what he wanted. Needless to say, he moved on to his next conquest.

But not all men are mean. Some, like the young man in our story, are more than happy to wait. And let’s not forget that the experience differs for each person.

And so, in the words of Betty Wright, “Everybody, think back to your very first time.”

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Onah Nwachukwu Editor, THEWILL DOWNTOWN @onahluciaa +2349088352246

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COVER

LabourParty:Nigeria’sEmerging‘ThirdForce’

BY AMOS ESELE WITH ADDITIONAL REPORT FROM AYO ESAN he concept of a third force in Nigerian politics began to gain ground in 2019, when a rising tide of nonperformance by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) started dominating public perception.

“Furthermore, the ‘3rd Force’ Mega Electoral Pact is proposed around agreement on labour charter of demand, EndSars youths demands and constitutional referendum for Nigeria, among others to be agreed as terms of the Alliance for the 2023 elections,” Bello said.

In 2022, nine months to the 2023 general election, a month to the national conventions of the 18 registered political parties and a few months to two off-season governorship elections in Ekiti State on June 18 and in Osun State on July 16, a group known as The National Consultative Forum formally announced the formation of a third force on May 22.

EKITI AND OSUN POLLS AS TEST CASES The test for Bello’s claim of membership strength came during the final two off-season governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, a few weeks after Mr Peter Obi emerged presidential candidate of Labour Party on May 30 in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

According to Bilikis Bello, Communication Executive of NCFront, in a statement titled, ‘At Last! Labour Party Emerge as the Third Force Mega Party for 2023,’ it took a 15-month interaction among stakeholders, comprising the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba; President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Quadri Olaleye and leaders of political parties, such as Prof Attahiru Jega of the Peoples Redemption Party, Prof Pat Utomi of the Labour Party and Senator Saidu Dansadau of the National Rescue Movement, to birth the ‘Force’.

In Ekiti, the Labour Party’s candidate, Comrade Roland Olugbenga Daramola, was unseen and unheard before the election. Out of the 16 governorship candidates, he was even unavailable during campaigns and during the voting, LP was noticeable for having no agents standing in for the party across polling units in the state. This lack of presence was explained away because the party as a ‘third force’ was barely a monthold.

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“With the adoption of the Labour Party as our ‘3rd Force’ Mega Party penultimate week, the NCFront has since commenced the fusion of its structures of over 20 million members and supporters nationwide into the Labour Party.

“Consequently, our teeming members all over Nigeria and in Diaspora have been directed to register immediately as members of the Labour Party at all designated registration centres, both online and physically at the Ward Levels, to be able to take part in the ongoing electoral programmes of the Party for the 2023 elections.

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Twenty million members and supporters across the country?

A month later, the story remained the same in the Osun poll.

LP’s candidate, Yussuf Lasun, was former Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives. Unlike Ekiti, he campaigned vigorously and two days to the close of campaigns on Friday, Obi led the party’s bigwigs to Osun to drum up support for him.

He came a distant fourth. Out of the total number of 804, 450 votes cast, Lasun polled 2,729, trailing the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Kehinde Atanda, who polled 10,104 votes; Akinade Ogunbiyi of Accord, who got 4,515 votes; and the winner, Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, who polled 403,371 votes to defeat incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 375,027 votes.

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In fact, Lasun was in the same league with Awojide Segun of Action Alliance Congress (ACC), who polled 2,148 votes; Ademola Adeseye of Young Peoples Party (YPP) with 1,303 votes; Awoyemi Lukuman, African Peoples Movement, APM who got 1,222 votes; and Ayowole Adedeji of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), who polled 1,007 votes.

For Obi, the election was not a verdict on the LP’s “exponentially growing strength,” but it underscored the need for Nigerians not to relent in the collective resolve to take back their country. “We are barely one month old and have to contend with powers that have been on the ground for decades.”

That may be arguable. In 2014, the APC, arising from a merger of four legacy parties in February 2013, was barely a yearold when the Osun poll took place. The party’s candidate and incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, won the election and boosted the new party’s image and launched it to national prominence.

Osun State LP chairman of the party, Prince Adebayo Bello, however, agrees with the party’s presidential candidate.

He told THEWILL on Friday: “You cannot compare what happened in the Osun election with what is going to happen at the national election. Our candidate was a major and popular candidate. He was the man to beat in terms of campaign but lost to the power of vote inducement. Yet, his campaign has made the Labour Party a household name in Osun and we are going ahead to build the party at the ward and local government level ahead of the 2023 elections. Because of the way he popularised the party the ‘ObiDient’ Movement now has a structure in the state.’’

His Ekiti counterpart concurs with his submission. According to Barrister Okunade Odunayo, in a brief interview with THEWILL, “the people are now realising what we were telling them about the need to vote for credible candidates and party

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COVER

Labour Party: Nigeria’s Emerging ‘Third Force’

now that the NLC and TUC will be embarking on protests next week. They have realised that the vote selling for a pot of soup cannot lead to solving the problems of poverty and unemployment. I was in Osun for the campaigns. Like we did in Ekiti, we campaigned from house to house. The awareness of the people about LP has been raised so much that I can confidently tell you that Obi will win in 2023.”

likely chances in the 2023 election, a delegation from the United States-based National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute (NDIIRI) said on Friday that Obi and former Kano Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, constitute a real force in the upcoming general election in 2023. According to them, the 2023 elections would be a departure from some of the political dynamics that defined previous polls in Nigeria.

But one of Obi’s rivals for the plum job in the land and presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiki Abubakar, ridicules the idea.

The delegation of the NDI/IRI, which visited Nigeria from July 13-22 and led by the Secretary of State for Ohio, Frank LaRose, made this disclosure while presenting its first joint preelection assessment statement to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

“Peter Obi is not a threat. I really don’t expect the Labour Party to take as many votes from the PDP as people are suggesting.

We could have seen it in the last election in Osun State. What was the performance of the Labour Party?” he said, in an interview last week with ARISE television.

“They (Obi’s supporters) are talking about social media. Mind you, in the North, 90 per cent of our people (who will be voting) are not on social media. This party does not have a governor, does not have members in the State Houses of Assembly.

And politics in this country depends on structures you have at various levels and at the national level. It is difficult for a miracle to happen simply because Obi is in the Labour Party.”

For many APC stalwarts, PDP’s defeat of the governing party still does not reduce them to the same level as LP or make the party popular in the state. They trace their defeat to many factors, including the crisis within the party arising from disagreements among aggrieved chieftains, overbearing influence of some founding fathers in the state.

OBI’S POPULARITY AS DRIVING FORCE There is no doubt that since he became the LP standard bearer in the 2023 presidential poll, Obi has not only popularised LP, he is almost synonymous with the party as far as the 2023 general election is concerned.

Obioma Dan, a chieftain of the LP said: “The most potent ground force propelling this hurricane-like movement (ObiDient) remains the character, pedigree, records and achievements of Obi and not necessarily his party. He is giving meaning and followership to the LP. “Unfortunately, Obi was not on the ballot paper in Osun, rather an unknown Yusuf Lasun, who battled against very highly entrenched political heavy weights, including his political godfathers.’’

Going forward, the LP in fielding candidates whose character, integrity, records, profile, political philosophy, achievements have corresponding symmetry with those of Obi and at the same time, it should square up with the political strength/ weight of other contesting party candidates. This is the easiest way to evaluate and align the common vision and attract more sympathy cum votes to the young and enterprising and rapidly advancing party.

March Oyinchi, National Director of Movement for Change Worldwide, one of the 21 approved groups that formed the Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO), said that apart from giving life to LP, Obi is the most visible face of the party for now.

“But when the campaign starts, other big wigs will join the bandwagon to push the party to the 2023 destination,” he told THEWILL on Friday.

Explaining the level of coordination and grassroots impact recorded by the movement so far, he used the work that his organisation has done in eight states in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones with ongoing work in Oyo and Ogun states, as examples.

“In Bayelsa State where I am now (on Friday), we have 370 CPOs networking in all the eight Local governments. We have Diaspora chapters, which also help to sensitise their people back home, apart from providing material support. Campaign is yet to start. For now, it is only networking and getting people to get their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs,” Oyinchi added.

Ekiti chairman, Odunayo, adds his voice. “The big wigs you are talking about will soon come out. They are still underground now because of the security situation in the country.”

Confirming the growing strength of the ‘third force,’ and its

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They said: “The 2023 elections are a departure from some of the political dynamics that defined previous polls. For the first time since 2007, the presidential election will be an open contest with no incumbent.

“The ruling All Progressives Congress selected former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, as its flagbearer. Former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will contest on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“However, the emergence of Peter Obi — former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate for the Labour Party — and Rabiu Kwankwaso — former Kano governor and presidential candidate for the New Nigeria People’s Party — as viable “Third Forces” has excited many young Nigerians.

If a third party draws sufficient support, a runoff presidential election could be a real possibility for the first time since the transition to democracy, adding complexity to the 2023 elections.”

National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure and flagbearer, Obi, refused to pick their calls when THEWILL called them on Friday.

Attempts to get reaction from the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, also failed as he refused to answer the phone call made to him.

YOU’RE STRETCHING THE ARGUMENT TOO FAR PDP His PDP counterpart, Debo Ologunagba, however thinks referencing LP as a third force to contend with in the upcoming general election is stretching the argument too far. He told THEWILL that structure, a euphemism for party representatives

“

The 2023 elections are a departure from some of the political dynamics that defined previous polls. For the first time since 2007, the presidential election will be an open contest with no incumbent.

“The ruling All Progressives Congress selected former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, as its flagbearer. Former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will contest on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party

in terms of governors, lawmakers and local government chairmen, matters a great deal.

“I know for any party to win an election, it must have structure.

The outcome of the Osun governorship election should actually determine for us whether the Labour Party can actually be described as a Third Force. LP got just a little above 2000 votes in the Osun poll. If you want to assess it on the basis of that performance, can you say that it is a Third Force? This is a party that has no structure. Politics is about structure from the national to the lowest unit. This is a party with no national assembly member, no governor, no local government chairman.

You cannot build something on nothing. Labour is a party, but to say it is a third force, no. The results from the recent offseason elections did not portray it as such.”

WE’LL WIN 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - LP But the spokesperson of Obi, Mr Valentine Obienyen, disagrees with the views expressed by Ologunagba . For him, Labour and Obi are going to win the 2023 presidential election. He told THEWILL in a brief interview, Saturday morning, that, “from what is happening in Nigeria today and going by the Peter Obi’s antecedents compared with that of the other presidential contestants, it is a clear win for Obi.” Expatiating further, he said that from field reports, “Obi is the most accepted candidate in Nigeria today,” arguing that the performance of the party in Ekiti and Osun governorship polls cannot be used as a test case for what would happen at the national election.

APC NOT LOSING SLEEP OVER ‘THIRD FORCE’ CHIEFTAIN For a chieftain of the APC, and Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, the governing party is not losing sleep over the growing impact of the “Third Force’ and Labour Party, though he recognises LP’s growing presence in the polity.

He told THEWILL: “We are not threatened at all because there are about 180,000 polling units in the country and we are the main party, covering all the nooks and crannies of our dear country. The Labour Party is yet to cover such mileage. But we must thank Peter Obi and his OBIdient movement for their innovation. One, they will knock off PDP from their traditional electoral base. This gives the PDP goose pimples.

Secondly, the OBIdient movement has captured the imagination of our youths who were hitherto despondent and almost hopeless and luckily made them think positively about Nigeria . One sincerely commends them for this feat. Even if the movement didn’t achieve anything, they have already achieved something for the Nigerian State. It is not easy to capture the imagination of our cynical youths. Now they are talking of the President of Nigeria, and on behalf of APC, we promise to sustain their hopes with good governance. I appreciate them but we are not threatened, for we have the number - 22 governors and majority in the national and state Assembly.”

OBI MAY WIN THE FIRST BALLOT - DON Professor Yakubu Ochefu, an economic historian and Secretary of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigeria thinks the “major political parties need not only to worry but to expect major upsets by the Third Force presented by LP since Obi became its presidential candidate.”

Speaking to THEWILL, he said the commitment of the youths pushing the ‘ObiDient Movement’, shows that the demography in the 2023 general elections will be different.

He said; “Given the increasing awareness of the youths and their readiness to mobilize across the country, rushing to get their PVCs and focus on making a change of leadership presented by Obi is something to watch out for. So far, the two major political parties which have dominated the political space for over 20 years do not seem to present anything different from the policies and programmes they implemented while in office. Moreover, they are plagued by crises that reflect their old, uninspiring ways of doing things. This is also causing disaffection among a wider spectrum of eligible voters who see the “Third Force” as a viable alternative.”

Ochefu seems to agree with the NDI/IRI delegation report as he maintained that given the public disenchantment of the major parties, the electronic transmission of results and ongoing mobilisation by the OBIdient movement, Obi may win in the first ballot or force a rerun as the NDI/IRI has said.

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NEWS VSF Donates Food Items, Solar-Powered Boreholes to C’River FROM BASSEY ANIEKAN CALABAR

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L-R: Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gamabri; SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha; Deputy Speaker, Hon Idris Wase; President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan; APC National Chairman, Sen Abdullahi Adamu; President Muhammadu Buhari; VP Candidate, Sen Kashim Shettima; Kebbi State Governor, Sen Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Bunu and Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum during a meeting with APC Stakeholders at the State House Abuja on July 22, 2022.

Sacked Bayelsa Teachers Beg Diri For Reinstatement

Ogun Inducts 22 Trade Subject Officers

FROM DAVID OWEI YENAGOA

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ver 350 secondary school teachers that were unlawfully sacked in Bayelsa State by former governor, Seriake Dickson, in 2012 have cried out to Governor Douye Diri to obey the National Industrial Court ruling, which ordered their immediate reinstatement and payment of their backlog of salaries.

It would be recalled that Dickson, upon assumption of office in 2012, embarked on a civil servants biometrics verification exercise, which led to the sacking, demotion and suspension of many civil servants in Bayelsa State, especially those employed by his predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Not satisfied with their sacking, the aggrieved teachers went to the National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa and prayed the court to order the state government to reinstate them, a prayer the court obliged to and ruled that the teachers were unlawfully sacked and therefore ordered the state government to reinstate and pay them all their benefits.

Another group nof aggrieved teachers approached the Port Harcourt division of the court to seek redress, which the court also ruled in their favour with an order that they should be reinstated and their backlog of salary arrears paid to them.

Despite obtaining a twin ruling from the court, the affected teachers had continued to wait in vain to be reabsorbed into the state civil service.

Having explored all avenues available to them to no avail, the frustrated teachers were left with no other option than to reapproach the court, seeking a garnishee order to compel commercial banks used by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to pay the salaries of civil servants to release the funds owed the litigants, the court granted their request. But the court order is yet to be implemented by the state government.

On Thursday, during a sitting at the Industrial Court in Yenagoa where the court had ordered the banks to produce statements of accounts for the teachers’ payments, the Counsel to SUBEB, which represents the state government in the THEWILLNIGERIA

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case, filed a fresh application for a stay of proceedings.

Consequently, the presiding Judge, Justice Bashar A. Akali adjourned the case to October 13, 2022 for hearing on the application.

Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, the Counsel to the judgement creditors (the teachers), Barr.

Martin Nwabali, said, “Today, the court ordered the banks, which the judgement creditors are planning to garnishee, to produce the statement and inflow of the accounts, which one of the banks has produced which is the third garnishee, but the second judgement creditor, which is SUBEB, brought an application for stay of proceedings, which the judgement creditors had already responded to.

“But previously, the court had already dealt with all these issues of stays and delays in an attempt to frustrate the judgement creditors who are the teachers.

The court, in its wisdom has ordered that in the next adjourned date, both parties should exchange their processes so that the court can determine on the garnishee which is a huge amount of money accruing to the teachers,” he said.

Nwabali emphasised that there was no defence on the part of the judgement debtors, noting that what they were doing was a delay strategy aimed at tying up the case in appeal, maintaining that there was no appeal for the court to stay proceedings other that what he described as mere notice of appeal on which the court had previously given judgement in favour of the plaintiffs.

Counsel to SUBEB, Derry Eric, said the only way to the end of the case was for both parties to come together and resolve the issues amicably, adding,‘’Both parties have been meeting and I believe that the government is a listening one.”

One of the victims, Mr Steven Vianana, described their ordeal as an administrative error on the part of the state government.

He appealed to Governor Diri, whom he described as a beneficiary of the rule of law, to consider their plight and do the needful.

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FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

gun State Government has inducted 22 Trade Subject Delivery Officers (TSDOs), in order to improve qualitative teaching and learning of Trade Subjects across secondary schools in the state.

The government increased the number of officers to ensure effective coordination and empower students with the relevant skills needed to be self- sustainable and job creators.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical and Vocational Education, Prof Joseph Odemuyiwa, said that the move was intended to guarantee the smooth implementation of the National Policy on Education, that every secondary school student must be offered one trade subject at least.

Odemuyiwa called on the inductees to complement government’s drive by ensuring seamless implementation, stressing that their contribution would boost school curriculum and provide employment opportunity for technical education students He said, “This is a responsibility that will boost your curriculum, project your area of specialisation, give you the opportunity of contributing to the provision of employment through technical and vocational education in Ogun State, which is the focus of this administration” “Whatever teaching and learning one is going through that is not guaranteeing economic viability is not education. I want to charge those of you appointed by the state government to handle the delivery of qualitative technical and vocational education as pioneers in this area to put in your best.”

“There is another policy on education known as the national policy on science and technology education, within which you will operate to ensure that TVET in Ogun State is delivered the way it should.

Let me also add that the purpose for this move is to bring you in as experts in our various secondary schools so that we will be able to focus on qualitative delivery of trade subjects as a way of catching them young for technical and engineering discipline,” he added.

ictims Support Fund (VSF), a nongovernmental organization, has donated food and medical items worth M150 million to the Cross River State Government. This is in addition to three solar-powered water boreholes constructed in three schools in the senatorial districts of the state.

The benefitting schools are Okurike Agwaguene Primary School in Biase; Community Secondary School, Uchu Yache in Yala and Abote Comprehensive Secondary School, Ekureku in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Speaking during the symbolic commissioning of the Okurike Primary School borehole, the Chairperson, Victims Support Fund COVID-19 Taskforce, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said Cross River was the 35th state in the federation to benefit from the fund.

She said the VSF was in the state on the instruction of its Chairman, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), to hand over the items to the good people of the state.

She said General Danjuma set up the task force to respond to the needs of Nigerians across the various states.

“We don’t just throw money at projects, but ensure that we are maximising impact on our intended beneficiaries.

“The VSF has the responsibility to go into the hinterlands, rural communities that were hitherto forgotten perhaps by the government and individuals to really do programmes that can touch People’s lives,” he said.

VSF chairperson enumerated part of the interventionist projects to include the distribution of health facilities and consumables, food items, provision of boreholes among several others.

She stressed that the organisation had made serious impact by touching several lives that may have been forgotten by many.

Ogunsiji added that the organisation had to scale up its interventionist programme to meet up with the numerous challenges associated with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought setbacks to economies of households.

Receiving the food and medical items on behalf of the state, the Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Janet Ekpenyong, said the items would go a long way to alleviate the suffering of the people.

She said the government would ensure the items were distributed to the people who need it.

In his earlier remarks, the representative of Okurike Community, Chief Dickson Ogban, said the community was pleased with the project.

He added that the water project would help in solving the water challenge faced by residents of the community.

The Head Teacher of Okurike Presbyterian Primary School, Mrs Jessie Okorie, commended TY Danjuma’s organisation for extending his hand of fellowship through the water scheme project.

She said the project would ease the challenge facing the pupils and the entire community.

Food Items donated included rice, beans, salt, vegetable oil, salt and garri while the medical materials included hand sanitizers, safety suits, boots and goggles.

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POLITICS

Presidential Pardon: Dariye, Others Still in Prison, 3 Months After into the Plateau political space where his presence may turn into an elixir and reagent that will neutralise their own agenda to remain politically relevant and survive into the dispensation coming in 2023.

Lalong is accused of using his position as Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum to lobby an antiDariye/Nyamme community in the North, including encouraging the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to be continually ‘overwhelmed by state matters and unavailable to dispatch official communication to the authorities of the Correctional Service to implement the amnesty’.

While questions are being asked about who is sitting on or frustrating the presidential pardon and why nobody is asking questions as to who is challenging the President as the highest authority in the country, the office of the Attorney- General and Minister of Justice is being accused of complicity and deliberate cogs to extract some gratification from the agonising duo of Dariye and Nyamme or their acquaintances before he performs his official and lawful duty.

Three months ago, the excuse bandied by apologists of those sabotaging the process was that Malami was away in Saudi Arabia and thus, he was unavailable to dispatch official correspondence on the matter to the appropriate body.

BY UKANDI ODEY

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enultimate Thursday, July 14, marked three months since the National Council of State, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, granted amnesty to over 300 prisoners, among who are two high-profile personalities and ex-governors, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyamme.

Several grounds were considered by the National Council of State before giving its nod to the proposal that amnesty be granted the said prisoners. Prominent among the reasons for this was illness and deteriorating health, to which category Dariye and Nyame belong.

With the pronouncement, legal luminaries argued that the freedom of the affected prisoners was to be effected within 24 hours, as anything more than that would amount to false imprisonment. The affected persons could also be entitled to redress by approaching the court of law to seek compensation for what is also tantamount to contempt of the law and presidential fiat.

According to legal experts, by virtue of the pardon, the Federal Ministry of Justice, having been the prosecutor in the cases that jailed the affected persons, is expected to immediately write to the authority of the Nigeria Correctional Service, officially informing it and confirming the state pardon as pronounced by President Buhari and endorsed and strengthened by the National Council of State, and direct the Service to unconditionally release those affected so as to enable them to return to their homes and join their families.

However, three months after the presidential goodwill and magnanimity, there is a disturbing twist to the matter, with a rumour making the rounds that the amnesty has been hijacked by desperate and daredevil politicians, who have a huge political capital to garner if the incarceration of the former governors continues.

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Dariye

Nyame

More than 90 days on, Malami has not only returned from his ‘official engagement’ in Saudi Arabia, he has had enough time outside his official time to even marry a third wife in a colourful ceremony. And the question resonates: Who is disrespecting the President’s order and why is nobody asking questions?

“

However, three months after the presidential goodwill and magnanimity, there is a disturbing twist to the matter, with a rumour making the rounds that the amnesty has been hijacked by desperate and daredevil politicians This perspective claimed initially that the calculation and objective of these political traducers and mischief makers was to ensure that the two former governors remain behind bars till after the political parties’ primaries in order that their release did not alter the projections and permutations of the primaries that were literally pre-determined.

In this regard, in Plateau State, the bad news circulating is that Governor Simon Lalong and other Dariye ‘boys’ in his administration have been complicit in the scheme and intrigues hatched to thwart the implementation of the amnesty and to that extent, frustrate Dariye’s release

A fortnight ago, a former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd.) called his directive, arguing that what matters more in the circumstances is the authority of the order not whether the order is well received by the people or not.

Last week, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Garba Pwul, in a chat with journalists, described as “immoral”, the refusal by the authorities concerned to execute the presidential pardon, in spite of the fact that the President is unarguably the highest authority in the land. Contending that the attempt by some authority figures to thwart the presidential directive amounts to contempt of law and is actionable, Paul also wondered why nobody is asking questions while the presidential order is being disregarded and advised the lawyers of those affected to take some steps to confirm those obstructing the presidential pardon, and eventually give life to the same instrument which was due to become operational within twenty four hours after pronouncement.

Last week, a coalition of groups against the continued incarceration of Dariye three months after presidential Pardon, in a press statement in Jos, commended the President, the National Council of State and Governor Simon Lalong on the state pardon granted their son.

Noting that the entire gesture is a demonstration of love and concern towards Dariye, his family, and the people of Plateau State, the group also said its “deep concern at the moment is the continued incarceration of Senator Joshua Dariye, Dr Jolly Nyame, and others despite the pardon granted them by National Council of State three months ago.”

The widely gaining impression among people is that a particular force or a conspiracy of forces is frustrating the execution of the presidential pardon for Dariye and others. Whether the President is aware is a probability that gives cause to the surmise that the subsisting refusal to execute the amnesty is manifestly and eloquently a case of bitter politics and corruption in high places.

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POLITICS NEWS 2023: INEC Needs to Properly Educate Voters FROM SAMPSON UHUEGBU, OWERRI

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ne of the official duties of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to educate the general public during elections. Indeed, It is a clear-cut responsibility that needs not be kept beneath the truth.

In as much as it is a civic responsibility of every Nigerian to participate in the election as citizens, it is also advisable that voters are kept abreast of developments as it pertains to the forthcoming polls. Many might not have gotten it right if they were never guided properly on what to do and how it should be done.

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma (middle); Head of Service, Barr Raymond Ucheoma (right), and Chief Political Adviser/Head, Political Bureau to Governor Hope Uzodimma, Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu, after their swearing-in at the New Exco Chamber, Government House, Owerri on July 22, 2022

Anambra, Ekiti, Osun Elections Show I’m Committed to Credible Polls – Buhari

BY AYO ESAN

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resident Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja declared that the off-season elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States have confirmed his administration’s irreversible commitment to credible and violencefree polls in the country.

Receiving a delegation from Nasarawa State, the President urged the electorate to vote the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections to ensure continuity in the polity, and stability in the country and West African region.

The President told the high-powered delegation led by the State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, that the Electoral Act, signed by him earlier this year, was an attestation of the fulfilment of the administration’s determination and commitment to the tenets of the rule of law.

He said, “On the issues of credible, free and fair elections in the country, I have always re-assured my listeners both at home and abroad that my personal desire and indeed the priority of this administration is to bequeath to our nation an irreversible political process that continues to be both democratic and acceptable to the people. ‘‘My desire for our nation is that the 2023 elections should clearly mark the commencement of the institutional strength of our electoral body in conducting acceptable, credible and violence-free elections. ‘‘The forthcoming general election will provide us with the opportunity to convince the electorate of the need for continuity to enable our party to consolidate on our achievements in the last Seven years. ‘‘The government and people of Nasarawa State, as usual, have a great role to play in returning our party to governance in the 2023 elections, in order to create a path for greater socio- economic growth and development. This is not only important for Nigeria alone but also for the West African Sub-Region.’’

Noting that Nasarawa remains very dear to his heart, President Buhari described the State as the symbol of hope and THEWILLNIGERIA

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determination in collective efforts to entrench democracy in Nigeria.

He recounted that in 2011, the state stood out during the general elections of that year, as the one State that compensated the political efforts in the then Congress for Progressive Change, defying rigging and ensuring that their voices mattered. ‘‘To demonstrate this admiration and appreciation to the people of Nasarawa State, I personally attended the inauguration of Governor Tanko Al- Makura on May 29, 2011. In 2015 and 2019, the State remained one of the strongholds of our great party, the APC. ‘‘I am optimistic that the people of the State, the APC Government and this broad representation of your delegation will not disappoint me, as we sustain concerted efforts in pushing forward the frontiers of good governance in our country.’’

President Buhari also used the occasion to stress the need for partnerships among the three tiers of government in order to deliver good governance, infrastructure and critical services needed by the people.

He pledged commitment to the jointefforts by the State and the Federal Governments to facilitate easy transportation by road, railways and airports as well as power as no nation can develop without these components of infrastructure. ‘‘The proximity of Nasarawa State to the FCT naturally makes the State a partner in infrastructural development.

We therefore need more collaboration to enhance this proximity with other contiguous States to achieve more integrated development,’’ the President said, expressing appreciation to the Government and people of the State for their continuing support to his administration.

Governor Sule told the President that the delegation comprising political office holders, royal fathers and community leaders was in the Villa to show appreciation for the numerous projects executed by the Buhari Administration which Nasarawa State ‘‘is among the great beneficiaries.’’

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Gemade, Shija Drag APC, Alia to Court over Primary Election FROM KAJO MARTINS, MAKURDI

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wo governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Engr.

Barnabas Gemade and Prof Terhemba Shija, have dragged the party before a Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi.

In the suit, the two aspirants are challenging the conduct of the APC governorship primary election that returned Revd Fr. Hyacinth Alia as the party’s candidate in the state ahead of next year’s general election.

Joined in the suit are Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 2nd and 3rd defendants.

In an originating summon filed before the court, the plaintiffs prayed the court to hold that no primary election of any sort was conducted by APC in which Alia was nominated as the party’s standard flag bearer. They also p[rayed the court to order a fresh primary election.

At the commencement of hearing, lead Counsel for Prof. Shija, Barr S. I. Ikoni brought an ex parte application for substituted service on the 2nd defendant (Alia), pointing out that efforts to effect service on him by the court bailiff had failed.

Ruling on the matter, the presiding Judge, Justice Abdul Dogo granted the motion for substituted service on Fr Alia and adjourned the case to 12th September, 2022.

Engr. Barnabas Gemade, who was represented by his Counsel, M. Ozue, informed the court that all the defendants in the suit had served and applied for a hearing date of the substantive case.

Justice Abdul Dogo, accordingly, adjourned the case for hearing of the matter to the 28th of this month.

It would be recalled that Engr. Barnabas Gemade, during the APC panel sitting in Makurdi, had raised objection to the conduct of direct primaries to produce a governorship candidate, citing a sudden change from indirect to direct mode of primary overnight.

“Well, mine was to advice the panel and indeed, the party. The electoral laws are not made to be looked at but to be read inside all clauses.”

As the 2023 general election approaches, there is a need to look at the issuance of Permanent Voter Card (PVC), enlightenment and education of voters by the INEC staff especially in the rural areas for the interest of the electorate who want to cast their votes for candidates of their choices.

The eighteen (18) registered political parties should be familiarised with not only the voter in the rural areas, but every eligible voter should be made to know the logo of the platform under which their preferred flag bearers are vying.

Perhaps, in the past election years, some uneducated voters might have wrongly cast their votes for party “A” that has a similar logo identified with that of “B” without knowing they had missed the track.

In the 2015 State House of Assembly election, a certain woman in Ebonyi was quoted to have stabbed herself to death after she realised shortly after the exercise, that she was not properly guided on what to and that he voted for another candidate.

From the year 1999 till date, the level of surge

by Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Cards is alarmingly rising and this agitation has forced the electoral umpire to have extended the closing date to July, 31st, 2022.

During the day of election, all the agents representing various political parties are expected to be at the polling units to monitor the processes and ensure they win election at the end. It is the wish of Nigerians that political parties should also make complementary efforts towards making sure they sensitize the general public on what their party’s logos are.

Uzodinma Sacks 27 Imo IMC Chairmen

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overnor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has sacked the 27-man Interim Management Committee Chairmen of the state.

Uzodinma took this action after a closed door meeting with them at the Sam Mbakwe Executive Chambers, Government House, Owerri.

At the meeting, Governor Uzodinma thanked them for the services they rendered in their different local government areas since their appointment about two and half years ago and for their loyalty.

He also reminded them of his resolve to hold the local government area election in Imo State any moment from now and the need for him to appoint Sole Administrators who will oversee the coming election.

He told them that his government will not hesitate to engage their services in other areas they are found capable as APC members.

Responding, Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON) in Imo State, Mr Willie Okoliogo, who is also the Chairman of Oru West Local Government Area, on behalf of the sacked IMC Chairmen promised to remain loyal to the governor and the APC.

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POLITICS

BY AYO ESAN

T

he Osun State governorship election, which held on Saturday, July 16, 2022 has come and gone, but its result and the defeat of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who had hoped for a second term, will have implications on the forthcoming general election scheduled for February and March, 2023.

In the result announced by the Election Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 403,371 votes to defeat Governor Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 375,027 votes.

Prof Ogundipe declared Ademola Adeleke the winner of the election. He said that apart from winning the total majority votes, the PDP and its candidate also won in the majority of the state’s local government areas. The PDP won in 17 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while the APC won in 13.

The result of the election came as a shock to many Nigerians who believed that it would be difficult to defeat an incumbent state governor in an election.

Both the PDP and APC had interpreted the result in different ways. The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, saw his party’s victory in Osun State as an indication that the people were tired of the APC and welcoming the PDP. According to him, the PDP would follow up the victory in Osun with another victory at the presidential election in 2023.

On the other hand, National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu believed that the internal bickering within the Osun chapter of the party had cost it victory in the governorship election.

In a statement issued shortly after the announcement of the election result, penultimate Sunday, titled, ‘Osun people have spoken and Nigerians will speak too,’ Ayu said the convincing win by 403, 371 votes against Gov. Oyetola’s 375, 027 is ample proof of overwhelming support for the PDP in the state.

The statement reads in part, “Twelve years ago, specifically on November 26, 2010, the PDP lost Osun State - not through the ballot-box - but via a judicial coup (ruling).

“That coup (ruling) terminated the action-packed tenure of H.E.

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Oyetola

Adeleke

Osun Governorship: Implications

I also salute the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as security agencies for toeing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Since then, Osun was frozen in executive misrule and underdevelopment.

“Four years ago, the PDP won the governorship election, but our candidate, Sen. Adeleke, was robbed of victory in broad daylight. We went back to the drawing-board and today, we have reclaimed our victory.

“Today is, therefore, not just a day of double restoration – it is a day of redemption, too. It restores PDP to power and redeems the Osun people from the scourge of mediocrity, empty promises and excuses.

“I congratulate the two-time winner, the tenacious Adeleke. I congratulate the good people and residents of Osun State. I hail every party stakeholder who stood with us in action, prayers and hope.

“You have kept faith with the PDP. You refused to be intimidated.

You refused to be bought over with foodstuffs and 30 silver coins. You said no to thuggery and vote-fraud. You have done well.

“I thank the PDP National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship Election, headed by His Excellency, Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, for a superlative performance. I thank our vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, for his tireless work. PDP is proud of all of you.

“You have helped to return PDP to power after 12 years. You have returned hope to Osun State. But beyond this, you have renewed the quit notice on the reigning APC Federal government.

PDP first issued the quit notice in December last year when this present leadership assumed office.

“This election was a referendum on the disastrous APC stewardship, and proves conclusively that Nigerians want PDP back. And, indeed, PDP is coming!

“I also salute the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as security agencies for toeing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted.

“The task before us now is to transit from opposition to governance. This we shall do.

“With Osun done, next comes the Aso Rock Villa! We call on all PDP members and all Nigerians to join the moving PDP train.

Don’t be left behind. Our next destination is Aso Villa.

“With PDP, Nigeria shall rise again. Indeed, she is already rising.

Osun people have spoken. The rest of Nigeria shall speak with a resounding Voice on 25th February 2023”.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Adamu said the crisis within the APC caused the party’s defeat at the Osun poll, not that the party was not capable of winning.

He said, “We lost the race not because we are incapable, but because of the crisis within. We had a massive gathering of supporters a few days before the election in Osogbo. No one could ever anticipate that we would lose the election.

“The Osun defeat doesn’t in any way mean that we will lose at the general election. We only lost one state out of the 22 we have.

You see, we are still strong. nWe will sit and check ourselves.

We must ask ourselves what is right and wrong and what needs to be corrected.”

Takeaways from Osun Election

..Buhari, INEC Receive Kudos The 2022 governorship election in Osun State has been described as one of the best elections ever conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). All local and international observers who monitored the election gave the electoral umpire kudos. Even the PDP and APC expressed the opinion that the INEC did a great job. Both parties endorsed the exercise as free, fair and credible.

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POLITICS

For 2023 General Election

Why Oyetola lost the election

Oyetola, who is the incumbent governor, defeated Adeleke in the 2018 Osun governorship election after a supplementary election.

Political watchers and analysts have agreed that the polarisation of the APC into two factions - Ileri Oluwa Group led by Governor Oyetola and The Osun Progressives (TOP) led by the Minister of Interior and Oyetola’s predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, led to the APC’s defeat in the election.

Most of the TOP members that were sidelined by Oyetola are the real grassroots leaders of the party who have over the years built the structures of the progressives from 1999 under Chief Bisi Akande.

Oyetola was deceived that with the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on his side, he would win without the support of the TOP Group. The election had however proved that wrong.

Before now, Omisore used to have firm control of the Ife Area, which consists of Ife East, Ife Central, Ife South and Ife North.

Ife Area is also noted to be the place where the highest number of votes comes from in the state. But in the last election, Omisore lost his grip on the area as the APC had a narrow win. In the four local government areas, the APC had 59,678 votes, while the PDP had 51,078 votes.

Ayu

Adamu

Another factor that aided Oyetola’s defeat in the election is the refusal of the APC to respect the zoning arrangement in Osun State. Osun Central, where Oyetola comes from, had produced two former governors: Chief Bisi Akande from 1999 to 2003 and Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola from 2003 to 2007. Osun East ruled the state through Aregbesola, who hails from Ilesha, for eight years.

Also President Muhammadu Buhari was commended for instructing the security agencies and INEC to provide a level playing field for all competitors in the election and their supporters.

Many analysts and watchers of political development believe that INEC was able to achieve the feat largely because of the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and also authenticate voters.

Also the electronic transmission of results from the polling units to the INEC’s website aided INEC’s ability to ensure a free and credible election in Osun State.

The Osun election, to a very reasonable extent, was credible, free and fair. It produced an election result which has been very difficult for any honest competitor in the election to challenge, not even the defeated Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

This is why the leadership of INEC, which stuck to its guns despite frustrations from certain quarters, and President Buhari wasted no time in approving it because it would enhance his resolve to leave behind a legacy of decent electoral culture, are commendable.

Voters Reject Tinubu, Oyetola The result of the governorship election showed that the people of Osun had rejected Governor Oyetola and APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. This means that the election was used as a referendum over Oyetola’s four-year rule and he failed.

Oyetola lost the governorship election with a wide margin. For Tinubu, it was an unwelcome development, especially as he was expected to provide the much-needed tonic for the victory of Oyetola and by extension, give an indication of the good things to come to the party as the nation journeys towards 2023, but he failed.

PDP’s victory as a positive sign The PDP’s win at the poll is a sign that the party was on a right path to victory, come 2023. However, the PDP must put its house in order as quickly as possible. The leadership should bring everyone together for the challenge ahead. The election was a clear boost to its chances in 2023.

APC at low ebb APC, which is the governing party at the state and federal levels, seem to have lost steam. Analysts believe the manner in THEWILLNIGERIA

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The APC must embark on a reconciliation drive, ahead of the 2023 general election.

There is also an urgent need for the APC to do some introspection and fix things as quickly as possible

which the APC lost the election has shown that the brand is no more enticing to the people of Osun State and possibly to other Nigerians.

It shows the party leadership at the state and national levels have failed in their duty to unite the party. It says something about the leadership quality of the party’s National Working Committee led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The election’s result is also seen as a verdict on the government of Oyetola in Osun State and by extension, the Muhammadu Buhari Administration.

OBIdient Movement couldn’t help LP Peter Obi’s Labour Party failed to win in the Osun governorship election though it fielded a former Chieftain of the APC and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuff, as its candidate.

Despite the large number of youths in Osun that registered for the election, the highest in recent time, yet, those who voted among them chose between the two major parties, the APC and the PDP. Yusuff scored 2,729 votes and ended in a distant fifth position.

The implication is that all the noise about Obi’s candidature in the social media did not reflect in the performance of the party in the election. This means that the party may need to do more homework before the 2023 general election.

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The agitation by the people of Osun West to have their turn had been rebuffed by the APC, who continuously neglected the district. So the entire district rallied round the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, who is from Ede and shouts of “it is our turn”(Awa lokan) was audible before and during the election.

The result of the election is also a referendum on Oyetola’s performance in the last four years. Many said that apart from Olaiya Flyover Bridge in the heart of Osogbo, he failed to provide infrastructure for the people of the state.

The governorship election afforded residents of the state an opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with his performance in office.

Many APC leaders in the state openly complained that Oyetola had not been a good party man. To them he is not only colourless, but also stingy. Many of those who were given money to mobilise the residents for the election, it was gathered, pocketed the money as they had allegedly been ‘starved’ by the governor in the past four years.

It was further gathered that most of Oyetola’s aides, commissioners, special advisers and special assistants misrepresented the governor to the public, describing him as very stingy and the one that refused to give them enough money to take care of the people.

Oyetola was not loved by his party and its members. He was detested by the residents, hence his failure not only to secure victory as an incumbent governor but lost with a wide margin to the opposition’s candidate, Adeleke.

Osun Verdict and 2023 election

The APC must embark on a reconciliation drive, ahead of the 2023 general election. There is also an urgent need for the APC to do some introspection and fix things as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, the Osun governorship poll is the last off-cycle election before 2023 and there will be no grounds to test the party’s popularity before the general election. It can still make some efforts and hope they turn out well.

The election result also showed that the wishes of the people were reflected, hence there were no protests after the announcement of the result. Both the winner and the loser were satisfied that INEC did a good job. So the turnout in the 2023 general election will be massive as the people now have confidence in INEC. The main opposition party, the PDP will also go to the 2023 poll with some level of confidence, having won the last off-cycle election before the general election.

Nigerians will expect the security agencies to maintain their neutrality as they did during the Osun election.

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EDITORIAL

Restoring Confidence in Nigeria’s Healthcare System

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igeria’s healthcare system is not in a very good state, no doubt, but new moves are being made to reposition the sector. The newly-signed National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022 is one of such moves as the new law, upon full implementation, repeals the country’s National Health Insurance Scheme Act and it is expected to provide health insurance coverage for all Nigerians.

While signing the Bill into law, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that “The new National Health Insurance authority will collaborate with state governments’ health insurance schemes to accredit primary and secondary health care facilities and ensure the enrolment of Nigerians.” Underscoring the importance of the new law, the Executive Director of Nigeria’s National Primary HealthCare Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, maintained that the new move to reposition the healthcare system in Nigeria now aligns the country with “the global push for universal access to quality and affordable healthcare.”

A good move, without an iota of doubt, and one that has been widely commended, the new law, which also makes health insurance mandatory for not only Nigerians but even foreigners legally residing in the country, is to promote, regulate and integrate health insurance schemes in Nigeria, as it is also expected to improve and harness private sector participation in the provision of health­care services.

The new law also enforces the basic minimum package of health

services for all Nigerians across all health insurance schemes operating within the country, especially as it provides for the floating of a Vulnerable Group Fund, which targets children below the age of five, pregnant women, older people, people with physical and mental disabilities, as well as the poorest of the poor.

It is worthy to note that only about three percent of Nigerians have access to health insurance with the majority of this figure being men in formal employment. The liberalisation and democratisation of health insurance with the new law is therefore a good development.

However, the implementation of the new law might run into the next administration after the 2023 general election and Nigerians might not yet be able to reap the full benefits of the law. Just like the NHIS, which was established in 1999 but could not take off until six years after, the implementation of the new scheme might also be a big challenge despite the inherent benefits. It is rather unfortunate that the present crop of leaders in the country has failed woefully to deliver on promises made to the electorate and might not give the needed push to a law that is capable of changing the game in healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

It is most disheartening that our leaders are not also living by examples. While they profess to be interested in developing the healthcare sector, their actions speak in the opposite as they prefer to go outside the country for their medicals at the slightest opportunity.

President Buhari, for instance, prefers to go to the United Kingdom for treatment whenever he falls sick as the presidential

clinic in the Aso Rock villa is nothing to write home about, despite gulping billions of naira in allocation from the federal budget every year. It is really disappointing that the president, as at August 2021, had spent 200 days in the UK on medical trips thereby spending an average of 1 in 10 days in the UK since he assumed office.

Nonetheless, all hope is not lost as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has recently made a point that worldclass medical services could still be obtained in Nigeria. Osinbajo’s recent admission at a private medical facility in Lagos, where he had a successful knee surgery conducted by a team of Nigerian

It is on record that Osinbajo, unlike President Buhari, has not gone on any medical trip abroad since he became the Vice President as he is said to have full confidence in Nigerian doctors, both locally and abroad. This belief has just been demonstrated even when it mattered most

doctors, is a demonstration of his faith and confidence in the country’s healthcare delivery system.

Despite the fact that he had the choice of following the not-toogood example of his boss by embarking on a medical trip abroad, the Vice President decided to make a strong statement by his choice. This is really worthy of emulation and highly commendable.

It is on record that Osinbajo, unlike President Buhari, has not gone on any medical trip abroad since he became the vice president as he is said to have full confidence in Nigerian doctors both locally and abroad. This belief has just been demonstrated even when it mattered most.

We believe that one of the best ways to restore confidence in the country’s healthcare system is when leaders begin to patronise local medical facilities as this would expose them to the inadequacies that are crying to be fixed in order for the government to start doing what is necessary. We therefore call on other government officials to emulate what the vice president has just done and follow his good examples of always patronising local doctors and medical facilities instead of rushing abroard on medical tourism for services that could be rendered at home.

We also commend President Buhari for signing the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022 into law and urge him to put the process of its implementation in place so that Nigerians could really benefit from it. This could be a worthy legacy his Administration would leave for Nigerians despite all other unfulfilled promises in the past seven years.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Austyn Ogannah Editor – Olaolu Olusina Deputy Editor – Amos Esele Politics Editor – Ayo Esan Business Editor – Sam Diala Copy Editor – Chux Ohai 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]

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OPI N ION

Activating Production Revolution And Nigeria’s Renewal

BY PAT UTOMI t is amazing when a gospel you have preached for years stares you in the face. In historical times, that could be seen as God confirming a vision. Wolfing down pasta in the relative coolness of an air-conditioned restaurant across the street from the Vatican as temperatures outside climbed to near 40 degrees Celsius and television screens brought the agony of those in the countryside losing their homes to fires sparked by climate change and its fall out, I could feel a vision being confirmed.

I

Many years ago, I had seen climate change as both a threat and opportunity as it could enable a thinking leadership to make recruiting our youth bulge into a green army to save a planet imperiled with funding of the many new jobs and skilling up coming from those with huge carbon footprints, in the horizon. Even more importantly for me, it gives the Obi-dient youth of Nigeria a chance to test what President John F. Kennedy urged of the youth of America by suggesting that they ask not what their country can do for them but what they can do for their country.

Climate change is devastating the planet. Across Europe, including the city of London, fires brought misery and those jumping into pools of water for relief were drowning. Our depleting forests in the south and the advance of the Sahara Desert southwards have been eating away at the planet’s fight back options. Handing those who generate

the bulk of the emissions stripping away the ozone layer, a bill deployed to put the youth to work increasing forest stock in the South and stopping the Sahara with tree planting, could be a path to massively reducing unemployment with a decent wage.

In my previous comments on this strategy I have suggested that the youth hired into this green army spend first half of their working day greening up the environment and the second half acquiring practical skills they can deploy in a drive up of manufacturing anchored on new industrial policy focused on the country’s factor endowments in which value is added locally and we seek to be competitive on the value chains we can seek to be dominant players even into global markets.

August is Africa’s climate month and a few weeks later the world will descend on Egypt for COPE 27.

The time to show that a proactive generation is out to take back their country could be a series of proactive moves that could use some themes in climate change to mobilise each other in volunteer initiatives to clean up and green up the environment.

Such moves would, besides the obvious immediate and direct health and well- being benefits prepare the grounds for policy paths for a transformation agenda that will have salutary effect on the

economy and the shift from sharing of revenues to production, as it moves culture from taking to giving. This will practically serve the change that Peter Obi is advocating.

I have already proposed that the Centre for Values in Leadership collaborate with initiatives to facilitate this.

The youth of Nigeria ought to position themselves to take advantage of these coming together of patterns to announce the great brave new future they want to capture. This is why watching the patterns shape up here in Rome sketching the World’s environmental troubles about which Pope Francis wrote that remarkable Encyclical letter, Laudato Si. This is the youth awakening in Nigeria that I have worked and prayed for these last 30 years taking off in the Obi-dient movement; and the desperate yearning of Nigerians old and young for a new way forward that is fundamentally different from this present darkness, apologies to Stephen Ellis, I can say of Nigeria, this house has not fallen. There are enough Nehemiahs to rebuild the walls but it is possible to say to Karl Meier “This House will not fall,” it is not yet midnight in Nigeria and high noon is straight ahead.

•Utomi is Convener of The Big Tent of the Third Force

Stupidity of ‘We Are Voting Individuals, Not Parties’ I

BY ORI MARTINS have always maintained that a major part of the problem we have in this country is our gross height of being consistently inconsistent.

Two, most of my fellow compatriots suffer from the combined attack of selective amnesia and general lack of history. We do not resort to what happened yester-years to tackle the issue of today. When you point this out to them, they tell you it doesn’t matter any longer. Yet, as iconic Chinua Achebe succinctly inscribed it immortally, for one to escape from the heavy drops of the rain and make any headway, one must know where the rain started drenching one.

In our hasty resolve to steer clear of what has become a perennial politico-economic - social adversary, we have come out with another election diction, fantastically and beautifully laced with the sexy phrase: “We are voting individuals, not parties”. In elementary literature, this is called comic relief. It can only give momentary happiness that is just skin deep.

You see, this is another trap, reminiscent of the IBB’s imprimatur of yore. You know, “a little to the right, a little to the left”. “Open secret ballot”. Option A4”.

“Two party system”. “New breed politicians”. Perhaps, the one informed Nigerians saw as most nauseating and indeed, most truculent, was “interim national government” which also gave birth to “current impasse”, “annulment” and “lasting democracy”. In the end, the entire IBB transition of eight years was nothing but a beautiful score! Its attraction stinks.

Here we go again. Voting for candidates, not parties.

This is political genocide that will only begat a comprehensive disaster, complete with wailing and weeping. Let us start with Anambra State in 2003.

Then, a certain Peter Obi (now a sensation, movement and revolution) got the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and was later declared winner by the court. The process that THEWILLNIGERIA

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produced him was APGA made possible by the Great Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s influence. Ab initio, Obi sauntered to state limelight through the APGA.

Secondly, In 2011 in Imo State, the then Governor Ikedi Ohakim was enthralled in a religious pyrotechnics with the Catholic Church for allegedly flogging a priest. Ohakim was put on the proverbial cross and was politically executed. Unlike our Lord Jesus Christ, he never resurrected. And so, Imolites toed the Anambra option and chose APGA consequently upon which Owelle Rochas Okorocha emerged. Okorocha, in his bid to look appealing to the masses, vehemently disregarded all the structure of APGA - both state and national - and his end was tragic.

The difference between Obi and Okorocha was that the former was virtually unknown, while the letter was well known. It can be correctly said that while the electorate in Anambra looked unto APGA and Ojukwu to settle for Obi and it worked magic, Imo masses relied on their knowledge and appreciation of Okorocha as a ‘philanthropist’. It was a monumental caricature that produced a colossal disaster.

Politically, Nigeria borrowed copiously from the United States of America, but never borrowed her politics of growth and development anchored in history, statistics and data profiling. In America, the constitution provides for an independent candidate, just as there are two most visible, as well as prominent, political parties. If voting for individuals not based on party inclination is the best way, why have the Democratic and Republican parties dominated the American space without any private candidate winning any presidential election, at least, in modern or recent history?

The fact remains that when a candidate who feels it is his face and image rather than party’s influence and

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manifesto that makes him to win an election emerges victorious, such a candidate becomes a demigod. He listens to nobody and respects no party manifesto and order. This is the basic problem of President Muhammadu Buhari, who feels that Ndigbo never voted for him and so he doesn’t owe them any obligation. He rather turns to his Fulani and Muslim brothers whom he said gave him 98 per cent votes.

Finally, it is the party that defines who a politician truly is. For instance, Chief Godswill Akpabio is hailed in Akwa Ibom as a great governor who transformed the state. He was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The moment he moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC) he became a complete failure. His tenure as Minister of Niger Delta was riddled with crisis and accusation of non- performance.

Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, for six years as PDP governor of Rivers State, won several Governor of the Year awards as a truly performing governor. For obvious reasons, he jumped to APC. In his last two years as APC governor, he got bashes and knocks. Even as a minister, he was not reckoned with by Nigerians.

Yet, it was the same Akpabio and Amaechi who did wonders in PDP that also failed in APC. The party is supreme in a constitutional democracy.

Had Segun Oni got the PDP ticket in Ekiti he would have won the election. But he went to SDP and most of his supporters voted for APC in protest and PDP for loyalty. But the gist is that, in spite of his avowed popularity, he failed.

In Osun State, had Adeleke joined SDP, NNPP, AA or any other party, he would have lost the governorship election, unless the masses urged him so.

For us to move forward as a country, we must strengthen the parties in Nigeria.

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www.t hew i llni g eri a. c om VOL .2 N O.3 0

Onyeagwu

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Non-Oil Export: Zenith Bank Showcases Nigeria’s Potential

BY SAM DIALA

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or the seventh time consecutively, Nigeria’s biggest bank by market capitalisation, Zenith Bank Plc, on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 held its Annual International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export, a laudable project that it commenced in 2015 to showcase the expansive opportunities in the non-oil export with a huge value chain.

The seminar, which was a hybrid of physical and virtual event, attracted high net-worth individuals, stakeholders and experts from Nigeria and abroad, especially investors keen about opportunities in Africa’s largest economy – who consider Zenith a dependable source.

The seminar could not have come at a more opportune time given the uptrend in promoting the non-oil export sub-sector since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the RT200 FX programme in February 2022.

The “RT200 FX Programme”, which stands for the “Race to US$200 billion in FX Repatriation,” is aimed at getting $200 billion in Foreign Exchange (FX) repatriation over the next 3-5 years, based on stipulated guidelines. According to CBN, “The RT200 FX Programme is a set of policies, plans and programmes for non-oil exports that will enable the country to attain its lofty yet attainable goal of US$200 billion in FX repatriation, exclusively from non-oil exports, over the next 3-5 years”.

To ensure seamless implementation towards target deliverables, the RT200 FX Programme has the following five (5) key anchors: Value-Adding Exports Facility, Non-Oil Commodities Expansion Facility, Non-Oil FX Rebate Scheme, Dedicated Non-Oil Export Terminal and Biannual Non-Oil Export Summit. Each of these

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

T

he closure of the domestic runway (18L) of Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has further compounded the challenges facing domestic airlines in the country.

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In a Notice To Air Men (NOTAM) of July 5, 2022, FAAN announced the closure of the main domestic runway for a period of 90 days, beginning from July 8, 2022.

It is estimated that the closure automatically adds 10-15 per cent fuel costs per sector to and Continues on page 17

Zenith Bank is among the deposit money banks that have keyed into the initiative to promote awareness of the scheme and organize their own programmes in line with the CBN’s 5th anchor of the scheme which is conducting non-oil forums and workshops with appropriate themes to address the subject-matter. The Zenith Bank’s 7th Annual Edition of the Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar themed “Unlocking Opportunities in Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Business”, was considered apt as it addressed bottlenecks affecting non-oil exports. This underlined the emphasis byf the bank’s management to make the Seminar a problem-solving event rather than a mere talk-show. The Group Managing Director, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, explained this in his address where he drew attention to the vast opportunities in the non-oil export encompassing a huge value chain.

The Founder and Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, who advised the Federal Government on the need to deep-dive into non-oil exports, noted that intellectual capital and other aspects of products manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology are very valuable to the growth of Nigerian economy but grossly underexploited. He buttressed this with the fact that the GDP contribution from oil wells was only about 11 percent and the balance came from services and other aspects of the economy.

“Perhaps we need to deep-dive into non-oil exports” he said at the event.

Some participants outside the country who expressed delight

MORE INSIDE Adopt School, Primary Healthcare Centre in Your CSR, Abiodun Urges MAN

Continues on page 17

CBN Commended For Trade Processes Automation, Efficiency

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Bank of Industry Posts N53.4bn PAT in 2021 PAGE 19

Emefiele

Closure of Runway Puts Domestic Airlines on Edge

anchors represents a channel of implementation that tackles every applicable aspect and the signs have started showing.

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been commended for some deliberate actions it took in the areas of trade processes automation in collaboration with the government and other stakeholders, stressing that such moves have helped to foster effective trade facilitation and efficiency in ease of doing business for increased activities in the country.

The Chairman, Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS)/Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, Dr Ozoemena Nnaji gave the Continues on page 18 THEWILLNIGERIA

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AVIATION/FINANCE Closure of Runway Puts Domestic Airlines on Edge

Non-Oil Export: Zenith Bank Showcases Nigeria’s Potential

Continued from page 16

Continued from page 16

at the investment opportunities showcased by Zenith Bank, however, shared their concerns over the difficult operating environment and worsening state of infrastructure, especially in the maritime sector. The response by the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, provided some relief and restored some measure of hope. Bello said the agency was addressing the bottlenecks at the port facilities and suggested practical ways of achieving the result.

out of the domestic airport in Lagos, based on the additional flight and taxi time incurred as a result.

Before the closure, the operators were grappling with the JetA1 crisis, which began in late February and deteriorated further through the months of March and May to date.

The runway closure is said to be currently threatening the ability of airlines to continue operations.

The price of JetA1 rose suddenly from N200 in December 2021 to over N400 per litre in February.

Today the price has skyrocketed to over N800 per litre.

In addition to the continuous rise in the price of aviation fuel, supply is at best epileptic and unpredictable at several airports across the country, thereby causing flight delays, even cancellations, as airlines queue for fuel at airports across the country.

Added to the already difficult situation, is the high cost and scarcity of foreign exchange. As a result, the oldest airline in the country, Aero Contractors, recently shut down its scheduled passenger service operations with effect from Wednesday 20th July.

The airline cited the impact of the challenges in the operating environment on its daily operations as reasons for the action. Two days after, NCAA also suspended Dana Airlines’ Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) indefinitely, with effect from midnight of Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

The closure of operations by both Aero and Dana brings the number of functional domestic airlines operating scheduled passengers flight services

“

It is estimated that the closure of the main domestic runway of MMA automatically adds an additional 10-15% more fuel costs per sector into and out of the domestic airport in Lagos, based on the additional flight and taxi time incurred as a result

from a meagre 9 operators to 7.

Although stakeholders are worried that if nothing is done to address the reasons given for the suspension, more airlines may still fall victim.

They warned that with the reduction of available operators, the issue of flight delays, cancellation and fare hike collusion may rear its ugly head.

An airline Operator, Mr. Femi Adeniji, suggested the areas that government can assist the airlines to remain in business in these challenging times.

“Extend benefits through tax credit, through grant, is not until we start having duty free for parts, fuel cost, tax credit, I think that is the only way out,” he said.

The President, Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Mr Kingsley Nwokoma, stated that the development is unfortunate, adding that this would further disrupt passenger facilitation currently being experienced due to high cost of aviation fuel and its scarcity.

He said, “It is really disturbing. In the past few months everybody knows it has been very challenging in the aviation industry in Nigeria, high cost of fuel.”

Another airline operator, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia, had earlier warned that some airlines may also suspend operations due to the closure of the domestic airport runway in Lagos for maintenance as most airlines cannot afford the daily wastages of taxing and holding for three months.

To strike a balance, the President of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr Gabriel Olowo, advised airlines to sell what they buy, following the galloping prices of Jet A1. This is just as he called for increased vigilance of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), stressing that a price increase is better than negotiating safety by cutting corners.

Olowo, in his communication titled, ‘Sell what you buy’ advised that given the circumstances beyond the control of the aviation sector, airlines should factor in their extra costs.

Stressing that prices would increase, but beat the alternative of cutting corners, he said, “This is my candid opinion to airlines. Given these uncontrollable factors of production in the sector, demand will definitely drop but it will be much better than cut corners and plan an accident.

“If a trip’s fuel is 4,000 litres for one hour on jet (LOS-ABV), for example, at N800 per litre, which gives N3.2million and a load factor of 100 passengers, this means that fuel cost per passenger is N32,000 and this is approximately 30 per cent of the total cost.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

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He disclosed that the authority had deployed a truck electronic callup system to ease the movement of cargoes into the port as well as created pre-gates where trucks would park before entering the port.

“We are working with the government to ensure diversification of the economy and we are encouraging non-oil exports.

Also, not just about deploying an e-call-up system, we have licensed 10 export processing terminals.

The terminals are supposed to be at locations whereby one stalk, process, package, certify, seal and send it directly to the port.

“We need to understand that the port is a maritime ecosystem not just for the NPA but other government agencies. For the export processing terminals that were created to succeed, we expect the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to have an export desk there for certification,” Bello said.

He added that three out of the 10 export processing terminals would come on stream shortly, and that barges were also introduced at a cost borne by the exporters thereby making export more expensive and would reduce the burden in the future.

“Zenith’s non-oil export seminar is a milestone in developing our economy. Once the outside world sees that the ports are working efficiently and that the bottlenecks have been eliminated, business will boom and the economy will grow,” said Ambrose Belonwu, a Nigerian resident in the United Kingdom, in a telephone chat with THEWILL. Belonwu commended Zenith Bank for the international trade seminar which he said will showcase the nation’s potentials to the world and help in rebuilding the country’s negative image abroad.

Growth champion Zenith Bank has been on the forefront of promoting lending to the real sector which is a major stimulus for the economy. The Tier-1 deposit money bank granted expansive facilities in loans and advances totaling N11.3 trillion in the past five years: 2016-2020, data from its annual reports revealed. The bank which belongs to the prestigious Premium Board league of the NGX Exchange) also accelerated its facilities to support businesses and boost the economy at the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.

Analysis of Zenith Bank’s financial statements during the review period showed that the bank embarked

“

Zenith’s non-oil export seminar is a milestone in developing our economy. Once the outside world sees that the ports are working efficiently and that the bottlenecks have been eliminated, business will boom and the economy will grow

on an accelerated Lending that hit N2.3 trillion in loans and advances in 2019, a rise of 26.4 percent, before climbing to N2.77 trillion in 2020, a 20.5 percent jump, at the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.

Deep in the mud Nigeria’s economy is immersed in serious challenges arising from the rapid decline in oil revenue which has worsened since the beginning of the year.

For five consecutive months, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, made zero remittance to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) as at May 2022. This anomaly was as a result of the huge sum of money spent in the payment of petrol subsidy which has eroded the gains of the firm.

The national oil company disclosed in its monthly presentation to FAAC on Wednesday June 22 that the subsidy claims eroded the gains it had recorded. According to the national oil company which is struggling to generate enough revenue to cover the soaring cost of subsidizing the product, the nation has incurred an estimated petrol subsidy of N2.1 trillion in the first six months of this year. This explains the paradox of a failure to benefit from the spike in global oil prices amid supply shortages. It also points to clearly difficult times for a hemorrhaging economy in the grips of stifling fiscal policies.

For instance, the Federal Government which had initially budgeted to spend N443 billion on petrol subsidy between January and June, got the approval of the National Assembly in April to raise the subsidy amount to N4 trillion for the year. The World Bank had in its latest Nigeria Development Update reported that “due to the petrol subsidy and low oil production, Nigeria faces a potential fiscal time bomb.”

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

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BUSINESS NEWS BabyFest: Vendors Brace Up For 2022 Exhibition

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

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R–L: Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; President & Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia; former Chief Executive/Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo and Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr. Olukayode Pitan at the 2022 Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar held at the Civic Centre, Lagos on July 20, 2022.

Adopt School, Primary CBN Commended For Trade Processes Automation, Efficiency Healthcare Centre in Your insight in his welcome address delivered The seminar with the theme: “The Friday at the year 2021 sensitisation Export of Agricultural Commodities seminar for exporters, regulators and and Solid Minerals in Nigeria: Prospects CSR, Abiodun Urges MAN Continued from page 16

stakeholders held at Marriott Hotel in Lagos.

According to Dr Nnaji such achievement is aimed at boosting Non-oil exports and to benefit the exporters in this value chain segment.

He stated that the recent implementation of the automation of the export processes calls for continuous collaboration amongst all the stakeholders in the export value chain.

Explaining further, Nnaji added that “CBN recently introduced the RT200 scheme, its an initiative by the apex bank to grow the non-oil export trade in order to boost FX earning to the country. The scheme has five pillars, one of which is the biannual non-oil export summit. The summit is a forum where stakeholders for non-oil export trade gather to deliberate on way forward for non-oil export, and the drive through achieving $200 billion in repatriation of non-oil export proceeds in the next 3-6 years”.

“Recently, the CBN in conjunction with Bankers committee held the maiden summit in Lagos successfully. The purpose of this forum, is to boost non-oil export trade, address issues and further recommend actions in order to ease non-oil trade and improve on the non-oil FX earnings to the country”, he added.

and Challenges” was organised by the Technical Committee on Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) to create awareness on export trade, through information sharing on the procedures and guidelines for export of Nigerian products.

In the same vein, Managing Director/ CEO, Fidelity Bank Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe had earlier in a business forum emphasised on why export of agricultural commodities and solid minerals has become central.

According to her, “the Nigerian agricultural sector employs two thirds of the entire force and is the largest sector of the economy”.

She also opined that the solid mineral sector with huge potential for export earnings remains largely underdeveloped.

To her, there is urgent need to diversify the economy away from oil export, adding that it provides the needed raw materials for other sectors.

Other areas Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe feels the sector is crucial is in the areas of earning from exchange from non-oil sector; recovery of lost export opportunities and to address our trade deficit in the Agric and solid minerals sectors.

SAHCO Appoints 2 Non-Executive Directors

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

S

kyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC has appointed two new non-Executive Directors.

The appointment was announced during the company’s 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja in Lagos.

Laila Jean St. Matthew-Daniel and Dr. Bukola Bello Jaiyesimi were appointed to replace Barrister Chike Ogeah and Mr. Ariyo Olutoye who resigned their appointments in January, 2022.Laila Jean St. Matthew-Daniel started her schooling at Our Lady of Apostles in Lagos, she went on to St Louis Grammar School, Ibadan,

PAGE 18

for her “O” Levels, and then Queens College, for her ‘A’ Levels, before going to the United Kingdom (UK) for graduate studies at the Cripplegate Institute/ London Guildhall University.

Dr. Bukola Bello Jaiyesimi Is an avowed Pan-Africanist, lobbyist, developmental and legacy strategist with a passion for mankind and institutional development.

She started her academic journey in 1982 at St Luke’s Model School, Lokoja, she proceeded to Command Secondary School, Kaduna in 1988.Dr. Bukola Bello Jaiyesimi gained admission into the University of Abuja where she bagged a Diploma in Banking and Finance in 1995.

FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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overnor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has once again called on the private sector to key into his administration’s adopt-a-school and primary-health carecenter programme.

Abiodun made the call in Abeokuta during the 37th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria.

The theme of the event is “A Manufacturers Dilemma - Building and Sustaining Factories Profitably”.

The governor said that it was imperative that the private sector join hands with government at all levels as development of the state and the country as a whole can only be achieved through cooperation. “the corporate sector must allow the policy to reflect in their corporate social responsibility don’t just pocket all those profits, share some of it with us”. he said Abiodun, while noting that his administration had begun the rehabilitation of taxes and levies to eliminate multiplicity, the governor said that the tax rehabilitation would ensure the ease of self assessment and payment in the state.

He assured that his administration would continue to do all it can to make the state attractive for investors through provision of infrastructures.

The governor further urged MAN to make it a point of duty to always pay their taxes, as the state government can only continue to provide purposeful infrastructure through the payment of taxes.

He appealed to them to find a way to balance the bottom line so that they can continue to make profit, saying that there must be joint and concerted drive by all stakeholders towards sustaining the current positive economic trend.

“The government cannot do it alone, we have various programmes that you can support us in. I want to call on the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria to join hands with us, adopt a school, adopt a primary health care center, let it reflect in your corporate social responsibility, don’t just pocket all those profit,share some of it with us.

o fewer than 100 vendors have indicated interest to exhibit their products at the 2022 edition of the BabyFest organized by CAST Public Relations based in Lagos The Premier pregnancy, baby and parenting fair, is a 3-day signature event for all things baby and childcare, which will come with unique programming from August 26th to 28th 2022.

Disclosing the plan, Project Director, Bukola Arowosafe, during a press briefing in Lagos, recently said the fair is aimed at bringing stakeholders in the baby and child care industry together, while also providing an organised single meeting point for pregnant women, new mums and baby item producers and dealers.

According to her, “It is a fair for new and expectant mums and dads, modelled after international baby fairs around the world”.

“For 3-days, BabyFest will bring together in one location, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, sellers, experts and other stakeholders in the baby, mother and childcare space to showcase new and existing products and services. The fair affords brands that offer products and service for babies and pregnant women the opportunity to connect with a target audience. who are yearning for engagement, a place to see and meet their customers and consumers”, she added.

Revealing the unique programming that make BabyFest tick, she added “Visitors to BabyFest can look forward to a wide range of offerings, specials like The Rose Awards to celebrate and reward outstanding midwives and The Baby Shower aimed at celebrating 50 pregnant women in their final trimester, entertainment for families, expert advice and must-enter competitions. In addition, to selling and buying, BabyFest will also feature competitions such as Baby crawling, Diaper changing by Dads. It will also feature A Pass-it-Booth for donation of pre-owned items to needy mothers and children, and live sessions & masterclasses with childcare & parenting experts”.

The Communications Director, BabyFest, Mr Jide Banson stated that the inspiration to organize BabyFest was gotten online. ‘It was a video showing NBA players getting their babies to crawl on the basketball and it was very dramatic. It was funny and inspiring and we carried out research, and realised that baby fairs are a regular feature on the event calendar in many countries but none existed in Nigeria. The first edition happened in 2019, but COVID-19 outbreak didn’t give room for it to happen in 2020 and 2021. He emphasized on the lessons learnt so far stating that we do a lot of virtual things now, and there’s a huge opportunity in the industry. We will also be given discounts to all those vendors who participated in the first edition of BabyFest, if they indicate interest this time around.

BabyFest is in partnership with a couple of corporate organizations, some of which are The Happiness Center and Studio 24 owners of the Twinkle Star child-focused photography brand.

According to the Managing Director of The Happiness Center, Akshay Jain, partners of BabyFest, happiness is key. “Happiness is the principal thing we promote as an organization, and it correlates with what the BabyFest stands for, because we try to make pregnant women happy whenever they come around for their session. We are proud to be partners of the BabyFest because we love what they are doing”.

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BUSINESS NEWS Industrialist Commends Aba Youths for Protecting Electricity Infrastructure

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n industrialist in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, has commended the youths in various local government areas of the state for taking up the challenge of vandalism against electricity infrastructure which has been rising in recent times in the state reputed for indigenous manufacturing.

L-R: General Counsel, FBNQuest Merchant Bank, Mrs. Tolulope Adetugbo; General Counsel/Company Secretary, Coronation Merchant Bank, Mr. Stanley Ubani; Head, Legal & Company Secretary, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Sola Mabadeje; General Counsel, Rand Merchant Bank, Jennifer Martins-Okundia and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Heritage Bank Plc, Mrs. Imomoemi Ibisiki, at the induction ceremony of new members of the Executive Committee of the Association of Bank Legal Advisers and Company Secretaries, held in Lagos on July 18, 2022.

Photo: Peace Udugba.

Bank of Industry Posts N53.4bn PAT in 2021

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igeria’s foremost development bank, Bank of Industry (BOI), has reported N53.4 billion after-tax profit for its 2021 FY, thereby shaking off the cost pressures from pandemic lockdowns that depressed its bottom-line by 9.6 per cent in 2020, which jumped eight times over the previous year.

The comeback hung on its bumper revenue of N184.6 billion which, thanks to a much-improved net interest income that eclipsed that of the previous year by 40 per cent.

More than it did the year before, the government-controlled lender earned the bulk of its interest income from investment in debt instruments.

Standing at N107.5 billion this time, it surpassed the combined value of other contributors to that earnings category including loans & advances plus placements with financial institutions.

But for all that, the coronavirus crisis, although not widely devastating as it was in 2021, still had its reverberations across the balance sheet.

“Total Assets reduced from N1.86 trillion

in 2020 to N1.71 trillion in the year under review,” Olukayode A. Pitan, the lender’s chief said in the CEO statement accompanying the report.

“The 8.2% decline was as a result of the reduction in debt securities and cash balances at the Central Bank of Nigeria as repayments of our syndicated loans continued.”

Also, net fees and commission income fell 71.9 per cent to N578.1 million as BOI settled the monitoring fees it incurred from loans guaranteed to customers at some commercial banks with a greater portion of its earnings from this revenue source.

Profit before tax was N62.3 billion, higher than the 2020 figure by 75.2 per cent, while profit for the year climbed 69.1 per cent to N53.4 billion.

Net profit margin, which shows how much of revenue has turned into profit, stood at 28.9 per cent.

BOI now operates in twenty nine Nigerian states and commissioned three new offices in Lagos, Ekiti and Edo states during the year.

Buhari Congratulates Adeyemi, New Secretary General of AfCAC

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Adefunke Adeyemi on her election as the new Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AfCAC), the African Union (AU) agency responsible for civil aviation in Africa.

The President, in an official statement issued Friday, signed by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to promoting a prosperous and integrated Africa through the activities of organisations such as AFCAC. The Nigerian leader trusts that the newly appointed Secretary-General will advance the common objective of the association with the support of the THEWILLNIGERIA

Bureau, Secretariat, AfCAC member States, international organisations, States Partners and all aviation and affiliated stakeholders.

As Nigeria is a signatory to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), President Buhari urges the Commission to remain resolute in the implementation of the full liberalisation of air transport services, with the attendant benefits: increased air service levels and lower fares, facilitate tourism, trade and investment as well as enhance productivity, economic growth and employment.

President Buhari in the statement expressed his good wishes for the Nigerian-born Secretary-General, declaring all the best in her new assignment.

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Anambra Assembly Approves Soludo’s N100bn Loan Request

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he Anambra House of Assembly has approved Governor Charles Soludo’s request to access loan facilities worth N100 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for infrastructure development.

The approval followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the House Committee on Public Accounts during the plenary on Thursday in Awka.

Mr Soludo had, on 5 July, written to the Assembly, seeking approval to secure a N100 billion Global Limit Multiple Term Loan Facility from CBN for the construction and refurbishment of key infrastructure in the state.

Presenting the report, Somto Udeze, representing Ogbaru Constituency ll and Chairman of the committee, said the Commissioners for Finance and Economic Planning and Budget were invited for interaction on the terms of the loan facilities.

Mr Udeze said the discussion was to ascertain the terms of the loan, monthly deductions, duration of the loan, the interest rate, project specifications and the current debt profile of the state.

He said the Committee was satisfied with the answers provided by the commissioners.

“We observed that the N100 billion loan was strictly for the construction of roads, bridges and flyovers across the state.

“It was also observed that the current debt profile of the state at about N107 billion can still accommodate more of such loans considering the expected outcome and impact on the residents of the state.

“However, we recommended the commissioners should provide the list of the proposed project descriptions and expected cost of each project for ease of oversight function subsequently; and that was done

In a statement Friday in Aba, Engineer Joseph Onyekachi stated that the youths who have been assisting the security agencies in the state, including security staff of Geometric Power which generates and supplies electricity in nine of the 17 local government areas in the state, “are buoyed by sheer patriotism and commitment to the common good to protect the electricity infrastructure in our dear state and work in conjunction with the police and other security and intelligence agencies to safeguard these critical assets”.

The youth, noted Engineer Onyekachi who is also the secretary of the Southeast Zone of the Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria, “commendably recognise that those stealing copper wires and armoured cables of distribution transformers, among other critical components of the electric power supply chain, are compromising their own future “These vandals make it difficult for capable and hardworking youth to get employment or business opportunities; our youths don’t want to be economic parasites”.

Onyekachi argued the youths would get a better chance to progress in life only when “there is affordable, constant and quality electricity supply, as Professor Bart Nnaji, the erstwhile Minister of Power, and his tireless team at Geometric Power are trying to do now.

“No nation can develop without electricity”.

The industrialist contended that the action of those he described as patriotic youths shows that there is, “indeed, a future for our country despite the crass irresponsibility and hooliganism of a handful of Nigerian youths, including those stealing energy and those vandalizing critical infrastructure across the nation”.

Onyekachi, however, warned against the tendency by some youths to take the law into their hands by lynching distribution transformer parts out of deep anger.

He stated that “jungle justice is no option”, adding that “both the police and the public need to know from arrested vandals their partners in crime like their sponsors, so that appropriate measures can be taken against them.”

He observed that though the electric power infrastructure in a majority of local government areas in Abia State now belong to Geometric Power and Aba Power, “it should be considered a public asset which belongs to you and me.

“There is no business or organisation or individual excluded from enjoying power supply and using it to advance himself or herself or to promote the common good.”

“That the loan should be secured at a singledigit interest rate and be used for feasible infrastructure development alone.

Engr Onyekachi assured the public that the cost of doing business in Abia Ste would decline drastically when the 181 megawatt Geometric Power Plant in Osisiome Industrial Layout, Aba, is commissioned later in the year.

“We also recommend the need for increased internally generated revenue to minimise borrowing to fund infrastructure development in the state,” he said.

“Not only will the prices of goods and services in Abia State decline, the quality of life as well as living standards will shoot up considerably”.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Small And Large Businesses: Growing Threat of Substitutes, Second-hand Goods

BY TIMI OLUBIYI

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he COVID-19 pandemic and economic turbulence have had a significant impact on businesses, manufacturers and households, including individual lifestyle and well-being in recent times. The direct consequence of this has been rising inflation with quite serious implications. Globally, no country is immune to inflation. Around the world, inflationary pressure has been experienced in the USA, the UK, and many other developed and developing nations. But in Nigeria, the peculiarity is that inflation has been getting higher steadily for the last two years.

Nigeria is one of the countries where inflation has grown the fastest and it has been a concern for many businesses and the government due to its severe impact. Lately, we have witnessed continued and unexplainable increases in the price of practically every known item and service across the country. The troubling trend is that most of these basic and essential necessities are increasingly out of the reach of many people, indicating that the country’s cost of living has risen at an alarming rate.

That is the rise in household spending required to maintain a decent quality of life has been a source of anxiety for many.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 18.24 percent on a year-on-year basis as at June 2022. The percentage change is the highest in the last five years, according to the records.

Although academic literature has pointed out that once inflation exceeds a certain level, on average above 15 per cent, it starts to have a negative impact on the economy, principally on economic stability, growth, employment and investment attractiveness.

Even so, the author thinks that the real inflation in an economy is shown by the rise in prices of food, groceries, and other goods and services that people use every day.

Without a doubt, the food inflation trend over the last two years has been overwhelming. The proportion of the majority’s income that is spent on food has remained ridiculously high. The persistent rise in inflation results in a decline in the buying power of Nigerians, who are therefore getting poorer. Because they will be forced to prioritise significant spending and the affordability of essentials will continue to decrease. The consequences of high inflation are a spike in unemployment numbers, a rise in poverty rates, declining savings, a high number of jobless youths, crimes, and unrest.

A report by Aljazeera titled, ‘Inflation rises in Nigeria amid fuel scarcity and insecurity,’ indicated that four out of 10 Nigerians are living below the poverty line. So, with this trend, the author has noticed a spike and sharp rise in the demand for substituted products and services by the majority of the citizenry in the country. The substitution effect usually happens when consumers replace very expensive items with cheaper ones due to price changes or when their financial conditions regress, and vice-versa.

However, the point is about the decline in purchasing power due to inflation and its attendant consequences. The cost of purchasing products and services required to maintain a given quality of life continues to be a major worry for many families and individuals in the country. According to the substitution effect, people switch from more expensive products and services to less expensive alternatives when prices rise or income declines.

For the majority of businesses, the persistent inflation in the country has made the high cost of running and maintaining independently generated power unbearable, particularly the cost of diesel. This has resulted in a high cost of running businesses.

However, this cost is passed on to the consumers without notice.

When this cost is passed and consumers find it intolerable, then a change in demand by switching to substitute products and services prevails. The propensity for this trend is high and it has been the order of the day.

Substitute products or goods are alternative goods that could be used for the same purpose. Therefore, in the presence of inflation, substituting means that consumers seek out alternatives that are frequently low in price most of the time, low in quality, inferior and largely unregulated. The demand for substitutes continues to rise because the masses need to survive at all cost. So who has the blame?

The consumers or the businesses? As long as the price of goods and products continues to increase, demand for their substitutes will continue to rise. Consequently, business operators need to be aware of this. For instance, numerous salary earners have been forced to reduce the quality of the food they purchase, and business

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In a market where there are fewer substitute products, there is a higher probability of businesses earning greater profits, but the reverse is the case, with inflation and the current realities

owners continue to replace family food basket staples with any affordable alternative. Meanwhile, the expenses of transportation, school fees, electricity, cooking gas and rent are equally on the rise, adding to the burden.

From a business perspective, substitute products create rivalry, loss of revenue, weak sales, loss of potential customers or consumers, low or no patronage, and threats to business survival. The main absurdity is that businesses cannot even identify the providers of these alternatives, because they remain largely in the dark. For instance, canned Titus Sardines is expensive, but Sardine Estus, an alternative, is available and affordable while the producers are faceless and unknown.

Many of such competitors are available in the Nigerian market with a huge market share and competitive pressure. However, the quality of these readily available cheap alternatives is significantly compromised and market leading companies and products could even suffer business continuity issues if the lower-priced alternative continues to gain market share and interest of the masses.

As a response, it is a time for businesses to re-strategise, engage in high marketing and promotional campaigns, as well as innovate in line with customer expectations and patronage-improving products, and lower prices. Again, businesses can review their

pricing model at this time to accommodate consumers and customers with waning purchasing power.

It is also important for the government to play a bigger role in regulating substandard, inferior, and bad products, especially those that are dumped on the Nigerian market. Right now, it is important to look at and understand how substitution can affect the economy, businesses, and environment in order to stop high death rates and illnesses.

Businesses can fail entirely as a result of substitute effects and substitution products outperforming the original. In a market where there are fewer substitute products, there is a higher probability of businesses earning greater profits, but the reverse is the case, with inflation and the current realities. So, entrepreneurs, business owners, and SME operators need to clearly understand that their businesses may just suffer from a substitution effect, which can weaken the sales of their products and may be attributed to consumers switching to cheaper alternatives just because they no longer have affordability or the price hike is unbearable.

In the view of the author, consumers largely make their choices based on their available spending power and make constant adjustments based on price changes, most of the time on impulse.

In a time of hyper-inflation and low consumer spending, cheaper substitutes and second hand (used) items) are the available alternatives. An observation of the surroundings reveals every accessible space or place for micro businesses to operate. It is an avenue to trade in second-hand items, which most people now prefer as alternatives, owing to dwindling income and affordability at this time due to inflation. This can make it harder for well-known brands or established businesses to get patronage and remain in business, if differentiation or other business strategies are ignored to stay cost competitive.

Many Nigerians are unaware that the high inflation rate in the country is one of the major reasons why the naira is losing value.

Therefore, the authors recommend that the Federal Government should make a deliberate effort to tackle the key issues in the country: insecurity, incessant power issues, continued exchange rate instability and non-availability of forex to genuine business operators and exporting companies. Inflation could remain an issue unless these issues are given headlong attention.

•Olubiyi is an entrepreneurship and business management expert.

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Caroline Danjuma

Getting Her Groove Back

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Caroline Danjuma (nee Ekanem) is many things rolled into one: An actress, a movie producer, a business woman, a humanitarian and now a politician as she was recently unveiled as the running mate to Iboro Otu, the African Action Congress governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State. In this interview with IVORY UKONU, she talks about some of the things that define who she is. Excerpts:

AGE DOES NOT DETERMINE SUCCESS IN LIFE – CAROLINE DANJUMA Y

our age has been the subject of controversy these past few weeks. Many believe that you are over 40, not 35 years-old as you claim. Why do people assume you are much older?

I honestly do not know. Maybe it is because of my achievements or because I got married early. People need to understand that we have different focus in life. I grew up with my grandmother who is full of wisdom and so, naturally, I grew up acting older than my age. Also, I finished school quite early. At 8, I was already in JSS1 at Federal Government Girls College, Oyo. How was that possible?

I had double promotion in primary school. I remember that when I first arrived in primary school, my grandmother was asked to take me home. I was the youngest pupil in the school. I took the National Examination Council (NECO) examination in SS2.

My West African School Certificate Examination and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination I did in one take. I was about 14 years old. Many teenagers actually finished secondary school at the age of 14 and were it not for the recent law passed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to peg entry age into secondary schools at 11 or 12 years, this would still continue. I however did not finish at FGGC, Oyo. I moved to African Church Model College in Ifako, Gbagada, Lagos where my grandmother was a teacher. That was where I completed secondary school. She wanted me to be close to her so that she could keep an eye on me. So I do not consider it a big deal finishing school early.

Everything I have done I started at a young age. I got married when I was 19 on October 28, 2006, to be precise. My husband (Musa Danjuma) celebrated my 19th birthday with me. I was 19 when I gave birth to my first child. That means I met my husband when I was 18 years-old.

At what point did you get admitted to the university?

I got admission to the University of Calabar almost immediately and graduated in 2010. So I was in my third year when I got married. In fact I was pregnant with my first child when I was in school. I remember I wrote my final exams while I was pregnant.

When exactly did you join Nollywood?

That was almost immediately after I left secondary school. I was still in the university when I joined the movie industry at 16. I was only in the industry for about two years. So when people say they saw my movies back in the day, I was only 16 years-old then and left after two years. The last movie I starred in was titled, Mass Destruction. It was released in 2006 shortly before I got married. So I really do not know what else to say about my age. I am sick and tired of going back and forth about it.

Some people have asked why I had a Master’s Degree at 35, if I truly got married early. My very first job in the entertainment industry was an advertising job with Multi-Sheen hair relaxer. I did other adverts, such as Delta Soap, before I moved fully into the movie industry. And how did I get into the industry? A friend of mine wanted to be an actress. She was an interior designer who

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was also into furniture making for Rita Dominic and so she spoke to Rita on my behalf. Rita was kind enough to introduce me to the late movie producer, Chico Ejiro. Danjuma When he saw me, he exclaimed, ‘Oh my God, you are so small.’ He took interest in me and literally acted like my father in Nollywood, directing me on how to navigate through the industry.

Your grandmother allowed you to join Nollywood at such a young age?

No she wasn’t aware of it. I used to sneak out to act. I loved acting.

The first time she saw me acting, she flogged the hell out of me. I come from a very disciplined home with a very strong Christian background. I wasn’t allowed to have friends. My grandmother would always counter me when I told her I needed to visit friends.

She would prefer I stay at home and read my books or watch television. She really shielded me while imparting into me words of wisdom and I think that made me grow up really fast. So, I therefore find it puzzling when people question my age when they do not know my actual story. People feel you have to be an old woman to accomplish things. I mean we have eight-year-olds on YouTube cashing out. Look at reality show star, Kylie Jenner, for example. She became a billionaire at a very young age. A lot of intelligent ladies had their Master’s Degrees and PhDs in their 20s.

Age should not be a determining factor for one’s success. Yes, to have children, you must be of age and at 18 when I started bearing children, I was already of age. My parents were the ones who gave me out in marriage, they were okay with it. And then some people went as far as saying they attended the same school with me or that I was their senior and vice versa.... I really cannot remember everyone being the same age or in the same class with me. People in the same class or school with you are not in the same age bracket for some reasons. Everyone has a different start in life.

I think the misinformation started from Wikipedia. Why did you not edit your age on it?

I did not create the Wikipedia page. I don’t know who did. I have email evidences that shows communication between me and Wikipedia when I was still married, when I still had my Music Record Label. I wanted them to correct the wrong information on that page about my age, when I got married, how many children I have, the course I studied in school etc. Wikipedia said there was nothing they could do. Apparently, Wikipedia is like a village, anyone can create a page on the platform and edit it. This was as far back as 2017. The guy that created the page locked the page and wanted me to pay him before he could change anything. I let him be, hoping that he would leave the page when he gets tired. I tried to create an entirely new Wikipedia page but it wasn’t possible, so I just left it. After all, Wikipedia is not my life.

In fact, recently somebody edited the Wikipedia page and put my date of birth as 1998. There are many false social media pages that I did not create. I have tried to disassociate myself from these fake social media pages, but they don’t go away. So currently, as far as I am concerned, I have no Wikipedia page and the only social media

pages I have are my Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts bearing Caroline Hutchings.

Speaking of age, a lot has been said about the real age of one of the political gladiators vying for the number one seat in the country. Do you think people have the right to question his real age just as they have put yours on the front burner?

No, I do not think his age should be questioned. I think what we should concern ourselves with is his capabilities and health status, which shows that he isn’t looking well enough to handle the cumbersome nature of Nigeria as it concerns governance. Mentally he could be capable, but physically, based on what we all see, I am not quite sure. That being said, I do not think we have the right to question anyone’s age. You can’t measure people’s success by their age just as you can’t measure people’s success story by your own age which is what I am going through presently. I think we should leave people’s age alone and instead focus on their mental capabilities, their intelligence quotient, emotional intelligence etc.

How does it feel turning 35?

When it was the morning of my birthday, I said to myself, ‘Ah, I’m getting to 40.’ I am happy because when I look at the goals I set for myself and what I wanted to achieve for myself before turning 35, I am grateful to God. I have three beautiful children and one of the best decisions I made was to get married early. But I am yet to get there and I pray to God that I live long enough to achieve everything that I set out to achieve.

What lessons has life has taught you in all of 35 years?

Life has taught me to speak up, believe in myself, live my life the way I want it, to be happy, to ensure that no one comes to take me away from my comfort zone or take away the zen from me. Life has taught me not to be a people pleaser.

Looking back, is there anything you wish you should have done differently?

There are quite a few things I should have done differently. I should have been more focused on my businesses. Also, by now, I should have had my PhD, if I had been very focused and not procrastinated. I have learnt not to be afraid anymore and to take the bull by its horns.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement son far?

My children are my greatest achievement. When I look at them, I see success. A parent once commended my daughter for her good behaviour. My two sons are in boarding school in the United Kingdom and I am super proud of them. I am blessed.

And what do you consider to be your greatest challenge in life?

My divorce. My emotional and mental health being on edge as well

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Hopeville Foundation, which has been in existence since 2006.

The foundation caters for women with fertility issues and children with birth defects. We have successfully done In-Vitro fertilisation for two families and another for two other families. We have been a part of the successful surgery of two conjoined twins, we have nine adopted children and handle everything from their education to their medicals. We have done quite a lot. When I say we, its just me and God because it is my personal funds that I use but now I am sourcing for funding. I am also thinking of building playgrounds in about five schools in the slum. My ex-husband has always supported me and he still does in one way or the other. So getting on the show, I didn’t think I was going to be doing otherwise than as explicitly spelt out to me

as the stigmatisation that came with it, which still comes with it, has to be my greatest challenge in life.

How do you juxtapose marrying early with coming from a strict home?

Naturally my mother kicked against the marriage. She wanted me to finish school, my grandmother was confused, she cried during my traditional marriage, not because she didn’t like my husband but because she felt I was too young to get married. But I wanted to get married, I wanted to raise a family early. I have always wanted to have a family, I still want one now. I am the first child of my mother although my dad had seven children and I had to look out for my brothers at a very young age and that made me grow up early.

So I knew what I wanted in life. I have always been very focused about getting what I wanted out of life. I was in love with my husband and I was like, if it wasn’t him, I won’t marry anyone else.

I prayed about it and we got married.

Eyebrows were raised when you said you spent N30 million of your own money to style yourself for the show despite the fact that you weren’t paid to be on it. How logical is this?

I had already signed the contract and because it is a new show, they weren’t really paying that much besides, the money was just for styling and it wasn’t even enough to style me through half of the show. Yes, I spent N30 million. Mimi Linda Yina, the CEO of Medlin Couture who is a stylist/personal shopper, styled me and she is not cheap. When you go to a designer these days, they charge from 1 million naira and above. So Mimi has to pay a designer between N1 million to N1.5 million for it. How many outfits did I wear on the show? This is besides the fact that I had to buy new designer bags and shoes. The diamond store where we shot a scene, I bought three diamond rings and I think two or three diamond bangles. They don’t come cheap. So when you calculate all of these, including hair styling, makeup, photo shoot and a few others, I did spend a lot of money. And I wasn’t saying it because I needed the funds back.

Looking back at what led to the divorce, do you regret ever marrying him?

I would marry him a billion times. He was my first love.

Sometimes, people are more compatible as best friends than as husbands and wives. We didn’t date for a long time to enable us to understand the dos and don’ts of marriage. We both fell in love with each other and that was how I made up my mind to get married instead of waiting till I finish school and go for National Youth Service. I was ready for marriage at that time.

Saying you will marry him a billion times suggests that you could give him a second chance. Is that what you mean?

It depends. Some things have to change from both ends. We both have to be fully ready for it and if we are, why not? It is even better that way because I already with him, he knows me and we have three kids together. So I would prefer to be with him than being with someone new whose demons or angels I don’t know.

How cordial is your relationship with him?

He is literally my best friend. Despite being divorced from him, he has never pressurised me, taunted me or made me feel less of myself. He has been very supportive.

People say you married him because of his financial status. Is this true?

At the time I met and married him, I was not used to reading tabloids or newspapers. I didn’t even know who the Danjumas were, to be sincere. I listen to the news now because I am in business, but I didn’t do that back then. I knew he was wealthy, but I didn’t know how wealthy he was. It wasn’t like the family sat me down and there were auditors with his and his brother’s books to say ‘Caroline, come and look at how wealthy we are.’ No. I walked into the family and they accepted me warmly. Besides, I also come from a wealthy family.

My great great-grandfather was the first paramount ruler of Eket in Akwa Ibom State. My great grandfather was the first ordained Archbishop of the Methodist Church of Nigeria. A lot of my family members live outside the country. I am the only one out of my siblings living in Nigeria. I also come from a very affluent family, but we are not the kind of people that will blow our trumpet. If you go to Ekwere, Eket and ask after the Ekanem family, they will tell you who we are. We are not a small family. We are a very large royal family. My grandfathers from both sides are from royal families. One of them was recognised by the Queen of England.

He lives in England. He was a judge in England and Wales. My step-father, Adekunle Afolabi’s father, was once featured in Times Magazine as one of the most influential men in the world. The family made roofing sheets before Alumaco came out and were one of the few families to own a private jet back in those days. So I come from a well recognised family, but I cannot be shouting about my family here in Lagos. I am a very humble person, I measure my wealth and success by my own personal achievement and not by family’s achievement.

If someone else comes along, would you be willing to move on with a totally different person?

I would like to leave that open. If God says this is the person I have ordained for you, I will marry the person. I am not saying marriage is the key to my success. I am just saying that I want a close-knit family.

You once ran a string of businesses in your shopping mall, but then you closed shop. What happened?

I had a successful salon that was recognised by L’Oreal Paris when they came to Nigeria. The salon was one of the many businesses in my shopping mall alongside my interior designing gig, the spa, a real estate business. I ran all of them while I was still married. Now running a salon is a full time business that requires one to be fully involved. When I saw that the salon was taking up most of my time and not allowing me to focus on what I really wanted, I had to shut it down and concentrate on my oil and gas business and real estate business. I just rented out the premises to another company.

Why oil and gas?

I studied Environmental Protection Management in the university.

So going into oil and gas was inevitable. I dived into it after my divorce. When I was married, my husband forbade me to work for his friends. So after my divorce, I went for a 9 to 5 job in an oil company. I started as an intern and worked my way up the ladder from the downstream to the upstream department. Thereafter, I THEWILLNIGERIA

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I have always spoken out against injustice on a general level and have taken the bullet for friends or relatives on a personal level. I have been involved in protests that can help better the lives of the average man and seeking the well being of your fellow man is what politics is to me in a nutshell

It came as a surprise to many when it was announced that you are the running mate to Iboro Otu, the African Action Congress governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State. Have you always wanted to be in politics?

What is politics really? Politics is in our everyday lives. I am involved in politics as a wife, a mother, a business woman, a humanitarian etc. I have never been one to sit on the sidelines, I take a stand always and that is the stand of justice. I have always spoken out against injustice on a general level and have taken the bullet for friends or relatives on a personal level. I have been involved in protests that can help better the lives of the average man and seeking the well being of your fellow man is what politics is to me in a nutshell.

If you win the election, what will you be bringing to the table different from what the previous government provided for the people of Akwa Ibom?

The question should be what is it that the people of Akwa Ibom want that we should be able to provide for them? All along it has always been what the persons vying for the position will be bringing to the table. This time around, it should be what do the people want, crave that we must pledge to provide. I am big on education, empowering the girl child and championing the cause of the downtrodden.

got an MBA. I am almost done with my MSc. I have acquired knowledge in it doing a lot of professional courses in the United Kingdom and the Lagos Business School. So for the years I left my marriage, I built and developed myself.

What is the company called?

Hutchings Limited. It is an umbrella company for agriculture, manufacturing, real estate, oil and gas. But I am focused on the last two. With the oil and gas, we are focused on the upstream sector, provide manpower, procurement and the rest and with the real estate, we develop estates and we have done two so far, one in Ikate and the other in Lekki, Lagos. I also do renovations, sell property, do interior decorating etc. We also work in the UK and Dubai as well.

You are hardly seen in Nollywood movies and your last appearance in a movie was Stalker, which you produced. Are you done with the movie industry for good?

Never. I will always be an actor. It used to be a passion, but now I take it as a profession. I am back to it and I will soon be producing my own movie.

What made you to get on The Real Housewives of Lagos show?

When I was contacted, I was told that it would be an opportunity to promote my businesses and my Non Governmental Organisation,

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STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

Orji Kalu’s Daughter is New Chairman of SUN Newspaper

OSIBODUS FIGHT BACK, ENGAGE SERVICES OF TONY BLAIR’S WIFE TO RETAIN BEDC

The Osibodus

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few weeks after THEWILL published a story that the reign of one of Nigeria’s corporate power couple and socialites, Victor and Funke Osibodu, might have come to an end, what with having experienced a few devastating losses from the corporate sector, some recent developments appear to show that the Osibodus may not be willing to go down without a fight.

It would be recalled that Funke Osibodu was kicked out of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) by the Federal Government for underperformance. Vigeo Power Limited, the company she runs with her husband as Chairman and she as Chief Executive Officer, owns BEDC. Besides BEDC, other distribution companies taken over by the federal government were the electricity distribution companies of Kano and Kaduna. Like Kano and Kaduna, BEDC was considered to be technically incapacitated and financial insolvent after its loan facilities from Fidelity Bank became moribund, landing them in trouble with the bank. The Boards of the three companies were dissolved and replaced.

With the Osibodu-led Benin DISCO, KC Akuma was appointed Chairman while Adeola Ijose and Charles Onwere were appointed members of the board.

Also, the Bureau of Public Enterprises

(BPE) nominated Yomi Adeyemi as an independent director to represent the government’s 40 per cent interest in the BEDC during the transition. But the Osibodus are not willing to just sit back and allow the Federal Government to take over their business. They are fighting back. First, they got the Federal High Court in Abuja to issue an order restraining Fidelity Bank Plc and other co-defendants from taking over BEDC, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated July 8, 2022. The other defendants are the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Despite the order, the defendants invaded the premises of BEDC office in Benin and broke into the office of the Managing Director and the board room bragging of government protection. This prompted the management of BEDC to issue a press statement explaining that there was no contractual, statutory or regulatory basis for the takeover and appointments.

Not done, they have now dragged BPE to a United Kingdom arbitration to challenge the takeover of BEDC

by Fidelity Bank Plc. Sources reveal that Cherie Blair, the wife of Tony Blair, UK’s ex-Prime Minister, who is

the Chair of Omnia Strategy LLP and Bode Olanipekun of Wole Olanipekun and Co are leading BEDC’s legal team.

An Omnia Strategy LLP document addressed to the Director-General, BPE, Alex Okoh, stated that the bureau’s improper action had VPL’s commercial interests and reputation to suffer through the forceful takeover of BEDC. The document, dated July 14, 2022 and signed by Cherie and Olanipekun read in part, “Omnia Strategy LLP and Wole Olanipekun & Co are instructed on behalf of Vigeo Power Limited. Our client notes that BPE’s abuse of state power through the improper and actionable collusion with Fidelity Bank, together with its arrogation to itself, of powers which have no contractual, regulatory or statutory basis, is consistent with the persistent hostile attitude displayed by instrumentalities of the FGN to our client and other investors in the sector since the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s successor companies.

“It is in this context that we notify you of the existence of a dispute, pursuant to Clause 16.2, and hereby nominate Dr. Echefu Ukattah as our authorised representative. We request that you also nominate one of your directors or other senior representatives as your authorised representative, such that VPL’s authorised representative and BPE’s authorised representative shall meet within 10 days of this letter – being July 24, 2022 – to resolve the dispute; failing which VPL will be left with little choice but to commence international arbitration proceedings and claim damages for all loss suffered by our client as a result of BPE’s breach of its obligations, as well as all of VPL’s other losses occasioned by various FGN state actors since our client acquired 60 per cent interest in BEDC.” Hopefully the matter is resolved at home and not become an international arbitration case.

Toyin Kolade Celebrates Coronation Anniversary

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usinesswoman and socialite, Toyin Kolade recently celebrated her one year coronation anniversary as the Iyalaje Oodua, a title conferred on her by His Imperial Majesty, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II. She earned the title due to her selfless promotion of the cultural activities in Ile-Ife and Yorubaland, as well as her contributions towards the revival of the ancient Aje festival a celebration of wealth and fertility in Yorubaland and Olojo festival which is used to mark the creation of the universe, both of which have today gained tremendous global limelight. As the Iyalaje Oodua, she promotes Nigerian and African culture

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through her involvement in the internalisation of the country’s culture.

The anniversary, which also coincided with her birthday, was celebrated at the Marriott Hotel, GRA, Ikeja. The highlight of the celebrations was her induction by the United Nations as a global Peace Ambassador. The triple celebration is coming months after she was exonerated from an alleged fraud case running into several millions of dollars. A philanthropist who is fondly regarded as the Iyalaje of Apapa on account of her influence at the Apapa Ports where she plays big via her Fisolak Global Resources company, Kolade ensured that the less privileged were also not left out of the celebrations.

Kolade

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Shitta-Bey

MEET ADETOKUNBO SHITTA-BEY CEO OF HOSPITAL WHERE OSINBAJO HAD SURGERY

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ast week when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made a huge statement with his decision to go through with a thigh bone surgery in Nigeria, as opposed to traveling out of the country, many commended him and sought to know which hospital gained his confidence enough to get him to have the surgery done here. The hospital is none other than Duchess International Hospital located in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. For starters, Osinbajo commissioned the building housing the multi-specialist healthcare facility in October 2021. During the commissioning, he did predict that the coming of the hospital will create an attractive proposition to reverse the trend in medical tourism in the country. This perhaps explains why he chose to have his surgery done there, as a sign of good faith and to not just pay lip service to ending medical tourism.

Considered as Lagos’ third largest private hospital, with 72 beds, it took four years to build and it is one of the three healthcare facilities operating under the Reddington group in Lagos. The hospital was partly funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry as part of the overall plan by the Federal Government to make quality health care more accessible and affordable to more Nigerians across socio-economic divides. And it is relatively so with as little as N5,000.

The man who runs the show there is the unassuming Dr Adetokunbo Shitta-Bey, who acts as the Chief Executive Officer.

From the popular Shitta-Bey family of Lagos State, Adetokunbo attended some of the most prestigious schools across the globe. From King’s College Lagos to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to Royal College of General Practitioners, the professional membership body for family doctors in the UK and overseas, to King’s College London, where he bagged a Master of Science (MSc.) and Cranfield School of Management at Cranfield University, UK where he bagged a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Before assuming the position of CEO/CMD, ShittaBey was the CEO of BeyHealth Consulting LTD in the United Kingdom for almost 13 years. With an extensive administrative and clinical experience as a National Health Service primary care physician (GP), medical director/clinical governance lead and deanery educational supervisor, ShittaBey over the years acquired international experience in private and public sector healthcare leadership as a consultant, board member and programme director/ course convenor of a successful Continuing Medical Education (CME/CPD) programme in Nigeria. Shitta-Bey enjoys writing and is the published author of a book entitled, More Than My Scars.

ormer Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has stepped down as the chairman of the Sun Newspaper, which he founded over 10 years ago. Taking over his position is none other than his first and favourite child, Neya, who has now assumed the position of Chairman/Publisher of one of the largest selling newspapers in the country. Kalu however remains the founder of the newspaper.

While appreciating the honour bestowed on her for the humongous task of piloting the affairs of the newspaper, at least for the next decade, Neya promised to lead the country to greater heights while relying on the solid foundation that has existed since its inception.

Educated at the University of Buckingham, England, with a degree in Law and Finance, Neya runs Base Coat, a chain of nail salons in Lagos. She is also the Vice-Chairman of Sun Kalu

Heavens Hotels and Resorts.

Neya was previously engaged to Abia-born, Lagos businessman and politician, Chima Anyanso, a few years ago, but the wedding got called off as a result of unpalatable tales on the part of Chima. Both of them have since moved on and are married to their respective spouses.

Neya has been married to businessman Lawrence Iyere since 2017.

Banke Meshida-Lawal Bags Appointment With Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce

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elebrity makeup artist, Creatives Sector.

Banke Meshida-Lawal, Having been in the industry for has been appointed the over two decades, MeshidaCreative Cultural Committee Lawal knows all the tricks and Vice chairman at the the secrets of makeup. She is the Nigerian-British Chamber of go-to makeup artist for most Commerce. prominent socialites and other With the appointment, Banke female celebrities in Nigeria who runs BMPro Makeup and beyond. Beyond making Group and is one of the most women beautiful, Banke runs sought-after in the beauty a multifaceted business that and makeup industry has boasts of a cosmetic makeup now been saddled with line of over 40 products, a the mandate to explore the training school, a beauty many opportunities in the advisory and an online business world and Nigeria’s magazine, BM/Pro. economy as well as to help to harness the economic potential of the Nigerian creative industry.

The terms of reference for the creative and cultural sectoral group include encouraging and creating a platform for collaboration amongst members of the group, fostering the growth of member organizations as well as generating B2B opportunities, organizing programs and events to showcase the diversity and robustness of the Meshida-Lawal

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

K1 De Ultimate Plans Second Stage of 50 Years in Entertainment

MIKE DADA ADDS ANOTHER FEATHER TO HIS CAP P

ublic relations expert and president of the All African Music Award (AFRIMA), Mike Dada, has been unveiled as the Chairman of the Creative and Cultural Committee of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC). The NBCC launched the Creative and Cultural Sectorial Group with a mandate to explore more opportunities in the business world and also to harness the economic potential of the Nigeria creative industry a few months ago. The President and Chairman of the chamber, Bisi Adeyemi, made it known that Dada was chosen to chair the group because of his wealth of experience in brand management, finance, marketing perception, media

management and law.

His experiences in those fields will help in fostering the growth of member organisations, encourage and create a platform for collaboration among members of the group, organise programmes and events to showcase the diversity and robustness of the creative sector, as well as organising an annual NBCC Creative and Culture Day. Dada will be working with other committee members to review the impact of government policies on the creative and cultural sector and working with the advocacy committee to engage policymakers and enlighten members as

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agile and aging gracefully. She had planned to stage her 80th birthday in Ghana, but her son and friends insisted she must have a Nigeria version.

Born and raised in Ghana to a family of dress makers, she later relocated to Nigeria with her mother. She set up her fashion label, Labanella in the 1970s in Surulere and remained on the fashion scene, winning many accolades. She won the best designer competition in Ghana when Ghana Airways started operation. It set up a fashion competition which she won and she was taken to Beirut in Lebanon, the first location that the airline flew to. She is also the patron of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN).

Sisi Abah was engaged to Segun Awolowo Jr, son of the late Nigerian nationalist, Obafemi Awolowo. She met him when he came back to Nigeria from London, but he was unfortunately killed in a car accident, which occurred while his father was facing trial for treason in 1963.

Folawiyo was pregnant for him and gave birth to her only son, Segun

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Dada

usic icon, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, more popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, is set to celebrate the second phase of his 50 years on stage.

The Fuji maestro marked the first phase of his landmark celebration on Sunday, July 3, 2022 at DLK Event Centre, Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State, in collaboration with the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN).

The event was well attended by lovers of Fuji music and other top musicians in the industry.

The second stage is billed to take place on 19th August, 2022 at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State.

The event, which will be attended by prominent

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Awolowo, two months before her lover’s death.

She also had a fling with Lasun Adesanya in the 1970s, but they later parted ways and she married billionaire businessman, the Baba Idinni of Yorubaland, Chief Wahab Folawiyo. He spoiled her silly with the good things of life and the two were regular faces on the covers of popular magazines and newspapers before his demise in 2008.

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Tosan-Agberebi

isha Tosan Agberebi, the founder of Crime Fighters and Managing Director of Bi-Communication Limited is currently in a gay mood. The reason for her happiness is not far-fetched.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has just granted her a licence to operate her own digital terrestrial Television station (BITV).

It was gathered that the seasoned broadcaster is getting ready to kick start things. Structures and

finishing touches are already being put in place to ensure that all goes well once the station hits the airwaves.

According to the founder, the focus of the broadcast station will be on issues that bother on national development, with emphasis on general security. The Crime fighter, Police and You anchor started off as a print journalist, but he ventured into the broadcast industry. She worked with more than 10 InspectorsGeneral of Police and has vast reportage on policing.

Shell Petroleum’s MD, Osagie Okunbor, Bags Lifetime Award

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Folayiwo

Marshal

Aisha Tosan-Agberebi Gets Licence to Operate TV Station

appropriate. He will also generate creative contents for the chamber’s program and events.

Dada expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve and promised that he would deliver the mandate of the group for the benefit of Nigeria and Great Britain.

According to him, the opportunity would help create a huge number of jobs while reducing poverty among the Nigerian populace.

Society Bigwigs, Politicians Celebrate Abah Folayiwo at 80 ajiya Zainab Abah Folayiwo, popularly known as Sisi Abah, mother of Segun Awolowo, the former Executive director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, clocked 80 years on Friday, July 22, 2022.

Awolowo and friends of the socialite rolled out the drums in celebration and praises to God for sparing the life of the doyen of fashion.

The party started with an early prayer at Sisi Abah’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos State, which was followed by an afterparty at the same venue.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the first people to pay the fashion icon a visit in commemoration of her birthday.

Some of the top dignitaries who graced the occasion include, billionaire business woman and one of the richest women in Africa, Hajia Bola Shagaya; Senator Florence ItaGiwa; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and his wife, Ibironke Sanwo-Olu; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu; former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori; Publisher of Guardian Newspapers, Mrs Maiden Ibru; Olori Ladun Sijuade and a host of others were all in attendance.

Ita- Giwa, the celebrant’s closest friend, was one of people who ensured tha all the dignitaries in attendance were well received and feted with the best delicacies on the menu.

Despite clocking 80, Sisi Abah is still

Fuji icons and lovers of his music will be one of the the most talked about in the entertainment industry. It was gathered that some Fuji artistes would honour the veteran with their performance at the event.

Rated as one of the most popular fuji musicians, K1’s music career dates back to when he first showed interest in music at the age of 8.

He started out with Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister as his instrument packer and mastered the art of Fuji music before setting up his own band. No societal gathering is complete without him gracing the stage to praise sing as he has produced a lot of hit music in his 50 years sojourn in the industry.

he Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company and Country Chairman, Shell Companies In Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, has bagged a lifetime award as the Dr Alirio Parra Lifetime Achievement recipientt in the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry for 2022.

Okunbor was named the recipient of the award at the 21st edition of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, which took place last week. The award was named after the late Venezuelan Minister of Petroleum and one of the founding fathers of the organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. Alirio Parra. His lifetime award is the most prestigious recognition to

the development of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

Okunbor was chosen after he was nominated through online votes by members who took part in the conference. His latest feat has granted Okunbor the privilege to be named among a distinguished list of previous winners which includes Dr Kachalla Maikanti Baru, a former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation who died in 2020.

A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Okunbor has over 30 years’ experience in

the industry and rose through the ranks until he became the Managing director of SPDC. He is also on board chairman of the organisation.

Okunbor

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

Timothy Owoeye Repossesses Transformer Donated to Community

QUINCY AYODELE SET TO CELEBRATE SON’S WEDDING

Ayodele & Roberts

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uincy Ayodele, the founder of Quincy Wellness and Naturopathic Centre is set to roll out the drums for her son, Temi Ayodele’s wedding. Temi will walk down the aisle with his heartthrob, Ashley Roberts on December 17, 2022 at the Redeemed Church of God, City of David, Victoria Island, Lagos. The traditional

ceremony would take place on December 10, 2022 at the Dome, La Kings Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State while the reception and after party would take place at La Madison Place, Lekki, Lagos State.

His Royal Highness, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II will be the father of the day while ageless politican and socialite, Daisy

Danjuma will be the mother of the day. Music maestro, Alhaji Waisu Ayinde Barrister, also known as K1 De Ultimate will thrill guests to wonderous music. It was gathered that some traditional rulers such as Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Abepa of Joga Kingdom, Oba Adeyemi Adekeye will be in attendance while tradomedical expert, Dr Tunde Ayeni will be the chairman of the occasion.

The groom to be, also known as Fresh-T is based abroad, in the United State to be precise. He is partly following the footsteps of his mother who is into the herbal business. He is into the manufacturing of hair serum, “The Hair Magic”, made from a combination of natural and herbal products. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of an Engineering firm, Tech Wiz. He had a short stint in the music scene ten years ago before venturing fully into business. He met the love of his life, Ashley at a surprise birthday party organized for one of his friends in 2021.

Ashley grew up in Nigeria. She is from the South South, Bonny Island to be precise in Rivers State. She had her primary and secondary education in Nigeria before relocating to Houston, Texas where she furthered her education. She is a Masters Degree holder from George Mason University School of Business. She once worked at the Bank of America and now she is into Information Technology.

Toyin Amuzu’s Political Ambition Suffers Setback

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hen Toyin Amuzu expressed his interest in the House of Representatives seat in Abeokuta South on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, he did not expect that his political ambition would come up against an obstacle. The Asiwaju Leragun of Egbaland won the primary election of his party which was conducted a few months ago.

He defeated his rivals, Akeem Amosun and Akin Sorunke to emerge the choice candidate for his party.

However, a few months after his emergence, the Acting Publicity Secretary, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi of the Labour Party accused Amuzu of not being an indigene of Abeokuta, the constituency he would be representing if he eventually gets elected as a lawmaker.

Arabambi claimed Amuzu should be disqualified by his party for claiming a place he didn’t originate from.

One of the reasons the Labour party chieftain made the

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allegation against Amuzu was because he was in the Labour Party before defecting to the PDP. It was gathered that his accusation has caused division among aggrieved party members who are not satisfied with Amuzu’s victory, most especially those who contested against him in the party.

It was gathered that Amuzu’s maternal parents were indigenes of Ogun State, from Igbehin and Ijeun in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

His mother’s parents are from the popular Odebunmi and Lashoju families in Egbaland.

His father comes from Edo State but because he was brought up by his mother who is an indigene of Ogun State, he has been claiming the state and has been a great influence to the development of Abeokuta South

where his mother is from.

His Foundation, Toyin Amuzu Foundation has always been a succour to the elderly and the widows. He has also provided boreholes and founded the Toyin Amuzu Football club to support the youths who have interest in soccer.

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he Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Timothy Owoeye, has been accused of repossessing a transformer donated to Odi Olowo community in Ilesa Agboola East Local Government Area of Osun State.

The Odi Olowo area had been thrown into darkness for a while due to the fact that the transformer supplying light to the area became faulty. It was gathered that the residents of the area have been crying out for help from the state government for a couple of months without any positive response.

However, some influential members of the community were able to get the attention of the honourable speaker and he eventually went to their rescue by buying a new lutterwave, a leading Fintech transformer for the Company in Nigeria is making frantic efforts to redeem its image community which was installed a few by sponsoring the biggest and the days after Owoeye most viewed reality show in Nigeria, made his promise.

Big Brother Naija Season 7.

A card carrying This is not the first time that the member of the company will sponsor the show as All Progressive an associate sponsor. In 2020, the company teamed up with the organiser Congress (APC), he came to power of the reality show to organize tasks and cash-winning events on the reality on the platform of show. They had the most popular game the party and has contest, which catapulted its reputation served his first term and income most especially as the in office. He was also country was just recovering from the Owoeye able to retain his

FLUTTERWAVE MOVES TO REDEEM IMAGE AMID ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD

ticket as the APC candidate for ILesa East House of Assembly in the primary election that took place a few weeks ago.

However, after the result of the governorship election was announced on Sunday and APC was ousted out of the state government, it was gathered that the speaker ordered that the transformer be removed from the local government.

Many have been attributing his moves to the fact that the election did not favour his party that was why he withdrew his gift.

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COVID-19 pandemic. It engaged in an institutional advertising plan for their brand and the company was able to make over 140 million transactions worth over $9 billion, compared to the $5.4 billion transaction that it used to make before sponsoring part of the reality show.

The company is engaging the same strategy this year to further boost its reputation and raise funds while battling a series of controversies. The Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Olugbenga Agboola was accused of engaging in dubious business and personal practices. He gave himself more shares in the company’s early days and offered share prices below the company’s valuation to employees who wanted to cash in on his plan, he also ensured that the employees’ stock trade went to an investment he controlled.

A former employee, Clara Wanjiku Odero also accused him of bullying and the company of negligence which led to fraud. The company was also accused of involvement in money laundering in Kenya leading to the freezing of its account in Kenya, amidst other crisis.

With its partnership with Big Brother Naija, Flutterwave is hoping to raise its dwindling fortune and reputation with this new partnership.

Bongos Ikwue Loses Wife

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usic maestro, Bongos Ikwue has lost his better half, Josephine Ifeyinwa Bongos- Ikwue to the cold hands of death. The singer’s wife passed away while receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment at an Abuja hospital. She was 73 years old.

A service of songs will be observed on August 5, 2022

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in Abuja, while a mass service would take place at the St Mary’s Catholic Church, Otukpo, Benue State on August 11.

Her remains will be buried on Friday, August 12 in Otukpo.

Visitors have been thronging the Government Reservation Area home of the singer in Otukpo to console him on the demise of his wife.

Ikwue THEWILLNG

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

SHOTS OF THE WEEK Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

L-R: Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (left), being presented with a plaque by Lagos L-R: CSR Lead, Airtel Nigeria, Chioma Okolie; ED, Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (WTEC), State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, shortly after a meeting at Government House, Marina in Lagos on July Oreoluwa Lesi and Director, Airtel Business, Ogo Ofomota during the Airtel Touching Lives Season 6 21, 2022. prize presentation at the W.TEC office in Lagos on July 19, 2022.

L-R: Ekiti State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Paul Omotosho; Deputy Governor-elect, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye; Ekiti State Governor–elect, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Paul Alabi during a “Thank You Tour” by the Governor-elect in Ikole, Oye and Ilejemeje Local Government Area on July 19, 2022.

L–R: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Temi Popoola; Head, Global Healthcare AI Startups, NVIDIA, Renee Yao; founding Managing Partner, MaC Venture Capital, Marlon Nichols and acting CEO, Oman Technology Fund, Ismail AlHarty, during a courtesy visit by Africa Walk to NGX in Lagos on July 21, 2022.

L-R: Nigeria’s media personalities, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi and Toolz Oniru, when they took their Podcast Premiere L-R: Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, and Chairman, National Population Commission, Hon. Isa to Africa Magic Urban, DStv Entertainment Channel in Lagos on July 20, 2022.

Kwarra, during a courtesy visit of NPC Chairman to the Governor in Awka on July 21, 2022.

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

NEWS XTRA Food Insecurity: Stakeholders Seek Adoption of Agricultural Biotechnology

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L-R: Zonal Commander, NDLEA Zone B, Yola, Idris Bello; Comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka; CEO, Healthgarde International, Nneka Lovelyn Nwarueze and Zonal Commander, NDLEA Lagos, Segun Oke during NDLEA Celebrity Drug-Free Club Conference, Against Drug Abuse held at the Healthgarde Centre, Ikeja, Lagos on July 15, 2022.

NSCDC: UniMaid, 18 Private Guard Companies Receive Operating Licence

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he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has issued operating licences to the University of Maiduguri and 18 other Private Guard Companies (PGC) to aid the fight against insecurity across the country.

The licences were issued at the NSCDC national headquarters last Friday in Abuja.

He commended the University of Maiduguri for taking bold step to register it’s in-house security company and called on other academic institutions, banks, churches among others to emulate such good example.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that University of Maiduguri security outfit was one of the PGCs issued an operating license.

NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, charged the new operators to contribute their quota to the fight against insecurity by providing credible intelligence and information to the corps and other security agencies.

“This charge became necessary as the Corps plans to clamp down on violators and illegal operators of PGCs across the country.

Audi said that it was imperative for all stakeholders to collaborate and proffer solutions to the security challenges confronting the nation.

Earlier in his remark, National Vice President, Association of License Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria, Rev. Cannon Mark-Abere, urged members to adhere to operational guidelines.

According to him, the law empowers the Corps to monitor, supervise, licence and train operators of PGCs. He warned the new operators to adhere strictly to the guidelines and conditions of operation and strongly warned against the transfer of operating licences.

He cautioned them on the use of fire arms, impersonation of security agents or using their uniforms, ranks and other accoutrements.

The CG encouraged the new operators to ensure regular training and retraining of their guards while at the same time placing high premium on staff welfare to discourage compromise or connivance with criminals.

According to him, “the Corps will frown at any company that does not take care of its staff.

“Operators should be mindful of undercutting to the detriment of the operatives.”

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“The Corps is to also seal up unlicensed and invalid PGCs in operation,” Audi said.

He stressed that the timely renewal of operating licences and ALPSPN membership is mandatory.

Responding on behalf other operators, Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, Prof Adamu Umar, thanked the Corps and expressed delight for the approval granted to float Unimaid Security Services.

Umar said that as an institution which operates in Boko Haram ravaged community, the university’s management resolved to establish the outfit to compliment other security agencies.

He said that the outfit would support the activities of security agencies in terms of patrol and intelligence gathering and report.

According to him, the PGC is a child of necessity and will perform its duties with high sense of responsibility and discipline.

EU Partners FG to Fast-track Gas Infrastructure For European Markets

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he European Union (EU) in partnership with the Federal Government has expressed renewed interest to put mechanism in place to fund gas project in Nigeria to guarantee energy security in Africa and Europe.

The EU made this known on Friday when Chief Timipré Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, received Mr Matthew Baldwim, Deputy Director-General, EU Energy Platform Task-Force in his office in Abuja.

Recall that the EU delegation’s visit to the Minister was the second in four months, and it was equally meeting other key ministries with relevant roles to play in guaranteeing energy security.

The minister said this development would hasten the desire of EU to guarantee alternative gas to Russia’s.

He described the assistance, which covered security, technology development, financing and private sectors investment as worthwhile because finally it had enabled Nigeria to be on the same page with the rest of the world.

Sylva, who was critical about the haste which the EU and Western nation took out investment in fossil fuel, said in years to come fossil fuel would be very relevant while gas would be used as transition fuel.

He underscored the need for the EU to appeal to their financial institutions to be willing to relax stringent rules and remove bottlenecks bothering loans to enable sourcing funds under a conducive agreement.

“We have always said that we are committed to gas as a transition fuel and today we are speaking the same language with the EU. “We are discussing with the EU on how to collaborate on developing technology and other support they can give Nigeria.

“They are responsible for the policy that will drive the investment,” he said.

takeholders in agriculture have called for adoption of biotechnology to address food crisis.

They made this known at an event organised by the Alliance for Science Nigeria (ASN) on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised in partnership with the National Biosafety Management Agency and the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB Nigeria).

NAN also reports that the focus of the event is on “Nigeria’s Biosafety Regime for GMOs”.

Mr Opuah Abeikwen, the Coordinator, ASN, said that the event aimed at sensitising Nigerians on biotechnology, biosafety and the future of genetically engineered crops in the country.

According to him, the challenge of food insecurity is a fundamental problem that requires urgent attention globally and especially in Nigeria.

Abeikwen said that the “Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) Cowpea”, commonly referred to as beans is an example of a genetically modified food crop approved by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in 2019.

“Nigeria is the highest consumer of beans across the world.

“Due to its inability to meet up with the demand for this staple, the country spends over N16 billion annually to import more than 500,000 metric tonnes of this produce.

“Additionally, the farmers have to spray their produce at least 10 times every planting season to fight maruca vitratar, a deadly insect that causes the largest pre-harvest damages to reduce yields by up to 80 per cent and lowering the quality of grains.

“The PBR cowpea promises to address these setbacks in our food system.

“It would ensure a massive reduction in the use of chemicals in food production and foster environmental sustainability,” he said.

Dr Rufus Egbegba, the Director-General, NBMA, said that biosafety “is an economic and safety enabler if utilised effectively.

“With the application of modern biotechnology if subjected to biosafety system, will come out with produce that are safe, have economic value and be a solution to existing problems.

“With what we have approved and confirm safe if properly applied, will be a serious boom in the agriculture sector, especially the genetically modified beans and the genetically modified cotton, which is also good for the industry.

“We are talking about food security and the issue of safe modern application is key in achieving food security.

“And the National Biosafety Management Agency will keep on ensuring that due diligence is done before any genetically modified crop is approved in the country”.

On her part, Dr Rose Gidado, Country Coordinator, OFAB Nigeria, also called on Nigerians to believe in biotechnology for the country to achieve food sufficiency.

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

FEATURES

Photos: Peace Udugba.

Katangua: Flea Market For All

Patronising flea markets used to be a place for the poor, those who can barely afford expensive ready-to-wear outfits in classy boutiques.

Katangua Market by Super Bus Stop in Abule Egba, Lagos is now a market for all - rich, poor and those in-between. Michael Jimoh reports…

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Ekuro lo no,” an adult male baritone voice startles you from behind a line of human chain snaking along one of the narrow paths in Katangua Market. The path itself is hedged by hastily constructed wooden stalls with colourful awnings or corrugated roofing sheets. It is clearly not convenient for a single file to pace along.

And yet, an Indian file of another is coming from the opposite direction, men and women with loads on their heads or holding blue nylon bags stuffed with recently made purchases. There are many more shoppers walking along, hands by their side like penguins on the march.

A short sprint is impossible here. You are sure to careen into someone if you dared. Still, it is a good day to snap up that rare Balenciaga scarf or Nike sneakers, a Tommy Hilfiger jeans or Gap chinos – all of them second-hand/ THEWILLNIGERIA

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used – and at bargain price.

Welcome to Katangua Market aka Katangowa or Katangwa

by Super Bus stop in Abule Egba along Lagos/ Abeokuta Expressway. Sources told THEWILL the market was begun nearly 30 years ago by Hausa traders and settlers dispensing a few commodities at the time. Today you can buy just about anything from used bags and shoes to bras and panties, leggings and gowns of different colours and sizes, stylish denims and bespoke shirts, baby wears, bedspreads, pillowcases, curtains, towels and much else.

There are those providing ancillary services in the market also: food vendors, POS operators, carriers and even young men displaying fancy shirts and trousers right in your face.

“Bros, follow me buy or make I go show you original chinos for inside shop.”

Don’t be beguiled by his sweet utterances. He is an “Applico” with no shop of his own and there are no originals of the items mentioned. He is a hustler out to woo you, make some snappy sale and have his cut from the show owner.

From its lowly beginnings, Katangua is now the most famous flea market in Lagos and, possibly, Nigeria. Yes, there was Tejuosho Market Yaba a favourite of female Akokites at one time. It is no more. Aswani Market along Lagos/ Badagry Expressway operates only on Tuesdays,

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leaving Katangua to have a run of used clothes business and, in the process, attract more patronage.

For three days every week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday - thousands of shoppers and traders converge at the most famous flea market in Lagos to buy and sell handme-downs from America, Asia or Europe. It is on those days also that traders at Katangua open bales and bales of merchandise bought from Arena Market near Oshodi or Apapa Wharf.

As early as 6, 6.3am the bales are cut open and then buyers including retailers close in for a choice piece of clothing, bag or shoe. More shoppers arrive as the day progresses.

More bales are cut open and some of the items displayed on shelves, benches, on the ground, on hangers and worn on male and female mannequins.

The adult male voice ordering you to give way has not come to buy or sell. He is a delivery man with a huge bale on his head covering his brows down to the ears and back of the neck. Only his nose, mouth and chin are visible.

There is not much space to let him through because of the human crush. Still, bodies bend this way and that giving the impatient carrier right of way.

It is a Monday afternoon and there are people everywhere in the market sitting in makeshift wooden stalls loaded with Continues on page 30

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FEATURES Continued from page 29

...Flea Market For All clothes, bags and shoes beckoning on buyers. “Oga, wetin you wan buy? I get am. Jeans, chinos or shirt? Bata nko?”

Along with the sheer number of people is a pervasive smell. It is not hard to see why. Bales of clothes, bags and shoes in cargo ships travelling from any port in America, Asia or Europe takes weeks, sometimes months depending on the stop-overs. In that state, the merchandise arrive their destination with a unique smell peculiar to second-hand clothes. On this Monday, that odd stench is everywhere at Katangua Market, from the items scattered on tables, on the ground and inside the shops. It is so strong you imagine it hovering over the market like an unseen halo.

Savvy traders and buyers insist that smell distinguishes second-hand clothes from other materials, the smell that confirms its provenance from Europe, say, not those locally made and smuggled in by crafty traders or dubious shop owners to deceive buyers.

On this Monday afternoon, half a dozen shoppers bend over an open bale in one of the shops, picking up shirts one by one and examining them – the armpits, collars and cuffs. In another shop with carefully folded chinos and jeans pants on shelves and benches, the ritual is repeated.

Satisfied with the item, the buyers make eye contact with the seller.

“Arinze, how much for these ones?” Arinze makes a mental calculation, points up three fingers. The buyer hands over the sum discreetly.

Arinze Anowe has been selling at the market since 2012.

His corner is roomy enough to accommodate three or so traders but they don’t sell shirts like him. He is in his early thirties, from Imo state. Patronage was better 10 years ago when he started selling Okrika, a more popular name for used clothes. (Another moniker by which second-hand clothes is called is Tokunbo and Akube.)

But these days, sellers of second-hand clothes have to contend with the effect of the border closure. It means they can no longer go to Cotonou for their purchase. Now, they look to Arena Market in Oshodi or Apapa Wharf for bales.

Importers, according to him, have taken advantage of the border closure to jack up prices of imported bales. “We used to buy bales before for six million,” Arinze said.

“The importers are now collecting N18million.” The result is that prices of goods in the market have increased correspondingly.

There is also the problem of Customs Officers shaking down traders like him. First, they seize their goods since it is illegal to sell second-hand merchandise. Next, you have to sort of bail the bales from their custody.

Raymond, 33, is from Nnewi in Anambra state. He has been in the market for 15 years. He sells shirts, jeans, polo.

Patronage has been fine, as well. “But now with inflation and blocking of the borders things are difficult,” Raymond rued to THEWILL. “When I started I sold shirts for N300 but now the same shirt goes for N1, 500, N2000 and so on.”

Like Arinze, he groused about the rise in prices at Arena Market. “Importers have increased the price of bales because they know you can’t go to Cotonou to buy.”

Raymond is not surprised that more Nigerians now turn to second-hand clothes. The general hardship and downturn in the economy is one reason. Another is that a shirt in a boutique can go as high as N9, 000 but you can get the same shirt or even a better one for N1, 500, first grade material.

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“

As early as 6, 6.3am the bales are cut open and then buyers including retailers close in for a choice piece of clothing, bag or shoe. More shoppers arrive as the day progresses. More bales are cut open and some of the items displayed on shelves, benches, on the ground, on hangers and worn on male and female mannequins

Also, it isn’t only the poor who patronise the market.

Raymond recalled that some time ago, he sold clothing items to a manager from one of the major airlines in Lagos.

Kanyisola Hazzan is another patron of Katangua Market.

A student of Lagos State University, Ojo, she considers buying clothes from boutiques a waste of money. “It is not about being rich or poor, but a matter of where you can get your choice,” Hazzan said. “I just can’t stand buying clothes in boutiques at ridiculous prices.”

Apart from the drain on their finances, there is also the matter of durability. A fashion designer, Chinwe Obi should know. “I prefer buying second-hand curtains because they are more durable than the new ones. The curtains I bought

from this market five years ago are still looking good,” she told an interviewer once.

As a medical doctor, Gbenga Odutola ranks quite high in the professional cadre. But he comes from Iyaganku, Ibadan Oyo state to Katangua Market for his family’s purchase. “The clothes sold at the market are of high quality and when properly washed and ironed,”Odutola said in one interview, “they could be taken for new ones.”

Taken for new ones they may be but they are used all the same and already worn by someone else, as most buyers can see from the decrepit state of some of the items on display. Which brings up another matter concerning buying used clothes at such outlets, especially undergarments for women.

There were crowds of women haggling over bras and panties of various hues and sizes, trying them on around their chests when THEWILL visited. It was not a pleasant sight to behold. In an interview recently, Dr. Uche Nwafor of Brafus Specialist Hospital, Akute in Ogun state, warned against buying second-hand clothes, especially underwear.

In her reckoning, “buying second-hand clothes is not healthy because you can’t tell the number of months those items have spent before eventually getting to Nigeria and they must have some microbes that grow on clothes.”

Simply washing and ironing such clothes is no guaranty against infections because not all germs are killed in the process. She insists on “washing them thoroughly with good detergent, sun dried and ironed before putting them on as the health implications of not doing that could be grave.”

Asked to estimate the value in Naira the transaction in the market weekly, a shop owner who called himself MD, as in MD of a company, mentioned billions of Naira. He may just be right considering the increasing number of buyers and traders converging at the market three days a week for that rare Armani jacket or Givenchy blouse.

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JULY 24 - JULY 30, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

SportsLive

Rivers United’s Blueprint For Sporting Success

BY JUDE OBAFEMI n Thursday last week, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, gave each player in the state-owned football team, Rivers United, the sum of $20,000, or more than N12 million, as reward for winning the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

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The rationale behind this ostentatious display of generosity from the governor can be traced to the fact that it is the first league title for the club which, in its current form, did not exist a decade ago. Yet, this young club etched its name in the history books with the consistency of their displays, the dominating fervour that animated their performances, the dedication of their players and backroom staff, the unflinching and unalloyed support of the state government and the determined banking of a uncompromising financial backing of a dedicated sponsor.

What all these ingredients resulted in was a tasty and savoury aroma of victory that set a new record for points secured, 77 points, which were 10 more than second-placed Plateau United managed, produced the League’s golden boot winner in Chijoke Akuneto who scored 19 goals, and the fact that they had confirmed that the title was going to the Rivers State government House with no fewer three games left in the season.

The combination of all these, coupled with the fact that the team had also qualified to represent the country at the most prestigious football competition on the continent, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League once more, after missing out the previous year, were exciting for Wike, who had never hidden his love for the round leather game.

To demonstrate the state government’s deep appreciation to the players and staff of the team for the honour it has brought the state, and will continue to do, a reward celebration was organised and it held in the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt. In attendance was the governor himself, whose enthusiasm to mingle among the team and pose with them for pictures was palpably evident. However, Wike’s incentives for the victorious team did not stop with the cash windfall. He wasted no time in revealing that arrangements had been made for the squad to spend two weeks of preseason practice in Madrid, Spain to help them be in the best shape of form for the resumption of hostilities when the 2022/2023 football season commences, especially on the continent.

As aforesaid, by virtue of finishing first in the NPFL, Rivers United automatically qualified as Nigeria’s representative for next season’s Champions League, with League runners-up Plateau United, picking the second ticket.

Having attained domestic dominance, the attention of the Rivers State government, squad and staff of Rivers United and of their THEWILLNIGERIA

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sponsors have turned rightly to seeking continental triumph. The two-week Madrid preseason tour is part and parcel of this focus and to keep their momentum going, Wike made sure to provide even more incentive.

in 2016 and incentivise them further, a N10 million reward was announced by Eunisell in recognition of the club’s successful inaugural season in 2016. This was the first of its kind in the NPFL by any club sponsor.

The governor guaranteed the Rivers United players and management an additional $40,000 if they can push all the harder to advance beyond to the group stage of next season’s CAF Champions League competition. Wike wants Rivers United to outperform the displays of last season’s NPFL teams to the CAF Champions League, Akwa United and Enyimba, neither of whom were able to make it beyond to the group stages. And, he is ready to put enough resources on the line to see it come to pass.

Chika Ikenga, Eunisell’s Group Managing Director, also led a powerful company team to Sagamu to inspire the players during the 2017 season, when the team was having a rough patch, as part of their demonstration their dedication to the team. When the curtain fell on the season, Rivers United finished in 15th position, barely escaping relegation by just two points. Despite this, the brand remained confident that the club would win the Nigerian championship in the future. The company also established the ‘Eunisell Rivers United Day’ to bring the team closer to the people and football fans and acknowledge their support.

What the Rivers United team has achieved with its historic feat in the comparatively short time of its existence is a textbook case of how government-directed investment, good team management and sponsor-backed football can make a difference in the results and performances that a football team records in competitive engagements.

The story of the origins of Rivers United, their record-setting run to their maiden NPFL title and the huge ambitions that they have set for themselves provide reference material for other football clubs and teams, in particular, and for overall sports management, in general.

This story begins in July 2015 with the relegation of the now defunct Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt and the uncharacteristic fidelity of club sponsor, West Africa’s largest independent chemical as well as oil and gas engineering solutions provider, Eunisell, which remained as sponsor nevertheless, extending their sponsorship rather than abandoning ship.

In February the following year, Wike was granted permission to merge two State-owned clubs, Sharks and Dolphins, the result of which became a brand new club christened Rivers United.

Eunisell continued as the team’s sponsor and he became a part of their persevering climb to success, therefore demonstrating a readiness to spearhead a drive for Nigerian businesses to shift the NPFL narrative towards results. As shirt sponsors since 2016, Eunisell is now the NPFL sponsor with the longest tenure, sticking to the side despite initial teething problems and near misses. They identified with the club’s objectives, gradual rise and progress believing that Rivers United was the best partner for a long-term sponsorship and that success will ultimately follow.

In their debut season, Enugu Rangers won the championship even though Rivers United put up an admirable challenge and came close to contending for the title. It was an encouraging feat but there was a lot of work to be done. To appreciate their efforts

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This long-standing loyalty and support from the sponsors and fans, counted for Rivers United in the season just ended. They benefited from a dedicated preseason and the injection of fresh and experienced talents from rival sides to get a strong start to the season and displayed their title-winning credentials when they won the mid-season championship.

The Stanley Eguma-led side were able to sell their aspirations to key players brought in to fortify their challenge and it went far to bring the title to Port Harcourt. Super Eagles midfielder Chiamaka Madu, who had previously won the League title with Enugu Rangers in 2016, was a crucial part of Rivers United march to victory after joining them before the start of the season, just as the NPFL highest goal-scorer Akuneto. He joined the team, and in his debut season with the Pride of Rivers, the former Heartland and MFM winger was sensational in front of goal as he was in providing assists for teammates to take them to the record-setting points tally ever in the NPFL. At one point near the business end of the season, the team had established a 12-match unbeaten streak and even a 10-point lead over its closest competitor, Plateau United, as evidence of its superiority.

What the Rivers United story has demonstrated is that the tried and tested organisation for success requires dedicated commitment by government to success, the loyalty of supportive sponsors and a determined team with a resilient streak that is laser-focused on desired objectives will get results against all odds. It is a template that can be applied to the country’s national teams, it is a blueprint that can be adopted for the running of sports in the country to incentivise sportsmen and women to aim for the stars and reach their goals, without the traditional bickering over payment of bonuses and allowances due them.

With this dedication from government, public partnership and sponsorship and the zeal to deliver, just like Rivers United, there can be a revitalisation of the country’s sporting fortunes across board.

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Frequent Power Grid Collapses And Nigeria’s Exhausting Economic Struggles T

here was a real threat of a nationwide power outage on Wednesday, July 20, when the perennial epileptic power supply that has dogged the nation’s progress, or lack thereof, from decades past returned in the sixth national power grid collapse in 2022 alone. A situation as dire as the grounding of every economic activity that is dependent on electrical power supply from the country’s generating capacity has become as commonplace as the announcement of weather reports.

At a time when the skyrocketing prices of refined crude oil products are making them beyond the reach of the average Nigerian, the frequency of these collapses means that, without warning, not only are homes and businesses plunged into the daily standardised distribution of darkness, there is often the despondent feeling of uncertainty about when the supply of power will be restored. The by-product of these intermittent shortages in electrical availability is a prolongation of our economical regression, developmental stagnation and the nation’s continued wallowing in the economic backwaters of the continent while countries outside our bracket of capacity and weight outstrip us in developmental indices.

The cause of the latest installment of the collapse of the Osogbo-based grid that is managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is reported to have occurred at precisely 11:27am on July 20 and dropped the generated capacity from 3,922 MegaWatts to a measly 50MW, was not immediately disclosed when the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) publicly acknowledged the reason for the outage being endured by their customers.

A tweet originating from the official account of the EKEDC (@EKEDP) was specific about the source of the problem. It read: “Dear customers, we regret to inform you of a system collapse on the national grid at precisely 11:27a.m. today, July 20. We are in talks with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to ascertain the cause of the collapse and a possible restoration timeline. We will keep you updated on the situation.”

The facts were indisputable as they were corroborated by the Kaduna Distribution Company, which confirmed the collapse and stated that, while it was regrettable, the company was hopeful that the TCN was going to resolve the collapse promptly for the quick resolution of electricity. So, not only was the common Nigerian burdened with epileptic supply of overall generating Megawatts insufficient for regular supply, the little being generated was at risk from these collapses.

The cause of the collapse was later put down to a nosedive in system frequency that resulted in the type of system instability responsible for the Wednesday collapse. According to the official statement from the desk of the General Manager, Public Affairs of the TCN, Ndidi Mbah, work to restore the grid to proper functioning was underway by Thursday, June 21, to rectify the “sudden drop in system frequency from 49.94Hertz to 47.36Hz” and brought about the latest in the series of grid collapses that have occurred this year.

The statement explained further that the collapse “was precipitated by the tripping of a Unit (with a load of 106 MW) in one of the generating stations due to exhaust over temperature. This unwholesome event, which pulled out other grid-connected Units in the plant, resulted in aggregated generation loss of 457MW. In its wake, a train of events ensued – culminating in the collapse of the national grid. As obtainable in all systems, when a component of the electric power system is defective, the entire configuration is vitiated. However, in-spite of setbacks encountered at the initial stage, grid restoration had almost been completed as at 11:00pm when this report was filed.”

While the TCN General Manager appreciated the understanding of the government and consumers of their

electricity supply, it is worth noting that his words were insufficient to ameliorate the consequences of the latest collapse. There is a dual-pronged concern when the issue on the hot burner is power generation and distribution. The first is that all stages of the economic process depend largely on power supply for smooth operational runs, which conversely reduce the costs of production and provide more value for less. The second is related to the subject of cost. The absence of power, which forces manufacturing industries and production companies to source for other forms of power generation, comes with an increase in costs of production, which translates to a corresponding increase in related costs forcing consumers into paying more for less. It means that there are a series of knock-on effects that these series of collapses dump on the already suffering swathe of Nigerians.

The most debilitating effect for the common man or woman is that the value of the money in his or her pocket suddenly loses more of the little value it previously weighed. This is not helped by the present economic situation in a country with a shrinking and largely unproductive economy like Nigeria.

Due to the inseverable relationship between a country’s productivity output and the value of the country’s currency, the continued lack of capacity to be a productive country has stymied any chance for the naira to appreciate against other currencies and the vexatious nose-dive in value of the currency currently cannot be avoided. At this stage of our existence as a country, after 61 years of independence and 23 years of return to civilian rule, we still cannot have functional refineries and have not grown the capacity to be a manufacturing country for the most mundane and easy-to-manufacture daily use items, such as toothpicks and matches. With our over-reliance on imports of everything that we consume, we cannot have a strong economy and by implication cannot have a strong currency. The constant inflationary indices do not help the value of the naira either and the Nigerian, who is a victim of the poor power supply is also the victim of this devalued naira.

When this is juxtaposed with the disturbing waste of millions of dollars that have been buried in past and present attempts to improve power supply, the mediocrity that is the country’s bane is laid bare. Spending over $25billion to keep the lights on overtime has done anything but solve the problem.

In February, the Central Bank of Nigeria revealed that it had disbursed $3.2bn to support power supply to Nigerians in the last five years alone. The money was given to the generating and distribution companies to acquire equipment, buy metres and improve electricity supply.

Yet, Nigerians continue to resort to self-help efforts for their power needs.

As these regular grid collapses continue, with the epileptic daily cuts, power generators have been the go-to alternatives to continue to make ends meet amid the rising cost of living. This also has consequences for the country.

A 2019 International Monetary Fund country report on Nigeria estimated that the country’s economy lost an estimated $29bn annually from these incessant power cuts and lack of power supply. Even when it is available, it is on record that only about 47 per cent of the country has access. It is another consequence of a history of inefficiency and corruption at the very top of the country’s government that cascades down. It is what happens in an environment that promotes mediocrity over merit.

What is required to get out of the power imbroglio and by implication, improve other sectors that are interrelated and interdependent on power supply, is for the power sector to be fully liberalised. The example where a complete volte face has been witnessed with the onset of a liberalised system is the telecommunications sector. Until

the privatisation programme of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration that liberalised that sector, telecoms remained stuck in the Exclusive List as the sole preserve of the Federal Government such that the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) maintained a monopoly in the telecommunications sector and delivered often poor services. The enactment of the Nigerian Communications Commission Act allowed private investments in the sector and the difference in service delivery and related developments in technological advancements for banking, finance, virtual economy, crypto developments cannot be clearer. It is our lived experience that whatever is left in government control suffers. The example of telecoms may have been the same with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) operated petroleum refineries after Obasanjo’s attempt at privatising them but for the U-turn that his successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, effected upon his resumption of office.

Today, there is a fall in the power of the naira largely because the NNPC is no longer remitting petro-dollars to the treasury due to a combination of organised crude oil theft, low production and the fraudulent subsidy payments, which it services through crude swap with the importers of refined products.

One major reason President Muhammadu Buhari gained so much goodwill when he emerged, as an alternative to the perceived weakling that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was thought to be, was that he prefigured a strong-willed personality that could stand up against the inefficiency, wastage and corruption in government and change the slide towards systemic failure. It was expected that the retired general renowned for discipline would evoke a radical change in the system and bring responsibility, accountability and efficiency to government. Unfortunately, he has not been able to do enough to bring about this.

The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has been instrumental in bringing about a new definition of the running of business in the oil and gas sector, going forward. Yet, only a full liberalisation of the sector will do. The fraudulent subsidy regime must go immediately and even if Buhari, who campaigned against it, still budgeted trillions of naira to it in his final year as President, then it will overshadow whatever legacy the PIA or his strides, in terms of agricultural revolution, will attach to his two terms in office.

The only silver lining in this subject is that there is a current bill before the National Assembly that has passed third reading, which proposes to consolidate on existing legislations in the electricity industry and provide an ideal institutional framework to guide the post-privatisation phase of the industry by allowing States and individuals, who possess the capacity, to generate their own electricity as mini-grids of their own. Included in the bill is the freedom to generate one megawatt or less and not requiring a licence to distribute, as long as it does not exceed 1MW. A bill like this will promote policies and regulatory measures that will expand power transmission networks in the country and address the gap between the power that is available and what a country the size of Nigeria requires to run smoothly. As some companies and financial institutions go off-grid in their own self-help process of power generation, it is about time that the full liberalisation of the sector is engineered to satisfy the energy needs of the country.

I have always maintained that the Nigerian government (Federal, State, LGA) has no business operating critical infrastructures (power, oil and gas, telecommunication, railway, shipping, aviation, etc) because they are inefficient and incapable, don’t have good corporate governance structure and fiscal discipline required to make the assets work for the benefit of the country and Nigerians.

Instead, governments, if they so desire, can own equity in these infrastructure, but have zero control over their dayto-day operations.

Today, there is a fall in the power of the naira largely because the NNPC is no longer remitting petro-dollars to the treasury due to a combination of organised crude oil theft, low production and the fraudulent subsidy payments PAGE 32

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