Sunday 4t September 2016

Akeredolu Defeats Tinubu’s Favourite, Emerges Ondo APC Governorship Flagbearer James Sowole in Akure Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, yesterday emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November

26 governorship election in Ondo State.

Akeredolu scored 669 votes to defeat Olusegun Abraham, backed by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Abraham scored 635 votes.

About 3000 delegates voted

in the election that had 24 aspirants.

Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who chaired the primary election committee of the party that monitored the exercise, announced Akeredolu as the winner of the poll at the international

event center, venue of the exercise.

The build up to yesterday’s primary was characterized by tension within the party following allegations that Tinubu had endorsed Abraham and also directed the party leadership in the state to ensure his emergence

as candidate.

Though, Tinubu admitted that he endorsed Abraham, a decision he said was within his political rights, he however denied directing the party leadership to work for his emergence and assured all the aspirants of a level playing field.

Incidentally, Akeredolu was the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ANC) in the 2012 governorship election in the state following his endorsement by Tinubu.

He however came third in that election trailing behind

Obasanjo Berates PDP, Says APC Can't Claim to be a Strong Party ...Page 9

Continued on page 6

Sunday 4 September, 2016 Vol 21. No 7800

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ALL FOR THE OIL INDUSTRY

L-R: Former Group Managing Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Engr. Funsho Kupolokun, Engr. Abubakar Yar'Adua, Engr. Lawrence Amu, Chief Odoliyi Lolomari, incumbent GMD, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, HRM (Dr). Edmund Daukoru, Dr. Thomas John, Dr. Joseph Dawha, and Dr. Jackson Gauis-Obaseki after a meeting on way forward for the oil industry in Abuja ...yesterday

Oil Industry May be Crippled Unless Urgent Steps are Taken, Warn Former NNPC GMDs

Proffer way forward for industry Say PMS price cap of N145/litre is at variance with liberalisation policy Kick against removal of NAPIMS from NNPC

Chineme Okafor in Abuja Former Group Managing Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday rose from a meeting in Abuja and

declared that the current situation affecting Nigeria's oil and gas sector was capable of leading to its total collapse if left unattended to.

The former GMDs, who attended the meeting

included HRM (Dr.) Edmund Daukoru, Chief Odoliyi Lolomari, Dr. Thomas M. A. John, Engr.

Lawrence Amu, Dr. Jackson E. Gaius-Obaseki, Engr.

Funsho Moses Kupolokun, Engr. (Dr.) Abubakar Lawal

Yar’Adua and Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha, while Chief Festus Marinho, Dr. Chamberlain Oyibo, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo. Engr. Austen O. Oniwon, and Engr. Andrew Laah Yakubu were absent,

although with apologies.

The erstwhile NNPC bosses said after a brainstorming session with corporation's current GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, that the federal government and stakeholders must now

30 Years After, Movement of Cattle by Rail Resumes ...Page 9

chart a new course to reform the country's oil industry.

They also indicated that certain operations of the NNPC would have to be reformed to give it a chance Continued on page 6

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 • T H I S D AY T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE SIX

US Congressman Writes Kerry, Accuses Buhari of Autocratic Tendencies, Selective Anti-Graft War Wants security assistance to Nigeria withheld

Abimbola Akosile A member of the United States Congress, Tom Marino, has written a letter to Secretary of State, John Kerry, asking the US government to withhold security assistance to Nigeria until President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrates a “commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech”.

He also asked the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion.

In a two-page letter dated September 1, 2016 and addressed to Kerry, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by THISDAY yesterday, Marino, a Republican from Pennsylvania who assumed office on January 3, 2011, said there were a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal “the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic tendencies”.

The Congressman, who is a member of the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland

Security and Foreign Affairs, and the Chairman, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, said Nigerian government must “hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes”.

In the six-paragraph letter to Kerry, Marino also expressed concern over Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, saying “of additional concern is President Buhari’s selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, over-looking corruption amongst some of Buhari’s closest advisors.

Politicizing his anticorruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners”.

His letter to Kerry reads: “Dear Secretary Kerry, I am encouraged by the personal interest you have taken in aiding Nigeria and its administration as it takes on endemic corruption, multiple insurgent movements, and a faltering economy.

However, I believe there are a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal “the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding

towards former autocratic tendencies.”

“I would urge the U.S. to withhold its security assistance to the nation until President Buhari demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech. A logical start towards this commitment is for the Nigerian government to hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes”.

“Human rights groups like Amnesty International have widely documented torture, inhumane treatment, and extra-judicial killings of defenseless Nigerians since President Buhari took office.”

Quoting Amnesty International Report, he wrote, “in the last six months, Nigeria’s military has unlawfully killed at least 350 people and allowed more than 168 people, including babies and children, to die in military detention.”

He further wrote: “The Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State even admitted to burying 347 of those killed in a mass grave. And while President Buhari promised swift

condemnation, his words rang empty. Instead of swift reforms, Buhari chose to reinstate Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, who Amnesty International revealed was in charge of the Nigerian military unit that executed more than 640 unarmed, former detainees.

“Also, in separate incidents concerning the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Nigerian Army has killed at least 36 – the real number is likely higher – people since December 2015 in an attempt to silence opposition and quell attempts by the group to gather publicly.”

Describing President Buhari as a former military dictator whose reign (as military head of state) was cut short by a coup, he stated that the President has continually shunned inclusivity in favour of surrounding himself with advisors and ministers from the north of the country and the region he considers home.

“Of President Buhari’s 122 appointees, 77 are from the north and control many of the key ministries and positions of power. Distrust is already high in Nigeria and favouring Northerners for key appointments has only antagonized the issue.

These appointments are

OIL INDUSTRY MAY BE CRIPPLED UNLESS URGENT STEPS ARE TAKEN, WARN FORMER NNPC GMDS of surviving through the prevailing challenges in the industry.

A statement from the Group General Manager Public Affairs of NNPC, Mallam Garuba Deen Muhammad, disclosed that the meeting with the former heads of the corporation included the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.

The statement said during the meeting, Baru presented the operational status of NNPC and the industry as well as his '12 Business Focus Areas' with which he hoped to reposition the NNPC on the path of growth and profitability.

The former NNPC helmsmen, according to the statement, jointly reviewed the current state of the industry, deliberated on ways to resolve issues militating against the progress of the sector and recommended measures to move it forward.

"During the brainstorming session, they expressed serious concerns on the declining production level and its attendant consequences on the environment and the nation’s revenue.

"They further agreed that if the current situation remains unchecked, it could lead to the crippling of the corporation and the nation's oil and gas sector, the mainstay of the Nigerian economy," said the statement.

It added that, following their deliberations, the former GMDs identified the key challenges , noting that “insecurity is threatening production and damaging the Niger Delta

environment.”

According to the statement, they therefore expressed the “urgent need for government and security agencies to refocus as well as engage the various host communities as well as established social and traditional structures to develop an actionable partnership framework toward finding a lasting solution to the present unrest."

"The former GMDs are concerned about the increasing negative perception of the corporation

by Nigerians especially in terms of opaqueness and accountability. They therefore called on the corporation to educate Nigerians on NNPC activities as a commercial entity managing the nation's assets in trust.

"The former GMDs advised that the refineries be rejuvenated using the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Also, the refineries must be restructured to operate as an Incorporated Joint venture (IJV) similar to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model with credible partners having requisite technical and financial capabilities.

"The former GMDs commended NNPC for resolving the fuel supply crisis and urged the corporation to emplace measures that will ensure sustenance of seamless supply of petroleum products nationwide.

"They, however, noted that the PMS price cap of N145/litre is not congruent with the liberalisation policy especially with the foreign exchange rate and

other price determining components such as crude cost, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) charges etc. remaining uncapped," the statement explained.

It further noted: "The former GMDs advised that funding of JV operations should be the first line charge to oil revenue to ensure sustainable production and reserve growth."

On oil exploration in Nigeria's frontier areas, the statement said:" The former GMDs endorsed Mr. President’s steer for sustaining exploration activities in the frontier basins particularly the ongoing efforts in Chad Basin and the Benue Trough. They therefore advised the GMD to pay priority attention to the Chad Basin where promising prospects are recorded."

It noted that they also raised concerns on others issues they consider necessary to the growth of the industry.

"The former GMDs noted that for effective functioning of any National Oil company (NOC), the technical components of the country’s Exploration and Production (E & P) must be integrated as part of the country's NOC. They therefore posited that NAPIMS being the technical component of Nigeria’s E&P, and not just an investment vehicle, must remain with and managed

by NNPC. Taking NAPIMS out will make NNPC an ineffective NOC. "The current Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which proposed the incorporation of NAPIMS and taking it out of the NNPC will inhibit the effective functioning of the NNPC as a National Oil

Company (NOC). This will make NNPC to operate at a different level compared to its peers in other OPEC Member Countries. While the former GMDs have no issues with incorporation, they strongly advise against taking NAPIMS out of NNPC," the statement quoted them to have said.

On NNPC's relationship with other stakeholders in the industry, the former GMDs encouraged NNPC to improve its relationship with its key stakeholders such as the federal government, the National Assembly, host communities and especially its international Joint Venture partners.

"The former GMDs expressed serious concerns about the continued dwindling of NNPC revenue and advised that the corporation should pay particular attention to its revenue-generating entities such as the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), retail and the refineries to return the corporation to high performance, growth and profitability.

"The former GMDs were worried about the level of NNPC’s debt profile. They advised that as a matter of urgency, NNPC should establish the true state of its current financial status and immediately decide on the most appropriate capitalization model.

"The former GMDs also reviewed the state of NNPC Pensions. They advised that NNPC should explore avenues to close the pension funding gap including the restructuring of the current model," the statement added.

also primarily Muslim in the north and Christian in the south, adding a religious aspect to long-held regional biases.

“Of additional concern is President Buhari’s selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, overlooking corruption amongst some of Buhari’s closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners,” he claimed in the letter.

He said the Obama Administration would advance justice by urging the Buhari Administration to act decisively to hold accountable members of the police and military.

The congressman said, “This is a logical first step in making a demonstrable, sustained commitment to inclusive democracy, with distributed power in Nigeria. Until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion, we ask the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to the country.

“The State Department should urge President Buhari to form a government that represents the diversity of its citizens and allows dissenting voices to be heard.

Democracy can thrive only if people are free to assemble, to express their beliefs, and voice their concerns.”

AKEREDOLU DEFEATS TINUBU’S FAVOURITE, EMERGES ONDO APC GOVERNORSHIP the incumbent governor and candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Rahman Mimiko, and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Wale Oke. In a clear indication of a gang up against Abraham, even before Akeredolu was officially pronounced winner, the main hall of the event centre was agog as other aspirants who had been campaigning against the endorsement of Abraham started embracing Akeredolu as officials announced his votes, which was more than that of Abraham.

With his emergence yesterday, Akeredolu now has another chance to seek the mandate of the People of Ondo State on November 26.

Voting in the primaries commenced at 12:15 pm and ended at 6:00pm while counting started at 6:30pm.

The election which was peaceful, was preceded by the accreditation of delegates at three locations in Akure, the state capital.

The accreditation of delegates took place at Ondo State Development and Property Corporation Multipurpose Event Hall, Ijapo for the delegates from Ondo North.

Delegates from the six local governments that constituted Ondo Central were accredited at the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Arcade, Igbatoro Road while those from Ondo South were accredited at the SB Hultipurpose Hall, Ondo Road also in Akure.

Rather than waiting till the end of the accreditation before commencing voting, accredited delegates were moved in special buses from accreditation points to the voting centre.

Security in and around the venue of accreditation centre and voting centres was very tight and it involved all the security agencies such as the Nigerian Army, the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence and Directorate of State Services.

Delegates were allowed into the hall on presentation of their delegates card and were directed to leave the hall immediately after casting their votes and submitting their accreditation card.

Though, some aspirants announced their withdrawal from the race and endorsed

one aspirant or the other, Governor Abubakar said the National Secretariat could not recognise such last minute withdrawal as the National Secretariat had already printed ballot papers with 24 aspirants on each ballot. He added that only Paul Akintelure wrote to that effect.

However, the Supremacy battle between men of the Nigeria Police and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) almost marred the peaceful atmosphere at the venue as a shootout ensued between operatives of the two security agencies.

The shootout occurred at the entrance of the Ondo State International Centre, The Dome, venue of the APC primary.

Though, no injury was recorded on either side but the situation led to confusion as people at the event centre ran helter skelter.

The incident occurred at about 5:20 pm when some mobile policemen reportedly denied the vehicle of the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adeyinka Fasiu, access to the venue of the primary.

The mobile policemen at the main entrance were said to have told the commandant to disembark from his official car and walk into the premises of the primary.

THISDAY learnt that the action of the policemen was a retaliatory one occasioned by alleged insurbodination of some NSCDC men to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Joshak Habila, and Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 11, Dan Bature, who came to the primary election venue earlier.

An eyewitness said as the police chiefs walked into the main hall of the event, some NSCDC men refused to give them necessary complement prompting some mobile police officers to walk the two "disobedient" NSCDC officers out.

Crisis however started when NSCDC men resisted the police refusal of entry to their boss. THISDAY gathered that the firing of gunshots and tear-gas was to scare away onlookers.

The situation was, however, brought under control by some military men at the venue of event.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 • T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

SUNDAY COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

DEALING WITH JAILBREAKS…(1) There is urgent need to reform the prison system in the country

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fortnight ago, the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) confirmed that six prisoners who attempted to escape from the Abakaliki Prisons were shot dead by security operatives while 10 others were injured. Six NPS officers were also declared severely injured in the tragic incident, which came after earlier jailbreaks in Kuje, Nsukka and Koton Karfe prisons. Not only did it tell a compelling story about the state of insecurity in our country that there would be four jailbreaks within two months, it also depicted the level of laxity in the system. Therefore, beyond investigating the jailbreaks, it is also important to review the conditions in our prisons that encourage such morbid desperation.

The sociology Indeed, the of crime and series of jailbreaks punishment has reflected the lack of attenbeen altered by the tion to the prison system in realities of the times. general and its infrastructure Criminals are now in particular. Nearly all many, varied and our prisons were built by generally hardened. either the colonialists or First The nature of crime Republic politicians and they has also changed were designed for smaller from stealing goats population of inmates and a to robbing banks different type of criminals. and kidnapping These were originally prisons for ransom. With for petty thieves of livestock, that, our notion minor infractions and light of punishment felonies. Their populations has migrated were also meant to be small from correction to and more manageable. That something more perhaps explained why in punitive while most the 1960s, unarmed prison of the prisons are now wardens would escort prisonovercrowded and ill- ers out for community service maintained and watched them sang as they cut the grass in hospital premises. The wardens then carried only batons!

However, the sociology of crime and punishment has been altered by the realities of the times. Criminals are now many, varied and generally hardened. The nature of crime has also changed from stealing goats and chickens to robbing banks, emptying state treasuries and kidnapping for ransom, etc.

With that, our notion of punishment has migrated from correction to something more punitive while most of the

Letters to the Editor

T

he impending gubernatorial election in Edo State is, in one respect, a contest between one man who has always been in the tick of the politics of the state and the other, a neophyte who found favour with the out-going governor.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu has been around since the late 1980’s when his friend Lucky Igbinedion burst on to the scene as the most effective local government chairman (of Oredo LGA) in the country. He was around when Mr. Igbinedion, under the umbrella of the National Republican Convention (NRC), unsuccessfully contested the governorship of the state.

Of course, the man was in full bloom in the politics and governance of Edo State during

prisons are now overcrowded and ill-maintained. It is therefore no surprise that inmates who should have served their term, content that the state would at least cater for them while it lasts, are forced to revolt and seek escape to the uncertainty of the outside world.

T

S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR TOKUNBO ADEDOJA DEPUTY EDITOR VINCENT OBIA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, MBAYILAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

ackling such a challenge requires fresh thinking. As things stand today, Nigeria is wasting scarce resources on the maintenance of a prison system that has collapsed under a distorted federalism. Whereas no fewer than 95 per cent of inmates are alleged to have breached state laws, the prisons housing them are owned and maintained by the federal government without any contribution whatsoever from the state governments. Out of 55,000 inmates currently within the Nigerian prison system, only 12,000 have been convicted. Even at that, some of those who have been condemned to death have been waiting for the hangman for over 20 years!

In Nigeria today, a detainee who carries the toga of Awaiting Trial (AT) may well spend a decade waiting for a prison term that could have lasted for less than 12 months.

This is due to a combination of poor investigation by police, delays by counsel, lack of firmness on the part of the magistrates and judges, as well as the dysfunction that hampers the prison efficiency in transporting the inmates to and from the courts for their trials. More importantly, the physical structure of most of these colonial era prisons has become so dilapidated that all that a group of determined prisoners and detainees need do is give the flimsy wall a little nudge and it would collapse.

To compound these challenges, the corruption within the prison system is mind-boggling. As there are no rich people among prison inmates, the few who are usually brought in for a few days to await rulings on bail applications are kept in special apartments upon payment of fat bribes. Meanwhile, poor inmates pay to be taken to hospitals when they are sick, pay to make phone calls, pay for diesel to power the prison generator and they are denied access to families, friends and lawyers. On top of it all, the contracts for supplying food to feed all prisoners in the 36 states of the federation are centrally awarded in Abuja!

What this ugly scenario therefore presents is the need for the relevant authorities within the judiciary, the legislature, the police, the bar and other critical stakeholders to come together and find a better framework for reforming our prison system.

• To be concluded on Tuesday

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

EDO: THE CONTEXT OF A CONTEST all of Igbinedion’s two terms as governor from 1999 to 2007.

He was also a notable figure in Oshiomhole’s emergence in the politics of Edo State.

That is why, on the surface, Godwin Obaseki, the green horn that he is, even in terms of party affiliation, is a mismatch.

However, he is being propelled

by Oshiomhole, whose penchant for arbitrariness in his handling of the state’s treasury makes this propulsion weighty.

The Oshiomhole phenomenon needs to be examined. No one can say that Oshiomhole hasn’t achieved enough to be passed as successful.

But there is glaring evidence that diminishing returns have set in. Indeed, some of the man’s actions have verged on the ludicrous.

The idea of surreptitiously

establishing a university right in front of his country home is not good enough. Let him not be deceived by the applause he’s getting from his townsfolk. We are talking about the close to four million people of Edo State spread across 18 local government areas, at home and in the diaspora. What do Owan and Akoko-Edo people feel about it? What do the people of Ekpoma, hosts to the underresourced Ambrose Alli University, indeed the Esan people, feel about it? What is the feeling of Orhionmwon people, whose long history of neglect continued, despite Pius Odubu being his deputy for eight years; indeed, what do they feel when they see the revolutionary transformation that has been witnessed in the Uzairue axis that Oshiomhole hails from?

When he was on the campaign trail in 2007 and 2012, did he promise to cite a university “in my home-town” on any soap-box anywhere outside Iyamho?

No one can defend him by pointing at those who have similarly used their governorship positions to cite universities in their home towns. Their actions are just as insincere. Neither is any Edo person fooled by the pronouncement on the upgrading of Ekiadolor College of Education to Tayo Akpata University. The establishment of the two new universities is the worst case of misplaced priority, both in the face of limited resources and their geographical locations of new institutions – if, indeed, they were needed. Why not turn to Owan and turn the College of Physical Education, Afuze, into a university; or reward Akoko-Edo

with a university in Igarra to reassure the area that they are a part of Edo State? If there was a commitment to continuity in governance, the Oshiomhole administration would not have allowed the agro-processing centre at Ehor, the headquarters of Uhunmwode, to go into irretrievable abandonment. For all of eight years, Oshiomhole has deliberately ignored the project to serve the morbid purpose of advertising the “failure” of the Igbinedion administration.

Oshiomhole is acting as if he’s the one contesting the 10 September 2016 election. In a way, he’s really the one contesting the election. But the people of Edo State are saying to him: “Comrade, thank you for the work you have done, but your time is up.”

Emwanta Osadiaye, Benin City.

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SUNDAYNEWS

News Editor Abimbola Akosile E-mail: abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com, 08023117639 (sms only)

Soldiers Take Over Jonathan’s Cousin’s Business Premises Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja

PRIESTLY VISITATION L-R: Wife of the General Superintendent, Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Mrs. Esther Kumuyi; the General Superintendent, Pastor

William Kumuyi, and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, during a courtesy call on the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt...yesterday

Obasanjo Berates PDP, Says APC Can’t Claim to be a Strong Party Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said yesterday in Abeokuta that there was need for strong political parties in both government and the opposition for democracy to thrive in the country. Obasanjo stopped short of calling the ruling All Progressives Congress a weak party, but dismissed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as a dying political organisation. The former president made the comments during a courtesy call on him by the factional national chairman of PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Obasanjo stated, “For our democracy to thrive we need a strong political party in government and strong political party in opposition.” He said that was the necessary condition “for democracy to be strong and dynamic,” stressing, however, “Today, PDP cannot claim to be a strong party in opposition. I don’t know if APC can claim, at the national level, to be a strong party in government, either. Now that is part of the misfortune of this country today.”

He lamented that PDP was too weak to play the role of an opposition party role, while “APC is not strong enough as a ruling party.”

Obasanjo, who was president for two terms on the platform of PDP between 1999 and 2007, had resigned as chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees in April

2012. He became chairman of the BoT on June 27, 2007 after leaving office on May 29, 2007. Though, he said the resignation was to enable him focus on pressing national and international engagements, it was widely believed that he left due to differences with other leaders of the party. Developments later confirmed this.

Obasanjo announced his formal resignation from PDP in February last year, saying he is quitting partisan politics altogether. And he tore his PDP membership card publicly in anger just before the last general election following alleged attempts to embarrass him with an expulsion from the party. Addressing journalists at his residence in Abeokuta yesterday after a meeting, held behind closed doors, with Sheriff, Obasanjo said he had tried to bring Sheriff to PDP when the party was still vibrant. “But he did not come,” Obasanjo said, adding, “the PDP they have given him now is a dying PDP, a dying baby. It needs to be in intensive care; otherwise, he will just be an undertaker.”

Reiterating his decision to quit partisan politics, Obasanjo said, “Let me make it absolutely clear once and again, I have renounced partisan politics. I don’t belong to any political party, not to talk of his (Sheriff’s) own faction of PDP or any other faction of PDP. “But he came and I am very very happy to receive him and I said, ‘look, for my own education,

for my own knowledge, tell me what exactly is happening’, and he briefed me. And, as they all want to say now, ‘well, you were once the father of PDP’. I was once the leader.

“For eight years, I was the leader of PDP, but the PDP that I was the leader of is not the PDP of today. The PDP of today, if you can talk of a party again as PDP, its soul has been taken out of it.”

The former president, however, said every Nigerian should be committed to the protection of the current political dispensation.

“That being the case, it must be the concern of all Nigerians that the present democratic dispensation must not be allowed to be derailed and for it not to be derailed, we must have a strong political party in government and a strong political party in opposition.”

He emphasised, “A political party is an institution and in a democracy, it is a very important institution that we must all nourish and we must all cherish.”

In his remarks, Sheriff said he was in Abeokuta to seek counsel from Obasanjo whom he described as the grandfather of PDP. “Since we are looking for solution, whether he is inside, he has said he’s not going to play any partisan politics, we agree, but he is our father, father of the Nigerian nation and the grandfather of PDP. Therefore, the soul that has gone, he has to bring it back to us and through his advice, we will

get through,” Sheriff said regarding Obasanjo.

On how to invigorate PDP, Sheriff said, “Nigeria needs a strong party in government and outside government and he also told you that both are needed for democracy to survive. He keeps saying this as a practical experience as a two-time President of Nigeria. Every wisdom that we want to lead our party, he has it and that is why we came to consult him. ” But Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose condemned Sheriff’s visit to Obasanjo as the “coming together of PDP enemies,” saying no genuine lover of PDP would visit the former president. In a statement issued on his behalf by hismediaaide,Mr.LereOlayinka, Fayose said, “The meeting was a coming together of collaborators in the total annihilation of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“No genuine lover of the PDP will go to the house of a man who openly destroyed his membership card and worked assiduously to ensure the party’s failure in the 2015 presidential election, to seek advice on the way forward for the PDP. “Sheriff can as well begin to sleep in Obasanjo’s house; it is good riddance to bad rubbish.

Since Obasanjo is no longer a member of the PDP and he has consistently maintained that he can never return to the PDP, only thoseinthesameleaguewithhim can go about visiting him.”

Edo Guber: INEC Sticks to PDP’s Ize-Iyamu • APC, PDP, 17 other parties set for Saturday’s poll

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would maintain its position to recognise Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the flag-bearer of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the Edo state governorship elections scheduled for Saturday, September 10.

INEC’s insistence came against the background of fresh move by a faction of the PDP

loyal to the ousted national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to replace Ize-Iyamu, the governorship candidate of the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee, with its own man, Mathew Iduoriyekwemwen.

A member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Egor/Kpoba-Okha Federal Constituency, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma had led other Sheriff’s loyalists to the INEC on Friday to submit a court

ruling ordering the commission to accept Iduoriyekwemwen as the PDP candidate for the election in Edo state.

The lawmaker said the commission’s decision to publish the name of Ize-Iyamu who emerged from a primary election conducted by the PDP National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi as PDP candidate for the election was illegal.

“There was a court order given recently by Justice Adeniyi

of the FCT High Court. There was a case filed by Ize-Iyamu at the same court that has brought us to where we are now but INEC decided to place Ize-Iyamu as candidate of PDP; which is the Makarfi group,” he said.

However, the commission said yesterday that it would go ahead to recognise Pastor Ize-Iyamu for the Edo state governorship based on the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt which validated the leadership of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee.

Soldiers yesterday seized the premises used by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, as construction site for the provision of engineering infrastructure in Maitama Extension District, Abuja.

THISDAY gathered that the premises, which share the same boundary with the Lungui Barracks of the Nigerian Army along the Kubwa/Asokoro Expressway, found that the soldiers drove away all the workers from the site as soon as they stormed the massive premises.

Afewofthesoldiersmanned the entrance to the construction site being used by Kakarta Civil Engineering Limited, while the other soldiers kept vigil inside the premises overlooking the Katampe hills.

“We are on order from the Chief of Army Staff to take over this place and not to allow anyone in or out of the premises,” a junior soldier, mounting the gate stated. “It was one of our generals, who led the team of soldiers to take over this place

but we do not know the reason for our being here.”

As a result of the invasion of the premises of the construction firm, workers who reported for their daily routine were chased away from the site by fierce-looking armed military, who said they were under strict instruction to bar anyone from entering the place.

The strange development came a few weeks after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had charged Robert and his company, One-Plus, to court for allegedly receiving $40 million security contract from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Robert and his company were granted bail by a Federal High Court after the charges were read to them but it is not clear why the army has swooped on the construction premises approved for him by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration to use as a base for the coordination of the provision of services for the owners of plots at the Maitama Extension District.

30 Years After, Movement of Cattle by Rail Resumes Olaseni Durojaiye

The Nigerian Railways Corporation (NRC) resumed transportation of cattle and rams from the Northern part of the country to south yesterday, 30 years after it discontinued haulage of livestock across the two regions.

The last time cattle was moved from the North to the South was in 1986. Yesterday, a 15-wagon train carrying cows and rams arrived the Iju Train Station, Lagos at exactly 3 30 pm.

The train, which left Gusau, Zamfara State at about 4.00am Friday arrived Lagos at exactly 3.30pm Saturday, after stops in Minna, Niger State; Ibadan, Oyo State and Ifo, Ogun State. The journey lasted approximately 36 hours as against the usual three days that it takes to transport the cattle by road.

The initiative, which is planned as a weekly shuttle was as a result of the partnership between NRC, Connect Rail Service, Zamfara State Association of Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association. It was funded by the Nigerian Incentive-based Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), an arm of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

NIRSAL had two days ago in Gusau, Zamfara flagged off the commencement of its National Farm to Market Scheme which aims to provide low cost transport link between agricultural producers and consumers across the country with an initial focus on livestock movement from north to south by rail.

The departure was witnessed by the Deputy Governor of Zamfara, officials of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Central Bank as well as representatives of international development partners and international finance institutions. The arrival of the train

in Lagos was witnessed by representatives of partners involved in the initiative including Managing Director of Connect Rail Service Edeme Kelikume, representatives of banks, other private sector players, livestock traders, officials of NRC led by its Director of Operations, Niyi Alli, representatives of NIRSAL and the leadership of the Oko Oba Cattle Traders Association.

Reacting to the development, the Managing Director, NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed, described it as a pleasant surprise and a good omen for the innovative project of moving cattle from the north to the south by rail.

“We are indeed happy to hear that the wagons have arrived ahead of schedule. We are very delighted that the historic train has arrived earlier than projected.”

Also speaking, Alli noted that the initiative was a welcome development, adding that the NRC has put in place every necessary logistics to facilitate a smooth, reliable and safe transportation of cattle, rams and other agriculture produce from the north to the south in record time. Alli, who noted that transporting cattle to the south through the rail service was cheaper compared to road, added that it also ensures that the cattle arrived the destination in good shape as against when they are transported by road and lose at least 20 per cent of their biomass.

“This is a welcome development and the Nigeria Railways Corporation is pleased to be a part of it.” Also speaking, Kelekume thanked all the stakeholders for believing in the initiative, adding that without the confidence reposed in the initiative the success that was recorded would not have been possible.

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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

SUNDAYNEWS Lassa Fever: We’re Not Facing an Epidemic Yet, Says FG • As one person dies in Bauchi, two other cases reported Paul Obi in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

WORTHY HONOUR Former Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Salisu Maikasuwa (middle) receiving a certificate of

honour from the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Comrade Hamza Ahmad, and other members, at a ceremony to celebrate Maikasuwa’s retirement from civil service, in Keffi...recently

HID Awolowo Foundation to be Unveiled on Sept 19 Godbless Eduviere

The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation is poised to unveil the HID Awolowo Foundation on September 19, with the latter foundation to be dedicated to a commemoration of the life, times and legacy of Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo, an outstanding stateswoman who passed away on the same date last year.

According to a release by the Executive Director/Founding Member, Obafemi AwolowoFoundation, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, the event, projected auspiciously as a highprofile intellectual occasion, will take place at the Ikenne, Ogun State home of the Awolowos and will commence at 12noon. It is expected to attract a qualitative audience of distinguished men

and women across the nation and will be chaired by Mrs. Ayo Obe, a Lawyer, Human Rights Activist and Public Intellectual.

It will feature among other events, the inauguration of the HID Awolowo Foundation Advisory Council and a Lecture to be delivered by popular Gender Empowerment Activist and Human Rights Advocate, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin.

Contrary to a report by the Lancet Infectious Diseases that Nigeria, alongside India and Indonesia are prone to full fledge outbreak of epidemics, the federal government yesterday said the country is not facing any epidemic yet, neither are there indicators of such magnitude of outbreak.

Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu yesterday told THISDAY that though there have been established new cases of Lassa fever in some states, it cannot be rated as an outbreak of epidemics.

“Some cases have been recorded of Lassa fever in some states at the moment, but we can’t

say we are facing an epidemic, that’s not an epidemic yet. I hope it doesn’t get there. The most important thing now is to have a high index of suspicion, do a rapid test for malaria, if it’s not malaria, it could be something worse.”

Speaking on the Lancet Infectious Disease journal which named Nigeria as one of the three countries prone to the Zika virus (beside India and Indonesia), Ihekweazu explained that the journal did not stipulate a particular period of such outbreak, adding: “It does refer to weeks, which means we must pay attention on preventive institutions. We will continue to do our best, I can’t say we are fully prepared for everything.”

Also speaking, a government official, who pleaded for anonymity said already, “the government has issued guide-

lines on how to prevent Lassa fever, particularly in the Northeast. So, it is not just an issue of public health, it is individual.

We should try and improve personal hygiene, we should try and clean our environment.

“To start with, the first thing is information; citizens need to be aware of what they are dealing with. We don’t want people to be scared of Lassa fever, people can have malaria, people can have Lassa fever, but if you don’t treat it early enough, it becomes risky.

“We have stocked medicines, states are supposed to take charge of Lassa fever. States should be able to dictate Lassa fever, and they should be able to do that. States should be able to collect samples. All the states have to put in place the mechanism for dictation, collection of samples,” the source maintained.

Police Debunk Allegations of Looting against IG Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Nigeria Police have debunked the recent allegations of illegal sales of auctioned vehicles, looting and illicit sexual liaisons levelled against the Inspector General of Police, Acting IGP Ibrahim Idris.

The rebuttal was based on an earlier report by online media, Sahara Reporters, which had accused the IG of unlawfully selling off 30 vehicles to fictitious claimants, embezzlement of public funds, frequent abandonment of his post, and sexual liaisons with subordinates preceding his time as the Commissioner of Police for Kano State.

Describing the allegations as a smear of calumny, the police said they had first studied the story and found out that it was misleading, false and baseless.

However, senior police officers who initially spoke on anonymity said the issue of sales of cars was a no brainier, adding that had the online platform verified their claims, they would have known that the IG has no direct hand in auctioneering of vehicles.

The source said, “It is public knowledge that most auctioned cars are those that are impounded by the police after it must have been recovered from an armed robbery suspect, was purchased with stolen fund or from accident.

“After a period of time, the authority would secure court order to auction unclaimed vehicles in order to decongest its environment after which it would place a public notice on any national dailies asking owners to come with proof of ownership to claim their vehicle within 10 days or risk

it being auctioned.

“In all this, neither the Commissioner of Police of a state nor the IGP is directly involved in auction. It is the office of the DCP Operations and the DIG operations that is saddled with this responsibility.

“However, buyers are expected to auction this seized vehicles on behalf of the police. In doing this auctioneers are not bound by law to verify addresses or identities of buyers.”

On the allegations that the IGP had also illegally sold some public properties for private profit, citing the sale of police property in Kano State outposts, another senior police officer said again that could not have been possible since Idris was not in charge of selling government properties.

FG Wants to Cause Enmity Between Igbos and Ijaw, Says IPOB David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said the federal government is working towards causing enmity between the Igbo-speaking Biafrans and the Ijaws in the country.

A press release by the group signed by the spokesperson of the group, Comrade Emma Powerful, which was made available to THISDAY in Awka stated that creating perceived splinter groups of IPOB and naming its leader as an Ijaw was

an attempt to pitch the Igbos with the Ijaw.

The release stated that, “By carefully inserting a fabricated Ijaw name as the leader of this non-existent group of reprobates (for Re-IPOB), Buhari is looking to generate enmity between the Igbo-speaking part of Biafra and the people of Ijaw.

“In Buhari‘s thinking, he hopes to further make the restoration of Biafra an impossibility by entrenching perpetual enmity among various sections of Biafra-land,” he said.

The group berated the Ohaneze Ndigbo, describing the members as political jobbers who are not ashamed of their lowly political status in Nigeria.

Powerful said those thinking that IPOB is a pushover group are in for a shock, and added that the group will make them understand that no amount of divide and rule tactic will prevail. He said its leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu had on August 10, 2015 predicted creation of new fake IPOB groups, and has since prepared for it.

Ikorodu Residents Bemoan Effects of Heavy Downpour Chiamaka Ozulumba

Residents of Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos State, have lamented the effects of the recent heavy rainfall in the area, which lasted more than 20 hours last weekend; leaving in its trail flooded streets, houses,

churches, shops and markets, with huge economic losses.

The downpour caused a power outage within Igbo Oluwo Estate and some areas in Ikorodu, where vehicular traffic was hampered and roads were flooded, making passage on these roads near-

impossible.

The deluge also prevented most people without private means of transport from attending religious services; with attendance at several churches scanty since worshippers used the downpour as an excuse to stay indoors.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

SUNDAYNEWS

FISON AWARD PROMOTING HOSPITALITY L-R: Keynote speaker, Prof. A. M. A. Imevbore; Special Guest of Honour, Dr. Chris Ngige; Chairman of L-R: CEO of Job-Link, Mary Dinah and hotelier, Nishita DevAnand, unveiling Nigeria’s globally recognised occasion, Otunba Noah Fadayomi; FISON President, Dr. Olajide Ayinla, and recipient Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso at the Fisheries Society of Nigeria’s Awards ceremony in Abuja...recently

hotel ratings guide at Job-Link head office, Lagos...recently

Study: India, Indonesia, Nigeria Vulnerable to Transmission of Zika

JTF Busts Illegal Oil Bunkering Syndicate

Abimbola Akosile with agency report

Operatives of Sector One of the Joint Task Force codenamed Operation Delta State, Effurun, Delta State have busted an illegal oil bunkering syndicate and seized 310,000 litres illegally refined diesel estimated at over N52.5 million.

Twelve suspects were arrested in connection with the dastardly act while seven tankers, loaded with the products were also impounded by the soldiers of the Sector.

Commander, Sector One of the JTF, Colonel Alhassan Grema, made the disclosure weekend while handing over the suspects and the seized tankers to the officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the Sector’s headquarters for further investigations and prosecution.

He said since the Opera-

More than two billion people could be at risk from Zika virus outbreaks in parts of Africa and Asia, according to scientists writing in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Populations in India, Indonesia and Nigeria are some of the most vulnerable to transmission, the researchers said.

They used data on air traveller numbers to help model their predictions, according to a BBC report.

However, they acknowledge that immunity to the virus could already exist in some areas and could reduce the risk.

The research team, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Oxford University and the University of Toronto, Canada, said “vast numbers” of people were living in environments where

it would be hard to prevent, detect and respond to the virus.

They looked at factors such as the numbers of people who travelled from Zika-affected areas in South America to Africa and Asia, the presence of mosquitoes that can pass on the virus, and the climate in the regions to assess which countries could be most at risk from an outbreak.

Co-study author and research fellow in mathematical modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Dr. Oliver Brady, said: “Countries such as India, Indonesia and Nigeria are predicted to be at highest risk of Zika introduction with up to 5,000 passengers a month arriving from Zika endemic areas.

“Should Zika be imported into these areas the impact on their health systems could be very severe.”

In their study, the research-

ers suggest that the Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan and Bangladesh could be particularly vulnerable to a Zika outbreak because of their limited health resources.

Study author from St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Dr. Kamran Khan, said: “The impact on populations will also depend heavily on the country’s ability to diagnose and respond to a possible outbreak.”

And he added: “Our findings could offer valuable information to support timesensitive public health decisionmaking at local, national, and international levels.”

More than 65 countries and territories now have continuing Zika transmission. The infection, spread by mosquito bites, reached Africa recently.

Singapore is dealing with the first outbreak of the virus in Asia and recently pregnant

women with symptoms in the city-state were advised to be tested for the virus.

In Brazil in 2015, Zika virus was linked to an unprecedented rise in the number of children being born with unusually small heads, called microcephaly.

But the researchers said there were still many unknowns about the virus and how it spreads, including which species of mosquito transmits the virus and whether some populations are immune to the virus because of previous outbreaks in the area.

Zika experts say the risk of the virus spreading is at its highest over the summer months when people are travelling between America and other parts of the world.

Warm temperatures during the summer also mean the mosquitoes which transmit the virus can survive longer.

Malnutrition Poses Greater Threat to Nigeria, Ndume Warns • Senators wives donate to IDPs Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume at the weekend warned that improper handling of the malnutrition crisis in the Northeast is capable of causing a larger war than the one being fought against the insurgents, Boko Haram.

Speaking in Abuja at a cocktail held as part of activities to mark

the official launch of Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s, Get-Involved Initiative established to tackle malnutrition in war ravaged North-east, Ndume said the crisis was getting worse.

He said: “The situation in Borno State particularly in the Northeast generally is very serious. If we don’t do something concrete now on these children that are growing up malnourished, sick

with hunger, poverty and malnutrition in Borno state, then we are going to have another war that is worse than the Boko Haram.”

The Senators’ Wives Forum (SWF) has contributed towards fortified foodstuffs and body care products for weaned infants and children at the various Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in some parts of the country.

The Forum, represented by Hajia Hadiza Ali Wakili and Mrs. Louis Gyunka from Bauchi South and Nasarawa North

Senatorial Districts respectively, and the Executive Coordinator of the Forum, Ms. Inimfon Etuk, made the donation during the launch of the “Get Involved” component of the Future Assured Initiative, organised by the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, in Abuja.

The Get Involved campaign was meant to rally contributions from Nigerians to address heightened incidence of malnutrition in IDPs camps, said Ms. Inimfon Etuk.

ISGPP Inaugurates Public Policy Group The Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) has inaugurated its larger think tank team called the Public Policy Group, in a brief ceremony at its headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State recently.

The ISGPP is an independent organisation devoted to research and executive education in support of governance and policy work in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. It serves as an innovative platform for community engage-

ment on issues of governance, democracy and development, according to a release.

It therefore seeks to address skills deficits and advance knowledge required for transforming public institutions through the rethinking of the governance space, as catalysts for getting government to work better than they currently do for inclusive development and democracy.

As an independent think tank, the ISGPP is run by a

management team of experts, representing a critical mass of intellectuals, scholars, scientists, professionals and industrialists under the guidance provided by an international Governing Board responsible for the overall policies and direction of development of the School.

Headed by a brilliant academic and a prominent player in the policy environment of Nigeria, Emeritus Prof. Ademola Oyejide of the Department of

Economics, University of Ibadan, the public policy group (PPG) is a strong and multidisciplinary core of the ISGPP comprising distinguished intellectuals and highly experienced professionals from various academic fields and vocations -public service, industry, academia, private sector, ICT, security, gender, communication/media, governance, local government, leadership studies, spirituality/religion, demography, foreign affairs, education, etc.

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

tion Delta Safe was reactivated his men had been working silently busting the activities of illegal oil bunkerers burning down their illegal refineries in the swamps and creeks of its Area of Responsibilities (AoR).

Colonel Grema disclosed that the suspects were arrested in different locations with the stolen petroleum products and promised to frustrate the operations of criminals in the waterways, creeks and on land.

“Since the activation of Operation Delta Safe, we have been quite busy. We have effected several arrests and seizures and we will continue to do that until the criminals have a change of heart and embrace legitimate ventures”, he said.

Apart from the tankers, the Army Chief disclosed that one truck, one bus and a Golf car were recovered from the suspects.

GOtv Hosts Subscribers in Lagos Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) service provider, GOtv, yesterday hosted a large number of its subscribers in Surulere and environs at the Media Centre of the National Stadium, Lagos. The occasion was the GOtv Customer Forum, the subscriber engagement initiative of the service.

The initiative brought subscribers face-to-face with GOtv management staff members, providing a platform for subscriber enquiries and appropriate responses to such by GOtv staff.

Present at the forum, in addition to subscribers, were representatives of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), GOtv dealers as well as sales agents.

Notable among the issues raised by subscribers and addressed byGOtv staffwerereconnection issues after subscription renewal, poor reception, signal loss, and installation difficulties.

Subscribers were also informed of ‘Sabi Men’, the company’s crop of technical hands who provide door-to-door solutions to a variety of issues related to GOtv service. Similarly, subscribers were informed of the flexible payment options in its 20-channel new bouquet, GOtv Lite, which costs N400 monthly.

In Brief RSCM, Royal School Music Following the successful 6th edition of music training and conference in 2015, the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM Nigeria) in collaboration with Lagos School Academy has concluded for the seventh edition, also billed to hold in Lagos. A statement released by one of the facilitators of the programme, Mr. Sunday Olawuwo, indicated that the one-week programme, would commence on Monday, September 5 where participants would go home with more benefits than in previous editions. He said the one-week programme would be of great benefit to organists, choirmasters, music teachers and choristers. Other targeted beneficiaries, according to him, are music directors, instrumentalists and keyboard players.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

OPINION Broadcast Content and National Security

F

Broadcast media should be mindful of national security, writes Muktar Tahir

or a country to be reasonably secured, stakeholders from various aspects of life must keenly contribute in one way or the other, in line with their respective priorities, callings or duties.

The duties of the broadcast industry in informing and positively shaping the thoughts of the people can never be over emphasised, and in discharging these responsibilities, security isn’t an exception.

Obviously, it was in furtherance of its perennial activities in breeding security consciousness in the country that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) came up with a national summit dubbed “Broadcast Content and National Security” in Lagos recently, in preparation to broadcast digitisation which is expected to kick- start in the country in June 2017.

The summit which was presided over by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, attracted broadcast station managers, content producers, veteran broadcasters and other broadcast stakeholders who brainstormed on how best to make our broadcast contents and streamline its processes so that national security is prioritised.

Against this backdrop, generation of contents that are people-oriented and security-conscious took the centre stage of the discussion of the over 300 participants. Speaking at the occasion, the Director General of NBC, Mal. Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, pointed out that the summit became necessary in view of the challenges posed by the insecurity in the country, adding that broadcasting in general was not just about the technical realities of studios, transmitters or even the personnel: at its heart is content development. He said, “There are anti-state forces willing to take advantage of the openings becoming increasingly available to all of us, to subvert national security. Can broadcast content become an avenue to subvert national security? The possibilities are

real, especially with what we have seen of secessionist groups in some parts of the country; they have set up radio stations broadcasting inciting and subversive content. There is also the terrorism of Boko Haram, and its recent efforts to even launch a radio station on the border between Nigeria and Cameroun, as reported in the media. These groups are using the Internet to post chauvinistic, unpatriotic and often subversive content. They are contesting the spaces of our national history and seeking to win the minds of the young, with narratives and discourses that challenge our nationhood and wellbeing. These are the extreme ends of the broadcast content debacle.”

Various participants at the summit were also of the view that digitisation has tremendous opportunities for new forms of content on new and existing platforms, but there were forces

Broadcast stations should distinguish themselves by producing in-depth, patriotic contents capable of cementing the unity of the country, and not lifting contents from the social media where professionalism is regularly flouted

trying to subvert the national security.

In view of this, broadcast stations were urged to step up their games to distinguish themselves by producing in-depth, patriotic contents capable of cementing the unity of the country, and not lifting contents from the social media where professionalism is regularly flouted.

It was also agreed that many places aren’t presently covered by Nigerian broadcast stations, as there is overdependence on foreign media content.

Also, Nigeria is being inundated with content from South African DSTV, Chinese Startimes and other Asian bouquets.

Against this backdrop, station managers were advised to come up with worthy programmes, and all must be a product of thorough research.

The experts also agreed that politics, religion and ethnicity were always on the front burner in most of the country’s broadcast stations, hence the need to come up with other types of programmes, especially the ones that will lead to a more secured polity.

Besides security, attention was also given to national development, with NBC being a catalyst. Hence broadcast stations were charged to have more educative programmes and to desist from making commercials their ‘watchword’.

In the final analysis, it could be deduced that upshots of this summit could be seen to reflect or touch on the general principles or character of the Nigerian broadcasting which states that: “Broadcasting shall influence society positively, set the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of a nation for the public good.

This will finally dovetail into the cardinal responsibility of Nigerian broadcasting: to inform, educate and entertain and shall not be at the expense of national interest, unity and cohesion of Nigeria’s diverse social, cultural, economic political and religious configurations.

–– Tahir wrote from Abuja

Fashola, Power and Realistic Expectations

Ikeogu Oke argues that the minister should concentrate on a few major issues that would impact the generality of electricity consumers

T

hough appropriate, the word “novel” arguably understates the import of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to saddle Babatunde Fashola with three highly demanding portfolios in his cabinet, namely Power, Works and Housing. I am making this observation after reading the interesting piece by Uche Aneke entitled “Power sector: Great Expectations from Fashola,” published in The Guardian of December 9, 2015, in which Aneke – the General Manager, Public Affairs, of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) – makes reference to the “novel way in which portfolios were assigned” by President Buhari, as shown by the three portfolios assigned to Fashola.

Beyond its novelty, President Buhari’s decision can be compared to hitching three harnesses to one horse, whereas the normal thing is to attach just one harness to one horse. The expectation is that it would have to be a wonder horse – with supernatural strength – to be able to perform efficiently while drawing the three harnesses simultaneously. And some may wonder why link three harnesses to one horse in a country where there is a surplus of horses to which the other two harnesses could have been tied, creating more employment for horses.

So the critics of the decision may portray it as liable to cause inherent inefficiency across the three portfolios which, incidentally, has not been the case with the power sector. And I speak for the power sector out of close familiarity, having been engaged in the sector in various capacities for over thirty years, and considering its state before Fashola’s appointment as Minister of Power.

But then, supporters of the decision may justify it by citing the saying that the reward for success is more work, and base the justification on what Aneke called “the miracle of Lagos transformation” – a reference to Fashola’s impressive record as a former governor of Lagos State, arguably the most populous, complex, advanced and infrastructurally developed state in the country.

They would argue that if Fashola could transform Lagos State into what it was at the end of his two terms as governor, then transforming the power sector should be a lesser task to him. Also, that running Lagos State should be more challenging than running three federal ministries.

And so President Buhari did not err in assigning three ministries to him considering his record of achievement, even though the critics of the decision may still counter it with the African saying that you should not heap rocks on the head of a child because you believe he is strong.

For me the enthusiasm of this defence stems from a lack of understanding that managing the Nigerian power sector alone is more demanding than managing Lagos State. And it shouldn’t take a long exposition to explain why even to a layman. For instance, the geographical area covered by the power sector, and which come under the supervision of a Minister of Power, encompasses the whole 36 states, including Lagos, whereas the geographical area covered by Lagos State is just itself.

And with the way the power system is networked – especially the transmission network – a problem at one location, say the National Control Centre (NCC) at Oshogbo, can have nationwide impact like system failure which would throw the entire country into blackout, and may require the minister’s intervention on something like a national scale to be resolved. But problems in Lagos State are more likely to be confined within its borders than have such nationwide impact.

The same for generation: even when a problem originates from a remote location or a single or few states like the recent vandalism of power and gas infrastructure, the impact of a drastic decline in power generation sends shocks through the grid and nationwide, with the attendant distress to the citizenry.

In this sense, Lagos State is a microcosm of the power sector. And a minister of power in trying to solve problems in the power sector usually deals with a national headache compared to the far less severe state headaches that state governors have to contend with, including Lagos State.

In effect, if Fashola succeeds as minister of power, which I believe he will, if given the necessary support, it should be considered a far greater achievement than his success as governor of Lagos State. And if he does this while successfully managing the two additional ministries, then it would qualify to be considered a phenomenal achievement.

However, considering the enormity of the issues in the power sector, he would need to set realistic goals while Nigerians must equally have realistic expectations in order for his success in the sector to be

recognisable. These issues spread beyond the entire gamut of its generation, transmission or distribution subsectors to include such rather ancillary issues like inadequate metering, poor compliance of generation and distribution companies with the terms of the agreements they signed with the Nigerian government as part of the privatisation programme under the power sector reform, etc.

In his said piece, Aneke makes a rather exhaustive list of such issues and recommends them for the minister’s attention. While this is understandable, judging by the equally understandable impatience of the average Nigerian to have steady and reliable power supply, it exposes the minister to the risk of trying to tackle too many problems at once and ending up not solving any decisively.

So it would be a better and more strategic approach for the minister to concentrate on a few major issues and solving them so irreversibly that the impact would be felt across the entire value chain of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and especially by Nigerian electricity customers.

In doing this, however, some fundamentals would have to be recognised for purposes of prioritising.

For instance, that all other developments in the sector revolve around the availability of generated power.

Unless you generate power you would have no such commodity to transmit, distribute, meter or sale.

And I believe Fashola’s success as minister of power would be most recognisable if he gives priority attention to growing the country’s power generation commensurately with its transmission and distribution capacities so as to increase and stabilise the quantum of power available to Nigerians. Even if he achieves this only by ensuring the delivery of all the 4,775 megawatts expected from the NIPP plants which would increase the country’s power generation currently around 4,000 megawatts to above 8,000 megawatts, it would be an historic achievement.

The expectation that he can solve all the problems is unrealistic. But I believe he can make considerable and lasting impact by focusing on a few of the major problems, and leave room for others to focus on other problems after he might have done his best and completed his tenure as minister of power.

––Oke, a former staff of National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

LETTERS LAGOS’ NEW DEAL FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED

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f late, the management of people with disabilities in Lagos State has received tremendous boost.

This actually started with the creation of Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) which co-ordinates the education, social development, welfare and inclusion in of people living with disability in governance. It is in furtherance of the need to strengthen the activities of LASODA that the current administration established the Special People’s Fund. The fund was created to provide the right environment for people living with disability to live life more meaningfully.

The creation of the fund reflects the state government’s interpretation of social environment and devotion to social responsibility as well as a major shift from charity as the mode of addressing disability. It is in this context that LASODA made clarification on the recently approved N500 million that it was not meant for distribution but rather to provide infrastructure that would enhance the welfare of people living with disability.

More cheering was the pronouncement of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the last quarterly town hall held in Badagry where he declared that his administration would

Ambode

decentralise the LASODA and absolve 200 physically challenged persons to manage their affairs in all the local government areas and local council development areas (LCDA) in the state.

To further boost this renewed effort towards making life more meaningful for people with disability, the state government has urged corporate organisations to collaborate with government by contributing their modest quota. Delivering a goodwill message recently at the opening of a three-day international conference on disabilities with the theme:

“Creating an Inclusive Society for All” at the Civic Centre, Lagos, Ambode said that people living with disabilities should be recognised as an integral part of the society.

He, therefore, canvassed that they should be provided with the enabling environment to realise their full potential in all spheres of human endeavour.

To further reinforce its commitment towards the physically challenged, Bus Rapid Transit and LAGBUS operators have been mandated to offer them free ride across all routes. Hitherto, they used to wait endlessly on the benevolence of good-hearted

compatriots to get into the bus.

Similarly, the newly introduced BRT buses have facility for the physically challenged.

The Lagos’ example has, indeed, given hope to the physically challenged in the society. What people with physical challenged need is enabling environment and not discrimination. It is disheartening that in Nigeria, discrimination against the physically challenged is prevalent. Here, the reality of being physically challenged affects not only the physicality of a person but also how others judge them culturally, spiritually, financially and emotionally.

It is registered in the mind of an average Nigerian that once a person has one deformity or the other, such a person has nothing to offer the society. This is notwithstanding the rare feats performed by some physically challenged persons over the years in various areas of human endeavours including sports, the academia, art, music, business and even philanthropy.

As it is, most persons with physical challenges remain materially and socially poor without access to transport, which is needed for business, visitation to friends and relatives, going to school and vocational training centres, markets and finding and keeping jobs, where they are found. Most offices, shopping

NATIONAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

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ational security in the traditional sense is connected with the idea of sovereignty, territorial security, freedom from risk of danger of destruction and annihilation by war or aggression from outside. However progressing globalisation and the resultant economic inter-dependence has significantly reduced the probability of external aggression.

Conversely, threats to a country’s security are now largely “internally generated threats”, often borne out of a lack of social cohesion and economic underdevelopment. This realisation thus emphasises the need to undertake a recalibration of a state’s security systems in order to reflect current realities, by ensuring that economic security is taken cognisance of, and incorporated into the national social security framework of the modern state.

The economic wellbeing or lack thereof of the generality of a society’s population has a clear and direct impact on the security of the society. The world is replete with examples of exclusive exploitative economies nay states that are locked in a never-ending cycle of violence - both high and low intensity conflicts. The very existence of poverty, unemployment, is in itself a societal threat.

Thus, the current economic and security realities in Nigeria makes it all the more saddening that the strong economic growth Nigeria witnessed during its oil-boom years did not serve to substantially reduce the incidence of poverty in Nigeria, nor witness the expansion and harmonisation of Nigeria’s existing but fragmented social

protection programmes which ultimately would have directly impacted on the security and economic wellbeing of the people of Nigeria.

Societal threats such as: unemployment, mass poverty, unfair labour markets, etc., generally affect social cohesion negatively and tends to erode any form of identification with the state. The resulting disenchantment and distancing, often witnesses the “radicalisation” of its youth, and the birth and or strengthening of criminal organisations, narcotic cartels, jihad-terrorists, and avenging militants, etc.

Social protection programmes are commonly understood as initiatives that provide income or consumption transfers to the poor, protect the vulnerable against livelihood risks and enhance the social status of the marginalised, with the overall objective of reducing the economic and vulnerability of the poor, physically-challenged and marginalised groups in a given society.

Traditionally, social protection has been used to maintain a basic living standard for the weak and vulnerable in a society. It has also been deployed as an economic development stimulus programme vis a vis the investment in human capital, which ultimately increases capacities of an individual or household and enables same to invest in their own development and ensure the future accumulation of productive assets, thus breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty, prevalent in many developing nations.

Social protection has however been more recently deployed as

a tool and component of national security frameworks, with states ensuring the provision of safety nets for the poor and vulnerable, which in turn encourages them to be productive contributors to society, thus depriving terror groups and criminal organisations of an otherwise ready pool of talents and personnel.

Hence, in appreciation of these realities and the emerging societal threats to national security, progressive governments around the world have generally adopted a multi-prong approach that combines conventional security and intelligence systems, with a healthy dose of social protection programmes.

It is against this background, that a number of commentators have urged the federal government to begin to pay far greater attention to the harmonisation and expansion of its social protection programmes in the country because, contrary to the erroneous perception of ‘social protection’ as some fanciful western concept for prosperous nations, it is in fact an existential necessity for the security of any state in the 21st century.

The Nigerian security services, as effective and brave as they may be, cannot be locked in an endless cycle of conflicts and insurgencies across the federation; currently the Nigerian military is on active deployment in at least 15 states. To remedy the situation, the government must develop socio-economic and socio-political solutions to the myriad of security threats confronting Nigeria. Just as his eminence Cardinal Olubunmi Okojie stated in his widely circulated letter to President

Buhari, “if there is no solution to Nigeria’s problem there may be endless war. You strike one town, you gain it, and you come again to regain it.”

It is humbly submitted that the effective and efficient implementation of social protection programmes in Nigeria would greatly aid in the reduction of growing societal threats. It is the humble opinion of this citizen that the cost of war and general insecurity - in blood and treasure, cannot in good conscience be compared to the costs of implementing a home-grown national social protection programme that takes into cognisance our dynamics and current realities.

It is further submitted that Nigeria must, whilst maintaining its conventional military-security approach, seek to develop serious social-economic and social-political solutions for the myriad of societal threats confronting the country and jeopardising our national security, whilst simultaneously challenging the authourity of the state.

The growing societal threats confronting quite frankly are a very serious problem that could very well undermine national cohesion and lead to much worse.

Social protection is thus no longer a luxury, but a critical economic and security need for all nations, both rich and poor. Nigeria must learn to secure its future not by the force of arms alone, but by the deployment of efficient social protection programmes for its poor, it’s vulnerable and the physically challenged.

––Ugochukwu Amasike, Lagos

malls, banks and other public buildings are erected with little or no consideration for mobility impaired members of the society. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in banks are built in such a way that those on wheelchairs cannot access them.

On the same page with the state government on the on the new deal for the physically challenged is First Lady, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode who has urged children without limbs and other physically challenged persons not to allow their situation to deter them for aiming high in life.

She gave the charge at the

presentation of cheques of N1.5million each, to five pupils of different nursery, primary and secondary schools, as part of the Stanbic IBTC’s “Out for a Limb” corporate social project, to fix the limbs of some children amputees and those with congenital limb defects. This, coming from the first lady, is a moral boost that when complemented by others would yield a significant change in life and perception of people with physical challenges.

––Rasak Musbau, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos.

DOGS AND A THEATRE OF THE ABSURD

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love dogs. They are man’s best friend. Of all the animals in the world, a dog is the closest to humans. When we were in primary school, we heard about this famous Alsatian which belonged to a blind German, and which used to deliver letters for his master at the Airport Road Benin City. It knew when to cross the road and when it entered the office, it would drop the letter on the floor and bark at the postman.

When he appears to pick up the letter, the dog escorts the post man to the post point as if to make sure that the letter gets sent before heading home. Unfortunately one day, it got knocked down by an oncoming vehicle.

It died. Through the address on the letters that the dog used to post for his master, the post office traced his owner. Distraught, and bereft of his friend and confidante, the German packed up and left Benin City.

Therefore when I had my dog, it treated me like that German and I treated it like a human being. He was my friend. He had his preferences and dislikes. If you ever gave him food for which did not suit his palate, like an unpalatable piece of bread, my dog would eye you and promptly proceed to bury that meal until such a time it had any need for it.

I tried to teach him how to say the letters of the English alphabet. For letter A, he would bark once when I said it; for letter B, my dog would bark twice and bark thrice for letter C and so on and so forth.

Unfortunately for me, it fell out with my neighbours and became persona non-grata on that premises. We sadly had to part, and from what I was to hear from his new owner, he had been eaten.

I have never really believed that tale that a dog is food and a taboo among some ethnic tribes in Nigeria. As a matter of fact when my dog was alive, one of the 404 specialists then had asked me whether I was rearing it as food. My dog heard the question, I guess, and went after that man. He was lucky to escape without losing a finger or getting his clothes ripped to shreds. But I began to believe it when my other dog died recently and mysteriously too. Our prime suspect was a dog-eating fella close by but we

had no proof. But just yesterday, he proved true – there, behind our premises, he had tied a dog down to be slain for pepper soup.

And just then, the story of the dog named after Buhari broke.

According to the now-famous story, a chap had named his dog Buhari and before anyone could say Changi, all hell broke loose.

The man was quickly arrested and charged, I guess more from the effrontery of making his dog our president’s namesake than that the name could result in a breakdown of law and order. But then, the story began to move from the ludicrous to the mundane: about 100 lawyers were already lined up to defend the rascally fellow. I didn’t give this incidence any thought, except perhaps to begin to wonder at what the fuss was all about.

The dog’s name was not Mr. President’s first name, Muhammadu, and which would have had direct references. I tried to place the furore of naming a dog after Mr. President but my compass kept redirecting me to another president whose dog BO has phonetic similarities with his owner’s name Obama.

There was this great story as well about an American president who travelled and forgot his dog. When he then realised it, he sent Air-Force One to fetch the First Dog, only to run afoul of the press. They criticised him for spending taxpayers’ money on a dog.

The president shut them all up.

He told his traducers that if he would use Air Force One to fetch a lost dog, perhaps they should not wonder at what he would be capable of if it were an American citizen stranded and lost the way that First Dog was.

But perhaps to shut up the cacophony of insinuations making the rounds that Mr. President had ordered the arrest of the owner of that dog, his image managers bungled things up once again. They said the President Buhari had no time for such things, and that anytime Mr. President picks up the papers, he quickly dashes to the cartoon section and just laughs and laughs. We all hope this is not true.

––Bob Majiri Oghene Etemiku, communications manager, ANEEJ, Benin City

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

IMAGES

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ecently, Abdullahi Dare Akogun, the son of Alhaji KunleAkogun,DeputyDirector, Information, UniversityofIlorin, weddedhishearthrob, Hafsat Bola Lawal,inSangoOtta, Ogun State. Here are faces of personalities that graced the occasion.

The couple, Abdullahi and Hafsat Akogun

The bride’s parents, Alhaji Kamal and Alhaja Oluwakemi Lawal

The groom’s parents, Alhaji Kunle and Alhaja Sidikat Akogun

L-R: Alhaji Yekeen Babalola, Alhaji Salawu Ndakwo and Chief Abdulrauf Akogun

L-R: Prof. Badmas Olanrewaju Yusuf and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali

L-R: Prof. Hashir Abdulsalam and Mr. K. K. Babamale

L-R: Prof. Yasir Quadri and Prof. Hashir Abdulsalam

Members of Unilag MassComm Old Students’ Association at the wedding

Friends of the groom

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

IMAGES

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irst year Memorial Service was heldinhonour of formerNigerian Ambassador to the United States, Late Prof.AdebowaleAdefuye, attheCathedralChurchofChrist,Marina, Lagos. Here are personalities that graced the occasion.

Photo Mubo Peters

L-R: Mrs. Shola Adefuye, wife of former Nigerian ambassador to US, late Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, and Rebecca Aikhomu, wife of former Chief of General Staff, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu

L-R: Mrs. Toyin Aderibigbe, Mrs. Seun Sonubi and Bola Ilawole

L-R: Children of late Ambassador Adefuye, Babatunde, Bunmi and Tolu

L-R: Olori Ojuolape Ojora, her husband, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, and Mrs. Bunmi Anyaoku

L-R: Former Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith, and Mrs. Kofo Odusote

L-R: Mr. Toyin Okeowo and former Unilag VC, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe

L-R: Mrs. Gwen Nwachukwu and her husband, Senator Ike Nwachukwu

L-R: Former Managing Director, Daily Times, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, and Sunday Editor, THISDAY, Mr. Tokunbo Adedoja

L-R: Mr. Tunde Adelaja and Mr. Femi Ogunbekun

L-R: Mrs. Folashade Odubogun and Rt. Rev. Oluranti Odubogun

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

The SixthTICAD and Chinese Reservations on Japanese Pledged Development Aid to Africa

T

ICAD is Tokyo International Conference on African Development. It was initiated by Japan and established in 1993 and co-hosted with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, UNDP, World Bank, and African Union Commission. It was a foreign policy strategy adopted to enable Japan to engage more meaningfully in global politics and reacquire the status of a great power, following the end of the Cold War. Virtually all the powerful countries of the world, particularly the former colonial countries, have a development strategy largely predicated on the use of Africa as an instrument for their development. The French are on record to have started it with the establishment of a Franco-African Summit and the considerable support given by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries which allow France free hands to do whatever is considered necessary to protect the interests of the Western world in Africa, during the Cold War era.

There are also the Europe-Africa dialogue, India-Africa dialogue, China-Africa dialogue and the Japan-Africa dialogue.

With the exception of Europe-Africa dialogue, which has a collective or an organisational bargaining character at the level of foreign partners, all others have one single foreign partner relating with the whole of Africa as one equivalent stakeholder. It is a case of one country being the equivalent of 54 other countries.

Organisationally, TICAD was initiated by Japan as an individual country but it has generally been co-hosted with some multilateral organisations such as the United Nations (Office of the Special Adviser on Africa), World Bank, the African Union Commission and the United Nations Development Programme.

It has a four-layered structure: Ambassadorial representatives or Senior Government Officials meetings, Council of Ministers meetings, Summits of Heads of States, as well as TICAD’s Ministerial Follow-UP Mechanism the main responsibility of which is to monitor the implementation of the Action Plan of TICAD. Probably, if we do away with the less important argument of sovereign equality and consider the more important factor of territorial size, demography, economic resources, level of industrialisation and development, the equality of 1 and 54 may have a good substantiation and African leaders may not be blamed for always accepting partnership with any country. Some observers have said that the strategy of partnering with any country wishing to assist Africa by way of funding of development projects in the continent should be welcomed as it also enables the recovery of the ill-gotten wealth carted away by former colonialists. As good argument as this may be, it does not address the case of countries, such as China and Japan which do not have colonies in Africa and both of which not only have special partnership agreements with the people of Africa through the African Union. but are also looking at their partnership with Africa from the prisms of insincerity and rivalry following the conclusion of the Sixth TICAD held in Nairobi, Kenya, last month. But before dealing with the 6th TICAD, a prolegomena view of the previous TICADs is useful.

The Previous TICADs

The first conference, referred to as TICAD I, was held on October 5 and 6, 1993 in Tokyo. Only 5 African leaders attended the conference. It was then Japan versus the whole of Africa as represented by the 5 African leaders. The initial objective was twofold: the first is to promote a high-level policy dialogue between African leaders, on the one hand, and the development partners, acting severally or collectively, on the other, especially regarding

If a country can singly develop itself to the extent of being able and capable of empowering others, and particularly empowering an Africa of 54 states, when will this empowered group of 54 countries have the capacity to develop themselves without outside help after more than 50 years of political sovereignty? Besides, it is shameful for Kenya, in particular, and all other African leaders who attended theTICADVI, in general, for always seeking to define their future on the basis of foreign help and not on the basis of initial self-reliant efforts

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe

economic challenges with which Africa might be faced. In this regard, for instance, it was noted that, by the end of the Cold War, development assistance to Africa was on the decline and there was need to reverse the trend.

The second objective is to mobilize active support for Africanowned development initiatives. The Japanese probably had in mind the ECA 1980 Lagos Plan of Action and the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community and its attendant projects in talking about Africa’s development initiatives. These two objectives appear to be the main strategic interests pursued since then while the other declared objectives in subsequent conferences were the tactical strategic interests.

In this regard, TICAD II, was attended by 15 African leaders and also held in Tokyo on October 19-21, 1998. It focused attention on poverty reduction and integration of Africa into the global economy. It not only outlined in its Tokyo Agenda for Action (TAA) the framework for cooperation between Africa and its development partners but also predicated the TICAD processes on two principles: ownership of Africa and partnership of the international community. For the purposes of halving the extreme poverty in Africa as well as achieving universal elementary school education in Africa by 2015, Japan pledged a grant of ¥90 billion.

TICAD III was held on September 29-October 1, 2003 also in Tokyo. The number of African leaders participating in it further increased to 24, from 5 in 1993 and 15 in 1998. Reportedly because of Africa’s complaints about unfair trade practice, support was pledged for NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) and emphasis was placed on human security, peace consolidation and infrastructure.

Japanese Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko told the African Union in August 2002 in his presentation of the objectives of TICAD III that Japan believed that ‘Asia’s experience and expertise in development may also be useful for African Development in the twenty-first century, because Asia, in the latter part of the twentieth century, approached development challenges that are similar to Africa’s situation from a somewhat different angle and with some remarkable results.’ As also observed by Bert Edström, ‘Japan’s stress on the importance of economic development for poverty reduction was made all the more clear in the statement that “without economic growth, poverty reduction cannot be realised” (Bert Edström, Japan and the TICAD Process (Stockholm: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2010; Asian Paper, December 2010. p. 21 et s.)

TICAD IV was a departure from the previous TICADS as it was held on May 28-30, 2008, but this time in Yokohama. It had in attendance about 3000 delegates and 41 African Heads of States.

It focused attention on how to boost economic growth; ensure human security, especially in terms of attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and consolidation of peace and good governance; and how to respond to climate change and other environmental questions. It was at this TICAD IV that ‘Japan pledged to double by 2012 its five-year average of direct investment in Africa to US $3.4 billion, which had already tripled at the end of 2010,’ and for which the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) was also specifically set up. Additionally, Japan also committed itself to double by 2012 its ODA (Official Development Assistance) to US$ 1.8 billion and provide an ODA loan of US $4 billion for agricultural and infrastructural development in five years.

At this same TICAD IV, a TICAD Follow-up Mechanism Meet-

ing was also established and has been meeting on a yearly basis in Africa on a rotational basis: Botswana in 2009, Tanzania in 2010, Senegal in 2011, Morocco in 2012, etc. What is important to note from the foregoing is that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has it that ‘Japan has made steady progress in its commitments set forth at the TICAD IV. Almost all targets, including the doubling Japan’s ODA and direct investment to Africa, have been achieved.’

Indeed, the average level of total ODA from 2003 to 2007 not only increased from US $ 0.9 billion to US $1.8 billion in 2012, Japan’s direct investment in Africa also increased from US $1.7 billion in 2002-2006 to US $3.4 billion in 2008-2012 (JETRO Sources).

TICAD V took place on June 1-3, 2013 in Yokohama. Its theme for discussion was ‘Hand-in-Hand with a More Dynamic Africa’.

Focus was on how to reduce Africa’s reliance on natural resources for development of its economy alone, how to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, as well as nip in the bud crises and conflicts in the continent. In this regard, a strategic plan, predicated on three pillars, was adopted: attainment of a ‘robust and sustainable economy’, ‘inclusive and resilient society’, and ‘peace and stability.’

At the Ministerial level, the TICAD V Ministerial Preparatory Meeting took place on March 16-17, 2013 in Addis Ababa under the co-chairmanship of Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhano. Japan pledged to provide about US $550 million for the purposes of maintenance of peace and stability in Africa. The Japanese business community particularly promised to contribute in three main areas: infrastructure development, establishment of a favourable business environment, and development of human resources.

Above all, three landmark decisions were adopted at TICAD V: that future venues of TICAD should be alternated between Japan and Africa; that TICAD VI should be held in Africa, and that the interval of the conferences be reduced from five years to three.

Sixth TICAD and Chinese Reservation on Japanese Pledge

TICAD VI, with which we are more interested was held in Nairobi last month, on Saturday 27th, and Sunday, 28th August, 2016. The Senior Officials Meeting and that of the Council of Ministers were respectively held on 23rd-24th August and 26th August, 2016 at the Kenyan International Conference Centre (KICC). The conference was significant from the perspective that it was held ‘in the first year of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and AU’s Agenda 2063 and its first Ten-Year Implementation Plan.

It was also significant because of Japan’s new pledges. Japan had been making pledges partially, fully or not fully, fulfilled.

Before TICAD VI, pledges made by Japan required her to have, by 2005, ensured that 80%, at least, of African children should have completed primary education, with universal primary education by 2015. The Tokyo Agenda for Action also requires a reduction in adult literacy to half of the 1990 level, especially at the level of female literacy; elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005; reduce maternal mortality to half of the 1990 level, and half again by 2015; reduction of mortality rates for and children under the age of five years to one-third of the 1990 level; provision of access to safe water supply and sanitation for at least 80% of the population by 2005; reduction by half the number of people who are malnourished by 2015; and reduction by at least two-thirds the number of women living in poverty by 2015 (JICA and Mitsubishi, “Project Study on the TICAD Process: Review of the Past Achievements and Implications for Future Successes,’ Final Report, 2007, Tokyo, JICA).

What precisely can we say, as at today, is the current status of Japanese pledged commitment? To what extent have the pledges been fulfilled as at December 31, 2015? It is against this background that the new pledges made at the 6th TICAD and the Chinese reservations on them can be understood and appreciated.

On Sunday night, August 28, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed an agreement in which Japan pledged Sh 10 billion to fund various healthcare projects.

Japan not only reportedly would disburse the monies mostly through the development agencies and also ensure that the funds are used for the purposes for which they are meant, but also that Japan would help Africa to get a Permanent Seat on the UN Security Council by 2023. Many observers have said that this offer of help is aimed that checkmating China. In other words, it is politics.

Mr. Zhang Ming, former Chinese Ambassador to Kenya from 2006 to 2009 and Head of Chinese delegation to TICAD VI in Nairobi, questioned Tokyo’s ability to fulfil the promises made at the summit. As noted by Ambassador Zhang, ‘there is a never shortage of conferences and promises for Africa, and yet action and implementation have not always followed. We hope Africa’s partners will honour their commitments with real actions and deliver tangible fruits to the African people.’

Ambassador Zhang also admitted that ‘both China and Japan are working with Africa as part of international endeavour to help the continent’ and therefore making China to ‘support the diversification of Africa’s partners.’ He indirectly cautioned Africa and its other partners to note that ‘the secret recipe for ever-lasting vibrancy of this relationship is sincerity, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs,’ in the hope that ‘other partners will also listen carefully to Africa’s voice and fully respect Africa’s will.’

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS QUICK TAKES NIMASA

TheNigerianMaritimeAdministration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) has restated its position to ensuring the full implementation and enforcement of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) code in the nation’s ports.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated this at the opening ceremony of a five-day training programme facilitated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in conjunction with NIMASA on ISPS code compliance in Lagos.

Peterside observed that skilled, efficientandtalentedworkersarecritical to the growth of the maritime sector assuring that NIMASA will continually equip its staff with new knowledge, skills and technologies necessary to ensure compliance with the ISPS Code. According to him, “Our people andvaluesarehallmarksofagoodand strong organisation.Recognising that our greatest asset is our people, the leadership of the maritime industry in Nigeria, is committed to building a skilled, talented and effective workforce. This is why we take advantage of every training programme to equip our people and prepare them for new challenges that come up daily in the course of carrying out their assignments.”

MSME Boost A textile trader patiently expecting customers

With Inflation at 17.1 %, Analysts Highlight Implication for the Economy Kunle Aderinokun For the sixth consecutive time this year, the consumer price index (CPI), which measures inflation, rose hitting 17.1 per cent (year-on-year) in July, representing 0.6 per cent or 60 basis points increase over the 16.5 per cent recorded in June.

CPI, the headline index, has maintained an upward streak since the beginning of this year as it rose by 0.9 per cent to 11-year high of 16.6 per cent in June compared to 15.58 per cent in May. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which reeled out the figures recently, noted that “increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption

by Purpose (COICOP) divisions which contribute to the Headline index reflecting higher prices across the economy.”

The bureau explained that the pace of the increase in the headline index was however weighed upon by a slower increase in three divisions; health, transport, and recreation & culture divisions.

The estimation by economic analysts that inflation might have been tamed seems to have been confirmed by NBS with its latest figures. Analysts had predicted that the pace of inflation increase would be slower in July than the previous months. The figures, however surpassed the expectations of analysts.

Ahead of the release of the July inflation data, analysts had predicted a rise in CPI of around 70 basis points.

By the analysts’ estimation, the pace of increase in the CPI would, however, be reduced, compared to the 90 basis points it recorded when it hit 16.48 per cent in June from the preceding month’s 15.58 per cent.

The analysts that released their forecasts, obtained by THISDAY were

ECONOMY from FSDH Merchant Bank, Access Bank Plc and Dunn Loren Merrifield Asset Management Ltd. However, economic analysts and market watchers, who expressed their views on this month’s inflation data, acknowledged the slower pace of increase and pointed out the implications for the economy.

In her assessment, Managing Director and Chief Economist, Global Research, Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, noted that there would be pressure on prices largely driven by FX shortages, even though “there is little evidence of the ability of businesses to pass on price increases.”

Nonetheless, Khan pointed out that, “we expect a further 200 bps of tightening at the next MPC meeting.

According to her, “With inflation already accelerating, policy in real terms will remain accommodative, even with this tightening in place. With a wider current account deficit it remains important for Nigeria to maintain a credible policy response, in order to attract much-needed stabilising inflows.”

Also, analysts at Dexter Analytics, who acknowledged inflation is finally showing signs of slowdown, highlighted the implications of the headline index on the economy.

On Investments, they stated: “Our views remain unchanged from the inflation reports released previously. We believe attractive yields on fixed income securities, which currently trades above 17 per cent, continues to be attractive and will deter investments in equities, especially by low risk investors.

“Nigerian equities continues to

endure a volatile run, based on a mix of worsening economic backdrop such as the unfriendly foreign exchange regime that has made the segment undesirable by foreign investors and weak earnings performance of underlying stocks. Indeed as the Q2 2016 GDP which was reported by the NBS at -2.06 per cent confirm the economy to be in a recession, we believe sentiments continue to favour the bears.

“Though we expect mild reaction in equities as the market had largely priced in a possible recession in Q2. We reiterate that only the return of foreign investors in equities, would provide a reprieve.

Some prices, such as that of petrol which is partly anchored on exchange rate of N282/$ remain points of pressure. It is not unlikely for us to see an upward adjustment

A major concern however is that FPIs to equities continue to flow in trickles, as against the amount needed to spur a speedy recovery.”

Regarding monetary policy direction, the analysts added that, “as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN sits between 19th-20th September, 2016, we believe the uptick in inflation will continue to be a cause of concern, more so the deep plunge in Q2 GDP to -2.06 per cent. Again, the choice between tweaking interest rates to speed-up a recovery in growth or to tame inflation presents itself. We expect the CBN to maintain rates at the current level of 14 per cent to show consistency and to reap the objectives motivating the hike at the last meeting of the MPC. The fact that currency controls and the severe

shortage of foreign currency led the economy down this road is undoubted.

“While we note that the economic recession throws a few spanner in the works and calls for a firm monetary policy response, we believe the current stance, which gives the economy a better chance at Foreign Portfolio Investment (PFIs) inflows gives a better shot at a short term recovery.”

As for the outlook of inflation, the Dexter Analytics analysts posited: “Though gradual, inflation is finally slowing down. As the harvest season beckons, we are likely to see a slower pace of increase in the headline index in the coming months.

“We however note that energy prices and a fast depreciating exchange rate in the official and parallel market remain downsides. For a particular case in point, some prices, such as that of petrol which is partly anchored on exchange rate of N282/$ remain points of pressure. It is not unlikely for us to see an upward adjustment which would stoke increases in the energy and transportation divisions.”

Similarly, analysts at Eczellon Capital Ltd said they noticed the gradual reduction in month-on-month inflation numbers for the second consecutive month.

According to them, “The pace of increase in general price level tapered to 1.25 per cent (month-on-month) in July from 1.71 per cent in June due to waning effect of energy prices and transportation cost.”

The analysts therefore expected “this trend to continue in the coming months as food prices moderate across the country albeit imported inflation is likely to remain high due to continue fall in the value of the naira.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said the National Collateral Registry (NCR) would boost small and medium scale businesses (MSMEs) and create employment opportunities for Nigerians. Registrar of the NCR, Mainasara Muhammad, stated this at an interactive session with operators ofsmallandmediumscalebusinesses inKaduna.Muhammadexplainedthat the NCR was recently established by the CBN with the support of InternationalFinanceCorporation(IFC)tohelp low income earners and small scale entrepreneurstosecureloansagainst movable assets.

HesaidtheNCRisaweb-basedsystem that allows lenders to determine any prior security interests, as well as to register their security interests over movable assets provided as collateral by small business operators. According to him, the registry facilitates the use of movable and personal assets as collateral for loans but the assets presentedwillremaininpossessionor control of the borrowers and thereby improves access to secured finance.

He said the registry was established to address the challenges of funding facingsmallbusinesses,especiallythe difficulties in securing loans from commercial banks.

Interest Rate

A Singapore-based investment organThe Manufacturers Association ofNigeria,theLagosChamberofCommerceandIndustry,theAbujaChamber of Commerce and Industry and other organised private sectors recently called on the Federal Government to drastically slash interest rate in order tostimulateeconomicrecovery.Professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Finance and Control and theInstituteofFiscalStudiesofNigeria and renowned economists including the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, advised the government to urgently review its policies and spend more to attract both local and foreign investors to invest in the economy.

The National Bureau of Statistics had last Wednesday released the Gross Domestic Product figures for the second quarter of 2016, whose growth rate slid from -0.36 per cent in the first quarter to -2.06 per cent.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Market women lament cost induced low sales

Lifting the Economy out of Recession

The Nigerian economy officially entered recession as the real GDP growth rate further declined in the second quarter, thus tasking the fiscal and monetary authorities on accelerated efforts for quick recovery, writes Kunle Aderinokun

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) last Wednesday disclosed that the nation’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate dipped by -2.06 per cent (year-on year) in the second quarter of this year, which was 1.70 percentage points or 170 basis points lower than the decline by -0.36 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.

It was also 4.41 percentage points or 441 basis points lower than the growth rate of 2.35 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015.

The latest GDP figures have put paid to the fear of recession that had enveloped the economic landscape of Nigeria and thus confirmed that the economy is officially in recession. A recession occurs if an economy has contracted for two consecutive quarters or longer but it is not expected to last for more than a year. It is a period of general economic decline characterised by high unemployment, high inflation, fall in retail sales, stagnation, amongst others.

NBS attributed the further decline in GDP growth rate in the second quarter mainly to

significant drop in output in the oil sector (year-on-year) and partly to slight decrease in non-oil sector growth.

According to the bureau,“during the period under review, oil production was estimated at 1.69million barrels per day (mbpd), 0.42 million barrels per day lower from production in first quarter of 2016. Oil production was also lower relative to the corresponding quarter in 2015 by 0.36million barrels per day when output was recorded at 2.05mbpd “As a result, real growth in the oil sector was negative 17.48 per cent (year-on-year) in the second quarter of 2016. Growth declined by 10.68 percentage points and 15.59 percentage points relative to growth in the second quarter of 2015 and first quarter of 2016 respectively.

Quarter-on-quarter, growth also slowed by -19.11 per cent. As a share of the economy, the oil sector contributed 8.26 per cent to total real GDP, down from the contribution recorded in the corresponding period of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016 by 1.54 percentage points and 2.03 percentage points respectively.

“Growth in the non-oil sector was largely driven by the following seven activities of agriculture, information & communication,

water supply, arts entertainment and recreation, professional scientific and technical services, education and other services which all grew positively while the remaining 19 major sectors, many of which are substantially indirectly dependent on the oil sector recorded negative growth.

“The non-oil sector accordingly, declined by 0.38 per cent in real terms in the second quarter of 2016. This growth rate was 0.20 percentage points lower than the first quarter of 2016 (-0.18 per cent), and 3.84 percentage points lower from the corresponding quarter in 2015 (3.46 per cent) In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 91.74 per cent to the nation’s GDP, higher from shares recorded in the first quarter of 2016 (89.71 per cent) and the second quarter of 2015 (90.20 per cent).”

However, when measured quarter on quarter, NBS further revealed, the real GDP increased by 0.82 per cent. According to the bureau, during the quarter, nominal GDP was N23.483 trillion at basic prices, which was 2.73 per cent higher than the second quarter 2015 value of N22.859 trillion. This growth, it explained, was lower than the rate recorded in the second quarter of 2015 by 2.44 percentage points or

244 basis points.

FG’s Optimism Nevertheless, following the appalling outing of the economy as indicated by the NBS data, the presidency contended that the nation’s economic outlook remained bright, irrespective of the contraction in the GDP growth rate recorded.

According to a statement issued in Abuja last Wednesday by the Media Aide to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, the Presidency assured Nigerians that the second half of the year would be better.

Apparently allaying the fears of Nigerians, the presidency in the statement, which quoted the Special Adviser to the President, Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, noted that the recession would be short-lived, assuring Nigerians that many of the challenges faced in the first half either no longer existed or had begun to ease.

It pointed out that the data released by the NBS on the GDP growth rate, while confirming a temporary decline, also indicated hopeful expectations for the country’s economic trajectory.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/ECONOMY Lifting the Economy out of Recession

Cont’d from Pg. 20

Buhari

Adeosun

Emefiele

Besides, the presidency also said apart from the growth recorded in the agriculture and solid mineral sectors, the Nigerian economy, in response to the policies of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, was doing better than the IMF’s forecast, with clear indications that the second half of the year would be much better.

It assured Nigerians that the administration would continue to work diligently on the economy and engage with all stakeholders to ensure that beneficial policy initiatives are actively pursued and the dividends delivered to them.

This is the not the first time the Buhari administration would be allaying the fears of Nigerians on the economy in recent times.

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had last month, while reacting to the projection of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Nigerian economy would contract by 1.8 per cent this year, stated that even though the economy was ‘technically in recession’, the downturn would be short-lived as she was optimistic that the economy would bounce back by the third quarter of the year.

According to her, IMF projections were not necessarily in tandem with reality, insisting that she remained confident in the potential of the Nigerian economy to weather the current economic crisis.

“I am not too worried about IMF projections. I will tell you why: The IMF, one of its functions is global economic surveillance. They equally issued a negative report on Britain as a result of Brexit.

“But I don’t think we should panic every time IMF speaks. I think we need to be confident about what we are doing and where we are going. I remain extremely confident as I said.

“IMF has given its projections which is that we may continue to go into negative territory and I am not sure what we have seen suggests that.

“Agricultural output seems to be going up…

That tells you that things are moving in the right direction,” she said.

Her optimism that the economy would come out stronger was predicated on the policies and programmes that the government had put in place to address the downturn.

World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update had cited “foreign currency shortages as a result of lower oil receipts, low power generation, and weak investor confidence.”

The fund noted that it cut its forecasts for global economic growth this year and next as the unexpected UK vote to leave the European Union creates a wave of uncertainty amid already fragile business and consumer confidence.

Apparently giving a foretaste of what was to come few days earlier, Senior Resident Representative, IMF Nigeria, Gene Leon, had said the Nigerian economy would probably contract this year citing shortages in energy and the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget by the National Assembly.

According to him, these factors have affected the national output, especially in the first half of the year and notwithstanding how better the economy performs in the second half, the positive growth would not “be sufficiently fast, sufficiently rapid to be able to negate the outcome of the first and second quarters.”

Leon, who gave these indications on behalf of the Bretton Woods institution in Abuja was quoted as saying,“I think there is a high likelihood that the year 2016 as a whole will be a contractionary year.”

when preparation started for the 2015 general elections, economic activities in Nigeria has been suffering decline.”Ademola noted that, “The expectation of a reigniting of the economy immediately post-election was impacted by the change of government which has to start with its own plan.

He added that, “The sharp and consistent decline in oil prices and its effect on national revenue also limited the capacity of the government to return the economy to its earlier peak.”

All these economic fundamental challenges, he therefore stated, “resulted in volatile exchange rate regime which practically snuffed out life from domestic production while importation become overly expensive.”

He said, “The combination of these two resulted in the decline in the GDP and high inflation since the beginning of the year 2016.”

“In other words, the GDP and inflation figures are not unexpected considering that economy has been experiencing a lull for over a year now. Although there should be a lag period before the effect of the MPC actions are felt, the increase in inflation may also be justifying the notion that inflation in Nigeria cannot be controlled using monetary policy instruments, it requires structural and fiscal reforms to abate,” he explained.

Ademola advised: “With the GDP figure for the second quarter which shows a sharper decline than the previous quarter, it becomes clearer that the government needs to boost

The IMF Position The IMF, which reviewed its April Regional Economic Outlook growth rate forecast for Nigeria last month, had projected -1.8 per cent GDP growth rate for the country by end of the year. It cut the growth rate forecast from 2.3 per cent for the year, which it earlier lowered from 3.2 per cent published in February. Effectively, by the IMF calculation, the economy would witness a recession this year.

The Bretton Woods institution, however, predicted that the economy would bounce back with a growth rate of 1.1 per cent in 2017, even the figures are way down from the 3.5 per cent it earlier projected for the next year.

The IMF, which gave its latest submission on Nigeria, amongst other countries, in its

No Surprise Economic analysts and market watchers said they saw it coming as indications were already rife that the economy would slip into recession as evidenced in the prolonged challenges in the economy. Notwithstanding, the pundits are optimistic that the economy is redeemable.

Managing Director and Chief Economist, Global Research, Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, said the poor performance of the economy in the second quarter was expected given that the “FX shortages impacting activity had come to a head just prior to the FX liberalisation.”

And Khan believed that“with FX availability not having improved significantly, some headwinds are likely to remain, even into H2.”

However pointing that “the weaker NGN has provided a boost to FAAC allocations”, she noted that,“implementation of the budget will also help,” going forward.

Wondering “if these factors alone will drive sufficient momentum for a recovery in the second half of the year, Khan was however concerned that, “with banks unlikely to be driving lending growth much higher, recovery could be more drawn out.”

“What was interesting about the GDP print was that the dip in non-oil GDP was fairly shallow – only 0.4% y/y. It’s a situation that can be recovered pretty easily. The contraction was mostly driven by the oil sector – and that is a much more severe problem (but not insurmountable),” she added.

Similarly, Executive Director, Corporate Finance Department of BGL Capital, Femi Ademola, pointed out that the economic recession was not unexpected, recalling that“since late 2014

The GDP and inflation figures are not unexpected considering that economy has been experiencing a lull for over a year now.

Although there should be a lag period before the effect of the MPC actions are felt, the increase in inflation may also be justifying the notion that inflation in Nigeria cannot be controlled using monetary policy instruments, it requires structural and fiscal reforms to abate

economic activities by releasing funds to the economy through capital votes while the monetary authority needs to channel funds to the sectors of needs while sterilising excess liquidity in the financial services sector using other policy instruments outside of interest rate.”

He believed “If we can do things differently now, there is a chance that the country would return to positive growth by early to middle 2017.” Aligning with Khan and Ademola, Associate on Macroeconomic and Fixed Income Analysis at FBN Capital Ltd, Chinwe Egwim, said, “There are no major surprises in this release as we expected a contraction in Q2.”“Given the macro challenges (steep slide in oil prices, production shortages due to vandalism, FX sourcing issues in an import dependent country and hike in inflation) the negative reading was a foregone conclusion.”

Egwim recalled Adeosun saying the federal government was committed to stimulating the economy through its capital releases, social intervention programs, import substitution strategies, tackling the oil production crisis in the Niger Delta and policies geared towards attracting foreign portfolio and direct investments.

The FBN Capital analyst expects “to begin to see signs of recovery as we enter Q4,” but cautioned that, “there is still a lot of work to do and delays in releasing capital could also delay the recovery.”“There is also a risk that revenue collection shortfalls may lead to capex cuts,” she added.

In the same vein, CEO, Global Analytics Consulting Limited, Tope Fasua, who was not surprised by the unfortunate development, noted that, “It is a final testimony that all is not well.”

“Officially we are now in a recession even though we have since been living with the realities of an economic depression - high unemployment, high inflation, or stagflation, high poverty rates, and low human development indices. It seems all the bad guys have congregated on Nigeria. I hope the government rediscovers its mojo. The time for buck-passing is long over,” he stated.

Way Forward Meanwhile, analysts at Eczellon Capital Ltd led by its chief executive officer, Diekola Onaolapo, said the second quarter report “only further reiterate the need for greater collaboration between monetary and fiscal authorities to address the current poor performance of the economy .”

According to the analysts,“On the monetary side, there is a need for the CBN to review its stance of the 41 items exempted from the inter-bank which defeats the essence of a single FX market and starve businesses of required foreign capital to transact.

“We opine that fiscal measures will be more effective and will help achieve the goals of import substitution that the apex bank had in mind when it banned the 41 items from the inter-bank FX market.”

The Eczellon analysts took cognizance of the 0.84 per cent quarterly growth that was largely influenced by the 4.5 per cent expansion in the Agriculture sector. This, they posited, could be “linked to the relative peace in the North-Eastern part of the country; and possibly a gradual shift towards increased local production of food; given the very unfavourable FX environment.”

“It is expected that Agriculture will continue its strong performance for the remaining quarters of the year particularly as the nation enters its harvest season, and government’s push for greater local production of food in the country especially for staple commodity like Rice,” they added.

The Eczellon analysts believed“the foregoing, coupled with the injection of c.N430.0bn into the economy in recent months for capital projects should provide a lever for a gradual recovery of the nation’s economy in the coming quarters.”

They therefore concluded that, “while it may seem that the economy has reached its low and could be prepping for recovery in the coming quarters, it is imperative that the authorities (monetary and fiscal) do not dampen the momentum by actions/pronouncements that could heighten volatility in an already dire economy.”

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BUSINESS/MONEY

As FX Market Witnesses Increased Inflow…

The fruits of economic recovery initiatives of the federal government appears to be in sight as local and foreign investors may have started returning to the economy, writes Kunle Aderinokun and Olaseni Durojaiye

M

easured excitement may have begun to seep into the nation’s economy with the news of an increase in foreign reserves to $595 million, an indication that foreign investors may have started renewing interest in the economy.

The excitement is founded largely on the $327 million stake in the federal government bonds.

The resurgence was coming on the heels of stock being re-priced and as the naira continues to lose grounds against the United States dollars leading some financial analysts to predict that the current situation offers attractive valuations for foreign investors. Foreign investors had until recently remained indifferent to investing in the economy as they cited uncertainties surrounding Nigeria’s foreign exchange regime and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s continued intervention in the foreign exchange official market as reasons for reluctance.

An economist and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company, Bismark Rewane, had predicted that the stock market might witness an uptick in foreign portfolio inflow, which could offer much needed boost for the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in the weeks ahead.

Rewane noted in a FDC’s Bi-monthly Economic & Business Update that, “As equity risk premium rises and dividend yield falls, we expect investors to move to safer assets classes with guaranteed returns”.

Nigeria’s foreign reserves, which had plummeted for about two months, recovered some of the losses when it rose by $595 million in five days to $26.196 billion last Monday. The marginal accretion represented an increase of 2.26 per cent, over the $25.601 billion the reserves stood on August 24.

The development was attributed to the inflow of funds into the country’s fixed income market following renewed interest by both foreign and local investors in the market given the attractive yields earlier predicted by analysts.

The inflow was largely buoyed by a single transaction of $270 million at N345 per USD by Citibank Nigeria which bought 11-months treasury bills on behalf of offshore investors. Other transactions were at between N314.50 and N317.34 to the USD. According to the Managing Director of the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Bola Onadele, the FX market recorded $327 million worth of trades on Monday, which was about six times more than its usual volume.

Average trading at the FX market had been around $50 million on a normal trading day and climb to about $100 million on days when the CBN intervenes in the market. This is as traders told Reuters that the CBN sold an undisclosed amount of USD close to the end of session on Monday, to help prop up the value of the Naira which dipped to between N418 to a USD in the parallel market.

The increase in the country’s reserves and the renewed interest by foreign investors may not be unconnected to the deregulation of the country’s FX regime. The CBN had adopted a market-driven flexible exchange rate in June at the height of FX challenge and increasing foreign portfolio flight from the country.

Despite the policy shift which was hailed by a cross section of the economy, forex liquidity remained a concern in the system even with periodic interventions by the CBN as many operators especially in the real sector lamented their inability to access the USD. Implications Reactions to the issues have however been mixed and largely measured. Analysts who spoke to THISDAY welcomed the renewed interest in the country’s bonds and equities explaining that if the inflow continues it would buoy the value

Currency dealers at work

of the Naira against the dollar.

According to Head, Research and Intelligence at Meristem Securities, Bashir Lawal, the increase in foreign reserves was what the CBN hoped to achieve with its policy of deregulating the FX market.

He, however, added that the inflow was yet to be felt, pointing out that sustained forex liquidity will lead to the Naira appreciating against the dollar.

“I will say it is the result that CBN expected when it adopted the current foreign exchange regime; it is a welcome development. A sustained inflow of it will eventually increase the value of the Naira,” Lawal stated.

Executive Director, Corporate Finance, BGL Capital, Femi Ademola, noted that the flexible forex regime witnessed low level of transaction for a long time but “the CBN has consistently been trying various policies at increasing the supply of foreign exchange to the market, the latest and most remarkable being the increase in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) so as to ensure a positive real yield on Nigeria’s fixed income instruments.”

Ademola believed “this latest policy may have started to pay off as we see in the investment of $270m in Treasury Bills by foreign investors. The supply of foreign exchange to the interbank market (which the investments suggest) appears to have resulted in a significant increase in transactions compared to recent experience in the market.”

“It thus follow that the new interbank foreign exchange market has stabilised and operators and foreign investors especially, may have started to accept the mode of operation. The sustenance of this development would help to stabilise the exchange rate volatility and stop the haemorrhaging of the foreign exchange reserve.”

“However, the Federal Government will need to embark on the needed fiscal reforms to support the monetary authority in the bid to strengthen Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals and thus attract more long term and strategic foreign investment,” he added

However, Managing Director of Global Analytics Derivatives Consulting, Tope Fasua, was not over excited about the new trend and stated that he will

Nigeria’s foreign reserves, which had plummeted for about two months, recovered some of the losses when it rose by $595 million in five days to $26.196 billion last Monday. The marginal accretion represented an increase of 2.26 per cent, over the $25.601 billion the reserves stood on August 24.

The development was attributed to the inflow of funds into the country’s fixed income market following renewed interest by both foreign and local investors in the market given the attractive yields earlier predicted by analysts

not join in celebrating the renewed inflow of foreign investors into the country. He reasoned that having been burnt twice in the last eight years, Nigerians, particularly economists and research analysts, need a reorientation, begin to think differently, insisting that it was time the country looked inward.

According to Fasua, who spoke with THISDAY over the telephone: “Yes foreign investors are coming gradually but I will not join in clapping hands that they are coming back, I don’t think we should be celebrating our over reliance on foreign investors.

“We, particularly our economists and analysts, should think differently; We should look inwards at the alternatives. We shouldn’t be celebrating bond and capital money brought in by foreign investors. They bring in the money when its suits them; sometimes for political capital; when they leave they do so with more than what they came in with.

“I think we should begin to look inwards and do things differently. How come no one is convincing Nigerians to invest Nigerian money in the Nigeria Stock Exchange? Nigerians prefer to take their money to safe havens and then the foreign investors bring it back at a premium,” he stated.

Also, analysts at Eczellon Capital Ltd argued that, “the transaction in question was a one-off and as such, could be difficult to conclude that the Nigerian economy is gradually winning confidence from international investors.”

They contended that “The economic fundamentals are still largely weak and the FX market remains distorted due to the widening gap between the interbank and parallel market rates exacerbated by recent regulatory pronouncement.”

The analysts believed that, “For confidence to fully return to the Nigerian financial markets, there is a need for the exchange rates in the various FX markets to converge. This would also require the regulator being tactical in its approach and avoid actions that could destabilize the market further from its current state.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/AVIATION

Economic Downturn Takes Toll on Aviation Industry

The economic downturn in Nigeria is threatening the operations of domestic airlines as two of them have suspended scheduled service. Chinedu Eze x-rays the challenges facing the aviation industry

T

here are four key factors threatening Nigeria’s airline industry. One is that everything about aircraft maintenance, including repairs and most often technical personnel is imported and C-check is done overseas. So in a recession whereby over N400 is exchanging for $1, it is difficult for Nigerian airlines that sell tickets in naira to raise enough funds to maintain their aircraft.

Two, over 40 per cent of operational cost is spent on aviation fuel. Today that product sells at N230 per litre because it is imported.

Nigeria has refineries that are not working.

They were not privatised and under the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) they have not been put to good use for years, so Nigeria imports its fuel products.

Three, airfares do not reflect the actual cost of operation because of the low disposable income of Nigerian citizens. At the current cost of aviation fuel and maintenance, for a Nigerian airline to make profit it should charge about N45, 000 for one-hour flight, according to aviation analysts. This amount will seem outrageous but that is the actual pricing that could generate profitable revenue for airlines.

But airlines cannot charge N45, 000 for one-hour flight. If they do they would lose customers.

The fourth factor is that Nigerian airlines have lost over 40 per cent of their passenger traffic since February this year due to the downturn of Nigeria’s economy. The passenger traffic continues to deplete as recession sets in and the industry continues to degenerate.

It is all these challenges that are threatening the operations of Nigeria’s domestic airlines.

Aero and First Nation Airways have suspended their scheduled services and there is fear that other airlines may join as the economy bites harder and as they find it difficult to continue to maintain their aircraft and purchase aviation fuel at a very exorbitant rate.

Aero Contractors on Wednesday announced suspension of scheduled services from Thursday September 1, 2016.

A statement from the Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the development was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to the part of profitability.

The airline said this business decision, which is a result of the current economic situation in the country, has forced some other airlines to suspend operation or outrightly pull out of Nigeria.

In the case of Aero, Akinkuotu said the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months, which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.

“These factors, according to him are both internal and external environmental factors that have made it difficult for the foremost airline to continue its scheduled services,” the airline said.

Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took over Aero in 2011 because of its toxic loans owed to the now defunct Oceanic Bank.

THISDAY learnt then that Aero became a victim of a bad deal which some interest group made at the expense of the company. The then Oceanic Bank funneled money through its subsidiary, Oceanic Capital, and seven aircraft were earmarked to be purchased, but six were eventually acquired without a refund and the aircraft, which were supposed to be purchased at $3 million each, were allegedly inflated to $7 million each and they were purchased from the Arizona aircraft graveyard in the US. The toxic loan was inherited by Ecobank when it took over Oceanic Bank, which handed it

First Nation aircraft idles away on the tarmac

An Aero Contractors aircraft

over to AMCON.

By February 2016 the signs of Aero going under became evident because AMCON decided to stop putting money into the airline and requested that it should sack about 70 per cent of its staff for the airline to reposition.

Labour kicked against this and alleged that the AMCON representatives in Aero had connived with the management to corruptly enrich themselves at the expense of the airline.

By then Aero had its three Boeing 737-500 at maintenance facilities overseas but did not have money to bring them back. By last week all the 11 aircraft in its fleet were unserviceable and only one aircraft was still airworthy. The airline did not have the funds to send about five aircraft on AOG (Aircraft on Ground) out for maintenance; neither did it have funds to complete the payment and return the ones that had undergone maintenance overseas.

It was a cul-de-sac for the most promising Nigerian carrier.

Today Aero has suspended its schedule operation but can do charter and can carry out maintenance of some aircraft types. If Aero eventually goes down it means that the aviation industry had degenerated substantially because Aero is the only Nigerian carrier that has maintenance facility. It carries out A to C checks on turboprops like Dash 8 and other smaller aircraft. No other airline has that technical ability.

“Aero has invaluable goodwill; it has the first maintenance organisation in Nigeria. We have the capacity to do all checks on Dash 8 aircraft and all checks below C-check on Boeing 737. We have the expertise to do C-check and we have applied to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to get approval. We do Kings Air, Hawker, Hawker Sidney and Dash 8 Bombardier,” inside source told THISDAY.

If Aero goes down 1,100 Nigerians will lose their jobs. The airline used to have 1, 453 workers but recently reduced it to the above figure. AMCON wants the airline to reduce its workforce by 70 per cent but the aviation unions have kicked against it. On Thursday the workers occupied Aero’s head office at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos made up of workers comprising of the Air Traffic Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Benjamin Okewu, said that the take over of the airline followed the indefinite leave given to the over 1,400 workers by Aero management.

Okewu said that what Aero management had just done by locking out the workers was shocking, adding that negotiation was still ongoing when Aero sent workers on indefinite leave.

But the workers know that if they insist that Aero should retain all the workers the airline would eventually go down and all the workers would lose their jobs; but if they allow the airline to lay off 70 per cent of the workforce it will be repositioned and in future would absorb some of the workers earlier laid off. But the workers insisted that they must not be sacked.

First Nation Airways had explained that it is currently undergoing maintenance on its A319 fleet, adding that the maintenance exercise would be completed by mid September.

In a statement signed by the airline’s commercial manager, Sarah Awogbade, First Nation Airways said the airline planned this maintenance action well ahead and scheduled it would resume operation later in the month.

“This will ensure that passengers continue to

enjoy safe and reliable service that the airline is reputed for. Current foreign exchange constraint, coupled with over 70 per cent devaluation of the naira, partly contributed in no small measure to this development. The Airline’s plan remains on track to reinstating service as advised herein,” the airline said.

Nigeria’s economy will be further eroded if the country does not have airlines on scheduled services, operating at least 40 aircraft. Now, the airlines that are still operating effectively are Arik Air, Air Peace, Medview Airline, Dana Air and Overland Airways. These airlines have about 56 aircraft in their fleet and if more airlines stop operation the Nigerian travel public will feel the impact. This will hike the fares and further deplete passenger traffic.

The consequence is that the few operating airlines would ground most of their aircraft as fewer people travel by air and when airlines ground their aircraft they would make losses that would eventually put them out of business.

Industry observers are positing that the government should come in at this critical juncture to help the airlines sustain their operation. The Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison, has suggested that government should dedicate the Warri refinery to the refining of aviation fuel. That would make the product available and at affordable price. If this is done it will give the airlines a lifeline because reduction of the price of aviation fuel, which cost them over 40 per cent of their operational expenses, will definitely bring them back from the brink.

In addition to that, it is expected that government should facilitate forex for the airlines as almost everything about aircraft is imported. They will remain unprofitable in their operations if they continue to exchange the dollar for over N400.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

From Zuckerberg, a Boost for Nigerian Tech Startups

Emma Okonji writes that the surprise visit by Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, to Nigeria last week, will awaken the spirit of creativity embedded in Nigerian apps developers who had in the past, longed for local and international recognition

F

ounder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, last Tuesday, made a surprise appearance in Nigeria, Lagos precisely, without prior publicity or any grand reception, even though it was his first visit to Africa and Nigeria was the destination of first choice.

Looking very cheerful and simple in a T-shirt and jean trouser, with a pair of canvas to match, Zuckerberg arrived Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday afternoon with his pretty wife, Priscilla, and headed straight to Co-Creation Hub (CC-Hub) in Yaba, Lagos, without the presence of security personnel.

Cc-Hub is a private venture initiative, managed by young Nigerians, where technology startups develop ideas that are turned into technology solutions to address immediate and long term challenges. Inside CC-Hub, ideas are nurtured, incubated and solution developers are guided and sponsored, until their solutions are ripe for commercial marketing.

Aside CC-Hub, Zuckerberg met with technology startups on the second day of his visit, and had a question and answer session with them, which was transmitted live through telecast to a viewing audience made up of technology reporters. From there he met with Nollywood actors and actresses.

Throughout his short stay in Nigeria, Zuckerberg was focused on technology startups, even though he had some fun while jogging on the street of Lagos.

Why Zuckerberg visited Nigeria THISDAY gathered that the Facebook founder visited Nigeria because he has heard so much about Nigerian technology startups and he needed to encourage them. Also, Nigeria is the largest market for Facebook in Africa in terms of population and value for the Facebook platform. Nigeria had few months ago, recorded 16 million Facebook active users, and the number keep increasing daily.

While addressing technology startups in Lagos, Zuckerberg announced that the population of Nigeria on Facebook has grown from 16 million to 18 million, still maintaining its position as the largest market for Facebook in Africa. He further explained that the total number of Facebook users globally, was close to two billion.

Aside his personal interest to meet with technology startups in Nigeria, THISDAY gathered that Facebook’s Director of Global Product Partnerships, Ime Archibong, who has direct link to Nigeria, was also instrumental to Zuckerberg’s visit to Nigeria.

According to Archibong, “When I came to Lagos back in May this year, I was really struck by the energy of the tech scene in Lagos, and by how many of the developers were building relevant apps. As someone with strong links to Nigeria, I have been trying to expose Mark to this ecosystem for a while, and I am very excited for him to be able to come to Nigeria to meet some of Nigeria’s top entrepreneurs and apps developers.”

Excited about his visit, Zuckerberg said he specifically visited Nigeria to meet with technology startups and to share their experiences about various software apps they have developed to address immediate and long term challenges in the country.

“My visit to Nigeria was primarily based on meeting with the technology startups, having heard so much about their zeal for fantastic apps development,” Zuckerberg said.

Impact of Zuckerberg’s visit During the visit, Zuckerberg assured Nigerian technology startups and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria of Facebook’s support that will enhance easy access and connectivity to the internet.

Zuckerberg who made the pledge in Lagos while addressing technology startups on the second day of his visit, said supporting SMEs in Nigeria and Africa is key to economic development because SMEs drive economies, and that Facebook has

Zuckerberg flanked by his Nigerian team watch children display IT skills during his visit created 16 million free pages on the Facebook platform for SMEs business globally.

“Nigeria currently has 18 million people on Facebook, that interact and do different kinds of online businesses, among them are SMEs and Facebook is willing to support them to populate their numbers and provide easy access to connectivity and the internet,” Zuckerberg said during the question and answer session he had with startups and software developers in Lagos.

He however challenged the Nigerian government to reduce cost of internet access, and to create more access to internet for her citizens, as well as raise awareness campaign on the benefits of the internet, especially for rural dwellers.

He called for infrastructural development on the African continent and challenged software developers to focus more on local content in building Apps that will address specific needs.

Some of the developers who spoke with THISDAY, said they were excited about his visit because it will encourage them to develop more apps of international standard. The developers who lamented the lack of sufficient support and belief in locally developed software by Nigerians, said the visit would explain better the high standard that Nigerian Apps are made of, which they said, was among the reasons why Zuckerberg had to visit Nigeria. They called on Nigerians and multinational companies doing businesses in Nigeria, to believe in locally developed Apps and encourage Apps developers to do more.

Places visited The first port of call during Zuckerberg’s visit to Nigeria, was the CC-Hub, where he met with some developers and minors that were doing various forms of computer coding. He was pleased with the designs created by the code warriors and encouraged them to do more.

At CC-Hub, which is located in the busy area of Yaba in Lagos, Zuckerberg was seen walking on the streets of Yaba, having fun, while admiring the roads and the people. The next day, he had questions and answers session with technology startups and the session was telecast live to other viewing centres.

Later in the day, he met with Nollywood actor and actresses, where encomiums were poured on him.

Aside walking on the street of Yaba, Zuckerberg was also spotted jogging with few associates on

the Lekki Cable bridge.

Hosted by Buhari on Second Visit In a surprise return to Nigeria last Friday, Zuckerberg visited the State House Abuja where he held a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. Details of their meeting and his other itinerary in Abuja were not out as at press time.

About Zuckerberg Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American programmer, internet entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist.

He is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and co-founder of social networking website, Facebook.

Born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York, to the family of Edward Zuckerberg, Mark developed an interest in computers at an early age.

At 12 years, he created a messaging programme he named “Zucknet.” To keep up with Mark’s burgeoning interest in computers, his parents hired private computer tutor David Newman to come to the house once a week and work with Mark.

Newman later told reporters that it was hard to stay ahead of the prodigy, who began taking graduate courses at nearby Mercy College around that same time.

Zuckerberg enrolled at Harvard University. By his sophomore year at the ivy league institution, he had developed a reputation as the go-to software developer on campus. It was at that time that he built a programme called CourseMatch, which helped students choose their classes based on the course selections of other users.

He also invented Facemash, which compared the pictures of two students on campus and allowed users to vote on which one was more attractive.

The program became wildly popular, but was later shut down by the school administration after it was deemed inappropriate.

Zuckerberg and his friends created a site that allowed users to create their own profiles, upload photos, and communicate with other users. The group ran the site—first called The Facebook—out of a dorm room at Harvard until June 2004. After his sophomore year, Zuckerberg dropped out of college to devote himself to Facebook full time, moving the company to Palo Alto, California. By the end of 2004, Facebook had 1 million users. Today

Fecebook has close to two billion users globally, with Nigeria alone constituting 18 million on Facebook.

About tech startups Technology startups are young Nigerian men and women who have flair for technology and who can turn ideas into technology solutions, to address social and economic challenges of individuals, organisations and communities.

They have developed software applications that address specific challenges across several sectors of the economy, which include health, transport, sports, banking, oil and gas, among others.

Some recognised technology startups in Nigeria include, Jobberman, Balogunmarket, and Truppr.com.

Jobberman is Africa’s largest jobs website and Nigeria’s number one recruitment website that keeps people informed about the latest jobs in Nigeria. It offers vacancies and recruitment opportunities to job seekers in Nigeria and other African countries.

Owned by Opeyemi Awoyemi and Lekan Olude, both of them decided to do something about the high unemployment rate in the country by creating a website with the largest catalogue of jobs in Nigeria, from where people can browse and apply for jobs relevant to their disciplines, which have been uploaded by employers.

Balogunmarket is a website created by Nigerians, that enables people to order things directly from Balogun market in Lagos, which is one of West Africa’s biggest market, using WhatsApp. The market traders supply the goods and the eCommerce team handles the logistics from their fulfillment hub located in the middle of the market, where they provide free photograph, tagging and last-mile delivery services.

Truppr is a social tool that provides sports lovers and fitness enthusiasts alike with an easy way to find local fitness partners while on business trips, holidays or in a new city. The app was designed by a young Nigerian, who also runs the CC-Hub. Other technology startups have developed solutions that address drug dispensing and stocking, weather issues, traffic issues, school management, church management and revenue collection, among others, and the solution are numerous, while the developers are seeking for financial support to grow the business. Zuckerberg’s visit, no doubt will spur such expected growth.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/PERSPECTIVE/MEDIA

Finding the Sweet Spot of Africa’s Agriculture Maria Andrade

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Africa is a continent where, at least outwardly, we like to celebrate our diversity—the rich variety that can be found in our many cultures, languages, fashions, flora and fauna. That’s why it’s perplexing to see such a large segment of the African population depending on a very small number of food crops, like maize, rice and wheat. And it’s more than just boring to the palate. It’s severely diminishing the quality of our diets and making our farming systems more vulnerable, especially during severe droughts like the one that hit Southern Africa this year.

Meanwhile, there has been a lot of talk lately about how Africa’s agriculture sector is primed to become a new economic engine for a continent that has become too dependent on commodities like oil. Next week, Heads of State and top officials from across Africa and around the world are coming to Nairobi for the African Green Revolution Forum, where there could be millions of dollars in new commitments for Africa’s smallholder farmers.

But Africa is unlikely to achieve its agriculture potential, or be prepared to deal with challenges like drought that climate change will make more frequent, unless we change our thinking about crop diversity.

For the last two decades, my work has revolved around developing and promoting nutritionally enhanced sweetpotato. It has convinced me that, with the right approach, farmers will cultivate a wider variety of crops and consumers will embrace the new additions to their dinner table.

Africa is actually blessed with a wealth of crop diversity. Much of it – including sorghum, yam and cowpea – is native to the continent. But many other crop types have arrived via trade, like banana, pigeon pea and wheat from Asia, and beans, cassava and maize from the Americas. But rather than capitalize on this full basket of food options, we’ve bet too heavily on just a few crops.

Take the case of maize in Eastern and Southern Africa. Yes, it can grow in different farming environments and supply large amounts of calories. But the crop has weaknesses. It’s susceptible to drought and pests and its nutritional quality is mediocre.

And while recent research has delivered more resilient and nutritious maize varieties, these are not sufficient. The fact remains that in many regions, rising temperatures and increasingly erratic rainfall will cause maize yields to fall—by up to 22 percent in many areas and up to 60 percent in South Africa and Zimbabwe, according to a 2015 report from the Montpellier Panel.

There is a strong body of research showing that farmers are much less likely to suffer

Farmers busy at work

catastrophic losses from pests, disease or drought if they plant a broader array of crops. Today, the devastation caused by outbreaks of lethal necrosis in maize and stem rust in wheat is greatly intensified by the lack of alternative crops. In Malawi, while drought ruined maize and bean crops this year, farmers growing naturally hardy, nutritional crops like chickpea and sweetpotato fared much better.

If the benefits are so clear, then why don´t farmers just spontaneously diversify? The answer is that they may want to diversify, but often don’t due to policy and institutional barriers. When crops like maize started to dominate, governments and the private sector accelerated their take-over by providing subsidies, research and other support.

Meanwhile, other potentially useful crops like cassava and sorghum were neglected, sometimes acquiring derogatory labels like the “poor man´s crop” or “crop for marginal lands.”

It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve learned

from my work with sweetpotatoes that we can turn Africa´s “Cinderella crops” into the belle of the ball.

First, we need research that is focused on adding value to these crops and further enhancing their already natural resilience. In the case of sweetpotato, we bred for higher levels of beta-carotene (the chemical precursor of vitamin A), better drought tolerance and virus resistance.

A second critical task: farmers need a reliable source of healthy seed. This is not easy for crops typically ignored by local and multinational seed companies, especially if they are propagated with bulky and perishable plant parts like sweetpotatoes.

For sweetpotato, we worked through local farmer networks and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to achieve large-scale multiplication and dissemination of improved planting material.

Finally, marketing and branding, not something that comes naturally to researchers like myself, have to be part of the picture.

We employed a variety of marketing and communications tools to make consumers aware of the many benefits of the sweetpotato – as a staple food, animal fodder, snack and ingredient in processed foods.

The theme for the upcoming African Green Revolution Forum is “Seize the Moment” and I can’t think of a better time for influential leaders attending this meeting to make crop diversity a central part of their plans for African agriculture. Just as many will admire the colorful dress of West African attendees, they should also be embracing a larger mosaic of food crops for our farmers.

I’ve already seen the good things that happen when a big colorful splash of orange-fleshed sweetpotato is added to African farms and African diets.

Maria Andrade, a plant breeder at the International Potato Centre, is among the four winners of the 2016 World Food Prize. She is a member of AGRA’s Board.

Pecadomo: Peak Can Do More Raheem Akingbolu

I

have heard it said that value innovation is the next big thing as it is what has consistently separated winners from others in business.

It is very easy to follow a conventional approach, planning to beat competition by building a defensible position within the existing/ what is known. But value innovators do not use the competition as their benchmark; otherwise, they would not break into new grounds and open up uncontested market space.

When recently, Peak Milk, Nigeria’s number 1 milk brand celebrated the

2016 World Milk Day by sponsoring the inclusion of milk in local delicacies in the art of milk contest, little did we know that something big was cooking.

Pecadomo (Peak Can Do More) campaign launched by Peak milk is to increase awareness of more ways Nigerians can keep nourishing their families by the simple continuous usage of Peak milk. What is interesting is the fact that Pecadomo is about food (beyond tea).

Traditionally, and most commonly in this part of the world, milk consumption is primarily focused on drinking of tea or coffee. Over the years, there have been other varied usages of milk here and there - straight drinking, addition

to garri, licking the condensed milk, snacking the powder (I remember as a boarding house student).

With Pecadomo, a new chapter in culinary skills is opened. For example, many people find the crispy chicken irresistible. Little did they know that they can prepare crispy chicken by soaking chicken in Peak milk and deep frying the chicken after basing the chicken with seasoned flour. Peak milk softens and tenderises the chicken. You think I know how to cook? Not really.

I intercepted some Pecadomo cooking videos, that’s how I know. Needless to say I shared them with my family members, they tried them out and we enjoyed the experience.

I plan to be on the look-out for many more of these tips. Especially now that my regular visits to the eatery needs to be reviewed downwards. This is what I call value sharing. Indeed, Pecadomo; Peak can do more.

The Peak can do more has certainly expanded the campaign target as it embarks on neighbourhood campaigns on how to achieve more using the brand.

Not only will this initiative open up new markets as regards consumption demands, it will also enable consumers derive more value using the leading dairy brand.

For Peak Milk, it can never be a dull moment as there are more to come from its innovative pouch.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

Continental Re Plc: Profitability indicators surge despite increased claims and operational expenses

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ontinental Reinsurance Plc (Continental Re) has reinsurance operations that span Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya.

The company operates Life Assurance and Non-Life Reinsurance businesses, and offers reinsurance structuring and risk management advisory services, technical support services, product development support services, and training and development programs. The reinsurer underwrites accident, energy, household, fire and engineering, marine and aviation, motor and liability, and oil and gas risks, among others.

The company recently released its half year results for the period ended June 30th 2016, showing an impressive performance, as the company’s management was able to grow key financial metrics despite some operational bumps during the period.

Consequently, the Insurance giant has kept up with its regular dividend payment, and has recommended a total dividend payment of N1.24 billion (on the basis of N0.12 per share) for every 50 kobo share, payable on the 29th of July 2016.

SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN INSURANCE PREMIUM REVENUE For the period ended June 2016, Continental Reinsurance grew insurance premium by 9.18% to N11.81 billion from N10.82 billion in the corresponding period of 2015.

The company’s strict adherence to prudent underwriting guidelines, which successfully bolstered relationships with existing and new clients, drove the growth in premium income over the period. The insurance company continues to leverage on its trusted brand, responsive service to clients, and development of mutually beneficial partnerships to deliver quality insurance services to clients.

The company’s insurance premiums ceded to retrocession increased by 17.97% to N1.20 billion in June 2016 from N1.02 billion in June 2015.

However this increase did little to affect the company’s net insurance premium revenue as it increased to N10.61 billion from N9.80 billion over the period, reflecting a 8.27% change.

With respect to insurance benefits and claims paid out, the reinsurer’s insurance claims and loss adjustment expenses for the period decreased by 4.02% to N5.43 billion from N5.66 billion in the corresponding period of 2015.

However, insurance claims and loss

THERE ARE ALSO PLANS TO ENTER THE SOUTH AFRICAN AND ANGOLAN MARKETS WITHIN A FEW YEARS. WE CONTEND THAT AN EVEN MORE PANAFRICAN BUSINESS STRUCTURE WILL ALLOW THE REINSURER GROWS PREMIUMS MORE APPRECIABLY AND AT THE SAME TIME ENABLE IT REDUCE RISK THROUGH GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSIFICATION

adjustment expenses recovered from retrocessionaire increased moderately by 3.95% to N144m in June 2016 from N139m in June 2015.

Accordingly, net insurance benefits and claims decreased by 4.22% to N5.29 billion from N5.66 billion over the period.

Underwriting expenses also grew by 24.32% to N4.55 billion in June 2016 from N3.66 billion in June 2015, and thus contributed to the increase in insurance benefits and underwriting expenses over the period.

Nevertheless, despite the significant increase in underwriting expenses, underwriting profit grew by 24.81% to N768m in June 2016 from N616m in June 2015.

PROFITABILITY MARKERS SURGE DESPITE RISE IN EXPENSES Pre-tax profits for the period ended June 2016 increased by 115.70% to N3.00 billion from N1.39 billion in the 6-months through June 2015 and this significant increase in profitability was bolstered by a 500.91% rise in Foreign exchange to N2.40 billion from N399.62m. Net income for the period also followed suit with a momentous 117.40% increase to N2.25 billion from N1.03 billion in June 2015; ultimately translating to an increase in earnings per share to

22 kobo in June 2016 from 10kobo in June 2015.

Moreover, the aforementioned profit figures would have been more, but for a significant 73.60% rise of 230.90% in impairment of financial assets to N581m from N175m in 2014.

MODEST INCREASE IN RETURNS TO SHAREHOLDERS The company’s balance sheet shows positive changes in total assets, net assets and total liabilities, as at June 2016, when compared to year ended December 2015. Total assets grew by 27.78% to N37.91 billion in June 2016 from N29.67 billion in December 2015. The key drivers of the company’s total assets were a massive increase in other assets to N447m from N31m, 52.20% increase in Reinsurance receivables to N11.05 billion from N7.26 billion and a 49.33% rise in Financial asset designated as fair value to N1.83 billion from N1.22 billion in December 2015.

In terms of obligations, the company’s total liabilities shows a growth of 31.20% (more than total assets) to N18.54 billion in the period ended June 2016 from N14.13 billion in December 2015. The key drivers of the increase in liabilities were an increase of 153.40% in Reinsurance creditors to N2.24 billion from N884m, 95.37% rise in deferred taxation to N142m from N72m and 24.68% rise in Insurance contract liabilities to N13.8 billion from N11.08m in December 2015.

Expectedly, the company’s net assets grew by 24.66% to N19.37 billion from N15.54 billion year on year.

Moreover, with respect to returns, the company’s return on equity (ROE) improved to 11.60% from 6.65% while return on assets (ROA) followed suit accordingly to 5.93% from 3.48% in December 2015.

BUY RECOMMENDATION MAINTAINED Continental Reinsurance currently has branches in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Tunisia, and just recently setup a joint venture in Gaborone, Botswana. There are also plans to enter the South African and Angolan markets within a few years. We contend that an even more pan-African business structure will allow the reinsurer grows premiums more appreciably and at the same time enable it reduce risk through geographical diversification.

Taking into consideration the company’s trend of consistent growth in gross premium revenue

Valuation Metrics 2-Sept-16 RATING

BUY

Target Price (N)

1.10

Current Price (N)

0.99

Market Cap (N'm)

10,269

Outstanding Shares (m)

10,372

Rolling EPS (N)

0.27

Rolling PE

3.67x

Forward EPS (N)

0.43

Forward PE

2.33x Source: BGL Research

Half year June 2016 unaudited Results Insurance Premium (N'm)

11,809

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

3,008

Profit After Tax (N'm)

2,247

Pre-tax Margin (%)

25.47

Source: Company Report 2015, BGL Research

FYE December 2015 Audited Results Insurance Premium (N'm)

19,738

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

2,915

Profit After Tax (N'm)

2,142

Pre-tax Margin (%)

10.85

Source: Company Report 2014, BGL Research

Shareholding Information Shareholders

% Holding

Cre Holdings Ltd Stanbic Nom. Nig. Ltd Public Float

50.62 5.76 43.62

Source: Company’s Annual Report, BGL Research

and expansion initiatives, we therefore, leave our gross premium projection of N22.02 billion and revise our net income to N2.80 billion respectively for the full-year ended December 2016. Accordingly, we arrive at a forward earnings per share (EPS) of N0.43, and a forward priceto-earnings (P/E) multiple of 2.33x.

Using a combination of the Net Assets Valuation (NAV) and the relative P/E valuation model, we forecast a weighted 6-month target price of N1.10, which represents an 11.52% upside potential on the current stock price. We maintain our BUY recommendation on Continental Re-insurance Plc shares.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

PZ Cussons Plc: Increased finance charges erode earnings

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Z Cussons Nigeria Plc (PZ Cussons) is a foremost conglomerate company involved in the manufacturing and sales of consumer products and home appliances in Nigeria. The Company’s product lines include soaps, detergents, toiletries, hygiene products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, packaging materials, refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners. PZ Cussons is also a wholesale distributor of several brands of milk products, such as ‘Coast’, ‘Olympic’ and ‘Nunu’.

The Company recently released its full year results for the year ended May 31st 2016, which shows a not so impressive performance, as the Company’s earnings declined due to reduced revenue growth, increased in operational and other expenses, and significant increase in financial charges from increased borrowings.

Consequently, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has recommended a total dividend INTENSE INDUSTRY COMPETITION DECLINES REVENUE For the full year ended May 2016, PZ Cussons’s recorded a decline of 4.92% in revenue to N69.53 billion from N73.13 billion in the corresponding period of 2016. The decline is believed to be a result of an intensely competitive environment, declining consumers’ disposable income, and unrelenting market disruptions in the North-Eastern region of the country due to the activities of boko haram sect.

Furthermore, cost of sales for the full year ended May 2016 decreased modestly by 0.88% to N52.21 billion from N52.67 billion in May 2016; driven by the Company’s investments in streamlined supply chain, favourable prices of palm oil in international markets and replacement of imported raw materials with local ones.

Expectedly, the company’s gross profit decreased by 15.33% to N17.32 billion from N20.45 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2015, despite the modest reduction in sales cost earlier mentioned.

REDUCTION IN OPERATING EXPENSES NOT ENOUGH TO HELP PROFITABILITY During the period under review, selling and distribution, expenses dropped by 4.57% to N8.83 billion in May 2016 from N9.25 billion in the corresponding period of 2015 while

COMPETITION WITHIN THE NIGERIAN FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (FMCG) SECTOR REMAINS ESPECIALLY STIFF IN PZ CUSSONS’S CORE PERSONAL CARE AND HOME CARE SEGMENTS. THE PROLIFERATION OF CHINESE PRODUCTS ACROSS ALMOST ALL PZ’S PRODUCTS RAGE AT VERY COMPETITIVE PRICES MAY HAVE ALSO CAUSED THE COMPANY’S INABILITY TO GROW ITS REVENUE

Administrative expenses on the other hand rose by 15.10% to N5.24 billion in May 2016 from N4.55 in May 2015. The reduction in operational expenses occurred despite the company’s increased investment in branding and innovation to help increase its clientele base and market share. This is in addition to expenses on repairs, maintenance and upgrade of some of the company’s facilities.

The continuous spending on sustaining the visibility of its Premier, Joy and Imperial Leather brands and baby care products including Nigerian Baby Care and Cussons Baby Range all have significant costs implications.

Net finance costs during the period under examination increased by a substantial 79.30% to N387.41 from N216.07 largely due to increased borrowings during the financial period. Expectedly, pre-tax earnings during the period under examination

reduced significantly by 51.99% to N3.15 billion from N6.56 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2015. Net income also followed suit with a decline of 53.41% to N2.13 from N4.57 billion over the period despite a massive reduction of 48.72% in taxation to N1.02 billion from N1.99 billion INCREASED LIABILITIES SLIGHTLY ERODES NET ASSETS Total assets showed a growth of 10.45% to N74.43 billion in May 2016 from N67.39 billion in May 2015. This can be attributed to a moderate of 5.10% in property, plant and equipment to N26.50 billion from N25.22 billion over the period and a massive growth of 452.62% in cash and cash equivalents to N12.87 billion in May 2016 from N2.33 in May 2015 also contributed to the growth in Total Assets.

Total liabilities grew substantially by 30.83% to N31.03 billion in May 2016 from N23.72 billion in May 2015, driven primarily by a rise of 38.50% in total current liabilities to N27.10 billion from N19.56 billion over the period.

Regardless, the working capital declined by 7.86% to N20.83 billion from N22.61 billion during ther period under review.

Furthermore, shareholders’ funds dropped slightly by 0.62% to N43.40 billion from N43.67 billion over the period.

WE RECOMMEND A BUY Competition within the Nigerian Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector remains especially stiff in PZ Cussons’s core Personal Care and Home Care segments. The proliferation of Chinese products across almost all PZ’s products rage at very competitive prices may have also caused the Company’s inability to grow its revenue.

We however expect consumer demand to improve during the current year under the new government as focus on critical reforms and policy actions commence in the third quarter of 2016. Furthermore, considering the efforts of the governments and key stakeholders at curbing the security challenges in the northern part of the country, there is a strong likelihood that the business activities of PZ Cussons in the region will return to normalcy soon.

However, it must be pointed out that the Company’s performance over the period is below expectation. While the insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria has a serious negative impact on performance, the problem

Valuation Metrics 2-Sept-16 Recommendation

BUY

Target Price (N)

19.30

Current Price (N)

18.70

Market Cap (N'b)

74,247

Outstanding Shares (b)

3,970

EPS (N)

0.54

PE Ratio

34.86x

Forward EPS

0.46

Forward PE

40.94x Source: BGL Research

Audited May 2016 Results Turnover (N'm)

69,527

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

3,148

Profit After Tax (N'm)

2,129

Pre-tax Margin (%)

4.53 Source: BGL Research

Audited May 2015 Results Turnover (N'm)

73,126

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

6,556

Profit After Tax (N'm)

4,570

Pre-tax Margin (%)

8.97 Source: BGL Research

Shareholding Information Shareholders

% Holding

PZ Cussons Ltd. UK

72.77

Public Float

27.23

Outstanding Shares (m)

3,970 Source: Company Data, BGL Research

has been around for so long that the management of PZ is expected to have developed a diversification strategy as a conglomerate to mitigate its effects on revenue. In addition, a more efficient operation may have produce a better result in result the bottom line if implemented at a time domestic demand is faced with significant challenges.

Considering the aforementioned, we project a full year May 2017 revenue estimate to N70.74 billion and net income forecast of N1.81 billion. As a result, we forecast a year-end May 2016 earnings per share of N0.54 and forward price-to-earnings multiple (P/E) of 39.85x. Using an industry P/E multiple of 49.66x we arrive at a twelve month average target price of N19.30 Since this represents a potential upside of 3.23% on the current stock price, we therefore place a BUY recommendation on the shares of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/MARITIME

Race for Automation at the Ports

In a bid to ensure that the nation’s ports conform with international standards in terms of efficiency, check midstream discharge, piracy, among other sharp practices, government agencies and other stakeholders have keyed into the automation programmes being spearheaded by the Ports Economic Regulator, writes Francis Ugwoke

F

or the ports industry stakeholders, the current emphasis is on automation of services as the only way to improve trade facilitation.

Although, the move did not just start, there has been so much seriousness being shown by every stakeholder to key into the project in recent time. It is seen as the continuation of the port reform exercise started 10 years ago. The automation project which is being spearheaded by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the ports economic regulator is to take the level of efficiency to high pedestal.

It is coming shortly after the launch of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and the Port Service Support Portal (PSSP) for the agencies and other stakeholders in the ports industry. SOPs and PSSP are the brainchild of the economic regulator to promote trade in the nation’s ports in line with international standard. It is also part of the reform agenda.

The two are projects of the Ministry of Transport introduced to achieve best international practices at the ports. SOPs are interpreted as instructions which clarify processes involving every stakeholder in port operation. It is seen as a control measure to check various stakeholders in the ports. It is equally a guide to the trading public on expectations of every agency involved in port operation. PSSP, which is seen as regulatory instrument is a common place where stakeholders or consumers of services can lay their complaints in order to get redress.

Domiciled with the NSC, PSSP is an online portal where users of port services can interact with providers of shipping services, including the Ports Regulator. Through this, the challenges faced by any agency or consumers of shipping services can be addressed. SOPs and PSSPs are clearly seen as automation programmes. NSC is championing automation to achieve efficiency at the ports in line with what obtains in developed ports. Automation all over the world, has made both life and business better. It is through such technological advancement as automation that one can remain in any part of the country and operate his or her account irrespective of where it was opened. With automation, one can pay for services and even purchase products within and outside the country without having to go to the bank or shops.

Automation at Ports In the past, customs brokers or freight forwarders had to spend hours queuing to pay for some charges at the ports without which they cannot clear their goods. Today, they don’t need to visit the shipping companies or terminal operators as they can settle their charges either through direct payment into the accounts of the service providers or transfers. Nobody is still talking of cheque which was the trend before even for payment of duties. It is the same thing for all payments going to the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS).

Similarly, the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), also collects its fees from the terminal operators and shipping companies electronically. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has also automated its services so that shipping companies paying for the three percent shipping levy do not encounter any issue. It is in the same way that you may not necessarily have to go to NSC with a hard copy letter to complain about illegal shipping charges, as you can also do so electronically through the PSSP. In the same way, the PSSP is designed for all the stakeholders to interact in a single platform. In effect all have embraced technological development to make trade facilitation easier.

How Automation Checks Midstream Discharge Recently, the Customs Service launched the Command Control Communication and Intelligence System (CCCIS) in Lagos as part of the

Piles of containers at the port waiting to be cleared

automation services. During the programme, the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), described automation as part of the efforts to perfect operational processes at the ports.

Ali said automation of ports operational process by agencies was in line with government’s vision to change the old ways of doing business at the ports. With CCCIS automation, the Navy can monitor for the customs ships discharging midstream. Unlike before, they don’t have to be at the high seas.

“The CCCIS is an additional effort and will enable the Nigerian Navy monitor midstream discharge of un-manifested cargo by vessels on Nigeria waters. Movement of vessels will also be monitored with greater precision to avoid loss of revenue by the federal government.

“The Nigeria Customs believes that the CCCIS will complement other automations already installed and being used by other agencies like the Nigerian Navy that have been assisting Customs on vessel monitoring within Nigerian waters. Other agencies like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and others. The Shippers Council as port economic regulator is also making efforts at automation that will improve sea port operations. By the time all these systems are fully integrated, port services will become seamless, highly efficient. Revenue leakage will also reduce drastically. Though each federal government agency has its mandate and specific duties, the CCCIS is a welcome development by the Nigeria Customs Service.”

Checking Piracy with Automation Similarly, the NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said automation was one sure way to achieve greater efficiency.

Peterside recently told members of the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) that one of the reform agenda of NIMASA includes automation, adding that this will bring about transparency in calculating the three percent

levy charged on ships coming into the country.

Dakuku said:“We are automating our payment platform in line with our strategic growth plan to ensure greater efficiency in the payment process. The new process will be integrated with similar platforms of sister agencies in order to correctly ascertain levies chargeable per freight and eliminate the bottlenecks currently being experienced.”

The DG believes that with automation through the launch of satellite system, the criminal

We are automating our payment platform in line with our strategic growth plan to ensure greater efficiency in the payment process.

The new process will be integrated with similar platforms of sister agencies in order to correctly ascertain levies chargeable per freight and eliminate the bottlenecks currently being experienced

activities on the territorial waters could be addressed by the military.

Why Championing Automation To the Ports Economic Regulator, which has been creating awareness in the shipping industry for every stakeholder to embrace automation, it was the only way to bring the industry at the same level with other maritime nations. In the ports of advanced nations, clearing of goods and services take place without the physical presence of the brokers at the ports. Those at the ports are mainly key security staff, who monitor operations. Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Hassan Bello, said with automation at the ports, services, which used to take days can now be completed in a matter of a day.

Bello, who disclosed that the Council plans to spend about N1billion annually on automation commended all other agencies of government for their efforts in automation. He particularly praised the NPA, Customs Service, NIMASA for their efforts in introducing automation in their services, adding that this has made services easier for consumers. Bello disclosed that what is on board now is the aggregation of all the automation to have a Single Window for the country. Bello said:“It is the aggregation of all these automation that would be integrated as unified platform, and we will have National Single Window. So national single window is not built on nothing, it is built on separate system ..but it is integrated. NSC is playing its part in laying out trade facilitation and will be spending about N1billion annually.

We encourage others and every stakeholder to embrace automation”. He charged freight forwarders to be part of automation because of their roles in the ports. He added:“We want all the freight forwarders to have ICT interface because automation is the way forward for all.

In fact, we have built the system so much so that you cannot be on the offside of automation if you want to be part of the port community system”.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

BUSINESS/ MEDIA

So that Consumers Can Live their Dream Stories by Raheem Akingbolu

T

hrough a well-selected dramatic personae and a familiar setting to match, X3M Ideas, the creative agency of the leading Pay TV company – DStv, tells an enduring story in Live Your Dream Campaign, which is currently trending. Beyond serving as a positioning tool for the brand, the campaign depicts how doggedness and determination can help one achieve his or her dream in life.

From beginning to the end, the agency brings human face to the campaign and connects well with an average Nigerian. Super Eagles and Watford FC striker, Odion Ighalo’s story is perfectly captured to reflect a ‘grass to grace’ scenario. As a young lad in Ajegunle area of Lagos, Ighalo’s dream of becoming a super star was noticed early. He dreamt of becoming a super star in the world of soccer one day and he didn’t hide it for a day.

Maracana field at Ofin-Ajegunle is synonymous with nurturing talents in football. Ighalo is one of the stars the field had produced and this possibly informed why the place was the ideal choice for the shooting of the campaign. Through the words of the footballer, one is not in doubt that he is proud of his root. Two things were achieved here; it connects with Nigerian viewers and it shows the patriotism of both the brand and the creative agency.

Aside scenes that show him as a young aspiring footballer, the presence of his mum and the Ighalo family house in few places also create an emotional connection between the campaign and the audience.

From any angle one chooses to look at it, Live Your Dream campaign celebrates the passion, perseverance and determination of Nigerians to achieve their dreams against all odds. The campaign uses Nigeria’s most loved sport and one of Africa’s finest football exports to tell a story of hope and victory. Ighalo’s journey to football stardom has been a source of inspiration for many. His passion and performance in the game have made him well respected both home and abroad.

The Live Your Dream campaign will make one discover how Ighalo was able to live his

dream from the streets of Ajegunle to the tables of the Premier League.

One key objective of the campaign is to grow the revamped DStv Compact package that now offers more value. Two new SuperSport channels were added to DStv Compact - SuperSport 11 (231) and SuperSport 12 (232) dedicated to showcasing the Premier League and La Liga. So customers on DStv Compact will have a chance to live their dream of the best football entertainment by watching all the Premier League games on the DStv Compact package for only N6, 000.

This is so far the most emotive campaign from DStv as what the brand has done is to not only inspire consumers, but has also added a digital campaign which will be rewarding consumers who share pictures of them living their dreams with inspirational quotes.

Ighalo’s endorsement will consolidate the expansion of the brand’s football offering on DStv Compact while also heightening the excitement of the 2016/17 Premier League season The full-fledged campaign includes TV, outof-home, digital, radio and press adverts.

Marketing challenge on the project and if the campaign has been able to achieve its key objective. Has it been successful so far?

It’s a trip down memory lane with Odion Ighalo and how he has become a shining star in the Premier League. The marketing task was to get the audiences to find inspiration in Ighalo’s success story; the campaign ultimately intends to project the value that’s now offered by DStv Compact… which has gone from a bouquet that had literally no interesting football content, to over 200 games of the Premier League live

and in high definition.

The Compact package is affordable and shows live matches of the Premier League and La Liga. Staying connected to Compact package will guarantee that you live the dream of the best football entertainment.

The success of #LiveYourDream is still gaining momentum, however the theme song is said to have generated over 13,000 downloads, and the television commercial is showing across local stations and with 10,000+ views on YouTube.

These numbers are still growing as the campaign is still on, and one can only arrive at the final numbers when this is concluded.

But so far, the campaign has given a massive share of voice to DStv Compact package and contributing to stability and growth of the package.

When Agile Communications Made-In-Nigeria Festival Harps on Improved Business Climate led the Way

I

n a bid to take stock of business operations with a view to reviewing performances till date, make adjustments where required and forge ahead into the busiest part of the year full of energy and with the right spirit and attitude, Agile Communications LTD. recently held a strategy session cum retreat as its contribution to development of the marketing communications industry.

During the event, staff of the organisation were treated to lectures and motivational talks by external facilitators and advertising industry leaders on leadership, team building and insight to the industry realities of the present age.

Heads of departments including Lynda Aguocha ( Head of Business), Tolulope Owojaye (Experiential), Emmanuel Oparah (Creative) and Doyin Olayinka (HR) amongst others, also gave accounts of the organisation’s hits and misses and shared detailed plans on way forward on how to differentiate and position the agency as a leader in the digital age.

Every staff member of Agile was present at the retreat including the MD/C.E.O, Mr. Rufai Ladipo and other notable industry experts such as Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, C.E.O, CMC-Connect, Mr. Olusope Kayode, Mr. Idowu Thompson of Rock Thompson Activation agency and Mr. Steve Babaeko of Extr3m Ideas, who all shared experiences and spoke extensively on industry practices and how to stay ahead of the times.

“As you may be aware, our line of business

I

Ladipo

only celebrates collective effort as against individual posturing and self-aggrandizement.

According to a statement signed by Ladipo, the retreat is an opportunity to celebrate staff members for their efforts, resilience and for fostering the spirit of teamwork that has made the company a whole and not a splintered group.

“It is also an avenue to retrace our steps, refuel and reenergize ourselves for the big tasks ahead of us” Ladipo said.

n what looked like a practical move towards building a favoured destination for foreign direct investments, organisers of the Made-In-Nigeria (MaIN) Festival are putting together activities to promote the ease of doing business in Nigeria on the front burner of discourse.

These and many other subjects would form the basis of a special: “Ease of Doing Business session” that will take place at the Made In Nigeria (MaIN) Summit – a component of MaIN Festival taking place this month in Lagos. Over 600 delegates are billed to attend the summit that would run from September 26-29.

The session, which seeks to promote the ease of doing business in Nigeria, would feature updates from various agencies and local, state and federal government functionaries, while providing a platform for the private sector to share their experiences. A special investment desk and one-stop-shop will also be provided for intending investors to obtain information, documentation and advice on establishing or expanding their businesses in Nigeria.

Underscoring the need to promote and sustain initiatives that would ensure the ease of doing business in Nigeria, MaIN Group – organisers of MaIN Festival – in a statement, revealed: “Economic development, growth and prosperity can

only occur where there is an environment that supports both foreign and domestic investment.”

These investments, it added: “are expected to occur in a hyper-competitive global economic environment where countries and their citizens compete for limited resources available to investors.

Naturally, investors will most likely gravitate towards those economies that offer them the best value for money and economies that are backed by wellresearched legislation, policies as well as strong and transparent institutions.

According to a statement issued by the organisers, “The policies that make it easy for people to transact their legitimate business without hassle or political interference are perhaps the greatest indicator that a country is ready and open to growing its economy.”

Nigeria, the MaIN Group noted, currently ranks 169 in the index of doing business in the world, with Rwanda taking the top berth in Africa. The group commended the current administration for taking concrete steps to address the issue.

With the theme: “Innovate. Connect.

Power The Future”, MaIN Festival, is an international festival of ideas, designed to stimulate the economy and bring the world to Nigeria to explore and engage the best it has to offer – in five key sectors of the economy.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

TRAVEL

Edited by Demola Ojo Email demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

21 Wonders of Africa Search to Start on World Tourism Day Stories by Demola Ojo

P

an-African Travel Association, The TeamAfrica, is to launch its flagship project - the 21 Wonders of Africa - on September 27 which is globally recognized as World Tourism Day. Each African country is to nominate ten sites for voting which will then be pruned to 21, ensuring representation from around the continent.

The association has already opened up its membership log to accommodate more members in readiness for this. Team leader, Ikechi Uko, explained to foundation members that membership was kept closed since March this year because of legal registration processes which have now been completed.

New members can now join TeamAfrica on recommendation of any registered member and approved by the founders or through the website www.theteamafrica.org. New members can join from all over Africa and the Diaspora once the person or organization can provide evidence of promoting Africa as a destination.

TeamAfrica projects that an Africa Calender of Events will be ready next year, as well as publications promoting the beaches of Africa, kingdoms in Africa and ethnic nationalities in the continent.

Apart from searching for the 21 Wonders of Africa, there are other ambitious and laudable objectives of the group which draws its membership from travel experts across the continent.

These include pushing for an Africa Open Skies agreement and promoting visa-less travel within Africa for Africans. TeamAfrica aims to get at least 10 million Africans to travel within Africa in the next three years.

While waiting for the registration process including g trademarks to be completed, the association had been busy articulating positions on African issues, especially regarding the much touted African passport and the preference for a Visa on Arrival policy.

The TeamAfrica commended the efforts of the AU leadership to bring about seamless travels within Africa for Africans but after extensive discussions agreed that proposed passport is symbolic but has no real value

The Wikki Warm Springs at the Yankari Game Reserve will be considered as one of the 21 Wonders of Africa now. The association pointed out the difficulty in implementing the Yammousokro Decision to open African skies for aviation which has not been implemented since 1999.

According to the AU chairperson Dlamina Zulu, this delay in implementing an AU decision since 2003 has cost Africa a 40 per cent market share in aviation on the continent.

On the contrary, TeamAfrca argues that immediate implementation of Visa on Arrival for all Africans is easier to Implement and adopt. Ghana recently joined Rwanda and Seychelles in implementing VOA for all Africans. There are indications Nigeria will follow suit, with January 2017 touted as a take-off date.

The TeamAfrica contends that Visa on

Arrival is a faster way of integrating Africa while discussions on how to implement the AU passport is being worked out between Nations.

The ECOWAS region was the first to launch free movement protocol among its 15 member countries with little or no negative impact despite the huge population within the region.

Recently regional blocs in East and South of Africa have all implemented free movement protocol for regional citizens. Some regions have even implemented joint visa for regions like the EAC tourism Visa for three countries in East Africa.

Visa fees are another issue of interest in Africa. As Uganda drops visa fees from $100 to $50, some African citizens still pay close to

$200 for visas to other African countries. The TeamAfrica believes that the AU should assist members establish a uniform fee for visas for African travellers.

The TeamAfrica is an association for players in Travel and Tourism business in African. It’s major role is to encourage Travel within Africa for Africans as most Africans do not travel much within African. TTA aims to grow travel within Africa by jointly promoting events within Africa and pressure Governments to adopt policies that encourage intra African Travels.It was formed in Kigali Rwanda last year and has since grown to include practitioners from over 15 countries.

Its landmark project is the expected Launch of the search for the 21 wonders of Africa.

Wakanow Signs Deal with Dubai Parks and Resort Chesney’s New Buffet Prices

Africa’s leading travel portal, Wakanow, has signed an agreement with Dubai Parks and Resorts, becoming its largest African fulfilling partner for ticket sales. The Group Deputy Managing Director of Wakanow, Mr. Ralph Tamuno, who also happens to be the first African entrepreneur to set foot on the resort, said the partnership would open a new vista of opportunities and unique experiences for the African traveler.

Explaining how Wakanow was selected from a pool of travel companies in Africa, Mr. Tamuno said: “Beyond our strategic goal of always leading the way and shaping the travel business in Africa, we also collaborate with other market leaders from within and outside the continent to create value for our fast-growing travel market. Dubai Parks and Resorts is a massive investment and its owners clearly needed a partner with pedigree and panache. Wakanow was the natural choice for such a partner.”

Speaking during the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the groups, Head of Sales at Dubai Parks and Resorts, Mr. Elwin Kemming, described the partnership as a bold step in creating remarkable experiences for travelers from Africa.

“Our partnership with Wakanow is a union of two widely admired

L-R: Group Head, Products & Packages Wakanow, Mr. Gautam Bajaj; Group Deputy Managing Director and Co-Founder Wakanow, Mr. RalphTamuno; Head of Sales, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Mr. Elwin Kemming and Hotel Contracting Relationship Management Executive, Mr. Solomon Ilufoye, during the official Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between Wakanow and Dubai Parks and Resorts in Dubai…recently tourism brands, joining forces together to provide memorable experiences for travel lovers globally. With deeprooted presence throughout Africa, we are confident that Dubai Parks and Resorts can consolidate on Wakanow’s significant reach and foothold across the African market,” he stated.

Dubai Parks and Resorts is the biggest multi-themed leisure and

entertainment destination in the Middle East, comprising Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai, Legoland Water Parks and Bollywood Parks.

On October 31, the park will throw its gates open to the public and will feature over 100 mind-blowing thrill rides, spread across the spectacular four themed parks, each unique in their offerings and experiences.

Last week, the Chesney Hotel in Victoria Island announced a 25 per cent reduction in prices of its multiple-course buffet meals by treating in-house and walk-in guests to a special food tasting session. The boutique hotel on Saka Tinubu Street is renowned for a wide range of tasty meals that cut across Nigerian, continental and Chinese cuisine.

According to its business service manager, Malvin Okorafor, the reduction from N6000 to N4500 is to transfer value to customers and ensure that they get no better deal in the highbrow Victoria Island area of Nigeria’s commercial capital. Besides the buffet, there is also an extensive a la carte menu that is always prepared fresh despite being served superfast.

This – among other qualities -has led to the hotel being recognised with awards like the Luxury Travel Guide Award for Africa and the Middle East, and the International Diamond Prize for Excellence in Quality, among others.

Some other features of Chesney include the wireless device on every table which enables guests make orders. This ensures privacy with the assurance that orders can be made at the touch of a button. Guests also get to benefit from the air purifiers located on every floor of the hotel.

Another attractive quality of Chesney is the gallery-like hallway on every floor.

The hallways have multiple mirrors and pictures of both Nigerian and global icons, giving them an eye-catching aesthetic appeal.

With a modern conference room that can seat up to 20 for corporate meetings, Chesney holds a special appeal for the business traveller. The conference room is complete with the latest audio visual equipment and facilities which include a built-in LCD projector & screen, plus complimentary wireless internet access.

Other pluses include shuttle services, complimentary breakfast for in-house guests and a swimming pool.

The 50-room Chesney Hotel in Victoria Island is one of the new modern hotels in Lagos giving international brands a run for their money. This is because it offers world class standards at competitive prices.

Chesney is a Nigerian-owned hotel founded by Ken Obinna six years ago.

The hotel has steadily built up a sterling reputation with focus on service.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

04.09.2016

IBIDUNNI IGHODALO OPENS UP ON HER SEARCH FOR A CHILD ...NOW DEDICATES HER LIFE TO HELPING OTHERS

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COVER

IBIDUNNI IGHODALO OPENS OPEN P S UP PEN U ON HER SEARCH FOR OR A CHILD CHILD ...NOW DEDICATES HER LIFE TO HELPING OTHERS Nseobong Okon-Ekong encounters a woman with an amazing display of selflessness as she completely turns a blind eye to her own predicament in order to channel all her attention and huge resources towards helping others out of the quandary of childlessness. Mrs. Ibidunni Ighodalo’s latest contradiction to fund IVF treatment for couples who are hoping to have their own babies is a remarkable irony

W

hen former beauty queen, Ibidunni Ajayi, got married in 2007, her expectations were predictable.

Like many married women, a leading anticipation of hers was the hope to give birth to children. Her wedding to accountant and clergyman, Itua Ighodalo, was celebrated, even if it was attended with a heat of debate from his previous union.

Nonetheless, friends and family members rallied round to give them the much needed support, while other interested members of the public attracted by their individual and combined eminence followed with keen enduring attention.

Close to one decade on, the loathing generated in some quarters at the onset of their relationship has definitely receded.

The rumour mill which spewed torrents of lopsided and coloured tales that caused the couple a lot of trauma, even if a bit, has withdrawn, but the pain of those turbulent years live with her still. For one who keeps to herself, the scrutiny of her marriage in the public, led her to sew-up. She reduced the number of persons she called friends to a handful, becoming more and more engrossed with her husband.

Apparently, the media is one of the perpetrators of the wind of ill-perception blowing around her; so letting this reporter into her Ikoyi-Lagos home was a decision she weighed thoroughly. First, she insisted on a questionnaire against the suggestion she should have a sit-down with the reporter.

She would later concede to the one-on-one at

her event centre, The Dorchester, at OniruLagos. The venue was changed at the last minute with the explanation that artisans carrying on renovation there may distract the discourse.

Smiling with her hand extended for a welcome shake, she waved the visitor to make himself comfortable in her living room.

Her publicist, UyaiAbasi, took a seat as well.

‘I have answered your questions,” she began referencing my earlier questionnaire.

I took time to explain how a personal encounter brings home the mood and circumstance of an interview. She listened quietly (all the while studying her guest), then she declared her confidence in th e one who brokered our meeting. “I trust her. She said we should do it.”

Incidentally, the Ighodalos are frequently involved in news worthy activities, even if it may be argued that they do not deliberately hug the media. For instance, they have given life to and support a couple of charities.

Mrs. Ighodalo’s known trade may also have unwittingly ensured permanent presence for her in the media. As CEO of Elizabeth R, one of Nigeria’s high profile event management companies, she is often spotted at widely publicised occasions.

However, Elizabeth R was just going to be an appendage at this meeting. It was agreed that the focus would be on her new passion to bring a cheer into the lackluster life of childless couples through her Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, IIF. IIF is the latest paradox in the life of a woman who makes a job of organizing huge, crowded events, but prefers to remain behind the scene; a beauty queen

who does not flaunt her beauty (this trait was displayed when it came to choice of photographs from a recent photo-shoot by celebrity photographer, TY Bello, to illustrate this story. She gently, but firmly refused to allow certain images of her go public; so they will not be misconstrued).

Her newest contradiction to fund IVF treatment for couples who are hoping to have their own babies is a landmark irony. How can a woman who is challenged under similar circumstances forget her own predicament and turn all her attention and huge resources towards helping others out of the quandary?

Finally, when she started talking, it was in a soft and measured tone like one dwelling on the implication of every word. No doubt her heart was heavy. Often the vehemence in her statements were conveyed in her narrowing and widening eyes and her flying hands. Her voice never rose one decibel above what may be considered normal with her. Throughout the interview, it remained almost a whisper. With each sigh that preceded her response, she yearned to share her heavy burden; to find an understanding soul, apart from

Cont’d on pg. 57 C

MY FOCUS NOW IS TO HELP OTHERS, ONE AT A A TIME. I WANT TO MAKE A FAMILY HAPPY PPY AND WITH THE HELP OF GOD, THEIR PRAYERS RAYER RAY YERS WOULD BE ANSWERED. I KNOW THE PAIN AIN AND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. IT WILL GIVE ME JOY TO SEE THEM JUMPING AND REJOICING, ING, SAYING THAT THEY ARE EXPECTING THEIR HEIR OWN CHILDREN. I HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN. EN. I HAVE SEEN THE TWO SIDES DURING MY COURSE OF TREATMENT. I SAID GOD HELP ME, LET ME DO THIS

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Ibidunni Ighodalo

her husband. The words came through her teeth, almost without parting her lips. “I have heard stories of in-laws calling the woman painful names. Those are hurtful things to say. There are names you don’t want to call a woman that is looking up to God.” She continued to share her experiences. “People may not want to be mean, but they don’t know that certain statements and body language hurt. When you are waiting on God, you can be sensitive to what people say or do and they might not know it will hurt or hit you. It is good to raise awareness and understanding about childless couples. Friends and relatives should be a bit more sensitive to women or couples who are waiting on the Lord. I know that because of our culture, the pressure is so much. The shoes of women who are waiting on the Lord are not very easy shoes. Emotionally, mentally and psychologically, hormonally, when you are going through treatments, it’s a rollercoaster-you deal with in-laws, society, friends, there’s a lot going on.”

“People who get married and have children don’t know how lucky they are. I mean you are even careful not to get pregnant again, you are so blessed by God, you should thank God every day. It is not easy to find yourself in a situation where your friends are doing school runs, you don’t know what that is, you don’t even know what your first trimester is.

The friends you had bridal showers with are having baby showers, it takes the grace of God to remain sane, honestly.”

Today, she hid her tears. But you could tell a woman who had previously cried her heart out. In fact she was not ashamed to confess she was frequently given to such emotion in the past.

On her 35th

Photos: TY Bello

birthday last year, she decided to turn the lemon that life had thrown at her into lemonade. It had become her fashion to write a wish list on the day she was born and then tick-off the accomplished ones on her next birthday. Every year, she scored high on every point, but one: The issue of childlessness had become a sore point that could not be addressed. She had prayed and sought different avenues for a medical solution, but the problem just could not be wished away. Although she enjoyed the understanding and love of her husband and in-laws, the quest for a child consumed her.

“I had tears in my eyes when I told God, ‘you know what? This is enough.

You are going to do it when You want to do it, in Your own time and if You are not going to do it, let it be left undone. This is You. I trust You. Right now, it’s ok, I’m going to live my life. I found out that I had stopped living, because that was all I wanted. I said no, I’m going to be happy, live my life and leave it all to God. I’m grateful to God for my own family, for the family I’m married into.”

Those statements to God with tears in her eyes opened a window to air her bottled emotions. It lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. As she cleared her mind of the cobwebs of trying to have a baby, she was amazed to receive one of the most altruistic ideas with clarity. Her husband was no less enthused when she shared the idea wth him.

“My focus now is to help others, one at a time. I want to make a family happy and with the help of God, their prayers would be answered. I know the pain and what it feels like. It will give me joy to see them jumping and rejoicing, saying that they are expecting their own children. I have seen it happen. I have seen the two sides during my course of treatment. I said God help me, let me do this. When you focus on helping others, you don’t know the blessings that come back to you. It is difficult but I said Lord you have put this in me, You have to provide. You know when God gives you a vision, He makes the provision. I have been amazed at the response. It is unbelievable.

“When I was going through some treatment, I would get to the clinic and someone who has just done a pregnancy test was being told that it didn’t work, it was always so devastating for me to hear them wonder aloud where they would get money for the next treatment. I have met women who came to the hospital to get the treatment but they couldn’t afford it.

Some couldn’t even afford the test to know what was wrong. I have also met women who decided to share their burden, this is how financially draining this treatment can be. If you have extra eggs, you can sell them in exchange for the treatment. When women share eggs left from a successful IVF on another women or they use the woman’s extra cycle that has been paid for, these are ways women support one another because getting an egg donor can be very expensive.”

Mrs. Ighodalo is further challenged by her ecclesiastical responsibility as the wife of a pastor. Parishioners at the Trinity House in Oniru-Lagos where her husband presides call her ‘Pastor IB’. “I think you have to be called by God to be called a pastor. You know how it is when they say two have become one. Automatically, when they call your husband a pastor, they call you a pastor, as well. I’m under the leadership of my husband. I’ve learnt from him and I’m still learning. I’m just taking it, one day at a time. I provide a support system for him. I believe that being by his side is what God has called me to do. I lead sessions of prayer. I do that more. We all pray and should be able to lead prayer sessions. I allow the spirit of God to lead me really. There is no pressure whatsoever from my husband. He just allows me grow and learn as much as I can.”

Lucky to be surrounded by experienced and loving women in church who work in concert with her through a group called ‘Timeless Women’, they pray, hold business sessions, deal with issues on parenting, singles, the elderly, mature singles and try to meet as many needs as possible in the church. “I have ministers’ wives in church who help me to fulfill these dreams. They are so supportive. Some of them guide and teach me because they are much older. God has blessed me with the support system of women who have those skills to deal with the elderly ones, mature singles, women with the issue of the fruit of the womb, single parents. They surround me. I’m everybody’s mother.”

It is only when she puts on the toga of a matriarch that she sometimes sees the humour in her situation. “It is so strange and funny, but when you sit back and think about it, every family has somebody who is waiting on God for a child. The person might be your cousin or mum’s sister. There are certain ways we will treat the person. But do you know that there are certain ways we treat somebody else

PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO BE MEAN, BUT THEY DON’T KNOW THAT CERTAIN STATEMENTS AND BODY LANGUAGE HURT. WHEN YOU ARE WAITING ON GOD, YOU CAN BE SENSITIVE TO WHAT PEOPLE SAY OR DO AND THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW IT WILL HURT OR HIT YOU. IT IS GOOD TO RAISE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CHILDLESS COUPLES. FRIENDS AND RELATIVES SHOULD BE A BIT MORE SENSITIVE TO WOMEN OR COUPLES WHO ARE WAITING ON THE LORD. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF OUR CULTURE, THE PRESSURE IS SO MUCH. THE SHOES OF WOMEN WHO ARE WAITING ON THE LORD ARE NOT VERY EASY SHOES. EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, HORMONALLY, WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH TREATMENTS, IT’S A ROLLERCOASTERYOU DEAL WITH IN-LAWS, SOCIETY, FRIENDS, THERE’S A LOT GOING ON coming into our family with the same issue? We don’t treat them the same. It is not intentional. If you have in-laws who are not nice to you, they will think it’s your fault. They will call you names, talk down on you. If your in-laws have somebody in their family who is waiting, they will never speak to the person like that. We really need to have a support system and also learn to put ourselves in other people’s shoes.”

The interaction had been cordial with Mrs. Ighodalo markedly toning down on her cautious approach to answering questions as the interview progressed.

Her husband came home as the reporter made to leave. As she moved into his arms

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covER

Ibidunni Ighodalo

WHEN I WAS GOING NG THROUGH SOME TREATMENT, I WOULD GET TO THE CLINIC AND SOMEONE WHO HO HAS JUST DONE NG TOLD A PREGNANCY TEST WAS BEING AS AL ALW WAYS WA AYS THAT IT DIDN’T WORK, IT WAS ALWAYS NG FOR ME TO HEAR THEM SO DEVASTATING HERE THEY WOULD W WONDER ALOUD WHERE GET MONEY FOR THE NEXT TREATMENT. I HAVE HO CAME TO THE HOSPITAL MET WOMEN WHO TO GET THE TREATMENT BUT THEY COULDN’T OME COULDN’T EVEN AFFORD THE AFFORD IT. SOME RONG. I HAVE ALSO TEST TO KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. DED TO SHARE THEIR MET WOMEN WHO DECIDED NANCIALLY IIALLY ALLY DRAINING DRAIINING THIS DRA BURDEN, THIS IS HOW FINANCIALLY TREATMENT CAN BE to welcome him, he looked from her to the departing visitors. The query was not uttered. It was in his eyes. She understood and went on to explain my mission in their home. ‘I will see you upstairs’, she said, disengaging from him to see us outside.

Before we left, she showed another side to her that is not frequently in the news.

She loves pets and keeps different breeds of dogs. As she approached their quarters and called out, a couple of the canines bounced towards the iron gate separating us from them. ‘Let them come and greet you,’ she offered. She laughed when her publicist and this reporter cringed at the suggestion, but thanked her, nonetheless, for the hospitality.

Right now, Mrs. Ighodalo who is a graduate of Microbiology from the University of Lagos is using the platform of IIF to award grants for fertility treatment such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Frozen Embryo Transfer and Intrauterine Insemination. She was forced to change her initial plan to help one or two couples when she received tons of applications. The plan has now changed to accommodate 28 couples. “There are some couples that have applied that have been married for between 20 and 25 years and when I read their history, they have come to a point where they are tired. I even found out that it was their family that applied for some of them. A lot of people have asked me why I don’t face my life, why am I trying to be Mother Theresa.

What is it? Is it that you have so much

money you don’t know what to do with it.

I can’t even explain it.”

Mrs. Ighodalo is not new to charity charity.. She described herself as a great supporter of a motherless babies home called, Heritage Homes, and as one who is actively involved in Lydia Grace, a foundation for socially challenged women. Working for this particular charity demands that she goes out on the streets (sometimes at night) to engage, re-form and re- habilitate delinquent women. She also supports her brother’s charity called Biire Foundationfor malnourished children, women and HIV patients.

Another great passion of hers is to lend whatever form of support she can for youth causes.

However, IIF is a pioneering work as there is currently no other charity with similar objectives of educating people and promoting other forms of becoming parents and providing a spiritual, mental and psychological support system

for couples/families.

The importance of IIF as espoused by Mrs. Ighodalo is to help address the prevalence of couples in this situation, while providing enlightenment on the causes of infertility and ways it can be dealt with.

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Onoshe

airtimeplus98@gmail.com

Nwabuikwu REEL REVIEW

The CEO

Caroline Chikezie as TheGovernor

A Tale of Two State Governors

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here is no better time than now to inform you that this isn’t a salacious write up about some real life Nigerian state governors.

Not that if there were any such juicy gossip, you’d find it here.

Who I’m here to talk about are the make-believe governors of Savannah State and Coastal State. These two excellencies have TV dramas ‘Casino’ and ‘The Governor’ as their playgrounds where they can reign supreme as the most powerful citizens in their states. Perhaps not so supreme because there are kingmakers and godfathers bent on showing these two excellencies where the real power lies. Casino is on Africa Magic Showcase, weekdays ,9 pm (dstv 151) and The Governor is on Ebony Life TV, Thursdays, 8 pm (dstv 165).

These two drama series have politics in common although there are a few differences. Some good, others not so good.

The real challenge for me is in balancing these differences but I just couldn’t resist pairing them together. First, I must bring you up to speed about each storyline.

•Casino from the Coastal State Casino described by its producers as an ‘action drama series’ is the story of political power play and quest for survival. There’s the governor of Coastal State (Funsho Adeolu), fighting to come to his own, to free himself from the grip of his powerful godfather Professor (Zack Orji). There’s the love triangle between Patrick (Mofe Duncan), his wife Adanma (Omowunmi Dada) and his wife’s best friend Monisola (Lola Savage). Patrick manages to live on the edge juggling two women and managing his father’s casino. The professor is his father. Gambling is one of their many

family businesses. Every other thing is built around these people and places.

On the supporting side you have Funke (Ayo Adesanya), governor’s aide/front who doesn’t look like such a good ‘deals’ person as of this moment.

There’s also the not so creatively named journalist Benjamin Aluta whose supposed smartness/power is at once awe-inspiring and baffling considering his not so smart dalliance with Funke, front for the very people he’s planning to expose. And there’s Osaze (Kunle Remy), casino staff who wants to get rich and might yet die trying.

The Governor from Savannah State This is a much more straightforward story. After the death of Governor Peter Akale (Ayo Lijadu), deputy-governor Angela Ochello (Caroline Chikezie) is sworn in as the new governor of Savannah State. Along with Savannah State’s many problems, she has to deal with all kinds of people in the background with vested interests. Dr Jalo (Paul Christian Chukwudi), Senator Briggs (Kunle Coker) and Chief Sobifa Thompson (Jude Chukwuka) are party chiefs bent on installing finance commissioner Friday Bello (Edmond Enaibe) as deputy governor. What would the governor do? Give in and become a mere puppet?

Call the bluff of the godfathers, damn the consequences even if that means the death of her political career?

Supporting Governor Ochello is husband David (Bimbo Manuel), her father, Chief Momoh-Alli (Taiwo Obileye), able chief of staff Henry Duke (Lord Frank) who’s helping her play the game without getting her hands (too) dirty. Paul Asemota (Kelechi Udegbe) is the governor’s ex and proclaimed first love. And there is her

mother Diane (Tosan Ugbeye). Mother and daughter don’t see eye to eye so I wonder if we can put Mrs Momoh-Alli in the governor’s supporting corner.

Now you get the drift? You can follow to catch up. For both series, these are early days yet. One of the things Casino and the Governor have in common is that they’re a few episodes old even though The Governor’s six or seven episodes are in as many weeks.

The Governor looks understated yet tasteful. Its seeming understated-ness isn’t as easy as it looks. It’s far easier to do loud and flashy. The Governor instead comes across as elegant, shunning gaudiness. This is only made more —- when placed along side Casino. Casino grabs the viewer’s attention visually. When you begin to pay attention, actually you don’t have to pay that much attention to notice the excesses.

One excess is the make up especially of the female characters. Don’t want to get started on the false eyelashes of spiderman proportions. In episode 7, characters are sleeping and waking up in full (body???) make up.

So as not to drag this, I like the acting and organic dialogue in The Governor. I like what Caroline Chikezie brings to her role. The clarity of her delivery is refreshing.

Hopefully, some people will realise that it isn’t just about the foreign sounding accent.

I do have some questions about ‘one or two’ actors in The Governor. But I’m willing to wait and see.

As for Casino, I’m happy with actors like Mofe Duncan, in fact the love trio of himself, Omowunmi Dada and Lola Savage have something good going. And I very much prefer Kunle Remy in his role as Osaze in Casino to him as Zane in the MNET Tinsel.

COME AGAIN? “Blessing Okay bare through to Rio 2016 100m semi-final.”

-Hip TV, Saturday August 13, 2016, 8.15 pm-ish.

It was hard to understand how this error could have occurred. But it soon became obvious that it was the one letter ‘g’ that got replaced with a ‘y’.

Anyhow, seeing as Okagbare’s run at Rio 2016 hasn’t gone well, the misspelling of her surname should be the least of her worries.

“Twitter opens moments to influencers, brands and (soon) everyone ese.’

-Hip TV, Saturday August 13, 2016, 8 pm-ish.

The difference one alphabet can make. When else becomes ese, you know something is wrong somewhere.

And Saturday the 13th of August appeared to have been a particularly bad spelling day.

Director: Kunle Afolayan Starring: Angelique Kidjo, Wale Ojo, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Peter King Nzioki, Nico Panagio, Hilda Dokubo, Aurelie Eliam, Kemi Lala Akindoju Five eligible executives from around Africa in the running for the top job of CEO of a telecommunications firm with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria are brought together on a retreat. The objective is to pick the best candidate who will emerge from the outcome of the retreat. They’re taken to a beach resort where they are welcomed with a musical performance from musician Adekunle Gold acting as himself.

Any of them could have been forgiven for thinking that they were in for a competitive but enjoyable time. Things don’t pan out as planned. Do they ever? The story turns to a case of whodunnit. Murder meets suicide.

Staying alive becomes more important than getting the top job. And the greatest of twists happens at the very end.

I enjoyed watching The CEO at the cinemas. It isn’t everyday you get a Nollywood film which didn’t get to the cinemas as an after thought. It can be frustrating for the viewer who pays the same fee to see the sharp difference in visual quality between films.

Moving on, the resultant effect of The CEO’s attention to detail is a visual quality that’s arresting. Especially before the wannabe-CEOs arrive the beach resort.

Presenting a truly pan African cast, such as The CEO boasts of, is also noteworthy. This may not be a big deal to some but I have to commend all the work that went into making this happen.

Notice Board

TIFF 2016: Eight Nollywood Films Make The Cut …Plus onstage appearances by Genevieve Nnaji & Kunle Afolayan Eight Nollywood feature films have been picked to showcase Lagos at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival (September 8-18, 2016) in the eighth edition of the City to City programme. The spotlight at this year’s edition of TIFF is on Lagos. ‘City to City showcases filmmakers living and working in a selected city, regardless of where their films are set.’

The choice of Lagos according to Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, is because: “Hundreds of films are made every year in Lagos for a voracious audience around the world.”

The films featuring in the City to City programme are: ’76 (Izu Ojukwu), The Arbitration (Niyi Akinmolayan), Taxi Driver (Oko Ashewo by Daniel Emeke Oriahi), Just Not Married (Uduak-Obong-Patrick), Okafor’s Law (Omoni Oboli), Green White Green (Abba Makama), The Wedding Party (Kemi Adetiba), 93 Days (Steve Gukas).

“This year we’ve also added an international component to our TIFF Rising Stars programme, and here we will spotlight two up-and-coming actors from Lagos: OC Ukeje and Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama,” adds Bailey. “The two Rising Stars will take part in a series of specialized programming, seminars, and workshops at the Festival, organized by TIFF’s Industry team.

Actor, film producer, and singer Genevieve Nnaji and actor, film producer, and director Kunle Afolayan will also join audiences for a unique and intimate discussion as part of the Festival’s In Conversation With... programme.”

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entertainment

with nseobong okon-ekong 08114495324, nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com

MEGA Winners Concert Records Night of Great Music, Modest Fun

A

Nseobong Okon-Ekong

s a prelude to the main awards slated for November, 26 organisers of the reward platform for gospel music, MEGA Awards, recently staged a concert, gala and dinner featuring an array of its current winners at NECA House, Ikeja Central Business District, Alausa-Lagos.

Femi Akintunde-Johnson, the prime mover of MEGA described the event as a great success and a revelation. He said, “it was a night of great music, modest fun, extraordinary support and infectious goodwill.”

On the bill were pulsating and entertaining artistes like Kenny K’ore, Mike Abdul, Eben, Psalmos, Cute Sagay, Aimee and Da’Son. The singers and the audience who came to watch them perform defied the prevailing soggy weather to make the event anchored by the magnificent Yemi Shodimu and elegant songstress, Ify Chukwu impressive and memorable.

Young comedian, MC Watermelon also thrilled, as well as cameos by a young rapper, TLG and hostess turned singer, Ify. But it was not all gospel artistes – Lagbaja-the masked musician made a surprise entrance mid-way, and chimed a traditional gospel song, “Gb’ope mi Oluwa...” - to the great delight of all.

Other guests include Amb. Korede Willoughby, Lampe Omoyele (MD, Nielsen WA), Tokunbo Willoughby, Tunde Kolawole (USA), Olatunde Olajide, Louis Aseme, Funso & Kemi Ige, Christian & Deola Ike, Uche Chikwendu & wife, Femi & Moji Aremu (of Hotel Support), Broda

NIGERIA POLICE PREMIERE FIRST TV SERIES ‘BEYOND YOUR SIGHT’

By King Akan The Nigeria Police has premiered its first exclusive TV series titled ‘Beyond Your Sight’ produced and directed by multi-award winning producer Lancelot Imasuen. The TV series features Desmond Elliot, Segun Arinze and a host of other top Nollywood actors.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Buratai who was accompanied to the stage by music from the live band said it was his first outing at a Nollywood or entertainment event he assumed office.

He commended the efforts of the Nigeria Police pointing out that the Nigeria Police is the largest police force in Africa and the best trained. He also joked about watching Eugenia Abu on TV for years and finally getting to see her in person.

The producer of the TV series, Lancelot stated that the opportunity to rebrand the Nigeria Police gave birth to the project. He also pointed out that the project marks the beginning of collaborations between Nollywood and major institutions in the country. He said that the select audience were privileged to be the first to view the first episode of the TV series amongst many which he hopes will commence broadcasting on different television stations across the country.

Shortly, the lights went off leaving the lights on the big screen illuminating the hall. The audience enjoyed the first episode of the TV series which portrayed the Nigeria Police in a totally different

Mike Abdul

Lagbaja taking selfie with Eben

Martyns, Femi and Yinka Oyeniyi, Femi and Toyin Ojo and Femi Olotu and wife.

The warm and inspirational presentation of the former MD of Samsung Nigeria, Idorenyin Enang, who stood in for the Serving Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare as Chairman of the occasion, was also a revelation. He launched the MEGA Foundation whose Advisory Board was ably represented by Dr. Larry Izamoje (Chairman of Brila Group) and Mr. Yinka Bakare (MD of De-Potter Nig. Ltd.). Enang also unveiled the Award Endowment concept of which two or three categories were snapped up same night.

A Special Recognition Award was presented to Teju Kareem-led Zmirage

by Special Guest, Lagbaja. It was collected by top actress, Lillian Amah.

Psalmos

light from what we are used to seeing in Nollywood movies. Anyone opportune to watch it can finally start to believe in the popular saying ‘Police is your friend.’

Mavins Records star, Korede Bello had the final say as he lit up the event with an energetic performance. In a short while, the Youth Ambassador for the Nigeria Police was surrounded by members of the cast and crew and other members of the audience who sang and danced to his songs.

PIC 4: Korede Bello surrounded by members of the cast and crew during his performance

SOLIDSTAR GIVES WEED

Achievas Entertainment signee Solidstar has revealed plans to release his third studio album titled ‘Weed’ this month.

The album would serve as a follow up to his debut album ‘One in a Million’ and his 2013 sophomore ‘Grace and Glory’.

The ‘Wait Refix’ songster disclosed ‘Weed’ is actually an acronym rep-

Solidstar

resenting the phrase “Witness Everything Exceptionally Differ Different’.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the album in an Instagram post, Solidstar remarked “This album has taken a lot of time to perfect. It took a whole lot of introspection and intensive study. My fans will get a feel of Weed Septem this September and see why I am so excited about this.

I am more than proud to say this album will shake the music industry.

It would definitely be one of the most phenomenalbody of works in 2016.

Anticipate!”

Solidstar released a single off the album back in June titled ‘Wait Refix’ produced by P. Banks

featuring Mavin’s first lady Tiwa Savage and reggae-dancehall singer Patoranking.

WHAT YOUTUBE CAN DO FOR ENTERTAINERS

Google, owner of video sharing service, YouTube has started a campaign to generate interest of Nigerian entertainers and celebrities to the benefits of posting their activities on the service. Statistics from the company show that one billion people come to YouTube every month.

That’s almost half the people on the Internet. In 2011 alone, YouTube had more than one trillion views, which is almost 140 views for every person on earth, with four billion of those views delivered per day.

This definitely presents an opportunity for entertainers who constantly need to share their work with large numbers of people. From Psy, to the Olympics, to the Harlem Shake, YouTube helps shape what matters in content and culture.

Celebrities may want to try out online tools such as Youtube, an online platform to position their personal brands by sharing information, knowledge and experiences in ways that were never possible in the not too distant past.

YouTube has been proven to have created celebrities. In Nigeria, YouTube is already creating African stars like Emmanuella from the YouTube channel MarkAngle Comedy. Musicians are also not left out as most of them have a growing number of subscribers who follow them on their YouTube channels.

As the internet continues to play a

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ENTERTAINMENT more prominent role in helping to spread information and shape perception of individuals, it may be quite important for current, aspiring celebs and their publicists to adopt online strategies to build fame and acceptance around their personal brands.

What started as a platform for friends to share their videos and ideas with other friends is now a ‘partner’ that is helping to build and strategically position the fame of individuals all over the world.

And Nigerian celebrities should not be left out. With YouTube, a person or group can post a video of their performance for all to see. The more views and subscription to an individual’s page, the more they get famous. With the views to the YouTube user’s page, the user knows how many times his or her content has been viewed. When the user’s page actually gets subscription, whenever content is posted, the subscriber gets an email alert and so never misses the posts.

SAMMY IS BACK ON THE HUSTLE

X3M Music’s best kept secret, Sammy Yakubu is finally poised to enter the mainstream with his brand new single ‘Hustle’, a positive call to action and nod to industry that speaks to the present times.

Hustle as written and performed by the 28 year-old artiste is an encouraging, up-tempo manifesto that promotes the ideals of hard work and perseverance especially among the youth. It opens with Sammy singing of a certain level of achievement. But Hustle is interested in loftier ideals than the glorification of cheap materialism.

In the succeeding verses, Sammy employs his sweetened vocal ability to narrate the importance of working hard and the lengths he has gone to achieve that aspirational picture he paints on the refrain.

There is an acknowledgement of favours from the Man above but the major take away from Hustle is that the future is mostly determined by hardwork.

Produced by fast rising Echo, the song’s structure is simple enough to follow. Its refrain-chorus-verse style, mixed with catchy bits that are strategically played makes it an instant radio-friendly material.

The hit is mixed and mastered by the prolific Suka Sounds and features a dazzling array of joyous trumpets, drums and cymbals.

Hustle with its fast pace and urgent message could not have been performed better than on this winning effort from the young singer, songwriter, dancer and guitarist who joined the formidable X3M roster in 2014.

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A scene in “76

Nigerian film, ’76 Makes Landmark Premiere in London The multi-million dollar landmark Nigerian cinematic production, ‘76, already scheduled to make a global opening at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival later this month has now also been exclusively chosen to have its European premiere at the prestigious BFI London Film Festival . This is the first Nollywood film to be chosen by both Toronto and London film festivals back to back and is a new milestone in African cinema. The film, a love story embedded in treason, intrigue, patriotism and faith is set in Ibadan, Nigeria, against the backdrop of transition and the struggle for political stability in 1976 and is inspired by real life events that led to the assassination of the then Head of State, Murtala Muhammed. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation with over 170 million people and is home to Nollywood, the 3rd largest film industry in the world.

The film, cast and crew have received a major boost with a high profile endorsement from the Head of State who succeeded the assassinated Murtala Muhammed at the time; His Excellency General Olusegun Obasanjo, then later went on to become a two term President making him both a military and civilian leader of the largest black nation in the world. He described ‘76 as “the best view of one of the worst times in our nations history. A must watch and an insight that was long overdue.

Watching the attention to detail and hearing my own voice in February 1976, brought out both sweet and sour memories as Murtala Muhammed was not only my boss, he was my friend. I can not attest to what went on in the homes as we were focused on the field, but this film gives even I, an insight into that.”

Set during the era of military assassinations and political unrest in Nigeria, the movie also had the full approval and endorsement of the Nigerian Army and the Murtala Muhammed family, and was

Sammy

EEY DROPS NEW SINGLE

It’s sparkling fresh from Northern Nigerian and it’s dropping on the airwaves.

Nigeria music sensation and PMAN Ambassador for Nassarawa chapter, A.S. Bawa popularly known as Eey is set to release another new single titled ‘Jara’.

A.S. Bawa, otherwise known as Eey DatAbokiBoi, is from Rindre in Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. Born and raised in Adamawa

state, he started music sometime around 2001. Although he didn’t start as a performer, he began as a dancer and song-writer as he wrote songs for friends. But later in 2006, he ventured fully into rap and started recording his own rhymes.

Eey is presently signed to Destiny Records, a recording label based in Lagos, and he has dropped two singles under the label, namely “Gyale Dance” ft Chuddy K and “Yarinya”. Now, the latest single Jara exemplifies his unique vibes with an ethnic touch.

His unique style and electrifying performance earn him an award as PMAN Ambassador since 2014. Eey has worked with some top producers in the industry such as Young John. He is working on his first studio album.

Rita Dominic and Ramsey Nouah in “76

shot inside the confines of a military base, another first in Nigeria’s cinematic history.

It comes 40 years after the actual events, and follows four years of work by the multi award winning Director Izu Ojukwu and the production teams of Adonis Production and Princewill’s Trust, a brainchild of Prince Tonye Princewill and Adonijah Owiriwa who are the film’s executive producers. Africa Magic, a Multichoice subsidiary also signed on as partners.

“Our objective was to show audiences, amongst other things, what the wives of officers had to go through. Military coups were our legacy. In some ways, we are still trying to recover from this. Everyone sees and hears the perspective of the officers.

But the woman’s story stays silent. We wanted to highlight the strength and the vulnerabilities of the typical African woman through the eyes of officers’ wives. This is a filmmaker’s small contribution to raising their volume.” the Executive Producer Adonijah Owiriwa stated.

The film stars renowned and respected Nollywood megastars Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, Ibinabo Fiberesinma, Memry Savanhu, Daniel K Daniel (African best actor 2016), Debo Oguns and Adams Shuaibu and a host of other rising stars. At the centre of this very gripping romantic thriller is the charismatic, ‘Captain Joseph Dewa’, played by Ramsey Nouah who is indicted by the military for his alleged role in the coup.

The film will have its red carpet London premiere on the 15th of October and will be attended by all the key cast, crew and special guests. It will then have its African premiere in Lagos on the 11th of Novemberbefore being released nationwide in cinemas from November the 25th.

The BFI London Film Festival’s 60th anniversary edition which will take place at venues across the UK capital between October 5 and 16.

D’Banj

D’BANJ REWARDS CREATIVE MINDS

Internationally recognized award winner and entertainer, Dapo Oyebanjo, globally known as the Kokomaster, Dbanj has announced the rollout of his latest project, “CREAM” to reward young creative minds in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

The announcement was made today, Thursday, September 1, 2016 at an exclusive media reveal which held at the Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island with key media executives and top bosses in the telecomm industry.

The “CREAM” lottery platform which is supported by MTN stands for “Creative, Reality, Entertainment, Arts, Music”. It will provide creative minds the opportunity to fulfil their dreams of showcasing their talent to the world.

Lucky winners of the lottery will win exciting opportunities including a recording deal which consists of recording a track, shooting a state of the art music video, a collaboration with any artiste of their choice (music or video collaboration), talent showcase, talent branding, promotion and marketing, among many others. Ten lucky MTN subscribers emerged at the unveil.

At the exclusive announcement, Dbanj stated, “We have created this platform to reward tons of creative minds out there who don’t have the right platforms to showcase their talent to the world. Nigeria is filled with so much art and creativity and what better way to promote this great heritage than to give these young minds the right platforms. I am happy to bring to my loyal fans and lovers of good music this exciting platform that the world can benefit from.”

The competition, which is open to MTN subscribers only will run once every month and winners will emerge from three categories including Music, Video, and Collaboration. Three winners will be selected from the draws every first working day of the every month. The CREAM will run for a period of one year.

Interested participants must take part in the daily draws for a month to qualify for the next month and can also be a part of multiple categories to increase their chances of winning.

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Cape Town Opera Accused of Financial, Racial Abuse Vanessa Obioha

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welve black chorus members of South Africa’s leading opera house, Cape Town Opera, have accused it of financially exploiting them due to their colour.

The controversial dispute started when the afflicted members discovered that their company had ripped them off in an international production of the critically acclaimed production of Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte - a musical set in colonial North Africa and portraying racial abuse and rape by fascist Italian troops.

According to The Guardian UK, the black chorus members were put on standard South African monthly pay rates of between 6,000 and 11,000 rand (£316-£580) for seven weeks of rehearsals and a heavy programme of performances in Aix-enProvence, France, before Così Fan Tutte aired in Edinburgh.

However, the singers discovered that they had been contracted by the Aix festival, which runs for three weeks, to appear for €3,640 (£3,000) each, thus leading to a strike action on stage which was fortunately interrupted by Edinburgh festival organisers.

The organisers paid them a £500 appearance fee plus £30 a day and flights, visas and accommodation for three performances which ended last week.

But on return to South Africa, the managing director of the Cape Town Opera, Michael Williams, accused them of theft Cape Town Opera performing Mandela Trilogy on Stage for accepting the French fees. They were further dismissed by the opera house. don’t even get a bonus, it’s very upsetting. contracts. Obviously you work for Cape Arline Jaftha, the assistant chorus The freedom and respect we experienced in Town Opera; we can’t have you signing mistress for CTO, insisted that the maltreat- Aix gave everyone a different vision of how two contracts. You are going to have to sign ment was fuelled by their colour. everyone should be treated.” a document that you are members of CTO “Williams knows he has a company of Williams however denied the allegations, and I have the right to negotiate a deal with talented black singers, so by paying them though he acknowledged that he paid his the festival. CTO will receive the money peanuts and knowing that living expenses staff less. and you will be paid your normal salaries.” in South Africa are so high and for us to “Before we went to France we informed He also said his whole working life had know that we put much work into these the 12 singers, there’s this rule in France been about getting singers of all races on to productions when we travel abroad and we that requires you have independent the stage. “I returned to South Africa when

JACKIE CHAN TO RECEIVE GOVERNORS AWARDS Asian actor, producer and director, Jackie Chan, is among the list of celebrities to receive the honorary Governors’ award. Formerly a part of Oscar telecast, the Governors Awards now have its own ceremony and rewards extraordinary individuals who have made distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.

62-year-old Chan is known for his charismatic martial arts appeal in the big screens. He has starred in over 150 movies which includes ‘Rush Hour’, ‘Bleeding Steel’, and ‘The Karate Kid’ among others.

Other recipients of the awards include film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman.

The Governors Awards will hold on November 12, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, Hollywood & Highland Centre.

STING UNVEILS RELEASE DATE FOR HIS NEW ALBUM ‘So Far Away’ artiste, Sting, during an interview on KCSN FM, has announced the release date of his new album, 57th & 9th. The album will be due out on November 11.

The new album is a myriad of tributes and advocacy for climate change. His most popular track ‘50,000’, mirrors the lives of the late Prince, Alan Rickman, David Bowie, and other lost souls.

57th & 9th is the 64 year-old rock star’s 12th album. He told Billboard in July that the album is rockier than anything he has ever done. The new album is named after the New York intersection which he crosses to get to the studio and is a follow-up on his 2013 musical, ‘The Last Ship’.

During the interview, he performed few songs from the ten-track album,

Sting including the album’s first single, ‘I Can’t Stop Thinking about You’.

DAVID BECKHAM’S SON BREAKS UP WITH GIRLFRIEND Football star David Beckham’s model son Brooklyn has reportedly broken up with his girlfriend Chloe Moretz. The two went public with the relationship earlier in the year.

The American model and actress was said to have stopped hanging out with her British boyfriend, Brooklyn Beckham and have reportedly broken up. Page Six reports that the pair, who went public with their relationship earlier this year, have quietly called it quits as they haven’t been seen together lately.

Chloe was the first to spill the beans during an interview in May. They flaunted their love on social media and always got their fans talking about their fairytale romance. Their last post together was on Instagram two weeks ago where Brooklyn posted a photo of him carrying Chloe with the caption: ‘Keeping her safe’ The cause of the split is yet unknown.

MARIAH CAREY IS SELFISH, BROTHER ALLEGES Following the recent arrest of the ‘honey’ singer’s estranged sister, Mariah Carey is greatly pilloried by her estranged brother, Morgan. He called her a monster and insensitive to the plight of others.

Morgan accused Mariah for neglecting Alison, their sister who is HIV positive and arrested and bailed recently for prostitution.

The sibling love between Mariah and Morgan was cut off few years ago for some unknown reasons. To Morgan, Mariah is selfish and ungrateful for his instrumental role in her career. He told Inside Edition that she has always been like that. Despite that Mariah had financially supported Alison in the past, Morgan felt she has not done enough.

The 51-year-old however is afraid of Mariah’s fans attack. He presently lives in Italy with his family for fear that their sister might retaliate.

Mandela was released after having left the country to avoid military conscription. I went to go and write operas for all South Africans and to work to get opera into the townships.”

While Jaftha claims that the opera house is trying to get back the monies paid to them by the French, Williams feels robbed by the accusation, bad press and reputational damage.

Cassie also revealed her new recording deal with Epic Records and Bad Boy. The new single will be her first song since her debut mixtape ‘RockaByeBaby’ in 2013.

MIAMI BEACH’S BASS MUSEUM TO RE-OPEN IN 2017 Earlier scheduled to open on December 1, the Bass contemporary art museum in Miami will now reopen in the spring of 2017. This is due to construction delays.

The museum kick-started its $12 million renovation project to create four new galleries in the museum’s 1930s building.

Its re-opening was initially scheduled to coincide with Art Basel Miami Beach.

However, its opening shows have however been postponed to next year, while other shows will continue programming in offsite locations.

CASSIE ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE ‘MAKE UP’ The ‘Me and U’ hit-maker made the announcement at the MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday. Produced by prominent producer Detail, Cassie said the song will be released in few weeks.

Cassie

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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ENCOUNTER

Anison Knows What Jesus Really Said Funke Olaode

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nother addition to the plethora of publications in Christendom was released to the reading public recently in Lagos.

Written by soft-spoken Ikechukwu Anison who cuts the image of a modern day tele-evangelist, the book is the summation of the Word of God through the years as a Catholic, member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and lately worshipper at the Fountain of Life Church.

Anison raised a few eyebrows and perhaps ruffled some feathers with the controversial title of his first book, “What Did Jesus Really Say?” Ambitious and daring as the title may sound, it is simply a collection everything Jesus ever said to enable people focus on what Jesus said.

The 166-page book contains only the words spoken by Jesus.

It also includes some study materials on, Miracles of Jesus, Key points in the Life of Jesus, What Jesus said about certain topics, the most frequent words Jesus used and the Parables of Jesus.

The hope is that it will challenge Christians to take a closer look at their Christian walk in comparison with what matters most to Jesus and where necessary realign their objectives/focus to His. Again, a non-Christian can easily comprehend the book as it begins with the major event

Anison

in Jesus’ life: The parables of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus. It is a book that tells a snapshot of Jesus’ life: His birth, early Life, and baptism. It is followed by the temptation after the 40-day fast, the commission of the 12 Apostles,

the Sermon on the Mount, His rejections, the discourse about the mission and everything that revolved around him. It is also a great tool for evangelism as most unbelievers would not read the Bible, but they might read a book.

A graduate of History from the University of Lagos, Anison spent 20 years in the banking industry, but currently works as a consultant in a financial services outfit that deals on electronics banking.

EVENT

Da Viva Pushes for Diaspora Market

L-R: Da Viva Public Relations Officer Carol Arhere and Steve Dutton

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aving achieved the household name status after seven years of intensive marketing, the Da Viva brand has devised a novel

method of extending its leadership in the textile market by courting Africans and Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Da Viva’s Marketing Manager,

Mr. Steve Dutton recently told journalists that the brand would continue to promote African fabrics and upcoming fashion designers.

He believes the company has gained

a huge market share within Nigeria and was ready to take the Da Viva brand to a wider audience in Africa and beyond by working on export development and e-marketing.

Dutton said as African fashion captures global attention, the company will take advantage of social media to promote the Da Viva brand. He predicted that improvement of digital mobile infrastructure and social media will change the social reality of the African society.

Dutton stressed that its aims is to build a portfolio of strong Nigerian fashion brands through a branddriven, consumer-centric, designled and fashion-minded approach to business.

Despite the current economic challenge, Dutton assures its numerous customers that the future is bright as they intend to increase the company’s visibility through participation in Africa Fashion Week London in September and also partnering Kinabuti in the Dare2Dream Grand Finale on September 11. The company is also sponsoring another major fashion event in Nigeria organised by the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN).

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ENCOUNTER

From Malaysia with a Basket of Flavours Vanessa Obioha recently stepped into the kitchen with award-winning Chef Chua Kong to capture his culinary skills at Soho Restaurant, Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos

Soho

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ong before Chef Chua was formally introduced to the highbrow guests at the Intercontinental Hotel’s Soho Chinese Restaurant, they were serenaded with an array of his delicacies. It was a small event to showcase the new chef to the restaurant’s top diners.

A tall dark hostess whose sparkling white teeth would make her a prospective model for a toothpaste brand welcomed the guests before they were swept away by other top personnel of the hotel.

Being a Friday evening, the ambience at the restaurant was relaxed and allowed informal conversations flow through. Small talks accompanied with hearty laughter filled the room.

Then the feast began. One-by-one, they were introduced to the amazing flavours curated by the award-winning Malaysian chef.

Neatly dressed waiters paraded invitingly crispy fried prawns with sauce and juicy prawn dumplings in trays. The fried prawns were heavenly. They were crispy outside but very tender and wellflavoured inside. While the guests gulped down their first treat with assorted drinks, Chef Chua and his assistant lured them to more treats.

Displayed artistically on a table in a corner was a colourful bowl of mixed fruit pickles, a plate of long strand potato chips, a bowl of plate-like carved cabbage leaves, a bowl of broccoli, a bowl of peas, and of course an array of sauces to dip in. A bowl of fresh calamaris and vegetables were reserved for a later live cooking by the chef.

Mingling with the guests, Chua urged them to try out the delicacies and offered tips on how he achieved the flavour. He was rewarded with good commentaries, particularly on the pickles. They were tangly sweet. The mixed fruits - cucumber, pawpaw, carrot - were cool and crunchy.

The sweetness hardly made it resistible.

The General Manager of the hotel, Karl Hala was at his best at the event. Donning his charm like a tuxedo, he warmed the guests with his admirable geniality, urging them as well to taste the exotic flavours from Chua’s kitchen.

After much smacking of lips and clinking of glasses, he introduced his awardwinning Chef Chua Kong to his notable

L-R: Chef Chua and colleague sampling their culinary skills

guests.

Tapping his cocktail glass, he spoke in his Austrian accent: “We are so glad that you join us this evening to celebrate our new Chef, Chua Kong, who by the way likes to talk. He’s been to the local markets and knows how to bargain stuff, to find out if we are to get things locally or import them. And also he wants to meet everyone because he wants everyone to eat in his restaurant.”

The Malaysian stepped out, took a bow, while hiding his experienced eyes behind a pair of glasses.

Soho Restaurant marks Chua’s first visit to Africa. It’s not that he has not been offered jobs in the continent but the negative image discouraged him.

Before now, he worked in a Michelin star hotel in New Delhi, India. Chua started his over two decades’ culinary journey in Malaysia before moving to India. In 2006, he won the Chinese Culinary Award.

He joined the Intercontinental Hotel Lagos, over a month ago and has familiarised himself with the local cuisine.

“One thing I find out about Nigeria’s cuisine is that it is spicy. They like spicy foods here, even more than in India,” he said.

However, Chua is embracing his new findings with good spirits. Understanding the concept of fusion in cuisines, he has curated recipes that will suit the local palate

while projecting a contemporary Chinese restaurant.

His visit to the market helped him to cater to different types of diners. There is something for everyone in Soho Restaurant.

Whether you like spicy foods or not, a vegetarian or not, Chef Chua has the perfect menu to make you visit again. He has already created 27 authentic sauces.

“Our cuisine now is a modern Chinese cuisine. These are authentic recipes but with a fusion. Now there’s something different with the decorations. All the dishes are different too. Say, we have chicken with the chicken sauce. Each item on the menu has its own sauce.”

By all indications, Chua is set to revolutionise the Chinese restaurant situated on the second floor of the hotel. Soho has all the traditional settings of a typical restaurant: the dining setting which includes the Sweet Susan for family dining as well as a private dining room; frames of traditional ornaments of the Asian country don the red walls; the cupboard and vases. To show its Asian heritage, the Chinese zodiac signs are inscribed on a corner of the walls.

Chua wasted no time in showing his guests his culinary skills. Setting his pan on fire, he began to sample some of his delicacies. Accompanied by another chef, they set the restaurant aflame with delicious flavours that made the gastronomy journey

worthwhile. For the night, he made fried calamaris in a sauce.

The guests watched with interest as Chua handled the pan with dexterity. He stirred, fried, and shook the pans to get the right mix. Then he served his guests in the best combo they deemed best. Additional foods like fried rice, mushroom soups were also available.

Not a few persons went for a second serving; a good testimony that Soho is the new home for tasty and authentic Chinese meals.

assistant editor nseobong okon-ekong senior correspondent funke olaode correspondent vanessa obioha designer ibirogba ibidapo CONTRIBUTORS onoshe nwabuikwu, temilolu okeowo, kelechi nduka THISDAY ON SUNDAY editor adetokunbo adedoja deputy editor vincent obia STUDIO art director ochi ogbuaku jnr THISDAY NEWSPAPERS editor-in-chief & chairman nduka obaigbena managing director eniola bello deputy managing director kayode komolafe

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

AN ARTFESTIVALí S COMING OF AGE

REJUVENATION, MULTIMEDIA Eze Mariagotetti ≠ (w2012)

DRUMS FOR FLORA NWAPAí S EFURU AT 50Ö PAGE 68

04.09.2016

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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ARTS & REVIEW\\FESTIVAL

AN ART FESTIVAL’S COMING O Though launched a decade ago on a cautious note, a visual arts festival held annually in Enugu has earned its place among the must-see cultural events in Nigeria, says Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

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heirs is your classic tale of resilience. Indeed, nothing – however daunting it could have been – seems to have blunted their enthusiasm. And this passion of theirs is for Life in My City Art Festival. To think that a decade had flitted by since its cautious, and understandably modest, launch at the Enugu Press Centre!

Now, this festival (largely known by its acronym LIMCAF) is set to celebrate its coming-of-age outing in October.

At a press conference held in Enugu on Wednesday, August 17, the festival’s director Kevin Ejiofor reminded the gathering of the “memorable press conference at the Press Centre in 2007 which was addressed by the then Director of Alliance Française, Enugu Dr Gerard Chouin and the Founder of LIMCAF Chief Robert Orji.”

That, indeed, was the press conference that unveiled the festival, which arguably is the first of its kind in both the south-eastern and south-southern geo-political regions. Also, it remains unique to date as the only of its kind in the entire country.

Mainly bankrolled during its first four years by Chief Orji’s advertising and printing firm Rocana Nigeria Limited, it also enjoyed the Alliance Française Network’s and the French Embassy’s significant financial and administrative support. Ejiofor also acknowledged that the festival “was given operational shape by the Pan African Circle of Artists here in Enugu (represented at that time by Dr Krydz Ikwuemesi and Ayo Adewunmi) Esona Onuoha and Onyinye Igbo of Rocana Nigeria in structuring that first outing.”

Thus, one man’s passion for art-collection had morphed into a national art festival, which though initially funded by his firm Rocana was buoyed by the recognition of the French Government and its agency. Just as Ejiofor explained, “ without the support of the French, comprising the Embassy in Abuja and the Alliance Française Network throughout the country, this festival could never have become the national event that it is today, let alone aspiring to become the international event that it will eventually become.”

The annual festival is impelled by its lofty aims and objectives, which orbit around the promotion of “pan-Nigeria art through an annual competition that offers young people an avenue to showcase and commercialise their productions, win handsome prizes and interact with the larger art community on a national and progressively international platform and, in so doing create, a notable national and international art tourism destination in the country.”

Indeed, the famed coal city had, thanks to LIMCAF, become a mecca for both Nigerian and international visual arts practitioners. True to its mantra, which is “to position art for social development”, some of the festival’s past winners have been known to have moved on to become self-employed studio artists after graduation, using their prize money as seed money. There were others, according to Ejiofor, who “have already gone on to become internationally recognised studio artists and teacher/scholars in their own right.”

As LIMCAF crows about its “enviable milestone”, Ejiofor recalled its landmark feats so far at the August 17 press conference. “In the past nine

Beautiful Nigerian - Ezah Lucky- (w 2009)

Life In My City - lagos - Olumide Oresegun - (w2007) years a total of over 2,700 young people from at 29 states of the country have participated in the festival,” he disclosed. “Major prize winners have come from six different states of the Federation and Abuja. Winners in all categories have emerged from nine states with Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Abuja and Auchi centres topping the list of major winners overall. All told nearly N14 million naira have been won by young artists.”

There was also the festival’s expansion to include the Photo Africa (a pan-continental photo competition) as well as its collaboration with the Paris-based Andy Okoroafor’s Clam Lab. For the festival’s milestone accomplishments so far, Ejiofor acknowledged the LIMCAF’s founder Chief Orji, the French Embassy and the Alliance Française Network in Nigeria and

all those “who have endowed prizes and helped to increase the number of young persons going home with prize money” like the late Justice Anthony Aniagolu Family, Ms Bisi Silva of the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, the Dr Pius Okigbo Family, a high-profile Lagos-based lawyer Mrs Mfon Ekong Usoro, the University of Ibadan’s Dr Ellis Onyekola, Jeff Ajueshi’s Thought Pyramid Gallery in Abuja, the Art is Everywhere Project headed by Ayo Adewunmi, and Vin Martin Iloh.

Ejiofor also specially acknowledged Senator Ayogu Eze, Mr Gozie Okoye, Chief Emma Egbunike (Odua Ngu of Onitsha), Mr Chisom Okoye of Diamond Bank and other members of

the LIMCAF Family as well as individual members of the festival’s Board, “who have regularly made donations of cash and of course unquantifiable inputs of their time, expertise and energies into this project.”

In addition to the Diamond Bank’s support, the festival had also had the financial inputs from First Bank and Access Bank.

Meanwhile, entries for this year’s edition of the festival closed on July 31. With the 289 received this year, total number of entries since the beginning of the festival hit over 30,000. “We have had logistic challenges in some centres such as Lagos, and Port Harcourt,” Ejiofor said. “As a result we have allowed all participants in those areas and indeed other parts of the

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ARTS & REVIEW\\FESTIVAL

OF AGE

The Bitter Embrace - Maduka Chukwuma (w2008) country to send their entries online.”

So far, Enugu zone has always had the highest number of entries with Auchi, Ibadan and Kaduna trailing it in that order. A cursory glance at the festival’s Grand Finale Week’s highlights reveals a flag-off of the proceedings with an exhibition on Monday, October 24, featuring “The Best 100 New Works by Young Artists in Nigeria”. This will be complemented by a special exhibition of all the major winning works of the past nine years.

As usual, the Gala and Award night, which holds on Saturday, October 29, concludes the week.

Of course, several side activities featuring “supporting exhibitions by groups and individuals from these parts who have indicated interest in mounting those side attractions at no cost to LIMCAF” will fill in the gaps during this Grand Finale Week.

“Details of such side attractions will be announcing later,” Ejiofor promised.

One of the festival’s most enthusiastic supporters, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbodidi), who is its patron, will grace the Award and Gala Night. But the organisers are thrilled by the acceptance of the state’s current governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to not only be the festival’s Chief Host and Special Guest of Honour but also to personally grace the occasion.

They are no less excited by the fact that this year’s Award and Gala Night will be chaired by the chairman of Honeywell Group of Companies, Chief Oba Otudeko, who has expressed his willingness to personally grace the occasion.

Other A-list personalities and specially-invited private sponsors as well as donors are expected to attend this event. LIMCAF, as a youth empowerment project, has so far been sustained by the goodwill of such personalities.

Hence the optimism of its organisers.

The Inverted Pyramid; Adapted from a novel by Emeka Dike

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\LITERARY CAFÉ

DRUMS FOR FLORA NWAPA’S EFURU AT 50

Yinka Olatunbosun

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ook around you. Today, the world celebrates Chimamanda Adichie, Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Obama as contemporary feminists. However, for many students of literature, you cannot separate feminism from the works of many African women writers. Name them, Buchi Emecheta, Efua Sutherland and Mariama Ba, all have written around women and their stake in the patriarchal African setting. But the first woman to ever write a published work of literature in Africa is Flora Nwapa and is deservedly referred to as the First Lady of letters. Her most celebrated work which is incidentally her debut novel, Efuru was published in 1966 by Heinemann, London in the African Writers Series. It was all the impetus other African women writers needed to turn their imagination into readable narratives.

Nwapa was the first to expose the nature of the African woman to the world; her ordeals in marriage and societal expectations. The plot tells of an Igbo woman, Efuru who lives in a small village in colonial West Africa.

She desires to bear a child and has the ill fortune of being married twice to two men with polygamous mindset. Although the book is 50 this year, the thematic content of independent woman, marital infidelity and belief in the supernatural powers in Efuru makes it very relevant in our time. Spinning the time backwards, Efuru was in the reading list in secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions where literature is taught. But lately, Efuru has become extinct. But to celebrate the iconic work, the only son of the respected writer, Uzoma Nwakuche who is the Chairman, Flora Nwapa Foundation has recently announced that a coordinated series of activities are lined up to mark the golden anniversary of this inspiring work.

At the Literamed Publications Building, Ikeja, a press conference was held to inform the public that Efuru , the pioneering novel would be celebrated in four cities namely, Lagos, Abuja, Maiduguri, Enugu as well as the writer’s hometown, Oguta. The buzz has been on social media but the effect is incomparable to the nolstagic feeling at the sight of an old copy of the book placed on the table to evoke fond memories.

The coordinator and promoter, Efuru at 50, Prince Paschal N. Mebuge-Obaa II, explained

L-R: Uzoma Nwakuche, Dr. Wale Okediran and Prince Paschal N. Meduge-Obaa II the choice of the locations for the celebrations.

“The relevance of Enugu in this celebration cannot be over-emphasised. This is to appreciate the fact that Flora Nwapa taught English and Geography at Queens School, Enugu in 1960s and nurtured her God-given talents as a novelist and publisher in Enugu before moving to Lagos. She was thrice appointed Commissioner in quick succession at Enugu, the capital of East Central, where she worked and eventually died in 1993,” he said.

Nwapa was also an assistant registrar at the University of Lagos between 1962 and 1964 and a visiting Professor at the University of Maiduguri. The Chairman, National Organising Committee, Dr. Wale Okediran gave an insight into the activities surrounding the celebrations which include discourse and paper presentations, symposia, children’s carnival, writing competitions, drama sketches from Efuru as well as the Grand Finale which will be held in Enugu and Oguta.

“A major aspect of the National Event is the literary competition among secondary

school students in the four centres. Copies of Efuru will be given to these students to read for one month before the day of the Literary Competition. The competition will involve a quiz, reading comprehension and one-act dramatic enactment of any part of the book by participating schools,” he said, adding that the submission of abstracts will commence in September and the deadline for the submission of the academic papers is October.

The theme for the national conference is which will take place in the five cities is “Efuru @50: A Celebration of Flora Nwapa and African Women Literature’’.

“The conference will also be celebrating the pioneering work of Africa’s first published female author as well as the achievements, friendships, partnerships and challenges of African Women Literature this past 50 years.

The conference will be a platform for writers, scholars, literary critics and other interested parties to engage, rethink and propose possible new directions for African women literature. It will also answer questions about

women’s contribution to the African literature, the Diaspora’s influence on African literature and the extent to which the same has been influenced by the current global trends,’’ he said. For Nwapa’s son, Uzoma remembering his mother through her literary masterpiece is the least one can do in honour of the woman of firsts. Nwapa was omitted from the list of the honoured Nigerians during the centenary celebrations. Her son pledged to keep her memory alive in spite of the national omission.

“I was breast-fed for two years by my mother even while she was in public service.

Though she was a public figure, she was a mother. I knew her more as a mother than as a writer. She inculcated a great sense of tolerance and balance and I admire her way of dealing with people and things,” he said.

The Flora Nwapa Foundation will focus on women, promoting women literature, financial independence and entrepreneurial skills. In future, a Flora Nwapa centre would be established to serve as a hub for women writers.

Simplifying Financial Knowledge Funke Osae-Brown It’s needless to say that money is very important to human lives. Right from infancy, money has been a central commodity, playing a major role in the birth process, nursing and nurturing a child into adulthood.

At adulthood, the pursuit of money becomes even higher especially with meeting daily needs and desires.

It is against this background that the book, “Understanding The Nigerian Financial System for Secondary School Students’’ is written. The author, Anthony OsaeBrown highlights the need for people to have a good grasp of the financial system from an early age; hence its focus on secondary school students. In the book, the author, simplifies the concept of acquiring money, making financial expenditure in a way that enhances people’s welfare.

Divided into 20 chapters, the book begins on a typical note with the definition of key concepts. The early part of it defines the term “financial system” for a wholistic understanding of the subject matter. To have a sound knowledge of the financial system, the definition of money is key. Today, the layman understanding of money is more often than not limited to currency. To find answers to the true meaning of money, OsaeBrown traces the root of money; highlighting different items that have been used as money in early business transactions. He names salt, corn, rice among other commodities that have been used in trade-by-barter when there was no legal tender in the pre-colonial era.

Later, cowries were used just as precious metals like gold, silver served as money. Much later, paper money and coins were introduced as legal tenders.

The author, like more economists, argues that for anything to be considered as money, it must be accepted by everyone. According to him, money must also be scarce because if everyone had money, nobody will desire it, hence it would no longer be called money.

Financial market is clarified in the book’s second chapter. Titled, ‘This Is the Financial Market’, Osae-Brown goes into detailed description of the financial market using local market as an example. He aptly makes the comparison thus: “The Financial market is like your local market. The major difference is that in your local market, you only buy items that you can see and touch, like tomatoes or yams. In the financial market, you buy things you cannot see and touch, like bonds and stocks.”

The author also defines what he calls “The Twin Daughters of the Financial Market”, that is, the Money Market and the Capital Market. Succinctly, he discusses what the two markets entail and how they function.

He goes on in the successive chapter to explain all the players in the financial system. These include the savers and investors, borrowers and issuers, the financial institutions and regulators.

Osae-Brown seeks to simply his topic of discussion by asking simple questions which makes the reader looks inward to provide answers for a better understanding of the financial system. This student/teacher learning approach gives a classroom feel while the gradual progression from the definition of money to the eventual definition of the financial system gives a better understanding of the book’s direction.

The brevity of the chapters is a pointer to the fact that the author is not set out to make his subject matters some long boring reads. Understanding the otherwise difficult nature of the topic for secondary school students, he makes a deliberate effort to simplify the terms using simple language and explanatory sentences.

What makes ‘Understanding The Nigerian Financial System for Secondary School Students’ instructive is that at the end of each chapter, there is a segment titled, “Test Your Knowledge”, which consists of questions on the subjects discussed in the book. In addition, there is the Activity menu, which allows for students to engage in class discussion on issues raised in each chapter. The author also uses images to illustrate the subjects dis-

cussed in each chapter which makes the book visually appealing and attractive.

To this end, ‘Understanding The Nigerian Financial System for Secondary School Students’ is a good compendium for secondary school students to have.

It seeks to simply financial terminologies that have hitherto makes issues relating to the financial system uninteresting to young people. It is a great way for students to start their journey into importance of money, investment and a general understanding of the financial market

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

ARTS & REVIEW\\DRAMA

SOUND OF MUSIC NIGERIANISED

Paul Obi

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evival of live theatre performance remains a front-burner issue.

This explains the recent effort by the University of Abuja’s Department of Theatre Arts to adapt the 1965 American musical drama Sound of Music to the Nigerian context.

The director Nigerianised version of the play, Dr Olympus Ejue, says the intent is to draw moral lessons from the musical even as it is domesticated for the Nigerian audience. “The Sound of Music is very popular and we are now trying to adapt it on stage, we are trying to graphically represent it on stage,” he explains. “It is a classic and putting it in stage might not be as easy as we see in the movie because of the limitations we have on stage and that is what is intriguing in the whole process of trying to dramatise the Sound of Music.”

Of course, in the attempt to stage and direct the play, significant changes would have been brought to bear on the whole production.

“We have decided to change some of the names although we still left some English names because we did want to go into our ethnic names…We also tried to customise the costumes to ensure that some are dressed in the Nigerian way, and then we tried as much as possible to talk as Nigerians.”

The changes also affected the songs, most of which have been Nigerianised. In addition, there is an orchestra stand for the performance. “We have changed the lyrics to suit us as a people so that we can project some cultural nuances of the Nigerian race,” Dr Ejue continues.

Debunking the assertion that live theatre is dying, he argues: “It is a complete fallacy because from the things we have experienced within the last couple of years, within the last three years the theatre particularly in this part of the country is awakening because we have been doing a lot of productions, we

have taken production out of the university environment even to the city centre.”

On the impact and imperative of theatre arts studies in the university, the lecturer pointed at the existence of private theatres by ex-students as evidence.

Also the Head of Theatre Arts at the University of Abuja, Professor Barth Oshionebo commended Dr Ejue’s version of the account of the Von Trapp family’s escape from Austria in 1935 to the US for bringing screen to stage in a transcultural representation. “He brought the entire setting of the play to AbujaNigeria.”

Professor Oshionebo also called it “a stylised display of theatrical merits and conventions to suit the Nigerian audience.” He also commended “the straight take method, which sees the actors replacing sets on stage themselves before the full glare of the audience. The play director did not only transplant the social and cultural heritage of the Austrian to Nigerian lifestyles, but twisted the political history, the history of moral and religious beliefs to fit into the Nigerian world view.”

In a mix of socio-economic and security challenges, the Department of Theatre Arts is resolved to spice up live theatre in Abuja and its environs. Through adaptations and stage aesthetics, it intends to increase the drive and desire of the public to once again embrace the beauty of live theatre.

The answer to that according to Ejue lies in the fact that “live theatre is beginning to metamorphose into something else. We are beginning to use the multimedia approach which you can easily find in the movies and you cannot compare the two. The live theatre has its own strong affinity with its audience that you don’t find in the cinemas and so when you come to the live theatre you get it raw the way it ought to be. We are trying to do that and then bring in those media elements into our stage production in order to keep our audience glued to their seats even though some persons have actually said live theatre in Nigeria.”

L-R: Uzoma Nwakuche, Dr. Wale Okediran and Prince Paschal N. Meduge-Obaa II

NATIONAL ART COMPETITION BEGINS

Yinka Olatunbosun

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or artists who have what it takes to compete, the 2016 edition of the National Art Competition organised by African Artists’ Foundation in collaboration with the Nigerian Breweries has been declared open. It was revealed during a press conference held at the Nigerian Breweries’ Bar last week where the call was made to the art community to get involved.

Each edition is driven by a theme that reflect current social issues. Now in its ninth year, the National Art Competition has showcased emerging talent in such diverse mediums as painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, installation, and video art. With a focus on the processes of artistic creation rather than solely the end product, artists are required to submit a proposal for an unrealized work.

After selecting from hundreds of entries, twelve finalists are invited to take part in an artist retreat, where workshops by leading artists, professors, gallery owners, and arts professionals allow finalists to flesh out the conceptual threads of their proposal and work together in a studio environment.

National Art Competition 2015 Grand Finale Annually, the competition includes cash prizes totaling four and a half million naira and provides the artists both national and international exposure alongside exhibition opportunities. The grand prize winner goes home with a sum of N2million.

The Director, African Artists Foundation, Azu Nwagbogu, in his welcome address, said that his organisation is concerned about the global migration as well as the boundaries that we need to redefine.

“The grand finale last year was great but this year will be greater. We expect to improve on the quality of works,’’ he said.

The 2015 NAC Winners are Sabastine Ugwuoke who won the grand prize for “No Rest, No Comfort, Confusion Everywhere”; Winner Outstanding Concept: Ngozi Omeje who is the winner in two categories namely Outstanding Concept and Outstanding Production for her piece “Against all Odds.”

The Corporate Communication Adviser,

Kufre Ekanem, while explaining the rationale for the competition, said the entries for this edition will close on September 25 and no late entry would be accommodated.

“The essence is to promote the conceptual development of the art in Nigeria and it is open to aspiring Nigerian artists.

We don’t want finished works, just the proposal of the work. The platform is important to strengthening cultural values, talent development, youth empowerment, development of creativity and artists,’’ he said.

He declared as theme for this year’s edition “Shifting Boundaries” which he described as “an exploration of the porous, situational, and ever changing concept of the boundary through artworks that will discuss and embody what a boundary was, is, and will become in the 21st century.’’

The grand finale which will be held in October will be preceded by the artists’ retreat. Professor El Anatsui is the head of the artistic selection committee that will select this year’s winners.

Interested participants are expected to propose in writing accompanied with a sketch, a short plan of their interpretation and creative approach to the theme and applicants will be selected based on their written proposals and the submitted sketch.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

IMAGES

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ecently the son of Lt. Gen Oladipo Diya (Rtd), Dr. Babatunde Oyetola Diya, married his heartthrob, former Miss Adesimbo Bisola Omololu-Adegbuyi, daughter of Chief (Capt) Omololu Sunday Adegbuyi (Rtd).

The engagement was held at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Ikeja, while the wedding Service was held at Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church.

Reception followed immediately at the Heaven Events Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

The couple, Dr Babatunde Oyetola Diya and Adesimbo Bisola Omololu-Adegbuyi

The couple flanked by their parents

L-R: The couple receiving the wedding certificate from the officiating Minister, Ven. Goke Agara of Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church

L-R: Bishop Ola Kumolu, with the Groom’s Mother, Otunba (Mrs.) Josephine Diya, Apostle Ola Feyisetan,, L-R: Bride’s father, Chief (Capt) Omololu Sunday Adegbuyi (Rtd), his wife, Chief Abiodun Adegbuyi, the couple, the Otunba Folashade Diya and PR guru and Consultant, Aramide Tola Noibi groom’s father, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya (Rtd), groom’s mother, Otunba Josephine Diya, and Otunba Folashade Diya

L-R: The couple cutting their wedding cake. With them are former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Minister of Industries, Chief Nike Akande, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Chief Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and Senator Nimbe Mamora

The couple flanked by the bridal train at the wedding reception

L-R: HRM, Alaye of Odogbolu, Oba Adedeji Onagoruwa with HRM Osile of Oke Ona, Egbaland, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, Chief Kenny Martins and Chief Kessington Olubukonla Adebutu

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO

Editor Vincent Obia Email vincent.obia@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08054681757

IN THE ARENA

BetweenBadPoliticsandtheBadEconomy It was bad politics that got Nigeria into the current economic quagmire and the present-day leaders must change to the right kind of politics in order to free the country from the mounting difficulties.

Vincent Obia writes

C

hange is unavoidable.

Unless a system creates positive change for itself, it is bound to have negative change and, ultimately, become obsolete. Nigeria’s present economic woes bear testimony to that fact.

And the federal government underscored this point on Wednesday, when it admitted the harsh economic realities in the land and the largely politician-made causes.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, stated that Nigeria was in its “worst possible time”, as the National Bureau of Statistics said the country was in its worst economic recession in 29 years. She said, however, that the federal government was in no confusion as to what to do, stressing that diversification of the economy and investment in critical infrastructure are the best way to go.

NBS said in a report on Wednesday that the growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product went down from -0.36 per cent in the first quarter of the year to -2.06 per cent in the second quarter. It was a wholly negative picture for the economy between the first and second quarters of the year, as inflation rose from 16.5 per cent to 17.1 per cent; unemployment rate increased from 12.1 per cent to 13.3 per cent; and investment volume fell to $647.1 million from $710 million.

The major drop in economic activities had been obvious since the last one year. The federal government blamed the situation on a record fall in crude oil prices; though, it refrained from calling it a recession. But in the end, the government has admitted that the country is, indeed, in a recession.

The present economic woes are the bitter fruits of decades of bad politics. Nigeria runs a debilitating economic monoculture that is made worse by obsolete – sometimes, unwieldy – laws, which seem only intended to hinder progress.

A case in point is the petroleum industry, the mainstay of the economy, which is governed by regulations that are generally archaic and awkward. The regulations have seemed to make the natural resource a curse rather than blessing to the citizens.

There are about 30 laws governing the upstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian petroleum industry, many of which are anachronistic and retrogressive. In addition to section 44 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, the legal and regulatory framework of the petroleum industry are mainly expropriatory and exploitative. They have encouraged agitation, indolence, and retardation by seizing development resources from the communities and the federating units, and vesting them almost entirely in the federal government.

The laws have promoted consumption to the detriment of production. The result is a hazardous economic monoculture that exposes Nigeria to the worst vagaries of the domestic and foreign environments.

The Petroleum Industry Bill, which aims to streamline, standardise, and improve the guidelines for the operation of the upstream and downstream sectors has been stagnated by politics for nearly one decade.

Agriculture, too, has been hampered by tenuous government support, lack of finance, dearth of storage facilities, and insecurity. These have discouraged people from going into farming and exacerbated rural-urban migration, urban congesting, and crime.

Bloody clashes between crop farmers and animal breeders, which have been going on for several years, have worsened in recent times. This is, apparently, due to the absence of a determined effort by government to solve the problem. The situation has seriously affected crop and animal production. Despite expert suggestions of proven modern solutions, solutions that worked in societies in similar conditions as Nigeria, the federal government has remained evasive about stopping the traditional, yet controversial, practice of herding cattle from one place to another in search of forage.

Like the finance minister pointed out on Wednesday, “We’re too dependent on oil whereas, 87 per cent of our GDP is non-oil. So, let us drive those other areas.”

The issue of diversification has taken centre stage in the country. And there is no better time to diversify than now, when the dwindling prices of crude oil has forced many oil producing countries to begin to explore alternative sources of revenue. But it is difficult, almost impossible, to drive the much needed development in other areas of production without fundamentally restructuring the laws guiding the ownership and control of the means of production.

Restoring the power of the states, the federating units, to a reasonable level of control over their natural resources is the key to success in the economic diversification drive.

The excellent performance of the First Republic federating units bear witness to this. Every Nigerian comes from a state.

This natural attachment, which, in fact, was the basis of the coming together of the diverse peoples of Nigeria to form a federation, cannot be legislated out of existence. It can only be improved.

The federating units, which obviously have the greatest influence on the citizens, must own the production process if it is to produce the right results. They must also have the right and power to secure and police their territories.

Like the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, stated at the fourth Progressive Governance Lecture series organised by the Progressives Governors Forum, an umbrella body for the 23 governor of the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party must have a vigorous “agenda of competitive federalism.”

According to Soludo, “The federal government must loosen its hold on the states to allow them use their mineral base for the states. You have right over land but the federal government has right over what is underneath it.

“May be, the first place to start in freeing up the states is to first get the constitution amended…you can amend the constitution to take your mineral resources.”

APC controls 23 of the 36 of the federation. This majority stands the party in good stead to effect the constitutional changes needed to ramp up productivity and revamp the economy. The federal government must summon the courage to channel the party’s majority properly.

To change the present conditions, the President Muhammadu Buhari government needs to move beyond the familiar cosmetic solutions and engage in a fundamental reform of the system. Having acknowledged that these are unusual times, the administration needs a deep change of perspective; it needs to develop new ideas.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

F INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

The Doubts About 2019

ormer chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, on Wednesday alerted the country to a dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over the 2019 general election. With the level of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparedness barely two and a half years to the poll, Odinkalu doubted if the election would hold. He spoke in Abuja at a town hall meeting and presentation of the findings of a post-2015 elections research

conducted by a non-governmental organisation, ActionAid Nigeria.

Odinkalu stated that the gains recorded in the last general election were fast evaporating in the heat of improprieties in the three arms of government.

The authorities should take reservations of this kind very seriously. They should take deliberate steps to plug the obvious gaps in the preparation for the 2019 general election and the other elections before it.

– Vincent Obia

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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CICERO/ EDO ELECTION

Towards Edo’s Anxious Poll Tension is rising in Edo State ahead of this month’s governorship election in the state as supporters of political parties employ unwholesome tactics to try to intimidate opponents. Adibe Emenyonu, in Benin City, writes

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arely one week to the governorship election in Edo State, there are widespread signs of desperation among the political parties in the race. Twelve political parties are contesting the governorship seat, but only two, the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state and the Peoples Democratic Party, can be said to actually be in the race. Though, the All Progressives Grand Alliance has also tried to mount an active campaign.

Desperate Electioneering

It started in form of verbal attacks between the APC and PDP. Governor Adams Oshiomhole warmed against the dangerous escalation of bitter outbursts. But he accused the PDP of plotting to import thugs into the state for the September 10 poll and called on the police to prevent this.

Oshiomhole made the allegation during a visit to him by the Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, Mr. Adeyinka Kolawole Sodipo.

“All we need is a level-playing field. We have information about people from other neighbouring states under your zone, who are planning to relocate to Edo for the purpose of the election, some were deployed in the state to register during the continuous voter registration exercise so that they can come and cause trouble on election day,” the governor alleged.

But the opposition PDP has also accused APC of planning to rig the poll and buying permanent voter cards to facilitate the plot. PDP’s state publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare, who made the allegation in a press statement, also called on the police to provide a level playing field for the parties.

Not long ago, the PDP accused the police of harassing and intimidating its supporters.

Nehikhare allged at a media briefing that in the last one month, some PDP members had been incarcerated for either holding meetings or pasting posters of its governorship candidate.

Before Oshiomhole’s alarm, the campaign organisation for the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had warned about a similar situation following the alleged destruction of their billboards and posters by suspected supporters of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The Obaseki campaign organisation accused PDP of mobilising thugs to vandalise APC billboards and tear posters, warning that such action will be resisted.

Casualty

One Mr. Samuel, a native of Zugbenu in Esan Central Local Government Area was about the first casualty of the rising tension. His offence, it was gathered, was his open support for Obaseki. The injured APC member told journalists that he was in his house when some PDP thugs, armed with dangerous weapons, came and started beating him. “I didn’t do anything; I only said that the APC candidate is the best man for the top job in Edo State. Before I know it, they started attacking me.”

Similarly, just last week, there was a reported attack on the campaign team of Ize-Iyamu in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area, which led to the destruction of about two vehicles in his convoy. It was gathered that the youths, who carried out the attack, were chanting anti-PDP songs before they ambushed the convoy and damaged two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz C-Class and a Toyota Sienna space car.

Penultimate weekend, thugs suspected to be loyal to the PDP attacked the campaign train of the governorship candidate ofAPC at Illushi, near Ubiaja, in Esan South East Local Government Area. Five persons were

Prof Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman allegedly abducted during the attack while 10 others were wounded. The APC supporters were reportedly abducted with two campaign vehicles belonging to the party after a campaign rally.

There are fears that the abducted persons may have been thrown into the River Niger. Some of those who received injuries included Maleke Idowu, a popular music artiste in Benin City, and senior special adviser to the governor, Jonathan Orukpe, personal driver to the deputy governorship candidate, and Sani Kamil.

It was learnt that the incident occurred about 9pm on August 20 after the rally. The victims were packing the sound equipment when the armed thugs arrived.

According to Maleke, “We were beaten, molested and almost thrown into the River Niger by some of the thugs, who repeatedly shouted at us for daring to come to the area, which they claimed had been secured for the PDP governorship candidate.

“Before they started, one of the thugs referred to as Lucky, took away our phones and asked us to sit on the floor. it was when they heard that security agencies had been mobilised that they left and a woman from the community assisted us to escape. We are looking for five of our boys right now and even their Hilux and a bus.”

Shortly after the attack, Obaseki described it as shocking and a mark of PDP’s desperation. He urged security operatives to fish out the perpetrators, noting that the matter has been reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Ubiaja, Esan South East.

Narrating the incident, Obaseki said,

“there was an earlier threat that we should not come to IIushi to campaign but we said we must go to llushin. We got there, had a peaceful rally at Illushi and part of my convoy was waylaid and supporters abducted, taken into the bush, beaten, molested and some of them have been gravely hurt. We do not expect this level of violence from the PDP supporters at Illushi.

“I have always believed in peaceful campaign and despite this, I have appealed to our supporters to be calm. We are law abiding people. But the PDP must produce those abducted, that is criminal and wicked.

We cannot be intimidated and you know what, they should not take our calmness for foolishness, it is a warning, Ize-Iyamu and others must know.”

Interaction

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, an arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria, has also urged the candidates in the election to embrace peace in their quest to govern the state.

Speaking at an interactive session with the governorship candidates, the Edo State director of social security outreach of PFN, Professor Anthony Ogbeide, emphasised that good governance should be the thrust of religious groups, policy makers, political leaders, and the voters. Ogbeide said the meeting was to streamline ideas and refine methodologies for the interest of the people.

He urged the candidates to be respectful in their campaign statements and desist from lies and blackmail.

Ogbeide said development, employment,

education, equity in sharing of power and resources, moderate lifestyle and accessibility to the people, periodic evaluation and town hall meetings should be prioritised by the governorship candidates.

According to him, “There should be no campaign of calumny. Use the campaign to respectfully unveil your plans to the people you want to govern. It is not a period of accusations and counter accusations and blackmail.

“Make the voting field peaceful without scaring away voters. Accept defeat when it is so obvious and develop the team spirit for successful governance, enduring peace and security in the state. “ Also reacting to the attack on the APC candidate’s campaign team, the African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice said the political attacks reported recently in some areas in Edo State portended great danger for the forthcoming election. Executive director of the body, Reverend David Ugolor, suggested that there was need for proper investigation to identify the causes and those who involved, including the political parties, adding that the law enforcement agencies should take the necessary actions to stop the reoccurrence and also end the culture of impunity.

Ugolor said, “Political parties that promote or support violence should be exposed and their agents should also face the full weight of the law. Even in advanced democracies where mudslinging and political character assassination sometimes prevail, people do not encourage their followers/supporters to take the laws in their hands. There are usually fiery debates, laced with pun, laughter and butts of jokes. At the end of the day, superior arguments and orderly presentation of programmes and manifestoes often carry the day.”

“We have very good examples in the elections which gave Obama a second term, and the latest referendum in the UK. In the first instance, the GOP candidate Mitt Romney engaged Obama in such a fiery but civilised manner that American politics earned the respect of the international community. And without blood or sweat, the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the EU. The two camps, the Brexiters and Stayers, resolved issues by meeting the people, campaigning from door to door, village to village, town to town. and city to city.

“It is unfortunate that the exact opposite takes place here in Edo. It is mostly because power is seen as the shortest cut to the conquest of poverty, and the maintenance of corruption. We should try to encourage the culture of non-violence, which will promote competition among the political parties and then provide opportunity for the electorate to decide who to cast their vote for in the election.”

Ugolor also said using violence to intimidate opponent and the electorates should be avoided and the government should also provide sufficient resources for the law enforcement agencies to provide security for all the stakeholders. He noted that the absence of prosecution of those who involved in election violence also encouraged more people to embark on violence.

In order to avoid future occurrence of violence before and during the elections, the ANEEJ boss suggested that INEC should to build alliance with all stakeholders to support a peaceful election. One way to do this, he said, was to strengthen the electoral laws in the country to deal with some of the issues around campaign violence.

He further suggested that INEC should henceforth spend half of the year educating the electorate via the media and town hall meetings as well as partner with civil society organisations.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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CICERO/ INTERVIEW

Obaseki: With Our Track Record, Whoever PDP Presents on September 10 will be Defeated Inthismediachat,Mr.GodwinObaseki,candidateoftheAllProgressiveCongress intheupcominggovernorshipelection in Edo State, speaks on his chances, why he thinks Edo People have had enough of the Peoples Democratic Party, and the alleged plot to cause mayhem during the election. Olaseni Durojaiye brings excerpts

H

ow optimistic are you of victory having campaigned very vigorously so far?

We have campaigned extensively, if you recall this is the second time I am embarking on this kind of campaign.

During the primaries I went through the 192 wards. The campaigns for the main election has been more detailed, I went to communities I did not have the opportunity of visiting during the primaries and it has been quite revealing. Firstly, it would be a miracle for PDP to win in Edo state because as we have gone round the communities we just don’t see their presence, we don’t hear their message, probably because they don’t have any message. In every community we have gone to we can point to a project that the APC government has undertaken and that explains the popularity of the party. The issue in most communities is that they want more and it is easy to argue that given our track record of performance they should allow us continue to provide for them unlike that of PDP, their track record was so bad that in their ten years nothing to show the people of the state. So that being the fact on ground it has been easy to go round to appeal to the voters to vote for me as APC candidate and my running mate Philip Shuaibu.

The second issue is that we have been able to counter their lies because without any message to send they have gone round to tell lies to people, campaign of calumny, lies to create tension and anxiety and prepare the place for violence. Going round has also given us the opportunity to counter those lies. For them the only way they can win is for them to unleash violence and steal ballot boxes to produce fake results and we know clearly they are working on such strategies. There is evidence and we have reported to security agencies, the people they are importing from neighbouring communities to come and cause mayhem so we can have inconclusive elections.

We also have evidence of the people they brought in to register during their Voters Registration Exercise who do not even come from those communities. You could see from the incident at llushi, where they attacked my campaign train, you could see due to the frustration and fear that they are going to lose the election some of their supporters are even acting the violent script even before the day. They cannot even hold it back. They unleashed mayhem on our supporters which was totally uncalled for and wicked.

They destroyed our vehicles and people were beaten up. So they are masters of propaganda, while we are campaigning the PDP leadership are using the money they stole for propaganda, so their propaganda machine is well oiled, misinforming people, most of their proposed theory is to deceive people, giving them false impression that they are winning. No concrete message for the people, they are selling a message about the future when they destroyed the past.

So they really don’t have a message they go to the markets, trying to create fear, using the current economic crisis to campaign. But we have gone round to explain to people that these are the same people who caused this economic recession, destroyed our economy. So the only other plans which they are confidence is violence which they are masters in. We know that the PDP is working with the guys that created the havoc in Rivers state, the killings there. We have told security agencies, we know that they have recruited many of them. You know we are campaigning in riverine areas and those are the areas they are targeting. Places like llusin, Gegelege, Agenebode, our borders are the areas they intend to perpetuate violence and there is evidence they have brought in people in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okhai. They planted at least two militants each from the Niger Delta in each of the units in these metropolitan areas so that they can cause mayhem and cause confusion that may lead to inconclusive elections. That is their strategy and we have told security agents. The PDP has no message to give so they want violence but we will not allow them.

and work against their own party but they shunned him. The reconciliation effort we have done has been very successful. You would have noticed that some of our colleagues who were aggrieved after the primaries have been working very closely with the party in their various wards and local governments.

We are all together. I was even touched seeing our members contributing money to fire the campaigns in their various wards, quite touching and I am so grateful to them.

What is also interesting and what helped us is the wave of decamping from PDP to APC, so anybody who was angry with us, seeing PDP coming to us would say, I think we have something good here, let us remain. So the factor of many PDP members decamping to APC and the depth of reconciliation just show that we are one and people are working in unison, particularly in the local governments like Orhiomwon, Uhumwonde, those are the areas we have concerns before but those areas are solid now and under the control of APC, the leaders of the party there are working together now.

Obaseki But is this recession problem not affecting your party in the campaigns and the elections ahead?

In this case of Edo we know that Edo people are very enlightened, we have been explaining to them that the recession is global but what is more important is what we have been doing to solve the problem.

Campaigning round the state, I found out that in the rural areas, people are beginning to make a lot of money due to rise in prices of goods. But we have told them prices will come down as a result of these productions we are seeing. Most areas where have tarred roads, we see people drying rice, people going to their farms to harvest yams and lorry loads of food stuff coming out.

So we have been selling a message of hope to say look this recession is only temporary and because they trust us, they are buying it. The other advantage we have is that they have tested the PDP before and they don’t see PDP as an option. When we asked them they said sometimes they don’t even know who the PDP candidate is, whether it is Ize-Iyamu or Iduoriyekemwen. So even their members are confused while many of them felt APC is the only hope and they are joining us every day. So PDP has no hope in this election. For me the real opponents I have are that of the APGA, Osaro Onaiwu, and others, but not PDP. There are two PDP in Edo now, the ones controlled by the godfathers and only them are still in that party and the one controlled by some progressive leaders and that faction has moved to APC. So who is going to win for them in each of the wards and units, nobody. So I laugh when they resorted to making comments in the papers, they only exist in the papers not on ground and for me it is another 419 so that their PDP governors will bring money for them to share. Of course you know those guys are 419 guys who have been there since 1999 making money from deceiving people. But it is all over for them in Edo. APC in Edo state led by Oshiomhole has buried them and we will bury and bury PDP continuously.

Any fear of anti party activities by your members?

Nobody in APC will do anti party. That was Ize-Iyamu’s prayers because he called several APC members to come and play the trick he knows best

People see you as a stooge to Governor Adams Oshiomhole?

I keep saying to them that if I was a stooge for the last eight years and that led to the amount of development and progress that we have made, then if being a stooge will lead to the progress of my people I rather be a stooge to my people than being a none stooge that will steal our common wealth. It is nonsense.

Here again are the issues, the issue is about development, about utilising our wealth for our common good.

So if being a stooge means utilising public fund for the betterment of the people of Edo state, if being a stooge means I am not going to meet with any godfather to decide on how my budget will be implemented then I will rather be such stooge. One of the PDP candidates, Ize-Iyamu, has all his life been a stooge to the Igbinedions, both the father and son.

Starting as a PA to Lucky Igbinedion, Chief of staff to his government and later the most powerful SSG who signed off fake contracts that were never executed.

Who signed the sacking of over seven thousand workers who today are crying of pension which the Oshiomhole’s administration is paying today. Let me tell you, we need to begin to change the paradigm.

I keep asking, tell me in specific terms what the Oshiomhole’s administration has not done in the last seven and half years.

So what is wrong about propagating and continuing with those strides? So we must redefine our politics from these brain dead hawks in our politics who think they can continue to destroy and distract our people.

The issue is what did you do with political authorities.

Being in the backroom of this administration in the last seven and half years, I directed the policies more.

I pointed to the comrade governor the direction we should go, so did that make Adams a stooge?

Sometimes try and understand their logic, because of their poor education which has never allowed them do other things in their lives they make those stupid arguments about being a stooge. But let me tell them, if with all we have achieved under Oshiomhole made me a stooge, I accept. Then let Ize-Iyamu also accept that he is a stooge to Lucky Igbinedion and let him take the blames of the failure of the PDP for ten years.

At least with that you will expect him to toe the path of honour by withdrawing from the contest because he will be stoned by our people next Saturday.

The election is just around the corner, what is your message to Edo people I want to first thank Edo people because across the state, I have found out during our campaigns that we have groups and communities which voluntarily on their own endorsed me, assuring me that they will vote for me. My appeal is to security agencies to ensure that they monitor the process to ensure we have no violence. If we have an election, free fair and credible, that is devoid of violence, I am certain we will trounce the PDP no matter who they decide to produce as the candidate. I will pick at least 80 per cent of the votes come September 10.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO/REPORT

After 25yrs of Chequered History, Anambra on the Path of Sustainable Growth Anambra State, the Light of the Nation became 25 penultimate Saturday. Anayo Okolie, in this report, looks at how the state has feared under Governor Willie Obiano

T

o historians, celebrating 25 years of creation of Anambra State is worth it, considering the political, economic and social development of the state and its citizens.

Today, the indigenes of Anambra State, both at home and in Diaspora are doing great in different sectors and they have brought respect to Light of the Nation in their different adventures.

Anambra possesses a history that stretches back to the 9th Century AD, as revealed by archaeological excavations at Igbo-Ukwu and Ezira. But Anambra as a state first came into existence few months after the end of the civil war in 1976. The old Anambra State, which comprised the present Anambra and Enugu states old East Central State with capital in Enugu.

The present Anambra State was created by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida on August 27, 1991, with its capital in Awka. Since the creation of the state 25 years ago, 20 people have steered the ship of the state either as military or civilian governors.

They are; John Atom Kpera (March 1976 – July 1978), Col. Datti Sadiq Abubakar (July 1978 – October 1979), Jim Nwobodo (October 1979 – October 1983), Christian Onoh (October – December 1983), Allison Madueke (January 1984 - August 1985), Samson Omeruah (August 1985 - December 1987), Robert Akonobi (December 1987 – August 1990), Herbert Eze (August 1990 – January 1992), Joseph Abulu (August 1991 – January 1992), Chukwuemeka Ezeife (January 1992 - November 1993), Dabo Aliyu (November 1993 – December 1993), Mike Attah (December 1993 – August 1996), Rufai Garba (August 1996 - August 1998), Emmanuel Ukaegbu (August 1998 – May 1999), Chinwoke Mbadinuju (May 1999 - May 2003), Chris Ngige (May 2003 – March 17, 2006) and Peter Obi (March 17, 2006 – November 3, 2006).

Also due to political crisis in the state, Obi’s deputy, Dame Virginia Etiaba governed Anambra between November 3, 2006 – February 9, 2007, while Senator Andy Uba was at the helms of affairs for 14 days between May 29 and June 14, 2007 before he was removed by a Supreme Court decision on 14 June 2007.

After successfully steering the ship of Anambra for two terms, Obi handed over to the incumbent Governor Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014.

There is no doubt that some of the past Anambra State governors did their best in governance since the birth of the state in 1991, but the achievements of Governor Obiano in the last two years is commendable, having used his wealth of experience and managerial skills to turn the fortune of the state around.

Today, Anambra is a model to many states in Nigeria. Looking on how he has been able to implement several positive changes in Anambra within his two years in office, there is no doubt that Governor Obiano, a banker turned politician is one of the examples of technocrats and professionals who have proved their onion in Nigeria politics as good administrators of capital and human resources.

When Obiano declared his intension to contest in 2013 to succeed then Governor Peter Obi, many people thought that the road may be tough for him since he was not an astute politician but Obiano, who many regarded to then as greenhorn in politics shocked many by not only emerging as All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for the November 17, 2013 governorship election, but also defeated Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a veteran in Anambra politics, Senator Chris Ngige, who contested on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

During his swearing in on March 17, 2014, Governor Obiano said his Vision is ‘to make Anambra State the First Choice Investment Destination and a hub for industrialization and commercial activities’ while his Mission was ‘to make Anambra State a socially stable, business-friendly environment that would attract both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth-creating opportunities.” For him to guarantee the realisation of his Vision and Mission statements, Governor Obiano crafted a Blueprint known as the

Obiano Four Pillars of Development which revolves around Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade and Commerce and Oil & Gas. To achieve the Vision and Mission Statements, which come together in a perfect synergy with the Four Pillars of Development to make up my dream for Anambra State, Governor Obiano immediately swing into actions after taking oath of office to ensure that dividends of democracy were made available to people during his four-year tenure.

Obiano had never treated the mandate given to him by Ndi Anambra as child’s play and that was why he had been able to silent his opponents with sterling achievements in different parts of the states.

Today, there are many visible laudable projects which the people of Anambra State can point to as Obiano’s government achievements.

The unique thing about Obiano’s performance is that he has used his wealth of experience as a financial expert to manage the resources of Anambra State effective despite global economic recession.

His government performances and successes in office as a result of his creative approach in generating revenue and doing more with less resources has also endeared him to the people of the state despite the dwindling economy in the country.

In fact, while some governors are finding it difficult to provide dividends of democracy to the people, Governor Obiano has many projects to point to as his remarkable achievements within two years in office.

Despite meeting the need of the people through several infrastructures and commendable projects, Obiano’s administration has not faulted in payment of staff salaries, compared to other states owing catalogues of salaries running to about four to eight months.

The governor has also been able to increase the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state from N500 million to about N1.2 billion monthly without heavy tax burden like other state governors are doing presently. He is also working hard to increase the state IGR to N2.2 billion monthly for the survival of the state.

Knowing the importance of security of life and property in a state, Obiano has done a lot in addressing security challenge in Anambra State to secure the state and its citizens by launching an all-out war against kidnappers, armed robbers, drug-dealers and child-traffickers.

Obiano has been able to smashed crime syndicates and pulled down the warehouses used for keeping kidnap victims.

For security agents to fight crime effectively, the governor donated smart cars to the police, a gunboat

to the Navy and launched police helicopters to watch over the state skies. Today, for the first time since the creation of the state, Anambra is effectively covered on the land, waters and sky.

The governor has also opened Anambra up to the World by making the state attractive to wise investors. He has been able to attract investments and fast-tracking the process of investing in the state through the establishment of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA).

To date, ANSIPPA has attracted investments valued at over $3.2billion to Anambra State, which cut across agriculture, trade and commerce, manufacturing, oil and gas, hospitality, housing, electricity generation, waste management, education and health.

Knowing the importance of diversification with the fall in price of oil, which has led to reduction in federal allocation to states, Obiano has made significant progress in the area of his Four Pillars of Development which revolves around Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade and Commerce and Oil & Gas. The governor made agriculture, the leading pillar of his Economic Blueprint and today the state government is reaping a lot from agriculture sector to achieve its aim of being in the top-three agriculture states in Nigeria.

Today, Anambra has become an exporter of farm produce to Europe. Songhai Farms has reached an agreement with SABMiller for the supply of Sorghum, produced in Igbariam for brewing beverages.

The state government has also flooded the market with a wholly indigenous brand of rice known as Anambra Rice which is competing favourably with other brands in the market.

Obiano-led administration so far has attracted $150m from Coscharis Farms Project in Anaku, $50m from NOVTEC Farms Ltd in Ndikelionwu, $160m from Joseph Agro Ltd rice project in Omor, $220m from Ekcel Farms tomato production farm in Omasi and $50m from the Songhai/Delfarms integrated organic farm project in Igbariam.

There are also Grains & Silos with $40m investment in storage facilities, Lynden Farms with the $61m poultry farm in Igbariam and Tricity Integrated Farms with $11.4m ultra-modern abattoir in Awka. Indeed, the fire of agricultural revolution is raging in Anambra State.

In the area of industrialization, Obiano administration has created modern Industrial Parks and Small-to-medium Enterprise Clusters, improved Investments and better Access to Financing and Strategic Capacity Building. His government have

so far attracted over $140 million investment to the manufacturing sector and also set precedence in the area of building critical alliances with foreign trade delegations.

One of the objectives of Governor Obiano administration is to move Anambra to the top-three states in Trade and Commerce in Nigeria. To achieve this, the governor rehabilitated many existing markets and building ultramodern shopping malls across the state.

He also flagged off the construction of a $350 million wholesale shopping complex in Ogbunike in Oyi LGA, which is first of its kind in Africa in term of commercial and lifestyle complex. Onitsha Shopping Mall a legacy project of his predecessor is now in operation.

He has also increased the pace of work on the two other malls in Awka and Nnewi. Other achievements in the area of Trade and Commerce include the 1st Phase of the 20,000-unit International Market at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area valued at $75 million dollars and the installation of Close-Circuit TV Cameras (CCTV) in Onitsha Main Market.

In Oil and Gas sector, Anambra State is blessed with over one billion barrels of oil and 30 trillion cubic feet of gas and to benefit immensely from the sector, Obiano government set up the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee headed by the renowned Dr. Emmanuel Egboga, who was former Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters to ensure the recognition of Anambra as the 10th Oil Producing State in Nigeria. He has also constructed Anambra’s longest bridge, measuring 280 meters long, across the Omambala River as part of the 42kilometre road that opens access to the oil fields in Aguleri.

The state government is also building two other bridges to the oil fields through Umueje in Ayamelum and Umudiora in Anambra West Local Government Areas. He has also partner with UD Integrated Petroleum Production Development Company, UDIPPCO, and Falcon Corporation Limited to invest in the development of gas-topower initiative in the State.

In the area of roads and infrastructure, Obiano administration has his promise to Ndi Anambra in building and maintenance of roads and bridges in this state.

The construction of three fly-overs between the Amawbia and Aroma end of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, a distance of about three kilometres within Awka city, speak eloquently of his ambition to transform Anambra with world class infrastructure. The administration has also built two bridges and a 5-Cell Culvert in Awgbu-Ndiukwuenu-AwaUfuma axis and asphalted over 102 roads. It is also on record that there is no single road the incumbent administration inherited from his predecessor that had been abandoned.

In the area of urbanization and structural planning, Governor Obiano-led government in October 2015 signed memorandum of understanding with Galway modular housing company, Affordable Building Concepts International for 10,000 housing units in the State.

Obiano is not playing lip service to education and the achievements of his administration in the educational sector have remained impressive in the past two years. Anambra State under Obiano’s government has maintained enviable position in NECO and WAEC examinations.

Similarly, students from Anambra State took the Third position at the World Schools Debate Championship in Singapore last year. In terms of funding for schools, Obiano administration has disbursed the sum of N733 million to mission schools, renovated 1,000 units of 10-classroom blocks and awarded scholarships estimated at N30 million to over 200 students.

In fulfilment of his campaign promises to provide thousands of jobs for people of Anambra State, Governor Obiano through quality of investments attracted to the state so far, have drastically reduced unemployment problem in no distant time by projecting over 250,000 direct and indirect jobs.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO/ON THE WATCH

As Ekiti Bans Open Grazing Olakiitan Victor, in Ado Ekiti, examines the implications of the law banning opening grazing in Ekiti State, which was signed last week by Governor Ayo Fayose, against the backdrop of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s cagy attitude to calls for a nationwide ban on the controversial system of grazing

K

Legal Implication

illings by suspected herdsmen in different parts of the country have in recent times become a national nightmare. In virtually every state of the federation, many innocent farmers have been murdered by the nomadic herdsmen, who are more often than not viewed as rampageous marauders and blood-sucking vampires.

Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry the genocide attacks on the Idoma people of Benue State by suspected Fulani cattle herders. The freshest of these killings was in Enugu State, where scores were massacred by suspected Fulani marauders in the name of cattle rearing. Such ugly scenarios have also resonated in Ekiti and other states in the South-west and the other geopolitical zones.

Oke Ako Massacre

For the people of Oke Ako, in the northern axis of Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, the ugly memories of the tragedy that befell them on May 20 would linger for a long time to come.

The town is about one and half hours’ drive to Ado Ekiti and less than an hour to Egbe in Kogi State, which further makes it porous to attacks by herdsmen coming from the northern parts of the country.

The predominantly remote, rustic and agrarian community had been noted for its serenity. But some gun-wielding men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded the community on that fateful day, about 8pm, and shot sporadically in every direction, killing two villagers and injuring scores of others.

The attack ignited serious panic and hostility between the Fulani herdsmen and Ekiti indigenes, to the extent that Governor Ayo Fayose, being constitutionally the chief security officer of the state, had to relocate the seat of power to the town for a day to try to discourage reprisal attacks from the villagers. Fayose did not hide his anger, as he addressed the people of the town in an emotionladen tone. The governor insisted that he would not fold his arms and allow people from other ethnic backgrounds to kill the state’s residents with impunity under the guise of cattle rearing. He assured that his government would take expeditious actions to regulate grazing in the state.

Fayose said, “Before they kill you, or rape your wives or daughters, make sure you get at them first. If you see any herdsman moving in suspicious manner in this town, bring him down, kill him before they kill you.”

During the visit, Fayose set up a vigilance group in the town to work with the security agencies that had been stationed at the place. The governor donated N2.5 million and a Toyota Hilux van to local hunters to enhance their performance. He promised to consolidate the security measures through the instrument of the law by sending a bill, Prohibition of Cattle Grazing Bill, 2016, to the House of Assembly for passage. He said the bill, when it became law, would regulate grazing and legalise the activities of the hunters.

Prohibition of Open Grazing Law

It was against the backdrop of the Oke Ako attack that Fayose on August 29 signed into law the bill criminalising free-range grazing of cattle in Ekiti State. He assented to the bill, tagged, “Prohibition of cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti Bill, 2016,” which had been passed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

Stakeholders at both the executive and legislative arms of government agreed that the law was intended to check crisis arising from incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state. Such clashes have caused wanton destruction of lives and farmlands worth millions of naira.

Public Hearing

Less than two weeks after the killing at Oke Ako, Fayose, through the Ministry of Justice, sent the bill to the Assembly. It sought to regulate grazing in the state. As part of the process of the bill’s passage, the Assembly held a public hearing on it on August 10, where opinions of stakeholders were aggregated.

Stakeholders, who participated in the public hearing on the bill, included security agencies, traditional rulers, officials of the Ministries of Justice and Environment, the Fulani community, and cattle breeders.

At the hearing, the deputy speaker, Hon Segun Adewumi, told the participants that the bill when passed into law would protect the lives and property of Ekiti residents. He said the public hearing became imperative because it was an important and reliable way of seeking the opinions of critical stakeholders on the matter.

Adewumi stated, “This forum is for us to aggregate the opinions of stakeholders to address sensitive areas of the bill. The major assignment before this gathering is to critically examine the bill from all sides and angles for possible amendments.”

In his contributions, the legal adviser, Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Mr Umar Imam, said though the body was not opposed to the passage of the bill, the lawmakers should reconsider its stand on the banning of night grazing. Imam

Fayose

disagreed with section 2(1) (2), which suggested that designated ranches will be provided by the government to restrict the cattle to areas, saying this will lead to the death of the cattle. Concerning the banning of the herdsmen from carrying arms like knife, catapult and dane gun in the bill, Imam said the country had enough laws guiding the carrying of firearms, saying enacting another law can run contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The representative of Cattle Rearers’ Association of Nigeria, Ekiti chapter, Alhaji Mohammed Zaiyannu, urged the lawmakers to consider the formation of a vigilance group comprising members from all critical stakeholders and security agencies to be able to arrest those wreaking havoc on farmlands at night.

Open Grazing Prohibition Law

On August 29, Fayose signed the bill into law. The law gives the state the power to charge whoever engages in night and destructive grazing with terrorism, and the offence carries six months imprisonment without the option of fine.

Giving some of the highlights of the grazing law, the governor said the activities of cattle tenders were limited to 7am to 6pm every day. He said the state government would allot land in each local government for grazing, stressing that anyone caught grazing on portions of land or any farmland not allotted by government shall be apprehended and made to face the law.

Fayose said, “Any herdsman caught with firearms and any weapons whatsoever during grazing shall be charged with terrorism. Any cattle confiscated shall be taken to government cattle ranch at Erunfun in Iworoko community. Any farm products destroyed by the activities of any caught herdsman shall be estimated by agricultural officer and the expenses of the estimate shall be borne by the culprit. Any herdsman who violates any of these rules shall be imprisoned for six months without option of fine.”

Sanctions

Going by the contents of the law, animals involved, apart from cattle, include oxen and other ruminant animals, such as goat and sheep.

The law provides, “No owner/ person shall cause or permit any cattle or ruminants belonging to him or under his/her control to graze on any land in which the governor has not designated as ranches. “The governor shall by an order designate land in each local government in respect of which cattle or ruminants may be permitted to graze. “Any herdsman found with dangerous weapons, like gun, shall be charged with terrorism.

“Anybody found guilty upon conviction by the law court shall be liable to six months imprisonment without option of fine.

“No cattle or ruminants shall by any means move in the night.

Movement within ranches shall be between 7am and 6pm.

“Any cattle confiscated shall be taken to government ranches at Erunfun , Iworoko and other designated places.”

A legal practitioner in Ekiti State, Mr Bunmi Olugbade, said Fayose did not breach the constitution by enacting a law to regulate agricultural practices in the state. Olugbade said Section 90 of the 1999 Constitution empowered the Houses of Assembly to legislative on matters listed on the Concurrent and Residual Lists.

He said agriculture was contained on part 2, paragraphs 18, 19, 20 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. Paragraph 18 states, “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, a House of Assembly may make laws for that state with respect to industrial, commercial or agricultural development of the state.”

Based on the foregoing, Olugbade said animal husbandry could not be excluded and Fayose took the appropriate step in this regard since it was not contained in the Exclusive List.

The chairman of Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmadu Mahmood, absolved his members of complicity in the litany of attacks being perpetrated by suspected herdsmen in Ekiti. He said his members had nothing to fear over the enactment of the law. Mahmoud described his people as law abiding citizens who have property and are contributing to the development of any town where they find themselves. He said the law will help in deepening their relationship with the farmers, rather than straining it.

Mahmoud, however, expressed fear that some evil –minded people might want to hide under the law to incriminate members of his association in order to take over their property. He called on the state government to be wary of this misgiving, so that objective of the law will not be defeated.

But Imam said it would be wrong to charge cattle herders with terrorism for carrying light weapons. He was quoted as saying, “The law of the federation on terrorism is very clear and no one can be charged for terrorism for carrying lesser arms like cutlasses, catapults and knives during the grazing period as contained in Ekiti’s new law.”

Imam said the light weapons were merely used to help grazing activities. He also said that the movement of cattle at night was on purpose to avoid wreaking havoc on people while relocating from one settlement to another during the day. “What the state government ought to have done is to allow whoever wants to relocate at night to take permit from a certain government’s authority or inform their Seriki. But banning them from moving at night may not help the situation, it will make their jobs difficult,” he stated.

Commendation

The enactment of the grazing law has been widely commended as a bold step by the Fayose government towards enhancement of cordial relations among the indigenes and residents of the state. The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra on Tuesday urged Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whose state has suffered murderous consequences at the hands of cattle breeders lately, to emulate Fayose by proposing a similar grazing law.

But time will tell how the federal government would react to the Ekiti State grazing law, given the Buhari government’s seeming unwillingness to heed widespread calls for a ban on the violenceprone open grazing system.

Any herdsman found with dangerous weapons, like gun, shall be charged with terrorism. “Anybody found guilty upon conviction by the law court shall be liable to six months imprisonment without option of fine. “No cattle or ruminants shall by any means move in the night.

Movement within ranches shall be between 7am and 6pm.

“Any cattle confiscated shall be taken to government ranches at Erunfun , Iworoko and other designated places

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO/COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT/INTERVIEW

A Meeting of Minds Between Ekwunife and Nri Women The close understanding between Senator Uche Ekwunife and the people of Nri Kingdom for the development of the community was once again highlighted when she met with her people at this year’s Annual August Women’s Meeting. Vincent Obia writes

I

n the South-east, especially Anambra State, the Annual August Women’s Meeting is a big event, not just for its social significance, but also for its developmental goals. It is a special homecoming for daughters of Nri Kingdom and an invaluable occasion for interaction on the progress of the community. This year’s meeting, which was held from August 8 to August 13, was another milestone for Senator Uche Ekwunife and the women of Nri Kingdom in their collective march towards development.

Ekwunife attended the conventions in Agukwu Nri, where amid the pageantry of the special occasion, her virtues as a stalwart for community emancipation and development were profusely celebrated. The people extolled her qualities as a woman of substance, a grassroots mobiliser, and a defender of the womenfolk. The women of Nri were as usual delighted to have Ekwunife again in their midst.

Together, Ekwunife and her people tried to chart a path for the church and women participation in community development. Her presence had an electric effect on the women, as they defied the showery days to be part of the conventions.

Addressing the women on August 12, during the general meeting of all women in Nri town, Ekwunife told them not to ignore their role in the home, particularly, in relation to the upbringing of their children. She stressed the

crucial role of the home in the inculcation of discipline in children and the development of society, saying women should always stand in defence of good virtues and remain supportive to their husbands.

Ekwunife said, “The depth of moral discipline mothers inculcate in their children helps in shaping them for the future. A child without good home training is a problem to the society and the country at large.”

She said women should not limit themselves in the pursuit of education and professional excellence because knowledge is vital to the development of any society. Ekwunife said the women should not be discouraged from going into professions known to be for the men in this part of the world. With anecdotes from the advanced countries, where women are known to engage in jobs, such as taxi driving, vulcanising, farming, etc., alongside the men, she advised women to brace up for the challenges of modern society. She encouraged women to acquire skills that would equip them for effective discharge of their role in society.

Advising the youth of the community, Ekwunife said, “There are two things that make people to excel in life: prayer and hard work. The two go hand in hand. You cannot jettison prayer while working hard to excel, and you cannot ignore hard work while praying for excellence.”

Ekwunife also spoke on the need for the people to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. She urged the

Ekwunife

women to support the federal government and always pray for the country’s leaders. Being a Christian, she said the Holy Bible enjoins citizens to pray always for their leaders.

“We should support the Buhari government in its effort to deliver the dividends of democracy to the country. “Good leadership also requires good followership. We should do our best to help the federal government accomplish the positive change we all desire for the country,” she said.

On the on-going fight against corruption by the federal government, Ekwunife said women should support the government by teaching their children the virtues of hard-work and perseverance. She advised young people to

develop themselves not only educationally, but also in terms of entrepreneurial skills, saying gone are the days when school leavers waited for white collar jobs.

Citing the example of Buhari, who contested for the seat of president three consecutive times before eventually winning it, Ekwunife advised the people, especially the youth, to be patient.

She told them to bear with the administration of Buhari, explaining that the hard times would certainly be over. She said government was a continuum and power came from God, who gives it to whomsoever He desires.

Ekwunife said the current economic downturn should spur the people on to more creativity and declared that the federal government meant well for the people of Nigeria. She said, “Our people should be patient enough to reap the fruits of this administration.”

Responding, the president of Nri Progressive Union, Women Wing, Mrs. Anthonia Okoye, thanked Ekwunife for attending the convention and for bringing the community abundant gifts.

Okoye said Ekwunife had done even more than she did during the electioneering. Unlike many politicians who visit their people only when they want to canvass for votes, the Nri women leader said Ekwunife had proved that she was a worthy and consistent voice for the womenfolk, saying she has endeared herself to all the women in Anambra State at large.

Okoye reiterated the resolve of the women to always stand by Ekwunife in her political endeavours.

Obidigbo: I Want to Correct the Mistake of 2013 Dr. Chike Obidigbo, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Anambra State, spoke with some journalists recently on his political mission. Adedayo Akinwale was there. Excerpts:

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governorship ambition, considering the rumour that he plans to dump APGA for another political party.

I have not dumped APGA, whatever you have heard is speculation. I haven’t gone into any other political group, and I have not told anybody I’m going to this particular one or not.

When the time comes whichever one God directs, I will go there.

I see what I’m trying to do as a kind of divine assignment. If I don’t see it that way I wouldn’t be interested. I see it as a divine assignment for my people and I believe that God will provide the platform that I will use.

n the present state of the national economy.

The business climate in Nigeria today is very bad; I don’t want to mince words about it. Those of us that are into manufacturing, between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of our raw materials come from outside Nigeria.

You know what it means that you are buying dollar at less than N200, and suddenly without notice you start buying at N400 to a dollar. It affects your already over-bloated cost of production, which now makes it much more difficult for you to produce, first, at controlled cost and, secondly, to produce at a cost that can be affordable to the market and competitive.

On whether the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has the economic blueprint to turn around the country’s economy.

Economic blueprint, first, is in the head, second, is on the paper, but the most important one is the translation into action where we will start feeling the effects of the economic blueprint.

Sometimes those that prepare the economic blueprint have no knowledge of what is happening on the ground. It could be based on what they think, or what they import from somewhere else. The economic blueprint of this country hardly takes into consideration what the people are experiencing, the problems we face on a daily basis. We want good economic blueprint that will impact on the activities of local industries.

On what he is bringing to the table in Anambra State that has not been done by the current or previous administrations in the state.

The economy of Anambra State is in shambles. Anambra State has the highest number of unemployed graduates. Look at the enormous waste of manpower. It is only a critical look into the economy of Anambra by way of creating opportunities for young people to get gainfully employed because all over the world it is the energy of the youths that build up economy. The immediate past administration of Governor Peter Obi did not employ a single person for eight years. Then, at the last minute of his exit, he hurriedly packaged and employed 6,000 workers, all of them in the civil service. Civil service jobs do not sustain an economy; it is only the productive sectors that can sustain an economy. So, what I have to put on the table is the capacity to create jobs, I have the capacity to create wealth, I have the capacity to turnaround the vision of our youths.

Obidigbo

On how he intends to revitalise the Anambra’s economy.

There is something about the Igbos which is very similar to that of the Israelis. The weight of the Igbo nation resides outside Igbo land, quite unlike the others. If you look at the Yoruba, they have investment in other places but the weight of their investment is in Yoruba land. It is not because the Igbo are not interested in developing their own economy, it is because nobody has given them a reason why they should do that, nobody has given them enough confidence that they should be able to do that. It is not enough to go on air start talking about Igbos should come back and start developing their states; it is not enough because investment is not what you beg people to do. Investment is something people do because they see the potentials in that investment. So, one of the things we should do is to show the Igbo nation, especially Anambra, that there are enough reasons why they should invest back home, and we should open the windows that will attract them to invest back home. By the time we are able draw down investment from Igbo people in Abuja, Port Harcourt, UK, US, China; we will find out that it is not difficult to grow the Igbo nation’s economy.

On the platform on which he intends to pursue his

On the correction of past mistakes.

When we are talking about correction 2017, we are talking about a mistake that has been accepted that was made. Peter Obi has said it everywhere to anybody who cares to listen that a mistake was made in 2013 and that mistake was because people decided to listen to the voice of man, they didn’t listen to the voice of God and that voice of God at that time, I’m not saying it is me, it could be anybody else. There were about 13 of us in the race at the time, I was leading, everybody in Anambra State knew I was leading. But there were other good candidates, Obiano was not in the race, he was not even in the country, he never lived in the South-east. He never lived in Anambra, so there was no way he could have known the problems confronting that state, there was no way he could have known who and who worked for the success of that election. What did he do; as soon as he got on board, he started calling all his friends in the US, then the political class on ground has not been happy up till now. Those of us from Anambra North, who are fighting first of all to get a zoning system, and, secondly, for that zoning formula to start with Anambra North, we have our reasons for doing that. Our reason is that if there was no zoning the governorship will not come to Anambra North because the South and the Central, in terms of political ability, are superior. There is no doubt about that if there is no zoning, Anambra North will not get a governor come 100 years. Because of this we fought, I was championing that cause through the former governor, Peter Obi, to get this zoning, I was not doing it because I was interested, but for us to have a chance to do it. Obiano was not there, he didn’t know what was happening, and there are a lot of people within Anambra North, within the Omabala Belt who were involved in this struggle. But by the time he got there nobody mattered anymore, even the traditional rulers that fought the battle. Maybe one or two only were recognised, that is the origin of that correction 2017. These things need to be corrected.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

A Murderous Build-up to Rivers Poll Rerun Following the announcement by INEC that the rerun elections in Rivers State would be concluded in October, there is a resurgence of violence, as happened in previous elections, with the PDP and APC trading blames.

Ernest Chinwo, in Port Harcourt, reports

T

o many observers, the recent national events held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, signal an improvement in the security situation in the state. The state hosted the 26th All Nigerian Editors Conference, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, from August 3 to 7. This was closely followed by the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party. Despite the drama and intrigues that attended the convention, the quietness that attended the state during that high profile meeting was a big plus in the security rating of the state.

Then the Nigerian Bar Association held its one-week 56th annual general conference from August 21 with over 10,000 delegates in attendance.

The success of the conferences pointed to an improved security situation in the state.

Murder

But just as the people were savouring the newfound security, barely three days after the NBA conference, a human rights activist and prominent lawyer to the All Progressives Congress, Ken Atsuete, was murdered.

When news of Atsuete’s murder broke on August 29, the APC and, indeed, most residents pointed accusing fingers at the PDP. But the latter washed its hands off the death and asked the police to do their job of unmasking the perpetrators.

APC said the state government and the PDP should be held liable because the slain Atsuete had announced he was going to expose how the PDP was parading a fake court order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the result of Tai Local Government Area in the last rerun election.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the state chairman of APC, Dr. Davies Ikanya, said the death of Atsuete was premeditated and the handiwork of the state government.

He said, “Further interaction with the staff of the murdered lawyer revealed that it was clearly a case of premeditated murder considering the dimensions of what happened.

“The APC wishes to be on record that the Rivers State Government and their agents must be held responsible for the killing of Barr. Ken Atsuete and the reasons for our charge are obvious and lucid.

“Late Ken Atswete was one of the leading counsels to APC chieftain, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, who is presently incarcerated on trumped-up charges surreptitiously inspired and driven by the Rivers State Government led by Governor Nyesom Wike. Officials of the state government have variously vowed to teach the APC and its leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a lesson by jailing one of its most active leaders, Hon. Flag-Amachree. However, Ken Atsuete, as counsel to Flag-Amachree, had thrown in everything into the defence of his client to the chagrin of officials of the state government who are the traducers of Ojukaye Flag-Amachree.

“Again, late Ken Atsuete had not relented in standing with citizens and public servants against the wrongful use of state power. The many cases he has instituted in this regard attest to that fact.

“Most importantly, we know that last week, late Barr. Ken Atsuete threatened while on a radio programme that he would (the week he died) expose how the publicity secretary of the PDP in Rivers State, Samuel Nwanosike, obtained a forged court order restraining INEC from releasing Tai rerun election results – a court order the PDP has been parading.

Late Ken promised to present proof that such a court order did not exist and that the judge that purportedly gave that order was not a vacation judge as she had been on vacation in the US. “Unfortunately, they ensured he never saw this week and therefore cannot now expose those characters. They may have stopped Ken in his track but they cannot stop God from exposing them.”

Ikanya also said the late Atsuete had complained severally to close associates that he was being sent threat text messages, phone calls and sometimes physically attacked by those he suspected were agents of the state government for speaking out on topical issues that made the government and its officials ostensibly uncomfortable.

Denial

But in its reaction to the murder, the state PDP said while it was pained by the killing, the APC should not politicise the demise of the activist. In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the state chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, through his media aide, Jerry Needam, said Atsuete’s death threw the party into mourning.

“The PDP chairman, out and out, condemned the murder of the young, energetic and sound-minded lawyer, Barr Atsuete, who has over the years contributed significantly

Idris

Atsuete

to the respect of human rights, the rule of law, social and criminal justice, as well as democracy and good governance in the State,” he said. “His death is an unfortunate and incisive cut in the vanguard in defence of democracy and the administration of justice.”

The statement, while calling on the police and other security agencies not to leave any stone unturned in unravelling the perpetrators of the dastardly act, said, “The PDP reiterates its consistent appeal to politicians, particularly, Dakuku Peterside, Magnus Abe, Davies Ikanya and other members of the opposition, the All Progressives Congress, not to play politics with issues of security, including the senseless killing of Barr Ken Atsuete, which is a great loss to all Rivers people.

“Development like this, we believe, should be taken seriously without an injection of an iota of political sentiment or statement as those emanating already from leaders and members in the opposition party, the APC, in the State. It is therefore, our candid view and request that we all put hands on deck to support the various efforts of our performing governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in tackling issues of insecurity and social vices in the State.”

The statement further said, “The Rivers State PDP chairman also appeals to all concerned persons, stakeholders and institutions to allow the police carry out their investigations into the murder and to do everything to maintain the peace in the state.”

Describing Wike as a peacemaker and godly man, Obuah condemned APC leaders in the state for attempting to drag the name of the governor and the PDP into the assassination. “Only evil men, like the APC leaders in Rivers State, dance naked on graves and politicise death and issues of security,” he said.

the state criminal investigation department is already on the matter,” he said.

THISDAY additionally gathered that the late Atsuete would, perhaps, have survived if he had received medical attention in time. A source said he was rushed to the nearby University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital but could not get attention as the doctors were on strike.

“It was in the process of taking him to another hospital that he gave up, having lost so much blood,” the source said.

The PPRO’s account is also corroborated by some close associates of the slain activist.

Police Statement

While APC and PDP traded accusations over the murder, the police seemed to come to the rescue. The Rivers State police command said from its initial findings, Atsuete was killed when he went to pick his neighbour who had escaped from suspected kidnappers. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi (DSP), told THISDAY that the police had so far established that Atsuete’s murder was not premeditated as he actually met his death while playing the good neighbour.

Nnamdi said, “Ken Atsuete’s neighbour, Pastor Abba Emmanuel, was abducted on Sunday by unknown gunmen at his gate at Aluu. But the pastor later that night escaped from his abductors and called his family. They would have gone that night to pick him (the pastor) up but the time was too late and they decided to go early in the morning. As the only man in the yard, Atsuete decided to accompany Abba Emmanuel’s wife at about 5am to pick up the pastor.

“It was in this process that Barrister Ken Atsuete was shot in his car.”

Nnamdi assured the public that the police would in no distant time unravel Atsuete’s killers as the State Criminal Investigation Department had already swung into action. “I can assure you that we will get and prosecute the killers as

Political Violence

But while the police report has ruled out premeditated murder, it has not ruled out the increase in violence whenever election date is announced in Rivers. In the build-up to the March rerun elections, the state witnessed an astronomical rise in violence and politics-related killings. The worst hit areas then were the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) and the Ogoni axis of the state.

While the APC then accused the PDP of spear-heading the killings, especially in ONELGA, the PDP said the violence was an inter-cult war and that the army invasion of Yeghe community and Bori in Gokana and Khana local government areas, respectively, was sponsored by the APC. A similar scenario played out when INEC fixed a July date for the conclusion of the rerun elections. The Bori zonal office of the commission was razed and both the PDP and APC accused each other of being responsible for the arson, which INEC gave as reason to further put off the elections.

Since INEC announced mid-October as the new date for the conclusion of the rerun elections in the state, there has been a new tempo of activities by the major political actors.

Shakeup

The recent shake-up in the executive council of the state and the dissolution of the caretaker committees of majority of the local government councils is seen by many analysts as a move by Wike to reposition the PDP for the October rerun.

Wike on Thursday dissolved the caretaker committees of 17 of the 23 local government councils of the state. A statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, listed the affected councils as Abua/Odual, Akuku Toru, Ahoada East, Andoni, Bonny, Eleme, Emohua and Etche. Others are Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni, Omuma, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt City, and Tai councils. Although no reason was given, the statement said the dissolution took immediate effect.

The governor had also on August 31 suspended four commissioners, the Head of Service, and a special adviser.

Analysts believe the governor has something in his sleeves as far as the rerun election is concerned.

While the APC and PDP have intensified campaigns for the elections, it is only hoped that the level of violence witnessed before past elections will repeat this time.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

PDP: A Party on Tenterhooks Caught between a debilitating litigation and the tough conditions of its factional leader, the former ruling party is in great suspense as it awaits the fruits of its leaders’ reconciliatory moves. Onyebuchi Ezigbo writes

T

rouble in the Peoples Democratic Party has just refused to abate. The party’s leaders involved in the current power tussle have continued to bicker over the leadership of the party. The once largest political party in Nigeria is gradually boxing itself to a very tight corner. In fact, at the present stage of the conflict in the party, the leaders are faced with the hard choices of swallowing their pride and ego to allow for a peaceful settlement of the crisis by adopting a political solution or engaging in a long complicated legal tussle that will ultimately decimate the party and put it clearly out of contention in the next general election in 2019.

Wasted Efforts

With several opportunities for peaceful resolution of the crisis wasted, it is difficult to see what the feuding parties are up to. The first of such efforts at brokering peace came when the party empanelled some of the governors and other prominent members to meet with the aggrieved parties to negotiate conditions for reconciliation. Several other reconciliation attempts have been made through the party’s leaders, including the latest one spearheaded by the Board of Trustees and headed by Professor Jerry Gana.

What remained the thorny issue was the manner in which Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was ousted as national chairman of the party at the May 21 national convention in Port Harcourt and the subsequent appointment of the national caretaker committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi. A highly embittered Sheriff saw his removal as a conspiracy by the PDP governors who had always tried to dictate to the party the leadership it would have. And so he has insisted on the disbandment of the caretaker committee and restoration of his office.

Compromise

The BoT has yielded to one of the demands by Sheriff to hold its next national convention in Abuja. In the latest peace arrangement being brokered by the BoT, the Makarfi-led national caretaker committee was directed to move the next national convention to Abuja as requested

by Sheriff. In a communiqué read out at the end of its meeting last week by the BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jubrin, the board also directed that the Governor Nyesom Wike-led committee be disbanded and a new convention planning committee immediately constituted by the caretaker committee. Jibrin said the new convention planning committee must be approved by the party’s National Executive Committee this time around.

The BoT communiqué reads, “The next convention should be held in Abuja. To ensure a credible, transparent, free and fair convention, a new Convention Planning Committee should be constituted by the National Caretaker Committee and approved by NEC.” He said the board had resolved that the reconciliation committee headed by Gana should continue with all good efforts to achieve full reconciliation.

Rejection

But the Sheriff group has promptly rejected the offers made by the peace committee, saying it falls short of their expectations. In what appeared to be Sheriff’s response to Tuesday’s proposal by the BoT to move the next national convention to Abuja, and to disband all previous convention planning committees, the deputy national chairman of his group, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, said in a statement issued on Wednesday, “We completely reject the vote of confidence passed on the illegal caretaker committee because a committee that has failed twice to successfully organise a convention on two occasions is a failure. Consequently, we can now confidently inform the general public that well-meaning Nigerians have been urging Senator Makarfi to resign to save democracy.”

Ojougboh said what had become a source of irritation in the party was the caretaker committee, adding that the BoT should have advised that the illegality be addressed.

Ojougboh’s statement further reads, “Having deliberated on the reported outcome of the Board of Trustees meeting of 29th August, 2016 we have resolved to state as follows: that the resolutions feel short of the decision reached with the Dickson/Mantu reconciliation committee.

“The agreement we had is that Sheriff should chair a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where Makarfi will attend as a member of the BoT, at the meeting, a chairman of Convention Committee will be agreed upon, a new Convention Committee setup, including all other sub-committees: zoning, finance, accreditation etc. The venue of the convention will be in Abuja, where a new leadership of the party will emerge, internal democracy will be respected and confidence will return to the party.

And we had hoped that opportunity will be given where

Makarfi

Sheriff

everybody will meet under one umbrella and shake hands and will see the PDP re-emerge for the challenges ahead.”

On Makarfi, Ojougboh stated, “We call on his friends and associates and family to advise him to do the needful and resign now to save multiparty democracy in Nigeria and stop impunity that has been the bane of internal democracy. That the BOT chairman, Senator Walid Jubril chairmanship has brought crisis to the party. In any case, his tenure has expired as he has spent more than 10 years as sSecretary and chairman BOT, which runs contrary to the constitution. A party where we have eminently qualified persons like Senator David Mark, Babangida Aliyu and others cannot be led by unstable individuals controlled by the love for money.”

because he promised all of them separately to give them vice presidential ticket for 2019 if he emerged presidential candidate. It is his instrument of coercion that made our August 17 convention to be aborted. Sheriff is on suicidal mission to destroy the PDP. Why should he say the convention should be aborted? And if the federal government says it has no hand in the PDP crisis, where did Ali Modu Sheriff get the security forces from, to stop the convention?”

Another key actor in the crisis, the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Ogun State, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has added his voice to the raging war of words among the PDP combatants. Although his comments showed that he was sympathetic to the cause Sheriff is fighting, having once been on the same side with the Sheriff. Kashamu criticised the BoT decision to pass a vote of confidence on the National Caretaker Committee at a time it was yet to get the buy-in of the feuding parties and in the face of subsisting court orders and judgements.

According to Kashamu the BoT has no business passing a vote of confidence on either of the two contending parties when a lot of contentious legal issues are yet to be resolved. “By doing so, it means the BoT has taken sides on the matter which to any discerning person is tantamount to passing a vote of no confidence on the other group, and further portrays the party as one which has no interest in due process or the rule of law. Taking any steps towards holding a national convention without transparently resolving the issues in such a way that it gets the buy-in of the feuding parties would amount to disobedience of valid and subsisting court orders and judgements, both by the courts in Abuja and Port Harcourt. It will amount to a continuation of impunity and an endorsement of illegality.”

Kashamu said what the elders in the BoT ought to have done was to preside over a transparent and unbiased reconciliation process whereby they would have summoned Sheriff and Makarfi and get the two leaders to talk to each other in a room and come up with their own plans for the resolution of the crisis. Kashamu said the BoT should have ask the two leaders to jointly draw up plans and programmes towards the hosting of an all-embracing national convention, adding that anyone who does not cooperate with such a transparent and unbiased reconciliation process can then be viewed as recalcitrant and not having the interest of the party at heart.

Kashamu added, “I make bold to say that merely taking the national convention to Abuja without getting the buy-in and active participation of the contending parties would be a mere window-dressing that would merely prolong the raging crisis in the party. The outcome of such a convention will not be different from the botched Port Harcourt conventions where the process was manipulated towards achieving a predetermined end.”

With the stalemate in the reconciliation effort, two options are now before the party. The leaders can choose to swallow their pride and pursue a genuine political solution or allow the matter to fester through prolonged litigation, which will, ultimately, be detrimental to the fortunes of the party.

Ego Trip

The latest stalemate in the peace efforts of the Gana committee shows that the leadership tussle may be degenerating into an ego trip between Sheriff, Makarfi and the PDP governors. The former Borno State governor has said that he is out to fight impunity and over-bearing influence of the governors and that he would not stop the struggle until the party is returned to the people at the grassroots.

In a similar vein, his ally and former Vice Chairman of the PDP (South-south), Ojougboh, has complained about the undue influence of the governors in the affairs of the party.

According to Ojougboh, the crisis that has always led to the removal chairmen of the PDP is precipitated by the governors.

He said, “I belong to is soldiers of truth and in everything I do I believe in the truth and I speak the truth.

What happened in PDP is most unfortunate. Most of the chairmen that were removed from office were removed at the instance of the governors that don’t want the chairmen anymore. During Obasanjo that was exactly what they did; they would complain and complain and force the president to ask for a change of the chairmanship.

“It happened to Solomon Lar, it happened to Audu Ogbe, it happened to Gemade, it happened to Tukur and also happened to Mu’azu but this time around it was the governors who went and sourced Sheriff. Little did they know that Sheriff wouldn’t behave like the other chairmen that were forced out of office. So they thought Sheriff would do their bidding. It turned out that Sheriff wouldn’t do so.”

The trend of disagreement and acrimony continues to reign within the ranks of the PDP, with the immediate past deputy national publicity secretary of the party, Abdullahi Jalo, describing Senator Sheriff as a desperate man on suicide mission to destroy the party. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Jalo said Sheriff had failed to stick to his conditions for peace, adding that he keeps shifting his conditions, including the latest condition that the BoT chairman must resign. Jalo who spoke in defence of Makarfi, said it was the former chairman who caused the problem between him and the governors.

Jalo alleged, “Sheriff fell out with Governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo State), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti), Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom)

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

PERSPECTIVE

Sexual Harassment Bill and Challenges of Declining Values inTertiary Institutions Chuks Okocha

O

ne of the main legislative issues that would engage the attention of the Senate when it resumes from recess is the concluding debate on the sexual harassment bill that has passed first and second reading.

Basically, the bill seeks to legislate on sexual harassment against female students by lecturers in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The menace of sexual harassment in schools has in no small way contributed in ensuring decrease in moral values among female students, albeit, the youths as well as declining quality and standard of education.

This is because the lecturers who are the predators that engage in this act award frivolous academic grades in exchange for the satisfaction they derive from this immoral act. They equally frustrate the ladies who refuse their advances.

Sexual harassment in tertiary institutions cuts across board as female lecturers equally harass and intimidate some male students into sleeping with them. Either way, it affects negatively the moral values of students and in turn affect the moral values of the society at large.

The bill is not alien as there are other equivalent of it in other climes. For instance, the lead sponsor of the bill, Ovie Omo-Agege, cited the example of the 603 year-old St. Andrews University in Scotland which recognises the negative impact of sexual relationship in the school and strictly abhorred it. In South Africa, under section 17 of the Employment of Educators Act of 1998 (as amended), it is an offence for an educator to have sexual relationship with a student, while in Australia (Queensland), the law forbids the student- educa-

Saraki tor relationship. The same is applicable in the United States of America as the Honour Code, Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title 9 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972 abhors sexual relationship between an educator and student.

This is why it is seen as a welcome development when Senator Omo-Agege representing Delta Central senatorial district and 57 other senators sponsored this bill. Moving the motion for the second reading of the bill, Omo-Agege stated that the bill when passed into law will help check the menace of sexual harassment of students in Nigerian higher institutions. He urged the 8th Senate to, as a matter of urgency, move towards protecting the rights of students in tertiary environment that would be devoid of sexual harassment.

The Bill which has passed its second reading by the Senate and sent to Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further action

is aimed at stopping the species of brazen sexual predatorship being unleashed on students and prospective students. When passed into law, the Bill will not only check the excesses of predators but also punish them and even those who condone the acts. Omo-Agege who is the sponsor of the Bill cited instances where students especially females were victimized for refusing sexual overtures of their lecturers and sometimes coerced into yielding against their will just to graduate.

According to the Delta Central Senatorial District lawmaker, “This 8th Senate will be sending a very strong message that ‘enough is enough,’ that never again will our students be left at the mercy of the few sexual predators in our tertiary institutions.

Nigerian students want us to act, now is the time to strengthen our laws against sexual harassment and compel heads of higher institutions to act to protect the victims. By removing mutual consent between a student and lecturers as a defence, this Bill, when enacted into law, will make such acts a statutory rape a strict liability offence, thus offering better protection to students and make it easier to prosecute offenders.”

By offering protection, victims of this act would come out freely to lay complaints against such harassment and as such freely face their academic pursuit with ease. As with all prospective law, the bill received a favourable public hearing where parents and other stakeholders spoke favourably in support of the bill. At the hearing, presided over

by Senator David Umaru, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, he explained that the Bill intended to criminalize the act of neglect or failure by administrative heads of tertiary institutions to address complaints of sexual harassment within a specified period. Furthermore, he said the purpose of the public hearing was to enable his Committee collate

––Okocha is Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

issue of insecurity, especially the security challenges posed by the Fulani herdsmen. He has provided 20 patrol cars to the state police command to enhance their crime prevention operations.

Ikpeazu administration also reactivated the Umuahia Regional Water Works and by this gesture has made it possible for pipe-borne water to resume flowing in Umuahia and surrounding communities again for the first time in over seven years.

To address education and youth unemployment in Abia State the Ikpeazu government rolled out a scheme known as Education for Employment (E4E) which seeks to reactivate Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) in Abia State, with the aim of imparting vocational and technical skills to thousands of Abia youths to enhance their potential for self-employment and to fit into the job needs of industries in the state.

In the area of transportation, the Ikpeazu government within one year in office in May released the first batch of 100 Hyundai posh cars meant for the Abia State Urban Mass Township Taxi Scheme. The relieve brought by the governor into the transportation system in the state has gone a long way in providing succour for Abia business class, investors and the general public.

The Ikpeazu government has also made huge success in providing better medical care for Abia people by identifying two Tertiary Health Centres in each of the three senatorial districts in the state and brokered a public private partnership arrangement with a private hospital management firm to equip these hospitals, provide drugs and other requirements and charge the normal fees applicable for such service from which the firm will recoup its investment.

Ikpeazu demonstrated huge interest in agriculture by directing all cabinet members to be involved in one form of agriculture or the other, which many of them adequately responded to. The governor also directed that land be made available for planting palm trees in all the 17 councils of the state. Ikpeazu’s achievement in office has been acknowledged by many eminent personalities and politicians across party lines and several groups who appreciate good things.

For example, the leadership of Ohanaeze

Ndigbo Youth Council in May recognised Ikpeazu’s remarkable achievements by declaring him the overall Best Performing new Governor in Igboland. The honour was bestowed on Ikpeazu based on Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Democracy Day Assessment because it believed that the governor had delivered dividends of democracy to the people of Abia State, especially in the areas of infrastructure, security, education, health, transparency in governance, youth and women empowerment.

Ikpeazu was born on October 18, 1964 to the family of late Pa Ishmael and Deaconess Bessie Ikpeazu of Umuebere at Umuobiakwa village in Isialaukwu, Mbato Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

He attended Amaise Central Primary School, Umuobiakwa, and while in Primary Five, he gained admission into Eziama High School, Aba, and later moved to Ihie High School, Isiala Ngwa, where he sat for his School Certificate examination in 1979. A year later, Ikpeazu at the age of 16, gained admission into the University of Maiduguri to study Clinical Biochemistry and graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons.) Second Class Upper Division in August 1984.

Between August 1984 and August 1985, Ikpeazu served as a clinical biochemist at the medical laboratory of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, for his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps. His passion for academics made him return to the University of Maiduguri for M.Sc. in Biochemical Toxicology and he graduated in 1990.

His passion to serve the people of Abia State made him contest the PDP governorship primary, which he won and was elected during last year’s governorship election. He was sworn-in on May 29, 2015.

Clearly, Ikpeazu has piloted the ship of the state in the right direction and he has redefined governance in Abia State by showing the dexterity, mastery, commitment, determination and capacity to take Abia and the people of the state to the next level.

––Charles, CEO of Xhibits Logistics Limited, writes from Lagos

the opinions and suggestions of participants before making appropriate recommendations to Senate. After the public Hearing, the following recommendations were made by various interest groups; *That the title of the Bill should be amended to read “An Act to Make Provisions for the Prohibition of Sexual Harassment of Students Tertiary Educational Institutions, and for Other Matters Connected therewith“. *That sexual harassment in the Bill should not be limited to educators but include all nonacademic staff who have access to students *That the stipulated fine for offenders should be increased from Two Million Naira as stated in Clause 15 to Ten Million Naira. *That the Bill should give a time frame for the investigative Committee to act on reported cases of sexual harassment. *That the Bill should create a time frame within which a student can report a complaint of sexual harassment after the alleged incident is deemed to have occurred. *That a representative of the students’ body should be included in the Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee as it would ensure equal representation. *That some clauses in the Bill should be amended to prevent a replication of laws already in existence. *That the Bill should not set a minimum age of 18 years as sexual harassment occurs at any age. *That the Bill should encompass students in other institutions of learning such as primary and secondary schools.

Ikpeazu: A Committed Public Servant Nwogbe Charles

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n Nigeria, there are 36 states governors steering the ship of their respective states, but one man that has distinguished himself among his colleagues is Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the Governor of Abia State. From his swearing-in on May 29 last year till date, Ikpeazu has proven beyond doubt that he is in politics to serve Abians and to develop the state better than he met it. His achievement within 14 months in office is commendable compared to many other governors.

Ikpeazu was voted into power during the April 11, 2015 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party and knowing that his major challengers at the poll were still lurking around to cast aspersion on his policies, the governor did not treat the mandate given to him by the Abia electorate as child’s play. That is why he has been able to silence his opponents with sterling achievements in every nook and cranny of the state.

While some governors are still battling to deliver their campaign promises to their citizen Ikpeazu marked his first 100 days in office in a unique way by embarking on an inspection tour of projects he had commenced, including the ones he inherited from his predecessor.

Between September 21 and 23 last year, the governor traversed the three senatorial districts of the state to inspect laudable projects.

He had in his inaugural speech declared that his administration would be committed to providing the enabling environment and infrastructure to facilitate the growth and development of Abia and its people by positioning the state as a premier residential, business and tourism destination, with the ultimate objective of uplifting the lives of the people. Ikpeazu immediately swung into action to ensure that all Abians at home and in diaspora enjoyed the dividends of democracy.

In his quest to turn around the God’s Own State, Ikpeazu hinged the development agenda of his administration on five pillars, namely, education, oil and gas, trade and commerce, agriculture, and security.

Ikpeazu hit the ground running with his first

Ikpeazu port of call to Aba, the commercial city of Abia State, which had decaying infrastructure for many years. He addressed the problem of the commercial city by fixing some roads in Aba and putting necessary infrastructures in place to boast business activities in the city.

In the area of roads and infrastructure, the governor, within one year in office awarded contracts for over 60 roads with long life span across the state, and already some of the roads have been completed and are in use. He also made it a point of duty that drainages and street lights must adorn every road he built in the state.

Lighting up major roads in the state has improved driving experience for motorists at night and has incredibly gone a long way to reduce criminal activities at night. Aside from building new roads, the government also adopted a policy of zero tolerance to potholes under which old roads are being asphalted and resurfaced to make them smooth for road users.

Knowing the importance of a safe and secure state for business and protection of life and property, Ikpeazu gave no second thought to addressing the

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FCTC Treaty Can Help Nigeria, Africa Fight Tobacco Epidemic Tih Ntiabang and Akinbode Oluwafemi

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e are encouraged by recent moves by the federal government to implement the National Tobacco Control Act. The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, at the inauguration of the National Tobacco Control Committee indicated that the government planned to introduce pictorial health warnings on tobacco packages and was considering raising taxes on tobacco products.

PHWs and tobacco taxation are two of the measures in the international treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Nigeria became an FCTC Party in 2005; today there are 43 Parties in Africa and 180 worldwide, representing nearly 90 per cent of the world’s people.

Study after study has demonstrated that PHWs are more effective than text-only warnings at communicating the dangers of smoking to prospective smokers, especially young people. Remember: one-half of smokers will die of a smoking-related disease, so it is essential to prevent young people from starting and becoming addicted. PHWs also more effectively provoke current smokers to consider quitting.

Increasing the cost of tobacco, including by raising taxes, is proven to be the most effective way to get smokers to reduce the amount they smoke and to prevent children and the youth from starting.

Because the measure is so effective, the tobacco industry lobbies loud and hard against any proposed tax increase, arguing that it will result in cigarette smuggling.

As World Health Organisation head Margaret Chan told the InterParliamentary Union Assembly in 2015: “Get your governments to raise taxes on tobacco products. Doing so is unquestionably the most effective demand-reduction strategy in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Remarkably, it is also the least used, largely because of interference from the tobacco industry.”

The industry’s strategy is simple. It tries to scare off governments by twisting facts and data, particularly, about what happens after significant tax increases are put in place. However, what the industry always fails to mention is that the countries with the highest tax rates have some of the lowest smuggling rates, in part because they devote resources to fighting illicit trade within their borders and in cooperation with neighbouring countries. The FCTC now has an additional tool to fight illicit trade – the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, adopted in 2012.

Expect the tobacco industry to scream loudly against Nigeria’s proposals. However, the country, and the entire continent, needs urgently to put in place these and other FCTC measures to counteract the industry’s increased marketing on the continent. As The Economist recently reported, 17 of the 27 countries in the world where smoking has increased over the past 15 years are in Africa.

The costs of the tobacco epidemic are huge, and they will only rise if action is not taken now. For example, by 2030, 80 per cent of tobacco-related deaths will be in low and middle-income countries.

The negative consequences of tobacco use extend far beyond the health realm. Tobacco use is also a drag on development. It robs families of resources that could be invested in education, health care and even food. Because up to half of all tobacco-related deaths

L-R: Sub-regional coordinator, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Mrs. Hilda Ochefu; deputy executive director, Environmental Rights Action/Frineds of the Earth, Nigeria, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during a visit of leaders of anti-tobacco groups and international partners to the vice president in Abuja, recently. occur during users’ prime productive years (ages 30–69), countries’ economic outputs also suffer. In addition, tobacco growing has a massive effect on the environment. For example, between 1990 and 1995, tobacco farming accounted for 26 per cent of deforestation in Malawi.

Recognising tobacco’s devastating impact on development, world leaders in 2015 included the FCTC in the Sustainable Development Goals, the blueprint for the world’s development between now and 2030. The SDGs call on countries to accelerate implementation of the treaty (Target 3a). Just months before the SDGs were adopted, the Financing for Development conference recommended tobacco taxation as one source of domestic revenue for financing the SDGs. In fact, putting the FCTC’s proven and effective measures in place is one of the easiest ways that governments can begin to live up to their commitments on the SDGs. World governments will meet again in November, at FCTC COP7, to evaluate how effective the treaty has been in tackling the tobacco epidemic. Global civil society is advocating the adoption of a number of key items on the agenda, which should contribute to SDGs target of ensuring that the FCTC is as effective as possible on the ground. One is an “implementation review mechanism”, which will harness the collective wisdom of the FCTC Conference of the

Parties (COP), to review parties’ records and recommend ways to overcome any barriers.

Another important agenda item is the report of a working group on the FCTC’s sustainability or ways to generate increased political will, resources and coordination between the various bodies within a government (including health, finance, customs and development agencies) that have a stake in tobacco control. Governments’ adoption of these and other measures, including increasing cooperation to fight tobacco industry interference globally, will help ensure that the FCTC can live up to its potential in fighting the increasingly deadly tobacco epidemic in Africa.

– Ntiabang is Regional Director of the Framework Convention Alliance, a civil society network of nearly 500 organisations in more than 100 countries whose mission is to strengthen the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and support its full and accelerated implementation worldwide.

– Oluwafemi is Deputy Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, a nongovernmental organisation at the forefront of advocacy for tobacco control policies in Nigeria.

56th NBA Confab: A Celebration of Peace and Performance

Simeon Nwakaudu

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he 56th National Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, offered the people of the state another opportunity to prove to the world that the state is among the safest places for profitable investment. For one week, August 19 to 26, the people of Rivers State played host to over 10,000 lawyers from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja. The Annual General Conference, tagged, “Garden City 2016, was a resounding success.

The security network before, during and after the conference was second to none. Conferees moved around the different conference venues without incident. The transportation system was near perfect while the hotels provided quality accommodation.

The conference helped to further stimulate the growing Rivers economy, as thousands of business concerns benefitted directly and indirectly from the presence of the lawyers in the state. One of the most outstanding benefits of the conference, in terms of infrastructure, was the remodelled Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre in Port Harcourt. Governor Nyesom Wike revived the structure and made it world class to serve as the main venue of the 56th NBA Annual General Conference. The plan was that at the end of the conference, the Civic Centre would be used as an indoor sports facility for different games.

Several other associate conference venues

Mahmoud, NBA President were upgraded by the Rivers State government to ensure that the conference was hosted in a befitting environment. These facilities will continue to serve the people of the state.

The theme of the NBA Annual General Conference, “Democracy and Economic Development,” was exhaustively treated at the different sessions of the conference.

The highpoint of the conference was the successful transition from the immediate past president of NBA, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) to the new president, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN. Without doubt, the conference afforded the

Nigerian Lawyers the opportunity to assess The immediate past president of NBA, one of their own, Mr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

Alegeh, was particularly impressed with the law The lawyers were able to observe that Wike had faculty, which he said would help in groomtouched the lives of the Rivers people through ing fresh lawyers with modern facilities and projects that have enhanced their economic enhanced human resources. Alegeh urged the wellbeing. They further observed that Rivers students of the Rivers State University of Science State was one of the few states that was up to date and Technology to show appreciation to the in terms of the payment of salaries and pensions, governor by being worthy ambassadors of the in addition to the sustained funding of developschool. ment projects.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa, On Thursday, August 25, Wike led over 300 also lauded the governor for living up to the lawyers from all the branches of the NBA on a expectations of the people. A nun, Rivers Sister project tour across three local government areas (Barrister) Darlingtina Ifeanyichukwu, said the – Eleme, Obio/Akpor, and Port Harcourt. These governor was an example of good governance selected lawyers, who cut across age groups and judicious application of resources. She said and years of experience, were able to assess the she was impressed by Wike’s popularity and governor’s development philosophy and its humility, as he moved around the streets of Port practical implementation on the field.

Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Eleme local governProjects inspected included the NBA Law ment areas. Ifeanyichukwu advised the governor Centre, Federal High Court, Dr Nabo Grahamto continue to respect the rule of law as he served Douglas Faculty of Law, River State University of the people of the state.

Science and Technology, Port Harcourt Pleasure Alegeh commissioned the Dr Peter Odili Park, Second Nkpogu Bridge, Elelenwo-Akpajo road constructed by the Wike administration. road, and the Second WOJI-AKPAJO Bridge.

That was on Saturday, August 21. He said Wike Among the lawyers on the tour were Alegeh and had lived up to the expectations of the people Mahmoud. by implementing quality projects. Alegeh said The new NBA president, Mahmoud, said the while inaugurating the road, “We are proud lawyers were impressed with the performance of that Governor Wike has delivered what he Wike. He commended the governor for executpromised his people. This road is necessary for ing projects that promote legal practice, such as the economic development of the state.” the Law Centre, Law Faculty at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, and the –Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media.

Federal High Court. He urged Wike to ensure that he drove on-going projects to completion for (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com) the benefit of the people

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Rebranding the Civil Service: From Profession to Professionalism Tunji Olaopa

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he structural, politicaleconomic injustice and general cynicism about reform which stifle development and nation building in Nigeria will not stop us from innovative experimentation. Indeed, one of the significant efforts which have been directed at reawakening the consciousness of Nigerians to the potentials inherent in Nigeria is the massive efforts at rebranding Nigeria, a strategy I thought is worth considering within framework of a civil service change agenda. Under the indefatigable energy and the charismatic forcefulness of the late Prof.

Dora Akunyili, the rebranding was targeted at rethinking the Nigeria brand that has taken a massive battering since independence in 1960 to date. What made rebranding critical and Olaopa urgent? Simple: Nigeria has an unarguably terrible image problem that requires critical inspired to uphold the vision of a transformed reversal. The image problem however goes Nigeria as evidence that system inadequacies beyond a mere attempt at transforming the way and those malpractices with which the service the world sees us. According to Akunyili, “if is associated have been eliminated? we do not make any concrete effort to address What is needed to ground a real reputation our image problem, the situation will continue that can be sold to Nigerians therefore, is to get worse, and Nigerians will not only be another kind of rebranding which is germane ridiculed as a people, but investors will also be to Nigeria’s real image in the sight of her discouraged from coming to invest in Nigeria.” citizens and in the perception of the world.

Thus, Nigeria’s image problem is intrinsically Essentially, Nigeria’s development profile connected to Nigeria’s development malaise. and democratic status are unflattering. This Thus, “good people; great nation” became is starkly demonstrated in the existential a powerful brand slogan that flew with the agonies of her citizens—pandemic poverty, power of technology across Nigeria. It became pervasive unemployment, decreasing income, truly a catchphrase that caught the fancy of infrastructural decay, galloping inflation, etc. the people. There were jingles and adverts. But The rhetorical strength of the rebranding then, it gradually fizzled out. Why? Simple: The slogan is not sufficient to suppress these power of a strong brand is not its advertorial realities. Something else is required; something beauty but its authenticity. Jeff Bezos puts it well: that stands at the heart of the institutional “A brand for a company is like a reputation for renewal that could transform the governance a person. You earn reputation by trying to do dynamics of Nigeria and give her a new hard things well.” Nigeria’s current reality is not brand that sells without much effort. Why enough to force the rebranding slogan into the I’m I suggesting in this piece that what needs very hearts of Nigerians. So, while the slogan a rigorous and committed rebranding first has a sonorous quality in the mouth, the heart is the Nigerian civil service system? Why is recoils at its shallowness. It is clear to ordinary the civil service necessary for rethinking the Nigerians that Nigeria lacks a development governance dynamics in Nigeria? I can readily reputation that makes a rebranding slogan think of seven solid reasons: (a) there is the authentic. service presence throughout the country and Which raises the question, what is the new its strong binding character; and therefore, the identity that the Nigerian civil service wants to difference that would be made to the Nigeria’s create in the minds of the public as customers, brand with (b) the civil service enhanced the politicians as partners in progress, the administrative and managerial capacity; (c) international community as keen observer effective policy-making and regulation; (d) with stake in the Nigerian Project, the press as effective coordination between institutions of interlocutor, the youth as leaders in the now and governance; (e) creative leadership at different in the future, PMB as an integrity brand, and levels of administration; (f) transformed service other stakeholders? Two, can the civil service delivery at the cutting edge and frontline level; choose a rebranding track without getting into and (g) strategic intelligence in the ‘continuity the trenches to do a deep-seated reengineering and change’ the civil service provides to to get the basics of the profession and its the successive administration, can only be administrative system right? Three, is basic imagined. Yet, all these are compromised housekeeping in the MDAs enough without

by Nigeria’s current development troubles the launch of a strategy or a civil service because there is a directly proportional change agenda that has a robust culture change relationship between democratic governance component? How long will it take to create in Nigeria and the institutional capacity of the right work culture, performance-rooted the civil service. Nigeria’s governance woe is accountability praxis including a social compact the function of its politics, its decision making with the Nigerian public that is the brand to processes and implementation inadequacies build on in order to transform the civil service and it would be ‘technicist’ to reform one and into an intelligent, information-rich, professional, not the other though when public administraentrepreneurial service that is sufficiently tion fails, Nigeria’s image suffers. It is therefore

impossible to rebrand Nigeria without a prior rebranding of her civil service system. And with the civil service, rebranding transcends advertising a mere slogan. Rebranding is inherently reforming! It would require much more than paying lip service to reform. It would require deep-seated rethinking and change in the profession and the management system in a process that must be seen by all stakeholders to be managed without any iota of politicization, as just a bit of perceived politicization will sure discredit such a change initiative.

Take two examples. In ancient pharaonic Egypt and modern Germany, the civil service began its life as a vocation, a specific and peculiar calling that is not just available to all.

At a specific point in the expansion of ancient Egypt, the pharaoh realized the need for an administrative class that will help in coordinating the task of governing the state.

The task of tax collection, for instance, would pose a huge administrative challenge requiring centralisation. And centralisation would also later give rise to specialisation, especially represented by the gigantic administrative headache posed by the building of the pyramids. The governance genius of the pharaoh however consisted in the realisation that such an administrative class must be properly trained and capacitated to carry out its national responsibility. This was the origin of a special scribal class that was not only professional or educated but also essentially patriotic. The civil service eventually evolved from a primitive administrative necessity to a full-fledged vocation in modern times.

When we talk of the civil service, we refer to an institution that has at its centre a specific idea of a unique bureaucratic persona defined by some unique sets of attributes and mentalities. In this sense, a profession becomes a calling or a vocation when it becomes integrated within an ethical framework and is attached to larger vision and purpose beyond itself. It is in this sense that a bureaucrat is ‘called’ to serve the state and a purpose beyond him/herself. Thus, what the priesthood is to God, the civil service is to a nation.

According to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the US judge, “every calling is great when greatly pursued.” The civil service in Nigeria has suffered terrible reversal since the postcolonial realities in Nigeria de-professionalised it as a calling. The civil service has thus lost its honour, spirituality, professionalism and its ethical imperative. A typical civil servant has to now struggle strenuously with issues of commitment, trust and loyalty to a cause that transcends the need for a livelihood. Greatly pursuing the essence of the civil service calling implies that the civil service must first be reformed before it can serve as a reforming tool in Nigeria.

As a profession, the character of the civil service revolves around specific ethical questions: What is the soul of what a person does as a public servant? What gives a civil servant strength when the stress of work becomes too much? What lies at the core of public service?

What makes anyone a good public servant?

Is my spirituality a plus in my workplace? Is the civil servant sufficiently incentivized in pecuniary and non-pecuniary sense to derive sufficient pride and value in his work as a pro-

fessional to be most productive? The answers to these ethical questions solidify around a set of institutional reforms that enables the screening of those public servants genuinely ‘called’ into service.This calls for a deeply committed reform of the human resource management system of the civil service. And that requires a rigorous reform of the career management hub of the service and its responsibility for managing talent, career, deployment and the optimal utilization of human resources in the civil service. This reform will go in tandem with the intervention of all central personnel agencies of government.

Specific reform issues will deal with recruitment, training, deployment, specialization and professionalization. For instance, the civil service profession is circumscribed by a specific ethical framework that guides the understanding of what the public servant can be and what s/he can do or not do. Each public servant is integrated into an ‘integrity system’—around the values of accountability, transparency, fairness, responsibility, efficiency and neutrality—which sustains professional conduct. This integrity framework for public servants intersects the responsibility which the public service owes the society and the citizens and the question of how the public servants carry out their duty. In this regard, deploying ethical principles into administrative framework is an attempt to evaluate the decisions of public servants and guide better decisions in future.

The reform that targets professionalization would therefore be aimed at doing the following: (a) make the ethical standards as clear as possible within concise, well written and well-publicised documents, through conscientization programmes and also regular trainings; (b) integrate the standards into legal framework that would provide the legal boundary for disciplinary action, as well as make infractions actionable; (c) the organisational environment should also be one that encourages high ethical conduct by providing incentives that supports ethical behaviour through management policies, procedures and practices; (d) internal reform can focus on regular training-based assessment and examinations for projecting the Current Estimated Potentials (CEP) of staff as a means for measuring the professional growth curve of the officer, and as the basis for developing a training and carrier development roadmap for each staff.

Most importantly, rescuing the profession of public service requires reforming the accountability mechanisms throughout the service. it is accountability that forms the basis of the public service in the first place; it is what tied the public servant to the public s/he is serving.

The public servant could function in the first place because s/he could be trusted and held accountable by the government and the public.

For Thomas Paine, “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” For me, a civil service system that wants to be professional must first reform its accountability. This is the hard thing we must determine to do very well.

-Dr. Olaopa is Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) [tolaopa2003@gmail.com; tolaopa2003@yahoo.com; tolaopa@isgpp. com.ng]

ESWAMA under her watch has been transformed within two months and working tirelessly to bequeath to the people one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria. Being an ardent believer in the age-long saying that “health is wealth”, Anajemba has gone ahead to redirect the psyche of the people to the point that they are now very much ready and willing to partner with the agency to build a more friendly environment.

Only recently, the agency under her watch organised a training workshop for about100 of its field officers on modern and civilised ways of enforcing environment and waste management laws in view of the several cases of human right violation, harassment and intimidation of hapless residents allegedly by officers of the agency on enforcement drive within the metropolis in time past. The agency, as some would say, used to be a thorn in the flesh of the residents but

Anajemba has changed all that within a few weeks in office with her motherly care.

For the first time in the history of the agency, crew men, who handle waste disposals are provided with tins of milk on daily basis to reduce the impact of possible contamination from dirts and are kitted with unique attires which make the public to easily identify them.

Rather than dwell in the mundane issues that would only end up retarding development, Anajemba sees the appointment as a call to duty.

On a private note, Anajemba’s Doorto-Door initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation with the objective of empowering women and developing them politically has also transformed countless number of women in Enugu state and environs in the past couple of years. Not only are widows and the less privileged women and children assisted with facili-

ties to effectively fend for themselves, some other women have equally past through several enlightenment programmes where they are prepared for leadership positions.

All things being equal, the NGO is also strategising on how to get more women into elective positions by the next election in the spirit of the Beijing conference. Indeed, Amaka Martina Anajemba’s commitment to improving the lots of women out there has gone a long way in restoring hope to those who had lost hope in life and has given so many uncountable reasons to smile again.

Her appointment as ESWAMA boss is indeed a round peg in a round hole and by the time she’s through with her assignment, the governor would be more than excited to have placed her in charge of the cleanliness of the Coal City State

Anajemba: The New Face of ESWAMA Umeh Egeonu

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ince her appointment as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Waste Management Agency (ESWAMA) in June

by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Amaka Anajemba has never hidden her determination to give the Enugu capital city an entirely new face.

Her appointment stands out as one of the appointments that received wide endorsement of the people of the state especially residents of the capital city in view of her known antecedents of diligence and commitment to duty. Indeed, the appointment received acclamation and the people very well satisfied.

–– Umeh Egeonu wrote from Enugu

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Human Rights Commission: FiddlingWhile Rome Burns Joe Ubeh

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ot a few Nigerians have knocked the report recently issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the Nigerian elections.

Among the latest to spank the Report was the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Austin Alegeh (SAN), who threw a parting punch at the NHRC and the controversial Report.

Speaking at the opening of the just concluded 56thAnnual General Conference of the NBA in Port Harcourt, Mr. Alegeh lashed the Commission for meddlesome interloping. He advised the NHRC to leave politics and election petitions to politicians, the judiciary, and other relevant agencies and face grave human rights issues sprawling across the country. In their communiqué also, the NBA held that “the National Human Rights Commission has derailed from her statutory functions” and called on the institution to “streamline and focus on their primary duties”.

The report entitled “An Independent Review of Evidence of Gross Violations of the Rights to Participate in Government, to Public Service, and to Fair Trial Through The Election Petition Process in Nigeria 2007 & 2011”, which bears all the imprimaturs of a hatchet job both by content and timing of submission (it was dated January 2015, but just made public), not curiously indicted persons who are not in the good books of the current administration, but the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, went ahead to complete the cycle of witch-hunt by indicting persons not indicted by the Report.

And many of them claim their right to fair hearing was trampled. But that is up to them.

The controversial report also went further to indict virtually every other institution but the NHRC. It even reviewed and maligned the judgments of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on election petitions.

It decalred in part: “By 2007, the courts had evolved a jurisprudence that clearly condoned and even permitted electoral criminality.

Section 146(1) of the Electoral Act, 2006, validates only elections that are ‘conducted substantially in accordance with the principles of this Act’ or where ‘non-compliance did not affect substantially the result of the elections’.

In 2008, the Nigerian Supreme Court claimed

NHRC Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe that the word ‘principles’ in this provision was ‘vague, nebulous and large’ as well as confusing, and declined to affirm any principles governing the conduct of elections. Straying well beyond the scope of any laws, the Court established an impossible standard of proof for election-related malfeasance by adding that a petitioner in an election petition had to prove ‘not only substantial non-compliance but also the figures, i.e. votes that the (non) compliance attracted or omitted.”

The Report clearly sidestepped the 2011 post-presidential election violence, which remains the gravest human rights issue in Nigeria’s elections, at least since 1999. But a 2011 report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that over 800 Nigerians were killed. It also said: “The violence began with widespread protest by supporters of the main opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim from the Congress for Progressive Change, following the re-election of incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from Niger Delta in the south, who was the candidate for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. The protests degenerated into violent riots or sectarian killings in northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gobe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara. Relief officials estimate that more than 65,000 people have been displaced”. Party offices, police stations, shops, churches, private

properties, etc. running into multi-millions were razed.

Now, whom has the NHRC indicted or brought to book? Does it know those who said they would make the country ungovernable if they lost? Does it not know those who were so untouched and emboldened by the NHRC docility and selective amnesia that they threatened again in May 2012 that “If what happened in 2011 (supposed rigging) should happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood”?

Conversely, those suspected to have instigated the 2007/2008 post-election violence in Kenya, including President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy president William Ruto, and former radio journalist- Arap Sang, have all been made to appear before the International Criminal Court over alleged crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, an August 10, 2016 report by Premium Times, said that at least 1,269 people have been killed by rampaging herdsmen right inside Prof. Angwe’s home state of Benue.

Said the report: “Out of the 23 local government areas in the state, the rampaging herdsmen have invaded and occupied 14 and may invade the remaining nine unless urgent measures are taken to curb the menace, authorities said.

“The invasion of Ogbadibo, Agatu and Apa local government areas in Benue South Senatorial District are, however, believed to be the most brutal. On February 29, for instance, the herdsmen invaded several Agatu villages and farm settlements in broad daylight, gunning down children, women, men and the elderly.

At the time the gunshots subsided, over 500 villagers were reportedly massacred and over 7000 were displaced in 10 villages including Aila, Okokolo, Akwu, Adagbo, Odugbehon and Odejo”.

It is the same scenario in Kaduna South, Nassarawa, Niger, Enugu, Ekiti, Delta, Edo, etc. People are killed, raped, spoiled, and consigned to refugee camps, while their ancestral homes and farmlands occupied. Yet, the NHRC fiddles.

Food items and supplies meant for Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency have been allegedly stolen by government officials (incidentally in APC States), while starvation, preventable/curable diseases ravage the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. But for the outcry by international humanitarian agencies and recently the protests by the dehumanised

IDPs, Nigerians would not have known about the rot because the NHRC has been busy politicking.

The Chibok girls have been in captivity for years now. Shouldn’t the NHRC have been at the forefront as intermediaries and possibly, part of the negotiation to free the girls? But, how could that be when the Commission is more interested in reviewing Supreme Court judgments to indict opposition party supporters and possibly procure favour from the present administration?

Just recently, the Governor of Imo State unilaterally cut the salaries of civil servants in Imo State against the terms of their employment. There have been jailbreaks across the country, obviously due to hunger and inhuman conditions. Beyond rhetoric, what has the NHRC done about this? Your guess is as good as mine- nothing that we know of.

The people of Bakassi displaced for over a decade now by the ceding of their Local Government to Cameroon have been living under inhuman conditions. Governor Ayade of Cross River State even wept profusely over their scandalous conditions when he recently visited. What has the NHRC done to protect their rights?

Former Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, reportedly imprisoned his now estranged wife, Clara, at the Enugu Government House. It took the outcry of human rights activists like Femi Falana for her to regain her freedom. The NHRC promised to issue a report on its findings. But the report has been effectively swept under the carpet because a VIP is involved. Were Chime an urchin, Prof. Angwe’s would have used him to shine long ago.

One can go on and on. But the bottom line is that the NHRC has performed far below expectation. If anyone has doubted that it cuts a despicable image of an incompetent, busy-doing-nothing entity, this recent report must have cleared it. As the Election Report can show, Angwe, in a clear desperate quest for a renewal of his almost elapsed tenure, is leading the Commission to dance to the gallery, and dancing naked. Making public a January 2015 report in August 2016 (when those it supposedly indicted are no longer in power) paints the picture of a Commission lacking in courage despite its constitutionally guaranteed independence. Angwe and NHRC should wake and smell the coffee and stop fiddling while Rome burns.

–– Ubeh lives in Otukpo, Benue State

Don’t Worry About The Money, Ideas Matter Valentine Madubuko

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n a country where inordinate waivers, oil blocs, government patronage and fuel subsidies have conspired to throw up only a handful billionaires in every generation, genuine entrepreneurs are hard to find.

How can you get anything done without the money? And how can you get the money without government patronage?

Thirty-six years ago, a local firm began a story from scratch. The daunting odds against Arco Engineering Limited is a story that should inspire every indigenous budding entrepreneur.

If no one paid any attention to the company’s founder and Group Managing Director, Mr. Alfred Okoigun, when he was starting this organisation, which is now a publicly quoted company, surely no one would blame them.

For one, he would be the first to tell you that his family background in terms of financial strength was as deficient as they could ever come.

Nevertheless, he proved over and over that fertile ideas and sheer grit will always take any determined man where even money and luck can never dare tread. These ideas took deep roots right from the time he enrolled as a

student of Government College Ughelli in the present day Delta State.

But the journey began in 1980 and after graduating from the then newly established Petroleum Training Petroleum Institute in Warri where he was one of the 100 pioneer students.

Then as a young staff of the NNPC working at the Warri Refinery, which was still under construction, he could have resigned himself to a lifetime career of paid employment and a pension at the end of it all.

That was not to be. According to him, instead the NNPC became a mere stepping-stone on his path, as he never lost sight of his ambition of setting up and owning his own business.

Perhaps, the biggest lunch pad he got in this regard was when he, along with some of his team was sent to Italy on an internship project with the factory of the major suppliers of the parts for the Warri Refinery. There they were asked to take inventory of all the parts needed to build the refinery from start to finish.

But his personal mission during the programme went beyond taking inventory of machine parts. He sought out the manufacturers of these parts, discovered that none of them had operations in Nigeria and also did not have any representatives here. This discovery further fueled his resolve to start off on

his own.

Shortly after returning from the programme, he resigned his appointment with the NNPC. It was time to finally live his life-long dream.

But it was only the beginning. An uncertain and difficult beginning. With only personal savings of N680 when he needed N30,000, it was obvious then the road he must travel to succeed would be strewn with hard work and uncommon resilience.

The terrain wasn’t that much different from what today’s entrepreneurs have to deal with. It was a journey characterised with difficulty in accessing capital, unstable and reliable government policies and the resultant unpredictable business environment.

First, he managed to secure N3,000 loan from an understanding bank manager and after his first business transaction which involved securing hotel accommodation for some foreign representatives of his would-be partners who were coming to Nigeria. That business fetched him a profit of N1, 200 and most importantly, positioned him as a dependable business partner before the foreign companies.

From one project to another one loan to another, tackling all sorts of challenges and also recording triumphs at each milestone.

Today, Okoigun’s start-up journey is categorised as a business case study in Entrepreneurship Programme at the Lagos Business School (LBS), under the title. ‘Don’t Fret Over The Money’. It has been on for about 13 years now.

Arco is also involved in different projects of Corporate Social responsibility.

Apart from sponsorship of scholarships and sports competitions, the company has consistently sponsored seminars on topics related to oil and gas.

There are also endowments and annual prizes for best graduating students from Nigerian universities and the PTI. Presently, there is project on outstanding Nigerians contributing to the development of science and technology in the country.

He has consistently preached the gospel of building local capabilities in the sector, which he believes, will save the country tremendous costs and also conserve the much-needed foreign exchange. With a flourishing head office n Lagos and two functional branches in Warri and Port Harcourt, the group’s success remains self-evident.

It all began from a dream of a young boy, who right from his secondary school saw a certain future and was determined to make it happen.

Madubuko writes from Lagos.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

GAVEL TO GAVEL

Edited by Vincent Obia Email vincent.obia@thisdaylive.com

Oke: Security Agencies Should Quiz Jibrin to Discover the Ulterior Motive for Budget Padding Revelations Hon. Oluwole Oke, a Peoples Democratic Party member, represents Obokun/Oriade federal constituency of Osun State in the House of Representatives. He is chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement. In this interview with Damilola Oyedele, Oke calls for sanctions against Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumini, the man behind the on-going budget padding controversy in the green chamber. Excerpts:

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n his opinion on the on-going budget padding saga involving, principally, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the former chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin?

behind Dogara, that I know. I do not know of the remaining 50, but at least, by my own records, I have 310 members that met, who are fully for Dogara. There may be pockets of members who are disgruntled, who are not happy, maybe because of the speakership election, but as I speak to you, nothing can shake Dogara’s leadership.

It is a very sad development in the history of the Nigerian legislature. It is a very strange word: budget padding, it does not exist in our laws, in our constitution, in our penal or criminal codes. The crafters of our constitution have never mentioned such word as padding. Somebody has called it forgery; I know forgery exists as an offence in our criminal codes and penal codes.

But the purpose of any constituency giving its mandate to its representative to represent them in parliament is actually because of the budget bill. The budget bill is what attracts development to our areas, constituencies, and senatorial districts. Lobbying, relating with people, furnishing energy to attract projects to constituencies should not be criminalised.

I do not know what Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin wants to achieve, but considering the whole drama, I would wish to tell Mr. President, the security agencies and intelligence community that they should be worried about the activities of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin. It has a lot of security implications. What the lawmaker is doing is to put the legislature and the executive at loggerheads, put our democracy asunder. The Mr. President, in line with the provisions of our constitution, sends the budget estimate to the parliament, and the parliament sits on it, and sends it back to Mr. President for his assent and it becomes law.

Assuming we all concede that there are projects that have been tampered with, the president has a lot of gateways, he has a lot of tools to manage the budget, he can ask for amendment. For somebody to wake up after appending his (Abdulmumini) signature to the budget, and later say there is padding or insertion, that is just busy body!

On the suspicion in some quarters that there may be a plot to sack the principal officers and replace them with persons who conform to the ruling APC’s original arrangement for the leadership of the lower chamber.

I think the House has moved forward, we have put that behind us, we have moved passed that scenario. You have seen Gbajabiamila’s position on the issue, so we have moved forward. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is happy with the role he is playing in the leadership; we have moved forward, nobody is talking about that.

On why the House has not reconvened to resolve the budget issue This is holiday period; we have families, we have children, most members have planned their programmes, they have travelled with their children. Most members are busy in their various constituencies. We have a number of days we should sit in the parliament. So we cannot reconvene the House because of this misnomer, because of an issue that does not exist. Abdulmumin Jibrin should not be gratified or accorded any respect on this matter. I have listened to him, I have seen his submissions, I do not see any truth in all his allegations and nothing has happened. As I said, all these things on television, radio and the papers are not known to us as a parliament; there is nothing before us to discuss.

On whether the budget issue has any connection with the rumoured plot to impeach the president

On what should be done to Jibrin

The All Progressives Congress government should sanction him because he has painted the government of President Muhammad Buhari in bad light. Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin has christened the APC-led government as a corrupt government because virtually everybody he has mentioned so far, with the exception of my own leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, is a member of the APC. The party has all the mechanisms to address the issues he has raised and the legislature also has its own rules.

Honestly, I am totally disappointed and I am not proud of Abdulmumin Jibrin being a part of the parliament, with his level of education, a PhD holder, roaming the streets and talking about issues that do not exist. At worst, if he is aggrieved, he should have approached the court of law; he can challenge the processes if he wants. But to label every member of the parliament as corrupt is uncalled for. I am not corrupt, I am standing very, very straight, not bending, I can be seen. I am supporting Speaker Dogara, I’m supporting the Deputy Speaker, Hon Lasun Yusuf, I’m supporting the Minority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor, who is a member of my own party on this matter.

On the constituency project controversy

In the past, between 2003 and 2007, I had had cause to attract federal government projects to my constituency, Obokun/ Oriade federal constituency in Osun State. Would you call that padding? The Nigeria Air Force Safety Training sited in Ipetu-Ijesha, would you call it budget padding because I influenced the siting in my area? I did not even know the contractors that executed it, as I have no business with them.

The president had all that it would take to manage the budget. If there is a project that has been inserted, that has been captured in the budget act and Mr. President is not pleased with the project, Mr. President has tools to manage such scenarios. Mr. President can return the budget to the parliament for amendment.

At any rate, Dogara, Lasun Yusuf, Ogor, Doguwa and others mentioned have no access to the treasury. All the projects captured in the budget, either by constituency, by name, by zonal intervention, are all going to be implemented by the executive arm of government. They have the procurement procedures as gateways to arrest any

Oke

project they do not want. So the on-going dramas are mere distractions and like I have said, the security agencies should watch Abdulmumin Jibrin, he is out for mischief.

Anybody who is thinking of impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari must be insane. Nobody has discussed such issue, there is nothing like that. We are in the state of economic quagmire, we are trying to get out of it, and it has not crossed anybody’s mind. That is why I said that the security agencies must find out what Abdulmumin Jibrin is up to.

On what he would suggest as a way out of the scandal

We as lawmakers in the parliament are guided by our

On his reaction to concerns that some external forces House rules and there are procedures for managing these scenarios. may be behind the whole drama

That is my worry, and that the activities of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin constitute a very high security risk, which security agencies should investigate. What he is doing has the capability to put our democracy in trouble. We all understand and believe in the separation of powers, but he is out to cause confusion in the entire polity by knocking the heads of the executive, judiciary and parliament together.

On the leadership crisis in PDP

It is all politics. Now you hear of Makarfi, you hear of Sheriff, at the appropriate time you would see that in the party, we are one. In a big party like PDP, this kind of struggle for power is expected, so it would be resolved.

On the position of the PDP national leadership on On whether Jibrin ever raised any of the issues he is the factionalisation of the party in Osun State The truth of the matter is that we had congress twice, and complaining about now during your executive sessions

As far as we are concerned, all these allegations by Abdulmumin Jibrin are not known to the House. One, we are not in session and, secondly, he has not tabled any petition against any member of the House or raised them in the House. So legislatively Abdulmumin Jibrin’s position is not known to the House. When we resume, he has the window to ventilate his views, he can, by way of point of order, put his position on notice, or do so by way of motion on notice.

But all the blackmailing, the distraction, the allegations against the institution of the House of Representatives and all the un-parliamentary language will be addressed when we resume.

On whether some members are collecting signatures to demand the removal of all the principal officers of the House over the budget saga

That cannot happen. I can give you the statistics of the position of the House. In the North-east caucus, Dogara has 98 per cent support, in North-central, he has 99 per cent support, while in North-west, he has 95 per cent support. In South-south he has 100 per cent support, in South-east he has 100 per cent support, and in South-west, he has 75 per cent support. So which signatures are they collecting? We are 360 in the House, and I put it to you, 310 members are

a candidate emerged as chairman of the party. I think what is on the table now is that the chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, is trying to accommodate the other party and he is doing that. Osun State, in particular, is leadership driven, we know ourselves. I can give you a scenario as an example. Sen. Iyiola Omisore is from Ife- East; nobody in Ife East would think or dream of contesting the national delegate with him. I am from Obokun/Oriade, nobody among us would think of competing with Prince Ade Fadahunsi when it comes to the national delegate. In Ilesha West, except for the fact that Chief Ebenezer Babatope is an automatic national delegate, being a member of the BoT, there are other leaders there like Remi Olowu that nobody would want to start thinking about competition with. So we know ourselves.

Is it in Oshogbo Local Government Area that someone would want to compete with Dr. Olu Alabi, who is our first gubernatorial candidate and a BoT member? Osun PDP is leadership driven, so I do not see any crisis. The few issues here and there, we are brothers and we need ourselves.

When we were together, we contested for gubernatorial election in 2014 and we failed; is it by going our separate ways that we would win election in 2019? So we all need to come together, we all need ourselves; PDP in Osun is one family.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by Demola Ojo Email demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

AFCON 2017 Qualifier: Iheanacho Lifts Eagles over Tanzania

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n a match that was meaningless in the context of qualification for the 2017 African Cup of Nations in Gabon, Kelechi Iheanacho scored a stunner to help Nigeria to a 1-0 win over Tanzania in Uyo yesterday.

It was the first game for Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr as he opted for an attacking team with the England-based quartet of Iheanacho, Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses named in the starting lineup.

Two minutes after kickoff, Ighalo smashed Iheanacho’s pass over the top under a close challenge in the box. Nigeria continued mounting pressure as Moses’s also had an attempt at goal. The Chelsea man’s free kick from 22 yards whizzed past the top right-hand corner of Aishi Manula in goal for Tanzania.

Tanzania hardly had a sniff of the ball, talk less of a chance at Nigeria’s goal. And 10 minutes into the game, Musa provided a layoff for Moses after skipping past two markers but the Chelsea man could not apply the finish.

A cutback, two minutes later, from Nigeria captain Mikel John Obi picked out Musa in Tanzania’s penalty area but the Leicester winger kicked the air and had a second attempt at goal when he toe-poked straight at Manula to hold.

Midway into the first half, Manchester City youngster Iheanacho struck with precision rather than power with his left foot but Manula produced a good save to keep his team in the game. Moses then came close to scoring twice but fluffed the chances.

On the stroke of half time, Elderson

Iheanacho (in green) pulling the trigger yesterday

Echiejile bombed forward and combined with Moses, but the latter flashed his effort over the top.

The restart produced the same scenario as Nigeria continued to press with Tanzania waiting for counter-attacks that never came or were broken down by the Super Eagles defence of Leon Balogun, William Troost-

Ekong, Musa Mohammed and Echiejile.

On the hour, Musa’s low cross was met in the box by Mikel but again Manula saved point blank. Within seconds, Manula denied Mikel again.

However, Manula could not deny Iheanacho with 12 minutes to time. The Manchester City striker picked up a short corner, ran

into space to set himself up on his left foot before striking fiercely from the edge of the box to see the ball hit the underside of the crossbar to settle in the net for the winner.

Iheanacho’s superb goal was futile however, as Nigeria a win couldn’t help Nigeria qualify for next year’s AFCON after finishing second behind Egypt in the group.

Rohr Excited about Eagles’ Prospects

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igeria coach Gernot Rohr has said his confidence that the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2018 World Cup has been boosted by his team’s 1-0 win

over Tanzania.

The Eagles needed a late goal by Kelechi Iheanacho to go past Tanzania but Rohr

said he saw enough in his winning start that Nigeria could qualify for a sixth World Cup at the expense of Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

The Franco-German coach used the Tanzania match to prepare his team for an October 3 World Cup qualifier in Zambia before they welcome Algeria the following month.

“I’m happy I won my first match,” began Rohr. “We have a good chance of qualifying for the World Cup. A team that failed to qualify for the AFCON needs confidence and the confidence is coming back gradually.

“We played well and any team who created 12, 14 chances in a match, that tells you it’s a good team. We were wasteful but we will

work on our finishing.”

He further said he looks forward to having Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo, who both missed yesterday’s match on account of injury. “We need to look at the player in Arsenal (Iwobi)and the player who scored four goals in match at the Olympics (Etebo),” he said.

Defending Champions, Cote Anichebe Signs for Sunderland d’Ivoire, Qualify

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underland have signed free agent Victor Anichebe on a deal until the end of the season. The 28-year-old Nigerian striker has been without a club following his release by West Brom in May. Anichebe played under Black Cats boss David Moyes for seven years at Everton.

“I have a lot of good friends here and everyone knows that I know the manager really well. He brought me through as a young player and was a big factor in me coming here,” he said. Prior to his arrival, Jermain Defoe was Sunderland’s only fit senior forward. “I had a few options in England and Europe but the manager was a huge pull for me. He knows me inside out and I feel like he can get the best out of me,” added Anichebe. The Nigerian, who moved from Lagos to Liverpool

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frican champions Cote d’Ivoire ensured they will defend their title at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations after drawing 1-1 at home to Sierra Leone. Needing a point to qualify, an acrobatic goal from Jonathan Kodjia after 37 minutes calmed home nerves. But after Kei Kamara equalised midway through the second half, the tension was palpable.

Another away goal would have knocked the 2015 Nations Cup winners out but they held on despite a nervy finish. Salomon Kalou was a surprise starter for the Elephants as he had been expected to miss out following the recent deaths of both his father and aunt.

However, the Hertha Berlin striker was involved in the build-up to the goal as Kodjia, a recent signing for Aston Villa, hooked the ball over the goalkeeper from near the penalty spot.

It was looking good for coach Michel Dussuyer’s side but Sierra Leone had aspirations of a first Nations Cup qualification since 1996 when Kamara, back in the team after ending a self-imposed 10-month exile, drew the visitors level.

Ivoriens celebrate their qualification yesterday Nonetheless, it was the hosts who came closest to the game’s third goal as Serge N’Guessan hit the bar late on, with the final whistle following shortly after.

Elsewhere, Senegal beat Namibia 2-0 to become the only team to qualify with a 100% record for January’s finals in host nation Gabon. Goals from Diao Balde Keita and a penalty from Famara Diedhiou, either side of a missed spot-kick by Mame Biram Diouf, gave the Teranga Lions a perfect record in Group K.

Anichebe at the age of one, scored 35 goals for Everton and the Baggies in 228 appearances. Sunderland have lost twice and drawn once in their opening three Premier League fixtures.

US Open: Williams Breaks Navratilova’s Grand Slam Record

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erena Williams powered to a record 307th Grand Slam match win to reach the fourth round of the US Open. The world number one moved ahead of Martina Navratilova for most match wins in a major by a woman, and tied Roger Federer’s mark for men with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Sweden’s Johanna Larsson.

“That’s pretty awesome and what a place

to do it, where everything first started,” said the 34-year-old. Serena won her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 1999.

“To be up there with both men and women is something that’s super rare, and it actually feels really good,” she added. The American is bidding to claim a 23rd Grand Slam singles title, which would see her surpass Steffi Graf as the most successful woman in the Open Era.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

High Life

85 wiTh LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Former Delta First Lady, Roli Uduaghan, Hits 55

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ngels fly because they take themselves lightly. They do not think too much of themselves, so does Roli Uduaghan.

Like an angel, she takes herself very lightly despite her social and political weight. There is no gainsaying the wife of former governor of Delta state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, belongs to the league of Nigeria’s most humble women; she wears her badge of temperance and humility in the shape of a bow of ribbon, thus affirming that she isn’t what many of her disparagers make her out to be.

Not a few people, irrespective of

age and gender, continually marvel at the surreal streak of loveliness that distinguishes her from the prettiest women in her class.

And it gets better than that; there is virtue in the heart of Roli which makes the former First Lady of Delta State a woman to die for.

She is the darling of her peers and even the younger generation love to be around her.

They consider her a friend, benefactor, confidant and mentor to mention a few. She is a woman of impeccable taste and style too. In few days, Roli would turn 55 and her husband we gathered is celebrating her in a grand style.

Rilwan Belo-Osagie

MARRIAGE CAN WAIT! RILWAN BELO-OSAGIE DOESN’T CARE A HOOT “Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?” stated Groucho Marx, U.S. comedian and film actor in a state of profound introspection. Rilwan Osagie is probably wrought of a similar disposition. That Rilwan is an abundantly blessed dude whose profile has appreciably assumed folkloric status in recent times is no secret but that he seems to have chosen a life

of perpetual bachelorhood is a persistent cause of worry to his family, friends and even business associates.

Rilwan, the younger brother of Keem Bello- Osagie, is the founding member of staff of FSDH and was appointed the Managing Director and CEO in 1998 after serving as the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer for two years. He is endowed with everything that could make any young woman fall head over heels in love with him yet, despite his undeniable appeal, Rilwan seems to be beating a perpetual retreat from the aisle to the consternation of his family and friends.

This, we learnt, might not be unconnected with his elitist disposition which tends to overwhelm many ladies and cause a great deal more to scurry from him even as they ironically crave for his undivided love and attention. At over 40, Rilwan is well-heeled and sociable; the dark-hued dude has many ladies skulking for his attention. Not a few times did ladies lunge for each other ’s jugular in desperate bid to have him for keeps. Now his friends are seriously putting him under pressure to settle down. After all age is not on his side anymore and all his younger ones are happily married.

BURIED ACROSS THE SEA! WHY DEHINDE FERNANDEZ FAMILY STAGED A GRAND

Roli Uduaghan

REMEMBRANCE FOR HIM IN NIGERIA Indeed, only in death will a man know that there are limits to feats of riches, beyond which lie the realms of impotence. For a dead man, everything is quite difficult enough as it is, and something as simple as being honourably interred six-feet in familiar earth or home soil, actually becomes the hardest task to perform in honour of the dead. This sad truth manifests brutishly in the afterlife of Chief Dehinde Fernandez. Despite his intimidating wealth and clout, the late billionaire

Halima and late Dehinde Fernandez

was not buried in the cold comfort of familiar earth and that is because he did not have a house in Lagos while he was alive - even though he’s to be buried in Lagos. The old Fernandez tower was sold years ago.

And Fernandez had only one mansion in Kano State where he lived with his trophy wife, Halima.

However, he was buried on Friday, 18 September, 2015, at the Cimetiere d’Ixelles, Chaussee de Boendael, 478, in Brussels, Belgium.

Some of his family members were not happy about this, even as you read. To make

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

86

HIGHLIFE

Humbling of a Taxman! Why Ambode Sacked LIRS Boss, Olufolarin Ogunsanwo

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ad he been brighter, his wile been milder and his approach to commerce without fault, this could have been a one-sentence story: Once upon a time, Olufolarin Ogunsanwo became Lagos’ god of tax and he lived happily ever after. But Olufolarin is no god of commerce. He has boxed himself into a tough spot. His approach to tax matter has cost him his job. It is no longer a secret that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has sacked the Chairman of the money-spinning Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS). Rumour has it that Olufolarin made a fortune at LIRS. Although the rumour has been dismissed as the desperate ploy of the former chairman’s detractors to destroy him by sullying his name. Mischief

makers allege that the rumour is true. They alleged that Folarin had been able to make very expensive luxury acquisitions because of his regular access to funds. Folarin, mischief makers, further alleged, has flaunts a taste for the chic and prestigious informs, citing his alleged fascination with choice properties on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos - a prestigious enclave of the super rich. In a bid to make his mansion on the island worthy of his stature, he was alleged to have painstakingly remodeled it into an Eldorado of sort; replete with trappings essential to a life of glamour and allure.

Eventually, like all manmade deities, Olufolarin stopped resembling a ‘god’ or something like one and he was forced to resign as the head honcho of LIRS and has been replaced.

up for this, the first year memorial of Chief Anthonio Oladeinde Fernandez, Ambassador Plenipotentiary, was organised by his first child, Chief (Mrs) Olateju Phillips, the former Lagos Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, last Thursday, at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island. And they are also planning to host a grand reception party in Lagos, later this year.

permanence. Extraordinary men are remarkably different. They tend to understand that greatness is never attained by sudden flight but by toiling through the night, while ordinary men slept. If this is the surest measure of feats that have permanence, then the immediate past Vice President of Schneider Electric West Africa, Ayo Adegboye, the new MD of Business Connexion (BCX) Nigeria, is an extraordinary man. When John Sviridov stepped down as Managing Director of foremost ICT multinational, Business Connexion (BCX) Nigeria, fears initially nursed of who would fit the bill took no time to be allayed when Ayo Adegboye came into the picture. For a technocrat of his ilk who is ranked among the top one per cent top executives in Nigeria, Sviridov shoe should not be too big for Ayo to walk in, if not surpass. For a consummate intellectual of global repute who has many awards and laurels in his kitty, he has the records and numbers to achieve even more.

Regarded as unassuming and humble with no airs, Ayo has sealed to his credit numerous lucrative multimillion dollar deals while he held sway through a career that has seen him occupy top executive positions in telecommunications,

GLAD TIDINGS! AS AYO ADEGBOYE BECOMES NEW BCX HEAD HONCHO Ordinary men can do nothing that has

Ayo Adegboye

Olufolarin Ogunsanwo

information technology, consumer electronics and marketing industries. Timetested, result-driven and visionary thought leader and strategist, the former director at Samsung West Africa, is considered an erudite scholar who has chosen to exhibit his skills beyond the walls of academic firmament, as he has continued to put smiles on the faces of board members of multi-nationals in Africa and beyond.

IN HIS FATHER’S SHOES! REAL REASON EMEKA ODIMEGWU OJUKWU TOOK SECOND WIFE Like the saying goes, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Apart from the striking resemblance between father and son, Emeka Odimegwu Jnr, scion of the late Biafra warlord, Ikemba Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, is taking after his legendary father ’s prodigious propensity and appetite for women.

Hitherto married to one of the daughters of late novelist and author of children’s books, Cyprian Ekwensi, the couple separated over a decade ago due to what sources described as their inability to have kids. Emeka’s estranged wife is now based in the United States. Recently, the younger Ojukwu married a much younger Otito Valerie Egbuchiem in a well-attended ceremony

Emeka Odimegwu Jnr.

in Anambra State. The guests-only ceremony had in attendance many political and industrial heavyweights, many of who still hold Emeka’s father, the late Ikemba, in awe. In her early 20s, Otito attended Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha and graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Otito is friends with Ada Ufondu, also in her 20s, who became one of the wives of billionaire oil magnate, Emeka Offor.

Emeka and Otito’s wedding brings back memories of Ojukwu’s marriage to beauty queen, Bianca Onoh who was his friend, the former Anambra Governor, CC Onoh’s daughter. The

T H I S D AY, T H e S u n D AY n e w S pA p e r • SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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HIGHLIFE

Agony of a Mother… Stella Oduah’s Ex-husband Battles Her over Son’s Corpse

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eath has dealt the Oduah and Etoromi family a mortal hurt.

So deep is their wound that the fairest of tributes and most soothing psycho-babble cannot extinguish the pain that afflicts their hearts. Of all the aged folk in their family, the grim-reaper decided to claim the life of Maxwell Etoromi, the son of Senator Stella Oduah. Maxwell yielded to death few days ago at the age of 28 after he had an operation and this has thrown the household into mourning.

However, in the hitherto enviable and exotic world of former minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, the sky is no longer a silvery and opalescent delight; it is now pitch black and brackish. And sadly, it would take almost forever for things to return to normalcy for her. Everybody with the Oduah suffix, friends, associates, and relatives two friends became sworn enemies thereafter but were reconciled long before death came calling. Before he decided to take the hand of Bianca, the woman who would spend his twilight years with him, the Oxfordtrained silverspoon, who became a warlord, had been married to Njideka and later, Stella Onyeador, both of who died in 2010.

ON ZOE PASTOR’S PUBLICITY STUNT… Not a few Nigerians would remember Anwuzia, the dandy pastor from ZOE Ministries. Although his oratory style was below average, his style was so fascinating that many Christians rushed back home to catch a glimpse of his verbosity on the pulpit.

The ZOE Ministries’ pastor made no pretence about his predilection for prosperity, and he truly practiced what he preached cruising about town in exotic cars with customised plate numbers ZOE 1, ZOE 2 to ZOE 50.

But like forgotten shea butter in the sun, Anwuzia disappeared suddenly from the scene with his ministry. His disappearance was trailed with series of scandals and rumours though close sources revealed unavoidable impoverishment as the cause of his disappearance.

However, the ZOE Ministries’ pastor seemed to have regained his voice

of Stella particularly, have been unanimous in their grief. If Stella had one chance to make a wish, she would probably wish the death of her son was a mere nightmare. However, Satchie Etoromi, a retired colonel, and former husband of Stella has requested for the corpse of Maxwell. Etoromi, who hails from Delta state, told reporters on Wednesday that he wanted the remains of his son to be buried in Warri. He said the lawmaker did not deem it fit to inform him of his son’s death, disclosing that he read about it in the newspaper.” So, I have sent a letter calling Stella, my ex-wife, to bring my son, who was under her custody, to me for burial in Warri. “Till now, Stella has not told me my son in her custody is dead. “There is rumour that my son will be buried in Akili Ozizor and that is unacceptable, my son must be brought to me in Warri for internment.” in recent times. Few months back, he staged what seemed a comeback telling everybody that he was back and better. Many months down the line, Anwuzia is yet to live up to his words. A leopard seldom changes its spots no doubt.

DIARRHEA OF THE MOUTH! AFTER SHE BLEW THE LID ON THE AMORAL PART OF PASTOR BIODUN OGUNTOYINBO, ESE WALTER COMES FOR HER HUSBAND Ese Walter loves to talk but when she does, it always skirts moral and ethical pavements. She has become more popular for some of her unguarded tirades against Pastor Biodun Oguntoyinbo of the Abujabased COZA Church. You

Stella Oduah

could not have forgotten so soon the young lady called Ese Walter who, in the mould of an accustomed apostate, blew the lid on the amoral part of Pastor Biodun Oguntoyinbo. Nigerians, especially Oguntoyinbo’s COZA congregation, still await his ‘robust reply’ to Ese’s allegation of steamy trysts with the ‘man of God’.

Well, years after the expose, Ese married her beau, Benny Ark, in a colourful traditional ceremony that took place at her father, Chief Walter Rugbere’s expansive country home in Warri, Delta State. The Walters reportedly spared no expense to make their beautiful but controversial daughter ’s day a celebration of her dignity and uprightness. Ese had

Ese Walter with hubby and child

first stunned those who read her controversial letter detailing her relationship with Oguntoyinbo back then when news of her registry wedding filtered to the media. But she didn’t make a song and dance of it, keeping sealed lips on other arrangements. Trust Nigerians, questions were popping up as to whether Benny had always been in her life or he strolled in the aftermath of the controversy surrounding her letter? Or, whether Benny actually was by her side through the dark days and actually prompted her to spill on the pastor? Questions; and more questions. But today, two years after, Ese Walter has come out again that she married OAP Benny Ark, just to shut people’s mouth up. She revealed that she didn’t love him when they got married two and a half years ago and had issues trusting him so many months after marriage. She says she has gotten some help and currently dealing with all the issues.

“When I agreed to marry him two and a half years ago, I didn’t love him. Heck I didn’t love my own self. I just needed a change of story.

I needed to stop being the girl everyone called an evil mistress and “graduate” to somebody’s Mrs. I thought the Mrs. title was going to save my ass and bring me some sort of redemption. I was wrong”.

Sunday September 4, 2016

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Price: N400

MISSILE

Ango Abdullahi to Nigerians

“The last government that made a difference was Gowon and after him things changed. Obasanjo did well with the economy but it was after Gowon that things began to go bad because those who said Gowon didn’t know how to spend Nigeria’s money now squandered it.”

– Former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, berating successive government in the country for their handling of governance issues

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Four Recession, Recovery and Our Relapsing Fever And Other Things...

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onfirmed. The Nigerian economy is in recession, the first in decades.

The official report by the National Bureau of Statistics is finally out, confirming what we suspected and expected all along. Many will hear the big word “recession” and ask: rece-gini? Economists define recession as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. As a villager, I will define recession as when the all-important cows in our village ranch are getting leaner non-stop for six months. They are not robust anymore. That means less beef, less ponmo and less milk from the ranch. Water don pass garri. That is hunger and starvation for many villagers, in simplified English.

You don’t need to understand the graphs drawn by economists to know the meaning of recession. When was the last time your company employed more workers? If your goods or services are not in demand like before, you won’t employ more hands, would you? Instead, you would sack. If people are not buying your blocks and granite like before, why would you produce more? And why would people buy your sand and roofing sheets when they don’t have money? And how would people have money when — how do I put it — there is no money? Honey, we shrunk the cows! They are not producing milk like before. In fact, the cows themselves need milk.

There is an interesting argument out there between the supporters of the former and current village heads on who should be held responsible for the state of the ranch.

Supporters of the ex-head said the cows were in rude health before the new man took over.

They said it was in fact the biggest ranch in Africa. Supporters of the new head are saying although the cows looked healthy, the haystack, or hay reserve, was virtually empty, having been looted. They said some of the cows already had ketosis and are only showing symptoms of malnutrition under the new head. But many are asking why the new head did not treat the ketosis before it got out of hand.

I’m tired of the politicised arguments. Maybe we should just shut up and try to save the cows instead. And at this point, may we leave cows out of the picture and focus on the real meat of the discourse? I have read through several analyses on the economic crisis, and the resultant recession, by foreign and local experts, economists and non-economists, all and sundry. The sense I could make from them is that there are no short-cuts to recovery. There are bits of the crisis that are our own making, and there are bits that are beyond our control. However, there are no bits that were not foreseen long ago. The only problem is that we thought we were on top of the world.

Clearly, our failure to save for the rainy day as well as build a war chest of FX reserve has got us snookered. The freefall over the last 20 months has fully exposed our two destructive dependencies (1) oil exports for FX income (2) importation of goods and services. If we had bigger sources of FX or produce most of what we import, the naira would not be in coma. Oil income is the biggest financier of our economy, both directly and indirectly. So oil price crashes and FX inflow automatically plunges, and with inadequate FX reserves, the naira inevitably goes haywire — pumping up inflation, pulling down industries, destroying

Buhari jobs and setting the economy ablaze.

The recession, by the way, is the result of the measurement of economic productivity over two quarters, from January to June 2016. It is a technical term. Even before the declaration of recession, our economy was in trouble. We may record positive GDP growth in the third quarter of 2016 and the word “recession” will disappear, but does that mean the trouble is over? Not at all. My thoughts today are, thus, more on the overall economic logjam than the recession. From all that I have read so far, I have distilled three possible recovery routes from the crisis. I call the first one The Miracle, the second one The Mayday and the third one The Marathon.

The Miracle route is very simple: oil jumps to $80 per barrel, the Avengers stop avenging and Nigeria’s export goes back to 2.2mbpd.

I can assure you, we will be singing and dancing all day and all night. The impact will be instant. Imagine oil revenue going back to between $2bn and $4bn per month as it used to be. The Miracle is the easiest, the fastest and the laziest route out of the wilderness. It’s like hay falling from heaven for the starving cows. The Miracle will get us out of the recession quickly given the multiplier effects the massive injection of petrodollars will have on the economy. It will cure symptoms, but the structural disease will remain untouched.

In the absence of The Miracle, The Mayday

In Nigeria, let’s be honest, we don’t learn lessons. If we do, the country would not be in this horrible shape. We pretend to be sober when we are down, but as soon as there is some relief, our relapsing fever returns and we go back to riotous living

can provide a lifesaver through massive FX inflow to settle urgent international trading obligations. It could be in form of loans or portfolio investments. It’s more of a stopgap measure to ease the strain on the naira, stabilise prices and allow us to breathe again — temporarily. What we are currently chasing are development loans, the ones given by World Bank and bilateral agencies, but these are not designed to address the urgent FX problems hurting the economy.

IMF is the place to get the “FX overdraft”. But the conditions can kill. Portfolio investors and their hot billions, meanwhile, remain unpredictable.

The Marathon is the long-term solution.

We will build a water plant and grow grass across hundreds of acres to feed our cows — and also vaccinate the animals against killer infections. That is what the Buhari government is promising to do by focusing on restructuring the economy. The good news: if we are serious and consistent — and can endure the pains — we will have a self-sustaining and healthy ranch in the long run. The bad news: many cows may die in the short run. We want to stop importing hay, but we cannot plant grass today and get the feed tomorrow — especially as we did not make hay when the sun was shining. You can’t diversify government revenue base overnight.

What option do you prefer? The Miracle?

I love miracles, trust me. But miracles can become a burden. When I sit in church and somebody is testifying that he did not read for an exam and still passed, I’m worried that this may become a model for some students.

We’ve been through boom-bust cycles since 1973 and The Miracle has always come to our rescue, so it has become a recovery model for us. Deep inside of us, we still do not think oil prices will remain low for long. We think sooner or later, prices will rise again. We are just holding on, monitoring the news every second in search of The Miracle. And when The Miracle happens again, we instantly relapse to The Mess.

In Nigeria, let’s be honest, we don’t learn lessons. If we do, the country would not be in this horrible shape. We pretend to be sober when we are down, but as soon as there is some relief, our relapsing fever returns and we go back to riotous living. This economic hardship appears to be making us cut our coat according to our cloth. But is this for real?

Even in these hard times, public resources are still being wasted. I recently heard of a government agency that sponsored 30 persons to accompany its acting chief executive to receive one funny Diaspora award. Each delegate got $4000 as PTA, in addition to $2000 per return ticket, in these austere times!

Imagine when The Miracle returns!

I may not know the eventual route out of this economic crisis, but there is something I know very well: if we do not seize this opportunity to reform and restructure, we are going to hand over a dead country to our children and grandchildren. We are suffering from the consequences of what we failed to do yesterday, and by failing to sacrifice our today for a greater tomorrow, we will remain perpetually locked in this self-inflicted underdevelopment. With or without The Miracle, we need adjustment.

It would be most tragic if this crisis goes to waste yet again. I don’t know of a better time to change our ways.

AIRPORT ECLIPSE Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, had its own eclipse on the night of August 27. It lasted for hours. The darkness, caused by power failure, was so grim airlines had to board and disembark passengers with torchlight. This must rank as an all-time low for us. I have been patiently waiting for reports that somebody has resigned or has been fired over the monumental shame. At this rate, I might wait forever. Which means life goes on as usual. An idea however came to my mind: we may actually start earning forex by creating “airport eclipse” and attracting tourists to flock to Nigeria to watch the inglorious spectacle. Disgrace.

ABUBAKAR SHEKAUS After claiming to have killed Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau at least four times — on one occasion comically asking to be paid the $7m bounty promised by the US — the Nigerian army will not let the matter die. Most recently, Shekau was declared “fatally wounded” (meaning he DIED from his wounds). “I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed, the second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded.

We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not,” Major General Lucky Irabor said on Thursday. You know his title? Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole. Apt. HOME SWEET HOME The Abubakar Shekau drama aside, there is no doubt that the Nigerian military is recording tremendous success in the war against Boko Haram. So much so we are now thinking of returning millions of internally displaced persons to their homes. It is very easy not to feel the plight of the war victims until you put yourself in their shoes. Imagine being unable to return home after work — because of a riot in your neighbourhood.

Imagine being dislocated as a result. This is much less than what these hapless Nigerians have been suffering for years.

And to think some government officials have also been robbing them blind in their misery. Heart-breaking.

MARK OF PRIDE It was fun having Facebook co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, in Nigeria during the week. There was a lot of excitement about his eating jollof rice, walking on the streets of Yaba and jogging on Ikoyi bridge.

What really caught my attention was the angry reactions by Nigerians to a cheesy Kenyan blogger who said Zuckerberg learnt more from his visit to Kenya than Nigeria. Nigerians united to tackle him.

It rekindled my belief that we really love our country and will not allow it to be maligned by foreigners. It seems to me that our real anger with Nigeria stems from disappointed love. We are getting far less than what we deserve from this potentially great country. Frustration.

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