Sunday 9th April 2017

MRS Commissions Africa’s Largest Jetty in Lagos Kachikwu lauds computerisation scheme Fashola pledges to electrify corridor Enelamah: FG committed to improving ease of doing business

Ejiofor Alike Foremost downstream oil company, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, yesterday commissioned a berthing terminal – Dantata Jetty, which has a capacity to

berth vessels of 80,000–120,000 metric tonnes capacity at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.

The record-breaking facility, which is reputed in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry as the first

of its kind in any port in Africa, will save Nigeria millions of dollars spent annually by marketers of petroleum products to hire daughter vessels to lift products from the mother vessels on the high seas to the depots,

as the mother vessels can now berth directly at the new Jetty.

Speaking yesterday during the commissioning ceremony in Lagos, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said that though

the jetty was the largest in Africa, what he enjoyed most iwas the Information Technology (IT) deployed in the facility to monitor on computers, the loadings of every drop of petroleum product.

He said with the computerisation scheme in the facility, the Chairman of the company could monitor the loadings from anywhere Continued on page 9

FG to Revive Sale of 10 NIPP Plants in New Economic Plan...Page 11 Sunday 9 April, 2017 Vol 22. No 8025

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Lack of Funds Forces APC to Shelve National Convention To convene NEC meeting

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has shelved plans to hold its national convention on

April 29, THISDAY has learnt.

The national leadership of the ruling party which had been under pressure to hold a national convention since

emerging victorious at the 2015 presidential election, shelved the exercise citing financial difficulties.

According to the APC

constitution, it is mandatory for the leadership to hold a mid-term national convention at least once in two years and critics of the current leadership

have been blaming the National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for failing to abide by this

provision.

But last month, the party issued a statement assuring Continued on page 9

Obasanjo: Corruption Now Worse than 1999

Says corrupt practices spreading like wildfire EFCC beats deadline, submits report on recovered assets

Olawale Olaleye in Lagos and Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said despite all the efforts so far geared towards the fight against corruption in Nigeria, including enacting antigraft law, the scourge seemed to be worse now than it was in 1999.

Obasanjo spoke at a lecture on the theme: "The Role of the Church in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria”, at the Convention of Victory Life Bible Church International (VLBC).

However, he said the spread of corruption had also been aided more by the developed countries that serve as safe havens for stolen funds.

Obasanjo’s revelation came just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, beat the two weeks deadline for the submission of its report on the assets so far recovered in the Continued on page 9

See THISDAY Style Inside…

AUDACIOUS MILESTONE

L-R: Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Chairman, MRS Holdings, Sayyu Dantata; Minister of Power, Housing and Works; Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah; at MUBO PETERS the official commissioning of MRS jetty, which is Africa's biggest, and the berthing of the first large range ship in Lagos ... yesterday

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EXPERIENCE THE BEST

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 9, 2017

PAGE NINE MRS OIL COMMISSIONS AFRICA’S LARGEST JETTY IN LAGOS in the world.

Kachikwu said he had a similar vision for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), stressing that as the leader in the downstream sector, the NNPC Downstream should adopt similar computerisation scheme to reduce losses in its operations.

“That is fantastic; it is important that we get the NNPC to align with this strategy to reduce losses,” Kachikwu added.

The oil minister further recalled that a year ago, he took a decision that the lightering expenses incurred by the NNPC in transferring products from the mother vessels to the daughter vessels was becoming unsustainable.

“Sayyu (chairman of MRS Oil) heard this and took the decision on this facility,” he said.

Kachikwu commended MRS, stressing that the acquisition of Chevron Oil has transformed the firm to a big global company.

He said that the federal

government had the responsibility to improve the ease of doing business to ensure the success of businesses like MRS Oil. Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said MRS Oil deserved commendation “not only for the size, the capacity – the audacity of what MRS has done but also because it was done by a Nigerian company.”

According to him, the most important investor in any economy are the local investors because “they will not run away, no matter how tough it is.”

Fashola said the present administration realised this and had remained committed to supporting local investors such as MRS and others.

“Congratulations also that this investment has come to maturity at a most auspicious time – barely a week after Mr. President launched the economic recovery programme and one

of the priority actions in that programme out of the 60 interventions is strengthening our capacity towards selfsufficiency in energy supply,” Fashola explained.

Fashola pledged to electrify the corridor and build transmission lines because the area is an important investment corridor and behind it is tourism.

In his speech, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, said the federal government was committed to improving the country’s global ranking in the ease of doing business to attract investors.

According to him, Nigeria should not think that her environment is unique in terms of doing business because investors, including local ones have other choices.

“We live in a world where we are part of the global community. Nigerians should not think that their environment

is unique in attracting business because investors have other destinations. So, we must improve our global ranking,” Enelamah said.

Speaking for the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who was also present at the event, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, described the jetty as a great feat in maritime acquisition in Nigeria.

“We are here today to celebrate a great feat in maritime acquisition. I have been challenged that the Cabotage Act is not working but this jetty has proved that it is working. I want to take advantage of this opportunity to encourage other investors to invest in the maritime sector because the current government is working on the ease of doing business,” Peterside explained.

In her remarks, the company’s Group Executive Director in

charge of Trading and Supply, Amina Maina, traced the history of MRS from its inception in 1995 and to where it is today.

Maina praised the workforce for its dedication and sacrifices to get the company to its present state saying the dream would not have been realised without their loyalty and contributions.

Also in his welcome address, the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, noted that the jetty would save the country the expenses incurred in Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfer, as well as demurrage, which he estimated at over $200 million yearly.

According to him, before the construction of the jetty, the company could only bring small vessels of 10,000 – 30,000 metric tonnes capacity to berth and discharge products at the depot.

Sayyu said with the completion of the jetty, a vessel of 60,000MT capacity is already at the facility, adding that the

capacity is equivalent to six vessels of 10,000MT tones each.

“We have gone out to the sea 34 metres. We save costs for the country in terms of STS (ship-to-ship) transfer.

This vessel is equivalent to six vessels of 10,000MT each and it shows that Nigerians can do great things. For the first time in Africa, 60,000MT vessel berth today and it has never happened anywhere in Africa. What we normally use to do operations is between 10,000MT and 30,000MT,” Dantata explained.

The Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, was represented by Hon. Victor Nwokolo, Chairman House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), while Senator Abdullai Yahaya represented, Chairman Senate Committee on Downstream, Senator Kabiru Marafa, at the well attended ceremony to officially commission the massive jetty.

the leadership of the party, the Kano State Kovernor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the era of taking money from government coffers to fund political parties had gone.

He said that political party as an institution was supposed to create activities that will make it to be self-reliant.

Ganduje said the national officers of the APC ought to look inward and come up with strategies to raise funds, even as he gave assurance that the party would not crumble.

The party has been facing severe financial crisis to the extent of being unable to ensure

regular staff salary and other bills at it national secretariat.

Ganduje also defended other government appointees saying that President Muhammad Buhari had made it clear that it would no longer be business as usual under the present administration, and that the era of dipping hands in public coffers to fund party is gone.

He said that the party leadership should begin to look for ways of generating funds internally to sustain its operations.

"Yes. It is still part of the change mantra. People were used to getting cheap money,

some struggle to be part of the officials in order to make money but the Buhari here is not like that; so if the party has programmes on the ground, the government have no problem to see how the party can be funded but let me tell you the issue of taking government money to fund the party does not arise now.

"We have to look inwards, Like in Kano state chapter, we devised a system of funding the party from the allowances from political office holders, some form of activities by the political party that generates money and so on," he said.

LACK OF FUNDS FORCES APC TO SHELVE NATIONAL CONVENTION that its national convention will now take place not later than April 29.

In the same vein, the NWC went ahead to set up an adhoc committee, to review the party's constitution and submit recommendations for onward ratification at the mid-term convention.

The party also said that it would hold state congresses before the convention to nominate delegates and to fill vacancies that occurred principally from political appointments, deaths and resignations.

However, signs that the party might not go ahead with the convention as scheduled came when the constitution review committee headed by the National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire, had to abandon its assignment.

THISDAY gathered from a key leadership source at the weekend that the party could not fund the activities of the constitution review committee which had submitted it budget to Odigie-Oyegun.

It was not just lack of funds that is preventing the leadership from going ahead with the convention, there are other issues ranging from the Executive-Legislative row, unresolved disputes in some state chapters of the party.

It was learnt that the party’s national leadership was conscious of the fact that this crisis might dove-tail to the convention and may likely cause more damage to the fragile peace in the party.

The party source who confided in THISDAY said yesterday that the party had decided to postpone the convention to another date to be decided at the National Executive Committee (NEC).

"Convention is not likely to hold on April 29. Only the NEC can say categorically that there will be no convention as scheduled, the NWC cannot decide unilaterally to postpone the convention. So there will be a NEC meeting to formally postpone the convention and this will be summoned before April 29 "Although the NWC has made up its mind to postpone the convention, it does not want to usurp the powers

of the NEC to decide on the dates for the event, hence it plans to first convene NEC meeting which can now take final stance on the matter," he said.

According to the source, the NWC will table before the NEC meeting issues bordering on inadequacy of funds to run the party as well as other matters needing urgent attention.

The source also disclosed that the work of the constitutional review committee had to be suspended due to lack of funds.

Giving more insights into the outcome of the initiative by the party to source funds through contributions from political office holders, the source said considerable progress had been made with respect to getting assistance from federal lawmakers.

"The National Assembly has responded very well, although not yet hundred per cent but they have been the most responsive, that is both arms of the National Assembly, in terms of remittances," he said.

According to the party source, the poor financial state of the ruling party is biting hard on the leadership which presently manages to offset monthly wage bills of its staff," he said.

Another party source said that there had been mounting electricity bills which recently led to the disconnection of electricity supply to the national headquarters of APC in Wuse II, Abuja.

But when contacted, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said he was not aware of any plan to stop the convention from holding as scheduled.

He told THISDAY on telephone on Monday that the National Working Committee had not yet decided to the contrary and that he believes there was still ample time to get the processes going.

As part of preparations for the convention, the leadership of the APC had said it would embark on wide ranging consultations with leaders and stakeholders on some of the raging contentious issues.

But THISDAY gathered yesterday that the party may not have achieved the measure

of success expected from the consultations, hence the delay in going ahead with plans for the national convention.

Attempts made by the leadership of APC to reach out to ministers and government appointees for funding assistance failed to yield fruit, as the ministers rebuffed a scheduled meeting with the NWC last month.

The party is also not getting the desired support from governors elected on its platform.

Speaking recently on the perceived cold relationship between the governors and

OBASANJO: CORRUPTION NOW WORSE THAN 1999 fight against corruption since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

Obasanjo, while lamenting the spread of corruption to all tiers of government, said, "Despite all these efforts, corruption is still thriving in our country. In fact, from the revelations we are hearing, it seems the situation is worse than what I met on ground in 1999. The inference is that fighting corruption is not a one-off or one regime affair; it is an all-time and all-regime affair. If we relent, it bounces back with vengeance."

Making reference to his days as president, the former president said, "During my tenure as a democratically elected President of Nigeria in 1999, a bill was presented to the National Assembly on prohibition and punishment for bribery and corruption and other related offences. I took that bold step then.

"How far has this actually helped in the eradication or better still, in reduction of corruption in the country?

Unfortunately, the act has continued to spread like a wildfire, from federal to the states, to the local government level and to other authorities, even within the educational sector in Nigeria – from secondary to university levels.

"A student bribing lecturer for higher grades is corruption.

Lower clerics have been found to be bribing their way through to be promoted even in the ‘house’ of God. Evidence also abounds in which female staff enjoys

unqualified rapid promotion in many offices and organisations, particularly among the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).”

Citing President Muhammadu Buhari’s description of corruption as the greatest form of human rights violation, Obasanjo said, “In 2012, Nigeria was estimated to have lost over $400 billion to corruption since independence."

He described corruption as systematic, and as such must be addressed systematically.

Noting that corruption had been in existence in all strata of ages, Obasanjo said it would not go away easily but could be curbed.

“Since the creation of modern public administration in the country, there have been cases of official misuse of funds and resources.

"The rise of public administration and the discovery of oil and natural gas are two major events seen to have led to the increase in corrupt practices in the country. The government has tried to contain corruption through the enactment of laws and the enforcement of integrity systems, but success has been slow in coming.”

According to the former president, "Legislation alone is not enough as they are often breached by those who make them and those who should implement them.”

He said: “political corruption is a persistent phenomenon in Nigeria and there is politics everywhere, including the

Church, especially if politics is seen as concerned with power, status, influence within an organisation rather than with matters of principle.

"Corruption has been in existence in all strata for ages and it cannot go away easily but it can be curbed. We all have our fair share in encouraging corruption but unfortunately, it is becoming more rampant, in the political circle and in governments in various countries, particularly among developing nations including Nigeria."

Alluding to the international dimension in the spread of corruption in developing and underdeveloped nations, he noted that Transparency International as a global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption has though rated developing countries as more corrupt, it cannot absolve the developed countries of complicity.

“They are encouraged largely by some of these developed countries because these regions serve as opportunistic avenues for hiding or domiciling their ill-gotten riches, sometimes for greater returns when compared with being in the home or developing countries," he said.

Therefore, to effectively curb corruption, he posited that “children, youth and adults must be given the power to distinguish between the rights and the wrongs. Schools should return to the teaching of moral education to empower children with the spirit of

stewardship and scholarship, while adults live exemplary lives, reflecting truth, kindness, healthy competition, dignity in labour and integrity. It must be all hands on deck within the society."

Meanwhile, it was gathered yesterday that the EFCC met Friday deadline for the submission of its report on asset recoveries.

President Buhari had directed the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu; the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Lawal Daura; Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), General Babagana Monguno; to submit detailed inventories of assets seized, including funds, vehicles, jewelry and other valuables by last Friday.

THISDAY had exclusively reported the presidential directive on Saturday. At the time of going to press on Friday, most of the agencies except the EFCC, had complied with the deadline given by the president.

It was however gathered yesterday that EFCC had also met the Friday deadline.

Although details of the reports submitted by the various agencies were not known, THISDAY learnt that the presidency had began to study the reports.

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SUNDAY COMMENT

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

GOVERNMENT AND INFORMATION LEAKAGES Unauthorisedreleaseofconfidentialinformationdiscreditsgovernmentandweakensthedecisionmakingprocess

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ncreasingly, the machinery of government seems to be finding it difficult to protect the confidentiality of information used in policymaking and administration.

In the past few months, high-profile documents have been flowing into the public domain due to unauthorised leaks, some of them from the most unexpected of quarters. Apparently in the bid to score political points, many of our public officials have unwittingly created a situation in which no official document is sacred anymore in Nigeria. This is a worrisome and dangerous threat to our national security.

We need only to look at the United States, a country that thrives in open dissemination of information, to draw cautionary lessons about the growing recklessness of our public officials. Last week, the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Intelligence Committee was forced to step aside from his panel’s investigation into Russia’s efforts to disrupt last year’s presidential election based on reports that he We reaffirm our “may have made unaucommitment to thorised disclosures of transparency and the classified information” right of the public to for which he is now know about the goings- being investigated. But in Nigeria, it is actuon in government. We those charged with also uphold the Freedom ally protecting sensitive of Information Act materials that give them which gives Nigerians out either for malicious the legal right to ask for intent against other and access information persons or to justify their own actions. and documents held by Presidential memos, the government or its reports by the police agencies. We, however, and army, documents frown at the torrential from the Central Bank outpouring of official of Nigeria (CBN), documents in a manner Department of State that practically subverts Services (DSS), Customs and Excise the state papers and even reports of ongoing investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are leaked with impunity in our country. It would seem that today, unlike at any other time in our national history, any and every document can be given out for splashing on the pages of newspapers.

We are mindful of the fact that the emergence of Julie Asange’s

Letters to the Editor

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Wikileaks and indeed the Internet has engendered a situation where leaking “state secrets” and other data and information considered “highly confidential” is now almost a fad of sorts. The United States Government was, in 2010, embarrassed by the leakage of its military and diplomatic cables

by Wikileaks. This has made every country to guard with greater care information that could compromise national security or the well-being of their citizens.

W

S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR TOKUNBO ADEDOJA DEPUTY EDITORS VINCENT OBIA, OLAWALE OLALEYE 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, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR 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

hat is bizarre in our own case is that it is actually those who are charged with safeguarding sensitive documents that often leak them to the public. This is reprehensible in the extreme. In four different cases last week, those who were sensationally accused of corrupt practices, with information about them released to the public ahead of trial, emerged victorious at the courts. This is what happens in a milieu where professionalism and responsible statecraft are thrown to the dogs by agencies of state. Naming and shaming may have its uses but it most often compromises legal actions when preemptive leakages transfer serious matters to cheaply sought public verdict. Yet, propaganda cannot substitute for serious investigation and diligent prosecution.

For sure, there have always been leaks in government. And it is not peculiar to Nigeria. Government, all over the world, sometimes indulges in leaks for different reasons: to test the waters, to justify an action already taken or indeed to communicate information to the public in a clandestine manner. But these are exceptions rather than the norm. In the case of Nigeria, the flow of unauthorised information to the public domain is now almost at the discretion of everyone in government.

We reaffirm our commitment to transparency and the right of the public to know about the goings-on in government. We also uphold the Freedom of Information Act which gives Nigerians the legal right to ask for and access information and documents held by the government or its agencies in the bid to promote such openness. We, however, frown at the torrential outpouring of official documents in a manner that practically subverts the state.

The leaks have costs and consequences. They are also taking a toll on the reputation of the Buhari administration. It is therefore time our new crop of officials realised that unauthorised release of confidential information discredits the government, weakens the decision making process and helps to undermine national security.

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.

WORLD HEALTH DAY AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

he World Health Day is marked on April 7 each year. The day was designated under a sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to enhance awareness and draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health.

In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The assembly decided to celebrate April 7 of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The WHO organises international, regional and local events on the day related to a particular theme. World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and nongovernmental organisations with interest in public health issues. The theme for this year is Depression.

When did the substance abuse come to existence?

The use of psychoactive substances of natural origin has been known since prehistoric times. For centuries,

man has tried to either complement some pleasant features of life or escape from the unpleasantness of life, whether real or imaginary, by using fermented liquor and different plant products.

For example, drinking of palm wine and locally brewed alcohol such as “ogogoro”, “burukutu” as well as chewing of different stimulating plants and their products in Nigeria have been known for years. Reports indicated that the use of these substances were more of occasional and in moderation with few exceptions. This was the trend of substance use in Nigeria until after the Second World War in the 40s when cannabis (hemp) was introduced through the war veterans who brought back the cannabis seed from India. The 70s and 80s witnessed the introduction of other drugs like cocaine, heroin, amphetamines and pharmaceutical opioids (codeine, morphine, etc).

This trend changed dramatically

in the 90s to include the abuse of non-conventional drugs such as volatile solvents or inhalants (gasoline, correction fluid, rubber solution, aerosol, nail polish removal, kerosene, petrol, and bytul nitrate).

These volatile solvents produce psychoactive vapour which when inhaled goes straight from the nose to the brain, heart and lungs with instant intoxication and diverse consequences.

Today, the quality of intelligence has been introduced into drug abuse with complex mixtures, experimentations and new discoveries. This has resorted to the abuse of lizard dung (especially the whitish part), pit toilet/soak away fumes (bio generic gas), “goskolo” a concoction of unimaginable substances, robin blue powder cocktail, “gadagi” (a substance resembling tea leaves), pharmaceutical products (tramadol, rohypnol) and many more. Codeine containing cough syrup mixed with soft drinks is gradually taking over

and the dignity and hope of millions alcohol in youth parties. Due to new of people and their families. technologies which have improved More worrisome is the increasing the mass production of some of these number of secondary school and drugs, many of them have become tertiary institution students who very cheap and therefore affordable. are getting involved in drug abuse.

Unfortunately, the presence of new These are the future leaders of substances of abuse are usually not detected until someone suffering from Nigeria.

What will the future of the nation the consequences visits the hospital be if it’s supposedly future leaders for treatment or law enforcement are drug addicts? personnel intercept or seize a supply Five major predisposing factors of suspected substances. Substance to drug abuse among students are abuse in Nigeria and the new trend peer pressure, curiosity, ignorance, is becoming a significant medical, academic induced frustration and psychological, social and economic lack of parental care. Adolescence problem facing the nation. and young adult are characterised Meanwhile, substance abuse by new identities/peer selection, destroys lives and communities, adventurism, curiosity, excitement undermine sustainable human and role confusion. When students development and generate crime. are not well guided, either by the Drug abuse affects all sectors of society in all countries; in particular, it home or school, they choose wrong affects the freedom of development of peers which will lead to experimentyoung people - the world’s most valu- ing with drugs. able asset. Substance abuse is a grave –– Department of Mass Commuthreat to the health and well-being of nication, University of Maiduguri. nations, the structure of all societies

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SUNDAYNEWS

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News Editor

FG to Revive Sale of 10 NIPP Plants in New Economic Plan • Gas, water constraints chip off 2785MW generation volume, Discos justify load rejection Chineme Okafor

The Federal Government has said it would conclude the sale of 10 brand new electricity generation plants built under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) in line with its recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

The government also stated that within the three-year timed ERGP, it would review the strategies employed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the disbursement of its N213 billion Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Fund (NEMSF) to the electricity sector.

There have been claims of unequal terms in the CBN disbursement of the funds by electricity distribution companies (Discos), who alleged that the apex bank had placed stringent conditions to make the fund quite difficult to access.

Similarly, the government tried to sell off the $5.7 billion plants to investors who were shortlisted after a competitive bid process in 2014, but the transactions were stalled following consistent attacks on gas supply pipelines that have rendered the new power plants redundant, as well as preferred investors’ claims that the government had not lived up to its pretransaction pledge to ensure uninterrupted gas flow to the plants.

Following from this, the government subsequently stated that it would sell off the plants on a one-by-one basis, starting with three of the plants – 634 megawatts (MW) Calabar, 506MW Geregu and 513MW Omotosho power plants.

But the ERGP, which President Muhammadu Buhari, recently launched in Abuja, showed that conclusion of the NIPP privatisation would be part of the several intervention efforts in the power sector that the government’s economic recovery programme would pursue.

The document, which THISDAY reviewed yesterday in Abuja, disclosed that within the power sector segment of the ERGP, the government would be

targeting to increase power generation by optimising operational capacity, encouraging small scale projects, and pursuing longterm capacity increase, in addition to improving the commercial viability of the legacy generation and distribution companies.

The federal government would, also in the ERGP, plan to restore lost gas supply through the Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, produce strategy towards elimination of gas infrastructure vandalism, complete major gas infrastructure lines to plants and main trunk lines to facilitate gas supply for power generation, as well as improve the financial capability of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading

CELEBRATING AN ACHIEVER L-R: Pro-Chancellor/Chairman Governing Council, Achievers University, Dr. Bode Ayorinde; wife of the honouree, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Minister of

Mines and Steel Development/honorary doctorate degree awardee, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chancellor, Achievers University, Dr. Bode Olajumoke; and Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu; during the conferment of honourary Doctor of Science in Public Administration on Fayemi at the fifth convocation ceremony of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State…yesterday

UTME: JAMB Extends Registration, Postpones Mock Examination Senator Iroegbu Tyessi

Kuni

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the registration exercise for the 2027 UTME and postponed the scheduled mock examination.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof.

Is-Haq Oloyede, while disclosing this in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, apologised to candidates and other stakeholders.

“We could not go on with the Mock Examination and hereby announce extension of registration exercise of the 2017 UTME. Instead of the earlier announced April 19, the deadline for the sale

of forms and registration will nowextendtoFriday,May5,2017.

Consequently, the 2017 UTME has also been postponed to start on Saturday, May 13 – 20, 2017,” Oloyede stated.

Meanwhile, he said the Mock examination earlier slated for Saturday,April8(yesterday),has been put on hold. According to him,thisisbecausetheappropriate rehearsal and test-running of the new system has been substantially achieved.

He said “the plan was to trialtest the readiness of our facilities and address the challenges that may likely confront the main examination”.Healsostressedthat the Mock Examination remains freeforwillingcandidates,while

eventhefeeduetotheCBTcentre owners are being paid by JAMB. He stated that there is “no cost to the candidates and at this moment, we have realised that the plan to hold this Mock Examination was good for us.

We are now in a better position to achieve better than we would have done without this trial testing. This is why the exercise is at no cost to the candidates,” he added.

Oloyede said he is the strong conviction that the exercise is an experience for JAMB and that their systems analysis has revealedinterestingfindingsthat would engender a seamless and successful 2017 UTME exercise.

He continued: “On behalf of

JAMB, we use this opportunity to appreciate our stakeholders, including the candidates, for beingpartofthisexperiment.Every disappointment is a blessing, an old adage says. The blessing that will trail the suspension of this Mock Examination and extension of registration deadline will manifest in our main UTME by next month.”

“Once again, we appreciate and apologise to the candidates who chose to participate in this free and voluntary Mock Examination”, he added.

TheRegistrarsaidthedevelopments“arepartofourexperience towards ensuring a fruitful and successful UTME this year and in the future.”

Plc (NBET) to support the electricity market.

Government, according to the economic recovery programme would also strengthen the governance framework and capacity of sector agencies, introduce strategy for capital market and banking programmes that ensure all upstream industry operators get paid for each contract, and review the gas pricing structure to recover all prudent costs as services improve and give willing developers access to under-developed gas resources.

Meanwhile, recent records on power generation and supplies in the country from the government has shown that constraints from gas supplies to power plants in the country as well as water management constraints have chipped off 2,785MW of generation volume from the system, leaving the country with just about 3,653.8MW of electricity to distribute across the 11 distribution networks.

According to the daily operational statistics from the government, average power generation as at April 05, 2017, was 3,441MW. This however picked up to 3,653.8MW on Friday.

The reported gas and water constraints were 2,695MW and 90MW respectively, while no constraints from the transmission lines were recorded.

The government’s record also stated that the power sector lost an estimated N1.337 billion on April 05, 2017 due to these constraints.

Notwithstanding the gen-

eration constraints, the 11 Discos have justified their reasons for rejecting loads sent to their networks by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

A recent statement from the TCN had accused the Discos of rejecting electricity loads allocated to them.

The statement had explained that: “This has left the SO (system operator) with no other option than to ask the Gencos to reduce generation to ensure grid stability,” and subsequently denied that the challenge was that of transmission’s wheeling capacity which it said was 6,500MW. However, responding to the charge, the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Mr. Sunday Oduntan, stated that the TCN was often defying the load allocation schedules of Discos by transmitting generated power to where the Discos have low distribution needs, and thus leaving out the high areas of electricity demand.

Oduntan told reporters in Abuja that, “The issue is about wrong dumping of load where the Discos cannot recover the cost at that point as the power supply is not always enough for all the customers under a particular Disco.”

He added that, “For instance, TCN dumps power where it should not in a Disco because its equipment is obsolete and out-dated and has not spent money to maintain the line.”

ISIS Suspect Deported from Germany, Dumped in Lagos An alleged ISIS suspect deemed dangerous by German authorities has arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, from that country, an incident which took place on Thursday, according to online reports The deportee, according to The Will, was among the 50 persons recently arrested and deported from Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium, Spain and Hungary.

A German news agency, dpa, reports that a 22-yearold man, who was born in Germany, was sent to Nigeria. He was arrested alongside his partner, a 27 year-old Algerian, during investigation of planned attacks in February.

Prior to his arrest, he and his partner lived with their parents in Gottingen, a German city. When the two men

were picked up, investigators found two weapons, at least one of them a firearm that had been altered to fire live ammunition. Also found were ammunition, flags of the Islamic State, IS, group and a machete.

The man deported to Nigeria has been banned from entering Germany for life, according to the report.

Following attacks by ISIS last year, German authorities vowed to step up deportations of foreigners deemed to be threats. The two men, according to www.dw.com, were arrested after being under surveillance for some time.

After their arrest, the German interior ministry requested their expulsion after classifying them as a threat to national security.

Their deportation has no precedence in German history.

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T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 9, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 9, 2017

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• THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

OPINION

Abuja Airport: Beyond A Temporary Closure

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Ikeogu Oke writes that the airport deserves the best as it reflects our image as a country

onsidering how closely our country’s image is linked to it, no reasonable expense of time and funds should be spared to ensure that it reflects all these attributes.

Even before its temporary closure for rehabilitation on March 8, 2017, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, had always struck me as a facility permanently under construction or endlessly undergoing repairs.

Each time I drive into the airport and look to my right at a restricted corridor, I wonder when the gauzy veil of workers shade concealing scaffolds in a construction site would be dismantled, signifying the end of the construction work and the birth of perhaps a fully built and functional international airport.

Not to mention the scraggly landscape of its parking lot as you enter through a slopy diversion to your left, and other rough patches scattered across the facility, unlike what one sees in similar airports in other countries.

So it is understandable if its closure signifies the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to grit its teeth and commence the process of reconstructing and rejigging it for optimal safety, functionality and comfort. And I needn’t invite you to see some of its conveniences, compared to what obtains with similar facilities in other countries, to appreciate what I mean by comfort.

The airport is a symbolic door to our country, and a mirror thereof. Visitors to our country could judge its general state by how functional, clean and safe they find it. Considering how closely our country’s image is linked to it, no reasonable expense of time and funds should be spared to ensure that it reflects all these attributes, including of course the period of closure and the N5.8 billion estimated for the rehabilitation. We only need to ensure that we get the best value for the time and money spent.

More importantly, this temporary closure has to do with the runway, which is also billed for expansion. Like the control tower, the runway should be among the most reliable features of any airport where the safety of passengers and the aircraft that convey them is of primary interest. And that of the Abuja airport seemed to have degenerated into a high-risk runway due to poor maintenance.

Until the temporary closure, maintenance of the runway had

taken place only at night, which could pose risks to passengers and aircraft for a facility that accommodates night flights. And though constructed over 30 years ago, the runway had witnessed no major repair or the mandatory rehabilitation to which it should have been subjected after 20 years.

We should recall how the poor maintenance culture in our power sector lasting about the same 30-year period resulted in several complications from which our country, now facing serious power problems that sum up to perennially inadequate power, has yet to extricate itself.

Incidentally, I was sceptical about the reliability of the promise to reopen the airport for normal business after six weeks, on April 19, 2017, until Hadi Sirika, the Minister of State for Aviation, vowed to resign if that did not happen, and so put his job and reputation on the line to lend credibility to the pledge.

Moreover, I thought the plan to close down the airport and use the Kaduna airport in its stead could be a ploy by some vested interests to supplant it with the latter after the upgrade that would inevitably precede its use for the same aviation services. This fear was reinforced by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) insisting that the airport could be rehabilitated while still in use. But it has been allayed by the evidence of ongoing work at the Abuja airport, and the realisation that any uplift the Kaduna airport receives to enable its utilisation for the same aviation services for the six weeks

The airport is a symbolic door to our country, and a mirror thereof. Visitors to our country could judge its general state by how functional, clean and safe they find it

can be beneficial in the long term, besides the immediate gains during the period of closure.

It means, for instance, that international flights may be diverted to the Kaduna airport during emergencies, with the certainty that its facilities can handle such as it has proven by accommodating international flights in relief of the Abuja airport. And with the planned construction of a second runway at the Abuja airport, it means either runway can be rehabilitated in the future without necessitating a closure of the entire facility.

I was also concerned about the safety of travelling the road from Kaduna to Abuja and the pressure of the logistics for prospective and disembarked air passengers plying that route, given the general insecurity in our country and the unpredictable crime rate. But the authorities seem to have handled that aspect well, with the facelift given to the road and the provision of vehicles to convey air passengers between the Abuja and Kaduna airports under tight security.

Of course one cannot ignore the reservations of the international airlines that have chosen not to patronise the Kaduna airport. But since Ethiopian Airlines – with similar aircraft to those of the other airlines and relying on the same aviation technology they would normally utilise – has successfully landed and taken off from the Kaduna airport, one wonders why any other airline couldn’t do the same. Ms. Firiehiwot Mekonnen, the airline’s traffic and sales manager, recently told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it had operated 28 flights, airlifting 4,500 passengers, from the airport from March 8 to April 4, 2017.

Isn’t this sufficient proof that the airport is not to blame for the hesitation of those other international airlines to utilise it under the present circumstances?

I had similar reservations when the British authorities proposed dismantling the old Wembley Stadium and constructing a new sporting complex in its place. But with the more grand and functional edifice erected in place of the old stadium, no one doubts that the British authorities did well to follow through with that decision. And like Wembley after it was rebuilt, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport should turn out better in the interest of all stakeholders after its rehabilitation, if our government keeps its promise to do the right thing.

––Oke, a poet and public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

150 Years On

Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, the oldest Anglican cathedral in Nigeria, celebrates God’s faithfulness, writes Tony Olutomiwa

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or the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, this is a special season of celebrations. The church is 150 years old and for good reasons, the leadership and its entire members are poised to make the season a memorable one. The celebrations will actually go on for a whole year as various events and activities have been lined up to appreciate the faithfulness of God. The celebrations actually started February 5 when the anniversary logo was launched. Come May, the world would also be briefed on the journey so far via a press conference, situating the significance of the anniversary and possibly the challenge of maintaining the legacy. There would also be a lecture on contemporary issues in Christianity in Nigeria and a gala night, as the church continues to make substantive and symbolic statements by which it intends to build on the epoch, particularly on expansion of its evangelical work by planting more churches and increasing its commitment to humanity through charity programmes in education, welfare, medicals, etc.

Looking back now, it is really a wonderful moment in the life of this remarkable church which arguably packs some very exciting parts of our national history beginning with the colonial era. It can also be related as the nation’s church, when we remember its historic relationship with power and leadership in Nigeria. The Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, is the church of the legendary Herbert Macaulay and it is the church of Nigeria’s former heads of state, General Yakubu Gowon and Chief Ernest Sonekan. Gowon actually had his wedding in the church. For a long period of time, it was the church where national ceremonies took place; it was where the memorial service of the late General Murtala Muhammed was held as led by the then head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo after his unfortunate assassination. The power relationship between the church and the nation’s leadership was actually fortuitous because of its proximity to the seat of power on Marina for a considerable length of time and indeed because the foundation of the church was made up of such elitist crop of congregation which somehow had been maintained till date. It is the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Church of Nigeria.

This is why on Sundays in particular, the church witnesses such spectacle of an aura, the perimeter of its expansive entrance as expected, attracts onlookers and those who are looking for charity, hanging around to seek the benevolence of the high and mighty who worship there. The variety of exotic automobiles from the best

of Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Cardillac, Rolls-Royce and other world class brands are neatly packed, akin to royalty.

Understandably so when we realise that this is also the church of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Vice-President of Nigeria; the church of chairman of First City Monument Bank, Otunba Subomi Balogu (he’s actually the Grand Patron of the 150th anniversary), the church of T.Y. Danjuma and his wife, Daisy; the church of the richest African woman, the oil baron, Folorunsho Alakija and the church of the industrialist, Chief Dele Fajemirokun.

The Cathedral Church Marina is also the place of worship for the Vigeo boss, Chief Gbolade Osibodu and his wife, Funke Osibodu; Dr. Yomi Finnih, who’s the chairman of the anniversary committee; Mr. Philip Ikeazor, the outgone Managing Director of Keystone Bank; Dr Olumide Phillips, Chairman, Dowen College; Foluso Phillips of the renowned Phillips Consulting; Chief Layi Ajayi-Bembe; Mr. and Mrs John Momoh of Channels Television; Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of Arise Television and THISDAY Newspapers (he also wedded in the church); Mrs Dolapo Odunlami of Rainbow College, among so many prominent members. Interestingly, however, when one enters the church, it is a leveller, as both the rich and poor worship together.

It is a defining characteristic of the church. There is no discrimination irrespective of status. Yet in memory of his effervescent legacy, we reckon proudly that the Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African bishop in the Anglican Church, was a major part of the cathedral history. He was reburied at the church in 1976 with a cenotaph.

So as the entire world celebrates with the church, it is fitting to remember that with purpose and unflinching faith in the Lord, all things are possible. The catchphrase of the sesquicentennial anniversary which is “Celebrating God’s Faithfulness”, underscores this scriptural essence. And so we can gladly connect with that faithful day in1869 when the cathedral was established though the foundation stone for the first cathedral building was laid in 1867.

We recollect that the present day cathedral has actually undergone some major metamorphoses not only in the construction of the picturesque gothic design we now see and admire as architectural masterpiece but also in its historical genesis. The cathedral was originally part and parcel of the St. Peter’s, Faji, before it was moved to Ehingbeti as the present location on Marina was known and called then. It was an enlightened move to create a church for the expanding English speaking members

since St. Peter’s, Faji, was predominantly a Yoruba speaking congregation. And from this humble beginning, the church had expanded exponentially in all ramifications over the years.

Beyond its rich history and prominence, though, the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina has made indelible marks in our national life and of course in fulfilment of its essence doing the work of God. In recent interviews with leading lights of the church including the current Provost, The Very Rev. Adebola Ojofeitimi; the immediate past provost and now the Bishop of Lagos Mainland, The Right Rev. B.C.Akinpelu Johnson; The Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Most Rev. Ephraim Adebola Ademowo, OON; Bishop of the Diocese of Remo and the Archbishop of Lagos Province, The Most Revd. Dr Olusina Fape as well as the immediate past Managing Director of Keystone Bank, Mr. Ikeazor, the key values of the church which had sustained its legacy were well remarked as pointers to why the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina and indeed the Anglican Communion remain very relevant in the Christendom in spite of the influx of Pentecostalism in recent years in Nigeria.

The Cathedral Church of Christ Marina has especially played leading roles in fostering leadership ethos for national regeneration while also serving fervently in propagating the work of God and serving humanity. We have seen this exemplified variously in the regular intervention of the church in our national affairs, drawing attention to flaws in public policy and proffering alternative views as we saw especially during the days of the spiritually vibrant Archbishop Peter Akinola, who spoke truth to power. The church has also been forthcoming in spreading evangelism locally and abroad. This important responsibility still features prominently on its array of events to mark the sesquicentennial anniversary as a big church is to be built in the Lekki area of Lagos. It is reckoned thoughtfully that the church has made significant progress in its humanitarian programmes serving humanity, particularly in education and health care and welfare of the less-privileged and the vulnerable generally.

Aside the core which its mode of worship plays, emphasising the choir, these are major values handed down in successive generations of the church which continue to influence its role in nation-building and thus influencing the younger generation and furthering a virile and stable society.

––Olutomiwa is the CEO Mixot Media Limited, 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 • APRIL 9, 2017

LETTERS Letter to The Outgoing Corps Member

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ongratulations, dear outgoing corps member. It is indeed a great honour to have served your fatherland. You obeyed the clarion call and worked meritoriously. Nigeria is proud of you. As you are about to pass out of the NYSC scheme, family and friends will start rejoicing with you and tonnes of congratulatory messages will start popping in. But before you take the celebrations to Facebook and Instagram, let me also felicitate with you as you start another phase of life. With about 17 months of post-NYSC sojourn in the labour market, I feel the need to offer little advice to guide you through your transition.

Dear ajuwaya, the passing out parade is not just a rendezvous with government officials. It is actually a farewell ceremony. From now on, you are directly responsible for every penny you will earn. Your effort will determine how soon your allawee will be replaced with salary. By now, you must have understood that there is no free lunch anywhere; not even in Freetown. If the government could post you to a ‘strange land,’ keep you under stringent rules and subject you to laborious works before you could earn N19,800, you should imagine what the labour market would have in its coffer. As

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Brigadier General Sule Zakari Kazaure, DG, NYSC

a matter of fact, the labour market isn’t smiling at all but the good news is, some people are smiling there and some are even laughing.

Now that you are about to drop your khaki and take up corporate suits, one thing you must quickly learn is how to embrace realities. It is good to have high aspirations but this is the time to work with realities. If you have ever been aiming for a career in the oil industry, now is the time to go for it. However, you should be aware that those aspirations will not be achieved overnight. The recruitment process for many big corporations, for example,

may take as long as a year.

So be prepared for a long and dynamic journey.

It doesn’t require a prophecy to know that a lot will remain jobless for quite a while. That is why you must understand that the corporate world is very competitive and your certificate alone may not offer you the edge. Those that have valuable skills and know how to sell them stand a high chance of weathering the storm of unemployment.

Job search is such a serious business and you shouldn’t bring a toothpick to a tank fight. Therefore, concentrate on acquiring more skills as you seek your place in the

labour world.

It is also necessary that you know how to manage expectations. Disappointments will come but do not despair. You may discover that your uncle in Abuja isn’t as influential as you’ve always believed. Your dad’s network of powerful friends may suddenly become feeble. My friend, if nothing tangible is coming forth from your immediate network, don’t be distressed. Everyone has a number of life issues to contend with. Big offers may be somewhere else waiting for you. So, dust your clothes and keep exploring.

Dear celebrant, you will have varieties of opportunities before you. However, you need to set your priorities right and know what you want out of life. You shouldn’t jump at every opportunity.

A graduate internship is a lot better for a graduate engineer than teaching appointment in a secondary school. Also, you may decide to take up entrepreneurship and wear the toga of a self-acclaimed CEO, but if you are jobless because you aren’t employable, I am sorry, you will probably be a bad entrepreneur. The skills you need on a paid job are what entrepreneurship also requires. Your quests should be driven by passion and not frustration.

Let me also affirm that postgraduate studies is a good path to prepare you for academic jobs and can also lead

SALVAGING T HE P LIGHT OF T ELECOM CONSUMERS

ccording to Wikipedia, the consumer is the one who pays to consume goods and services produced. As such, consumers play a vital role in the economic system of a nation.

Simply stated, consumer is an individual that buys products or services for personal use only and not for manufacture or resale. Without the consumer’s demand or patronage, producers would lack one of the key motivations to produce. The consumer also forms strategic part of the distribution chain in the overall economy. Succinctly put, the consumer is the end of production cum distribution network; without which there cannot be producers/providers.

Every buoyant economy rises and falls on the actions and reactions of the consumer.

Narrowing it down to telecommunications sector, especially as it affects Nigeria, telecom consumer is one of the major determinants propelling the growth of the telecommunication industry. With a base of over 154 million subscribers, the Nigerian consumers dominate the African telecommunication landscape.

The consumers provide the revenues that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) needed to keep moving. Yet they do not get the best satisfaction when it comes to services. In 2015, Nigerian telecom consumers coughed out a whopping $5.6

billion, which was spent on telecommunication services alone. In 2016, it was topped up by another $1 billion, making it a total of $6.6 billion.

After a long period of neglect and exploitation, finally the Nigerian telecom consumers have gotten the required recognition from the telecommunication regulatory agency—the NCC. March 15, 2017, the Nigerian Communications Commission historically declared the year 2017 as year to focus on the warfare of Nigerian subscribers.

The essence of the declaration is to highlight the plight of the consumers, as regards poor quality of services being rendered to them by MNOs and proffer solutions to them.

Unsolicited messages, illegal deductions from consumers’ credit, infuriating menace of robotic calls, poor quality of service, charges for unrequested services like caller tunes, call drops, unfriendly internet data plan packages, and so on have become excruciating pains and challenges on the part of subscribers.

Declaration of 2017 as year of Nigerian Telecom Consumer will go a long way to restore the confidence of the telecom subscribers in the ability of the commission to protect its rights and privileges, which is in line with the mandate of the consumer affairs bureau of the NCC, which is: “To ensure the protection of the rights, privileges and

interests of telecommunications consumers, including the physically challenged groups through adequate information dissemination programmes; as well as effective policies and strategies that promote effective and qualitative telecoms service delivery.”

There is no doubt that some of the MNOs have defaulted on their primary responsibilities - to provide qualitative telecommunications services to Nigerian consumers. The poor network coverage has remained a reoccurring decimal. Even when the NCC has provided do-not-disturb (DND) code to enable consumers control the menace of unsolicited messages, by sending it to 2442, it is yet to abate. Exorbitant charges for services not rendered, or requested has been a piece of bone in the throat of telecom consumers. A situation where MNOs imposed unsolicited caller tunes on the consumers, and still deduct money from them as fees for these tunes leaves much to be desired. Inadequate telecom infrastructure, especially in the rural areas has contributed immensely to poor network coverage.

Apart from making complaints via the NCC’s designated line of 622, telecom consumers on the street want a system put in place by the NCC that automatically reverses unjustifiable deductions on their airtime, without having to embark on bureau-

cratic voyage of reporting to the consumer affairs bureau of the NCC, or complaint commission. The banking sector model, where Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) immediately reverses unpaid debt alert, should be emulated in the telecommunication sector, as part of regulatory measures put in place to protect the telecom consumers.

How many telecom consumers will start calling the NCC’s complaint line 622 because their network operators short-changed them of N50, for unsolicited caller tunes?

How many of the telecom consumers are observant or literate enough to know when they have been exploited? What will telecom consumer do if at the end of the month he has not been able to exhaust his one-month data plan due to poor quality of internet services, and the hosting network operator insists that he recharges his data plan before the remaining data will be rolled over, or allowed to expire with the month? What stops the network service providers from rolling over subscriptions to the next month, especially any period there is epileptic internet service? These are thought provoking questions racing through the minds of telecom consumers.

––Nwobodo Chidiebere, Abuja

you to greater exploits in your chosen industry. Nevertheless, joblessness shouldn’t be your impetus to pursue postgraduate education. You may be more frustrated thereafter. By and large, master’s degree is not a requirement for most entry-level jobs. Therefore, if a bachelor’s degree can’t get you a job, a master’s degree alone most likely won’t. Be confident to pursue what you want in life but be flexible enough to accommodate realities. Your life journey so far must have taught you that we don’t live in a perfect world. Things may not go as you have planned but your ability to surmount difficulties will take you to your desired destination. For whatever

reason, ensure you are not idle at any point in time. This is not the time to sit at home and wonder why the country is so bad. Get out, roll up your sleeves and get busy. You will be successful, but not on the platter of laziness. Keep adding value to yourself.

Keep making trials and never lose hope in spite of failures.

A minute’s success, they say, pays the failure of years.

As you step out of the National Youth Service Corps, lo and behold, Now Your Success Continues.

Welcome to the favour market.

––Abiodun Ajayi Abdulganiyy, abdulganiyy.ajayi@ gmail.com

DSTV/GOTVPRICEADJUSTMENTS: MATTERS NOT ARISING

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bout two years ago, pay-TV provider, MultiChoice Nigeria, announced, to hardly unexpected public disgust, a new price regime for its DStv and GOtv bouquets.

Prior to that announcement, the company had not raised subscription in Nigeria for two years, yet Nigerians were apoplectic, a condition that eventually drew “sympathy” from the Federal House of Representatives, which came up with a salad of allegations distilled from public complaints against MultiChoice. In general, the public accused MultiChoice of operating a monopoly, which encourages it to price-gouge Nigerians.

Last weekend - two years after -MultiChoice, again, announced adjustments to its prices. The new prices, which take effect on May 1, will see subscribers on the premium bouquet paying N14,700 instead of N13,980 that they currently pay, while those on Compact Plus will pay N9,900 instead of the current N9,420.

Compact subscribers will pay N6,300 instead of N6,000.

For the Family bouquet, the new subscription is N3,800 as opposed to the current rate of N3,600, while that of the Access bouquet will be N1,900 instead of N1,800.

The House of Representatives has not joined in the discussion and there is no hint, so far, that it will. But the media, new and traditional, immediately erupted in rage, which will remain incandescent unless a few things are understood.

What has arisen in this state of anger is that subscribers, through years of conditioning, have come to see themselves as victims, a state of mind that inhibits proper assessment of situations. One of such gems of conditioning appeared in a newspaper report on the price adjustments. “The price hike is coming at a time most Nigerians are struggling to stay afloat, considering the economic recession characterised by the very high inflation rate that the country is currently experiencing,” wrote the newspaper, apparently

inflected with a wish to induce Nigerians to self-pity.

Nigerians sure deserve pity for the near-eviscerating economic hardship. But what we have been blinded to by anger/self-pity is that MultiChoice has been hit the way we all have been, perhaps more, by the economic situation.

Before it adjusted prices in 2015 when the naira exchanged at N167 to a dollar, MultiChoice had absorbed costs on behalf of the subscriber for two years. It has done so, again, for another two years, during which the naira, passably imitating a bungee jumper, plunged. Shockingly.

Between 2015 and now, costs of goods and services have doubled, quadrupled in some cases, with sellers and providers blaming the development on the naira value and recession.

Their explanation is widely understood, but that of MultiChoice, which operates in the same economic environment is not. Nobody, including Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has remained unaffected by the recession.

How we expect MultiChoice to be recession-proof eludes me. Cement prices have gone up, yet no protest against cement companies. Food items have soared, still expecting bonfires in front of food sellers.

MultiChoice? Almighty hoopla.

What we ignore is that television economics is also affected by local and international economic developments.

The sharp decline of the naira and the resultant inflation has compelled MultiChoice to make price adjustments, otherwise offer less quality or fold up completely. Much of the content found on MultiChoice’s DStv and GOtv platforms, including local content, is paid for in dollars, a major reason why Nollywood has retained its vibrancy. I, therefore, wonder how we are comfortable accepting that the strength of the dollar against the naira will have effect on other service providers, but leave MultiChoice untouched.

Bizarre.

Uzoechi, a public affairs analyst, writes from Enugu

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER •

INTERNATIONAL Implications of EEC Treaty at 60 and Marine Le Pen as Potential French President for ECOWAS Integration

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he Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) was done on March 25, 1957 in Rome, Italy as a follow-up to the 1955 Italian City of Messina (Sicily) Conference. The conference, held from 1st to 3rd June, 1955, was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the Six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The cardinal objective of the conference was to nominate a member of the High Authority of the ECSC, as well as appoint a new president and vice president for the period expiring on 10 February 1957. In this regard, Mr. René Mayer was appointed the president of the High Authority to replace Mr. Jean Monnet.

Before the conference, various efforts had been made to kick start European integration after World War II, beginning with the 1951 ECSC. In an attempt to remove the political and military suspicions at the level of France and Germany in particular, the ideas of a Common Defence Force and European Defence Community were suggested as alternatives to national armies of the six original Member States of the ECSC. However, these plans were aborted in August in 1954, following the refusal of France to ratify the plans as agreed to by others.

It was this French position that led the ECSC to redirect its attention more to economic questions.

It considered the pursuit of a Customs Union which was a major issue for discussion at the 1955 Messina Conference. Issues dealing with political and military matters were deemphasized to the advantage of economic cooperation and development. This largely informed the new name, ‘Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community.’ More interestingly, however, political and military cooperation would later, au fur et a mesure, be introduced, meaning that the initial French refusal was meant to first underscore the economic and the political later. For instance, the word ‘economic’ was removed from the name following the 1992 Maastritch Treaty. In other words, it was no longer EEC but EC (European Community), implying that emphasis should no longer be on the pursuit of economic interests alone. By further implications, non-economic matters could henceforth legally be accommodated.

Again, following the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the word ‘community’ was replaced with ‘union.’ In fact, the Lisbon Treaty is entitled ‘Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union,’ meaning that both the military, the political, the cultural, etc, have now become issues of common interest, and therefore going beyond the restricted interests of the original EEC members: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.

In this regard, the 1957 Treaty was not only the crescendo of efforts undertaken since 1951, especially by Jean Monnet of France and Robert Schuman of Germany, both of whom were Foreign Ministers, but also the foundation stone of the European Union of today. While the main rationale for the establishment of the community was economic integration at the initial stage, the ultimate objective of the European integration efforts as at today is a union that can think together, plan together, act together, defend together, and be another major power centre in global politics.

Explained differently, it was strongly believed that unity was strength, regional integration was a good and fast way of boosting economic development, regional solidarity and unity of purpose.

This was the thinking behind the pursuit of a Single Market for good, capital, labour and service. This was why a Common Agricultural Policy, a Common Transport Policy and an European Social Fund were not only contemplated but also why an European Commission was specifically established.

But true enough, the goodness in the quest for European integration as from 1951, the beauty of the March 25 1957 Rome Treaty which entered into force on January 1, 1958, and the hope for better days to come following the Maastritch and Lisbon treaties have not only been undermined by Brexit but are now more seriously threatened by a potential Frexit in the event Marine Le Pen is elected the President of France.

There is every reason to believe that she could be elected the first female President of France under the Fifth Republic. The unexpected election of Mr. Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States is exactly the same way the French electorate is disturbingly looking at the chances of Marine in the first round of the election on April 23rd and second round on May 7, 2017.

Marine Le Pen as French President

The major features of contemporary international relations are basically the rise in nationalism, protectionism, and quest for

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Le Pen

self-determination. Contemporary international relations are increasingly predicated on the conflict between globalisation, multilateralism and supranational politics, on the one hand, and quests for self-determination and return to national protectionism, on the other. Countries which voluntarily surrender part of their national sovereignty to a supranational authority are reviewing their positions. Bad governance is no longer held responsible for non-development. It is the global environmental conditionings that are increasingly now held responsible. The love for one’s country has also become a special magnet for attracting only the original or the unpolluted nationals of a country. This is the context in which Marine Le Pen is currently contesting for the French presidency.

Marine is a lawyer by training and mother of three. She is the daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of Front National (National Front) which is anti-Jews, anti-immigration, anti-European supranational authority, etc. Even though the National Front started with very low percentage of votes in many elections in the past, the truth as at today, is that there has been sharp increase from about 5% in the early years of the Front National in the 1980s, to about 19% in the following decades under Jean-Marie Le Pen. In 2011, Marine took over the leadership of the National Front from her father. Mainly as a result of the anti-semitism of her father and to allow for more support, her father’s membership of the National Front was withdrawn. As noted by Vivienne Walt in her report (“The Power of Le Pen: Win or Lose, France’s populist has already shaken up her country,” Time, March 27, 2017, Vol. 189, No. 11, 2017, p. 33), Marine has to ‘distance herself on the basis of advice ‘from her father Jean-Marie, whose virulently anti-semitic and homophobic remarks in the past made him toxic to most voters. She expelled her father and cast herself as the common person’s champion. Le Pen’s campaign posters now read simply “Marine 2017,” with no reference to her last name.’

The expulsion of her father may not be a big deal and may not even help the matter in light of the more disturbing likely foreign policy to be adopted by Marine Le Pen. Without doubt, France currently has an unemployment rate of about 10%. France is still one of the

The European Union has been struggling tooth and nail to get the whole ECOWAS accept the Economic Partnership Agreement which is specifically targeted at Nigeria. All the Member States of the ECOWAS have ratified the agreement with the exception of Nigeria and The Gambia. As a result, the EPA agreement is still gathering dust in the drawers but the EU is not happy about this development.

With Marine Le Pen as president of France, with her hostility to the European Union, the EPA agreement can be considered as dying of natural death. Will France and Nigeria strike a deal of convenience?

main targets of deadly terrorist attacks. Illegal immigration in France is another problem. Marine considers these problems and therefore defined her foreign policy along these lines.

First, France wants the return of French Franc. She is against the supremacy of the Euro. Marine has it that the EU has stolen national sovereignty and that the introduction of euro currency is nothing more than ‘a knife in the ribs of nations,’ thus ruining the economies.

As explained by Nona Mayer, an expert on the National Front, ‘at the heart of the political party of Marine Le Pen... there is something which is not really compatible with the values of democracy. That’s national preference.’

More important, Mayer has said that ‘it’s the idea that one must keep housing, social benefits, family stipends, employment of the French... The enemy is the other. The other is the immigrant and the immigrant is Islam.’ In this regard, the thrust of her campaign is ‘France first,’ which was also the campaign slogan her father adopted in 1985. It can be rightly argued that Donald Trump might have been inspired by Jean-Marie Le Pen’s campaign strategy, for him to have also adopted the style for his own campaigns.

Secondly, on the issue of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism, Marine considers that ‘terrorism is a pistol in the hand of the guilty’ and that terrorism can only be defeated by collective resolve and alliance. Consequently, Marine wants ‘an alliance to emerge between France, the United States and Russia to fight Islamic fundamentalism because it is a gigantic danger weighing on our democracies’ (vide her speech at the meeting with the Anglo-American Press Association held last week).

This type of alliance is important in two ways. It is different from the type of alliance sought by former French president, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing who wanted a dialogue between the rich and poor countries in 1974. The focus was on energy. When the dialogue, which lasted until 1977, failed, Giscard d’Estaing proposed again on January 15, 1979 a sort of ‘trilogue’ on wider issues: economic, political, cultural matters and concrete projects, in which Europe was to provide the technology, the Arabs were to provide the money required for the development of African resources. As explained by Henri Jean-Baptiste, the political aspect of the trilogue was to enable France come up with a ‘Charter for security through development (Africa Economic Digest (London), Vol. 1, no.10, July 18, 1980, p.8).

Apart from this, there is nothing to suggest that Marine Le Pen understands well the implications of her offer of triple alliance.

Russia’s foreign policy is seeking the dismantlement of the powerful European Union, not only to get Europe weakened but also to pave the way for Russia to emerge as a new superpower. Russia is much troubled by European Union’s unending sanctions and intrusions in Russia’s zones of influence. It is for the purposes of a weakened Europe that Russia is much delighted in Brexit. If Brexit will be immediately followed by a Frexit, it can only simply mean that Russia is doing pretty well in its foreign policy calculations.

Consequently, an alliance among France, the United States and Russia cannot but be a marriage of convenience but whose future is, at best, bleak. The United States under Donald Trump is talking about ‘America First’ and making ‘America Great Again.’ In the event of election of Marine Le Pen, the same story will be told: ‘France First.’ Marine will surely be talking about ‘la grandeur de la France’ (the greatness of France) which was a popular theme in national politics following World War II. The issue of Marine Le Pen as a special patriot and defender of the father land is quite interesting too. In her words: ‘I am intensely, proudly, loyally and resolutely French... For as long as I can remember, I have always felt a visceral, passionate attachment to our country and its history. I love France. I love this old-age nation which cannot be subdued with all my heart and my soul and its spontaneous and tenacious people. I am a woman and, as such, I experience the ever increasing restrictions on liberty in our country through the development of Islamic fundamentalism like an act of violence.’

In this regard, Marine sees massive migration, particularly from the perspective of the Maghrebin region of Africa, as supplanting French civilisation and as the root causes of France’s woes. This, she said, should not be so or allowed anymore. However she claims not to have qualms with people of Islamic faith but only wants adherents of radical political ideas in the guise of religion to be tried and expelled before they are able to ‘install Sharia or Islamic law in France.’.

And perhaps most interestingly, Marine said she suffers ‘insults to France as if they were addressed to me directly. Whether it’s a question of insecurity and violence, or the poverty which affects too many of our countrymen, the suffering of the French people touches me personally.’ This is how Marine has been presenting herself for public support for her candidature. To a great extent today, it is being speculated that Marine Le Pen may be the next French president, especially in light of the many problems already facing the other strong competitors.

For instance, it should be remembered that the National Front had more seats than any political party at the 2014 European parliamentary elections. This feat has to be understood within the context of anti-EU stand of the National Front. Again, of the five presidential candidates (Benoit Hamon of the Socialist party; François Fillon of the Republican party; Marine Le Pen of the National Party; Emmanuel Frédéric Macron of the En Marche (On the Move party); and Emmanuel Jean-Michel), opinion polls have pointed to Marine Le Pen and François Fillon as likely two finalists in the second round of election.

(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 • APRIL 9, 2017

BUSINESS

Editor Vincent Obia Email vincent.obia@thisdaylive.com (08054681757) ºº

LAST WEEK WEEK

FX Market

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Monday injected $90 million to meet requests by bank customers, in its bid to sustain thesupplyofforeignexchange and ensure liquidity in the market. Invisibles are those items in the export trade that are untouchable, like movement of money and family, including BTAs, medical bills, plant and machinery as well as finishedproducts.Besides,Mr. Okorafor said the CBN also offered additional $150 million to authorised FOREX dealers in the interbank wholesale auction window to meet their customers’ demand.

Agriculture

The Peoples Republic of China has said it will lend Nigeria $4.5 billion to boost local agriculture. The loan is to enable Nigeria purchase farming tools including tractors, bulldozers, graders, irrigation pumps, amongst others. Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria’s minister of Agriculture, and Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara State Governor,madethedisclosure while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

Wednesday.

barrels of crude oil...

Fitch: Crude Oil Prices to Average $52.50/b this Year Prices surge after US attack on Syria to 1-month high Kunle Aderinokun with agency reports

ECONOMY

Fitch Ratings has forecast that crude oil prices would average $52.50 per barrel this year, representing an increase of $7.4 per barrel over $45.1 per barrel of 2016 . As Fitch’s estimation was simmering in the market, oil prices rose to a one-month high on the missile attacks on Syria by the United States.

Fitch, which revealed its projection in a report on 14 major oil exporting countries in the Emerging Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EEMEA)(Nigeria inclusive) also stated that Nigeria needed an oil price of $139 per barrel to balance its budget.

Fitch, one of the world’s leading rating agencies, posited that the crude oil price forecast for this year was still below fiscal break-even levels under Fitch’s forecasts for 11 of 14 major Fitch-rated EEMEA oil-exporting sovereigns. Fiscal breakeven level is the oil price at which the government’s fiscal balance would be zero.

Most major oil exporting countries in EEMEA still faced pressure from low oil prices nearly three years after the oil price shock hit, Fitch said, however, pointing out that,“Oil prices have started to recover, but remain below levels that would balance government budgets in a majority of large EEMEA exporters.”

The rating agency also pointed out that, only Kuwait had a 2017 fiscal break-even price appreciably below its forecast oil price. According to the report, “Fiscal break-even prices fell for most of these sovereigns last year, as national authorities responded with measures such as spending cuts, subsidy reforms,

increasing production, and in some cases currency devaluation. However, these adjustments lagged the oil price fall.

For three EEMEA sovereigns - Nigeria, Angola and Gabon - our forecast fiscal break-evens for 2017 are substantially higher than 2015, in part due to rising government spending.”

The Fitch’s forecast 2017 break-even oil prices, per barrel are“Nigeria at $139; Bahrain at $84; Angola at $82; Oman at $75; Saudi Arabia at $74; Russia at $72; Kazakhstan at $71; Gabon at $66; Azerbaijan at $66; Iraq at $61; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at $60, and Republic of Congo at $52.”

Besides, Fitch Ratings stated that , another measure of exposure to low oil prices was the ratio of Sovereign Net Foreign Assets (SNFA) to GDP, which showed that the resources available to compensate for lost hydrocarbon revenue, finance deficits and smooth economic adjustment.

SNFA , it disclosed, declined by $200 billion for the 14 EEMEA exporters in aggregate, with Saudi Arabia accounting for more than half of this. But SNFA/ GDP has spiked in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Kuwait due to a contraction in nominal GDP. “Our sovereign ratings assessment incorporates the policy framework and quality and timeliness of the authorities’ policy responses. Russia’s coherent and credible policy response resulted in the revision of its Outlook to Stable in October 2016, marking the first positive rating

action for any major Fitch-rated oil-exporter since the 2014 price shock.

“It is not always clear whether exporters will maintain policy responses. Fiscal adjustment has generally slowed as oil prices have risen, and some of the improvement in break-even oil prices in Gulf Co-operation Council exposures resulted automatically from lower power generation costs and falling fuel and utility subsidy bills. This will be partly reversed as oil prices recover, to the extent that prices have not been fully The prospect of an uptick in tensions in the Middle East buoyed oil prices, with both Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude surging more than 1.2 per cent on Friday, according to Bloomberg

liberalised or brought above cost recovery levels,” Fitch stated in the report.

Meanwhile, the prospect of an uptick in tensions in the Middle East buoyed oil prices, with both Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude surging more than 1.2 per cent on Friday, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reported that the US missile attacks on Syria triggered an instant reaction across everything from stocks to commodities and currencies.

Also, according to Reuters, oil, gold, foreign exchange and bonds initially reacted strongly to the attack but reversed some of the sharp moves later in the session after the release of weaker than expected monthly

U.S. employment figures.

Brent crude futures were up 15 cents at $55.04 a barrel at 1336 GMT after reaching an intraday peak of $56.08, the highest since March 7, shortly after the U.S. missile strike was announced.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 22 cents at $51.92 a barrel, having reached an intraday high of $52.94.

“Oil markets are back in bullish mode after the setback of the previous weeks. This news flow seems to bring geopolitical risks back on the radar,”said Frank Klumpp, oil analyst at Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, based in Stuttgart, Germany.

Although Syria has limited oil production, its location and alliances with big oil producers in the region mean any escalation of the conflict has the potential to increase supply-side fears.

Oil pared some of the gains later in the session as concerns about an escalation faded and U.S. economic data weighed on global markets, according to Reuters.

Other analysts Reuters spoke with, said the conflict in Syria had no bearing on oil fundamentals and the political risk premium could fall as quickly as it had appeared.

“This might just be a speculative move higher because there’s nothing fundamental that’s supporting this rise,” said Hamza Khan, head of commodities strategy at ING. Nevertheless, oil futures had been on the rise in previous sessions on signs of higher U.S. demand and lower product inventories.

Development Bank

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a $1.3 billion loan credit facility for the commencement of the Development Bank of Nigeria.

The approval was sequel to a memo submitted by the FinanceMinister,KemiAdeosun seeking council’s ratification on the loan’s request. Mrs. Adeosun, who briefed State House correspondents on the outcomeofFECmeetingwhich was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, said $500 million of the amount would come from the World Bank.

Fuel Price

The recent increase in the bridging allowance to transporters from N6.20 to N7.20 per litre will not lead to a rise in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, from the prevailing N145 per litre, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said onThursday.

Making the clarification in Abuja the corporation’s Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, Mr. Henry Obih, said there was no plan by the government orany ofitsagenciestoincreasethepumpprice of petrol above N145 per litre.

Hackers Target Banks

Russian cyber security firm, Kaspersky has disclosed that banks in 18 countries including Nigeria are being targeted by North Korea’s hacking operations targets of hackers from North Korea.

Researchersat Kaspersky say the same hacking operations, knownasLazarushasattacked financial institutions Nigeria, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Costa Rica,Indonesia,India,Thailand, Taiwan among others, adding that the stolen money is likely being spent developing North Korea’s nuclear weapon.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

L-R: Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara

New Economic Recovery Plans: The Road Ahead

The federal government finally launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017-2020 in Abuja last Wednesday, raising expectations of economic recovery, if fully implemented. Omololu Ogunmade writes

T

he Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa was filled with excitement and grinning expressions on Wednesday when President Muhammadu Buhari formally launched a four-year economic plan. Tagged Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017-2020, the plan was meant to put to rest the protracted criticism of the president for failing to come up with a national economic blueprint for almost two years after his inauguration.

The document, which spells out government’s roadmap for security improvement, war against corruption, and economic revitalisation, is also a compendium of government’s sectoral plans for agriculture and food security; energy and transport infrastructure; and industrialisation and social investments. It also consists of plans to drive economic growth and achieve a seven per cent growth rate in 2020.

The ERGP was launched by Buhari ahead of the take-off of the day’s weekly Federal Executive Council meeting with the chamber accommodating unusual guests, such as the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives,Yakubu Dogara, and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari.

At the formal launch of the plan, Buhari was joined

by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara, Yari, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who all brandished copies of the plan with grinning expressions on their faces.

Reservation Even though the plan contains well thought-out initiatives, the major concern of watchers of the event is whether the government actually possesses the political will and commitment to bring the plan to fruition.

The cynicism towards the plan arose from Nigeria’s age-long tradition of drawing up laudable initiatives without the will to execute them.

It is against this background that many seek to know whether this plan would indeed achieve its aims and objectives, despite the assurance by the government that a monitoring unit will be established to allay such fears.

Assurance Before the formal launch of the plan on Wednesday, the president had in his speech highlighted various components of the ERGP, assuring that his government would deploy the same commitment it had employed to fight corruption and insecurity to improve local content and transform Nigeria from an import-dependent nation

to a producing economy where the country will consume what it produces. He also said the plan would serve as a veritable platform for the economy to thrive.

Buhari said the plan was driven by his administration’s commitment to his electoral promise to change the way things were done in Nigeria and consequently change Nigeria for good. He challenged the state governors to draw inspiration from the plan to articulate economic programmes for their respective states.

He also appealed to Nigerians to cooperate with the government in its drive to achieve the objectives of the plan and called on the National Assembly, the business community and the civil society organisations to embrace the plan.

Buhari, who commended the economic team led by Osinbajo for coming up with the plan, reiterated the government’s plan to improve security, tackle corruption and grow the economy. He also listed other objectives of the plan to include agricultural revolution, infrastructural development and social interventions, reiterating that the ERGP 2017-2020 would provide the roadmap for economic breakthrough. He added that the plan did not only seek to take the economy out of recession but to also place it on a path of sustained, inclusive and diversified growth The president stated,“As we all know, this administration inherited numerous challenges. Our political campaign was based on a recognition of the difficult situation Nigeria was in and the need to bring positive and enduring change. And we remain committed to our electoral promise to change our way of doing things and to change Nigeria for good.

“We are committed to delivering on the three key areas that we promised. That is, improving security, tackling corruption and revitalising the economy. Security in the North-east and other parts of Nigeria is significantly better today than when we came in. With regards to our fight against corruption, as you all know, our law enforcement agencies are prosecuting very many cases of corruption. Our successes in these two areas are clear for all to see.

“I want to assure all Nigerians that we are approaching the solution to our economic challenges with the same will and commitment we have demonstrated in the fight against corruption and in the fight against terrorism and militancy. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan brings together all our sectoral plans for agriculture and food security, energy and transport infrastructure, industrialisation and social investments together in a single document. It builds on the strategic implementation plan and sets out an ambitious roadmap to return the

economy to growth; and to achieve a seven per cent growth rate by 2020.

“Our aim simply put, is to optimise local content and empower local businesses. We seek not just to take the Nigerian economy out of recession but to place it on a path of sustained, inclusive and diversified growth. We are determined to change Nigeria from an import-dependent country to a producing nation. We must become a nation where we grow what we eat and consume what we produce. We must strive to have a strong naira and productive economy.”

While introducing the plan earlier, Udoma said the ERGP had three cardinal objectives, namely, to restore security, fight corruption and guarantee economic recovery.

The minister, who described the plan as the fulfilment of Buhari’s electoral campaign promise to promote and reinvigorate the economy, added that the plan would restore economic growth, invest in Nigerians, guarantee a competitive economy and build a self-reliant economy where Nigeria will consume what it produces and also export same to foreign countries.

Udoma added that the plan consisted of 60 interventions meant to touch various spheres of the nation, make the market function better and promote discipline, integrity, social justice, national cohesion and inclusion. He enumerated other features of the plan to include stabilising the economy, expanding the economy, improving energy consumption, boosting transportation infrastructure and driving industrialisation. He said even though the plan was being formally launched on Wednesday, its implementation actually actually preceded the launch.

According to Udoma,“The broad objectives of the ERGP are to restore growth, invest in our people and build a globally competitive economy. As our president has repeatedly said, ours is to build a self-reliant economy – a country in which we can grow what we eat, use what we make and produce what we consume. A country, which embraces the world of technology, ideas and investment from everywhere but domesticates these ideas for the use of our people. A country which produces high quality goods, not just for our own consumption but enough to export to our neighbours and, indeed, the world.

“Our aim is to create a culture where Nigeria continuously seek ways to add value to the resources we have been blessed with. In short, our aim is to change Nigeria, and change for good. Even though the ERGP outlines up to 60 initiatives, it focuses on five execution priorities, which are central to achieving the seven per cent growth projected by the end of the plan period.

These are namely, stabilising the macro-economic

environment; achievement of food security; expansion of energy infrastructure and driving industrialisation principally through local and small business enterprises.”

Implementation He said in the bid to ensure effective implementation, a special delivery unit would be established in the Presidency to monitor the implementation process with a view to ensuring that the objectives are implemented“with vigour, focus and success.”

“How does government intend to ensure that this plan is well implemented? I can assure you that under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, this plan will be effectively implemented. Whilst the Ministry of Budget and Planning will be coordinating the plan, the president has approved that a special delivery unit be created in the Presidency to monitor its implementation and remove all bottlenecks to plan implantation. This is one plan that will be implemented with vigour, with focus, and with success,”Udoma added.

Udoma also told THISDAY after the FEC meeting that the plan as launched on Wednesday was only the first phase of the economic recovery growth plan, disclosing that the second phase of the plan was on its way.

In his own remarks,Yari described the plan as a significant landmark which provides the basis for inclusive growth and development. He assured that state governments would cooperate with the federal government to achieve the objectives of the plan.

Also speaking, Dogara expressed concern about the will to thoroughly implement the plan, pointing out that the plan sets out to address all aspects of development in Nigeria. Recalling that the plan drew inputs from relevant stakeholders across the country including the National Assembly, Dogara recalled how at various times in the nation’s history, good and strategic development agenda had been drawn but failed at the level of implementation.

He expressed delight over Udoma’s disclosure that a unit will be created to ensure its implementation and pledged the cooperation of the House of Representatives to ensure the plan is well implemented.

In the same vein, Saraki described Wednesday as a day of restoration of hope. He said the proposal for the establishment of an implementation unit was cheery in view of several unimplemented goals in the past. He also said besides the unit, everyone had the responsibility to ensure that the plan was well implemented.

Saraki disclosed that some bills currently before the Senate, including the bills on ease of doing business and Made-in-Nigeria goods, were initiated to serve as impetus for the ERGP’s success.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 9, 2017

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

A palm oil plantation

The Rising Call to Look Beyond Oil

At a forum organised to examine the nation’s macroeconomic outlook and how fiscal and monetary policies impact the citizens, analysts renewed the call to diversify the economy. Olaseni Durojaiye writes

T

he current economic challenges that confront the country appeared to be giving ascendancy to the thinking that it is high time the nation began to think beyond oil as its economic mainstay and diversify even as the discourse about the role of oil in the diversification of the economy continues. The thinking, not altogether new, appeared to be buoyed by factors, which include the increasing searches for alternatives to fossil oil and the unpredictability in the oil industry both locally and internationally.

The debate to look beyond oil, which questions Nigeria’s continued dependency on oil is further fuelled by the signals from around the world that oil may cease to be as profitable as it currently is in the near future as more and more countries develop alternatives to oil.

Before now, the threat to the continued profitability of oil was seen in the discovery shale oil in North America, but a new threat appears to be the resolve by some countries to run economies that will require less fossil oil to run. Among the countries are Norway and Japan who have set timelines for dumping fossil oil to run automobiles. Analysts opined that the import of that is that the country needs to begin to look beyond oil for its survival.

Background Nigeria’s economic recession has largely been traced to the southward movement of oil prices in the international market (as oil contributed about 95 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings) and the failure of successive governments to fully diversify the economy.

According to available data the economy slipped into recession in 2016. The economic roller coaster, which started in 2014, became severe in 2016. Nearly all expectations and the much-awaited impact of government policy measures did not come through.

As a result, Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 1.5 per cent last year, a far cry from the three per cent growth rate, which was recorded

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data shows that poverty rose from just 27.2per cent in 1980 to 46.3 per cent by 1985, just five years later; 60 per cent by 1995 and has progressively risen to 69 per cent in 2010, 71.5 per cent in 2011 and by 2014, 72 per cent!,”he stated.

Head, Oil and Gas Unit, Ecobank Group, Dolapo Oni, shared the same view. While noting that oil contributes the largest chunk of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings the country will have to resort to receipts from crude oil for FX to fund the country’s import needs, infrastructure upgrade and capital projects that is needed to diversify the economy.

“At the moment if oil is 95per cent of the nation’s exports and the largest earner of dollars which we need to import raw materials for manufacturing and other sectors, it then means, if we want to improve our transportation sector we have to bring in trains, bring in larger and better buses because they move more people and still use almost the same amount of fuel as the smaller buses. So it is true that we need oil money especially because it is still the largest earner of FX for us,”he stated.

Stating that Nigeria’s economy is diverse, Oni noted that as at 2016, the oil sector contributes seven per cent to the country’s GDP, while the services and agriculture sectors contributed about Beyond Oil Revenue In a keynote address at forum to review the 50 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. He argued nation’s macroeconomic outlook organised by The that if a sector that contributed seven per cent Liberal Forum (TFL) Nigerian Economics Students to the GDP accounts for about 95 per cent of Association in Lagos, an economist and Chief the nation’s FX earnings,“that means the rest of Executive Officer of RTC Consulting Mr. Opeyemi the GDP is not as productive and competitive Agbaje, argued that the country needed proceeds internationally to generate income.

That is where the issue of diversification comes from crude oil to get out of the over dependence in; how much can we diversify to make the rest on oil and the current recession.

Agbaje, who is also an economic policy analyst, of the GDP productive for export so that we can in a paper titled:“Who Finance Don Epp? Foreign generate FX from more than just oil.”

Incidentally, the increase in price of crude oil in Exchange, Interest Rates, Inflation etc. and Nigerians’ Welfare”, stated that Nigerian economy and the international market and local production has financial system and indeed the democracy and led to an increase in the nation’s foreign reserve. political systems were not working for the majority This in turn has emboldened the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to fund the FX market, allowing of the people.

According to him,“Research based on Nigerian the naira to strengthen against major international in 2015. Different sectors of the economy faced severe capacity shocks on the backdrop of higher input costs and foreign exchange shortage.

Data obtained from the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) indicated that,“in the third quarter of 2016, agricultural sector was held up to a growth of 4.54 per cent from the usual six per cent, industrial sector fell sharply into the negative territory of 12.21 per cent, and services sector – which makes up more than half of economic activities – progressively became weaker with a growth of -1.17 per cent.”

It was therefore, not a surprise that the economy, which experienced decelerating growth in 2015 eventually plunged into recession in 2016.

Again, on the fiscal front, budgeted expenditure grew by 33 per cent (year-on-year)from N4.5 trillion in 2015, yet total revenue collected from January to September 2016, declined by 20 per cent when compared to 2015 figure in the same period. The worsened revenue profile coupled with delay in the passage of the 2016 budget and unclear policy direction constrained the federal government from implementing the budget and, thus stimulating the economy. Consequently, all major rating agencies downgraded the nation’s credit outlook.

currencies, particularly the dollar. This tends to favour on Agbaje’s position, but another analyst, Dr.Vincent Nwani disagreed.

In disagreeing, Nwani, who is a senior economist with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), argued that monetary and fiscal policy makers need to think out of the box and consummate special transactions that would bypass oil proceeds.

Nwani disagreed with the school of thought that Nigeria needs oil to get out of oil and canvassed the need for both monetary and fiscal policy makers to think out of the box. He argued the country did not necessarily need oil proceeds for its import and insisted that government could do so by creating special transaction. He insisted that with the rising global trend, oil will become less lucrative in the near future.

“I’m not quite comfortable with the assertion that we need oil to get out of oil. With the situation that we’ve found ourselves now I think we have to drop that notion because a time will come when Niger Delta Avengers will not allow us to produce and there will be no one to pick it up from us,” he stated.

“If you watch the trend everywhere in the world people are daily de-emphasising the need for fossil fuel. Norway has announced that in about five years from now, no car will drive on fossil fuel in the country. In Japan, they have started manufacturing hybrid cars so that in 10 years’ time no single fossil fuel car will drive in the country.

Besides, several countries across the globe, including Japan are now generating so much power through solar energy.

“We need to begin to think outside of the box.

There’re things that we can do to diversify the economy that we do not need to export crude oil before we import raw materials that we need for our manufacturing sector or import wagons for our rail systems. All we need to do is create transactions and in doing that, the Federal Government has to agree to fix the ease of doing business issue across the 13 barometers,”he emphasised.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

BUSINESS/MONEY

Defying Economic Slowdown, UBA Improves in Profitability

In the face of many economic headwinds, United Bank for Africa Plc grew profit by 32 per cent and reward shareholders with handsome dividend for the 2016 financial year, writes Goddy Egene

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ontrary to apprehension that the economic headwinds would lead to poor financial performance by banks, all the banks that have released their scorecards have posted higher bottom-lines. One of the banks is United Bank for Africa (UBA), the pan-African financial services group, operating in 19 African countries.

The bank, last week, released its audited financial statement for the year ended December 31, 2016, showing significant growth in gross earnings and profits. The performance is an attestation to its resilience, enhanced productivity and geographic diversification, evident in the impressive contribution from its African subsidiaries.

The Group recorded an impressive 22 per cent growth in gross earnings to N384 billion in 2016, from N315 billion in 2015, illustrating the bank’s ability to grow profitability despite the difficult macro-economic environment. In addition to the rising adoption of electronic banking channels in many of the African markets, where UBA operates, the bank leveraged its strong franchise and geographical footprints.

Net interest income rose by 23 per cent from N133.6 billion in 2015 229 billion to N264 billion, while operating income grew faster by 37.9 per cent to N105.7 billion, from N76.73 billion.

The bank saw a significant 32 per cent growth in profit before tax (PBT) to N91 billion, compared to N68 billion profit recorded over the same period of 2015. Similarly, UBA’s profit after tax (PAT) grew by 22 per cent to N72 billion, from N60 billion recorded the previous year. The performance was buoyed by considerable growth in interest and non-interest income, as well as increasing efficiency gains from cost management initiatives.

A further analysis of the figures showed that return on average equity remained stable at 19 per cent, while total assets rose by 27 per cent from N2.75 trillion to N3.5 trillion.

Net loans grew by 45 per cent to N1.51 trillion partly driven by naira depreciation. Deposits rose by 19 per cent to N2.49 trillion, indicating customer’s confidence in the bank.

Demonstrating its prudent culture of risk asset creation and management, UBA maintained a conservative balance sheet, with 3.9 per cent non-performing loan ratio and 20 per cent BASEL II capital adequacy ratio.

UBA’s subsidiaries outside of Nigeria are increasingly gaining market share, reinforcing the strong and impressive subsidiary contribution to the Group, estimated at one-third of profit in 2016, from a quarter in 2015 financial year.

Following the impressive performance, the Board of Directors proposed a final dividend of 55 kobo.

The bank had earlier paid an interim dividend of 20 kobo to shareholders, bringing the total dividend for the 2016 financial

MD, UBA Bank, Uzoka

year to 75 kobo, an unprecedented yield of 13.9 per cent, based on the stock’s unit price of N5.39 on the day the results were released on the floor of the NSE. The results and dividend proposal justify investor confidence in the bank, as reflected in the 20 per cent year-to-date rally in the share price, thereby outperforming the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index, which had declined by over 5.0 per cent.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kennedy Uzoka, expressed satisfaction at the resilience of the bank, despite the macroeconomic challenges in a number of countries where UBA operates.

“Given the operating environment in 2016, I am very pleased with our profitability - an impressive 32 per cent growth in PBT to N91 billion - whilst we have also focused keenly on operational efficiencies, illustrated by the reduction in our Cost-to-Income Ratio.”

Uzoka said.

Speaking on its outlook for the 2017 financial year, Uzoka said he was optimistic as the bank’s pan-African operations increasingly gain critical mass across its chosen markets.

“As we implement our Customer First Philosophy, we are approaching 2017 with real optimism, especially with the outlook remaining positive in many of our markets, where we benefit from our increasingly diverse revenue streams. We reiterate our pledge to delivering excellent service to our customers, and remain committed to creating superior and sustainable return for our shareholders,” he said.

Speaking in a similar vein, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of UBA Group, Ugo Nwaghodoh, said the bank extracted efficiency gains across its operations to boost profitability.

According to him, the bank has seen significant improvement across major performance metrics, including an improvement in the net interest margin.

“Our performance in 2016 reflects the strong potential and resilience of our business. We grew top and bottom lines by 22 per cent and 32 per cent respectively, despite the stagflation in Nigeria, our core market. Reflecting improved balance sheet management and better value extraction, our net interest margin (NIM) improved 40bps YoY to 6.7 per cent,” the CFO noted.

He also expressed delight at the performance of the Group’s African subsidiaries (ex-Nigeria), which contributed a third of the group’s profits, adding that the bank will continue to leverage innovative offerings to grow its share of the respective markets.

“As we diligently execute our Customer First initiative, I am particularly upbeat on the future of business and the value creation for shareholders,” he noted.

Assessing the results, analysts at Afrinvest West Africa said despite the poor appetite for loan growth in the sector, interest income advanced 15 per cent to N264 billion while non-interest income surged 37.9 per cent to N105.7 billion. “ UBA saw a faster growth in operating income (up 28.8 per cent to N270.9 billion) which more than offset growth in operating expenses (up 11.6 per cent to N152.5 billion) notwithstanding inflationary pressure and exchange rate volatility. As such, Cost to Income (CIR) Ratio witnessed significant improvement, moderating to 56.3 per cent from 65 per cent in prior year,” they said.

The analysts noted that UBA continues to maintain superior asset quality metrics with Cost of Risk (CoR) ratio at 1.2 per cent and NPL ratio at 3.9 per cent , outperforming peer average CoR of 2.1 per cent. Gross loans and advances expanded 45.4 per cent to N1.5 trillion driven by foreign exchange adjustment amid conservative appetite for risk assets whilst financial assets rose 18.8 per cent to N1.0 trillion driven by attractive yield in the debt market.

Loan to deposit settled at 58.9 per cent while liquidity ratio closed at 40.0 per cent both within the regulatory threshold. UBA’s BASEL II Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is maintained at 20.0 per cent, well above the required 16.0 per cent for Systemically Important Banks (SIBs).

In First Outing, SunTrust Bank Post Positive Results Goddy Egene

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unTrust Bank Nigeria Limited has released its financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the results have sent a clear message of determination to succeed and deliver value to all stakeholders.

SunTrust Bank began commercial banking activities last year with the vision to “offer high quality retail and commercial banking services in a modern and innovative manner.”

“We will use technology and a new way of thinking to provide banking services to many people and businesses in Nigeria for whom access to a bank account has previously been impossible. We will offer telephone, mobile and Internet banking underpinned by the traditional banking ethics of probity and integrity,” the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Muhammed Jubrin, declared at the unveiling of the bank.

Notwithstanding the recession plaguing different sectors of the economy, particularly the financial services sector, the bank recorded growth in customer deposits through its broad range of unique financial services and products to individuals, small businesses, corporation and the government. Besides, the bank effectively managed its interest expenses that impacted positively on net interest income in 2016.

Going by the audited results of the bank, the future

is very bright for all stakeholders. The bank grew its bottom-line by 160.2 per cent as profit before tax (PBT) rose from N131.9 million to N343.34 million in 2016.

In all, the bank recorded net interest income of N935.892 million in 2016, up from N220 million in 2015, while net fee and commission income improved from N65.389 million to N92.378 million in 2016.

SunTrust Bank ended the year with a profit after tax (PAT), which grew by 74.57 per cent from N121.844 million in 2015 to N212.707 million in 2016.

Consistent with its conservative risk profile, the bank maintained its strong liquidity position, with cash and short-term funds accounting for 32 per cent of its total assets.

The bank recorded a rapid growth in deposits by an impressive 425 per cent in four months, a clear demonstration of the success of its business strategy. Deposits from customers rose to N4.195 billion from a record N788.583million in 2015. The bank’s PBT and PAT margin improved from 9.2 per cent and 8.4 per cent in 2015 to 26.9 per cent and 16.7 per cent in 2016 respectively.

Loans and advances to customers crashed from N7.2 billion to N2.72 billion in 2016. The balance sheet recorded a slight drop by 2.1 per cent slip from N17.9 billion in 2015 to N17.5 billion in 2016.

Nevertheless, shareholders’ funds grew by 2.1 per cent to N10.4 billion in 2016 from N10.2 billion in 2015. Further analysis showed that total equity indicated that issued and paid up share capital

remained the same for the second consecutive year while other reserves moved from N24.9 million to N285.3 million in 2016.

Meanwhile, retained earnings slightly declined from N1.67 billion in 2015 from a loss of N1.6 billion posted in 2016.

SunTrust Bank is the first fresh banking licence to be issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) since 2001. According to Jibrin, SunTrust Bank started about seven years ago as a mortgage bank, noting that the board and management were able to grow its balance sheet to a reasonable size before they decided to pursue a commercial banking licence from the CBN which they got in September of 2015.

He said the bank would be a financial technology institution that would focus electronic channels by offering telephone, mobile and internet banking services. “Banking is no longer where you go, it is what people do. Therefore, the only thing that can stand the future is no longer physical branches, but banking services that would be driven by technology.

So, most customers of tomorrow would no longer be the customers that they want to go to the banking hall. So, you need to be able to position the institution to respond positively to the needs and expectations of customers of tomorrow. That is at the heart of our own vision and strategy as tomorrow’s bank today,” Jibrin said.

The Chairman of the bank, Mr. Charles Onyema Ugboko, had said, establishing a bank amid the present economic situation showed that the board

and management were committed to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

SunTrust Bank operates the branchless banking model where it would deliver financial services outside conventional bank branches.

According to the bank, it hopes to eliminate the need for costly brick-and-mortar branches and use agent networks to reach its customers more efficiently.

The bank’s competitive edge would be the strong reliance on technology and the bank would be encouraging customers to access its services from the comfort of their homes and offices and as such the bank will not be engaging in a proliferation of branches.

“Our services will be available to our customers 24 hours daily, seven days a week and from anywhere in the world where there is a good Internet service.

“Even our data centre is outsourced, this way we will not have the overbearing requirement to put on the generator at our locations,” Jubrin said.

He explained that SunTrust Bank would be encouraged to use any bank ATM because the bank would not be charging them the fee charged by other banks for using ATM machines belonging to other banks.

“We will not be emphasising physical security as we are making serious investment in cyber security instead.” “In the years to come, the developments at SunTrust should have far-reaching influence in the banking sector specifically and our nation generally,” the CEO said.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

BUSINESS/ENERGY

OPEC’s Renewed Effort to Stabilise Oil Prices

Against the backdrop of recent assertions by the secretary-general of OPEC, Mohammad Barkindo, that the crude oil production freeze agreement reached last December had been hugely successful in rebalancing the oil market, the cartel says it may undertake deeper measures, including extension of the freeze agreement, to sustain stability in global oil prices. Chineme Okafor writes

Well head of a crude oil pipeline

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t the Third Iraq Energy Forum in Baghdad, recently, Secretarygeneral of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Mohammad Barkindo, stated that crude stockpiles were starting to decline in what he thought was a sign that the production cuts agreed last December by OPEC and non-OPEC members, but implemented this year, were bringing the market to balance.

Barkindo said at the forum that the decision of the cartel and its allies led by the Russian Federation to freeze production levels was not just helping the market rebalance but also bringing back confidence and investments in the global oil industry.

Notwithstanding that OPEC and some nonmember producers curbed output levels to rebalance the market, reports indicated that an overhang of an estimated 282 million barrels of oil in storage had so far been a drag on crude prices. But Barkindo maintained that the market outlook for the group and its allies was good.

Good Prospects Inferring that the development, though nettlesome to an extent, was a lot different from what it was like a couple of months back, he noted that the confidence of the group was buoyed by a comparison of the current 282 mb stock overhang with 380 mb that was recorded at the end of July 2016.

“I remain cautiously optimistic that the market is already rebalancing,” said Barkindo at the Baghdad forum.

He explained, “We have started seeing stock levels coming down. Following these historic decisions taken last year we believe we are already seeing more favourable industry conditions.”

The OPEC general secretary lauded the organisation’s commitment to the oil market

rebalancing, saying, “In this regard, I think it is also important to recognise just how far we have come since we fully embarked on the process of rebalancing the market and returning stability on a sustainable basis.

“For example, at the end of July 2016, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) and Brent combined net-long positions were at a level of 350,000 contracts, which then increased to 500,000 contracts on November 29, just before OPEC took its landmark decision, and then to 921,000 contracts on February 21 this year.

“Despite a sell-off in the second week of March, the number of net-long positions remains healthy, at around 662,000 contracts.

“The market is also showing further signs of realigning, with the OECD stock overhang currently at 282 million barrels above the five-year average. This compares to a level of 380 million barrels at the end of July 2016.

“We are also seeing an uptick in energy investments in 2017, when talk was only of retrenchment and investment cuts in the first half of 2016. And equity markets today are buoyant. Confidence is returning to the sector. We need to ensure that this positive sentiment is maintained.”

Freeze Extension As reported by Bloomberg, Brent for May settlement, which expired on Friday, slipped 38 cents to trade at $52.58 per barrel on the Europe exchange, climbing back above the $50/b mark following speculations that OPEC could extend the production freeze to curb glut.

Already, five members of OPEC and Oman have reportedly backed the cartel to extend the production cuts beyond June, which is the original cut-off date for the output freeze agreement. While Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have also insisted that oil stockpiles would need to fall to the five-year average, optimism over extended cuts had also wavered amid a surge in

US supply. However, comments from Kuwait’s oil minister, Issam Almarzooq, reiterating support for an extended deal, had bolstered confidence in members’ commitment to down swollen stockpiles ahead of their next formal ministerial meeting on May 25 in Vienna.

Of those in support of the extension, Kuwait, Iraq, Venezuela, Angola and Algeria, are seen to be in the forefront, and a meeting in Kuwait City over the weekend to discuss compliance with the pledged reductions could afford the group the opportunity to discuss further their commitments to the agreement and its potential extension.

Barkindo stated in his address at the forum in Baghdad that the supply curbs were gradually restoring the market to balance, saying the decision should be further assessed with a long-term perspective on its implications for the market and producers.

“It is also important to highlight that these recent decisions should not only be viewed as a short-term necessity. We need to view these actions as vital to long-term oil market stability and the necessary investments required for the world’s energy future,” he stated.

Similarly, after a US government report showed refineries in the country boosted crude use to highest levels in almost three years while fuel supplies fell, to give oil prices its biggest weekly increase in 2017, global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, stated in a report that “less visible” crude stockpiles in countries, including China, Japan and floating storage around the world, had declined by 72mb this year.

Additionally, Amrita Sen, who is the chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects Limited, was quoted as telling Bloomberg, “OPEC is fully aware that running down the crude overhang will take more than six months, so a rollover of the deal is still the most likely outcome.”

Reports also indicated that Iraq, which initially

sought an exemption from OPEC’s output cut, achieved a 98 per cent compliance with the agreement in March, after its production data was revised by its oil minister, Jabbar Al-Luaibi, and Director General of Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO), Falah Al-amri, told reporters in Baghdad that Iraq’s production was 4.46mbpd for March.

Notwithstanding, OPEC said Iraq agreed to cut production by 210,000bpd to 4.351mbpd, and Barkindo reiterated he had been assured they will comply fully.

Nigeria’s Position As one of the three OPEC members that were exempted from the production freeze deal because of their declined production levels, it seems Nigeria may not be exempted a second time from the deal even though her oil production levels have hardly appreciated.

While there are no new violence-related production disruptions in the country’s oil fields, Nigeria has yet to raise its production figures to the 2.2mbpd it planned for in its 2016 budget. At best, it has so far reached 2mbpd, but as recently disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, this dropped to 1.7mbpd following scheduled maintenance works

by Shell and ExxonMobil.

Confirming the position of the country in February, Barkindo told reporters when he visited Kachikwu in Abuja that at the expiration of the freeze agreement after six months, Nigeria might not get a renewal of the exemption even if its production levels remained low. He emphasised that as agreed by parties to the agreement, the country’s exemption from the production freeze would last for only six months.

Barkindo also maintained that OPEC was confident the market would absorb the extra volumes of oil that would come from Nigeria’s increased output.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

INTERVIEW

Udeh: Multiple Agencies, Biggest Challenge of Nigeria’s Export Business

Nduka Udeh is the Managing Director of Simplified Corporate Logistics, a wholly-owned Nigerian firm, committed to driving the country’s non-export portfolio through opening up the US market to non-oil exports from Nigeria with a view to growing the country’s forex earnings away from oil. In this interview Olaseni Durojaiye, he discusses issues bedevilling non-oil export business in the country and proffers panacea, believing there is rapid growth in non-oil export business with the right policies in place

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Customs, you have SON; you have so many other agencies. The typical process of import and export in any country is that Customs is the key agency, when they see an item that requires them to bring in another agency then they bring in that agency.

hat is your perception of export business in the country?

I think the business environment has come to realise the importance of non-oil export to the economy. I believe the sector will grow rapidly. However, no sector can grow appropriately without the right government policies and enabling environment.

When you’re filling your Form M for imports, the manufacturing company is mandated to charge for cost and freight, what then happens is that the freight for that good is given to a foreign company and by so doing we’re losing money; why can’t we have a policy that ensures that the freight is handled by Nigerian businesses that way Nigeria logistic companies will grow. There is no reason why Nigeria shouldn’t have a local cargo airline or ocean liners if you consider the volume of our imports. Toyota alone brings in many millions of cars into Nigeria every year; all of it is being shipped into the country by foreign liners.

The current administration is working to improve ease of doing business in the country. What are the challenges confronting your sector?

The biggest challenges that non-oil export business face and which most small businesses face is the multiplicity of agencies. When we started this business, I told my team to go out and collate a breakdown of how export business is done; with what they came back with you’d think you were trying to send rocket to space, the process had so many layers. Sometimes you find out that some of the agencies that are supposed to inspect the goods before they are exported do not have functional website, you go to their websites and some of the addresses on their websites are not where they are.

Getting the Export Proceed Form is also another challenge. Intending exporter will go to several banks’ branches and they will tell them that they have no clue where to get the form. When they go all over the place and couldn’t get the form they give up.

The Nigerian Export Processing Council (NEPC) deserve some praise, they’re doing a lot in the area of trainings for intending exporters but they’re not the only agency involved in the export chain. As a matter of fact, there is poor coordination among the other agencies involved with export business.

How can the processes be simplified?

Government is the only one that can simplify it. They need to bring all the agencies together.

I believe there should be a centralised export agency that handles everything that has to do with export. It is possible for all the agencies to be in one centralised location, so that if for example I am an exporter of yam, if I take my yam to this centralised location, preferably near the port, where the various agencies that I need to deal with, from documentation to inspection are all gathered. While there, I meet the NEPC and get the required forms, I meet the Customs and get the required forms, I meet NAFDAC that has to check and I get the required forms, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is also there.

So there is need to get all the agencies in one centralised place and have a coordinating body to handle the whole export processes so that if I take my goods there it is done in one place and by one body, that is what we need to do.

Do you not think the country’s vastness may make that model impracticable?

That’s the Chinese model. When the Chinese wanted to position Huawei as a leader in the telecoms industry they came out with a policy that no Huawei goods should be at the ports

Private sector players are expected to key into the drive to increase the country’s receipts from on-oil export, how involved is your company in the drive?

One of the challenges facing some of the people who want to go into export business is that they don’t have buyers. For example, you have a company in Aba, Abia state producing quality shoes and you ask why the company is not exporting these shoes, the answer that we often get is that they don’t have buyers.

We plan to host an exhibition in the US where at least 100 Nigerian companies will attend and we have approached the about the exhibition. The Exhibition will hold in May or June and it will showcase serious minded Nigerian companies that have products to exhibit. We will invite several companies from all over the US to come and take a look at what Nigerian companies have to offer, that way, we open up access for them to be able to have buyers and trading partners.

One of the reasons why we’re doing this is because believe that the way to attract forex through non-oil exports is to aggregate all the pockets of forex that individual companies bring in so that the whole can amount to something substantial and impactful.

Nduka Udeh

for more than 24 hours. The policy ensures that they must have their export clearance within 24 hours; so when companies were negotiating for deals, whilst a Siemens will tell you that it will take a month for your goods to arrive, in a week or thereabout, Huawei has delivered the same goods. That is the kind of process that we need to put in place to grow our non-oil export and truly diversify the economy away from over dependence on oil.

Can you put a figure to what Nigeria loses, revenue-wise, due to the challenges that mentioned?

It is difficult to quantify because I don’t have the data and government doesn’t have the figure either; but it is massive. One of my friends is the biggest seller of African foods in Houston, Texas, and has chains of African food outlets; sometime ago he tried to export yams to the US, it took him more than three weeks to get all the documentations done with, all along the yams were in the container and by the time they got to Houston half of the yams were rotten. What he does now is to go to Ghana, in two days the documentations are ready and he exports. That’s how lack of coordination among our agencies is killing export business.

The country also loses money through the forex regime. An exporter is unable to source forex in the official market but when he wants to bring back his proceeds the CBN insists that they will pay for the proceeds at N375 (to a dollar) whereas I spent N445 (to a dollar) to import raw materials that I need to process my goods, then I export it and when I want to bring back the proceeds the CBN will only pay at the official rate; that means I have already lost about 25 to 30 per cent. So what happens is that a lot of people are finding other ways to bring that money into the country.

Government is talking about diversifying the economy, and emphasising growing non-oil

export, how well is your sector keying into that vision?

Logistics is key to every business. But a lot needs to be done before export can thrive; we need good road infrastructure, we need to have storage system in some of these locations to at least store the products before they’re shipped out to the various local and international markets. I read an article about a village in Imo State where they harvest plantain but a lot of it rots away because the roads from the farms in the village to the markets are not good.

Government needs to work with the private sector and when I say private sector I don’t mean the multinationals, the billion naira companies that have the capacity to take care of these challenges from A-Z. Government should engage with operators of small and medium sized businesses. In any economy, those that grow the economy are the small and medium-size companies, if you look at the distribution of labour in the economy, you have more of them; those are the people that government needs to consult. So logistics play a major role in boosting non-oil export because if you have the goods and cannot get it out to the markets in good time it becomes a waste.

Government plans to scale down on the number of agencies operating at the seaports, how do you see this impacting export business?

That will be a welcome development. When it is done it will help to fast track doing business at the port.

However, we have been talking about reducing the number of agencies at the port for some time without actually achieving it. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy tried to reduce the number of agencies at the port to about three but she didn’t succeed. It is like a case of always having a plan but never getting to actualise the plan.

Today, we have Anti-bomb Squad, Department of State Security, NAFDAC, of course you have

How can the country harness its vast potential in the agriculture and agro-processing value chain in return for foreign earnings?

The way forward requires that a lot of agencies need to work together including Bank of Industry.

Cote D’Ivoire is one of the world highest producers of Cocoa, they earn about $3 billion yearly from cocoa export; they sell it to some of the companies that make chocolate, the companies convert it into chocolate and ship it back to Africa selling it at profit. The three biggest chocolate companies combined together made about $35 billion from exports worth less than $6 billion.

The learning here is that if we’re serious about export we need to move away from just exporting the raw materials to having some small industries that will pre-process some of these items for more money. It makes no sense for me to export raw yam when I could process it into other items like yam flower and earn more proceeds.

There is a huge demand in Africa that Nigeria should actually fill. There is no reason for Mars to be exporting chocolate into the African sub region; Nigeria should actually take the lead in that area. We’re doing pretty well in cocoa export, we’re actually doing about $800 million in cocoa export, but if we process that raw cocoa into processed chocolate we could be making about $4 billion yearly. That is where agencies like Bank of Industry has a role to play by funding these industries and reduce the amount that the industries need to pay to access funding.

The US market appears to be the new destination for Nigeria’s agricultural products, how is your company helping Nigerian exporters to explore the market?

We are in the process of setting up a portal in the US where Nigerian manufacturers can list their goods. The key strength of SCL Solutions is we have a 23, 000 square feet warehouse in Houston; with that warehouse we’re going to be offering Nigeria manufacturers and exporters opportunity to export their goods, store it in the warehouse and as people buy, we dispatch to them from the warehouse.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

BUSINESS/AVIATION

Controversy over Cannibalisation of Arik Aircraft

Recently, reports indicated that Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria allowed the replacement of Aero aircraft’s faulty engine with engine taken from Arik airplane.

Chinedu Eze examines the issues in relation to international practice

A fleet of Arik aicraft

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ast week there was an allegation that the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria had allowed the canalisation of one of the aircraft belonging to Arik Air, from which an engine was taken and given to Aero Contractors to replace a faulty engine in the same aircraft type. AMCON has been in charge of Arik Air since it took over the airline on February 9 due to unserviceable debts owed by the airline.

Breakdown The Aero aircraft had broken down a few weeks ago when it flew to Kaduna and was left at the airport as Aircraft on Ground (AOG), as one of the engines could not be repaired so that it could be flown back to Lagos. Sources from Arik disclosed that an engine of a Bombardier Dash 8, Q400, was taken away from the airline’s aircraft with registration 5N-BKV, and given to Aero to fix the same aircraft type abandoned at the Kaduna airport.

The plan was to get the Aero plane back to service while checks would be conducted on the bad engine with a view to getting it back to work.

Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Ado Sanusi, who acknowledged the transaction, said Aero and Arik signed an engine lease agreement with the notification of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), adding that Aero would be paying Arik $25,000 a month until the engine was returned.

Standard Practice Sanusi further explained to THISDAY that what happened was a standard practice recognised all over the world. He said, “We have engine problem with our aircraft in Kaduna and we requested for engine lease from any part of the world. We wanted a short term lease for an engine and we would have gotten one from

South Africa for $23,000 to $26, 000 monthly, but because we wanted to let the money be in Nigeria, we took that of Arik and we have done engine lease agreement. This is a normal industry practice.”

He also said, “We got the offer from South Africa and we made plans for the engine to be flown from South Africa but we now realised that Arik has the same aircraft type on AOG, which has not been flown for some time and we asked them if we could lease the engine of one of the aircraft. We agreed to pay $25, 000 a month, which is the standard industry practice all over the world, while our own engine goes for what we call shop visit (checks).

Sanusi stressed that Arik and Aero had done engine lease agreement with the notification of NCAA, saying the practice is normal “where airlines support one another; just the same way they exchange wheels and brakes and other parts.

“There is more collaboration between Aero and Arik because of AMCON. But this is industry practice worldwide. The era of operating in an island has since past because of the reality of the economy on ground.”

Messy Transaction But sources inside Arik Air describe the transaction as untidy because both airlines do not maintain the same safety standard. A source, who preferred anonymity, said, “If Arik Air’s management that was recently disposed were there, it would not have allowed its aircraft to be balkanised. So this is in bad taste and AMCON does not have the technical experience in aviation to be taking such decisions.”

The source also alleged that besides the engine, other parts were removed from the same aircraft to repair that of Aero, adding that by taking such critical safety decision, AMCON has forgotten that its takeover of the airline’s management does not mean that the airline assets should be

disposed of at whim. He said such action could jeopardise Arik’s safety standard.

Exploitation Another source in Arik stated, “The agreement term that Aero agrees to pay $25,000 a month for the engine is exploitative and against the interest of Arik because in other parts of the world, when this lease arrangement is done, the airline pays for the engine per hour and should also pay for maintenance reserve for the engine, which were not done in the so-called lease between Arik and Aero.”

The source also noted that the aircraft from which the parts were cannibalised might have been destroyed because many parts were taken from the aircraft. He said, “You cannibalise Arik aircraft and give the parts to Aero. It is not only that engine that was taken away but other parts were also taken away. Since AMCON took over Aero five years ago, its debts have increased and its fleet depleted.

They talked about corporate governance but under that corporate governance Aero has not improved; rather its existence is being threatened.

So how are we sure it has continued to maintain its well-known safety standard when most of its technical workers have been sacked?”

The source warns that the new management of Arik should not be given arbitrary powers to do whatever it likes with the airline’s equipment and aircraft fleet, “because the airline still employs over 2, 000 workers and that AMCON took over the airline does not mean that it should leave the airline in ruins, as it did to other companies it has taken over.

“The objective of AMCON is to rejuvenate companies in financial straits but what it has done so far is to provide quick death for these companies it has taken over; and that is what everybody who knows aviation well know will eventually happen to Arik. It has already

happened to Aero and AMCON is now robbing Peter to pay Paul. When they kill Arik we will know what will happen to the aviation industry.”

Reaction However, when THISDAY spoke to industry experts to appraise the action taken by Aero in acquiring aircraft parts from Arik Air, many acknowledged that it was a normal industry practice.

But a source from the former management of Arik criticised AMCON for seeking to “decapitate” the aircraft in the airline’s fleet “because it really has nothing to lose. AMCON can give away all the Arik aircraft parts to rebuild Aero and may even take some of the aircraft and paint them in Aero livery because people have severely criticised the corporation for destroying Aero. Now, it wants to rebuild Aero with Arik assets; and then what will happen to Arik?”

But an aviator and airline operator with over 20 years’ experience as a pilot, who did not want to be named, told THISDAY that leasing aircraft between airlines was a long industry practice, which is not frowned on by the regulatory authority.

According to the industry expert, “Engine is an asset of its own and it is different from the aircraft.

Those who manufacture aircraft are different from those that manufacture engines. There is a kind of separation of powers. This was purposely done by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure safety. So you can move aircraft engine and put it in another aircraft.

“I have leased engine before. I sent mine for overhaul. This is allowed in the industry. But the manufacturer of the engine is the only one that has the right to move an engine, but they have representatives. I have two of such in my company, so when I order for engine the manufacturer deals with those in my company whom they know by name. But before I employed them, the manufacturers used to come and install the engine themselves.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 9, 2017

24

BUSINESS/TRANSPORT

A container -laden vessel

Facilitating Trade with Dry Ports, Rails

About 11 years after the seaports in the country were concessioned to private operators under a landlord port model, stakeholders believe that the reform process of the federal government cannot be complete without effective take-off of dry ports and interconnectivity of rail services with all the seaports, writes Francis Ugwoke

A

t the beginning of the port reform exercise in 2006, two important infrastructures necessary to drive the reform were absent. Stakeholders had identified rail links to the seaports as well as Inland Container Depots (ICDs), as very significant for the success of the reform.

This was even moreso with the congestion in the ports and on the roads leading to either of the two major seaports in Lagos and Rivers. But despite the absence of these key infrastructures, the reform programme had to take off. The strong argument was that a journey of about 1,000 kilometres must start with a step, and that waiting for everything to be complete would be a mirage in the efforts to promote trade facilitation. However, this year would make it the 11th year that the reform at the seaports was introduced. While a lot of successes have been recorded under the landlord port system, the need to have ICDs that will bring shipping services closer to the people has become very crucial.

Similarly, what has also become very important as an integral part of trade facilitation is the rail system as is the case in other climes. In modern trade facilitation, the absence of rail links to the seaports is considered abnormal. In our own peculiar trade environment, ICDs, otherwise known as dry ports, are very necessary for a number of reasons. The growing population of the country of about 170 million people from different parts of the country cannot be flocking to just two or three seaports for their international business transactions. Apart from lack of proximity of the seaports to many of the shippers, the bad state of the roads and crime rate on these roads are indeed trade obstacles. This explains why the Transport Ministry and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) have been pushing both rail and dry projects as key to the success of port reform exercise. For the Council as ports economic regulator, both rail and ICDs are integral ingredients to the reform in the ports. This, according to the council was because of the efficiency that will bring

to bear in shipping services in the country.

ICDs Concessionaires There are six dry ports covering different geographical sections in the country. They were approved by the federal government about the same time that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) handed over the seaports to the concessionaires. The ICDs are located at Ibadan, Oyo State, Isiala Ngwa, Aba, Abia State, Jos Heipang Plateau State, Bichi , Bauchi State, Gombe , Gombe State, Bulunkutu, Borno State, Zawachiki , Kano State and Zanfarawa-Funtua in Katsina State. The concessionaires, who will operate the dry ports under ‘build-own-operate-transfer’ model for 25 years include Catamaran Logistics, Dala Inland Dry Port, Duncan Maritime, Eastgate Terminal, Inland Containers Nigeria, Equatorial Maritime and Migfo Nigeria. For over 10 years, the concessionaires appeared not to have taken the project serious. A lot of issues accounted for this. The issues of sourcing capital for the projects and the long wait for the right infrastructures to be put in place by the federal government were considered by the concessionaires. With the absence of rail links and the bad state of the high ways, some of the concessionaires, it was gathered had developed cold feet on the projects.

Rail and ICDs With the current efforts of the Ministry of Transport in interconnecting major cities of the country with rail, Executive Secretary, NSC, Hassan Bello, said this will be a big boost for the ICDs. He said the rail links in the major cities will facilitate movement of all types of goods from the seaports to the dry ports in good time.

The Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, had at different fora assured concessionaires of the federal government’s enabling environment for the dry port projects to succeed in the country. So far, almost all the cities of the country are covered by the $11.117billion total rail project. Among the areas to be covered include Port Harcourt, Aba, Umuahia, Enugu, Makurdi, Jos, Gombe, Bauchi and Borno.

The Lagos to Kano line will Abeokuta, Ibadan,

Ilorin, Kano, Funtua, Zaria, Kaura and Namuda.

Wake-up Call Worried by the failure of the concessionaires to mobilise to sites over 10 years after concession, the NSC had last year threatened a showdown with the operators. At a meeting, Bello had told the concessionaires that except they show serious commitment in the development , the concession agreement would be terminated. Bello said,“If for any reason, we see some unwillingness to execute this project the government will not hesitate to terminate this concession”.

The Council boss did not end there, as he said officers of the council would monitor the various sites. With the threat, the concessionaires have been making frantic efforts to develop the sites. Bello disclosed recently that all the concessionaires have been making efforts to mobilise to sites. He said that while some have gone far with their projects, others were currently talking with their technical partners and investors in a bid to move to site soon. He expressed optimism that by June, one of the concessionaires, Duncan Maritime Services Limited, which is handling the Jos Heipang Inland Dry Port may be through. Bello who visited Abia State Governor, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu, for his formal endorsement of the Isi Ala Ngwa ICD, said other state governments have shown strong support for the dry ports. He said,“We are going round, we are not resting on our oars. We are supervising, so we will encourage the developments of these ports wherever they are sited.”

Facilitation For stakeholders, ICDs remain an essential part of the port reform process which cannot be complete except the dry ports effectively become operational. Freight forwarders told this writer that ICDs will make trade easier for shippers who are doing businesses in far distances away from the traditional seaports. Former Chairman, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Iju Tony Nwabunike, said ICDs when fully operational

will make the reform exercise at the ports more meaningful. “The reason is that shippers can be in a position to consign their goods to these dry ports as ‘Port of Destination’. This will reduce the stress and risks they are having using only Lagos, Rivers, Calabar or Delta seaports to import goods into the country”, he said.

Nwabunike commended the management of the NSC for the efforts in encouraging the ICD concessionaires to demonstrate serious commitment on the development of the projects. At a meeting with the Abia State Governor, Bello had explained that the concept of the ICD project was to ease transportation of goods from far distances by bringing port services closer to the people. He disclosed that when fully operational, the Isiala Ngwa ICD will bring about a lot of economic benefits, including creating about 3,000 jobs in the state. \Describing Abia state as an industrial city, Bello said the ICD was necessary for the purpose of export and import business. Stating that the Council wants the project to succeed, the NSC boss urged the state governor to use his good offices to give necessary support so that by December this year, the project would have become ready. Bello assured that once the federal government was satisfied with the level of work at the site, it will accord the ICD the Port of Origin status so that importers and exporters can use the port in all their international transactions.

Such status, Bello explained, will enable importers outside the country to use the dry port as the ‘Port of Destination’ instead of using other seaports that are far away from the state.

Bello also urged the concessionaire, the East Gate Ltd, to make serious efforts to move to site without further delay. He warned that if after 18 months, the company did not show serious commitment on the development of the project, the council would be forced to impose some sanction on the concessionaire. The council boss had issued the same warning to all other concessionaires, in what he explained was part of federal government’s determination to ease international business for all importers and exporters.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

TRAVEL

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

Electronics Ban: Gulf Airlines Offer Free Laptops, Tablets on US Flights

Emirates, Qatar and Etihad are devising ways to mitigate the impact of last month’s electronics ban placed by the US and the UK on flights from designated airports, writes Demola Ojo

L

ast month, the United States and the United Kingdom banned flights from some airports from allowing passengers to take devices larger than a phone into the cabin of the plane. Passengers have been instructed to check-in these devices which included laptops, tablets, cameras, pocket scanners and projectors among others. In the case of the US, the ban included flights from Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai which incidentally, is the world’s busiest airport.

According to both countries, the ban is due to terrorism threats and there is no time limit on the rules, which means they will stay in place indefinitely, though a spokeswoman for Emirates told Reuters that the directive is valid until October 14.

The ban specifies the “last point of departure airports” which means if you change planes at one of the affected airports for the last leg of your trip, the rules still apply. So, for example, going from Dubai to New York - a 14-hour flight - will leave you without a laptop or other device, no matter where you started your journey from. If you started in Lagos, that’s another eight hours plus layover time, to be without your devices.

This is a scenario that is bound to worry a great number of Nigerian travellers with many preferring to fly with these Middle-eastern airlines because of competitive pricing and great service.

The ban is certain to affect business for these airlines, especially business class seats with many business travellers circumventing the region in order to keep their electronics handy, especially on long flights that could otherwise be productive ones. Gulf airlines rely on business-class flyers stopping over in places like Dubai or Doha for far-flung destinations and the ban risks pushing passengers to travel with airlines not affected.

Gulf carriers are loaning laptops to Business Class travellers

However, in a move that highlights the business savvy of the Gulf airlines they have come up with solutions especially targeted at their business class passengers.

Qatar Airways was first to announce the unique solution by offering passengers a laptop loan service that takes their award-winning five-star reputation to new heights. Showing true commitment to travellers affected by the ban, the Doha-based airline purchased laptops available for loan on all of their US flights; meaning uninterrupted productivity and service throughout their journey.

The complimentary laptops are available to Business Class passengers traveling on all US-bound flights (started last week) and can be collected after boarding. Customers

will be able to download their work on to a USB before stepping on board to pick up where they left-off.

Qatar is also offering a special service at the gate for all passengers, whereby any electronic items prohibited by the new ban will be collected and securely packaged. These will be tagged, loaded as check-in baggage and returned safely to the customer on arrival to the US. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said;“As an award-winning and global airline we truly appreciate the importance of being able to work on board our aircraft and that is why I have insisted on offering only the best possible solution for our customers.

“By providing this laptop loan service, we can

ensure that our passengers on flights to the US can continue to work whilst on-board. This unique ability to offer ‘business as usual’, above and beyond the competition, is yet another example of Qatar Airways justification for being the World’s Best Business Class.”

In another move to guarantee the comfort and productivity of all passengers on board US-bound flights Qatar Airways is providing one hour of free Wi-Fi for all passengers and a special Wi-Fi package of US$5 to stay connected for the duration of the whole flight.

Similarly, Etihad is lending tablets and offering unlimited Wi-Fi to business and first-class passengers traveling on US-bound flights.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline previously said passengers could hand over prohibited devices at the gate in order to minimize the disruption.

Business and first class passengers can now ask for a Microsoft Surface tablet, loaded with Microsoft Office 2016, enabling them to access and work on documents via USB sticks during their flight.

Emirates have decided to follow suit. The airline had previously introduced a laptop handling service last month, allowing US-bound passengers transiting in Dubai to use their devices on the first part of their journey, and at Dubai International, before handing them over at the gate to be packed into boxes and placed in the hold.

Now business and first class passengers can now ask for a Microsoft Surface tablet, loaded with Microsoft Office 2016, enabling them to access and work on documents via USB sticks during their flight.

Emirates revealed that nearly 8,000 passengers have used its laptop handling service since it was launched, and says that “an even mix of economy, business and first class passengers” are utilizing the service. The airline said booking rates on US flights fell 35 per cent after President Donald Trump’s first travel ban which like the electronics ban only applied to Muslim-majority countries.

Easter: Hilton OffersThree Nights forTwo GreatWall of Lagos 70% Complete

T

ranscorp Hilton Abuja has unfolded plans to offer guests an extraordinary experience with a bumper package of accommodation, gourmet dining, leisure and entertainment tailored to families during the Easter holidays.

Starting from Friday, April 14 till Monday April 17, guests can enjoy three exciting nights for the price of two nights.

The Easter package includes buffet breakfast and taxes for two adults and two children.

Guests will enjoy free use of the extensive recreational facilities including the swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center, tennis and squash courts, and basketball and volleyball courts. There will be daily aerobics classes for the active adults while the kids enjoy complimentary tennis coaching, Easter egg painting, egg hunting and egg races.

The food and beverage team has also packaged culinary themes that would take the guests round the world during the Easter holidays.

The Bukka, Zuma Grill and the Fulani Pool restaurants would be offering innovative Easter menu for the culinary delight of the guests.

The highlight of the culinary offer is the Easter Brunch featuring a lavish buffet of breakfast and lunch favorites at the Bukka

E

Aerial view of Transcorp Hilton poolside

restaurant on Easter Sunday.

For an evening of relaxation and entertainment, the holidaying guests have a choice of the Capital Bar with live musical entertainment, the Piano Lounge, the ultimate meeting place in town, and Suya Lounge, the well-appointed outdoor lounge with lounge music.

Commenting on the Easter package, Shola Adeyemo, Public Relations & Marketing Manager of the hotel said,“Our offer to the guests during the Easter holidays is based on our evolving understanding of our customers’ preferences. We are all set to bring light and warmth to people’s lives by helping them to uncover new and unique experiences when they stay with us during the Easter weekend”

ko Atlantic, a brand new city being built adjacent to Victoria Island, Lagos, has announced that the Great Wall of Lagos has surpassed six kilometres in length. The wall which can be seen from space is projected to reach 8.5 kilometers upon completion.

Apart from being a unique tourist attraction, the wall serves a fuctional purpose as it is a large sea revetment that protects the emerging new city, Victoria Island, and parts of Lekki from the threat of flooding due to coastal erosion and ocean surge.

“Various Nigerian and international searches show that the erosion rate of the Lagos coast, since as far as back as 1910, when records began, has been between two to 10 meters per year” said Daniel Kamau, Managing Director, Royal Haskoning Engineering Consultants, the appointed marine engineers for the Eko Atlantic Project.

“The land where Eko Atlantic is being built existed historically, but has eroded over a long period. Eko Atlantic will restore some of the land lost to the sea and protect it from erosion,” he concluded.

The revetment uses a proven method of accropode units as primary armour for

the structure. Each accropode is made on site and weighs five tons. 100,000 accropodes will be placed in a predefined grid, using a GPS system for pin-point accuracy.

The basic principles of revetment, as a proven engineering solution for river and coastal protection, have been used for centuries around the world. The sea wall is designed and tested to handle the worst storms in a thousand years, putting into consideration global warming and rising sea levels.

As the final step to the Great Wall of Lagos, an 8.2 kilometre long, 12.5 metre wide, promenade will be built on top of the Great Wall. This promenade will provide a tremendous amount of recreational space to residents looking to take advantage of the ocean front open area and impressive ocean view.

Furthermore, approximately 8km of coast adjacent to the east of Eko Atlantic has been protected by construction of 18 rock groynes by Lagos State Government as their ongoing program to protect the coastline of Lagos State from coastal erosion.

Eko Atlantic and the groynes protect a combined 16km of Lagos coast, including a majority of coastal communities in Lagos, which were previously subjected to severe flooding and erosion.

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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 • APRIL 9, 2017

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

TOTAL OIL NIGERIA PLC: Oil giant beats projection with remarkable performance

T

otalNigeriaPlc is aMarketing andServices subsidiary ofTotal;a multinational energy companyoperating inmore than130countries andcommittedtoproviding sustainableproducts and servicesforits customers.For over50years,TotalNigeriaPlc has remained theleader inthe downstreamsectorof theNigerian oilandgasindustrywithan extensive distributionnetworkofover500 service stationsnationwideandawiderange oftopquality energy products andservices.

TotalNigeria Plc(RC 1396)was incorporated asaprivate company onJune1,1956to marketpetroleumproducts inNigeria.

InDecember 11,2001,thecompanyhad asuccessfulmerger whichpavedway forsustainable growth andcontinuous development.

TotalOilNigeria Plcrecentlyreleasedits fullyear resultendedDecember31st2016, showing outstanding growthinperformance indicatorsdespite toughoperatingbusiness climateinNigeria.

Theoilgiantdelightsinvestors by consistently paying dividendtwiceevery year;ahalfyear interimdividendandafinal dividendatthe endofthefinancial year.

Forthe year endedDecember2016,the Company hasdeclaredatotal dividendper share(DPS) ofN17.00,comprisingofan interimdividendofN10.00alreadypaidin 2016 anda finaldividendofN7.00payablein June2017.

REVENUE SURGES AS DEREGULATION HOLDS GROUND TotalOilPlcreporteda substantial 39.86% increase inrevenue to N290.95billionin December 2016 fromN208.03billioninthe corresponding year of2015.This impressive growthsurpassesyear onyeargrowthof 13.41%recordedin 2015.Growthinrevenue wasspurredby salesofpetroleumproducts and lubricantswhichgrewby38.02%and 53.04%respectively duringtheperiod.

Also,thiscanbe attributedtotheincrease inglobalanddomesticoil marketduringthe year.Nigerian oilmarketers weresupported throughgovernmentregulationinallocating petroleumpricesthatcovers increasing foreignexchange risk andrisingimportation cost.Incrementofimportationcostis the directresultofdepreciationoftheNaira, and earlier by a suddenreductioninthe regulatedprice ofproductinthedomestic marketwithouta clearerpolicydirection onhow governmentintendedtofundthe eventualexpandedsubsidyimplications.

Hence,the variouspaymentdisputes surrounding the PetroleumSupportFund (PSF)allocation highlightedthecautious productimportationbyplayers including TotalOilPlcandthe eventual scarcitythat waswitnessedin the lastmonthofthe quarter under review.

Expectedly,the Companyrecordeda massive growthof98.36%ingross profit toN49.10 billionin December2016from

WITH RECENT ACTION AND POLICY BY MANAGEMENT OF TOTAL OIL NIGERIA PLC TOWARDS FURTHER REDUCTION OF ITS OPERATING COST, FINANCE COST AND BORROWINGS, WE EXPECT LESS OPERATION AND FINANCIAL DISPARITY WHICH ERODES PROFITABILITY AS IT OPTIMISE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WILL LEAD TO A CONTINUA SUCCESS IN ITS FINANCIAL METRICS IN THE COMING PERIODS

N24.75 billioninthecorrespondingyearof 2015,despiteanincreaseof31.96%incosts ofsalestoN241.85billioninDecember 2016from N183.27billioninDecember2015.

Thecompanywasabletomanagefurther growthincostofsalesthrougharigorous costsavingand efficientoperatingstructure as well asinvestmentinresearchand developmentand trainingofemployeeson newmeasuresand betterproductionand servicedeliverytechniques.

EFFICIENCYRECORDED IN COST MANAGEMENT Fortheyearended December31st2016, Total NigeriaPlc’sselling&distribution expensesincreased byanegligible0.99% toN4.72billionfrom N4.67billionrecorded inthecorrespondingyearin2015.The companyhasstruggled overthelastfew years tocurtailincrementinoperational costs duetohighoverhead costranging fromthecostofdeliveringitsproduct throughtruckingtoallitsretailsoutlets tohighpersonnelcostsduetostaff recruitmenttomeetwithitsexpansionplans andtohelp achieveitsgoalsand objectives.

Administrativeexpensesgrewbya5.42% toN15.85billionfrom N15.03billionrecorded inDecember2015.Hence,thisreduction is anindicationofmanagementefficiency andsuccessofitscostsavingstrategies.In addition,theCompanycontinued toinvest heavilyinthepromotionofitspopular “Quartz”oillubricantaimed atfurther

strengtheningthe‘Total’brandacross the federation.Thisisinaddition toexpenses incurred onrepairs,maintenanceand upgradeofsomeofits retail outlets nationwide.

Furthermore,TotalOilrecords moves from amoderate2.78%yearon year increase recorded inDecember2015 toa significant 20.33%increaseinother incometoN1.45 billioninDecember2016 fromN1.20 billion overthecorrespondingyear of 2015.

Hence,operatingprofit for theyear grew substantiallytoN20.93 billion in December 2016from N6.26billion in December 2015indicatingapercentageincreaseof 234.63%.

FINANCE COSTFAILSTO FORESTALL MASSIVE GRROWTH IN NETEARNINGS Record displaysthatboth financial income and financecostdeclinedenormously yearonyearby86.53% toN273.55mfrom N2.03billionand by52.43%toN851.86m from N1.79billionrespectively. Net finance costsdeclined byamassive340.58%toa negativefigureofN578.31mfroma positive record ofN240.38m duringtheperiod underreview.

Profitbeforetaxroseby 213.35%to N20.35billionfrom N6.50 billion and netincomeshowsanextraordinary growthof265.63%toN14.80 billion in December2016from N4.05 billion in the correspondingperiod of December 2015.

Thegrowthinnetincomewas despite considerableriseof126.93%in income taxtoN5.56billioninDecember 2016 from N2.45billioninDecember 2015.

Thecompany’sprofitability andefficiency ratiosdropped modestly. Return on asset (ROA)decreased to4.84%from5.54%in theprecedingyearwhilereturn on equity (ROE)followed suit,decreasingto24.92% from 33.21%overthesameyear. Pre-tax marginalsofollowed thedownwardtrend droppingto1.95%from2.20%.

SIGNIFICANTDECLINE IN ASSET QUALITY AsatDecember2016,Total Oil Plc grew itstotalassetsubstantially by 63.68%in toN136.93billionfrom N83.65 billion as atDecember2015while its total liabilities alsoincreased by68.16%toN113.36 billion inDecember2016from N67.41 billion in December2015.Company’s shareholders fund followed similarmassiveincrease asitroseby45.11%toN23.57billion from N16.24billionyearonyear.

WE MAINTAIN OUR HOLD RECOMMENDATION Werecognisethemanagement’s effort incurbingitsexpenses which has been a majorburdenhamperingtheprofitability ofthecompanyinpriorperiods. In addition, asexpected theFederal Government disputewithpetroleum marketers over the Petroleum SupportFund(PSF)allocation intheshorttomedium term, which greatly disrupted thesupplyandsaleof petroleum

Valuation Metrics 7-Apr-17 Recommendation

BUY

Target Price (N)

337.22

Current Price (N)

260.00

Outstanding Share(m)

339.522

Market Cap (N'm)

92,656

EPS (N)

43.58

PE Ratio

5.97x

Projected EPS

57.16

Projected PE Ratio

4.55x Source: BGL Research

Full Year Financial Result 2015Results Turnover (N'm)

290,953

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

20,353

Profit After Tax (N'm)

14,797

Pre-tax Margin (%)

7.00 Source: BGL Research

Full Year Financial Result 2015 Turnover (N'm)

208,027

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

6,495

Profit After Tax (N'm)

4,047

Pre-tax Margin (%)

3.12 Source: BGL Research

Shareholding Information Shareholders

% Holding

Total Societe Anonyme

45.24

Elf Aquitaine S.A.

16.48

Public Float

38.28 Source: Company Data 2016 AC, BGL Research

products in theindustry andaccounted for not tooimpressiveperformanceof Total Oil Plc in theprevious year is been resolved.With recent action andpolicy by management ofTotal Oil Nigeria Plc towards further reduction of its operating cost, financecost andborrowings, we expect less operation andfinancial disparity which erodes profitability as it optimise market opportunities.This will leadtoa continua success in its financial metrics in thecomingperiods.

Consideringtheabove, weproject revenue of N322.48 billion andnet incomeof N19.41 billion for December 2017.This leads toa forwardEPS of N57.16. Usinga combination of PE multipleandsustainablegrowth rate (SGR), wearriveat a target priceof N337.22 andsincethis represents a 29.7%upside potential on thecurrent price, wetherefore placea BUYon thestock ofTotal 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 • APRIL 9, 2017

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

FCMB Group PLC: Remarkable performance brightens record despite harsh operating terrain

F

irst City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB) in its reported full year, 31st December, 2016 financial result indicate a substantial growth of 15.63% in topline earnings to N176.35 billion and bottom-line earnings growth of 201.19% on the back of considerable increase in other income.

The Bank which listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2004 and issued her first public offering (IPO) in 2005 now has a record of 2 million customer base, over 270 branches in Nigeria and a licensed banking subsidiary in the United Kingdom (FCMB UK). First City Monument Bank Limited has continued its strive towards enhanced customer experience through innovation acceleration, enhancement of performance and security boosting.

TRADING INCOME DRIVES GROWTH IN TOP-LINE EARNINGS Gross earnings for the 12 month period ended, 31st December 2016 grew by 15.63% to N176.35 billion from N152.51 billion reported in the same period 2015. Gross earnings growth was impacted by a 77.16% upsurge in non-interest income on the back of an extra-ordinary 504.82% increase in net trading income largely driven foreign exchange income to N5.69 billion from N940m during the period under review. Interest income on the other hand, rose by a modest 1.23% to N125.11 billion from N123.58 recorded at the corresponding period end of 2015. This stemmed from decline in customers deposit by 6.08% which impacts on advances.

Interest expense for the period declined by 6.83% to N55.58 billion from N59.65 billion reported in December 2015. Hence, an 8.75% rise in net interest income to N69.53 billion from N63.94 billion over the period under review.

Fees and commission income declined by 6.92% to N17.68 billion in December 2016 from N19 billion a year ago, while fees and commission expense increased notably by 10.66% to N3.51 billion from N3.16 billion over the same period. Due to decline in fees and commission income and rise in its expense, net fee and commission income decreased to N14.18 billion in December 2016 from N15.83 billion in December 2015; reflecting a change of 10.44%.

OPERATING INCOME ANDTAXATION POSITIVELYIMPACTS PROFITABILITY Total operating expenses increased by 23.51% to N101.30 billion in December 2016 from N82.01 billion in December 2015 primarily due to a massive growth

BASED UPON THE BANK’S FLEXIBILITY TO THE CURRENT REGULATORY POLICIES AND THE MACROECONOMIC HEADWIND, WE BELIEVE THAT THE BANK’S MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENT PLANS THAT FOCUS ITS EFFORT TOWARDS AN EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE WHICH STRENGTHENS EARNINGS, INCOME GENERATION CAPACITY AND GROWTH IN LIQUIDITY BASE

of 136.29% in net impairment loss on financial assets to N35.52 billion from N15.03 billion recorded in December 2015.

Therefore, operating profit increased significantly by 107.94% to N15.98 billion in December from N7.68 billion a year ago. Pre-tax profit for the period grew massively by 109.19% to N16.25 billion from N7.68 billion year on year attributable to a considerable rise of 222.53% in income from investment in associates to N272m from N85m in the corresponding period of 2015.

Expectedly, profit after tax followed suit with a remarkable 201.19% increment to N14.34 billion in full year ended, 31st December, 2016 from N4.76 billion reported in the 12-month period of 2015. Also, the Bank’s impressive performance in the bottom line can be connected to substantial decline in income ASSETQUALITYREMAINS RELATIVELY FLAT The Bank’s balance sheet reflects steady progress in performance over the period. The Group’s total asset grew by modestly by 1.14% to N1.17 trillion as at December 2016 from N1.16 trillion as at December 2015. Notable changes in total assets includes: 359.01% in non-pledged trading assets to N9.15 billion from N1.99 billion, 5.08% negative change in investment

securities to N128.44 billion from N135.31 billion, 22.69% decline in other assets to N16.78 billion from N21.70 billion and advances to customers rose by 11.30% as at 31st December, 2016.

On the other hand, total liabilities decline by a negligible 0.32% to N993.91 billion as at December 2016 from N997.14 billion as at December 2015. Bank total deposits from customers and other banks shrank by 3.30% to N682.41 billion as at December 2016 from N705.68 billion as at December 2015; borrowings grew by 16.18% to N132.09 billion from N113.70 billion year on year.

However, shareholder’s equity increased by 10.15% to N178.87 billion as at December 2016 from N162.39 billion as at 31st December 2015 due to retained earnings growth of 88.91%.

CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITYRATIOS ABOVE REGULATORYREQUIREMENTS FCMB’s liquidity ratio stood at 31.2% as at December 31st, 2016 which is well above the minimum regulatory requirement of 30%. The Group’s Return on Average Equity (ROAE) stood at 8.40% as at December 2016 while Return on Average Assets (ROAA) stood at 1.23% over the same period.

The Group’s cost-to-income ratio at 56.1% while Net interest margin (NIM) grew settles at 8.4% in December 2016 from 8.1% in December 2015 while pre-tax profit margin and net income margin notably to 9.22% from 5.09% and to 8.13% from 3.12% respectively.

WE RECOMMEND A BUY The macro-economic headwinds of 2016 saw inflation grow steadily to a peak 18.6% in December, MPR at 14% and CRR maintained on all public sector deposits to 22.50% in November 2016. Nevertheless, FCMB delivered an impressive performance despite these harsh business environment and unstable monetary policies caused by the impact of naira devaluation, foreign exchange scarcity, rising commodity prices and the fuel price hike.

Based upon the Bank’s flexibility to the current regulatory policies and the macro-economic headwind, we believe that the Bank’s management adjustment plans that focus its effort towards an efficient performance which strengthens earnings, income generation capacity and growth in liquidity base. With strategic innovation and execution the bank will enhance its deposit balance and advances leading to an better improved interest income and income from fees and commission.

Furthermore, in line with its on-going

Valuation Metrics 7-Apr-17 Recommendation

BUY

Target Price (N)

1.67

Current Price (N)

1.17

Market Cap (N'm)

23,169

Outstanding Shares (m)

19,803

EPS (N)

0.72

PE Ratio

1.62x

Forward EPS (N)

1.03

Forward PE

1.13x Source: NSE Data, BGL Research

Full Year 2016 Audited Results Gross Earnings (N'm) Profit Before Tax (N'm) Profit After Tax (N'm) Pre-tax Margin (%)

176,352 16,251 14,339 9.22

Source: Company Report 2016, BGL Research

Full Year 2015 Audited Results Gross Earnings (N'm) Profit Before Tax (N'm) Profit After Tax (N'm) Pre-tax Margin (%)

152,507 7,768 4,760 5.09

Source: Annual Report 2015, BGL Research

Shareholding Information Capital IRG Trustees Ltd. Stanbic Nominees Ltd. AMCON Public Float

8.27 21.05 6.73 63.95

Source: Annual Report 2015, BGL Research

target to translate foreign exchange differentials to bear positively on the Bank’s business, maintaining its current level of NII and NIR despite a challenging macro-economic environment that is easing up as well as a good record of expenses management.

Based on the company’s performance, we cautiously make full year, December 2017 projection of N209.37 billion for gross earnings and N20.46 billion for net income. Using the Price to Earnings (PE) multiple of 1.13x, our valuation leads to a forward EPS of N1.03, and a 9-month average target price of N1.67. Since this represents an upside potential of 42.66% on the current stock price of N1.17, we therefore recommend a BUY.

28

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

MARKET NEWS

Impressive Results Lift Oando’s Share Price by 18% Goddy Egene Shares in Oando Plc rose 18 per cent last week as investors reacted positively to the 2016 financial results of the company. After recording losses for two years, Oando Plc bounced back to profitability in 2016. Reacting to this development, some investors increase demand for the stock, lifting its price by 18 per cent from N5.00 to N5.90 last week.

Oando posted a turnover of N569 billion in 2016, which

is 49 per cent higher than the N455.7 billion recorded in 2016. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation increased by 51 per cent from N47 billion to N71 billion, while PAT stood at N3.5 billion, compared with a loss of N47.6 billion in 2015.

Commenting on the results, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu, said: “2016 saw the country plunge into a recession, the first in over 2 decades, besieged with liquidity constraints, devaluation of

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

the naira and a slump in oil earnings due to low oil prices intensified by the insurgency in the Niger Delta. We were proactive in the timely execution of our restructuring program of Growth in our upstream division; deleverage, through divestments resulting in a net debt reduction of N125 billion; and profitability by focusing on dollar denominated earnings.”

Tinubu said that in the midstream they concluded the partial divestment of Oando Gas and Power (OGP) to Helios

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 6-Apr-2017, unless otherwise stated.

Investment Partners to further expand the company’s gas footprint.

“In the downstream our trading business continued to make in-roads in crude lifting.

As we enter a new phase in our business evolution we are optimistic about 2017 and look forward to even more successes having braved the challenges of 2016,” he said.

According to him, in the fiirst quarter of 2016 the company successfully restructured its existing obligations through a

N108 billion Medium Term facility with a syndicate of nine leading local banks. It also completed the full divestment of its Upstream Services business (Oando Energy Services) and the recapitalisation of its downstream business to Helios Investment Partners, a premier Africa-focused private investment firm and the Vitol Group, the world’s largest independent trader of energy commodities to the tune of $210 million.

“The recapitalisation of Oando’s downstream operations represents the largest inflow

of foreign capital in a single transaction in the oil and gas sector in 2016. This strategic initiative is positioned to revolutionize Nigeria’s downstream sector and create one of Africa’s largest downstream operations.

In furtherance of Oando being the partner of choice to foreign investors, the company concluded 2016 with the partial divestment of its midstream business, Oando Gas & Power Limited to Helios Investment Partners, a premier Africa-focused private investment firm for $115.8 million,” he said.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 130.65 131.20 2.89% Nigeria International Debt Fund 218.58 219.36 1.57% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.71 0.72 2.10% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.24% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 12.55 12.93 1.64% ARM Discovery Fund 294.39 303.27 2.51% ARM Ethical Fund 22.86 23.55 2.34% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.91% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 106.81 107.56 1.55% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.56% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.00% Paramount Equity Fund 9.56 9.80 2.11% Women's Investment Fund 87.69 89.94 3.66% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.07% FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,141.86 1,143.05 4.72% FBN Heritage Fund 110.50 111.25 -0.97% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.09% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $107.54 $108.15 3.31% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $107.24 $107.85 3.73% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 118.10 119.63 4.81% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 0.98 0.99 4.79% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.68 2.68 4.25% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,250.72 2,278.20 1.90% Coral Income Fund 2,205.82 2,205.82 4.83% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.87% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.70% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.73 1.74 2.70% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.36%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.02 1.04 3.46% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,032.05 1,032.05 2.90% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.96 10.05 3.12% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.40% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.13 1.15 7.78% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.47 10.52 0.69% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.42% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 110.81 111.71 8.83% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.16 1.16 2.48% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 1,867.95 1,877.29 1.98% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 156.64 156.64 1.74% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.78 0.79 1.95% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 193.85 193.85 3.72% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 134.75 136.62 3.84% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.51% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,461.56 7,548.84 -1.60% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.11 1.16 7.55% United Capital Bond Fund 1.28 1.28 15.60% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 0.96% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.15 1.15 11.35% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.05 10.23 4.32% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.41 11.53 4.55% Zenith Income Fund 17.45 17.45 5.60%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 118.15

1.01% 1.99%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.38 73.02

8.48 74.38

-4.53% -3.65%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.65 6.23 11.21 15.84 129.08

2.69 6.31 11.31 16.04 131.08

-3.57% -11.32% -6.48% -0.69% -0.61%

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

ORPHEE SHUNGU (Papa Wemba’s Daughter) WHY I WON’T MARRY A MUSICIAN

09.04.2017

30

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R •

,

COVER

Orphee with her mother receiving the Afrima Award in honour of her father

ORPHEE SHUNGU

WHY I WON’T MARRY A MUSICIAN

Born and bred in Paris, Orphee Shungu, daughter of the world famous late Congolese Rhumba musician, Papa Wemba, studied Communications and Music, but a musician is definitely not on her list of potential husbands.

She told Nseobong Okon-Ekong why

T Orphee

he hall became emotionally charged as soon as she mounted the stage with her mother. Their world famous bread-winner had passed on barely seven months.

Honouring the memory of Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, better known as, Papa Wemba, the Congolese singer and musician was one of the highlights of the recent All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in Lagos.

As the sound of his music wafted through the speakers and his brief bio rolled on the screen, all eyes were on his wife, Amazone, and his 24 year-old daughter, Orphee. It was a fitting tribute to the man reputed as the ‘King of Rhumba Rock’.

He was just ‘Daddy to her. To many around the world, he was a vastly adored idol who made them happy through his

music. His immediate family may not have been aware of his larger than life stature until he died. Wemba, according to his daughter, had predicted he would die doing what he loved most - singing on stage and that only then would his family members realize how big he was.

It happened exactly as he had predicted.

On that fateful day in April in 2016, Wemba was performing in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire during the FEMUA Urban Music Festival when he collapsed and died. Orphee told this reporter she had spoken with her father 40 minutes earlier from her base in Paris to wish him well and promised to call again when he was done performing.

Unfortunately, it would be the last time she heard his voice live. He now lives through his musical works and other forms of cultural influences which he had on his generation.

APRIL 9, 2017 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

31

COVER

The late Papa Wemba

Wemba has entered the list of artistes whose wish to die on stage while performing came true. Orphee said he had dropped a hint on how he would love to go.

“He always said the beautiful gift to him would be to die on stage. I was not surprised he died on stage. It is a beautiful way to die.

No suffering. He just died. I feel the pain of his death but I am comforted he did not suffer any pain and he died the way he wished.”

Understandably, Orphee does not like talking about the moment her father’s death was reported to the family. All his relatives have become more closely knit. Dealing with his death has made them stronger. Orphee even found her voice on stage, singing one of her father’s songs that has become her favourite since he passed. She explained why she loves that song. “It talks about the importance of family and reflects on the busy life of an artiste. He travels around the world alone. In that song, my father says family is the best and he talks about my mother as an inspiration to him and the children. I love that song. “ Born and bred in Paris, she only returned to live with her mother in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of Congo, since he passed on. Although She’d been singing since she was a little girl and she believes very much music is in her blood, she is willing to bid her time until a producer who is willing to work with her comes along.

After weighing the options for some time, she deliberately choose a delicate response. “Yes I am a musician and no, I am not a musician. I am a musician because music is my passion. I don’t know if I want to be a musician. I studied Communications and Music. I just finished my studies of

communication in the university in France, Marketing and Publicity. I don’t know if I want to be a musician like my father. If one day someone tells me I would like to produce you, why not?”

Boldly tattooed on her wrist were two symbols she offered to shed light on. “It is the first letter of my name ‘O’. The other tattoo is a motif for motivation in Latin. My parents are the reason, I do anything. They are my motivation. Especially, my Dad. When I want to make any move in my life, I think what my Dad think would do in a situation like that. He is my motivation every day.”

Orphee hopes to have more tattoos on her body in the future. She has not decided what part of her body would be adorned, but it will definitely be the letters of her parents’ names and her father’s signature.

Another thing that she has not decided on is the question of a life partner. For now, it is not her priority. All she wants is to get a good job in order to put to practice what she studied in the university. She may be undecided about a husband, but one thing she is sure about is that she would never consider marriage to a musician. Her father was well travelled and met a lot of women, yet remained married to her mother only.

Orphee was not surprised at her father’s fidelity. She described her mother as a strong woman. “He needed a woman like that.”

“The women say I love Papa Wemba.

That is fine. These women know the artiste not the real man. My mother knows the real man. She was with him for over 40 years.

I will not marry a musician. It is difficult.

Everybody loves him. I can never marry a musician. My mother is a stronger woman.”

The man who would sweep Orphee off

her feet is one who loves and respects her.

“With men, it is ‘l always I love you baby’.

Men are the same. Do you love because I am me or because I am Papa Wemba’s daughter? When I come here, it is not my priority to see the Nigerian men. It is to be in AFRIMA with my mother to receive an award in honour of my father.”

Having lived in Paris for the better part of her life, the last few months in Kinshasha have been very revealing. Orphee finds it a bit of a tough question to fathom which of the two cultures have influenced her more. “I was born in France. I am a French.

I schooled there and I understand French culture. I live in Kinshahsha these past months. I try to be African. I try to be an African woman more and more. I think my father gave me two big heritage - the song and the fashion. I love African fashion.

When I walk on the streets of France people come to me. I love the fact that Africans are always together as a family no matter what happens. The family values are very important to me. The music is the important heritage my father left. But the interesting thing about him was that he was not just about the music, he was also a trend setter in fashion and painting. He had a lot of children and they are of different social classes. My family wants to help children in Africa so we honoured his memory every time we do that. These past months I live in Africa. I didn’t know Africa really because I always lived in France. I have discovered a new thing every day about Africa and it is so beautiful. I am so proud of the African culture. There is a lot of love. A lot of colour and happiness.”

Papa Wemba became the unofficial leader of La Sape (Société des Ambianceurs

I WAS BORN IN FRANCE. I AM A FRENCH. I SCHOOLED THERE AND I UNDERSTAND FRENCH CULTURE. I LIVE IN KINSHAHSHA THESE PAST MONTHS. I TRY TO BE AFRICAN. I TRY TO BE AN AFRICAN WOMAN MORE AND MORE. I THINK MY FATHER GAVE ME TWO BIG HERITAGE - THE SONG AND THE FASHION et des Personnes d’Élégance, literally translated as the “Society of Atmospheresetters and Elegant People”) which he promoted as a youth subculture in Zaire.

Their style was influenced by the fashion centres of Paris and Milan.

Although, Orphee is undecided about commitment to marriage, he would have loved to have her father at her wedding. All she will live with now are fond memories like the nickname her father used to call her and the recall of a scenario at an older sister’s wedding where she went up against her father in a mock singing contest.

Orphee revealed a little known secret of her father. He did not like listening to his own music. She grew up listening to a lot of soul, RnB, jazz and rock music.

On the AFRIMA stage, the organisers made Diamond Platnumz, the Tanzanian superstar to render one of Wemba’s songs.

This was particularly a thrilling surprise to Orphee. It was a confirmation that her father influenced all generations. Since he died many people now recognize her as Wemba’s daughter. She joked that it could be because she has a prominent nose like her father’s.

“They say very sweet and kind words about him. They say how much they loved my father and how he helped everyone.”

32

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 9, 2017

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

Ebenezer Obey Philosophy on the Wings of Music Tunji Olaopa

T

he French poet and philosopher, Jean Francois Saint-Lambert, once remarked: “Often I am still listening when the song is over”. He may have had Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi in mind.

From the 70s until he joined the Lord’s commission and now back in the wings, every single album Obey waxed leaves a pulsating thought in the memory of those who understands good music. To start, this is perhaps the only opportunity I have to pay my debt of gratitude Chief Ebenezer Obey for the honour he graciously extended to me when he played at my mother’s 90th birthday in 2014. A friend of mine had offered to pay for a band and knowing that I am a quiet fan of Obey, he contacted him saying he did on my behalf. Obey not only cancelled his earlier commitment on the day, he instructed that I be told to pay just a token to cover the cost of logistics alone. My mother cannot fathom still what wand we pulled to bring down Obey to perform the way he did on that day. I remain ever grateful Commander.

Today, when the elderly, the reflective minds and the music connoisseurs listen to the fast tracked, hip hop and rap music that categorise the present generation, they only shake their heads in regret and amazement. How do you enjoy any music that lacks meaning but only leaves you either sweating or tear-eyed melodramatic? Sometimes, my children have a good laugh on me and what they have chosen to call “old school”. It would appear to me however that the “old school” has its honour and its senses which, unfortunately, will take some of the children years to catch up with. One of that senses derives from thoughtful music.

And I have musicians like Haruna Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji and Ebenezer Obey in mind. A good music can’t just be summed up by the dance or the sweat. Two elements endeared Obey’s brand of juju music to me.

Obey’s music is philosophical music; it commands your critical attention. You are invited by the guitar and the drums not only to tap your legs but also to bend your mind to philosophical reflection. You get entertainment and deep thought for the price of one album!

Unlike the commercial music and the profusion of sweat and aches, it is as if the content of Obey’s music compels you to take it easy on the dance so as not to miss out on the message!

Where do you get that kind of music any longer? Thanks to the Asa - Bukola Elemides of this world, and I had celebrated her for this for giving contemporariness to Obey’s genre of music. Our age is an age on the fast track.

Make as much money as you can by pandering to the obscene taste and degenerate desires of the people. Modern musicians seem to exploit the people’s uncouth nature for selfish gain. On the contrary, Obey’s music is an evergreen challenge; a corpus of reflective gems and thoughts. One could almost say that an unreflective person will not find Obey’s music fascinating. The music pushes you to the brink of thought.

Second, Obey’s music is an exercise in social experience and national orientation. His songs are not just the regular sycophantic praise singing for the sake of money. What you hear is what you have seen around you. Or what you should be expecting, for good or for ill.

After commencing his music career in the mid-50s, Chief Ebenezer Obey quickly mature over time from the normal dancehall melodies of the 60s and 70s to a richer cadence of a mixture of spiritually invocative themes and philosophically rich social analysis. This metamorphosis of Obey’s music also coincided with his transformation from a mere apprentice under the tutelage of Fatai Rolling Dollar to the formation of the Inter-

Obey

Reformers band in the early 70s.

The strength of Obey’s music, for me, is its ability to draw you close within the ambit of shared cultural, social and national experiences.

The songs weave rich Yoruba sayings into an intricate musical complexity. The result is a music that speaks wisdom for living. Again, for me, the culmination of this unique style of music is The Horse, the Man and His Son (1973). This song portrays the mature and quintessential Obey at the height of his musical prowess. This is an existential song that rehashes the theme of man’s journey through life, and the albatross of ruinous expectations we often carry with us. The moral lesson, Obey counsels, is that no matter what you do, the world still sees you as essentially incapable, weak and foolish: “Kosogbon to’le da, ko si’wa to le wu, ko so’na to le gba, to le fi ta’ye lo’run o!” (No matter the wisdom, or the good behaviour, or the manners and ways you explore, you can never hope to satisfy the world).

This lesson cuts to the heart of the African world where the extended family system and the social reciprocity framework conduce often to the impoverishment of a person. Such deep themes can equally be found in Ewa Wo Ohun Oju Ri (1964), Aiye Gba Jeje (1965), Ore Mi Ese Pelepele (1968), Alo Mi Alo (1975), Eda To Mo’se Okunkun (1977), Aimasiko (1987), etc.

Apart from the fascination with philosophically inspiring songs, Obey’s musical corpus is divided between spiritually sensitive songs—which defines his latter efforts—like Orin Adura (1965), Orin Ajinde (1966), Edumare Dari Jiwon (1975), Adam and Eve (1977), What God has Joined Together (1981), Count Your Blessings (1990), etc; and socially tuned songs like Paulina (1967), Pegan Pegan (1969), Esa Ma Miliki (1971), In the Sixties (1979), Je Ka Jo (1983), Womanhood (1991), etc.

Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi also comes from the stock of that generation who were truly patriotic and care about the progress of the Nigerian Project. Again, that is a dying practice in Nigeria. Musicians today have become adept in pandering to the desires of the powerful for gain. Music is, for them, no longer a stentorian tool for generating strong constructive and reconstructive feelings about one’s fatherland. In music history, Peter Wagner did this to a glorious though tainted height. Ebenezer Obey inserted himself into the patriotic circle with Gari Ti Won (1965). This was followed successively by To Keep Nigeria One (1967), Isokan Nigeria (1969), Operation Feed the Nation (1976), Current Affairs (1980), The Only Condition to Save Nigeria (1984), Formula 0-1-0 (1989), and so on.

Chief Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi is now 75, and he has achieved immortality while still alive. Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, the German poet, once exclaimed, “Art is long, life short.” Obey has lived a good life, and he no longer need fear death. He has already outlived himself. He has expended himself for music, for God, for Nigeria, for family, for others.

It is now time for music to expend itself for him.

It is time for music—and for us—to appreciate this great legend in a protracted applause that will make all his effort a worthwhile one; and all his life a beautifully written sonnet on the wonderful grace of God. At 75, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey is accomplished in every sense. What characterised a good life more than that a person is able to serve God and humanity in whatever little ways s/he knows? We have had politicians, civil servants, business people, lawyers and clerics in Nigeria who have all contributed their own quota to the advancement of humanity. Ebenezer Obey has done more. And his success derives

chiefly from the fact that he has invaded the homes and minds of Nigerians with music that entertains the bodies and agitates the minds. He did this with music, and this began at a period in our social history when musicians...and other artistes were relegated to the lowest rung of the social ladder. You can’t dare aspire to be a musician!

Obey dared...and he conquered. At 75, he could sit back and hear the reverberation of musical and non-musical accolades.

One could say that his success is a function of a powerful combination of a gentle deportment and a deep experience of the ways of the world.

He knew right from the start what he wanted his music to do. He knew what he wanted to say. The persona of Chief Ebenezer Obey is far from being commercial. This is not to say that the commercial intent was absent in his career. In the days when he started singing, it was really a hard going. And only very few made any significant impact on the society, and for that matter on their own pockets. Yet, his music gives you more than you pay for. We could even stretch the claim that in those days, there were serious things to say with music than now. Obey stands out in this regard. And after the album has gone the ways of old albums, your mind takes up the refrain until you can reproduce the entire songs without pause. Such was the power that Obey commanded through his juju brand.

Every attempt to bring him into ruinous comparison with others failed. He can’t be rushed...just like the music. The musician and his music are the product of a tranquil attitude that is patient without being impassive. You retain your poise even when dancing! The Miliki brand of juju is the only kind of musical statement that someone like the Chief Commander could have made. The word “miliki” signals enjoyment that is not boisterous; an enjoyment within the limit of economic and social reason. This is exactly where some other music brands fail. You are constantly cajoled to “spray” the hard earned money budgeted for something else. Your ego is rubbed and your pockets emptied. And you are not the better for it.

And when it was time, as if the Lord has been whispering into his soul, Ebenezer Obey switched musical content and genre while retaining the Miliki rhythm. This move in favour of the gospel of Christ was a painful but unsurprising move for most admirers and Nigerians. It was painful because people see in it the impoverishment of the Nigerian music scene. The questions started flowing: How do we now get the good kind of music Obey is known for? Who get to replace him? Why did he stop? Is there any viable replacement?

Can the replacement be like the original? The elders of Israel who wept bitterly when a new temple was built to replace the Solomon Temple destroyed by the Babylonians would understand this dilemma of Nigerians. No copy is like the original. If this is so, why then must he abandon what he knows how to do best? What he’s been doing so well that he has ever rendered to glorify the name of the Lord. And in the final analysis, when the pain had subsided for the people, it appears as a move that was really long in coming. Again, this uneasy expectation of the people derives from the kind of music Obey plays and his peculiar manner of playing it. It is tranquil and measured...as if he is being careful not to make the music transgress against God and the people. There must have been spiritual intimations behind the music. It was therefore easy for the man to transit from the secular to the gospel without any problem. It was even easy for him to retain the Miliki tune.

-Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Executive Vice-Chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Public Policy (tolaopa@isgpp.com.ng; tolaopa2003@gmail. com)

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nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com

Glo Takes Stay Buzzin Parties to Five Cities Nseobong Okon-Ekong

G

lobacom has flagged its sixmonth-long music and comedy shows with superlative parties held in five different cities over the weekend. The well attended parties tagged Glo #Stay Buzzin were held simultaneously in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt and drew youths, fun lovers and students of higher institutions in the cities who came to savour the evening of fun with entertainment superstars. Globacom said the parties were organised to flag off the music and comedy shows scheduled to hit 27 Nigerian cities from April 7. The company also used the parties to introduce Glo Cafe, an app designed for all categories of telecom subscribers, particularly students and youths. A one-stop telecommunication solution, Glo Cafe offers games, videos, music, sports,entertainment and e-commerce. It is also the fastest and easiest way to recharge the Glo account.

The company said: “Glo Cafe is not just an entertainment portal, but it also helps customers recharge data and airtime, e-top up, as well as maintain their account status, among other values. It can be downloaded by existing subscribers by sending Buzz to 288.” In Lagos, the show was held at the House of Haze near the University of Lagos.

Students of the school and those from the Yaba Polytechnic came out in large numbers and their thirst for fun was assuaged with good music and rich doze of comedy from Omni, Whalemouth and humour merchant, Bovi, who anchored the show. The atmosphere was further electrified when mega star and King of the Street, Olamide arrived the party. Similarly, it was fun all the way in Abuja as youths from different educational campuses in and around the federal capital territory converged for a night of fun and entertainment at Empire Lodge, Stamford Hotel, Kubwa for the Glo sponsored Stay Buzzing party. Most of the students came from University of Abuja, Veritas University, Dorben Polytechnic and College of Education, Zuba. The presence of Glo Ambassador, Sani Danja heightened the excitement as the students took turns to take ‘selfie’ with him. The Glo #Stay Buzzing Party did not stop there. At Option 24 at Ikolaba GRA, Ibadan, Korede Bello dished out melodious songs from his repertoire to the delight of students who came in bus loads from the University of Ibadan, Lead City University and The Polytechnic, Ibadan among other tertiary institutions.

Also in Port Harcourt, it was unbridled fun and entertainment when the grand masters of data hosted youths drawn mainly from nearby University of Port Harcourt to

a pulsating Stay Buzzing party to herald its 6-month nationwide mega shows kicking off in April. They came, dressed up to the nines and ready for dancing action. Dance hall music mega star, Timaya joined senior officials of Globacom, namely, Mr. Bisi Koleosho, Globacom’s Head of Operations, Mr. Ashok

Israni, Regional Chief Marketing Officer and Augustine Mamuro, National Sales Coordinator among others to party with the youths. In Benin, students from University of Benin, UNIBEN, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and other fun seekers were wowed at the Glo

#Stay Buzzing party held at the Hexagon Night Club, GRA, Benin City. Most intriguing is the dramatic manner the duo of two Glo brand ambassadors - ace comedian, Gordons and the most sensational Nigerian female vocalist, Omawumi - anchored the show to the delight of the ecstatic students.

WHO WINS BB NAIJA TODAY? It has been eleven weeks of hightempo emotions, strategies, alliances, twists and creativity, as the number one reality show in Africa, Big Brother Naija, draws to a fever-pitch finale. Five housemates: TBoss, Bisola, Debie-Rise, Marvis and last-man standing, Efe, will slug it out this Sunday as Africa and Nigeria vote for their favourite housemates.

Interestingly, campaigns by fans have also entered another gear as celebrities and online personalities have identified with housemates of their choice and even expended personal resources to ensure their favourite choice wins the coveted prize. Comedian I Go Die, contributed N1million naira to support Efe, who he says is Warri and in the words of time-tested creed; ‘Warri no dey carry last’.

Other celebrities supporting an Efe victory are Olamide, Basketmouth, Ali Baba, AY, Ice Prince, Seyi Law with his daughter Tiwa and KCee. Comments like ‘Based on logistics, Efe must win’

and the promise of recharge cards for TeamEfe voters to ensure Efe clinches the prize money. Even ex-housemates Bally, Bassey and Uriel are rooting for Efe. The hash tag #TeamEfe and #EfeNation is still trending On the other hand, supporters of TBoss are not going to sleep. They have also revved up massive campaign as we countdown to Sunday for the final show. Celebrities like Uti Nwachulwu, Beverely Osu, Linda Ikeji and Omosede Igbinedion as well as some of her diehard fans, have used their social media accounts to canvass for votes. It is looking like a two-horse race with Bisola having a chance from the outside.

Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor, Delta State, has said the state is proud of Efe and stands solidly behind him as he races towards the winning post.

Yahaya Bello, Governor, Kogi State has said concerted efforts are being made to give Debie-Rise as much support as needed. He said Kogi State is determined to stand by Debie-Rise.

The Rivers State government like its

Kogi State counterpart has urged its citizens to support Marvis, who is from Eleme in the State. A picture from an official government circular was circulated on social media directing fans and the state to vote for Marvis. For TBoss, even though the Edo state governor is yet to make a categorical statement, one of her strongest supporters from the state is Hon Omosede Igbinedion, Member, House of Representative.

Bisola hails from Ogun State. However, support is strong for her in Bayelsa where a huge bill board was erected in support of her. Being that her mother is form Bayelsa State; some individuals took it upon themselves to support Bisola whose mother is a daughter of the soil.

The recognition is coming on the heels of their numerous efforts. They are raising the standards of natural hair styling and natural hair care through creative and healthy hair professional tips, advise and counseling.

Christian Nyassa, General Manager, Professional Products Division, L’Oreal, Sub-Saharan Africa visited the office where he commended the management for their professionalism in promoting natural and healthy hair styling.

Ms. Omozo Ehigie, CEO/Co-Founder O’Naturals Beauty, expressed her excitement and revealed that the vision of O’Naturals goes beyond meeting the physical needs of its customers which is beautiful hair but also dealing with how they can achieve healthy hair goals.

Ugo Igbokwe, MD/CEO of Make Me Beauty Salons Lagos, who also visited, confessed that O’Naturals is a pace setter in natural hair styling services in Lagos. “O’Naturals Beauty Salon is very professional in natural hair styling

L-R: Ace comedian and Globacom brand Ambassador, Bovi, President, Faculty of Law, UNILAG, Supreme Unukegwo, Glo Ambassador, Olamide, Globacom’s Regional Director, Marketing Communications (W/A), Mr. Charles Jenarius, and Zonal Business Coordinator (Lagos), Mr. Adebola Omoboya at the Lagos edition of the #Stay Buzzin party organised by Globacom at House of Haze, Lagos, over the weekend

Students digging it out on the dance floor at the Lagos party

O’NATURALS PROMOTES EXCELLENCE O’Naturals Beauty, the parent company of O’Naturals Natural Hair Salon and O’Naturals Bride, has been recognized for professionalism and excellence in the natural hair styling industry.

APRIL 9, 2017 • T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

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ENTERTAINMENT this in town. “This is what makes Goldberg unique, by identifying with the local people,” he said.

Funso Ayeni, Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc revealed that the Excellency Tour will deepen the brand’s identification with the cultural values of the South West people which is evident in the touring activities in various locations over the past six weeks.

and deserves recognition for its wonderful work in the industry,” he said.

Dr Oladele Jejelola (a Pediatrician), is an O’Naturals customer. She reiterates that O’Naturals approach to hair styling is phenomenal. “O’Naturals is not just about making you look beautiful but making you have healthy natural hair by giving you tips and ways of making your hair healthy.” She further reveals that their service delivery is apt as the service she gets at O’Naturals can be compared to none.

INTRODUCING THE CHIVITA BREAKFAST MOMENT Nigeria’s leading fruit juices and diary, producers, CHI Limited has unveiled its new marketing communication campaign tagged ‘#BreakfastWithChivita100%’. This is part of efforts to reinforce its flagship’s brand proposition and drive awareness initiatives for a complete healthy breakfast. For a brand that has consistently churned out a variety of exciting campaigns, the new #breakfastwithChivita100% television advertisement is a step higher in terms of messaging, production quality and unique delivery style.

The look of the television advertisement showcases the creativity and strategic intent of the brand managers as every quality of Chivita 100% fruit juice is portrayed with sublime imageries. It also engages consumers by showcasing internationally renowned football stars like Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly.

The television commercial which is currently been aired on terrestrial and satellite channels portrays a brilliant depiction of these football stars engaging in amazing soccer artistry as they are teleported into a Pinball machine.

Wayne Rooney challenges his team mates and they eagerly take up the challenge with the goal of reaching 100% success in the game. This goal closely resonates with the brand’s value of 100% commitment and 100% achievement. More importantly, it reiterates the refreshing and nourishing value of the 100% fruit Juice as an addition for a complete breakfast.

Speaking on the Communication campaign, Mr. Probal Bhattacharya, Head of Marketing, Chi Limited said, “The new #breakfastwithchivita100% television advertisement is part of our strategic effort to highlight the importance of a complete and healthy breakfast to consumers. We understand the role a creative television commercial can play in influencing consumer choice to live a healthier life and have spared nothing to ensure only the best television advertisement and product is out there for our consumers. It is our belief that through the course of this campaign consumers would embrace the choice of a healthy and complete breakfast with Chivita 100%”.

GOLDBERG EXCELLENCY TOUR CLIMAXES After weeks of touring different Southwest cities including Abeokuta, Ilorin, Ikare Akoko, Ado-Ekiti and Benin, the Goldberg Excellency Tour came to an exciting climax in Oyo during its Excellent Nite.

The event which was held at Dacamca Hotel, Tobacco Area, Oyo, witnessed an influx of indigenes and fun lovers who trooped to the venue to celebrate the Excellent Drummers in town. After a town procession and audition of the drummers, five groups qualified to the final of the Excellent Nite.

Agborako Onibata Ara beat all other groups to the overall prize and went home with Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira. Asamu Ayan emerged the second best drum band and took home One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira while Apeke Ajobata

Africa Magic Efosa Aiyevbomwan, Omowunmi Dada, Ayo Adesanya and Henry Alabi during the premiere

Kunle Afolayan Takes a Shot at Comedy in ‘Omugwo’ The prolific producer’s new film is a departure from his usual serious plots.

In ‘Omugwo’, Kunle Afolayan employed interesting comical characters whose catchy phrases will leave audience in stitches.

Starring Nollywood stars Patience Ozorkwo, Ayo Adesanya, Ken Eric, Omowunmi Dada and others, ‘Omugwo’ explores the challenges faced by new mothers as they embrace motherhood.

Named after the Igbo tradition of mothers living with their children after childbirth to take care of them and also teach them how to care for the newborns, Afolayan exposes the viewer on this

aspect of Igbo culture with a twist. A young couple had just had their first baby and the mothers are interested in taking care of the daughter and the new child.

Against different cultural views and upbringing, ‘Omugwo’ delights as well as educate. It directs the audience mind on issues bordering motherhood such as post-pregnancy trauma. The comical relief is provided by Patience Ozorkwo and Ayo Adesanya who played the mothers of the couple.

The film is part of the three films Africa Magic commissioned Afolayan to produce. It is now showing in cinemas across the nation

Segun Dairo, Area Sales Manager, Oyo, Nigerian Breweries Plc presenting a cheque of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira to Agborako Onibata Ara, winner of the first prize at the Goldberg Excellency Tour in Oyo on Friday. With them are Muyiwa Oshinaike, chief judge (1st from left); Odunlade Adekola, MC/Host (1st from right); Sulyman Ayilara (Ajobiewe), judge (2nd from right) and Fadipe Olawole (Ojo Ijesha), judge (3rd from right)

L-R: Christian Nyassa, General Manager, Professional Products Division, L’Oreal, Sub-Saharan Africa; Omozo Ehigie, CEO/Co-Founder, O’Naturals Beauty Nigeria Limited, Lagos and Ugo Igbokwe, MD/CEO, Make Me Beauty Salons, Lagos during their visit to the O’Naturals Natural Hair Salon in Ogudu,-Lagos

emerged third with a prize of One Hundred Thousand Naira.

Amuludun Group and Omo Ayan emerged fourth and fifth position and went home with Fifty Thousand Naira each.

An elated indigene, Muyideen Mubarak, who was at the venue to witness the fun explained that no one has ever really looked forward to when traditional drummers would come out en-masse and compete for a prize like

WOMAN RISING RETURNS Woman Rising, the annual celebration of women through Music, Arts and Networking is here again. The show started yesterday and will climax today, April 9 in a two-day extravaganza in its usual extension of the annual celebration of International Women’s Day. Now in its seventh year, Woman Rising has evolved from a small 50-person gathering which debuted in 2011 to a comprehensive, far-reaching and impactful annual two-day meeting of women across the creative and business spectrums alike - attracting over 500 women cumulatively.

Our 2017 ensemble will feature Adunni Nefertiti (all-female acapella folk group), Kaline, amazing newcomers Evelle, Debbie and Sheillah, as well as our international guest percussionist Angela Paz Alhucema (Chile).

We also look forward to having longtime friend of the house, ChiGurl finally on the WOMAN RISING stage.

The two-day event will be hosted by award winning actress, Lala Akindoju across various venues allowing women and the men who love them to connect, empower and celebrate womanhood and the accomplishments of women in business, the humanities, philanthropy and the arts. The weekend will begin with Woman Rising’s landmark exclusive networking brunch and will be concluded with a grand and very critically acclaimed music concert featuring ALL WOMEN performers. The weekend will also feature a private fringe art salon - all focused on womanhood and creativity. According to a statement from, Ugoma Adegoke & Zebra Living, conveners of the event.

LAGOS INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL SELECTS CHARITY PARTNERS Inspiro Productions, producers of the The Lagos International Jazz Festival, has selected Sesor and Downs Syndrome Foundations as official charity partners for this year’s 505050JAZZ Lagos@50 Special Edition of the Lagos International Jazz Festival. Both charities will have their stands at various festival venues, advocate and fund-raise for displaced persons and people living with Down Syndrome in Nigeria at this year’s International Jazz Festival.

The Lagos International Jazz Festival holds at the Freedom Park Broad Street, Lagos Island from April 28-30 with various events to be held across the city of Lagos in the month of April to mark the Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) which climaxes in the UNESCO recognized International Jazz Day on April 30.

Inspiro Productions CEO and Jazz Festival director, Ayoola Sadare, said, “The Festival is pleased to be joining forces for good with two charities this year. We look forward to working with Sesor to advance the cause of the displaced and other disaster survivors across Nigeria. We are also partnering with The Down Syndrome Foundation. Both charities do critically important work and we hope that the platform The Lagos International Jazz Festival provides for the promotion of these causes will go a long way towards improving the lives of the Nigerians they serve.”

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The Undertaker and Paul Bearer in the Ring

An Emotional End to the Dead Man Era

Vanessa Obioha

It should have been a joyous victory for Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33.

He had just defeated the great wrestling legend of all time. But instead of cheers, there were tears from the WWE denizens who found it hard to believe that the Big Dog defeated the Undertaker, the most feared dead man in WWE history. But there he was crushed by superman punches, spears and crashes on the table.

It is the second time the Undertaker lost a match at the main event. The first time his winning streak was broken was in 2014 when he lost to Brock Lesnar.

The Undertaker’s career spanned nearly three decades . During this period, his spooky character gave chills to audience and viewers. In his early career days, he made a name for himself by using a smoky effect, chilly music to make a haunting entrance. This effect was enhanced by his late manager Paul Bearer who accompanied the Dead Man with an urn. The Phenom also brought a casket to the ring side. He threw his defeated opponents into the casket after a match, giving credence to his catch

phrase ‘Rest in Peace.’

Undertaker is known for his catchphrases but the popular ones still remained ‘Rest in Peace’ and ‘This is my Yard’.

Now, it is Roman Reigns’ yard. Standing up to the jeers and boos from the crowd on Monday Night Raw, Reigns boldly claimed that it is his yard now.

To say that the WWE fans are unhappy with the outcome of the match would be an understatement. They watched in shock as the deadman rose from the defeat, wandered a bit in the ring, then stood tall. A man of few words, the Undertaker slowly removed his ring regalia- his gloves, jacket, and hatplacing them in the middle of the ring.

He then walked through the ramp and raised his hand in appreciation to his fans. It took a moment or two before the message of that act finally dawned on the denizens. There will no longer be a haunting deadman wrestling in the ring.

Eyes glistened, jaws dropped, as the deadman went backstage.

A tribute followed on Twitter with the hashtag #ThankyouTaker. His fellow

colleagues paid tribute to him including Reigns.

The Undertaker however, turned out not to be the only retiree from WWE after WrestleMania 33. Goldberg, in

LONDON FIELDS FACES ANOTHER LAWSUIT The upcoming thriller recently suffered another lawsuit. This time around, from one of its lead actors, Amber Heard. The ex-wife of actor Johnny Depp is accusing the producers of the film, Christopher Hanley and his wife Roberta for recording an explicit pornographic sex scene involving the actor’s body double.

Heard claims that the scene violates a nudity rider, included in her contract.

The film which is an adaptation of Martin Amis 1989 novel of the same name was earlier scheduled to debut at the Toronto Film Festival in 2015. However, director Matthew Cullen filed a suit against the producers for fraud, thus leading to a cancellation of its debut.

Hanley and his wife also accused Heard of breaching performance and promotional obligations as well as kicking off a misguided and unlawful conspiratorial campaign.

MOROCCO OMARI OF EMPIRE CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC BATTERY The ‘Empire’ actor who played FBI agent ‘Tariq Cousins’ in the TV series was recently arrested by the police in Chicago for physically abusing his girlfriend.

According to Associated Press, police officers were called to the Hyde Park neighbourhood on Chicago’s South Side by a 24-year-old woman who identified herself as Omari’s girlfriend. She told the officers that Omari had battered her physically during an argument. The accused made an appearance in court the following day and would have his next court hearing on April 20.

Bon Jovi

MTV MOVIE & TV AWARDS RELEASES A PARTIAL NOMINEES LIST The Viacom company has extended its awards to TV. It is the first time TV is added to the MTV Movie Awards which debut in 1992.

The revamped award added two new categories which are ‘Best American Story’ and ‘Best Fight Against the System’.

Leading its first nominees list is the horror film ‘Get Out’ which scored six nominations. It is quickly followed by Disney live-action drama ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Stranger Things’. Both movies earned four nominations each.

The award will be hosted by actor and comedian Adam Devine on May 7 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

BON JOVI POSTPONES TOUR Rock Sensation Bon Jovi will be rescheduling his Madison Square Garden Tour due to Bronchitis. The singer has been battling with the disease for a while. Based on doctor’s recommendations, Jovi will take a rest from the stage until next weekend

Amber Heard

an off-air segment of Monday Night Raw also bade his fans goodbye. The wrestler lost to Brock Lesnar at the main event without giving a good fight. He is leaving the ring to be with his family.

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FOCUS

Akinwunmi: Restoring Homes through Counselling Having experienced verbal abuse as a child, Kemi Akinwunmi sets to right wrongs through her outfit, Pasture Counselling Center floated to give succour to those suffering different forms of abuse, writes Funke Olaode

R

elaxed in her well-lit and cozy office, a 60-minute chat with Mrs. Kemi Tony-Akinwunmi, turned out to be an eye-opener as she took one through a world full of post-marital contradictions, parental negligence and teenage pressure.

The Lagos-born consummate professional, who had her primary and secondary education in Lagos before heading to the Lagos State University where she studied English Language, said she had always desired to lend a shoulder to people, see them come out of their relationship agonies and live a fulfilling and happy life.

As a family life practitioner, counsellor and educationist, her desire to reach out to people through counselling, emotional and psychological therapy, was borne out of her background of verbal abuse from relatives and friends.

“I grew up with a lot of verbal abuse from relatives and friends and I remember each time I tried to express myself as a child, no one was listening and no one cared about my feelings. So as a young girl, I wanted to be the shoulder of support to many because I did experience it and I know how it feels to go through a lot but not allowed to express it.”

Having discovered the vacuum physical, psychological and emotional abuse does in the life of victims, Akinwunmi was determined to fill it. How would she achieve this? She started by picking interest in people by talking to them. In the process she discovered her counselling trait, which turned to her passion and later metamorphosed into a means of livelihood.

“My love for counselling started at a very early age because I wanted to be someone people could run to. Someone people could trust to cry with and confide in while we both address the issue psychologically, even though I was ignorant of the study of psychology or counselling,” she said.

On her journey to the counselling world, Tony-Akinwunmi who is the Lead Counsellor at the Pasture Counselling Centre said she couldn’t opt for counselling as a career against her father’s wish. Her father had penned down political science for her because he was a politician. The University of Lagos had twice offered her admission to study psychology but she turned it down due to the ignorance of what it entailed and how it would lead her through her counselling desire.

“After hoping for her dad’s political science career choice and mum’s banking and finance option to no avail for three years, I had to opt for English Language. But back in school, friends would refer other friends to me saying Kemi would listen to you and proffer help in this situation. And finally, I had to study psychology as a second degree three years ago and I also went back for counselling study professionally. This is what I love to do and do effortlessly.”

Her counselling life started about 13 years ago with a programme tagged ‘Just Talking Relationships’ where she talked to teens. All these she said wouldn’t have been possible without a supportive husband.

Though they got married nine years ago, Mr. Akinwunmi, a chartered accountant, supported her to commission the ‘Just

Akinwunmi

Taking Relationship’ in 2004 and has been a financial pillar to the growth of her career and had supported in various teenage outreaches. “My husband is my number one fan. He discovered my counselling gift before anyone else. His support and commitment towards my success in the field is enormous.

He also doubles up as my critic. He tells me when I go wrong and helps me find my path again.”

Even though her counselling services cover many areas, Tony-Akinwunmi focuses more on family life; pre-marital and postmarital counselling, and she has restored countless homes which were on the verge of break-up. Through her counseling, such homes are back and strong together.

“We have had people walk in to report marital abuses and some even think we are government agencies or social units, and in some cases, we have had to refer them to the right authorities. There’s a lot going on in homes and until we go back to the basics, the future looks terrifying.”

As she adjusts on her seat and squeezes both palms together, she firmly points out that marital abuse does not exclude men.

“I have seen men walk in here to report physical abuse from their wives. They couldn’t express this to anyone because the society places more emphasis on female marital abuse and no one would believe them.”

But despite the efforts of counselling firms, one wonders if marital cases are on the

increase or decline in the country. “They are on the increase and people are beginning to see the need for counselling,” she said rather affirmatively. “These days, people want to talk to someone who feels them, someone who understands the reality on ground and would not be biased based on religion,” she added.

She confirmed that most of the premarital counselling systems in churches are archaic and does not conform to the reality on ground. “We have had pastors tell women to stay in abusive marriages, saying it pays to die in it and make heaven other than divorce or separate as they would end in hell fire.” This is why Pasture Counselling Centre also collaborates with mosques and churches for counselling support.

She gave an example of a young man who was under societal pressure to get married. He travelled down from Canada under parental pressure, joined a church and married an innocent sister. On the night of their wedding, he confirmed to her that “this might be the only time they will have sex, until another five years, because he is gay.

The lady couldn’t go to church to address the issue.”

What should singles look out for when making a marital choice? Gazing into this reporter’s face as if looking for an answer she replied, “People don’t want to marry human beings these days; they want to marry a perfect being. Some want to marry culture, some want to marry religion and some

want to marry societal expectations. And I always tell people that there’s no perfect being anywhere. Sometimes God gives you a raw material to create or mould something from.”

Pasture Counselling Centre though attends more to family life; the firm has handled teenage counselling, and has recorded lack of proper parenting as a major cause of teenage issues. The firm places more emphasis on preventive rather than curative.

In a city where most parents spend more time out of home to fend for their families, Akinwunmi believes that spending time with children is about quality, not quantity.

She defined the teenage years as the transition into adulthood and teenagers at this stage are moved by their emotions, not logic. At this point, parents must prioritise their children.

“Parents think they have to spend five hours with their children. That’s why they keep giving time excuses when it comes to their family life. But the same parents have time for weekend parties. And I have always told people that there’s no time for anything in life, except what we create time for. Let everybody go back to being friends with their children and ensure strong and frequent personal communication in the home.

“Using myself as an example, I could remember my parents sat me down several times and gave me aadvice. But nowadays, if you ask teenagers when last their parents sat them down for close conversation, you will be shocked at their responses. Parents of today have failed in nurturing and have left their children at the mercies of social media information.”

As lead counsellor of Pasture Counselling Centre, Akinwunmi has clients in other states of the country and renders her services using various social media platforms while some walk into the Lagos office when it’s convenient.

The outfit is expanding just as it is committed to render more services until wrongs in the society are made right.

Where does she see her outfit in the next five years? “We see Pasture Counselling Centre training more counsellors, building more homes, collaborating with corporate organisations that are passionate about homes and the future of families and as I look forward to an international partnership,” she concluded.

assistant editor senior correspondent correspondent designer CONTRIBUTORS THISDAY ON SUNDAY editor deputy editor STUDIO art director THISDAY NEWSPAPERS editor-in-chief & chairman managing director deputy managing director

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SAYING GOODBYE TO BEN......

PAGE 66

09.04.2017

HOPE SAILS ON THE WINGS OF CHANGE...

Munzali Ahmadu Dantata

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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HOPE SAILS ON TH WINGS OF CHANG

In his debut novelTammunnde, which explores the struggles of a Fulani family with changing times, lawyer and to Munzali Ahmadu Dantata advocates change and multicultural dialogue as panacea to the continual conflicts b and local farming communities. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

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ammunnde? Hope expectation, Munzali Ahmadu Dantata says it means in Fulfulde.

In bold emerald green letters, the word (as the novel’s title) asserts itself against a white backdrop on the upper segment of the book cover. Beneath it, in lower font size, what is obviously a subtitle corroborates – perhaps, reinforces – its meaning with the words: “Hope on the Horizon”.

A little further down –and virtually occupying two-thirds of the book cover – is a silhouetted image of a youngster with his arms spread out, obviously imitating the birds in the sky. Against the backdrop of a blueand-white-tinged cloudy horizon, he exudes so much gaiety, as he gambols about on a lush green field.

Hope...

Amidst the babel of other presentday platitudes, this word easily trails off. And understandably so. This is especially when reports of fresh mayhem, unleashed by herdsmen on local farming communities across the country, continually assail the readers. Yet, it is a word that even the most wretched chooses to cling on to. And for many, it remains a sheet anchor in these dire times...

Think of Tammunnde as Dantata’s toddling first steps in fiction-writing and much becomes clearer. Yet, the Ahmadu Bello University PhD degree-holder in law is no newcomer to writing. This narrative, swirling around the life of three generations of a Fulani family, follows closely on the heels of a handful of his other literary expressions, which include a dance drama titled Citizen X. A long spell in the hospitality sector, which climaxed with his heading a culture and tourism parastatal, could easily have numbed the urge to pen down his thoughts. But it didn’t. So, when the rampaging onslaught of the Fulani herdsmen not only made national headlines, but also became a pan-West African issue, this scion of the Kano-based renowned Dantata dynasty thought it was time to venture into fictionwriting.

He has got so much things to say.

Indeed, much more than his articles and essays would have addressed.

Besides, stories have the potential of reaching a wider audience. And, above all, he aspires through this medium to effect social change as a social entrepreneur.

Yet, getting people to change from their accustomed way of doing things is no easy task. Daily, even hourly, thoughts of hatred are projected into the finer layers of matter.

These thoughts join forces, strengthening their kind and producing more

powerful forms. They subsequently thrust themselves upon individuals, groups or entire nations. Result? The crudest perpetration of acts of hatred by those attuned to these floating forms or, perhaps, those who are least able to resist them. Thus, many are oblivious to the fact that they are accomplices to acts of genocide and violence through their own inner disposition.

Change, the author preaches.

He blames the clashes between the herdsmen and their host communities primarily on the resistance to change.

The modern-day Fulani man, with his centuries-old itinerant lifestyle, seems oblivious of the fact that the world

around him has moved on from the Middle Ages. Thus, he is caught in the web of this transition from tradition to modernity. And like everyone else around him, he resists change.

These clashes between the herdsmen and the local farming communities buttresses Dantata’s repeated calls for a multicultural dialogue. He alludes to the spectacular increase in Nigeria’s population from 45.21 million in 1960to its current estimate of over 186 million. Then, to the country’s uncoordinated urbanisation on a landmass of 923,768 km2. This, he concludes, implies increased demands on the land, which often result in conflicts.

“Violence knows neither boundaries

nor ethnicity,” he argues.

This is corroborated by the fact that the protagonist in Tammunnde ends up being killed among his own people after his long sojourn in the south-western Nigerian town of Okitipupa.

Similarly, in Citizen X, the Igbo trader successfully navigates through the landmines of trouble elsewhere only to be attacked in his home town.

Back to the theme of transition, Tammunnde curiously echoes Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

Like the latter, it seeks to wring coherence from out of the lifestyle of a seemingly fringe-dwelling people.

Then, it beams the spotlight on how this people in their insularity grapples with the issue of transition from tradition to modernity.

Like Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, Bappa resists change. Indeed, the author acknowledges being influenced by the works of both Achebe and the late Kenyan academic, Ali Mazrui.

The Fulani family the reader encounters in Tammunnde grapples with changing times. Bappa, then a teenager, leaves his homeland in the northeastern state of Adamawa and accompanies his father on a “kiwo” (a grazing expedition) that takes him closer to his grazing reserve.

Through the savannah belt of the north-central part of Nigeria they roam, skirting the banks of two great rivers, the Benue and the Niger.

Bappa’s father’s eventual death in the Niger State town of Bida forces him as the eldest male child to migrate further southwards to the tropical rainforest of south-western Nigeria.

Thus, Okitipupa becomes his home for 20 years until fate compels him to leave again in a hurry.

The Fulani family, steeped in centuries-old traditions, seems caught in a time-warp. Hence, its constant clashes with the present-day realities. This is not to ignore the generational conflicts that tends to erupt within such a family. Bappa attempts to inculcate the time-honoured Fulani values in his two sons. While one of them, Jodo, seems receptive to his views, the other is not. Instead, the rebellious son is drawn to the city life and the desire for Western education. This is a struggle even the nomadic Fulani are not impervious to.

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HE GE...

Dantata Dantata is saddened by the escalating Fulani herdsmen problem nationwide. Sometimes, the Fulani population deny its involvement in the mayhem, blaming both foreigners and criminals. The author (in whose veins the Fulani blood courses thanks to his Katsina-born mother) wonders how a people, who were in the past romanticised, have suddenly become terrorists in just a span of two years. He thinks the media played a part in this.

This is why he also believes that it is important to create a bridge of understanding between the Fulani and the non-Fulani. Hence, the novel not only aspires to make the world understand the Fulani. It also wants the Fulani to understand the world.

Thus, Dantata – straddling the two worlds, thanks to his Fulani mother and his Hausa father– advocates a two-way dialogue.

The author’s call for modernisation goes out to not just the Fulani, half of whose between 20 and 25 million people live in Nigeria. It also goes out to the other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, who are compelled to interact with the group.

Dantata, who turns 60 in June, hopes not only to see this novel adapted for the big screen but also read in schools as part of the syllabus.

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The Inverted Pyramid; Adapted from a novel by Emeka Dike

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ARTS & REVIEW\\ART-LOGUE

SAYING GOODBYE TO BEN...

Yinka Olatunbosun

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he news of an evening of tribute to one of Nigeria’s finest artists Ben Osaghae came in late that Thursday.

Still, the number of artists who thronged to the National Museum in Onikan was more than just impressive. Collectors of the works of Osaghae travelled far and wide to be at the solemn gathering which was given some life with Olu Ajayi’s humorous accounts of the lives and times of Osaghae, who trained at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and died on January 17.

Olu Ajayi, the event’s emcee, extolled Osaghae for his legacies, stating that he lived a fulfilled life. He revealed that the late artist had been documented in film and books which are indicators of his impact on the art world.

“As an artist, your wealth is not in cash but in the hearts and homes of people. I don’t know how much Ben Osaghae’s net worth was but I think it means a lot for us to have the Obi of Onitsha here,” he said.

The gathering was organised by the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) which is a professional guild for artists. The SNA President, Olusegun Adejumo said the various artists organisations are training grounds for artists in spite of their educational backgrounds adding that Osaghae had been a beneficiary of the association as well.

A prominent collector, Jess Castellote remarked that Osaghae played an important role in the development of art in Nigeria and is probably the best draftsman of his generation.

“His works are something else,” he said. “He was telling us stories, giving us visual chronicles of our society. He tells us something in the way of drawing. He was always looking at the problems in the society. He was quite independent, which is an interesting feature of his practice. He didn’t care about the trend or how much he’d sell. He was a natural. He worked from memory and his sketches are worth more than his paintings.”

Ben Osaghae Castellote, who had been a follower of the works of Osaghae, observed that the artist’s figures are not static compositions but very vivid, communicating emotions.

His comments were mirrored by Ajayi’s who also recalled how Osaghae loved to gesticulate. That sense of animation is transported involuntarily to his works.

Another important collector, Nse Edewor described the artist as a brilliant mind, an intellectual and social commentator who used colours impressively.

“I run an interior design showroom and restaurant,” she disclosed. “I met Osaghae first in 1992 through Rahman Akar. Then I met him again in 1996 when he walked into my showroom with some of his works. He was to have an exhibition but some of his works were rejected. They thought some of the women in his works looked like prostitutes. They didn’t see the art in the nude. I bought the works

and later I introduced him to my husband who also collected some of his works.”

Also in attendance was a former teacher to Osaghae, Sam Ovraiti who lectured at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and by the way, is only a year older than the late artist. He declared himself as Osaghae’s first collector who took a personal interest in how his artistry had evolved over the years. He recalled how Osaghae used to be apprehensive of his own works and how they were different from his contemporaries. Ovraiti said he assured him that some collectors would actually pay for that difference that he saw in his works as compared to those of his colleagues.

Osaghae would draw on different materials such as newspapers, cartoons, as well as the back of exercise books. “ He is very polemical and he often talks about the society and our culture,” he remarked.

PHOTO NEWS

TRAININGFORFESTIVALMANAGERSINLAGOS The British Council and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture organised a two-day training for festival managers from around Africa. Participants were drawn from a wide range of players in the arts and culture sector such as film, theatre, dance and

carnivals. Rainbow Book Club founder, Koko Kalango, represented book festivals of the continent.

The workshop held recently at the National Theatre, Lagos and was facilitated by the London International Festival of Theatre,

Edinburgh Napier University, Walk the Plank and National Theatre Wales. The forum was also an opportunity for networking, sharing experiences and ideas for participants.

Countries represented included Ghana, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Kenya and of course Nigeria.

Addressing SilentVoices...

Yinka Olatunbosun For the next three weeks, art collectors and enthusiasts will have eyes fed with the brand new collection of works that speak for the voiceless at the Quintessence Gallery, Ikoyi. The artist, Chamberlain Ukenedo has been in the advertising industry for almost two decades but remains inseperable from art. Drawing upon some very personal experiences, this Imo-state born artist spends at least two hours every day reflecting on his artistry. If there’s anything he does as frequently as breathing, then it’d be sketching. His mobile devices have enormous sketches which he involuntary documents so that he doesn’t completely forget any idea that may strike him on-thego.

The result of this culture of documenting every day experience forms part of what led to a series of works in mixed media.

Ukenedo’s pieces largely appropriate lots of fabric. He revealed that this aspect of his art has been influenced by his wife who is a fashion designer. He makes his listener long for a particular installation with flying petals. How creative!

Ukenedo’s inspiration form the show can also be traced to a tragic experience. He lost his father to wrong diagnostics.

“He was diagnosed of asthma at 72,” he recalled. “All his life, I have never seen any symptoms of the ailment and I was wondering why such thing would develop at such age. I later realised that towards the end it was actually lung cancer that he had.

He couldn’t talk. Whenever I went to see him, I’d use sign language of scribble. My mother even said I was the only one that he listened to. My father would tell me all the things that had been happening during the week and some I would understand, some I wouldn’t. The day he discovered I didn’t understand what he was trying to say, he seemed disappointed that even with all his efforts, I didn’t understand him.”

With that experience, the artist began to see every face on the street as a canvas. He even insisted that every face tells a story.

For him, there are lots of people who have no one to speak for them because they have been disenfranchised. One of his works titled, “Body Language” is to communicate in non-verbal terms the plight of the underprivileged. This explains the theme for the exhibition which is Silent Voices.

“There are some people who do not need to say any word because their presence says that they are no-nonsense persons,” said Ukenedo who began to work assiduously on this body of works since mid-2016.

His works are quite timely as he seeks to address the issue of suicide, amongst other subject matters.

“You see them everyday. They are regular people. But deep down, they are going through struggles. Majority of my works focus on the facial expression. The face says it all,” he remarked.

There are 20 works in the exhibition wherein Chamberlain explores the complexity of human emotions through facial manipulations. Playing with pastel and coffee, Ukenedo seeks to express himself using a few unconventional media forms.

“When we are stripped of words, the eyes are the messengers of the soul,” said Ukenedo whose exhibition runs till May 6.

JowhorIle’sAndAfterMany DaysIsRainbowBookClub’s BookoftheMonth

Koko Kolango (2nd right) with some participants

This month as the literary world celebrates World Book and Copyright Day, the Rainbow Book Club features as its book of the month And After Many Days, a compelling narrative by Jowhor Ile, set in Port Harcourt, UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.

Jowhor’s book, shortlisted for the Etisalat Prize for African Literature, has been described as “…a novel of childhood, of the delicate, complex balance of power and love between siblings; the unique ecosystems of a family. It is also a portrait of a society, as the old world gives way to a new status quo. A novel of quiet, devastating force, And After Many Days holds at its centre a profound story of life, loss and becoming.”

The book reading holds on Saturday, April 29 at 2p at the Port Harcourt Book Centre, after Obi Wali Centre by Air Assault Golf Course.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER •

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FROMTHETHEATRESTAGETOTHEMEDIASPACE: INTERROGATING THE VOCATIONAL ODYSSEY OF YEMI OGUNBIYI AT 70 Tunde Olusunle

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his essay attempts an examination of the variegated professional career of Yemi Ogunbiyi, one of the most prominent shapers of the contemporary media practice in Nigeria and his contributions to Nigerian theatre scholarship; literary criticism and new journalism in Nigeria. It traces his vocational origins as a theatre scholar and practitioner, through his venture into journalism, as an innovator and seasoned administrator in two of Nigeria’s largest newspaper conglomerates in their time, Guardian Newspapers Limited and the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc, and his more recent endeavours in public relations, advertising and publishing.

It is not unexpected that contemporary engagers of the Yemi Ogunbiyi phenomenon will most readily define him within the context of his most recent endeavours in advertising, public relations and publishing.

This will be most fitting for a man who has devoted the better part of the last three decades in the challenging terrains of these variegated, albeit mutually compatible vocations.

For the avoidance of doubt, about 25 years ago, Ogunbiyi launched into advertising and public relations, when he established Tanus Communications Ltd, to compete in a market hitherto dominated by much older brands in the industry. With pre-existing labels such as Lintas Ltd; Insight Communications Ltd; SO and U Ltd, and similar outfits, already setting the pace in the sector, Ogunbiyi’s creation was without doubt, a neophyte.

Ogunbiyi’s Tanus Communications, which began operations May 1992, started less than five months after his exit from the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc, where he had functioned as Chief Executive for almost three years. Followers of his media odyssey, which began at the turn of the 1980s with the establishment of The Guardian, had, presumably looked forward to the extension and continuation of his career in journalism, the profession which had brought him so much fame and goodwill in the preceding years. His foray into these extensions of the mass media, without doubt, elicited confoundment from many.

Not too many remember, however, that Ogunbiyi actually began his illustrious professional career, which has spanned the better part of the past five decades, in the theatre. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature in English from the University of Ibadan in 1971; attended the New York University, Brooklyn for graduate studies and received a Master of Arts and Doctorate Degrees, respectively, between 1972 and 1976. His Doctorate thesis, supervised by the American scholar, Richard Schechecner, was based on film criticism. He subsequently returned to Nigeria to take up a lectureship appointment at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).

As he turns 70, April 13, 2017, however, it becomes germane to interrogate the career and enterprise of this scholar, former university teacher, journalist, administrator, public relations doyen and publisher, to properly situate his contributions to these professions and to national development. This is critical so that salient aspects of this endeavours are not casually subsumed under the canopy of his most recent ventures in the Nigerian business and commercial sector.

Yemi Ogunbiyi’s vocational origins are resident in the finest traditions of the academia, his ideological affiliation and scholastic temperament distinctly of the left-wing Marxian hue, without genuflections. He thus found good company in the Department of Literature of “Unife”, (the abbreviation by which the University of Ife was popularly known), with colleagues like the venerated Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, and the younger Biodun Jeyifo, the fiery critic and theorist; Kole Omotosho, the prolific novelist and literary documentanist and the highly respected oral literature scholar, Godini Gabriel Darah.

Ogunbiyi joined Soyinka, Omotosho, Femi Osofisan, Dapo Adelugba, Rasheed Onikoyi, Joel Adedeji and Femi Johnson, on the cast of the film adaptation of Kongi’s Harvest, written

by Soyinka and co-directed by Soyinka and the African American film director, Ossie Davies, during those years preceding the eventual blossoming of a film and television sub-culture in the University of Ife. It was not any surprise therefore, that follow-

Ogunbiyi ing the re-configuration of the Department of Literature and the subsequent establishment of the Department of Dramatic Arts in 1977, Ogunbiyi was one of the very first members of the academic staff to be redeployed to the new creation, to join Soyinka.

Ahmed Yerima in his keynote address at the Third Edition of the Ife International Film Festival, November 29 to December 2, 2012, notes the foundational role played by Ogunbiyi in the development of a film and television curriculum for the University of Ife: Film and Television did not come into the Department of Dramatic Arts curriculum until 1978, when the degree programme was started…..

The Ife curriculum was greatly inspired by Yemi Ogunbiyi (who) was seconded from the Department of Literature to assist Soyinka in setting up the Department of Dramatic Arts….

Ogunbiyi’s background in film gave birth to the course which was titled “Film and Television”.

Against the backdrop of his endeavours in film and indeed his facial resemblance to the revered African American film actor, Richard Roundtree, who was a household name in the 1970s and whose stage alias was “Shaft”, Ogunbiyi was equally nicknamed Shaft by his numerous contemporaries and friends. He later proved to be the critical shaft of many organisations and initiatives in which he was involved, over time.

In 1981, Ogunbiyi released the seminal work: Drama and Theatre In Nigeria: ACritical Source Book. The volume which was edited by him, is an assemblage of rigorously researched academic essays by some of the most formidable names in dramatic criticism. These include Soyinka, Jeyifo, Ossie Onuora Enekwe, MJC Echeruo, Ola Rotimi, Dapo Adelugba, Ulli Beier and Ebun Clark. The work remains an invaluable resource material for teachers, students, researchers and enthusiasts alike, in the generational evolution and multicultural dimensions of drama and theatre in Nigeria, as envisioned by Ogunbiyi in the preface to the book. There he defines his motivation for the volume as one informed by the need to: …Readily make available those essays which are not quite accessible to students of African theatre history in our universities and colleges.

It would also promote a serious starting point for the much needed re-evaluation of Nigerian drama and theatre. (xiii) Side by side with his teaching pre-occupation, Ogunbiyi also teamed up with Jeyifo to co-found Positive Review, a journal of society and culture in Black Africa. The journal encapsulated the thoughts and ideals of a generation of leftinclined creative writers and scholars, including Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie, Odia Ofeimun and other more familiar names at the time.

Ogunbiyi rose to the position of Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of Dramatic Arts, before he joined the Editorial Board of The Guardian newspapers on an initial one-year sabbatical, at the inception of the newspaper, in 1983.

Recounting his first meeting with the founder

and pioneer publisher of The Guardian, Alex Uruemu Ibru, in a December 12, 2011 tribute, Ogunbiyi says: I recall clearly my first meeting with Mr. Alex Ibru. It was in June of 1983. After months of prodding from Dr. Stanley Macebuh to join the nascent team at The Guardian, I accepted his offer to visit the premises of the organisation at Rutam House.

And as was the tradition in those days, Dr. Macebuh took me to see Mr. Ibru first. Coming from Ife, with my heavy dose of latent left wing biases, I was not sure that I wanted to meet Mr. Ibru just yet. The meeting turned out to be brief…..

Ogunbiyi subsequently agreed to join the Editorial Board of The Guardian, the intellectual engine room of the organisation.

In The Whole Truth (2004) a compendium of selected editorials of The Guardian from 1983 to 2003, edited by Reuben Abati, Ogunbiyi is listed in the top ten bracket of 72 full time members of the board; visiting members and consultants alike, among some of the most highly regarded names in the media industry. His colleagues included contemporaries from the academia like Macebuh, Onwuchekwa Jemie, Chinweizu, Osofisan, Herbert Ekwe Ekwe and core media professionals like Sully Abu, Sonala Olumhense and Lade Bonuola.

Whereas his primary editorial brief consisted of generating editorial topics, canvassing them at regular sittings of the board, drafting editorials and sustaining regular op-ed contributions to the newspapers, the creatively restless and expansively-minded Ogunbiyi spawned several editorial novelties.

Consistent with his primary commitment to the development of criticism and the growth of creative writing, Ogunbiyi, in response to the challenge and encouragement of Macebuh, initiated the Guardian Literary Series, GLS, in conjunction with Osofisan. The objective was to create a public platform for the appreciation of Nigeria’s very rich literary tradition.

In his foreward to Perspectives on Nigerian Literature: 1700 to the Present, Volume One (1988), a collection of some of the essays published in the Guardian Literary Series, Macebuh notes that: The Guardian Literary Series began as an experiment. Creative writing in Nigeria had a long history. But only a few older writers were sufficiently well-known and this was mainly because most of their major works had been published before the economic slump of the late 1980s….

The idea at The Guardian, initiated primarily

by Yemi Ogunbiyi and Femi Osofisan, was to step in where book publishing companies could not and offer on a weekly basis in our newspaper, a series of critical appraisals of Nigerian writers (viii) Ogunbiyi corroborates Macebuh in his preface to the second volume of the publication, Perspectives on Nigerian Literature: 1700 to the Present, Volume Two (1988), when he says:

It was quite clear from the inception of The Guardian as a serious daily newspaper in July 1983, that sooner or later, the newspaper would have to participate in the effort to help “popularise” our vibrant literature.

It was clear to the founding fathers that the literary pages of a serious national newspaper, had an abiding duty to participate, initiate and even stir up debate in the all-important area of literature and culture. In a broad sense that was the objective for starting the Guardian Literary Series. (xi) Giants in literary criticism who contributed to the project included Wole Soyinka, Abiola Irele, Dan Izevbaye, Isidore Okpewho, Biodun Jeyifo, Akinwunmi Isola, Ernest Emenyonu, Sam Asein, Chidi Amuta, Femi Osofisan, Olu Obafemi, Catherine Acholonu, Ibrahim Yaro Yahaya and Adebayo Williams.

Ogunbiyi equally initiated a series of exclusive interviews with world leaders, which added diversity to the regular buffet of the editorial content of The Guardian. He interviewed Presidents, Heads of State and Prime Ministers like: Shimon Peres of Israel; Muammar Gaddaffi of Libya; Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso; Julius Nyerere of Tanzania; Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Reminiscing on his interview with Gaddaffi which he undertook with the founder of The Guardian, Ogunbiyi recalls: By far the most bizarre of our trips was our encounter with Col Gaddaffi. We had arrived on a Saturday for a scheduled Sunday appointment with the “Leader” as he was fondly called in all of Libya. At breakfast the next morning, officials from the President’s office came for us, politely chauffeured us to the airport and flew us out without prior knowledge of our destination, to Benghazi, for what we were assured was to be a prompt interview with Col. Gaddaffi… With the private jet that flew us neatly parked at a nearby aerodrome, we ended up spending three days in Benghazi, in near seclusion, without our bags or change of clothing….

The publisher never accompanied me to another interview!

Upon completion of his one year sabbatical, Ibru brought a lot of pressure to bear in Ogunbiyi and subsequently appointed him Controller, Office of the Publisher in 1985. In a manner of speaking, he became something of the Chief of Staff to the Publisher. Not long after, he was elevated to the Board of Directors as Executive Director, Public Affairs and Marketing from January 1986 to February 1989. In this capacity, he superintended over the Circulation, Transport and Advertisement Departments, the commercial and operational tripod of the newspaper.

On March 1, 1989 Ogunbiyi was appointed Managing Director of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc, to replace Olusegun Osoba, who had just completed a five year stint on the job.

If Ogunbiyi’s six year sojourn in The Guardian enabled him to learn the ropes of newspaper administration and management, his appointment as Chief Executive of the Daily Times was an opportunity to put into practice the aggregate experience garnered and the lessons learnt. It has indeed been argued that there is perhaps no chief executive of the Daily Times, after the iconic Alhaji Babatunde Jose, who impacted as much on the organisation, as Yemi Ogunbiyi.

The Daily Times of Nigeria Plc was a humongous conglomerate with almost a dozen diverse subsidiaries, notably: Times Publications Division, TPD, (Publisher of the Daily Times and a host of other publications); Nigerpack Ltd; Times Press Ltd; Times Books Ltd; Times Leisure Services Ltd, (organisers of the annual Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant); Naira Investments; Naira Properties Ltd; Pilgrims Books Ltd and Times Journalism Institute, TJI. The organisation equally owned 80% stakes in the London based West Africa Magazine, which had a complement of Nigerian and foreign personnel alike.

Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary defines a Shaft among others, as a “rotating rod that transmits motion”. If Ogunbiyi’s longstanding nickname was thought to be just another alias, his exertions at the Daily Times lent credence to the appropriateness of the name, as he proved to be the engine room that drove development in the organisation.

––––Tunde Olusunle, poet, journalist and public relations practitioner, is a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE; the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, ACSPN. (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

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• APRIL 9, 2017

CICERO

Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

The Meningitis Outbreak The recent outbreak of the cerebrospinal meningitis is an emergency situation that requires urgent attention. Olawale Olaleye writes

F

rom 328 casualties penultimate weekend in 16 states and across 90 local governments to 338 deaths by early last week, the body count in the recent cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak has continued to increase exponentially in a way that de-emphasizes premium on life. Although such disregard for life appears a common trait in Nigeria, the dimension of the meningitis outbreak is both alarming and

disturbing.

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges.

It is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or viruses, but could also be a result of injury, cancer, or certain drugs. Knowing the specific cause is however important because the treatment differs depending on the cause.

The affected states include Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Nassarawa, Jigawa, FCT, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Kano, Osun, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Plateau. Government has also said about five neighbouring countries within the Meningitis belt – Niger, Chad, Cameroun, Togo, and Burkina Faso – have equally begun to face similar challenge at the moment.

A statement signed by the Director, Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, explained that as part of efforts geared towards containing and effectively tackling the outbreak, functional Isolation centers/units had been identified in all states. The ministry put the total number of people so far affected across the 16 states at 2,524 with the majority of about 131 samples confirmed in the laboratory to be Neisseria Meningitis type C. The current outbreak, government said, started in Zamfara State sometime in November last year.

Unfortunately, the fear of the epidemic nature of the meningitis outbreak was identified on Tuesday, when the Senate raised the alarm that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, prisons and detention centres were locations susceptible to the current health challenge due to overcrowding and unhygienic conditions common in such places.

The Senate therefore called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Prison Service, and Nigeria Police to urgently take steps to prevent infections and outbreaks in their premises and camps. At the same time, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA), and relevant partners have distributed a total of 500,000 doses of Meningitis C vaccines to some of the affected states for immediate outbreak response vaccination.

The NCDC in a statement by its Technical Adviser, Communications, Dr. Lawal Bakare, said an additional 823,970 doses of Meningitis C vaccines were expected from the United Kingdom to support vaccination activities in other affected states. He also said the Emergency Operating Centres (EOC) will support state-wide vaccination campaign which starts in Zamfara State on April 5, 2017.

But the lawmakers have also directed the Federal Ministry of Health and its agencies to work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to acquire sufficient vaccines needed to respond to the outbreak. This is in addition to massive sensitisation campaign to raise awareness among the citizenry about the diseases as well as provide education about its symptoms and actions that could help prevent infection.

Curiously though, the body count has continued to increase

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

vaccination.

“People have turned away from God and He has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you will see anyhow’. That is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concerned. There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured,” Yari reckoned.

Coming from a sitting governor, who clearly lacked the capacity to see that the outbreak was a case of medical emergency but would rather insinuate some spiritual twists, then, it is understandable why the virus could kill as many in one fell swoop in a seemingly helpless circumstance.

The Ebola experience is still fresh in the memories of many Nigerians and their neighbours. As deadly and contagious as it was, leadership at that period, which had been labeled ‘clueless’, stood up to the challenge and tackled the deadly virus to global acclaim. That was leadership by all standards.

While not dismissing the present leadership and its capacity to manage the meningitis outbreak, the body count cannot continue to rise as if the nation is still struggling to shed her cave age toga. Government must therefore declare emergency in this sector and contain this scourge before it degenerates any further. It is a huge threat to the health of the nation and must be treated as such.

FAST FACTS ON MENINGITIS

What causes meningitis?

Meningitis is generally caused by infection of viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and certain organisms. Anatomical defects or weak immune systems may be linked to recurrent bacterial meningitis.

In the majority of cases the cause is a virus. However, some noninfectious causes of meningitis also exist.

How is meningitis transmitted?

Meningitis is transmitted to people by many methods. Both bacterial and viral meningitis are spread person to person similarly.

Person-to-person spread can happen with direct and indirect contact between individuals (coughing up droplets, contact with the feces, sneezing, saliva, kissing, or eating contaminated food). Indirect spread by using the same utensils, cups, and other items used by an infected individual can also spread the disease to others. Some fungal infections are transmitted by airborne dust particles. In addition, other types of meningitis can be transferred to humans by vectors such as mosquitoes (for example, West Nile virus) or ticks (Lyme disease).

How long does meningitis last?

Viral meningitis lasts about seven to 10 days with symptoms receding gradually. Bacterial meningitis is usually cured by antibiotics. The time to cure varies with each individual and corresponds with the decrease of symptoms. If bacterial meningitis is not treated rapidly with antibiotics, there can be long-term injury to the brain and even death.

Early symptoms of meningitis broadly include: •Vomiting • Nausea • Muscle pain • High temperature (fever) • Headache • Cold hands and feet A rash that does not fade under pressure. This rash might start as a few small spots in any part of the body - it may spread rapidly and

look like fresh bruises. This happens because blood has leaked into tissue under the skin. The rash or spots may initially fade, and then come back.

In babies, you should look out for at least one of the following symptoms: • a high-pitched, moaning cry • a bulging fontenelle • being difficult to wake • floppy and listless or stiff with jerky movements • refusing feeds • rapid/ unusual/ difficult breathing • pale or blotchy skin red or purple spots that do not fade under pressure In older children, you should look out for: • a stiff neck • severe pains and aches in your back and joints • sleepiness or confusion • a very bad headache (alone, not a reason to seek medical help) • a dislike of bright lights • very cold hands and feet • shivering • rapid breathing • red or purple spots that do not fade under pressure When should someone seek medical care for meningitis?

Individuals should contact a medical caregiver immediately about meningitis if they suspect that they have been exposed to bacterial meningitis. Meningitis, especially bacterial meningitis, is considered a medical emergency; if an individual develops early symptoms of meningitis (high fever, headache, and/or neck stiffness) or becomes ill after contacting an individual known to have contagious meningitis, he or she should seek medical care emergently. Bacterial meningitis has about a 10% death rate unless it is treated early in the infection.

Sources: MedicalNewsToday/Medicinenet.com

Still on the Dismissed Army Officers

I Buratai

from state to state, thus making several other states vulnerable to the disease outbreak. But, however this debate is viewed, it still boils down to leadership. Whenever the story of the latest meningitis outbreak is told, its management and containment would not be divorced from leadership capacity and response at such a time.

This is even more so that the disease is not alien to the nation’s health sector as it has been around for some time now, including some of the neighbouring countries. Thus, how it has been allowed to fester to the point of claiming over 300 lives has definitely called to question, the kind of leadership in place at this material time.

This, of course, explains why the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has come under stringent attacks since his noncorrelative position on the cause of the virus. Yari had said during an interview with State House correspondents last Tuesday after a meeting with President Muhammdu Buhari, that the current outbreak of the Type C Meningitis in the country was God’s way of punishing Nigerians for disobeying him.

The governor, who spoke in Hausa, had posited that “What we used to know as far as meningitis is concerned is the Type A virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has carried out vaccinations against this Type A virus not just in Zamfara, but many other states. However, because people refused to stop their nefarious activities, God now decided to send Type C virus, which has no

n June last year, 38 senior officers of the Nigerian Army were summarily retired under circumstances they still believe are draconian. Nine Major Generals, 10 Brigadier Generals, seven Colonels, 11 Lieutenant Colonels, and one Major were affected. They allege that they are not aware of any offences they had committed, as they were neither formally charged with any offences nor convicted by any competent court. Though, the

army announced that the grounds for the compulsory retirements ranged from alleged professional misconduct during the 2015 general election to involvement in the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal.

Clearly, what accounts for the divergence between the army authorities and the retired officers is the question of adherence to the Nigerian Army’s rules of disengagement. As a rule, an accused army officer is expected to be queried, indicted by a panel, and convicted by a court martial,

if found guilty, before they are punished. It is the court martial that pronounces punishment.

The panel is a fact finding body preparatory to a court martial, and it does not have conclusory powers to assign guilt under military law.

The question is, were the retired officers queried, indicted, charged, and convicted by any court before they were disengaged? The Nigerian Army must address this question and take deliberate steps to redress any injustice in the process of the officers’ retirement.

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BRIEFINGNOTES Bamayi’s Contentious Account of History Since the public presentation of his autobiography on Thursday, March 30, Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd.) has rekindled rather avoidable controversies of the past. Omololu Ogunmade writes

M

ajor-General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd.), a hitherto obscured and seemingly forgotten henchman in the five-year reign of former military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, launched his way back to reckoning last week when he presented a 243-page memoir titled: “Vindication of a General” in Abuja.

Contrary to initial thoughts that the retired controversial general might have learnt his lessons and opted to write a book in search of atonement for his many perceived sins, Bamaiyi, according to reactions which trailed the book launch, only rekindled his old character in a way that seemed to affirm a Biblical reference: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spot?”

Bamaiyi, who was the Chief of Army Staff between 1996 and 1999, in his book, came up with impossible tales and attempted to rewrite history. But it took just hours after the presentation for various personalities, who read the book or its excerpts and were privy to history to dismiss it as nothing but moonlight tales.

For instance, renowned journalist and author, Mr. Dare Babarinsa, in his reaction, described Bamaiyi as one man, who “has often benefitted from profitable mendacity.” Babarinsa, who said he had neither seen nor read the book but excerpts, said he was sure that upon seeing it, he would “not be disappointed by it.”

Rather than seek forgiveness for the many havocs he was believed to have wreaked on the society, Bamaiyi who stood trial for attempted murder of the late publisher of The Guardian, Mr. Alex Ibru, was according to Babarinsa, accused by the leader of the assassination team which killed Kudirat Abiola on June 9, 1996 as “part of the Abacha killer squad.”

Babarinsa recalled how Bamaiyi reportedly stated during the public presentation of the book that Abacha, who allegedly stole and stashed away over N2 trillion of Nigeria’s money in foreign accounts, was a honest man. More provocative to others was Bamaiyi’s declaration that the huge sum of money allegedly stolen by Abacha was done in the nation’s interest.

Against this background, Babarinsa stated: “Since 1999, when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became our President till now, more than 130 Abacha accounts have been discovered all over the world. More than five billion dollars (at least 2 trillion naira) have been recovered from these accounts so far.

“With the help of Interpol and other international security agencies, the federal government continues the endless search for Abacha stolen billions. Bamaiyi, one of Abacha’s closest collaborators, has now confessed that the monies were stolen in national interest.”

Given this remark, the perceived audacious declaration of Bamaiyi alone might have portrayed the book as nothing but garbage of lies.

Second, the retired Army general appeared to be so mindless when he set out to sow a seed of discord between the family of Abiola and eminent Nigerian men, who staked their lives for the actualisation of Chief MKO Abiola’s June 12 mandate. Bamaiyi claimed that the men who formed National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) with the sole intention to fight the injustice done to the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Abiola, betrayed him.

Bamaiyi also accused NADECO leaders of pushing the late MKO to declare himself as president in 1994 in Epetedo, Lagos, only to run away from the declaration ground. He accused them of paying mere lips service to Abiola’s mandate.

Bamaiyi

But the allegation ran foul of historical record as some of NADECO leaders were brutally killed in the struggle. Others were imprisoned while quite a number of them went on exile when it was clear they could no longer escape the assassin’s bullet. Chief Alfred Rewane, for instance, was murdered in cold blood at his Ikeja residence on October 6, 1996 while NADECO leader, Chief Abraham Adesanya, escaped assassin’s bullet by the whiskers.

Also, NADECO General Secretary, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, was remanded in Kuje prison for many months, where he suffered permanent damage to his health, while other notable leaders such as Chief Anthony Enahoro went on exile and did not return until 2000 after the take-off of civil rule.

But despite this known fact, Bamaiyi claimed that their support for Abiola was nothing but mere lips service while he portrayed himself to be more patriotic than them by leading the way for Abiola’s release. He also claimed that they still betrayed Abiola even in death.

“A lot has been said about the late Chief Abiola’s arrest and efforts towards his release. The fact remains that NADECO members paid only lips service to Abiola’s release after deceiving him into declaring himself president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If they were sincere and actually supported him, they would have accompanied him to where he declared himself president.

“It is also obvious that Abiola was abandoned after his death, which some people suspected that it had the support of some NADECO members. After Abiola’s death, one would have expected some reactions at least from Lagos, but there was no reaction anywhere,” he claimed.

But in its reaction, Aferenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, described Bamaiyi’s claim as nothing but “a revisionist outburst by one of the evil generals that held Nigeria to ransom under the Abacha junta,” adding: “It is on record that Afenifere played prominent roles under the administration of the late tyrant, Gen. Sani Abacha.”

According to Afenifere’s spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Bamaiyi’s autobiography was “an attempt to reverse history and de-odourise the evil plot that stalled Nigeria for five years and Bamaiyi was a leading participant.”

He also said Bamaiyi’s claim was at variance with the account of Gen. Oladipo Diya, who was accused of plotting a coup against Abacha. He recalled that Diya stated during his trial that “Bamaiyi was the mastermind of the coup contrary to what Bamaiyi himself claimed.”

In the same vein, a NADECO stalwart and former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, who said the group was steadfast to the end, explained that NADECO men only missed Abiola’s declaration contrary to Bamaiyi’s claim because they were not carried along.

“The leaders of NADECO were not carried along. Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, also deceased, was then in charge of the arrangement for the declaration, not NADECO,” Osoba said.

Bamaiyi also said in the book that General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha after his sudden death on June 8, 1998 along with retired generals such as Babangida, former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, and former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, masterminded the emergence of Obasanjo as an elected president in 1999 despite his (Bamaiyi) preference for Chief Olu Falae, the joint presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Peoples Party (APP) in the 1999 election.

“My stand did not go well with the generals and General Abubakar started feeling unsafe,” he added.

But in their separate reactions, they dismissed Bamaiyi’s claims that Obasanjo was imposed on the party as a tissue of lies. While Abubakar who said he was out of the country during a telephone conversation with a national daily said he would put the issue in proper perspectives, Babangida in a statement by his spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, said indeed they supported Obasanjo but ensured that he went “through the primaries of the PDP in Jos and was made to face Nigerian electorate at the election.”

But in his reaction, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju said Bamaiyi’s book only revealed the author’s true identity. “Ironically, the new book can open the eyes of all Nigerians to see the footprint of an ambitious soldier that Bamaiyi epitomises as detailed in every account of power play, which appears unfavourable to him, but favourable to both General Abdulsalaam Abubakar as Abacha’s successor and General Olusegun Obasanjo as 1999 civilian president. He lost out in the power play,” Olarewaju stated.

In all, Babarinsa’s remark that Bamaiyi might have conceived the thoughts of writing a book because he had no peace as a result of his past misdeeds may be food for thought.

NOTES FOR FILE

Jonathan’s Concerns

Jonathan

If tabled for an engaging debate, there are sufficient reasons to infer that the nation’s electoral system has not recorded significant improvement, taking it from 1999, when Nigeria returned to civil rule. Yet, there have been improvements, such that the political actors and their allies can latch on to whenever the opportunity avails itself to reel out the democratic gains so far.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, last week, fuelled an intriguing debate, however, in an uncommon fashion, when he admonished the electorate to take back their power and the right to choose leaders of their choice. Jonathan spoke in Otuoke, his country home in Bayelsa State, when the Governor Seriake Dickson Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) visited him.

According to him, the Nigerian electorate might have surrendered their powers to elect leaders of their choice to the courts through different interpretations of legal instruments to impose a different choice on the people other than the ones voted for.

“Here in Nigeria, we have surrendered the power to choose to the courts. We must return the power of electing our leaders back to the people. I respect the judiciary and judges. They are credible men and women. They have decided to serve the people. They also starve themselves to semi imprisonment. The average judge does not socialise

to maintain their integrity. When we go and enjoy ourselves, they don’t. They are respected. We (just) want our votes to count.

“Not that after voting, a judicial panel will upturn the vote.

I am calling on Nigerian youths to call for a close review of the election process to hand over the power of choice to the people… After voting, it is 10 million votes for Governors or President.

“Your mandate may be upturned by a few judges and this is anomalous in Nigeria. They (political leaders) may be distracted. They will not sit in the office and start going to court.

And they are not supposed to be distracted. If a Governor or President is sitting and facing litigation costing millions, his performance will be limited,” he posited.

That the electoral process is still flawed is trite. What is therefore new in Jonathan’s prognosis on the process is the charge for the people to become more aware and take seriously the powers in their votes, not just by casting their ballots, but making sure that their votes count by following through the curve of the election process. And like Hillary Clinton, democratic candidate in the 2016 US presidential election, said recently while taking a jab at the Donald Trump presidency, the resolution of the Nigerian electorate lies in these four words: “resist, insist, persist and enlist”, if they genuinely desire to take the bull by the horn. Jonathan has set the agenda; they have a responsibility to live it.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER •APRIL 9, 2017

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SUNDAYINTERVIEW Babatunde Fashola

Fashola...we have regained momentum

Photos: Kola Olasupo

I Play Only Politics of Development Seeking audience with the Minister of Power, Works and Housing and former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, was not easy to come-by. Certainly not with his work schedule, especially at a time he was touring the six geo-political zones in the country to assess and ascertain the state of the federal government projects as well as see for himself the progress report on some of the ongoing works across the country. But the interview eventually held, albeit without much ado. He had stopped by in Lagos the weekend he concluded his tour (Southwest zone) to see his family, from where he proceeded the following week to Abidjan in Ivory Coast and later to Togo in the same week for some international road network meetings. He therefore saw a need to squeeze out time for an engagement with THISDAY on a cocktail of national issues. With his candour, confidence and deep knowledge of issues, Fashola dealt with critical issues in practically all the sectors in his 3-in-1 ministry. He was excited that the country had begun to move away from the stage of apprehension given the improving economy and reiterated that the problems with power were more human-related and were being dealt with hence he could not put a timeline to stable power. Above all, he claims that the only politics he understands is the one that puts development on the front burner, the very reason he has continued to do his work without conceding to distractions.

These and more he discussed with Olawale Olaleye and Shola Oyeyipo. Excerpts:

P

erhaps, it is only imperative to start with the recent ‘reconciliation’ with your successor in office, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, coming about two weeks after you both had a public spat over issues of interest. What is it to be taken away from that meeting?

There was no spat and I think the matter really was nothing to agonise about. For me, I was on a tour of duty and I went to see the governor of my state. I think we should not just indulge those who want to read every meaning into regular interactions. I think the media must find some more interesting stories especially those that advance the cause of our

development.

Maybe we should take it from the lenses of the governor, who accused you of hindering development in the state and many people thought that your defence to that allegation was rather weak. You still don’t think it is worth it to properly clear the air of such an allegation?

I wasn’t on trial and I don’t want to dwell on the issue more than is necessary. I think it is important to just say I wasn’t on trial and my office, through my media adviser, had put out the facts. It is for well-meaning people and right-thinking people to put those facts against the position presented by the state government and draw what I would think are sensible inferences. Of course, there

would be insensible inferences also, but I don’t have time for those kinds of inferences.

Do we take it that the meeting had somewhat subdued whatever animosity there was?

There was really nothing to subdue. Look, in the course of, even in your own home, there are points of interactions that are unavoidable and there are also points of interactions that are avoidable. We had planned to be in Lagos weeks before that meeting because we have been going from zone to zone and our plan was that we were going to start from the top of the Southwest, which was Ado-Ekiti and walk our way down and in

Continued on Pg. 72

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SUNDAYINTERVIEW • THERE IS NO MORE APPREHENSION •Continued from Pg. 71 any event, when the programme was presented to me, I thought it was an opportunity to also come and see my family because I hadn’t seen them for weeks. So, it was fitting and proper that we ended up in Lagos.

Let’s get down to your primary beat now: the ministry of power, works and housing, how have you fared?

I think that the only people who can determine how I have fared are the people I serve. I am not there to serve myself, so in that sense, it would be inappropriate to perhaps ask me how I have fared. It is those that I am serving who should make their assessment. But in terms of sharing with you where I think we are, I can only say that first, it is easy to say now that we are gaining momentum as a government and we are also restoring hope and many indices point to that.

If you look at the macro indices, the global projections are that clearly we should come out of recession this year and I am hoping it is earlier in the year so that on the back on that, we will begin to record some growth. In that sense, the president’s mandate on budget intent to recover from recession and grow the economy would have been achieved.

In terms of specific items, I can say that in my ministry, which is critical to achieving the president’s economic promises and agenda, other ministries that are critical too – Agric, Transport, Finance, Budget – all of us – Petroleum Resources, Water Resources, Aviation – everybody is critical to ensuring that that happens. But speaking for myself and my team, our promise on roads, for example was a very simple promise: improve your journey time experience, reduce your travel time and save you some money. Those are the end users and that is already being recorded from those who are traveling on roads we are constructing even though we haven’t finished.

Sections where we have intervened are improving that journey time. It is improving that travel experience again and it is translating into cost-savings because journeys that used to take five/six hours are now taking two hours and that’s the feedback we are getting from people. So, in that sense, we have gained momentum as I have said.

If you look at the construction impact, the promise we made also is that we would recover jobs that have been lost in the construction industry by getting workers back to site. So, contractors who haven’t been paid for two/three years are now saying the first time they got money four years ago was when President Buhari signed the 2016 budget. The impact of that is that architects, engineers and all of those professionals in the built industry are back to work. Road supervision, contractors and consultants are back to work because there is now something to supervise.

As they are issuing invoices, we are paying, so they are bringing back their staff; the construction companies are also bringing back their staff, so the evidence of what we see across is that on the Ogbomosho-Oyo road, there are over a thousand workers back on site; on the Damaturu-Gombe road – they are in various sections – sometimes it is three hundred, sometimes it is two hundred or six hundred across board. On the OsogboOgbomosho, linking Osun and Oyo States, one road that is being constructed there has over two hundred workers on site. The same thing is happening in the Housing sector now, where our people are going back to work and construction is ongoing.

In that sense, the economy clearly is heading back to the place, where it should be and if you look at the fourth quarter NBS (National Bureau of Statistics) returns, the rate of recession has slowed down, and that means now that if we continue the way we are, people’s experience which is the aggregate of the economy will be better. So, hopefully, as the first quarter has ended, when the results are collated, we will again see the movement towards recovery if not fully recovered.

In terms of power, we are beginning to increase the amount of power from the losses we’ve had through sabotage through confidence, especially liquidity confidence as banks were threatening to call the credit of the GENCOS, there is the N701 billion payment assurance guarantee approved by FEC for EMDEX, which is the company that should pay the GENCOS and it is a hundred per cent government-owned company. Government has said look, we will discharge their obligations.

We expect that the total cost of energy should be in the region of seven hundred and something billion naira subject to what the EMDEX can recover more from the GENCOS. But whether EMDEX recovers immediately or not, we have this warehouse approval, not cash, and as a government, we guarantee that every month when you send invoice, we will draw down and pay.

This is a guarantee for two years and we expect that in those two years, the reforms that were recently approved, which cut across metering, audits, financial disclosure, governance, sanctions, transmission improvement, constitution of all the relevant boards, signing of all certain contracts and so on and so forth, that two years will be enough time to strengthen the privatisation process, which is in transition.

I alluded to Housing which is a very big programme to trickle down inclusion because we have had growth in the past – 7% growth – and you also used to report that it was not inclusive for people, who are not getting it. So, the housing project that we visited in Jalingo, the one we visited in Gombe, I believe and the one we visited in Oyo, the one we visited in Osun, which were just whistle stops, because we will cover the housing programme more extensively later, because they just moved to site early in January. But it is heartwarming to find 100 in some places, over a thousand people there doing all sorts of things.

One of the people I spoke with was the owner of a cement mixer that they use to make concretes to cast, and he said the mixer had been idle for weeks, for months, but that now they’ve

called him to that site, that he would be there for some time and as he puts the mixer to work everyday, he gets paid twenty thousand naira. So, he formed a family there. The husband was a builder, the wife was a food vendor; they had moved from Lagos to Oyo. So, that is the inclusion – everybody getting something to do and participating in building Nigeria and that is why the president continues to say to me, everywhere you go and you see anybody working honestly, participating, please thank them for me. That’s why I said we can talk about momentum now and we can talk about heading in the right direction. We still need to do a lot more.

As far as the trip was concern, it achieved many things. First, apart from the periods, where we went to campaign that we visited some cities – just fly there, go to the campaign ground and go out, I didn’t know all of the routes like this, apart from the states I visited maybe in the course of my practice as a lawyer. So, many of the road that were under contracts, were just names – XYZ roads, Jalingo road, Ohafia-Arochukwu road. There were roads that Senators, House of Representatives members were coming to me to say ‘my road is bad’ but they were just names. Now, going to those roads has transformed them for me from names to places. I can now know why senator A or House of Representatives member B or any citizens, who complains was complaining. I can also now decide that look – this person’s pain is not as bad as this. So, this one can manage.

When we start to implement the 2017 budget, I will know where to put more money and who can still mange, because we don’t have enough. Then, in terms of housing, that trip was also important. I’d said when we were designing the houses that our diversity required us to respond to our climatic, cultural and diversity peculiarities. The houses that people in the South will live in are different from the houses that people in the North want to live in. So, we first did an extensive survey but even apart from that, when we finished and identified the kinds of buildings across the two sides, we then said look, for this programme to be

successful it must pass two tests.

The first test is acceptability. People must accept it. So, what is acceptable by the residents or indigenes of state A is quite different from what is acceptable by the indigenes of state B. In one state, for example, we found out that there was a cultural issue, where people can’t use one toilet or male and female can’t use one toilet, so, we had to respond to that, otherwise they won’t accept it, even though they could afford it. They will say I have the money but I don’t like it and we saw an example in Ekiti and in Oyo – classic examples – the same peculiarities but different responses.

The two parcels of land given to us by the state governments were just on the outskirts of town, about 15 minutes to the centre of town. The Governor of Ekiti told me that, look, minister, my people won’t live here. They don’t want to leave Ado-Ekiti and that I will show you houses even built closer to Ado Ekiti, than this one, where they have refused to take them up. So, they are now living outside that, though they gave us the land and so, in testing acceptability, we must listen to the people and that is why I took the controllers with me to create the handshake, because you must listen to these people because they are the ones we have come to serve and if they say something won’t work, we must look at it again.

Now, what happened? The governor now said look, I have another parcel of land, that we have even done the layout, I didn’t know that this was what they wanted to use the land for. I will give you that one, so that people can live, so they are going to swap it. In fact, he called me to say he had signed it, that I should send my people to come and pick it up.

Conversely, in Oyo, similar instance, it’s slightly further here out of town and I ask their local people there, they said no, they are happy with it, that it is close to Kola Daisi University and that in fact, we should just drive and we would see that people live there.

So, it is different strokes for different folks. That was also very useful information for me to take back to our team in Abuja.

What is politics? I am not averse to politics. It depends on what you define as politics. Politics is public service. The only reason I am here is that I am able to influence how the lives of people in my country get better. That’s what politics means to me. It is development; it is service.

So, that’s why I am never satisfied until people are happy and their wellbeing improves

Let’s single out power. It is very critical to the economy and the people generally. But it appears one impossible task by successive governments in the way they have dealt with it over the years, of which you have not been exempted too.

In fact, people now refer to you as the minister of darkness.

Speaking truthfully, what really is the problem that has made power impossible?

Well, I don’t listen to such cynical comments. I focus on what I am doing. I understand it more everyday. I’d said before and I’ll repeat that it is a human issue; it is not a technical issue. Getting human beings to do what they should do at a time they should do it is the real test of management and capacity that we have to deal with.

People must also understand that power is now actually in the hands of the private sector, so if there is any criticism at all, the person who has a responsibility for delivering should take it. But I am not here to apportion blame, because government is still the regulator; government is still the policymaker; government still also owns some part of it, but the bigger share of the responsibility is now with the private sector. So, if private sector has taken over our assets under a bad business plan, you can’t expect results there. If they had acquired loans they can’t service, nobody will lend money to them to expand or change their transformers or to buy meters.

Now, should we leave them to their designs? Clearly not! That is why we are government. So, those are the things that will come as part of the power sector recovery programme. One of the things that the power sector is challenged with is funding and people won’t invest in an unclear pathway; they won’t invest in an uncertain environment; they won’t invest in an environment, where the plan was flawed and as I have said, privatisation is most welcome but the way we privatised the power sector left some

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SUNDAYINTERVIEW • I PLAY ONLY POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT •Continued from Pg. 72 room for improvement.

Our responsibility now is to make those improvements. So, we’ve identified what the problems are. For example, the generation companies were producing power, they weren’t getting paid, so they started turning off. When they have four turbines, they put on only one and leave the three others because they are not sure they will get paid and they owed banks.

Then, the people producing and supplying them gas – their fuel – they say, if I am supplying cassava to you to make garri and you are not paying me, why should I bring more?

So, there is confidence problem there.

What did this government do? They solved their problem and that’s the 701 billion naira guaranteed cassava producer that they will get paid. You know what has happened, one week after that policy, Ugheli Transcorp Power called us that they wanted to commission a brand new turbine. They didn’t build it in one week. So, the power was there, the gas was there, if they were not sure that they would get paid, why would they switch it on? So, immediately, 115 megawatts comes up to your grid.

Those who speak generally don’t understand what is going on. We understand it and we are going to crack it one after the other. Now, that was not the only issue, the other issue was that they had another turbine under repairs, they are now telling me that within the next few months they are going to complete it. Now, that is confidence. The parts that they will we use to complete it is either going to be imported or some fabricated. It is going to be paid for. These are million dollars project. You don’t do it with your own money; you go and borrow money.

If the bank can’t see that you will get paid, that those who are there are not being paid, why would they lend you money?

So that is the masterstroke of the Buhari government – one problem – not the only problem. So, those who are producing power, keep them producing. I visited Olorunsogo and Omotoso, before that approval, they didn’t have enough gas but where they have it, it is just putting on one here today, put on two tomorrow.

Except for, I think, the one under the NDPHC, which is government-owned that has done gas, the one with the private sector, immediately we announced the policy, all the turbines are producing power. They were running at half before and we saw letters, where their bankers were saying ‘we are going to call your credit and take over the plants’. That has changed. Yes, we are still at 4000 megawatts but let me explain to you, this is 4000 megawatts in dry weather.

There is no rain now, so we are pushing up the capacity of the gas plant which is what should happen during this time of the year, if our energy mix is right. So, this is not rain because when it was rain last time, I told you it was rain. But I told you we also had extra capacity because of repairs and maintenance.

But there is no rain now. The hydros are down; water levels are low but they are still firing.

This is also happening in spite of the fact that the escravos Lagos pipeline, which is the main source of gas for Olorunsogo, Ehovo, Egbin, Omotoso is still not fully repaired. Hopefully, by the time the ministry of petroleum finishes that, it will get more gas into the system. By the time we get to June, July, the hydros will raise up their capacity.

That is the production side. The distribution side has all sorts of problems – the right price, the right governance, metering, collection, estimated bills and whilst consumers are justifiably complaining about the estimated bills, the other side is that there is another story that is not told to the public – what the consumers are also doing to the DISCOS. I have photographs and reports of where people have been machetted, trying to install a meter. We have reports on people beaten up that we’ve sent to the police.

In Enugu and Ibadan, we have reports also on people by-passing meters. So, it is a two-way street and until we manage all of that – ensure that there are more meters to protect consumers, to reduce estimated billing, remove the distrust between consumers and their suppliers, rebuild confidence – that’s what the power sector recovery plan, which was approved recently will do.

There are a lot of interests in the power sector: World Bank through its public sector, IFC, through its private initiatives – they all want to do all sorts of things. They want, for example, to fund Jebba and Kainji and add solar because they have land there. What does that do for us if we closed that deal? It is that during this dry

everybody, tell us what the problems are now, so that we give you your tools and you go and do your job.

So, if the system loses money at the transmission end, somebody has to pay; if it is loses money at the gas end, then, EMDEX won’t pay from that 701 billion naira because you didn’t supply. So, there is no free lunch anymore.

Those who get paid for a job have to do the job.

If it loses from the policy end, which means I failed to do my job, I must resign. So, that’s the accountability. If it loses money from the point, where the consumer stole money, you must go to jail. It’s power theft; it’s crime. So, that’s where we are going.

season, when the hydro can’t give more power because there are no rain – there is sun – Jebba can contribute solar; Kainji can contribute solar.

That is what we should have done 10/15 years ago. Now, how does that situate in the power programme and I said incremental power first.

So, we are on our way to getting incremental power and we will increase it progressively.

You have seen me visiting Ashaka Cement, because I heard that they were trying to deploy a coal partner. We need some coal too, so that in future if anybody goes to cut our gas line, we can fire more coal. We need some solar too. We are going to bring out a solar project in Jigawa.

We are doing the project planning now to see how many megawatts we can get there but we are going to build on 1900 hectares of land that the Jigawa government has given us. It’s going to be patterned after the world renowned model that received a lot of global recommendation and support, so that again at this period of the year or if they cut the gas pipeline, we will get more power from other sources.

So, for me, we are on our way. There is a clear programme now, what we need to do – the bolts and the nuts are very clear – my team knows who is doing what. Then there is the gas issue and when we went round to the gas plant, I told them about what we had decided we are going to do. Look, we have about 12000 megawatts of installed capacity but we are not optimising it.

It’s either transmission problem or gas problem or debts problem, so as we are solving the debts problem now. I am asking each plant to give me a two-page statement: why are you producing five, instead of ten?

Tell me what the problem is and don’t just tell me it is gas. If it is gas, tell me if it is volume, if it is pressure, if you need a new pipeline or a new supplier. If it is transmission, tell me what they are – the details and where, so that when I go back, I am going to go to the persons in charge.

I will go and tell the minister for petroleum resources, look, I need a new gas line to this place: can you get it for me? I will go and tell the transmission company, I need you to start doing a design quickly of how we are going to evacuate X more power because it is up and this is project management and project planning – the bolts and the nuts of the recovery programme.

Where we need legislative interventions, there will be some. We’ve already shared the framework of this with the National Assembly at its topmost level – the speaker, the senate president, some of the principal officers, the chairman house committee and senate com-

mittee on power. We had a three-hour meeting with them and I like their attitude. They’ve seen the problems, they’ve seen some of the recommendations, they agreed with some, they thought we should look at some, and they were going to send us some of their own views too.

So, if we plan it together, it should then be easy to implement it. So, for me, it is incremental power and I see the roadmap to it.

You have identified the problem in the power sector as principally human. Why is it difficult to put a timeline to stable power?

You see, it is irresponsible to start saying it is day one, when you haven’t finished the planning and implementation. How can I tell you it is going to take X days when I haven’t even got the feedback from the GENCOS? They may need a new pipeline that is 100 kilometers away. It is only when we know what the problem is that we can now tell you it’s going to take X man hours, X days to lay a pipe line, then I can now tell you that if that pipeline is commissioned in 30 days or 60 days or 90 days then by the 100th day, post-testing commissioning and nothing fails, because you can lay a pipeline and there is a leak.

And that is the point. We must pay more attention to details; we must pay more attention to planning. When you plan properly, execution then is easy and that is why over the years, we’ve struggled as a nation with project completion.

The rest of the world that we want to be like, will tell you this house will be finished in 21 days and it will be finished in 21 days, and that is the discipline that is coming into this government.

Look, we told you that we will finish the Kaduna road, the rehabilitation to Abuja – just pothole management in one month and we finished two days and one month, because there was a clear plan; there was monitoring, people were held responsible.

That is what we are going to see. In the power sector, everyday we are losing money, if power is produced and it is not transmitted, it is a loss to the system; if it is transmitted and it is not sold, it is a loss to the system because you can’t store power. Everyday that those losses happen, who gets sacked? That is going to happen.

You can’t produce a truck load of Coca-Cola or bottled water and then the production manager doesn’t get it out and he won’t lose his job? You can’t produce THISDAY newspaper and keep it on the shelf for your chairman. You are fired!

So, there will be consequences. But before we start implementing consequences, we are telling

It is generally believed that the performance of your 3-in-1 ministry is directly proportionate to the success of the economy. Are you worried about the general state of the economy and the prevalent apprehension?

I think we are moving away from apprehension, we are moving to a state of people seeing hope. There are so many things happening. First, let me talk about this famous 3-in-1 ministry. I think once people form an opinion, albeit flawed opinion, it is difficult to change the mind. They create their own reality and believe it. The truth is that, that ministry has always been three ministries put together. It has always been the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development. So, urban development has just become a department and power, which is now largely privatised, is now being overseen.

So unlike the ministry of works and the ministry of housing, where we have over 5000 members of staff in different states of the country – controllers everywhere – the total staff strength of the ministry of power today is 720, because all the people are now employed by the private sector. So, what we do really is policy and supervision, because transmission is now an independent company. We just oversight them. The people, who administer the regulatory framework is NEC, the Nigerian electricity commission, just like NCC. So, there is nothing really big about it.

Now, in terms of the impact of my ministry, it is not going to be my ministry alone, it is a team.

My ministry can’t do anything without a sound budget, so, we must acknowledge the contribution of the minister of budget and his team.

Now, no matter how well framed that budget is, if you don’t have cash, you are just dreaming. So we must acknowledge the work that the minister of finance is doing, but that said, even if we now have all the works and we’ve built our turbines and done transmission and there is no gas – that is the fuel – so, again we must salute what the minister of petroleum resources is doing.

Then even approvals in FEC, we have to debate with 35 other colleagues, if they don’t understand or support your memorandum, you don’t get approval. So, again, you must acknowledge what everybody in the team is doing. Now, in terms of what is possible, again I go back to planning; I go back to preparation; I go back to legitimate expectations. I have spoken about a team here and I want to emphasise that it is consensus governance and it takes time to forge a team and those of you who watch football everyday in TV will realise that, when they buy certain new players, it takes time. Let’s use the classic, the premier league, when a player comes there, it is difficult to adapt in England – the weather, the food – and until he blends into that team, you won’t get the best out of him.

Now, why is it so difficult to appreciate that the same human relational challenges apply to government? We are all individuals from different backgrounds, put together to come and serve you. We come with our normal prejudices and our previous experiences. Some of my colleagues, who are in government today, have never worked in government before. They have their start-up day. We are different faiths, we are different gender and we just need to forge into a team. That takes some time. Then, we met some people there – the institutional civil servants – who we must also learn how to work with and must learn to trust them. They must learn to trust us. We must see the same thing together, so that our solutions…and it is a matter which every Nigerian must understand and, that is just only the executive arm.

And when you have forged that team with the executive arm, you have to work with the parliament: 300 and something in the House (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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The Search for Alternative Solution to Kanu’s Trial Governors of the five South-east states, last Sunday, joined the clamour by other notable Igbo leaders in the demand for an alternative solution to the continued incarceration of the detained pro-Biafran leader and director of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nanamdi Kanu. Christopher Isiguzo reports

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ast Sunday, a new chapter was opened in the increasing clamour for the release from detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, presently undergoing trial for alleged treason as the governors of the South-east zone resolved to reach out to the federal government with a view to finding alternative solution to the impasse.

Until recently, Kanu’s issue had remained within the doorstep of his diehard supporters and believers in his pro-Biafran cause, who had come up with different strategies – all aimed at possibly getting him off the hook. Kanu was reportedly arrested in Lagos on October 18, 2015 by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon return from the United Kingdom.

Kanu and his co-accused, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, remained in DSS custody until January 20, 2016, when they were arraigned at the Federal High Court on a six-count charge of treasonable felony and illegal transmission of a radio transmitter preferred against them by the federal government.

They were subsequently remanded in Kuje prison by Justice James Tsoho. Since then, the leaders of the separatist group have remained incarcerated, while the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari had turned deaf ear to the appeals from various quarters seeking their release.

Different strategies adopted by IPOB and MASSOB members, including street protests, stay-at-home orders and markets closure, have all yielded no results.

However, the public outcry against Kanu’s continued incarceration has continued to attract wider attention as notable Igbo leaders, who had in time past maintained silence over the activities of pro-biafran groups, have now taken up the crusade, admitting that the entire situation was getting out of hands.

Apparently taking up the gauntlet, the governors of the South-east at their second meeting since the revival of their forum after almost two years of inactivity expressed worry over the long incarceration of Kanu and his co-accused, pledging their readiness to see to the end of the issue by first meeting with President Buhari.

Addressing newsmen after their meeting at the Government House, Enugu, chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, said they resolved to also meet with appropriate authority of the federal government to address other challenges facing the zone.

Some of the major issues to be tabled before the government, according to them, include agitations by some pro-biafran groups including MASSOB, IPOB as well as other issues that bother on security, ecological disasters, power and water dams. The meeting which was attended by all the governors of the zone with the exception of Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, also agreed to meet with all stakeholders in the zone to discuss and address all issues that are of interest to their people.

Before the governors’ sudden interest in the matter, the leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Chief John Nnia Nwodo had also reaffirmed its commitment to equally find an end to the lingering dispute between the pro-Biafran groups and the government. Nwodo had asked government to find ways of addressing the root causes of the increasing spate of agitations not only in the South east zone but across the country.

In recent weeks, notable Igbo leaders and groups have also turned Kuje prisons into a pilgrimage centre of some sorts as they have continued to pay solidarity visits to Kanu and his team.

Some of the leaders include former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr Ferdinard Agu, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu; Law Mefor, Rev. Fr. C. Jude, Udenta Udenta, Ebere Onwudiwe, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, Tony Nnadi, Sam Amadi, Innocent Chukwuma, Collins Ugwu and Andy Wabali.

Others, who visited Kanu under the auspices of Nzuko Umunna, former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, and a renowned Enugu-based prophet,

Kanu leaving the court premises after one of his trials Anthony Nwoko, among others, asked the federal government to immediately order the release of Kanu and his team.

Apart from demanding his immediate release by the federal government, Soludo’s Nzuko Umunna also threatened to drag the federal government to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, Netherlands.

They alleged that there was an orchestrated plan by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to witch-hunt the Igbo nation, insisting that the release of Kanu remained the only means to true national reconciliation or the group might approach “the ICC, if it becomes necessary.”

Soludo, while speaking with journalists in Abuja, said it was expedient for the government to release Kanu, as his continued incarceration smacks of naked display of abuse of the extant laws and the court.

His group held that “a situation where the state refuses to obey clear and legitimate court orders for his release and holds him until it gets a favourable order, moves the goalposts endlessly through endless amendment of the charges against him, and now seeks to try him in secret, clearly constitutes circumstances that would fall well short of the constitutional guarantees of due process.”

He contended that without the rule of law, no sustainable economic progress can take place. The charge of treasonable felony, which is now levied against Kanu has previously been used against Joseph Tarka and Obafemi Awolowo, adding that “His trial reminds us of the travails of these historic figures in our country and, indeed, of the more recent military-era treason trial of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.”

The Nzuko Umunna however maintained that while this might appear an extreme characterization, it sums up the dominant sentiment of people who believe in the urgency of a fundamentally re-engineered new Nigeria.

“It is our considered view that much of the increasingly desperate agitations are in response to the failures of the dysfunctional and looting elite and poor governance in the context of a failing state that offers increasingly vanishing opportunities and hope for its youth and future generations.

“We do not condone violence, criminality or brigandage of any sort, and nor should any state do so. However, by failing or refusing to address the fundamental issues and instead concentrating

on the symptoms, Nigeria runs the grave risk of turning the entire country into a large prison yard or a police state.”

On his part, the chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, urged the President Buhari-led government, to release Kanu, because his continued incarceration was making him a hero.

“On the issue of Kanu and IPOB, I have a different opinion altogether and I think it has been over-dramatised and over-pursued. We will just find out that it has not given us any key result.

See, approach is key in life and how you look at things. I think what we must do as Igbo is to let the federal government see the reasons to release Kanu because keeping Kanu there is making him a hero out of nothing. He should be released.

“Since he made inciting statements, he has not killed, he is not found guilty; he should be released.

And even what he did is not just an order or threat to government; all that he is charged with, is he guilty of it? Has he done anything wrong?

So, we must let the government understand that Kanu is not worth the trouble being attached to him. It is something that we the leaders can go to the president and say, give us this boy, we will guarantee his good behaviour. Bring him out. But the approach is key. I think very soon now I will ensure that a meeting of Igbo leaders is convened.

“This is where leadership is called for. We will go and meet President Buhari and we will kindly request for his release and that he has learnt enough lesson in the prison. Because he didn’t even spare anybody; we have to let him know he wasn’t only talking about the federal government and Biafra; he was castigating and insulting all the Igbo leaders.

“When such a person who even castigated his own is in prison, why should it be a big deal? Why don’t we look at it differently and see it as youthful exuberance rather than putting him there and he is creating a bit of tension and what should not worth it,” he said.

Kalu and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, are not left out as they have equally risen to the demand for the release of Kanu, insisting that there is the undying need for the resolution of the misunderstanding through alternative means instead of allowing the legal process to continue with its obvious consequences to the peace of the nation.

While Kalu insisted that Kanu did not belong to Kuje Prison, Obi on his part, noted that it had become imperative for the federal government to change its “hardline posture and yield to the persistent clamour” for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Today, I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje Prison and we engaged in a very long discussion.

Kanu is my brother and a son of the soil. He shouldn’t be where he is because Kuje Prison is not his home. It is therefore my utmost concern to see him regain his freedom like every other Nigerian,” Kalu said.

Obi said the federal government ought to engage the Biafra activists in dialogue as that is the only means through which the agitation could be addressed. He condemned the use of force against the Biafra agitators, adding that the government should realise and acknowledge that the agitators, like other citizens, have their fundamental rights of freedom of expression.

“I wish to appeal to the federal government to change its hardline posture on this issue and yield to the persistent clamour for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and other Biafra activists so as to douse the tension in the country, especially in the South-east and South-south geo-political zones,” he said.

Apart from political leaders, who have added their voices to the need for the adoption of alternative approach in the pro-Biafra agitations, other known bodies, including the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and the Amnesty International among other human right bodies, have also stressed the need for the present administration to do away with its hardline posture and seek for alternative solution.

“This is not leadership. You cannot incarcerate your subject for almost two years, flagrantly disobey court orders and publicly condemn people who are standing trial and still call yourself a leader. Mr. President must do the needful now; he must as a matter of fact order the release of Nnamdi Kanu to prove to us in Igbo land that we are still part and parcel of this polity,” Dr. Uka Ezue of the Human Right Initiative (HRI) noted.

It is believed that with the avalanche of calls from well-meaning individuals and organisations for the release of Kanu and his co-accused, government would listen to the voice of reason and embrace dialogue so as to spare itself and Nigerians the avoidable distractions coming from the needless incarceration of these pro-Biafra agitators.

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APC Leaders’Last-ditch Effort on Magu With last week’s position of the APC Senate caucus during a meeting with the leadership of the party, a re-nomination of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the chairman of EFCC will be pushing his choice too far, writes Onyebuchi Ezigbo

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final seal may have been placed on the chances of the embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, of being confirmed as the substantive chairman of the anti-graft agency. This follows last Tuesday’s effort by the leadership of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which failed to convince its senators to change their minds on the matter.

At a closed-door meeting held at the National Assembly between members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, most of the senators were said to have stood their ground on the issue of the rejection of Magu as the EFCC chairman. The senators expressed disappointment that their resolution on Magu, had not received any response from the president, despite his rejection, twice by the senate.

“We feel disrespected as an institution. How can the Senate send a memo to the president on Magu and there would be no response? But by choosing to be silent and letting him continue in acting capacity, it is a slight on us as an equal arm of government,” a lawmaker was quoted to have said at a meeting described as explosive.

Not oblivious of what is on the ground and the delicate nature of the face-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government, Oyegun tried to placate the senators during his peace meeting with APC Senate Caucus last week. He also went further to appeal for caution from both sides in order to help fathom a quick resolution of the rift.

“I want to pay tribute to the National Assembly for the degree of cooperation that they have been extending to the Executive in spite of the seeming differences under the surface. Secondly, I want to say that we have now completed our consultations with the National Assembly and we are going to move forward from now,” he said, adding that it was necessary for all, at all levels of governance to maintain some level of respect and civility.

He continued: “My appeal is that as we start re-constructing relationship and consultations. There should be what I call a cease-fire in terms of the kind of verdict used all round. Once that

Given the stance of the APC senators on the matter and the unanimous position of the PDP senators against his nomination, there are fears that retaining him in that position would only widen the gulf between the executive and the legislature

Magu

is done I can assure you and assure the nation that in the next couple of weeks, we will have a level of amity, cohesion, cooperation and mutual respect between (sic) the three arms of government and the party”.

For all its efforts at the meeting, what the leadership of the APC got from its senators was an assurance that they would not allow the disagreement over Magu’s appointment as well as other unresolved issues between them and the executive to affect governance.

All the party could extract from the meeting was summed up in the few words of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki: “For us in the Senate, we are focused. We will continue to do the work”.

The Senate had for a second time running rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the EFCC, after the State Security Service reaffirmed its position that the nominee lacks integrity to lead the agency. To further worsen his case, Mr. Magu was said to have failed to answer critical questions posed to him

by Senators during his last defence appearance.

The lawmakers, however, based their position on damming DSS report dated March 14, which raised doubts over the integrity of Magu to hold the exalted office. The Borno state-born police officer, nonetheless, tried to explain the issues but could not convince the senators that his integrity had not been smeared by

the security report.

While quoting the DSS report, Senator Dino Melaye said, “In the light of the foregoing, Magu has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption stand of the current government”.

Although Magu later made spirited efforts to defend himself against most of the allegations by the DSS, including questioning the credibility of the DSS, which he said dispatched two reports on him with varying contents on the same day, all that did not impress the lawmakers and they held to their position, that he must step down as the EFCC boss.

The stand of the Senate did not go without opposition. The chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on Anti-corruption Campaign, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Itse Sagay, came to the rescue of Magu, giving him a clean bill of health as far of the allegations raised in the DSS report were concerned.

Sagay advised President Buhari to keep Magu in acting capacity even as the president’s insistence on Magu was said to have followed investigations carried out by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; and the Sagay-led presidential advisory council on anticorruption.

The investigations, which absolved Magu of any wrongdoing, formed the

basis for his being recommended for re-nomination by the president. In his letter to the Senate, Buhari said investigations revealed that Magu was not guilty of allegations laid against him by the DSS, hence his re-nomination.

Clearly, the current rift between the legislature and the executive will have serious impact on governance and the ability of the two arms of government to effectively discharge their functions and cooperate. Notwithstanding the assurances being given by both sides, the bad blood caused by the disagreement and resistance still being put up by government appointees to invitations from the Senate will no doubt affect the already strained relationship.

Besides, the resolve to retain the EFCC boss in acting capacity will also not serve the best interest of the country’s war against corruption as this will only weaken his capacity to perform his functions. Even if Magu thinks otherwise that he could still muster the courage to deal with corrupt elements, there is obviously no way he can go against the interests of those on the side of the executive arm of government from where he now derives support and strength.

Given the stance of the APC senators on the matter and the unanimous position of the PDP senators against his nomination, there are fears that retaining him in that position would only widen the gulf between the executive and the legislature.

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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

• APRIL 9, 2017

CICERO/REPORT

Obiano

Ezeemo

In Anambra, the Battle for Aguata’s Votes Heightens The November 18 Anambra governorship election, is fast drawing close with aspirants shopping for endorsements everywhere. But in Aguata part of the state, the duo of Governor Willie Obiano and Chief Godwin Ezeemo are locked in horns over who secures the votes of the area. David-Chyddy Eleke reports

I

nAnambra State, professionals, traders, students, youth groups, communities, and others have all adopted candidates they choose to favour with their votes in the forthcoming election. So far,Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano who will also be in the race as an incumbent seems to be leading in the number of endorsements garnered. The governor has been endorsed by several communities in the state for what they describe as his good work in the state.

In September last year, monarchs of all the 45 communities in the Old Aguata Union, OAU, which consists of four local government areas announced their support for Governor Willie Obiano for a second term in office. The monarchs made the declaration on behalf of their various communities at a mega rally convened for the purpose.

Chief Titus Anigbogu, the convener of the endorsement rally, held at Ekwulobia township stadium, said the move was engineered by the harmony that had existed in the state in the sharing of political offices under the governor.

While reading the endorsement text, approved by the 45 monarchs, Anigbogu said, “Whereas Anambra South did two tenures by Dr Ezeife and Dr Mbadinuju, and the central has done two tenures by Dr Ngige and Mr Peter Obi, it will only be fair and equitable to allow Anambra North, represented by the incumbent governor to go for a second term. This will give the people of the area a sense of belonging.

This is even so as the governor has done well in the areas of security and the payment of salaries,” Anigbogu said.

Many other speakers, who also spoke lent their voices to why they support the endorsement of Obiano to continue in office. Former governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife, who was the chairman of the occasion praised the people of Old Aguata Union for thinking it wise to come together and show support to the governor, said to be doing a wonderful work in the state.

Ezeife said Anambra was a flagship state in the South-east, and that Governor Obiano should not relent in organising steady meetings for governors of the region so as to present a front for the tackling of common problems.

The event which was capped with the conferment of a chieftaincy title from the monarchs, also witnessed the presentation of a staff of recognition.

The governor was honoured with the title of Agunechemba 1 of Aguata, meaning the lion that guards the towns of Aguata.

An elated Obiano could not hold back his happiness as he took to the stage to address the people. He praised them and their monarchs for the endorsement, saying it would spur him to continue to work for the development of the area.

In what seemed like a counter-endorsement deal, the same Old Aguata Union (OAU), with all its 45 communities, have also endorsed another aspirant for the governorship, Chief Godwin Ezeemo.

The endorsement, which held last week at Neros Stadium, Nanka also had the trappings of a high caliber event, with notable personalities of the area in attendance.

The people said it became necessary to take the action because they had been kingmakers in state’s politics without making one of their own a king.

They vowed that this time they would unite behind one of their own sons to win the governorship election in the state. Ezeemo hails from Umuchu in the same Aguata area. The event which according to the organizers sought to show how serious it is by kicking off with an interdenominational service organised by a group, ‘Odinma O.A.U. Forum’ where the people led by their traditional rulers, the clergy and Presidents General, among others, sought God’s intercession on their behalf and grant them their heart desire, which is the governorship.

The chairman and the secretary of the organizing committee of the event, Joe Emenike and Hon. DanChibo Umeh, earlier in their addresses, lamented the inability of OAU people to be in the power corridors despite their huge potential.

“We have been plunged into slavery from which we are yet to regain freedom, otherwise why are we in the habit of holding the ladder for other zones to climb to power only to turn around and grumble that we are kicked out and side-lined,” they wondered.

The group went further to list some of Nigeria’s leading names, who hail from the area. They are former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; the late

industrialist, Chief Mathias Ugochukwu; former Governor of Central Bank, Professor Chukwuma Soludo; former Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Senator Andy Ubah and his brother Chris; the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor; Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Okpaleke; Anglican Bishops of Ogbaru, Most Rev, Dr. Chukwudi Ezeofor and his counterpart at Amichi, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor, among others.

Mr. Clement Onyemobi, chairman, Movement for Greater Anambra State (MOFGAS), moved a motion for Ezeemo to be adopted as OAU’s sole candidate in the 2017 governorship election, while Mr. Emeli Vincent and Joe Emenike, moved same motion for Orumba South and North and thereafter Ezeemo’s hands were raised and he was taken round the arena in jubilation.

An elated Ezeemo like Obiano after his own endorsement, while speaking with journalists, said every zone in Anambra State has had its turn in the governance of the state which meant that the Government House had become vacant and should be filled by someone from any zone, most preferably from Aguata.

“Right now, the people of Old Aguata Union have made a choice. There are a couple of us in the race from Old Aguata and if they decided that it is me, who am I to say no? I will voluntarily give myself willingly to serve the people in the best way nobody has ever served the state. I will do the very best and make sure that we regenerate the state to take its place in the committee of state as the light of the nation,” Ezeemo concluded.

With both events over, the controversy now is who between the two aspirants the rightful one endorsed by the people of the area?

Mr. Edwin Ezeuzor, a political analyst told THISDAY that both endorsements can best be described as charades, which were simply meant to swindle the aspirants. He said endorsements do not necessarily determine who people vote for as a day to election is enough to change the mind of an individual voter.

He said he would not be surprised if in the build-up to the election, another aspirant or even candidates, after primaries would have been conducted was endorsed still by the people of the area.

Anigbogu, convener of the first rally that

endorsed Obiano in a telephone interview with THISDAY condemned the later endorsement of Chief Ezeemo. He said what the organizers of the event had was merely an interdenominational service, but the presence of Chief Ezeemo, may have swayed the gathering to turning it into an endorsement rally.

“What they did is of no effect. You saw the number of people that attended our endorsement rally for Obiano and the caliber of people that came.

Theirs was just a group, they called it Odimma OAU, but ours was the entire OAU, which was attended by all the pillars of the area, the monarchs and the communities. We still stand by that endorsement for the governor, and I can tell you that nothing has changed,” he said.

Chris Osisioma, one of the founders of Odimma OAU, does not share the same view. He told THISDAY in a telephone chat that the endorsement of Chief Ezeemo invalidates the earlier endorsement of Governor Obiano.

“What is special about this endorsement is that the 45 communities of old Aguata and their monarchs were involved, and the clergy too. We had to consult and arrive at this decision. We cannot have our son who is credible running for governor, and we leave him to go to endorse other people. We want to produce the governor, instead of going to look for other people from other places to endorse.

This endorsement of Ezeemo supersedes the previous one,” he said.

The duo of Obiano and Ezeemo can at best be described as candidates of their respective parties.

While Chief Obiano, the governor of Anambra State is of the All Progressives Grand Allaince (APGA), where he is also the leader and chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Godwin Ezeemo is of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), where he could also be described as the sole financier of the party.

In APGA, the party has shut out other aspirants for Obiano, citing his good work in the state as reason, while in PPA, Ezeemo may likely contest as the sole candidate, being the alter ego of the party since its founder dumped it years ago. But the big question is; which of the two will get the votes of Aguata people, which is beside Idemili, considered the federal constituency with the largest number of voters in the state?

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

• APRIL 9, 2017

77

CICERO/INTERVIEW

Uwajumogu: 2017 Budget Will End Recession Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu represents Imo North (Okigwe) senatorial district in the National Assembly.

A candidate of the All Progressives Congress, he was elected in July 2016, in a rerun poll. Also, a former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly from 2011 to 2015, he spoke with Amby Uneze on the way to the nation’s economic recovery, among other raging national issues. Excerpts:

F

ive months in office as a senator, what have you been doing differently for your people?

I was sworn in at the Senate after the rerun election that was conducted in July by September 27, 2016 because the Senate was on recess when the elections were concluded. Having been there for three months, I can say that it is a familiar territory because all legislatures are of the same processes.

Though this is of a higher platform, because we are talking about making laws for the entire country, and of course you have the higher quality, pedigree and numbers in the senate.

Looking at the entire country today, in terms of the economy and recession which we are all facing, I have decided that my major interest and programme will be in the area of agriculture.

This is because one, a huge percentage of Okigwe indigenes is into agriculture, either full time or part time. So, agriculture accounts for more than 70 per cent of the occupation of the people of my zone and it is also an equal opportunity employer. It employs the skilled, unskilled, the educated, the half educated, the illiterate, etc.

Everybody has a role to play in agriculture including the people who also eat the food. Okigwe zone is blessed by God because the Imo River, where Imo State draws her name is basically an Okigwe river. The Onuimo is the beginning and the source of the river to Okigwe local government to Ezinachi to Isiala Mbano and Ehime to Onicha Uboma, Onuiyinta, Amanze Obowo upto Avutu Obowo before it diverts towards Abia State.

The River travels through six local governments of Okigwe zone and at the bank of this river lies over 6,000 hectares of arable land that is yet to be developed. With that river which is a good source of irrigation with those lands lying fallow, we need to create awareness so that the people will organize themselves into groups to be able to partake in the federal government programme on agriculture.

If you pass through Okigwe through Onuimo to Mbano to Ihitte Uboma and Obowo you will find massive projects that were built many years ago by previous governments of Michael Okpara and Sam Mbakwe lying wasted such as fish ponds, cashew settlement, cashew plantation, palm plantations, rice meals and other cottage industries. All we need to do now is to bring in awareness and assistance to our farmers to organize themselves to take advantage of the agricultural revolution that is now ongoing in this country.

That has been my focus and I have used these past Christmas period to tour round and meet the farmers and youths to collaborate with them to ensure that we don’t miss the funds from the federal government. Through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, we are trying to create agricultural processing zones in each of these local governments. Already, I have invited the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to the sites in Okigwe zone.

We are looking at cassava processing plant in each local government; we are also going to set up fish drying plant in each local government. We are looking at encouraging 50 youths in each local government to go into fish farming. We are also creating the market for them.

Are you in anyway leveraging FG’s arrangement for the N200 billion SMEs loan platform?

We are looking at other federal government assistance to SMEs

The 2017 budget is targeted at alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians, especially the lower class and the downtrodden. I just pray that the president will have the will to pursue the budget. I also believe that the National Assembly will partner the president to ensure that the right things are done. If that is done, I’m very sure we will come out of the recession very soon

is a wonderful man and a great legislator. He is a good leader but right now, the senate decided to change him, and that is the caucus of the APC. His removal would also pave way for the reconciliation of the party and its leadership, as you would have seen that the party came out to endorse the decision made by the senate.

Do you think the fate that befell Ndume could also befall the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu since you are the only APC senator from the South-east?

Well I don’t know. People have referred to this on several occasions. Like I said earlier, there are only two ways principal officers can be elected. And the deputy senate president is a principal officer by election and by impeachment. The deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is a very good material for that position. He is quite experienced. He has served in that position for long. This is his third term, and I don’t think you can find anybody in that senate that is qualified as he is. From what I can see with my little experience in the senate, the senate operates as a bi-partisan structure. Party issues are not pronounced within the senate as people would expect. I think he will carry on with his job.

Uwajumogu

especially in agriculture that is available to our farmers. Apart from rice, fish farming, etc, we are looking at other aspects of animal farming such as snail production, piggery and poultry. What is important is creating the market and processing zone and also storage facilities for the farmers. We are ensuring that roads are created for them to be able to operate well. We are also working with state and federal agencies to look at how to access the small and medium scale enterprises funding that is, the SMEs funding which has been guaranteed by the federal government to help.

I believe that the key to recovery of Nigerian economy lies on the medium and small scale industries, especially the mom and dad company. Those are the companies that can employ more than 80 per cent of our employable personnel. And any day those companies are allowed to die, then, the economy will never recover. I urge the federal government and the Central Bank and other banks to relax some of these rules of policies and allow these companies access to funding.

The biggest problem we have in this country is lack of venture capital. A lot of people have ideas of what to do but nobody is ready to give them the money (the capital) to express their ideas into a concrete programme that can alleviate people’s poverty. So, I believe that if we continue this way and by providing development funding to our people, even traders in the market should have access to funding and the economy gradually will grow.

As a former Speaker in a state assembly, how do you see the recent but sudden change of some principal officers?

In the recent change of the senate leader, if that is what you indirectly referring to, due process was followed. There are only two positions in the senate or in any legislature that are electable, that is, the two presiding officers – the speaker and the deputy speaker or the senate president and the deputy senate president.

Those are the two positions that are elected, the rest are appointed.

They could be elected because they are party positions.

The majority leader, deputy majority leader, chief whip and others are appointed by the caucus within the parties in the senate or House of Representatives as the case may be. It is just as you have the minority leader which Senator Godswill Akpabio represents today in the senate for the PDP. The PDP can come tomorrow and say they have decided to change minority leader, and once they write to the senate president, the senate president is duty bound to announce the decision of the members of the caucus.

Senator Ali Ndume is a good man, he is somebody who has been quite gracious to me since I came to the senate but the senate has found that at this time there is need to rejig their leadership for certain reasons. That doesn’t take away the fact that Ali Ndume

With your victory at the tribunal, what’s next?

I’m very grateful to Okigwe people for electing me as their senator. I’m also happy that I have been given the sacred privilege to represent Okigwe people in the hallowed chambers of the senate.

That said I know that my opponent is exercising his constitutional right to petition the tribunal over the election.

He is doing everything he can to prove his case. I think he has appealed the ruling of the tribunal, like I said earlier he is exercising his Constitutional rights, but I urge him to join hands with me to uplift the fortunes of Okigwe people instead of going further.

However, I’m aware and sure that at the end of the day, I’m going to come out victorious because the election was generally free and fair and I was given a proper mandate. We are hoping and praying that we will be the ones that will retain it at the end of the day. Of course, we remain grateful to Okigwe people and like I told you earlier, I have already inaugurated my plans and programmes for the senate. What is very important is that our doors are open.

We are ready to interact with our people and we are open to new ideas on what can be done, more especially anything that can be done to raise the economic fortune of our senatorial zone and Imo State, where I come from and indeed Nigeria in support of this change platform of APC and the rescue platform of His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha under whom I served as speaker for four years.

Do you think the economy will improve this year, given what is at stake at the moment?

I believe that in 2017, we should be coming out from recession.

What is key is that the budget has come and I believe that within the next two months, the National Assembly should be through with passing the budget. If what had happened in 2016 continues in 2017 and the budget is implemented, it will be better for us. It’s a long time that a budget was implemented up to 50 per cent in this country. The budget implementation currently is well over 60 per cent and that is a very good pass mark and the current 2016 budget has been extended to March 2017 meaning that at the end of this 2016 budget, maybe the implementation will be about 90 per cent meaning that the change in APC has begun.

Secondly, this budget is a budget of hope. We targeted at tackling social spending and expenditure which would help to boost the economy. There are no hard and fast rules about it. The 2017 budget is targeted at alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians, especially the lower class and the downtrodden. I just pray that the president will have the will to pursue the budget. I also believe that the National Assembly will partner the president to ensure that the right things are done. If that is done, I’m very sure we will come out of the recession very soon.

As the 2019 elections draw closer, what do you think about the number of those gunning for the presidency?

Ambition is a personal thing, and you cannot stop people from nursing ambition. Politicians are the same all over the world, but my advice is that electioneering doesn’t put bread and butter on the table. I pray that there wouldn’t be too much of a distraction to governance. If they must pursue their ambition, they must do so in an atmosphere of calm and peace. I also pray that this time around, it would not be too much bitterness and rancor.

What’s your relationship with Governor Okorocha like?

You cannot write my political history without dedicating a major part of it to Governor Rochas Okorocha, because he gave me the opportunity to become speaker and I worked with him very well.

I remain very grateful and loyal to him. I am one of his commanding generals. The governor has indeed done quite a lot in Imo State. If you are an APC member, you are bound to commend his achievements.

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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 •

RIL 9, 2017

PERSPECTIVE

Behold! The Wonder Geriatric Centre Anenih Built at UCH Folu Olamiti

T

hough the processes of growing, maturing and dying are natural phenomena, yet, the fear of managing old age marks the beginning of wisdom for many mortals. And the fear is not misplaced. Growing old is indeed scary. With my experience seeing my beloved parents growing old, and with me also climbing the age ladder gradually, I can confidently attest to the fact the process is very scary.

In fact, to enjoy old age, one needs the grace of the Creator; God. First, you wake up one day and you suddenly realise that you are 50; and you begin to notice funny changes in your physiognomy, as well as your internal structure. The changes may begin with some twitching pains at your joints, knees and waist. At first, you may be thinking it is as a result of those long hours at work or stressful activities you subjected your body to. Then, you resort to self-medication, swallowing all sorts of pain-relieving tablets. Yes, they worked but just for a brief period. And, pronto, the pains are back!

You may be lucky to manage off and on pains in your 50s; but when you hit 60, it becomes a different ball game. At this age, the bones are becoming weaker by the day; the eyes are getting dimmer and giving you all kinds of problems. You may either not be seeing well or you start seeing cobwebs. A check at eye clinic may reveal early symptoms of glaucoma or cataracts. If you are lucky, you may get the reprieve of recommendation for reading and sight glasses. If you are not, it may be the beginning of a life-long treatment for glaucoma; a degenerative eye disease dreadfully termed the ‘Big G’.

It is dreadful because glaucoma is a silent thief of the sight.

Again, from 60, you may be finding it difficult to flush urine out of your bladder. A check may reveal what your doctor may diagnose as prostate problem; either the benign form or beginning of prostate cancer.

Unknown to many, especially men, no one is immune to prostate problems. In fact, from age 40, doctors recommend periodic checks of the bladder.

From 70, you are on your own. If you fall into the category of those with rough life styles, your bones may start getting brittle, your movement may begin to wobble; and you may begin to feel as if you are railing against gravity. Then, if you are unlucky, something may happen and you are confined to the wheelchair.

But for those who manage aging with regular exercises and periodic medical checks, those who manage to keep their elements intact, there may be not much to fear.

Indeed, these special breeds are usually still healthy and mentally alert enough to hold public offices and perform well.

The most damaging and frustrating aging problem is dementia - a severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration due to the loss or damage to neurons in the brain. It’s so devastating that it often makes its victims vegetable and deletes their memories. The victim neither remembers anything nor

Ojo Maduekwe

N

igeria’s economy is in dire straits.

There is an increase in the number of suicide and attempted suicide in the country in recent weeks. The gap between the rich and the poor has stretched out a once growing middle class.

Developed countries grow their middle class and improve on their economic indices by putting adequate infrastructure to aid the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises. After much pressure, as the President Muhammadu Buhari government presents its economic recovery plan, it is important to emphasize this point.

Nigeria through the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP, reportedly described by the country manager for International Finance Corporation, Mrs. Eme Essien-Lore as “comprehensive, ambitious and thoughtful”, seeks to raise about $30 billion from international development and finance institutions.

Tracking the current administration’s priority sectors, one can correctly deduce that a good percentage of this loan will go into financing the agricultural sector. Not a bad decision considering that more than 400,000 farmers were said to have become millionaires during last year’s farming season, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh.

Nonetheless this achievement can be replicated in other sectors of the economy and more millionaires created. States like Abia with its high percentage of

Anenih recognises even his or her children and grandchildren.

Though he can see; his brain is blank.

I have gone this far in my narrative so that you, my dear readers, can understand what lies ahead even as we pray for long life. I can tell you that it is not cheap to manage an aging body. Old age comes with a heavy price. You may be lucky to have health insurance but those who do not often pay through their noses. Those who are lucky to have children abroad who help them to cope with and manage old age-related issues still have some problems to contend with. They complain of feeling homesick and, in some cases, not getting the right treatment.

At a point in my life, I could no longer afford the soaring cost of medical checks abroad. It was at this point that someone introduced me to Chief Tony Anenih Geriatric Centre at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.

I was driven to the centre by my niece, Dr. Atinuke Akinmoladun. Behold, it was a sight to behold. I started seeing familiar faces of retired Vice Chancellors, Professors drawn from virtually every part of the country, aged politicians, businessmen, clergymen and aged peasants of all sorts. Some could barely walk and were in wheelchairs.

The environment was sparkling, made beautiful with well- manicured gardens, gardens brimming with aromatic flowers. Everything the aged needed

SMEs can be given better prioritizing. While Abuja is Nigeria’s political capital and Lagos its economic capital, Abia is undoubtedly the SME capital.

The number of SMEs in the state’s garment and leather industry has encouraged the exportation of retail fashion to other West African countries. The state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu through the Made in Aba campaign, while assuming the unofficial role of a Chief Promoter, continues to draw the attention of the Nigerian government to the huge benefit in patronizing local artisans.

Governor Ikpeazu’s efforts to ensure that the state gets the needed attention it deserves from the federal government saw Nigeria’s vice-president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo visit the state in January to flag-off the federal government initiated Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprise, MSME Clinic.

Also, the Nigerian Army ordered an initial 50,000 pairs of shoes from local manufacturers in Aba to be worn by its officers and soldiers, a decision welcomed by the leader of the Nigerian senate Bukola Saraki, whom have urged other military and para-military forces to patronize Made in Nigeria goods.

While top government officials have keyed into the Made in Nigeria campaign and the federal government aims to review the Act establishing Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement, Abia is the only state that before all these show of interest, already had its own version of the campaign, the Made in Aba. If the federal government intends to succeed in its review of the procurement Act to ensure the patronage of Made in Nigeria goods by government agencies,

was provided. It is optional to bring your aides for assistance. The centre provides for uniformed aides to move you around and attend to all your needs for a token.

Professor Ben Humphrey could not hold his excitement. He said: “This is the best thing to have happened in Nigeria. I have spent all my life savings abroad for yearly medical check-ups, some of them routine, before I learnt of this centre two years ago.

I am getting, here, twice the attention I was getting abroad.”

Mama Adewole, mother of Nigeria’s current Minister of Health, was full of praises for the doctors and nurses: “They are just wonderful,” she enthused. “I am getting the best of treatments here. I’m tired of exposing myself to the biting cold abroad, and the fact that you are always by yourself whenever my siblings go to work. You are home alone.”

Chief Anike Agbaje-Williams, veteran newscaster, jokingly said: “You can see I’m regaining my youthfulness. Knowing this place is a big blessing. It saves me the millions of naira usually expended traveling abroad for medicare.”

Pa Joseph Adebara, a 90-year-old grandpa, has this to say: “May the Lord bless the founder of this centre.

I gave up hope of living a year ago when I asked my children to start preparing for my funeral. But they said, No way! And, they wheeled me to this centre.

Now, I’m on my two legs, walking unaided! Not only that, the founder of this centre gives me a yearly gift of new dresses. He gives not only me but to all the patients.”

Upon investigation, I learnt that the centre is the brainchild of the politician popularly known as “Mr. Fix It”; Chief Tony Anenih. The man had hitherto been fixing virtually every political jigsaw in Nigeria’s current democracy but at some point, he decided to fix better life for the aged. I give him kudos. He deserves a big applause from all well-meaning Nigerians.

I equally learnt that he started ploughing back the seeds realised in politics to build this centre to cater to the aged way back in 2012; and from then, he has never looked back as he keeps the centre going with regular funding; and he does so single-handed. Chief Anenih picks the bills on anything and everything that has to do with the centre. He sets up a Social Health Insurance Scheme for all the clients at N18, 000 annually, which gives the beneficiaries access to health care of up to N500, 000 yearly. Here, fees payable for clinical services are pegged at 50% of normal hospital fees.

What is more, the centre is the first and only training hub for geriatric medicine under the Faculty of Family Medicine, and the first purpose built geriatric centre in Africa, and has become a model for Africa and parts of Europe. The services offered include: general clinical services, surgical services, ophthalmic services, geriatric psychiatric services, memory loss clinic, family life style, dental services, rheumatology services, medical school services and physiotherapy.

––Olamiti (FNGE) writes from Abuja.

better focus need to be given to Nigerian SMEs. One key challenge for SMEs in Abia, which is similar to those in other states of Nigeria, is power.

Cost of production appears to be on the high side.

To address this and aid the production process for SMEs, the Abia state government has made effort to light up the state through the biometric power plant in Aba. If Nigeria’s power generation attains 10gigawatts by 2020 as set out in the ERGP, such an achievement would in no doubt be a plus to Nigerian SMEs. In all these effort to better prioritize SMEs in the country, Nigeria will benefit from increased tax revenue. The recent announcement by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, of an additional 840,000 new corporate entities brought under its official tax coverage can be boosted with the development of SMEs. Abia with an increased monthly Internal Generated Revenue, IGR of over N1 billion serves as a template for Nigeria in generating more IGR through the FIRS. More SMEs mean more tax revenues for government.

But, before the taxing, concerted effort to improve the lot of SMEs must be established.

A robust focus on Abia SMEs and SMEs as a whole in Nigeria is how the federal government can relieve the burden of the economic recession brought upon the masses by the drop in global oil price, and also make up for its failure to formulate the ERGP in the early months of the Buhari administration.

––Maduekwe is editor at Discussing Africa.

Follow him on Twitter @Ojo_Maduekwe.

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Ogun’s New Epoch of Development Soyombo Opeyemi

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eyi t’o o se Ore mi ojo nlo Eyii t’o o base La o royin Seyi t’o o se Ore mi ojo nlo...

(Contribute your quota My friend the clock is ticking/ Society can only echo your contribution / Contribute your quota My friend the clock is ticking) The Industrial Revolution which began in Britain in the late 18th century marks a turning point in human history as hand production was supplanted by the use of machines. Production took a giant leap leaving in its wake rise in disposable income and consequently enhancement in the standard of living of the people.

If the Industrial Revolution was an economic phenomenon, the Renaissance that preceded it was a cultural-cum-knowledge revolution. Renaissance, which commenced in Italy in the 14th century, marked another epoch defined by phenomenal rise in intellectual pursuits and artistic developments.

There’s what may also be pronounced as Media Revolution, an age that birthed what Prof Wole Soyinka described as agencies of instant communication, which convey our march of history in contemporary, real-life tempo. With CNN, Aljazeera, BBC, etc. and Internet, national boundaries are obliterated and geographical distance counts for nothing.

As there are epochs so are individuals which define their times. Thus we can speak of the Pele era in football; the Maradona era; the Messi age. Are there other good footballers? Yes, of course. But you see the likes of Pele, Maradona and Messi once in a generation, sometimes in lifetime. The same can be said of Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson. Yes, there were other good boxers, even great boxers but the two defined their times.

There are leaders whose works created the epochs.

Lee Kuan Yew, as Prime Minister, is credited with moving Singapore, a colonial outpost with no natural resources, from the Third World to First World. When you mention Singapore today, the image of Kuan Yew comes to your mind and the thought of Asian Tiger crosses your mind.

The Western Region of Nigeria witnessed its golden years under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was the Premier between 1954 and 1959, previously the Leader of Government Business of the Region from 1952.

It was in the Western Region, during the Awo epoch, that agricultural settlements and institutes were first established. It was in this region that a minimum living wage was first introduced in Nigeria, and paid to workers. The first industrial estate and housing estate in Nigeria were established in the Western Nigeria.

The first television service in the whole of Africa was established in the Western Region. Liberty Stadium, established in 1959, was also the first in Nigeria. Steel ballot boxes and security-printed ballot papers were first used in the Western Region at the instance and

John Mayaki

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nce upon a time, a man contested at a gubernatorial election. He apparently lost the election to a man that was of a more trustworthy mien to execute the mandate of the people of that state, and, egged on by his political party, co-wrote a petition contesting the declaration of that other man as the winner.

The petition blew into an election tribunal, and no sooner had the tribunal commenced sitting than the man, a political pastor it was said, passionately prayed the tribunal to declare him the winner of that election and send the other man packing, who by this time was already leading the people to progress.

That was when, even in defeat, the going was good.

As it stands, this political pastor, whose name must now be revealed as Andrew Osagie, a former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) South-South leader is in a fine kettle of fish.

His case was not helped by a lawyer, who knowing the weakness of the petition, set about pursuing boomeranging arguments and lining up a host of witnesses – enough even to constitute a small army.

He was, his countenance revealed, a man of many sorrows. His lawyer was floundering with much grandstanding and the respondents were not resting on their oars. His identity was under intense debate.

Stone-faced, the political-pastor peered out of his elegant spectacles at the courtroom, wondering if the three judges seated knew what he was thinking – that he should never have contested the results of the election.

He wondered, somewhere in the deep recesses of his

Amosun insistence of the Action Group. Voting by symbol was equally introduced into Nigeria and first used in the Western Region.

Of course, it was in the Western Region that Free Universal Primary Education and Free Health Services for children up to the age of 18 were first introduced in Nigeria. Time and space will certainly fail me to mention more. That was indeed an era, an epoch that remains indelible in the history of the country. Awo launched the Western Region into its future at the speed of light, ahead of other regions in the country and only some years away from catching up with Europe.

Today, the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun has built the first-ever flyovers by any state government since the creation of Ogun State in 1976.

Thirty years after the legendary Chief Bisi Onabanjo introduced free education in Ogun State, it was Senator Ibikunle Amosun that re-introduced the scheme, which has expanded access to education. Amosun is the first to construct world-class model schools for children of public schools, which have made the private schools green with envy.

The governor has constructed the first-ever six-lane international standard roads across the state – complete with modern features such as drains, medians, greenbelts, walkways, street lights, etc. Amosun distributed 500 brand new transformers to bring back to life comatose Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Ogun in a single iconic gesture.

heart, if he was the man who contested the September 28th, 2016 governorship election. It had been exposed in court that the man who contested under the defeated umbrella of the PDP was quite different from he who challenged the outcome of the polls.

The rub was in demystifying the dark horse who contended the election – was it Osagie Andrew IzeIyamu or Andrew Ize-Iyamu or Pastor Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu? The tribunal was confounded.

This was the affliction of a man seeking to reap where he did not sow by wanting to be declared as the winner of an election he claimed was characterized by fraud, irregularities and other stout electoral offences.

Therefore, he was unamused, as was his party Chairman, when their melodramatic counsel, ordered them both – one a gangling fellow, the other, a bit of a Humpty-dumpty – to stand up. The aim had been for identification and mutual cognizance between both men.

The law would not suffer such a backdoor approach to rectify identity discrepancies between the party’s candidate and the 1st petitioner to stand.

Olanipekun (SAN), counsel to Godwin Obaseki, the 2nd respondent said: “We have given authorities on Supreme Court decisions to the effect that if you are JT or DT, you cannot say you are TJ because they do not point to the same person or the same direction. It dovetails to the locus standi of the 1st petitioner to come before your Lordships because there must be sanctity of the person, who is the petitioner and we say for now, there is no sanctity”.

Those who saw this attempt by the petitioners to bully the law were not flabbergasted, but they knew the petitioners could not reverse the good fortune they would enjoy under the man Obaseki.

It was Governor Amosun that introduced for the very first time in Ogun modern luxury buses, and the first in Nigeria to purchase the very latest technology of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).

The Amosun administration pays N18,250 as minimum wage, implemented the wage across board, and up to Local Government level, thus making Ogun the only state in Nigeria to do so.

The 2014 World Bank report, Doing Business in Nigeria, ranked Ogun as one of the top reforming states “that made the biggest strides towards the national frontier of good practices.” The state was ranked lowest overall performers in both 2008 and 2010 reports of the financial institution. Business Day had in 2013 declared Ogun State as the fastest-growing economy and first choice for industrialists and entrepreneurs among the 36 states in Nigeria. In November 2014, The Guardian, reported that Ogun State had become the hub of industrialization in Nigeria, overtaking other states.

The Amosun government constructed the first gated housing estates for all classes in the society.

Currently, among the 36 states of the federation, Ogun is the most celebrated by the National Health Insurance Scheme, being the only one that has statewide social health insurance scheme. As a matter of fact, during any National Retreat of the NHIS, Ogun is usually the “Faculty or Resource State”, what others may understand as a case study for other states to learn from or emulate.

And just last Thursday, amidst pomp and circumstance, five ultra-modern markets were launched in the capital city of the state. It was interesting to see the photo-news of the governor and his beautiful wife supported by government officials and market women on the escalators and elevators in one of the new shopping malls. Indeed, another shopping complex virtually hosts one of the most modern lifts/ elevators in the world. Those displaced by the new markets are now living in modern homes constructed by the state government.

One would only be a stone not to be touched by the events of last Thursday in Abeokuta. Amosun was a self-made man long before he joined politics. Obviously, he does not need these modern infrastructures personally. But driven by public interest, he has done all these for the present and future generations. As the curtains drew on event at Omida Shopping Complex, the public spiritedness of Amosun evoked this song (by Prince Adekunle)...

Seyi t’o o se Ore mi ojo nlo Eyii t’o o base La o royin Seyi t’o o se Ore mi ojo nlo (Contribute your quota My friend the clock is ticking/ Society can only report or echo your contribution /Contribute your quota My friend the clock is ticking) Indeed, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has done his own bit; he has launched Ogun into a new epoch of development.

––Soyombo, a journalist, sent this piece from Abeokuta via densityshow@yahoo.com.

Ize-Iyamu The optimism of the people of Edo State runs high daily, as can be seen in the reactions of the people and the politicians – even from the PDP divide.

Both men, Andrew and/or Osagie will never be the same anymore. They merely wrote petitions in conjunction with the party, PDP, without following the law, ignoring facts and reality, and consequently exhibiting desperation by basking in the misleading influence of wishful thinking.

––Mayaki wrote from Benin city

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PERSPECTIVE

Understanding the Role of LASAA Hakim Hadhza

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f recent, a phantasmal depiction of the relationship between the Lagos State Signage andAdvertisingAgency (LASAA) and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is being erroneously created in the media.And this unnecessary ember of discord is avoidably being fanned, sadly from unexpected quarters and personality that ought to know better.

This writer, being a practitioner with experience of over two decades, considers it impolite for any observer of the industry to remain quiet in the face of this uninformed propaganda against one of these two bodies. This writer has, as a matter of professional obligation, taken it upon himself to state that the purveyors of these untruths about the legal roles to be played by LASAA and APCON deserve to be healed of their legal and professional ignorance. And what better way is there to do this if not by educating promoters of needless mudslinging and illegal arrogation of induced powers about what LASAA and APCON were created to do by law.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to state that LASAA was established by the Lagos State Structure for Signage and Advertisement Law, 2006 (as amended), and saddled with functions, which include: control of outdoor structures to be used for signage and advertisements; issuance of licenses and permits for the construction and placement of outdoor structures in any part of the state; protection of the environment from potential adverse impact from visual blights; and control of the number, size and location of outdoor structures. There are other functions but this will suffice as the fundamental ones.

Also in the case of APCON, the body was established by Decree No.55 1988 as a body for advertising practitioners and charged with determining who are advertising practitioners; determining what standards of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as members of the advertising profession; securing the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons entitled to practice as advertising practitioners; and regulating and controlling the practice of advertising subject to the approval of the Minister of Health, where the advertisement relates to matters of foods, cosmetics, beverages and drugs.

From what has been spelt out thus far, it is wrong for anyone to say that LASAA that has strictly restricted itself to performing the above listed functions has ventured into regulating communication contents in outdoor advertisement structures and signage. The jurisdiction of the agency is clearly entrenched in its enabling law to control and regulate structures for advertisement in Lagos State, which it is doing diligently without acting ultra vires in exercising its powers in the performance of these functions. The operative words here are advertising structures and their impact on the environment, not the contents which in large advertising make-ups remain within the purview of APCON. Further to the above is the need to restate that the jurisdiction of the authority of APCON is not ambiguous to warrant the distasteful avoidable empty noise being championed by some people. Permit

Sanusi me to state that this, in relation to APCON powers, does not include encroaching into the terrain of business signage because clients deploying such signage are not advertising practitioners and are not involved in the practice of advertising. More importantly, most registered business names in shopping malls, markets, stalls ought to have been vetted by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) through searches at the point of registration. It is the inscription of approved names in signs that concerns LASAA and not APCON. This new twist by APCON leaves a flurry of questions begging for answers. Will APCON now decide to register and issue certificate of practice to all potential small scale businesses with sign inscription as advertising practitioners? Will APCON now insist that a practitioner must execute the sign writing displays for all small scale businesses affected by this new move? Is this really about regulation of practice or just a new revenue model?

Decree No.55 of 1988 does not confer on APCON the powers to regulate and control advertising and advertisement businesses in all aspects and ramifications. To say otherwise is fallacious and could lead to sheer manipulation of the law. It could also lead to rigmarole of the law establishing APCON. APCON can simply be said not to have the power to compel small scale business names in the Lagos Metropolis that install signage as an accessories to their businesses to register for vetting with the body because it is only empowered to regulate the practice (which according to Oxford Dictionary means to carry-out or exercise a profession) of outdoor advertising in Nigeria.

LASAA, on the other hand, is responsible for regulating structures for signage and outdoor advertisement in the state. Hence there is no ambiguity or conflict in the Laws that established the duo.

This writer equally noticed a curious and sad twist in the warped picture painted about LASAA regarding the legality of the office of its Managing Director by insisting that LASAA MD must belong to APCON. Those behind this sick joke simply missed the point. I am sure those behind this misplaced position are ignorant. So, let us educate them. Part IV privileges of registered persons and offences

by Unregistered Persons (Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc) Act C Cap 7 LFN 1990 (Act Cap A7 LFN 2004), which those behind this campaign of calumny bank on to justify their position, refers only to a public office holder who engages in an act pertaining to the profession (running an outdoor advertising company) for gain without obtaining the license of APCON. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, gain means profit and to show the ignorance of those traducers; they have forgotten that LASAA was established solely as a regulatory body for advertising structures and signs to ensure friendly environmental aesthetics and not for the purpose of profit making as epitomised in the APCON law classification.

None of LASAA workforce engages in outdoor advertising business let alone the head of the institution. His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in accordance with the law that established the agency, graciously appointed the Managing Director.

A sign of correction to mischief-makers is that the salary and other emoluments received by the head of the place can never be termed a ‘profit’ as being touted.

Let us even assume for argument sakes that the head of LASAA ought to have joined APCON, it should be on honorary basis because the heading of the opening page to the section clearly states that the provisions below it are privileges and not a compelling duty or right. I must say that it is elementary Constitutional Law that privileges and rights differ. According to black’s law dictionary, “privilege means a particular and peculiar benefit or advantage enjoyed by a person or company”. And “right is defined as the power, franchise or immunity held by a person or class, against or beyond the course of law”. The noise about the Head of LASAA, Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi, being forced to register with APCON has no legal basis being a mere privilege with no compelling force of law; incase the advocates of this erroneous position do not know, it is a legal right/duty that could only be legally compelled. The public should stop being fooled with the alleged APCON arrogation of power that is not legally given to it.

Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi, a journalist and lawyer, is not an outdoor practitioner, but an appointed regulator who has the rare foresight and understanding of the duties conferred on him. The duties, which the public and the state at large, confirm he has been doing assiduously.

I advise its sponsors to desist from mudslinging and character defamation. It is simply irresponsible to use misleading facts to gain cheap momentum from members of the public who, I believe, are much enlightened to decipher accurate facts from deceptive and entertaining comic strip.

I know for a fact that LASAA as a responsible agency of the state is not out to foment conflict. I also believe it should not sit back and watch any agency unduly encroach on its jurisdiction whenever such wants to occur.

––Hakim Hadhza is an Abuja based advertising practitioner

A Cathedraticum to Remember in Abuja Tony Amadi

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he political economy of the Catholic Church includes the Cathedraticum, an annual ritual practiced since early Christianity as a payment made solely to finance the Bishop by the parishes and chapters under his jurisdiction. The Bishop of Rome, better known as the Pope, manages his finances from contributions from the Catholic Church all around the world of.

Similarly, the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja gets it’s own finances from the hundreds of churches under the Archbishop of Abuja.

Abuja is divided into six deaneries, a grouping of several parishes of the Catholic Church in the Federal Capital. It is a convenient way for the Archbishop, Cardinal John Onayekan, to administer the diocese.

Along with his Auxiliary Bishop, Most Reverend Dr. Anselem Umoren, the Cardinal along with over 30 priests of the Lugbe Deanery under the headship of Very Reverend Solomon Uko stormed the St. Anthony of Padua Chaplaincy at the Airforce base, Airport Road, Abuja for the annual visit of the Bishop to the Deanery and the “payment of the annual tax” to the Bishop to enable him run the Catholic Church in the diocese.

But the Cathedraticum is not all about paying the Bishop, rather it is a solemn religious event conducted with a high mass celebrated by the Bishop. As the 30 strong priests lined up to begin the event, it was normal that the Cardinal would trail at the end of the procession of the religious whether he was officiating or not, but in keeping

with his tradition as master of humility, he allowed the officiating Auxiliary Bishop Anselem Umoren to take the glory.

The priest of the Chaplaincy, Rev Father (Wing Commander) Kwasau, made every body laugh with his highly inspiring welcoming address to the army of Catholic faithful that emptied into the Air Base as the Cathedraticum was holding there for the first time.

It was also my first time at a Cathedraticum, thanks to my Parish Priest, Reverend Father David Kipriono, the Kenyan priest who has stayed with us for the past six years and now about to leave us for further studies in Ireland as part of the rules of St. Patrick’s Missionary Society which he belongs. He had insisted that as outgoing CMO Chairman at St Christopher’s Games Village, Abuja, for the same period that he has been around, I should not miss it. I was happy I did because the blessings that poured out to the faithful at the event were simply unmissable.

The officiating Most Rev. Dr Anselem Umoren rendered a powerful homily and with the captivating readings of the day from the Book of Daniel (3:14-20 24-25.28) where Shedrak, Meshach and Abednego defied King Nebuchadnezzer who sentenced them to the overwhelming heat of the burning fiery furnace for not worshipping the Kings own god.

And the Gospel from St John (8:31-42) where Our Lord Jesus Christ laid the machinations of the Jews who were intent on killing him because he told the truth: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. You do the works of your father”.

Pope Francis The smouldering heat being experienced in Abuja these days and the growing menace of meningitis as a result may be one reason the Auxiliary Bishop sensing that more worshippers were outside rather than inside the comparatively small church building at the Nigeria Airforce base did not go into a lengthy epistle before the cathedraticum began. However no one was left in doubt that the message he imparted on the faithful was very well received.

The fourteen churches that make up the Lugbe Deanery showed God from their gifts and payment of the Cathedraticum that “You are to

be praised and highly exalted for ever”, a line from the Responsorial Psalm of the day.

The spiritual enrichment of the 2017 Cathedraticum of the Lugbe Deanery of the Archdiocese of Abuja was a obviously a Cathedraticum to remember and the multitudes went home happy and fully satisfied that they had been touched by the spirit of God as the Passion of Christ is set to begin and the Easter celebrations loom in the horizon.

––Amadi, a veteran journalist, wrote from Abuja tonyamadi2009@yahoo.com

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 9, 2017

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GAVEL TO GAVEL

Edited by Olawale Olaleye Email: wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

Buhari at a dinner with the leadership of the National Assembly and the APC at the Villa...recently

How Far Can Buhari’s Charm Offensive Go? Will the recent rapprochement between the Executive and the Legislature as brokered by President Muhammadu Buhari change the tide of discontents between the two arms of government? Damilola Oyedele asks

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he conflict between the Executive and Legislature dates back to the beginning of the eighth National Assembly, where Senator Bukola Saraki had gone against the wish of the leadership in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge the President of the Senate. Perhaps his cardinal sin was the alleged negotiations with the Senators of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to give them the Deputy Senate Presidency slot, leading to the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Following this perceived slight, Saraki has remained in the bad books of a certain section of the leadership of the party, which also forced the presidency to read the equation its own way, thus compounding the political reading around Saraki. But the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, had pulled off a similar coup, wriggled his way into the good books of the president and other leaders of the party, by conceding early to their whims. Saraki remained on the other side.

Worsened by the trial of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and other persecutions, the Senators were miffed that they were being punished for choosing their own leaders in a democratic government, rather than allow a party to foist leaders on them.

The acrimony resulted in the Executive and Senate regarding each other as opposition. For a while, Saraki became personae non grata at the presidential villa, an unusual development even in the nation’s democracy.

President’s Buhari’s ‘body language’ with the Senate and its leadership is also believed to have emboldened his appointees to be quick to throw verbal jibes at the Senate or dismiss its summons, as they seemed to be trying to outdo each other in the quest.

From the ministers, who shunned invitations from Senate Committees, to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who said the Senators were speaking ‘balderdash’ after a report of an investigation indicted him for fraud, the no-love-lost between them had festered considerably but not irreconcilably.

The relations however descended to

an all-time low in recent times following the disrespectful disposition of the Customs Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), to a simple resolution that he should appear before the Senate in uniform over his retrospective policy

Worsened by the trial of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and other persecutions, the Senators were miffed that they were being punished for choosing their own leaders in a democratic government, rather than allow a party to foist leaders on them

on vehicle customs duties payment.

He had first gone on television to grandstand on how the senators’ business should be whether he was doing his job well, rather than compel him to wear uniform. He also wrote to the Senators indicating that he would be unable to honor their summons until he was prevailed on by the presidency to oblige. He however failed to appear in uniform, at plenary, citing a suit filed in court to determine whether any law requires him to wear uniform.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, who at several times had shunned summons of both the Senate and the House, had joined the fray when he ‘advised’ the Senate to stay action on the matter, leading the lawmakers to accusing him of interfering in their duties, in contravention of the doctrine of separation of powers.

President Buhari’s inaction on the matters of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, following the refusal by the Senate to confirm him as substantive Chairman, also contributed to the face-off.

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GAVEL TO GAVEL/ BILLS, MOTIONS, ET AL. How Far Can Buhari’s Charm Offensive Go?

Cont’d from Pg. 82

Unfortunately, some other appointees of Buhari, like the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay criticised the Senators for the rejection, discounting the fact that Magu was rejected based on an indictment by the Department of State Services (DSS) domiciled in the same presidency.

The Senate further reacted to sheer disrespect for the institution by deferring action on the consideration of 27 nominees by Buhari as Resident Electoral Commissioners, and two other ministerial replacements until it receives clarity on its powers to confirm, following the president’s inaction on Magu.

Sagay, however, worsened the faceoff when he described the Senators as “childish, irresponsible and people with questionable characters”. He again said the Senators have no powers to summon him over the verbal assaults even though he is an appointee of the government, whose office spends appropriated funds belonging to the Nigerian people.

Is Detente in the offing?

Even though President Buhari has never publicly cautioned his appointees to desist from insulting the Senate or any other arm of government, he has appointed Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to head a reconciliatory committee to smoothen relations between the warring parties. It remains unclear what exactly the terms of reference of the committee are, but THISDAY gathered that it held a meeting last Wednesday night.

The senate welcomed the development and pledged to work with the committee to sort out all grey areas. The party, the APC, also waded into the matter, and held a meeting, which turned out to be explosive, with its Senate caucus.

At the meeting, which was the first ever between the National Working Committee (NWC) headed by the party Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the caucus, where the Senators bared their minds on the wrongful treatment of the legislature by the Buhari government. The APC also issued a statement, through its spokesman, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, cautioning all parties against inciting statements capable of truncating the peace process.

The Lawmakers Speak Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, responding to questions from THISDAY, said the face-off should not be considered as crises in the sense of the word. He added that there is no genuine democracy in any part of the world, without disagreements, and attributed the issues to lack of communication between the Executive and the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly.

“I think it is more of a communication gap. In previous administrations, the presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly met fortnightly to rub minds together. It enabled them to share perspectives on where the administration was headed and to iron out any issues. But when people decide to just do their things, there could be confusion and lack of cohesion,” he said.

Ekweremadu also harped on the need for adequate consultations before certain steps and decisions are taken.

“As Bowles put it and it is often used in the United States, the Presidency’s single most important political relationship is that with the Congress.

We know that the key to any healthy relationship is communication. In fact, the more consultations, the better. It doesn’t make the presidency or the legislature less important. It rather builds the needed mutual trust and respect, which culminates in smooth and good governance,” he added.

The Deputy Senate President said the decision to appoint Osinbajo to head the reconciliation committee was a good one, as the vice-president is a highly experienced, respected and fine gentleman with humble dispositions, who would succeed once there

President Buhari, Senator Saraki and Hon. Dogara after a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

is sincerity of purpose.

“So, for me, going forward, true and sincere executive-legislature harmony means more communication, more consultation, more consensus-building, mutual respect, and very importantly, constitutionality and deep respect for the rule of law. Every arm of government has constitutional roles carved out for it.

“If any encroaches on or disrespects the other, then there could be problems and unnecessary heating up of the polity. Imagine a situation, where legislative aides and committee Clerks begin to call the President, vice-president, ministers, and other presidential appointees names? It won’t look nice.

“If democracy is such that the executive must have its way, then there would have been no need for the legislature to create checks and balance. The Constitution would not also have subjected some of its decisions to legislative approval. There would also have been no need for the judiciary to interpret the actions of the executive in the eyes of the law. But, both arms are there because no one man or institution is so good that it should be entrusted with unlimited powers,” Ekweremadu added.

Senator Wakili Ali (Bauchi South) of the APC said the face-off should be considered as a means to strengthen democracy, entrenching the rule of law, and the principle of separation of powers.

“Yes, the vice-president can play a great role in bringing about understanding between the various arms of government. His level headedness, his intellect, his suave, and non-indulgence into controversies as a Senior Advocate, unlike others, are great assets that place him in a position to see how all sides are placated,” he said in an interview.

He however cautioned that the APC must be proactive ahead of 2019 to strengthen its chances of remaining in power.

“The APC must be proactive so as to ensure that the fallout of the emergence of the VP as the running mate, resistance of some prominent members of the party against Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015, and possible permutations for 2019, do not become its albatross,” Wakili added.

He stated that there would be sincere truce when both sides commit to the principles of the separation of powers, when appointees stop grandstanding, making nasty comments, spreading insurrection and campaigns of calumny, inciting the public and demonising other

arms of government. These, he said, would lead to continuous engagement, greater understanding, and ensure that possible areas of friction are nipped in the bud.

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) of the PDP, also spoke with THISDAY and said while the relationship between the executive and the legislature is supposed to be adversarial, it should not be hateful or confrontational “I think the best way is what is happening now, where each side comes to the realisation that they do not have the absolute powers to subdue each other. Once that is accepted, then, it would be possible for the Osinbajo committee to do the difficult task of bringing everybody together to work in the interest of the public. Once there is sincerity of purpose in the effort to

So, for me, going forward, true and sincere executivelegislature harmony means more communication, more consultation, more consensus-building, mutual respect, and very importantly, constitutionality and deep respect for the rule of law. Every arm of government has constitutional roles carved out for it

make peace, they should be able to broker peace,” he said.

He attributed the friction between the two bodies to the leadership challenge at the inauguration of the assembly.

“I also feel that with time, they have also gotten to understand that sometimes in politics, you don’t win, what you want to win, you have to live with the consequences of decisions that other people make. I think they are coming to that understanding now, and that is why we are seeing these efforts.

“In any case, we have also come to the middle of the tenure, and therefore you must be able to provide to Nigerians, evidence that promises you made coming into office, you have been able to deliver on them. In an effort to want to deliver, they have to put away distractions,” he said.

According to him, true harmony would translate to a better working relationship between the Executive and the Senate, less attack on the legislature from the employees of the President, and a softening of the hard stance that the legislature is taking against the Executive. It would also translate to quicker passage of bills and other matters that are brought to the attention of the Senate from the Executive, he added.

An APC Senator, who preferred to speak off-the-record, said the choice of Osinbajo to broker truce could be considered an indication of some sincerity.

“In this government, it has become obvious that when the President is serious about resolving an issue, he puts the vice-president in charge. Look at the manner we were able to reduce militancy in the Niger Delta. Osinbajo went round the states, despite security reports that had kept the president away from there.

“He engaged the stakeholders, and his language was precise and clear: ‘You have our ears, tell us exactly what you want, what the issues are. We are willing to soothe the pains, but you have to stop the militancy, and give us a chance.’ That was his message, loud and clear. So in putting Osinbajo in charge, we expect the discussions to go smoothly, and possible have some truce, pursue harmonious relationship in the interest of Nigeria,” he said.

The Senate has indicated that it was open to a rapprochement. It is however incumbent on both parties to ensure that they are able to work out a harmonious relationship in the interest of Nigeria and its citizenry.

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GAVEL TO GAVEL/ BILLS, MOTIONS, ET AL.

The Twist in Ondo Assembly Crisis The struggle for a ‘vibrant’ legislature has gradually turned to an avenue for members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to pursue their personal interests in the House thus deepening confusion caused by the convoluted crisis, writes James Sowole

G

oing by the current situation and relationship among members of the legislative arm of government in Ondo State, it would not be an overstatement to describe the State House ofAssembly as one in disarray as the crisis which started in the twilight of the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has been taking different dimensions on a daily basis.

It was no longer news that the crisis had led to the division of membership of the House into two equal halves with 13 on each side.

While there were five members of the All Progressive Party (APC) with eight members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on one side led then by Hon Malachi Coker, the other side led by Jumoke Akindele comprises of 13 members of the PDP. When the crisis started, many people thought that it was meant to prevent Mimiko from using the Assembly to get approval for certain things but the tide has turned and it had become an avenue for some members of the House to seek personal benefits.

That the crisis created opportunity for some aggrieved members to pursue their personal ambition was evidenced by the struggle that was witnessed in the process of choosing the leadership among the 13 aggrieved members that purportedly impeached the speaker, Akindele; his deputy, Hon Fatai Olotu; and the Majority Leader, Hon Dayo Akinsoyinu.

Left for the governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, total reconciliation between the two factions of the 26-member Assembly was his concern immediately he was inaugurated as the governor but the lust for power turned the matter to a more complicated one particularly on the side of the purportedly aggrieved faction.

THISDAY learnt that when Akeredolu resumed office, he pointedly told the 13 members of the purportedly aggrieved faction who requested that he should order the reopening of the Assembly for them to sit, that he did not want sectional settlement, but a resolution that would involve the entire 26 members.

To ensure total reconciliation of the entire House members, former speakers of the Assembly, Ayo Agbonmuserin, Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa, Victor Olabimtan and Taofeek Abdulsalam were made to meet with all members where a decision was taken in the interest of peace so that the legislative activities could start in earnest.

According to findings, it was resolved at the meeting that the Akindele faction should withdraw all cases in court, that she, Olotu and Akinsoyinu should resign.

The other faction led by Malachi Coker and his deputy, Ayodele Arowele, were also expected to follow suit two days later so that they can all hold plenary where a new speaker and other principal officers would be selected.

However, this was not to be until the matter degenerated, which made the people to allege that the Coker faction was not ready for resolution of the crisis because he and other purported leaders of the group failed to honour the agreement reached at the meeting with former speakers.

Rather than resigning, Coker presided over a plenary on March 20, where it was reiterated that Akindele and the other principal officers had been impeached and they were directed to return all properties of the Assembly to the clerk.

As expected, this action of the Coker led faction was not satisfactory to the other group, who saw it as a breach of the agreement.

But for every action of this nature, somebody or group of persons are likely to benefit.

So the crisis created an opportunity for the executive to get approval for the list of 18 Caretaker Chairmen of local governments that was sent to the Assembly within hours despite controversies generated by the court judgment on the conduct of council election of April last year.

The express approval of the Assembly paved the way for the inauguration of the local

Members of the Assembly during a session

government caretaker chairmen few hours later after the action of the Assembly plenary that had in attendance only 13 purportedly aggrieved lawmakers.

On the day that the Assembly approved the list of chairmen, the leadership did more than expected with the election of principal officers of the House, a development which also caused disagreement among the 13 lawmakers in the faction.

At the end of the election, Hon David Oloyelogun of Ifedore Constituency in the Central Senatorial District, scored nine votes to emerge as the Speaker after defeating Hon Olamide George of Akure North, who polled four votes, Hon Iroju Ogundeji of Odigbo II Constituency emerged as the Deputy Speaker unopposed while Hon Olugbenga Araoyinbo of Akoko South West II, emerged as the Majority Leader.

The result of the election did not go down well with George, who worked out of the chamber in protest against the election. But he later came back into the chamber after some members appealed to him.

As part of the game plan, four of the eight members of the PDP in the faction announced their defection to the APC at a news conference addressed at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, citing the crisis in the PDP as one of the reasons for their action.

Those that defected on the day were the new speaker (Oloyelogun), the Deputy Speaker (Ogundeji), Ayo Arowele of Owo Constituency and Segun Ajimotokin of Irele Constituency. But the following day, membership of the APC in the Assembly increased by one more person, Oluyede Olusola of Ose Constituency.

The five lawmakers at the plenary on April 4 one after the other explained reasons for their defection on the floor of the Assembly The speaker said he decided to join the APC because the PDP had been factionalised from the national to the local government level to the extent that members do not know which of the group is in the control.

Corroborating the position of the speaker, the deputy speaker said due to the crisis that was rocking the PDP the people of his constituency had been expressing worries

that he would not be able to serve them as expected.

“My people had been talking to me to tow the line of the party that can give them dividends of democracy, so I do not have the choice than to respect them because they are the one that I am representing”, he said.

Another defector, Ayo Arowele of Owo II, said: “What is happening is like when you are in a ship that is sinking, you do not have the choice than to find your way unless you want to sink with the ship. PDP is sinking, I have to find my way, so I am moving from PDP to APC from today”.

Segun Ajimotokin (Irele) expressed worries that PDP under which umbrella he was elected was having problem but he has no choice than to move because the solution was not in sight yet.

“I had observed very well that it will take a very long time before the PDP crisis is resolved. I am not unaware that some people will not be happy but I have taken a decision that will make people happy”, he said.

The fifth defector, Oluyede Olusola, said the decision to move was basically because the governor is from Ondo North Senatorial District and also from the same Federal Constituency.

“My defection is basically because I am a progressive person. I am from the Northern Senatorial District where the governor is from and I don’t want to oppose him. I have to join him to move the state forward. It was a decision taken after consultation with my people”, he said.

With the defection of the five PDP lawmakers, the number of APC lawmakers in the House had risen to 10 while the PDP now has 16 members in the Assembly.

The Coker led team was very tactical in its action particularly on the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. The principal officers did not defect until after their election since it is the House rule that a party with majority should produce principal officers.

Reactions Speaking on the situation, the spokesperson of the Akindele group, Siji Akindioose, of

the Ondo East Constituency said the whole thing was about ambition of some people adding that his own group had nothing to struggle with anybody.

He said there was a fundamental error about the whole issue because members of the Assembly as tradition don’t sit on Friday and Monday and that it would be wrong for some people to say they effected leadership change on those day.

Akindiose also said that it was not possible for 13 members of the House to sit and said they had impeached the speaker and principal officers when it was cleared that such action can only take place with endorsement of two third majority.

“Where then did 13 becomes 18. So Akindele was not impeached from his office as the speaker. We were prevailed upon by former speakers who we respected to settle in the interest of Ondo State. We have done all that were required from our own side but they were the one that reneged on the agreement.

“Sequel to their intrigues, you can see that more confusion had been created and people can now see who is doing what”, Akindiose stated.

On the defection of some members of the PDP to APC, Akindiose noted that everybody has the right to belong to association of his choice but the defection was done too early.

“We have made the pledge that we will not do anything that will affect the administration adversely because it is not part of our mandate to oppose any government but to do the right thing.

“Again let it be known that (the fact that) somebody belong to the APC does not mean that such person will be more loyal to the state or the governor than the PDP man”, he said.

However, in what looked as if reason was now prevailing, the Assembly on Wednesday said the purported impeachment of Akindele and his deputy had been converted to retirement.

It is expected that more events will unfold in due course. But for now, the Assembly crisis had prevented the governor from sending names of commissioner nominees and special advisers to the House for approval.

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NEWSXTRA

FOR BETTER YIELD R-L: Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki unveiling improved seeds for use by farmers at the launch of Agripreneur scheme in Sabo, Edo State...at the weekend

WE ARE ONE! Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (middle), flanked by two former governors of the state, Obong Victor Attah (left) and Senator Godswill Akpabio (right), at the funeral ceremony of late Oku Ibom Ibibio III and Paramount Ruler of Onna Local Government Area, HE Akwa Edidem (Dr.) Akpabio Udo Ukpa, held at Onna Sports Stadium...recently

Meningitis: NMA Wants Local Production of Vaccines, Flays FG Response • As Air Force vaccinates personnel, recruits; NYSC to engage corps members Abimbola Akosile, Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to embark on local production of vaccines to ensure adequate supply and prevent epidemics in Nigeria, while flaying the latter for lack of preparedness to tackle the scourge of Cero Spinal Meningitis (CSM) currently spreading across the country.

To achieve the local content goal, the body, in a statement issued yesterday by its President, Mike Ogirima, called for an expansion of local vaccines production at the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State.

So far, the Type C Meningitis strain has spread to over 16 States, 90 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and has killed about 400 Nigerians; with government experiencing difficulty in securing

the needed vaccines.

Ogirima explained that revival of local vaccines production would afford the country opportunity to administer vaccination on its populace as and when due.

This, he said, would help reduce the impact of outbreak of any epidemic.

“Our pharmaceutical industries should be challenged and supported to produce our consumables. This should be the new order instead of budgeting huge sums of money for importation of vaccines and other consumables,” he said.

The NMA however, discouraged vaccination after an outbreak of epidemics, noting that such immunisation was ineffective.

According to him, an effective immunisation must have been administered three months prior to clinical manifestation of such disease.

The NMA chieftain also said the body is “embarrassed” that

the current meningitis outbreak has again taken the nation “unawares”. He noted that the federal government couldn’t have claimed to be unprepared when the country’s seasonal climatic conditions are predictable.

Ogirima said: “It is embarrassing again to note that this epidemic has taken us unaware.

The country has a pattern of climate change and we should have emergency preparedness plan that should be activated routinely to avert disaster.”

Meanwhile, to ameliorate the raging effect of meningitis across the nation, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday said it has taken steps against the illness by vaccinating its personnel and new recruits, especially in the headquarters and other northern states where the disease is prevalent.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, disclosed this at the presentation of accreditation certificate for 561

Aviation Medicine Department, as well as the Cancer Awareness Lecture held at the Logistics Command in Lagos.

Abubakar, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Yahaya, said awareness of the disease is key, adding that the service has started observing the given rules.

He also said the service has started reviewing procedures and processes of entrance, so that people coming into the service would undertake psychiatric evaluation.

On the recognition of two of its doctors-WingCommanderAlfred Ayodeji and Squadron Leader Joshua Danji, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as certified Aero Medical examiners, Sadiq said it was rewarding for the service to have achieved the feat, noting that the process commenced seven years ago.

German National Who Slumped at Only Muslims Can Effectively Fight Terrorism, Says Sheikh Gumi Lagos Airport, Dies • As El-Rufai advocates peace and harmony

Chinedu Eze

John Shiklam in Kaduna

An expatriate suspected to be a German national and identified as Mr. Brenard Christo, who slumped on Friday at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, has been reported to have died in an undisclosed hospital of a possible heart attack.

The spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the death yesterday. Alabi said the deceased was waiting to board a local Arik Air flight on Friday morning when he suddenly collapsed.

He said medics attached to the Federal Airports Authority of

Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has asserted that only Muslims can effectively fight terrorism.

Gumi spoke at the graduation of students of the Centre for the Study of Christian – Muslim Relation in Kaduna yesterday.

The Centre was founded in 2004 by the Secretary General of the Global Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Idowu-Fearon, who was then the Archbishop of the Kaduna Diocese of the Anglican Church.

Gumi said it was unfortunate that when Saudi Arabia wanted Nigeria to join a coalition of Muslim countries to fight terrorism, Nigerian Christians saw the move as a plot to Islamise the country.

According to him, one of the problems of religious intolerance, especially in the North is ignorance and poverty from both adherents of the two religions. He said mutual suspicion between the two religious groups has denied the country the opportunity to benefit from other countries.

According to him, “Saudi Arabia, which is the heart of Islam, wanted a coalition of Muslim state to fight terrorism. Terrorism destroys Muslims more than any other people. This terrorism is mentioned 1,400 years before it happens. The prophet said before the end of time you will find youths, claiming Islam, using the Qur’an, killing people. So it is even mentioned in Islamic books that terrorism is coming.”

Nigeria (FAAN) rushed to assist the German citizen and he was eventually taken to the said hospital where he later passed on.

The death was also confirmed by the Media Consultant to Arik Air, Mr. Simon Tumba, who explained that the deceased was on his way to Benin when he slumped.

“What happened was that the passenger was enroute Benin, when he was boarding, slumped and collapsed.

And Arik, being a responsible carrier, promptly contacted the medics from FAAN when promptly took him to hospital. He died on arrival at the hospital,” Tumba said.

Soldier, Engineer Nabbed for Kidnapping in Bayelsa Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The police in Bayelsa State yesterday paraded a serving military officer and an engineer for kidnapping a lady and holding her hostage in a hotel in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Lance Corporal Williams Zekena of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Barracks, Kaduna State, and an Engineer, Tom Yakubu, working with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Special Projects, reportedly demanded N24 million as ransom before releasing their victim.

The Police said the suspects abducted one Beauty Aya, aged 25, from Warri, Delta State and took her to Bayelsa, but the girl’s boyfriend was only able to pay N200,000.

The State Commissioner of Police, Amba Asuquo, said Zekena and Yakubu, who claimed to be a contractor with the ministry, took the woman to a hideout in Azikoro Village in Yenagoa.

According to Asuquo, the suspects later reduced the ransom to N11 million, but were only able to get an initial N200,000 before luck ran out on them.

Yakubu, in a chat, confessed to the crime, stressing that while he hails from Jos, his accomplice is a native of Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa state.

Similarly, the command has arrested an ex- soldier, Okechukwu Umeokoro with a military pistol along Zarama road in the East/West road during a stop and search operation.

Code of Conduct Bureau Gets Standard Operational Procedure Anayo Okolie

In a move to strengthen the internal workings of the Code of Conduct Bureau, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a Standard Operational Procedure for the agency. The SOP was approved by the president in December 2016 and gazetted as Code of Conduct Bureau Standard Operational Procedure, 2017 on January 30.

This is the first time such an operational procedure would be consummated and approved by a president. Previously, efforts in this direction by the CCB executive council had always been sabotaged by the civil servants, who thought the agency should operate as a routine ministry contrary to the operational structure which the constitution

intended.

But after a careful vetting by the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice and the legal team in the Presidency, the SOP was approved.

Under the SOP, the chairman and members of the CCB, being referred to as the “Bureau Executive Council” in the document, is the “supreme and decision making authority” of the agency responsible for the “full control and management” of its funds.

The main features of the SOP include more proactive provisions for asset investigation and tracking, devolution of activities to the state offices of CCB, and strengthening of CCB’s position as the only anti-corruption agency that does not report to any government officer, including the President.

Olam Nigeria Rewards Long Service

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NEWSXTRA

CELEBRATING MARK NASSI FORUM L-R: Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, receiving a birthday card from Vicar-General of L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) Segun Tayo Kuti-George; NASSI Otukpo Diocese, Very Rev Fr Kenneth Odeh, during a Mass to mark the former’s 69th birthday in Otukpo, Benue State...yesterday

Member, Mrs. Comfort Solesi; Head, SME Business, Globacom, Mike Ehumadu, and NASSI Member, Mrs. Funmilayo Hamzat at NASSI Lagos MSME Trade Fair held in Alausa, Lagos...recently

Ozekhome Petitions Magu over N450m Enugu PDP Campaign Funds

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, has asked the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, to take over the on-going investigation into the disbursement of N450 million, allegedly, sent to the Enugu State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party by the party’s national headquarters during the 2015 presidential election.

Ozekhome, who is counsel to the secretary of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Committee in Enugu State during the presidential election, Hon. Rita Mbah, expressed dismay at the handling of the matter by the Enugu Zonal office of the EFCC. There are insinuations that the fund may be part of

the $2.1 billion arms procurement money that was diverted during the Jonathan administration.

In a nine-page letter to Magu titled, ‘A Clear Case of Victimisation, Perversion of Justice, illegal and unlawful detention, palpable bias, distorted and compromised investigation: Our Repressed Ms, Mbah’, Ozekhome said it had become necessary for the matter to be transferred from Enugu to Abujain view of the compromised attitudes displayed by the officers in Enugu.

He asked Magu to immediately constitute an unbiased and uncompromised team to investigate the receipt and disbursement of the fund, with the intent to possibly prosecute former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, who allegedly disbursed the money, and all others involved.

According to him, “developments since the commencement of the investigation in Enugu had shown that justice will eventually not be served. Mbah had lost confidence in the neutrality and impartiality of the Zonal office, given their palpable compromise and bias as can be gleaned from the chronology of the ugly events detailed in the letter.”

The letter, which detailed how the money was, allegedly, disbursed, said former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; chairman of the campaign team, Charles Egungbe; and Prof. Osita Ogbu received N5 million each.

It alleged that the then Commissioner of Police in the state, GOC 82 Division, and one DIG of police also got similar amounts.

The Department of State Ser-

vices and other security agents got N30 million, while one Dr. Festus Uzor got N38.3 million for distribution to officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the letter stated. It said other party leaders, including, Ikeje Asogwa, Eric Oluedo, Emeka Ujam and one Chime Oji, among others, equally received various sums of money from Chime.

Ozekhome alleged that rather than invite the affected persons, ‘The commission has continued to invite, arrest, detain, harass, intimidate, humiliate and victimise our client on the instructions of some influential persons in Enugu State whom Mbah alleges have heavily compromised the officers in the EFCC, Enugu zone, to look the other way and avert possible prosecution.

FAO Director-General Visits North- Edo Polls: Court Throws out Izeeastern Nigeria, Seeks Urgent Iyamu Appeal on Ballot Recount Increase in Assistance Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City recounting be discounted from the Abimbola Akosile

Director-General of the United Nations Foodnand Agricultural Organisation (FAO) José Graziano da Silva has said it is imperative to immediately ramp up humanitarian assistance to hunger-threatened rural communities in the strifetorn Lake Chad Basin region.

FAO has developed a threeyear strategy for the Lake Chad Basin crisis to improve food security and nutrition and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in the affected areas. With a budget of $232 million - $191 million for north-eastern Nigeria alone - required over the next three years, the Strategy targets three million people in the region; focusing on women and youth.

Speaking weekend during a visit to some of the affected areas in Northeastern Nigeria, Graziano da Silva said, “If we miss the coming planting season, there will be no substantial harvests until 2018. Failure to restore food production now will lead to the worsening of widespread and severe hunger and prolonged dependency on external assistance further into the future. The time for all of us to act is now.”

Insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin - which incorporates parts of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and northeastern Nigeria - has resulted in the largest humanitarian crisis in Africa. The conflict has forced an estimated 1.9 million people to abandon their homes and their predominantly agricultural livelihoods, in northeastern Nigeria alone.

Across the Lake Chad Basin region, some 7 million people risk suffering from severe hunger during the lean season and require immediate food and livelihood assistance.

“The situation we have now is largely due to the conflicts and armed groups that have devastated the lives and livelihoods across the whole of Lake Chad region. It is like an opportunistic infection, which is largely taking advantage of an already weak body from underlying problems of environmental degradation, related droughts, low investment in rural development and limited employment and livelihood opportunities for young men and women. We need to work on the symptoms by restoring peace and treat the disease by making the body stronger. This is all about resilience,” Graziano da Silva stressed.

The Court of Appeal in Benin City has thrown out the appeal filed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), against the ruling of the tribunal on the recounting of ballot papers.

Ize-Iyamu had asked the appellate court to order a complete recounting of used ballot papers from four local government areas produced before the lower tribunal.

The four local government areas are Akoko-Edo, Egor, Estako West and Estako East.

He contended that the tribunal erred when it stopped the recounting of the ballot papers once the 14 days given to the petitioners to present their case have elapsed.

Ize-Iyamu also requested an order that the period utilised by the

14 days granted the petitioners to prove their case. He pleaded that the time be restored in order for him to call more witnesses. Delivering a unanimous judgment on the appeal, Justice Mudasiru Nasiru who read the lead judgment said he decided to take great caution not to go out of bound since the tribunal was yet to deliver judgment on the main petition.

Justice Nasiru held that paragraph 41 of First Schedule of the Electoral Act prescribed the time upon which petitioners and respondents were to prove and defend their case. He ruled that any action done outside the prescribed time would be a nullity and that the tribunal was right to stop the counting of ballot papers after the 14 days have elapsed.

Mark at 69, Expresses Commitment to Charity Olawale Ajimotokan in Otukpo After taking stock of his immediate journey through life at 69, the immediate past President of the Senate, David Mark has extended an olive branch to his adversaries, asking them to bury their differences in the interest of peace.

Similarly, Senator Mark, who

was born on April 8, 1948 in Otukpo, Benue State, resolved to continue to serve God and humanity for the rest of his life.

Mark made this moving declaration yesterday while addressing well-wishers at a special thanksgiving mass to mark his 69th birthday at his Otukpo country home.

Midwestern Oil Sued over $20m Investment Akintunde Akinwale One of Nigeria’s serial entrepreneurs and boardroom czar, Onajite Paul Okoloko, has been sued by a group of investors for allegedly converting their investments worth $20 million in Midwestern Oil & Gas Company Limited into a non-related transaction to fund his other investment deals with Eroton Exploration and Production Company Limited.

In a Writ of Summons filed at the High Court of Lagos State on March 17, 2017, the claimant, Salta Integrated Concept Limited listed as defendants Onajite Paul Okoloko, First City Monument Bank, Midwestern Oil & Gas Limited, Eroton Exploration and Production Limited and Guaranty Trust Bank in the alleged $20 million investment deal.

The affidavit in support of the claimant’s motion sworn to by a director of Salta, Akindele Ojo, submits that in December 2012, the claimant entered into an agreement worth $20 million

to acquire five million shares of Midwestern Oil & Gas Limited (Midwestern) to partly finance the Reverse Takeover (RTO) of Mart Resources Inc., Canada. In addition, Salta alleged that in the event that the RTO fails, Midwestern Oil & Gas will refund the amount invested by Salta at prevailing interest rate.

Contrary to the executed agreement, only 4,702,970 units of the 5 million shares were issued to Salta by Okoloko. In the writ, Salta submits that Midwestern upon queries, claimed to have used the units left out to settle certain interests and individuals.

Till date, these individuals are yet to be named by Okoloko and Midwestern Oil. The plot against Salta got thickened when rather than use the $20million for the said purpose – RTO of Mart Resources, Midwestern oil diverted the funds from First City Monument Bank to a consortium that acquired OML 18 from Shell Petroleum through Eroton Investment.

‘CBN’s Forex Intervention ‘ll Revive Economy’

A financial expert and the Principal Partner of AG Fadairo & Co., Mr. AbdulGaniyu Dairo, has described the intervention of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the interbank forex as a step that would stabilise prices and revive the nation’s economic growth. Dairo, who said this in Lagos recently, noted that the CBN’s intervention policy would enable the apex bank achieve its objectives of boosting liquidity in the forex exchange market, in addition to reducing the gap between the official and parallel markets’ exchange rates of the naira. He, however, noted that for the success of the CBN’s intervention to be felt across board, the CBN must constantly monitor, charge and review the returns of the sales of foreign currency expectedly made by the banks and the Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in order to ensure that they do not sabotage the current arrangement that had given breather to the naira and that the set terms and conditions are met.

The Chartered accountant further stressed that as the apex market had repeatedly explained that it allowed for flexibility to come into play, the market was not expected to be fixed, adding that the market would move based on trend and as a sort of floating market.

Prof. Benedict Obumselu Passes On

The Obumselu family of Ezelle, Oba, Anambra State, announces the death of their son, Benedict Ebelechukwu Obumselu, which took place on Saturday, March 4, 2017, in Lagos. He was aged 86. Prof. Ben Obumselu was born on September 22, 1930 and was a formidable academic presence. First President of the association of Nigerian University Students and a College Scholar, he was one of the first two graduates of English from the University College, Ibadan, where he was contemporary to Emeka Anyaoku, and the late Gamaliel Onosode, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Bola Ige and Christopher Okigbo, amongst others. He took a doctorate from Oxford University before returning to Ibadan in the 1960s to lecture. The upheavals and political crises of the mid-60s forced Ben Obumselu back to the East where he becameoneofEmekaOjukwu’sclosestadvisers,playingakeyroleinthe1968 AhiaraDeclaration.AftertheCivilWar,helecturedattheSorbonneandheld the Cadbury Fellowship at the University of Birmingham. He retired from academia in 1988, becoming a prominent leader of the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

His powerful commitment to scholarship endured over the decades, and he continued to study, write and publish in prestigious academic journals.

Obumselu is survived by his widow, Mrs. Fidelia Obumselu, his first wife, Mrs. Christine Clinton-Obumselu, eight children and several grandchildren.

Funeralarrangementsshallbeannouncedbythefamilysoon.

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SUNDAYSPORTS

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

Chelsea Inch Closer to Premiership Title, Spurs Maintain Pressure

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arcos Alonso netted a picture-perfect freekick as Chelsea triumphed 3-1 at Bournemouth yesterday to restore their seven-point advantage at the top of the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur had cut Chelsea’s lead to four points by crushing Watford 4-0, but Antonio Conte’s men responded to take another step towards the title. Liverpool remain third after Brazilian substitutes Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino inspired a 2-1 comeback win at Stoke City, while fourth-place Manchester City beat Hull City 3-1.

Chelsea went 2-0 up inside the first 20 minutes at Bournemouth, Diego Costa’s mis-hit shot ballooning in off Adam Smith for an own goal before Eden Hazard added a second. Freed

by N’Golo Kante’s pass, the Belgian sprinted in on goal, rounded goalkeeper Artur Boruc and slipped in his 14th goal of the campaign.

Benik Afobe volleyed against the post for Bournemouth before Josh King reduced the arrears in the 42nd minute with an effort that fizzed past Thibaut Courtois via a deflection off David Luiz.

But Alonso settled the visitors’ nerves with 22 minutes to go, the Spanish wingback arcing a sumptuous free-kick over the wall and into the top-right corner, leaving Boruc rooted to the spot.

Earlier, South Korean forward Son HeungMin scored twice as Tottenham overpowered Watford at a sun-soaked White Hart Lane, with Dele Alli and Eric Dier also on target.

“The message for us is to keep pushing, winning games,” said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, who also welcomed back top scorer Harry Kane after an ankle injury.

“The team deserve full credit because the energy and the way they played was fantastic.”

Alli opened the deadlock with a sublime effort in the 33rd minute, arcing a shot into the top-right corner from 25 yards, before his England teammate Dier battered in Spurs’ second.

Son struck either side of half time a left-foot

Napoli, Lazio Clash Live on StarTimes

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ayTV network, StarTimes is set to broadcast live today top contenders in the Italian League as Lazio host Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico, in what football analysts expect to be “a highly fascinating encounter”.

With Napoli third on 64 points and Lazio trailing four points behind in fourth, we should be in for a fascinating clash in Rome as both teams will be going all out for the win, which should make for an open and exciting game.

Lazio head into this clash in outstanding form. The White and Sky Blues have won eight and drawn two of their last 10 matches in all competitions, and have not lost since a 1-0 home defeat to Chievo back in January. Football fans Will enjoy the game on StarTimes World Football Channel 244 or 255, 7.45pmlocal time.

Chief Operating Officer, StarTimes, Tunde Aina, said its commitment to delivering quality sporting content to its subscribers was the reason behind the acquisitions of sporting rights like the Serie A, Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, Chinese Super League, Eredivisie and recently, the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He said Startimes will be showcasing the best of Serie A football live from the various match centres to the screens of our customers with the Lazio-Napoli encounter as one of the biggest at the Stadio Olimpico. “We are confident that soccer fans will enjoy every moment of the game,” Aina said.

Moses’ return to the lineup yesterday was an added boost for Chelsea

curler followed by an adroit rightfoot volley to seal Spurs’ 11th consecutive home win in the league.

Liverpool sit five points below Spurs, having played a game more, after Firmino’s stunning strike secured victory at Stoke.

Jonathan Walters’s header his seventh league goal against Liverpool put Stoke ahead shortly

before half time.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made a double change at the break, sending on Coutinho and Firmino for teenagers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Woodburn, and it proved a winning move.

Coutinho, a prematch doubt due to illness, levelled in the 70th minute and two minutes

later Georginio Wijnaldum freed Firmino to thump in a glorious, dipping winner from 20 yards.

“Second half was really good, but we played a big gamble on a low battery bringing on Firmino and Coutinho,” said Klopp. “No team in the world wins only the very, very good games. You need to win games like this.”

Chinese Grand Prix: Hamilton Beats Vettel To Pole

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ercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won a tight fight with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to take pole position for today’s Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton beat Vettel by 0.186 seconds for his second pole in two races, while the German edged the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas by 0.001secs.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen made it the same top four on the grid as at the season-opening race in Australia. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was fifth but 1.355secs off the pace. The Australian’s team-mate Max Verstappen was 19th after an engine problem.

China has underlined the impression created at the Australian Grand Prix that Mercedes and Ferrari are incredibly closely matched at the start of a season where huge regulation change has produced faster and more demanding cars.

And as in Melbourne, it was Briton Hamilton who made the difference, pulling out the stops when it mattered in the final qualifying session as it appeared Ferrari might have the edge.

Vettel was fastest in final practice and in the first part of qualifying, and Raikkonen of Finland topped the second session. But 32-year-old Hamilton produced the first lap under one minute 32 seconds all weekend at the start of the top 10

shootout, beating Vettel by 0.184secs despite a slide at Turn 11.

Hamilton and Vettel both lowered their times by a little over 0.2secs on their final runs and the Mercedes man kept the advantage. It was Hamilton’s sixth pole in a row - dating back to last year’s US Grand Prix - and his sixth in China, where his record of four wins is better than any other driver.

However, he will surely know he has his work cut out to beat Ferrari in the race after Vettel’s impressive victory in Australia two weeks ago.

The race could well be wet, with overnight rain predicted and cooler temperatures than qualifying, which was dry and bright. Governing body the FIA has taken steps to ensure the cars can run after farcical scenes on Friday, when practice was badly disrupted because the medical helicopter could not operate.

A wet race would be a complete unknown for the drivers - not only did they get hardly any running on Friday but they have not driven these new cars in the wet before this weekend, and Pirelli has designed new wet tyres for this season after complaints the previous ones were not effective enough.

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS & FIXTURES

Former Super Eagles striker, Jonathan Akpoborie; Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr and CEO HS Media/HotSports, Mr. Taye Ige; during the StarTimes/HS Media The Match Live Audience Viewing event held at the HS Media Group studios in Oregun, Lagos...yesterday

Tottenham Man City Middlesbrough Stoke West Brom West Ham Bournemouth

4–0 3–1 0–0 1–2 0–1 1–0 1–3

Watford Hull City Burnley Liverpool Southampton Swansea City Chelsea

Sunday, April 9, 2017

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Price: N400

MISSILE Emir Sanusi to North Of what benefit is it to the North, having three million children roaming about?

– Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, lamenting the worsening poverty level in the North in his keynote address at the Kaduna State’s Investment and Economic Summit (KADINVEST)

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Searching for the Nigerian Identity

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s Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, first and foremost from Kano state?

Or is he first a northerner, a Muslim or a Fulani? Or should he be identified as a Nigerian before anything else? It’s a simple question, very simple question. The answer should even be simpler. But it is complicated.

It depends on the issue at hand. It depends on the point you want to make, the argument you want to pursue. To answer the question more directly, Sanusi can be described as a Muslim, a northerner, a Fulani, an “indigene” of Kano state and a Nigerian. But if you think it is that simple, I would love to refresh your memory as we discuss the issue of identity politics in Nigeria today.

When Sanusi was appointed governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2009 by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to replace Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, an Igbo from Anambra state, the controversy that followed opened my eyes, yet again, to the politics of ethnic identity.

Yar’Adua was accused of being “hell-bent” on northernising federal appointments in disregard of the plurality of Nigeria. Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah, representing Anambra south, wrote to Yar’Adua, advising him on the need to adhere to the principle of “federal character” in appointing a new CBN governor, noting that already, two key ministers in the finance sector were from Kano State .

The minister of finance then, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, was from Kano, while the minister, National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, was also from Kano. That is where the complication starts. On what basis should “federal character” be applied? Is it by state, sectoral, ethnic, religious or geopolitical configuration? By the 1999 Constitution, the principle is applicable to only the states. In other words, the constitution does not recognise Hausa, Igbo, etc, as units of the federation.

The constitution does not recognise the six geopolitical zones. Hence, it says ministers must be picked from the 36 states, not from ethnic groups or geopolitical zones.

However, the Federal Character Commission, the body constitutionally charged with enforcing the principle, came up with guidelines that recognise geopolitical zones but are silent on ethnic groups. Besides, the constitution does not define Nigeria by sectors and sub-sectors – such as finance, sports, education, etc. So, Yar’Adua could hardly be faulted for appointing a northern Fulani Muslim Nigerian from Kano state as CBN governor — since the constitution makes no reference to sector, religion, region or ethnicity in balancing federal appointments.

It also does not say one ministerial or sectoral position is more “juicy” or “important” than the other.

I have chosen to briefly discuss the issue of “Nigerian identity” this morning in honour of my friend, brother and mentor, Oronto Natei Douglas, who died exactly two years ago today. OND was special adviser on research, documentation and strategy to President Goodluck Jonathan.

He battled cancer valiantly for almost seven years. At some point, we thought he had won the war. He fought tooth and nail, like a gallant soldier, till the very last minute. Of all the victims cancer has snatched from this world, in Oronto it met a tough customer who went down fighting. A day to his death, and down to his bones, he still walked round his

Oronto Douglas (1966-2015)

residence and used the toilet without help.

As friends and associates converge on Abuja today to celebrate his life and times, I recall with nostalgia my regular conversations with him on Nigeria’s nationhood during our friendship that spanned nearly 20 years. Our takes on the route to nation-building were slightly different but we discussed it with so much passion that you would think we fundamentally disagreed.

My viewpoint was, and remains, that we should first be Nigerians before we are Tiv or Ibibio, while his view was that we should first be Tiv or Ibibio before we are Nigerians. At first, I thought we disagreed; later I realised we had the same goal in mind: building a strong Nigerian identity.

I take liberty to paraphrase his central argument thus: “Today you would call me an Ijaw. But maybe some 50 years ago, you would not call me an Ijaw. You would call me Ogbia. The Ijaw ethnic identity is a stage in the evolution of the identity of the riverine communities with common ancestry and culture. We identified ourselves differently in the past but today we are comfortable with being called Ijaw. This is basically the building block. The Niger Delta identity is getting formed now. Then it will become the building block of a strong Nigerian federation. So you move from Ogbia to Ijaw, then to Niger Delta, to Southern Nigeria, and then we evolve a new, strong Nigeria.”

Oronto’s argument was that we needed a bottom-to-top approach to build a strong Nigerian identity. He wanted strong ethnic identities first, to eventually fuse into “One Nigeria”. I wanted a top-to-bottom approach.

I wanted a strong “One Nigeria” identity that will permeate from the national level to the sub-national level. As things stand, our ethnic identities have always been stronger than our “Nigerian” identity. The ethnic identities have been so formed and reinforced from the colonial era till now, and it is practically impossible to create a Nigerian identity that way. At the slightest disagreement, we shout: “To your tents, O Nigerians!”

It is not as if my own preferred approach of integrating Nigeria from “top-to-bottom” has worked wonders. Federal character, quota system and power rotation were developed to create a sense of “oneness” and to avoid segregation and domination. Unfortunately, as you attempt to solve one problem, you may end up creating another. When Sanusi was appointed CBN governor in 2009, the issue shifted from competence to ethnic and religious balancing. Hence, neither Oronto’s preferred approach nor my chosen option can effectively provide the solution to our inability to evolve the “Nigerian first” identity in over 100 years. We are all still Tiv or Ibibio before we are Nigerians.

The issue of national identity apart, OND believed that the dream of building a new Nigeria would never be realised without social justice. He believed in evolving a federalism that would allow each region to determine its sub-structure within the national structure.

As leader of the Chikoko Movement — “the pan Niger Delta resistant group” — in the late 1990s, he popularised the term “resource control” before the politicians appropriated it. He would say: “Resource control does not mean we want to keep 100% of the oil revenue.

Rather, it means the people of Niger Delta will determine the terms and conditions under which their resources are explored.”

By that, he meant the oil-producing (he called it “oil-bearing”) region could still keep only 13% as derivation but it is not the federal government that will be awarding the oil blocks. Each state should have the power to negotiate with the oil companies, build in their interest in terms of “environmental justice” and equity, award the oil blocks, and then remit the necessary taxes and royalties to the federation account. The current system places all the powers in Abuja, leaving the communities to accept whatever has been agreed on their behalf by the “distant” federal government. The communities are effectively excluded even as critical stakeholders.

At different times, Oronto tried to persuade me to accept political appointments. I explained to him that by nature, I am not suited for public office. He agreed with me and came up with his own thoughts. “I was an activist before I joined government,” he said. “As an appointee of President Jonathan, I am still an activist seeking to change things from the inside. In your own case, you can remain outside government and still influence policy through your ideas that you put out every week. That is another way of making impact. There are those who would use political power to make impact by contesting for elective offices.” I completely agreed with him.

I remember OND today with a mixture sadness and joy. Sadness because we helplessly watched him die. Joy because he was such a wonderful soul. He was so selfless and patriotic. He had a most diverse inner circle of friends — you could never describe him as a bigot or ethnic chauvinist. He was generous to a fault. He was certainly one of the most loyal aides of President Jonathan. He loved Jonathan like his own soul. As close as we were, he never stopped me from criticising Jonathan, yet he never spoke one bad word about the president in my presence. I will always remember Oronto as someone who passionately believed in the Nigerian project. Inspiration.

And Four Other Things...

MENINGITIS AND GOD Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, governor of Zamfara state, says all diseases are from God and the meningitis that has claimed hundreds of lives in the past few weeks should be understood within that context. In other news, cholera recently claimed 80 lives in 14 local governments in Zamfara — in another divine punishment under Yari. Bandits have killed no fewer than 1,000 herders and farmers in the last one year in Zamfara — in yet another divine punishment under Yari. To escape the punishment, Yari is either relaxing in Abuja or flying to Saudi Arabia for umrah.

He avoids Zamfara like a plague while gulping all the milk and the honey of office. Divine.

ANTI-GRAFT SETBACK In a spate four days, the federal government lost four cases in court in its anti-graft campaign. One thing common to all the cases is that the evidence was not strong enough to convict the suspects. That is, the cases were not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

You can look at it several ways. You can say “corruption is fighting back”. You can also say it takes more than media trials to win a case in court. Many Nigerians have been wondering why the monies recovered so far have not been spent by the government. The truth is: it is one thing to recover money by state might, it is another to prove in court that a crime has been committed. Government must restrategise. Diligence.

OGUN THUGS I was ambushed by revenue collection thugs of Agbara/Igbesa LGA, Ogun state, on Friday.

This brought home to me, once again, the terror unleashed on ordinary Nigerians by state agents everyday. I was accused of parking in a no-parking area (trust me, there was no such sign there and I was even sitting in my car). After I refused to pay a bribe, I was taken to a corner and fined N16,000, which I promptly paid and collected my receipt. My plight paled into insignificance when I saw the way other motorists were being humiliated by those thugs. I held back my tears on seeing a nursing mother, with her sick child, being rough-handled. What a society we live in.

Primitive.

DANGOTE AT 60 As a primary school boy, Aliko Dangote used to buy sweets and biscuits from his pocket money. No, he didn’t eat them like I did mine.

Instead, he would give them to the maiguard at their house to help him sell. The maiguard would sell and give Dangote the proceeds, and the young boy would “restock” the tray.

How on earth would the maiguard know that the little boy was going to become one of the biggest traders, and later biggest manufacturers, out of Africa someday?

Coming from a wealthy family is not enough — you need that extra bit to be outstanding.

As Dangote marks his 60th birthday on Monday, I wish him long life and good health.

Extraordinary.

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