Sunday 11th June 2017

In One Month, NNPC Records 45 New Pipeline Breaks Urges host communities to protect oil, gas installations

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said with 45 new pipeline breaks, the country recorded 94 break points on its downstream petroleum pipeline

network in March.

NNPC, which stated this in its March 2017 edition of the monthly financial and operations report, noted that the new pipeline breaks represented an increase over the 49 accumulated breaks as at February.

Kachikwu: Drop in oil price, no threat to OPEC rebalancing

The report is coming at a time the Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Mr. Shehu Malami, appealed to host communities where oil and gas installations are located to protect them from destruction.

Besides, NNPC also stated that efforts by the government to boost power generation in the country through gas might soon yield the required dividend following its sustained increase in gas supply for power generation.

The corporation noted that

the average national daily gas production for the period stood at an impressive 226.918 billion cubic feet (bcf), which it added, translated to over 7.319 million standard cubic feet (mmscuf/d), while the daily average gas supply to gas power plants

increased to 689mmscfd or the equivalent to power generation of 3056 megawatts (MW).

“The March 2017 figure is an improvement on the previous month’s record, which stood Continued on page 9

After 7 Years Manhunt, Most Wanted Kidnap Suspect Arrested in Lagos ...Page 15

Sunday 11 June, 2017 Vol 22. No 8088

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N400

N

Osinbajo: We’re in Marriage as a Nation, We Must Remain Together John Shiklam in Kaduna, Ademola Babalola in Ibadan, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Onitsha Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, and Jeff Amechi Agbodo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday likened the country

to a marriage, saying like most married couples Nigerians have had their ups and downs, but what is of the utmost importance is the dedication of everyone in the relationship to the success of the union. Osinbajo spoke in Ibadan at the wedding recep-

tion for the daughter of former interim national chairman of All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande. The vice president counselled the new couple, Wuraola and her husband, Dr Olawale Solabi, to uphold the tenets of the marriage institution,

and said divorce was not an acceptable option.

Osinbajo’s advice came against a background of rising ethnic tensions following an order on Tuesday by a previously unknown coalition of youth groups in the

North, telling Igbos resident in the region to leave before October 1 or get ready to be forced to quit. Reiterating their position yesterday, in the same Kaduna venue of their earlier meeting, the groups alleged that the Igbo had already carved out

a country for themselves and should, thus, be allowed to go.

Addressing the newly married couple, the acting president said, “Today is a special one for Wale and Wura. Marriage is a very Continued on page 9

NJC Replies Presidency, Says it Recalled Judges Based on Rule of Law and Fairness Insists judiciary is onboard with anti-graft war

Tobi Soniyi in Lagos and Alex Enumah in Abuja The National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday defended its decision to recall six of the eight senior judges it suspended last year over allegations of corruption levelled against them by the Federal Government. It said its decision to recall the judges was based on the principles of rule of law and fairness.

The council had last week recalled six judicial officers it had suspended with effect from November 2 last year following corruption investigations on them. The recalled judges were Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Justice Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Hydiazira A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Justice Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court, and Justice Agbadu James Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. The council’s decision to recall the judges however drew criticisms from various quarters, including the presidency.

In its first reaction to the criticisms, particularly from the presidency, NJC insisted that its decision to recall the judges last week was in order and in line with the rule of law.

The council, in a statement issued by the Director of Information, Soji Oyetayo, in Abuja, frowned on the criticisms against its decision to recall the judges.

The statement reads, “The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to reactions of some members of public, particularly legal practitioners, jurists, academics and public office holders on the recall of the judicial officers that had been earlier directed to recuse themselves from performing Judicial duties pending the conclusion of investigation or determination of the cases filed against them.

"Council is particularly concerned about the press statement issued by Okoi ObonoObla, Esq, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution on 8th June, 2017; that the Office Continued on page 9

IN HONOUR OF OBANIKORO'S MUM

L-R: Son of the deceased, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Senate President Bukola Saraki; and former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Kunle Ogunfuyi Alao Akala; during the 8th day Fidau prayers for Alhaja Wosilat Ejide Obanikoro held at Oniru, Lagos...yesterday

2

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

he 8th edition of the GTBank-Lagos State Principals Cup came to an electrifying end on Tuesday 30th May, 2017 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The grand finale was made historic by thrilling chorographical performances, on-field skills, great goals, memorable celebrations, cheers and tears, but most importantly by the emergence of new winners in both categories since the competition began eight years ago.

Goals from Nwanebi David and Toriola Moses gave Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior Grammar School, Ojokoro a 2-0 victory over Ikotun Senior High School, Ikotun with which they clinched their maiden trophy. In the female category, Isale Eko Grammar School, Lagos Island also imprinted their name in the record books after a hard-fought 4-3 penalty shootout win against Government Senior College, Agege.

The event was attended by the MD/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Representative of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Deji Tinubu, Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, amongst other dignitaries.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

(1) Nwanebi David, captain of Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior Grammar School lifts the trophy. (2) Players of Isale Eko Grammar School, Lagos Island, and Government Secondary School, Agege contest for the ball. (3) Sanusi Mistura, captain of Isale Eko Grammar School lifts the trophy. (4 & 5) Players of Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior Grammar School, Ojokoro and Ikotun Senior High School, Ikotun at the ball. (6) Sanusi Mistura, captain of Isale Eko Grammar Sch being presented with the most valuable player award by Barr. Seyi Akniwunmi, 1st Vice Presidend of the NFF. (7) Costumed dancers at the event. (8) R-L: Mr. Segun Agbaje, Managing Direcror, GTBank, the Referee and Mr. Deji Tinubu, Special Adviser to the Governor, Sports. (9) Canoe bearers during the dance performance.

www.gtbank.com/football

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

3

4

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

I DO NOT COUNT DAYS, I make the days count with my very helpful Evergreen Account.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

5

6

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

7

8

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

9

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

PAGE NINE OSINBAJO: WE’RE IN MARRIAGE AS A NATION, WE MUST REMAIN TOGETHER large institution that requires a lot of prayers.

“It is the same marriage that nations go through. Our nation has been in marriage for a while now. Sometimes

there are quarrels within that marriage. Sometimes there is disagreement. What is important is that you must remain together.

You must remain united.”

Equally speaking on the

bourgeoning sectional pressures, Saraki said, “The senate must stand clearly to defend one Nigeria. There is no room for division and we must live by example. We are not afraid of

anybody…

“We must rise up to make a statement on what is happening.

We will be failing if we do not do something that will reassure the people on the need for one

NJC REPLIES PRESIDENCY, SAYS IT RECALLED JUDGES BASED ON RULE OF LAW AND FAIRNESS of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed a Notice of Appeal against the Ruling of Hon. Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for discharging and acquitting Hon. Justice A. F. A. Ademola and 2 ORS on 7th April, 2017.

"Contrary to the above statement, the Registry of the High Court of the FCT, Abuja, informed the Department of Information of the National Judicial Council that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed two Notices of Appeal in the Court; the first one on 7th April, 2017, against Hon Justice A. F. A. Ademola, his wife, Olabowale Ademola and Joe Agi, SAN. The second one was filed on 6th of June, 2017, two days after the Press Release was issued by the National Judicial Council, with additional grounds of appeal against only Hon. Justice A.F.A. Ademola.

"It is on record that when the Parties were invited by High Court of the FCT for settlement of records to be transmitted to the Court of Appeal on 18th April, 2017, the Appellant failed to turn up. The Registrar of the Court further adjourned the settlement of records to 21st April, 2017, and invited all the Parties, but the Appellant again did not come to Court.

"The total number of 45 days allowed for compilation of record in all circumstances expired on 7th May, 2017, for the Registrar of the Lower Court and 22nd May, 2017, for the Appellant".

Without explicitly saying so, the council’s statement implied that the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN was not diligent in the prosecution of the cases against the judges, stating that the AGF only filed additional grounds of appeal in the Court on Tuesday 6th June, 2017, three days after the press release by the Council that the Judicial Officers had been directed to resume their Judicial duties.

"It was on 6th June, 2017, that letters were again issued by the Registrar to the Parties for settlement of records against 14th June, 2017.

"For avoidance of doubt, by the Rules of the Court of Appeal, there cannot be a proper appeal before the Court until Parties have agreed and settled records before the Lower Court and transmit copies of such records to the Court of Appeal before an appeal number is given. It is only after an appeal number is given that an appeal is said to be entered in the Court of Appeal", the statement read.

The council said it confirmed from the Registry of the Court of Appeal that there was no such Appeal till date.

It said: "The only matter that is pending is a Motion with Number CA/A/371M/CR/2019 filed by Joe Odey Agi, SAN, against the Federal Republic of Nigeria seeking the dismissal of Appellant/Respondent appeal between the Federal Government of Nigeria Vs Joe Odey Agi for failure to transmit the Records from the Lower Court within 45 days.

"Council is aware that at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the Federal Government filed Suits against Hon. Justices N. S. Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court and A. F. A. Ademola of the Federal High Court on 8th February, 2017.

"However, the Federal Ministry of Justice later withdrew the files pertaining the Suits against Hon. Justices Inyang Okoro and A. F. A. Ademola, with the intention of filing additional evidence against them.

"In the case of Hon. Justice Ngwuta, he has since been arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for nondeclaration of his assets.

"In effect, there is currently no Suit filed against Hon. Justices Inyang Okoro and A. F. A. Ademola J. at the Tribunal.”

"Contrary to the allegations

by Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, Chairman, Presidential

Advisory Committee Against Corruption, that Judiciary took a hasty decision to recall the Judges, and that it is not on board with anti-graft war of the Federal Government, the number of Judicial Officers that have been removed from office for misconduct particularly for corrupt practices since President Buhari administration came on board, that has been made public

by National Judicial Council in October and November, 2016, speaks for itself in that vein.”

The council said some of the Judicial Officers were removed from office by dismissal or compulsory retirement by the President or governors on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, while a number of the judicial officers were reprimanded by Council in the exercise of its Constitutional powers to exercise disciplinary control over Judges of Superior Courts of record in the Federation.

The NJC claimed it was constrained to say that some of the Judicial Officers that had been recommended for dismissal or compulsory retirement from Office by the presidency or governors, have not to date been removed from Office.

"But for suspension of the affected Judicial Officers from Office by National Judicial Council, they would have to date been still performing their Judicial duties. And these are officers that have been found culpable of gross misconduct

by National Judicial Council after due process and diligent fact finding investigation by Council based on the Rule of Law enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, National Judicial Council Judicial Discipline Regulations and Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Council said it would soon issue an advertorial on the foregoing and list out the number of Judicial Officers that

IN ONE MONTH, NNPC RECORDS 45 NEW PIPELINE BREAKS at 582mmscfd. The supply is also over 29 per cent higher than the corresponding supply record for March 2016.

“However, pipeline sabotage in the country increased from 49 downstream pipelines vandalised points in February 2017 to 94 in March 2017.

This represents over 91 per cent increase relative to the previous months despite federal government’s and the NNPC’s continuous engagement with the stakeholders. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable improvement compared to corresponding period of March 2016 which posted 259 cases,” said NNPC in a statement from its Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu.

“Also, in the downstream sector, NNPC has in stock, a robust inland supply of over 1.2 billion litres of petrol sufficient for more than 34 days forward consumption. On Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), NNPC continued to import to supple-

ment AGO local refining and the Central Bank has released foreign exchange to marketers to import AGO and ATK,” it added.

However, speaking at PHRC complex during the graduation of 55 beneficiaries of its Youths Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme (YESAP), Malami said host communities of national assets should ensure they were protected from attack.

He urged the host communities to always explore peaceful means to resolve differences with the firm.

"Host communities should ensure that oil and gas installations in their locality are protected to guarantee safety of their environment," he said.

He assured that PHRC would continue to discharge its corporate social responsibility to Eleme and Okrika that were its host communities..

Disclosing that the graduates were the second batch of trainees in the YESAP programme sponsored by the refinery

company to empower youths of the host communities, Malami noted that they were trained in welding and fabrication, catering, fashion , designing and hair dressing , information and communications technology and interlocking , masonry, block moulding , carpentry and government certified centres.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said the recent drop in crude oil prices at the international market to approximately $45 per barrel could be brief and not affect the price rebalancing measures taken by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its non-OPEC allies led by the Russian Federation.

Also, Kachikwu confirmed that the federal government had not concessioned the three refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri to any private concern.

The minister, who spoke at

had, since April, 2000 when it held its inaugural meeting to date, been dismissed or compulsorily retired by the president or governors for gross misconduct or corrupt practices, on its recommendation; and also reprimanded by council by suspension or warning/caution.

"Council is not oblivious of the fact that some major stakeholders in the Judiciary and Justice Delivery Sector in conjunction with the Nigerian Bar Association, met with the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Anti-Graft and Security Agencies before the Judicial Officers were recalled, to discuss the subject matter and in particular the fate of the Judicial Officers that have not been charged and arraigned.

The NJC disclosed that when no progress was made, being the only Constitutional Institution empowered to exercise disciplinary control over Judicial Officers for misconduct, decided to recall the judicial officers.

"It is to be stressed that our criminal justice is also predicated on accusatorial system and NOT inquisitorial. Thus, every accused person is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution. On the foregoing, Council is compelled to inform the public that the decision it took to direct the affected Justices/ Judges to recuse themselves from performing their judicial duties, was borne out of respect for the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; and in order to maintain the integrity and sanctity of the Judiciary and sustain public confidence.

"However, the recent decision of the Council to recall the Judicial Officers was based on the Principles of Rule of Law and fairness.

NJC reiterated its support for President Buhari administration’s fight against corruption in all its ramifications and in cleansing the Judiciary of corrupt judicial officers. a press briefing last Thursday, stated that, while OPEC accounted for just about 30 per cent of the world’s oil supply, it was however frequently expected to take responsibility for instability in global oil market. He added that the recent price drop had not reached a dangerous dimension for OPEC to get that worried.

Reports indicated that oil prices on Friday settled at $45.83 a barrel, on the back of pressure from big U.S. inventories and heavy worldwide flows. This was also after OPEC and other key producers agreed to extend their November 2016 output freeze agreement to decrease production by almost 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the first quarter of 2018.

But Kachikwu, in his response to the price drop, stated that, “There are lots of things that affect pricing in the crude area, speculation is one of the key elements and traders have learnt how to speculate and that is sometimes a major impact.”

Nigeria. We are greater being together than going our separate ways.”

Ajimobi, who chaired the occasion, said, "The only way to succeed in marriage is to run your home with the fear of God. Never oppress your wife because she is a weaker sex. Be nice and good to her always. And you will enjoy peace and be greatly blessed."

Dignitaries at the wedding ceremony included Senate President Bukola Saraki and the governors of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; and Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru. Others were Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole.

Also present were former governors of Ekiti and Osun states, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Mr. Segun Oni, respectively. APC Deputy National Chairman, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, the party’s National Secretary, Hon. Mada Buni, National Vice Chairman (South-west), Chief Pius Akinyelure, and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, were also at the wedding..

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha was represented by Mr. Steve Azimozi, and the first lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, was represented by Alhaji Mohammed Aliu.

Meanwhile, certain individuals in the North, including the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, have voiced their support for the action of the northern youths. Second Republic Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Mamman Danmusa, yesterday aligned himself with the position of the youth groups against the Igbo. Danmusa said, “Igbos are ungrateful people because they are everywhere in the North.

They operate their businesses and have landed property in the North, but, unfortunately, they are still not grateful to northerners."

But some elder statesmen from the North who spoke with THISDAY yesterday dissociated themselves from the anti-Igbo pronouncements of the northern youths and their backers. Vice chairman of NEF, Chief Paul Unongo, condemned the quit order issued Igbos and said Abdullahi’s support for such “nonsense” was his personal opinion and not that of the forum. Unongo regretted the Nigerian Civil War in which over three million people died and said Nigeria could not afford another war.

According to him, "Anybody, including the so-called Arewa youth groups pretending to be sponsored by some elders in Nigeria, who saw this horrendous war and went through the iniquities and hardship of the war and is still provoking war is talking nonsense.

"We cannot support a proposition by young men who didn't see the war, neither do we support what Nnamdi Kanu is doing. The NEF cannot and will not support an ultimatum given to any Nigerian residing in any part of Nigeria.

“Abdullahi's statement is a

private and personal view. The Northern Elders Forum cannot take that position. We support the Igbo to live anywhere in the North, including my village.

I want more of them to come and establish their businesses in my village."

Leader of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, spoke in a similar vein. Yakasai said, "My position is that nobody in Nigeria can restrict the right of any other citizen to move anywhere or reside anywhere.

"Even the laws that some state assemblies are making, restricting the movement of Fulani herdsmen, are unconstitutional.

Anybody who said Nigerians should not live in any part of the country is violating the provision of the constitution.

"We belong to two different groups diametrically opposed to one another in terms of ideology. We are opposed to one another all along right from the beginning.

"We are for Nigeria's unity; they (NEF) are against Nigeria's unity. I have been in support of Nigerian unity since 1963.

I was sent to jail in 1963 on account of my support for the unity of Nigeria."

The Northern States Christian Elders Forum and Northern Youth Council of Nigeria have also denounced the anti-Igbo pronouncements by some northern youths. Spokesman of NOSCEF, Mr. Sunday Oibe, told THISDAY, “It is unfortunate that somebody who is supposed to be an elder is associating himself with miscreants,” referring to Abdullahi.

Oibe stated, "No right thinking Nigeria will be talking about division. Agreed that people can voice out their feelings over issues that affect them, but to order Nigerians out of another part of Nigeria is condemnable.

"Our forefathers fought and laid their lives to build a nation called Nigeria. There is no section of this country that can go it alone. The so-called North they are talking about cannot stand alone without the South-west, South-south, the Middle Belt, and the South-east, and vice visa."

He added, “The Igbo have contributed tremendously to bring development to the North. Outside government, the Igbo as a nation has brought development to the North. Those jobless youths, who made them the spokespersons of the North?

“I call on the Igbo leaders not to respond to this form of reckless and irresponsible statements.”

NYCN called for the arrest of Abdullahi, a former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. At a news conference in Kaduna, the president of NYCN, Isah Abubakar, said, “NYCN wants to use this medium to dissociate itself from the anti-Nigeria agenda. We are not happy with the development in all its ramifications.

“We are calling on the federal government to extend its arrest order to Professor Ango Abdullahi and other people who must have sponsored the perpetrators of such a huge inciting statement capable of throwing the country into another civil unrest while the country is yet to fully recover from the previous one several decades after.” see concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com

10

JUNE 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

SUNDAY COMMENT

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

T HE T HREAT OF H ATE R HETORIC

I

Government has the responsibility to change the mood in the country from anxiety to optimism

n recent days, rival groups in major geopolitical centres across the country have been releasing to the public domain hateful communiques laced with threats of violence. Yet to the extent that freedom of expression, which democracy guarantees, does not include a license to plunge the nation into avoidable mayhem, the time has come to place a moratorium on hate speech in Nigeria.

The problem started on Tuesday when some grown men under the aegis of “Coalition of Northern Youths”, addressed the media in Kaduna and issued a three-month ultimatum for people of Igbo descent residing in the North to leave the region. While threatening to commence the implementation of what it described as “visible actions” at the expiration of their ultimatum, the group vowed an “effective, peaceful and safe mop-up of all the remnants of the stubborn Igbo that neglect to heed this quit notice”.

They also directed all northerners who are resident in the South-east to immediately start returning to their various states of origin.

The current problem Unfortunately, of Nigeria is not how to there was no immake each ethnic group mediate response from the Police to or geopolitical zone fly what was capable of its own silly flag in the disrupting not only name of restructuring. public order but inIt is how to manage a deed the security and diverse federation so peaceful co-existence that citizens begin to hold of the country. It is government accountable even more ironical that in a society where for the things that the appellation of unite us—education, “elder statesman” health, employment, is conferred on just infrastructure and about any politician reasonable economic of a certain age, some otherwise respected livelihood men who ordinarily should urge caution, were fanning the embers of hate and discord. It took the intervention of the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, for the Inspector General of Police to issue some feeble statement in Abuja. But we must also commend the Northern Governors Forum led by Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima as well as the traditional authorities in the North, particularly the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir, for speaking the language of leadership that was very reassuring and has helped to defuse the initial tension.

H

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, PATRICK EIMIUHI ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

SUNDAY PHOTO

owever, it is unfortunate that some politicians are already muddling the waters by using divisive and hateful statements to promote themselves and their nefarious agenda in the bid to “defend” their people.

What is more worrisome is that various traditional and social media platforms are now being deployed to launch vituperations and counter-vituperations, most of which are obviously inciting and dangerously provocative. The challenge lies with the authorities to contain the antics of these unscrupulous hate-mongers.

While we understand that building an inclusive and egalitarian society in a federal arrangement is always a work-in-progress, the security agencies—whose primary responsibility is the protection of national security through managing and deterring threats to the peaceful co-existence of our country - are also part of the problem.

Not only do they discriminate in the choice of culprits regarding hate speech, they are never even-handed in the application of the law.

In many ways, the recent flourish of hateful and divisive utterances is primarily a political outcome. Key federal appointments have followed a parochial track while the body language at the apex of power unfortunately reflects a basic reluctance to relate to Nigeria as a constitutional being. Political jobbers all over the country have since taken the cue and hijacked the trend. And we now have nearly as many separatist groups as there are zones of discontent in the country.

However, while democracy entitles citizens to freedom of expression and association, it is also true that every democracy has an obligation to mediate and modulate this freedom in order to ensure the survival of the nation itself.

The role of the three arms of government is to carefully demarcate between democratic freedom and a clear descent into recklessness that threatens us all. Either at the level of security, law enforcement or basic accountability, the system has become dysfunctional.

Meanwhile, the current problem of Nigeria is not how to make each ethnic group or geopolitical zone fly its own silly flag in the name of restructuring. It is how to manage a diverse federation so that citizens begin to hold government accountable for the things that unite us—education, health, employment, infrastructure and reasonable economic livelihood. It is the failure of governance and the irresponsibility of lazy politics that are at issue in the epidemic of hate and divisiveness currently on shameful display in Nigeria.

L-R: Wife of Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Mrs. Rosemary Babatunde Fowler; Pastor in Charge, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Province 35, Gbagada, Pastor Remi Morgan; Special Guest and WifeofActingPresident,Mrs.DolapoOsinbajo,and wifeofPastorinCharge,PastorYinkaMorgan,duringthe2017InspireWomenConferenceofProvince35womenministryofRCCG,inLagos.......yesterday KOLAOLASUPO

11

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

alat_ng

alat_ng

alatng

12

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAYNEWS

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

Ishaku: For Diversification to Work, States Must be Involved in Mining Licensing Olaseni Durojaiyea

Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has said Nigeria’s quest for economic diversification may be an exercise in futility if states are not involved in the process leading to the granting of mining licences in the country.

Ishaku, who spoke in an

interview with some editors, stated that due to exclusion of mineral-rich states from the process, they were deprived of huge revenue, which could be channeled into critical infrastructure provision and human capacity development. He said avoidable conflicts also occur between those granted mining

licences and owners of land in the states. Noting that listing mining under the exclusive list was wrong, the governor called for an “implementable law” guiding mining activities that involves the states, and suggested that such law should be the type that allows states with rich minerals deposits to be

involved in the mining licensing process. While lamenting that mining activities in the state were currently in the hands of illegal miners, he argued that if the right mining environment was put in place, the mining companies would pay all the required taxes to the federal and state government and also take

ADVANCING STANDARD POLICY L-R: Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP), Dr. Tunji Olaopa; Chief Joop Berkout; Chairman of

the occasion, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, and keynote speaker, Prof. Richard Joseph, at the first seminar series of ISGPP in Ibadan, Oyo State… weekend Photo: Felix Ademola

Clerics Hold Special Prayers for Saraki at Obanikoro Mother’s Burial • As prominent Nigerians storm final internment rites Olawale Olaleye

In what stood out from other activities on the day’s agenda, four Muslim clerics, led by the Chief Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Olanrewaju Ahmad, who anchored the 8th Day Fidau prayer for the late Alhaja Wosilat Ejide Obanikoro, mother of the immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday set aside a few minutes for a special prayer session for the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki being a major player in the current democratic experience and sought God’s guidance on his behalf.

Saraki,whowasreturningfrom the wedding ceremony of one of the daughters of Chief Bisi Akande, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, had also stopped by in Lagos to honour Obanikoro, whose mother died last Saturday, July 2, at the age of 95.

Although a brief prayer session, supervised also by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Mohammed Garba Akinola Ibrahim, the missioners had earlier recognised in prayers too, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing and former Lagos Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola as well as other notable and active political actors present at the event.

But a special session was

specifically held for Saraki, albeit on request, at the fidau witnessed by eminent Nigerians from all walks of life, a majority of them politicians across all known political parties, accomplished businessmen and captains of industry, who had come to honour Obanikoro as he held the final burial rites for his mother.

Sheik Ahmad, who delivered the sermon for the memorial and also served the first salvo in the prayer session, said though it was a request by Obanikoro for the Senate President, he contended that it must have been informed by certain agitations shared by the both of them, adding that whatever it was they nursed in their minds, he prayed God to grant it speedily.

According to him, such a request must have been informed by something quite serious and important, which he claimed he was not privy to, but was certain that once it was predicated on truth and sincerity, God would hear their prayers and grant them.

His sermon was also hinged on righting one’s ways with God, adding that in a digital age, where people’s activities and profiles are clinically documented in the cloud, a place they remain immutable and no longer subject to obliteration, it is certain that God’s ways would be particularly more difficult to manipulate, urging those present to be mindful of their undertakings

and dealings with God. He admitted that there was no person that was completely free of sin and could be granted “total clean bill”, but held the view that even as mortals, people could be so circumspect that they would not be caught in cheap and embarrassing sins that could make them fail the simple tests by God. Immediately he was done, other clerics too took turn to pray for Saraki, specifically asking God to see him through both the challenges he was facing and the task of nation-building set before him, albeit with a proviso that if his way was right with his God. They also asked the audience to join in the prayers with a clean heart, adding that whoever was not going to do so could be excused.

While the prayers lasted, however, guests kept trooping in and out of the venue of the memorial, held at ‘D Venue’, Victorial Island, Lagos and co-compered by a renowned comedian, Mr. Gbenga Adeyinka.

Apart from Saraki, others at the event were former governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) and Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo); Senator Ganiyu Solomon, former Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Demola Seriki; the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire; former Ogun State

First Lady, Mrs. Derinsola Osoba and the Managing Editor of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello.

There were also the Senators representing Lagos West, Ondo Central, Ogun East and Bayelsa East, Solomon Adeola, Omotayo Alasoadura, Buruji Kashamu and Ben Bruce respectively; former Air Marshal, Adesola Amosu (rtd); Chief Executive Officer of Centre Spread Advertising Agency, Mr. Kolawole Ayanwale; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro; prominent Lagos politician and former Mushin Local Government Chairman, Chief Willy Akinlude, the Lagos; White Cap Chiefs led by Baba Oloye Obanikoro, Erelu Abiola Dosumu and Senator Anthony Adefuye.

Also present were the Secretary to the State Government, Lagos, Mr. Tunji Bello; former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo and Hon. Tunde Sanusi, who both represented Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Wasiu Esinlokun;formerLagosStateDeputy Governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele;formerKogiState Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and prominent Borno State politician, Malam Kashim Imam.

care of the host communities.

According to him, “There are a lot of taxes, which for now we are not getting. After agriculture, the second revenue endowment in the (Taraba) state is mining, and up till now we only have illegal miners, no thanks to lack of enabling law or laws that are not implementable.

“But we are trying our best. We have been talking to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals and Development on how we can co-cooperate so that we can have a law that is implementable and make it easy for people who want to mine legally to do so and pay their taxes to the federal government, the state government and also take care of the local communities.

“But a situation where the state governments are sidelined completely in the law that allows somebody to get a mining licence, come to the state, mount his equipment and start mining is wrong and unworkable, and this has been a hindrance for a lot of states.

The law lists mining, just like anything below the surface of the ground in terms of mineral resources, as belonging to the federal government; yet the law recognises me as the owners of the surface, how then do you access what is below the surface if you don’t touch the initial layer at the top?. So without me allowing you to live on the surface, how do you access what is under the surface?”

Ishaku further explained that many of the states with rich mineral deposits would become economically viable and will not have to depend on federal allocation if they are allowed to control the mineral deposits within their

boundaries and suggested that the states should be allowed to control the mineral deposits within their boundaries and made to pay royalties to the federal government.

“We have fashioned out our own laws within the state and we will soon put it into practice, and we’re trying to see how we can marry our laws with that of the federal government. But this remains a hindrance to the mining industry in the state; I wish we could get many miners into the state under the right environment because we have so many minerals resources in the state.

“We have more than 30 different kinds of solid mineral resources in Taraba State, the seven rarest minerals are found here. Somebody like me has no business in Abuja going to look for subventions to pay workers’ salary if things were made to work properly,” he stated.

Also speaking on the clashes between Fulani Herdsmen and farmers, Ishaku maintained that adopting the ranching model was the best solution to the issue insisting that if government failed to adopt the model the clashes would continue adding that ranching had both economical and nutritional benefits.

Ishaku, who stated that there used to be mutual understanding between farmers and herdsmen noted that, it was in the country’s interest to ensure that the two lived in harmony.

According to him, the country needs meat and cow milk as much as it needs farm produce.

While arguing that open grazing had become outdated he added that he had seen the model work perfectly well in the United States.

Pa Benjamin Ayobolu Passes

Members of the Ayobolu Family of Kabba in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State have announced the death of Mr. Benjamin Bamidele Ayobolu, who passed away on Wednesday, 31st May, 2017, after a brief illness at the age of 81. Pa Ayobolu, in a statement issued on behalf of the family by Editor-at-Large, The Nation newspaper, Lagos, Mr. Ayobolu Olusegun, was a father, grandfather and great grandfather, and a devoted Christian and respected community leader. Pa Ayobolu was an alumnus of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He was at various times Personnel Manager of the Nigerian Sugar Company Ltd (NISUCO), Bacita, Kwara State; General Manager of the Midland Stores in Ilorin; Chairman of the Board of the Kwara Investment Company (KIC), Ilorin and a leading hotelier and business proprietor in Ilorin.

RCCG Victory Chapel Convention

The Redeemed Christian Church of God Victory Chapel is holding its Women of Honour Convention, which started on June 9 with the Theme ‘PartnersintheKing’sBusiness’andwillendonSunday,June11.Astatement made available to THISDAY, disclosed that the convention will end with a thanksgiving service, featuring 500 Women of Honour Mass Choir at RCCG Victory Chapel (My Father’s House) at Plot 12A, Block 68 Maiye OgundanaStreet,MagodoGRAPhaseII,Lagos.

Osun Declares June 12 Public Holiday

Osun State Government has declared Monday a public holiday to mark June 12 celebration in the state. A statement on Friday, by the Director, BureauofCommunicationandStrategy,OfficeoftheGovernor,Mr.Semiu Okanlawon, announced the holiday. The statement said: “In line with its established policy of observing June 12 of every year as Democracy Day, the StateGovernmentofOsunhasdeclaredMonday,June12aspublicholiday.”

Okanlawon stated that the public holiday became imperative in view of thefactthatJune12markedawatershedinthehistoryofdemocraticevolution in the country. It was the day the June 12, 1993 presidential election, adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria took place.

LateBashorunMoshoodAbiolawontheelection.

13

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

No Cash? No Wahala!

Ecobank Masterpass™ QR • Carry your phone pay • Cash no mata • E dey safe and secure

#

#

# Dial *326#

Code & price

PIN & OK

For USSD, simply dial: *326# For Smartphones, download the Ecobank Mobile app from:

ecobank.com

14

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

Quiz Sense

My Business Story

Nigeria Pays Off More For Returnee Entrepreneur Than Germany After initial heavy losses, returnee entrepreneur John Onyeka finds in Nigeria the greener pasture he had gone abroad to seek

acceptance. John explained, “After looking at the market, I noticed that many products were packaged in blue, so I thought: why not distinguish myself from the crowd? I came up with the colour green and the name Blumen, which is German for flowers. People commended the initiative, while distributors were skeptical at the beginning, but with time they accepted the uniqueness.”

CEO, Blumen Waters, John Dukwu responding to questions from the YouWiN! Connect Team in Lagos.

IDEA: Twenty-seven years ago, John Onyeka, like many other young Nigerians, was frustrated by the lack of opportunities in the country. He did what many in his shoes did or attempted to do at that time: move on in search of the proverbial greener pasture.

He headed west, to Germany, with the enthusiasm of raising enough money, returning to Nigeria and investing in a business.

Unfortunately some part of that plan didn't work out as expected.

“I came back from my sojourn in Germany in 20I2. I lost a lot of the money and other resources I came back with in business attempts because I trusted in some people who failed me. I had the option of going back to Germany to start the struggle afresh but I decided to stick it out. I found things here and there to do to keep body and soul together.”

WHAT NEXT? Now in his late 40s, John found one of the jobs to keep himself going: providing logistics for a bottled-water factory.

It didn't pay much and wasn't what he wanted to do, but since he had found himself in the situation, he decided to make the most of it. “I was helping the water company with their logistics. It was from there I developed interest in starting my own business. At some point during my interaction with them, I saw a few things they were not doing right and felt I could do better,” he said.

SETBACK: John embarked on a feasibility survey and commenced the registration process for his bottled-water business. Again, frustration set in, this time in the form of securing the necessary approvals from regulatory agencies.

He recalled: “The issue of registration was also a big challenge.

Getting all the necessary permits from NAFDAC was a big problem because there were no clear-cut directives on what to do and how to go about it. In the UK, for instance, if you want to do something, you go to

Business Brief: Launched: 2014 an office, register your business; from then, you are given guidelines on what to do next.”

By the time John got approval to produce Blumen Table Water under Fountaingate Limited in 2014, he had little capital left to commence production, having exhausted much of his savings.

However, with the assistance of family members, friends and some kind-hearted church members, he started off.

BREAKTHROUGH: But why pursue a flooded bottled-water business so vigorously with such inadequate resources and for so long, when such time, resources and energy could be channeled to another business idea?

“I saw an industry that was saturated, but I also saw a market that was ready for lots of improvements. Quality and safety are important; they are the reason people buy bottled water in the first place. So we do public analysis of the water every month, despite the law saying every three months.”

Also, something as seemingly insignificant as distinctive and attractive packaging or brand name could set a bottled-water business apart and drive

“

After looking at the market, I noticed that many products were packaged in blue, so I thought: why not distinguish myself from the crowd? I came up with the colour green and the name Blumen, which is German for flowers

CURRENT STATUS: These days, when people send him photographs of his brand being consumed at events or when people he didn't know walk up to him and say “So you are the Blumen?” it belies the resilience in the face of many challenges the CEO of Fountain Gate had to put in to make Blumen work. But nothing tested his resolve more dauntingly than the duplication of operational approval process.

“All the regulatory agencies are doing the same thing. You see them coming around all the time: Ministry of Health, Lagos State Safety Commission, NAFDAC, Local Government, etc. These things could be so frustrating because duplication of functions costs money. There was one week almost four agencies came here to do one thing or the other.”

The business which stagnated for two years due to lack of enough capital to produce now has a turnover of over N10 million annually and serves an average of 200 clients including distributors, banks, churches, schools and hospitals per month.

And John has an ambitious vision to export his brand in the not-so-distant future. Of course, such an expansion would require more capital, but past experience would not let him raise a bank loan.

“Someone introduced me to a microfinance bank which gave me a loan, but it was not funny.

The day I finished paying, I just went down on my knees in thanks to God. A day or two's delay was enough for the bank to surcharge you heavily. I took a loan of N1.2 million but ended up paying N2.6 million.”

For now, John and his dozen staff are focused on reliability and quality, which have made Blumen a continued success over a short period in the thirstquenching business of water bottling.

1. Which of the following is not a financial statement needed for potential lenders and investors? a. Cash Flow Statement b. Balance Sheet c. Loss Statement 2. To prepare a pro forma cash flow statement, you must forecast your a. Revenues and operating expenses b. Profits c. Assets and liabilities 3. Money loaned to a business with the understanding that the money will be repaid, with interest, in a certain time period is a. Equity capital b. A loan guarantee c. Debt capital 4. All of the following are important types of insurance for your business except a. Casual insurance b. Workers' compensation c. Property insurance

5. How would you describe an authoritarian management style? a. A manager who involves employees in decision making. b. A manager who asks staff for feedback before making a decision. c. A manager who likes to make all decisions by himself/herself.

6. Strategic planning is... a. Short term planning. b. Long term planning.

7. What are the factors of production? a. Primary factor, secondary factor, tertiary factor b. Subsistence, domestic, export c. Land, labour, capital, entrepreneur 8. Which of the following is the reward for labour? a. Interest b. Profit c. Wages/salaries

1.C 2.A 3.C 4.A 5.C 6.B 7.C 8.C

YOUTH ENTERPRISE WITH INNOVATION IN NIGERIA

Ask the Expert Q: What are the benefits of allowing venture capitalists into my business?

Our Board Member, Founder and Managing Director of Sankore Investments and Venture Capitalist, Mrs. Titi Odunfa Adeoye, answers this week's question: In addition to providing the necessary funding to drive rapid growth in an early-stage business, venture capitalists can bring several valuable ancillary functions to your budding enterprise.

Thus, in assessing potential sources of funding, you should strongly consider venture capitalists for the following reasons: 1.Business expertise and mentorship: Several entrepreneurs lack the expertise to run their businesses optimally due to a limited knowledge of industry dynamics. Venture capitalists may provide you that edge by offering guidance in areas such as supply chain development, product development and financial management, given their deep knowledge of their specific industries.

2. Connections: Venture capitalists typically have a vast network within the business community. Tapping into this network could help significantly accelerate growth in your venture within a short time frame.

3. Assistance with non-core business functions: Business owners may have difficulties setting up strong teams to handle vital non-core, support business units such as legal,

finance and human resources due to lack of knowledge or financial constraints. Venture capital firms are typically staffed with teams that can provide ongoing support in these areas until such a time when businesses are able to fund their own operations.

4. No fixed loan repayment schedule: Entrepreneurs are not obligated to pay back principal received from venture capitalists under a repayment schedule. This removes the burden of debt repayment as a cost of financing your business.

5.Access to large-scale funding: Through venture capitalists, you can potentially access substantially larger amounts of capital than you otherwise would from traditional funding sources, since VC investors are able to pool resources during funding rounds.

Overall, several sources of funding exist to finance new businesses; however, many well-funded, great ideas can fail without proper guidance and support. Bringing a venture capitalist onboard as a mentor with a vested interest consolidates business and management consultancies in one. It also accelerates the growth and success of startups. Twitter and Facebook are examples of successful businesses that have benefited from venture capital funding.

Visit our website www.youwinconnect.org.ng for more contributions from our Experts.

Send your business questions under the header 'Ask the Expert' to: admin@youwinconnect.org.ng.

Questions, plus the author's name, location and phone number, should not be more than 140 characters.

W B

T

som you who you diff the err stra

The tho pos has abl failu

Res to bet suf fro suf the

Ma of und une dow wo acc term are loo cha out ran pla kno risk

Bus stra add and to me doc

15

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

NEWS

Academy

s to

...

of

ry

tic,

,

ng r?

ources ge or enture ically t can ort in time ble to . yment s are back enture yment s the nt as a ness.

nture ntially arger n you from urces, ble to nding

es of new many s can dance enture mentor erest and ies in s the startok are ssful efited ng.

xperts. der the

rg.ng. name, uld not

T

o be an entrepreneur requires a special combination of boldness, humility and resilience. It is a beautiful thing to say that you are going to build something that the world needs; but that, you believe, none of the billions of people who have gone before you or live beside you now has ever seen or achieved is a different ball game. To get there requires the humility to confront a hundred small errors every day and the resilience strategy to remain in business.

The path to success is forged via a thousand small adjustments, each one possible only because the entrepreneur has their eyes and ears wide open and is able to adjust – time after time – to all the failures before them.

Resilience is the virtue that enables people to move through hardship and become better. No one escapes pain, fear and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.

Many companies perceive the importance of business resiliency but don't quite understand what is truly at stake when the unexpected hits. For example, network downtime prevents employees from working and vital tasks from being accomplished, but, in pure monetary terms, every minute a business's systems are down costs money. Besides IT issues, looking at downtime caused by supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, power outages, geopolitical factors, and a wide range of other possibilities, it is crucial to plan for business resiliency and to also know that not having a plan can be very risky to the success of your business.

Business resilience is a combination of strategies that a company puts in place to address the past, deal with the present, and look to the future of a company's ability to handle the unexpected. To us, this means going beyond hundreds of pages of documentation and strict adherence to

industry regulations and standards. It means a holistic strategy that actually works. Some of the strategies are: 1. Involve key stakeholders Trying to assemble and execute a resiliency programme on your own can be overwhelming and likely impossible.

Other stakeholders must be involved. If, for example, a major flood hits a key production facility, the supply chain may be affected, a power outage may send IT into crisis mode, and HR may need to figure out how to get workers home.

These stakeholders know the key issues they face (and may already have plans in place); bringing it all together forms the basis of a comprehensive plan that guides you from the flood incidence to the quick resumption of normal operations.

2. Test, test, test Many enterprises have resilience plans but no idea if the plans will actually work when needed. A crisis strikes, and because the plan hasn't been tested, employees panic and, perhaps, fail to execute the plan properly. This can create a bigger problem than before and lead to scenarios that were never considered because some “obvious” step was overlooked. Once you have a plan in place, test it, work out the lumps, and test it again. The end result will be a strategy that is refined and employees who won't freak out when they must implement it.

3. Don't let your plan collect dust Resiliency isn't a one-and-done deal.

After devising and testing a plan (and possibly executing it), the details must be continually updated to reflect industry changes, technology upgrades, shifting risk tolerances, new employees, and so on. Unfortunately, after much time is spent on a plan, it goes into a binder, it is placed on a shelf and not opened for years. Think of resiliency as processes instead of just a plan—improve it as needed, and you won't be frantically scrambling when the unexpected does hit.

Visit our website www.youwinconnect.org.ng

Did you Know?

Small Stuff

s re

What You Must Do To Make Your Business Survive Against All Odds

Fact, Quote & Definition

ribe

Nollywood produces more films a year than any other country except India. Motion pictures, sound recording and music production are collectively now worth billions of pounds, and constitute 1.4% of the country's £307bn GDP. National Bureau of Statistics, 2014

“The biggest impediment to a company's future success is its past success.” – Dan Schulman, CEO, PayPal Inc

!

Fact

Quote

This enterprise education page is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance

Abimbola Akosile with agency report

The Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the InspectorGeneral, led by ACP Abba Kyari yesterday revealed that it had arrested one of the most wanted suspected kidnappers in Lagos.

Kyari, who confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the suspect was arrested at his Magodo residence in Lagos.

The suspect, 36-year-old Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike, who is a native of Anambra State, was nabbed inside Magodo Phase II around noon yesterday, marking an end to a near decade-long manhunt by law enforcement authorities.

“IRT headquarters in Abuja is celebrating the arrest of the most wanted brilliant and notorious high profile kidnapper in Nigeria. He has collected several billions of Naira as ransom in the last seven years as the kingpin of kidnappers. He was arrested at about 1.00p.m on Saturday in his residence in Magodo Estate, Lagos,” Kyari said.

He commended the Force

Definition

Headquarters for mobilising the resources to go all out against the “richest and most notorious kidnapper” in the history of Nigeria.

Kyari said the InspectorGeneral had directed that the suspect should be paraded before newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.

Also, Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, who confirmed the development, said Onuamadike’s arrest was a major success and a morale booster in the war against incessant kidnapping, which has become a lucrative enterprise for hardened criminals in recent years.

Moshood, a chief superintendent of police, said the suspect was arrested by police intelligence monitoring unit put together by the InspectorGeneral, Ibrahim Idris.

“Millions of Nigerians in different parts of the a country who dreaded this suspect will now be able to sleep with their two eyes closed,” Moshood said.

According to online reports, the police first caught wind of Onuamadike’s activities when he allegedly began terrorising residents of several

Lagos neighbourhoods, especially Festac Town and its environs.

It was in Festac that Onuamadike allegedly masterminded the abduction of Vincent Obianudo, the billionaire owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, in 2013.

Onuamadike, a.k.a.: Evans, has presence in the SouthSouth corridor, where he allegedly established many kidnap formations that operated in major settlements along the East-West Road, including the Port-Harcourt and Warri, both with a high number of oil workers, according to reports.

Moshood said the suspect had allegedly devised a unique method of extracting ransom from victims. “He keeps his victims for up to six to seven months in captivity until when their families pay amounts ranging from N300 to 400 million as ransom in several installments,” the police spokesperson said.

Dozens of suspects attached to Onuamadike’s kidnap formations across the country have been killed in shootouts with law enforcement officers since 2010, the police said.

US Ambassador: Improved Power Will Boost Nigerian Economy Ejiofor Alike

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington has expressed the confidence that with more concerted efforts, the country would improve its power supply to boost the economy.

Speaking during a visit to Mantrac Nigeria Limited Head Office in Ikeja, Lagos, as part of his efforts to support American firms and other firms that deal on US-made products, Symington said the visit was to seek ways of providing opportunities to enable these companies boost the Nigerian economy.

“Nigerians are hardworking and enterprising. I am confident that with more concerted efforts, the country will overcome her challenges through improved power supply,” he said.

Ambassador Symington described Caterpillar and Mantrac partnership in Nigeria as “investment at the highest level.”

Caterpillar, a US company,

manufactures a wide range of power systems and earth moving equipment, among other products. Mantrac Nigeria is part of the Mantrac Group, which is the Caterpillar’s official dealer in ten countries including, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Iraq and parts of Russia.

Symington expressed happiness with the Mantrac’s performance report and its large number of Nigerian work force, and described it as “truly Nigerian.” He proffered useful tips and tasked the company’s management and staff to sustain the culture of excellence.

He said over the years, Caterpillar’s involvement in Nigeria had yielded “convincing rewards,” adding that Mantrac has a big role toplayinliftingNigeriaandAfrica.

“If Nigeria and Africa do well, the world will do well; if Nigeria and Africa fail to do well, the world will not do well,” Symington added.

In a slide presentation, the

company’s Managing Director, Mr. Edmund Martin-Lawson told the envoy that the company, which is the sole authorised dealer of Caterpillar products in Nigeria, had set a vision to benchmark for Caterpillar dealership globally.

However, he noted that the Nigerian economy is going through a tough time presently but added that it still remains a large market and an “excellent investment destination” as well as a huge opportunity for the Mantrac group.

He said the company had provided the country’s power needs through the supply of high-tech systems to critical sectors like the telecom, marine, manufacturing, oil and gas, among others.

According to him, between 70 and 80 per cent of Caterpillar Generator sets sold by Mantrac were manufactured/assembled in Nigeria. He described the envoy’s visit as encouraging, adding that Mantrac was highly honoured to host the highest-ranking US citizen in Nigeria.

Idigbe, 22 Others Inducted as Knight of St Mulumba Jude Igbanoi

Venture Capital Venture capital is financing that investors provide to startup companies and small businesses that are believed to have long-term growth potential.

A venture capitalist is an investor who either provides capital to startup ventures or supports small companies that wish to expand but do not have access to equities markets. Venture capitalists are willing to invest in such companies because they can earn a massive return on their investments if these companies become a success. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/venturecapital

After 7Years Manhunt, Most Wanted Kidnap Suspect Arrested in Lagos

The Order of the Knight of Saint Mulumba, Lagos Metropolitan Council recently admitted into its 3rd Degree fold 23 members, including Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN).

At a solemn ceremony at the Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, Victoria Garden City, Lagos, the new inductees were elected into the 3rd Degree of the Order of KSM along after a concelebrated High Mass by the Parish Priest, Rev Fr., Michael-Christian Okonkwo and a visiting Chaplain of the Nigerian Army.

The Order of St. Mulumba was founded by a Nigerian Cistercian Monk, Rev. Fr. Abraham Anselm Isidahome Ojefua, in 1952, having received approval from the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria. The Order was formally inaugurated on June 14, 1953 at the Holy Ghost College Chapel in Owerri, Imo State with Bishop Whelan presiding.

The 23 founding members included three priests, two of whom later became bishops, Nwedo and Unegbu. According to the Lagos Metropolitan Grand Knight, Charles Mbelede, “A Knight of St. Mulumba is a practicing catholic

with reasonable education and financial resources, who is willing to volunteer his talent and energies for the service of God, the Church and fellow men.

“He aspires towards a high sense of Christian discipline and cooperates with other Christian denominations without compromising catholic doctrines and principles. He lives an exemplary Catholic life making use of the Sacraments to grow in the Grace of God. He defends his Catholic faith and gives succor to the disadvantaged, the poor and the oppressed in the society. He is a man of prayer.”

16

JUNE 11, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

OPINION

Dousing Ethnic Agitations

The government must restructure to appease different groups in the polity, argues Sufuyan Ojeifo

R

ecent political developments in the country have further accentuated our diverse fault-lines and confirmed even to the outside world that the chord of our so-called national unity is yet fragile, very fragile. Regionalism, ethnicity, tribalism, nepotism, favouritism, religious bigotry and the provincial character of leadership have continued to conspire to exert pressure on the nation’s fragile unity as Nigerians of northern and southern extractions agitate for fair and egalitarian accommodation in the federation.

Those who have been opportune to lead our nation have, thus far, carried on as if they are not seized of the facts of history.

Whereas, the vestiges and scars of the historical civil war of attrition to secede or to keep Nigeria together, depending on the angle that it is looked at, are everywhere in our body-politic. The Igbo ethnic nationality which subscribed to the idea of separatism in order to cure the mischief of injustice in the distribution of power and positions by the then federal government is a constant reminder of how the unending agitation for Biafra was birthed.

Our leaders are certainly not ignorant of the historical trajectory from the past to the present. But they have egregiously chosen to defiantly scorn history. This is the tragedy of the cynical and obvious contempt with which the Igbo ethnic stock is treated within the context of our federation. It is rather inexplicable that in a federation that stands on the tripod of three major ethnic nations - the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo - only the Ndigbo stock is yet to produce a democratically-elected president.

With the objectionable refrain being that the Igbo cannot be trusted with power, the general perception is that the denial of the Igbo ethnic nation from the presidency is a product of deliberate political calculations to eternally punish it for the secessionist misadventure spearheaded by the aboriginal leader of Biafra, the late Odumegwu Ojukwu. Validation: even a super minority Ijaw ethnic nationality has produced a president in Goodluck Jonathan, even if it was by reason of force majeure, occasioned by the natural death in office of a Hausa/Fulani president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Besides, the backwardness in its infrastructure development compared with the other regions is fingered as a deliberate policy measure to diminish the Igbo, stifle their voice, constrict their political space and confine them into a cocoon of perpetual abandonment. Structurally, it is unjustifiable that having carved the ethnic nationality into the South-east zone, it remains the only geo-political zone with five states while the others have a minimum of six states. The North-west zone even has seven states.

To be sure, the problem with our leaders is not ignorance because the civil war to keep Nigeria together as a nation is still a subject of national discourse. This is the history, and lessons should have guided them to do the right things. But by failing to do the right things, which should have assuaged the ill-feelings and restiveness of all tribes, regions or zones of the country, the separatist agitation as typified by the ogre of Biafra continues to fester.

For long, Nigeria has been run in a way and manner that does not bolster the confidence of the Igbo in the federation. Even the

With an enlightened army of restive youths across the country, leaders of the Nigerian federation can no longer entrench a discriminatory policy of exclusion and deliberate underdevelopment of any zone or region without justifiable agitations

sheer stigmatisation of the Igbo as incapable of engendering national trust is patently unfair and has detracted from the fidelity to equity in the contemplation of a genuine federation.

Therefore, by failing to do the right things, our leaders have expanded the frontiers of sectionalism to the exclusion of national interest and the nation is bound to keep interrogating the Biafra issue.

History, according to Karl Marx, repeats itself, first time as a tragedy and second time as a farce. Having witnessed the historical tragedy of the Nigerian civil war, it will amount to a mockery of our leadership and nationhood if the instrumentality of dialogue and compromises cannot be deployed to contain the lingering conflict before it explodes into a conflagration in our faces.

More than ever before, Nigeria appears to be a stone’s throw to preventable disintegration. The mere verbal exhortation that Nigeria is an indissoluble entity is not enough to make certain that the otherwise does not happen. Except and unless conscious steps are taken to mitigate the dialectics of injustice, both inherent and obvious, in our nationhood, our forced marriage by the executive fiat of Lord Lugard is capable of being ruptured by the agitation for Biafra exit (Biafrexit) from Nigeria.

When the tension of Biafrexit is thrown into the mix of the calls for restructuring by the Yoruba of the South-west zone, the minority ethnic nationalities of the South-South and Northcentral zones to accommodate even and equal development on the basis of exploitation and exploration of mineral resources under the soil of the respective zone and the states therein, the scenario cannot but foreshadow a looming apocalypse, which must challenge the sincerity of all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to justly deal with.

If the best way to deal with this is by way of restructuring, which marginalised ethnic nationalities seem to be enamoured with, then it is high time the government of the day began to take steps along that line.

–– Ojeifo wrote from Abuja

Thirty Years On

S

Folu Olamiti pays tribute to Pa Obafemi Awolowo and recreates the day he passed on

aturday, May 9, 1987.The day broke, like any other day on. There was no premonition of anything earth-shaking. No foreboding. All seemed at peace.

As Editor of Sunday Tribune, I had kept vigil, the previous night, in the office putting finishing touches to a bumper package for that week’s edition. In the wee hours, nature came calling and I went home to catch some sleep. Just for a few hours.

At about 10a.m., I remember vividly now, I sauntered out of bed and started preparing for work. I had to get to the office before noon. Normal routine. Still, there was no fearful apprehension.

However, I got curious about the cloudy weather as I peeped out of the window. Yet, I muttered involuntarily: “What a cool day.”

Unknown to me, the ‘cool weather’ was an ominous sign of an impending tragedy; one that would reverberate throughout the length and breadth of our great nation, Nigeria. It was the day, Pa Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, went the way of all flesh. Erin wo.

The mighty iroko fell that day.

I got to the office, excited about the bumper edition we wanted to bombard our loyal readers with. With a deep sense of satisfaction, I leafed through the first edition of the paper that would be circulated in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. At 2p.m., I summoned my crew, made up of crack reporters, writers and erudite scholars, for our usual review of the first edition. The essence of that was to see what to add or subtract for the second edition usually circulated in the South West and Mid-western states.

Among my team members were: Ayo Akinyemi, my Assistant Editor; Yinka Adelani, Gboyega Oguntuwase, Lanre Ogundipe and Kanmi Adegbite. We also had three erudite scholars on part time: Segun Olatunji, Wale Adebanwi and Adeolu Akande. We bonded strongly, and were so committed to the job that Nigeria Audit Bureau of Circulation adjudged our paper, Sunday Tribune, as the second best-selling newspaper after Daily Times. This was in the glorious days of Daily Times. This rating was a tonic for us to work harder. After review of the first edition we celebrated that we had done a good job.

The major reason for our celebration was that our big boss, Mr.Felix Adenaike, a.k.a General Officer Commanding (GOC), who would have made a last vetting of the package, was in far away Argentina, attending that year’s edition of the annual International Press Institute (IPI) conference with his bosom friend, the late Mr. Peter Ajayi.

Please, permit me to digress a little. A week before, I had travelled to Warri, in present day Delta State, as head of the Tribune’s team covering the coronation of Ogiame Atuwatse II as the 19th Olu of Warri. Papa Obafemi Awolowo and his jewel, Mama Hannah, were at the occasion. Papa sighted me first, and

he asked one of his security men to bring me to where he was.

Papa was a stickler for detailed and accurate reportage of events, especially the one he attended. A quintessential journalist that he was, he gave me some useful tips on what he had observed before and during the event. His intervention indeed enriched the reportage in the Sunday Tribune the next day.

In any case, such briefing from Papa Awo wasn’t new to me. I had discovered the treasure trove of news in him when I was assigned to cover his activities, especially his electioneering campaigns in 1979 and 1983 respectively. That was when I cultivated the habit of staying close to Papa’s seat at events for his usual on the spur-of-the-moment ‘briefing’.

But the Awo I saw at the coronation of Ogiame Atuwatse II was a shadow of the Papa that we had all grown to know at Tribune. Papa was not his usual ebullient self on that day. He looked frail and tired. His eyes were heavy, and had bags. He dozed off and on. Given how Papa Awo had flogged his body during those years that he traversed the nooks and crannies of this country campaigning, canvassing votes, struggling to bring better life to the people (his major pre-occupation since 1952), it wasn’t totally surprising to find the 78-year-old weak and frail.

In fact, you wouldn’t blame him for taking a nap to refresh his aging body. That day, Papa Awo managed to give me a total of 12 minutes briefing.

The occasion itself didn’t last more than two and half hours. At a stage, Papa looked at his watch and told Mama: “We can make it to Ikenne today.” Mama nodded in affirmation. Photographers captured that moment and it became so symbolic and very conspicuous on newspapers’ front pages after Papa’s exit. The picture of him looking at his watch in Warri became a perfect depiction of a premonition that his time was up on Mother Earth.

The weather in Warri that day suddenly became inclement, and the heavens began to pour. It rained cats and dogs. Still, Papa and Mama left. Mama would later tell me in an interview that Papa slept all through to Ikenne.

Back to the D-Day, Saturday, May 9, 1987. After our editorial meeting, it became imperative for us to upgrade the package to accommodate breaking news. We began the process in earnest, aiming to close the pages to enable us get some rest or revel at some rendezvous. Unknown to us, the biggest story in Nigeria and the rest of the world had broken silently at Ikenne, that morning. Till date, I still marvel at how the family managed to keep some of us, editors, in the dark. The news had filtered to some editors in Lagos. Meanwhile, I had dismissed my editorial team little after 9 p.m. after watching NTA’s network news and no breaking news had surfaced. Indeed, I had gone to my office to pack my things ready to go home since no breaking news came after the news. I had no choice but to swing into action

with my production crew.

While I was packing my bags, Banji Kuroloja, my colleague and elder brother who was the Editor of Nigerian Tribune walked in. At first I did not look up. When I eventually did, I saw a man with red eyes, apparently deep in mourning. I thought maybe he had lost one of his relations. We hailed from the same town, Idanre, in Ondo State. So, I asked in our dialect: “Are you OK?” He crashed into my visitor’s chair and held his head as he intoned: “Papa Awo is gone”. “Gone where?” I asked. He looked up, and burst into tears and said: “Papa Awo is dead!” “Is that a joke?” I asked again. “Nooo…!” he fired back with his voice quivering: “Go outside and see the ambulance that took the body of Papa to the University of Ibadan Pathology Department for embalmment.

At that point, my heart popped and I went blank for about five minutes. Kuroloja then asked me to order our machinists to stop work. We looked at each other, holding my hands at the back of my head, and both of us broke down. We wept like babies. Papa, to both of us, meant a lot in different ways. Apart from my closeness to Papa as his unofficial reporter, Kuroloja briefly worked with Papa as his Private Secretary. Papa was humane, loving and deeply interested in our private affairs, especially our families. Very few employers have that virtue.

Like I said, at this stage, all my editorial crew had gone home.

In our moment of grief, we forgot that we were duty bound to publish the obituary of the Founder of Tribune titles, and a political colossus of our time. We swung into action but I must confess, we missed the expert contribution of our Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Felix Adenaike . Had he been home, he would have heard the news ahead of us. Kuroloja and I decided to print our masthead in black, and covered the whole of the front page with Papa’s picture, with a banner headline: AWO IS DEAD. Hard as we tried, we did poorly that Sunday compared with other newspapers in Lagos, whose editors had earlier got wind of Awo’s death. We, senior editors, quickly rallied round, wipe our tears momentarily to enable us come out with a special edition that afternoon. We served our readers what Papa told Mama to do at his transition. Mama had told us that Papa did not want people to mourn him but be happy anytime he passed.

So, in that Sunday edition, we came out with Papa in white Agbada, and with broad smiles waving, we cast the headline: “DON’T MOURN ME- Awo”.

That set the tone for all activities at his funeral that spanned over a month. The activities were laced with superlative carnivals, the kinds never seen before in Nigeria, and which I think richly qualified to be listed in the Guinness World Records.

In life and in death, Papa Awo was great.

––Olamiti, Media Consultant, wrote from Abuja.

17

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

LETTERS

G

A Prayer for The Victims of Turkey

od in heaven, I pray for the hundreds of thousands of Kurds, Alevis, Hizmet movement participants and minority Christians languishing in Turkish prisons for no justifiable reason. I also pray for their families and loved ones that have continued to live in fear on a daily basis.

I pray for those outside Turkey who fear for their lives on a daily basis due to the threat of abduction and forcible deportation to Turkey. I also pray for those whose businesses have been either shut down or seized by the government.

God in heaven, comfort them and let your light and glory be their pathway.

Amen.

In the confinement of the four walls of my room, I sat in absolute bewilderment with the happenings in Turkey. I imagined the hardship, the physical and emotional torture of innocent people that have been clamped in prison in Turkey on unsubstantiated allegations of plotting a coup. I was left with no choice but to pray for the victims of Turkey. I encourage you reading to say a word of prayer for them too.

Turkey has been in the news since the unfortunate coup attempt of July 15, 2016. In my opinion, the country has drifted from a democracy into autocracy.

I say this because, since the coup attempt, the state of an emergency rule introduced by the president provided him the long-awaited opportunity to be of disservice to the people of Turkey.

Also, the massive purges carried out by the government have led to a remarkable dearth in the health and educational institutions in Turkey.

Those that were fortunate were able to leave the country in droves. Those

Erdogan

that were not lucky were rounded up and thrown into prison. We are talking about professors, doctors, teachers, and other highly resourceful people other countries would wish to have. As a fact, Turkey is now the number one country for applications from under-threat scholars seeking safety in Western universities, according to Scholar Rescue Fund and Council for At-Risk Academics, two of the world’s leading charities that help at-risk academics.

As at the last count, close to 1300 schools have been shut down, 15 universities also closed. Some 54 hospitals closed down.

Some 8,271 academics have lost their jobs. This is aside from other scary figures of the number of media outlets and charity organisations that have been shut down by the government. This is quite frightening.

I will give one sad example: Kim Se Yokmu (KYM) Foundation is one of the biggest charity

organisations in the world.

KYM is involved in many projects all over the world to bring relief to disasterstricken areas, provide essential resources to areas in need, and establish schools and medical facilities in areas that lack

F

such vital services. The KYM has been shut down by the Turkish authorities.

Can you believe that?

In Turkey today, the fastest way to prison is to call the name Fethullah Gulen only. If you commit murder, you won’t be sent to prison because the jail spaces are meant for critics and perceived enemies of the president. Interestingly I learned the government is planning to build additional 174 prisons over the space of five years to accommodate more people.

For some of us who have devoted time and energy to research on the Hizmet movement, it smacks of nothing but evil intent to label the Hizmet movement a terrorist organisation. Little wonder why Mr. Bruno Karl, head of German Intelligence Agency (BND) said the BND could not find a direct link between what Turkey calls the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and the coup attempt.

Similarly, Congressman Devin Nunes, chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the US Congress, said he hadn’t seen evidence that

I

Cross River State has been grossly abused to this level. There is a serious need for your leadership to provide a permanent solution to this ugly trend.

The first and paramount task of an elected leader is the citizens’ well- being; the second, third and the last task remain citizens well-being, be it in infrastructure, health or education.

I want your government to succeed in the aspect of the environment and the only way to support your government is to tell you the truth. I am sure that if your government pays full attention to the environment and address its challenges head on, you will succeed.

I want you to place

a coup and a hospital or school? How can you also explain the arrest and imprisonment of teachers, doctors, nurses, professors, journalists, judges, and prosecutors, etc.? It doesn’t add up to me and likewise many others. There is also an aggressive drive to annihilate participants of the Hizmet movement in Turkey and outside Turkey. For the ones doing legitimate businesses outside Turkey, there is an ongoing campaign to pressure countries to close down their firms that consist of mainly schools and hospitals, and in some instances, the Turkish authorities are demanding the transfer of these institutions to a government organisation called Maarif foundation. This is another absurdity.

“The Turkish government must stop the repression of its people and redress the rights of individuals who have been wronged

by Erdogan without due process.” This is my prayer for the victims of Turkey.

––Joshua Ocheja, Abuja.

AKOH CRITICS OF PEACE CORPS

or the critics of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), who relish in unnecessarily generating needless controversies or worse still, spinning web of lies around the corps, their day of reckoning came during the investigative hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the raging controversies over the passage of the bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC).

The event, which took place at the Committee’s Conference Room at the National Assembly on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, was attended by the members

of the committee led by its chairman, Senator David Umaru; a formidable media team, the founder and Chairman of Board of Trustees of the National Unity and Peace Corps (NUPEC), Professor Humphrey Ogoegbunam and the self-styled CommandantGeneral of NUPEC, Dr. Chinedu Nneji, etc.

It would be recalled that since the passage of the bill by the Senate on Thursday, November 24, 2016 (after it was earlier passed by the House of Representatives) and the harmonisation of differences observed in 12 clauses by the conference committee set up by both chambers on January 19, 2017, enemies

CROSS RIVER AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE

am forced to write this letter due to the worsening environment situation of Cross River State. I have observed heaps of refuse in every nook and cranny of Calabar, the state capital.

The World Environment Day marked recently is a day set aside to reflect on our activities towards the environment. It is about activities that we all can share and contribute in making the environment comfortable for our living.

Sir, it is sad and quite unfortunate that the situation on ground in Calabar is not in tandem acceptable standards. It is a sad story, more real than I could ever imagine that the environment of

suggests Fethullah Gulen was involved in failed coup.

Hear Fethullah Gulen: “Ever since I was a child, I have believed that the greatest service to humanity has to go through education, that all of the humanity has to be embraced, that pursuing tolerance and dialogue are critical, and that everyone must be accepted just as they are. I believe in being tolerant and approving of everyone, as these are necessary ingredients for preventing internal social divisions and strong barriers against the outbreak of conflict.” I am afraid that for such a personality and the people he inspires through his teachings to be labelled as terrorists or behind a coup attempt can best be described as absurd. What is happening in Turkey is perhaps the largest clampdown in modern Turkish history. Else how do you explain the closure of hospitals including dialysis centres? How do you also account for the closure of schools, universities, and dormitories? What is the relationship between

Cross River State back in its rightful position as outstanding clean and green state in Nigeria.

A wise leader takes the well-being of his/ her followers seriously.

You have travelled to several countries around the globe.

Questions: How do you see the environment of the Europeans and Asian countries you travelled to as compared to ours in Cross River State? How can Cross River State be marketed and accepted by investors in its stinky and dirty condition it is currently in? What conviction do you have to prove as a guarantee for their health? Health they say is wealth.

Honestly, your perfor-

mance on the environment is questionable.

The refuse disposal system used by your government is obsolete.

We have relapsed to the stage of physical tasking, energy-sapping and time wasting mechanical means to cart away refuse.

You have to provide a modern equipment, the jack-trolley waste disposal motor and containers. You need to strategically place basket waste, iron waste bin attached to iron rod with inscription on the body, “USE ME” in all the streets within few metres away, to dump simple waste items such as water sachet and containers.

––Udom Dominic Bassey, Calabar.

of the corps went haywire, spreading all manner of lies about the organisation and its founder, Dr Dickson Akoh, essentially to torpedo the rising profile of the corps. The situation got so bad that those who had earlier invested their hopes and aspirations in the corps started having a rethink.

It was in the midst of all these that Dr Akoh and a battalion of his lieutenants stormed the NASS following an invitation extended to him by the committee.

Akoh, who went down memory lane, narrated how the PCN started in Kaduna, following the success of its precursor, the Militia Corps in Lagos in 1990. He held the members of the committee spell-bound with his wellarticulated presentation, laced with facts and figures.

He used the window of opportunity offered by the event to disabuse the minds of the members of the public who have been indoctrinated with lies about the essence of the existence of the corps vis-à-vis its mandate. He equally took advantage of the event to shed light on the baseless allegations levelled against him by the nation’s leading security agency, tearing those allegations apart to the satisfaction of the panel of distinguished senators.

Apart from shedding light on the over-flogged issue of extortion of N40,000 from applicants, which he said both the Police Force Headquarters and the ICPC have thoroughly investigated in the past and given the corps a clean bill of health, Akoh also took pains to puncture the so-called 90-count nebulous charges

by the police against him, which he rightly pointed out were payments to contractors for supplies made and out-of-pocket expenses, etc. To underscore the genuineness of his presentations, Akoh supported same with an avalanche of documents.

On the persistent allegation of leadership crisis in the corps, Akoh disabused the minds of the senators and members of the public by stating categorically that there was no such thing, insisting that Nneji’s claims on the issue were simply mischievous since it was the bill of his organisation, the PCN that was passed by the NASS. On this note, Prof. Humphrey collaborated Akoh’s position by stating unambiguously that the bill passed was that of the PCN and not that of NUPEC. With Humphrey’s position, the controversy over the NPC Bill has finally been laid to rest. With this development, expectations are rife that the Senate will do the needful, which is to expedite action on the bill and quickly transmit it to the presidency for assent.

The erudite professor equally pleaded that the long-suffering members of his organisation be absorbed into the Akoh-led Peace Corps once the bill is assented to by Mr. President.

From what transpired at the hearing, it is evidently clear that Dickson Akoh has taken the battle to the doorsteps of the enemies of the corps and Nigerian youths and demystified them beyond redemption.

He has proven to the whole world that he has the ability to provide leadership.

Rogers Edor Ochela, Abuja

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 11, 2017

INTERNATIONAL 51st ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State: Beyond Israel’s Carrot and Stick and Morocco’s Membership Virus

T

he 51st ECOWAS Ordinary Summit of Heads of State was held in Monrovia, Liberia, the oldest independent country in West Africa, from Thursday, 1st June to Sunday, 4th June, 2017. The summit, as usual, was preceded by various meetings of ambassadors accredited to the ECOWAS organisation and the Council of Ministers. The ambassadors prepare the agenda and discuss critical issues, the outcome of which was referred to the Council of Ministers for further review and agreement. When there is no agreement on issues raised, they are generally left for determination by the ECOWAS summit proper. Generally, the Council presents its own outcome as recommendations to their principals. The Authority of Heads of State and Government which then considers the recommendations one by one for adoption, and generally by consensus.

In this regard, the preparative meetings began on Thursday, 1st June while the main summit was held on Sunday, 4th June.

On Monday, 29th and Tuesday, 30th May, the 21st meeting of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and that of the Ministerial ad hoc Committee on Institutional Reform were held. On Wednesday, 31st May, the Mediation and Security Council Committee held its own meeting while the meeting of Council of Ministers took place on June 1.

The 51st ECOWAS summit was more or less a foundation for future self-destruction, essentially because of the international politics of it. First, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited as a special guest and as one of the speakers at the summit. His invitation was unprecedented, being the first non-African leader to have been so invited to address the ECOWAS leaders. In fact, no Israeli leader has officially visited the ECOWAS region since the 1960s.

Second, King Mohammed VI of Morocco was also invited. The King wanted to attend and plead for the admission of Morocco to full membership of the ECOWAS. And true, King Mohammed VI prepared well for the summit but refused at the last minute to attend the summit because of the would-be presence of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Put differently, Morocco and Israel have different misunderstandings, largely induced by the Israelo-Arab, particularly the Palestinian, question. Consequently, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry has explained why King Mohammed VI could not attend the summit in person.

As explained, ‘King Mohammed VI wishes his first presence at an ECOWAS summit not to take place in a context of tension and controversy.’ The non-attendance of the king was ‘to avoid confusion.’ However, there was not only confusion already because of the purpose for which the Moroccan king was coming, Morocco’s membership of the ECOWAS also has the potential to generate new controversies. So was the invitation to Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israelo-Africa summit is scheduled to take place in Togo in October 2017. Prime Minister Netanyahu wants all the ECOWAS leaders to attend and take active part in the summit. This wish is quite difficult to comply with because Israel does not generally respect UN Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian question, but is seeking African support. Should African leaders be aiding and abetting international lawlessness?

Thirdly, essentially because of the Netanyahu and Moroccan factors, some Member States did not participate in the summit at the level of Heads of State. Essentially, it was the sub-region of Nigeria and its immediate neighbours, Benin and Niger Republics that were not represented at the level of Heads of State and Government. One possible explanation for the non-representation at the highest level might be the need to avoid being the friend of one and the enemy of the other. There was the time Nigeria voted on the side of Palestine and there was also the time Nigeria abstained in favour of Israel at the UN Security Council. As at today when Nigeria’s relations with both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel are warm, the best attitudinal disposition Nigeria could have was to show commitment to the ECOWAS by participating, and to show caution by ensuring representation at the level of Chargé d’affaires.

Commitment by Nigeria is critical to ECOWAS survival at this time of global instabilities. The invitation to Benjamin Netanyahu has a destabilising effect. Morocco’s quest for full membership of the ECOWAS cannot but also adversely affect the notion of a region in intra-African relations and, therefore, the need for its re-conceptualisation. Consequently, the ECOWAS leaders appear to be consciously threading the paths of self-destruction. The Community citizens are also not helping the matter by also acquiescing to it.

Put differently, the ECOWAS is challenged by its future, especially

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia in light of developments in the European Union, after which the ECOWAS is patterned in conception, design and structure. The challenge cannot but be also made complex with the factors of Morocco’s membership and Netanyahu’s policy of carrot and stick.

The ECOWAS, therefore, has to make haste slowly in the quest for economic assistance and also in the consideration of Morocco’s accession to the ECOWAS Treaty, as well as Tunisia’s quest for observer status.

The Challenge of Morocco’s Accession

ECOWAS must avoid taking community citizens in West Africa for granted. They must always remember why Morocco left the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and why the same Morocco is now compelled to return to the successor organisation, the African Union. They must remember that ECOWAS countries are mainly located in Africa, South of the Sahara and are also black African countries. For avoidance of doubt, it was because of the conflict between the Western Sahara and Morocco that led to the withdrawal of Morocco’s membership of the OAU. Morocco tried to claim sovereignty over the Guerguerat area of Western Sahara, which borders the Atlantic ocean, when the Spanish colonialists left the territory. The POLISARIO, which is the military wing of the Saharawi Arab people, engaged in a guerrilla warfare to press for self-determination and independence of Saharawi Arab Republic. Morocco offered to grant full autonomy but under its full sovereignty. This has not been acceptable to the Saharawi Arab Republic which is already a nation-state, recognised by many other states in international relations, and, of course, a member state of the African Union.

With this development, Morocco still refused to accept the situational reality. It was mainly because the OAU invited the Saharawi Arab Republic to one of the OAU summits that angered Morocco and that led to its withdrawal from the organisation in 1984. In the eyes of Morocco, the OAU admitted a ‘puppet republic.’

Consequently, ‘no Moroccan will accept the kingdom’s return to the pan-African organisation to be alongside a puppet republic.’

It is better to allow the black African civilisation and the Arab civilisation to grow and develop on different platforms. Let Morocco andTunisia sustain their Magrebin Union and their Arab League and let these organisations then relate or cooperate with the ECOWAS as different regional organisations.The Arab world appears to have been saturated with political extremism.This is why the Arab countries are now looking for new grounds for alternative futures and Arabophone politics.This cannot be acceptable because Egypt tried in the past to rubbish the patriotic efforts of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo when he was Chairman of the AU Assembly of Heads of State

The main rationale for Morocco’s hostility was also that the OAU Charter provided that only independent and sovereign states could be admitted as members. True, Morocco could not be more correct.

However, African leaders also wanted to do away with all forms of colonial exploitation on African soil. One good way of enhancing it was to recognise the SADR by first of all granting it an observer status.

As at today, Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over the territory of the SADR is yet to be jettisoned and Morocco has not only applied to return to the African Union but has actually been readmitted. In his letter addressed to the AU Chairman, Chad’s President, Idriss Déby Itno, at the 27th Summit of the Union in Kigali, Rwanda in July 2016, King Mohammed VI said ‘Morocco is heading on Tuesday with determination and clarity, to return to the confines of (its) institutional family and to continue to assume its responsibilities with greater enthusiasm and with all conviction.’ More significantly, King Mohamed VI underscored his country’s confidence ‘in the wisdom of the African Union and his ability to get things back to normal and to correct errors of the past.’

What are these errors? They are simply associated with the presence of the SADR at the OAU. Morocco sees the presence of the SADR at the OAU as ‘a clear conflicting position with international law,’ and also believes that the African Union cannot ‘continue to insist on the violation of national positions of Member States.’

Even though Morocco considers that Muammar Gaddafi, a major financier and supporter of the SADR had died, and therefore, no more an issue at the level of the African Union, and even though Morocco also considers that the African Union has also removed the conditions of accession from the AU Act, the return of Morocco to the African Union with the SADR still remaining an active player in the organisation simply means an indirect, to say the least, recognition of the SADR. In international relations, the non-recognition of a state does not prevent its existence. Astate is necessarily constituted with the union of a people, a territory, and a government capable of enforcing the country’s international obligations. In the eyes of Morocco, 70% of African countries do not recognise the SADR as at today and that 17 of them never recognised it, while 12 of them withdrew their earlier recognition. All these considerations do not prevent the existence of the SADR as a state and Morocco, with its return to the AU of leaders of wisdom has also come to recognise the myopic character of its 1984 decision to withdraw from the OAU. The return to the AU can be considered as a welcome development.

However, Moroccan quest for full membership of the ECOWAS cannot be a welcome development. In the first instance, it has the potential to bastardise the classification of Africa into five regions. As clearly stipulated in the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community, Articles 1(d) and (e) divided Africa into five distinct regions (West, North, Central, East, and Southern) and makes the union of any of three or more states within any given region a sub-region. For instance, Nigeria and her immediate neighbours naturally constitute a sub-region. Will the membership of Morocco, observer status of Tunisia and Israel not require the re-definition of the boundaries of West Africa?

Morocco is geo-politically located in the Northern region of Africa.

By joining the ECOWAS, there cannot but be a conflict of interest in the long run. It should not be quickly forgotten that Mauritania was a founding member of the ECOWAS. Mauritania withdrew its membership in the hope of joining the Maghreb Union or be associated with North Africa. Again, like Morocco has rediscovered the beauty of returning to the African Union, so has Mauritania seen the need to quickly return to the ECOWAS where it naturally belongs. The questions therefore are: why is Morocco interested in the ECOWAS? Why is Mauritania coming back to the ECOWAS? Can we explain the rationale with one Yoruba proverbial saying, according to which ‘if you do not know where you are going to, you must know where you are coming from,’ and therefore be able to retrace your steps?

Morocco is more attached to the Arab world. The attachment has the potential to be detrimental to Africa’s long-term interest. For instance, permanent representation of Africa at the UN Security Council is a case in point. One of the declared conditions for eligibility to be considered for permanent seats with or without veto is geographic or regional representation. Contributions to the peace operations of the United Nations.

In this regard, the Big Powers want, in an attempt to respond to Arab pressure for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, to sponsor Egypt because the Arab world does not constitute a region by UN’s definition. Africa is a region as defined by the UN. Consequently, since Egypt is geo-politically located in Africa, efforts are being made to take one of the seats to be earmarked for the African region to Egypt. By so doing, the two leading contestants, Nigeria and South Africa, are therefore to contest for the other seat.

Additionally, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has posited three major reasons militating against the admission of Morocco into the ECOWAS. First, the ECOWAS has no right to redraw the boundary of West Africa or extend the boundary to the Mediterranean.

As queried by Akinyemi, ‘what is the legal or moral or historical justification? How does this dovetail with the acceptable international norms and usage?’

Secondly, in contemporary international relations, regionalism is one of the main criteria for distribution of appointive and elective posts, particularly at the United Nations.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

19

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

BUSINESS

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

LAST WEEK WEEK

Unemployment Rate

Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 14.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to data from the NationalBureauofStatistics.Thebureau disclosed that the rate rose from the 13.9 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter of the year under review.

AccordingtothedatareleasedMonday by the NBS, the latest unemployment rateis4.2percenthigherthantherate recordedinthefourthquarterof2015.

The NBS noted that as the number of unemployedpeopleintheeconomywas growing,thenumberofunderemployed people was also rising.

ICT

The federal government is to build a $1 billion dollar ICTcompany to boost indigenous technology. Acting PresidentYemiOsinbajodisclosedthisinhis opening address at the 2017 Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition in Abuja, with the theme, “the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Getting Africa Ready.“ According to him, with such investment Nigeria will no longer be a dumping ground for ICT products and services.

Maritime

The federal government streamlined the number of agencies operating at the country’s seaports, permitting only seven agencies at the ports.

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Usman, disclosed thisatastakeholders’meeting.Usman noted that in line with the enabling businessenvironmentinitiativeofthe government, the number of agencies hadbeenstreamlinedtoseven.Theyare NPA,NigeriaCustomsService,Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,NigeriaPolice,Departmentof State Services, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Port Health.

Debt Profile

A textile factory

NBS: Labour Productivity Jumps 45% in 6 Years

Kunle Aderinokun

Labour productivity increased by 45 per cent over a six-year period to N684.43 in 2016 from N471.94 in 2011, but declined by 4.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics has said. Labour productivity is derived as the ratio of total output (annual GDP, current prices) to labour input (total hours worked per year).

NBS, which disclosed this in its Q4 2016 Labour Productivity Report, noted that labour productivity increased to N783.51 in Q4 2016 from N713.77 in Q3, N636.30 in Q2, N605.27 in Q1 and N706.95 in Q4, 2015.

Specifically, it pointed out that, for the period under review, labour productivity increased by 9.8per cent on quarterly basis and 10.8per cent year on year, noting that the estimated total number of hours worked increased by 0.48per cent between Q3 and Q4, 2016, and increased 1.9per cent between Q4, 2015 and Q4, 2016.

The statistical agency explained that, Q4 2016 saw a rise in labour productivity, the highest levels since

ECONOMY

Q1, 2015.“While the overall level of productivity was high, there were several challenges that generally impacted on output and labour, and indirectly on labour productivity, keeping it below optimal levels.

According to the report,“some of these issues faced during the quarter were issues that spilled over from Q1 through Q2 andQ3, 2016. Investment in the economy was still relatively low, though some government investments were recorded during the quarter, the volume of private investment and foreign direct investments was still considerably low compared to previous years.

“Power was relatively stable during the quarter, which partly accounted for the increase in Labour productivity but was still lower than the required levels.

Though there was a contraction in the economy in Q4 in real terms, which was accompanied by an increase in the unemployment rate, the growth in labour productivity implies a gradual increase in labour efficiency

employed in the economy, the third consecutive quarterly rise.”

The nature of productivity in the fourth quarter, NBS states, also gives an idea of the main drivers of the growth in labour productivity.

Analysis showed that, the agriculture sector recorded a growth of 3.39per cent, the highest among

to other activities like Agriculture, their strong growth during the quarter and the high number of labour they engage would have contributed to the labour productivity during the quarter.”

In its introductory notes, NBS explained that,“Economic growth in Nigeria, though stable in the past few years, started to experience a downward trajectory in Economic growth the fourth quarter of 2014.” in Nigeria, though According to the agency,“In the stable in the past fourth quarter of 2016, Nigeria few years, started economy, though showing signs of to experience a downward trajectory recovery, recorded its 4th consecuin the fourth quarter tive quarter of negative growth, with the economy declining by of 2014 1.58per cent. The constraints on productivity of labour and other any major economic activity, with factor inputs continue to put a the parts of the fourth quarter drag on overall economic growth being the harvest season in the and this was further exacerbated Nigerian agricultural calendar, in the fourth quarter of 2016.

“A growing unemployment this may well have added to the growth in labour productivity in rate of 14.2per cent in the 4th quarter, up from 13.9per cent in Q4, 2016.

Besides, other major activities that the 3rd quarter, coupled with contributed to productivity during existing infrastructural challenges, the quarter were transportation remain considerable threats to and the creative sectors of the realising Nigeria’s full economic economy, though both activities and productivity potentials,” it relatively low weights compared added.

Nigeria’stotaldebts,foreignandlocal, rose to N19.16 trillion. According to the Debt Management Office, the country’s indebtedness to local and foreigncreditorsrosefromtheN17.36 trillionrecordedattheendofDecember 2016,representinganincreaseofN1.8 trillion.TheDMOsaidthatattheendof March 2015, the country’s total debt stood at N12.06 trillion, representing an increase of N7.1 trillion in two years. According to data released by the DMO, the Nigerian government’s domesticdebtstoodatN11.97trillion, as against N8.51 trillion recorded in 2015. This represents a domestic borrowing record of N3.46 trillion, representing 40.71 per cent.

Forex

Manufacturers,airlines,fuelimporters andagriculturebusinessescannowbuy dollarsataspecialmarketintervention.

TheCentralBankofNigeria,inanotice to lenders, said the new intervention will enable them to clear the backlog of foreign exchange obligations. CBN saiditplannedtosettlethebidstoclear a backlog of foreign exchange obligations now due through a combination of spot and short-term forward deals.

The notice, however, did not specify the amount of dollars to be sold.

Crude Oil

Royal Dutch Shell resumed crude exports from its Forcados terminal in Nigeria after production was disrupted following repeated attacks by militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta, a company spokesman said Thursday.

The resumption meant Nigeria’s oil production rebounded to around two million barrels per day, adding more barrelstothemarketatatimewhenthe Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries is working to curb output in order boost global crude prices.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

20

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Rising National Debt Portfolio Sparks New Debate The new report by the Debt Management Office may have rekindled a debate on the nation’s rising debt portfolio, writes Kunle Aderinokun

A bridge under construction...projects of this nature are highly capital intensive

N

igeria’s rising debt profile is once again in the spotlight with the latest data released by the Debt Management Office last week. Following the new DMO report , which came after the Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt 2016 Report was rolled out by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), issues had been raised on the rationale behind the current administration’s accumulation of debt within a short time, when there are other viable sources of financing the budget and its deficit. And in defence of its actions, the federal government argued that, with low receipts from oil, it had no better option than to borrow to meet its monthly obligations, finance capital projects and exit recession.

According to the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, who spoke recently at a forum, “when we start the argument, should we borrow, should we not? The truth is that we have no choice. If you are waiting for the oil price to recover, the prognosis is that it’s not going to go back to $110 per barrel any time soon. So, to get the economy growing, we have no choice but to look for low-cost funds and put that infrastructure in place, because it is the infrastructure that will unlock the economy.”

In fact, Adeosun had, at various times, argued that Nigeria needed to spend her way out of recession and a better way to do it was for the federal government to

borrow to finance infrastructure projects .

Status Numbers from DMO show Nigeria’s total debt has risen to N19.16 trillion as at March 31, 2017 from N17.36 trillion in December 2016. When compared with the corresponding period in 2015, the country’s total debt stood at N12.06trillion, implying that the debt level increased by N7.1trillion within two years.

Analysis shows that, at N11.97trillion the Federal Government’s domestic debt significantly increased from N8.51trillion at the same period in 2015, representing 40.71 per cent rise.

Likewise, the external debt also rose sharply from $9.46billion to $13.81billion within the two-year period, showing some 45.98 per cent increase.

Only recently, NBS revealed that, as at December 31, 2016, the country’s foreign and domestic debts stood at $11.41 billion and N14.02trillion respectively. While the reported current foreign debt rose by $692 million from $10.718 billion in December 31, 2015, from where it increased to $11.26 billion in the third quarter of 2016, external debt in Nigeria averaged $6.92 billion from 2008 until 2016, reaching an all-time high of $11.41 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016 and a record low of $3.63 billion in the first quarter of 2009.

Concern The nation’s burgeoning debt stock has given all and sundry cause for concern,

especially as regards its sustainability.

More worrisome is the rising external debt during a period when the economy is bedeviled with myriad challenges and battling to remove itself from the quagmire of recession.

But the government had variously allayed the fears that may have been expressed, saying there was no cause for alarm. In one of the instances, the DMO DirectorGeneral, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, argued that, “in spite of the drastic drop in the country’s foreign exchange earnings, following the oil-price shock since mid-2014, the external debt liability hardly constitutes a source of vulnerability.”

Nwankwo, who noted that, as at endJune 2016, external debt accounted for only 18.33 per cent of the country’s total debt stock of about N16 trillion (USD 61 billion) – compared to the optimal target of 40 per cent established in the country’s medium term Debt Management Strategy (2016-2019),” stated that, “the annual external debt service expenditure for the last 5 years was always less than 6.5 per cent of the total public debt service outlay.”

According to him,“the external debt service accounted for an insignificant proportion of the total public debt service expenditure.”

Analysts While agreeing with the Federal Government to spend its way out of recession but more on capital expenditure, a couple of experts have advised it to exercise caution in contracting more debt in the process

of doing so.

According to a renowned professor of Economics, Pat Utomi, “A country is not different from a household, more or less generally, in terms of how it manages its finances. So, if your personal debt profile is going up at that rate, will you be comfortable?

“However, there are times that you need to spend your way, literally speaking, out of a challenge of output; recession being one of those. But I think that even at that, you need a certain level of care to make sure that you don’t get into an unsustainable debt scenario.”

“My big worry is that the impact of the borrowing may not be reflected on output, in the sense that if we get into a double whammy where our debt balloons, but we don’t have the necessary stimulation of production, especially when our consumption is very external in its orientation, we need be very careful to watch all of those,” he, however, urged.

In his own suggestion, Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Bukar Kyari, noted that, “What one needs to pay attention to is the debt service amount versus the capital expenditure of the budget. The debt servicing and the ability to service the debts are the key areas of concerns that we should pay attention to.”

However, other analysts and market watchers are still worried about the debt rising streak, decrying Nigeria’s heavy dependence on debt. While they suggested viable options for financing the budget

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

21

BUSINESS/ECONOMY Rising National Debt Portfolio Sparks New Debate

Cont’d from Pg. 20

Adeosun

and its deficit, they have therefore made suggestions on the way forward in the nation’s debt management.

CEO, The CFG Advisory, Adetilewa Adebajo, expressed concern about “the nation’s critical debt situation”, contending that Nigeria was heavily dependent on borrowing.

According to him, IMF’s projections for debt to GDP ratio (23.3% and 24.1% in 2017 and 2018 respectively) were“a painful reminder” of Nigeria’s heavy dependence on borrowing. He argued that, “With the debt servicing ratio at an all time high of 66% and the 2017 budget provision of 1.84 trillion,, the nation needs to be mindful of its economic choices; foregoing future benefits for present consumption.”

Adebajo advised:“We can therefore suggest that a more aggressive approach should be undertaken to tackle the nation’s increasing debts. The right policies must be put in place and properly implemented else we face the reality of already high interest- payments to revenue ratio escalating beyond control.”

The economist believed,“The debt situation can be properly managed by ensuring that both federal and state government borrow within the proposed limits and provisions of the fiscal responsibility act.”

“Borrowing should be made strictly to finance capital expenditure. In addition, the FG should direct more of its borrowing externally as it attracts lower interest rates relative to domestic borrowing (high interest rate risk).”

Similarly, Executive Director, Corporate Finance, BGL Capital Ltd, Femi Ademola, pointed out that the N7 trillion increase in total debt stock in two years was very significant, especially during a period when the fall in total revenue of the county was very significant over the same period.

Ademola, however, argued that while the IMF projection on Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio was significant, it was still considerably lower than the 40 per cent suggested for emerging and developing countries “As noted by the IMF, Nigeria’s Debt to GDP ratio has increased to about 19% and could reach 23.3% in December 2017 and 24.1% by 2018. While this is significant, it is still considerably lower than the ideal of 40% suggested for emerging and developing economies. And when compared to other emerging and frontiers, Nigeria will only be bettered by Russia with 17.7% debt to GDP ratio after the acquisition of the planned borrowing. China’s ratio is 22.4%, India has 66.7%, Brazil has 66.23% while South Africa has 50.1%. Among

Nwankwo

the MINT, Mexico’s 43.2%, Indonesia’s 27.0% and Turkey’s 32.9% are all higher than Nigeria’s,” he noted.

Expressing optimism that, spending from the borrowings was expected to boost economic activities and enhance government’s tax revenues going forward, Ademola said, “This will mean that if properly applied, the debt could be beneficial to the economy in the future.”

Suggesting that, there might be other options to generating revenue for the government which included the sale of assets, Ademola was, however, quick to add that, “this option, as viable is it may be may not be politically practicable.”

Also, in his own view, Director, Union Capital Ltd, Egie Akpata, noted that, Nigeria’s total debt was rising during the years of record high oil prices so it was not surprising that in a time of lower revenue, total debt has continued to rise.

“Based on the federal government’s announced borrowing plans, I would expect the outstanding debt to continue to grow at an increasing pace over the next few years. What is equally worrying from the recently released DMO data is that N474billion was spent on domestic debt servicing in Q1 2017. At this rate, around N2trillion will be spent on domestic debt service this year,” he lamented.

Akpata advised that, “Rather than the FGN borrowing to fund various initiatives and infrastructure projects, these areas of the economy should be concessioned to adequately capitalised and experienced local or foreign firms. These concessionaires should go out and raise required funding so that such project borrowing sits on private balance sheets and not count as FGN outstanding debt.”

To the CEO, Global Analytics Consulting Ltd, Tope Fasua, the new debt report,“calls to question the adopted strategy of foreign debt, which the Finance Minister has embraced and placed much confidence in.”

“A proportion of the leap in debt is due to exchange risk, occasioned by the depreciation in the value of the Naira.

Whereas the Naira has stabilised lately, no one can predict the situation in another two years down the line. Domestic debts have increased steadily as a result of the recession,” he noted.

Fasua, however, added that, “in spite of our reality, we have made bad fiscal choices and have not shown the kind of discipline and contrition that countries in recession usually show. Federal and State executives and legislature have continued to binge on everything foreign even as

they preach the opposite to the people.

“Our spending is not measured to reflate the local economy as it should.

And there is no synergy. Whereas many states find it difficult to pay salaries, some other MDAs have been engaged in aesthetic expenditures that add little value, but sends our hard-earned capital into foreign countries.

Stressing that he didn’t support the minister’s plan of continuous borrowing, Fasua said, “We should do a hard reset instead.”

“This whole idea by which MDAs throw in budget figures based on whims and caprices, and loaded with tricks, is the first thing that should stop. We should lock down the economy for about two years and just stretch our resources if we are serious. We should use the old cars, maximise the use of old government buildings. We don’t even need new roads, if we are serious. There are many roads that

Nigeria’s Debt to GDP ratio has increased to about 19% and could reach 23.3% in December 2017 and 24.1% by 2018. While this is significant, it is still considerably lower than the ideal of 40% suggested for emerging and developing economies.

And when compared to other emerging and frontiers, Nigeria will only be bettered

by Russia with 17.7% debt to GDP ratio after the acquisition of the planned borrowing.

China’s ratio is 22.4%, India has 66.7%, Brazil has 66.23% while South Africa has 50.1%

are under-utilised in this country. If we go ahead and borrow another $30billion as proposed, we would have ended up mortgaging the entire country,”he suggested.

Echoing Ademola’s view, analysts at Eczellon Capital Ltd, pointed out that, since Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio is below the 40 per cent benchmark for developing countries, it indicates that “the country’s debt level is within the proposed prudential limits and can be increased if need be.”

“The key will be the utilisation of debt proceeds. A school of thought recommends that developing nation should maintain the debt level closer to the optimal limit provided that borrowing is used to finance needed developmental requirements like infrastructure and other needed catalysts of economic development.”

The analysts added: “The above said, maintaining a healthy debt level is important to susainability. A study by the World Bank found that if the debtto-GDP ratio exceeds 77% for an extended period of time, economic growth would be slowed. According to the research, every percentage point of debt above this level reduces economic growth by 1.7%. It is even worse for developing economies as each additional percentage point of debt above 64% slows economic growth by 2% each year. The risk in this case is usually sensitivity of increase in debt to Primary Balance of the country (i.e., the budget balance net of interest payments on the debt.) It is expected that when debt gets very large, it will be difficult to generate a primary balance that is sufficient to ensure sustainability. Based on this latter point, Nigeria may need to watch its borrowing, especially in the era of low revenues. Debt service becomes a portion of recurrent expenditure over the life of the debt, which stifles available flows to other spending needs of the government.”

As it stands, the Eczellon Capital analysts note, Nigeria is below the prudential debt-to-GDP level, as such her debt levels could either be sustained at its current state or increased to an acceptable level as there is still room to increase borrowing.“What will be important is what the proceeds of debt are used to finance.”

On viable alternative to borrowing, the analysts suggested that the government could expand its’ tax net to cover the informal sector and other firms and persons that have not been under the tax net.“We believe that the increase in the number of persons/organisations absorbed by the tax net will lead to increase in government’s revenue.”

22

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

BUSINESS/MONEY

Zenith Bank’s Impressive Eurobond Outing As Zenith Bank relishes the oversubscription of its Eurobond issue, Obinna Chima looks at what this spectacular performance at the external bond market means for the brand and the economy

A

n increasing number of Nigerian banks are turning to the Eurobond market for capital, as they seek to take advantage of lower borrowing cost and rising demand among international investors. The growing interest in the dollar-denominated debt was, apparently, spurred by the successful outing of Access Bank Plc, which raised $300 million from the Eurobond market in the fourth quarter of last year. It was also, obviously, stimulated by the federal government, which in the first quarter of this year raised $1.5 billion in two tranches from the Eurobond market. This has prompted other banks, such as the United Bank for Africa Plc, which recently notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange of its plan to raise $500 million, to start considering Eurobond issue.

Diaspora Bond Already, the Debt Management Office has announced the commencement of a global offering of Nigeria’s first Diaspora Bond. DMO revealed that it had filed a registration statement for the bonds with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

It said the application would be made for the bonds to be admitted to the official list of the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange Plc. The office said this was to ensure that the bonds were admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s regulated market.

According to the DMO, “The bonds will be direct general obligations of Nigeria and will be denominated in U.S. dollars. The international Joint Lead Managers are Bank of America Merrill Lynch and The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd. “The Nigerian Joint Lead Managers are First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. and United Bank for Africa Plc.” The DMO said there would be a series of investor meetings in the UK, the U. S. and Switzerland from June 13.

It said pricing was expected to occur following the investor meetings and subject to market conditions. The office stressed that Diaspora bond was used to raise funds from Nigerians in the Diaspora to finance capital projects and provide an opportunity for them to participate in the development of

Zenith Bank, MD, Peter Amangbo

Attractions According to analysts, the low patronage and the high cost of raising capital from the domestic market are among the factors driving sovereigns and corporates to the international debt market.

Financial market analysts say the urge for the international debt market is largely buoyed by the surge in big ticket transactions in the country. The banks also intend to utilise the net proceeds of the notes for their general banking purposes.

Part of the allure is also the indication that interest rates in the euro zone are likely to stay at historically low levels for the foreseeable future as inflation remains tame. That means yields on debt sold in euros could stay low for longer and help issuers save money.

London is a major centre for the Eurobond market.

The bond opened trading at 101.15 per cent of par value on its first day of trading, indicating the huge demand for the issue in the market. Sources close to the issue said the subscription came from around the world, including Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Europe and the United States of America, to further affirm the global acceptance of Zenith Bank as an international brand.

Sources familiar with the details of the issue also say over 200 investors participated, with the largest single ticket subscription being over $100 million.

They point out that the overwhelming success of the issue attests to the visionary leadership of the institution and the consistent excellent track record of the bank over the last 26 years.

The bank established $1 billion Global Medium Term notes in 2014, with $500 million already raised in the first tranche.

The first tranche notes were listed and admitted to trading on the Irish Stock Exchange in 2014. The net proceeds of

Zenith Bank Experience Zenith Bank Plc recently issued a five-year senior unsecured benchmark Eurobond of $500 million on the Irish Stock Exchange, which broke new grounds with an oversubscription of more than 400 per cent. The bank had explained that the issue was in addition to its existing $500 million Eurobond, which matures in April 2019.

Subscription to Zenith’s latest Eurobond 2022 issue was $2.1 billion and it recorded landmark success on three counts: pricing, subscription and global appeal. Available details of the issue show that the subscription makes it the highest by any non-sovereign and non-supranational company in sub-Saharan Africa.

The bond was issued at par with both coupon rate and yield to maturity rate priced at 7.375per cent.

The 7.375 per cent pricing is 50 basis points better than the sovereign (Nigeria’s Eurobond) of 7.875 per cent. The rating of both the sovereign and Zenith Bank is B+ with the bond issue also rated B/B+.

“The 400 per cent oversubscription indicates a huge endorsement of the Zenith brand as a reputable, international financial institution recognised for superior performance and creating premium value for all stakeholders,” said the bank’s management in a statement.

Over 200 investors participated, with the largest single ticket subscription being over $100 million.

The overwhelming success of the issue attests to the visionary leadership of the institution and the consistent excellent track record of the bank over the last 26 years

the country.

the Second Tranche Notes would be utilised for its general banking business.

Implication for the Economy Traditionally, banks have short-term deposits. Therefore, if they want to lend long-term using their current stocks of dollar, it would be a mismatch because that is short-term dollars and long-term loans. So, they try to lengthen the amount of liquidity they have.

The second reason is capital. The banks need tier-2 capital in order to support their balance sheets. The Eurobond market is the deepest source of liquidity in the world and tapping from the Eurobond market helps financial institution to benchmark their rating. This is because for any sovereign or institution to approach the international capital market, it has to meet very high standards of governance.

In addition, analysts note that the Nigerian banks, especially those in the tier-2 category. had sought to optimise the low-yield regime, especially as the demand for the dollar denominated loans increases in the domestic market, to shore up their balance sheets and maximise their capacity to join loan syndication clubs.

Research Analyst at FXTM, Lukman Otunuga, noted that the various successful Eurobond programmes were a demonstration of a high level of confidence in Nigeria.

“Nigeria seems to be on the correct path to recovery in 2017 with the impressively oversubscribed Eurobond deals boosting confidence towards the nation,” Otunuga said.

The federal government recently said the massive demand for Eurobonds from Nigeria was a demonstration of the strong market appetite for Nigeria and indicative of the confidence by the international investment community in Nigeria’s economic reform agenda.

But Otunuga pointed out that Nigeria still remained exposed to external and internal risks, saying, however, that the longer-term outlook for the country is positive.

The dollar-bond market is not likely to diminish, given that it is the world’s largest and most-liquid market. As such, it offers borrowers plenty of buyers and makes it easier for issuers, especially those selling large amounts.

23

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Stock Market Records Inspiring Performance

On the heels of the recent upsurge in trading activities on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, observers have begun to discuss the causes, wondering if it is sustainable, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

T

he excitement following the significant increase in trading activities on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, welcoming as it were, has also elicited discourse around what occasioned it. Opinion differs among economists, analysts and traders alike, some of whom have wondered how long the euphoria would last.

The run of increases at the bourse, which started in late April peaked last week when market capitalisation rose from N10,846 trillion to close at N11.262 trillion, while the All Share Index (ASI) recorded the daily highest gain in 23 months of 3.9 per cent to close at 32,578.38.

The continued surges, which were in both volume of traded shares and value have been traced to increasing investor confidence occasioned by the policy shift in the nation’s foreign exchange policy, particularly the foreign exchange window for investors and exporters and increasing receipts from the nation’s economic mainstay. One analyst added that it may not be unconnected to the return of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as acting president.

Even then, it is worthy of note that the surge is coming at a time when the money market sub-sector of the economy is witnessing higher yields on different instruments in the sector, leading some economist to predict that the bourse will perform even better if the interest rates in the money market is reviewed downwards. One analyst, however, disagreed.

In a bid to boost liquidity in the forex market, the CBN had introduced the window last April that allows market participants to determine the exchange rate of the naira on a willing buyer, willing seller basis. The CBN, however, added a caveat, which allows it to intervene in the market in order to promote liquidity and ethical market conduct.

Transactions under the new window include invisible transactions such as loan repayments, loan interest payments, dividends/income remittances, capital repatriation, management service fees, consultancy fees, software subscription fees, technology transfer agreements, personal home remittances and any such other eligible transactions including“miscellaneous payments”as detailed under Memorandum 15 of the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual. CBN, however, excluded international airlines ticket sales’ remittances.

Recent Gains The Nigerian stock market, which has been described by analysts in recent days as one that is on steroids, sustained its rally last Monday, gaining N417 billion, its highest daily gain in two years, to cross the N11 trillion psychological barrier.

On the Nigerian bourse, market capitalisation rose from N10.845 trillion to close at N11.262 trillion, while the All-Share Index (ASI) recorded the daily highest gain in 23 months of 3.9 per cent to close at 32,578.38.

At the close of trading, year-to-date growth rose to 21.2 per cent.

Monday’s rally was bolstered by Dangote Cement Plc, which added N290 billion to its value to close at N3.578 trillion, accounting for about 69 per cent of the gains recorded in the market.

In all, Dangote Cement, which accounts for over 30 per cent of market capitalisation, has amassed N596 billion ($1.76 billion) in the first three trading days of June.

The company’s shares, which galloped from N175 at the close of business on May 31 to N210 Monday, have effectively made Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who owns 91 per cent of the shares in the cement giant, N518 billion ($1.6 billion) in just three trading days.

Further Breakdown Even though the banking sector led, the positive run spread across the entire sectors as four of the sectors recorded price appreciation with the exception of the oil and gas sector that depreciated in value during the month.

The unprecedented bullish run pushed the Return-

Trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lagos

on-Investment, RoI, for the period to 14.5 per cent, higher than the year-to-date (ytd) return, which stood at 9.8 per cent. Market operators attributed the development to some positive macro-economic developments in the country and insisted that it was better than expected of the first quarter, 2017 (Q1’17) results even as some of them added that the return of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the Acting President helped to buoy activity in the market within the period.

Analysis of the stock market activities in the period showed that the banking sector topped others, appreciating by 26 per cent on the back of gains in top banking stocks like FBN Holdings Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, ETI, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Zenith Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. It was also observed that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly, in the later part of the month could not lift sentiment in the oil and gas sector as it lagged behind others, depreciating by 2.5 per cent.

This, however, was an improvement compared to 5.4 per cent negative return recorded in the sector in the five month to end May, 2017.

The banking sector led, rising by 26 per cent on the back of 67.2 per cent, 37.5 per cent, 28.9 per cent, 27.7 per cent and 27.2 per cent increase in FBN Holdings Plc, ETI, UBA, Zenith Bank and GTBank respectively.

This was followed by the consumer goods sector, which rose by 19.1 per cent driven by activity in Nestle Nigeria Plc which rose by 20.4 per cent and GlaxoSmithKline that advanced by 20.7 per cent during the month. The insurance sector was the next with 11.9 per cent on account of impressive return on Axamansard Insurance and Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc which rose by 43.3 per cent and 30.7 per cent respectively. The industrial goods sector recorded 1.96 per cent return during the period.

However, losses in Seplat Petroleum Development Company and Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc that depreciated

by 14.2 per cent and 14.3 percent respectively left the oil and gas sector with negative return of 2.5 per cent.

During the period still, the Purchasing Managers Index, PMI, rose to over 50 per cent indicating revival in private sector operation. Added to these is the gross domestic product (GDP) figure, which, though, contracted to 0.5 per cent in April, was a significant improvement against the two previous positions.

Analysts Expectedly, operators, stakeholders and observers within and outside the financial services sector have been reacting to the development with some attempting to questioning the sustainability of the spike. Speaking with THISDAY, Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, explained that the surge was as a result of review in the FX market, which tilted the balance towards a more market-driven policy.

Yusuf stated that, “I believe it is as a result of policy reviews in the FX market to allow for a more market-driven exchange rate, the benefits of that shift includes increased FX inflow whether as foreign direct investment or foreign portfolio investments. The introduction of the investor and exporter window in the FX market has particularly boosted investor confidence,” he stated.

Analysts at Cordros Capital Limited had weeks back said they sensed improved investors’appetite for risk assets on the bourse, judging by market activity in the past three weeks, and more specifically the spike in the number of deals and the volume of shares traded penultimate week.

They linked the performance to reduced apprehension in the macroeconomic environment, impressive full year 2016 and 2017 quarter 1 results of highly capitalised companies as well as increased confidence and liquidity in the FX market.

Supporting this assessment, analysts at Afrinvest (W.A) had argued that foreign investors’ appetite for Nigerian assets had waned significantly on

the back of the currency crisis, which in turn had fundamentally weakened macroeconomic environment, dragged corporate earnings, and impacted negatively on the equities market.

“However, in April, investor sentiment strengthened following the commencement of the Investors’ & Exporters’ FX window, which signalled a possible return of flexibility in forex rate determination, though multiplicity of rates at the official window is still a concern.

“Additionally, recent improvements in global oil prices above the $45/b mark, improvement in domestic production currently above 2.0mbpd, fiscal responsiveness – including the release of the EGRP, the successful issuance of US$1.5 billion Eurobond, passage of the 2017 budget, and improvement in the manufacturing PMI, suggest a possible rebound in economic activities from Q2 2017,” they said.

Afrinvest explained that the NSE benchmark index recorded a decline on only two trading days since the launch of the FX window while appreciating 11.9 per cent post-launch, with YTD returns improving to 4.9 per cent last Friday.

On his part, a research analyst with the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Rotimi Oyelere, explained that,“Two major factors drive capital market; the first is strong economic fundamentals and the second is market sentiments for profit taking or bargain hunting. No doubt, Nigeria economic fundamentals are solid even when the economy plunged into recession. These strong fundamentals no doubt influence corporates/companies performance as seen in the Q1 report already submitted so far but in my view, the capital market is more driven by sentiments and profit taking opportunities. Foreign investors are profit scavengers, who bring in their capital when opportunities for arbitrage are solid and exit as soon as possible. Looking at it from another dimension, the recent growth is skewed, only few companies/equities, are driving the growth and not a through reflection of improvement in the macroeconomic environment and outlook,” he argued.

24

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

ACCESS BANK PLC – Aggressive foray into risk assets creation spurs growth

A

ccess Bank Plc (the Bank) is a full service commercial bank operating through a network of 310 branches and services outlets located in major centres across Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom.The bank was listed on the Nigerian stock Exchange in 1998 and operates banking services through five business segments: Corporate and Investment banking, Commercial Banking, Business Banking, personal banking, Operation and IT Divisions.

The Bank is constantly exploring diverse solutions that make banking and financial management simple and accessible through an expansive foray into the retail sector, with an emphasis on cheaper funding services and new ways for customers to manage their finances.

By the end of the first quarter ended March 31, 2017, Access Bank Plc reported a significant growth in earnings, profits and other key financial metrics despite operational challenges caused by macroeconomic headwinds, majorly high inflation, investors low risk appetite, economic uncertainty, unemployment and foreign exchange volatility faced during the period.

GROSS EARNINGS BOOSTED BY CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL BANKING Gross earnings for three months period grew notably by 34.28% to N158.55 billion in March 2017 from N118.07 billion in the corresponding period of 2016; driven primarily by 23.31% growth in net interest income and almost the tripling of foreign exchange income. Although net fees and commission income fell by about 34.89% to N11.68 billion from N17.94 billion over the period, the increase in net gains on investment securities to N5.54 billion in March 2017 from a loss of N3.28 billion in March 2016.

Interest income grew by 43.09% to N79.33 billion in March 2017 from N55.44 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016; this was driven by 25.70% growth in total loans and advances to N1.80 trillion in March 2017 from N1.44 trillion in March 2016.This is despite an increase of 75.84% in interest expense to N36.60 billion from N20.81 billion in March 2016. Net-interest income after impairment charge thus grew by 22.71% to N39.54 billion from N32.22 billion over the period.

Unfortunately, net fees and commission income fell quite sharply by 34.89% to N11.68 billion in March 2017 from N17.94 billion in March 2016 while income from other operational activities including gains from trading securities and foreign exchange income more than tripled to N24.80 billion from N6.79 billion over the period.

DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN

ALSO THE STRONG LIQUIDITY POSITION OF THE BANK AND POTENTIAL PROFITABILITY FROM INCREASED FOCUS ON LENDING WOULD CUSHION THE EFFECT OF MACROECONOMIC HEADWIND AND WITHDRAWALS, HENCE BOOSTING PERFORMANCE OF ACCESS BANK AND RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN SHAREHOLDERS RETURNS

OPERATING EXPENSES The bank’s total operating income grew by 33.49% to N76.02 billion in March 2017 from N56.95 billion in March 2016; spurred by the more than tripling of income from other operational activities over the period.

On the other hand, total operating expenses also increased by 30.30% to N44.82 billion in March 2017 from N34.38 billion reported in corresponding period of 2016.This we believe stemmed from the increase in the rate of the bank activities which necessitated an increase in staff strength and thus personnel expenses and emolument, increase in business offices to boost business development and market penetration, investment in brand equity development, particularly in the retail segment through increased marketing activities and upgrade of IT improvements to improve automation of business processes and service delivery to customers.

DESPITE INCREASE IN EXPENSES, PROFITABILITY GREW SUBSTANTIALLY Although the bank recorded a sharp increase in operating expenses, the higher increase in operating income ensured a strong growth in profitability.

The bank’s profit before tax grew by 38.22% to N31.32 billion in March 2017 to N22.58 billion in March 2016. Although income tax expenses also increased substantially by 64.24% to N5.19 billion in March 2017 from N3.16 billion in the corresponding period of 2016; the bank recorded a considerable growth of 33.99% in profit after tax to N26.02 billion from N19.42 billion over the period despite the

current macro-economic headwind.

Valuation Metrics 2-Jun-17

REMARKABLE GROWTH IN ASSET POSITION AND SHAREHOLDER EQUITY The bank’s total assets increased by 29.09% to N3.55 trillion as at March 2017 from N2.75 trillion as at March 2016.

Further analysis reveals that the growth in total assets was largely driven by increase in loans and advances to N1.81 trillion from N1.44 trillion; Cash and cash equivalents to N732.53 billion from N506.59 billion and increase in investment securities to N747.01 billion from N480.56 billion over the period.

On the other hand, the bank’s total liabilities increased by 29.96% to N3.08 trillion in March 2017 from N2.37 trillion in March 2016; spurred by an increase of 11.67% in customer deposit to N2.01 trillion as at March 2017 from N1.80 trillion as at March 2016, reflecting continued implementation of the Bank’s customer engagement strategy and deposit mobilization initiatives. Shareholders’ fund also grew by 22.18% to N467.31 billion as at March 2017 from N382.48 billion as at the corresponding period of 2016.

Recommendation

BUY

Target Price (N)

11.71

IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY AND FINANCIAL RATIOS Key financial indicators also show improvement spurred by positive performances in top and bottom line earnings. After-tax return on average equity (ROAE) increased to 22.6 % in March 2017 from 17.4% in corresponding period of 2016. After-tax return on average asset also grew to 4.10% from 2.81% a year ago.

At 46.3%, the Bank’s liquidity ratio strengthens from 37.6% and remains above the minimum regulatory requirements of 30% while capital adequacy ratio grew to 21% from 19.6% in the corresponding period of 2016 and well above the regulatory requirement of 15%.

In relation to assets quality, nonperforming loans grew to N41.9 billion as at March 2017 from N25.1 billion as at March 2016 which is reflected in the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio which grew to 2.2% from 1.7%.The bank’s loan to deposit ratio was 73.4% as at the end of March 2017.

WE MAINTAIN OUR BUY RECOMMENDATION Considering recent developments in the banking sector and favourable regulatory policies which resulted in increased income generation despite high cost of funds within the Nigerian financial system, general macroeconomic challenges and rising impairment charges due to exchange differentials, we believe the Bank’s management is effective in reducing its expense lines towards optimizing the Bank’s cost profile,

Current Price (N)

8.93

Outstanding Shares (m)

28,928

Market Cap (N'm)

242,995

EPS

2.87

PE Ratio

3.11

Forward EPS

2.78

Forward PE Ratio

2.13 Source: BGL Research

Q1 March 2017 Unaudited Results Gross Earnings (N'm)

158,551

Profit Before Tax (N'm) Profit After Tax (N'm) Pre-tax Margin (%)

31,208 26,019 19.68%

Source: Company Report 2016, BGL Research

FYE December 2016 Audited Results Gross Earnings (N'm)

381,320

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

90,339

Profit After Tax (N'm)

71,439

Pre-tax Margin (%)

23.69%

Source: Company Report 2015, BGL Research

Shareholding Information Shareholders % Holding Stanbic Nominees

16.00%

Blakeney GP

6.08%

Public Float

77.92%

Outstanding Shares (m)

28,927.97

Source: Company Report 2016, BGL Research

intensify low-cost deposit generation and launch of innovative products and loyalty schemes that will boost transactionrelated commissions which will lead to strengthened income generation for its shareholders. Also the strong liquidity position of the Bank and potential profitability from increased focus on lending would cushion the effect of macroeconomic headwind and withdrawals, hence boosting performance of Access Bank and result in substantial growth in shareholders returns.

Considering the above, we therefore projected gross earnings to N435.13 billion for the financial year for December 2017 and net income to N90.50 billion for December 2017, leading to a forward EPS of N3.13. With forward Price to Earnings (PE) multiple of 3.74x, we arrived at a 9-month target price of N11.71 for Access Bank Plc. Since this represents a potential upside of 31.13% over the next 7 months. We therefore place a BUY recommendation on the shares in Access Bank Plc.

25

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

NIGERIA’S TOP 50 STOCKS BASED ON MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC – Food product business remains the Company’s cash cow

U

nilever Nigeria Plc (The Company) was established in 1923 as a soap manufacturing company – West Africa Soap Company – by Lord Leverhulme. It later became known as Lever Brothers Nigeria. Today, it is the longest serving manufacturing organization in Nigeria.

After a series of mergers and acquisitions, the Company diversified into manufacturing and marketing of foods and personal care products.

These mergers and acquisitions brought in Lipton Nigeria Limited in 1985, Cheesebrough Industries Limited in 1988 and Unilever Nigeria Limited in 1996. The Company changed its name to Unilever Nigeria Plc in 2001 in line with the global strategic direction of the business.

Unilever Nigeria’s confidence in the Nigerian economy is unwavering.

The Company was quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1973 and is a truly Multi-local Multinational organization with very outstanding international and local brands in her portfolio. The international brands include Close-Up toothpaste, Pepsodent toothpaste, LUX beauty soap, Lifebuoy soap, Rexona, Vaseline lotion and Vaseline Petroleum Jelly in the Personal Care Unit of the business; Blue Band Margarine, Lipton Yellow Label Tea and Knorr bouillon cubes in the Foods Unit; and OMO Multi-Active Detergent, Sunlight washing powder and Sunlight Dish washing liquid in the Home Care Unit. Other Regional and local jewels include the Pears Baby Products range and Royco bouillon cubes.

The interim report for the first quarter of 2017 recently released

by Unilever Nig. Plc showed improvement in performance and in financial efficiency measured by pretax margin. Remarkable growths were recorded in revenue and profitability principally due to management success in reducing operating expenses and substantial increase in finance income.

INCREASE IN DIRECT COSTS PREVENTS STRONG GROWTH IN GROSS PROFIT For the three-month period ended, March 2017, Unilever Nigeria Plc grew turnover by 32.12% to N22.17 billion from N16.78 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016. The Company’s performance shows very strong growth rates of 21.83%, 37.65% and 49.87% in revenue generated by Personal Care

IN THE LONG-TERM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUSTAINED GROWTH IN PROFITABILITY FOR UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC WHICH WOULD DEPEND LARGELY ON THE RESULTANT IMPACTS OF INNOVATIVE ADVERTISEMENT, EXPANSION AND INCREASED EFFICIENCY IN OPERATING COST REDUCTION

and Food Products and Home Care respectively.

Further analysis reveals that the Company’s Food Products segment continues to account for the largest percentage of 47.32% but significantly down from 52.16% in December 2016 and 51.31% in March 2016.

On the other hand, cost of sales grew notably to N15.88 billion in March 2017 from N10.17 billion in March 2016; representing a growth of 47.72% over the period. The growth was due to the combined effect of increases in costs of the various components of direct expenditures especially: raw materials and other factory expenses, which we believe were caused by inflation, exchange rate volatility and the prevailing macroeconomic headwind in the country.

Expectedly, due to the higher growth in cost of operation over generated revenue, gross profit grew only slightly by 4.31% to N6.29 billion in March 2017 from N6.03 billion reported in the corresponding period of 2016.

REDUCTION IN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES POSITIVELY IMPACT PROFITABILITY The Company’s management increased activities towards curtailing expenditures which yielded positive result as it was able to reduce administrative expenses

notably by 22.39% to N2.60 billion in March 2017 compared to March 2016 figure of N3.35 billion. This was in spite of an increase in utilities expenses. However, the cost optimisation plan has not worked yet on the company’s selling and distribution expenses as it grew by 22.95% to N947.054m from N770.28m over the period.

However, despite the increase in selling and distribution expenses, operating profit grew notably by 43.98% to N2.75 billion in March 2017 from N1.91 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016. Net financial cost also decline by 17.65% to N574.72m from N488.50m over the period. The decline would have been more but for the more than doubling of the finance income to N149.66m from N57.18m over the period.

The combination of a decline in operating expenses and growth in income, the Company recorded an impressive growth of 53.52% in Profit before Tax to N2.18 billion in March 2017 from N1.42 billion reported in the corresponding period of 2016. Although income tax expense grew by a 52.67% to N576.95m billion from N377.90m, Profit after Tax also witnessed an increase of 53.85% to N1.60 billion in March 2017 from N1.04 billion in March 2016.

ASSET QUALITY The Company’s key performance metrics remains strong as current ratio rose to 0.85 as at March 2017 from 0.78 as at March 2016. Return on Equity (ROE) for March 2017 improved to 12.06% from 8.80% in March 2016 while return on asset (ROA) improved to 1.80% from 1.43% over the period. The company’s loans and borrowings increased to N21.47 billion as at 31st March, 2017 from N20.50 billion in December 2016.

The Company had taken a 6.45% interest rate plus 3 months US Libor unsecured loan facility of $59.7 million (N18.8billion) in 2016 from Unilever Finance International AG for the purpose of clearing backlog of unpaid obligations to suppliers.

The loan is repayable within one year.

This had increased the company’s outstanding loans and borrowings N7.43 billion in December 2015.

WE UPGRADE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO A BUY In the long-term, we look forward to sustained growth in profitability for Unilever Nigeria Plc which would depend largely on the resultant impacts of innovative advertisement, expansion and increased efficiency in operating cost reduction. While

Valuation Metrics 8-June-17 Recommendation

BUY

Target Price (N)

33.82

Current Price (N)

36.00

Market Cap (N'm)

136,199

Outstanding Shares (m)

3,783

EPS (N)

0.81

PE Ratio

44.44x

Forward EPS (N)

1.17

Forward PE

38.72x Source: BGL Research, NSE Data

Quarter 1 March 2017 Unaudited Results Turnover (N'm)

22,172

Profit Before Tax (N'm)

2,180

Profit After Tax (N'm)

1,603

Pre-tax Margin (%)

7.23 Source: Company Data 2017, BGL Research

Full Year December 2016 Audited Results Turnover (N'm)

69,777

Profit Before Tax (N'm) Profit After Tax (N'm) Pre-tax Margin (%)

4,106 3,072 5.89

Source: Company Data 2015, BGL Research

Shareholding Information Shareholders

% Holding

Unilever Overseas Holdings B.V. Holland

50.04%

Unilever Overseas Holdings BV

10.02%

Stanbic Nominees Nigeria Ltd

10.43%

Others

29.51%

Outstanding Shares (m)

1,624

Source: Company Data 2017, BGL Research

consumer spending declines as inflation increases, we expect the potential of increased economic activities in the coming year to result in growth of its core business activities, revenue and profitability.

Considering the above, we cautiously make our projections for gross earnings of N82.98 billion for the 12-months financial year end, December 2017 and a net income of N4.41 billion for December 2017, leading to a forward EPS of N1.17.

With a company Price to Earnings (PE) multiple of 38.72x, we arrived at a 6-month target price of N45.17 for Unilever Nigeria Plc which leads to a potential upside of 25.48%. We therefore recommend a BUY.

26

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

BUSINESS/ENERGY

Trucks waiting to load petroleum products at a tank farm

NNPC’s Increasing Burden of Petrol Importation

With the petrol importation by the marketers dropping from 60 per cent at the peak of the subsidy regime in 2011, to zero at the moment, NNPC is again saddled with the responsibility of bridging the supply gap and incurring huge losses that could fuel allegation of corruption in the future. Ejiofor Alike reports

P

rior to 1999, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was the sole importer of petroleum products into the country. With the refineries’ relatively better performance in the period, the locally-refined products effectively augmented the imported products by the NNPC to meet domestic demand and check scarcity.

After 1999, private marketers such as Ascon Oil, Sahara Energy, and Ocean & Oil (now Oando), joined the PPMC to import petroleum products into the country.

When the Petroleum Support Fund started in 2006 after former President Olusegun Obasanjo had announced its introduction in the 2005 Independence Day speech, more marketers joined in the importation of petroleum products, as the federal government started paying subsidy to eliminate the effect of volatility of crude oil on the price of imported products and ensure stability of domestic prices.

At the peak of the subsidy regime in 2011, about 101 marketing companies and independent importers were importing approximately 60 per cent of products consumed in the country, while the NNPC’s PPMC accounted for the balance.

However, with the participation of several marketers in the PSF scheme, there were several manipulations and infractions, which culminated in the infamous subsidy scam.

After the various subsidy probes and the reform initiated by the then Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, Mr. Reginald Stanley, the number of participating companies dropped to less than 40.

Persistent Fuel Crisis Section (5) (I) (b) of the NNPC Act of 1977 empowers the corporation to engage in “refining, treating, processing and generally engaging in the handling of petroleum for the manufacture and production of petroleum products and its derivatives.” Subsection (c) vests in the corporation the powers to engage in “purchasing and marketing petroleum, its products and by-products.”

However, with the collapse of the refineries, the country became almost 100 per cent dependent on imported products, thus, putting pressure on the NNPC to ensure availability of products. The entry of the private marketers in the downstream business effectively complemented the efforts of the NNPC. With the marketers accounting for a reasonable chunk of imports, NNPC was relieved of a lot of pressure.

Since 2009, fuel scarcity has occurred in the country each time the marketers stopped importation of products.

Before the country exited the subsidy regime in May 2016 with the increase in pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145 per litre, the marketers had stopped importation on several occasions to protest unpaid subsidy claims, plunging the country into fuel scarcity. This had led to frequent crisis in the downstream sector as the NNPC alone could not bridge the supply gap as a result of lack of adequate reception and distribution facilities that could feed the whole country with products.

NNPC lacks facilities to receive imported products from vessels and distribute to the whole country. Though the corporation has about 21 depots across the country, where trucks can lift products and wet the whole country, the vandalism of pipelines hampers the pumping of imported products to these 21 depots through pipelines.

Forex Challenge After the exit of the country from the subsidy regime in May 2016, marketers were encouraged to participate actively in importation with the partial liberalisation of the sector. But today, importation by marketers has dropped to almost zero as a result of high cost of forex, which makes the N145 pump price unprofitable and, therefore, unsustainable.

Speaking on this latest challenge, the chairman of Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), Mr. Dapo Abiodun, said it was not by choice that the marketers allowed NNPC to currently import 95 per cent of products.

According to him, between July and October 2016, there was enough forex and the marketers

imported in large volumes.

“But around November 2016, the equation changed because the pump price was based on certain exchange rate – N285,” Abiodun said.

“We thought that the price would be modulated every quarter. But the price has remained N145 even when the exchange rate and the price of crude oil have increased. We are not happy about this because our facilities are under-utilised. The only way to go is to remove the lid on N145.

NNPC is today warehousing subsidy that is not in the budget.”

Abiodun, who is also the chief executive officer of Heyden Petroleum Limited, said in addition to paying the marketers’ outstanding $2 billion claims arising from the old subsidy regime, the permanent solution was to remove the cap on the pump price of petrol and fully liberalise the downstream sector.

Similarly, the chairman of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa, said only the complete liberalisation of the downstream sector would resolve the persistent supply and distribution challenges of fuel in the country. According to him, complete liberalisation would ensure the realisation of a potential turnover of $5 billion in downstream sector and boost investments.

“There is one thing that gives me a lot of worry and there is one question I always ask myself and that question is: when will this sector be completely liberalised?” he asked. “The complete liberalisation of the sector is what is going to provide that solid foundation for investments to flow. Without that, we will not realise the potential of this $5 billion revenue in the sector.”

Burden on NNPC With oil marketers shunning the importation of petrol due to dwindling margins, NNPC is incurring losses of between N8 and N10 per litre through the allocation of the product to marketers at a coastal price of N126.63 per litre.

This translates to a loss of N350 million daily at the current estimated daily domestic consumption of 35 million litres of petrol.

Investigations further revealed that for both NNPC and the marketers to import petrol and

sell at the official price without incurring losses, the appropriate pump price should be N155 per litre.

But NNPC spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, told THISDAY that the corporation had not said it was subsidising petrol, stressing that even though the corporation also plays the role of a social supplier of products in periods of national challenge, there is no room for corruption under the present management.

Ughamadu said to end the persistent fuel crisis that reared its head each time marketers stopped importation in the past, the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, had reactivated some of the 21 NNPC depots across the country to ensure that products are pumped into the facilities via pipelines.

When the current retail price of N135-N145 per litre took effect in May 2016, PPPRA had fixed the indicative ex-depot price at between N123.28 and N133.28 per litre for petrol. However, for petrol that is still in the mother vessel on the high sea, the ex-depot price or coastal price was fixed at N116.63 –N126.63 per litre, as marketers incurred additional expenses to hire daughter vessels to move the product to the depots.

It was gathered that at the international market price of $510 per metric tonne for petrol, the corporation was absorbing N10 per litre by allocating the product to the marketers at the coastal price of N126.63.

On concerns being raised that the losses being absorbed by the corporation could fuel allegations of corruption in the future, Ughamadu said there was no room for corruption under the present NNPC management.

He said, “The corporation, in addition to its numerous responsibilities, also plays the role of a social supplier of products in periods of national challenges to keep the nation wet. It is a priority. The present NNPC management is very prudent, effective and efficient in managing resources.

Therefore, no room for corruption.” Ughamadu said NNPC had contained vandalism and brought many of the 21 depots back to operation in an effort to avert the fuel crisis that occurred each time marketers stopped importation.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

27

28

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

The information contained herein may only be released, published or distributed in the United Kingdom, United States and Nigeria in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution in or into any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to do so.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria Diaspora Bond U.S.$300 million Diaspora Bonds Pricing expected following the completion of the roadshow commencing June 13, 2017, subject to market conditions A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

An application will also be made to the Financial Conduct Authority in its capacity as competent authority (the UK Listing Authority) for the bonds to be admitted to the official list of the UK Listing Authority and to the London Stock Exchange plc (the London Stock Exchange) for the bonds to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s regulated market.

Joint Lead Managers BofA Merrill Lynch

The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited

First Bank of Nigeria Limited

United Bank for Africa Plc

Important Notice This notice has been prepared and is being communicated by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in relation to the proposed issue of U.S.$300 million Diaspora Bonds (the Bonds) by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Bonds will be issued to investors in accordance with the arrangements in place between an investor and its stockbroker, private bank, wealth manager or other financial intermediary, including as to the appropriateness, and/or suitability of an investment in the Bonds by an investor, the application process, allocations, payment and delivery arrangements.

Applications to purchase Bonds cannot be made directly to the Issuer.

This notice does not constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities in any jurisdiction. This notice is an advertisement and not a prospectus for the purposes of EU Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (the Directive) or Part VI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. A prospectus (the Prospectus) relating to the Bonds will be prepared and made available to the public in the EU in accordance with the Directive. Investors should not purchase any Bonds except on the basis of information contained in the registration statement relating to the securities and the Prospectus.

The tax treatment of an investor will depend on his/her individual circumstances and taxation law and practice in the applicable jurisdiction at the relevant time (and may be subject to change in the future). None of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Joint Lead Managers will provide any legal, tax, accounting or investment advice in relation to the Bonds and they are not responsible for any advice an investor may receive from any third party.

Additional risks and other important information are set out in the registration statement relating to the securities and the Prospectus. Investors should determine whether the investment is appropriate on the basis of all the information contained in the registration statement and the Prospectus and if in any doubt should seek independent professional advice.

Any offers and sales of the securities in the United States will be made only through one or more U.S. registered broker-dealers, or otherwise as permitted by applicable U.S. law.

Copies of the final prospectus relating to the Bonds, when available, may be obtained by contacting: Merrill Lynch International, 2 King Edward Street, London, EC1A 1HQ, United Kingdom; The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited; 3rd Floor, East Wing,30 Baker Street, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196 South Africa; ICBC Standard Bank Plc (the distribution agent of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited in the United Kingdom) 20 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7JE, United Kingdom; FBN Merchant Bank Limited, 10 Keffi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria; or United Capital Plc, 12th Floor, UBA House 57 Marina, Lagos, Nigeria.

1

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

29

30

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R •JUNE 11, 2017

36

SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

LIFE LESSONS ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com

WITH AYO AROWOLO

THERE IS ALWAYS A PAYBACK TIME

–Dayo Lawuyi

1

LESSON

2

There is a payback time.

There is nothing you do that will not come back, either as a form of reward or as a form of punishment. A man who has been drinking all his life for 40 years, now in his 55th year tells me he has cancer of the “XYZ”. You have to ask him, “what have you been doing with your life?” A lady who has been jumping from one bed to another and now finds that she is in a very serious situation with her life must be asked, “what did you do with your life?”

LESSON

3

Live within your means.

Many people will tell you that they have never had enough money in their lives. The issue is not having sufficient money; the issue is being able to live within your means. The way that God has structured it is

WORST MISTAKES 1 One of my greatest mistakes was when

F

Spirituality is critical.

The most important aspect of one’s life is one’s spirituality. There’s a big difference between spirituality and religiosity. Spirituality is your one-to-one relationship with your Creator, being aligned with what He wants you to do. It just so happens that spirituality in most cases can only be attained through particular religion- here I’m not talking about whether you are a Christian or Muslim. If you do not align yourself with whatever God has set out for you, you will just find out whatever you do does not stand the test of time. So, that for me is the most critical lesson I have learnt.

To live within my means, to be grateful for everything I get, to be humble always and to help anybody that comes my way.

I got those from the Bible and they have greatly shaped my life.

09067059433 (SMS only)

or close to 20 years as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dunlop Plc, a Nigerian tyre manufacturing firm, Jabez Dayo Lawuyi was the toast of the leading media houses in the country on account of the high profile image he had been able to create for the company. Dunlop was one of the fastest growing companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on account of stock price appreciation.

But in a twist, Dunlop ran into rough waters - a situation that forced the company to close its major plants, scale down operations drastically and retrench over 90 per cent of its staff. Lawuyi, who at the moment, is involved in some business consultancy, currently resides in Canada with his family. I got him to speak with me when he visited the country recently for a board meeting.

Among other questions, I asked him what happened to Dunlop. His response: “People have asked me several times how Dunlop got to the stage it is now. It is very simple. It was because we trusted the Government to fulfill its own part of a deal and it failed. Government asked and we agreed that we should expand our facilities and gave us assurance that they would keep the then customs duty level at the rate it was to protect us, at least for a moment, and from foreign imports that take most of the infrastructure for granted in their countries. We borrowed money locally, raised more capital and within a short time, we completed a brand new All Steel Radial Truck Tyre plant – the biggest and the best in West Africa. The second week of our new production was the time the Government moved the import duty on tyres to as low as 10% (that is, if importers pay at all) meaning it became far cheaper to import tyres than to manufacture in Nigeria. The selling prices of imported tyres were in some cases lower than our cost. So, our stocks piled up. We pleaded, begged, shouted, and I practically moved my office to Abuja. But no one listened! Our staff strength of over 1500 had to go, and we started finding ways to repay our debts through asset disposals. The good news is that we can now see some light at the end of the tunnel and we believe that ‘dry bones shall rise again. Lawuyi also shared some life lessons. Please enjoy the insights.

LESSON

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE

that He ensures that everybody on earth has an opportunity to access a certain amount of resources/ money that can take care of him to a particular level. But what most of us do is try to change that level on our own. People get into a financial difficulty because they want to jump the process.

4

LESSON

5

Take care of your health.

Health is another issue. If you take care of your health, as you go along, the health will take care of you, when you cannot. Do not expose yourself to toxic matters,

2 The second mistake was trusting the government to play its part of the deal. As the CEO I trusted government to provide the enabling environment and make good policies that would be friendly to businesses; but it was a fatal error. The Government backed out of the deal. That trust led to the trouble that Dunlop is facing today.

REGRETS Given what I know now, I wish I had started living it much earlier than I did.

There is no substitute for knowing God; I am not talking of knowing about God. What the younger ones can learn from that is, please, please, please move closer to your Creator in your youth.

Some of you can relate this statement to a passage in the Bible.

HERO I don’t have a mentor and that does not make me proud or arrogant. I don’t have a role model, but I have roles in models.

If I see you that you are doing something that I like, I’ll pick that role from you. You may be shocked at some of the things that your role model does in the secret, you don’t know. As I’m talking to you now, some of you may say that I want to be like Mr. X. You don’t know the things I do, you don’t know the things I think, you don’t know the places I visit, that’s not to say I visit bad places, you don’t know the mistakes I have made. So, don’t copy a man; copy only God.

Favourite Books

LESSON

Invest part of your earnings.

This is one rule I have applied with great results: no matter how much you earn, you must try and keep something aside, just in case. Your financial wellbeing is not dependent on how much money you can make but how much you can keep. If you keep it obviously, you will invest.

So, you have to ensure that you consciously make sure that you can keep, invest and create wealth because salary, living from day to day won’t give you wealth except you steal. And, remember there are consequences for that as we said earlier. Things take time, and a good thing would take an even a longer time to build, cultivate, and ensure it has a root and a foundation. All good things are born small and they, when given the opportunity, will grow.

Sudden big things are monstrous and will die.

I forgot about God. Of course, I paid the price. I thought that having achieved a particular thing in life I had arrived. I began to feel big and forgot where I was coming from. But of course, God called me back. At that point, I realised that I shouldn’t have done that. You cannot run from God. Pray He calls you back early.

substances that you know will harm you in the future. I can tell you that I’m almost 70 now and you find that apart from the normal wear and tear of the body, I still feel adequately fit. Most of the things that the younger ones do these days are the things destroying their health.

This is why there is a need for self-discipline.

You see our young ones jumping from one bar/hotel to another till late at night when they should be resting the body. When you ask, why are you spending late night? The answer you get is: oh, we are networking.

Must you only network at night? What has happened to those who did?

LESSON

6

Obey your conscience.

Obey your conscience because it is put there by God to guide you. Don’t kill your conscience, don’t override your conscience. Many of us override our conscience and consequently, we get into serious problems.

There is a spark of God in everyone telling us what is good or bad. It whispers quietly.

1 2 3

Holy Bible The Sermon notes I inherited from my Father who was a Pastor.

Books by Robin Sharma on life and life principles.

However, because we see only the temporary ‘good’ in the act we ignore that gentle voice.

Develop that voice by moving closer to God. He will always guide you.

LESSON

7

Treat your wife like your sister I treat my wife as my sister and she treats me as her brother. That makes all the difference. Many people believe that they have problems in marriage because they marry someone they don’t know. That is not true. What people need is to understand what life is all about. If you understand that the Creator created both of you, you would treat each other like you are from the same family.

The same way you treat your sister is the same way you should treat your wife. You cannot achieve a lasting success in your workplace if your home is in disarray. The first thing to know, accept and respect as husband and wife is that everything you individually, do openly or secretly will affect each other eventually.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

11.06.2017

TELEMUNDO’S DAVID CHOCARRO

ON HIS GROWING FAN BASE

32

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • June 11, 2017

COVER

DAVID CHOCARRO

ON HIS GROWING FAN BASE Many have derided Telemundo productions as the indulgence of lazyhousewives and idle young ladies, but what cannot be denied is the addictive power of these telenovelas. Orignally, from South America, they have captivated audiences, including Nigerians, around the world with themes that mirror real topical issues. Vanessa Obioha recently interracted with David Chocarro, a Telemundo star, who is very much admired for his phenomenal performance

D

avid Chocarro is mostly known by the characters he interprets in different telenovelas. In the 2012 Telemundo production, ‘Behind Closed Doors’ (La casa de al lado), where he played a dual role, he was known as Adolfo and Leonardo. It was the first time the handsome Argentine actor was introduced to the Nigerian audience. In ‘Someone’s Watching You’ (Alguien te mira), his first lead role in Telemundo productions, he was known as Benjamin Morandé, a philandering physician who engaged his sister-in-law and, together with a group of colleagues is pursued by a serial murderer. He would play one of his highly acclaimed role, Diego, in the 2014 telenovela ‘Part of Me’ (En otra piel). Telemundo also featured him in ‘Face of Destiny’ (El rostro de la venganza) where he played Diego/Martin Méndez; and more recently in ‘Iron Rose’ (La Doña), where he plays an attorney, Saúl Aguirre,

Chocarro

The Chocarros

who is dedicated to defending victims of gender violence and other young women struggling to overcome poverty and unemployment to build a better future.

Telemundo is a media company that produces and distributes Spanish-language content for Hispanic audiences in the United States and around the world. With each telenovela, Chocarro’s popularity grew among his Nigerian audience. Although he claimed he was aware that audiences across Africa watch him on the Telemundo Internacional network, he was however unaware of his growing popularity.

“It is great to find this out, and it makes me very happy,” he wrote in an email to this reporter.

Of course, he was able to connect with some of his fans from Nigeria and other countries in Africa through social media. He disclosed that he would love to visit Nigeria if ever the opportunity comes.

JUNE 11, 2017 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

57

COVER “I like to travel and see new places; it would be a pleasure to visit Nigeria.”

Chocarro easily typifies the conventional telenovela actor. With his enviable physique, the product of a healthy lifestyle and plenty of exercise, Chocarro brought his irresistible charm to the screens. He effortlessly joins the league of Latin American actors like Mario Cimarro of ‘Second Chance’ (El Cuerpo del deseo), and Marcelo Cezán in ‘María de los Ángeles’ who have delighted fans with their beauty, as well as, their talents.

Originally a baseball player, Chocarro was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 5, 1980.

He began his artistic career in commercials for leading global brands. Modeling naturally led to the opportunity to host television programmes and events such as “Spa de Hombres” and “Top Show” on the international network Utilísima.

This c inadvertently opened the door to pursue his true passion, acting.

Chocarro’s early roles were in telenovelas such as ‘Floricienta’, ‘Casi Ángeles’, ‘Amor mío’, ‘Sos mi vida’ and “Malparida’ were not particularly significant. Chocarro’s big break came with Televisa, which cast him in “Los exitosos Pérez.” His performance in this telenovela attracted executives at elemundo and earned him a lead role on the network’s ‘Someone’s Watching You’ (Alguien te mira).

Since he joined the network in 2010, Chocarro revealed that the network had helped his career earn international acclaim “I am very grateful to be working with Telemundo as they have always considered me for complex characters.

My career has taken greater heights since I first started working with Telemundo. And, I can share that one of my next projects is portraying one of the greatest characters I’ve come across in my life. You will hear about it soon.”

Indeed, the Argentine has always taken up complex roles. For instance, in ‘Behind Closed Doors’ he interpreted a dual role. As Adolfo, he pretended to be his handicapped brother Leornado (himself) whom he and his older brother Gonzalo (Gabriel Porras) harboured a revenge plan against his sister-in-law’s family, the Condes. He described the role as one of the most difficult roles he had ever played.

“I enjoy interpreting characters that are my total opposites, because I have more fun, and it gives me the opportunity to play around a lot more. My character in ‘Behind Closed Doors’ was one of the ones that I’ve enjoyed the most, and one of the most difficult ones to create.”

Already, he has become a favourite in ‘Iron Rose’ (La Doña), currently showing on the Telemundo channel on DStv. His character, Saúl Aguirre is an intriguing and interesting character as he is caught between a mother and daughter who are unknowingly falling in love with him.

Beyond the apparent love story, Chocarro’s character is greatly admired for defending women who have been victims of domestic violence. At a time when domestic violence, majorly against women, is on the rise, his character is easily relatable with his Nigerian audience. ”The thing that stands Saúl Aguirre out in ‘Iron Rose’ is that he is not perfect— he’s far from it. You will see a man who contradicts himself not only in love, but in his values. It is a character very close to reality,“ he wrote of his character.

The 2016 American telenovela written by José Vicente Spataro for the network explored storylines around corruption of the judicial system and the media, gangs, kidnappings and rape, among other crimes. It is based on the life of Altagracia (Aracely Arámbula), a woman who was raped as a teenager. Unfortunately for her, that incident produced a baby girl, Monica (Danna Paola) whom she couldn’t live with because she reminded her of her worst experience. Altagracia grew to become a woman of wealth and power who treated men like scumbags and used her influence in the most corruptible manner. She also became very vengeful and vowed to deal with the perpetrators of her abuse. Fate will, however, unite her with her daughter after years of separation, when they fall in love with the same man. The novela also features prominent actors like Rebecca Jones, Gabriela Roel, Rafael Sanchez Navarro, Vanessa Restrepo, Andrea Marti among others.

Like most telenovelas, ‘Iron Rose’ addresses the prevalent issues confronting South America.

From gender abuse, prostitution, gang rivalry to drug trafficking, most recent Telemundo telenovelas highlight these issues in their storylines. For instance, in ‘Part of Me’ which Chocarro featured, prostitution and gang rivalry was at the heart of the plot. There is also ‘Face of Destiny’ where he played the lead role, a man who was unjustly sent to prison at a young age.

Chocarro admitted that these issues are very close to reality.

“Certainly, the topics you mention are

real current issues in many of our countries.

Several of the series I’ve worked in have created awareness of these issues and started community campaigns.”

He further wrote that the novelas had helped in curbing the crimes.

“Indeed, I think they have an influence on reducing crime rates. As artistes, we have to take advantage of our exposure to raise awareness on important topics. While I do not think that the production or the actors are responsible for educating, we should be able to share and create awareness on a personal level since we have a lot of people following us on social media.”

Perhaps, these prevailing issues attracted him to ‘Iron Rose’.

“What I’ve liked most about ‘Iron Rose’ is having the chance to make an impact on society, because this story highlights many real issues.

And I could not miss the chance to work with Aracely Arámbula and Danna Paola. This was my first time working with Aracely Arámbula and it has been a great experience. We have learned a lot from each other, and had fun in the process.”

Other notable actors whom Chocarro had worked with include Maritza Rodriguez, Saúl Lisazo, Danna Garcia, Christian Meier, Felicia Mercado, Gabriel Porras, Miguel Varoni, Ximena Duque and Daniel Lugo. Working on this project, however, had its ups and downs. For Chocarro, “The best thing without a doubt is the quality of the production, the casting, the story and the friends I made. The hardest part was that it was filmed in Mexico and I had to travel every week to Miami to see my family.”

His family he said is the best and satisfying gift in his life. He is happily married to Carolina Laursen - an Argentine actress, scriptwriter, producer, model and host. The couple are

Chocarro

blessed with two beautiful daughters Allegra and Brigitta. When he is not shuttling between his movie location and home, his family travels with him to wherever he is shooting. This way, he said, his family is kept together and they avoid distant relationship.

Away from telenovelas, Chocarro is also prominent in the theatre world. He owns a theatre company, Chocarro Artistic Corp with offices in Florida, Madrid and Argentina. One of his successful stage features is ‘Casi un cuento,’ which earned him an award for Best Actor. In 2012, he directed his first play, ‘Futurofobia’ written by his wife, Carolina.

“Directing ‘Futurofobia’ was a beautiful experience because the play was written by my wife, Carolina Laursen, and the audiences had a great time. In fact, it has been my wife’s most presented play, with 300 shows in five countries.”

But the most challenging play that fetched him critical acclaim was in the 2015 Josep María Miró production: ‘El Principio de Arquímedes’.

The performance marked a milestone in his professional development, combining a challenging role with his first all nude scene.

With a body to die for, we thought the role shouldn’t be laborious. But the Argentine actor disclosed that he didn’t really feel comfortable in his birthday suit.

“Honestly, I was never comfortable doing nude scenes, but my character did it naturally.

It was needed in the play, as part of the story.

I never thought about doing nudes in theatre, but when I got the script in my hands, I never hesitated to do.”

In addition to his onscreen work, Chocarro is very passionate about healthy living. He recently opened Padel Life Miami, a sports club devoted to promoting healthy lifestyle habits.

58

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

You too can grow your buisness with Quickteller Paypoint Grow your business with Quickteller . . . Na im pay pass Paypoint

How you sef fit be Agent: Call 01700IFIS, 017004347Ta orlib (Barber) Q uickte lle look for a Quickteller Paypoint Agent.

Paypoint Agent Ahm edr (B ar Fill the Agent form

#029 ber) Quickteller Pa ypoint Agent #029

Quickteller Paypoint Agent go call

How to be a Paypoint Agent: Call 01700IFIS, 017004347 or look for a Quickteller Paypoint Agent.

Fill the Agent form A Quickteller Paypoint Sales Agent will visit you Start earning money

. . . Na im pay pass

Send and Receive Money Buy Airtime Electricity GOtv, Startimes, DSTV and other Pay TV subscriptions Lottery /Gaming Services Government payments and more.

For more information, please call 01700-IFIS (017004347) Email IFIScustomercare@interswitchgroup.com

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

59

60

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

WHEN MUSWEN MEMBERS CONVERGED ON IBADAN

On Sunday May 7th 2017, the Muslim Ummah South West of Nigeria (MUSWEN), led by its President and Deputy-President General (South) Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affiars, Alhaji Sakariyau Olayiwola Babalola converged on Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital for its 3rd General Assembly of MUSWEN. Other dignitaries at the event are Chairman, MUSWEN Board of Trustees, Prince Bola Ajibola, Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Prof. Dawud Noibi, Justice Bola Babalakin, guest speaker, Prof. Lai Olurode, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Sheikh Abu, Baba Adini of Lagos, Presdient General, league of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere and Chairman, Finance and Business Committee of MUSWEN, L-R: Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Chairman MUSWEN Board of Alh. Rafiu Ebiti amongst others. Here are faces at the event Trustees, Prince Bola Ajibola and MUSWEN President, Alh. Sakariyau Babalola

L-R: Prince Bola Ajibola, MUSWEN President, Alh. Sakariyau Babalola, Prof Dawud Noibi L–R: Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Afeez Abu exchanging greetings with Chairman, and Justice Bola Babalakin Board of Trustees of MUSWEN, Prince Bola Ajibola

L-R: Presdient General, league of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere and Alh. K. K. Olosho

A cross section of Muslim women at the conference

L-R: Guest Speaker, Prof. Lai Olurode, Prince Bola Ajibola, Prof Taoheed Adedoja and MUSWEN President, Alh. Sakariyau Babalola, Prof. Dawud Noibi

L-R: MUSWEN President, Alh. Sakariyau Babalola, Sheikh Abu, Baba Adini of Lagos, and Justice Bola Babalakin and Alh. K. K. Olosho

L-R: Alhaji Tunde Popoola, Chairman, Finance and Business Committee of MUSWEN, Alh. Rafiu Ebiti and Communication Minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu

L-R: Alh. Arogundade and Representative Osun Governor, Engr. Bashir Lawal

Guest Speaker, Prof Lai Olurode

61

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

WHEN MUSWEN MEMBERS CONVERGED ON IBADAN

L-R: Representative of Ogun State Governor, Alh. Musbau Oyefeso and former Bauchi Military Governor, Navy Captain Rasheed Raji

L-R: Guest Speaker, Prof Lai Olurode and Alh. Musa Ayeni, former Ondo State Deputy Governor

Iman Isiaka Tejidini

Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Tai Lawal (r) and others

L-R: Presdient General, League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere, representative of Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abu Bari Adetunji and representative of Oyo State Governor, Alh. Siyanbade

MUSWEN, Executive L-R: Dr. Lateefat Durosinmi, Former Lagos Deputy Governor, Alhaja Lateefat Secretary, Prof. Dawud Noibi Okunnu, and Iya Adinni of Yorubaland, Alhaja Shekinat Adekola

Scholarship Award recipients with former Lagos Deputy Governor, Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu

L-R: Abdurahman Balogun, Alhaji Awelenge and Chairman, Oyo State Muslim Community, Alhaji Kunle Sanni

Justice Bola Babalakin, Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Afeez Abu and Alhaji Aladesawe

Chairman, MUSWEN Board of Trustees, Prince Bola Ajibola with MUSWEN President, Alh. Sakariyau Babalola

Chairman Ekiti State Muslim Community, Alhaji Yakubu Sanni and Chairman Finance and Business Committee of MUSWEN, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti

Chairman, Education Committee, MUSWEN, Prof. Opeloye

62

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

A DELICIOUS DINNER WITHOUT THE MAIN COURSE (III)...

PAGE 66

11.06.2017

SO LONG A JOURNEY… 2013 Winning Work, Fragments of Unity, by Henry Osaretin Eghosa

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

64

JUNE 11, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\VISUAL ARTS

SO LONG A JOURNE

Ten years after its inception, the annual Life In My City Art Festival – called LIMCAF – has emerged from the br become one of the most consistent and credible art events in Nigeria. Its success story is one that is shared b Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

T

hat late October night, a yellow-painted taxi crawled into the already congested parking lot of an imposing building.

And a lady and three men emerged from the taxi. They then headed for the entrance of the edifice (an amphitheatre), whose bright lights was the only source of illumination in that part of the campus.

Earlier, as the taxi’s headlights probed their way through dark undeveloped parts of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu’s main campus, the occupants had wondered if they hadn’t missed their way. For this wasn’t what they’d hoped to encounter along the way to the venue of the 10th year anniversary of a celebrated art event.

But then, the metaphor seemed lost on them. For just as the venue was the only islet of illumination in that vicinity, so are art events in most Mammon-driven localities.

Indeed, the activities inside the hall sharply contrasted with the desolation outside.

Life in My City Art Festival – better known by its acronym LIMCAF – was marking its 10th year anniversary in a spectacular way.

Its impressive guest lists sparkled with the names of such dignitaries as the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the French Consul Laurent Polonceaux, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Founder and Chairman of Honeywell Group of Companies, Oba Otudeko and the iconic visual arts luminary Professor El Anatsui, among others.

It is a credit to the annual national art festival cum competition that it has so far remained resilient in a culturally-hostile environment. And if it’s just about how long an event has been around, then it has already earned its seat of honour among the country’s leading cultural endeavours.

Of course, LIMCAF’s first decade of existence is replete with bright spurts of illumination. The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-based Professor Jerry Buhari, who headed of the jury of LIMCAF’s ninth edition, drew its keen devotees’ attention to an increase in the number of sponsors. “By crude statistical analysis, the success story of the sponsorship of the sponsorship of this festival shows that approval rating of both public and art patrons have doubled,” he said. “This is very important because private institutions are not sentimental about where they put their money.”

Many – especially, a significant number of the past winners –would readily share Professor Buhari’s enthusiasm. Yet, they would be naive not to factor in the unsavoury effects of the gloomy economic climate on such a non-money-spinning endeavour. Indeed, organising the recent editions of the festival had been rather arduous for the LIMCAF team, as one or two of the banks

2012 Winning Work, Rejuvenation, a multimedia work by Mariagotetti Eze (known in the past for lending their financial muscles) started humming and hawing at the last minute.

Still, one cannot discountenance the enormous goodwill that has sustained the event over the years. Besides the invaluable partnership that has subsisted between the Alliance Française network in Nigeria, the Institut Français and the French Embassy, LIMCAF also enjoys the support of 30 other corporate entities, which include the Paris-based Clam Lab, the advertising firm Rocana Nigeria Limited, the Pan African Circle of Artists, Honeywell Group, FBN Holdings, the Enugu State Council for Art and Culture, the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos and Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Abuja. Ditto prize endowments and special donations from the Justice Anthony Aniagolu family, Vin Martin Ilo, Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Mfon Usoro, Pius Okigbo family, Art Is Everywhere, the Centre for Contemporary Art, Professor El Anatsui and Engr. Gesi Asamaowei, among others.

Then, there was the dramatic increase in the number of participating artists from across Nigeria between the festival’s inception in 2007 and 2011. This significantly dropped the following year after the introduction of participation fees. But soon afterwards, the skyward trend has since resumed till date.

That LIMCAF’s impact on the Nigerian visual arts scene has been galvanic is buttressed by the fact that its past overall and category prize winners are now gleefully spreading

the gospel of its success story.

Ngozi Omeje Ezema, who won the first overall prize in 2014 as well as being a second runner-up in a category prize and winning the Best Entry from Enugu Zone in 2011, has gone on to win the Most Outstanding Concept Award in the African Artists Foundation’s National Art Competition in 2015 and to participate in the last year ’s Dakar Biennale (Dak’Art) Off exhibition. “[Winning] LIMCAF gave me the courage to apply for other competitions within and outside the country and to keep trying even when I was not selected,” she said. “The best chance could be the next trial.”

Sor Sen, a five-time participant at the annual festival, has since moved on from winning the third overall prize in 2011 as an MFA painting candidate at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to winning a handful of other prizes. From clinching the second prize at the National Gallery of Art-organised National Visual Arts Competition in 2012, he won the Special Recognition at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library’s National Art Competition, the second prize of a visual arts competition organised by the Embassy of Spain in Abuja and the fourth prize of Experience Nigeria Art Show organised by the African Arts Resource Centre in Lagos in 2013, the third prize at the Visual Arts Competition organised by the Embassy of Spain in Abuja in 2015 and an honorary mention of the Leonardo da Vinci Prize in Florence, Italy as well as the third prize at the Visual Arts Competition organised

2011 Winning Work, Save the Child and Save the Nation by Eyo Emem Effiong by the Embassy of Spain in Abuja in 2016. “...Winning the third prize of 2011 LIMCAF...has reinforced my confidence in practice, supported me economically and for me, it was a springboard to move on and win other prizes on different platforms,” he disclosed. “Also, it increased my visibility and relevance in the visual

65

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 11, 2017

EY…

rushwoods of uncertainties to by its many past winners, says

arts scene.”

For overall prize winners like Olumide Oresegun (the 2007 winner), Samuel Palmtree Ifeanyichukwu (the 2010 winner), Mariagoretti Chinenye Eze (the 2012 winner) and Henry Osaretin Eghosa (the 2013 winner) it has been a continual ascent in their artistic career.

Ditto Albert Okechukwu Eze (the 2010 second prize winner), Taofeek Abiodun Badru (the winner for the Best Textile in 2015), Stanley Dudu (a category prize winner in drawing, painting and mixed-media), Kemi Akinnibosun (the winner for the best photography in (2013) and Izuchukwu Muoneme (the winner of the 2015 edition).

Because this success story has been replicated among several others, some of these laureates have gone on to call, among other things, for LIMCAF to extend its programme beyond prize-awards.

While Ms Ezema calls for organising solo shows for its past winners, Ms Akinnibosun urges the organisers to hold workshop programmes and residencies, as well.

There is no doubt about it: LIMCAF, which was started on a modest note by Rocana Nigeria Limited’s founder Robert Orji, is set to break new grounds.

The annual participation in its programmes by Paris-based Andy Okoroafor and his Clam Lab is gradually burnishing its international image as the most consistent and credible visual arts festival in the country.

ARTS & REVIEW\\VISUAL ARTS The Inverted Pyramid; Adapted from a novel by Emeka Dike

66

JUNE 11, 2017 •THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\MEMOIRS

A DELICIOUS DINNER WITHOUTTHE MAIN COURSE (III)

AsasearcherinFingerprintsSectionatthethenCIDheadquartersinLagos,Daniel Uwaezuoke thoughthehadseenitall.

ThiswasnotuntilthearrivaloftheWelsh-bornOwenOxendaleGriffithstothescenefromtheSingaporePolice…

The coming of O. O. Griffiths

O

ne fact soon resolved itself into coherence. This was soon after I was considered qualified to be retained in the Fingerprints Section at the C. I. D. Headquarters in 1947 – onAugust 22 to be precise. We were stuck in the groove of time. There was no desire for change, even almost after about eight months on my now assigned job of searching for previous convictions and fingerprints at the scene of crime.

The Inspector in charge, Fingerprints Section, Akinyemi had other preoccupations in his mind.

Sooner than later, he became one of the political sextet that crossed carpet in the first-ever Western House ofAssembly. The action of this sextet gave Chief ObafemiAwolowo his well-deserved premiership of Western Nigeria. Thus,Akinyemi became an honourable member and no more an officer in charge, the Fingerprint Section.

Inspector Isaac Shasheyi, who replaced him, was a near-angel of a man. Mr Shasheyi could literally not hurt even a fly and was striving to live the life of a good Christian. This probably sums why it was not in his D. N.A. to push for a change – albeit for better – in running the Fingerprints Section.

Agust of fresh, bracing air of change would soon breathe a new life into this atmosphere.

This change came with the arrival of Mr Owen Oxendale Griffiths. I was not in a position to know who between Mr G. S. K. Bovell and Alhaji Kam-Salem – both of whom finally became Inspector-Generals – had planned Mr Griffiths’s coming from the Singapore Police.

Mr Griffiths, a Welsh, seemed to have specialised in the reorganisation of Fingerprints Bureaux, especially in the British Colonial Police. The first places he began his change were in the very assignments I was almost doing alone. That is, searching for fingerprints for previous convictions and for finger marks at the scenes of crime.

He would introduce a new kit that included Anthracene powder and Ninhydrin liquid. This introduction increased our expertise in the searching of finger marks at scenes of crime.Anthracene powder was mainly used for metals but could also be used to set traps for bribe-demanders.

Under ultra-violet lamps, a grain ofAnthracene powder can show an enlargement of between 500 and 800 percent. This explains why it was used to mark currency notes used in trapping bribedemanders.As for Ninhydrin, it is a liquid used in searching for fingerprints on fabrics.

These were interesting introductions but I did not use any of them for my scene of crime catches.

I only used various kinds of powder – black, grey and, in short, any powder whose colour contrasted with the colours of the objects being searched for fingerprints.

Mr Griffiths’s other introduction into the scene of crime kit was what he called cadaver spoon and paddle. This was used to take the fingerprints of dead bodies. These bodies, which are always

A painting of old Lagos by Oyerinde Olotu almost in stages of decomposition, were usually found at street corners and by lagoon shores by health officials, who acted as the scavengers of the city. To this new kit, he introduced rubber gloves, which because I found them cumbersome, did not use.

You can easily imagine how my other co-searchers reacted towards this assignment, which required their taking the fingerprints of decomposing bodies. For apart from the scary aspect of that job, the regularity in which I carried out these tasks ended up instilling near-childish fears in me.

Mr Griffiths’s next target was the court evidence, which again was my sole preserve. He first made me understand that it was the worldwide acceptance of fingerprint, as the undisputed authority in establishing the identity of persons, that I was exploiting in my court cases. He therefore set forth to correct what he – without intending to hurt or insult me – called “Uwaezuoke’s Folly”.

To teach me what proving the identity of two fingerprints meant, he brought along his wife

– who was doing the jobs I was assigned to do – from Singapore. I knew that the identity of two fingerprints was proved by using the position of the four coincident sequence in any fingerprint pattern – arches, tented arches, loops, whorls (spiral and elongated) – compounds, which as the names suggested, were made up of more than one pattern in one fingerprint.

On two or three separate days, Mrs Griffiths showed me how these link the ridge characteristics in a two fingerprints identity. She also showed me how to use my findings to prove my case, even to convince a layman.

Yes, a few years later, when I was on a second course in the U. K. – this time at the Scotland Yard’s Fingerprint School in Chelsea, that I fully appreciated the value of my days together with Mrs Griffiths in the couple’s flat off the Onikan end ofAwolowo Road in South West Ikoyi, Lagos.

One may ask why it was necessary to take fingerprints of abandoned decomposing bodies.

It was correct to assume that no dead body of worth could be so abandoned at street corners or

by lagoon shores. Taking the fingerprints of such dead bodies enabled the Criminal Records Office to identify a criminal, who was shot or beaten to death and abandoned. Whenever a dead body was identified, its criminal records were destroyed. This was, at least, to reduce the area of search in the fingerprint collection.Again, the identity of the abandoned dead body would also be without doubt established.

I was able to achieve this on three occasions after about 18 years all together.

Now, let me make the reader of this story an honorary searcher (without an honorarium).

Get a few hard pieces of charcoal and grind them into powder. From a virgin pack of typing sheets lift a sheet and place it on a hard object without a rugged surface. Then, gently place the palm to to include the fingers of either left or right hand.

Then, gently spread the charcoal powder on that typing sheet’s surface. You will see for yourself that you have developed a finger mark at a scene of crime with a difference.

-Sir Daniel, 92, lives in Enugu

PHOTO NEWS

Rainbow Book Club Marks Rivers Golden Jubilee and Children’s Day

Koko Kalango (Rainbow Book Club founder) with students from various schools in Port Harcourt after the discussion of 17 Secrets of HighFlying Students by Fela Durotoye.

This was part of the events lined up for Rainbow Book Club’s celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Rivers State and Children’s Day. The Rainbow Book Club on May 26 organised a writing competition titled “The Rivers State of My Dream”.

The event, which held at Alliance Française in Port Harcourt, was attended by over 100 students from 20 primary and secondary schools in the Rivers State capital.

Koko Kalango (Rainbow Book Club founder), middle with (L-R) Wike Shalom (Olivet Heights International School), Isaac Obiazi ( Port Harcourt International School), Praise Seimode (Archdeacon Brown Education Centre), Sobowale Excellence (Model Junior Secondary), Emmanuella Wokoma (Baptist High School), Oreke Onyekachi (Kenneth Commercial & Technical College) school representatives.

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

67

• JUNE 11, 2017

CICERO

Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

Time to Respect the Rule of Law The continued detention of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, and the leader of the Shiite Islamic group, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is fast impugning on the credibility of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in terms of its respect for the rule of law. Olawale Olaleye writes

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s government is fast earning an unsavoury reputation. It is one of utter disrespect for court orders, which is gradually becoming a character trait of the government. On several occasions when orders were given by the courts, it was either the government ignored it completely or appealed the order, while also failing to comply with the order even when a stay of execution had not been secured.

Two major cases provide clear examples of government’s growing disregard for rule of law - the arrest and detention of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, and the incarceration of the leader of the Shiites Muslim group, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. Both men had been held for almost two years.

Dasuki was arrested in November 2015 in connection with $2bn meant for the purchase of arms to aid the fight against Boko Haram. He was accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets and ammunition.

Dasuki, who was picked up at his residence by security agents, has since denied the allegations. But he is currently facing trial, dogged by twists and turns. Government wanted a secret trial, which Dasuki kicked against. Even when the ECOWAS court ordered his release, government refused to comply with the order, insisting he was being held in protective custody.

He has been kept in custody for nearly two years in spite of a Federal High Court order that he should be allowed to travel abroad for medical care. The court granted Dasuki bail after he pleaded not guilty to other charges of money-laundering and the illegal possession of arms.

The case of El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeinab, though different, however shares closely with Dasuki in terms of disregard for court orders. ElZakzaky and wife were arrested on December 14, 2015, following a bloody clash between members of his group and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State. A year later, a Federal High Court declared their detention a violation of their constitutional rights and ordered their release. Several months later, the government had yet to comply.

An outspoken Shi’a Muslim cleric in Nigeria, and head of Nigeria’s Islamic Movement, Zakzaky founded the Islamic Movement in the late 1970s, when he was a student at Ahmadu Bello University, and began propagating Shia Islam around 1979, at the time of the Iranian revolution, which saw Iran’s monarchy overthrown and replaced with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini.

El-Zakzaky believed that the establishment of a

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

T

Osinbajo

republic along similar religious lines in Nigeria was feasible. Thus, he had been detained several times due to accusations of civil disobedience or recalcitrance under military regimes in Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s, and is still viewed with suspicion or as a threat by the Nigerian authorities.

But his people have continued to protest what they considered his unjust incarceration. The Police recently sprayed hot water and fired tear gas sporadically to disperse protesting members of his movement at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office, in Maitama, Abuja. Hundreds of Shiites from different institutions across the country, assembled at the NHRC office to urge the commission to facilitate the immediate release of El-Zakzaky, his wife and other detained members of the group.

Two months ago, the group staged a nationwide protest to mark 500 days of Mr. El-Zakzaky’s detention by the government.

Recently, a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), wrote to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and called for the immediate release of El-Zakzaky,

and wife, Zeinab, from custody.

In addition to the demand for the release of the couple, Falana also urged Osinbajo to “direct the Nigerian Army to investigate and prosecute the military personnel responsible for the brutal and callous massacre of the 347 members of the Shia Community at Zaria in December 2015.”

Even the Chairman, President Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has joined those calling on government to obey court orders on Dasuki and El-Zakzakky.

It is however an irony that a government that came on stream on the strength and promise to uphold the rule of law would continue to flout court orders.

No matter how grave an offence is, there cannot be an excuse to bypass the rule of law in pursuant of justice. Unfortunately, with this growing disregard for court order, a monster is inadvertently being created, and if allowed to grow beyond reach and control, everyone is inescapably vulnerable. Government must respect the rule of law at all times. It is sacrosanct!

What’s in Budget Signing?

he delayed signing of the 2017 budget has remained needlessly controversial. The second quarter of the year is almost gone and the budget, although passed weeks ago by the National Assembly, is yet to receive presidential assent. It is one development believed to have been occasioned by sheer politics of power.

One thing this has shown is that the nation’s politicians have hardly learnt from some of the experiences that have brought

the nation thus far, especially the one bestowed on the nation by the unintended recession.

Some of the projections about the economy are that this very budget would help the nation get out of recession quickly, but emphasis is more on time as the variables are not stagnant. If the budget fails to takeoff within reasonable time frame, the projections about exiting recession soon might as well remain forlorn. Thus, the need to give this spending bill the force of law as soon as possible through presidential

assent.

With the passing of the Appropriation Bill by the National Assembly weeks ago, a government that is determined to quickly get the nation out of recession would have ensured prompt implementation and monitoring of the budget. It is not late however.

Since the President is on medical vacation, the acting president should urgently attend to the issue. The economy cannot be put in jeopardy on account of venal power game.

The overriding public interest should at this point be the focus.

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

68

• JUNE 11, 2017

BRIEFINGNOTES The Birth of a New Political Vehicle The coming onboard of a new political party, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, is a good development. But is it bringing anything worthwhile to the body polity? Asks Olawale Olaleye

A

rguably, a child of necessity, the newly formed Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) might have come to serve as alternative political vehicle as the nation wobble towards another bout of elections. Although owners of the new political association, which was unveiled last week, have denied any connection whatsoever with the troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose members of the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party largely attended the unveiling ceremony in Abuja.

The ruling All Progress Congress (APC), even though it receives defectors into its fold nearly every week, is still grappling with discontented members who believe they are not being carried along in the scheme of things by a government they worked so hard to bring into power.

Encumbered by a feeble party structure, which discountenances the idea of caucus as well as its inability to constitute a Board of Trustees two years after assuming power, the APC is nonetheless a movement lacking in all the ideals of a genuine political party. And in violation of its own constitution, the party is struggling with convening a national convention, sadly, on flimsy grounds.

The PDP has continued to live in self-denial by still priding itself as the biggest political party in Africa. Granted it was in power for 16 years with staggering popularity founded on desirable goals and objectives, it was however booted out in 2015 for want of “leadership”. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who led the party to electoral defeat, was believed to have failed in this quest.

And soon after the elections, rather than rally the party to remain a solid opposition platform, the former president left it to wander, a situation which further complicated its leadership quest. Today, the PDP is in court over, who is its authentic chairman between Ali Modu Sheriff and Markarfi. Whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling which has kept everyone on tenterhooks, it is not likely to genuinely mend the animosity events of the last few months had brewed.

Although a few parties had come up as a third force in the emerging equation, the coming onboard of APDA is however different given those behind the initiative. Most of those who have come together to birth APDA as an addition to the existing 40 political parties are mainly the PDP folks, who can no longer tolerate the audacity granted Sheriff in the party, more so that a majority of them still reckoned that he was an agent of the ruling party, APC. APDA therefore claims to be coming onboard with ideals different from the “deceit” of the existing two major parties, and promised to be a better bridge between the old and young, by giving the Nigerian people what they truly desire in terms of ideological underpinning of a political party.

Interim National Chairman of APDA, Shitu Mohammed Kabiru, while fielding questions from journalists during the unveiling said there were members of other parties waiting to join

Member, APDA, Mr Dan Nwanyanwu; Interim, National Chairman, Malam Shitu Mohammed-Kabiru; and Interim Deputy National Chairman (South), Mr Fijabi Adebo, unveiling the party’s flag in Abuja

the association. Among the members of the PDP in attendance was the proprietor of the African Independent Television (AIT), Dr. Raymond Dopkesi.

It is trite to assume that it was Dokpesi’s relationship with this party that has also fuelled speculations that APDA was being floated by prominent members of the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP, who planned to quit the party in the event that it loses its case at the Supreme Court against the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction.

Shittu, who was the National Chairman of Republican Party of Nigeria and later Special Adviser to former PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, on Inter-party Affairs, cleared the air, when he said the PDP members were only present at the event to show solidarity with the new group.

“I want you to note now (that) I am calling APDA. I am not calling any other party than APDA and we should have inter-relationship. You should also note that I was the national chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

Therefore, members of various political parties are here in solidarity with us. And most of these parties are even ready to come and join APDA. Our relationship with political parties or not… what we are focusing on here is APDA.” But in his speech delivered earlier, Kabiru said APDA was formed to actualise the fundamental human rights of Nigerians to determine their national destiny.

“We consider it necessary to bring our party, APDA to the public for recognition and blessings

by our fellow citizens, who not only own the party but will empower it to move Nigeria out of the prevailing atmosphere of political frustration, economic stagnation, leadership failure and betrayal of the popular will and aspirations of the Nigerian masses.

“APDA is an actualisation of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians to determine their national destiny. It is also in recognition of the general hopelessness brought upon the people by the current dispensation and the urgent necessity to give Nigerians fresh opportunities and new platforms to re-direct their electoral mandate to a dependable, committed and capable generation of leaders ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) stands for an inclusive Nigerian society based on principles of freedom, equality, solidarity, diversity and fairness. We are committed to fighting for social justice, job creation and economic growth.

“We shall initiate policies and programmes that will promote consumer rights, sustainable development and financial market reforms so as to create a stronger, more democratic nation and a better future for every Nigerian. Our priority is to fight unemployment and ensure that our societies and markets become fairer. We are determined to restore the hope and trust of Nigerians for the future of our country.”

For the avoidance of doubt, Kabiru added: “APDA represents a fresh opportunity on a whole new platform for a new generation of commit-

NOTES FOR FILE

ted and capable leaders, poised to redirect our collective mandate towards a new Nigeria…We have identified the decadent culture of past party politics, the sit-tight arrogance, despotism and looting propensity of our politicians resulting in marginalisation of the masses of this country from the democratic process as the major causes of the constant reversal and negation of the popular will and aspirations for a Nigeria that reflects their dreams of the Promised Land.”

The new party maintained that “Our values and our vision, mission and ideology include a just, peaceful and democratic Nigeria, free from hunger and premised on freedom and justice. We shall entrench the inalienable rights of Nigerians to work whilst guaranteeing protection of their lives and personal safety as well as shielding them from all acts of torture and degradation.

“We shall protect freedom of association, the right to free expression and provide genuine social security. For this reason, our party is loaded with the specific remedies and preventive measures to sanitise our political culture; make our leaders accountable and above all, restore the decisive might of the people over the dynamics of party politics and governance.”

With such determination that could naturally catch the fancy of anyone, it is not impossible that APDA would make a huge impact during next election, however not just as a vehicle to realising people’s ambitions but also delivering on electoral promises without crossing the traditional fault lines.

Lessons from Judges’ Recall The National Judicial Council (NJC), last Saturday announced the recall of some justices.They are Justices John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal, Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and three other senior judges, who were among the eight judicial officers suspended since November 2, last year following corruption investigations on them.

NJC’s director of information, Mr. Soji Oye, in a statement, also asked Ademola, Okoro, Abba Aji, Justice Hydiazira A Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Justice Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court, and Justice Agbadu James Fishim of the National

Industrial Court of Nigeria to resume duties from June 7.

The NJC hinged its decision on a huge backlog of cases in courts, adding that only three of the eight suspended judges – Ademola, Sylvester Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia – had been charged to court, and even then, Ademola had been discharged and acquitted of the charges filed against him, in what meant there was no reason to continue their suspension. Five others were never arraigned eight months after their residences were raided by operatives of the Department of State Services.

Dismissing the petitions against Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court; Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice

Theresa Uzokwe, and 10 other judges, NJC said its decision was informed by reasons ranging from withdrawal of the petitions by the petitioners to lack of merit in the petitions.

Since this development, however, reactions have varied, depending on who is looking at what. Although there is genuine disagreement amongst lawyers over the recall of the judges, it also comes with one huge lesson and it is the need to always get the prosecution process of the various investigative agencies right, making their cases investigation-driven prosecutions and not prosecution-driven investigations.

The security agencies must seriously learn from this development.

Onnoghen

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

69

• JUNE 11, 2017

CICERO/ISSUE

24 years After, June 12 StillTelling New Stories Even if all the truth relating to both the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election and the sudden demise of its presumed winner, Chief MKO Abiola, were comprehensively told in different literatures, they cannot undo an event that has become a permanent feature in the evolution of the nation’s democracy, writes Shola Oyeyipo

I

t will not be out of place to say that issues surrounding the June 12, 1993 presidential election, presumably won by the late business mogul, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, will remain a recurring decimal in the annals of Nigerian political history, and the reasons are not farfetched.

There are still many unresolved issues, untold stories, allegations and counter-allegations, particularly concerning the roles played by some prominent Nigerians in what eventually led to the annulment of the election.

To the civil society community and lovers of democracy, for instance, the annulment was totally unacceptable because the election was a step towards entrenching democratic ethos in a country groaning under military rule at that time. To the Southwest geo-political zone, it was the biggest betrayal of the bond shared by the various ethnic groups in the country.

But to the late Abiola himself, it was a mandate he needed to reclaim because of the overwhelming support he received from across Nigeria, irrespective of tribe and religion and despite fielding a Muslim/Muslim ticket with Alhaji Babagana Kingibe as his running mate. Those were some of the reasons the annulment was vehemently protested by well-meaning Nigerians.

So, whoever is caught in the processes that led to the eventual cancellation of that election certainly has left an impression in the minds of Nigerians, especially those from the South-west region, who are likely to see such persons as enemies of the region and the nation at large.

This is also why the truth about those who are really responsible for the annulment, the death of Abiola and his wife, Kudirat, have been shrouded in utmost secrecy. This regardless, some names have remained in the public domain as some of the architects of the annulment and the assumptions about their roles.

In 2014, former chairman of Nigeria’s National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, said categorically that Abiola had won the election and that by taking the result to court, it was already in public domain.

He listed several characters involved in the schemes that led to the annulment of the election, prominent among them were former military heads of state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and the late Sani Abacha. It was in the process of protesting the annulment that Abiola and his wife Kudirat lost their lives.

Aside the protracted litigation that trailed Kudirat’s killing, where some felt justice was possible, one of the major actors in the Abiola saga, former Chief Security Officer to Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), has been raising the hope of Nigeria by vowing to make public some facts about the murder of the wife of the winner of June 12 election, Kudirat.

Last year, precisely on May 30, he said he was going to reveal how Abacha and Abiola died. It was then that he alleged that some prominent Yoruba leaders, who visited Abiola, when he was in prison, played double standards. “They will visit him in the morning and when they come back to the Villa in the evening to see Abacha, they would say a different thing entirely,” he said.

According to him, “Unknown to these notable Nigerians, particularly notable Yoruba personalities, who visited Abiola, their visits were recorded on video. I did the video recording without their knowledge. These people would visit Abiola and come back to tell government a different thing about him.

“These same people would still go and tell Abiola a different thing about government. They are on video. The agencies of government have this video evidence. These same people told M.K.O. Abiola never to accept any compromise or negotiations.”

In fact, at a point during his long trial, Al-Mustapha told the court that a group of Yoruba leaders was complicit in Abiola’s death.

But latest in his tirades is the attribution of his incarceration for 15 years to a secret tape on Abiola’s death, which has sparked criticism among prominent pro-Abiola personalities, who have contended that his incarceration was basically because of the allegation that he was involved in the death of Kudirat Abiola, and not because of any video clip as he tried to make the people believe.

Al-Mustapha said on June 3, 2017 after he delivered the third South-west annual lecture titled: ‘Developing Leadership Abilities in Youths’ organised by the Asorodayo Youth Heritage Organisation at Lafia Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State that his plight was connected to his secret tape.

“On October 21, 1998, I was arrested because of a video cassette, not because of the late Kudirat Abiola. The family of the late Abiola was, as it is, a very close family to me. But something happened, which a particular camera in the villa captured. So, they wanted to take the video tape and burn it so that Nigerians will not know what happened. That was the beginning of my travails.

“Many people, particularly lawyers, took money from those who were looking for the cassette, who ruled Nigeria. They would go to radio and television station to rain abuses on me, rather than coming to court because they were paid to do so. But they did not know what was going on in the court of law.

“I appeared before 14 judges in Lagos. As soon as the matter is about to finish, they would stop it and take us to another court.

For 15 years, I was in that state. Out of the 15 years, five years and

MKO Abiola, the presummed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election

two months I served in detention with torture. The remaining was between Ikoyi Prisons, Kirikiri Prisons and Jos Prisons.”

According to him, Sergeant Barnabas Jabila Mshiela, also known as Sergeant Rogers, one of the alleged members of the Abacha killer squad, confessed that he was paid to do what he did.

“For 15 years, I hadn’t the chance to defend myself in newspaper, radio and television. So, the belief was Al-Mustapha has committed an offence, even before my arrest. But the actual thing is what happened to the late MKO Abiola that is in that cassette, that they want to see, that is why Mustapha was subjected to punishment and I was called names.

“They want to know the whereabouts of that tape in the last 17 years. Rogers confessed he was told to do so. He was given money. He was given a house. He was given car every six month, and he was promised to be taken outside Nigeria,” he alleged.

He even boasted his innocence and confidence when he said: “If I am guilty, there is no way I can talk, there is no way I can get the confidence to look into their eyes because they are the bigger ones above the law in Nigeria”, Al-Mustapha claimed, adding: “I am doing so. I have done it yesterday, I am doing it now and I will do it tomorrow. If I am dishonest, I can’t do that.

“So, let us get to know the story right and understand the game. The game is for people to pronounce Al-Mustapha guilty.

I thank God, those that entered the contract with inducement not to say what they should say in the court of law later on when the game was exposed, they came to the court, crying and exposing what happened.

“That is why the matter is before the Supreme Court now for appeal. We are begging them since 2013 for the matter to be heard so that everybody can hear what happened. Up till now, Lagos State government ran away from it. We are begging them to come to the matter. We have nothing to hide. My teaching is that if I am wrong, I will tell you. If I am right, I will tell you”.

A Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada had sentenced Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and former personal assistant to Kudirat, Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, to death by hanging for the 1994 murder.

In a statement read before that court, Al-Mustapha admitted responsibility for supplying the guns used in the murder of Kudirat. The presiding judge then ruled that the prosecution, which was led by the then Attorney-General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, could cross-examine Mustapha on the statement.

It was the Court of Appeal in Lagos that eventually discharged

and acquitted Al-Mustapha of Kudirat’s murder. The judge accused the lower court of being “stroked to secure a conviction by all means”. Now, the Lagos State Government has asked the Supreme Court to set aside the July 12, 2013 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha of the murder of Alhaja Kudirat.

Thus, as the issues continue to take new shapes, even as the nation marks the 24 years anniversary of the June 12 annulment, the latest revelation by Al-Mustapha is already generating bad blood between some Northern youths under the auspices of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), who condemned some close associates of Abiola for allegedly trying to subvert what they called the truth by Al-Mustapha.

Describing the video clip information as the truth “Nigerians have been eagerly waiting to hear or watch, the AYCF President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, said the position taken by pro-Abiola group was “shameful”, alleging that it was an attempt to subvert the truth.

But reacting to Shettima’s allegations, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, who is the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, said the AYCF claim as stated by Shettima was not logical.

“It is an illogical position by a hired boy. I never said he should not show his video clip. Remember, when he was being tried, he said he had a video. We waited but his cinema never opened.

The issue of the video is different from the murder of Kudirat.

“He cannot say he was tried for being in possession of a video clip. He was not tried for the video. He was tried for the murder of the late Kudirat Abiola. Like every other Nigerian, we are interested in watching it. So, I think Shettima who is a hired goon of Al-Mustapha should be more logical,” Odumakin said.

There is no doubting the fact that the totality of the events that sculpted the June 12 experience is evidently inexhaustible. Indeed, generations after this are sure going to uncover “own truth” about the annulment of June 12 as much as generations after theirs. But one thing is certain, no matter how hard anyone tries, the June 12 agitation cannot be reduced as a sectional agitation event.

Much as some elements in some sections of the country have tried to retell the narratives, ultimately to suit whatever mindset they intended to paint, the correct narration of the June 12 events cannot be isolated from what eventually culminated in the return to civil rule with 18 years unbroken experience already in the bag. It is a watershed and one that should make the country stronger, when experiences of the past are put into account.

70 T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

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

71

• JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW

Bukola Saraki

Photos: Julius Atoi

In 2yrs, this Senate Has Done What Past Senates Did in 4yrs

Senate President and chairman of the eighth National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki, is one politician in this dispensation with a lot to put in his memoir whenever he decides to write one. Despite a stormy takeoff as President of the Senate, the number three citizen has in two years shown resilience and capacity, such that regardless of the array of mines seemingly strewn in his path, before and after assuming office, he has remained undeterred in steering the affairs of the upper chamber. A former governor of Kwara State and erstwhile chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Saraki is unarguably one of the most influential politicians around. With a network of associates and colleagues across 109 senatorial districts, he is certainly one politician to watch out for in the coming years. In this no-holds-barred interview session with Tokunbo Adedoja, Olawale Olaleye and Damilola Oyedele in his office at the National Assembly Complex, Saraki bares is mind on his stewardship as Senate President in the past two years, how he weathered the storm that greeted his emergence, his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari, his take on the scorecard of the APC-led Continued on Pg.72 federal government and the chances of the party in future elections. Excerpts:

72

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

• JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW • ‘During Post ElEction crisis, our Party FailED to Play its rolE’•

Y

our leadership took off on a note of crisis, occasioned by the manner of your emergence, what lessons can you take away from this experience and in what ways has it shaped your leadership?

Right from day one, I have always had the position that majority of the noise was really from outside the chamber, than within the chamber, and most of the crisis that we had had been fanned from outside. And if we have been left to carry on, with the work we have done, we would have resolved those issues. In every political situation, people go for election. There are always fallout of elections everywhere, whether you are contesting for chairman of council, or you are contesting for governor, House of Representative, Senate President or Speaker; where you have an election there are always fallout. Some will lose, some will win, and before you know it election is over and it is time for governance but unfortunately we were not allowed to do that because some were still fanning the crises. So instead of us being allowed to do the work, issues related to the election were diverting attention. But luckily, very soon ,most of our colleagues realised that we did not come here for elections, elections was a process. What we came here to do was to serve our people. Election has come and gone, we need to move on to get down to the work that we needed to do. But the election was what defined the position that those people took: they did not look at the legislative agenda or what our plan was, but were defining us based on the position we had taken before the election. But with time, as you always say the truth will always emerge, we were able to unite with people that had different views and we have realised that we need to move forward and to do what we needed to do. We were clear on our agenda, it became clear to people what we said from day one: sincerity of purpose, determination Saraki and focus. And as I have said many times, we go by antecedents. I have been a governor for eight years, and I tell people that before I became governor, and after I finished my tenure, there had been a difference, and even Saraki when I was chairman of Governor’s Forum. So coming here as Senate President, making a mark, which is what we wanted to be well that the members in the senate, and the house did not do anything given a chance to do, and it’s what we were elected to do. against its position. They told us what to do, which we applied, then The lesson I have learnt is just to reinforce my belief that as a leader they changed their position to side with one side against the other, when in a position of leadership, you must have your own vision, belief and they were supposed to keep everybody together. It’s until recently that priorities. You must have what you intend to deliver, have an idea of the party decided to do the right thing, to interact with the members what kind of legacy you want to leave, and you must be determined of the National Assembly. I agree that if the party had played its role at and focused, and not be distracted. A lot of side comments are mere the time, it would have been easier to bring the government together. distractions. It is not that people comment out of sincerity, or love for We are all children of the party, and it has that role to play, so it could the country. If you make the mistake to fall into that trap, you would have done much better. lose focus. So you must have your own mind, be clear on what you want to deliver, and be determined.

It is common knowledge that the events of the time created Secondly, you must also be able to work very close with your colleagues. crises of confidence between you and President Muhammadu A lot of decisions we took at that time, people misconstrued them to be Buhari. How is your relationship with the President now? about self-agenda but they did not know that I was just representing I base our relationship on the work we are doing together, I believe the wishes of my colleagues. People misunderstood that; their view we are working together very closely with the Executive to make sure then was it was Saraki. It was not, I was standing for the principles that as a government we deliver. Whatever was happening at that time, that we all stood for, that this is another arm of government and should I stayed focused on what my responsibilities were as the President of the be allowed to administer its own affairs in line with the Constitution Senate, of the ruling party. We never took any decision based on what else and the Red Book. was happening post election. A lot of people were trying to make that Another lesson which I have learnt before, but has been reinforced an issue, but I was very clear in my mind that I need to be responsible, is that no matter the opposition you get, always stand for the truth. and above board to realise that I must rise above sentiments, because a Stand for what you believe is right. Eventually, with a lot of sacrifice day will come when we would sit down, like now, and people would and guidance and, people would come around to the truth and come begin to see that we got these people wrong, we misjudged them. We around you wherever you find yourself. are all on the same side, we all won an election for change. Some of us played our roles and I can say, with all humility, that I am sure if you That crisis polarised the party in a way that affected the interface count 1,2,3,4 people in the party that really worked hard for the election, between the party and the leadership of the National Assembly. I will be there. So why will I, after doing all that, be party to bring the The party and its caucus in the National Assembly could not government down? So despite the personal challenges one was going interface for quite some time. Do you think this development through, it was very difficult because one had to manage the challenges has in any way affected the performance of the government? and pain against the bigger picture, which was the country. So let me The party did not play the role it should have played. It was a party say that at any given time, as far as I am concerned, the relationship, at for all: for the executive arm of government and the legislative arm of any given time, did not affect the work at all. I was committed to serve. government and I think the party should have played the role that it But the commentaries, those running the commentaries concluded… is now playing. For the party not to have warmed up to its members sometimes people judge you by themselves, by what they would have in the National Assembly is a big mistake. The party also knew very done in those kinds of situations. It is now a lot of them come to say “SP,

Are we better off than we were in 2015? Definitely we are better off on the structural reform that we are doing. On the day-to-day pain that people are going through, you might say ‘yes, things are difficult.’ But this is not just because of the administration, these is because of the economics on ground. The economy is shrinking due to the fact that there is not enough money, resources have dwindled and the impact is what we see. But I believe the economy will pick up...What we are trying to build now, is to have an economy that, irrespective of crude price, would be stable because you are not just depending on crude oil as source of revenue. But these are things that will take more time

Continued on Pg.71

we got it wrong, we made a mistake, we should not have been like that.” But that did not stop the work that we were set to do.

That is why I say to people, judge based on requests coming from the Executive, look at how many has been sent, how many have we approved, how many have we rejected? Let’s not base on sentiments, but actions. If you look at requests, have we treated them in any way that suggests that we are not working together? No, not at all!

What about your relationship with APC stalwarts likes Senator Bola Tinubu, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi?

I have spoken a few times on my relationship with the Asiwaju and again my comment is that the 2015 election is over and is gone. What we have before us now is governance and I am always ready to work with the leaders of the party on governance. If anybody is still holding anything against me based on the role I played in 2015 election, honestly, I owe no apology because the position I took was taken in the best interest of the party, it was not intentionally done in any way to slight anybody. What is important now is how the government will perform, and how our party will be strong. That is my position.

In what ways has your leadership complemented the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari administration?

Our main focus in the eighth Senate is on the economy. We looked at it, and said the economy would be our main agenda. Over the last two years we have been very supportive even more than supportive, we have been pushful in ensuring that the Executive plays its role in the economy. When the issue of recession started, it was here in the Senate that we debated it, came out with a resolution, we gave a road map that we thought the Executive could take. We are happy some of these are being done now. For example, we said there was a need for dialogue in the Niger Delta, that other actions should be taken, we were very firm. We talked about trying to increase the environment better for doing business. We are happy that the Acting President is leading and chairing the ease of doing business council. We listed about ten or few bills, very important economic bills that will reform the environment and today we are happy to see that - either from Port Reforms, Petroleum Bill, from the Customs, and so many bills that have to do with the economy. And the Made in Nigeria (crusade) that we started here, and has become the talk of the executive.

Secondly also, we gave support to the military in the area of Boko Haram. It is there on record that I was the first Senate President to visit the North East. I have been there, not once, not twice or three times, working very closely with the government to see how we can provide adequate funding for our men and women in uniform. Also on the humanitarian crises, we are working very closely with the Executive.

Thirdly in the area of corruption, our fight against corruption, we are looking at what laws will strengthen the institution. Our focus has been strongly about that because it is the institution that will survive all of us long after we have gone. So on the three areas that are important to government, we have been very strong.

I spoke about confirmations, the President has sent about 196 names to us for confirmation and we have approved 185 and rejected only 11.

If you go back and check from 1999, I do not think we have seen any Senate that has given that kind of support. We cleared all the ministers and I don’t think any Senate has done that since 1999. So when you look at it based on result and facts I can say that we have been very supportive in complementing the actions of the government.

Speaking about nominations and confirmations, the issue of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, threatened to cause a rift with the Executive. The Senate rejected him and the President has refused to take action. So what is the position of the Senate right now, regarding this?

We have finished our work; we finished our part, which is to go through a confirmation process, done with the confirmation process and we made our position known by rejecting the confirmation. Now it is the Executive, that needs to do what is right in complying. They have done their interpretation of the constitution, we have left it there, we have done our part. As far as we are concerned, honestly this issue of the EFCC chairman, we don’t want to personalise it. It is a process issue and we followed the constitution and we followed the law. It is not only EFCC, there are many like that.

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

73

• JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW • ‘Now that we have opeNed our budget, let debate begiN oN the figures’ •

Continued on Pg.72

Saraki

The Senate under your leadership has taken resolutions on key national issues. What is your view on the level of compliance by the Executive?

Let me come back to this (Magu) issue. Honestly, I believe that some of the commentaries have not been fair to the Senate. There is no parliament anywhere in the world, where the most important institution on intelligence, whether it is FBI, or CIA, or similar agencies in other parts of the world gives a report on any individual who is to head an anticorruption agency, and says in its report that there is a question on that person’s integrity. You think that that parliament will just throw that report in the bin and disregard it, and go ahead? Nowhere. But unfortunately in most of the comments, nobody is talking about that.

Secondly, by virtue of the exercise we have done, people say “Ah! They don’t like Magu because some of them have cases in the EFCC”.

Some of the cases against former governors are over 12 years ago. Poor Magu. Was Magu the one that took those cases to EFCC? No. So it is just a kind of blackmail and that sometimes discolours the whole discussion. Nobody has anything against Magu. Magu has nothing to do with whoever has cases in court. Even if a case is in court, can Magu do anything about it? No! Even if you are Magu’s brother, will Magu go to court and withdraw the case? No! Where inconsistencies come into it is that, another head of agency, take for example, the head of lottery commission, who needs confirmation, and who did not know when to resume. The moment we raised it, what did the government do? Immediately, government told him, “No, No no, you cannot do that. The Senate has to confirm you. Wait till the Senate confirms you.”

Then in the case of Magu, “you can continue to work even though Senate does not confirm you.” So those are inconsistencies; we have left it with the executive, we have played our own part. And I hope that very soon they will find a solution to move forward.

But the point I want to raise is that, there is no personal issue in anyway about it. It is just that constitution that we oeprate, that we are guided by. If out of 195 times, we agree that the constitution is not a problem 185 times, on 11, 10 it’s not a problem. Only one should now define whether the executive and the legislative arm of government are working together? I don’t think we are being fair to the democracy that we operate.

Now, going back to compliance, I don’t believe that the views they have expressed truly holds water, because even by their own actions, there is inconsistency. If you say some of these do not need to come to the senate, and two weeks later you sent another letter to me saying that I must confirm somebody, there is inconsistency there. You just said the reason somebody can go on is because he does not need to come to me. Then two weeks later you are now sending someone to me for confirmation, there is inconsistency. So apart from this I think, by and large, the executive has complied with most of our positions, apart from one or two. That is why again I say that I don’t define relationship based on one or two incidences, by the type of democracy we are operating, the presidential system; it is meant to have conflict between the executive and the legislative arm of government. By nature of the way it is , it is a check and balance kind of system. When you have that, there will be times you agree and there would be times you will disagree. When you disagree does that mean that your relationship has hit the bottom?

No, I don’t think so. If you take the EFCC that we are talking about out of the way, luckily there are not many of that. By and large they have been compliant, and just one or two that are unresolved.

Would you take it further and approach the Court on this matter?

We have not broken any law. When you have a relationship, I think the court should be that last resort to be an arbiter in this matter. I still believe that we have not exhausted all the options. But we are not the ones that would go to court. If the Executive does not believe that we did the right thing, they can go to court.

In passing the budget few weeks ago, you fulfilled your promise to open the budget of the National Assembly. It however seems like that is not enough. A civil society organisation said the National Assembly needsjust about N52 billion. Why do you think National Assembly budget is perceived in such bad light?

It has been a perception that has been there for many years, since 1999.

We have not helped by not being open from day one. We contributed to it, people have lost trust and there is no trust in our budget. It is however a work in progress, we have started it, we have opened it up and people will start to do their own analysis. Like you said the person said we needed N52 billion. What is the basis for that? We have opened it up, still people we say: “Oh National Assembly takes so much money”.

You have seen the figures, the salaries, the running costs in the offices.

I think it is unfair on the National Assembly. What people do is that they will take the budget of the National Assembly and divide it by the number of lawmakers and say that is what everybody is taking. I can take the budget of the presidency, and divide it by the number of staff in the presidency, and share it, and say that is what everybody is taking.

But because it had not been opened, a lot of people had to second guess it for many years. So it will take time. Let people begin to look at the analysis and break it down. So it is clear from the 33 pages, you can see what the salary of the National Assembly is, you can see running costs. The best thing is that you can no longer say that each senator or each member is taking this amount because you shared it. You now know there is something called National Institute of Legislative Studies, you now know there is a management account, you know there is a GL account, you know there are legislative aides. So you can’t add that money up and say it belongs to the senators.

Now, the question is: the money that you have seen that goes to the Senators, let’s start a debate to see if the money is too high or too low.

I spoke about confirmations, the President has sent about 196 names to us for confirmation and we have approved 185 and rejected only 11. If you go back and check from 1999, I do not think we have seen any Senate that has given that kind of support. We cleared all the ministers and I don’t think any Senate has done that since 1999. So when you look at it based on result and facts, I can say that we have been very supportive in complementing the actions of the government

Definitely, it is not N120 billion divide by 360, which is what used to be done. Now you know that for example in the Senate, I don’t know the right figure of the total amount of salaries probably about N2 billion, then you have about N25 billion for overheads. For the overhead, it is the same principle as ministries and everywhere else. You cannot take the overhead of ministries and share it among the staff, and say that is their take home pay. This is a great achievement, we promised it, a lot of people thought that we could not do it. It has been done, it shows that we are a listening Senate. Now to begin to debate the amount is fair game.

There seems to be some rumblings in the opposition because the Chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) traditionally goes to someone in the opposition party. Senator Andy Uba defected from the PDP to your party in March, and he continues to hold that position. Are you moving away from Senate tradition?

No, we are not changing the tradition. I don’t think there are rumblings, there are a number of things that we want to do, not only regarding Senator Andy Uba, a few changes are likely to happen. We decided to do a more holistic change. So it would happen. That position is always for the opposition, and it would remain like that.

Let us take a sincere look at the APC administration. Are you proud of the performance of your government?

Yes, I have been asked this, and I believe that this government led by President Buhari has made a lot of significant achievements. I will tell why and will also tell you some criticisms so we put the two together.

First of all, let us begin with the issue of security; we are know where we were in 2015, we had Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, about 24 local governments taken over by Boko Haram, where Boko Haram hoisted their flags, that they were no longer part of Nigerian territory. And today, that is not the case. The Nigerian Army, the Air Force and other security agencies have been able to take over those places and return them back to Nigerian territory. That is a great achievement because we all seem to forget, even prior 2015, series of attacks were carried out by Boko Haram. So from that point of view, there is success in the area of security.

Secondly, the fight against corruption. Today, it is a topic that we are all talking about, it is on the front burner. As a society, as a country, we must fight corruption, this is something we don’t want, and something we must get rid of. And that has been because there is a political will, there is a government that is doing that. That is an achievement because what we have always lacked is the political drive. Now you can question the results, the achievements. Have we been fully successful on that? Have we got the right achievements on that? That is something that we can debate. But that does not take away the fact that this is a government that has truly put that issue on the front burner.

Thirdly, is the area of the economy, which is where somebody said if we are to score ourselves, I would say that we have done very well.

Excellent in the issue of security and terrorism, and I would say fair in the issue of the economy. Fair in the area of economy because of what we inherited. You can say it’s propaganda, but the facts are the facts. You cannot look at the economy that was running on oil at $100 and the production at 2.2 million barrels per day, to an economy that has crashed at one point to $50 per barrel. If we had other products… but that is the only products, so there must be a resultant effect of that crash. We have had to take some very critical decisions, which is that, we must diversify the economy. In doing that, we must be able to take very unpopular decisions seeing that it is time for us to look at other areas of the economy. This takes time. I was a governor in Kwara State and I have very strong passion for agriculture. What we are seeing in parts of the country today is that a lot of people are going back to farming, and they want to see the benefits. That takes a long time before it begins to materialise and you see the benefits. We still have a lot to do, but are we better off than where we were in 2015. Definitely we are better off

74

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

• JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW • ”IN FAIRNESS, BUHARI HASN’T DONE BADLY”•Continued from Pg. 73 on the structural reform that we are doing. On the day-to-day pain that people are going through, you might say ‘yes, things are difficult.’ But this is not just because of the administration, these is because of the economics on ground. The economy is shrinking due to the fact that there is not enough money, resources have dwindled and the impact is what we see. But I believe the economy will pick up. How quickly it picks up is not the issue. What we should be looking at is five years down the line if there would be sustainability. If we should continue the way we were, we would just be depending every time on the economics outside Nigeria, whether it goes up or it goes down. What we are trying to build now, is to have an economy that, irrespective of crude price, it is an economy that would be stable because you are not just depending on crude oil as source of revenue.

But these are things that will take more time.

You talked about achievements in the area of security, but a new form of insecurity is emerging in form of herdsmen, kidnapping, armed robbery, which have been on the rise…

I am not sure that I agree with you that kidnaping has been on the rise compared to where it was before we came in. Yes, the herdsmen are a serious issue, but what I am saying is that the security situation, compared to when we came into power, there is no doubt there has been an improvement. Does that mean we cannot do more? Of course we can do more.

Still on government performance. So what really is the problem, is it the challenge posed by the capacity of the administration to deliver?

I don’t think capacity is the right word, some of these reforms are not things that would happen overnight and we must see that we are at a point in our country when we must go through some structural reforms. Those structural reforms are difficult and painful. The resources are limited; you are trying to bring infrastructure to address security and trying to address social issues, and it’s the same amount of resources available. So these are very difficult times when you must tighten your belt. Some of the needs cannot happen overnight. For example, when you are talking about infrastructure, and we want private sector participation because government alone cannot fund it, that would not happen overnight. How will it happen? It is by building confidence in the economy that would enable people to come and partner with us; whether they are Nigerians or foreigners, to invest in Saraki (different) sectors. Without that happening, we are still going to continue to struggle. The platform we are laying as a government that wants to be transparent and accountable, is to do that. Yes, there is a room for us to have more hands, people with greater ability, capacity to support the government in certain areas. That is normal, government must continue to fine-tune, that goes without saying. That will definitely help us to deliver on some of those promises.

Hypothetically, if an election is held today, can you be sure your party would win?

Yes, we will win. For those of us who are in the field, election is like a beauty contest. In a beauty contest, you say that is the person that is the most beautiful; they compare. You are not going to the election as yourself alone. You go into election, and ask what is the alternative?

I still believe that we are the best alternative for the Nigerian people.

Are we the best? Are we the best in the sense that did we deliver the best? Probably not, as I said, there are challenges. You don’t go to election just to vote, but to vote as a choice of this party or that party. I am saying that as at today, the best party to deliver on the aspiration of Nigerians is still the APC. Now, that does not say that APC is the best thing possible, but APC is the better thing compared to others. That is why when you said I was so quick to answer it, because I looked around, it’s just like going to a race and you say am I going to win that race? I look round, to see who is competing with me, and I can tell you before I start the race that I am going to win the race. So I honesty believe that under the circumstances, the party still has the best opportunity to deliver to Nigerians compared to any of the other parties.

As an active politician, what are your personal calculations towards 2019?

It would be unfair to Nigeria, with all the challenges we have now, to be talking about 2019. When people like us start entering that terrain of discussion, we are going to divert attention away from what is important.

What should be important now is that you see what we are doing, and tell the people what we are doing. We ourselves, it is to focus on our

promises to Nigerians on 2015 mandate. We must deliver.

There is time for politics, politicking, and there is time for governance.

As of now, there is still time, this is time for governance. When we get to 2018, you can come after first quarter and I will answer all these question on 2019. But for now, if you are asking me about 2019, and this is always my position, I will not entertain it. The focus now is on governance, how we can make life better for the Nigerian people.

If the presidency is thrown open today, and there would be a contest, would you throw your hat in the ring?

It is the same answer I will give you; that question is a good question.

Save it, first quarter 2018, ask me the same question and I will be able to tell you what will happen. What I am interested in now is how we going to improve, be less dependent, be a self-sufficient country, be able to produce our own food. How can we get private sector to take some of the responsibilities on infrastructure? My view is that, as long as the government is the one doing all the roads , rail, we will not have money for education and health. Some of the other countries that developed were developed because private sector took away some of the functions.

56 percent of our budget is on infrastructure. For as long as we are spending 56 percent on infrastructure, you continue to see a lot of Unity Schools not having water, not being able to provide proper sewage.

So my focus is, what can we do to improve that? What can we do to improve security? We have time, let’s focus on that until next year , then when next year comes, we will be able to talk about politicking.

You are standing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. How much distraction has that caused your leadership at the Senate?

Well, I have spoken on this many times and as I said, it has. But I think that part of the challenges of life is to be able to deal with the challenges you have. I think one would have been able to do more, but despite that we have been able to achieve a lot of firsts. By the time we show our scorecard at the end of this two years, you would see that we have been able to do more than previous Senate, despite all these distractions. One has come to terms with that, and has been able to deliver on the kind of work we promised.

There is time for politics, politicking, and there is time for governance. As of now, there is still time, this is time for governance. When we get to 2018, you can come after first quarter and I will answer all these question on 2019. But for now, if you are asking me about 2019, and this is always my position, I will not entertain it. The focus now is on governance, how we can make life better for the Nigerian people

Do a quick appraisal of your legislative agenda, have you been able to achieve your set goals? What is your focus for the next 12 months? What is that one thing that stands this particular Senate out?

We have been able to achieve some of the things we set out to achieve. Looking at my speech when I ran for President of Senate, and when I was elected President of Senate, we talked about, one, we wanted to be able to do some reforms, open NASS, we wanted to have a clear legislative agenda which would show where we are going.

Our focus has been the economy, and we have passed a number of major bills, about four or five infrastructure bills. The Railway Bill has been there for 50 years, never been reviewed; we have looked at Ports Reform, it has never been done; we have addressed Inland Waterways, it has not been done before; we have looked at areas of ease of doing business, from credit bureau to secure transactions, credit to farmers. Things that would allow people to have ease of finance and stimulate the economy. Amajor one also is ‘Made in Nigeria’, public procurement amendment where we passed a bill that demands government agencies give right of first refusal to Nigerian companies. These are major legislations that we have passed, and that has always been our focus. We passed INEC bill, changing the electoral processes, we passed that. Petroleum Industry Bill, which has been jinxed for many years, many members of the National Assembly have not been able to pass it. Even things like sports, some of us are lovers of football and one of the major issues were the laws guiding the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation), which used to bring us in collusion with FIFA, we passed them.

I want the eighth Senate to be one where people will see that the bills we have passed have been able to make impact on peoples’ lives. These are landmark legislations we have passed.

What do the next couple of years hold? It still boils down to the issue of the economy.

How do we continue to ensure that we finish up two more bills we want to pass on petroleum? Fiscal and the Host communities.

We want to pass those two bills, they are very key to further investment in that sector and to bring peace to the host communities. We want to address some of those laws that would improve attraction of Nigeria for investments. Constitutional amendment, we want to address that because there are major issues. That is one of our focus, which we will address when we come back from recess. We will also address issues like the land issues and some of the issues that are very important to us.

If you look at some of the statistics, even if you look at some of the bills we have passed, the number of bills we have passed, is almost equivalent to the number of bills that other Senates have passed in four years. These are some of the things that we have done, that had not been done before. We want to be seen as the Senate that keeps to their promises, we want to be one that listens to the concerns of Nigerians; to look at the issues of tariffs, electricity tariff, data tariff as regards to communication companies, and interventions on some of the issues of concern to Nigerians.

And we are always going to be independent. People can see that we are an arm of government that always stands for what is right. On the issue of the fight against corruption, there is no agency that can do any funny stuff and believe that the Senate would just gloss over it, or collude with them, unless we do not know about it. That is a good message.

At least Nigerians can begin to believe that there is a body that believes that nobody cannot be called to order. We have made big sacrifices for that, we believe that by the time we finish our four years, we will leave an institution that people would be happy with.

The most important part of democracy is the legislative arm, so it is in the interest of all of us that love democracy to protect the institution of the National Assembly. When you do that, you are not protecting Bukola Saraki, it is the institution. We would come and go, but we must give support to that institution, because that is what represents that people.

Our hope is that by the time we are done, we would have put that institution in a place that Nigerians would begin to respect it, and say yes, they are doing things that affect lives, they are above board. If you look at the last two years, when we talk about corruption, unlike before, there is no scandal of any corruption issues in the National Assembly. Maybe something happened and people in the National Assembly were caught doing this or that, no such thing. These are issues that came into the Senate before, like the management of funds of the National Assembly, or scandal in trying to cover up something, or allegations that monies were shared. You would see that those kind of things are not things you see in this Senate. We will try to continue like that. It would take time, as I said, having a procedure that was opaque, it is not overnight that you would win the confidence of people. But I want to thank Nigerians for their patience and understanding, people are beginning to see the work we are doing, to appreciate that okay, no matter what you say about the Senate, you might not like them, but look, they are people that get things done. These are people that have the capacity and ability to make things happen. We are here to make things happen, we are not here to gloss over things, or make sensational issues. We are here to improve the lives of our people and that is what we are doing.

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

75

• JUNE 11, 2017

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

A United Nigeria Rises Above Unbridled Sentiments The speed and the force with which Nigerians of all creeds, faiths and status rose against the eviction order issued against the Igbos by some northern youths is indicative of a nation still bound in unity, despite her palpable fault lines. Olawale Olaleye writes

T

he order, last Tuesday, by some northern youth groups that the Igbos residing in the north should leave their region was lacking both in logic and good thinking.

It was an outburst from nowhere.

And coming at a time emotions are still very high, especially the agitation for the Republic of Biafra led by the exuberant Nnamdi Kanu, the order was worse than the agitation for secession itself.

Although some latest reports had it that the north had eventually apologised for this, the northern youth organisations had risen from a joint meeting called ‘Kaduna Declaration’ to issue the threat to the Igbos residing in their region and gave till October 1, this year to leave the region. Their declaration was premised on the shut-down of major towns in the south eastern part of the country on May 30, by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their sponsors.

The organisations, which had their leaders in attendance, included Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network on The Igbo Persistence for Secession among others, stated that, never again will they fold their hands but take their destiny into their hands.

Mallam Abdulazeez Suleiman, who read the statement on behalf of others, at the popular Arewa House, Kaduna, last Tuesday said, the region was tired of the marriage hence the need for restructuring.

Unfortunately, these northern groups got the biggest shock of their lives with the criticism that followed almost immediately, including other northern voices, all determined to protect the unity of the country.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), for instance, said though it understood the frustrations of the northern youths with the activities of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB); it would still not encourage any act that was not in conformity with the law.

Coming quickly after, the federal government too assured Nigerians, especially Igbos, that there was no cause for alarm and warned rabble-rousers against making incendiary statements capable of undermining the country’s peace and security.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said there was no cause for alarm over the threat issued by a group of Northern youths and assured the public that the security operatives were on top of the situation.

“What I want to assure you is that the security organisations are very much on top of this matter,” he said, warning in yet another statement against making incendiary comments capable of undermining the country’s peace and security. He said there was no reason for any Nigerian to feel unsafe anywhere in the country, noting that the government would not tolerate any threat to the unity, peace and security of the country under any guise.

Supporting this too, the governors of the 19 Northern states disowned the coalition that issued the ultimatum to the Igbos. Borno State governor and Chairman of the NNGF, Kashim Shettima, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they were in touch with heads of their security agencies and had taken measures that would guarantee the rights of all Nigerians to live in any of the 19 states in the three geo-political zones within the North.

“On behalf of the governors of the 19 Northern states, we totally condemn such irresponsible pronouncements by those groups; we condemn, we disown, and we are totally distancing ourselves from those faceless groups, who don’t have the mandate of the people of Northern Nigeria to make such loud pronouncements.”

However, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State gave a resounding reaction by not only condemning it but ordering the immediate arrest of those behind such order.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant,

Kanu...in quest of Biafra

Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, El-Rufai assured residents of Kaduna of “their freedom to reside where they choose”, adding that the “constitutional right of every Nigerian to own property, move freely and live in peace and harmony is sacrosanct”.

In the same vein, Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District has also warned against using the force of the military to suppress the Biafran agitators. He however urged government to embrace dialogue instead.

But governors of the South-east state immediately held an emergency meeting over the quit notice to Igbos residing in the North. President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo made the disclosure in Enugu during a night of tributes in honour of the late Ohanaeze chieftain, Prof. Ben Obumselu.

He disclosed that the South-east governors had almost mobilised thousands of luxurious buses and trucks to evacuate Igbos from the North, but for the timely intervention of El-Rufai, who had ordered the arrest of the Arewa youths fanning the embers of war in Nigeria. He said the governors of the South-east zone appreciated el-Rufai’s efforts.

Similarly, the Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Chuks Ibegbu, had called on the Department of State Services and the police, to take immediate steps to forestall any plan to launch attacks on the Igbos in the North.

Ibegbu said, “The DSS, the police and other security agencies should take note of the statement by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and the other Northern groups for issuing this threat against the Igbo. It should not be seen as an empty threat; urgent action is needed to foil the plan to attack the Igbos in the North. It happened in the past and we don’t want it to happen again.

Also, former president, Goodluck Jonathan, who took to his Facebook page to share a powerful message to Nigerians, reminded the Arewa youths that Nigerians have the right to reside in any part of the country.

“Every Nigerian citizen has an inalienable right to reside in any part of Nigeria. As Nigerians, we should all tailor our thoughts, actions and utterances to promote this and other rights. We

are all brothers and sisters born from the womb of mother Nigeria. There are no still births or unwanted births from our mother. We are all one and equal and it is the responsibility of all men of goodwill to appeal for calm and unity in our beloved country Nigerians,” he said.

The United Nations too has called on the different ethnic tribes and groups in Nigeria to be more tolerant of each other to ensure unity and peace in the country.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said this in a statement Thursday.

Kallon noted with concern, media reports of an ultimatum issued by northern youth groups calling for all Igbo people to leave Northern Nigeria by October 1.

“We have to work together to resolve peacefully any concern that different groups in the country may have. I am heartened by reactions of leaders from all over the country condemning this ultimatum. UN calls for tolerance and a spirit of togetherness in transparency to address the concerns of all the citizens in a peaceful manner,” Kallon said.

One of the leaders of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said the development was a bad signal for the country and called on northern leaders to urgently condemn the statement by the northern youths.

He also urged the Federal Government to make a statement on the issue “otherwise it has far-reaching implications to the unity of the nation.

Otherwise nobody is afraid of separation. If the North wants to break, there is nothing wrong but the idea of giving ultimatum to a particular set of people to vacate their region is unacceptable.”

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, said that there would be grave consequences if the Igbos were kicked out of the North. Stating this via his Twitter handle, he maintained that kicking the Igbos out of the North would not help matters in the country but complicate the fragile state of the nation.

“Threatening the Igbo and kicking them out of the north won’t help. This time round the Middle Belt and the whole south will stand with them.

We want peace by restructuring and not violence.

Unleashing genocide against the Igbo or anyone

else in north will have grave consequences,” he added. Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere’s spokesman, also chastised the north for thinking they could declare war against Igbos, saying it would not work. He however warned of an ethnic massacre if the northern youth’s coalition carries out its threat. According to him, in 1967, the Igbos were not fighting anyone but simply protesting against their marginalisation.

“Carrying out their threats would be a prelude to another pogrom. These elements have over the years showed their propensity to attack people, but like Chinua Achebe said, they are holding a knife to the tiny rope that still holds the country together.

“I hope that if they still have elders, their elders should call them to order, otherwise, it may be the beginning of the end of Nigeria, as we know it. They should know that in 1967, they had a coalition to fight the Igbos but that coalition is no more there today. We know the people that fought the last war and won it.

“I can boldly speak for the Yoruba nation, that if the north thinks they can declare another war against the Igbos, it would not work. If they see any Yoruba man joining them to fight the Igbos, then that person must be a mercenary. The Igbos were not fighting, neither were they causing any crisis, but were just trying to make their grievances known in a peaceful manner. Why should they be threatened? For northerners to tell them to leave the north is sad for the polity.”

Whilst the apology by the northern youths might have overtaken their initial threat, the interesting thing about this development is that the northern groups could not find support for their patently sectional and misguided agenda from anywhere. Indeed, more condemnations came from the north than any other part of the country.

The implication of this is that in spite of the multi-faceted challenges facing the country, amid the myriad of agitations and calls for restructuring, the people still believe in one indivisible Nigeria.

This panic test occasioned by the insensate order has shown that there are still voices of reason in the land and it gladdens the heart to see Nigerians drop their ethnic toga to stand for a common cause

76

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

PERSPECTIVE

Saraki’sCCTTrial:WhenPoliticsDrivesProsecution

Labaran Saleh

P

erhaps the biggest wrong step of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) at the inception of the present administration was its seeming inability to appreciate the dynamism of the constitutional provisions guiding separation of powers among the three arms of the government namely: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary under a democratic system.

With the high hopes of Nigerians in 2015 that the new government formed by a new political party will take our democracy to the next level with improvement in its practice, as being done in the advanced countries, the new government painfully took off with unprecedented animosity against some individuals in its fold on parochial issues that ordinarily; would have been resolved at the party level, and thus, prevented such animosity from snowballing into crisis or getting out of its control.

Aggressions rather than love, became the order of the day and were freely transferred in various forms and ways against individuals whose interest the powers that be in the party felt run into conflict with that of the party or other individuals.

One of such ugly issues was the election of principal officers for the two chambers of the National Assembly.

From the onset, the APC national leadership, after caucus meetings and wide consultations, informed Nigerians who freely donated their votes to the party that the post of the Senate Presidency had been zoned to the North Central.

By that understanding, a senator from the party platform and from the zone especially is expected to emerge not only as the Senate President but as the leader of the National Assembly.

Little wonder therefore, when Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State and second timer in the senate decided to slug it out with Senator George Akume, himself a former governor of Benue State both from the zone for the plum office.

Chief John Odigie Oyegun, the National Chairman of the party, a man with vast experience on national issues, decided to create a level playground for the senators to do their horse trading and come up with an acceptable candidate.

This ought to be the official position of the party but along the lines, others in the same party will not agree with him, they felt that all animals were not equal or at best, some were more equal than others.

Saraki, with a burning desire to lead the senate put his vast political experience acquired over the years as a former governor and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) coupled with his family’s background in politics to bear, building contacts across the political parties in order to make it to the senate presidency and also to make the senate a united family under his leadership.

His efforts paid off on June 9, 2015, the day the 8th senate was proclaimed in line with the provisions of the law when in an unprecedented show of popularity and acceptability, he was returned un-opposed in an overwhelming voice vote as the Senate President.

Mindful of the fact that the law permits them to pick their principal amongst themselves, the senators in a rare display of magnanimity also overwhelmingly voted Senator Ike Ekweremadu from the opposition, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the Deputy Senate President.

However, the joy and message brought about by that election that Nigeria is gradually over coming partisanship and sentiment in the running of government was short lived. Some individuals in the executive arm parading themselves as “Kitchen Cabinet Caucus” came up with deep animosity and declared a total war against Saraki’s group in the senate.

Conspiracy against Saraki’s group became the order of the day and institutions, especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), readily became a willing tool in the hands of the aggrieved politicians for use to settle scores with the perceived enemies.

It must be pointed out here, that ordinarily the main statutory function of the EFCC is to fight economic and financial crimes but in the bid to get at enemies, the scope of function was unlawfully expanded to include the fight against false declaration of assets which by constitution, is the prerogative of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The animosity on Saraki’s election as Senate President got to the peak in September 2015 when a phantom charge of false declaration of assets was slammed on him with EFCC serving as the arrow head in the trial that ordinarily ought to be the responsibility of the CCB. The target was to declare Saraki’s seat in the senate vacant and thereby removing him as a senator and indeed as a Senate President so as to pave way for their preferred candidate.

But for the maturity and emotional stability of the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and his colleague in the panel who resisted external pressure and influence to do the unlawful, perhaps the story in the senate would have been a different one today.

Saraki...accompanied by senators and supporters at a CCT hearing As it is often said in the legal parlance and in law courts, no one no matter how powerful can put something on nothing and expected the something to stand!

Though the final judgment had not been delivered in the phantom charges, a careful perusal of the proceedings at the tribunal from the beginning till now, will not make it difficult for one to hold that the rule of law will indeed play itself out.

From the witness of EFCC to that of a commercial bank and later that of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), virtually all issues raised against the defendant in the matter have either been punctured, rubbished and rendered impotent in the face of superior arguments from the defendant’s legal team.

To worsen the situation for the author of the charge, its principal and star witness from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Samuel Madujemu may not have helped the case of the prosecution in the celebrated trial.

The witness who is the head of Investigation and Intelligence Unit of the CCB came to the tribunal with bundles of hearsay stories and contradictory evidence when faced with superior cross examination from Saraki’s lawyers comprising best brain from the bar, including a former Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi SAN. Madujemu in his evidence made it clear that his CCB had no formal report of investigation carried out on the assets of Saraki because a directive to probe the assets in 2015 when he emerged as Senate President against the wish of the party was made oral by the powers that be.

What is more, the witness said that Saraki’s case was the only one ever carried out without written report of CCB because the purported investigation which led to the arraignment of Saraki on asset declaration was carried out by EFCC. In his answers to some of his questions and documents presented, Madujemu admitted that Saraki indeed declared his assets, that of his wife and his children when he held office as Kwara State governor.

He equally admitted that his own roles and that of the CCB in the purported investigation of Saraki’s assets were limited to the review of the EFCC report and what is more, that the CCB only compared the asset forms of Saraki with the purported findings of the EFCC. Worse still, the witness informed the tribunal that he was invited orally into a team that reviewed the EFCC report and that up till now, CCB has no written report on the outcome of the revision of the EFCC report.

Besides that, the witness’stestimonies were bundles of hearsays which in the face of the law, have no probate value other than to be consigned into the dust-bin.

As if that was not enough, an official of a commercial bank who was also invited to testify denied ever seeing any foreign account allegedly operated by the defendant in the trial.

The banker made it abundantly clear that he had never worked with Fortis Bank of the United Kingdom neither did he know how the foreign banks do open accounts for their customers.

The futility in his evidence got to the peak when he shocked the tribunal with a revelation that the bundle of documents presented to him to give evidence was handed over to him when he reached Abuja and that he was neither the maker nor the signatory to the documents and as such, will not be in position to give cogent and verifiable evidence on documents prepared by another person.

In answer to a question the witness admitted that Messrs Amex Ltd. who are the operators of Saraki’s foreign card were not a bank and thereby put paid to the allegation of foreign account operation by Saraki.

In the bid to do control to the damage done by the witness of the bank, another banker from the same bank, Amazu Nwanchukwu, was invited for the same purpose of giving evidence against the senator.

And as if the damage done by the first banker was not enough, Nwanchukwu was emphatic that he knew nothing about the purported foreign account operated by the man on trial.

Under cross examination, the witness admitted that the bundle of documents in his possession at the tribunal was presented to him by the prosecution and that he was just asked to read the documents and not that he knew anything about them since he was not the author.

Before then, the first witness, Michael Wetkas, who claimed to have led the EFCC investigation team had given contradictory evidence on the properties in which the defendant was accused of failure to declare.

And what is more, the EFCC operative admitted that he never obtained any statement from Saraki or have interview or at best, interrogation with him on the charges for which he is been prosecuted.

From whatever angle one looks at the trial, it is certainly and clearly a vendetta and product of anger that followed Saraki’s emergence as the President of the Senate against the preferred candidate of the party.

Therefore, for our democracy to survive and flourish, it will not be out of place to plead with the tribunal to look at issues objectively and do substantial justice to the matter in the interest of the larger society.

It must be clearly stated here, that this trial is definitely a product of anger taken to the extreme and based on nothing and as such should not be allowed to stand in the face of the law and in the interest of the rule of law.

Though the chairman of the tribunal may be a staff of the presidency, but having taken oath of office to be unbiased and impartial Minister in the temple of Justice, he is expected to do nothing but justice to the issue rather than allowing any unfounded allegations to be used to rubbish any innocent person in the name of playing politics.

––Saleh writes from in Abuja

77 83

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

PERSPECTIVE

Restructuring Nigeria: A Critical Analysis

F

Steven Adedayo Bello or quite some time now, probably since about 20 years ago, there has been agitation by individuals, geo-cultural groups, geo-political associations for the restructuring of Nigeria. The various heads of state and government that had been in power over this period had not seen reasons to give the calls serious consideration. The nearest they have done is either to call a national conference, as Jonathan did in 2014 or to establish a reconciliatory commission as done by Obasanjo or issue a press statement as the Presidency did about a week ago as reported in the front page of the Nation of 31st May, 2017 . There are 3 major reasons for this: Some people believe that there is no guarantee that such an exercise will succeed in moving the nation forward, and that it may even be counter-productive or lead to unexpected consequences; Secondly, prior to 2015, the people who were calling for restructuring never gave a clear definition of what they meant by re-structuring, neither were they specific about the scope, modalities or even the timing of such an exercise; Thirdly, up till 2015, most of the calls for restructuring had been from individuals and groups from the southern part of Nigeria, especially South South geo-political zone. Others from the North probably think that the agitation is because the south controls the major mineral resources that constitute the bulk of Nigeria’s wealth.

However, in recent times or since 2016, prominent Northerners are beginning to join their southern counterparts in asking for restructuring.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, GCFR recently called for restructuring of Nigeria. Also recently, it was reported that the Speaker, Hon. Dogara suggested constitutional amendment that will deliver the local governments from the hand of governors, this is actually a form of agitation for restructuring.

Also, agitators are beginning to give more details about what they mean by restructuring.

Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, in his speech during the launching of a new weekly newspaper, Daily Stream, listed some agenda items to be tabled during any restructuring exercise, these include devolution of power to the states, reduction in federal government exclusive list(87) in favour of concurrent list(15), developing our own model of fiscal federalism, reduction in number of federating units, administrative restructuring, leaner bureaucracy, local government autonomy (state control), federal ownership of interstate roads, resource sharing. Others have also raised issues such as resource control, state police, federal character principle etc.

The tempo, frequency and spread of agitation are increasing by the day. There is a wide spectrum of agitators both for and against. Agitators from the south are unanimously in support of restructuring while those from the north have divergent views. On one hand you have proponents like Balarabe Musa, Northern Elders Forum as announced by their spokesperson, Paul Unongo, General Gowon etc. On the other hand you have the opponents of the motion like the outspoken Dr Junaid Mohammed, Tanko Yakassai, the little known Northern Delegates Forum led by Bashir Dalhatu. However, agitation by two or three outspoken individuals in the north cannot be used as a yardstick for measuring northern opinion on restructuring; it is mainly by town hall meetings or wide consultation that the people’s opinion can be distilled or synthesized.

Also , surprisingly, retired military generals, such as Alani Akinrinade, Tunde Ogheha(Kogi) and Ike Nwachukwu are reported to have also joined the agitation. The same military powers that de-structured Nigeria are now asking to undo some of the changes they made during their 29 years in power. Infact, the incursion of armed forces into Nigerian political landscape is a bag of mixed blessings, some of the structures they created are difficult to dismantle and some of the changes they made are impossible to reverse.

The recent call on President Buhari by some delegates to Jonathan’s National conference, asking for the implementation of the conference proceedings is a pointer to the fact that government can no more neglect these calls nor treat them as mere agitation by advocacy groups.

And rightly, Buhari’s government has come out with its own contribution to the debate.

Nigeria. There are different types of restructuring and there are many dimensions to restructuring.

This I will discuss in more detail later in the next section of this write-up.

Types of Restructuring

What is restructuring: To simply put it, restructuring is the process of increasing or decreasing the number of component parts that makes up a system and re-defining the inter-relationship between them in such a way that the entire system performs more efficiently.

However, restructuring, if not well planned and handled can lead to greater inefficiency or even system collapse.

The first thing that comes to the mind of people when they hear restructuring is political restructuring such as creating more states or merging of states/LGA, resource control, regional autonomy, power devolution etc. The most sensitive of which is resource control especially oil wealth. However, there are many dimensions to restructuring, some of which include political restructuring, economic restructuring, educational restructuring, social restructuring, accounting restructuring, administrative restructuring, restructure of security apparatus etc.

Consequently, since there are many dimensions to restructuring, anybody agitating for it should tell Nigerians the exact type or types of restructuring he or she wants.

Modes of Restructuring

Buhari According to a publication on The Nation of 31, 2017, government is not actively opposed to restructuring, but believes that such an exercise must follow due process, including a referendum where necessary, and this will require amending the present constitution which may take a long time. Their position seems logical but they gave the impression that it cannot happen so soon.

Actually it needs not be time consuming. Infact, the national and state assemblies can amended the constitution in three months if the will is there.

With the present tempo of debate, restructuring is likely to be a major campaign issue during the 2019 general election.

Those asking for restructuring are of the opinion that it will make the nation more stable politically and also bring more economic progress by encouraging hard work and competition among the federating units hence allowing each unit to develop at its own pace. However political stability is not a function of ethnic homogeneity or religious purity. Somalia in a nation in which over 90% of the population speak the same language.

Also, Somalia is 99% Muslim by religion, yet it is one of the most unstable countries in the world.

On the other hand, Switzerland consists of 3 major languages (German, French and Italian).

It has no single gram of mineral resource, yet it is one of the most stable and one of the richest countries in the world. It can therefore be concluded that the mindset of the citizens of a country is the major determinant of political stability and economic progress.

What is structure: From my engineering background, structure can be defined as the number of sub-systems or functional components that combine together to make up a complex system and the rules that govern the interrelationship between them to ensure they all work together seamlessly to achieve a common purpose or a given output. For example, a car, is a system consisting of engine, transmission, gear box, tires, steering system and a chassis. None of the units can work independently without the others. (A system is actually greater than the sum of its component parts). Hence a car is a simple system or a first order system with a simple structure. However, there are super-structures, which are made up of two or more subsystems, each of which can actually exist or produce an output independently. Nigeria or any nation at all can be described as a superstructure consisting of many sub units, each of which can actually exist independently. For example, Singapore is a single city, but it is also a country with its

own head of state, currency, national anthem, language and economic system. Lagos can exist as a country and Kano can also exist as a country. The smallest country is Europe, Monaco, is about the same size of Ogori-Magongo LGA in Kogi State. If, for example, today Ekiti State becomes an independent Nation with His Excellency, Fayose as Head of State. It may be relatively poor, its per capital income will be about one-tenth of Nigeria’s per capital income.

It has no major mineral deposit, it would be a land-locked country with no access to the sea. It has no major manufacturing industry, no dam to provide water for irrigation in time of draught.

The only significant export it has is its professors, which it can export to international universities in Europe or USA. Though it will exist as a country, but the poverty level, at least in the short term, will increase far beyond what it is today. On the other hand, if that happens, it will be forced to start finding innovative ways to survive since there will be no more monthly allocation coming from Abuja. It may call its professor to Ado-Ekiti and tell them to start developing software for Facebook, WIPRO, Microsoft or LM Ericsson in Sweden. Within 5 to 10 years it may actually become a prosperous country like Switzerland or Israel who don’t have any mineral resource but depend only on the brain of their citizens.

So the prosperity of a nation is predominantly determined by the mindset of its people. With the right mindset, the nation of Ekiti Republic can become very prosperous if left alone. Also, with the wrong mindset, Ekiti Republic may plunge into abject poverty far above the level they are today when they still have the opportunity to share from the resources of other regions in Nigeria. It is the same scenario for most states in Nigeria.

The question is this, how do we generate the right mindset in our citizens in such a way that Ekiti State will be able to contribute as much to the country’s income as oil-rich Bayelsa State.

With the right mindset, the professors in Ekiti can generate as much income as Rivers State is generating from oil. India will in 2017 generate over $250 Billion from software export by its IT companies like Infosys, Tata and WIPRO. Ten times more than the $25 billion revenue Nigeria will make mainly from oil export in 2017. It is a matter of mindset or social orientation. I have used these examples to illustrate the fact that political restructuring and resource control will not necessarily solve Nigeria’s problems, since these are the first major issues that come to mind when people hear or speak about restructuring

Implementing restructuring can take many forms depending on the choice among the following alternatives:- Wholesale restructuring or Piecemeal restructuring; Fast-paced restructuring or Gradual restructuring; Short-term restructuring or Long-term restructuring; Government-driven or people-driven restructuring; and Formal or informal restructuring The outcome of any restructuring will depend to a great extent on which of the above modes of restructuring is adopted by Nigeria.

Past Restructuring Since Independence:

Consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or in-deliberately, most Heads of State or governments we have had since independence have implemented one form of restructuring or the other during their reign. The reasons why we did not know is that the decisions were not called or announced as restructuring, and they were done piecemeal making them un-noticeable by the general public. Even those that made the changes did not know that they were actually restructuring Nigeria, either economically, politically, administratively or otherwise. The restructuring exercises carried out unconsciously by each government since independence are as listed below.

Tafawa Balewa (1960-1965) (Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe as Gov-General/ Ceremonial President) a) Creation of Mid-Western Region from the then Western Region - Political Restructuring General Aguiyi Ironsi: - Jan 1966-July 1966 (6 months) 1. Abolished the federating regions by Decree 32. Suspended Federal and Regional parliaments.

Power became concentrated at the center (Political restructuring) 2. Cancelled Native Authority Police (Administrative restructure(ng) 3. Federal Government took over control of revenue from natural resources and corporate taxes from regional governments. Shared national income among the regions (fiscal and economic restructuring) 4. Started unitary government with a strong center and weaker regions, a bye-product of military dictatorship ( political restructuring).

General Yakubu Gowon (July 1966-August 1975) a. Creation of 12 states to replace four regions – ( major political restructuring) b. Universal free primary education (educational restructuring) c. Started with 50% derivation payment to oil producing states, – (fiscal/ economic restructuring) (This was later gradually reduced to 13% over a few years)

–Eng. Bello is former Acting Executive Secretary of NCC (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

78

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

PERSPECTIVE

L-R: Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Deputy Chief Whip, Francis Alimikhena during a valedictory session to mark the second year anniversary of the 8th Senate held in Abuja... recently Photos: Julius Atoi/THISDAY IMAGES

Image Perception of the Legislature: Causes and Possible Solutions Olusegun Adeniyi

L

ast week, a bill proposing a six-month imprisonment for persons who jump queues in public places scaled second reading in this august assembly. It was sponsored by my brother from Kwara State, Hon Abubakar Amuda-Kannike to whom I have a poser this morning: If someone who jumps queue needs to spend six months in jail, how many months should those who jump fence with their babariga and designer suits, in the full glare of television camera, spend behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, Right Hon Yakubu Dogara, the Chairman of this occasion, honourable members of this distinguished House, before Hon Kannike begins to sing “Ajekun iya” for me, let me express my gratitude to the leadership of the House of Representatives for inviting me here today as you mark the second year anniversary and the mid-term of the 8th session of the National Assembly.

Based on an analysis of the number of executive and private member’s Bills either awaiting second reading or referred to committees as well as those already passed, it is evident that the 8th House of Representatives has done a lot with regards to its lawmaking and oversight functions. That you have worked harmoniously with the executive is also a proof to the maturity of the leadership which is commendable.

However, this anniversary comes at a most auspicious time in the life of our nation when all sorts of characters without any mandate are seizing the landscape to threaten other Nigerians. While you remain our elected representatives, these unelected men—and they are all men, including those who, in their fifties and sixties, still categorise themselves as youth—are declaring sit-outs, sit-ins and giving quit notices in a bid to cause confusion in our country and create problems for all of us.

To the extent that the legislature is the most significant link between the government and the governed, and the one charged with articulating and addressing the grievances of the people, I believe it is in your enlightened interest to weigh in and let these impostors know that they are only speaking for themselves and that there are consequences for incitement and hate speech. In case it has not yet registered, these mapdrawers are calling to question your legitimacy as the true representatives of Nigerians and the fact that they are gaining some sort of credibility should worry you.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, while the existence of a legislative house, whatever name it is called, does not necessarily connote democracy, it is a given that there can be no democracy without such representation. So central is the legislature to modern government that from available statistics, 190 countries in the world today have some form of functioning parliament.

In the particular case of our country, you make all the difference because whenever civil rule was interrupted in the past by the military, the only arm of government that was usually dismantled was the parliament. That is no surprise because this is the only institution where representatives are elected to discuss the needs of citizens, forge national policies and resolve whatever conflicts arise within society through dialogue and compromise. But the pertinent question remains as to how faithful you are in discharging those responsibilities and I guess that is the essence of this session.

In the first ever Global Parliamentary Report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) which focuses on the relationship between parliaments and citizens, the UNDP Administrator argues that the legitimacy and effectiveness of any legislature depends on public opinion and support.

But the choice of topic for today’s session and the context it was presented to me suggests that there is a major disconnect between the way the Nigerian public perceive you as lawmakers and the image you have of yourselves and this House. As far as the Honourable members

seated here this morning are concerned, you are serving the people. But where majority of Nigerians are concerned, you are all here serving only your own interest.

Whether the populace is right or wrong is not the issue here. What is important is for the members to be aware that the people whose interest they claim to serve do not think highly of them. In fact, there was a recent joke on WhatsApp which went viral. In the course of the negotiations to free the last batch of the Chibok girls, somebody quipped about why the authorities would bother to do swap with Boko Haram men when they could easily have handed to the insurgents some of our National Assembly members in exchange for the girls.

Mr Speaker, Honourable members, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, before I continue, let me add that there is hardly any country where the legislature is popular so the perception problem confronting the National Assembly is not unique to Nigeria. Around the world, the legislature is generally the least rated of all arms of government and national institutions. Survey figures compiled by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) which was subsequently reproduced in the IPU’s publication on parliament and democracy in the 21st century revealed that, across the world, parliaments were less trusted than other institutions of government.

Interestingly, that has been the pattern from the past to the present.

As of May 2017, according to Gallup polling, for instance, 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the job that their congress is doing and that has basically been the average disapproval rating over the years. The implication is that three quarters of Americans don’t believe that their lawmakers are serving them. In fact, American Congress men are so unpopular that even President Donald Trump, with all the baggage he carries, is now making jokes at their expense. But let me share two jokes by popular American actor and television host, Jay Leno, to illustrate my point. The first one: “Police in Florida have arrested a man who said he finally achieved his goal of shoplifting in all 50 states. You know what you call someone who steals from all 50 states? A congressman” The second: “Congress’ approval rating has dropped to 12 percent. The other 88 percent are withholding judgment until Congress actually does something.”

What the first joke implies is that American lawmakers take what does not belong to them while the second suggests that they are not working for their pay. The same perception problem has dogged members of parliament in other countries, most especially in the United Kingdom where in 2009 a newspaper investigation exposed MPs across the House of Commons to be cheating on their expenses. So, effectively, we can see that you are in good company but that does not excuse some of the issues that rile many Nigerians about the National Assembly.

For 18 good years, the best kept secret in our country was how much each member of the National Assembly was taking home every month. That was a self-inflicted problem that impacted negatively on the image of this vital arm of government whose members are touted as receiving one of the highest remunerations in the world. Yet, there are more issues. From certificate and bribery scandals to allegations of budget padding and rowdy sessions that sometimes degenerate into fisticuff, every negative episode involving members only serves to erode the credibility of the legislature. And the situation is not helped by the manner in which issues that are clearly personal are given primacy in the National Assembly.

While committee investigations and hearings are normal parliamentary practices, turning such powers to instruments of oppression is unacceptable. Let me cite one quick example. In the course of THISDAY editorial meeting on Wednesday, our senior editors in Abuja had to leave for the Senate to respond to a summon by a committee investigating a story about whether or not the Senate Majority Leader was prevented from entering his town by some mob as reported by our newspaper.

If the Senate Majority Leader, or any lawmaker for that matter, felt aggrieved by a publication, it is not for the whole Senate to set up a committee to be investigating such story and be summoning editors. That is a clear abuse of power and a demonstration of lack of seriousness.

Unfortunately, that has become a pattern and contributes to your negative perception. On matters of privileges that are personal, like in the instant case of the Senate Majority Leader, the National Assembly might wish to amend its rules in order to mitigate the prevailing public perception that the legislature is essentially a self-serving arm of government. An effective and efficient legislature is one that really looks out for the interest of the people and work towards ensuring that the executive delivers on its mandate. It is not about defending the deflated egos of some members.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, while I am not here to deprecate you and the difficult job you are doing, I believe that the foregoing background is important so that as I conclude I can offer a few words on the possible solutions to the perception problems. Even when I have stated earlier that the challenge is global and not peculiar to our country, there are also problems that are uniquely Nigerian and should be highlighted.

There is a school of thought that the negative perception of our lawmakers derives from the hang-over of several decades of military rule during which the legislature was an anathema. It is a valid argument.

The situation was not helped by the fact that the first political leadership that emerged under the current dispensation came from that military background.

There is another Nigerian challenge that we should not gloss over.

While the Honourable members of this House were elected to make laws for the good governance of the country and through that bring developments to the people, what most of your constituents demand are instant gratifications. They want money to pay the school fees of their children, establish businesses and sometimes even to marry more wives. If you are not able to deliver on these, no matter how many bills you sponsor in the National Assembly or how efficient you are in your oversight functions, you are a failed lawmaker, in their estimation.

The crisis of expectation arising from that is a major problem you confront that is hardly ever discussed. Meanwhile, if we are to judge the National Assembly by Section 4(2) under Part II of the Constitution which confers on the lawmakers “power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the federation” and your other principal functions which basically are representation and oversight, I believe this House has done well, all factors considered. Not only have you passed important legislations, at critical epochs in our nation, you have stood up to be counted on the side of common sense and national unity.

From the passage of the Niger Delta Development Act (NDDC) which led to the 13 percent derivation principle for oil producing states to the scuttling of the so-called Constitutional amendment that was to pave way for a controversial extension of tenure for the then incumbent president with all the implications for social order to the “Doctrine of Necessity” which defused a potentially dangerous political landmine in our country and several others, we owe a lot to this institution.

If the public therefore feels that you are not serving them well enough, it is because to whom much is given, much is expected. My admonition therefore will be that while it is important for the National Assembly to worry about its image, it’s much more productive for individual members to carve a positive image for themselves by their stewardship. That is the way it is elsewhere.

In an article in ‘The Week’ magazine titled “If Congress is so unpopular, why do lawmakers keep getting re-elected?” Jon Terbush provided explanation on why, at almost every election season, between 85 to 98 percent of incumbent lawmakers get re-elected in the United States. According to him, most polls show that while Americans may dislike and distrust the Congress as an institution, they like their own representatives. “That helps explain why incumbents do so well, even when Congress as a whole is less popular than, say, cockroaches”, said Terbush.

To corroborate that thesis, of the 44 different men who have been elected President of the United States, 18 of them had been in the House of Representatives. While two, James Garfield and Abraham Lincoln moved from the Congress to the White House, John Quincy Adams

79

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

PERSPECTIVE

A Lawmaker’s 10-Year Odyssey as Presiding Officer Uche Anichukwu

“I

, Senator Ike Lawrence Ekweremadu, do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria…”, the voice of the Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District reverberated in the hallowed Chambers of the Senate in the early afternoon of June 6, 2007. The Senator, who was first elected into the Senate in 2003 being led in Oath of Office by the former Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Ibrahim Arab, after his emergence as the Deputy President of the Sixth Senate.

Nominations opened at about 11:05am. Upon enquiry by Senator Nuhu Aliyu, the CNA clarified that ranking rule and Senate Standing Rule 2003 were in the past, thus clearing the way for Senator George Akume and setting the stage for an epic battle for the coveted position of the Senate President. Although it was a battle of two brothers, Senator Akume (PDP, Benue North West) and Senator David Mark (PDP, Benue South), there was no brother in the jungle of intrigues, dramas, and extreme anxieties that characterised the events surrounding the election. Mark polled 68 votes, while Akume got 39 votes. A senator abstained, while Senator Chimaroke Nnamani was absent.

Meanwhile, although Ekweremadu was already endorsed ahead of the inauguration to emerge unopposed, I am sure he knew it was never really over until the CNA closed nomination for the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate since there were no other nominations after Senator Nicholas Ugbane (PDP, Kogi East) nominated him and Senator James Manager (PDP, Delta South) seconded. Then came the applause.

Thus began Ekweremadu’s fairytale journey as a presiding officera journey hardly anyone, possibly even himself, expected to last this long. Not with the high turnover of presiding officers at the time. The Senate produced five Senate Presidents in eight years.

Unarguably, therefore, one of the legacies the Mark/Ekweremadu leadership bequeathed was a stable Senate. By 2011, the tempesttossed Senate had calmed, such that both men re-emerged unopposed during the inauguration of the Seventh Senate.

However, it was a different ball game during the inauguration of the Eighth Senate on June 9, 2015. Not only did he face opposition for the coveted seat for the first time since 2007, he did so on the unfavorable platform of a minority party. It was one election that compared in horse-trading and trepidations only to that of Sixth Senate. While Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central) emerged unopposed to the surprise of many, Ekweremadu slugged it out with Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South). He polled 54 votes as against Ndume’s 20 votes. With PDP commanding 49 seats at the time, 54 votes meant that Ekweremadu had a bipartisan appeal.

Instructively, the Senate has, to a very great extent, fused as one and is intensively preoccupied with moving the nation forward, although Saraki and Ekweremadu continue to bear the backlash, the baptism of fire and brimstone arising from their emergence. It is topic for another day. The good thing is that even those who thought a bipartisan parliamentary leadership would never work (although they enjoyed and defended same in recent past) cannot but appreciate the synergy and progress made by this Senate.

Meanwhile, Ekweremadu has not lasted this long because there are no other equally highly competent hands to do the job, since the Red Chamber is populated by Nigerians who have made their marks in various fields of human endeavour. Ekweremadu’s political staying power, I guess, rests on the confidence reposed in him by his constituents and colleagues. He has earned their trust and respect across party lines. Many of them have often commented on his trademark humility, brainpower, progressivism, and pan-Nigerian perspectives, approaches to issues as well as the experience and stability he brings to bear on the system.

President and Governor, respectively, to transmit power to their deputies when proceeding on a long vacation or temporarily unable to discharge the duties of the offices. Failing to do so, the Vice President or Deputy Governor automatically assumes power in acting capacity after 21 days.

Following the landmark Supreme Court judgment that former Governor Peter Obi’s term started from the date he was sworn-in (that is, excludes the period spent pursuing his mandate in the judiciary), Governors whose elections were annulled, but who still won the reruns sought to reap from it. Sections 135 and 180 were amended to clarify that when a sitting President/Governor wins a rerun, the period already spent in office shall be taken into account.

The progress made by our electoral system was made possible by the broad electoral reforms by the Sixth National Assembly. To make the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly independent, Section 81, 84, and 160 were amended. In addition to financial autonomy that placed INEC on First Line Charge, the Constitution now provides that INEC’s “powers to make its own rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure shall not be subject to the approval of the President”.

Sections 66(h), 137(i), and 182(i) of the Constitution were amended to end the disqualification of candidates based on verdicts of Administrative Panels, as its abuse nearly scuttled the 2007 elections. The Supreme Court judgement, which quashed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s disqualification from the presidential contest based on the findings of an Administrative Panel, came just about four days to the election. It was a miracle that INEC was able to print fresh presidential ballots to accommodate him.

Again, the amendments to Section 285 (5)-(8) set time limit for the adjudication of electoral petitions from filing to appeal. The list Ekweremadu...taking the oath of office as Deputy Senate is long.

However, it has not been all rosy with the amendments.

President in 2007 Ekweremadu has severally expressed deep disappointment over the intrigues that ruined the Fourth Alteration Bill in the Seventh For instance, at institutional level, Mark/Ekweremadu leadership Senate due to denial/withdrawal of presidential assent. This is restored stability and greater accountability to the Senate. Many understandable, given the time, human and material resources that must have forgotten that in 2007, the Senate leadership, in an went into it. unprecedented move, returned about N7 billion unspent Senate Most disturbing are its far-reaching implications for the nation’s allocation to the public treasury. I guess that was how returning democracy and development. The Bill included removal of unspent votes among the MDAs became a norm. presidential assent to constitution amendments (upheld by the To remedy the proverbial banana peel, the leadership ensured that procurement was left entirely to the National Assembly (NASS) United States Supreme Court Hollingsworth v. Virginia in 1798); and 30-day grace for the president to sign ordinary Bills or indicate bureaucracy. Secondly, the Mark/Ekweremadu leadership moved refusal of assent. Otherwise, the Bill becomes law. The U.S Constituthe Senate away from the era of super presiding officers to that of first among equals; an era where lawmakers collectively appropriate tion allows two weeks.

Also, it separated the Office of the Minister of Justice from resources available to the Senate in line with the Appropriation Act. Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). The same Meanwhile, in line with Senator Saraki’s inaugural promise was done for the States. New Sections 174A-174H and 211A-211H on Open NASS, the Saraki/Ekweremadu leadership has moved were created to provide for qualifications, improved powers, and transparency a notch higher by throwing the NASS budget open autonomy (including financial autonomy and security of office) for for public scrutiny.

Ekweremadu’s 10 years as a presiding officer will also be remem- Office of the AGF. Furthermore, it sought financial autonomy for State Assemblies bered for the progress in the area of constitution amendment and as well as minor restructuring by the inclusion of agriculture, electoral reforms. All previous initiatives by the executive and the arbitration, environment, railways, etc. in the concurrent list. As the legislature in this regard failed, such that by the time Ekweremadu Senator has often said, it was never about Ekweremadu. It was took over as the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee about Nigeria. Today, everyone, including those who masterminded in 2007, Nigerians did not give NASS a chance. But, with tenacity the indiscretion that killed the Fourth Alteration is paying for it. and patriotism, the jinx was broken in 2010. In fact, the Sixth NASS Therefore, the current constitution amendment process presents the successfully carried out the First, Second, and Third Alterations, nation another opportunity to rescue some nuts from the fire. with Ekweremadu Committee adopting a piecemeal approach.

As Nigerians reflect on Ekweremadu’s decade-long odyssey as Institution building was paramount in those amendments. The a presiding officer, many would agree that he deserves 10 garlands NASS gained financial autonomy to end the aberration where the as a man who has continued to live up to his billings as a nationparliament was at the mercy of the same executive it is to be a builder, democrat, patriot, and, as Senator Zainab Kure once put it, watchdog over on behalf of the people. “a lawmaker’s lawmaker”.

To avoid the crisis the nation almost plunged into during the ––Anichukwu is Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy illness of late President Musa Yar’Adua, Sections 145 and 190 of President of the Senate the Constitution were amended to make it mandatory for the

• IMAGE PERCEPTION OF THE LEGISLATURE: CAUSES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS • Continued from Page 78 served in the House after being President. What that says most eloquently is that as individual lawmakers, you should worry more about the impact you make in your constituency, state and country as well as the kind of image you build for yourselves. With such array of accomplished your men and women educated from the best institutions in the world, I will like to see presidents of Nigeria emerge from this chamber, beginning from 2019.

As I take my seat, let me make a few suggestions.

While I commend you for finally opening up the finances of the National Assembly, you must also understand that some of the choices members make tar this critical arm of government. Voting billions of Naira to order for new cars at a time the economy is going through a recession and majority of Nigerians experience difficult times, has not helped your cause.

Therefore, most of the perception problems you have are self-inflicted and originate from this very House.

You fight in the open, you spill on one another in the press, you take decisions that are not in tandem with public mood and some members throw irresponsible tantrums on social media. What is often ignored is that Image is less about what you say or how you think of yourself but more about what you do.

While conflict cannot be ruled out in a place with hundreds of members and is wired for less cohesiveness than the executive and judiciary, you can work on a more harmonious relationship. I believe it is good that there is increasing access to the parliament

with the live television feeds and I must commend the leadership of this House for its effective use of social media platforms. Such engagements will deepen understanding of your role as lawmakers.

But many Nigerians still believe that the dirty deals are done in executive sessions when you clear the gallery. Anytime you go into such sessions, be sure that suspicion is stirred.

There is also a general perception that many of the members are idle and hardly in Abuja while contributions are not deep. Perhaps you can begin by publishing the attendance list while instituting and enforcing sanctions of non-attendance. Again, members sit three times a week and for a few hours, and there is an increasing clamour for collapsing the two chambers and making your work part time.

The only way to address that is to deliver more value to the country.

It is also important for members to take on important issues that will aid the country’s progress.

The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) where the Senate must be commended is one important legislation on which so much time is being wasted by the House. Besides, you need to identify the issues that are critical to our country. You can commission focus group discussions, expert panels and even surveys to understand those issues that generally resonate with Nigerians and tackle them boldly and swiftly.

Mr Speaker, some of the issues I have identified are at the centre of the image and perception burden

R-L:Guest speakers, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Chairman, THISDAY Editorial Board; and Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN),at the valedictory session to mark the 2nd year anniversary of the 8th House of Representatives scrambling over cars and making home videos. of not only the House of Representatives but the Thank you for inviting me and congratulations entire National Assembly. While I believe you once again on your second year anniversary. are doing your best under the prevailing circum–– Paper presented on the floor of the stances—given that you must also have your own House of Representatives by Olusegun Adeniyi, constraints—let me add very quickly that it is better Chairman of THISDAY Editorial Board, as for our Honourable members and distinguished Guest Speaker at the Second Anniversary of the Senators to stir the nation with creative ideas and 8th National Assembly on 9th June, 2017. novel solutions than to continue to make news by

80

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 11, 2017

81

82

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 11, 2017

SPECIAL REPORT

The Magnificent Seven

T

Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Demola Ojo he snap election called by United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Theresa May last Thursday may have come and gone, but its outcomes are still reverberating across Nigeria. The excitement has to do with the victory of seven candidates of Nigerian descent.

The Nigerian-Britons who recorded the historic feat are Chuka Umunna (Labour) representing Streatham, Helen Grant (Conservative) and Chi Onwurah (Labour). The others are Kemi Badenoch representing Saffron Walden, Kate Osamor representing Edmonton, Bim Afolami representing Hitchin and Harpenden, and Fiona Onasanya representing Peterborough.

Grant is the first black MP from the Conservative Party while Onwurah is the first African woman to win a parliamentary seat in Newcastle Central. Umunna is a leading organiser of the Black Socialist Society (BSS) and vicechairman of the Streatham Labour Party in south London.

Records show that Nigerian participation in British public affairs and governance date back to Olaudah Equiano, known in his lifetime as Gustavus Vassa, a prominent African freed slave in London who supported the British movement to end the slave trade. Later on, a significant number of Nigerians studied in the UK before the country became independent in 1960.

Records at the Institute for Public Policy Research show that Nigerian scholars rank among the high performers in the United Kingdom. However, 2010 was the first time British-Nigerians secured seats in the UK parliament. The historic trio were Umunna, Grant and Onwurah.

Prior to 2010 though, Nigeria has had a relationship with Britain dating back to colonial times when the country was administered by Britain until she gained independence in 1960. Civil and political unrests in Nigeria contributed to many migrating to Britain in the 1960s but it was not until the 1980s that the population of Nigerians seeking residence and British citizenship increased significantly.

The number rose further during the military dictatorship of the mid-1990s. By the time the British Nigerians were elected in 2010, the population of Nigerians living in the UK had reached the one million mark, out of the total British population of around 65 million, making Nigerians one of the thriving minority nationalities that form Britain’s robust ethnic diversity.

This significant population has produced a unique identity known as British-Nigerian, which is used to describe British people of Nigerian descent, or Nigerian people of British descent.

Meanwhile, the importance of the MPs’ achievements to Nigeria’s image was conveyed via a congratulatory message by the Nigerian government. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, applauded the “unique feat as evidence that Nigerians anywhere in the world will continue to excel and make the country proud.” She said, “We wish them the very best and believe they will continuously serve their constituents with dignity and diligence.”

Here is a brief profile of the seven elected MPs of Nigerian descent.

Grant

Badenoch

Chi Onwurah

Chinyelu Susan Onwurah, 52, is the current Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, as well as Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, having been appointed to both posts in September 2015.

Born to Nigerian parents in Wallsend Newcastle in 1965, she studied Electrical Engineering at Imperial, College London.

Her family relocated to Awka, capital of Anambra state, when she was a baby, but following the breakout of the Biafran civil war, her mother returned Chi to Newcastle, while her father enlisted in the Biafran army. Before venturing into politics, she worked in the private sector in Nigeria, UK, France and Denmark.

In 2010, she contested under the Labour Party and got elected as the member of parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne central, replacing the previous Labour MP Jim Cousins, who decided to step down. She is Newcastle’s first black MP.

Kate Osamor

Osamor was born to Nigerian parents in 1968 and grew up in Haringey. Her mother Martha Osamor, who came to Britain when she was young, was a political activist and a member of the Black Sections in the Labour party in the 1980s.

Osamor was educated at Creighton comprehensive school and read Third World Studies at the University of East London. After graduating, she worked for The Big Issue, a magazine sold by the homeless. She then worked for 15 years in the NHS, and was a GP practice manager before becoming an MP. In the 2015 General Election, Osamor was selected as the candidate for Edmonton following the retirement of its Labour MP Andy Love. She worked for the National Health Service (NHS) for 15 years and is a trade union activist, a women’s charity trustee and a member of LP’s national

Afolami

Umunna

executive committee. She funded the NHS, opposing its fragmentation and standing up to government cuts the centrepiece of her campaign. She has lived in north London her whole life.

is currently a board member for the Centre for the Study of British Politics and Public Life and for nine years was a nonexecutive director for a London housing association.

Her other areas of interest include engineering and technology, social mobility and integration. She provides regular mentoring to women who wish to pursue careers in technology and has spoken at several conferences including the global TEdX speaker series.

Kemi Badenoch

Aged 37, Badenoch has been a member of the parliament since September 2015. She is the GLA conservative’s spokesman for the economy and also sits on the transport committee as well as policing and crime committee.

Badenoch joined the Conservative Party in 2005 and since then has been active in Conservative politics. In 2010 she stood in the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency and came third behind the Liberal Democrats.

Two years later, Badenoch stood for the Conservatives in the London Assembly election where she was placed fifth on the London-wide list. The election saw the Conservatives win three seats from the London-wide list, so Badenoch was not elected.

Three years later, in the 2015 general election, Victoria Borwick, was elected to Parliament and subsequently resigned her seat on the London Assembly. The fourth placed candidate on the list, Suella Fernandes, had also been elected to Parliament and declined to fill the vacancy. Badenoch was therefore declared to be the new Assembly Member.

Badenoch was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for the Saffron Walden constituency in last week’s general election.

Prior to the assembly, Kemi was a director at the Spectator Magazine and before that an associate director at Coutts & Co. She holds two degrees in engineering and law, from Sussex University and Birkbeck College respectively. She

Chuka Umunna

Umunna, a Labour party politician, has been a member of the parliament for Streatham since 2010. He was the shadow business secretary from 2011 to 2015. Prior to his emergence as shadow business secretary, he was a member of the treasury select committee.

Ummuna had his primary education at Hitherfield in Streamham, south London, and became deputy head boy at the Boys’ Independent Senior School, St Dunstan’s college in southeast London during his secondary level. He went on to study English and French Law from the University of Manchester, where he was awarded with an upper second class LLB. He was adopted as the Labour party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for streamham in 2008 and polled a majority of 3,259 votes at the 2010 general election to become an elected member of parliament for streamham.

His Nigerian father, Bennett, died in a road accident in his homeland in 1992. His English mother, Patricia, is a solicitor and daughter of Sir Helenus Milmo QC, the Anglo-Irish high court judge.

–– Cont’d on Pg. 83

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 11, 2017

SPECIAL REPORT The Magnificent Seven

Continued from Page 82

Onasanya

Osamor

Bim Afolami

a friend about the London riots and asked if I’d considered politics. My response was simply “no!”. I was not interested as law had been my focus – I’d never studied or even considered politics. The gentleman gave me his card and suggested I look into what his party was about and if I felt their ethos was something I agreed with, to become a member and come to some meetings. So I did! That was the start of my journey.”

Afolami, who works as a corporate lawyer, comes from Crowthorne, Berkshire. His father is a Nigerian consultant doctor who works for the National Health Service. He was educated at Bishopsgate School, Eton public school and Oxford University where he studied modern history. He was also vice president of the Oxford Union Society.

He was then a political adviser at the House of Commons and worked in corporate law before moving onto finance as a senior executive at HSBC. The father of two is also a school governor and has mentored teenagers. He lives in Northampton and has previously contested the Lewisham Deptford seat in 2015, where he achieved 15 per cent of the vote, gaining 7,056 votes in a Labour stronghold. He is described as an ‘astute public speaker’.

He was quoted after the election as saying: “I’m feeling completely over the moon to be the new MP for Hitchin and Harpenden.

It’s such a great feeling. I’m completely honoured. I would like to pay tribute to my opponents who fought a fair and democratic fight.”

Fiona Onasanya

Onasanya, who ran on the platform of Labour Party, is a solicitor and local councillor.

She was until her election the deputy leader of the Labour group on the Cambridgeshire county as well as its councillor.

A woman with a tall dream, Onasanya is aspiring to become Britain’s first black female prime minister. In an interview before the election, she revealed that she never set out to be a politician.

“Well, I never intended to become a politician. The secretary for a political party was in earshot of a discussion in a local pub with

Onwurah

Helen Grant

Grant, a Conservative Party politician, has served as the Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald since 2010. The fifty-five year old has served as the parliamentary under-secretary of state for justice as well as the parliamentary under-secretary of state for equalities.

Born on September 28, 1961, to a Nigerian father and English mother, Grant is a solicitor. She grew up in a single-parent family after her parents separated and her father migrated to the United States. She was raised in Carlisle where she lived on the city’s Raffles council estate with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Her political career kicked off in 2004 under the Labour Party, where was asked by a senior local party figure to consider becoming a local councillor, but she rejected the idea and joined the Conservative Party two years later, claiming that the Labour party showed little interest in her and left her feelings disillusioned. Grant is the first black woman to be selected to defend a Tory seat and her election in 2010 also made her the Conservatives’ first female black MP. She received her first government appointment in 2012, and played dual roles of undersecretary of state for justice, and undersecretary for women and equalities.

83

84

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R •JUNE 11, 2017

SUNDAYSPORTS

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

ANC 2019 Qualifier: Toothless Eagles Stunned by South Africa in Uyo Players tired in second half, says Rohr

T

he Bafana Bafana of South Africa claimed a historic victory by defeating Nigeria’s Super Eagles for the first time in a competitive fixture. South Africa deservedly emerged 2-0 victors in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo yesterday.

Bafana Bafana, in their first match under new coach Stuart Baxter, put in a superb display marked by a resilient defence and speed on the counter attack, with second-half goals from Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau taking them to a famous victory at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

Nigeria enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the early stages and they created the first clear chance in the 11th minute when Wilfred Ndidi picked up on a loose ball on the edge of the box and sent a left-footed volley off target.

Midway through the first half the Super Eagles really should have claimed the lead, with Kelechi Iheanacho providing a low pass across the face of goal to find Oghenekaro Etebo,

but his effort flashed wide of the far post.

South Africa settled into the match, but struggled to pose much of an attacking threat.

However, they almost broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi dropped Tebogo Langerman’s cross and Themba Zwane reacted quickly to the loose ball, only to hit the upright with his toepoked shot.

Bafana Bafana found themselves defending for most of the early stages in the second half, but on 54 minutes they claimed the lead through Rantie, who met Ramahlwe Mphahlele’s cross and beat Akpeyi at his near post with a downward header.

With 20 minutes of regulation time remaining the visitors should have doubled their lead, with a counter attack opening up a chance for Zwane, who again beat Akpeyi only to see his effort rebound off the near post.

On 78 minutes Nigeria almost forced an equaliser as Ahmed Musa and Etebo threatened in the penalty area and South

Africa needed Dean Furman to make a desperate clearance from almost under his own crossbar.

Yet the visitors’ second goal arrived in the 81st minute, with Keagan Dolly providing a perfectly weighted pass for substitute Tau, who sprinted clear, rounded Akpeyi and turned the ball into an empty net to end the game as a contest.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr analysed the game thus: “First, my young team - the youngest of all the teams playing in the qualifying series - had a very good first half.

They played well but they didn’t score. In the second half, the South Africans counter attacked us because our players were tired.

“We played against an experienced SA side, in the first half, we lost plenty opportunities and my players tired out in the second half.

“We made three offensive changes in the second half to add power to the attack.

Going forward, we will make changes to the tactics.”

Rohr

England,Venezuela in U20 French Open: Unseede Ostapenko Wins First Grand Slam World Cup Final Showdown

T

he stage is set today for the final showdown in the ongoing FIFAU20 World Cup in South Korea as South Americans Venezuela take on England in what is a clash of two continents.

As usual, Pay TV Company, StarTimes, has concluded plans to beam live actions of these matches from Suwon World Cup Stadium to Nigerian subscribers.

Also, the third place play off between Uruguay and Italy will come up at the same Suwon stadium before the closing ceremony and final match of the tournament.

England which beat Italy in Thursday’s semi-final has now gone unbeaten in 12 matches, of which they’ve won ten.

Earlier, England defeated Croatia 2-1 in round of 16 and pipped Mexico 1-0 to secure the semifinals. Venezuela on the other hand defeated Japan 1-0 in the round of 16 and sent USApacking with a 2-1 defeat in the quarter finals before sending Uruguaypackinginthesemifinal on Thursday.

ANC 2019 QUALIFIERS Cameroon

1–0

Morocco

Burundi

3–0

South Sudan

Nigeria

0–2

South Africa

Sierra Leone 2 – 1

Kenya

DR Congo

3–1

Congo

Ivory Coast

2–3

Guinea

Botswana

0–1

Mauritania

Burkina Faso 3 – 1

Angola

Niger

0–0

Swaziland

Zambia

0–1

Mozambique

StarTimes has assured football viewers they can enjoy the best of the World Cup and other thrilling sporting actions on its ST World Football Channels 244 and 254.

Speaking on these coming World Cup sporting actions, Acting Brands and Marketing Director, StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede,saidStarTimesremains committed to delivering quality sporting contents to its subscribers.

“Quality sporting content was the reason behind the exclusive acquisitions of sporting rights like the FIFAWorld Cup in over 48 territories in Africa and other sporting event such as the SerieA, Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, Chinese Super League, Eredivisie.

He said StarTimes will be showcasing the best of these football actions live from the various match centres to the subscribers with the final matches involving the four countries.

U

nseeded Jelena Ostapenkofought back to stun third seed Simona Halep and become Latvia’s first Grand Slam champion at the French Open.

The 20-year-old trailed by a set and was 3-0 down in the second to Halep - who would have become world number one with a win but prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-3.

Ostapenko, ranked 47th, had never won a Tour-level title before and was playing in only her eighth Grand Slam. She is the first unseeded woman to win at Roland Garros since 1933.

Halep, 25, was playing in her second French Open final, after losing in three sets to Maria Sharapova in 2014. She had been the tournament favourite this time in the absence of Serena Williams, but again missed out on a first major title.

Ostapenko’s carefree attacking tennis ultimately proved too strong for the consistency and experience of Halep, with the

Ostapenko became the lowest-ranked champion in French Open history favourite helpless by the closing stages. The difference in approach was clear in the final statistics, Ostapenko ending with 54 winners and 54 errors, to Halep’s eight winners and 10 errors.

Halep looked to have ridden out the storm after twice coming back from a break down to take the first set, with Ostapenko giving it up with her 23rd error and swiping her racquet in frustration.

The Romanian had played the percentages, with just one winner and two errors, and she looked set to end her wait for a major title when she moved 3-0 up in the second.

Nadal Targets 10th French Open Title, Wawrinka Stands in His Way

R

afael Nadal must overcome the spectacular shot-making of Stan Wawrinka if heistowinarecord10thFrench Open title today. The Spaniard, 31, will become the first player in the open era to win a Grand Slam title 10 times if he wins.

Swiss third seed Wawrinka hit 87 winners as he beat world number one Andy Murray in the semi-finals. “It’s true that when he hits hard, he hits re-

ally hard. Stopping him can be difficult,” said Nadal. “I know he’s dangerous when he plays aggressively, so I need to limit his possibilities. I will play very aggressively, and I don’t want him to take control - easy to say, but it may not be that easy to do.”

Nadal has yet to drop a set in Paris, reaching the final for the loss of just 29 games over six matches. His record at Roland Garros now stands at 78 match wins and two defeats since he

won his first title in 2005.

However, injury problems hampered his chances in recent years and he has not won a major title since his last French Open triumph in 2014.

VictorywouldbringNadalhis 15th Grand Slam title, moving him above Pete Sampras into second on the all-time list, behind Roger Federer on 18.

It would also deliver the French Open for the 10th time; only Margaret Court, with 11 AustralianOpentitles,haswon

one of the Grand Slam trophies more often. Nadal has been keentotalkdownanypressure surroundingthepossibilityofa 10thtriumphatthetournament, saying: “I think I don’t make more history, it’s enough. Nine are more than good.”

Hecantakeconfidencefroma recordof15winsfrom18meetings with Wawrinka, but the Swiss has won three of the last six, including his first Grand Slamwininthe2014Australian Nadal Open final.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

High Life Y

85 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Making Sense of Governor Wike’s Real Madrid Celebration

es, Governor Nyesom Wike has caught the funny bug. The Rivers State governor cuts the sharp, narrow silhouette of an aggressive jester. There isn’t much difference between Nyesom and an accustomed clown. Like an itinerant comic, the source of endless mirth, Governor Wike has continually carried on like one elected to fulfill a comic role which could allow others to see them as ludicrous rather than as terrible reminders of the forces of disorder in the world.

In actions and utterances (recall his relentless laughable claim that the billions found in the Ikoyi apartment belong to the Rivers State government even when it has been proved otherwise), the rotund, cognac-loving lawyer turned politician never misses an opportunity to make discerning political observers laugh in disbelief and consternation. During the week, he and his wife, Suzette, gathered friends, appointees, associates and political jobbers at the amphitheatre of the new government house to celebrate the victory of Real Madrid Football Club in the UEFA Champions league. Oh, you sneered in disbelief? Read on. With the exception of a few,

Nnamdi Okonkwo

A JOLLY GOOD GUY: WHEN NNAMDI OKONKWO BOBBED AND BUBBLED AT THE TEMPLE Some bank bosses try so hard to develop a lifestyle that would never request their presence. Some would attend every party as a measure of courtesy but having gotten there, fade indistinctly into the background like some yellow butterfly on a sallow wall. But some become the life of the party and that is what separates them from all. Gaiety is the most outstanding

Gov. Nyesom Wike (3rd left) and wife, Suzzette, with others at a party held to celebrate Real Madrid’s victory

the revelers, in their jutting beer bellies, all wore Real Madrid jersey and other insignia of the famed football club for the improbable state celebration. Typical of the governor’s predilection for gaudy celebrations, gourmet meals, and champagnes and cognacs flowed like a river and nobody left until the drinks had thinned to a feature of this latter lot.

Unlike many other bank MDs and CEOs of financial institutions, they endeavour to loosen up themselves and have undiluted fun, thus dismissing the notion that top bankers and bank bosses can never take time away from their hectic schedules to unwind.

However, in the midst of the mouthwatering revelry that heralded the 57th birthday of Dapo Abiodun, managing director of Heyden Group, and opening of his new club, 12 Temple, in Ikoyi, Lagos, last Sunday, Nnamdi Okonwo, the MD of Fidelity Bank, was a standout surprise. A man that cannot be mentioned in the same breath with social butterfly, anything that however had to do with his bosom friend, Abiodun, is always top priority. Soaking up the Sunday merriment, yet, without recourse to frivolity, Okonkwo, cutting a picture of good health and happiness, tippled his favourite bubbly, shuffled and swayed intermittently and backslapped and chatted heartily with the purveyors of prosperity that crowded the Sunday evening soiree. Despite the elevation of the birthday banquet to an upper class feast with fascinating luscious sights

tributary. Don’t forget, or, well, you may not know, Governor Wike was in Cardiff, Wales, where the champions league final was played.

As if these were not enough, the governor then issued an official statement wherein he felicitated, heartily too, with the Spanish club, stating that though most people did not give them a chance to lift and vivacious sounds, not for the handsome, upbeat Nnamdi were the thoughts of the current economic turmoil. He stayed till the wee hours and sure had a ball and a blast and a breather.

CHEERS, CHARITY AS JULIUS RONE ADDS ANOTHER YEAR No anniversary trumps an average day in the life of Julius Rone. The billionaire magnate crosses the sill of every epoch with enviable modesty, tact and

Julius Rone

the trophy, the club displayed its resilience and discipline and went ahead to create history. “We will work with the management of Real Madrid Football club to ensure that a football academy is sited here in Rivers State. As you know, Rivers State is the headquarters of Real Madrid supporters in Nigeria,” he further stated. panache. Unlike several other young billionaires, Julius celebrates his life all year round and he does not have to make a show of it. Thus the billionaire oil magnate does not have to put together a wild shindig at home or across the seas, just because he seeks to showboat or impress the world - like his highly privileged peer would do. In a few days, one of Nigeria’s youngest billionaires, Rone, would clock 43.

Rone is the CEO of UTM Group, with subsidiaries like UTM Dredging Limited, a provider of logistic support in engineering, construction, equipment rental, leasing, procurement, supply and general labour service to the oil industry; and marine services company, UTM Offshore, among others. Away from the norm of throwing heartthumping parties, this year, there would be no too much pomp or ceremony but plenty of cheers and charity as debonair Rone proposes to spend his day with the less privileged and kids in orphanages in and around Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory where he has an eye-watering home.

Of course, he has so much to thank God for. From a

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 11, 2017

86

HIGHLIFE

Y

When the Chagourys Partied…

ou know them by reputation as having their imprints on some of Nigeria’s biggest projects and institutions but you don’t see them.

The Chagoury brothers, Gilbert and Ronald, though Lebanese are more Nigerian than some Nigerians because of their long stay in the country and on account of their vast business interests spanning real estate, hotels, manufacturing, telecommunications and construction. They are the brains behind the Eko Atlantic City and Eko Hotel, to mention a few. In spite of their mammoth wealth, they are hardly a sight on the social scene. But the 57th birthday party of Dapo Abiodun, chairman of Heyden Group, was the exception to their private life rule. Held at his new club, 12 Temple in Ikoyi, Lagos, Dapo’s party attracted Nigeria’s heavyweights, a class where the Chagourys lead others by the hand.

Ronald and his greying brother were there in their full splendor. They rocked and rolled and had a swell time. humble parentage, Rone has worked his way, with guts and grace, through the wilderness of life to become one of Nigeria’s leading businessmen.

A CHAMP’S STORY… GABRIEL OGBECHIE’S RAINOIL CELEBRATES 20 YEARS IN GRAND STYLE Industry is dewpearled, the future looms on wondrous straits and fortune flits in auspicious circles around the world of Gabriel Ogbechie, whose daring dream and exploits birthed RainOil,

Gabriel Ogbechie

Gilbert Chagoury

an oil firm. Two decades after he established what has become a formidable business and stakeholder in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, Gabriel has cause to rejoice. At 51, Gabriel Ifeanyi Ogbechie is every inch a gracious champ. Like most champs, he makes a good first impression. His story pulsates a pleasurable lore of labour, perseverance, reinvention and accomplishment. Ogbechie personifies a classic success story of the man who grew to be titan under the heavy weight of daunting odds, along the torturous path to acclaim. However, despite his self-effacing nature, Ogbechie, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rainoil, a foremost player in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, had reasons to celebrate last week. It was the 20th anniversary of his foray into the oil and gas business, a chequered journey that began with just N300,000 when he was barely 30. To celebrate the occasion, Rainoil hosted a series of Corporate Social Responsibility activities including a free eye screening tests for public school pupils in Community Primary School, Mafoluku, State Primary School Ewutuntu, and State

Ronald Chagoury

Primary School, Mafoluku, all in Lagos, among other schools across the country.

The Lagos leg of the programme, which seeks to reach out to pupils from age eight and above in public schools, was conducted by First Contact Eye Clinic Hospital, Ilupeju. Earlier in April, the company had commissioned a 2km road construction in IdumujeUgboko, Delta State, while also sponsoring 18-year-old tennis prodigy, Emmanuel Sylvester, to a tennis academy in Spain. The sponsorship is reportedly worth $90,000.00. The anniversary celebration climaxed with an elaborate gala and awards ceremony that had all the trappings of a high society event.

Ogbechie harnessed his resources and network to put together a befitting evening which also saw some longstanding employees and clients awarded for their steadfast support over the years.

Established out of the unrest of a young man with a well-paying job who said he was tired of receiving salaries, Rainoil has grown to have many branches across Nigeria, about 80 trucks, a fleet of six ships and two 50million litre-capacity oil tank facilities in Oghara, Delta State and Calabar, Cross

River State. Surviving the tempestuous oil industry, with its arbitrary policy summersaults among other crippling challenges, has not been a tea party for this native of Idimuje Ugboko in Delta State. Ogbechie, the fifth of six children, who studied production engineering at the University of Benin, reckons that he has benefitted immensely from the grace of God.

RUMBLE IN ADELEKE’S HOUSEHOLD Since the death of

Isiaka Adeleke

T H I S D AY, T H e S u n D AY n e w S pA p e r • JUNE 11, 2017

87

HIGHLIFE

G

Terry Waya Returns to the Social Scene

radually, after a debilitating struggle with illness, during when his friends and associates feared the worst, Benue State-born businessman, Terry Waya, seems to have recovered fully. So sick was the diminutive socialite that reports said he expended a lot of money treating himself and was running low on cash until the Chagoury brothers intervened and ferried him abroad for treatment.

By the time he returned to Nigeria, he had lost a lot of weight and therefore spent time convalescing.

He gave parties, where he used to

be the life and soul, a wide berth.

But not any longer.

Now back to full fitness and vigour, Terry, the deeppocket socialite who has many governors and top government functionaries on speed dial, is so fit now that he has been sighted at a number of high society events in recent time. He was at the burial of the late former governor of the Old Western Region, Adeyinka Adebayo, in Ekiti and he was a spectacle on the dance floor rocking to the music of King Sunny Ade. The former lover of Eno Olafisoye has rediscovered his partying form and only Terry can stop Terry now.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke in April, it has been an endless concatenation of controversies. From the ruckus about the cause of his death, to the dissociation of the family from what it termed an ‘ill-advised and self-serving’ proposed coroner ’s inquest by the Osun State government, the family has continued to make headlines. Now, there is palpable rumble within the wealthy family as Demola, one of the Adeleke brothers that also include billionaire Deji, father of music superstar, Davido, plans to replace his brother in the Senate. As you well know, the death of a senator or elected public office holders calls for a bye-election to find a replacement. According to the news doing the rounds on the blogosphere, while other parties are not exempted from this, Demola allegedly wants to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, where the deceased was a frontline member.

However, the family is not totally disposed to this as they believe the party has a hand in their brother ’s death. The late senator, who was the first elected governor of Osun State, had put plans in place to run for the governorship election after the expiration of the incumbent governor ’s term.

And he was a frontrunner as he had the structure and resources to win the election. Death, however, cut short his plans. The Adelekes don’t want to have anything to do with the APC. Neither do members of the late senator ’s political

family. Demola is however contending, and maybe rightly too, that it is only on the platform of the APC that his ambition can be realised.

AND SHE GETS SERVED…THE HUMBLING OF KEMI OLUNLOYO As the rabid-tongued stews in self-wrought misfortune, so does Kemi Olunloyo even as you read. After 81 days of incarceration at a Port Harcourt, Rivers State, prison, controversial blogger and self-styled international investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, was released during the past week. Ms. Olunloyo was arrested in March in Lagos and arraigned in a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for alleged cybercrime

Kemi Olunloyo

Terry Waya

based on one of her posts believed to have defamed Pastor David Ibiyeomie, a televangelist and senior pastor of Salvation Ministries, Port Harcourt.

She was subsequently granted bail but had issues meeting her bail conditions.

Vocal and feisty, Olunloyo, 52, is as confrontational and daring as they come and nobody is spared her acerbic posts, not even the revered Pastor Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God or her father, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, the former governor of Oyo State. Not even entertainers or politicians. In fact, an actress, Georgina Onuoha, travelled from Lagos to Ibadan earlier in the year to arrest Ms. Olunloyo when she turned the heat on Onuoha. The Ibadan-based blogger disappeared into thin air only to resurface days later on social media to continue her ‘war ’ with the actress. It is now left to be seen whether her prison stay would temper her blogging slant and style.

IN HIS FATHER’S STEPS…ALIYU ATIKU EMERGES THE NEW TURAKI OF ADAMAWA Aliyu, one of the sons of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has been confirmed as the new Turaki of Adamawa, taking over from his father who had held the post for more than a decade. The older Atiku was elevated to the position of Waziri following the death of the previous holder, Abba Mohammed, who died recently. In a series of tweets following the announcement, Aliyu posted, “On behalf of my

family and myself, I’d like to thank sincerely those who have sent their congratulations on my appointment as Turaki Adamawa. I am grateful for the honour done conferring the respected title of Turaki on me by HRH the Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha. I pledge my loyalty to HRH and the Adamawa Emirate Council.”

A 2015 graduate of the American University of Nigeria, in Yola, Adamawa State, coincidentally also owned by his father, many factors were in favour of Aliyu. Aside being an Atiku, Aliyu is also the son of Hajja, the younger sister of the present Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha.

Aliyu Abubakar

Sunday, June 11, 2017

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N400

MISSILE El-Rufai to coalition of northern youths

“We will not tolerate such irresponsible statements and conduct in our state. The statement issued by the ‘northern youths’ violates the laws of Kaduna State.

Therefore, the Kaduna State Government has directed that its Ministry of Justice should prepare charges and prosecute the signatories and anyone complicit in arranging this egregious assault on the rights of fellow citizens.”

– Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai condemning the inciting, hate speech delivered by a coalition of northern youths against the Igbo

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Matters Arising from ‘Kaduna Declaration’

W

e are in that season again, aren’t we, when political tension is the major topic of discussion, day and night, in Nigeria.

On the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has been increasing the volume of its campaign for secession.

In response, the Northern Youth Coalition (NYC) issued a notice to all Igbo to leave the north by October 1, 2017. In the Niger Delta, there has been some peace — peace of the graveyard — after a lot of bombing that crippled the nation’s economy last year.

Boko Haram, lest we forget, has neither retreated nor surrendered in its armed campaign for the Islamisation of Nigeria.

The Yoruba, meanwhile, are watching from the sidelines, perhaps waiting for what would happen to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in the coming months. Rumour is already doing the round in the north that President Muhammadu Buhari was poisoned in order for power to return to the south-west. This rumour is quite lethal given the street following Buhari enjoys up north and the likely backlash for the Yoruba, and the rest of Nigeria, if he does not recover. Coup rumours are rife: the military allegedly wants to keep power in the north if anything happens to Buhari. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande have warned about an upcoming “resistance”.

To tell the truth, I have never been this worried about peace and stability in Nigeria since the political crisis of 1993 and the reign of terror by Gen. Sani Abacha. I consider the brewing crises (not just crisis) as potentially the worst in our history — because of the different dimensions. I believe Biafra failed because it was 75% of the country against 25%. The June 12 crisis was also relatively contained for the same reason. But if we have a resurgence in Niger Delta militancy, on top of Biafra and Boko Haram, and a renewed “NADECO” from the south-west, we will be biting too much. Maybe I am getting too nervous, but it doesn’t look too pretty to me.

What then must we do to be saved? I wish I had the answers. It seems Nigerians are perpetually in love with separatism. We keep experiencing this in different shapes and sizes, from the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), the Arewa People’s Congress (APC), the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in early to mid-2000s. We survived them all: OPC rebranded itself after endless battles with the police and needless bloodshed; MASSOB specialised in demonstrations and soon faded out; MEND bombed the pipelines and became a global brand; and APC never really made it.

The June 7 Kaduna Declaration by Arewa youth groups is yet another step towards the precipice. I remember when the now anonymous APC was formed in December 1999 by retired Captain Sagir Muhammed, a former operative of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), its declared aim was “to preserve the indivisibility of the country”. The group said it would begin “full self-defence training for northern residents” in reaction to attacks on Hausa people by OPC in the south-west. OPC was eventually caged (President Olusegun Obasanjo famously issued a shoot-on-sight order to security

El-Rufai

agencies). APC subsequently petered out.

Just as APC was the counterforce to OPC, should we take NYC as the antidote to IPOB? Should we assume that the threat to expel Igbo from 19 northern states is designed to put IPOB on the back foot?

We all know Igbo are all over the country.

(There is this joke that anywhere you go and you don’t see an Igbo, please run away because it is not fit for human habitation.)

By threatening millions of Igbo in the north, NYC may force influential Igbo leaders to call IPOB to order to avoid endangering the lives of their kith and kin up there.

The message, I think, is that the Igbo have more to lose. If that is the NYC strategy, it will work for now. But I don’t know if it will work forever.

However, I think we are muddling too many issues in the heat of the moment. It will serve us better to step back a bit and put some matters in perspective. One, the fundamental issue here is whether or not the agitation for Biafra is legal and legitimate within the context of the UN Charter and if it meets the legal requirements as contained in the Montevideo Convention on agitation for nation states. The requirements are: population, defined territory, a sitting government and capacity to enter into agreements. Under international laws, the Igbo can legitimately request to leave the union of the Nigerian state if these conditions are met. This is a fact.

Two, if the Igbo have made up their minds to leave the union, they can pursue their dream through these relevant international laws and conventions. IPOB’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been threatening violence and using vile words on other ethnic groups.

Kanu’s call to, and threat of, violence against others, or anyone who tries to stop them, as well as his unpleasant labelling and his hate speeches against other ethnic groups are absolutely out of order. There are better, far more decent ways of achieving independence for Biafra. I oppose the notion that IPOB has to insult other ethnic groups with the most demeaning words to be able to make its point.

Three, the ultimatum given to the Igbo to leave the north is completely out of line.

Everything is wrong with it. Everything.

Nobody has any right to give any Nigerian quit notice on the basis of their ethnic affiliation. To start with, it is IPOB that is at the forefront of the agitation and it is preposterous to hold every Igbo responsible for the activities and pronouncements of IPOB. There are many Igbo men and women living in the north (and even in Igboland) who do not support IPOB. On what basis would you evict them? Are they automatically guilty for being Igbo? NYC can say “leave Nigeria if you want” but to issue a quit notice is patently out of order.

Four, NYC missed a very big point. The British voted to leave the EU; Britons have not been ordered to quit other EU countries because of that. The Scots held a referendum on leaving the United Kingdom; they were not served quit notice for their aspiration.

If the Igbo want to go, the terms can be amicably worked out. I hate to think of another Biafra war. We have been together, officially, since 1914 and I don’t think we have to part on a bloody note. And Biafrans who want to continue living and working in Nigeria should be able to do so under a new arrangement. After all, Nigerians live and work all over the world. That is civilisation. We can break up peacefully if need be.

Five, since the northern youth have so much adrenalin to serve quit notice on a whole ethnic group who are productive economic agents in their domain, why don’t they direct this energy at Boko Haram, the terrorists ruining the north-east? They have burnt mosques and churches, killed Muslims and Christians, abducted boys and girls.

Over 20,000 lives have been lost and over 2.1 million northerners turned to refugees in their own country. Why can’t the northern youth issue an ultimatum to Boko Haram rather than the harmless Igbo people going about their business in the north? Why can’t the youth join the army en masse to help root out Boko Haram?

Meanwhile, I reserve special commendation for northern leaders who have risen stoutly to condemn the irresponsible Kaduna Declaration. I particularly salute the northern governors, especially Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, and the emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir, for behaving like true elders in these troubling times. May we continue to have builders of peace in the land as we pass through these difficult moments. As for “elders” like Prof. Ango Abdullahi, I hope they will be very proud of themselves when they appear before their Maker to account for the role they continue to play in stoking and nurturing sectional tension in Nigeria.

Finally, I ask south-east leaders to call these guys to order. Many in the north are angry that Igbo of substance have not condemned Kanu’s anti-north rhetoric. But do Igbo leaders support him or are they scared of him? Going by Kanu’s popularity with the street, with so many people now identifying with him and trying to ride on his coattails, Igbo leaders appear as constrained as northern leaders were when there was a mass movement for the introduction of Sharia in the north in the early 2000s. No leader wanted to go against the wind. However, I think tempers must cool first so that we can have a reasonable conversation. My two cents.

And Four Other Things...

DANGEROUS GAME While we were at it, a coalition of Niger Delta “militants” on Saturday issued their own notice to northerners to quit the oil region.

The deadline coincides with that given to Igbo in the north by Arewa youth groups: October 1, 2017. Who is going to issue the next quit notice? If the “tenants” refuse to vacate the “premises” by the deadline, what is going to happen? Attacks? Arson?

Massacres? Extension of the ultimatum?

Are we now playing Russian roulette with Nigeria? Are we not starting a dangerous game that could spin out of control? Have we considered the implications for millions of innocent lives? Where will these silly games lead us to? Shootout?

NEW ORDER I couldn’t believe it when someone told me all the characters that rummage through our luggage at the check-in desks of international airports have been sent packing. Finally! It is only in Nigeria that three agencies search your bags before you check them in. It is so embarrassing and nauseating. After that, Immigration and DSS will check your passports. After that, NDLEA and Customs will interrogate you. Only in Nigeria! Sadly, Nigeria is such an unusual country where strange things become normal and normal things become strange. I am loving Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s executive orders.

Some simple things are obviously not too difficult to do. Progress.

HOPE RISING From the latest data provided by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s export trade value is now more than import, thanks to agricultural exports which increased by 82 percent in the first quarter of 2017. These exports were driven by sesame seeds. Our trade volume hit N5.29 trillion: notably, import decreased to N2.286 trillion and export increased to N3.0059 trillion. These figures are not out of this world, but compared to where we are coming from, they are very encouraging.

CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has remained stubborn on these agriculture and FX policies, and he seems to be winning the argument. Cheering.

THERESA MAYHEM What took over UK prime minister, Mrs Theresa May? Why did she call a snap election — three good years ahead of time — without any pressure from any quarters? To “strengthen her hand” in Brexit negotiations, as she claimed? Who asked for another Brexit vote? She has just spectacularly shot herself in the foot, leading the Conservatives to a poor showing in Thursday’s general election, and turning a majority government into a minority one.

Maybe she wanted to discard the toga of becoming PM without an election. Maybe she was cocksure the Conservatives would do well following a good outing in a couple of bye-elections. If it ain’t broke, why break it?

Overconfidence.

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com