Sunday 18th June 2017

Dangote, NPA, Flour Mills Sign MoU with FG to Reconstruct Apapa Road at N4.3bn Business operators, residents to persevere as project completion takes 1 year

Abimbola Akosile and Bennett Oghifo

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has signed a N4.34 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dangote Group, the

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Flour Mills of Nigeria for the reconstruction of the decrepit Wharf Road, Apapa, Lagos.

The road was consequently handed over to the three stakeholders for commencement of the reconstruction works after

the agreement was signed in Lagos yesterday.

The road project, which is to be handled by AG Dangote, the construction arm of the Dangote Group, is billed to last one year as business operators and residents in the area are expected

to persevere throughout the duration of the reconstruction.

The 2km road begins from the Nigerian Port Authority to the end of the Apapa bridge.

THISDAY gathered that Dangote had long agreed to singlehandedly undertake the

reconstruction of the bad road at the cost of N1.5 billion earlier presented to him, albeit with different construction dimensions.

But when a team put together

by Fashola reviewed the details of the project, it discovered that the N1.5 billion project cost

proposed could not stand the test of time, given the dimensions indicated in the details of the project. Fears were entertained that it would in no time give way too.

Continued on page 10

UN Pays Tribute to Osotimehin ...Page 15

Sunday 18 June, 2017 Vol 22. No 8095

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N400

N

AGAINST ALL ODDS...

THE MAN WHO TAMED US DOLLAR Ayo Arowolo When the US Federal Reserve Bank marked its 100th anniversary in 2013, a poser was raised on who was the best chair of the Reserve in recent history.

Though it was a choice among Paul Volcker, Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke, many commentators agreed that Volcker perfectly fit the bill.

His chairmanship of the Federal Reserve Bank faced 15 to 20 per

cent inflation rate and a huge public outcry that was distracting. Unfazed by sharp opposition and with assortment of well-defined policies, he conquered a high inflation that was destroying the US economy and unsettling the world.

Like Volcker, Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is faced with the challenge of tackling inflation. But unlike Volcker, Emefiele also has the challenge of defending a weakened

naira against the dollar and rebuilding a depleted foreign reserve at a time of dwindling oil revenue.

These challenges he has been tackling vigorously.

He is gradually but steadily building the external reserves and has changed the upward slope of inflation. He has also stabilised the volatile forex market, which is now inching towards a convergence of rates in all the segments.

See Report on pages 20 & 21

Emefiele

FG: Why Opposition Elements Are On The Receiving End of Graft Prosecutions Says Dasuki, El- Zakzaky held on national security grounds

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja, Hamimed Shittu in Ilorin, and Olaseni Durojaiye in Lagos Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has said elements within the opposition are subject to many corruption

trials and probes because they are the ones that had access to public money within the period in which the funds were being misused. Mohammed stated this in an interview with THISDAY. He said those accusing the incumbent All Progressives

Congress administration of targeting the opposition in its anticorruption war were missing the point.

The minister spoke against the backdrop of allegations that the APC government’s anticorruption effort was skewed against

the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, which lost power in 2015 after 16 years of control.

In a related development, Mohammed said yesterday that the head of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Yaqoub El

Zakzaky, and former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), were held in the custody of the federal government for national security reasons. The minister spoke at the 10th edition of the Lai Mohammed Ramadan Lecture

Series held at his hometown, Oro, in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

El Zakzaky was arrested in 2015 following a bloody clash between his followers Continued on page 10

2

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

3

4

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

5

6

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

7

8

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

9

10

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

PAGE TEN

Adeosun: Only 20% of 69.9m Economically Active Nigerians Pay Tax Kunle Aderinokun Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has said only 14 million out of the 69.9 million economically active Nigerians pay tax, reflecting a low compliance of 20.03 per cent.

Adeosun, who disclosed this at the NSE-Bloomberg CEO Roundtable at the weekend, lamented that, even among the tax payers, there was widespread malpractice that resulted in only part of the actual income being subjected to tax. This, she added, had degenerated to an unfortunate situation whereby out of the 14 million tax payers only 214 individuals in the entire country pay N20 million or more annually.

Adeosun, who delivered a keynote address at the event titled, ‘Changing the Growth Narrative’, revealed that just last Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council granted the Ministry of Finance the permission to sign the global convention on Base Erosion and Profit shifting that had allowed

companies who generate profits in Nigeria, evade taxes by shifting those profits to countries where little or no tax is payable.

“These practices harm Nigeria, these practices harm Nigerians, and these practices must stop,” she said.

As part of its efforts at expanding the tax revenue base, Adeosun stated the federal government had engaged one of the world’s leading global investigation agencies and it had traced funds that originated from Nigeria to all parts of the world. “The illicit flow of funds out of Nigeria, harms our nation, depriving us of essential funds which are used to finance development in other nations,” she said.

Nevertheless, Adeosun noted that, the government recognised that bringing up the issue of tax would automatically bring up the issue of service delivery and good governance. “We welcome that dialogue because it is an important part of the social contract that any tax payer has the right to demand. In that regard, you have the full

assurance that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is committed to best value, eradicating corruption and driving Nigeria’s growth.”

The finance minister, who noted that, revenue mobilisation was critical to the success of Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, gave assurances that the federal government was working on strategies to drive non-oil revenue growth and achieve inclusive growth.

Decrying Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio of 6 per cent, one of the lowest inn the world, she pointed out that, the appalling level suggested widespread ignorance of the nation’s tax laws. Noting that the government was working to correct this, she stressed that there were a lot of work to be done for the federal government to build a sustainable revenue base that will deliver inclusive growth.

According to her, “We must amend Nigeria’s low level of tax compliance. A tax to GDP ratio of just 6per cent, suggests widespread ignorance of our

tax laws. We are working to amend this. Just yesterday, we announced plans to recruit and train 7,500 Community Tax Liaison Officers under the NPower scheme. These young people will be subjected to a rigorous and intensive education on the tax system, sales, communication skills and civic education before being deployed to their communities to provide tax education and enroll new tax payers.”

Speaking on the plans by the government to drive growth, Adeosun, said, “This administration is signaling strongly that it will continue to prioritise infrastructure spending as a fiscal lever to unlock growth.”

She revealed that, in the last 12 months, the government had spent an ‘unprecedented’ N1.2 trillion, pointing out that, “Our road spend alone was above N70 billion compared to just N19 billion in 2015. In 2016, transport and aviation received N143 billion.

This drive, she added, was coupled with the important

reforms in the ‘ease of doing business’, which addresses the soft infrastructure that will enable businesses and commercial activities flourish.

Private Partnerships in Nigeria and are presently reviewing the PPP framework, whilst trying to resolve outstanding issues with existing and even failed PPP projects. Investor confidence will grow as a function of how we rectify the inherited situations rather than how quickly we can open up new opportunities.

Stating that, “Our infrastructure deficit is so deep and so critical that we fully recognise that government cannot do it alone,” Adeosun said, “Indeed, even if we were to dedicate our entire budget to capital projects, which before you suggest it as a solution, is impossible, it would not be sufficient.”

“So, it is critical that we engage with the private sector.

To this end, we intend to revive Public Nigeria’s private sector is very efficient, resilient and creative.”

Welcoming participants to the event, the Chief Executive

Officer, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema, said the bourse continued to position itself not only to be a credible platform for raising capital, but to be a hub for innovative and creative ideas.

For example, he pointed out, “we have introduced a few initiatives such as the Green Bonds and FGN Savings Bond into the market. We have automated the mechanism for trading rights issues on the Exchange and continue to work towards the launch of exchange traded derivatives.”

“We recently launched XAcademy, our financial literacy and inclusion platform designed to provide education services to individuals who want to gain a better understanding of various aspects of the capital markets,” he added.

Onyema expressed the confidence that “the learnings from our interactions during this CEO Roundtable will elevate our business strategies to take advantage of the tailwinds emerging in our economy and unlock its growth potential.”

said if you were never married you cannot come and say your in-law is late. You cannot come and say you want to probe Lai Mohammed because Lai Mohammed was in opposition for 16 years; he never held any political office. How are you going to probe me? That is the truth of the matter. If you want to start a probe today, a person who had no access to power, who had no access to public office, you cannot bring him in.”

The culture and information minister challenged critics to produce evidence of the prosecution of innocent persons by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mohammed stated, “We want anybody that is being probed by this government today to come and say, I am innocent, I am only being persecuted. We’ve not had one. On the contrary, they have been giving all kinds of flimsy excuses.

The minister said the whistleblower policy of the federal government had boosted the anticorruption war. He stressed, “We’ve seen cases, when we are fighting corruption. We went to somebody’s house and almost $10 million was found in a refrigerator when they got there. We’ve discovered another $146 million in another account which had no owner. Within two months of our whistle blower policy, we were able to retrieve $8 billion, $160 million. I mean these are not things that we are imagining or fabricating.

“What is trial by media? If I go to your house today and I find $10 million in your fridge, won’t the media cover it? We don’t do media trial, what happens is that when things happen, the media will have to report it.”

Fielding questions from journalists in Oro during the Ramadan lecture, Mohammed defended the continued detention of Dasuki and El Zakzaky, saying, “At every point in time, a government will make a hard decision between your personal liberty and national security. In the wake of 911, the US came with regulations that breached the personal rights of Americans and all of us because of national

security…

“In the case of both El Zakzaky and Dansuki, we are also talking about national security.”

He said, “Since the government would take responsibility for its actions, it cannot guarantee whether the former National Security Adviser will still stay in the country if granted bail.”

Speaking further on the detention of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky, Mohammed said, "It is because the court order said we must release him (El-Zakzaky) within 45 days, rebuild his house and there is nobody today within Kaduna State or anywhere else that wants to accept El Zakzaky as a neighbour. So who do you release him to? For him to be killed? So, he is in protective custody with his family and this is one thing people don’t say.

"Like I said, a government faced with this kind of dilemma, so how much rule of law do you want to balance with national security? In the case of Dasuki, Dasuki transferred $1.2 billion in a day and he has refused to say where that money is (or who was) given, and as we speak today he has refused to tell.

"Now, $1.2 billion is a lot of money. Who can guarantee that if he is released today he will not abscond? And with $1.2 billion at his disposal, is any government safe? It is good when people start talking about human rights and rule of law, but as a government, that is responsible for territorial integrity of this country, at times you have to take the heat because you want to ask yourself, if such an accused person.. and he disappears, and this is a country that we are still battling with terrorism, this is a country that we’re still battling with insurgency, and he links up with other enemies of government with an arsenal of $1.2 billion, would the people not blame us? "So, I think these are high profile cases. On the surface it appears like a government that violates rule of law, but in reality it is a dilemma for government because we must balance individual freedom with national security. But I will say overall that we’re not a government of impunity."

FG: WHY OPPOSITION ELEMENTS ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, and he has been in the custody of the Department of State Services. The DSS has also detained Dasuki since his arrest in December 2015 for allegedly diverting and embezzling funds meant for the procurement of

arms for the military. Various courts in the country have ordered the release of both men.

But the information minister said their release could hurt national security.

Mohammed also cautioned persons and groups in the

country banging the war drums with hate speeches to desist. He urged Nigerians to emphasise things that would promote peaceful coexistence.

He told THISDAY, “Those that are saying that the anticorruption fight is against one party have

forgotten that one political party had access to public funds, had access to public patronage for 16 unbroken years. Therefore, if you are fighting corruption they are going to be the first to come and answer for their stewardship. That was why I

DANGOTE, NPA, FLOUR MILLS SIGN MOU WITH FG TO RECONSTRUCT APAPA ROAD AT However, when the reviewed cost was brought to Dangote, it was higher than what he initially agreed to and declined to accept the new bill, suspecting foul play.

It was at this point Fashola was said to have intervened and explained the details between the old and the new project costs as well as engaged other stakeholders to show interest as part of the corporate social responsibilities.

What happened yesterday, THISDAY gathered, was a product of several meetings and exchange of memos amongst the concerned parties. An initial date was chosen for sometime in May but could not hold, because the partners had not agreed to the details before yesterday’s date was eventually agreed to by all.

Fashola, while speaking at signing ceremony, explained that the gridlock in Apapa became compounded and had reached an unbearable level as transporters ignored the old system of moving cargo through rail to trucks and containers.

According to him, the choice of the transporters to use road instead of rail for haulage increased the gridlock and caused degeneration as well as hardship to residents of Apapa. He therefore commended the “leadership role” of the stakeholders to solve the complex problems in Apapa and its environs.

Fashola agreed that the deplorable state of the road in Apapa had caused stress to residents, business owners and other stakeholders in the state, adding: “As a result of all these unsavory practices, we have reached a point of near total gridlock. It is difficult to move cargo in or out; difficult for residents to get home and this must stop,” he said.

The minister explained that it took time to reach an agreement on the project, because the stakeholders were putting up an effective design that would address the drainage problem since the area was waterlogged.

“We have finished with the design, we now have a Bill of Quantity and the cost of the road is N4.34 billion to be funded and paid for by these three groups, Flour Mills of Nigeria, AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd and NPA,” he said.

The minister, who is the immediate past Lagos State governor, said although the parties were funding the project, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing would supervise it through all the stages to ensure quality and compliance with standards.

He therefore sought the cooperation of all residents of Lagos and directed the Apapa Area Commander of the Nigerian Police Force, DSP My Nuru, to apprehend reckless drivers, who drive against traffic during the period of construction and appealed to him to tackle all bureaucracies that would affect free flow of traffic while apprehending offenders.

Fashola sued for synergy among the law enforcement and traffic regulatory agencies for improved traffic management in order to reduce stress on road users during the one-year duration of the project.

“We are embarking on what will be the final solution to the massive inconvenience. Businesses and residents in Apapa and its environment have had to endure for a couple of years.

“I like to acknowledge the leadership role of Dangote and Flour Mills, who are operators and have also contributed to make this a reality. They are

doing this as a total Corporate Responsibility without asking for tax holiday or reduction. We are also working on how to ensure free access to Tin Can Island.

“From today that we are handing over the project, the road will take one year to be completed. We need the cooperation of all the stakeholders.

There will be some discomfort on the way but we appeal for tolerance and perseverance.

It will continue to get better, people should please endure more to solve the challenge.”

Fashola, who was also stuck in the Apapa gridlock for a while, assured the people that reconstruction of the OshodiMile 2-Tin Can road would also begin soon.

Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Usman, while responding to issues of lack of holding bays raised by transport unions, said government would support the private sector to drive the initiative to set up new ones.

“We have received proposals on electronic management of holding bays. We are working through processes and we would soon conclude on that,” she said, noting that tank farms that do not have holding bays for their trucks would soon be sanctioned.

Usman explained that her agency was working on providing weigh bridges within the ports as well as enforce the implementation in a few months to take care of problem of high axle load on the roads.

On his part, Joseph Makonjuola, an engineer with the Dangote Group of Companies assured that the company would contribute its funding as part of its corporate Social responsibility and would still meet its tax obligations to government.

“This is part of our CSR. Businesses have to engage the community, where they operate. Today’s CSR has gone to a higher level, where we find ourselves embarking on a major infrastructural project,” he added.

Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. Paul Gbededo, said Wharf Road was the “most important road in the entire country’’ which needed more attention, adding that “This kind of road cannot be handled with levity.”

“Apapa has become a very difficult place to work. With this project that the federal government has allowed to embark on, it will give succour to business. It has the biggest port in Nigeria and should not be taken with levity,” he said.

Also present at the ceremony were the representatives of truck owners, transport unions, maritime operators and business owners in Apapa.

Although Apapa had remained despicable for many years without any visible help from government, the experience of the last two weeks had literally seized the commercial hub as vehicles could no longer move in and out of the place freely.

While the state of the roads in Apapa is pathetic, attitudinal disposition of tanker drivers as well as absence of parking lot had also combined to compound an already bad situation with Apapa now dreaded by all, including business and home owners.

With a time-frame of one year for the completion of the project, residents and business operators in this ever busy part of Lagos would have to endure more pains of traffic gridlock the moment construction works commence.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

11

12

JUNE 18, 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

NEEDLESS CONTROVERSY OVER RECALL OF JUDGES It would be unfair to keep the judges at home while their accusers fish for evidence with which to charge them

T

he recent recall of six of the eight judicial officers—earlier compelled by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to recuse from presiding in their courts—has become a source of controversy. The suspension of the judges, which followed the raids on their residences by the Department of State Services (DSS) was lifted in a manner that drew the ire of the executive arm of government. It was viewed as an indication of the NJC’s lack of support for the anti-graft war of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The displeasure was voiced by the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obno-Obla, and the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay. Their argument was that the NJC ought to have tarried a while when it knew that investigations were ongoing; and that an appeal had been lodged in the case of one of the judges that had been discharged.

But the NJC responded that its decision was based on the principles of rule of law and fairness, particularly when efforts to get the Ministry of Justice to diligently prosecute the concerned judicial officers were futile.

We consider the controversy to be unfortunate, particularly as it betrayed once again, the scant respect for due process by the executive arm of government. That it was coming at about the time the 2016 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index was released, rating Nigeria as the fifth lawless country in Africa, should not be lost on critical stakeholders. A system where there is scant regard for the rule of law, going by the WJP Index, can neither fight corruption nor protect the rights of the citizenry on a sustainable basis.

When the houses of judges were raided in October last year, the DSS claimed the operations were carried out to apprehend evidence of alleged corruption against the ju-

If there is any lesson this administration has refused to learn, it is that investigations that can lead to conviction of suspects in criminal trials require rigour and painstaking efforts, not media propaganda

dicial officers. At that time, the NJC was visibly aggrieved and was supported by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in its position that the raids had serious implications for the principle of separation of powers enshrined in 1999 Constitution as amended.

T

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

he argument of the NJC was that the constitution had allotted it disciplinary powers over judicial officers and that the lawful thing for the executive to do, if it had reservations about any judicial officer, was to file its complaints with the council. The NJC stated further that it had the structure to discipline its own and reeled out figures to demonstrate that it had not failed in its duty to sanitise the judiciary.

Apparently bowing to public opinion, the NJC eventually directed the affected judges to recuse themselves from proceedings in their courts. But eight months after the raids, said to be in aid of acquisition of evidence to nail the allegedly corrupt judges, only three of them were charged to court. One of them, Justice Adeniyi Ademola was discharged by Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja because the prosecution could not establish a prima facie case against him. For the other two judges, Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, the executive is yet to come up with any credible case.

Although Ngwuta was charged for corruption, the prosecution had to drop the case after three amendments of charges, before finally taking him to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Okoro too was charged before the CCT for alleged non-declaration of assets.

But the case has been withdrawn to enable the prosecution amend the charges against him. Meanwhile, the judges had complained last year that they did nothing wrong and that they were being harassed for giving judgments against the executive.

To the extent that under our constitution, every citizen accused of wrongdoing is entitled to diligent prosecution within a reasonable time, we agree with the NJC that it would be manifestly unfair to allow the judicial officers to remain at home while their accusers go fishing for evidence to charge and convict them. Yet if there is any lesson this administration has refused to learn, it is that investigations that can lead to conviction of suspects in criminal trials require rigour and painstaking efforts, not media propaganda.

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman; Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Honorary Adviser to thePresident of the Dangote Group, Engr. Joseph Makoju; and GroupManagingDirector,FlourMillsofNigeriaPlc,MrPaulGbededo;duringapressbriefing ontheKickOffoftheReconstructionofthe2kmlongApapa–WharfDualCarriagewayinLagos...yesterday

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

13

14

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

15

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

NEWS Jonathan: No Single Individual, Group Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems • Obi, Ohakim differ on solutions Amby Uneze in Owerri

Former President Goodluck Jonathan weekend took another look at the myriad problems besetting Nigeria and concluded that no single individual or group could have the answered to the problems.

But former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, and his Imo State counterpart, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, noted that the problems with Nigeria was not that of leadership but the structures that produce leadership in the country.

Speaking during the 5th memorial lecture and the formal presentation of the late Professor Celestine Onwuliri Foundation(PROFOUND)held at Chris VI hotels, Nnarambia, in the Ahiazu Mbaise council area of Imo state, the former president explained that the nation could only wriggle out from her socio-economic and political travails with an efficacious structural composition and comprehensive diagnosis of her problems.

Jonathan who was represented by the former secretary to the

government of the federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, insisted that Nigeria requires a leader with an uncommon knowledge, wisdom and determination to implement the recommendation of the National Conference.

He described the infamous Dana plane crash of Sunday 3rd June, 2012 which claimed the life of Prof. Onwuliri and other Nigerians as the saddest and darkest moment of his administration and prayed God to grant their souls eternal rest.

Meanwhile, in a lecture with theme: ‘The problem with Nigeria’, former Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi decried the borrowing spree for consumption by the nation’s leaders which he noted had further pauperized the masses.

Obi disclosed that he never borrowed a dime to govern the state during his two-term administration, noting it was possible because he never saw the reason for that. He condemned the attitude of present crop of leaders who have embarked on a borrowing jamboree without anything to show for it but only

to bag chieftaincy titles and merit awards from traditional rulers and organisation.

“Development reflection is what we need and the process of selecting our leaders must change because the current system is poor hence the leadership is poor.

“A leader should live by example and his character should be consistent. We should begin to hold our leaders responsible for failure to meet our worthy expectations. Nigeria as a nation is not poor”, he stated.

Invariably, former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim jocularly disagreed with his colleague, saying that the problem with Nigeria was not that of bad leadership, stressing that otherwise, such leaders as PeterObi,PaschalDozie,Senator Anyim Pius Anyim would not have emerged.

Ohakim stressed “our problem is the structure that produces leadership and if we can get the structure right Nigeria will be a better place, otherwise even if you bring in Jesus Christ in the structure we currently operate he will fail”.

UN Pays Tribute to Osotimehin • FG glad at level of commendation Abimbola Akosile with agency report

Glowing tributes, fond memories and outpouring of emotion echoed through the night as the whole United Nations family gathered weekend in New York, USatavaledictorysessionforProf.

Babatunde Osotimehin.

Osotimehin, who was UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), passed away suddenly duringtheeveningofJune4inhis homeinWestHarrison,NewYork.

Born on 6 February 1949, the 68 year-old former Minister of Health in his native Nigeria was a physician and global leader of public health, and the empowermentofwomenandyoungpeople, withastrongfocusonpromoting human rights in population and development.

The valedictory night, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; his Deputy, Amina Mohammed(alsofromNigeria), PresidentoftheGeneralAssembly Peter Thomson, Heads of UN agencies, and Permanent Representatives, among others.

Guterres, in his remarks, said “the news of Dr. Babatunde’s sudden death last week devastated our UN family; today we mourn this heartbreaking loss and we remember his inspiring life. Babatunde was completely devoted to the cause of women and girls – especially those who are most marginalised.

“He was driven by the conviction that every single family on

earth should be free to decide on the timing and spacing of their children. That no one would suffer from harmful traditional practices; that there would be no more female genital mutilation; nomoreprenatalsexselection;no more child brides and no more maternal deaths.”

Accordingtohim,Osotimehin workeddayandnighttoachieve this just future, recalling an instance of the dedication of his former colleague.

“When he was appointed ExecutiveDirectorofUNFPA,he was due to start at the beginning of2011.January1wasaSaturday.

Sohisstaffsuggestedthattheyput outapressreleasesayinghewould beintheofficeasofJanuary3.But hecompletelydismissedtheidea.

“HewasreadytostartonJanuary1.Andhedidgointotheoffice that day and stayed through the holiday weekend. Babatunde embodied that ethic of service throughout his term - working every day to help people who were suffering.”

GuterresaffirmedthatOsotimehincontinuallymadeUNFPAan evenmoreeffectiveorganisation thatstoodasarespectedinternational authority on sexual and reproductive rights.

“His loss is felt most deeply by his family and by the staff of UNFPA. But his passing is also a loss for the world. The name ‘Babatunde’means‘fathercomes back.’ Though he is now gone, I havenodoubtthisfatherwillcome backeverytimewespeakout–as he did – for women and girls.

“Babatunde will be with us everytimewechampiontherights of individuals and families of all

kinds. He will live in our hearts as long as we carry on his fight for justice – for a better world for all people.

“Let us honour his memory withtheactionsBabatundewould havewantedustotake-actionsfor the sake of others and especially womenandgirls,”Guterressaid.

Thomson, in his tribute delivered by Special Adviser to PresidentoftheGeneralAssembly, AmbassadorDessimaWilliams said Osotimehin impacted millionsofpeoplearoundtheworld.

“As a professor, he cultivated the next generation of top-class doctors;astheMinisterofHealth, heservedNigeriawithdedication; and as the Executive Director of UNFPA,hewasasteadfastchampion of the rights of all.

“Every person he knew, he respected. Everyone he did not know, he fought for their rights.

Thus was that human being we have just lost. Here at the United Nations,wewillneverforgethow fearlessly,howforcefully,andhow tirelesslyhefoughtforthedignity ofwomenandgirlsallaroundthe world.” The Acting Executive Director of UNFPA, Dr. Natalia Kanem, in her tribute, described Osotimehinas“asuper-doctor,a mentorandateacherwhotaught all those who worked with him to persevere and to persist even on the face of adversity”.

According to her, “he championed the defence of the rights against harmful practices and dignityoftheadolescentgirlsand toldthemtochampionthesame.

“So Prof., we thank you for inspiring us, for guiding us, for teaching us. We’re missing you already. We miss your counsel; we miss your humour and your profound love for humanity.”

16

JUNE 18, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

OPINION

Opportunities and The 90-Day Ultimatum

E

Chukwuemeka O. Nnochiri canvasses the need for fiscal federalism

ighteen years of uninterrupted democratic dispensation in a country as ours, which has endured much of its sovereign existence under a military and authoritarian rule is no mean feat. The challenges that come with re-orientating the national psyche to a more progressive, united and great nation, with its vast resources and human talents it possesses, appears very daunting every day.

We seem to treasure the divisive instincts of mistrust, injustice and impunity than embrace the prospect of true democratic dividends. We are accustomed to remain under the banner of being defined as a nation that is ‘fantastically’ corrupt, dysfunctional and poor, where fear and hatred thrive.

No day goes by without one or more attempts from one section or group, even government officials in the country, threatening to tear the fabric of the nation apart with reckless and unguarded comments, inviting anarchy brazenly.

Today, we are witnesses to this ugly streak of fear running through the geographical landscape of our dear country from the recent face-off between the Arewa Youth Forum and people of the South-east. What is more disturbing is that this language of hatred and division permeating our climate is championed by youths, the very active population and a major determining factor that drives any emerging economy. For the latter, the contrary is the case in Nigeria.

Our existence as a nation is rather being threatened by this same resource (youths), misguided and deceived into false ideologies common in our political lexicon. This widely accepted characterisation among different tribes, a warped attempt at racial profiling and discrimination, has assumed a natural template in our mentality, of which we continue to ignore, 50 years after the civil war. Ideological myths that selfish elite amongst us have incorporated as wicked tools for their own propaganda purposes in their quest for power and wealth. Sadly, ethnic antagonism has become a veritable weapon used to equip our gullible youths to perpetuate terror and instigate violence without any clear or constructive objective behind it.

Where we have failed is in our diagnosis to draw parallels between the effect of rising unemployment and joblessness among youths to our peaceful co-existence and stability of our dear country. Ironically, the week that threats and counter threats were pervading the air, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics released their job report for 2016.According to the redundancy report, the overall unemployment and underemployed persons rose to 28.58 million, representing an unemployment rate of 14.2% in the fourth quarter of 2016.Of this 28.58 million, 62.5% are youths within the

age bracket of 15 and 34 years. Much of this redundant population is concentrated in urban areas, mostly flashpoints for uprisings and social unrest. Caught up with a low sense of worth and idleness, we see these youths make attempts at justifying their relevance and importance by falling prey to any opportunity that allows them to be seen and heard, even for the wrong reasons.

In this circumstance, the wrong course is being validated by the long held belief and campaign of recrimination and hatred nursed amongst major ethnic groups against each other. The mistrust, albeit genuine in some cases, have been left unattended to and allowed to atrophy for decades, forming the common basis for any and every agitation. The rising hunger in the land has exacerbated the situation more. We now have a proliferation of “rogue” and irresponsible coalitions and movements, hiding under the guise of political and cultural organisations, each with claims of promoting the interest of one ethnic group they represent. In reality however, these are nefarious channels of funding by the evil elite among us to foment trouble and the chaos we see almost on a daily basis, in order to realise their wicked agenda.

What is more worrying is the seeming indifference by the government at the centre towards this vortex of rising unemployment figures. We are yet to see visible action plans for an economic institutional system, sustainable enough to meet the malaise of joblessness and reduce the high incidence of rural to urban migration. By action plans, I mean robust policies designed to create equal opportunities anywhere one resides in, not just in some select states.

Intervention plans may help stem the tide for a while, but cannot push back the rising waves.

Just recently, it was reported in one of the dailies that the federal government’s school feeding programme has gulped about N3 billion, less than a year it was implemented in some states. The question begging for answers is: how much further can the

Where we have failed is in our diagnosis to draw parallels between the effect of rising unemployment and joblessness among youths to our peaceful co-existence and stability of our dear country

government go on with this in all the states and at the same time battle our ailing economy? Are we not adding to our bucket list of expenditures that are not sustainable? In so far as efforts are on to arrest the bleeding in the economy and provide socio-economic palliatives, the present structure of our governance system can only make little impact in addressing this unemployment situation, in addition to other myriad of problems plaguing us presently. Therein lies the inevitable need to consider and embrace a true fiscal federal status, if we genuinely want the country to move forward.

Today, we are presented with the dilemma of counting the cost of destruction and disorder at best and war at worst (which does no party any good) and weighing the option of a mutually beneficial system that can sustain itself organically. We can look beyond the former and focus our perspective on the choice of a workable system of governance. Indeed, this opportunity is for all lovers of democracy and a peaceful united Nigeria to rise to the occasion and take our country back from the conspirators and saboteurs amongst us.

The responsibility should not only rest on government alone, but must now shift to our mosques, churches, schools, civil societies, individuals, community fora, mainstream and social media, in preaching peace and most importantly, to propagate the gospel of a pragmatic and true fiscal structure which allows for federating units that make up regions in the country to harness and manage resources within them for their development.

The awareness must be raised and the campaign to promote the good fortunes that largely defined our governance system in the first republic must be narrated to all and sundry. It has worked in this country before, and it can still work again.

The optimism that will arise from the effort of bringing this collective choice to those in power will dissuade sponsors of separatists and the invaders, wherever they are, to carry on with their negative vices. We will not be fooled any longer.

We, the people, must make demands on our representatives in the National Assembly to make it a priority in the quest for constitutional reforms to enshrine this code of governance once and for all. Such a system can guarantee inclusiveness, raise the bar for accountability, as well as address the social and human development needs of the nation. It is now evident that we cannot borrow our way out of this quagmire.

Month after month, states are no longer able to meet their statutory obligations of paying salaries; regular disbursement of pensions to retired public servants is now a mirage, while existing infrastructure are decaying by the day.

––eminnochiri@yahoo.com.

Building A Nation Without the Youths

There are many young men in Nigeria who can hold the mantle of leadership, argues Jerome Utomi

T

o think that every aphorism is applied as expressed is synonymous with believing that the lion will not charge at you just because you are a vegetarian. This brings to the fore the maxim ‘’the youths are the leaders of tomorrow’’ frequently mouthed by political leaders in Africa and Nigeria in particular, but hardly work to make it a reality.

Currently, with the exception of Joseph Kabila, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is a little above 43 years of age and could be described as relatively youthful, no other African sitting president is in the same age range or bracket as they are about or 50. In Nigeria, the story is not different, except for those that got to position of authority through undemocratic means in the time past. lt is only the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, who is just a little above 43 years and the immediate past Governor of Lagos State who is now the Federal Minister in charge of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who governed Lagos State at a relatively youthful age, and a handful of others, many got to power at over 50.

Chances are this category of political office holders may remain in leadership positions till they are well above 70. A very good example that readily comes to mind is that of our very own, President, Muhammadu Buhari. This very trend had earned Africa a laurel as a continent that produced the oldest serving president in the world in the person of President Robert Mugagbe of Zimbabwe who is a little above 93.

In this clime, “youths are the leaders of tomorrow’’ has become a mantra, a sermon by our leaders that we can describe as a gospel without the truth. They preach this without taking pragmatic steps to develop or design strategies that will help it see the light of the day. The youths in particular are also beginning to view it as a one sided narrative especially when it is coming from our present crop of leaders. It has become an epigrammatic tale that revolves round a particular plot construed around the electioneering campaign, with the sole aim of achieving electoral victory. In most cases, this becomes more of a slogan or anthem for the political parties. It lasts as long as the electioneering period and fizzles out as soon as the winners emerged. Youths are never assured again that they are “the leaders of tomorrow” till the next electioneering campaign.

And the cycle goes on and on. This has been the grim fate and burden which successive generation of Nigerian youths has grappled with since 1960.

However, recent happenings round the world’s political arena as regards emergence of some youthful presidents such as France’s Emmanuel Macron who is just 39, and other young leaders occupying exulted positions in their countries, have served as a wake-up call of political and leadership consciousness among Nigerian youths. Heightened youth agitations around the country have become a hot topic for national discourse and have taken the centre stage with the 2019 elections around the corner.

The social media has become not just a platform for this debate but willing tools. Youths on their parts are getting unusually busy aligning and realigning politically. Proliferations of politically induced associations are becoming conspicuously visible.

Sadly, however, our sit-tight political elders and leaders who claim the wisdom of Solomon as to how to run the polity are not ready to let go power or shift political boundaries to accommodate the restive youths.

Instead, they are perfecting anti-youth political strategies and tactics they hope to use to perpetuate themselves in power.

Current waves of political activism on the part of the youths are viewed by political pundits as a step in the right direction.

They say that it calls for celebration because alarming apathy has been the sad commentary about political participation of young people in Nigeria and thus giving some old politicians the leeway to continue to prance the political space unchallenged.

It recently got to a comical but worrisome stage that some political parties and their gladiators were appointing and anointing men well above 60 as national youth leaders of their various parties. Some of these political grandfathers recently at different gatherings declared that current crop of Nigerian youths are not matured politically enough to be saddled with critical political positions. The youths were roundly accused of not being any different from the “politically matured” adults.

A school of thought shares the opinion that in today’s Nigeria, and in politics, both the adults and the youths in politics are bonded by a common denominator: corruption and abuse of public office.

The above scenario leaves huge question mark on the political

future of young Nigerians. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, a Harvardtrained lawyer and Executive Director, Spaces for Change, rues that “the inability of Nigerian youths to occupy political or leadership positions in the country, be it elective or appointment should be blamed on the nation’s inglorious departure from politics of ideas to money politics or what is currently referred to as the politics of the highest bidder which the youths have no financial muscles to partake in and therefore settled for the easiest option at their disposal which is praise singing or what is referred to as ‘’Otinkpu’’ in Igbo local palace” .

On corruption allegation against the youths, the legal luminary said there was no basis as corruption knows no age, gender or tribe and is not limited to the youths but cuts across all spectrum. She added that the youths lacked leadership experience because they have not been given the opportunity to participate and learn what leadership is all about like the Obasanjos and Gowons of this world that had that opportunity at their very youthful stage.

To buttress the critical issues raised by Ohaeri, I have had the opportunity of chatting with some youths on this topic, and the outcome of the conversation revealed that they are being fed with fundamentally wrong tradition, ideals, values and superstition of seeking instant gratification, wealth without work and pleasure without conscience. These negatives and self-limiting qualities have dovetailed into making the youths willing and ready tool in the hands of the politicians.

Constitutional limitation is another point that the youths complained bitterly about, describing it as a big snare. Age limit for most of the elective positions imposed by the constitution shuts the door of elective opportunities to the youths. The book, “Good to Great’’ authored by Jim Collins, a management consultant, opines that “the first duty of a great leader is to find the right people and give their rightful positions.” I therefore, hold the view that there are many ‘right people’ among Nigerian youths whose youthful zeal, energy and intellect will be hugely beneficial to the socio-economic and political growth of our fatherland if entrusted with critical positions of authority and leadership, whether appointed or elective.

––Utomi is a social entrepreneur/development communication specialist

17

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

LETTERS Students’ Protest In UI

A

t every graduation ceremony, particularly before students receive scroll of honour and are pronounced “graduates”, the Registrar will invoke what could be regarded as academic ethos, saying “the persons standing have been found worthy both in character and in learning to be admitted to the degree of ....”

From this phrase, character and learning are the two major constituents of a degree a graduate parades as a symbol of academic training. Interestingly, one of the mission statements of University of Ibadan is to produce graduates who are worthy in character and learning.

But, what is character? An online dictionary describes it as “the inherent complex of attributes that determines a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions.” Indeed, education has for its object, the formation of character. The synonyms of character include attitude, nature, attributes, disposition, reputation, among others. To underscore the importance of character, an American author, John Maxwell says attitude is the librarian of our past, the speaker of our present and the prophet of our future”. In other words, bad character can only lead to a dwarfed destiny, just as someone argues that a bad character is like a flat tyre, you can’t go far unless you change it.

It is against this backdrop one is compelled to examine the recent students’ protest at the University of Ibadan and some of its emerging sociological phenomenal. The protest, under the aegis of Students’ Union, began two days before commencement of planned first semester examination.

The union, led by a 200-level student, Ojo Aderemi had issued a six-point demand at a “congress”, which management describes as illegal. Some of the demands of the students included a two-day ultimatum given to the university management to constitute the students’ welfare board.

The union also wanted a fact-finding committee to be set up to look into the issue of the use of hot plates in halls of residence. In addition, Aderemi-led

Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education union insisted that examination would not be allowed to take place unless the management issued them identity card.

They also resolved to disrupt the scheduled programme of Oyo State Government at the International Conference Centre to be chaired by Governor Abiola Ajimobi. They decided to occupy the Ojoo/Agbowo/UI Sango Federal Highway as well as all faculties, lecture rooms, and lock up centre for General Studies.

Sadly, all efforts to pacify the students by the management including several meetings, interventions from different stakeholders, pleadings with the students not to disrupt the planned first semester examination that had already dragged on endlessly failed.

“The Commanders-in-Chief of Aluta Forces” as they often call themselves vowed to dance to the market place naked by promoting shadows over substances. Going by their short-fused, hell-raising and impetuous grandstanding, it was glaring that there were more to the protest than meet the eye. Apart from wanting the examination to be postponed, there was a suspicion that the students were being manipulated by some subterranean forces

on campus in order to settle scores with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka. At last, the rampaging students got the effect they wanted: the examination has been postponed, just as the school has been shut down against undergraduate students, while

the post-graduate students are in school for their research.

However, it will be unscholarly to generalise that all undergraduate students support the protest and are happy with the aftermath. To draw a distinction, let us agree that students are in various classes: decisive, dreaming, and drifting.

Let us briefly examine the attributes of each category. The decisive students in this context are the first class candidates.

They are apex-minded. They don’t like protest or disruption of any kind. They want to graduate on time and take on the world. Their movements revolve around the classrooms, library and religious centres.

UI has this class of students in abundance. They don’t participate in unionism nor do they get involved in Aluta.

The second category, the dreaming students are those ones aspiring to make good grades. Many of them are from poor homes. They want to graduate on time and get job in order to change their economic status. They want to make their parents happy.

They have no god-fathers. They run away from trouble. They are mostly found in religious centres, praying. They may be poor, yet they are dreaming

T

he Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement aka Youth Action Initiative Africa, is a non-governmental organisation based in Abuja, the federal capital.

Advocating for the development of youths, they’ve gone on to champion causes such as the

protection of human rights, democratic governance, and the promotion of a youth based political system in Nigeria. In some cases, they’ve even gone on to assert themselves as the people’s champion, as they’ve aspired to purge Nigeria of its geriatric rulers in the 21st century. Recently, they’ve been seen advocating for a bill called the #Not Too Young To Run Bill, which if approved, will see a drastic shakeup in who can run for elected office in Nigeria. But the question I now find myself asking about this bill, really is when given the chance to run, would we eventually have our day in the sun?

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement, promotes a hashtag on their website

of Students’ Union of Ibadan status? This is probably because the decisive and dreaming students at 300 and 400 levels see unionism as a distraction, thereby leaving the turf for the drifting. And, less than a month after his election, Ojo Aderemi in his embryonic impertinence rocked the boat with arrogant juvenility.

In fairness to Aderemi, the adolescent boy is not to blame.

At 200 level, what does he know about emotion management?

How much of leadership skills does he possess? At 200level, he is still half-formed, therefore largely uninformed about the nitty-gritty of campus politics.

His dramatic denouement is not therefore unexpected. Certainly, it will be a miracle if he did not record unimaginable infantile errors and behaviour blunders on account of his immatureness and jejuneness! The blame lies with the system that allows a rookie to reign. Examining further, the sociological phenomenal that the protest has thrown up, one is sad to note that many of our youth are in a road to ruin going by their rascally appearance, uncouthness, pugnacious conduct and contemptuous temperament.

Sunday Saanu, University of Ibadan

SQUANDERING GOVERNORS ROLLING OUT THE DRUMS

N

igeria is, as we speak, challenged and all eyes can see it! No thanks to past leaders who, in their selfish wisdom, ate all of the country’s honey, thereby leaving it with nothing but moonshine.

Nonetheless, Yemi Adebowale’s blanket swipe at Nigerian governors (as espoused in his article, entitled, ‘Squandering Governors Rolling out the Drums’ (THISDAY, June 10, 2017) cannot go unchallenged by those of us who are not unaware of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s passion for Osun and his determination to leave the state better than he met it.

For instance, I have had cause to wonder what would have by now become the fate of the state’s already stunted finances had Bisi Akande not built the

cynosure-of-the-eyes Secretariat and the state’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) were to operate from rented apartments. By the same token, what will history have said of the governor had he wasted the state’s meager resources on jamborees and allied frivolities?

In my view, Aregbesola deserves commendation for championing the cause of sound economic decisions that midwifed a fresh agenda for value-based leadership in Osun State, especially at a time when how much money can be thrown around on meaningless projects has become the parameter for gauging performance. Unlike other states which reacted harshly to the global crunch, it is on record that Aregbesola’s administration has never under any guise ‘downsized or rightsized’

NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN BILL

Structural Functionalism is a sociological theory that sees society as a complex whole whose parts work together in order to promote harmony, stability, and the continuity of government - John J. Macionis and Linda M. Gerber

of a better tomorrow. They hardly participate in unionism.

Do they even have money for electioneering? Thousands of them are in UI and other federal universities because the cost at the public universities is the cheapest.

And, the last category, the drifting. These are the students who are very vocal. They have a foot on gown and another in town. They drift to receive one or two lectures in school and dash to wtown to participate in political rallies. They are politically savvy. They fester on campus like pestilence. Their mates call them “NFA” that is No Future Ambition. They see campus as their home. Even when they have graduated, they won’t go away. They are the students union kingmakers.

The Dino Melayis of this world.

They are the nightmares of the university administrators.

Using this classification to dissect the recent protest in UI which was largely engineered by the drifting students and some drifting graduate-students, surreptitiously manipulating the innocent, young like - minds, one can only sympathise with the VC for the kind of challenge he has at hand. Is it not surprising that it is a 200-level student who emerges as the President

titled “Access”, which from my own powers of deduction, means that “it’s finally going to be that time in Nigeria’s history when the youths are let through the doors of political office”. So, with that deduction I wonder, when push comes to shove and it’s time for the incumbents to open those doors to let us in, how truly accessible would those doors be? I ask myself, when it’s time for vibrant, young, forward-thinking degree holders to seek elected offices without the need of political godfathers, how truly accessible would those doors be? But most of all, when it’s time for Generation Y to work side by side with a reactionary Generation X in order to benefit Generation Zee, how

truly accessible would those doors be? Hence, it’s for these three reasons and more, why I see the proposed bill failing in its objectives, right after coming into fruition.

In summary, when theorised, the #Not Too Young To Run bill turns out to be a winner chicken dinner of an idea, but when put into practice, will #Still See The Youths Being Too Young To Win, just because of the mere fact that the current crop of leaders still refuse to secede.

And if such stubbornness continues to persist from our leaders, then the youth as a whole will never have a part to play in society.

––Bankole Christopher Smart-Cole, smart.co@ hotmail.com

its workforce. So far, the Hassan Sunmonu-led Revenue Apportionment Committee has been doing a wonderful job in the area of salary payment and that has bailed the state out of a protracted wage crisis.

Well, while one cannot but appreciate Adebowale’s concerns, his plight cannot be shunned either! For instance, from January 2017 till date, total revenues that have accrued to Osun from the Federation Account are on the left side of N2 billion. Similarly, Osun’s annual internally generated revenue (IGR) is by far less than half of what Lagos State takes home monthly. Notwithstanding, Osun has paid modulated salaries and allowances of all its workers and pensioners up to May 2017. Ditto for all its local government and local council workers. But this is without prejudice the outstanding which the governor knows would have to be paid as soon as the financial fortunes of the state improve. Interestingly, Aregbesola’s prescriptions for unpaid

salaries have now been adopted as a template for dealing with that issue by other states.

Be that as it may, those who have insisted that Aregbesola’s story of unpaid salary is a product of the state’s history of debt have so far failed to rationalise cogent reasons for, say, Delta State’s inability to pay 13 months salaries of its workers or Ondo’s N80bn debt pile-up from salaries, allowances and pensions. Bayelsa State, with all the huge resources at its disposal, is currently owing its workers six months’ salaries. Other states are in this unfortunate web as could be seen in the rush to partake of palliatives put in place by the federal government to cushion the effects of unpaid salaries. Maybe our friend has also forgotten that the federal government is also struggling with “accumulated arrears of salaries and allowances” which it doesn’t even “have the fund to clear ... for now.” Yet, heavens have not fallen!

––––––Abiodun Komolafe, Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State

KIDNAPPING: SPECIAL FORCES TO THE RESCUE

T

he existence of the 73 Special Forces Regiment at Makurdi, Benue State, is a boon in the quest to end kidnapping activities across Nigeria.

Special Forces are just what they are, special. Really, the best anti-kidnapping security measure should be proactive.

Thus, as part of the constant rigorous training schedule to keep these troops in top shape, the 73

Special Forces Regiment should go after kidnappers in their hideouts and flush them out and forcefully disrupt their network of operation. In carrying out such extensive and demanding tasks these highly trained servicemen would be honing their skills immensely.

––Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna.

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 18, 2017

INTERNATIONAL June 12 as a Major Dynamic of Equitable Restructuring of Nigeria:The Foreign Policy Dimensions

J

une 12 is simply a date, so is June 12, 1993. As a date, it varies in importance from country to country. In Nigeria, it started as an election date and day. It was a day of mixed inspirations, a day of sweetness and bitterness. On June 12,1993 the best ever presidential election in Nigeria took place. It was the very first presidential election during which the toga of both political chicanery, religious bigotry, and ethnic chauvinism was set aside in favour of a united and vibrant Nigeria.

The electoral procedure, Option A4, was devoid of visible electoral malpractice. The elected presidential candidate, Chief M.K.O. Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, were both Muslims and yet, Nigerians voted them in. The election was adjudged nationally and internationally the fairest and the freest. Without doubt, the electoral process reflected a creative and an originality of thinking.

However, Nigeria’s military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, for reasons that are yet to be made crystal clear up till now, annulled the election for various selfish interests.

The immediate implication was that a very wrong impression was given to the effect that either there was no election or no election results, or that the election results were fraught with inadequate collation, or that the election results were not officially declared, and therefore, there would not have been any good basis for Chief MKO Abiola to claim the status of a president-elect. Whatever reasons the Babangida regime might have considered and prioritised in annulling an election result that was normally non-annullable, most Nigerians strongly believed that Chief MKO Abiola was duly elected, and therefore he was a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that Nigerians never had. This is why June 12 has always remained a critical issue in the political governance of Nigeria.

June 12 is no more simply a date of election or a date of annulment.

June 12 has become a movement, whose cardinal objective is to ‘promote and further advance the popular trend of mass action and popular struggles of Nigerians, which ousted the Nigerian military from power.’ The June 12 Democracy Movement, founded

by Veteran Olawale Okunniyi, is also seeking the entrenchment of constitutional democracy and remembrance of historical sacrifices of the Martyrs, Heroes, and Heroines of Nigeria’s current democratic aspiration. It was within the quest for the attainment of these objectives that the theme of the 2017 National Breakfast Prayers and Tributes Session in Honour of MKO Abiola focused on ‘June 12 Movement and the Hope of Equitable Restructuring for Nigeria. The session was hosted by Abdul Mumuni Abiola at the Ikeja residence of MKO Abiola.

But, perhaps more interestingly, June 12 has also become a new basis for political struggle and ideology in Nigeria. While every June 12 always reminds of 1993 and serves as a source of strength for increasing militants, June 12 cannot but also be a major source of bitterness for General Ibrahim Babangida as June 12 provides a periodical opportunity to lambast him, as well as insult the Nigerian military for tainting the political will of Nigerians. This is most unfortunate.

And to a great extent, the bitterness with which politics in Nigeria has had to be associated since 1993, is largely responsible for the deepening insecurity in Nigeria. It is also largely responsible for the quest for self-determination, and the increasing threats to national unity and development. In fact, the most critical challenge with which Nigeria is currently faced is the mounting pressure for the restructuring of Nigeria, especially in light of the militancy of the MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta), MASSOB (Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra), IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra), OPC (Oodua People’s Congress), as well as the Boko Haram insurgency.

Put differently, June 12 has, indeed, become another dynamic

The whole world is now much concerned about the future of a united Nigeria: is Nigeria already on the path of disintegration?The Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi, advised Nigerians before he was killed to seek peace and political stability by restructuring Nigeria into two, Muslim North and Christian South.

Thereafter, the Boko Haram came up with the idea of total Islamisation of Nigeria.The struggle to undermine Nigeria’s 1997 Constitution as amended, has destabilised the whole country, as well as entrenched terrorism-driven governance in Nigeria, is yet to abate

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Osinbajo in the struggle for restructuring of Nigeria or the quest for true federalism in Nigeria. For instance, at the session of tributes, several recommendations were made. They included the establishment of an MKO Abiola Institute for Democracy; declaration of June 12 as a National Day, if not a democracy day; declaration of MKO Abiola as President of Nigeria post-humously; payment of all his entitlements to his family; naming of the Eagle Square in Abuja after him; and perhaps most importantly, the urgent need to restructure Nigeria into manageable and sustainable zones or regions.

The importance of the call for restructuring of Nigeria is to the extent that it is now very politicised and the future of Nigeria is also made contingent on it. Some observers posit that restructuring has the potential to disintegrate the country on a permanent basis.

Some others argue that the only panacea to the myriad of problems, especially in terms of national insecurity, is to restructure and that restructuring is not about disintegrating the country. There are also the proponents of no compromise with the unity of Nigeria. They argue that, regardless of whatever problems may be confronting Nigeria, national unity must be maintained. As they explained it, national unity is not ‘negotiable’ What is noteworthy here is that the argument of non-negotiability of national unity is, at least, a wishful thinking. There is nothing on earth that cannot be negotiated or re-negotiated. Negotiation can be by express consent. It can also be prompted by situations of force majeure. As there are wars you prepare for, so are the many wars that are not prepared for but imposed. Put differently, when peaceful dialogue and negotiations are made difficult, one option often made available is military dialogue and negotiation. Military negotiation is firstly and generally held on the battle fields. It does not allow for consultations on the field. It is essentially about killing the enemy first or the enemy kills you first.

Consequently, the argument of non-negotiability of Nigeria’s unity is not only manu-militari but also unnecessarily ignores the current trends in contemporary international relations. Increasing emphasis is placed on human and humanitarian rights. The right to self-determination is under scored. Agovernment can always enforce national unity but its acceptance largely depends on the whims and caprices of the people. Policy makers should not quickly forget that that it is quite easier to begin a war but not always easy to put an end to it. A war can be short in period, like the 6-day Israelo-Arab War. It can also be long, like the 100-year or the 30-year old war that culminated in the 1648 Westphalia Treaty. The myopic view that force will be applied to compel a change in the attitude of those asking for restructuring of Nigeria can also serve as a catalyst in the realisation of opponent to a united Nigeria.

If truth be told, there is no disputing the fact that Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President of Nigeria, is a pacifist by nature, objective by legal training, meek and humble by Christian faith and nationalist by political choice. However, he preaches precisely what Nigeria’s political system does not accept. He once talked about the need for a more hard-work rather than fasting and prayers alone. Last week he again condemned hate speeches, arguing that they militate against

national unity and development. But hate speech are really not the problem. The real problem is: why a hate speech? Ahate speech is a resultant from a mind of hatred. In other words, one can hate without necessarily expressing it in the open in a speech, written or otherwise, What is really responsible for a state of mind that hates?

As we have noted several times, there is no way anti-Nigeria sentiments will not thrive because the Federal Government promoted them by acquiescence. For instance, let us re-ask for the umpteenth time: how do we explain a situation in which the Federal Government collected money from the public in 1994 for purposes of allocation of houses and as at 2017, there has not been any allocation of houses or refund? How do we explain a situation in which a national conference was organised in 2014 to address Nigeria’s problems and the elected President of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari, told the Nigerian public that he had not even given any priority to the report of the Conference not to talk of reading it? What prevents the President from looking at the report to determine the merits and demerits of the report?

On several occasions in this column, we raised the question of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). The General Ike Nwachukwu-led Governing Council covered up various acts of serious misconducts during his tenure. The Government kept quiet about it but acted on the basis of non-investigated allegations. Why is the Government preaching the sermon of anti-corruption with one hand in the open space, but condoning, if not quietly promoting corruption and indiscipline at the NIIAwith the other hand?

More specifically, why is my severance package not paid at the end of my tenure as Director General? My Insurance entitlement was paid by the IGI to the NIIA. Why has it not been paid to me since 2015? The Institute owes me over four million Naira. The Director of Administration, Miss Agatha Elochi Ude, who not only falsified results, removed all queries in her confidential records but protected

by General Ike Nwachukwu, attached all the relevant documents required for payment. The Ike Nwachukwu Council was much aware about it. Am I, as a law-abiding Nigerian not entitled to a good living? Is law abiding a criminal offence in Nigeria?

The foregoing is to draw attention to the dynamics of hatred and hate speeches, In any situation in which unfairness or injustice reigns, hostility, hatred, anti-Nigeria sentiments cannot but exist. It is within this context that Government should carefully handle the quit order given by the Northern Youths group to the Igbos living in the North of Nigeria. As the whole world is watching current developments in Nigeria, there is also the need to articulate the foreign policy implications.

Foreign Policy Implications

The whole world is now much concerned about the future of a united Nigeria: is Nigeria already on the path of disintegration? The Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi, advised Nigerians before he was killed to seek peace and political stability by restructuring Nigeria into two, Muslim North and Christian South. Thereafter, the Boko Haram came up with the idea of total Islamisation of Nigeria.

The struggle to undermine Nigeria’s 1997 Constitution as amended, has destabilised the whole country, as well as entrenched terrorismdriven governance in Nigeria, is yet to abate.

In the same vein, some American observers predicted in 2014 that Nigeria might disintegrate in 2015. One possible rationale for the prediction might be the fact of the 1914 Amalgamation Agreement which was done for 99 years and which expired on January 1, 2014.

In the thinking of some American speculators, the political unrest in Nigeria, and particularly the factor of MASSOB, etc. are pointers to possible disintegration. The pressure for restructuring is mounting while the elite is playing politics with it. There is the great need for caution.

Secondly, there is the challenge of Nigerians as personae non grata allegedly in many countries of the world. The perception of Nigerians in South Africa is not only relevant but ought to be a special food for thought for all Nigerians. As reported by Isaac Dachen in Pulse. ng, ‘Nigerians must get out of South Africa. These criminals are hated and unwanted here and that will never change. Nigerians are the seed of Satan. There is not going to be of any kind of friendship between Nigerians and South Africans. Will Nigerians ever put it the tiny skulls that South Africans hate them? Anyway, which nation in the world like Nigerians? Nigerians are hated all over the world. In China, they slit their throats and in brazil, they cut their stomachs and leave them for dead. We don’t need Africans, Middle Easterners and Asians.’

Is it true that Nigerians are persons unwanted in the international community? Is it true that the Chinese do slit the throats of Nigerians and that the Brazilians cut their stomachs? If the people of South Africa do not want Africans, Asians and Middle Easterners in their country, to what extent is this position reflective of the position of the South African Government? What is the place of reciprocity? In fact, what is the government position in this case? When the perception of Nigerians by the people of South Africa is weighed against the non-acceptability of hate speeches by Nigeria’s Professor Osinbajo, the foregoing quotations by South Africans are nothing more than hate speeches. But why such hate speeches?

It is the reason or reasons behind the hate speeches that must first be addressed. Nigerians are being accused of various crimes, true or false. What is the position of Government on such accusations?

(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 18, 2017

BUSINESS

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

LAST WEEK WEEK

Forex Market The Central Bank of Nigeria on Monday intervened yet again in the inter-bank foreign exchange market to the tune of $413.5 million to further shore up the international value of the naira. The latest intervention underscored the apex bank’s resolve to sustain liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

“The CBN offered the sum of 100 million dollars to dealers in the wholesale window, while the Small and Medium Enterprises window was allocated a total of 28 million dollars.The invisibles segment was allocated the sum of 25.5 million dollars to meet the needs of those requiring forex for business and personal travel allowances, school tuition, medicals, etc.,” the apex bank explained.

Ongoing railway project... funds expected to be released for capital project s like this

Capital Budget Implementation Raises Concerns on Inflation

Kunle Aderinokun As disbursements for the capital projects would begin in earnest following the signing of the 2017 budget into law by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, concerns have been raised on the impact of increased liquidity in the economy on declining inflationary trend. The ability of the Central Bank of Nigeria to manage excess liquidity arising from capital budget implementation has, however, been acknowledged.

The National Bureau of Statistics, which recently released report on the Consumer Price Index for May 2017, disclosed that the index, which gauges inflation increased by 16.25 per cent (year-on-year) in May 2017, representing 0.99 percent points lower than 17.24 per cent in April. The decline is the fourth since January 2017.

NBS also revealed that, on a monthon-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.88 percent in May 2017, 0.28 percent points higher than the rate of 1.60 percent recorded in April 2017, indicating persistence pressure on prices despite the general decline in year-on-year inflation. Month on Month inflation has cumulatively risen by 7.7 per cent since January 2017 Food Inflation increased by 19.27 per cent (year-on-year) in May 2017, down by 0.03 percent points from the rate recorded in April of 19.30 per cent. But on a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 2.54 percent in May, up by 0.50 percent points from 2.04 per cent recorded in April.

According to NBS,“The Food index in May whether on a year on year basis on month on month basis therefore indicates sustained pressure on food prices since then beginning of the year following high food prices recorded the whole of 2016.”

While analysts attributed the improvement in macroeconomic indices

ECONOMY to the decline in CPI year-on-year, liquidity surge into the economy, which is still volatile could adversely affect the inflationary trend, if not well managed. But the CBN armed with its instruments of controlling excess liquidity has been deemed capable to rise to the occasion.

According to analysts at Eczellon Capital Ltd,“The execution of capital projects in the 2017 budget will increase the level of liquidity in the economy and this may lead to an increase in inflation rate. Conversely, excess liquidity in the economy may be mopped by judicious application of monetary policies.”

The analysts argued that,“The war against inflation rate has not been fully won as inflation rate may increase due to excess liquidity bolster by the execution of capital projects in the just released 2017 budget. The CPI is still very high at 16.25 per cent, thus, inflation rate has not been fully tamed.” But they acknowledged that the CBN had been able to reduce the increase in inflation rate.

The analysts pointed out that the decline in the CPI could be related to “the base rate which has priced in an already volatile economy, hence the improvement in some macroeconomic indicators has helped to reduce the CPI.” They enthused that,“The drop in the CPI will boost the purchasing power of the local currency as the prices of goods and service decline. Hence, the value of naira will gradually rebound as more economic activities unfold.

Also, the decrease in the CPI will resuscitate confidence in the economy as purchases of goods and services bounced back at lower rates.”

In his view, Director, Union Capital Ltd, Egie Akpata, noted that,“There is a risk that the recently passed budget

and its expansionary focus could drive up inflation. However, the ability of the Federal Government to fund the deficit and the CBN strategies in the second half of the year will be instrumental in keeping inflation on a downward trend.

Nevertheless, Akpata posited that, “The big drop in CPI is welcome but not unexpected,”, stating, however, that the increase in month-on-month inflation continued to give cause for concern.

Pointing out that the figures in the CPI report suggested that the CBN policies were pushing inflation down, Liquidity surge into the economy, which is still volatile, could adversely affect the inflationary trend, if not well managed. But the CBN armed with its instruments of controlling excess liquidity has been deemed capable to rise to the occasion

Akpata, contended that, “The CBN is not likely to reduce interest rates on the near term as cost pressures as shown in the month-on-month increase are not moving in the right direction.”

Similarly, CEO, Global Analytics Consulting Ltd, Tope Fasua, pointed out that the recent release of the budget will lead to more liquidity and a further increase in inflation – “if we follow the theory.”

Fasua therefore believed, “We have to be more circumspect to discombobulate the drivers of inflation in Nigeria. A lot of the inflation is driven by perception and expectations, rather than a calculated response to economic situations. I have had to note elsewhere that food vendors are getting smarter than before and getting their own back from a perceived ‘opulent’ society.”

The economist, however, argued that, the role of taming inflation, though chiefly that of the CBN, had to now be viewed from a multi-sectoral, multi-

stakeholder perspective.

According to him,“Monetary policies have their own shortcomings, and in a country such as ours where data is suspect, the reliance on monetary policies alone to achieve these objectives is inefficient. Regarding the recently released data, it is noteworthy that food inflation is still on the rise, and this is where it pinches the common man the most. Whose role is it to ensure that food prices don’t continue to increase? Certainly not a matter for only the CBN because if it is we are only further promoting extra-monetary interventions of which we have a surfeit for now. It is also dangerous to leave all the levers of an economy to a single agency which already has intervention funds for Agric, Aviation, Manufacturing, SMEs and the rest.”

To the CEO, The CFG Advisory Ltd, Adetilewa Adebajo,the development did not come as a surprise as the economy’s exchange rate had been relatively stable at N305/$ with forex supply on the increase and high interest rates maintained at 14 per cent.

“We hope that the downward trajectory continues at faster pace. Falling inflationary pressures is indicative of the possibility that interest rates could be revised at the next MPC meeting which will the n help to stimulate economic growth,” he added.

Professing strong belief in CBN’s strategies for tackling inflation, Adebajo stated: “There is a greater level of certainty regarding the CBN’s approach towards taming inflation as year-on-year inflation has fallen for the five consecutive months from 18.72 per cent (Jan) to 16.25 per cent(May) by 2.47 percent points.” “ The decline by almost a 100 basis points from April to May CPI figures can help restore confidence in the naira. We can strongly say CBN’s efforts to tackle inflation are finally reaping some benefits,” he posited.

VAT Nigeria generated N204.77 billion as Value Added Tax in the first quarter of 2017. The NationalBureauofStatisticssaid this in a Sectoral Distribution of VAT Data for first quarter of 2017. The report showed that the N204.77 billion generated in the quarter was lower than N207.35 billion generated in the fourth quarter of 2016. The decline in the amount generated represented 1.25 per cent decrease quarter-on-quarter. The manufacturingsectorgenerated the highest amount of VAT with N28.73 billion.

Aviation The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria conducted a test-run on an upgraded baggage scanner machine that can detect explosives, narcotics and other prohibited items at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. A statement by Henrietta Yakubu, the agency’s spokesperson, said the initiative was put in place to boost safety andsecurityprogrammesaround the country’s airports. FAAN also explained that the scanner was intended to complement the Executive Order recently issued by the acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Tax Evasion Nigeria ratified multilateral conventions on tax-related treaties to end profit shifting and tax evasion by multinational companies.Theratificationofthe treaties followed the approval of a memo submitted by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, in an effort to widen the country’s tax base and improve revenue generation. Adeosun said the ratified conventions would enableNigeriaevaluate,amendand cancelexistingtreatiesthatwere not beneficial to the country.

Signing of the convention would also curtail illicit financial flows from and into the country.

Inflation TheConsumerPriceIndex,which measures inflation, dropped from 17.24 per cent in April to 16.25 per cent year-on-year in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The NBS in the report stated that on a month-on-month basis, the headline index rose by 1.88 per cent in May, representing 0.28 per cent points higher than the rate of 1.60 per cent recorded in April.

20

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

The Man Who Tamed the US Dollar

Emefiele Ayo Arowolo At the time Emefiele took over the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], he had, tossed into his hands, a complex monetary policy dilemma that required high level of creativity to tackle. As the CBN governor, there were two major diametrically conflicting objectives he needed to resolve: the need to stimulate the economy through low interest rates and the urgent necessity to attract foreign portfolio investment through high interest rates. Choosing to go for the first would mean that companies and business owners would have access to relatively cheaper funds to carry out productive activities which ultimately would lead to more jobs. But the other end of the stick is that by voting for low interest rates, Emefiele would have shut the door against Foreign Portfolio Investment (they thrive on high interest rates for profit taking) which the country badly needed at that time.

The truth was that the economic reality on ground at the time Emefiele took over would make a focus on attracting foreign investment a compelling option. The oil price decline had begun to create internal and external imbalances that required short-term policy adjustments as well as long-term structural reforms to stimulate self reliant productive activities. That was expedient to give treatment to the economy that had been slowing down consistently since the third quarter of 2014 – from 6.23% in that quarter to 2.35% in the second quarter of 2015.

Economists and observers within and outside Nigeria were full of expectations that the new government’s promise of change centered on the policy issues of the moment in what was reckoned locally and internationally as Nigeria’s golden opportunity for socio-political and economic rising. The high hopes for the Buhari Administration gradually faded and despair began to inch in from the back door when the government failed to deregulate the petroleum sector after several years of subsidies, and left in suspense, macroeconomic, trade and industrial policies requiring decisive actions.

The resulting situation left Nigeria at the middle of the road; neither taking steps to mitigate the sustaining drop in crude oil earnings nor having adequate reserves to shield the

economy from the external shocks.

Amid the macroeconomic policy lull, crude oil prices made steep drops to hit the lowest mark in 11 years, And this scenario immediately became double jeopardy when the Niger Delta Avengers led the assaults on oil production, halving exports . And with the normalization of Monetary Policy in the United States, many oil-exporting countries suffered several economic setbacks.

In Nigeria’s case, the spillovers were compounded by the significant and continuing decline in oil production, reflecting unsettled issues in the Niger Delta. With lower receipts, Nigeria’s economic slowdown culminated into a recession in 2016 with five consecutive contractions between 2016q1 and 2017q1. GDP growth decelerated from 6.2 percent in 2014 to -1.6 percent in 2016 and -0.5 percent in 2017q1; • A spike in inflation rate which moved, after a three-year period of single digit rate, from of 9.6 percent in January 2016 to 18.7 percent in January 2017 and 17.2 percent in April 2017.

• Somewhat weakened resilience of the Nigerian banking sector (though the industry remained largely robust) • Constrained fiscal space as expenditure grew amidst shrunken revenue. The ensuing fiscal deficit has led to rising debt profile, with the debt service to revenue ratio, at about 45.3 percent as against the 25 percent threshold • A significant deprecation of the Naira from about N200/US$1 in June 2014 over N525/US$1 around February 2017. The Buhari Administration also refused to devalue to currency to attract what it called hot foreign money as it reckoned that with high food imports, devaluation as being suggested by experts, would hit the poorest the hardest in an already bad economic situation. Instead it sought to grow local (food) production. And looked to Emefiele’s Central Bank for solutions.

Much as going for attracting foreign portfolio investment through high interest rates was easy and desirable, doing that exclusively through devaluation would still hurt the economy which needed to be anchored on enduring local productive activities. Foreign portfolio investments are transient activities which can evaporate at a moment’s

notice once there are appearances of hostile investment environment.

The challenge then for Emefiele was to come up with a policymaking masterstroke that would address the desirable but conflicting objectives.

What even compounded the matter for the governor was that his ability creates the masterstroke doesn’t reside exclusively within the realm of monetary policy. He needed the equally complimentary fiscal policy which is in another domain.

In fact one analyst observed that the situation Emefiele faced could be likened to a plane which must function with twin engines but one of the engines has packed up but the pilot is struggling to reach his destination with just one engine.

Well ahead of time in July 2015, the CBN’s monetary policy committee alerted the nation that the economy was heading into recession and called for complimentary monetary and fiscal actions. The long delay in approving the 2016 budget clearly ignored the warning and the fiscal authorities failed to provide the complimentary fiscal stimulus. This means that the action plan that was imperative to avert the recession failed mainly for lack of timely fiscal response.

Lamenting the situation, Emefiele said the prolonged budget impasse denied the economy of the timely intervention. Consequently, CBN’s effort to keep the economy afloat was insufficient to avert economic contraction. The conditions that led to the contraction in the first quarter remained largely unresolved by the end of the second, he said.

The Masterstrokes

In spite of the poor fiscal policy end of the equation, Emefiele has been able to introduce some master strokes that have brought stability to the economy especially by stemming the volatility in the naira exchange rates movement.

External Reserves: As of June 2015 when Emefiele assumed office, Nigeria’s Reserves had fallen from a peak of US$62 billion in 2008 to only US$37 billion (see the chart below).

But following the sharp drop in crude oil prices, the Reserves fell to below $20 billion as CBN’s monthly foreign earnings, plummeted from as high as US$3.2 - 4 billion a month to current levels of as low as US$700 million monthly. To avoid further depletion in the reserves, the CBN took a number

of countervailing actions including the prioritization of the most critical needs for foreign exchange. In this regard, and in order of priority, the CBN decided to provide the available but highly limited foreign exchange to meet the following needs to stop the depletion and re-build reserves: a. Matured Letters of Credit from Commercial Banks b. Importation of Petroleum Products c. Importation of critical Raw Materials, Plants, and Equipment, and d. Payments for School Fees, BTA, PTA, and related expenses Exchange Rate: Over the intervening period, it is delightful to note that these policies yielded some positive developments. In particular, the CBN managed to stabilize the exchange rate since February 2017 when it began to use the reserves it had re-built, thereby creating certainty for both household and business decisions. It has largely eliminated speculators and rent-seekers from the Foreign Exchange Market.

The country’s reserves, despite having fallen, are still robust and are able to cover about 5 months of Nigeria’s imports as against the international benchmark of 3 months.

And domestic production of items prohibited from the FX market is picking up nationwide, thereby creating more jobs for many more Nigerians.

Credit Allocation: As part of its long-term strategy for strengthening the Nigerian economy, the Bank established initiatives to resolve the underlying factors goading challenges to long-term GDP growth, economic productivity, unemployment and poverty that had pervaded the economy over the past decades.

Hence, the CBN took measures to increase credit allocations to pivotal productive sectors of the economy.

This is with a view to stimulating increased output in these sectors, creating jobs on a mass scale and significantly reducing import bills. So far, the bank’s targeted interventions have impacted on the following sectors: The goals of increased employment and poverty reduction that he has given priority under his regime deserve all the attention. Taking new steps towards channeling credit to productive sectors of the

economy represent effective strategies in attaining the defined goals.

That however isn’t the end of the road to his effort to prop up domestic production. He is making some headway through an effective engagement of CBN’s development banking capacity.

In his inaugural speech, the governor promised to review the development finance programme of the bank, strengthen the participatory agencies responsible for the disbursement of funds, develop performance targets and improve monitoring operations.

So far, CBN has taken steps to match action with words in the governor’s development financing drive. Putting in place policies aimed at supporting the non-oil sectors of the economy represents a way forward for an economy that can be said to have come to the end of the oil-paved road. CBN’s development finance interventions across the country are valued at about N1.36 trillion, definitely large enough to make a big impact if well managed.

Emefiele is assuring of the bank’s determination to build capacity in the real sector big enough to stimulate the production-consumption-employment multiplier chain. That will be an effective route to boost foreign direct investments and rebuild external reserve through non-oil exports.

By repositioning the developmental financing programmes of the bank, Emefiele is taking CBN to its key role as a central monetary institution, which is to act as a financial catalyst through coordinated interventions in key sectors of the economy. In this process, agriculture is expected to assume its proper place in the economy in terms of food production and employment deliveries.

Entrepreneurship development has got a boost from the CBN through the launching of Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme earlier this year. The pilot phase of the programme has set a target of empowering 10,000 youth in productive activities in four years.

The scheme offers a credit line of up to N3 million to each participant and access to other CBN sponsored schemes that would be granted to those who successfully operate the scheme.

The sum of N40 billion has been set aside for farmers from the N220 billion micro, small and medium enterprises development fund. The fund, which is to be disbursed at

21

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

G O D W I N E M E F I E L E : From Zero to Hero?

Magnus Onyibe

At first, clawing Nigerian economy out from recession ditch was thought to be not only a Herculean task, but one that couldn’t be achieved so fast.

But at the rate at which the Naira/dollar exchange rate is converging, putting Nigerian economy back on even keel may be sooner than later.

The analogy above may seem simplistic, but Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who is working assiduously towards the convergence of the official and the parallel markets foreign exchange rates, appears to be on track to accomplishing the feat before the end of 2017.

Why is Emefiele becoming the legendary knight in a shining armor of Nigeria’s financial sector, when his neck was literarily being put on the line for the guillotine as Naira/dollar exchange rate spiked to N500-$1 in the first few months of this year?

The reason is simple: Based on data from Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s trade

THE MAN WHO TAMED THE US DOLLARFAIRNESS

an interest rate of 9% per annum, is targeted at creating economic linkages between over 600,000 smallholder farmers and reputable large-scale processors of agricultural products.

This scheme could go a long way to enhance value added agricultural production, reduce seasonal scarcity of perishables and also improve capacity utilisation of integrated mills. And perhaps the most significant contribution of Emefiele’s CBN in the agriculture space is in local rice production where Nigeria is moving from being a massive importer of rice to self sufficiency in the near term within 2 years - ensuring massive savings in foreign reserves.

Also the CBN’s N300 billion Real Sector Support Fund (RSSF) is a timely intervention at a time that industrial activity is facing serious difficulties. It is obvious that certain lines of business have become unviable in the present dispensation and therefore new lines of operations will have to be explored. RSSF will expectedly empower people venturing to exploit new opportunities in many areas of Nigeria’s economic potentials.

The use of intervention fund

The use of intervention funds presents an alternative course of action in the face of inability to move generally in the direction of low interest rates. Emefiele did spell it out as his good intention to use low interest rates to spur domestic production. Even that statement of intention alone was sufficient to set the foreign exchange market astir. A low interest regime would mean farewell to high return seeking foreign portfolio investors that CBN needs desperately to keep the foreign exchange market stable in the short-term.

Without doubts with the Federal Government getting its acts together through the inauguration of its economic blueprint, Emefiele would be placed in a positive pedestal where he can implement his heart’s desire of stimulating production activities in the country. But on a final note, it has been so far so encouraging!

volume is now N5.29 trillion with export being in excess of N3.0059 trillion, while import decreased to N2.286.

So for the first time in a long while, Nigeria is selling more than she is buying from the rest of the world.

And all these good news about trade improvement is attributable mainly to the significant growth being recorded in the agricultural sector which rose by a whopping 82%.

How could improvements in agricultural output be credited to the CBN’s Godwin Emefiele, and not to Audu Ogbeh, the minister of agriculture, you may be wondering?

Allow me walk you through the long road to recovery of Nigerian economy through fiscal measures conceived and implemented

by Emefiele as CBN governor and you would see exactly why. It may be recalled that in the bid to engender the positive results, the CBN under Emefiele’s watch banned 41 items from sourcing FX from the CBN for its importation a.k.a Tooth Pick ban.

The justification for the prohibition was that most of the 41 items could be produced locally, hence they were cut off from receiving FX from the CBN with a view to encouraging importers to engage in a sort of backward integration through farming.

That policy generated a firestorm of condemnation from both local and international institutions including all the major policy wonks in Nigeria and attracted mocking comments from media outfits such as the highly influential Economist of UK and Time of USA, amongst many other critics .

In fact the policy even triggered the delisting of Nigeria from the famous JP Morgan Index of emerging markets which accelerated the flight of private equity firms and their ‘hot money’ out of Nigeria leading to spike in FX rate.

Despite all the public reproach from even his colleagues in the bureaucracy, and call by local and international pundits for the pulling back of the 41 items ban policy that was dubbed ‘obnoxious’ as the Naira tumbled in value, Emefiele, apparently not wired to take the easy route, remained unyielding. Fortunately for him, his principal, president Muhamadu Buhari, stood by him by shunning vicious calls for the CBN Governor’s sack.

Another policy that has facilitated the ramping up the value of Nigeria’s export compared to her import is the special interventions in the agricultural sector by the CBN. Since Nigeria is believed to be spending 40% of its FX on food import, it was unsurprising that Emefiele targeted the sector for funding intervention in order to cut down on the FX outflow.

Under the scheme, farmers in Kebbi State alone received over N15bn ( N300bn was set aside) to support their cropping activities and that policy is yielding bountifully as impressive harvests has been recorded. It must be stated though, that the abundant crop yield was partly lifted by federal ministry of agriculture’s new fertilizer distribution policy which puts the products directly in the hands of farmers, not middlemen which was previously the case.

The success story in Kebbi State is being replicated across the country and investments

in the value chain of agricultural products is also being encouraged as evidenced by the collaboration between Kebbi and Lagos States in the production and milling of rice.

Last Christmas, made in Nigeria rice flew off the shelves as if it was on auction resulting in a scramble like the pandemonium that takes place in major retail sales outlets in the USA, UK or Dubai whenever there is massive seasons discount.

The demand for Nigerian rice is so high now that local rice farmers and millers are currently practically struggling to meet customers demand.

Arising from the public enlightenment made about locally grown rice being actually more nutritious and healthier than the imported brand, it is currently the preferred brand in my household; and my wife has been unable to meet my latest request that as part of my new year resolution, only made in Nigeria rice should be served. Owing to the scarcity of the commodity, she has been on her supplier’s waiting list in her quest to find locally grown and milled rice.

Going by agriculture and rural development minister, Audu Ogbeh’s account during the 41st National Council on Agriculture meeting held in Kano recently, Nigeria spends $20bn on food imports annually.

In 2010 alone, former Agriculture Minister, now President of African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, reported that Nigeria spent N632bn on wheat; N356bn on Rice; and N217bn on sugar and N97bn on fish.

Without further equivocation, it is understandably clear why Emefiele would choose food import which consumes 40% of our foreign exchange outflow for major intervention by the CBN through backward integration or import substitution policy.

Through that vision, he literarily challenged the hitherto held assumption that farming is not financially viable hence it scarcely attracted bank funding; and debunked the notion that Nigerians don’t like consuming made in Nigerian goods and services; as well as provide justification for president Buhari’s vision of Nigerians producing more of what they consume.

And the best part of it is that what is fast becoming a sort of agricultural renaissance in Nigeria, does not just revolve around the leap in rice production and the craving of Nigerians for the locally produced staple. But following Emefiele’s farsightedness in CBN, the cash crop, sesame seed is increasingly looking like the new crude oil.

In fact the 82% increased value of export recorded in our country according to the latest NBS statistics is owed to sesame seed that has multiple uses in the Western world and therefore in high demand.

Admittedly, when the government in authority took over the reins of power on June 3rd of 2015, Naira/dollar exchange rate was N160/$1, but today it hovers around N360/$1 and it is envisaged that it would crash further, probably until it finds equilibrium at half of today’s rate.

Given that the exchange rate had hit N500/$1 a few months back and critics of Emefiele’s policies had forecasted that it might be ramped up to the N1000/$1 level, if he did not capitulate to their policy concepts of floating the Naira freely, it has put butterflies in the stomach of most entrepreneurs that the Naira is regaining its lost value.

Much as it is not yet Eldorado at the prevailing rate of N360/$1, the rates are slowly but surely coming down, and that’s assuming the massive infusion of dollars can be sustained, plus the rates have also become less volatile.

Now, the real icing on the cake is Emefiele’s policy of making available every quarter, $20,000 for each and every small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria to import basic inputs to keep their enterprise going. This unorthodox policy has been a massive game changer, as it has buoyed the hitherto sagging economy with a flurry of activities returning to market place.

The measure was a strategic response to the needs of the SMEs that were practically folding up in droves owing to lack of access, not only to credit, but also to FX as they were practically crowded out by the multinationals and behemoths whose insatiable appetite for

FX was being met by banks at the expense of SMEs -the greatest employers of labour.

Today, spare parts dealers easily import and distribute their wares which oil the wheel of production in Nigeria factories and plants.

Prior to the CBN innovative relief, cars spare parts such as Tyres, batteries, and health care essentials like medicines plus other inputs needed in the manufacture of goods critical to human existence had become very scarce in Nigeria.

The lack of access to FX was so severe that living in Nigeria was becoming comparable to being in a Hobbesian state comparable to life in Zimbabwe when it was under global sanction after expelling white farmers and Venezuela currently suffering from resource curse.

But today, thanks to Emefiele, the story of Nigerian economy is changing fast.

Although, the prices of imported items have more or less doubled-reflecting the hyper inflation rate which is now said to be about 18% (NBS data), the shelves are no more empty even though the items are exorbitant.

Another unique approach to managing FX in Nigeria introduced by the CBN under Emefiele’s watch, is the third window (between official and black parallel market rates) from where school fees and overseas medical bills are funded. The policy has eased the discomfort hitherto suffered by parents over payments of their kids’ school fees and the infirm who were seeking medical attention abroad.

Prior to the introduction, parents that were unable to cope with the arduous task of sourcing funds from the parallel/black market, were compelled, at a point, to deprive their kids of high quality education obtainable abroad.

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and by and large, Emefiele has been very inventive hence is his catering to all segments of the society through his very unusual, practical and effective initiatives that are now cooling the economy which had become incandescent owing to the tumble in commodity prices and voracious appetite of Nigerians for foreign made goods and services.

Arising from the accomplishments highlighted above, love him or loathe him, in a very uncanny way, Emefiele has become the accidental and unsung hero of this administration. This is because he has proven pundits wrong with his peculiar fiscal policy measures not taught in Harvard business school or London school of economics, which some of his biggest critics, The Time and The Economist magazines of New York and London respectively, espouse and which they expected him to copy and paste in Nigeria.

In appreciation of his uncommon financial management prowess, Emefiele was recently honored with the prestigious Ziks leadership award and for his special role in the effort to pull Nigeria out of recession, he has also not gone unnoticed by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote ,who is also fast becoming a major farmer, through the major stakes he is taking in several food basket zones of Nigeria.

According to Dangote, “Emefiele has contributed in saving the Nigerian economy from recession” Continuing, he said “The CBN has been very transparent in its policies and we are grateful for the contributions of the Bank in helping the economy come out of recession” All things being equal, many more accolades and garlands may be coming the way of Emefiele for his unique and efficacious economic sense in the period left of his five years tenure of which he spent the first year serving the previous government that appointed him and now two years with the present regime.

Without much ado, from zero approval level at the inception of this administration, Emefiele is fast attaining a hero’s status in a space of 24 months.

If he accomplishes his lofty agenda by the end of his tenure, would he be the CBN governor of all time? Not many public servants can boast of such a phenomenal credentials in the current dispensation. However, it’s not too late for all other public servants to do better.

•Magnus Onyibe is a development strategist, an alumnus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA and former cabinet member of Delta State Government

22

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

BUSINESS/TELECOMS

Conflicting Signals Over Etisalat’s Indebtedness to Banks

Since Etisalat commenced negotiation with its creditors on how to repay the $1.2 billon loan it took from 13 local banks in 2013, there have been conflicting signals over the true state of the negotiations. Emma Okonji writes

E

tisalat Nigeria is currently battling to repay the loan it took from a consortium of 13 local banks in 2013. This follows threats by the banks to take over the operations of the telecommunications company should it fail to pay back the loan based on the terms of agreement reached when the credit was issued. Etisalat has since opened fresh negotiation with its creditors. But there have been conflicting signals as to the true position of the talks, even as the company struggles to stave off takeover attempts by the consortium of Nigerian banks.

Default Etisalat had taken the loan of $1.2 billion for network upgrade and expansion, and the money was sourced in both dollar and naira denominations. The company commenced payment of the loan based on the scheduled arrangement. But it later wrote to the creditors, informing them that it would not be able to continue payment for some time owing to high cost of foreign exchange.

The banks were angered and threatened to take over the business of Etisalat, should the telecoms company default on the payment plan. However, both the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian Communications Commission have intervened to try to stave off a takeover.

Conflicting signals Last week, there were reports that Mubadala Development Company, the majority shareholder in Etisalat Nigeria, was exiting the business following the telecoms company’s indebtedness to the banks.

But Etisalat quickly refuted the report and reaffirmed that its discussion with the banks was on-going. It said the negotiation would soon be concluded.

Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko, who gave the assurance in a statement, said, “Whilst it is premature at this stage of the on-going discussions to affirm that this is the conclusive option, Etisalat Nigeria considers it pertinent to state that parties to the negotiation are considering a number of options and discussions are at an advanced stage regarding the syndicated loan agreement with the banks.

“It will, therefore, be presumptive and in bad faith to begin to predict the outcome. Discussions have so far been quite collaborative and we expect to reach a final resolution next week, by which time we will be in the position to make a definitive announcement.”

The company added, “Etisalat Nigeria can confirm that negotiations with the consortium of banks regarding the syndicated loan agreement signed in 2013 have reached an advanced stage.

As noted in an earlier statement, we are considering a number of options and are not taking anything off the table at this time.

Etisalat remains a viable business, having recorded its best financial year in 2016. Parties are keen to ensure that the ongoing discussions and eventual outcome do not affect the day to day operations of the business, whether now or after the announcement of our agreement. All parties have continually demonstrated an interest in the continued operations of Etisalat as a business, as it remains the backbone of millions of small business owners; multinationals, government and, indeed, Nigerian subscribers in general.”

However, an earlier conflicting signal had emerged few weeks after a delegation from Mubadala, which owns 40 per cent investment in Etisalat Group, visited Nigeria and met with officials of the CBN and the 13 banks over the $1.2 billion debt. Reports had it that the negotiation had run into a brick wall and the banks had rejected an offer from Etisalat to pay the loan in naira denomination.

Again, Etisalat Nigeria refuted the report, saying the negation was continuing. In a statement, the company said it had not received any formal communication from the lenders regarding the proposal.

“Whilst we are aware of recent news reports stating that the offer has been rejected by the banks, we cannot confirm this as true as no formal communication has been received from the banks regarding the proposal,” the Etisalat management said concerning the alleged rejection of its offer.

It was gathered that Etisalat had proposed to repay the $1.2 billion loan in naira denomination but the banks were insisting on dollar denomination. There was also a report that the banks had rejected an offer of equity in Etisalat and talks had broken down. But that was dispelled by the company and the NCC, which maintained that the talks were still on.

According to the statement by the telecommunications firm, “Etisalat has so far held robust discussions with lenders in good faith, and we hope that all areas of discord will be resolved in due course. Indeed, the current economic challenges have occasioned untold hardship on the telecom industry as a whole, thus, requiring a major shift in position by all affected parties.”

Shittu-Adebayo

Willsher, MD/CEO

Indebtedness Having accepted its indebtedness to the banks, Etisalat said it was still negotiating with its creditors on new modalities to refinance the $1.2 billion loan. Dikko assured Etisalat’s subscribers that the issue would be resolved, despite pressure from the creditors to take over the operations of the telecoms company. According to him, “Yes, we are indebted, but we have commenced payment, and we only stopped the flow of repayment few months ago as a result of devaluation of the naira and scarcity of dollar.”

Dikko said Etisalat had invested over $2 billion in the telecoms business, which it obtained from its parent company, Mubadala, and its shareholders in the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

He said the company needed additional money to expand its business and provide value added services to its growing customers; hence it approached a consortium of 13 local banks to raise additional $1.2 billon as loan.

In refinancing the loan, Etisalat was meant to pay a certain percentage of the loan with interest on a quarterly basis, and it had been meeting that obligation until last year, when it started defaulting due to the devaluation of naira, dollar scarcity, and the economic recession, Dikko said.

Some of the banks involved in the loan are GT Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, EcoBank, FCMB, Stanbic IBTC Bank, and Union Bank.

concerned about the size of the facility on their books. Many of them are worried that the facility could put them in a difficult position with regard to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, which manages bad debts and so would want to write it off to AMCON to manage. That effectively would see AMCON taking over Etisalat. It is a prospect the company wants to avoid and so is talking with the banks and the regulators.

Interventions Worried about the implications of a possible takeover of Etisalat by the banks for the telecoms industry and the Nigerian economy at large, NCC, the telecoms industry regulator, and CBN had held several meetings with Etisalat and its creditors to try to stop the banks from taking over the telecoms company.

First, the NCC brokered a meeting in Abuja between it and the CBN to find a lasting solution to the situation. The meeting was attended by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and his team. At that meeting, a decision was reached to intervene in the loan issue between Etisalat Nigeria and the consortium of commercial banks.

The meeting, which held at the CBN headquarters in Abuja, was convened by the financial regulator at the instance of NCC, to further deliberate on how best to stave off the attempt by the banks to take over Etisalat. At the end of the meeting, CBN invited Etisalat’s management and the banks to another meeting, where the banks’ planned takeover move was stopped.

Since then, there have been other meeting between Etisalat and the banks, but no conclusion has been reached so far.

While Etisalat bothers about its business, the banks, too, are

Pressure Etisalat is Nigeria’s youngest GSM service provider, having commenced operations in 2008, after the licensing of MTN, Airtel and Glo earlier on. It deployed technology and money in a huge attempt to catch up and maintain a comfortable presence in the industry, at a time margins had dropped and competition had become stiff. That effort paid off, as it became the third largest network in no time. But to facilitate that effort and success, it depended heavily on credit from banks at a time monetary and fiscal policies were relatively stable.

However, a combination of foreign exchange difficulties and economic recession has hit the industry hard, affecting Etisalat really hard, especially with regard to its capacity to repay its loan.

The telecoms industry is still generally seen as profitable and a growth sector, especially with value-added services and the use of data growing steadily. However, Etisalat’s stay in business will depend on how fast and how well it can restructure the $1.2 billion debt.

Many believe the Etisalat issue requires a more focused and proactive response at the level of political leadership. The company has a staff strength of about 2,000 and engages many more people as contractors. Were the banks to take over the business and hand it over to AMCON, the prospects of the business and even recovering their loans in full would be slight because of the nature of receiverships in Nigeria.

Perhaps, the clearest lesson from the Etisalat debt crisis is the danger of over-expansion in an unstable economy, especially with foreign currency loans. Yet holding back expansion, too, is not an option to canvass for a country that needs to grow economically.

What seems clear is that if Etisalat goes into receivership it will be a bad taste in the mouth for foreign investors, aside the job losses and other economic fallouts.

The Etisalat problem also points to a wider problem for big businesses with huge dollar component and foreign input and expertise. The telecom industry is highly dependent on foreign expertise and equipment, a reason many fear that more telecom firms may be in trouble and thus need a special intervention to protect them against crisis.

23

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

BUSINESS/TRANSPORT

Apapa Wharf Port, Lagos

Implementing Executive Order at the Ports

As government agencies set out to implement the executive order introduced at the nation’s ports to ensure ease of doing business, they are confronted with the challenges of providing 24-hour services with the poor port access roads, security implication, among others, writes Francis Ugwoke

F

or the Nigerian ports and indeed users, the executive order recently issued by the federal government on ports operation came at the right time. For stakeholders, it is a good development. Many see the policy, which main objective is to achieve an efficient way of doing business at the ports as imperative and a continuation of the reform process at the ports. The port reform is about 11 years with some gains and also challenges. The executive order is therefore seen as coming to fill the gap, which the reform at the ports has not been able to address. This explains why every stakeholder in the ports industry has embraced the policy. Since the order was issued, government agencies at the ports, particularly the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, have made frantic moves to ensure that it is implemented without delay.

Executive Order The executive order released by the federal government as it affects the ports sets out to achieve efficiency, encourage export trade, facilitate international trade and eliminate corruption at the ports. The order issues definite directive on how to address issues of corruption at the ports with penalties for offenders. Part of the executive order reads: “Any official caught soliciting or receiving bribes from port users shall be subjected to immediate removal from the port and disciplinary as well as criminal procedures

in line with extant laws and regulations shall be applied with immediate effect;“All agencies currently physically present in Nigerian ports shall within 60 days harmonise their operations into one single interface station domiciled in one location in the port and implemented by a single joint tasks force at all times, without prejudices to necessary backend procedures; “The new single interface at each port shall capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and departing from Nigeria and remit captured information to the head of the MDA and the head of the National Bureau of Statistics on Weekly basis; “Each port in Nigeria shall assign an existing export terminal to be dedicated to the exportation of agricultural produce within 30 days of the issuance of this order; The Apapa port shall resume 24 hours operations within 30 days of the issuance of this order.”

Implementation For the agencies of government at the ports, the implementation of the executive order has been very responsive. This is being championed by the NPA as landlord of the system. The Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Usman, on getting the order moved into action immediately. The first move was to restrict human and vehicular traffic at the ports, which the security unit of the authority enforced. With that, only those who have genuine business are allowed into the ports. The measure has been a big blow on touts, including hawkers, besieging the ports

environment. The next move was a meeting of stakeholders organised by NPA. The meeting was attended by all stakeholders in the industry.

They include all agencies operating at ports, terminal operators, shipping companies and freight forwarders. The closed-door meeting was to review operations of every stakeholder and harmonise all operations in line with the executive order. During the meeting, Usman announced the list of agencies to be at the ports. They include NPA; Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigeria Police; Department of State Security (DSS); Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Port Health.

Although the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was not on the list announced by Usman, the agency cried out that it has always been on the list since 2011, a development that led to their being included by the NPA days later. Other agencies, such as Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, and National Agency for Drug Administration and Safety Control, NAFDAC) are to be in the ports on invitation. Agencies not on the list were warned to keep off or face the wrath of government. Usman said the executive order, which implementation has begun by all agencies will promote the ease of doing business at the nation’s ports and will be enforced by all. The stakeholders’ meeting was mainly to harmonise operational ideas and views by the relevant agencies. Comptroller-General of the Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd.), who also

spoke on the occasion described the order as key to port operations, adding that it has not been the case before. “We shall implement it the way it is. It will be implemented to the letter. It will reduce cost of doing business at the ports,” he said.

Challenges Issues that posed challenges and pointed out during the meeting of the stakeholders were on the poor ports access roads, security and 24-hour ports service. Stakeholders, mainly freight forwarders made it clear that with the bad state of the roads, 24-hour services would not be possible. Nobody, according to the freight forwarders would be ready to risk loading his cargo and allowing it come out in the night.

Although, efforts are being made to repair the roads, night clearing at the ports will remain a mirage because of the security implication, the customs agents insisted. This was even as the customs boss said officers will be ready to start shift to be able to provide 24-hour services. The Police had also assured that they will provide security for those ready to come to the ports in the night. But it was clear that this may not work now until the roads leading to the ports are repaired. The NPA has started some palliative measures on the roads, but this has even worsened the gridlock. Going to Apapa has been a nightmare for all who do business, work or live in the area. It is, however, envisaged that with time, the situation will improve, possibly with a truck park in place.

24

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

25

26

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

TRAVEL

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

Using Travel Market to Attract Tourists to the Emirate

It was a show of affluence, opulence and hospitality at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market in Dubai held between April 24-27. Funke Olaode, who participated in the four day event witnessed continuous evolving of Dubai as it showcased its latest offers and new development

C

alling Dubai a choice destination in the Middle East is an understatement as recent years, has seen it playing host to millions of tourists across the globe. The recently concluded Arabian Travel Market held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, which is an annual tourism, hospitality and trade platform saw exhibitors in both travels and hospitality jostling for visitors’ attention as they showcased what they had to offer.

Dubai has become one of the most sought after destinations in the world. With its less than 6 million population and a GDP par capital predicted to rise by 22 percent to just $75,000 in a few years, Dubai, a city of superlatives, pristine beaches and an interesting mix of indoor and outdoor entertainment, has in the last 21 years been playing host to thousands of visitors from around the world. Owing to factors such as rising incomes, retail real estate expansion and steady inflow of international brands, the UAE tourism offering is set to reach new heights in the years ahead.

Dubai’s ambition to become world’s most visited city is obvious. Tourism is an important part of the Dubai government’s strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate. As of 2013, Dubai was the fourth most visited city of the world based on air traffic and the fastest growing, increasing by a 10.7 per cent. Dubai attracts at least 14 million tourists in 2015. And by the end of that year, the country’s gross domestic product stood at $340.8 billion This year’s ATM nonetheless, lived up to expectation with over 3,000 exhibitors, 80 nationals pavilions, 40 seminars and technology theatre sessions with thousands of trade visitors witnessed the four-day event.

Apart from promoting tourism, the Arabian Travel Market was also an avenue for Dubai government to communicate with the industry, celebrate the travel and tourism industry, share successes and outline future plans for its Tourism Vision 2020 when it will welcome over 20 million visitors.

Dubai sets to become the world’s most visited city by 2020 With level of infrastructural development going on visitor’s experience evolves as Tourism Vision 2020 provides clear focus for growth and development.

One year into the delivery of Dubai’s‘Tourism Vision 2020’, significant first steps have been taken to achieve the target of attracting 20 million annual visitors by 2020, leading the emirate’s authority to state a new ambition: for Dubai to become the world’s most visited city. Having announced the Tourism Vision 2020 in 2013, the department of tourism and commerce marketing talked about the achievement made so far based on the collective commitment from industry stakeholders to sector growth and development; demonstrate continual enhancements and evolution of the city’s destination offering; and preview a new marketing blueprint designed to further raise emirate’s international profile.

No doubt, Dubai is flourishing and expanding.

Recently, the city created Ministry of Happiness and Enjoyment. This is evident in all the small rating screens positioned in strategic places in the city. It simply asks visitors to rate their satisfaction on the screen whether they are happy or otherwise.

“It is amazing that the tallest building is in Dubai and probably 20 years ago people never thought of Dubai. The Ruler of Dubai sees things that people don’t.

He puts the money in the right places. Everything that the government does is top notch. That is why Dubai is what is today. It is passion that makes Dubai what it is,” Andrew, an exhibitor from Las Vegas commented on the breathtaking development of the city.

Entrance of Arabian Travel Market Building located in Bur Dubai, Downtown, Dubai

Qasr Al Sultan Boutique Hotel New Dubai Tourism College Unveiled at ATM Making a new major addition to the Emirate’s travel industry, Dubai Tourism has announced the opening of the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT). Unveiling the government backed vocational institution, the conveners said it is set to train the emirate’s next generation of industry professionals and will take its first student from September 2017.

The new college is the brainchild of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. When it kicks off in September, the institute promises to provide school leavers with an alternative option to further education. DCM aims to empower future leaders, entrepreneurs and employees of Dubai’s tourism industry, ensuring a steady of pipeline of highly trained hospitality professionals for the city.

The opening of the college is in line with Dubai Tourism’s overreaching strategy to welcome 20 million visitors to the city in 2020, as well as encouraging young Emirates to become part of the city’s evolving tourism sector.

According to DCM General Manager, Essa Bin Hadher, “Developing a knowledgeable and well-rounded hospitality workforce that delivers exceptional customer service is key to Dubai’s

rapidly expanding tourism industry.

“Dubai College of Tourism is dedicated to delivering best in class vocational and educational programmes that will develop key skills, provide practical on-the-job experience and ensure we meet the needs of both learners and employers.

“We will nurture and hone the talent of Dubai’s young people, both expat and Emirati, we want to study, work and succeed in the city they have grown up and call home,” Hadher said.

Qasr Al Sultan Boutique Hotel…Arabian hospitality at its finest ATM also saw the launch of a new boutique hotel to mark a major addition to heritage destination Qasr Al Sultan Dubai. Situated within reach of several major leisure attractions including Dubai Parks and Resorts, and The Outlet Village. The structure is inspired by a tradition Sultan’s place.

Owned by Dubai Gourmet, a Meraas company, the new hotel features a 12 spacious Royal Villas, each featuring a private entrance with parking, a garden and dedicated butler service.

The Royal Villas are designed to complement the ultimate desert dining experience and lifestyle under

PHOTOS: Funke Olaode the starts. It is for those who like to enjoy privacy, love to bask in the sun beside a private Jacuzzi, seeking a truly bespoke getaway and looking for lasting memories at this unique Arabian retreat.

Additionally, visitors can discover a magical culinary experience with interactive live cooking station, a unique food bazaar and live entertainment shows.

They can also feel the grandeur of joining the sultan table, or connect with friends and family in the Arabian majlis while making sure that the young ones are entertained in the kids play area. A traditional shopping experience also awaits guests at souq and they can also learn about Arabian heritage by visiting dukan zaman. With the launch of this luxury hotel, guests can spend the night in the desert and make the most of this extraordinary setting.

“Since the hotel was launched in February, our guests have been captivated by the experience it has created. We are delighted to be expanding Qasr Al Sultan, and Royal Villas will add another layer to our rich cultural offering,” said Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Gourmet, Abdin Nasralia.

Middle East and Asia’s show of affluence…

International expansion is an important part of the new roadmap for the tourism division. Many countries did not disappoint as they showed their interest in boosting tourism across boarder. Known for its oil rich nature, the Middle East comprising of United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and hosts of other paraded stands (pavilions) that left many participants and guests agape. From the interior to exterior, everything was breathtaking. The impact of Asian countries with their eye popping stands could not be over emphasized either.

Though Nigeria has been missing in action in the last two years, a few African countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, were conspicuously present and displayed their cultural heritage.

The Malaysians, Egyptians, were all captivating as they displayed the best of their beauties. With over 3,000 exhibitors’presence in the Sun City, once again, the 2017 Arabian Travel Market has further strengthened international territories.

27

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • june 18, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Expectations for Improved Financial Results Lift Skye Bank’s Shares Goddy Egene The shares of Skye Bank Plc rose significantly last week as investors reacted to news that the company would soon release its audited results for the financial year ended December 31, 2016.

The shares jumped by 41.5 per cent from N053 to N0.75 as investors took position ahead of the release of the results that are expected to be an improvement on the 2015 performance.

Skye Bank had posted a loss of N40.726 billion for the year ended December 31, 2015 following the a total provision of N34.681 billion for impairment charges for the year.

Investors had become apprehensive when the bank had earlier informed the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of its inability to release its audited 2016 on time due to some challenges.

However, Skye

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

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

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

Bank’s management last week said its audited financial results would be released soon as most of the challenges faced in the completion of the audit exercise had been surmounted.

According to the bank, the results are with the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) for approval.

“This is to inform the NSE, our esteemed shareholders and other stakeholders of Skye

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 15-June-2017, unless otherwise stated.

Bank Plc of the reasons for the Bank’s inability to file the audited financial statement of Skye Bank Plc for the year ended 31 December 2016 within the extended time granted by the NSE. Please be informed that most of the challenges faced in the completion of the audit exercise have been surmounted, and as previously stated, the draft audited financial statement for the year ended 31 December 2016is

currently awaiting the final approval of the bank’s primary regulator, the CBN,” the bank said in a notification the NSE. “Considering the efforts of the management and the indications coming from the bank, it is very likely that the 2016 would be better than what we saw in 2015.

The expectation for a better results among others, is contributing to the renewed demand for the shares of the Skye Bank,” a stockbroker,

Ayo Oguntayo said.

As part of efforts to endear the bank to its customers, it recently introduced a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data(USSD) code *883#.

According to the bank, the code is a banking on the go solution which allows anyone with a mobile phone to do transactions such as buy airtime, transfer money, pay bills, check your balance and even open an account, anytime and anywhere which positions the bank for future growth.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 164.00 165.09 29.31% Nigeria International Debt Fund 223.53 224.99 5.44% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.75 0.76 7.71% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.82% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 16.08 16.56 30.23% ARM Discovery Fund 345.52 355.94 20.32% ARM Ethical Fund 24.81 25.56 11.07% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.39% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 138.16 139.13 31.35% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.59% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 15.76% Paramount Equity Fund 11.27 11.56 20.41% Women's Investment Fund 91.09 93.41 7.67% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.45% FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,084.27 1,085.40 7.22% FBN Heritage Fund 132.30 133.33 18.63% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 19.66% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $109.31 $109.92 6.13% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $108.34 $108.94 5.91% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 149.08 151.20 32.39% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.27 1.29 36.17% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.76 2.76 7.24% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,638.25 2,700.74 20.13% Coral Income Fund 2,286.65 2,286.65 8.67% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.95% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.83% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.98 2.01 18.01% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 16.43%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.07 1.09 8.54% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,034.90 1,034.90 5.16% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 12.60 13.06 32.21% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 17.88% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.12 1.14 13.27% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.62 10.69 2.21% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.65% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 119.90 121.76 18.19% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.31 1.31 5.37% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,077.62 2,089.85 13.47% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 159.85 159.85 3.83% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.94 0.95 22.73% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 200.22 200.22 7.13% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 162.14 164.40 24.95% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.48% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,037.23 9,141.57 19.17% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.27 1.29 10.27% United Capital Bond Fund 1.35 1.35 15.12% United Capital Equity Fund 0.82 0.83 6.75% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.17 1.17 11.08% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.00 12.20 23.73% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.73 12.87 16.34% Zenith Income Fund 18.03 18.03 9.07%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 127.46

1.01% 2.82%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.16 98.99

10.26 100.82

15.63% 30.61%

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

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

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

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.04 7.97 15.90 20.09 129.88

4.08 8.05 16.00 20.29 131.88

46.07% 13.30% 31.97% 25.79% 0.76%

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

28

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R •JUNE 18, 2017

36

SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2017 • T H I S D AY TR

UT H

& RE A SO

N

LIFE LESSONS WITH AYO AROWOLO

ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com

09067059433 (SMS only)

money every month must go into investment. I am talking about liquid investment, and another 10 per cent would go into non-liquid investment.

The remaining 80 per cent we used to take care of myself and my family. When you spend all the money you get, you have eaten both the seed and the harvest. You have sown a seed of disaster into your future.

LESSON

4

Don’t borrow; don’t lend.

That is one thing I learnt from The Richest Man in Babylon. It said, never borrow, never lend, and I have maintained that principle since I read that book many years ago. It says, put aside 10 per cent of what you have and one day, it will grow to become something great. It says when you lend, you don’t get back what you give out, you will diminish, you will create enemies in the process, and they would pay you in bits. ‘Never borrow, never lend’ principle allows you to develop the instinct to save and put on your thinking cap towards investing in the future.

ALWAYS GO WITH YOUR 5 PASSION

LESSON

–Prince Yemisi Shyllon

P

rince Yemisi Shyllon is somewhat an enigma. He is many things rolled into one: he is a chartered engineer, chartered stockbroker, chartered marketer, chartered business administrator, qualified lawyer and consummate art collector. And he has excelled in all!

The first time I visited Shyllon’s house standing on a stretch of almost a whole street (13 years ago), it took him three unbroken hours to conduct me round all the rooms housing his assorted art collections. When I went there last week for this interview, so much had taken place that it would take a whole day to go round and we might not even finish.

He is widely reckoned to own the most balanced art collections with over 7,000 artworks comprising sculptures, paintings, and other media which are valued to be worth several billions of Naira -although he doesn’t want to be drawn into the issue of costing.

Quietly, Shyllon, who retired as Marketing Director from Nigerite a couple of years back, is creating what could be described as a revolution in the arts arena. He is getting set to commission the first privately-funded public museum with the Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, Lagos, which construction plus the art content is expected to be over N4 billion at the current market value when completed. He has endowed the only professorial chair in Visual Art at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) among other things.

While we were in his bedroom admiring all his art collections, I asked him what was the driving force for all those collections. His answer: “By the time I am gone, I want my name to be in the realm of immortality by turning over all my major collections into the public museum I am building.”

You sure will enjoy Shyllon’s insights on how to build wealth from ground zero up.

LESSON

1

Plan your future from the first day you start work.

I started planning my personal finance the very first day I started work because I was conscious of the fact that you never could tell what would happen tomorrow. When I finished my MBA (Master in Business Administration), I bought a plot of land at Ejigbo, in Lagos State, and built two houses of four flats each there. That was the kind of attitude I had as a young man.

At the same time I was investing in real estate, I also started investing in shares which over time earned me fortune. I started buying shares when I was at the University of Ibadan (UI). They were selling shares then, 60 or 68 kobo; as a student, I would just buy about 100 shares, 200 shares, buy art work. I am reaping from this today. I was conscious of the fact that little drops of water make a mighty ocean. The little I have is based on self-deprivation, being visionary, and taking

up opportunities that came my way .

LESSON

2

Educate yourself very well.

When you spend money to invest in educating yourself, you move yourself ahead of the pack who do not believe in this because the more you know, the deeper you see. Spend time reading and educating yourself.

Aspire to know more about what you are getting involved in . I decided to become a chartered stockbroker because I was investing in shares. I knew it was going to be a large part of my investment portfolio in future and my stockbroking knowledge has helped me a lot.

Also, I decided to study Law because I was thinking about old age and the fact that I was going to be involved in a lot of properties, I don’t want to be paying lawyers. Today, when I sign agreements I take advantage of being a lawyer.

I don’t go to court, but I am servicing myself and my family. You must develop yourself personally. For instance, I am not an artist, but I

WISEST DECISION

W

hen I was building my wealth, I called my wife and we agreed that all our children should go to public schools, as opposed to the more expensive private schools. All our children attended public schools. By the grace of God, my three children are abroad now. Two have finished their Master’s degrees and are working, while the last born is rounding off his right now. I can afford it because I have investments to back me up. One must plan one’s future, not in line with what another person is doing but what one thinks is good for one. I was lucky to have married a woman who agreed with me.

F

WORST MISTAKE

irst is trusting people too much.

I am somebody that trusts to a fault.

I take people as if they are like me, and I have been beaten very hard. One example is my wife’s cousin who came to me and said he and others were setting up a bank, Eagle Credit Bank, when former President Ibrahim Babangida’s Administration was issuing banking licences. When I told him I did not have money, he said they could use my fivestorey building as equity. Eventually, the licence did not come, and they had borrowed heavily, and it was a problem repaying the loan. Unfortunately, I gave a personal guarantee. Before I knew what was happening, they wanted to sell my house to redeem the loan. But thank God, I put my knowledge of Law into good use and that saved the house.

have learnt a lot about artistry. I spend time to learn what I do.

LESSON

3

Don’t use all your hands to eat.

Don’t use all your hands to eat. Remember there will be time when what you have may not be available again, and you will have to rely on what you had put together. When I was working, I had a policy, 10 per cent of my

Don’t trust people on face value.

While I was working, I employed a young man at a low level in whom I had so much confidence, and I believed he could be groomed to by my successor. I allowed him some privileges like going for his MBA while working . He also went to study Law as I did.

So, I was like a hero to him. But I did not listen to the suggestion of the people who hinted that my protégé was not what he claimed to be. That turned out a disaster because I later discovered that the guy hid so many things about his past from me. So, I tell people that if I had to live my life all over again, before I venture into any kind of relationship with anybody, I will find out about his/her pedigree.

LESSON

6

Go with your passion.

From my inside, I knew I was an artist. I did Arts till Class Three in the secondary school. In my time, you had to be a scientist to be said to be brilliant and I took pride in being a genius at Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

So, I did Sciences, I dropped Arts. But it was in me; as a kid I used to trace a lot, but I foolishly dropped Arts. But by a combination of forces, my interest in art was rekindled and I started collecting artworks. I have been collecting them since 1976. Right now, I have over 7,000 artworks in my house. I have an invaluable collection of arts, spreading from the 9th century Igbo-Ukwu Art to date. My collections cover all the history of the Nigerian Art. So, I am back to my first love.

LESSON

7

Don’t let your taste rise with your status.

The major error I see many people make is to allow their taste to catch up with their rising status. When I was the Marketing Manager at UAC, I was living at Olodi Apapa (Ajegunle) and paying a rent of N200. Shortly after, I became a Director with a housing allowance of N65,000 per annum, but I retained my Olodi Apapa accommodation for 15 months. I put the money together, and within two years, I bought the land off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, for N125,000 on which I built my five-storey building. It now fetches me about N18 million per annum. I was putting my money in a cooperative, and when it matured I took N500,000. My housing allowance at the time had become N250,000 per annum; I collected it for two years, and built the N1.2 million five-storey building in 1989. My first rent was four N4million. I can go on like that.

After 15 months at Olodi, I moved to GRA (in Ikeja) where I rented a house for N15,000 per annum, even when my annual housing allowance was N250,000. It was a three-bedroom bungalow. I was living low.

Favourite Books 1 Rich Dad, Poor Dad

by Robert Kiyosaki

2 The Richest Man in Babylon

by George Samuel Clarson

3 The biography of Obafemi Awolowo 4 The Autobiography of Nnamdi Azikiwe

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

18.06.2017

YOLISA PHAHLE

THE AMAZON AT M-NET

30

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • June 18,, 2017

COVER

YOLISA PHAHLE

THE AMAZON ON AT M-NET An unlikely candidate to sit at the top of a thriving pan-African media organisation, because of her background in music and drama, Yolisa Phahle’s emergence as the first black female CEO of M-Net has driven her to the peak of excellence, writes, Nseobong Okon-Ekong

S

he is one of the lucky ones engaged with what they love.

For her, work is free from all the drudgery that attends the normal cycle. Thanks to her father, Yolisa Phahle, CEO of M-Net understood, in her childhood, the importance of cultivating a wholesome interest in what she does. She learned from her father that those who had the best jobs were the ones whose work seemed to be a form of relaxation.

Interestingly, her resolve came from the scolding she got from her father who reprimanded her for watching too much television. This same source of concern of her father has become her source of income and fame.

Till today, she sees her work the way she conceived it in the beginning - as a form of leisure, by watching television, listening to music and also playing music.

Her decision to follow her mind began from when she left high school. Instead of pursuing a degree, she went on to hone her skills in violin and keyboard at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She found no joy in the classical music that she was being trained for. She was subsequently drawn more and more to popular music.

Not one to be left trailing the pack, her sheer skills and determination catapulted her to perform with top groups like Duran Duran, Soul II Soul, Hot Chili Peppers and Jamiroqui. She is particularly proud of her past as a performing musician, but more so as a founding member, composer and musician in the Island Records-signed Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra.

Many are amazed that she came from such a background to have the distinction of becoming the first black female CEO of M-Net gloss over her hands on experience in the relevant industries, which was deepened by her music career. More importantly, however, were her active years in the broadcast media. She holds an MBA from GIBS Business School. Phahle joined the BBC World Service in 1998, training as Studio Manager and later as a music producer. Four years later she moved to a post as senior music producer at BBC 6 Music, the broadcaster’s first-ever digital radio station and its first new music channel in 30 years; and she also worked as a Sound and Vision Mixer in continuity for BBC television.

Her South African roots and love for African music saw her return to South Africa in 2004, where she joined Channel O as General Manager. She became Director of Special Interest Channels in 2009. She has

spearheaded the revival of these channels, turning Channel O into the number one music channel on the African continent and successfully launching youth channel Vuzu and local content channels Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Music.

Yolisa Phahle was appointed as CEO for M-Net South Africa in 2013 before taking control of the M-Net business across the African continent in October, 2015.

Phahle’s appointment as CEO followed a decision to focus M-Net’s business on three core African markets: South Africa, West Africa and East Africa. M-Net is a wholly owned subsidiary of MultiChoice South Africa, founded in 1985 as the country’s first private subscription television service. Today, it boasts an array of general entertainment and niche channels and broadcasts to over 2.5 million subscribers in 41 countries across Africa, including Nigeria.

As a content aggregator in Africa, Phahle has the responsibility of coordinating her company’s efforts to tell African stories in a world that is increasingly becoming smaller and more integrated. She summed up her effort: “Our focus at M-Net is to inspire and connect African communities through compelling local stories and experiences.

Today, however, Africans live in many places and the opportunity to grow our industry by telling our stories has become increasingly important because globalisation means we can showcase our view of the world to a bigger audience than ever before. We live in a world where diversity should be celebrated and with our programming we also hope to inspire the world about Africa. We are constantly looking at ways to surprise and delight audiences and plan to tell even more

SHE SEES HER WORK THE WAY SHE CONCEIVED IT IN THE BEGINNING - AS A FORM OF LEISURE, SURE, BY S WATCHING TELEVISION, LISTENING S STENING TO MUSIC AND ALSO SO PLAYING MUSIC

Phahle… A CEO is an enormous responsibility and a huge privilege for me

JUNE 18, 2017 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

31

COVER

I ALWAYS LOVED STORY TELLING WHETHER IT’S THROUGH MUSIC OR THROUGH DRAMA AND TELEVISION IS A GREAT WAY TO TELL A STORY of our stories in the future.”

What she is trying to do may be tricky as the constant questions in the public space suggest. Is there such thing as an African story? Is Africa a unit? Or different peoples found in a particular geographical region?

She was lucid in her response: “Africans are certainly not a homogeneous group of people. Our diversity of languages, cultures and traditions is what makes each of us truly unique. We currently have channels that focus on specific languages and genres but also see that Nigerian content is enjoyed by many non-Nigerians. This is because the stories are often universal and also because you don’t have to be Nigerian to enjoy Nigerian storytelling.”

Still trying to understand the context of an African experience in an increasingly integrated world, we asked, “Can there be one African experience (story)? Is the experience (and therefore, their stories) of the north African not different from the east/west African, for instance?” Phaphle alluded to the unique character of each of its stations. According to her, “The success of each our channels can be attributed to the range of genres, formats and stories. We have seen that East African comedy is well received in Zambia, and that South African programming is enjoyed outside of SA. We also see that people enjoy seeing their stories being told in their languages. So whilst there are commonalties, there are also specific regional preferences.”

Phaphle emphasized that her real challenge is to work around perceived (or real) influences that may influence a television content aggregator like hers.

She said, “We work with producers and industry professionals from a variety of countries, we learn from each other and collectively we are building both a local and continental industry. I have my hands full at M-Net for the foreseeable future hopefully.

I would like to be part of the transformation of the television and film industry. We need to create opportunity for young black entrepreneurship. There is abundant talent and many wonderful stories that need to be told – my job is to facilitate this process.”

At the time of her birth, her South African parents were in England. This is where she developed the love for broadcast.

Her deep interest in telling stories was manifest. “I always loved story telling whether it’s through music or through drama and television is a great way to tell a story,” said Phahle. She thinks the rest of the world can benefit from African stories. “We have wonderful, compelling stories to tell, we have incredible actors and musicians.

African film and television entertains and informs. It is our vision to be the leading African storyteller in the world. We think this is possible through our continued investment and focus in local content, by partnering with the best local filmmakers and production companies and leveraging off our technology (such as our DTT offering, Catch Up services and DStv Now app).”

A critical driver leading to the achievement of Yolisa’s goals is the fact that the company’s viewers, “pay for our services and we therefore need to constantly provide what they look for, in the way they want it, and when they want it. Our mission now is to create the best television entertainment in Africa and beyond. The world is changing and evolving, and more and more opportunities to produce local content are opening up, opportunities that

were never available before.”

Although, it is not included in her CV, she explained what it means to be CEO, “A CEO is an enormous responsibility and a huge privilege for me,” she admits. “I’m very proud, but I’m also now more acutely aware of how far I have come.”

In her frequent travels around the continent, Nigeria is one of her favourite destinations.

The other countries she visits to develop content include Kenya and Angola.

The assignment placed on her shoulders is not an easy task. It is her responsibility to take M-Net’s broadcasting operations in Africa to even greater heights and cement the organisation’s leadership in the media and entertainment space.

32

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

JUNE 18, 2017 • T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

57

ENTERTAINMENT

WITH NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG 08114495324, nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com

Ara Returns to Atunda Entertainment Joins Olomidan Bata and Anu to Promote Ethiopia Nseobong Okon-Ekong

A

fter many years of going their separate ways, Ara, Nigeria’s sensational talking female drummer has returned to the stable of Otunba Wanle Akinboboye-owned Atunda Entertainment, where she was nurtured and packaged for a rewarding career in music.

During the break-up between the mentor and promoter, Akinboboye and his protégé, Ara, who hitherto benefited from his guidance, support, experienced and influence, he always expressed the hope that they will be united again and rejected the temptation to pull the rug off her feet.

Akinboboye who exposed Ara to major world platforms, that gave her an opportunity to perform at the UN General Assembly, UNESCO and before several world leaders, also helped her to get the keys of many cities in the United States of America. He was quoted many times saying that he could not destroy what he had built with his hands.

Following the exit of Ara from Atunda, Akinboboye started to nurture two female entertainers, using the same similar template of making them proficient in an identified Nigerian musical instrument.

Thus emerged, Anu, the Lady Ekwe, a former beauty queen turned player of the wooden gong (Ekwe) and Olomidan Bata.

Like the successful experiment with Ara, the attraction was to make them entertain with a Nigerian musical instrument normally associated with the male folk.

With this reconciliation, Atunda Entertainment has become more formidable, offering the best of African themed entertainment, showcasing the orchestra of Atunda Entertainment and the fantastic trio of Anu, The Lady Ekwu, Olomidan Bata and Ara. The synergy among these artistes could be observed at the recent formal launch of Motherland Beckons Ethiopian destination, Al Nejashi/Lalibela. Al Najashi is a Muslim site considered by some Muslim faithfuls as the first Islamic settlement in Ethiopia; while Lalibela is famous for its rock-hewn churches which has been named a word heritage site by UNESCO. Performing together, perhaps, for the first time, the three female lead artistes of Atunda Entertainment gave a powerful and moving rendition of both Nigeria and Ethiopia national anthems, which were well received by the audience. The launch event was attended by the Founder and President of Motherland Beckons, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye and the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Samia Zekaria Gutu as well as the General Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, Nigeria, Solomon Begashaw, other guests and the travel media.

Akinboboye then enlivened and captivated his audience with his iconic narrative of the concept of Destination Al Nejashi/Lalibela ISOKEN IS ENGAGINGLY SWEET –Vanessa Obioha You can tell a good movie most times from its opening scene. That first dialogue, or action in a way dictate the outcome of the whole production. Jadesola Osiberu achieved this effortlessly in her feature film ‘Isoken’. Using the rich Edo culture as a backdrop, she meticulously navigates her viewer through the gripping and entertaining life of a 34 year-old single lady, Isoken.

Everyone is worried about Isoken’s single status except her. She is 34. Almost all her friends, classmates and even younger sisters are married except herself and two of her friends. Her mother (Tina Mba) is very concerned and constantly badgers her. She is repeatedly told that her successful career

Religious procession in Lalibela

as he spoke extensively on the historical and economic derivatives of the project. He paid glowing tributes to Ethiopia nation for standing against the divisive war of the colonialists by resisting every attempt at colonising it.

He opened the minds of the audience to the symbolism of the war won by the Ethiopians and made reference to Al Nejashi, which is a mountainous region and what it meant to the people playing on the symbolism and slogan of the people known as ‘Gara le Gara’ or ‘Mountain to Mountain.’

According to him, the bridge building process would be in two parts with the first being the creation and promotion of tour packages to Al Nejashi and Lalibela, two great historical sites in Ethiopia with each having their respective strong attractions for the people.

The tour packages would involve the long stretch of value chain in the travel business with Ethiopian Holidays serving as the ground handlers, Ethiopian Airlines as the official carrier and Mountain – Ice – Consultancy, Travels and Tours Limited as the tour company, all working closely with Motherland Beckons to achieve the aim of the amalgamation.

The second part of the deal as revealed by Akinboboye is the building of La Campagne Mountain Resort Al Nejashi. The resort, which is soon to commence construction, he said would be a themed resort that would utilise exdoesn’t count as long as she is still single.

Her father (Patrick Doyle) on the other hand is easy on her.

The romance comedy opens up with a traditional marriage. Deploying bright colours, warm mood and tone, Osiberu showcased the vibrance of the Edo culture. The costume further enhanced it while Flavour’s ‘Golibe’ plays in the background. But that is not the magnet.

The trump card for this contemporary movie about the travails and pressure faced by single ladies in their thirties is the dialogue. It is so fluid and simple. No verbosity.

You can even imagine yourself using same lines because the situations seemed so real and honest.

Watching Isoken’s mother verbally harass her daughter for being single even in front of a potential husband; or her aunt who

Ara

Anu

tensively the cultural materials of the people of Ethiopia and the region. Ambassador Gutu in her remark further amplified Akinboboye’s submission, giving credence to the amalgamation project, which according to her, is opening her country to the world even as she insisted that Ethiopia has a lot to offer to the world.

Given its historical and political antecedents, as a country that was never conquered by the colonialists, she said that Africans and the world have a lot to learn from the country hence the country is teaming up with Motherland Beckons to promote two of its most revered locations.

expected her to be gloomy at her younger sister’s wedding easily brings to mind reallife situations. You can even pick up phrases such as ‘No one expects to see the real you on the first date,’ from Funke Akindele, one of Isoken’s friends; or even from Mba who reproached her daughter for being too studious.

“A woman should not read too much,” she told her at a family dining. Having worked on the GTB online TV platform, Ndani; and being single too, perhaps, helped Osiberu to project a language her audience can easily relate to.

“I wanted for my feature film to be something my audience will easily relate to.

I noticed people like films that revolve round everyday people-mother, father, uncles, aunt and the rest. Again, I’m in love with the Edo culture because of its rich

history. It worked for me in this film.”

Arguably, the theme is very familiar. Romcoms that mirror the lives of single ladies in their 30s have been explored from different angles by both local and international filmmakers. In fact, ‘Isoken’ has some semblance with the award-winning HBO series ‘Sex and the City’. Four friends grappling with relationship issues while searching for the perfect love.

We have our own Carrie Bradshaw in Isoken played by Dakore Akande. The only difference between the two lead acts is that Carrie didn’t have a nagging mother who breathed down her back constantly. There is also Damilola Adegbite who fits into the role of Charlotte. She is the only married woman in the clique and very modest. Her only headache is her childlessness. Funke Akindele is our outspoken Samantha while

58

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • June 18, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT Lydia Forson is our Miranda, with a little bit of carefree attitude.

However, the striking semblance does not subtract from the entertainment. ‘Isoken’ stands out with the ingenious way Osiberu brought other issues to the fore. Layered in the theme are issues bordering on interracial relationships which was well interpreted

by Marc Rhys, Isoken’s ‘Oyinbo’ friend.

She also highlighted the struggle of childlessness faced by most newly-weds and questions why a woman’s value should be measured by marriage.

Characterisation is another winning jackpot in this movie. Each of the characters were peerless in their interpretation of roles.

The humour they expressed in the movie was unforced. They didn’t try to act like comedians. You will get lots of stitches from Funke Akindele, Tina Mba, Lydia Forson, Nedu, and even Joseph Benjamin. But the act that will get you reeling on the floor would probably be Marc Rhys who played Kevin, Isoken’s ‘Oyinbo’ friend.

It was refreshingly entertaining to see a white guy use street slangs, dance to Shina Peters and even take a ride in a tricycle.

He did great justice to his character. Other notable characters include Ngozi Nwosu, Bolanle Olukanni, and Abimbola Craig.

The film is distributed by the Silverbird Film Distribution Company.

ABA GETS DOUBLE EXCITEMENT AT REAL DEAL EXPERIENCE It was a double dose of entertainment for Aba residents as Nigerian singers Harrysong and Orezi brought great entertainment to fans at Legend Extra Stout’s Real Deal Experience in the C.S Park, Aba recently.

The visit to the commercial center of Abia state marks the fourth stop in the nationwide tour this year as the Real Deal Experience has been to Nnewi, Enugu, Uyo and now Aba. The exciting show, which was hosted by popular comedian, De Don, saw lucky consumers win amazing prizes ranging from generators, refrigerators, T-shirts, free drinks, and other exciting instant prizes.

Live band, Tipsy Kelvano opened the stage with their brilliant performance of several hit songs that got the Aba crowd excited before Harrysong and Orezi took over the momentous evening. The deafening reaction as Harrysong and Orezi got on stage proved that the crowd was excited to have the superstars in Aba. Both singers performed their biggest hits, “Rihanna”, “You Garrit”, “Shoki “, “Shuperu”, “Better Pikin” and “Ofeshe” to name a few, before performing their only collaboration “Reggae Blues”.

Harrysong took his performance a notch higher when he gave a fan, Chukwudi his N3.5m rolex watch. The crowd Speaking on the performance, Harrysong commented; “Legend’s Real Deal Experience is really an ‘experience’. The fans had a great time and I did too. I loved the energy and I can’t wait to be back here again soon.

I always love performing for my core fans as it brings back so many memories. I had a great time, all thanks to Legend.”

KUNLE AFOLAYAN EXPLORES SUPERSTITIONS IN ROTI In his second Africa Magic commissioned film ‘Roti’, prolific producer Kunle Afolayan proves once again that he is a maestro in storytelling. The gripping thriller explores the world of superstition, drawing similarities between it and the reality while questioning the ability of the human mind to differentiate both beliefs.

The plot is carefully constructed around a couple who lost their son to a terminal disease. The bereaved parents initially grappled with grief but later moved on.

When it seemed happiness was finally attained, it was quickly snatched by a doppelganger who threatened the sanity of the mother Diane, played by Kate Henshaw.

It was an emotional turmoil for Diane seeing a splitting image of his son in a young boy called Juwon. Having lost her womb, Diane found herself believing the superstitious words of her mother-in-law that her son would return to her.

‘Roti’ questions the veracity of reincarnation and will certainly create social dialogue as well as awareness around the theme by the time the movie hits the cinemas on June 30.

The film features Kunle Afolayan, his son Damisire, Fathia Balogun, Toyin Oshinaike and others. At a private screening recently, Afolayan said he has been toying with the movie idea for a while and had planned a different project for it.

“I want people to watch it, think about it

and talk about it. I want this movie to raise discussions and curiosity,” he said. The movie is distributed by Blue Pictures Film Distribution Company.

Shuga thrilling the audience. JPG

Akin Shuga Shines at Lagos Gala Night The long weeks of Lagos @ 50 celebrations came to a close at a recent Gala Night held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, which featured a rich blend of music, best of Lagos cuisine, photo exhibition and the unveiling of a special photographic book that captures the essence of Lagos.

The event recorded a colourful parade of high-calibre socialites and political bigwigs including the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and seven current governors like Rochas Okorocha, Isiaka Ajimobi and Ibikunle Amosun of Imo, Oyo and Ogun States respectively. Also present were Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State and his Gombe State counterpart, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

For an occasion that recorded a heavy presence of captains of industries in Lagos, the Shuga Band had a tall order to provide music for the august gathering that is a mix of different generations of Nigeria’s Who’s Who. The band lived up to its billings, and its performance further reaffirmed its brand as a band that provides music for all ages.

On an historic evening that witnessed the host, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s recital of his Lagos praise poetry, Shuga’s covers of the best Lagos highlife songs such as ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Eko Akete’ and ‘My Lagos’ – an adaptation of the popular ‘Eko o Gba Gbere’ song released by the band two years ago – were in sync with Governor Ambode’s poetry which eulogised Lagos as “the smallest, the richest, the oldest”, further amplifying the state’s vaunted character as a land of opportunities where “fortune favours the brave”.

The governor and his deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule were later joined by other dignitaries including the first governor of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Mobolaji Johnson, Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Lagos’ former governor and APC national leader,

Asiwaju Tinubu, first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and former military governor of Lagos State, Rear Admiral Ndubusi Kanu for a cakecutting ceremony to the swinging tune of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ by the Shuga Band.

For the greater part of the evening, the band gave the guests the time of their lives musically.

The Lagos-based 14-piece group, led by Akin Shuga (real name Akinloye Tofowomo) is not new to high-profile events. The widely travelled band has a long list of high profile clients. This is not surprising because Shuga Band, with its legendary old-school tunes blended with African flavours, has been the toast of the high and mighty, and over the years earned itself recognition as one of Nigeria’s best live bands.

The band, with its proven knack for highlife songs that perfectly serenade every occasion, has feted at shindigs thrown by corporate and individual clients from all walks of life. From a wedding band that plays traditional love songs, to a punk band that can really get the joint jumping with dynamic sounds (like their ‘Lagos Is The Place For Me’, tune at the gala night), the Shuga Band has demonstrated its dexterity at transiting seamlessly between genres; from up-tempo secular flair to swing-beat or R&B, or from soulful to dance tunes.

Today, Shuga Band is synonymous with weddings, corporate and other social engagements. Any wedding worth its weight in gold and silver is hardly complete without a Shuga band performance. Aside from playing for the upper crust of the society, the band has also played for fans across the world - from Paris to Sri Lanka to Dubai and America.

Akin Shuga was excited that his band was the preferred official band for the historic Lagos @ 50 occasion. “It was an evening to celebrate all Lagosians and everyone who has ruled Lagos. And I was honoured to be among them,” he said.

L-R: Dakore Akande, Director (Isoken), Jade Osiberu; Damilola Adegbite-Attoh and Bolanle Olukanmi at the press screening of the movie at Silverbird Galleria, Lagos.

Photo: KOLA OLASUPO

MOUTH WATERING REWARD FOR THE BEST JOLLOF RICE The conversation on food hit a new note recently as Brand Television Network, Btv; a lifestyle and entertainment television network presented the African Jollof Rice Challenge.

African Jollof Rice Challenge is a continental lifestyle and entertainment taste tour and cooking contest that seeks to discover the country that has the best Jollof Rice in Africa in a contest where representatives of different African countries will slug it out and aim at the $5000 grand prize money.

According to Felix King, an Executive Producer of Btv, the argument on which country has the best Jollof Rice inspired social network and street conversations across Africa, especially among the West African countries, where Jollof Rice is most popular.This argument has grown into a very strong continental debate, which has dominated both conventional and social media spaces. This debate sprang up from a statement by Lai Muhammed, Nigeria’s Minister of Information that, “Senegalese Jollof Rice is the best and a counter claim by our Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo that, “We all know that Nigerian Jollof Rice is the best anywhere. We beat the Ghanaians and Senegalese hands down.”

Since then, Jollof Rice lovers have taken to all media platforms to present their perspectives on which country’s jollof rice is the best in Africa. The argument gets fiercer with each passing day with claims and counter claims on which country actually has the best Jollof Rice in Africa.

King said, “There is no official position yet on which country has the best Jollof rice in Africa, hence,theBtv desire to unravel the mystery through this contest.”

Ororo Pattaya Otono, an Executive Producer with Btv said the challenge would start with an online recipe contest, where the best contestants will be selected for the live screening and then the grand finale. He said the programme would come to a flourishing end at the Reward Night that will be used to mark the World Jollof Rice Day on Tuesday, August 22.

FUN-SEEKERS STORM CALABAR CULTURAL CENTRE FOR LAFFTA FEST The Calabar Cultural Centre was recently besieged by thousands of fun seekers as the Glo Laffta Fest hit the Canaan City. Fun-seekers filled the main bowl, the gallery and the foyer outside where a massive multimedia display was set up to beam proceedings within the hall. The enthusiastic crowd whose only passport to the endless fun was ownership of a Globacom line, received royalty treatment, taking green carpet pictures with their favourite celebrities including the delectable anchors, Mercy Johnson-Okojie and Juliet Ibrahim, guest celebrities, Kanayo O. Kanayo and ‘homeboy’, Bishop Imeh Umoh, popularly known as Okon Lagos as well as all the comedians including Basketmouth and Bovi.

Local acts and budding stars flagged off the fun with short but power-packed performances. The roll call include Emmanuel Debegene, also known as MC Emmaralo, who had been part of the show in Warri and Yenegoa, MC Dayo, Ambassador and British Pastors, who also featured in Glo Laffta Fest Owerri, Warri, and Yenagoa. They set the guests reeling in bouts of laughter.

Port Harcourt-based humour merchant, Arinze Baba opened the show formally, throwing a lot of humorous jabs at Nigerian musicians among other things, before other accomplished comics, Senator, Dan D’Humorous, Gordons, Bovi and Basketmouth took the stage one after the other, taking the audience to different levels of excitement.

The performances were interspersed with celebrity appearances which raised the excitement level in the hall. Okon Lagos particularly raised the roof when he walked on stage. He proceeded to entertain his excited fans with wise-cracks. The comic character in movies even threw a jab at himself, saying the society has been paying him for being a fool.

The anchors also got the audience in wild excitement with their playful antics, the highpoint of which was pulling off each other’s designer hairs right on stage.

JUNE 18, 2017 • T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

59

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Israeli Author Wins Man Booker International Prize

Vanessa Obioha

David Grossman’s novel about a standup comedian’s public breakdown was the winner at the recently held Man Booker International Prize.

Titled ‘A Horse Walks into a Bar’, the novel is this year’s best fiction in translation. Grossman will share the £50,000 prize with his English translator Jessica Cohen.

His novel was selected as the winner from 126 titles, which were whittled down to a 13-book longlist and a six-book shortlist, pitting him against writers from Denmark, France, Norway and Argentina.

Set in a small Israeli town, the novel is focused entirely on the act of comedian, Dovaleh Greenstein, his rambling and confessional routine in an Israeli comedy club.

This year marked the second time the Man Booker International prize was awarded to a single book. South Korean novelist, Han Kang and translator Deborah Smith won last year for ‘The Vegetarian’.

The prize was previously awarded biennially to a writer for an entire body of work. Past winners include Ismail Kadare in 2005, Chinua Achebe in 2007, Alice Munro in 2009, Philip Roth in 2011, Lydia Davis in 2013 and László Krasznahorkai in 2015.

The Jerusalem-born author is renowned as one of the world’s great novelists, with awards including the French Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Germany’s Buxtehuder Bulle, Rome’s Premio per la pace e l’azione umanitaria, the Frankfurt Peace Prize, and Israel’s Emet Prize.

He has also written nonfiction and children’s books which have been translated into 36 languages.

David Grossman

NBCUNIVERSAL TO LAUNCH OLYMPIC CHANNEL IN JULY In preparation of the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, NBCUniversal’s ‘The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA’ will be officially launched on July 15.

The channel will replace Universal HD and will be available to more than 35 million homes across the country.

“We are thrilled to partner with the IOC and USOC in launching the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA this summer, with high-quality, world championship programming featuring U.S. stars such as Katie Ledecky right out of the starting blocks,” said NBC Olympics President Gary Zenkel. “The fact that the channel has been embraced by the most widely distributed cable, satellite and telco providers demonstrates the strength of the Olympic brand in the United States, and will allow fans to connect more closely than ever with the stories and successes of America’s favourite Olympic Sports athletes.”

In conjunction with the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee, the linear channel will be available to most subscribers of Altice, AT&T DirecTV, Comcast, Spectrum and Verizon, and the Olympic Channel will also be available on streaming services, including DirecTV Now, Fubo, Hulu, Sony PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV. Viewers will also be able to live-stream the channel on OlympicChannel.com, NBCSports.com, the Olympic Channel app and the NBC Sports app.

DR. DRE PLANS BIG FOR COMPTON HIGH SCHOOL The producer revealed his big plans for the school recently by pledging to donate $10million to help build a new performing arts complex.

“My goal is to provide kids with the kind of tools and learning they deserve,” Dre said in a statement to The Times. “The performing arts center will be a place for young people to be creative in a way that will help further their education and positively define their future.”

The complex will provide students with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, including digital media production facilities and a 1,200-seat theatre.

The performing arts center will also be a resource for the Compton community at large, officials say.

The hip-hop mogul and Compton native will be directly involved in raising the remaining funds needed to complete the center, which is expected to break ground by 2020.

“The support that Dre has shown to Compton over the years is unwavering and we are so excited that we will now be home to one of the greatest performing arts centers in the country,” said Satra Zurita, president of Compton Unified’s governing board of trustees.

Micah Ali, vice chairman of the district’s board of education, said the new high school will be the most modern public school complex ever built.

“We are looking forward to blending both [Dre’s] vision and that of the district to provide opportunities for individuals to both explore and apply their creativity in the arts,” said Darin Brawley, Compton Unified superintendent.

Source: LA Times CHER IS BRINGING HER LIFE STORY TO BROADWAY The 71 year-old actress and singer announced her upcoming Broadway show ‘The Cher Show’ on her Twitter page recently. The show will be a musical based on the dynamic entertainer’s life and six-decade career.

The award-winning star will feature three characters in this production: Babe, Lady, and Star. They will represent Cher at different moments of her life -- starting as a teenager who falls for Sonny Bono (Babe), a successful music star navigating the challenges of the entertainment industry (Lady) and the lady we know today with a fascinating wealth of life experience, successes, and failures (Star).

Other notable acts expected to feature in the show include designer Bob Mackie, her exes, David Geffen, musician Gregg Allman and Rob Camilletti, director Robert Altman and Sigmund Freud.

The production will also feature some of her popular hits like ‘Believe’ and ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’

Cher

Dr. Dre

60

JUNE 18, 2017

• THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INFOGRAPH

ADVERTISEMENT

STATE OF STATES SALARY SURVEY AS AT MAY 15, 2017 BELOW ARE THE NUMBER OF MONTHS OF OUTSTANDING SALARIES OWED BY STATE GOVERNMENTS STATE

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

LOCAL GOVT WORKERS

PENSIONERS

SECRETARIAT WORKERS

INDEPENDENT AGENCY WORKERS

ABIA

5

6

4

19

4

4

ADAMAWA

3

0

3

0

0

0

ANAMBRA

0

0

0

0

0

0

AKWA IBOM

0

0

0

0

0

0

BAUCHI

0

0

0

0

1

0

BAYELSA

0

11

**

13

11

0

BENUE

10

6

8

12

5

2

BORNO

0

0

0

0

0

0

CROSS RIVER

0

0

0

0

0

0

DELTA

6

6

6

8

0

0

EBONYI

0

0

0

0

0

0

EKITI

6

5

6

11

4

2

EDO

1

0

**

0

0

1

ENUGU

1

0

1

1

0

2

GOMBE

1

0

0

0

0

0

IMO

2

1

**

24

1

0

JIGAWA

0

0

0

0

0

0

KADUNA

0

0

0

0

0

0

KANO

0

0

0

0

0

0

KATSINA

0

0

0

0

0

0

KEBBI

0

0

0

0

0

0

KOGI

15

15

14

17

10

7

KWARA

0

0

0

3

0

3

LAGOS

0

0

0

0

0

0

NASARAWA

2

2

2

7

3

2

NIGER

0

0

0

36

0

0

OGUN

0

0

0

0

0

0

ONDO

5

5

5

5

5

5

OSUN

0

0

0

2

0

0

OYO

4

4

4

4

4

4

PLATEAU

0

0

0

0

0

0

RIVERS

0

0

1

28

0

0

SOKOTO

0

0

0

0

0

0

TARABA

6

0

4

36

0

0

YOBE

0

0

0

0

0

0

ZAMFARA

1

1

1

2

1

1

NOTE

Local governments do not have uniform salary payments.

State secretariat workers salaries were slashed by 30%.

912

Five months salaries owed from last administration.

Secondary school teachers and secretariat workers are paid 50% of their salaries since April 2015.

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS Infographics by:

info@eienigeria

EiEnigeria

@EiEnigeria

info@yourbudgit.com

BudgITng

@BudgITng

www.yourbudgit.com

ARTS & REVIEW A

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

PAGE 64

PUBLICATION

18.06.2017

THREE ARTISTS, ONE TREND...

Tafawa-balewa by Williams Chechet, not of the current exhibition, ‘We Are the North’

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

62

JUNE 18, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\VISUAL ARTS

THREE ARTISTS, ONE TR

Ayodeji Rotinwa reports his findings from a tour of three solo exhibitions that all have one common, unu

W

hen exhibitions don’t hold in galleries, the chosen location can be telling in the kind of work to expect. Art in hotels, in Lagos at least, are usually decorative, an accompaniment to other expensive furniture, light fittings assembled to entice the potential guest into being impressed enough to book an overpriced room. For interior decorators (presumably and not competent curators) tasked with the job, the art serves the purpose of just looking nice on otherwise bare walls. An aspiration to sophistication. The art hardly ever means or expresses anything, has no discernible story that inspired its creation.

William Chechet’s exhibition, We are the North held on the open ground floor walkaway of a nondescript but elegant hotel in highbrow Ikoyi. Only six of the works were hung. The rest were laid against the wall.

Guests walked past them on their way to lunch or a dip in the pool. They were a few metres away from the public rest rooms.

The exhibition almost exceeded my expectations.

The context of the work was promising enough. Chechet, in his early twenties, a graphic designer and pop artist had displaced easily recognisable cultural icons of Northern Nigeria from the background with which we have come to associate them. He moved them onto canvasses of colour and cool: magenta, yellow, graffiti, painted-on Instagram iconography. Chechet who grew up in North was inviting us to see his region in a different light.

These days, the most popular kind of artistry that comes out of Northern Nigeria is documentary photography. The subjects are always dire: bullet shells, torched churches, cars, malnourished children, IDP camps, all byproducts of a stubborn insurgency by terrorist group, Boko Haram.

Chechet’s work on the other hand featured stately gentlemen in turbans, richly embroidered baban rigas, who accessorised with foreign items: a fuchsia pink trumpet, a space helmet, a levitating gold crown, ornate, complicated-looking sunglasses (the kind we might soon see when virtual reality goes mainstream) These gentlemen were cool and cool to look at. The clash of traditional fashion with tech age objects of attraction for today’s millennial was aesthetically pleasing. But what did it all mean? Just art for art’s sake?

Ultimately, it turns out, Chechet’s colourful, “different” projection of the North was not that different at all. In all the works shown, only two featured women. One woman was accessorised with colourful butterflies.

As if to compensate for what I had just seen at Chechet’s, the next exhibition I went to, this time at Red Door Gallery, depicted women who had agency and were about to do something extraordinary: fly to space. I was on a tour of solo exhibitions that opened within days of each other and all featured contemporary artists under 30. The Nigerian art industry usually accused of being ageist and having room for only tried, tested and older artists was – finally! – bucking an unsavoury trend and giving promise and potential, a day in the sun.

Dennis Osadebe in his exhibition, ‘Remember the Future’ invites the viewer to fly within the star’s orbit.

Osadebe is a self-taught artist and a self-acclaimed Neo-African. The latter is an idealised tag that seeks to firmly establish that he is not traditional, that he will not create work that has become expected from or common amongst artists from an African origin. At least with artists from the modern era, popular with auction houses abroad. There would be no masks, masquerades, depictions of local gods or patterns or forms inspired by an indigenous local culture.

Deliverer, 38 x 26 inches, Photograph on Canvas by Eloghosa Osunde

What Church Do You Go To I, 40 x 26 inches, Digital, Acrylic on Canvas by Dennis Osadebe Remember the Future clearly follows this line of thought.

The exhibition was inspired by an evening news piece, of April 2016 on CNN where it was announced that Nigeria would be pursuing a space program. “I found it ridiculous. We were just queuing for fuel last week and this week we are going to space,” Osadebe says.

Presently and to no one’s surprise, the space program hasn’t been noted for much asides the announcement of its existence on a globally watched news network. Osadebe however has been at work since the news broke, a year-long effort that resulted in his currently showing exhibition which also happens to be his first solo.

The results are a bold, psychedelic splash of

social commentary and depiction of a pessimistic, dystopic future. For Osadebe, a space programme chasing Nigeria will still struggle with oil shortages. The program itself might inspire a new rash of “help”-seeking Nigerian 419 princes preying on the vulnerable and too trusting.

Osadebe, however, on the second floor of the exhibition sheds the space program entirely, the surviving attachment for his new palette of discourse being the space helmet. He uses this cleverly as a metaphor for technology and isolation to comment on varied topics from religion, to poor leadership, importation of print fabrics and culture, to how Nigeria forgets to remember her heroes. Immediately, this all seems too much to take in at once. Notably, the second half of the

exhibition could have been one on its own. Yet it all still works. Why? The curation of the exhibition as a whole is faultless. By way of a descriptive wall text, there is an admittance on the second floor that gears have shifted and the viewer should continue to keep focus, stay for the rest of the ride. This self-awareness though unsubtle, is the mark of a curator who understands how art is to be consumed and rescues the exhibition from going off course. The man responsible for this is Joseph Gergel. I daresay he deserves comparable praise to that which the artist will surely receive.

Curatorial accidents avoided, the artist’s message is clear. A dystopic Nigerian future will look very much like its present. Full of broken promises and poor results. Projects, like the space program will be announced with confetti and fanfare and then abandoned. We may continue to have leaders who rule from behind a space helmet, removed from empathy, compassion for their citizens, and in competence and capacity to do a good job.

Church leaders may continue to be isolated from the needs of their followers.

Ultimately, we will have no surprises and no change to look forward to contrary to inspired political campaign speeches. For an exhibition that makes such generous use of bright colours, its soul is quite dark.

There does seem to be a glimmer of hope in Osadebe’s work though in that the space engineers depicted in the first floor of the exhibition are all women. Was this a progressive comment on the artist’s part or the reverse, in saying a fictional – and therefore not real – future will have women running things?

Initially, I was convinced the artist meant the former. On second thought I wasn’t sure.

This is where the day’s uncertainties – of Chechet and Osadebe – ended.

From the unusual and fantasy of both aforementioned artists, I moved to the most familiar of all – family – in Eloghosa Osunde’s And We Have Entered Broken Earth (ANHWEBE,

63

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 18, 2017

ARTS & REVIEW\\VISUAL ARTS

REND...

usual thread: youth.

for short) showing at Rele Gallery. Unlike Chechet’s indifferent subject and Osadebe’s tentative translation, Osunde’s presentation is eagle-eyed. She knows what is at stake. She knows what she wants to say. Admittedly, she has an edge over two previously mentioned artists. Asides her work as an artist, Osunde is also a burgeoning writer and film maker once endorsed as one to watch out for by the iconic Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for her writing.

In this current exhibition, she brings this story telling skill to bear from the page to the canvas.

ANHWEBE is a collection of manipulated photographs that explore intergenerational family cycles. Osunde notes that in family there are things we inherit that we cannot see, things we learn but we do not know how, things that repeat themselves and we do not know why. These things may be familiar: violence, neglect, depression, trauma that does not leave scars on the flesh. Fathers and sons beat their wives. Mothers choose unhappiness, comfort over love, and years later, ask their daughters to make the same mistake. Children find love in short supply and as adults are unable to give what they do not have.

It seems very clear to me that young, untested artists are more competent than they are given credit for. If Chechet, Osadebe and Osunde are a median barometer with which to judge the swelling pool of millennial artistry, there’s promise in the potential here.

However, though critically noteworthy, their works might remain a commercial gamble for some time. One of Osadebe’s works was priced at N700, 000, a heady amount that an art dealer or gallery might find difficult to close on for an older, more accomplished, artist.

Yes, in today’s art climate and market, to borrow a cliché, talent is not enough.

Better judgement, in addition might suffice.

The Inverted Pyramid; Adapted from a novel by Emeka Dike

64

JUNE 18, 2017 •THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\MEMOIRS

A DELICIOUS DINNER WITHOUTTHE MAIN COURSE (IV) For Daniel Uwaezuoke, working under John Lynn – the man who led the team that arrested the late nationalist Chief Obafemi Awolowo – turned out to be one of the high points of his career as police officer John Lynn heads the C. I. D. Headquarters

T

he Nigeria Police Headquarters created five departments, which enabled it to assign various police duties, as it would make for efficiency in the performance of these tasks. These departments were named, according after the first five letters of the alphabet –A, B, C, D, E. ToADepartment was assigned the duty of correspondence and administration of the Force.

B Department was given the duty of maintaining law and order – if and wherever necessary by force.

C Department became the Treasury of the Force, accounting for all monies coming in and going out of the Force, including staff salaries. D Department was assigned the duty of protection of life and property, prevention ad detection of crime.And E Department was made the custodian of the nation’s internal and external safety. In short, it was Nigeria’s secret police.

When Mr John Lynn was drafted to head D Department, those who knew him well immediately enthused that a round peg had now been put in a round hole. Personally, I had heard people talk about “Richard the Lion Heart” but did not know what it would be like to possess a lion heart until Mr John Lynn took charge of D Department.

Here was a man, who was so committed to duty that he fearlessly led an investigation team that arrested one of Nigeria’s leading politicians alongside his party’s leading figures and charged them with treasonable felony. Chief ObafemiAwolowo was indeed loved and admired by many Nigerians. But Mr Lynn disregarded this fact and saw to it that he paid the penalty for his mistake together with the crème de la crème of his party faithful.

Mr Lynn, to ensure that he would not perjure himself when giving his leading prosecution evidence, co-opted me into the court proceedings.

This was by making me pretend to be a special reporter. My duty was to record, if and when possible, verbatim evidence he gave in the witness box in a way he checked with officially-recorded proceedings of the court.

Mr Lynn remembered that the leading defence counsel was a Queens Counsel from England – Mr Shawcross. He also remembered that the Chief Magistrate himself was one of Nigeria’s best brains.

So to give evidence in a treasonable felony case against this man and his other brilliant co-accused which lasted for three weeks with objections and counter-objections, without perjuring himself, was the sum total of why this man John Lynn ought to be respected as a man with lion heart indeed.

At the time O. O. Griffiths was reorganising the Central Criminal Registry, John Lynn was already the officer in charge, D Department, which was part of the registry.As I was involved in all aspects of O. O. Griffiths’s reorganisation, Mr Lynn easily derive a sense of satisfaction from the fact that he was using the right person.Again, this coincided with the period I passed the London University’s G. C. E. (O’ Level in 1960 andA’ Level in 1962). That was therefore why Mr Lynn thought I was good for everything.

Think of why he once made me O/C Stolen Cars.

This was at a time I was in charge Single Fingerprint.

How did that happen?

Insurance executives, concerned that the spate of stolen vehicles had started depleting their hoards of insurance premiums, had approached Mr Lynn for help. Mr Lynn immediately thought he had a capable sub-inspector recently promoted to handle the job, which required constant situation reports.

Thus, all reports of car theft – even of the theft of anything powered by a motor, no matter how small it was – had to be reported to me at whatever time. This included the night time.

Because all reports were sent to me by telephone, I was given priority over the use of a line in one of the blocks in Falomo Barracks, where I lived at that time.

During office hours, Olumese who was O/C Central Criminal Registry was instructed to allow free access to his phone.Ateam of eight non-commissioned officers (N. C. O.s) and men were formed to be my assistants.

Policemen, who were trained to be disciplined, feared blames capable of leading to disciplinary actions. Hence, they always shifted the responsibility for their actions, whenever they could. Little wonder then, when I used to be the O/C Stolen Cars, I knew no sleep. In the middle of the nights, reports for the O/C Stolen Cars would wake up the sergeant, in whose parlour the phone was installed. Consequently, that would also mean waking up my wife and I. This assignment lasted for three months, during which only two stolen cars – a Peugeot 404 and a Solo X Semi-cycle – were recovered. But Mr Lynn considered that a very huge success, especially after comparing notes with the experience in London. He warned the Insurance executives to expect an increase

A painting by Oyerinde Olotu not only in car thefts but also in all things being insured. This was as long as Nigeria had begun its march towards nationhood.

My assignment as O/C Stolen Cars was not my principal assignment as I was now in charge Single Fingerprint. I had a team of five men, which included a sergeant and motor vehicle driver, who drove our scene of crimeAustin Mini car.

Meanwhile, I continued to go to court to give evidence in cases needing proofs of previous conviction. I also prepared a chart of identity between a finger mark found at a scene of crime and fingerprint taken from a culprit.

Nobody, more so Mr Lynn, expected this special assignment as O/C Stolen Cars to keep me off from my scheduled duties, especially the ones recommended

by Mr O. O. Griffiths. So, during my stint as the O/C Stolen Car, I conducted another Experts’ course and examination for all the searchers, who did not pass O. O. Griffiths’s examination. That was what the latter had strongly recommended to ensure that only qualified experts would be regarded as experts.

My course and examination lasted less than a week and all searchers were in attendance. Mr Isaac Shasheyi, who was now anA. S. P. in Ibadan, volunteered to attend the course and take the examination.

He was one of the most humble, Christian-minded, detribalised persons I ever encountered in this part of the world.Anybody who has read my autobiography Destined to Triumph would recall that it was Mr Shasheyi, who nominated me for my first course in England when he was in charge of the Fingerprint Section. This alone was enough reason for me to count him out of my course and examination. Had I allowed him to attend the course, I would have been as ridiculous as the proverbial man who once boasted to his father that he had begotten a first son before him.

I simply declared Shasheyi an expert, which he truly was.

Meanwhile, Mr Lynn’s greatest headache – even worse than the one ChiefAwolowo’s case gave him – was the case of one habitual criminal named George Ossai. Ossai’s modus operandi was to operate at that time of the night when the elites and top executives would be snoring away the fatigue of the day’s thinking and labour. He found the G. R.A. s (Government ReservedAreas) of Ikoyi,Apapa and Ebute-Metta the most suitable areas for his operation.

Ossai specialised in gaining entrance into bedrooms and the living rooms of the rich men’s quarters.

He knew how best to remove both glass and wooden window panes and louvres. But in the process, he unknowingly left behind not less than 13 left and right thumb impressions as well as finger marks at the scenes of crime. I identified them as soon as they were brought to me in the Single Fingerprint.

Mr Lynn was so troubled by this case that he gave out a sum of 50 pounds (a large sum at that time) as reward for anyone, who could give information

leading to the arrest of George Ossai.Amugshot of Ossai, taken when he was in prison, was circulated and displayed.

Meanwhile, Mr Lynn had spent a large chunk of his information money on informants, who turned out to be fake. But George Ossai’s thumbprints from the scenes of crime led to his turning his attention to workers in the several building sites – like carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians, among others – in Ikoyi.

He had a hunch that Ossai could be hiding among any category of these workers and therefore ordered me to report at a strategic point along Bank Road in Ikoyi, where three expatriate superior police officers joined me.

All vehicles leaving Ikoyi that day – as also directed

by Mr Lynn – had to leave the neighbourhood by that route alone.Avery long queue was consequently formed and workers trooped one by one in a most orderly fashion I ever noticed. This was most obviously because white officers were conducting the exercise.

I examined the thumb impressions of not less than 650 workers from shortly after 4 p. m., when I started, to about 6: 30 p. m., when I concluded. Of course, George Ossai’s finger impressions were not found among the ones I checked.

But the elusive George Ossai would soon be found.

This was less than a month after I identified his thumb impression on a glass window louvre as usual. Three night watchmen had found him loitering. This was in a deserted street atApapa G. R.A. They couldn’t fathom what on earth he was doing there. So, they had to apprehend him and drag him to theApapa Police Station, where they handed him over to the desk sergeant on duty.

All this while, neither the watchmen nor the desk sergeant guessed that they were in the custody of a man on whose head lay a 50-pound reward and who had graduated in his notoriety to become one of the nation’s ten most wanted persons.

The desk sergeant meanwhile had kept Ossai behind the counter and was considering the charge he would slam on him as he recorded his arrest in his crime or station diary.

At about 5: 30 a.m., life began to stir once more at the police station, as the morning duty men trooped in. That was when Ossai began to contrive a trick that could possibly lead to his escape from custody.

He asked to be led to the urinal and the desk sergeant, who had just taken over duty from the previous one, instructed his available constable to escort the detainee to the urinal, which was quite a distance inside theApapa Police Barracks.

Midway to the urinal, the pair was spotted by SubInspector Obike, who was brushing his teeth at the verandah of his home. Obike promptly recognised Ossai, who once escaped from him on their way to Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.

The inspector jumped out from his verandah and grabbed Ossai by the waist belt of his shorts. With the available constable, he dragged the felon back to the station’s main building. There, a total pandemonium ensued when Obike informed everyone present that the man, who passed the night behind the counter, was none other than the nation’s Criminal of the Season.

Shortly afterwards, telephones began to shrill and vibrate in frenzy, as though possessed, on their receiver stands at the homes of various senior police officers. It all started from the O/CApapa Police Station’s desk. It was he, who rang Mr John Lynn. Then, Lynn of course remembered that the Inspector-General G. S. K. Bovell had to be informed before anyone else and he did so.

Mr Lynn’s first instruction toApapa Police after he was informed about George Ossai’s arrest was to take a full set of his fingerprints and send them over immediately. This instruction, they promptly complied with.

Before I left my Falomo Police Barracks home at 7: 30 a.m. for the office atAlagbon Close, I received more than six “O/C wants you IMMEDIATELY” orders from the men, who had just closed from night duty at our office.

At the office, Mr Lynn was awaiting my arrival.

The anxiety, written all over his face, suggested that I couldn’t have arrived too soon. He had the look of one who was waiting for an overdue arrival of a passenger aircraft.

He promptly handed me a set of fingerprints taken from Ossai just as he had instructed. I notice, as I took the set of fingerprints from him, that he was by then looking like one who was expecting a favourable result from a lottery game.

Aglance at the fingerprints told me they were George Ossai’s alright.And I informed Mr Lynn.

Thus, ended the eight-month long hunt for George Ossai. Now, let me digress here a bit and say a little more about the man, John Lynn. Recall that I once described him as having a lion heart. But, I would like to add another thing I discovered about this man: he had the memory of an elephant. So, to me, I saw both a lion and an elephant in him.

He was also not the kind of man who would entrust you with a bag of salt to take home for him and mischievously ask a rain-maker to make the rain that would drench you and the salt.

Rather, Mr Lynn – a Northern Irish native – would do anything to make it easy and satisfying for you.

I won’t dwell too much on this issue but will only provide one of the most glaring examples of what I have just disclosed.

OnAugust 31, 1962, I was still a police sergeant of less than a year’s experience. On November 16, 1964, I became an assistant superintendent of police who took over the Central Criminal Registry in just under three months.

-Sir Daniel, 92, lives in Enugu

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

65

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Disturbing Signals from Kogi How the moves to recall Senator Dino Melaye turned out violent in Kogi State is to say the least unfortunate. Olawale Olaleye writes

T

he moves to recall Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West assumed a violent dimension last week, when a counter-rally by the senator was attacked by suspected gunmen, claiming one casualty.

The suspected gunmen were reported to have attacked the senator while addressing his supporters in front of the state’s polytechnic and shot sporadically into the air. Three people were initially feared dead, reports later confirmed one dead.

Melaye, reports had it, had stopped in front of the institution to address his supporters due to the current political crises surrounding his office, when the gunmen emerged from the NATACO end of the road and started firing. The attack was said to have lasted some 30 minutes resulting in serious traffic and scamper to safety by people along the popular Lokoja-Abuja highway.

Melaye, who immediately took to his twitter handle to call out Governor Yahaya Bello of the state, said in some of his tweets: “Yahaya Bello is shooting the moon and boxing the air. Spending over one billion naira tax payers’ money on an unproductive venture, when salaries and pensions have not been paid is wicked. I will continue to defend the poor and defenseless masses of Kogi State.”

He also had some words for former Senator Smart Adeyemi, whom he defeated to become senator, saying efforts to displace him for the journalist-turned politician was in futility, because he would remain on the side of the people and no amount of intimidation would scare him from pursuing that which he considered the right thing.

Bello however responded by warning Melaye to desist from causing breakdown of law and order in the state in his bid to save his political career. He said the idea of using “violence to revive his drowning political career” was an ill-conceived tactic that would not be allowed by the relevant security agencies in the state.

The governor, who spoke through his spokesperson, Petra Onyegbule, noted that the death of a protester in the state must be blamed on Melaye, who also claimed to have escaped assassination after unknown gunmen attacked him as he was rounding off his speech at the rally.

Moves to recall Melaye assumed full cycle last weekend in all the seven local government areas of the district with people actually queuing to sign the referendum on his recall from the Senate. The local governments involved in the recall process were Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu, Lokoja, Kogi, Mopa/Amuro, Yagba West and Yagba East.

The exercise, which was monitored in several polling units across the local governments, reportedly witnessed large crowds of people taking turns with their voters’ cards to sign the register.

Melaye was believed to have been having it rough

with the sole administrator of Ijumu Local Government Council, Alhaji Taofiq Isah, following alleged assassination attempt on his life. Their disagreement, coupled with his confrontation with Governor Bello, was believed to have triggered the recall process.

When THISDAY visited some of the local government councils, it was discovered that the collection of signature took place in Lokoja and Kogi local government council penultimate Friday, while that of Ijumu, Yagba West and Yagba East took place last Saturday as people came out with photocopy of their PVCs to write their names.

The administrator of Ijumu council area, Alhaji Isah was in Unit One Ilu Avon in Aiyetorogbede, the unit of Melaye mobilising people for the recall of Melaye.

Many of those who spoke to THISDAY said they were mobilised to put down their names to recall Melaye from the National Assembly and to also submit photocopies of their PVCs as evidence.

At the Odo Ape Market Square Polling Unit, most of the signees were said to be non-indigenes, who berated the Senator for failing in his promises to them and deserting them after the 2015 elections.

Leader of the youths in the community, Muhammad Danjuma, said “We gave Dino full support in 2015, because we love APC and President Buhari. But now, Dino got there and has been insulting the president.

He has shown no respect to the party, no respect to the National Leader, Bola Tinubu, and no respect to us. He abandoned us after the election and has not bothered to see us since. We have made many attempts to reach him but he refused. We are tired of his arrogance.”

There is no doubting the fact that Melaye and Bello have not got along since the election of the governor, because some major members of the party have refused to see him as one of them. Although there have been efforts to reconcile them in the interest of the state, it is becoming increasingly clear that neither of both parties is ready to shift grounds and their animosity may tarry longer than anyone could imagine.

However, whilst the intrigues precipitated by power game are allowed, that the recall process of Melaye turned violent and claimed one life is worrisome and condemnable. Nothing in such an exercise should have instigated violence much less a gun battle as the recall process later turned out, when it is not an event of some transport union.

A lot, no doubt, is at stake for both parties. But the fact that a process meant to test the nation’s constitution assumed a needlessly violent twist must be investigated and a scapegoat made of the development, especially the roles believed to have been played by both the governor and the senator. This cannot be glossed over, albeit if the security agencies know their onions.

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

Now That the 2017 Budget is Signed…

F

Osinbajo

inally, the 2017 budget has been signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, after weeks of needless dilly-dally. It is good news, you may say.

However, it must not be lost on the actors that a major responsibility placed on the 2017 budget is that it would take the nation’s economy out

of recession and rejuvenate the system for a prosperous future.

Although the fact that the federal government is considering bringing back some of the capital projects earlier yanked off the budget during the appropriation process is equally a good development, government must operate, conscious of the need to exit recession next quarter.

As a result, government must take cognizance of the fact that time is of the essence as far as implementation is concerned. Already, preparations are on to ensure that 2018 budget is ready by October for presentation to the National Assembly. It is imperative, therefore, that the implementation of the 2017 budget takes off immediately and expeditiously.

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

66

• JUNE 18, 2017

BRIEFINGNOTES As Presidency, NJC Bicker over Recalled Judges Not many could understand why the federal government bickered with the National Judicial Council over the recall of the suspended justices, when for eight months, the alleged incriminating evidence and proceeds of crime it claimed were found in their homes could not be put together to initiate a profound trial. Davidson Iriekpen writes

A

ll is currently not well between the presidency and the National Judicial Council (NJC), since the council decided to recall the eight justices suspended following the raid on their homes by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) last October and allegations of corruption levelled against them by the federal government.

Following intense pressure, the NJC overlooked the presumption of innocence of the affected judicial officers by relieving them of their judicial duties pending the conclusion of investigations or determination of the cases filed against them.

But after eight months with no formal charges against the judges, the NJC on June 3, decided to recall them. It said it took the decision, because of the backlog of cases pending in courts due to the absence of the judges.

No sooner had the council taken the decision than the government which had largely been docile in taking appropriate actions against the judges in over eight months, suddenly woke up to attack the NJC. First to react on its behalf was the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, (SAN), who said the judiciary took a hasty decision, and that it was not on board with anti-graft war of the government. He asked the council to rescind its decision in the interest of the war against corruption.

Also, the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, lambasted the NJC for reinstating the suspended judges, accusing the body of condoning corruption. He declared that the council was working against government and that the presidency was disappointed. He further stated that the council was trying to protect the suspended judges from prosecution.

The presidential aide said the public would lose confidence in those judges, if they resumed work, as the allegations of bribery and corruption were still hanging on their necks. He wondered why the NJC took the action of recalling the judges, when the body was aware that the EFCC was about to file criminal charges against them.

Obono-Obla specifically challenged the NJC recall of Justice Adeniyi Ademola, when it was aware that the government had appealed against his discharge by the Federal High Court and a record of entry at the Appeal Court by the prosecutor.

In its response, however, the NJC accused the government of telling lies over the recall of the suspended judges. It said since there were no cases against them pending in any court, there was no reason to keep them perpetually suspended.

A statement by its Director of Information, Soji Oye, said it was particularly concerned about the statement issued by Obono-Obla that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had filed a notice of appeal against the ruling of

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen during his swearing-in by President Muhammadu Buhari Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for discharging and acquitting Justice Ademola and 2 others on April 7, 2017.

Oye, in the statement titled: ‘Putting the Record Straight’ said, when the parties were invited by the FCT High Court for settlement of records to be transmitted to the Court of Appeal on April 18, 2017, the appellant failed to turn up and the Registrar of the court further adjourned the settlement of records to April 21, 2017, and invited all the parties, but the appellant again did not come to court.

According to the NJC, the 45 days allowed for compilation of record in all circumstances expired on May 7, 2017, for the Registrar of the lower court and May 22, 2017, for the appellant. It noted that the office of the AGF only filed additional grounds of appeal in the court on June 6, 2017, three days after the press release by the council that the judicial officers had been directed to resume duties.

The exchange of words between the government and the NJC has again exposed the lackluster manner the office of the AGF and prosecuting agencies handle cases in courts and how they delay in charging suspects to courts, thereby allowing them languish in detention.

To many, it was unbelievable that for eight months, the alleged incriminating evidence and proceeds of crime the federal government claimed it found in the judges’ homes could not be put together to initiate trial against those yet to be charged, or get conviction in the only case that had

been concluded. The usual excuse of the complexity involved in handling the prosecution of corruption cases cannot explain away eight long months of inactivity on the judges’ cases, while they were already serving punishment for offences they have yet to be charged in court with, let alone being found guilty. It is the law in this jurisdiction that the burden of proof rests on the party that alleges.

This dictum applies to all criminal cases and not corruption matters alone.

It was therefore the belief of many that since there was no case against the judges the NJC was perfectly in order to have recalled them. Many analysts therefore believed it was uncharitable to criticise the NJC for asking those who have not been charged to court and the person who has been given a clean bill of health to resume duties.

As a result, many questions are begging for answers here. Would it have been more appropriate for those judges who have been staying at home for eight months to continue to do so for as long as it took the anti-corruption agencies to file cases against them in the court? Or should Justice Ademola be prevented from benefitting from the outcome of his case in court, especially when the judgment of the court in his favour has yet to be properly appealed?

Even if the verdict of the trial court has been appealed by the EFCC, is an appeal tantamount to a stay of execution? What has the anti-corruption agencies been doing for eight months that they could not build iron-clad cases against these

NOTES FOR FILE

judicial officers if indeed they had strong evidence against them? And why did the EFCC, in what seemed like a childish move and an afterthought, rush to court to file processes against the judges it did not charge to court for eight months now that the NJC had recalled them from suspension?

Many Nigerians wrongly thought that the EFCC job of prosecuting the judges would be simple given the items of evidential value allegedly recovered from some of them, when their homes were raided some months ago by the operatives of the DSS. The agencies should have allowed the NJC to exercise its constitutional disciplinary control over the affected persons, who are judges of superior courts of record, after which they would commence criminal trial.

Ironically, the presidency that is accusing the NJC of not being on board with it in the fight against corruption has allegedly failed to act on the recommendations of the NJC to it to dismiss or compulsorily retire some judicial officers, who were found guilty of corrupt practices.

This is why observers believe that the travail of the judges has exposed what Nigerians go through in the hands of state agencies. They wonder how a person alleged to have contravened the law would be made to serve punishment for eight months without a formal charge against him or her. Prosecutors are therefore advised to endeavour to work hard and responsibly within the ambit of the law to get justice without inflicting unwarranted punishment on suspects.

Adieu, Stay of Proceedings!

A recent ruling by the nation’s apex court, which upheld the provisions of Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and Section 40 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, prohibiting courts in the country from granting stay of proceedings in criminal trials is clearly a landmark decision.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Dattijo Muhammed, in a unanimous ruling delivered penultimate Friday, had contended that by virtue of the provisions of both laws, no court in the country, including the Supreme Court, had the power to stay proceedings in a criminal case. Other members of the panel were Justices Muhammad, Justice

Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Ejembi Eko and Sidi Bage.They all agreed with the lead ruling.

On whether or not the two provisions – Section 306 of ACJA and Section 40 of the EFCC Act – prohibiting courts from staying proceedings in a criminal trial contravene the constitutional right to appeal by persons charged with offences, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, who delivered the lead ruling, held that the provisions of both laws do not contravene the constitution.

She, however, held that both provisions are in agreement with Section 36(4) of the constitution, which provides that any person charged with a criminal offence“shall be entitled to fair hearing in public within

a reasonable time”. It is only logical, she reckoned, that to interpret the spirit of the foregoing constitutional provisions to translate that, where the grant of an application for stay will unnecessarily delay and prolong the proceedings, it should not be granted.

For those with criminal cases in various courts of the land, the days of mischievous use of technical delays of cases appear over.They must fasten their seat belts and learn to work diligently on cases when the opportunity for fair hearing avails itself. It is definitely a good development as the abuse of court processes has already become a norm.

Perhaps, this decision will send an even stronger message.

Onnoghen

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

67

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

Osun’s Bye-election and 2018 Undercurrents The intrigues so far trailing the bye-election to replace the late senator representing Osun West senatorial district, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, are indicative of the undercurrents that could ultimately show the shape next year’s governorship election in the state would take. Yinka Kolawole writes

T

he issue in the bye-election for Osun West senatorial district is how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dramatically and unanimously picked the younger brother to the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Demola, for the July 8 bye-election in Osun State. Demola Adeleke emerged the PDP candidate with 343 votes, when former Minister of Youth and Sport, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, and Lt. Col. Olayiwola Talabi (rtd), stepped down for him.

However, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary held at Egbedore Local Government Council area of the state, the sole aspirant, Senator Mudashir Hussein, also won the primary with 2,412 votes from 2,413 delegates.

For the PDP, Adeleke’s emergence became possible, when two other contestants for the ticket, Olasunkanmi and Falabi stepped down for him.

Adeleke had earlier been screened and given clearance by the APC screening and election committee while Senator Mudashiru Hussein, the choice candidate of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, was disqualified. The national working committee of the party later upturned the report of the appeal committee, which stood by its disqualification of Hussein, following interventions from powerful quarters, both in Lagos and Abuja.

Thus, upturning the decision of the screening and appeal committees by the NWC gave Ademola some suspicion that the primary might not be as credible and transparent. He therefore approached PDP to run on their platform and he was subsequently screened and cleared less than 24 hours to the party’s primary.

In Iwo, where the PDP held its primary, Senator Olasunkanmi and Falabi stepped down for Adeleke after addressing the delegates. Curiously, while both Falabi and Olasunkanmi announced that they were stepping down for Adeleke, there was wild jubilation at the venue. Olasunkanmi, in his concession speech, said other aspirants had decided to step down for him but he had to step down too after several calls from various quarters.

According to him, the party was promised that Osun West would produce the governorship candidate for the party next year and that he was stepping down in the party’s interest and not for Adeleke.

Interestingly, Falade had emerged the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate before his defection to PDP as well as Adeleke who had emerged the unopposed candidate of the APC as soon as his co-contestant, Hussain, was disqualified by the APC screening and the appeal committees.

But after several interventions, Hussain was eventually cleared by the NWC of the APC hence the reason Adeleke left the party.

In his resignation letter made available to THISDAY by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Ajibola Bashiru, Adeleke said his resignation was due to lack of trust in the party.

“I am constrained to take this decision due to the obvious manipulations by political godfathers and power brokers that created the cloudy and controversial circumstances that led to the mysterious re-qualification of a candidate that was disqualified at two levels of the party’s screening committee.

“Equally important and unacceptable is the fact that the party has chosen to conduct the primary in Osogbo instead of Iwo, the senatorial district headquarters, thereby exposing the process to potential nullification” and therefore reiterated his lack of confidence in the

Adeleke

outcome of the primary saying, “a manipulated process will only lead to a manipulated outcome”.

In its reaction, the APC said, “We received a letter, conveying the decision of Otunba Ademola Adeleke to withdraw from the primaries being conducted in which he is slated to contest as a candidate for the position of Senator for the Osun West Senatorial District, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

“He claimed he based his decision on two grounds: what he termed as obvious manipulations and interference by political godfathers and power brokers that created the cloudy and controversial circumstances that led to the mysterious re-qualification of a candidate that was disqualified at two levels of the party’s screening process.

“His grouse with the non-use of Iwo for the election, because he takes it the headquarters of the Osun West Senatorial District; he also tied the withdrawal of his candidature to his total resignation from the APC.” Addressing the issues, the APC said Adeleke had been riding on mischief all along, concocting false and irrational explanations as a subterfuge for his failed attempt to destabilise the party in the state.

The APC noted that, it was obvious that Adeleke was not conversant with the processes for the nomination of a candidate to contest an election in our party. Contrary to his erroneous claim of obvious manipulations and interference, paragraph 16(d) of the 2014 Guidelines for the Nomination of Candidates for Public Office makes it clear that the National Working Party (NWC), acting on behalf of National Executive Committee (NEC), is the ultimate authority on the qualifications of candidates to contest a primary election.

This is more so if an appeal is lodged by any aggrieved aspirant or candidate.

Therefore, the decision of the NWC cannot be seen as manipulation, as this has been the standard practice of our great party since its formation.

The APC further said the claim that

Hussein

the primary was not being held at the Senatorial District headquarters was baseless.

“For one thing, there is no such thing as a senatorial district headquarters in the 1999 Constitution. As such, there is no provision either in the Constitution of the APC or the 2014 Guidelines for the nomination of candidates for public office that the primaries must be held at a particular venue.

“For example, the presidential primary in 2015 was held in Lagos. It could have been held in Osogbo or anywhere else in the country. Consequently, the available records now reveal that Otunba Adeleke was never a member of APC in the state, as there is no evidence of his registration as a member in his Abogunde/Sagba Ward 2 in Ede North LGA. “There are also no records of his involvement in party meetings at all levels. Rather, there is a petition, dated the 9th day of June, 2017, which was to the effect that Otunba Adeleke was not a member of the APC. At best, his only affiliation with the party was his occasional appearances with his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, at party functions, particularly the campaigns.

“The fact that he was a member of the Adeleke family therefore cannot and does not confer membership of the APC on him. This is like the case of Fadeyi Oloro, a popular Yoruba artiste, who always attends APC functions, without being a member of our great party.

“In any event, at the Security Stakeholders Meeting held just yesterday, where Otunba Adeleke was represented by his brother, Dele Adeleke, he did not object to the arrangements for the primary, but rather concurred with the outlined procedure, including the venue, security and logistic arrangements.

“As such, the purported withdrawal and resignation of Adeleke was therefore, an afterthought as well as an admission of his obvious weakness to confront a formidable opponent with massive grassroots support. APC Osun cannot be blackmailed by an opportun-

ist and upstart, who was committed to stealing our mandate to the detriment of loyal and committed members, who have toiled and sacrificed to build a formidable party of choice in the State of Osun and the country at large.

Final Analysis…

Drawing from this development, it is good for parties to stand by their people at difficult times, but importantly, the power play that trailed the emergence of the two candidates for the election are some of the undercurrents to watch out for as Osun looks forward to another governorship election next year.

Suffice it to say that it was Husain, who, in 2015, voluntarily relinquished the same seat being contested to the late Isiaka Adeleke, after having won with a landslide and at the behest of the party.

Husain accepted the demand of the party to surrender the senate ticket as a mark of honour for the deceased Senator and respect for the decision of the party.

Enter the SDP Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bade Falade, has also won the SDP ticket. He emerged winner at a primary conducted in Iwo, last week.

He polled 15 votes to beat his closest challenger, Hon. Rasheed Adeyemo, who polled 12 votes. Chairman of the election team, Chief Dada, who announced the results said 28 delegates participated in the exercise.

But with the emergence of Falade as the standard bearer for SDP, the July 8 bye-election promises to be a three-horse race with the real battle to be slugged between Hussein of the APC and Adeleke of the PDP. And like the Ondo governorship battle, the Osun bye-election has a lot to sell to the governorship election of next year, which in turn is very much connected to the general election of 2019.

With the godfathers and gladiators now situating their interests, it is yet to be seen how the election will pan out. But certainly, it is an election that holds one of the aces to the 2019 direction.

68

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/REPORT

Saraki arriving CCT during his trial days

For Saraki, an Obnoxious Chapter Closes The acquittal on Wednesday of Senate President Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal automatically ended two years of one of the most celebrated corruption trials in the country, writes Olawale Olaleye with additional information by Anayo Okolie

T

he news of the acquittal and discharge of Senate President Bukola Saraki did not come as a shocker to the critical few. A religious monitoring of the facts and figures as presented during the proceedings had indicated that ultimately, it was going to end a clear case of no submission.

The reason is not far-fetched. If after two years of naming and shaming with so much media blitz and glitz, government still had nothing to substantiate its allegations, then the law, without any form of interference, would stamp its feet. That, of course, was what happened in the case of Saraki.

Saraki is definitely not a saint nor is any mortal. He is by no standard infallible. But everything about his trial was flawed ab initio. Neither the timing, which came nearly about 15 years that the alleged offence was committed nor the mercurial charges suggested anything further than the way it eventually ended on Wednesday, July 14, two years after incalculable distraction and time-wasting of both a major player and a critical institution in the democratic evolution of the country.

The Grounds for Acquittal The CCT last Wednesday upheld the no-case submission of the Senate President and consequently discharged him of all the 18-count charge brought against him by the federal government. Chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, in a ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defendant, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Saraki.

The tribunal stated that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was manifestly unreliable and that no court could attach value to such let alone convict on it. The tribunal also stated that the testimony of the third prosecution witness, who admitted that his report was based on information from his team members, rendered the whole evidence linking the defendant to the alleged offences invalid, adding that no conviction could be made on hearsay.

The tribunal explained that the admittance of the first prosecution witness under cross-examination that the defendant was not invited for clarification on the grey areas in his assets form grossly affected the competence of the charges, adding also that the claim by the second prosecution witness that all documents it had linking Saraki to the alleged offences were lost in a fire accident further neutralised the evidence.

It was against these backdrops and more that the tribunal agreed with Saraki that the evidence so far presented by the prosecution in the case against him was unreliable and did not warrant him to open his defence.

The Road to Acquittal Suffice it to say that in the days leading up to the Wednesday ruling by the CCT, it was clear that the case of discrepancies in assets declaration filed by the federal government against Saraki had reached the terminal stage. It was certain that after two years, the tribunal was going to take a decision on whether to sustain the claim by Saraki’s defence team, headed by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, to either throw out the case or reject the claim by Saraki’s legal team and then compel them to open their defence proper.

At this time, the public interest aspect of the case was that as the tribunal took a decision, it must situate its ruling in the context of what would best serve the national interest between upholding the plea of the defence team or affirming the submission of the prosecutors, who had spent the last 23 months seeking to justify their case.

Besides, Saraki had consistently claimed that the CCT case against him represented persecution rather than prosecution and that it was the fallout of the contest for office of the Senate President, which he won. At this point, Umar and his colleague, Peter Atedze, had the opportunity to examine this claim more dispassionately than they had ever done.

And since there had been suggestions in several quarters that diligent and forensic investigation had not been done by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau, both of whom had collaborated to bring the case to court, thereby occasioning sloppiness in the case of the prosecution, the tribunal had the singular opportunity to intervene expeditiously.

The intervention of the tribunal, expectedly, would be to the effect of terminating the case and saving the nation unnecessary tension, preventing wastage of public resource, averting travesty of justice and unwarranted heating up of the polity as had been witnessed in the last two years that the trial started.

However, to do this, it became incumbent on the tribunal to demonstrate its commitment to justice. The two judges, for whatever it was worth, must be bold and ready to ignore the distraction which was sure to come down the line, if as usual, the game of blackmail resumed again with existential claims in certain quarter that the tribunal members had been compromised to deliver its ruling in a certain way or the other.

It is worthy of mention that the trick of raising allegations against judges on the eve of delivering judgment was witnessed, when the case filed against the entire proceeding came up at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal last year. There were instances, where judges presiding over cases had to recuse themselves. This, perhaps, had prepared the tribunal members better in delivering justice, regardless of

whose ox is gored or the interest it might serve at the end of the day.

Although expectation was that the ruling could have gone either way, one common factor, however, in a case of quasicriminal nature like the asset declaration matter that involved Saraki is that the prosecution must have to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. And from the proceedings so far, it did not appear that the prosecution headed by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had done this and there were reasons to believe huge gaps existed in the case of the prosecution.

For instance, while the star witness, Mr. Michael Wetkas, appeared in the witness box, people pointed out some holes and many thought they would use subsequent witnesses to tidy up the case and strengthen their evidence. However, subsequent witnesses turned out to be way below the Wetkas performance. If anything, the subsequent witnesses actually diminished the case of the prosecution.

It was therefore not unexpected that if on the basis of the performance of the prosecution, it would be difficult to decide the case in their favour. Of course, if the ruling had gone south for Saraki, it was definitely not going to be his end. The worst that could have happened was that if the tribunal had ruled against his no-case submission, the defence lawyers would go full blast to present his case, which they seemed not to have from all indications.

And that, of course, would be a long haul trial. But with full politics certain to commence early next year, it was unlikely that the trial would also survive the political dynamics that would have dominated the horizon. But the tribunal was smart enough to see that the trial was a highway to nowhere and indeed, a sheer waste of time and expectedly, dispensed with the case on the no-case grounds.

The Politics of Interests It was no wonder, therefore, that mixed reactions, a majority of them positive, immediately trailed the CCT ruling, because mostly, the discerning could relate with the politics of the trial than the façade of combating corruption, which was the face presented to the public.

It is however sad that quite a few, many of them very educated Nigerians, had a premeditated expectation of what the decision of the CCT should be on the Saraki matter, whether or not the facts support their mindset. The preponderance of these tilted debates would rather embrace double standards in this case, because it is Saraki and not because the facts of the case stand firmly in their support.

For example, when the CCT freed former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Bola Tinubu on nearly the same grounds, he

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

69

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/REPORT • ‘For Saraki, an obnoxiouS Chapter CloSeS’• was applauded all over in what was largely termed “the persecution of the generalissimo”. But when the same CCT freed Saraki on Wednesday, the judiciary was branded compromised and the roof was almost pulled down for two days running as many of these people would rather Saraki was thrown behind the bars, whether or not he was found guilty.

A renowned professor of law, Itsay Sagay, for instance, when Tinubu was freed said “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s trial was politically motivated. There is no prima facie evidence against the former Lagos governor. And since you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand, the trial is bound to fail.”

But the same Sagay, while commenting on the acquittal of Saraki by the CCT, reasoned differently. Hear him: “There is nothing political about Saraki’s trial. A crime is a crime, no matter who’s committed it. I was shocked by the ruling. The amount of evidence against Saraki is overwhelming. The war against corruption must undergo serious review.”

That, unfortunately, was not all about the double standards that have so far typified Saraki’s trial and eventual acquittal.

When he hired five SANs to pursue his case at the CCT, he was heavily criticised, but when President Muhammadu Buhari employed the services of 13 SANs over his certificate matter, they saw nothing wrong with it, because after all, the president must fight his case well.

Former Lagos State Speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, was tried by the EFCC for corruption but did not vacate his speakership throughout his trial and it was okay then. But when Saraki started his trial at CCT and did not vacate as president, they almost pulled down the roof because it was Saraki, querying why he would be going to trial as senate president, number three citizen of the country.

What more, Ikuforiji was acquitted of a 54-count charge by the court after a-no-case submission and no one accused the judiciary of colluding with him for a favourable ruling. Today, in a most resentful sense, Saraki and Justice Adeniyi Ademola were freed under similar circumstance after a no-case submission was filed and the judiciary has been accused of complicity.

Clearly, the law functions strictly on the basis of facts and not fictions before it, regardless of the weight of the case or the assumption that may have preceded proceedings. At the end of the day, after dealing with the facts if there were any, judgment would not be given outside the precinct of the evidence as provided by all concerned.

It is bad enough that it would take nearly 15 years for the authority to spot that Saraki had committed an infraction, soon after he emerged President of the Senate against all odds, that he would go through the embarrassment of sitting in the witness box in a trial that last nearly two years without his accusers being able to provide evidence is shameful and given a different scenario, he should have been awarded damages for wasting his time and distracting him from concentrating on a more important assignment.

Therefore, when persons who should know better decide to be partisan in their commentaries, because they do not like the characters involved in a particular matter, then justice and its process are being put in harm’s way and deliberately so.

Interestingly, such dissenting views have not stifled others, who could reason with clear heads and see the trial for what it was.

The senator representing Ogun East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu; the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian National Summit Group (NNSG), Mr. Tony Uranta, and Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, were amongst the first to react to the development as they hailed the ruling as victory for democracy and the rule of law.

Kashamu in a statement said: “I received with joy the news of the dismissal of the 18-count charge against Saraki, and his discharge from the trial by the CCT. This development gladdens my heart, because it will help to deepen our democracy and further entrench the principles of the separation of powers and the rule of law.

“I salute the judiciary for proving yet again that it is the fulcrum of our democracy and sacred institution that can be relied upon in resolving disputes between the state and individuals without fear or favour,” he said praising his colleagues in the National Assembly, especially the Senate, for standing by Saraki while the trial lasted.

“The resilience and support of my colleagues at the National Assembly, especially the Senate, no doubt, would have served

Continued on Pg. 68

Saraki greeting his team of lawyers

Saraki surrounded by senators, who accompanied him to the CCT

as a strong elixir for Saraki while the dark cloud hovered over his political firmament…While the trial lasted, Saraki stood strong with his belief in the Almighty Allah. He showed that he was a rare leader, who knew his onions; unbowed, savvy and sagacious. He never allowed his trial to hamper his job as the Chairman of the National Assembly and President of the Senate.

In his statement made available to THISDAY, Uranta said the nation’s faith in the judiciary is further strengthened, noting that it is apt for every accused person to have their day using the court of law to prove their innocence or otherwise.

“Saraki was accused, had his days in court and has been discharged…meaning he’s been exculpated. Our faith in the judiciary and the rule of law has yet again been justified! It is better to take time to investigate thoroughly, give every accused person their day in court, and allow the law take its full course, rather than let mob anarchy or trial-by-media substitute for due process. Also, we all must stop seeing accused persons through the distorted narratives lens of partisan or ethno-religious prejudice.”

However, Frank, on his part said the verdict of the CCT freeing Saraki of corruption charges would help the upper chamber to focus more on making laws that would positively impact on humanity.

In a statement in Abuja, Frank said the ruling that the prosecution team failed to prove the allegation against the Senate President showed that “it was initially a mere political victimisation engineered by a section of the ruling class.”

The tribunal stated that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was manifestly unreliable and that no court could attach value to such let alone convict on it. The tribunal also stated that the testimony of the third prosecution witness, who admitted that his report was based on information from his team members, rendered the whole evidence linking the defendant to the alleged offences invalid, adding that no conviction could be made on hearsay. The tribunal explained that the admittance of the first prosecution witness under cross-examination that the defendant was not invited for clarification on the grey areas in his assets form grossly affected the competence of the charges

While commending the tribunal for allowing justice to prevail at the end, he said the judgment would make the Senate President to be more focused in making laws that will positively impact on humanity.

The APC Deputy Publicity Secretary thanked all the party leaders and supporters across the country that stood by and believe in the leadership of Saraki even while the case was going on.

“Now that the case has been laid to rest, I call on our leaders to come together and form a united force for the sake of our party and the progress of Nigeria project,” he urged, noting that the victory was not for Saraki alone but Nigerians at large and called on both the executive and the legislature to work together to raise the living standard of Nigerians.

TIMELINE OF SARAKI’S TRIAL

*September 11, 2015: Justice Ministry filed an application at the CCB asking for the commencement of trial of Saraki on a 13 count-charge *September 17, 2015: Saraki filed an application asking the tribunal to quash the charge against him. *September 18, 2015: The prosecution counsel, Muslim Hassan, asked the tribunal to order Saraki’s arrest for failing to appear before it, arguing that Saraki had no power to halt a trial of the tribunal. But Saraki’s counsel argued that his client did not appear because the constitution of the CCT was illegal and consequently rendered the trial ultra vires *September 18, 2015: The tribunal dismissed Saraki’s application and issued a bench warrant for the Inspector General of Police to produce hi in court. *September 22, 2015: Saraki appeared before the tribunal, pleaded not guilty to 13-count charge of corruption. *April 24, 2016: Saraki filed a motion to stop CCT trial but dismissed by the tribunal. *April 28, 2016: Saraki was re-arraigned on an amended 16-count charge of corruption. But his lawyer said he was rich before becoming governor. *May 11, 2016: Witness alleged that property declared by Senate President did not exist. *June 7, 2016: Danladi Umar, chairman of the CCT, accused Saraki of tactically delaying his trial. *February 23, 2017: Saraki re-arraigned on amended 18-count charge *May 5, 2017: Prosecution closed its case *May 26, 2017: Saraki filed application for a no-casesubmission. *June 14, 2017: Finally, after 21 months, Saraki was discharged and acquitted of the 18-count charge.

70

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW Mohammed Babandede

Most of the Threats to Nigeria Are Coming from North Africa The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Mohammed Babandede, hails from Jigawa State.

Born in 1963, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History/Islamic Studies and also has a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. Prior to his appointment as CG, he was the DCG, Operations and Passports. He also served as ACG Passport at the Immigration headquarters between December 2012 and January 2014. He is currently the longest serving senior officer in the NIS. In this interview, he speaks on what his agency is doing to implement the Executive Order recently signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, and how the service is tackling immigration challenges under his leadership, among other issues. He spoke with Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Bolaji Adebiyi Excepts:

T

he Acting President Yemi Osibanjo, recently signed an Executive Order that is expected to facilitate easy ways of doing business in Nigeria. How prepared is your service in the implementation of those aspects affecting your agency?

Thank you very much. I’m glad to say that Nigeria is among the comity of countries with the ease of doing business. The Executive Order is expected to address three issues: transparency, accountability

and efficiency in government. What the Executive Order is saying is: look, whatever you want to do as a government agency, you need to be transparent - in terms of fees, in terms of requirements, in terms of timeline. A situation where you apply for a facility in government and the requirements are not clear is not good for our system; the fees are not stated clearly, timeframe are not given. You may end up applying for a facility in government and it will take years and nobody will reply you. That is the idea of the Executive Order, which says that there should be transparency in government. Which

means, all requirements for applying for passports, for visas, for residence permit should be clearly stated; items and where to apply for facility should be clearly identified so that you don’t change the items in the middle of the process. You apply for a passport and they tell you, you need five documents and in the middle of it, they tell you, no we need six or seven items.

It doesn’t help the system. Prices should be clearly fixed and be stated so that at least, the people will know. I’m glad to say that the Nigerian Immigration Service did the best in terms of website. The first contact an individual has with an institution,

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

71

SUNDAY INTERVIEW • ‘We are Doing eCoWaS CarD BiometriCS to monitor movement of HerDSmen’ • Continued on Pg.70

Babandede

institution like ours, is the website. You can apply for our services online, passport can be paid online. So, we have been able to update our website, www.immigration.org.ng to make it user-friendly and make things very clear to the public. If you go to the website, you can see that all our requirements for the services we provide, are very clearly stated with the fees.

What government is telling us now is to give timelines in all the facilities we issue. In terms of that, we have complied. If you go to our website, you will see full compliance in respect of that. We have finalised all our documentations in terms of the facilities that we issue. So, on the issue of transparency, we have done well. For example, if we refuse to recruit a pregnant woman and she complains, we will tell her that what we had published the requirements in the newspapers; we don’t need to hide our requirements again. What the government is saying is that the publication of the requirements in the newspapers must be carried out, so that there will be transparency. People recently complained why we stated the requirements in our publication in the newspapers. Unfortunately, people don’t know that all the para-military agencies also comply with those issues we stated, but, don’t publish them. Now, we will publish them. So, I’m proud to say that, in terms of transparency, we are doing well. In terms of ports, there is an Executive Order of entry and exit of persons; that we should be clear on the issue of arrival. I’m glad to tell you today that unlike before, where all the companies will have to come to Abuja from Lagos, Port Harcourt, from different locations to apply for these facilities, we have stopped that. And we are now saying: don’t come. We have provided an authenticated email where you can contact us; that before automation you can send your application to AO@nigerianimmigrations.org.ng, we will process the application and then send the approval by email.

You don’t need to come down to Abuja. It is your arrival in the office that creates the desire for corruption; you are stressed and you really don’t want to go back again. Now, we really want everybody to apply by email. Before the end of the year, we want to do automation, where you can go to the system, pick application form, process it and submit. After processing the application, we will send it to you via email. But, for now, we are doing it by email. Many companies, public relations officers and others are not happy because, they don’t have money to apply for transport to come to Abuja. Also, we were able to deal with our officers at the various borders, and at the airports. We are saying do not spoil the name of the country.

Because, you are the very first people to receive a visitor and you are the last people to see the person going out. The way we interact with passengers is the way people feel about our country. As he/she departs, he goes with the memory he/ she got at the airport. The airport has been sanitised now. I visited the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos two months ago, under what I call ‘under cover’’, I was there. I was wearing FAAN uniform to see how the officers will work.

Thereafter, I transferred some of them; some of them were queried; some, their tags were removed, while some of them are no longer working at the airport. This is the era of change and they have to change because, they know I will be there anytime. And every time I travelled, I don’t take a shortcut. I follow the queue like every other person. You will agree with me, you are free to interview the passengers, the difference between then and now is how passengers are being treated in our airports today, compare to some months ago. The changes are tremendous - not only in our airports, but even in land borders; we have done the same at the Seme Border. We have removed the officer at Seme Border for demanding money

and for texting the officers to bring him returns. We have removed him and things have been sanitised. I’m glad to tell you that Seme Border, Idiroko Border and others are receiving passengers... I assure you that I will visit such other locations but not in uniform, not as a comptroller-general. I will visit as a passenger. They are aware that I can come anytime. So, they are very serious with their work. In terms of compliance with the Executive Order, we have done well. We have compiled the documents. We will present it to the public very soon.

Just a follow up. We have always had this directive but, we discover that after sometime, everything will just fizzle out.

How are you ensuring that this directive is sustained? How do you get your men to be part of this process you are trying to put in place, so that it’s not just an interim issue?

The reason things of this nature failed before is because you don’t bring it to the public. When you educate the public that, if you want to get residence permit for your expatriate, you need a particular period of time to get it, people will fall in line; that, the law allows that after the expiry time you can apply direct to the minister for your permit. That is what the Executive Order says, it is not only in the Immigration but in all agencies providing public services in the country. It will be in the public domain. The documents we have produced, which will be launched very soon, will be made available to the public. If you apply for a passport, these are the requirements.

There is a period required, seven to eight hours, and after that period and we don’t text you or write a letter to you, you have the right to apply to the minister telling him that approval to your request has not been granted. But if we have difficulties, we will write you. We will make the document available to the public. I always say that changes are not validated by those who do it but by those we serve. So, we need to validate these changes through the public. The public needs to say: look, things have changed. I assure you it will last because the public will not give up in looking for what is right. The media also need to bring it to the front burner of our national discourse by making sure that the agencies involved comply with the Executive Order.

Another issue that has to do with the Executive Order is also the issue of different agencies at the port, both at the land borders and the airports. The order requires that you have one-stop-shop, how is that coming out?

As far as we are concerned, the immigration will always keep to the global best practice. We have said this on several occasions. We have also argued it several times before the Executive Order was given. The process is very simple: you arrive at the airport, I’m not given you examples of international airports like, Gatwick, Heathrow and Frankfurt, I’m just giving you examples in countries like Ghana and Addis Ababa; on arrival at the airport, you meet immigration officers at the counter, no other persons are allowed to receive you, not touts.

You just land and meet immigration officers at the counter; you pick your bag; the next people that you will see are the customs; you have the choice to either pass through green or the red, if you want to declare your items you go through red; if you want to pass the green, the customs have the right to use equipment, and if they suspect something, using dogs, they can put you aside and search you. When you are leaving the airport, you put your luggage in the scanner. That is the practice in every airport in the world; that, when you are departing you put your luggage in the scanner and if you are coming in, you also put your luggage in the scanner. So that every agency that is interested in goods and items could use

the scanner. If things work well we don’t need many agencies to be present at the airport; they don’t need to be physically present to do their jobs. They can do surveillances, some of the secret services can travel around with the passengers to see what is happening. Cameras are around, we don’t need to have a system where multiple people will need to check your bags and check your passport; there is no need for that.

Do you have the equipment that is required to handle these services?

Well, I will not speak on behalf of FAAN. It has contacted many of the agencies operating at the airports to ensure that the equipment is purchased. But one thing is very clear: there is no need for physical check at the airport, it is very embarrassing. And you see that when you are boarding an aircraft, somebody with hard glove will be searching your bags from all corners; even with the search they can’t find anything. If there is machine to do that it will solve the problem. My emphasis is not in machine alone, machine doesn’t solve the problem.

There would have to be the right people to check the machine; if you have a scanner and the person checking the scanner is busy making phone calls or is tired and has worked for 10 hours or doesn’t even have the experience to man the machine, it doesn’t solve the problem. It then becomes a useless machine.

So, we need to do training; we need to ensure we put the right people in the right places. There should be a shift duty, so that workers will be on the alert. That is what government is targeting and I am sure that government is ready to buy this equipment at our various airports. But among these agencies, particularly the security agencies, there is an agreement on who should perform different duties in line with the execution of the Executive Order and in terms of human being, we are leading. That is why when Kaduna Airport was to be used as an alternative to Abuja, when Abuja was closed, we launched the arrival form and departure form same day and the airport harmonised the arrival and departure forms; this is how it is done globally. Unlike what is being practiced before, if you want to enter Nigeria you will see three forms: customs, immigration and health; you will be frustrated. But today, we’ve let that go, we have developed a single form, which will satisfy customs, health and NDLEA or any other party, and that single form has been put in place. But when you talk about goods and general security at the airport, the customs and the FAAN are also there. What I’m saying is, if government is committed and buy the right machines and train the right people, it will reduce the number of officers moving around the airport doing anything, checking things physically, and yet, drug pushers still pass through the airports; illegal immigrants still cross the border just because we are not automated. I hope with automation, things will change.

One of the challenges we have in Nigeria today is the porous situation in our borders. How are you rising up to the challenges?

We have a lot of challenges because we have a land border, which is large. There is immigration security concern globally; it is only in this country that we are sometimes relegated, and we don’t get the right support that we need. If you want to control the entry of the wrong persons, threat and terror, we need strong security in our borders. The border security is a security for the entire nation. So, I’m glad to say that this administration is very concerned. We have our own strategies.

When I came on board we organised a strategy retreat in

Continued on Pg. 72

72

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

SUNDAY INTERVIEW • ‘‘ExEcutivE OrdEr is WOrking WEll in nis’’ • Continued on Pg.71 Kano. You can’t start a system without a retreat. During the retreat in May 2016, we developed a road map for our strategy, and the questions we asked ourselves are: where are we going to test our resources? Do we go to the land border and put all our resources?

Do we control after entry, and who do we invest in with these our resources? These are the three forms of control in immigration globally. In some countries, they say the best way they can control their resources is to have a strong visa regime because many visitors hardly come except by air in small countries.

Like UK, it is mostly island; so, they invest a lot in visa regime. How to apply for visa, who will screen it and their investment is at the airport, because, majority of people who come to the UK come by air. But, we are different; we have big land borders, most of the people coming are our neighbours. The threat to our security is coming mostly from North Africa, mostly Libya. The insurgency is going on globally. So, we believe strong borders manned by immigration officers are the best solution. That is why we have developed a border strategy, which we are going to launch very soon. The minister will launch it in Kano; we have done trainings for border commanders, border control officers and drivers. This is the first time we thought the drivers will be placed for strategic patrol.

We are not going to do patrol, where you see officers at various check points along the road.

We want to patrol the flanks of the borders, where you see immigration officers on the road, looking for migrants. Thank God the government has invested in the project with over 165 vehicles for the patrol. We are launching the patrol unit with socialised officers and with the border control commanders. But we are not going to invest in the border and we don’t have the capabilities and the manpower to make sure illegal migrants do not enter our country. Thank God for our strategy, we have launched the immigration regulations and the regulation has given us a permit to register people compulsorily, non-Nigerians, at their state of residence or their local governments, where they are residing. When I say residence, I mean wherever you sleep. That’s the definition by the law. If it is the factory that is your residence, you will be registered. This law has been passed and this year’s budget makes provision for it. And if God permits and the budget is out, we will be able to make the facilities available, where every non-Nigerian must register where he resides. We don’t have much data for now because those who escaped through the borders can be registered once they have spent 90 days. It also makes it compulsory for any person who provides the residence for foreigner to report after 90 days, otherwise, it will be an offence. So, you can see that the strategy is not only to control at the border. This year, we also launched the biometric visa. You remember a case of a Lebanese, who changed his name and wanted to get visa to enter Nigeria, and this can be avoided if it is biometric. This cannot be our burden if its biometrics. If you have biometric visa system with photographs, you can change your names several times, but, you can’t change your biometric. We can get you.

It’s like our e-passport. Our e-passport has biometric features. That is why people now find it very difficult to beat the system. If we put your fingers on our system, we find out who you are. And by the time we improve our biometric visa, we will be able to control our border effectively.

Taking into consideration the deadly activities of the insurgents in the North East for example, are your men well-

Babandede

equipped to patrol the borders without endangering their lives?

In the North East, our men are part of the Joint Task Force (JTF) team. We have gallant officers. Last year we rewarded gallant officers who had contributed to the on-going war against insurgents. Some of them were those who escorted the UN team and repelled Boko Haram’s planned attack. The military will supplement our efforts in the interim.

Military cannot patrol borders otherwise they will become threat to the community; people will start running when they see military patrolling. In the secured places, the military will leave us with the patrol. In Borno State, we are working jointly with the military.

Sometimes ago, you complained about inadequate funding to buy equipment you need to do your job. What has this government done to address the issue?

This government is very transparent in terms of budgeting. When they promised fund, they release it. What I saw last year was fantastic; they extended the period of capital budget. We have been able to purchase 165 patrol vehicles this year. We have also purchased communication equipment that will be attached to the vehicles. We can now have direct surveillance with the borders through some of the equipment we purchased.

The threat to our security is coming mostly from North Africa, mostly Libya. The insurgency is going on globally. So, we believe strong borders manned by immigration officers are the best solution. That is why we have developed a border strategy, which we are going to launch very soon

Funding can never be enough but we have to do it gradually. Investment in our borders is investment in our economy and security, and I am sure the government knows this.

The activities of herdsmen are currently threatening the internal security of Nigeria. Many security experts have said that many of these herdsmen are foreigners.

How do they enter the country via borders without the attention of your men?

A lot of herdsmen stories are politics, I am sorry to say this. Yes, it is happening but they are mainly caused by communal clashes. But we are aware, and it was agreed by ECOWAS that herdsmen can move freely; it was agreed by our nation. In the past, the herdsmen had their routes; they had their trans-movement certificates, but things have changed. Their movement is now caused by environmental factors and development. Look at Abuja, 30 years ago it was a cattle area but things have changed; we now have houses. We are doing better; we are doing ECOWAS card biometrics, as directed by ECOWAS in 2014, so that we can monitor their movement. We have presented it to the Federal Executive Council for approval. Once that is done, we will start producing the cards. When we have these cards, and we can patrol the borders effectively, we will be able to monitor the movement of herdsmen and every other trans-national organised crime.

How come non-Nigerians find it very easy to obtain Nigerian Passport?

Since we came on board, I doubt if it is still happening. But the truth is that it is very easy to get papers. (You need) Age declaration, birth certificate, and state of origin to process passport. But we have many cases in courts of non-Nigerians who attempted to obtain Nigerian passports with fake documents; we are prosecuting them. But the planned registration of non-Nigerians will help address the problems.

Why are Nigerian passports not printed in Nigeria?

There are a lot of politics to it. When we introduced the e-passport in 2007, companies were asked to bid for the job and many companies bid, including Iris Smart Technologies. The agreement signed by the Ministry of Interior and Iris Smart Technologies was with Nigerian company. But some of these companies do not have the technology to produce the passport in Nigeria and they assemble them outside the country. And the federal government is not happy about it. I have been directed by the Honourable Minister of Interior to chair a committee to address the issue with IRIS Smart and we have agreed that the printing of Nigerian passports must be domesticated in Nigeria. And Nigeria Printing and Minting Company has been requested to submit a proposal to this effect for evaluation.

It is all politics; we don’t have the papers to produce the passports in Nigeria, we will still have to import the papers they use in assembling the passports. But assembling the passports in Nigeria will give more jobs to our people.

Many Nigerians abroad have complained about difficulties renewing their passports. What is being done about this?

We have resolved the issue of passport booklets about three months ago. The company printing them have imported the booklets, they had some challenges with foreign exchange and we also need to capture these booklets. But the mobile unit is addressing that. We now visit the foreign missions to do the capturing. Recently, some Nigerian students in Turkey had problems with the authorities there over expired passports. We sent our men there and within a few days, we were able to capture over 500 Nigerians and renewed their passports. The issue is being addressed.

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

73

INTERVIEW

Ishaku

Darius Ishaku: Until States are Involved in Mining Licensing Process, Economic Diversification’llbeaMirage Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State is one of the governors whose electoral victories were characterised by legal battles that dragged up to the Supreme Court. But this former minister of State in the ministries of Power and Niger Delta has put those legal battles behind him and he is now preoccupied with fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of his state. In this interactive session with the media, he speaks on several issues, including how post election legal battles affect governance, the lingering leadership crisis in PDP, the recurring clashes between herdsmen and farmers, what the governors of the Northeast are doing to tackle the development challenges of the zone, and how he has brought his wealth of experience to bear in the governance of Taraba. Tokunbo Adedoja was there

Y

ou emerged as governor after a fiercely contested election and post election litigations that dragged on for several months. What impact did all this have on governance and how far have you gone with post election reconciliation?

Let me start from the electoral process. The electoral process in itself in Nigeria is defective.

Right from the onset, most of the votes counting, or the deductions in the votes that I scored, right before the pronouncement was protested; then the man who came as the umpire to conduct the process, who was the chairman of whatever, had a preconceived notion that he must ensure that a different person from a different party wins. My vote was reduced as much as possible; the fact that I was even declared the winner was because it was an overwhelming win. My vote count was reduced by over 50, 000 or more.

Then there were cases of double standard. In areas where the APC won like Jalingo Local Government, areas where they

perpetrated more fraud were not cancelled but that of Donga was cancelled, Wukari was cancelled, part of Takum was cancelled.

Results from Donga was cancelled but they refused to cancel that of Jalingo; so there was double standard on the part of the election umpire.

Then eight hours before the election was declared inconclusive, somebody called me from Abuja to intimate me that the election will be declared inconclusive. I said to him that the election is still on; which means there was a deliberate effort to ensure that we do not win the election. That is the flaw in the electoral process that I alluded to earlier.

Honestly, we have to work hard to make sure that our electoral process is as thorough as possible in Nigeria if we want our democracy to survive.

Then we must get credible Nigerians, not the type of man that came here to supervise the conduct of the election, I understand he is a Vice Chancellor, he is not credible at all, because what he did was so bizarre. Such people should not be allowed to be an umpire

in an election or monitor it. Somebody that said he was going to cancel the election and the other members said no, it is wrong to cancel the election; yet he insisted and he had his way.

Another problem has to do with us politicians. Yes, I was contesting against Hajia Alhassan; I remember that I called her several times and told her ‘please let us not heat the polity too much, don’t insult me I won’t insult you, don’t incite your supporters by saying things that will have repercussions from our supporters, I will not do that and I listed the things that I won’t do and I urged her to keep to it so that we can campaign peacefully, finish peacefully so that whoever wins we concede to one another. She agreed. And you can ask anybody who followed me during the campaign we did not record even one ugly incident. It was not that we didn’t have rascals amongst us, all the politicians move with all kinds of people because everybody has his own role; but we ensured we contain our own people and we never had any problem.

Continued on Pg. 74

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

74

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/INTERVIEW Darius: Until States are Involved in Mining Licensing Process... Cont’d from Pg. 73 But somebody allowed his campaign group to kill two school children by firing at them and up till now that I’m talking to you that person has not been prosecuted. Is that the kind of politicking that we want? I do my politicking cleanly and I am proud I do it so and I think that was why God was behind me despite all the odds.

Then after the election she said she doesn’t agree with the result of the elections. Of course you all saw the rubbish that the tribunal did, the tribunal said I won the election, the tribunal said everything about the election was open yet they went on to act on what they have no jurisdiction to act on. The tribunal talked about the primaries in my party; of course they do not have that prerogative, the primaries were a party affair and it had been concluded before the governorship election.

She’s not in my party any way, she is in APC, and I’m in PDP. I Thank God that people that still fear God in the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court finally declared me the winner. You cannot imagine the tortuous moment that we went through, the psychological torture that we went through; the distraction from the works that we needed to do.

And that takes me to the fact that the constitution needs to be amended in a way such that all the processes and trauma that come with it (post elections litigations) are over before somebody resumes in office as a governor. I spent two years battling with court cases. What we have accomplished in two years here were achieved under two years that were full of stress; unnecessary stress, just because somebody is desperate that she must be a state governor, becoming a governor is not a function of gender. You don’t become governor by your sex.

I was in Washington last November, I was there when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were campaigning; somebody asked me a similar question and I told him here was Clinton reaching out to everybody, even when Trump, to her dismay, told her three times that “You’re a liar, you’re a liar, you’re a liar” the woman was calm but here in Nigeria, it is the opposite; you have a woman who was shouting to the heavens that she is a woman and that she is already the first woman governor. She declared herself the winner to the media even before the election result came out as if elections are conducted in the media…

(Cuts in) But that could be psychology warfare…

Psychological warfare or whatever way you look at it, it is wrong.

Elections should be seen as the decision of the people, that was why we opted for democracy; if because she is a woman the people of Taraba State love her more than me, I will concede; I will be the first person to buy her champagne and tell her ‘congratulations, the people love you more than me, do the best for our state.’

But instead we went all the way to the Supreme Court then we came back and started another case against David Sabo Kente of SDP. This is someone who had left the PDP for the SDP, someone who campaigned with us (on the platform of SDP) and returned a distant third (in the governorship election). One of the courts asked him that supposing he had won under SDP, would he have changed the ticket with which he won the election? Definitely, the answer is no.

The point is, as politicians we must get to a level of being honest with ourselves, with our people and then we should be God fearing. I am not exposing her desperation. In all of these processes, besides the psychological trauma there has been a lot of cost to everybody and honestly, I must tell you it was the grace of God that enabled me to put together something like this for you all to see. A lot of people didn’t realise that I shuttled between here and Abuja almost on a weekly basis. I come in here, spend one or two days, hold cabinet meetings, afterwards I make sure everyone understands what needs to be done then I travel back to Abuja; and then somebody will rent 50 buses to carry people to the courts to be shouting, before they leave the state they will go about the whole place boasting that they’re taking my ticket tomorrow. We were kept busy doing what we shouldn’t bother doing at all; it was a very sad story, I hate to recount it.

I thank my reverend gentle man who reminded me that God blessed us with forgetfulness otherwise we will perpetually be crying; whatever bitterness may have happened to us we should thank God that we’re able to forget quickly. I thank God that I have put all of that behind me and that I have remained focused from day one when I was sworn in. I also said it when we were being sworn in that I will welcome the opposition, I urged them to come, let us join hands and build the state but they refused to come, even when I made attempts to woo them they refused still. So, we are doing our best, we have positioned our state towards what we have to do.

You have just two women in your cabinet, does this have any connection with the electoral process which threw a woman up as your main challenger?

In fact, in the state they say having two women in the cabinet is too big a proportion, we’re just 20 in the cabinet and they say the proportion is very high. Anyway, I chose them based on merit, I chose them based on the performance they had put in during the election proper, may be next time we will pick more women, I know that they are demanding for 30 percent.

Quite frankly, personally, I prefer women sometimes because women sometimes are more forthright, they are more focused and when they take a decision they stand by it; and I’m assuring you that next time around, God willing, we will be able to include more women; those in the cabinet are doing their best and I appreciate them.

You party is in crisis and currently at the Supreme Court for a ruling on its leadership.

It is sad that we’re having crisis in PDP. We have tried all our

Ishaku

best to get a political solution but it seems the crisis is being fueled by those in power just to make sure that the PDP perpetually stays in crisis because, believe you me, if PDP were in one piece, by now people would have known what direction the country is going because many people are disappointed with what is going on. In the state, we have had a lot of people who have decamped to the PDP from the APC. But here we are with an unfortunate situation, we have tried the political solution which didn’t work so we’re waiting for the judicial solution. To me, either way it goes, PDP is losing because the party is bound to lose membership and then it would have been better if we had solved our problems politically. But I will urge the court to do good justice and dispense with the case quickly because we have already lost Edo and Ondo states; these are states that we should have won if PDP were together and the crisis is allowing more members to leave PDP for the APC because they have the license to do so if there is crisis in the party; and by losing more and more members due to the delay, the courts should also know that they are not being fair to the country.

I don’t admire this country being run via a one party system, we can all see what is happening in Zimbabwe, we can all see what is happening in other African countries. Nigeria is the biggest black country in the world and I don’t think it will be fine if we end up being a one party state where the president could easily change the constitution of the country and make himself president for life; I don’t think we will like that. So the judiciary should act as a matter of urgency and dispense with the case so that PDP (members) will know on which side it should be. I think that is what everybody is waiting for since finding a political solution to the lingering crisis has failed.

What have you been doing to bring the warring parties together for reconciliation?

We have done a lot in that regards. Of recent, ex president Goodluck Jonathan stepped in but you are aware that (Senator Ali Modu) Sherriff worked out on him; that wasn’t too good, despite that the party has not relented in the pursuit of a political solution to the problem. Former President Jonathan is still working hard to make sure he gets us back to the negotiation table politically and I am optimistic that the PDP will come back, I am also optimistic that the PDP will still wax strong because the difference between the PDP and other parties are clear; of course you know that APC is a combination of several parties that merged together, but the marriage has not been consummated.

Yes, in PDP we have our own problems, that we lost the presidency is due to the PDP being in power for too long, then we got consumed by arrogance of power, and got consumed by lack of decency. The right people who won primaries were denied tickets and the tickets were given to wrong people and those people moved to APC and then won elections, there are examples to list out; even me, I didn’t have it easy in the primaries, I literarily passed through the eyes of the needle. These were the arrogance of PDP and we are trying to see that when the new PDP comes out we should be able to correct all the anomalies because if the anomaly are not corrected, if the party structure is not properly put in place, you will not have the type of governance that is the people’s wish; I

mean both parties now, I am not talking about PDP alone, I mean the both divides, the party should be able to instill discipline in its election process and at the end of the day come out with selectable candidates that are saleable, so that, if you have an A candidate in PDP and you have an A candidate in APC, that means ‘As’ are competing, then you will end up with A+ winning, that is better for the country; but where you have a C candidate in one party and an A candidate in another party, when the C candidate becomes a president or becomes the governor in the state, then that state loses.

What I am advocating for is that for the process to allow qualitative people to emerge and vie for political positions. But once you bring in sentiments, it then affect the standard of leadership and when you get a weak leadership, all of us suffer. That is why I will plead with the press as the third eye of the society, you should look inwards and make sure that all the party leadership work hard in making sure that primaries, gubernatorial up to the presidency all come with quality leadership.

There was a report recently that Lagos State has more Internally Generated Revenue than 30 states in Nigeria put together, and we have always been talking about getting to that situation where the states will not have to wait for the federal allocations; what are you doing to raise the IGR of the state?

It is true that Lagos State makes the IGR of 30 states put together.

Lagos State has the advantage of so many infrastructure that already exists there and the advantage of huge population. Lagos state is like a team of 30 million people cramped into that little piece of land, like I told one former governor of the state, the whole of Lagos State is not up to the size of where we want to put up the Mambilla Dam; but you can imagine the high density in Lagos.

Besides, Lagos has the advantage of seaports, it has the advantage of the international airport and so many advantages, so it was easy right from the Tinubu days to continually increase taxes in Lagos and it was also easy for people to pay the taxes and transfer it down because their income is many times that of somebody living in a place like Jalingo in Taraba State. While the woman who fries and sell akara outside of my office here may hardly sell akara of N200 to N300 in a day, somebody who sells akara in Lagos will not make less than N25, 000 to N30, 000 in a day; so if you look at it, the cost of billing people in Lagos and the fact that they are also paying those taxes means that they could afford it. In other parts of the country it is not easy to automatically raise state taxes.

I have increased the state’s IGR over four times since we assumed office. We are now getting four or five times more of what I met on ground but that is still not good enough for me. My target is to make it like 10 times what I am currently getting. If I can get 10 times what I am currently getting, then I should be in a position to reduce my overhead internally before going cap in hands to Abuja to beg for more money. We are working on it to make sure that we increase our IGR; we have got some people who are talking to us on how to increase our IGR in a sensible manner.

There are a lot of taxes which for now we are not getting. After agriculture, the second revenue endowment in the 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

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

75

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/INTERVIEW We’re Repositioning Taraba for Greatness 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 allow 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? I don’t know if you’re getting the conflict.

The federal has the right to do the prospecting, but then I have the right to allow you live on the surface. So without me allowing you to live on the surface, how do you access what is under the surface?

So what happens is, like a case that happened in Gembu, somebody had a Certificate of Occupancy since 1982 and the federal government gave somebody a licence to come and mine mineral resources and that person came to the state and mounted his rig on somebody else’s plot and started to mine. The owner of the plot of land reported the case and I asked the Police to go there and arrest the miner.

When we asked him who asked him to come here, he said he has a licence to mine from the federal government. I told him, ‘well you have licence from the federal government but the state belongs to me, at least I am the custodian here’. So there must be a way that the law can be made in a manner that you have to get a Certificate of Occupancy from the state or a licence that allows you to even sojourn on the land before your mining licence can be effective, otherwise it cannot work.

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 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. I have 25 state owned companies that went aground, they were all not functional when I came into office, I have since revived five and you saw it yesterday when we showed you, the tea factory, feed mills, polythene company and the others; all five are now running and making profits, hitherto, they were dead and nobody was talking about them. These are ways by which we could have been generating revenue but so far it is hope rising, we’re hoping that from there we can go on to do more in that regard.

We are also trying to restructure a lot of our laws, our land rates here are very poor, especially in the urban areas. So that people can pay appropriate fees for certificate of occupancy and the likes.

Have you been able to expand the infrastructure level, especially roads, even train services to local governments and to link neigbhouring states given the fact that Taraba State is like a hotbed of tourism in Nigeria?

There is no train rail in Taraba State before now, even the last train project by former President Goodluck Jonathan, I had to fight for the rail tracks to pass through Taraba to Maiduguri (Borno State); I am not sure Taraba was included. Taraba State does not have rail track passing through anywhere in the state. And you know that rail transportation by its nature is very capital intensive.

I wish we had railways in the state because Taraba should be known for her agriculture. I love the title, “Taraba: Nature’s Gift to the Nation,” in all true sense we are a gift to the nation. I told the Acting President that Taraba can feed the whole country with rice; Nigeria imports between eight to 10 million metric tonnes, we can do that, we have the land, River Benue has the longest stretch in the state, so it leaves us with a rich valley starting from Numa to Ebiu and Wukari where we have boundary with Benue and Nasarawa States.

We also have a very expansive fertile land. If you go to Bantaigi you won’t see the end of the FADAMA project, if you go to Karin you won’t see the end of the valley; I have been to Karin where we did the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme, which did very well to the extent that, now if you go to Karin the farmers have refused to farm, they are saying they won’t farm because the rains have come; the farmers get four times the normal yield during the dry season.

What happens is that the whole of these fields are flooded during the raining season, the rice will grow quite alright but when you put the fertilizers and herbicides they are washed away and then the sun is less than 12 hours in the day because of cloud problems.

During the dry season they have about 18 hours of sun and they give the rice the water that it needs and it stops there; the rice grows faster and the yield is bigger. All of the farmers are busy harvesting now and waiting for the dry season to come. We have made many of them semi-millionaires of them.

Are they paying back? One of the problems of the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme is repaying loans?

They are paying back. Why won’t they? We have about 12,000 of them because we registered late. This year we planning to register about 30,000 of them. They are paying back; they are making so much money. I have a record of seven people who bought brand new tractors which costs between eight and 10 million naira. If someone that is a peasant farmer can buy a brand new tractor it means he is doing well.

I am looking at how to get the people irrigation facilities because in the dry season what you need most is to irrigate the farms, they

Cont’d from Pg. 74

Ishaku

currently do it crudely by digging borehole which is not deep, in that place if you dig like three meters, you’ll get water, then pump it. I am trying to see how we can get water from River Benue and pump it to a high altitude then distribute it to a kind of canal; just like what they have in Kano, a Canal Dam where you take the water to a high altitude, then you release the water and people can use it to irrigate their farms, that way we can be able to increase the number of acreages and also increase the number of farmers in the place.

Taraba State is basically an agrarian society and there is an ongoing national discourse on herdsmen and farmers clashes. People have talked about ranching, grazing routes and the likes. I know your state is affected, how do you think this issue can be resolved?

In Nigeria, we have to decide whether we want to be a nation or whether we want to split. A decision has to be taken whether we want to be like Somalia, where the warlords command the different sections. I understand that Said Barre is still alive in Nigeria. When they convinced him to step down I said what a mistake. Since he left there the country has not known peace; the Americans removed Saddam Hussein and since then the country has not known peace. We have to decide if we want to build a nation or whether we want a reign of factional leaders because building a nation means putting down the principles and the constitution that must be followed. My bishop came here the other day and he was talking, I told him, ‘Bishop, I sit here based on the constitution of Nigeria, you sit there based on the constitution of the Bible and they are both mutually exclusive.’

I will tell you how. The constitution tells me that when there are more votes, I deserve to be here and I am here; but the Bible says if you have 100 sheeps and one is missing, leave the 99 and go after that one that is missing; so you see that it is not the same, you could see that it is completely different.

I am sitting down here and the constitution says forget about that one, if it wants to die let it die, concentrate on the 99. I tell you what, we have to decide whether we want a country or we just want to continue to patch-patch. At independence we were 60 million people, today we are 200 million people and still going. In December, one of my very good friends came over and said ‘Oga, I saw more than 100 tubers of yams’, and I asked to know who brought the yams, and they said it was a certain friend of mine and I asked where was he, and they told me that he was outside. So I told them to bring him in.

When he came in, I offered him a seat and he sat down with the young lady that he came with, after exchanging pleasantries, and I said to him you again, why bring that many yams? Then I offered my condolence because I learnt he lost one of his children; and then I asked him, how many children do you have now? And he said ‘only 45’. I then asked if the young lady he was with was his daughter and he said no, that the young lady was his new wife. I told him ‘you need to double your yam farm’ and he said ‘no need, I have plenty yam farms’.

One of my late friends and coursemates died having 48 children in Zaria, Kaduna State; when I go there I will simply call one and ask him where are your brothers because the ones that I recognise are the

elderly ones. One of the things that amaze me is that if you go to his house, as you are entering he has a whole store for food; it is by the gate. He had two buses, one will carry the ones in secondary school and the other one will carry the others, fortunately all of them are posh schools.

I am just telling you the scenario of our culture and then the problems that we have at hand. We are 200 million people and we are still going ahead. When you allow somebody to walk his cattle from Gembu to Port Harcourt to sell; first of all the beef is not as nutritious as the ones that were slaughtered in the bush and taken to Port Harcourt in a refrigerated truck to be sold.

Secondly, having grazing reserves is not a problem, they are available, and then the people who are herding the cattle have some sense, even when they encroach on your farm it is a local person that settles the quarrel. Quarrels normally never used to arise. Because as they are moving, I am from Takum, when they come down the mountains they go through Takum, those who have farms there usually encourage them to stay around the farm for about one month before they continue because the farms have been harvested, the corns have been harvested and the corn stalks are available for the feeding of the cows, they even give them water free of charge and the cows excrete there on the farm and they go away peacefully. That was what obtained in those days. They don’t quarrel, fight or kill themselves; but now you see Fulani herdsman who has AK47 rifle.

My friend who left Taraba yesterday said when they got to Buruku, he didn’t know that they had just fought at the place; he said he saw a huge number of cattle crossing the road and he noticed a man bent down in the middle of the road as the cattle crossed, then when the cattle crossed into the bush he noticed that the man that bent down had two AK47 riffles hung on each of his shoulders. We don’t know Fulani herdsman with AK 47 riffle, we knew them with sticks.

I used to travel a lot in the night in those days because it was quite safe, I don’t like travelling in the day time, and when you travel in the night back then, anywhere you stopped, the first person you see is a Fulani man who is going with his cattle, nobody stops him or steals his cattle. The Fulani man will say, ‘I greet you respectfully, then asks if I wanted to alight from the vehicle or if I was going ahead’ and I will tell him ‘no, that I was continuing on the journey.’ He will then ask ‘should we escort you or leave you to your journey?’ and I will say ‘yes, don’t bother to lead me on.’ He will then pray that ’God go with you, do have a safe trip and get to your destination well’ and I will say ‘Amen.’

Now we have increased in population, the land remains the same in size, meanwhile we have not disciplined ourselves as to child bearing, both Christians and Muslims. In fact, among the Christians it is worse with the Catholics; even if it is accidental discharge, they will tell you the child must be born, so you have so much pressure on the available land. So here you are… The people rearing cattle now are not the people that we used to know, cattle raring is now left to boys who smoke we-we and use drugs, so when farm owners challenge them on why they destroyed their farm they flare up, bring out gun and begin to shoot everybody in sight. Of what good is it to kill somebody because of quarrel over a land?

76

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

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/REPORT

Dickson

Dickson: After S’ Court Judgement, PDP Will Still Return to Path of Reconciliation Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State is the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party National Reconciliation Committee, a body set up to find a peaceful solution to the leadership crisis plaguing the party. In this media chat, he speaks on the leadership crisis rocking the party, why it has defied political solution, threats and counter threats between northern youths and the Southeast, and on what he is doing to change the face of governance in his state. Excerpts:

T

here has been a lingering leadership crisis in your party. What is the future of PDP? I think the right question should be what is the future of Nigerian democracy? The tragedy of our democracy today is that we neither have a strong political party in government nor a strong political party in opposition. You all know the efforts we in my committee made to reconcile the various tendencies in PDP so that the party could come back on stream to play its role as a credible opposition platform. As a matter of fact, Nigeria’s democracy is worse for it, without a strong PDP. Unfortunately our party has not been playing a role of an opposition party because of the needless crisis plaguing us. What is happening in PDP is a great danger to Nigeria democracy, but I still believe that all hope is not lost. But what is happening in PDP is not just peculiar to PDP, it is also happening in APC. For our democracy to be secured, we need a strong party in government, strong, cohesive, united party in government, pursuing their democratic agenda as well as a virile party in opposition. But so far, our democracy is weak because of the absence of these. There is crisis in APC, it is brewing and nobody is talking about it. The sooner we in the PDP salvage our platform that is now terribly suffering a lot of de-marketing the better for our democracy. It is unfortunate that a political party has to go to the judiciary to resolve its internal problem that is essentially political. Relying on the court to resolve internal crisis is an indictment on the political class, it is an indictment on the democratic credentials of all players. My belief, my views might be in the minority, but my belief is that the judiciary is being over worked or over labored unnecessarily by political actors of all parties.

We have abdicated our responsibilities as political players, we have surrendered too much to the judiciary, we have involved the judiciary

in too many unnecessary political issues, and thereby exposing them to ridicule and we are not helping the judiciary. Political leaders who are key players in the democratic system should show the maturity, the political temperament to be able to recognise and solve problems within themselves and see politics as essential element of democracy, which is a market place of ideas. We all do not need to belong on one political party, even within our parties there are tendencies, there should be contestation of tendencies. But the irony in Nigeria is that politicians in Nigeria are more militant than the military. Honestly, politicians in Nigeria do not know how to argue, disagree amongst themselves, we don’t listen to ourselves, we can’t argue amongst ourselves. If you hold a divergent view, you are marked for destruction or blackmail, or tagged as doing antiparty and this is so because our political actors, leaders neither have the skills and the democratic temperament to drive the political process and these are partly the reasons why the crises in both PDP and APC are strong. In the US for example, you see all the tendencies playing out, Clinton on the centre of the Democratic Party, you have Bernie Sanders on the left of the Democratic Party and others; so also in the Republican Party, all marketing their ideas.

But I am confident PDP will still bounce back after the Supreme Court judgement, but my view is that we have no business going to a court. If PDP leaders had agreed to implement our template for reconciliation, a national unity convention would have held this month to elect a brand new leadership. The irony of it is that the judiciary does not reconcile, it only adjudicates. Even after the Supreme Court judgement, the party will still hold a convention and embark on aggressive confidence building and reconciliation. So what is the real reason for going to court?

I was opposed to Senator Ali Modi-Sheriff when some of my colleagues and others brought him, I didn’t like that, I thought that

our party needed a fresh face to craft a fresh message after losing power at the centre. Losing election is bad but that is not the end of the world for a party or for a politician. Unfortunately those who brought him for whatever reason, fell apart with him. And when the Appeal Court upheld Sheriff as Chairman, I, as a product of the law, as a law-abiding citizen, adhered to the Court Judgement by duly recognising him as Chairman and the same people said I was a Sheriff man. As politicians we shouldn’t be law breakers or hold the Judiciary in contempt. We should not personalise judicial pronouncements by selecting the verdicts to respect.

Why should a politician for example want to pocket his party? Why should you be the one to select the national chairman and secretary and all the other posts? Must they be in your pocket for you to be a member of that party? Does that make sense? Is that not madness? If that is the thrust of a politician then you can go and form a political party of your family and be in charge then, but once it’s a national party, it is an aggregation of all interest and top of which is the national interest. After the Supreme Court judgement, PDP must address many of its problems top of which is funding.

We want to know your views on this quit notice on Igbo people in Southeast.

I condemn in strong terms the quit notice on Ndigbo. Nigeria has gone past that. We must remain as one indivisible country because our strength lies in our diversity. We didn’t even need the civil war we fought as a country because it didn’t result in anything. I support what the Northern Governors Forum and their counterparts in the East have done. I read the statements by my governor colleagues and I believe that all governors are united in this to see how we can promote peaceful co-existence and harmony.

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

77

• JUNE 18, 2017

CICERO/REPORT • ‘Bayelsa is experiencing silent revolution under Me’•

Continued on Pg.76

I believe that the APC -led Federal Government could have done more in the area of promoting national unity in the country. I have spoken about this severally, the country was too divided. The Federal Government should consciously promote national cohesion, unity and unite the various ethnic groups in the country. But unfortunately, government has not done enough to promote national cohesion whether in the national management of federal political power, appointments or in evolving a national strategy to deal with the menace of herdsmen.

The government must evolve the right strategy to contain all these as quickly as possible.

How far is the airport project in Bayelsa now? What is the full story or situation about it?

When I came on board, I wanted an airport in Bayelsa State, the heart of Ijaw land, to boost our economy and play an active role in the Gulf of Guinea. So I lobbied the Federal Government for partnership on the airport. But I was told contract for sand filling was already given to someone by NDDC, which they said was about 50 per cent of the cost and I said no problem but I wanted to drive essential elements of this airport by myself so that it doesn’t suffer unnecessary delays.

I told the contractor, your contract with NDDC stays, I am not interfering. I cleared another place and gave the contractor that place to come and stockpile that NDDC sand. After all, we can use it in the other development projects in the state.

I then took over the dredging of the sand for the airport proper and called in the biggest dredging company in Nigeria, Westminister dredging and Venoll, and gave the contract to them and paid them.

Then I went to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and insured a N50 billion facility to deliver on the airport and tied it to the various contracts that would be awarded. So, immediately the dredging companies verified, they went to the bank, they knew that their money was there in the bank. They worked day and night and within one year, they finished the dredging, and we expanded the scope of the airport from two kilometers runway to 3.5 kilometers because we have to make it commercially viable. Right now it is only in Lagos that all these big cargo planes can land, even cargo plane servicing the oil industries, bringing in oil tools, big cargo, carrying merchandise, they can’t land in Port Harcourt, they can’t land in Enugu, they can’t land in any other airport in the South-South. Cargo planes can only land in Lagos, Kano and Abuja airports. So we have to structure it for that type of traffic – actually cargo airport, to cover the South-south, South-east; you know, big goods they bring in from China and other places can land in Bayelsa.

So we are building actually the biggest state-owned airport, 3.5 kilometers, the contract was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe and it is now almost 90 percent completed, we now have the runway, we have the terminal building, now I am awarding the contract for the navigational instruments, when they are installed, you have the airport.

Why airport?

Airport will open up the state, enable people to fly into Bayelsa and fly out both for business, pleasure and generally create a hub for businesses. You know Bayelsa State is a historical centre of oil and gas and yet there is no activity and when you ask the companies why they are not in Bayelsa, some of them would say because there is no airport; they can’t fly in and fly out, you know. So we don’t even control elements of the oil trade because there is no airport, no seaport.

Did you start from the scratch?

We started from the scratch, there is no federal government or NDDC sand in that runway, that is the point I am making. I wanted the state to be in charge of the essential elements of the airport, sand filling, runway, once you do that, you have gotten an airport. I wanted to drive the essential elements of the airport and I am happy that it has paid off. So by the end of this year, I will be inviting all of you for the commissioning of the airport which is one of our biggest infrastructure investments. You guys will be flying to Bayelsa from Lagos for the first time. There are a lot of companies outside that are in touch with my team and I, and we will also be meeting with many more. They want to use it as a hub, they are coming in with planes, to run their services, fly from Baylesa, Lagos, Abuja and other cities and also service the Gulf of Guinea. Most of you don’t know that you can stay in Bayelsa and service the Gulf of Guinea because we are at the tip of the country, just by the ocean; you fly thirty minutes from Baylesa and you are in Equatorial Guinea. So that is the way it is and that is the market we are targeting. I will be reaching out to a lot of business people, because the airport is not just an airport, we want to make it, as I said, a trading hub. I want to talk to businessmen, all these importers, come and build warehouses. So from China they come, it is going to be actually a trade zone, a free trade zone, the airport itself. So all the goods coming into South-South, South-East and most other parts of

Dickson

the country will be there, there will be market for it, that is why the airport is very important.

I don’t know whether you are also building infrastructure to enhance operations at the airport? I am really talking about the roads, if you can really connect a road between the airport and the East West road, then that can take one straight to Warri, then you will also be thinking of capturing the Warri market Oh, yes! It is all part of the calculations, we have done a road now going to Amasoma, which late Governor DSP Alamiesiegha started but which my government re-awarded to CCC. The company did a great job, they built corners, bridges, from 2012 when I gave them the job, so that road is very solid. But we are doing a road from that road to the airport, so from the East West, you can easily get to the airport, we will capture all that market, Warri, Ahoada, Ughelli and so on. But we have a strategic plan targeted at opening the airport for business because it is a thing that can accelerate our development, not just Bayelsa. Development of any state, or any nation is to create a business friendly environment and then build the infrastructure that can attract and encourage businesses to grow, so we have a strategic plan and that’s why this airport is so critical.

There is a plan for a deep sea port from the airport, about one hour drive, you get to the Agger Deep Sea Port, again we have been laboring to build the road that will take us to Ekeremor, the next local government which is 50 kilometers. These are the big ticket projects we will be doing. We are building the road from Sagbama to Ekeremor which is about 50 kilometers, we have sand filled about forty seven kilometers already. I moved in a second dredger recently, even in this recession we are doing that even though it is costly, very expensive, they are pumping sand day and night because we’ve got to get to that local government and see what we can move from Ekeremo to Agger

Relying on the court to resolve internal crisis is an indictment on the political class, it is an indictment on the democratic credentials of all players. My belief, my views might be in the minority, but my belief is that the judiciary is being over worked or over labored unnecessarily by political actors of all parties. We have abdicated our responsibilities as political players, we have surrendered too much to the judiciary, we have involved the judiciary in too many unnecessary political issues, and thereby exposing them to ridicule and we are not helping the judiciary

which is about 67 kilometers from Ekeremor. We also did another 70 kilometers to get to Agger that is by the ocean.

As I always say the wealth of Bayelsa lies in the sea. We have the most beautiful beach in the whole of this area, the Agger beach – white sand, long stretch of beach, lot of things can happen- tourism, maritime related investment and that is the best location for a deep sea port in this country. As we know, we don’t really have a deep sea port in Nigeria, we have lots of trans-shipment going on. The Ekeremor road I talked about will cost over N40 billion! I am even scared there will be other variations, because of inflations and the exchange rate and so on. We are bent on delivering on that road before the end of my tenure, we have already stabilized up to fifteen kilometers, sand filled, stabilized and now vehicles can run on it. Already they are calling me that the economy is improving, there are young people who are now in the business of loading vehicles in some of the Ekeremor communities for the first time, they have some young men in the parks shouting, Ofoni, Yenegoa.

From that deep sea port to remote areas, we are opening up a joint trade corridor in the South- South and South-East because the end of my local government, Sagbama Local Government, is very close to Onitsha and there are a lot of oil facilties – gas flaring going on. What I have started doing as part of our strategic plans is to engage even the oil companies, NNPC and I have visited all of them, gotten their support to provide power, 24-hours.

We have acquired 400 hectares of land and we shall make it a huge market for industrial estate linking it up with the South Eastern market – Onitsha and so on.

How much of these you have enumerated can you finish before 2019?

No, as I have said the airport is already being completed- end of this year. As a matter of fact, some months back, an aircraft on a mission landed there and took off, because what we call an airport is a road, essentially fortified road with the navigation material. So they will be delivered. We are working with our partners collaborating on the big industrial park, collaborating with IOCs, the NNPCs, on supply of power, they are flaring the gas even as we speak. We are converting gas to power, so that when we have 24 hour supply, it will now be a manufacturing hub for companies that want to manufacture. Part of the challenges in Bayelsa State is we don’t have strong private sector participation, the whole economy revolves around the state government expenditure, so that puts a lot of pressure on governance, affects the politics adversely and these are the reasons why we need the participation of the private sector.

Two days ago the shell’s country chief was my guest in Bayelsa, a lot of things are changing, they know the narrative about Bayelsa is changing, people can see life changing projects and government projects are impacting on the people and there is relative stability. We have invested heavily in security and today, Bayelsa is the safest state and stable state even though it is the epi-centre of the Niger Delta issues, concerns and struggles.

(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 18, 2017

TRIBUTE

Abdulhameed’s Blazing Passion for Agriculture Daniel N. Nanpan

A

liyu Abbati Abdulhameed is a remarkable gentleman with an infectious passion for agriculture. Around him, you get a sense that agriculture lies at the very center of humanity – indeed, that it is, not only the oldest profession but the most central and organic to human existence.

As he puts it: “Agriculture is one profession that draws in everything from the field of science to add value to life and society where it matters: food security, human life, nutrition, the growth of children, and sustainable development of the economy.”

The roots of his love for agriculture are embedded deep in the soil of childhood experience on the cotton and corn farm fields of the Adamawa plains.

It is anchored on a deep love for the application of science, innovation and technology to transform subsistence agriculture into higher food production and food security through agribusiness.

However, for Abdulhameed, there is no higher objective than using agriculture to uplift the lives and improve the welfare of the millions of farmers all over the country and other modest players along the agricultural value chain who get so little for their lifelong investment in feeding the rest of us.

The appointment of Abdulhameed in late 2015 as the Managing Director of the Nigeria IncentiveBased Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) by President Muhammadu Buhari can therefore be seen as a rare alignment of the office and the man. NIRSAL was established in 2012 to fix the number one obstacle in the path of transforming Nigerian agriculture: the unwillingness of the banks to lend to the sector. Its mission is to de-risk the agricultural value chain by providing bank guarantees for loans for verified, strategic and bankable projects.

His inspiring educational story tells itself. In the 1980s, when the top-rated professions were medicine, engineering, architecture, law etc, a young Abdulhameed was clear about one thing: that Agriculture held the key to the future. He chose agriculture over other “trendier” professions, rejecting admission to study civil engineering at the University of Ilorin.

At the School of Basic Studies (SBS), Zaria, he chose a set of core science subjects essential for getting into agriculture-related degree programme: Biology, Chemistry and Geography. He performed well, earned admission into the Ahmadu Bello University, emerging four years later with a B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology.

He proceeded to do a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with specialization in Public Policy from the Nigerian Defense Academy. His master’s thesis explored the organic link between food security and national security.

Abdulhameed also holds an Executive Masters

Overall, to Abdulhameed, agriculture is not just an industry, or even a sector.

To him agriculture is life itself. While the destination still lies ahead, early signs indicate that the current NIRSAL management possesses the requisite technical and managerial capacity as well as passionate vision to make a strong mark in the Nigerian agricultural space

Abdulhameed

Certificate in Project Management from the Project Management College, United Kingdom.

He has also benefitted from high-level local and international training programmes in agricultural financing, leadership and management.

The NIRSAL MD has brought remarkable energy, enthusiasm and passion into his job as the MD/CEO of NIRSAL within the past two years.

At the heart of this job is the empowerment of Nigerian farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs to access the finance they need to expand, make decent and boost the contribution of the sector to national economic growth.

The grassroots oriented focus of NIRSAL – about 80 percent of its efforts are targeted towards smallholder farmers – and the potential life changing impact on the less privileged explains to a large extent why Abdulhameed is so passionate about its work.

This focus is not a recent phenomenon. As a young management staff with the AFCOTT, a global agricultural commodity company, he observed firsthand the transformative power of modern agriculture. Working in the then Adamawa state in northern Nigeria he witnessed the significant improvement in the lives of local farmers who benefitted from access to finance and training on best farming methods.

Within a span of three months – one cropping season – farmers in threadbare and tattered rags were able to purchase better clothes for themselves and their families. Those who could previously not afford to send their wards to school acquired the financial capacity to pay school fees. Some made enough extra income to move from living in thatched houses to zinc ones while others bought bicycles or motorcycles.

Given this early experience, it is understandable why Abdulhameed is so fired up to make a difference in NIRSAL. Since he assumed the leadership of the organization about two years ago, he has worked hard to facilitate bank lending to agriculture. In the first quarter of this year alone, NIRSAL provided bank guarantees for loans to smallholder farmers, agro producer and other players within the agricultural value chain worth N690 million. Cumulatively, NIRSAL has provided bank guarantees that total N65Billion since its inception. This year, NIRSAL has set a target to use its credit risk guarantees to facilitate about N60Billion in direct lending by commercial

banks to the agriculture sector. This is impressive.

The practical results will be felt at so many levels: increased productivity, increase in incomes of local farmers, inclusive growth and the larger positive impact on the economy.

Besides facilitating increased access to finance by farmers and agro producers, Abdulhameed is also maximizing the platform provided by NIRSAL to institutionalize the training of farmers. Recently, NIRSAL commenced collaborative activities with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) to support farmers and agro start-ups to succeed, thrive and expand. The collaboration is to assist UNIDO to institutionalize an extensive training program known as Enterprise Development & Investment Promotion Program (EDIP) which is designed to empower start-up businesses with well researched and proven strategies for success. To indicate the seriousness on the part of NIRSAL, it facilitated and hosted a “train the trainer” program by UNIDO experts on the program in its head office couple of weeks back. Participants at the training included select NIRSAL staff as well as staff from Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).

Under the leadership of Abdulhameed, NIRSAL has increased the tempo of training support to smallholder farmers. As at the last quarter, NIRSAL had cumulatively facilitated direct training for over 125,000 farmers in different parts of the country. To ensure sustained support, it has also provided intensive train the trainer programs for over 200 extension workers covering essential staple crops such as rice, maize, soya beans across the country.

Abdulhameed deeply appreciates the fact that subsistence agriculture cannot produce enough to meet needs of Nigeria’s growing population as well as export. To this end, NIRSAL is test-running a pilot commercial mechanization framework in collaboration with FCMB and Sterling Bank.

On the strength of the guarantees from NIRSAL, the banks have committed close to N1billion in financing for the purchase of about 300 tractors for lease to the tractor owner’s association of Nigeria. The pilot run has been very successful.

Smallholder farmers are getting access to tractors to till their land at very affordable costs. Also, the payback by those who leased the tractors has also been quite impressive - over 95%. With its success, the Abdulhameed led-management of NIRSAL is planning to scale it up to other parts of the country. This will mean more tractors, in more places for more farmers across the country.

Indeed, early signs of a mechanization revolution.

Abdulhameed’s love for the application of technology in agriculture is intense. NIRSAL has developed a Farm Aggregation Model for Small Holder Agriculture Using Technology (FAMSMART). The scheme aims to achieve a purely commercialized methodology of crop production with higher return on investment. Its current objective is to activate 5,000 hectares under cultivation in the wet season by aggregating contiguous land that will make for easy mechanized farming and coordination. As a risk mitigating institution, keeping an eye on the projects that NIRSAL provides guarantees for is crucial because NIRSAL projects are spread across the length and breadth of the country. To ensure this, Abdulhameed has turned to technology in a way that is both groundbreaking. His vision is to ultimately deploy drones to remotely map out farm locations and provide near real-time monitoring of activities on projects that NIRSAL facilitates.

In addition, he has defined the structure of NIRSAL to incorporate a Project Monitoring Reporting and Remediation Office (PMRO) with trained staff who will act as the institution’s eyes on the field. Their job would be to monitor and ensure that agricultural projects that are facilitated

by NIRSAL are executed as proposed through prompt reporting, technical assistance and escalation of actions that pose risks to the success of the project.

Overall, to Abdulhameed, agriculture is not just an industry, or even a sector. To him agriculture is life itself. While the destination still lies ahead, early signs indicate that the current NIRSAL management possesses the requisite technical and managerial capacity as well as passionate vision to make a strong mark in the Nigerian agricultural space.

––Nanpan is a public policy analyst based in Abuja.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

79

80

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

81

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUBE 18, 2017

NEWSXTRA

Oyegun, INEC, Others to Appear in Court over Kaduna APC Crisis Tobi Soniyi

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of Police and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, to appear before him over the leadership crisis rocking the

party in the state.

Others expected to appear before the court include Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Inuwa Abdukadir, Senator Lawal Shuaibu and the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission.

The court also granted an order of substituted service allowing some contestants in the forthcoming Local Government Council elections in Kaduna State to serve court

processes by way of substituted means on the defendants in Kaduna State which is outside the court’s jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs in the matter, Hon. Aliyu Ismail, Hon. Abdullahi Yusuf Babanyau and Architect Ado Mohammed dragged the IGP, INEC, Oyegun and others before the court over the legality of Shuaibu Idris Lauje as the Chairman of the party in the state.

In the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/493/17, the plaintiffs asked the court to restrain Lauje from parading himself as the chairman of the party in the state.

They also asked the court to restrain the IGP from harassing, intimidating or arresting Alhaji Danlami Wada, who is the acting Chairman of the party in the state and 10th defendant in the matter from performing the

functions of his office.

The plaintiffs in a motion ex-parte, through their counsel, Babs Akinwumi had urged the court to grant leave to the plaintiffs to serve the defendants outside the court’s jurisdiction by serving the originating processes and every other process in the suit on Lauje and Wada at the APC State Secretariat in Kaduna State.

The plaintiffs also prayed

the court for leave to serve the court processes on some of the defendants in Kaduna State.

In his ruling, the judge granted the prayers of the plaintiffs and adjourned the matter to the 30th of June 2017 for hearing.

The APC in Kaduna State has been rocked by leadership crisis. Following the election of Hon Barnabas Bantex as the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, the Deputy Chairman, Alhaji S.I. Danlami Wada stepped in as the acting Chairman by virtue of the provisions of Articles 14.2 and 15B of the Constitution of the APC. Trouble however started when Lauje who is believed to have the support of the Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed El-Rufai, started parading himself as the state chairman of the party while the Deputy Chairman was allegedly locked out on the order of the state governor.

This scenario has left the contestants in the forthcoming local government election in the state confused and they have decided to approach the court for clarification on the leadership of the party in Kaduna State.

There is also a supremacy battle between El-Rufai and some party leaders, led by the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Comrade Shehu Sani.

Fire Razes Diya’s POLICY SUPPORTERS L-R: Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Newspaper, Debo Adesina; CEO RTC Advisory Services; Opeyemi Agbaje; former President, Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; Guest Speaker, Prof. Richard Joseph; former Deputy Governor, CBN, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, and former Minister of Finance, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, at The Liberal Forum (TLF) Policy House in Lagos Townhall in Lagos...recently

Anayo Okolie

Rivers APC Denies Intra-party Rift • State govt. tackles Amaechi • Face governance, ex-gov tells Wike Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied any rift within the party, which is in opposition in the state.

The state Chairman of the APC, Dr. Davies Ikanya, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday said contrary to media reports, there was no crisis in the party.

He described reports of crisis in the party as “entirely false and misleading”, adding that what was going on were mere changes being carried out by the leader of the APC in the State and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike

Amaechi, in his political group.

He said, “All members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in Rivers State are intact. From our ward officers to state party executives, no one has been removed or suspended from office.

“We are aware that the leader of the party in the state, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is making some changes in his personal political group. It is his right and prerogative to make any leadership changes within his own political caucus.”

He stated, “Contrary to fake wild speculations and deliberately misleading insinuations, no

member of the party in the state has been stopped or prevented from seeking for any elective office. And we must reinstate here that no APC member will be stopped or prevented from seeking any elective office.

“For the purpose of clarity, we want to emphasise that as a truly democratic party, The APC in Rivers State will ensure a levelplaying field for all its aspirants to any elective political office.

In accordance with our party constitution, we shall be fair to all aspirants and will always ensure that the process leading to the emergence of our candidates for all elective political offices is free,

fair and credible,” he said.

In a related development, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said, “From all appearances, Amaechi is in campaign mode for the next election. His intention obviously is to impose a governor on Rivers State, through subterfuge and electoral gerrymandering in 2019.

“But anyone familiar with the politics of Rivers State would be struck by the cosmic irony of today’s event. It is a classic case of a rapist returning to his victim to ask for love. It is important to constantly remind a forgetful public, that Mr. Amaechi was indicted

for stealing billions public funds, by a court-approved judicial panel of inquiry set up by the state government.”

However, Amaechi called on Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to face governance and stop making him (Amaechi) an issue at the least opportunity.

Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt during a lecture organised by the Conscious Reformers Assembly to mark his 52nd birthday, Amaechi, who was the immediate past governor of the state, accused Wike of abandoning governance and focusing on attacking him (Amaechi) at every forum in the past two years.

Delta’ll Soon Regain Her Number One Oil Producing State Status, Okowa Vows Sylvester Idowu in Warri Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State weekend promised that the State would reclaim her number one position as major oil producer in the country next year.

He however said this can only be possible if the youths continue to maintain the existing peace resulting from last year visit by the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN. Okowa gave the promise at

the palace of the Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM Matthew Ediri Egbi, Owhawha I shortly after he unveiled 10.8 kilometres rehabilitated/resealed Okpare-UmoloOvwodokpokpor, Kiagbodo roads in addition to the inspection of Ewu and Okpe-Olomu roads.

He explained that the State government cannot meet the expectations of the people because of the little derivation accruing to the state as a result of youth restiveness and militancy.

The governor appealed to youths in Ughelli South Local Government Area to continue to maintain the existing peace as well as secure government facilities within their areas.

“Delta State, as fourth producer of oil, is not Delta of our dream. We were first oil producer and later second before we went to fourth position. We cannot meet up to the expectations of our people. Let us maintain the peace so that we can rapidly go back to

second position and if we maintain the peace by 2018, we will get back to first position.”

Governor Okowa commended the traditional institutions for their partnership in ensuring a peaceful Ughelli South Local Government Area.

The Ughievwen monarch, HRM Matthew Edirin Egbi appealed to the governor to resolve the “power cut” in his domain, stressing, “We contribute a lot to power from our place.”

Delta State Commissioner for Works, Mr. James Augoye disclosed that the project was awarded on January 6, 2016 to Setraco Construction Company while the Okpe-Olomu road was awarded to Obakpor Engineering Company on March 24, 2016.

Chairman of Ughelli South Local Government, Evang. Paul Etaga hailed the governor for the rehabilitation of the road, pointing out that its benefits were enormous to the people of the area.

Fire yesterday gutted a house in Lagos belonging to former military Vice-president, General Oladipo Diya (rtd).

A combined team of military men, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Fire Service, were on ground to put out the inferno.

Also on ground at Gen Diya’s house located at Adekunle Fajuyi way, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, to assist the officials of the Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni and Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

Although Diya was reportedly not at home as at the time of the incident, the fire was however, put out around 7:00 p.m. The fire, according to a source in the family, affected only roof and the rooms upstairs.

The source, who said the outbreak was caused by power surge, appreciated the efforts of the officials of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Fire Service who were on ground to put out the inferno.

The source also disclosed that no casualty was recorded in the incident which he described as a satanic attempt to cause unhappiness in the family of the former military Vice-president.

82

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

NEWSXTRA Army Confirms Arrest of Suspected Terrorist, Intercepts Four Traffickers The Nigerian Army yesterday

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE R-L: General Secretary of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Barrister Chimezie Ihekweazu; Second Vice President, Ayodele Akintunde SAN; Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and President of BRIPAN, Sola Oyetayo, at a meeting with the leadership of BRIPAN held at the Supreme Court in Abuja...recently

FG Orders Audit of AntiHuman Trafficking NGOs

Segun James

The federal government has ordered the immediate audit of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working in the area of human trafficking, following reports that some organisations purporting to be involved in fighting human trafficking in the country do not exist or where they do, their details, including addresses, were falsified.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in a statement lamented that some organisations purporting to be involved in counter trafficking in Nigeria have become a cause for concern as the Agency is inundated with requests from organisations abroad for confirmation of the existence of some organisations fighting human trafficking in

the country.

The order, which was on the directive by the National Security Adviser to the President, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), stated that all NGOs in Nigeria must get clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to operate in the country, while asking that all the NGOs and consultants working in the area of trafficking in persons must comply without further delay.

“By this notice, all concerned organisations are to visit the Headquarters of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Abuja or the Agency’s Zonal Commands nearest to them for necessary documentation.

This will be done in collaboration with the Network of CSOs Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL)

with Headquarters in Abuja,” Josiah Emerole, head of Press and Media, NAPTIP stated.

Emerole said the directive became necessary because of the “activities of some organisations purporting to be involved in counter trafficking in Nigeria have become a cause for concern to us, as on a daily basis, the Agency is inundated with requests from organisations abroad for confirmation of the existence of some organisations fighting human trafficking in the country. In most cases, the organisations concerned do not exist or where they do, all the details provided, including addresses were found to be falsified.

“It is worthy of note that NAPTIP by virtue of the provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 is

among other things, empowered to enforce and administer the provisions of the Act; co-ordinate and enforce all other laws on Trafficking in Persons and related offences; establish co-ordinated prevention, regulatory and investigatory machinery geared towards the eradication of trafficking in persons; co-ordinate, supervise and control the protection, assistance and rehabilitation of trafficked persons etc and we do not hope to shirk these responsibilities.” NAPTIP lamented that “the fight against human trafficking is a fight for the soul of our nation which the youths who are more vulnerable represent.

These victims should not be seen as commodities for making money, and if they have been rescued from exploitations, they must not be exploited further by those who claim to be providing help to them.”

Navy Chief, IGP Petitioned over Invasion, Closure of Maritime Academy Okon Bassey in Uyo The management of Merchant Seaman Academy in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has petitioned the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, over the closure of the school by operatives of the Nigerian Navy.

The petition, which underscored a lingering face-off between the Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi, and the academy, was signed on behalf of the academy’s proprietor, Mr. Adams Pius, by his lawyer, Barrister Jiti Ogunye of Jiti Ogunye law Chambers, Lagos.

It was also copied the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

Pius demanded immediate reopening of the school.

Pius, in the petition, complained of the violation of his fundamental human rights and threatened to take the Nigerian Navy to court and demand damages; should the authorities refuse to yield to the demand of his client.

The academy located in Uwa West, Essien Udim local govern-

ment area of Akwa Ibom was closed on February 9, 2017 by officers of the Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, alleging that the school was a mushroom institution claiming to train manpower for the maritime sector.

The petition alleged the proprietor and his wife were arrested and detained from Feb. 9, 2017 to Feb. 14, 2017 with the complicity of the officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Our client believes that the invasion of the school and the associated violation of his rights were based on your instructions or at the very least, enjoyed your endorsement.

“The destruction of the property of the school in the course of the military invasion constitutes a willful and malicious destruction of property,” the petition posited.

Ogunleye further alleged that his client was locked and deprived the use of his property even when the Nigerian Navy was aware that the school was duly registered, licensed and approved.

He said the school was duly

registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in 2013 to train professional seafarers in Nigeria and run approved maritime courses.

“The Navy invaded and shut down the Academy in February 2017, describing it as a mushroom school and a proscribed institution,” Ogunleye lamented.

He said his client was a member of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association with technical knowledge in maritime issues.

The operatives of the Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, Akwa Ibom, had in February closed down the academy, alleging it was an illegal institution.

The proprietor was arrested along with other staff members while the students numbering 95 were sent home on grounds that the institution was unqualified to be a merchant navy academy.

The Executive Officer at NNS Jubilee, Capt. Mudiaga Ejumabone, who led the operation, had told newsmen that the Merchant

Seaman Academy was not an approved institution.

Ejumabone said the only institution that trained merchant navy in the country was Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transport.

He stated that the Merchant Seaman Academy did not have any legal backing to operate and was neither registered nor approved by the Ministry of Transport as a maritime training institution.

“Some of these people often deceive prospective recruits that it has affiliation with Nigerian Navy and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, as their uniforms resemble naval uniforms. As you can see they are impersonating, especially with their mode of dressing, which is similar to the naval uniform, causing a big embarrassment to the Nigerian Navy.

“The nefarious activities of these so-called seafarers, if not nipped in the bud, will continue to constitute serious security problems in the country,” Ejumabone stressed.

confirmed the arrest of a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Aliyu Ahmed, alias “Aliko”. The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement that “Aliko” was arrested on Friday by troops of 33 Brigade following a tip off in Yuga village in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where he has been in hiding.

The army also said it intercepted four child traffickers and 19 under aged children in Yobe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“He was found to be in possession of one single barrel gun and one Dane gun. During preliminary interrogation, he confessed that he actively par-

ticipated in several Boko Haram terrorists’ attacks and also owned an AK-47 rifle which was lost during one of the attacks they carried out in 2016. His interrogation continues,” Usman said.

He said the four traffickers, who were arrested by of troops of Bravo Company, 120 Battalion at Katarko, were conveying 19 children from Potiskum to Garin Tuwo, Bungai and Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe and Galarabala in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.

“Both the suspected traffickers and their victims have been moved to the Brigade Headquarters for transfer to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,” the army spokesman said.

Abia PDP Guber Aspirant Alleges Threat to Life People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Aspirant in Abia State in the 2015 General Election, Sir Friday Nwanozie Nwosu has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over alleged threat to his life.

Inatersethree-paragraphpetition made available to the media, Nwosu alleged that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the former Governor of Abia, Theodore Orji, now a Senator, son of the former Governor, and current Member of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Orji, one Ekpe Ekpe, alias Trigger and others have perfected plans to assassinate him.

In the petition dated June 12, and entitled: ‘Threat to Life and Application for Police Security’, Nwosu said he was being targeted for elimination because of his ongoing suit challenging the candidacy of Governor Ikpeazu at the Owerri Division of the Appeal

Court.

He said:” I am asking the court to disqualify Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the Governorship Candidate of PDP and declare me as the lawful PDP Governorship Candidate and therefore the duly elected Governor of Abia State in the 2015 general election on grounds that Governor Ikpeazu falsified his documents and gave false information.

“I have been in Court since January, 2015 and even the Supreme Court. The apex court has now referred the matter back to the Court of Appeal for determination of the case on merit. As soon as the Supreme Court referred my case back to the Court of Appeal on May, 22, 2017, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, former Governor Orji, Hon. Chinedu Orji, one Ekpe Ekpe aka Trigger and others plotted to assassinate me with the said Ekpe Ekpe as leader of the killer gang”, Nwosu alleged.

Why Agitations for Biafra not Serious Yet, by Tejuoso The Senator representing Ogun Central Federal Constituency, Senator Dapo Tejuoso, has said agitations for the Biafran nation lack the required significance because the South-East people are still represented in the National Assembly.

Senator Tejuoso, who expressed the view in a chat in Abuja, noted that those shouting were outside the system, adding that until the representatives of the people of South East in the National Assembly begin to talk about it, it would remain a non-issue and insignificant.

According to Tejuoso, the agitations would become a serious issue only when the people of the zone come up through their representatives in the National Assembly to say they want to form a new country as expected in a democratic

setting.

“As far as I am concerned, the South East is still represented in the senate; they have their own senators, they have their House of Representatives members, they have not come up through any of these process to say they want to form another country; those who are shouting are those outside the system. “So, for me, it is the day, senators start talking about it, that House of Representatives members start talking about it, it is then that it will make serious importance, but we are running democracy. For instance, the day they said people should stay at home and they too stayed at home; their House of Representatives members did not stay at home and these are the people representing them.”

Princess Oni Passes on at 70

One of Nigeria’s pioneer female computer scientists, Princess (Mrs.) Eunice Anike Oni (nee Ajiboye), has passed on. She died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, June 11, 2017, aged 70 years. She was born in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State on August 18, 1946 to Prince Benjamin Akintola Ajiboye and Olori Abioye Ajiboye. The late Oni attended St. Paul’s Anglican Primary School, Emure-Ekiti and Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School, Akure, Ondo State. She also attended New York University and Oklahoma State University in the UnitedStatesofAmerica.SheworkedintheUniversityofIbadanComputer Centre from 1971 to 1982 and transferred her service to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State where she worked from 1982 to 2004; from where she retired from active service. She was a pioneer member of the Computer Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Red Cross. She is survived by her husband, Emeritus Prof. Adeduro Oni, children and grandchildren.

T H I S D AY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

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 18, 2017

SUNDAYSPORTS

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

Aluko Urges England U20 Stars to Play for Nigeria

F

ulham FC striker Sone Aluko has urged Dominic Solanke, Fikayo Tomori, Sheyi Ojo, Ovie Ejaria, Josh Onomah and Ademola Lookman to switch their international allegiance from England to Nigeria.

The six players, who are of Nigerian descent, recently helped England Under-20 clinch the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup with Solanke winning the competition’s Player of the Tournament accolade.

Aluko, who played for the England U19 side before switching his allegiance to the Super Eagles, stated that the onus is on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

“The onus is on Nigeria and not the players. Nigeria have to make it attractive for these players to leave the path they’ve known,’’ Aluko told Complete Sports. ‘’After being in the English

system, and Nigeria who have never invested in their career invite them, it would be difficult. Even me that can be described as a success story, I only have six caps, I haven’t started in a competitive game for Super Eagles but I have scored two goals and people said I have done well. ‘’So it is the responsibility for Nigeria to make it attractive for them which I think is what they are trying to do now in getting these players.”

Ojo and Ejaria are on the books of Liverpool FC, while Solanke and Tomori are Chelsea FC players.

However, Solanke will join Liverpool next month after signing a pre-contract with the Reds. Lookman plays for Everton FC, while Onomah is on the books of Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea’s Ola Aina recently switched his allegiance to Nigeria - having captained England’s U19 side.

Solanke

Russia Win Confed Cameroon, Chile Clash Live on StarTimes Cup Opener

H

osts Russia kicked off their Confederations Cup campaign with a comfortable Group A victory over New Zealand in St Petersburg.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino opened the tournament with a speech inside the St Petersburg Stadium, with Russian president Vladimir Putin and legendary Brazil footballer Pele in attendance.

Russia took the lead through Michael Boxall’s first-half own goal. Fedor Smolov scored a second from close range after the break.

Also in Russia’s group are Mexico and Portugal, whose squad includes Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Group B consists of Cameroon, Chile, Australia and world champions Germany.

The tournament, which first took place in 2005, is being held in the country hosting the World Cup next year.

Meanwhile, Russian fan leader Alexander Shprygin was prevented from attending the opening match, according to Reuters. Shprygin said he had been notified by Confederations Cup organisers that his fan-ID - required to attend matches - had been cancelled.

“No-one explained the reasons for this,” he told Reuters.

“They gave me a fan-ID and then two hours [before the match] they cancelled it, apparently on purpose so I don’t have the time to complain.”

Shprygin was expelled from France after violence occurred before and during Russia’s Euro 2016 match against England in Marseille.

A

frican Champions, Cameroon, will today take on Chile in the Match-day two of the FIFA Confederation Cup at the OtkrytiyeArena in Moscow.

The match will be shown live to StarTimes subscribers on its ST World Football Channel 244 and 254.

Cameroon, making a comeback 14yearsafteritlastqualifiedforthe football fiesta, will be participating for the third time in the history of the competition. It was in 2003 that the Indomitable Lions gave their

M

playmaker, who joined Chelsea in 2012, with a big money move to Spanish champions Real Madrid but Hazard said he feels at home at Stamford Bridge.

“I like this club because it’s a family,” Hazard told the club’s website. (www.chelseafc.com) “I have a lot of friends and we all talk to each other. I’ve been here five years now and I’m so happy. I’m at one of the best clubs in the world, so I’m very happy to play for such a big club as this.”

selection validated its ticket for the Confederations Cup in Russia. For this first participation, analysts believe the team led by JuanAntonio Pizzi will try to play cunningly its chance and surprise the planet football.

“The Chileans have a quality team with players such as Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal capable of reversing the fate of any meeting, thanks to their unusual individuality”. Betclic offers a rating of 3.30 for a crown of Chile in this competition.

Speaking on these coming Confederation Cup matches,

Acting Brands and Marketing Director, StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede, said StarTimes remains commitment to delivering quality sporting content to its subscribers.

“Quality sporting content was the reason behind the acquisitions of sporting rights like the FIFA World Cup in over 48 territories inAfrica and other sporting event such as the Serie A, Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, Chinese Super League, Eredivisie.

He said StarTimes will be showcasing the best of these football actionslivefromthevariousmatch centres in Russia to its subscribers.

Ronaldo Eyes More Silverware in Russia

C

ristiano Ronaldo will put speculation over his club future firmly to one side as he leads European champions Portugal into their ConfederationsCupopeneragainstMexico in Kazan today. The 32-year-old Real Madrid superstar’s buildup to the tournament in Russia has been overshadowed after he

Hazard Plays Down Transfer Rumours idfielderEden Hazard tried to play down speculation that he is about to move away from Stamford Bridge by describing how settled he feels with his Chelsea “family”. The Belgium international scored 17 goals and provided five assists to help Chelsea win the Premier League title and reach the FA Cup final last season.

Media reports have linked the

best performance by reaching the stage of the final against France.

Mourning after the tragic death of Marc-Vivien Foé, the Cameroonians fell 0-1 in extra time.

However, after winning the AFCON 2017, it is once again with the status of outsider that Cameroon will be hoping to make a good statement as it happened in 2003. The Indomitable Lions are rated at 18.00 on Betclic in case of triumph.

The Chileans on the other hand are hoping to create a big surprise.

By winning the Copa América in front of its public, the Chilean

Hazard’s exploits led to him being named Chelsea’s Player of the Year for the third time in five years at the club, as they lost just five league matches to seal the title and Hazard is hoping for more success next season.

“Hopefully next year it is the same, we win the league and then I win Player of the Year,” Hazard said. “Obviously winning the league is what we want most, and this award is just a bonus.”

was this week accused by prosecutors in Spain of defrauding the authorities of €14.7 million in tax through offshore companies.

Now the Madrid sports media is awash with headlines suggesting Ronaldo wants out of the Spanish champions, despite only signing a new contract through to 2021 in November.

But for the next two weeks the main thing on the mind of the reigning Ballon d’Or holder is winning more silverware in the eight-nation World Cup warm-up event.

“Hetakesthistournamentvery seriously and is focused,” said Ronaldo’s teammate Andre Silva, the striker who has just joined AC Milan from Porto.

“It would be a beautiful thing to have on the CV. Of course it would be a dream to win it,” Ronaldo said in January, since when he has powered Madrid to glory both in La Liga and in the Champions League.

It has been a dream last 12 months on the field for the formerManchesterUnitedman,

Ronaldo

who was a European champion at club and international level in 2016. More glory here in Russia will end any doubt about him winning a fifth Ballon d’Or. “We don’t have words to describe what he represents for our country. He is an idol, even for us players,” admitted veteran defender Bruno Alves, the 35-year-old who has just signed for Scottish club Rangers.

Portugal’s triumph at Euro 2016 secured them a place in Russia, where they will be making their Confederations Cup debut against CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico in GroupAbefore facing the hosts and New Zealand.

Ronaldo has scored 12 goals in six international outings since coming off injured in the Euro final, but Mexico – winners

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

High Life

85 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

A Wedding to Remember...Billionaire Folorunsho Alakija Throws Nigeria’s Most Expensive Wedding Yet for Son, Folarin, in London

L

ike a fairy tale come to life, Folarin, one of the four sons of oil tycoon, Folorunsho Alakija, got married last Saturday to Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifa, a former model and daughter of prominent Iranian businessman, Khosro Ghaissarifar, in a wedding ceremony that was as extravagant as it was expensive. Held at the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the ancestral home of British wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, the banquet hall, luxurious and expansive on its own, was taken to a new level of extravagance with flower and light decorations covering up the entire space including the ceiling, walls, and pillars.

The result was a perfect fairy-tale scene. In the midst of splendor rarely seen in this part of the world, the bells pealed, crowds cheered, the expensive flowers that ornamented the venue bloomed like it was in its habitat at winter, even the sun put in a timely appearance to felicitate with the couple and especially, the groom’s mother rated by Forbes, the influential American business magazine, as the richest black woman in the world. Alakija, alongside her husband, was a study in sheer happiness that day. She had spared no expense to gift her son a befitting wedding. Guests were flown in from Nigeria and all over the world and lodged at five star hotels in London. To entertain them, Robin Thicke, was flown in from United States for a surprise performance. The Blurred Lines singer costs

Abike Dabiri

R-L: Folarin, little bride and wife, Nazanin

about £200,000 for such transatlantic performances.

According to influential British tabloid, Daily Mail, the bespoke marquee and bespoke marble floor with the couple’s initials etched in gold would have made the venue rental cost about £200, 000. While the eighthtier cake, made by Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium which clients include British, European and Middle Eastern Royalty and celebrities, costs about £10, 000 with elaborate iced

flowers and doves toppings, the flowers that adorned the expansive venue were by Jeff Leatham who is reputed to cost about £250, 000 for such briefs. Estimated at a fist-clenching, eye-watering £5million – exceeding the GDP of a small world nation – an insignificant fraction of Alakija’s humongous wealth, it was memorable enough to have been in attendance at a wedding now being rated as one of the most expensive ever. A father of one, Folarin,

ABIKE DABIRI SETS TO BECOME GOVERNOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN’S IN LAW Come Saturday, July 8, Oladipo, son of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, would be joined in holy matrimony with Ayomide, the daughter of Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Already, invites and aso-ebi are being dispatched across the globe for what promises to be the grandest wedding to hold in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Though a very popular broadcaster in her heydays at the NTA, Abike has evolved into a redoubtable politician, serving three terms in the

House of Representatives, but she is also a force in the social circuit. Regardless, her vast network of contacts would serve her well as she sees off her son into holy matrimony. Like Abike, Governor Amosun, a staunch Moslem, is widely known to be frugal and shies away from the social scene except those necessitated by virtue of his office. However, he has a lot of socialite friends who would help make his beloved daughter ’s happiest day thick and memorable. A lawyer, Ayomide was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 2015 while Dipo graduated from the University of Bristol and relocated to Nigeria recently.

an investor, cinematographer and Geography-graduate of the Imperial College, London, was once married to a lady called Chena who, sadly, died in 2011 due to complications arising from cancer. He and his new wife, a Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering graduate of the University of Manchester, met through friends in London. She also has a Diploma in Law and is very close to the Kardashians.

BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN, AKANIMO UDOFIA, ADDS ANOTHER YEAR TODAY

•Why oil mogul elicits deafening tribute of interminable cheers

Indeed, we must not measure greatness from the mansion down, but from the manger up. Many a rich man giddy with power, carry himself with a false sense of modesty but billionaire oil mogul, Akanimo Udofia, the head honcho of Desicon Group, is remarkably different.

There is no gainsaying that AK47 as he’s fondly called is a modern man with wisdom of the ancients. He hardly lives for the glitter and noise of the celebrity arena hence his decision to keep low profile. It’s often

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JUNE 18, 2017

86

HIGHLIFE

Love Possibly?…Imo Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, Finds Love Again in the Arms of Chioma Onyekaba

I

n the midst of the agitation by a vast majority of Igbos for secession, and the groundswell of anger and despair across Imo State due to the non-payment of salaries and pension arrears, the state’s deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the din of the market place. As far as he was concerned, legalising his affair with Chioma Onyekaba, in the presence of God and man, superseded every form of agitation and angst. It was therefore in view of this that Prince Madumere, famously unapologetic for his maverick dress sense, took Chioma to the ‘altar’ a few weeks back. It was a hush-hush affair and bereft of the grandiosity of his status and predilection.

Madumere, 53, is one of the closest confidants of his principal, Governor

Rochas Okorocha.

They first met in the USA and when Okorocha began his political adventurism, he convinced Madumere to return home and they have been together since then. And he has been well rewarded over the years for his steadfast loyalty. The bride, a blogger, former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria contestant and English/Literature graduate of the Abia State University, Uturu, is a native of Isiukwuato in Abia State. This is Madumere’s third marriage by the way. His first wife bore him four children before they called it quits. His second wife, Barr.

Adaego Nosiri, a magistrate and native of Achi Mbieri, Mbaitoli LGA, where the deputy governor hails from, also walked out on the marriage due to what sources say is his unconventional lifestyle.

Akanimo Udofia

said, angels fly because they take themselves lightly. They do not think too much of themselves, so does Udofia. Like an angel, he takes himself very lightly despite his worth and intimidating stature. He wears his badge of temperance and humility in the shape of a subtly hued bowtie. AK47, as he fondly called, achieves this with unequalled grace and élan. His company, DESICON, has been an

indigenous industry leader providing innovative Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) solutions. Interestingly, it focuses on leveraging these assets to deliver Instrumentation Maintenance and Construction, Procurement and Consultancy solutions to the Nigerian Energy sector. Udofia’s path to acclaim didn’t lie out in flat miles; it’s the imagination with which he perceives the world and the gestures by which he honours it that stands him apart. Unlike many of his peers, his rise to eminence was as much a product of unrelenting will and his astounding ability to pirouette himself from obscurity to entrepreneurial acclaim by the bootstraps.

As far as business ideas and innovations are concerned, he turns nothing down, except the collar of his shirt. From oil and gas to shipping, telecommunication and merchandising, his imprimatur stares you boldly in the face. In view of how much God has blessed him beyond measures, Akan divests a

Prince Eze and Chioma

large chunk of his fortune to philanthropy. Trust him, there would be a private dinner somewhere in the exclusive part of London tonight.

HOW MOTHERHOOD DROVE A WEDGE BETWEEN ERELU ABIOLA DOSUNMU AND NIKE OSHINOWO In spite of the almost two decades difference in their ages, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu and former beauty queen, Nike

Abiola Dosunmu

Oshinowo, were like two peas in a pod, chummy and inseparable, financially solid and connected. They attended parties together and jointly shunned the one they didn’t feel like attending. But that seems to have changed with time. Osinowo, who had twins via gestational surrogate, in 2013, has kept a low profile since then. When asked if they still maintained their

Nike Oshinowo

T H I S D AY, T H e S u n D AY n e w S pA p e r • JUNE 18, 2017

87

HIGHLIFE

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s New Grandchild Christened • APC leader excited over the prospects of playing grand-daddy

A

siwaju Bola Tinubu is in high spirits.

Bliss runs his wily heart amok and pervades his Lagos mansion in Bourdillion, Ikoyi, even as you read. It was a different kind of elation for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, when his granddaughter was christened penultimate Friday.

The venerated politician leapt and spin in excitement as friends and relatives and political associates including Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, gathered in New Cavendish, London, as his granddaughter was named Amira Titilayo Noella Rose Simisola Ashabi.

The tot, delivered

Friday, June 2, at The Portland Hospital for Women and Children in Marylebone, West End, is the first child of Seyi, Asiwaju’s first son, and his stunning Lebanese wife, Layal.

Polo-loving but selfeffacing Seyi and Layal started their marital journey with a traditional ceremony in August 2016 at the Iga Iduganran palace of Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Rilwan Akiolu, an elaborate ceremony that drew everybody that mattered in high society. Perhaps living up to his renown as very private, Seyi and his influential father ferried all their guests to the scenic Lake Como, Italy, a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, for the wedding solemnization proper.

closeness recently, Erelu Dosunmu said, “We are still close. She now has two children. She now knows what motherhood is all about, she is busy, and she wants the best for her children. She has to pay attention to them. We were together few weeks ago. I had to drag her out but then, she had to leave the place early. She doesn’t want to leave her children with her housemaid, most mothers leave their children throughout the week and at weekends, they are at parties. When will they have time for their children or even know what is happening to them?”

SCOTT TOMMEY, CELEBRATES WIFE, SEIYEFA, AT 40 It was easy for businessman and silent billionaire, Scott Tommey, to love Seiyefa Jessica, when their paths crossed many years ago. Thus, treating her like a boon from God, is second nature to the chairman of Osmoserve Global, indigenous marine services providing company. Thus, as Seiyefa clocks 40, Scott has been waxing romantic and rhapsodizing about their fortuitous meeting.

“Having the good things of life is good but getting married to my wife Seiyefa, was one of the best things I ever experienced. I met her on a very sunny afternoon in Port-Harcourt and something just clicked.

She is from Bayelsa State.

As the cliché says, one thing led to the other and

Bola Tinubu and his grandchild

Seiyefa Jessica

here we are as a loving family blessed with three wonderful kids. I can say I am fulfilled; I am blessed with good health and a wonderful family, though there are still many lands to cover. With God, nothing shall be insurmountable,” he said.

HOW GOVERNOR AMBODE TURNED 54TH BIRTHDAY TO A MASTER CLASS IN HUMILITY The amiable governor of Lagos clocked 54 last Wednesday and contrary to the norm and expectations within the political circuit, he did not roll out a marching band or host a celebrity-styled soiree to celebrate the coming of age. Though there were no celebrations, a marked departure from when he was a fun-loving, private citizen, the deluge of wellwishes, from far and near,

from political associates and appreciative citizens, more than made up for any soiree. There must however have been plenty warm pats on the back for

A-Plus as he is also known.

Deservedly so, too. Despite a tottering, tentative first few weeks in office, not helped by the acclaimed achievements of his successor, the accomplished accountant has come into his own as an administrator par excellence, a governor with a human face and a tireless worker. From the ‘Light Up Lagos’ initiative that has helped to reduce crime drastically, the roads projects across all LGAs and LCDAs, to the rebuilding and beautification of Berger, the gateway to Lagos, the One Lagos Fiesta across the five divisions in the state and shoring up of the Internally Generated Revenue, Governor Ambode has continued to win many hearts and convert even the most strident opposition to his side.

Akinwunmi Ambode

Sunday, June 18, 2017

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N400

MISSILE Osinbaja to Northern Youths

“Any attempt by any group of people to disrupt peace will be met with stiff resistance. As a government we are determined to ensure the unity of the country along the lines of our constitution and I want to say that hate and divisive speech or divisive behaviour where it is illegal will be met with the full force of the law.”

– Acting President Yemi Osinbajo notifying northern youths how they would be dealt with if they harass the Igbo people living in the northern part of the country

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

New Nigeria Needs New Nigerians And Four

I

n a “side bar” article I wrote years ago, I noted that the then central bank governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, was still signing the naira as “Charles Soludo” and joked that I would not spend the Nigerian currency again until he did the needful. I got an e-mail from a young reader who said although he always enjoyed reading my articles, he just could not understand my “constant criticism” of Soludo. He accused me of being an “Igbo hater”. I chuckled. Why did he not accuse me of “hating” Soludo because he is a professor and I am not, or because he is richer than I am, or because he is more handsome? Why must my “hatred” for Soludo be based on ethnicity?

I did not bother to reply the mail. (Unknown to the reader, I enjoyed, and still enjoy, a fantastic relationship with Soludo.) But I took away one disturbing message from the mail: creating a “Nigeria first” identity is going to be the toughest task ever. The divisive mindsets we inherited from our “founding fathers” pervade not just the older generations but even the new ones. The older generations viewed Nigeria from a narrow ethno-religious prism. Over the decades, closer interaction, greater integration and much education have neither renewed nor reset our mindsets. We still continue to interact with Nigeria the way our “ancestors” did.

In my mind, I often see two Nigerias — the Old and the New. In the Old Nigeria, ethnic and religious identities take precedence over national identity. That is, you are first and foremost a Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Muslim, Christian, southerner, northerner, etc, before you are a Nigerian. Your first line of thinking is always along this myopia. For instance, if the federal government makes appointments, the first thing you do is count how many Muslims and Christians or southerners and northerners are on the list before asking whether the appointees are good enough to deliver development to Nigeria. You can’t be bothered about the competence as long as they are from your village.

In the New Nigeria, the one I would love to see, it is “Nigeria first” before your ethnic and religious leanings. You are Yoruba or Christian quite all right, but that is not what determines how you treat issues of common significance. What that means, in practice, is that if a ministerial list comes out, your first instinct is not the religion of the appointees but their CVs. It means if Yoruba and Hausa are fighting, your first instinct is not to side with the person from your part of the country but to seek to understand the contending issues before taking a position. You remain Yoruba or Hausa, of course; nothing can take that away from you. But that is not what controls your brain.

Building a New Nigeria is a tall order, let me say that. We start acquiring narrow mindsets from a tender age. We are socialised to view people from other ethnic groups, religions and cultures in a particular way, mostly unflattering.

Every ethnic group harbours prejudices and biases against others. The good news, as if there is any good in the news, is that this is not a Nigerian problem. It is universal. Human beings are brought up under the influence of mindsets that eventually colour how they see their world and the world around them.

This regulates how they think and how they understand and analyse issues. Their worldviews are shaped by inherited prejudices and biases.

In Nigeria, there are established terms with

Buhari which we describe people from other ethnic groups and religions: illiterates, beggars, cows, cowards, drunks, traitors, fraudsters, money worshippers, cannibals, terrorists, infidels, and all that. You hear racist tags such as “yamiri”, “malo”, “ofe mmanu”, “kafir”, and all that.

From infanthood, children are told stories about other ethnicities in a way to prejudice their minds, to sow seeds of hate, mistrust and discord in their souls in preparation for their future. Don’t make friends with those people — they are traitors! Fraudsters! Infidels!

At age 10, a child is already using derogatory terms to describe people of other faiths and ethnicities.

As tensions begin to well up in the land again with secession threats and “quit notices” flying up and down, the biggest challenge is how to continue to preach “one Nigeria”, “Nigeria first” or “New Nigeria”. We are losing the argument by the day. The most dominant voices in the public space today belong to hate merchants. They are prisoners to the prejudices and biases with which they were nurtured.

Every problem in Nigeria, for all they care, should be looked at with the tinted lenses of ethnicity, region and religion. All analyses, opinions and positions start and end with ethnicity and religion. It is the inherited Old Nigeria at work, no thanks to the “founding fathers”.

I have gone round Nigeria a bit. Everywhere I go, I see dilapidated schools, helpless children, weather-beaten hawkers, sick hospitals, potholed roads, and wailing generators. I mean every single state of the federation. I see harassed and pauperised Nigerians from every tribe and every tongue, from every religion and every persuasion. And I see stinking rich government officials in their convoys of goldplated SUVs, waving their diamond-crusted wristwatches in the air, frolicking with their bevy of indecent beauties. Every state, every

region, every religion. Yet we’ve managed to conclude that our problem is the person from other ethnic group. Who bewitched us?

We desperately need a New Nigeria, but we cannot build a New Nigeria without New Nigerians. We need new thinking and new thinkers. Old Nigeria was built on ethnoreligious chauvinism. The evangelists of Old Nigeria made sure that they reproduced themselves, such that people who were born in 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, who are supposed to be New Nigerians, are also hostages to ethnic hate and bigotry. So their age is not the issue; it is the age of their mindsets. A New Nigeria can only be built by those who can see beyond their nose, beyond their ethnic cocoons, beyond the hate that has been sown and groomed in their minds. Old Nigerians cannot build a New Nigeria.

There are people who see themselves as custodians of sectional interests, who continue to fuel division and discord in Nigeria. They are enemies of nation-building. They cannot see what binds us together. They are too blind to see it. They cannot see the common afflictions holding back Nigerians of all faiths and all ethnic affiliations. They are too blind to see. They cannot see the diseases that kill lowly Nigerians in the north and the south.

They are too blind to see. They cannot see the politicians and public servants pillaging the commonwealth. All they can see is how another part of the country is their problem.

This Old Nigeria mindset is, sadly, the king in the ring.

I will give a recurring example. The beef some people had with President Goodluck Jonathan had nothing to do with his performance in office: it was all down to ethnic and religious biases. Jonathan’s performance, or lack of it, only helped their case. It is exactly the same thing going on today: some people cannot just stand the sight of President Muhammadu Buhari because of his ethnic identity and religion — and they cannot wait for him to fail. That is the Old Nigeria mentality. The New Nigeria mindset is more focused on how the president can succeed, and criticisms are directed at the issues rather than at his person.

After all, if he succeeds, Nigeria succeeds.

Lest I forget, ethnic diversity is not a problem in itself. Diversity is a fact of life.

Using stereotypes to describe other people may not be a problem in itself. Stereotyping is a universal phenomenon. However, the fierce competition for the political-cum-economic space, in the face of scarcity, is what usually leads to the propagation of hate and violence.

Limited opportunities often get twinned with identities and ethnic entrepreneurs jump on the opportunity to magnify and manipulate prejudice. Until we build a New Nigeria that works for all, that keeps poverty on the fringes, that gives every part a sense of belonging, the hate merchants will continue to call the tune.

For the time being, this is a clarion call to New Nigerians to rise up and drown out the voices of Old Nigerians. The country is overdue to be hijacked and controlled by those who think they are first Nigerians before they are Ijaw, Igala, Urhobo, Ika, Kuteb, Kaje, whatever. We must commit to bringing up our own children in a new way, helping them acquire broader worldviews, with emphasis on celebrating the good in others, building new mindsets on putting the overall interest of Nigeria above narrow ethno-religious narratives. Enough of the parochialism that is holding Nigeria hostage. This cycle must be broken. We cannot make real progress this way. Never.

Other Things...

HATE SPEECH There is a video going round in which an Igbo cleric utters unprintable words about Hausa people and President Muhammadu Buhari. I recently watched one in which the IPOB leader says horrible things about the Yoruba. Is this not harmful to Igbo people living in other parts of Nigeria? If other people start making hate videos against the Igbo and begin to circulate them, there can only be one outcome. Can’t people make their points decently without insulting and provoking others? I am totally against hate speech, even if it is made by my mother or my pastor. Maybe IPOB sympathisers now need to think twice about the possible consequences. Caution.

KIDNAP ASSETS It is coming to light the key role the social media plays in turning people to valuable kidnap assets, thanks to the arrested Chukwudi Dumeme Onuamadike aka Evans, reputedly Nigeria’s most notorious kidnapper. The way people live their lives on social media these days makes no sense to me. I have this contact on my WhatsApp who is always announcing his leisure trips to Dubai, Rome and Los Angeles, sometimes with status videos. He even uploads the videos of himself and his wife at the first-class check-in counter and lounge of Emirates Airlines. Can someone please tell me what’s going on in this world? Am I just too old-fashioned to understand?

Bewildering.

TOWER FIRE The midnight fire tragedy that engulfed Grenfell Tower, London, killing yet unspecified number of residents, is one too many. I hate to imagine the agonising cries of people, young and old, woken up from their deep sleep by the inferno that cremated them alive. While investigation begins, it has been established that the flammable cladding on the outside was responsible for the rapid spread of the fatal fire from the fourth floor to the top of the 24-story building. Flammable cladding is commonly used on office buildings in Nigeria because of its beautifying effect. The Nigerian fire services may want to take a look at its health and safety implications. Proactive.

BLESSING IN DISGUISE Our own Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor was the cynosure of all eyes at the Diamond League event in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday.

No, she did not win her long jump event. She actually placed seventh. She had a bad hair day: her wig jumped out of her head, turning her into an instant internet sensation. Even the global mainstream media could not resist the fun of the wardrobe malfunction.

But don’t I just love her? There was no trace of embarrassment on her face. She dusted herself up, picked the wayward wig and restored the disguise to her head. Pictures of the incident are surely going to endure and become iconic, long after she’s left the stage. Drama.

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