Sunday 4th March 2018

Rann: UN Demands Arrest, Prosecution of Attackers Says 8 Nigerian security operatives among those killed Senator Iroegbu, Paul Obi in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The United Nations at the weekend demanded for the arrest and prosecution

of the perpetrators of the attack Thursday night on Rann town in Borno State, which killed aid workers and security operatives.

In a statement issued Friday night from the UN headquarters in New York,

Evacuates all humanitarian personnel from Rann, suspends aid deliveries

Secretary-General António Guterres made the demand for the arrest and prosecution of the assailants.

The statement signed by spokesman for the SecretaryGeneral, Stéphane Dujarric, said all humanitarian person-

nel had been evacuated from Rann, a town in Kala-Balge Local Government Area.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack that took place at a military barracks in Rann, which the UN said resulted in the

death of three aid workers and eight Nigerian security personnel. But it bore all the hallmarks of assault by the Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram, which has since 2009 launched a terror campaign against the Nigeria state.

The UN SecretaryGeneral’s spokesman stated, “The Secretary-General condemns the killing of three aid workers last night in Rann town in Borno state, Nigeria, following an attack by suspected Boko Haram

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Buhari, 22 Govs Honour Ganduje, Ajimobi at Children’s Wedding President gives out bride after payment of N50,000 dowry by Tinubu Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje married off one of his daughters, Fatima, to Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s son, Idris, yesterday in Kano in a grand ceremony, which took place at the Kano Central mosque.

The ceremony was presided Cosntinued on page 9

PRESIDENTIAL BLESSING ...

President Muhammadu Buhari (left); Kano State Governor and father of the bride, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje (2nd left); Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II (3rd left); Oyo State Governor and father of the groom, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (4th left); Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (2nd right); groom, Idris Ajimobi (centre); Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (right), at the wedding fatiha of Idris and Fatima in Kano ...yesterday

OPL 245: Trial of Shell, Eni Executives Begins Monday in Milan Court Kunle Aderinokun with agency reports The trial of Royal Dutch Shell and Eni and their executives on the $1.1 billion deal for the controversial Nigerian deepwater oil block OPL 245, would begin on Monday, but in another court in Milan, Italy.

Reuters, which gathered this from three legal sources, said the Milan tribunal had, informed lawyers that the court, which had been due to hear the trial had too many cases and could not guarantee that it would do so in a reasonable period of time.

A judge had last year, ordered the two oil giants and their key figures including

Eni’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Claudio Descalzi, and his predecessor, Paolo Scaroni, to stand trial as well as former Royal Dutch Shell staff members together with Malcolm Brinded CBE, former executive director for Shell’s upstream international operations.

The companies were accused of corruption in the

2011 purchase of OPL 245, an offshore oil block estimated to hold nine billion barrels of crude, for $1.3 billion.

Eni has, however, denied any wrongdoing in the OPL 245 transaction.

“Eni’s Board of Directors has reaffirmed its confidence that the company was not involved in alleged corrupt activities in

relation to the transaction,” Reuters quoted Eni as saying in a statement recently.

“Eni expresses its full confidence in the judicial process and that the trial will ascertain and confirm the correctness and integrity of its conduct,” the statement added.

The Italian oil giant insisted in particular that “chief executive,

Claudio Descalzi was not involved in the alleged illegal conduct”.

Shell and Eni were charged with corruption in Nigeria over the OPL 245 deal, which was brokered by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Cosntinued on page 9

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FG Moves to Recover $3bn UnremittedTaxes from Addax Petroleum Begins legal proceedings against oil firm David Iriekpen The federal government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, has commenced legal proceedings against Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd, a Chinese-owned oil firm, over the company’s alleged under-remittance of $3 billion in taxes and royalties.

Court documents sighted by THISDAY during proceedings before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun last week showed that the funds, according to the government, are outstanding claims against the company under the Petroleum Profit Tax Act and Petroleum (Drilling and Production) Amendment Regulation 2003 over Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 123, 124, 126, and 137.

Joined as respondents in the suit are Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd, Addax Petroleum Exploration Nigeria Ltd, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/ Department of Petroleum Resources, and the National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS).

According to D.A. Awosika and Partners, counsel representing the federal government, the $3 billion unremitted funds came as a result of the oil multinational’s

illegal and irregular reliance on side letters dated November 21, 2001, December, 20 2001, and August 24, 2004 that were never gazetted.

The government moved to recover the funds from Addax after report on how the Chinese firm allegedly paid millions of dollars in bribes to Nigerian officials to secure juicy contracts in the oil industry.

In 1998, Addax Petroleum, a subsidiary of China’s Sinopec Group, one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, entered into a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the NNPC (as concessionaire) in respect of OPL 98/118 and OPL 90/225.

Four years later, the company discovered oil in commercial quantities and the OPLs were converted into Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 123/124 and 126/137.

The PSC entered by the two parties required Addax Petroleum to pay royalties on any oil produced from the relevant oil blocks at the rate of 20 per cent as stipulated by law. It also provided that the Petroleum Profit Tax Act (PPTA) applicable to the contract areas shall be 65.75 per cent for the first five years, starting from the first day of the month of the first sale of the oil, and 85 per cent thereafter.

But, according to the statement of claim filed by D.A Awosika & Partners, the lawyers prosecuting the

case on behalf of the federal government, Addax Petroleum fraudulently obtained a side letters in 2001 and 2004 that were “never gazetted� and which they used in calculating their taxes and royalties.

The calculations in the side letters fixed the PPT payable by the company at 60 per cent, and rather than the 20 per cent flat rate of royalty, provided for a graduated rate depending on the volume of oil produced from the oil blocks.

The side letters were signed

by Mr. Funsho Kupolokun, then Special Assistant on Petroleum and Energy to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001 and Mr. Olabode Agusto, the then Director General/ Special Adviser on Budget to the President in 2004. “Several objections and protests were raised by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), NNPC, and DPR to the reliance on these side letters by the defendants to bypass, supplant, and subvert the process,� the government’s lawyers stated in their claim. “In 2003, in order to give effect to the graduated royalty regime stated in the side letters, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Obasanjo) issued the Petroleum (Drilling and Production) Amendment Regulations, which provided for graduated royalty rates for onshore and shallow offshore PSC which did not account for royalty by tranches.

“The Petroleum (Drilling and Production) Amendment Regulations 2003, when made, was given retrospective effect from the first day of January, 2000, which was the same date of commencement of the graduated royalty rates contained in the side letters.�

Several meetings between Nigerian government officials – represented by the FIRS, DPR, and NNPC – and representatives of Addax Petroleum reassess and resolve the latter’s “colossal underpayment� to the government between 2007 and 2012 yielded no results.

In one of the meetings, it was discovered that the company’s application of the graduated royalty rates as provided for in the Petroleum (Drilling and Production) Amendment Regulations 2003 as contained in the side letters was erroneous.

Rather than relying on the applicable royalty rates in calculating their daily production volume, Addax Petroleum allegedly developed a practice of slicing their volume rate of royalty to different tranches of production thereby significantly reducing their royalty obligations.

Government’s calculations of under-remittance showed that the company withheld $1.3 billion in royalties and $1.7 billion in PPT. But Addax Petroleum maintained its right to the use of the side letters for computing

RANN: UN DEMANDS ARREST, PROSECUTION OF ATTACKERS insurgents. At least one other aid worker remains critically injured and another three are still missing. Eight members of the Nigerian national security forces were also killed. “At the time of the attack, over 40 humanitarian workers were in Rann. All humanitarian personnel have been evacuated from Rann, and all humanitarian deliveries in the area have been temporarily suspended. “The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the affected aid workers, their families and to the government and people of Nigeria. He wishes those injured a swift recovery. The Secretary-General recalls that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. Those responsible for these and other atrocities in Nigeria must be apprehended and prosecuted. “The Secretary-General calls on all the parties to ensure at all times the protection of all civilians in Nigeria.�

Head of Communications, United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs, Samantha Newport, told THISDAY that the suspension of humanitarian services was to allow for proper study of the situation.

Newport said, "What we have done specifically in Rann is, we have temporarily suspended operations for one week. We have suspended operations for one week and the aid workers have come to Maiduguri. “We took the aid workers and the three UN deceased aid workers to Maiduguri.�

She maintained, "The suspension will have minimal impact, it will allow the UN to make assessment on what happened on security‌

“We are not leaving the North-east. The UN and our NGO partners are staying in the North-east. No one is leaving the North-east."

The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres – also called Doctors Without Borders – said on Friday it had also suspended its medical activities in Rann and evacuated its national and international staff.

MSF said in a statement, “Following a violent attack in Rann, Borno Dtate, on Thursday 1 March, MĂŠdecins Sans Frontières suspended its medical activities in the town and evacuated 22 national and international staff.â€?

Many international organisations, including International Organisation for Migration and UN Children’s Fund, have deplored the attack on Rann.

IOM Director of Operations and Emergencies, Mohammed Abdiker, stated, “IOM staff reported that during the incident, four soldiers, four mobile police and three humanitarian workers were killed and another three humanitarian workers were injured. “Two of those killed were IOM field colleagues.�

Abdiker added, in the “We are outraged and saddened at the killings of two of our colleagues in an attack by Boko Haram in North-east Nigeria last evening. “They represented the best in us in assisting displaced civilians. We will miss them.�

The UN migration agency said some 55,000 people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency lived in a camp near the military base, where the terror attack took place.

UNICEF, in a statement by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Marie-Pierre Poirier, said, “UNICEF is shocked by the attack on March 1, in Rann, Borno State, in which three

aid workers lost their lives, three were injured and one is reportedly missing. “One of these brave workers who lost their lives, and the nurse who is missing, were on the frontline providing critical services supported by UNICEF.�

Meanwhile, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the murderous assault on Rann.

However, PDP said the President Muhammadu Buhari government should be held liable for the deaths.

The party called for an independent investigation into alleged compromise of security in flashpoints and alleged release of some arrested insurgents by agents of the federal government.

PDP said such inordinate releases were generally believed to have contributed to the increase in violent attacks in the North-east.

On February 19, 110 schoolgirls were kidnapped

by Boko Haram from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, in the most audacious abduction by the group after the 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State. Of the 276 girls snatched from the school on April 14, 2014, 57 escaped, four were found, 103 were released, and 112 are still missing.

The authorities had claimed that some of the Dapchi girls were rescued, but that turned out to be untrue.

PDP, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “We urge the international community to compel the Buhari Presidency to come out with the truth on the alleged compromising of security in flashpoints as was reported in the sudden withdrawal of troops

from Dapchi, Yobe State, just before the abduction of our 110 daughters.

"The withdrawal of troops before the horrendous abduction has raised all manners of speculation and provided room for conspiracy theorists to thrive. "Nigerians have become weary, despondent and disappointed as insurgents, murderers and marauders rove our land while the Buhari Presidency engaged in cosmetic reactions.

"We ask: what was the actual security situation in Rann and what was the information available to the community before the attack?

"What has the federal government to say to the allegations that it released some arrested terrorists as well as allegations that monies were even paid by government agents to terrorist groups as ransom in controversial swap deals?

These developments are being alleged to have emboldened acts of terrorism in the country."

Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara also condemned the Rann attack. In a statement by his special adviser on media, Hassan Turaki, Dogara said, "It is saddening that people who have been sacrificing to save lives, and offer succour to our people in the North-east are now targets of blood thirsty terrorists.

"We condemn this in the strongest terms as it is against all rules of engagement in conflict zones all over the world and appeal to all humanitarian agencies not to be deterred by this new dimension of violence by the insurgents.

"In The security agencies should also provide adequate protection and coverage to humanitarian workers in the region."

the taxes on its operations and dragged the government over accusations of a breach of their 1998 PSC on the oil blocks.

In suit FHC/ABJ/ CS/1099/2014 filed before former Chief Judge of Federal High Court Ibrahim Auta, the company sought a judicial approval towards their continued use of the side letters to compute its financial obligations to the Nigerian government.

However, on May 26,

2015, three days before the administration of the then president, Goodluck Jonathan, handed over to his successor, Muhammadu Buhari, the government negotiated a controversial out of court settlement with Addax Petroleum, agreeing to pay the company $3.4 billion (about N1 trillion).

See the concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com

OPL 245: TRIAL OF SHELL, ENI EXECUTIVES BEGINS MONDAY IN MILAN COURT Some of the officials of Jonathan's administration who participated in the negotiation preeceding the deal included former Attorney-General, Mohammed Bello Adoke and former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The deal saw the federal government act as an intermediary between the oil majors and Malabu Oil and Gas, a Nigerian company allegedly controlled by former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete.

Allegations of corruption and bribery had mounted over the years, forcing Shell and Eni to repeatedly maintain that they acquired the rights to the lucrative block in line with Nigerian law.

But email exchanges between Shell management cited in a report by corruption watchdog Global Witness, and seen by AFP, suggested that Shell was aware the money was likely to be funnelled to individuals, including Etete and Jonathan.

Etete was also ordered to stand trial by the Milan court.

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency filed corruption charges against Shell and Eni in March, accusing 11 defendants, including Etete, of “official corruption� in connection with the oil block deal.

Jonathan has denied receiving kickbacks, saying that he had not been “accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting monies� linked to the deal.

OPL 245 has been a source of contention for almost two decades.

In 1998, the block was awarded by then petroleum minister, Etete to Malabu Oil and Gas. Years of legal wrangling between Malabu, the Nigerian government and Shell ensued,

with Shell ultimately winning rights to the block in a partnership with Eni. But in its reaction to the order by the Milan judge, Shell said it was disappointed over the decision.

A statement released on its website said Shell believed that the trial judges will conclude that there is no case against it. “Royal Dutch Shell Plc made the following statement in response to the decision by the judge of the preliminary hearing of the Tribunal of Milan in Italy to remand the company for trial for alleged offences related to oil prospecting licence (OPL) 245 in Nigeria,� the statement read. “We are disappointed by the outcome of the preliminary hearing and the decision to indict Shell and its former employees. We believe the trial judges will conclude that there is no case against Shell or its former employees. “Shell attaches the greatest importance to business integrity.

It’s one of our core values and is a central tenet of the business principles that govern the way we do business. “Shell has clear rules on anti-bribery and corruption and these are included in our code of conduct for all staff.

There is no place for bribery or corruption in our company.�

President Muhammadu Buhari, who has promised to fight corruption in Nigeria’s oil sector, has said “mind-boggling� sums had been stolen from the public purse.

However, the AttorneyGeneral, Abubakar Malami recently wrote to Buhari urging him to back off on his administration's legal battles with some of the Nigeria's prncipal actors in the controversial OPL 245 deal.

BUHARI, 22 GOVS HONOUR GANDUJE, AJIMOBI AT CHILDREN’S WEDDING over by the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II. The All Progressives Congress national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who stood as the groom's representative, paid the sum of N50,000 as dowry, while President Muhammadu Buhari, who stood as the representative of the bride’s father, accepted the bride price in line with Islamic injunction.

The wedding fatiha also saw the presence of about 20 governors as well as other dignities.

During the wedding fatiha, Emir Sanusi II said marriage was a religious injunction which all believers must respect. “Marriage is a very important institution in the society. Allah has directed every Muslim adult who is gainfully employed or has a means of livelyhood to marry a woman he loves and the two, start up their home in love and harmony�, he added.

The wedding brought activities in the ancient city of Kano to a standstill as visitors and well-wishers came out in

large numbers to grace the wedding fatiha at the Kano Central Mosque.

Our correspondent observed that 22 governors, led by the Chairman Northern Governors Forum, Abdul'aziz Yari, attended the ceremony. Some of the governors at the event include, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and Rochas Okorocha of Imo. Also in attendance were the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, ministers, federal lawmakers and traditional rulers.

The wedding fatiha took place amidst tight security, as a large crowd thronged the venue of the occasion to catch a glimpse of the eminent personalities present. Members of business communities, prominent Islamic scholars and members of the diplomatic corps, among others, also graced the event.

A colourful reception was held at the government house.

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MARCH 4, 2018 ˾ 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

BEYOND THE DAPCHI TRAGEDY Government must go beyond the usual blame game to halt the widespread chaos and killings in the land

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hen gunmen invade areas, kill people on an industrial scale, torch whole villages and disappear without trace or enter a school premises and cart away more than a hundred female children, the federal government needs to do more than setting up committees or drafting in contingents of soldiers after the damage had been done. The authorities must recognise that the kidnap of innocent school children in Dapchi, Yobe State as well as frequent massacres like the recent one in Adamawa State and the orgy of bloodletting in Zamfara State belong in a category that may not fit into the conventional law and order mould. That also means that responses to such tragedies must be different.

From Benue to Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and Zamfara States, With a growing it would seem pattern of roving that we may genocidal gangs be witnessing and some perverts the deliberate in the name of Boko exploitation and Haram on the loose, resurgence of ancient animosities we must challenge buried and ethno-religious rivalthe federal ries for unstated causes. But government and the challenge of insecurity the authorities in becomes more perplexing many of the states when parents can no longer send their children or concerned to do a to school without little more than the wards the fear that they could be usual display of abducted by some perverts incompetence and masquerading as Jihadists. blame game that The pertinent question to have deepened our ask therefore is: What have the security agencies done insecurity to understand the nature of the sundry forms of criminality that now engulf a section of the country and what are the strategies for countering them?

With a growing pattern of roving genocidal gangs and some perverts in the name of Boko Haram on the loose, we must challenge the federal government and the authorities in many of the states concerned to do a little more than the usual display of incompetence and blame game that have

Letters to the Editor

deepened our insecurity. But it is also important that we isolate the Dapchi mass kidnap as a separate outrage which has its own complexity and multiple implications. It contains elements of terrorism, mass slavery, abuse of the rights of the girl child to education and decency. Add to that the multitude of security related lapses, oversights and embarrassments: inter agency squabbles and blame tossing, failure of basic reconnaissance and surveillance, force immobility, failure of theatre communication, etc.

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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 DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH, PATRICK EIMIUHI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

he tragedy at Dapchi is a serious indictment of the current administration in several respects; especially given the experience of Chibok from which useful lessons ought to have been learnt. A convoy with 110 girls is not exactly a needle in a haystack! Nor would it travel at supersonic speed! There was abundant human intelligence around the incident as several locals have reported making numerous cellphone calls to security formations soon after the incident. Who acted on these alerts?

To worsen matters, the response of the federal government has been a mixture of panic and confusion sprinkled with bureaucratic correctness. While the president’s assurances are in line with standard political behaviour: reassure the people in times of tragedy and give hope even when the situation may seem hopeless, the dispatch of multiple presidential delegations of ministers and other bland emissaries with no specific mission is somewhat curious. It is also too early to activate an inquiry as has been done, especially when such committees established in the past were merely to buy time.

While the propaganda arm of the Buhari administration continues with its usual hollow excuses, silly comparison with the past and tales of recovery efforts by a hundred aircraft that have turned out to be a lie, what the parents of the girls, the nation and the international community are waiting for is the quick recovery of the Dapchi students, not a gamut of bureaucratic indulgences. That then explains why this challenge belongs squarely in the realm of the security forces and they must be held accountable.

But there is a more urgent issue: To the extent that Nigeria is a vast canvas of misdeeds, sometimes painted with impunity, some of the security challenges that now define several areas of our country are a reflection of our inability to accept that we are not yet a “normal” nation. Sadly, the greater problem of our nation remains that of credible leadership, at all levels!

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

A P LEA FOR R ESUMPTION OF PAYMENT OF P OLICE P ENSION ARREARS

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bout 12 years ago the most frugal president Nigeria has ever known, Olusegun Obasanjo, proved that he could also be benevolent by granting pardon to members of Nigerian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Airforce and Police) who served in Biafra during the Civil War. Consequently, he gave his then Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Ekaette, a road map of his intentions. The SGF immediately produced a brilliant letter, which the president

did not hesitate to approve.

In January 2007, a consortium of banks paid the retirees what they calculated were their dues. Later, it was discovered that there were still some payments that were due which were not made in 2007 and that there were some retirees that were not captured during the 2007 payments.

Sometime last year, the present executive director of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Sharon Ikeazor, commenced the process of addressing these anomalies. Verifications were done and the first batch

of payments was made to mostly retirees, who apparently were not paid in 2007 in October 2017. Arrangements were then made to pay other outstanding dues to the other retirees from 2007 a few days after the first batch of payments.

However, while this was going on, problems of interpretations of who exactly is entitled to the payment, in line with the letter of the SGF to President Obasanjo, seem to have stalled the process. Some executive officers of Association of Retired and War Affected Police Officers (ARWAPO),

apparently for selfish reasons, seem to think that what the letter meant is that the retirement benefits of ALL affected officers shall be calculated as if such officers had completed 35 years in service before this Nigerian Civil War (irrespective of the number of years served before the outbreak of the Civil War) and that even the ranks held by such officers will not be counted since it is a pardon by the president.

This interpretations by the executives of ARWAPO, which I do not think is correct, with its huge financial implication, has apparently made PTAD to suspend further payments to us the retirees as then SGF

recommended to President Obasanjo and which he accepted.

My plea is that the payments be continued since President Buhari’s administration had already released funds for this purpose and which I learnt was adequately captured in 2017 budget. The weird interpretations of the implication of the pardon by former President Obasanjo and the elaborations in the letter by the SGF to President Obasanjo, by some officers of ARWAPO for selfish reasons, should not be allowed to truncate the entire process.

- Sir Daniel C. W. Uwaezuoke, Enugu

T H I S D AY ˾ SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2018

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SUNDAYNEWS

News Editor Abimbola Akosile E-mail: abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com, 08114495306 (sms only)

More Stakeholders to Grace THISDAY Su m m it on Hea lt hc a r e Fi n a nc i ng Martins IďŹ jeh

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator John Owan Enoh; Chairman, House Committee on Primary Healthcare Service, Hon. Chike Okafor; and Chairman, House Committee on Health Institution, Hon Jocelyn Betty Apiafi; are among the stakeholders expected at the first edition of the THISDAY Summit on

Healthcare Financing.

The summit, billed to hold at the Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre Abuja on Tuesday at 10am, is themed: “Moving Nigeria towards Universal Health Coverage through Appropriate Financing.�

It aims to galvanise discussions on why the country should prioritise financing of the health sector as a bastion of human capital development critical for the achievement of

the Economic and Growth Recovery Plan of the country.

Other stakeholders scheduled to headline the Summit are key members of the World Bank Group, Senate President Bukola Saraki; Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole; Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company,OsagieOkunbor;and President, Global Development

Programme, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chris Elias.

Among the World Bank chiefs expected at the summit are the Director, Health Nutrition Population of the World Bank Group, Washington, Olusoji Adeyi; the Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Rachid Benmassoud; Chair of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation(GAVI)andNigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; and CEO

GAVI, Seth Berkley.

Adeyi, who is the Key Note speaker for the Summit, is a Nigerian currently heading the Health, Nutrition, & Population Directorate of the World Bank Group in Washington.

He is described as a firm advocate for adequate healthcare financing. He believes investment in health is a powerful driver of economic growth and overall development.

In one of his articles co-

CELEBRATING ELDER NOIBI L-R: Deputy Managing Director THISDAY, Mr. Kayode Komolafe; Bishop, United African Methodist Evangelical Church Yaba Lagos, Rt. Rev Oladipo Timothy; celebrant,

Elder Aramide Tola Noibi; his wife, Pastor Mrs. Titilayo; Supervising Bishop, Rt. Rev. Zachaeus Sanyaolu; and the Asiwaju GbeoďŹ nro Oke Ona Egba, Justice Oluseun Shogbola (rtd.) during the 70th birthday ceremony of Elder Noibi held in Lagos...recently

authored by Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Adewole, and published in THISDAY recently, he said, “Ensuring a healthy workforce for today and the future amounts to investments in human capital, on a par with investments in the infrastructure for power generation, transport, and telecommunications. The Government of Nigeria has committed itself to ensuring universal health coverage for all citizens, and fulfilling that goal requires a commensurate investment of Nigeria’s own domestic resources. We reflect on this challenge and opportunities for improvement.�

THISDAY Newspaper Board of Directors in a statement announcing the reason for the Summit, said Nigeria’s health sector allocation in the national budget has continued to decline over the years despite the increase in disease burden and mortality rates.

It said the summit would be a policy dialogue where major healthcare organisations/individuals and the political class in the country will meet under one roof to chart a way forward for a more improved healthcare financing model for a sustained investment in the provision of quality healthcare to the over 180millionNigerians,especially in the area of highly cost effective interventions.

The public, especially healthcare stakeholders’ organisations and individuals are therefore encouraged to attend and participate at the conversations during panel discussions.

Adeniran: PDP Has Been Purchased, Pocketed

t Says defection to SDP is movement for new order t Ogiadhome denies leaving party Olawale Olaleye

Former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran, last night, said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been ‘purchased and pocketed’ by some members of the party and has

therefore lost its place in decent party politics.

Adeniran,whosaidthiswhile justifying the defection of some members of the PDP, including himself to the Social Democratic Party(SDP),saidtheideabehind leaving PDP for the SDP was a

movement for a new order in party politics.

Inanotherbreath,formerPresident Goodluck Jonathan’s Chief of Staff, ChiefMike Ogiadhome, whose name was mentioned as one of those leaving the PDP for SDP has come out to deny the

news, saying he had no link whatsoever with the idea.

Adeniran, who seemed to have had it full with the PDP, said the former ruling party was the architect of its own failure, and that the need for all lovers of democracy and its practice to

come to the rescue of the nation was no longer debatable. “We call it movement for a new order, because PDP has been purchased and pocketed by a few individuals in the party.Ifyouproperlyanalysethe developments in the PDP, you would agree that the PDP was thearchitectofitsownfailure,�he

explained. Adeniran, however, contended that SDP would give their followers the opportunity to actualise their political ambitions with strict observance of internal democracy. He claimed the SDP was not a party that has been irredeemably committed to the banditry that has led the nation to where it is.

Mambilla: Death Toll Rises to Ten as Ishaku Sues for Peace

Kachikwu: My Alleged APC Sweeps Edo Council Polls as PDP Boycotts Exercise Governorship Bid is Cheap Gossip

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The death toll in the communal clash that erupted on the Mambilla Plateau on Thursday between the Fulani and Mambilla ethnic stock has risen to ten.

This is coming just as the state governor, Darius Ishaku has appealedtothepeopleoftheareato sheaththeirswordsandembrace peace in order to engender the development of the area.

Confirming the rise in the number of casualties in the crisis inatelephoneinterviewwithTHISDAY, the State Commissioner of Police,Mr.DaveAkinremisaidthe casualtieswerefrombothwarring groups.

He however maintained that the state police command has succeededinreturningnormalcy totheareaevenasthecommand,in conjunctionwithsoldiersdeployed

from the Army Barracks in Serti remainongroundtopreventfurther escalation of the crisis.

According to him, “The crisis has been brought under control andnormalcyhasreturnedtothe areabutourmenarestillonground withsoldiersdeployedfromSerti to complement the police. “It is very unfortunate that the crisisoccurred.Ihadheldseveral meetings with the leaders and stakeholders of all the ethnic groups on the Mambilla on the need to embrace peace and they gave me their words to maintain peace, but it is very unfortunate that this is happening now�, he lamented.

Ishaku,whoequallylamented the outbreak of violent clashes in theplateaudespitegovernment’s effortstosustainpeaceinthearea, has appealed to warring groups to embrace peace.

The local government election in Edo State held across the 18 Council areas and 192 Wards of the state yesterday saw the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) sweeping the elective positions; following the boycott by the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Voters turned out early in many voting centres events as electoral materials arrived late in some of the centres visited, while in some centres, there was low voters turn out.

Besides, the election was peaceful at Garrick Memorial Secondary voting centre, Oredo Ward 1, Igbesamwan Primary School voting centre, Oredo Ward9,AgbadoPrimarySchool votingcentre,OredoWard12and EmokpaiPrimarySchoolvoting

centre,wheretheStateGovernor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki voted at 12.30 pm.

Similarly at Ologbosere Primary School voting centre, Ikpoba-Okha Ward 7, with 39 units, the turnout of voters was impressive,justasitwasatItohan Secondary School voting centre, Ikpoba-Okha Ward 6.

Speaking shortly after casting his vote, Governor Obaseki said “in most units and wards the number of people that have decamped from PDP to APC has been amazing and I think it islogicalbecauseeverypolitician aspires from his unit and if you do not give him the opportunity he will seek it from outside. So thatwaswhathappened.Wecan confidently say that the opposition party is non-existent in Edo State. It has been peaceful and orderly.

Olawale Olaleye

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has described as the handiwork of idle minds, his now familiar alleged ambition to be governor of Delta State, adding that he would not be distracted by such “non-edifying cheap gossip�.

Kachikwu, who spoke exclusively to THISDAY last night said he was not oblivious of the antics of those peddling the rumour for sometimenowandwastoosmart tobedrawnintoanymudslinging debate,especiallycomingatatime thathisbeatofassignmentrequired undivided attention. “Ihaverefutedthisstorytimeand timeagain,andfortheumpteenth time,Iwanttoplaceitontherecord that stories about my governorship bid are sponsored to achieve whateverresult.Butthetruthisthat

suchstorieshavenothingtodowith measapersonandevencuriousis thatthepeddlersareveryconsistent, meaningitisacalculatedfalsehood being sold to the public. “Imightnothaveagraspofwhy they are doing this, it is not totally true, however that I do not have a clue why they are traveling this route. Unfortunately, it is cheap and undeserving of my precious time.ThatIamdenyingitagaindoes not mean in another one month or two, they would still not dust the storyupagain,modulateandspin it from yet another angle. “What this means is that those behind the stories are not just idle, they are clearly people of small minds,whohavenothingproductive and engaging to do but have elected to be canon fodders in the hands of equally feeble minds to fester whatever sinister plans they have.

T H I S D AY ˾ SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2018

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Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś Ëž THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

OPINION Much Ado About Corruption President Buhari should use the same set of rules to ďŹ ght corruption, writes Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku

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ince the recent release of the Transparency Index rating on Nigeria, so much potopoto has been flying around. I have watched the federal government pass buck by maligning the index, saying that it is the way it is because certain individuals are unfavourably disposed to the administration. The government has also said that there is no way that corruption in Nigeria can ever be this rampant as portrayed by the TI rating. After all, the EFCC has been up and doing, other advisory bodies daily churns out paper after paper and generally doing their best to rid Nigeria of corruption, and President Muhammadu Buhari and his famous body language clearly showed that he had zero tolerance for corruption. In 2016, Mr. President attended the London Anti-Corruption Summit and signed Nigeria on to the Open Government Partnership. The administration eventually went on to develop a National Action Plan along four thematic areas of fiscal responsibility, access to information, citizen participation and anti-corruption. Mr. President strengthened our bilateral relations by signing extradition treaties with key countries wherein our monies are stashed. Just recently, he was crowned Africa’s anti-corruption champion by the African Union. His aides have been doing their best to carry civil society along in the fight against corruption, and as a matter of fact, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) participated very actively in the first Global Forum on Asset Recovery in Washington DC where he signed an MOU on behalf of Nigeria with the Swiss government for the return of $321million Abacha loot stashed in Switzerland.

But there is a but. First, why are politically exposed persons on the other side of the political divide who are facing prosecution for stealing us blind suddenly get their charges dropped as soon as they cross the carpet and appear to kiss Mr. President’s feet? Why does it seem that people in his kitchen cabinet and some in his party are sacred cows, and can therefore graze on anyone’s farm and with impunity and immunity? Why does it seem that in spite of the hard work that Mr. President is putting in to tame corruption, his famous body language presented him as a tribal warlord and social collectivist rather than a strong individual seeking to use the instruments of state as pedestal for cleaning our Augean stable of corruption? What makes the scenario very depressing is the fact that a coterie of commentators has already begun a comparative analysis of the level of

corruption between this administration and the one before it. Some civil society groups have called the Index a wake-up call on Mr. President (and rightly so), while others insists that the only way to go, after the index is a paradigm shift in our approach to the fight against corruption.

Let me first of all address the idea that the Buhari administration is not doing much about corruption. It is. The problem that the administration has is that it is yet to apply the same set of rules to all. Let me be very clear. The index is an indicator and most of it is based on the idea which people have concerning the fair or unfair methodology which the government has adopted in fighting corruption. The very first impression we all had that Mr. Buhari will fight and die fighting corruption was with his handling of the Dasukigate affair. He gave us all hope that no matter how big, rich, powerful and politically connected you are, you will go to jail if you dip your fingers in the public purse. But certain flip flops began to occur. A member of his kitchen cabinet actually dipped his hands in the public purse, and rather than pursue that individual with the same measure of resolve and alacrity as he did the Dasukigate, he appeared to dilly-dally and was slow in wielding his hammer. That was where the disappointment set in.

But we must all understand something about perception. It is usually based on certain precepts like motion, experience and visual projections. It can easily establish or break down prototypes, stereotypes and archetypes. If the Buhari administration had realised that corruption is corruption and must be taken on no matter the political and social considerations which make it an accessory to the fact, then the perception of corruption under his

But certain ip ops began to occur. A member of his kitchen cabinet actually dipped his hands in the public purse, and rather than pursue that individual with the same measure of resolve and alacrity as he did the Dasukigate, he appeared to dilly-dally and was slow in wielding his hammer. That was where the disappointment set in

administration would not be subject to such debate.

Yet it is to those calling for a paradigm shift in the way we fight corruption that I may align with eventually. Let me tell you why. Last year I attended one of those anti-corruption meetings held in a five- star hotel wherein the successes and failures of the Buhari anti-corruption fight was the theme. I’d studied the documents which the organisers gave to us only to find out that they had spent so much money and time churning out paper after paper, held seminar after seminar and had trained group after group on fighting corruption. In spite of that, it didn’t seem as if corruption was reducing, rather it seemed to be growing in leaps and bounds. And therefore, when it was my time to speak, I suggested a paradigm shift in the form of a counter imagery to dislodge the positive idea which corruption enjoys among our people. To do that, I suggested using pictures (movies) and Nollywood. Stupid idea isn’t it? Yes, that’s exactly what everyone thought of me and my idea.

Simply put, the forming of a perception or idea of corruption begins with a context. Attack it now it diminishes in value.

Attack it later it grows and sticks. But attack that perception now or later and use other methods if you like. Mine is with the use of images of a didactic nature and theme. Send pictures of that message right though the rung of our society – our cities and villages, our schools and institutions, and our public and private establishments. But how did I get this idea? Years ago in Berlin, Germany, I ran into a group of Africans – mostly Tanzanians, Ghanaians, Liberians who bunched up in a room watching a Nigerian home video movie depicting Nigerians as a people with a penchant for juju, witchcraft and voodoo. You know what? They believed everything they saw on that screen, and even though I struggled to disabuse their minds they held fast to that idea on the screen.

Therefore, I want to suggest again that in addition to the good work that the administration is doing to fight corruption, it must first use a member of its team as scapegoat. If Mr. President will do that, corruption will reduce. Then rather than spending all that money in five-star hotels on anti-corruption seminars and trainings, the federal government should activate the National Orientation Agency. Let it come up with an orientation strategy of using that example of Mr. President’s resolve to fight corruption on our videos or any other video for that matter to build its anti-corruption profile. –––Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, ANEEJ

Myths About Buhari’s 12 Million Votes Sufuyan Ojeifo argues that it will be extraordinarily difficult for Buhari to rake such numbers in the 2019 election

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hort of saying, whether you vote or not, we will win, Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who is locked in a supremacy battle with his erstwhile boss, former governor of the state and current senator, Rabiu kwankwaso, for the political soul of Kano, was boasting, the other day, of his capacity to mobilise and return five million votes for President Muhammadu Buhari, if he contests, in the 2019 presidential election.

That is quite massive in a situation where it is realistic or doable!

For me, Ganduje’s declaration was nothing but a day-dream. But then, it could be preparatory to some advanced forms of rigging because, in the first instance, the figure of registered voters in Kano in the 2015 general elections was 4,943,862. Assuming, arguendo, that the figure goes up to between five and six million after the continuous voter registration, can the governor guarantee that five million voters would cast their votes for Buhari, especially if the leading opposition party decides to field a formidable northerner and possibly a Fulani man against the president?

I see Ganduje’s braggadocio, which feeds on the desperation to secure the solid backing of Buhari and the federal might with which to contain Kwankwaso and capture Kano for his governorship re-election enterprise, as a shallow strategy to build or create a mindset and prepare the ground for election rigging in the state in 2019. Kano had test-run the rigging plan with the massive deployment of under-age voters in the recent local government election in which only the APC participated and won all the 44 local government chairmanship positions as well as all the councillorship seats.

Ganduje had, against the run of rational electoral strategy, unravelled too early, thus drawing global attention to Kano. Recall that the state gave Buhari the highest votes of 1,903,999 million votes in 2015 amid reported manipulation of the election. Therefore, Kano, as a potential swing state, must be closely monitored in 2019.

Jonathan reportedly failed to monitor Kano and he got 215,779 votes. But curiously, the electoral process did not record a single voided vote, given the high illiteracy level of the vast majority of Kano electorate.

Without a doubt, the manipulation of the presidential election in Kano was a mockery of the right of the electorate to choose their leader. Despite the “landslide victory� of Buhari in Kano, certain developments cast a pall on the squalid narrative of how Jonathan was defeated, to wit: the strange one million votes’ disparity

recorded for the National Assembly and presidential elections that held simultaneously; and, the controversial death of the Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mikaila Abdullahi, his wife and two daughters in a strange fire that gutted their home.

Jonathan did not challenge the manipulation of the elections during which card readers were discarded in Kano and some other core northern states at the commencement of the presidential election. So far, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had tactically refused to publish data from the card readers because it was a colossal failure: the machine recorded about 85 per cent failure in Kano, with little or no significant number of “incident forms� to complement it.

It was equally shocking that despite the fear of Boko Haram insurgents, which had led to massive emigration from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa ahead of the 2015 elections, Borno State, for instance, still returned huge votes of about 473,543 for Buhari and 25,640 votes for Jonathan. It was illogical for a troubled state to have returned huge votes while peaceful states in the south and north central zone returned unusually low figures, having been deliberately pegged down by the mandatory use of “ineffective� card readers.

Ganduje, who played the humble and loyal servant to Kwankwaso as deputy governor from 1999 to 2003, special adviser to Kwankwaso when the former governor was Minister of Defence and again deputy governor from 2011 until 2015 when Kwankwaso decided to enthrone him as his successor, has shown his combat readiness to embark on proxy battles for the powers-that-be in Abuja against any opposition to Buhari’s re-election bid, if he decides to contest. It is obvious that Ganduje is trying to be clever. He wants to ride on Buhari’s mythical popularity to win re-election as governor. That strategy is not as assured as it looks because Buhari’s popularity in the north and the cult-like followership that he enjoyed prelude to the 2015 elections have suffered serious setbacks. The president has lost enormous goodwill.

The northern consensus that produced him has been fractured. 2019 presents a different scenario. It is going to be Buhari, if he contests, versus another formidable northern candidate.

Therefore, unlike 2015 when he enjoyed bloc votes from the north against Jonathan, a southerner, the votes would be shared

this time round. The southern part of the country would become the game changer or the poll decider.

In 2007, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented Umaru Yar’Adua, a Fulani, as its presidential candidate in the election in which Buhari was also a candidate. Buhari was beaten silly. Yar’Adua garnered about 24 million votes while Buhari got a little over six million votes. That has evidently knocked the bottom off the assertion by a former Board of Trustees’ member of the PDP, Chief Don Etiebet, that Buhari has a constant pool of 12 million votes in the north that he has been appropriating since 2003 when he began his quest for the presidency.

Buhari got it in 2003 when he contested against Obasanjo; he got it in 2011 when he contested against Jonathan and, of course, about 15 million in 2015 that saw him defeat Jonathan, but he never got it in 2007 against Yar’Adua, a formidable northerner.

The records are there. I laughed off Etiebet’s analysis of Buhari’s northern support base of 12 million ready-made votes in Sunday Vanguard of February 26, 2018.

The analysis was so simplistic, pitiably sycophantic and awkwardly patronising.

In 2019, the northern votes will be greatly divided by leading northern candidates of frontline parties, especially now that the presidency of Buhari, these past three years, has brought about further impoverishment of the masses, especially in the north.

There is, therefore, a desperate search for socio-political and economic revivalism, which search cannot reinforce and sustain the languid old order.

The voting masses and the non-voting elite are now united by the common pains occasioned by leadership ineptitude, nepotistic disposition and ethno-religious chauvinism.

Therefore, the masses and the elite will expectedly deploy their power of choice, using the instrumentality of their permanent voter cards, to determine their respective fate and the fates of those who jostle to preside over the affairs of the nation in 2019.

It is not going to be about any “12 million votes� sitting pretty somewhere for Buhari, but about votes that will be prudently cast after considering the anguish in the land and the need for national redemption. ––Ojeifo, editor-in-chief of The Congresswatch magazine, wrote via ojewonderngr@yahoo.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

LETTERS

LAGOS AND THE QUEST FOR PRISON REFORM

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rison is an institution created by law to provide rehabilitation and correctional facility for those who violated the law as a punitive measure. However, besides its punitive goal, prison is primarily meant to reform the inmates to be better people in the society.

Like every other society, Nigeria has her own fair share of prisons scattered all across the country. In 1872, the colonial masters set up the Broad street prison with a capacity for about 300 inmates. It must be stressed that the colonial prisons were not really intended at that time to reform prisoners.

Rather, prisoners were mostly engaged in hard labour as dictated by the colonial administration.

It is, however, sad to note that nothing has really changed in the outlook of the colonial days’ prisons and contemporary ones in Nigeria. In terms of being a reformation home, Nigeria’s prisons are simply bad news.

Welfare of prison inmates isn’t really accorded much importance as most of the nation’s prisons aren’t actually good for human habitation. Indeed, there have always been skirmishes between prison warders and prisoners based on issues

I

Ambode

such as poor feeding arrangement, inadequate accommodation space and pathetic medical facility, among others. Things are so bad that some of the prisons don’t even have suitable vehicles to convey prison inmates awaiting trial to court.

These shortcomings have resulted in poor prison conditions.

Therefore, inmates face years of confinement in often cramped and dirty rooms with insufficient food allocations, inadequate minimum standard of basic hygiene

and scarcity of decent clothing. A major bane of prisons across the country is overcrowding which constitutes a serious threat to the health of inmates.

Of late, cases of jail breaks have been traced to the unbearable conditions of inmates. It is not unusual to see Nigerian prisoners look so frail with rashes all over the skin, among other deadly physical diseases.

While one isn’t advocating that prison inmates should be treated as Lords and Queens, at the same time, prison shouldn’t be made to be hell on earth for

them.

Universally, the prison ought to train inmates in trades or vocations that could uplift them whenever they are out of prison.

The idea is to ensure that they are properly integrated into the society after their sojourn behind bar. This way, they won’t likely constitute nuisance to the society. Towards this end, prisons ought to have facilities for both formal and informal education to support the various aspirations of inmates.

Ideally, the prison aside serving as a form of punishment for offenders is also planned to be an agent of reformation and rehabilitation.

But sadly, the reverse seems to be the case as too many criminal offenders emerge from prisons worse off than they initially were. This is largely due to the fact that first time offenders are often kept together with hardened criminals and they end up being badly influenced by the latter. Consequently, they will not be able to imbibe the right values which their imprisonments were meant to inculcate.

From all indications, the prison system in our nation is in dire need of interventions from various segments of the society.

Major stakeholders need

BBNaija: The Unseen Side

am perhaps getting a bit too old to remain plugged into pop culture. Except in a few instances, today’s music does not interest me.

I am, however, not that set in my ways to say today’s music is all garbage. Even while growing up and in era ceaselessly advertised as representing chaste tastes, I heard music (lyrics, more like) that went against the grain, heavily so.

Tastes do not stay the same eternally.We have no option, but to accept that. It is exactly why I am moved to challenge the view that Big Brother Naija (BBN for short) is show without benefits. Looked at carefully enough, it offers benefits, which we fail to see, most likely, because we already harbour prefabricated notions that blind us to modern realities.

It verges on the spectacularly hyperbolic to claim that a show so feverishly followed by millions has no single benefit.

If we could calm down a bit, we would see that there are economic, psychological and social benefits. The economic benefits, it has to be stated, are not enjoyed exclusively by the creators of the show or sponsors, but also by the housemates and others involved in the production. Not many Nigerian would sniff at an opportunity to walk away with N25million and a brand new SUV, which BBN is offering to the eventual winner.

Not many. Similarly, not many are going to pass up a chance to have whatever skills they have

advertised to a continent-wide audience and establish business contacts they otherwise would not without the exposure that the show provides. BBN housemates have been known to become very popular within a very short period of time and kick on from there, notably in showbiz.

Nobody familiar with the showbiz scene in the country could claim not to know who Uti Unachukwu is. Post-BBN, he has built a successful career as an actor and television personality. Could this have happened without BBN? Of course, it could have. Did BBN provide a launch pad? You bet.

Bisola Aiyeola, first runner-up on BBN 2, has also enjoyed boost in her acting career since participating in the second edition of the show, starring in movies and television shows such as Glimpse, Ovy’s Voice, Picture Perfect, Skinny Girl In Transit Season 4 and Life of A Nigerian Couple Season 2.

Soma, the first evictee from BBN 2, made his acting debut on the hit television show, Jenifa’s Diary.

What BBN has done, essentially, is to show us that ordinary people can become celebrities and big stars in their own right, status they probably would have had difficulty attaining without the exposure the show offers by bringing their talents and personality to a wider audience, which appreciates them.

Another factor ignored in our blind rage is the show’s capacity to address social issues. Bisola Aiyeola (sorry to mention her again) attended the 72ndUnited Nations General Assembly in New York as an Ambassador of One Campaign Initiative, which advocates improvement of access to and quality of education for girls in Nigeria, especially in the Northern states.

She was chosen on account of her presentation on BBN, which highlighted impediments to girl-child education in the country. Since her participation in BBN, she has appeared in a number of television commercials and by any definition, she is a celebrity.

We remain obdurate in our view that BBN has no value without asking why it is feverishly followed and provokes discussions on end.

We ignore the fact that people have varied tastes and some may prefer reality shows to other TV programmes. Many of us have the habit of listening to news. Similarly, there are people who love to kill their time by watching other things.

Can we let them enjoy such full freedom? Young people seem to derive great enjoyment from watching BBN because they find it easier to relate to than the “turgid” stuff others want. I follow football passionately, but I have friends who do not. They probably think that my passion for the game is a wasteful expense of time. However, they

have been civil enough to keep their opinions to themselves.

I have also not bothered to ask why they do not like the game each person to his own.

Many people find BBN and other reality shows a relief from the protracted serials, which depict struggles of people. We must understand that many viewers prefer to have fun, not crying or being upset by watching serials. For such category, BBN is a blessing.

I doubt if there is still a huge audience for protest music like we used to have. Protest music and other art forms have their place. But many of today’s people would rather not invest their time in such. They want lyrics talking about partying, generally having a good time and taking their minds off the sufficiently punishing demands of daily existence. They are entitled to such, just as those who cannot have enough of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh are.

I understand the complaint that there are things some people find distasteful. Even then, are we forced to watch?

No. Do kids have to watch?

No. We can block the channel showing BBN if we do not want to watch or we do not want our children to watch. Yes. Can we say the internet has no benefit because it provides access to the good, the bad and downright grotesque? We all know the answer to that.

––Tanimola, an artist, writes from Ibadan.

to come up with ideas and initiatives that would radically alter the system.

It is, therefore, from this perspective that one would like to view recent disclosure by the Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, that the state government and the federal government are currently working out modalities to relocate the 61 year-old Ikoyi Prison. According to Adeniji, this is aimed at upgrading the prison’s facilities and ensures effective justice system in the country.

The planned relocation of the prison, which was built in 1955 with a capacity for 800 inmates, became necessary following incessant pollution among other environmental hazards. In as much as it is true that prison is in the exclusive list and not within the control of the state, Mr. Adeniji stressed that Lagos would not look away at the current state of the prisons in the state.

He said: “The prison is not within our control but we cannot look away. The police are not under the state too, but Lagos State government has made major interventions because it affects the people of the

state and I can tell you in all the security services that operate in the state, this government have made one major intervention or the other”.

The long term plan of the Lagos State government, if all things work out fine, is to work with the federal government to construct a new Ikoyi Prison that would be a world-class correctional facility with adequate provision for hygiene, accommodation, feeding and other such critical needs. Towards this end, discussions are currently on-going ongoing between to relocate the prison to a more suitable location.

Hopefully, if this laudable move sees the light of the day, it would help in no small measure to draw attention to the urgent need for reforms in the country’s prison system.

Prisons are supposed to be correctional homes where inmates come out better after the expiration of their prison term. It is expected that more stakeholders would come on board in joining hands together to work for a better prison system for the country.

––Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

MENACE OF DRUG ABUSE IN NIGER STATE

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rug Abuse has become very popular among young people in Niger State, irrespective of gender. And addiction to drugs poses a serious health challenge to users and also to our collective security and safety.

Sadly, and more worrisome is the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities charged with the responsibility of curtailing and controlling the use and trafficking of these illicit drugs. They are not doing much. It seems no one is in charge of the situation in Niger State.

The ease with which the culprits obtain these illegal items should at least concern any right thinking individual and parents alike. I cherish a society that is free from such vices that easily corrupt the young ones and the most gullible.

As a matter of urgency, we must collectively do all we could to stop this ugly trend.

Against the backdrop of the escalating abuse of drugs in the state, some youth groups like the Arewa Initiative Against Drugs had sprung up to challenge the menace. I am excited about the modest efforts of these young minds in championing the course of a drug- free society.

They’re lending voices and support through advocacy and public enlightenment

programmes. This is quite commendable. I salute their efforts, courage and resolve to correct what has become a social problem and menace not only in Niger State but across the North.

It is imperative to call the attention of the Niger State Government, under the able and committed leadership of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, to commence as a matter of utmost importance and, of public good, to launch a cleansing campaign against the use of illicit drugs and raise awareness about the grave dangers and consequences they pose.

The Niger State government should also explore interagency/government collaboration and partnership with relevant federal government agencies charged with such function for effective service delivery.

The state has done so well in terms of providing logistical support to security agencies in policing the state.

So, we should expect the support and cooperation of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in assisting to contain the menace of drug abuse in Niger State.

––Abdullahi Yusuf Kuta, Department of Mass Communication, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State.

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2018

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HEALTHCARE FINANCING

POLICY DIALOGUE THEME: Moving Nigeria Towards Universal Health Coverage Through Appropriate Financing THISDAY Healthcare Financing Dialogue aims to galvanize discussions on why the country should prioritize financing of the health sector as a bastion of human capital development critical for the achievement of the Economic and Growth Recovery Plan.

SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

H.E Dr Bukola Saraki

Olusoji Adeyi

Dir. Health Nutrition Population World Bank Group

Senate President, Fed. Republic of Nigeria

SPEAKERS

Prof Isaac Adewole Minister of Health

Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director, Shell

Stephen Haykin, USAID Mission Director

Rachid Benmassoud, Country Dir., World Bank Nig.

Chris Elias, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Chair, GAVI & Ex Min. of Fin.

Hon. Betty Apiafi, Sen. Lanre Tejuoso Chair. Sen. Cmtt., Health Chair, Rep Cmt., Health Inst.

Seth Berkley CEO,GAVI

Sen. J. Owan Enoh, Chair, Sen. Cmt on Fin.

Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health (state)

Hon. Chike Okafor, Chair, Rep. Healthcare Services

WHO COULD PARTICIPATE? This high level policy dialogue will bring together policy makers including members of the Federal Executive Council , parliamentarians, development partners including bi- and multi-lateral institutions, practitioners, civil society organisations, private sector leaders, media, think tanks, academia, institutions involved in financing and delivering healthcare – Banks, HMOs, MFIs & Insurance companies. All are invited to jointly shape and articulate an agenda on sustainable financing for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.

For participation and Sponsorship Enquiries: Lagos: Ayo Arowolo Tel: 09067059433. Email: ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com Abuja: Iyobosa Uwugiaren Tel: 08033143902: Email: iyobosa.uwugiaren@thisdaylive.com

Date: Tues. 6 March, 2018

Venue : Musa Yar’Adua Conference Center, Abuja

Time: 10:00 am

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

INTERNATIONAL Obasanjo’s ‘Coup’ against USAID and the Limit of Patriotism in International Relations

T

he reported story of Chief Olusegun Okikiola Obasanjo’s ‘coup’ against the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at the public presentation of Senator Ahmadu Ali’s Biography, on Thursday, 1st March, 2018 at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, undoubtedly presents Chief Obasanjo as an incurable patriot, who is simply wrapped up in the need for a glorified, powerful, independent, and non-subservient Nigeria, completely free from political chicanery. The story not only shows the goodness in patriotism and nationalism, but also the limitations, impact and implications for foreign policy in international politics and relations.

At the book launch of Senator Ali were many distinguished guests, including General Yakubu Gowon and Obasanjo. Senator Ali and General Obasanjo served illustriously under General Yakubu Gowon as Head of State. In fact, Obasanjo took over from the then Colonel Benjamin Adekunle as Commander of the Third Marine Commando during Nigeria’s war of national unity.

Magnus Eze, in his report on what transpired at the book launch, especially as to how Chief Obasanjo conspired in vain with Senator Ali to evict the USAID from its present location at the beginning of Broad street in the Tafawa Balewa Square area of Lagos, quoted Obasanjo as follows: “Ahmadu Ali had been appointed Director of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and he needed an office; one being occupied by the American Embassy had been identified. That office was too close to the Cabinet Office, it had been what we talked about, complained about and even requested the Americans to vacate and be given an alternative office. So, I and Ali conspired that we will remove the Americans.�

It is useful to note at this juncture the place of conspiracy as jointly planned by Obasanjo and Ali. First, as we shall show below, General Gowon never knew that Ali was part of the conspiracy until the day of the book presentation. It was only Obasanjo that was scolded but not seriously sanctioned because he was then considered a good boy, a good patriot. Secondly, the reason for the conspiracy was not, on the facial level, the need for an office for the new Director of the NYSC, Senator Ali, but the fact of nearness of the office of the USAID to the Cabinet Office which the duo did not want but which they wrongly believed could be relocated with a military fiat under a military regime, and without due regard to international law and diplomacy.

As further reported by Magnus Eze, Obasanjo declared as follows: “I belonged to the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers and had military men under my command, Ahmadu had no military men. I had to be used or should I say I had to concur by performing the task and I made it a military operation. By 4.00 am, soldiers had surrounded the office and by the time the Americans were arriving for work, they were not allowed to go inside.�

What again should be noted from this quotation is that it is not clear why Obasanjo acted without authorisation from his immediate boss and why, if he had the support of his boss, he was the only one to be scolded. As reported, Obasanjo took advantage of his position as commander to act unilaterally and this factor of unilateralism cannot but be a resultant of patriotism. Perhaps, what is most interesting about the so-called coup is that Obasanjo later realised that he had acted much in ignorance of the diplomatic consequences.

As he reportedly put it: “I didn’t realise the diplomatic implications. Then the Americans violently protested and it was reported to the Commander-in-Chief, General Gowon, and I was carpeted, tongue-lashed and thoroughly washed down.� General Gowon admitted that he and the Chief of Staff, General David Ejoor, “really dressed him (Obasanjo) down, because he exactly started a very serious diplomatic incident.�

Without any scintilla of doubt, General Obasanjo was not only wrong to have breached diplomatic protocol, but his wrongness cannot be as praiseworthy as his patriotic disposition in the matter.

In fact, if it was true that the Americans ‘violently’ protested, that again, cannot be compatible with the status of the USAID as a representative diplomatic institution in Nigeria. The protocolar procedure was first to lodge official complain and not to protest violently. General Gowon was right in carpeting General Obasanjo in order to avoid a diplomatic row with the United States, one of the two super powers in the world by that time.

In essence, the import of the foregoing for political and good

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Olusegun governance in general is that the expression of patriotism is good, particularly in international relations, but it has to be done within its limitations. It is because nationalists often carried the protection of their national interests to the detriment of those of other states that global insecurity persists. They not only adopt the strategy of aggressive deterrence, but also manipulatively use the United Nations to adopt sanctions against perceived enemy countries.

The resultant effect is that countries that are also asserting sovereign equality become hardened and more hardened to the extent of non-preparedness to dance to the tunes of the UNSC anymore.

This is why a Third World War is looming.

Patriotism in International Politics Patriotism is a major dynamic of both international development and global insecurity. At the level of international development, for instance, US President Donald Trump came up last week with a proposed higher tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and a theory of goodness in ‘Trade Wars’ in order to stop US economic deficits and insolvencies. In the words of Donald Trump, on Friday, 2nd March, “When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win. Example, when we are down $100billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore – we win big. It’s easy.�

More significant, one research report from the Gowling in the United States has shown that the US now is the biggest protectionist country in the world. As noted by Gowling, the US has adopted 1,085 more protectionist measures more than liberalising ones since 2009. As a result of this statement, many countries have been reacting and raising different questions on how to respond. Mike Jakeman has argued that ‘the number of people, who work in steel consumption (who will suffer because of higher prices) is much greater the number that works in steel production (who will

The expression of patriotism is good,particularly in international relations, but it has to be done within its limitations. It is because nationalists often carried the protection of their national interests to the detriment of those of other states that global insecurity persists.They not only adopt the strategy of aggressive deterrence,but also manipulatively use the United Nations to adopt sanctions against perceived enemy countries.The resultant effect is that countries which are also asserting sovereign equality become hardened and more hardened to the extent of non-preparedness to dance to the tunes of the UNSC anymore.This is why aThird World War is looming

benefit) from Donald Trump’s trade war.

Thus, this is apparently one of the ways Donald Trump wants to make America great again, but this does not, and should not prevent any other sovereign state from also engaging in adoption of protectionist policies. And this is why, for instance, the European Commission has to respond by way of regret: “We regret President Trump’s decision to impose a tariff on all aluminium imports independent of their country of origin. European aluminium exports to the US, in view of both their quantity and characteristics, do not pose any threat to US national security. Most importantly, this blanket tariff does not address the root cause of the main challenges faced by the aluminium industry today: the unsustainable and steady increase of aluminium overcapacities in China.�

Additionally, the Director General of European Aluminium, Gerd GĂśotz, says “This global challenge can only be managed effectively through a global and long-term solution based on multilateral rules and common enforcement such as creation of a Global Aluminium Forum within G-20.â€?

What is clear from both the trade war policy of Donald Trump and the international reactions to it is the quest to advance and protect the national interest, which is largely driven by patriotism at the individual level and by nationalism at the collective level.

Indeed, many advanced countries of the world owed their advancement status to patriotism at the level of their citizens. However, when patriotism is carried excessively to the detriment of the protection of the interests of other countries, international security is necessarily threatened. When attention is not promptly taken on the threats, a crisis is created and when again this is not well attended to, the crisis degenerates to a conflict and ultimately to war, cold or hot. The cases of the controversies over North Korean nuclear tests and the devastations that have come to characterise the war in Syria are noteworthy. The case of North Korea is particularly noteworthy because it appears to be currently the most critical dynamic of whether or not there will be another World War. North Korea is currently the main foreign policy preoccupation of the nuclear powers and the developed world as at today. At the level of Sino-North Korean relations, China wants to maintain North Korea as a security buffer zone against any US security threats. This explains in part China’s anger and hostility to the United States new sanctions against North Korea. Donald Trump said the sanctions are the ‘largest ever.’ The sanctions do target one person, 27 companies and 28 ships registered in China and seven other countries.

Apart from China being the closest traditional ally of North Korea, Chinese interests are thus at stake. It is normal to therefore expect Chinese Foreign Ministry to resolutely oppose and to demand that the US immediately lift the sanctions in order to avoid harming bilateral relations in the relevant area. Already, China’s trade with North Korea reportedly fell to its lowest ebb in January 2018, thus suggesting that China has been maintaining pressure on North Korea, but that this has not deterred North Korea’s increasing quest for a nuclear power status.

Russia is also another ally of North Korea. Like China, Russia has territorial disputes with Japan, which enjoys special relationship with the US. Japan, up till this day, has not signed the treaty ending World War II and is aspiring, with the support of the United States, to become one of the new permanent members of the UNSC. Essentially because of national security interests, Japan and the United States have a tripartite agreement with South Korea, aimed at monitoring and containing North Korea. In opposition to this, Russia has been sustaining its own relations with North Korea, particularly from the perspective of its implications for Syria. Naturally, France and the United Kingdom are in the alliance orbit of the United States. So, their opposition to North Korea is understandable.

The point being made so far is that patriotism generates an attitudinal disposition that antagonises, not only the national interests of others, but also international norms and tradition. It necessarily breaches the basic principles of international diplomatic practice, as revealed by the case of Chief Obasanjo above. It also threatens global security.

North Korea and Global Peace The main critical threat to global peace, as noted above, is North Korea. The threat is not about its nuclear threats per se. It is not even about its proliferation policy which is against some international conventions. The threat is more about the internally perceived threats to the security survival of North Korea. In the eyes of North Korea, the United States is the major threat. It is the enemy. For as long as this perception persists, there cannot be any good way of influencing North Korea to denuclearise, especially in light of the truth that, grosso modo, powerful countries respect international law when it is convenient.

Currently, the whole world is made to condemn North Korea’s export of nuclear materials (acid-resistant tiles, valves, and thermometers which are needed for making chemical weapons) to Syria. North Korea argues that it does not want to be taken unawares the way the American-led Western world dealt with Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and others, and therefore, considering the need to be armed fully to the teeth.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

BUSINESS

Editor Vincent Obia Email vincent. obia @thisdaylive.com

Palm kernel plantation...agriculture is a major booster for Nigeria’s GDP growth

Analysts: Nigeria’s Q4 2017 GDP Growth Robust, Foundation for 2018 Projection Kunle Aderinokun and Bamidele Famoofo Economic experts and financial analysts have said the 1.92 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth year on year, recorded in the last quarter of 2017 was robust, and a sure footing for achieving growth projection for 2018.

For three consecutive quarters after it exited its worst recession in two decades, Nigeria, most populous nation in subSaharan Africa, has recorded a consistent and appreciable growth in GDP. The latest figure released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showed that GDP grew by 1.92 per cent year on year in fourth quarter of 2017 compared to 1.4 per cent in third quarter of 2017.

Statistician General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, in the report recently released submitted that Nigeria had maintained a consistent economic development since second quarter in 2017 when it exited recession.

“The nation’s Gross Domestic Product grew in Q4 2017 by 1.92 per cent (yearon-year) in real terms, maintaining its positive growth since the emergence of the economy from recession in Q2 2017.

This growth is compared to a contraction of -1.73 percent recorded in Q4 2016 and a growth of 1.40 per cent recorded in Q3 2017”, he said.

The report showed that real GDP growth stood at 4.29 per cent quarter on quarter while real annual growth rate of 0.83 per cent achieved in the review period was higher by 2.42 per cent than -1.58 per cent recorded in 2016.

Also, in the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at about N31.21 trillion in nominal terms higher when compared to N29.17 trillion in Q4 2016, resulting in a Nominal GDP growth of 6.9 per cent.

“This growth is lower relative to growth recorded in Q4 2016 at 12.49

ECONOMY per cent. Nominally, 2017 recorded an annual growth rate of 12.05 per cent higher by 4.25 percent compared to 2016 annual growth of 7.80 per cent,” said the NBS. Economist, Sub-Saharan Africa, Renaissance Capital, Yvonne Mhango, noted that with the latest GDP growth rate, there were three encouraging developments that supported the firm’s view of more balanced economic growth of 2.9 per cent in 2018.

According to her, “Growth strengthened to 1.9 per cent YoY in 4Q17, vs -1.7 per cent YoY in 4Q16, which helped pull up 2017 growth to 0.8 per cent, vs -1.6 per cent in 2016. There are three encouraging developments that we would like to point out. First, in 2017 the oil sector grew for the first time in six years, by 4.3 per cent. Second, in 4Q17 the non-oil sector grew by its fastest rate – 1.5 per cent YoY – in eight quarters. This helped growth in the sector improve to 0.5 per cent in 2017 vs -0.2 per cent in 2016. Third, we believe the return to growth of the biggest services’ subsector, wholesale and retail trade, in 4Q17, after six quarters in decline, indicates the consumer may be on the cusp of a recovery. This supports our view of more balanced economic growth in 2018, of 2.9 per cent.”

In the same vein, an economic researcher with the research arm of Vetiva Capital Management Limited, Mr. Michael Famoroti, described the growth as impressive. “Although it slightly trailed consensus expectation of 2 per cent year on year, we judge this to be a robust economic performance for the close of 2017,” he said.

Vetiva Research attributed the impressive growth to higher prices of oil during the year.

“It is likely that government policy also played some part in supporting growth, mainly in the form of agriculture promotion initiatives in line with the Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP), partial foreign exchange (FX) market liberalisation, and Central Bank of Nigeria tight monetary stance to combat inflation.”

Whilst Vetiva applauded government contribution to GDP growth in the review period, it didn’t spare the Buhari government knocks where necessary.

“At the same time, truncated budget implementation, fiscal slippage, and legacy challenges from FX policies and weak infrastructure would have adversely affected growth”.

Notwithstanding, Famoroti and his team at the research department are optimistic about better growth in 2018.

“We are more positive about Nigeria’s growth prospects in 2018 as increased aggregate demand supplements continued

growth in agriculture and oil. Our base GDP growth forecast for financial year 2018 stands at 2.4 percent year on year,” Vetiva said.

Analysts at Cordros Securities Limited could not agree less with their counterparts at Vetiva, as they concurred that the GDP figures suggested positive fourth quarter 2017 corporate earnings, the release of which will significantly support market activities.

“Overall, we look for 2018 financial year GDP growth of 2.63 percent, supported by sustained expansion in both the oil and non-oil sectors”, Cordros Research projected.

To the Director, Union Capital Markets Limited, Egie Akpata, the figures released

by NBS were somewhat expected. “We are starting to see the results of policy changes around FX management by CBN and the overall increase in oil prices,” he acknowledged.

Akpata, however, cautioned that, “The CBN has a delicate job to ensure that FX supply is maintained to the market while managing interest rates so that the private sector can borrow for expansion.”

“It remains to be seen how much extra spending the government will release ahead of the February 2019 elections.

The CBN will have to deftly manage FX supply, liquidity and interest rates in Q4 so as not to derail the continued

economic expansion,” he added.

Government was particularly excited that key sectors of the economy contributed appreciably to GDP growth in the review period, whilst it is optimistic that it will achieve its 3.5 percent growth projection for 2018.

Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, said in a statement: “There are two encouraging aspects of the figures. The first is that all major sectors of the economy namely agriculture, industry and services are now experiencing positive growth.

Agriculture, which accounted for 25 percent of GDP in 2017, grew by 4.23 percent in Q4 2017; while Industry grew by 3.92 per cent. The Services sector, which is about 53 per cent of GDP, returned to positive growth in Q4 2017. Although the increase was marginal at 0.10, it represented a positive swing of 2.76 percentage points from the level in Q3 2017”.

Dipeolu said the Q4 2017 GDP figure represented a consolidation of post-recession growth in the national economy.

The oil sector contributed 7.17 per cent of total real GDP in Q4 2017, up from figure recorded in the corresponding period of 2016 and down from the preceding quarter, where it contributed 6.75 percent and 10.04 per cent respectively. The sector’s annual contribution was 8.68 per cent in 2017 and 8.35 percent in 2016.

On the other hand, in real terms, the non-Oil sector contributed 92.83 per cent to the nation’s GDP, lower from share recorded in the fourth quarter of 2016 (93.25 per cent) but higher than in the third quarter of 2017 (89.96 per cent). Annual contribution was 91.32 per cent and 91.65 percent in 2016.

Also, in her own analysis on the drivers of growth, Mhango noted that the oil’s sector grew by 4.3 per cent in 2017, after

There are two encouraging aspects of the figures. The first is that all major sectors of the economy namely agriculture, industry and services are now experiencing positive growth.

Agriculture, which accounted for 25 percent of GDP in 2017, grew by 4.23 percent in Q4 2017; while Industry grew by 3.92 per cent. The Services sector, which is about 53 per cent of GDP, returned to positive growth in Q4 2017 Cont’d on Pg. 20

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

BUSINESS/BANKING

Fitch’s AAA Rating Attests to Stanbic IBTC’s Strong Liquidity, Market Share The recent triple A rating of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC by Fitch Ratings has further revalidated the bank’s sterling qualities. Kunle Aderinokun reports

S

tanbic IBTC’s financial strength, a function of quality leadership, has again been reinforced by the recent triple A, F1+ rating the financial institution was assigned by Fitch Ratings, the global leader in credit rating and research.

The latest ratings marked the fourth consecutive year Stanbic IBTC will be assigned the triple A. Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC and its holding company, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, both recorded AAA(nga) national long-term ratings, which provide a relative measure of creditworthiness for rated institutions.

According to Fitch Ratings, “AAA is the highest credit quality. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.” Fitch said triple A “denotes the lowest expectation of default risk” while the F1+ “indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.” Such regular ratings provide an idea of the credit worthiness of the institutions so rated.

Among criteria used to arrive at the rating are loan portfolio situation, earnings, liquidity, deposits, capital adequacy, and credit process, among others. Stanbic IBTC scored high in all of these key performance indicators, according to Fitch.

The financial institution’s diversified loan portfolio has impacted economic sectors such as agriculture, construction, real estate and infrastructure, electricity and other utilities, consumer credit, manufacturing, oil and gas and general commerce. Others are downstream oil and gas, transportation and communications, Fitch stated. “One of SIBTCH’s main strengths is its diversified earnings. Non-interest income generation is high and underpinned by fees and commissions and trading income,” Fitch wrote in the report. It added: “Loan impairment charges are high, but manageable in the context of strong earnings. Costs are well controlled. As a result, profitability metrics are healthy.”

The liquidity position of Stanbic IBTC was reviewed and its ability to meet foreign currency obligations as they fall due analysed. The group was certified as having “good funding profile and very good liquidity” as customer deposits grew strongly by 24 per cent in the second half of 2017 (Q3 result) with the bank rolling out new delivery channels.

“Balance sheet liquidity is underpinned by large volumes of government securities. Additionally, SIBTCH’s loans/deposits ratio at 62 per cent is one of the lowest among peers,” stated Fitch.

The rating agency also reviewed the capital adequacy of Stanbic IBTC in compliance with regulations and concluded that it was very strong and compared favourably with peers. “Fitch expects these levels to be maintained.”

Also critical to the review/ratings was the strong support for Stanbic IBTC by its parent institution, Standard Bank Group (SBG) of South Africa, the largest bank in Africa. “Our view of institutional

CEO, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Yinka Sanni support considers SIBTCH’s strategic importance to SBG, high levels of integration between the parent and the subsidiary, as well as SBG’s majority shareholding in SIBTCH (53.2 per cent through Stanbic Africa Holdings Limited),” Fitch said.

Indeed, Stanbic IBTC’s outstanding financial performances in the last couple of years support such high rating. The financial institution declared N29 billion profit after tax for the audited 2016 financial year. It reported a total income of N126.05 billion for 2016, representing an increase of 25 per cent over the N100.65 billion achieved in 2015.

This was largely due to an increase in interest income and fees and commissions. Also, its net interest income increased by 32 percent from N43.86 billion in 2015 to N57.86 billion in 2016, while non-interest revenue increased by 20 per cent to N68.19 billion, from N56.79 billion in 2015.

Overall, the group’s profit after tax increased by 51 per cent from N18.90 billion earned in 2015 to N28.52 billion in 2016.

This outstanding scorecard was followed by an

even more impressive result for the nine months to September 2017. In that period, Stanbic IBTC posted 77.7 per cent increase in profit before tax to N45.650 billion. The figure stood at N25.688 billion in the corresponding period of 2016. Similarly, profit after tax at N37.672 billion represents a growth of 86.9 percent in comparison to N20.152 billion recorded in Q3 2016. Gross earnings, at N154.220 billion, was an increase of 34.5 per cent over the N114.622 billion achieved in the corresponding period of last year. Total assets rose to N1.417 trillion from N1.053 trillion in December 2016, while net interest income grew by 61 per cent to N62.947 billion compared to N39.089 billion last year. Non-interest revenue shot up to N64.280 billion, 22 per cent increase from N52.895 billion in 2016.

Analysts affirm that, the rating is no doubt a reflection of Stanbic IBTC’s strength, strong leadership, liquidity and the firm support of its parent company, the Standard Bank Group, which had been in operation for 154 years. Stanbic IBTC

Analysts: Nigeria’s Q4 2017 GDP Growth Robust, Foundation for 2018 Projection contracting for five years.

“This decline explains the fall in the sector’s contribution to GDP, to 8.6 per cent in 2017, vs 15 per cent in 2011, when we last saw growth in the sector. Peak oil production in the past 10 years was 2.4Mb/d in 2010 and 2011, following a 2009 amnesty deal that the late President Umaru Yar ‘Adua’s administration offered to Niger Delta militants - which led to a cessation of attacks on oil facilities.

“Illegal oil bunkering during President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2011-2015 term reversed this recovery.

However, it was the resumption of attacks on oil facilities, when President Muhammadu Buhari came into office, that led to the biggest fall in production in a decade – 1.5Mb/d in August 2016. Production has since recovered to 1.9Mb/d in 10M17, on the back of a new amnesty deal, hence the sector’s growth in 2017 for the first time since 2011,” she pointed out.

Mhango added that, the manufacturing and agriculture explained the non-oil sector’s bounce.

According to her, “The non-oil economy’s growth recovered to 0.8 per cent in 2017, from -1.6 per cent in 2016.

The main drivers of this were crop production and the biggest manufacturing sub-sector, food, beverages and tobacco. It was especially encouraging to see crop production’s YoY growth recover to 4.6 per cent in 4Q17, from 3.2-3.5 per cent in 1Q-3Q17 when floods, strikes and insurgencies in various parts of the country weighed on the agricultural sub-sector. Food, beverages and tobacco – which uses inputs from the agricultural sector – grew by 2.3 per cent in 2017, after declining for two years. However, this expansion was countered by declines in two other manufacturing subsectors, oil refining and cement.

This explains the manufacturing sector’s negative 0.2 per cent growth in 2017. However, that was an

Cont’d from Pg. 19

improvement from -4.3 per cent in 2016.”

Similarly, Mhango pointed out that services’ sector emerged from decline and consumer is on the cusp of recovery.

She noted that, the services’ sector, which accounted for half of Nigeria’s GDP, emerged from recession, and grew for the first time in 4Q17, by a modest 0.1 per cent YoY, after being in decline for six quarters.

“This recovery was largely due to wholesale and retail trade (trade), which produces one-third of the services’ sector’s output; the sub-sector grew by 2.1per cent YoY in 4Q17, following six quarters of negative growth. In the absence of rigorous GDP by expenditure data we use trade (from GDP by production) as a proxy for the consumer, because some of the indicators used to measure it include retail sales, volume of goods handled. We believe the indicators concomitant recovery implies the consumer may be on the cusp of a recovery.”

remains a strong brand despite the harsh operating environment. It has continued to show leadership in several sectors of the economy as it keys into the diversification drive of government by bringing expertise, experience and innovative solutions to businesses and individuals, which is impacting its balance sheet positively. Last year, the institution restructured its management team to bring in fresh energy and thinking into its operations. And, this is already yielding dividends.

Over the past few years, it has consummated some very big ticket financing projects to burnish its financing credentials and leadership in the corporate and investment banking space. In the real estate sector, Stanbic IBTC is instrumental in birthing the recently commissioned Novare Gateway Mall in Abuja. Others are the Maryland Mall; Ikeja City Mall in Lagos; the Delta City Mall, Warri; and the Polo Park Mall, Enugu, among many other similar projects.

Its investments in agriculture cut across the sector’s value chain. It currently offers a wide range of agriculture business solutions, which comprise a more responsive processing system for agriculture proposals presented to Stanbic IBTC Bank, improved technical support through precision farming technologies, geographical information system mapping and agronomy services, better and more pragmatic approach to risk profiling of clients supported by a deeper understanding of their business. Stanbic IBTC believes agriculture holds great promise and its stated objective is to play a transformative role in that sector, in partnership with other organizations.

It also continues to grow its retail banking portfolio through strategic expansion of its retail footprint.

Lately, it has opened a number of retail outlets to tap into growing opportunities in markets across Lagos, such as in the Computer Village, Ikeja; Orile Market and Satellite Town. And, it is a strong player in the small and medium scale enterprise subsector, where it is providing both financing and advisory services to the sector players. Products such as SME Quick Loan and BizDirect, its virtual business centre to support SMEs, are some of its offerings in that subsector. As part of its support for SMEs, Stanbic IBTC regularly organises seminars for SME operators. Among other benefits, the seminars seek to equip SME operators with financial, marketing, and management skills that they could readily deploy to transform their businesses and grow their bottom lines.

No doubt, Stanbic IBTC’s smart play across key sectors continues to impact positively its cashflow situation and liquidity. Its liquidity position is further strengthened by its market leadership, through its subsidiaries, in Pensions, Asset Management, Custodian Services, Stockbrokerage and Corporate Banking. The pension arm is the leading pension fund administrator in the country, with over 1.4 million customers, a major milestone under the contributory pension scheme. The custodian business was adjudged the best in the country in 2016, the sixth time in a row it was so adjudged by a global body while Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers won the last six, including for 2017, Nigerian Stock Exchange CEO Award as the best stockbrokerage firm in the country.

The management of Stanbic IBTC remains positive it will continue to churn out strong performances.

According to the Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Mr. Yinka Sanni, “The Stanbic IBTC brand remained strong. The fundamentals of our business remain strong and as we purposefully execute our strategy through a disciplined approach that leveraged on innovation and technology to create value for our customers and stakeholders in a cost-efficient manner, we are optimistic that we will continue to improve.” And there is no reason to doubt this resolve.

Of particular interest to the financial institution’s continued growth trajectory is its strong corporate governance practices. The seamlessness of its change of leadership early this year was quite impressive and such practices will no doubt give it the desired stability to further increase its market share and post impressive financial results, going forward.

21

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

BUSINESS/BANKING

&%1 0RYHV WR 7DFNOH ,QÁDWLRQ ZLWK /RZHU 1DLUD 'HQRPLQDWLRQV Bamidele Famoofo reports that the attempt by the Central Bank of Nigeria to flood markets with lower denominations of the naira would boost the country’s effort to decelerate inflation

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he decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to pump lower denominations of the country’s currency into circulation, especially in market places, beginning from Abuja, is seen as a step in the right direction by many Nigerians across various sectors of the economy. Before the commencement of distribution of the lower denomination notes under the supervision of Acting Director, Currency Operations Department, CBN, Mrs. Priscilia Eleje, Tuesday, Nigerians, especially the poor, groaned under the inflationary effect of the scarcity of the notes mostly used for economic transactions among the masses.

An economist, Dr. Emma Isong, says the move by the apex bank to increase the circulation of the smaller banknotes would help to reduce inflation. Isong says, “The scarcity of lower denominations (N5, N10, N20, N50, N100 and N200) in an economy is an indicator of the level of inflation in the economy. When you talk about economic programme, it must translate to the people at the local levels (communities) and the lower market. And when the petty traders cannot get these small denominations to transact business, it shows us that inflation is catching up on them.”

Legislative Directive It would be recalled that the Senate, on February 13, expressed worry over the scarcity of lower denominations of the naira notes in the country. The lawmakers noted that the scarcity posed a severe threat to the economy, which is just recovering from recession, as it is worsening inflationary trends.

In a swift action, the senate mandated its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions and the Committee on Finance to investigate the scarcity and report back to the larger house in two weeks. The committees had swung into action to carry out its investigations within two week. But CBN definitely got the message, and apparently did not want to complicate the frosty relationship between the bank and the Senate. Observers believe this has prompted the move by the CBN to release the scarce small denominations.

Suspension of Lower Banknotes Production Citing high cost of printing and production of currency notes, the CBN had suspended the printing of small denomination notes for much of 2016. The affected denominations are N5, N10, N20 and N50. The apex bank awarded a contract to the Nigeria Security and Minting Company also known as the Mint, to print higher denominations of N 100, N200, N500 and N1000 notes.

Acting Director for Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, had then confirmed that the bank did not issue any fresh lower denominations currency notes. But Okoroafor said the embargo was only restricted to the 2016 end of year festive season. However, virtually all parts of the country were hit by a debilitating currency crunch, as bank customers queued up endlessly at Automated Teller Machine outlets to withdraw money for routine purchases.

The agony of the frustrated, countless customers was not assuaged by the fact that with cashless transactions still at its infancy in the country, most transactions still depend heavily on the use of cash across the counter. The failure of the apex bank to deliver currency notes to the Nigerian public therefore created significant scarcity

Packacts of naira notes

and pain for the majority of Nigerians who transact business mostly in the affected lower denominations.

But Isong said the scarcity of the lower denomination notes was not all together bad for the economy, as it also means that the people are beginning to develop a banking culture.

“May be because of the introduction of BVN and small scale loans, many people who were holding these currencies now have decided to put them in the bank, thus, creating scarcity in the system,” he said.

Isong said the advent of technological means to transfer money was another reason for the scarcity of money in circulation.

Debate Notwithstanding Isong’s position, members of the red chamber believe the CBN has a vital role to play to redress the debilitating effects the shortage of lower denomination notes has had on Nigerians.

Senator Magnus Abe from Rivers State said Nigerian traders had taken advantage of the scarcity of lower denomination notes to raise the prices of goods. Abe stated, “When it continues to be part of our legal tender and they are unavailable, it becomes an indirect way of pushing up the prices of commodities. If a trader knows that they are to give you change of N5 or N10, that change will never be available, they will simply plan their prices to the next round figure. That will in the long term drive up prices in the economy.”

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi from Delta State, who raised the motion on currency scarcity, expressed worry that banks in Nigeria no longer dispensed the lower naira denominations with the excuse that they hardly receive them from the CBN. Nwaoboshi said in his motion, “The senate is disturbed

that the lower denominations are printed and procured outside the country with the attendant economic and security implications.

It is significant that the denominations that were skipped are those printed on polymer paper by printers outside the country’s shores, even when there are no marked differences between the polymer paper and the traditional currency paper.”

Another Senator, Sam Anyanwu, from

When it continues to be part of our legal tender and they are unavailable, it becomes an indirect way of pushing up the prices of commodities. If a trader knows that they are to give you change of N5 or N10, that change will never be available, they will simply plan their prices to the next round figure. That will in the long term drive up prices in the economy.

Imo State, traced the cause of the scarcity to the decision of federal government to print currencies abroad. According to Anyanwu, “I’m a member of the committee on banking and financial institutions and we visited the printing and minting company of this country. When we got there, we discovered that what was in production was the N1, 000 and N500 notes and we asked questions.

Why is it the N50, N20, N10 were not in circulation? But that (printing of N1, 000 and N500) was what was given to them as contract from CBN. I think that we have a competent company in printing and minting and they can do the production for this country. So, I think it’s important that the senate takes this very serious.

“The reason why the production of these currencies is very expensive is because the central bank prints this money outside this country when we have a capable company that can do it here.”

Solution The CBN appears determined to address the concerns of the senators as well as other Nigerians who are calling for swift intervention. Eleje said its campaign launched last Tuesday in Abuja was targeted at the informal sector, especially traders in markets, with the aim of increasing the circulation of the smaller units of the naira to make doing business easier. According to her, the Federal Capital Territory will be used as the pilot stage for the new campaign and if successful, will be replicated nationwide.

Eleje said the new strategy would ensure that traders desist from hiking prices of goods just to avoid looking for customers’ balances. She said the new naira notes will be distributed to traders within Wuse and Garki markets and others through their associations.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

22

BUSINESS INTERVIEW Okonkwo: Monetary Tightening Stance Yielding Positive Results Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, in this interview with ARISE NEWS CHANNEL anchor, Modele Sharafa-Yusuf, speaks on the economy, interest rates, development of MSMEs in Nigeria and financial technology

Okonkwo

N

igerian banks have been through some challenging times in recent years and we have seen margins come under pressure.

How can banks continue to achieve growth amidst the pressure and the challenges?

Pressures and margins are shrinking. That is the reality. What that means is that banks have to challenge themselves to strengthen risk management. You must have a robust risk management framework, you have to strengthen governance, and you have to get innovative because as funded incomes are under pressure, you begin to think about what you can do with technology and innovation. You begin to think about what you can do in terms of process efficiency, optimising, doing more with less. If you take simple things that happen in the banks these days, there were times when tellers were a major component of the workforce. Now if you get the technology platforms working very well, you’d probably move such tellers to other functions. Innovation is the key word.

You have to be forward-looking and you also have to realise that there are threats to our income and these threats are real.

Right now, banks have to adapt to regulators, customer and technology changes. Which has been the most compelling and why?

It is very difficult to say which one of them is the most compelling. You know even with advances in technology,

the regulatory framework has to change. As the operators are learning, the regulators are learning as well. Banking supervision and examination, the colour of risk has changed significantly from what it was 20 years ago. It’s difficult to say which one is even more. But if I take them one by one, today, you need the regulators to be on their feet just as you need us, the operators, to be on our feet because the risk in the environment is so diverse and it is not what it used to be in those days. Reputational risks and all sorts of risk have been heightened. You then understand why operators need to be more up and doing.

Just expect regulators all the time. What that means for us is that you must get your compliance very well aligned into what we are expected to do. You must keep your risk management framework very strong and you have to be aware of changing possibilities so that you are also ready for the regulator. At the end of the day, the industry is better for it.

When it comes to customers, the demographics have changed significantly. In those days, if you are not happy with your bank, most likely you will write a letter complaining and then somebody minutes it to another, who minutes it to the next person and customer service was not as crisp as it is today.

The millennials today do not have time to write letters. They know there is Consumer Protection Unit at the Central Bank; they know there is Consumer Protection Council, they know their rights and they practically live on the internet. At the

push of buttons, the reputation could be damaged. So, we have to stay alive and awake to changing customer needs.

We are very much aware of those things.

When you talk about technology, the banks will not always be needed. I was reading something from Brett King and he said in 2025, the World’s biggest banks will be fintech companies.

Research has been done in that direction and banks are aware of these threats and this is putting pressure on us. So what do we do? We are aligning and even collaborating with some of these fintech companies upfront so they can realise that somebody is about to ‘eat your lunch.’

Some people will say that extreme risk taking in the industry has been tempered. What is most responsible for this? Is it compliance? Cost or fear?

All I can say is that the complexity of risk has increased. Banks are more aware of the changing risk environment. Way back, you could see a situation where, for instance, a single person could approve x amount of loans, now there are checks and balances, stronger than ever because at the end of the day, the depositors own the bank. If you have N1trillion balance sheet, you may find out that only 20per cent or less of those funds are shareholders’ funds. Substance over form, depositors own the bank. It means that we have the responsibility to protect the depositors.

So, when banks shy away from certain risks, it is because

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

23

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

Fidelity Bank Collaborates with Fintech Companies to Mitigate their Threats

Cont’d from Pg. 22

they are thinking a lot about the depositors. I will give you an example. In certain operating environment where you have short-term funds, that is not when you will finance a 15-year-old project with two-year moratorium. The balance sheet doesn’t have that kind of fund. Then the uninformed person will say banks are not taking risks. I think I’ll like to summarise it by saying banks are beginning to take more of measured risks or calculated risks.

E-commerce is expected to be one of the biggest competitors for retail banks in the next five years. How is growth of e-commerce impacting your bottom-lines already?

Like I said earlier, by e-commerce, basically, we are talking about fintech companies. Banks are alive to those threats. We at Fidelity bank now have our own sponsored e-commerce site where SME customers display their wares and we are actually adding value to the SMEs. Rather than fret over such threats, you collaborate to compete. We are aware that if you don’t do something about that you will lose. We have our e-commerce site called the Green Mall and that is one of the ways that we addressing the issues.

You think the continuous retention of the tight monetary policy of CBN is justifiable?

Let’s not forget the origin of the monetary policy tightening.

The CBN has the responsibility to manage stable exchange rates and ensure monetary stability. So, it was inflationary trend that made CBN to tighten its policies. Basically, if you look at what has happened, inflation at the beginning of the 2017 was 18.72 per cent by end of October, it was 15.91 per cent. It means they are beginning to cage inflation. If we look at the exchange rate where we were last year and where we are now, especially with the introduction of I & E window, clearing the retail market and we have the SME effect intervention. We are now seeing near convergence of rates and the multitude of rates are now shrunk to a fewer number. You can say that monetary tightening has shown some positive results. Given this situation, the temptation is to adjust the MPR. When you do that, you lower the cost of borrowing. That’s fine, but then you will stimulate demand and growth, and what you are going to get might just be spike in consumer index and then you are back to square one.

In my opinion, it is good not to adjust just because you are seeing signs of improvement. I think the economic fundamentals have to stabilise before you let go. It is debatable, but given the results we have seen so far, may be sometime middle of next year or so, but for now, it looks like it’s working and don’t expect that the MPC will let go the rates.

Why fix when it’s not broken?

Many things are broken and many things have been fixed (smiling)

CBN is also considering lowering its CRR for SMEfriendly banks. What does it mean for a bank like yours?

If you talk about SME-friendly banks in Nigeria, anyhow you measure it, Fidelity will likely come first or second, depending on what you are measuring. In the last four years, there is no single year that Fidelity has not won one or two awards on SME support. It is a welcome development, it will affect us positively because we approach SME banking differently.

We approach it from capacity building, access to market and that is why we have the managed SME unit, which handles entrepreneurs and gives them the necessary advisory to give them their businesses. So, any development like that will be welcome because our SMEs will be happier for it.

The CBN governor also said the apex bank was working on the strategy aimed at sensitising the banks to support MSMEs. What would you recommend that they include?

As it is now, there was this talk about releasing some of our CRR funds, if you are going to support SMEs, for us it is a welcome suggestion. Beyond that, we need to see improved infrastructure for these SMEs. We need to address the bigger issues so that their cost of doing business can come down. We need to see regulatory framework that encourages businesses.

For instance, if you come out with a policy that says whatever amount you are lending to SMEs, there will be a matching grant, just like we have had with the Agric funds, it will help.

No company has been able to access the N26billion SMIEIS fund since it was set up. What have you found to be the problem?

We discussed this recently and extensively. It is true that the execution of that plan has not gone as expected. As you are aware, CBN is taking it seriously and I believe that recently after the Bankers’ Committee Retreat, you would have seen that a framework has been worked out to make sure that these funds begin to get utilised. From now on, we should see some results. When you introduce something new (remember 5 per cent of PBT was deducted to fund that fund), sometimes you need framework and you need to get it right in order that it doesn’t go the way of some other funds in the past in terms of utilisation. But I believe what CBN has done- they are near ready.

Regulation is clearly desirable. But how can authorities place the system without retarding economic growth?

Okonkwo Ok k

Any system without regulation and control is like building anarchy. Collaborative regulation, education and so on help.

For instance, if you make rules for banks, and they understand why it is done and what is expected of them that will make more sense. Like we have seen in the crisis of 2016 when a lot was going wrong in the economy, we were not just waiting for Bankers’ Committee meetings before we met with the Governor.

Several times, we would either meet in Lagos or Abuja. At some point, meetings were weekly to discuss development the FX market. I think the CBN needs to be commended because I remember one of the most effective meetings we had where we were wondering why SMEs were not importing. They gathered all of us to come up with ideas and after that meeting they came up with the $20,000 allocated to each SME. Suddenly, that market was cleared.

We had the black market redefining our exchange rates as a country. The question is, what percentage of our FX comes from this market? Very small. Things like school fees, medicals make people go to the black market because they can’t get official rates. CBN started allocating specific funds for those retail needs, the black market rates and the official rates began to come closer. I will describe that as collaborative regulation.

Before, CBN was not frequently meeting with bank CEOs to say, from what you have seen with customers, what do you think we can do? And they just slammed us with rules. The rules might be like treating the right ailment with the wrong medicine; so I believe what I called collaborative regulation actually helped.

Compared to South Africa with loans to GDP ratio of about 90%, financial intermediation today in the Nigerian economy is still constrict. Is there still a hangover from the 2009 crisis?

When we compare economies that are not exactly alike, it is difficult. When people talk about slow growth in loan, the question I always ask is: was a bank not wset up to take up deposits and give loans? When we do that, we make money. So why would we shy away from creating loans? People should remember that there are bigger issues. For instance, today, we don’t have a national ID scheme. If you are Modele and I am Nnamdi, there are many of us with that name but none of us has that unique number. If I am going to create loans, it means I have to look for second way out. How do I get my money should you not be able to pay? Banks do not lend money to companies so that they’d sell their assets to recover their money. We lend money so that you can use it and return it to us. But in a situation where it was only recently that we began to have a referencing system where it became easier.

Like the CRMS, if I check today and I found out that you are a bad debtor in another bank, I am not allowed to lend money to you. We didn’t have all that framework in the past but imagine a situation in some countries where whatever you do is instantly recording some minus or plus for you in terms of credit rating, nobody wants to spoil his credit rating.

But in Nigeria, because of our low infrastructural development,

you could have recalcitrant borrowers go from one bank to another. As you know, we are getting there slowly. Very soon, with the BVN, a bank can actually block you from borrowing.

That is, when we develop up till that level. But today, with the BVN and the CRMS, you will agree with me that it is easier to create loans. Having said that, we still have huge amount of borrowers, who do not have alternative means to secure their loans in banks. And banks are also concerned about lending monies that don’t come back and you have nothing to fall back on. So, this narrative is what is affecting loan growth.

People say part of the problem is that, we have too many big banks like yours. That most banks tend to look at large corporations and invest in government securities and they really don’t have time for SMEs, where the real economic growth happens and jobs are created. Your bank took a different path and is very focused on the economy. What are the challenges of bridging this space?

In the SMEs space, you are basically taking higher risks.

On one of the occasions when we won SMEs bank of the year, and I was going on the podium to receive the prize, I had some other colleagues and CEOs who said to me: Now you are receiving prize for best SMEs bank, in three years, you will be the best bad loan bank. Fortunately, that has not happened, and we will continue to support SMEs because our strategy is deliberate. We have what we call managed SMEs and the general categories of SMEs. We serve these people in clusters. People who have homogenous needs, we developed products for them.

And the prequalification is done in such a manner that some of them are mutually reinforcing. Once one person defaults, it can shut down the product line for the rest. So they make sure that they pay. There are many ways you can handle SMEs and that is why Fidelity has largely been successful. We have done it back to back and our NPLs in that area is not anything worrisome.

How is quarter four looking?

For Q4, when we had our investors’ conference call, we had guided a market that we do not see much changing and truly, this is the last month of the quarter. We are looking set to hit our projections that we had guided the market for. Those who participated in our conference calls, we gave them certain guides as to what we would likely deliver. I dare say we are on course to deliver what we have promised.

What are your projections for retail lending in 2018?

You know in the last one or two years, salary payments were delayed, disposable income was lower, so retail lending was such a high-risk game. With the gradual recovery in the economy, we see retail lending picking up and somewhere between 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent growth in 2018 will be more likely. We had some huge retail customers in clusters- either staff of major companies or public sector- depending on how badly hit each sector is, will determine how much percentage you want to grow in that area.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

BUSINESS/CAPITAL MARKET

Top 10 Stocks that Offered Mouth-watering Returns to Investors for 10 Years

Ten stocks listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange prove to be shares that could be relied upon for good returns on investment anytime. Bamidele Famoofo reports

D

ue to portfolio losses associated with short-term stock price volatility in the stock market, it is the advice of experts that investors seeking to make good money from investing in stocks should have a long-term view.

Besides hedging against short-term price volatility, a research conducted by FSDH Research and obtained by THISDAY reveals that “investors make good returns in the equity market if they invest in stocks that have strong fundamentals and maintain a long-term view”.

The FSDH stock analysts further submit in the research released last month that investors who maintain a long-term strategy will earn capital appreciation, cash dividend and/or bonus over the investment horizon.

Top Three Performing Stocks Meanwhile, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial banks, and one of the biggest capital stocks on the Nigerian bourse, has been singled out as a clear leader among 10 stocks that are most friendly to investors in terms of returns on investment.

According to findings by the FSDH Research, titled, “Benefits of Long-Term Investment Strategy in the Equity Market”, published in February, GT Bank Plc has consistently rewarded its investors handsomely through price gain, dividend and bonus in the last years, from 2008 till February 7, 2018.

GT Bank recorded the highest return of 1,100 per cent in 10 years, averaging a return of 110 per cent per annum, when gains from price movement, dividend and bonuses are put into consideration. At no time in the 10 years considered in the research did the NSE All Share index (ALSI) deliver up to 48 per cent return to investors. The highest in the last 10 years was in 2013, when the ALSI offered 47.3 per cent returns on investment (ROI) to investors. The ALSI picked again in 2017 with 42.3 per cent after consistently delivering negative returns for three years.

By implication, GT Bank Plc has consistently outperformed the ALSI in the last 10 years.

International Breweries Plc, a brewing stock located in Nigeria’s South-west region, is in keen competition with GT Bank in terms of making money for investors. The stock, which was officially listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2007 at less than N1.00 per share through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), has rewarded its investors an average of 106 per cent ROI annually. Investors who have remained with the company for 10 years got 1,061 per cent returns.

After the brewery sector comes the food sector, with Nestle Plc, a leading conglomerate in the sector, offering investors 874 per cent returns in 10 years. This represents an average of 87.4 per cent returns per annum for investors. It means any investor who kept fate with the company for the review 10-year period was not affected by the losses suffered by other investors in the Nigerian stock market, just like those with the shares of GT Bank and International Breweries Plc in the last 10 years.

Other Best Performing Stocks FBN Holdings Plc returned the least benefit to investors in terms of capital appreciation, dividend and bonus in the review 10 years period. It was, therefore, the least performing stock among the 10. “FBN Holdings recorded the lowest performance because of a capital depreciation”, the research revealed. Meanwhile, a breakdown of the total return on the selected stocks shows that capital appreciation contributed the highest.

Investment in the stock in the last 10 years yielded only 4.5 per cent returns annually.

Access Bank did better than FBN Hold-

For instance, an investor who invested N100, 000 to buy the shares of GT Bank at N10.32 per unit in 2018, would have increased the investment to N1, 200,184 as at February 7, 2018 with bonus and capital appreciable considerations…

Likewise, an investment of N100, 000 in International Breweries Plc 10 years ago has increased to N1, 161,329, yielding N1, 061,329 in 10 years. The same investment of N100, 000 in Nestle Plc. 10 years ago, stood at N973, 612 as at February 7, 2018, representing an increase of N873, 612 or an annual increase of N87, 361

184. In 10 years, an investment of N100, 000 in the bank has attracted a total bonus of 10,627 units, increasing the 9,399 units of share to 20,026 in addition to total dividend of N219, 898 the investment would have attracted. Likewise, an investment of N100, 000 in International Breweries Plc 10 years ago has increased to N1, 161,329, yielding N1, 061,329 in 10 years.

The same investment of N100, 000 in Nestle Plc. 10 years ago, stood at N973, 612 as at February 7, 2018, representing an increase of N873, 612 or an annual increase of N87, 361.

ings with 16.7 per cent return per annum, though it has consistently performed below the NSE ALSI in 10 years. Other stocks that did below 50 per cent returns annually in the last 10 years included United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc., 22.8 per cent; Nigerian Breweries Plc., 31.4 per cent; StanbicIBTC, 34.5 per cent.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), a pan African banking institution, rose above the 40 per cent returns threshold, offering investors returns on the average of 41.6 per cent annually, while Zenith Bank Plc., arguably Nigeria’s largest capitalised banking stock, gave 43.3 per cent on the average annually.

Total Returns on N100, 000 Investments An analysis of the total return of an initial investment of N100,000 each in the 10 highest capitalised stocks (except Dangote Cement

and Seplat) between December 2008 and February 7, 2018 shows that GT Bank recorded the highest return of 1,100 per cent. FBN Holdings recorded the lowest return of 45 per cent. “We excluded Dangote Cement and Seplat from our analysis because the two companies were not listed on the floors of the NSE in 2008,” FSDH explained.

A breakdown of the total return in the GT Bank stock shows that capital appreciation, cash dividend, and bonus issue contributed 33 per cent, 20 per cent, and 47 per cent, respectively.

For instance, an investor who invested N100, 000 to buy the shares of GT Bank at N10.32 per unit in 2018, would have increased the investment to N1, 200,184 as at February 7, 2018 with bonus and capital appreciable considerations. At N48.95 per unit share price on February 7, 2018, total returns on investment stood at N1, 100,

Historical Performance of NSE ASI (YoY) An analysis of the yearly returns of the equity market as measured by The Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (NSE ASI) between 2008 and February 7, 2018 shows that the market recorded both losses and gains during the period. The ALSI recorded its worst depreciation in 10 years in 2008, when it dropped to -45.8 per cent. However, the best gain was recorded five years later with ALSI recording a return of 47.2 per cent. After the surprise rebound witnessed in 2013, the market went again into comatose for three years, before it picked again in 2017 when ALSI made a gain of 42.3 per cent. As at February 7, 2018, the market recorded a gain of 13.85 per cent.

Outlook for 2018 Following the superlative equities market performance in 2017, most institutional stock analysts are optimistic that 2018 would be another bullish year. Afrinvest said, “Our conviction is hinged on the fact that fiscal and current account balances have improved against the backdrop of sustained increase in oil prices, which has had a positive knock-on impact on FX market stability.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

BUSINESS/TELECOMS

NCC’s Imposition of Sanction Sends Strong Signals Across Telecom Industry Last week’s penalisation of erring telecoms operators by the Nigerian Communications Commission, with the suspension of the licences of some, and barring of over 750,000 lines, has again shown NCC’s capacity to sanction erring firms when situation demands. Emma Okonji writes

L

ast week, the Nigerian Communications Commission made good its threat to sanction telecoms operators found to be involved in call masking and refilling. This was after an indepth investigation on the matter.

Announcing the sanction, NCC said it had to withdraw the operational licences of some telecoms operators, give stern warnings to others, and bar over 750,000 lines that were detected to have been used in call masking. It said the sanction became necessary to avert national security risks that could emanate from call masking, if left unchecked.

Although the action of NCC has been highly commended by industry stakeholders, some are of the view that the sanction would create multiple effects across networks.

Network Operators (MNOs). According to Ojobo, a second phase of sanction has commenced, focusing on the Mobile Network Operators and other persons involved in SIM-Boxing.

Ojobi said the aim of the commission is to completely stamp out the fraudulent practice in the overall interest of all Nigerians. “Accordingly, every service provider that has been sanctioned still has an opportunity to correct the identified anomalies and satisfy the commission that it should be allowed to continue to operate in Nigeria. The commission reserves the right to revoke the licence of such service providers where they fail to take the necessary corrective measures,” Ojobo said.

Ripple Effect Worried about the ripple effect of the NCC sanction, the president of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, told THISDAY that the barring of over 750,000 lines would affect telecoms activities, especially now that telecoms subscribers’ numbers are gradually reducing for various reasons ranging from harsh economy to destruction of telecoms facilities through insurgency in the North-east and the actions of social miscreants in different parts of the country.

Ogunbanjo said NCC should have barred certain codes issued by the commission, which the operators use for call masking, instead of outright barring of over 750,000 lines across networks.

Reacting to the plans by NCC to shift its investigation towards the MNOs who are perceived as big and untouchable, Ogunbanjo said the move was a welcome development, since smaller operators like Interconnect Clearing House and Medallion, allowed the masked calls to pass through the exchange, and terminated such masked calls on the network of the MNOs, who equally allowed such calls to be terminated on their network, because of the financial gains.

Call Masking, Refilling In technical parlance, call masking and refilling are an attempt by callers to hide their true numbers when making calls, especially international calls, which are not charged, because the caller’s identity is completely hidden on the network. It is about disguising international calls as local calls in order to profit from price differentials between international and local calls. It is also perceived as a way of hiding the true identity of the caller in such a way that the caller cannot be traced in an event that the caller used such call to commit crimes, like kidnaping, extortion, bullying, and fraud.

Warning Inundated with complaints from telecoms subscribers about incessant harassments through call masking and refilling, NCC had earlier identified some operators believed to be involved in the practice. It warned them to desist from such action, which according to NCC, poses national security risks and threat to lives of innocent subscribers.

NCC had earlier identified six telecoms operators involved in call masking and call refilling to include Medallion Communications Limited; Interconnect Cleaning House Nigeria Limited; Niconnx Communication Limited; Breeze Micro Limited; Solid Interconnectivity and Exchange Telecommunications Limited. The commission threatened outright revocation or suspension of their licences, at the conclusion of its investigation.

Implication Some telecoms experts, who are also subscribers to some of the networks, said they were worried about the implications of call masking and refilling.

Aside the economic losses it creates for government, there are also concerns about the insecurity associated with call masking and refilling, which have serious implications for the Nigerian economy and the individual subscriber.

Speaking on the implications, some subscribers who spoke with THISDAY about call masking, said even though subscribers do save telephone numbers with the names of the owners of the telephone lines, including foreign numbers, the network masks the number so that a pseudo local number appears each time a foreign number is used to make calls, which is different from the stored foreign number.

One of the telecoms operators, whose network has been defrauded severally by the perpetrators, told THISDAY that the trick behind it was that the network operator, having masked the foreign number to look like a local number, will pay a local rate to the network where the call is terminated, whereas it will charge the foreign network from where the call is originated at foreign rate, which is usually higher than local rate.

Aside these challenges, subscribers who frowned on call masking and refilling for fear of insecurity, said most callers mask their original numbers when they want to do hatchet jobs like hired assassination, kidnapping and extortion. According to them, such act poses security risks since the masked number cannot be traced after they must have perpetrated evil activities with it.

Danbatta Sanction So last week, NCC applied its sledgehammer on telecoms operators who were found to be involved in call masking and call refilling by suspending their operational licences, and barring 750,000 telephone numbers that were registered with some telecoms operators and used in carrying out the unwholesome practice. Announcing the various sanctions on different telecoms operators, in relation to the weights of their offenses, Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the commission had been inundated with complaints from service providers and consumers regarding the high incidence of call masking, call refilling, and SIM-Boxing. “Generally, the practice complained of involves disguising international calls as local calls in order to profit from price differentials between international and local calls. Apart from the resultant loss of revenue by service providers, the practice has also created some negative security implications,” Ojobo stated.

Following a painstaking investigation process, which included collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services, the commission imposed a range of sanctions on licensees involved in the fraudulent practice.

These include the following sanctions: Suspension of the Interconnect Clearinghouse License issued to Medallion Communications Limited for a period of 90 days, in the first instance; Issuance of a strong warning to Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria Limited.

Other penalties include: Disconnection of Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL) and Solid Interconnectivity Services Limited from all networks, until they regularise their operations; Issuance of letters to Exchange Telecoms Limited,

NiconnX Limited and Breeze Micro Limited, cautioning them against engaging in the fraudulent practice; and barring of over 750,000 numbers assigned to several Private Network Links (PNL) and Local Exchange Operator (LEO) licensees, which number ranges were found to have been utilised for the practice.

Ojobo said the sanctioned entities were found to be directly and indirectly complicit in several infractions, including covertly allowing organisations with expired licences to transit calls, failure to undertake due diligence on parties seeking to interconnect, deliberately turning a blind eye to masking infractions by interconnect partners, and using a licence issued to another organisation to bring in and terminate international calls, which were masked as local calls to other operators.

Regarding the barring of over 750,000 individual numbers across the nation, made up of about 31 number ranges, Ojobo listed the licensees whose numbers have been barred to include Vezeti Communications Services Limited, Voix Networks Limited, Mobitel Limited, Peace Global Satellite Communications Limited, ABG Communications Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Swift Telephone Networks Limited, QVODA Telecoms Limited, Wireless Telecoms Limited and Emcatel Networks Limited.

He said the commission found that some of these were terminating millions of minutes, whereas they only had very few active customers.

More Sanctions Underway NCC has warned that the list of operators pencilled down for sanction has not been exhausted.

It assured the public of an imminent second phase sanction, which will beam its searchlight on the big telecoms operators, which are mainly Mobile

Operators Viewpoints Managing Director of Medallion Communications Limited, Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, said he was shocked that NCC went ahead to sanction his company, which he insisted, was innocent of the charge against it. Nnamani said the company would review the position of NCC, before responding properly at the right time.

Other affected operators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were equally shocked that the NCC left the big operators who were also involved in call masking, and decided to punish the smaller operators who do not have the financial muscle to challenge the commission.

According to them, call masking became prevalent because the 22 International Data Access Licence operators, who are licensed by NCC to carry and transmit international calls to Nigeria, saw huge financial gains in call masking because of the cost differentials between international calls and local calls. They blamed the situation that created the loopholes on high foreign exchange rates, which lured international call carriers to drive traffic to Nigeria and charge at local rates and make huge money when they convert the currency at the black market rate, which gives higher returns.

According to the aggrieved operators, the MNOs in Nigeria decided to gang up against International Data Access Licence operators to stop them from bringing international calls to Nigeria even though their licences allow it.

The MNOs, according to the operators who were sanctioned by NCC, decided to work against International Data Access Licence operators in order to deal directly with their customers who terminate international calls on their local networks, in order to make the huge profits that the International Data Access Licence operators were making, since the official arrangement is that payment for terminated calls must be made in naira denomination, which makes higher financial gains for the operators.

The affected operators urged NCC to also extend the sanction to MNOs, who they said were also involved in the call masking business.

26

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

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DĂĐƌŽĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ^ƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ ƌŝǀĞƐ ' W 'ƌŽǁƚŚ džƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂƉŝƚĂů /ŵƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ Z/ ^ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ Ăůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĚ͘ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƌĂnjŝů͛Ɛ /ďŽǀĞƐƉĂ ;$Ϯ͘ϵй t$Ž$tͿ ĂŶĚ ^ŽƵƚŚ ĨƌŝĐĂ͛Ɛ &d^ ͬ:^ ůů ƐŚĂƌĞ ;$ϭ͘ϵй t$Ž$tͿ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƌĞĂĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŶĞǁ &ĞĚ ŚĂŝƌ͛Ɛ ŚĂǁŬŝƐŚ ĐŽŵŵĞŶƚƐ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ZƵƐƐŝĂ͛Ɛ Zd^ ĚŝƉƉĞĚ ϯ͘ϯй t$Ž$t ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ƵƉǁĂƌĚ ƚƌĞŶĚ ŝŶ Kŝů ƉƌŝĐĞƐ ĐĂŵĞ ƚŽ Ă ŚĂůƚ͕ ĨĂůůŝŶŐ ƚŽ h^Ψϲϯ͘ϳϬͬď ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ h^Ψϲϱ͘ϴϬͬď ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŽƌ ǁĞĞŬ ǁŚŝůĞ /ŶĚŝĂ͛Ɛ ^ ^ĞŶƐ ĨĞůů Ϭ͘ϯй t$Ž$t͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ǀĞŝŶ͕ ŚŝŶĂ͛Ɛ ^ŚĂŶŐŚĂŝ ŽŵƉŽƐŝƚĞ ůŽƐƚ ϭ͘Ϭй t$Ž$t ĂƐ ŚŝŶĂ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĞdžƉŽƌƚĞƌ ŽĨ ^ƚĞĞů ĂŶĚ ůƵŵŝŶŝƵŵ͖ ŚĞŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ ĐŽƵůĚ ďĞ ĂīĞĐƚĞĚ ďLJ ĂŶ ŝŵƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚĂƌŝī ŽŶ ^ƚĞĞů ĂŶĚ ůƵŵŝŶŝƵŵ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ h^͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ǁĞ ƐĂǁ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ĨƌŝĐĂŶ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ĂƐ Ăůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƚƌĞŶĚĞĚ ŶŽƌƚŚǁĂƌĚƐ t $Ž$t ƐĂǀĞ ĨŽƌ 'ŚĂŶĂ͛Ɛ '^ ŽŵƉŽƐŝƚĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ <ĞŶLJĂ͛Ɛ E^ ϮϬ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϳй t$ Ž$t ĨŽůůŽǁĞĚ ďLJ ŐLJƉƚ͛Ɛ 'y ǁŚŝĐŚ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ Ϭ͘ϴй t$Ž$t͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ͛Ɛ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ďƵĐŬĞĚ Ă ϯ$ǁĞĞŬ ůŽƐŝŶŐ ƐƚƌĞĂŬ ƚŽ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞ Ϭ͘ϳй t$Ž$t͘

ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƚLJ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ƵLJŝŶŐ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ŝǀŝĚĞŶĚ WĂLJŝŶŐ ^ƚŽĐŬƐ ƵŽLJ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ dŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ďŽƵƌƐĞ ŚĂůƚĞĚ Ă ϯ$ǁĞĞŬ ůŽŶŐ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďĞůůǁĞƚŚĞƌƐ ĂƐ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ďĞŐŝŶ ƚŽ ƚƌŝĐŬůĞ ŝŶ͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ E^ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ; ^/Ϳ ƌŽƐĞ Ϭ͘ϳй t$Ž$t ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϰϮ͕ϴϳϲ͘Ϯϯ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ ϭϮ͘ϭй͘ &ƵƌƚŚĞƌŵŽƌĞ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďLJ EϭϮϲ͘ϬďŶ ƚŽ Eϭϱ͘ϰƚŶ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ϳ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϳϵ͘ϵй t$Ž$t ƚŽ ϰϬϯ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϵ͘ϭďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ & D ;Ϯϯϳ͘ϰŵͿ͕ EE ;ϭϲϳ͘ϲŵͿ ĂŶĚ dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϱϰ͘ϬŵͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ ǁĞƌĞ E ^d> ;Eϱ͘ϮďŶͿ͕ 'h Z Edz ;Eϰ͘ϯďŶͿ ĂŶĚ EE ;EϮ͘ϵďŶͿ͘

ŵŝdžĞĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ E^ ^/ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ŽŶ ϯ ŽĨ ϱ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĚĂLJƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘ dŚĞ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž ƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŇĂƫƐŚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ϮďƉƐ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ďƵƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ Ϭ͘ϳй ŽŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƐĞůů ŽīƐ ŝŶ E' D͕ E/d, ĂŶĚ /Ed Z t͘ KŶ tĞĚŶĞƐĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ^/ ƌĞďŽƵŶĚĞĚ͕ ŐĂŝŶŝŶŐ Ϯ͘ϰй ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬĚƌŽƉ ŽĨ ƌĞŶĞǁĞĚ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ĞůůǁĞƚŚĞƌƐ $ E' D͕ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ĂŶĚ E ^d> ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ŽŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ƚŚĞ ^/ ĚŝƉƉĞĚ ϭ͘ϭй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŽĮƚ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ŝŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ Ϭ͘ϭй ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͘

ůů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ͕ ƐĂǀĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁŚŝĐŚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ Ϭ͘ϲй t$Ž$t ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ 'h Z Edz ;$Ϭ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;$ ϭ͘ϭйͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐΖ ĐŚĂƌƚ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ /ŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞƌ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϲй t$Ž$t͕ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ dKd > ;нϲ͘ϰйͿ ĂŶĚ ^ W> d ;нϮ͘ϮйͿ͘ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƩĞƌ ǁĂƐ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞ ŽĨ ĂŶ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ &z͗ϮϬϭϳ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƐĐŽƌĞĐĂƌĚ ǁŚŝůƐƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĨŽƌŵĞƌ ǁĂƐ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ĂƩƌĂĐƟǀĞ

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

ĚŝǀŝĚĞŶĚ LJŝĞůĚ ŽĨ ϲ͘ϱй ĂƐ Ăƚ ĚĞĐůĂƌĂƟŽŶ͘ dŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϱй t Ž t ĂƐ E D ;нϭϴ͘ϰйͿ ĂŶĚ ,D Z</E^ ;нϭϲ͘ϬйͿ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϵй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϭ͘ϵйͿ͕ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϬ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ E ^d> ;нϭ͘ϲйͿ͘

dŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ϯϳ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ϰϰ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ ,ĞŶĐĞ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϴdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘ϰdž ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ŝŶĚŝĐĂƟŶŐ ĂŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͘ : W h> K/> ;нϱϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ hE/dz ;нϭϴ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ E D ;нϭϴ͘ϰйͿ ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ǁŚŝůĞ ^Ks Z /E ; ϮϬ͘ϴйͿ͕ hE/ ; ϭϴ͘ϱͿ ĂŶĚ Dh>d/s Z ; ϭϳ͘ϲйͿ ůĞĚ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͘ Ɛ ŵŽƌĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ĮůĞ &z͗ϮϬϭϳ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ ĨƵŶĚĂŵĞŶƚĂůůLJ ƐŽƵŶĚ ĚŝǀŝĚĞŶĚ ƉĂLJŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ͘ ,ĞŶĐĞ͕ ǁĞ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ Ă ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͘

DŽŶĞLJ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ZĂƚĞƐ DŽĚĞƌĂƚĞ ŝŶ /ŶƚĞƌďĂŶŬ DĂƌŬĞƚ ĂƐ >ŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ /ŵƉƌŽǀĞƐ /Ŷ DŽŶĞLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƌĂƚĞƐ ĨĞůů Ăůů ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬĚƌŽƉ ŽĨ ŵŽŶƚŚůLJ & ĂůůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ Śŝƚ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƉĂLJŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ŵĂƚƵƌŝŶŐ KDK ĂŶĚ dƌĞĂƐƵƌLJ ŝůůƐ͘ dŚĞ KƉĞŶ ƵLJ ĂĐŬ ;K Ϳ ĂŶĚ KǀĞƌŶŝŐŚƚ ZĂƚĞ ;KsEͿ ƌĂƚĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ ϳ͘ϵй ĂŶĚ ϴ͘ϴй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϯ͘ϲƉƉƚ ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ϭϭ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϭϮ͘ϰй ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĂƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŵŽŶƚŚůLJ & ĂůůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶŇŽǁ ŽīƐĞƚ EĂŝƌĂ ŽƵƞůŽǁ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ E͛Ɛ ǁĞĞŬůLJ &y ĂƵĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ h^ΨϮϭϬ͘Ϭŵ͘ ^LJƐƚĞŵ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ŽŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ͕ ƚŽ EϱϬϬ͘ϵďŶ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ŵŽŶƚŚůLJ & ŝŶŇŽǁ Śŝƚ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͕ ĚƌŝǀŝŶŐ K ĂŶĚ KsE ƌĂƚĞƐ ĚŽǁŶ ƚŽ ϱ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϱ͘ϲй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ZĂƚĞƐ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ƚŽ ŵŽĚĞƌĂƚĞ Ɵůů ŵŝĚ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ƌŽďƵƐƚ͕ ĨĂůůŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͛Ɛ ůŽǁĞƐƚ ƉŽŝŶƚ ŽŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ;ϯ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϯ͘ϰй ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ K ĂŶĚ KsE ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJͿ͘

dŚĞ ƌŽďƵƐƚ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ǁŝƚŶĞƐƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁĂƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ŝŶŇŽǁƐ ;EϮϲϬ͘ϬďŶ d ďŝůůƐ ŵĂƚƵƌŝƚLJ

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ĂŶĚ EϭϬϵ͘ϬďŶ KDK ŵĂƚƵƌŝƚLJͿ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŽīƐĞƚ ǀĂƌŝŽƵƐ ŵŽƉ ƵƉƐ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚĞĚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘ EϮϰϵ͘ϳďŶ ŽĨ Ϯϱϰ ĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ EϮϳϲ͘ϴďŶ ŽĨ Ϯϱϵ ĚĂLJ ƚĞŶŽƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ ĂůůŽƩĞĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ KDK ĂƵĐƟŽŶƐ Ăƚ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂů ƌĂƚĞƐ ŽĨ ϭϰ͘ϰй ŽŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ǁŚŝůĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ d ďŝůůƐ WD ŚĞůĚ ŵŝĚ ǁĞĞŬ͕ Ă ƚŽƚĂů ŽĨ EϭϮϵ͘ϵďŶ ǁĂƐ ŽīĞƌĞĚ ;ĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚ ƚŽ Ă ŵĂƚƵƌŝƚLJ ŽĨ EϮϲϬ͘ϬďŶͿ ĂŶĚ ĂůůŽƩĞĚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ϵϭ ĚĂLJ ;EϭϮ͘ϵďŶͿ͕ ϭϴϮ ĚĂLJ ;Eϲϰ͘ϵďŶͿ ĂŶĚ ϯϲϰ ĚĂLJ ;Eϱϭ͘ϵďŶͿ ŵĂƚƵƌŝƟĞƐ Ăƚ ƐƚŽƉ ƌĂƚĞƐ ŽĨ ϭϭ͘ϵй͕ ϭϯ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϭϯ͘ϱй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ tĞ ƐƵƐƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ d ďŝůůƐ ƌĞƉĂLJŵĞŶƚ ǁĂƐ ƉĂƌƚůLJ ĮŶĂŶĐĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƉƌŽĐĞĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚ ŝƐƐƵĂŶĐĞ ĂƐ ĞĂƌůŝĞƌ ŐƵŝĚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ DK͘ >ŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƟŐŚƚĞŶĞĚ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ E ĚĞďŝƚĞĚ DŽŶĞLJ DĂƌŬĞƚ ĞĂůĞƌƐ ĨŽƌ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͛Ɛ KDK ĂƵĐƟŽŶ͖ ŚĞŶĐĞ͕ K ĂŶĚ KsE ĐůŽƐĞĚ Ăƚ ϵ͘ϴй ĂŶĚ ϭϬ͘Ϭй͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϭ͘ϳƉƉƚ ĂŶĚ Ϯ͘ϰƉƉƚ t Ž t ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ dƌĞĂƐƵƌLJ ŝůůƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƌĂƚĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ƚĞŶŽƌƐ ĨĞůů ƚŽ ϭϯ͘ϴй ŽŶ DŽŶĚĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ ϭϰ͘Ϭй ƋƵŽƚĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂLJĞĚ ŇĂƫƐŚ Ăƚ ϭϯ͘ϴй Ɵůů dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͘ dŚĞ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂů ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƚŚƌĞĞ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĚĂLJƐ ǁĂƐ Ă ƌĞŇĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ͛ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŝŶŇŽǁƐ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘ KŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƌĂƚĞ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ϮϴďƉƐ ƚŽ ϭϰ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ůĞǀĞůƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĂƟŶŐ Ă ϰďƉƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ t Ž t͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ EϭϯϬ͘ϬďŶ ǁŽƌƚŚ ŽĨ KDK ďŝůůƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŵĂƚƵƌŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ E ƚŽ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚ KDK ĂƵĐƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ŵŽƉ ƵƉ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ŝŶ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƚŽ ĂůŝŐŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚƐ ŐŽĂů ŽĨ &y ƌĂƚĞ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ͘

&ŽƌĞŝŐŶ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ EĂŝƌĂ KƵƚůŽŽŬ ^ƚĂďůĞ ĂƐ E ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶƐ /ŶƚĞƌǀĞŶƟŽŶ /Ŷ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚƌĞŶĚ͕ ƚŚĞ E ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚƐ ǁĞĞŬůLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ŝŶƚĞƌǀĞŶƟŽŶ͕ ŝŶũĞĐƟŶŐ h^ΨϭϬϬ͘Ϭŵ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ ^ƉĞĐŝĂů /ŶƚĞƌǀĞŶƟŽŶ ^ĂůĞ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĨŽƌĞŝŐŶ ĞdžĐŚĂŶŐĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƚŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ƐĞŐŵĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞůƐ͘ ŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚŝƐ ďĂĐŬĚƌŽƉ͕ ƌĂƚĞƐ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ Ă ƟŐŚƚ ďĂŶĚ Ăůů ǁĞĞŬ͘ dŚĞ E ƐƉŽƚ ƌĂƚĞ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ EϯϬϱ͘ϵϱͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ͕ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĐůŽƐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ ϱ ŬŽďŽ ŽŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ͘ dŚŝƐ ůĞǀĞů ǁĂƐ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ EϯϬϱ͘ϴϱͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ

ƚ ƚŚĞ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ Θ džƉŽƌƚĞƌƐ &y ǁŝŶĚŽǁ͕ ƚŚĞ E & y ƌĂƚĞ ƐŚĞĚ ϯŬŽďŽ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ EϯϲϬ͘ϭϵͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ĨƌŽŵ EϯϲϬ͘ϭϲͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ƌĂƚĞ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ϰ ŬŽďŽ Ăƚ ĐůŽƐĞ ŽĨ ƚƌĂĚĞ ŽŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ ƚŽ EϯϲϬ͘ϭϱͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ƉĂƌŝŶŐ ŐĂŝŶƐ ďLJ ŵŝĚǁĞĞŬ͕ ƐŚĞĚĚŝŶŐ ϭϬ ŬŽďŽ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ EϯϲϬ͘Ϯϱͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ͘ KŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕ E & y ƌĂƚĞ ĐůŽƐĞĚ Ăƚ EϯϲϬ͘ϭϰͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ͕ ƵƉ ϭϭ ŬŽďŽ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ ƐĂŵĞ ůĞǀĞů͕ ƚƌĂŶƐůĂƟŶŐ ƚŽ Ă Ϯ ŬŽďŽ t Ž t ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů Ăƚ ƚŚĞ / Θ tŝŶĚŽǁ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ƚŽƚĂů ƚƵƌŶŽǀĞƌ ŝŶĐŚĞĚ ϲϰ͘ϴй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƚŽ h^Ψϭ͘ϮďŶ ;ĂƐ ŽĨ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJͿ ĨƌŽŵ h^Ψϵϭϯ͘ϲŵ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŽƌ ǁĞĞŬ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂůůĞů ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ŶĂŝƌĂ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ϭ <ŽďŽ ƚŽ ŽƉĞŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ Eϯϲϯ͘ϬϬͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂLJĞĚ ŇĂƚ Ɵůů dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŶŐ ϭ ŬŽďŽ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ EϯϲϮ͘ϬϬͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ &D Y Kd ĨƵƚƵƌĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ŽĨ ŽƉĞŶ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ EĂŝƌĂ ƐĞƩůĞĚ Kd ĨƵƚƵƌĞƐ ƐƚŽŽĚ Ăƚ h^Ψϯ͘ϮďŶ ŽŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ ϰ͘Ϭй ;Žƌ h^ΨϭϯϮ͘ϵŵͿ ůŽǁĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ h^Ψϯ͘ϯďŶ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŽƌ ǁĞĞŬ͘ ĞƐƉŝƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐŝnjĞ͕ ƚŚĞ E'h^ : E ϮϬϭϵ ĂŶĚ E'^h EKs ϮϬϭϴ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ƐƵďƐĐƌŝƉƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƚƵŶĞ ŽĨ h^ΨϮϱ͘Ϭŵ ĂŶĚ h^ΨϰϬ͘ϳϱŵ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƚƌĂŶƐůĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ Ă ϭϯϱ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ ϭϵ͘Ϭйt Ž t ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ͘ dŚĞ WZ ϮϬϭϴ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ŽĨ h^Ψϲϱϳ͘ϵϮŵ ;ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ ƉƌŝĐĞ͗ ϯϲϬ͘ϱϵͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂƐƚ ƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞĚ ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ : E ϮϬϭϵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŚĂĚ Ă ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ŽĨ h^Ψϰϯ͘ϰϴŵ ;ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ ƉƌŝĐĞ͗ ϯϲϮ͘ϮϳͿ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƌĂƚĞƐ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ƚŽ ƚƌĂĚĞ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƟŐŚƚ ďĂŶĚƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ E ŝƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚƐ ǁĞĞŬůLJ ŝŶƚĞƌǀĞŶƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ &y ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘

ŽŶĚ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ^ŽǀĞƌĞŝŐŶ > z ĂŶĚ & z ŽŶĚƐ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďŽŶĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ƌŽƐĞ ŽŶ ϯ ŽĨ ϱ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ͘ dŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ŽŶ Ă ƌĞůĂƟǀĞůLJ ƋƵŝĞƚ ŶŽƚĞ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƫƐŚ Ăƚ ϭϯ͘ϳй͕ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ Ă

ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂů ϮďƉƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͘ dŚŝƐ ǁĂƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƐůŝŐŚƚ ƐĞůůŝŶŐ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ D Z ϮϬϯϲ ĂŶĚ D Z ϮϬϮϳ ;ƵƉ ϳďƉƐ ĂƉŝĞĐĞͿ ďŽŶĚƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƚŚĞ :hE ϮϬϭϵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ;ƵƉ ϱďƉƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ǁĂƐ ŽďƐĞƌǀĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ & ϮϬϮϬ ĂŶĚ D Z ϮϬϮϰ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϰďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϯďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ďŽƚŚ͘ KŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ͕ LJŝĞůĚƐ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ŵĂƚƵƌŝƟĞƐ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞůLJ ŇĂƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐŽŵĞ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŽŶ WZ ϮϬϯϳ ; ϮďƉƐͿ ĂŶĚ ƐŚŽƌƚĞƌ ƚĞŶŽƌĞĚ & ϮϬϮϬ ; ϴďƉƐͿ͘ zŝĞůĚƐ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ďƌŽĂĚůLJ ŇĂƚ Ɵůů ŵŝĚ ǁĞĞŬ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ǁĂƐ ŽďƐĞƌǀĞĚ ŽŶ ůŽŶŐĞƌ ƚĞŶŽƌĞĚ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ʹ WZ ϮϬϯϳ ĂŶĚ D Z ϮϬϯϲ ;ĚŽǁŶ ϮďƉƐ ĂƉŝĞĐĞͿ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ďLJ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕ ƌĞŶĞǁĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƚĞŶŽƌĞĚ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƉƵƐŚĞĚ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂůůLJ ůŽǁĞƌ ;ϭďƉͿ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭϯ͘ϳй ďĞĨŽƌĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶŝŶŐ ϮďƉƐ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϭϯ͘ϳй͘

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ ^Ƶď ^ĂŚĂƌĂŶ ^ŽǀĞƌĞŝŐŶ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚ DĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂůďĞŝƚ ƐůŝŐŚƚůLJ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ŽŶ ϭϰ ŽĨ ϮϮ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƌŽƐĞ t Ž t͘ dŚĞ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŝƐ ŝŶ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ƌĞƉƌŝĐŝŶŐ ŽĨ ĮdžĞĚ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ƐĞĐƵƌŝƟĞƐ ŝŶ ŐůŽďĂů ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ĂƐ ŶĞǁ &ĞĚ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ͕ :ĞƌŽŵĞ WŽǁĞůů ŐĂǀĞ ĂŶ ŽƉƟŵŝƐƟĐ ĂƐƐĞƐƐŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ h^ ĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ ĂŶĚ ŚŝŶƚĞĚ Ăƚ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ƌĂƚĞ ŚŝŬĞƐ͘ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚƐ ǁŝƚŶĞƐƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƐĞůů Žī ǁŝƚŚ LJŝĞůĚƐ ŽŶ ϱ ŽĨ ϲ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ t Ž t͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ :hE ϮϬϭϴ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ;zdD ĨĞůů ϭϬďƉƐ t Ž tͿ͘ /Ŷ ĐŽŵƉĂƌŝƐŽŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ^ŽƵƚŚ ĨƌŝĐĂŶ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚƐ ǁŝƚŶĞƐƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ĐŚĞĞƌĞĚ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ďLJ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ ZĂŵĂƉŚŽƐĂ ƚŽ ƌĞƐŚƵŋĞ ĐĂďŝŶĞƚ͕ ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJ ƚŚĞ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ EŚůĂŶŚůĂ EĞŶĞ ĂƐ ŶĞǁ ĮŶĂŶĐĞ ŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌ͘

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28

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ÍźË&#x153; ͺ͸͚Î&#x20AC;

MARKET NEWS

Nigerian Stock Exchange CGRS Certification Excites Forte Oil Forte Oil Plc, one of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading integrated energy solutions providers, has said certificates by the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS)  presented to its  directors in recognition of their compliance and integrity with minimum acceptable standards of corporate governance,  is a testament to the transparency of the board of  the company.

The CGRS was established by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), in partnership with the Convention on Business

Integrity (CBi) for rating listed companies with the aim of strengthening the corporate regulatory and supervisory capacity in Nigeria and providing information with which investors and consumers can differentiate between companies on the basis of their compliance.

Reacting to the certification, Forte Oil said  it is a testament to the transparency of the board of  the company to subject its directors and governance processes to external review and

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 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sharesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the

accreditation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is in furtherance of the vision of the company to place corporate governance as a foundation for the growth of the company in its drive to be the foremost integrated energy solutions provider,â&#x20AC;?

In addition to the certification given to the directors, Forte Oil Plc was also included into the coveted NSE Corporate Governance Index which tracks the performance of all companies which have undergone the CGRS accreditation.

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 1-Mar-2018, unless otherwise stated.

Forte Oil Plc  had recorded improved  nine months financial results ended September 30, 2017.

Although the company recorded revenue of N9.887 billion in 2017, down from N121.1 billion,  the efficient cost management strategies adopted improved the bottom-line.

Cost of sale was reduced by 23 per cent, declining from N105 billion to N79.9 billion to bring the gross profit to N16.9 billion in 2017, compared with N15.4

billion in 2016.

Distribution expenses fell by 45 per cent to N1.39 billion, from N2.56 billion, just as administrative expenses was cut by 8.2 per cent to N6.7Â Â billion, from N7.3 billion. Consequently, operating profit stood at N9.7 billion, compared with N7.8 billion in the corresponding period of 2016.

However, net finance cost spiked by 113 per cent fromN2.2 billion to N4.7 billion, apparently due to  bond service obligations.

Despite the increase in net finance cost, Forte Oil ended the period with profit before tax of N5.5 billion and profit after tax of N5.0 billion in that order.

The energy company had planned to raise N20 billion  fresh capital via public offer using a book building process. However, it  recently put the plan on hold  pending the conclusion of a corporate restructuring that is aimed to maximize the emerging opportunities in the Nigerian energy sector.

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 N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 0.86 0.87 4.85% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 4.10% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 15.95% 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 N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 166.45 167.62 9.73% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.70% 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 14.00% Paramount Equity Fund 12.70 13.03 2.76% Women's Investment Fund 102.79 105.42 2.14% 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 15.68% CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN QUEST 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 1,181.66 1,182.83 2.95% FBN Heritage Fund 151.52 152.94 8.72% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 15.00% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 114.48 115.07 1.41% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 114.46 115.06 1.49% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 192.96 195.93 13.02% 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 1.41 1.44 8.04% Legacy Debt Fund 2.95 2.95 2.24% 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 3,171.51 3,213.19 6.38% Coral Income Fund 2,529.14 2,529.14 3.38% 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 14.44% 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 15.00% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.20 2.23 4.63% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 17.88% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 117.43 117.77 2.09%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@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 1.17 1.19 1.98% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,054.57 1,054.57 2.28% 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 16.51 16.67 17.18% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.30% 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 1.29 1.31 8.44% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.32 11.41 2.68% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 17.01% 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 142.07 144.31 10.21% 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 1.52 1.52 2.42% 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 2,369.09 2,388.26 5.61% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 178.35 178.35 1.08% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.09 1.11 8.91% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 227.37 227.46 3.25% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 188.81 190.97 5.44% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.88% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,376.13 10,518.91 7.31% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.07 1.07 0.94% 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 1.35 1.36 5.85% United Capital Bond Fund 1.60 1.60 2.08% United Capital Equity Fund 1.01 1.04 10.82% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.87% United Capital Eurobond Fund 104.01 104.01 1.08% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.13 1.13 20.67% 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 13.56 13.77 7.90% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.93 14.10 6.00% Zenith Income Fund 19.51 19.51 3.15% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.40%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

10.00 133.65

-11.35% 0.90%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.62 162.51 121.85

12.72 166.02 124.14

4.11% 13.80% 11.54%

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

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 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 GrifďŹ n 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

5.67 9.92 19.61 22.90 153.65

5.71 10.00 19.71 23.10 155.65

19.53% 3.66% 10.36% 16.32% 3.39%

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 managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website and FMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

04.03.2018

CHIOMA ONYENWE

FINDS HER WINGS

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COVER

CHIOMA ONYENWE

FINDS HER WINGS From web-series, short films, a feature film and a now a historic stage play, Chioma Onyenwe sure-footedly inches her way towards a place of glory in the creative industry.

Nseobong Okon-Ekong reports

H

er first name is a talisman that commands favour to her in the Nigerian creative space. The name Chioma carries a load of resentment and attraction, perhaps in equal measure, depending on who she is interacting with. Often, doors open at the mention of the name, particularly when it is linked to Chioma Ude, founder of the Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF. On the flipside, Chioma Uchechukwu Onyenwe has attracted hatred to herself for the same reason. Her closeness to Chioma Ude, in more ways than one has defined her trajectory in Nollywood.

Possibly, we can change that to read that she was already looking in that direction and honing her skills, then meeting with Chioma provided the platform for a prepared candidate to meet with a lifetime opportunity. As the story goes, Chioma Onyenwe called Chioma Ude in 2013 and volunteered to work at AFRIFF. She knew she was tapping into a big network that would enhance her interest in the film industry. However, she came equipped having taken a course of study on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;From Script to Screenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the MET Film School in 2011. She also founded Raconteur Productions where she designates herself as Content Producer and Filmmaker in 2012.

Her new interest in film making was

a tactical departure from Economics which she studied at the University of Lagos and Management for which she took a Masters degree at the Imperial College London, but she did not mind. At the time she made her definitive move into the movie industry, she was barely one year at the job of Coordinator of Alumni Relations, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Part of her job included fundraising which she had earlier pursued at the Imperial College.

To be sure, Chioma had set undeniable footprints and was on the way to finding a place of glory for herself in the film industry.

In 2010, she produced one web-series, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Skinny Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; about the culinary skills of a character who was young, single and cooking and a TV series titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cabu Cabuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;- the story of a Taxidriver on the kaleidoscopic and event-filled streets of Lagos. She began to attract attention to herself in 2012 when she produced another web-series titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Goddammit Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - A comedic look at some of the pressures young professionals face in the fast-paced city of Lagos. It was adapted from a blog called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;God Damn it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She used to follow the blog. It was about a guy who started working for the first time and hated his job, and hated waking up on Mondays.

She contacted the blogger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had worked on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sets as production assistant when I was in UNILAG but I just kind of jumped into the deep end and contacted people and we shot six episodes. We put it out and the reception was great.â&#x20AC;? r5IF TBNF ZFBS TIF HBJOFE FOPVHI confidence to step up her game to produce a short film titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Skalesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a documentary titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Inside TEDxEuston. In the same year she started working at AFRIFF, she

TO BE SURE, CHIOMA HAD SET UNDENIABLE FOOTPRINTS AND WAS ON THE WAY TO FINDING A PLACE OF GLORY FOR HERSELF IN THE FILM INDUSTRY. IN 2010, SHE PRODUCED ONE WEBSERIES, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SKINNY CHEFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ABOUT THE CULINARY SKILLS OF A CHARACTER WHO WAS YOUNG, SINGLE AND COOKING AND A TV SERIES TITLED, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;CABU CABUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;- THE STORY OF A TAXIDRIVER ON THE KALEIDOSCOPIC AND EVENT-FILLED STREETS OF LAGOS. SHE BEGAN TO ATTRACT ATTENTION TO HERSELF IN 2012 WHEN SHE PRODUCED ANOTHER WEB-SERIES TITLED, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;GODDAMMIT ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MONDAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - A COMEDIC LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRESSURES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FACE IN THE FASTPACED CITY OF LAGOS

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MARCH 4, 2018 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

COVER NOT RESTING ON HER OARS, CHIOMA HAS SET NEW GOALS FOR HERSELF. THIS TIME, SHE HAS BRANCHED INTO A STAGE PRODUCTION TITLED, AUGUST MEETING’ WHICH SPEAKS TO TWO KEY ISSUESTHE AFTERMATH OF THE ABA WOMEN’S RIOT AND THE ANNUAL EXODUS OF MARRIED IGBO WOMEN BACK TO THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES EVERY AUGUST produced another short film titled ‘Illo’ which was inspired by Cyprian Ekwensi’s book, ‘The Passport of Mallam Ilia’. It is important to note that Chioma’s interest in the arts did not happen overnight, along with her colleagues-Onioma Uchegbu, Chikaodi Okoye and Deji Oluwole - in the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, she edited the departmental newsletter, Equimax.

Although, she is surefootedly heading in her chosen career direction, she never forgets the days of her humble beginning at AFRIFF and how it gave her professional integrity a shot in the arm. “I’m still with AFRIFF but at the time I was just getting into the film industry. I had made some short films on my own and was in the process of making my first feature film then I heard about AFRIFF. I had left my job in Enugu and had just come back to Lagos and AFRIFF was a couple of weeks away. I had met Chioma Ude earlier; I called her that I would like to volunteer. AFRIFF is a big platform. I’m still on it. It really helped build the foundation for me because it is the easiest way to meet people. At the time when I did casting for my feature film which was early 2014, I already had these contacts. I already knew who to talk to in the industry, I had already met with them the year before.

AFRIFF was a great jump-start going into films.”

Working with the Festival Manager gave her the privilege to coordinate content and programmes. Smiling broadly even at the thought of it, she recounted some of the benefits including the fact that AFRIFF is expanding beyond an annual event. This gave her the opportunity to go to other film festivals and connect with people and to build the training modules. Today, Chioma is the Programme Coordinator for AFRIFF. Two years ago, Chioma teamed up with an esteemed partner, Caesario De-Medeiros, to embark on some ground-breaking projects including, ‘The Barman TV, a reality television and unscripted entertainment. In the same genre, both of them produced, ‘The Face of Okija’ which is the search for a humanitarian ambassador. The same year, she took a comedic look at where ‘the hustle’ can sometimes lead in a short film titled, ‘Scheme of Things’. But it wasn’t until she produced and directed the story of a musically gifted young man who battles adversity, a medical condition and betrayal as he struggles to get to the top in her first feature film titled, ‘8 Bars and a Clef’ that the industry stood in critical appreciation of Chioma.

In its opening week at the cinema, 8 Bars and a Clef literarily fought for its life. She explained. “Cinemas run their schedules on what films did well in the opening weekend.

The more you do well, the longer you stay.

A lot of movies were in the cinemas but they don’t have enough screens so there was a battle for space.” Caught in that struggle, she devised a strategy. Apart from going to as many cinemas as she could to get feedback and encourage people to watch it over the counter, she also went to schools to inspire students, telling them that the film carried messages they should not miss. She knew from the start that she had to do extra work because the film was not a comedy or any regular feature that the Nigerian audience were used to. “You can’t say because it’s in the cinemas that you have achieved your goals until you get the right people to see it.” However, going to the cinema was not the final stage for Chioma, she was hopeful of exploiting other mediums of exhibition like television and online because of the diverse information the film was trying to communicate.

Working with a mix of experienced actors like Bimbo Akintola, Wale Ojo, Linda Ejiofor and Kehinde Bankole; and the new actors, like the lead character, IBK Spaceship Boy, Ade Bantu, Kunle Bello from Trybesmen and Blink

who is also into music, Chioma delivered a fresh and authentic feel to the film.

She explained her reason for deploying this method. “You don’t know these characters often so when you see them, you believe them. They have no airs about them.

They are not making anything up. The film talks about love and music. It’s a coming of age story. The key take-away for me is that it really defines success. It also touches on dyslexia because the lead character is dyslectic. And that’s one thing we don’t talk about. That is why it was important for me to get students and teachers to connect to that, maybe they have a student in school that is a little bit slow, maybe this could be the problem. To start that conversation will totally fulfill the reason for making this film. Also because the character also got wealthy just by going into the music industry. His wealth is not by any means his self-actualisation because he still has to learn how to read and fend for himself in order to be complete.” The film was nominated for Best First Feature Film by a Director at the Africa Movie Academy Awards 2016.

Not resting on her oars, Chioma has set new goals for herself. This time, she has branched into a stage production titled, August Meeting’ which speaks to two key issues-the aftermath of the Aba Women’s Riot and the annual exodus of married Igbo women back to their ancestral homes every August. The play presents the women of Oloko, who are fresh from participating in the protest and have come back home to build on the success of the protest. This time around, the battle is not against the white man but against their husbands and the laws they have created to keep women under lock and key. However, fighting the devil you know is not as easy as it seems.

With this production, Chioma says she is starting a movement to remind women that feminism is not a new concept neither is it foreign. She also hopes to awaken the consciousness of women to be more politically involved in decisions that affects their lives.

According to her, “August Meeting as it is currently has lost its way. Therefore, the play also serves to remind us the reason why it started in the first place.” It is a historic debut for Chioma.

The play which was staged at the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre at the weekend featured Nollywood actress Gloria Anozie Young as Nwanyeruwa, in the lead role. The play was one of most talked about productions in the sixth annual Lagos Theatre Festival which ends today.

Nwanyeruwa, the character played by Gloria was a widow who mobilised women to confront the white colonial masters in what later became known as the Aba women’s riot of 1929.

Highlighting issues affecting women to include ‘sexual violence, domestic violence, widowhood and genital mutilation,’ among others, Chioma said the play examines how women can come together and forge ahead.

“Every single thing that affects women is encompassed in it. We have a lot of educated women, well-informed women in this country. They are not keeping quiet and they are talking.”

Written by Paul Ugbede, ‘August Meeting’ which is staged in English is produced by Chioma Onyenwe and directed

by Kenneth Uphopho. Other actors are Ego Ogbaro, Ijeoma Aniebo, Inna Erizia, Odera Orji and Deola Gimbiya.

“There are women who stood for what was right and fought together for equality.

Unfortunately, history is not being taught in our schools anymore, so there is an urgency to use this medium to remind us of who we are as a people and what we can achieve together,” she explained.

Onyenwe

56

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ͲË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Ě&#x201C;

͎ͯͯ͜ͲͲ͡ͳ͹ͰͲË&#x153; nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com

Nostalgic Re-Union at MTV Shuga Season 6 Premiere Nseobong Okon-Ekong

T

he recent premiere of MTV Shuga, the television drama series that follows the lives of African youths which is now in its sixth season attracted a good mix of past characters and fresh faces in the play to the venue, Filmhouse IMAX Cinema at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Created in 2009 by MTV Staying Alive Foundation, an international content-producing and grant-giving charitable organization dedicated to preventing HIV among young people, and combating the stigma and discrimination, it debuted in Kenya and is distributed across MTV channels and with third-party broadcasters.

Over five seasons, the drama has crossed the continent from Kenya to Nigeria and onto South Africa and touched on numerous plotlines relating to HIV and safe sex including HIV testing, stigma, living with HIV, mother to child transmission, transactional sex, genderbased violence, and condom use. â&#x20AC;&#x153;MTV Shugaâ&#x20AC;? is multi-award winning, most recently winning the Third Sector Award for Big Impact and the World Media Festival, Gold Award for Edutainment & Intermedia-Globe Grand Award in 2016.

Making a return to Nigeria in its sixth season with an apt tag, â&#x20AC;&#x153;MTV Shuga Naijaâ&#x20AC;?, the drama features a stellar cast and a powerful story. Season 6 promises engaging, captivating, suspenseful and twitter-ready moments that homegrown MTV Shuga is renowned for.

The full cast of local talent includes MTV Shuga veterans who make an appearance to consolidate their roles from Season 4. Timini Egbuson, Jemima Osunde, Sharon Ezeamaka and Olumide Oworu all make a warm return to our screens. New cast members making their debut in season 6 are Ozzy Agu, Rahama Sadau, Amal Umar, Yakubu Muhammad, Bolanle Olukanni, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Nobert Young, Bukola Oladipupo, Alvin Abayomi, and Helena Nelson along with many more new faces.

Globally regarded as Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most viewed youth-focused series, â&#x20AC;&#x153;MTV Shugaâ&#x20AC;? has since inception in 2009 grown local cultural and social relevance on a continent which is rich in social diversity and culture and where countries are wanting content in local languages that resonates with them culturally.

MTV SHUGA Season 6 features a plot that both in storyline and visually, portrays the vibrant streets, eclectic clubs along with the bustle of Lagos metropolis along with the contrasting Northern Kano and Kaduna regions.

MTV Shuga Naija is produced by awardwinning writer/filmmaker and MTV Shuga Season 4 Producer Chris Ihidero working together with Emma Uduma and awardwinning Nigerian directors, Tolulope Ajayi, Ishaya Bako and Tope Oshin.

MTV SHUGA is a great example of where the format and story line resonates globally. This series together with pulsating entertainment and pop culture is where MTV Shuga Naija weaves in stories that will speak to young people across Nigeria and the many gatekeepers they have to engage with as they navigate choices about safe sex, family planning, the use of contraceptives, peer pressure, domestic and sexual violence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are thrilled to be bringing MTV Shuga

Emmanuel Ikubese and Georgia Arnold

Bada Akintunde-Johnson

back to Nigeria. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to share the exciting new storylines and important messaging on family planning and sexual health that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re touching on this season. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll explore more issues that affect young people and highlight the reality faced by many adolescents in their everyday lives, as well as the choices they can make to empower themselves,â&#x20AC;? said Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility for MTV Networks International Commenting on the return of MTV Shuga, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa), Alex Okosi, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;VIMN Africa is committed to empowering young people in Africa, and through MTV Shuga, we address

Timini Egbuson

key social issues affecting young g people p p through g realistic storylines and characters rs that resonate with them. The series seeks to impart mpart p knowledge g and empower the youth to takee positive action towards their health and lives.â&#x20AC;?

With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MTV Staying Alivee has also worked with Lagos State Ministry of Health, ealth, Hello Lagos, g Nurhi, Adolescent 360 (SFH) and nd DKT to ensure accurate and relevant messaging g throughout g the scripts. MTV Shuga is working king g to improve p knowledge, attitudes and behaviour viour with regards regard g ds to sexual and reproductive health th and increase the uptake of family planning services ervices and commodities in Nigeria, with particular articular focus on adolescent girls (15-19) and young women (20-24).

LAGOS AWAITS IREP DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Yinka Olatunbosun The three-day documentary film tradition in Lagos, iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival (iRep) is set to take place from March 22 to 25 at its regular venue, Freedom Park, Lagos. The festival has been a convergence point for documentary filmmakers and enthusiasts from around Africa and parts of Europe and the West since 2010 when it was established.

Jemima JJem em mim ima ma O Os Osunde sun unde und e

(See more entertainment stories on www. thisdaylive.com)

Zik Zulu-Okafor at iREP2016 with Makin Soyinka

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FOCUS

From Ashimolowo, a Bouquet of Hope for Widows Vanessa Obioha writes that a glimmer of donations from Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo and his wife, Yemisi to widows in his hometown, Ode Omu in Osun State has grown into a huge annual charity that attracted a record, 17000 widows this year

O

n a recent Saturday morning, a large group of women found their way to the sprawling grounds of Kings University in OdeOmu, Osun State. Some of them arrived in buses while others made the long walk from their different towns to the location. As they spread across the grounds of the university, they attracted the attention of passersby and travelers en-route to Osogbo.

The women who were mostly aged were scattered round the gate of the institution. The security men had a difficult keeping in check, according to a pre-arranged order, which they refused to keep to in a bid to gain entry; thus creating a frantic atmosphere at the point of entry. Some sat on the green lawn with their bags clinched to their sides, others stood on a queue. Quite a few engaged in small talks with dramatized moves for emphasis while waiting their turn. The expressions on their faces were a gamut of emotions: anxiety, excitement, gratitude.

The frenzied ambience suggested to quite a few that the occasion must be orchestrated by a politician. The reason for this is not farfetched as the state is just months away from its next gubernatorial election. It is a norm for most aspiring political candidates to host such occasions in order to win votes from the people.

However, the brains behind the large gathering were neither politicians nor aspiring candidates. They are just a couple who are dedicated to bringing smiles to the widows and the less-privileged. Twelve years ago, Mathew Ashimolowo, the founder of the Kingsway International Christian Center (KICC), alongside his wife Yemisi took on the onerous responsibility to empower widows in his hometown Odeomu. Originally, they started the charitable event at their family home in Odeomu where widows from each compound of the village were invited to receive cash, food and clothes from the couple. The figure then was 308. But that figure has since ballooned to thousands. At the 2018 ceremony, over 17,000 widows were empowered.

The Ashimolowos Widow Empowerment Programme over the years has assumed a life of its own. It is now one of the most anticipated events in that part of the world. It is usually held during the New Year celebration, giving the locales one more reason to extend the usual New Year festivity.

Prior to the annual event, the couple request each family to send names of widows in each compound. The list serves as a guide to the couple who are the sole sponsors of the charity. From their hometown, the news of their philanthropy spread to other villages.

Now there are about seven villages benefitting from the programme: Ikire, Isokan, Apomu, Modakeke, Ile-Ife and Ikoyi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yoruba towns are organized in compounds. Odeomu was my main focus. We used to knock on all the 120 compounds and they will write the names of the widows and they have to be acknowledged by the head of the family. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want a woman who wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a widow to smuggle her name in since it is free clothing and free money. Modakeke which is about 20 miles from Odeomu is a twin town because of their history so every compound in Modakeke was replicated in Odeomu. Modakeke showed up in the first year with 600 widows, the next year, 1000, before long, it became like 4,000. The other

Yemisi Ashimolowo handing gifts to one of the widows

L-R: Managing Director, UACN Properties, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran; Senior Pastor, KICC Church, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo; and Osun State Deputy Governor, Erelu Titi Laoye Tomori, at the 12th Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo and Pastor Mrs. Yemisi Ashimolowo Annual Widows Empowerment held at Ode-Omu, Osun State, recently

towns next door began to hear about it. Because we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go around accrediting compounds that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong to, we insisted that the king of each town must accredit a head for these widows. The king of Osogbo, Ikire, one of the Obas of Ile-ife also wrote names. These widows I assume began to bring each other together because they have challenges in the land and they need to support one another. They became widowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; groups and heard about what we do every year. With the acknowledgement of the kings, we therefore allowed them last year that was how we got 10,000 widows. They are also in age groups. We have the old ones and young ones.â&#x20AC;?

For the recent occasion, Ashimolowo received 17,000 names from the various widows groups. That figure was alarming to the clergyman and at the same time indicated the high mortality rate among men in the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;About 60 per cent of the widows are Muslims, so this has not been targeted at Christians. However, that itself sent a message across in the state and to the widows and it changed certain perspectives. Secondly, the

median age of widows in that part of the world is beginning to look like more on the younger generation. This is often times because young men who do not have as much care for their lives as they should and slumbers with two or three wives. So instead of taking care of aged widows from 60 years which according to biblical injunction are those who should be taken care of, we find more younger widows in need of help and solace. The statistics we did revealed that infant mortality is so high, the death rate for men is so high. A lot of men in Osun state do not hit 50. Things as basic as malaria is a high killer in that part. So this has influenced and caused the increase in number of widows.â&#x20AC;?

An estimated budget of N57 million was set aside for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project but at the main event that fateful Saturday morning, the turnout exceeded the number given by about 300.

The clergymen however anticipated this and therefore always have extra provisions. For instance, a new village Gbogan in the outskirts of the state was represented at the recent gathering.

The astronomical increase also indicated that more hands were needed on the deck.

Although members of KICC flew in from different parts of the world to help the couple alongside other dignitaries including the Deputy Governor of Osun state, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, and Senator Iyiola Omisore, an effective means of crowd control was very important. What the pastor and his team did was to give different time tickets to each of the villages to come to collect their gifts.

For instance, the large batch of beneficiaries were from Osogbo and Ile-Ife. Only the expected batch is allowed inside to maintain decorum and until they are done, no other batch is allowed inside.

Despite this effort, most of the widows arrived before their scheduled time with their bags of hope, causing mayhem as they struggled to enter the premises. Canopies were erected to provide shelter, a stage graced by different musicians was set up at one side of the grounds, and tables piled up with different African print fabrics were also placed under a canopy. The recipients formed a straight line while the protocol officers strategically stood in different places to avoid commotion. Those who were yet to gain entrance, pressed their bodies to the gate, waiting for any opening to run in to receive their lot. Perhaps out of pity for those who were oblivious of the yearly celebration, some of the recipients gave out their cards to those who were not on the list, forgetting that the organisers had marked their thumbs.

Definitely, the magnanimity of the event requires extra support. For coming editions, the pastor is thinking out of the box. â&#x20AC;?My vision for the future is that we believe that God is laying in our hearts that this should metamorphose to something that is bigger than just giving the widows and to start a ministry called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Christ Compassion to the Ruralsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. We want to hit the rural areas with six levels of need we want to meet. We want to bring hospital on wheels which will cost a lot of money. It will be a sterilized trailer where five surgeries can be done while the ministration is going on. We believe this is possible.â&#x20AC;?

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˞ Ͳ, 2018

ON THE COUCH

MRS. OMOLOLA MOPELOLA OJO (NURSE)

White Uniform Attracted Me to Nursing Interviewed by Funke Olaode Can we have an insight into your background?

I was born on February 28, 1948 into the Ebiti family of Lagos. My mother was a petty trader and my father was a railway worker. He later got transferred to Kafanchan in the then Northern Nigerian where I had my early childhood. I began my education at Baptist School Kafancha.

I was a Moslem but got interested in the Baptist songs and on Saturdays I used to attend Sunday School review to learn some of the songs and also took part in choir practice. My father was an Imam but was very liberal and never objected.

I can say that among all my siblings I am the only odd one. I used go to church on Sundays as well and was attending Baptismal classes.

Unfortunately for me, on the day I wanted to be baptized, when it got to my turn one of the teachers said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Is this not Mopelola, daughter of Mr. Ebiti the Imam?â&#x20AC;? He refused to baptize me. I cried home that day and when I got home everybody was making jest of me. This shows the kind of Nigeria I grew up in. There was religion tolerance.

What reminisces do hold dear at 70?

I feel delighted. A lot of people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even believe that I am 70. It is the grace of God. I trained as a nurse but I attribute everything to God Almighty. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any special food that I eat. I eat anything and everything in moderation. People talk about longevity but it is

by His grace because my mother died at 51 and my father died at 72. Growing up in the North was interesting we (the Igbos and Yorubas) lived in Sabongari Area. And living among different ethnic groups gives you the opportunity to speak different languages and your own mother tongue. I have been longing to go to Kafanchan where I grew up but I am concerned about security issues. There is hostility everywhere. I pray that this great country will go back to the old days of ethnic and religious tolerance.

Looking back, are there things you would have done differently?

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think there is anything because nobody has ever prevented me from doing what I wanted to do. I remember when I came back from the North and enrolled for a secondary school in Abeokuta, I used to spend my holidays

remember he used to say that even if he had only one trousers left on him, he must educate his children whether boy or girl. So gender wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an issue because he was educated and enlightened and there was no discrimination whatsoever.

with my uncle. He was surprised that I exhibited a lot of freedom to the extent of attending church being an Imamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter. He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scold me he just got an Imam to teach me the Quran and all that.

What were the factors that shaped you?

My mother relocated to Lagos at a point and I lived with my step-mums back in Kafanchan.

Honestly, the communal living really helped me in my adult life. You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t differentiate between the children from the different mothers.

We ate from the same pot. There was love and we shared everything. For instance, one of my brothers, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti is one in a million.

Generous, loving, kind and accommodating.

He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hide his love and affection for me.

He organized the surprise 70th birthday for me and came with his family. We watch each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back and this strengthens the family.

How would you say parental inďŹ&#x201A;uence

has helped you to become who you are today?

My father was a disciplinarian, accommodating and tolerant. He was a man who kept to his rules. If you derail from the laid down rules, you will get a stroke of the cane just to sharpen you up. An incident happened that I would never forget. There was a time we wanted to go Kagoro, a town very close to Kafanchan.

We had teachers from that school coming to teach us and we had prepared and I was excited.

We had to trek about seven miles to this town because there was no vehicle in those days. My friends came and we were about leaving. Then my father came out and said I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go. Of course, I had to stay back but it was very painful.

You mean being a girl-child didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have an impact on you in terms of education in those days?

My father was a believer in education and he ensured that he trained all his children. I

What was your childhood aspiration?

I had always wanted to be a nurse. After my primary education I moved to Abeokuta for my secondary education. I later enrolled at School of Nursing, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Honestly, it was the uniform that first enticed me into the nursing profession.

I remember in Kafancha there was a young lady working in a general hospital. A street separated our house from the general hospital and I used to see a lot of nurses going into the hospital and I aspired to be like them. Some rode on bicycles and I got attracted. By the time I got into it, it was a different ball game and found that nursing was beyond the fancy white apparel. In fact, I wanted to leave or would have left. In fact, some of my mates left and I was also contemplating leaving my nursing training for teaching. I actually went for an interview to study French and English at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

My father was still in Zaria then and I used to go on holidays. I was recommended for admission but the then Commissioner of Education waded in and persuaded me that teaching is good but the country needed more nurses. He advised me to go back to Nursing. I went back and continued the four year programme and graduated. I got married to my husband, Dr. Ayo Ojo, an indigene of Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State and a medical doctor. I later went back for my midwifery, did a family planning programme. I worked at LUTH briefly and joined my husband in his hospital where I worked for many years before I retired.

What lesson has life taught you?

Life has taught me to take things as they come because there are things that are beyond you. I take each day as it comes. I am very comfortable with what I have achieved. I am easily contented. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any regrets. Life has been good to me. I have a loving family, surrounded by wonderful children and a loving and kind man.

FOCUS

Safemasters Gets a Crown for Fire Prevention Tips

A

fter successfully launching its products into the Nigerian market last year April, one of the leading fire protection services company, Crown Safemasters Limited recently held a public awareness campaign to popularize tips on fire safety and prevention at the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Ikeja Branch offices.

Giving tips on how to prevent fire disaster by using the new technology, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field engineer, Elijah Hatto said the new device is a necessity in every home and corporate organizations as it helps to suppress inferno in case of fire disaster.

Not only that, the new tech is safe for the environment , low maintenance cost, property and equipment are secured, ozone friendly, affordabable, , prevents disaster and has international reputation for quality because it is a fire suppression systems backed by research, committed to people and environment.

Throwing more light on the uniqueness of the process, Hatto said Fire Pro Xtinguish is an exciting new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fire suppression product for total-flooding appilications or

L-R: Designer Engineer, Crown Safemasters Nig. Limited, Mr. Korede Shoniran, Field Manager, Elijah Hatto, Executive Director, Mr. Alex Imegu and Chairman, Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Ikeja Branch, Engr. Akin Akintola during public presentation of FirePro brand to a group of Engineers at NSE Secretariat, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagosâ&#x20AC;Ślast Thursday

any installation where a fire suppression is needed to protect the contents of a space. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This product is a non-toxic, with zero ozone depletion and global warming potential. It utilizes an aerosol-forming solid compound

to extinguish fires by inhibiting the chemical chain reactions of fire cleanly and efficiently.â&#x20AC;?

While being very powerful, Hatto said the FirePro system installation is uncomplicated and maintenance is minimal. Fireproof

Xtinguish and HCVR-3 realising fire alarm control panel combine to produce a perfect extinguishing solution for offices, data centers, server rooms, warehouses, archives, banks, transformer/electrical rooms and so on.

Corroborating Hattoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assurance of the new technology, managing director of the company, Mr. Joe Unuaga said his company offers its services because every year, fire causes death, and damages to properties. In that scenario the company deals in all kinds of firefighting and fire preventive systems as well as life safety equipment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The FirePro, a fire suppression device introduced last year is uniquely design to cater for both corporate and individual client. After launching the products in 2017, there was an acceptance of the products and the responses we have gotten so far from prospective Nigerian users are encouraging. Although Nigerians are yet to embrace the new technology fully because of their familiarity with other fire suppression systems, I must say that the level of FirePro patronage is improving everyday and we are not relenting on our efforts,â&#x20AC;? Unuaga said.

T H I S D AY ˾ SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2018

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ARTS & REVIEW A

EZE CHIMA: A NEW TALE OF ARO HEROISM PAGE 64

PUBLICATION

04.03.2018

TUTU RELISHES ITS HOSANNA MOMENT Tutu by Ben Enwonwu

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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MARC Ͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\BONHAMS AFRICA NOW AUCTION

At the Ancestors' Conference by El Anatsui

TUTU RELISHES ITS HOSANNA M A long-lost Ben Enwonwu masterpiece, “Tutu”, re-emerges from the cold to set a new record as for over a million pounds at an auction. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

"T

utu” was clearly the auction’s star lot. Hence, its eventual sale for £1,205,000 (N520.2 million, €1.4 million, $1.7 million) at the Bonhams Africa Now: Modern & Contemporary Art sale in London, last Wednesday, should really surprise no keen devotee of African art. Its eye-popping price, a new record for the artist’s work at an auction, elicited a spontaneous applause from the Lagos audience. This was an audience that started keenly following the event real time from 6 pm at The Wheatbaker Hotel, which is discretely tucked away in the leafy upmarket neighbourhood, Ikoyi.

Even weeks before the event, aficionados had expected this Ben Enwonwu’s long-lost portrait of an Ife royal princess Adetutu Ademiluyi to emerge as the auction’s top seller. This was not without good reasons. First, it was estimated well above the other top sellers at £200,000-300,000 in the auction’s catalogue. Then, there was the groundswell of enthusiasm swirling around it, which would have been hard to ignore. Not many, in any case, would so easily disregard a work endorsed not only by the Booker Prize winning Nigerian novelist, Ben Okri, but also by myriads of serious collectors within and outside Nigeria.

The painting is a blue-themed portrait of a coffee-complexioned damsel, whose back is half-turned to the viewer.

Obvious is the attempt by the artist to make her look regal in her traditional Yoruba attire. Of the damsel, Okri had written in the spring edition of Bonhams magazine: “The young woman [Enwonwu] met had extraordinary

Negritude by Ben Enwonwu poise. She possessed an African beauty that combined serenity with an uncanny sense of self-worth.”

Enwonwu, aficionados believe, could have been enthralled by her straight narrow nose and thin lips, which are not the kind of features one would normally associate with the Negroid race. The artist, who was a Negritude movement proselyte (especially after his encounter with its key actors at

the first Congress of Black Writers and Artists in Paris, held in 1958), was known for his idealisation of the African womanhood in his works.

“He asked her if he could paint her,” Okri continued. “She was taken aback by this unusual request. But being properly brought up, she replied that she would allow it if her parents gave their approval.

“That was not the response the artist was expecting. He was used to asking women if he could paint them, and on the whole they were delighted at the prospect. After all, he was one of the most famous artists of the continent...He duly sought out her parents. They were as surprised by the request as their daughter. They made inquiries, found that the artist was highly respected, and they gave their permission.”

This encounter took place sometime in 1973 while Enwonwu was on a visit to the revered Yoruba monarch’s palace. The outcome was the production of three versions of this portrait painting between that year and the following year. And since the artist never sold the originals of any of these three versions, it is not difficult to figure out why they have elicited so much interest among enthusiasts in the visual arts community. Indeed, this painting reportedly never left the artist’s private collection until his passage in 1994. Even so, signed copies of this 1973 oil on canvas painting have found their way into many private collections in Nigeria. Consequently, the whereabouts of all the three original paintings hitherto remained officially a mystery until recently. This would explain the long publicised search for the painting, especially for the better known version done in 1973.

The version that was sold at the Bonhams so far remains the only known original example of the oil on canvas painting.

And thanks to the winning bidder, whose identity was expectedly not disclosed, a new auction record has been set for a Ben Enwonwu.

Neil Coventry, the Bonhams Nigeria’s representative, thinks “it is a well deserved price for a well renowned artist.”

Okri likened this “only authentic Tutu” to “some rare archaeological find”, which he also said was “a cause for celebration, a potentially transforming moment in the world of art.”

Bonhams Director of Modern African Art Giles Peppiatt called the painting “a national icon in Nigeria, and of huge cultural significance. It is very exciting to have discovered the only painting of the series that we now know still exists. Its appearance on the market is a momentous event and we expect it to generate enormous interest.”

That the painting was obviously of great personal significance to Enwonwu was understandable.

But that it would later be seen as a symbol of national reconciliation for a post-conflict Nigeria was quite remarkable. For apparently, such symbolic fence-mending gestures, like an ethnic Igbo artist romanticising a Yoruba princess, could only be deemed a welcome distraction after the 30-month Nigeria civil war of the late 1960s and early 1970.

Meanwhile, Enwonwu’s other work Negritude-inspired water-colour and gouache work, “Female Form”, which was painted in the 1987, sold for £110,000 as the auction’s second best-selling lot.

Closely trailing it was another similarlyinspired water-colour and gouache painting, “Negritude” (dated 1984), which sold at £100,000. Both paintings depict the idealised African woman in stylised

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž CH 4, 2018

ʜ ˺˺

The Inverted Pyramid; Adapted from a novel by Emeka Dike

MOMENT Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ě&#x2039;Ă?Ă Ă?Ă&#x153; ĂĄĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2022; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013; serpentine forms.

Yusuf Grilloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blue-themed oil on board â&#x20AC;&#x153;Evangelists: Cymbal, Triangle and Tambourineâ&#x20AC;? - also publicised weeks before the auction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; came a distant fourth among the top-sellers at ÂŁ56, 250. The work, dated 1964, was trailed by El Anatsuiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 13-piece wood carvings, which was titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the Ancestorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conferenceâ&#x20AC;? and sold for ÂŁ47, 500.

It was expected that works by such African artistic luminaries as Kolade Oshinowo (who recently turned 70), Ghanaian-born Ablade Glover, Ben Osawe, Ladi Kwali, Akinola Lasekan, Ghanaian-born Amon Kotei, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Uche Okeke, Simon Okeke, Congolese-born ChĂŠri Samba, Twins Seven-Seven, Sokari Douglas-Camp, Emanuel Ekong Ekefrey, Abiodun Olaku, Reuben Ugbine, Nnenna Okore and Victor Ehikhamenor would feature at an auction that preens itself on being â&#x20AC;&#x153;the only sale of its kind globallyâ&#x20AC;?.

Kudos to the organisers for further enriching its diversity and exotic flavour with works by Beninese-born Romuald Hazoume and Dominique Zinkpe, Ivorian-born Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba and Armand Boua, Congolese-born François Thango, Mozambican-born Malangatana Valente Ngwenya and Goncalo Mabunda, Tanzanian-born George Lilanga Di Nyama, D.R. Congoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monsengwo Kejwamfi â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mokeâ&#x20AC;?, ChĂŠri ChĂŠrin and Camille-ierre Pambu Bodo, among others.

Obviously, the auction house sees this collection a â&#x20AC;&#x153;tremendous potential for investmentâ&#x20AC;?. This should explain why it scours the entire continent in search of the very best of its post-war and contemporary art.

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MARCH 4, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\DRAMA

EZE CHIMA: A NEWTALE OF ARO HEROISM Ernie Onwumere

T

ime after time, stories of ancient origins, evolutions and civilisations of peoples continue to fascinate the curious minds.

We all like to seek to know where we come from. Who are our forebears? How did we get here? What makes our race, culture, civilisation and world view unique? What is distinctly heroic about our past? It is an endless universal quest for unravelling race or ethnic self-identity. And answers are never short in supply, as more literature are written, regaling us with exciting tales of epic ancient times in human history.

Eze Chima: An Ancient Aro Epic is a new, refreshing tale of the Arochukwu civilisation, written as a novel and published in 2016.

Authored by Chike Nwaka, a writer, poet, artist and an Aro man who confesses to have drunk directly from the folkloric fountain of rich oral traditional tales from his father and grandfather, Eze Chima uses the heroism of one major character, Chima, to shed brighter light on the origins of Aro people, their world views and primordial connections to other ethnic peoples outside Igbo land.

The Aro people, domiciled in Arochukwu land in Southeast Nigeria and found everywhere, have been universally known for ages to be a distinct people among the Igbo. A lot of legendary tales and reputation precedes the Aro race, telling of their uncommon adventurous spirit, enterprise, hard work, integrity, boldness, honour, respect, humility, wisdom and leadership qualities. All these acclaimed sterling Aro attributes are what the central character of Eze Chima personifies in his heroic journey through the riveting story.

In fact, the story of Chima as the protagonist of Eze Chima novel is the story of an unusually epic era in ancient Arochukwu civilisation. According the story, which any enthusiastic reader will find quite absorbing till the last page, Chima was born a prodigy, an adult in a baby’s body as he was a reincarnated being who had lived several lives before his present coming. So strange and unique was his birth that he could already, as an infant, engage a sage, Mazi Uchenivu, in esoteric conversation.

The king, Eze Aro of the time, was also amazed by the extraordinary traits and actions of Chima as he grew up. The whole Arochukwu Kingdom was in awe of Chima, as incredible tales of his legendary exploits spread like wildfire. He once, like a David against Goliath, fought Okon, an intimidating bully, who led his criminal gang to rob and rape in Arochukwu, bringing his reign of terror to an end, much to the relief and cheers of the people.

So, it became so obvious to all and sundry that Chima was born with god-like powers.

But he did not use his powers for evil, but to protect the weak, help the community and curtail oppression and wickedness.

So, when King Orhamenye came all the way from Ebeinu (Benin Kingdom in Edo) to Arochukwu to consult the Eze Aro for help in solving intractable problems in his kingdom, it was Chima who was chosen to be the Messiah. When Chima got to Ebeinu, he became King Orhamenye’s most trusted confidant and adviser, with his uncommon words of wisdom and nobility. Before long, even the people of Ebeinu became fond of Chima as he taught the young people diverse skills, helped people in distress,

taught them deep truths about life and helped ensure justice in the kingdom.

Of course, the oppressive aristocrats of Ebeinu kingdom were not happy with Chima’s exploits, closeness to Oba Orhamenye and popularity with the commoners. So, such characters like Azegbedin, a ruthless head wizard, and Ogeame, a power-hungry prince of the former King Ogiso, tried to eliminate Chima but they could not. Meanwhile, Chima married Oba Orhamenye’s daughter, Princess Ivie (later called Adaeze), while he had to valiantly resist temptations from other adoring Ebeinu women like Idia who wanted to marry him. Eventually, Oba Orhamenye, who never liked the boorish cultures of Ebeinu, left for Ife, his father Odudunwa’s kingdom where he once lived before being sent to be king at Ebeinu. Chima too finally left Ebeinu, to go back to Arochukwu after accomplishing his mission. A lot of Ebeinu people left with him and as he journeyed homewards towards Arochukwu, he encountered complex challenges that taxed his leadership skills to the limits.

He never made it to Arochukwu when he died, but he became a hero everywhere he stopped and settled down to set up new kingdoms.

Such is the epic tale of Eze Chima the novel, a 206-page thriller that vividly captures the imagination in a gripping storytelling dexterously woven by the author. But while the story itself is situated in ancient heroic legends, it also throws up certain thematic preoccupations that are as contemporary as they are expository. For instance, there is the theme of reincarnation as espoused in the story of Chima. Reincarnation, which is the rebirth of a person, is a common subject in past African literature.

In Eze Chima, reincarnation comes alive again as we are made to believe that life is an endless cycle, a continuum, and man is reborn again and again through different parents, races, times and generations to attain perfection. However, the reincarnation theme in Eze Chima differs from the “ogbanje” phenomenon in Igbo or “abiku” in Yoruba mythology, because the reincarnated man in Eze Chima’s world is reborn

through different parents, not dying and returning over and over through the same parents.

Another theme propounded by Eze Chima is that of the supremacy of God as the all-knowing, allpowerful creator of the universe and the higher essence of man. According to the story, the Aro people believe in a supreme God variously called Chukwu which means the Most High God; Oka-akaa, meaning He who is greater than all; Chukwu Okike, which means God the Creator; and Obasi-bi-n’elu, which means God who dwells in the highest heights. For the Aro people, God is also ChukwuAbiama, which means God of Abiama, Abiama being the founding father of Arochukwu race.

Next, the theme of moral and intellectual greatness also runs through Eze Chima novel. This simply means that the Aro place a high premium on morality and intellectualism above ephemeral indulgences and immoral living. Chima’s character provides the exemplary Aro personification of high intellect and morality in the novel. Indeed, there is a maxim so dear to the Aro which in Igbo says “Ako-bu-ije”, meaning Wisdom is the Way. Perhaps, if today’s Nigeria could place values of intellectualism and morality above the inordinate quest for materialism and hedonistic indulgences, our society might be a better one, after all.

Also, one could see the theme of campaign for an egalitarian society, where everybody is treated equally and not oppressed or deprived, in Eze Chima. Chima, though imbued with extraordinary powers and wisdom, preferred the simplicity of identifying with the commoners and canvassing the equality of all persons, no matter their social or economic status in the society.

The last but not the least thematic preoccupation of Eze Chima novel is the exposition of the shared humanity in origin and blood of different peoples. In contemporary Nigeria, there is no love lost, politically, between Igbo and Yoruba peoples. But who would now believe, according to the ancient Aro legend, that Aro people of Southeast Nigeria are racially related to the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria?

Yet in Eze Chima, enlightenment comes in the tale. Oduduwa, shortened as Odua, is generally said to be the progenitor of the Yoruba race with its origin at Ife in presentday Osun State. However, we are told that the name Odudunwa in Aro/Igbo means the last born child. Thus, Oduduwa the acclaimed Yoruba progenitor was said to be the last born child of an ancient Eze Aro, king of the Arochukwu Kingdom who fathered many children. How Odudunwa the last born child from Arochukwu then came to become the Oduduwa at Ife, the progenitor of the Yoruba people, is a mystery for the interested reader to discover in Eze Chima. Quite interesting!

––Mazi Onwumere is a culture activist, and media/brand management consultant based in Lagos.

Watercolour Maestros Set for Adam and Eve’s Spring Exhibition Yinka Olatunbosun

E

ight leading artists, known for their predilection for the watercolour medium, will feature at the next edition ofThe Content exhibition at the luxury store, Adam and Eve, GRA, Ikeja.The show which is expected in April is bringing together, for the first time on the mainland, veteran painters.

Most of them started their career with this medium. Interestingly too, this medium has become one of the least preferred by painters because of some reasons. One of it being the difficulty in controlling the water colour in painting.

The curator for the exhibition, Lekan Onabanjo revealed that the exhibition is also designed to make collectors of water colours appreciate the true aesthetics of the medium. He added that it is also ironical that a large proportion of artists reside on the mainland and art exhibitions hardly take place there. Adam and Eve which is yet to launch its gallery beganThe Content series as a build-up to the actual launch.

At a recent press briefing to announce the show, one of the participating artists, Sam Ovraiti remarked that watercolour is one of the finest of art media but most of its materials are imported and quite expensive. For Kehinde Sanwo, another participating artist, there is no room for improvisation in water colour painting if the aim is to achieve good quality painting.

Watercolour painting usually take more hours to complete for every artist because it requires that the painter allow each layer of paint to get dry before applying another. Another challenge with water colour painting is poor sales. Most collectors in Nigeria prefer large pieces of art whereas water colour paintings typically come in miniatures. But for this spring exhibition, collectors should be ready for a different taste of water colour.

Ovraiti revealed that most of his early water colour paintings had been bought by international visitors on their way out of the country. He added that most Nigerian collectors are more concerned about the size of the work than the actual effort and cost of production of the art pieces.

The full list of the participating artists and the number of works will be revealed on a later date.

All for Charity Yinka Olatunbosun

T

hecatalogueforthegroupexhibitionhas apleatoneofanappealletterwiththe theme,“DearNigeria,DearFriends.’The pleacomesfromtheplaceofgivingtothe lessprivilegedinthecommunity,athoughtthat snowballedintoaseriesofprojectandthenagroup exhibitionthatfeaturesmasterartistssuchasFidelisOdogwu,GeorgeEdozie,AlexNwokolo,Gerry Nnubia,FrancisUduhandAbrahamUyovbisere.

Thetwo-weeklongshowatOmenkaGalleryis indeedafundraiserinitiativeofthenon-governmentalorganization,LifeFoundationincollaborationwithAllianceFrancaiseforcharitablecause.

Theirinterest-theeconomicallydisadvantaged communityinMakokohasbeenonthereceiving endofthehumanitarianprojectthattargetsschool agedchildrenofthecommunity.

TheLIFEFoundationhadbeeninvolvedin trainingteachersinthiscommunityandrebuilding schools.TheFoundationhasarecordofalso facilitatingtwomedicalmissions,equippinga schoollibrary,distributingteachingaidsandbooks.

ThePresidentandFounder,LIFEFoundation, ElviraSalleras,isalawyer,anartcollectorandan artist.ShewonprizesinartthroughouthersecondaryschoolatQueensCollege,Enugu.Shewas alsoamemberofadancetroupeasastudent.So, veeringintoarttosupporttheneedyjustcomes naturally.“Artisinmyheartandinmyexpression.

Ihelpyoungpeopletodesigntheirinteriors.I don’tthinkyouneedtoberichtoliveinbeautyand transformyourspace,’ shebegan.

Asaninteriorartenthusiast,sheappreciatesthe valueofvisualartsandtheinfluencethatestablishedartistscanwieldinthelivesoftheyoung.In fulfilmentoftheliteracy,integrationandformal educationfoundationonwhichherorganization wasfounded,thisshowwhichopenedonNovember25willmaketheproceedsattheshowthe fundsinsupportofthevulnerablechildren.

Someoftheworkstreatsubjectmattersat theheartofMakokoresidents.Oneofthemis Edozie’sUrbanHousing,amixedmediapiecethat isreminiscentoftheconcernaboutthelotofthe displacedpersonsinwaterfrontcommunitiesin Lagos.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

APC: Preparing for Elections Last week posed a major challenge for the ruling All Progressives Congress and it was all about 2019 elections, writes Olawale Olaleye

I

f anyone ever doubted that the intrigues that would eventually determine the fate of the 2019 elections had begun, then, such an individual might have to pause for a few minutes and ponder some of the trends that characterised last week in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).The battle was solely for the soul of the party and stakeholders reckoned the need to start sculpting their chances and future before dawn.

First was the alarm raised by the national leader of the party,Asiwaju BolaTinubu, who was recently handed an assignment to reconcile some aggrieved members of the APC by President Muhammadu Buhari, as the party surges towards the 2019 elections.Tinubu was believed to have been making progress in his efforts as the script about “reconciliation”was said to be his idea in the first place.

Thus, in the last few days, he had met with some of the critical stakeholders in the party, traversing areas considered critical to the future of the party and was seen to be doing well or put more succinctly, making progress.

While it is trite to say that a majority of party members believedTinubu himself is a factor if not the most significant factor in the crisis plaguing the party and had expressed concern that he might not do a good job at the end of the day, some still felt his appointment was timely and opted to give him a benefit of the doubt.

But the fears raised in those cynical quarters were soon given fillip to whenTinubu, days back alleged that his efforts were being sabotaged by the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, raising damning allegations against him in a letter to President Buhari, who appointed him the peace-maker.

Quickly, the chairman too sought audience with Buhari, where he was believed to have made his own case, and later, Oyegun reportedly declared support for theTinubu one-man peace team. But this wasn’t going to tarry for too long before the intrigues started to play out, such that threatened the already sensitive fabric of the party’s architecture.

First, the story was that a certain high-ranking security operative in the presidency had called Oyegun and“ordered” him to go and resign because the president was not comfortable with him anymore.A panicky Oyegun had immediately reached out to some of the drivers of the Buhari 2019 project, who told him to ignore the directive, because it was suspect.

Two theories however emerged from that development.

The first was that it was probably that the said security operative was not up to date about developments and therefore could not establish the current state of affairs between Oyegun and the president and had therefore acted on his old assumptions.

The other leg to it is that since some active actors in the presidency were believed to have their own idea of who should be the national chair of the party, the move was evidently in sync with their old plans to see the back of Oyegun and ensure the crowning of their choice candidate, believed to be a former governor of a South-south state.

Interestingly, that same evening when the security operative allegedly asked Oyegun to tender his resignation, another call was said to have come from same presidency, asking Oyegun to ignore the order because he remained the chairman of the party with a constitutionally tenured reign.

While this lasted, there was said to be another pressure being mounted on Oyegun by some other party members, who were uncomfortable with him and who probably believed

President Buhari with Oyegun during a recent meeting at the villa the alarm raised byTinubu about sabotage and therefore offered to allegedly “pay him off” if he would gladly resign.

This, of course, exacerbated the panic mode in the party and all combined, gave rise to the caucus meeting held last Monday night.

Unfortunately, not much was achieved that night except that the purported resignation card was thrown off the table and the fact that Oyegun presided over that meeting also proved that his position was by no means threatened.Yet, the issue of the tenure was not settled and remained germane, moving forward.

While all the state chairmen of the party had endorsed Oyegun and supported the idea of tenure extension at a separate meeting shortly before the caucus meeting started, another meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party had to be convened the following day, last Tuesday, to look into some of the proposals because it was purely a constitutional matter.

Even then, nearly everyone at the NEC supported the idea of tenure elongation, because of the need to carefully manage the party at this time of the eve of the election year. One problem they all had was the disposition of the president, which was unequivocally averse to undermining internal democracy and wanted that respected. But the president’s political foot-soldiers thought such a stand was not politically productive.

But the argument by some of the party’s strategists was that if the party starts the process of electing new officers from the ward up to national level, the backlash would be too much for the APC to manage and the party would have clearly scored an own goal to a waiting opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)!

Eventually, reason cum strategy prevailed at the NEC and the Oyegun executive of the party secured tenure extension for a year, meaning it would help drive the re-election process of the president, who though has yet to declare his interest in another term. Even if he chooses not to run, the structure would have been secured for whoever he anoints. It is a no-brainer that the journey to 2019 has begun and what happened last week might have further reduced the influence of Tinubu in the current equation and ultimately, his chances in pushing through any agenda as 2019 knocks.

Also,Tinubu’s reconciliation effort might have suffered a huge setback as the endorsement of tenure extension for all levels of party officers may have jeopardised chances of resolving disputes in some chapters through sharing of party slots among factions before congresses are held. Now a blanket tenure extension has been given to executives at all levels. As it is, the 2019 stage is set and what will be witnessed in the days to come will only further illuminate the power play that would ultimately situate the actors and their scripts in the elections.

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

Dapchi: Let the Blame Game Stop

T Ibrahim Gaidam, Yobe State Governor

he recent blame game among some of the concerned authorities over the abduction of some girls at the Government Girl’s Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, again exposes the tragedy of the Nigerian situation, where leadership does not think accepting responsibility is strength and part of its brief.

From the government of the state to the police and even the military, none has been willing to accept responsibility for the identified lapses that made it possible and easy for the abduction of the school girls, four years after the horrifying experience of the Chibok incident in Borno State.

While Yobe State government has put the blame on the military which it said withdrew its men from the town, adevelopment that made it easy for the attack on the school to be carried out, the military

has defended its withdrawal from Dapchi on the premises that there were no intelligence suggesting that the town was under threat and that the withdrawal of its troops was done to reinforce positions in other locations that had come under attack. The military went further to say that at the time of its withdrawal, the town had the presence of the Police, which should have taken charge of security.

The police promptly responded to that in a statement by the state commissioner of police that there was never any time that the military handed over the security of the town to the police nor were they informed of the withdrawal of troops from the town.

While the blame game raged last week, there was no information on the location or fate of the abducted girls. It is therefore important that authorities must desist from this blame game and go all out to rescue the Dapchi girls.

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BRIEFINGNOTES Before Senate and Executive Collide Again A recent order from the Ministry of Justice directing the presidential nominee for the post of Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, to resume without confirmation may yet set the Executive and the Senate on another collision course, writes Damilola Oyedele

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t the beginning of the week, news broke that President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominee as head of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Tony Ojukwu, had resumed without the statutory confirmation by the Senate.

According to the exclusive report

by THISDAY, he had been instructed to assume office in acting capacity, by the Attorney General of the Federation, pending his confirmation, the same way the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has been in acting capacity for nearly three years without Senate confirmation.

On February 13, 2018, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General of the Federation caused a letter to be delivered to Mrs. Otti Ovravah, who was until then, the acting ES of the commission, to hand over to Ojukwu.

The letter, titled: Approval to Resume Duty as acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC’ was written by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, dated February 8, 2018 with reference number SGF/PS/ NHRC/180/T. Addressed to Ovravah, it read in part: “Kindly refer to the subject matter captioned above. As you are aware in December 2017, President Buhari nominated Mr. Anthony Okechukwu Ojukwu as the substantive Executive Secretary to the commission pending confirmation by the Senate.

“While thanking you for holding forth in the commission till now, I am directed to inform you of approval to hand over the administration of the commission to the nominee of the president since he is a serving director in the commission. This is pending his confirmation by the Senate and full reconstitution of the governing council.

The directive is with effect from the date of this letter.

“Please accept the assurances of the best wishes and consideration of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”

A Contravention of the NHRC Rules

Prior to that, it was gathered that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami allegedly prevented the acting ES, Ovravah from speaking on behalf of the commission at a meeting with United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, on January 11 at the ministry. Instead, he had asked Ojukwu to speak for the commission, when he was neither the acting ES nor the substantive ES. Malami’s action contravenes Section 8 of the NHRC Act 2010, which requires the Senate to confirm Ojukwu’s appointment. “There shall be for the commission an Executive Secretary, who shall be ‘a legal practitioner with not less than 20 years post qualification experience and requisite experience in human right issues; a person of proven integrity and be the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the commission; appointed by the president subject to confirmation by the Senate.”

Indeed President Buhari’s letter to the Senate seeking confirmation for the nominee cited this particular provision.

The letter partly read: “In accordance with provisions of Section 8 of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2010, I have the pleasure to present Mr. Anthony Okechuwku Ojukwu for confirmation as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission by the Senate.”

Understanding the Senate Embargo

Ojukwu, like many other nominees, is one of those whose confirmation process at the Senate has been stalled by the ongoing impasse between the Executive and the Senate, over the unresolved issue of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Magu.

Magu’s nomination was rejected twice by the Senate on the basis of two different reports by the Department of State Services (DSS), which indicted. Despite his rejection, Magu remained in office, a development, which has remained the source of the tension between the Senate and the Executive arm of government.

Thereafter, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made a pronouncement at a public forum, saying the Executive did not require the confirmation of the Senate for the appointment of Chairman of the EFCC. He explained that the request should not have been transmitted in the first instance.

Osinbajo hinged his argument on the premise that the EFCC is not one of those specifically listed in Section 154 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

Despite the position of Osinbajo, the Executive has however continued to send nominations to the Senate, for several positions not specifically listed in the constitution.

The Senate on several occasions, has therefore maintained

that it would not nominees, until its of nominees to the established by not listed in the amended, is clariThe NHRC is not listed in the to the Central Bank, Committee, the Code of Conduct Corrupt Practices Lottery Regulatory others.

take any action on such power of confirmation boards of commissions enabling laws but 1999 Constitution as fied. one of the agencies constitution, in addition the Monetary Policy Pension Commission, Bureau, Independent Commission, National Commission and some

A Judicial

Intervention

But this disagreement was assumed to have been resolved when over a month ago, a Federal High Court, which sat in Abuja, the nation’s capital affirmed the powers of the senate for confirmation. Using the EFCC chair as case study, the court had ruled that the upper chamber of the National Assembly had the powers to confirm or reject Magu’s appointment.

The suit, with number FHC/ABJ/ CS/59/2017, was filed by a lawyer, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Thus, Justice John Tsoho of the FHC, on January 15, 2018 ruled on the issues raised by the plaintiff before striking out the suit.

Tsoho said, “The plaintiff raised two issues in the written address for determination, to wit: Whether or not the 1st defendant (Saraki) can reject a valid statutory appointment made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Office (of the Chairman) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in accordance with the provisions of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and whether or not the 1st defendant is bound by the provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004, with respect to the confirmation of any appointment made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the office of the Chairman of the EFCC. “Issue one borders on the power of the Senate in respect of statutory appointment under the EFCC Act referred to it by the President.

The relevant provision relating to appointment of the Chairman of the EFCC is Section 2 (1) and (3) of the EFCC Abubakar Malami...when he appeared before the Senate for screening (Establishment) Act, 2004. consider his actions sheer interference in their constitu“Section 2 (3) provides as follows: The chairman and members of the commission other than ex-officio members tional duties. He has also been fingered in the controversial reinstatement of fugitive ex-Chairman of the Pension shall be appointed by the President and the appointment Reforms Task Force Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina. shall be subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

These are just a few examples of Malami’s actions that “Firstly, the use of the word ‘shall’ in legislation usually seem to draw criticisms to the Buhari led government and denotes mandatoriness. Therefore, while the plaintiff recognises the use of the word ‘shall’ as conferring manda- have not in any way helped to improve the relationship with the Senate. tory and unqualified powers on the President to appoint the Chairman of the EFCC, sight must not be lost that the same word is used in respect of confirmation by the Senate The Senate Remains Adamant The Senate, Wednesday, cautioned the nominees not to of such appointment. Therefore interpretation of the word ‘shall’ should logically have the same effect regarding both resume without confirmation. Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi APC) raised the matter before the lawmakers, describing situations. the action of Malami as an affront to the Senate.

“More importantly, the expression ‘subject to’ used “There have been rumours going round in the last in Section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act is very instructive. The two weeks that the Attorney General of the Federation expression ‘subject to’ has been interpreted to mean liable, has affronted and confronted the powers of the Senate of subordinate, subservient, or inferior to; governed or affected by; provide that or provided; answerable for. It has the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was doing my private investigation on this matter and found out that it is true. been categorically stated that the phrase ‘subject to’ introMy position was further reinforced by the publication of duces a condition, a restriction, a limitation, a proviso.”

THISDAY newspaper of the 27th of February 2018,” Melaye said.

Malami’s Controversial Disposition “If the Attorney General of the Federation, who is Past Interventions by the justice minister on some issues between the executive and the legislature had caused supposed to be the custodian of our laws and the chief law enforcer, will flagrantly ask an individual, who has been more friction than soothe tensions. nominated by Mr. President, but has not been confirmed In March 2016, at the height of the crises between the by the Senate, to go and resume and the person has since Kogi State government and its House of Assembly, the resumed and started working, then we are not practising House of Representatives, citing, Section 11(4) of the 1999 democracy; then we have no regard for the constitution Constitution had directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to seal the premises of the state assembly. But Malami and the rule of law,” Melaye added.

Presiding, Senate President Bukola Saraki reiterated had written a counter letter to the IGP, instructing him to that the nominees must not resume, until they are conunseal the premises. firmed by the Senate. “I thought this matter had been laid In another face-off between the Senate and Customs to rest, because we were very clear on this issue, that once Boss, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), Malami had written the nominees have not been confirmed, they cannot go ahead Senate, asking the lawmakers to ‘stay action’ as the matter and resume,” he said. was in court. His action had offended the lawmakers who

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Dapchi, in the aftermath of the abduction

When the Ghost of Chibok Visited Dapchi The nation is still in shock, that four years after the embarrassing abduction of about 275 school girls in Chibok, Borno State, another abduction by the deadly Boko Haram sect in Dapchi, Yobe State happened.

Michael Olugbode reports

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ate was April 14, 2014. Preparation for the 2015 elections was in top gear. Many were at the time displeased with the President Goodluck Jonathan administration but quite a good number had not really decided what they could make up of the government. Alas, a group of insurgents suddenly showed up somewhere called Chibok in the Northeast state of Borno and abducted about 274 young school girls, who were sitting for their exams.

Unfortunately, for days, the government failed to believe that such incident occurred and before the reality of the truth dawned on the administration, Jonathan was on his way out of Aso Rock, the seat of power. The kidnap became a major campaign tool and the then opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), made a huge capital of it. Although some of the girls were rescued by the Buhari administration, many others are still stuck with their abductors.

Today, the same thing might be playing out again, this time in Yobe State. The insurgents struck again and attacked Dapchi, a town in Yobe State. So comfortable were they in their devilish assignment that they merely employed the same old trick of sending a group of armed bandits, clad in military camouflage and with several trucks. By the time they were done, 110 schoolgirls had been abducted and taken to a location yet-to-be identified.

What this presupposes is that the Boko Haram sect even though degraded, still have capacity to strike at the own chosen time and target. It is for such a reason that the latest abduction of the schoolgirls in Dapchi would go down as one of the unfortunate incidents to be recorded under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

A Show of Anger Quite expectedly, the visit of the Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, to Dapchi drew the ire of some irate residents of the town who pelted his convoy with stones. The irate crowd showed their disgust for the governor because of the initial wrong information the state government provided that many of the abducted girls had been rescued and were in the custody of the military.

His security attaché had to shoot canisters of tear gas to disperse the angry crowd who in their anger, vandalised and destroyed seven of the cars in the governor’s convoy.

A reporter in the convoy of the governor, who spoke anonymously to THISDAY, said one of the cameramen, who sat next to him, was severely injured in the attack.

“We all had to duck, and we were in fear as they continued to throw stones at us to protest the lie told about the rescue of the schoolgirls. The angry residents were ready to withstand the teargas of the governor’s security as they, in spite of everything, vandalised seven vehicles in our convoy,” he said.

Some of the residents were said to have come to meet the governor to present to them the girls he claimed were rescued.

They could not hide their annoyance when the governor gave another story that the girls had not been rescued. This was

believed to have triggered their anger and the reaction that followed.

Not surprisingly, some of the parents of the missing schoolgirls, had immediately asked government to stop playing games and tell the whole world that the school girls were abducted by Boko Haram. The parents, who came out with a list of 105 students, who were still missing, said they were still expecting the list to rise as some parents might not have come forward to register their missing wards. This, perhaps, forced government to quickly come up with a more detailedlist of 110 missing girls.

How the Attack was Carried out The parents, who immediately organised themselves into a forum and appointed a leader, Mallam Bashir Manzo, said the insurgents were at the school dressed in military uniform and deceived the girls that they were leading them to safety after another set of insurgents shot sporadically at another direction.

The girls’ parents said it was clear from the attitude of the invaders that their mission was solely to abduct the students.

Manzo said: “The insurgents came into the town with a plan to abduct the girls. They did not know the exact location of the school, so, they abducted some boys in town to take them there.

The boys mistakenly took them to the Central Primary School, and when they found out that it was the wrong place, they were angry and threatened to kill the boys. They subsequently abducted some other boys, who took them to the school.

“When they got to the staff quarters’ gate as they could not locate the girls, they started shooting and since the girls were alerted in their hostels, some scaled the fence and some others tried escaping through the main gate and they saw some men in khaki, who they mistook for soldiers. They invited the girls into their parked vehicles and took off in the name of rescuing them from Boko Haram.

“We have compiled the list of the girls still missing, the number is 105, and we have formed ourselves into a forum and in the list of the names collected are the girls’ names, their parents’ names and the phone numbers of the parents. We would want those parents that have not yet seen their children to come and register on the list.”

Military Absolves Itself In a response to inquiries by THISDAY after the incident, Deputy Director, Army’s Public Relations in charge of counterinsurgency Operation on the North East (Operation Lafiya Dole), Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the Operation Lafiya Dole troops had a mandate to carry out counter terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in north eastern Nigeria and as such, was deployed following the development.

“The security architecture is fundamentally fluid, considering the asymmetrical nature of the adversary, hence, as troops clear Boko Haram insurgents from a locality or community, the expectation is that operatives in other sister security agencies would take charge of the security in such cleared areas, while the troops move ahead to continue their counter-insurgency operations.

“Given the vastness of these areas, you have mentioned, troops cannot be deployed on every inch of the geographical space to hold the ground in cleared locations. Troops must be relieved of this burden by other security agencies while they continue to conduct kinetic operations against the insurgents in the hinterlands. The troops, however, carry out patrols and ambushes; maintain blocking positions and checkpoints to deny the insurgents freedom of action.

“Specific measures for the protection of schools in areas that have been cleared by troops rest on the sister security agencies.

Definitely schools won’t be in session in a location that has not been cleared. The Dapchi incident is an unfortunate one, because the information received was that the principal of the school had dispersed the students on hearing sporadic shooting before the insurgents arrived the school premises.

“Many of the students, some of whom are indigenous, had scurried to safety in different directions. So far no destruction of property or killing has been reported, but there were cases of looting of food and provisions. Our troops have moved into the community and are on the trail of the insurgents,” he explained.

The Blame Game Governor Geidam set this in motion when he blamed the attack on the fact that the military relocated from the town.

His claim was promptly responded to by the military which maintained that the relocation of troops from Dapchi was due to other pressing demands in other locations where its troops had come under attack. It further claimed that at the time of the relocation of the troops, there was presence of police in the town which were expected to have taken charge of places cleared and secured by the military. The police in their reaction disputed the claim of the military by insisting that there was never a time when the military informed them that its troops were relocating nor were they handed over the security of the town.

The Search Continues Within a week, two federal government delegations visited the state on fact-finding missions and to convey the president’s assurance that everything would be done to get the missing girls. A 12-man probe panel was also set-up to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the girls. The panel has until March 15 to submit its report. Military assets were also said to have been deployed to the area for the search of the missing girls while service chiefs were also said to have relocated to the state for proper coordination of the search with the theater commander.

While the search for the missing girls continues, question are however being asked about some of the glaring lapses before and after the incident. With the Chibok experience, why would a girls-only school, or any school in the theater of war, be without security cover? Why did it take long for the government to admit that the Dapchi school girls were abducted?

Why was there no efforts to rescue the girls within the first few hours of the incident? What was responsible for the wrong information that the girls had been rescued?

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‘Buhari’s Pro-poor Policies will Deliver 2019’ Mr. Kingsley Fanwo is the Director General of Media and Publicity to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. In this interview with Yekini Jimoh, he spoke on some of the issues currently affecting the state and the nation at large. Excerpts:

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will amount to taking the people for granted. The memories of their shenanigans are still fresh in the minds of Kogites. All they remember about the party is the lack of direction with which they ruled the state and the billions they stole from the coffers of the state.

Those billions would have saved us from the mess we met on ground here. They were in government in the era of boom but they equally stole with a boom. That was why they were rejected.

Governor Yahaya Bello has turned Kogi to 95% APC. The good work will manifest during the 2019 general election.

ow will you described the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello as he celebrates two years in office?

The administration has done very well in stabilising the sinking ship that Kogi was at the time he took over as governor. Today, the administration has ensured the completion and restructuring of the shoddy Confluence Mega Terminal at Felele. We have also launched the Kogi State Geographic Information System, which has redefined our land administration in the state. Within two years, we have made Lokoja cleaner and more beautiful with Street lights, better roads across the town. Also, our revenue generation has improved geometrically as we constructed the best Revenue House in the country as well as equip it with state-of-the-art facilities. The administration is currently constructing Model Primary Schools in each of the 239 Villages across the state. Road constructions are ongoing across the state with many near completion.

We have been able to reposition the Civil Service through a successful staff verification exercise and digitalization. Our agricultural policies have heralded the state as the leading food producer in the country and infrastructure has been improved in our tertiary institutions. The Honourable Minister for Health was excited at what he saw on ground in Kogi State. He was dumbfounded by the scale of healthcare development here. Water provision has been a huge success story of the present administration. By and large, we have surpassed our expectations and the governor is always pushing for more.

Talk about the issue between the governor and Senator Melaye, is reconciliation feasible?

We must first establish if there is a disagreement between them before we can be talking of reconciliation. The governor has concentrated on his job. Conflict stoking is not one of his jobs. Two, the governor is the leader of the state and the party in the state. Senator Dino Melaye is representing a senatorial district. While the Governor does his job in Lokoja, Melaye does his in Abuja. So, there is no basis for disagreement between the two. It takes two or more people to fight. The governor is not prepared for such.

Fanwo-Kingsley

There is this opinion that the governor has not done much in the area of road construction and infrastructure development.

But this clearly negates your position. Can you reconcile it?

He has done a lot to improve infrastructure in the state. This administration is just 24 months old. We have completed some road projects, especially within the Lokoja metropolis but other major ones will take longer durations to complete. We were also hit with financial bleakness like other states. But we are doing our best to deliver on our mandate.

Don’t you think the coming of herdsmen to Kogi State will not create communal clashes?

Herdsmen are not just coming; they have always been a part of us.

I can’t forget how a Fulani man rescued my dad from death on his way from the farm. He collapsed and was rescued and brought home before we took him to the hospital for a major operation. Fulanis are not evil. Every society has criminals, who should be dealt with because criminals have no place in Kogi State. But the world has become a global village. Our people also live in Fulani regions.

We must tolerate one another in a united Nigeria. So, I don’t believe that the presence of the Fulanis among us will cause any problem. The whole issue was politicized. The enemies of the nation are twisting the narrative to create tension in the nation.

Today many civil servants in the state are yet to be paid, what is the administration doing to solve the problem?

Wages and salaries have continued to be one of the issues this administration is committed to laying to rest. I won’t deny the fact that there could be a few omissions, but we have significantly dealt with it. Civil servants were very happy because government cleared the arrears of those owed salaries in December. For those omitted from the payrolls erroneously, efforts are on to address it so that we can go into February 2018 confident that all issues relating to salaries have been properly and holistically addressed.

Do you see PDP wining election in Kogi again?

PDP has no chance of coming back to the Lugard House. That

People alleged that the governor is not in charge and that the chief of staff, Chief Edward Onoja is in charge. Is there any element of truth in this?

People who say that do not understand the workings of government. One thing is clear – the governor has confidence in the people he has brought to serve with him. I advise him on Media issues. Does it mean I am in charge too? The Governor takes final decisions. He is the chief executive of the state. The Chief of Staff is a passionate, brilliant and astute young man. One thing in this governor is that he knows how to optimise people’s competence. The Governor is fully in charge.

What your opinion about former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari?

President Olusegun Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion. There is a sure way of answering a statesman like him. President Buhari will surely win a second term. He has won the battle against terrorism. He has made corruption non-lucrative in the country and he is overseeing the recovery of our economy from the era of locusts. Very soon, Obasanjo will sing a new tune.

Do you see the president winning the election again?

The president is an institution in Nigeria. He is loved by the poor for his modesty and fight against corruption. His pro-poor policies will deliver 2019 to him.

‘Amaechi Exaggerated the Insecurity in Rivers’ Hon. Vincent Nemieboka is the Rivers State Liaison Officer in Abuja. In this interview with Damilola Oyedele, he spoke on the curious decision of Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to grant amnesty to some wanted criminals in Rivers. Excerpts:

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few days ago, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha declared amnesty for some suspected criminals, who have been declared wanted by security agents in Rivers State. How would you describe this gesture?

It does not make sense. It is crazy. Omoku in Ogba Egbema Adoni Local Government in Rivers State has been the epicenter of cultism in the state, with lots of reports of killings in the last one year. The killings got to a climax with the cold blooded murder of 23 persons on New Year’s Day as they were returning from church. The Rivers State Government, in response and in conjunction with the security agents, declared the mastermind wanted and eventually, the security agents killed him: (Don Wanny) and also his younger brother, who was his second in command.

The security agents declared 32 persons wanted and to encourage people to provide information that would assist the arrest of these criminals, Rivers State Government placed a N20 million bounty on each of them. That is N640 million, which the state government was willing to part with, so that the people of Omoku and the entire state would enjoy peace and security.

Now, for Rochas or the government of Imo State to turn around to grant the same people amnesty is simply outrageous. First, the crime for which he is granting them amnesty was committed in Rivers State. Not in Imo State. Second, they were not declared wanted by the Imo State Government, so on what basis is the Government of Imo State granting them amnesty?

So if Rochas is granting them amnesty and security agents in Imo State are supervising this amnesty programme, it becomes curious how the same organisations in one state can declare persons wanted, and the same organisations in another state, will supervise the granting of amnesty for crimes committed in another state.

The answer is simple: it should be recalled that Governor Wike had raised the alarm that the APC federal government was arrang-

What if the gang has been terrorising Imo State?

That I do not know but in the course of accepting the amnesty, these cultists clearly said they were Don Wanny’s boys. It means they are the same people whom Rivers State Government placed a bounty on. These are people, who are known to be residing and terrorising people in Rivers tate. So how come Rochas Okorocha is granting them amnesty in Imo State. Worse still, the Governor of Imo State didn’t even have the courtesy of showing empathy to Rivers people for their loss on the 1st of January, 2018.

But what are the implications of the gesture from Imo on the state?

It would create unnecessary tension between the two states, between people that have enjoyed good neighbourliness. The two states share common boundaries and some of the people of both states share common heritage. For instance, there are Egbema people in Rivers State and in Imo State. There has been no tension in the relationship between these states. But what Rochas Okorocha is doing will precipitate tension at the highest level of governance of the two States. Today, the Governor of Rivers State is clearly disagreeing with the actions of Governor Rochas, because of the grave security implications on the state.

Nemieboka ing to grant amnesty to these criminals to undermine the security of lives and properties in Rivers State. Is this amnesty granted by Imo State Governor not a confirmation of the fears of the Rivers State Governor?

What could be the motive of the federal government in simply granting amnesty to suspected criminals, as you claimed the governor said?

Over the years, Governor Wike has been informing Nigerians about the desire of some unscrupulous people to instigate the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. Governor Wike has also said several efforts had been made to instigate insecurity in Rivers State. The Imo State Governor is obviously doing this in collaboration with the federal government to pursue a partisan agenda in Rivers State.

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Nwaoboshi: NDDC Now Better Positioned In a chat in Asaba, Delta State, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North, spoke to Omon-Julius Onabu on sundry national issues. Excerpts:

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any believe you amply demonstrated your concern for the Niger Delta region by initiating the NDDC Amendment Bill. What actually prompted you to initiate the bill?

You may recall, the Niger Delta Development Bill was promulgated in 2000 and it was one of the first bills that the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, refused to assent to and the National Assembly had to override him; and, it became an Act of the National Assembly and, therefore, it became a law.

When I became the Chairman of the Niger Delta Affairs in the Senate, I went through the bill. First, there was the problem of NDDC being under-funded and there was no sufficient fund to run it. The federal government owes NDDC almost N1trn as I speak with you.

NDDC runs a deficit, in terms of their exposures, of over N1.2 trillion.

That is their debt profile and the federal government is not paying, (though) they are supposed to pay over a period of some years.

When you go through the law, you will see that they were supposed to pay 50 per cent of the Ecological Fund due to memberstates. That is, 50 per cent of that Ecological Fund that is due to member-states is supposed to be paid to the NDDC but as I speak with you now, not one kobo has been paid from the Ecological Fund to the NDDC. Another source of revenue is from the oil and gas processing companies. Now, if you go to the oil companies, the law says that they should pay three per cent of their total annual budgets to NDDC. When I came in and we looked at this problem of under-funding, (we found out that) they were not able to meet their obligations.

We now asked ourselves, if the NDDC was going to get 50 per cent of the Ecological Fund, which is due states in its mandate area, get three per cent of the total annual budget of the oil and gas processing companies and also the federal government is to pay a particular percentage to them, then there is no reason why it should be under-funded. So, the question was what is really happening?

Why is it that they are not being paid and why all these problems?

So, we said let us find out why all these are happening. It was in the process that we found out that no oil company gives NDDC their actual budget and so the three per cent was just whatever the oil companies decide to give to the NDDC. In fact, some of them were even arguing that it is three per cent of the real budget, not even three per cent in terms of their annual budget, that is, what they spend.

That is not the ideal thing.

When we looked at all these, we said let us do a public hearing to find out truly why the NDDC is in this debt problem. We went further to discover that the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or even the other gas companies, none of them had paid one kobo for the past 17 years and we asked why, after all, the law is clear. In the process, we discovered that LNG said that they went to court with NDDC and the late Justice Nwodo of the Federal High Court gave judgment in their favour (of LNG). They also went to the Court of Appeal and then they proceeded to the Supreme Court.

Due to the fault of the legal team, they didn’t meet up the period to file their documents and the Supreme Court struck out the appeal on technical grounds, meaning, in effect, that the NDDC lost. So, when we invited the LNG, they just came with the Supreme Court judgment and said ‘we have a judgment at the Federal High Court, we have a judgment at the Court of Appeal and since we have all these judgments in our favour, we are not going to pay’. As a lawyer, I asked for a copy of the judgments, I went through the full judgments and I said ‘Okay, we have a way out of it.’

In fact, my brothers in the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, started the process of amending the LNG Act and, in the process, the LNG started going round the whole country, using all their connections and all of them were putting pressure. They went everywhere, to the then Acting President, Yemi Osibanjo, from there to went elsewhere, (and even) foreign countries got involved, almost everybody got involved and they were now putting pressure on the National Assembly as if they (National Assembly) was just out to spoil the source of revenue for Nigeria. But the House of Representatives went ahead to amend the LNG Act, removed their waivers and some of the incentives given to them.

But I felt that was a very long journey and it was going to attract many issues and I said ‘let us just amend that particular section.’

Having looked at the judgments of the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court, I knew where the problem was and said what we want is to amend this section and, in the process, that was how we decided to bring more revenue for the NDDC. That’s it.

When did the journey to amend the Act actually begin?

In fact, there are two amendments to the NDDC Act that has been passed by the Senate. One is more comprehensive. In that one for example, if you look at the representation in the Niger Delta Development Commission, it says one member from the oil-producing areas of the state. That has caused a lot of problems as to how you define an oil- producing area.

Do you define it vis-à-vis the local government area or do you define it vis-à-vis the senatorial district, or vis-à-vis the state? It is an issue and so, many problems came up when we were going to clear some nominees of the President and people said we should use states, some said we should use senatorial districts and some others said it should be local government areas.

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi N4billion contract fraud But I and most of my colleagues said that it should be local government area that produces the oil and that’s how we disqualified the people from Abia, the Ondo nominee and of course that of Imo withdrew. Therefore, to remove that ambiguity in the law, we had to go through the amendment and many other sections we needed to amend. But this issue of revenue became very important, because you cannot set up a commission like that and they are always crying for funds.

The journey started when we discovered all these flaws. We said let’s deal with these issues. So, we started from the beginning, when we discovered these flaws but to deal with this particular section, we started sometime about one year ago. We had to even invite the gas companies, held series of meetings with them and they made their own case and eventually, we held series of meetings with their boards. We even invited their whole board, they met with us; we met with the leaders, they also met with the Senate President and all of them and we continued talking. You can see that when we brought in the Bill to the Senate for second reading, no single person opposed it and when it went to the House of Representatives, it was not opposed by anybody and the President, within a period of two or three weeks, signed it into law.

What, in your view, are the long and short term effects of this particular Act that has been amended in terms of the development of the Niger Delta area?

It’s going to give them more revenue and let me say that I must thank the President because the Act was signed on the last working day of the year and it means that the Act took effect from last year, 2017. The moment it was assented to it became a law. So, the LNG has to pay for 2017; they just have to pay.

In the process of negotiation with the oil companies when the bill came, the gas companies also became interested and they saw that there was no way that they would not be asked to pay something.

They threatened that they were going to go to court and we said ‘okay, you can go to court.’ But we now had to discuss with them on the issue of feed gas. When you look at the bill, you see feed gas.

‘Minus the cost of feed gas’ that was a compromise we struck with the gas companies. Let me explain what they mean when they are talking about and when they say ‘after deducting the feed gas’.

One of the things they were canvassing for is to avoid what they see as double taxation. Shell, for example, is a major shareholder of LNG. Now, Shell is saying that ‘if am paying three per cent of my annual budget to NDDC and you are also asking me to pay three per cent from the gas I produce – because it’s from that budget I produce all these things – when I have given you three per cent of my annual budget, that would be unfair’. To Shell that would be double taxation.

Then, all the other shareholders in the LNG, who are major oil companies, said they would not accept it (double taxation). Essentially, they said if you are going to ask us to pay three per cent after we have paid another three per cent of our annual budget as oil

processing companies; if after that you ask us to pay three per cent for gas processing, it will be double taxation and, if you are going to do that, we will go to court.

Eventually, we said let that area of processing be removed, which is called the feed gas, but after that they should pay the rest. The feed gas is about 40 per cent and then the other is 60 per cent. When we looked at it, we said we will remove the feed gas for them, but, at least, they should pay something after 17 years. That is the reason.

Talking about the law, the issue of implementation needs no overemphasis. What have you done at the National Assembly, in terms of oversight responsibility, to ensure compliance?

They will (pay). First of all, we cannot oversight them yet because the law has just gone into effect. The NDDC has to put in the necessary machinery to get their money. If for any reason, NDDC reports or we find out during any of our oversight visits or calls that the gas processing companies fail to pay, the other law that is coming and, which of course, has been passed by the Senate and which was also sponsored by me, gives a percentage as fine for non-payment as and when due.

I think there is another comprehensive law, where we are amending all the inadequacies and all the things we found out as the shortcomings in the original bill. It’s about six chapters, six sections we are amending. In that place, we took cognizance of what you are asking about now. If they fail to pay, there is a penalty for that. But I don’t think that LNG will not pay, given the level of negotiations and, of course, they have seen the popular feeling of the people that they must pay.

You have also said the NDDC has an exposure of over N1.2trn. What are you doing as Senate Committee Chairman to help them recover the money and also to probably reach-out to the federal government in terms of the huge debt overhang you talked about?

First we invited the Accountant-General of the Federation, because for example, I have told you that they are not paying the 50 per cent of the Ecological Fund due to member states. We have got the Accountant- General, he has said his own side, we have got the Permanent Secretary in (charge of) the Ecological Fund and we invited the Auditor- General of the Federation. In fact, we have invited almost everybody that is involved but we know that if we calculate that, even at that, we would be able to get something for 17 years.

Apart from that, we have gone to the extent of inviting the Minister of Budget, because they don’t budget. It used to be about N70bn (provision) to the NDDC. They will just sit down and allocate whatever they want to allocate to them (NDDC) outside of the law and even out of that N70bn, they may not even get up to N40, N50 or N60 billion at the end of the year. It’s not only in this government; it has been on. Let me not say it is Buhari’s government alone; it has been on since 2000.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 4, 2018

INTERVIEW/PHOTONEWS

Hamidu: Govt Has Obligation to Places of Worship Reverend Jonah Hamidu is Borno State Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, a major bloc with over 120 churches under the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Hamidu is also the General Overseer of Christ Shepherd House, Maiduguri, a Church he founded after quitting the Nigeria Police Force as a counter- terrorism expert. In this interview with a group of journalists in Maiduguri, the clergyman speaks on how the lingering Boko Haram terror has affected churches in Borno. Michael Olugbode brings excerpts:

R

has been destroyed, their homes have been destroyed and they don’t have anywhere to live and worship, and so, it is good thing that the Governor, Kashim Shettima, is doing as part of government rebuilding processes.

everend, you have been in Borno for quite sometime and seen the carnage, in what ways are churches or the Christian community which you serve being affected?

When the crisis began in 2009, Boko Haram attacks were targeted at Christians, but as time went by, they (insurgents) expanded the attacks generally to both Christians, our Muslim brothers and anybody.

The insurgency has adversely affected the people of Borno State particularly the Christiandom as I said, if we are to go back to the beginning in 2009 and the continued effects. There have been so many houses that were burnt down without compensation. There were shops and private enterprises that have been devastated, so many people have been killed with others rendered homeless, jobless, and many also were forcefully rendered orphans, unaccompanied children and widows. But God is helping us, by His Grace we are now forging ahead.

You said there was no compensation, so what has been the response of the State Government especially to the Christian community which is in minority?

To be specific, from 2009 there has been no compensation to any Christian based on my understanding, but we are most grateful to the present government under the leadership of Governor Kashim Shettima who inherited the crisis from his predecessor in 2011. Let us put politics aside, we have never had any governor in Muslim majority Borno State building burnt churches, until the coming of Governor Shettima. The governor based on my understanding and the realities on ground, has tried in that aspect. May be government is doing its rebuilding process in phases, because as it is, the National Evangelical, the E.Y.N (Church of Brethren), the Catholic churches and the rest of them in Maiduguri metropolis were affected by the crisis in previous years and I have not heard any thing about intervention. However, based on the briefings of the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno Chapter, Bishop Mohammed Naga, which I have been privileged to know, Governor Shettima has approved and released money for the rebuilding of most of the burnt churches in Hawul, Askira-Uba and Chibok Local Government Areas that are predominantly Christian communities. Also, it would interest you to know that when Bishop of Anglican Communion of Nigeria, Maiduguri Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kana Mani (of Blessed Memory), died in February last year as a result of brief illness, Governor Shettima gave the sum of N10 million cash to the bereaved family. He also pledged to give a befitting accommodation to the family in one the estates built by his administration. This is a departure from experiences of Christians under previous administrations. In fact, under previous administra-

Rev. Hamidu tion, some of our pastors were killed by terrorists and nothing was done to appease their families left behind not to talk of those who died naturally like Kana Mani.

Reverend, you seem to commend the Governor over rebuilding of churches but how do you react to the position of some Nigerians who think government should have not be involved in relating to places of worship since religion is a personal issue?

Who told you government is not supposed to be involved in religious matters? Churches and Mosques are public buildings because they are places where citizens who are the public converge.

Church or Mosque is a public building. Moreover, we are talking about rebuilding. These places were destroyed. If government has the resources, it should assist in rebuilding places of worship that were destroyed. It is a right step. Citizens have rights to worship.

Given the crisis, people don’t have the resources as their economy

Apart from rebuilding churches, in what other ways can you score the relationship between the State Government and the Christian community?

Personally, I know that since Governor Shettima came on board in 2011, he has been sponsoring many Christians on annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This gives Christians a sense of belonging the way Muslims are sponsored for Hajj. This sense of fairness enhances coexistence, builds love and inter-faith trust which contributes to peace in any society. This helps because for example Islamic scholars and traditional rulers in my area are very wonderful. We have been living as members of the same family. We are very cordial with them, anything I want to do, I will meet them and inform them, and also, anything the Bulamas (Village Heads) or the Imams want to do, they will come to me and inform me as well. Citizens of different faith will only work together when their leader doesn’t take side against one religion in a manner that shows clear injustice. What I think is most important about Shettima is that is a leader that listens and this is very important to us. Anytime we call on him, he gives us a listening ear on all issues. I am happy to inform you that this governor and his administration has not neglected the Christian community like previous governors did.

Presently, so many people particularly we in the Christendom have been saying that Governor Shettima is the best governor Borno has ever had in terms of relating with Christians. And this is what I can say because, I don’t know other aspect of his personal life, but in relating with Christians, the man is excellent from day one. Let me give you an instance, during former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff led-government, the man did not relate with Christians, and that was why he refused to rebuild or compensate any church that was burnt down in 2006.

He feels Christians don’t have good numbers in elections here in Borno State. But it will interest you to know that Governor Shettima’s body language is more about building peace. He has been very careful as an educated and refined leader. These are what I can say about the governor and his concern about the Christians in the state. This relationship can be sustained if the Christians would also pray for the governor to succeed.

Although his tenure is coming to an end next year, we still have long way to go, because, it is through collective prayers from all and sundry that government can succeed. The governor also has a role to play in sustaining this relationship if he doesn’t fall for any biased influence.

COLOURS OF LIFE

WITH KOKO KALANGO

Day of Love, Day of Ashes

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his year’s Valentine’s Day was unique because it was alsoAsh Wednesday. Someone said the last time this coincidence occurred was 1945.

February the 14th is set aside to celebrate love. It is a period of high expectations and a big deal to many who are in love or would love to be in love. Whether you believe in commemorating St. Valentine’s Day or not, you cannot escape the aura it attracts and the build-up to the day. Love, as a theme, dominates the media, retail outlets, leisure and entertainment agendas, everything. But it is as good a time as ever to ask the million dollar (sorry, 360 million Naira) question “What is love?”

We use the word love rather loosely; we say we love ice cream, we love the WestAfrican coastline, we love jogging, we love Tom, Dick and Harry etc.Ageneral definition of love is ‘a strong feeling of care, liking, pleasure, enjoyment towards a person, an idea, a place or a thing’. Love stirs us to compassionate acts toward others. Love makes us protective over what is important to us like family, friends, and possessions. Love endears a person to another who shares similar tastes, inclination, experiences etc. Love could also result in sexual attraction and may even lead to the altar. But most times our love for one another is conditional.

This kind of love says ‘I love you because you are my blood’. ‘I love you because I enjoy your company’, ‘I love you because you make me happy’ etc. etc. etc.

Sometime in 1986 I got familiar with a book that changed my life. I had always known it existed and read from it every now and then.

But on the 1st of May that year I got to know the Author personally and the book came alive to me. In it I discovered a fascinating definition of love – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy; love is not proud or arrogant, does not behave itself unseemly, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, does not think evil; Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all thing, endures all things…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Tall order? You bet! Impossible? No. The First Corinthians thirteen love goes beyond positive feelings.As a matter of fact it demands we act in a charitable way towards others even when it is difficult to. Love in this form is unconditional and it is oftentimes a struggle. This Valentine’s Day fell onAsh Wednesday, the first day of lent. Could there be more to this than meets the eye?Ash Wednesday marks a 46-days countdown to Easter. For many Christians it is also the beginning of a 40-day fast in preparation for Easter. The 40-day fast is a

practice in the steps of Jesus who fasted 40 days.A time of fasting is normally a time for sober reflection and penitence. It also is a time for mourning as we remember the gruesome death of Jesus on a cross for our redemption. OnAsh Wednesday, Christians symbolically use ashes to draw a cross on their forehead to remind mankind to ‘repent and believe in the gospel’ and to remind us that ‘we are dust and to dust we will return’.

Nigeria is going through a trying period. The events of our day call for putting on of sackcloth and applying ashes. We are at this time a nation in mourning. Innocent citizens are being killed and there seems to be no justice in sight, with the devaluation of the Naira cost of living is becoming unbearable and the hardship is biting. Little wonder suicide, violence and crime is on the increase.

The unity of the country is threatened and the polity is heating up as we approach election season.

As citizens, there are several lines of response we could adopt. Whatever course of action we take to address our present predicament, we must also put on sack cloth, ‘cover’ ourselves in dust and ashes and travail in prayer till the injustice, hardship and despair upon the land is redressed.

14 February 2018 – Valentines Day &Ash Wednesday is a symbolic time to combine love and ashes. The unconditional love described in 1

Corinthians 13 is connotative of love and ashes, it portrays the pleasure and pain of true love. True love is not superficial and wishy- washy, it is tough love.

This love beckons on us to do good to our enemy, it demands that we bear up at all times.Adhering to it will help us pay the prize for real change by humbling ourselves, repenting and praying according to 2 Chronicles 7:14 Again while we are frustrated over our national challenges, we should remember that the nation is made up of people and people make up communities. In addressing national issues we should also address issues at the local, familial and individual level.

An appreciation of this kind of love should see us through tough times whether as individuals or as a nation. It should encourage us to not give up on that stubborn teenager. It should help us manage that rebellious child. This love should strengthen us to work at that estranged partnership. It should give us the resolve to keep that sinking marriage afloat. It should cause us to tolerate that obnoxious subordinate and submit to that tyrant of a boss.

It should make us pray for our leaders and our nation as well.And when it is difficult to love, let us remember theAshes of this Valentine day; a sign of sobriety and empathy. Let us choose to show sacrificial and not the superficial love. True love, after all, is a decision.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž RCH 4, 2018

TRIBUTE

Adeboye at 76: A Life of Holiness, Obedience and Humility Bisi Daniels

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n a rather funny, yet profoundly instructive story, a member of the Governing Council of the Church vowed not to call Pastor Enoch Adeboye on the phone again.

Sometime ago, Pastor David G. Kuo was an RCCG pastor in charge of Kano State from where he called Pastor Adeboye over an issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I greeted him, but he responded with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yes sirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and maintained that in everything he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ha! Not sure he knew the person he was talking to, I reminded him, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sir, emi David lo n soro, sir.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;(Sir, David is the person speaking). â&#x20AC;&#x153;But he responded emphatically â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I know, Sir!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yes sirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aah, who am I for a whole Pastor Adeboye to address that way?

I was worried. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To avoid that I decided I would not call him again.â&#x20AC;?

Under normal circumstances, a boss addressing a subordinate that way is an indication that the latter may be in some kind of trouble or is being humoured. Besides that, even without being a pastor, Kuo knew that Pastor Adeboye, noted for signs, wonders and miracles, was a revered person. That, for Kuo, was a lesson in humility.

Uncommon Humility The uncommon humility of Pastor Adeboye, which transcends the human realm, is one reason some people think he is more of a spiritual being than human.

It perhaps defies human psychology that a man who is so spiritually powerful, so widely revered, and even sought after by presidents of various countries hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been afflicted by the seduction of success - a phenomenon characterized by pride and disrespect for others. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who Pastor Adeboye introduced to the supernatural world, has this to say about his humility in the foreword of a book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stories of Pastor E.A. Adeboyeâ&#x20AC;?, by this writer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The life of Daddy in itself is one big miracle! For a man born to financially-challenged parents in the remote village of Ifewara, Osun State, who had no shoes at 18 years old, who was not a Born Again Christian until the time he was a mathematics teacher at the University of Lagos, becoming the leader of a church with a strong presence in over 192 (now 198) countries, and with over 40,000 parishes in Nigeria alone, is indeed, a miracle worth knowing.

For this same man to remain infectiously humble, in spite of his enormous power, influence and popularity, is also a miracle in itself.â&#x20AC;?

Pastor Adeboye is so humble that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even want to take credit for his humility. He gives it to God who ordered the behavior after the massive success of the first Holy Ghost Congress in Lekki, Lagos in 1998.

He says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Something happened after Lekki 98; one of the biggest programmes that we ever had. The whole of Lagos was paralyzed because of this programme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People walked kilometres to the venue and back. Fortunately, the programme was also transmitted by radio, so that those who couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get there listened to it on radio. It was a fantastic programme! â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the programme, I returned to the Redemption Camp and soon proceeded on a prayer walk to thank God: â&#x20AC;&#x2122;God I bless Your Holy name, what a wonderful thing, etc.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was between 2a.m. and 3a.m. when He spoke. I heard him say clearly, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Son, bend down.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I did that quickly because, you know, I was in the jungle. You never can tell; a witch could have been flying past.

And then He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Draw the figure of a man in the sand.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;I drew the figure of a man: zero for the head, one line for the body and two lines for the leg and so on. You know that kind of drawing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;God said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stand up.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I did, but by then I was afraid because I knew something serious was happening.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wipe out the figure you have drawn with your leg.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I wiped it out.

And He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Son, if you ever forget who your boss is, I will wipe you out and nobody will even remember you came to the world.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was what He told me. So, I smile when I hear people say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very humble man. How can a man be so successful and so humble?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; You think I want to be wiped out?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

The Osinbajo Transformation A law professor, Osinbajo believed only in the demonstration of (physical) evidence, until he lost his passport after a trip to South Africa.

It is an interesting story he narrated during the presentation of a book on Pastor Adeboye his wife, Folu, coordinated 40 authors to write. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day, when Daddy (Pastor Adeboye is popularly called Daddy G.O) was travelling, we went to the Redemption Camp to help him with his luggage and I used the opportunity to tell him about my missing passport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He asked what happened, and I told him. I had searched everywhere, and even gone to the then popular Oluwole market in Lagos to check if it had been taken there for sale. I was told it would cost me N400,000 to get it, but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have N40,000 to give. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Daddy heard my story, he said if we prayed I would get the passport back. I said to myself, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;how does anybody even say that?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I told him, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Well, yes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;He prayed, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;In Jesus name you will find your passport.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;I responded, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Amen,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and promptly forgot about it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, a few days later, under 10 days, the person who stole the passport brought it back. That was a very important lesson in my

Adeboye

life, especially in my walk with God. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daddy was the one who was able to show me that aspect of the supernatural. For me, who believed that evidence is the demonstration of what is seen, God showed me that evidence could be something not seen.â&#x20AC;?

These days, the supernatural aspect of Pastor Adeboyeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life is discussed much more than his physical nature.

Unusual energy Another surprising aspect of Pastor Adeboye is his unusual energy and staying power. He has personally attended and led all major RCCG programmes at the Redemption Camp, which in itself is a testimony of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special favour on Him. In 1981, while he worried about accommodation for his family in Mushin, Lagos, God promised him a city. Today, the Redemption Camp of several residential estates and reliable socio-economic infrastructure is growing into a city. He also attends programmes in many of the 198 countries where the church has branches. He hops from one programme or country to another making people wonder if he ever has time to rest.

At 76, instead of cutting his schedule short to rest, it is getting longer. Last month, the daily prayer session at the Camp for the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50-day fasting season was increased to a week. He also began ministration for the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly thanksgiving service, broadcast live in all branches. It was also the month in which he organized special prayers for the nation at the Camp.

The 50-day fasting of the Church, with his full participation, ended on March 1, but it is only the first part. The second part, of 30 additional days, starts in July.

Asked if he would reduce or stop fasting, which some people observe has become his food, he had replied: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The moment I quit fasting, you can begin to expect my departure because I have resolved never to relax. As far as I am concerned, the day I cease to be relevant, I go.â&#x20AC;?

Even during the birthday week, it was all work. Solemn Assembly, a programme for ministers of God in RCCG to hold frank discussion with him, started on Sunday night and continued from Monday, both morning and evening session, till Wednesday night. On Thursday, there was a Holy Communion Service, followed on Friday by a heavily-attended Holy Ghost Service at the New Arena.

So what happened to the birthday celebration? As usual, it was marked quietly at home, without disrupting the programmes of the church.

Spirituality Last year, a video in which people had lined up to touch a chair, that had been used by Pastor Adeboye, for miracles, went viral, with some people accusing the church of ritual practices.

The reality of the situation which was misunderstood is that the anointing on the Pastor has become so powerful that coming into contact with anything he uses could invoke miracles. There are many cases of barren women who have had their wombs blessed by eating

leftovers of his food, or sitting on a chair he had used.

In one of the testimonies of such miracles, after a church programme in Dublin, an official of the church there took away the chair Pastor Adeboye had used to avoid the usual rush by people to use it.

The testimony: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a rush of women to sit on the chair I had sat on so that they could be pregnant as they had heard in many testimonies. But one man took the chair away. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the women was sad but she quickly remembered that I had used the pulpit. She then rushed to the pulpit and rubbed her stomach on it. That same month she became pregnant. And when she was testifying, she showed three children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two boys and a girl â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as evidence.â&#x20AC;?

God has continued to use Pastor Adeboye to perform several miracles across the world - healing of all manner of diseases, replacement of body organs, breakthroughs, etc. The book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stories of Pastor E.A. Adeboyeâ&#x20AC;? contains many of such miracles.

The anointing on him has become so strong that even oil and handkerchiefs he has blessed have been used to raise the dead.

For a man who is able to communicate regularly with God, Pastor Adeboyeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sermons are usually punctuated with â&#x20AC;?Words of Knowledgeâ&#x20AC;? he shares with the congregation. And everybody goes quiet with anticipation once he gives an alert, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daddy (God) says.....â&#x20AC;?

Some of the prophecies sound unbelievable but the rate of accuracy has not been faulted. In Ibadan, the woman who had feathers growing in her armpit, instead of hair, came out for deliverance and the feathers promptly disappeared.

In Lagos, as in other venues, women who had no wombs or fallopian tubes have been blessed with kids and testified the miracles with their babies. Even prophecies some people find funny are announced once the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Word of Knowledgeâ&#x20AC;? comes. One of such cases was the healing of a woman with burning sensation in her private parts. As usual, when the prophecy alert came the congregation was eager for it, but when he said God has healed a woman with burning sensation in her private part, the Arena went quiet.

Pastor Adeboye noticed that so he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well whether you believe that or not, we will see.â&#x20AC;?

Two services later, an elegant middle-aged lady in a flowing gown, testified from the fearsome altar that the prophecy was meant for her and she had been truly healed. A similar testimony was given by another lady months later.

Church Growth The phenomenal growth of the church is also a reason why Pastor Adeboye is highly respected. It takes the blessing of God for a church that had only 40 parishes to have several thousands of them in Nigeria, with visible presence in 198 countries.

The growth of the church is a prophecy foretold, but it still pleasantly surprises some of the members who have grown with it. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Daniels is a writer and Journalist writes from Lagos.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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PERSPECTIVE

Lagos and the Preservation of Yoruba Language Fola Adeyemi

R

ecently, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, recorded yet another first when he signed seven vital bills into law. Perhaps, the most noticeable of the lots is the Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion of Law which represents a cognizant reflection of the position which Lagos State prides Yoruba language as the cultural vehicle for articulate communication.

With the signing of the bill, the teaching of Yoruba language is now compulsory in both private and public schools in the state. The law also mandates all state-owned tertiary institutions in the state to integrate the use of the language as a course unit into their General Nigeria Studies, GNS. The Yoruba Language Preservation Law has been commended, and rightly so, by various stakeholders across the land, as very vital to the preservation of Yoruba language, especially at a time when the language is almost going into extinction. Yoruba Language, like every other indigenous language across the world, deserves its rightful place and recognition like other foreign languages in our school system.

The new law epitomizes the revival of Yoruba language and I am certain that advocates of the language such as late Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola and Adebayo Faleti would be grinning in their graves, and commending the initiatives of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who has not allowed it to die.

Today, it is evident that Yoruba language is in dire need of revival, and fast too, as scholars of the language is fast diminishing. Unlike what obtained in time past, hardly do we now have students taking up Yoruba as a course in our universities.

The importance of language in any society cannot be overemphasized.

Language serves as a strong means of communication in every society and as a vehicle of reaching every strata of the community, either at the grass-root or elitist. Therefore, the recent signing of the Yoruba preservation law by Governor Ambode signifies a signpost to the relevance of mother tongue in every society, regardless of adoption of foreign languages as bilingual, multilingual or lingua-franca.

Besides its arts and culture dimension, the new law will further help in achieving the dream of integrating the south-west as currently being spearheaded by Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN. It could, thus, be affirmed that Governor Ambode is a passionate promoter of Yoruba cultural values and interests.

Ambode It will be recalled that it was under his leadership that Lagos became a member of Oodua Investments, one of the most enduring legacies bequeathed by the late sage and first Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to serve as economic hub for the Yoruba race.

It, however, needs to be stressed that the law is part of the Ambode administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holistic plan to promote arts, culture and tourism in the state.

The administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for the promotion of art and culture has earned Governor Ambode respect and honour among various arts, culture, and entertainment and tourism stakeholders in the country.

Hence, from all perspectives, the Ambode administration is evidently not just paying lip service to the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition. It is actually working hard through several policies, programmes and activities to ensure that the Yoruba culture and tradition is not in any way endangered.

For instance, in the past three years, the State has displayed unlimited pride as the sociocultural hub of sub-Saharan Africa with a five day show laced with the One Lagos Fiesta (OLF), a colorful multi-cultural expressions across the five divisions of the State.

Similarly, the state government has continued to maintain all existing heritage and historical monuments in the state. Some of such monuments include the Tinubu Square Fountain, Statue of King Ado (the First Crown King of

Lagos), statue of Prince Olofin Atekoye, Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ami statue, Ojuloge statue among others.

Any society that disregards its language will in no time become extinct. Today, China has become a force to be reckoned with in the world. The instructive thing about the growth of China is that as it grows across all sectors, its language, culture and tradition equally develop even beyond its borders.

As Mandarin (Chinese Language) receives wide acceptance, many have various reasons to learn it, especially considering its benefits as one the most essential foreign languages at the moment.

Gradually, Mandarin is becoming one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most spoken languages.

In addition to the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China and Taiwan, Mandarin is also spoken in places such as Chinese communities of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, Philippines etc. As at today, China is the second largest economy in the world and one of largest trading partners of the United States, the nation thrives without allowing its indigenous language to play a second fiddle.

Perhaps, the most important aspect of promoting the Yoruba language, or any language for that matter, is that it serves as a catalyst for the promotion of the culture, custom and tradition that the language embodies.

This implies that whenever a language is preserved, the culture, custom and tradition that the language represents would equally be enhanced.

Therefore, as the younger ones are being taught the language, they will also be exposed to the diverse culture and tradition that the language epitomizes and this goes a long way in preserving societal moral values. Today, it is regrettable to note that in many Yoruba homes, the means of communication with our children is English Language. Many parents even rebuke their children for speaking in Yoruba. The collapse in moral values as we presently experience in our society, without doubt could partly be a fallout of the adoption of foreign language and culture.

Where are the Tales/Stories by moonlight, as been taught by our great grand fathers and mothers? Where are the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aalo Apamo and Apagbeâ&#x20AC;?, nobody remembers them any longer, we are all busy chasing monies around the cities. Any nation that forgets its culture and tradition will surely regret it, and this explains why the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode should be commended for this bold initiative.

To further complement this bold initiative, the State Government in the 2018 State Calendar of Tourism events, will be coming up with a few cultural events that will demonstrate the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seriousness towards promoting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the State and the Yoruba Nation in general.

Without doubt, this bold initiative of Governor Ambode further demonstrates his belief and resolve to lead the crusade towards reviving the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dyingâ&#x20AC;? Yoruba Language.

To complement the new law and governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total plan for cultural resurgence, parents need to go back to the tradition of storytelling to teach morals and cultural values; they need to begin to speak YorĂšbĂĄ language to their children at home and encourage the children to do the same, thereby enhancing their knowledge and confidence in the language.

The younger ones must be brought up to take pride in their language, culture and tradition.

Our people should desist from seeing foreign languages as superior to indigenous ones.

Living in a contemporary world where the rate of cultural influence and adaptation has become quite astonishing, diverse languages have found their ways into several parts of the world.

According to Dr Oladele Orimoogunje, an Associate Professor of African Studies at UNILAG, Yoruba language is spoken in places as far as Cuba where it is called Lucumi derived from the word Olukumi (meaning my confidant, intimate friend or associate).

In Brazil, Yoruba Language is called Nago which originated from the word Anago in Republic of Benin. In Trinidad and Tobago, Yoruba is a spoken language and it is known as Aku which is adapted from Yoruba predominant salutation words such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;E kaaro o; E kaa san o; E kaa ale o and Aku odun o etc.

It is, thus, ironic that same language with such modest global appeal is grossly being undermined by its indigenous speakers.

As Governor Ambode succinctly put it in an address he gave during the presentation of the Museum of possibilities, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our country is blessed with a very rich culture and heritage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the foundation on which all our social institutions and interactions are built.

Unfortunately, we have neglected our culture and traditions to our own detriment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our youth today do not have a strong appreciation of our history and how we got to where we are. Every society must cherish its historical antecedents because they serve as source of inspiration for succeeding generations to discover, appreciate and take pride in their identity. It has become very imperative that we take a step back and revisit our history. It has become important that we renew efforts to preserve and protect our historyâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Adeyemi is Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture

How DNA Milestone Can Change Nigeria Adewale Adeoye

A

s a little boy, investigating a complex situation was my hobby. My contact with James Hadley Chase fueled my passion and made me his addict. I remember a maverick character, Poke Tokolo, in one of Chaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epic novels. He was notorious for surgical crimes that shook his community. The way the detectives in that book diligently carried out their inquiry marveled. On a practical note, coming to Lagos for the first time from my remote village, one incidence shattered my psychology. It was in 1981. I lived with an uncle onAdetayo Osho Street,Akoka. One late evening, I heard a chorus from men and women who marched through the street.Anaked woman was put at the stake. The riotous crowd heckled and jeered at her. Every few seconds, she would be clubbed to the appalling cheers of the riotous mob.

Coming from a village, it was the most graphic illustration of inhumanity I had ever encountered. I told my uncle that he should know we do not treat an offending dog like that. I felt a cold shiver ran through my spinal cord. But he merely shrugged, because such was a common sight in Lagos of that era. The beautiful, middle-aged woman had been mobbed at a street party. They stripped her naked.

Her anatomy was clearly visible under the glowing street lights.

Intermittently, someone would come forward and pierce her private part with a long stick. I lost my mental composure. Eventually, the crowd did the unthinkable. She was thrown into a dingy canal shortly before the Adetayo-Fola Agoro junction. Each time I drive through till date, I flinch.

The second day, homicide detectives came for the floated corpse.

They asked questions. But no arrests were made for want of evidence. I later learn her offense was that she â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;confessedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; she was a witch. But this was after she had gulped several bottles of gin on rock. After her â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;confessionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the stand-by crowd pounced on her and tore her dress into shreds. I heard her little son of less than 10, cried

and wailed. The pitiless mob was deaf to reason. Her killers were never found though a DNA analysis would have fished out the murderers.

There is a salient but significant event in Lagos. It should change the landscape of Nigeria for good. Like a bolt from the blues, the government of Lagos state announced the setting up of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first DNA laboratory. It is a shame that a country of 170 million people, with all the national wealth, has no functional DNA lab.

For public information, DNA carries all of the information for physical characteristics, which are essentially determined by proteins.

Experts say in DNA, each protein is encoded by a gene (a specific sequence of DNA nucleotides that specify how a single protein is to be made). To me, it was a remarkable if not revolutionary intervention in many areas of livelihood in a city of no fewer than 18 million people. This laboratory, if put in excellent use, will change the social and scientific content of Nigeria. It will transform crime detection, help fight corruption, resolve paternity issues, assist local drug companies and research institutions to identify causes of diseases and proffer solutions. It will safe capital flight and public health. This lab can actually put an end to the Fulani herdsmen menace because it will make it easy to identify perpetrators of heinous crimes.

As a crime correspondent with The Guardian, I recollect how my various crime stories and investigations met brick walls due to absence of functional DNA labs. At that time, in the early 90s, I had on my desk chilling cases of murders that were never resolved.

Apart from the cases of Tunde Oladepo, a journalist, school contemporary, a colleague, Chinedu Offoaro also of The Guardian, who disappeared while on an assignment in the Eastern part of the country, a certain Prince who was Private Secretary to the then Managing Director, Mr Andy Akporogu, who also disappeared, the 90s marked the era of heart rendering killings, either through state sponsored nastiness or deaths from the bourgeoning, often violent drug wars. At that time, there were only two forensic laboratories in Nigeria, one in Port Harcourt and the other in Lagos. The two were desolate and abandoned. The police and military intelligence were

held back on several cases that involved high-tech investigations that would have aided diligent prosecution in the courts.

As the former Head of Investigation Desk at The Punch, my team confronted series of crimes that were bungled simply because the police and the secret service had to rely on time wasting manual techniques that often led to wrong convictions in the courts. At present crime detection capacity in Nigeria is zero. This continue to embolden criminals. At present, the country is replete with blood and misery occasioned by criminal activities. When I read about the Lagos DNA Laboratory, coming for the first time in almost 35 years after Nigeria last had something close to a DNA lab, I took a deep breath of potential relief. All these years, with her huge budget, the Nigerian police and military have no DNA lab. Too bad.

How does the DNA affect the livelihood of Nigerians? Deoxyribonucleic acid is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the universal blueprint for life on Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. DNA determines the content and form of creation, what people look like and how their bodies function. The Lagos initiative will transform the justice system, aid speedy crime detection and sustainable development. Today in Nigeria, crime continues to be upbeat. The major trends in crime include but not limited to terrorism, kidnapping, abductions-not necessarily for ransom- armed robbery, domestic violence, murder, rape and hate killings. With an essentially weak investigative skill, the security operatives are left with poor output, leading to wrong convictions and a skyrocketing list of Awaiting Trials. The lab can help nurture forensic investigation of high tech cyber-crimes and checkmate corruption. The absence of DNA also offers a perfect alibi for criminals to escape justice in the absence of scientifically proven charges.

In crime scenes for instance, DNA, which is peculiar to every individual, could be found in items like masks, cap, gloves, clothing, tools, guns, sexual kits, fingernail, cigarette butts, coffee or tea cups, eyeglasses, hairbrush, toothpick or a wire as tiny as the hair strand. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Adewale Adeoye is the Executive Director, Journalists for Democratic Rights, (JODER)

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NEWSXTRA Underage Voting: Disregard â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No Evidenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Report, Says INEC t Says câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ttee yet to finish or submit fact-finding report Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on Nigerians to disregard an earlier report credited to the factfinding committee chairman that there were no evidence

of underage voting in the last Kano council polls.

The Commission also said its investigation into the alleged underage voting in the council poll was still ongoing, and therefore there was no basis to have concluded on its outcome.

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu had set up the committee following public outcry that greeted videos and photos of underage voting believed to be during the Kano election. The Committee, which commenced last week is to

submit its report.

But Nigerians were shocked when the chairman of the committee, Abubakar Nahuce, was quoted to have told journalists in Kano on Friday, that from their interaction with civil society organisations and media,

none presented evidence of underage voting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From all what we have seen and discussed with you media men, none of you has seen any underage voter in the line or voting,â&#x20AC;? Nahuce was quoted to have said.

Responding to THISDAY inquiries yesterday, the INEC Director for Voters Education and Publicity (VEP), Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, dismissed the report as not possible.

Osaze-Uzzi called for such conclusions to be disregarded as the Panel is just only three days within their stipulated time frame with investigations

still ongoing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Commission has not completed their assignment and has not also submitted their report. So this should be disregarded as they have only completed three days,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Also speaking, a member of the fact-finding Committee and INEC Commissioner from Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini told THISDAY that the Committee Chairman might have been quoted out of context. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were given two weeks and have had only three days, so we have not even completed our work; let alone to submit to the Commission,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Dapchi: Ojikutu Calls for Prayer

HONOUR FOR ARIBO L-R: Principal Partner, Eldert Consulting Limited, Mr. Tewo Oke; Senator, Representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Gbolahan Dada; Managing Director/CEO, MicMakin Nigeria Limited and Awardee, Mr. Olayato Aribo and his wife Mojisola, during the formal presentation of Gold Award of Excellece to Aribo, by the Southwest Nigeria Excellence 2018 Award, in Lekki, Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, has called on Nigerians to fast and pray for the safe return of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.

Boko Haram insurgents had penultimate week abducted 110 students of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Their location has not been known since the incident.

The former deputy governor who condemned the abduction urged Nigerians to seek the face of God for the abducted girls so that they can return safely to their

families. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Concerned Mothers of Nigeria call on Nigerians to fast and pray to support President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to rescue the abducted Dapchi School girls. We should pray that God should cause confusion in the camp of the abductors and expose those behind the terrorist actâ&#x20AC;?, she said.

The former deputy governor urged government to protect other schools so as to forestall such incidents in future. She also called on government to sanction those whose dereliction of duty led to the abduction.

60 Delta Royal Fathers Endorse Okowa for 2019 Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Over 60 recognised traditional rulers under the aegis of Delta North Traditional Rulers Forum (DNTF) have passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and expressed their support for his 2019 second term bid.

The meeting of the royal fathers, held recently at the Palace of the Obi of Owa, HRM Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II,

came on the heels of a similar endorsement of Okowa by the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Delta PDP Mandateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

The Delta PDP Mandate, at an earlier rally in Warri, declared Okowa as â&#x20AC;&#x153;sole governorship candidateâ&#x20AC;? of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, stressing that aside his achievements so far as Governor, the unwritten power rotation principle operational in the state since 1999 clearly favoured him.

Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has said he was both humbled and excited the vote of confidence by the traditional rulers from his own senatorial district, saying this would encourage him to continue to solicit for peaceful coexistence among royal fathers in the central and south districts as peace remained the bedrock of his government.

Addressing the gathering at Owa-Oyibu, the governor

attributed the success stories of his administration to the peaceful disposition of traditional rulers that has engendered an enabling environment for governance, saying no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of rancour.

Okowa said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I sincerely, appreciate you (the traditional rulers) for the vote of confidence passed on me. If vote of confidence comes from those who own the land, we must appreci-

ate it; and, most importantly, I thank the traditional rulers for providing the enabling environment for my government to execute its programmes. A lot is being done and more will still be done. We will achieve more as a united people. As a government, we will try as much as possible to remain focused and my respect for the traditional rulers will never wane. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is an important meeting and I am very excited with

the level of activities of our traditional rulers. When we share ideas, we are better positioned in our commitment to give our people the best. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the traditional rulers fail to cooperate with the government, that government is bound to have crises. We have had town hall meetings where we discussed issues affecting us, we shall continue with local government areas we are yet to visit from next week.

APC: N15bn Annual Budget, Assent to NFIA Bill Now to Avert Five Suspected Oil Thieves Peanut Compared to Expected Egmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Imminent Expulsion of Blown Up in Bayelsa Nigeria, Buhari Urged Costs But a source said the dynaEmmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as â&#x20AC;&#x153;peanutâ&#x20AC;? the N15 billion annual budget for 2018; in relation to the expected incomes and costs to be incurred.

The party had ahead of Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections this year and the 2019 general elections, proposed a budget of N14.82 billion for the current year, a revelation which has had ripple effect within the Nigerian socio-political space.

An earlier media report had revealed that the proposal was presented to the APC national caucus on Monday by the Chief John Odigie Oyegun-led na-

tional working committee at its meeting held at the presidential Villa which preceded the Tuesday National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where the NWC was granted one-year tenure extension.

But responding to the revelation, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, informed THISDAY yesterday that the money could not have been for 2018 elections alone, asking â&#x20AC;&#x153;where will APC get that kind of money for elections?.

Abdullahi, who explained that he was not fully in the know of the exact amount, however suggested that the quoted figure must be for the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual budget.

Abimbola Akosile A civil society organisation, Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) has called on Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s President, Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to avert Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imminent expulsion from the Egmont group of Financial Intelligence Units by assenting to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency (NFIA) Bill immediately.

MIIVOCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Director, Dr. Walter Duru, who made the call yesterday in Abuja, commended the National Assembly leadership for promptly resolving the impasse that arose over where to domicile the proposed Agency, describ-

ing their action as patriotic.

He however retained his earlier fears over the imminent expulsion of Nigeria from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, if a clean copy of the NFIA Bill is not immediately transmitted and the President assenting immediately; arguing that it portends grave danger for the nation, if allowed to happen.

According to him, the National Assembly deserves commendations for doing what he described as the needful, reiterating the grave danger facing Nigeria if expelled by the Egmont Group of FIUs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If expelled, Nigeria will be listed as a high-risk jurisdiction country, with far reaching implications.â&#x20AC;?

Five suspected oil pipeline vandals have blown themselves up with dynamite in the creeks of Azagbene, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, after the device exploded as they attempted to siphon crude oil from a facility in the area.

It was gathered yesterday that at least two of the vandals were roasted to death while three others were burnt beyond recognition during the operation.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr. Asinim Butswat, when contacted, said the matter had not been officially reported to him, but promised to get in touch with the police heads in the coastal community.

mite malfunctioned, killing the victims of the explosion who were found by villagers the morning after the incident. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The indigenes heard the sound of the explosion. It was followed by fire. But in the morning, when they went to the scene they found two dead bodies and three others badly burntâ&#x20AC;?, he said.

It was also gathered that the charred bodies of the vandals have already been moved away from the site of the explosion for burial.

When contacted, the Central Zone Chairman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Tare Porri, who confirmed the incident said it occurred on a gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

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ÍźË&#x153; ͺ͸͚Î&#x20AC; Ëž T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

THISDAY Summit: Road to Expanding Frontiers for Healthcare Financing It is no longer news that Nigeria spends less on the health of its citizens than nearly every other country of the world, resulting in the poor health indices and high mortality rates currently recorded. Martins IďŹ jeh writes on the issues and why THISDAY Summit on Healthcare Financing Policy Dialogue will change the narrative When health indices are discussed on global stages on a country-by-country basis, Nigeria often emerges one of the countries with the worst indices among key global health issues. The country sits comfortably among the 10 worst countries in the world with disease burdens.

For instance, Nigeria has the highest burden of malaria globally, with about 40 per cent of global malaria deaths occurring in the country and Democratic Republic of Congo alone. Not only that 90 per cent of Nigerians are at risk of it, it kills over 300,000 of them yearly, with 11 per cent of maternal deaths linked to it.

Nigeria is rated as the second worst country with maternal and child deaths globally, just second to India. In specifics, about 15 per cent of global maternal deaths occur in Nigeria alone, and the deaths of newborn babies in the country represents a quarter of the total number of deaths of children under five worldwide. In fact, a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chance of dying from pregnancy or childbirth in Nigeria stands at one ratio 13, if indices from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is referenced.

Also, among other areas, Nigeria is the second worst recipient of malnutrition burden globally, just second to India.

A recent interview with THISDAY by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso showed that about 11 million Nigerian children are stunted, with an estimated 2,000 of them dying every day due to the public health issue.

Ironically, despite this high malnutrition burden, Nigeria ranks 37th among countries making efforts to end hunger and malnutrition, according to indications

by Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Africa (HANCI-Africa).

But while persons not-in-the-know may worry why Nigeria has such high healthcare issues despite the rich human and natural resources in the country, the reasons for the indexes are not far fetched. One of such is that the Nigerian government does not allocate enough resources to funding the health sector.

Low government spending on healthcare of Nigerians The Nigerian government in fact allocates to healthcare one of the lowest amounts from its yearly budget compared to other sectors. This is despite the fact that no other sector can thrive in a country if the citizens are unhealthy.

The under-prioritisation of the health sector is so alarming that in 2016, total government health expenditure was N588 billion (US$2.2 billion) or 0.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This abysmally low figures translate to just $11 per capita which is well below regional and lower middle-income averages and a far cry from the recommended US$86 per capita required to deliver a limited set of key health services in a low and middle-income country like Nigeria.

But while the Nigerian government may be quick to say the current dwindling revenue from oil sales has significantly contributed to the deteriorating level of healthcare spending, history has shown that even when the country had a good economic time, investments in healthcare remained low, compared to other countries of similar economic status.

A statement by THISDAY Newspapers Board of Directors during the announcement of the Health Summit noted that Abuja in April 2001 hosted the Heads of State of member countries of the African Union, where they resolved to allocate 15 per cent of their annual budgets to improving their countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health sectors. But over the years, the Nigerian government has failed to meet its part of the declaration, resulting majorly in the poor health indices currently being experienced.

Health Minister, Isaac Adewole

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The highest health allocation for Nigeria since the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declarationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was in 2012 where 5.95 per cent was allotted. In 2014 it allocated N216.40 billion to healthcare, representing 4.4 per cent. In 2015 it was N237 billion, which represents 5.5 per cent of the entire budget. Same with 2016 (4.23 per cent) and 2017 (4.16 per cent).â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Already the trend has continued in the proposed 2018 annual budget of N8.6 trillion, with only N340.45 billion allocated to healthcare, representing 3.9 per cent,â&#x20AC;? the Board says.

Weak governance and poor accountability in the health sector Apart from the low allocation to the health sector by the Nigerian government, another reason for the poor healthcare indices is because the health sector has continued to suffer from weak governance and poor accountability, across levels of governance.

Findings suggest the lower levels of governments in the country are not doing enough for the health sector: According to the 1999 constitution, health is on the concurrent list and as such all levels of government are meant to finance healthcare but this does not happen in reality rather most health spending happens at the federal level.

Latest data in the Nigeria National Health Accounts shows that 67 per cent, 26 per cent, and seven per cent of government health spending took place at the federal, state, and local levels respectively in 2016. Furthermore, unrealistic revenue projections and perennial delays in the approval of the budget at all levels of government further undermine the efficient allocation and implementation of the health sector budget.

The truth is that healthcare spending in Nigeria has been skewed towards curative care. The stated responsibilities of the three tiers of government in service delivery largely

determines where health spending occurs rather than any national strategic health priorities and it is not unusual for most of the financing to be focused on secondary and tertiary hospital settings, with little focus on low-cost high-impact areas of prevention, public health, and primary health care.

Also, there is a glaring lack of ability to coordinate and consolidate information on health resources, the cost and use of health services, at all levels of government and across the various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) responsible for the delivery of health services.

While the sector recognises the National Council on Health as a coordinating policy body, it only has an advisory role even then the ability of the Federal Ministry of Health to effectively oversee the sector as a whole is questionable in the absence of the right incentives and leverage mechanisms in a federation like Nigeria where states make their laws and policies.

Absence of public health ďŹ nancing dominated by out-of-pocket expenditure In Nigeria, Out-Of-Pocket spending by Nigerians account for 75.2 per cent of total health expenditure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; among the highest in the world.

In order to address this, the Nigerian government in 1999 established the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to complement government health financing, pool health risk, and provide greater financial protection to households. However, as of 2016, only 7.9 million people (about 4.2 per cent of the population) were covered â&#x20AC;&#x201C; predominantly federal government civil servants and their dependents.

The way the NHIS is currently implemented reinforces existing regional fiscal and health outcome imbalances, failing to provide adequate financial risk protection to the poorest and

sickest households.

Private sectors not fully harnessed to support health financial initiatives The private sector is an important provider of healthcare in Nigeria with data showing that use of private providers for healthcare is high even among the poor.

The Nigerian organised private sector can also be a huge source of support for the health sector. Until recently there was little opportunity to benefit from both the potential of the private health sector for service delivery or for the organised private sector. However this has changed with the emergence of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and the private sector Health Alliance of Nigeria.

Drop in development assistance for health Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong economic growth a few years ago which led to the country being classified as a LMIC has resulted in Nigeria losing its eligibility criteria to benefit from funds that have supported the financing of several of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health financing activities including vaccines. The implication is that Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future access to preferential terms for grants, concessional loans and debt relief will be severely limited.

Way forward The above situations represent major reasons why health financing in Nigeria has remained a challenge, but with a policy dialogue between major healthcare stakeholders and the political class, the country can find a working model for resetting the healthcare system, which by extension will not only improve the health of the citizens, but will reduce mortality rate and increase life expectancy for Nigerians.

It is for this reason that THISDAY Newspapers is holding its first Summit on Healthcare Financing at the Musa Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua Conference Centre in Abuja this Tuesday by 10am, where major healthcare organisations/individuals and the political class in the country will meet under one roof to chart a way forward for a more improved healthcare financing model for a sustained investment in the provision of quality healthcare to the over 180 million Nigerians, especially in the area of highly cost effective interventions.

High powered members of the World Bank Group, Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole; Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso; Chair of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) & former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, are among stakeholders expected to grace the Summit.

Among the World Bank chiefs expected at the summit are the Director, Health Nutrition Population of the World Bank Group, Washington, Olusoji Adeyi; the Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Rachid Benmassoud; and CEO GAVI, Seth Berkley.

Others expected at the summit are the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Lanre Tejuosho; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Osagie Okunbor; President, Global Development Programme, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chris Elias; Minister of Health (State), Dr Osagie Ehanire; Chairman Senate Committee on Finance, Senator John Owan Enoh; Chairman House Committee on Primary healthcare Services, Hon Chike Okafor; and Chairman House Committee on Health institutions, Hon Jocelyn Betty Apiafi; among others.

The summit, themed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moving Nigeria towards Universal Health Coverage through Appropriate Financingâ&#x20AC;? aims to galvanise discussions on why the country should prioritise financing of the health sector as a bastion of human capital development critical for the achievement of the Economic and Growth Recovery Plan.

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SUNDAYSPORTS

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

Faltering Chelsea Visit Flying City

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anchester City can take a step closer to winning the Premier League by beating current champions Chelsea today at the Etihad Stadium. City require a maximum of 15 points from their remaining 10 games to claim their third title and first under

Pep Guardiola.

If they win their next three Premier League games then they could win it if they beat rivals Manchester United onApril 7, assuming United keep winning and Liverpool drop any points.

City are unbeaten in their last 26 Premier League home games (W21 D5) since 3-1 defeat against Chelsea in 2016, which was the catalyst result for the Blues to go on to win the title. While City are 18 points better off than at the same stage last season, Chelsea are 16 points worse off after a stuttering defence of the title.

Kyle Walker could miss out for Manchester City with a calf problem. The England full-back limped out of Thursday’s 3-0 win at Arsenal and is now a doubt for the visit of the reigning champions.

RaheemSterlingcouldalsobeabsentasheovercomes a muscular problem, with Fernandinho (hamstring) and Benjamin Mendy (knee) definitely out and Fabian Delph banned.

Meanwhile midfielder Ross Barkley could return to the Chelsea matchday squad. Barkley has returned to training following a hamstring injury and head coach Antonio Conte is yet to decide whether or not to select the former Everton forward on the bench.

Defenders David Luiz (ankle) and EthanAmpadu (hamstring) and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko (undisclosed) are out.

Manchester City won the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September - they’ve done the Premier League double over Chelsea twice before; in 2009-10 when Chelsea won the title, and in 2015-16 when Chelsea were reigning champions.

Chelsea won this fixture 3-1 last season, but haven’t won back-to-back league games at the Etihad Stadium since a run of four wins between 2005 and 2008.

Indeed, Man City have won only one of their last

Belgian superstars Hazard (left) and De Bruyne will be centrral to their respective teams’ hopes of winning today four home league games vs the Blues (D1 L2), 3-0 back inAugust 2015. However, Man City have won their last 13 Premier League home games, netting at least twice each time. The Premier League record for scoring more than once in consecutive home games is 14, by Liverpool in the 2013-14 campaign.

Chelsea have lost three of their last four Premier League games - as many as they had in their previous 23 in the competition. Indeed, Chelsea have

lost their last two Premier League away games.

They’ve not lost three in a row on the road since March 2013 under Rafael Benitez.

The Blues have won their last three Premier League away games against sides starting that day top of the table, most recently a 3-1 victory at Man City in December 2016.

Last season, Antonio Conte became the first manager to record the top-flight double over a side

managed by Pep Guardiola. In this game, Guardiola could become only the second manager to do so to Antonio Conte, after Delio Rossi with Sampdoria vs Conte’s Juventus in 2012-13.

Sergio Aguero has scored five goals in his last four Premier League games against Chelsea. Eden Hazard has had a hand in eight goals in his last seven games against Manchester City in all competitions (4 goals, 4 assists).

La Liga: Unbeaten Barcelona Host Resurgent Atletico Barcelona welcome Atletico Madrid to the Nou Camp today for a top-of-the-table clash in front of an enthusiastic crowd cheering them on to cement their hold on top of the La Liga table..

Ernesto Valverde’s side are unbeaten in their 26 league games this season but though victory against their closest challengers would leave them eight points clear at the top, the Spaniard insists the showdown will not decide the title.

“It’s not a final for La Liga,” he told reporters. “It will be an important three points to the winners, but not decisive. We are two strong teams and the three points are worth a lot.”

Atletico have lost just once in the league this season - away to Barcelona’s city rivals Espanyol in December. An unbeaten streak has seen Antoine Griezmann, a reported target for Barcelona in the summer,scoresevengoalsintwogamesbutValverde would not be drawn on the Frenchman’s future.

“He is a great player and he is in a great moment of form,” Valverde, who has left-back Jordi Alba available following suspension, added.

“I am incapable of guessing the future, but I am not going to talk about a player who is in another team and even less one we are facing.”

Atletico boss Diego Simeone has not lost in 12 meetings with Valverde and is hoping his team can keep the title race alive as long as possible. “We have always competed and we will be competitive again on Sunday,” Simeone said.

“The game is important, against a rival with numbers that speak for themselves. We still have to go to Villarreal and Real Madrid. There are 12 games left and we are all competing for something. “The points (on Sunday) are important because they give us a (smaller) margin and that makes us better able to handle

VAR to be used at 2018 World Cup in Russia Video assistant referees are set to be used at this year’s World Cup in Russia after football’s lawmakers voted to approve the technology. VAR has been trialled in some domestic English cup games this season, and has been used in Germany and Italy.

The International Football Association Board (Ifab) “unanimously approved” its introduction on a permanent basis after a meeting in Zurich yesterday. Leagues and competitions must now apply to Ifab to implement the system.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said a decision on whether VAR would be used at the World Cup will be taken at a meeting on March 16.

“As of today, video assistant refereeing is part of football,” he said. “We hope and encourage a favourable decision in this respect because we are very positive about VAR.” One of the concerns over VAR is that those watching are uncertain about what is going on, but Fifa says it is working on a system that will provide information to the “giant screen operators as well as broadcasters and commentators” about

the reason and outcome of a review.

“What is our idea (for the World Cup) is that after the final decision is taken by the referee on the pitch we would like to show in the stadium the selected replay that was used by the referee and VAR,” said Johannes Holzmuller, head of Fifa football technology innovation.

AFCON QUALIFIERS RESULTS & FIXTURES Burnley Leicester Southampton Swansea Tottenham Watford Liverpool Brighton Barcelona Man City

2-1 1-1 0-0 4-1 2-0 1-0 2-0 v v v

Everton Bournemouth Stoke West Ham Huddersfield West Brom Newcastle Arsenal 2:30pm Atl Madrid 4:15pm Chelsea 5pm

what’s left.”

Simeone might be gunning for victory at the Nou Camp but was full of praise for the impact of his opposite number this season.

TheAtletico boss, who welcomes back defender Lucas Hernandez into his squad following injury, added: “Valverde resolved the departure of Neymar, changed a system that had worked successfully for many years, taught everyone that Barcelona can also play 4-4-2 and he’s unbeaten in the league.

“We play against a team that is having a fantastic season and the game will be resolved, like every one we have played against them, by the small details.”

Felipe Luis will resume his long-running battle with Lionel Messi today

Weah’s Son Makes Debut in PSG Win Paris St-Germain re-established their 14-point advantage at the top of Ligue 1 with victory over strugglers Troyes.

Without the injured duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, both goals came in the second half through Angel di Maria and Christopher Nkunku.

They also gave a debut to Timothy Weah, the son of Liberia president and ex-PSG and AC Milan striker George Weah. PSG need 17 points from their TimothyWeah made his debut for PSG 23 years after his dad’s last game for the club remaining 10 games to guarantee their fourth league title in the last also host Champions League holders Real Madrid on Tuesday, trailing 3-1 from the first leg. five seasons.

World-record signing Neymar will miss the rest Unai Emery’s side remain on course for the domestic treble, facing Monaco in the final of the of the season as he is to undergo surgery after French League Cup on 31 March and playing fracturing a metatarsal and spraining an ankle Caens in the semi-final of the French Cup. They during last weekend’s league win over Marseille.

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High Life

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͎͎͜;ʹ͜͜ͳ;ͳͰ

Ë&#x203A;Ë&#x203A;Ë&#x203A; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;äĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018; Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17E;ĂŁĂ&#x2013;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;ËŞĂ? Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă?

Power Horseâ&#x20AC;Ś AlaaďŹ n of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Welcomes Two Sets of Twins from Two Wives Ëž Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x153; ĂŁĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018; ĂĄĂ&#x201C;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x153; Ă&#x161;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?ĂŁ

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nly a rapscallion or brute from the bay of crooks could fault a King for exhibiting his divine right to love and have children. Thus with no attempt at mischief, it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be wrong or distasteful for the AlaaďŹ n of Oyo, Oba Lamide Adeyemi, to impregnate his wives at once. And if they all give birth at the same time, so be it. The women ensure that the royal libido never lacks attention and excitement from going into eternal ďŹ&#x201A;accidity. Forget the onomatopoeia, monarchy and polygamy are like two peas in a pod; they, almost always, go together. When the monarch in question now happens to be a very generous old man, yet, gregarious and genial, the pressure to have as many wives to ďŹ ll the rooms in the palace becomes even more overbearing.

In Africa, especially in this part, kings enjoy massive royal inďŹ&#x201A;uence so much that if they chose to teem their palaces with as many women as they so wish, they are not expected to be questioned by any human, rather, they should be given all the support to make their wishes come to fruition; this overriding inďŹ&#x201A;uence is so pronounced in the South West that the Yorubas call kings â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kabiyesi,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; which literally translates to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;he whose actions

GLAD TIDINGSâ&#x20AC;ŚDAPO ABIODUN BECOMES CAC TOP SHOT Like an ancient mariner whose heartbeat dwarfs echoes of his incredible exploits, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, commands the awe of many of his peers and admirers in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sociopolitical and business sector.

There is no gainsaying the world of business is like a dangerous

Dapo Abiodun

cannot be questioned.

Yes, at 80, very few men of his age and class can handle the onerous tasks of living with so many wives. But the respected monarch unfurls into the task without a crease in his brow or the oft dreaded fear of exhaustion.

Interestingly, a couple of days ago, AlaaďŹ n of Oyo welcomed two sets of twins from two of his younger wives, Olori Memunat Omowunmi and Olori Badirat Ajoke.

Apart from being co-wives and new mothers to twins, Olori Memunat and Olori Ajoke are also actually best friends.

In a recent post on Instagram, Olori Memunat wrote â&#x20AC;&#x153;My bestie!!

God gat us, May good things fall on us!!â&#x20AC;? In another, she wrote â&#x20AC;&#x153;We gat each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backâ&#x20AC;?.

However, after welcoming twins another young wife of AlaaďŹ n, Omobolanle, announced her pregnancy. She shared the photos on social media showing that the king is expecting another child or possible twins In a few months now, AlaaďŹ n of Oyo will be a new father again despite having two sets of twins from two of his wives recently and other grown children.

So besotted with the younger Olori Omobolanle is the AlaaďŹ n that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let her out of his sight for too long else he would be lovelorn and forlorn. And the other wives are not oblivious to it. coast riddled with storms. But despite its turbulent tides, the Chairman of Heyden Group, like a sea-hardened sailor navigates through the gales armed with a strong resolve and unyielding spirit. Today, that relentless spirit of Dapo has paid off. It has guided him through the bittersweet, cut-throat world of global commerce till he emerged unscathed and undaunted in spirit and resolve, like a champion. DA, as he is fondly called, offers revealing and undeniably delightful anecdotes of the influences that impacted on the child that he was and the man that he has become. Last Thursday, Dapo and some other newly appointed chairpersons and board members of parastatals were inaugurated in Abuja. Dapo is the Chairman of Corporate Affairs Commission.

They are the new champions of modernity. From banking, transportation, entertainment, to the oil and energy sector, these young Turks of commerce, run a tight and firmly wheeled ship. Contrary to apprehensions about the emergence of such daring, economic forces as they represent, they do not come with baggage of old or new scandal,

Oba Lamidi Adeyemi

neither are they harbingers of renewed hand-wringing and grime that characterise decay in business ethics, they come with solutions - dependable solutions to be precise - fairer terms, tighter regulation, progressive business and industry blueprints, punishments for wrongdoing, perhaps even a Hippocratic Oath for entrepreneurial hopefuls.

These league of extraordinary magnates are hardworking, highly educated, jet-setting meritocrats with the can-do attitude and spunk of deserving winners of a tough, worldwide economic competition.

church leaders and the popular OAP, Daddy Freeze. Since his sole, self-appointed mission to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Free The Sheepleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (read Free The People) from the mosaic law of tithing, controversial and blunt-talking On-AirPersonality, Freeze, has been the butt of insults and invectives from some of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost pastors. As far as the pastors are concerned, Daddy Freeze

BATTLE OF THE PROPHETS! DAYSTAR PASTOR, SAM ADEYEMI, DARES OTHER PASTORS OVER TITHING One falsehood spoils a thousand truths. Ask Pastor Sam Adeyemi. The founder and General Overseer (G.O) of Daystar Christian Centre, understands that if he fails to bellow the truth when he knows the truth, he undoubtedly makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers. Tithing has become a hot-button issue in the last one year between the

Sam Adeyemi

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HIGHLIFE

Matriach of High Society, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, at 80

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erbert Wigwe, the ebullient Managing Director of Access Bank, was made for Chizoba. To Chizoba, it probably feels like she had him orry difference thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hip and humanizing.

In Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, the beautiful wife of Otunba Adekunle Ojora, everybody sees ravishing beauty and then they ask for her name. Even at her age, her smile is addictive, like the liquid courage that frees male inhibitions and lets a rat sing poetry to a hummingbird. Indeed, there are many ways to describe Erelu. The Erelu Ooduâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;a, Dame Ojuolape Ojora is one society woman who seems to get better with age. Like the fabled phoenix, she appears more regal and charming just when you think you have seen the best of her.

Little wonder the Nigerian society celebrated her with so much aplomb when she celebrated her 80th birthday on Saturday, February 24.

Grand matriarch of high society, Erelu Ojora, is one woman who has so much staying power. Quitting is not a word in her dictionary as she has presided over the social scene for more than half a century. Unlike others who become like food that grows stale after a time, the fabulous wife of Otunba Ojora reinvents

has no scriptural locus standi to advise people not to pay tithes.

Particularly, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) took on the OAP. At a programme in a popular church in Omole, Ikeja, Lagos, mid-November last year, Pastor Ashimolowo called Daddy Freeze a drunk and wife beater. But that did not make the headlines. Ruffled, perhaps, that he did not hit target, Pastor Ashimolowo, during a recent sermon said to thunderous applause; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once and for all, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s settle this matter on the power of the tithe. Some bunch of yoyo somewhere should not determine what you pay. Some guy who beats his wife, throws her out, throws his children out of the house, broke his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knees, should not determine what we believe.

He drinks alcohol, sleeps with women and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trying to preach.â&#x20AC;? However, Pastor Sam has come out to set the record straight. The Pastor goes on to say that believers should seek instruction from God. He adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been following the tithe debate. I discovered that it has been an age long debate and it will be on for a long time. My first observation is that church people are behaving as if we own the word tithe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t own the word. It is an English word. I want to say clearly that

herself often to ensure she stands out from the crowd. Little wonder high society was out in force to celebrate with one of their own as she turned 80 penultimate Saturday. The ageless mother of the wife of senate president Bukola Saraki, Toyin, was in high spirits as friends and family celebrated her with gifts and encomiums as she joined the octogenarian club.

Erelu Ojuolape and her elegant sense of fashion and style have been a fixture of the Lagos party circle for a long, long time. No party is complete without her matronly presence.

She and her husband have loomed large on the social scene for ages and yet show no sign of slowing down.

Ojora who was born into a privileged background is in love with jewellery made

by English jewellers such as Mapin and Webb in the United Kingdom. She also adorns jewellery made by Italians and as expected, pays attention to the minute details of her pieces when she attends events. Almost always in company with her husband and dressed to the nines, Ojoraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement pieces, which she usually complements with traditional attire, matching shoes and bags come in an array of designs which suit her sense of style and personality at all times. tithe, as practised under the law of Moses, has expired. The death and resurrection of Jesus have put paid to it. It has expired. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the requirements of the law were satisfied under Christ. It is a gamble to say Jesus never paid tithe. The fact that it was not written that Jesus paid tithe does not mean he did not do it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can also claim that Jesus did not go to the toilet because it is not written. 18 years of his life were not recorded in the Bible.

When he was born his parents satisfied the requirements of the law. John 21v25 says there are many things he did that were not recorded. Jesus did not say it was wrong to pay tithe in his day.â&#x20AC;? Pastor Adeyemi further quoted Romans 8, saying the chapter â&#x20AC;&#x153;clearly tells us that we are free. No Christian should feel guilty for not paying titheâ&#x20AC;?. Interestingly, other leading Christain leaders are surprisingly quiet in the wake of Adeyemiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outburst. They probably dread exchanging words with the Daystar founder.

Erelu Ojuolape Ojora

events are to be understood as representing other things and symbolically expressing a deeper, often spiritual, moral, or political meaning. Interestingly, there is no union of hearts that does not meet its end; friends after friends leave each other, but comrades in true spirit stay. With them, the deep, tightly woven fabric of affection glistens even with wear and the inescapable vicissitudes of companionship and emotional life. This much is exemplified in the enviable friendship between

FROM INDIA WITH LOVE . . .

HOW ALIKO DANGOTE, FEMI OTEDOLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INDIAN TRADITIONAL HEADTIES MADE HEADLINE NEWS There is no gainsaying that Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangoteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friendship is an allegory. It becomes a bond in which the characters and

Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola

the billionaire friends. Yes, the two men were in India for the wedding ceremony of their friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, the #radankulous.

Expectedly, it was a classy event. Though a small gathering, the wedding had in excess the components of an elaborate Indian party. The crowd was select and classy. The ambience was celestial in its gold draperies. However, Aliko and Femiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indian headgears have expectedly sent blogosphere into a tailspin even as you read.

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HIGHLIFE

Echoes of Florence Ita-Giwaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s High-Octane 72nd Birthday Party

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choes of the private but glamorous 72nd birthday party of funloving and glamorous politician, Senator Florence Mayen ItaGiwa, still reverberate loudly.

Indeed, like bloomed fables and flowers on furze, the 72nd birthday of one of the alpha-female politicians in Nigeria, Florence, was grand.

Political associates, friends and family thronged the venue, her Bellavista, Banana Island, Ikoyi home, like a flock of sheep responding to the shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summons.

Expectedly, of an event of high net worth individuals, there was plenty to eat and drink. The tables heaved with choice food and liquor and the party rocked to music from

oldies. Many years after she exited the corridors of power, the power broker popularly known as Mma Bakassi still occupies a soft spot in the hearts of her most trusted business and political associates. Notable among the dignitaries who graced the event were; Ghanaian First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Hajia Bola Shagaya, Hajia Zainab Abah Folawiyo, Nike Makonde, Lanre Ogunlesi, Tayo Ayeni, Kayode Odukoya, Segun Awolowo. Mo Abudu, Ruth Osime, Willie Anumudu, Rufai and Funmi Ladipo, John Abebe, Ireti Asemota, Maureen Onigbanjo, Lao Oriowo, Greg Mbadiwe, Rita Dominic, Ndidi Obioha, Adaeze Yobo, Abigail Igwe and many others.

But on Tuesday, December 26, the music stopped; the wind stopped howling melodiously against his fancy helmet as he veered off the road and crashed while attempting to overtake a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bike in a competitive race for pride, and bragging rights in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Consequently, the son of President Muhammadu Buhari, suffered a head injury and multiple fractures.

FORCES BEHIND THEIR ASCENT...THE WOMEN BEHIND SEGUN AGBAJE, NNAMDI OKONKWO AND KENNEDY UZOKA Yusuf Buhari

YUSUF BUHARI RETURNS TO NIGERIA AFTER PROPER TREATMENT ABROAD

Ëž ËŞ

President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only son, Mr. Yusuf Buhari, who was involved in a ghastly motorbike accident last December, returned to the country last week after undergoing further treatment overseas. Although it could not be ascertained where Yusuf had gone for treatment, we gathered that Yusuf, who arrived the country Monday night, was in a better shape and is expected to resume a normal life.

Yusuf Buhari loved the thrill of riding a power bike. He enjoyed the kick of careening through jagged roads and tumultuous vehicular traffic.

From one end of the highway, he felt like thunderbolt on wheels as the wind struck his face and howled musically against the steel casing of his fancy helmet.

There is something transcendent about them. The tenderness they radiate enhances the flourishing of their men as the fabled goddesses of life and fertility foster the seeds of the vagrant croppers.

Thus every day is harvest time in the homes of Derin Agbaje,

Derin Agbaje

Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa

Uche Okonkwo and Lotanna Uzoka. The wives of Guaranty Trust Bank, Fidelity Bank and United Bank of Africa head honchos, Segun Agbaje, Nnamdi Okonkwo and Kennedy Uzoka respectively, are instrumental to their menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success within and outside the business world.

Besides making their homes nests of abundance, peace and succour, they also make their bosoms sanctuaries of abiding love, passion and prayer for their sweethearts. Thus with such ample gifts of matrimonial grace to fall back upon, the banking Czars never have to worry about issues at work and the homefront.

Besides their ravishing beauty, they epitomise the extraordinary strength and selfless love of that rare breed of superwomen every man, king or commoner, aristocrat/bourgeois or proletariat alike would die to have.

Lotanna Uzoka

These women are rock solid in stature and depth and they live up to full measure as wives of three of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banking industry titans.

While their humility is never in doubt, they effortlessly intimidate peers and rivals by their unequalled poise, substance and ĂŠlan.

And it is never their fault if they intimidate lesser mortals with their husbandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wealth thus they drive the best cars, use the most expensive jewelry and adorn their bodies with the most classy clothes, bags and shoes.

Little wonder they are often compared to first ladies of Nigerian states. And while they do not engage in political pet projects in order to be in the news, like first ladies, they attain stardom simply by being true to themselves and living their lives.

They are undoubtedly super stars in their own rights and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got substance to match too.

Uche Okonkwo

Sunday March 4, 2018

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Price: N400

MISSILE

NBA to FG

“We must not allow the country to creep into anarchy, which will be the consequence of massive loss of confidence in the ability of the state to protect its citizens. These killings are unacceptable and must be brought to an end.”

– National President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), warning the federal government over the rising insecurity across the country, which includes killings by herdsmen and abduction of female students by Boko Haram.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Playing Politics with Purpose

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n those days when I believed I was ready to marry and needed to, at least, start a relationship, I met a lady I very much liked. But I wanted something more than chemistry. I was thinking of how we would complement each over a lifetime. Confused, I asked a friend, Kunle Kasumu, for insight. Though he himself was single, his counsel changed me forever. He spoke about “purpose”, taking inspiration from Myles Monroe. “A man is not born until he discovers purpose,” Kunle said. “When you discover your purpose in life, everything else you do must align with it, including choosing a life partner.” I wanted counsel on life partner but I got a big lesson on life itself.

Shannon Kaiser, an American bestselling author, puts it another way: “The two greatest days of your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out what your purpose is.” A dictionary defines purpose as “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists”. Truly, the chat with Kunle opened my eyes to the reasons behind some things I was doing, even though I was not really aware there was a theory, or principle, behind them. Purpose. It has helped me stay within my lane in life. Purpose keeps you going in the face of distractions, storms, trials and temptations. You focus on where you are going. You do things to help you get there.

Interestingly, I actually went into journalism with a purpose — even if I wasn’t officially conscious of it when I was filling my JAMB form. Somehow, I had always believed journalism could be used to promote peace and development, help solve problems and celebrate what is working. That is what keeps me going, no matter the insults, threats, intimidation, blackmail and name-calling. I did not set out to please hate mongers and bigots. When all this is over and I go to meet my Maker, I want to be able to tell Him confidently: “Father, I did my best to use my journalism to heal wounds, build peace and solve problems. I have fought a good fight. I have kept the faith.” That’s all I care about.

Sadly, each time I reflect on Nigeria’s underdevelopment, I always end up blaming it on politics without purpose. By “purpose”, I mean aiming for the greater good of society, not self. I hardly see passion propelled by purpose among our politicians. I have engaged in fierce arguments with some very knowledgeable people who insist that the followers, not the leaders, should be blamed — because they collect rice to sell their votes and get the kind of leaders they deserve. Fair enough. But this assumes that the voter has the clairvoyance or expertise to know who is going to perform in office. Politicians come with inducements and promises. Blaming the victims is never my thing.

All said and done, I am yet to discover any country that was developed by leadership without purpose. The day I find an example, I will apologise to my readers and change my stand. For now, I will go with my position that development is a product of purpose-driven leadership. I have not excluded the role of followers, of course. Everybody has a role to play. But people are called leaders for a reason. People are elected or appointed to do a job. There is a reason the dog wags the tail and not the other way round. There is a reason a bus has a driver. There is a reason that leaders, not followers, make policies and

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

laws — and implement them.

As the 2019 elections draw near, I have been imagining things. Posters. Jingles.

Slogans. Rallies. Permutations. Promises.

Intrigues. Politics is here with us again! It is as if we were created for elections. We live for times like these. The ecstasy is out of this world. We do this every four years.

But a few months after inauguration, we return to square one: weeping and wailing and moaning and gnashing of teeth. Then we look forward to the next election so that we can “vote out” bad leaders and “vote in” new ones. It goes on and on and on. And Nigeria remains essentially the same. That means there is something we are not getting right. Some dots are simply not connecting.

In my series on “mindsets”, here is another take: we play politics without purpose in Nigeria. Without purpose, we cannot even begin to have a vision. Purpose precedes visioning. Purpose shapes visioning. If you discover purpose, you can develop vision.

I think every Nigerian politician needs to answer this question honestly: what is my purpose in politics? You can say the sweet things on TV, radio, newspapers, posters and social media. You can muster the sound bites and conjure all the rhymes and alliterations.

But unto thyself, be honest: why are you in politics? To solve problems? To help make Nigeria great? Lie to everyone else but be honest to yourself.

In truth, how many Nigerian politicians actually know the real purpose of politics?

How many even understand public purpose at all? I have this funny suspicion that the typical Nigerian politician thinks the purpose of politics is to become a demigod and begin to enjoy the sirens, the Land Cruiser Prados, the power games, the adulation, the girls, the Banana Islands, the Cayman Islands, the private jets, the yachts and such like.

When they read stuffs like “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” in the constitution, they just can’t understand. It is all Greek to them. Occupying government position, they think, is licence for lucre.

Unfortunately, when purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable — in the words of Monroe, who died in 2015. We should not be surprised at the pervasive abuse of office and the resultant gross underdevelopment of Nigeria. As long as the politicians do not have a proper perspective of politics, the instruments they ought to use for the advancement of society will be tools of self-aggrandizement and oppression in their hands. It’s like handing a gun to a rogue police officer — he will turn it into an implement of extortion, tyranny and murder. Give the same gun to a responsible officer and he will die defending the people. Politics without purpose breeds abuse of office.

Here is my point today. If the Nigerian politician had the right motive and motivation in politics, when a banker comes and says, “Your Excellency, add N2 billion to that contract and I will help you keep it”, he would reply: “So kind of you, but that can build a few roads.” When the lawyer comes along and whispers, “I can help you buy property abroad in my name,” he would reply: “Good stuff, but there is serious housing shortage in my state.” When the corporate guru proposes, “You can buy a private jet and register it in my name,” he would reply: “Lovely, but that money can improve mass transit in the city, don’t you think so?” That is purpose-drive leadership at work.

If public purpose is at work, all the budgeting, oversight and lawmaking by the legislature since 1999 would have propelled Nigeria to a higher level on the development plane. But you and I know that when the lawmakers say they want to hold “public hearing” or pay “oversight” visit, the motive of the huffing and puffing is hardly pure. It is more of intimidation, blackmail and extortion than anything for the greater good of the society.

Mind you, it can be well packaged, and they can speak the perfect words in the chamber, but those who know the inside story will just be laughing off their heads at a corner. If our lawmakers love accountability so much, Nigeria would be paradise today!

Those just joining politics (or public service) need to ask themselves sincerely: what is my purpose? Am I entering politics for the right purpose? Those already inside should ask themselves honestly: what have I been doing here? Am I fulfilling purpose or just having an all-expense paid fun? The good news is that it is never too late to discover your purpose. That you have wasted years in office without purpose is not the end. You can rethink and reboot. When you discover purpose, you begin to live life meaningfully.

You will realise that public office is not about accumulating wealth and getting worshipped.

Politics is not for oppression, repression and exploitation.

My friends have been asking me lately: Simon, where do you belong? And that is exactly the problem: we think the solution to our problem is where we belong, who we support or who we are going to vote or campaign for. But our problems are deeper than that, deeper than the excitement of permutations and elections. How can our politics become politics of purpose? That is the real challenge facing us and that is what I think we should be really concerned about.

Until we develop new mindsets about how the society should be run, we will continue to go round and round in a vicious circle. The end product is always predictable: despair and disappointment.

And Four Other Things…

ARMY VS POLICE We spend over N1 trillion on the security agencies every year, in case you don’t know, and yet Nigerians are among the least secure in the world. Meanwhile, the police and the army are trading blame on the kidnap of 110 Dapchi girls. Those Boko Haram guys must be laughing at us.

The open confrontation between security agencies under President Buhari is the worst I have seen in my life. Reports are suggesting that the kidnapped schoolgirls have been taken across the border — in spite of the presence of police, customs, immigration, civil defence, DSS and military guys all over the place. Can you beat that? We need our heads examined in this country. Incredible.

HALF FULL While some people are still waiting for “fiscal federalism”, “true federalism”, “state police” and “we the people” perfect constitution, it is gladdening to note that some states are already showing what can be done under the current “military” constitution. Lagos and Kano states, two of the country’s biggest economies, have just signed an MoU for economic partnership and to jointly explore investment opportunities aimed at creating jobs and facilitating growth and development. Lagos and Kebbi are already co-operating on Lake Rice. Some people can only see problems, while others are seeing opportunities. He that observes the wind will not sow. Or reap. Word.

CORRUPTION INDEX The best official response to Nigeria’s declining fortune in the corruption perception index was delivered by VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo at an event organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) and the ministry of justice on Tuesday.

He analysed the report and pointed out that it was just on one of the indices that Nigeria dropped and it affected the overall ranking. It is a wake-up call, he said.

Compare this to the spurious allegation that the ranking was influenced by former President Obasanjo and Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili — who are board members of Transparency International. Laughable.

YUSUF IS BACK President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf, is back on his feet after his horrendous motorbike accident in December 2017. I am happy for him and his family for the great escape. A lot has been said about the state of our medical facilities, but he received the first, critical treatment here in Nigeria before he was flown to Germany for “finishing touches”.

And this is then my argument: government must at least make sure our hospitals are good enough to be the first port of call, good enough to preserve life. Those who can afford foreign treatment are lucky, but most Nigerians cannot afford it and they too deserve the right to live. Basic.

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