Saturday 24th March 2018

Court Frees Justice Ngwuta of Corruption Charges Apex Court dismisses Akeredolu's appeal on pre-election matter Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja yesterday discharged a serving Supreme Court Justice, Sylvester Ngwuta, from the corruption charges preferred against him by the federal government.

Also yesterday, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, challenging the mode of service of court processes on him in a pre-election matter filed by Olusegun Abraham, an All Progressives Congress (APC)

governorship aspirant in the state.

Ngwuta was among the seven judges whose homes were invaded in a sting operation by security agents in 2016.

Following his arrest, he was then arraigned before the Federal High Court on a 13-count criminal charge

bordering on money laundering and unlawful possession of multiple International passports.

But in a ruling yesterday, trial judge, Justice John Tsoho struck out all the charges filed against the Supreme Court Justice for lack of jurisdiction.

Ngwuta had through an application brought by his counsel, Godwin Agabi (SAN), challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him when the National Judicial Council (NJC) had not found him culpable of any misconduct or recommended him for trial.

The court held that the prosecution did not fulfill "the condition precedent in filing the charge against judicial officers,” adding that there was no dispute to the fact that Justice Sylvester Continued on page 6

There'll Be Trouble If APC Rigs 2019 Election, Warns Junaid Mohammed … Page 6 Saturday 24 March, 2018 Vol 23. No 8374

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N250

N

Buhari Receives Dapchi Girls,Vows to Deal with Security Agents if Abduction is Repeated CAN, Obaseki, urge FG to rescue Leah Sharibu Omololu Ogunmade and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja warned security

agencies to ensure that the untoward development of abduction does not repeat itself in the country again, threatening that security forces would henceforth be held

responsible for any further repeat of such incident.

The President who issued the threat while receiving 105 students of Government Girls Science and

Technical College, kidnapped on February 19 in Dapchi, Yobe State along with two others freed by Boko Haram on Wednesday, in the Presidential Villa, also said the

government would not hesitate to thoroughly deal with anyone who opts to politicise security.

Buhari said he had directed the security agencies to ensure that

adequate security is beefed up around schools in the violenceContinued on page 6

FREEDOM AT LAST...

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari (middle) in a group photograph with released Dapchi School Girls after receiving them at the Presidential Villa Abuja ... yesterday

GODWIN OMOIGUI

Dapchi Schoolgirl: We Were Flown in Planes and Taken Over Rivers in Boats Yemi Adebowale with Agency Report

More curious details about how the Dapchi schoolgirls were returned to their town by Boko Haram on Wednesday morning have emerged,

with one of the girls telling a British newspaper, The Guardian, that they were flown in planes, and taken over rivers in boat by the terrorists.

Hafsat Abdullahi phoned the British newspaper on Wednesday afternoon to say her 16-year-old

sister Fatima, who had been taken, had been dropped off in Dapchi.

She puts her sister on the phone.

“It took us three days to get back to Dapchi,” said Fatima. “We were divided into three groups and flown in planes, and taken

over rivers in boats.”

Waving the black and white flag used by the Islamic State and wearing balaclavas, military fatigues and ammunition belts, members of the group released most of the girls they had abducted in Dapchi,

Yobe State, early on Wednesday morning.

Witnesses said the militants pulled up near Dapchi police station on Wednesday and shouted that parents should pick up their daughters. Initially, villagers ran

away fearing another attack. But when they realised what was happening, they began to cheer and wave at the militants, chasing after their pickup trucks, some Continued on page 6

INEC: Fresh Recall for Senator Melaye Begins March 27...Pg. 12

2

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

3

4

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

5

6

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Ëœ ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

PAGE SIX

There'llBeTroubleIfAPCRigs2019Election,WarnsJunaidMohammed Bayo Akinloye Second Republic lawmaker and politician, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has warned that there would be trouble if the ruling All Progressives Congress rigged the 2019 Presidential election in favour of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that Nigerians will no longer tolerate the administration’s misrule.

In an exclusive interview with THISDAY on Wednesday, the prominent northern politician also

argued that it would be against the run of play if President Buhari was re-elected next year.

He said: “It is against national interest, common sense, and rationality for Buhari to stand for election and get the kind of crowd that he got in Kano. Tell me one good thing Buhari has done for this country?�

When asked what the next four years would be like if Buhari was re-elected, the vocal critic of the APC-led government stated: “There are a number of scenarios. One

scenario is possibly that he may not contest the election. If he’s selected as the anointed presidential candidate of his party and he didn’t win the election, it would be rigged in his favour – and if that happens, I want to assure you that from the day they announced the election results, until the end of the four years, there would be no peace in this country. If the APC government went ahead to rig 2019 elections, there would be trouble. I cannot tell you the nature of the trouble.�

Mohammed added that with

growing insecurity, grinding poverty, and corruption in high places, the president did not deserve a second term. “Buhari cannot win 2019 election on the basis of performance. Buhari has ruined the national economy; he has messed up the national security; he has lied through his teeth about integrity by promoting and supporting people who have no gravitas –those who’re related to him that have become billionaires overnight. On what basis did they become overnight billionaires?

Simple: on the basis that they are related to him. Buhari cannot win a free and fair election in 2019. I challenge Buhari to tell me one thing he has done for this country. If he got re-elected, it might be because of tribal sentiments or geopolitical sentiments,� he pointed out.

According to Mohammed, Buhari is a glorified President under the control of a group of people and whose anti-corruption war is designed to make his relatives and friends rich. “I will describe him as

thoroughly incompetent. He has (always) been clueless. He is out of touch with reality. This President cannot do anything without the power of the group that has a stranglehold on him. He doesn’t have any strength intellectually. The people he surrounds himself with are only looking after themselves.

We’re in very serious trouble because of a man who is timid – a glorified President who cannot explain himself well,� the former lawmaker claimed.

Read full interview on 48 - 50

court dismissed the suit for lacking merit.

However, the Ondo State government has maintained that there was no cause for alarm over the ruling.

Akeredolu had approached the court to upturn a July 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld an order by a Federal High Court in Abuja, granting permission to Olusegun Abraham to serve the court processes on Akeredolu through substituted means.

Abraham’s suit is challenging the outcome of the primary of the APC, which produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in Ondo State.

But in a unanimous judgment,

the apex court held that Akeredolu’s appeal was without merit.

Justice John Okoro, in the lead judgment, which Was delivered

by Justice Ejembi Eko, upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and awarded N500,000 cost against Akeredolu, in favour of Abraham.

Shortly after the judgement was delivered, Segun Ajiboye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, described the Judgement as a non-issue.

Ajiboye said: "Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has assured the people of the state that there is no cause for alarm over the Supreme Court ruling which dismissed the appeal filed by him.

"He describes the ruling as a

non-issue. The governor asks the peace-loving people to dismiss the ruling, adding that it is nothing to worry about and advised them to continue to support his administration in its determination to develop the state.

"What the Supreme Court ruled on was whether the service of the Originating Process on the APC secretariat in Abuja, instead of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was right or not.

"At best, the ruling only succeeded in correcting Abraham to serve Akeredolu through substituted means in relation to the suit he (Abraham) filed.

"Governor Akeredolu, therefore, wants to state equivocally that there is no cause for alarm over the ruling delivered by the Supreme Court."

COURT FREES JUSTICE NGWUTA OF CORRUPTION CHARGES Ngwuta is a serving Supreme Court Justice.

The court further agreed with Agabi, who relied on the judgment of Court of Appeal in justice Nganjiwa case.

Tsoho noted that both the prosecution and defendant counsels are in agreement that the Court of Appeal’s decision in Justice Nganjiwa applied to this case, “except that the prosecution made an exception and listed theft, arson and murder as cases where judicial officers may be arrested and prosecuted without recourse to the National Judicial Council.�

"In my humble view, separation of power between the three arms of government is entrenched in the constitution. The National Judicial Council (NJC) is given power to

discipline erring judicial officers.

"By strict adherence, the power is constitutionally vested on the NJC to discipline judicial officers and that power cannot be taken away in a democracy.

"It is tidy and safer that all matters relating to the discipline of judicial officers should be first dealt with by NJC", Tsoho held.

The court in addition said that interpretation of the provisions of the laws should be done to avoid absurdity, adding that the gap left in the provision of the law should stand until the constitution is amended, and until that is done, any arrest of any judicial officers should be declared a nullity.

Justice Tsoho said that, "Count 10 to 13 which deal with unauthorised possession of international passport,

trading and cash payments fall more within the purview of allegations of misconducts and this court has difficulties in determining whether they fall within scope of its jurisdiction. This court is not persuaded that it has jurisdiction."

He consequently discharged the defendant from all the charges against him.

Supreme Court Dismisses Akeredolu's Appeal Also yesterday, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, challenging the mode of service of court processes on him in a pre-election matter filed by Olusegun Abraham, an All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in the state.

A five man panel of the apex

BUHARI RECEIVES DAPCHI GIRLS, VOWS TO DEAL WITH SECURITY AGENTS IF ABDUCTION IS REPEATED ridden North-eastern Nigeria and simultaneously ensure the safety of both students and their teachers.

The President who said the country had suffered enough degree of hostilities, admonished Nigerians to embrace peace, pledging that further efforts were being made for the release of all who are still in captivity.

He assured parents of Chibok girls still in captivity not to lose hope, saying his government is more determined than ever before, to ensure that the remaining Chibok girls are rescued.

The President also pledged that the government was ready to accept and reintegrate into the society any repentant member of Boko Haram who unconditionally lays down his arms as he narrated how he had earlier given assurance of unconditional release of the girls when he visited Yobe State on March 14.

Disclosing that he had earlier instructed security agencies to ensure that the girls returned unhurt, he said the directive paid

off with the release of the girls as he thanked international partners and all who collaborated with Nigeria during the negotiation process.

Buhari who said the release of the girls was unconditional, stated that the government opted to enter into negotiations with the abductors with a view to ensuring the safety of the girls, adding that the freed girls would henceforth be free to pursue their education without any fear of violence.

In his presentation, the DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, who put the number of the released girls at 105, noted that two other school pupils who had earlier been abducted by the terrorists brought the number of freed abductees received yesterday to 107.

Daura, who did not affirm the eye witness account of one of the freed girls on Wednesday that five of them died of suffocation on the day of abduction, stated rather that six of the abducted girls still remained unaccounted for, with a pledge that dialogue

for their release was still ongoing.

Daura also said acting on the directive of the President to employ peaceful strategy in ensuring the timely release of the girls, intense dialogue which he said was arduous and challenging, was adopted, pointing out that a number of hiccups encountered during the process made the negotiation process complex and complicated.

He said the reasons for embracing dialogue for the negotiation went beyond the search for the release of the girls to include the search for permanent end to terrorist activities. He listed other motivating factors for the dialogue to include: discussing the fate of arrested terrorists and that of other Nigerians held by Boko Haram as well as the possibility of granting amnesty to repentant terrorists.

However, Daura said the factors listed above had been difficult to achieve because certain issues including the factionalisation of Boko Haram, negative effects of social media and unguarded utterances of some government

agencies whom he said were not authorised to comment on the matter further militated against the pursuit.

Daura who also disclosed that upon the girls' release, they were taken to the hospital to ensure they were mentally and psychologically stable, observed that evaluation conducted by medical personnel revealed that four of the released girls had their limbs broken and consequently sent for Xray.

Furthermore, Daura disclosed that all of them had contacted one skin disease or the other following their inability to take their bathe for over a month, adding however, that they had accordingly been treated.

Besides the girls, he said four representatives of the Dapchi school including the principal, vice principal and parents of the girls were brought into the medical facility in Abuja with a view to relieving tension and anxiety adding that the decision had helped to stabilise the girls.

Called to speak on behalf of the freed girls, Fatima Bashir, thanked

DAPCHI SCHOOLGIRL: WE WERE FLOWN IN PLANES AND TAKEN OVER RIVERS IN BOATS recording videos on their phones. “Dapchi is full of joy,� said Mohammed Mdada, who saw the girls being whipped as they were driven away a month previously.

He said the militants apologised to some of the girls’ parents in their language, Kanuri, and shook their hands before driving off. “They said that if they knew they were Muslim girls they wouldn’t have abducted them,� Mdada said. “They warned the girls that they should stay away from school and swore that if they came back and found any girl in school, they’d abduct them again and never give them back.�

Usman Mataba, whose niece was among those returned, said she had talked to the militants. “I approached them and they told me that they had brought all the girls except six – that five had died on

the day they were taken,� he said. “They said they discovered they were dead when they arrived at their destination, so they buried them.�

Mdada said he had been told the five girls were trampled to death. The sixth had “refused to cooperate� with them, Mataba said.

Amnesty International later said four girls were still missing. Locals said Boko Haram also dropped off a boy who had apparently been kidnapped by accident.

Soon after arriving back in Dapchi, the army took Fatima and her schoolmates “They took all of them to the hospital, Fatima is in the hospital now,� Hafsat said later, waiting at home to see her sister. “I heard that the chief of staff of the army is here and wants to take the girls with him to Damaturu. I don’t like

that – I want her to stay.�

Their parents were not allowed in to see them, and the girls were soon put into vehicles and driven away. Their destination was Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, where they were to meet the president, Muhammadu Buhari.

In the aftermath of the Dapchi attack, Buhari said his government would negotiate with the militants, but in a statement released on Twitter on Wednesday he claimed there had been “backchannel� negotiations and that no ransoms had been paid.

This raises the question of what was offered to secure the girls’ release. The Nigerian government held several Boko Haram commanders who could have been handed over as barter.

Other aspects of the abduction and release remain murky.

According to anAmnesty International report, the army and police had been warned that Boko Haram would abduct the girls and made no attempt to stop them.

They also had been warned that they would be brought back on Wednesday morning, according to Dapchi residents, and positioned themselves at the school they had been taken from, thinking that they would be dropped off there.

However, their kidnappers drove them into the centre of the village, close to the police station.

Neither the military nor the police attempted to apprehend the militants, who even stopped to change a tyre before leaving Dapchi, according to Mataba.

The big questions are: How did Boko Haram secure an aircraft to fly about 110 schoolgirls? Which airport did they land?

Buhari for coming to their rescue and ensuring that their safety was guaranteed.

Obaseki urges FG on Sharibu’s rescue, lauds release of 104 girls Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged the federal government to intensify effort to rescue the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, who is still being held by Boko Haram insurgents.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki said the decision by Boko Haram insurgents to hold on to Leah, a minor, after releasing 104 girls, is condemnable and stressed that urgent steps should be taken to reunite Leah with her family. “It is important to condemn the practice where people are subjected to torture and discriminated against on the grounds of differences in faith and cultures,� he added.

The governor, however, lauded the federal government for the successful rescue of 104 abducted girls in Dapchi, Yobe State, noting, “The effort of the federal government in rescuing the girls after their abduction is laudable.�

Free Leah Sharibu, CAN

tells FG In a related development, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday urged the federal government to intervene and ensure that Leah Sharibu is freed.

This is as the Christian body also called for the release of the remaining girls of the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno State that were kidnapped since April 14, 2014.

CAN in a statement yesterday

by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant (Media & Communications) to the CAN President, said it was deeply worried, surprised and disappointed that not all the girls were rescued and indeed, that one of them was left behind simply because of her Christian faith. “This has once again, confirmed our position that the primary target of the terrorists are the Nigerian Christians as severally professed by their spokesman, Shekau.

"We are deeply troubled and disturbed that negotiators brought in by the Federal Government made feeble attempts to secure the release of Leah Sharibu who insisted on not renouncing her faith and converting to Islam, a development that affirmed that Christians are endangered in their own country.

Dr. Christopher Abebe is Dead Dr. Christopher Evbodaghe Abebe, OFR, is Dead. He died on Thursday 22nd of March, 2018 at the age of 99. In his lifetime, he joined UAC of Nigeria Limited as a young Clerk and rose through the ranks to become the first Nigerian Chairman/M.D. of UAC. In between, he had been the first, indigenous personnel director of UAC in 1959.

He was at various times prochancellor and chairman of the council of three Nigerian universities – University of Benin, Nsukka and Calabar.On his retirement from UAC, he became the first

Nigerian Chairman of Nigerian Breweries Limited. A devout Catholic, he was a papal knight of St. Gregory’s and Supreme Knight of St. Mulumba. He is survived by his wife of nearly 75 years, Mrs. Theresa Abebe, children, grand children and great grand children.

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

7

8

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

NEWS

News Editor Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x; ͸΀͚͚͞ͿͽΠ΀͚͸ Ě™sms only) Email Ă‹Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ë›Ă™Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x;̜ÞÒÓĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

A NEW BEGINING ...

From left, Dr. Prosper Okonkwo, director, APIN, Mrs. Rosemary Okagbue, Prof. Oladapo Ladipo and Dr. Oluwole Odutolu all members of the board of directors of APIN at the unveiling of the new logo of the organisation in Abuja...last week

Clark, Horsfall, S’South Governors Rally for Nigeria’s Restructuring in Yenagoa Today Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, former Head of the National Security Organisation, Chief Albert Horsfall and all Governors from the South South region of the country will today (Saturday) rally in support of Nigeria’s restructuring.

Coming under the umbrella of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), led by Chief Clark, the organisers will also use the occasion to demand a review of the current structure of the

Nigerian federation.

Billed to hold at the Grand Pavilion and Boat Club, Ox-bow Lake, Swali, Yenagoa, the occasion will have as its Chairman, Horsfall.

A statement yesterday in Yenagoa, signed by former Chief Whip of the old Rivers State, Chief Thompson Okorotie, and head of publicity, noted that the rally themed “restructuring the Nigerian Federation,� was in furtherance of PANDEF's belief that the 2019 general election was a referendum on restructuring

of the country.

The statement added that the forum was insisting that the Federal Government must restructure the country before the 2019 polls.

PANDEF said King Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe, would be the royal father of the day while all former Governors of the South-South, serving and former ministers, chairmen, CEOs and members of boards and parastatals are special guests of honour.

Other special guests of honour

are: all the current and former National Assembly members, all current and former Speakers and members of Houses of Assembly of the South-South. “We enjoin Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Assembly, Middle Belt Forum, the clergy, traditional rulers, leaders and elders from across the nation, youth, women groups and the general public to attend the South-South Mega Rally. “Governors of South South extraction, PANDEF leader, Chief Edwin Clark, some eminent

Nigerians and leaders of ethnic nationalities, civil society groups are expected to deliver speeches at the rally�, the statement said.

It urged Nigerians to support the struggle for restructuring, insisting that the country could not work the way it was currently constituted. “Let’s restructure now, tomorrow may be too late. A restructured Nigeria will guarantee a free, fair, egalitarian, united, peaceful and prosperous nation where everybody, irrespective of region, religion, creed and status

will be happy to call Nigeria his/her country.

"We intend to use the rally to rally support for restructuring of Nigeria. The 2019 general election is a referendum on restructuring. “We, the people of Niger Delta/ South South want the Nigerian federation to be restructured to enthrone true federalism before the 2019 general election and it is doable, all that is required is the political will on the part of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria", PANDEF argued.

Ex-President Jonathan Returns to Freetown CBN Injects Fresh $339.89m into for Sierra Leone’s Presidential Run-off Forex Market Former President, Goodluck Jonathan arrived Freetown on yesterday as leader of a team of observers to Sierra Leone’s presidential run-off polls scheduled to take place on 27th March, 2018.

Jonathan who is leading the Election Observation Mission of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) is carrying out the assignment in support of the effort for a peaceful and transparent election in Sierra Leone.

A statement by the ex-President’s spokesman Mr. Ikechukwu Eze said Jonathan also led EISA to the first round of the elections on March 7, 2018, where none of the candidates polled 55% of votes required to win a first round ballot.

It will be recalled that after observing the first round of the elections, Jonathan-led EISA had declared the process peaceful and credible, adding that they were

“conducted substantially in line with sub-regional, continental and international standards.� In its interim report presented to the media on 9th March, EISA 2018 also observed that voter turnout was impressive while the conduct of polling personnel was professional. Jonathan who presented the report also appealed to the people of Sierra Leone and all stakeholders to remain calm until the final electoral processes were concluded.

The report said: “The EISA Election Observation Mission commends the people of Sierra Leone for turning out in large numbers to register their will on 7 March 2018. In the absence of an incumbent in the presidential race, the presidential election seems to be one of the most keenly contested in the post-civil war period. “The EISA EOM notes the efforts of the different institutions to guarantee the integrity of the elections. On election day, voter turnout

was impressive and the conduct of polling personnel was professional.

There were technical glitches that necessitated the postponement of elections in 18 polling stations. Election day proceeded in a largely peaceful manner albeit with isolated incidents that were immediately addressed. “The EISA EOM is of the view that the process up until the end of the first day of tallying has so far been conducted substantially in line with sub-regional, continental and international standards although there is room for improvement especially in the legal framework to further level the playing field.

Other observer groups which returned similar verdicts in their earlier presentations included Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), The Commonwealth, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), European Union (EU), and The Carter Center (TCC).

Obinna Chima

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday sustained its intervention in the foreign exchange (forex) market by injecting the sum of $339.89 million in the Retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS).

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, who disclosed this in a statement, noted that the continued interventions were in line with the pledge made by the Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to sustain market liquidity in order to boost production and trade.

According to Okorafor, the feedback from the wholesale and retail segments of the Nigerian forex markets showed that customers were satisfied with their level of access to foreign exchange.

He also assured Nigerians that the recent confirmation of Deputy

Governors and Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) nominees by the Senate would further spur the Bank towards taking sound decisions needed for economic development.

Details obtained from the Bank indicate that the amount released was for requests in the agricultural, airlines, petroleum products and raw materials and machinery sectors.

It will be recalled that the preceding Friday, the Bank injected $210 million into the Wholesale segment of the forex market.

Meanwhile, the naira exchanged at N362/$1 in the BDC segment of the market yesterday.

Nigeria’s external reserves recently hit a five-year high of $46 billion, representing an increase of 18 per cent or $7 billion over the country’s reserves figure of $38.912 billion as of January 2, 2018. It has also significantly surpassed the $40 billion target for 2018 announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, last November, and is expected to inch up to $50 billion in the next few months.

Findings by THISDAY had shown that the last time the reserves neared $46 billion was on February 6, 2013. Okorafor had said the accretion of the country’s reserves was a result of the central bank’s continuous effort at vigorously discouraging unnecessary imports and reducing the nation’s import bill, inflows from oil and non-oil exports, as well as the huge inflows through the investors’ and exporters’ window of the foreign exchange market, which, he said, had attracted over $33 billion since April 2017, when it was created.

According to him, the CBN’s interventions in the forex window also helped to moderate the pressure on the forex reserves by sustaining liquidity in the market and boosting production and trade.

9

MARCH 17, 2͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

Yemi

Adebowale

07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Osinbajo, Enough of Your Sleaze Rhetoric

I

t seems Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is unaware that his strategy of using sleaze stories of the preceding government to divert attention from the failings of the Buhari administration is now obsolete. Most Nigerians are tired of his tenacious reference to corruption under the Jonathan administration, instead of telling us how they are working, if they truly are, to pull Nigeria out of these 34 months of mess. Nigerians are conversant with the level of corruption under the last administration; that was one of the reasons they changed the government.

Unfortunately, the Buhari administration has not done any better in this regard.

Osinbajo pretends to be unaware of this.

Almost three years down the line, he still uses every opportunity to tell us about how billions of Naira was stolen during the Jonathan administration.

Speaking this week at the 7th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum for private sector stakeholders in Abuja, Osinbajo comically declared: “We saw from the presentation of the Minister of Finance that N14 billion was spent on agriculture in 2014, transportation got N15 billion, while infrastructure in three years got N153 billion, and yet in two weeks before the elections, N150 billion was shared. So if your total infrastructure spending is N153 billion and you can share N150 billion, then that is completely incredible.

“If we had spent the proceeds from that single commodity the way we ought to, we won’t be where we are today. Most of the proceeds went to rent seekers in the industry. In one single transaction, a few weeks to the 2015 elections, N100 billion and $295 million were just frittered away by a few. When you consider that in 2014, as the Minister of Finance has said, oil prices averaged $110 a barrel but only N99 billion was spent on the power, works and housing sectors.”

Haba Osinbajo! This is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black. Rent seekers in the oil industry are still collecting the proceeds of crude oil sales under Buhari’s watch. This is why the NNPC spent a monstrous $5.8 billion on the importation of 9.8 million metric tons of petrol in four months - October 2017 to January 2018. This is why refineries are still not working; yet, this administration has spent billions of Naira on turnaround maintenance. Billions of Naira is still going down the drains in the name of payment of subsidies for petrol.

For how long must this country continue to squander its resources due to inept

Osinbajo

leadership? What has changed in almost three years of this “change” administration regarding payment of petrol subsidy? These are pertinent questions begging for answers from the current managers of Nigeria’s economy.

Infrastructure got N153 billion in three years of Jonathan? Our Vice President was obviously economical with the truth, just to score a cheap political point.

On the pilfering of public funds to fund 2015 election campaigns, the then opposition APC was evidently as guilty as the PDP. Our dear Vice President needs to tell us how his party raised billions of Naira to tackle the PDP, or is he saying that his law firm provided the billions? The truth is that a large chunk of the funds used by the APC to prosecute this election is plainly stolen money. Most governors of states controlled

by Osinbajo’s party and other leading opposition figures plundered public money to fund their campaigns. This is the truth that must be told. Many will quiver when the true story of how the APC was able to outspend the PDP in the 2015 election is exposed in black and white.

Whenever Osinbajo mocks the previous government over corruption, I just laugh.

Corruption under this government in the last 34 months is frightening. I was not surprised when the 2017 Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International revealed that sleaze in Nigeria is more severe under the Buhari administration. Nigeria was also downgraded by TI

from 136 to 148 in the CPI. I have a long list of corruption reminders for Osinbajo, which includes Mainagate, Barugate and Babachirgate. Perhaps, Osinbajo needs to first go back and read the memo written by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu on sleaze in the NNPC. Contracts running into billions of USD were allegedly awarded exclusively by Baru, without due process. Some of them include crude term contracts valued at over $10 billion; DSDP contracts valued at over $5 billion; the AKK pipeline contract valued at approximately $3 billion; various financing allocation-funding contracts with the NOCs valued at over $3 billion and various NPDC production service contracts valued at over $3 billion. Kachikwu further alleged that during the first one year of Baru’s tenure, no contract was cleared by the NNPC board, despite legal and procedural requirements that all contracts above $20 million would need to be reviewed and approved by the board. The cabal in charge of this administration had to tighten the noose on Kachikwu, forcing him to recant. Even Osinbajo made conflicting statements about Barugate.

But for persistent protest by Nigerians, Babachir Lawal, the legendary grass cutter, would have remained as the SGF after mismanaging about N2.5 billion in the account of the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE. Nigerians will never forget the damaging report about his role in the looting of the funds. Report of the forensic audit of PINE by the Senate was incriminating. The forensic report showed that Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company, with the sacked SGF as Director, was awarded consultancy contract by PINE. It emerged further that Josmon Technologies, a firm that was awarded contract by PINE, paid the money into the bank account of Rholavision Engineering. In the course of the public hearing on PINE activities, its key officers could not convincingly account for the N2.5 billion released to them to tackle the crisis in the camps of the IDPs. The transgression of Babachir and the soft landing he got is a confirmation of Buhari’s skewed war against corruption.

What about the sleaze allegations against the reinstated Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof.

Usman Yusuf? A public servant under investigation by anti-graft agencies is reinstated with fiat. The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, had earlier set up a panel to probe Yusuf’s transgressions and the panel

The Insight of Father Kukah Northern elite, particularly Muslims, should spend quality time reading the recent epistle of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, in which he accused the elite of using religion to hold onto power to the detriment of their people and the larger society. Speaking in Kafanchan at the burial of the Catholic Bishop of the Kafanchan Diocese, father Joseph Bagobiri, Kukah maintained that despite its access to power for years, the North still remained backward and the poorest part of the country. He said: “Nearly 15 million Muslim children are on the streets with no future in sight. We are, as the governor of

Borno would say, the poster child of poverty.

Death, destruction and destitution have become our lot and nowhere is this more expressed than in Northern Nigeria. Today, Boko Haram and the herdsmen and farmers’ clashes are phenomena that are peculiar to the North and Islam. We cannot run away from this. Even Usman Dan Fodio (Islamic preacher and founder of the Sokoto Caliphate) said that a society can live with unbelief, but no nation can survive with injustice.”

These are words of wisdom. I sincerely hope that those indicted will amend their ways, rise and tackle the poverty in this region with all their might.

Kukah

Where Are the 500,000 New Teachers?

Buhari

I can clearly remember that when Buhari was presenting the 2016 budget in December 2015, he said as an emergency measure, the government would address the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country by partnering state and local governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates, as well as holders of NCE. “These graduate teachers will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision

of basic education, especially in our rural areas,” declared the President. I was excited by this promise because of the challenges in public schools, particularly in the North.

Our state and local government managers have all messed up on this. Unfortunately, Buhari has failed to actualise this promise, over two years after he made it. Today, I am appealing to our President to deliver on this promise. He has just 14 months left to do this.

found him culpable. The allegations against the NHIS boss are weighty. He was accused of violating procurement laws and dishing out contracts to cronies. This administration ignored the said purchase of a Prado SUV

by Yusuf for N58 million shortly before the last Ramadan, even though his approval limit was N2.5 million? Sources said a number of Prado SUVs were attached to his office, but the NHIS boss allegedly went ahead to buy a new one. This government decided to overlook claims that Yusuf mismanaged about N919 million contributed by subscribers to the NHIS. Yet, Osinbajo is regaling us with stories about corruption under Jonathan, while the country wallows in darkness, unending fuel queues, poverty, disease, hunger, unemployment and malnutrition.

The truth be told without sentiment; the economy handed over to the Buhari administration was a fairly good one with consistent growth in GDP and industrial capacity utilisation. Under Obasanjo, late Yar’Adua and Jonathan, industrialists and SMEs were running their businesses with little encumbrances. The Naira and supply of fuel were fairly stable. The forex policy was also friendly to industrialists. That was why industrial capacity went up in the last three years of the Jonathan administration.

So, how well-managed has this country been in the last 34 months under wailing Buhari and Osinbajo? Are there positive stories to tell in areas like the value of our currency, economy, electricity, fuel supply, manufacturing, job creation and so on? The truth is that in 34 months, this administration squandered virtually all the gains of its predecessors. I challenge Osinbajo to point to a single tangible achievement of this administration in critical sectors like security, education, health, road, economy, power and housing in the last 34 months.

Even the President and his family members are regularly flown abroad to enjoy foreign medicals.

The last 34 months brought pain, blood and tears to Nigerians, with thousands of businesses and manufacturers gasping for breath, while millions of Nigerians lost their jobs. The Naira, our symbol of nationhood has never had it so bad. At a point, it was trading for as high as N520/$. This is the same Naira Buhari inherited at about N220/$. Which corruption is bigger than buying petrol at N145 per litre? Nigerians outside Lagos and Abuja pay more. Which corruption is bigger than plunging Nigeria into unprecedented foreign debt within 34 months? According to the latest data from the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s external debt rose to $18.91 billion (N5.787 trillion) as at the end of December 2017, while domestic debt rose to N15.937 trillion, bringing the total debt stock of the country to N21.725 trillion ($70.92 billion). What do we have to show for all these borrowings in the last 34 months?

Nigerians continue to be ranked among the poorest globally. So, what has Osinbajo and his principal done about this in the last 34 months? Is he unaware that the country’s unemployment rate rose from 14.2% to 18.8% in the third quarter of last year, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics? This should burden Osinbajo.

Any serious government would have ensured a robust engagement of this unemployment figures. He should be worried that Nigeria will soon surpass India as the country with the largest number of people living in life-threatening poverty despite the fact that India’s population is almost four times that of Nigeria’s. Living in extreme poverty, going by the parameters set by the World Bank, means living on less than $1.90 per day, an amount that cannot guarantee even the token needs for existence. This is another insignia of disgrace that should task Osinbajo.

Osinbajo and his principal should concentrate on pragmatic steps to pull more Nigerians out of poverty instead of regaling us with corruption stories under Jonathan.

Forward-looking Nigerians are tired of these monkeyshines.

10

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

11

12

ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE MAN WHO MAKES THINGS HAPPEN Austin Uganwa pays tribute to Emeka Ihedioha, former deputy speaker, House of Representatives, at age 53

T

o some people age is just a mere number. But to Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives who turned 53 today, age is symbolic and viewed as a function of the accomplishments one is able to record within a particular time of one’s life. To Ihedioha and his likes age is only meaningful when one catalogues considerable achievements to his credit each year the birthday is being commemorated. This is more so when the accomplishments are in the best public interest and geared towards human development.

This explains why several influential and accomplished people in history who impacted uniquely on humanity are continually celebrated and remembered even centuries after their exit. Some of such great people include: the formidable British literary icon, William Shakespeare, author of Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar; Archimedes, an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer; Aristotle, big thinker and one of the key brains behind Western philosophy and George Washington, founding father of the United States.

Also on the list of world’s most commemorated and venerated are: Napoleon Bonaparte, French military leader and politician; Galileo, Italian scientist who developed a powerful telescope and confirmed revolutionary theories about the nature of the world and Sir Isaac Newton, English scientist who invented the reflecting telescope, among several others.

Distinctly, all the influential men of yore and Ihedioha and his likes are instructive of a notable aphorism that categorises people into three discrete areas namely: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who don’t know how things happen.

Ihedioha clearly typifies one of those who make things happen. This is evident in the stream of achievements he has recorded and his sterling contributions to nation-building and stability of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Born into the family of late Pa Green Ihedioha on March 24, 1965 at the idyllic Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise Local Council of Imo State, the commemoration of this milestone should be hugely celebrated with fanfare and drumbeats not because of the age he has attained but his inherently unassailable accomplishments . For instance, when PDP was engulfed in the worst crisis in the organisation’s history which almost decapitated the party, Ihedioha was one of the party leaders who stood tall towards ensuring the resurgence of the party.

In his state, Imo when most of the leaders, at the zenith of the crisis, were either playing somewhat ostrich or hibernating with the cabal planted in the party to destroy it, Ihedioha refused to be browbeaten, he remained loyal and resolute, galvanising willing party men and women to mollify and steady the party in the state. Consequently, he was and still remains the unifying point of the party in the state His ascendancy in partisan politics has been meteoric, astronomic and legendary. He cut his political teeth during the short-lived Third Republic in 1991 when he was appointed Press Officer to the then Deputy Senate President, Senator Albert Legogie of the blessed memory. After the demise of the Third Republic following military interregnum he set up a private public relations firm, First Page Communications where he directed affairs until the rebirth of democracy in 1999 that marked his return to active politics. He was appointed Media Adviser to the then Senate President, Dr Chuba

AS CHAIRMAN OF CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE, IHEDIOHA ENTHRONED A CREDIBLE, LARGELY NOVEL CONSTITUTION REVIEW PROCESS

BY PAINSTAKINGLY INVOLVING THE CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AND BROADENING THE PARTICIPATION BASE OF NIGERIANS BY SEEKING THEIR INPUTS IN THE 360 FEDERAL CONSTITUENCIES IN THE COUNTRY

Okadigbo, who until his death in 2003, a consummate, vibrant, intellectually sound politician imbued with exceptional wit and profound power of oratory.

With the removal of Dr Okadigbo as Senate President after about 11 months on the saddle, he again got another appointment by the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his Special Assistant on Politics. It was at this point his political space became more manifest as he contested and won his first election as a member of the House of Representatives to represent Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency. Fascinatingly, he was elected three consecutive times for 12-year-stretch into the House.

His stay in the House reinforced his uniqueness in politics given the rare and remarkable feats he recorded. This is evidenced in the reality that during the three sessions Ihedioha spent in the House, he held various positions in an uncommon progress-led fashion. For instance, between 2003 and 2007, he was Chairman of a Grade A Committee, Marine Transport. The following session, 2007 to 2011, he was elevated to the position of Chief Whip of the House after a stint as Committee Chairman on Integration and Cooperation in Africa.

He ascended onto a bigger and more far-reaching position 2011to 2015 when his colleagues in the House elected him unopposed as Deputy Speaker. He later ended the session as Speaker, the first of its kind in Nigeria’s parliamentary politics.

As Deputy Speaker, Ihehioha accordingly chaired the House Ad hoc on Constitution Review; headed the intellectual-based committee that designed House Road map for 2011 and 2015 and presided over the House Committee of the Whole that considers and passes all bills into law. However, as chairman of Constitution Review Committee, Ihedioha enthroned a credible, largely novel constitution review process by painstakingly involving the civil society groups and broadening the participation base of Nigerians by seeking their inputs in the 360 federal constituencies in the country.

Since his advent in politics, Ihedioha has intrinsically used his political positions to advance the cause of humanity and the reinforcement of the lofty ideals of nationhood. He pursued critical acts such as NIMASA Act of 2008 towards ensuring the revamp of the Nigeria Ports Authority. His stint in the National Assembly was developmentfocused and infrastructure-led. His pursuits for empowerment programmes resulting in wealth creation and employment boost have remained palpable and unassailable. These realities including his regular interface with his constituents are instructive of his dexterity for effective legislative governance.

Although this piece is not principally fashioned to compute the many projects Ihedioha brought to Imo State and South East zone, the record of his road infrastructure, electricity projects, education facilities, water projects, hospital facilities is significant and verifiable.

For instance, Ihedioha got NDDC to award contract for OkpalaIgwuruta Road, linking Imo to Rivers with the first phase costing N4.2b; facilitated award of contract for the dualisation of Owerri-Elele (Omayelu) 35-kilometre road at N23b. He also attracted contract for the design of the famous 63-kilometre Mbaise Ring Road cutting across three local councils.

Dr Uganwa teaches at the National Open University of Nigeria and consults for the National Assembly

IN THE NATION’S INTEREST Nigerian Peace Corps will do the nation a lot of good, argues Rogers Edor Ochela

S

ince the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) Bill was introduced on the oor of the National Assembly, went through all legislative processes, passed, adopted and transmitted to the President for assent, it has been consistently dogged by needless controversies. As one who has been keeping track and monitoring all the criticisms of the NPC bill, we have decided to embark on the arduous assignment of unveiling some of the essential features of the bill for the benefit of Nigerians.

The bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives by Hon. Umar Farouk and the Senate

by Senator Ali Ndume, went through all necessary legislative processes, including public hearing where over 574 memoranda and oral presentations were made. Virtually all the memoranda and presentations made by religious organisations, traditional rulers, federal governmental ministries and agencies, state governments, state Houses of Assembly, civil society organisations, NGO’s, youth and student bodies participated in the public hearing and supported the bill. Out of this staggering number of participants, only four agencies namely, Federal Ministry of Interior, the Police, Civil Defence Corps and Office of the National Security Adviser were opposed to the bill. This piece will dwell mainly on the followings: the functions of Peace Corps; the governing board; its hierarchical structure (staff and membership); appointment, promotion, offences and discipline of staff; administrative structure and zonal commands and financial provisions. The bill is to give statutory backing to the Peace Corps of Nigeria, whose core mandate is: to develop, empower and provide gainful employment for the youths, to

facilitate peace, volunteerism, community services, nation-building, neighbourhood watch, and other related matters. Other functions training of youths to advance the course of nation-building and conflict transformation through peace education, mediation and conflict resolution among warring groups or communities; building the capacity of the youths in the areas of critical thinking, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and skills acquisition; re-directing the creative potential of the youths towards patriotic services and nation-building through citizenship and leadership training; establishing Peace Corps Clubs and combating all forms of social decadence or vices, including examination malpractices in educational institutions in order to create a peaceful and conducive atmosphere for learning; engaging members in crowd control during public functions; serving as orderlies to members of the executive, parliament. Judiciary and traditional rulers that are not covered by existing security agencies and carrying out any other function(s) as may be prescribed by an act of the National Assembly or by any bye-law, etc.

According to the bill, there shall be a governing board for the corps, which shall consist of one, a chairman, who must be a person of proven integrity; two, representative each of the Federal Ministries of Youth Development, Interior, Employment, Labour and Productivity, Education, Environment, Finance and Justice. Other members shall comprise of representative each of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, National Orientation Agency, National Population Commission, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and National Directorate of Employment, with the National Commandant

of the Corps serving as the secretary. The major functions of the board include: provision of general policies and guidelines relating to major expansion of the corps; supervision of management and general administration of the corps. However, before the constitution of the board or when it is dissolved, the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Youth shall perform the functions of the board.

The staff shall be a National Commandant (NC) for the corps to be appointed by the president on the recommendation of the minister, who is to hold office for five years and may be eligible for reappointment for another term of five years. While recruitment of regular members and staff of the corps shall be by the board, such members shall be Nigerians within the age bracket of 18-35 years.

While the appointment of senior staff of the rank of commandant and above shall be by the president upon nomination by the national commandant and recommendation of the board, the appointment of state commandants shall be by the board on the recommendation of the NC. Similarly, the post of deputy national commandant shall be a terminal post on which the holder shall retire from Peace Corps as may be determined by the president.

The membership of the senior staff disciplinary committee shall consist of a deputy national commandant and assistant national commandant with the deputy national commandant serving as chairman.

In the absence of a deputy national commandant, the most senior assistant national commandant shall serve as chairman. There is provision for a provost marshal, head of legal matters; and National Corps Secretary. A junior staff disciplinary committee is

vested with the powers to discipline the junior staff of the corps.

The headquarters of the corps shall be in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and headed by the national commandant and there shall be departments of administration, finance and accounts, training and operations; intelligence and security; peace building and conflict resolution; monitoring and evaluation; personnel, record and welfare; and logistics and supply.

While each department shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of DNC, all these departments shall be established at the various command structures. A lot of fuss has been made about funding for the corps so much that the president also used it as part of his reasons for withholding assent to the NPC Bill. This is, however, surprising for an organisation that has survived for 27 years as a private entity.

So, if corps could survive all these years without any form of government subvention, what makes these critics think it cannot still survive now with little funding from the government?

Happily enough, the bill provides that the corps shall establish and maintain a fund into which shall be paid: (a) all subventions and budgetary allocations from the federal government; (b) all sums accruing to the corps from donations made by local or international donor agencies; (c) statutory allocations from the federal government; (d) gifts from the tiers of government, ministries or agencies and private corporations; (e) loans, grants and aid; and (f) bequests.

Ochela, is Media Consultant to Peace Corps of Nigeria

13

ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

To Allah be the glory...

The Human Side of Boko Haram

The Shame of Lagos State BRT

Y

ears ago when Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) berthed, Lagosians especially those on the Ikorodu road and it axis down to Western Avenue were exceedingly glad with the hope that a huge relief has come in the transportation sector. But it seems the Lagos State Government is getting it wrong in almost all angles in couple of weeks, ranging from a systematic extortion of Lagosians through Land Use Charge (LUC), the unprofessional manner of waste management at Olusosun waste site and most recently the breakdown of the BRT system.

I will not waste my precious time to dwell on the much debated LUC as it is obvious that the Lagos State Government knows the planned final bus stop she is headed to as the reduction of the LUC does not seem to make sense to the masses. The Lagos State Government fails to realise that the poor masses will bear the brunt because some of the “Almighty Lagos landlords� will use the opportunity to jack up the rent in the name of increased LUC. To the Olusosun scenario, the popular refuse dump site where the welcome to Lagos perfume is perceived was recently set on fire most irrationally without considering the effect it will cause on lives and property. There was news that asthmatic patients within the environs were suffocated due to the thick fumes. Most annoying was when I read that the Lagos State Government has given residents around the Olusosun dumpsite the relocation order. My question at this point is where should they relocate to?

Now to the failing transport system.

Lagosians are beginning to wonder the sort of services PRIMERO , (the company managing the BRT transport system) seems to be offering especially after they (PRIMERO) have succeeded in deceiving and convincing the state government to see reasons with them why the fare should be reviewed upward; but despite this upward review, Lagosians paid in pain with the hope that an increment will translate into better services. That has never been the case!

Between March 14 and 20, 2018) the BRT ticketers as they are popularly called were “off and on� around major BRT Shelters (Ikorodu, Agric, Ketu, Ojota, Anthony, Fadeyi, Costain and TBS) where huge passenger normally converge waiting to be commuted but waited in vain. To this end, some inquisitive passengers like me decided to enquire from a particular ticketer that was offering skeletal services at Ikorodu and I asked what could be responsible for all these poor services? He said they have not been paid their monthly salaries coupled with the fact that there were no enough buses on ground. So to avoid the situation where passengers will be stranded after they must have bought their tickets and waiting endlessly, they decided not to sell tickets except when they

(ticketers) sight buses going to particular routes.

I further asked why is it that there are no much buses operating? He said they are out of diesel and it was alleged that PRIMERO is yet to settle their diesel suppliers. By this PRIMERO is forced to purchase diesel from private diesel station very close to their operational office at Majidun along Ikorodu road. This to me was a disgusting tale.

While on queue at the Ketu Shelter waiting for a bus to commute us (passengers) inward Ikorodu, it was alleged that PRIMERO runs a central revenue account managed by one individual who withdraws and pays suppliers. Apparently this fellow travelled out of the country without settling the outstanding debts owed to suppliers and this resulted in BRT buses seen purchasing diesel from private diesel station while passengers are on queue. What a shame!

For the past two weeks, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), the 20th and last BRT Shelter inward Marina has always been a place of shame such that during peak hours, workers intending to return to their respective homes are seen stranded. Some wait for hours. When the Ambode government assumed power, “they� immediately scrapped the “Babatunde Raji Transport� (BRT) system operated and managed by LAMATA/NURTW and the present Lagos State Government brought in private operators called PRIMERO. Ben Eremen, Lagos

T

he phrase, “human side�, was given a Nigerian tinge and notoriety by Femi Adesina, spokesman of the president. On December 24, 2017, Adesina announced that a 55-minute documentary entitled the ‘Human Side of Buhari’ would air the next day.

This was at a time of chronic petrol drought, and when Nigerians became tenants of fuel stations.

Adesina said the documentary aimed to show the soft interior of the president against the background of his vaunted steel exterior; hence the title the ‘Human Side....’ I hope I have given enough credit to Oga Adesina because I intend to appropriate his phrase here.

On Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, said the government did not pay ransom to Boko Haram for the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls. In fact, he said the girls were released unconditionally. I would have given the

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE 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, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

minister the benefit of the doubt. But he said exactly the same thing when 85 Chibok schoolgirls were released in October - only for facts of how the government paid the insurgents a ransom of millions of Euros to surface.

Perhaps, Boko Haram has a “human side�. But it shatters the grail of reason that a band of murderous renegades will walk a treadmill of danger to abduct a group of schoolgirls only to return them without any condition. Maybe Boko Haram has had an epiphany.

However, I believe the Dapchi abduction is not a scam or a political orchestration. Though I think Boko Haram is sympathetic to the Buhari administration.

The reasons for this are obvious.

The government has released a multitude of Boko Haram suspects; even the wives and children of the insurgents previously incarcerated. I doubt if any Boko Haram member, tried and convicted, has been sentenced to death or even given a life sentence under this administration.

The government has been temperate with them in this regard.

This is not entirely a bad or immoral approach because the insurgents are still Nigerians. And there is the other issue, which is purely sentimental.

Also, hundreds of Boko Haram members have been released for purging or deradicalisation by the Buhari government. Most of these insurgents were captured by the military under President Jonathan, but they were left to rot in diseased prisons.

In conclusion, I think the government has been able to secure the trust of the insurgents by its approach; hence the breakthrough.

But the Jonathan administration could not achieve this.

Fredrick Nwabufo,fredricknwabufo@yahoo. com

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 24, 2018

SUPER SATURDAY

IFEDAYO ANDREW-OGUNBAYO How I Turned Free Travel Advisory Into Money-making Venture

Astute Ifedayo Andrew-Ogunbayo is a trained estate surveyor by profession. She studied Estate Management at the Federal University of Technology, Minna in Niger. After years of experience in real estate and facilities management, driven by the passionate to provide professional support to people on travels and tourism, she decided to set up an outfit to cater for that purpose. In 2014, she took the plunge, pursued the passion — set up her a company, Fidol Trip and Travel Services, which provides customer-centric and tailored holiday and travel packages. Now living her passion, Andrew-Ogunbayo speaks with Adedayo Adejobi about the pleasures, adventures and challenges of travels and tourism

T

ell us about your travel services.

Fidol Trip and Travel Services is a Nigeria-based Ttravel management company that is in the business of managing and customizing travel arrangements for all would-be travellers with a dual purpose of ensuring they get value for money and their travels, excellently planned. It was borne out of a passion for organizing travel events and conferences. The company was created to fill the gap created by travelers, doing so with a touch of excellent customer service and top-notch responsiveness to inquiries.

There are many travel houses where travel-related issues are resolved however, I set out to apply knowledge from the paid-employment over the years to delight guests’ travel experience, while as much as possible, achieving clients request working with the client’s budget.

I have taken advantage of the frequently organised travel industry training and fora, as well as a personal overseas partnership to improve the responsiveness and client advisory services which have translated to improved customer base and transactions.

Ifedayo

so whichever suits the client is what we engage to make it effective as well as efficient.

There is a client information form that a new walk-in or prospective customer is made to fill out where basic questions are asked to dig into the person’s peculiarities, aside from the questions about where they intend to go to, the family size and budget. The responses to these questions that have been technically and tactically put together will help us know the clients and their expectations as well as help us to decide how to wow them.

How do you carve a niche for Fidol Trips in the travels market?

There is space for every bird to fly freely in the sky. Having said that, the luxury travel market is huge as on a daily basis, while some are having their umpteenth travel experience, someone somewhere is starting out on the journey to experiencing what luxury travel is all about. One of our major destinations known and appreciated over the years is Dubai and the entire UAE – to the extent that there is a wrong notion in some quarters that we only sell and promote Dubai. We sell every great destination, however; Dubai comes to mind first because of the ease of selling it and the availability of What are the specific services Fidol various accommodation and sightseeing options. There is always something new Trips provides? to experience in Dubai even for those At Fidol Trips, our services include who have visited severally before. but are not limited to: worldwide flight Aside from Dubai, we sell various and reservations, visa assistance, meetother destinations and to be able to sell ings incentives conferences exhibition, them effectively, one thing we do is to educational tours, worldwide tours and try and experience it ourselves. It can be sightseeing, local and international holiquite hard-biting on the pocket, but by day package, travel insurance, airport transfers around the world, honeymoon the time a Client comes and you explain the city and the various activities, it is packages, destination weddings, event much easier to get the Client’s buy-in planning and management, medical than not knowing what it entails at all. tourism to India, Dubai and Turkey.

We also get some familiarisation trips paid for by some tourism boards and How do you go about targeting your market and communicating with owners of facilities. This also helps us to remain on top of our game. the clients?

We no doubt cater for high net worth With political unrests in some individuals. We, however, have stracountries, how have that affected tegically included the ones below that planning travels for clients? ladder-level, as we not only do foreign Destinations where there is unrest are travels; we also encourage and sell more difficult to sell because as a ratiolocal travels to those who can’t afford nal human being, ‘safety-first’ comes to to travel abroad. Talking about how we mind. Places like Kenya that are even communicate with our clients that is where profiling is very important in the relatively peaceful are still trying to pick up from the bomb blast that happened business. Based on the clients’ profiles, years ago and the political unrest as a we identify how best to communicate result of power tussle. with them- via emails, phone calls, text Same goes to even use a particular messages, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google airline to travel. Some will rather pay Plus. We are active on all these platforms more than fly in a cheaper option of

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž RCH 24, 2018

15

SUPERSATURDAY GOVERNMENTS MUST FIX AIRPORTS, ROADS, SECURITY PROBLEMS TO WOO TOURISTS

I set out to apply knowledge from the paid-employment over the years to delight guests’ travel experience, while as much as possible, achieving clients request working with the client’s budget. I have taken advantage of the frequently organised travel industry training and fora, as well as a personal overseas partnership to improve the responsiveness and client advisory services which have translated to improved customer base and transactions

airline just because they are not sure of what the security situation will be as they transit since there will be a compulsory stop-over in the hub airport. A case in point is Turkish Airlines. Even though they are relatively cheaper than others, people try to avoid flying through Istanbul due to the unrest. To answer your questions straight, the various political unrests around the world has made travel planning more complicated but we try to find a way around it as much as possible as professionals.

What challenges do you foresee in the travels industry?

Although we’ve been able to weather the storm of forex, the exchange rate of the Naira to major currencies of the world is a huge challenge. That has made the cost of airfare and other items more expensive when converted to the Naira. For instance, in 2012, the exchange rate between AED and USD was 3.65 while AED to Naira was about NGN45. Fast forward to 2017, the rate of exchange between AED and USD still remains between 3.6 and 3.65 but AED to the Naira is about 110. This has made travelling more restricted to very high net-worth individuals. In a nutshell, the instability in the economy has to be fixed.

Another issue is the airports in Nigeria. They are in a deplorable state despite the huge sums spent by successive governments. To sell Nigeria as a destination, we need to fix the airports and make them be on the same level with other world-beater hotels.

Also, for us to remain in business, the cost of procuring Nigerian Visas have to be one that is encouraging and not one that kills interest in visiting as we currently have. The Federal Government needs to look into this. There are other challenges. If these are looked into and worked on, the future of luxury travel is bright as we will have an array of local tourism to go with the foreign ones.

Why have you decided to go into travels business instead of real estate that you studied in school?

First is passion and the other is the desire to turn the first into a portfolio. Travel for me is a hobby. While helping others along the way up on my career path as a real estate practitioner, someone I revered advised me to commercialise the advice I had been giving others for free. That was when it first struck me that I could actually make some money from the professional advice – leading me to double my interest and quest to know more about planning travels. As time went by, I became even more passionate.

Presently, the passion has become a super story as I am beginning to see that my passion is translating to money. It can only get better.

Competition in the travel and tours industry in Nigeria is very keen. What will you say stands Fidol Trips and Travel Services out?

What distinguishes Fidol Trips is our resolve to constantly remain relevant to our clients who we have branded ‘fidol guests’. To do this, we customize our services to each person or family’s specific needs. We don’t just pick any destinations or products to sell, we know our products, we have experienced them before selling to our guests. Any travel destinations not yet visited by any of our team, we try as much as possible not to venture into such to maintain the standard of being the best in what we do. By and large, we pride ourselves to be the number one customer-centric travel advisory services company in Nigeria. Our one-on-one customer relationship also gives us an edge over other competitors.

What kind of holiday one can get with a budget of say N300,000 for two people?

N300,000 before 2016 June could have taken two adults on a four-day holiday internationally. But now, N300,000 can take two adults on a holiday trip to Accra, Ghana, Lome in Togo or Cotonou in the Benin Republic, if the travellers will be willing to travel by road as airfare has skyrocketed since the exchange rate went up last year from less than N200/$1 to today’s rate of N327.5/$1. With this, bus fare, hotel, sightseeing will be provided.

Fidol just opened its second ofďŹ ce in Lagos. Any

family hence the risk becomes smaller and easier to manage. plans for further expansion?

Yes, we just opened a new office in Lekki. The dream of every entrepreneur is to become a household name and for this to be achieved we hope to expand to other parts of Nigeria especially the south-western part of Nigeria where a lot of activities are not taking place. We plan to give opportunities to young people.

They will be trained and empowered to start the business as trip planners through our affiliate training platforms.

As a member of NANTA, what is the association doing to make sure Nigerian travellers always get a fair deal?

The Association strives to work with all stakeholders including the government of Nigeria, CBN, Airline country offices etc to ensure Nigerian travellers enjoy travelling. On the part of the government, the ease of doing business has to be made better, the sourcing of forex. With all these done effectively, travellers will have it rosier.

How did you transition from real estate to travel consultancy?

I was the personal assistant to the principal partner in the former firm I worked. Though it was rough at the beginning, I found out that I had taken interest in making a career out of it. As soon as this was obvious, I was moved from core estate services office to be the executive secretary of AfRES because at that time, my boss was the president of the society. Hence, the secretariat had to be in his office. While there, I organized the travels to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Italy, US, Europe and Ghana with combined delegates of over 400 from all West African countries. That was the beginning of the journey to today. The major challenge faced then was the capital as a lot of clients want you to make their bookings and pay few days or weeks after. This is however still a challenge but with the passage of time, some customers have become

What advice do you have for young women who have plans to start a venture?

Asides involving God, love what you want to venture into. Identify the need available which your passion can be used to satisfy. As long as your service or goods help to meet a need, people will be willing to pay for it. Remember also that a lot of people are doing the same service you render hence, you have to put perfection and excellence to what you do to command respect and once there is respect, payment will be made and repeat business is a guarantee.

How can the government attract more tourists in the country?

The major issues we have in Nigeria’s inbound tourism market are infrastructures and security. Once the bad roads are fixed, commuting from one place to another is guaranteed. Fixing the rail lines will guarantee people travelling from South to North, vice versa with ease. The cost of a hotel is also very high in Nigeria and this is as a result of low supply and increase in the rate of running costs. Nigerian hotels are about the fourth most expensive in the world.

If we have arrangements between government and private investors to invest in Nigerian hotels, the cost of hotel accommodation will drop.

What countries top the list of where you will advise a client to go for a great holiday outside Nigeria?

For ease of securing visas, UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah) tops. Asides that, there are various options for the hotel according to budget and a whole lot of airline options to select from and above all, there are lots of attractive sightseeing activities.

Aside from Dubai, the other places that compete with Dubai for relevance where we advise our guests include but not limited to South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban options) Zanzibar, Kenya, Mauritius, Egypt, Morocco, Gambia, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, India, etc.

Poor Roads, Insecurity Hindering Tourism Growth in Nigeria

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

16

NEWS

In Brief Buhari Mourns Abebe

PresidentMuhammaduBuhariyesterdayextendedhisheartfeltcondolences totheAbebefamilyaswellasthegovernmentandpeopleofEdoStateonthe death of Dr. Christopher Abebe, aged 99. In a statement, his media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari also commiserated with the in-laws, friends, theorganisedprivatesectorandtheIruekpencommunityinEdoStateover the passage of the astute and dedicated community leader and business mogul. He said the president believed that as the Odionwere (community leader) of Iruekpen, the first indigenous Chairman and Managing Director of United Africa Company (UAC), Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council ofthreeNigerianUniversities(Benin,NsukkaandCalabar),Abebewasashining lightandworthyexampleofhardwork,positiveinfluenceandpatriotismtohis localcommunity,theprivatesectorandthenation."ThePresidenturgesfamily members, business associates and the Catholic Church in Nigeria where he servedcommittedlyasPapalKnightofStGregoryandSupremeKnightofSt. MulumbatohonourDr.Abebe’smemorybyupholdinghislifelongdedication andpassiontohumandevelopment.“ThePresidentpraysthatAlmightyGod will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest and comfort all who mourn him," the statement added.

Chevron, Others Spend N2.2bn on TB

HONING TRADE POLICIES...

L-R: Executive Council Member, Manufactures Association of Nigeria MAN, Alhaji Bashir Abdulahi; President MAN, Mr. Frank Jacob; and the Director General Mr. Segun Ajayi, at a Press Conference by MAN on African Continental Free Trade Arrear, held in Lagos yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

Despite Curfew, Gunmen Kill 3, Torch over 15 Houses in Fresh Plateau Attack Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

In spite of the imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew in Bassa local government area, and in Dong of Jos North local government area, by the Plateau State government, gunmen, in a fresh attack on Thursday night killed three persons and burnt over 15 houses.

This is even as some residents who narrowly escaped from the community disclosed that many people were currently missing.

Confirming the attack to journalists, Reverend Father Anthony Okparaji of St Augustine Catholic Church, Pastoral Centre, Dong said two of his parishioners and

another person were killed in the attack which started at about 9pm on Thursday, adding that he had informed the Police and the state government to reinforce security.

He added that a mass burial was going to be conducted in the village for the victims on Friday.

Also confirming the attack, the Public Relation Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Tyopev Terna said he could not give the death figure yet as the DPO of Rantya Police station had gone to the scene to assess the situation.

Major Umar Adam, spokesman of the military Special Task Force (STF), who also confirmed the

attack, however said there were three casualties.

He said that as soon as they received distress calls from the community, his men were mobilised immediately to scene, adding that normalcy had returned, as his men were now on patrol of the area.

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has appealed for calm, "following the attack last night by armed gunmen in Dong village of Jos North Local Government Area of the state, which culminated in the unfortunate loss of lives of some people in the area."

In a statement he issued on Friday through the state Commissioner of information and

Communication, Mr. Yakubu Dati, the Governor noted that relative calm had been restored to the area following the deployment of adequate security and urged the people to remain law-abiding.

While sympathising with the bereaved and injured, Lalong assured that government was taking steps to alleviate their pains.

He called on citizens to volunteer useful information to security agencies that would lead to the arrest of the criminals.

He also cautioned the people to resist the temptation of spreading wild and unfounded rumours that tend to aggravate the situation.

NEMA Receives another 149 Nigerians Repatriated from Libya Rebecca Ejifoma

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last night, received another 149 Nigerians who voluntarily returned home from Libya.

The returnees, who were received on arrival by the South West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Yakubu Suleiman, comprised of 107 male adults, 37 female adults including a medical case, four female children and one female infant.

They were brought by Buraq

airline chartered flight with registration number 5A-DMGl that landed at 10:45 pm at the NAHCO terminal of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport.

The Coordinator admonished the returnees to shun the urge of seeking greener pasture where it did not exist.

He, however, pointed out that all nations in the world were facing various challenges. “And as a result of global economic meltdown and that due to ingenuity of the present

Federal Government that has overcome the recession while most countries that Nigerians are craving to run to are still grappling with the same economic and social issues worse than that of Nigeria.�

He assured them that Nigeria had more than enough resources that can cater for “Our needs but it is left for every one of us to tap from any these abundant resources. “The governments at Federal and State levels have lots of incentives for the returnees

for their rehabilitations and reintegration to compliment European Union and IOM.�

Programme Manager of IOM Lagos, Mr. Abraham Tamrat, handed over the returnees to NEMA. The returnees, who were brought into the country by officials of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), were given handsets loaded with airtime courtesy of the Offices of the Senior Special Assistant on SDG and Diaspora/Foreign Affairs.

HURIWA Carpets Civil Defence Over Death of 7 Passengers A Non-Governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Enugu State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for causing the death of seven passengers following an ill-fated chase of a bus driver in Enugu.

In a media statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, the Rights group asked the Enugu State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to ensure that the operatives of the Civil Defence

Corps responsible for the horrible misconduct which occasioned mass death were prosecuted for murder. “The information reaching us from Enugu state that seven persons were burnt to death beyond recognition when a commercial bus was allegedly shot at by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and it went up in flames, is the most recorded case of deliberate mass killings by armed security forces which must not be swept under the carpets by the Enugu state government. The allegation that these killings occurred because

these supposed armed Para-military agents demanded unsuccessfully for N50 bribe from the bus driver at the Milikin Hill, Ngwo Old Road, Enugu, has brought a lot of disgrace to the entire Institution of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and is such a dastardly criminal act of depravity which must be taken up by the Enugu State government. “We have always opposed the decision to arm the operatives of the NSCDC when the Federal government came up with the plot to distribute weapons to these operatives who are deficient

in professional training in areas of handling of lethal weapons.

"This primitive act of alleged robbery by these armed Paramilitary operatives which led to the killings of innocent passengers is one extra-legal killing too many to be overlooked.

We term this as robbery because no segment of the armed security forces should chase after commercial passenger buses and endanger the lives of dozens of civilians on the nebulous ground that the said commercial bus operator contravened the so-called no parking edict of the Enugu State government.

Multinationaloilcompany,ChevronNigeriaLimited(CNL)hasdisclosedthatit haswithitsbusinesspartnersintheAgbamioilfield,investedN2.2billioninthe developmentofinfrastructureandsupplyofmedicalequipmentindifferent hospitals across Nigeria to fight the menace ofTuberculosis (TB) and other communicablediseasesacrossthecountry.Itsaidthatitstartedmakingthis fundingcommitmentfrom2008,andthatitsconcernaboutthespreadofthe diseasehadmadeitanditsAgbamipartnerssustaintheirsupporttothefight againstit.SpeakingattheTuberculosisRoundtableorganisedbytheStopTB Nigeria recently in Abuja, the Occupational Health Physician, CNL, Dr. Femi Pitan,statedthatChevroncompaniesinNigeriawerecommittedtothesocioeconomicdevelopmentofNigeriathroughmutually-beneficialpartnerships and supports for government’s efforts in health sector development.

Nigeria has World’s Highest Malaria Burden

AconsultantpediatricianattheFederalMedicalCentre(FMC),Dr.Immaculata Tunde-Oremodu, yesterday said Nigeria had the highest number of malaria cases all over the world.Tunde-Oremodu who spoke at a one-day sensitisation and capacity building workshop for media practitioners on key malaria messages,inYenagoa,BayelsaState,alsostatedthatmostcommoncases ofout-patientattendancesinthecountrywereduetomalariainfections.She saidAfricaboreover90percentoftheglobalburdenofmalariawithNigeria accountingforover29percentofthetotalAfricanburden,thehighestprevalence rate of malaria in the world. The pediatrician noted that though the Federal andstategovernmenthadintensifiedeffortstohaveamalaria-freeNigeria by the year 2020, ignorance remains a major hurdle. According to her, poor compliance,population,inadequateresources,thedeterioratinghealthsystem and level of malaria immunity are some other factors militating against the fight against the scourge.

NBA Subsidises Legal fees for Indigents

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has signed an agreement with a civil society organisation (CSO) in the legal industry - Justice Research Institute (JRI),toimprovethelevelofrepresentationforindigentNigeriansinlawcourts atminimalornocoststothem.Theagreementwhichwasconsummatedon FridayinAbujabetweenthePresidentofNBA,Mr.AbubakarMahmoud(SAN), and the Executive Director of JRI, Mr. Ikem Isiekwena, would see JRI set up a frameworkthatwouldaggregatealldemandsforlegalservicesfromindigents suchasmarketwomen;rapevictims;andunlawfullyjailedpersons,fortakeup andrepresentationbylawyersinthecountry.TheMoU,accordingtoIsiekwena, wascraftedwiththerecognitionoftheshortfallsintheabilityoftheLegalAid CouncilofNigeriatoadequatelyprovidelegalrepresentationforallNigerians whoneedonebutcouldnotaffordtopayheavilyforit.Healsonotedthatthis wasinlinetobridgetheincreasinggapinthedemandsforandsupplyoflegal services as Nigeria’s population continues to increase.

KGM Receives SON MANCAP Certificate

Plastic products manufacturing company, KGM Industries Limited has been presented with the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP)CertificateofQualityAssurancebytheStandardOrganisationof Nigeria(SON),foritsvariousrangeofplasticandsyntheticplasticproducts.The certificationwhichfollowedaseriesofMANCAPinspectionstothecompany factoryandanextensivelaboratoryanalysisbothfromin-house,thirdpartyand SONlaboratorywasadjudgedtohavemettherequirementsofNIS801:2017 “StandardForPlasticBucket�,andNIS799:2017“StandardForMultipurpose, AdultandChildPlasticChairsandChaiseLounge.�Presentingthecertificate tothecompanyduringaceremonyattheAmuwo-OdofinLagosStateOffice IIIoftheregulatoryagencyonMondayMarch19,thestatecoordinator,Mrs. Ngozi Ekwueme stated that the company in pursuit of quality had earned “this prestigious certificate�. She further added that the certificate affirms that the company’s products have constantly met with the requirement of the standard.

Lagos Waste Management

Visionscape Sanitation Solutions said yesterday there was no reason to be afraid after a resolution of the Lagos State House of Assembly to summon some commissioners and other members of the executive arm to explain the state of waste management in the state. Visionscape said while the Assembly was performing its statutory function, the company also had a legitimatewastemanagementcontractwiththestategovernmentthatplaced dutiesonbothparties. TheHouseofAssemblyhadinaresolutioninvitedthe Accountant-Generalofthestate,Mrs.AbimbolaUmar,andthreemembers of the State Executive Council to brief its ad hoc committee on the waste managementsituationinLagosandtheroleandstatusofVisionscape.Those invitedweretheAttorney-GeneralandCommissionerforJustice,MrAdeniji Kazeem;CommissionerforFinance,MrAkinyemiAshade;andCommissioner forEnvironment,MrBabatundeDurosinmi-Etti.Butinaninteractivesession withjournalistsonFriday,arepresentativeofVisionscape,DipoWintoki,said theAssemblywasperformingitsstatutoryfunctionandtherewasnocause foralarmsinceVisionscapehadavalidcontractfromthestategovernment.

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER TRAVEL FASHION FILE COVER

pg. 20 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 38 pg. 43 pg. 48

Okey Eze How I Used Poems to Woo My Wife

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 24, 2018

PLUS

What I Will Do for Imo People If I’m Elected as the Next Governor He is an accomplished writer, poet, journalist, banker, publisher, entrepreneur and humanitarian with strong impact in diverse areas of endeavours in remarkable time, and a consummate professional with rich banking experience with leading multinational bank (Citibank Nigeria) in a 15-year career spanning operations and technology, internal control, private, commercial & corporate banking; rising to senior managerial cadre with core competence in relationship management of public sector, infrastructural and telecommunications businesses. Chairman of Savvycorp Limited, a cutting-edge treasury management, financial and investment advisory catering to a slew of multinational blue-chip clientele, and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Okey Eze tells Adedayo Adejobi why he wants to be next governor of Imo State

E

ducated at the Federal governgovern ment college Okigwe, with a first degree in Mass Communications from the University of Nsukka and an MBA from the University of Benin, his career trajectory has seen him work in major multinational companies around the country and globe.

Okey Ezeh has vast experience in banking, specialising in management of public secto sector infrastructure and telecommunications businesses. He is the first franchise holder of the European Armoured Trucks Bureau. H He also introduced secure armoured Cashin-Transit transport for Nigerian banks, setting the stage for the authorities to make armoured transportation compulsory for CIT operations of all Nigerian Banks in late 2007.

With a successful business career, he is spurred to foray into politics with a view to serving his people. He speaks about his years of experience.

“Since 2006, I’ve been the Chairman of Savvy Coop limited, a management consultancy and investment advisory company based in Lagos. I’ve had a foray into politics. I’m one of those professionals who believe that politics is too serious to be left to politicians. So I came out of my private sector comfort zone to try to be part of the solution, specifically in Imo state where I think there has been some deficit in governance, I believe that the country and the states can get better if people with the skillset can come out from all sectors to be part of the solution. For too long, we have left the business of governance and creating value, to those we refer as politicians. In a taken situation where career politicians have take garbage charge of our lives, many a time its garbag in, garbage out.’’

Growing up, he’s always had a flair for vagaries the pen-pushing profession, but the vagarie of life caused him to abandon same for the banking hall. He tells of his fortunate foray into uncharted territory: “Growing up, I had a literary flair. Till date I write poetry.

I’ve always fancied myself as a write writer.

Back in the days when I graduu of ated from the University o Nigeria, N Ni geria, I was fortunate to have passed through the th graduate g gr aduate rrecruitre ecruitt

ment system by multinationals. So when I got a job with a multinational bank, the issue for me was could I fit into the bank? But then I was told, I didn’t have to have strong numerical skills to be able to work in the bank. The new generation banks still have that practice now. The bank was looking for expertise and mental acuity, and I had the requirements. I got some training and exposure, but communication has been my first love and life itself is about communications. Communications is a life skill.”

One thing you can’t take away from Ezeh, the published poet, is his penchant and undying love for books, poetry and poetic licence.

Little wonders his vocabulary and diction are impeccable. In his opinion, the problem with this generation is not far-fetched, “because I read Mass Communications. In my university days, I edited ‘The record’, the in-house newspaper. In federal government Okigwe, I was also the President of the Press Club. I like to play on words. I have published poems on my website. Growing up, I read novels like James Hardley Chase, Nick Carter, Sidney Sheldon and that’s how we made friends. I have a passion for books, wide diction and so I play with words. One of the problems with this generation is that they don’t read.

Should you ask him any time of the day, week or year, be sure to anticipate the same answer. His top five poets are Rudyard Kipling, Josiah Holland, William Wordsworth, John Keats and William Blake.Two poems he loves most are IF by Rudyard Kipling and God Give Us Men by Josiah Gilbert Holland. ‘“The poem is practical and it closely reflects my worldview.’’

When quizzed if he uses his skill of language to make his spouse feel like a real woman she is, he was quite affirmative. These words say it all. ‘‘Absolutely. That’s how I married her. When I met her, one of the things that swept her off her feet, was my ability to say things convincingly and in a special way.’’

In a nostalgic mood, he looks back and shares those very fond memories.

“Growing up, one of the things my dad taught me is that, if he took me out, later in the day, I’ll write an essay on my experience.

I must write my observation and the lessons learned. But in this day and era, most children are busy fiddling with phones and play stations. And you know poetry draws from the environment, nature, and interchanges.

Every day is an experience and it adds up.

The advent of social media has made people less attentive to nature and the environment.”

He shares the romance of meeting his wife: “I married my wife in 2011, but I met her in 2001. It wasn’t a very long courtship. Meeting my wife is a striking story. A friend was going to take me to Mega Plaza to buy a new generator, as the old one I had was noisy. He told me I was crazy because it’s four times the regular price and then offered to take me to Alaba International market. I opposed it because buying it there doesn’t come with a warranty. He insisted he had someone he would take me to, so we agreed he’ll come to my house on a Saturday and he didn’t turn up. Much later in the evening, he rang

MARCH 24, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

19

PLUS How I Managed My Love for Words and Working with Numbers in the Bank my land phone at home saying he had a good excuse for not turning up. Something happened, although a bad news, very tragic occurrence which saw some Law students who had left the Law school in Abuja to catch a flight. On the way to the airport, they had an accident and died. One of the victims who died was a family friend of theirs and they needed to break the news to the parent. I was touched. The next day he came and told me, he went to the family to find out that the lady who was supposed to have died came out to open the door.

Upon inquiry, the lady said she also heard the news. It turned out that the lady was supposed to be in that vehicle, but because her father who was a General Manager in the bank had said to her I will send an official car from the office to take her to the airport. The driver was delayed so some of her friends hired a taxi and asked her to join, but she said no because her dad had sent a driver. In less than thirty minutes after the conversation, a fatal accident occurred and everyone perished. She came behind in the bank car to see the accident. They managed to via off, but she didn’t know. It was when she got to the airport looking for her colleagues, the news of the Law School students’ death was broken to her. My friend then told me when he saw the lady, with the way she speaks phonetics and how she appeared, that is the kind of girl I would like. I replied asking what he meant-who would you like, I asked! I then agreed to see her. So, we went there. I rang the bell, met the security man who said she had gone out.

I then dropped my call card and left. By the time I got home, she had called because she didn’t know who it was. One thing led to the other, we re-connected. On meeting her, I discovered her younger brother was my junior in secondary school.”

Seventeen years into the great union, he shares the golden highs and lows, ‘‘It’s great marrying your friend. Time has flown swiftly. We have three children abroad and the fourth here with us. Marriage comes with its own unique challenges, but I have no regrets. If you prepare well for the ride, you’ll enjoy it.’’

Away from the secular world, when he is not at The Jesus Christ Never Fails Arena, Owerri, a first-of-its-kind Disney-Style Events and Amusement Park, East of the Niger, he is playing golf or creating opportunities, training and empowering over 1000 teeming Imo youths through vocations across skills development and free extra-mural classes for thousands of secondary school students in Imo State.

Matching his words with verifiable facts, as opposed to those seeking pecuniary gains in politics, he spills the bean on what he is bringing to the table and what he’ll do differently to save his people from what he calls a clueless leadership in Imo state. “‘I am passionate about creating value in all its ramifications. In Imo state, we have a population of 4.2 million people and counting, with a land mass of 5288km. it’s a densely populated state and prone to erosion. We have a predominantly youthful population with 60 per cent under 30 years.

There is a huge unemployment rate in the state which is 77 per cent dependent on the dwindling federal allocation. Oil is a cold comfort and it’s going to change soon.

Looking at the dynamics of the oil economy, countries that have had hydrocarbon fuel as mainstay are re-jigging their strategy. UAE, Saudi Arabia in 2030 projects that they will exit oil, car makers like Volvo have put a deadline for 2019 to stop the production of diesel engines., Toyota will stop production of diesel engines at the end of this year. No one imports Nigeria’s oil. We might have countries like India taking our oil, but how far can that last? In the last 5 year, the oil economy has change dramatically ad it’ll continue. So, states that are dependent on allocations are living on borrowed times. Imo state has potential in the rubber plantation, oil palm production, cassava, cashew and various areas as an oil producing state with 163 oil wells in 3 locations. We have vast resources. Agro-produce is goldmine yet untapped. What we need to do in creating opportunities for young people, is adding value to these natural endowments, especially with a young, vibrant and productive population.’’ He enthuses.

Sharing his master plan and focus in his blueprint should he get into government today, he says, “The Imo State Marshall plan.

Part of what intend to entrench is the tax credit scheme. Assuming artisans who are

Eze with wife

mostly not documented and earn a decent chunk of money, pay an income tax of N20, 000 to the state government, it guarantees them a year’s full health care service in any General Hospital across the state. Once they pay, their health care is taken care of, for the rest of the year. There is an incentive for people to pay tax. The stake-holding is not established in their minds because there is a problem with paying tax in Nigeria. When people don’t see government functioning in their interest, they become resistant to taxes, as they feel it’ll be embezzled. The economy must be well managed and the people’s resources must be used for their benefits.

Our finances need to be rejigged. That is the first surgical operation anyone who wants to bring a paradigm shift, must do. Imo State is not efficiently managed financially as it ought to be. It earns N3.2 bn every month and spends N4.5bn. In elementary economics, the only way to stay afloat is to increase revenue or cut cost. We are not increasing revenue in Imo. Our IGR is a paltry N456m. we have irrevocable standard payment orders (ISPO’s) which are derivable from bond proceeds we have drawn in the past. Imo has not been properly run.

Borrowing money is not the problem; lots of money have been borrowed. It moved from a debt figure of N23.3bn in 2013 to N93.3bn in 2016. As of 2017 May 29, Imo state was owing N102bn, Ezeh believes in looking into the future.

Shedding light on the excessive debt his state might have been plunged into, continuing, he said, “If you do some extrapolation, Imo state chops off about a deficit of about N1.5bn every month. If the figure is added to the already verified debt profile, that gives you an idea where Imo State is. If that is added to about N456m which is the first line charge taken out every month to service the bond proceeds, asides domestic debts, you see that the IGR cannot service the debts. When you look at the expenditure profile, about N2bn is personnel cost, and between N2.5bn to N2.8bn covers monthly overheads. When you look at that, it’s frightening. And it’s not only in Imo State, other states also. Professionals should be in charge of governance. If you run a state the way a serious profitable company is run, one

is forced to ask hard questions like- where are the overheads coming from? The cost of running governance, bureaucracy is so unhealthy and the taxpayer pays for it. Imo state is too endowed to have a paltry IGR profile of N456m. I believe there are plenty leakages and it’s because the government isn’t visionary.’’

In the midst the negative rhetoric, he believes Imo State is in a valley, so it wouldn’t be business as usual. ‘‘We must create new income streams and a local economy that works.’’ He says with a bright smile.

Giving his honest and rather fair assessment of the incumbent governor who is perceived as a huge joke, he shares this sentiment: “I try not to go personal when it comes to these matters. But I know that many of the policies he’s introduced and actions are controversial. What matters is for me as a stakeholder in the Imo project and most Ndi-Imo is, to ask this question-what is in it for the people? The average Imolite is bothered about his economic well-being, employment, access to basic healthcare, functional educational system, security and good infrastructures. If the approach of the current Governor doesn’t change the lives of the masses in these core areas, every other thing is irrelevant. Nigeria of 2018 is a different one. People are a lot more aware and discerning. In a democratic space, there are choices, but what matters is the collective will of the people. I do not think Imo is a banana republic, and that it’ll be that easy for someone to foist a successor on the people.

The people know what is good for them, they are desirous of progress. They know on what side their bread is buttered. It’s not about Federal might. The people want to join a league of progressive states. Neighbouring Anambra State has done very well and is a perfect example. The prayer in Imo is that as it is in Anambra, let it be in Imo.” When asked on his opinion of reckless Nigerian governors, he shares his thoughts of the problem with the average Nigerian governor, what he would you do differently if he were in the same shoes,‘‘As a people, we are very lax in our attitude.

We do not pay attention to details. In other climes, people are very thorough when it comes to leadership and elections. There is a

Our finances need to be rejigged. That is the first surgical operation anyone who wants to bring a paradigm shift, must do.

Imo State is not efficiently managed financially as it ought to be. It earns N3.2 bn every month and spends N4.5bn. In elementary economics, the only way to stay afloat is to increase revenue or cut cost. We are not increasing revenue in Imo. Our IGR is a paltry N456m. we have irrevocable standard payment orders (ISPO’s) which are derivable from bond proceeds we have drawn in the past. Imo has not been properly run. Borrowing money is not the problem; lots of money have been borrowed. It moved from a debt figure of N23.3bn in 2013 to N93.3bn in 2016.

As of 2017 May 29, Imo state was owing N102bn, Ezeh believes in looking into the future leadership grooming process. In America for instance, when there is a Presidential election, there are no surprises. There is a pull from leadership talent from which recruitment is made. Nigeria is where people become emergency leaders on account of the depth of their pockets. Career politicians who have never earned a living, nor done productive jobs, nor add value to anything. They’ve enjoyed tutelage and aspire to high office.

And by hook or crook, they get there. Expect nothing less than mediocrity. This is why I am clamouring the space should not be ceded to career politicians. We must have technocrats who understand what global best practices means in the management of men and resources. We must have professionals who have accomplished much with a track record for creating value, run government institutions. Once Nigeria transits to that phase, you will see progress. There is so much conflict of interest in Nigeria’s public sector. There is zero corporate governance.

How many state governors have active tenders board? There is no value for money, the taxpayer is perpetually short-changed, with contracts given to cronies. In Nigeria with preponderance of unemployment, our leaders have no business giving contracts to foreigners, especially in the construction industry and practically all aspects of our economy. The jobs are given to Asians, Chinese, Lebanese and Indians. These are conduits for raising slush funds and money laundering. And we are short-changing the young population who need jobs. They are guilty of expropriation. We consume what we don’t produce and produce what we don’t consume. That mismatch has been there for too long with no one making any efforts to correct it. For as long as we haven’t answered these basic questions, governance is still an illusion. Our solution lies in using technocrats and professionals to do the job.”

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 24, 2018

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Osinbajo

Osibanjo: Do We Really Care?

So three years after, we are still auditing Jonathan’s books and making earth-shattering pronouncements like the one we just heard. So he spent N150bn some few weeks before the 2015 elections and so what? In Shomolu that is what we will call, ‘askor’. My brother better move on and face the stark reality of a dour performance and how you will explain yourself to the electorate in less than 11 months.

This song is as boring and as tiring as Dino Melaye singing. Be wasting time and be abusing Jonathan as if he is the one that will face elections. We have dealt with that one our way, haven’t we removed him from power or is it until we strip him naked with nothing but his bowler hat covering his dignity – although that would be a wonderful sight to see sha - that you will agree that you should move forward? My dear Prof., as you no invite me to your daughter’s wedding, let me fire you abeg. Please wake up and smell the coffee, Nigerians are not that dense if for nothing else we know when and where something is pinching us. You and this your APC are pinching us in some very bad places o. Dapchi, job losses, heath, infrastructure, etc.

Obama took over from Bush in the midst of a crippling recession, before the next elections he had positioned himself to be re-elected not by crying over Bush’s spilled milk but by being proactive. I have his phone numbers just in case you need it though. Let’s move on my lord, no be Jonathan be the issue today, Na you and your Baba Muhammadu Buhari but na fine man o, tall, slim and with good complexion only problem is that, he no dey know somethings, LoL IG: Why Now? Sir, it is with a sad and heavy heart that I am writing you once again this morning. And to think that I used to like you o, despite what my other friend Melaye thinks of you. I still consider you my person as we say it here. So that is how I woke up this morning only to find out that my orderly has been withdrawn, they say with instructions from you. Sir, this my policeman is not a real policeman o; he is the ones we call., ‘spy’. I am the one that paid for his training both in Makoko and in Etinan. Since my profile as the Duke of Shomolu started rising and with the coming elections you know I will have to support some candidates; the need to stay alive became very paramount. So I sent him to the fishermen in Ilaje and Makoko to train him on the art of deep sea VIP protection just in case my enemies would want to take me while driving

Jonathan

Idris Ibrahim

Sani Abacha: A Rehash You know my advice to some of these our politicians as they run about in careless abandon is for them to go back a little bit to review the days of the great goggled one General Sani Abacha.

This I believe would bring them back to reality thus making them sit up and begin to think straight. Some few days ago, I read through a despatch from a Medical doctor who was part of Abacha’s military strike force as led by the great Major Mustapha.

That one is still going around proclaiming his righteousness like we were all fed with overdose of Valium in his heyday, when he marched on all of our egos with impunity. This medical doctor in trying to prove his innocence, apparently the witches in his village had accused him of administering the lethal injection that must have led to the death of our statesman Musa Yardua, opened up some more cans of worms which made me cry and you know I hardly cry.

The way and manner these people ruled this country, you will begin

on the Third Mainland Bridge. I also sent him to Etinan to master the art of diabolical warfare. You see what they say the Russians did in the UK with their nerve gas attack, that is why I sent him to Etinan to learn how to use witchcraft to neutralise these things.

And as my friend the singing senator has said, this withdrawal would mean imminent death for the Duke of Shomolu who has not even begun to see the dividend of his position. We

to just love the scallywags who are running rings around us today in the name of democracy. Those ones did not respect the sanctity of human lives, throwing bombs around in a bid to kill just one person, deciding to ‘finish’ someone simply because the person did not greet him well in the morning. Having a Head of State that would not come down from his bedroom untill 3pm and until then state matters must wait with nobody daring to go wake him up.

As I read, the anger in me began to well up and to think that vestiges of that era still remain with us and even one of them is trying to vie for governorship of a state just shows just how unserious we are as Nigerians. Please my people as they say, the worse democratic government is far better than the best military rule.

May we never see this kind thing again in our lives and in the lives of generations unborn! Ekweremandu, that statement no matter the context, should not have come out of your mouth. Just say sorry!

have not yet been gazetted. Ambode has promised that if the Land Use Charge allows him win the elections, the first thing he would do is to gazette us. So you see my dear Inspector General of Police, the need to keep me alive remains paramount to you, so is there a way you can kindly give me a waiver and let my Spy Policeman come back na? I beg. I will come see you in Abuja soon. Greet madam.

Gov. Bello

Bello of Kogi!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not very happy with the things I am hearing about you and your state and I must tell you that I carry a heavy heart. I do not believe in hearsay although I have been reading in some very credible news platforms of the kinds of policies and violence coming out of your state. My sadness comes from the fact that as a young man you should be a leading light as to the cry for generational change but today we are all singing songs of sorrow as a result of the way they say you are running the state. Mr. Bello at 48, I have just learnt that I am a good six years your senior. So governor or not, I believe I owe you some stern advice.

I would really like for you to slow down and revaluate your approach to governance. If there are areas you are not doing well, please kindly look into it and start working. Enough of the games. My advice to you is to immediately set up a non-partisan council of elders. Citizens that have served the country and Kogi State to serve as an independent advisory council to hold your hands and guide you through as you begin to redirect your efforts.

Kogi people need peace. They need stability to be able to flourish. I have been there many times and I simply love the people. They do not need this kind of calamity. Pease I know you will listen to my plea and do the needful especially the non-partisan council of elders. It will do you a lot of good. When next you are in Lagos come and see me in Shomolu, let us talk over plates of afang and fufu. God is in control, don’t worry my brother.

THE Butcher’s Daughter: Please Help!

She is 14 years old and she has cancer. Her father, a good-looking butcher, the one we call ‘’Eleran’’ has sold everything and struggled to keep the girl alive these past two years and has run out of his wit’s end. I even saw a letter he wrote to the then Commissioner for Health in Lagos and the terse reply he got citing budgetary constraints for his inability to help and wishing him well in seeking funds elsewhere. You see these our politicians, how much is N15m that he and his colleagues cannot contribute N500,000 each personally to fund? If it is to buy aso oke or drink Hennessey you will see them. Well, don’t let me spoil this small girl’s case. We have taken up her matter and working with United Capital Limited, have set up a Trust account to raise the muchneeded funds to save her life. She has been carrying this cancer around now for the past two years without treatment. Please, what can we do to help?

Kindly give me a call and let us see how we can save this life. My number is on the top of the page. God bless.

21

MARCH 24, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

SPY GLASS

GBENGA DANIEL

OTUNBA GBENGA DANIEL’S VENGEANCE Vengeance, according to a popular proverb, is a dish best served cold.

In 2011, Senator Ibikunle Amosu of the then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, had won the governorship election to the chagrin of the then governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who had wanted his preferred candidate, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, to succeed him.

At that time, Amosun was said to have the last laugh.

But seven years after, the Sagamu, Ogun State-born politician has shown that he is not done politically, as he is said to have now constituted a clog in the wheel of Amosun’s plan from determining the next governor of the state.

Daniel, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears to have found a formula to stop Amosun from having his way.

Spy Glass gathered that the former governor, who has reportedly been persecuted politically by the incumbent, is reaching out to all gubernatorial aspirants of the various parties in the state, especially former PDP members in other political parties.

A source revealed that Daniel’s plan is to ensure that the various candidates team up against Amosun.

“The former governor is said to be working on a ‘grand alliance’ to stop the governor from installing his anointed candidate in 2019. And Daniel is bringing all diverse interests in the opposition together for this purpose,” the source said.

IBIYEMI ADESOYE’S STERLING PERFORMANCE Ibiyemi Adesoye, Head, Marketing, Ogun State Property Corporation (OPIC), epitomises brain and beauty.

In OPIC, she has continued to dazzle and wow with her sterling performances.

Now at the agency’s Agbara, Ogun State operations, she is still deploying her deep knowledge of marketing and years of experience to good use in a bid to turn it into a gold mine.

Described as a thoroughbred

IBIYEMI ADESOYE

with BAYO ADEOYE .... 08054680651 email: bayoolunla@gmail.com

technocrat, she is determined to make one of the Ogun State’s key revenue-generating agencies to stay above water. Indeed, Ibiyemi’s catalogue of achievements at OPIC cannot be over-emphasised.

Today, the Lagos State University graduate brings a lot to the brand called OPIC, in terms of outstanding skills and experience in Nigeria’s evolving marketing space.

In many quarters, she is described as extremely intelligent, very skilled and a solid resource for any organisation.

Also very fashionable and cosmopolitan, her track records at the Agbara operations, within a short period of time, can be best be described as inspiring.

DEOLA SAGOE’S BUMPER HARVERST Since Deola Sagoe set out to live her dream as a fashion designer, she has been a source of encouragement and great motivation to many younger ones who see her as a good role model.

But for her love for fashion design, the mother of three would have been one of the top players in the corporate world, having bagged a master’s degree from the University of Miami.

Today, the beautiful daughter of billionaire businessman, Chief Ade Ojo, Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, truly knows her onions when it comes to fashion designing.

Over the years, her outfit has handled a number of high-profile events successfully to the wonderment of her competitors.

As some would say, she is always as busy as a bee all year round, giving her far-flung clientele value for their money.

As proof of her rising profile, Spy Glass gathered that the light--complexioned visionary fashion designer has literally been reaping a bumper harvest in the last few weeks.

She was the creative hand behind Fatima Ganduje’s dress during her wedding to Idris Ajimobi.

She also knitted the dress worn by Fatima Dangote during her wedding in Kano last week.

Already, the respected fashion designer is said to be smiling to the bank for her efforts in the past.

IFEANYI UBAH’S NEW DREAM Ifeanyi Ubah, Chairman, Capital Oil and Gas, is a successful businessman by all standards.

Buoyed by his abiding philosophy to lift his state, he has indicated interest, at different times, to contest the governorship election in his state.

But it appears the time is not yet ripe, as his ambition was reportedly being truncated by many forces in and outside the state.

IFEANYI UBAH

Not one to give up easily, the Nnewi, Anambra State--born billionaire is said to be nursing another dream, all in the bid to secure an opportunity to give hope to the hopeless in the state.

This time, he is said to have thrown his hat into the ring to contest the Anambra South senatorial district election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA).

It was also gathered that he has been making consultations with top stakeholders in the state to realise his ambition. ‘’ Since he made his intention known, his popularity is soaring higher not only because of his uncommon philanthropic gesture but also his contributions to the development of the state, ’’ a source said.

The businessman is generous to a fault. This top player in the nation’s oil and gas sector also has a large heart. Besides, he is unapologetically committed to the uplift of his community, while also helping the course of humanity. Though his style and approach to some to issues may be distasteful to many, it is said that Ubah has the milk of kindness running in his in his veins.

WALE TINUBU RETURNS A few weeks ago, Wale Tinubu, Group Managing Director, Oando Plc, lost his elder brother, Deji Tinubu, to the cold hands of death.

The loss, quite naturally, had thrown him into mourning. But in total submission to the will of his creator, he took solace in the popular quote of Matt Fraser that says, “Be encouraged by their passing and legacy. Instead of crying, live an inspired, spiritual and happy life like they did when they were here.

Live each day with encouragement knowing that they are proud and smiling down on you from Heaven.”

Interestingly, it appears Tinubu has got back his groove, as he has now returned to the social circle, which he had avoided for some time as a mark of respect to the memories of his late brother.

It was gathered that the billionaire was among other top dignitaries who added colour to the wedding of Fatima Dangote and Jamil Abubakar at the palace of the Emir of Kano last Friday.

The shrewd businessman was said to have sauntered into the event venue alongside his friends, smiling and throwing banters.

He was also said to have exchanged pleasantries with some other guests and was consoled by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion.

It was also gathered that all the while the trained lawyer has also dedicated more time to philanthropic gestures.

WALE TINUBU

DEOLA SAGOE

INDIMI SISTERS AT WAR OVER ABUJA BIG BOY If the news reaching Spy Glass is anything to go by, then, all may not be well within the household of Borno State billionaire, Muhammed Indimi, Chairman of Oriental Energy.

It is surprising that what should ordinarily strengthen the existing relationship among some of the family members is allegedly tearing them apart.

Already, the family should be neckdeep in preparation for the forthcoming wedding of Hauwa Mami Indimi to her sweetheart, Muhammad Yar’Adua, Abuja Multi-milliomaire businessman.

But Spy Glass gathered that Fatima Amma, one of the daughters of the billionaire, is angry with Hauwa, her stepsister, for what she described as a betrayal of trust.

A source revealed that Yar’Adua had dated and later dumped Fatima Amma in a controversial circumstance that left a wound in her heart. ‘‘It is the same man Hauwa has brought home as her husband-to- be.

Since he has been unveiled in February, Fatima has not found it funny.

But Hauwa, on the other hand, doesn’t care a hoot; she does not care whose ox is gored,” the source said.

Though some individuals were said to have intervened in the matter, Fatimah has refused to be persuaded.

Also, while some of the family members have pitched their tent with Fatima, some don’t see any big deal about Hauwa’s choice of man.

Hauwa is one of the children from the estranged first wife to the patriarch of the family. However, Fatima is the CEO of Le Rouge by Amma in Abuja.

Yar’Adua, son of the former NNPC Group Managing Director, Abubakar Yar Adua, has been linked with several ladies, including Zahra Buhari, in the past. In fact, the relationship blossomed so well until Zahra called it off for a reason known only to her.

INDIMI

22

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

23

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž CH 24, 2018

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Girls’ Abduction: Apply Dapchi Wand on Chibok

t a time when the nation was almost being enveloped with gloom and near nothingness, the news, last Wednesday morning, of the return of 105 abducted Dapchi girls by the Boko Haram insurgents themselves, was such a warm and exciting news break.

It rejuvenated the Nigerian hope, and a bubbling blink for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.

For the people of Dapchi, Yobe State, February 19 and March 21, 2018, will remain cardinal dates for a long time to come. While 110 school children were successfully abducted from their school on February 19, 105 girls were driven back home by their captors on March 21. Surely, it is good news!

But there is the other side of the story: while five of the girls died as a result of stress and trauma and given mass burial, according to the reports.

One of the girls, Liya Sharibu, was held back by the captors simply because she refused to denounce her Christian faith. The story was told of how the captors had given her the option of denouncing Christ and converting to Islam, but that she refused to denounce her faith. And perhaps to teach her a lesson or to break her resolve/faith in her belief, the captors refused to let her go. She was the only Christian among all the abducted girls.

While some would argue that she could have just pretended to have accepted the Islamic faith, just so she would regain her freedom, and thereafter re-embrace her religion, other Christian faithful have commended her resolve to stand by her faith even in the face of obvious adversity and peril. Will her loneness now break her?

Will she insist on Christ or nothing? Surely, she deserves the prayers of the faithful!

Interestingly, her father had gone on radio (Ray Power FM) to commend the decision of his daughter, even though he is understandably sad that her daughter has not made it back like the other 105 girls.

But as an aside, there are few tricks to the arithmetic of the number released. If 110 girls were abducted, and five died, and one other was withheld, how come 105 still returned?

Should it not be 104?

What’s more, the narrative from the presidency says the returnees also included a boy. Was a boy among the abducted schoolgirls on February 19? Or was he previously or subsequently abducted on his own and later returned along with the girls?

Lai Mohammed Indeed, the initial statement from the Minister of Information had said the number of girls released is 76.

Whatever it is, there is joy in the land over the return of the girls.

Many had also asked how the insurgents were able to drive into Dapchi to drop off the girls, without a glitch. The official explanation was that there was an agreement during the negotiation for the release, that the insurgents will be the ones to bring the girls themselves.

And that there should/would be no confrontation with the security forces on the ground.

Hmmmmm. Some have argued that the same laxity and careless dereliction of duty that made it possible for the insurgents to successfully abduct the girls, in the first place, may have also made it possible for the return of the girls without any confrontation. You can believe any of the sides.

But it is remarkable that long before now, there had been enough signs that the Dapchi case was going to be a softer nut to crack. The first signal came from Mrs Aisha Wakil, aka Mama Boko Haram, a rights activist, who seems to have carved a niche for herself by being an authentic link to the Boko Haram insurgents.

She it was, who first announced that the leader of the the Barnawi faction of Boko Haram, which abducted the Dapchi girls is a “nice guy�.

She had narrated that it was the Boko Haram insurgents who themselves called her to confirm that the abducted girls were with them and that they are safe and will be treated nicely.

She further said she had pleaded with the abductors to ensure that this does not go like the Chibok girls’ saga. “I pleaded with them that this should not be another 1,000-plus days of Chibok girls, and they laughed and said no. “I asked them where I can come and stay with them (girls) for two days, but they did not say anything. “I can assure Nigerians that so far they are with my son Habib and his friends; Habib is a nice guy, he is very nice boy. He will not harm them, he will not touch them, and he will not kill them. “He is going to listen to us, and so far he indicated interest that he loves peace. And I love them for that and believe what they said on this. “They will definitely give us the girls. All I am begging Nigerians is to calm down, be prayerful, everything will be over in God grace�.

That assurance was given verve last Wednesday as some of the released girls also confirmed that they were very nicely treated, with no harassment or molestation.

Well, some have asked the cost of this release. Did the insurgents suddenly become so gospelled to return the abducted girls, just like that? That is what the government would want us believe. But those close to the negotiation process indicate that “something had to give�.

So what was it that gave?

The Minister of Defence, about a week before the return of the Dapchi girls, had spoken on national television with good assurance that the abducted girls would soon be released. What was the basis of that confidence? Was it for free that the girls were released? Not likely!

In times past, such negotiations are characterised by the release of some arrested and detained insurgents, just as some hard currency cash is paid . Sadly, with such cash, usually huge, the insurgents are able to procure more arms, attract more and deadlier terrorists and with which they kindle their terrorist acts.

That perhaps explains why despite the swan song of having degraded Boko Haram, it is yet kicking with fatal consequences.

And so the question is, why has the federal government - using the same methods with which Dapchi was achieved, not been able to completely effect the release of the Chibok girls?

The 276 Chibok girls were abducted from their school on April 14, 2014. It is almost four years now. While some have been released, courtesy of this government’s negotiation, a total of 113 girls are yet to be released.

It is now clear that the Boko Haram faction that abducted the Chibok girls is the harder and less nice faction. They have simply held back the remaining girls as bargaining chips, just as many of the girls have been married off to the insurgents themselves, with some having children already.

Many have asked that the federal government should apply the same magic wand with which Dapchi girls were released, to the Chibok case.

And more importantly, ensure that henceforth, no such ugly incident occurs again anywhere in the country. The security of lives and properties is the raison d’etre of any government, primarily and this cannot be overemphasised.

Already, some parents and even the girls have sworn never to get back to any classroom again, if that would imperil their lives and freedom.

For a region that is famously backward in education, such a vow will push them further down the ladder of ignorance and underdevelopment.

Help, Lagos is Still Very Dirty

F

or a city that prides itself not only as a mega city and aspiring to be one of the leading cities in the world, embroidered with the appellation of Centre of Excellence, the mounds and mounds of filth and garbage lining up the streets is perhaps the best description of irony. How can a Centre of Excellence be this dirty?

I hear and see that Gov Akinwunmi Ambode is working very hard to raise the bar of governance in Nigeria. He, and not the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, I thought, should be tagged as Mr Project.

But that is a matter for another day.

What I do not know is whether or not Gov Ambode drives round the city as most of his predecessors did, especially at the dead of the night to have a good encounter with the undressed Lagos city.

If he does, he would be anything but proud of the mass and mass of garbage that litter the streets from Ijesha to Ijedodo, or from Ajah to Ajamgbadi, Ikoyi to Ikotun, or even from Lawanson to Lekki etc. Just everywhere bears the sad tales of a filthy city. As I drive from one part of the city to another, nearly everyday, the confrontation with the array of dirt is

nerve-racking. It is almost as if the garbage collectors are either on holidays or on strike.

With the scrapping of PSP garbage collection method and the subsequent introduction of the Visionscope company to handle our garbage, there is obvious gap in capacity to deliver.

I have seen the new and seemingly beautiful green-orange garbage bins, along with some overall-wearing women serving as street managers (cleaners). The seeming glitter of these facilities has not translated to Cleaner Lagos. The bins, I think are rather fragile. What’s more, hardly have I seen any such bin not ever over-filled with garbage spilling over several metres within the circumference of the waste disposal bin. They probably appear not deep enough, which makes it unable to hold as many trash. They are also too few. For a city hosting as many as over 20 million persons, and generating 13,000 metric tons of waste per day, the number of garbage bins introduced seem obviously too small.

Worse still, clearing the bins seem too slow and rather seldom. The consequence is that the streets are dutifully dressed in filth and fecal. Many of the places simply ooze with degenerate miasma. How could a bin filled with such soft wastes like belly

of fishes, entrails of chickens, and all such smelly content remain uncleared for days, and still expect the environment to remain sanitized and safe? It is even worse when such wastes are not properly bagged.

And because there are wastes everywhere, the natural habitat for rodents such as rats and roaches is boosted. The rats in turn come at night to ravage whatever that may have been properly bagged. And the resultant spread of rubbish is wide. This is one of the strongest reasons for the patronage of the kole-kole garbage boys. People have to arrange for their own refuse clearing mechanisms. But how many things do we have to do for ourselves: provide our own water, our own electricity, our own security, sometimes our own roads, and now our own refuse collectors. Haba!

It is the failing of the organized refuse collection by LAWMA that led to the introduction of the Visionscope. Thus far, it is clear that neither LAWMA nor Visionscope has got the capacity to manage the waste of this mega city. Something has to be done to save us from the shame and hazard inherent in the present status quo.

For a city so desirous of attracting foreign investment and which also touts an inclination to promoting tourism, the dominating presence of garbage all over

Ambode town is antithetical and reprehensible. Does Ambode see the garbage in town?

Unless it is sufficiently and effectively managed, it holds the potential of triggering a city-wide epidemy. Deus avertat.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 24,2018

25

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

Sloppy Headlines, Texts

EBERE WABARA

G

OVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State… during special breakfast meeting tagged….”

(DAILY SUN Front Page Banner Caption, March 21) Get it right: at a special breakfast meeting “We agree with majority (a/the majority) of Abia people that Governor Ikpeazu has not fulfilled his campaign promises to the people of the state.” (DAILY Sun Editorial, March 21) “Scaling-up (Scaling up) solar energy deployment in Nigeria” (DAILY SUN OPINION Page Headline, March 21) Phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation.

“The close-door (closed-door) meeting which took place at the president’s office was just for 25 minutes.”

“Sambo arrived the villa few minutes before noon and went straight into the president’s office.” (NATIONAL NEWS, March 21) This way: arrived in the villa a few minutes before noon….

DAILY Sun Front Page Headline of March 19 takes over from the Wednesday, March 21, edition: “Okorocha shuns APC stakeholders (stakeholders’) meeting in Imo” “Last year (a comma) you went to the prisons to celebrate with the inmates, that is the kind of difference you have brought to bear in (on/upon) leadership.”

“There will be checks and balances in every aspect of government business now and all loopholes must be completely plugged to checkmate the activities of those who have (had), in the past, been sabotaging the efforts of the government to give qualitative service to the people of Anambra State.”

BUSINESSDAY WEEKEND story of March 16 gave readers a paragraph

BY

they should distrust: “Electricity sector stakeholders and consumers have hit back at the Federal Government’s claim that the nation’s electricity generating capacity has reached 4,000 megawatts, saying the claim was false and that generation has indeed nosedived to less (sic) 3,600 megawatts.” Even without being professorially numerical, the reality here is that reduction from 4,000 to 3,600 can never be a nosedive—it is only a slight drop! Let us avoid malapropism, especially when a Diageo Africa Financial Newspaper of the Year is involved.

For the reader that sought the meaning of ‘sic’ via SMS: It is an adverb that means “thus (added in brackets after a word or expression in a quotation which looks wrong or absurd, to show that it has been quoted correctly).” Source: The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of The English Language.

From THE NATION ON SUNDAY of March 18 comes the next notoriety: “Five arrested over registration malpractice” I will not arrest the editor for (not over) this solecism! The daily edition of Tuesday, March 20, also fell into the same ditch: “Eight arrested in Ibadan over food poisoning scare” The next three headline blunders are from Vanguard of February 15: “New Edo lawmaker sworn-in” Phrasal verbs (stave off, swear in) abhor hyphenation.

“Relocation of varsity: Only 2 people die in protest —Police” Tense characterization of headlines notwithstanding, only 2 persons (not people—even without being a lexicologist!) died (not die, contextually) in protest.

“A money bag threw some wads of naira notes into the air….” Politicians’ political campaign tragedy: A money-bags.

The Guardian of February 16 equally jumped on the bandwagon of headline

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

slovenliness on two embarrassing occasions: “PENGASSAN is not aversed to PIB, says Ogun” I am averse to ubiquitous headline gaffes.

“Post conviction bail only granted under exceptional circumstances” An all-time critical element: Post-conviction bail…

“Obasanjo, Saraki, Atiku condole victims’ families” Either condole with or simply console.

“UI Lagos alumni restructures” (THE PUNCH Headline, February 14) Alumni (plural) restructure or alumni association restructures. Avoid mix-ups.

“Atiku overated himself” (TheNEWS Headline, February 14) Spell-check: overrated.

“I said there is no more monolithic north” (Tribune CHURCH On Sunday, March 18) A rewrite: I said there was no more monolithic north.

“Ministry drafts health officials to cholera infested areas” (SATURDAY TRIBUNE Headline, March 17) Community News: hyphenation (cholera-infested areas) makes a lot of difference in lexis and structure.

“Promoting values based leadership” Leadership initiative: just as corrected above.

The Guardian of February 12 circulated copious headline goofs and other misapprehensions as follow: “Gowon advocates revival of education sector” Sound literacy: educational sector. Adjective: educational; noun: education.

“To eradicate the level of illiteracy in the state….” You can only reduce illiteracy.

Even the most educated nation in the world still has a percentage of illiterate population. Some people are either circumstantially or naturally uneducable!

The intro also did not qualify the level of illiteracy in the state.

“Fake journalist arrested in Imo with 4,054 voters card” Two terse observations: voters’ cards.

“Students invest N2m on science lab rehabilitation” Invest in (not on) “…because they are not entirely immuned from the adverse consequences of pervasive poverty in third world nations.”

(THE PUNCH, February 16) Get it right: immune (not immuned) from. “…pay them their retirement benefits as and when due” Just when due. (DAILY CHAMPION, February 16) ‘As and when due’ smacks of language poverty “These are the major factors but there is a final secret with regards.…” (NIGERIAN Tribune, February 16) Get it right: as regards or with regard to.

“Encumbered by the demands by many who need her services, she atimes turn (sic) cases to colleagues in Owerri town”.

(Leadership, February 15) No encumbrances: at times (two words).

“LAST week Monday’s press briefing by the administrator....” Functional communication: LAST Monday’s press briefing. ‘Week’ is redundant in the construction.

“Today on the continent, there are all manners of refugees….” (THISDAY, February 16) Not yet in want: all manner of refugees.

The next failed sentence is from The Guardian On Sunday of March 18: “Extremism had also brought about the death of 37 left-wing intellectuals when the hotel in which they were holding a conference in the central town of Sivas was touched (torched) on December 2, 2010.’’

“In Nigeria today, it needs these props to support its misrule and no amount of talks about human rights will make it surrender its very life wire.” (DAILY Sun, February 16) Lexical reality: livewire.

Dapchi Debacle and the Dilemma of Political Opposition

T

he cheering news of the return of scores of school girls abducted by terrorist elements from Dapchi, Yobe State, about a month ago is by all means a welcome development. It is a soothing balm for the sorrowful parents and loved ones of the victims as well as persons of goodwill who have shared the pains and agony of the ravaged community in North-east Nigeria. Even though there are still some dark clouds as reports say some of the girls have transited into permanent captivity to the land of no return while a Christian girl was held back for her reported refusal to denounce Christianity, the fact that a majority of the kidnapped kids have reunited with their families is some undeniable cause for joy.

But there have been jeers amidst the cheers heralding the girls’ return from Boko Haram hold. It is hard to blame critics and pessimists because the manner of the abduction and the drama of their release leave salacious scoops for conspiracy theories. And quite a few, ranging from the bizarre to the benign, have flooded public discourse since Wednesday morning when news of the latest development broke. Sadly, politicians have seized the narrative in a desperate bid to appropriate capital out of the unfortunate Dapchi drama. This is not entirely unexpected given that general elections are about a year from now. But to the extent that political elements are assailing the sensibilities of a traumatized nation to forcefully dictate the tone of the discourse is highly repugnant to our collective sense of humanity. In fact, it is a disservice to the lives of the abducted girls and their families that have already been failed by a government that allowed the kidnap to occur in the first place.

Political vultures notorious for their ignoble roles and reactions in the 2014 Chibok abduction by boko haram, have seized the space over the Dapchi debacle. They are now encircling eerily over the heads of dozens of innocent children whose only crime was the resolve to seek education and chase the chance of a good life made increasingly a mirage by politicians across partisan divides. But the politicization of the Dapchi affair has a root in the recent past.

Just like the All Progressives Congress (APC) as opposition party made immense political capital out of the abduction of over 200 school girls by the blood-thirsty boko haram sect in 2014 when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held sway in power, the latter is now playing a reverse role in the Dapchi dilemma. The ruling APC government is now being served the same sauce it shoved down the throat of the PDP-led Goodluck Jonathan administration four years ago when the deadly terrorists broke into student dormitories in Chibok and herded over 200 girls into a long-drawn captivity that is yet to be fully unraveled till date. In a most audacious allegation, the PDP has accused the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari of choreographing the Dapchi abduction and subsequent return of most of the girls. The opposition party described it as a political stunt contrived to advance the fortunes of its ruling counterpart in 2019. Astatement released by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said “PDP condemns the APC and certain officials in the Presidency for staging the abduction of the schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State, for political purposes. Our party considers this act as wicked, callous

PEOPLE2PEOPLE WITH

OKE EPIA Telephone (sms only): 07059850016 Email: resourceman.oke@live.com.

Twitter: @resourceme

A cross section of the Dapchi schoolgirls freed by Boko Haram today...recently and tormenting to use innocent schoolgirls as pawns in an ignoble script that was designed to hoodwink Nigerians and orchestrate a great rescue and security prowess of a conquering general, all to push a 2019 reelection bid, is an unpardonable gamble with human lives.”

The party went further in the statement to say “the poorly crafted tragicomedy” of the Dapchi incidence has failed and “Nigerians are not ready to forgive the APC and the Presidency for the torments inflicted on the girls, their parents and the human community worldwide just to score a cheap political point. Nigerians know that the main aim of this devilish act was to delude the public, set the stage for an orchestrated rescue, create a heroic myth and false sense of achievement around the APC administration and serve as a spur for President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to contest the 2019 presidential election, perhaps in the coming weeks.” While the APC is surely capable of responding

deservedly to this sweeping charge from the opposition party, it is my considered opinion that the PDP has prioritized political capital over the effusion of humaneness and humanity which the dire Dapchi situation requires. The party could have still made its point in raising doubts about the sincerity of the APC government in the whole affair without needing to deflate the already sunken spirit of millions of Nigerians who have identified with the mourning mood of the defiled North-east community. The party forgot that an eye for an eye can make everybody go blind. Even if the PDP must stretch the point, it should have been not in an initial reaction to the return of the girls. Aterse message to align with the exultant mood of the nation while calling for more efforts to release the others in captivity would have portrayed the PDP as a more responsible opposition party sensitive to the feelings and sensibilities of citizens whose votes it seeks to win elections in the coming months. Thereafter, the party could aggregate the array of cogent doubts over the matter and release a more impactful arsenal. The points it sought to make in the statement accusing the government of using citizens as pawns in the chessboard of electioneering, have already been subtly suggested in the public domain by Amnesty International and other groups which had already accused the administration, especially security officials, of complicity in the Dapchi kidnap in the first place.

Even the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) had expressed some reservations over the affair but was more moderated in its immediate response to the return of the girls. The BBOG movement which expressed its excitement at the news of the girls’ return have raised a couple of questions they believe the government should address to convince the country that Dapchi was not contrived and implemented to achieve sinister objectives. It is instructive to quote the spokesperson for the group, Sesung Akume in a statement on Wednesday after the release of the girls, who stated thus: “The #BringBackOurGirls movement has been made aware of the cheering news of the return of our missing #DapchiGirls. Our movement has confirmed this to be true and the accurate position of things. Reports say that 5 of them may have passed on, and 1 is still held back. This we are not yet able to fully verify. Our immense pleasures at the return of most of our #DapchiGirls on this 30th day of their captivity notwithstanding, the 14 questions we posed to the Government of Nigeria still stand, as well as our notice to commence legal action. The circumstances of this return shall also be interrogated. We shall be communicating further as we gain more clarity on what transpired and what is going on.” This line of reaction would have earned the PDP more respect and public acclaim than the extreme route it took in seeking to gain political capital out of a collective national shame.

Having said this however, it is incumbent on the government of the day to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that the posers raised over Dapchi are convincingly addressed. Unfortunately, for the APC administration, it has made series of missteps, unforced errors and demonstrated irksome incompetence in dealing with some of the issues it applied as propaganda tools to dislodge the PDP from power in 2015. The chickens are only just coming home to roost.

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

Clever Kids Come up with Green Way to Keep Windscreen Clean

I

Sales Operation Director, Jaguar Land Rover, sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Nigel Clarke, presenting the ďŹ ne points of the E-PACE at its launch‌ recently

Jaguar E-PACE is one Machine Nigerians will Love Stories by Bennett Oghifo

N

igerians, particularly the young and mobile, now have the E-PACE, a cub in the Jaguar pride to own and love.

The good thing is that the car is now in Nigeria, and can be configured to suit the owner’s lifestyle.Ask Coscharis Motors, the manufacturer’s representative in the country.

Recently, the E-PACE was released to journalists in sub-Saharan Africa to drive and feel during its media launch in Johannesburg. It was exhilarating, as the E-PACE lived up to its reputation as a Jaguar.

The drive crisscrossed parts of Johannesburg and Gauteng with beautiful scenery that accentuated the loveliness of the Jaguar E-PACE, fitted with an outstanding satellite system. The Cub, as it is fondly known, kept up, taking the distance as it spread its paws to give a pleasurable ride.

The appeal does not end with the driver, but transcends to other people who are held spellbound. They will gladly book for a test-drive.

The E-PACE has good ground clearance fit for the Nigerian and sub-Saharan market and it was clear strategy to have the perfect cars for sub-Saharan Africa, since the launch of Jaguar into the sub-Saharan Africa market between 2011 and 2012.

The strategy is that these cars, the F-PACE, launched in 2016 and the E-PACE are the perfect cars for sub-Saharan Africa. “That was all part of getting the brand into the market and people trend and expose the Jaguar brand to a lot of our customers in sub-SaharanAfrica,� said Mr. Nigel Clarke, Sales Operation Director, Jaguar Land Rover, sub-Saharan Africa, at the launch venue.

Many of these customers in sub-SaharanAfrica, Clarke said were hitherto only tied to the historic motorsport element of Jaguar.

They want to establish the brand and start taking on some of their key competitors like,

Mercedes, BMW. Clarke said the Jaguar brand has really been successful in some countries like Nigeria, Mauritius, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe and Kenya, and Angola, among others. It is slower in Nigeria and Angola because of the impact of the oil price. “But we are beginning to see some come back now; the oil price is slightly higher.

The Jaguar E-PACE, which is in the premium segment, has spectacular interior and exterior but it is competitively priced in sub-Saharan Africa.

The car looks stunning with excellent design and engineering job, as well as advancement in technology, which result from the millions of dollars Jaguar Landrover invests in research and development.

On after sales services, the automaker’s partners in sub-Saharan Africa are investing in facilities with highly qualified technicians. Besides, the E-PACE, like other Jaguar products enjoys the 5-year extended warranty and the 5-year service plan.

t is an idea that could one day help save billions of litres of water.* Instead of simply wiping raindrops off our car windscreens, why not collect and reuse the water via the washer jets?

Brother and sister Daniel and Lara Krohn were travelling in the family car last summer when the heavens opened. But when their dad Gerd, who was driving, tried to clear away the smears, the reservoir was empty – and the windscreen just got dirtier and dirtier.

The two clever kids’ idea to capture the raindrops and reuse them won first prize in a local science competition and has now been developed for a full-sized test car. “It was a downpour. There was water everywhere – except in the windscreen wiper reservoir. My sister and I thought this was really funny and then the answer suddenly seemed obvious. Simply reuse the rainwater,â€? said 11-year-old Daniel, from JĂźlich, in Germany. “We couldn’t believe that no-one had thought of it before,â€? added 9-year-old Lara. “To try it out, we took apart our toy fire engine and fixed the pump to a model car inside an aquarium. Then we added a filtering system to ensure the water was clean. It just worked really well.â€?

Engineers at Ford who heard about the idea were so intrigued that they offered to install a full-sized device into a Ford S-MAX test car. To collect the water, rubber pipes connected the bottom of the windscreen to the reservoir. “Daniel and Lara’s idea has been staring drivers in the face for decades – and it has taken one moment of ingenuity to bring it to life. In less than five minutesofrainfallthewasherreservoiriscompletely full,� said Theo Geuecke, supervisor, Body Exterior Hardware, Ford of Europe.

Water usage by vehicles is expected to increase as additional cameras and sensors also need to be kept clean. Ford engineers are already working on ways to capture water, via rain and condensation, including a way of gathering moisture from the air and filtering it into drinking water – On-the-Go H20. “What a brilliant idea! Innovations like these are essential to make the water we have go further.

We will all need to change our behaviour to waste less water, but we’ll also need clever new bits of kit like the one Daniel and Lara have designed,� said Nicci Russell, managing director, Waterwise. r%SJWFST VTF BSPVOE MJUSFT FBDI ZFBS UP LFFQ their windscreens clean. With 291 million cars on European roads, if such a “Krohn� system was in every car, it would save almost six billion litres of water each year.

Porsche Paves Way for Future with Substantial Investments

P

orscheAGsetnewrecordsfordeliveries, revenue and operating results in the 2017 financial year, delivering a total of 246,375 vehicles (+4 per cent) and increasing its revenue by five per cent – to 23.5 billion euro. Its operating profit rose by seven per cent to 4.1 billion euro (2016: 3.9 billion euro). As a result, its operating return on sales increased from 17.4 per cent in the previous year to 17.6 per cent. At the end of 2017, Porsche employed 29,777 people, representing an increase of eight per cent compared to the previous year. “This successful financial statement confirms our strategy. We are using our high earnings level to support an unprecedented future development plan,� explained Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of PorscheAG, at the annual press conference. In addition to making sizeable investments in its core sports car business, Porsche is also doubling its expenditure on trends for the future, with a commitment to invest over six billion euro in electromobility by 2022. The money will be spent on derivatives of the Mission E, hybridisation and electrification of the current model range, as well as on developing a charging infrastructure and smart mobility. “We have succeeded in boosting our operating result by over 50 per cent within the last three years,� emphasised Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT. “With a profit margin of 17.6 per cent, Porsche continues to be among the most profitable automobile manufacturers in the world. This is down to continuous improvements in productivity, our stringent cost management strategy as well as our outstanding product range,� continued Meschke. Digitisation, electrification and connectivity are major challenges that require substantial investment. “Nevertheless, we are sticking to our strategic return target of at least 15 per cent. We must and we will generate growth potential alongside the actual vehicle business. In the medium term, we want to generate a double-

2019 Porsche Cayenne

digit percentage of sales through digital services.�

Meschke is optimistic in his outlook: “Our aim for 2018 is to stabilise revenue and deliveries at this high level.� Porsche expects the next boost in sales to come when the Mission E, the first purely electric vehicle, hits the market.

Plans for derivatives of the Mission E are also under way: Just last week, Porsche presented a production-ready concept study of the Mission E Cross Turismo at the Geneva Motor Show. The purely electrically driven Cross-Utility Vehicle (CUV) has a system power of over 600 hp (440 kW), a range of more than 500 kilometres and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds.

The charging time is four minutes for a range of approximately 100 kilometres.

For the next ten years, Porsche intends to continue with a three-pronged approach, incorporating optimised combustion engines, plug-in hybrid models and purely electric sports cars – all in typical Porsche style of course. “The regions of the world are developing at different rates.

We are therefore gearing ourselves up as flexibly as possible for the transitional period,� said Blume.

Porsche also unveiled the 911 GT3 RS in Geneva. “The GT3 RS features the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Porsche has to offer,� said Oliver Blume, Porsche CEO. The new high-performance sports cars delivers 383 kW (520 hp) from a four-litre displacement, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds and boasts a top speed of 312 km/h.

Following the launch of the 911 GT3 and the 911

GT2 RS, this latest release saw Porsche present its third GT road-approved sports car within a year.

Blume also emphasised the role of Porsche within society: “We never view our economic success in isolation. We always have a clear focus on the non-financial aspects of our business too – our social responsibility. We don’t see conflict between economic, ecological and social aspects. They must work in harmony with each other.�

Blume cites the subject of training by way of example. In 2017, 230 young people commenced training at Porsche. With the launch of the Mission E, the sports car manufacturer plans to increase the number of technical training again – from the current 106 to 156 in the future.Atotal of around 750 training places are currently available at Porsche.

Through the integration year for refugees and the preparatory year, Porsche enables applicants who would have little opportunity on the basis of general selection criteria to gain foundation qualifications.

Socially disadvantaged young people in South Africa, the Philippines and, since 2018, Mexico are trained as part of a collaboration with Don Bosco.

Through charitable donations totalling over 6 million euro, Porsche supported over 200 initiatives benefiting the environment, social and cultural projects, sports, education and science in 2017. The sports car manufacturer also sponsors regional cultural and sports facilities, including the Stuttgart Ballet, the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig and the “Turbo for Talents� project for young athletes.

Sustainable business also plays a large role in its core business: Since January 2017, Porsche AG has used 100 per cent green energy. In addition, the sports car manufacturer is transforming its rail logistics transport into a completely carbon neutral process. In 2017, Porsche once again received multiple international awards for sustainable building.

The company conducts its own internal audits to ensure that its suppliers implement the high ensuring sustainability requirements. In addition, the company intends to produce the Mission E using a CO2-neutral process.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

27

Guinness Nigeria Flags-off Transport, Safety Week 2018

G

All-new Kia K900

Kia Reveals First Glimpse of All-new K900 Luxury

Stories by Bennett Oghifo

K

ia Motors has revealed the design of the all-new K900 today in a series of exterior and interior images. The all-new K900 has been created in close collaboration between Kia’s global design headquarters in Namyang, Korea and the brand’s U.S. design studio in Irvine, California. The new model will make its world debut at the New York International Auto Show later on March 28.

Exterior design and the Gravity of Prestige Combining a beautifully balanced design with

elegant, flowing lines and geometric details, the K900 introduces a modern air of elegance and gravitas to the large sedan segment. Kia’s designers were inspired by the ‘Gravity of Prestige’ design concept, which exudes strength through rich detail and solid surfaces. Based conceptually on the the changing shape of condensed energy, a new ‘Quadric pattern’ signature grille – seen for the first time today – is the focal point of the K900. Embodying the K900’s design concept, the grille contains 176 jewel-like ‘cells’, suggestive of released energy accelerating away from its center.

Lines in the high-strength steel bodywork flow

naturally from the grille, rising over the hood and, in profile, sweeping through to the rear flanks before meeting at the back. Geometric design details add an element of modernity and technology.

Evoking the trajectory of light, the design of the ‘Duplex’ LED headlamps provides the K900 with a visually progressive, high-prestige image. In profile, a chrome flash adds visual depth to the smooth bodywork, running along the base of the doors and around the lower rear section of the K900. The chrome window-line adds a degree of technicality and structure to the free-flowing C-pillar before it merges with the rear deck.

uinness Nigeria Plc, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, has held its Transport and Safety Week in its commitment to promote road safety and sustainable transport systems in the country.

The event, designed to reiterate the importance of safety both on and off the road, had the theme “Be safe�. Nigeria’s only total beverage alcohol company advised its employees, particularly drivers, to imbibe the core values of being Smart, Alert, Focused and Educated at all times.

Speaking at the event, Customer Service and Logistics Associate Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Akoji Amedu, stated that the Safety Week programme was put together to engage, educate and remind Guinness employees, particularly transporters of the importance of staying safe while at work and while driving on the roads. “Safety is a way of life, the way we work, the activities we engage in. Safety should be our overriding focus.

When our employees come to work, they should be able to return home safe,� Amedu noted.

He said: “We believe that a single death caused by drinking and driving is one too many and can and must be prevented. We are encouraged that over the last few years, the number of alcohol related fatalities has fallen significantly across the country.

However, there is more to do and we are committed to playing our role in eradicating harm caused by drink driving in Nigeria.�

The brewing giant said the Safety Week activities happen periodically, but that the zero harm agenda is a continuous process, even as it promised to continue to work with various stakeholders to deliver the goal of zero harm in work places.

The Sector Commander, FRSC Lagos Command, Mr. Hyginus Omeje, commended Guinness Nigeria for organizing such a programme. He noted that this kind of programme will go a long way in entrenching safety among Guinness staff.

He stated that bad attitude of road users, coupled with low level of road safety education and awareness was responsible for many road accidents.

Speaking further, he said studies had shown that the causes of road traffic crashes were road, vehicle, and human factors, with human factor recording 85 per cent.

2018 Lagos Motor, Spares Fair Holds in May

T

his year’s Lagos Motor Fair, an annual event of BKG Exhibitions, will hold in May, the organisers have said.

The Motor Fair will hold from May 7 to 12 and the spare parts exhibition in from May 9 to 12 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Lagos Motor Fair brings together major local and international vehicle manufacturers; brand representatives, as well as policy makers in the road transport and automotive business in Nigeria and West Africa. It is always highly focused and boasts of welltargeted participants and visitors.

The Auto Fair is having its 13th edition in 2018. BKG Exhibitions Limited is partnering with SENEXPO International Fairs Inc. of

T

Istanbul Turkey in organising this edition; which features a specialised ‘AUTO PARTS EXPO’ “It has the ultimate objective of providing a good forum for existing and potential practitioners as well as other stakeholders in the automobile and allied businesses across the world to explore and exploit the potentials that abound in the industry in Nigeria,� said the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu.

The fair has grown over the years and have always had in attendance high profile exhibitors and visitors from Nigeria and abroad.

It avails the participants the opportunity of reaching out to more customers; interacting with policy makers; making new contacts and networks; amongst others.

Vehicles at Lagos Motor Fair

The Folly of Joggers

his piece is not a new piece although I have tried to refresh it a bit. It is a piece I wrote about two years ago when I raised my concern over the increasing cases of deaths and injuries involving pedestrians especially joggers as a result of apathy, ignorance, deliberate ignorance or just attitude. I followed up the write up with another piece which equally shed light on the roles and responsibilities of drivers in ensuring the deaths and injury trend is reduced in line with the Federal Road Safety Corps Corporate goals of reducing road traffic crashes by 20percent and fatalities by 30percent in 2015.That goal has changed as the focus for 2018 is to reduce road traffic crashes by 15 percent and fatalities by 30 percent.

While the first piece was titled; Pedestrian Safety; Rules for joggers, the second was titled; Driver and Pedestrian Safety. I must confess that despite all that I wrote in the above, I am still disturbed by the disturbing trend which is not changing by the day. This is why I am compelled to write again on this subject barely two months after the piece was published. For starters, I wish to inform you that in August 2014,I moved to a new estate in Abuja and just recently moved into another estate . The estate boasts of tarred and expansive roads but like the case in some of our roads or estates, the appropriate road furniture such as road markings or walkways are absent.

This absence naturally tasks me while jogging in ensuring that all precautions are taken to avoid exposure to a possible pedestrian-vehicle collision.

Like I wrote earlier, my daily routine to keep fit is a thirty to one hour walking and jogging exercise.

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education OďŹƒcer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491

Every time I embark on this daily exercise, I stumble on some oddities by fellow joggers who by their mien are literate but ignorant of the risk pedestrians’ face.

I am therefore writing because increasing pedestrian safety will reduce road traffic fatalities and thus help us in achieving our strategic goals of reducing road trafficcrashesby15percentandfatalitiesby30percent.

LikeIsaidearlier,Pedestrianinjuriesandfatalitiesisa majorglobalproblemrelatedtotravelandroadsafety.

In Nigeria, it is a major road safety issue especially with the absence of appropriate infrastructures such as walkways and pedestrian bridges except in few cities, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory where through the partnership with the World bank, pedestrian bridges have been provided even though there is still the apathy by pedestrians to utilize them, thus causing unnecessary crashes and deaths.

Even developed societies have their fair share of this challenge where Pedestrian-vehicle crashes are a major problem. The times and days pedestrians are most at risk of injury differ from those when they are most at risk of death. Pedestrian vehicle crashes

knows no bounds as they occur both in urban and rural areas and in both places where there are no traffic controls and where there exist. They affect both adults and children.

No single factor is completely responsible for the problem of pedestrian-vehicle crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities. A combination of unsafe pedestrian behavior, vehicle and driver factors, problematicphysicalenvironments,andotherspecial conditions all contribute to them. Pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur when physical environments allow pedestrianstocomeintocontactwithmovingvehicles.

These crashes occur when physical environments allow pedestrians to come into contact with moving vehicles like the case in my new estate. If this occurs without check, then a pedestrian-vehicle crash problem exists. Most, if not all of such problems will be the result of failures of the following: pedestrians who are inattentive or incapable of using the road safely; irresponsible drivers and physical environments that encourage unsafe pedestrian and/or driver behavior, or failure to adequately separate pedestrians and vehicles.

Addressing these problems will provide relief, promote safety for pedestrians and reduce if not eliminate these crashes Unsafe pedestrian behavior is a major factor in pedestrian injuries and fatalities whether in low or high income countries. Most studies done on pedestrian vehicle crashes heaps about 80percent of the blame on pedestrians and this explains my emphasis on increasing pedestrian safety consciousness.

I told you that I am very worried at the development I have noticed in the over six months since I moved to this new environment. Within this period, I must

have stumbled on hundreds of joggers who choose the early hours between 5-7am to jog.

This period has a very peculiar challenge which is that of visibility. Strangely I must confess that in six months, less than five percent of joggers in this estatehaveattemptedtodemonstrateunderstanding principle number one for joggers which demands that they ensure that they are visible by wearing dresses that either reflects or better still bright colored dresses.

Of this five percent, only two people were seen jogging with a reflective jacket and an arm band to enhance visibility. A fairly good number attempt to wear bright colors although they don’t reflect’ Also recently, I noticed the growing number of younger or kid joggers who mostly jog in the company of parents or guardians.

While it might be okay to excuse the level of ignorance exhibited by most adults, I however shudder when I see a parent walking or jogging and exhibiting gross ignorance or deliberate disobedience to safety rules that will protect himself and members of his family especially children whom the scripture describes as Gods heritage. It is equally worrisome to see this younger joggers who most often are supposed to be more learned, courtesy of thenumeroussafetyawarenesscampaignembarked by the Commission to schools as part of the catch them young strategy, exhibit same folly especially that of walking or jogging on the street along with the traffic flow, thereby ignoring designated pedestrian pathways where such exist or complying with rule number two rule which demands pedestrians to avoid backing traffic when walking or jogging.

Recently, a fresh oddity was noticed when on two different occasions I stumbled on advanced joggers who prefer biking to joggers. They were seen in dark clothes at the early hours of the day and were riding backing traffic. Generally, the norm among a greaternumberistoweardarkclotheswhilejogging.

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

FAMILY HEALTH with

The Human Appendix

T

r 3PMF JO UIF EJHFTUJWF TZTUFN There is a higher Purpose for the Appendix. Researchers deduce that the appendix is designed to protect good bacteria in the gut. That way, when the gut is affected by a bout of diarrhea or other illness that cleans out the intestines, the good bacteria in the appendix can repopulate the digestive system and keep you healthy.

The appendix does have a key function - it produces and stores good microbes for the human gut.

The research team, comprising immunologists, say that our digestive system is rich in bacteria that are not only harmless but also helpful to us in the digestion of food that we eat.

These good microbes are often flushed out from the body when we suffer from diseases such as dysentery or cholera, thus upsetting the digestive system. This is when our appendix releases its stock of good bacteria and “reboots� our digestive system, according to the researchers.

There are certain things that can go wrong with the appendix: $POEJUJPOT BGGFDUJOH UIF BQQFOEJY In humans, common diseases affecting the appendix are appendicitis and carcinoid tumors. Although scientists believe that the appendix has useful functions in the body, they recommend the removal of the diseased appendix, as untreated appendicitis or appendix cancer can be fatal and also because its removal is not seen to cause any ill effects. r "QQFOEJDJUJT The inflammation of the appendix is called appendicitis. It is caused by the blockage of the appendix and is very painful and potentially fatal.

Appendicitis is the top most cause of acute abdominal pain necessitating surgery , affecting more than 5% of the population at some point of time.

Indigestible food passes from the small intestine to the large intestine and into the appendix. The muscular walls of the appendix contract and expel

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, ͸΀͸ͽ͝͝Ϳͺ͝ͽ͞ pain begins.

4. Abdominal swelling.

5. Fever of 99-102 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Inability to pass gas.

here are several structures and appendages that are present in the human body. Some of which have very specific functions and other a bit undefined, and its use is more or less residual.

The human appendix is one of such structures in the human body, whose use is not really defined, but they are useful, and when things go wrong with them, they could be fatal to humans.

The appendix is a worm-shaped tube attached to the large intestine in the human body. It is an organ that is credited with very little significance and often removed indiscriminately to avoid complications due to infection.

The function of the appendix is unknown. One theory is that the appendix acts as a storehouse for good bacteria, “rebooting� the digestive system after diarrheal illnesses. Other experts believe the appendix is just a useless remnant from our evolutionary past. Your appendix is a thin tube in your lower right abdomen. It sits where your small intestine meets your large intestine. Historically, many people have believed the appendix serves little purpose. Researchers are learning that your appendix may play a role in good health.

The appendix is a small, tube-like structure once believed to be a useless vestigial organ. More recently, the idea never entirely abandoned that it is important for immune function has been gaining ground.

Although some scientists believe that the human appendix has useful functions in the body, they still recommend the removal of the diseased appendix, as appendicitis or appendix cancer when left untreated, can be fatal and also because the removal of the appendix is not seen to cause any ill effects in the human body. A delay can result in a burst appendix, which can be life-threatening.

Functions r 3PMF JO UIF JNNVOF TZTUFN Research in recent years has shown that the human appendix has lymphoid cells, which help the body fight infections. This strongly suggests that the appendix plays a role in the immune system.

The appendix has been found to play a role in mammalian mucosal immune function. It is believed to be involved in extrathymically derived T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocyte-mediated immune responses.

It is also said to produce early defences that help prevent serious infections in humans.

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

Causes Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes blocked, often by stool, a foreign body, or cancer.

Blockage may also occur from infection, since the appendix can swell in response to any infection in the body.

Almost half the time, Other symptoms of appendicitis appear, including: r %VMM PS TIBSQ QBJO BOZXIFSF JO UIF VQQFS or lower abdomen, back, or rectum r 1BJOGVM VSJOBUJPO BOE EJGĂ DVMUZ QBTTJOH urine r 4FWFSF DSBNQT r $POTUJQBUJPO PS EJBSSIFB XJUI HBT If you have any of the mentioned symptoms, seek medical attention immediately, because timely diagnosis and treatment is very important. Do not eat, drink, or use any pain remedies, antacids, laxatives, or heating pads, which can cause an inflamed appendix to rupture.

Ruptured appendix If the appendix ruptures, the bacteria and fecal particles within the organ can spread into your abdomen. This may lead to a serious infection called peritonitis. You can also develop an abscess if your appendix ruptures. Both are life-threatening situations that require immediate surgery.

The function of the appendix is unknown.

One theory is that the appendix acts as a storehouse for good bacteria, “rebooting� the digestive system after diarrheal illnesses. Other experts believe the appendix is just a useless remnant from our evolutionary past. Your appendix is a thin tube in your lower right abdomen. It sits where your small intestine meets your large intestine

this food. When there is a blockage at the point where the appendix and large intestine meet, it can cause the inflammation of the appendix. This can lead to severe abdominal pain, nausea, fever and vomiting.

Symptoms of appendicitis can vary in different people.

If left untreated, a clogged appendix can rupture and release harmful bacteria into the abdomen eventually causing peritonitis.

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a 3 1/2-inch-long tube of tissue that extends from the large intestine. One study suggests that the appendix may have some role in gut immunity, but nothing is definite. One thing we do know: We can live without it, without apparent consequences.

Appendicitis is a medical emergency that almost always requires prompt surgery to remove the appendix. Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity’s lining (the peritoneum) that can be fatal unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics. r 4PNFUJNFT B QVT Ă MMFE BCTDFTT JOGFDUJPO UIBU is walled off from the rest of the body) forms outside the inflamed appendix. Scar tissue then “walls offâ€? the appendix from the rest of the abdomen, preventing infection from spreading. An abscessed appendix can perforate or explode and cause peritonitis. For this reason, almost all cases of appendicitis are treated as emergencies, requiring surgery.

Mild appendicitis can be treated using antibiotics.

Severe cases are usually treated by surgically removing the appendix. This procedure is called appendectomy and can be performed either by laparotomy in which a single incision is made in the right lower portion of the abdomen to remove the appendix or laparoscopic surgery which is carried out by making many small incisions through which special tools are inserted to remove the appendix.

Doctors often remove a healthy appendix while performing other abdominal surgeries like a hysterectomy. This is to avoid appendicitis in the future, as the appendix is prone to bacterial infections.

The classic symptoms of appendicitis include: 1. Dull pain near the navel or the upper abdomen that becomes sharp as it moves to the lower right abdomen. ...

2. Loss of appetite.

3. Nausea and/or vomiting soon after abdominal

The removal – appendectomy An appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix. It’s a common emergency surgery that’s performed to treat appendicitis, an inflammatory condition of the appendix.

The appendix is a small, tube-shaped pouch attached to your large intestine. It’s located in the lower right side of your abdomen. The exact purpose of the appendix isn’t known. However, it’s believed that it may help us recover from diarrhea, inflammation, and infections of the small and large intestines. These may sound like important functions, but the body can still function properly without an appendix.

When the appendix becomes inflamed and swollen, bacteria can quickly multiply inside the organ and lead to the formation of pus. This buildup of bacteria and pus can cause pain around the belly button that spreads to the lower right section of the abdomen. Walking or coughing can make the pain worse. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. r *U T JNQPSUBOU UP TFFL USFBUNFOU SJHIU BXBZ JG you’re having symptoms of appendicitis. When the condition goes untreated, the appendix can burst (perforated appendix) and release bacteria and other harmful substances into the abdominal cavity. This can be life-threatening, and will lead to a longer hospital stay. r "O BQQFOEFDUPNZ JT PGUFO EPOF UP SFNPWF UIF appendix when an infection has made it inflamed and swollen. This condition is known as appendicitis.

The infection may occur when the opening of the appendix becomes clogged with bacteria and stool.

This causes your appendix to become swollen and inflamed.

The easiest and quickest way to treat appendicitis is to remove the appendix. Your appendix could burst if appendicitis isn’t treated immediately and effectively. If the appendix ruptures, the bacteria and fecal particles within the organ can spread into your abdomen. This may lead to a serious infection called peritonitis. You can also develop an abscess if your appendix ruptures. Both are life-threatening situations that require immediate surgery.

Although pain from appendicitis typically occurs in the lower right side of the abdomen, pregnant women may have pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. This is because the appendix is higher during pregnancy. r (P UP UIF FNFSHFODZ SPPN JNNFEJBUFMZ JG ZPV believe you have appendicitis. An appendectomy needs to be performed right away to prevent complications.

Appendectomy is the standard treatment for appendicitis. It’s crucial to remove the appendix right away, before the appendix can rupture. Once an appendectomy is performed, most people recover quickly and without complications.

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

24.03.2018

Gabriel Okechukwu Targeting Russia 2018 Shirt

SUPER EAGLES ON COURSE PAGE. 29

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

Okechukwu

Targeting Russia 2018 Shirt Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? ÒÙ×Ă?Ě‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÚÖËãĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă’ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÚÖËãĂ?ĂœĂ? Ě‹ Ă•Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă&#x;Ă•ĂĄĂ&#x; äĂ?Ă˜ĂĄĂ‹Ëœ ĂžĂ?ÚÒĂ?Ă˜ äĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ĂŒĂœĂ“Ă?Ă– Ă•Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă&#x;Ă•ĂĄĂ&#x; Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă™ĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŒ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ÞåÙ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă–Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂŒĂ“Ă‹Ë› ÓÞÒ äĂ?Ă˜ĂĄĂ‹ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă•Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă&#x;Ă•ĂĄĂ&#x; ÞÙ Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÓĂ?ĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ?

Jo Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÚÖËãĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂŁËœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Kunle Adewale

A

fter an above average-performance at last month’s CHAN in Morocco, it came as no surprise that Gabriel Okechukwu was included in the list for Super Eagles’ upcoming friendly matches against Poland and Serbia. Though the campaign for the home-based players to be included in the Nigerian team to the World Cup has been on increase in recent times, Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr’s position remains that the country’s best legs are outside the shores of the land. “Our best players are playing in Europe.

Senegal, who we played against in London, had no local player. The big teams don’t have local players,� the German tactician had said then.

However, after much criticism over the lack of

opportunities to local players in his team, Rohr then declared that only exceptional players in the CHAN Eagles will be invited to the Super Eagles.

The 63-year-old German however insisted that the current Eagles squad had top quality players and charged the home-based players to prove they can do better.

Rohr said that he was keen on giving the NPFL players the opportunities to play for the team and as such, his assistants, Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amapakabo have been scouting the league for the best legs to represent the country in the CHAN tournament.

Okechukwu has vowed to justify his inclusion in the Super Eagles squad if he gets a chance to feature in the team’s international friendlies against Poland and Serbia.

The Akwa United attacker, who spoke to AOIFootball.com, said he remained grateful to

Gernot Rohr for considering him worthy of a national team call-up. “I feel excited to be invited among the players that will represent the country against Poland and Serbia. I want to use this medium to say a big thank you to the coach for giving me this opportunity to be a part of this team and I promise not to disappoint,� the CHAN hero said.

Gabriel further added that if given the chance in any of the games, he would grab the opportunity with both hands: “If given the opportunity by the coach, I will always have to come in and do what I know how to do best, which is to play and prove that I deserve to be a permanent member of the team. “It’s a lifetime opportunity playing for Nigeria at this level and I’m prepared to take it. The World Cup is the biggest competition every player dreams of and I’m not an exception. The

31

MARCH 24, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

AFRICA PLAYS with KENNETH EZAGA 0807 0530 677, zigi199@yahoo.com

Okechukwu

Martin del Potro Back in the Big Time

Del Potro

D

games will serve as a preparatory test for us and every player invited will be eager to prove their own class so I will be ready to prove that as well.

Okechukwu departed with the Super Eagles contingent from Abuja to Wroclaw on Tuesday for the game against Poland before they face Serbia four days later in London.

After his exploits at the CHAN competition, Okechukwu said he had got offers from some foreign clubs and that he doesn’t want to rush into any deal that could hamper his career growth.

In a chat with Brila.net, the Akwa United player revealed some of the offers he has been receiving though they were no concrete deals yet.

“Yes, I have been getting some offers from foreign Clubs I won’t mention names because they are no concrete deals yet,” Gabriel stated.

He maintained that he remained committed to his Uyo-based Club and would simply take his time with the NPFL side rather than jump into any offer.

He was part of the home-based Super Eagles side which lost in the final of the WAFU cup to Ghana in September but kept his place for January’s African Nations Championships despite not doing anything out of the ordinary in Ghana.

Okechukwu sat out Nigeria’s first

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

two games in Morocco and had to wait until the third game against Equatorial Guinea before he was handed his competition debut.

He barely touched the ball in his six-minute cameo but his day was beckoning.

That day came in Nigeria’s next game – a quarter final match in Tangier – against Angola. The Eagles missed a number of scoring opportunities and were heading out of the competition when an injury to wonderkid Sunday Faleye prompted Salisu Yusuf to call on Okechukwu with about 30 minutes left to play.

He made his presence felt in the attack and although he missed a glorious chance to pull Nigeria level on 77 minute, his strike partner, Anthony Okpotu, redeemed himself with a late equaliser, sending the game to extra-time.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

After a goalless first half of extra time where both teams looked jaded and seemingly settling for shootouts, Okechukwu took his destiny in his hand. Picking up a loose ball after Dayo Ojo’s free kick was deflected, he outpaced two Angolan defenders before shooting from the edge of the penalty box.

The luck that has trailed Okechukwu all his career also followed the ball as it took a deflection off Angolan defender Wilson and beyond his goalkeeper Landu Mavanga.

Okechukwu’s goal made the difference. It brought joy to millions of Nigerians back home.

The former Super Eagles and Flying Eagles fringe player is well famed in Nigeria after former coach of the Super Eagles, the late Stephen Keshi, handed him the number 10 jersey against Chad in Nigeria’s first AFCON 2017 qualifiers in Kaduna.

Keshi was queried by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for including a player who doesn’t play in any level of Nigerian football league, in the national team.

Okechukwu was born August 28, 1995. He is a product of Water FC Academy in Abuja. In February 2016, he signed a contract with Ukrainian club FC Karpaty.

elpo is in with a shout of Grand Slam glory this year having recovered from a series of career-threatening injuries - his bid for back-to-back Masters titles gets underway from midnight on Friday It looked very much as though there was no coming back for the 6ft 6in gentle giant from Argentina after being ravaged by injuries. But Juan Martin del Potro has proved the doubters wrong with another big title under his belt. So could 2018 be his year? Raz Mirza takes a look...

It is great testament to Del Potro for his remarkable determination to turn his career full circle and underline his stunning return to the game with Masters 1000 glory in Indian Wells.

Two years after almost quitting in frustration, Del Potro is back in the top 10 this season for the first time since 2014 and back winning titles.

His return to form is one that has reached out to tennis fans and he himself could barely believe he had finally won a Masters series title at the 51st attempt against the great Roger Federer 6-4 6-7 (8-10) 7-6 (7-2), but is now determined to keep the trophies coming in his late-career renaissance.

The potential many saw in him as a teenager finally came to fruition at the US Open in 2009 as Del Potro unleashed his trademark rocket of a forehand and was tipped to become a future world No 1.

He reached the first Grand Slam final of his career after humbling Rafa Nadal in straight sets by out-muscling the normally aggressive Spaniard.

And in the showpiece, Del Potro ended the five-year unbeaten US Open reign of Federer in a pulsating final, twice fighting back from a set down to win 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.

He not only beat the world No 1 with a performance that was both brilliant and courageous, but he wrote his name in the history books by becoming only the second Argentine to win the US title after Guillermo Vilas.

"I had two dreams this week," said Del Potro.

"One was to win the US Open and the other one is to be like Roger. "One is done, but I need to improve a lot to be like you," he said, looking at the Swiss great.

But after reaching a career-high world No 4 he was struck down by a wrist injury that plagued his 2010 campaign. By the following year his ranking had dropped to as low as 485 but nevertheless, he ended the year ranked No 11 after a comeback.

In 2012, Del Potro was involved in a three-set Olympic semi-final marathon with Federer at Wimbledon. Despite losing 19-17 in an epic deciding set, he finished the year ranked No 7, with four ATP titles to his name - things were looking up.

He was named Argentina's Sportsman of the Year in 2013 as the success continued. He had climbed into the world's top five and won ATP titles in Rotterdam, Washington, Tokyo. He also defended his Basel crown.

The future looked bright for the South American star until he was laid low early in 2014 with a left wrist injury that had blighted him since 2012.

He decided to undergo surgery to help alleviate the problem which meant he was forced to miss the rest of the season.

Del Potro's troubles continued a year later when he had another minor operation after suffering pain and discomfort on his return to action in Sydney.

Having sought the opinion of a number of medical experts, he felt the need to undergo medical treatment for a third time following

an unsuccessful return to action at the Miami Open.

"The pain in my wrist wouldn't go away, I felt uneasy and wasn't able to train pain-free," he said in a video posted on his official Twitter feed. "After playing in Miami, my sensations were horrible. I told myself I didn't want to fight against tennis, I didn't want to hate the sport.

"I'd rather take the time off that's needed to try to recover myself as a human being and leave the tennis player aside for a while."

Having played four matches in 2015, collecting a paltry $23,475 in prize money, Del Potro had fallen to 1,045th in the rankings.

Things could not have looked any bleaker.

'La Torre de Tandil' took time to rehabilitate, refocus and rebuild his confidence in time for Wimbledon - his first appearance at the All England Club for three years - and after two years in the Grand Slam wilderness.

He left an indelible mark on the tournament by rolling back the years to end the challenge of fourth seed Stan Wawrinka in four sets, before a third-round exit.

"This could be my second or third career after my surgeries," said Del Potro after victory. "I don't know if I can be in the top positions again, but if not, I will be happy just to be playing tennis again."

Despite losing in the third round, Del Potro headed to the Rio Olympics in fine spirits and his thirst for success was sky high. Novak Djokovic lay in wait for a mouthwatering first-round clash.

And by the end of it, he had left the world No 1 in a flood of tears following an incredible match which left both players mentally and emotionally drained.

Del Potro used his colossal forehand to tame the world's best player over two tie-breaks and it wasn't long before he was at it again, emerging victorious from a relentless three-set encounter with Rafa Nadal to defy the odds and book an Olympic goal medal showdown with Andy Murray.

In a battle of attrition, both men had put each other through the mill in a four-hour dogfight as Britain's finest sealed the first back-to-back Olympic golds in tennis history, 7-5 4-6 6-2 7-5.

Known as one of the most ferocious ball strikers in the game, Del Potro used every inch of his powerful serve with deep, flat groundstrokes to try and break Murray's remarkable defensive resolve.

In the week where he was ranked 141st in the world, the 27-year-old was handed a wild card into the US Open main draw, but his dreams ended in the last eight. He finished 2016 by producing a heroic performance to land him in Argentinian tennis folklore by winning the Davis Cup, but perhaps his effort took a lot out of him because he showed indifferent form during the first part of 2017.

Del Potro excelled in the latter part of the year though, and recorded another famous win over Federer at Flushing Meadows - this time in the last eight - before claiming the Stockholm crown.

The start of this season has seen the towering Del Potro return back at the very top of his game, winning in Acapulco, where he beat three top eight players in a row and then snapping Federer's 17-match winning streak to seal the second biggest title of his career.

"Well, it's so big. I cannot believe I won this tournament, beating Roger in a great final and level of tennis," he said. "I don't care about the numbers. I just want to keep winning titles like this if I can.

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

Ablaze FC celebrating their victory at the FC Bayern Youth Cup

StarTimes : Taking Nigerian Sports to New Height

S

ince joining the Nigerian pay TV competitive market, StarTimes has never hidden its intention of where it is taking Nigeria’s sports to-the next level. It has not failed in achieving that. Two months ago it berthed with another of its many firsts-the FC Bayern Youth Cup Tournament.

Desirous of contributing to the development of sports and football in Nigeria StarTimes partnered VOE Foundation to host the FC Bayern Youth Cup tournament in Nigeria, the first time an African country is taking part in the competition.

The tournament saw the best 10 players selected to represent Team Nigeria and play at the world finals in Germany.

Sports Director of FC Bayern, Hasan Salihamidzic, said he was proud that Nigeria for the first time was part of the FC Bayern Youth Cup. “The FC Bayern Youth Cup is a great platform for young players from all over the world to showcase their talent. The chance to win a trip to Munich and take part in a five-day training camp with FC Bayern is unique. The young players from Nigeria will meet FC Bayern 1st team players, visit the last Bundesliga match of the season and play the final tournament just one day after in the Allianz Arena.�

The FC Bayern Youth Cup is an international 7v7 tournament series for U-16 teams representing different countries and has been hosted annually since 2012.

The competition has seen teams from Asia, Europe, North and South America. Team Nigeria will be the first African team to take part in the competition.

According to the Brand and Marketing Director at StarTimes, Mr Qasim Elegbede, the national

qualifiers will take place in eight locations across Nigeria Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and the Federal Capital Territory-Abuja. “The national qualifiers will officially commence on January 13, in Abuja, we are working with VOE Foundation, the national event host and all is set for the competition to kick off on January 13,�

Elegbede had said.

Accordingly, the national finals of the FC Bayern Youth Cup tournament was held in Abuja and eight teams vie for honours at the Aduvie Academy, Jahi District, Abuja.

The teams were Ablaze FC (Lagos Island), FC Bethel (Lagos Mainland), Derby Academy (Jos), Early Start Academy (Enugu), All Stars (Port-Harcourt) Kano Stars (Kano), Sporting Dreams (Abuja), and Bityong Academy (Kaduna) having qualified to compete at the national final for a chance to represent Nigeria in Germany at the world champions competition of the Youth Cup. Commenting on the development, Elegbede said, “We are happy to have been able to impact the lives of over 300 young boys positively. Providing them a chance to showcase their talent has given them a boost and I am sure they will go ahead to excel in football.�

He added, “StarTimes will continue working with these kids even after the world finals in Germany to ensure that their football passion takes them places.�

Over 50 games and more than 150 goals were recorded with 320 players from across six states that took part in the competition.

Ablaze FC of Lagos eventually emerged as winners of the FC Bayern Youth Cup Tournament after a one nil victory over Sporting Dreams of Abuja in a fiercely contested final played at Aduvie international school in Abuja and witnessed a large turnout by participating teams and spectators alike who came out in their numbers to support the youngsters.

At the end of the competition, 10 players were selected from six teams to form the team that would represent Nigeria in the world finals in Munich, Germany in May. Speaking on the development, the Chief Executive Officer of StarTimes Nigeria, Justin Zhang, hailed the tenacity of the boys who defied the blazing heat of the day to battle for the top spot in the keenly contested competition. According to Zhang, “StarTimes is proud to be a part of the competition and it makes us pleased to be supporting the dreams and aspirations of these players to play international football.�

Also speaking, the Country Director, VOE Foundation, Victor Edeh, commended all contesting teams in the competition noting that it had been a rewarding experience for the teams and it was now time to buckle down to face other winners from various parts of the world.

As part of activities to mark the climax of the Youth Cup Tournament, supporters and followers of FC Bayern and lovers of German football came out to see the Bundesliga trophy which was on display at the venue of the competition for the first time in Nigeria.

The next phase of the competition will be hosted in Germany in May, where teams from seven countries drawn from Asia, Europe, and America will converge on Bayern Muich to slug it out with one another.

StarTimes had earlier announced plans to entertain subscribers and followers of the Bundesliga with an open viewing of the trophy in Abuja. “The trophy was on display at Aduvie International School in Jahi District, Abuja from 11am till about 3pm during which fans can take pictures, videos and interact with some FC Bayern legends who will be present at the event,� said Elegbede.

He added, “This is the first time ever the trophy is coming to Nigeria

and we are very much excited to be a part of it. Followership of the Bundesliga in Nigeria is improving and this activity is to further engage the fans, partners, sports journalists and every football lover to a nice football moment.�

Meanwhile, as part of its commitment to broadcast sport contents to its growing number of subscribers, StarTimes brought the live coverage of the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup to the screen of football lovers.

The all-champions football tournament, currently in its 13th edition, is a FIFA- organised international club football tournament between champion clubs from each of the six continental confederations, as well as the national league champions from the host country. The tournament was hosted by Japan and beamed live on StarTimes sports channels including Sports Focus and World Football. “We are glad to offer the only world club tournament on an exclusive basis to our subscribers in Africa. We are very excited because this is a unique opportunity for football fans to see the best clubs from each continent, including Real Madrid, play one against another. The live telecast of these matches reflect the firm's commitment to provide the best sporting action to its subscribers at a very affordable rate,� Elegbede said.

As part of its social responsibility, StarTimes has concluded plans at ensuring that some journalists get to see the World Cup live in Russia with all expense paid by the company.

StarTimes always places its focus on society.

To help every African family to afford digital TV, to watch digital TV, and to enjoy digital TV, StarTimes has established wireless digital TV platform in many African countries and will invest in mobile TV service platform and internet business platform in the near future.

33

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

L-R: Babatunde Bank-Anthony, director-general, Lagos State Sport Commission; Tolulope Onipede, corporate communications and external aairs, GTBank; Seyi Akinwunmi, chairman, Lagos State Football AsGovernment Secondary School, Karu, FCT (representing FCT Abuja) versus L-R: GOtv Marketing Manager; Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye, CEO Flykite Produc- sociation/ 1st vice chairman, Nigeria Football Federation, and Modupe Government Secondary School, Numan, (representing Adamawa) at the Girls tions; Jekinns Alumona, President, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control RaďŹ u Phillips, corporate communications and external aairs, GTBank, at the Final of the 20th Milo Basketball Championship Central Conference at the Ladipo,and Secretary General, NBBofC, Remi Aboderin, during the press press conference to announce the unveiling of GTBank-Lagos State brieďŹ ng of GOtv Boxing Night 14 held at the Regent, GRA Ikeja...recently Principal Cup Season 9 in Lagos...recently National Stadium, Abuja...recently

Flying Eagles Jet to Cairo on Two–match Tour Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, will today fly to Cairo for a two –match tour of Egypt as part of the team’s preparations for the qualifying series of the 2019 Africa U20 Cup of Nations.

Head Coach, Paul Aigbogun will lead the new group that is being put together with the mandate not only to return the Flying Eagles to the Africa U20 finals which they missed last year, but also to qualify for the FIFA World Cup and go one better than the Class

of 1989 and Class of 2005 that won the silver medals.

The trio of Elkanemi Warriors’ Nur Mohammed, Ikouwem Utin of Enyimba FC and Plateau United’s Eneji Moses, who impressed with the Super Eagles B at the African Nations Championship in Morocco earlier in the year, are in the 23 –man squad that will face the Junior Pharaohs.

Kano Pillars’ Nazifi Yahaya, Nasarawa United’s Douglas Achiv and Akwa United’s duo of Duarw Nuhu

and Adeshina Gata are also in the contingent.Team Administrator Aliyu Ibrahim Lawal told thenff.com that the Flying Eagles will take on the Junior Pharaohs on Tuesday, 27th March and Thursday, 29th March, with both matches to hold in Alexandria. The seven –time African champions will be up against the winner of the preliminary fixture between Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau in the first round of the qualifiers, with the first leg to hold in either Bissau or Freetown in mid-May.

2018 Lagos International Squash Classics

Obasanjo to Grace Today’s Finale Grand patron of squash in Nigeria and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo will be the special guest at the grand finale of the 2018 Lagos International Squash Classics today at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Obasanjo, who has been an ardent supporter of squash in Nigeria and a player himself, has confirmed that he would grace the final to lend support to the organisers of the championship.

come and we hope more people will come and identify with the sport,�

Oyerinde said.

The NSF boss lauded the Lagos State Government for keeping faith with the tournament, adding that despite not staging it in 2017, more players across the globe are still showing nterest in coming to Lagos for the tournament. Oyerinde, however, lauded the local players for putting up good performance against their foreign counterparts.

This was confirmed by the President, Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF), Boye Oyerinde, who said the presence of the former President attested to the quality of people in the sport. “We are happy that our former President and a major supporter of the sport – Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has agreed to grace the grand finale of the Lagos International Squash Classics and this for us in the federation is a sign of good things to

NSSM Points 'Way Forward' for Sports The Nigeria Society for Sports Management (NSSM) has identified areas that could enhance and sustain sports development in the country.

A five-point communiquĂŠ signed by the NSSM President, Professor Muhammed Gambari, at the end of the body's 2018 national conference held in Kano over the weekend, urged the Federal Government to

urgently establish a channel for effective collaboration between various government parastatals in sports at local, state and national levels with the NSSM towards involving positive management strategies through functional research process for effective policy formulation and implementation, even as it urged the government to closely monitor

implementation of formulated policies with a view to achieving desired results.

The communiquĂŠ stressed the need for government to support individuals with cognate experience to get appointed into key positions in the sports ministry, although this should be backed by what the NSSM called appropriate legislation.

CONT FROM BACK PAGE

When Cattle Colony is not Enough‌ It is instructive that the killer herdsmen have since extended their fiesta of bloodletting to Lalong’s Plateau and Bello’s Kogi states, despite the latter voluntarily providing land for cattle colony for Fulani herdsmen to please the president. You see, this government told us that the Anti-Open Grazing Law was responsible for the attacks in Benue. Now, what is responsible for the attacks on Kogi people who are ready to “accommodateâ€? strangers in their land? Shall we ask the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali just one question here: Were the routes designated for cattle blocked in Kogi? Kogi was the first state to volunteer land for colony. Why the killings there? Bello, that disrespectful “juvenileâ€? governor who rose to power with the votes of a dead man has proved to be an embarrassment to the Nigerian youth. He would do anything and say anything to please Buhari. His expressed love for herdsmen is not enough to immune

his state from their onslaught!

Again in mid-February, gunmen killed about 41 people at Birane village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Just a few days after that massacre, 14 APC governors abandoned their duties, ran to Katsina where the president had gone on a brief visit, to beg him to seek re-election in 2019 because if does not, “Nigeria will disappear from the face of the earth�. They are struggling amongst themselves to demonstrate their love for Buhari, their hero, despite the pervading insecurity in the land. They are telling him that he alone can govern Nigeria despite the clear evidence of his ruinous reign. They care less about the future of Nigeria as long as their own is assured under Buhari.

Our governors have shown that they lack empathy for the people who voted for them and who are daily at the receiving end of the shocking cruelty of our leaders. How can these

people be this insensitive? The party in power has shown clearly that it is more interested in power than care about the security, safety and welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

Today, life is harsh and insecure under Buhari; worse than at any time in our history. Poverty, hunger and diseases have become our constant companion. Corruption and impunity remain at record levels. Nepotism, clannishness and bigotry have reached an unprecedented scale never before seen in our country. Despite, the obvious evidence, the APC governments at all levels have made lies and propaganda part of their stock-in-trade.

We have seen the hypocrisy that stalks our land; Nigerians have seen the perfidy and impunity of our preachers of change. To those who are still willfully blind, I say there is only one thing that is constant in life: Truth! It endures no matter how hard you try to suppress it.

Unification Bout: Parker Labels Joshua Disrespectful Joseph Parker has told Anthony Joshua to be "more respectful" as their world heavyweight title unification fight looms.

Joshua was accused of snubbing the New Zealand and Samoa based media earlier this week, sparking criticism from Parker on Friday.

"It's his decision but it's disrespectful," Parker said. "They've travelled a long way to see Joshua, and they respect him.

"We were friendly to British media and invited them to our home. He should be more respectful."

Unbeaten champions Joshua and Parker will unify their WBA, IBF and WBO belts next weekend in Cardiff and tensions were heightened after the travelling champion's feisty press conference on Friday.

"If he trusted in his body, he wouldn't be trying to change who he is," said Parker, about Joshua's plans to weigh-in lighter.

"He's trying to be faster and leaner - I don't know if he is trying to be him or me? We will be lighter. Faster, stronger, better movement."

Parker was unmoved by suggestions Joshua has sought consultation from Wladimir Klitschko, who the IBF and WBA 'super' champion brilliantly beat last year at Wembley.

"They can do whatever they want - it won't change a thing.

He's probably trying to get advice from Klitschko," Parker said.

"We have Joshua vs Klitschko playing in the gym every day.

There are things we saw that we can do better. We can catch AJ. "The public are judging us on our last two or three fights and they see Joshua as a fighter who is [unbeatable]. There is the element of surprise. Everyone thinks this is an easy win for him, but that's motivation for us. I want to get in there and bash him.

"They are looking past our team. If they are in discussions to fight Deontay Wilder, so be it. But he has to be careful because someone's in their way."

Parker believes he has rediscovered his jab, a punch that has been hindered in the past two years due to elbow injuries that were solved in December through surgery.

"In the past five or six fights I haven't shown the jab that I showed early in my career," he said. "The jab is key to set up our attack phases, and I have it back now. There will be a lot of jabs.

"We tried to schedule surgery many times but opportunities came up, so we pushed it back. The last two years we've been fighting less than 100 per cent. Since the surgery, there have been benefits. This has been the best camp we've had in a long time and that's why we're confident."

GOtv Boxing Night 14

Skoro Targets ABU Title as Holds 14 April The 14th edition of GOtv Boxing Night will hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, on April 14, the organisers have announced. The announcement was made at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday.

The event returns to the National Stadium after it was staged at the Landmark Centre in December.

GOtv Boxing Night 14 will feature seven bouts, including the African Boxing Union featherweight title bout between Nigeria’s Waidi Usman and Michael Nyawade of Kenya. Skoro lost a bid to win the title to Edward Kakembo of Uganda in 2015.

The event will also feature the West African Boxing Union welterweight title bout between Rilwan Babatunde and Djossou Basile of the Republic of Benin.

Another title fight lined up will see Kazeem Badmus take on Rilwan Oladosu for the national lightweight title. The other fights will see Sulaimon Adeosun confront Ramon Adedoyin in a national light heavyweight challenge, Chukwuebuka Ezewudo up against Kazeem Nofiu in a national welterweight challenge contest, while Prince Nwoye will square up to Oto Joseph.

Abiodun Afini will take on Ramon Razak in a national cruiserweight challenge bout. The best boxer at the event will go home with N1million cash prize attached to the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

34

VINTAGE

Erga & Associate Plans Israeli 2018 Agritech Exhibition Justina Uzo

E

rga & Associate, an Abuja-based company has urged Nigerians to explore the opportunities of the latest agricultural innovations and know-how at the 20th international agricultural exhibition which will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from May 6-14, 2018.

The eight-day tour include attending Agritech exhibition, a unique opportunity to observe the most modern Israeli agriculture technologies and to visit agriculture farms, R& D institutes and the famous historical Holy Sites in Israel.

Agritech is one of the world’s most important exhibitions in the field of agricultural technologies attracting delegates and partners from across the world.

The annual Agritech brings together the wide range and most qualified agricultural personalities worldwide for the sector to optimize opportunities.

Thousands visit Israel annually.

The country is one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, and the thrust of tourists coming to Israel is pilgrimage. Medical tourism is flourishing in that region and Israel’s medical tourism is considered one of the best in the world.

Apart from tourism, agriculture is the lifeblood of that economy. No wonder more than 10,000 senior officials, managers will be partici-

Participants discuss during a past edition of Agritech conference in Israel

pating at 2018 Agritech conference expected to attract manufacturers , corporate bodies as it will discuss areas relevant to manufacturing, irrigation and marketing.

The organisers said the 20th edition of Agrictech has expanded its benefits, additional advantages are offered. Experts will examine issues of competitiveness and sustainability. The conference will focus on techniques and solutions of various agriculture farming, food preservation as well as water and irrigation technology. Israel Agritech is organised once in every three years in cooperation with

Israel Ministry of Economy and Industry, Israel Export Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Israel, Kenes Exhibition among others.

Mr. Yaron Aharon of Erga Associate urged Nigerians to be part of the opportunities at Agritech 2018, saying that it will help to move Nigeria agricultural sector forward.

Agriculture, he said, is a major factor in diversifying any economy.

Yaron said representatives from the agricultural sector in Nigeria have been participating at Agritech in the past and listed those they are targeting to include people and

groups involved in manufacturing, marketing, R&D as well as those involved in the various agricultural sectors, both directly or indirectly to take part of the Agrictech event.

He added: “The advantage of attending our tour group will be a unique opportunity to observe the most modern Israeli agriculture technologies and to visit Historical Holy Christian/Muslims Sites.

Participants will visit the Dead Sea, amazing Jerusalem, the city of all time which is just an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv. They will also see The Golan Highs, Lake of Galilee and The Negev.�

‘Our Dream for Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone Bayo Adeoye

T

he Chairman, House Committee on Nigeria-China Relations, Yusuf Yakub Buba, has expressed satisfaction with the level of operation within the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State.

On March 12, 2018, Buba led members of his committee on a courtesy visit to the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in order to carry out first hand assessment of operation within the Free Trade Zone. Buba said the committee was created to make sure that the relationship between Nigeria and China is cordial and stable.

He said, “Nigeria and China have something related- China is the most populated country in the world and Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Nigeria has a lot to learn from China in terms of industrialization that is why Speaker Yakubu Dogara came up with the committee on Nigeria-China Relations, and part of our target is to achieve made in Nigeria products through the bilateral relations.�

In his own speech, the Managing Director of Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, Mr. Wilson Wu, said, “Nigeria has a lot of advantages to derive from this Free Trade Zone in terms

OďŹƒcials of Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone

of industrialisation, revenue generation, empowerment and technology transformation for all the youths in Nigeria. “Our prospect is to build a city which is 100 square metre like Dubai or Hong Kong which will be a quite special place in Nigeria. We are going to have manufacturing companies here; we will have housing estate, polo club, golf club and other things that will be very attractive for Nigeria. This is our prospect and I believe that with the support of the Nigerian government, the National Assembly, the State Government, we can make this dream come true.�

Members of the committee toured

facilities at the trade zone which also accommodates the largest producer of floor and wall tiles in Africa. There was mixed feelings of opportunities, challenges as members of the committee were satisfied that more than 80 percent of raw materials for the products on display were locally sourced, but expressed worry that no indigenous company made the list of companies operating in the Trade Zone.

Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone was floated in 2008. It has attracted upcoming and fast-rising businesses; and to date, the Trade Zone has 42 enterprises already registered for this

programme. Just like they aligned with the programme, 23 of them are already operational, and 13 are in the making, ready to go with their construction works in progress, and other 6 enterprises are changing or expanding the natures of their current business to meet the new challenges from the market.

Meanwhile, there are efforts in the pipeline for other Asian countries like Lebanon and India to take a portion in the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and spread the joy of industrialization. The advantages of this Free Trade Zone could be likened to the manufacturing of quality plastic products, mattresses, ceramics, hair touching, diapers, furniture, batteries, steel pipes, electronics, cartons and plastics recycling and many more. For now, the giant in the zone is Goodwin Ceramics, the biggest producer of wall and floor tiles in Africa. There is also Sun Ceramic, the biggest domestic ceramic producer in Nigeria.

Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone is one of the first batch of eight foreign cooperation zones of China.

It’s the brainchild of the China-Africa Summit Forum in Beijing in 2006, Promotion of China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, and Intensification of the commercial communication between China and Africa.

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

PEOPLE

Okhue Iboi: Spirits of Nigeria’s Founding Fathers Unhappy over Insecurity Godwin IďŹ jeh

s a seer and trado-medical practitioner, High Chief (Dr.) Okhue Iboi, a former member of the Edo State Traditional Medicine Council, is widely travelled.

In the course of his career as a Seer, Herbalist and Trado-Medical Practitioner, Dr. Iboi has travelled extensively across African countries, including Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Togo, Republic of Benin, Ethiopia and South Africa, among others. He has also been to India on a cross-cultural exchange programme.

However, Iboi, a high-chief from WepaWeno Kingdom in Edo State, is today highly worried about the present state of things in Nigeria. On returning from a recent meeting of the Worldwide Association of Seers (WAS) in Oghara, Delta State, Iboi said a lot of things, concerning Nigeria were revealed to members of the association at the New Year meeting in Oghara.

Nigeria, he said, is a nation loved and favoured by God, but her founding fathers, according to him, are not happy over recent happenings in the country, especially the utter disregard for human life and mindless killings in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Zamfara and other places. “In our crystal ball, some of the nation’s nationalists, including late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obefemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe appeared to us and expressed their anger over the nation’s state of affairs. They told us that they were not happy about the blood of the innocent now being spilled almost on daily basis across the country, enjoining us to convey their feelings to President Muhammadu Buhari and urge him to earnestly do something to stop the ugly trend,� the herbalist/cum seer said, regretting, however, that they have been unable to deliver the message to Aso Rick since they returned from the meeting. “Since we came back from the Oghara

Okhue Iboi

meeting, we have tried unsuccessfully to deliver the message to President Buhari in Aso Rock, and that exactly is why I have now been mandated to reach out through the media with the message to the President,� he further stated, urging President Buhari to take with all seriousness the message from the nation’s founding fathers, stressing that the late founding nationalists warned of great consequences for the President and others if they failed to stem the rampant killings by herdsmen and others in the country.

He dismissed suggestions of any possible breakup of the country, saying: “Nigeria is not going to break. Although we saw the country in crisis and confusion in our crystal ball, but we hadn’t any revelation that it will breakup, it will always remain as one entity, those predicting the breakup of the country are

fake and playing on the intelligence of those in authority to draw attention to themselves and possibly have their ears�

Dr. Iboi said, like every other elections we have had in the past, the 2019 elections would come and go peacefully but urged the country’s two leading parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP) to put their houses in order, stressing that the Olusegun Obasanjo’s floated Coalition Movement for Nigeria would not only transform into a political party but would pose serious challenge to the two parties as it is one to be watched out for in the 2019 elections. “We saw many APC and PDP members at all levels across the country moving into the new movement, the group could turn out to be unstoppable, APC should quickly move to settle its internal wrangling amicably, otherwise, the party would suffer a setback which may see many of its members cross over to either the rival PDP or the Coalition Movement. Things do not look too good for the PDP either, it would need as well to immediately reconcile its warring factions; otherwise, some of its bigwigs would leave also. “In fact, the party specifically needs to handle the issue of Senator Buruji Kashamu carefully, he was revealed to us as a big asset to it and a bigwig in Nigeria politics that cannot be easily wished away; he is seen to be ready to spring surprises in the 2019 election in any party he is. PDP should not toy with him, if they want to bounce back in 2019; he knows when to spring a surprise and how to go about it. He is a man destined to be a leader of men, and we saw a big crowd surging around, and following him, we saw Kashamu, playing a big role in the affairs of the nation in the nearest future with prayers and God helping him�, Iboi revealed.

He urged President Buhari and the Federal Government to immediately commence the imple-

Since we came back from the Oghara meeting, we have tried unsuccessfully to deliver the message to President Buhari in Aso Rock, and that exactly is why I have now been mandated to reach out through the media with the message to the President mentation of some of the promises made to the people of Niger Delta at the height of the pipeline vandalism crisis about two years ago. “We saw Niger-Delta boiling again, we saw a lot of people running helter-skelter, it was a war-like situation, and there were bombings, just as guns boomed and to avert this, we were told that the Federal Government should fulfill its promises to the people by embarking on projects that will transform their lives, not to do this could be unpalatable. As revealed to us, the Federal Government is being perceived to have reneged on the promises made to the people at the height of the bombing of oil pipelines by the militants,� Iboi said, calling on spiritual leaders, Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists to come together with joint spiritual measures, including fasting and prayers to get God to intervene and foster peace in the nation as opposed to military actions and blood spilling.

Baker Strikes Gold with GOtv’s Window of Golden Opportunity Kunle Adewale

r. Caleb Olagunju, a 35-year old father of three and proprietor of a newly opened medium-sized bakery in the Iju area of Lagos, wanted something to make his workplace more exciting for himself and more importantly, his customers.

According to him, a few ideas raced through his mind but he found none appealing enough to provoke action. Late in January, however, Olagunju found his ‘eureka moment’. It came shortly after the launch of the GOtv Golden Window Offer. The bakery owner said he was leafing through a newspaper when he saw a report on GOtv Golden Window, which he initially wanted to ignore. He did not have much to do at work. His staff had just begun baking and he felt he could invest time in reading. What he read interested him. GOtv was offering, exclusively, to potential subscribers the opportunity to join the world of digital television experience through the GOtv Golden Window Offer.

The report said that new subscribers, who buy the full GOtv kit for N5, 900 will be automatically upgraded to the GOtv MAX package. It equally stated that monthly subscription for the pack-

age is N3,800 per month. “I asked myself what was available for N3,800,� Olagunju recalled. The answer was access to over 60 top class entertainment channels spanning sports, movies, series, reality shows and kiddies’ programming amongst others,� the bakery owner said. He then discovered a sweetener; should the subscriber, within 10 days of the decoder activation, pay subscription for an extra month, he or she gets an additional free one-month subscription.

This means the subscriber would enjoy three months uninterrupted access to exciting local and international channels on the GOtv MAX package.

A football fan and supporter of Spanish giants, Barcelona, Olagunju said what caught his eye was the fact that GOtv MAX offers the full complement of matches of the prestigious La Liga on SuperSport Select 4. The package also boasts of select matches of the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League as well as other sport programming.

He then thought of his customers, who have to endure long wait to take bread from his bakery, and was convinced that providing them with something to watch while they wait would make their wait less of an ordeal. With GOtv MAX also offer-

ing access to the latest and hottest movies on Fox Entertainment and Sony Max, the Africa Magic channels, reality shows on CBS Reality, local and international news, music celebrity as well as children programming, he felt his customers have a rich buffet to choose from.

He decided to buy a GOtv decoder to enjoy the offer.

Since he activated, said the bakery owner, his customers, including those accompanied by their children are no longer impatient while waiting for bread. “Most times, it is on one of the Africa Magic channels. My customers just sit on benches and enjoy themselves.

When we work at night, we switch channels, depending on what most people at work want to watch. Of course, if Barcelona is playing or there is a big live match, there is dictatorship of some sort. I simply decide the match is what we must watch. We can debate the options later,� he said jokingly.

Meanwhile, at home Olagunju does not have such ‘dictatorial’ privileges.

The baker confirmed he also has a GOtv Max subscription running and it is his kids who decide what to watch “There are no prizes for guessing that cartoons are what they watch. Of course, my wife, who loves Zee World

and Telemundo finds a way to get them give her an opportunity whenever she wants to watch any of her favourite programmes,� he said.

In a short time spanning a little over 6 years, the company continues to push envelope in providing its customers with quality video entertainment that the whole family can enjoy. Coming hot on the heels of the launch of GOtv Max in October 2017, following which active GOtv Plus subscribers were automatically upgraded to the new package at no extra cost, the Golden Window offer presents another opportunity for Nigerians to take advantage of the robust content offering on the said package.

In a statement issued by the company, Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe said this offer will allow more Nigerians enjoy digital television services at an affordable cost. At N3,800 the package boasts of a selection of premium content featuring the best of Spanish league action, La Liga, an upgraded suite of movies and the latest series, reality shows and more kiddies’ programming. It’s another example of how we shape the business in response to our customers’ needs.’ The GOtv Golden Window offer commenced in January and is still available to new customers till 31 March.

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

FAIRGROUND

New Money Cast and Celebs Shut Down Inkblot and Filmone’s Latest Premiere

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

N

igeria’s leading film production companies, Inkblot productions and Filmone Distribution, recently held the premiere for the most anticipated movie of the year, New Money, at the Imax Cinemas, Lekki, Lagos.

Directed by Tope Oshin; New Money stars Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Kate Henshaw, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Jemima Osunde, Falz, Osas IghodaroAjibade, Wofai, Wale Ojo, Adeolu Adefarasin, Daniel Etim Effiong, Femi Branch, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, and Damola Layonu.

The movie is scheduled for release in Cinemas nationwide from March 23, 2018. These are some of the people at the premiere.

The Cast of New Money Daniel.K.Daniel

Moses Babatope

Kate Henshaw

Daniel Etime EďŹƒong

Ufuoma McDermott

Wole Ojo

Wofai

Enyinna Nwigwe

Dakore

Adeolu Adefarasin

Blossom Chukwujekwu

Lala Akindoju

Tope Oshin

Osas Ighodaro Ajibade

Jemima Osunde

37

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

FAIRGROUND

Lagos Leather Fair to Hold in May

L

agos Leather Fair is a first of its kind in Nigeria for all the stakeholders along the leather value chain, and was created to identify the challenges facing the industry with the hope to discuss possible innovative and sustainable solutions. The first edition held last year, and this year the fair is scheduled to hold on the 5th and 6th of May at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. Founded by Femi Olayebi of FemiHandbags, the fair is a private initiative that seeks to promote leather designers by creating a networking platform to showcase their work and eventually provide the much-needed training for artisans that would essentially improve the general quality of our finished products.

Last year, over 2,500 people gathered for the first edition of the fair to learn from the various master classes, panel discussions and creative workshops. Attendees also got to shop and discover Made-in-Nigeria leather products from over 50 leather exhibitors. With the diverse local and international speakers such as Waheed Olagunju, Segun Awolowo, Muni Shonibare, Reni Folawiyo, Tokunbo Onagoruwa, Zainab Ashadu, Robert Gussoni, Nelly Wandji, and not least of all the able representative of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Isyaku Umar Tofa, the fair was educational and impactful.

The leather industry has been identified by the

Bank of Industry to generate an annual income of N24.5 billion with limited support and also have the capacity to create over 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, therefore implying that the industry has not been maximised to its full potential.

According to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who spoke at the validation workshop on National Leather and Leather Products Policy held in Sokoto in January, “the leather industry is the nation’s next gold mine and holds the key to industrial growth, jobs and wealth creation’. He also described the leather industry as ‘strategic in view of its importance in the economic diversification of the country.�

This year, the fair is themed ‘The New Possible’ as it will focus on the many possibilities and massive potential the Nigeria leather industry has to offer.

To encourage up and coming designers, the “Emerging Designers Competition� has been introduced, and is aimed at giving young, aspiring leather designers an opportunity and a platform to showcase their work. The top 5 finalists will win a cash prize, a mentoring opportunity and a booth at the Fair.

According to Femi Olayebi, Founder, The Lagos Leather Fair, “Last year’s event was a real eye-opener for everyone. This year, we intend to explore the myriad possibilities before us and do what we can with what we have to own that space. The world is looking to Africa

Femi Olayebi and Danadalan of Kano at the fair last year

for answers and the time has come to position ourselves for real growth. At the end of the day it is really up to us.�

The Lagos Leather Fair is a step in the right direction, bringing all the major players including

leather designers, raw material producers, suppliers of machinery and equipment, manufacturers of finished goods, retailers and key government players to collectively forge a new path and explore ways to re-invent the leather industry.

Blue Pictures Breaks Box OďŹƒce with Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’

F

ollowing the hype behind one of the greatest movies of all times, Black Panther, West Africa’s leading movie distribution company, Blue Pictures, attains milestone as they break and make new box office records days after its release

in Nigeria.

The movie, Black Panther was said to have had the biggest opening of a movie in history recording a whooping sum of N135.4 million in its opening weekend.

This means, Black Panther beats the Avengers AOU by 175% thus doubling what the competitive titles performed. Within the opening days, Black Panther went on to become the number 1 all-time weekend opener, best of 2018 so far, Best of February releases, Best Marvel and Disney movie, Best superhero movie among others. This is a feat that has never been achieved before by a singular movie ever in the history.

The movie which was distributed in Cinema nationwide by Blue Pictures now sits as the number 1 biggest movie ever made by Marvel Studios.

Since their launch in 2006, the distribution company has established a good working

relationship with independent studios worldwide and distributing movies like “Wonder Women�, “Doctor Strange�, “Justice League�, “Avengers�, “AVATAR� all which are among the highest grossing movies ever produced in Hollywood.

Speaking to the MD/CEO of the company, Joy libeno- Odiete, she said; “We never had doubts that Black Panther will be this successful, for a movie that celebrates black excellence, black cultural values, projection of blacks to the world and also represents a positive step in regards to equal representation in the media, what other proof do we need? We are just excited to have been the distribution company behind this great movie for West Africans and the reception has been overwhelming. Black Panther is not just a movie, it is a movement.�

Black Panther has gone ahead to gross over N600-million Naira since its release in Nigeria and has topped over $1b worldwide.

Also, Black Panther has become the second biggest comic book Adaptation behind The Avengers.

Blue Pictures is also set to release yet another block buster as Avengers Infinity War premiers on the 27th April, 2018.

Efe Nathan Plans big for her US and European Tours

E

fe is a prolific gospel singerwitharesounding touch in good worship music blessing the ears, the hearts filling, body vibing to the glorious atmosphere and putting together a bliss unusual.

Excellence evolves around her and aside singing she is also a beautiful song writer and have made some major gospel hits over the years setting and placing herself in the top spots and building a cut for herself in the industry. Her music has influenced african and international music scene and she has given back to the society greatly through her music.

She is set to release a new song titled, Halleluyah produced by Ayodeji Ojekunle which promises to be sparkles ofbliss.Andaccompanyingallthegood music is a few tours to some European

Efe Nathan

cities to push the good news of her soul lifting music.

Efe’s music could be described as ContemporaryAfricanMusicandwhat she loves about her music is the fact that it brings about an atmosphere of worship, vibrant praise and healing in God’s presence.

Joy libeno- Odiete

Nokia 8 Review: Be Less SelďŹ e, Be More Bothie

J

ust when we thought that we have had the best of Nokia phone versions before the arrival of the brand’s latest and upgraded version, Nokia 8, we can boldly tell you that this new Android Nokia gives maximum satisfaction.

In terms of unique features, powerful chipset, the dual sensor camera, super QHD display and the durability of the battery, are some the few features that give Nokia 8 an edge over other androids.

The dual camera experience is another unique feature of Nokia 8. With this, you are able to capture your moment as well as the moment in front of you all at the same time.

The front and rear-facing cameras on the Nokia 8 have been co-developed with ZEISS optics for an optimum all round experience. The Nokia 8 introduces a world-first in enabling Dual-Sight video to be livestreamed natively and in real-time to social feeds such as Facebook and YouTube.

Dual-Sight simultaneously harnesses both the front and rear cameras in a split screen visual for both photos and videos. With just one touch, this world-first livestream capability gives more immersive experiences for those who love to create and share special memories.

With a price range fits in the upper, middle and upper class, Nokia 8 should have a stable place amidst the competitive android market.

Now while we think that Nokia is sure a good phone, we recommend that it’s compatibility with some android applications such as “Logolicious� should be looked into in subsequent upgrades as well as other photo/video editing tools.

There are two sides to every story and the Dual-Sight feature of Nokia 8is designed to help you create and share the full picture. The front and rear-facingcamerasontheNokia8have been co-developed with ZEISS optics for an optimum all round experience.

4.6mm thin at the edge and just

7.3mmslimonaverage,Nokia8’sseamless unibody is precision milled from a single block of 6000 series aluminium and its pure design has been refined through a 40-stage process of machining, anodizing and polishing. Select models feature a high-gloss mirror finish that has taken over 20 hours to complete to achieve a flawless look. The phone features Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile Platform and paired with the pure, secure and up-to-dateAndroid experience ensures outstanding performance.

Innovation and precisionengineering Powered by the QualcommŽ SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform, Nokia 8 doesn’t compromise on performance.

The Nokia 8 has been designed from the ground up with the consumer in mind to deliver unique content capture and sharing experiences. This requires it to beas meticulously designed on the inside as it is on the outside. To keep your phone working harder for longer, the design, innovation and engineering teams worked hand-in-hand to deliver.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

38

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

TRAVEL&LEISURE

The Spectacular Rise of the Nigerian Food Festivals Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă™ĂĄĂ‹Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ă? Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž åÓÞÒ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĘĽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ËŤ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă–Ă‹Ă Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ËŹËœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă‘Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă™Ă—ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞÓà ËÖ˛ Ă&#x;Ăž ÓÞ˪Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ÙÙÎÓĂ?Ă? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ÞÒËÞ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ ÚÖËĂ?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă‘ĂœĂ&#x;ĂŒË› Omolola Itayemi ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă?

N

ow, if the words “festival food� conjure images of undercooked moi-moi and watery jollof-rice, then you are in for a surprise.

Nigerian Flavours has upped the ante adding music, fashion and comedy to gastronomy.

The past three years have seen an explosion in popularity of dedicated food festivals, with events celebrating Nigerian local flavours, locally-made drinks, veganism and street food on the foodie calendar.

You can learn a lot from eating like a local, and partaking in a famous food fest. So it came as no surprise when fun-loving Nigerians from every strata of the society within and outside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja thronged the serene Harrow Park, Wuse II, to celebrate the festival on March 17.

One-day of culinary bliss of swallows and extravagant native soups; delicious Nigerian jollof-rice served with fried meat; decadent small chops like asun, akara, puffpuff dinners; finger foods tastings and cold kunu, zobo and other local drinks savoured by guests. It was definitely a poster child of Nigerian culinary staples.

The event, aimed at showcasing the rich culinary diversity of Nigerian cuisine and delicacies, is an initiative of the Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in line with the objectives of the “Tour Nigeria�.

Tour Nigeria� is a brand of NTDC, which was conceived to drive domestic consumption of Nigeria’s tourism assets and products, create new channels of tourism markets, generate employment and increase spending in the economy. It also aims at promoting domestic and international tourism to Nigeria by ensuring that the nation takes advantage of her population, its density, its wealth and its unique culture.

The event, living up to the rationale behind its emergence, showcased varieties of Nigerian foods and beverages by the over 60 various vendors across the six geopolitical zones including beverage vendors, musical performance by Nigerian Artists, merchandizing opportunities for arts, crafts and fashion, safe children’s games area, affordable farmers’ market, great comedy and others serving Abuja as a destination for fun, hospitality and relaxation opposed to its boring and stiff administrative ambience.

In the evening, the dexterity of the likes of the foremost producer and Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy, Don Jazzy; D Banj; Korede Bello; Reekado Banks; Terry Apala; CDQ; Jimmie and DJ Kay, among others artistes, electrified the atmosphere later in the day.

Briefing the journalists at the historic event, Coker, said Nigeria’s tourism industry had continued to develop with new frontiers of tourism potentials being explore on a daily basis.

This, he attributed to the genuine interest of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in scooping every available revenue from tourism, to shore up the nation’s revenue and foreign earnings.

Meanwhile, food and drinks vendors expressed joy at the high patronage at the event as guests were seen munching and drinking

Don Jazzy and D Banj performing together in a rare moment at Nigerian Flavours

away while they networked.

A mixologist at Sip Easy, (a cocktail and mocktail stand) Mr. Emeka Nwagwu, said that the turnout for the drinks had been very impressive and he expected to sell during the night show. “We have a steady high patronage now and we know we will sell all we brought when the musicians and younger people come during the music concert,� he said.

Mr. Ayo Onigbogi, Head Chef at Ayo’s Grill and Asun, said his food was fast selling out especially the ‘Asun’, seeing that he was one of the few people that sold the snack. “I am selling and I am happy I came here. People are buying from me because the ‘Asun’ has a lot of Nigerian flavour that they enjoy,� he said.

Mouth-watering Nigerian foods on display

TRAVEL NEWS Vlisco Unveils Humanitarian As 2018 Ambassador for Nigeria Vlisco has announced this year’s Vlisco Women’s Month Celebration in keeping with its annual tradition of celebrating women across Africa. Vlisco will honour all inspiring women in Nigeria during the entire month of March, starting with the announcement of the 2018 Vlisco Ambassador for Nigeria at a press briefing held today at the Vlisco Boutique in the Ikeja City Mall.

Dr. Yolanda George-David was unveiled as the Vlisco Ambassador, taking over from Mrs Dotun Akande, founder of Patrick Speech and Language Center. George-David is a wife and mother, a Neurosurgeon with her primary residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as a Clinical & Relational Psychologist. She is also an Academic, a multiple award-winning international speaker, a business woman, media personality, a human rights activist and the founder of Aunt Landa’s Bethel Foundation.

Driven by her passion to change her world one person at a time, she founded Aunt Landa s Bethel Foundation where over 25,000 sexually abused teenagers have been counseled, rehabilitated and most of them taught essential

George-David

vocational and life skills. Aunt Landa works with a team of passionate volunteers and together they help redefine and add purpose to the lives of thousands of registered and non-registered

members with different needs in the foundations over 200 centers and from various walks of life.

In introducing the new Ambassador, Business Strategy Manager, Vlisco Nigeria,Yvonne Chioke, elaborated on her extensive humanitarian work, particularly with regards to the empowerment of women and the girl-child. She said: “We are proud to work with an Ambassador who shares the same values as Vlisco in empowering women across the country. Dr. Yolanda’s passion and dedication to the cause of giving a new lease of life to some of the most traumatised and marginalised people in our society are truly commendable.

We look forward to supporting her in making a difference in more lives.�

During the month of March, George-David will be sharing her inspirational story via multiple platforms including the media and via various speaking engagements.

Throughout the year, she will be traveling across the country to engage with various women’s groups on mentorship and educating them on the plight of women, girls and boys that have been sexually abused, in order to create even more awareness.

39

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

PERSPECTIVE

Why Folorunso Alakija Should Be Commended for OPL 216 Odion Omonfoman

Not being one to be limited by her ambition, she sought to play in the upstream oil and gas space. Only the brave hearted, and most certainly not a woman at the time, could have had that desire. And as usual, Mrs. Alakija has also excelled here, well beyond every expectation

I

n summary, Mr. Ogundamisi accuses Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, reported as Africa’s richest woman, of deceit in terms of her story on how she came about her oil block, which the famous Agbami field is located.

He accuses Mrs. Alakija of acting as a front to former Nigerian military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, and in the process, being fraudulently “gifted� with her oil block (OPL 216) by the then Military ruler.

According to Mr. Ogundamisi in one of his tweets, “@alakijaofficial story about being allocated a “useless oil block� is a con story perpetuated over the years unchallenged. @ alakijaofficial and those she was fronting for in @AsoRoack knew they had a juicy oil block, they shortchanged Nigerians and as usual & continue to mock us�.

Not done, he further tweets “What the @ alakijaofficial’s of Nigeria won’t tell young Nigerians is that a wing of the ruling elite appropriate resources belonging to all to a wing of the elite in the business community in what is a brutal version of capitalism, keeping the poor, poorer, hungry and dejected�.

Mr. Ogundamisi alleges that General Babangida and the late Rilwanu Lukman were her alleged backers whom she fronted for.

It is important to state upfront that I don’t know much about Mrs. Alakija and have never met her in person. But I am familiar with her story, how she came about OPL 216 as well as the actual status of OPL 216 as at the time of award. There are a lot of verifiable facts as there are myths surrounding how she came about being awarded the very prolific oil block. The objective of this article is simply to lay down some of these facts to aid the discussion.

OPL 216 – A block no one wanted As unbelievable as it may sound today, OPL 216 was an oil block no one wanted. Not even the IOCs. Why? The OPL 216 acreage is located in the deep offshore area in the Gulf of Guinea in water depths of over 1, 300m (1.3km). At the time of award, the block had no known proven reserves and was considered uneconomically viable by IOCs. In addition, even if there were proven commercial reserves, because of its location and water depth, it would require significant capital and expensive but not proven deep-water technology to explore and develop. Deepwater offshore technology was still at its infancy then. There were no Floating Production Storage and offloading (FPSO) terminals available then. Thus several IOCs rejected the block when the Nigerian government offered it to them for almost nothing.

Enter Famfa Oil Famfa Oil, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Alakija, applied for and was awarded OPL 216 in 1993. Mrs. Alakija, a fashion designer of repute and an entrepreneur, is alleged to have used her access to the then first Family to seek for the oil block at the twilight of the IBB regime. Many say it was compensation for her loyalty and work to the first family.

Two things strike me about this story which disputes this allegation and lends credence to Mrs. Alakija’s entrepreneurial status, tenacity and focus as the main reason she got the block. First is the fact that Famfa Oil was incorporated in 1991, obviously when the first round of awards was issued and granted.

This shouldn’t be strange as all Nigerian companies awarded OPL licenses to were also incorporated then. Her company Famfa, clearly wasn’t favoured in that first round, despite her supposed closeness to the then first lady.

Second is that Mrs. Alakija must have had a very clear vision of her future and didn’t “stumble luckily� into big oil. Despite a price tag of US$1.5million, she still persisted and went ahead to apply for an oil prospecting license for a second time two years after her first attempt. Mrs. Alakija certainly did not set out to acquire OPL 216. She was only “unfortunate� to be awarded the block no one wanted.

Now was Mrs. Alakija and Famfa Oil undeservedly awarded the OPL by the IBB regime? The answer is clearly “No� as the award of the OPL to Mrs. Alakija and her company followed the rule of law and the guidelines for discretionary awards. Mrs. Alakija must have met all requirements leading to the award, or eventually perfected them with time as many in her shoes did then. In addition, the award of the OPL to

and/or OML. To preserve its rights and interest in OML 127, Famfa took the Federal Government to Court. The arising court judgements, all the way to the Supreme Court are landmark judgements which have helped promote the rule of law in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Folorunso Alakija Mrs. Alakija had no conflict of interest as is the case with OPL 245 (Malabu Oil).

One must recognize that the Head of State had the powers to make such discretionary awards. Thus it is illogical to claim that Mrs. Alakija and Famfa obtained the block fraudulently or she was acting as a front to the former military ruler and his family. In addition, OPL 216 was awarded on a Sole Risk basis, meaning that Famfa and her promoters were solely responsible for developing the block without the participation of the Nigerian government. Many Sole risk operators have gone bankrupt just simply trying to explore their blocks.

Agbami Field and OML 127 Mrs. Alakija recognizes her good fortune and is very effervescent about how faith eventually played her destiny concerning OPL 216.

After being awarded the OPL, Famfa had tried unsuccessfully to enter into development agreements with several IOCs that had the technology and resources for deep-water offshore exploration. Things also didn’t favour Famfa and other awardees politically during this period. Recall these were the dark days following the June 12 annulment, the regime of Sani Abacha, killing of the Ogoni Five and arising international sanctions. Thus it was difficult for Famfa and other Sole Risk operators to secure technical and financial partnerships.

In 1996, Famfa Oil entered into a Deed of Agreement (DoA) with Star Deepwater (Texaco) which Star Deepwater was assigned 40% participating interests in OPL 216.

Someone familiar with the story claims Star Deepwater entered into the DoA extremely reluctant, considering the uneconomic status of the block. However, the rest they say is history. In 1998, Agbami field was discovered, with estimated P50 recoverable reserves of over one billion barrels of oil. The Agbami field discovery was the second major deep-water discovery in the Gulf of Guinea after the Bonga field discovery by Shell and ushered Nigeria into the age of deep-water oil and gas production.

In 1998, Petrobras of Brazil acquired 8% of Texaco’s 40% interests. Despite the crash in oil prices in 1998 – 2000 as a result of the Asian financial crisis, the co-venturers continued their appraisal of the Agbami field. In 2003, OPL 216 became OML 127. In 2008, OML 127 achieved first oil and started commercial production. Again faith came in handy as this was a time of high oil prices, favoring deep-water offshore developments.

Anybody familiar with deep-water oil and

gas operations would tell you that it is one of the toughest environments to prospect for, develop and produce oil and gas. Thus one must commend the tenacity of Mr. and Mrs. Alajika and the management of Famfa Oil for braving all odds to bring OPL 216 into production fifteen years after being awarded the block.

Today, Agbami produces over 200,000 barrels of crude oil and gas liquids, contributing to Nigeria’s total hydrocarbon production and our total national oil and gas reserves. Agbami has also added immensely to developing local content in the Nigeria oil and gas sector, particularly in deep-water operations. I hope Famfa Oil would tell its story and contributions to the Nigerian economy much better than I can tell it.

By the way, it is pertinent to ask how many other Nigerian entrepreneurs who were awarded shallow and deep-water leases since 1991 have been able to reach commercial production of crude oil or gas?

Applause for Mrs Alakija and Famfa Oil In my view, Mrs. Alakija deserves commendation and and all the accolades for her role in growing her company.

First, Mrs Alakija deserves commendation for undoubtedly being an exceptional fashion designer. We all remember how fashionable Mrs. Maryam Babangida of blessed memory was. She was Nigeria’s version of Lady Diana.

No doubt, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija must have been very good at her tailoring craft! One must remember that Mrs. Alakija rose from very humble beginnings to hone her craft such that it caught the attention of the then first Lady.

Not being one to be limited by her ambition, she sought to play in the upstream oil and gas space. Only the brave hearted, and most certainly not a woman at the time, could have had that desire. And as usual, Mrs. Alakija has also excelled here, well beyond every expectation. Today she is an inspiration to countless successful women who now play in the upstream oil and gas sector.

Mrs. Alakija and her company have also weathered numerous storms unleashed by the government. In 2000 the Obasanjo Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation sought to compulsorily acquire 40% of Famfa’s interest in OPL 216. In 2005, the Obasanjo government again sought to acquire a 50% participating interest in Famfa’s equity in OML 127 under government’s back- in rights. The back-in rights give the Federal Government a right to participate in deep-water OMLs by acquiring five-sixths of the allottee’s interest in the relevant OPL

Conclusion Mr. Ogundamisi’s twitter post is hinged on individuals like Mrs. Alakija using their access to the corridors of power to grab national resources and shortchange Nigerians. While this may ring true when one considers how the discretionary award process was abused under the Abacha and Obasanjo governments and also the privatisation of several national assets, it is most unfair to use Mrs. Alakija as the “poster girl� for his post.

Firstly, Mrs. Alakija and Famfa have demonstrated she was actually the right entrepreneur that was sought by the Nigerian government under the indigenization and discretionary award policy. It is to her credit that Famfa, a Nigerian company controls majority interests in OML 127. This fact should not be rubbished or ignored.

Secondly, the process of award of OPL 216 to Mrs. Alakija is no different from the award of OPLs to IOCs by past regimes of the 1960s and 1970s which were also largely discretionary. Mr. Ogundamisi misses the fact that the Nigerian government did try to acquire 50% of OML 127 under the Back-In rights regulations. The Supreme Court in a landmark judgement in 2012 nullified the action of the Federal Government.

By the way, Nigeria is made up of oil blocks from the deep offshore in the Gulf of Guinea to the shallow waters and swamps in the Niger Delta, all the way to the semi-arid and arid landscapes in the Lake Chad Basin and Sokoto Basin. Oil blocks by their nature are only productive to a country if and only if they hold hydrocarbon reserves which can be exploited commercially for the benefit of the country. To get to this point carries significant technical and financial risks to the operator, including the risk of not finding commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. I wonder if Mr. Ogundamisi would have made his claim against Mrs. Alakija, if Famfa and her partners had not met with success in discovering commercial quantities of crude oil in OPL 216?

There are numerous oil blocks and marginal fields awarded by past governments to Nigerian companies, whose Nigerian owners have either failed to explore and develop them or simply lack the resources as well as the technical and managerial savvy to attract resources to develop these fields. The marginal fields program comes to mind.

This should be Mr. Ogundamisi’s concern – how to get the Nigerian owners to develop these blocks/marginal fields or relinquish these blocks/marginal fields back to the Nigerian government or other indigenous parties capable of exploring, developing and monetizing the hydrocarbon resources for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. –Mr. Odion Omonfoman is an Energy Consultant and the Managing Director of New Hampshire Capital Ltd. He can be reached on orionomon@outlook.com

40

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 24, 2018

ͺͼ˜ ͺ͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

41

42

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 24,2018

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri Back Channels: Does Boko Haram Have a Representative in Buhari’s Government?

F

irst of all, let me say that I am delighted that the #DapchiGirls have been returned to their parents by Boko Haram. No matter what happened before, during and after the abduction, it is safe to say that this aspect of the saga (the safe return of most of the girls) is a good thing.

The term ‘back channel’ was introduced into Nigeria’s political lexicon by the minister of defence, Mansur Dan Ali. Mr. Dan Ali was reported to have said: “All the security forces were asked to do everything to ensure the safe return of the Dapchi girls. The released Girls are in Dapchi and being documented; Situation is developing; release is outcome of “backchannel” negotiations; no ransoms were paid’.

Let me be unequivocal and say that I commend the Buhari administration for the release of the #DapchiGirls through “back channels”. I welcome the assurances that no ransom was paid. I am saddened at the news that some of the girls died and one still remains in captivity because she is a Christian.

I further urge the Buhari administration to do all it can through its “back channels’ to convince Boko Haram to release Liah Sharibu, the Christian girl that they continue to hold, allegedly because she refuses to abandon her Christian faith for Islam.

I urge no one to politicize her situation, as this may jeopardize her life. Finally, I urge the Buhari government to use their close relations to Boko Haram, which the Minister of Defence described as ‘back channels’ to secure the release of the remaining #ChibokGirls.

But all this talk about back channels and front channels reminds me of the fact that on November 1, 2012, Boko Haram named Muhammadu Buhari as their representative to head a team that would negotiate with the Jonathan administration on ceasefire terms. At that time, many, including myself, dismissed the move. But in the light of this ‘back channel’ talk of today, red flags are going up in my head!

Muhammadu Buhari was named by Boko Haram to Head a committee comprising Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno, Bukar Abba Ibrahim (a former Yobe State governor) Ambassador Gaji Galtimari, Hajia Aisha Wakil and her husband, Alkali Wakil.

Coincidentally, the Muhammadu Buhari administration has worked with all of these people (with perhaps the exception of Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Shettima Ali Monguno, who himself became a victim of Boko Haram and has now passed away after living an honourable life).

What is happening here?

One thing I know is that Boko Haram and President Buhari have at least one thing in common - a total commitment to Sharia.

Consider the following comments made by President Buhari long before he went into politics: “I can die for the cause of Islam if necessary. We are prepared to fight another civil war. We cannot be blackmailed into killing Sharia.” – Muhammadu Buhari (Freedom House, 2000 and culled from Akin Osuntokun) “Muslims should only vote those who will defend their faith. We are more than the Christians if you add our Muslim brothers in the West.”- Buhari (Liberty Radio Kaduna, 2003 and culled from Akin Osuntokun) At this juncture, I am reminded of a cryptic comment made by former President Jonathan on January 8, 2012 when he admitted that Boko Haram had infiltrated the Nigerian government and had sympathizers even in the military.

At that time, the then President had said: “Boko Haram backers and sympathizers are in the executive arm of the government; some of them are in the legislative arm of the government. Some are also in the armed forces, the police and other security agencies.

“Some continue to dip their hands and eat with you and you won’t even know the person who will point a gun at you or plant a bomb behind your house.”

Was Dr. Goodluck Jonathan right? Are we beginning to see the gloves come off? It is very strange for me as a concerned Nigerian to see a collaboration between the government and terrorists.

I find it strange to believe that Boko Haram just released the #DapchiGirls without a ransom being paid and without their captured commanders being released.

If that is the case, what was the point of taking the girls in the first place?

And this ‘back channel’, what does it mean? Does Boko Haram have representatives in government or

Buhari

does government have representatives in Boko Haram?

Do they have an embassy for their Caliphate operating somewhere in the Nigerian nation state?

The whole issue is suspicious. It raises more questions than it answers. Yes, I am glad that the girls were released but this is extraordinarily fishy to say the least.

Is it that front channel abducted #DapchiGirls and ‘back channel’ released them? Is this a recycling game? What is happening here? The more you look, the less you see! There is something not quite right!

In a video of the release, Boko Haram fighters can be seen driving into Dapchi town to the joyous greetings of residents of the town. They were cheered as though they were freedom fighters. They dropped off the girls and even had time for a tête-à-tête with the parents of the girls and the elders of the town. Really? Were these not the same people who stoned Mr. Ibrahim Geidam, the Yobe State Governor a month ago?

How come they can be seen waving to Boko Haram fighters and the fighters are seen waving back?

Even after they delivered the girls back safely, neither the army nor its sister security agencies were at hand to arrest them? Why? That would have been the commonsensical thing to do. After all they have only one girl left.

What the video of the release shows is that terror can only thrive where there is local support. It is hard to see how you can hate Boko Haram and still wave to them and cheer them on. All caught on video. My goodness, this is strange. One could have been forgiven if he mistook the fawning affection shown by the people of Dapchi for Boko Haram as a visit by Omotola to Dapchi.

No wonder Mark Twain said, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t”. Mr. Twain could as well have been writing about the Dapchi saga!

We have been told that Boko Haram is defeated and only a few stragglers remain and they are desperately hungry and lacking even the most subsistent necessities.

Yet, they showed up in Dapchi town with almost 100 well-fed girls looking as if they just returned from a holiday to Dubai?

Khadija Grema, one of the abducted #DapchGirls returned by Boko Haram spoke to Channels Television about the circumstances of their abduction. Read her account of the abduction:

“That fateful day we were ready for dinner when we heard shootings, then one of our teacher was calling and directing us to go out through the gate. When we ran into the insurgents at the gate, they gathered all of us in the name of rescue when suddenly they asked Babangida, the driver to bring the truck which they packed us in.”

This is an eye witness testimony. They were eating.

They heard shooting. They panicked. They ran. Boko Haram came and got them. Does this not appear to be the act of people that knew for a fact that the security in the town and school had been dispensed with?

And we still do not know the answers to the questions posed by the All Progressives Congress Governor of Yobe State, which was - who gave the order for the soldiers guarding Dapchi to leave just prior to the abduction?

The whole thing is looking like a badly scripted Nollywood movie where a man without a shirt is hit with a car in one scene and in the next scene he is being taken to hospital with a shirt and tie! No continuity between scenes.

The whole thing looks like a tale of a rabbit that gave birth to two bunnies and three out of the two died, while the remaining four were sold! What is going on?

President Buhari who ought to have been in Kigali on March 21 to sign an African Free Trade Agreement ended up not going even though the Presidency had announced that an advanced party had gone on before him.

His refusal to show up in Kigali gave smaller African countries the opportunity they needed to issue a rebuke to Nigeria.

Why did the President not travel? Was it because of the publicly stated reason (he needed more time to consult with those opposed to the agreement) or because the front end was busy preparing for what the back end was about to do?

It almost looks to me like the #DapchiGirls and their parents were pawns in a game contrived to affect the 2019 elections.

The saddest parts of the saga are the five girls that died in captivity. At least, Liah Sharibu, is alive and where there is life, there is hope. But five girls are dead. And according to press reports, they died of a heart attack. A heart attack? Teenagers dying of a heart attack? Somehow, this does not wash.

Maybe someday, perhaps through the front channels of another regime, we will eventually get to know what really happened at Dapchi and Chibok. But for now, let us pretend to believe this ‘back channel’ fairy tale.

As an aside, let me end by saying that Governors who want to know how herdsmen will show their gratitude if given land for cattle colony only have to look at Kogi where Yahaya Bello gave them 15,000 hectares. Last week they showed gratitude by killing 25 people. Three days ago, they said thank you by killing 10 more!

As Winston Churchill said, “An Appeaser Is One Who Feeds a Crocodile, Hoping It Will Eat Him Last.”

Yahaya Bello the appeaser has found out that the crocodile is not waiting to eat him last. It is eating him and Kogi State first!

A report by the Guardian of UK on Wednesday 21, 2018 is even more damning. The report quotes a #DapchiGirl thus: “It took us three days to get back to Dapchi,” said Fatima (a #DapchiGirl). “We were divided into three groups and flown in planes, and taken over rivers in boats.”

“Neither the military nor the police attempted to apprehend the militants, who even stopped to change a tyre before leaving Dapchi, according to Mataba.”

There is some collusion somewhere because I cannot believe Boko Haram has planes and lands and takes off without collusion.

Warning

This is not about PDP or APC. If the President does not publicly discipline the IGP, he will set a very dangerous precedent. All over barracks in Nigeria, soldiers will be saying if a policeman can disobey the President, why should the military respect him. It‘s a bad omen not just for Buhari, but for our democracy. It will be taken that the President is a weak Commanderin-Chief who is dominated by his appointees instead of being in charge of his government and will lead to further insubordination by other military/paramilitary forces.

MARCH 25, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

43

FASHION FILE

Unhindered Hues Collection by

Amede

44

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž MARCH 25, 2018

FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba g j aazuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com az azuk zuk uka. a og oguj ujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Unhindered Hues

A

vivaciouss application of new colours -violet hia - with bold and aggressive and fuschia strokes, unhindered, in an expression of freedom to be and to do. Creative instincts are unleashed shed in brand new backgrounds that are att once bold and brash, yet seemingly controlled and demure. ure. Unhindered hues‌the signature that is Amede!

Credits Photographer : Felix Crown Model: Omolara Oluwafemi uwafemi Shoot Director: Precious ous John Makeup : Onome Ezekiel zekiel

45

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î

L-R: Keynote speaker/ Chief Executive Officer, Disrupting Africa, Nnamdi Oranye; Chief Technical Officer, SAP West Africa, Chibuzor Ezeasor; Managing Director, Nigeria Internet Exchange (IXPN) Muhammed Rudman; CEO MainOne, Funke Opeke and Global Director / Market Business Development, Avanti Communications, Srinath Logasubramanian during MainOne’s flagship IT event in Lagos recently.

L-R: President,Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Mrs Sola Salako Ajulo; Board Chairman,Lagos state consumer Protection Agency(LASCOPA), Mrs Funmi Falana; President, Brand Journalist Association of Nigeria (BJAN), Mr Goddie ofose and President,Association of Advertising Agency of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Kayode oluwasona during awareness walk to celebrate 2018 world consumer right day in Lagos...recently

Cadbury Restates Commitment to Sports in New Deal with NFF Cadbury Nigeria Plc. has deepened its interest in the development of football in the country as its Tom Tom brand signed a three-year partnership deal with the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, to support the Nigerian football league.

As a result of the new deal, Tom Tom was unveiled as the official candy of the Super Eagles, making it a decade since the company first announced the partnership in 2008.

Announcing the union, Managing

Truckit Clinches World Summit Award Indigenous transportation company, Truckit, has been recognised for its innovativeness at the World Summit Award, WSA, which held in Vienne, Austria.

The company was recognised for its uTruckit application, a technology that enables cargo owners to convey their cargo the way they want it from the comfort of their homes.

The firm joined 39 other winners who won in the smart settlements and urbanisation category of WSA, thus, bringing Nigeria back on the international award map since 2016.

WSA is a global initiative, which aims to select and promote the world’s best in digital content and innovative applications. It is organised in the framework of the United Nations’ World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and mandated by the WSIS Plan of Action.

Speaking on the feat, CEO and Founder of Truckit Trucks Solutions Limited, Mr. Tom Roberts, expressed delight on the award which he said would only motivate the company to perform better. “We feel very proud of this award as it is a great honour that the international community recognised the exceptional value in the UTRUCKIT APP. Almost 400 submissions from 180 United Nations member states participated in this year´s WSA contest. The competition was tough and the selection process was highly competitive. Hence, we are so glad we scaled through. “We are pioneer of the 1st truck booking solution in Nigeria and Africa and we are proud to have achieved this. The innovation is managed by experienced professionals with a track record of delivering logistics solutions.

It has been good doing such business in Nigeria.�

Explaining the award initiative, Chairman, Programos Software Group and Founder, Programos Foundation, Nigeria’s coordinating civil society organisation for the United Nations-based World Summit Awards, Mr. Amos Emmanuel, noted that 40 winners from 23 countries were selected from over 400 nominations from 180 countries.

Director of the firm, Mr. Amir Shamsi, stated that the deal was not coincidental rather it was a deliberate effort by the partnering teams to connect with Nigerians and their passion for football. “We promise to continuously support the Super Eagles and also seize this opportunity to enjoin Nigerians to give their full support to the team. We believe in the team, so we implore Nigerians to have confidence in them. They are poised to make us

proud,� he said.

Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Category Marketing Lead for West Africa, Mrs. Uwadiae Chidinma, dwelt on the benefits of Tom Tom as a candy with a purpose. “It delivers soothing relief and mental invigoration. It has remained relevant over the decades despite other competitive offerings in the market and that is why it is undisputedly one of the most ubiquitous brands in the country,� she noted.

Lions Club Partners State Govts to Eradicate Measles As part of its commitment to the well-being of the society, the International Association of Lions Clubs, District 404B2 has partnered 10 state governments in Nigeria to stamp out measles in the country.

This is in fulfillment of the key objective of the club to achieve a well society, thus making life worth living for everyone.

Identifying targeted states as Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Eboyin Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Akwa Ibom, the District Governor, Lion Asiwaju Ayobola Samuel, noted that the club had taken up the responsibility of embarking on a massive sensitisation campaign to educate the masses on the nature of the disease so as to enhance participation in the vaccination exercise ongoing.

The district governor noted that measles being a killer and most contagious viral disease claims about 246 lives daily most of whom were children and for those who survive the disease, nearly 30 per cent of them suffer complications such as pneumonia, hearing loss, brain damage, blindness and encephalitis.

Reiterating that the ailment could be prevented through routine immunisation, he urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards take part in the measles vaccination activity when there is need for it. “The essence of this campaign was to underscore the club’s concern for the eradication of measles and to drive home the belief and involvement in the mass mobilisation for

immunisation. “At the international level, the club through its foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) entered into partnership with organisations around the world like Gavi, the vaccine alliance, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, DFID and the bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “At the national level, we have been working closely with the Federal Govt of Nigeria through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NAPHCDA, Nigerian Paediatric Society, Nigeria Red Cross Society, World Health Organisation, WHO, e.t.c. By this partnership, millions of Nigerian lives have been saved as a result of them being vaccinated,� Asiwaju stated.

He added that the club’s participation in this year’s eradication campaign further reaffirmed its strong belief in the efficacy of immunisation against measles and sustained campaigns as strategies to fight the disease. “As an organisation, we shall continue to advance, promote and champion the cause of mass mobilisation for immunisation in the nook and cranny of the country as well as ensure that no child within the age range of nine months to five years is left out of the activity,� he said.

President of NFF, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, lauded the initiative, saying the federation would work in tandem with the brand and leverage on the partnership to bring glory to the national team at every tournament.

Also, the Brand Manager, Candy West Africa, Mr Aruleba Olumide urged Nigerians to encourage the national team by supporting them as he said this was important to motivate them to victory.

Firm to Host Businesses in Nigeria’s First Online Trade Fair Nigeria is set for its first online trade exhibition to be anchored by Best Hope Services, BHS, in May. The initiative, according to the organisers, followed the need to promote innovations by local inventors, scholars and entrepreneurs.

Speaking on the exercise, Chief Executive Officer of BHS, Olu Adenodi, said the e-fair would enable investors from different sectors of the economy to showcase their products to the world without having to hire an exhibition ground while visitors can also conveniently participate without leaving the comfort of their homes or offices. “We observed that most innovations in our tertiary institutions will only be heard of for a while but would not be developed, this medium allows for the promotion of such. “We are creating an opportunity of translating what is obtainable only on land or terrestrial into the air or outer space, taking full advantage of technology and utilising the internet to the fullest,� he added.

Also speaking, the originator of the e-Fair, Prof.

Joseph Mba said that the online expo would have huge positive impact on national development.

According to him, Nigeria and Africa academic researchers, inventors and problem solvers would be inspired and motivated to creativity and innovations with this idea.

He said that the e-fair would cover four strategic areas: e-fair expo, e-fair connect, e-fair trade and e-fair events with the aim to have an online trade fair and urged Nigerians to register on the website ahead of the first expo targeted at all industries. “The timetable had been drawn for different sectors like technology, automobiles, electronics - home and office durable consumables. We urge Nigerians to register before the fair commences in May,� he said.

46

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

EVENTS

K

eep fit entrepreneur Jane Amuta, supported by her husband Dr. Chidi, marked her 40th birthday at Sheraton Ikeja last Sunday. The birthday dinner, attended by her friends and select clientele, turned into a keep fit dance session when musician Harrison Tare Okiri, otherwise known as Harrysong, played one of his popular tunes. Though an evening of fun and laughter, some guests were moved to tears when Uzo led two other Amuta daughters, Ugochi and Nneka, to regale the House with tales of Jane’s stooping in love to conquer. Here are some personalities at the event.

Photographs byYomi Akinyele L-R: Dr. Chidi Amuta and his wife celebrant, Jane

Mr. Eniola Bello, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi and his wife, Wunmi

Pastor Ade Popoola and his wife, Folu

L-R: Mr. Debo Aina and Mr. Akinyele Akinsanya

Mr. and Mrs. Iheanyi Esiaba

L-R: Uzo Orimalade and Chiweizu Amuta

L-R: Barrister Laurretta Sule and Blessing O. Johnson

L-R: Nonye Johnson and Anita Odewingie

L-R: Mrs RichbethWilliam and Mrs Debbie Odewingie

47

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

EVENTS

L-R: Adeola Akinsanya, Jummy Omolayo and Oluyemisi Debo Adesina

L-R: Ade Bello, Mr. Adebiyi Rilwan-Modile

L-R: Bolanle Adaju and Ruth Goma

L-R: Mr. Ben Elekwachi and his wife, Ugochi

L-R: Mrs. Nuosu Oyewoue ,Tola Odeyemi and Ojudwi

BarristerTunde Fabunmi and wife, Adesewa

L-R: Alhaja Bolanle Ajila, Olusola Olokun and Oyeyemi Osikoya

L-R: Olaniyi Akintokun, his wife, Biodun and Festus Masajuwa

L-R: Chilee Kennedy Biyia and Dorathy Obasi

L-R: Zainab Abiola and Labisi Okeh

L-R: Mrs. Nwando Nuizu and Mrs. Eve Oligbo

48

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚΀

COVER Junaid Mohammed

APC Govt Has Ruined Our Economy, Messed Up National Security Nigerians suering from party’s lousy leadership Buhari, a GloriďŹ ed President A Second Republic lawmaker and avowed critic of the current APC-led government, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, in this interview with Bayo Akinloye talks about the ineptitude, insecurity, and hypocrisy that he thinks have characterised the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He suggested that the Nigerian security agencies were in cahoots with the abductors of the Dapchi schoolgirls. Mohammed further talks about the dilemma the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, has found himself, describing him as a sitting duck

Y

ou’ve been a consistent and vocal critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Why have you always attacked the president and his administration? Are you doing this because you’ve not been invited to ‘come and chop’?

Far from it! If you don’t know, you need to go and learn about my history. One, I was a persistent critic of the (Shehu) Shagari administration; I was a member of parliament. My ultimate aim was to protect democracy and give it a fillip for survival. Number two, I’ve been critical of other presidents after Shagari.

I was very critical of (Ibrahim) Babangida. I was very critical of (Olusegun) Obasanjo. I was very critical of Umar Yar’Adua. And, of course, I was very critical of the way (Goodluck) Jonathan managed his administration especially the crisis concerning the Chibok girls and the way he managed our national economy which prepared the ground for Nigeria to plunge into a very serious recession immediately after he left office. All the wherewithal, all the necessary ingredients for the recession were put together by Jonathan; and (President Muhammadu) Buhari really succeeded in further impoverishing the nation and that’s why we find ourselves in a messy situation under Buhari rather than under Jonathan’s administration.

So, if anybody thinks I’m critical of this government because I am not in the system, the person’s making a very big mistake; and I’ll give you an example: in this Buhari administration, I have had a series of discussions with a prominent figure in Kano, who is my childhood friend, and who was my classmate in secondary school. He tried to reach me that Kano is too small an arena for me and whether I can see the President and be out of town and be at the national or

international level. He took me to the DG, DSS; both of them are alive. They asked whether I would like to have a meeting with the president. My answer was: ‘Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is a president of Nigeria. If he invites me I will go and see him. But I made it clear to them that I do not want anything from this administration; I don’t want any appointment. I don’t want any contracts or any favours. You can go and confirm from them; I can give you their numbers. As far as I am concerned, I am doing this because I have a mission. I have been doing this long before anybody heard of Buhari. And, I will continue to do so until my last breath because I do not believe in injustice. I do not believe in nepotism; and I don’t believe in hypocrisy which is the hallmark of this administration.

I can assure you that I’ve never been caught out lying. I have never been caught out involving in mischief. I have no personal enemies in politics. Nigeria does not belong to Buhari or members of his family.

Aren’t you bothered that the likes of Bola Tinubu appear to be right behind Buhari?

I do not understand what you mean that Tinubu is behind Buhari because Tinubu is a friend of mine. I met him as late as recently.

I can assure you that Tinubu is in a very difficult situation – in what can be described as a ‘double bind’. I also know that he’s not happy with the tenure elongation of the executive of the APC. He had been confronted; he did not agree with and he did not accept the violation of the national constitution and the violation of the APC constitution. But I also know that Tinubu is a sitting duck; they can arrest him or attempt to take his life. He has to be very careful because nobody will like to suffer death in the course of doing the right thing.

Doesn’t that contradict the fact that he

Some people are playing politics with the Boko Haram insurgency. The army, for example, is guilty of everything in connection with Boko Haram: Abduction of people, seizing people’s farms, raping of women and young girls; taking people’s property especially in Lake Chad (area) which is rich in terms of ďŹ sh. Instead of protecting people, they’re conďŹ scating what belongs to innocent people.

What we have is an army of occupation that does not care about what is happening to hapless, harmless, innocent people. And, when you look at the top echelon of the Armed Forces, you will see people who are marking time; oďŹƒcers whose tenures were extended not because of their achievements or merit but due to other considerations. We are troubled by some lousy leadership at the cabinet level and at the president’s leve

Mohammed

MARCH 24, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

49

COVER The Abduction of Dapchi Girls Was Pre-arranged has been appointed by President Buhari to reconcile aggrieved members of the APC? He seems to be having a great time with the president. At least once, they travelled out of the country together.

You don’t expect them to be shouting at each other in the public. You wouldn’t expect that, right? But you should also know that the most aggrieved person in the APC government today is no other than Tinubu. One of the biggest slaps he got was the appointment of Fashola as minister. It was Tinubu who built APC, not Buhari or Fashola. If Tinubu had not bent over backward to accommodate Buhari’s camp, there would have been no APC and there would have been no Buhari presidency. How can you ask a man who is most aggrieved to go and reconcile people who are equally aggrieved? It is hypocrisy.

Buhari knows he has offended Tinubu. He knows he has publicly spited Tinubu. Most of the bad blood in APC was created by Buhari. Buhari now asking Tinubu to go and reconcile aggrieved members of the APC is like asking someone to take medicine for your headache. I don’t see how the party is going to survive when they are violating its constitution. Some people are going to court, mind you. There are members of the APC who are now in court challenging Buhari’s unilateral and arbitrary extension of the tenure of the party’s executive committee. I am telling you we haven’t seen anything yet.

What do you have to say about the level of insecurity in Nigeria?

It is clear that Buhari is not in charge. Who is in charge of security and who’s in charge of the economy is anybody’s guess. Clearly, Buhari is not in charge; clearly, the Presidency isn’t in charge. Clearly, the National Assembly isn’t in charge –they’re too irresponsible.

They’re too obsessed with their own welfare and corruption; humongous and irresponsible salary to pay attention to the well-being and development of citizens of this country. I believe any responsible government confronting any of the challenges Nigeria is confronted with should pause and think –think very seriously about the problems bedeviling the people of this country. Any attempt by anybody to explain away the phenomenon of Boko Haram terrorists, the miscreants in the Niger Delta, and the so-called herdsmenfarmers conflict, will do himself a world of good to look at the underlying facilitation of the problems in this country; from the injustice, total lack of responsible policies, governance, corruption which is endemic and is only being fought selectively, while other people – relations, friends, nephews, and in-laws of the President are at the centre of corruption. I really can’t see how this can be resolved, because they’re multi-ferious and multi-faceted. And I believe there’s no good intention to resolve the issue. And as you must know, some people are playing politics with the Boko Haram insurgency.

The army, for example, is guilty of everything in connection with Boko Haram: Abduction of people, seizing people’s farms, raping of women and young girls; taking people’s property especially in Lake Chad (area) which is rich in terms of fish. Instead of protecting people, they’re confiscating what belongs to innocent people. What we have is an army of occupation that does not care about what is happening to hapless, harmless, innocent people.

And, when you look at the top echelon of the Armed Forces, you will see people who are marking time; officers whose tenures were extended not because of their achievements or merit but due to other considerations.

We are troubled by some lousy leadership at the cabinet level and at the president’s level. Nigeria is faced with serious nepotism which is a form of corruption; some people who’re related to Buhari have been indicted with serious acts of corruption and he has not done anything. But other people who have no connection with him are being hounded and frustrated.

You’ve described this administration as being lousy and irresponsible. Let’s look at the person who’s in charge of the reins of power –the commander-in-chief. How will you describe him in view of what is happening in Nigeria today?

I will describe him as thoroughly incompetent. He has been clueless. He is out of touch with reality. In his first coming as a military head of state, even though he was in charge of authority, there were a lot of things he could not do. He was like a figure head then. It is the same situation today. This president cannot do anything without the power of the group that has a stranglehold on him. On his own, he’s unprepared; he doesn’t have any strength

Mohammed

intellectually. Everybody knows he did not pass his school certificate exams, for example.

And, how he became a general in the military remains a mystery only the Nigerian Army can explain. There are so many other things which are obvious. The man is sick physically and intellectually, and is otherwise unfit for office of the president of Nigeria. That’s why he is in the midst of a security challenge, social and economic upheaval and does not know what to do. But clearly, he has not demonstrated any sense of rational thinking in the way he manages personnel – in the way he makes appointments so as to put round pegs in round holes. Now, a person with this kind of attitude –primitive attitude towards power –will never be a leader of 200 million people and for that he has failed abysmally.

He doesn’t have a government worth its name. The people he surrounds himself with are only looking after themselves. We’re in very serious trouble because of a man who is timid – a glorified president who cannot explain himself well. Nigerians are very robust but they didn’t bargain for what they have now.

Talking about 200 million people, did you see the mammoth crowd that warmly welcomed President Buhari in Kano?

Some people point to that crowd as a sign that Buhari remains popular in Nigeria as against what critics like you suggest.

How do you see and reconcile that with the malaise plaguing the country?

If what you said were true, I would have said it was a contradiction and would have wondered why this special phenomenon. I am based in Kano and I am a Kano man. No Kano man would go around looking for him (Buhari). What I am telling you is that that crowd was a rented crowd. Many people were brought in from nearby Jigawa State; some from Katsina and some from Kaduna; others are from Zamfara. I have never been impressed by a rented crowd. The rented crowd didn’t come out to welcome Buhari out of conviction. They did it out of hunger.

They’re poor. If you pay anybody without a job N500 or N1000 to come from Kaduna or Zamfara to Kano, he’d come because he has no means of feeding himself. It is, however to his credit, that he’s the most divisive and incompetent leader the country has ever had.

All those people around him are gathered there not because they love him. Make no mistake about that. Let’s not waste our time.

My concern will be in the next (presidential) election; it is against national interest, common sense, and rationality for Buhari to stand for election and get the kind of crowd that he got in Kano. Tell me one good thing Buhari has done for this country?

I remember the Emir of Kano one time saying to Buhari, ‘You have come here to commission projects not done by your administration but by the Goodluck Jonathan government and the previous regime. I’ll be glad to see you within the next one year when you come to commission projects which you’ve done.’ He told him to his face on live radio. Tell me one thing Buhari has done in the North. I challenge you and I challenge anybody; maybe you know the North more than I do. I know politics more than Buhari and he admitted to that too.

What do you imagine the next four years would be like were Buhari to be re-elected?

There are a number of scenarios. One scenario is possibly that he may not contest the election. I am not his enemy but I believe one term or two terms of four or eight years or given more than that, this man will not be able to do anything for this country. He’s simply incapable. He’s too incompetent and unprepared to preside over Nigeria. If he’s selected as the anointed presidential candidate of his party, if he doesn’t win the election, it would be rigged in his favour – and if that were to happen, I want to assure you that from the day they announced the election results until the end of the four years there would be no peace in this country because people would not tolerate the incompetence, illiteracy, greed, nepotism, and corruption. There’s a limit to their patience. We’re not going to take whatever Buhari gives no matter what his supporters, the media, and other people say. If the APC government went ahead to rig 2019 elections, there would be trouble. I cannot tell you the nature of the trouble because Nigerians will determine what the trouble will be.

Buhari cannot win 2019 election on the basis of performance. The APC government under his leadership has performed abysmally.

Buhari has ruined the national economy; he has messed up the national security; he has lied through his teeth about integrity by promoting and supporting people who have no gravitas –those who’re related to him that have become billionaires overnight.

On what basis did they become overnight billionaires? Simple: on the basis that they are related to him. Buhari cannot win a free and fair election in 2019. I challenge Buhari to tell me one thing he has done for this country. If he got re-elected, it might be because of tribal sentiments or geo-political sentiments.

What will you say about the intractable herdsmen killings in the country?

The same Fulani you’re talking about have been living with other people from time immemorial. How come they suddenly became

I will describe him as thoroughly incompetent.

He has been clueless. He is out of touch with reality.

In his first coming as a military head of state, even though he was in charge of authority, there were a lot of things he could not do.

He was like a figure head then. It is the same situation today. This president cannot do anything without the power of the group that has a stranglehold on him. On his own, he’s unprepared; he doesn’t have any strength intellectually. Everybody knows he did not pass his school certificate exams, for example. And, how he became a general in the military remains a mystery only the Nigerian Army can explain. There are so many other things which are obvious. The man is sick physically and intellectually, and is otherwise unfit for office of the president of Nigeria. That’s why he is in the midst of a security challenge, social

50

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 24 , 2018

COVER The Most Aggrieved Person in the APC Today is Tinubu… How can you ask a man who is most aggrieved to go and reconcile people who are equally aggrieved? It is hypocrisy…

One of the biggest slaps he got was the appointment of Fashola as minister violent and difficult? The problem started with the Yar’Adua regime, passed through to Jonathan’s regime and now the Buhari regime.

My understanding is this: the land system we inherited from the colonial administration provided for lands set aside for the purpose of grazing. And, anybody who says that the Fulani are troublesome and should set up ranches is missing the point. For the Fulani, being nomadic is a way of life. It is not just an economic issue. It is more than that. It’s a lie to say that these people are troublemakers.

We should be sincere to one another. I know that lands set aside for these people have been taken over by some elites and converted to farmhouses. Some of the people who are being killed or alleged to be Fulani are not even Fulani and they do not own the cattle. The land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport was allocated for cattle grazing. And, all over, from the extreme North-East to the extreme North-West, NorthCentral down to the furthest to the East. And I know that we have dedicated lands backed by laws and edicts. As far as I am concerned the herders-farmers crisis Nigeria faces was mishandled by previous government but is being mishandled particularly by the APC government under the leadership of Buhari.

It’s unfortunate that quite a number of Fulani have been killed. Many of those killed are in Taraba; in a place that is predominantly their land, not minding what the Benue governor is saying. They’re being killed because they say Buhari is a Fulani man. So, they’re killing the Fulani to avenge what Buhari is doing to them.

But before Buhari came to power there was this problem. And now that Buhari is in power he’s not opened his mouth to say any meaningful thing to explain or resolve the crisis. It is unfortunate that people are saying Fulani are making trouble because Nigeria is ruled by a Fulani president. But Buhari is not a Fulani man. I challenge anybody that says Buhari is a Fulani to tell us when he became a Fulani and how he became a Fulani.

Are you saying President Buhari isn’t Fulani?

Buhari is not a Fulani man. I am saying so.

Go and do your homework. There are many people who are not from this country but have naturalised as Nigerians and have risen to top positions in the country. They have every right like other Nigerians. But to say that Buhari is from the Fulani tribe is sheer nonsense. He can’t speak one word of Fulfulde. If you want to commit murder because you assume Buhari is a Fulani man you’ll be making a mistake.

It’s not my business and I don’t care what tribe he is from but I don’t believe people should be killed simply because somebody who is assumed to be one of their kinsmen. Again, did you see anybody kill the Ijaw simply because Jonathan was the president? It’s also sheer nonsense to lump Hausa and Fulani tribes together. There’s nothing like Hausa-Fulani.

The two tribes are different. They speak different languages. But because of ignorance and laziness of the media, these people are collectively called Hausa-Fulani. I am a Fulani man but I don’t speak one word of Fulfulde because I was brought up in Kano and the major language in Kano is Hausa.

If you judged Buhari as not being a Fulani man because, according to you, the president can’t speak Fulfulde, what about you admitting being Fulani but can’t speak the language?

But that doesn’t mean you can deny my identity as a Fulani.

Ok lets put it this way, are you saying the president doesn’t have that genetic connection?

No; he doesn’t have it.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a recent interview with THISDAY said it was the carelessness of the Buhari-led government that led to the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls in Yobe State. What’s your view?

I hardly agree with Atiku but on this one I throw my weight behind him. It was carelessness; sheer callous carelessness. Let me also add that the abduction was pre-arranged; I don’t see how you can take away the blame from the Nigerian Army or military officers who ordered the evacuation of the soldiers on the ground in that area. In addition, the evacuation must have been done in tandem with the people who abducted the girls in Dapchi; because the abduction was carried out publicly. And within the week the incident happened, nobody including the military surveillance aircraft which are in Maiduguri saw anything. Maiduguri to Yobe is within 15 minutes flying time. Yet, nobody knew nor

look at the evidence and make up my mind; and the evidence is clearly there. It is also important to state that Jonathan was not only corrupt but irresponsible. There’s massive corruption going on in the Presidency, around Buhari –around his relations –as a result of nepotism. Transparency International is operative in many countries and their assessment has been validated by the individuals concerned. I recall vividly Obasanjo’s administration; the anti-graft agency alleged that there was massive corruption in the country, most of which were concentrated in the Presidency around Atiku, Obasanjo and their cronies.

There’s no big deal about that assessment passed on Buhari –he deserves it, just like Jonathan also deserved it. Talking about the gold medal award on corruption to Jonathan, I think he richly deserved that. It is nothing but sarcasm and of course, Tinubu has a tremendous sense of humour. So, if he sarcastically gave gold medal to Jonathan, I don’t know what he’ll be willing to give Buhari, his relations, and cronies; because Buhari and his people have perfected corruption more than any previous administrations in this country.

Mohammed

Buhari has ruined the national economy; he has messed up the national security; he has lied through his teeth about integrity by promoting and supporting people who have no gravitas –those who’re related to him that have become billionaires overnight. On what basis did they become overnight billionaires?

Simple: on the basis that they are related to him.

Buhari cannot win a free and fair election in 2019. I challenge Buhari to tell me one thing he has done for this country. If he got reelected, it might be because of tribal sentiments or geopolitical sentiments saw anything. So the police and military men around knew nothing and saw nothing? Also, there are supposed to be some SSS operatives in every local government. What happened to them and what is the information from those elements?

Do you agree with Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi that the APC government is incapable of dealing with the country’s insecurity because of the involvement of external forces?

I have known Bolaji for more than 40 years.

He cannot deny knowing me. But I want to believe that Bolaji Akinyemi sometimes allows his imagination to run ahead of him.

First of all, I agree entirely that some organisations whether local or international interfere with the situation in this country. But whether these ones are in control of what is happening in Nigeria I don’t have enough facts to support that. The Buhari government should be held solely responsible for the injustice, corruption, and wanton poverty pervading this country. This government has tolerated a lot of vices and sooner than later Nigerians

will react to the injustice and nepotism of the incompetent government that is complacent to the hardship of Nigerians. I condemn any form of terrorism. But that is not enough for me to conclude that there is a group or some form of organisations which are responsible for what is happening under this administration.

Do you think the present administration can make amends?

I’ve never seen any sincerity in Buhari or in the cabal that he harbours in his government.

Any possibilities of finding solutions to Nigeria’s problems under Buhari are completely non-existent. It is too late for him to change his mindset. Besides, people around him are making too much money through corruption.

There’s no way they’ll be open to meaningful changes.

Who will you recommend as the next president of Nigeria?

As far as I am concerned, there are enough people who are capable of ruling this country other than the dictator that we have now. I don’t have the names of the people now but in time I’ll give their names. But I dare say that the Buhari disaster should be a clear example to all of us.

Some people accuse the North and the South-West of political conspiracy against the East and the South-South.

How do you respond to that?

Where’s the conspiracy? If any conspiracy exists it must be from the time the North aligned with the NCNC. I don’t see any conspiracy between the North and the South-West. And by the way, if you’re talking about democracy, you talk about the rule of law: One man, one vote. Look at Buhari’s ministers: how many of them can manage a department not to talk of a ministry? What is the benefit of Buhari’s administration to the North? The answer is nothing. Of what use is a conspiracy that doesn’t benefit the masses supposedly part of the conspiracy?

Is (Babatunde) Fashola who controls three ministries a northerner? Is (Kemi) Adeosun a northerner? The de facto president of Nigeria, Mamman Daura, is Buhari’s nephew. No Nigerian leader, military or civilian, has so abused power by putting in key positions his relations and cronies like Buhari. I cannot call Buhari a man of integrity.

Buhari’s supporters have always said the president’s greatest achievement is his fight against corruption. When the latest Transparency International report stated that corruption had worsened under Buhari’s watch, his supporters reacted angrily. It will also be recalled that Tinubu once awarded, perhaps in mockery, President Jonathan a gold medal in corruption. What’s your thought on all this?

My attitude toward this development is to

So, what will you award President Buhari?

I will award Buhari platinum (in corruption) because it is higher than gold. I’ll offer him platinum. The worse aspect of his own corruption is that it is brazen and centred on his relations, cronies, and friends. He claims he’s fighting corruption but turning a blind eye to the corrupt activities of people close to him; he’s taking Nigeria for a ride. I think that’s the height of irresponsibility. My concern about Buhari’s mode of fighting corruption is that he thinks he’s smart but unfortunately, there’re people in his government who are untouchable.

The Mainagate, Babachir Lawal’s corruption scandal, and the recent discovery of the disappearance of $44m from the vault of the NIA are said to be a chink in the armour of Buhari. What exactly do you think is going on?

In the first place, the shiny armour of Buhari is a ruse. There is no such armour. If the armour does not exist why bother yourself about shiny armour? The whole thing is a ruse; I’m telling you it’s a ruse. My concern is that Buhari will make it even harder for any other leader to come and fight corruption because his brazen acts have made it impossible for people to believe he’s fighting corruption.

And, once people don’t believe in the cause you’re fighting for –they think you’re lying –it becomes impossible to fight corruption.

How do you feel about the 14 governors who attended Ganduje and Ajimobi’s children’s wedding while the abducted 110 innocent Dapchi schoolgirls were held hostage by ISIS West Africa? But just as I’m speaking with you there was the breaking news that most of the girls had been returned by their abductors.

Are you saying the girls have been returned?

As far as I am concerned this is a huge relief.

To all those in governments, to those who hold one form of political power and to all Nigerians this news should be a great sense of relief.

Having said that, I believe that the governors who had time enjoying themselves were just exercising their choice but it was bad timing.

They couldn’t have done anything about it because plans were at advanced stage. Yet, in view of the Dapchi girls’ kidnap coupled with the economic hardship Nigerians are experiencing that kind of extravagant display of fortune and affluence leaves much to be desired.

Our leaders should exercise more caution; they should be more circumspect. Whatever we do, we should do it with the eye of history and of course, with the eye of national interest and economic situation. What’s bad is bad; what’s good is good. There’s no need to justify wrongdoing.

You said President Buhari is clueless and incompetent. Not a few will think your comments are pretty harsh. Are you saying this because he’s not in charge of his government and by that are you saying he’s a figurehead?

Anybody who knows what it means to be in charge will know that Buhari is not in charge –let me be honest with you. It has nothing to do with my personal attitude towards him. It is obvious from the way he manages or mismanages governance. It’s clear from the way he’s fighting the anti-corruption war. I am not satisfied that the man is in charge. He has not been an effective leader and he’s not in charge.

He’s a figurehead but at what point he became a figurehead I don’t know.

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

51

51

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺ͟, 2018

POLITY

Cosmetic Governance in Nigeria Eddie Mbadiwe

S

ometime ago, I was on a flight from London Heathrow to Abuja.

In the compartment next to mine sat a middle-aged English lady by name Janet.

About an hour into this flight and I can’t remember exactly how, a conversation developed. Janet had a thriving beauty outfit in London West End and visited Nigeria on invitation to attend to the sartorial and aesthetic needs of a then State governor. She was not travelling economy and said she could spend between one to two weeks all expenses paid in the best hotel in the state capital. She was particularly busy on days when the governor had functions covered by television. Since the pay was good, she looked forward to these ‘’Nigerian treats’’ as she called them.

I can understand a woman devoting unlimited time and energy to massage her

ego for that can be traceable to her genetic makeup. For a man to engage in that luxury of time, come on!!!

In my view, any man who spends more than thirty minutes on morning ablutions, cleansing and purification possibly has mental health issues and his family will be well advised to get in their psychiatrists or psychologists for the needed psycho-analysis and early remediation.

Reflecting on this fortuitous flight set me thinking about the quality, structure, and by extension the practitioners of governance in our country. There seems to be emphasis on playing to the gallery and glamour rather than permanence and solidity. Is it all a matter of show? We do not seem to build for posterity.

Projects that impact positively on People’s well-being and enrichment do not matter.

Otherwise how can we justify billions (most of it borrowed money) spent on roads which collapse after two rainy seasons? Could

The Lilygate Lagos Set for Easter Justina Uzo

T

he Lilygate Lagos, a premier business hotel in the exclusive area of Lekki Phase One is planning big for Easter.

Easter season is a celebration that climaxes in work-free days. It is perhaps this reason some hotels and other hospitality centres across the country are packaging well designed programmes to reward their patrons this Easter.

The Lilygate Lagos which opened four years ago and already a big success story, represents Business, Family and Romance all at the same time. The four Star deluxe hotel with 74 rooms and suites boasting amenities such as majestic lobby of high

ceiling, beautiful grand sculptures, Italian hand crafted marble floorings, ornate chandeliers, grand staircase as well as a sophisticated and luxurious Banquet Hall, offers guests an iconic venue for wedding receptions, birthday celebrations, meetings and conferences.

This Easter season, The Lilygate Lagos invites guests to unwind in the hotel offering mouth-watering discounts for its deluxe Standard and Superior rooms. All Easter guests also get 10% discount off Easter Sunday Brunch and for the family, two children under 11 years with adults eat for free and additional kids under 11years enjoy a 50% discount.

the National Assembly tarry a little and bring into our statute books laws that will prosecute and punish anyone- governors, ministers, local government chairmen etcetera who recklessly waste tax payers money on projects whose life-span is less than ten years.

In the former Soviet Union, some component countries had such laws and even when the Culprits had died and their projects collapsed, they were still sentenced.

This was the inheritance and legacy for their families.

For people of doubt, let us remind ourselves that longevity of projects exists in many countries. Some parts of the Auto bahn in Germany built under Adolf Hitler’s third Reich regime are still in use. An example is the Berlin-Munich Reich Santo bahn built in 1936.

If the truth be told, all of us in various levels of governance in our country know the right thing to do. The level of recklessness seen in government business is completely absent in private businesses. Objectivity also demands that we do not tar all projects with the same brush. There are few exceptions; Samuel Ogbemudia was military governor of the old Bendel State. Some of his roads have endured till now. On a visit to Ondo State a few years back, one was pleasantly surprised and pleased that the roads in construction then were anchored on concrete foundations of about six inches thickness with reinforced rods.

In a number of other states for example Imo a majority of the roads have washed away after one rainy season. How sad!

Governance is serious business demanding trust and transparency and that is why people surrender their rights to a group called government. In that vein therefore one cannot help but condemn the recent fad which can be labelled as governance by

television and newspaper self- congratulatory messages. The flip side of the course is that this craze spins money for our friends in the media.

A situation where a governor basks in adulation and vain-glory, praise singing by a deprived crowd who are unemployed, hungry and angry is nothing but cosmetic governance. Could the governors please take a cue from the President who is unfazed by this nonsense? We need some degree of quiet and candour in the polity.

What the people demand are projects which will create jobs and take the unemployed youth off the streets. One has in mind, projects like the largest par-boiled rice mill in Africa situated in Argungu capable of giving jobs to 50,000 Farmers. Another laudable example is the integrated poultry farm in Kaduna State capable of processing 1.65 million chicks and a billion eggs weekly.

To close this write-up without touching our cosmetic ritual called the Federal budget is a disservice. We are limping into April and the National Assembly has not passed the 2018 budget. This is the mandatory prelude prior to the jig-saw of assent and signing by the President. Who is prepared to wager unsuccessful implementation since no Nigerian budget since the return of democracy in 1999 has achieved 50% success. This is under both the PDP and APC governments.

The congressional budget office of the U.S. Congress whose pattern of democracy we are aping unsuccessfully prepares budgets two years in advance. Members of our parliament have been at courses at John Hopkins in collaboration with the Capitol so this is not new to them.

My friend Dr. Eugene Mgbojikwe (God bless his noble soul) asked us repeatedly in the Chairman’s lodge: ‘’Where did we get it wrong’’. I wish someone can give him an answer.

L-R; Rifugio Samsung Partner, Samsung Electronics Store, Ikeja City Mall, Mr. Kayode Thomas; Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Olumide Ojo; President, Samsung Central Africa, Mr. John Park; Samsung Ambassador, Mr. Bankole Wellington (Banky W) and Manager, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Hung-Bae Kim during the launch of the Samsung S9 and S9+ smartphones at Samsung Experience Centre, Ikeja City Mall...recently

L-R:Senior Brand Manager, Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria Plc,Mrs Omolara Banjoko; Human Resource Director, Mr Tominiyi Oni; Managing Director, Mr Ben Langat;Dirctor, Customer Development Sales and Shopper Marketing (CDSM), Mr. Adewale Arikawe; and Finance Director, Mr. Dirk Van Breen, at the oďŹƒcial launch of the new three Crowns Creamer in Lagos...recently

L-R: Chairman, Board of Trustees, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale; Chairman Zenith Bank PLC, Mr. Jim Ovia; and Executive Secretary/CEO LSSTF, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun during LSSTF BOT members’ visit to Ovia in appreciation of his donation to the Fund at the Civic Towers in Lagos ...recently

L-R; Principal Nursing OďŹƒcer, Ijora Oloye Health Centre, Mrs. Ihejirika Patience; Apapa Local Government Secretary, Olalekan Bakare; Health Supervisor, Aro Kehinde; and the Council’s Medical OďŹƒcer, Dr. Kehinde Sosanya, at the Flag-O Ceremony of the 2018 Measles Vaccination Campaign, at Ijora Oloye Health Centre in Lagos‌ recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 24, 2018

53

54

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

NEWS

Melaye’s Recall Begins March 27 as INEC Panel on Kano Underage Voters Submits Report Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it would commence a new recall process on the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye by March 27, 2018.

This is as the investigative panel set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ascertain the truth on allegations of inclusion of underaged voters in the commission's election register for Kano State has concluded its assignment and turned in its report to the Chairman of INEC, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu on Friday According to the commission, the decision to fix a new date for the recall was sequel to the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division which removed all the legal encumbrances to carrying out of the exercise.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Augusta Ogakwu, INEC said that the process would begin with the verification exercise at the commission's office in Lokoja Local Government Area and end with the outcome of the verification on April 29.

The findings of the INEC committee which was set up on February 21 in the wake of public

outcry on a video clip showing children voting during an election in Kano was however not made known as at Friday.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC boss, Mr. Rotimi Oyekamni quoted Yakubu as saying that the Commission would consider and share the details of the report with the public in due course According to its terms of reference, the panel was mandated to ascertain if the voter register requested by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission was actually used in the Local Government Elections.

They were also tasked to "investigate the widespread reports that persons below the statutory age of 18 years voted using INEC’s register, engage with Stakeholders on issues related to the use of the voter register in the election and make any other recommendations which, in the opinion of the Committee, are relevant to its assignment".

The INEC Spokesman's statement did not give any further detail on the findings or recommendations of the committee chaired by National Commissioner, Engineer Abubakar Nahuche but said that it has completed its assignment and submitted report to the commission.

WORKING FOR HUMANITY...

L-R: The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and the Chairman, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates during a meeting in Lagos, Friday

Court Restrains Lagos Govt. from Enforcing 5% Hotel Tax Law

N90m Loan: Diamond Bank vs Sunshine De School Suit for Hearing April 11

Davidson Iriekpen

Justice M.L Sule of an Oyo State high court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan has fixed for definitive hearing, a six years old suit bordering on N90m loan recovery between the Sunshine De Gold Nursery and Primary school and Diamond Bank Plc forApril 11, 2018.

In the six years that the case had been on, there had been no hearing as the bank alleged before the court that the claimant asked for out of court settlement but hadn’t been forthcoming and had refused to file a defense in the matter for over four years.

The original facility granted was pegged at N90 m during negotiation and after a proposal was made, the bank conceded that they should pay N70m out of the N90m but the school only paid N20m and stopped until

The Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Lagos State Government from enforcing the provisions of its new Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant (Fiscalisation) Regulations 2017.

The law introduced a five per cent consumption tax in addition to a five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on every purchase or service rendered by hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets, event centres, bars and night clubs.

In a ruling, Justice Rilwan Aikawa restrained the state from further enforcing the law.

The judge said the law would remain suspended until the final determination of a suit filed against the government by the Registered

Trustees of Hotel Owners and Managers Association of Lagos.

The judge also temporarily struck down the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law Cap H8, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

He particularly restrained the state from enforcing or implementing paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 of the Lagos State Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant (Fiscalisation) Regulations 2017.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa restrained the state and its agents from visiting the plaintiffs’ hotels "for the purpose of installing fiscal electronic device and any other purposes whatsoever in furtherance of the law and the regulations."

He made the interim order following an ex-parte application brought before him by the association

of hotel owners in Lagos through their lawyer, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN).

Shasore, who is a former Attorney General and Justice Commissioner in Lagos State, had prayed the court to stop the state and its agents from visiting his clients "between March 1 and March 10, 2018 or any other period before or thereafter" pending the hearing and determination of his clients' motion on notice dated March 7, 2018.

Justice Aikawa, after granting the interim restraining orders, adjourned till April 17, 2018 to hear the plaintiffs' motion on notice.

Joined as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/L/CS/360/2018, are the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

the window of opportunity agreed for payment had lapsed. The inability of the school to fulfill the agreement sent the case back to court.

But due to the absence of the claimant’s witness, Justice Sule adjourned till April 11 and awarded a cost of N5000 against the school.

When the case was called up, counsel to Sunshine De Gold Nursery and Primary school, the claimant, Adeola Owolabi, informed the court that the case was for definite hearing as settlement had broken down but informed the court that she would be asking for an adjournment as they couldn’t reach their witness.

She added that before settlement broke down, the school had paid N20m out of the N90m before the time agreed for the entire payment lapsed. But counsel to Diamond

Bank, Ayo Faleti, had opposed the adjournment application on the ground that in the six years that the case had been on, the claimants had been ensuring it didn’t move on through series of adjournments and had applied for a cost of N30, 000 if the court will grant the claimant’s application.

The matter is the fallout of a loan facility accessed by the school from Diamond Bank and guaranteed by the proprietress of the school but the school defaulted and when the bank tried to recover the loan, it filed an application before the court to stop the process. The bank filed its defense and counter claimed their application to demand for the money and joined the person that gave his property as collateral for the loan as co-defendant

There Are Enormous Challenges Plateau to Witness Increased in Nigeria, Says US Security Presence, Says IGP Bayo Akinloye Following the recent release of many of the Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by a terrorist group suspected to be Boko Haram, the United States Government has said there still remained enormous challenges in Nigeria which would require the attention of the United Nations and other international players.

This was disclosed in statement made available to our correspondent yesterday, quoting remarks by the American Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan, during the International Advisory Council's closing luncheon held at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington recently. “So it’s a whole-of-government effort. It sounds trite to say, but it’s certainly true. We work closely with our colleagues at the Depart-

ment of Defence, USAID, and the State Department. I was in Abuja, Nigeria a few months ago, and the challenges are enormous. The threat from Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, particularly in north-western Nigeria, is very serious, as we’ve seen just in the last few weeks with the kidnapping of another 110 schoolgirls, most of who have been released, but only on the condition that they not are allowed to go back to school, which is astounding on its face. But we’re thankful that at least most of those young girls have been released. But we’ve got to address the security situation. “But there are deeper problems – economic and social – that require not just U.S. Government’s assistance but assistance from a wide array of private organisations, other countries, and the United Nations. So that’s what

we’re looking to mobilise to address the causes of the refugee flows out of that area and prevent these crises from developing,� the American diplomat stated.

Sullivan added that the problems of illegal migration and terrorism facing Nigeria and few other African countries would require more efforts and global cooperation to solve.

He disclosed that the US would work more closely with the G5 countries and national governments to tackle the issues. “Looking at what we do in the U.S. Government, I’d focus, for example, on Africa, particularly in countries like Nigeria, the countries in the Sahel and Northern Africa, the tragic scenes that we have seen of refugees and migrants leaving Libya, Tunisia, Algeria for southern Europe.

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has disclosed that Plateau state would soon witness increased and improved security infrastructure for the purpose of providing adequate security.

Idris noted this when he conducted a ground breaking ceremony for newly established 66 Mobile Police Force (MPF) Squadron in Longvel, Shendam Local Government of the state.

He also inaugurated 51 security patrol vehicles acquired by the state government for distribution to security agencies in the 17 local governments of the state.

The Police Boss said, “The establishment of PMF 66 Squadron in Shendam is therefore one of my

strategies to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is at all times within reach, to respond to the challenges of crime being faced by the people. It is not by accident but deliberate attempt to fight crime. “Shendam town is densely populated and shares boundary with Bauchi, Nasarawa and Taraba states. “This feature makes the town prone to criminal activities like herders/farmers clashes, armed robberies and other criminal activities,� he stated.

The IGP said that PMF was established as a strike force of the NPF and always deployed to troubled spots across the country.

While commending Governor Simon Lalong over his many efforts towards achieving peace in the

state, the IGP called on other state governments to donate lands for the establishment and creation of more PMF squadrons and construction of PMF barracks.

He also appreciated Lalong for donating 51 security vehicles for security patrol in the 17 local governments, adding that Lalong was one out of many governors that was passionate about securing his state.

In his remarks, Lalong stated that the establishment of squadron was a dream come true for his people.

The governor appreciated the IG and the President Muhammadu Buhari for granting them their wish. He also said that the 51 patrol vehicles were donated by the state government in collaboration with the local governments.

55

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚͜

Bill Gates Vindicates Us on APC's Maladministration, Says PDP Onyebuchi Ezigbo inAbuja

BEAUTY IN SERVICE ...

L - R: Head Corporate Communications, Diamond bank Plc. Chioma Afe; CEO, Eventful, Yewande Zaccheus; Diamond Bank Personal Banker, Ada; CEO, Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie; and Head Retail Banking , Diamond bank Plc, Robert Giles, at the Beauty Souk, 2018 Sponsored by Diamond Bank, held at Harbour Point in Lagos

Nigeria’s World Cup Plan on Course as Super Eagles Beat Poland 1-0 Nigeria Super Eagles yesterday defeated Poland 1-0 at the Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw to put the team on course for a good showing at the summer World Cup in Russia.

After a goalless first, Chelsea of England wing back, Victor Moses shot the Eagles into the lead in the 61st minute from the penalty spot after he was adjudged to

have been fouled in the 18-yard box to silence the home crowd.

The Super Eagles will jet to London tomorrow to begin preparation for their next game against Serbia on Tuesday.

In other high profile friendly matches, five-time world champions, Brazil scored three goals in 13 minutes to ease past World Cup hosts Russia in a friendly

in Moscow.

After a goalless first half, Miranda opened the scoring at the Luzhniki Stadium, which will host seven matches at this summer's tournament including the final.

Philippe Coutinho scored a penalty for Brazil's second before Paulinho headed in a third from close range.

Brazil are now unbeaten in eight games and they showed no sign of missing Paris St-Germain forward Neymar, who faces a race against time to be fit for this summer's tournament after undergoing surgery on an injured right foot.

Brazil's next friendly is against Germany on Tuesday in Berlin, while Russia face France in St Petersburg.

Amnesty Programme: N'Delta Youths Back Dokubo’s Appointment Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Youths of the Niger Delta have expressed satisfaction with the appointment of Prof. Charles Dokubo to replace General Paul Boroh (Rtd.) as Special Adviser and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The youths, under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Movement (NYDM), in a statement issued yesterday in Port Harcourt and signed by the National President, Comrade Joe Jackson, said they were appalled by calls by one Ebitare

Pere for the recall of Boroh who was recently sacked by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Jackson said, “NDYM, as the umbrella body of all youth in the region, is enlightened enough to know that the appointment and termination of an appointee in the Federal Executive Council and indeed the Presidency is at the discretion of the President, that of Gen. Paul Boroh cannot be an exception. “We therefore wish to state that the so called Ebitare Pere is not known in the NDYM, he/she is

not the National Spokesperson of our Movement neither is he/she the spokesperson in any of our nine State Chapters. Our National Public Relations Officer is Comrade Meduoye Asiki Goodluck.�

He said politicians were using the names of youth of the Niger Delta region to pursue their personal goals and warned that youth of the region would resist the moves.

His words: “We warn failed politicians from the region to desist from using the name of NDYM and indeed youth groups in the Niger Delta in this despicable manner as

we shall strongly resist further attempt at pitching us against the very system they and their close family members exclusively benefited from.

Politicians from the region who see their appointments as an opportunity to exhibit tribalism and parochialism should not use the name of the Movement to fight and threaten the Federal Government of Nigeria.�

He therefore expressed satisfaction with the appointment of Dokubo and called on him to ensure he carries all sectors of the region along in the discharge of his duties.

Cast, Crew of Professor 2019: CAN Prays for Johnbull Light up Enugu Ugwuanyi’s Re-election The Coal City of Enugu has become a beehive of activities as the cast and the production crew of thesensational TV drama series, Professor John bull, sponsored by Globacom, storm the camp to begin the shooting of Season 6 of the series.

Information at our disposal indicated that the first set of cast and crew arrived Enugu last Friday while the remaining members joined midweek. A member of the production crew said, "I can confirm to you that virtually everybody is on ground and shooting has commenced in earnest for Season Six".

Produced by Tchidi Chikere, Professor Johnbull, an episodic situational comedy, is woven round the family of a retired Professor, Professor Johnbull, acted by Kanayo O. Kanayo, who resides in a neighbourhood in Enugu with his daughter, Elizabeth (Queen Nwokoye), his househelp, Nje (Angela

Okorie) and his kinsman, Jeroboam, aka Boam (Osita Iheme), with his house becoming the people’s court and a melting pot for his neighbours who come around to resolve all manner of issues.

The cast is made up of prominent Nollywood stars such as Yomi Fash Lanso, who plays the role of a restauranteur, Olaniyi; Funky Mallam, who acts Mai Doya, the yam seller; his sales girl, Bimbo Akintola, known as Ufoma in the series, and Professor Johnbull's security man, Martins Nebo (Abadnego).

Others are Jumoke, acted by Bidemi Kosoko; Etuk (Imeh Bishop); Flash (Stephen Odimgbe), and Samson (Ogus Baba). Veterans such as Chief Chika Okpala, a.k.a.

Zebrudayah, Patience Ozokwor, a.k.a. Mama G, and Richard MofeDamijo (RMD) had at one time or another made cameo appearances in the series.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu State chapter has conducted special prayers for the re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in 2019 and God’s continued favour on him.

Rising from a “mega prayer rally�, tagged: “Enugu State is in the Hands of God�, which was attended by the leaders of the five blocs in CAN Enugu State, namely, Most Rev. Dr. Calistus Onaga of the CSN (represented by Rev. Fr. Dr. Donatus Onuigbo); Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel O. Chukwuma of the CCN; Bishop Obi Onubuogu of CPFN/PFN; Rev. Michael Ebonine of OAIC and Rev. Emmanuel Edeh of ECWA/TEKAN, the chairman of the association, Rt. Rev. Christian Obiefuna in his address assured Ugwuanyi that “your second tenure is in the hands of God� and “it is safe with Him because

you have acknowledged Him.�

Disclosing that the rally’s prayer theme “originated from the doctrinal and ideological principles� of Gov. Ugwuanyi, the Christian body commended the governor for his commitment to God and entrenchment of peace and good governance in Enugu State, stating that he pays workers’ salaries regularly, provides infrastructure and security, etc, in spite of “the dwindling economy� and “meager resources� of the state.

CAN Enugu State described Ugwuanyi as a “God-fearing� leader and stated that the association was “proud to identify with a man whose slogan is Enugu State is in the Hands of God�, saying, “Be assured of our support and supplications to God for a successful, peaceful transition and fulfillment of your heart desires for Enugu State�.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the verdict by Bill Gates that President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policies were anti-people had confirmed its position that the administration was a failure.

The party said that assessment had justified the resolution by Nigerians to kick out the dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Federal Government come 2019.

The party said the verdict had also vindicated its stand that the Buhari administration was the worst in the history of our nation; that it never had the interest of the people at heart but had been lying to Nigerians with false performance indices and cosmetic appearances, while its agents continued to siphon funds meant for the welfare of the people.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Friday, said President Buhari and the APC could now see that the entire

world was fully aware of their misrule and as such should stop wasting the nation’s resources on pointless image laundering and desperate quest for international endorsements.

The PDP noted that Gates was just being polite to his host, President Buhari, when he said the policy of his government was not reflecting the needs of the people.

"What Gates did not tell President Buhari and his team was that their administration is so incompetent, disorganised and confused that it could not develop any functional economic policy direction and that this has caused our nation her current economic woes.

"Bill Gates comments on the Federal Government’s empty, deceptive and discredited Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), right in the Presidential Villa and in the presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, came to President Buhari and the APC as stunt gone awry as they had planned to use the world figure to earn an undue international endorsement ahead of 2019 elections.

Rubber Cultivation: Edo’s 2,500 Hectare Plantation Gets FG’s Boost Efforts of the Edo State Govern- processors, producers and exporters ment to grow her rubber stock and boost her non-oil receipts with the 2,500-hectare rubber plantation in Urhonigbe, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area and other agricultural initiatives, have received the support of the Federal Government.

Speaking at a National Workshop on “Repositioning Nigeria Rubber for Competitiveness,� organised by the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Executive Director, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, said the workshop was organised to create a synergy among rubber

in Edo State and provide them with a platform to deliberate on how local investors can benefit from competing in the international market.

Awolowo who was represented

by Samuel Oyedipo, said that local farmers had a lot to benefit from rubber cultivation and production. “Nigeria’s current production is estimated at 127,000 metric tons annually. This makes us the largest producers in Africa and seventh globally after others, including Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Export earnings from rubber cultivation and production annually stand at $37 million,� he said.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. ODEBOWALE GRACE OLUFUNMILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. KOLABALOGUN GRACE OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONONIWU NKEIRU, now wish to be known and addressed as ONONIWU Íł EtK< / E< /Zh AGNES. All former documents remaivalid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADA SABINA UNIGWE, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEBUCHI SABINA ADAOBI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Access Bank, GTBank The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS ONUBA AMAKA APPOLONIA OYIBOKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AMAKA APPOLONIA UNIGWE ONWURAH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed EDWARD NAOMI as OBANIBERI now wish to be known and addressed as AKIVIE NAOMI OBIANIBERI. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OGOLOMA MAUREEN now wish ONUKUNMA, to be known and addressed as OGOLOMA MAUREEN. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADA SABINA UNIGWE, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEBUCHI SABINA ADAOBI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Access Bank, GTBank and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS ONUBA AMAKA APPOLONIA OYIBOKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AMAKA APPOLONIA UNIGWE ONWURAH. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as EDWARD NAOMI OBANIBERI, Now wish to be known and addressed as AKIVIE NAOMI OBIANIBERI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as INYE BENJAMIN HORSFALL, now wish to be known and addressed as AYEBATARILATE PAINGHA IYABI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as YETUNDE ATINUKE AYEYUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as YETUNDE ATINUKE OZEBAGBE. All former documents remain valid. and the general public should Banks, EĹ?Ĺ?Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ĺ?Ä&#x201A; /žžĹ?Ĺ?Ć&#x152;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x;ŽŜ ^Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ä?Ä&#x17E; Ć&#x2030;ĹŻÄ&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;Ć?Ä&#x17E; take note.

Saturday, March 24, 2018

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Kukah to Northern Muslim Elite “Despite holding onto power for all these years, the North is still the poorest part of the country; nearly 15 million Muslim children are on the streets with no future in sight. We are, as the governor of Borno would say, the poster child of poverty.”

– The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, accusing Northern Muslim elite of using religion to hold on to power to the detriment of their people and the larger society.

SHAKAMOMODU THIS REPUBLIC

shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com

0811 266 1654

When Cattle Colony is not Enough…

I

n the last couple of weeks, particularly in the last couple of days, I found myself asking the question: What is the value of human life in our dear country Nigeria? Anytime this question popped up in my mind, a part of me yelled out “nothing!” in righteous anger and frustration. But not surprisingly, this is the nagging question on the lips of many Nigerians. We are living in a frightening new reality where people’s lives mean nothing and can be taken at any time by another or others.

The Nigerian state is failing abysmally to perform the most important reason for its existence as a country with all the imprimatur of cohesive deterrence to maintain law, order and protect lives and properties. Some would say of what use is a country when it cannot protect its own people, or as others have put it, of what use is a government that cannot protect those on whose mandate it exercises that cohesive powers of the state?

Nigeria has literarily become a huge killing field for the marauding AK-47-wielding herdsmen whose modus operandi is the butchery of people who refuse to allow them (herdsmen) to graze their cattle on their farmlands. Men, women and children are killed and whole communities virtually razed to the ground. It has happened again and again with little or no response from those in authority. And arrests (if any) have not resulted in successful prosecution for such heinous crimes. It is simply unbelievable that this is happening and nothing serious is being done to put an end to it. Of course the herdsmen’s atrocities are complemented by several cartels of kidnappers and cultists whose ringleaders are well known. They no longer make even the faintest attempt at disguising their identities or trades or cover their tracks.

We are in the season of anomie as criminal groups carve out territories and zones for themselves where they ply their nefarious trade with reckless abandon. In many cases, they operate with the full knowledge of the law enforcement operatives and sometimes, a few yards away from the perimeter of police stations or even military barracks. Hapless Nigerians have become victims of both official inaction and collusion with criminal elements with a licence to kidnap and kill them at will.

The level of insecurity in the country has reached a precipitous point such that the ability and capacity of those in authority to deter and rein in the looming threat is now seriously called to question. It is either they do not understand that Nigeria is on a dangerous slide into anarchy under their watch, or they do but don’t care.

Where is our DSS which should ordinarily monitor threats like this? Where is our military intelligence?

On New Year Day, some cultists killed 17 people in Omoku in Rivers state; a monarch and his wife were murdered in Kaduna; and in Benue, over 20 were killed by herdsmen protesting the state’s anti-grazing law.

And a further 73 were killed a few days later. As of June 2017, over 200 people were reportedly killed in Taraba in several attacks spanning weeks. The statistics of people killed by herdsmen on a state-by-state basis across the country since this government came to power are mind-boggling and unbelievable. And yet, the president has not deemed it necessary to say anything directly to Nigerians. All he does

Lalong is to speak through his aides, directing “security agencies to apprehend the suspects”. Of course that is usually the end of it.

In 2015 when the herdsmen started to transform into blood-thirsty killers, no decisive action was taken against them. President Muhammadu Buhari even denied that it was Fulani herdsmen that were responsible for the attacks. He posited then that they were foreign herdsmen from other African countries coming into Nigeria because of our porous borders. Some people in the media picked up from there and ran with the narrative.

Today, like all false narratives, that storyline has died a natural death. The truth of the story is no longer in dispute. Those who helped to sell that narrative now acknowledge that indeed, the killer herdsmen are largely from within.

Benue State has become Nigeria’s own Auschwitz, the amphitheatre of human carnage by killer herdsmen who by their utterances, regrettably value the life of a cow more than the life of a fellow human being. Now, how does one reason with people like these? How do you dialogue with people of this mindset? For the loss of a cow or cows, the killer herdsmen must kill as many people as they can? What a country!

Mr. President wants Benue people to accommodate their fellow Nigerians. I support that of course. But how do accommodate a person or people who willfully grazes his/ their cattle on your farmland, destroys your crops and when you protest, he kills you and your family and burns down the community?

How do you accommodate people who don’t want to be accommodated but instead, want your ancestral land and want to lord it over you and your community?

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II’s allegation that 800 Fulani were killed in Taraba last year is revealing. It appears to justify some of the killings going on. But that figure has been disputed by the Taraba State government as baseless and a figment of Sanusi’s imagination, stating further that 18 people died on both sides during the clashes. I am inclined to believe that 800 Fulani killed in one fell swoop would be stretching the facts to the breaking point. Such

a huge number of deaths would not be easy to cover up. Besides, with the calibre of patrons of Miyetti Allah, the association of Fulani cattle breeders, as revealed by Emir Sanusi, all hell would have been broken loose had the deaths in such humongous numbers occurred.

Nigeria has become one giant example of a state that is failing on all fronts. It cannot guarantee any longer its own territorial integrity, security of lives and properties either from herdsmen, Boko Haram, or such other criminal elements like kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers. Boko Haram that was said to have been defeated, is daily besting our poorly remunerated soldiers in battle. Suicide attacks have become a near daily occurrence. There is turmoil everywhere as Nigeria is unraveling before our very eyes. We have never had it so bad. And those charged with the responsibility of protecting the homeland are fiddling. They are giving excuses and passing the buck on why they can’t act. They are rationalising and justifying the mass murder of innocent people. The vociferousness of the human rights community against the misdeeds of other governments is surprising muted now.

What was intolerable then to them has suddenly become tolerable now.

We have even witnessed the return of slavery and human trafficking on a grand scale. Nigerians are being sold in Libya like animals. Why is our leadership allowing its citizens to migrate into slavery? Why have they created the economic conditions that make migration to any country attractive to our young able-bodied workforce such that they don’t even mind going to a country like Libya that is without a government? Many of us have watched horrible videos of torture, abuse, sexual molestation, rape and violent killing of Nigerians by Libyans.

In South Africa, Nigerians are the first victims of social and economic discontent; and are being felled like chickens by gangs of South African youths and police. Yet there has not been a strong and determined response from Nigerian leaders who have shown their lack of desire or willingness to protect the people both within and outside our borders.

Many of our people in early middle age or younger are resigning from their jobs to relocate to the US and Canada in record numbers.

Yet in the face of this troubling decline of our country on all fronts, all our leaders are concerned with is politics of 2019.

Some governors who wouldn’t pay workers’ salaries like the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello are in the forefront of those begging Buhari to run for a second term whether he deserves it or not. As the nation was mourning 73 innocent men, women and children hacked to death by herdsmen, some irresponsible governors went to the Villa purportedly to endorse Buhari for a second term.

Those involved in the endorsement were governors Abubakar Bello (Niger); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

Governor El-Rufai, who spoke to journalists as they emerged from the session with Buhari, said they remained committed to the president’s re-election bid and have no apologies to anyone.

Recall that this same El-Rufai wrote a memo to Buhari in September 2016 lamenting the poor

performance of his government. Here is an excerpt: “In very blunt terms, Mr. President, our APC administration has not only failed to manage expectations of a populace that expected overnight ‘change’ but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance outside of our successes in fighting Boko Haram insurgency and corruption.” It bears stating here that since he wrote that memo to Buhari, things have progressively gone from bad to worse.

Despite the clear evidence of Buhari being a failed, out-of-touch leader, El-Rufai and Bello have gone ahead to pledge N50 million each towards the president’s yet-to-be-declared ambition. Even the successes El-Rufai alluded to in his 2016 memo have been significantly undermined by succeeding events since then. The terrorist sect that the president claimed to have defeated has proved to be a more potent force by its near daily attacks on innocent people. Right under this government’s nose, terrorists abducted 110 innocent schoolgirls from their school in Dapchi.

While terrorists Fulani herdsmen are on a killing spree daily across the country.

On corruption, just read the Transparency International report. Before that, there was the NBS/UNODC Corruption Perception Report in 2017 and make your judgement whether the credit El-Rufai gave to Buhari in those two areas has not been severely undermined by events thereafter. Let me refresh your memory: there is the Mainagate which has seriously damaged this government’s credibility and the claim that they are fighting corruption. What about the grass-cutting Babachir Lawal’s case? On that endless list is the GMD of NNPC, Maikanti Baru, who awarded contracts worth $25 billion without going through board approval or due process. Senator Aliyu Wammako’s committee was supposed to be investigating this matter.

What has happened to that investigation? There are so many more issues of corruption plaguing this government which el Rufai cannot pretend to be unaware of. So on what basis is he rooting for Buhari who has clearly demonstrated a lack of capacity to govern?

His Plateau State counterpart, Solomon Lalong displayed his sadistic pleasure and dark humanity at the plight of Benue people when he gleefully crowed that he warned the Benue State governor over the Anti-Open Grazing Law enacted by the state legislature. Though he later apologised, but not before he had shown his remarkable lack of appreciation of Pastor Martin Niemoller’s immortal poem - highlighting the cowardice of the German intellectuals following the Nazis’ rise to power and the subsequent purging of their chosen targets, group after group. The poem illustrates that when you tolerate tyranny against your neighbours because you were not affected, and fail to speak up, not too long down the road, it will be your turn. Here is an excerpt from the poem: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Continued on page 33

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com