Dapchi Schoolgirl: Buhari Gave Us N5,000, 2 Wrappers, A Pair of Shoes Each Leah Sharibu tried to escape but was caught by Fulani family, returned to Boko Haram Bayo Akinloye with agency report President Muhammadu Buhari gave out N5000, two wrappers, and a pair of shoes to the Dapchi schoolgirls during their visit to the Presidential Villa after their
release by the Boko Haram insurgents, one of the pupils, Fatima Abdullahi, has revealed. According to The Guardian newspaper of United Kingdom, the girls’ testimony was collected a week after their liberation and a few days after their visit to Abuja,
where they were immediately taken to Buhari. “They gave us drinks and food and chicken. Afterwards, they took us out and we took a picture with the president. The president gave us gifts of two wrappers, a pair of shoes, and
5,000 naira (£10) each,� Abdullahi told the British newspaper. xSpeaking of their ordeal, The Guardian reported that Leah Sharibu, the only girl said to be a Christian among the schoolgirls, managed to escape from Boko Haram only to be caught and
We were flogged for trying to escape
brought back three days later. “She didn’t tell us she was leaving. We thought she was just going round the corner, but she sneaked out along with Maryam and Amira (two classmates),� one of the released girls, Aisha Ibiwa, said.
The newspaper added that after walking for three days, the three hungry and exhausted girls approached a Fulani family, asking for their help to get to Dapchi. Unfortunately, for the girls, the Continued on page 6
Arise Fashion Show kicks O Today in Lagos ‌ Page 54 Saturday 31 March, 2018 Vol 23. No 8381
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Ango Abdullahi: North Ready to Negotiate Existence, Unity of Nigeria Many Boko Haram members are graduates, Ph.D holders Bayo Akinloye The Convener, Arewa Consultative Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has
expressed the North’s readiness to debate whether Nigeria should remain as a country or not. Abdullahi, who is also the
leader of the Northern Groups Summit, added that some Nigerians believe the regions making up the country were
Quite a number of their active leaders from Kogi State
mistakenly put together by the British colonialists. The ACF chieftain said: “The issue of restructuring, of course,
is a subject that we’re ready to discuss with anyone. The issue of the country and its existence is also an issue that we’re prepared to
discuss with anyone who questions the very basic need for having the Continued on page 6
Arms Funds: FG Replies PDP, Says Secondus, Others Benefitted PDP: None of the persons have been convicted. It betrays FG’s wickedness, desperation to mislead the public and divert attention from the heavy looting involving their members Reno Omokri: President benefitted from Dasuki’s money Tobi Soniyi, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Eromosele Abiodun and Bayo Akinloye In response to the challenge of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday released the names of six individuals, including PDP’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus, whom he alleged participated in the “looting of the nation's treasury.� In a swift reaction, the PDP said the list was hollow and laughable, adding that the Buhari-led federal government had manifested its frenzy by going after matters that are in court “in which none of the persons have been convicted, thus betraying their wickedness and desperation to mislead the public, the court and divert attention from the heavy looting involving their members.� Addressing a press conference in Lagos, the minister alleged the PDP National Chairman collected N200 million on the 19th of Feb 2015 from the office of then NSA. He also claimed that some of
the PDP members on trial for sundry offences were already asking for a plea bargain. The Minister said: "The PDP has challenged us to name the looters under its watch. They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians. "Let's just give them a teaser with this list: PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus - On the 19th of Feb 2015, he took N200 million only from the office of then NSA; Then, PDP Financial Secretary - On the 24th of Oct 2014, he took N600 million only from the office of then NSA. "Then, National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh- On trial for collecting N1.4b from the office of then NSA; Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications - On trial for taking N2.1 billion from Continued on page 6
THE PRESIDENT AND A SUPER MODEL... British super model Naomi Campbell who is headlining Arise Fashion Week 2018 had a chance meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari during a tour of the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos ... yesterday
Buhari: Eko Atlantic City, Catalyst for National Development ‌ Page 6
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Buhari: Eko Atlantic City, Catalyst for National Development Tinubu seeks replication across coastal states Ambode asks FG to cede National Stadium Gboyega Akinsanmi President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inspected Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, one of the world's cutting-edge new cities under construction on a 750 square kilometres adjacent to Victoria Island, noting that the project would transform the domestic economy of Nigeria. Buhari, who inspected the emerging coastal city alongside a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noted that the development of the city had boosted job creation and revenue generation in the state. Besides the APC leader, the President toured the length and breadth of Africa’s largest coastal city alongside Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Minister for Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed among others.
Conceived to solve the acute shortage of real estate in Lagos State and save Victoria Island from the rage of ocean surge under the Tinubu administration, Buhari said he was extremely impressed with the potentiality of the project. After Ambode conducted him around the emerging coastal city for about two hours, Buhari acknowledged that he was extremely impressed with the potentiality of this project. The President, specifically, admitted that he was equally impressed by the number of jobs the project would generate. He said: “I am extremely grateful to those that agreed to invest so much on our country. I am really grateful to those who accepted to invest in our country with the aim of getting a secured area. The Eko Atlantic City is good for operations. “The city is capable of handling
big business and investment throughout Africa. I am truly impressed with what it is capable of bringing,� the President acknowledged. After the inspection that ended with the unveiling of plaque, Tinubu provided insight into how his administration conceived the project between 2003 and 2007 to solve the problem of ocean surge that almost brought the area under the sea. He noted that a potential liability and disaster had been converted to asset of prosperity for the nation. “I am very proud of the Eko Atlantic City project. Human asset is the most important in any country. Nigeria is blessed with a long coastal region that passed through Ondo, Delta and Port Harcourt. “If the federal government can build the defence wall against the tides; embark on it and construct the
coastal roads as one of the choice road to Port Harcourt from Lagos, one can cut the journey to Port Harcourt by road into half. “Such project will boost the economy of tourism along the coastline. There is space for a Disney world of our own. To take economy to another level, it cannot be achieved by private sector alone. There is need for government incentive and active participation.� Giving insight into the potentials of the Eko Atlantic City, Ambode said: “The city is a multi-billion dollar project expected to accommodate over 150,000 people. Another 250,000 will work and commute within the city on a daily basis.� He said the project was a practical example of how the private sector could partner with government to boost the economy At a dinner organised in honour
of the President at the Eko Hotel & Suites Thursday night, Ambode urged Buhari to consider the possibility of granting Lagos a special status to enable it sustain its position as the driver of the country’s economic growth. About 26 years after the federal capital was relocated from Lagos to Abuja, the governor lamented that the state had been left to strive for development without much federal support. “Despite the strategic position the state plays in the nation’s economy, there was still much untapped potentials and opportunities for economic, social and cultural growth in the state.� For these potentials to be realised, he said the state would need federal support. “Several attempts by some eminent personalities to push for a special status for Lagos as well as a bill seeking to accord the State same
was turned down by the Senate.� He thanked the federal government for yielding the state’s request to reconstruct the Oshodi International Airport Road into a 10-lane world-class road and transform the Presidential Lodge Marina into a monument and cultural legacy. Ambode also seized the occasion to request the President to cede the ownership and management of the National Stadium, Surulere and the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu to the state government to enable it revive them. “This is not too much to ask but we are reassured that our President is a listening father who understands the yearnings of Lagos residents. We are confident that he would listen and respond positively to the demands of about one-eighth of the nation’s population resident in Lagos.�
of state is entitled to only three vehicles to be bought by the federal government and liable to be replaced every four years. “The Goodluck Jonathan administration, however, purchased an armoured vehicle for Buhari following the attack on his life.� The former aide to Jonathan explained the reason the administration took that decision: “Buhari was not entitled to an armoured car, but Dasuki went out of his way to import a specialised armoured vehicle that could resist bombs and bullets to protect Buhari. Go on the Internet and find out how much that cost. The Jonathan administration was under no obligation to provide Buhari with an armoured SUV but because you had decent people in authority; they valued Buhari’s life and went beyond what the law prescribes.� Speaking further, Omokri claimed that there was more to the allegation against and trial of Dasuki than meets the eye. “If they are talking about money paid to the National Security Adviser, in all fairness, money was paid to Colonel Dasuki. But the man did not steal it as is being alleged. Dasuki said he is ready to meet them in court, but they said they want a secret trial. Dasuki said, ‘You claimed I stole money and never bought weapons, so why do you want a secret trial?’ Between the Buhari government that wants a secret trial and Dasuki who wants a public trial, who has something to hide?� he said.
ARMS FUNDS: FG REPLIES PDP, SAYS SECONDUS, OTHERS BENEFITTED the office of then NSA; former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei- On trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies; former President Jonathan's cousin Robert Azibaola- On Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA." Mohammed claimed he list was just a tip of the iceberg, a fact he said, the PDP was aware of. The minister said that government did not make these cases up and that those interested could verify from the courts. The minister said: "Some of the people on this list are seeking to plea bargain, and that is a fact. We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot. "It's like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologizing, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn't work that way." The minister also aligned himself with the position of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who on Thursday said that APC-led government would not stop talking about the massive looting that took place under the PDP. He said: "We will not stop talking about the massive looting by the PDP. They brought Nigeria to this sorry pass. We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it. We will talk about it." In a swift reaction, the PDP
dismissed the list of alleged looters as hollow and laughable. The party said the list was an extension of the federal government’s media trial and challenged it to come up with names of its members against whom the federal government had secured convictions. PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday said the list issued by the Minister of Information only goes to show that the APC and the Presidency have no proven cases of corruption against the PDP. The party said in its frenzy and desperation, the federal government even included names of individuals who were not standing trial or under investigation for any act of corruption, as well as those who were not even PDP members. Ologbondiyan said: “The Buhari-led Federal Government has manifested its frenzy by going after matters that are in court in which none of the persons have been convicted, thus betraying their wickedness and desperation to mislead the public, the court and divert attention from the heavy looting involving their members. “We are not in doubt that the individuals he has mentioned will take their legitimate stride and pursue appropriate action in the court. However, attacks on individuals, who are members of our party, does not in any way detract from the fact that the PDP, as a political platform, is not a party of corruption. “It is unfortunate that the APC and its government under
whose watch horrendous sleazes are happening on daily basis and a government that has failed to fulfill the littlest of its campaign promises, can spend a wholesome three years searching for flimsy allegations to discredit our party and its members. “This is a government that is yet to account for $26 billion (N9 trillion) stolen through corrupt oil contracts in the NNPC; N1.1 trillion worth of crude diverted to service APC interests; N18 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund stolen by APC officials, including their former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal; the N10 billion National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for which members of the Buhari cabal were indicted as well as the Mainagate, where the APC government recalled and reinstated an individual indicted for scam running into billions of naira. “This is in addition to cover provided for serving ministers indicted for corrupt enrichment, among whom is a prominent former APC governor from the South-south, who was indicted by his state for stealing billions of naira to fund President Buhari’s campaign in 2015. “Since, the APC has decided to draw this attack, we will no longer hold back but appropriately commence a serialization of all looters hiding in APC and the Presidency. Ologbodiyan had earlier accused Osinbajo of not being bold enough to mention names of those he claimed stole public funds.
Ologbondiyan said the vice president was only fond of bandying figures he could not trace to a personality in the PDP. While featuring on a programme on Channels Television, Thursday evening, Ologbondiyan cautioned the vice president to either “keep quietâ€? or present a list of PDP members who amassed wealth through illegal means. “We want to caution the VicePresident that he should stop bandying figures. Anytime the Vice-President has the opportunity to face the camera, he begins to announce figures that he cannot support,â€? he said. “Our advice to him is that as a professor of law, he knows the pathway to follow when you accuse somebody of corruption. We challenge him to stop bandying figures but he should mention names of those who he claimed corrupted themselves. And if he cannot mention their names and he cannot charge them to court and he cannot cause their arrest and he cannot even list these people, he should keep quiet. “Why can’t they come out and say in the last three years, we have done these, we have done that? All they do is to come back and say the last 10 years of the PDP, last five years of PDP. Is that what Nigerians are asking? Reno Omokri: Buhari BeneďŹ tted from the Dasuki Meanwhile, a former Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media, Reno Omokri, has alleged that President Buhari was a beneficiary of the alleged misappropriated money meant to buy weapons
to prosecute the war against Boko Haram insurgency. The former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, is on trial for his role in the disbursement of the money. Also yesterday, the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed released the names of six individuals whom he alleged participated in the looting of the nation's treasury. Describing how Buhari became a beneficiary of the Dasuki money, Omokri told THISDAY in an exclusive interview: “Do not forget that it was Dasuki’s job to keep the nation safe and that included protecting VIPs whose death may lead to tension or even war in the country. On July 23, 2014, Buhari escaped an attack by Boko Haram in Kaduna which killed 82 people when Boko Haram escalated their insurgency. Some of the money they are alleging that Dasuki stole was used to protect Buhari and other high-profile individuals particularly those in the North. “Buhari got armoured vehicles for his protection, because of the large heart of the Jonathan administration, because Jonathan did not want his life to be imperiled. Confront the Presidency. Ask them how much did Dasuki spend protecting candidate Buhari and where did that money come from?� According to Section 3 (1) of the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999, a former head
are some people who are arguing along those lines that Nigeria, ab initio, had been mistakenly put together by the British. Although some clergymen say it is God; it’s not God. It is the creation of the colonial masters.� The ACF chieftain also claimed that many members of Boko Haram terrorists are graduates and PhD holders, arguing that the primary cause of the group’s emergence is not its hatred of Western education. “The Boko Haram phenomenon has nothing to do with Western education. It has never been the basis of its coming into existence. Many of the members of Boko Haram are graduates; many active
graduates. Also, I can tell you that some of them are PhD holders. So, it has got nothing to do with Western education,� the elder statesman said in an exclusive interview with THISDAY on Monday. Abdullahi stated further that the collapse of the country’s socioeconomic structures, rather than aversion for Western education, was what inspired the insurgency, pointing out that a number of terrorist group's leaders are from Kogi State. He said: “It has more to do with the manner in which the socio-economic structures of the country are being managed. The areas where there is easy
members are the poorest areas of this country –North-east. But it might interest you to know that quite a number of the active leadership of Boko Haram is from Kogi State. It has nothing to do with Western education; in fact, many of the Boko Haram members are more educated than those who claim to have had Western education. “The crisis of Boko Haram –either the current type or the future type of Boko Haram –that this country will end up having must be related to our willingness to manage this country so that we avoid all those ingredients that cause disaffection, anger, and distrust.� In addition, he also condemned
holders often display their wealth in the midst of abject poverty, warning that a “new� Boko Haram will emerge if the nation’s resources continue to be mismanaged by the leaders. “Seeing people affluently mismanaging our resources to the detriment of the majority that are wallowing in abject poverty; this is what will breed either new Boko Haram or a new version (of extremists) in the future unless something is done about it. The level of unemployment of graduates in this country is frightening and this is a recruiting ground for the banditry we’re witnessing in our society today.� Read full interview on 48 - 50
people took them back to the camp of the terrorists, according to Hajara Adamu, one of Sharibu’s schoolmates. “The Fulani man said to them, ‘So you are the missing girls that we’ve heard about on the radio?’ He gave them a jerry can filled with cow’s milk and brought them back. Leah and her group weren’t flogged. They (Boko Haram) said it was because they had suffered a lot while trying to escape,� Adamu said. Adamu had tried to escape too but she was caught and punished along with some of her friends. The report said when she tried to run away, she was whipped and frog-marched back to the
DAPCHI SCHOOLGIRL: BUHARI GAVE US N5,000, 2 WRAPPERS, A PAIR OF ANGO ABDULLAHI: NORTH READY TO NEGOTIATE EXISTENCE, UNITY OF NIGERIA country as it is now; because there members of Boko Haram are recruitment of Boko Haram how Nigeria’s political office SHOES EACH camp with a gun at her back. “They started laughing at us and even insulting us, saying that we wanted to go back to the land of unbelievers,� she recalled. They were given 10 strokes each using tree branch and a leather whip. “It wasn’t painful. But we had to pretend it was, but not cry, because they said whoever cried would get twice as many strokes,� Adamu stated. She told The Guardian the reason the beating was not painful was because she and some of her friends had hidden blankets under their hijabs to reduce the impact of the flogging.
T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 31, 2018
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STARTING NEW LIFE... R-L: NSA Major General Babagana Mongonu, Vice President Yemii Osinbajo; The Groom Hamza Halilu Ahmed, SGF Mr Boss Mustapha, Dr Modi Halilu and other after a wedding Fatiha for Hamza Halilu Ahmed and Hadiza Shuaibu Jika held at the Banquet Presidential Villa Abuja. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE
Taraba State: We've Lost Faith in Federal Government’s Security Deployments Onyebuchi Ezigbo inAbuja The Taraba State government has said that it no longer had confidence in the Federal Government security apparatus deployed in the state. The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Dan Bala Abu who spoke to journalists on Friday, said that although there was relative peace now in Taraba, the state government did not have confidence in the security apparatus of the Federal Government to maintain peace and security in the state. He said that the people were continually losing faith in the ability of the present crop of security personal deployed in the state to conduct their affairs in a just and
equitable manner. For instance, he said that the people of the state were not satisfied with the way the military posted to quell the security crisis in Taraba state were harassing, disarming them and even collecting their kitchen knives while the attackers wielding sophisticated weapons like AK-47 were allowed to go on a killing spree. "What we are saying is that even the relative peace we are enjoying now, we still do not have confidence in the military. “We are saying that we have lost confidence in the military because nothing has been done to all our complaints that people were being disarmed and that the military are discriminating in the way they doing
it. They collect their kitchen knives from them while they leave the other persons who are carrying AK-47. So where is the justice in this matter, that’s why we are saying that we have lost confidence? "We have the right to say that the people that were posted to restore peace are not doing what is expected of them, that they are biased. It is left for them to find out what is wrong and do what they have do to correct the wrongs being done," he said . There have been allegations that the Taraba State government has not shown willingness to cooperate or interface with the security agencies deployed there to deal with security crisis. However, some top state government officials who preferred to
remain anonymous said that the state Governor, Darius Isaku had written several letters to the Federal Government, including heads of security agencies involved in the operations in Taraba State. The source who also said that state governor had made a written complaint about the unsatisfactory role of commanding officer of the 83 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col Ibrahim Babatunde Gambari. Copies of letters written by the governor to the President, Vice President, the National Security Adviser, Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police concerning threats to peace and security in the state were shown to THISDAY. In one of the letters addressed to
the NSA complained of the alleged complicity of the commanding officer in the security crisis. The first letter to the president on the alleged influx of strange herdsmen into Taraba State was written in February 13, 2017 while another letter was sent the President on March 26, 2018 also complaining about the imminent threat to peace and security in parts of Taraba State. Another letter was also written by the governor to the IGP on the February 14, 2017 requesting for the setting up of Mobile Police post in Tapkun area. Surprisingly he said there was a military barrack domiciled in Tapkun where most of the criminality have been reported leading to Danjuma's outburst.
While narrating the Taraba government's experience with the military, one of the officials accused the military personnel of not reciprocating the regard and respect by the office of the Taraba governor, adding that most of the time they did not do what is in interest of Taraba State. They said that governor had written several letters complaining about the actions of the military command in Taraba without any response. "It got to time when we started thinking that there is some kind of conspiracy against the security in the state. The governor has done everything to support the efforts to tackle insecurity in the state but the military seem not to be appreciative," he said.
Nigeria, Other African Nations Need Over $9bn Stop Blaming PDP for Your Woes, Fayose Tells Annually for Infrastructure, Says World Bank Buhari, Osinbajo Bayo Akinloye Despite increasingly stronger regional economic growth and investment, Nigeria and other African countries' investment needs remain formidable, says the World Bank. "The World Bank estimates that more than $9 billion is needed annually to build the infrastructure Africa needs to sustain its growth. Only about half of that level is achieved each year. The gap is too great for governments to bear alone and underscores the importance of partnerships for development," the global financial organisation said in a statement made available to THISDAY on Friday. This was just as its sister organisation, the International Finance Corporation, and the China-World Bank Partnership Facility announced efforts to increase cross-border alliances that would bring global financing and expertise to Nigeria and other parts of Africa, to help the continent build its
infrastructure, create jobs, and accelerate economic growth. As part of those efforts, the IFC and the partnership facility hosted, on Monday, a meeting of senior business leaders from Africa and Asia to discuss private sector development opportunities in Africa’s infrastructure, transport, health, education, and other sectors. The meeting was part of the 2018 Africa CEO Forum, an annual gathering of influential African and international CEOs, bankers, and investors. Concerning that strategic alliance, Bola Bamidele, Africa Lead, Corporate Finance Services, IFC, said, “Crossborder partnerships allow African businesses to gain access to global capital and technical expertise, creating synergies for successful, long-term private sector projects that also deliver substantial development impact. Over nearly six decades, IFC itself has invested more than $25 billion
in African businesses and financial institutions, and our current portfolio exceeds $5 billion.� Similarly, Dr. Benson Ayodele Cole, the CEO of Echo Scan Services Limited, an IFC client, testifying on the role that IFC’s financial advisory team played in achieving his vision for the medical diagnostics service he is developing in Nigeria, noted, “IFC was key in structuring the cross-border partnership with my company Echo-Scan Diagnostic. Through this partnership two Egyptian power houses now share in my vision and invested in Echo-Scan, setting the ground for delivering much needed medical diagnostic services in my country�. "IFC plays a critical role in forging such partnerships, providing advisory support to global clients to help them better understand and navigate African markets, and to African businesses to help them identify viable partners and worthy projects. IFC engages throughout the breadth of a project.
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has carpeted the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on his continuous complaints about alleged corruption in the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government. He said; “Nigerians are now more interested in what the government has done to make life more meaningful for them and not what the previous governments did or failed to do. Today, the most difficult question any student can be asked to answer in an examination is to list just five landmark achievements of the government in which Prof Osinbajo is the Vice President.� The governor, who said Corruption had become more endemic in the present All Progressives Congress (APC) government added that; “If the Vice President can look around himself with honest eyes, he will see majority of those who called the shots
during the previous PDP governments that he claimed mismanaged the country’s resources holding sensitive positions in the present government. Today, even prosecution witnesses are suddenly disappearing in corruption cases involving those who have decamped to the APC and properties once seized are being returned to them. Obviously, PDP has purged itself of corrupt elements in its fold and offloaded them to the APC.� In a statement issued on Friday, by the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, he said he was beginning to have a second thought on the Vice President’s claim to be a pastor, asking; “Is he truly a pastor? A pastor does not go about playing to the gallery and defending falsehood. Isn’t it a disgrace for a pastor of the Redeemed Church in particular to be an agent of falsehood?� Governor Fayose said instead of
going about exposing his hypocrisy, Prof Osinbajo should be telling Nigerians what happened to the report of those probe panels that he headed. How many of those members of the APC indicted by his Probe Panel have been charged to court? What happened to those involved in the fraudulent reinstatement of wanted ex-Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina? The governor said; “To me, it is time for Prof Osinbajo to say something new and stop playing to the gallery because he is expected to know better. Even if the President does not know, he should know that Nigerians are tired of this directionless government that keeps blaming its predecessors for its inability to prepare even budget. “Even though I have great respect for the Vice President, but of recent; I am constrained to begin to have a rethink.
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Buhari, Please Use Your ‘Back Channel’ to End Boko Haram
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nternally Displaced Persons in Rann, Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State spent most of Tuesday burying their camp mates killed in a fire outbreak early that day. Scores were also injured in the blaze. The number of dead IDPs on this disastrous day remains a closely guided secret. Those killed were mainly women and children who were obviously slow in reacting to the inferno. Hundreds of IDPs in this camp now sleep in the open because over 200 tents were razed by the fire. Many lost their entire belongings in the outbreak. The Rann camp houses over 60,000 Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram. Daily, these IDPs dream of returning to their homes because life is miserable in this camp. Food supply is inadequate, with many struggling for just a meal a day. Daily, scores die of hunger, poverty, malnutrition and disease. Worse still, Boko Haram and even the military that is supposed to protect them, constantly pummel them. Many will never forget how our military dropped tons of bombs on Rann IDPs last year, killing over 300. The insecurity in the Rann IDP camp is indeed frightening. Just last month, the terrorists invaded the camp, killing four international aid workers. Scores of IDPs were also killed. The military post nearby, meant to provide security at the camp was overturned by the terrorists. Virtually all international aid organisations have pulled out of the Rann camp, leaving the IDPs dejected and further exposed to hunger and disease. Just like Rann, there are IDPs in 26 other camps ravaged by hunger, disease, poverty and malnutrition in Borno State. Food shortage aside, sometimes, Boko Haram will
My appeal to Buhari and his cohorts today is to end the Boko Haram lunacy immediately using the “back channel.” The pain persistently inflicted on the North-east in particular and the country in general by these terrorists is excruciating enter their camps and kill them. There are several other “illegal” IDP camps in parts of the state, where people die daily of hunger. In all, an estimated six million Nigerians have been displaced by Boko Haram and are languishing in various unhealthy places in the North-east. Few weeks back, frustrated IDPs, mostly women and children, at the camps in Fufore and Malkohi (Adamawa State) staged peaceful protests over lack of food in their camps. Many families in these camps are in critical living conditions due to hunger. Malam Adamu Bukar from Malkohi camp said his wife and three children only eat once in a day. “Since early January, when they distributed the normal thirty days food items to us, we never received anything again,” he lamented. What about thousands of IDPs in the sprawling Muna Garage camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri that are equally
traumatised daily? Last year alone, they were attacked 13 times by Boko Haram bombers, with scores killed. IDPs across the North-east are clearly desperate to return home, but can’t, because their towns and villages are still very much under the control of Boko Haram. In the last nine years, this country has also needlessly lost hundreds of its gallant soldiers to this madness called Boko Haram. Many will not forget in a hurry the massacre of soldiers in places like Sasawa, Magumeri, Malam Fatori, Gashigha, Rann, Kanama, Gamboru-Ngala, Mafa and Kunduga. What about the unprecedented and persistent killing of officers by the terrorists? Those we have lost include Lt. Colonel O. Umusu, Lt. Colonel K Yusuf, Lt. Colonel Abu Ali, Lt. Colonel B. U. Umar and Captain Victor Ulasi. What about the gruesome attack on an Army post in Buni Yadi? This insanity must not continue. Mr. President, please use your “back channel” knowledge of Boko Haram to end this madness. The way you used the “back Channel” to secure the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls is a clear indication that you are the only person capable of ending Boko Haram’s psychosis. One has to be familiar with a territory and the occupiers to be able to use the back door. One has to be familiar with a house in order to gain access through the back door. Buhari and his cohorts have openly told Nigerians that they know the back door into the kingdom of Boko Haram leaders. This is what they used to end the Dapchi schoolgirls’ saga. My appeal to Buhari and his cohorts today is to end the Boko Haram lunacy immediately using the “back channel.” The pain persistently inflicted on the North-east in particular and the country in general by these terrorists is excruciating.
Musings on Bill Gates’ Submission on Nigeria The plea by philanthropist and founder of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, urging the Nigerian government to spend more on human capital development, gladdens my heart. This is what I have spent almost four years agitating for. In Nigeria, you will find governors building worthless bridges when hospitals and schools are in tatters. Citizens lack access to things as basic as public water supply and drivable inner streets, yet, you will find the state governors buying bullet proof cars and building stupendous offices/ fly overs. For Gates, the present economic templates being used by the Buhari administration lacks the ability to address the unique needs of Nigerians. This also applies to our governments at all levels. Gates said Nigeria has the ability to attain upper middle-income status like Brazil, China and Mexico, but added that achieving this status depends on the choice Nigerian leaders make. This is true, but weak, insensitive, corrupt and inept leadership have been our bane. Gates’ comments at the special and expanded National Economic Council held in Abuja last week on investing in people were penetrating: Our leaders should ruminate on these take away: “The most important choice Nigerian leaders can make is to maximise the country’s greatest
Gates
resource, which is the people. Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive. If you invest in their health, education, and opportunities- the human capital we are talking about today, then they will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. If you don’t, however, then it is very important to
recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow. “Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth, with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world ahead of only Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad. One in three Nigerian children is chronically malnourished. In upper middle-income countries, the average life expectancy is 75 years. In lower middle-income countries, it’s 68; in low-income countries, it’s 62. In Nigeria, it is lower still, just 53 years.” Asked by CNN why he was very blunt during his remarks in Abuja, Gates said: “While it may be easier to be polite, it’s more important to face facts so that you can make progress.” This is the spirit Nigerians must embrace, if indeed, we genuinely want progress in our dear Nigeria. We must be persistently blunt with our leaders at all levels. Unfortunately, this is what is missing in our country. An average Nigerian is always economical with the truth. Even when it is obvious that Nigeria is in a mess, we still find a legion of sycophants around Buhari dancing naked in public. Even when TI reported that corruption in Nigeria is higher under Buhari, some still want us to believe the converse. Things have just got to change.
Citizen Victor Oluwadamilare vs Communications Minister For those who have not been following the story, Victor Oluwadamilare, was Media Assistant to the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu until 19 days ago. He has an appointment letter to show for this. However, for supposedly failing to pay his N13 million emoluments, Oluwadamilare has decided to expose the alleged stupendous wealth of Shittu, alleged to have been garnered within his less than three years as minister. Oluwadamilare is not kidding. He told me on Wednesday that he has his fact and figures intact. Concerned Nigerians are suspected to have forwarded this letter about his “greedy and wicked” boss to the EFCC for investigation. Besides, it is already a public document for all, EFCC inclusive, to view. Oluwadamilare wants Nigerians to know that Shittu has been living a lush life as minister contrary to the austere posture of the Buhari administration. I have a copy of Oluwadamilare’s letter dated March 12 on my table as I pen this piece. The said assets and money are mindboggling. According to him, Shittu, within a space of 29 months in office, now owns no fewer than 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan. He also claimed that a few months ago, the minister bought a brand new N93 million printing press. He also alleged that Shittu bought over 25 luxury vehicles for himself, his family members, concubines, and cronies, despite having eight official vehicles attached to his office. This ex-media aide likewise stated that the minister had spent way beyond his legitimate earnings on his gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State, sponsored no fewer than 22 members of his family and cronies, including under-aged children on Muslim pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia. “Thus, in a space of 29 months in office and from ground zero in 2015, you now have no fewer than 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan. While you have been living in sudden and extremely outrageous opulence as a public servant at the expense of your dutiful and hardworking aides, you seemingly forget your pitiable socioeconomic status and experience in Oyo State before you got this job, as you have all of a sudden become insulated to common sense, justice and fairness, the mantra on which many people sheepishly believed in you in your struggling days–including myself,” purported Oluwadamilare. I am shocked that Shittu, a public servant, has not deemed it fit to respond to these allegations, 19 days after it was made by his ex-media aide. I sincerely hope that Shittu’s Principal, President Buhari, who claims to be fighting corruption, will dig deep and do the needful to this incriminating letter. I also hope that Buhari will secure justice for Oluwadamilare by ensuring that he gets his dues. As for the EFCC, Oluwadamilare’s letter must get priority treatment because we are in an era of change.
Magu’s Fantasy Recoveries
Magu
The fabulous figures the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, often presents as recovered loot frequently leave me bewildered. I repeatedly wonder why the federal government still takes loans with close to a trillion Naira recovered for it by the EFCC in almost three years. My fears were confirmed this week, when it emerged that the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had asked Magu to clarify where the cash recoveries from May 2015 to January 2018 had been deposited and provide accompanying evidence. This is because the information available to the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation contradicts Magu’s claims.
In her letter to Magu dated February 9, 2018, Adeosun said the recovery figures in the media reports by the EFCC were not in agreement with the records of the ministry. I strongly suspect that Magu’s figures are evidently not adding up. Something is fishy. Perhaps, we are getting this fabulous cash recovery figures just to show Nigerians that the EFCC is working. Those in government have kept quiet for this long because it helps create the impression that this government is fighting corruption. Magu has to properly account for these cash recoveries if they have not reflected in government books. I hope the cabal running this government will not go after Adeosun for poking her nose into the shenanigans.
Shittu
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
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NEWS
In Brief Cult Leader to Die by Hanging in Bayelsa
BayelsaHighCourt,sittinginYenagoaDivision,hassentenceda38-year-old man,DiepreyeSundayOlayotodeathbyhanging.JusticeEmmanuelOgola foundOlayoguiltyofthemurderofBeingIlebirionSeptember6,2011along EbisMechanicroad,Amarata,Yenagoa.Olayo,amemberofGreenlanderscult group was said to have shot dead Ilebiri believed to be the hitman of Bobos cultinthestate.Theprosecutioncounsel,AndrewSewenioworArthur,who tenderedtheconfessionalstatementoftheaccusedand13witnessessaid its case had been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Olayo murdered Ilebiri on the fateful day. Ogola, before delivering his judgment advised the twopartiestoseekredressinahigherCourtiftheydisagreedwithhisruling.
Police Arrest Most Wanted Lagos Cultist
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested an alleged most wanted cultist, Kanmi popularly known as Father alongside his member during a clashwithaconfraternityatIlasamaja,Lagos.Theirarrestfollowedadirect orderbytheStateCommissionerofPolice,EdgalImohimi,basedoncredible intelligence available to the State Police Command that some cultists led by Kanmi alias Father were planning to strike in Ilasamaja community on March 29 this year. According to the police in a press release issued today March30,theCPswiftlydirectedtheDivisionalPoliceOfficerofIlasamaja, SP. Oriyomi Oluwasanmi Titilayo, to bring to an end the reign of the blood thirstyCulthenchmanwhohadbeenterrorisingthatCommunityforalong time now and had become worse since he came back from the prison.
NEW FRONTIER ... L-R: Wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu and by former Governor of old Rivers State who is also the traditional ruler of Amanyanabo of Twon Brass Kingdom, HRM King Alfred Diete-Spi (Seriyai II) during the programme organised by the International Hospitality, Tourism and Eco-sustainability Forum [IHTEF] with the theme “Emerging Markets in Nigeria: The Future of Hospitality and Tourism, held at the Villa Garden Hotel Owerri, Imo State
Shoot, Kill Anyone Carrying Arms, Ammunition,Yari Orders Security Agents Mohammed Aminu in Gusau
Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, Friday ordered security agents to shoot and kill anyone caught carrying firearms in the state. Yari gave the order in Anka when he visited the Emir of Anka, to condole with the emirate over the killing of 63 persons by bandits in Bawan Daji village of Anka local government area of the state. He said the directive was from President Muhammadu Buhari
and the state government. "This is an order from the president and from the governor of the state. We cannot continue to watch criminals run a parallel government, doing what they want and carrying sophisticated firearms to intimidate, maim and kill innocent citizens in the state," he said. The governor further directed for the removal of the village and district heads of the affected communities in the emirate with immediate effect, saying they were accused of harbouring
bandits. He warned that any person or group found associating with the bandits should also not be spared but treated as the firearms carrier. In a remark, the Emir of Anka, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, urged the state government to ensure security in the local government area. "We need more security personnel who are also committed to carry out their responsibility effectively. "What we are facing is armed
banditry by trigger-happy criminals who attack innocent rural dwellers and steal their cash and property, " he said. The monarch added that the people of the area had no problem of herders/farmers clashes at the moment. At least 63 people were reportedly killed on Wednesday in two separate attacks launched by unidentified gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers in Bawar Daji village of Anka local government area of Zamfara state.
Hoodlums Cart away INEC Data Capturing Machines in Enugu Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday lamented the carting away of its direct data capturing machines by yet-to-be identified persons in three local government areas in Enugu State. The commission expressed worry that the unfortunate development had adversely affected the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in the state as thousands of those who had taken part in the affected councils would need to be called back to be re-registered. The three councils are Oji-River, Enugu South and Ezeagu.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu who made the disclosure during a town hall meeting with Civil Society Organsations and the media however insisted that the commission remained undaunted in its determination to deliver credible election by 2019. “It’s important for us to say it time and again that our major problem is external not internal. It is not within INEC, it is outside INEC. And I will explain to you. Within the last six months of my tenure, we have experienced burglary in Oji River (LGA), we have experienced burglary in Enugu South (LGA), and we have experienced burglary in
Ezeagu (LGA), and few other places. “What was the target? Those direct data capture machines. Enugu would have been better than sixth position now, but because of the machines, our PDF machines, and our back up that they took from Ezeagu where we have more centres now. “Unfortunately the backup we believed that had part of the registration data didn’t save anything. And we are talking about thousands of registrants. We are in the process of getting back those forms they filled to see if we’ll begin to call them again, whether they will agree to come all over again. But it is not a ghost that broke into
the ceiling, scaled into the offices and ransacked everywhere and took those machines away. These were human beings who want to sabotage the entire process," he noted. The REC also dismissed as false insinuations that INEC personnel were demanding money from those taking part in the CVR, insisting that it had nothing to do with the commission. He urged Enugu residents to utilise the ongoing display of lists of registered voters in the first quarter of 2018 CVR for claims and objections, noting that the claims and objections would help to strengthen accuracy of the registers.
Women Use Sand, Ashes in place of Sanitary Pad, Mama Boko Haram Laments Michael Olugbode, in Maiduguri
Boko Haram insurgency has made sanitary pad unavailable to many women in troubled Borno State, the Founder of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, Hajiya Aisha Wakil has lamented. Wakil, popularly called Mama Boko Haram because of her advocacy for peace and amnesty, said many women victims of insurgency now resort to sand and ashes in place of sanitary pad during their monthly menstrual cycle. Wakil, who recently paid an advocacy visit to Emir of Kano,
Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, said the Boko Haram insurgency had greatly affected the North East region, arguing that it had adversely affected women and children more. She said: “One of the effects of insurgency is that women and girls are using sand and ashes in place of sanitary pad for their menses and this is unhygienic and unhealthy for women and girls.� She lamented that: “Menstrual pad is a luxury for poor women in Borno.� She added that: “Strange as it may sound but poor women and girls in community and
IDP camps are still using rags filled with sand, or ashes as an alternative for sanitary napkins during their menstrual period, thus exposing themselves more to vaginal infections.� Wakil, in a statement by Prince Lawal Shoyode, the Country Director, Complete Care and Aid Foundation, was said to have been invited by Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido, to promote activities lined up for the proposed fund raising and office commissioning of the Foundation. The Foundation team was received by the Wali of Kano, who
said he was a police commissioner in the old Gongola State, lamented that insurgency had drawn the North East region back and that the assistance of everyone was needed to revive the region. He said the people of Kano were ready to offer their assistance to the victims of insurgency in the North East. Earlier, Wakil had solicited for the intervention of the Emir of Kano in bringing back lasting peace in Borno State and the rest of the North East, adding that some Boko Haram faction were ready to drop their guns.
NGO Builds 172 Houses for Widows
A pro-Buhari group, Initiative for Demonstrating Change in Nigeria (IDC), yesterdayannouncedthatithadbuilt172housesforwidowsinEbonyiState. NationalCoordinatorofthegroup,ComradeChineduOgahdisclosedthisin Onueke,EzzaSouthlocalgovernmentareaofEbonyiStateduringmeetingwith AllProgressivesCongressWardExecutivesofthelocalgovernmentahead of 2019 general election. In the meeting which was part of his consultation to vie for position of Ezza South/ Ikwo Federal constituency, the National CoordinatornotedthatitwastheturnofIkwocouncilareatooccupytheseat after12years.Ogahwhoannouncedscholarshipsforthreeundergraduate oftheareas,notedthatthegesturewastosupportPresidentMuhammadu Buhari in alleviating the sufferings of the masses.
FoursquareCollegeofTheologyGraduatesMinisters
The2018GraduationCeremonyofLifeCollegeofTheologyAba,AbiaState held recently at the New Arongwa Campus of the Seminary College. The ceremony also witnessed the matriculation of new students as well as the dedicationofnewAcademicBlockaspartoftheexpansionprojectsonthe Campus.The 7th Convocation tagged "Exceeding Grace Ministers" which wasgracedbytheDeputyGovernor,SirUdeOkoChukwuwhorepresented the State Governor, Dr. Victor Ikpeazu produced 52 grandaunts who were sent forth into the work of the Ministry; while 63 matriculating students were formally admitted into the citadel of learning.
House Mourns Deputy Majority Leader
TheHouseofRepresentativeshasexpressedsadnessoverthedeathofthe deputy majority leader, Hon. Umar Baba Jibrin. Aged 58, Jubrin died in the early hours of yesterday and has been buried according to Muslim. He was untilhisdeaththelawmakerrepresentingLokoja/KogiFederalConstituency andathree-timememberofthelowerchamber.Hewasalsoaformerspeaker of Kogi State House of Assembly.The House, in a statement signed by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, described Jibrin as “an upright man, a leader per excellence, a patriotic, committed and hardworking lawmaker, worthy representative.Hewillgreatlybemissedbyall.Mayhisgentlerestinpeace.� TheHousesentits“heart-feltcondolencestohisimmediatefamily,hiswives, children, relations, his constituents and people of Kogi State.�
Ebonyi Youths Decry Excessive Taxation
SeveralyouthgroupsandorganisationsgatheredinAbakiliki,thecapitalof EbonyiState,todecryexcessivetaxationbeingimposedonyoungentrepreneursbythestategovernment.Theyouthgroupsmetwithrepresentatives ofthegovernmentfromtheintegratedrevenuedepartmentoftheboardof internalrevenue,Mr.EsemaChima,theheadofthedepartment,andtheSSA tothegovernmentoninternallygeneratedrevenue,Mr.OkwuegbuSunday, onThursday.Theyouthssaidtheyhavehadtoendurealotofmistreatments in the hands of government officials. "The attitude of the waste managementagentswasnotleftoutofthisagitationastheywerereportedtohave seized goods from traders at their business premises, insisting on annual purchase of waste bins.
Riot Act to Jungle Justice Perpetrators
TheCommissionerofPolice,EkitiState,AlhajiAbdullahiChafeandInternational Federation ofWomen Lawyers(FIDA), have told Nigerians to refrain from meting out jungle justice on suspects of crime to promote administration of criminal justice in the country.The police boss and FIDA’s Chairperson in Ekiti,Mrs.AdefunkeAnomaregrettedtheincreasingwaveofjunglejustice in Nigeria, describing the conduct as barbaric and not in tandem with the letters of the 1999 constitution, which presumes a suspect innocent until proved otherwise by a competent court of law.They gave the advice in Ado EkitionFridayduringaprogrammeorganisedby FIDAontheadministration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Ikpeazu Wins ‘Governor of the Year Award’
GovernorOkezieIkpeazu ofAbiaStatewasyesterdaypronouncedGovernor oftheyear2017bytheEditorsofVerbatimMagazine,abi-weekly Abuja-based publication. Governor Ikpeazu, according to a press release jointly signed by Tobs Agbaegbu and Ibrahim Modibbo, the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, Board of Editors of Editors respectively, would be officially decorated onThursday, April 26, 2018 at a glamorous award ceremony at Nicon Luxury hotel in Abuja. Adducing reasons for the choice of Ikpeazu as Governor of the year, the management of Verbatim magazine explained that Governor Ikpeazu’s choice was in recognition and appreciation of his developmental vision and life transforming achievements in Abia State, adding that ‘’ his three years in office has been remarkably eventful and largely successful’’.
T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY MARCH 31, 2018
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ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
COMMENTARY
KEEPING THE LIGHT OF EXCELLENCE BURNING Simon Ibe writes that the NLNG Prizes aim at bringing Nigeria’s exceptional scientists and creative writers to public attention
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any companies across the world often come up with programmes or initiatives aimed at positively impacting their societies and it has not been any different in Nigeria. The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company Limited has sustained a trail it blazed several years ago, which has set it apart as a model, not only in Nigeria but in the African continent and beyond. The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature, solely sponsored by the NLNG Ltd., have over the years become the most celebrated prizes in Africa and among the most sought after in the world, not only because of the prize money but also because of the indisputable excellence that has come to be associated with the winning entries and the quality of administration of the prizes. The aim of the prizes is to bring Nigerian scientists and creative writers to public attention and celebrate excellence in scientific breakthroughs and literary accomplishments in the country and over the years, this has continued to be achieved, especially given the quality of entries, the calibre of judges assembled by the administrators of the prizes and the global applause that attends the winning entries. The Science Prize is administered by an advisory board made up of distinguished scientists while the advisory board for Literature that handles the Literature Prize is made up of members of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL} and Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). The prize money, which has grown from $20,000 in 2004 to $30,000 in 2006 and to $50,000 in 2008, has since 2011 become a princely $100,000 for the winner(s) in each category. Although the money cannot have been the major motivating factor for most of the hardnosed scientists and thorough-bred literary artists that have sent in entries for the competitions, it cannot, but must have helped to raise the bar and attract the best in the categories that are advertised annually. Carefully chosen themes which have produced internationally acknowledged scientific results are waiting for governments and other stakeholders to adopt and put to public use for the general good in keeping with the goal of the science prize which is to provide leaders with answers to crucial issues of development, improve standards of living and re-energise the scientific community to
CAREFULLY CHOSEN THEMES WHICH HAVE PRODUCED INTERNATIONALLY ACKNOWLEDGED SCIENTIFIC RESULTS ARE WAITING FOR GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ADOPT AND PUT TO PUBLIC USE FOR THE GENERAL GOOD IN KEEPING WITH THE GOAL OF THE SCIENCE PRIZE WHICH IS TO PROVIDE LEADERS WITH ANSWERS TO CRUCIAL ISSUES OF DEVELOPMENT
seek solutions to national problems. The different genres – poetry, prose fiction, drama and children’s literature – that are focused on in rotation each year for the Literature Prize also turn out books that are equally internationally celebrated, also in line with the goal of the prize, which is to improve the quality of writing, editing, proof reading and publishing. Past winners of the Science Prize are Prof. Akpoveta Susu, and now Dr. Kingsley Abhulimen (2004); Prof. Michael Adikwu (2006); Dr. Ebenezer Meshida (2008); Prof. Andrew Nok (2009); Prof. Akahehomen O. Akii Ibhadode (2010) and in 2017, joint winners emerged for their researches on solutions to the malaria scourge. The winners are Ikeoluwapo Ajayi, Ayodele Jegede and Bidemi Yusuf; Olugbenga Mokuolu; and Chukwuma Agubata. There were years when the entries for both the Science and Literature Prizes were adjudged not deserving, and no winners were announced. Winners of the Literature Prize in the different genres have been Ezenwa Ohaeto and Gabriel Okara (2005); Dr. Ahmed Yerimah (2006); Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and Mabel Segun (2007); Kaime Agary (2008); Dr. Esiaba Irobi (2010); Adeleke Adeyemi (2011); Chika Unigwe (2012); Tade Ipadeola (2013); Sam Ukala (2014); Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (2016) and Ikeogu Oke (2017). The Literary Criticism Award has not been as popular as the Science and Literature Prizes, despite efforts the administrators of the award and NLNG say they have made to popularise it in universities in the country. This should not be so. Literary critics are very important components of the creative process and lecturers, especially in Departments of Literature and English Studies should wake up and send in entries for the award that has N1million price tag. There cannot be vibrant literature without correspondingly vibrant literary critics. The trail blazer, NLNG, has played its part. It has advertised calls for entries for the prizes for year 2018. The theme for the science prize is ‘Innovations in Electric Power Solutions’ and the literature prize focuses on drama. Everyone should, indeed, identify with these prizes, which have since become the Nigerian equivalent of the Nobel Prizes, especially for science and literature in the country.
THAT THEOPHILUS DANJUMA’S OUTBURST
Danjuma’s emotional release remains a tonic to Buhari’s government to do the needful and save Nigeria from disintegration, argues Sufuyan Ojeifo
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We mean to hold our own. I have not become the King’s First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire,� said the indefatigable Prime Minister of Britain during World War 11, Winston Churchill, in 1942. But unfortunately, that was what he was compelled to do as recounted by Peter Clarke in his book titled: “The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire�. In a rave review of the book, Allan Massie surmised that Churchill rightly dominated the book as he was shown, warts and all, from the drawing on the diaries of Alan Alanbooke and Sir Alec Cadogan, as “infuriating, often boring, sometimes wandering, arriving at meetings without having read his briefing papers, often unrealistic in his demands, hell to work with.� Curiously, the more Churchill’s weaknesses were exposed, the more splendid he seemed. According to Massie, “If at times Alanbrooke and others wondered how they could win the war with him, they all knew it would have been impossible without him.� To be sure, Churchill, soldier, writer and politician, was one of Britain’s greatest heroes, particularly remembered for his indomitable spirit while leading Great Britain to victory in World War 11. Churchill wrote his war memoirs and titled the last volume: “Triumph and Tragedy�. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 among other great accomplishments. The review highlighted two tragedies. One was Churchill’s recognition that the price of defeating German’s Adolf Hitler was the subjection of Eastern Europe to Soviet rule, with Poland as the chief victim of victory in 1939; while the second tragedy was Churchill’s and Britain’s. In saving Europe and the world from Hitler by its refusal to negotiate in 1940; that prepared the way for the liquidation of the empire. Although British and American writers cum authors have projected diverse perspectives about Churchill’s persona in the context of his perceived strength and foibles, it is difficult to diminish his essential politics in Britain. When I got to the intersection of these two tragedies, Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari came to my mind,
not in the sense of Churchill’s accomplishments in Britain but in the characterisation of his weaknesses through the perception of author Peter Clarke. Whereas, the actions and inactions of Buhari in almost three years have questioned his promise to keep Nigeria together as an indivisible entity; whereas the call for restructuring provides an opportunity to negotiate and cure the mischief inherent in our rigged federation, Buhari is obviously not ready for negotiation as he does not see anything wrong with the existing federal structure. In his 2018 New Year national broadcast, Buhari had said “When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.� While shying away from negotiation, he is wittingly or unwittingly worsening the conditions that make negotiation imperative. Agitations for restructuring have continued unabated. The fault lines of ethnic nationalism, regional marginalisation, bureaucratic and administrative nepotism, religious bigotry, inequitable distribution of financial resources and genocidal tendency by Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram insurgents continue to weaken the basis of our federal structure and the chord of the nation’s fragile unity. Buhari has unconscionably failed to stem the tidal waves of disintegration that are ominously buffeting our nation. Of all the elements, the most worrisome is the burgeoning genocide perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen who are the president’s kinsmen. His obviously slow and shambolic response to the tragic happenstances has portrayed him as complicit. His body language had indicted him even before the Freudian slip that the people of Benue, where the herdsmen had killed 73 people in one fell swoop of madness, should learn to accommodate strangers. As I read the review, I noticed that Buhari shares some of Churchill’s perceived weaknesses: infuriating, often boring, unrealistic in his demands. Buhari has infuriated many Nigerians with his administrative style that does not find
connection with modern realities. He is not only aloof but also disappointingly too slow in driving governance for expeditious and tangible results. He said in defence of his tardiness that he would always reflect on historical antecedents before taking actions unlike when he was military head of state. But, unfortunately for him, Nigeria is passing through a critical defining eon. Amid this affliction, Buhari is incapable of inspiring a bored citizenry with impactful extemporaneous or prepared speeches. He is obviously bereft of quotable quotes. His “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody� line in his inauguration speech was not original to him. Eight former world leaders had used it before him and credit was not given to any of them. Back to the genocide unleashed by the Fulani herdsmen on communities in Benue, Plateau and Taraba States. It would justifiably appear that the Christian population in the Middle Belt is targeted for extermination. The charge of ethnic cleansing has always been made against the Fulani over the years. What former Chief of Army Staff and one-time Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma, said about ethnic cleansing agenda in Taraba and other states was not new. Perhaps what was new and which had inflicted collateral damage on the Buhari administration was the alleged collusion between the armed forces and the armed bandits (Fulani herdsmen). Danjuma, fearless general and Jukun leader, denied the armed forces of their acclaimed neutrality. Instructively, he delivered his punches right on Jukun land and in the intellectual conclave provided by the convocation of Taraba State University in Jalingo. Characteristically taciturn, Danjuma has enjoyed the reciprocal goodwill of successive administrations. He and Buhari have mutual respect for each other. The verdict in some political quarters is that Danjuma’s outburst is the most significant straw yet that has broken the back of Buhari’s camel. It is immaterial to me the concerted effort some Hausa-Fulani intellectual rearguards and their southern accomplices have made to dismantle the essential philosophy that motivated Danjuma’s outburst. I care less if his outburst appears writ
large as parochial, sectional or local. Attempts at deconstructing Danjuma with his past actions or inactions do not also resonate with me. In fact, it gets to a point in the affairs of nation states when ethnic nationalities can decide to recoil into their shells to force negotiation or renegotiation of corporate existence. After all, if there are no ethnic components, there cannot be a nation state. And when that time comes, there are always iconic figures who would dare to provide leadership. That is the essential ramification that Danjuma’s outburst has thrown up in the complex vortex of Nigeria’s power and political dynamics. Apologists of the Buhari administration and the military are uncomfortable with Danjuma’s outburst. They have suggested that his outburst amounted to incitement, hate speech and even treason. That is neither here nor there. For a man who is a friend of this government to speak in the manner he spoke, it must be really bad. I can imagine the kind of intelligence at his disposal that formed the basis of vilification of the armed forces. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida had taken the Buhari administration to task on a number of its foibles and failings. In fact, both had asked for a regime change in 2019 on account of apparent lack of capacity by Buhari to provide responsive and responsible leadership. Danjuma did not call for a change of Buhari’s administration. He has only chosen to provide a leadership voice for his people before they are completely exterminated from the federation, which faces existential threats of imminent disintegration if influential Nigerians do not pull together to save Nigeria from Buhari and prevent a tailspin into the kind of conflagration that consumed Somalia and Rwanda. His outburst remains a tonic to Buhari’s government to do the needful to save Nigeria from disintegration. Buhari is, in all of this, commendably running the oppositions’ gauntlet. However, will he, at the end, earn triumph or tragedy or both? Ojeifo is an Abuja-based journalist
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ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
INSIGHT
Happy Birthday, Sir...
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
W
e have followed with keen interest the #Metoo campaign as it makes concerted efforts to unearth ugly stories about sexual harassment in the workplace, globally. What started as a campaign to expose unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the movie industry in the United States has now spread to more industries and workplaces in other countries. The United Nations in general has not been spared by the momentum of the #Metoo movement, with growing allegations of harassment, especially sexual harassment. Our very own Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) too is under scrutiny. Although sexual harassment in workplaces is a challenge that cuts across gender, most accusations tend to be made against men in senior positions of power. Let us be clear: No man or woman should face sexual harassment anywhere, especially in the United Nations organisations. One act of sexual harassment is one too many! Any allegations of sexual harassment that are reported to authorities must be thoroughly investigated and any man or woman found culpable punished accordingly. But let us also be clear: In our different roles as leaders of networks of women and other people living with HIV in Nigeria, we have been privileged to work closely with the UNAIDS leadership, including the outgoing Deputy Executive Director for Programmes Luiz Loures and other men and women in the senior management team. In them, we have found professional individuals of good standing, who have respect for the dignity of all people. They have not only restored hope to the most vulnerable, especially people living with HIV and key populations, but have ensured that they are not left behind. Dr Loures’ solidarity with key populations and civil society is well known. UNAIDS is famous for its vision and setting of ambitious global targets. In the face of recent sexual harassment allegations in the United Nations, we are pleased to see that the UNAIDS Executive Director, Mr Michel Sidibe, has moved quickly to put forward a five-point plan for greater accountability and transparency, as follows: appointing of focal points in every UNAIDS department or office; having an open platform for staff to report sexual harassment; training and empowering staff with skills to prevent and report harassment cases; conducting yearly independent surveys on staff well-being that integrates sexual harassment; and performance evaluation of staff that allows ethical behaviour to be assessed. Can this new UNAIDS five-point plan prevent
Obasanjo’s Crusade for NigerianWomen Politicians
and address all forms of harassment? We don’t know! What we know is that it seems to be a credible plan worthy of a try. We have a unique opportunity as civil society to work together to prevent, expose and denounce all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse against women. We feel that the plan can only succeed if it is closely monitored and supported by friends and allies of UNAIDS: women groups, communities, donors, governments and other key stakeholders in the global HIV response. We all must come together to ensure that the UNAIDS leadership remains transparent and is firmly held accountable. Although we are getting closer to ending the AIDS epidemic as a serious challenge to global public health, we are extremely worried that the damaging allegations of sexual harassment at UNAIDS, while deserving attention, may be diverting the attention of the global HIV community from the agenda of achieving the 90-90-90 target and ending AIDS as a public health threat. In Nigeria, for instance, only one in three people living with HIV is on treatment and nearly 40,000 children are still being born with HIV each year. Assumpta Reginald, ASWHAN and Abdulkadir Ibrahim,NEPWHAN
I
n the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, which I have advocated and is growing rapidly and whatever political association will emanate from it, youth under 40 years will have 30 percent and women will have 30 per cent in composition of any of its organs. That composition must be transformed into political power at the executive and legislative levels, former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, while speaking recently in Lagos on ‘Pressing for Progress: Women in Politics and Nation Building’ Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria can be anybody he designs for himself anytime, anywhere and under any situation. He is often misunderstood by his admirers and critics alike. By the time any of the two categories are thinking him one way, he is the other way, doing his things the way it suits him. That attitude has made him seemingly unique amongst contemporary elder statesmen of Nigeria. And whether one likes him or not, he does not care. I am a member of both categories. I admire Obasanjo because he is a diehard nationalist, a courageous patriot who can dare death anytime for his country. After all, he had seen death several times while a soldier and while behind the bars. He
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AIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com
enjoys life to the lee, knowing that man has only one life to live. Yet, when he plays the “Ali Baba�, he is very conscious not to transcend the boundary as Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma could do, knowing the strength in words. My criticism of him lies in his stand on leadership as his Achilles’ heel could not put Nigeria in the right stage at the time all the prerequisites were in abundance. With that misstep, our dear country continues to crawl. When Obasanjo talks, he does not talk for mere caricature. If the belief that spirits freely control humans was orthodox, one can easily conclude that the spirit that controls Obasanjo is of the political high class. Not because he has been on the corridor of Nigerian power for too long, Obasanjo understands Nigeria like a child can identify, play and sing with the alphabets. That is why when he speaks, those who are younger than Nigeria are at lost either trying to comprehend or undermine him. Obasanjo, late 2017 bagged the award of Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in Christian Theology from the National Open University (NOUN). There were wide new reports that the award was possible after a 163-minute defence of his voluminous thesis before a six-member panel led by Samaila Mande (Dean, Postgraduate School), who said that Obasanjo had put in “enough study� and “intellectual rigours� to produce his work. His PhD thesis is titled: “Resolving the Unfinished Agenda in Liberation Theology: Leadership, Poverty and Underdevelopment in North Eastern Nigeria.� With this background, it is not far to understand why Obasanjo could have the touch of an Imam, quoting from the Holy Qur’an to put Nigerian women on the path of pursuing excellence just like the men. In addition, he must have made a lot of research about the challenges of the northeast predominated by Muslims and as a PhD holder, he must be versatile in the commonest contemporary knowledge of religions, cultures and democracy, amongst others. Obasanjo wants Nigerian women to vie for the highest political positions in Nigeria, such positions as the president, vice president, senate president, speaker of the House of Reps and the governor. Out of all these position, only the speakership has been held by Rt. Hon. Patricia Etteh, though she was tactically schemed out. By default or by chance, Virginia Etiaba, was placed on the governorship seat of Anambra State where she did not last longer than four months. Pauline Tallen, a woman of courage, tried to be the governor of Plateau State. Muhammad Ajah is an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance in Abuja
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31, 2018
SUPER SATURDAY
BANKE ALAWAYE
I Know the Challenges Women Face in Business The story of women in technology in Africa will not be complete without mentioning Banke Alawaye. With over 20 years experience, she has helped personal brands and organisations make the best use of digital tools. She holds a B.Sc in Computer Science, a master’s in business administration from Edinburgh Business School, Scotland, and a certificate in Entrepreneurial Management from Pan African University’s Enterprise Development Centre. She is also a member of the British Computer Society. In this interview, Alawaye speaks with Azuka Ogujiuba how she helps female business owners create systems that make their businesses easier to run and productive
T
ell us about what your job entails?
I’m a digital expert and business consultant. I help small business owners create systems that make their businesses more profitable. I love to help people find easier ways of accomplishing their tasks. We have so much technology on our palm nowadays and yet we still struggle with little things like scheduling and planning. I work with my clients to make the best use of the technology they already have. I have over 25years working experience. I started out my career as a programmer and then went on to be an investment banker. I’ve also worked with big brands developing digital strategy and campaigns. My work experience has been quite varied. I thrive on variety and new experiences. How have you been able to build up your career? One step at a time. When I look back at all the amazing experiences and accomplishments, it sounds like a lot but all I ever did was to follow my interests. At every career/business opportunity, I saw something that interested me, that was worth getting excited about and I went for it. Looking back, what stands out for me is my willingness to try new things. Even when the prospect scared me, I tried anyway. For example, when I moved from a career in IT to investment banking, all I had was the willingness to try something new. And from that experience came other opportunities that would not have been open to me without that investment banking background. I have this way of evaluating an opportunity. I think to myself what’s the worst thing that can happen? Once I’ve dealt with those scenarios in my head, it’s easier to go ahead with the mindset that I should at least give it a go. Why do you specifically choose to help female business owners? As a digital expert and business consultant, I’ve worked with a variety of people and still do. But I’m particularly interested in helping women because I feel that I understand the challenges faced by women in business. Women usually have to balance the needs of the family with their business and are the ones most likely to need flexible work arrangements and tools to help them to be productive in their business even when they’re attending the kid’s sports day at school. I was an investment banker when my daughter was still in primary school and I left that profession because I wanted a job that was more flexible and allowed me the time to be part of her activities. So I understand the issues with transitioning from one profession to running your own business or working as a freelancer. If you had to choose another career path, what would it be? I’ve been lucky enough to work in many industries so I feel like I’ve tried many careers. I love makeup and I even did a friend’s make up for her wedding many years ago. If I had to choose another career, I would either be a make-up artist or an interior decorator. I’ve always had an interest in space planning and making a space beautiful. At a time I used to collect articles about decoration and I even learnt some paint techniques for creating beautiful walls.
Alawaye
The world is evolving daily in terms of technology, how has this aided your career? Technology is the bedrock of my career. I’ve been a
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž RCH 31, 2018
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SUPERSATURDAY I AM NEVER AFRAID OF TRYING NEW THINGS...
When I look back at all the amazing experiences and accomplishments, it sounds like a lot but all I ever did was to follow my interests. At every career/business opportunity, I saw something that interested me, that was worth getting excited about and I went for it. Looking back, what stands out for me is my willingness to try new things. Even when the prospect scared me, I tried anyway
computer geek since I was a teenager. I got interested in computers from a very early age and went on to study computer science in the university. My ability to embrace technology and use it productively has been my advantage all throughout my career. And now it allows me to serve a larger number of people because I can run online courses and provide consulting services virtually. Has being a female professional affected the way your male colleagues relate with you? I’ve been lucky enough not to have experienced any form of harassment or discrimination at work because of my gender. There have been occasions where I’ve visited prospective clients with a male colleague and seen that they immediately assume the male is in charge and has all the answers. The good thing is that I can choose to work with clients that I feel comfortable with and where we share mutual respect. How do you relax? I love to spend time with my daughter. She has an incredible sense of humor and we laugh a lot when we’re together. Whether we’re going out for spa treatments or staying home to watch a movie, we make an event of it and have a blast. Who is a complete woman to you? We’re all perfectly incomplete. I don’t think anyone ever stops being a work in progress. But if you can find some level of contentment even while striving for more then you’re as near complete as you can get. I also think that anyone who’s able to be comfortable in their own skin and who’s a definition of success is internally defined is a rock star.
What is your most prized possession? Wow! I would say my daughter. But she’s not a possession; she’s my gift from God. On a lighter note, I love to take handwritten notes so I’m always buying beautiful notepads and pens. And also get them as gifts. I’ve just been given a lovely hand-made leather bound notebook that I’m loving right now. And I also love gadgets.
What’s your life’s philosophy? Don’t jump into conclusions. No matter how clear cut something might seem, there’s always more lurking under the surface. Keep an open mind and don’t make assumptions about people or situations. I’m also an eternal optimist. I believe there’s always a way to achieve your goals. Don’t focus on the obstacles or circumstances. Keep your eye on the prize and be willing to put in the work and the path will clear itself for you.
My Job is to Help Businesses Make Best Use of Digital Technology
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EASTER SUNDAY
APRIL THANKSGIVING AND LAST DANCE SERVICE THEME:
IN PROGRESS 7:30AM
SUNDAY 1ST APRIL, 2018
(ONE SERVICE)
CITY OF DAVID SANCTUARY COD CHURCH ROAD, OFF LIGALI AYORINDE STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND EXTENTION, LAGOS
LAST DANCE TESTIMONIES Restoration in Business After Last Dance My business ran into bad times during the year and I lost a substantial part of my working capital. It got so bad that I could not continue with the business. It was a sad situation and a dark point in my life, but I kept on believing. I used my Trinity Towers seed as a reminder to God as to why I should not go down. When Pastor ID announced on the last Sunday in October 2016 that the theme for November 2016 was Divine Restoration, I keyed into it. Three days later, I got a call that I would receive a bailout, and the next day after November 2016 Thanksgiving Service, I received the life-changing credit alert. I just can't thank God enough, for indeed, He is a faithful God. T.O.
Breakthrough After Last Dance Online I was watching July 2016 COD Thanksgiving Service outside the country and because of the situation I was facing, I told God that “if surely You are the One that does all the miracles Pastor ID is mentioning, just because of this two-minute dance, prove Yourself,� and I gave my dance offering. Before August Thanksgiving Service, “I will testify concerning this situation and let Your Name alone be praised.� God did it before August 2016 Thanksgiving Service. Hallelujah! F.A
Blessed with The Fruit of The Womb After Last Dance We bless God for fulfilling His promise of fruitfulness in the month of At Last. We had been praying for the fruit of the womb since January 2016, and God answered in the month of At Last. During August Last Dance, Pastor ID told the congregation to dance like never before. My wife and I danced like we were carrying our children. Lo and behold, that same month, we got pregnant. We return all the glory to God. Praise the LORD! Mr & Mrs A.
Excruciating Hand Pain Disappears After Last Dance Some weeks ago, I felt pain in my right hand but did not know what caused it. I thought it was a minor pain but as days went by, the pain became unbearable and I was rushed to a nearby clinic. The medication I was administered did not relieve me of the pain and there was no improvement. I attended the April 2016 Thanksgiving Service weak and could not move my right hand. During the Last Dance, I received strength to dance. I woke up the next morning and noticed that the pain had stopped. I thank the ever faithful God for healing and perfection. Praise the LORD! Y.O.
Examination Success After Last Dance I thank God for passing my professional exam (CIMA). I wrote it last year and I didn't pass due to the short duration for studying. The same situation happened this year, I had cancelled the exam twice. But I made up my mind I will write in it August and if I failed will take it again in November 2016. During the Thanksgiving service in August, I made a thanksgiving pledge of 10, 000 naira, and tied it to my exam. The week of my exam I was ill and could hardly study, and I almost cancelled the exam, but I sat for it as planned. On September 30, 2016 I got an email that I passed. A.O.
Double Promotion After Last Dance I thank the God of the Last Dance. I had believed God for increment and promotion at my place of work. I keyed into the May Thanksgiving Service and believed God for a good harvest. On Monday, May 4, I got an email from my HR stating that I had been promoted and moved two levels above my former level. Praise God. I.O.
Plus
LOUD WHISPERS AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER TEENS CONNECT FASHION FILE COVER
pg. 20 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 38 pg. 43 pg. 48
Erhabor Asa Emokpae Being An Orphan, Looking After 18 Siblings, I’ve Climbed Many Mountains
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 31, 2018
PLUS
How Ituah Ighodalo and I Began Video Production Enterprise in Lagos Contentment and sense of fulfilment radiate around him as Erhabor Asa Emokpae welcomes this reporter into his Anthony Village, Lagos office that sunny afternoon. Looking smart in his grey suit; apart from tiny grey hairs, his sharp and robust outlook contradicts a man who would be 60 in a few days. The Emokpae dynasty’s name rings a bell in advertising community where the Elder Emokpae left an indelible mark before his death in 1984. Born into a relatively comfortable family of Edo origin on April 4, 1958, the younger Emokpae began his primary education at Corona School, Ikoyi, Kings College and the then University of Ife, where he read Economics. His parents died in quick succession between 1982 and 1984 and with 18 younger siblings to look after, he had no time to waste. According to him, in life, one should never take one’s pedigree for granted. A visionary with an entrepreneurial spirit, he embraced his world with a determination to succeed. In his 20s, with his business partner then, Ituah Ighodalo, they dabbled into the business of film production and pioneered the video rental library in Lagos which generated newspaper headline as: ‘Whizkid to look out for.’ Not to relent on his laurels, he went into computer business and founded MBS, he would later seize the opportunity of new apple computer technology introduced in the late 90s where he used newly introduced desktop publishing to put many publications on a new pedestal. Emokpae has recorded many successes in his endeavours and look forward to conquering many terrains. Currently chairman at Lowe Lintas where his father once held sway, as he clocks 60 on Wednesday, he speaks with Funke Olaode about his journey through life and lessons learnt
E
arly Journey in Eastern Nigerian Ihave had a fulfilled life and looking back I don’t have any regret. I was born in Enugu on April 4, 1958, on Good Friday so my birthday usually falls around Easter but my parents are from Benin in Edo State. My paternal line cuts across Nigeria. One of my great grandmothers was Fulani and another one was from Ilorin in Kwara State. I would say like many other Nigerians my orientation is a fairly national one having lived in Lagos all my life and grew up in cosmopolitan environments, my mind is cosmopolitan. By the time I was born my mother was working as a Nurse and my father was employed by Eastern Nigerian Information Service. They eventually moved to Lagos in 1960 when I was barely two years old. Reminiscing the Lagos of Old I recall my early years living in a house on Mabo Street in Surulere. It was wonderful growing up in Lagos of old. It was a nice and clean place. My parents later moved to Ebute Metta and eventually moved to Itire Road. My childhood memories and where we lived is very much intact because those buildings are still there. I remember vividly living in Itire where I spent my early life. I ran around Surulere barefooted. I knew every nook and cranny. While growing up I was a bit rascally. I heard over and over that, I was rascally. I combed the entrée Surulere with my bare feet. As soon as I came back from school the next thing was to take off my shoes. I just didn’t like shoes. I played with tyres around Surulere with my friends. As a matter of fact, I was my mother’s ‘mobile telephone’. Any errand my mother wanted to run I was readily available. Lagos then was safe because we used to go out at night without entertaining any fear. One insight that came to me recently when I was growing up the British had just left for barely seven years which is why everything worked. Unfortunately, when we make progress in some of our national life we regressed in many areas. Nowadays you don’t expect to drive around and see good roads. Back in the day, every year, the public works department would come, dig the road and resurface it. Not that the road is bad they are on a maintenance schedule. Again, people talk about sanitation inspectors of those days called ‘wolewole’ who ensure that people don’t have a dirty compound and dirty gutter. And of course, the population was much smaller. It was a nice beautiful place to live in. Factors That Shaped My Life I was raised in a relatively comfortable home because I didn’t face any extreme adversity. The major privilege I had as a child was the first school I attended, Corona School, Apapa where most of our teachers were Whites and it shaped my early life and exposure to things around me and gave me a fairly cosmopolitan beginning. Again, parental influence in no way was significant in my early life which also plays a key role in my adult life. And having become
a parent myself I have come to realize the value of good parenting. My parents instilled discipline in us. I remember in my primary school days it was a norm to have your either father or mother’s signature on your homework. One of those days I had forgotten to tell my father to sign it and as a naïve child, I decided to help myself by engraving my father’s simple ‘E’ on my homework. But my teachers saw it and asked me ‘who signed this assignment?’ I told her convincingly that it was my dad. Little did I understand that his handwriting was distinct from my own. Though a simple ‘E’ I couldn’t produce it. She then sent a letter to my parents through my sister. When I got home my mother opened the letter – and behold, I got the beating of my life! She was beating me and saying all sorts of things: ‘You want to be a forger? Do you want to be a robber? I would not allow that.’ My parents also inculcated the value of humility. Even when we had home helps you dare not put your clothes down for somebody to come and wash for you. You pick and wash your plate after eating. Those were values that remain with me. A Cosmopolitan Beginning I was six years old in 1964 when I was enrolled at Corona Primary School Papa. Before then I went to a nursery school run by a lady called Mrs. Garthwaite. It was a beautiful experience for me as a child. I remember the egg-hunt competition. She used to hide eggs at every corner and we would be asked to go and find them. I had spotted her placing one somewhere and when we were asked to hunt for the eggs, I just rushed to where she hid one of them and brought it out. I enjoyed that experience. After my nursery school, I went to Corona where we were taught mostly by the Whites. I can recall my little sweetheart, Linda. She was a cute little White girl. I was about six years and had this affection for her. From Corona Apapa, I was moved to Corona Primary School in Victoria Island when the traffic was becoming unbearable. My parents were working on the Island at a time and my mother was at Massey Hospital on the Island and it was a task for them to drop me off at Apapa every day. Corona Victoria Island had just opened in 1967 or thereabouts and some pupils were transferred from Ikoyi and Apapa to form a nucleus of the newly opened school. I was there until I entered King’s College in 1970. I had a wonderful time in that great school. Some of my friends were Victor Gugong. He was an average cricketer
MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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PLUS and a builder from Kagoro, Bayo Ibirogba, who recently retired as executive director at NNPC, Waheed Onigbanjo, and others who have done well for themselves. Nursing the Idea to Become A Medical Doctor Many ideas were flashing through my wind on career choice when I was in secondary school. But I used to say I wanted to be a doctor and held onto it with for a long time. After some time I said I wanted to be a dentist and my mother said I am being lazy that I should stick to my early decision. By the time I was finishing secondary school, I walked away from that early dreams because my subject combination had tilted towards the Arts. I ended up studying Economics at the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University. I l almost didn’t study in Nigeria because I had gained admission to the University of Salford in the United Kingdom. Then news came in from Nigeria that I had been admitted at Ife. Of course, I preferred to study in Nigeria and within 48 hours I was back in the country and went straight to Ife. Going into Ife which was a minicommunity of many young Nigerians was not my first time outside Lagos. Going to the North for Advanced Studies I left King’s College for my ‘A’ Levels in a newly established Federal School of Arts and Sciences in Mubi. At that time, the Federal Government established three additional Federal School of Arts and Sciences to complement the existing one in Lagos. One in Sokoto, the North West; another one in Mubi, that is North-East; and another one in the South-East, in Ogoja. My preference for Mubi was because they had a French teacher and I desired to learn French. But going to Mubi was an experience for me because my first day in that school I wanted to go back. I got to Maiduguri and by poor accident ran into somebody who asked me how I was going to get to Mubi. My first experience was the heat which slapped me in the face on arrival. We met a Good Samaritan who volunteered to help me and my friend, Gerrald Antai. I was 16 in 1974. This man who assisted us happened to be the governor’s brother. He took us to the governor’s lodge and on getting there I saw a familiar car that belonged to an uncle of mine, Mr. Yemi Aderigbe. He was amazed to see me and asked me to stay with him in his guest house. That night we went to see the North-East Federal School of Arts and Sciences which is now the University of Maiduguri. It was a beautiful campus, beautiful setting; my hope was raised. But on getting to Mubi my hope and expectations were dashed because what we met on the ground was different from what we saw in Maiduguri. It was a dusty town. I was discouraged and decided to go back. I saw some boys struggling with food in a bucket of tuwo. I managed to stay until the following morning. I took a bus back to Maiduguri and had planned to board the next available flight to Lagos. But my uncle whom I met earlier in Maiduguri waylaid me on my way back and persuaded me to stay until the end of the term since it was around November. He even promised to get a transfer for me. It was the best decision of my life. I went through adversities in that place but cherish the memories. Navigating Through Life I left Mubi in 1976 and ended up at the University of Ife in mid-1976. I left Ife in 1981 and was posted to Abeokuta for the mandatory one-year youth service. I worked for a while at the Ministry of Statistics and worked part-time as a television anchor at OGTV. It was a brief stint because I had to relocate to Lagos when my mother died in March 1982 barely one month after I started my youth service. I was transferred to Lagos as a corper and I served as a protocol officer at the Lagos State House of Assembly. I was part of the team that received the then Vice President of the United States, George Bush (Snr). My father died when I was 26 and left 18 children behind. I am the eldest. I grew up in the midst of polygamy. But my father raised us like one and my mother was awesome and treated everyone equally. We see ourselves as one. But my parents’ death placed a huge responsibility on me and there were this urge and determina-
As a family man...Emokpae with daughter, A’rese left, his wife, Kris and son
When men were babies...Emokpae cutting his 1st birthday cake on April 4th in 1959
tion to succeed. After my youth service, I started my career in a company called Pacific Union, a Japanese company that was into marketing a line of electronic typewriters known as TEC. Manual typewriters were common in 1984. And between my youth service year and my foray with Pacific Union, I started my own business, a video production company and a rental company called, Video Serve, the first video rental library in the country. I started in Surulere and people would come from far and near to rent films from us. My best partner then was Itua Ighodalo who is now a big-time pastor. We were very complementary to each other. We had great synergy and we did some things together. Going into Computer Business You may wonder what an economist was doing in film production and all that. Well, I have always had that entrepreneurial spirit in me. Again, being an entrepreneur is about your knowledge, your ideas, ability to understand the environment and its needs. After my time selling typewriters with the Japanese company, I branched out and started a management company called MBS. Then computers were very new. Ituah and I ran a computer tutorial for young children in the mid-1980s and it was successful. I remember Ituah and I were interviewed by a magazine with the headline, ‘Whizkid to watch out for.’ It was a big thing because we were in our 20s. The MBS lured me into computers in my early days. I remember speaking to a guy called Ibrahim who had IBM computers. I didn’t quite understand what he was doing but he exposed me to it. Then Apple computers were just coming out with its new technology such as desktop publishing which means you can use your computer to do graphics layout and all that. I now started a company called Electoral Set which was basically doing graphics and setting of layout for publications and many of the leading publications were introduced to electronics typesetting and page layout through the services we provided. In the process, I got close to Nduka Obiagbena who was
Father and son having a good time in his early years
publishing This Week Magazine and we were doing page layout for his magazine and other major newspapers including Hints Magazine which was started by the current Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu. My new role in the introduction of new technology made me have a connection with advertising. Following in His Father’s Footstep My father spent most of his career in Lintas until he passed away in 1984. After his passage, they (Lintas management) felt I should fill the vacuum of his interest in the company. I joined Lintas and became a director very early. But after a few years, in 1998 to be precise, I left to pursue other interests in the ICT. One of the business lines was online shopping called, The Catalogue, in conjunction with Sunny Anison, who incidentally is the founder of Red Star (FedEx). Basically, we provide services where people could order from Argos Catalogue and we would procure the items and deliver. It went on well until we had shipping problems and the economy wasn’t ready for that at the time and we closed it down. Eventually, I ended up in THISDAY where I became a director since inception in 1995. I remember bringing the first set of computers and software and first layout to its Ribadu Road office. In late 1999, the company moved to Apapa and the idea of introducing colour printing was conceived. I joined THISDAY in Apapa and was there for two and half years. In 2002, I returned to Lintas as the executive vice chairman; a position I held until 2014 when my late chairman and titan of the advertising industry in Nigeria, Chief Moemoke, passed and I assumed the role of chairman. Lessons in Life My parents’ death made me mature quickly that I assumed responsibility in my 20s. But beyond that I always advise young people; talk to them about my own experience. They should never limit themselves as they all have potentials. Often, we are limited by our circumstances and perspectives and we don’t push.
People should always search what they have a passion for. The life-blood of any economy is enterprise. Unfortunately, it is not promoted. We should be more enterprising as a nation and shouldn’t have the notion that something may go wrong. So, plan to take risks. My Best Moment I have had many best moments but in 2016, my daughter, A’rese, got involved in the maiden edition of Voice Nigeria singing competition and when she won the competition with a song, ‘Halleluyah’ by Jeffy Buckley, I was overwhelmed. I had encouraged her early on to put in her best. Honestly, her declaration as a winner brought me to tears. That was my best moment. Romance and Marriage I got married in 1987 to my wife, Christiana nee Ibekwe, a native of Onitsha in Anambra State. I met her when I was re-posted to Lagos as a corper. My wife had just returned from America and she was also posted to Lagos and we that were on the ground were trying to prepare the camp. The first day I saw her nothing happened. A few days later the interest grew and we just found that our chemistry jelled and here we are almost 31 years after. The Aspiration to See A Great Nigeria No man fulfils life’s aspiration because life is a journey and until one drops dead you continue the journey. My take is that when you aspire to be this or that don’t trample upon your fellow human beings; maximize every moment. I have continued aspiration to see Nigeria great even in my lifetime. So nobody can truly say his aspiration is fulfilled because as a being we never give up our aspiration. For instance, because of my passion to serve my people, I once veered into politics and in 2014 I sought my party’s (APC) nomination for Edo South to represent them in the Senate. It didn’t click. As 2019 is approaching if I am well received by my people I will make myself available to serve them.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31, 2018
with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)
LOUD WHISPERS
Secondus
…That PDP Apology That apology is the one they say, ‘e get as e be’. The Chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, who I must say is a brilliant gentleman has been reported to have apologised to Nigerians for the 16 years of the locust his party and their supermen took the nation through. Well, what can we say but that we have forgiven them especially if we consider what we are seeing today which is making their own look like child’s play. This country is rugged and I must give it to the Nigerian spirit. We cannot be cowed o. If after going through the 16 years of misrule and arrant perfidy we still stood as a people to vote in this kind change then we are really a nation of mad people. Kai, come and see suffering in the land. Everybody is suffering o, people can no longer eat. People are being killed on a daily basis so that cows can live. Families are being broken; a major feeling of hopelessness is everywhere and even Bill Gates came and said the same thing. I hear he refused to eat at the Dangote wedding party. My friend, a waiter at the Eko Hotel told me. He said he watched the man closely as he stared blankly at the lavish display of naked wealth amidst some of the most glaring poverty anywhere in the world. He lost his appetite. I tell you, they said when they put the food in front of him he almost threw up. A country where the life expectancy is less than 58, a country where there is no infrastructure and then people are carrying on like they are related to the Sultan of Brunei. Bill Gates just tire. He called his wife, Melinda, and said over the phone.” Darling, this people are crazy mennnnnn’’. I tell you, we are crazy mennnnn. My brother, Secondus, he pass apology. After raping a virgin, na sorry you go talk? I don’t like this because it will now form precedence because APC will now come and be giving us apology, no na. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Happy Birthday to You Sir I was privileged to sneak into your 60th birthday celebration some years ago and I must tell you, it was a wonderful experience as I ate to my heart’s content. I ate o. Kai, but this year they have declared a public holiday and have blocked all the roads from Shomolu to Victoria Island so I will just respect myself and sit down. That you are a leader I respect cannot be faulted hence the desire to write your biography with my partner, Segun Akande, who has run away now to England due to the harsh economic realities in our country. Sir, you see, after trying our hands on entrepreneurship with very terrible results, we suddenly decided to embark on the book project as our way out of grinding poverty. We had approached your team with the aim of writing a mini-biography of you especially the role you played in foisting this government on us. We made a headway o, as we were invited into your Bourdillon home where I had the privilege of watching you very closely, as you jump from one room to the other with your steward chasing you around with your lunch. When the man was tired of running after you with a tray in hand, I beckoned him to bring the food and he ignored me. Sir, if I can get his name I will send to you so that you can help reprimand him for me. Anyway, that day you shook my hands
Tinubu
Dangote
T.Y. Danjuma: A Volcanic Statement It was the legendary K.O.Mbadiwe, that colourful political titan that used to use gargantuan words to describe seismic political occurrences. So as I was looking for a befitting headline for this my piece, I started thinking of all the big words in my lexicon and could only come out with this word ‘volcanic’ to describe the statement attributed to this statesman during the last convocation ceremony at the Taraba State University. You see, I belong to an online group made up of my colleagues in my former office – Habib Bank. The arguments there are really passionate and I must say volcanic at times. This Danjuma matter is being discussed there vigorously even as I write. The positions for and against are deep just as they are, nationwide. All sorts have been said about the man since he opened his volcanic mouth and I have learnt so much about him that I didn’t even know before. But the truth of the matter is the need for us to look critically at
the statement and not to go too far away. The allegations against some elements within the Army, are they true or not? Simple. We are not interested in knowing if he was the one who slapped Ironsi or if he has been dodging taxes since independence or if he was part of the problem or if he too has committed his own massacres last April. Let’s just stay focused on his statement and seek to find the truth. The onus is on the authorities to set up a panel of inquiry and invite him to show proof; while they themselves look deeply into the matter. If he is proved right, work with him and other right-thinking people to seek solutions and if it is a fallacy then we unleash volcanic consequences on him. This I believe is the right thing to do instead of all this journey towards history and gargantuan perpetuations with meaningless cacophonous implications on the solitary… You people should not let me unleash o. I can be crazy with English Language o.
and stared blankly at me since you did not recognise me or even know me. Well, that was your wahala, for me, I had arrived since I was in your house with the likes of Wale Edun, Tunji Bello, and Senator Ganiyu Solomon, who almost hugged me and gave me his numbers and then when I called him the next day, he said wrong number. I just tire for this people. Anyway, we could not get the permission from your
people to go ahead with the project and in frustration, Segun migrated and I went on to become the Duke of Shomolu. Well, let me say I do not begrudge you and also to inform you that I have started work on an unauthorised version of your biography which would be published in exile. Happy birthday the lord of Bourdillon and may you continue to reign over us in peace and prosperity. God bless you sir.
Elumelu
Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu and Jim Ovia – ‘’Envy is Killing Me’’ So they have announced that Dangote will earn N100b, Tony will earn N1.5b and Jim will earn N1b just from dividend on shares they hold in their respective businesses. Kai and this lami Yoruba boy will be telling me that my own shares in Hamilton and George, a company we formed together have potential. The man keeps telling me potential when these big boys are creaming off. Well, you see why Tony is always on Instagram doing superman. Why won’t he with this kind of amount hitting his bank accounts. I am so envious of these people. Jealousy is killing me like they say in Shomolu. The one that really pains me is that Uncle Tony who will just be chancing us on social media as if we are mates, any time he posts those his pictures in the gym, you will just be seeing all our little children following him and liking his picture and when I post, you will see nobody liking me. How will they like me, with the kind of dividend they are posting how can I ever compete? Anyway, no problem, we give God all the glory. He only knows why these things happen. My brothers have worked hard. They should be allowed to enjoy the trappings of their hard work even though the monies are far much larger than some state budgets, no problem. There is God ooooo. Leave Dino Melaye Alone I watched the video like every other Nigerian and took pity on him. What exactly has the man done wrong that he is being hounded like this all over the place? Is he the one massacering people on the Benue-Plateau basin? Abeg, Dino is very far from the problems that we are facing in the country. I have asked that one to join me in very strong MFM-type prayers but he would not listen and be carrying that his big head all over the place and be singing war songs as if those songs will save him from all these wahala. Look Dino, wherever you are, kneel down now and put your hands on your head and scream after me, ‘’ALL MY ENEMIES IN LOKOJO, FATHER LORD RELEASE FIR EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Do this 21 times before you leave your room. Also drink four bottles of olive oil. Don’t go near the other room for 21 days and give out alms to the needy. That one I can assist you with the disbursement. If all these fail and you are still being hounded, just run abeg. I cannot cry.
Melaye
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MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
SPY GLASS
with BAYO ADEOYE .... 08054680651 email: bayoolunla@gmail.com
OF DANGOTE AND DAUGHTER’S SUPERLATIVE WEDDING How does one begin to write about the wedding of the daughter of the richest man in Africa? Again, how does one describe the wedding that has in attendance Microsoft’s founder, Bill Gates? It was described by a source that it would simply be taken as the most expensive wedding of all time! When the wedding of Fatima Dangote and his sweetheart, Jami Abubakar, was announced a few weeks ago, many had anticipated that it would be the talk of town for a very long time. The fairytale wedding, which held in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos respectively, had in attendance dignitaries from all walks of life. The mouth-gapping event would remain in the memory of many guests that made the wedding as many of them confirmed that they had never seen anything like it in all their years of attending parties or events. ‘’It was the most amazing, most colourful, most spectacular wedding ever in the social circle,’’ a source added. Dangote successfully proved to the whole world that his pre-eminence in the business world is not a fluke, given the array of guests who graced the colourful event inside the upscale Eko Convention Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. “Without exaggerating, it will take a very long time before we can witness anything near this party. It was simply sophisticated and captivating,” a source said. “The mind-blowing wedding has set another standard that will be used to measure a good society event in the country for a long time to come,” another source revealed. Some of the high-class personalities who witnessed the event include Wife of the President of Nigeria, Hajia Aisha Buhari; Vice President, Prof.Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo; Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his wife, Toyin; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; Ex-President Yakubu Gowon; Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele. Others were Oil mogul, Femi Otedola; Group Managing Director,
DANGOTE Oando Plc., Wale Jubril Tinubu; Senator Dino Melaye; Senator Demola Adeleke; Senator Ita Giwa; billionaire business woman, Hajia Bola Shagaya; Oil and gas businessman, Otunba Funsho Lawal; Former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba and wife, Derin; Ex- governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, among others. Some of the artistes who added flavour to the enchanting wedding include Davido, Timi Dakolo Bovi, Seyi Law, Toolz, DJ Cuppy, Omawunmi, Waje and King of World Beat, King Sunny Ade, who rounded off the event with his music.
DERIN OSOBA’S CHARM Among the former first ladies in Nigeria, Mrs. Derin Osoba, wife of a former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, still commands a lot of respect. When her husband held the reins of power in Ogun State, her good looks was always a subject of attraction, as celebrity journalists scrabbled over one another for pictures for their cover pages. Though he is now advanced in age, her husband has remained very stylish, thereby making the couple two of a kind. They are fashion conscious and whatever they wear surely look good on them. Besides, their ranking in the social scene is also something to write home about. Their presence at high-octane events has never gone unnoticed. Though the elegant former first lady could be said to be selective about social events she attends, she was an attraction last weekend at a party in Lagos where she danced her heart out “The former first lady was an
attraction last weekend as she danced to the music of King Sunny Ade. Many were amazed at her dance steps; she is, indeed, a very good dancer,” a source said.
OTUNBA SUBOMI BALOGUN’S SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT It is an incontestable fact that legendary banker and businessman, Otunba Subomi Balogun, loves to mark his birthdays in a grand style. His birthday is one of the things dear to his heart. On his birthday, he loves to present himself a wonderful gift. So also people close to him never allow the day to go without showering encomiums on him. Interestingly, Spy Glass gathered that the billionaire recently got a special gift that he will treasure for the rest of his life. On the eve of his 84th birthday a few weeks ago, the Chairman of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, won a long-lasting legal tussle, which has been a ‘headache of sorts for him’. It was gathered that a High Court in Ogun State struck out the suit challenging his status as the head of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, one of the ruling houses in Ijebu-Ode, where the Awujale of Ijebuland is by tradition selected. The legal tussle that has dragged for years was instituted by a former national President, Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Otunba AbdulLateef Owoyemi, and four other claimants - Prince Rasaq Akeju, Prince Yisau Ajidagba, Prince Adeleke Adeyemi and one otheron behalf of themselves and the Fusengbuwa ruling house. Justice Aderonke Asenuga of an
Ijebu Ode High Court, while delivering her judgment, said the court relied on the evidence given by the Awujale and the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona, and gave the verdict in favour of Balogun who was the first defendant in the suit. It was indeed a victory dance for the billionaire businessman. When you mention courage, tenacity, inventiveness and brilliance, you are talking about Otunba Subomi Micheal Balogun, a major colossus in Nigeria’s money market. Although he trained as a lawyer, he came into financial sector just when the country was seriously in need of top intellectuals like him. It didn’t take him that long to showcase the kind of stuff he is made of, as he reshaped the industry and became a household name. Today, the history of business in Nigeria will not be complete without the Ijebu-Ode-born businessman’s name appearing many times - he was part of those who rewrote the story of the country’s financial sector and launched it into the global map. Those close to the man known as ‘Baron’ in his chosen sector claim that his abiding philosophy is, “All things are possible if you believe.’’
MAJ.-GEN. IYANDA MURAINO ‘S SON, ABASS, SET TO WED Prominent Ibadan socialite, Major General Iyanda Muraino (retd.), who was one of the key men in the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration, will be playing host to family and friends, as his son, Abass, is set to call it quits with bachelorhood. Abass, a graduate of the Harvard University, will be getting married to the love of his life, Adetoun Adele, daughter of Alhaji Adekunle Adele, one of the successful businessmen in Ibadan, Oyo State. The wedding is slated for April 6 and 8, 2018 at the prestigious Mauve 21, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State . It was also gathered that the groom’s mum, Mrs Peju Muraino, is not leaving any stone unturned for the preparation of this party. For those who don’t know Mrs. Muraino, she is the ebony, calm, stylish and pretty wife of top socialite, she is one the successful businesswomen who also hails from Ibadan. So, that they will pull the Who is Who in the the society to Ibadan for the wedding is stating the obvious.
DERIN OSOBA
SUBOMI BALOGUN
IYANDA MURAINO
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31, 2018
INTERVIEW Reno Omokri
As Pastor and Real Man, Osinbajo Should Say the Truth about Corruption in APC Government Reno Omokri, former Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media, tells Bayo Akinloye that there are a lot of things going wrong with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration despite its promises to bring redemption to Nigerians. He feels that the value of human life as Nigerians under the government is deteriorating more than ever before. The former presidential aide also urges Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to be man enough to speak up about the corruption going on in the All Progressives Congressled federal government
Y
ou are an ardent critic of this government. Why are you so persistent in your criticism of the Muhammadu Buhari government? Because I am a patriot. I do not have any other passport but the Nigerian passport. My value as a person is tied to the value of Nigeria and under Buhari that value has deteriorated faster than at any time in my life. This government came in through propaganda and they are failing because of a lack of proper agenda. Let us examine their campaign promises which made Nigerians vote for them. They promised to fight corruption. Now, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Nigeria is more corrupt today under Buhari than at any other time since Transparency International started keeping records. We have moved 12 places backward from 136 to 148. Yet this administration has the guts to accuse a government under whom Nigeria made its best-ever progress on the Corruption Perception Index of corruption. We moved from 144 to 136 in 2014 under President Jonathan. They promised to secure Nigeria but according to the Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria is now more terrorised and insecure under the Buhari administration. In the latest ranking, we are now the third most terrorised nation in the world. This is worse than what we witnessed under the previous government. We now have the number one and number four most deadly terror groups in the world in Boko Haram and herdsmen. Look at how many people died in Zamfara in the same North-West that President Buhari is from. Look at how he went to sing and dance at a wedding in Kano a few days after the Dapchi abduction. Look at Benue which is now a theatre of war. Look at the comments by TY Danjuma that under Buhari the military is no longer neutral. Look at the nepotistic appointments in the military and security services whereby people with religious and or ethnic affinity to President Buhari occupy all, not some, but all the sensitive positions. Under Jonathan, our police received laurels around the world. We trained police officers from other nations. But look at how rapidly our police have deteriorated under Buhari because of nepotism. In the latest ranking by the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI), the Nigerian Police Force was ranked the worst in the world! Then, you come to the economy. Hasn’t the Buhari administration done well in job creation? They promised three million jobs per year during the campaign. But according to their own government-owned and controlled National Bureau of Statistics, 10 million Nigerians have lost their jobs under Buhari. They did not create jobs and the jobs other governments created, they lost. They asked Nigerian youths
Omokri
to vote for them yet there is not one single youth in the cabinet. They asked women to vote for them, but after voting they have been excused to ‘the other room’. I now believe former President Jonathan was speaking prophetically when he said on December 11, 2014 that ‘The choice before Nigerians in the coming election is between a record of visible achievements and beneficial reforms – and desperate power-seekers with empty promises’. This government promised to expand the economy yet, within a year of their being in power, Nigeria went into a recession. Instead of taking responsibility, they started blaming others. Why should Buhari have taken the blame? There are a number of reasons Nigeria went into a recession and all of them have to do with Muhammadu Buhari. I will try to list some of them in summary. The first is the rushed implementation of the Treasury Single Account instead of the gradual implementation planned by the Jonathan administration which conceived the concept of the TSA. The
second is failing to appoint ministers on time and when he finally appointed ministers the President appointed a woman whose highest degree is a Bachelors in Economics from a second class British polytechnic (The University of East London was a polytechnic when Kemi Adeosun attended it in the 1990s) to succeed a PhD holder from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and former Managing Director of the World Bank as minister of finance. Go back and read the comments by Bill Gates on this government’s economic blueprint. He called it incoherent and said it does not address Nigerians’ needs. There is a particular picture of Mr. Gates and the minister of finance where he was looking at her with disdain. When Bill Gates said the Buhari government prioritises physical capital over human capital, people like Nasir El Rufai came out to attack him. But just a week after Mr. Gates spoke truth to power, Buhari went to Lagos and the APC declared a public holiday for him. Does this not vindicate Bill Gates? By declaring a public holiday and preventing businesses from opening for work,
In the latest ranking, we are now the third most terrorised nation in the world. This is worse than what we witnessed under the previous government. We now have the number one and number four most deadly terror groups in the world in Boko Haram and herdsmen. Look at how many people died in Zamfara in the same North-West that President Buhari is from. Look at how he went to sing and dance at a wedding in Kano a few days after the Dapchi abduction. Look at Benue which is now a theatre of war. Look at the comments by TY Danjuma that under Buhari the military is no longer neutral. Look at the nepotistic appointments in the military and security services whereby people with religious and or ethnic affinity to President Buhari occupy all, not some, but all the sensitive positions the APC government is setting back human capital because of the physical capital of opening a bus stop. This is a pure example of why Bill Gates said Buhari prioritises physical capital over human capital. Lagos has an annual GDP of $100 billion. By shutting the state down, Lagos loses $250 million. Do you see why our economy collapsed under Buhari? What are the other reasons?
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MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
INTERVIEW Bill Gates Looked at Kemi Adeosun with Disdain Because Economic Blueprint Doesn’t Address Nigerians’ Basic Needs… Nigeria Made Best Progress in Anti-Corruption Fight Under Jonathan Not done with putting round pegs into square holes, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a man who studied French to replace a man who has a PhD in agricultural economics from Purdue University and who had worked at the highest levels of the Rockefeller Foundation as minister for agriculture. The third reason is the President’s interference with the independence of the Central Bank of Nigeria and his public comments of what he would do with the Naira. This led to foreign exchange restrictions that saw 270 companies fold up (according to the Nigeria Labour Congress), seven foreign airlines leaving Nigeria, 10 foreign shipping firms divesting from our economy and over $3 billion capital flight from Nigeria. In five years, then President Jonathan spent N16 trillion. The economy grew to the point where CNNMoney projected Nigeria to be the third fastest growing economy in the world after China and Qatar in 2014. Naira was stable and was listed as one of the best performing currencies. In two years, President Buhari has spent N16 trillion. We had recession. The Naira collapsed and was ranked the fourth worst performing currency in the world by Bloomberg in 2016. But there was the complaint by the Buhari administration about falling prices of oil. Buhari kept complaining about the price of crude oil but that is an excuse because oil accounts for only 15 per cent of our GDP. Moreover, the price of crude oil has averaged about $50 under Buhari, yet he has borrowed more than all the previous PDP governments of the last 16 years combined. Crude oil sold for an average of $23 in the first five years of President Obasanjo yet that government was able to pay up all of Nigeria’s foreign debt of over $30 billion. What this proves is that no matter how much resources you give to the Buhari administration, it will never be enough because they do not know how to make prudent use of resources. There are other reasons the economy tanked under Buhari. But these are some of the most pressing reasons I see it as my duty to do everything in my power to democratically unseat this clueless administration. Your support for the immediate past government under which you served has equally been very consistent. Why, because that government has been branded by the Buhari government as the most corrupt and Tinubu even awarded Jonathan gold medal for corruption? With all due respect, when students sit for examinations, it is not a fellow student that marks their script. The assessment is done by external examiners. Both President Buhari and President Jonathan sat an examination. The only body in this world officially recognised as arbiters of who is corrupt and who is not is Transparency International and they have weighed both Jonathan and Buhari on the scale and found Buhari wanting. President Jonathan’s administration has the enviable record of advancing Nigeria’s anti-corruption war and delivered results to the point where we made our best-ever improvement in Transparency International’s CPI in 2014 when we moved eight places forward from 144 to 136. Can this government say the same? The fact is that President Buhari has a messianic complex that is divorced from reality. The proof of this is that he keeps talking down at previous administrations that have done a much better job of fighting corruption than him. Are you saying Jonathan’s administration is saintly compared with
Omokri
Buhari’s? Did you hear of budget padding under Jonathan? Did you hear that a criminal like Maina was brought back to Nigeria, reinstated, given double promotion and moving about with armed guards and that when the Senate wanted to probe how he was reinstated; the Attorney General of the Federation went to court to block the probe? Did you hear that $25 billion worth of contracts were awarded without due process at NNPC and no investigation was carried out? Did you hear that a Secretary to the Government of the Federation was caught red-handed engaging in contract scams? Did Jonathan ever budget N1.1 billion to clean the office of the National Security Adviser? This administration’s EFCC returned 48 houses to Timipre Sylva, a known supporter and financier of the APC. How could Sylva have got 48 houses legally? What was his job or business before becoming a governor and what is his source of income after becoming a governor? Did he declare those 48 houses on his asset declaration form? Yet, they let him go scotfree and are now harassing Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy because they refused to be cowed. Yet Buhari went to Ghana to offer to help them fight corruption. Ghana is number 81 on this year’s Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, while Nigeria is at number 148. My question to President Buhari is: how can you help a nation that is less corrupt than yours to fight corruption? It is like a demon offering to deliver a pastor. President Buhari should instead take anti-corruption lessons from ex-President Jonathan and Ghanaian President, Nana Akufor-Addo.
Most recently, the Vice President accused the Jonathan government of being corrupt and you took exception to that and described the Vice President as a liar. Are you saying there was no corruption in that government? There is no human institution that is not corrupt. Even in heaven, an angel became corrupt and was thrown out of heaven by God; how much more with humans. The thing is that corruption is human and perfection is divine. So what you can gauge in humans is level or degree of corruption and Transparency International has already done that for us. I do not have to add to what Transparency International has done except to say that when Jonathan’s ministers were accused of corruption and conflicts of interest, he sacked one on the spot and sacked the other after a two-week investigation. Can this administration say the same? Did they sack the communications minister whose personal assistant wrote a letter exposing his boss’s multifarious corruption? Did they sack the former SGF? Was it not until we made much fuss that he was eventually sacked 10 months after? Has he been charged? What has been done to the GMD of NNPC? The immediate past acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammad Daudu, during his appearances at the House of Representatives committee investigating the $44 million found in the Ikoyi apartment gave sworn evidence that elements in the Buhari presidency had been putting pressure on him to share the $44 million with them. Was anything done to them? Instead, Ambas-
Did you hear of budget padding under Jonathan? Did you hear that a criminal like Maina was brought back to Nigeria, reinstated, given double promotion and moving about with armed guards and that when the Senate wanted to probe how he was reinstated; the Attorney General of the Federation went to court to block the probe? Did you hear that $25 billion worth of contracts were awarded without due process at NNPC and no investigation was carried out? Did you hear that a Secretary to the Government of the Federation was caught red-handed engaging in contract scams? Did Jonathan ever budget N1.1 billion to clean the office of the National Security Adviser? This administration’s EFCC returned 48 houses to Timipre Sylva, a known supporter and financier of the APC. How could Sylva have got 48 houses legally? sador Dauda was sacked and has now gone into hiding. You have written well about Osinbajo when Buhari was in the hospital. What has changed now that you are on a war path with him? Is it because he criticised Jonathan? That is to show you that I am balanced. If Osinbajo does well, I praise him; same with Buhari. I have commended the President on five different occasions. But I am not a sycophant. If they do wrong, I will speak up. Recently, it was reported that a source in the presidency alleged that N100 billion was moved to Jonathan’s residence just before the election from the CBN vault and you reacted that it was a lie. First and foremost, that ‘source’ was no other person than the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. I was informed of this by an editor of a major newspaper (not THISDAY). The claim is a lie and an infantile one at that. I have addressed it in detail. Vice President Osinbajo should stop hiding behind ‘sources’. As a pastor and as a real man, he ought to be bold enough to make his false allegations openly and not via ‘sources’.
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T H I S D AY ˾ ͱͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31, 2018
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EXPRESSION
MEDIAGAFFES
Round Off, Round Up Mix-up
EBERE WABARA
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AILY CHAMPION of December 30 offered its readers the following blunders: “It took a de Gaul to end the senseless killings and France acquiescing to the self-rule agitation of Algerians.” Away from anarchy: acquiescing in (not to). “There will be lots of entertainment, music, a special buffet and the show will be rounded up with a Grand Ball”. The revelry will be rounded off with a grand ball. “In a bid to escape with their booties with (in—not with) a helicopter gunship….” I am opposed to misadventures in grammar: ‘booty’ is uncountable. “We’d noticed the professor was not too comfortable standing under the blazing sun, but we thought she would nerve it through.” Get it right: standing/sitting in the blazing sun. ‘Under the sun’ means ‘anywhere in the world’ THE GUARDIAN on Sunday of March 25 presented four infelicities: “And then they demanded for money, at gunpoint. “ Gently remove ‘for’ to avoid any ‘accidental discharge’! “…the two countries have since been understudying one another’s political system.” Two countries: each other; three or more countries: one another. “The Nigeria Police has also assisted in the training of Sierra Leone (sic) police and detectives. “ Always: police (collective noun) have. Vanguard of December 30 did not conform to journalistic excellence: “When a dupe in the regalia of politics tickles himself and laughs hilariously to fool his
BY
un-bemused electorate….” The person who is duped is the dupe, while the perpetrator is the duper and the act referred to as dupery. The English language abhors un-educated familiarity with words, their meanings and applications. Persistent use of wrong expressions cannot confer acceptability on them. “Nobody can at this stage doubt the ability of the administration to take serious and atimes painful decisions.” Leadership in Nigeria at times (not atimes) smacks of non-seriousness. THISDAY of December 31 went down with a bazaar of improprieties: “In his six-page address paying glowing tribute (tributes) and homage to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.” The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo…. “People subject themselves to flogging and beating, and all manners of dehumanization in the name of healing.” Thoughts on grammar: all manner of. “There have been indications for sometime that…. “Time for distinction between ‘some time’ (which applies here) and ‘sometime’. “Furthermore, the conduct of officials and the general logistics support for that election were unprecedented in the annals of our nation’s history.” ‘Annals of history’ is tautological. And this: logistic or logistical support. “Despite the Moslem-Moslem ticket which he and his vice-presidential candidate held, majority of Christians across the country still rallied in their favour.” No protest: a majority of Christians. “Medical and scientific researchers have shown that offsprings of drug addicts suffer mental deficiency.” ‘Offspring‘ is uncountable. “Garbage ought to be disposed off
as regularly as possible because they can constitute a serious nuisance to the public.” Fixed expression: dispose of. ‘The eventual failure of many of such drugs have not discouraged fresh attempts at inventing more effective ones.” The battle against discord continues: The failure...of drugs has (not have). By the way, we cannot be talking of more effectiveness in the same breath with failure. We are still in the realm of effectiveness, contextually. “The heavy downpour during the week has made the price of perishable commodities in the market to come down due to low patronage by consumers.” ‘Downpour’ does not require amplification (heavy) because of magnitude inherence. And ‘patronage’ is usually by consumers. So, ‘by consumers’ is otiose. “…because they are not entirely immuned from the adverse consequences of pervasive poverty in third world nations.” Get it right: immune (not immuned) from. “…pay them their retirement benefits as and when due.” Simple: when due. “As and when due” indicates language poverty. “UN statistics on fertility in sub-Saharan Africa has indicated.…” Statistics have (not has) except as a discipline (course). “These are the major factors but there is a final secret with regards to.…” No secrecy: as regards or with regard to. “Students of sports history remember that Morocco played three matches and lost them all, conceeding six goals in the process”. Language scholars endorse these: concede, conceded and conceding. “Last week Monday’s press briefing by the Minister….” Functional communication: Last Monday’s press briefing…. “Extremism had also brought about the death of 37 left-wing intellectuals when
ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948
the hotel in which they were holding a conference in the central town of Sivas was touched on December 2.” Love of grammar: torched (not touched). “Some news media have been known to have lent themselves unwittingly into the hands of hack writers by not doing a thorough investigation of the stories they publish.” Literate style: lent themselves to (not into). “Jakande as governor of Lagos State warmed his way into the hearts of Lagosians with a single-minded pursuit of his housing programme.” LKJ wormed (never warmed!) his way into the hearts of Lagosians. Let us welcome last week’s edition of this medium which contained a few errors and thereafter a cocktail of nondescript infelicities from the mass media: “Baring few skirmishes which regrettably led to the death of four persons….” An anatomy of the season of linguistic violence: there is a world of distinction between ‘a few’ (which correctly applies here) and ‘few’, which connotatively suggests an expectation of more skirmishes—except if the writer has a weird denotative inclination towards potentialities for more skirmishes! Otherwise, the extract is lexically absurd because of his regret. “Just imagine a young man that rounded up his apprenticeship as a welder.” This is an indication of the current malaise in scholarship: a situation where a lecturer cannot distinguish between phrasal verbs, ‘round up’ and ‘round off’ (which applies here). “Will anybody please let us know which country became a super-power by allowing its best brains to roam about the world?” ‘Roam’ encompasses ‘about’.
ElectionsSequence, Dollar Rain and the National Assembly
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he National Assembly is in the news for the wrong reasons yet again. Whether it proves to be true or false eventually, allegations that members of the hallowed chambers are in a dollar rain over the electoral act amendment bill have further dented the badly battered image of the federal legislature. The Senate and House of Representatives have instituted investigations into the steaming accusations selling like hot cake in the media. Whatever the outcome of the probe, not much is likely to change about the ugly public perception of the law-making institution and its members. The National Assembly is held in suspicion and derision most of the time because it has bumped from one scandal to the other since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999. And most of these have had to do with corruption and financial sleaze around passage of bills, battle of wits between the Executive and Legislature, and committee oversight and investigative hearings. We had seen days when (Ghana-must-go) bags of cash were displayed on the floor of the House of Representatives as evidence of bribery. In the heady days of then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third term push, Abuja witnessed a competition of bribe exchange from both the pro and anti third term camps that some smart senators and (dis)honourable members of the House reportedly benefitted the illicit cash receipts from both extremes. In the Seventh Assembly, a chairman of an investigative hearing was accused on live television of soliciting and receiving inducements from the very government agency he was probing. The impact of that thunderbolt rousing of Mr. Herman Hembe (who was the chairman of the House Committee on Capital Market) by Ms. Arunma Oteh (who was Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, that was being probed) has remained a definitive stain on the fabric of the legislature till date. Unfortunately, in the same assembly, Mr. Farouk Lawan spread the stain further with his ignominious handling of the subsidy probe instituted by the Aminu Tambuwalled House. Mr. Lawan who is still in court over the famous (or infamous if you like) sting operation orchestrated by oil magnate, Femi Otedola, began his inglorious journey into political oblivion with that scandal. The succeeding Eight Assembly has managed to keep the banana peels of sleaze out of the door until the current controversy over the legislature’s reordering of elections sequence as reflected in its amendment of the Electoral Act (2010). Although,
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OKE EPIA Telephone (sms only): 07059850016 Email: resourceman.oke@live.com. Twitter: @resourceme
Saraki there are other aspects of the amendment bill, the elections sequence item has pitted the National Assembly against the Presidency. Expectedly, President Muhammadu Buhari promptly vetoed the amendment, much to the chagrin of the lawmakers who have begun moves to override the veto. With the stage set for a titanic battle between pro and anti Buhari forces, a new dimension got introduced into the mix with the dollar bribes allegations. Media reports said between $30,000 and $50,000 had been negotiated to exchange hands in the battle over the controversial bill. From the media to the public, the allegations were brought to the House of Representatives on
Wednesday when Mr. Danburam Nuhu an APC member from Kano State, raised a point of order. According to Mr. Nuhu, the allegation was meant to discredit the House as an institution, citing worries by his constituents. Hear him: “I am beginning to worry that my constituents are now (sic) doubting my integrity. Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, in his contribution described the allegation as a defamation of the Parliament and canvassed legal action against the media organization that published the reports. “The House should take action on a suit for defamation. It is time for the House to nail the issue,” he said while another member, Mr. Hassan Saleh, also of the APC from Benue, took a swipe at what he called “irresponsible journalism.” At the end of the debate, Speaker Yakubu Dogara referred the matter to the Ethics and Privilege Committee for further investigation. In the Senate, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also referred the matter to the Ethics Committee after Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, a PDP lawmaker from Delta, brought the matter up in plenary. Nwabaoshi told his colleagues that “my constituents have been calling me; some of them have been asking me to bring their own money out of what I have collected and I know that I did not collect anything.” He argued further: “This Senate must, at all times, rise above board. It is unfortunate that many of us are being dragged into this unfortunate situation. I know that many of you did not collect that money. The front page of the Sun newspaper carried it, showing that monies are being shared and many meetings have been held. I want to move that this matter be investigated. Some of us who have no hand in it, and who did not participate and who will never participate in such act, should be cleared for our constituents to know that we did not participate in such a thing.” While it is necessary to moderate commentaries until the National Assembly comes up with a report on the dollar rain allegations, it is safe to conclude that the federal legislature has done itself so much harm over time that public opinion is heavily weighed against it on this matter. Even if the allegations turn out to be false, many would hold tight to the impression that our legislators can hardly take their hands off the cookie jar of dirty deals and corrupt practices. Sen. Shehu Sani’s recent confirmation that senators take home a whopping N13million every month as ‘running cost’ is a clincher to the bad label tagged on them for long. It is such putrid stench coming from the hallowed chambers that have led some analysts to canvass for a part-time legislature for the country.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
Michelin Nigeria Strengthens Relationship with Dealers
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ichelin tyre Services Nigeria has reiterated its resolve to strengthen the relationship with its dealers nationwide in order to ensure a smooth delivery of quality tyres and services to its teeming
The new Lexus LX 450d
Lexus Launches Luxury Lx Turbo-Diesel Stories by Bennett Oghifo
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exus has added twin-turbo V8 diesel power to its luxury off-road LX, providing impressive adventure and towing credentials. The new Lexus LX 450d has 650Nm of torque from just 1600rpm and 9.5 litres/100km combined-cycle fuel economy* - coupled with the full Lexus suite of safety and all-terrain technology. The five-seat LX 450d has a potential range of almost 1000km on a tank of fuel and offers nearly 400 litres of cargo volume from floor to the top of the second-row seats. Recommended retail price is $134,500**, with specifications that include the latest-generation Lexus pre-collision system (PCS) with pedestrian detection, 10 airbags, six-speed sequential-shift transmission and full-time all-wheel drive. LexusAustralia chief executive Scott Thompson
said the LX 450d would expand the brand’s sales with turbo-diesel being the powertrain of choice in the luxury 4WD market. “We have had consistent demand for the LX with a turbo-diesel and Lexus has responded by developing an extremely well-specified vehicle that we are able to offer at a remarkable price,� Mr Thompson said. “The turbo-diesel engine is smooth, quiet and powerful and will suit a wide variety of applications.� The Lexus LX 450d is powered by a 4.5-litre twin-turbo direct-injection V8 engine, delivering 200kW ofpower at 3600rpmand650Nmoftorque from 1600-2800rpm, with Euro 5 emissions and a diesel particulate filter. Special attention was paid to achieving user friendliness, with a pressure discharge valve to enhance performance and driveability, and the added responsiveness of low-inertia turbochargers with electric motors. Lexus continues to offer the LX 570 with a
quad-cam 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine, eightspeed transmission, eight seats and an optional enhancement pack. The LX 570 and LX 450d have a 3500kg towing capacity. Lexus LX 450d has an impressive list of standard features including 20-inch alloy wheels with 285/50R tyres, tyre-pressure warning, LED headlamps, daytime running lamps and sequential turn signals. Leading-edge off-road technology includes multi-terrain anti-skid brakes, crawl control and 4-camera multi-terrain monitor with back guide and panoramic view. LX 450d also has five-mode drive mode select, variable gear-ratio steering, adaptive variable suspension, easy access and active height control. It benefits from intensive technical upgrades to the LX Line in the past two years - including Lexus Safety System + (PCS, radar active cruise control, lane departure warning and adaptive high-beam system), head-up display, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.
TNL Celebrates Future Cars Drawings of 9 School Children at 12th Dream Car Art Contest
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oyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) has celebrated nine school children whose drawings of their concept cars of the future won at the 12th Dream Car Art Contest, held recently. Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is a CSR initiative of Toyota Motor Corporation Japan to develop the innate artistic talent in children and to cultivate an enduring relationship with them. Toyota distributors and dealers alike globally have keyed into this initiative because of its acceptance and impact on children’s psyche the world over. The 12th Dream Car Art Contest was held in Nigeria on the 10th of February 2018 in Abuja and Port-Harcourt respectively, and in Lagos on the 17th of February 2018. Accreditation started at 8:00am to 9:30am and the contest commenced at 10:00am. Children came from different schools and states to share their concepts about the future of vehicular mobility by drawing their dream cars in the contest. The contest comprises of age categories which are: under 8 years old; 8-11 years; and 12-15 years. InAbuja, 318 children participated, 325 participated in Port-Harcourt and 520 participated in Lagos. Three winners emerged from each category in PortHarcourt, Abuja and Lagos centers respectively; making a total of 27 winners from the three zones. Three national finalists from each category making nine winners in all emerged after the rigorous assessment of entries from the three drawing centers. All the winning entries were judged based on the originality, creativity, environmental friendliness, safety and futuristic concept in their drawings. The Nine winners were invited to the award of prize and certificate ceremony at Toyota (Nigeria) Limited corporate headquarters, Lekki on the 17th of March 2018. Among the nine winners, two were from Port-Harcourt, one from Abuja, one from Jos and five from Lagos. The winners’ parents, teachers and well-wishers were entertained and winners went home with Laptops, other corporate gifts and most importantly, winner’s certificate.
customers. The company made this known recently at the Michelin Stakeholders Dinner Night between Michelin management staff and dealers at Radisson Blu hotel, on Victoria Island, Lagos. Commercial Director of the company, Mr. Sunday Hart stated during the meeting that Michelin is in a long haul relationship with its dealers and would always support their businesses. According to the Director, “we are planning new initiatives during the year and we are going to take our dealers along, and our focus will be customer centred�. He said Michelin does not just sell tyres as the company is concerned about saving lives on Nigerian roads, “that is why we ensure only quality tyres are distributed�. Also speaking, the Sales/Marketing Director of Michelin Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Sangotayo, encouraged the dealers to also ensure that the end users of tyres are adequately attended to and the necessary feedback is obtained. According to Sangotayo, the retreat is “meant for Michelin Business Associates, who are Michelin partners in progress. We appreciate them every year to give them our heartfelt appreciation of their performances, we bring them together in order for them to have a sense of belonging�. Michelin Tyre Services offers its numerous customers a range of tyres including passenger car tyres, Light Truck tyres, Truck tyres, Earth Mover tyres, Sports Utility Vehicles tyres now called PDP (People Driving Pleasure) among others. Aside Michelin brand, it also distributes other brands like Komoran, TIGAR and BF Goodrich- all sourced from Europe. Beyond making available a wide range of quality tyres, the company equally offers quality aftersales services in its Tyre Service Centres plus the mobile Technical services vans across the country providing tyre fitment, balancing and alignment and other free technical services. During this Dinner, various take away gifts as traditionally done were given to the dealers as token to appreciate their loyalty and commitment to differentiate them from ordinary dealers and show really that they are partners to the company ever since inception.
African Automotive Announces Association with Eternity Technologies
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ternity Technologies Limited, FZ LLC, world class manufacturers of motive power, network power, block batteries for cyclic applications, chargers and accessories, proudly announces the appointment of M/sAfricanAutomotive Limited, Nigeria, a group company of Infinity Tyres Limited, as their exclusive distributors. Based in the United Arab Emirates, Eternity Technologies have developed a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility utilizing the latest design, manufacturing processes and customer-focused management systems to not only meet the needs of the global power market but define them for the future. Eternity Technologies has positioned itself to meet the demanding needs of the global industrial market in a unique operation. With an extensive product range available, Eternity Technologies prides itself on world-class product design, production processes, technical development, cost structure and global location. AfricanAutomotive Limited is rapidly diversifying into renewable energy solutions, standby & telecom School children, Parents and TNL’s management team, at the prize presentation event at the company’s network power sector. For Solar & inverter solutions, headquarters in Lekki‌ recently it has tied up with Eastman Auto & Power Limited India. The exclusive partnership with Eternity In attendance were the Head of Marketing De- dren towards helping them realize their God-given Technologies will open exciting opportunities in partment, Mr. Andrew Ajuyah, Public Relations talent and express it positively. He added that the the Nigerian market for top quality solutions in Manager, Mrs. Bukunola Ogunnusi, Chief Security platform will help build the confidence of these the banking, telecom, traction and other standby Officer, Mr Aliu Umar, Managing Director of Black budding artists and future leaders in the creative power segments. Sea Mr Stanley Salami and the Managing Director world. We have been doing this for about seven African Automotive Limited will back up this of Freddie Scott Associates Mr Kayode Adeleye. years now and we will continue to organise the diversified venture by dedicating a team of In a chat after the ceremony, the Managing Director contest annually as long as it remains relevant to of Toyota (Nigeria) Limited, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo our CSR objectivesâ€?. He encouraged all to begin professionals, who will consult, design solutions, expressed his resolve to continue to support this to practice from now till the contest comes up in specify and supply suitable products, and support laudable CSR initiative. He said “Toyota (Nigeria) 2019 in order to increase their chances of winning the business with the help of superior after sales service experience. Limited believes in tapping into the minds of chil- in the keenly contested event.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
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FRSC Lekki Set for Easter Operations
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Jaguar E-PACE
Jaguar E-PACE is a Compact Performance SUV Stories by Bennett Oghifo
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aguar E-PACE combines sports car looks with ingenious packaging to create a compact performance SUV with trademark Jaguar presence. The E-PACE, which is now available at Coscharis Motors in Nigeria, blends sports car design with compact SUV practicality, removing compromise from the equation. The result is a car that will attract many new drivers to the Jaguar family and energise the entire market segment.
Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar said, “We designed the E-PACE to be a Jaguar for active people who need space and practicality but see no reason to compromise on performance. Its proportions, stance and lines express the excitement of driving a car of this calibre. “Compact SUVs need to provide intelligent answers to the challenges of everyday life and I believe that Jaguar’s combination of design purity and functional integrity provides the perfect solution. This is a vehicle with unmistakable character – a Jaguar sports car designed for our daily lives in a package that is as rewarding as
it is practical.� The E-PACE combines the dynamic body language and proportions of a Jaguar sports car with the space, safety and practicality typically associated with a compact SUV, he said. Short front and rear overhangs place its large wheels at each corner and the teardrop graphic of the side windows, inspired by the F-TYPE, gives the newest addition to the PACE family a purposeful stance. The front view of the compact SUV reveals a confident, assertive face that showcases the shared DNA with Jaguar’s sports cars.
he Lekki, Lagos unit command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has stated that its Regular and Special Marshals are set to ensure hitch-free road traffic on the Lekki corridor this
Easter. The Unit Commander, ACC Azubike Onyemeh said, “The Easter celebration is usually characterized with high human and vehicular movement especially on Lekki-Epe expressway. Therefore, the Command has mapped out strategies to ensure a hitch free celebration.� According to him, “The Easter special patrol will begin on Thursday 28 March and end on 03 April, 2018.All Officers and men as well as Special Marshals will be deployed on daily basis throughout the period of the special patrol operations�. He said, “During this period, the following activities have been outlined by the Command-deployment of staff to areas of traffic gridlock such as Ilaje bus stop, Ajah round - about, BLENCO/Ogidan junctions, Corner bus stop, Shoprite junction, amongst others.� The Commander also said there will be strict enforcement with focus on the following traffic violationsFailure to install Speed Limiting Device (SLD), Overloading Violation (OVL), Lane indiscipline, Use of Phone while Driving (UPD) etc. His Command, he added, will also focus on removal of rickety vehicles on the road and other obstructions, just as he advised against driving with expired/worn out tyres and without spare tyre (TYV). Onyemeh also explained that there will be “robust public enlightenment at both public and private motor parks, as well as adequate supervision, surveillance and monitoring of Command’s activities.�
Coscharis Jaguar Oers Thrilling Easter Package for Customers
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aguar, represented by Coscharis Motors Plc in Nigeria is offering all her customers who buy any Jaguar variant between now and April 2, 2018, the opportunity to enjoy an all-expense paid trip to South Africa for The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb. Coscharis Motors holds the exclusive franchise for Jaguar in Nigeria with extensive car sales and service networks across Nigeria. Scheduled for 3-6 May 2018, the Hillclimb will be the fifth edition as the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb. As part of its continued commitment to its customers, Coscharis Jaguar is extending this package to, at least 2 couples. Specifically, this will include flights, accommodation, hospitality, meals and VIP Access to the Jaguar Simola Hill Climb event. In addition, Coscharis Jaguar is giving all buyers - 1 year complimentary service, free registration and 50% rebate on premium insurance.
According to the Jaguar Brand Manager, Cletus Aregbeshola, “our objective is to always keep celebrating our customers and improving our commitment to them notwithstanding the challenges facing the auto industry.� The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb – continues to draw unparalleled interest in South African motorsport and word of the event has spread far and wide with not only South African interest reaching new heights, but international recognition growing too thanks to the participation of American drivers Randy Pobst, Kai Goddard and Steve Kimpton. Whether you have attended the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb before, or not, you won’t want to miss the 2018 event as the line-up of Jaguar variants and activity promises to be better than ever, while the smoke, noise, vibe, excitement levels and off-track activities are the epitome of good entertainment.
The Jaguar family
The Folly of Joggers
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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 pedestriansespeciallyjoggersasaresult 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 goalsofreducingroadtrafficcrashesby20percent 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. Whilethefirstpiecewastitled;PedestrianSafety; 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 toavoidexposuretoapossiblepedestrian-vehicle collision. Like I wrote earlier, my daily routine
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JONAS AGWU
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to keep fit is a thirty to one hour walking and jogging exercise. 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 traffic crashes by 15percent and fatalities by 30percent. Like I said earlier, Pedestrian injuries and fatalities is a major global problem related to travel and road safety. 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 thischallengewherePedestrian-vehiclecrashesare 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, problematic physical environments and other special conditions all contribute to them. Pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur when physical environments allow pedestrians to come into contact with moving vehicles. Thesecrashesoccurwhenphysicalenvironments 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 estate have attempted to demonstrate understanding 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. Afairly 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 the numerous safety awareness campaign embarked 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, therebyignoringdesignatedpedestrianpathways where such exist or complying with rule number two rule which demands pedestrians to avoid backing traffic when walking or jogging.
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T H I S D AY ˾ ͱͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ
GLOBAL SOCCER A
WEEKLY PULL-OUT
PUSHING FOR TOP FOUR
31.03.2018
Blessing Okagbare
A Record-Breaking Surge
PAGE. 29
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
Blessing Okagbare
A Record-Breaking Surge Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă•Ă‹Ă‘ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă&#x;ĂšĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜Ă? Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă•Ë› ĂœĂ™Ă— ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ‹Ă– Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚ͺ Ă?Ă“Ă”Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Öã×ÚÓĂ?Ă?Ëœ ÞÙ Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă¤Ă? Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ‹Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚͝ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂĄËœ ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă“Ă”Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞåÙ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ăœ ĂœĂ™ĂĄ åÓÞÒ Ă?Ă‘Ă‘Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÞÒÖĂ?ÞÓĂ?Ă? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?ÓÞã Ă™Ă? Ă?âËĂ?Ëœ Ă– Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ëœ Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Jo Ă˜Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ“Ă‘Ă’Ăž ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ě‹ Ă?Ă’Ă? ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? ͺͺ Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? ̋ÙÖÎ ͺ͸͸ Ă—Ă?ĂžĂœĂ?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽË› Ă“Ă–Ă– ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ăž ĂŒĂ? Ă‹ Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂšĂ?Ă–Ă?Ě‹ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ˜ ËÞÒÖĂ?ĂžĂ?ËŁ Kunle Adewale ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?
W
hen in 1996 in Switzerland, the then Nigerian queen of the track, Mary Onyali, set a new African 200 metres record with a time of 22.07seconds, not many would have thought it would take over two decades for the record to be erased. However, last Saturday, Blessing Okagbare threw Onyali’s record into the dustbin as she started her outdoor season with an impressive 22.04s in her 200m race at the Wes Kittley Invitational Track and Field Meet at the Abilene Christian University, United States. Aside from becoming the new African record holder, Okagbare’s winning time also becomes the new national record in the women’s 200m. Her previous personal best in the event of 22.23s was set at the 2014 Eugene Diamond League.
With her latest exploit, it means that Okagbare now holds the Nigerian records in the women’s 100m (10.79s) and 200m. The Wes Kittley Invitational was her first competition of the season. Former Nigerian Queen of the track, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi has congratulated OkagbareIghoteguonor for breaking her African record. “My 200m African record went to my little sister yesterday. Congrats Ble-Ble Baby! Now we are back on track!! Thanks for keeping this in the family Kitty; while we hunt for the other one! Stay tuned,� Onyali gushed with enthusiasm at the feat of Okagbare. With this new form, it is going to be difficult for the Delta-born sprinter to avoid defending the double sprint medals she won at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland four years ago. The former Team Nigeria captain had earlier signified her intention to race only in the 4x100m relay at
the Games scheduled to hold in Gold Coast, Australia between April 4 and 15. She remains the favourite for both the 100m and 200m gold medals at the Games. The apex socio-cultural umbrella of Urhobo people, Urhobo Progress Union, has also saluted sprinter Okagbare for breaking Onyali’s 22-year-old 200m African record In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Abel Oshevire, the union urged Nigerian youths, particularly those from Niger Delta to emulate Okagbare. Since the Beijing Olympics in China, the country’s hope for a medal at major international competitions is largely dependent on Okagbare. With a silver Olympics medals in Beijing, another silver and a bronze medal respectively at the 2013 World Athletics Championship, it seems Okagbare is fast passing her peak after failing to qualify for the semifinals of the women’s’ 100 meters at the 2017 World Athletics
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MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
GLOBAL SOCCER Okagbare leads the pac
Joshua, Parker Go Toe-to-Toe in Unification Bout Today, boxing’s marquee fight is a major event as IBF and WBA champion Anthony Joshua (20-0; 20 KOs) faces WBO champion Joseph Parker (24-0; 18 KOs). Winner walks away with all major titles outside of Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt, while the loser walks away with his first loss
Championship in London. She had similarly failed to make the final of the event at the last Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Delta lady’s late surge in form that saw her running a sub-11 (10.99) leading to the competition had raised the hope of a miracle happening to wipe the memory of her eighth position at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 games. However, her recent new African record in the 200m may be the motivating factor to reignite her form. In 2015, Okagbare had a battle with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, after accusing the board of killing Nigerian athletics by recruiting foreign athletes, something which the then AFN Chairman, Solomon Ogba, described as unfortunate. “Inasmuch as I don’t want to join issues with her, I want Blessing to know that she is becoming too self-centered. Her major interest is money all the time and it is not good for an athlete of her status,” Ogba replied. She had accused the AFN leadership of paying more attention to recruited foreign athletes, who, according to her, were not better than home grown talents. Okagbare was born in Sapele, Delta State and given her athletic physique; teachers and family encouraged her to take up sports. Initially, she played football as a teenager at her high school and later, in 2004, she began to take an interest in track and field. She participated in a number of disciplines early on, competing in the long jump, high jump and triple jump events at the Nigerian
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
school championships and winning a medal in each. On the senior national stage, she was a triple jump bronze medalist at the 2004 National Sports Festival. He first international event came at the 2006 Athletics World Championship, where she performed in the qualifying rounds of both the long and triple jump competitions. In May 2007, at the All-Africa Games trials in Lagos, she established a Nigerian record of 14.13 metres in the triple jump, record that had since been beaten by Chinonye Ohadugha. At the 2007 All-Africa Games, she won the silver medal in the long jump and finished fourth in the triple jump. Okagbare won the Nigerian 100m title in 2010, running a time of 11.04 seconds, after opting out of the long jump in order to save herself for the upcoming African championships. At the African Championships in the same year, she won gold in the long jump and also won gold in the 100m distance with a run of 11.03 flat. She won her third gold at the end of the championship as part of the Nigerian 4×100 m women's relay team. In 2011, Okagbare continued to build on her earlier endeavours by establishing herself as a 100m runner. At the 2011 World Championship in Daegu, Okagbare placed fifth in the 100m final with a run of 11.12s. However, she did not make it to the final of the long jump as her best jump of 6.36m was not enough to get her out of her qualifying group. She concluded her 2011 season by winning three medals at the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. At London 2012, Okagbare participated in her second Olympic Games. Going into the Olympics, she had run a number of good 100m races and there was much anticipation and hope of a medal. However, the 2012 Olympics were not as successful for Okagbare as 2008. She established a new personal best of 10.92s in the 100m semi-final but placed eighth in the final with a run of 11.01s. Meanwhile, at the 2013 World Championship in Moscow, Okagbare won the silver medal in the long jump. Her jump of 6.99m put her in second place behind Brittney Reese of the United States by only two centimetres. In the 100m final, she placed sixth with a run of 11.04s and also placed third in the 200m race. She had a disappointing show at 2016 Rio Olympics as she finished without a single medal. She never made it to the final but was ranked 3rd in 100m semifinal finishing at 11.09s and ranked 8th with her teammates in the final of 4 × 100m relay.
A
nthony Joshua has been a revelation since turning pro after winning gold at the 2012 Olympics, not only living up to the highest possible — and frankly somewhat irrational, on paper at the time — expectations, but becoming the sort of new generation superstar that boxing needs in a post-Mayweather era. The fact that Joshua has yet to fight in the United States doesn’t even matter that much. He’s made such a name for himself fighting at home in the United Kingdom, and with such style and presence, that he’s already started to see that American interest in his career rise. Showtime jumped on board early, sensing there was real star potential in this fighter, and they were right. So far, Joshua’s best win is a titanic struggle with a past-prime Wladimir Klitschko. While it’s good that we saw an epic Fight of the Year in the heavyweight division, there are still bridges for Joshua to cross, and one is beating a true, in-prime top heavyweight. Is Joseph Parker that guy? That remains to be seen. Sure, Parker has the WBO title, but lots of farfrom-elite fighters hold titles in today’s boxing world, and it’s been that way for a long time. That’s what happens when every division has at least four recognized “world champions.” Parker is no pushover, or at least that doesn’t seem to be the case, but there is at least some sense that Joshua is simply better than him, that there’s really nothing Parker can bring to the table to pull the road game upset. Joshua is favored and he should be — so far, he’s been the better pro fighter, more impressive in his best wins, including against a common opponent, the credible and solid Carlos Takam. Parker struggled to beat Takam in 2016, with Takam’s own poor execution as much to credit as anything Parker did exceptionally well. When Takam fought Joshua last year, he was overmatched and stopped in 10. Anthony Joshua is meant to be one of boxing’s new top draws and a serious star. They’re already talking about a fight with Deontay Wilder, and there’s even that bajillion dollar potential UFC boxing offer out there in the news cycle. But he does have to take care of business with Parker first. Joseph Parker deserves some credit. He could have been content to be WBO heavyweight champion, facing a true who’s-that list of challengers, staying at home in New Zealand, comfortable and making money. He clearly doesn’t want to do that. He wants to be the best, so he’s fighting the best. Even his trip to Manchester to defend against Hughie Fury last September deserved more credit than it got. Fury may not be a top contender, really, but going on the road to face a talented young opponent is more than a lot of fighters in boxing are willing to do. Parker did it to increase his visibility, and now here we are, and he’s headed to Cardiff for this massive fight with Joshua. That’s the good stuff. The not-so-good stuff? I’m not sure, again, that there’s anything Parker can do to win this fight. I think of three fights in particular that give me pause. One, the aforementioned Takam bout, where Parker
was, in my view, lucky to get out with a win. Not because he didn’t deserve it on the scorecards; he did. But because Takam gave that fight away in various rounds. It was a puzzling performance. The second came in December 2016, when Parker beat Andy Ruiz Jr for the vacant WBO belt. Ruiz went to Auckland and lost a majority decision. I had that fight a draw. It easily could have gone the other way. Again, it’s not that Parker didn’t deserve it. In this case, it’s that it was truly debatable in the end, and I don’t think anyone is confusing Ruiz for Anthony Joshua any time soon. The third was last September, when he fought Hughie Fury. Miserable fight to watch, truly dreadful. Again, a majority decision in Parker’s favor. Again, I scored a draw, but the Ruiz fight wasn’t hard to score, and this one was. Parker also got a pair of 118-110 cards, which I thought were wide, but you could probably make that case. The fight was ugly and hard to score. But the thing I came away thinking was that nobody did anything effectively. So those are three performances, against his three best opponents, where I didn’t think Joseph Parker, while solid, looked like a real top-level fighter. Certainly not on par with what we’ve seen from Anthony Joshua. That said, hey, styles make fights. Just because a guy struggles against the style of Hughie Fury or Andy Ruiz Jr doesn’t mean he can’t figure out a way to beat Anthony Joshua. I’m just saying I see it as unlikely. Highly unlikely. It would be a real upset. How did these two get here? With Floyd Mayweather retired, if you wanted to argue that Joshua was the most popular fighter in boxing you would certainly have a case. The 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist has been the great hope for British Heavyweight boxing since his debut in 2013, and he’s absolutely lived up to those expectations, with a flawless record. He had a major test last year against Wladimir Klitschko, and he got off the mat to put Klitschko away in the Fight of the Year and the best Heavyweight title fight in many, many years. Amazingly, he also looks like he wants to be fighting the actual top talents out there. He is bringing the spark to Heavyweight that has been missing for so long, and it’s amazing to watch. Where Joshua is the young fighter representing the hopes of England, Parker is the young fighter representing the hopes of New Zealand. Parker has been a pro since 2012 and started picking up steam on the international scene in the past 3 years. He won Tyson Fury’s vacant WBO title in 2016, and has defended it twice. Like Joshua, he’s a world champion and he’s undefeated, but his path to this point is quite different. Where Joshua has been shining under the increased expectations, Parker has seemed to be just getting by. He’s gone the distance in his last three, often scraping by with wins he really shouldn’t have to struggle for. He’s a legit top five Heavyweight, but he’s also taking a big step here.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
City Storm Everton in Title Push The Premier League resumes this weekend after a two-week halt due to the international break Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ăž Ă˜Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ’Ě‹ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽËœ Ă Ă?ĂœĂžĂ™Ă˜ Ă‹Ăž ÙÙÎÓĂ?Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ĂœĂ• ÞÙÎËã Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă‘Ă™ Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ăš Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă™Ă–Ă‹ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?ÙÖà Ă? ÞÙ ĂšĂ&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ? ÞÓÞÖĂ? ÞÙ ĂŒĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă? ÚÙĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ë› Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă‹ ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? ÙÞÞĂ?Ă˜Ă’Ă‹Ă— Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂŒĂŁ Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ă? ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž Ă‹ ÞÙÚ̋Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÚÖËĂ?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Ă“Ă? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ’Ă‹ĂšĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ÓâÞĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ
M
anchester City travel to Everton for this evening kickoff needing just two more wins to clinch this season's Premier League title. Pep Guardiola has failed to defeat the Toffees in three attempts during his time in England, and his opponents are one of just four teams to have taken points off the champions-elect this season. Sam Allardyce was always going to have a tough time reversing Everton's fortunes after inheriting Ronald Koeman's beleaguered side last November. Although his arrival sparked a brief upturn in form that helped the Blues pull away from the relegation zone, the honeymoon period is well and truly over and calls for the former England manager's head have been growing louder in recent weeks. In fairness to Allardyce, the Toffees' home form has picked up since he took charge, with only Manchester United leaving Goodison Park with maximum points during his tenure. That said, they have been dire on the road for the most part, but ended a run of five straight away defeats the weekend before last with a 2-1 victory at Stoke City. That win prevented Everton from racking up six away defeats on the spin for the first time since the dark days of the Mike Walker era in 1994, and coupled with a home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion the week previous, helped the Blues sign off for the international break on a high note. While a run of four wins in the last seven outings has helped consolidate Everton's position in the top half of the Premier League table, large sections of their fanbase seem keen to see the back of Allardyce, and the latest reports suggest that he could make way for Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Paulo Fonseca this summer. This seems somewhat unfair considering the unbalanced mess he inherited from Koeman, and the fact that the Blues are just three points away from seventh place ahead of their clash with City, but perhaps their league placement says more about the inconsistency of the teams above them than Everton's progress under Allardyce. Everton have the fifth-worst defence in the league and their goal haul is nothing to shout about, averaging 1.19 strikes per game, but they have won 13 points from losing positions this season, a joint-high with Bournemouth. A surprise win against City would keep Allardyce's men on course for a backdoor spot in Europe via a seventh-placed finish, but even that might not be enough to save his job given his unpopularity among Evertonians. City will be eager for a win at Goodison as another three points will give them the chance to wrap up the Premier League title against their local rivals Manchester United in front of their own fans on April 7. While clinching the trophy on derby day would be special indeed, Guardiola's side will still be on course to win the league in record-breaking style if they fail to defeat Everton. The Citizens have dropped points just four times in their opening 30 league matches, and like Everton, they will line up at Goodison fresh off the back of a victory against Stoke. City have not played since that win three weeks ago, but several members of Guardiola's squad were in action for their countries during the international break, and the rest took part in a training camp in Abu Dhabi. Before the break, the Sky Blues collected an impressive 19 points from a possible 21 since losing at Liverpool more than two months ago, but their away form in 2018 has not been as sparkling as the table suggests.
This calendar year has seen them held at Burley and Crystal Palace, as well as that loss at Anfield, although the victory over Stoke was their second on the spin away from home. Another variable to consider is that City are in action in the Champions League against Liverpool just four days after their showdown with Everton, although the squad depth at Guardiola's disposal makes fixture congestion less of an issue. Whatever happens at Everton, City are almost guaranteed to finish at the top of the pile this season, with a 16-point lead over second-placed United, but no doubt they would hate to blow the chance to set up a crunch title-clincher at the Etihad next week. Meanwhile, Chelsea will look to keep alive their top-four aspirations when playing host to Tottenham Hotspur in the pick of this weekend's Premier League fixtures. The Blues boast an impressive record against their London rivals at Stamford Bridge, but they head into the match on the back of a disappointing run of form and are in need of victory. The two-week break has given defending champions Chelsea a chance to regroup following a hugely inconsistent start to 2018, which has seen them fail to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League. Their title now relinquished, the Blues are left desperately fighting for a top-four spot in the league and requiring success in the FA Cup to salvage their season. Even that, though, may not be enough to save Antonio Conte's job in West London. In fact, if reports are to be believed it is now just a matter of weeks until Conte is given his marching orders by demanding owner Roman Abramovich, who is said to have already lined up Luis Enrique to take over from next season. Adding the FA Cup to last season's Premier League crown - won with a record number of wins, remember - would not be a bad way for the Italian to bow out, though there is no doubt that the Blues have been hugely underwhelming in the top flight throughout 2017-18. Right from the opening game of the season, when going down 3-2 to Burnley, Chelsea have seemingly been just one bad result away from a crisis, and Conte's long goodbye now appears to be entering its final stages. Winning just seven of 18 matches in 2018, two of those via extra time or penalties, has seen the Blues drop out of the top four and exit the Champions League, leaving them with a maximum of 10 games to save face.
Chelsea's big game record has also been disappointing, having failed to win any of their last four matches against the big six, including back-to-back defeats at the hands of Manchester United and Manchester City a month ago. The manner of the loss at City was particularly hard to take for supporters, with the Blues almost settling for a one-goal defeat, and now Conte must quite simply send out his players to attack Tottenham and reignite his side's top-four hopes. While Chelsea have struggled for momentum over the past few months, Tottenham have lost just two of their last 25 matches and are in a strong position heading into this match. Mauricio Pochettino famously said earlier in the season that the FA Cup is well down his list of priorities, though following the Lilywhites' cruel Champions League exit, winning domestic silverware is now surely a priority. Finishing in the top four is a prerequisite for any domestic success, though, and as things stand it is Tottenham who are the strong favourites to edge out Chelsea for that final Champions League berth. Liverpool in third are only two points better off than Spurs after playing a game more, too, so victory at Stamford Bridge this weekend and all focus can turn to the huge FA Cup semi-final with Man United in a few weeks' time. The manner of the 3-2 aggregate defeat to Juventus may have been tough to take for
Hot Shot Mohamed Salah Harry Kane Sergio Aguero Raheem Sterling Roberto Fermino Jamie Verdy Romelu Lukaku Son Heung-min Eden Hazard Glenn Murray Riyad Mahrez Alvaro Morata Wayne Rooney
Liverpool Tottenham Man City Man City Liverpool Leicester Man Utd Tottenham Chelsea Brighton Leicester Chelsea Everton
28 24 21 15 13 13 13 12 12 11 10 10 10
Spurs, having dominated much of the last-16 tie, but Pochettino will be delighted with the response shown by his players following that latest setback in their quest for some form of silverware. Bournemouth put up a fight but were eventually brushed aside, while Swansea City offered up far less resistance in the FA Cup ahead of the international break - Spurs running out comfortable 3-0 winners in that match, without the services of injured striker Harry Kane.
Fixtures TODAY Crystal Palace Brighton Man Utd Newcastle Watford West Brom West Ham Everton
v v v v v v v v
Liverpool Leicester Swansea HuddersďŹ eld Bournemouth Burnley Southampton Man City
12:30 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 17:30
SUNDAY Arsenal Chelsea
v v
Stoke City Tottenham
13:30 16:00
Premiership Man City Man Utd Liverpool Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Burnley Leicester Everton Bournemouth Watford Brighton Newcastle Swansea HuddersďŹ eld Crystal Palace West Ham Southampton Stoke West Brom
30 30 31 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 30 30 30 31 31 30 30 31 31
65 35 39 34 25 14 1 2 -13 -12 -16 -12 -10 -17 -27 -18 -21 -15 -29 -25
81 65 63 61 56 48 43 40 40 36 36 34 32 31 31 30 30 28 27 20
33
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS
with KUNLE ADEWALE 08111813082
L-R: Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr Kweku Tandoh, winner in the men event, Karim El Hammany from Egypt and Chairman of the LOC, Sanya Akindele.
Joshua Drops Weight for Unification Clash with Parker Anthony Joshua displayed a leaner physique as only six pounds separated him from Joseph Parker at the weigh-in for their unification clash. The WBA 'super' and IBF heavyweight champion weighed in at 17st 4lbs 2oz, significantly lighter than his last world title defence, while WBO belt holder Parker also trimmed down to 16st 12lbs 7oz for today's big fight in Cardiff. Joshua had come in at 18st 2lbs, his career heaviest for his stoppage win over Carlos Takam in October, but admitted that he needed to shed
weight for the New Zealander, a fellow unbeaten champion. "I feel better. Training is all about rehearsal and so is sparring, but it has gone well," Joshua told Sky Sports. "You will see I will be a lot sharper. My reflexes will be sharper and my speed will be much sharper. "He looked good, but I would expect that from a world champion. "You will be in for a good, good fight tomorrow night, believe me." Parker had planned to be more mobile than his last world title defence against Hughie Fury, which
saw him tip the scales at 17st 7lbs in September, and is keen to test his hand speed against Joshua. "Us being close in weight makes me think he is taking it seriously," said Parker. "We are similar, we will both be fast tomorrow and throwing bombs. "I saw he is confident, I'm expecting a really good fight. "The first few rounds could go either way, depends who follows their game plan better - I'm ready for anything. "I'm here for war, you'll have to do everything to beat me."
Tandoh Hails 2018 Lagos Int'l Squash Classics Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh has hailed the just ended 2018 Lagos International Squash Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, saying the classic was back for good, adding that henceforth it would be an annual event. According to him, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was passionate about the tournament, as it was a good platform to expose the state's athletes in an international competition. He said U-19 event which was organised simultaneously with the classic was a good developmental programme aiming at giving youngsters opportunity to develop their talent. Egyptian players were cynosure of all
eyes in the finals last Saturday. The Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour, sponsored by the Lagos State Government through the state State Sports Commission, was organised by the Lagos State Squash Association in conjunction with Nigeria Squash Federation. Watched by a capacity crowd inside Molade OkoyaThomas Indoor Sports Hall, attendees included the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, the Director General of the Commission, Hon Fatai Babatunde Bank-Anthony. The Egyptians who were playing in the finals of both male and female categories proved that they didn't get to the finals by luck, but through hardwork and determination.
Salma Youssef beat her compatriot Menna Nasser in a keenly contested match that ended 3-2 in the women’s event. Youssef won $5000 prize money. Nasser could not continue the last set of the match due to an injury, while injured Karim El-Hammany, tournament 4th seed and 71 in the world, beat compatriot, Ahmed Hosny 3-0 to win the $15,000 prize money. The winners in both categories praised the standard of Lagos Classic. To Youssef, who was in Lagos for the first time, the organisation was excellent, adding that the organisers put up a world class event. Karim, who was also in the country for the first time, said he would love to come back next year.
GOtv Boxing Night 14
Jagaban Vows to Fall Wize King in First Round GOtv Boxing NextGen Search graduate, Semiu "Jagaban" Olapade, has boasted that his opponent for the national middleweight challenge bout at GOtv Boxing Night 14, Chukwuebuka "Wize Man" Ezewudo, will not go beyond the first round on April 14, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. Ezewudo, also a graduate of GOtv Boxing NextGen Search and his opponent, made their professional debut at different editions of GOtv Boxing Night. Speaking yesterday, Jagaban described his opponent as a boxer with
still a lot to learn about the sport."He calls himself Wize Man, but I will make him look foolish because he knows little about boxing. He will not go beyond the first round. Mark my words," bragged Jagaban. GOtv Boxing Night 14 will feature seven fights, including three for two international titles and one for a domestic title. In the cruiserweight division, Razak Ramon will face Abiodun Afinni in a national challenge bout. The major fight on the night is the African Boxing Union featherweight title bout between Nigeria’s Waidi Usman and Kenya’s Michael
Nyawade. Rilwan Babatunde will take on Djossou Basile of the Republic of Benin in the West African Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight title fight. The third title bout will see Rilwan Oladosu, winner of the best boxer award at GOtv Boxing Night 13, will take on Kazeem Badmus for the national lightweight title. African Boxing Union lightweight champion, Oto Joseph, will stake his reputation against hard-hitting Prince Nwoye in a national challenge bout. In a clash of debutants, Majesty Maduka, will confront Sulaimon Adeosun.
Star Fan Park Delights Jos Crowd with Nigeria' Serbia Match Star Fan Park teemed with Super Eagles fans who were thrilled to experience a night of football action with the Super Eagles locked in battle against the Eagles of Serbia. The thrilling encounter was brought to life for the Jos fans courtesy of Star beer. The premium experience centre located at Star Fan Club in Steffan Hotel, Jos had supporters of the national team engage in banter and conversations as they witnessed the keenly contested fixture between the
Eagles and their Serbian opponents. Both teams kept each other at bay throughout the first 45 minutes, with the Serbian team enjoying a little more ball possession than the Super Eagles throughout the pulsating encounter. The Super Eagles however were dogged in defending until the about the 68th minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored the first goal, and then the Fulham striker on loan from Newcastle doubled the lead 13 minutes later. With this result, Serbia ended the Super
Eagles unbeaten run of more than 4 months, having previously defeated the likes of Cameroon, Argentina and Poland during an impressive run of form. Star Lager beer, the official beer partner of the Nigeria football team and organizers of the Star fan park have promised that football fans will be experiencing more of the premium experience in other cities as they continue to host football fans in celebration of the Super Eagles.
BCGS Captain's Inaugural Golf Tournament Tees-off Tomorrrow The Benin Club Golf Section Captains Inaugural Golf Tournament has been scheduled to tee-off on Sunday at the Benin club golf course, Benin City. The one day golfing action is anticipated to attract no fewer than 120 golfers that cut across various golf clubs mostly in the South-South region, and beyond. Speaking to sports writers at the club house on Thursday, the club captain, Osagie Nehikhare disclosed that the tournament was part of the yearly golf event in which the new captain used to launch himself into the relm of leadership position as the number one golfer in the section. Nehikhare confirmed that all necessary arrangements to ensure hitch free tournament have been perfected by the local organising committee, adding that the tournament is of great important to golfers in Nigeria. However, he instilled that fabulous prizes and trophies would be presented to those who distinguished themselves at the event. "There are prizes for all the categories in both men' and Ladies event respectively. We have men's and ladies, veteran, super veteran category. Golfers from Ibori Golf and Country Club, Asaba; UBTH Golf club, Benin; Shell Golf Club, Ogunnu, Warri; Port-Harcourt Golf Club; Air Assault Golf Club, Port-Harcourt, and many others are expected at the tournament. So it is going to be exciting and competitive all through the day, come on Easter Sunday." Captain opined.
Sheikh Bayorh Says Pipul TV/ Nationwide League will Revolutionise Nigeria Football Chairman of the Alpha Group, Dubai, a major stakeholder in Pipul TV, Sheikh Mohamed Bayorh, has said the Pay TV company partners with Nationwide League One to provide the channel to herald football talents from the grassroots in Nigeria through the influence of television. Bayorh’s Alpha Group is a holding conglomerate based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which is co-chaired by a member of the Dubai Royal Family and major partners of Pipul TV. Bayorh, during a brief visit to the secretariat of the league body in Abuja on Monday, said the media attention had always been on football supers stars but Pipul TV’s partnership with the NLO would focus on the unheralded talents from the grassroots with a view to showcasing them to the world through its platform. “Everyone knows that the development of football starts at the grassroots level and our focus is to give voice to the unheard. We want to offer platforms to those unknown young footballers and nurture their skills at the various clubs in the nationwide league.� Bayorh said “Pipul TV is poised to change the sequence that focuses on the big boys in the round leather game by beaming the search light on the stars of the future that already have a springboard to fly in the Nationwide League.� In his response, the Chief Operating Officer of the NLO, Shola Ogunnowo, said: "We are glad that the league signed a sponsorship and title partnership deal with Pipul TV and it is hoped that this partnership deal, when it is fully activated, will drive the process of a new football evolution in Nigeria.� The football season for clubs in the Nationwide League will commences on April 5, with actions across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
RIGHT OF REPLY/VINTAGE
Crusoe Osagie: How Not to Write a Rejoinder Sufuyan Ojeifo
T
he abandonment of ethics in the articulation of private fixations has reached its most disgusting level in the domain of rejoinder writing in Edo State. It is necessary to state this now so that Mr. Crusoe Osagie would not go away feeling conceited that there was honour in his use of dishonourable tactics. In an obtuse bid to massage his ego and satisfy a false sense of accomplishment, he reduced my analysis of the political developments in Edo to a product of dishonest briefing by the Chair of Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Osi Orbih. That rationalisation was patently unfair, infantile, pitiable and cheap. To be sure, Osagie works as a media aide to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. He took the opportunity of defending his boss to wantonly assault my person and professional integrity. If he had done so with a touch of brilliance, I would not have bothered so much. But he did it in a poorly-crafted rejoinder to my article titled: “Obaseki and the dialectics of oppositional politics�, which was published very recently in some newspapers and online news portals. From his deployment of the language of war, he clearly exposed his incapacity to be above the fray, which I consider, stricto sensu, the supreme requirement of a good rejoinder. If he had been above the fray, he would have been able to deal with the essential issues, correct misconceptions and refrain from personality attack. Sadly, Osagie failed the critical test from the outset of his riposte. He allowed himself to sink very low into
the odious and the ridiculous when, in a flash of approbation, he claimed that I was well known to him and, in another flash of reprobation, he described his reply to my article as an intellectual exchange with an opponent that he knew fairly well because, according to him, we worked together in THISDAY newspapers for several years. I do not deny that both of us had the privilege of working in THISDAY but, as I write now, if I run into him, I would not recognize him because we never had any personal contact while in THISDAY. While he was a reporter on the Business Desk (Agriculture beat or so) and later Deputy News Editor many years after I had left THISDAY, I was Politics Editor in Abuja covering the Senate. He must have known me well by my professional reputation. For personal reasons, I resigned at the point I was redeployed to the State House as State House Bureau Chief in 2010. Describing me, therefore, as an opponent presupposed that Osagie was out for a battle to settle some personal scores: perhaps because I had the audacity to capture the atmospherics and the nuances of the dialectical relationship between the opposition and the state government in a way that portrayed his boss as somewhat incompetent; or because I had the effrontery to point out Governor Obaseki’s political and strategic misstep of not loading his government with experienced and grass roots politicians whom Osagie gratuitously described as political jobbers. Osagie actually referred to my case for inclusion of All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders who worked round the clock for Obaseki’s election in the government while he was enjoying himself in THISDAY newsroom in Lagos as “a shameful case for jobs for
the boys.� Now where is the logic in Osagie’s despicable claim that I received a jaundiced brief from Orbih and other actors in the PDP in Edo State? Was he saying that part of the brief was to make a case for the strategic inclusion of experienced and grass roots politicians in the APC fold in the government who would provide a solid rampart for Obaseki to succeed? This is obviously non-sequitur. The PDP does not want Obaseki to succeed. It is in the interest of the PDP that Obaseki continues to commit a rash of blunders and own goals. I would not revisit all the specific issues that I raised in my article to which Osagie had reacted. That is not the essence of this piece. The essence of this exertion is to instruct Osagie on how not to write a rejoinder. Referring to me as Ojeifo without the nicety of my person (first name and title) was jejune. It largely detracted from the solemnity of the office he occupies and the task of a salesman that he undertakes for his boss. It is not in apple-pie order for a salesman in the terrain in which Osagie operates to allow unrestrained personal emotions that quite easily befuddle rigorous thinking to overwhelm him. When that happens, attention is largely shifted to attacking the person (argumentum ad hominem) rather than addressing the issues; or begging the questions (petitio principii), for instance, assuming wrongly from the premise that I had no clue about what is happening in my state. Whereas, Osagie is egregiously mistaken. I strongly believe Osagie should be advised and guided next time round that it is dilatory to be foul mouthed in trying to make a point. For example, such expressions as “for the purpose of safeguarding the little regard I have for
you‌â€?, â€œâ€Śthis piece that has seriously belittled the supposedly high standing of journalism expertise which you acquired during your days as a crack reporter for THISDAYâ€?, â€œâ€ŚYou are probably not quite the investigative and critical journalist you used to beâ€?, “Or has my comrade journalist become so degraded in his idealistic struggle for the good of the common man to begin to make such a shameful case for job for the boys?â€? and “I would like to remind Ojeifo, in case his journalist note pads have been misplaced in the pursuit of other interest‌â€?, et al, were malapropos in the context of a good rejoinder. Deal with the issues. Do not denigrate the individuals. Let me state at this juncture that I had sincerely wanted to discountenance Osagie’s rejoinder since my positions as contained in the casus belli (my article) that gave rise to it (rejoinder) remain unassailable; however, I could not but yield to the constant urge to respond in order to guide an unknown friend, not an opponent, on how to acquit himself creditably when next he is challenged to justify the pay he receives from his boss for obligatory defence. Finally, even though he did not see anything worthy of commendation in my well-intentioned intervention in the political developments in my dear state, I must commend Osagie for leveraging on and taking advantage of his membership of the THISDAY family to facilitate the publication of his rejoinder to my article that was not even published, in the first instance, by the newspaper. I doubt if that accords to the canon of accepting and publishing rejoinders. Nevertheless, elbow grease! –Ojeifo, editor-in-chief of The Congresswatchmagazine, wrote via ojwonderngr@ yahoo.com
Falobi Charges Colleagues to Support Unilag Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association Adedayo Adejobi
T
he Unilag Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association, recently held its first Annual General Meeting and Second Alumni lecture delivered by Engineer Dideolu Falobi, the Managing Director of Kresta Laurel Limited, a leading indigenous company in the fields of elevators, escalators and cranes. While addressing the topic, ‘Alumni Association: A veritable tool for networking and promotion of professionalism’, Falobi described networking, networking skills and networking platforms such as the alumni association, a very critical need for businessmen and professionals. He added that, networking facilitates and enhances individual and business success. Driving home his point he gave case studies of working alumni associations, mentioning Stanford University, USA, which top the list of TOP 50 Alumni Networks and Methodist High School, Ilesa. Falobi, a proud alumnus of Unilag and the National President of the Old Students Association, Methodist High School, Ilesa highlighted some of the association phenomenal achievements as: re-commissioning a total of about 40 classrooms which was completely refurbished at a cost of about N70million, Commissioning and handing over to the school an Olympic standard basketball court by the 1977 set, Sponsored Interhouse Sports Competitions in addition setting up, and supporting different
L-R: Engr. Funso Kupolokun, former GMD, NNPC, Engr. Dideolu Falobi, Guest Speaker, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, VC, University of Lagos, and Prof. Funso Falade, Dean Faculty of Engineering at the 2nd Annual Lecture of the Unilag Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association held on Saturday 24th March, 2018.
school clubs such as Man-O-War, Drama club and so on, payment of security men salary, monetary awards to 42 brilliant students by the 1985 set, Support for teachers and motivation including sponsored trainings and e-library, astronomical Observatory and laboratory, set of ultra- modern toilets and a table tennis hall donated by the Old students/sets are under construction while the Physics and Chemistry Laboratories are being refurbished. His modest contributions and supports have earned him numerous awards and titles as he was recently
installed as the Bobajiro of Ilesa by Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, CFR. While speaking on the state of the nation, he advised the government to concentrate on other tangible and intangible alternatives such as agriculture, industrialisation/manufacturing, entertainment/arts, sports, solid minerals, ICT, human resources, tourism/hospitality, medical tourism and education tourism instead of the total concentration given to oil. He identified some major challenges that affect our choice of political leaders
with the right values as: apathy to party membership/registration for elections/ voting on election day, violence and huge cost of electioneering. He said, “When I started my Stop complaining, take action campaign, most of my relatives, friends and loved ones appealed to me not to get involved in politics even though they acknowledge that I would be a good material (I hope so). How long will this continue?� Folabi however, challenged the guests to use every means possible to mobilise fellow citizens to register and vote, campaign against violence in our electoral system and also advocate for the enforcement of rules guiding the funding for election as well as disbursement. Similarly, he shared thoughts on Mr. Ganobi Obinna’s six-page letter that has been forwarded to the Body of Deans of Faculty of Engineering in Universities, The Chairman Board of Fellows, the President of NSE and the President of COREN. He thanked everybody present for their rapt attention, the Faculty and Board of Trustee of the Alumni for the honour, whilst charging everybody to donate generously to the funding of the association. Dignitaries in attendance were: Vice Chancellor, UNILAG - Prof Toyin Ogundipe, Worldwide President, UNILAG Alumni, - Olor’ogun Dr. Sunny Kuku, UNILAG ENGR. Alumni BOT Chairman- Otunba Engr. (Dr.) Oye Eribake, Former VC, UNILAG - Distinguished Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo Obe, Former VC, UNILAG - Prof. Rahman Bello, Prof. Ayo Ogunye, Prof. Kupolokun, Dean of Engineering - Prof. Falade and Rector, YABATECH.
35
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍąÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś
ËŞ
Challenges Writers Face (1): Sitting is New Cancer
BISI DANIELS bisi.daniels@thisdaylive.com Blog: www.bisidaniels.com, 08050220700
Writers choose convenient environment and positions that make their thoughts ow. Overtime, however, most writers have been known to sit at their desks to write. In an age-long tradition that glamourised the art, this is done in a study! But writing desks and chairs may be going out of fashion as have the good old cigarette and cigars because they are killers
R
ose, who went to her husband’s study one night to serve him tea stood at the door for several minutes, wondering what had happened to her husband for years. She could not talk because of the agreement on silence in the study to enable him concentrate. But the new sight was so strange she couldn’t help it. “My dear, everything Ok? Why are you standing to write on a raised desk that looks like a pulpit?â€? She asked her hand holding firmly to the tray. Tim turned reluctantly to look her way and motioned to her to put the tray down. That was when she noticed what he wore. “And you are wearing only shorts? Haaaaa!â€? She muffled a scream, wishing desperately to call his mother. “I will explain,â€? he stopped writing to say, and dashed across the brightly lit study to her. Still standing, he explained how sitting for long hour “kills faster than cigarette.â€? Prolonged sitting, which people, including most writers, do, has been found to be as dangerous as smoking, if not more. Indeed, findings presented at the 2015 Inaugural Active Working Summit also found that sitting increases: Lung cancer by 54 percent; uterine cancer by 66 percent; and colon cancer by 30 percent. The increased risk is thought to be linked to weight gain and associated biochemical changes, such as alterations in hormones, metabolic dysfunction, leptin dysfunction, and inflammation—all of which promote cancer. Some writers saw it coming. Writing positions have indeed been undergoing variations. While some write standing, others do so lying done. Both positions have become inviting by the availability of iPads and even mobile phones with large screens. Many people write on their mobile phones in comfortable positions and forward to their computers. Victims of prolonged sitting write include Glenell Rosburg. She said, “I have a writing injury! It’s true. I have a certifiable writing injury. I went to the podiatrist recently and he told me that the large bump on my ankle which I believed to be a tumor that I would immediately die from was actually just a writing lump. “Okay, he didn’t call it a writing lump, but after examining me, x-raying me, and questioning me he determined that the hard chair I sat cross-legged on for hours at a time was slowly destroying my leg. All the pressure and weight from my entire body was on my poor ankle. And there was the moving back and forth, the getting up and down‌all that friction. And so my body created a barrier to protect my bone from the chair. It’s like a cushion, he said. Your body made an ankle pillow. Diagnosis complete! Basically, I have to stop sitting cross-legged. But it’s so hard! It’s my position. I think best and I write best when I sit that way. When I told my doctor this, he prescribed a softer chair.â€? Some great authors who wrote while standing Ernest Hemingway: The habit of standing to write is one that Hemingway “had from the beginning,â€? explained George Plimpton in an interview. “He stands in a pair of his oversized loafers on the worn skin of a lesser kudu—the typewriter and the reading board chest-high opposite him ‌ moving only to shift weight from one foot to another.â€? Vladimir Nabokov. The Russian author,
best known for his work Lolita, ranked No. 4 in the list of the Modern Library 100 Best Novels, stood while he worked. 1IJMJQ 3PUI Considered one of America’s greatest living authors, Roth stands at a lectern to writ and paces while he thinks, claiming to walk half a mile for every page. 5IPNBT 8PMGF This almost seems like a tall tale (pun intended—you’ll see what I mean). The author of Look Homeward, Angel was “a very tall fellow,� who wrote standing up in his kitchen, according to Wikipedia. "VUIPST 8IP 8SPUF -ZJOH %PXO .BSDFM 1SPVTU reported that he wrote lying down in his famous brass bed, especially during his final years when illness forced him to complete Remembrance of Things Past while confined to his cork-lined bedroom. Edith Sitwell who was reputed to have slept in a coffin from time to time, also enjoyed her bed. “All women should have a day a week in bed,� she quipped. At the end of one particularly long day working in bed, she observed: “I am honestly so tired that all I can do is lie on my bed with my mouth open.� &EJUI 8IBSUPO the author of The Age of Innocence and other novels, retreated to bed in order to escape rigid expectations about what women should wear. The freedom from her corset liberated her thoughts as well. She even celebrated her eightieth birthday in bed — with a candle-covered cake that caught on fire. 5SVNBO $BQPUF quoted himself in an interview with The Paris Review: “I am a completely horizontal author,� he admitted. “I can’t think unless I’m lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a cigarette and coffee handy. 8JMMJBN 8PSETXPSUI reportedly preferred writing his poems in bed in the complete darkness, and would start over whenever he lost a sheet of paper because looking for it was too much trouble. 8 ( 4FCBME who worked on The Rings of Saturn while plagued by back problems, was in a similarly unenviable position: He lay on his stomach across the bed, propped his forehead
on a chair, and placed the manuscript on the floor to write. Details of harm caused by prolonged sitting Experts explain that at the molecular level, your body was designed to be active and on the move all day long. When you stop moving for extended periods of time, it’s like telling your body it’s time to shut down and prepare for death. They describe what happens in various areas of your body after prolonged sitting: t )FBSU When you sit, blood flows slower and muscles burn less fat, which makes it easier for fatty acids to clog your heart. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, for instance, showed that women who sit for 10 or more hours a day may have a significantly greater risk of developing heart disease than those who sit for five hours or less. t 1BODSFBT Your body’s ability to respond to insulin is affected by just one day of excess sitting, which leads your pancreas to produce increased amounts of insulin, and this may lead to diabetes. Research published in Diabetologia found that those who sat for the longest periods of time were twice as likely to have diabetes or heart disease, compared to those who sat the least. Sitting for more than eight hours a day has also been associated with a 90 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. t $PMPO $BODFS Excess sitting may increase your risk of colon, breast, and endometrial cancers. The mechanism isn’t known for certain, but it could be due to excess insulin production, which encourages cell growth, or the fact that regular movement boosts antioxidants in your body that may eliminate potentially cancercausing free radicals. Digestion: Sitting down after you’ve eaten causes your abdominal contents to compress, slowing down digestion. Sluggish digestion, in turn, can lead to cramping, bloating, heartburn, and constipation, as well as dysbiosis in your gastrointestinal tract, a condition caused by microbial imbalances in your body. Brain Damage: Your brain function slows
when your body is sedentary for too long. Your brain will get less fresh blood and oxygen, which are needed to trigger the release of brain- and mood-enhancing chemicals. t 4USBJOFE /FDL BOE 4IPVMEFST It’s common to hold your neck and head forward while working at a computer or cradling a phone to your ear. This can lead to strains to your cervical vertebrae along with permanent imbalances, which can lead to neck strain, sore shoulders and back. t #BDL 1SPCMFNT Sitting puts more pressure on your spine than standing, and the toll on your back health is even worse if you’re sitting hunched in front of a computer. It’s estimated that 40 percent of people with back pain have spent long hours at their computer each day. The disks in your back are meant to expand and contract as you move, which allows them to absorb blood and nutrients. When you sit, the disks are compressed and can lose flexibility over time. Sitting excessively can also increase your risk of herniated disks. An expert explains that after I reduced my normal 12 to 14 hours of daily sitting to under one hour, the back pain I’d struggled with for decades disappeared. r 4UBOEJOH SFRVJSFT ZPV UP UFOTF ZPVS abdominal muscles, which go unused when you sit, ultimately leading to weak abdominals. t )JQ 1SPCMFNT Your hips also suffer from prolonged sitting, becoming tight and limited in range of motion because they are rarely extended. In the elderly, decreased hip mobility is a leading cause of falls. Sitting also does nothing for your glutes, which may become weakened, affecting your stability and the power of your stride when walking and jumping. t 7BSJDPTF 7FJOT Sitting leads to poor circulation in your legs, which can cause swelling in your ankles, varicose veins, and blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). t 8FBL #POFT Walking, running, and engaging in other weight-bearing activities lead to stronger, denser bones. Lack of activity may cause weak bones and even osteoporosis.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
36
by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602
TRAVEL&LEISURE
Exploring South-east’s Amazing Tourism Potentials Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂœĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ?ËÎÞÒ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂŒĚ‹ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ĚŽ ĂŒĂ“Ă‹Ëœ Ă˜Ă‹Ă—ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ëœ ĂŒĂ™Ă˜ĂŁĂ“Ëœ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™ ÞËÞĂ?Ă?Ë› ĂœĂ‹ĂœĂ? ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă• Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂ? ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă— ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă? ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš ĂĄĂ“ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ë› Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ?Ă?ĂŁ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă¤Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă— Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ě™ ĚšËœ ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂœĂ“Ăš Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă™Ă˜ ÒÙå ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ăž ÞÙ Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă‹Ă?Þ˪Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ? ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă— ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ë› Omolola Itayemi ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă?
O
ne could not have made it to all the locations in a short three days if not for the availability of the services ofABC Transport.As we moved from city to city, state to state, one thing was clear: South East Travel and Tourism is ready to take off under the s tewardship of Ngozi Ngoka, VP FTAN, South East. Enugu, town of the red earth Enugu was home to Nigeria’s first coalmines, which were built in 1908, one of Nigeria’s major exports at the time. The British developed the city to their own immediate requirement. Development of Enugu, which means ‘town on a hill’, literally started from the top of the hills where the coalmines were built. To access the colliery, from the main town, one had to go from the base, up the Milliken hill, through a windy twisting road that is celebrating its centennial this year. It has been said that many a too-fast driver had overshot the road down the steep slopes that flank one side of the road. The wonder though is that vestiges of this road built exactly 100 years ago by Engineer Milliken still remain in the main. The construction of the road is an evidence of sheer genius that was deployed at the time. At the valley below is the Iva valley camp, named after the main contractor who supplied labour for the mines. You can’t miss the predominant red earth of Enugu. It has been there for thousands of years and will be there for years to come. The demystiďŹ cation of the shrines If you are accessing the Milliken hill directly from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, you will go throughAbakpa, which was the colloquial name for an Army settlement. The barracks of the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army is, indeed, located along the route, but not before one has driven past the installations of the Nigerian Air Force. In any case, any tourist into Enugu must stop over at the Museum of National Unity, a fairly, well-kept repository of our national history. Nature’s best kept secrets Beyond the Milliken Hill, further into Enugu State towards Udi, is the Ogba Cave, which during wars, including the civil war, served as refuge for fleeing country dwellers. Agrove of almond and melon trees houses the cave. The entrance to the cave is uneven but accessible and even motorable up to a particular point where one is forced to alight and approach by foot. The trees in the grove harbour chirping birds and lend to the supernatural ambience that surrounds the cave. To enter the cave, one must take of his shoes altogether and descend a slippery slope into the mouth of the cave. The cave is made of the silica rock and has been said to be so from the beginning of time. A stream leads from the cave and serves as a source of potable water for the community. This stream leads to the Ogbakaba waterfall, which is one of nature’s best-kept secrets. Cascading waters pound the rocks and give up a continuous, thunderous roar. Simple walkways, though fragile, have been built to skirt the waterfalls to help interested sightseers go from one end of the waterfall to the other. And how best to end the day, than to settle into a bowl of abacha (cassava flakes), ugba (stripped locust beans) and bush meat or roasted chicken washed down with frothing sweet palm wine. Owerri, the centre of ‘enjoyment’ Owerri is known as the centre of Igbo Catholicism but today, it can be called the centre of “enjoyment.â€? It is home to over 300 new 2-star, 3-star hotels, over 20,000 hotel rooms, built within a span of 10 years. Why is there this new flourish of hospitality at Owerri? What most of the tourism operators at Owerri say is that Owerri is a major travel hub in the South-east. Most road travellers from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and even Rivers State traverse Owerri to get to their ultimate destinations. Then, Owerri boasts of the Sam Mbakwe Airport which makes it easier to connect to Lagos and Abuja. Then, in terms of business, the South East is a major pull for business such that thousands of business transactions are enacted daily resulting in the flurry of overnight stays at the city’s hotels.
Entering Ogbunike Cave, 320 steps down
Dr. Etofolam Osuji, Chairman/CEO, Maranatha Suites, a retired public accountant, boasts his hotel records a 50+% average occupancy rate. The same can be said of Emmanuel Nwachuckwu, General Manager of Villa Garden Hotel, Owerri, who says the hotel records up to 90% occupancy at peak seasons. Full Moon Hotel boasts 69 rooms and an average occupancy rate of 43%. Full Moon Hotel boasts a whole range of facilities and services from swimming pool to conference facilities and has regular buffet. The hotels all try to outdo themselves in providing leisure and hospitality services for inbound travellers. It is whispered though that the underlying allure for most inbound travellers to Owerri are the fair ones from the five higher educational institutions domiciled in the state. The myth of the Ogbunike AnambraishometogreattownsincludingAwka, Onitsha, Obosi, Ogbunike, Oko and Nkpor. Its residents all try to outdo themselves in showing hospitality to visitors. And when they do, it’s the full complement of food, drinks and board. The Igwe of Ogbunike, himself, Igwe Osita Umenyiora, personified this show of hospitality as he received us at his palace. Mere mortals, though wewere,hewelcomeduswiththekolanuts,garden eggs, food and drinks, highly elaborate, especially at the short notice of our coming. Our main interest was the Ogbunike cave and waterfall. And our main tourist guide was the Igwe himself! He took pains to tell us about the cave and the descent to it – 312 steps! No mean feat for the faint-hearted. He was spot on in this description for the going down and coming up is a real cardio-vascular workout. Drops of water trickle from the roof. We are told that during the rainy season, it stops. Obviously, this phenomenon is something for scientists to clear up. Like the Ogba cave near Enugu, the Ogbunike cave was haven for the many who fled to it in times of strife. The entrance to the cave is a large opening. The Igwe tells that his Palace throne room was designed to simulate the cave opening. Inside the cave are many chambers and they can be located on many levels. Even though the Igwe assures us that there are no real spiritual linkages one could draw to the cave, it is reported that many religious persons including pastors and priests go into cave and take sanctuary as they fast and commune with God. TheIgwe’sthroneroomisworthmentioning.The
Relics of National War Museum
stuffing of wild animals like the bear and the tiger adorn the approach to the throne. Other objects add to give the throne room a stately appearance and leave the visitor gasping in wonder.
hopelessness, which may not be re-enacted for many years to come. Never again, should there be such a war. War is simply not good.
War, never again While the articles at the Enugu museum of National Unity fill one with a nostalgic feeling for the ancient times, the stories and relics at the National War Museum at Umuahia, fill one with abhorrence for war. Objects of war like guns, aircraft, the famous Ogbunigwe (Biafran bomb), tanks, personnel carriers and watercraft are on display at the museum. Also on display are the old transmitters of the defunct Radio Biafra which operated from a bunker located below the outpost of the Biafran which is now the museum. From the outpost, a trench was dug all the way to the last command headquarters of the then Supreme Commander of Biafra, ‘General’ Odumegwu Ojukwu, where a bunker was also built (Ojukwu bunker) and from where Biafran strategy was cultivated. The civil and structural engineering of the bunker is elaborate. Nevertheless, it is not the objects of war that fill one with revulsion of war; it is the sheer waste of genius and talent for a cause, which, unfortunately, has come to nothing, that fills one with such regret. That such an opportunity for such gratuitous contribution of aptitude to a national cause has now given way to a somewhat certain
Like joke, the statues make sense Is it possible to leave the South East without paying homage to the statues? Certainly not! The Owerri statues have caused many tongues to wag especially as people wonder the function of statues in these lean times. But when you get to Owerri, you don’t want to miss them. Every tourist makes a beeline for the statues, which are mounted in the Owerri Recreational Park, which also has man-made caves and other recreational pieces. The brainchild of the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the statues are those of outstanding men and women of African descent from Africa and diaspora. They include the Rt. Honourable, NnamdiAzikiwe, Owelle of Onitsha, and Martin Luther King. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Nelson Mandela also have mounts here as well Mrs. Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson and Mr. Jacob Zuma. Nana Akufo Addo is also here. It is a great effort and it will pull in a lot of people to Owerri. The normal early morning greeting is, “I boo la chi? (Have you woken up?)� But today’s Owerri greeting is, “Awoo la chi? (Have you been moulded?)� It is because there are two empty mounts. Who would occupy those mounts? Could it be you?
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
EVENT
Celebration as Caverton Renews Helicopter Fleet For a company operating in a climate most investors see as unfriendly following dwindling oil price and increasing interest rate on borrowings, Caverton Helicopters took delivery of the latest state-of-theart helicopters to service a new contract and stamp its authority in aviation logistics. The landmark achievement climaxed with a visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange to close the luncheon that heralded the arrival of the new machines. Funke Olaode who was there reports
L-R- Mr. Ayodele Omueti, Capt. Josiah Choms, Mr. David Sale, Mr. Oscar Onyema and Mr. Olabode Makanjoula when the team visited the NSE headquarters in Lagos...recently
T
he sound and sight of helicopters over Ikeja that sunny afternoon was an indication that something was in the offing as dignitaries from far and near alighted from the mechanical birds at the International Airport in Ikeja. There were business associates, beaming with smiles, shaking hands with one another as they exchanged banters to felicitate with the man of the moment who has done the Nigerian aviation sector proud. “This man must be a crowd puller,� remarked one of the guests. “The project at hand deserves the attention of oil and gas stakeholders in Nigeria�, said another fellow. “But you know he is a man of vision who doesn’t do his thing in half measure.� Those were the observations of some of the guests. The road to the newest addition began after a rigorous tender process where Caverton Helicopters Limited was selected as the preferred air transport provider for the NNPC/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture based in Escravos, Nigeria. To celebrate this feat, Caverton Offshore Support Group led by its chairman, Mr. Remi Makanjuola hosted a formal Business Luncheon at its Executive Flight Facility at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja where the fleets of brand new helicopters to be used for the Contract were unveiled, thus, becoming one of the largest operators of BELL products in sub-Saharan Africa. Among the dignitaries who converged on Ikeja to view the latest addition to Caverton group, were Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru; representative of Chief of Army staff, former Group Managing Director, NNPC, King Edmond Dakoru; Mrs. Yoyin Makanjoula; Dr. Oba Otudeko; MD, Sales, Middle East and Africa, Bell Helicopters, David Sale; Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Director, NNPC/ CNL JV, Mr. Monday Ovuede; Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; representative of Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika; United States Consul General, Mr. John Bray; expatriates partners, Managing director, Caverton Helicopters, Captain Josiah Choms; CEO, Caverton Offshore
Support Group, Mr. Bode Makanjuola; Chairman, THISDAY Editorial Board, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, among others. The new fleet of helicopters includes the state-of-the-art Bell 407 GXP and the industry workhorse Bell 412 EP. The Bell 407GXP incorporates new avionics, an upgraded engine, and new executive interior design options. Fitted with Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 dual channel turbine engine, this aircraft delivers exceptional hot and high performance, with efficient fuel economy. Makanjuola said, “Unveiling Caverton fleet of Helicopters is a feat and a day that Nigeria and Nigerians should be proud of; a day that the aviation industry should be proud of that a Nigerian went to America to acquire 11 helicopters. This is groundbreaking event. Over the past few years, we went through many phases of development as a company in less than favourable circumstances. Nevertheless, we have been able to operate existing contracts successfully, as well as secure a few new contracts. “The largest and most significant of these new contracts, the NNPCChevron Joint Venture Helicopter Services Contract, is of course the reason we are here today to unveil the helicopters that would be used for that activity. We are recording some success in our desire to be a financially strong and sustainable Group that puts all stakeholders at the heart of everything. “Our safety of record is something we are proud and thankful for, and credit must go to our professionalism at all levels. Given Chevron’s global reputation for safety and quality, it is safe to say that Caverton’s diligent attention to safety, quality and continuous improvement contributed in no small measure to the contract award. “As a fully indigenous player in the hitherto foreign interest dominated sector, Caverton has confirmed the mantra that Nigerians can excel and do Nigeria proud in all facets of the economy given the opportunity. As we forge on in this venture, we will ensure maximum safety which our company is known for.� In his address, Dr. Baru said what Caverton did is a milestone and the
L-R- Mr. Herbert Wigwe, Mr. Remi Makanjuola and Mr. Roosevelt Ogboona at the unveiling of brand new helicopters by Caverton in Ikeja, Lagos...recently
power of vision of its chairman Makanjuola. “I have followed the company since inception, since Mr. Makanjuola conceived the idea of going into aviation logistics. I commend him for his foresight and tenacity for putting non-existent entity company to become a conglomerate and now become a global brand. The contribution of Caverton Helicopter’s to aviation cannot be over-emphasised as the company has filled the vacuum. I am proud of the company’s safety even as an indigenous company, it has proved that commitment, tenacity of purpose has helped the oil and gas company through its services. We will continue to support local companies as Caverton continues to raise the bar to become a household name globally,� Baru said. In his speech, Ovuede said Caverton’s launching of 11 Helicopters marked an expansion of the company in Nigeria, the manifestation of its resilience to ensure that aviation industry became enviable. Similarly, Sale thanked Caverton for giving his company the opportunity to provide this service to a Nigerian company. According to him, the Bell as a company had been in Nigeria since 1964. “Today we are happy to partner with Caverton. Our plan is to pick and deliver over 800 passengers every day; we will ensure zero accident as we increase our effort to protect our people,� he said. Commending the group for promoting indigenous contents thereby helping the nation’s economy, Sirika, who was represented by a staff of the Ministry of Aviation said the new addition was like expanding the aviation sector. He reiterated his ministry’s goodwill and promised that whatever assistance the group needed when the need arises, his ministry would not hesitate to be of help. In the same vain, Wigwe said he felt extremely honoured to be part of success story of Caverton Helicopters. “I am proud to be part of this company from inception and watch it blossom. Before Caverton came in, the sector was dominated by foreign companies but Caverton came in and changed the air space when no one believed that
a Nigerian company could have the technical know-how. I am proud to partner with Caverton. We are happy to change the narrative that Nigerians can provide a world class service,� he said. Adding to the encomiums, Bray applauded Caverton and Bell Helicopters for successfully launching the brand new fleet of helicopters, which he said was a reliable piece of equipment that could withstand any weather and climate, adding, “Not only that, I am happy to see Nigerian engineers being trained. This is a welcome development that would boost human capacity and enlarge the economy.� Onyema, speaking about the two companies’ the company since their partnership since 2014 said, “I have this belief that the company would become African champion and the event today has confirmed that prophecy. They are already operating outside Nigeria and as it has extended his tentacles across Africa, I want to assure you of the NSE unwavering support as you move the Nigerian aviation industry forward.� Capt. Choms said despite the challenges of Nigeria’s aviation industry, the company has kept its eyes on the ball and continued to stay ahead.The strength, he said, lies in the passion with which Caverton discharges its service to its clients which was made possible by productive, efficient leadership and employees, while safety has been the watchword of the company. Choms reiterated the company’s rule of zero accident as it continues its excellent service in the Nigerian air space. In his votes of thanks, CEO, Caverton Offshore Support Group,Bode Makanjuola thanked the board of directors of the company and also extended his appreciation to the employees for weathering the storm to celebrate the laudable achievement. “We are in it together and with the new partners, the company would soar to greater height,� Less than 24 hours after the epochmaking event, the team again led by Makanjuola visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Stock Exchange where they closed the gong ceremony of the business luncheon.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž MARCH 31, 2018
TEENS CONNECT
the magazine for teenagers
Youths Have a Role to Play in Fixing Nigeria – Gift Ukadike I have been having troubling thoughts about Nigerian youths and public office holders. I will start by talking about our leaders. Nigeria is a great country. I can assure you, despite the fact that corruption has eaten up the system. I am proud to call Nigeria my beloved country. We have corrupt leaders who are greedy, heartless as they do not hear the cry of the people who have voted them into power. They are not patriotic. If they are patriotic, they would have done what they had promised to do for Nigeria and Nigerians. Often, they forget those promises and struggle to acquire wealth and more powers, leaving Nigerians to suffer. The former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, once said: “Nigeria has gone beyond analogue stage�. This statement is very correct. We need vibrant leaders; young, well educated and who know the value of power. We need leaders who are God fearing and corruptionfree; leaders who will take the well-being of the masses to heart. The aged men should stop campaigning for elections and allow young ones to rule. Let the elderly ones stand as advisers and to guide the vibrant youths with the system of governance. A good father will always pray for his children to be better than him. But in Nigeria politics, no good father who wants his children better than himself. The old leaders are refusing to give way to the youthful and vibrant ones, so that they can continue gathering the nation’s wealth for themselves and their families, leaving the masses to suffer and eat. The height of it all is that some of the youths are used by these men as thugs, giving them mere stipends when they need them and discarding them soon after. Imagine, in a country like Nigeria,
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Ukadike
there is no job left for young graduates who are qualified as all the positions are occupied by these men of status and their families, thereby, pushing the youths to commit societal ills. I am pleading with these old leaders to sit back and allow the young and vibrant youths be at the helm of affairs. We need innovative minds and active brains in power. Nigerians need true representation. I am actually disturbed by the decay in the country. We need God first and good citizens to help us overcome this outburst of incompetence, economic downturn and corruption consuming the country. This is one of the reasons I am going to study political science; to gain more knowledge on how the country should be governed. Secondly, Nigerian youths, want to travel to countries like U.S.A, Canada, U.K, UAE, France, India, etc. When you ask them why, they give flimsy excuses, such as; “who Nigeria epp?�
(Who did Nigeria help?). Nigeria is corrupt. Nigeria’s educational system is poor. No work in Nigeria. The question is, if all the youths should travel overseas, who will fix Nigeria? That is one thing the youths fail to understand. We are running away leaving our birthrights. The other day, I was at the library and some teens were interviewed about where they see themselves in 30 years’ time? I was so shocked when all of them were making mention Canada, U.S.A and U.K. I was not happy. If I am asked whether to school in Nigeria or abroad, sincerely I will take abroad, but after my study there I will surely return to Nigeria. Youths have been told that we are leaders of tomorrow. Yes, we are leaders but not of tomorrow anymore. It is today and now, I want to appeal to youths not to abandon our beloved country. Nigeria needs us. Remember that whenever we recite our National Anthem we promise to “serve our fatherland, with love and strength and faith, the labour of our heroes past, shall never be in vain, to serve with heart and might, one nation bound in freedom, peace and unityâ€?. And on our National pledge, we say: “I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful, loyal and honest. To serve Nigeria with all my strength, to defend her unity ‌‌ So help me Godâ€?. Then why are we now running away from our pledge? This is the time Nigeria needs us. The youths are running from joining the military and police force. If you and I do not serve the country who then will? Youths should not take the developments, innovative mindsets and manpower meant for the benefit of our beloved Nigeria to other countries. Nigeria needs us to develop. We will call her undeveloped and compare her to US and England. But don’t forget America is over 200 years and England
is over 500 years. We shouldn’t compare a baby Nigeria yet a mighty nation with USA and England because these two countries passed through hard times too to become great and famous. Nigeria will get there, but it needs us to get there. The great music icon, Fela sang that “we (Nigerians) fear to fight for freedom, we fear to fight for liberty, I nor wan die, I never born, I get wife�, so on and so forth. That is exactly what is happening now. Our youths are afraid and shy away from our responsibilities. Youths, remember we are the leaders of our immediate environment. Why don’t we start there? We are the leaders of today. It is no longer tomorrow as we have been told. But we can’t be leaders of today if we don’t live up to our responsibilities and change our mentalities. If we want Nigeria to become the dream country we want her to be, we must stay back in Nigeria and make her so. We ought to be proud Nigerians, proud leaders and proud defenders and ambassadors of Nigeria. Youths are saying no job in Nigeria. It’s true but there are still many wealthy Nigerians making millions daily. We can become entrepreneurs making same money daily. I would rather be a dog in my home than a lion in a big strange land. I will remain in Nigeria and help build her up with so joy and love. “Youths remember we are the leaders of our immediate environment. Why don’t we start there? We are the leaders of today. It is no longer tomorrow as we have been told. But we can’t be leaders of today if we don’t live up to our responsibilities and change our mentalities.� t(JGU 6LBEJLF XSPUF JO GSPN %FMUB 4UBUF WJB HJGUVLBEJLF!HNBJM DPN
This week, we are starting a new chapter on Teens Connect. This article written by 18-year-old Gift Ukadike, an aspiring political scientist, has opened a new vista – the creation of ‘The Teens Parliament’. From time to time, the oor of the parliament will be thrown open to teenagers to write articles and debate issues that aect them. This week, Gift and his friends wrote in from Delta State on challenges facing Nigeria and what can be done to ďŹ x the problems. The oor is open. You can join the discourse on: www.thisdaylive.com and www.teensconnectmag.com.
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MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
MEET THE OTHER PARLIAMENTARIANS Ebere Treasure, 17 For Nigeria to be fixed; change has to begin with us (citizens). If the citizens can unite and cooperate to make positive changes amongst Nigeria can change. Secondly, Nigeria needs restructuring and true federalism, and national conferences organised by the government regularly to oversee the welfare of the people and ensure security for the citizens. Lastly, people should vote young and active citizens, rather than voting for aged citizens who are 65 and above.
Okpu Elvis, 19 I believe Nigeria can be fixed but first the generation of old, unscrupulous and corrupt leaders must be ousted and a new generation of young and vibrant youths given the opportunity to lead. Take the president of France as an example. Secondly, the needs of the people should be the priority especially the youths because we are the leaders of tomorrow.
Gideon valor, 19 I strongly believe Nigeria can be fixed if public opinion programmes are organised by the government and citizens are allowed to air their views. Corruption and bad governance have eaten deep into the country. Therefore, for Nigeria to be fixed, faithful and patriotic citizens should be voted into power. Also, the younger generations should partake in the affairs of the country by vying for political offices.
Nigeria can be fixed with the help of the government. I said government, because without the government’s empowerment and generation of employment for the youths, Nigeria will be unstable. The youths are the bedrock of the society. Any country that neglects its youths is bound to be stagnant. Government should not just create employments for graduates but also establish skill acquisition centres for them and map out resources to empower them to use the acquired skills in creating jobs, because, the government cannot employ everybody.
Ngozi Triumph, 16 A major problem faced by Nigerians is unemployment. This problem can be solved if youths are given opportunities to participate in governance. Another problem is disunity. Nigeria is our country and we can build it with combined efforts. With peace in the country, Nigeria can stand unified and fixed.
Corruption is a major problem in Nigeria. But one of the important ways to fix this problem is by having good leaders in government. If the leaders lead with good conscience and the fear of God, the led will emulate their good qualities and that can make Nigeria better for easy, accountable and transparent governance. Most important, youths and teenagers have a role to play in Nigeria’s development. If we all could do what is right, I believe Nigeria can be fixed, because change begins with you and me.
Osemeke Onyinye, 19 Nigeria can be fixed but corruption must be eradicated. Corruption is a factor to bad governance in Nigeria. Bribery, money laundering, high rate of poverty, inequality, terrorism and insecurity, unemployment and poor educational system, are all signs of bad governance. If all these are controlled, Nigeria will become a better country.
Nzemeke Chinonso, 16 Precious Nkonyeasua, 15 I believe Nigeria can be fixed, once the right people are in charge. The problems of Nigeria are corruption and unemployment. But corruption has been the major issue for decades giving the country a bad reputation. If good and God-fearing citizens emerge as politicians and leaders of Nigeria, they wouldn’t think first of themselves, but the interests of the citizens they represent and are meant to serve, that is what I call true “representative government.
There are no shortcuts to fixing Nigeria. It requires a consistent long-term approach. By institutionalizing transparency and accountability in governance, diversifying from oil and profiling a competitive means of making money for the country to boost her economy. Nigeria has been ravaged by corrupt politicians, so if corruption can also be tackled and eradicated, Nigeria can be fixed.
Kelvin Obaigbena, 19
Ogidigben Faith, 19 Igumbor Solomon, 19
Iduh Marvelous, 19
Nigeria can be fixed by creating employment for youths. Due to lack of job opportunities in the country, our youths travel overseas, take their skills and creativity to foreign countries and develop these countries’ economies, while ours keep depreciating. We need these youths around even in politics to help fix Nigeria.
First, there should be respect for Nigeria above self. Since Nigeria is the Commonwealth of all, all public office holders should respect the oath of office they swore to. Most public figures don’t respect this oath of office, hence there is constant embezzlement of public funds. I strongly advise that there should be a strict law binding them from diverting public funds. Secondly, the quest for material wealth should be discouraged through the introduction of property tax, to include; money in banks, cars, buildings among others. This will make people soft-pedal in their ambition for excessive wealth acquisition.
Samuel Nwose, 19 I strongly believe Nigeria can be fixed but only if the masses and the political office holders work together in unity of purpose. For Nigeria to be fixed, greedy politicians must be stopped from holding important offices and there must be creation of jobs especially for youths to reduce crimes and other societal ills.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 31, 2018
ͻ͹˜ ͺ͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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A Glimmer of Hope from an Emerging Centre of Excellence Nseobong Okon-Ekong reports that the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos is conďŹ dent that Augustine University which it is promoting will surpass all academic expectations
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t was a Sunday. So, there was a likelihood they had been to church earlier. Yet, the group of women in ceremonial white blouses and blue wrappers were markedly set apart by their dressing. The inscription, ‘Catholic Mothers’ on the fabric tied around their waists further distinguished them. There were a handful of priests in clerical clothing, including Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Eminence Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie and the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace Alfred Adewale Martins, leaving no one in doubt that it was a gathering of Catholics. The hall at MUSON Centre, Onikan-Lagos was packed. Tables were allocated to some famous Catholic parishes under the Lagos Archdiocese. Prominent on the roll call were the likes of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba; Catholic Church of the Assumption, Falomo-Ikoyi; Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Amuwo-Odofin, St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Victoria Island. Other spaces were reserved for members, like knights of different orders, who have an exalted position in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. The voice of the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Soni Irabor cut through a growing hum of people making small talk and exchanging pleasantries which were competing with melodious instrumentation from the band. His resounding voice was like an instruction to halt the music and wind down the conversations. All attention was now directed at him on stage. He introduced himself again. This time, he curtsied to a lady, Clara Eromosele, by his side, while announcing her as his co-host. It would have taken a great deal of time to acknowledge every personality at such a stellar gathering of very distinguished ladies and gentlemen. However, the hosts employed the clever gimmick of recognising those who had specific roles at the Inaugural Founder’s Day/ Recognition Dinner of Augustine University. Of course, the university was envisioned by Cardinal Okogie and it is now the duty of Archbishop Martins to carry on with the work of building a world-class citadel of learning. The dinner organising committee had Sir Steve Omojafor who is also chairman of the university’s board of trustees and its fundraising committee. Chief Sena Anthony worked as chairperson of the dinner organising committee. Governor Willie Obiano could not make it in person but sent a representative. Other persons of distinction at the event included the chancellor of the university, Monsignor J. K. A. Aniagwu, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Chief Gilbert T. Grant, the Vice-Chancellor, and Professor Steve Olaoluwa Afolami. The Chairman of the occasion was Dr. A. B. C. Orjiako. The Chief Launcher, Mr. Femi Otedola was represented. Messrs Tony Elumelu and Austin Avuru were co-launchers. Chief (Mrs.) Cecilia Shomolu served as Mother of the Day. The gathering honoured the memory of the late Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas who was the first chairman of the university’s fundraising committee. Augustine University was projected in 2008 by Cardinal Okogie when he set-up two committees to work towards making the dream come true. The target was to raise N19 billion. On March 5, 2015, the National Universities Commission issued a license to the university. On November 30 of the same year, the first set of 54 students commenced classes. Today, there are 150 undergraduate students, pursuing different 13 academic programmes under two faculties-Humanities, Management and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science. There are two modern hostel blocks; one each for male and female students; each with a capacity for 350 students. So far, the university has spent N6 billion to reach its present state. The Inaugural Founder’s Day/Recognition Dinner was majorly used as a platform to raise N3 billion to commence the next phase of development of the university which will comprise the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Engineering and the University Library. Owned by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, it is located in Ilara, a town in Epe local government area of Lagos State. While announcing his offer to build the faculty of engineering from-scratch-to-finish, Mr. Otedola recalled that his late father, Sir Michael Otedola, a former governor of Lagos State and an indigene of Epe donated part of the land on which the university started its buildings. Otedola’s offer was greeted with a loud ovation. Other donors
L-R: Anthony Cadinal Olubunmi Okogie, Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins and ABC Orjiako
Cecilia Kehinde Shomolo and Steve Omojafor
like Orjiako, Avuru, Elemelu, Mrs. Shomolu, the different parishes and more contributors collectively pooled over N70 million, apart from a giver who followed Otedola’s example and offered to build and equip the library. Earlier, Cardinal Okogie had emphasised the resolve of the university to keep in line with the motto of the institution, ‘Pro-scientia Et Moribus’ (For Learning and Character). The Catholic Church in Nigeria has a history of over 150 years of intervention in the educational sector, having an excellent assortment of primary and secondary schools all over the country to its credit. However, it was only in 2002 that it founded its first wholly owned Catholic university, Veritas University in Abuja. Sir Omojafor explained that it was essentially a decision of the Catholic Bishops Conference. “When they met to look at tertiary education, they said to themselves, let’s start out with one full-fledged Catholic university in the country, which is Veritas. The entire diocese of Nigeria was responsible. Lagos diocese was going to contribute 75 per cent because all the other dioceses didn’t have that kind of funds. It got to a point that people in Lagos started agitating for a university owned by the Lagos Archdiocese. They were still willing to contribute towards Veritas. Parents who had to send their children to Abuja by road, complained a lot. They wanted a place they could reach within one or two hours. Around 10 years ago, the Archbishop bought the idea and put together the planning and implementation committee. Our first chairman of the fundraising committee was late Molade Okoya-Thomas. He was there until his demise. I took over from him as the chairman of the fundraising committee. The Cardinal wasn’t keen on going to the bank to borrow money. He thought the hassle was too much. He preferred to start small, by raising the needed funds from all the Catholic parishes. We have done very well.� Of All the Saints, Why Augustine? “Augustine of Hippo is regarded as a Doctor of Liturgy. He is regarded as the most literate. He is regarded as the Doctor of education in the Catholic Church. He has so many publications. When the Implementation Committee went looking for names, St Augustine was prime as the name that will be used for our university. Then, of course, in registering the university, we had some issues with the NUC. They don’t want ‘saint’ to appear in the name.
They reasoned that ‘saint’ immediately makes it a religious or sectional university. We had to drop ‘saint’ and called it Augustine University,� Omojafor, later told THISDAY. The emerging reputation of the university is one that is tied to high moral standing. On this, Omojafor said, the institution is not likely to compromise. “We are not treating it as a Catholic university meant for just Catholics and Christians. The first student that came on campus was a Muslim and she is still there. But we do a lot of screening of students. We want to know who their parents are and what they do. Let us know if you are from a stable home where discipline already is. We want to see their parents and they come. At least, we are able to decipher from such interventions, who they are, what they are and we put the rules down. This is no secret. Even out of the 54 we had in the first year, we dropped some of them because they didn’t keep to the rules. Rules are very important.� Though probed further, Omojafor preferred to skirt around the subject. “The few expulsion, we had effected were mostly on moral grounds. I would just want us to...these students are into a lot of things. They broke some rules. Once you come in and there are funny behaviours, our medical centre is there to carry out these tests; do the blood sample and check anything necessary. As soon as anything funny is noticed, we send for their parents. Or you go out and conduct an alternative test, you are free to. But as for morals in terms of relationships between male and female, they are adults, we are not monitoring them or running after them, but when certain things come into the open that is likely to affect the majority of other students, we are not going to accept that. We do mass every day, but again, it is not compulsory. But funny enough, all the Catholics and even non-Catholics on their own come to the chapel. We left it open but the surprising thing is that they all attend. You know the Catholic doctrine, we never want to enforce it on anyone. At the university level, we are not saying you must, we are saying it is better for you and us if you all go there to pray. Prayer doesn’t kill.� It is already looking like Augustine University will become one of the leading centres of excellence in the country. A good number of students are coming within cumulative scores that will earn the first class. To encourage them, the board of trustees has identified these brilliant ones and instituted prizes for them. Omojafor is looking forward to the university’s
first convocation in 2020. As one who made an enviable name in the media, first as a journalist and later as an advertising practitioner and businessman, it may not be too much to expect an institute of media studies in a university that Omojafor has been in the forefront of building right from the scratch. “Yes, you are right about that assumption.� He explained why it is still in the works. “As the prime mover of the project, Cardinal Okogie wanted a conventional university that would train children in social and pure sciences. He looked at banking, computer science, and all that. Essentially, it was to pick these core subject areas that would pass easily with National University Commission. We sought advice from some people in NUC and they said what the country is leaning towards more is the sciences- pure and applied and of course management. We certainly wanted mass communications or communications studies. At the time application was being made, I was not involved yet. It was between the Cardinal and his major clerics at the top. Communications studies is one area that I would personally push for as we go into the second phase. We are expecting the National University Commission to come for their inspection in November this year. After that, I think we are ready to be more adventurous in terms of what future steps we take. I didn’t make any noise about it because the ones that are very capital intensive in the second phase is law and engineering. Setting up a school for communications is something that I know that even between me and my friends, we can handle. It’s not something that I want to make all the noise about. If I call all my colleagues at the University of Lagos that did Mass Communications and a few others, we will probably just endow a chair for communications. Between you and I, we have communications at the back of our mind.� Speaking on the differential fees, Omojafor manoeuvred the subject skillfully, as he considered it sensitive. “Parents are still talking about it and will continue to talk about it. When it was time to get the license, fees were a very strong subject of discussion across the board, even at the parish level. At the upper paying schools are faith-based universities that started quite earlier, some of them charge fees that run into a million plus for certain courses. At the low-end are the state universities and even federal. We said to ourselves that we are not going to go that low because we have so much to offer to these students. We have the lowest at N450,000, that is for Religious Studies, Art subjects. Then we move up to N700,000 which is the most expensive- Computer Sciences, banking, finance and stuff like that. They are going to buy books, use laboratories and all that. Honestly, I think it is fair. There are secondary schools in Lagos that charge one million Naira plus. But we want to encourage even people from poor homes. That’s why we encourage people who want to give us donations, to consider giving a scholarship to these students. A lot of good students are from such homes, and you don’t want such students to rot away. Sometimes we get parishes to pick bright students and bring them on. Because we believe that education should not be something that parents have to kill themselves to send their children to school.�
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MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
FASHION FILE
The Lobby
Autumn/Winter 2018 Collections
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31, 2018
FASHION FILE
By Azuka Ogujiuba g j azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com
The Lobby Autumn/Winter
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e would like to take this opportunity at the start of the season to introduce oduce you to the brands The Lobby presents nts its Autumn/ Winter 2018 season. The Lobby is a creative label based in London ondon Credit THE LOBBY - @TheLobbyLondon y
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MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î
L-R: Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy, Mr. Huub Stokman; CEO, Entod Marketing, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh; Deputy CEO, OVH Energy, Mrs. Olaposi Williams and General Manager, Legal / Company Secretary, OVH Energy, Mrs. Adaeze Nwakoby, at the International Women’s Day event organised by OVH Energy in Apapa, Lagos recently
L-R: Project Manager Eka Consult, Bunmi Oluwande; Strategist Coordinator, Fintech Worldwide, Steph Mekwuye; Media Strategist, Eka Consult, Mekwuye Emmanuel, at the media brieďŹ ng on the inauguration of the forthcoming Blockchain Africa Conference series organised by Fintech in colloboration with Eka Consult in Lagosrecently
High Expectations for Investors as Young CEOs Forum Holds in April As preparations for the 7th edition of the young CEOs Business Forum hits top gear, investors have been assured of a productive outing in Atlanta, Georgia. Scheduled to hold between April 24 and 28, the programme provides a veritable opportunity to promote trade between Africa and the rest of the world, featuring prominent investors, businessmen and women, bankers, manufacturers, small and big scale entrepreneurs as well as high-level decision-makers from various govern-
ments in Africa. The summit which had previously held in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria is hosted under the patronage and partnership of African Union Diaspora African Forum, Best Global Business BGB, Center for Media & Peace initiative New York, Africa business School ABS and a host of other international bodies. This year’s forum is titled, “Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap in Africa’s Emerging Markets; The Impact on
Global Economies� with the chief executive officer of London Stock Exchange and experts from various industries expected to engage participants. Major highlights of the event include Networking Session/Breakfast Meeting, sector by sector specialised Business strategy sessions, key note presentations, panel discussions, exclusive B2B presentations, CEO’s Global Awards, African Arts exhibition and movie premiere.
Emirates Mark Decade Union Bank Fetes Customers, Reiterates of Mobile Phone Commitment to SMEs Growth Connectivity on Flights As part of strategies to connect efforts towards the provision Dubai-based carrier, Emirates Airline, has promised to continue to excite its customers with innovations as it marked 10 years of enabling mobile phone use on board its aircraft. The company broke fresh ground in March 2008 by becoming the first airline in the world to enable customers make and receive calls, as well as send SMS messages from their mobile phones. The inaugural phone call was made on March 20, 2008 on Emirates flight EK751 from Dubai to Casablanca. Since then, over 2.8 million calls have been made, 60% of which were made from the aircraft, while over a million calls were answered by passengers travelling on the airline. The longest call recorded was on a flight from Orlando to Dubai on February 5, 2018 lasting 3 hours and 50 minutes. Over the last 10 years, 87 million SMS messages have also been sent or received. The airline company has been at the forefront of innovation with connectivity and in-flight entertainment on board. Besides allowing mobile phone use in-flight since 2008, it was also the first to install TV screens on every seat of every aircraft in its fleet in 1992. Presently, the airline provides one of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art entertainment and communications services in the skies which now offers over 3,500 channels of entertainment, including over 700 movies from around the world. According to the airline operator, it has been investing continuously to provide connectivity and live TV for its customers. “Over 70% of all our aircraft offer Live TV, including all its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER fleet. Wi-Fi connectivity is available on over 98% of the fleet, including all A380s, 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs. Customers in all cabin classes receive 20MB of free Wi-Fi data, and each month nearly one million passengers connect while inflight, “ the Airline said.
with the grassroots, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc., has hosted its customers in Anambra State to serve them better. The meeting which also sought to strategise on improving customers’ businesses had in attendance Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the bank, Emeka Emuwa, and other top executives, including Head, Corporate and Investment Banking, Emeka Okonkwo, Head of Commercial Banking, Adekunle Sonola, and the Divisional Executive for the Region, Rosemary David-Etim. According to the financial institution, the programme which engaged customers and stakeholders in interactive sessions aligns with the bank’s tradition to better understand its customers as well as their expectations so as to continuously meet their needs. Speaking on the initiative, the bank’s CEO, Emeka Emuwa explained that the forum stemmed from the need to re-introduce customers and stakeholders to the ‘New Union Bank’ which had emerged following a full-scale transformation process initiated in 2015. “Following our rigorous transformation, we are now better positioned to deliver on our promise to be a trusted financial partner. We remain dedicated to the success of our customers and assure you of our consistent
of simpler and smarter banking services that help our customers succeed,“ he said. Guests at the forum included the Igwe of Enugu - Ukwu, His Royal Highness (HRH) Igwe Ralph Ekpe, the Igwe of Abagana, HRH Igwe Okeke Patrick Mbamalu, Group Managing Director of Ibeto Group Limited, Chief Cletus Ibeto and renowned diplomat and politician, Chief Oseloka Obaze among others. The bank also recently held an insightful business masterclass for its commercial customers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The business masterclass was a platform to demystify the recent changes to the Nigerian tax regulations and assist the bank’s commercial customers as they navigate the waters of the new tax system. Addressing stakeholders at the seminar, Partner and West Africa Tax Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Taiwo Oyedele provided further enlightenment on the changes in the Nigerian tax space, implications for stakeholders and how businesses can adapt to be able to accommodate the changes.
The CEO’s Global Awards is an initiative put forward to further celebrate extraordinary business success stories in Europe, Africa & America. The forum has so far become a strategic platform for trade, commerce, collaboration, partnership, and a meeting point for young successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, and founders from Africa and other parts of the world especially Europe, Asia and America.
British Council Partners YNaija, Announces Arts Platform British Council has entered into a partnership with a Nigerian youth-focused online medium, YNaija, to launch the West Africa Arts Exchange, WAArtsExchange, a community of talented artists from West Africa and arts lovers across the world. The new platform would serve as a one-stop online destination for art enthusiasts interested in learning about the African contemporary art space as expressed by creatives between the ages of 18 and 35. Speaking at the platform launch, the council’s Head of Arts, West Africa, Ojoma Ochai, stated that WAArtsExchange would showcase artistes working in diverse art genres including music, visual arts, film/television, theatre, dance, design, fashion and gaming, adding that the initiative was put forward to progressively assess and admit talented artists who express interest in joining the community. “Our work in arts creates new relationships between artists, organisations and audiences to develop stronger creative sectors around the world. We help artists break new ground, support creativity, and innovation. We also increase capacity by building skills to support livelihoods and cultural enterprise, extend safe spaces for creative exchange, and contribute to research and policy. “Through our extensive and diverse networks in the UK and across the world, we create new opportunities and lasting connections. This partnership will lead to a more inclusive arts community, and we are delighted to be playing a big part in it,� she said. Also appreciating the deal, Editor of YNaija, Edwin Okolo said: As a youth-focused organisation, we remain truly committed to showcasing the best stories and talents from Africa to global audiences. The newly launched platform will certainly help promote collaboration and create even bigger opportunities for profiled artists.�
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PERSPECTIVE
Is He the SameTY Danjuma of the North? Yushau Shuaib
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s it true that General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, popularly known as TY from the North has dropped a bombshell that Nigerian military and police are complicit in killings across Nigeria, especially in the North and he therefore asked citizens to defend themselves or they would all die? Was he not the person former Military President Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) declared as the embodiment of the virtues of the Sardauna of Sokoto when he said: “Over 50 years after the demise of Sir Ahmadu Bello; TY Danjuma has virtually picked up the (gauntlet?) from where the Sardauna had left it?� Was he not the person described by his primary school teacher Dr Adamu Fika, that: “Even at tender age in school, Danjuma had demonstrated leadership qualities of seriousness, sense of responsibility, humility and his abiding respect for elders?� Was he not Captain Yakubu Danjuma, a young officer in the Nigerian Army who took part in the Counter-Coup of 1966 by taking daring and decisive actions against the killers of Northern Political leaders including Sir Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and other military officers (mostly Hausa/Fulani Muslims) after the aborted coup? Was he not the lieutenant colonel during the civil war, who led his troop to capture Enugu and free Jaja Nwachukwu from Biafra detention? Was he not the gallant commander which President Buhari proudly admitted fighting under him (Danjuma) in the 1st and 3rd Divisions by hailing his courageous leadership qualities during the Civil War for a united Nigeria? Could he be the same Brigadier TY Danjuma, the most influential member of the Murtala/Obasanjo regime who played prominent role in aborting Dimka coup, and lobbied the selection of a reluctant Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo to take over after the death of Murtala? Was he not the officer that single-handedly nominated the automatic promotion of Lt. Col Shehu Yar’Adua to the rank of Brigadier for appointment as the second in command to the Head of State?
Danjuma Was it not Air Vice Marshal John Yisa Doko, the only lone voice against the Danjuma’s imposition of an unwilling candidate (Obasanjo) on the country? Didn’t President Buhari, in December 2017, testified that at the time when Danjuma could have been head of state following the assassination of General Murtala in 1976, he sacrificed for the country? By arranging and engineering the promotion of Lt. Col. Shehu Musa Yar’adua to the rank of brigadier, above himself, what was Danjuma’s reason for the selflessness? Was he not the same General Danjuma, after retirement, that President IBB, invited him to apply for an oil licence, only for General Sani Abacha to award him the lucrative oil blocks? Was he the same Danjuma that is highly revered by Northern leaders who always
graciously attend occasions in his honour? Why for instance did General IBB, Sultan Saad Abubakar of Sokoto, Vice President Namadi Sambo, House of Rep Speaker Tambuwal, Prof. Jerry Gana among other dignitaries attend a special award ceremony in his honour in Zaria in 2013? By the way, was it not the same Danjuma who was bestowed with the top chieftaincy titles by Northern traditional rulers including his turbaning by Emir of Zaria Alhaji Shehu Idris as Jarmai Zazzau on June 22, 2013 and also his turbanning by the Gora of Donga, Dr Danjuma Stephen Banyunga, as the Gam Gbaro Donga on November 6, 2013 among other such great titles? Was he not one of the very few retired military officers to be well recognised and honoured by universities in Northern Nigeria when he was awarded LLD honoris causa by Bayero University Kano on March 25, 2011 and D.Sc. honoris causa by Ahmadu Bello University on March 2, 2013 for his generosity and commitments to nation building? I still wonder if he is not the same Danjuma, one of the very few largest individual donors to education and humanitarian causes in Northern Nigeria? Was he not the same donor of N2.3billion at ABU fund-raising for expansion projects and donor of a massive Faculty of Computer Engineering building in BUK before donating $10 million in July 21, 2014 for the rehabilitation of North-East states ravaged by Boko Haram in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, excluding his home-state Taraba? Was it not because of his passion and philanthropy in addressing the plight of downtrodden and displaced people that President Buhari appointed Danjuma to head the government’s Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI)? Was he not the founder of TY Danjuma Foundation, a body committed to enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians by supporting initiatives that improve access to health and educational opportunities? By the way, when PRNigeria on March 1, 2018 leaked a report that TY held over three hours secret meeting with former President Babangida in Minna on general insecurity in the country, was Danjuma
kind enough to brief the Commander-inChief (Buhari) on the security concerns since they share mutual respect and understanding? Was he not Danjuma during his JarmaiZazzau Coronation few years ago warned Northern leaders thus: “This is the time for elders to be circumspect and temperate in their utterances; it is not in our character as northerners to talk too much. We need to think more, pray more, plan more, work harder, relate better, and talk less. Battles are better fought and won through wisdom and strategy than through inflammable pronouncements and political tantrums?� Then if these are the same TY Danjuma that issued the recent controversial statement, especially on the crises in the North, I can say that the North as a region and Northerners as a people have lost their souls to dirty politics of religiosity and ethnicity when other regions have forged ahead. It is only in the North that a Muslim will kill a Muslim unjustly and justifies the action on the Shia-Sunni divide; while a Christian will attack another Christian over dichotomy on mode of worship of different denominations. It is also a fact that some are referred to as Core Northerners while others are Minority Northerners as if some are slaves to serve the masters. How can Danjuma who was described by President Buhari as soldiers’ soldier, who sacrificed for Nigeria through his fearlessness, philanthropic gesture and effort in promoting peace in the society, now join sectional leaders in what some commentators describe as ‘toxic hate speech?’ We must rethink on how to put, not only the troubled North, but Nigeria on the path of political progress and economic development. The dirty political bickering and unhealthy rivalries by those who lack knowledge of history can only lead us to political woes. We should therefore be tolerant and work towards national unity and cohesion. –Yushau A. Shuaib, Publisher, PRNigeria and Author of “An Encounter with the Spymaster� www.YAShuaib.com
The Mindless Mudslinging of Ekweremadu Ojike John Akiri
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am reasonably convinced that I would not be alone in imagining how so suddenly, our dear Senator Ike Ekweremadu has had his acknowledgeably amiable persona so wantonly distorted, with his hard earned reputation recklessly attacked and sadiscally flung into the abysmal cess-pool of infamy by the agents of conscienceless sensationalism. But my late father had always warned that I should never depart from the age-long and tested adage that there are always two sides to any story, especially within the context of our acrimonious and fast degenerating multiparty democracy. If we care a hoot for the truth devoid of self-serving fables, we must recognize the sacro-sanctity of this seemingly casual clichĂŠ. .Unfortunately, rather than abate, the current trend in character assassination through newspaper trials is fast spreading like wild fire even in the advanced democracies of the world. Otherwise, how could one have imagined the once reverred, charismatic and impeccably eloquent former President of France, Nicolas Sarkhozy, hounded into detention in what the French man politely terms ‘une garde Ă vue’, for no justifiable and conclusive reason than a bogus allegation peddled by a local newspaper called MEDIAPART, that the erstwhile Idi-Aminesque character and late maximum ruler of Libya, Colonel Muammar Ghadafi had funnelled into his account substantial bribes running into billions of naira, in order to finance his presidential electioneering campaigns held nearly a decade ago. The damage done to Sarkozy by this spurious allegation has been incalculable. It contributed in no small measure to forestalling his second term come-back bid, and generated so much negative sentiments that again foiled his intention to take over and re-organise the
party apparatus of the French Republican Party. Yes, call it the power of orchestrated lies or negative propaganda, but once released to the unsuspecting public the damage sets in like an unrestrainable chemical weapon. The current President of the USA, Donald Trump, had tried unsuccessfully by the special grace of God, when he nudged on the American people into doubting the genuine citizenship of Ex-President Barack Obama. Even today, the same President Trump in his familiar theatricals delivers “judgements� on political foes via tweets, as prelude to the sack of targeted dissenting collaborators. We may note in passing that Trump is presently contending with the dilemma of whether or not to sack Mr Mueller, who presides over the Committee set up to assess the extent of Russian involvement in the last American general election. Unfortunately, we have all become the unwilling victims of this canker worm, as we are so much in a hurry to consume any pull-him-down junk, disregarding the agelong notion of the presumption of innocence. This simply enjoins us to remain patient until such peddled ‘facts’ and ‘advertised wrong doings’ are satisfactorily proven right by a court of competent jurisdiction, otherwise the helplessly maligned victims must of necessity be adjudged innocent. This is the critically essential ingredient of any true republican democracy that is worth its salt, unless we want to descend to President Putin of Russia’s hybridal brew of totalitarian-democracy, if the political scientists would permit me such an oxymoron or aberrant coinage. In Russia, Putin’s agents would simply rake up one spurious allegation or the other against any formidable opponent that may legitimately be nursing the ambition to contest any elections against him, just to impugn on his integrity and finally destroy his credibility with the State-owned information machinery at their disposal. If the strategy is construed not to be
speedily effective in clearing the coast for the de facto Monarch, the government simply goes for the poor aspirant’s jugular by hauling him into prison. The latter should thank his star if he is not outrightly eliminated. Dissidents like Alexander Litvinenko and Boris Berezovski are some of the few who have either sacrificed their dear lives or completely distanced themselves in understandable self-preservation, from the hazarduous brand of Putin’s ‘universal suffrage’ democracy. And back to the major topic of our discourse- I must sincerely confess that I have until today not met in person with the current Deputy President of the Senate. Nevertheless, as a responsible citizen of this country, who also should be concerned with what goes on in the nation, I have for long developed personal admiration for Senator Ike Ekweremadu. His carriage, comportment and statements, whether inside or outside the Parliament, clearly depict acknowledgeable decorum. Here is a gentle man that has hardly been caught on the wrong side of the numerous embarrassing theatricals that tend to mar the prestige of the Federal Parliament over these past years. Rather, you see him assigned delicate national responsibilities like the Constitution Review Exercise or mediating whenever occasions demand maturity or cool-headed sobriety for palpably positive results. And I have never heard him disappoint! He is never the busy-body rabble rouser that fanatically and doggedly glamourises self-serving oversight functions for all they imply. I can bet you with my last breath that people like Senator Ekweremadu might have quietly constituted the arrow-head to the opposition of OBJ’s third term bid in polite rebuff, by advocating the transparent open-ballot system that offered no hiding place for the political adventurers. In fact, I would have almost wished that he declined the current Deputy Presidency of the Senate, realizing how bitterly resentful the
greedy adepts of winner-takes-all must be, as we are already witnessing in his bare-faced persecution. But they forget to appreciate the wealth of experience and concomitant stability he has brought to bear on parliamentary proceedings. The candour and peaceful conviviality that have for so long characterized the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja must certainly owe a lot to his amiability and the savoir faire he deploys in the Assembly’s human management. We have always appreciated his moderating influence when circumstances demand for the roll-call of bold unifying elements in the nation’s shaky body polity. We recall his moderating and reconciliatory posturing at the height of the Nnamdi Kalu’s saga. He will never be caught darting around with puerile and divisive hate speeches, suffused with brimming ethnicity that only drag us years backwards in the task of nation building. Is that the man we should all close our eyes and fold our arms awaiting his mindless annihilation by the agents of baseless sensationalism in SAHARA REPORTERS. Those people have unfortunately been trying so hard to earn for themselves, especially in this particular case, the nefarious “trophy� of THE MOST HEARTLESS AND UNFEELING SLANDERERS. Now read carefully and watch with your mind’s eyes the pathetic version of the facts of this matter by Hon Ike Ekweremadu himself, which is so reminiscent of a Nollywood script. I weep for our beleaguered country, where the hallowed chambers of JUSTICE can be so incredibly desecrated, with the active connivance of the Temple’s most trusted “CHIEF PRIEST� and former Chief Judge of Enugu State in the person of Hon Justice Innocent Umezulike. Please read this brief excerpt from the explanation of Hon Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
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MARCH 31, 2018 Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
PERSPECTIVE
Investing in People: A More Accurate Perspective Bola Ahmed Tinubu
T
he topic “Investing in People� is timely, given both the current arc of our national political and economic evolution and given the recent discussion of this topic generated by a famous philanthropist who recently visited our shores. How we invest today determines the quality of our tomorrow. We start from the realisation that our resources are as scarce and finite as they are valuable. Thus, we dare not waste them for they are almost always inadequate and never in surplus when measured against all the beneficial things we desire to do for our society. In short, waste is the mother of want and misuse the father of lack. Misinvestment comes with steep opportunity costs. The misapplication of one naira means one naira less for a more appropriate investment. In a way, this represents a double loss. Here I shall depart from the mainstream approach that draws a line between capital investment and what many people now call human capital investment. We now speak of the two as if they were conflicting opposites, inherently at odds with each other. This is not a wise road to travel. Instead, we must think of them as points along the same continuum. Instead of being opposites, they are in fact similar and complementary, the one to the other. Human capital investment connotes expenditures that improve the inner capacity or wellbeing of a person or populace. Things such as education and health care come quickly to mind. Traditional capital investment connotes expenditure on instrumentalities external to a person that improves his ability to further improve his productivity or lifestyle. These are things like roads and power. In between, lie things like potable water which has clear human capital as well as traditional capital investment dividends. In my mind, both forms of investment are related; both ultimately benefit the people. No right-minded government builds a road but forbids travelers its usage. Better roads lessen accidents, reduce travel time and cut costs of business and goods. Electric power is not generated merely for its own sake but so people can work more efficiently and live in greater comfort. It allows students to read into the night, learning more and learning better; it permits hospitals to utilize equipment and procedures that can save thousands of lives otherwise lost. It allows factories to hum 24 hours a day, producing jobs and goods that increase the wealth and welfare of a people. Thus, investing in roads is more an investment in the people who use them than an investment in the gravel and tar that comprise the paved way. Investment in power is at its essence more an investment in the people who will rely on it to improve their activities and efforts than it is merely an investment in turbines and other physical equipment. This is like the chicken and egg question. When asked which one comes first, the only reasonable response is to say that “the one produces the other.� Thus, our task is not to draw an artificial boundary between the two types of investment. Our task must be to re-integrate these two components into a coherent plan where finite resources are allocated in ways that respond to present urgencies yet also answer the burning question of how to best achieve durable economic growth for all segments of society. It would be the height of cruelty to tell a man dying of thirst that he must wait until we build him a perfect well before we can give him all the water he will ever want. He needs but a cup to drink. But he needs it here and now. Waiting is not a viable option. Thus, we must hurry the cup unto him. Only once that is done, do we work on constructing a well so that he may never again fall prey to such a danger. It is at this point that we must draw a different conceptual distinction than the one normally drawn between physical capital and human capital investment. I
Bola Tinubu
In between, lie things like potable water which has clear human capital as well as traditional capital investment dividends. In my mind, both forms of investment are related; both ultimately beneďŹ t the people. No rightminded government builds a road but forbids travelers its usage
posit that we profit more by drawing a conceptual distinction between the type of social investment that helps us manage or mitigate poverty as compared to that investment which leads to economic growth that reduces if not eliminates poverty at its very root. Poverty mitigating investment may soften the harshest blows of penury but such investment offers no great escape from it. For example, every human being has a right to health care. Giving such care is a moral duty of any compassionate government. Yet, however healthy that person may become as a result, this does not mean his economic situation will necessarily improve because of better health. The same goes for education. We already have many intelligent graduates whose abilities did not meet a job because there simply were no jobs to meet. Over the decades, we have built legions of people who are well educated but not for this economy and this job market. We must remember that education is not an abstraction. While education is a virtue in itself, it also must have practical utility or else it will become a discredited, even detested thing. A key purpose of education is to provide a person the skills required to
comes not by making poverty more livable. Our escape comes by burying poverty under an edifice of wealth creation and equitable distribution of said wealth. This is only done by economic growth. This is how England, America and China did it. As these nations represent the past, present and immediate future of economic greatness, we should learn more from what they did for themselves than from what they say we should do. Here, I offer a few suggestions that may help blunt the effects of poverty while ensuring sustained growth to increase our national standard of living. We must: r 4UJNVMBUF UIF FDPOPNZ CZ JOWFTUNFOU in new generation technology and its resultant infrastructure. This must be at the heart of our national infrastructure planning. r &ODPVSBHF QSJWBUF TFDUPS JOWFTUNFOU in labor intensive industries by reducing barriers to entry in these sectors and by helping such enterprises to be cost competitive. This must be the core of our national industrial plan. r $POUJOVF NBTTJWF JOWFTUNFOU JO agricultural output and move to establish commodity boards and commodity exchanges so that farmers will be assured of a livable income. Farm mortgages should be more accessible to give farmers a pathway to credit to procure better equipment and inputs. r )FMQ UIF FMEFSMZ 8F NVTU DPOUJOVF to improve the pension system. This will reduce poverty among the elderly while generating additional economic activity through enhanced consumer demand. earn a living within the context of a given Moreover, this is the moral thing to do. economic environment. There is no press r 3FGPSN UIF NPSUHBHF TZTUFN UP ing need to teach a desert nomad to scuba facilitate credit expansion in a manner that dive or to instruct a fisherman in the Delta allows the real estate sector to become a the intricacies of hunting a polar bear or key driver of overall economic growth and riding a camel. that opens the door to affordable housing Education must be wedded to the throughout the land. economy that now exists as well as to the r &YUFOE TDIPPM GFFEJOH QSPHSBNT JOUP economy that shall be in the foreseeable future. The able-bodied Africans who braved all states. r 1SPNPUF KVEJDJBM SFGPSN UP JOTVMBUF KVthe harsh desert crossing of the Sahara only rists and the legal system from corruption. to further brave the death waters of the Providing attractive salaries and allowMediterranean Sea do so not in search for ances will make jurists less susceptible to better healthcare or even education for the most part. They do so in search of meaning- the corrupt temptations and illicit requests ful work, the money, as well as the sense of that distort the cause of justice. r $SFBUF B CMVF SJCCPO QBOFM UIBU JEFOUJindependent existence and self-worth that fies ways to eliminate all forms of wrongful such work can bring. discrimination in our land. Every NigeThis is the compelling force. Thus, any rian must be seen as a full and complete responsible government and society must Nigerian in whatever part of the nation he heavily invest in those things that promise may go, no matter what part of the nation economic prosperity and employment. from which he came. This is the primary challenge government Our task is to define ourselves. That must meet. While government cannot igmeans we must think for ourselves. nore investments that lessen the grimmest We are a populous, richly endowed naeffects of poverty, we also must face the tion. The growth of neighboring countries hard fact that a nation cannot truly defeat poverty without generating broadly-shared depends on ours. We hold a responsibility greater than ourselves. economic growth through prudent investWe must act with care. Prudence ment in infrastructure, industrial developsuggests that we learn our most profound ment, and agricultural modernization. lessons from those nations that have My life has been dedicated to the already climbed the highest rungs of the proposition that Nigeria can grow and global economic ladder. overcome poverty, not just live with a less As such, this requires that we reject the brutal version of poverty. After 66 years, I artificial difference between human capital am not about to change my walk or change my talk at this point. There is something we and normal capital investment. All investment, if used constructively, must examine more closely. The chorus of benefits the people and thus can be called Western-appointed experts sings that we human capital investment. must target certain levels of expenditure As such, the term human capital investon various programs to reach sustainable ment really tells us nothing of value when growth. Few people dare question the veracity of this claim, the soundness of this it comes to defining the correct path to optimal growth. song. However, the question of cause and To forge that path, we must strike the effect casts a long shadow over the entire correct balance between investment that procession. mitigates or temporarily relieves the worst Is it true that sustaining certain levels of expenditures will bring economic develop- of poverty and that type of investment that sparks long-term economic growth that ment? Or is the deeper, more fundamental truth will divorce the poor from poverty. For our goal is not to endure a less biting that economic development will generate poverty. Our goal is to enter into an era of heightened levels of social expenditure? robust prosperity. Economic history points to the latter This, my friends, my brothers and sisters, explanation as the most viable road to my compatriots is the only way I know for durable national improvement. We must define our path to development correctly if our nation to invest in its people so that we are to have any chance of following that they may become what God intended them path faithfully. Yes, our society must invest to be. –This address was presented by the former sufficiently in lessening the most brutal aspects of poverty. We cannot allow people governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 10th annual BAT Colloquium held in to be broken by poverty unattended. However, the great escape from poverty Lagos on Thursday.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
COVER Ango Abdullahi
The North’s Considering Other Presidential Candidates Apart from Buhari Federal Government Has Handed Over Its Economic Responsibility to IMF, Others North’s Money Was Used to Exploit Oil in Niger Delta The Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum’s Political Committee and Convener, Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, in this interview with Bayo Akinloye says the North is ready to negotiate with other parts of Nigeria the unity and continued existence of the country and adds that apart from President Muhammadu Buhari, northerners are considering other viable candidates for 2019 presidential election
Y
ou were a vocal critic of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime talking about northern interests but have become silent now with President Muhammadu Buhari in charge. Why? No, no, I’m not. I am not silent; I am not. Why did you say I’ve been silent? I have been part of the history of the civilian administration that came into this country in 1999. I was part of the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party. I was one of those who signed on the dotted lines for PDP to become a party. I was also a major player or participant in drafting the constitution and manifesto of the PDP. I was also part of the drafting of the manifesto and constitution of the party in the direction that for this country to have social and political stability; we don’t have to apply the strict meaning of democracy –one man, one vote –and that’s why we adopted the so-called rotation of power at the apex between the North and the South. I played a major role in getting (Olusegun) Obasanjo –whether he accepts or not –to be president because our structure created with that of Shehu Yar’Adua’s was the platform that was really used to support Obasanjo’s election in 1999. My quarrel with the PDP, including Obasanjo; my first quarrel with Obasanjo was his attempt to extend his tenure beyond what the constitution allows –not only the constitution of PDP but the constitution of the country. He wanted a third term even
though he pretended that he didn’t know anything about it –that’s a big lie. Eventually, he succumbed and handed over to Umaru Yar’Adua. Yar’Adua died having spent three years in office; and this is after a clear understanding that Obasanjo’s eight years would also translate into eight years of northern presidency. But Yar’Adua died after spending three years in office. The logical conclusion –the sensible, gentlemanly conclusion –would be that the North would be required under the PDP to present another candidate that would run for the presidency in 2011. But there came all manners of debates by people, including Obasanjo and Jonathan, denying the existence of this agreement and this is the basis of my personal distrust of Jonathan’s integrity. But eventually some northerners connived to help Jonathan to the presidency in 2011 thus violating the power-sharing agreement concerning the presidential candidate of the party. I told Jonathan directly that I don’t trust him anymore. And despite all that had gone wrong, the man was even trying to win an election in 2015. If he had won, he would have violated the constitution of the country: he was sworn in as president following the death of Yar’Adua; sworn in the second time when he contested the presidency in 2011 and he was trying to vie for the presidency in 2015 that would have been four years plus five; that would have been nine years of presidency. But the Nigerian Constitution says nobody will be president of this country for a day more than eight years. Jonathan was
My ďŹ rst quarrel with Obasanjo was his attempt to extend his tenure beyond what the constitution allows –not only the constitution of PDP but the constitution of the country. He wanted a third term even though he pretended that he didn’t know anything about it –that’s a big lie. Eventually, he succumbed and handed over to Umaru Yar’Adua. Yar’Adua died having spent three years in oďŹƒce; and this is after a clear understanding that Obasanjo’s eight years would also translate into eight years of northern presidency. But Yar’Adua died after spending three years in oďŹƒce. The logical conclusion –the sensible, gentlemanly conclusion –would be that the North would be required under the PDP to present another candidate that would run for the presidency in 2011. But there came all manners of debates by people, including Obasanjo and Jonathan, denying the existence of this agreement and this is the basis of my personal distrust of Jonathan’s integrit
Abdullahi
MARCH 31, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
49
COVER In Fighting Corruption, There Must Be No Sanctuary for Offenders intent on violating the constitution; that’s where I was against him. I wasn’t against Jonathan because he’s Ijaw or that he’s from South-South –no. I felt that he’s not such a person that can be trusted because if he could deny a gentleman’s agreement of which he was a party and also a beneficiary, he’s not the kind of person to deal with. So, it wasn’t that I had any special quarrels with him. Concerning the current administration, in various interviews I have granted, I stated that Buhari did not constitute a good team in his administration. I also pointed out that there would be no automatic ticket for anybody. It is not fair to say that I was hard on Jonathan and not as hard on the current president. Going by your comment, which do you put first: national interests or northern interests? Nigeria’s, until we reach the red line and say that Nigeria is no more. Then, we may be calling ourselves people from Dahomey; people from Niger or wherever. For now, we are all Nigerians and we’ll wish that Nigeria could be better managed. Our founding fathers did much better than the self-serving leaders. In fact, the crisis of this country began around 1974 and 1975. Our founding fathers did so well – the Awolowos, the Azikiwes, and the Sardaunas; Yakubu Gowon did so well; he continued with the philosophy. But by the time we ran into some of these self-serving leaders who saw Nigeria as a personal property; Nigeria’s resources are converted to personal gains by virtue of their being in public office. This is why we’re in trouble today. The argument of some people is that the northerners have ruled Nigeria for so long without real development in the North and thus urged the region to seek leadership in other ethnic nationalities. Don’t you agree? No, no, no. In fact, it’s the other way round. Now that you raised this point; it is the northern leadership from the beginning, starting with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa that had insisted every part of Nigeria should be treated fairly and equitably even at the expense of the area he came from. This is why he was the first to set up the Niger Delta Development Authority when oil was becoming apparent. It is northern leaders that created all the facilities –in fact, it was virtually the North’s money –that was used to exploit oil. The problem here that people see as northern foolishness is that we are being leaders but have not denied others to develop ourselves as we have seen in some southern leaders like Obasanjo and Jonathan that developed their areas to the detriment of other parts of the country, particularly the North. We’re not going to be given to that concept. We refuse to accept that because we’re leaders of the country we should look after ourselves and then deny others of their rights. We’re not going to do that no matter what happens. But we’ll also now not allow anyone from other parts of the country to deny us our rights and that is the position we’ve taken. What do you think about Boko Haram’s stance against Western education? The Boko Haram phenomenon has nothing to do with Western education. It has never been the basis of its coming into existence. Many of the members of Boko Haram are graduates; many active members of Boko Haram are graduates. Also, I can tell you that –in fact –some of them are PhD holders. So, it has got nothing to do with Western education. It has more to do with the manner in which the socio-economic structures of the country are being managed. The areas where there is easy recruitment of Boko Haram members are the poorest areas of this country –NorthEast. But it might interest you to know that quite a number of the active leadership of Boko Haram are from Kogi State. It has nothing to do with Western education; in fact, many of the Boko Haram members are more educated than those who claim to have had Western education. The crisis of Boko Haram –either the current type or the future type of Boko Haram –that this country will end up having must be related to our willingness to manage this country so that we avoid all those ingredients that cause disaffection, anger, and distrust. Seeing people affluently mismanaging our
Abdullahi
resources to the detriment of the majority that are wallowing in abject poverty; this is what will breed either new Boko Haram or a new version (of extremists) in the future unless something is done about it. The level of unemployment of graduates in this country is frightening and this is a recruiting ground for the banditry we’re witnessing in our society today. What’s your assessment of President Buhari in his handling of corruption, security, and the economy? My assessment is in the communiqué we issued last Saturday. I’m the leader of the forum now. I will not be able to give you a different opinion from what the group had stated in its communiqué. Now, my personal opinion in many cases will not count. And, I do not want my personal opinion in this case to count. I wish to act according to the wishes of the group. According to that communiqué, you stated that the federal government has not performed well in terms of the economy, security, and the fight against corruption. Similar assessment was made concerning other levels of government in the country. Is that correct? You see, it’s theoretical for you to separate the economy of the federal government and the rest of the economy of the country. It’s one economy; Nigeria must have one economy and where you have a failure, the failure affects the rest of the country. Read that communiqué properly, the leadership that we should worry about could not be related to the federal or central government. We should work harder to restore good governance at the state and local government levels. Are you saying the federal government shouldn’t be blamed for the country’s current economic and security challenges? Look, you’re the one asking a question that’s totally inappropriate. The federal government in any case regardless of what financial proportion it gets, has the responsibility for national planning. It should provide leadership for national planning and that’s why it has the National Economic Council. But this country has abandoned national planning for many years now. There’s no planning for development. This is the real issue that we have to revisit. The federal government, as I have said before, doesn’t have a good economic team.
Many people were relieved when they heard about the return of many of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. But some believe their abduction was stagemanaged. Is that how you feel too? I’m not going to go into speculations. There were speculations when the Chibok girls were abducted with some people saying it wasn’t true. But it turned out to be a painful truth. Therefore, I cannot also run the risk of speculating that this abduction was arranged. They cannot stage-manage this kind of thing. If it was stage-managed why haven’t the remaining Chibok girls been released? The communiqué issued by 18 northern groups which you lead said political office holders from the North ‘are hereby served notice that they have failed the test to lead the region towards economic recovery and growth’. Do these politicians include Buhari? The communiqué means exactly what is written in it; referring to northern politicians –all of them. Or, rather, most of them – in fact, that is the word (most). We debated that word. So, we had to settle for the expression, ‘most of the politicians’ in the North. That’s what the communiqué said. What’s your opinion? I have no opinion there. No opinion there. The opinion I have is the opinion of the meeting as contained in the communiqué. That’s where my opinion rests. The statement talked about the ‘worsening economic fortunes of the vast majority of northerners.’ Are northerners worse off under Buhari’s government? Again, the issue of the economy is a very delicate and widespread phenomenon; it was part of our discussion. Indeed, the economy of Nigeria has experienced dramatic challenges including our own. And, of course, we’re not sure whether groups outside the North do not feel the pinch of the economy. I believe that is not the case considering what came out of the papers concerning debts incurred by various states of the federation; the number of months that have passed without salaries being paid. The number of months that have passed without pensions being paid to pensioners and so on and so forth. So, obviously, the economy is a very critical factor in the country. And, we’re not claiming that
The Boko Haram phenomenon has nothing to do with Western education. It has never been the basis of its coming into existence. Many of the members of Boko Haram are graduates; many active members of Boko Haram are graduates. Also, I can tell you that –in fact –some of them are PhD holders. So, it has got nothing to do with Western education. It has more to do with the manner in which the socio-economic structures of the country are being managed. The areas where there is easy recruitment of Boko Haram members are the poorest areas of this country –North-East. But it might interest you to know that quite a number of the active leadership of Boko Haram are from Kogi Stateists) in the future unless something is done about it
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 31 , 2018
COVER Boko Haram Members Are Graduates, PhD Holders –Their Grouse Not Against Western Education Danjuma Should Wear Military Uniform and Defend Taraba clerks and people who stole goats and so on. But we’re talking about people who had custody of our treasury and seemed to have violated it –and they’re walking free today. There must be no sanctuary for offenders.
poverty is exclusive to the North. There are poor people everywhere in the country. If you look at the National Bureau of Statistics, it gives you a summary of general state of poverty in the country zone by zone. Therefore, from all what we can read; the human development indices that you referred to mainly related to the economy are lowest in the northern part of the country, particularly North-East and North-West. I think we’ll be speaking quite fairly on behalf of those who are poor in these areas. We have to hold accountable those who manage the economy. Remember that the essence of a government is the welfare of the public and if people are not happy because of their welfare, their means of livelihood, apparently, we have a responsibility to talk about it. The northern coalition said it has some ‘available options’ at its disposal ahead of the 2019 elections. What are those options? The options are everywhere. I mean, you can see the political scenarios that are developing. There are the old parties that are referred to as the ruling and opposition parties; they are the so-called major parties. But you’re also aware that quite a number of new parties are also emerging. All of them are emerging not for fun, I suppose. I think they’re emerging because they want to partake in the political process. And, this is why we’re saying that our doors are wide open. We can subscribe to any group that has ideas that are similar to our own, particular as regard the political future of the country. That presupposes that beyond the possible re-election bid of Buhari, the northern coalition is considering other presidential candidates for 2019? That’s what our communiqué said. Our communiqué expressly said that all options are on the table. In that case, all options will include people of various backgrounds from various jurisdictions, various political persuasions, and so on, who will want to offer themselves for political leadership of the country are all part of the options that are on our table. In that statement, your group also claimed that ‘FG spending is severely tilted against the North. Are you saying the Buhari government is anti-North? The budget that was spelt out in 2016 and the budget of 2017 as well as the budget that is on the ground waiting for approval by the National Assembly; these are the budgets we examined in the context of resource allocation and distribution both for human and infrastructural development. It is from these figures that we deduced that, yes, the North both in terms of territorial expanse, population, and so on has not been equitably treated in this administration. Is that what your coalition referred to as the ‘routine denial of rights’ of fair budgetary allocation by the federal government? What are the ‘rights’ that the communiqué referred to? I mean if you look at the constitution and the revenue allocation formula which has been adopted by the country based perhaps on the recommendations of committee or the body that is responsible for determining revenue sharing in the country and it appears to us these recommendations are not being strictly respected and adhered to. It is on this basis that we looked at the allocation in the 2016 budget, 2017 budget, and now 2018 budget and conclude that the government has not been equitably fair to the North – in terms of size, in terms of population, and in terms of the constitutional provisions that I want to emphasise in Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution; which says that there should be every effort by the government to ensure even development in the country. Did the routine denial start with the Buhari administration? No; the routine denial couldn’t have started with the Buhari administration. It has been going on particularly since Obasanjo became a civilian president. It has been going on for a long time. The Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution was completely discarded; that part of the constitution places responsibility on the government to ensure
Abdullahi
We did a study on it and we found that all the borrowing that is going on in terms of oil resource control and so on; we found out that constitutionally, 80 per cent of the benefits of the oil industry are offshore. Nigeria gets only about 18 per cent of the benefits of our industry – we don’t control the technology of the exploration, we don’t control the technology of the distribution, transportation, export and so on. We hardly have control on this vital resource that is causing so much disharmony in this country. Only 18 per cent is what we’re quarrelling over. The remaining 80 per cent is already elsewhere that it creates a platform for the commanding heights of the economy for the benefit of the masses. But it handed it over to bodies like the IMF (International Monetary Fund). It is the responsibility of the government to control our resources. For example, look at the oil industry: we did a study on it and we found that all the borrowing that is going on in terms of oil resource control and so on; we found out that constitutionally,
80 per cent of the benefits of the oil industry are offshore. Nigeria gets only about 18 per cent of the benefits of our industry – we don’t control the technology of the exploration, we don’t control the technology of the distribution, transportation, export and so on. We hardly have control on this vital resource that is causing so much disharmony in this country. Only 18 per cent is what we’re quarrelling over. The remaining 80 per cent is already elsewhere. We have low private sector participation in the economy; public sector is shrinking and bloated by over-employment; that’s why salaries and pensions are not paid. The totality of this is poverty and this poverty is the stimulant of various vices that we see today; banditry, robbery, kidnapping are all products of poverty. These are not exclusive to any section of the country; it’s all over. So, these are things that we’re talking about. In all fairness they did not begin with the current government. They’ve been going on for years, particularly since we returned to the so-called democracy in 1999. I say so-called in the sense that a democracy that I understand is one that caters for the responsibility of the welfare of citizens. I say so-called in the sense that there’s been impunity in punishing people guilty of corruption, stealing of public resources, etc. In a democratic society –serious democratic society –you cannot allow this to happen. This is why I said so-called. Democracy means rights of everyone are equal in the eyes of the law but here, you will agree with me that in some countries like France, a former president of France has been sitting with the police for hours being questioned over what happened to be a gift but considered to be bribery. He may end up in court, perhaps in jail. You can relate that to other examples where democracy works; where the laws also work without discrimination. Are you suggesting that past leaders who have been accused of corruption should be tried? That’s what we mean by democracy. Democracy is government of the people, for the people, and by the people. The democracy we’ve copied is from the so-called Western countries. It’s a democracy where an offence is an offence. And, an offence is supposed to be investigated and if found to be true, the offender should be appropriately punished. But you cannot list the number of people that have been punished for stealing public funds in Nigeria in the last 20 years. You can’t; except the small fry –the
The group also said it’s willing to ‘put our union as a nation on the table and discuss with other Nigerians the relative values of all options and negotiate them.’ Are you talking about negotiating the continued existence of Nigeria with other ethnic nationalities? We’ve spoken extensively about this. Nigeria has been on this persistent debate about the country not really structured the way some people believe it should be structured. Everyone appears to have his own view of how Nigeria should be structured. This structure started in 1914 when the Lagos Colony, Southern Protectorate and Northern Protectorate were amalgamated by the British colonialists. Today, the efforts of all Nigerians should be how to build a country but we’ve not succeeded in doing that. Before the independence, in fact, we did better than we’re doing now. Therefore, the issue of restructuring, of course, it’s a subject that we’re ready to discuss with anyone. The issue of the country and its existence is also an issue that we’re prepared to discuss with anyone who questions the very basic need for having the country as it is now; because there are some people who are arguing along those lines that Nigeria, ab initio, had been mistakenly put together by the British. Although some clergymen say it is God, it’s not God. It is the creation of the colonial masters. We should also be able to learn from history. Many countries started the way we started. Take India as an example: In 1948 when it got independence from the British colonialists, it was India as a country. But a couple of years later, problems emerged; before you knew it India split into India and Pakistan. Another couple of years, Pakistan also split into East and West Pakistan; the present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh. No country to my mind should be seen to be permanently structured to the satisfaction of all generations that are coming through it. If you consider the Soviet Union, one of the socalled superpowers, only two decades ago or thereabout it was one super country but now there are nine countries that came out of the former Soviet Union. Even in Britain, only two years ago, there was a referendum that Scotland wanted to opt out. Even now, there are problems regarding the Ireland and Northern Ireland and so on. There are other countries that started as one but for one reason or the other they decided that they should part ways –even in Africa; the latest example is Sudan and South Sudan. Hence, Nigeria should not shy away from discussing the future of their country particularly if this debate is going to affect the lives of the generations that are coming after us. We can’t be selfish and insist that this country must remain one if all the indicators show otherwise. That’s what we mean; we’re saying that all the options should be open for discussion at any time. A former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, has called on Nigerians to defend themselves in view of the spate of killings going on in the country while accusing the Nigerian Army of bias in resolving the violent conflicts across the country. What do you think about that comment? TY Danjuma’s remarks –now that you’re asking me –I almost would have turned it down. But I will say this: TY Danjuma was a military officer; he rose to the rank of a general. Perhaps, he had the opportunity of being the head of state of this country. For him to have spoken the way he did, I found it rather unfortunate; very, very unfortunate. Why? Because coming from someone who could have been the head of state of Nigeria, coming from someone who was Chief of Army Staff of this country, coming from someone who was Minister of Defence of this country; for him to come down to this level is most unfortunate. But if this is the way he feels I advise him to go and wear his uniform and start defending his people in Takum and Taraba State. He should wear his uniform and come out in defence of his people.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ 2018
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POLITY
Premium Steels Plans to Produce 50% Requirements of Nigeria in First Phase Bennett Oghifo
P
remium Steels & Mines Ltd., a state of the art steel manufacturing facility at Ovwian – Aladja, Delta State, would meet more than 50 per cent of the domestic steel requirement, during the first phase of production, Prasanta Mishra, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company has said. This will also result in valuable foreign exchange saving for the nation, as this steel need is currently being met through imports. Mishra made this pledge at the official commissioning of the steel and mining facility recently. Formerly known as Delta Steel Company (DSC), the 32-year-old facility is rated Nigeria’s foremost and only integrated steel plant estimated to produce 1.2 million metric tons of various steel products per annum. The plant has since been retooled is ready for production. Mr. Mishra reaffirmed the determination and uncommon disposition of their world-class engineers and technicians to sustainably and inclusively converge with the rest of the world to enhance Nigeria’s industrial growth and subsequently, raiseGross Domestic Product (GDP) by touching the lives of the local communities through accessible and affordable healthcare, employment, women empowerment and education. Also adding that the steel sector is a stimulus to the overall Gross Domestic Product of the country, Mr. Mishra said, Premium Steel and Mines is excited that present government dispensation under the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari,
L-R: Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Barr E.B.O. Delekpe Owhohu 1; Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa; and CEO of Premium Steel & Mines Ltd., Warri, Delta State, Mr. Prasanta Mishra, at the steel plant‌ recently
has initiated a simultaneous and wide-ranging investment plan in infrastructure, which is expected to boost the demand for steel, while also serving as the backbone of Nigeria’s industrialisation. Commending the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, the director said Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s strong initiative contributed immensely to the success of the revived steel plant. Dr. Fayemi, who had earlier laid the three-phased Road Map in Steel and Mines Development, said the “Ministry can contribute $27 billion about (N9.7 trillion) to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025�
The phase one of the roadmapis aimed at stabilizing the sector and rebuilding the country’s market confidence between 2016 and 2018, while the second phase will focus on establishing Nigeria as a competitive African mining and mineral processing center from 2016 – 2020 and the third phase is geared at helping Nigeria build sustainable global competitive mining sector and related processing industry. Mr. Mishra said the benefits of having a functional steel industry cannot be overemphasized, especially when viewed against the multiplier effects it has on all facets of the economy, including the important role steel plays
ingrowth of the automotive industry, which is one of the largest GDP contributor in the World. The company director is optimistic that the Nigeria’s industrial development would in no distant time serve as the foundation of efforts to address poverty and inequality through employment and wealth generation. “We dare to say therefore, that we are one of the best Nigerian Steel Plants to produce the BS4449 grade steel, TMT and other value-added products of high capacity that can be used for high-rise buildings, bridges, flyovers, malls and other skyscrapers due to its tough mechanical and high yield strength.�
Crew Detained in Two Ships for over Five Months Cry for Help Bennett Oghifo
S
ome Nigerian sailors stranded in two ships, MT United Venture and MT United Trader have appealed to Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy to release them from the vessels to enable them reunite with their families and carry on with their lives. For nine months, they have been detained along with the vessels they man at the Outside Bar, Lagos Anchorage because of controversies over alleged non-payment for bunker (fuel for the ship) by the ships’ managers. Thereafter they went to appeal to NIMASA Labour to intervene, but the ship was boarded by officers of the Nigerian Navy, who prevented them from leaving the ship. They have since been prevented from see their families and they ran out of food and water and they have not been paid since the face-off began in August last year. According to the Second Engineer of United Venture, Usman Ilu, around the middle of August last year, they realised that they had no food, water and no salaries for two months and they called the management of the ship here in
Director General/CEO, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside
Nigeria to find out why. Ilu said they were shocked by the response, as they were told “We’re sorry, we are no longer the managers of the vessel. That if we have anything to ask, we should ask the Chinese people.� When they were given this message, they wanted to abandon the ship with the implication that it could sink but that they had a second thought because they
could be arrested by NIMASSA for the crime of sabotage. Thus, they went to the regional office of NIMASSA to report the matter and urged them to tow the ship to the Inner Anchorage “so that we can go home and when the owners come they can give us our salaries, but they said we shouldn’t go that they are making arrangements. We were there (NIMASSA office) four time
but we had no good response.� Ilu said they were later referred to NIMASA headquarters but that the same scenario played out there. “They invited the former managers and asked them to give us food, water and bunker and they were also given two weeks to provide at least two month’s salary for us, because as far as NIMASA was concerned, they were still the owners of the ship.� Regrettably, nothing happened and they were forced to visit NIMASA again to request that the ship be towed to the Inner Anchorage, but they were told it was a crime to abandon ship like that. He said, “On November 14, 2017, a bunker vendor sued the managers of the ship that the Chinese people owe him N43 million. The Navy came on board on November 14, saying that had orders to detain the ship and her crew. After that, they got in touch with NIMASA to intervene on their behalf since it was the agency that asked them not to abandon ship, but that up till now, nothing had been done. He said two months ago, another company came to tell them that they were now the new managers of the ship and that last month they people gave them food supply without water and bunker. “We had to use wood to cook and harvest rain water to drink, cook and bathe.�
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͚͝, 2018
POLITY
Ishaku Charges Tarabans to be Vigilant, Work for Peace Wole Ayodele Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă™
T
araba State Governor, Darius Ishaku has called on the people of the state, irrespective of tribe or religion, to be vigilant and resolve to work for peace. Ishaku, in a message to the people of the state on the occasion of
Easter celebrations, noted that peace remained the most important need of the state at this critical time. The governor’s message, which was contained in a press release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, urged the people to be vigilant and willing to support the efforts of government to achieve
permanent peace in the state. “Peace in Taraba State remains the most important need of the people and I want all Tarabans irrespective of tribe and religion to resolve today to work for peace. I urge you all to be vigilant and willing to support the efforts of government to achieve permanent peace in the state,� he stated.
He however admonished the people of the state to imbibe and emulate the exemplary lessons of humility and sacrifice which the life of Jesus Christ teaches mankind. Ishaku equally asked Christians in the state to use the period of Easter to remind themselves of the virtues of honesty and selfless service, which are the hallmark of Christianity.
APC Youths Allege Lopsided Nomination of Commissioners in Kwara Hammed Shittu Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜
oncerned Youths of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ilorin East local government council of Kwara state have alleged that some elders in the council nominated their cronies for the position of commissioner in the state. They, however, appealed to the political leader of the party, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki to come to their rescue so as to move the party forward. The state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed had recently dissolved the state executive council and has directed each local government councils to nominate three persons out of which two would be picked as commissioner and Special Adviser. The youths said that instead of convening stakeholders’ meeting on how the nominations would be done, some party elders in Ilorin East local government allegedly sidelined them
Bukola Saraki
in the nominations process. Addressing journalists in Ilorin on the development, the youths said that, “It is disheartening to note that
these so called party elders that have been allegedly holding them hostage in the party failed to deliver their polling units and wards to Dr. Saraki and the APC during the local government council elections in the state on November 18, last year.� The spokespersons of the youths, Mr. Abubakar Olarongbe and Mr. Abdulkareem Olarenwaju said that the youths, who constituted majority stakeholders in the party, have been sidelined, as they were not involved in the nomination process. They said that these so called party elders have been in government for the past 16 years without contributing to the development of youths, other than use them for their personal benefit. They noted that apart from this, the youths alleged that the elders also shared to their relations positions of all members of boards and parastatals meant for the people of the local government council.
The youths said, “We cannot explain why we have refused to protest all these while, we suspect they are using charm on us. They have done so many evil things to us over the years; various appointments that were supposed to be given to members on the basis of wards and units were restricted to their relations and family members. “We chose to still remain in the party because of the benefits we enjoyed during the lifetimes of late Dr. Olusola Saraki and from his scion, Dr. Bukola Saraki but these elders blocked us from seeing our leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki so as not to know what we are passing through in the party and that is why we decided to come to the open. “They keep doing this over the years because they are the ones that used to see the senate president. They believe that there was no way the aggrieved members could ever see Dr. Bukola Saraki and complain to him.�
L-R: Managing Director, DE-EIBON Pharmaceutical limited, Chisom Maduekwe; Business Development Director, Medical Credit fund Africa, Fisayo Okunsanya; Medical Director/CEO, Saseun Hospital and Maternity, Dr Rowland Saseun; Non-Financial Service Emerging Business, Diamond Bank Plc, Chioma Icema Ogiro; and CEO Ever right Diagnostic and Laboratory Service Limited, Mr. Okpara Everest at the Diamond Bank business workshop for the health sector, held at Lagos Business School, Ajah, Lagos... recently
L-R: Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Pro-chancellor, University of Lagos, Mr. Wale Babalakin; Consulate General, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ingo Herbert; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Mr. Ade Ipaye; and the Managing Partner, SIAO, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo at an evening with the friends of UNILAG with the theme ‘Selling the Vision Creating Ideas and Development Minds’, held in Lagos... recently PHOTO: SUN-
L-R: Former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, during the 10th edition of Bola Tinubu Annual Colloquium Lecture, with theme: “Investing in People�, to mark the 66th birthday of Asiwaju, in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO
L-R: Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc. Mr. Uaboi Agbebaku; Corporate Aairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem; Executive Director, Regulation, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mrs. Tinuade Awe; Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc.., Mr. Jordi BorrutBel; Human Resources Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc. Mrs. Grace OmoLamai; and Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc Mr. Franco Maria Maggi, during the Listing Business, at The Nigerian Stock Exchange when Mr. BorrutBel beat the closing gong ‌recently
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚΀
POLITY
WISCAR Appoints Pioneer Executive Secretary Bennett Oghifo
group, Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) has announced the appointment of Mrs. Fabia Ogunmekan as its pioneer Executive Secretary. In her role as Executive Secretary Mrs. Ogunmekan assumes responsibility for overseeing the day to day administration of WISCAR’s strategy implementation and programmes management, working closely with the WISCAR Advisory Board and staff to continue to meet the objectives of the organisation. WISCAR is a non-profit organisation focused on empowering and developing professional women to contribute to economic development and nation building in Nigeria and Africa. ‘WIN-with-WISCAR’, WISCAR’s flagship programme is a strucOgunmekan tured mentoring program that provides strategic career advice, inspiration, guidance and support to young career women to Speaking on the appointment, Mrs. Amina help unleash their potential, navigate career Oyagbola, Founder and Chairperson of pathways, achieve their objectives, foster WISCAR remarked “Fabia Ogunmekan’s ambitions and nurture dreams. appointment as our first Executive Secretary
is a defining moment in this new Chapter of the WISCAR story. We celebrated our 10th anniversary in February 2018 and in that period of WISCAR’s existence we have groomed and inspired an impressive cohort of WISCAR Alumni and recognized inspiring WISCAR Fellows, Women all doing great things and making positive contributions just as we envisioned when we commenced�. Continuing, she added that, “I have no doubt that she is the right person to take the helm of executive management as WISCAR forges ahead to further advocate for the development and empowerment of women through appropriate and adequate workplace gender friendly policies that will enhance the success of women in their chosen careers�. Fabia Ogunmekan is a Lawyer and Corporate Executive with 18 years’ experience working in the fields of law and development across Corporate Organizations and Non-profits in the healthcare, gender and entrepreneurship sectors. She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Non Profit Management from the Cass Business School,
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Purchase a Jaguar this Easter between March 16 and April 2, 2018 and stand to enjoy an all expenses paid trip for a couple to the Jaguar Simola Hill Climb in South Africa from 3 May till 7th May, 2018. This will include Flights, Accommodation, meals and VIP Access to the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb event. In addition, every purchase comes with: – – –
1 Year Complimentary Service 50% Rebate on Insurance Premium Complimentary Service
Coscharis Motors PLC KM 32 Lekki Epe Expressway, Awoyaya, Lagos 07013486251 jaguar.ng
*Ts and Cs apply.
City University London (2016), BL (2001) from the Nigerian Law School and Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University College London (1998). She has attended a number of capacity building courses in the areas of Law, Leadership and Management and is a 2008 Alumnus of the Lagos Business School’s Senior Management Programme. Prior to joining WISCAR, she served as Alumni Engagement Manager at the Tony Elumelu Foundation where she was responsible for developing and implementing engagement programs and partnership opportunities for the Alumni network. She has previously worked with Hygeia Nigeria Limited where she spent 8 successful years in different management and executive roles, culminating in her role as Head of Group Legal and Regulatory Compliance. Her development experience also includes her role as Corporate Secretary Pronatura International (Nigeria) and as an Associate at The Law Union (Barristers and Solicitors). She volunteers as a mentor and coach on various community youth programs, she is married and has three children.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
54
Enugu Govt. Awards Additional NI.I70bn Road Contracts Ernest Chinwo inPortHarcourt
and Reconstruction of Ezenwani Akpaka and Isukwuato Street/ Ogui road, Asata Enugu at the cost of N46.309m, N32.348m and N19.996m, respectively. Other projects include the reawarded contract for the completion of Orie Emene-Adoration Ground road (Adoration Ground section), Emene, Enugu East L.G.A and the extension of Nkwo Inyi-Akpugo Eze- Anambra State border road in Oji River L.G.A, at the cost of N418.654m and N653.268m, respectively. The works commissioner explained that the contractor handling the Orie Emene-Adoration Ground road withdrew formally, which necessitated the decision of the council to re-award the contract to another construction company, adding that the beauty of it was that “the government will not spend any extra cost but the balance of the initial contract sum�.
L-R: Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Hon. Achuba Simon; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Lasun Yussuf; Speeaker, House of Representatves, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; and Chief Imam of Abdurahzak Kutepa Mosque, Alhaji Abu Billat at the burial of late. Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Umar Buba Jibril in Lokoja, Kogi State on 30th March, 2018 in Lagos
The Enugu State Government has awarded contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of more urban and rural roads at the cost of over N1.170 billion. In a similar development, the state government in a bid to reposition the Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu to meet with the standard and generate revenue, dissolved the Board of the hotel. Addressing newsmen after the meeting of the State Executive Committee (EXCO), the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Greg Nnaji disclosed that the new road projects include the Achi Akpa –Daughters of Divine Love (DDL) Juniorate Main Entrance, Abakpa-Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area; Colliery Avenue to Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Headquarters, Enugu North L.G.A,
Arise Fashion Show Kicks Off Today in Lagos
Sierra Leone Presidential Run-off Holds Today
LAST RESPECT...
All is set for the Arise Fashion Show, AFW 2018, to kick off at the Continental Hotel in Victoria Island this morning. The show being headlined by British international super model Naomi Campbell will kick off with a charity event. Pre-event activities held yesterday which saw Campbell and other fashion casts in attendance. Tickets
for the event are on sale at Lagos Continental Hotel and Africaticket.com The AFW 2018 runway event in Lagos will feature 45 designers from 14 countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, France, Morrocco, the United Kingdom, the United States, the
Caribbean and Nigeria. As is custom, the best of these will be selected to showcase during NYFW in September this year. Supermodel Campbell, who arrived Lagos on Thursday to was at Eko Atlantic yesterday in solidarity with the Lagos environmental protection and reclamation project, which the new city is being built to
achieve. She had a chance meeting with President Buhari who was on a tour of the city as part of his two-day visit to Lagos. During her stay in Lagos, she is billed to participate in AFW 2018, Africa’s premier fashion show, at the Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The show would end on April 2.
CNN African Voices X-rays Entrepreneurship Holds Contemporary African Music Grand Finale Award The different range of sounds, rhythms and beats deployed by contemporary African musicians to delight mankind and create popular melodies are the talking points of this week’s edition of CNN African Voices sponsored by Globacom. Johannesburg based eclectic band, Bombshelter Beast, with the mission to produce “music to make feet dance and heart happy� is the first guest on the programme. The group established in 2015 consists of colourful, brilliant and innovative artistes who perform a mixed-grill of musical styles dubbed “Afrobalkan Skadubhall�. A statement from the Mobile service provider said the programme then pans to Khartoum to capture
the brilliance of Islam Elbeiti, Sudan’s first female bassist breaking barriers in the music industry with an instrument traditionally played by men. Viewers will find her mantra “inhale poetry and exhale the pain. Feel the bass and let it rain� intriguing on the programme. British-Nigerian singer and songwriter, Ola Onabule, is the last guest on the programme this week. The highly prolific artiste with a career spanning two decades has over eight albums to his credit. He released his first album “More Soul Than Sense� in 1995 and has featured at major international fora like the British Summer Jazz series and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy amongst many others.
In order to tame the of employment and bolster the capacity of Nigerian university graduates to become net employers of labour, the Entrepreneurship Organisation is holding the Grand Final of 2018 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. The event which is a global competition for undergraduates and graduate students who own and operate businesses see these budding entrepreneurs compete against their peers around the world for the chance to win capital from sponsor organisations. Finalists across various tertiary
institutions in Nigeria numbering 25 qualified for final. Their business ideas and products would be showcased at the event on Tuesday. These undergraduates have made in-roads in the world of Agro-allied ventures, Manufacturing, Services, construction, real estate, software design and Information Technologies, arts and crafts, etc. The competition, started last year, has uncovered many potential employers of labour. Many of them are doing businesses worth hundreds of millions in naira, according Mr. Ayodele Aderinwale, the Chair, GSEA of the Lagos Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Nigeria.
Police Re-arrest Suspected Criminal Escapees Linked to Melaye
Visionscape Leads Environmentalists on Tour of First LandďŹ ll
Yekini Jimoh inLokoja
In commemoration of World Forest Day 2018, officials of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative organised a comprehensive tour of the engineered sanitary landfill located in Epe, under construction by Visionscape Sanitation. Visionscape Sanitation, residential waste collection concessionaires in Lagos State, had won the tender process in August 2016, and as part of their agreement, commenced construction of the landfill in 2017 amongst other infrastructural projects and reforms in the state. The purpose of the tour, which was well attended by key environmentalists, Environmental Advocacy groups, Waste Management companies, Non-governmental Organisations and representatives from government institutions in the state, such as; KidsBeachGarden, 123Recycle, RecyclePoints, E-Terra, and others, was to give members
The Nigeria Police, Kogi State command have re-arrested five out of the six suspected criminals who escaped from Police custody in Lokoja, Kogi State on Wednesday. The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Janga made this known yesterday. However, THISDAY gathered that two of the suspected are presently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center in Lokoja after being injured during a shootout with the Police. Other suspects are still at large. The suspects were linked to the Senator representing Kogi West, Mr. Dino Melaye. Two of the alleged criminals, Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama (31) and Nuhu Salisu (25 ) aka small, were arrested on January 19 at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State and they confessed
to being hired by Mr. Melaye to cause mayhem in the state. Osama, who, according to the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, confessed that he had been working as a political thug for Alhaji Mohammed Audu who later introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye is the only suspect still on the run. Osama told the Police that he met Melaye at Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Melaye’s car in the month of December 2017. “The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for him as his political thugs and they should recruit and train other thugs to work for him in preparation for the 2019 general elections to enable him ( Sen. Dino Melaye ) challenge his political opponents and disorganize Kogi State.
of the public, an insight into the workings of an engineered sanitary landfill and the process of waste management within a controlled environment. The tour was handled by Mr. Sumeet Singh, the Landfill Operations Manager, who revealed that over 350 scavengers had been registered and inducted into Visionscape’s processes. According to Singh, an average of 30 trucks from various Waste Collection Operators in the state already visit the landfill daily to dispose waste, which was then levelled to prevent waste piling. Sumeet reiterated the company’s commitment to working with all waste collection operators saying “Visionscape is committed to building local capacity in the waste management industry, we will work and support all players to improve standards and overall efficiency of all Waste Management operations�.
Adedayo Adejobi Sierria Leone will today hold a run-off election on Saturday to determine who succeeds President Ernest Bai Koroma, after neither of the candidates secured enough votes for an outright victory during the first round. In an exclusive chat with THISDAY, the fresh-faced military ruler who led Sierra Leone from 1992 to 1996 and then handed over power to Ahmad Tejan Kabbah also argued that it would be against the run of play if President Bai Koroma’s stooge, Samura Kamara, an integral part of the failed APC Government, is elected. Reflecting on why he is seeking office, the challenges and opportunities for democratic consolidation in postwar Sierra Leone, he said that ‘‘my decision to run for the top job was not by accident, but as a result of wide consultations with respectable men and women, including opinion leaders in the country in the hinterlands. I came into the Presidential race as a call to serve and not acquire wealth. God has been kind to me in all my ways and I think the best way to appreciate God is to serve my people
with all my vigour. It’s my plan to take men, women, school leavers, and the jobless out of the streets, re-focus the civil service who are the heart of government and governance’. I am contesting to make a change in the Spirit of One Country, One People and the struggles Sierria Leone has gone through.’’ Maada Bio said. Sounding confident of victory at the polls, he promised to use his experience as an ex-leader who in his time revived electricity and economy, abolished petrol queues, and then handed over to over to a democratically-elected government, to run an effective and efficient government in which workers would be well taken care of. In his words, ‘‘looking at it from an unbiased point of view-Sierria Leone is poorer than ever, and the Bai Koroma Led APC cannot use the Ebola excuse because the aid monies received simply disappeared into a big hole. And they have the cheek to say anything about corruption. It is nothing but sarcasm and of course, the APC has a tremendous sense of humour. Interestingly, the ordinary Sierrialeonean is beginning to see the truth.
Easter Fun Seekers Gear Up for Ibadan Food, Drinks Festival Bennett Oghifo The city of Ibadan is agog as all is now set for the first International Food and Drinks Festival starting from Friday, 30th of March till Sunday, 1st of April, 2018 at the popular Ibadan Recreation Club, Adamasigba, Ibadan. The Easter celebration is expected to be a long holiday for most families which is part of why the organisers of the festival had put this together at this time to create a one stop shop of fun and entertainment on the platform of good hygienic food and drinks for all and sundry. To make this a memorable fun time through the Easter holidays, the organisers according to the Project Coordinator, Mr Clemence Eki, credible and strong brands in the food and drink sectors were on board to delight everyone that comes to the festival with their various products. Eki said, “we are excited that respected brands like Unilever , makers of Knoor, Royco, Grandoak,
makers of drinks like Lord's Gin amongst other exotic drinks from their stable are partners to the festival . Likewise, brands like Indomie, Coca Cola, Lucozade Boost, Guiness and Union Bank from the financial sector amongst others have all confirmed their participation to make this a fun - filled experience for all attendees. To add more fun to the three days of excitement, we are equally having music from popular Disco Jockeys, bands, games, children corner to deliver an all-encompassing entertainment in all ramifications". Already, the city of Ibadan is upbeat with lots of activations like roadshows, media hypes on both traditional and new media to announce this big event that is expected to have over 20,000 visitors for the three days duration. Ultimately, the organisers are not leaving any stone unturned to make this festival an eventful and memorable event that will deliver the expected mileage for both the brands and the visitors alike with security and other logistics guaranteed.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍťÍšËœ ͺ͸͚͜
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NEWS
Easter Messages‌ Easter Messages‌ Easter Messages‌
Ohaneze, PDP, DPC, Urge Prayers, Reection Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja President General of the umbrella Igbo Organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has urged Nigerians particularly Ndigbo to use this period of Easter to intensify their prayers for peace in the country. Also, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has urged Nigerians to use the period of Easter to reflect on the situation in the country and pray specially for the survival of our democracy. This is as the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) in a goodwill message to Christians on the occasion of this year’s Easter celebrations, the national Chairman, Segun Peters called for sober reflection on the pious life of our Lord Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection for the redemption of mankind. Chief Nwodo said in an Easter message released on Saturday that Nigerians should not allow the prevailing hardship in the country affect their spirit of love, brotherliness and peaceful co-existence. The Ohanaeze boss said that the country was clearly under siege from all corners, the period provided good opportunity for Nigerians to pray more to God to send succor to alleviate their sufferings.
In a statement issued yesterday, Nwodo urged Nigerians to use this year’s Easter festivities to engender the spirit of oneness and also re-dedicate themselves to the virtues of love, patriotism and unity for the desired national development. "Nigerians Christians must allow the solemnness of the last 40 days of fasting and prayers to influence their thoughts and actions in relating with one another. Nwodo noted that the Lenten period that just ended offered incalculable lessons in love, humility and forgiveness which should guide our way of living irrespective of religion, ethnic and political differences and help in ushering in a new and adorable era where bitterness, hatred is absent. The Ohanaeze leader urged Nigerians to use this period to think deeply at the state of the nation with a view to finding a lasting solution to the country's challenges. "Restructuring this country is perhaps the sincere and pragmatic way to address the nation's socio political and economic challenges and time is ripe for political leaders to embrace it" Nwodo reiterated his call last December during the Christmas and New year festivities on Ndigbo to always think home and not to
Atiku Felicitates with Christians Former Vice President and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called on Nigerians to emulate the virtues of love and sacrifice which characterised the life of Jesus Christ. In a message released by his media office in Abuja to mark the Easter celebrations, Atiku described those two qualities as essential to the unity that Nigeria so desperately needed at this time when vested and provincial interests threaten to tear our nation apart.
The Waziri Adamawa also encouraged Nigeria's leaders to use the opportunity of the Christian celebration of Easter to reflect on their stewardship to their people and to the nation. "Our leaders at all levels should follow the virtues that define this season - sacrifice, love, and charity - and come together to help all Nigerians resolve the differences that divide us. “We must not allow those who seek to divide us to pretend as if our problems are as a result of another ethnic or religious group," Atiku said.
ALL FOR HUMANITY ... Station of the Cross at St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos to mark the Crucifiction of Jesus Christ on the Cross, ‌yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN allow the hardship occasioned of the last two years affect them in thinking about their homeland. The Ohanaeze President General said that the deliberate exorbitant
tax in some states in the country were targeted at Ndigbo to cut their savings and discourage their "Aku rue uno" policy but he urged them not to be dissuaded because
Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, has reminded all Christians that the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday, gives hope to a world in need of Physical and Spiritual healing. He noted that the crucifixion,
death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, demonstrate God’s love and grace to humanity, which should guide all Christians in living the virtues of love, sacrifice and perseverance for the good of mankind. Lalong stated this in a press statement signed by his Director of Press, Mr. Emmanuel Nanle to felicitate with citizens of the state
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has approved the grant of total pardon to five persons serving various terms in prison and commuted 30 others on death row to life imprisonment. Okowa's gesture is in accordance with the exercise of his Prerogative of Mercy under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). A statement from the office of the state's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon Peter Mrakpor, stated that "the Governor acted pursuant to powers vested on him in exercise of his powers of
prerogative of mercy in the spirit of the Easter celebration and took into consideration the several international and local pleas including those from Amnesty International." The attorney-general and commissioner for justice explained that the governor, acted based on the recommendations of the seven-Man Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy headed by Chief Patrick Okpakpor that was inaugurated on 30 March, 2017. According to the statement, the Governor approved the grant of full pardon to the following inmates and ordered their immediate release; Livinus Ugwu (M) who was sentenced to 20 years; Enebeli Dike (M),
during the Easter celebration. The Governor added that without these virtues the development of the society would be greatly impaired, calling for sober reflection on the sacrifices and practical demonstration of the love of Christ which all Nigerians must make in order to build a Nation that will remain the envy of other countries in the comity of Nations.
He further called on all citizens of the state to be prayerful for a peaceful state and country, where patriotism supersedes selfish interest in private and public life. He also enjoined all citizens of the state to be vigilant, and to intensify community policing in collaboration with the security agencies in the state, who are working round the clock to ensure a hitch-free celebration.
Ortom Assures Benue Residents of Safety George Okoh in Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has assured the people of Benue State that his administration would continue to place priority on the security of lives, property and their general welfare. In his Easter message to Benue people yesterday, he said the death and resurrection of Jesus which is the meaning of Easter was a period when Christians should draw closer to God so they could appreciate His
abundant grace and mercy upon their lives in the face of adversities. He encouraged people of the state not to lose hope as his administration was committed to bringing herdsmen attacks to an end to enable thousands of internally displaced persons currently in eight camps across the state to return home. The statement read: “Ortom is particularly worried over the increasing number of children and other categories of people in IDPs
in the country by ensuring that all eligible voters collect their voters’ card and be ready to use it effectively to pick leaders that would fight for their interests.
Okowa Frees 5 Prisoners, Commutes 30 Death Sentences to Life
Lalong Admonishes Citizens on SacriďŹ ce Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
nowhere is their wealth more secure than home. Nwodo also urged Ndigbo to show more than passing interest in the socio political development
camps and calls on other Nigerians as well corporate organisations to assist the Benue State Government in managing the humanitarian crisis. “The Governor urges the people of the state to continue to show love to one another as Christ Jesus taught his followers. “He believes that it is only when the people support authorities in building a crime-free society that the government's efforts of providing development and improved standard of living can fully be
achieved. “The Governor is confident that the current economic and security challenges will be overcome and the state will move onto the next level of development. “He admonishes Benue people to pray for the innocent persons who recently lost their lives in Logo, Guma, Okpokwu and other parts of the state following herdsmen attacks and calls for continuous trust in God in the belief that things will get better.
a condemned convict; Orji Pascal (M), serving a 10 year jail term; Moses Agedah who was also on death row and Martins Ishiekwene, a prisoner sentenced to death on the 30th of November, 1998. The 30 inmates whose sentences were commuted by the governor were all on death row, having been severally sentenced to death by hanging. The statement further stated that Okowa administration was irrevocably committed to better
the lives of the people, including prisoners saying the State Government had come out with various rehabilitation programmes through skills acquisition, training and other empowerment programmes geared towards their reintegration back to society. "The Prison Authorities have been advised appropriately in the warrants of pardon signed by the Governor, to immediately effect the warrants of release and commuttal, respectively", the statement noted.
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as SIMON ELIZABETH GLORY FUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as ADEKOLA ELIZABETH GLORY FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.
I formerly known and addressed as EMEOWELE ANDREW USI EIKENAN, now wish to be known and addressed as HARRY EMI UGHELIE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as CHINWO TINA CHITURU, now wish to be known and addressed as TINA CHITURU IFIJEH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS EVELYN AGBOTAIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EVELYN AGBOTAIN UMEBIYE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS ANNABELLA OMOREGBEE ELEMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS ANNABELLA AGBOTAIN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as AJIBADE YUSUF OLATUNJI now wish to be known and addressed as AJIBADE YUSUF OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as ADEDIGBA OLUSHOLA now wish to be known and addressed as ADEDIGBA OLUSHOLA PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. I formerly known and addressed as RAHIDI GBOLAHAN AREGBESOLA and now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULRASHEED GBOLAHAN AREGBESOLA. All former document remain valid. The hĹśĹ?ƚĞĚ EĹ?Ĺ?ÄžĆŒĹ?Ä‚Ĺś dĞdžĆ&#x;ĹŻÄžĆ? WĹŻÄ? and the general public take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS SOI BLESSING CHINYERE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IMOMOH BLESSING CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
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MISSILE Gate to FG “If you invest in their health, education, and opportunities- the human capital we are talking about today, then they will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. If you don’t, however, then it is very important to recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow.� – Philanthropist/founder of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, excoriating the economic templates of the Buhari administration.
PENDULUM DELE MOMODU
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Buhari, Osinbajo, Tinubu, Ambode and The Presidential Visit
F
ellow Nigerians, there is so much to write about today, but first, I must quickly apologise for my absence on this page last week. My itinerary has been very packed lately, and last week was particularly jammed. I had criss-crossed Africa, from West to East and East back to West. I travelled from Nigeria, to Rwanda and Nairobi and then back to Nigeria. I returned last week Friday, and I usually devote my Friday evenings to writing this column. I arrived in the early afternoon, because my flight from Kigali was slightly delayed and got caught up in some really bad traffic on the way to the Island. By the time I arrived at Eko Hotel, there was barely time for me to start getting ready for an important wedding that I had to attend; that of Fatima Dangote and Jamil Abubakar. Of course, Lagos was naturally agog with dignitaries flying in from all over the world, including the boss of bosses, Bill Gates, and the famous African billionaire, Mo Ibrahim. They were in town to honour and rejoice with one of their own, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. This event reconfirmed the pre-eminent status of Lagos as not just a megacity, but also as the centre of entertainment and jollification in Africa. I landed in the middle of that superlative event and it became practically impossible for me to sit down and concentrate on writing my column. I took a chill and called the Editors at Thisday to pardon my inability to deliver as always. I’m glad to be back this week A few days later, on Thursday, March 29, 2018, to be precise, Lagos again played host to an august visitor, President Muhammadu Buhari. He had come to felicitate with his friend and benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu, the former Governor of Lagos State, was undoubtedly one of the strongest forces that propelled and catapulted Buhari back to power. This was not just because of the popular vote of the South West, which Tinubu delivered to a large extent, but also because of the all-pervading conventional and social media influence and presence that Tinubu brought to bear in support of APC. This was what probably changed the narrative and gave the populace the unerringp belief that indeed APC could unseat the ruling party PDP. A feat that had never before been achieved in Nigeria. But, as they say, human memories are very short. No sooner had Buhari got the golden fleece, that he had chased for eternity, that he was hijacked by a cabal. Wittingly or unwittingly, those who starved and slaved for him were skilfully shoved aside. Tinubu was shabbily treated. And the world wondered what manner of ingratitude this was. Perhaps, Buhari and his handlers forgot that tomorrow would come so soon, and when it comes, they would need Tinubu and others again. Now the chickens have come home to roost. Buhari wants to contest for a second term. That is not now in doubt. Everything else is shadow boxing! Politics is a game of numbers. But the figures are not adding up. They can’t add up because Buhari has not been very nice to those who showed him love and showered him with goodwill and affection. It was as if he got power by his own effort alone and the contributions of others were downplayed. To win
Ambode the Presidential contest in Nigeria, a candidate needs to lock down a minimum four out of our six geo-political regions. If elections were held today, I doubt he would win more than two out of six, North West and North East. Whether he can win in the landslide manner that he won in the North West in 2015 is arguable. Such an achievement in the North East is debatable, as a win might even be unlikely. I believe that if the North East should produce a formidable candidate like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in PDP, a spanner would have been thrown in the works. Buhari would be forced to sweat profusely. I doubt he can win 50 percent of votes in the South West as his ardent supporters are hoping. The electorate in the South West are too enlightened and do not follow any leader rigidly. It is even much worse now that they feel short-changed by Buhari. The middle-belt is equally endangered. The South-South and South East regions are no-go areas. Give or take, Buhari would have to send his scavengers to scramble for whatever votes they can lay their hands on from all parts of Nigeria. They have a miracle to perform because at the best of times Buhari had failed spectacularly in the Southern parts of the country. This is why Tinubu has again become the new bride to be spoilt and pampered. Everything Tinubu wants, he is likely to get now. To God be the glory. Tinubu has paid his dues. And, say what you will, he deserves the best. His 66th birthday celebration forced President Buhari to visit Lagos, a State from which he seemed to have absconded, and abandoned, all this while. Let me not go into the traffic brouhaha and the unspeakable degree of human suffering occasioned during that special visit as a result. I also will not deal with the many man hours and billions of monies lost because of the unfortunate work free day that was declared in Lagos State. According to impeccable sources, the order to shut down Lagos was a Federal Government decision and instruction. That was a most atrocious act that must never be repeated anywhere in this country. It generated and transmitted public and international odium and denigration to Lagos State, which has been working hard to bring sanity back, and restore hope in the people that government can truly
work for them. Anyway, President Buhari landed in Lagos on his two-day official visit. One of his first duties was to commission the Ikeja Bus Terminal. Perhaps, out of deep frustration, and to some extent mischief, many Lagosians lambasted Buhari for coming to commission a bus terminal, when he should be commissioning modern metrolines. That may well be so as commissioning projects go. But to the credit of Lagos State Government and Governor Ambode, the Bus Terminal project is a very good and methodical way to modernise Lagos. You cannot climb a tree from the top. The strategy is to start from the most basic things and upgrade to the most profound. About a dozen of such terminals are being constructed. These should hopefully reduce the menace and lawlessness of Lagos transporters. They should also ease the pain and suffering of commuters and motorists who face nightmares caused by gridlock, arising from buses misbehaving on our roads. It is usually difficult to appreciate the beginning and ultimate destination of a visionary leader. I’m reasonably convinced that Lagos needs to be repackaged from scratch and this is what is being done meticulously. My advice to the government is to ignore distractions and remain focused. President Buhari was also the Special Guest at the 10th edition of The Bola Tinubu Colloquium which was held at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre. The well attended event turned out to be more of a campaign launch for Buhari’s bid for a second term as President, than a true birthday celebration of the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The organisers seized every opportunity to sell Buhari and his vision. The Chief Marketer turned out to be the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who delivered his best speech ever and took the PDP government under President Goodluck Jonathan to the cleaners. He spoke eloquently from the heart and quoted copiously from a compiled data of the misdeeds of the PDP regime. For his powerful delivery, the Professor of Law received a standing ovation. Even his boss, the President, was very impressed and everyone could see him blushing with pride. For the erudite scholar, it was his glorious moment. The Vice President sounded more convincing than all others who had previously tried unsuccessfully to say and show that the APC government and its leader, President Buhari, is far better, and doing much more, than the PDP administration, and President Jonathan. But I hope the damage has not been done already to this Buhari government. Many wondered why Osinbajo had not been used more productively and effectively in the past. How can a reasonable government refuse to put forward the brightest Nigerians? There are many Osinbajos wasting away within Government in Nigeria. There are even many more untapped talents outside of Government. These need to be harnessed if we are to make any progress as a nation. Instead, what we have are woeful mediocres, and, sometimes even, complete ignoramuses being pushed into positions where they can never achieve anything tangible. For the first time, I listened to the sermon of Professor Osinbajo and almost got carried away.
I had to pinch myself to remind me about the different reality out there. While it is true that the PDP government fumbled stupidly and brought us to the sorry pass that we are now in, the APC government has had, and is still having, its terrible moment. The Government should realise that if PDP had performed well, Nigerians would not have resorted to the APC. Further, APC must never forget that more than 45 % of Nigerians also voted for the PDP in that election and that the margin of victory was just about 2 million voters. Therefore, there was always bound to be those who would support APC and criticise the new Government. Most people would have ignored these “wailers�, as they would have been properly characterised, if the APC Government had covered itself in total glory. However, that has not been the case. APC has been trailed by endless scandals almost on a parallel scale with that of the PDP Government that it sacked. This is sad and distressing. What is even more unforgivable is that the ruling APC has protected its sacred cows with everything, while harassing some members of its own party and those of the opposition parties merely because they offer a dissident or discordant voice. Apart from this being undemocratic, it is morally indefensible. There should be no person who is beyond reproach, simply because he belongs to a cabal that has got our country in a virtual impregnable headlock. It is good that Buhari looks and acts penitent, but he should be held to his promises, this time. Before giving its blanket support again, Tinubu should drive a hard bargain for greater recognition and development of the needs of the South West. For example, with respect to Lagos State where the President has just concluded his State visit, Tinubu should ensure that the State receives approval, and instant execution, for the requests made by Governor Ambode on the transfer of the National Theatre and the National Stadium to the State. These important national monuments are presently an eyesore, just wasting away, when there is so much Lagos can do to revamp them to their old glory. We must always remember that it is our culture and heritage that distinguishes us from other people and countries. We cannot progress as a nation if we do not showcase that cultural complexity that makes us uniquely Nigerians. We must first do so amongst ourselves before we can sell it to others. We have been complaining about the current wave of disunity that is sweeping through our nation and eating away at the very fabric of our society. These National treasures could begin to assist in the healing process that the Presidency must embrace if we are not to be torn apart. We have long known that our diverse traditions and sports have always been able to bring us together and bond us. But in recent times we have neglected and relegated them whilst pursuing fruitless and damaging ethnic and religious agendas. If Lagos State is prepared to help nation building by restoring these edifices to their lost glory, then the Federal Government should only be too happy to oblige and encourage the State. The Presidential visit, hopefully, would bear fruits, and not just be a mere jamboree!
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