Preliminary Investigations Link Abuja Tremor to Quarrying Activities Ministry directs suspension of mining within affected areas Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government yesterday said that preliminary investigation revealed that the ground
shaking experienced by the inhabitants of Mpape, Abuja and environs on the 5th of September, was due to long quarrying activities in the area, which involve
intense blasting that led to stress accumulation. THISDAY gathered that to forestall any eventualities, the federal government, through the Minister of Mines and
Steel Development, has directed the suspension of all blasting activities in and around the affected areas till the completion of investigation.
The federal government while assuring residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja of their safety said there was no cause for alarm.
The experience, according to reports, had left many fearing for possible earthquake within the area. Continued on page 6
Sultan Tasks Catholic Bishops on Peaceful Co-existence… Page 8 Saturday 8 September, 2018 Vol 23. No 8543
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Whistleblower Accuses Alpha Beta of Tax Evasion, Money Laundering EFCC: We are yet to receive petition Chika Amanze-Nwachuku A whistleblower, who is also the immediate past Managing Director/Chief
Executive Officer of Alpha Beta consultants, Mr. Dapo Apara, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
over alleged N100 billion fraud, tax evasion and money laundering by the firm. Alpha Beta, a management, information systems and
technology consultancy, collects revenue for some state governments, including Lagos State. In the petition to the anti-
graft agency, dated July 6, 2018, Apara alleged that the company “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a
conduit pipe for massive money laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other Continued on page 6
Vote Buying: INEC Vows to Arrest, Prosecute Politicians We’ll enforce this starting with Osun governorship poll Meets 91 political parties Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has vowed to make a statement with the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State scheduled for September 22, 2018, by arresting and prosecuting politicians inducing voters with money. The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the hint yesterday in Abuja during a quarterly consultative meeting with the 91 political parties, where he urged the parties to conduct credible party primaries, as they are the cornerstone of democracy. He noted that the political parties have just one month to conduct their primaries, advising them to conduct credible party primaries, as well as resolve all issues arising from
the conduct of the primaries. The chairman urged the political parties to adhere strictly to the timetable and schedule of activities of the 2019 general elections, noting that only 60 out of the 91 political parties have invited INEC to monitor their party primaries. On vote buying, Yakubu stated: "We are witnessing an ugly trend of vote buying in recent elections in the country. This is giving our democracy a bad name. "There is difference between democracy, - government of the people made by the people and for the people - and plutocracy, which is government by the rich. "We are going to make a big statement with the Osun governorship election by Continued on page 6
Herdsmen Attack: Military Places Page 6 Troops on Red Alert in Benue
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CONDOLENCE VISIT... Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, receiving the Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, during a condolence visit to Dickson over the demise of his mother, at Toru-Orua, in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state… yesterday
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Herdsmen Attack: Military Places Troops on Red Alert in Benue George Okoh in Makurdi
The Military Command of the Operation Whirl Stroke' (OPWS) has placed its troops in Benue State on alert following renewed attacks by herdsmen in Plateau State. Major General Adeyemi
Yekini told journalists that troops had been placed on red alert to forestall any attack on innocent citizens in Benue State and environs. Yekini explained that troops of the OPWS have intensified patrols within and around Benue to
ensure that the state doesn't experience the renewed killings going on in Plateau State. He said the troops have also intensified patrols even near Nasarawa border in a bid to keep criminals and armed bandits away from attacking innocent people.
On the alleged sporadic exchange of gunfire between troops and some suspected herdsmen on Thursday, the OPWS Commander, who debunked the rumour however noted that a few herdsmen that were sighted in a community in Guma Local Government
area immediately ran away on sighting troops. "What happened was that a few herdsmen were sighted in Guma and as soon as they saw our troops, they ran away. It is a usual occurrence that our troops encounter almost on a daily basis that doesn't
really need reporting. "Our troops have been placed on red alert to forestall a recurrence of what is happening in Plateau. Troops are on 24 hour surveillance, patrolling the length and breadth of Benue, even up to Nasarawa state sometimes."
Osinbajo Tasks Friesland on Backward Integration Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday in Abuja encouraged investors in the diary industry to facilitate "backward integration" including the provision of incentives for local diary farmers. Osinbajo made this remark while receiving a delegation from FrieslandCampina led by its global Chief Executive Officer, Mr Hein Schumacher in the State House. A statement by the vice-
president's spokesman, Laolu Akande, canvassed the need for Friesland to do more on dairy production by setting timeline for itself. “I think that Friesland needs to, on its own, do something because there is really no incentive for backward integration. “I think that there is a need for you to do more in terms of local production and set some timelines. Maybe after six years, you should be doing 70 per cent and not 10 per cent. "My view is that if we go
at the current rate it will be extremely difficult for the local producers to move up,� he quoted him as saying Akande also said Osinbajo tasked his guests on the need to develop a robust plan to improve local production across the country. He quoted him further: “The plan of extending the dairy development programme to other states is extremely important. I just think that backward integration is just so crucial. My worry is the lack of incentives for backward
integration. “As part of the backward integration, a programme of how to put the farmers in a position where they are able to produce more should be put in place. “There should be a very robust plan to encourage cattle breeders to actually increase yields so that we can say, after a particular period, 70 per cent of products should be locally produced but the problem, I must say, is still the lack of incentives." The statement added that Osinbajo assured the company
of federal government’s preparedness to give it the needed support to actualise its business objectives as he advocated better synergy between the public and private sector. The statement also said earlier in his remarks, Schumacher recalled that the company which was established in Nigeria in 1973, had developed the plan to grow Nigeria's local dairy industry through a small holder farmer dairy programme. According to the
statement, the CEO appealed to the federal government to support the company's development plan by improving infrastructure in its operational base in Oyo State and also providing tax incentives for its new investments. Members of the delegation included the Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Robert Petri, the Chairman of the FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Mr. Jacob Ajekigbe and other management staff of the company.
In March this year, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) had called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to terminate the service of the company from Lagos State revenue collection service. The party said the call followed some allegation that the company has “been enmeshed in fraud, overcharging and the claims that the company is being used as conduit pipe to send public money into private pockets.� The party also noted that the insertion of Alpha Beta into the Land Use Act of Lagos State was a “deliberate move to legitimise the hold by some greedy private individuals on Lagos, contrary to the watery excuses given
by the spokesman of Lagos State House of Assembly that the insertion was an error.� When contacted, a source in the EFCC who pleaded for anonymity, said the agency was yet to receive the petition, promising that action will be taken once it is received. Officials of Alphe Beta also refused to comment on the allegations when contacted by THISDAY last night. However, a source in the company who spoke off record said it was not true that the tax firm collects 10 per cent of all revenue accruing to Lagos State. He added: “What we collect is 10 per cent after the first N20 billion. As a result, Apara’s allegations are flat and inaccurate.�
it had received a report of spontaneous burning of coal seam in Otolo, Nnewi, in Anambra State. The ministry, in a statement by the Media
Aide to the Minister, Ishaku Kigbu, stated that "a team of experts also visited the site with a view to bringing the situation under control as soon as possible.
WHISTLEBLOWER ACCUSES ALPHA BETA OF TAX EVASION, MONEY LAUNDERING vices�. According to the petition, sent on his behalf by Adetunji Shoyoye & Associates, his solicitors, Apara said: “Over the years, the company is being protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable, but our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption, which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it’s time to expose and open the can of worms called Alpha Beta Consulting.
The law firm added: “Our client is of the firm belief that it is time for the commission to step in and conduct a holistic investigation into the activities of Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP, with a view to uncovering the massive corruption, money laundering, tax evasion etc going on in the company. It further alleged that one of the companies being used by Alpha Beta Consulting to perpetrate money laundering is another company named Ocean Trust Limited. Apara expressed sadness that efforts to rid Nigeria of corruption and other vices were being jeopardised by “people who are hell bent
on continually giving Nigeria a bad name and bringing discredit to the nation. One of such is Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP.� The law firm added: “The only hope of our client and indeed the teeming Nigerians who are victims of the crimes being perpetrated by these companies, in seeking justice is the commission, which we strongly believe in and therefore call on the commission to cause a holistic investigation into this case and all involved with the aim of bringing these criminals to justice, and not allow their claims of being untouchable to be validated. “Kindly note sir that as our client is willing and
able to provide information to substantiate the claims, though, we will plead for these to be done through us as he presently fears for his life, having been receiving death threats from a lot of quarters because of this case.� Alpha Beta first was appointed a consultant to the Lagos State Government, during the tenure of Bola Tinubu as governor and Babatunde Fowler as the Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014. Apara claims that the company collects about 10 per cent of internally generated revenue of Lagos State every month.
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS LINK ABUJA TREMOR TO QUARRYING ACTIVITIES The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), however, advised that the inhabitant of Mpape and the general public should not panic as the situation was not yet out of control. The Director-General, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Alex Nwegbu, while briefing the press in Abuja on the incident, said that the agency had dispatched a team of geologists and geophysicists on a fact finding mission. According to him, "From the account of people interviewed by the NGSA team as well as the reconnaissance survey carried out by the team, the following findings have been ascertained: "The vibration started around 2.30pm on 5th September, 2018 which lasted about a second but reoccurred 3 hours later around 5.30pm. The vibration was again felt around 8.00pm which lasted for about 10 seconds. "The intensity of the tremor is estimated to be between 3 and 3.5 on the Modified
Mercalli scale since the investigating team did not observe any visible damage such as cracks, shattering on windows or colouration in ground water." He revealed that the possible causes suggest that the NE-SW, NW-SE conjugate sets of strike-slip faults must have played a critical role in the generation of the tremors. Nwegbu explained that the faults were also suspected to be related to the ‘Chain’ transcurrent ocean fracture system. They are suspected to be part of the ‘Ife Wara’ fault traceable to Zungeru and even to Niger Republic. "The assumed epicentre (Mpape) lies at the boundary between Abuja and Gitata topographic Sheets (186 and 187). The geology of the area is largely dominated by migmatite gneiss complex making contact with schist belt units belonging to the Birnin-Gwari and Karu Schist Belt and plutons of Pan-African granitoids in the northwest portion of the map sheet." Nwegbu noted that
analysis of regional airborne geophysical data had identified the area to have undergone series of tectonic activities leading to structural emplacement. He added: "Some of these structures are deeply seated, broad and extensive and could serve as good channels for stress dissipation. For instance, an extensive NE-SW trending lineament running through Kachia, Kagarko in Kaduna State, linking Karu, Karshi in Nasarawa State is clearly distinguishable on the first vertical derivative data of area around Mpape. Verifiable evidence relating this regional structure and the assumed epicentre (Mpape) is yet to be established. “The accumulated stress was then released as seismic energy triggering the ground shake. The stress may have travelled through secondary fractures to other areas where the tremor was experienced such as Gwarinpa and adjoining areas." Continuing, he disclosed that earthquakes tend to be concentrated in particular
zones, which coincide with the boundaries of the tectonic plates into which the earth is divided, adding that such boundaries may either be spreading zones, transform faults or subduction zones. According to him, it was erroneous to think that the countries or zones that were not contiguous with plate boundaries were aseismic. "The Federal government has recently procured six earthquake monitoring seismograms to enable proper monitoring of all ground disturbances. The process of installations of the seismograms has since begun in six geological zones of the country. "The Agency shall keep a close monitoring team for the next 48 hours within which arrangement ought to have been concluded for a detailed survey in the area involving reflection seismic and gravity measurement to fully unravel immediate and remote causes of the tremor.� In related development, the ministry of Mines and Steel Development, said that
VOTE BUYING: INEC VOWS TO ARREST, PROSECUTE POLITICIAN arresting and prosecuting vote buyers. We can't carry this ugly trend to 2019 elections." The INEC chairman noted that the commission would only recognize notices emanating from the National Executive Committee (NEC) of political parties, as state branches cannot submit names of candidates, venue, as well as, date of primaries to INEC. He stressed: "Primaries should be resolved without litigations. We are still battling with litigations from party primaries conducted in 2014. We have been dragged to court 680 times over party primaries. "Political parties are key to our democracy. Some parties change names of candidates who genuinely emerged from
party primaries, while some submit names of candidates without conducting primaries. "Notification should not come from branches. Parties must avoid incessant changes to party primaries and try to eliminate rancor. We incure cost in the process of monitoring party primaries and we don't have all the resources in the world to monitor party primaries." He further explained that even though INEC has no power under the law to reject the names of candidates submitted by political parties, “but, this time around, we will name and shame political parties that fail to conduct credible primaries; so we should do the right thing for our democracy.�
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NEWS
Clark’s House Raid: IG Disbands Special Tactical Squad Dickson pleads with Ijaw leaders, youths to accept IG’s apology Alex Enumah in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The dust raised by the unauthorised search of the Abuja residence of Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark is yet to abate as the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has ordered the immediate disbandment of the IGP Special Tactical Squad (IGP-STS). This is as Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State yesterday appealed to Niger Delta leaders to accept the apology tendered by police authorities over the invasion of Chief Clark’s residence. Armed policemen had on Tuesday, invaded the Asokoro home of Chief Clark over allegation of stockpiling arms in his house. However, the police authority in a swift response denied knowledge of the raid as well as denied authorising it. The force in addition had on Thursday through a press statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood announced the dismissal of Inspectors Godwin Musa, Sada Abubakar and Yabo Paul. The police in the statement added that, the said leader of the raid ASP David Dominic was under investigation and may also be dismissed if found culpable. The IGP also sent a high powered delegation to apologise to Chief Clark over the unfortunate and
embarrassing incident. Though the Elder Statesman said he accepted the public apology of the police, nonetheless he wants the matter to be thoroughly investigated and the real mastermind of the raid exposed. Chief Clark in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser, alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Kolo, Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Tactical Squad and Assistant Inspector General of Police (Federal Intelligence), Umoru Usman were those who ordered the raid and search on his residence. In the petitions with reference No KACCL/PET/KA/76/18 and dated September 6, 2018 signed by his Lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Clark wondered why the police authorities who were in the know of the masterminds and conspirators of the invasion were going after the four junior officers who were merely carrying out instructions from their superiors. However, a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, on Acting DSP Jimoh Moshood, on Friday announced the disbandment of the special unit with immediate effect adding that senior officers indicted in the raid would be dealt with accordingly. The statement further noted that while the personnel in the
PROVIDING SOLUTIONS... L-R: Senior Technical Expert, sub-Saharan Africa, SWIFT, Billy Nya; Regional Country Manager, West Africa, SWIFT, Solomon Osuoza; Executive Secretary/CEO, Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria (ACTN), Patrick Ajunwoko; CEO, Graeme Blaque Advisory Services & Member ACTN Governing Council, Zeal Akaraiwe and General Manager, Venture Garden Group, Eghosa Nehikhare, at a breakfast meeting of ACTN held in Lagos‌ recently
STS would be redeployed to other departments in the force, their responsibility would be collapsed and be carried out by other operational, investigative and response units of the Force. The statement read, “Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni has ordered the
immediate disbandment of the IGP Special Tactical Squad (IGP-STS) and the redeployment of all the personnel of the squad to other departments/formations of the Force. “Senior Officers attached to the erstwhile Special Tactical Squad (STS) who were linked with
complicity or played conspiracy role(s) in the unauthorised, illegal and unprofessional misconduct in the search of Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja on the 4th of September, 2018 are now undergoing strict disciplinary procedures. “The tactical operations and
statutory core Police duties that the dissolved Special Tactical Squad (STS) were charged with are now collapsed and will be carried out by other operational, investigative and response units of the Force. “This dissolution of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) is with immediate effect.�
Agbaje is First SDP Governorship Aspirant to Pick Nomination Form
APC Crisis Deepens in Delta over Omo-Agege/ Ogboru Attempt to Frustrate Direct Primaries
Segun James
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
As the race towards the 2019 general elections gathers momentum; Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje yesterday became the first governorship aspirant under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) nationwide to pay for his nomination form. He said it was a reflection of his commitment and determination to be the change that the people wanted. Agbaje who is contesting for the governor of Ogun State paid
N5, 160,000.00 which represent fees for the expression of interest and nomination forms and administrative expenses. Speaking after collecting the form, an elated Agbaje enthused: “I am happy to inform our teeming supporters within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the citizens of Ogun State that I have just paid N5, 160,000.00 to the party representing fees for expression interest, nomination forms and administrative expenses for the position of governor of
Ogun State. “We believe we are the first and so far the only aspirant to have made this payment. I assure our supporters that we are fully committed to this aspiration in furtherance of our quest to transform Ogun State. I thank all supporters and stakeholders for your support till date and assure you of my unrelenting commitment to serve our state with passion, integrity and a sense of historical mission,� he stressed.
The factional crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State has taken a new dimension as a pro-Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru groups have allegedly rejected the proposed direct primaries in the state. The group under the auspices of “APC Electoral Watch Group in Delta State,� were said to have raised some ‘spurious’ allegations against the conduct of the direct primaries in the state. They alleged that the direct primaries directed by the NEC, would lead to breakdown of law
and order in the state. The Ogboru/Agege faction had allegedly engaged an association, “APC Electoral Watch Group in Delta State,� to petition the Inspector General of Police, alleging that direct primary would lead to commotion and bloodbath in Delta State. They also alleged that the parallel APC faction and Executives led by Olorogun O’tega Emerhor/Chief Cyril Ogodo were moles in Delta APC who were currently collaborating with the PDP state government and were planning to disrupt any planned direct primaries in order to ensure Chief Great Ogboru did
not emerge the APC governorship candidate and/or that Delta APC did not produce any governorship candidate to challenge Governor Okowa. The petitions to the Inspector General of Police, IGP and AIG Zone 5 Benin dated August 14th, August 20th and 21st 2018 were signed by their counsel, Messers Itse Elijah Wilkie, of the Wilkie Law Firm. In one of the petitions obtained by THISDAY entitled: ‘State Sponsored Thuggery, Harassment, Brutalisation, and Threats of Assassination of opponents of Delta State Government’.
role of access of the community’s citizens to quality education in the development of the region. The President of the academy, Professor Elizabeth Eke said the cooperation between it and the commission was primed on the areas of competence, priority and the availability of required resources on all sides to ensure that the standard of education in West Africa is rated among the best in the world. She said it would concentrate on activities relating to education, training, research and community support service under key thematic areas, which include, higher education and training; youth, gender development and empowerment; language immersion, information and experience sharing, regional
integration, academic mobility as well as other related activities. “This partnership makes it easy for us at NAE to facilitate exchange of information and documents of common interest that will ultimately lead to a rise in the standard of education across West Africa,â€? the president said. Meanwhile, education stakeholders across the West African sub-region will in October converge on FCT, Abuja, for the inaugural edition of the West Africa education conference. The event scheduled to hold on October 8 to 12, would be the first time West African countries will be coming together under one roof to discuss common issues as they affect the standard of education within the sub-region.Âş
Attacks on PDP Headquarters: We Won’t Be Intimidated, Says Makarfi ECOWAS: NAE Seeks Cooperation for Improved Education Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Following Thursday attack on the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allegedly carried out by the supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a former Governor of Kaduna State and former Caretaker Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has insisted that the party would not be intimidated. Markafi, a presidential aspirant on the platform of PDP disclosed this yesterday after submitting his nomination form, where he said that the PDP was dealing with a drowning party men. He stated: “I will begin by sympathising with you, both PDP women and women on the attack on democracy on what happened yesterday, when we were assaulted by the APC thugs. This has never
happened before, for a party to leave its domain, go to another party’s headquarters and do what they did. But no matter how they try, they will not succeed. “Intimidation will not work; we know the APC are left with no option other than intimidation. When you are losing whatever you see you grab. if you give a drowning man a sword he will hold it. So, we are dealing with drowning men, we should understand and see them as such. We must never lose focus to wrestle power from the APC; they may use whatever they want to use, but let use our brains.� Markafi stressed that what the PDP was doing as regards selecting a presidential candidate was a transparent process, adding that the APC could not do that, because they were always substituting one
thing or the other, saying the party was still quarrelling over what type of primary to hold. He said as a loyal party man, he would accept whatever the delegates decide and work for the interest of the party to make sure the party returns to power. Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant on the platform of PDP from Bauchi state, Senator Abdul Ningi, said that he was the most qualified aspirant having spent 12 years in the National Assembly. According to him, “Looking at the state, it has derailed especially in the last three and half years. Bauchi has become like a cursed, and if things continue to be the way they are in the next couple of years, I don’t know how we are going to describe Bauchi, as a state headquarters in particular.�
Funmi Ogundare
The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) is seeking the cooperation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in a partnership designed to uplift the standard of education across all levels within the West Africa sub-region. The partnership which aims to promote cooperation, exchanges and similar supports among ECOWAS member states through its department of Education, Science and Culture, rides on existing treaties like the ECOWAS Protocol A/P3/1/03, Article 5, 6 and 7 which relates to education and training at the basic, intermediate and higher levels, mindful of the strategic
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Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁĚš Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com
WELCOMING INVESTORS... L-R; Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Robert Petri; Mr. Roel Van Neerbos; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Global CEO Royal FrieslandCampina, Mr. Hein Schumacher; and the Chairman, FrieslandCampina Nigeria, Mr Moyo Ajekigbe during delegation of Royal FrieslandCampina from Netherlands, led by its Global CEO, Mr. Hein Schumacher, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Bala-Usman Denies Wrongdoing in $44.88m Warri Channel Dredging Contract Firm insists NPA doctored its figures, violated BPP Act as hinterland connectivity opined for Apapa Eromosele Abiodun
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman has denied any wrongdoing in the award of the $44.861million (N16.150 billion) Warri Channel dredging contract to Dredging International Services Nigeria (DISN) Limited, a subsidiary of Dredging International Services (Cyprus) Limited, said to be involved in the $20 million bribery of ex-officials of the NPA. This is as she called on the federal government to invest in hinterland connectivity to
solve the Apapa traffic gridlock and congestions in ports across the country. She made the call at a press briefing to announce the upcoming Africa Regional Conference of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) scheduled to hold in Abuja. The NPA, Dredging International Services Nigeria and Dredging Atlantic Limited (DAL) are currently embroiled in a dispute over the Warri Channel dredging contract. Dredging International is a Cyprus-based subsidiary of the Belgian petroleum infrastructure and dredging group DEME.
DISCL was sentenced last year May in Switzerland and asked to pay a fine of Sfr one million (US$ 1.03 million) and repay Sfr 36 million (US$ 37.3 million) of illegal profit. Making clarification on the award of the Warri Channel dredging contract, she said, “We had a petition that was submitted to us that a company that was prequalified for the Warri Channel dredging contract has been convicted in respect of the fact that we are aware of the convicted. In fact when the company that happened to be our partner in
SWIFT Unveils New Application for Corporate Treasurers Chika Amanze-Nwachuku
SWIFT, a global provider of secure financial messaging services has unveiled ‘SWIFT for Corporates’. The new application equips companies with tools and services to run their treasury operations efficiently, control their cash and risk, as well as support their business evolution. The application was introduced to corporate treasurers in Lagos, at the September breakfast meeting jointly organised by the Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria (ACTN) in partnership with SWIFT. The Executive Secretary/CEO, ACTN, Mr. Patrick Ajunwoko, explained that Corporate Treasurers use the forum to interact and deliberate on economic policies, policy directions and their impacts, as well as enlighten members on new developments within the financial markets. Senior Technical Expert, sub-Saharan, Africa, SWIFT, Billy Nya said: ‘SWIFT for Corporates’ provides you with a single channel through which
you can communicate with all of your banks, whatever the size of your business. We make it possible for you to access the financial world securely, conveniently and cost effectively - in a way that is appropriate to your scale, complexity and resources.� He added: “With ‘SWIFT for Corporates’, automating transaction and information flows also rely on complete, accurate and reliable data through the SWIFT network, thanks to a comprehensive reference data directory - SWIFTRef , which provides affordable and accessible payment reference information for suppliers, customers and financial counterparties across more than 200 countries.� Furthermore, he said: “SWIFT for Corporates’ connects your organisation to the global financial community. You can exchange a full range of financial messaging and reporting with banks including both domestic and international payment and collection instruments.� The ACTN as part of its effort towards the education and
enlightenment of its members and to ensure standard development of the corporate treasury function, partnered SWIFT to launch the new application, ‘SWIFT for Corporates’. The new application helps to streamline and automate business flows by communicating with Corporates’ various banking partners using the SWIFT global standardised ISO and proprietary format (MT) messages. A financial advisory firm, Graeme Blaque Advisory, led the discussion at the event on the application of different Treasury Management Systems that enhance the treasury function. Increasingly, the treasury function is playing a crucial and strategic role in today’s corporations. Not only does treasury support the day-to-day financial objectives of a company (cash management, banking, investment, amongst others), but it also provides crucial information helping business leaders make risk-informed strategic decisions.
our joint venture was convicted, we submitted the conviction documents to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), drawing attention to the fact that the company has been convicted, the facts of the conviction and the persons that monies were paid to. “The conviction is attributable to payments that were made to certain individuals within the NPA, Federal Ministry of Transportation and other agencies to facilitate payment of invoices from NPA. The deposition that they provided to the Swiss court was that the NPA refused to pay them in joint venture invoices, demanding for payments. They also listed payments that were made to militants in the Niger Delta to enable them have access to their dredging works.� She added, “A year after, a subsidiary of the company bided for works with the NPA, in the course of the technical process; we had the petition that they were
so convicted. They had submitted to us a sworn affidavit that they were not the company convicted. We proceeded with our technical processes and made submissions to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). BPP directed us to do an independent investigation of the affidavit they gave. We hired a law firm which did the investigation and made submission that the company is a subsidiary of the company that was convicted. We were made to understand that the company that bided for the contract has a different legal personality and a different legal profile. The directors of the company during the conviction are not the same directors of this company.� She stated that the company making the allegation of wrong doing was the same company the NPA canceled their Calabar Channel dredging contract. “The company had made claims of the work that they did not do so we cancelled the contract. They were engaged through a process
that was not in compliance with the BPP Act. There is a letter from the Director General of the BPP that the company’s appointment was a gross violation of the BPP act, that the president was misadvised and should never have signed off of the joint venture with the company,� she said. When contacted, the lawyer to Dredging Atlantic Limited, Mr. Liborous Oshoma said the Calabar Dredging contract that the NPA Managing Director was referring to was awarded to Niger Global by NPA on a PPP arrangement. “Neither Dredging Atlantic or its technical partner, West Minister Dredging, were part of that bidding process. Otherwise, ask NPA to give you the bidding documents for that job. It’s a notorious fact that West Minister Dredging our technical partners are the best Dredging company in Nigeria. Therefore Niger Global Ltd sub-contracted the Contract to our Technical Partners, West Minster Dredging. Attached is a copy of the agreement to that effect.
Sultan Tasks Catholic Bishops on Peaceful Coexistence Mohammed Aminu Ă“Ă˜ ÙÕÙÞÙ The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Catholic Bishops in the country, to continue to preach peaceful coexistence among the people. The monarch made the call when members of the Catholic Bishops Conference, who were in the state for their annual conference, paid him a courtesy visit in his palace in Sokoto on Friday. He maintained that leaders should always tell the truth and stop hiding under religion and ethnicity to mislead the people. “We should not allow radicals among us to mislead us. We need to stay together and work for the
sake of humanity. “We belong to different religions but many other things bind us together. “These are issues that will enhance our unity, progress and development,� he said. The monarch assured the Catholic Bishops of his commitment towards strengthening peaceful coexistence in the country. He added that such visit would go a long way in promoting mutual understanding among adherents of the two religions. In his remarks, the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Augustine Akubueze, commended the Sultan for his condemnation of acts of terrorism in Nigeria.
“Your condemnation of acts of terrorism even when it is perpetrated by some radical Muslim fundamentalists is worthy of praise. “You have indeed, showed to the whole world that you are a father not only to Muslims but also to everyone who is in need of your care and protection,� he said. Akubueze noted that the monarch had shown the willingness to always dialogue between Muslims and Christians in the country. “This dialogue has been going on between the Sultan and the Catholic Church. In particular, I want to note the cordial relationship you share with Catholic members in the country,� he added.
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
RingTrue
07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com
Yemi
Adebowale
Our Buhari’s Faux Pas on Revised Electoral Bill Exposing Gallant Soldiers
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have spent quality time reading the memo of President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly dated August 30, 2018, justifying why he declined assent to the reworked 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. For me, most of the points cited by the President for declining assent were largely drafting issues and inconsequential. They do not substantially outweigh the good things the alteration bill seeks to enthrone. These drafting issues should not have warranted an outright rejection of a bill that aims at a credible and transparent election for this country. The other objection to the bill by the president, which I find preposterous, was his opposition to the proposed deadline to political parties for submition of the names of their candidates. Clause 87(14) of the bill, gives political parties between 90 days and 120 days to elections as the latest period to submit names of their candidates. The president objected, saying if retained, INEC will be left with only nine days to compile the list of candidates of the 91 registered political parties for the 2019 election, which he felt would be insufficient for the electoral body. Haba! In this technological era, INEC would need just few hours to do such compilation. Besides, what would appear on the ballot papers would be the names of the parties and not candidates. So, it would not pose any logistic problem for the election umpire. The amendment bill, if signed into law, would have given legal teeth to the use of card readers. This rejection, clearly contradicts our President’s consistent avowal to deliver a trustworthy election next year. As noted by the Supreme Court in an appeal by Dakuku Peterside challenging the election of Nyesom Wike, legalising the card reader will boost the accuracy and transparency of the election accreditation process and maintain the democratic norm of one man, one vote, by detecting multiple voting. The lawmakers aim to actualise the dream of the apex court and the entire country in this direction with the rejected amendment bill. There are other sections in the rejected election bill that would have enhanced
Buhari
our democracy. The bill also provides for mandatory electronic transmission of results. It is pertinent to note that when our president refused to sign the first version of the bill into law, an obviously committed National Assembly took it back and removed the clauses the President had opposed, including the one that re-ordered general elections sequence. The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, was very clear about this during the adoption of the report on the revised bill. Ekweremadu, who presided at the session, noted then: “From the report we have here, it means that those areas that appear to be controversial or where the president had some issues, no matter how we feel, whether we like it or not, whether we believe in what he said or not, that is not the issue now; what is important now is that to save the other provisions (clauses),
The military authorities have been evidently economical with the truth concerning the Boko Haram attack on an army post in Zari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, 10 days ago. While the army has denied the heavy casualty on its side, unofficial sources in the village, located close to the border with Niger Republic, revealed that Nigerian soldiers were left exposed and that scores of our gallant soldiers were killed by the terrorists. Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters in trucks stormed the base and briefly seized it after a fierce battle. At least 30 Nigerian soldiers were initially said to have been killed during the raid. Military sources in Maiduguri also revealed to AFP on Monday that the death toll had risen to 48. The sources said: “The casualty toll now stands at 48 with the recovery of 17 more bodies of soldiers in surrounding bushes in Zari by search and rescue teams. Search operations are still ongoing and more bodies are likely to be recovered,” a military source who did not want to be named told AFP. Another military source confirmed the new death toll: “So far, the bodies of 48 troops have been recovered. Yesterday, rescue teams found 17 bodies of fallen soldiers. When the troops were overwhelmed by the terrorists they withdrew in different directions,” he said, adding that they included two officers and 46 soldiers. I still can’t understand why the military authorities think they can cover up this our committee resolved to remove those massacre of our soldiers. It can’t happen in aspects. They may come up maybe some this era of social media. It seems that they other time but for now, they are not part have also forgotten that these fallen heroes of this process. That has been removed to have families, friends and relations, who make the rest non-controversial.” will willingly, give information to the press. I guess this was why the opposition It is a shame that our heroes are persistently PDP said it was obvious, all along, that the exposed and cheaply killed by these terrorpresident would not sign the bill because ists. “some of its provisions will inhibit the The soldiers and officers killed in capacity of the APC to compromise the Zari were obviously exposed and did 2019 general election.” not get reinforcement when they were The National Assembly must not allow overwhelmed. This happens persistently to this revised version of the Electoral Act to our ill-equipped and ill-motivated heroes. Unfortunately, there is no hope that this will die. Transparent poll is a vital part of any democracy. Once they resume plenary on end very soon. For how long shall we continue to bury September 25, our lawmakers must take our gallant soldiers?For how long shall Boko steps to override the president’s veto, Haram continue to kill them cheaply? The in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. There will be very little or no embarrassing invasion of a military base in chance of this bill becoming a law, even if Garunda, Mobar Local Government Area of they still expunge new areas the president Borno State, bythe terrorists remains fresh in our memory. They looted weapons and is opposed to. vehicles from the Garunda military base, killing 17 soldiers while unspecified number of soldiers is yet to be accounted for. Again, early last month, Boko Haram ambushed a military convoy in Bama, Borno State. In the ensuing fight, scores of soldiers from the 21 Brigade and some Civilian JTF amounting to $8.1 billion must be refunded members were feared killed. Also, on July to the CBN. Facts on ground do not support 14, the terrorists attacked a military base in this allegation. Just as the telecoms company Jilli village, Geidam, Yobe State, killing dozstated, “No dividends have been declared or ens of soldiers, with many others injured. paid by MTN Nigeria other than pursuant Boko Haram simply overwhelmed men of to CCIs issued by our bankers and with the the 81 Division Forward Brigade located approval of the CBN as required by law.” in the village. All the lies about having It is pertinent to note that the senate’s degraded Boko Haram have collapsed like a investigation into the CCI matter, and the pack of cards. multiple tax assessments of MTN Nigeria done by our tax authorities did not find MTN Nigeria culpable. Suddenly, these matters are being reopened. The Senate in 2016 mandated its Committee on Banking, Insurance to carry out an allinclusive investigation on compliance with the Foreign Exchange Act by MTN Nigeria. In its report issued in November 2017, the finding was that MTN did not conspire to break our foreign exchange laws. For me, when disagreements crop up between foreign investors and the host government, it should be settled in a decent manner. It is absurd for a government in search of more foreign investors to resort to harassment, intimidation, blackmail and other illegalities against existing foreign investors. Unfortunately, this is the raw deal MTN Group Limited has been getting from the Nigerian government in the last three years. These negative actions against foreign investors have destroyed investor confidence in our dear country. They have also retarded the growth of our economy in the last three years. This is the truth that must be told. Buratai
FG’s Prickly Assault on MTN Nigeria On the one hand, the Buhari administration has been running round the globe in search of foreign investors, while on the other hand, existing foreign investors are persistently pummeled and made to regret investing in the country. The travails of MTN Nigeria in the hands of multiple Nigerian government agencies is a good example of this bundle of contradictions by the Nigerian government. I wonder how this government expects potential investors to feel about this tenacious, outrageous and unfair bashing of MTN Nigeria. I’m still struggling to comprehend how it expects the firm to cope with over $10 billion bill. Is this not a deliberate attempt to decapitate MTN Nigeria for selfish reasons? The latest in the series of sledge hammers on MTN Nigeria came from the notorious Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is demanding for the immediate payment of $2 billion “unpaid taxes” from the multinational firm. He calculated that MTN Nigeria should have paid approximately $2 billion in taxes relating to the importation of foreign equipment and payments to foreign suppliers over the last 10 years. I wonder what Malami’s business is with calculation and collection of taxes. I thought the Federal Inland Revenue guys and the Ministry of Finance should be doing this. Tax Service should be raising tax queries. This is the global standard. There is an obvious hidden agenda here. Well, that aside, before
Malami
this $2,0 billion demand, Malami had engaged MTN Nigeria and the firm submitted a comprehensive response, backed with documents, but Malami rejected the evidence of tax remittance presented and issued a draconian notice of intention to recover the $2.0 billion from MTN Nigeria. Earlier on August 29, MTN Nigeria received a memo from the CBN alleging that Certificate of Capital Importations issued in respect of the conversion of shareholders’ loans in MTN Nigeria to preference shares in 2007, had been improperly issued. The CBN subsequently ruled that historic dividends repatriated by MTN Nigeria between 2007 and 2015
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
SUPER SATURDAY Adichie’s Endless Love for Home Fashion Renowned feminist and writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is unique, not just in her views and ideas; but in her style mantra. Omolabake Fasogbon highlights her support for the Nigerian fashion industry
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aking a cue from the words of Coco Channel that says “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only, it is in the sky, in the street, it has to do with ideas, the way we live and what is happening,” one can without contradiction, describe Chimamanda Adichie as all-round fashionista. As a global figure, it is just natural that everything about this author conveys a message, other than the popular subject that defines her. This is why her signature style, which appears to be more of ‘Nigerian’ continues to set tongues wagging. Asides the fact that Adichie’s dress sense is on choice, it is also purposeful. According to the culturist, her taste and preference for Nigeria label have a direct bearing to her immeasurable love for her motherland. Beyond that, she is out to portray the overall richness of Nigerian fashion to the whole world. In her observation, fashion which happens to be one of the country’s greatest assets valued at $4.7 billion industry by Euromonitor, has not been justifiably represented in the global scene, where most foreigners still perceive Nigeria as “a museum of traditional clothes”away from her luxuriance. In addition to debunking this perception in her story titled ‘My Fashion Nationalism’, published recently by Financial Times, she is on a mission to spread the correct message through her dressing which she flaunts proudly on her social media pages. “I decided to use fashion as a kind of political statement which is to say that I made the choice to wear mostly Nigerian designers to public events because obviously, I want to support an industry that is full of talent, but also to make a case for how fashion can tell a story. Fashion and culture are intertwined in very interesting ways,”she remarked. Adichie adds: “President Buhari Government instituted a retrograde currency policy, the value of the Naira plummeted and suddenly everyone was talking about ‘buy Nigeria products to grow the Naira’. The political rhetoric gave me an idea: what if I wore only Nigerian designers to the public, I would be supporting the different layers of the industry, from the button-sewer to the delivery person, and I hope to bring other buyers to Nigerian brands.” In her commitment to this worthy goal, she recently launched a wear Nigerian project to drive home her point. On this, the award-winning writer stated: “I have practical hopes for my project; that it shows Nigerian fashion as it is, not a museum of ‘traditional African’ clothes but a vibrant and diverse industry, and that it brings recognition to the brands. But it is also a personal and political statement. At a time of political uncertainty, when I find myself questioning the future of two countries I call home -Nigeria and the U.S.- this project is an act of benign nationalism, a paean to peaceful self-sufficiency, a gesture towards what is still possible and my uncomplicated act for complicated times.” Beyond any other reason, the proud mother of one melts the heart of Nigerians for her decision not to culturally cringe despite her close affinity with the Americans. Asked about who her fashion influencer is at a sudden tap, she needs not take a breath before she gives it to Grace Adichie, her mother. Baring it, she says “it’s not that I’m a feminist and made a strategic choice to speak about make-up and fashion. It’s that I was raised by Grace Adichie in a culture in which you care about how you look.” The literary icon recalls that when she was much younger, her mother always dressed her and siblings well.“ Me in little girl dresses crunched at the waist, my brothers in suits and well-ironed shirts.” To go out, she said,“we had to di ka mmadu ” which translates literally to look like a person. “There were frequent market visits to buy yards of fabrics and trips to the tailor to be measured,”she adds. Adichie, whose definition of style simply means to wear what she liked, draws attention to the drawbacks in the industry such as poor quality zipper, limited opportunities for talents as well as infrastructure, and adds that these should be sharpened to boost a highly competitive industry. The multiple-award winner, who will be 41 next Saturday, recently added another feather to her cap when she received an honorary degree from the prestigious Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
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SUPERSATURDAY
Davido Unveils Two Daughters Aside from having time and recipe to make hit songs, Nigeria’s Afropop star, Davido, also keeps two baby mamas. He recently set the social media on fire when he unveiled, for the first time together, photographs of the two daughters from the baby mamas. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports
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o far, it’s been a remarkable year of groundbreaking feats, recognitions and gracing international stages for David Adeleke, better known by his stage name, Davido . The singer, songwriter and record producer has also been in the news, making headlines and top stories in entertainment columns and
magazines. Just about a week ago, the pop star was reported to have registered a first-class performance at the opening day of Jay-Z’s Made-in-America Festival. Davido who had left his fans and music lovers back home with a sequence of events had at the two-day concert in the U.S. performed alongside international superstars likes Meek Mill, Post Malone and Fat Joe. Prior to the show, the HKN Music and DMW boss was a huge topic on the internet as he, for the first time, shared an adorable picture of his two daughters, Imade and Hailey as they bond on a play date in America. The 25-year-old took to Instagram to share the picture while expressing his love for them. He promised to be there for them no matter what and urged them to be each other’s keeper. “My girls be your sister’s keeper. Daddy got y’all for life!! Nah una go finish my money. I don see d future… dem go dey plan for together. ‘let’s force Daddy to buy us the new this and that’. Anything these two ask of me shall be done!! Daddy loves y’all,” he wrote. Sophia Momodu is Imade’s mother while Amanda Mandy is Hailey’s mother. Sophia lives in and out of Nigeria with Imade while Amanda is based in Atlanta, Georgia. Sophia and Davido have had a bitter disagreement over the care of their baby, with the baby mama accusing him of child abduction after he attempted to travel to Dubai in 2015. Sophia, a niece of Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu, later petitioned the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), accusing Davido of child trafficking.
Meanwhile, his flame for his newly found love, Chioma Roland, has attracted widespread comments from his followers since the love affair went viral. Apart from the superstar assuming her unofficial hype man, the singer is perceived super love struck with his Igbo girlfriend as they are both an item wherever they go with the latter lately believed to be pregnant. The ‘Ema dami duro ’ crooner had stirred controversy recently when he registered for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and just days after, fouled NYSC Bye-laws, by travelling out to Boston for his much anticipated ‘Locked up’ tour allegedly without clearance from the authorities. If true, this would, however, keep observers wondering whether the young Adeleke leaving the camp without permission would earn him an extension of the service year by double the number of days for which he was absent from his camp. Having dismissed early the notion that he is a silver spoon child tied to his rich father’s apron, the incredibly talented music star was left with no option than prove he was not a flash in a pan. Since he stormed the music industry in 2011, the singer has consistently proved critics wrong as he has always remained on the spotlight with hits back-to-back, winning laurels at home and abroad. The multiple-award winner and brands ambassador on November 30, 2017, won the best African act at the Music Of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards and also became the first African act to perform live at the awards. On June 24, 2018, he became the first African-based artiste to have received his award on the BET Awards main stage presented by Hollywood actor Omari Hardwick and actress Tika Sumpter. Undoubtedly one of the biggest artistes from Africa, his debut album Omo Baba Olowo, released in 2012 got him rave reviews. Between 2013 and 2015, Davido released the singles Gobe , One of a Kind, Skelewu, Aye, Owo Ni Koko, The Sound and The Money featuring Olamide.
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͸΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
COMMENTARY
WHEN UP N.E.P.A BECOMES CHURCH TESTIMONY Light is key to making our lives better, writes Oludayo Tade
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ocial problems confronting Nigerians are expressed in different social spaces: churches, mosques, beer parlours, stadium, recreation centres and schools to mention just a few. In these spaces, Nigerians share palatable and unpalatable life experiences confronting them. The Church has become one of such space where life stories are told and right or wrong attributions are made. And it is funny how religious instrumentalism enters Nigeria’s governance failures. Does God supply electricity? Church programmes are organised or structured in different ways but virtually all churches make out time to accommodate testimonies. By allowing this, the Pastorate of the church utilises the shared testimonies to justify their calling and to provide evidences that God is working in that church. Reciting Revelation 12: 11; “And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony....�, the assistant pastor in a church I attended invited this young man to give his testimony. Hear him: I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. I want to thank God for making me to be alive...I also want to thank God that for several weeks there was no light (electricity) but before coming to Church this morning, we had light. Praise the Lord! You will indeed praise the Lord with him when you know how this critical asset holds the key to unlocking many livelihood challenges confronting Nigerians, particularly the hoi-polloi. Central in this testimony is the problem of electricity. Although he could not go into the details of how non-availability of electricity has affected his life chances during the short time allocated to him, the sociologist in me observed the mood of the congregation alongside their verbal and non-verbal responses. It was least expected as a testimony since many Nigerians lack of electricity has become a culture passed across to the new born who join in shouting UP NEPA when power is restored for few minutes. There is nexus between poverty and electricity. There is a nexus between electricity and productivity. There is a relationship between electricity and employment/unemployment. To underscore the importance of ‘light’, the creation of the world by God did not commence until there was light. The beginning of humanity was without form and ugly without light. Little progress was made until there was light. As documented in Genesis, no creation was made without light—every creation made by God came after he saw that it was beautiful. Light (electricity) is crucial to the making of healthy citizenry and economy. Consider how many companies have folded up because they incurred more cost in trying to generate power and they cannot sell what they produce beyond what the people will buy. Unable to break even in Nigeria, they migrated to other African countries where there is power and cost of production is less. The implication of that is unemployment. When breadwinners are out of jobs, then all their dependants are plunged into the debilitating consequences of job loss. Power is also central to the conduct of research and teaching. Nigerians universities are not even funded enough to undertake researches that will make ivory towers power independent. Go to universities in Nigeria, teaching and research are executed through generators. The noise pollution makes teaching terrible and assimilation is disrupted. Like the larger pool of Nigerians, students and lecturers go about with their phone chargers and struggle to get to the socket when power is restored in the course of lecture! Students protest against epileptic electricity supply because they can’t study or get water to take a bath. Business concerns are forced to go on inverters. The customers whose salaries have not been increased since 2003 pick up the huge bills of government failure! And yet we wonder how we arrived at the exalted position as the poverty capital of the world where the richest man in
Africa domiciles? Prominent on the 2018 Nigerian budget is millions of naira earmarked for maintaining generators! Even the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is unsure of having power as it allocated millions for generator maintenance! The presidency, National Assembly, state governments run on generator as authentic power supplier while Power Holding of Nigeria generated power is a substitute. Pepper grinders in my youthful days operated on electricity but that is not the story under democratic Nigeria. They are permanently on generator grinders while customers bear the high cost for grinding. Those who cannot afford generator-powered grinders are out of business and face the consequences—lack—poverty. We see, therefore, that the social-economic binaries of Nigerians into the governors and the governed; haves and have-nots; and the real and ordinary Nigerians, indicate that just like actors on the social world who play different roles, social realities is differentially experienced. Everyday tensions and encounters which ordinary Nigerians faces only exist in the sufferers’ imaginations as such do not exist in the world of REAL Nigerians. To the REAL Nigerians who are members of the ruling party, either at the national or sub-national level, APC or PDP, APGA or ADC, any reality which touches on the challenges facing the masses are either denied as non-existent or technically neutralised as sponsored by the opposition. Political denial of existential problems by key political and public office holders is the reason why we are still where we are: battling troubles which many serious countries with responsible leadership had solved decades back. This is our reality; this is Nigeria. Unfortunately, reality, for Nigeria rulers, is only a reality when the colonial homeland says so. That is, poverty is real when it comes from the mouth of Theresa May, and poor funding of education and health sectors by the Buhari Administration is real when Bill Gates says it. At this moment, President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking re-election does not know where power is. If electricity supply has improved, how come government still budget that much for alternate supply? Nigerians are asking the ruling party to provide electricity. Light is key to making our lives better and reducing the population of Nigerians currently held captive in the cave of poverty. The faces of over 20 million unemployed, over four million peoples who lost their jobs in the last three years, the millions of unpaid civil servants and over 90 million suffering Nigerians are ugly. Only those ruling have beautiful faces. Until the problem of electricity is fixed and current budgetary allocations made to service generators are channelled to more life-changing issues, poverty will continue to win more souls. God ensured that we have greater visibility during the day and lesser darkness at night because of the expected productive activities during the day. But in Nigeria, reverse is the case—longer darkness and less light.
UNTIL THE PROBLEM OF ELECTRICITY IS FIXED AND CURRENT BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS MADE TO SERVICE GENERATORS ARE CHANNELLED TO MORE LIFE-CHANGING ISSUES, POVERTY WILL CONTINUE TO WIN MORE SOULS
When shall we get to the end of the tunnel to see the promised light? When shall we stop shouting up NEPA!? When will Nigerians stop using restoration of electricity as testimony in churches? When will the ruling class whose cronies make billions through generator importation and merchandise allow the greater people of Nigerians experience greater happiness? Nigerians need to negotiate this with aspirants ahead of 2019. Otherwise, praying to God to restore electricity, a misdirected payer point, will not cease from our mouths. Dr Tade, a sociologist, wrote this piece via dotad2003@yahoo.com
NBC, HURIWA AND THE FACTS Hamid Hendrix writes that the NBC is on the right path
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here must be more than writing on human rights in the persistent targeting of the National Broadcasting Commission’s Director General, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu with unfounded allegations and calls for his removal by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA). Barely a month after HURIWA’s contrived criticism of the DG alleging the mismanagement of a non-existent N2 billion supposedly meant for the digitisation of broadcasting by the NBC, the rabble-rousing association is at it again, this time accusing the DG of “Islamodictatorial tendencies and excessive penchant to compel broadcasters to become praise singers of President Buhari or face arbitrary ďŹ nesâ€?. The verifiable fact is that it was this same Ishaq Modibbo Kawu as DG of the NBC who initiated and saw to the provision of the first Christian worship chapel within the NBC premises since its inception almost a decade and a half ago. A fact that HURIWA deliberately ignored in pursuit of its sinister agenda of mounting vicious campaign against the DG, who should actually be commended for facilitating the human right of his Christian staff to worship freely on the NBC premises. HURIWA is therefore re-writing “human rightsâ€? with pens hired by those who want to be NBC DG by hook and crook, and to propagate purported “claims of nepotism, favouritism and religious sentiments in the
exercise of functions and duties of the office of the Director General.� Apart from masking its mischievous meddlesomeness with a misnomer, HURIWA’s desperation to cling onto the human rights gravy trail without authentic pedigree confines it to the calumnious crevices of “a media affiliated civil rights organisation� where it can hawk hear-say and launch smear campaigns that give “media-affiliation� an unethical twist. Typical of its serial spurious sleaze, HURIWA offers no iota of substantiation and often, as in the case of NBC DG, could not provide meaningful information. HURIWA claims it has been “inundated with complaints from all over the country� against some overbearing tendencies of the Director General of NBC, yet it could not name any of its complainants! Whatever “Islamo (sic)-dictatorial� means must be another fictitious figment of the induced hallucinations of HURIWA in the light of the DG’s afore-mentioned affirmative action in facilitating Christian worship. Not surprisingly, HURIWA continues to being mischievous, and has indeed been aptly described by the EFCC as “ethnic and political agenda by some mischief makers masquerading as human rights writers� in one of its rebuttals of its pseudo anti-corruption campaigns, when it claims that the NBC DG compels broadcasters “to become praise singers of President Buhari or
face arbitrary fines� and proceeds to state that Channels TV was fined N5 million in the month of July 2018 for refusing to be the propaganda machine of the government against National Assembly and Senator Bukola Saraki; that a radio station in Ibadan was fined N500,000 because a jingle critical of Fulani herdsmen was aired and that Ekiti TV and Radio were shut because the state Governor, Ayo Fayose exposed how results were altered and rigged during the July 14th governorship elections among other falsehoods and half truths. Again, it is a verifiable fact that the NBC’s highest fine is N500,000. You only need to click onto the NBC website to get a clear picture of its code and regulations, how much it fines (usually N100,000) and for what (a mix of airing unsuitable/immoral music lyrics, Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB) videos and music, unverifiable claims of miracles, cures for incurable diseases, promoting negative myths, superstitious beliefs and superlative product attributes without authentication and exceeding approved duration for adverts). At any rate, NBC usually issues cautions, invites offenders and allows some to repackage the adverts, before imposing fines which the stations, private and government owned from all over the country, generally pay without any fuss! HURIWA was also engaging in deliberately misleading propaganda on the Ekiti TV episode
because the NBC DG has since confirmed the infractions committed by the Ekiti State Radio and Television stations including the state government appointing the DG of the station as the DG on the campaign of one of the political parties and ignoring NBC’s directives and the state governor going to radio and television to announce his own results before INEC announced the results. Instructively, however and contrary to HURIWA’s assertion, the NBC also sanctioned Ondo State Television Service (OSTS) for broadcasting hate speech against Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, during the governorship elections in the state! The National Assembly and indeed the broadcast community would be reassured by the fact that the NBC DG has since embarked on the review of the NBC Act and the Broadcasting Code to strengthen and update it, rather than exploiting it as HURIWA suggested in yet another ill-motivated pseudo-advocacy for stricter regulation of the NBC, which also has a board of directors overseeing its operations. HURIWA is clearly on an ethnic, religious and political mission against the human rights of certain individuals and interests targeted by its sponsors whose identity is written between the lines in its flurry of media campaigns of calumny that disturbingly fail the test of authentication and sincerity of purpose. Hendrix wrote from Abuja
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͸΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
INSIGHT
The population question ...
Bago’s Back to School Initiative
Lagos Traffic Radio And Management
L
agos TrafďŹ c Radio (96. 1 Fm), which was created about six years ago has, no doubt, become a household name among commuters and motorists who mostly depend on it for ďŹ rsthand information on trafďŹ c situation across the metropolis. Rising traffic congestion is an inescapable condition in large and growing metropolitan areas across the world. Peak-hour traffic congestion is an inherent result of the way modern societies operate. It stems from the widespread desires of people to pursue certain goals that inevitably overload existing roads and transit systems every day. Like every cosmopolitan city across the world, Lagos experiences traffic gridlock. Until the birth of Lagos Traffic Radio, nothing, not even years of living here adequately ever prepares motorists for a complete standstill in the middle of the roads. In the past, people could doze off and wake up 30 minutes later on the same spot with no clue as to the cause of the gridlock. Famous artistes such as Ebenezer Obey, Majek Fashek and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti have all sang about the Lagos traffic situation and how it feels to get stuck in it. That was when the population (of people and vehicles) and traffic situation weren’t as much as it is now. A life of struggle and survival of the fittest you would call it, yet economic opportunities continue to draw more and more people to Lagos. Ordinarily, it could have been worse if not for the variety of strategies and approaches that have been deployed by successive administrations in the state to deal with the perennial gridlock. These include the issuance of ‘Odd’ and ‘Even’ numbers in the early 1980s which allowed motorists ply certain routes within specified periods. The success of this approach may not have been visible and adequate for the Lagos of today. Establishment of LASTMA, LAGBUS, LAMATA, BRT system, etc., are among strategies and policies devised toward ensuring free flow of traffic, road safety and social and economic development. Today, one thing that is very clear is that Lagos Traffic Radio is optimally responding to the challenges of traffic management in the state by effectively communicating traffic information to the people. With the radio, commuters and motorists are empowered with the needed information on the situation of the roads within the different axis of Lagos at any point in time and don’t have to doze off and wake up minutes later again where there exist alternative routes. Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1 FM predominantly reports Lagos Traffic to Lagos motorists, but because of the power of technology it has been able to reach
even the core areas of the metropolis including places such as Agilete, Ogere and even up to the fringes of Ibadan. Though Lagos has huge concentration of media houses, Traffic Radio 96.1 FM, which runs 24 hours services, has proven to be a well-thought out problem solving innovation and a critical enabler of democracy. It has continued to create platforms for citizens to participate in, and contribute to traffic management. It teaches Mass Communication students practical citizen journalism as motorists, commuters, passers-by, LASTMA officials call-in from time to time to file-in their report and at the same time respond to questions from the station’s anchors on duty. In other words, while officials of LASTMA could be referred to as chief correspondents, it makes all interested Lagosians news correspondents. The station from inception work together with LASTMA, a synergy partner which collates the information about traffic information while the station use the power of radio to communicate to the public the Lagos traffic situation. Rasak Musbau, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja
A
ccording to Wikipedia, education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. Therefore, and looking at the foregoing, that’s why the member of the House of Representatives, Hon Mohammed Umaru Bago (Chanchaga Federal Constituency) is paying serious attention, and putting more emphasis to issues of education, skills acquisition for self-reliance and to ensure a crime free society, and to also respond positively to the very alarming situation confronting us as a nation. Sadly, governments at every level of governance are constrained by limited resources occasioned by dwindling revenue and corruption in every sphere of Nigeria’s public sector and which directly or indirectly impede the implementation of lofty ideas aimed at repositioning education and human capacity development.
T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKU MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE
T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com
Nevertheless, efforts and resources are channelled toward uplifting the standard of education most especially at the basic level - which include the provision of additional classrooms (or reconstruction of dilapidated ones as the case maybe) - all in the quest to placing education in its rightful position as the driver of sustainable economic growth and development. More so, this effort is geared toward reducing the number of out of school children and to encourage a better collaboration and synergy. While, Hon Mohammed Bago in the same vein, is working assiduously with relevant stakeholders to increase pupils enrolment in public schools in other to complement the good work Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is doing to improve the standard of education in Niger State. In a recent report titled, ‘The Situation,’ the UNICEF in Nigeria noted that “Primary school enrolment has increased in recent years, but net attendance is only about 70 per cent, but Nigeria still has 10.5 million out-of-school children - the world’s highest number. Sixty per cent of those children are in northern Nigeria.� It further added, “About 60 per cent of out-ofschool children are girls. Many of those who do enrol drop out early. Low perceptions of the value of education for girls and early marriages are among the reasons. Some northern states have laws requiring education of girls and prohibiting their withdrawal from school. Girls’ primary school attendance has been improving, but this has not been the case for girls from the poorest households.� Again, the UNICEF report warns that “Increased enrolment rates have created challenges in ensuring quality education, as resources are spread more thinly. It is not rare to see cases where there are 100 pupils for one teacher, or where students learn under trees because of a lack of classrooms.� It is against this background that the efforts which have been on top gear in enhancing teacher productivity and the quality of their output in the power state must be commended and applauded. The Teacher Training and Development Institute at Maraban Dan-Daudu and others are springing up and the “Whole School Approach� is a good example of the Niger State government’s resolve and commitment to restoring the lost glory of this very important sector. Interestingly, we’re very conscious of the fact that with education we can advance the frontiers of development and more importantly, in this era of globalisation and media convergence, ICT is the driving force while education remains key. Abdullahi Yusuf Kuta, abdulkuta86@gmail.com
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
NEWS
In Brief APCExtendsSale,Submissionof Forms
TheAll ProgressivesCongress(APC) hasextended thedeadlinefor the saleand submissionof presidential,governorship,National Assemblyand Houseof AssemblyformstoTuesday,September 11,2018.Theprevious deadlinewasMonday,September 10,2018.Astatement issued yesterday bytheactingNational Secretary,Yekini Nabene,urged all aspirantsto submit their duly completed forms to the APC National Secretariat and the party’sStateSecretariat inthecaseof Houseof Assemblyonor beforethe closeof workof thenew deadline.
NOA Warns against Multiple ID Registration
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has warned people of Bauchi State againstmultipleregistrationsintheongoingNationalIdentityCardprocess. TheStateDirectoroftheAgency,AlhajiNuruYusufKobigavethewarningat a grassroots sensitisation programme on the benefit of acquiring the card held at Liman Katagum yestetday. Alhaji Kobi also warned that whoever is foundwantingwouldbepunishedaccordingtotheconstitutionoftheNational IdentityManagementCommission.Accordingtohim,duetothemodernisation ofthenewNationalIdentityCard,theWorldBankhasresolvedtosupportits production. Kobi said active enrollment of the people into the Identity Card process would provide opportunity for the government to make proper planningofthepopulationofitspeopleforNationalDevelopment.TheState NOA Director reassured of the readiness of his Agency to work in synergy withrelevantstakeholderstoensureactiveparticipationofthepeopleinthe process. In a remark, the representative of the Caretaker Chairman Bauchi Local Government Council, Alhaji Nurudden Yakubu said the importance of obtainingtheNationalIdentityCardforhumandevelopmentcannotbeover emphasised.
EMPOWERING FOR EDUCATION...
L-R: Education Portfolio Manager, MTN Foundation, Pamela Emodi; Senior Manager, Program Implementation, MTN Foundation, Abasi-Ekong Udobang; Executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Iyabo Solanke, and Director, MTN Foundation, Denis Okoro during the MTN Foundation Police Direct Treating Gunshot Wounds TheEkitiStatePoliceCommandhavedirecteddoctorsinthestatenottowait Scholarship Alumni induction and award ceremony in Abuja for police clearance before treating gunshot victims. In a statement in Ado EkitionFridaybytheEkitiStatePoliceCommissioner,Mr. BelloAhmed,said waitingforpoliceauthorisationcouldcausedeathsofinnocentNigerians,who fell victims of robbery and other vices. The statement signed by the Police PublicRelations OfficeroftheCommand,CalebIkechukwu,however,directed thedoctorstoimmediatelyreportsuchincidenttothepoliceafterthevictim musthavebeen attendedtoasstatedunderSection4of robberyandfirearms special provisions) Act 1984.The police boss stated that the section stated offences relating to sheltering and treating armed robbers without police others on the River Benue should their graves include Pa David from impending flooding. Yekini Jimoh Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă•Ă™Ă”Ă‹Ëœ clearance. It stated that; “It shall be an offence punishable under this act for Akogu, and his two sons Omale, The State Commissioner for any person knowingly house, shelter or give quarters to any person who has Hammed Shittu Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ expect severe flooding soonest. and Akebe who died over 20 Environment and Forestry, Mr. THISDAY on Friday reliably Kasim Sumaina Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË committed an offence under sections 1(2) of this Act. It shall be the duty of Amos Sayo Justus, who gave the gathered that heavy downpour and 30 years . However, as the flood opened piece of advice on Friday, said any person , hospital or clinic that admits, treats or administers any drug to Corpses have been washed up which lasted from 3p.m. on Thursfrom their various graves following day till late on Friday led to the the grave of Late Mama Omaji the directive followed the alert of any person suspected of having bullet wounds to immediately report the severe flooding of parts of Kogi Ofu River bursting its banks and Idachaba, and was carrying the looming flooding issued by the mattertothepolice. State. Specifically, many graves in flooding communities, submerging corpse into the Ofu River, youths Nigeria Hydrological Services Group Laments High Sexual Violence Ofu Local Government Area of houses, opening graves and littering of the area mobilised and rescued Agency (NiHSA). it out of the flood, repackaged Meanwhile, the federal gov- Agroup,CoalitionEasternNon-GovernmentalOrganisations(CENGOS)has Kogi State have been dug out by the communities with corpses. Some of the affected victims and took it to Idah her ancestral ernment through the Director, lamentedthehighrateofsexrelatedviolenceinthecountry.AnambraState flood, exhuming human remains disclosed to our correspondent that home for reburial. Engineering Hydrology, NHSA, coordinator of the group, Prof. Mercy Anagbogu, who spoke to journalists buried in them. Some of the areas affected by Mr. Clement Nze, disclosed that during a one-day training workshop in Awka said gender based violence and Also in Ilorin, Kwara State, the flood destroyed the only road property worth millions of naira linking Ugwolawo to Obagu and the Ilorin flood include Harmony the height of River Niger in Lokoja, violationofsexualreproductivehealthrighthadincreasedtremendously.She have been lost to flood caused other suburbs of local government. Estate, Akerebiata, Gerin Alimi, was at 10.1 as against the 9.74 in called for partnership between the media to educate the masses on what According to them, the road Isale Koko, and Kulende among 2012 and, it was rising every hour constitutesviolationofawoman’ssexualreproductivehealthrights,asthey by heavy downpour that lasted from Thursday night to early is no longer accessible as a result other parts of the metropolis where due to the opening of the dams. comeindiverseways,andsomepeopleviolatewomen’ssexualrightswithout “The under listed states are knowingso.Anagbogusaid,“Iamquiteconfidentthatthemediawouldbeable yesterday in some parts of the of the massive volume of water the flood swept many vehicles, flowing from Oda area cut the several metres away, from where going to witness flooding due to toestablishaplatformthatwoulddestroyandeliminatethismonstercalled Ilorin metropolis. this indices and states are Kebbi, This is as the Nigeria Hydrologi- major road from Idah to Anyigba they were parked in some. Meanwhile, Kwara State Govern- Niger, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Anambra, genderbasedviolenceinthestate,â€? ShecommendedGovernorWillieObiano cal Services Agency (NHSA) has as it entered adjoining houses and revealed that all indices which submerged them with properties ment has advised residents of the Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states ofAnambraforplacingthestateattheinternationalmapasthefirstgovernor played out in the infamous 2012 destroy and washed away tomb state living along banks of River from the River Niger axis and intheSouth-EasternstatetosigntheOpenGovernancePartnership(OGP).In Niger to immediately relocate to Taraba, Benue and Adamawa alectureentitled‘UnderstandingSexualReproductiveHealthRights(SRHR)’, flood disaster were manifesting of the dead into Ofu River. They lamented that amongst safer areas to avoid loss of lives from the River Benue axis,â€? he Mrs.IrukaNwokedinotedthatgenderbased-violencethrivedbecausethey and warned that nine states on wereshrouded insecrecyand not discussed intheopen. the banks of River Niger and three the bodies washed away from and property that could result stated.
Flood Washes up Corpses in Kogi, Wreaks Havoc in Kwara as Agency Warns
Owerri-Bound Air Peace Flight Makes Air Return Chinedu Eze A passenger’s false smoke alarm prompted the pilot in command of Air Peace Lagos-Owerri flight to abort flight to destination and returned to base. This was disclosed in a statement by the spokesman of the airline, Chris Iwarah who explained that the passenger claimed to be smelling smoke in the aircraft cabin. Iwarah also disclosed that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday renewed the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of the airline after months of rigorous audit of its operations. The Corporate Communications Manager said the Owerribound flight had to return to Lagos as a precautionary measure and in line with the airline’s zero-risk policy. The flight, the statement said, landed smoothly in Lagos with passengers on board maintaining their calm. He said that checks by Air Peace engineers confirmed that
there was no smoke anywhere in the aircraft. “We confirm that our 9 a.m. Lagos-Owerri flight returned to base on Friday after one of our esteemed guests informed our crew that he was smelling smoke in the cabin. Although nothing indicated in the flight deck that there was anything wrong with the aircraft, our crew decided to return to base as a precautionary measure and in compliance with our zero-risk policy. “The aircraft landed smoothly in Lagos and our team of engineers immediately conducted thorough checks on the aircraft while all our guests calmly remained in their seats. The checks confirmed that there was neither smoke nor any other fault with the aircraft. Despite the assurances of our engineers that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the aircraft, we decided to transfer our valued guests to another aircraft to enable our teams do another round of checks in line with our high safety standards.
Unpaid Salary: NLC,TUC Slam Fayose over Alleged Purchase of N75m Car Victor Ogunje Ă“Ă˜ ĂŽĂ™ ÕÓÞÓ
The Ekiti State chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress(TUC), have upbraided Governor Ayodele Fayose for allegedly purchasing a N75 million vehicle and payment of N43 million severance package as parting gifts. The workers in a joint statement signed by NLC chairman, Prince Raymond Ade Adesanmi and his TUC counterpart, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye and made available to our correspondent described it as an act of insensitivity to the plight of workers in the state. The union wondered why a governor who had refused to pay backlog of salaries would be contemplating buying of exotic vehicle and paying himself severance allowance as partying gifts. They disclosed that there would be industrial crisis in the
state if the governor proceeded with his plans in paying himself and his Deputy that huge amount and purchasing the new vehicle. “If it is true that the state government has approved the purchase of N74 million worth of vehicle as parting gift and N43 million severance package each for the governor and his Deputy, we stand to condemn it in its entirety, it is an act of selfishness and insensitive to the plight of workers and pensioners in Ekiti State “If a government is owing workers several arrears of salaries and at this critical time that the state ought to have mopped up all its resources to ensure that the outstanding salary arrears and other entitlement are defrayed, that the governor as an individual is now clamouring for the payment of severance allowance and take away gift of N74 million Utility Sport Vehicle.
Bayelsa to Curb Maternal, Child mortality
The Bayelsa State Government yesterday met with religious leaders in the state in its drive to reduce deaths resulting from childbirth in the state. It also warned nurses and doctors in private and public hospitals to change their attitudes towards their patients and stop pushing them into the hand of quacks. Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd.) who spoke during the meeting in Yenagoa, said the shabby manner some health practitioners’treattheirpatientshadcompelledsomeofthemtoseekother means to attend to their health needs. He said the meeting was important becausechurcheswerefound ineverynookand crannyof communitiesand preachers had great influence on the people. Also, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said through the sensitisation effort, the message of safe motherhood and childhood would gettoeverypartofthestate.“Pastorsplayaverycriticalrole;thechurchplays averycriticalroleinreachingthesepeople,inreachingourwomen,sothatthey candiscardthoseoldpractices,thosetraditionalandreligiouspracticesthat theyhaveheldonforsolongwherepeopletakedelightingivingbirthathome rather thango to thehospital to givebirth.
Ebonyi PDP Suspends Umahi’s Aide
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Wigbeke ward II in Ohaukwu Local GovernmentAreaofEbonyiStatehassuspendedamemberoftheAbakaliki CapitalTeritoryDevelopmnentBoard,ChiefGeoffreyMgbadaandanaspirant intoOhaukwuNorthStateConstituency,ChiefEmekaIgweforallegedanti-party activities. The duo were accused of anti-party activities including allegedly purchasingAPCnominationforminAbuja. Theletter of thesuspensionwas signedbythePDPwardchairmanofWigbekewardII,ChiefClementElom.Elom furtherallegedthattheduoweresuspendedfromthepartyatthewardlevel aftercriticalstakeholdersmeetingandpartyexecutiveswhereitwasconfirmed thatIgweandMgbadawereseeninAPCofficeinAbujanegotiatingswitchafter theformerlostthemockdelegateelectiontoChineduAwo. Partoftheletter ofsuspensionread“thatyouEmekaIgweandChiefGeoffryMgbadahaving beenaccusedofindulginginanti-partyactivitiesandyourinabilitytoabsolve yourselvesoftheallegationareherebysuspendedfromtheparty.You have also been suspended from our great party for your gross misconduct which includesbut not limited to your disobedienceto theguidelinesof theparty.
T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
NEWS
Clark’s House Raid: IG Disbands Special Tactical Squad Dickson pleads with Ijaw leaders, youths to accept IG’s apology Alex Enumah in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The dust raised by the unauthorised search of the Abuja residence of Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark is yet to abate as the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has ordered the immediate disbandment of the IGP Special Tactical Squad (IGP-STS). This is as Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State yesterday appealed to Niger Delta leaders to accept the apology tendered by police authorities over the invasion of Chief Clark’s residence. Armed policemen had on Tuesday, invaded the Asokoro home of Chief Clark over allegation of stockpiling arms in his house. However, the police authority in a swift response denied knowledge of the raid as well as denied authorising it. The force in addition had on Thursday through a press statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood announced the dismissal of Inspectors Godwin Musa, Sada Abubakar and Yabo Paul. The police in the statement added that, the said leader of the raid ASP David Dominic was under investigation and may also be dismissed if found culpable. The IGP also sent a high powered delegation to apologise to Chief Clark over the unfortunate and
embarrassing incident. Though the Elder Statesman said he accepted the public apology of the police, nonetheless he wants the matter to be thoroughly investigated and the real mastermind of the raid exposed. Chief Clark in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser, alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Kolo, Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Tactical Squad and Assistant Inspector General of Police (Federal Intelligence), Umoru Usman were those who ordered the raid and search on his residence. In the petitions with reference No KACCL/PET/KA/76/18 and dated September 6, 2018 signed by his Lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Clark wondered why the police authorities who were in the know of the masterminds and conspirators of the invasion were going after the four junior officers who were merely carrying out instructions from their superiors. However, a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, on Acting DSP Jimoh Moshood, on Friday announced the disbandment of the special unit with immediate effect adding that senior officers indicted in the raid would be dealt with accordingly. The statement further noted that while the personnel in the
PROVIDING SOLUTIONS... L-R: Senior Technical Expert, sub-Saharan Africa, SWIFT, Billy Nya; Regional Country Manager, West Africa, SWIFT, Solomon Osuoza; Executive Secretary/CEO, Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria (ACTN), Patrick Ajunwoko; CEO, Graeme Blaque Advisory Services & Member ACTN Governing Council, Zeal Akaraiwe and General Manager, Venture Garden Group, Eghosa Nehikhare, at a breakfast meeting of ACTN held in Lagos‌ recently
STS would be redeployed to other departments in the force, their responsibility would be collapsed and be carried out by other operational, investigative and response units of the Force. The statement read, “Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni has ordered the
immediate disbandment of the IGP Special Tactical Squad (IGP-STS) and the redeployment of all the personnel of the squad to other departments/formations of the Force. “Senior Officers attached to the erstwhile Special Tactical Squad (STS) who were linked with
complicity or played conspiracy role(s) in the unauthorised, illegal and unprofessional misconduct in the search of Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja on the 4th of September, 2018 are now undergoing strict disciplinary procedures. “The tactical operations and
statutory core Police duties that the dissolved Special Tactical Squad (STS) were charged with are now collapsed and will be carried out by other operational, investigative and response units of the Force. “This dissolution of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) is with immediate effect.�
Agbaje is First SDP Governorship Aspirant to Pick Nomination Form
APC Crisis Deepens in Delta over Omo-Agege/ Ogboru Attempt to Frustrate Direct Primaries
Segun James
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
As the race towards the 2019 general elections gathers momentum; Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje yesterday became the first governorship aspirant under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) nationwide to pay for his nomination form. He said it was a reflection of his commitment and determination to be the change that the people wanted. Agbaje who is contesting for the governor of Ogun State paid
N5, 160,000.00 which represent fees for the expression of interest and nomination forms and administrative expenses. Speaking after collecting the form, an elated Agbaje enthused: “I am happy to inform our teeming supporters within the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the citizens of Ogun State that I have just paid N5, 160,000.00 to the party representing fees for expression interest, nomination forms and administrative expenses for the position of governor of
Ogun State. “We believe we are the first and so far the only aspirant to have made this payment. I assure our supporters that we are fully committed to this aspiration in furtherance of our quest to transform Ogun State. I thank all supporters and stakeholders for your support till date and assure you of my unrelenting commitment to serve our state with passion, integrity and a sense of historical mission,� he stressed.
The factional crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State has taken a new dimension as a pro-Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru groups have allegedly rejected the proposed direct primaries in the state. The group under the auspices of “APC Electoral Watch Group in Delta State,� were said to have raised some ‘spurious’ allegations against the conduct of the direct primaries in the state. They alleged that the direct primaries directed by the NEC, would lead to breakdown of law
and order in the state. The Ogboru/Agege faction had allegedly engaged an association, “APC Electoral Watch Group in Delta State,� to petition the Inspector General of Police, alleging that direct primary would lead to commotion and bloodbath in Delta State. They also alleged that the parallel APC faction and Executives led by Olorogun O’tega Emerhor/Chief Cyril Ogodo were moles in Delta APC who were currently collaborating with the PDP state government and were planning to disrupt any planned direct primaries in order to ensure Chief Great Ogboru did
not emerge the APC governorship candidate and/or that Delta APC did not produce any governorship candidate to challenge Governor Okowa. The petitions to the Inspector General of Police, IGP and AIG Zone 5 Benin dated August 14th, August 20th and 21st 2018 were signed by their counsel, Messers Itse Elijah Wilkie, of the Wilkie Law Firm. In one of the petitions obtained by THISDAY entitled: ‘State Sponsored Thuggery, Harassment, Brutalisation, and Threats of Assassination of opponents of Delta State Government’.
role of access of the community’s citizens to quality education in the development of the region. The President of the academy, Professor Elizabeth Eke said the cooperation between it and the commission was primed on the areas of competence, priority and the availability of required resources on all sides to ensure that the standard of education in West Africa is rated among the best in the world. She said it would concentrate on activities relating to education, training, research and community support service under key thematic areas, which include, higher education and training; youth, gender development and empowerment; language immersion, information and experience sharing, regional
integration, academic mobility as well as other related activities. “This partnership makes it easy for us at NAE to facilitate exchange of information and documents of common interest that will ultimately lead to a rise in the standard of education across West Africa,â€? the president said. Meanwhile, education stakeholders across the West African sub-region will in October converge on FCT, Abuja, for the inaugural edition of the West Africa education conference. The event scheduled to hold on October 8 to 12, would be the first time West African countries will be coming together under one roof to discuss common issues as they affect the standard of education within the sub-region.Âş
Attacks on PDP Headquarters: We Won’t Be Intimidated, Says Makarfi ECOWAS: NAE Seeks Cooperation for Improved Education Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Following Thursday attack on the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allegedly carried out by the supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a former Governor of Kaduna State and former Caretaker Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has insisted that the party would not be intimidated. Markafi, a presidential aspirant on the platform of PDP disclosed this yesterday after submitting his nomination form, where he said that the PDP was dealing with a drowning party men. He stated: “I will begin by sympathising with you, both PDP women and women on the attack on democracy on what happened yesterday, when we were assaulted by the APC thugs. This has never
happened before, for a party to leave its domain, go to another party’s headquarters and do what they did. But no matter how they try, they will not succeed. “Intimidation will not work; we know the APC are left with no option other than intimidation. When you are losing whatever you see you grab. if you give a drowning man a sword he will hold it. So, we are dealing with drowning men, we should understand and see them as such. We must never lose focus to wrestle power from the APC; they may use whatever they want to use, but let use our brains.� Markafi stressed that what the PDP was doing as regards selecting a presidential candidate was a transparent process, adding that the APC could not do that, because they were always substituting one
thing or the other, saying the party was still quarrelling over what type of primary to hold. He said as a loyal party man, he would accept whatever the delegates decide and work for the interest of the party to make sure the party returns to power. Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant on the platform of PDP from Bauchi state, Senator Abdul Ningi, said that he was the most qualified aspirant having spent 12 years in the National Assembly. According to him, “Looking at the state, it has derailed especially in the last three and half years. Bauchi has become like a cursed, and if things continue to be the way they are in the next couple of years, I don’t know how we are going to describe Bauchi, as a state headquarters in particular.�
Funmi Ogundare
The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) is seeking the cooperation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in a partnership designed to uplift the standard of education across all levels within the West Africa sub-region. The partnership which aims to promote cooperation, exchanges and similar supports among ECOWAS member states through its department of Education, Science and Culture, rides on existing treaties like the ECOWAS Protocol A/P3/1/03, Article 5, 6 and 7 which relates to education and training at the basic, intermediate and higher levels, mindful of the strategic
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GLOBAL SOCCER FAIRGROUND FASHION FILE SHOWBIZFLAIR
pg. 29 pg. 36 pg. 43 pg. 45
Linda Ikeji Relishing Pregnancy, Expectant, Daring
pg. 22
Iriagbonse Osa I’m Always Interested in Anything that Puts My Mind to Work
Theodore Orji
Growing up as the Only Child of My Mother Remains an Indelible Experience
pg. 20
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
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Growing up as the Only Child of My Mother Remains an Indelible Experience He had set out in life desiring to be a District Officer like his father, never contemplating to go into politics, much less becoming a governor. He lived in the sublime as a civil servant, though nature had taken him round in high echelons of society as he was a permanent secretary, Chief of Staff, governor before he proceeded to the Senate. Chief Theodore Orji, an only child, recalls his mother’s death after the war as the lowest moment of his life. He shares the story of his life with Charles Ajunwa and Ahamefula Ogbu. Excerpts
Orji and his wife, Odochi
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ou appear chubby and more relaxed now. What is responsible for this? Is it that the work in the Senate is less? No, no, no, the work in the Senate is not less but you have to pattern your life in order to survive; take care of yourself, take care of your health so you can live long. I don’t let things worry me unnecessarily; I don’t worry any person and I don’t want any person to worry me. I have a relaxed mind, do my job under the relaxed atmosphere; I don’t bother about what people say about you, don’t fight any person and let them not fight you, so why won’t you relax? That’s it. Did you prepare and angle for leadership or was it thrust upon you? Well, if you say that you prepared yourself for leadership, yes, a leader must be prepared, once you go to school, once you are literate, you have gone to secondary school and university; these are leadership tutorials. So, if you talk about preparation, I will say yes. From the fam-
ily background also, of course, you are a leader in your family, so if you can lead your family very well, you can also lead the outside family very well, which is the society. Even if you are not prepared for leadership, once it is entrusted to you, you will learn it and you will lead. How and where were you born? I was born in Amaokwe Ugba, Umuahia North Local Government. I attended St. Michael’s Primary School, from there to secondary school at Santa Crux in Umuahia South; from there I branched to Holy Ghost College, which is in Imo State for my higher school and from there to the University of Ibadan, graduated and came out. What was the most indelible experience you had as a child? The most indelible experience I had as a child while growing up was that I was alone; the only child, not just the only son or daughter, the only child of my mother. I know what it means; that made an indelible mark in me as a lone child and I tried as much as I can with the help of my mother to manage the situation and
fit into the society and do well. It is not easy to be an only child with no person guiding you except maybe your mother. As an only child, you are overprotected. Were you a troublesome or very obedient child? I wasn’t troublesome. All along, I have been an obedient child but that does not mean that you will not revolt sometimes when your parents annoy you. Show them you are an only child and they will come and beg, pamper you, especially when you want to get something from them, you brag as an only child and they will bring it to you. On the whole, I was not stubborn; I didn’t give my parents trouble. What has been your most joyful moment so far in life? I think one of the most joyful moments in my life was when I graduated from the university. It gave me happiness that I am now a graduate like I have arrived. There are other ones also that gave me joy but this was the greatest moment in my life, after all the hassles, going through the university with the struggles, I was able to graduate without any problem. I
When I was growing up, I was privileged to have certain things at my disposal and also, I was privileged to see how the unprivileged people were treated and what they passed through. In the university, there was somebody I know who bathed with OMO, can’t buy Lux or any other toilet soap, he will put OMO in water and bath with it. If you have the opportunity to help such a person won’t you help? That is the passion I have for all these people that are less privileged because I know they don’t have the opportunity I have or have had, so how do you help them? It is to transfer some of your opportunities to them so that they can grow to your stage or to a certain stage graduated smoothly and went for the NYSC, it gave me joy. You appear to have many upsides in life. What are your regrets? The greatest regret I have had in life was when I lost my mother because this is a woman who loved me more than her husband. My mother loved me more than her husband because as the only child she had, she poured all the love on me and I never lacked because my mother had the wherewithal. She gave me all, education, pampered me, did all but immediately after the war when I hadn’t anything, when we came back from the war, there was sickness everywhere, cholera and all that and the thing came and I hadn’t the opportunity to fight to save her life because I was incapacitated. I was just a student, I wasn’t doing anything and I had nobody, no senior, no junior, it was only me, before I could render any help, she was gone. That’s the saddest moment I
SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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PLUS My Greatest Regret in Life was Losing My Mother interact with such a person and you go deeper and find out other qualities that bring out other admiration for him, these are the things. You have to be humble, no arrogance, not mouthy, allow people to discover you, not you blowing your trumpet, humility and you will be telling the truth always. There are a lot of people that tell bundle of lies, there is nothing that they say that is correct but there are people that whatever they tell you, take it to the market, it is like that, those are the things.
have had in life, the saddest moment in my life till this day. Could that be the reason you married early? Of course, marriage was my first project in life and it was my mother who was behind everything. As an only son, you don’t know tomorrow, he may die or I may die also without leaving any legacy like a child or children, so that was the first project I faced and today it is paying me.
What puts you off in people? What puts me off in people are the opposite of what I have said, people who are arrogant for no just cause, notice me or I die; people who don’t have any regard for their fellow human beings.
How did you meet your wife? I met my wife when she was in primary school; that was when this idea of marrying came to me through my mother and we monitored her. My mother was monitoring and mentoring her because my mother had a lot of love for my wife, mentored her from primary to secondary school, from where we started.
Politicians are known to keep mistresses, has it ever crossed your mind to keep one? What am I doing with a mistress? I have a wife in the house that satisfies me in all aspects, so why should I keep a mistress? That one is an additional burden on your side, to go and start keeping a mistress and doing all these hanky panky things; something that you will be doing, when you see somebody, you will be hiding, such things are not good.
Do we say your mother recommended her to you? Not that my mother recommended her to me; I have my eyes to see what I want but my mother was the backbone who encouraged me. The mistake you make is to go and marry somebody your mother does not like. Because of the love I had for my mother when I knew my mother was interested in my wife, the thing pushed me on.
So as a chief and successful man, it has never crossed your mind to have a second wife? What for? What do I need a second wife for? My wife has produced children for me; responsible children, male and female which is the essence of marriage so what else do I need in another woman?
What were the qualities that attracted you to your wife? She is beautiful, elegant, tall, intelligent, very hard working and she is a home-bred woman, very caring with a high sense of humility with the best home training.
How do you resist overtures from the opposite sex because it is highly probable some are coming for you? You will be direct with them, there is no point painting words. When they come to you, you will say ‘ah no no, please carry your trouble and go.’ That is what happens, there are some girls who are desperate, they will like you, say they like you and they will come with their entire arsenal, but to show that you are a man is to resist them. When they try once, twice and they don’t succeed they will go away.
If you were to change any aspect of your life what would that be? I think I am satisfied with myself. God has been merciful, tremendously merciful to me, so I won’t say I want to change my life. I will not because God has piloted my life, led me to areas that I couldn’t have reached; so I am happy with myself and with God. There is no aspect of my life I will say let me change. While growing up, what did you aspire to be in life, a governor? No no no, there was no time I wanted to be governor; it never crossed my mind. I wanted to go to school, be a graduate; when I graduate, depending on the field of study, you come out and look for a job as patterned by my father because my father had this early acquaintance with oyibo people, these DOs (district officers), so he was in love with the job of being a district officer, that is what he said I will be and the thing stuck on my mind. I said to be a district officer I had to go to the university; that was what I pursued and when I came out of the university that was the field I pursued. I entered the administrative cadre of the civil service that is from where you become a DO. That time in the service, they send you to the local government where you start working as DO. That was what I had in my mind, I pursued and got it because I reached the climax which was the permanent secretary but God said no, I am not yet done with you, you had to advance. I am grateful to God, there is no aspect of my life that I will say I could have been this, how I wish I was this; no, I am satisfied with myself. What drives your compassion for the less privileged? Yes because it is the right thing to do. When I was growing up, I was privileged to have certain things at my disposal and also, I was privileged to see
What is your most valuable life possession? It is my life, not material things Do you have special labels you put on in terms of fashion? No, I don’t. In fact, my wife and my children buy things for me when they travel. They are the ones that know what is trending, they buy for me and I use but I don’t go to the market and say give me Giorgio Armani, Givenchy or that, they buy when they see my stock is depleting, they restock it. If you were to be isolated in an island, what three items will you go with? Food, I have to go with food to eat; toiletries to keep myself clean and wears.
how the unprivileged people were treated and what they passed through. In the university, there was somebody I know who bathed with OMO, can’t buy Lux or any other toilet soap, he will put OMO in water and bath with it. If you have the opportunity to help such a person won’t you help? That is the passion I have for all these people that are less privileged because I know they don’t have the opportunity I have or have had, so how do you help them? It is to transfer some
of your opportunities to them so that they can grow to your stage or to a certain stage. What do you like in people? It is natural. There are people who are charming, naturally have likeable qualities, you don’t run away from them. If I see you and that admiration will come. But there are people you see and you start detesting them, they have not done anything to you but when you
Many of your admirers don’t know that you love soccer a lot. What is your best Premier League team? If I tell you my best team, you will laugh. Tottenham Hotspur is my best team. Some will say Arsenal, some will say Manchester United. Tottenham Hotspur is the one I like because I like how they play and I like the characters that are there. Another reason is because when my daughter went overseas, she was living in that town where this football club is. So, I was going there to look at them and they won my admiration.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
PLUS
Linda Ikeji
Relishing Pregnancy, Expectant, Daring
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΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
PLUS I’
Popular celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji, is as sizzling as the posts on her blog. Her contents and remarks generate wide interest. Her posts and comments around her pregnancy and supposed baby daddy are generating more controversy in the social media than she would have wished while new angles to it are developing everyday, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu
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It is not everything about Linda Ikeji that matters. Definitely not ‌ Let’s say all remarks by the celebrity blogger generate interest. Following the recent revelation that her soon to be baby daddy is from Itsekiri, die hard followers of the sensational brand and keen observers of the former model, as usual, stoked up her post and got more people talking, which is often her stock in trade. Sure, no doubt that she’s good at what she does having attained that position by virtue of hard work and resilience, it matters most that a pointy comment from one of her readers triggered by her “baby daddyâ€? post elicited more interests than her own post inspired. Due to speculation among fans of the popular blogger, a social media user had claimed that Linda Ikeji was pregnant for Sholaye Jeremi, a close associate of Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu. He is from Sapele, Delta State. The fan remarked: “100% confirmed. The funny thing is there was no engagement as Jeremi will not settle down although he is 40 plus. Jeremi also stays in Ikoyi. Very credible, although Linda is trying to manage the situation but this information is 100 per cent credible. You can do your findings as well, but that’s the guy.â€? Although Linda has not revealed to the public, who the father of her child actually is, it is clear that the man who impregnated her is an Itsekiri man. The Itsekiri people are an ethnic group in Delta State, Nigeria. Linda made the tribe of her baby known in a post to Instagram last Sunday as she shared pictures of herself and a friend. “Mummy-to-be to a future Itsekiri big boy,â€? the 37-year-old captioned the post. Linda had announced her pregnancy via a post on her popular blog in May. According to Linda, she discovered the pregnancy at the beginning of the year. “The most amazing thing has happened to me! I am going to be a mum. My greatest dream realised,â€? she said. Linda revealed a month ago that she was in America ahead of the delivery of her chi‌ With the assertive claim by a social media user simply identified as “Nobodyâ€?, it behooves the popular blogger to justify the claim that she was not engaged to the Itsekiri man and also that she had been trying to manage the situation that the so called Sholaye would not want to settle down yet. As you read this, she just might have fully revealed who the baby father is. Recall that Linda had earlier in March announced her engagement on social media which set the blogosphere agog. It was reported: “Popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji is officially engaged. Linda’s ex-boyfriend recently relocated to Nigeria where the lovebirds decided to rekindle their love affair.â€? Sandra, Linda’s sister confirmed the good news via her Instagram handle: “Congratulations @officiallindaikeji So happy for you sweet sis! This tells me that sometimes the wait is worth it. Can’t wait to plan your special
Linda and a friend
day! @eventsbysi are you readyyyyy? #it’sagetaway.â€? Her sister, Laura who is also an Instagram influencer took to her own page, saying, “Congrats Linlin.â€? Celebrities also took to their social platform to congratulate Linda. Among them was Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, who wrote: “Congratulations to our very own Linda Ikeji for ticking one of the important boxes every woman has piled up on her list as she got engaged to her heartthrob! I can’t wait to fill my tummy up with the rice o, so don’t keep us waiting too long‌ We just can’t wait!!!.â€? Be that as it may, could it be that she faked her engagement? Linda has other issues trailing her, such as her position on celibacy and pregnancy outside wedlock. When she excitedly broke the news of her pregnancy, it was met with mixed reactions. Some social media users questioned her stand on celibacy, which she passionately advised young girls to practice. Reacting to the criticisms, Linda had tweeted: “I preached celibacy to young girls because I feel that’s the right way to live until you meet someone very special that you love and who loves you and wants to be in a committed relationship with you. Passing body around and having multiple partners is not the way and I stand by it. And I’ve lived by it. But then, I turned 36 and I knew there was nothing else I wanted more than to be a mum and wife and celibacy wasn’t going to get me that! I even did a video talking about how much I wanted these two things and God has finally answered my prayers. Beyond blessed.â€? The expectant mother who is in America ahead of the delivery of her son, has often addressed the issues surrounding her while relishing her pregnancy. She
once used the opportunity to share a powerful message with her fans. Sitting on a bed covered with white sheets and pillows with white case, Linda was seen lounging in a relaxed manner while showing off her cute baby bump in an unbuttoned denim jacket. She remarked that she hoped that people are living their lives; that they want to live not the ones people expect. She added that people should not just exist, they should live for themselves. Linda is one of the most popular female celebrities not only in Nigeria, but in Africa. Her rise to fame and wealth through a profession that was least known and respected in Nigeria is like a puzzle to many. So difficult to comprehend that some had resorted to attributing her success to some dubious means rather than through hard work. A couple of years ago, Linda was just a lady with a dream and few coins in her pocket like most people around. Yet, she dared to press forward. A couple even admitted that they used to laugh at her when they see her journeying to the cafe to go and blog. Now, just about six years down the line, those that laughed at her are nobody and Linda is a name that some of the biggest brands are proud to be associated with. In the course of her journey, Linda has daringly dealt with controversial posts, which include the #SaveMayowa Campaign and also about celebrities such as Funke Akindele, Richard Mofe Damijo, Djimon Honsou, Wizkid and Tonto Dikeh. She also made controversial publications about Doyin Okupe who described the publications as defamatory. Topmost amongst celebrity personality controversies she courted was popular Nollywood actor Richard Mofe Damijo (popularly known as RMD), who
explored legal action. So, when it comes to the feedback of love or hate from the public, the celebrity blogger knows exactly where she stands. Naturally, this should give her some cause for concern, but Linda keeps a clear head by aligning more with love: “I get a lot of hate and lots of love, but I try as much as possible to hold on to the love instead of the hate, because I know the hate is coming from a very different place. Whenever I trend and I see some vile comments, I’m like ‘you’ve never met me, why are you saying this about me’. I have grown such a thick skin. I understand when people like Wizkid and Olamide lashed out at me because I wrote about them. But if I haven’t written about you and then you make such vile comments, I understand it’s coming from a place which is not my fault. Maybe you are angry about your situation, where you are coming from, you wish you have and you didn’t. I understand because I have been there – when people are frustrated and depressed. “I have been depressed and angry and my anger is usually towards those who are successful. When I say hostile things about them, it makes me feel better. I allow them that space to vent because really, it’s like when you go to the market, you don’t see the traders talking about non-entity, they are talking about the person who made more sales than them. I understand that success comes with a lot of hate. In fact, that’s one of the ways to know you are really successful because if you ask them why they hate you, they can’t even tell you. But as long as you know yourself, love yourself and do the right thing, that shouldn’t be an issue.�
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Íš, 2014
PLUS
Iriagbonse Osa
I’m Always Interested in Anything that Puts My Mind to Work Iriagbonse Osa is a blend of fun and intelligence. She is a musician, poet, screenwriter, baker, actress and activist. Osa dreams big and aspires high in the media and entertainment space. She speaks with ADEDAYO ADEJOBI on her “The Queen Warrior� project, her worst date, obsession for Denzel Washington, and how her debut single titled “Brand New�, explains the story of her life
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΀˜ ˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
PLUS I’m Advocating against Domestic Violence through Stories, Poems and Films
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hat was it like growing up? I was born and brought up in Benin City. I attended Greater Tomorrow Nursery and Primary School and Sacred Heart Girls Model Secondary School, Ubiaja, Edo state and then the University of Benin. I have a Diploma in Food and Brewing Science and then a B.Sc, Environmental Science. Growing up was interesting. It was a case of ‘a village taking care of a child’. I grew up in an extended family, with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and some very distant relatives. Tell us one memorable experience you hold on to dearly? The fact that I had so many cousins which helped form a strong family bond is one experience that I find nostalgic. What values shaped you? The importance of dignity and not pride. How did you get into the creative arts? I’ve always been interested in anything that puts my mind to work. I like to be imaginative and coin things out of those mental pictures. I started by scribbling as a child and I remember when I was in primary four; I wrote a short book, which never saw the light of the day. I was a child, and I guess nobody took interest in it or took it seriously. But I was already interested in creating stories and I also sang in the church as a child doing special numbers and ‘Kingdom dance’. After university, I decided to explore the world of creative arts. I started off as a writer with an online magazine and then I started expressing my distaste for abuse against anyone via writing before I delved into creating stories -screen writing. I read anything and every thing, I’d see a movie and dig out the script if it’s online and read. Then I became the choir co-coordinator in my church and my interest just continued to grow.
spouse? I’d like to think love isn’t enough! Love is a decision. There are several factors that can make love thrive or the lack of it makes love die. I believe a person’s value and belief system and friendship should also be put into consideration What were your best and worst subjects in school? In secondary school, I disliked mathematics so much because for whatever reason, I could never put the formulas together and that was a problem because my best grade ever was a C, while, biology was my best subject; it fascinated me. In university, I disliked calculus and geophysics but loved biochemistry and some others. What do you do in your spare time? I enjoy my private time by seeing movies, listening to music and writing. I can do that all day. I also enjoy outdoor activities by hanging out with friends and I love nature. What was the weirdest thing a fan has done to you? There’s this guy I met, after saying nice things, he said ‘I like your boobs.’ I was taken aback, unsure how to respond/ react and quietly walked away. I didn’t want to push it. Who is your celebrity crush? Denzel Washington Are you single? No, I’m not. How would someone get your attention? I’m ‘sapiosexual’. I like a good blend of intelligence and fun. That gets my attention anytime. What’s your favourite movie? I have so many favourite movies because I love movies but I’d say “Man On Fire� because it never gets old to me.
Was that what you wanted to do as a child? Well, I wanted to be so many things as a child. I wanted to be a doctor and then a musician .When I became a teenager, I went on to study science courses and here I am back to creative arts.
What’s your biggest fear? I rarely have fears but what I’m most uncomfortable with has to be heights but I think the canopy walk at the conservation centre would be a good way to deal with that. I should do that very soon.
You have a passion for advocating against abuse. What spurred that passion? Looking all around us, we hear about events of domestic violence, even before the internet became what it is now. We always saw them happen around but no one was willing to talk about it and that’s where my interest grew from. I’ve watched myself evolve as a person while advocating. I’ve been focusing on advocacy, using creative arts (storytelling, poetry and soon film making), and so the milestone for me would be a clear definition of how I intend to go about it, hence, the creation of something called ‘Queen Warriors’ “...We’d advocate and also reach out creatively. Wait for it.
What has been your best and worst date? Let me start with my worst date. Someone once hooked me up with this guy and we agreed to have lunch at Protea Hotel. I took a portion I knew would satisfy me and we got talking. When I was done eating, he said, I should have some more and I politely said I was full but he wasn’t having it. He insisted I ate more because he had paid for it and I wasn’t supposed to let his money go to waste. I sat there looking at him till he gave up and that was the last time I saw him. My best date has to be with this very nice guy who just let things flow natu-
Why do you think there’s such an upsurge in domestic violence? Many factors are responsible for this. I’d like to think some people don’t know how to express themselves properly and some others don’t know how to receive what’s been expressed. Uncontrolled anger can lead to domestic violence and there’s always a root cause. If there’s a penalty for the offender, as there are for criminals, especially as it concerns damage to the victim that can help curb domestic violence to a large extent. Is love enough when considering a
rally, we had fun and called it a day. Would you date a fan? Yes I would! What’s your annoying habit? Ahh! My most annoying habit! Well I know I’ve been told that I’m good at zoning out of a conversation by being quiet. So I think if my attention isn’t caught in the first five minutes, it doesn’t captivate me and I can actually become quiet and begin to work out other things in my head. What’s your favourite holiday? I like going on trips with my sister because we get to act like two mouthy clowns and laugh at almost everything. Every holiday with her is my favourite yet. Who is your inspiration? Different people inspire me in different areas of things I’m interested in. When it comes to music, Pink and Asa inspire me greatly. Then writing, Chimamanda Adichie and sev-
eral others and then film-making, I’m inspired by Kemi Adetiba If you were of the opposite sex, what would your name have been? Denzel maybe, I would have definitely adopted that name. I like him that much and it’s not a common name in this part. What other languages do you speak? I’m a Benin girl, so the Benin Language and I understand a little bit of French. I’m a French school drop-out, so it’s nothing serious. What sports do you enjoy doing? I love all track and field sports. It may interest you to know that I was once an athlete. I always took part in the 100m races as a sprinter of course. I had a knee injury in 2000 and couldn’t do anything with that anymore. What would be a good theme song for your life? It’s got to be my debut single titled “Brand New�, it explains how I feel. What is your favourite song? I have several of them. I love music so I listen to songs all the time. Too many favourites! If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would you be up to? I probably would have been doing one sporting activity somewhere. What is the picture of your dream man? Now, my dream man would be someone who is purpose -driven and someone who would also see that my purpose in life is fulfilled. Physical looks are okay but there’s a whole lot more to life now than things that can change. When are the wedding bells ringing? Hmm. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
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˜ ˞ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
PERSPECTIVE/TRIBUTE Ogun APC Consensus Governorship Model: Matters Arising Femi Ogbonnikan x-rays the emergence of Hon Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade as the Ogun State APC consensus governorship candidate. He takes into account the attendant grievances that have trailed the consensus model applied in choosing the 49-year-old legislator, currently representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency at the National Assembly
T
he atmosphere was charged, the ambience appeared calm and quietude pervaded the entire conference room. The venue was MITROS Residence located at GRA, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State. Already seated on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, but awaiting the arrival of the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, were Rt Hon. Suraj Adekunbi (Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly), Sen Lanre Tejuosho (lawmaker, representing Ogun Central District), Alhaji Tajudeen Bello (exAPC National Treasurer), and Chief Derin Adebiyi (Chairman, APC, Ogun State chapter). Also present were two erstwhile Ogun State Deputy Governors and Governorship aspirants from Ogun East, Chief Segun Adesegun and Adegbenga Kaka, Time was not wasted for the business of the day. Just as the governor was ushered in and took his seat a mild drama ensued. Adebiyi, the State Chairman set the tone for discussion when he suddenly took on Tejuosho and threatened to walk him out of the meeting if he declined to retract his earlier action and apologise to the party for his recent anti-party activity, emanating from his abrupt dumping of the APC and subsequent defection to PDP. Unperturbed and within a jiffy, the medical doctor-turned senator, rose from his seat and apologised. With matters arising, speaking intermittently, Amosun addressed the gathering and insisted on a no-going back decision the party had taken in zoning the governorship ticket to Ogun West, a position further re-echoed by the party chairman, Adebiyi. He further admonished aspirants from districts other than Ogun West that they risked a waste of their funds if they insisted on obtaining the governorship nomination forms. With the major thrust of the day, the party adopted a consensus model in choosing its governorship candidate. The party said that if consensus method fails in any of the selection processes, then direct primary would be used. The decision was contained in a communiquĂŠ issued at the end of the meeting which lasted for almost two hours. “That the APC in Ogun State shall have a consensus primary for all elective positions in the 2019 elections. “That where consensus fails, a direct primary will be used to choose a candidate for such a position,â€? read the communiquĂŠ. The decision followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Yinka Mafe and seconded by the Chairman of Yewa North Local Government, Mr. Kayode Abiola.
However, counter-reactions brewed over the adoption of the consensus arrangement when Kaka, also a governorship aspirant from Ogun East, kicked to the bewilderment of the gathering, when he was called upon to give a “vote of thanks�. He retorted: “where was the decision for the zoning arrangement taken? “Also, when was the idea of the consensus model mooted?� Also at the occasion, the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, declared his intention to run for the senatorial seat of the Ogun Central district. The governor further explained that he would, later in the day, have a meeting with governorship aspirants from Ogun West, the district to which the governorship seat had been zoned, to agree on a consensus governorship candidate for the party. Amosun said his decision to support Ogun West was to ensure fairness equity and justice. By and large, in the early hours of the following day (Thursday), it was a done deal. social media networks were awash with a “breaking news� of the emergence of Hon Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, who is the incumbent lawmaker representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. Shortly after, distrust, displeasure, misgivings, bickering and angst trailed the emergence of the 49-year-old legislator. At the meeting held at the basement of the Ibara Housing home of the governor, between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm on Thursday, informed sources hinted that the consensus arrangement could be likened to a palace coup where the Ogun West elders were not given a free hand to choose whoever would be their preferred candidate, rather the power-that-be imposed the candidature of Adekunle Akinlade on them. “None of the supposed Yewa elders could object to the decision of the governor, except Chief Tunji Akinosi, who was opposed to the imposition. He wore a sad look, while filing out from the inner room, the governor had an audience with them. But others could not raise an eyebrow, as they accepted the decision. The outcome of the stakeholders meeting didn’t have input of the Yewa elders at all,� a source said. Likewise, the aspirants (Tolu Odebiyi, Abayomi Hunye, Tope Kuyebi, Kola Lawal, Abiodun Akinlade, Suraj Adekunbi, Aderibigbe Tella and three others) were not given an opportunity to agree among themselves who should be their consensus candidate. Shortly after the meeting, it was gathered that the governor directed the elders to go to the residence of the Late Deacon
Poju Adeyemi, Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta, to face cameras of television houses which included Channels, OGTV and others, and tell the whole world that they had chosen Akinlade as the consensus candidate. Meanwhile, in separate statements issued by the oil magnate, Dapo Abiodun, an Ogun East Governorship aspirant, and the Ijebu-Remo Agenda from Ogun East, they disagreed with the consensus arrangement through which Akinlade emerged. They premised their arguments on the deviation of the state leadership of the party from the direct primaries the National Working Committee (NWC) has adopted to pick its candidates into all elective offices. Abiodun, who hails from Iperu-Remo, described as “sham, charade and misleading,� a news report suggesting that the Ogun APC had adopted a consensus arrangement to pick the state governorship candidate. According to Abiodun, it was only sitting governors that were afraid of winning elections in whatever mode of primary elections or voting patterns, whether direct or indirect primaries, that were the major problems within the party. “I don’t see any reason sitting governors, particularly those in offices for almost eight years and who have made electoral promises to the people would be worried or jittery about having direct primary elections. “We expect that having been governors it should not matter to them what mode of primaries is to be used in their states, because if a governor is worried about direct primaries, how would he lead his party to win general elections in such states, if at intra-party level he is worried about having control. This shouldn’t be about control, but it should be about all-inclusiveness because the party belongs to the people.� Abiodun, who spoke through his director of media, Emmanuel Ojo, added that it was a “total misrepresentation of facts� allegedly “sponsored by Amosun, and his puppet State Exco.� Also, in its own statement, signed by its media head, Tayo Mabeweje, the Ijebu-Remo Agenda, said it was the Ogun East zone that should produce the governor in 2019, arguing that the Egba/Yewa province has had its turn. In defiance, Ogun East APC Governorship aspirants have threatened to go to Abuja before the close of sales of the nomination forms slated for Tuesday, September 12. But the question yet to be unraveled and which is on the lips of many people is, “Is Akinlade the Ogun West APC Consensus Governorship candidate or of the Ogun State?�
Agatha Osakwe (Omalicha) Dignified Manner Elevated Womanhood to Near Deity Osadebe Osakwe For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2Cor 5:1)
M
y dearestAgatha, was a woman, wife, mother, helper, counselor, teacher, humanist and lover of God and fellow human being. We believe fervently in the above scripture that though your mortal body may have been “dissolved� into mother earth but are confident that Christ had built you a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven. Our confidence is not misplaced because of your exemplary life while you were with us. Firstly, you were a woman, a true woman; a chaste woman who conducted herself in the most dignified manner that elevates womanhood to near deity, if you will pardon my apostasy. Agatha was a quintessential woman, you were humble, kind, faithful, detailed oriented, very prudent, contented, humane and devoted to me and your children. You did not allow your physical beauty to get into your head and remained an epitome of womanhood till the end. We are so grateful to God for the woman you were. Furthermore, Omalicha was a mother; you cared passionately for your immediate and extended family. You celebrated our little achievements and monitored us very closely. Your calm disposition and frequent counsel-
ing sessions with me and my children were disarming as much as they were insightful. You took total control of your children’s physical, moral and educational development and relegated me to a mere adviser and financier. You were the mother that had all the information and of course you used it to dominate our home and life. At a point I outsourced everything about the home to you and only called for briefings. Agatha, you were a perfect mother, a sweet mother and your children and I can attest to that. In fact, you were a “Mother Hen�. Additionally, Ndidi served God the way she understood it. The Catholic Faith and doctrines were the compass of everything you did while on earth. Agatha trained as and became a Catechist at The Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki where she prepared a generation of young people for Baptism and First Holy Communion. This work for God made my late wife a better mother and wife. You will always tell me you wanted to check with Priest first, including whether we should make additional babies through modern medical technology. Just like things of God, some of the decisions may not be what we wanted but you will only do what is approved by the teachings and traditions of the Church. You insisted that we cannot choose and pick what we believed but all the teachings of the Church were sacrosanct and must be obeyed whether it made us uncomfortable or not. After all, one must also make sacrifices. Life and indeed marriage cannot be a bed of roses. The same love you gave to us you extended to our extended families. I thank you for loving us. Moreover, my exquisitely beautiful wife was a good member of the community. She
Osakwe
radiated love and peace to all mankind. Agatha Ndidi was at home with everybody and people also loved her in return. I had always wondered why everybody she met loved her even though she was a very attractive woman. But there was more to it. I eventually concluded that it is what you give to the world that you reap. Omalicha gave love to all and reaped abundant love. Omalicha, I can attest to the fact that you
were an excellent wife and it will take the special intervention of God to find a replacement. But Agatha will always be unique and there can not be two of you in this sinful world. You cared passionately for me and my children and kept an eye on us to the extent I used to accuse you of selfishness but you will laugh and ask me to tell you why God is a Jealous God? I can write a whole book on our relationship and even on our trials but in all while I was aggressive and impatient you were calm and steady. I designed the family vision and you executed to perfection. You were a banker but that did not get in the way of being a wife and mother. We salute you for this!! When the Doctors in London said you were going to die because of the surgery you did in the Lagos hospital was badly managed, I wept but you remained calm even consoling me. Agatha, you had the best feminine look but a heart of a warrior. I admire your courage. My dear friend, Omalicha as we remember you on this first anniversary of your passing on, we are comforted by the exemplary life you lived while you were with us and, more importantly, we are convinced that you are in the bosom of the Lord among the Saints who are praying for those of us sinners on earth. Your middle name, Ndidi is very instructive but your virtue had greatly helped us endure this unfortunate physical separation. Yet in all this we ask; O death, where is thy sting; O grave, where is thy Victory (1Cor15:55). Agatha, we love you and we will strive to live our Catholic Faith and hand same over to our children and children’s children. This is what we owe you because this is what you always desired. Adieu Omalicha. ––Dr. Osakwe’s tribute to his late wife
T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
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SPY GLASS
with .... 08054680651 email: bayoolunla@gmail.com
Akinwuntan Hits the Ground Running at ECOBANK Before now, Patrick Akinwuntan had established himself as an intelligent and accomplished banker, in fact, if the history of banking in Nigeria is documented, his name would definitely appear again and again. So when he was appointed as the new Managing Director/ Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria in July, no one was surprised in any way. In the views of many, it was well deserved and was applauded by all. It is obvious he knew what he was going in for and he braced up for the challenge ahead of him. He also appreciates the public expectation to surpass his predecessors’ achievements Akinwuntan has distinguished himself in various capacities. As a result, stakeholders are confident that he would keep up the momentum that the bank is known for. The experienced banker, who has never disappointed his admirers, has hit the ground running with a promise to place the leading bank among the best in Africa. As revealed Akinwuntan’s mandate is to deliver the brand promise of Ecobank as a leading financial institution in Nigeria in the hearts of our customers by ensuring
better experience. The Ecobank Group aims to be serving 100 million customers by the end of 2020 and intends for many millions of them to be in Nigeria. Prior to this appointment, Akinwuntan was the Group Executive, Consumer Banking, responsible for leading the Consumer Banking business across Ecobank’s global network of 40 countries, 36 of which are in Africa. As a seasoned banker with over 20 years of senior and executive management experience, he has held several strategic positions for the Ecobank Group in Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria. He had previously been a Group Executive Director on the Board of ETI and earlier, Executive Director in Ecobank Nigeria. The brainy started his career with Ecobank in 1996 as Head of Commercial Bank and Regional Head in Ecobank Nigeria and since then, Akinwuntan has held various senior and executive positions in Nigeria and within the Ecobank Group, including Executive Director, Retail Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Group Chief Finance Officer, ETI, Group Executive Director, Operations & Technology, amongst others.
AKINWUNTAN
that they treat their customers well when they choose to open a bank account or do their payments, collections, savings and financing. He is passionate about bringing customerfriendly banking services to every household in Nigeria. This means that Nigerians can expect a more customer-friendly Ecobank as well as continued market-leading banking innovation that will make their banking easier, more convenient and an overall
Dakuku Peterside’s Heartache PETERSIDE
‘’The more you trust, the greater the betrayal. The more you love, the greater the harm.� Today, this saying is gradually sinking into the heart of the Director-General of Nigerian MaritimeAdministration and SafetyAgency, NIMASA, Peterside Dakuku. How? If anyone had told him that his trusted political godfather, Rotimi Ameachi, would dump and discard him like a wet rag, he would have waved it away like a bad joke. But this seems to be the reality, considering the unfolding develoment in the River State’s All Progressives Congress, APC. Just as he was reportedly making clandestine moves to contest for the number one position in the state after going back to the drawing
board to restrategise for 2019, his political godfather and Minister for Transport, hit his political plans with a big hammer, by endorsing oil mogul, Tonye Cole. This has, therefore, sent shivers down his spine. Dakuku has been badly shaken by the unexpected endorsement. We gathered that he is making frantic efforts to rescue his political career from total oblivion. The Amaopusenibo of Opobo, who was beaten by the current governor, Nyesom Wike of People’s Democratic Party, PDP in 2015 election, was a member of the House of Representatives . His loyalty to Amaechi earned him the coveted position as Director General of NIMASA.
Rising ProďŹ le of Angela Adebayo Without a doubt, Erelu Angela Adebayo, wife of a former governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, is one of the few women in the country with enviable curriculum vitae. While many of her mates have fallen by the way side and no longer relevant simply because they have nothing to offer, this woman of substance has proved that outside power she is brainy and intelligent. By Providence, the profile of the former Ekiti State First Lady also attracted media attention this week, when news broke that she had been appointed to the Board of the United Bank for Africa, UBA, among other appointees. To those who have been following her inspiring story, the appointment did not come as a surprise, especially as she is also on the Board of many conglomerates, including Dangote Foundation, Afriland Properties, Meyer Plc, Greenwich Trust Limited and Women at Risk Foundation (WARIF), where she is the Chairman. She had served on the Board of WEMABOD as the first female Chairperson. She is also one of the first female members of the council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. In view of the recent development, it is clear that Erelu still commands a lot of respect, many years years after she left office as the First Lady of the state. When her husband was governor of the state, her looks and dress sense
stood her out among her counterparts, as celebrity journalists often scramble for her picture to grace their publications. Also, her handsome and youthful husband is known to be a stylish man, thereby making the couple two of a kind. Ever before her husband became a state governor, her influence on the social scene had never been in doubt. Their presence at high-octane events has never gone unnoticed, even though she could be said to be selective about the social events she attends.
ERELU ANGELA
THE COUPLE
Sekinotu Olugbesan, Folajimi Oduneye Set to Wed It was Fate that made their paths to cross some years back. In reminiscence, both Sekinotu Olugbesan, a Mass Communication graduate from the Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State and Folajimi Oduneye knew they were created for each other. Having been hit by the cupid, both began to show love to each other. No one who has encountered them will deny the fact that beautiful Sekinotu and handsome Folajimi will take their relationship to the next level. Interestingly, come Saturday, September 15, 2018, Sekinotu, who used to be an advertising practitioner, will walk down the aisle with her lover of many years, Folajimi, at a popular event centre in Lagos. Already, preparations are at a feverish pitch to make the day most memorable for beautiful Sekinotu and his upwardly mobile love, who is son of Otunba Odusanya Oduneye, a top socialite and business guru. Sekinotu, after quitting her marketing communication practice at Centrespread Advertising Agency, set up her the popular outfit, Mevronglam in Lekki, Lagos. Folajimi, like his father, is into real estate and auto dealership. It was gathered that the King of World Beats, King Sunny Ade, will be on the bandstand to entertain the invites at the wedding, which is already generating a buzz in the Lagos social circle. Sekinotu, on account of her vantage standing in many circles, is already basking in this euphoria, even before the D-day, just like her dashing Prince Charming, Folajimi.
Florence Ita-Giwa’s Commitment
ITA GIWA
It seems Florence Ita Giwa, a former SpecialAdviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has entered a covenant of sorts with her creator to dedicate the rest of life to the service of humanity. If you are in doubt, you will have a rethink when you consider her passion for her Non-Governmental Organization, a philosophy bouyed by Anatole France’s words: “ Without genuine love towards humanity, there is no love for motherland. “ Perhaps, this explains why she is committed to tackling the issue of human trafficking and sex slavery, which in recent times has been her major preoccupation. As gathered, the woman with deep pockets would be having a special stage presentation of the campaign against human trafficking and sex slavery and unveiling of the 2018 Carnival Calabar with the theme: From Pessimism to Optimism The launch, which will be graced by eminent
personalities from different walks of life, holds at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was revealed that top Nigerian music acts such as 9ice, Yinka Davies and Carnival Calabar Revelers are expected to add flavour to the event. Top personalities such as Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade and the Chairman, Carnival Commission Calabar, Gabriel Onah among others are expected to grace the occasion that would take place tomorrow. Since she left the corridor of power, Ita-Giwa has fully dedicate her time and money to the service of humanity. She has proven to the world that no joy is equal to the joy of serving others. Her service to her immediate environment is almost unequalled. Spyglass gathered that she expends millions of Naira every year on the education of the less-privileged children she brought out of Bakassi, many of whom school abroad.
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MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... ͸΀͚ͽͽ͚͚͝΀Ϳ͟
L-R: Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru; Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa; and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dr Demola Sogunle at the oďŹƒcial commissioning of the $250 million Gateway Brewery in Sagamu, Ogun State recently
L-R: Founder of Children’s Development Centre (CDC), Dr Yinka Akindayomi; Special Adviser to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode on Social Development, Mrs. Joyce Onafowokan; Coordinator of Regulatory Aairs Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mrs Adebukola Akanmu; and Consultant to CDC, Mrs. Delphine Misan-Arenyeka, at the unveiling of Promasidor-sponsored ‘We Too Can Grow’ initiative in Lagos recently
Cowbellpedia Ex-Junior Champ Makes Semi-Final The 2016 junior champion of the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show, Juliet Ekoko has made the semi-finals of the senior category of the competition, which is sponsored by Cowbell Milk, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited. Last year, Munachi Ernest-Eze, then a student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, made history as the first to win both categories of the competition, having emerged the junior champion two years earlier. This time, Juliet of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State, progressed to the semi-finals along with Luke Nyamali of Federal Science and Technical College, Uromi, Edo State. Juliet and Luke contested in the preliminary round Group E of the senior category along with four other candidates who were eliminated from the competition. They were: Ahmad Haruna of Jigawa State Academy for the Gifted, Dutse, Jigawa State; Alameen Abubakar of Islamic Orientation Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi State; Orisakwe David Chiebuka of Excelgrace Academy, Akaajime-Gboko, Benue State; and Adeola Aaron of Union Baptist Grammar School, Ilorin, Kwara State. Fourteen-year-old Juliet, who aspires to go to John Hopkins Medical University, United States to study Medicine and Surgery, disclosed that her experience on the Cowbellpedia Secondary School
Mathematics TV Quiz Show was quite exciting and interesting. On his part, Luke expressed gratitude to God for crossing the hurdle, describing his experience in the competition as fantastic. He promised to maintain the current momentum as the competition progressed. In the junior category, Iyunade Ogundana of Greater Tomorrow, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State; and Andrea Eboagwu of Graceland International School, Port
has been doubled as winners in both categories will receive N2 million each with an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country, while the first and second runners-up will receive N1.5 million and N1 million respectively. The teachers of the top prize winners will be awarded N500,000 each, while those of the first and second runners-up will each receive N400,000 and N300,000 respectively.
PZ Renews Ambassadorial Over 400 Jostle for Contract with Omoni Oboli Indomie Hero Prize PZ Cussons has announced the renewal of its partnership deal with Nollywood Icon, Omoni Oboli as the Brand Ambassador of its Nunu milk brand for the third consecutive year. It made the announcement at the official signing ceremony, which held at the company’s headquarters in Lagos. Speaking on the development, PZ Cussons Managing Director Commercial, Alex Goma, stated that the contract renewal signified the firm’s willingness to work with Oboli once again, adding that the partnership had been very beneficial to the brand
Firms Rally to Support Literature, Arts In their commitment to promote Literature and Arts fields in the country, indigenous organisations, including Coca Cola, Swift Telephone Network, Impresio Africa, Mariteam, Masterkids, Qwint Perfect, So yummy and League Pharmacy and Servis Consult international, as well as Y’s Men’s Club of Lagos have rallied round an initiative to enhance its outcome on lives and economy. The initiative ‘Moonlight Tales’ is a show that seeks to bring together a community of like-minded people and also give young poets a chance to explore & express themselves towards cultural advancements. According to the convener, Feranmi Okafor, the programme was thought of to expand the world of literature being an aspect of culture that is instrumental to economic development Moonlight Tales is not just a show, it’s a journey and lifestyle. People come together to tell a story through Art and bring solutions to the issues we face in all spheres of life. In a broader
Harcourt, Rivers State secured the semi-final tickets. This duo beat Chiamaka Ibeanusi of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja; Umar Suleiman of Caliphate International School, Gusau, Zamfara State; Mubarak Keyede of Scholars Universal Secondary School, Ota, Ogun State; and Harold Odelia Kingsley of Deeper Life High School, Calabar, Cross River State. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the competition, the prize money
sense, it would aid the development of the social, political and economic life of the people. In her comment, one of the participants, Cecilia Adelaja said, “Moonlight Tales 2.0 was no doubt a success than it was last year, there was just something about the atmosphere that relaxed my mind both mentally and spiritually. They’ve always said words have a way of tapping into the inner mind of humans. This programme definitely made me feel at peace to the extent of revealing certain aspects of myself that I have not realised in 18 years�. Others in the team that brought the initiative to live were Raheemat Alaga, Ayanfeoluwa Odious,Walter Osaretin, Banji Coker, Wani and Pascal. The 17-year old poet who is is also an advocate for nation building and youth development is a recipient of several awards and was recently nominated as a global scholar to represent Nigeria in the Global Young Leaders Conference, in the United States of America.
in the last two years. “She has been able to connect with mothers and their growing children together through her exemplary teachings, tips and lifestyle activities. These are some of the reasons why we are delighted to extend the ambassadorial deal as Nunu milk is a brand that is synonymous with the growth of children.� Regional Category Marketing Manager, Nunu Milk, Foluke Makinde added: “Every mother’s interest is centered on her children’s growth and nothing makes her feel more proud than when she knows her children are growing mentally, physically and emotionally. As a brand, we are committed to the total wellbeing of every child and we will continue to champion good nutrition and smart growth so that Nigeria’s future leaders grow every day with the right formulations. Responding, Oboli thanked the company for trusting and giving her the opportunity to continue to promote the cause of mothers and their growing children. “Nunu contains all the nutrition needed for wholesome every day growth and I believe my passion for a healthy growth for children via good nutrition is in perfect synergy with the brand. “It is necessary that as mothers, we pay attention to kids’ nutrition by ensuring that their daily intake helps them grow in all facets. This is my third year as the Brand Ambassador; I will continue to spread the brand’s messaging of smart growth and nutrition amongst children,� she said.
No fewer than 400 children across the country have entered for the 2018 Indomie Independence Day Award (IIDA). This was disclosed as the company announced that it has concluded the search for this year’s contest. IIDA is an annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity organised every October by Dufil Prima Foods, to identify, celebrate and reward Nigerian children for unique acts of bravery in three categories: Physical Bravery, Intellectual Bravery and Social Bravery. The 2018 edition of the award is supported by TVC Communications and Stanbic IBTC. Like the previous years, the organisers said that three winners, one from each award category, would be rewarded with educational scholarship worth millions of naira. During the search, two independent research agencies - Marks Analytics & Research Services Ltd and BanahGrace Research Agency, were engaged to thoroughly comb the country and fish out outstanding young heroes for recognition. The field search exercise, which lasted for over eight weeks, took place majorly in 12 states: Lagos, Ondo, Rivers, Edo, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Abia, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Jos and Benue states. While it lasted, the search exercise explored various locations in the country to gather and verify stories about heroic children who are 15 years and below. Group Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said that the company appreciated the energy that went into the search and the great interest received from members of the public. He explained further: “Now that the search has ended, we are moving into the next phase of the award,which is the verification and simulation of the stories . So far, a total of 37 children, who displayed courage despite dangers and personal injury to themselves have been rewarded. This year, we are adding three nominees to that number and we are not leaving anyone behind. Every deserving child from every social economic class across Nigeria is being considered.� On her part, Principal Consultant, BanahGrace, one of the Independent Research Agencies, tasked with the 2018 exercise, Abiola Olanipekun, said the said process was thorough, adding that the exercise dug up over 400 heroic stories.
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˜ ˞ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
PERSPECTIVE
2019: Ugwuanyi’s Ascendency and Peoples’ Verdict Louis Amoke
T
he administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, since inception, has transformed the development narrative of the state, both politically and socio-economically. Despite the nation’s economic crunch, the administration has continued to take innovative measures aimed at addressing the needs of the masses to ameliorate their sufferings and give them a sense of belonging as the true heroes of democracy. Consequently, Gov. Ugwuanyi has so far recorded unprecedented feats in every sector of development ranging from provision of massive road infrastructure across the state, covering over 300 kilometers to other sundry interventions in the areas of health, education, empowerment, workers’ welfare, security, agriculture, investment promotion and socio-economic rebirth, among others. This sound vision was borne out of the governor’s humble disposition, passion and uncommon zeal to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous Enugu State of the founding fathers’ dreams. For instance, the recent scholarship extended to 680 indigent students of engineering in Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo and Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, respectively; ideologically conceived by the governor to promote the harnessing of the beneficiaries’ potentials for knowledge transfer, economic growth and self-reliance, will ever remain legendary and unparalleled in the annals of the state. Again, the ‘One Community One Project’ programme, recently launched with N10 million each for all the 450 autonomous communities in the state to execute priority projects of their choice, has continued to yield the desired results, as communities that had never experienced any form of government presence now benefit. Long neglected areas and communities, such as Amurri, Ngenevu, Eha Amufu, Iva Valley, Abakpa Nike, et cetera, have today been remembered with provision of quality road infrastructure and other facilities. Civil servants and pensioners of the state have continued to receive their salaries and pensions regularly on 23rd of every month, even without the Ugwuanyi receipt of federal allocation. Few weeks ago, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Interestingly, the governor has maintained a close relationArchbishop Antonio Filipazzi who represents the Papacy in ship with God and the people, entrusting Enugu State to Nigeria, on an evangelical duty to Enugu, commended Gov. His hands and ensuring unequalled rapport with members Ugwuanyi for “his closeness to God and exemplary leaderand leaders of political, religious and traditional institutions ship style, which has brought peace and good governance to in the state, including non-indigenes. the state.� This deep-rooted kinship ultimately is responsible for the According to Filipazzi, “You (Ugwuanyi) have faithfully avalanche of tremendous support, solidarity and goodwill served the church; you are a good governor; you are a the governor has continued to garner from the people of governor for everyone living in this state, Catholic and nonEnugu State, as well as the gale of commendations and Catholic; from every group you are the father of the family endorsements for his re-election in 2019 from virtually all for everybody and of course things are not separated. I think spheres of the society; religious and traditional institutions. you have found inspiration in your work as a Governor; I First to endorse Gov. Ugwuanyi’s re-election were traders in the state, who delightfully applauded him for introducing also feel you belong to the Catholic Church�. The Anglican Communion, through the Archbishop of the monthly Traders Empowerment Scheme, which assists Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel them with N50, 000 each to grow their various businesses, Chukwuma has at various fora endorsed Gov. Ugwuanyi irrespective of state of origin, religion and ethnicity. It is for a second term for his commitment to peace, good worthy of note that a total of 2400 traders have so far governance, development of the Church and love for the benefited from the scheme since its inception in 2017. poor masses. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at all levels in the The climax of the endorsements was during the visit of state has also unanimously endorsed his re-election, describVice President Yemi Osinbajo to Enugu for the 30th National ing him as “a worthy leader, who has done us proud�. Biennial Conference of the Student Christian Movement of Notable leaders of the major opposition political party Nigeria (SCMN), where the outspoken Archbishop told the in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), such as Vice President that “there is no vacancy in Enugu GovernSenator Ken Nnamani, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Chief Osita ment House.� Okechukwu and the party’s South East Vice Chairman, His words: “Mr. Acting (Vice) President, Enugu State Hon. Emma Eneukwu, among others, had on different ocis in the hands of God. Ugwuanyi is not a governor that casions applauded Gov. Ugwuanyi for his political maturity, discriminates against anybody and so no vacancy in Enugu bi-partisan disposition and respect for everyone irrespective Government House, because Enugu State is in the hands of of political leanings. God�. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, an APC Chieftain and wife Similarly, the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during an official visit Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, had earlier to Enugu, was wowed of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s outstanding leadership qualities, and described him as “a very good and declared that there is no vacancy in the Enugu State Government House in 2019, stressing that Gov. Ugwuanyi has done humble man�, who she would wish to see return to office excellently well in office and deserves a second term. in 2019. Fr. Mbaka, who spoke during the Thanksgiving Mass for Senator Tinubu told Gov. Ugwuanyi that, “the people of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s recent electoral victory at the Supreme Enugu State are very lucky to have you as their governor�, Court, also poured encomiums on the governor, describing adding: “God has already ordained your re-election. I wish him as “a good, kindhearted, humble, peace-loving and to see you back on the seat in 2019�. God-fearing leader�, who has judiciously managed the lean Another chieftain of the APC and former governor of resources of the state for the benefit of the people. Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, equally lauded Gov. UgThe Catholic priest also described Ugwuanyi as “the wuanyi for the respect he had continued to accord President best governor so far in Enugu State�, adding that he is “an Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders in the country epitome of peace; a sanctuary of conflict resolution and irrespective of political affiliations. The former Governor of model for rural and urban development�. Abia State. He visited Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government While applauding the governor “for managing the public House, Enugu where disclosed the positive disposition of wealth judiciously and Godly� for the equitable developPresident Buhari towards Ugwuanyi, declaring, “We cannot ment of the entire state, the outspoken priest prayed against quarrel with anybody who is not quarreling with us.�
any plot over the governor’s re-election in 2019, saying: “I pray to God that this good man with intimidating humility will continue to govern Enugu State till 2023�. Fr. Mbaka said: “Our governor, God has opened doors for you, no man can close it. Those who are following him should continue to follow him, he is a good man. We have one candidate for the governorship seat in 2019 in Enugu State in the name of Gburugburu (Ugwuanyi). “We are begging him to come and complete the good works he has started in Enugu State. Enugu State is behind him. The church, students, teachers, traditional rulers, Adoration Ministry, many others are also behind him. I therefore, advise those who want to contest against him to please consider other elective positions�. In a related development, the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel’ Emeka Kanu Uche, at the recent Thanksgiving Service for the family of Senator Ken Nnamani, had declared Gov. Ugwuanyi’s re-election in 2019 as sacrosanct, stressing that he deserves a second term because of “his outstanding performance and judicious utilization of the state’s lean resources to impact positively on the lives of the people�. According to the Prelate, “I welcome Gburugburu (Ugwuanyi) the performing governor of Enugu State. This man is using the resources given to him very well to develop the state. You have done very well that even those in the graves, if they are allowed to vote, will vote for you�. In what could be described as a mother of all endorsements, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu State Chapter, during a mega prayer rally tagged “Enugu State is in the hands of God�, which was attended by the leaders of the association’s five blocks, fervently prayed for Gov. Ugwuanyi’s re-election in appreciation of his good works and commitment to God. They told the governor that “your second tenure is in the Hands of God� and “it is safe with Him because you have acknowledged Him�, adding: “Be assured of our support and supplications to God for a successful, peaceful transition and fulfillment of your heart’s desires for Enugu State�. The recent record-breaking unanimous endorsement for Gov. Ugwuanyi’s re-election by all the traditional rulers in the state cannot be easily forgotten, especially when the venerable folks aptly captured their heartfelt verdict and enthusiasm with a deeply-felt: “Let the good works continue!� The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, during his homecoming to Enugu expressed delight at the level of popularity Gov. Ugwuanyi enjoys from the people including non-indigenes, noting that the governor was widely celebrated because of his humble disposition, closeness to the masses and commitment to peace, security and good governance. Politically, the state chapter of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella organisation of all the political parties in the country, had recently commended Ugwuanyi for his effective leadership, which it said had engendered peace and good governance in the state “at a time when recession has become a ‘customised excuse’ for elected leaders for non-performance�. The body in a statement by its state chairman and secretary, Mr. John Nwobodo and Mr. Ken Onyekaonwu, added that the governor had “managed with prudence, integrity, transparency and accountability the state’s lean resources� to pay workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions and the 13th month salary to civil servants as Christmas bonus�. Pensioners under the payroll of the state government during their latest solidarity visit to the governor reassured him of their “absolute loyalty and support� for his commitment to their welfare, in spite of the nation’s economic challenges�. The retirees disclosed that the governor has “continued to pay us pensions regularly�, which they noted “is vital for our existence�. Also in the commendations and endorsements list are the state workers through the Organised Labour; public and private school teachers and proprietors; the local government workers (NULGE); students; tricycle, okada and taxi operators (NURTW); artisans, and various support groups, among others. The gale of endorsements is a testament that Nigerians in general and Enugu State people in particular appreciate good governance when they see it, hence the clamour for him to continue in 2019. –––Amoke writes from Enugu, Enugu State
GLOBAL SOCCER A
WEEKLY PULL-OUT
08.09.2018
Arsenal Legion May Form the Bedrock of Future Super Eagles PAGE. 35
2019 AFCON Qua lifier:
Nigeria Set to Put Hope on Track against Seychelles
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
2019 AFCON QualiďŹ er
Nigeria Set to Put Hope on Track against Seychelles Ę°Ă?Ăœ Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ ͸̋ͺ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ę¨ĂœĂ?Ăž Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă&#x;ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă?ËŞ Ę¨ĂœĂ?Ăž Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹ Ă‹Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ÞÓÞÓà Ă? Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă–Ă™Ă™Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă• ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚ΠÛĂ&#x;ËÖÓʨĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă?ĂŁĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă? ÞÙÎËã Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? ÞÙ ĂšĂ&#x;Ăž Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓʨĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÒÙÚĂ? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă• Ă™Ă˜ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă•
W
hen the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier draws were made and Nigeria was drawn in Group E alongside Libya, South Africa and Seychelles many football fans in the country were optimistic that with the caliber of players in the Super Eagles fold, picking the ticket to the AFCON party slated for Cameroon should not pose much problem this time around after missing out of the last two editions. In Nigeria first group game against South Africa-a side that was yet to beat Nigeria in a competitive game before then, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo,(a venue which was until then a fortress for the Super Eagles), optimism was high on the part of the host. However, it was not to be as two second half goals from Tokelo Rantie
and Percy Tau were enough to earn the South Africans all three points, in spite of coach Gernot Rohr fielding a strong side that includes Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo among other stars. Inspite of the loss to South Africa, Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung is optimistic of Eagles qualification. "This is a temporary setback which is surmountable. We need to sit with the technical committee and the team's technical crew to find out the immediate and remote causes of this setback," Dalung said. "The Super Eagles will definitely be in Cameroon because we can't afford to be absent at the AFCON for a third consecutive time. We will ensure that no stone is left unturned in our pursuit of a ticket to Cameroon," he added. Interestingly, Seychelles head coach, Gavin Jeanne, believes his side can cause
a big upset by beating the Super Eagles. The Pirates occupy bottom place in Group E of the AFCON 2029 qualifiers after going down 5-1 to Libya in June last year and they face another huge test against the Super Eagles who parade some of the best players on the continent. But Jeanne says that the Pirates are fully ready for the match which he describes as the biggest in the history of the country’s national football team. “Yes, we are very ready and positive about our chances against Nigeria,� Jeanne told reporters in Victoria. “We have prepared well and I hope the players maintain their focus and stick to the plan. We have enjoyed a good build-up to the game. It’s our biggest football match in history. We have tested ourselves enough from our participation it the Cosafa Cup till now. I hope it goes well and we make a positive impact.�
However, it was not to be as two second half goals from Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau were enough to earn the South Africans all three points, in spite of coach Gernot Rohr ďŹ elding a strong side that includes Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo among other stars
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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Rohr
Meanwhile, 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Seyi Akinwunmi has assured Nigerian football enthusiasts, that the Super Eagles will return with three points against Seychelles. Akinwumi is optimistic that the Eagles will revive their qualification chances, saying that most of the national teams players were in fine form and this would give them an edge over the Seychelles. “We are delighted that our players are enjoying regular game minutes it will aid their fitness and put them in the right frame of mind to face any hurdle. This will go a long way in helping the Super Eagles win the game against Seychelles. It will afford the technical crew to have fit and active players in camp. I believe that we have the machinery and tools to come out victorious at Roche Caiman,” Akinwumi said. Speaking in the same vien, Udinese defender, William Ekong is confident the Super Eagles can qualify for the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon if they perform at their optimal level with five games left to play in group E. Ekong told the Thenff.com in an interview that the disappointment of not qualifying for the second round at the 2018 FIFA World Cup will spur the team to qualify for the 2019 AFCON. “I think we have demonstrated now that when Nigeria plays at its best there aren’t many teams we have to fear,”
Ekong toldthenff.com. “But it will be a hard job in the next two months and I know the boys and staffs are taking these games very serious. But of course, I believe if we perform at our optimum, we will garner the points from the remaining matches and qualify for the final tournament.” “It was hard for all of us not to make progress from the group stage at the World Cup. But I still look back with pride about the team because our outing in Russia has definitely made us hungrier to qualify for the 2019 AFCON and to go all the way there.” However, Rohr has stated that he and his players are in Seychelles for serious business. After one hour training session on Thursday, attended by all 21 players available for the match, the Franco-German tactician told thenff. com that players and officials are very much aware of the crucial nature of today’s game. “Everyone realizes the importance of this match. We are currently number three in our group and that position does not befit Super Eagles of Nigeria. It is not good for us because it is outside the qualification range. The players know this. They know that they have to show character to put our campaign back on track with a good result.” Seychelles is a leading tourist destination with plane –loads of fun seekers trooping in on daily basis to spend
good time relaxing on any of the major islands in the 115 islands that make up the archipelago. But Rohr made it clear his boys are not vacationers looking for relaxation. “We are not here on vacation. We are here for serious business. We have a young, ambitious team and Nigeria has a better pedigree in the game of football than Seychelles. But we must not underrate them in any way or take things for granted. “The World Cup is behind us now, but we must allow the lessons we learnt in Russia to make us better and more efficient in our approach. The Cup of Nations is the focus now and we must get a good result today to get our campaign back, and then we can now look ahead with determination to win the remaining matches in our group to qualify easily for the championship.” To prove their seriousness about the match, the players have arrived in camp early, as at Tuesday 18 players had already reported to camp. The camp of Nigeria’s Super Eagles came very much alive in Victoria, Mahé Island in Seychelles following the arrival of six more players on Tuesday afternoon, which brought the number of players at the team’s Savoy Hotel Resort and Spa to 18. By Tuesday morning, there were 12 players in all: Henry Onyekuru, Kenneth Omeruo, Francis Uzoho, Semi
Ajayi, Samuel Kalu, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidozie Awaziem, Kelechi Nwakali, Bryan Idowu, Simeon Nwankwo and Joel Obi. In the afternoon, Saudi Arabia -based Ahmed Musa, alongside Turkey –based Ogenyi Onazi, China -based Odion Ighalo, Germany–based Jamilu Collins and the England–based duo of Oghenekaro Etebo and Leon Balogun arrived camp and joined the team for lunch. G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE WAHAB AKINTUNDE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE
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Vincent Enyeama End of an Era Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă˜ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă• ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ÞÒËÞ Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“ĘľĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ę°Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Íš Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŒË› Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÚÙĂ?Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŒ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă– Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă? ÙÑĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÒÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă?Ę° ĂŒĂ?Ă’Ă“Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ ËÚÙĂ?Ă– Ă?Ă– Ă Ă“Ă Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ě‹Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ
F
ormer Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama last week Friday announced dumping French Ligue 1 side, Lille, after seven years. “Beyond his performances, LOSC and his supporters will remember Vincent’s smile and enthusiasm. The club now wishes him the best in his future projects,� a brief statement on their official website read. “The adventure has ended. I thank Lille supporters for their incredible support during these seven years, which were, for me, years of happiness and joy. Thank you, a thousand times, thank you, for this love that you’ve given me,� Enyeama wrote on Twitter. Enyeama received a knock while in action for Lille in April and hasn’t featured for the French side since then. A surgery on his injured knee followed suit in May and after that, it’s been intensive rehabilitation for the exEnyimba goalie. On the appointment of Marcelo
Bielsa as Lille’s coach last year, the Argentine tactician deemed the Nigerian and several other senior players surplus to requirements and while most of the lads have since moved on in search of greener pastures, Enyeama remained at the club to gain full fitness. “I want to establish myself at Lille. It’s the club that wants me to leave. We’ll see if they find a solution between now and the end of the transfer window. I’m calm. It’s a bit bizarre, but I’m handling it OK. I was informed like the others, by text. We’re under contract; the club does what it wants. We would have liked to have had a discussion. But it’s a business choice made by the bosses,� Enyeama had said. In 2015, Enyeama announced his retirement from international football after a clash with the then Coach Sunday Oliseh of the Super Eagles, ending his 13-year association with the national team. "I have fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my
course; I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion. Henceforth, there is laid for me a crown which only God can reward me for my 13 years of national services. God bless Nigeria. "Henceforth, I am no more the captain of the Nigerian senior football team; I am no more the goalie of the team, I am out of the team. I am no more available for international duties. I want to say thank you to every Nigerian fan and supporter worldwide. It’s been the most trying period of my life but I know that Nigerians are there for me and God is with me. God bless Nigeria," he had said on Instagram then. However, when the news of acute leukaemia to Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme first greeted Nigeria, it jolted the coaching crew of Super Eagles and there were calls from many circles for the return of Enyeama in spite of the fact that second choice goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa had not done badly since being drafted to the team.
Enyeama clears away the ball to deny the Argentine duo of Messi and Aguero
Super Eagles tactician, Gernot Rohr, then made move for the former goalkeeper and captain of the team to reverse his decision as the German was keen on having the former Lille of France shot-stopper back in the team due to his experience and abilities. � It’s been positive so far, we are yet to get to a point where he will say yes or no. I need him in the team. We need his experience, then we can have a young talented goalkeeper as an understudy. We will meet again in the coming days to talk further, I can’t put a time frame to when talks will take place but it’s very soon. Hopefully, it will be positive,� Rohr had said then. Former Super Eagles captain, Kanu Nwankwo, also said then that he was willing to talk to Enyeama, to come out of retirement. In spite of Ikechukwu Ezenwa not doing badly, Rohr seems not to appear to trust the home-based keeper. Kanu said Nigeria needs “worldclass� Enyeama “badly�. “As it is now, we need Vincent badly.
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In my opinion, Enyeama should come back immediately. Whoever is close enough to reach him should tell him to start coming back. Enyeama is very good. He is one of the best players in Africa, and one of the best in the world. Let the federation look into it and do everything they can to bring him back. If Enyeama says he doesn’t want to come, people like us can talk to him; the federation too can talk to him. If a lot of people talk to him, I’m sure that definitely, he will change his mind,� the two-time African Player of the Year said. Rohr eventually settled for young former Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho as Super Eagles number one choice goaltender. Born on August 29, 1982, Enyeama had a spell with Enyimba FC of Aba and won the CAF Champions League back-to-back. After three seasons with Enyimba and one with Iwuanyanwu Nationale, he moved to a minor club in Israel, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv. In 2007, he moved to another Israeli side, Hapoel
Tel Aviv, which he helped reach the state cup final. During the 2008/09 season, Hapoel missed the league title by the whiskers, with Enyeama winning the ‘Player of The Year’ award. In 2009/10 Hapoel won the double, with Enyeama scoring a goal during the Cup Final. In June 2011, he moved to Lille for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. At the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, Enyeama stopped three kicks in the quarter-final penalty shootout against Tunisia, but could not prevent a loss to Cote d' Ivoire in the semi-final. In the 2010 tournament, he was again Nigeria's shootout hero at the quarter-final game against Zambia and scoring the winning kick himself. Enyeama made his second FIFA World Cup appearance at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. In Nigeria's opening match, he was named Man of the Match, producing a defiant display to restrict Argentina to a 1–0 win. Enyeama, who was playing his 56th international for the Super
Eagles, made six fine saves against the two-time world champions, four of them from Lionel Messi. He was also awarded Man of the Match in Nigeria's 2–1 loss to Greece. At the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Enyeama deputised for regular captain Joseph Yobo and led Nigeria to its third continental victory, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 defeat of Burkina Faso in the final. He was named in the Team of the Tournament as a first choice goalkeeper. In June 2014, Enyeama was named in Nigeria's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the Super Eagles' first and second fixtures he kept clean sheet, he conceded three goals in the last match of the first round against Argentina, a game which ended in a 3–2 defeat for Nigeria, placing them second in the group and thus qualifying them for the second round for the first time in 16 years. His seven years stay was interspersed with a one season loan at Maccabi Tel-Aviv from 2012 to 2013.
I want to establish myself at Lille. It’s the club that wants me to leave. We’ll see if they ďŹ nd a solution between now and the end of the transfer window. I’m calm. It’s a bit bizarre, but I’m handling it OK. I was informed like the others, by text. We’re under contract; the club does what it wants. We would have liked to have had a discussion. But it’s a business choice made by the bosses
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Joshua Ready to Fight Wilder Even if He Loses to Fury
A
nthony Joshua says a heavyweight showdown with Deontay Wilder will still happen, even if the American loses his WBC belt in a fight with Tyson Fury. The unified champion defends his WBA 'super', IBF and WBO titles against Povetkin at Wembley on September 22, while Wilder has announced that his next fight will be against Fury. Joshua had hoped to face Wilder for the right to become the division's undisputed No 1, but has pointed out that a defeat will not prevent him from sharing the ring with any of his rivals in the future. "We're going to fight regardless because we're the same weight category,
and we're in the same era, and it's the fight that people want to see," Joshua told Sky Sports News. "Yeah, we're going to fight each other, but it's interesting, because let's say worst happens with Povetkin, it don't stop me from having to fight them. "They will still want to fight me, because we're big in the game. That fight will happen regardless who wins. "If Wilder gets beat in that fight with Fury, I'll still fight Wilder down the line, or if Fury gets beat. "With boxing, one corner loses, one corner wins, but because it's still a fight that the public will demand - big puncher, good stylistic fighter, good talkers - there will always be interest around the name of heavyweight
boxing." The British star must firstly overcome Povetkin, the WBA's mandatory challenger, and is eager to produce another knockout victory to strengthen his reputation as a destructive fighter. "I think I've got good opponents on my record so far," said Joshua. "Povetkin's a good one and I'm at that stage where I do want to look past Povetkin, because the division is alight, it's amazing. "There's some real good challengers out there, but at the same time you've got to focus on your opponent in front of you, and that's why - is it a big threat? Yeah, but if I can't get past him then what can I say, everyone is going to be a big threat. "I've got to dismantle Povetkin with
Ikoyi Club Golf Section Plans for a Grand Nigeria Cup
Activities towards the successful hosting of the 2018 Nigeria Cup billed for the golf section of the Ikoyi Club 1938 on September 22 has commenced, with the organising committee outlining its plans during a press briefing at the club on Friday. Speaking during the press conference, vice-captain of the golf section and chairman 2018 Nigeria Cup organising committee, Mr. Babatunde Johnson, said over 500 golfers from various golf clubs across Lagos would be participating in this year’s edition. The Nigeria Cup, which is in its 21st edition started in 1997, will be beginning week-long activities to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence anniversary. According to the activities, the event will kick off on September 22 with the children’s competition, then from Monday, September 24, various categories of players would be displaying their golfing prowess and trying to win what is one of the major titles in the golfing calendar. On Tuesday, it would be the turn of the ladies, while the professional players would have the course to themselves on Thursday. And on Friday, veterans, sponsors and their guests would take their turn. The main event would, however, take place on Saturday when the winner of the Nigeria Cup will emerge. One of the highlights of the event is the five million naira on offer for anyone who plays a hole in one, courtesy of one of the sponsorsPlascon. The year’s theme, ‘Who the Cap Fits’ is aimed at celebrating Nigeria’s culture and national heritage. Johnson, while commending members of the club and corporate organisations for their support so far, pleaded for more. Some of the premium sponsors of the event include ND Western, Eroton and NDPR. Other sponsors include 7UP, ECO Bank, Shell, Amni Oil, PWC, Cappa & Dalberto and Notore.
UEFA Nations League Debut on ĂžĂ Ëœ ĂžĂ
MultiChoice Nigeria has announced its acquired rights to the new UEFA Nations League and a host of international friendlies. It all started from September 5 to September 11, DStv and GOtv customers will have access to 25 matches from the best European national teams who played at the recent World Cup. The tournament will be broadcast live on various SuperSport platforms which include TV, online and via the DStv Now app. General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, said: “We are very excited to bring this new tournament to our loyal customers. Football fans need not be worried as international football breaks will remain packed with football on SuperSport. Only the World of Champions on DStv and GOtv provides you with a front row view of all the football that really matters.�
ease, so I'm the threat, I'm the one to be reckoned with." Joshua has been at the forefront of a resurgence for heavyweight boxing in recent years and recognises the threat that Povetkin poses to his reign, predicting an explosive encounter at the national stadium. He said: "It's been years since British boxing, especially at heavyweight, has got the respect it has today, and it's good to be leading the way, and Povetkin is a real game challenger, but he's got to come across myself, I'm game as well, and it will be a good fight. "It's not going to be a quick one. We both can take a lot of punishment, and dish out a lot of punishment, and it's the first one to go."
Diala Boosts Special Athletes Ahead of National Sports Festival
Vice Chairman, Nigeria Cup 2018, Ifeanyi OďŹ li; Head Consumer Marketing, Ecobank Nigeria, Ikechukwu Kalu; Chairman, Nigeria Cup 2018, Tunde Johnson; and Head, Corporate Communications, Notore Chemical Industries, Ngozi Mba; at a press conference on Nigeria Cup 2018, held Ikoyi Golf Club in Lagos‌.. Photo: SUNDAY ADIGUN
Edo State Wins Inaugural Southsouth/South-east Rugby League RocketBulls Rugby Football Club of Edo State defeated Delta Force Rugby Team of Delta State by 17 points to seven points at Emotan College grounds in Benin City in a tightly contested encounter to emerge the inaugural South-south/South-east Rugby League Champions. In the Women's match, PitsBull Rugby Football Club of Edo State also defeated the Abia Lioness Rugby Team by 17 points to nill. With this win by the Edo State Rugby Team, they have qualified for the National Rugby League finals playoff against the Lagos Rugby League Champions Cowrie Rugby Football Club to determine the Southern Champions,
with the winners going on to play in the National Rugby League Super Cup later in the year. RocketBulls Rugby Club won the League with a league table points of 13 points, Delta Force Rugby Team came second with 8 points, East of the Niger Team who walked over Warri Wolves Rugby Team have 5points, while Warri Wolves Rugby Club are bottom with no point on the table. In attendance were the Special Guest of Honour and former Edo State Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Brown Ebewele who brought Rugby to Edo State during his glorious years as Director of Sports.
Man Wins N9,700,000 on BetKing Sports A middle-aged man, William, has emerged winner of a whopping sum of 9.7 million Naira on Nigeria’s fastest growing sports betting company, BetKing. William proved to be a true prediction King when he staked the sum of N10,000 on a ticket with 15 selections from several soccer leagues and nailed all 15 to win a complete sum of N9,715,244.72. He was invited to BetKing head office to claim his winnings and was paid instantly. He was very enthusiastic during a brief interview session as he spoke about playing for the love of sports and how Nigeria’s top betting site, BetKing, made his predictions easier by providing up to date statistics on each of the teams before he placed his bets. He further commended the platform for how easy it was to use as well as the exciting markets available for customers to bet on. Speaking further, he mentioned how his faith in the brand was more solidified as he
got paid as quickly as possible. According to him, “BetKing has contributed to paying my children’s school fees this session.� He also plans to complete a couple of pending projects with the bulk of his winnings and he expressed gratitude to the brand for giving him the opportunity. It is noteworthy that this win comes after previously reported big wins of N500,000 jackpot, N3 million and N7.7 million on the BetKing platform. With a recent win of N9.7 million, it appears that bigger wins will keep emerging from the playground for Kings. BetKing is a popular sports betting company that launched on February 22, 2018, in Lagos, offering online services nationwide and agency services in several states within Nigeria. With headquarters in Lagos State, BetKing is working towards a nationwide expansion that places several physical shops across all states in Nigeria.
Lagos-based sports philanthropist, Collins Diala has boosted special athletes in and around the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, by donating a standard wheelchair and over 20 pairs of sporting wear ahead of the National Sports Festival due to hold in Abuja later in the year. Diala, who was touched by the doggedness of special athletes over the years, said his donation was his own token of appreciation for the special athletes. Diala who was celebrating his birthday on Wednesday morning handed top female Para- lifter Chikaodiri Anigbogu a standard wheelchair after she won a ballot. The exciting moment came after brand new sports wears went to over 20 other special athletes preparing for the National Sports Festival. “Yes, it’s my own way of motivating these special athletes and I want other sport loving individuals and the corporate world to join the effort to encourage special athletes. We cannot afford to ignore them because they have always brought glory to Nigerians at both home and abroad. “In the past, I celebrated my birthdays at orphanage homes/less privileged persons homes, but this time around I reasoned that I must touch lives of special athletes because they have been doing a lot for the country and they would do more,� said Diala.
ÖÓÞä Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? ͺ͸͚΀ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? Week Two
Action continues as the 5th edition of the Nigeria FMCG Games 2018 enters Week Two on Sunday at the YabaTech Sports Complex. This weekend, FrieslandCampina will try Reckitt Benckiser for size at12:45p.m., while Guinness entertains Nestle at 2 p.m. The Games, which kicked off on September 2, witnessed some of Nigeria’s biggest FMCG companies compete against each other for a chance to be crowned the champions of their sector game. On the opening day, two-time champions - Unilever played against Guinness who were making their debut. The match ended in favour of Unilever, just as Nestle defeated another debutant Reckitt Benckiser by a lone goal. There were also giveaway prizes for spectators present as they competed in games like Basketball challenge, Take – a – Shot challenge and a raffle draw also holding.
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GLOBAL SOCCER
Eddie Nketiah
Tobi Omole
Arsenal Legion May Form the Bedrock of Future Super Eagles With the Nigeria Professional Football League not living up to the standard of churning out players for the Super Eagles, second choice goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, was the only player from the NPFL to Nigeria’s team to the 2018 World Cup. The Nigeria Football Federation in recent time has therefore been relying heavily on players of Nigerian descent in Europe to form the bulk of the national. With Arsenal naming 11 Nigerians in their 2018/19 Premier League season, the majority of Eagles players in future major competitions may be coming from the North London club, writes Kunle Adewale
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igeria football League was once so exciting and competitive that Nigerian players are signed on straight to European clubs without having to go through trials- Finidi George, Dosu Joseph, Etim Esin, are just few examples. But not anymore, as players from the Nigeria Professional Football League are only good for trials in countries like Cyprus, Lebanon, India, Singapore and some other little-known football nations of the world, and are, therefore, not even seen as good enough to don the senior national team shirt. Little wonder at the summer World Cup in Russia, the only player from the NPFL to make the Super Eagles team to the World Cup, goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, was only good for the bench with little or no chance manning the post. The eggheads of the Nigeria Football Federation have therefore resorted to wooing ‘foreign’ players with Nigerian roots to forming the bedrock of the national team, which the president of the federation, Amaju Pinnick, described as VIP scouting. The NFF boss had reiterated severally that youngsters of Nigerian origin who are doing well in England and other leagues will wear the Nigerian colours at the appropriate time. He said it had been in the plans of the present NFF board to build a young Super Eagles team ahead of the 2022 World Cup, adding that the federation is monitoring several Nigerian players that are making waves in the various leagues.
“The initial plan was to take our players in the various clubs, but now, what we are trying to do is what we call VIP scouting – talking to these young players that are playing abroad to play for their fatherland. No Nigerian, even if they have four or five passports, they are always excited about being Nigerians. I can assure you that we shall get them to play for us at the appropriate time,� Pinnick said. With Arsenal having named 11 Nigerians (not products of Nigeria League) in their squad for 2018/19 Premier League season, Pinnick, who interestingly is a fan of the North London club could as well start monitoring their progress in the quest of wooing them to play for Nigeria in future. The players are Alex Iwobi, who has played severally for Nigeria but currently sidelined with illness and would not be part of the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles today. There is also Eddie Nketiah, who is expected to see the first-team action this season, especially in the Carabao Cup and Europa League group stages. The remaining nine players are all youngsters and classed as U-21. They are Ryan Alebiousu, Xavier Amaechi, Folarin Balogun, Tolaji Bola, Arthur Okonkwo, James Olayinka, Joseph Olowu, Tobi Omole and Bukayo Saka. Nigerians should, therefore, be watching out for these future stars as they may form the bedrock of Nigeria’s team to the 2002 World Cup slated for Qatar. Folarin Balogun
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FAIRGROUND with
It’s Curtain Call at the 2018 AMVCAs as Stars Shine on TV’s Most Prestigious Night
AZUKA OGUJIUBA
azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com
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n Saturday, the 1st of September 2018, the much anticipated 6th edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) held to much fanfare, glitz and glam at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. As expected, the crème de la crème of the African film, TV and entertainment industry turned out on the famous AMVCA red carpet and the show, which was hosted by the returning duo of IK Osakioduwa and Minnie Dlamini started with an electrifying performance by the critically acclaimed Niger-Delta dance troupe, Seki. Other performances of the night include renditions by famoussinger-producer Cobhams Asuquo, and Nigerian opera singer, Omo Bello who performed together with her orchestra. Nigerian rapper Falz also thrilled on the night, even as he won the ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Drama’ award. The big winners of the night include Adjetey Anang and Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde for ‘Best Actor in a Drama/Movie’ and ‘Best Actress in a Drama/Movie’ respectively while Jade Osiberu won in the ‘Best Director’ category for the movie‘Isoken.’ Another highlight of the night was when renowned Nigerian cinematographer Tunde Kelani was presented with the Industry Merit award, a decision that was well received by the audience as evidenced by a prolonged standing ovation. In the same vein, the Trailblazer Award was given to Bisola Aiyeola in recognition of her growing impact in the African film and TV space. The crowning of the night was the announcement of Phoebe Ruguru’s ’18 Hours’ as the Best Overall movie, a fitting tribute to an event that featured many other Kenyan winners. See the full list of winners at the 2018 AMVCAs below:
Femi Adebayo and Adekola Odunade
S/NO CATEGORY 1. BEST DOCUMENTARY THE FLESH BUSINESS DENIS WANJOHI MAINA 2. BEST TELEVISION SERIES THIS IS IT DOLAPO ADELEKE (LOWLA DEE) 3. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER MOVIE OR TV SERIES OKAFOR’S LAW YINKA EDWARD 4. BEST MOVIE EAST AFRICA 18 HOURS PHOEBE RUGURU 5. BEST WRITER (MOVIE/TV SERIES) ALTER EGO PATRICK NNAMANI, KOYE O, MOSES INWANG
Phoebe Ruguru
Lillian Afegbai
Omotola
6. BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – YORUBA ETIKO ONIGEDU FEMI ADEBAYO 7. BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER MOVIE OR TV SERIES TATU AKPE ODODORU, TUNDE AKINNIYI 8. BEST PICTURE EDITOR MOVIE/TV SERIES 18 HOURS MARK MAINA 9. BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES - IGBO BOUND LILIAN AFEGBAI 10. BEST SOUND EDITOR MOVIE OR TV SERIES TATU KOLADE MORAKINYO, PIUS FATOKE 11. BEST SOUND TRACK MOVIE OR TV SERIES TATU EVELLE
Ali Nuhu
12. BEST COSTUME DESIGNER MOVIE OR TV SERIES THE BRIDGE NGOZI OBASI, JAMES BESSINONE
TV SERIES TATU THELMA OZY SMITH, HAKEEM EFFECT ONILOGBO
13. BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES - HAUSA MANSOOR ALI NUHU
15. BEST ART DIRECTOR MOVIE OR TV SERIES LOTANNA TUNJI AFOLAYAN 16. BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES - SWAHILI
14. BEST MAKE UP ARTIST MOVIE OR
Bisola Aiyeola
SUPA MODO SARIKA HEMI LAKHANI 17. BEST MOVIE SOUTHERN AFRICA THE ROAD TO SUNRISE SHEMU JOYAH 18. BEST DIRECTOR MOVIE ISOKEN JADE OSIBERU
19. BEST MOVIE WEST AFRICA ISOKEN JADE OSIBERU 20. BEST OVERALL MOVIE 18 HOURS PHOEBE RUGURU 21. BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/ TV SERIES).
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FAIRGROUND Call at the 2018 AMVCAs as Stars Shine on TV’s Most Prestigious Night Cont’d from Pg.8
Micheal Ama Psalmist’ Akinrogunde and Collete
IK Osakioduwa and Minnie Dlamini-Jones
Folarin Falana
Denis Wanjohi
Thelma Ozy Smith
Nyce Wanjeri
Ik Ogbonna and Nancy Isime
Jade Osiberu
Shemu Joyah
Tunde Akinniyi
Lydia Forson
Dakore Akande
Ngozi Obasi
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Toyota is Recalling 1 million Hybrids at risk of Catching ďŹ re
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General Manager, Sales & Marketing of Massilia Motors addressing happy Mitsubishi customers and potentials at the Massilia Motors showroom on Adeola Odeku street, Victoria Island, Lagos, venue of the Mitsubishi Motors Heritage Week held in Lagos‌ recently
Massilia Marks Mitsubishi Heritage with Five Day Event in Lagos Stories by Bennett Oghifo
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Massilia Motors, the sole distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Nigeria celebrated the heritage of the Mitsubishi Motors, last week in the Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos showroom. The event themed ‘Mitsubishi Motors Heritage Week’, was the first of its kind on the Nigerian Automotive scene. For this purpose, Massilia Motors built a maze in the showroom taking visitors and participants on a journey through the various achievements of the brand throughout the five day period. From the Model A produced in 1917, a four wheel drive prototype in 1933 to pioneering electric technology in 1970, the brand stunned visitors with its various technological achievements. Mitsubishi Motors even earned a Guinness world record with one of its electric vehicle technologies. The memory lane showcased the brand’s design evolution as well as revived memories of iconic Mitsubishi Motors models such as the Galant and the Lancer Evolution.
The Heritage week was also an opportunity to hint the public on Mitsubishi’s new positioning and disruptive approach as it partnered with Zaron cosmetics, Chocolate City, Canon, Aspire Luxury Magazine and Johnnie Walker to engage with its happy users, visitors and enthusiasts. Headlining the different activities were renowned photographer Emmanuel Oyeleke; celebrity makeup artist, Theodora Magu; actress and jazz artiste, Tomi Odunsi and Chocolate City CEO and rapper M.I Abaga. Notable celebrities and distinguished guests in attendance at the week’s various events include Banky W, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Noble Igwe, Sound Sultan, Yung L, Ini Dima-Okojie, Nonso Bassey, Funke Bucknor, Bidemi Zakariyau, and Chuey Chu, amongst others. Addressing the audience on the final day of Heritage Week, Marketing Manager of Massilia Motors, Funmi Abiola, expressed her gratitude to the guests in attendance, as well as the different partners who helped make the Heritage Week a success, adding: “Our commitment to connecting with our consumer base does not stop with [Heritage Week].
Mitsubishi is fully intent, moving forward, on ensuring that consumers are always happy.� Earlier, the General Manager of Massilia Motors in charge of marketing and sales, Mr. Navin Chander, had said “a logical development from the Mitsubishi Motors Brand strategy, ‘Drive your Ambition’ is the new tagline that describes an attitude that has been true of Mitsubishi since its first car a century ago. “Drive your Ambition is a powerful statement of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s on-going commitment to the values and aspirations of its drivers. It clearly differentiates MMC (Mitsubishi Motors Corporation) as a customer-centric force in global mobility�. Also speaking, the Deputy Managing Director of Massilia Motors, Mr. Kunle Jaiyesimi, said the company is proud to celebrate the rich Mitsubishi heritage in Nigeria, “as Massilia has been a success story.� Massilia Motors, consolidated with the CFAO group has been distributing Mitsubishi Motors in seven African countries over the years and has fostered a strong relationship with the brand.
oyota is recalling more than 1 million of its hybrid vehicles worldwide over a potential fire risk. The automaker said Wednesday that the safety recall covers its Prius, Prius plug-in hybrid and C-HR SUV models and is intended to repair a problem with their electrical systems, which in some cases can cause fires. More than half of the affected vehicles are in Japan, while just under 200,000 are in the United States. The rest were sold in Europe and other markets. US drivers will start receiving recall notices by mail this month. Toyota (TM) said the problem involved wire harnesses that connect to the cars’ power control units. These can wear away over time, generating heat. “If sufficient heat is generated, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire,� a Toyota spokesman in Tokyo told CNN on Wednesday. He declined to comment on whether the defects have resulted in any injuries or deaths. The recall applies to cars produced between June 2015 and May 2018. The company said it would provide fixes to customers free of charge. The Japanese carmaker has had problems with the Prius before. In 2016, it recalled more than 1.7 million of the vehicles over issues related to their air bags and parking brakes. More broadly, the company has also had to recall more than 20 million of its cars in recent years in response to the Takata exploding air bag scandal.
(Source: CNN)
Hyundai Motor Reports August 2018 Global Sales
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yundai Motor Company, this week, announced its global sales results for August 2018, recording a total of 384,443 units sold. Overseas sales increased by 9.5% year-over-year, posting 325,861 units, largely due to sales recovery in China and strong demand in emerging markets such as Latin America and Middle East. Growth in Europe was led by strong sales of new SUV models, the refreshed Tucson SUV and Kona SUV. Sales in Korea also rose by 7.4% compared with the previous year, resulting in 58,582 units sold. Sales increased due to strong demand in both sedan and SUV products. Azera (Grandeur in Korea) continued its strong sales result while the all-new Santa Fe became again the best-selling model in Korea for the sixth consecutive month. Hyundai Motor expects to continue its sales momentum with introduction of new products such as the all-new Santa Fe, the refreshed Tucson SUV, and the refreshed Elantra (Avante in Korea) which awaits roll-out in the second half of this year. * Monthly sales figures provided in this press release are unaudited and on a preliminary basis. 1. Hyundai Motor currently has overseas plants in Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. 2. Sales in Korea is based on retail sales while Overseas Sales (Global Sales excluding Korea) is based on wholesales. 3. Sales result includes entire sedan, SUV and CV models produced by Hyundai Motor.
Dua Lipa, Jaguar Create Music Track Every Fan can Remix
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ritish/Kosovan singer-songwriter Dua LipahascollaboratedwithJaguartomake music in a completely new way. Using Jaguar’s custom-made software, she created an exclusive remix of her latest track, ‘Want To’ and empowered fans all over the world to create personalised remixes using their own data – from the way they drive, the songs they listen to, or by tapping a rhythm on a mobile. Over a million different remixes are possible, with multiple tempos and versions based on a range of music genres from hip-hop and dance, to orchestral, pop music and drum and bass. The track has already become the most remixed song in history following its launch at an exclusive gig at Sugar City in Amsterdam, where music fans and stars from across Europe, including supermodel Doutzen Kroes and actress Alix Benezech, drove the all-electric I-PACE to create their own versions. To create her own remix of ‘Want To’, Dua Lipa drove the Jaguar I-PACE, and her style of driving was captured by the car’s intelligent sensors. From the amount of electrical energy consumed, to the way Dua Lipa accelerated and braked, the data captured was used to influence the track; from the tempo to the arrangement and the overall feel. The Dua Lipa x Jaguar version of ‘Want To’ appears
on the album ‘Dua Lipa The Complete Collection’, released this Friday, 7 September. Speaking at the track’s launch in Amsterdam, Dua Lipa said: “I’m so excited to collaborate with Jaguar and push the boundaries of music and technology for my fans. It’s pretty mind-blowing that anyone can create their own unique version of my single ‘Want To’ based on the way they drive a Jaguar, or what music they listen to. “It’s crazy to think that the data from my drive in the electric I-PACE can alter the energy of my music to create a totally new and incredible sound.� It’s not only drivers who can remix the track, music fans across the globe will also be able to create their own versions of the Dua Lipa song by using Jaguar’s clever remix software at http://remix.jointhepace. com. This innovative app allows users to remix the Dua Lipa track using their Spotify streaming history – taking data from the music they listen to and rearranging elements of the track to create a personalised version. From the average tempo of your playlists, to the mood and energy of the music you stream most often, the data is used to conduct a remix just for you. Those without a Spotify account can also create a remix in the app by tapping their mobile to ‘set the pace’ of a new version of the song.
Jaguar I-Pace
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Mercedes-Benz is Entering Era of Electromobility Stories by Bennett Oghifo
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his week, in the Artipelag art museum, Mercedes-Benz celebrated the world premiere of the new, fully-electric EQC (combined power consumption: 22.2 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km, provisional figures)1. Dieter Zetsche presented the first Mercedes-Benz model under the product and technology brand EQ to over 600 invited guests. As a purely battery-electrically powered vehicle, the EQC stands for an impressive combination of comfort, quality and day-to-day suitability. In visual terms the crossover SUV is the front-runner for an avantgarde electric look. Not only the protagonist itself, but also the location for the world premiere was a statement for sustainability. The Artipelag museum is surrounded by forest on the banks of Stockholm’s skerries, and embodies the link between art and nature – it is an extraordinary and apt location for the departure into a new era of mobility at Mercedes-Benz. “The EQC brings design, functionality and service together in a unique way. It offers day-to-day suitable e-mobility in a very special package: the EQC is an electric car, and at the same time 100 percent a Mercedes,�saysDieterZetsche,ChairmanofDaimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars. With its seamless, clear design and colour highlights typical of the brand, the EQC is the front-runner for an avantgardeelectriclookwhileembodyingprogressive luxury with its design idiom. With respect to quality, safety and comfort, the EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles and immediately impresses with the sum of its attributes. These are accompanied by dynamic performance, thanks to two electric motors at the front and rear axles with a combined output of 300 kW (provisional figure)2. Thanks to a sophisticated operating strategy, an electric driving range of more than 450 km according to NEDC (provisional figure)2 is possible. EQ also offers comprehensive services with Mercedes me, and
FRSC Promotes 8 Assistant Corps Marshals, 12 Corps Commanders
Bespoke Rolls-Royce Dawn black badge makes electromobility convenient and suitable for day-to-day motoring. Before the actual reveal, the guests were given all the background and details related to the EQC. Britta Seeger, Ola Källenius and Markus Schäfer e.g. moderated the EQ sessions on various topics such as development, design, safety, drive, the
electromobility brand EQ and the production strategy for the new electric vehicle. Together with this varied and informative programme as well as with the unusual location, the inventor of the automobile showed that MercedesBenz is embarking on a new era. Electric now has a Mercedes.
he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Board has approved the promotion of 8 Corps Commanders (CC) to the position of Assistant Corps Marshals (ACM) and the promotion of 12 Deputy Corps Commanders (DCC) to the position of Corps Commanders (CC). The approval came after the Board met yesterday to deliberate on the exercise. The Corps Public Education Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bisi Kazeem, listed the names of the newly elevatedACMs as PO Osadebamwen, Abayomi Olukoju, M. Shehu, MI Garba, DD Sayi, SU Umar, Yekeen Salami, and Sunday Maku. He also gave the names of the newly elevated CCs as O Kalu, JI Dagwa, MA Jatau, EA Asaniyan, RN Monyei,TDSifawa,SOAdepoju,UWihioka,POlaye, KM Kabo, R Ogom, and S Akinyemi. According to him, the Chairman of the FRSC Board, Barrister Bukhari Bello, expressed his satisfaction on thetransparencyofthepromotionexerciseandurged the newly promoted staff to put in more efforts in ensuring that the highways are safe for all categories of road users. Kazeem added that the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, equally congratulated the newly elevated Officersfortheirperformances.HestatedthatOyeyemi encouraged them to continually put in their best in the course of their duties. TheCorpsMarshalpromisedtocontinuetoimprove the welfare of the Corps’ personnel in general to the satisfaction of all. He advised those who did not get promoted to keep faith and hope for the best in the next exercise. Kazeemdisclosedthatthepromotionexercisebegan withmedicalexamination,physicalexercises,computer based examination, and oral interview which took about a week to conclude. The newly elevated Officers shall be decorated on Tuesday11September2018attheFRSCHeadquarters situated at No 4 Maputo Street, Zone 3, WuseAbuja.
Electrifying power: New BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance
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fficiency meets supremacy: the drive portfolio of the new BMW X5 is to be extended in the course of 2019 with the addition of a plug-in hybrid system. The new BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance combines a model-specific in-line 6-cylinder petrol engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology with the very latest BMW eDrive technology. Consistent progress in the area of plug-hybrid drive has produced a system output now increased to 290 kW/394 hp, a tangible enhancement in terms of electrically powered range and a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 levels as compared to the predecessor model. More impressively than ever, the second generation of the plug-in hybrid model combines the purely electrically powered driving pleasure of a BMW iPerformance automobile with the versatility that is typical of a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV). In doing so, the new BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance offers optimised qualities in terms of both driving dynamics and efficiency. It does the sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6
I
seconds – more than one second less than the predecessor model. The top speed when driving on electric power alone is increased from 120 to 140 km/h. Its electrically powered range is now approximately 80 kilometres*, almost three times that of its predecessor. The combined fuel consumption of the new BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance drops to 2.1 litres per 100 kilometres*, while the relevant CO2 emissions figure is now 49 grams per kilometre*. These improved levels are the result of a completely newly developed drive technology. It comprises a 3.0-litre and 210 kW/286 hp in-line 6-cylinder engine from the current BMW EfficientDynamics drive family and the latest generation of BMW eDrive technology.An electrical system output of 82 kW/112 hp, a lithium-ion battery with extended storage capacity and further developed power electronics for intelligent energy management give the plug-in hybrid system of the BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance unique performance characteristics as well as an impressive level of efficiency.
Petrol engine with the very latest BMW eDrive technology
2019 Car Seat Belt Reminders
know I have written severally on seat belt and child restraint. I also know that I have used life examples from people who lost their loved ones as a result of non- use of seat belt to drive home the value and safety importance of buckling up during any kind of journey; short or long distance especially against the backdrop of unfounded perception by some motorists that seat belt is only of value on long distance journey and not necessary if driving within short distance within the city of even within your community or estate as we have in abundance in our clime. Of all the cases that I have cited on this column, the one that is touchy and ever fresh in my mind is the story of the man who lost his ten year old child along the Abuja- Lokoja road in December, 2015. For the sake of those who were kind enough to read the stories I cited to drive home my point on seat belt usage and those who missed out, I have chosen not just a re-run of some excerpts of the materials used but to also share a development which is not totally new but should sound new to a good number of us especially those who have become deviants and require something extra before they will detour and do the right thing by buckling up while driving. I am talking about the development in the European Union where based on the need to redress crash trend and improve safety, the introduction of seatbelt reminder systems is to become mandatory on every new car seat, both front and rear from September
SAFE DRIVING with
JONAS AGWU
amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education OďŹƒcer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491
2019. This is part of a new regulations being adopted by the European Union. The development is an improvement on the existing EU vehicle safety rules, agreed in 2009, which only requires seatbelt reminder systems on the driver’s seat. However under the new regulations, set out by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE), front seat systems will need to be able to detect a passenger sitting – and make an audible warning at the start of the journey if the belt is not attached. The requirements for rear seats differ slightly in that the audible warning will only sound if a belt is unbuckled during the journey. As a Nigerian and one who is involved in safety, I am extremely excited by this new development even though for new I live and work in Nigeria and not in any of the European Union countries. My excitement is borne out of the fact that these new developments
will no doubt rub on our efforts to increase safety consciousness and safety wearing. I hear that the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC),is also excited; ETSC has described the move as a step forward for vehicle safety in Europe. According to the ETSC,’’ seatbelt use in cars in the EU is at 88% for front seats and as low as 74% for rear seats in the countries that are monitoring wearing levels.’’ This explains why the ETSC maintains that 900 deaths could have been prevented in 2012 if 99% of all occupants had been wearing a seatbelt across Europe– a rate it says ‘could be reached with seatbelt reminders’ . When I visited the web page of UNECE, two vital information were instructive to me and I believe you will find the information quite revealing. The first was the introductory statement on the proposal which noted’’ that the text(on seat belt reminder) was prepared by experts from Japan, France Republic of Korea and the European Commission as an outcome of the discussion at the taskforce on seat belt reminder aimed at introducing provisions on safety belt reminders on all vehicle seats. The second instructive note was the justification which notes that ‘’it is widely recognized that the safety-belt is one of the most important and effective vehicle safety features. Nevertheless, actual safety-belt wearing rates vary greatly between countries and also differ between front and rear seating positions, as was explained in a presentation provided at the fifty-seventh session of the Global Road Safety Partner-
ship (GRSP)’’ The justification continues by noting that in Japan, rear seat safety-belt use can be as low as 35.1 per cent. With a note of optimism it observes that when the effective seat belt reminder is mandatory for all passenger car seats, an expected 150 lives can be saved annually in Japan. The story in the Republic of Korea is not too different as , seat safety-belt use is generally between 80 per cent and 90 per cent on front seats, but even as low as 16.2 per cent on rear seats. In 2013, three hundred people not wearing a safety-belt died in cars in the Republic of Korea, and over 18,000 persons not wearing safety-belts were injured. When the fitment of safety belt reminder will be mandatory for all passenger car seats in the Republic of Korea, 103 lives are expected to be saved in target year 2024 with a 70 per cent observance rate of the seat belt reminder. In the same condition, the costbenefit ratio will be 1.43. 7. The European Commission published a study that quantifies the casualty benefit of legislative action on Seat belt reminders for all categories of vehicles by comparing a baseline, i.e. “do nothing� scenario, with an action scenario which involved mandating seat belt reminders. From the analysis cited above, the effectiveness of seat belt reminders is not in doubt. However we must also appreciate the critical importance of effective and best practice measures such as enforcement, driver education, and enhanced safety awareness which is vital in keeping the tempo back home in check against the backdrop of the ongoing campaign for rear seat belt compliance which is still at the very low ebb.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ΀˜ ͺ͸͹΀
΀˜ ͺ͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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EXPRESSION
MEDIAGAFFES
Know Full, Not Fully, Well
EBERE WABARA
‘W
E keep our word’: “Fidelity Back 2 School—Don’t let cash stand in your wayâ€? Get it right: be (not stand) in your way THE NATION ON SUNDAY of August 19 displayed grammatical hypocrisy: “The president should call the group to order for double standards (standard) and flouting our lawsâ€? “Rangers’ boss picks holes on 3SCâ€? I also pick my own holes in (not on) this headline. â€œâ€Śwas the outcome of the series of meeting (meetings)â€? â€œâ€ŚAssure (Assure Nigerians) Boko Haram will be defeatedâ€? “The source said further that‌are (were) now firmly in control of the military.â€? “Lassa fever scare in Delta as FMC cordons-off (cordons off) emergency wardâ€? â€œâ€Śthe population of the estate has increased considerable (considerably)â€? Finally from THISDAY of August 22 under review: “Heat free (Heat-free) curlsâ€? SATURDAY INDEPENDENT of August18 circulated a potpourri of misapprehensions: “Buhari’s administration is been (being) sabotaged, says clericâ€? “Irri community seeks for supportâ€? Yank off ‘for’ Wrong: electioneering campaign; Right: electioneering or campaign “Siasia clamours for Nigerians (Nigerians’) supportâ€? “CNS indicts major oil companies in (for) oil theftâ€? Yet another lexical crisis: â€œâ€Śthat the police was (were) supporting the impeached speaker of the House‌.â€? â€œâ€Śat the expense of majority (the
BY
majority) of other members of the Houseâ€? DAILY Sun Editorial of September 3 comes next with this schoolboy howler: â€œâ€Śwe think it is a bit cheaper to persuade President Biya to handover (hand over) to a younger generation of leaders‌.â€? “The United States, China and Europe are co-operating and competing against each other (one another).â€? “He said the police cannot (could not) be dragged into the mess‌.â€? “Underfunding, bane to (of) poly educationâ€? â€œâ€Śincessant strikes actions‌.â€? Education Today: incessant strikes “Truancy among professors and other senior academic staff often percolate (percolates) down the academic hierarchy‌.â€? “Modibbo meets delegates, promises all inclusive (all-inclusive) governmentâ€? “Obiazor relishes Super Eagles (Eagles’) call-upâ€? “Group insists PDP, APC should pick Christian (Christians) as flag bearers (standard-bearers) in 2019â€? “We express these fears, knowing fully well the nature of ‌.â€? This amounts to ill-treatment of the English language. Right: knowing full well “The NFF still have to decide on the outcome of some matchesâ€? ‘Federation’ takes a singular verb. “What is good for the goose can’t be bad for the gander. “ I do not understand the use of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ instead of ‘sauce’ in this instance. â€œâ€Śbut LifeStyle will not hesitate to remind you about (sic) one of the qualifying criterion for this jamboree‌â€? Singular: criterion; plural: criteria. In addition, ‘remind you of‌’ “An alleged hike in school fees has created a row between the management and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of‌. “PTA means Parent-Teacher Association. “The donation of vehicles and communication gadgets provide a good begin-
ning. “ The donation ‌ provides. “Fear of robbers keep lawyers away from courtsâ€? Fear of robbers keeps‌ “CBN intervention bouys nairaâ€? (BUSINESSDAY, August 21) Get it right: buoys. “You must be matured and in love with jazz music.â€? Just ‘mature’. The next three errors are from NTA Network News of September 4: â€œâ€Ś. Who presided at the occasion?â€? NTA correspondents should be civilized: the preposition that goes with ‘occasion’ is ‘on’ (not ‘at’) “He said that the ministry intends to restore backâ€Śâ€œ ‘Restore back’ shows unintelligibility. With ‘restore’, you cannot have ‘back’. We should not use words we do not understand their meanings (or implications). The English language has evolved from the old period to the modern era. Therefore, journalists must avoid Anglo-Saxon expressions. “Each of the stadia was provided with practicing pitch.â€? It is not the pitches that practise as implied in the statement. Therefore, the sensible phrase ought to be ‘practice pitch.’ Lexical and semantic appropriateness demands this line of thought. “Captain‌wedded former Miss‌ in Lagos over the weekend with pomp and pageantry. “ (THISDAY, September 2) ‘Pomp and pageantry’ is not an accepted phrase. The standard expression is ‘pomp and circumstance’ or ‘pomp and ceremony.’ It can simply be left as ‘pomp’. If you do not remember these forms, rephrase. At least, you can always recollect that the Nigerian creation (pomp and pageantry) is uneducated. “Truely, Jos is a home of peace and tourism.â€? Correct form: truly “This development is unlike in some states where education have (sic) died a natural death‌â€? (DAILY CHAMPION, August 21) Indeed, education has died in Champion House!
ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948
“Since the corruption of political crisis in neighbouring Chad‌.â€? (Source: as above) This way: eruption “Public affairs analysts of the most diverse persuasions are agreed on one thing: the world is at a crossroad. “ This way: at a/the crossroads (not crossroad) “It is therefore, (sic) noteworthy that the AU has now seen the wisdom in pooling the resources of member-states together to prevent ugly incident (sic)‌ “(NIGERIAN TRIBUNE, August 21) When resources are pooled, there is no need for ‘together’. “New TV station to take-off soonâ€? (VANGUARD, August 21) Just delete the hyphen to form a phrasal verb. “The hopes of millions of our countrymen are centred around us.â€? (THISDAY, August 21) ‘Centre’ admits ‘on’, ‘round,’ ‘upon’‌ never ‘around’. “Unclaimed properties of accident victimsâ€? ‘Property’ in this context is non-count. It can only take the plural form if buildings and acres of land are involved—or scientific references. “This unrestrained blood-bath follow (follows)‌.â€? “Yes, Nigerians love to eat traditional meals with their bare fingers but that is not to say we cannot provide foreigners with cutleries.â€? (Tourism & Hospitality, August 21) ‘Cutlery’ is uncountable. “Villagers beseige hospital for free treatmentâ€? Right: besiege. “In this way, life expectancy bulges as the chances of contacting diseases considerably diminish.â€? (Source: as above) Nobody contacts a disease‌ ‘contract’ is the word. “The progressive social option implicit in President Buhari’s analysis is affirmative action aimed at eliminating or drastically reducing poverty.â€? â€˜â€Śan affirmative action.’ Articles are not optional in count words.
Savagery As National Pastime
H
ere is a window to a typical day on WhatsApp closed groups:
lant, Atikulized, Atikurated, or even be on Atikudol - as in Tramadol. (Several hysterical emojis follow).
“Ol’boy: So, Afenifere too have fallen in love with Atiku? They said they’re ready to join forces with Atiku so far Buhari can be removed, for restructuring to come to Nigeria!
Ol’boy: But we all know that Atiku is associated with ceaseless spending for political leveraging... Why did you think he cried when his associates bought his presidential form. He was shocked they could even return 12m naira after his several years of donations!
Skola: Aha! That means Pa Adebanjo and cohorts have been Atikulated! (Several grinning Emojis follow) Biggie: @Skola, are you well? Abi you just woke up in that Isheri brothel? Why do you lazy youths have no respect for elders? Do you know that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is over 90 years? Skola: Mr. Respect, don’t insult me o! So, because the man is 90, I should not breathe again? Don’t I have a right to disagree with him, or anybody sef? Biggie: You have a right to be abusing someone probably older than your grandpa? Kontinue! This table you’re shaking (on-the-run emojis). But if they yab your god, Bubu, you’ll be foaming in the mouth, crying that he should be respected as an elder and c-in-c... and him never 80 o, officially! S.H.O.T.S: But why should Baba Adebanjo say anybody but Buhari! Because of restructuring? No be so dem trick them for 2014 with anything but GEJ. Skola: No mind the Baba joor. Where and when did we even sit down to appoint them as Yoruba leaders - I didnt remember voting anybody! So, nobody should use me to make money. Biggie: When they say some people may die young, it is not a curse o. It is self-inflicted! So, these very old activists that have been in the forefront of struggles for egalitarian society... since even before Independence...are making all the sacrifices for monetary motives? Hmmm. That’s a great error in today’s thinking, and to use yourself as a yardstick of morality is a grave disaster to the future of this country. Gaga-B: Bros, leave matter. All this big grammar over what? When you say someone is Atikulated, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s compromised. It may be the fellow is now a supporter or believer of Atiku. You can be Atiku-
Biggie: Jokes apart, it is rather sad that young minds who should have retired these grand old men by leading the struggles for progressive ideals, are the same ones shamelessly mocking the old soldiers, and questioning their reputations! Mtshewwww....� Several posts of irreverent and disruptive viral links follow...and deluge of swear words, profanity, abuses and reprimands go on and on... soiling the day of delicate minds, and spiking the adrenaline of on-line warriors. Of course, the language and expletives have been moderated, and lexical errors spruced up - but the above “dialogue� is a common spectacle in many of today’s social media platforms (particularly Whatsapp and Telegram). Worse still, the savagery on Twitter as a relentless surge of gore, grime and gaffes...deserves a special feature. We are all familiar with the desperation of the moment - the seeming frustrations of the “working class� engulfed in daily battles to provide for his or her family, keep children in schools (here or there), meet sundry obligations... and yet expect public authorities to fulfill the minimum requirements of their supposed mandates. Frankly, the social fabric of the Nigerian society has been shredded in several portions. We can devote weeks to pointing fingers and apportioning blames, yet we shall be no where near closure, months after. Arguments are not activated in public space because people want some sort of resolution or clarity. No, we argue in high and violent tone today to ventilate our frustrations, impotence, and disillusionment. On the other side of the divide, we repudiate negative depositions against our preferred personality - not because we want to sway opponents or convince doubters. It appears our mandate is to decimate any contrary opinion (often wrapped in disparaging, condescending or derisive cottonwool of hate and hubris). Even when our leaders fail us, and the planks of our personal and corporate economies wobble on account of the omission or commission of political actors, Nigerians must return to civility and coherence in social intercourse. Extremism in any form is a self-destructive toga that we must reject. Clearly, we can’t be a great nation when most
COUNTERPOINT BY
FEMI
AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON e-mail: fajalive1@gmail.com mobile phone: 08182223348
of us are fairly great in malicious messaging, inglorious petty-swapping and such kill-or-be-killed verbal and textual attrition.
SNIPPETS...
“The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested a school Headmaster, one Idoko Nathaniel, aged 50, of Mkpamteulo village, Enugu Ezike community, Igbo-Eze North Council for allegedly defiling four pupils put under his care.� - Now that the headmaster has failed to use his head in dealing with children under his care, possibly younger than his own, if he has any... his office let another take; and let’s make a public spectacle of him as he moves through the rungs of cold justice and psychiatric tests! XXXXXXXX
“The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi revealed that many looted funds in Nigeria were being kept in foreign banks, cemeteries and undergrounds. He advocated amnesty for looters, saying such approach would help in arresting corruption and make offenders to surrender over 70 per cent of looted public funds.� - Without slurring the source of the governor’s assertion, I wish to merely clarify if the cemeteries and undergrounds are also foreign! Either way, based on the exalted position of a sitting governor making such revelation, our policy makers had better weigh dispassionately the benefits of Umahi’s doctrine, and don’t dismissively assume the man was leveraging for his own rainy day! XXXXXXXX “Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu revealed that he gave APC N5m in 2014. He spoke shortly after his constituents, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said there was no alternative to him at the moment.� - Nebuchadnezzar must be a tough act to follow - when men clothe you in immortality, your mouth sometimes pulls the rug on you. So, how does a rogue N5m advance your cause, at this hour?
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
FASHION FILE
I.Rasa Clothing Launches - Hue A Medley of Colors Collection
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
FASHION FILE
By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com
A Medley of Colors Collection I.rasa clothing – Nigeria’s biggest Ankara ready to wear brand, is releasing a sneak peek of its new collection to mark the end of summer tagged HUE : A Medly of Colours . The new collection is pumped with energetic bright colours in African print mixed with unusual fabric details to strike a simple balance of Art meets Fashion. The pieces each parading their own individuality, showcase the signature Ankara designs In effervescent colours,
staying true to the mantra of the brand – Fun & Vivacious .With rich deep tones of red to vibrant gushes of energetic orange, royal handshakes of purple and sun kissed yellow of resplendent fun, the collection caters from the hi- profile co-operate woman to the trendy fun seeker. The wardrobe staples are covered from easy tees to shirt dresses, dresses, skirts etc. this collection speaks NOW in a Medly of Colors. CREDITS Model @stacy_khanu
Hairstylist @abmhairmaking Make up @cdo_beautyhouse Creative Direction & Styling @ styledby_glory Photography @may16thphotography Pr - Morsi Pr
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ΀˜ ͺ͸͹΀
SHOWBIZFLAIR
Gordons My Parents Wanted Me Dead Because I Was Born with 7 Teeth Kemi Adetiba Kemi Adetiba’s ‘King of Boys’ is Ready pg. 48
Mayowa Elizabeth Venturing into Modelling Wasn’t Planned pg. 49
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
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Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă‘
͸Ϳ͸͞ͺ΀͚͞Ϳ͝Ϳ Ă?Ě‹Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? ÞÙĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă?ÑÑ̜ÒÙÞ×ËÓÖ˛Ă?Ù×
GORDONS
My Parents Wanted Me Dead Because I Was Born with 7 Teeth Ă™ĂŽĂĄĂ“Ă˜ Ă™Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ÚÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹Ă? Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ù×Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ë› Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ ĂœĂ’Ă™ĂŒĂ™Ëœ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă?ÖÞË ÞËÞĂ?Ë› Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ͚ΠΠͺ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ ÞÙ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂžĂ’Ë› Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? ÞÙ Tosin Clegg Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ I started comedy ofďŹ cially in 2005 nd that was also the year I came to Lagos, but I had been doing comedy in Warri. I didn’t know I was going to be a professional comedian, as I started out as a musician. I was with a group and we were singing acapela music then but it wasn’t pure music, as it was musical comedy. So, a lot of people thought since I was doing comedy in the music I could separate both, and that was what I did. So, in 2005 when I came to Lagos, I decided to make it official and that was how the brand Gordons started. We did our music from 1992 to 2004, 2005 and it was a remarkable time which was my beginning. And it was what I was doing with comedy and music that brought about the brand, Gordons.
A
Acceptance was my major challenge while starting out I felt I was not accepted and I didn’t know who to run to for mentorship. A lot of giants were in the game then and I didn’t know how to do my thing to have a breakthrough. So, I had a problem of people not giving me an opportunity, had a problem of being looked upon as a Christian person that won’t be able to function as a comedian in a circular setting and I didn’t have many friends. But thank God at the end of the day I was able to see Basketmouth who believed in me and gave me a platform called Laugh and Jams where I was able to express myself. And I have anchored ‘The Experience’ back-to-back five times. That was how it started. Your foundation will always speak for you I have been a Christian and church person all my life and everything I have done in this life is in the line of religion and church. And that was what influenced my act. Foundation is very powerful and if I wasn’t raised in the church my style of comedy would have been influenced by any kind of religion I was raised in. That’s why whenever I am on stage my foundation speaks for me as I have been a church boy all my life. I’m married with four children I’m the first born of my family, but I don’t know how many we are now. I have to call to find that out because my father is a very good producer even though he isn’t Don Jazzy. My parents are separated and they have their own husband and wife issues. I have done a lot of shows in Nigeria I did a show in Asaba with about 7,000 people in attendance and I did a show in Warri and I got 4,000 in attendance, Sapele had 3,000 and Port Harcourt had 2,000. I did a show in Lagos before and I brought Chaka Demus and Pliers but people didn’t pay attention to that. Now, they know Gordons is a bigger brand and I have started my own show as a matter of fact. But I will do my own
show in Lagos, ‘Nothing But The Truth’ on December 25, 2018. And it’s a one-man show. I don’t want to do a show if I don’t have a joke to crack. I feel its time and I don’t want to do a show because people are doing theirs, but I want to have a conviction for it. My recent plane crash scare We had a Glo event in Accra and on that very day, Flavour, Tekno, myself and some artistes band members were together. We took off from Murtala Mohammed International Airport and eight minutes into the flight the pilot announced that the plane wasn’t moving well and I knew something was wrong but I wasn’t too sure. I have been on several flights and I know how a good flight should go so I was very disturbed. Between my thoughts, the pilot made an announcement that the plane was faulty and that we had to go back. It wasn’t funny and nobody was able to explain how anybody felt at that moment as reality will hit you and something would be telling you this might be it. So we started putting our lives together within us and we started asking for God’s forgiveness. As a matter of fact, somebody was advising me on the plane and how he transferred from advice to cry was what I couldn’t put together. God being merciful saw us through and we were all safe. God has been very wonderful to me He has pushed me beyond my limit and blessed me beyond my imagination. Secondly, humility and the fear of God have kept me. It’s possible to be humble and to also place God factor in all we do. I still feel within me that I’m still starting. Apart from comedy, I’m into Real Estate And I also started my own transportation company and if I wasn’t doing all of this I would have been a Pastor. I love God and the things of God. And I feel deep down inside of me God wants me to do that and if he gives me an opportunity, believe me, I will. I’m into many things that people won’t believe as it’s believed you need to have at least four streams of income running through your life for you to have Eden on earth. Nigeria will make you have compassion for people In this country, we go through a lot as we provide the basic amenities for ourselves. We provide everything for ourselves and it’s a lot of pressure. But as Nigerians, we go through a lot and I felt I should contribute my quota by providing humour to help to augment people who are hurting and going through stress. In my career, I have heard a lot of testimonies before and how my materials have saved people. How I made myself exceptional When I came into the industry, I noticed everyone wanted to have a funny name, but
Gordons
I decided to bear my real name. After that, I introduced music and education which makes you learn something during the show and this makes me unique. I’m a very fulďŹ lled comedian I have done what God wanted me to do and it has won people to God. I anchored ‘The Experience’ for five years from the first to the fifth one. I have done shows for every president during my career except for Buhari. I have done shows for governors, done shows for the biggest weddings within and outside Africa and graced every big show that has anything to do with comedy in Africa. I did shows to a point that I became a Glo Ambassador, Bill and Melinda Gates Ambassador, and being around from 2005 to now has been through
God’s mercy. My growing up makes me emotional and depressed I was a child that wasn’t loved, as I didn’t receive any love from my parents at all. At some point, I was a sacrilege to them as I was born with seven teeth in my mouth, and some people said it was a mark of God, while others said it was a taboo. So I was treated like a curse and a sin right from the beginning. It was difficult, as they wanted to kill me, but thank God for some people who said they shouldn’t as they didn’t know my destiny. Growing up was hell but we used the pain we grew up with in the past to do what we have done today so that those going through things would have hope no matter what they are going through.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
GISTS
MY STORY
ODUNLADE, MR. REAL, THRILL AT MISS OJUDE OBA CONTEST
Inimitable Nollywood actor, Odunlade Adekola, DJ Top and the trio of Mr. Real, Idowest and Slim Case treated indigenes and guests at the 2018 Glo Miss Ojude Oba Beauty pageant held at Equity Hotel, Ijebu Ode, to a memorable night of fun, drama and razzmatazz. The show organised to round off activities for the 2018 Ojude Oba Festival was sponsored by Globacom. The compere for the night, Odunlade Adekola spiced up the show by inviting attendees to partake in various competitions like dancing, blindfold and mime whilst giving winners cash and Globacom corporate gift items for their
efforts before inviting the 13 contestants for the Miss Ojude Oba to appear in casual wears. The beauty queens also appeared in traditional Yoruba attires and were quite a spectacle in evening wears. These appearanceswereinterspersed with questions and answers sessions when the intelligence, composure, poise and mental acuity of the ladies were tested in addition to their proficiency in speaking Ijebu dialect
of Yoruba. 19-year-old Ololade Aminat Adeiye, a 200 level student of Accounting at Olabisi Onabanjo University defeated others to pick the crown, Kofoworola Osoteku, a graduate of Environmental Education from the University of Benin came second, while Halimah Olorode of the Economics Department, Olabisi Onabanjo University came third. Beautiful Miss Nigeria International 2017,AdesewaAdejoke Adenusi made a cameo appearance and helped to decorate the new beauty queen.
ADEKUNLE GOLD GOES EMOTIONAL WITH ‘DAMN, DELILAH’ VIDEO, FEATURES SEYI SHAY Urban Highlife sensation, Adekunle Gold has shown a side to him that isn’t commonly seen by the media and fans alike; with the emotionally gripping visuals of his 2018 hit ‘Damn, Delilah’; off his album ‘About 30’, released sometime in May this year. ‘Damn, Delilah’ in itself tells a perceptible emotional tale that centres on the woes of falling in love and questions the concept of fidelity in a relationship. Directed by Clarence Peters, ‘Damn Delilah’ video shows an emotional Adekunle singing his heart out about the cheating eponymous character Delilah; portrayed by Afropop songstress Seyi Shay. ‘Damn Delilah’ is visually narrated through carefully calculated dance steps; shared by both Adekunle and his co-star – whilst surrounded by furniture draped in white clothes. The ambience of the setting evokes an alluring sensation; which is persistent throughout the duration of the video. An emotionally scarred Adekunle can be seen; with tears trickling down his cheeks as he bitterly challenges Delilah about her dishonesty and apathetic ways. Towards the end of the video, however, Adekunle manages to break free from the shackles of heartbreak-induced by the lady – and seemingly enjoys the emotional emancipation that follows.
MAYOWA ELIZABETH
Venturing into Modelling Wasn’t Planned ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ™ ËãÙåË Ă–Ă“Ă¤Ă‹ĂŒĂ?ÞÒ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ×ÙÎĂ?Ă–Ëœ Ă‹ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‘Ă“ĂœĂ– Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă“Ă? ÚËĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă? ĂŽĂ?ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ—Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽË› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ăž åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ Ă?Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ×ÙÎĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ Ă‘Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ ÖÙÞ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?
EBI FYNEFACE PLANS BIG ON GLOBAL SCALE Ayibaebi Olozulu, mostly called Ebi Fyneface, is a renowned gospel music leader and goodwill ambassador. Ever since her debut, the Gospel scene, she has grown her brand into a wide range of impact which includes her venturing into different lines for her ministry including Mount Olives Fellowship Int, Mount Olives Evangelical Magazine, Ebi Fyneface Foundation, Dzion Sisters Hood and Mount Olives Evangelical Tract. She is also an author, speaker, beautician, humanitarian and was the Treasurer of FOGMMON, an international Body of Gospel Music Ministers of Nigeria, Abuja chapter. Recently, she was in the USA for a tour and had the privilege of blessing God’s people at RCCG, Glory House Colley Ville, Dallas Texas, Living Faith Church Arlington Grand Pairier, Dallas Texas, and Threshold Ministries Int, Richardson, Dallas Texas. Also, she touched Maryland and did what she has called to do, which is ministry. Ebi has bagged numerous awards for her success such as the African Women Hall of Fame Award, Orator Leadership Award, FOGMMON award and a lot more, in her career so far. Her albums are available in local and online stores around the world.
H
ow did your modelling career start? Venturing into modelling wasn’t a planned thing; right from school everyone always told me I’d look great if I modelled and fortunately, I got scouted by a very good agency in Africa. I was a bit skeptical because I wasn’t used to all the flash and the camera.
Why modelling and what difference are you bringing in? Modelling, because it’s now a passion, I love being pretty; I’m sure every other young lady does and the only difference a model can bring is her great personality. So, the difference will be my personality in its rich original form, and definitely not to be just an African model but to be discovered and celebrated by the world. Tell us about the shows you have graced? I’ve done lots of shows and walked on the runway of major African and international designers, such as at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week,Arise Fashion Week, GTBank Fashion Weekend, Bridal Fashion Week, to mention a few. I’ve also worked for Grey, Kareema Mak, Fashpa, Shopmaju, Debra’s Grace and many more. Would you say modelling has contributed a lot to the development of young girls? Yes, it has tremendously; it’s helped young girls become independent bosses right from a very young age. It helps us to think on our feet and, most of all, it’s a very good start for a bright future Who are your role models? My role models in the modelling world will be Naomi Campbell and Iman, because they are black women who are at the very top and have stayed relevant over the years.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
Kemi Adetiba’s ‘King of Boys’ is Ready Ă? Ă‹ ÑÙ̋ÑĂ?ÞÞĂ?ĂœËœ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ“ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă—Ă“ ĂŽĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂŒĂ‹ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ‹ĂŒĂ–ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă•ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă™ ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ?ĂŽĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂŁ Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă• ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ×Ùà ÓĂ? Ă?ÚËĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ĂžĂ‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ—Ëœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Omolabake Fasogbon
W
ith numerous golden caps on her head already, highly skilled Kemi Adetiba is pulling all stops to multiply her impact in the creative industry. Ruling the world in a number of challenging fields, the multi gifted film maker is becoming more relevant in a new field she takes an interest in not too long ago. Kicking off a career in video directing with ‘The Wedding Party’ in 2016, it was an awe inspiring experience that propelled more exploits. As a result of the monumental success of her first, it was not too long that the television personality dropped the hint of her new and second directorial movie, ‘King of Boys’, which has ever since come on the top list of much anticipated movies. When she came on social media during the week to announce the progress of the film which is set for public launch in October 21st, it was like a lifted burden for the highly expectant fans. With her post on Instragam captioned, “Now time for the arduous task of figuring out what I’m going to wear. HELP�, there is no room for further doubt as to the conclusion and readiness of the phenomenal movie. Like her first, “King of Boys� boasts of star-studded line up of both old and new A list artistes including Sola Sobowale, Remilekun ‘Reminisce’ Safaru, Adesua Etomi, Paul Sambo, illBLISS, Akin Lewis, Toni Tones, Demola Adedoyin, Osas Ajibade, Sharon Ooja, and Jide Kosoko. The movie as synopsised in an official website centres on one Alhaja Eniola Salami, a businesswoman and philanthropist with a checkered past and a promising political future. She is said to be a pillar of society who is loved by many, feared by most, and truly known by a select few. As her political ambitions see her outgrowing the underworld connections responsible for her considerable wealth, she’s drawn into a power struggle that threatens everything she holds dear. To come out of this on top, she will need every ounce of the cunning, ruthlessness, and strategy that took her to the top, as well as the loyalty of those closest to her. But who can she really trust The law graduate, who says her path in film directorial was divine, has never stopped to be extraordinary in all of her endeavours. As a television and radio presenter, programme producer cum director and even as a music video director, the one-time ‘OMO’ brand face has always attracted the kleig light with many rewards and recognition to justify it. Adetiba In 2017, The wedding party, first among others, headlines the Nolpersons under the age of 40 who lywood Week Paris Film Festival, an have excelled in their chosen fields initiative that showcases the best of the of endeavour and created positive Nigerian film industry, with the aim change in their communities of finding a larger audience and more Kemi who is incredibly versatile sustainable distribution system for was also in 2017 unveiled as the influquality films. encer of the Remy Martin ‘One Life Kemi also made the list of the JCI Live Them’ campaign in Lagos. The International Ten Outstanding Young campaign sets out to celebrate and Persons (JCI TOYP) Awards in 2017. identify people who are not defined The annual awards programme sought by one skill or talent, but are pursuto recognize and celebrate young ing several things and succeeding
at them. It is call to live a richer, larger life, expands horizons and seize all opportunities that life can offer beyond the one-dimensional path that could be embraced. Kemi is inarguably one of the successful cinematographers in the country and a recipient of several awards and nomination s including the 2015 City People Entertainment award for Best Music Video Director of the Year. She
has signed a number of critically acclaimed music videos, such as More You by the singer, Bez; Ekundayo by TY Bello; Today Na Today by Omawunmi. The K-Alpha production outfit Founder who credits her accomplishments to God discloses also that her parent has been quite instrumental to her success. Clarifying this, she said: “My father, Dele Adetiba is a veteran of Nigerian advertising and broadcast
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀
‘King of Boys’ is Ready
industries. It was pretty interesting growing up with him, with a lot of activities happening many times in the studio. We were on set for television programmes all the time. Infact, I had a creative childhood because I was exposed to the media a lot,n ot just with my dad,but my mum too.� Speaking on her passion for movie directing, Kemi told CNN that the interest developed as a result of her quest for inventiveness: “I was questioning my longevity in front of the camera, i’d also find it intriguing when I would go off for shoots with the camera men. I said, instead of just wasting a couple of years, how about I learn a new craft while am doing that? What is the thing I want to learn more now? What is the thing that will take my career to the
next level -being a director “. She told the station further that the success of her first in the Nollywood was expected. “I knew it was going to break the record, I knew it was going to do very well. I felt it, i sensed it. The greatest thing you can do for yourself is every time you have the opportunity to handle someone’s project, knock it out the park and that is what I live by everyday “ The awesome feedback from ‘The Wedding Party ‘ also motivated her to launch a series titled ‘King Women’ a platform that enables women to tell their life stories and inspire others. On this, she says: “The reason why I developed King Women is because I wanted women to see these role
models of the earth, these women that we draw inspiration from that we put on pedestals, I wanted them to see themselves in their glory, but also understand that they have also gone through life, and life for them was not easy. People need to hear these stories, and I’m so grateful to everyone who gave me their time to make this series.� Although, The Wedding Party broke record, this may however be her least in terms of success in a male dominated field, as it is her first major project after mastering the skill Her second featured movie promises to be more exciting now that she has graduated to a stronger height. Who knows, this may earn her the Oscar award that she eagerly looks forward to.
I knew it was going to break the record, I knew it was going to do very well. I felt it, i sensed it. The greatest thing you can do for yourself is every time you have the opportunity to handle someone’s project, knock it out the park and that is what I live by everyday
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
POLITY Adamu: We Have to Save Lake Chad Long before Boko Haram came to disrupt the North-east, the ecological and environmental threats posed by the receding Lake Chad had always been there. With over 90 per cent of its storage capacity gone, the North-east, which is greatly dependent on the lake, has been further impoverished, Suleiman Adamu, Water resources Minister Tells Stanley Nkwazema his worries, and why the federal government/international community must be focused on replenishing the lake
I
s the federal government sincere about replenishing Lake Chad? I do not agree that nothing is happening in Lake Chad. The situation in Lake Chad is a natural phenomenon. It was not man made but because, over the years, we were not alert as a country or as a region. We were not very much alert to the ecological and environmental threats that were bedeviling that region up to the point when this insurgency or the Boko Haram came in to further destabilise the little activity that was left. That region has the worst poverty indices in the world. What has happened has happened. There is desertification, climate change, the lake is receding and at one point, lost its storage capacity by more than 90%. This administration is ready to tackle this issue. We have been giving Lake Chad the desired attention. Can the so called attention be sustained? Let me confess to you that as far back as 2007, on one of President Buhari’s electioneering campaign trips, I happened to be in the same vehicle with him, I was his Special Assistant at that time and while we were discussing, one of the first things he said was that if he ever won the Presidency of this country, he would want to tackle this issues of replenishing Lake Chad. That was long before Boko Haram started. He had this in mind and was very passionate about it. Less than 30 minutes after I was sworn in, the President called me to his office and said , ‘there is a feasibility study that was done on Lake Chad get hold of it and start working on it.’ That was how I set about working on the issue. The President has done more than any other president on the Lake Chad Basin Commission in bringing the attention of the World to the issue of the lake. He spoke at the conference of parties on Climate Change in Paris in 2016. I was with him and he made a passionate appeal. At every International engagement, he always made the point openly and privately about the need for the world to look at this Lake Chad issue because it had become not just an environmental issue but also a security issue. Thirteen months after I came into office, we signed an MoU with the
There is also the climate adaptation/climate resilient action plan that has been going on which people don’t know about because we have ecological and environmental projects alongside empowerment projects being implemented by the World Bank and the African Development Bank which Nigeria is also making contributions in terms of counterpart funding as well as other members of the LCBDC countries. UNESCO is also involved and doing a lot of things. The Biotech project was launched for Lake Chad and of Course during the COP 22, about 900 million Euro action plan was launched by the World Bank of which about $200 million has been committed to that intervention programme
Chinese company, to update the Lake Chad study that was funded by Nigeria around 2005 during the Obasanjo administration. Nigeria committed $5 million to it but when the report was submitted in 2012, it was adopted in principle although there were some technical issues that the Lake Chad Basin Commission was worried about. Because of this, nothing much was done to proceed on the next stage of the report which was to do a detailed feasibility study. After signing the MoU, it gingered some additional work and thereafter, we went on to plan an International Conference held February this year in Abuja. Five heads of state were in attendance, with over 1,200 participants. It took the world by storm because the International media focused on it. The whole purpose of that conference, was to bring to World attention the issue of Lake Chad/Boko Haram and make the world understand that it was not just an insurgency, but that there was a root cause for the shrinking of the Lake Chad and to have a consensus that we should not allow the lake to shrink and go into extinction. Secondly, we wanted to get an international consensus on the best way to prevent the lake from going into extinction. There was indeed a consensus at that conference that Inter-basin transfer from the Congo basin into the lake is the best option available and there was an Abuja declaration to that effect. We are taking this mater up before the African Union, we are trying to make it a Pan African issue just like the way we had the AU adopt the Green Wall project, we also want a similar thing to happen to lake chad. Recently, I was at an International Water Conference in Tajikistan and I raised the same issue. Wherever we go we bring the draw of the World because and we were able to successfully argue in the case of Lake Chad and Nigeria that the issue of lake is one of the main things that is causing migration and problems between herders and farmers. Also, the loss of opportunities caused by the receding Lake Chad is causing our young people to travel across the Sahara into Europe, and Europe and the Western World must pay attention to this issue of receding Lake Chad. After the Conference, we got the Government of Italy to commit 1.5 million Euros to help in concluding the feasibility study through an Italian Company, Bonefeca, who were the ones that originally came with the idea of inter- basin transfer. They called it Trans Aqua Project. The Italian Government is very much interested and we believe that with the Government of Italy, we can have more access to getting the Western World and developed countries to assist. Just recently, President Macron of France visited Nigeria and President Buhari made a very strong statement again about the Lake Chad. Macron took it very seriously. Even while he was at the Netherlands for the ICC Anniversary, he had audience with the government of that country and they promised to assist. There is also the climate adaptation/climate resilient action plan that has been going on which people don’t know about because we have ecological and environmental projects alongside empowerment projects being implemented by the World Bank and the African Development Bank which Nigeria is also making contributions in terms of counterpart funding as well as other members of the LCBDC countries. UNESCO is also involved and doing a lot of things. The Biotech project was launched for Lake Chad and of Course during the COP 22, about 900 million Euro action plan was launched by the World Bank of which about $200 million has been committed to that intervention programme. A whole lot is going on. Just to caution that this is a very big region. This used to be a very large lake, 25,000 Square Kilometres, years ago, with 40 million population and whatever we are doing, we are looking at the long term. It is very difficult to see the result in the short term but in the long term, we are looking at medium and long term. We thank God that the security situation is improving because without adequate security, things that need to be done would be
Adamu
impossible to execute. We also have the Chad basin Development Commission under my Ministry and we have quite a lot of intervention programmes in Agriculture and water resources projects currently going on there. Tell us about the committee you set up River Basins? As early as February 2016, I set up a committee to look at issues in the River Basin and help develop a blueprint to turn them around which was successfully done Since March 2016, we have implemented almost every recommendation that was put in by the committee. We now have engineers, agric experts or water resources experts as CEOs of these rivers basins and also restored extension services to them so that they can support farmers adequately. Their budgets were scrutinised thoroughly so that only projects that have relevance to water resources, irrigation and agriculture in general are included. Of course, we are still suffering from injection of non-core mandate projects by members of the National Assembly but we are trying very hard to control that. Generally, I think a lot has been done and we have restored confidence into the system. Now they have been mandated to develop four years strategic action plans and every year they are required to submit a report. Years back, river basins were operating like Island on their own but now they know we are ensuring stricter monitoring of their activities, engaging them in quarterly meetings where they come and report on what they are doing. The Ministry has strengthened the Department of River Basins Inspectorate and Monitoring. Now, it is a technical department to monitor not only administrative but technical issues. How have you been able to instill discipline into your ministry’s budget? Right from time, apart from the general guidelines provided by the Budget Ministry, I also provide my own guidelines to make sure that the budget is in line with the priorities of this administration and every department has to justify its budget. We have tried to control frivolities like purchase of vehicles unnecessarily. Everything that is in the budget has to be justified and if I am not satisfied that there is value in what is being proposed we jettison it. It is not only the ministry; every agency has to bring its budget to my table. We have been doing that in the last two years so that we also ensure that they are in line with their core mandate. Interestingly, what usually happens is that when the budget returns from the National Assembly, it becomes something else. A lot of projects are injected that are not really
our mandate. For instance, I can’t see any reason the Ministry of Water resources will have anything to do with purchase of Keke NAPEP or sewing machines. Sometimes, we prioritise our projects during appropriation without any recourse and without any dialogue; then, you see money for projects taken out and without you being asked to defend that issue. These sometimes cripple our efforts. Again when I came in, I was getting a lot of letters from people. I inherited N89 billion liabilities and letters were coming from people appealing to the Minister that they have worked since 2010 and not been paid. So, I now caused the Ministry and agencies to put a budget for liabilities so that we can offset verified ones. Is the scrapping of Gurara Water Management Agency really Justifiable? For several reasons I can say it is justifiable. The tradition has always been that all dam projects when completed; even when it is being executed by the ministry, should be handed over to the river basins. About 30 – 40 years ago, it was never the business of the Ministry to award contracts for dams and irrigation facilities. It was the responsibilities of the River Basins but over time sometime happened and most of the key projects are now being implemented by the Ministry. But at the conclusion of such projects, they are supposed to be handed over to the river basins for operations and management. Interestingly, when Gurara was finished, there was an unusual arrangement that an agency should be formed to manage it when it should be under the control of Upper Niger River Basin Authority. An agency was created at a time when the federal government is saying that there are too many agencies. So, there was no logic behind the agency in the first place. Right from the first day when they came to brief me, I felt it was a very bad idea having that agency. Luckily there was no law backing it but they were having budgetary provisions, then over time as I was thinking over what to do with the agency, there was a massive violation of the procurement act by the Director that was in charge and we had to send him packing. He was suspended and the case is with the EFCC. For me, that was the last stroke and in any case this agency doesn’t have a legal backing and a duplication of efforts and now it has become a cesspool of fraud and I cannot accept it. Luckily all the staff were deployed from the Ministries, Agencies and Departments of government and they were asked to go back and we handed it over to the Basin Authority.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
POLITY
OkeahialamPromisesAhiazu/EzinhitteYouths‘RealFuture’ The people of Ahiazu/Ezinhitte Federal Constituency in Imo State have had representatives in the House of Representatives since the creation of the area. They certainly have had but it is unlikely to be like the kind of representation that a young Ekezie Johnbosco Okeahialam is offering them come 2019, writes Kunle Adewale
T
he young economist has expressed his determination to change the course of things by pioneering a workable youth empowerment programme like never seen before in the history of governance in Ahiazu/Ezinhitte or indeed in
Nigeria. “Things have got to change in Nigeria and with a start at my own constituency. We have to measure the way we are represented at the both the state and federal levels by what we actually give back to those we are representing in real terms. At the end of every tenure, Nigerians must be able to appreciate the impact we have made to their lives and the area in clear terms without any marketing from us. “The electorates must able to count on their fingertips what our presence in Abuja has been able to do for them. I want to help transit Imo State from a cost centre to a revenue generating state by stimulating private sector and consumer spending through the commercialisation of sports and entertainment. “Expert studies over time have proven that sports and entertainment is the only viable industry suitable for the economic structure of Imo State that can stimulate economic business activities in these areas which I will mention here. They are food and beverage industries; hotels and hospitality; clothing and textile – merchandising; flights and tourism; nightlife spending and of course talent development and representation.” And the young entrepreneur adds. “I will utilize all available human resources to lobby, negotiate and attract
value-driven benefits for the Ahiazu/ Ezinihitte constituency through the policies and activities of committees such as aids, loans and debt management committee dealing with immediate and sustainable aid and loan reliefs. We should have basic education and service committee to negotiate access to better healthcare for the constituency. The labour, employment and productivity committee should be able to drive empowerment for men, women and youth of the constituency.” Ekezie can draw up these lists because he has been truly tested as a professional. While at one of Africa’s biggest tourism and travels company, Waka.now Limited, it took less than a year to move up from the position of a Business Development Specialist to the Chief Operating Officer of the Continental Basketball League. CBL is produced and operated by Continental Sports and Entertainment and CSE is Africa’s leading sports and entertainmentmanagement company modelled to create sustainable brand development; events and lifestyle properties. Ekezie is one the strong backbones driving the continental success. As the Chief Operating Officer, he is the number two decision maker and in charge of all footprint locations and operations across 8 African countries. It is such expertise and exposure that the young Ekezie wants to put to use for the people of Imo state and indeed Nigeria in general at the National Assembly. Since his campaign train hit the tracks the people of his constituency have expressed their happiness that resourceful young Nigerians are taking up the challenge of governance. His campaign rallies and meetings have
Ahiazu
been attended by the highest number of youths and professionals and have been largely adjudged as the most civil in nature. “What we are doing is what the clergy refer to as a calling. I am into with all my conscience and with a determination to change the way we operate and make things work. It is possible to make governance is Nigeria work as it is United States of America, France and elsewhere.” Ekezie Johnbosco Okeahialam was born
March 11, 1983 at St. Michael Maternity Clinic in Obokwu, Ezinihitte Mbaise to the family of Chief Engr. Ignatius Ekenna Okeahialam and Ezinne Dr. Bar Lolo Celine Ukachi Okeahialam. He was at St. Bridget’s Primary School Abayi, Aba. He moved on Dallas County Community Colleges in the United States for his first degree where he finished with a first class degree in Economics and went on to acquire master’s degree in Business Analytics and Consulting at Warwick Business Business, Warwick University, United Kingdom.
PHOTO NEWS
L-R: Deputy Director, Co-curricular Department, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr Ogunlamoye Ayodeji; CEO, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Amy Oyekunle; Brand Manager, Lifebuoy, UNILEVER Nigeria Plc., Lanre Odupe; Category Manager Skin Cleansing, UNILEVER Nigeria Plc., Osato Evbuomwan; Brand Ambassador, Lifebuoy, Omawumi Megbele; and Director, Corporate Affairs, UNILEVER Nigeria Plc., Soromidayo George, at the relaunch of lifebuoy anti-bacterial soap in Lagos ...recently Abiodun Ajala
L-R: Oba of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi; APC Lagos East Women leader, Yeye Fausat Gbadebo; Ranodu of Imota, Oba Mudashiru Bakare-Agoro; former SSG of Lagos State, Princess Denrele Adeniran Ogunsanya; and Senator Gbenga Ashafa, during the launch of ICT centre and blocks of classrooms at St. John Anglican School by Senator Ashafa in Imota, Lagos... recently
L-R: Deacon Ignatius Edema; Rev. Canon Gabriel Kpagban; widow of the late Olorogun Michael Ibru, Dr. Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, Co-Founder, Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Agbarha-Otor;Ven. Andrew Diadenaru,Vicar/Archdeacon, Agbarha Arcdeaconry, at the 2nd annual memorialThanksgiving Service of late Olorogun Michael Ibru , at the Diocese of Ughelli Anglican Communion, STAndrew ‘s Church Agbarha-Otor, Delta State... recently
L-R: Franchise Partner, Scanfrost Mall, Mr. Jude Amadi; Vice Chairman, C&I Leasing Plc, Pastor Emeka Ndu; and Managing Director, New Home Distributions Africa Limited, Owners of Scanfrost, Mr. Maneesh Nanda, during the opening of Scanfrost Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos... yesterday Kola Olasupo
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
POLITY
Mpape: Earth Tremor Leaves Abuja Residents in Fear Since Wednesday night, the rumblings within the earth crust have sent jitters down the spines of the residents of Mpape, a hilly suburb in Abuja. Some of the residents share their fear with Olawale Ajimotokan
M
pape sits atop the hill overlooking the upscale Maitama District, where many of the country’s aristocrats have their homes. For three days in succession, dwellers of Mpape in the Bwari Council Area, site of a huge Quarry, are in fear occasioned by multiple earth tremors that began on Wednesday night. The development has made some of them to consider relocating to other parts of the city. A tremor is as an involuntary quivering movement in the ground or an earthquake especially of low or moderate intensity. Locals said ever since they experienced the tremor, it has continued with greater intensity with its effects even felt in nearby Maitama and Karu, in Nyanya area. Anthony Obeta, who leaves in the Arab area of Mpape, described the unusual trembling as “frightening”. Obeta told THISDAY that for three days running, the residents had been having sleepless nights, believing that their houses might collapse as a result of the vibration. He said the tremor produced a very loud thud underneath the ground and many of the people initially mistook the intense sensation as bomb blast, which explained why they all ran to a nearby military barracks for cover. “For three days now something strange has been happening over here that we fear that an earthquake is in the making. The ground is shaking profusely. Initially, we thought it was as a result of the blasting from the quarry. But later we discovered that blasting was not the cause as the companies don’t blast the rocks in the night. The tremor kept happening repeatedly. Even this morning (Friday) it occurred incessantly. Everybody here is in fear. Some people are even contemplating relocating their families from this environment. We are appealing to government to come to our rescue because nobody knows the cause of it. Even we enquired at the nearby Army Barracks if the vibration was originating from there. But they too can’t explain what is happening”, Obeta, who sells building materials said. The Earth tremor was confirmed by another Mpape resident, Owolabi Ogundare. He described the trembling that occurred yesterday as the most scaring since the rumbling first stated on Wednesday. He said the last one lasted about three hours, after it began at about 7.45 a.m. “It is real and very frightening. Initially, we thought it was as a result of rock blasting but the construction companies have denied that it was associated with them,” Ogundare said. Blessing Junaive, who leaves at Ajegunle Road in Mpape said the earth tremor affected her father’s breathing and forced the old man to be hospitalised for two days. “I have never experienced anything like this. The tremor produced an intense sensation that we knew immediately that it could not be coming from the quarry site. The shaking was so pronounced that the intensity
Junaive
Obeta
put all of us in fear that some buildings could crumble as a result, Junaive said. Chris Ebosa and William Inabor also shared insights about the trembling shock they have been experiencing. Ebosa, a technician, who resides at Ajegunle near the Mountain of Fire Ministry, said the trembling was so pronounced that he felt it was an Earthquake and was due to the anger of God. “For three months, rock blasting has stopped in Mpape. But when this one started, we felt God was angry with us in our country and we should change our way. Government should investigate what happened and proffer solution”, Ebosa said. Inabor said inspite of what was happening it had not crossed his mind that he should relocate from Mpape. He said community leaders had even gone to the extent of appeasing the gods by offering sacrifice. Meanwhile the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has attributed the cause of the tremor in the area to seismic movement within the earth crust. The Director General, FEMA, Abbas G. Idriss, said the tremor was caused by sudden breaks along a fault line in the earth, which results in a sudden release of energy that makes the ground shake. Idriss also added that rock blasting and mining activities in an area could make the underground rocks to experience stress. He asked the public to remain calm and not panic as a result of the development. “We have been inundated with distress calls in our watch room as a result of Earth shaking happening
around Mpape and parts of Maitama districts of the FCT. “While appreciating the calls from the public, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wishes to say that the possible cause of the earth shaking might be as a result of earth tremor. It is also a sign of seismic movement within the earth, caused by sudden breaks along a fault line, which results in sudden release of energy that makes the ground shake,” Idriss said. FEMA also ruled that the likelihood of the outbreak of earthquake in the country is low as Nigeria is not in an earthquake zone. The agency also issued safety tips for the members of the public to follow in the event of continued occurrence of tremor. It advised that people in a building should locate a safe room, drop down and take cover under desks or tables, while those outdoor should find a clear spot away from buildings, trees and power lines. In an another development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has ordered the suspension of further quarrying and mining activities and borehole drilling in the affected areas of Mpape, Gwarimpa and Garki districts of Abuja, pending the outcome of investigations on the root causes of the incidents. Bello gave the order when he paid an on-the-spot visit to Mpape, the epicentre of reported incidents of earth tremor in parts of Abuja recently. Speaking, on behalf of the FCT Minister, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, advised residents of the affected areas to rest assured that there was no cause for alarm, noting that geological experts have counseled that Abuja was not on the line of any major seismic danger. He asked residents to go about all their businesses while disclosing that the Administration was engaging both local and international geological experts, in order to unravel the root causes of the earth tremors experienced in parts of Abuja in recent times. Preliminary reports, he said, indicate that the activities of rock blasting from quarrying, mining activities, as well as proliferation of borehole drilling were likely causes of these tremors. Consequently, he stressed, it became necessary to suspend all quarrying activities in various sites of Abuja, especially Mpape, Garki, Gwarimpa and contiguous areas. Responding to the minister’s address, the District Head of Mpape, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim Gimba as well as the Chairman of Mpape Residents Associations, Mr. Ameh Christian recounted that the community had experienced tremors in the past, but that the recent incident was more pronounced.
For three days now something strange has been happening over here that we fear that an earthquake is in the making.The ground is shaking profusely. Initially, we thought it was as a result of the blasting from the quarry. But later we discovered that blasting was not the cause as the companies don’t blast the rocks in the night.The tremor kept happening repeatedly. Even this morning (Friday) it occurred incessantly. Everybody here is in fear. Some people are even contemplating relocating their families from this environment.We are appealing to government to come to our rescue because nobody knows the cause of it
Ward Congresses: ‘Let’s Put our Best Foot Forward’, Ekweremadu Urges Delegates
A
s the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) kick-starts processes for the nomination of its candidates in the 2019 general elections, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has called on faithful to ensure a free, fair, and credible ward congresses to elect the three-man ad-hoc delegates.
Ekweremadu, who took to his social media handles @iamekweremadu to make the call, described the ward congresses as the bedrock of the party’s expected victory in the general elections, reminded party faithful that it was time to showcase to Nigerians a thoroughly rebranded PDP that is ready to lead the charge to rescue Nigeria. He said: “As the processes for the election of our flag bearers for the vari-
ous offices begin, let me remind party faithful that in view of the harrowing experience of citizens and the nation’s dwindling fortunes in all respects in the last three years, Nigerians look up to our rebranded political platform to lead the charge to rescue Nigeria and give citizens new hope and lease of life. “This ward congresses, therefore, represent our first step to reclaiming power and we must put our best foot
forward. We must demonstrate the highest democratic ethos to reassure Nigerians that their renewed trust in us is rightly reposed. “We must not only ensure that justice is done to all in a free, fair, credible, and peaceful process and atmosphere, we must also ensure that the party faithful, especially the aspirants and their supporters, see the processes to be free, fair, credible, peaceful, and just”.
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NEWSXTRA
NNPC Rules Out Fresh Petrol Scarcity from NUPENG’s Threat Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Friday said there would be no scarcity of petroleum products in the country or supply disruptions in parts of the country following a potential crisis brewing from a reported misunderstanding between National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and security agencies. NNPC in a statement from its Group General Manager Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, explained that NUPENG issued an ultimatum that looked threatening, over a purported intervention by an arm of the security agencies in what the union viewed as
LUCKY WINNER... L – R: Account Officer, Diamond Bank Plc, Peter Ugwoke; Branch Manager, Diamond Bank Plc, Olasunbo Ibekwe; N1 million Winner, DiamondXtra Season 10 quarterly draw, Nwabuezeh Patricia; and winner’s husband, Nwabuezeh Sixtus, during the DiamondXtra Season 10 Quarterly draw prize presentation ceremony held in Lagos...recently
FG Corrupting Osun Voters with 10,000 Trader Moni Loan, Says Ezekwesili Ferdinand Ekechukwu
Just days after the inauguration of Trader Moni venture, a federal government empowerment scheme in Osun State, a former Minister of Education and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has condemned the scheme by accusing the government of deliberately corrupting the elections in Osun with the launch of the programme three weeks
before its scheduled governorship elections in the state. Ezekwesili berated the timing of the launch in Osun. Reacting to the launch of the programme, Ezekwesili via her Twitter handle stated that “The federal government either failed to be ethically circumspect or in fact deliberately decided to corrupt the elections in Osun by handing out cash to traders just before the state elections. Such behaviour after the grand corrupting of voters
in Ekiti is reprehensible.� The Trader Moni, a Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) scheme, according to information from the programme’s Twitter handle, is “to help alleviate poverty in Nigeria by empowering traders and artisans.� An online portal had reported that for traders to access the N10, 000 loans, they had to provide evidence of having registered for the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The federal government budgeted N300, 000,000 to “empower� traders in Osun, and the loan is expected to be repaid within six months, after which the traders can access higher amounts. In a widely publicised event, VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo, on September 3, 2018, had launched the programme, which targeted 30,000 traders in Osun. The federal government had also launched the scheme in Abuja Thursday.
FG Wants Agip to Partake in N’Delta Remediation
Ensure Peace Reigns in Niger Delta, Torughedi Charges Ex-agitators
Ndubuisi Francis Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
National Chairman of the Niger Delta Ex-agitators, High Chief Kile Torughedi has charged all Niger Delta youths as well as all batches of ex-agitators captured under different phases of the amnesty programme to ensure that peace reigns in the region. He spoke at the inauguration of new national executives of the phase II Ex-agitators under the presidential Amnesty Programme in Abuja where he reminded them that development of the region was hinged on peace without which nothing could be achieved. He sued for calm and pleaded with groups that threatened to resume attacks on national assets in the Niger Delta due to the harassment meted out to elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark to sheath their sword and accept the apology already rendered and was as well, investigating the matter. Torughedi, also known as Young Shall Grow stressed the need for a focused and peaceful leadership moreso as the new leadership of the amnesty programme was a listening one and was willing to correct the wrongs of the past. He blamed lack of unity and pressure from different groups for the disparate and uncoordinated responses that led to near failure of the programme. “All the phases in the Presidential Amnesty must work in one-accord as all the shortcomings in the
The federal government has solicited the support of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the current remediation efforts in the Niger Delta region, noting that such activities were hamstrung by paucity of funds. It also advised the international oil company to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, in its operations. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani made the appeal in Abuja when he received the visiting new Vice Chairman and NAOC Managing, Mr. Fiorillo Lorenzo. Usani noted that the federal government’s quest for remediation at various pollution sites in the region affected by oil exploration was hampered by paucity of funds, and urged NAOC and other IOCs to support in the clean-up drive. He expressed his ministry’s readiness to collaborate with Lorenzo and his company in the development of the region. Usani disclosed that the ministry had developed a Strategic Implementation Work Plan to track projects in the region with a view to checking duplicity or multiplicity of projects as
well as ensure an integrated development of the region. According to him, the Plan had also helped the ministry to keep abreast with NAOC’s projects in the Niger Delta. The minister stated that the ministry was fortunate to have a full complement of competent directors and managers, who had continued to help in effective stakeholder participation in the region, urging Lorenzo to ensure that the provisions of the Nigerian Local Content law are adhered to by his company. Earlier in his remarks, Lorenzo said his visit to the minister was in tandem with his mission to partner with strategic stakeholders in the region, in line with the tradition set by his predecessor. In his closing remarks, the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Prof. Claudius Omoleye Daramola, admonished Lorenzo to put in place a workable community relations strategy with Agip host communities to address their challenges and ensure a harmonious relationship. He urged Agip to provide such communities infrastructure that are lacking as part of efforts to avoid rancour and check youth restiveness.
running of the Amnesty office in the past was as a result of lack of unity amongst Ex-agitators and that oneness of everybody is none negotiable,� he concluded. While accepting the mantle of leadership, the Chairman of the Phase II Ex-agitators, Mr. Mathew Daniel while pledging to work with others in harmony, thanked General Young Shall Grow on behalf of the entire Executives and assured him that they will pilot the affairs of Phase II to a higher level. Mr. Daniel, called on other members of his executive not to get involved in any activity that will disgrace them out of office as was done by the former Chairman of the Phase II, Mr. Aso Tambo, who is currently in the custody of the Nigerian Government after being caught red-handed with massive numbers of guns in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. He concluded by expressing the commitment and loyalty of the Phase II Executives to all critical stakeholders in the struggle as well as the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo. Congratulating the new Excos of the Phase II, the Chairman of Phase III Gen. Lato Marine said he was happy to have been alive so see the level of unity amongst ex-agitators, adding, “I know that General Young Shall Grow will take us to the promise land.�
purely labour matters involving a company and its workers in Delta State. Ughamadu stated that the top management of the corporation has however stepped into the issue and, were engaging the parties involved to reach a resolution. He said the parties were close to resolving the issues, and advised motorists and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in panic buying as the NNPC was close to reaching an amicable resolution of the challenge. NNPC assured that the corporation had adequate storage of petroleum products across the country, advising that Nigerians not to entertain any fear of petroleum shortages.
Mark to PDP: Don’t Impose Candidates During Congresses Deji Elumoye Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
Former Senate President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Senator David Mark, has clamoured for rancour free Congresses as party faithful elect delegates for the 2019 polls later this month. He also cautioned against imposition of candidates by the party leadership during the PDP Congresses between now and October. Senator Mark advised party faithful in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday to conduct themselves peacefully according to the rules of the game, stressing that the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. He added: “as we converge to elect delegates to the Congresses beginning from Saturday, we must be guided by democratic tenets and observe the principle of fairness and justice. “We must demonstrate to fellow country men and women that we are truly democratic. I am sure that our members nationwide will showcase our reformed and rebranded Party as the preferred choice for the people.� The presidential aspirant reiterated why he joined the presidential
race saying “I believe I can make a positive difference in Nigeria.� According to him: “nobody can shy away from the fact that Nigeria is currently faced with intractable security, economic and socio-political challenges that unarguably threatens the corporality of the country. “Rarely has our country been faced with such a state of uncertainty, despair, suspicion and division. Time has come for all men and women who care and have the requisite experiences and courage to stand up, retrieve it from the brink and lead our nation into prosperity.� Senator Mark expressed optimism that his road map to economic recovery and prosperity tagged 730 model will turn around the economy of the nation within two years of his administration if elected President. He said he has assembled a team of young Nigerian Professionals to hit the ground running and facilitate the economic recovery. Education, he said, would be given top priority as the bedrock for development, adding “we will focus on Education and create a pool of highly trained citizens with excellent IT skills who will be employable as well as create jobs.�
Progressives Like You are Needed in APC, Oshiomhole Tells Shekarau Ibrahim Shuaibu Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜Ă™
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday paid a special visit to former governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, describing him as one of the progressives that was much needed in the APC. According to him, “for me, it is a rare opportunity to be in your home and reunite with you. I know from your lifestyle, your background, from what you did as the Governor of Kano State, nobody can claim to be more progressive than you.� Oshiomhole who was accompanied by Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and some members of APC National Working Committee (NWC), visited Shekarau at his Kano residence at Mundubawa quarters, insisting that his coming back to APC remained a reunion that had been long awaited.
“I am also fully aware that you are one of the founding fathers of the APC. You may not have expected the amount of efforts you invested in the formation of the All Progressives Congress which you did not enjoy. “I have always said that we should be going forward, in progressive we unite, with conservative, we move our ways. This meeting has offered us the opportunity to reunite once again as progressives. “I have come to pay my respect to His Excellency (Shekarau). I have spoken to my brother, the Executive Governor of Kano State, for the need for all of us to work together for the development of Kano State and the development of our nation, Nigeria. “I want to believe that this is a happy reunion and we shall continue to play progressive politics for the good of the Nigerian people.�
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NEWSXTRA
2019: We Didn’t Violate Any Law in Buying Ticket for Buhari, Says NCAN Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
2019 IN FOCUS... L-R: Senator Dino Melaye, President of the Senate and presidential spirant under the platform of the PDP, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Oko Chukwu, and Senator Sam Anyanwu during Saraki’s ‘meet the delegates’ tour of Abia State‌ yesterday.
China Exports to Nigeria Hit $75bn; Nigeria’s just $9.6bn Envoy: Our products popular, meeting needs of Nigerians Mohammed Aminu Ă“Ă˜ ÙÕÙÞÙ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Udora Orizu Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
Recently calculated total exports to Nigeria from China amounted to about $75 billion while on the Nigerian side, total export to China was about $9.6 billion. This took the total trade volume between the two countries, as at July this year, to about $85 billion. The Economic and Commercial Councilor, China Embassy in Nigeria, Zhaor Lin Xiang, disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing on the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing summit. An elated Xiang said these figures indicated that Chinese products were very popular in
Nigeria and they are meeting the needs of Nigerians,� he noted. Similarly, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, yesterday, said the United Kingdom was poised to double the annual trade volume of £4.2 billion between the two countries.. The Chinese Councilor, Lin Xiang explained that the figures he presented were based on the trade volume recorded as at July this year, adding that the Chinese government was planning to increase economic ties between Nigeria and the Asian continent. Also speaking at the media parley, the Charge’d Affair, Chinese Embassy, Lin Jing said that the Beijing action plan 2019-2021 has
as a cardinal point of action, the industrial and capacity building programme for African countries. According to him, “This will translate to the establishment of 10 Lubab training centres; the centres will equip Africans with unique manufacturing skills, and provide 50,000 scholarships opportunities.� Lin Jing also stated that China would continue to explore means that would improve economic and bilateral cooperation with Nigeria. He said China would support Nigeria in manufacturing products that meet international standards, adding that in November, China would host an import-export trade fair meant to attract more trade and investments from other countries, as a way of improving
bilateral trade. The Embassy of China in Nigeria however frowned at the insinuation that China was on a mission to colonise Africa, adding that the Chinese president was doing all he could to ensure equality in all his dealings with the continent. “As you all know, President Xi Jinping presented five major approaches that will guide China relationship with Africa. “These approaches are: No interference with African countries pursuit in the development path; No interference in internal affairs; No imposition of our will on African countries; No attachment of political gains,� Jing said.
Northern Borno Elders Buy Nomination Crisis Brews in Yobe APC as Aspirants Seek Buhari, Form for Southern Aspirant Shola Oyeyipo
In a rare display of political maturity and solidarity, the people of Northern senatorial district of Borno State have purchased a N22.5m expression of Interest and the Nomination forms for an aspirant from Southern senatorial district, Alhaji Idris Mamman. The leader of the Northern delegation, Alhahi Umar Lawan, who Friday presented the form to the chairman, Southern Borno Movement for Rotation of Power (SBMOP), Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, who delivered it to the aspirant at All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat, Abuja yesterday, said the idea was to deepen the process of democracy in the state. The major issue in the build up to the 2019 governorship election in the state has been that power rotation is crucial because of the six governors that have ruled the state since 1979, none has been from the Southern part. Speaking on why the North opted to take the initiative, Lawan said: “There have been a lot of complaints that the people of Southern Borno are marginalised. Nobody has marginalised anybody because nobody has come out to
say he is looking for governorship until today. So, it is a matter of reaching out to the people. “Power is not served Ă la carte. You have to reach out for it. You have to earn it. We wish him a very good term and we pray that the people will accept him with open arms.â€? Receiving the forms on behalf of Mamman, Usman said the people of the South appreciated the gesture of their Northern counterpart and that they would make the best use of it. According to him, “Power is never served on a platter of gold. We have never come out to say we wanted it. Now, we said we wanted it and we are glad that it is our own brothers from Northern Borno, who contributed money to buy this form. We are extremely grateful. “Honestly, we are extremely grateful. By the time we get Idris Mamman into office, everybody is going to say there is a big change in Borno. He will carry everybody along,â€? he said. He said the initiative was significance because it was difficult to win elections without carrying every senatorial district in the state along.
Oshiomhole’s Itervention The recent decision by select group of Yobe State All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders where Governor Ibrahim Geidam was allegedly given the sole power to nominate his successor as well as determine the fate of other aspirants has been kicked against. This is just as President Muhammadu Buhari and chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole have been asked to intervene to avert crisis that could undermine the prospects of the party in next year’s general election. Speaking on behalf of some stakeholders as well as aspirants in the state, a State House of Assembly aspirant and former commissioner, Alhaji Ibrahim Salihu Bakabe (Jinga), said the decision did not reflect the position of APC members but that of few as he as well as other notable figures like former governor , Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Hon. Cidi Karasuwa, Hon. Yerima Gudi amongst numerous others were never invited and thus sidelined from the meeting. He condemned ceding the power to the governor, saying
it negated the principle of equity, fairness and justice in any democratic practice which allow numerous aspirants to test their popularity. “Ab initio, they refused to sell forms to aspirants until the national chairman intervened. They bought all the forms for exactly the numbers of House of Assembly seats in the state, same forÂş seats of House of Reps, ditto for the three senatorial seats and one form for the governorship. “The idea is to solely distribute them to the ‘chosen’ candidates with a view to making them the party’s candidates in the forthcoming elections after the primary. “This is not only wrong but a clear subversion of the will of the electorate the very essence of democratic tenets which the APC under President Muhammadu Buhari and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole stand for. “It is pertinent that they intervene because if care is not taken, unpopular candidates will be fielded and your guess is as good as mine as to what will be the outcome at the end of the day,â€? he stated.
An All Progressives Congress (APC) lobby group, the Nigeria Consolidation Ambassador Network (NCAN) has said that they would soon make a formal presentation of the nomination form for the presidential ticket of the party to President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that they violated no law in buying the forms. The group that caught the attention of the Nigerian political scene on the account its daring move to purchase APC’s nomination form on behalf of the president yesterday defended its action saying that the Electoral Act did not bar individuals to collectively tax themselves and contribute funds to help buy nomination form for an aspirant. Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator of NCAN, Sanusi Musa, said that the group took time to study the legal provisions and there was nowhere the Electoral Act mentioned donations to aspirants. Instead, Musa said that the extant laws referred to contributions in support of a party’s candidate in an election which under the circumstance, was not the case with what the group did. Speaking on the allegations that the group may have been sponsored
by governor, Yahaya Bello, of Kogi state, Musa denied any such thing. He said that the group had taken time to mobilise its members across the country and was able to raise amounts in excess of the cost of the presidential nomination form. “Well, let me say that I, as a person never met Governor Yahaya Bello. I don’t know him, he doesn’t know me as a person. Of course for members of our group in the State, he might have known some of them but as an association since it was formed in August 2017, I have never made any efforts to meet Governor Yahaya Bello or any other governor to solicit financial support,� he said. Although the group did not say when, Musa told journalists that they were planning to formally present the form to President Buhari when he must have settled down after his official visit to China. NCAN had on Wednesday purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Buhari at the cost of N45 million. According Musa, the group embarked on the project based on the recognition that the President has started laying a good foundation for a better Nigeria and that there is need to consolidate on the gains so far made.
IG Orders Arrest of Newly Elected IPAC Chairman Adedayo Akinwale Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has allegedly ordered the arrest of the newly elected Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), and the Chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) party, Peter Ameh. The alleged arrest order was issued by the police barely 48 hours after winning the IPAC election against the Chairman of United Peoples Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, who was allegedly supported by the All Progressive Congress (APC). The National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Ikenga Ugochinyere in a statement issued yesterday said that in a bid to actualise the unpopular plan, the police headquarters yesterday served a letter dated 5th September the day of the election, inviting Ameh the new chairman of IPAC to appear before the IG police team investigating the phantom allegation on September 10. He added “Few hours after the shocking defeat of the Pro-APC candidates and the victory of new nine officials as IPAC executives (Peter Ameh of PPA as chairman, Ikenga Ugochinyere of APP as Publicity Secretary, Geff Ojinika of CAC as Deputy Chair, Santuraki as Organising Secretary. etc), the last may not have been heard of the election as the government seems not to have accepted the defeat of their favoured candidates. “There is an ongoing move to arrest the newly elected chairman of IPAC and the Chairman of the electoral committee that conducted the election, Tanko Yunusa by the now controversial Nigerian Police led by IG of Police Ibrahim Idris which few hours after the election set up a suspicious Investigation against the newly elected chairman and the electoral committee chairman using a non-existing/
phantom allegation.� Ugochinyere revealed that IPAC had it on good authority that the plan was to stall the planned take off of the activities of the new executive billed for Monday, the same day the police have planned for the invitation to enable them to detain him and charge him to a magistrate court secretly. “Like they did the Premium Times reporters and secure an order to keep him in prison pending when he relinquishes his mandate or the electoral chairman nullifies the already concluded election to enable the government influence the setup of a stooge caretaker committee�, he stated
CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known and addressed as OBUGE RHEMA IBIBA now wish to be known and addressed as OBUGE RHEMA VIVIANI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note. I, formerly known and addressed as MARIA OLUWATOSIN ALBERT, OLATOSIN MODUPE ALBERT AND OLUWATOSIN ALBERT ARE THE SAME PERSON, now wish to be known and addressed as ALBERT MARIA OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as AYORINDE, C H R I S T I A N A ITUNUAYO now wish to be known and addressed as MAKINDE, CHRISTIANA ITUNUAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
SPORTSXTRA
Serena Williams… Eyes on 24th Grand Slam
Anthony Joshua on the ring with Joseph Parker
Seychelles Get Presidential Boast Ahead of AFCON Qualifier against Nigeria President, vice to attend Pirates/Eagles clash President of the Republic of Seychelles, Danny Faure and the Vice President, Vincent Meriton will attend today’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Pirates of Seychelles and the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Victoria. The General Secretary of Seychelles Football Federation, Mr. Georges Bibi confirmed this at the match coordination meeting which took place at the SFF Secretariat in Victoria on Friday evening. Seychelles number one and number two men will be joined at the pre-match formalities by the President of
Seychelles Football Federation, Elvis Chetty and the 1st Vice President of Nigeria Football Federation, Seyi Akinwunmi. At the meeting, attended by the match officials from Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, it was decided that Seychelles would dorn their traditional red –top-and-shorts with white stripes, while the Super Eagles will turn out in the green top over white shorts. The match referee is Omweno Devis from Kenya, to be assisted by compatriot Cheruiyot Gilbert (assistant referee 1) and Ugandans Isorlko Mark (assistant referee
2) and Muhabi Alli (reserve referee). Mustapha Chitbahal from Mauritius is the match commissioner while Leslie Leonard Liunda from Tanzania is the referee assessor. The match will kick off at 4.30p.m. Seychelles time (1.30p.m. Nigeria time), and Bibi has confirmed that about 6,000 spectators will attend the game at the 10,000 –capacity Stade Linite. Meanwhile, the Super Eagles had their last training session at the Stade Linite on Friday evening, with all 21 players fit for selection to garner the three points on offer for Nigeria.
Available for selection to safeguard the goalpost are Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi, with Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Bryan Idowu, Chidozie Awaziem, Semi Ajayi and Jamilu Collins to battle for rearguard positions. Ogenyi Onazi, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu, Kelechi Nwakali and Joel Obi are available in the middle, while Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Simeon Nwankwo, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo and Samuel Kalu will contest for slots in the frontline.
US Open Final
Osaka Stands between Williams and Equaling Court’s 24th Grand Slam Title Serena Williams will play Naomi Osaka in the US Open final after they came through Thursday’s semi-finals. Six-time champion Williams cruised past Anastasija Sevastova 6-3 6-0 before Osaka made her first Grand Slam final by beating last year's runner-up Madison Keys 6-2 6-4. Victory for Williams over Osaka in today's final will equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Williams, 36, became a mother last year after suffering life-threatening blood clots during her pregnancy, and said post-match on Thursday: "To come from that, in the hospital bed, not being able to move and walk and do anything, now only a year later, I'm not training, but I'm actually in these finals, in two in a row. "To come this far so fast - I'm really looking forward to the possibilities. "I just feel like there's a lot of growth still to go in my game, that's actually the most exciting part," she said. "Even though I'm not a spring chicken, I still have a very, very bright future." Japan's Osaka is 16 years
younger than Williams and will get the chance to play her heroine in the US Open final. "It feels a little bit, like, surreal. Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would play Serena in a final of a Grand Slam," Osaka said. "At the same time I feel like even though I should enjoy this moment, I should still think of it as another match. "I shouldn't really think of her as my idol. I should just try to play her as an opponent." Osaka won her only previous match against Williams in March at the Miami Open. Williams says she feels like she has "already won" after a year-long journey which has culminated in the tennis great reaching her ninth US Open final. After losing the Wimbledon final to Angelique Kerber, Williams will have another chance on Saturday to equal Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 major singles titles against first-timer and 16 years her junior, Naomi Osaka. Williams never expressed any doubt that she would return to the game following the birth of her daughter Olympia last September, but that
seemed an awfully long way away when she was fighting for her life in a hospital bed after developed life-threatening complications. "It's really incredible. A year ago I was literally fighting for my life after I had the baby. Every time I step out on this court, I am so grateful I have an opportunity to play this sport. No matter what happens in any match - semis, final - I feel like I've already won," said six-time US Open champion, Williams. Williams, who has dropped only one set in the tournament, put her current level at only 50 or 60 per cent, added: "I definitely don't feel myself yet. My mom said it takes a full year to get back. I'm at a full year now. But I'm also playing a sport professionally. "Even my body is different. I actually weigh less than I did before I got pregnant, but it's distributed differently now. "This is the beginning. I'm not there yet. I'm on the climb still. I just feel like not only is my future bright, even though I'm not a spring chicken, but I still have a very, very bright future. That is super exciting for me." Williams' opponent Osaka
was only a year old when Williams won her first Grand Slam title here in 1999. Now, 19 years later, she will try to become the first Japanese woman to win a major singles title. Osaka showed incredible poise to save all 13 break points she faced on her way to victory over Madison Keys and deny home spectators an all-American affair in the final. Asked how she did it, she replied: "This is going to sound really bad but I was just thinking, 'I really want to play Serena'." "Of course it feels a little bit surreal," said the 20-yearold. "Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would play Serena in a final of a grand slam. Just the fact that it's happening, I'm very happy about it. "At the same time I feel like, even though I should enjoy this moment, I should still think of it as another match. I shouldn't really think of her as my idol. I should just try to play her as an opponent." And as for how those dreams ended: "I don't dream to lose, so... That's how I'm answering your question."
Iwobi Would be Back against Newcastle, Says Father Alex Iwobi’s father has revealed his son should be back from illness before Arsenal’s match against Newcastle United, despite missing the international break with Nigeria. Iwobi made a strong start to the season with the Gunners, and was probably the side’s man-of-the-match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was therefore surprising to see him out of the squad completely for the trip to Cardiff City last weekend. Unai Emery confirmed afterward that the winger missed the game through illness. Iwobi’s father gave an update on the situation toallnigeriasoccer, confirming the 22-year-old will also miss Nigeria’s match against Seychelles. “Thanks for the concern. Indeed it was sad for Alex that he wasn’t in the squad for the Arsenal match versus Cardiff and had to withdraw from National Team for the match versus Seychelles,” Chuka said. “He is on the road to recovery and should be back before the game against Newcastle (on September 15). “He loves playing for Nigeria and was extremely disappointed (not to be available for the game against Seychelles). “Fortunately, Arsenal managed to get the win against Cardiff without Iwobi, and hopefully Nigeria will be able to do the same. It’s a shame he couldn’t take part in the matches, but at least the illness didn’t come at an even more crucial point in the season.” For Iwobi, this is a big year. He’s just signed a new long-term deal and has a clean slate under Emery. If the Nigeria international can make the most of his opportunities on the pitch, he could find himself in the Spanish head coach’s plans for the foreseeable future.
Joshua Says He’s Brought Motivation to the Heavyweight Division Anthony Joshua believes he brought motivation to the division that includes Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. Joshua will make his sixth world title defence in little over two years when his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles are on the line against Alexander Povetkin on September 22. The 28-year-old reacted to news Fury is set to challenge WBC champion Wilder by telling JD Ringside: "I was always motivated. I brought motivation to the division. "Before, Wladimir Klitschko was dominating then Fury won. He took some time out. We came up and brought some motivation to the division. "Now people are seeing that if they want the respect, they have to fight stiff competition. The motivation has always been there." Joshua already has an April 13 date locked in at Wembley Stadium for another world heavyweight title fight - meanwhile, Fury has recently ended a two-and-a-half year hiatus and plans to fight Wilder. The winner of that fight will hold the only belt outside of Joshua's grasp. "When I win, I'll have a lot to say because there's no other route for me to go, other than the WBC," Joshua said. "The victories and the consistently high-level opponents that I'm competing with - that says enough."
Saturday, September 8, 2018
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Mahmood Yakubu to Political Parties “We are witnessing ugly trend of vote buying in recent elections in the country. This is giving our democracy a bad name.” – The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, addressing leaders of the 91 political parties in the country.
PENDULUM DELE MOMODU
dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com
AreNigerianYouthsTrulyReadytoRunorJustRanting?
F
ellow Nigerians, let me start on a personal note today by repeating a story you are probably familiar with. Anyone who has followed my trajectory a bit would have heard this story for the umpteenth time. I moved to Lagos from the ancient city of Ile-Ife in 1988 at the age of 28. I had spent most of my adult life in the historic township but suddenly reached a dead end when I could not even find a job of a teacher, with a Master’s degree in Literature-in-English. All my friends had something to do except me. It wasn’t that I was dull or lazy, but there was embargo on appointments and promotions in higher institutions at the time. Let’s now fast forward. I started writing articles at the behest of my best friend, Prince Adedamola Aderemi, who was teaching Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University and my pieces soon ignited fire in the Sunday Tribune and The Guardian and I became known here and there. Due to joblessness, I was advised to try my luck elsewhere in Ibadan or Lagos. My preference was to work at The Guardian newspapers, but I couldn’t secure a job at Rutam House. I was then introduced by my late friend, Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo to the Editor of African Concord magazine, Lewis Obi, who agreed to employ me instantly. But this is not the main story. The meat of it is that I was reluctant to work at Concord Group, which was owned by Chief Moshood Abiola. And my grouse was based totally on unsubstantiated stereotyping and false stories that ignited raw sentiment and foolish emotion in me. Chief Abiola had been demonised by several powerful forces. His major offence was his opposition to Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Presidential ambition in 1979, and the role played by the Concord media conglomerate in not supporting a man who was practically deified in Yorubaland. Abiola was thus seen to have committed heresy and had to be nailed to the cross. But by far the most potent and lethal attack came from the one and only irrepressible Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who produced and released a monster hit, International Thief Thief, in which he called Chief Abiola all manner of unprintable names. I still don’t have details of what led to their skirmishes. Of course, as a Fela devotee, we never saw anything good in Abiola thereafter, and we blocked our minds to ever liking a man who we were told was an oppressor, a religious fanatic and a looter of Nigeria’s wealth. We never bothered to crosscheck the facts or fiction but we believed everything hook, line and sinker. Truth was I secretly admired the man and wished I could be like him but hearsay made us dislike him. It was hunger that saved me from hating a man I did not know. The first lesson I learnt was that hunger does not discriminate. There is a Yoruba saying that “when you are hungry enough, you will accept food from your enemy.” I was too hungry for a job to have a choice, so I accepted the Concord offer most reluctantly but with automatic alacrity. The second lesson came after I resumed work at Concord. Contrary to the rumour that Chief Abiola was a religious bigot, I discovered that he was too liberal to force his faith on anyone or group. He was totally detribalised and gave everyone his due. The closer I got to him, the more I gained insight into one of the greatest Nigerians that ever lived. I became a fan, and later his adopted son. I decided to join hands with others to rescue his battered reputation which were actually firmly rooted on the altar of politics and personal squabbles. It was such an uphill task because negative perception is often most difficult to change. But I thank God for the uncommon opportunity to come close to Chief Abiola, a rare privilege that made it possible for
Buhari me to purge my mind and soul of acquired and accumulated bile. Since then, I have remained on the side of caution and tolerance. Journalism has also taught me to mellow down my temperament in dealing with people. I have imbibed the legal aphorisms that you must always listen to the other side and that a man is innocent until proven guilty. Moreover, I have been able to differentiate between my routine job and my personal opinion. I realised that many journalists have failed, and still failing spectacularly, because they could not distinguish between the business of journalism and their personal sentiments. For example, journalists are seen and expected to be the lamb of God who take away the sins of the world while all other professions and careers are at liberty to do business with everyone, including saints and sinners. The fact that Thisday or Punch newspapers report government activities daily or transact business with different governments does not mean they can’t write opinions and editorials against the same government they had promoted or projected, if and when the government is misbehaving. It is the height of illiteracy, and hypocrisy, to treat the people you criticise as enemies and vice versa. The very essence of freedom of speech and democracy is to speak to power as a corrective measure and not as vendetta. Thereafter, you must let the music play on. My major baptism of fire came after Ovation International agreed to cover the weddings of General Sani Abacha’s daughters, Zainab and Gumsu, in Kano. Many people queried why I would attend the event of a family that nearly ruined my family and many others. I was expected to remain eternally bitter and vengeful and not many realised that I had a job to do, dispassionately, and that vengeance belonged to God. On a lighter and positive note, the Abacha government did me a favour by forcing me out of Nigeria. Ovation would never have been born if I was not in exile. Such is life. Yet someone said Ovation must die for committing such hara-kiri by attending the wedding that was covered by virtually all media organisations in Nigeria. I have great news for you. Despite the blistering attacks, Ovation did not just survive, we sold out completely. Both friends and enemies of the Abacha family wanted to see the content of that special edition that warranted and attracted such fatwa. The ways of God are not the ways of Man. Later as I came across several books and articles on the life of The Madiba, Nelson Mandela, I could not imagine how a man who spent 27 years in prison could come out of jail, become President and yet display such unprecedented magnanimity by eschewing every act of vindictiveness and
vengeance. I was so touched and realised the true worth of a Christian life is that he must forgive his enemies seventy times seven times, according to the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ. The main lesson I wish to draw our attention to is that being bitter, oftentimes, is a waste of time and energy. Many things can be achieved through passive resistance and gentle persuasion. The aggression and anger I see all around today is the main reason for this epistle and sermon. Many of our youths have lost it. The only form of expression they love and enjoy is to hide behind computers and smartphones to launch unbelievable attacks on people they see as their enemies. It does not matter if they lack any iota of proof or evidence, everyone, every politician, every successful man, even if he has never served in government or received contract awards, every journalist who cannot practise kill-and-go type of journalism is their enemy. Every interview or report on someone they don’t like, and don’t want to read about, attracts verbal and written assaults. Logic has been thrown to the dogs. Too many incoherent analyses have taken over. Many are experts in every topic or subject. Suddenly, the elders know nothing, but the kids know everything. This development should be worrisome to all right-thinking people. Cyber-thuggery has virtually and finally taken over. The new trend is that politicians no longer campaign with facts about their performance. Their efficacious strategy is to set the proletariat against the privilegentsia, by telling the poor that the rich is the reason they are impoverished. People have been so brainwashed that many have stopped aspiring to greatness because of this glamorisation of poverty. Gone are the days when leaders promoted prosperity and downplayed penury but today politicians gloat about how they have succeeded in killing the businesses of corrupt people with the attendant collateral damages to millions of dependants and the nation. In branding, whatever you emphasise about yourself repeatedly is what would be remembered about you subsequently. Yet government is not able to provide alternative means of livelihood to those multitude of paupers roaming the streets. Government may win elections using this crude methodology but the country will ultimately lose the battle to terrorism and self-immolating violence. The young men and women who assist government in perpetuating
this parody are merely doing themselves a great disservice. The jobs, and the good life they desperately crave will never come when the economy ultimately collapses on all due to unguarded utterances. I’m yet to see any country that deliberately de-markets, and unrepentantly scandalises, itself like Nigeria. Our youths who have been moaning that they are “not too young to rule” would rather dissipate energy and resources on wars of attrition instead of working hard on how to take power from the ancient leaders they’ve always grumbled about. The enemies of the youths are the youths themselves. The old people have mastered how to keep them manacled and enslaved perpetually. The youths would never support any of their own. When you aspire to the highest office, the same youths would say you are too young and inexperienced. If you plead for donations, they would ask why you want to contest when you have no money of yours or even ask you to pay for their support. If you ask the youths to step down for one of their strongest aspirants, they would refuse even if they already signed a memo of understanding to agree on a consensus candidate. If you ask them to follow a young man who has sufficient experience and exposure to modern ways of running a democratic government, they will tell you he is a rogue and looter (the most abused word in the Nigerian lexicon) and cannot be trusted with power, as if nations are governed by saints and not by performers. When you lose election, the same youths will tease you endlessly about how many votes you got, as if that would improve their lives. There is nothing you can do or try that would please the generality of our youths. It is like we have been completely hypnotised and mesmerised and sentenced to eternal servitude. Or could it be a curse? Nigeria parades some of the most brilliant youths on earth but we have not been able to propel one to the highest office like America did for a first generation American, who was in his early forties, Barack Obama. From what I foresee, in the near future, Nigerian youths are neither ready nor prepared to grab the mantle of leadership from the geriatric generation they claim to loathe but obviously love and support, blindly or inadvertently. Really tragic.
At Home With the Governor of Nairobi Mike Sonko I was honoured to be invited to the country home of the Governor of Nairobi, Hon. Mike Sonko. The occasion was the third memorial service for his beloved dad, Mr Gideon Kioko Kivanguli (1949-2015). I was privileged to lay the wreath at a special mausoleum constructed for the great man. I’ve been in Kenya countless times and have met several politicians, including the Vice President, Mr William Ruto (born December 21, 1966). I’m yet to meet the the two term President, Mr Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, a businessman, and son of Kenya’s first President, Pa Jomo Kenyatta, who was born on October 26, 1961. I’m older than both of them. No matter my experience or exposure and personal success in my chosen career, it would be difficult, if not near impossible, to attain such spectacular feats in my dear country Nigeria. Kenyans did not vote for them, twice, because they thought they were saints from heaven. Kenyans voted because they represent the future they envisage for their country. As a matter of fact, both leaders attracted so much controversies before attaining power, but they managed
to weather the storm. You must salute their wisdom in reaching out to the Opposition and healing their divided nation. As for the Governor of Nairobi, he was born on February 27, 1975, a year before I wrote my WAEC examination. He was also a businessman before he ventured into politics. He controls the Kenya’s largest city, a megacity like Lagos State in Nigeria. His popularity is unbelievable. He loves Nigeria very dearly and hopes to tap into the boundless energy and the never-say-die spirit of Nigerians. I was touched by his respect and kind and generous words for Nigeria, and Lagos city in particular. He told me he has heard so much about the ongoing beautification in Lagos and he looks forward to linking up with his counterpart, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in the near future. I met several other young politicians in the course of my visit this week, and it was such an eye opener. I’m hoping that our own youths would end their complacency and take the bull by the horns. It is not impossible…
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