SUNDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2018

36 States’ Debt Profile Doubles over 4 Years DMO seeks legislation for sub-national debt management Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Debt Management Office (DMO) has said the debt stock of the 36 states of the

federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) grew to N4.776 trillion in June 2018 from N2.256.23 trillion in December 2014, representing an increase of 111.7 per cent .

The DMO Director General, Ms. Patience Oniha, disclosed this in Benin, Edo State at a one-day sensitisation workshop on sub-national debt management for top policy

makers in the South-east, South-south and South-west geo-political zones.

Oniha said with the significant growth in states’ debt stock and the FCT, there

was an urgent need to upscale debt management capacities at the sub-national level.

She advised the states and FCT to take necessary steps to enact relevant legislations,

policy frameworks as well as guidelines to equip the debt management units or departments in their respective Continued on page 8

Atiku Chides Buhari, Osinbajo for Not Attending Slain Soldiers' Burial… Page 12 Sunday 16 December, 2018 Vol 23. No 8642

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S’West APC Crisis Deepens as Peace Effort Suffers Setback Amosun, Akeredolu, others shun peace meeting Blame crisis on Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition Tobi Soniyi and Gboyega Akinsanmi Efforts at resolving the intraparty crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress

(APC) in the South-west have again faltered, THISDAY investigation has shown.

The National Peace and Reconciliation Committee (NPRC) set up to address

concerns and grievance of those, who lost out in the party’s primaries held between September 29 and October 6 has so far been unable to persuade aggrieved members

to sheathe their swords.

Except in the case of Lagos State, no governor of the South-west states attended the meeting of the six-man reconciliation committee,

which kicked off on December 10 in Ekiti State and ended on December 12 in Lagos State.

Multiple sources at the reconciliation meetings, who spoke with THISDAY

on the condition of anonymity, said most of the aggrieved aspirants threatened to work against the APC during the Continued on page 8

Game Changers of 2018 (I) Olawale Olaleye and Demola Ojo In a few days, the world would bid 2018 a final and deserving goodbye for all that it connotes.

In Nigeria, however, the

outgoing year has been quite eventful, with its many ups and downs, sorrows, tears and blood, laughter and fun, the gains, the pains and the losses – many of which were avoidable and of course in other circumstances, inevitable.

But in totality, either for the good or bad that came with the year, certain individuals defined 2018: they shaped the narrative, defined the agenda and determine the outcomes for millions of Nigerians around the world.

It is true that President Muhammadu Buhari has a health challenge, which had seen him visit London, the United Kingdom, many times,

including spending over three months at some point for his health checks.

But in all of this, what had pervaded the polity at different points was the exaggeration of his passing.

He remains around, hale and

Muhammadu Buhari: A Cat with Nine Lives

Buhari

Obasanjo

Saraki

Oshiomhole

Atiku

Aisha

Tinubu

Emefiele

Dangote

Fayemi

See THISDAY Weekly Guide to 2019… Pages 18-19

hearty and indeed, getting stronger by the day.

And like the cat with nine lives, not only has he survived his health challenges, he has confounded his critics, Continued on page 8

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PAGE EIGHT GAME CHANGERS OF 2018 (I) although these critics would not back off.

As Buhari gets stronger, many political plans fade away. The President is seeking re-election on the back of strong anti-corruption war and his strides in agriculture as well as social intervention for the poor. The jury would decide in February next year, whether this Katsina-born general who becomes 76 years old told would get a second term.

Olusegun Obasanjo: Stoking the AntiBuhari Fire Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is one Nigerian leader, who should be suffering publicity maximus by now.

Ever in the news, either for the good or the bad reasons, Obasanjo has never been found to be missing in action. Since his January letter to Buhari, where he urged him not to run, Obasanjo has continued to stoke the anti-Buhari fire.

The former president, who took his anti-Buhari campaign a notch up by instigating a Nigeria movement, which in turn gave rise to a multiplicity of opposition against the president, came out days ago to reiterate the fact that it would be sheer foolhardy for anyone to stand aloof in the 2019 elections, because the future of Nigeria is at stake.

Just that Buhari must go, Obasanjo has made up with his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the PDP, whom he had long sworn never to see emerge president and is now going about campaigning for him as the best man for the job. Obasanjo is constantly a game changer and 2018 has not offered differently for him.

Bukola Saraki: The Phoenix For the last three and a half years, Senate President Bukola Saraki has consistently remained a game changer year in, year out.

From the drama of his emergence to his leadership of the National Assembly and eventually, his no-love-lost relationship with the executive, Saraki has remained a game changer all along.

However, for 2018, he has

a lot to talk about. Indeed, whenever he decides to write his memoirs, 2018 would form an entire chapter of its.

Although the plot to remove him had been set in motion since he emerged President of the Senate, it became pronounced and an open assignment for his traducers in 2018.

From the conspiracy of the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Adams Oshiomhole to the buy-in of the Department of State Security, the drafting in of some of the anti-graft agencies and the unashamed tag-along by the police in his removal plot, Saraki waltzed through them all.

The height of his triumph, which was quite significant, was the time President Muhammadu Buhari personally apologised to him at a meeting brokered by some governor for all that he had been through. He is by all standards a game changer in 2018 and is therefore recognised as such.

Adams Oshiomhole: Entrenching Party Supremacy Like the biblical tree of good and evil, which became a challenge for the first man and woman on earth, chairman of the ruling APC, Adams Oshiomhole can be said to fall on the two sides of good and evil in the discharge of his current posting. His emergence as the APC chair was with a lot of expectations especially, coming at a time the party was believed to lack discipline, coordination and proper administration.

Thus, on coming on-board, his first but difficult assignment was his resolve to return the party to their original owners – the party members – by entrenching party supremacy. Although he too had been a beneficiary of the familiar impunity that usually governs political parties in this part of the world especially, with the high-handedness of the governors, he however thought enough of such excesses and no more business as usual.

His taking the bull by the horns shook the party to its marrow and indeed, causing several other changes, many of which some members particularly, the governors were

not in tune with. He is bold and fiery and is never afraid to say what is on his mind, to whom and when. This too is causing uneasy change in the party and the change too is being interpreted in different ways. However, whether good or bad, his idea of entrenching party supremacy and putting the governors in their place was one of the many noteworthy changes that 2018 can point to.

Atiku Abubakar: The Comeback Kid For the first time since his foray into politics, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar appears really very close to becoming Nigeria’s president in 2019 if things work in his favour. His emergence as the PDP presidential candidate at its October Convention has put Atiku in this stead and with the momentum that greeted his emergence, coupled with the swirling support across many divides; Atku is by these measures a game changer.

Although 2019 is the second time he would actually be on the ballot, 2011 being his first, Atiku is coming into this race as his last, perhaps, and with his very all. And to think that he was hugely underrated at the PDP primary and was almost rated third in line, his miraculous comeback has remained a reference point in the countdown to 2019.

Above all, that he is a northern Muslim like the incumbent, Buhari, is one of the reasons his return to the presidential run cannot be underestimated and the fact that he is fast gaining momentum and recognition even in the most unusual quarters makes him one of the 2018 game changers.

Aisha Buhari: Speaking Truth to Power Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari is not your everyday woman. Confident, smart, intelligent, forward-looking and politically savvy, the first lady has carved an uncommon niche for herself with the courage through which she delivers truth to power.

It still baffles many how the wife of a sitting president

remains a leading critic of some of the ills of the administration of her husband. But that is the way Aisha is wired and it does appear that the inner circle of her husband’s government has come to accept this new reality but struggling bitterly to live with it.

Recently at a function, she claimed that two men had hijacked the government of her husband and wanted the world to know this reality. She was quick to add that she knew the wife of the vice-president, Dolapo Osinbajo and one of her husband’s aides, Senator Babafemi Ojudu (both of whom were present) would not like that she said as much, she was however inclined to say even more for posterity. She is not only a rebel with a cause but could be a game changer in 2019

Bola Tinubu: The ‘Godfather Emeritus’ One of the national leaders of the APC and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, who has continued to hold down the politics of the state, proved his worth a couple of months ago, when he, under the guise of returning the party to its original owners, stopped an incumbent, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State from returning.

Tinubu has single-handedly continued to control the political cum economic nucleus of the state and as the godfather – no one dares undo whatever he did. He knows the politics of the state and with a template designed and controlled solely by him, he runs the show in the state and effectively so.

But of all his political escapades and adventures, denying an incumbent a chance to seek re-election was a feat no one has ever pulled off before.

And known to always blaze the trail, he did it and successfully so. That would forever remain a talking point in the annals of the state’s polity as it changed the 2018 game in the state from a very much unanticipated angle.

Godwin EmeďŹ ele: Pulling the Economy Back from the Brink That Nigeria survived one of

the worst economic recessions in history was not a feat that just happened on the nation. There were conscious steps taken by the administration including the economic recovery and growth plan. But that was not all. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of its governor, Godwin Emefiele, actually did a lot by helping to pull back the economy from the brink of collapse.

This, the CBN did, first by stabilising the nation’s money and capital markets, boosting investors’ confidence and ensuring that the country’s foreign reserve hit $32 billion, the highest mark since January 2015.

Reports also showed that the GDP grew by 0.55 per cent, which is 2.04 per cent higher than the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2016 (–1.49 per cent) and higher by 1.46 per cent points from rate recorded in the preceding quarter, (revised to –0.91 per cent from –0.52 per cent). Thus, quarter on quarter, real GDP growth was 3.23 per cent Of course, there are some industry players, who defend this view with their all; it has also not stifled those, who still think that the impact of the economic recovery is yet to be felt by the average Nigerians.

But whenever the talk about economic recovery is being put up for deliberation, the place of the CBN and its governor, Emefiele, is not negotiable. He definitely changed the game in 2018, particularly putting in mind his Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), which is a link between companies involved in the processing and small holder farmers of the required key agricultural commodities.

Aliko Dangote: Staking It All on Local ReďŹ ning Billionaire businessman and foremost philanthropist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is one Nigerian that is changing the Nigerian story and boosting economic growth with his local content initiative. His planned 650,000 barrel per day capacity petrochemical refinery is one initiative that has been rated to transform and diversify Nigeria’s economy when

completed.

Also, when completed, the Dangote Refinery is being projected to boost the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by $52 billion per annum, which represents 0.8 per cent growth per annum. This, in addition, is expected to translate into $9.9 billion per annum trade balance improvement as well as reduce crude exports by $14.7 billion per annum. It will also ultimately reduce fuel importation by $17.9 billion per annum, projections have stated.

The mention of the name Dangote connotes many things and largely positive especially, when it comes to business and philanthropy. The fact that in spite of the many losses his businesses reportedly recorded during the economic recession he did not shy away from adding value makes him an irreducible game changer in 2018.

Fayemi: Taming the Fayose Menace Curiously, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his predecessor in office, Mr. Ayodele Fayose have something in common. They both came as governor and could not return immediately for their second terms, albeit under different circumstances. Yet, they came back years later to reclaim their mandates.

Interestingly, whilst Fayose’s retail politics not only elevated his relevance in the state and made him nearly invincible, Fayemi’s elitist posturing was largely considered his undoing and was going to cost him his second chance. It was a chance many had rather he did not take. But he did. Whatever changed, Fayemi demystified Fayose’s myth and crushed his invincibility for all to see. He clearly had learnt his lessons and became a better him.

His comeback magic is fast changing the tide on the Ekiti turf and has remained one of the many game-changing developments that have thrust through the nation’s body polity.

How and if Fayemi is able to sustain the feat is a different debate altogether. But currently, he holds the ace and truly, a game changer.

TO BE CONTINUED

S’WEST APC CRISIS DEEPENS AS PEACE EFFORT SUFFERS SETBACK 2019 general election if the party failed to address diverse issues they had raised before the committee.

On the account of alleged irregularities, imposition and violence that trailed the APC primaries in almost all its chapters, the National Working Committee had on November 20, constituted the NPRC on geo-political basis and mandated it to heal the wounds inflicted on the party by the primary elections.

Consequently, the NWC appointed Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima to resolve internal conflict that engulfed the South-west alongside his Lagos counterpart, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr.

Dakuku Peterside and Sen. Seida Bugaje as members.

About three weeks after its constitution, the Shettima committee convened peace meetings in Ado-Ekiti, where it met aggrieved aspirants from Ekiti and Ondo States; in Ibadan, it dialogued with those from Osun and Oyo States and Marina was where the concerned party leaders converged for reconciliation.

In Ado-Ekiti, an APC source, who explained what happened in Ekiti State during the reconciliation meeting, said aggrieved aspirants from Ondo State accused the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu of unjust treatment and unfair play during the party primaries in the state.

THISDAY findings revealed that about 20 lawmakers of the Ondo State House of Assembly, who were denied return tickets, flooded the peace meeting in

Ado-Ekiti, accusing the NWC of highhandedness and imposition, claiming that only six lawmakers were offered return tickets.

The peace committee was told that Akeredolu denied them return tickets after the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had agreed to reward all the senators and federal lawmakers that supported President Muhammadu Buhari during the face-off with the National Assembly.

According to the source, the aggrieved aspirants threatened to work against all the candidates of the APC, especially during federal and state legislative elections unless the APC National Secretariat fully refund what they paid to obtain nomination forms and expression of interest.

The source recalled how Akeredolu worked against the senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Prof. Ajayi

Boroffice and his counterpart in Ondo South Senatorial District, Senator Omoyele Omogunwa.

It took the intervention of the presidency before they could secure their return tickets.

The source noted that Akeredolu’s allies “have defected to the Action Alliance (AA) to pursue their political aspiration.

Dr. Tunji Abayomi, who was a senatorial aspirant in Ondo North, defected to the AA just after the primaries. Among others, Mr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, about her senatorial aspirant in Ondo South, also defected.

On this note, THISDAY learnt that Akeredolu had vowed “not to support all the aspirants imposed on the Ondo APC in the contest for the national and state assemblies. Akeredolu’s allies are already in the AA. They were not part of the peace meeting. If this trend continues, it will definitely affect President Muhammadu

Buhari’s re-election.�

Another source gave insight into what transpired in Oyo State during the reconciliation, noting that a good number of aggrieved aspirants and political gladiators attended, though the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi did not attend.

Like other aspirants that contested different primaries, the Minister for Communications, Mr. Shittu Adebayo, vowed not to support the APC governorship candidate in the state, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, noting that the candidate was a stooge of the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Specifically, at a media session he addressed in Abuja after the Ibadan peace meeting, the minister threatened that there would be no peace in the ruling APC, especially in Oyo chapter without restitution and justice due to what he ascribed to

injustice and unfairness that characterised the APC primaries in the state.

According to him, there will not be peace without restitution.

He said: "So, restitution should come before the reconciliation.

With this injustice, I will be a bastard to support the APC candidate in Oyo State in the next governorship election after I was defrauded out of the party’s primary election held last October."

In the case of Osun, the source said the APC leaders that defected to the Action Democratic Party (ADP) during the last Osun State governorship election, had not returned, a situation that could undermine the victory of APC in the state if the party leadership failed to bring them back before the 2019 general election.

governments are to build effective debt management institutions and facilitate the enactment of appropriate legislations on public debt management.

Borrowing is a beneficial fiscal tool for promoting growth and development. We know and have seen instances where the reverse is the case when debt becomes a burden,’’ she stressed.

The DMO chief executive

stated that the most vital benefit of the workshop on sub-national debt was that it would improve economic health and development in Nigeria.

Declaring the workshop open, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said borrowing was not bad, provided the money borrowed was used to provide basic infrastructure for the people.

Obaseki stressed that his state could still borrow if there was the need to do so, provided it is for the purpose of socio-economic and political advancement.

He disclosed that currently Edo State did not owe any commercial banks, adding that the state was borrowing to mobilise contractors and suppliers for more infrastructure.

Continued on page 83

36 STATES’ DEBT PROFILE DOUBLES OVER 4 YEARS jurisdictions.

Oniha said there was the need for governors and other public office holders to be diligent in spending government funds, asserting that public debt management was unique and dynamic, which made it imperative for the review of legal and institutional frameworks.

The director general explained that the workshop was targeted

at top policymakers in the states and the FCT to increase their awareness on the strategic importance of effective public debt management, and to solicit their support for actions, such as the enactment of laws and formulation of policies that are needed to ensure that public debt is sustainable. ‘’DMO in its capacity, manages the federal government’s debt,

while also collaborating with and having some over-sight duty in the borrowing activities of the state governments. It is within this role that the DMO is partnering with the 36 states, and the FCT for the purpose of enhancing debt management policies and practices at the sub-national level.

"DMO’s two aim for its activities with sub-national

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SUNDAY COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

BEYOND THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE Debates among political office seekers are healthy for the democratic process

T

he vice-presidential candidates of five political parties on Friday held a debate to persuade Nigerians on how to exercise their franchise in February next year. As positive a development as it was, the debate highlighted a number of issues that should be interrogated in our efforts to establish a functional democracy that delivers on public good.

Of the five candidates, only Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr. Peter Obi of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) displayed any real grasp of the developmental issues facing Nigeria. The other three vice-presidential candidates contributed little to the discourse and, in fact, were more of a distraction to what could have been a robust competition of ideas.

For many years, Nigerians have harped on the imperative of The value of such open debates that would debates include present the elevating national electorate with a discourse and rounded picture providing the public of the candidates with the opportunity contesting for to assess, first hand, the highest office in the land the depth, character, and their running mates.

The value of such debates knowledge, include elevating national comportment, discourse and providing temperament and the public with the opportusincerity of the nity to assess, first hand, the candidates depth, character, knowledge, comportment, temperament and sincerity of the candidates. The winners in these debates do not necessarily have to win the election but the polity would be enriched and better enlightened on the issues at stake.

As they therefore prepare for the presidential debate scheduled for 19thJanuary 2019, we commend the John Momoh-led Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) which organised the session in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and civil society organisations. But there are a number of lessons from the vice- presidential debate that should be addressed before the January 2019 presidential debate. For instance, the moderator needs to be more engaging and should endeavour to command the respect of both the candidates and the studio audience. There is also the nagging

Letters to the Editor

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question of whether to expand the number of presidential candidates in the debate.

Judging solely from the performance of the vice-presidential candidates, one is tempted to suggest that a smaller number of candidates should be invited to the debate. This will probably avail them more time to present their arguments, debate each other’s positions, and clearly delineate for the public where each candidate stands on the important developmental issues.

B

S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI 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 DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH, PATRICK EIMIUHI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

efore the Friday session, Mr. Patrick O. Okigbo III had argued that only three parties should be invited for the debates. He made a case that the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party should have automatic invitations as the two biggest parties in Nigeria while the other 29 political parties (with presidential candidates in the 2019 election) should participate in an online poll and the party that secures the highest number of votes should be given the third slot. Such a process, Okigbo reasoned, “would be an opportunity for the parties to sharpen their pitch and fire up the undecided voters who do not care much for either the APC or the PDP. Such a campaign for the ‘third slot’ could also be a back-channel way of building an effective ‘third force’”. Clearly, such limited number of parties will avail more time for the candidates to lay out their arguments and engage in a robust competition on ideas with the other contenders.

While it may be too late in the day to prune the list of the presidential candidates already invited for the January debate, this is a counsel that should be taken on board for consideration as the idea of debate takes root. One thing is for sure, excluding political no-hopers will provide more meaning for the sessions. In Nigeria, many of those who aspire to lead the people have always been shielded until they emerge in positions of power to display how ill-equipped and inappropriate they are to hold any office. Then an electorate that was indifferent to asking the uncomfortable questions begins to whine and grumble.

There are valuable lessons to draw from having this kind of debates between political office seekers, especially at the highest level of government in Nigeria. One, when people are involved in the entire process of selecting who governs them, such a system usually breeds accountability. Two, a process that involves rigorous interrogations will definitely bring out the best and worst of the candidates. Three, in this age of social media, claims can easily be verified so that the audience would know almost instantly those who are lying and those speaking the truth thus making it easy for the electorate to make informed and rational choices.

All said, Nigeria cannot continue to run a democracy of virtual silence or of limited spaces for rigorous debates on ideas as distinct from vacuous sentiments.

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

2019 Election: Character or Reputation?

ne of the hardest things to be in life is a leader. The fate of a leader is the fate of his people. If he leads a group of people in a society, or a large number of peoples in a country, the advantages and disadvantages of his decisions will be visited upon all his followers equally. Sadly, an irresponsible leader is often the least affected when the consequences of his actions come knocking in menacing forms.

Although anybody may desire to be a leader, it is, however, a truism that being a leader requires more than mere desires. While some are born with exceptional leadership abilities, some are trained to be a leader. While some become leaders by heirship, some leaders are elected. What's more, however, is the innate content of

a would-be leader. The innate content of a man is his character.

His character is distinct from his reputation. For reputation is most times a facade - a smokescreen created to conceal and deceive. But a person's character is internal and eternal.

From a personal viewpoint, the character of a leader-to-be should be an integral determinant before he is elected or chosen. For we can predict what a man would likely become when he becomes a leader if we know his character as a follower and an ordinary man.

For instance, a man who has little or no interest in reading cannot really be expected to develop an affinity for reading when he is chosen or elected to lead. In the same vein, a bigot is invariably a bigot during leadership. Likewise, an ethnic jingoist pre-leadership is an ethnic jingoist during leader-

ship. Worse still, an oppressor is an oppressor during leadership.

There is hardly a time when people outgrow their character when given power or elected to a position of power. In fact, the case is usually the unbridled manifestation of their innate self.

The mistake people make often is to evaluate a would-be leader, or anybody for that matter, on the basis of reputation - not character.

And unlike a person’s character, a person’s reputation is the most misleading basis for evaluation. A reputation can be easily created and doctored. A reputation is like an audience-specific movie; it is often created to appeal to people’s convictions, or as is usually the case in politics - public opinion.

While I understand that there are people who are truly deserving of their reputation, I must also mention that there are

more people whose reputations are ephemeral smokescreens. And that is why it always seems as though power changes people. That is untrue. Power does not change people. You just do not know them enough. Or, it is perhaps incredulous for you to see them in their distasteful and acerbic light - wicked and impassible. For when it seems as though leaders change after being elected or chosen to lead, the truth is that they were able to successfully hide their innate self behind the toga of the reputation that was created for them.

And that is why the place of character in choosing or electing a leader must be emphatically prioritised.

Do not get me wrong: the other things matter, too, when choosing or electing a leader. But it is more important to always remember that character is a foundational determinant. The character of the man will determine what his reign would look like. His character will determine his policy

direction and his cabinet. Just like no ideology is formed in isolation of its maker, no leader leads in isolation of his character. So when choosing or electing a leader, there can be no mistake in evaluating him for that which he aspires to become on the basis of his character.

What’s more, character is very contagious. That is why many leaders become utterly corrosive after being elected or chosen. And when leaders become corrosive, they destroy everything. From the very fabrics of their leadership to the audiences that they lead - nothing is spared in their self-invoked hurricane of destruction.

For instance, we have seen how the reign of a leader who was elected on the basis of reputation and not character utterly destroyed the fabrics of a nation’s leadership.

– Adebayo Raphael, National Secretary, OurMumuDonDo Movement, Abuja

˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 16, 2018

NEWS

Acting News Editor Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com, 08081986590

Atiku Chides Buhari, Osinbajo for Not Attending Slain Soldiers’ Burial

tCriticism is misplaced, says presidency Omololu Ogunmade and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy,

Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the burial of soldiers killed by Boko Haram in Metele, Borno State as ‘totally unacceptable’.

In a statement he personally signed yesterday, Atiku said it was even more painful, when the federal government refused to send a delegation

to represent it at the funeral.

He called on Buhari to learn from the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who on March 28, took a whole day off to attend the funeral of Lt. Col Arnaud Beltrame, who was killed by a terrorist after a March 24, 2018 terror attack on

the South of France.

The statement read: “Today, I saw the pictures of the funeral of the officers and men of the 157 Task Force battalion of the Nigerian Army based in Metele and who were killed

by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and my heart went out

WALK AGAINST INSURGENCY

L -R : President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou; President Muhammadu of Nigeria; Prime Minister, Cameroon, Philemon Yang and Chadian President, Idris Deby Itno at the extra ordinary meeting of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel , Abuja ...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

to the men, their families and to our entire armed forces.

May their souls rest in peace and may God grant their families fortitude at such a trying time.

“I am further pained that neither the president nor his deputy were in attendance at the funeral and that the federal government did not send a high-powered delegation to represent the government at the funeral.

“This is sad and totally unacceptable. This is beyond politics. This touches our shared humanity. What would it cost for the president to take a day and fulfill his role as head of state by attending the funeral of such men of honour and valour?

“The sad part of it is that a day before their funeral, President Muhammadu Buhari took time out of his busy schedule to host Nollywood stars at the Presidential Villa.

“I appreciate Nollywood and I have personally done a lot, both in my private capacity and when I was vice-president to promote that vitally important industry. However, it does not send a right message to the men and women, who are fighting for Nigeria if you can attend a get together of entertainers but, you cannot find the time to honour those who make the peace we are benefitting from possible.”

But a presidency source, who claimed he did not have

the approval to respond to Atiku, accused the PDP candidate of hypocrisy for criticising Buhari’s failure to attend the burial of the soldiers.

The source dismissed the claim of insensitivity by Atiku, saying the accusation was misplaced, because the president had already reacted to the tragedy and equally visited surviving troops in Maiduguri to boost their morale.

He recalled a similar development in 2001, when 19 soldiers were killed at the time Atiku was the vice-president, saying neither Atiku nor his boss visited the troops to commiserate with them.

He alleged that instead, their government ordered reprisals, which he said claimed many lives of civilians.

“We have read the hypocritical press release signed by Mr. Atiku Abubakar, accusing the government of Muhammadu Buhari of insensitivity by the failure of the President or the Vice President to attend the burial of the 19 military victims of Boko Haram.

“The loss of the gallant soldiers, as President Buhari has said, is a national loss, on account of which he went to Maiduguri, where he condoled the government and people of Borno State, addressed the troops at Maimalari Barracks as well as visited convalescing gallant soldiers.

Lagos Unveils Rapid Intervention Squad to Tackle Traffic Congestion GboyegaAkinsanmi The Lagos State Government at the weekend said it had designed a policy initiative christened Rapid Intervention Squad, which it said, would substantially help unlock traffic congestion in all innercity roads and highways in the state.

However, the state government lamented the worsening state of traffic congestion in Apapa Central Business District and its environs, noting that Apapa’s gridlock was indeed beyond what it could address alone.

The Commissioner for Transportation,Mr.LadiLawansonunveiled the initiative at a news conference he addressed in Alausa yesterday alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Salami and CEO of the State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Israel Ajao, among others.

At the conference, Lawanson explained the imperative of the Rapid Intervention Squad, noting that it was a new traffic control initiative designed to put an end to the intractable traffic congestion the state had been experiencing in the

recent time.

According to him, the new traffic control initiative largely requires deployment of motorbike; use of information technologies as well as the training of traffic officers to boost response to any part of the state, where traffic congestion becomes prevalent.

He acknowledged the enormity of the state’s traffic challenges, pointing out that there “are over two million vehicles in the state alone.

But the state has only 4,000 traffic officers to control and manage two million vehicles. Truly, the chal-

lenges are enormous, but we are coping.

On traffic congestion in other parts of the state, Lawanson pledged to deal ruthlessly with any motorists or individuals caught henceforth attacking officers of the LASTMA in order to prevent what result in the death of a LASTMA officer, Mr. Rotimi Adeyemo in Iyana Ipaja fortnight ago.

The commissioner noted that the killing of 18 LASTMA officers and permanent incapacitation of 24 others IN 2018 would no longer be tolerated, saying the state govern-

Road Accidents Claim 687 Falana Laments Rising Cases of Violence against Women in Four States SegunJames

John Shiklam in Kaduna A total of 759 people, including 72 officers and men of the Kaduna Zonal Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were killed in 717 accidents, involving 6,190 vehicles in the zone.

The Zonal Commanding Officer, Mr. Abayomi Omiyale gave the figure during a retreat organised for sector commanders in the zone in Kaduna. The zone comprises Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States.

During the retreat, the zonal commander noted that 687 deaths recorded in 2018 only represented a 16 per cent increase on the 583 deaths recorded in 2017.

He also disclosed that 72 officers of the FRSC in the zone were killed by reckless drivers and disobedient motorists while others were attacked for personal

reasons.

He said the accident figures represented 5.8 per cent reduction when compared to the 725 accidents, which the zone recorded in 2017.

Omiyale said, “Over the last one year, our patrol officers have been knocked down. Some were attacked or even shot, leading to the death of 72 patrol officers in the zone. Our vehicles and properties were also vandalised.

The zonal commander reeled out the statistics of the zone’s road accidents, noting that the number of those injured reduced from 3,144 persons in 2017 to 3,047 persons in 2018, representing a 3.0 per cent reduction.

He attributed the increasing number of deaths from road crashes in the zone to vehicle overloading, excessive speeding and reckless driving, among others.

TheFounderofWomenEmpowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs. Funmi Falana at the weekend lamented that the cases of abuse, molestation and rape of women in the country had been on the increase.

Falana made the remark at the publicpresentationofabook,Topical IssuesonWomen’sRightsinNigeria and the graduation of women from the WELA’s Skills Acquisition Empowerment Centre, held in Lagos.

Among others, the book presentation was graced by Deputy Managing Director of THISDAY Newspapers Group, Mr. Kayode Komolafe; former National Legal Adviser of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire.

Speaking after the book was unveiled, Falana said discrimination against women “is not right. There

has been an increase in the cases of rape and the abuse of women in the country,eventheunderage!

“Every day, we receive reports of underage girls that are being abused, molested and raped. There are occasions where step fathers abused their step children. We have seen instances where biological fathers raped their ownchildren.Thismuststop.

“Sometimes when women comes outtomakesuchreportandwewant to take it up, they come back to start begging. They do not want to make a case of it. In fact, some are afraid to speak out. Not because of anything, but because they do not want to get outofthemarriage.

“Even though they are not happy in the marriage, they want to remain in it. Most times, some of them remain there and die in the process. That is why we have the cases of the woman that killed the husband and the husband that killed his wife.”

ment would not fold its hand and allow its officers to be killed and dehumanized by the public.

He, therefore, appealed to the motoring public that LASTMA was created and empowered by law to ‘control and manage vehicular traffic flowintheState.

“One is therefore at a loss as to why our officers and men, employed to safeguard members of the public are always attacked by the same members of the public whose interest they arepromotingandprotecting.

“For instance, we have, this year alone, lost 18 Officers in various

accidents while 24 are permanently incapacitated due to hit and run accidents and violent attack. The public should realize that these officers are parents,uncles,sisters,brothers,nieces andindeedchildrenofotherpeople.

“The officer cadre of LASTMA is peopled by highly educated and dedicated men and women who should not be seen as neverdo-wells because they control traffic and are in uniform. They are not only well trained but are prepared as leaders who can rise to the very top of the Agency and head same with time.

Ambode Urges Civil Servants to Adopt Strategic Plans Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has canvassed the need for civil servants to adopt effective strategic plans as it will lead to better performance and increase productivity.

The governor, who spoke at a two-day training for top civil servants in Ikeja at the weekend emphasised that strategic plans must be articulated in a manner such that operational and tactical decision-making can follow suit.

According to him, the leading strategist must count on the employees or members of the organization to make sound tactical and operational decisions that were aligned with the desired strategic direction.

Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke, said to ensure that these decisions were well made, the articulated

strategic direction and strategic plans must be applicable and clearly related to the issues that people face.

“An effective strategy allows flexibility so that the direction of the organization can be adapted to changing circumstances. A rigid strategic direction seldom turns out to have been the best course of action. To assure that your organisation is nimble and able to react to changes, it is essential that your strategy is flexible and adaptable.

“As a strategist, you will count on timely and accurate information about prevailing relevant conditions. It is essential to build and employ effective mechanisms for observing and listening to what is going on in the environment.

Real-time information, in turn, must feed on-going strategic and operational shifts and deployments,” he explained.

˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

OPINION Managing Recovered Assets For Development Anticorruption reforms must do more to demonstrate the connection between successful measures and the achievement of development, writes Matthew Ayibakuro

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igeria joined about 185 other countries around the globe to mark World Anticorruption Day. The commemoration provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of corruption and advocate for the intensification of anticorruption efforts It has been 15 years since the United Nations Convention Against Corruption was adopted. It is critical that stakeholders use the occasion of the World Anticorruption Day to reflect on the progress made and challenges faced thus far, with a view to determining the best approach going forward.

In Nigeria, government and civil society stakeholders have, in collaboration with international partners, put in place an everincreasing number of institutions and mechanisms to address corruption, especially since the return to democracy in 1999.

There is reasonable consensus that progress has been negligible.

Only a minute number of high profile politicians have been successfully prosecuted. Worse still, most of the prosecutions have been tainted with obvious political motivations, whilst others have been in court for unduly long period of time. Legal and institutional mechanisms put in place to engender transparency and accountability are also often violated or disregarded without consequences.

The failure of these formal and institutional mechanisms has led reformers to focus, in recent times, on bottom up, citizendriven mechanisms to address corruption. The central objective of such mechanisms is to explore ways of changing individual behaviour and social norms to increasingly disapprove of corruption and take action against corruption systems and officials. It calls for collective action solutions and multi-stakeholder reform mechanisms.

It is in this light that the theme of “United Against Corruption for Development, Peace and Security” is both timely and reflects the progressive direction of anticorruption reforms. For the prospects in this area to be realised however, there is one factor that is fundamental: the rationalisation of anticorruption efforts. Galvanising citizens to take action against corruption must go beyond simply raising awareness on the negative effects of corruption or encouraging individuals and groups to resist corruption. The benefits of taking such action must be

demonstrated.

Citizens are most likely to modify their behaviour if they see and experience the tangible benefits of such behaviour modification.

Anticorruption reforms – both in government and civil society – must do more to demonstrate the connection between successful anticorruption measures and the achievement of development, peace and security in society.

A low-hanging fruit where this connection can be easily manifested is in the area of asset recovery. Recovered assets are direct yields of the process of anticorruption and through the proper management of these resources to address challenges of development, the faith of citizens in anticorruption can be restored.

Similarly, this can serve as a pragmatic tool for galvanising further action to address corruption.

It is in the light of this that the decision of the Nigerian government to utilise the $322.5 million recovered from Switzerland to fund direct cash transfers to the poorest Nigerians is commendable.

The next critical phase of this is to ensure that the disbursement of the funds is done in a transparent and accountable manner and that the intended beneficiaries are reached. To achieve this, civil society organisations in Nigeria, led by the Africa Network

It is of little use to citizens that countries go up or down in corruption perception indexes, or that a government institutes countless anticorruption measures or prosecutions, if they do not see and experience the benefits of these in development terms

for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), is providing independent third-party monitoring of the use of the funds through the Monitoring of Recovered Assets Through Transparency and Accountability (MANTRA) Project.

In addition to checking the data and systems of the relevant government institutions, it is rather fortuitous that in the week of this year’s World Anticorruption Day, monitors under the MANTRA Project are in the field across Nigeria conducting beneficiary interviews of the cash transfer programme. The ultimate object of the process is to ensure that recovered assets are properly managed to meet the country’s most pressing development challenges.

For countries facing similar challenges of insecurity, infrastructural and human development deficits like Nigeria, corruption continues to be a fundamental impediment to development.

For sustainable progress to be made in dealing with corruption, especially in terms of galvanising citizens to stand united against corruption, it is imperative for anticorruption efforts to show a clear and tangible relationship to tackling such development challenges.

It is of little use to citizens that countries go up or down in corruption perception indexes, or that a government institutes countless anticorruption measures or prosecutions, if they do not see and experience the benefits of these in development terms.

This is a disconnect that needs to be addressed urgently.

Whilst the decision of the Nigerian government referenced above is a good start, that is all it is for now, “a good start”.

There are recoveries from the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions and especially recoveries from corrupt officials within Nigeria, the use of which remains unclear. More has to be done in terms of transparency and accountability throughout the chain of the asset recovery process from forfeiture to management to budgeting and on to expenditure and review.

Going forward, as we reflect on our anticorruption journey on this significant day, the significance of determining the developmental worth of our diverse anticorruption efforts should not be taken for granted. It is only by doing so that we can easily pass the critical messages for days like this in practical and relatable context: if we stand together against corruption, we can achieve development, peace and security in our respective societies.

–––Dr. Matthew is ANEEJ research & policy director

Fixing Crude Oil Refining Business in Nigeria Chijioke Nwaozuzu writes that overhauling the refining business entails some challenges

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he issue of deregulation of petrol (PMS) price has been a contentious issue for over two decades, as well as the deregulation of the refining business in Nigeria.

However, we need to be clear on what the challenges are and how we go about deregulating the entire downstream petroleum sector.

Deregulation and liberalization of this sector mean different things. Lifting price and supply controls and constraints constitute liberalization of the sector, not full deregulation.

However, full deregulation of the sector will entail privatization of the government refineries, pipelines, product depots, loading and discharge terminals for crude oil and products, jetties, etc. Privatizing some of these supply and distribution infrastructure may have severe national security implications Deregulating the price of petrol will not automatically eradicate the shame of fuels importation into Nigeria. The exercise will only generate extra funds for the government which, if care is not taken, will likely be frittered away so long as it is shared by the three tiers of government.

The alternative would be to dedicate the entire revenue to major infrastructure development under a strengthened SURE-P Agency with competent management or subordinate the revenue under the Sovereign Wealth Fund for the same purpose.

The next issue will be a forensic analysis of the demand and supply situation with petroleum products in Nigeria, so we can determine the extent of refining capacity needed to bridge the supply gap.

Currently, we have a name-plate refining capacity of 445,000 barrels per day (bpd). As at 2016, the average capacity utilization for all three refineries was about 13.7%, which dropped to 6.1% by the end of September 2017. Hence, the experienced fuel shortages and resulting massive imports!

However, the GMD of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru has assured that the refineries will achieve an average refining capacity utilization level of at least 90% by the end of 2019. Considering that the newest refinery (the new Port Harcourt refinery) is 30 years old, it is unlikely that such a huge leap could be achieved in such a short time!

According to Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) figures, Nigeria’s daily consumption of fuels as at early 2012 was as follows: 32 ml / day of petrol, 5.2 ml / day of kerosene, and 4.1 ml / day of diesel. The difference between what our refineries produce and these consumption statistics should constitute our daily imports. The unprocessed portion of the 445,000 bpd is supposed

to be swapped for petrol by the Pipelines & Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the National Oil Corporation.

At another end, the Petroleum Products Pricing & Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) used to issue petrol import licenses to selected marketers. What is not certain is how both agencies had reconciled the volumes of petrol they each import. It is against this background that the servicing of our existing refineries is welcome news. However, let us not be overly sanguine yet. Here is why!

In the most unlikely event that the recent turn-around maintenance of the refineries will deliver 90% capacity utilization (about 400,000 barrel per day), this will translate to about 20 ml / day of petrol, 8 ml/ day of kerosene, and 13 ml / day of diesel. The implication is that we will still be short of petrol. The fact is that even with a full rehabilitation of all the national refineries (which may take about three years to achieve) we are unlikely to achieve 90% capacity utilization considering the age of the refineries. The most we could possibly hope for is about an average capacity utilization of 60% ‘tops’!

To achieve self-sufficiency in the short term and provide for smuggled or diverted fuels, Nigeria needs a minimum refining capacity of 750,000 barrels per day. To produce surplus fuels for export, Nigeria will require at least one million barrels per day refining capacity. This will enable us to produce about 56 ml/ day of petrol, 19 ml/ day of kerosene, and 41 ml/ day of diesel.

This is achievable, considering that a private firm JAMNAGAR (RELIANCE) REFINERY INDIA has a total refining capacity of one million, two hundred thousand barrels per day.

Achieving these refining capacity targets would involve the construction of large-scale (100,000 bpd and above), medium-scale (40,000 to 99,000 bpd) and smaller-scale refineries (1,000 to 39,000 bpd). Smaller refineries could be in a modular format.

Government will have to be involved in the construction of the larger- scale refineries, at least at the earlier stages. This is because of the capital intensity of such plants and the need for ensuring investors’ confidence. For instance, the capital outlay for a 100,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery is roughly $2.5 billion, while a 24,000 bpd modular refinery is about $250m (based on a feasibility study I carried out for a firm).

Therefore, it is easier for private firms to access funds for the modular refining units (through for instance US Ex-IM Bank) than funding the medium-scale to larger-scale refineries. The manufacturing timescale for plant, equipment and machinery for

a plant of 100,000 bpd capacity is within the range of three-four years. Start-up for modular refineries of 24,000 bpd capacities is within a timeframe of 20-24 months.

The modular system allows the plant to be expanded to 100,000 bpd capacity in structured increments (say five modules of 20kbpd each) should the refiner choose to do so. The increments can be funded with the cash flows from phase one and additional phases, and so the refinery will not incur additional debt for expansion after the first unit is installed. Unlike big capacity refineries, capacity expansion for modular plants can be done without shutting down production from existing modular equipment and plant. Revenue streams and pay-back periods are faster with the modular refining format, than with the larger capacity refineries.

The major short-coming with the modular format is that the plants are semi-automated or fully automated and therefore less labour-intensive, i.e. not many jobs can be created directly. For instance, 20 to 30 personnel can operate a 24,000 bpd modular refinery. Most of the spin-off jobs created are of a secondary nature, and are based around the location of the refinery, e.g. transportation, schools, hospitals, shops, restaurants, etc.

To sum up, modular refineries are simple, efficient and fast to start up. Such refineries usually operate at optimal capacity at all times. The relatively small investment cost allows for private investors to enter the refining business much easier. It also enables government to build the bigger capacity refineries using the modular format, but in incremental stages. However, government- built modular refineries should have full conversion facilities (i.e. catalytic reformers and naphtha hydro-treaters) to enable the refineries produce sufficient petrol.

However, it is unlikely that smaller modular refineries will bring about sufficient refining capacity additions. Perhaps, it may contribute 100,000 bpd at the most, given the paucity of funds.

Large-scale Greenfield refineries will still be needed. To achieve this it would seem that the Nigerian government (through its petroleum agency - Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has to partner with the Chinese government (through its petroleum agencies- e.g. Chinese National Petroleum Company, CNPC). Why? ––Prof Nwaozuzu is Deputy-Director at Emerald Energy Institute (for Energy & Petroleum Economics, Policy, & Strategic Studies), University of Port Harcourt

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

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LETTERS FCTA And District Development

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t would be recalled that the incumbent FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello came on board as Minister to bear the burden of negligence of some of his predecessors in the vital area of infrastructure developments.

Plots in such popular districts as Durumi, Wuye, Jahi, Katampe, Ketti, Wumba and so on had been delineated and fully allocated without a hoot about infrastructure. The result was that individuals and corporate institutions had land titles but could not develop them, not necessarily because they didn’t have money but due to the absence of infrastructure in these districts. In some other areas, houses were fully built up, with the absence of infrastructure.

But the FCT Minister, unlike his predecessors who allocated different sizes of plots of land with reckless abandon, made it very clear that he would not allocate any land without adequate consideration for infrastructure provision. This decision was also influenced by the myriads of problems confronting land administration including issues

FCT Minister, Musa Bello

of double and multiple allocations which had lingered for more than 10 years.

Bello felt it was necessary to promptly address the appeals and petitions from the public to put an end to injustice and impunity in FCT land

administration. This necessitated the establishment of a 10-Member Land Appeals and Petitions Committee in order to institutionalise machinery for quick dispensation of justice on all land appeals and petitions in Abuja.

A 12-member FCT

Land Use and Allocation Committee (LUAC) was also set up in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978, in order to ensure that due process is followed in land administration and to improve the ease of doing business as directed by the federal government.

Today, the story is different in the FCT as the present minister has been able to reverse the unsavoury trend of allocation of plots without consideration for infrastructure by upping the momentum for standard engineering infrastructure provision in the nation’s capital.

The creation of four new districts has given hope and optimism to many Nigerians who otherwise appeared hopeless over the prospect of owning their own houses in Abuja in areas serviced with infrastructure.

According to the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) the four new districts of Mamusa North, Mamusa East, Parfun North and Parfun South have been designed to provide a total of 5,000 plots for residential, commercial

Nigeria And The Path of Perdition

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efore the white people came to Nigeria, the peoples of Nigeria had their different types of pre-colonial governments, which guaranteed peaceful co-existence among them. For example, in the North, we had the Emirate system; and in the West, the Obaship. The Igbo people of the South East of Nigeria, who are republican in nature, had acephalous political organizations. But, till now, the towns in Igboland are ruled by Obis, Ezes, and Igwes.

However, it is an incontestable fact that western imperialism truncated the evolutionary growth of our pre-colonial governments.

But, now, our traditional modes of leadership still exist alongside representative government with democratic governance overriding the powers of the ruling monarchs and traditional institutions.

It’s the British colonizers who brought western democracy to us with its major characteristic feature of periodic election to guarantee seamless transfer of political power from one person or political party to another. Election, as we all know, is a necessary and periodic ritual, which presages and facilitates the change of leadership in a country so as to confer political legitimacy on incoming political leaders.

However, dating back to the post-colonial Nigeria,

starting from 1960, electoral crises have become major features of our national life.

Since Nigerian politicians perceive their occupation of exalted political offices as opportunities to amass wealth, they will employ underhand and sinister means to subvert the electoral processes in order to win elections. Consequently, electoral malpractice has become part of our democratic ethos. However, their involvement in electoral malpractices had caused political chaos and troubles in Nigeria, which brought our country to the precipice on many occasions.

For example, in the 1960s, the Chief Awolowo and Akintola political feud cum personality clash snowballed into a major political crisis, which was one of the reasons for the military incursion into our politics in the first republic.

The events of that period, including the massacre of the Igbo people in the North led to the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. Millions of human lives were lost; and our infrastructure destroyed.

Luckily, Nigeria emerged from that gratuitous civil war not dismembered.

So, we had the military interregnum between 1967 and 1979. But the military struck again to bring to an end the second republic.

Their reason for staging the coup was to save Nigeria from implosion as the 1983 elections were marked and marred by electoral rigging

and infractions. And in the aftermath of the election, tension was mounting in the country. Perhaps, the soldiers’ reason for truncating the second republic was justified.

Then, Nigeria experienced successive military governments. But they wound back the development of our country by decades.

While Gen. Babangida (rd) institutionalized and entrenched corruption in our body politic, as well as annulled the 1993 Presidential election, which was adjudged the freest and fairest in our political annals, Sani Abacha, a maximum ruler, stole Nigeria blind, and killed many members of NADECO, an opposition group.

But, thankfully, democracy birthed in Nigeria again in 1999. And, since then, Nigeria has been practising democratic governance for 19 unbroken years with one political party handing over power to another. And against all expectations, our country has not descended into a fratricidal civil war.

Rather, our democracy is deepening and taking firm roots.

Now, APC, which is believed to be the political party of progressive-minded people, is the ruling political in Nigeria. And President Buhari ,who is at the helm came to power on the coattail of his ascetic nature, perceived probity, aversion to corruption, and burning zeal for political leadership.

But he has squandered our collective goodwill owing to his clannishness, tardiness, cluelessness, religious bigotry, ethnic jingoism, and maladministration.

Today, the gale of defection is sweeping across the political landscape of Nigeria. And APC is not spared by the defection scourge. The ruling APC has suffered mass defection with some top members of the party pitching tent with the major opposition party in Nigeria, the PDP. The depletion of its ranks is a portent of doom for it.

In addition to this, countless Nigerians are agreed on the verifiable fact that President Buhari is a sectional leader, who sets store by religion and ethnicity. And that will not bode well for his reelection bid. His religious bigotry, ethnic jingoism, nepotistic proclivities, and clannish characteristic are evidenced in his appointments of northern Muslims into the security apparatchiks in Nigeria. Not surprisingly, the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast has been suffering upsets.

And his fight against corruption is a witch-hunt of members of the opposition political party. So, has the ruling APC gone for broke in order to retain political power at the centre?

–Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State

purposes as well as public institutions. The design of the new districts are said to have been deliberately made to ensure expansion and opening up of planned districts contiguous to the already designed and detailed districts in accordance with the phased programme of the Abuja Master Plan implementation. It is also based on the neighbourhood concept of various densities of high, medium and low.

The Executive Secretary further disclosed that out of this number of plots, Mamusa North will generate 1,404; Mamusa East, 1,313; Parfun North,1,156, while Parfun South will provide 1,204. These four new districts will provide a total of 4,818 residential plots; 117 commercial plots, 42 for public institutions, 34 religious institutions, 41 green area (open space/ recreational) while education and agriculture have 19 and two respectively.

The Department of Survey and Mapping is presently undertaking a detailed surveying work of the four districts in order to make them available for allocation. Accordingly, plots generated will also be used to address cases of double/ multiple land allocations that this government inherited.

Tribute must therefore be made to the FCT Administration for creating these new districts to meet the ever increasing demand for plots of land in

Abuja. The FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello must also be commended for repositioning the Land Use and Allocation Committee (LUAC) which has been strengthened and allowed to function without influence, thereby making objective and transparent resolution of knotty issues.

As a result of the changes made, all stakeholder technical departments are all members of LUAC, thus creating uncommon synergy since all matters pertaining to land pass through LUAC. Also worthy of mention is the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism which has been institutionalized to reduce land related court cases, which used to be the order of the day in the FCT. As a result of Malam Bello’s policies and programmes in the last three years, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been witnessing unbundling in an unprecedented manner with investment opportunities blossoming like May flower, thereby making the city unarguably Africa’s fastest growing federal capital territory.

Bello’s amazing transformation via massive private capital injection into FCT has also brought about many other quick wins such as the light railway scheme and the laudable Nigeria/ Korea Model School.

––Danladi Akilu, Durumi II, Gudu District, Abuja

Gombe Is At a Crossroads

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ince 2003, the “Jewel in the Savannah” has been fortunate to be having progressives as its governors.

Hence the reason why more than any other state in the northeast region, Gombe State has witnessed tremendous development especially in terms of infrastructure. There is no gainsaying therefore that the 2019 gubernatorial election in Gombe State is important for the mere fact that its outcome can either reassure of the continuous growth of the state or give conflicting signals of uncertainty and thus bring forth a bleak future.

The results of parties` primary elections held few months ago showed that Gombawa will on 2nd March next year choose between Muhammad Inuwa Yahya (APC) - who is not only familiar with business paths but also quite conversant with the challenges of governance and Usman Bayero Nafada (PDP) - who has carved a niche in legislation. This two candidates are the major contenders in the race to Gombe government house.

Inuwa, as a business man, handles the baton of success having reached an appreciable

height in the quest for wealth.

And in public service, he was commissioner for finance for about seven years during the Danjuma Goje administration.

This is the third time he is vying for the governorship position of Gombe State.

Yahya is known for financial prudence and respect for everyone.

Bayero, an accountant by training, has worked and walked in the legislature.

He was at several times a Speaker at the Gombe State House of Assembly, Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and now a member of the Nigerian Senate. He is also taking a shot at the Gombe government house for the third time.

Given the profiles of the duo, it is indubitable that for Gombe State, these are some of the times when a people are faced with the reality of making an important decision.

They have to make a wise decision between the two gubernatorial aspirants in the elections slated for early next as their voting pattern will have direct bearing on all the events that will unfold in the state up till 2023.

––Mukhtar Jarmajo, Bauchi

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˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2018

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

Lawal

Abiodun

Olowu

Ali

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XIV) With an unending controversy over the unsigned Electoral Act Amendment Bill, a peace pact by all stakeholders and a vice-presidential debate dominated by the two candidates of the APC and the PDP ending the week, an otherwise drab 2019 electioneering received some rejuvenation last week, writesOlawale Olaleye

I

t was not stunning anymore that the leading political parties in the country – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – have not ceased to throw jabs at each other. This is because when the stakes are measured, it would not be surprising either that theirs would be higher.

While APC accused the PDP of recruiting some Russian hackers to manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s data base if the bill allowing electronic transfer of result was signed into law, the PDP alleged that the APC and Presidency had directed the INEC to open phony voting centres on the fringes of the desert, where results would be padded in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.

But not wanting to be dragged into their dirty fighting, INEC had quickly come out to deny any such thing, describing the allegations as distasteful and regretted that the parties could deliberately embark on peddling complete falsehood about the commission, with the sole intent of discrediting all the good efforts being put in place to ensure a credible 2019 general election. On a positive note, INEC said it was already working out a framework that would enable people in the IDPs vote.

However, the process for next year’s elections received some positive boost when all intending candidates were made to sign a peace pact. A similar peace deal was struck during the last election and so, it was natural that it becomes a part of the nation’s electoral culture. That, unfortunately, landed in the midst of the Olusegun Obasanjo/Muhammadu Buhari

diatribe.

The former president had dismissed reports that he had not made up his mind on who to support, saying it was foolish to sit on the fence. The APC quickly came after him and said his candidate would be defeated, regardless. This is as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) denied ever endorsing Buhari. It was a bag of confusion in which the system was thrown.

Even then, states with peculiar challenges still gave reasons why they remain flashpoints to watch. So, who did what last week?

ZAMFARA Finding Its Voice After many weeks of maintaining an unusual silence over the state of things, Zamfara, Governor, Abdulaziz Yari last week found its voice, when prodemocracy activists in the state, under the aegis of the Zamfara Unity Forum, called on President Buhari, to warn the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to steer clear of the politics of the state in order to avert a major crisis.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by Usman Bungudu, the convener of the forum, the activists alleged that the anti-graft body has been contracted by politicians to intimidate and humiliate Mallam Daudu Lawal, whom the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had nominated as the consensus governorship candidate of the party.

In yet another breath, the state governor, Abdul-Aziz Yari, was the one who told the world that President Buhari shared with them the fact that the economy was in a mess. Needless to say that Zamfara has not been easy since the bungled party primary and with an

overwhelming uncertainty. The state is definitely a flashpoint with all the trappings of worry.

OGUN Waiting for the Dirty Fight It was not surprising that the peace and reconciliation committee of the APC could not achieve much. Perhaps, the state of affairs in the party had gone beyond that especially if placed side-by-side the factor of time. However, what is certain as Ogun counts down to 2019 is the likely resort to dirty fighting, this time not one based on lies or propaganda.

There is simmering speculation that the candidate of APC in the state, Mr. Dapo Abiodun may not have served the mandatory one year national youth service, a development said to have since unsettled his camp. Abiodun, who was said to have initially filled his form with eye-popping resume, was said to have withdrawn his initial claims and merely filled WAEC for safety.

Unfortunately for him, the opposition in the state had already gotten wind of the situation and is fast feasting on it. In fact, opposition is of the belief that there is no way he would wriggle out of the messy situation, even though the Abiodun camp has carried on as if all was well.

Meanwhile, Governor Ibikunle Amosun was with the president in the week but no one knew why or what they discussed. However, the governor is believed to be confident about next year’s election, not because of his closeness to the president but his popularity and performance. Well, whatever it is, he

has a chance to prove this in 2019. But certainly, Ogun will be interesting.

LAGOS Still Living in Fear There is a pall of uncertainty hovering round the frame of the ruling APC in the state. For a majority of the members, there is a sprawling feeling that some members of the party would sell out. Although they tried to pretend that the resignation and joining of the PDP of a commissioner, Olawale Olowu, last week was no big deal, the fear that some more would follow suit is gripping the party.

Perhaps, it is this situation that is emboldening the PDP candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who has continued to call out his APC counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at every opportunity.

Agbaje said last week that the APC was so worried that it threatened the business community not to donate to his campaign.

He has promised to free Lagos from Tinubu and would stop at nothing to get this done. But guess what? SanwoOlu does not appear ruffled. Whether or not he is feigning such a demeanor or it was informed by the reality on the ground, only time will tell.

KADUNA An Evolving Politics of Threats The place of Kaduna in next year’s election is not in doubt. Violence is likely and surprises too. Nothing however confirms the former than a recent allegation by a House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yusuf Ali, who urged a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja not to transfer his petition challenging the outcome of the party’s primary election in

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DECEMBER 16, 2018 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XIV) Kaduna South Federal Constituency to the Kaduna division of the Federal High Court over alleged threat to his life.

Ali, who contested to represent Kaduna South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is alleging that the primary election that produced Mukhtar Ahmed Monrovia as candidate of APC in the 2019 election was fraught with irregularities.

But the APC had submitted the name of Mukhtar Monrovia to INEC as the candidate of the party instead of the name of the plaintiff.

But seriously, such a situation should elicit concern and intervention as it just might be a signpost of what to come.

Clearly, Kaduna is a flashpoint of note.

RIVERS A Recycling Uncertainty Wednesday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which confirmed that the APC in Rivers State would not field any candidates during next year’s elections, is the one issue that has refused to go away, even when the elections are a few months from now. The court did this by dismissing the appeal filed by the APC governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Tonye Cole.

The Court also confirmed the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu that Rivers State APC had no ward, local government and State Executives, dismissing the appeal filed by Sacked Rivers State APC State Chairman, Mr. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree. The Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division Special Panel Chaired by Justice Abubakar Yahaya dismissed the two appeals for lack of merit.

Interestingly, leaders of the APC are not worried. For them, the ruling has no effect on the election of Cole conducted by a delegation of national panel of the APC. Yet, there is a recycling uncertainty hovering over the state. Rivers would be interesting to watch.

ONDO A Curious Consolidation There is no pretending about the crisis in Ondo State and this owed solely to the party primary, which stylishly pushed out the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu. Since then, there have been allegations of anti-party against the governor as he was believed to have encouraged his loyalists to defect to other parties in the bid to realize their ambitions.

Yet, the governor has a responsibility to deliver the president and so, the need for consolidation to see this happen. It was therefore seen in same light, his recent appointment of 18 caretaker committees for the councils in the state. At that level, mobilisation is easy and so, the governor appears to have his game intact. Whether or not he is engaging in anti-party, the state of the APC in many states is being jocularly dismissed as supporting such.

SOKOTO APC’s Endless Chase Many still find it curious that the APC is yet to get over the fact that the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal is no longer a member of their party and is therefore doing everything humanly possible to tackle and bring him down.

The APC, Wednesday, asked the Supreme Court to sack Tambuwal on the grounds that the election that produced him as the party’s candidate

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, read Danmazari’s defection letter Tuesday morning when plenary resumed and the lawmaker announced in his letter that he was now a card carrying member of the PDP. Although Katsina is ever considered safe for the president, much as some have argued that the governor of the state, Aminu Masari has continued to hide behind Buhari’s figure to cover up his poor performance, that such a move was mooted in Buhari’s homestead is enough reason to ponder over it.

AKWA IBOM Running Neck-and-Neck Abe

Akeredolu

Shittu

Bello

in 2014 was marred with irregularities.

What a way to go!

Counsel to the APC, Abduganiyu Arobo, in a new twist to the appeal seeking the removal of Tambuwal for not being the lawful candidate of the party, conceded to the appeal filed by Senator Umaru Dahiru to get judgment entered in favour of the appellant.

However, there is just one takeaway from this chase; it is a defeatist game, which unfortunately, could only make the governor stronger. Maybe the APC should review its strategy.

Well, that is a deviation from the staggering confusion that is gradually taking over the polity. It is therefore one initiative that is worthy of emulation by other forward-looking states.

This shows the governor is not oblivious of what 2019 has in stock for the state.

OYO The Chicken is Home to Roost Another state that should interest and excite many observers is Oyo State.

The recent pronouncement by the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu that he would not campaign for candidate of the party is a confession that should be taken seriously. This is the same situation in Ogun, Imo and several other states.

Shittu is bitter, no doubt, and justifiably so. And if they think he has no power to muster any force, well, he might as well be that proverbial leper, who could undo a collective effort without batting an eyelid. Oyo is just another state where genuine reconciliation appears impossible.

NIGER A Move in the Right Direction Despite its own challenges too, which is not far from what is obtainable in states with post-primary crisis, Niger is looking in some other productive direction ahead of the 2019 elections.

The State government recently outlawed thuggery and the carrying of any form of firearms and other dangerous weapons including the consumption of intoxicants at campaign venues.

Titled: ‘A law to prohibit thuggery, use of intoxicants and for matters connected thereto 2018’ the legislation has been signed into law by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

EKITI Closing the Gaps One thing the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has proven with his election is that truly, failure could be an opportunity to begin again even more intelligently.

However, it is for whoever can identify it as such. The first leg of Fayemi’s pending victory, which was a court dismissing a suit challenging his eligibility, cannot be overemphasised in the context of what is obtainable today in the state.

In addition to this, however, no fewer than 500 political appointees and elected officials believed to be loyal to former governor Ayodele Fayose, reportedly defected to the APC last week. The defectors, according to reports, were serving and former local government elected and appointed political officials under Fayose between 2003-2006 and 2014-2018.

Fayemi is fast closing the gaps and upping the ante with the kind of finesse missing in Fayose’s era.

Sustainability is the word to watch out for though.

The political atmosphere in Akwa Ibom has been tense since the failed move to impeach the governor, Udom Emmanuel. That development, however, seemed to have also opened up the state for some hot and engaging campaigns between the two leading parties – PDP and APC. Recently, the two parties battled over alleged defection of APC members, numbering about 20,000 to the PDP. And in the midst of these, the two candidates had taken out time to sell their policies.

Meanwhile a momentum gathered last week, when the state government raised the alarm over plot to implicate key aides of the governor as cultists.

The plot was alleged to be spearheaded by a top ranking PDP member, who joined the APC recently. Whatever it is, Akwa Ibom is a battleground in 2019 and both parties would throw in their all in the pending fight to the finish.

Situating the Presidential Run

A

leg of the presidential debate, which sampled the ideas of potential vicepresidential candidates, was the highpoint of the presidential campaigns last week, as VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo and Mr. Peter Obi dominated the space and slugged it out real good.

Although the sack of Mr. Donald Duke by a court as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a low point, it didn’t quite change the other debates that followed the main debate, which is still very much topical.

Certainly, the good showing of Osinbajo and Obi had wetted the appetite of people on what to expect, when Buhari, Atiku and others would take on one another.

KATSINA A Shake-up in Buhari’s Homestead?

In what may ordinarily appear impossible, there was a mild shakeup in the homestead of President Muhammadu Buhari, when a lawmaker from Katsina State, Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Danmazari, defected from the APC to opposition PDP. Danmazari is representing Musawa/Matazu federal constituency of Katsina State.

Duke

20

˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

21

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BUSINESS

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An oil depot

Fuel Scarcity, a Cyclical Event, Loiters Again Chineme Okafor writes that the unresolved quarrel over subsidy claims between the government and oil marketers do not bode well for Nigerians especially now

T

he federal government and oil marketers are again at each other’s throats over unpaid monies for subsidy on petrol supplied to the country by the marketers.

This is however happening as Nigerians prepare for a lengthy end of year celebration.

Oil marketers under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) recently showed their willingness to shut down operations, and deny Nigerians sufficient supply of petroleum products, especially petrol, because the federal government owed them huge sums of money.

In their warning note to the country, they asked their members to shut down all depots in the country to protest the government’s failure to pay them outstanding subsidy claims they said was up to N800 billion.

DAPPMAN’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, had in a statement he sent out, denied his association signed an agreement with the government that the debt would be cleared.

He also stated they would go ahead with their planned seven-day warning strike to press home their demand. “Premised on our inability to pay December salaries and to avoid owing staff for work done without any hope of pay, it is hereby agreed, since our staff have been disengaged, all DAPPMAN member depots are not in a position to operate hence will shut down all loading operations at midnight, Sunday, December 9, 2018 until the federal government pays our calculated claims. “This decision is binding on all members of the association and full compliance is expected from every member company of the association.

The association shall revert in the same vein with any other directives as might be deemed

necessary,� said Adewole, in the statement.

Clarifying the position of the association on the development, or rather its choice of a strike, he stated that it took the bold step to stop the financial haemorrhage of its members, which arose from the federal government’s failure to pay its members’ outstanding subsidy claims.

According to him, “As you are aware, the association reviewed the suspension of the ultimatum given to the federal government on December 25, 2017, which was suspended due to the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians and the federal government’s promise to immediately pay marketers the outstanding subsidy-induced debts. “Unfortunately as at today, and almost 12 months to the date, all we got so far are invitations to meetings and dialogues which have so far not stopped the daily increasing interest on these debts (which are owed to banks, AMCON, PPPRA, and PEF(M)B) and FIRS) and which, also has not manifested as credit to marketers.�

He thus noted that the strike was more of the last option for the marketers to get the government to pay them. But, at that, the government and indeed Nigerians considered the timing of the strike rather dishonest and deliberately planned to disrupt citizens’ end of year celebrations.

The Claims Because Nigeria imports most of the petrol used to run her domestic economy, it thus relies on oil marketers to do the importation, sell at government-fixed pump price per litre and then pay off the differential in the market and government rates.

This practice had become traditional in the country’s downstream petroleum sector, and in the recent past, government accumulated a lot of debts, subsidising the imported petrol so citizens can enjoy cheap petrol at its regulated

pump price. But it also came with heavy financial debts to the oil marketers, who participated in the importation, but reportedly didn’t get paid the differences, hence, the accumulated debt.

Notwithstanding, President Muhammadu Buhari in March wrote to the National Assembly to approve for the government to issue promissory notes to offset the inherited local debts to the marketers, and the Senate eventually resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to look into the promissory note and bond issuance programme.

The committee was also to appropriately advise the larger Senate on the promissory note and bond issuance programme.

Presenting the report of the committee months after, Senator Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central), who headed the committee, explained that the continuous delay of the approval of the promissory note request could affect the liquidity status of the marketers, as well as undermine their crucial role in the development of the country’s economy.

Marafa stated that the OMCs made claims worth N670, 497, 543, 15, as of June 30, 2017, but the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) verified and approved N429, 054,203,228 to the Ministry of Finance.

He also said that while the verified figures were subsequently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at one of its meetings, further verification by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) however slashed the amount to N407,255,263,288.

According to Morafa, the controversies around the development included the determination of the terminal date of the subsidy programme; amount to be paid to the oil marketing companies (OMCs) and the interest accrued from June 30, 2017. All of these, he, however, noted would be taken up and resolved when the final report of the committee gets laid to the Senate.

The senator stated that the committee will

submit the final report in due course, adding, “The submission should be able to reconcile and bring to the conclusion all issues in respect of petroleum subsidy programme implementation and payments.�

He added that further verification needed to be made to ascertain the discrepancies between the OMCs and the recommendations for payment made by the PICA. Supporting the need to be swift in determining the situation, Morafa reportedly said that it was perhaps the surest way to guarantee security of petrol supplies in Nigeria, in that, payment of the debt would assure there are no scarcity of petrol in the country. “In this respect, the committee is of the opinion that interim payments should be effected to the OMCs pending full verification of PICA recommendations and updating on the full implication of interest accruals from 30th June 2017 to date,� he said then. “The government’s inability to pay the OMCs as at 30th June, 2017 has further increased its liability since the interest continued running till date, hence, the need for further work by the committee to compile and update the level of indebtedness and its interest accruals “However, in view of the fact that the service of the OMCs is very important to the economic development of the country and closely tied to national security, paying the marketers would stem the threat of fuel scarcity, increase economic activities and promote a more harmonious working relationship between the government and OMCs,� the senator also noted.

Further, the Senate directed the committee to continue its engagement with the finance ministry, OMCs, PPPRA and other stakeholders, until the issues were resolved.

Cont’d on Pg.22

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Ëš

Capital Importation Decline Manifests Apathy as Elections Draw Close The significant drop in capital importation, in the third quarter of the year, stresses among other things, investor apathy as the general election approaches, writes James Emejo

D

espite the assurance by authoritiesofafreeandfair2019 generalelection,international investors appeared not to be pacified as evidenced by the huge capital outflows witnessed in the third quarter of the year.

The recent capital importation statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attested to the fact that total value of capital importation into country dropped by 48.21 per cent to $2.85 billion in Q3. This figure further indicated a decrease of 31.12 per cent compared to the corresponding in 2017.

According to the statistics agency, the largest amount of capital importation by type was received through Portfolio investment, which accounted for 60.5 per cent ($1.72 billion) of total capital importation.

This was followed by Other Investment, which accounted for 21.07 per cent ($601.53 million) of total capital as well as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which accounted for 18.58 per cent ($530.63 million) of total capital imported in Q3.

Capital importation as shares, which is closely related to equity investment (FDI and Portfolio Investment) dominated the third quarter, reaching $1,667.76 of the total capital Importation in the quarter.

The United States emerged as the top source of capital investment into the country in the period under review with $911.33 million, accounting for 31.91 per cent of the total capital inflow in Q3 2018.

According to sectoral breakdown, shares accounted for $1.66 billion, servicing $20 5.9 million, banking, $20589. 44 million, oil and gas $7.73 million, and production $2058930. 34 million.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja had the largest share of capital importation, accounting for 46.21 per cent of total share in Q3.

This was followed by Lagos with 30.08 per cent and Akwa Ibom with 0.29 percent. Anambra had 0.09 per cent. Abia accounted for 22.99 per cent, Ogun 0.23 percent and Nasarawa 0.01 per cent.

Analysts, however, believed the decline in capital importation which largely affected shares was caused by the exit of portfolio investors who were not too confident about the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections.

The high yield incentives in developed countries particularly the United States where the Federal Reserves had hiked interest rate appeared to have also attracted investors from emerging markets to developed countries. Nigeria and other developing countries seemed to be affected by the development.

Moreover, Nigeria’s declining foreign reserves which had made some portfolio investors uncomfortable with the ability of government to honour its obligations were other reasons adduced to the exit

A view of marina, Lagos...the central business district

of portfolio investors in the country.

But the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had recently renewed its commitment to simplify foreign exchange regulations through reforms and innovation in a bid to further encourage investors.

The apex bank had pointed out that the delegation of the issuance of Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) to commercial and merchant banks some years ago was done to instil confidence in the investor community and encourage the flow of foreign direct and portfolio investments into the Nigerian economy.

The CBN noted:“We assure all investors that the integrity of the CCI regime remains sacrosanct and there shall be no retroactive application of foreign exchange rules and regulations. The CBN welcomes all legitimate investors to take advantage of the enormous investment opportunities in Nigeria,� it added.

Statistician General of the Federation and Chief

Executive, NBS, Dr. Yemi Kale told THISDAY, however, noted that the drop in capital inflows in Q3 “mostly (affected) shares in the stock market which doesn’t have any strong link with what is going on with GDP�.

He gave clarification against the backdrop of the GDP and foreign trade increases in Q3 when there was decline in capital importation.

Kale said:�Foreign investors are pulling out investments from the stock market due to elections uncertainty and better returns in other markets e.g. the USA higher interest rates recently. “There is also concerns about the reserves and if they will able to collect their money. So not about growth and has nothing to do with trade.�

Similarly, Professor of Finance and Capital Market at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Uche Uwaleke said:�The drop was more in foreign portfolio investments or what some prefer to call hot money chiefly due to the higher yield

environment in developed countries. “Secondly, the rising interest rates in the US in particular meant that it was becoming increasingly difficult for foreign investors to borrow in the US to invest in Nigeria.�

Also, a reliable source told THISDAY that:�The drop in capital importation may not be unconnected with US Federal reserve rate hike which has negatively affected not only Nigeria but most emerging economies in terms of FDI and FPI inflows. “ What is important is for government to fully implement the ERGP especially as it relate to export diversification and import reduction to save foreign exchange and build adequate buffer to mitigate any external shock that may negatively impact of price stability especially exchange rate and inflation. “For example, issue of subsidy needs to be dealt while fast tracking establishment of modular refineries to support foreign exchange savings as well as job creation locally.�

Fuel Scarcity, a Cyclical Event, Loiters Again Cont’d from Pg.21

Response Following the marketers’ threats and its implications, the government then moved to arrest the situation, and in a telephone interview with THISDAY, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Abechi, said the relevant agencies of the government met with oil marketers last week to resolve the subsidy payment controversy.

Abechi added that it was unfortunate for any group to claim there was no such move to settle the controversy, and claimed people had begun to exploit the political season to advance their interests.

He equally insisted that to further show government’s commitment to defray the subsidy arrears, it offered to pay the first tranche of N236 billion through a promissory note from the Debt Management Office (DMO) to the marketers last Friday.

On its part, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) chose to describe the action

of the marketers as economic sabotage.

The Managing Director of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) – a subsidiary of NNPC, Mr. Umar Ajiya, stated after a meeting in Abuja between the officials of the NNPC and the oil marketers, as well as some members of the industrial unions in the oil sector, that the government would not tolerate any attempt by any individual or group to disrupt the distribution of petroleum products during the Yuletide. “All IPMAN and major marketers, as well as all NNPC Retail sites would continue to work throughout the period, 24 hours and seven days in a week. In addition to that, there is a commitment from the NNPC, the majors and the unions to ensure that all their workers participate in the distribution of petroleum products throughout this festive period. “Therefore, a repeat of the 2017 situation is what we are prepared to avert because government, this time around, would not tolerate from anybody, whether single or group, the issue of petroleum products scarcity, as it happened last year, because that would be termed as economic

sabotage,� said Ajiya.

Similarly, oil workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) urged the government and marketers to quickly resolve the issue before it plunges the country into another round of crisis.

Speaking on behalf of the oil workers, the National President of PENGASSAN, Mr. Francis Johnson, said the association had intervened in the crisis to protect the interest of its members, as well as that of the country.

He said: “PENGASSAN, as one of the major stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, we are concerned. We are also looking at it that the year is coming to an end; they are also talking about 2019 politics and elections. We do not want to do anything to overheat the polity and make Nigerians go through a lot of stress. “For us, we have said, and we are aware that there have been series of meeting to resolve the issue. We stand by that; and we appeal to both government and the oil marketers to look at the larger interest of Nigeria and do what is needful

for Nigeria to grow from strength to strength.�

Likely Scenario Although, the marketers have temporarily shelved their planned strike to accommodate the government’s payment schedule, the fear for scarcity of petrol during the Yuletide still lurks around, and this is despite NNPC’s assurance of more than 50 days of supply availability.

In deciding to suspend their strike for another five days, DAPPMAN said: “Following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians including the National Assembly as represented by the Senate Committee of Petroleum Downstream and constructive engagement of the federal government team by the labour unions most affected by the disengagement of our personnel, namely, PENGASSAN, NUPENG NARTO, and the PTD, DAPPAM, the union has resolved to recall its disengaged personnel for 5-days to give the FG’s team the opportunity to conclude its process of paying marketers the full outstanding of N800 billion with the first trench being the amount already approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).�

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚΀

23

SIMBI WABOTE

Wabote

Nigerians Now Manage 90% of Drilling, Oil Servicing Activities in Oil Industry Mr. Simbi Wabote was appointed as the executive secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016. What the NCDMB has achieved in the oil and gas industry within just two years of his leadership is phenomenal and incomparable to prior years. With such indelible mark imprinted, stakeholders said the chief executive has written his name in gold in the sector’s history. That notwithstanding, Wabote believes there is still a lot more to be done in the Nigeria content space and he is not resting on his oars in ensuring all set targets are attained or even surpassed. He shared his views with Chika Amanze-Nwachuku and Ugo Aliogo

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Nigeria’s Fabrication Yards Can Compete with Others across the Globe

Wabote

O

ne of the challenges you inherited was the cumbersome process of accessing the Nigeria Content Fund by operators. You had promised to ease access to the fund. How far have you gone in this task?

Indeed, it was the first commitment that I made that the fund will be accessed by the fund contributors. Exactly one year ago since I made that commitment, we have launched the fund- $200 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF) in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BoI), we lend to the contributors to the fund. We made it very clear that it will be on Right of First Refusal to the contributors to the fund.

When the fund was launched, we had five product lines for the fund. They include contract financing; equipment financing, loan re-financing, community contract financing, and manufacturing financing. These were the product lines we launched with the $200 million. It has interest rate of 8 per cent fixed for five years and a one-year moratorium to start paying back the loan. At present, there has been successful access to that fund. From the last report from the BoI between now and the first quarter of next year, they will be asking and looking for more funds to sustain the number of requests that they have currently.

Is it possible to know the operators that have beneďŹ tted from the fund since it was set up?

Maybe I will just shy off that a bit, but the information is there. About a month ago, I was in Port-Harcourt for launch of a newly procured vessel by one of the beneficiaries. It is the first company that benefited from the loan and it is

a marine company. There is a whole battery of them, who are lined up to gain access to the fund. It is a promise that I made and it is a promise kept.

Some companies have refused to remit the compulsory one per cent upstream contract fund as stipulated

by Section 104 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act. What measures have you put in place to ensure strict compliance to the law?

Again that was another commitment I made when I took over office. We made a decision that we were going to launch a forensic audit on all those companies since the inception of the Act in 2010, to see how we recover remitted funds.

Three months ago, going through all the recommended processes, we were able to recruit forensic auditors who are busy on the field, trying to verify documents for most of the companies. I can tell you that since that exercise started, we saw an upsurge in the remittance of funds to the Nigeria Content Development Fund. Again, another promise made and another promise kept.

Before this upsurge, were you able to sanction any of those errant companies?

We noticed that some companies were not remitting before the forensic auditing started, we were able to fish them out and notified them; because they know the consequences of the action, they immediately complied. So far, nobody has remained recalcitrant for us to punish as such. But those who discovered that we found them, looked for a way to quickly make the remittances.

For the ďŹ rst time in the history of the industry, the board concluded the evaluation process for Zabazaba

project in record time. How were you able to achieve this feat? Why is it that several months after you concluded the evaluation process and recommended three contractors to Agip, the contract has not been awarded?

That is a very good question. The challenge that the Minister of State for Petroleum put before us when I took over office is to see how we reduce the contracting cycle time from an upward of about 36 months in some instance, to 24 months, if it is fine to considerable length of time because like you very well know, long cycle time increases the cost of contract. It also makes potential investors and operators lose confidence in the process. So Zabazaba is a typical example where we worked assiduously with the operator which is ENI to put the contract in place in record time. It has never been done in the history of this country, a contract of about $7-8 billion and we put it together within a year period. To your question as to why the contract has not been awarded, I think there are agencies of government that are responsible for different aspects of the oil and gas sector. Ours was to get the contract in place, and the rest is for other agencies of government involved to do their own bid and I guess that it is that bid that has not been done in terms of the contracting process. We were able to set record in the country. I guess that they are still working the details in those other agencies of government.

Anything concerning us ensuring that local content requirements are taken into consideration in a contracting process was achieved.

One would have expected the board to speak to SNEPCO and Agip to speed up the process.

SNEPCO and Agip are keen. I think it is not just them alone; it has to do

with the government and all manner of negotiation. Therefore, I guess they are still talking and we are very hopeful that one day project will be actualised.

Despite the general belief that the coming of Nigeria content development initiative has helped grow the capacities of Nigerian companies and by extension, has contributed to economic growth, yet we still receive pockets of complaints that some companies still give out jobs meant for local companies to foreign companies. Have you received such complaints and if so, has any company been sanctioned for outing the Nigeria Content law?

Obviously so, we have received those kinds of complaints. In implementing the act itself, no doubt that there are people who try to circumvent the process; flout the law and do what is not right. We have a very robust monitoring outfit, when we discover such, we sanction them and we ask them to restitute for what they have done. A lot of companies, the contractors and the operators both local and international, have on several occasion been sanctioned for flouting the requirement of the Act. There is no exception for those who have knowingly or unknowingly gone against the law, and if they are fished out, they will be sanctioned. It is an ongoing process.

If we are not vigilant, we would not have discovered them. They are very many. There are no exceptions among the international and indigenous operators.

They have run afoul of the law in one form or the other.

In some quarters, people say owing to regulatory weakness, some of these oil companies deliberately out the Nigerian Contact law. It appears the board has not put strin-

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚΀

No IOC, Local Company Immune to Punishment for Flouting Nigeria Content Law gent measures in place to curb this?

I will contest that. If you go and seek public opinion among organised stakeholders in the oil and gas industry such as PETAN, IPPG, and OPTS, these organised stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, seek their opinion they will tell you and the stiff change that they have seen in the past two years in terms of implementation. So I strongly contest that view and I challenge you to seek the opinion of some of the stakeholders that I have mentioned.

Do you think indigenous companies are getting enough support from the IOCs?

I think the indigenous companies are getting enough support to a large extent. I am the first to own up that the international oil companies (IOCs) have been very supportive of the local companies that do business with them. The areas that I keep on saying that I will continue to repeat is where the local companies have challenges, dealing with indigenous producers.

They are the biggest culprits in terms of circumventing the Act itself. But with the IOCs, they work in strict compliance with the provisions of the Act and they support local businesses.

Today, in drilling and oil servicing in the country, 90 percent of these activities is managed by Nigerians. These people were not there in the past 10 years; these were businesses hitherto managed by Halliburton, Schlumberger and Baker Hughes. But today all those businesses are managed by Nigerians service providers. It is a tremendous achievement.

The event of today focused on vessel ownership; prior to the Act, eight years ago, all the offshore vessels were owned by foreign companies. But today, we have been able to claw back about 38 per cent of those vessels. Another example I can give you is fabrication.

Ten years ago, the bulk of things that we do in this country were fabricated outside, but today, we have been able to establish capacity to manage 60,000 metric tonnes per annum of fabrication.

We have established five world class fabrication yards that can compete with any fabrication yard outside Nigeria.

These are all businesses we have supported and we are where we are today.

Before the enactment of the Act, only about three per cent of the yearly spend, $20 billion annual spend was retained in the country. Today, we have clawed back about $6billion and it is increasing and the board has developed a strategy that in the next 10years, we will bring in about $14 billion to the in country spend. So the progress in the oil and gas sector has been tremendous in the past seven years. Every other sector is now looking at these achievements we have made in the oil and gas sector and is striving that the local content initiative be replicated in their sectors.

Recently, I read in one of the national dailies that the board targets to achieve 70 per cent indigenous capacity by 2027. So where are we now?

You know when those targets were set during the Obasanjo administration, they were set based on policy, they were not driven by any law and there was not an agency such NCDMB. But the process effectively commenced when the local content Act was enacted in 2010. Prior to that time, there were no clear strategic targets that were put out for stakeholders to say this is where we want to be by 2027, which is a 10-year plan. So it was when I came on board in 2016, we then decided to gather all stakeholders and then we set for ourselves as where we want to be in the next 10 years and what are

Would you now say the Nigeria Content Initiative has achieved its objectives?

I will not conclude; there is still a lot more to be done. If you look at our target; 70 per cent is our target in seven years. We have achieved about 38 per cent presently. There is still a lot more to be achieved because our objective is to be able to domicile a lot of our activities in country; to be able to retain a lot of our spending in country; to be able to create 300,000 jobs in the oil and gas sector in the next 10 years but because you know the oil and gas sector is not a great creator of jobs, we want to make ensure that Nigeria claws back those jobs that are there. There is a lot more to be done that is why we are working to ensure that target given to us is achieved within a specified period of time.

What do you want to be remembered for when you leave the board?

Wabote

the key pillars? What are the drivers?

How are we going to get there? What are the critical success factors? These have been clearly set out sometime last year. I have been conscientiously implementing the strategic targets and I can tell you that in the next two years, there will be paradigm shift in terms of our achievements which would be a litmus test to know if we want to get to the 70 per cent target in 2027.

Let’s narrow these achievements to the time you came onboard. Could you tell us some of the milestones you have achieved these past two years?

I came onboard on November 1, 2016.

I have achieved huge milestones. First, I talked about the strategy; we were able to set 10years road map. Secondly, we were able to progress the development of our headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state. It is a 17-storey building.

We have a 1,000 seater auditorium and four level car parks. By the grace of God, in the first quarter of next year that project will be completed. This is

a huge milestone. In terms of capacity building, we have been able to train more than 300 Nigerians on highly skilled sector of the oil and gas industry and that we have done.

In terms of creating opportunity for Nigeria businesses, we ran the opportunity fair where we were able to share five year projection in terms of opportunity in the oil and gas industry.

Recently, we inaugurated a research and development council. We are trying to set up a 10-year roadmap for research and development in the oil and gas sector and that we have done. In terms of project, we are able to successfully integrate the Egina FPSO, 200,000 barrels per day production FPSO. It has never been done in Africa before. We are able to successful integrate that facility in Nigeria and it has sailed off to start production before the end of the year.

In terms of engineering designs, we have been able to enhance the existing engineering design where they deliver more than 1 million man hour of engineering time in the oil and gas industry.

I want to be remembered as the executive secretary who brought in strict professionalism in the management of the board. I want also be remembered as the executive secretary, who also brought in the industry know-how in understanding how the business works; the executive secretary who was also able to move the local content achievement from its paltry position to an enviable position. Also, I want to be remembered as the executive secretary that helped to complete the head office in the South-south, 40 years ago the tallest building was built in River State.

40 years later we are building another 17 storey building. Most importantly, one of our flagship projects is the establishment of manufacturing capability.

We are building oil and gas parks to incubate manufacturing concerns in most of the states of the federation. We have started the ones in Bayelsa and Calabar; we have plans to start one in Imo State. We also have plans to start one in Delta State. In first quarter of 2020, we believe that one of those parks will be highly operational and incubating manufacturing activities in the country.

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˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

27

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˜ ˞ DECEMBER 16, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Continental Reinsurance Shareholders Meet to Approval Acquisition Goddy Egene Shareholders of Continental Reinsurance Plc will meet on Thursday to endorse the proposal

by Continental Reinsurance African Investments Limited (CRe Investments) to buy out all other shareholders of the company. The meeting, which is ordered by the court will be held in Lagos.

Continental Reinsurance African Investments Limited (CRe Investments), which is the parent firm of Continental

Reinsurance (CRe Nigeria)Plc, had proposed to buy all the outstanding shares of CRe Nigeria.

It is intended that the transaction will be executed through a Scheme of Arrangement under Section539 of the Companies& Allied Matters Act Cap C20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and other applicable rules and regulations.

And in order to approve the scheme, shareholders of CRe Nigeria Plc will be meeting to

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

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

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

approve that the Scheme of Arrangement dated the 23rd day of November 2018 be and is hereby approved and that the directors be and are hereby authorised to consent to any modification of the Scheme of Arrangement that the Federal High Court shall deem fit to impose or approve among others.

The board of CRe Nigeria had said that it received an offer from CRe African Investments Limited to acquire all the outstanding and issued shares through a scheme of arrangement.

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 1312-2018, unless otherwise stated.

According to company, CRe Investments is making this offer in order to initiate a much needed restructuring exercise for CRe Nigeria, with a view to consolidating the CRe Nigeria’s operations and repositioning it for enhanced competitiveness in the global insurance market.

It is intended that the transaction will be executed through a Scheme of Arrangement under Section539 of the Companies& Allied Matters Act Cap C20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria

2004 and other applicable rules and regulations.

CRe Investments is offering N2.04 per share for the 10,372,744,314 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each or one ordinary shares of $1 each in the capital of CRe Investments for every 176 ordinary share of 50 kobo each held in CRe Nigeria The proposed scheme consideration represents a 46.76 per cent premium to the last traded share price of the Company on October 5, 2018, being the last business day prior

to the date the proposal was received from CRe Investments and a 36 per cent premium on the trading price as at close of the last business day, November 19, 2018.

The company said it had received the Securities & Exchange Commission’s ‘No Objection ‘to the scheme.

Since the disclosure of the proposed acquisition, the company had said advised shareholders to exercise caution when dealing in CRe Nigeria’s shares until a further announcement was made.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 158.00 159.41 -10.87% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 276.09 277.77 19.46% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.83 0.84 0.85% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 6.99% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.70% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.21 2.23 -3.78% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 16.11 16.59 -11.84% ARM Discovery Fund 349.49 360.02 -10.17% ARM Ethical Fund 27.96 28.80 2.34% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.72% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 130.25 131.16 -14.14% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.15% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.17% Paramount Equity Fund 11.47 11.77 3.47% Women's Investment Fund 100.83 103.41 0.20% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.24% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 94.68 94.87 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 98.30 98.72 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.44% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.84 0.85 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.16 1.16 10.63% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 12.10% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 11.45% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,173.95 1,174.71 11.74% FBN Heritage Fund 140.31 141.49 0.60% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.86% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 112.84 113.45 3.64% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 112.56 113.18 3.49% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 143.63 145.65 -9.46% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.20 1.22 -6.99% Legacy Debt Fund 3.23 3.23 11.63% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 2.72% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,941.63 2,970.14 -1.48% Coral Income Fund 2,745.78 2,745.78 12.16% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.98% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 106.07 106.46 5.98% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.89%

Vantage Balanced Fund 2.14 2.16 1.45% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.44% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 123.92 124.10 7.65% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.20 1.22 4.41% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,092.11 1,092.11 13.05% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.05 11.14 -14.58% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.30% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.33 1.35 11.47% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.15 12.22 10.09% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.00% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 127.66 128.08 -1.58% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.69 1.69 14.13% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,286.97 2,301.44 4.08% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 188.71 188.71 8.36% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.93 0.95 -6.93% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 245.96 246.00 13.95% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 158.26 160.07 -11.62% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.03% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,287.57 8,387.76 -12.82% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.10 1.10 6.98% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.17 1.18 -1.34% United Capital Bond Fund 1.58 1.58 10.39% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.71 -7.90% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.65% United Capital Eurobond Fund 106.76 106.76 6.67% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.08 1.08 3.73% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.08 11.23 -8.43% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.09 12.20 -5.89% Zenith Income Fund 20.66 20.66 11.93% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.37%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

9.00 139.56 51.67

-20.11% 5.36% 1.65%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.25 114.04 86.76

10.35 116.46 88.39

-13.43% -20.16% -20.58%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.99 7.15 14.36 12.22 141.34

4.03 7.23 14.46 12.42 143.34

-15.66% -25.15% -17.67% -37.67% 5.20%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

SPECIALIST FUNDS Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

16.12.2018

TOMI SALAMI

On Beauty, Charity and Humanity

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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Some visiting beauty queens attending to less priviledged during a medical outreach

In solidarity... Walking for charity

Her Gait, Grace and Gumption A bevy of ladies in bikinis on Badagry’s coastline with the African sun caressing their flesh and teasing waves of water dogging their dainty heels, are an item as the locals stare at them in enchantment. They have all come from India, Thailand, Canada, Botswana, the United States of America and South Africa among other countries. But whose idea is this to bring these exotic beauties to Nigeria? A year after she won Miss Tourism Nigeria, Tomi Salami launched a charity foundation that caters for the needy. So this year, Vanessa Obioha writes, eight international beauty queens joined her in promoting the cause and exploring the city of Lagos

T

omi Salami could barely stay in one place. Her attention was divided. One minute, she was talking on the phone calmly – with a hint of urgency. The next minute, she was heading towards the elevator to another floor or the reception hall at Eko Signature Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos where her guests were staying. It was difficult to get her settled in one spot.

As a host and event organiser, it is in her nature to ensure that everything goes smoothly. For this particular event, Salami was extremely meticulous. It was the last day of the tour with the international beauty queens who came to support her charity event.

The week had been quite intense for the young model that played host to eight international models. She had invited them to be part of her annual charity outreach. Launched in March 15, 2013, the Aurora International Charity Foundation was borne out of Salami’s love for humanity. The year before, she was crowned Miss Tourism Nigeria and represented Nigeria at the Miss Tourism World competition in Thailand.

It was while she was making preparations for her birthday celebration in 2013 that she got the idea to set up the foundation. “Basically it started as a joke. It was

going to be my birthday. Then I thought to myself that a lot of people might want to get me gifts, take me to dinner, and get me a cake and all that. I didn’t feel like doing any of those things. How about putting the money together and do something worthwhile? There are a lot of children out there who carry garri sacks, semo bags to school. They don’t have school bags. Some children go to school barefoot. Let’s put this money together and do something. Let’s buy stuff for them and that was how it started. We raised funds, went to the market, got sandals, stationery, books, stocking, school bags, and that was pretty much how we started,� she recounted.

For her first outreach, Salami and her team reached out to a thousand kids. Today, the foundation reaches out via the platforms of education, welfare, empowerment and health.

The educational outreach is called Kits for Kids Africa while the oral health initiative is known as Dental Drive.

There is also the Aurora free market welfare initiative.

Describing herself as a caregiver, she recalled with nostalgia how she loved helping people as a child, saying: “Right from when I can’t remember to when I can, I’ve been passionate about helping people. I don’t like to see people suffer.

Even before I ventured into modelling or pageantry, it has always been a part

of me. When I was still very little, I didn’t even know anything, I used to give out my things, and helping people. It is who I am.�

Being a model gave her the opportunity to work with various charities within and outside the country, giving her the required skills to run a charity foundation. So far, the foundation has impacted over 20,000 Nigerians through its various initiatives as well as hosting tourism and humanitarian ambassadors from countries such as India, South Africa, Kenya and Botswana.

This year’s edition took a different angle.

As an ambassador of tourism, the TV host decided to launch a tourism and humanitarian campaign with some of her friends in the international modelling scene. Miss Universe Canada 2013, Brianna Plouffe; Miss Earth India 2016, Shaan Suhas Kumar; Miss World Wales 2016, Ffion Moyle; Miss Universe South Africa 2014, Ziphozakhe Zokufa; Miss Earth USA 201, Andreia Gibau; Miss Universe Tanzania 2016,Jihan Dimack, a Ghanaian top model, Becca Donald Knott; and Miss Italy, Sara Riddle. All flew into the country to support her.

None of the beauty queens had been to Nigeria before – not even Miss Ghana whose country is next-door neighbour to Nigeria. Beaming with enthusiasm, the models jumped on the opportunity to

visit the black populous African nation.

Tagged ‘Experience Lagos’, Salami took the models on an adventurous trip around Lagos – from visiting Nike Art Gallery to a boat cruise that the models could not stop gushing about. “That was the best, it was the amazing boat ride I have ever had,� enthused Becca.

The most impactful of the trip, however, for the models was the visit to the Badagry slave trade historical site. “Going to Badagry was probably the most impactful experience of this trip. Just because I’ve never seen anything like it and just... where I was standing, hundreds of years ago, my ancestors were standing too. It really hit home because I grew learning about slavery and stuff but what they tell you sometimes isn’t the whole truth and so, being there I was able to not only see but hear what was actually happening and walked the path that the slaves actually walked. That’s an experience. Who knows if I will ever experience it again in my life,� said Miss USA. “I agree that Badagry is such an incredible, historical place. I think our guide was so amazing. He was telling us stories from the past but there was also a sense of storytelling to him. He wasn’t being sad, but we felt it. We were able to tell that this was a place of historical significance. And just walking

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Breaking Barriers through Beauty and Tourism on that route was... you know, gives you goose bumps. So again, in terms of what I loved, I loved that they took us there.

Usually, when people say beauty queens, they take us to high-end places but I think just going to something like that was rooted in what Nigeria is about and I love that experience. I personally think that such places of historical significance need to be maintained for generations to come.

People need to know more about them,” Miss Earth India added.

One thing they all complained about was traffic and spicy food. Miss Earth India, however, paid more attention to something else.

“I see plastics everywhere. Even in the water when we went for the boat ride, there was a lot of plastic lying around, floating about, and you have like such a beautiful waterway especially when we took the boat from the yacht club that is there,” she stated unsatisfactorily.

The models also had the opportunity to participate in the foundation free market initiative to mark the United Nations International Day of Charity where they handed out gifts to residents in the Lekki axis.

Having these models around to promote tourism and charity simultaneously was important to Salami.

She said, “I believe that every citizen of Nigeria has a duty to promote the country. It’s our home. We have no other home and because of this background I have, I have access to beauty queens from all over the world; it’s like a sisterhood.

And it’s what they call ‘eye candy’. A lot of people may not necessarily care about charity work but when they hear Miss South Africa is in Nigeria, they want to know what’s going on. So, beauty catches the eyes, it is attention and that’s when you are channelling the attention to a positive cause, at the same time promoting tourism and selling Nigeria in a positive way.”

The philanthropist already has plans to take beauty queens on a tour of the country next year.

“We have way bigger things planned for the future. Next year, we are going to be having Experience Nigeria. We will be taking them around, maybe not all the 36 states, but few key states, especially where tourism is really major,” Salami disclosed.

Doing such humanitarian works have given Salami a sense of fulfilment.

She added, “Do you know what it feels like when you dream of something and it comes to reality, it comes to fruition? I’m so happy. It’s not a perfect event. We had a number of hitches and things like that but all in all, it was a success.

The ladies are happy, they came in, and everything went on smoothly.

There was no accident, no security risk, so I’m really happy the way it turned out. It is also a learning experience for us because our eyes have been opened to see what we could improve on and all in all it’s a win-win experience. I feel fulfilled.”

Being a model gave her the opportunity to work with various charities within and outside the country, giving her the required skills to run a charity foundation. So far, the foundation has impacted over 20,000 Nigerians through its various initiatives as well as hosting tourism and humanitarian ambassadors from countries such as India, South Africa, Kenya and Botswana

Salami

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˾ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018

DECEMBER 16, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

High Life

57 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Stamp of Honour: As Exxon Mobil Celebrates Julius Rone’s Utm Group

T Derin Agbaje

Derin Agbaje At 50: Gtb Boss, Segun Agbaje, Serenades Wife in Paris Paris will not forget in a hurry, the day ravishingBT Bank’s boss, Segun feted friends and family in his wife’s honour. The exotic nation became the masque of high festivity and a pleasant place for rare merriment as Segun celebrated his sweetheart at 50. And to avoid the prying eyes of bloggers and society journalists perhaps, his beautiful wife Derin decided that Paris was the perfect venue for the soiree. Agbaje’s friends, few family members and a lot of influential Nigerians were at the party to felicitate with them. The Agbajes who are not necessarily the sociable type went the extra mile to ensure that their guests, especially considering that they flew in from different parts of the world, had a good time. Nothing was in short supply. Everything

was in abundance; rivers of champagnes, cocktails and cognacs, wines and whiskeys among others. However, when praise is undeserved, it becomes scandal in disguise.

When it is deserved, it adorns the recipient with epaulets of joy, garnishing his/her soul and soothing the psyche as the Malayan falls soothes the core of the steadfast monk.

Agbaje’s wife is neither a monk or an Asian nun but she definitely knows what it is to be courted and feted to unsolicited praise.

Segun last Thursday unleashed a fountain of praise on his ravishing wife at 50. Yes, Derin is 50! He seized the moment to serenade his beautiful wife in the beautiful city of Paris.

With unrestrained fervour, he unclothed his wife’s uncommon virtues and dressed her in

a garment of love and enameled praise. The passion she experienced from her husband was what scholars and classical romantics imbued with eternal fervour of timeless truths and poetics.

Very few mortals encounter it and succeed in making sense of and sustaining it. But Segun internalised it and evolved with it. Then he expertly deployed it to celebrate the woman he proudly appreciates as his better half.

According to the Bank chief, every moment spent with his wife further establishes her as the miracle that God had wrought to sweeten his life. He minced no words to assert that she was the kind of woman whose love could only happen on a man once in a thousand seasons.

Diezani Largesse: How Billionaire Banker, Dauda Lawal, Waded Into Troubled Waters

Diesani

All universal moral principles are idle fancies in the world of Dauda Lawal. In Lawal’s world, banking ethics and the rule of law are overrated moral constructs hence his unabashed contempt for the norms of commerce and societal conduct.

Like the proverbial merchant of Sicily, driven by lust for inordinate riches, Lawal nurtured no inhibitions in his pursuit of riches, unearned riches to be precise. This explains his willingness to play ball with former Minister of Peteroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in grand plot financial felonies. Lawal, an Executive Director (ED) in charge of Public Affairs at the First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), was, once again, recently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly helping a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, to conceal a total of $153.3million in Fidelity Bank in 2015.

But in a shocking reaction to his arrest, First Bank, according to our findings has denied Lawal and his shady transaction.

The bank is claiming ignorance that any such transaction took place with its knowledge. A highly placed source revealed that the bank has told the EFCC that Lawal acted in his “private capacity” as a bosom friend of the former petroleum minister who is under watch by law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom over grievous money laundering charges.

Sources within First Bank disclosed that he had always carried himself around like

a Lord of other people’s manor. Lawal allegedly displayed the proclivities of a man perpetually angling to hit a fortune.

So desperate was he to be identified as a billionaire and banking big boy, that he resorted to startling measures and shenanigans to achieve his aim. For instance, besides his unforgivable haughtiness and penchant to play snob, Lawal was given to undue ostentation which often elicited unfavourable comments and impressions about him among his colleagues. He incurred a bad reputation for himself among both senior and junior staff of First Bank by his penchant to turn up his nose at everyone. Thus no sooner did he get arrested by the EFCC than his employers and colleagues disowned him, claiming he acted outside the sphere of his legitimate duties as an employee of First Bank.

Lawal joined the board of First Bank in 2012 and until his appointment as executive director, North, he was executive director, Public Sector, North. He was previously executive vice president, Public Sector (North), and held several management positions within the Bank including Business Development Manager (BDM), Maitama Abuja, where he grew the Bank’s business with the Abuja Metropolis as his principal remit.

here is something electrifying about Julius Rone, the billionaire businessman behind UTM Group. He exudes the lustre of the proverbial leading light thus distinguishing his persona amid a range of middling men. Julius radiates compassion, ardor and acclaim that no life’s odd could tame.

Having hacked his path to affluence in honest, industrious strides, he spread outs like a bastion of human aspiration even as his exploits become objects of the world affection. Yes, like a strapping rampart in life’s sea of odds, Julius’ resilience stretches for miles.

However, joy and joie de vivre hover thickly in the home and offices of the founder of UTM Group.

It is understandable. One of his companies, UTM Dredging Limited, an established provider of premium marine logistic support in engineering, construction, equipment rental, leasing, procurement, supply and general labour services to an ever-expanding clientele comprising state and federal governments, oil and gas companies and other private organizations, was adjudged as the ‘Most Active in Communications in Service with Exxon Mobil’ at the just concluded Marine Safety Contractors’ Forum organised by Exxon Mobil Upstream Nigeria. But that was not all.

On the same star-spangled night, and in the presence of leading businessmen and investors in the oil and gas industry whose halo swathed the exclusive Black Diamond Apartments and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, the UTM’s vessel – the Stanford Buzzard – was awarded the most reliable vessel award among the fleet of service boats operating with the oil and gas giant. While thanking the organisers of the honours, an excited Rone reiterated that “Since inception, we have built a reputation by passionately and professionally executing our briefs to deliver the best value to our clients. In so doing, we have positioned our company as a frontline marine organization in virtually all our areas of operations.”

He added that the UTM is fully committed to the technological niceties and processes required for growth and optimizing local content in all aspects of its business activities and it possesses the brain, brawn and the tools of trade required to bring world class marine service solutions to the door steps of clients.

Indeed, with a focus and objective to become a marine service providing firm with international posture using highly skilled, goal-driven professionals and unique innovative technology, the UTM, incorporated in 2012, has been providing first class service to its clients while making meaningful contributions to the society.

Founded by Rone, an alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and the University of Calabar (Cross River State) - where he earned his Advanced Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration respectively – the company’s policy and continuing objective is to place its clients at a competitive advantage by providing services, which not only satisfies statutory or stated technical and contractual requirements but also bear consistency in quality.

Rone

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HIGHLIFE

The Loud Silence of Fouad Oki If Fouad Oki were a bird, he would probably be a nightingale. If he were a nightingale, would he, like the sonorous bird, piteously die of shame because another bird sings better? Driven by his declining stature and loss of relevance, he has descended into a desperate strait.

Thus his desperation to vent and reenact the impossible, like the proverbial soldiers starving to death in the battle trench; as the drought persisted, the latter abandoned prayers, marched up the hills and began to shoot at passing clouds to hurt the heavens for abandoning them.

Like the metaphorical nightingale and desperate soldiers, is Fouad at his tethers end? Pundits dismiss his persistent bickering and recent offensive against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as one of his unfortunate tantrums.

It is apparent by his recent tantrum that Fouad considers himself a repressed martyr. Hence he sees conspiracies where none exists. You couldn’t have forgotten so soon,when the former Director General of all the governorship campaigns in the state since 2003 had surprisingly stood up to challenge the continued over lordship, dominance of the party by Asiwaju Bola Armed Tinubu, a former governor of the state and the obvious authority in the affairs of the party. Fouad fired from all cylinders, “We are stopping

the tyranny of the minority�. He bragged and bayed! Nobody cowed. He spat in the air and received it in measured cadence, yet no dice. Many sneered and sniggered wondering what theatric the rambunctious politician would conjure to win the war but the dark-hued politician was at his wits end. Today, with the emergence of Babajide Sanwoolu as the APC guber candidate, Oki has withdrawn into his anonymous cocoon with his tail in between his legs. He wasted priceless time and fortune in dreams, born of imagination, fed upon illusion, and put to death by reality. Having almost exhausted his goodwill in chasing shadows, he has suddenly ended up like the proverbial prodigal child who seized his fortune in a fit of greed and frittered it away in one fell swoop. However, being a hero is about the shortest lived vocation on earth. Perhaps, because every hero becomes a bore at last.

But not Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The former governor of Lagos State is a man like no other.

He seems to walk on wings and tread in the air. To his enemies, he is a dreaded factor, the untamable element of Nigerian politics. And that is because he arrived with an uncommon lust for change. In that yearning was his strength; a towering passion to serve country and the good of all. Unlike many of his peers and predecessors in Nigeria’s political arena,

H

Oki

Tinubu propagated a passion and realism that defied that wanton lust for power and intemperate avarice that characterises the worst of Nigeria’s political class. But wait a minute, like all man-made deities, Fouad has stopped resembling a demi god or something like one. Or have you heard from him lately?

‌And Governor Fattah Ahmed Takes Failed Ambition In His Stride

Ahmed

The godfather has bared his fangs and the wound is mortal and mortifying.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the godfather of Kwara State politics,

has ordered one of his favoured political godsons, the incumbent governor of the state, Abdulfattah Ahmed, to relinquish his ambition to fly the Kwara South flag in the next election. Ahmed had won the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket to contest the seat currently occupied by another Saraki stooge, Senator Abdulrafiu Ibrahim.

Saraki had reportedly been agitated and angered by the party’s crushing loss in the recent bye-election into Ekiti/ Oke Ero/ Irepodun House of Representatives seat which became vacant following the death of Funke Adedoyin of the All Progressives Congress. The governor became the fall guy.

One of the major beneficiaries of the imperious political style of Saraki, Governor Ahmed is not likely to be aggrieved considering that he was a polytechnic lecturer turned banker before being appointed Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development at the outset of the Saraki administration. He also served as commissioner, Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in the twilight

days of Saraki’s second term. For him to become governor, Saraki forsook his father – the late Olusola Saraki – who preferred Gbemi, the Senate President’s younger sister to succeed him as governor. Father and son never quite reconciled before the former’s passing in 2012. Now that he is holding the short end of the stick, Governor Ahmed has been running hither, thither in a bid to placate the godfather to have a change of mind, even getting several PDP governors to mediate on his behalf but Saraki’s mind seems made up.

While describing the last byelection as a farcical exercise marked by voter intimidation, widespread disenfranchisement and the use of security agencies against PDP supporters and members, Ahmed said the result of such an exercise could, therefore, not have formed the basis of a review of his candidacy for the Kwara South Senatorial elections. He assured that PDP will win the general elections in the state as the people of Kwara have resolved never to allow such harassment by security agents again.

In Their Fathers’ Name‌ Although the ruling class makes a good show of fashioning the whole republic into a collective farm, but it is an open secret that it will end up the private property of their exclusive clan. Little wonder scions of Nigeria’s political ruling class are brazenly taking over the country’s public offices, in flagrant perpetuation of their parents’ lust for power and political acclaim. Currently, an interesting trend is fast gaining popular appeal particularly amongst Nigeria’s political high society as silver spoon kids of the incumbent ruling class are urged to take over public offices and perks by their fathers. At the last count, Olumide Osoba, Jide Obanikoro, Jimi Lai Mohammed, and Olamiju Akala, have joined the fray of silver spoon kids hell bent of taking over Nigeria’s most coveted offices in order to guarantee safety of their parents’ obsessive lust for power and frills of political office.

Currently, Jide, one of the sons of the controversy-prone politician, Musiliu Obanikoro has launched his bid to vie for a House of Representatives legislative seat in Lagos State; he is bidding to represent the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency. They all enjoy their fathers’ proven proficiencies as political godfathers at one time or the other in the history of gubernatorial politics.

Olumide Osoba

Royal Blessings‌ Ogun Royal Fathers Shower Royal Blessings On Dapo Abiodun

Jide Obanikoro

istory is often written by champions, it is said. If this assertion is true, then Ogun State is at the threshold of what could be its sweetest epoch of statesmanship and politics. Following Dr. Dapo Abiodun ‘s emergence as APC governorship candidate for Ogun State, the nooks, crannies and political circuits of the state are ecstatic with joy.

There is no gainsaying the billionaire businessman is the sweetest thing that ever happened to the state in recent times.

However, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has received the blessings of the royal institutions in Remoland led by the Paramount ruler and Akarigbo of Remo Land, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, to courageously pursue his gubernatorial ambition to a successful end. This occurred when Abiodun, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship flag bearer, consulted them in Sagamu, Ogun State, on his desire and candidature to become the governor of the State in 2019.

Abiodun who reeled out his manifestos during the consultation, highlighted the policies and plans, including free education up to the junior school, provision of standard health care, provision of industrial parks, increase in Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) and even distribution of infrastructures that would be implemented when he becomes the governor of the State. The Remo royal fathers including the Ewusi of Makun Sagamu, Oba Timothy Akinsanya, Oludotun of Idotun Ikenne, the Odunayo Solarin and Onirolu of Irolu – all spoke on behalf of other Obas and blessed the candidate of APC to show support for his ambition and as one competent to govern the state.

Also, the Akarigbo, Oba Ajayi, prayed for Abiodun’s success in his aspiration to govern the state, advising him to ensure he fulfills the policies he highlighted when the candidate gets the people’s mandate.

Dapo and his campaign team also paid a consultation visit to the Palace of Alake of Egba Land, Ake, Abeokuta and received royal blessings ahead of the official flag off of his governorship campaign towards the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

The APC gubernatorial candidate reiterated there that his administration would build on the success of the Governor Ibikunle Amosun and ensure that he puts the good people of Ogun first.

While pleading for support for himself and his Deputy from the Paramount ruler, Dapo also used the medium to solicit support for President Muhammed Buhari for his second term ambition tagged Next level for Nigeria While reading his blueprint to the council of Obas, Abiodun said within one year of his administration, he will ensure increase in the IGR of the state, rural development , good governance, women empowerment, educational development, improved health sector, facilitate the availability of constant power supply and infrastructural development among others.

Dapo Abiodun

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HIGHLIFE

Gift of Love: Top Lagos Contractor, Laralek Boss, Olalekan Adebiyi, Builds Skyscrapper For Wife

Adebiyi

Maybe for butterflies-in-the-stomach kind of love story or to reinforce to the world that the gap between him and other billionaires has further widened in the last three and a half years of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration in Lagos, Adebiyi Olalekan, the construction magnate behind Laralek Ultimate Limited, recently stunned the residents of Agidingbi, a few streets from Alausa, the Lagos State seat of power, with the audacious purchase of the land on which the community’s Central Mosque was built. In spite of the vehement

opposition of the owners of the land and worshippers, the otherwise selfeffacing billionaire demolished the mosque and in less than four months, erected an eye-popping multi-storeyed edifice that sticks out in the skyline of the neighbourhood like a malignant tumour. Sources have now revealed that the mouth-watering property is Adebiyi’s gift to his wife, Omolara, whom he worships the ground she treads. To placate the dissenting voices, Adebiyi built a mosque elsewhere for them. The worshippers and all the land owners were all happy. Adebiyi

Will Bosun Oredola Complete The Multi Billion Naira Project With Lagos State?

Bosun Oredola, the wealthy big boy behind Globalbridge Projects Limited, is back to the big time after finding mercy in the magnanimity of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. And he is living it up real good, forgetting perhaps that a few months back, his marriage to Olayinka - a renowned pharmacist and founder of Megacare Group, the world class healthcare group that imports, distributes, manufactures and markets healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical products in Nigeria, Africa and global market - tottered precariously on the brink of collapse.

Yinka and Bosun were divorcees who met and gave marriage a second chance.

With a stately home in Banana Island, the Oredolas - hip and fun-loving and love living life to the hilt - were the envy of other couples. Shortly after they got married, Yinka introduced Bosun to former Minister of Petroleum, the embattled Diezani Allison-Madueke who pushed a lot of deals their way. They came into a different kind of wealth, buying properties in choice areas – notably two apartments at Tango Towers, Bourdillon, Ikoyi – and jetting round the world. It was a good time for the couple. With Diezani’s ouster from power, the Oredolas wealth also plummeted. Before long, the hitherto loving couple turned their home into a theatre of war; it was one day, one crisis bordering on the sharp drop in their income. In the midst of the crises, Yinka was still reaching out to her friends in

Oredola

high places to see if something could be passed down to her husband. Nothing came forth. So bad did relations between the couple degenerate that their pastor, Paul Adefarasin of the House on the Rock Church, had to wade in.

A while later, Bosun got the Lagos State contract worth over N2billion to build ultra modern service centres for the

new buses that would ply Lagos roads under the revolutionary transport scheme of the state government. Bosun was automatically pirouetted back to the big time. The contract came at a very good time as his home was already on fire. The love returned between the warring couple and seeing them, one would hardly believe they ever raised a voice against each other.

Five months from now, Governor Ambode would cease to be the Governor of Lagos State. Now, Bosun is being buffeted with questions everywhere he turns these days as those who know about the deal he got with the state government are asking whether he would be able to complete it before Ambode leaves. And the questions are justified given Bosun’s return to his days of profligacy even though it was only a part payment he got and the job had not really got off the ground. What got his associates worried was the recent lavish birthday he threw to celebrate his mum’s 70th birthday. He had the first leg in Dubai where he ferried friends and relatives to. The second leg was a total shutdown of Glover Road, Ikoyi, last weekend.

Expensive champagnes and cognacs flowed like a rivulet. If there was any doubt that he had returned to the big time, Bosun used the party to shut the doubts down permanently. But posers are being raised by concerned associates that for somebody who only got a part payment for the job, would he have enough to deploy for the completion of the project?

Beware Ibijoke! Before Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Wife Gets Fooled By Praise-Singers Predictably, as it is often the norm with people in high places, career sycophants and political parasites have begun to heap earned and unearned accolades on the wife of Lagos APC gubernatorial candidate, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. Many have written poetry in her praise and published.

As Ibijoke Sanwoolu basks in the flurry of her adoration by political parasites, let her not forget the words of Boris Pasternak.

The Russian poet and novelist avers that: “Who should remain alive and praised; who should stay dead without renown depends upon criteria that powerful sycophants lay down.� Pasternak’s summation could never be more apt; among other truths, it emphasizes the desperation and astounding vanity of sycophants singing the praises of Ibijoke in order to put their claws in her. It would be recalled that such career sycophants also did to the present first lady, Bolanle Ambode. The objective of these people is simple: to reap bountifully from the new dispensation if Sanwoolu eventually

wins. And in bid to be part of the group, not a few women in Lagos, particularly from the city’s upper crust, are engaging in a tiresome hustle to be part of the group. It is interesting to know that this same group of women formed an impenetrable ring around Bolanle Ambode. Today, the fortune hunters have shifted their allegiance from Bolanle and transferred it to Ibijoke. No doubt, the sweet smell of success no doubt is working in favour of the Sanwoolus, Ibijoke in particular.

Now that her husband has emerged the candidate, she has suddenly become the queen bee of Lagos’s high society; she is no longer a random face in the bevy of women who were born into money and married into affluence; Ibijoke, like honey in a beehive suddenly attracts the goodwill and patronage of the Lagos’s high society.

Dr Ibijoke, a mother of four, is a medical doctor at Harvey Road Hospital, Yaba. Mrs Sanwo-Olu is described as an easy-going, committed professional who has no room for vainglorious pursuits or highflying social life.

Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu

is truly a good man. Indeed, some of the construction projects in the state usually go to him except those he rejects or so the sources affirm. For instance, Laralek – derived from he and his wife’s names– is behind the ambitious 10-lane Oshodi –Murtala Mohammed Airport expressway. Prior, he had handled, among others, the reconstruction of roads in the Alimosho–Ipaja–Ayobo environs and the urban renewal programme of the outgoing Lagos administration. By virtue of this, Adebiyi’s wealth has quadrupled in that short space of time.

Stock Exchange Boss, Bimbo Ogunbanjo, Becomes Otunba Erunwon In the business world, the Abimbola Ogunbanjo resonates like a soothing whirr of fresh breeze; many would compare him to the fresh verdure of the field that leads the dancing Naiads through the dewy meads.

Bimbola, the head honcho of Nigeria Stock Exchange, is every inch of noble birth. His is a classic Nigerian success story of reinvention and achievement—of becoming the man you wanted to be under the heavy weight of glorious ancestry and matchless roots.

His candid cadences, touched with just the faintest whiff of reticence, amplifies his graceful modesty and ability to navigate the tricky tropes of acclaim and human politics.

Notwithstanding his manifest depth, he presents with zero haughtiness; he is at heart, very private and unpretentiously modest. His towering humility excites cozy presumptions about his attitude. At a colourful ceremony in Erunwon, Ogunbanjo was installed the Otunba Bamofin of Erunwon, Ijebu Ode of Owu, Ogun State, by Oba Adebayo Okunbena the traditional ruler of Eruwon kingdom. It was a classy event. The elaborate event, which paraded top politicians, respected technocrats, society big wigs and captains of industry, saw the guests shuffle and nod to the liveliest and most delightful musical tunes. As the guests thrilled to delightful music, their hair stood on end and they tipped over in merriment - their joy spilling from their souls into the air and sky high into the blue firmament.

Guests at the party were treated to the choicest liquor and sumptuous meals made by the finest caterers. They made sure guests were pampered, treating them to numerous bottles of the choicest champagne, from Ace of Spades, Don-Perignon, Crystal to Moet & Chandon and exotic wine of all hue. It no doubt warmed the cockles of the host, Ogunbanjo’s heart to see dignitaries at the event smack their lips in pleasure as they devoured the sumptuous meals and drinks offered to them at the high-octane party. Interestingly, when the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) announced the emergence of city corporate lawyer, Abimbola Ogunbanjo as the new president of the National Council of the Exchange, September 2017, the news was received by people in finance sector as a round peg in a round hole. Bimbo, who joined the council in 2011 had been the First Vice President since 2014 and served as Chairman of the Exchange’s demutualisation Advisory Committee. His colleagues on the Council believe his years of meritorious service as a council member had equipped him with the knowledge and experience required to take the Exchange to higher levels of performance and development. His wife, Titi, nee Kuku, is also a lawyer turned entrepreneur. She owns T’ayanna Spa, one of Nigeria’s leading spa.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚΀

GLITZ EVENT

Rising against Sexual Violence The We Rise Initiative recently held an event in Lagos called Hear Me Too, as part of a 16-day United Nations campaign against gender-based violence, reports Demola Ojo

T

he We Rise Initiative is an African Non-Governmental Organisation that is committed to empowering African women to rise above the oppression of the twenty-first century and the stigma attached to feminism.

According to Co-founder Laila Johson-Salami, “A lot of our work is designed to ensure that people know they can get access to the things that they need. We focus on consultation. “A lot of young women come to us and say this is what is happening in my university campus or in my home and ask how to go about it and we link them up with the right people. “We often turn to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, the Mirabel Centre and so on, to show people they have options to get the help they need. “Beyond that, we focus on a lot of education and enlightenment by holding events like this, getting people to speak up and getting people to learn from other people as well.�

Hear Me Too guest speakers included notable GBV activists like Dr. Kemi Dasilva-Ibru of Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF), Toyin Falaiye of Jewels Hive Initiative, Paul Ukonu of the 300 Project, Temidayo Seriki of the Man Up Initiative and Temilade Openiyi, an artiste who goes by the stage name Tems.

The venue of the event – the Sao Cafe, Lekki – has cheerful colours: bright paintings, innovative African art, mural on a vintage car... But the mood in the room was sober. Little wonder, considering the harrowing accounts and depressing statistics shared during the course of the day. “I’ve been warned, I’ve been told to go back to my country, which is here by the way,� said Mrs Da SilvaIbru, recounting how communities don’t just try to silence victims of sexual abuse, but also those trying to help them.

Bemoaning the culture of victim blaming, she revealed that about 10,000 women are violated every day in Nigeria. “The youngest I’ve treated is two years but the youngest age on record is six months.�

Distressing Recollections Some of the participants shared their stories. Some wrote in. i) I have gone through sexual assault.

I was much younger and it was with a bunch of my brother’s friends. I was about eight. I couldn’t tell my mum because when I tried to, she really didn’t pay attention.

For the assault to stop, I had to stand up for myself. The only reason a lot of people abuse you is because they think you won’t fight back.

It happened at school but because they had well-to-do parents, nothing much was done apart from apologies. I was between 8 and 11, while they were between 14 and 17.

Johnson-Salami

my screams - came through, beat the boy, cleaned me up and told me not to tell anyone. iii) My aunt’s husband – also my guardian - who was a soldier serially assaulted me for six years in the sitting room while she was sleeping in the room from when I was about eleven. He stopped when I threatened him with a knife and told him I’d kill myself.

When she finally found out, she told her friends, who told her not to tell anybody because it was a taboo. They took me to a church and I had to go through deliverance. I was so sad because it seemed I was the one that did something wrong. From that day, she decided to sleep in the same room with me. But she never confronted him.

Healing Wounds According to Toyin Falaiye of Jewels Hive, she realised over time that victims of abuse sometimes stay mute because they have nowhere to run to, thus the need for a physical centre to serve as shelter.

She also warned against the danger of quack therapists who use their job as a cover to prey on sexual violence victims by also abusing them sexually.

As part of her submission, Tems ii) I was raped by a neighbour when preached forgiveness. She however I was about eight. He was a teenager reiterated that this doesn’t mean then. Another neighbour – after hearing

perpetrators should not be brought to justice. “Forgiveness is for you because you have to let go to be fully healed,� she advised. “I don’t have an organisation, I just try to do what I can as an individual.

What I do is try and reach out to people like me,� she explained. “Around my estate a lot of young women, most under 20, are married. I have conversations with them. They live like slaves. Some are hairdressers and they hardly keep 10 per cent of the money they make. The bulk, they give to their husbands.�

Her past experience has shaped her professional life. “I’m an independent artiste and I’m not trying to be signed to a record label. The reason is a lot of female artistes have to do a lot of things to move forward. “I don’t believe in that, so I’m trying to be the example. I believe lot of young girls my age are confused. I know a lot of 18 year olds and it’s like women exist for the sake of men.�

She wondered why young women actively strive to gain a man’s attention and when they get it, stay even in the face of abuse. “You don’t need somebody, you’re somebody. You don’t need to put up an image, you don’t need to be someone else.� she affirmed.

Salami-Johnson, as moderator

added: “Financial abuse is oftentimes left out of the picture but it is real.

There are so many women who work hard but don’t seem to get ahead because they’re technically enslaved by someone else.�

The 22-year-old graduate of Politics and International Relations from the University of Westminster is a broadcast journalist who works on TV and radio in Nigeria, and also writes for the Financial Times and the Commonwealth Youth Council.

She told THISDAY what motivates her. “As a survivor of abuse as well, it’s a topic that has always been dear to me. I believe it’s one of the most prevalent and heinous acts in Nigeria today and you cannot look around you and see so many women and men going through the same thing, telling very similar stories, and sit back and do absolutely nothing. “So if I can lend my time and voice to a 16-day annual campaign against this particular issue and encourage it more in Nigeria, I definitely will. I’m not losing out on anything but I may be saving someone’s life.�

Commending participants at the dialogue she continued, “What they have done is a very necessary ripple effect and encouraging a lot of victims to know that it’s okay to speak up against the unfortunate incidence or

͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

61

GLITZ EVENT

Photos: KOLA ALLI

‌ Dr. Da Silva-Ibru (right)

incidences that occurred.�

Words for Men A notable aspect of Hear Me Too was the challenge thrown to men and changing narratives. According to Temidayo Seriki, “Men need to change. In a patriarchal society like Nigeria, things will never change unless the men change.�

Paul Ukono, a photographer by trade, explained how he became an activist by accident. Now though, he devotes majority of his time to the cause. The 300 project now has a shelter in Lagos. “Human trafficking is real and sexual exploitation is real. Speaking up is not just about the victims but also the people who know about it. “I’m a child of God but one of the biggest problems are the religious centres,� he submitted.

He also challenged educational institutions. “We went to a school for an outreach and the principal said no, because 80 per cent of the children there were possibly trafficked.�

He questioned why about 90 per cent of participants at Hear Me Too were women. “The women know about it (sexual abuse) but we need to speak to the men. “Try and talk to your brothers, husbands, cousins and male friends to attend events like this,� he advised.

The role of parents and schools in shaping kid’s during their formative years was also stressed. It was suggested that “Boys going out to play while girls stay at home and learn how to cook� is one of the underlying reasons for gender inequality and a narrative that needs to change.

Advice to Survivors Johnson-Salami was keen to pass on soothing words to those who have undergone some form of gender based violence or the other. “My advice would be the same advice my mother always gave me, which is that it’s completely okay to feel. You are going to go through stages. “You go through a phase where you don’t want to speak to anyone and you don’t want anyone to know your story. You go through phases where

Seriki

you start to get anxious, paranoid and mental illness starts to creep in. “And then you would go through phases of healing, and being able to have the courage to speak out on what has happened to you. “My advice is to take it day by day, moment by moment, and know that your story is never going to be another person’s story. Your experience is never going to be another person’s experience so you can only do what works for you. “You have to feel. If you don’t feel those emotions, all you’re going to do is bundle them inside you and it’s only going to hurt you more. It is okay to cry, it is okay to scream, it is okay to not want to speak to anyone and shut yourself away from the world.

Do not listen to what anyone tells you otherwise. Just go through your emotions and feel.�

Dissuasive Legislation It is a fact, unfortunately, that most perpetrators of sexual abuse are never caught. Worse still, those caught are seldom prosecuted. Dr Da Silva-Ibru revealed that only 14 per cent of perpetrators are being prosecuted in Nigeria. “We’re looking at a situation

The women know about it (sexual abuse) but we need to speak to the men.

We’re seeing little things being done state by state but are we seeing enough? DeďŹ nitely not. We need more people pushing more policies to see the necessary change. But even with those policies, we won’t see the necessary change if we as a citizenry don’t act on those policies where majority of abusers are getting away with their actions,â€? said JohnsonSalami. “The only way this is going to change is with the necessary policies being enacted into government. This starts with us changing our laws. We made a step when we changed our rape laws. “Once upon a time, our rape laws only applied to women so if a man was abused, there was no law applicable to go before a court.â€?

She seeks further policy changes even while commending Lagos State for introducing a 25-year jail term for sexual and domestic violence and Edo State for its human trafficking task force. “We’re seeing little things being done state by state but are we seeing enough? Definitely not. “We need more people pushing more policies to see the necessary change. But even with those policies, we won’t see the necessary change if we as a citizenry don’t act on those policies.�

Tems

Ukono

Falaiye

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2018

62

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

More Endorsements for Atiku Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has continued to receive endorsements from notable individuals and organisations, even as the general election draws closer.

In the views of many, the endorsements are proof of his ȱ ę ȱ ȱ ę ȱ ȱ his candidature in and outside the country. ȱ ȱ Ĝ ȱ ȱ ȱ for Atiku, a group, Atiku Diaspora Support Group (ADSG), an organization made up of Nigerians resident in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, said every Nigerian who prioritizes the functionality of the country’s business sector at large and the security of lives and properties should support Atiku to make Nigeria great again.

Franklin Ekechukwu, the convener of this initiative who also doubles as the group’s coordinator, gave reasons the group is endorsing Atiku, saying. “We believe that Atiku is the only candidate who will usher in good governance, create the necessary political and institutional processes and achieve outcomes that will produce development in Nigeria.

“It is important to us that we have governance that will encourage public institutions to conduct public ě ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ guarantee the realization of human rights in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law that will guarantee personal security. He is the only candidate who will curtail the rising criminal insurgency in Nigeria.”

He added that if Atiku was given the opportunity to be Nigeria’s next president, the country would be a place where every citizen will be proud of.

A member of the Atiku Campaign Representatives in the U.S. said,”Atiku has been a very serious minded person and right now, Atiku cannot wait to get to work after being elected the president of the country to get Nigeria working again.

Atiku

Tunde Ayeni’s Headache Today, many of his fans and admirers will thump their chests and declare almost without any scintilla of regrets, that life has not been fair to Tunde Ayeni.

If you dare ask them to justify the reason for such a thought, they will remind you of how the once respected banker has fallen from his Olympian height to a level so detested even by an ordinary mortal.

Time there was when he ruled his world as a professional in the nation’s financial sector.

At a relatively young age, he made waves in the banking industry and controlled major shares in many financial institutions as well as other sectors of the economy.

In 2011, Ayeni became the Chairman of Skye Bank, now Polaris Bank, following the merger of five banks, including Bond Bank founded by him in 2000.

Sadly , he began to experience a kind of antithesis in his flourishing career, following the order by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to the management of Skye Bank.

The order came on the heels of an alleged liquidity crisis in the bank. He was, therefore, sacked alongside other top management of the bank.

Misfortune, it is said, comes not singly but in myriad.

Since the unfortunate development, many have called for his head, following the way he allegedly left the bank until it was rescued by the apex bank.

These accusations, which have not only traumatised him, have also made him to lose respect in the eyes of the generality of Nigerians.

Though no court of law has pronounced him guilty on the said allegations, it appears his seeming headache has not abated in anyway.

It was gathered that the man who was also sacked last year as Ntel Chairman was recently grilled by the leading Nigerian anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC, for several hours over his involvement in the mess that Skye Bank, now Polaris, was left in.

Ayeni

Though he was released after obtaining vital information from him, many still see the seeming respite as a temporary one for the businessman.

Prince Ibrahim Lilly-livered?

Adama

When Prince Ibrahim Mera, a former Deputy Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, made his intention known to run for the number one job of Kebbi State, many who knew his antecedents sneered at him.

This group of people was said to have also vowed that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for him to become the number one citizen of the state.

As predicted, the prince of Argungu has proven his critics right as he has again failed to achieve his most cherished ambition.

This is one dream he has always pursued with great determination. But either by design or accident, the most sought-after position has again eluded him.

He failed to secure the All Progressives Congress’ ticket for next year’s governorship election in the state.

It was gathered that the billionaire ex-Customs top shot did not pass the screening organised by the party recently, thereby foreclosing his ambition of

wresting power from the incumbent governor, Abubakar Bagudu.

Nonetheless, our source disclosed that the wealthy man disappointed his fans and admirers who had thought he wouldn’t go down without a fight. ‘’Prince Mera disappointed some of his fans who believed in him and thought he would fight for his right. But they were shocked when he suddenly chickened out. He ran away like a dog with its tail between its legs,” a source said.

The source also disclosed that the businessman who wasted several millions of Naira for the aspiration is silently licking his wounds.

Though many wonder about the source of his stupendous wealth, those close to him maintained that his wealth could be traceable to the vast Estate bequeathed to him by his late father.

Mera, who is also described as a car freak, has properties in across Nigeria, including Argungu in Birnin-Kebbi, Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja and in the United Kingdom.

Remi Makanjuola’s New Treasured Gift A few weeks ago, Chief Remi Makanjuola, Chairman, Caverton Helicopters, turned 70 to the admiration of all.

For this wealthy, famous and influential man, the birthday celebrations drew eminent personalities from around the country, who came to share in his joy on the occasion.

The event, which was put together by his children, particularly Niyi of the Visionscape fame, will forever remain fresh in the minds of the attendants.

Though it has come and gone, the billionaire got a wondrous gift that he will forever treasure.

His children gave him the latest Rolls Royce Cullinan as a birthday gift as well as a luxury speed boat.

The Rolls Royce Cullinan, a new customized SUV worth $380, 000, is the world most expensive Sports Utility Van. With this, the businessman has become the first Nigerian to own the world most luxury car and super elegantly stylish car.

The wonder on the wheels is especially customized for a handful of billionaires across the world.

Makanjuola ranks prominently on the upper rung of Nigeria’s elite ladder of successful and wealthy businessmen in Nigeria.

Very industrious and enterprising, some of his business interests include Caverton Helicopters established in September 2002 as a charter, shuttle and maintenance company.

Iwuajoku

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2018

SOCIETY WATCH

Samuel Adedoyin’s Gloomy Birthday A patriarch of high society, Samuel Adedoyin’s name evokes a lot of images such as success, wealth, connection, philanthropy, and fellow feeling, among others in the minds of many.

Chairman, Doyin Group of Companies, is everything you would wish to be in life. Providence, no doubt, has literally lavished its favour on him.

Even as he just gracefully turned 83 recently, it is evident that he still has a lot to contribute to humanity.

As the billionaire marked his 83rd birthday, many say his life is worth celebrating, though this year’s celebration was devoid of fanfare unlike others in the past. This is not unconnected to the recent loss of his daughter, Funke Adedoyin to the cold hands of death.

The lawmaker representing Ero/Isin/ Ekiti Federal Constituency, died of breast cancer, after she underwent a successful surgery in the best hospitals in the world, Mayo Clinics in Washington DC. So, to the Kwara state-born businessman, this year’s birthday was nothing but a gloomy one as he was still mourning his late daughter.

The popular businessman is today one of the best industrialists in the country. Indeed, if anyone had told him that he would someday become one

of the gladiators in the nation’s business sector, he would have sneered at the fellow. Success, greatness and fame were never thrust on his lap on a platter of gold. He has had his own fair share of the vicissitudes and lassitude of life. His is an intriguing story of a man who has glided from zero to hero.

While he was growing up, he had the picture of how rich he wanted to be in his head, but was slightly unsure of how to actualise it, particularly after he dropped out of school in standard IV. Determined to set himself free from the vice-like grip of poverty, he set his mind on travelling to the UK, a move that was kindly welcomed by his mother.

But destiny prevailed, as he ended up in Ghana, unable to move further.

Distraught, he later returned home with a few pounds to the waiting hands of his equally sad mother. Then, reality dawned! After repaying his mother who had raised some money for his failed trip, he started his own business; and with the grace of God, he rose above all the teething challenges, so much so that he was able to build his first house at 19.

At every opportunity, he gives thanks to God that the planned UK trip was aborted, given subsequent developments in his life.

Today, the company that started as

Adedoyin

a small trading business in Lagos in 1968 has grown tremendously over the years diversifying into various sectors of business

Dapo Abiodun Remains Unruffled Anyone who knows Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, will attest to the fact that he is indeed a good fighter.

Once he believes in a dream, he pursues it to the end.

When he joined the race to contest for the number one job in Ogun State, he knew he was in for the battle of his life.

His loyalists assured him, even from the outset, that he is head and shoulders above the other contestants and that he has what it takes to win the election.

So far, he has remained unruffled , even though the incumbent governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has been threatening fire and brimstone, telling whoever cares to listen that he will only hand over to his preferred candidate, Adekunle Akinlade who has since cross to another party, APM. Abiodun has, however, been doing all within his power to further win the hearts of the people of the state.

Besides, many stakeholders and top politicians across the state have shown

Abiodun

their support for the Iperu, Ogun Stateborn politician.

He is also making use of his far-flung connections in both the business and political circles in Nigeria to actualize his dream.

The Heyden boss had contested the Ijebu-East Senatorial District election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, with the sole aim of using the platform to serve his people.

But the plan was truncated, as Kashamu Buruji of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was declared the winner.

Consequently, he resorted to the court to claim what he believed had been allegedly stolen from him.

It will be recalled that Abiodun’s journey into politics began in 1996 when he won a senatorial seat under the defunct UNCP. His ambition, however, was truncated when the then Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, died and all political parties were disbounded by Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami.

He later contested the governorship on the platform of the PDP, before pitching his tent with the APC in the last general election.

Aisha Babangida Wows!

Babangida

Are you one of those who have always seen Aisha Babangida, the daughter of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, as one beautiful lady who only likes to party and spend her father’s money like sand.

If yes, you had better bury the thought.

The dark-skinned beauty recently showcased her brilliance when she represented her aging dad at the launch of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book, My Transition Hour.

Those who witnessed the event attested to the kind of transformation she has undergone. She was said to have exuded confidence and leadership qualities, a clear departure from her former self.

Many expected the retired soldier to be represented by one of his sons, but were

marveled when she delivered her speech.

By the end of the star-studded event, not only did she steal the show, she also earned the admiration and respect of the country’s titans.

Our source disclosed that she received a round of applause for her brilliant performance.

Her blue-blooded background notwithstanding, she has remained down-to-earth and as genial as the dove.

Energetic and intellectually convincing, her ability to hold her own among the privileged ones as well as her friendliness with the downtrodden is said to be one of the reasons she has been enjoying a cult-like following and listenership both at local and international forums where she is fast becoming a forceful speaker on women empowerments.

Bolajoko Aguda Finds Love More than a decade after he passed on, many still remember the late Justice Timothy Akinola Aguda as a brilliant legal practitioner of repute.

He towered above many of his contemporaries and was a study in diligence.

In recognition of his astounding qualities, he was appointed acting SolicitorGeneral of the old Western region prior to his appointment as the first African Chief Justice of Botswana - he had served concurrently as a judge of the Court of Appeal of Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho.

However, not many people know that he left behind highly cerebral and beautiful daughters whom he literally passed on the baton of law practice to. They include Folashade Oluwatoyin- Aguda Taiwo, who is currently a serving judge in the Ondo State Judiciary; Titi Aguda, Modupe and Bolajoko.

Among these brainy children, tongues are however wagging about Bolajoko, an intelligent, courteous and friendly lawyer who runs an international logistics company known as Logistique Xpeditors.

It will be recalled that she was once married to Otunba Abdulrahman Abiola Odunowo, owner of a telecoms infrastructure company, whom she had three beautiful daughters for.

Society Watch gathered that since their marriage broke up about eight years ago due to what an insider described as irreconcilable differences, she has refused to remarry, even when her former husband has since remarried and moved on.

It was disclosed that the trained lawyer who is blessed with a stunning figure had reportedly said that getting married again was not a priority to her.

However, just when many were wondering if she would ever give marriage another shot, a source has reliably informed Society Watch that the highly cerebral lady has finally been hit by the Cupid arrow once again.

Her new love, it was gathered, is a telecommunication top shot.

The relationship is expected to lead to the altar as the two loverbirds are head over heels in love with each other.

Another source informed Society Watch that though Bolajoko is in love , she may not consider getting married again, as her major concern is how to raise her teenage daughters and grow her thriving business.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2018

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Paul Usoro: Let’s Fear God Me I am not learned like you and I am really not interested in this your matter or your precarious position at the Nigerian Bar Association where according to reports, they might be moving against you as a result of this matter with the EFCC. My own is that you allegedly collected a whopping sum in excess of N1b as professional fees. My lord, this in my mind’s eyes is sacrilege.

If it is true and your attempt to justify this hiding under client’s privilege or wetin you call am is at the least shameful.

How for the life of me, will you collect that kind of money as fees even if na you write the constitution? You see how elites collaborate to impoverish our people. Look, I am from Akwa Ibom and the place is ravished and racked by poverty. Why would it not be like this when people like these keep collecting this absurd sum out of the system as

BISHOP OYEDEPO – MBOK LEAVE HIM O My white suit-wearing daddy came under fire during the week for jumping into an issue not really understanding that the write-up was a tongue in cheek satirical piece on the ‘Jubril’ issue. Seun Kuti not wanting the opportunity to pass him by immediately took a swipe at him stating that the daddy owns a university and still doesn’t understand satire. Mbok, let’s leave daddy alone jo.

Anybody can make mistake abeg. It is not fundamental and the man get right not to understand literature and after 40 days’ dry fasting and monitoring level of tithing, it makes sense to be exhausted and not really comprehend issues abeg. Daddy, don’t mind them.

Let’s just laugh over this After all, you own universities and your wealth is, what did you even call it last time?

Humongous. No be satire you go chop, who satire help. Just next time think well before you talk to avoid this kind of embarrassment. Seun Kuti ori eeeeee; kai.

professional fees? I am from Nsit Ubom near Etinan in Akwa Ibom and in my village no better school, no better medical facilities and the only good road is the one that takes you to Eket. My people still live the way Lord Lugard left them and avoidable death is their comfort and then this Baba with the funny Bowtie and bald head will be collecting this kind money like we are the ones that paid his school fees. Look, we do not understand the English or the letter of the law, just refund the money that is all. We are very interested in this matter and will follow it to its logical conclusion. Even if he wiggles out of the matter taking advantage of ‘legal technicality’, be rest assured that the people would still ask for their collective wealth. Nsido, mbok Abasi nsokpo!!!!!!!. For my non-Ibibio speaking readers, that is me exclaiming in our language – what is it? Mbok, EFCC

is there anything I can do to assist in this matter? I can come to court and clap each time your prosecutor makes a point or stand outside with a delegation of impoverished, kwashiorkor-laden children of Akwa Ibom and stand outside the court to show graphically what a billion Naira would do to the lives of these children if it had been judiciously used instead of giving it to these ‘vultures’ who continue to milk us. Oya, come at me Mr.Usoro. I am waiting. I know your team of eminent lawyers plus the ones that did not pass Law School will be combing this my write-up to see which technicality you will use to nail me, me I no fear because as a poor Ibibio man, there is nothing you can do to me. I have said the truth and the truth is that professional fees like the magnitude we are hearing is wicked.

That’s all. I don go chop my Afang, see

When Amosun Came for Lunch The noise from Ogun State was becoming deafening, so one of the two people ruling us advised that Amosun be invited for lunch to amongst others discuss the matter and much more important find out once and for all who his tailor is; those caps are just something else. The invite was sent out and since Oga had not eaten at the Rock in a while, he quickly jumped on a plane with his camp and went straight to see his paddy. Lunch was served, it was his favourite gbegiri with assorted meat and Amala. The chef just knew how to get to Kunle. The food was delicious that he asked for a second plate. All through lunch, Buhari was trying to make conversation the issue in his state especially the recent report that he would most likely be supporting a candidate outside of the APC. The man at that point was only interested in the gbegiri and promised to talk after he had finished the food. He counted

the meat and one was missing. All the Local Governed divisions in Ogun must be complete in this plate. He screamed at the chef and the missing meat was brought in. The meeting had to wait, kunle had to finish his meal. Ogun politics will have to wait. Buhari who had some activity in the other room was also growing impatient as his phone kept ringing. The doctor had given him a strict regimen that he didn’t like missing - 2.30pm anywhere he was in the word he must jump into the other room. Even at the last visit to the United Nations, the UN officials took it into consideration in scheduling him to speak. He was given a 30-minute break during the speech to rush to the other room and come back while world leaders waited so why is Kunle doing this? Mbok, after three plates and thirteen pieces of meat drowned with a very cold bottle of Lager, kunle slept off. Meeting ended.

Ogun State in trouble. Na satire o.

WALE OLUWO… HE SPOKE !

I have known Wale Oluwo all of my life. We grew up in Shomolu so he is not an Aje Butter. A brilliant investment banker -he was my boss at BGL and if there is anything I will tell you about him is that he is a confirmed rebel. His latest move- resigning and decamping to PDP did not come to me as a surprise judging from his pedigree and outlook to life. I sat with him in Ikoyi some weeks before this move and from his demeanor I knew this was in the offing. He did not say much but bought me a drink and

Oyedepo

Amosun

Oluwo

Ambode

Usoro

when Wale buys you a drink then you know he is up to something. This is resignation has thrown up some issues - internal democracy, weak institutions, cronyism amongst others.

This is looking like a principled stance against perceived tyranny and the APC’s response through a statement credited to their spokesman Joe Igbokwe begged the point. Trying to pull his wife into the milieu is childish.

Face wale and struggle with him on the basis of the issues he has thrown up. Well Lagos is up for grabs and the better prepared will emerge, if you count the number of posters on the third mainland bridge you will have a fair sense of who is winning this battle. Let me just keep quiet here at this point.

STEVE AYORINDE – A SHOUT OUT Let me just take a moment to send strong felicitations to this my egbon; it is not his birthday or anything like that but it is just me just saying thank you for what he has been able to do in Lagos especially in the areas of arts and culture and much more precisely theatre. You see today, the industry is witnessing resurgence with stage plays pushing on massive budgets and pulling in thousands into theatres spread all over the state. Creating jobs and generally opening up the space. Let me give a small example, OBA ESUGBAYI a play in which I am executive producer and with strong support from the Lagos State Government is creating 300 direct and indirect jobs, pushing over 12,000 people into the Hall on a budget in excess of N18m. The widow who sells

Ayorinde

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LOUD WHISPERS

Adeboye

food at the rehearsals has been able to get a new lease of life as she has a captured market of over 100 people for the last three weeks. She sought me out with her kids to say thank you. If you now extrapolate this with all the huge entertainment initiatives championed and supported by the Ambode-led administration you will begin to see what I am talking about. The Lagos Fiesta I hear will create millions of jobs and further establish Lagos as the entertainment capital with all its attendant benefits. Egbon even took time out to shoot a small video for us which has been making the rounds on social media. On behalf of the industry, I say thank you. God bless you.

EDGAL – BUT WHY? So your boys have once again struck. They have been alleged to have beaten up the popular Actor Jude Okeke over a minor traffic issue. Mr. Edgal I listened to the statement your people issued on the matter especially the part where they said, in your usual professional manner you have set up a committee to look into the matter. Well, I know you are a go-getter and will not rest until you get to the bottom of the matter. But my lord, this is the usual trying to treat pimples when you are staring at a major break out of leprosy.

There should be a major refocusing of your men and this should involve psychiatric evaluation from the highest man to the lowest so as to properly reorientate the policeman vis-a-vis his place in the society. I am not one for bashing the police and shouting blue murder. I am for solution. The policeman is suffering. He is depressed and he is part of a larger society that is in pains. The only difference is that he has the uniform and a gun which give him authority. Now not properly situated, he turns into a bully and an occupying force. The orientation should change urgently. A major charm offensive should be launched, we should begin to see a softer police force. Look they are not the only poorly paid or equipped people in the country.

All of us dey suffer am o, so there is really no excuse for all these things that are happening. The other day, one even tried me but I repelled him with JUJU. Bro, just try, let’s get counsellors, psychiatrists and Image consultants.

The police is truly our friend, and they must be seen as such.

Meanwhile your people don turn fine boy Jude to activist with plaster.

You should watch the video. Not fair.

AKPORORO VS FREEZE – A COMEDY OF ERRORS So the comedian was on stage and took a swipe at the On-Air Personality and the issue was on tithe. This vexed

Davido

Seun Kuti

Buhari: Listen Up Look, they have said two people are leading and running this government.

Oya call them in and let the three of you read this my piece this morning.

Your refusal to sign the Electoral Bill is something I really do not understand.

You may have a point there saying that it being so close to the elections could cause disruptions but na you no sign am from beginning na. Look, I really understand your position knowing full well what we can be. One or two people will still go to court to contest even after you sign and coming so close to the elections you have a point there. But as it’s usually the case with you, the communication of your position leaves much to be desired. If I were in your shoes, I will call a major media briefing involving CNN and Al Jazera so I don’t get misquoted and explain in clear terms my reasons for this refusal. This would ensure clarity and

even some level of support. Nigerians are basically self-entitled people and you can be rest assured that nobody is pushing for or against the signing of this Bill for patriotic reasons. There is a huge electoral advantage either way and as such everybody including yourself has a right to push for the position that is to your advantage. But like I have said, it is not for you to be waiting for the last day to now shake your head and send it back. These are some of the things people are using against you o.

Personally, I am beginning to look at your performance in the last four years and although it has been very rough and bumpy there are some highpoints that I can mention which just could make me stand behind you. Wait, let me mention some – kai……. Hungry is catching me, let me come back. – sai Baba!

Buhari

issue has been riling Christendom, pitting big pastors against small boy Freeze who if you ask me, is winning the war. The pastors in my estimation have not been able to come out with a credible defence of this activity which is a major IGR for their institutions.

The comedian who has been described by the OAP as a semi-literate circus clown fired the first salvo saying that paying tithe works for him and as such nobody can decide how he spends his money. In response, Freeze went personal not only on the comedian but also his benefactor the powerfully handsome Pastor Adefarasin and from then onwards, it went downhill. Well, for me it is simple. I have never paid tithe so all this is just wind across my ears. How can I pay tithe for people to come and be driving bulletproof jeeps and be sending their children to the best schools abroad? The one

government is doing is enough; it is not to come and add this one again. Our people just like to suffer and smile ala Fela. When I get to heaven if God say I will not enter Heaven because I did not pay tithe, no wahala. Mbok, Akpororo I stand with Freeze. The so-called blessing you are getting is not because you are paying tithe, it is because you are immensely talented; maybe if you have some more education you would see clearly. Nigerians how do you feel when you see these pastors celebrating their children’s graduation from Ivy League schools from your money and yet, you will be struggling to pay school fees in Okelemeta and you will still be paying tithe. For me and my family, no more. My Mumu has ended since. If Akpororo and the rest want to continue with their mumu, it is their prerogative. Thank you.

Aisha Buhari

PASTOR ADEBOYE AND THE DEIFICATION OF MAN Still on this matter, I have just seen a report on the highly respected Pastor Adeboye begging people to stop putting his image on things to sell.

He went further to beg people to stop buying these things. If you ask me sir, you are only just being clever by half. If you are serious, close down the whole show. This is pure show business and there is no way it will not get to this point. Abi, when Davido and Wizkid are doing concert don’t you see people print their images on T-shirts and mugs to sell. So how do you expect for your own to be different? You have built a multi-billion Naira enterprise with branches around your personality and since we cannot see God na you be next na. We must wear your t-shirts na. Your conglomerate is far-reaching encompassing schools, churches, real estate, aviation, all sorts and then you think we will not deify you? You are GOD, let me tell you if you don’t know. When you climb your pulpit and grab the microphone with those little Bowtie you wear and look across at the multitude that hang on to your every word, what do you think they are thinking? You are GOD. I repeat and this is sad. The other day, I saw a video of a building on fire and your people were there shouting the God of Adeboye, the God of Oyedepo to bring down the flames instead of calling fire brigade and running to safety.

The building burnt down, this is sad.

Let’s stop the pretence, what we are seeing here is a huge business. Show business and memorabilia is part of the terrain. Me I am looking for Mummy GO’s image on a T-shirt to buy. Me I like her. I follow her on Instagram.

Hope na her real handle. Na wa. #pastorsfreeourpeople. #ithavedo

SEUN KUTI – YOU WILL WIN My brother and co-labourer in the kingdom of rebellion has just been nominated for a Grammy award. He would be following in the admirable steps of his elder brother, the great Femi Kuti. Me I have seen that he has won this time. I have seen him in the mirror in my shrine in Shomolu go pick the gong. I have heard him thanking Buhari in his congratulatory message for making this possible with his strong policies and also asking Nigerians to vote for his second coming. He also thank MKO Abiola for being such a wonderful mentor, thank Aisha Buhari for being a wonderful mummy. So there is no problem. I will be there with you on that stage to collect the award.

Welldone my brother. More accolades.

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PUBLICATION

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16.12.2018

SNAPSHOTS FROM A WORLD OF MINIATURES A display of miniatures at the venue

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

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ARTS & REVIEW\\ART FAIR

Another display of miniatures at the venue

An installation by Junkman from Afrika

SNAPSHOTS FROM A WORLD OF MINIATURES The use of an unconventional space in Lagos for displaying miniature artworks by the Lagos creatives inspires curiosity, writes Yinka Olatunbosun

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oud music sent vibrations through the stairs at the Mega Plaza multistorey car park, where the mega fair for miniatures was staged recently.

This parking infrastructure, designed by DHT architects and completed in 2007, had served the purpose of creating adequate and safe parking spaces for shoppers while saving many motorists from the agony of having their vehicles towed to unknown destinations.

Equipped with split level ramp system, the car park’s purpose was thoughtfully changed to accommodate 1000 works from 100 artists in Lagos to give them a collective voice that cuts through the blaring honks and rapid movements of the chaotic city, forcing every passer-by to reflect on aspects of life that the works mirror.

On its part, the tradition of miniatures dates back to centuries ago with many renowned artists replicating existing works in miniatures for portability. As the Yuletide season approaches, miniature-sized works are among the most sought-after gift items in the art market.

The works may look small in sizes but never in details.

With the theme, A Tale of 1000 Miniatures, the exhibition takes the viewer through a visual journey and a rare encounter with installations, paintings and photography on the third floor,

while the fourth floor of the parking space was created for children to experience guided craft classes, music and refreshments.

Jointly curated by Ogirikan Art Gallery and Iwalewa Art Gallery, the view, though breathtaking, held affordable pieces for collectors. Being the first of its kind in Nigeria, it was a well-received initiative within the art circles in Lagos. One of the leading Nigerian artists, who is recovering from a protracted illness, David Dale offered the opening remarks at the 11-hour fair, commending the organisers for providing the rostrum for emerging artists to express their creativity.

One of the exhibiting artists, Anthony Babatunde Alabi is a photographer and a former photojournalist with THISDAY. Alabi’s pieces are drawn from his pool of works in abstract photography as he later explained in a guided view of his collection.

“I saw abstract rather than the whole object,” he explained. “Each time I look at anything, I focus on the shadow as opposed to the image. I thought of how best to present the abstract I see and this came about. These ones are from the ‘Submerged series.’

I stayed on top of the water to take the pictures. I took the pictures in my house. I staged my reality, and for the ‘ripple effect series’, I put my water down.”

Validating the argument that every photographer is an artist, he pointed out that what distinguishes one artist from another is the way they represent their reality.

For the Founder of Iwalewa Gallery of Art

and one of the organisers of the fair, Femi Williams, the concern about space expressed by some collectors was part of what had necessitated this miniature art fair which will remain an annual tradition to usher in the festive season.

“We are showcasing the best of Nigerian art. Art is about passion and art is not determined by its size,” he said, amidst the din of blaring speakers at the venue.

The guest artist at the fair, Dil HumphreyUmezulike better known as Junkman from Africa spoke of the underlying truth in his installation that appropriates fabrics and other found materials to make a distinct statement at the fair. His was an exception to the rule: not a miniature but a gigantic piece which is just a part of a whole.

“It is amazing how we overcome the challenges of space,’’ the enigmatic artist said in reference to the use of the unconventional space for the show. “Instead of a gallery in art, we find a way of adapting to space.

I’m more of an observer at this fair. This one I called ‘The Politician,’ it was originally exhibited at the Goethe Institute in 2000. It is about the 16 powers of the state that makes it what it is. These powers include ‘The Pastor,’ ‘The Muscle Man,’ ‘The Orange Girl’ amongst others.

“From one angle alone, you don’t see the totality of the concept. This is ‘The Politician’

just appearing here; 26-feet long and it is one personality but different characters. It speaks of politician and their different characters- they keep going forward and backward.’’

Flaunting a rich portfolio of several international art projects, the Junkman, who is currently working on a private museum project in Lagos, presented at the fair an installation, which attains the age of maturity this year – yet is timely and spot-on in its thematic preoccupation. He couldn’t help but give a metaphysical interpretation.

“Art is an eternal thing. Thought is a spiritual thing. If the thought is not polluted by societal consciousness or wrong programming like attitudes, it stays as the truth. Truth is central.

Anywhere you come from, you get to the truth.

When work is created from an authentic source, it is eternal. Such art is not created for commercial or political purposes. If history is not polluted, misinterpreted, mistranslated, manoeuvred or manipulated, it is supposed to be the connection of the lines of truth.

“I gather the high stories of today and I put them together in forms and as mirrors for people to view them as history tomorrow. If you see what somebody does today, you can actually tell what his tomorrow will be because he is operating from the same attitude. Unless he changes the attitudes or beliefs, you will always get the same results. Albert Einstein said if you are doing the same thing over and over again and you are expecting a different result, it is called insanity.”

WORKSHOP

Write With Style Workshop raises Quality of Nigerian Writing Oluwatobi Ibironke

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here are different realms of writing: there is a level where the focus is on choosing the right words and avoiding typographical errors in communicating an idea; there is another point where mastery of the use of punctuations, detailed understanding of structure and form, and touch of style in writing are considered. This advanced level of technicality in writing is what just over a dozen writers were exposed to at the “Write With Style” Workshop, by the organiser/facilitator, OrisAigbokhaevbolo.

The event, which held in late November 2018, was the second edition of the writing workshop.

Ahead of the scheduled dates, a number of positive reviews and testaments from credible voices echoed the essence of the workshop online, predicting the impact of a project of its nature.

These came from people like Lade Tawak, who benefitted from the previous edition, and others like Kola Olatubosun – an author – who sees the need for writers to seek help in improv-

ing their technique. Both Lade Tawak and Kola Olatubosun sponsored one participant each.

Oris – he prefers to be called by his first name – had earlier established that the idea behind the workshop is to “teach how to avoid rectifiable errors made by writers across genres or by anyone writing sentences regularly” and the timing of the workshop couldn’t be better: the country’s educational system has dropped far below any acceptable standards, the gap between the amateurs and the luminaries in the nation’s literary field dangerously widening. Oris made a good call with the problem at hand, but perhaps a 10-hour session is rather short for an ambition of such magnitude.

However, when you consider the width of the brochure designed for the workshop, you would agree that the registration fee was well requited in terms of value gotten. The art, technical and marketing aspects of writing were extensively covered. Oris taught the concept of style, using the 5 classes of stylists enumerated in a Truman Capote Paris Review interview. He went into detail on the importance of good punctuation in writing and how it helps the reader. He used sentences and anecdotes from the works of Teju Cole, John Updike, YemisiAribisala, VS Naipaul,

David Remnick and others and spent some time talking about the structures of music reviews, book reviews, personal essays, interviews and reportage.

Before the workshop, Oris published a review of KemiAdetiba’s popular King of Boys action movie, which most of the participants were familiar with. One of the attendees mentioned the piece, leading the facilitator to laugh. He, then, spoke about the ideal features of a review-essay.

“The review-essay can have all of this – analysis, synopsis, names of creators, judgement, robustness – but it must have more thought.And all of this should be covered in decent sentences employing the present continuous tense,” he said.

The diversity in the ages and profiles of the participants indicated the potential of the workshop to have far-reaching impact.Ada, a lawyer, who appeared to be in her 40s, was one of those who took part in the workshop.

“I just feel I should be writing,” she said, “although I am not sure what it is I should be writing. I hope to find answers now that I have put myself in the circle of writers.”

Jeffrey, a University of Calabar student shared his aspiration of authoring books in the future.

The rest of the class was constituted by business analysts, journalists, teachers and a poet.

The name, “The Write With Style Workshop”, does not seem to do enough in defining a project that does more than just teach style in writing.

David Jack, a teacher who travelled down from Port-Harcourt for the workshop, gave a thorough statement on the impact of the workshop. He said: “Apart from the opportunity to network with other young, energetic writers, the workshop offered a platform to learn, among other things, the little secrets that make for distinctive writing.”

Oris appears to be mapping out plans to broaden the reach of the workshop. In different conversations, he expressed his interest in extending the workshop to other parts of the country and embarking on a project aimed at properly defining the technique of writing indigenous languages like Pidgin. He jocularly responded to a question from Ada, asking if there is a doctrine guiding the use of punctuation in Pidgin.

“There is none that I can point to,” he said, “but I swear, before I finish there will be one.”

––Oluwatobi Ibironke is a music journalist living in Lagos. Reach him at ibironkeoluwatobi@gmail.com

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LEGENDS THE MUSICAL RETURNS TO MUSON THIS DECEMBER Yinka Olatunbosun

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y popular demand, the incredible cast and crew of LEGENDS: KINGS and KINGDOMS will return to stage this December.

The audience will experience another series of unforgettable spectacle from December 22 to 26 at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre. In its first stint, LEGENDS received avalanche of accolades for its extraordinary skills and authenticity of ideas.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the producers.

Gbenga Yusuf and Ayo Ajayi, CEOs of Seeing Through the Arts and Declassical Arts & Entertainment Company, respectively, revealed that since the audience has been yearning for more after the first spell, they were compelled to bring the production back on stage as their quota to a fabulous festive season.

In the statement, the production was described as “phenomenal� with rave reviews from the previous edition. “LEGENDS is an unrivalled piece in terms of entertainment value, the wonderful scripting, the phenomenal actors, dancers and musicians and the imaginative directorial approach, combine to make this show a must-see for every household.

LEGENDS is a family event that has no age restrictions. Also, it is not elitist as prices are highly affordable,� the producers added.

Five African heroes who lived at different time periods in history--- Sango (Segun Adefila), Nana Yaa Asantewaa (Mojisola Kadiri), Neferneferuaten Nefertiti (Edem Attai), Shaka Zulu (Kelvin Mary) and Queen Amina of Zazzau (Uche Elumelu), drawn from different African countries, are summoned from Kumbayah by the little priestess (Oluchi Odii) who lives in modern time, to come save Modaland from the destructive grip of The Shadow (Floyd Igbo). But they realize that The Shadow is the greatest enemy of mankind that can only be destroyed by curbing the excesses of the man in the mirror.

Starring Yinka Davies, the LEGENDS is an authentically made in Nigeria musical drama with strong universal.

For Oluchi Odii, one of the contestants in the 2015 MTN Project Fame, her role is an eyeopener for the one whose career spans four years.

Floyd Igbo also spoke about his role and explained further that his involvement in the musical drama is a tipping point that would herald an envisaged successful future. “The fact that the play fuses both the ancient and modern worlds together is an interesting dynamics,� he said. “I start off as a very charming, modern young man who is pushing love and somehow, becomes the villain of the story. It is a roller-coaster ride for me and I find that really exciting,� Igbo said.

A scene from the play

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CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Buhari Vs Obasanjo: The Gloves are off!

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s disapproval of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection is a fait accompli ahead of next year’s election, writes Olawale Olaleye

S

ince his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in January this year titled: “The Way Out: A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement”, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has not backed down on his anti-Buhari’s reelection campaign.

Although his letter was taken with equanimity despite the presidency’s subtle reply, Obasanjo would stop at nothing in pointing out some of Buhari’s inadequacies, justifying why another vote for him in 2019 could be a major disaster.

“Some of you may be asking, “What has brought about this special occasion of Obasanjo issuing a Special Statement?”

You will be right to ask such a question. But there is a Yoruba saying that ‘when lice abound in your clothes, your fingernails will never be dried of blood’.

When I was in the village, to make sure that lice die, you put them between two fingernails and press hard to ensure they die and they always leave blood stains on the fingernails. To ensure you do not have blood on your fingernails, you have to ensure that lice are not harboured anywhere within your vicinity.

“The lice of poor performance in government – poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed – if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality – are very much with us today. With such lice of general and specific poor performance and crying poverty with us, our fingers will not be Buhari and Obasanjo during one of the times the latter visited the president dry of ‘blood,” he had written.

Even at that, many had thought Obasanjo just active for people to know where he stands in the him very best of luck. However, I want to assure wanted to rattle Buhari a bit and have him sit up you that his candidate will be defeated roundly to some of the challenges besetting the nation. But best interest of Nigeria.

“Only a fool will sit on the fence or be neutral, and comprehensively. It is not about endorsement, his eventual reconciliation with and endorsement when his or her country is being destroyed by endorsement does not win election,” Mohammed of his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at incompetence, corruption, lack of focus, insecurity, had said. his Hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, Ogun State in Knowing Obasanjo not to stick out his neck October was more than just a signal that Obasanjo nepotism, brazen impunity and denial of the obvious…It is disingenuous, if not malicious, in a battle he is unsure of, more so as a general, was not joking about his plan to push Buhari out for anyone to suggest that Chief Obasanjo was who knows his onions quite well, not many of power next year. being neutral, when he chose not to use the Owu enlightened political commentators would dismiss It was at this point that the presidency and Convention as a platform for political campaign his influence in the election especially given the the federal government resolved to square up but instead adopted a communal and familial apnotion that he might have sufficiently mobilised with him on almost all issues, understanding proach in talking to members of his Owu family, other retired generals in favour of Atiku; the same very clearly the need to start controverting the way he did for Buhari in 2015.

Obasanjo narrative. This resolve by the presidency adding that, “Obasanjo is no such fool nor is he so unwise.”

His unceasing anti-Buahri campaign is more was further bolstered when Obasanjo’s hands Realising the implication of letting that surreal than real and that is why many of the were allegedly identified in a move to get the knowledgeable analysts are genuinely worried United States to issue Atiku a visa following many slide, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, immediately responded to for Buhari. Their thinking is that it is easier for years of visa denial.

Obasanjo, saying his support for Atiku would end the APC to dismiss Obasanjo’s influence, because However, a few days ago, Obasanjo sent yet a in total defeat. there is the need for them to level up and play reminder on where he stood on the Buhari matter, “I want to assure you that his (Obasanjo’s politics. What they cannot dismiss, however, is when he said he could not afford to sit on the fence candidate) will be defeated roundly and comprethat Buhari enjoyed same level of support in 2015. or be neutral in next year’s presidential election, hensively. It is not about endorsement – it won’t The APC will not step out to acknowledge this but emphasising his commitment to a change of a delight in running down Obasanjo. government he thought has hindered the economic win election…Obasanjo has every right to support anyone he likes…With due respect to former Next year’s election is certainly going to be development of the country.

President Obasanjo, it is his constitutional right to interesting and not for the taking for anyone, the In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Kehinde support any candidate of his choice and we urge incumbent particularly. This is why support from Akinyemi, in which he denied media reports him to go out and campaign vigorously for any critical traditional quarters and the capacity of that he (Obasanjo) had decided not to support candidate he wants to support. each of the candidates and their parties to poach any candidate in the election, Obasanjo, who had “He has not hidden his preference for the PDP the unusual quarters are some of the jokers that already declared his support for Atiku, said he candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we wish will eventually smashes the 2019 election hurdles. would not sit on the fence when he needed to be

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

Will INEC Stick to Its 2019 Commitment?

I

INEC Chairman, Yakubu

NEC, in the week, raised a rather promising hope of the people, when despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, citing poor timing, it vowed to still go ahead with the use of the card reader, whilst at the same time foreclosing the use of the incident forms. Excellent choice!

On the card reader, INEC intends to bank on some extant laws and regulations. And this commitment, it also gave at a recent US congressional hearing on the 2019 election. You want to ask, of what use is the card reader without a proper legislation backing it up and making sure it properly guides the voting process especially if

the Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on the grounds that the card reader was not part of the Electoral Act must be recalled?

This notwithstanding, the resolve by the INEC is a first major step towards curbing recurring electoral fraud.

At least, with the use of the card read and non-usage of incident forms, those ‘strange votes’ especially, cases of underage voting would have been sufficiently eliminated.

Although INEC is expected to come under intense pressure over her decision on incident forms, she must however stand her grounds and does that which is best for the nation.

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BRIEFINGNOTES Ribadu: An Honour Long in Coming Eased out of office under questionable circumstances only to be vindicated and honoured on a global stage almost a decade after, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s impactful anti-corruption efforts have not gone to waste, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

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ast week, as part of activities to mark the United Nations Convention on AntiCorruption (UNCAC), pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu stood tall on the global stage as he was honoured for his contributions towards the global fight against corruption.

As EFCC Chair between 2003 and 2008, Ribadu changed the narratives bordering on the country’s image and her corruption perception, with the toughness required to changing the Nigerian story.

The event, which held in Putrajaya, Malaysia was indeed a classic case of a prophet without honour in his homeland even if it took so long in coming. The amiable super cop had emerged the joint winner of the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award in the Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement category alongside Leonard McCarthy, a former Vice President of Institutional Integrity at the World Bank Group.

Even though it took long in coming, a decade after powerful political forces manipulated his ouster from office; it still didn’t reduce the towering status of the honour.

Rather, it underscored the magnitude of his contributions to the battle against corruption in the sub-regional, continental and global stage.

According to the organisers, Ribadu’s “nomination was carefully reviewed by the Assessment Advisory Board and the High-Level Award Committee and was considered to contain and exemplify the values and virtues that this Award stands for.”

The honour presented annually, every 9th of December, is in “recognition and appreciation to those who have contributed to the global campaign against corruption. The Award recognizes individuals and organisations, who have dedicated themselves to combat corruption in some capacity.’

The prestigious award was an offshoot of the United Nations Convention on corruption, which came into being in October 31 2003. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is a multilateral treaty negotiated by member states of the United Nations (UN) and promoted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

It is one of several legally binding international anticorruption agreements. UNCAC requires state parties to the treaty to implement several anti-corruption measures that focus on five main areas: prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation, asset recovery, and technical assistance and information exchange.

According to Wikipedia, the objective of UNCAC is to reduce various types of corruption that could occur across country borders. Among the target are trading in influence and abuse of power, corruption in the private sector, such as embezzlement and money laundering.

Another goal of UNCAC is to strengthen international law enforcement and judicial cooperation between countries by providing effective legal mechanisms for international asset recovery.

“The greater purpose of the Award is to serve as a tool that highlights exemplary and noteworthy actions as and good practices on a global scale, to recognise, promote, collect and disseminate anti-corruption models from around the world; to raise awareness, support and solidarity to the fight against corruption; as well as to encourage and inspire similar and new initiatives towards a corruption-free society.

“The Award hopes that through its public image, the visibility of those who are fighting corruption it is not only enhanced but also celebrated across the world and hopes to motivate governments, academic institutions, the media and civil society to adopt and understand the principles of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and collaborate towards its implementation.”

Putting it mildly, the task before him upon assumption of office was gargantuan. Corruption was the norm when he took office and it transcended both the public and private

L-R: Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Mr. Yury Fedoyov_ Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad al Thani Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and former Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu sectors. Besides, just as the ability to lie is viewed by some school of thought as a mark of intelligence, many had come to see corrupt practices as a norm in the country so much that society tacitly encouraged it.

Internationally, the country was very low on reputation capital. The country had practically become the world capital of financial crimes including money laundering and Advanced Fee Fraud popularly referred to as 419 – a coinage derived from the section of the country’s penal code that deals with obtaining money under false pretence.

The 419 menace was so rife at the time and compounded by lack of will by the nation’s law enforcement agencies to deal with cases of money laundering and other financial crimes.

It goes without saying that the nefarious activities greatly hurt the nation’s economy as legitimate investors feared being fleeced of their hard earned funds and shied away from investing in the country, thus depriving Nigeria of the much needed foreign investment that could have catalysed the nation’s economic growth and development.

Ribadu’s accomplishment as the nation’s anti-corruption Czar was no mean feat. The way he threw himself into the task of combating corruption demonstrated uncommon fearlessness, thus the honour proved to be a testimony of integrity, hard work and dedication to duty.

Upon assumption of office, Ribadu set about clearing the Augean stable. Under his watch, the EFCC dealt with the 419 cartel, politically exposed persons, multinationals and operatives in the nation’s financial sector. The agency investigated proven cases, prosecuted the suspects and in spite of the snail speed of the nation’s justice system, eventually secured sanctions for culprits within the ambit of the Rule of Law. Of particular note was the case that involved a team of fraudsters believed to have been led by one Emmanuel Nwude. Alongside his accomplices, he defrauded Nelson Sakaguchi, a Director at Brazil’s Banco Noroeste, based in São Paulo, of $242 million, $191 million in cash and the remainder in the form of outstanding interest, between 1995 and 1998.

His accomplices were Emmanuel Ofolue, Nzeribe Okoli, and Obum Osakwe, along with the husband and wife duo, Christian Ikechukwu Anajemba and Amaka Anajemba.

After a long winding court process, which started in 2004

at an Abuja High Court, Nwude and Okoli were eventually convicted in 2005 at a Lagos High Court. Nwude, the believed ring leader and Nzeribe Okoli, eventually pleaded guilty after testimony from Sakaguchi and were sentenced to prison.

The entire Nwude assets were confiscated and returned to the victim and a $10 million fine to be paid to the federal government was also imposed. This was beside other cases of convictions secured in cases that involved other equally popular fraudsters.

Not done, Ribadu and his team moved against highly placed politically exposed persons (PEP). Moving against PEP proved an even more daunting task, given that some of the culprits were highly connected politically and familiar faces in the highest corridors of power at the time.

Nevertheless, he moved against them and commenced prosecution of state governors, ministers and legislators.

While some of them were convicted in the period he was still in office, others were convicted after he had left office.

Interestingly, his accomplishment in office transcended securing convictions and asset recovery. He recognised relevance of capacity building and cooperation among law enforcement agencies across different jurisdictions to the success of anti-corruption pursuits.

Against this background, he established capacity scale up institution and formed cooperation with sister agencies across different jurisdictions.

According to Chido Onumah, Coordinator of the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), who is very familiar with Ribadu’s duty tour as EFCC Chair, he “established the EFCC Academy and brought in experts from around the world to train staff on all aspects of financial crime investigations.

“He also placed premium on establishing working relationship with sister organisations around the world and enrolled Nigeria into the Egmont Group through the creation of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFUI). He established fruitful relationship with the FBI, the Metropolitan Police, UK; the BKA and the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, among others.

“Within the sub region, the EFCC supported the activities of West African Inter-government Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa or (GIABA) – a specialised

NOTES FOR FILE

Let the Peace Pact Remain a Deal!

Buhari signing the peace pact in Abuja

A critical hurdle on the road to next year’s presidential election was crossed last week when some of the presidential candidates of the various political parties assembled to sign a peace pact, the type that encouraged former President Goodluck Jonathan to accept defeat in 2015.

Although presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was absent during the original exercise, on the ground that no invitation was extended to him, he eventually signed

the pact at another ceremony witnessed by many people, foreclosing any exclusions.

It is therefore important that everyone abide by this understanding especially when they can relate to how the one signed in the run-up to the 2015 presidential election yielded a positive result.

They all have a responsibility to make sure that the peace accord remains what it is: a deal. It is honourable and dignified to do so because it is in collective interest.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

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SUNDAYINTERVIEW Herman Hank Cohen

Cohen...Nigeria-US ties intact

Beyond Strong Emphasis on Corruption Fight, Buhari Hasn’t Achieved Much Ambassador Herman Hank Cohen, a former US Ambassador to the Congo and Senegal, Special Assistant for African Affairs under President Ronald Reagan and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under George H.W. Bush, has been variously described as the man who knows who to call in business and government circles especially in the US State Department. An author of many books on African affairs and President of Cohen &Woods, an international consulting firm, which specialises in assistance to American corporations doing business in Africa, Cohen weighs in on the US-Nigeria relations under President DonaldTrump administration, the perennial issues of Nigeria’s low power generation, the need for free and fair elections in 2019, while describing the two presidential candidates – President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar – as patriotic Nigerians, who mean well for their country. Cohen, whose consulting activities include the development of energy intensive industries in the Republic of Congo, the mining of bitumen from oil sands in Nigeria and private investment in the Continued on Pg. 74 Republic of Mauritania, spoke with Nduka Nwosu. Excerpts:

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

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SUNDAY INTERVIEW t ‘BEYOND EMPHASIS ON CORRUPTION, BUHARI HASN’T ACHIEVED MUCH’ t Continued from Pg. 73

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ou have been a keen watcher of Nigerian politics and its leaders, what’s your take?

Overall, I find that Nigerian politics have improved over time. President Jonathan’s concession in the 2015 election set a new tone, which elevated the idea of accepting a fair electoral defeat.

As the 2019 presidential election approach, what predictions do you have in your kitty?

My feeling is that Atiku has a good chance to win. Buhari has not accomplished much during his tenure, beyond his very strong emphasis on fighting corruption. I especially note the absence of any progress on new power generation, which is such a tremendous need for ordinary Nigerians.

Between the two major candidates – the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar – do you see any difference?

I feel they are both patriotic Nigerians, who want to help the Nigerian people advance towards development. They have different styles, both of which are valid.

What’s your advice to the numerous presidential candidates?

Remain in the game. One can never tell when he or she might catch fire.

What direction would you want the relationship between Nigeria and the US go?

Nigeria is among the United States’ top five relationships in Africa. The others are South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya.

It is particularly important for the US and Nigeria to maintain regular communications for the purpose of stability in Africa. I remember in 1991, when Nigeria led ECOWAS into a military operation to stabilise Liberia. US-Nigeria security cooperation is very important, then and today.

Since your last interview on the power situation in Nigeria, little change has taken place in megawatt elevation even after the so-called emergence of generation and distribution companies. What’s your observation and advice?

The continued power deficit in Nigeria is my biggest disappointment. I remember when President Obasanjo was elected in 1999. When he came to Washington for his victory celebration, he told me that Nigeria would achieve 60,000 MW during his time as President. Very little has been accomplished since then.

South Africa, with one-third the population of Nigeria, has 40,000 MW and climbing.

All Nigerian administrations since the end of military rule have failed to manage this problem. I believe that I made a contribution recently, when I persuaded the President of the Senate that the price of off-shore gas needs to be allowed to rise to its market level, so oil companies will have an incentive to bring it to shore for power purposes. In any event, I recommend that about 10 Nigerian business executives working in the US be invited to Nigeria to take charge of the problem. It is a management issue, above all.

You advised on appropriate pricing and investment on gas distribution. Do you still stand on that?

Yes. If prices for gas do not reach their market level, there will be no incentive to stop flaring offshore.

Do you see a rosy future for tropical Nigerian products in the international market?

In the 1950s, just after independence, Nigeria was a power house for tropical products exports – palm produce, groundnuts, cocoa, rubber and pineapples – it was the leading tropical export producer in the world but declined because of the degradation of infrastructure, maintenance, too much dependence on oil and less dependence on agriculture.

The country was overtaken by Brazil and Malaysia. It can regain its position by investing on roads, irrigation, warehouses and other storage facilities, railways et al. Oil revenue can be divested into investments in those areas, then, agriculture will come back as a power house. Nigeria can regain its position as a power house for tropical agriculture.

Like I earlier stated in my previous interview with you, new agricultural initiatives like cassava and sugar production are products that will help alleviate the shortage of food and stop so much revenue wasted on food imports. Cassava will definitely add value to the economy.

Cassava starch is important to many end users. Five per cent of the cattle feed imported by the European Union consists of cassava starch and it provides a tremendous value of revenue monopolised by Thailand. African countries should be able to compete with Thailand. I see a good future for Nigerian cassava,

My feeling is that Atiku has a good chance to win. Buhari has not accomplished much during his tenure, beyond his very strong emphasis on fighting corruption

which is a normal product for Nigerians.

How is ‘Cohen & Woods’ and its activities in Africa?

We have two major activities, power generation and affordable housing in collaboration with US companies. Our client, Contour Global, has six private power plants in Africa: Togo, Senegal, Rwanda, and three in Nigeria (Lagos has two and Benin City one).

With respect to affordable housing, our client, GFS Solutions, is building 5,000 homes in Zimbabwe, 10,000 in Côte d’Ivoire, and we are currently negotiating a project for Ghana. We are starting to become interested in for-profit health care. We have a project for a modern clinic in Port Harcourt that awaits financing.

How can it weigh in on the Nigerian situation especially on power generation with tested world class companies?

The Nigerian Government may wish to hire private sector consultants to devise an overall plan for steady expansion of the power network using gas, hydro, and heavy fuel. I see it as a management problem above all. Some people tell me that vested interests in the importation of diesel generators are working against private power expansion. I can believe it.

How has the Corporate Council of Africa of which you are the founding member fared in cementing business relationship between the US and Africa?

CCA is doing a lot of good work especially, in support of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives African manufactures an advantage in sales to the US. There is still a lot of work to be done in attracting US capital to invest in production facilities in Africa aiming for the US market. The internal environments for private investors in Africa need to be improved, especially for local African entrepreneurs.

Often, African investors are seen as enemies of the power elites, rather than as partners. I will say that Nigeria has one of the best investment environments in Africa, but it is not focusing sufficiently on exports.

Incumbency has always been an advantage. Do you see this playing out in the Nigerian scenario even though President Jonathan lost his second term bid?

For the 2019 election, I believe that Buhari has the strongest domestic support, thanks to the advantages of incumbency. But Atiku is the stronger campaigner with a great deal of name recognition.

What lessons do African presidents can learn from Jonathan?

They need to understand that leaving power with dignity is the surest way to protect your interests. Trying to remain in power indefinitely is a guarantee that a future generation of leaders is likely to look back with bitterness and a desire for revenge.

Was his concession to Buhari a victory for democracy?

Jonathan’s concession to Buhari was absolutely a victory for democracy. He set a major precedent for other countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Botswana, Namibia, Ghana and Senegal.

What advice do you have for INEC on election rigging?

Elections cannot be rigged without your cooperation. Make sure that the election results at each polling station are made public immediately, and that the transmission of the results to central headquarters are not tampered with. All political parties and candidates should be allowed to witness the process at every step. Once there is secrecy, rigging is considered a sure thing.

President Donald Trump administration has appointed a Special Envoy to the Great Lake. What does this portend?

The Great Lakes countries are strategically important. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component of the batteries used in smartphones and electric cars. Rwanda and Burundi, which both suffered terrible genocides, have the capacity to destabilise Uganda, Tanzania and the Congo. If the DRC can have a good transparent election this coming December, it will establish the basis for long term stability. If not, I predict a major violent upheaval.

Can you comment on the qualities of the envoy?

Dr. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, is one of the most knowledgeable Americans with respect to Africa. I particularly admire his willingness to travel to the hot zones. He spent time in Mogadishu during some of the worst of the terrorist situations.

I expect he will not let the three governments get away with cheating on their commitments to have free elections.

How far has your new book gone to re-address the issues raised especially concerning the African big man and those of them who want to die in office, some African leaders from the Great Lake?

My current book: “The Mind of the African Strongman: Conversations with Dictators, Statesmen and Father Figures”, demonstrates that African heads of state often suffer from the “paramount chief” syndrome: “I owe it to my people to stay in power indefinitely.”

My book demonstrates that African heads of state are often prisoners of their ethnic groups or of other minorities, who feel they will lose everything if they leave power. Paul Biya, whose Beti ethnic group makes up only 10% of Cameroonians, feels that if he leaves power, the Beti will suffer greatly. It is a vicious cycle.

“We are in power to favor our ethnic group. If we leave power, our ethnic group will suffer retaliation. We are condemned to stay in power in order to survive.”

I understand you are about to publish. Can you share the preview?

The title is: “Romance and Realpolitik: 75 Years of US Diplomacy in Africa.” It describes the evolution of US policy towards Africa, beginning in the Second World War and ending with President Obama. My own career of 38 years spans most of that period. I found a remarkable consistency among the different administrations.

The key element of US policy toward Africa over the years has been a determination to avoid bringing great power rivalries to the continent and to concentrate instead on economic development. The main frustration has been that most African nations have not enjoyed the type of fast growth demonstrated by Southeast Asian countries.

So, much of US policy has concentrated on new creative methods. President George Bush started PEPFAR for HIV/ AIDS and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and President Obama started Power Africa and Feed the Future. Those who say that the Cold War drove US policy in Africa are totally mistaken.

What’s your advice to emerging politicians in Africa?

Emerging politicians in Africa should keep in mind that half of their populations are under the age of 35. This group will no longer accept minority rule and corrupt regimes. The time for good governance is here.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

CICERO/TRIBUTE

A Dozen Reasons for Buhari’s Re-Election Garba Shehu.

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n Monday December 17, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking re-election for a second term of office will be marking his 76th birthday and, in his own words, “still going strong.”

His age is no longer an issue in this campaign because by the will of God, not by any design, his main challenger is equally in the same age bracket. This election in February next year then comes down to what each candidate will offer.

There are many reasons why President Buhari deserves to be re-elected. I shall speak to a dozen of them here: He is the best ever President we got so far and here are my reasons: In his character, President Buhari is a well-behaved man. He is globally recognised as an honest leader, working very hard to cure a wounded nation by righting past wrongs. He leads from the front, that is, leading by example. He is self-confident and has a calm demeanour. In carrying out his duties, he is never impulsive; he does his duty with self-assurance and confidence.

A typical example was his handling of the theft of 105 girls from a school boarding house by the Boko Haram terrorists in Dapchi, Yobe state. Amidst sobbing, lamentation and sorrow, he stood there before the principal, distraught parents and students to give assurances, in a sharp and unbroken voice that “your girls will be brought back” (and so were they, with the exception of Leah Sharibu who, God willing will equally return).

He likes to attack problems from their roots. Few of our leaders are endowed with as much patience. He doesn’t lose his calm and composure and knows when to fight and when not to fight. When there broke a huge uproar over the assertion before the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and Her Majesty the Queen of England by the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, that Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, President Buhari’s calm demeanour was on display.

When an apology was offered, all he said was “I want no apologies. What would I do with apology? Return our Buhari stolen money.” With that, he grabbed, not only the moral high ground but the international news headlines as well.

When the President is confronted with a rankling criticism operate scheduled flights to Maiduguri. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said 2017 marked the most as had happened many times, he never loses his calm. He peaceful Christmas. Of the many who were taken against delivered a joke in response that blighted what would have their will by Boko Haram, about 20,000 terrorists have been been frightening episodes. One great asset he has, is his released, including 106 Chibok girls, 105 of the Dapchi school good sense of humour especially while tackling criticism girls, Police women and University lecturers. or attack on his person. Many have derisively called him Under the Buhari administration, three Air bus helicopters “Baba Go-slow”, in a clear misunderstanding of his calm and another three Dauphin helicopters were provided for demeanour, which is not a sign of inactivity but an underlythe Air Force; 18 new aircraft acquired and 13 previously ing ability to think hard without losing one’s cool. unserviceable planes reactivated. In addition, 12 Super Unlike one or two of our past leaders, he has no aura of Tucano aircraft are also on order from the United States. being a messiah or a saviour. President Buhari would never The administration has set up a Naval outpost in the Lake be seen in public breaking the code of dignity by, either Chad and established the 8 Task Force Division in Monguno slapping someone or seizing a horsewhip from a policeman to further strengthen the 7 Division and the Operation Lafiya to flog an audience member.

Dole in the North East.

On the many occasions I have reflected on how hard Another reason for his re-election in his undeterred my job is, I try to think of the President. One needs to put commitment to rid Nigeria of systemic corruption. Grand oneself into his shoes, carrying the responsibility of more Corruption, by which leaders will ask the Central Bank to than 200 million people on his shoulders, yet he is a man bring out money to be shared across the table has by now who maintains a steady, level headed approach towards solving problems; he remains calm and focused on his goals. been abolished.

The new whistle-blowing policy has so far yielded N13.8 With Muhammadu Buhari as President, Nigeria is in very billion from tax evaders and N7.8b, USD378 million, £27,800 safe hands; he knows what is good for the country and its recovered from public officials. people.

The increased oversight of ministries, departments and When he won in 2015, one of his main pledges was agencies has been addressing the issue of poor remittance fighting terrorism, criminality and banditry. He met the by the MDAs; the Presidential Initiative on continuous tragic situation of perpetual fighting between farmers and Audit has flushed out 54,000 fraudulent payroll entries with herders in the Middle-Belt, spreading southwards, up to the savings of N200 billion. coastal states. He sought the help of state governors for a The administration has expanded the coverage of the solution but they offered very little, if any. They were and Treasury Single Account, TSA which implementation now are still divided over the issue. He pushed the police, the stands at 92 per cent. By this, the administration has a army and other security agencies very hard for the solution. comprehensive overview of cash flows across the entire Today, and notwithstanding the visible hands of politicians government. It has ensured the deployment of the Bank in it, he has brought the entire situation in the Middle Belt under control. He has ended the fighting which would have Verification Number (BVN) system to verify the basis of payments to beneficiaries and vendors and has created the brought Nigeria to destruction.

Assets Tracking Managing Project to allocate, identity, assess A further reason for the President’s re-election is the sucand evaluate all the measurable and un-measurable assets cess he has recorded fighting terrorism. If numbers count, on real time basis. A central Asset Register to keep a record bombings and killings have drastically been reduced under the Buhari administration. Specifically in the North-East, the of all government assets is now in one place, the Ministry of Finance.

Nigerian Armed Forces have scaled up their act pushing the In 2016, the President enlisted Nigeria into Open GovernBoko Haram terrorists to the very fringes of the Lake Chad ment Partnership and a National Plan of Action (2017 -19) and with the on-going revitalisation of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, the ability of the terrorists to launch is already in place. This aims to deepen and mainstream transparency mechanisms and citizen’s engagement in the attacks and retreat into neighbouring territories is being management of public resources. addressed.

In addition, the creation of Efficiency Unit to spearhead the Arising from the successes achieved, the El-Kanemi efficient use of government resources and ensure reduction Warriors Football Club has returned to their home base in in recurrent expenditure has brought about savings of about Maiduguri. Emirs of Askira, Uba and other towns have N34 billion from travel and transport in 2016, and N10 returned to their palaces. Public secondary schools have billion in 2017. resumed in 2016, two years after closure. All roads leading In the oil and gas sectors, NNPC has been publishing its to and out of Maiduguri have been reopened. Sambisa performance chart monthly and the administration made forest has been retaken; Arik Air and other airlines now

a saving of USD 1.7 billion by negotiating down accumulated cash call arrears in its joint ventures.

Without any controversy, President Buhari is deservedly christened as the champion of infrastructure.

This administration has demonstrated a single-minded commitment to upgrading Nigeria’s transport, power, housing and health infrastructure.

Two major rail projects have been completed and commissioned: Abuja metro light rail and the Abuja-Kaduna rail. Lagos-Ibadan is due early next year. Lagos-Kano has been signed and Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri are being negotiated.

About 500 roads are being constructed and hundreds of kilometres of roads are being rehabilitated. The second Niger Bridge is under construction, AbujaKaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway is being constructed while Lagos-Ibadan as well as the East-West road, Lagos-Port Harcourt expressways are being expedited.

Federal spending on works has grown from N18.1 billion in 2015 to N394 billion in 2018. The Abuja Airport runway was reconstructed within a six week period. Several water projects long abandoned have been completed and more than 70 ecological fund projects have been awarded and completed.

Power sector has witnessed a phenomenal growth within this period. Generation capacity has increased to 7,000MW; transmission capacity is now up 8,000MW and distribution 5,222MW from 2,690MW. Under President Buhari, 30 per cent of the budget allocation is for capital spending, an unprecedented allocation of N2.7 trillion was made for infrastructure in 2016 and 2017 fiscal year.

Obviously, there is so much the nation can gain from the President’s long term thinking when it comes to the diversification of the economy. He has promoted agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing to the point that the economy is increasing its resilience even as it grows and consolidates.

His policies have brought down inflation by about half of what it used to be three years back; external reserves have grown and exports in 2017 were about 70 per cent more than what they were in 2016. Agriculture grew by 180 per cent last year; raw materials export by over 100 per cent and there was 27 per cent growth in manufactured goods. Six million new tax payers were added to the tax base. Ease of doing business report has moved Nigeria up by 14 places; tax revenue in 2018 is projected at N2.529 trillion, that is 42 per cent increase over the 2017 figure.

Under the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, 16 moribund and under-performing blending plants have been revitalised, producing 12.7 million bags of NPK Fertilizer in 2017.

Landmark initiatives in the promotion of the economy include the stabilisation of the currency, the Naira making for a predictable exchange rate; the merger of the official and unofficial rates in the markets, helping in the stabilisation of the microeconomic environment; the achievement of agriculture and national food security and driving industrialisation through the Small and Medium Enterprises in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP. This administration invented and is implementing the biggest ever social investment programme on the continent, feeding 10 million children in school and engaging 500,000 graduates, now going up to one million, in nation building.

As a compassionate leader and administrator, President Buhari approved N54 billion for the payment of 33 per cent of outstanding pensions arrears and claims, with some of these going back to 2010 when the minimum wage was increased to N18,000.

Under this scheme, 3,542 pensioners in the liquidated Delta Steel Company have been placed on pension; 9,216 of NITEL pensioners are now pay rolled; Retired Biafran Police officers dismissed by the Federal Government in 1971 have been paid; those of the New Nigerian Newspapers and many others have received gratuities and are now placed on pension.

The compassionate side of the President has equally given so much to state governments in distress. This was to enable them meet salary and pensions obligations. Most, if not all have received Budget Support Facility, Paris Club refunds, Infrastructure Loans, Loan Restructuring Facilities with the Central Bank and other commercial banks, and a reduction in their monthly debt service burden.

In just under four years, President Buhari has shown clearly that he can steer Nigeria above politics, religion and ethnicity. He has delivered on all promises: security, economy, corruption and infrastructure. We have a strong leader with a mass appeal who is seeking a renewal of his mandate in accordance with the Constitution. He is one of the most influential leaders in today’s world, considering how he brought OPEC and non OPEC Oil producers to cut their losses and bring up fallen oil prices. He is leading the continent in the war against corruption.

President Buhari is a gift, not only to Nigeria but to Africa and the world. He deserves a second term to consolidate on-going achievement.

–––Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President (Media & Publicity)

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

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CICERO/REPORT

A Case for Better Funding for the Judiciary With the general election billed to hold next year, the executive should increase budgetary allocation to the judiciary to take care of electoral disputes that may end up in courts. Tobi Soniyi writes

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very year, the judiciary has to grapple with how to survive in the face of inadequate fund.

No doubt, the judiciary remains critical to the survival of democracy. Among the three arms of government, the judiciary is the least funded.

While the executive and the legislature are able to negotiate better deals for themselves, the judiciary isn’t so lucky.

The judiciary is therefore left at the mercy of both the executive and the legislature for funding.

The consequence of this is that it does not get the resources it requires to deliver on the mandate given to it in section 6(1) and (2) of the constitution, which provides: (1) “The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation.”

(2) “The judicial powers of a State shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established, subject as provided by this Constitution.”

Understanding the Challenge

The funding challenge facing the judiciary manifests in different ways. Granted that government’s resources are limited, therefore, neither the executive nor the legislature is likely to get the funding it needs. In the face of dwindling revenues, however, shortage of funds is not only a challenge to the judiciary alone but to the government as a whole.But the judiciary is worse off. This is because it has no leverage in the budgeting process. The executive prepares the appropriation bill while the legislature passes it into law. The judiciary is then left at the mercy of the two arms of government.

More often than not, the executive reduces the budget estimates submitted to it by the judiciary. Sometimes, a sympathetic legislative jacks it up. For instance, while President Muhammadu Buhari allocated N100 billion to the judiciary in the budget estimates he submitted to the National Assembly for 2018 Appropriation Bill, the legislature in its wisdom increased it to N110 billion.

That is N10 billion above the same N100 billion that was appropriated for the 2017 fiscal year.

When the budget is finally approved, the executive then decides how to release it. Sometimes it releases funds for the judiciary on quarterly, monthly or bimonthly without considering the needs of the judiciary, thereby forcing the later to adjust its plans. The executive gives to the judiciary what it thinks is right and not what the judiciary actually needs.

Apart from the uncertainty this creates, releasing funds to the judiciary piecemeal is usually frustrating. It makes planning difficult.

Evidence of Inadequate Funding

While the federal judiciary has fared better in terms of funding, courts at state level are barely getting by. Judges in some states sit in decrepit court rooms. Facilities that should make their court rooms comfortable are lacking. Many governors hold their judiciaries to ransom by refusing to release funds to the courts in violation of the constitution.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2018 orientation course for newly appointed magistrates at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja said: “The issue of inadequate funding at the state level is one of the greatest challenges confronting the judiciary of this nation. These challenges include inadequate funding of manpower development and inadequate facilities, among many others.” According to him, how free or democratic a nation is could be determined by the powers the judiciary is allowed to exercise.

“It is quite often said that the litmus test to find out how free and democratic any nation is, is to take a cursory look at its judiciary to find out what powers the nation is prepared to concede to this vital partner in governance”, he added.

Capital projects embarked upon by the judiciary could not be completed due to inadequate funding. Sometimes, judicial officers and other court staff don’t get their salaries and allowances on time thereby exposing them to corruption. Reforms including automation of the judicial process are being hampered by lack of funds.

Independence of the judiciary is threatened by inadequate funding. Some judges are afraid to deliver judgment that goes against their governors to avoid being punished. Some are under perpetual apprehension. In the real sense of the word, many judges are not independent.

More Responsibility, Less Funding

Aside from section 6 of the constitution, which gives judicial power to the judiciary, the legislature has contin-

Onoghen...will they make the Judiciary Independent? ued to increase the workload of the judiciary.

For instance, the Constitution (4th Alteration) Act, No. 21, which President Muhammadu Buhari assented to, amends Section 285 of the constitution authorising the court or tribunal to suspend ruling on preliminary objection or interlocutory issue relating to jurisdiction and deliver same at the stage of final judgment. It inserts six new sub-sections that is, (9) – (14). This is more work for the judiciary.

While new section 285 (10) states that “A court in every pre-election matter shall deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date of filing of the suit”, the new Section 285 (12) says “An appeal from a decision of a court in a pre-election matter shall be heard and disposed of within 60 days from the date of filing of the appeal.”

In other words, the constitution Amendment No. 21 mandates pre-election matters to be determined on time just like election petitions. The import of this amendment is the increase in judges’ workload. There will be a general election next year. The courts are flooded with pre-election matters already. After the elections, tribunals will start sitting. The courts will be over-stretched.

Even though more responsibility had been given to the judiciary, the executive has not deemed it necessary to allocate more resources to the judiciary.

The Way Out

In the speech he delivered at the 2015 All Nigeria Judges Conference, President Muhammadu Buhari said: “This administration is committed to the financial independence of the Nigerian judiciary in accordance with extant laws. We believe that the judiciary must be treated fairly and must be treated in much the same way as the executive and the legislature.”

The time has come for the president to back up his talk with action.

Nevertheless, the president deserves commendation for increasing allocation to the judiciary since he took over power. He increased the budget for the judiciary from N70 billion in 2016 to N100 billion for the 2017 fiscal year.

He maintained the same N100 billion to the Judiciary for

the 2018 fiscal year even though, the legislature added N10 billion to it.

The president should be encouraged to do more in line with his promise to help the judiciary reposition itself. He should also ensure implementation of the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill he assented to in June, which grants financial autonomy to the State Houses of Assembly and the States’ Judiciary.

Under the new law, amount standing to the credit of the judiciary will be paid directly to the judiciary of that state, no more through the governor and no more from the governors. The reality, however, is that most governors are in breach of the law. The leadership of the judiciary will have to find creative ways to engage the governors and persuade them to comply with the new law.

Resources are getting scarce. Revenue from oil is not likely to rise in the nearest future. It, therefore, behooves all institutions of government to avoid waste and make judicious use of resources allocated to them. Judiciary will be better served if it heeds this advice.

Table of Allocation to the Judiciary Year..................Allocation 2010....................N95 Billion 2011....................N85 Billion 2012....................N75 Billion 2013....................N67 Billion 2014....................N68 Billion 2015....................N73 Billion 2016…..................N70 Billion 2017....................N100 Billion 2018....................N110 Billion

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ECEMBER 16,2018

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CICERO/FEATURE

Nigerian Teachers Heave Sighs of Relief, Get ‘Heavenly’ Rewards on Earth From the doldrums of falling education standards and societal scorns, Nigerian teachers are being rewarded and motivated to raise a new generation of students through the Maltina Teacher of the Year awards, reports Bayo Akinloye

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lanked on the right by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah and a jury member of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, Prof. Mopelola Omoegun, Opeifa Olasunkanmi – the winner of the 2018 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award – stands tall, unflinching with his award plaque firmly held in his hand as his dreamy eyes shone on a night never to be forgotten. To his left was the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc., Jordi Borrut Del. Amidst the flickering flashes of the cameras, other winners on the night formed the silhouettes of a glorious moment of triumph in the face of tribulations most of Nigerian teachers have had to endure in 2018 and previous years. On the night of the awards by Nigerian Breweries, the spotlight was on Nigerian teachers across the states that emerged as “state champions” and amongst them Olasunkanmi emerged the ultimate winner.

In a hotly contested competition, Samuel Popoola, looking dapper in a well-tailored suit and Olalekan Adeeko, who was dressed in a flowing black agbada and a cap to match, stole the show. The D-Day was October 11, 2018 when Nigerian Breweries in its remarkable fashion continued a tradition to honour and enrich Nigerian teachers and the teaching experience – since 2015, the company has carried this tradition with the passion of religion.

The same cannot always be said about the Nigerian government. It will be recalled that in October 2017, that the Kaduna State Government was accused of exposing teachers in its employ to public ridicule. The government had claimed that about 21,780 out of 33,000 teachers failed a Primary Four test.

During an education retreat held by the Presidency at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pay attention to education the way he was doing to insecurity and the economy.

The reason is obvious and timely: the Buhari administration in its 2018 Appropriation Bill allocated much lower than the 26 per cent of national budget recommended by the United Nations to the education sector just as Buhari admitted that education has suffered serious neglect in the hands of successive administrations.

“Today, it is those who acquire the most qualitative education, equipped with requisite skills and training, and empowered with the know-how that are leading the rest. We cannot afford to continue to lag behind. Education is our launch-pad to a more successful, more productive and more prosperous future,” the President had said.

So much of a sound bite, said people who listened to him, because they believe successive governments at all levels in Nigeria have only succeeded in paying lip service to revamp education particularly in the area of teachers’ motivations. The attitude is not the same with Nigerian Breweries.

Back to the night of glory for Nigerian teachers: for Olasunkanmi, a teacher at the Government Day School, Karu in Abuja, his passion for teaching was richly rewarded by Nigerian Breweries. He went home with N1 million, in addition to the N500,000 he received as a state champion from Abuja. That was not all; Nigerian Breweries will also give N1 million every year for the next five years and the company will also build a block of six classrooms for his school.

The English Language teacher commended Nigerian Breweries for the gesture and enjoined other corporate organisations to follow the worthy example.

“Today, I am very happy,” Olasunkanmi enthused. “And I’m proud that Nigerian Breweries has shown that teachers’ rewards are both in heaven and on earth.”

The ecstatic 32-year-old teacher was also philosophical on the night. According to him, teaching is not just about earning a living. It is also about having a strong passion for humanity and the emotional stability to impart knowledge regardless of the challenges.

On the same night, Adeeko, a Computer Studies teacher from Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta in Ogun State, emerged the first runner-up while Popoola, who teaches Physics at the Deeper Life High School, Akure in Ondo State, clinched the second runner-up position.

No one could fault Nigerian Breweries on this night as the company continues with the awards for teachers to promote its decades-long philosophy – which began in 1994 – of “Winning with Nigeria.” With that lofty ideal, the company has been playing a more active role in the development of education in Nigeria when it established the Nigerian Breweries – Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund with a commencement capital of N100 million.

Speaking about Nigerian Breweries investment in education,

Opeifa was rewarded with One Million Naira in addition to Five Hundred Thousand Naira he received as state champion from Abuja.

Borrut Bel stated that specifically in 2015, the company’s intervention in education was expanded to include teachers when the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative was launched.

The initiative, the managing director said, was established against the backdrop that Nigerian teachers often do not get the recognition that they deserve despite “the pivotal role they play in determining the quality of education and the future of our country”.

THISDAY learnt that over the years, the Education Trust Fund has impacted positively on more than 25,000 students as the brewing company built over 400 classrooms, 30 libraries and laboratories in over 40 communities across Nigeria.

As the government struggles to cater for teachers’ welfare and students’ development, Nigerian Breweries stated that its “intervention” which has become an integral part of “our sustainability agenda has covered primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education.”

That much the government admitted when the junior education minister, Anwukah, noted that the story of the development of education in Nigeria will not be complete without Nigerian Breweries.

With a sense of appreciation Anwukah pointed out the brewing giant has been at the forefront of improving the educational sector by continually investing in educational infrastructure, encouraging teachers and students.

Apart from the N500,000 rewards as “state champions”, the first and second runners-up got an additional N1 million and N750,000, respectively. In total, the ceremony produced 26 state champions with each one of them going home with N500,000.

Bolanle Omole, a Mathematics teacher at Corpus Christi College, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was one of the state champions as she was adjudged the “best teacher in Ekiti State” by the award’s panel of judges. It should be mentioned that the recognition and prize money renewed her commitment to teaching and the fact that a teacher’s reward is not in heaven but right here on earth.

Delighted by the award, Omole narrated her sympathy-laden tale. “With two kids at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), my husband and I have been struggling.

We had not received salary in the last five months,” she told the audience on the glittering night that overwhelmed any shadow of gloom.

Her tears of joy were well worth it as she went home in the sight of her husband –also a teacher – who had accompanied her to the awards ceremony with N500,000.

Omole added: “We have been engaging in petty trading selling snacks. We thank God and we thank the organisers of this initiative. This award and recognition have reignited the passion for teaching in us.”

Teachers feel ill-motivated and least appreciated because they are poorly paid and have become the subject of scorn by parents and the society. What is forgotten, education scholars asserted, is that “ill-motivated teachers breed half-hearted students.”

One of them, Theodorah Ezugoh, believes that teachers’ motivation is a way of empowering them on the job.

“Motivation involves the perceptions, variables, methods, strategies and activities used by the management for the purpose

of providing a climate that is conducive to the satisfaction of the various needs of the employees, so that they may become satisfied, dedicated and effective in performing their task,” she explained.

According to a research work, “Teachers’ Motivation and its Influence on Quality Assurance in the Nigerian Educational System”, teachers can “influence the teaching–learning outcomes either positively or negatively” because they determine the quality of instructional delivery and also influence quality education when it comes to implementation of the curriculum and educational policies.

“In education, teachers should be motivated in order to boost their productivity, effectiveness, efficiency and dedication in performing their task, which will enhance quality assurance, quality education and quality instructional delivery in the educational system. This will also enhance the achievement of educational objectives,” Ezugoh added.

Since inception, the Maltina Teacher of the Year award has produced four grand winners: Rose Nkemdilim Obi from Anambra State (2015), Imoh Essien from Akwa Ibom State (2016) and Felix Ariguzo from Delta State (2017) and the current champion, Olasunkanmi (2018).

Dorcas Fareo, a Nigerian scholar, while commenting on the state of education in Nigeria, seemed to have suggested that the fine example of Nigerian Breweries should be the yardstick for other corporate organisations and the government.

“In this era of globalization, it is imperative that teachers are adequately prepared to function effectively in a challenging global environment. The challenges of globalization demands teachers who are competent, effective, and dynamic in their orientation,” she said.

Fareo also pointed in the direction of how primary and secondary teachers can further be helped to become the true jewels that they are in the eyes of the society and the government.

“Apart from the upgrading courses that the institute (NTI) has been implementing for many years (TCII, NCE and PTTP), the institute introduced proficiency Diploma Courses in Early Childhood Education, Guidance and Counselling, School Supervision and Inspection, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education.

“Indeed, the institute believes that an effective implementation of the Universal Basic Education Curriculum must begin with strengthening the capacity of existing teaching force through in-service training and re-training,” Fareo explained.

On a night that was filled with glamour, grace and glitz, Nigerian teachers will have the gumption to tap into the enriching opportunities open to them by Nigerian Breweries through the Maltina Teacher of the Year award.

Dignitaries at the event included Yetunde Odetayi, Permanent Secretary, in the office of the Deputy Governor of Lagos; Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps; and Desmond Elliot, a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, among others.

With the stakes high and life-changing, it is yet to be seen who will be 2019’s Maltina Teacher of the Year. Whoever it is, Nigerian teachers can heave a sigh of relief and become instant millionaires.

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A Toast to the P As family and friends gather to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari’s 76th birthday, Emmanuel Umohinyang pays homage to a man he reckons has paid his dues in service to humanity

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n the true tradition of noble service to man and community, President Muhammadu Buhari has since his youth consecrated his life to seeking the lasting good of his constituency – the cheated, the destitute, the poor, the grassroots people and the downtrodden.

He is a dedicated family man, vigorous defender of the poor and a teetotaler with a puritanistic social life and a clinical political attitude. He has never obtained any contract from anybody, whether in the public or private sector, throughout his professional career as a soldier not even now as a politician. He has never accepted bribes from anybody either.

Buhari is one individual in this country, who does not doublespeak. He is as constant as the Northern Star and he openly expresses and canvasses his views, without fears of anybody. He is not somebody, who patronises people or say what people want to hear.

Buhari is an enigma – tireless and bountiful in his desire for a better and prosperous Nigeria. He does some things that some people view as being extreme and he insists tenaciously on issues. This tells us something about the consistency, coherence, inner strength and quality of character of this man called Buhari. He does not swim with the tide.

I have learnt invaluable lessons from the few fortunate periods I had to work with him. He has the power to persuade and inspire others to the heights they might have thought unattainable. There is honesty in all he does. He is an embodiment of integrity.

Every administration, every leader has something that distinguishes it from others, whether good or bad.

In the case of the Nigerian nation, different kinds of leaders had come and gone and the memories of their deeds or misdeeds linger till date. Considering where the nation has found itself today, it will not be out of place to say that, perhaps, Nigeria’s biggest challenge is good leadership at all levels. Juxtaposed with the human and material resources the nation is endowed with, the issue of good leadership has no doubt been a scarce commodity in the polity.

Either in the military or civilian governments, Nigerians are in unison that poor leadership has greatly affected the fortunes of their country and badly too.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, when one considers the false steps the Nigerian nation recorded shortly after independence.

Though the issue of ethnic and cultural division had been there from inception, Nigerians cannot forget the past which the older generation refers to as “the good old days”. This was a period when the different regions of the country competed to show their strength socially, politically and economically for the advancement of their people.

That is why we still hear the great virtues of great men like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,

As president, Buhari has displayed an uncommon commitment to the growth and advancement of the country through programmes and policies targeted at all Nigerians, especially the poorest of the poor…In doing this, he has fought corruption with an uncommon zeal such that almost N1trillion has so far been recovered from looters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Buhari...to good life and prosperity Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and many others, who were a study in good leadership.

Unfortunately, after these great Nigerians left the stage, hardly can the nation boast of having leaders, who came close to them in terms of leadership. It was therefore unsurprising that Nigeria, which the world saw as a potential star, suddenly lost her place despite displaying impressive potential in a few years of infancy.

Chief among the root causes, were corruption, maladministration, nepotism and lack of vision, such that when Nigeria had all the money, it was either stolen or misapplied. However, the coming of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime in 1983 changed the narrative as it was a clear departure from our recent history.

Though the regime was blamed for truncating the elected government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, and ruled through obnoxious decrees, history will no doubt record that administration as having the best of intentions for so doing. That the profile of Buhari and his erstwhile deputy, the late Major Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, rose tremendously much later is a major credit to whatever gaps their regime had.

Even the press which was a major casualty under the Buhari/Idiagbon regime later became the megaphone that spoke highly of both in later years. This, no doubt, aided Buhari politically, when he made a foray into the political arena as presidential aspirant.

Curiously, he did not achieve this with stolen money, but the fame foisted on him by integrity, accountability and pedigree as a defender of the poor.

Despite failing to realise his objective on three occasions, the fact that he was the “masses man” never diminished, as he had run the most robust campaign in our recent history, with the ordinary Nigerian as the central theme of his campaign.

This, no doubt, was a major campaign issue, because he was considered the most popular candidate ever, when he ran against an incumbent twice. It is also instructive that despite his conviction that he was robbed of victory at different times, he relied on the courts for justice each time he lost instead of rocking the boat.

As president, Buhari has displayed an uncommon commitment to the growth and advancement of the country through programmes and policies targeted at all Nigerians, especially the poorest of the poor.

In doing this, he has fought corruption with an uncommon zeal such that almost N1trillion has so far been recovered from looters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which he strengthened to confront and totally eradicate corruption under his presidency.

This is unlike what obtained under the sixteen years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which pretended to be fighting anti-corruption war that was only able to recover N2bilion in 16 years, during which Nigeria made so much from oil but refused to save for the rainy day.

But under Buhari, critical infrastructure is being fixed across the country to make life more abundant for Nigerians. Even in the South-east, where the president recorded the least votes, the narrative is fast changing with no few than 70 verifiable on-going and completed projects, funded with tax payers’ money, including the much criticised sukuk bond.

Unlike the previous administrations, this government is investing heavily to connect the entire nation through railways to reduce over-dependence on roads. Even the Lagos-Ibadan expressway over which Afenifere leaders cried to former president Goodluck Jonathan for years is being fixed by the Buhari administration and will soon be completed by Julius Berger and others.

Curiously, the same Afenifere and Ohaneze leaders are unappreciative, but the people do. The good thing is that

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ECEMBER 16,2018

BUHARI AT 76.... BUHARI AT 76.... BUHARI AT 76....

President at 76

Family and friends feilicitate with President Buhari birthday celebration

First Lady, Aisha Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and wife, Dolapo; APC state governors and some presidential aides felicitating with Mr. President this president will not be distracted as his covenant is with the ordinary Nigerians, who elected him in 2015 and not the elites. The beauty of it is that he is focused and his impact is been felt across all critical sectors of our economy.

That is the major reason the President is working tirelessly in generating resources from non-oil exports and relies less on petroleum to improve our treasury. At least, for the first time, Nigeria is making good money running into several billions through diversification of the economy.

Though the journey has been tortuous and long, ordinary Nigerians are now direct beneficiaries of their money under the trader moni and other empowerment

schemes targeted at the poorest of the poor by Buhari administration.

With 2019 fast approaching, the good news is that President Buhari has not lost touch with his constituency, the ordinary Nigerians, who elected him into office.

This was further reinforced recently by the influential London-based magazine, The Economist, which predicted victory for Buhari in 2019 as it did in 2015. But one point needs to be stressed here, the greatest people in human history are not those, who lived and died working or making money for themselves, rather, they are those who lived and died for a transformed society.

In the word of the late Mohammed Ali, “The rent we

owe here on earth is the service we rendered to humanity�.

For these reasons and on the basis of these qualifications, I want to say that when the history of this republic is written, posterity will remember President Muhammadu Buhari for good.

As his family, relations, friends, political associate, groups and organisation locally and overseas celebrate his 76th Birthday. I will remain fervent in my prayer for President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. May the benevolent winds of providence continue to swell the sails of his health and happiness beyond the centennial years!

-Umohinyang, a Public Affairs Analyst writes from Lagos

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚΀

SOCIAL MEDIA BITS

with DEMOLA OJO demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Last week on social media, Lagos gubernatorial candidates jousted, Linda Ikeji opened up, while a sitting VP and an aspiring one talked shop...

With the vice presidential debate taking place two days ago, the process of examining the candidates of five of the 78 parties in next year’s election has begun.

The highlight of the debate for many was when current Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the PDP candidate, Peter Obi, made their points using shop analogies.

The presidential debate will take place January 19. PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar says he can’t wait. President Muhammadu Buhari has so far, not expressed similar eagerness, amid speculation he might be replaced by his eloquent and humorous VP. Probably laying the groundwork, eminent lawyer and Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against

Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay, said there’s nothing wrong with this, so maybe it’s not a far-fetched story after all.

Meanwhile in Lagos State, the most visible contenders to replace the incumbent governor took to twitter, basically accusing each other of playing the ethnic card.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC and Jimi Agbaje of the PDP are jostling for the seat and with the former fancied to win, the latter has become increasingly combative.

Back to the presidential contest where some candidates are either being sidelined or replaced. Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress is one of the more popular candidates excluded from the forthcoming presidential debate. True to type, he won’t take it sitting down.

DECEMBER 16, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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SOCIAL MEDIA BITS The AAC mobilised protesters to the Vice Presidential debate, while Sowore accused Chairman of Channels Television, John Momoh, of deliberately excluding him for personal reasons and is threatening to sue him and others.

On the other hand, a court has removed the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Donald Duke, and replaced him with his opponent at the primaries, Prof Jerry Gana, a former minister of information.

Still on the subject of courts, Doyin Okupe, a chieftain of the PDP and a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had money laundering charges filed against him by the EFCC. He has however been granted bail, a fact he was quick to announce on Twitter.

He felt “proud and grateful” that the EFCC released him within 48 hours as stipulated by law. The tone of the tweet suggests he will be dialling back on his attacks on the ruling party.

Last week, some notable personalities celebrated their children for different reasons. Femi Kuti and Funke Kuti were certainly proud of their son, Made, who

recently graduated from London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the same school his iconic grandfather, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, attended.

In Lagos, oil magnate Femi Otedola – with fellow billionaire Aliko Dangote in tow – partied with DJ Cuppy at her tropical-themed event, Cactus on the Roof, which continues every Sunday this month.

Celebrity blogger Linda Ikeji also showed off her three-month-old son, while using the opportunity to set the record straight on the baby’s paternity.

However in her desire to come clean, the open letter bore the hallmarks of approval seeking. The irony of the situation didn’t escape the notice of internet trolls, with snide comments reminding her of her baby-mama-bashing exposes.

In case you missed it, Nigeria has officially commenced the process of refining gold, with the refinery scheduled to be completed next year.

Hopefully, the country does a better job than it’s doing with crude oil. And electricity which – according to Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola – is not the government’s responsibility.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 16, 2018

NEWSXTRA Wike Calls on Oil Majors to Relocate Headquarters to Niger Delta Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on international oil majors to locate their headquarters in the Niger Delta Region where they drill oil to sustain the economy of the country.

Speaking during the end of year party and 60th Anniversary of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike said it was unfair that oil majors drill oil in the Niger Delta, only to pay taxes in other states.

“You find this region comfortable to drill oil and generate revenue which sustains the entire country. But when it comes to the location of your headquarters, very many excuses emerge.

“Those who talk about insecurity in the Niger Delta forget that they are secure enough to work on oil fields in different communities.

This level of injustice is not good for any country.

“I hear that majority of your workers receive their salaries in Lagos and Abuja, with their taxes deducted at those locations. We want you to return to our states and

energise our communities with your presence.

“I am interested in the revenue that will accrue to this state and other Niger Delta States by the presence of your headquarters.

I am an unrepentant Niger Delta man. Therefore, I will continue to advocate for our progress”, he told the staff of Shell.

The governor said despite the negative politics against the region, the headquarters of the oil majors will eventually come to the Niger Delta.

He said: “If this oil was in the north or in the west, would the headquarters of the oil majors be located in the Niger Delta? Certainly not “.

Commenting on the 2019 General elections, Wike urged the workers to participate in the process to ensure the emergence of quality leaders who will rescue the country.

The Governor also commended the staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company for keeping the company afloat despite the numerous operational challenges.

Managing Director of SPDC, Osagie Okunbor,

commended the Rivers State Governor for his commitment to creating the right operational environment in

the state.

He also thanked Wike for working with stakeholders to ensure that a major shell

facility closed for one year is opened through peaceful means.

He stated that Shell

Petroleum Development Company is already out of the woods through the hard work of her staff.

PROMOTING GENDER RIGHTS

R-L: Deputy Managing Director, THISDAY Newspapers Group, Kayode Komolafe; Founder/CEO Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) Funmi Falana and member Board of Trustees, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) at the presentation of a book, Nigeria Law on Socio-economic Rights and Topical Issues on Women’s Rights in Nigeria held in Lagos... Friday DAN UKANA

Hamzat: We’ll Sustain Ambode’s Air Peace Chairman Decries Employment Fund Passengers’ Reaction to Flight Incidents Segun James

Chinedu Eze Consequent upon the depressurisation incident that happened on Lagos-Enugu flight on Friday, the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema yesterday condemned the overreaction of passengers when flight incidents involve Nigerian airlines.

Onyema condemned the public reaction to the incident during a telephone conversation with THISDAY, noting that some passengers described the incident as if it was a fatality.

He said such incidents as change in aircraft pressure “is envisaged to occur sometimes and that is why during passengers briefing before flight take off, they are instructed on what actions to take if such incident happened.

“It is sad and disheartening the manner and ways some Nigerians exaggerate situations that occur before, during or after flights. It is as if the country is praying for some extremely bad situations to occur in air travel but when this fails to happen, they resort to sensational falsehood and reports.

“Last month, our aircraft on a flight from Lagos to Owerri made an air return, a safety precaution encouraged in aviation worldwide, but before the aircraft could taxi to a stop after landing back in Lagos, a lady had sent out a screaming report on how she ‘survived air crash’ “Was she praying for accident to happen? Survival of a crash connotes that there

would have been indeed a crash to which the author of that devilish falsehood came out alive. However, there was none and by God’s grace, there will never be any.

“The situation of that flight was nowhere near threatening but the ugly stories went viral while the authors went jubilating that they must have become some emergency celebrities on the platform of social media,” Onyema said.

He recalled that on Friday, Air Peace flight to Enugu had a change in cabin pressure, an incident, according to hind, is common worldwide, yet some passengers exaggerated the story as if a crash had taken place in the social media.

“Once there is a change in cabin pressure, all the pilot needs to do is descend to a comfortable altitude (height) where less pressure is needed. The aircraft could even go round the country as long as it’s fuel can carry it without problems.

“In the present case, the pilot brought it down to that level with oxygen masks fully deployed and they landed safely. The fact that the masks deployed once the change in cabin pressure occurred, was a testimony of the impressive airworthiness of our plane,” he said.

While the aircraft was landing, Onyeama said some passengers started filming the situation so as “to create videos. Of course, some people would definitely be scared out of their wits seeing the masks drop from the panels above their heads.

The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu will sustain the State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) if elected on March 2, 2019, the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat has said.

Hamzat, former Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure in the state, added that Sanwo-Olu would equally sustain the State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), which he said, was set up stem the rising incidents of crime in the state.

He gave the assurance during a live programme on the Television Continental (TVC), in response to questions and comments by the callers dur-

ing the programme.

With the establishment of the LSETF in 2015, Ambode had created no fewer than 15,000 jobs while at least 8000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) accessed about N6 billion.

Originally, the fund was set up to grow the economy and create jobs through provision of credit facilities with minimal interest. The Fund is targeted at creating 300,000 direct and 600,000 indirect jobs within three years.

Under four years, Ambode designed the fund to support at least 100,000 MSMEs and add over 200,000 new tax payers to the Lagos State’s tax net by 2019.

But during the live programme yesterday, Hamzat emphasised the importance

attached to infrastructure development by the incoming administration, saying if his party wins the election, security, employment, provision of social amenities will take preeminence in the scheme of things.

Coincidentally, according to him, my principal and myself understand the enormity of challenges ahead of us, and providentially, both of us have the experience and understanding of what will make our slogan: ‘For Greater Lagos’ a reality.’

In view of the fact that private sector drives the economy of any serious nation, including the small-scale enterprises, Hamzat said it became imperative “to ensure security of live and properties, and by exten-

sion, make funds accessible to the artisans, traders and others with genuine business men and women in those categories.”

On the issue of education, health and employment, he assured the residents that plans are underway to upscale quality of education, employment opportunities and provision of social amenities like water supply, among others.

Responding to the insinuations made by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP,), Mr. Jimi Agbaje that his party was out to deliver Lagos from bandage, Hamzat described the statement as not only unfortunate, but borne out of ignorance.

Consolidate Anti-Corruption Rotary Club Donates Library to Lagos School Fight, ICAN Tells FG encourage reading culture, addRaheem Akingbolu Olaseni Durojaiye

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has commended the federal government’s anti corruption campaign while calling on government to further deepen efforts in the regard in order that the gains so far recorded will not be reversed.

The institute has, also, called on government to set up special courts to handle anti corruption cases in order that the case are tried expeditiously even as he stated that all stakeholders must continually raise awareness on the need to raise public awareness on the need to articulate the gravity of

corruption and the depth of its consequences on growth and development.

The Institute’s President, Alhaji Razak Jaiyeola made the call during a media briefing following the induction ceremony of new accounting technicians in Lagos, pledging the institute’s support for the government’s anti-corruption fight.

Jaiyeola described corruption as the foundation and core of anything bad, stressing that it “is beyond being a moral deficiency. That is why at ICAN, we continue to lend our support and voice to the laudable disposition of the current government at ensuring that the country is rescued from the grip of corruption.

Teachers and pupils of Ereko Methodist Primary School, Obalende, have described the intervention of The Rotary Club of Lagos, towards the school library as a project that would boost reading culture among pupils of the school.

They have also commended Lagos State Government for its commitment to education and urge other corporate bodies and nongovernmental organisations to partner government to further develop the sector.

Speaking while inaugurating the fully-equipped library, to replace the old dilapidated block, the President of the club, Ehi Braimah, said the initiative was borne out of the commitment to give back to the community and

ing: “Basic education is one of the ways we carry out our community project and this project aims at revitalising the reading culture among students.”

On how the journey started, Braimah said in line with Rotary approach to project donation, the club had approached the school a few months ago and asked them what they want.

“We normally start any project by embarking on what we call list assessment. For instance, we came here few months ago and sked them what they want.

They implore us to equip their dilapidated library and we do exactly that. Today, we are happy to see what it has become and the enthusiasm displayed by both the pupils and their teachers,” He said.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER t DECEMBER 16, 2018

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NEWSXTRA

PDP Asks Buhari to Explain Looting of N11tn Oil Fund

tSays Nigerians don’t deserve four more years of suffering Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to explain N11 trillion looted by some interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC) during his administration.

The main opposition party, also, Nigerians did not deserve another four of sufferings under the Buhari

leadership, citing a statement the president made at the meeting of the National Economic Council yesterday that more hardship awaits Nigerians in next year.

The party expressed the concern in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, describing the declaration of the president as shocking and coveys the height of Buhari’s insensitivity to the

sufferings of Nigerians.

According to him, Buhari Presidency has continued to increase its expensive running costs. It has failed to explain or recover the over N11 trillion looted from the oil sector by the APC interests. Yet, Mr. President is asking Nigerians to make more sacrifices.

Ologbondiyan said in this season, when leaders the world over “are delivering

messages of hope to their people, Buhari is promising us more suffering and hardship.

“It is most painful that having suffered so much in the past three and half years, all that President Buhari can promise Nigerians is more suffering, at the time they are looking forward to a better life.”

Ologbondiyan added that one must indeed wonder

what offence Buhari is punishing Nigerians for, that he could so gleefully declare more suffering for them in the coming year.

He stated, “Indeed, if there is any persons that must tighten his belt, it is not the already impoverished Nigerians who have grown so thin that there is no extra holes left on their belts, but President Buhari, his close relatives and the cabal at the Presidency, who have been flaunting their opulent lifestyles financed with our common patrimony. “ “But then, President Buhari has only confirmed what we have known all along; that he has wrecked our once robust economy, that he has no solutions to the challenges facing our country and that the situation can only get worse under his incompetent, corrupt and vindictive administration.”

The PDP said it was astonished by the audacity of Buhari in expecting Nigerians

to vote for him for another four years on a promise of ‘Next Level’ that would foist more hunger and suffering on the country.

He said, “The PDP makes bold to say that Nigerians have suffered enough in the last three and half years. Asking them to suffer for another four years just to keep President Buhari in office is to ask for too much from a people that have already resolved to do away with purveyors of pain and suffering.”

“Our party therefore calls on the Nigerian people to look forward to the coming year with great hope and expectations for better days ahead, as they rally behind our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with his practical solutions to our nation’s problems as well was a ready roadmap for our collective aspiration that guarantees economic recovery and wealth creation immediately he is elected into office in 2019 as the next President of our country.”

Fayemi, Fayose in Verbal War over Alleged Attack Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

HONOUR WELL DESERVED L-R: Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Mr. Jide Ajani; Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Editor, of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Eze

Anaba during the presentation of notification letter to Ugwuanyi as Vanguard Governor of the Year at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday.

Osinbajo Flays Politicians Promoting Discord, Disunity Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) yesterday flayed some politicians who had been fanning an ember of discord with intents to cause division in the country, noting that the country cannot grow in an atmosphere of conflict and disunity.

Osinbajo, however, commended Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, for preaching messages of peace, tolerance and unity among its followers, other religions and

different ethnic nationalities in the country.

He made the remarks at the 66th Jalsa Salana of Ahmadiyyah held at Ilaro, Ogun State yesterday, expressing delight at the peaceful manner the movement, has been conducting its affairs and noted that its model has become famous all over the world He stated that Nigeria could only achieve greatness in an atmosphere that is devoid of chaos and division, urging Nigerians to unite and co-exist peacefully among

themselves, regardless of their faiths.

The VP said, “I am very pleased that the Ahmadiyyah Movement has always been the one that preaches peace and unity among all men, regardless of their religions.

That has been one of the major ways that the Ahmadiyyah Movement has become famous across different parts of the country and even all over the world.”

Osinbajo added that peace “is one of the most important things of all. When you look

at the history of countries all over the world and when you look at history of men all over the world, you will find that those who prevail on you can be regarded as true leaders, persons that we must follow, are those men and women who preach peace among all men.

“Our country is one where many times people want to create division. They want to create division between Muslims and Christians.

They want to create division between tribes.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his immediate predecessor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose yesterday exchanged verbal tirades over alleged attacks on the immediate past governor by the party thugs.

While Fayose accused the All Progressives (APC) of sponsoring the political thugs that booed him at the wedding of the daughter of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Fayemi claimed that is immediate predecessor was being haunted by ghosts.

In a statement by his media assistant, Mr. Lere Olayinka yesterday, Fayose alleged that Fayemi and the APC incited the miscreants against him at the Cathedral Church, Ado-Ekiti, the venue of the wedding.

Fayose claimed that Fayemi’s response to the overwhelming reception Fayose received in Ikere and Ado Ekiti when he returned to the state two months ago was to arrange miscreants,

who invaded the Church where the wedding ceremony of the daughter of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe was held.

Fayose, who thanked Ekiti people for their continuous demonstration of love towards him, said rather than sending less than 15 miscreants “to the house of God to boo Fayose, Fayemi should either face the reality of his rejection by the people or engage in actions that will make the people to love him.

“Even if Fayemi and his party of thugs do not regard the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, should not they have at least accorded the dignitaries who came from far and near to honour the revered monarch respect by keeping their miscreants away from the church?

“Rather than achieving their sinister aim, Fayose entered the church amidst loud ovation and this should get Fayemi and his men to begin to ask themselves what they have done wrong instead of adding more salts to the injury of their rejection by the people.”

S’WEST APC CRISIS DEEPENS AS PEACE EFFORT SUFFERS SETBACK The source observed that the ADP governorship candidate in Osun State, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti “is still influential. Yet, Adeoti is not happy with the way he was forced out of the APC before the 2018 governorship contest in the state. The APC may lose some legislative seats if the case of Adeoti is not attended to.”

At the peace meeting that took place at the State House, Marina on Wednesday, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun was conspicuously absent. However, some chieftains of Ogun APC participated in the peace meeting.

With Amosun’s absence, THISDAY checks revealed that the peace committee might not

be able to address diverse issues of injustice and unfair treatment, which most aggrieved aspirants alleged, characterised the APC primaries conducted in virtually all the states of the federation.

However, Chairman of Ogun APC, Chief Derin Adebiyi; Chief Bode Mustapha and Mr. Patrick Ogunde, among others, featured at the peace meeting the APC National Working Committee set up to resolve all issues that cropped up from its primaries in all states of the federation.

Amosun had insisted he would work against APC interest in Ogun for the governorship race but pledged to support the party in the presidential

election.

Already, THISDAY gathered that Amosun’s allies, who lost out in the party’s primaries, had defected to the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) to pursue their political aspiration after the result of the primaries, which they described as fraudulent and unacceptable.

Prominent among Amosun’s allies that defected were Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, who in vain sought the Ogun APC governorship nomination; Hon. Mukaila Kazeem, who was seeking a return ticket to the Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode-Odeda Federal Constituency and Chief Tolu Odebiyi, who resigned from the APC after losing the Ogun West senatorial ticket.

On the Lagos side, the peace meeting was principally attended by the chieftains of the Mandate Movement and other power brokers in the state that worked against the emergence of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as the APC governorship candidate.

Like the case of Ogun State, the principal members of factional Lagos APC under the leadership of Mr. Fouad Oki did not appear before the peace and reconciliation committee, which according to its leaders would not really address their grievance and misgivings.

A factional leader of the party told THISDAY that his faction would support Buhari’s re-election, though did not

specifically disclose whether the faction would work for the APC governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Even though the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode claimed that there was no crisis because he conceded defeat, one of the aggrieved aspirants noted that the primaries the chapter conducted at different levels were indeed a sham, replete with irregularities, violence and imposition.

The aspirant explained how Sanwo-Olu held a meeting with all the aggrieved members in the state, allegedly offering each of them incentives for compensation. However, according to him, the meeting did not yield expected result, because they

were not ready to reconcile with the aggrieved aspirants.

At the reconciliation meeting, the Ambode Mandate Support Group (AMSG) under the leadership of Mr. Hakeem Sulaimon reportedly narrated to the committee how the Babajide SanwoOlu Campaign Council cut it off since the governor directed that the group should be collapsed into the campaign council.

Another aggrieved APC leader in Lagos, who did not want his name disclosed traced the crisis in the South-west APC to Tinubu’s 2023 presidential aspiration, lamenting that the charade and corruption-ridden primaries in Lagos “has given birth to extraordinary consequences. This is just the beginning.

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Buhari presenting the 2018 budget proposal

As National Assembly Awaits 2019 Appropriation Bill...

On Wednesday, the National Assembly will play host to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is billed to lay the 2019 budget proposal before the lawmakers, report Deji Elumoye and Shola Oyeyipo

T

he much awaited presentation of the 2019 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly by the Executive has been scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 18. President Buhari chose the date in a letter he wrote both to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and read on the floor of the House on Thursday, December 13.

This is in line with Section 81(1) of the 1999 constitution, which states that, “The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before each House of the National Assembly at any time in each financial year estimates of the revenue and expenditure of the federation for the next following financial year.�

The executive has always complied with this practice since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999. Therefore,

the Wednesday event is more or less an annual ritual but much of the work lies with the federal legislators, who will have to take their time to scrutinise the budget proposals.

Curiously, the Appropriation Bill is being presented a day before the National Assembly proceeds on Christmas break. That brings to the fore the issue of how soon the budget proposal would scale through at the Assembly.

For sure, nothing much can be achieved this month with the legislators going on break from Thursday.

Hopefully, when the lawmakers return from their break in January, the relevant committees will swing into action to look at the proposals as well as invite Ministers and heads of parastatals to defend the budget estimates of their respective ministries and departments. Both the Executive and the Legislature should be on the same page over the Appropriation Bill and work towards ensuring that the Bill is passed early in 2019.

While the budget proposal was being awaited, the two chambers of the National Assembly continued with their legislative duties including committee work and oversight functions.

At the Senate, the week began with a public hearing on how to curb the issue of vote-buying ahead of the 2019 general election.

At the occasion, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, accused politicians of inducing voters with money tucked in slices of bread on election days.

Yakubu said the electoral body had identified politicians as vote-buyers and sellers through various forms, including inducement of prospective voters with naira notes sandwiched between bread slices.

His words: “When I talk about sandwich, we are not talking of bread but ways politicians induce voters by sandwiching naira notes in two slices of bread. I am talking of sandwich not

as food but as tool used by politicians for voting exercise.�

He identified other items used by politicians to further induce voters on election days to include branded food items, kitchen utensils, automobiles, clothing, toiletries, etc.

Also speaking at the occasion, Saraki advised INEC, security agencies and all election stakeholders to ensure that next year ’s elections are free, fair, credible and transparent. This, he said, has become imperative as the country is in a delicate situation, where Africa and the entire world are looking forward to what happens in the coming elections.

Saraki noted that having set an enviable record in the 2015 general election, the country cannot afford to lower the standard in 2019, saying “We must up the ante, because whatever we do will have impact on the continent and serve as a representation of Africa on the global stage.�

The non-adherence to federal

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As National Assembly Awaits 2019 Appropriation Bill... character by President Muhammadu Buhari in his appointments to federal boards and parastatals also caught the attention of the Senate. It had to keep in view the confirmation of 13 appointees nominated by President Buhari as Chairman and members of the Governing Boards of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This is sequel to an observation raised

by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) that the nominees for the Board appointments were tilted towards some particular sections of the country while the South-east and South-south zones were left out.

The Senate had to dissolve into an Executive session to deliberate on the observation raised by Umeh to the report of the Eight-man Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes on the need for Senate to confirm the nominees for EFCC Board presented by the Chairman, Senator Chukwuka Utazi.

At the end of the close-door session, which lasted for about 20 minutes, Saraki said the Senate had to step down the four board nominees for EFCC and the Chairman and eight other nominees for ICPC Board.

He stated that the upper chamber took that decision to allow the Senate to liaise with the Executive to address the lopsidedness of the appointments with a view to having equitable representation across the six geo-political zones.

At the House of Representatives, it was glaring that the members were divided along party lines – the proPresident Muhammadu Buhari legislators, who were mainly members of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those who were against his administration and his policies and were principally members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Though these two groups had laid claims to superiority in terms of the number needed to effect meaningful changes in the House, but there has not been enough gut on the part of either side to put that to test. The decision of President Buhari to withhold assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, passed by the National Assembly stoked both factions. Amidst that, some Nigerians, who felt Buhari’s refusal to append his signature to the Bill was deliberately targeted at manipulating the electoral process, urged the lawmakers to override his veto. But that, no doubt, is indeed a tall order.

The expectation was that on Tuesday, December 11, the lawmakers would attempt to override the president but nothing close to that happened.

The Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos, APC) smartly stood against an attempt to debate the letter sent to the House of Representatives by President Buhari, where he explained why he did not assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 for the fourth time.

That Tuesday morning, during plenary, Dogara, had read the letter and Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Kano), picked up the debate. He started making his observations about the president’s action.

Obviously piqued by the President’s position, Madaki said, “Mr. Speaker, you have just read a very important letter. What we want is free, fair and credible election. Mr. President refusing to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill shows clearly what he wants to do. The whole world is

Saraki, Dogara and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu during a joint sitting of the National Assembly

watching. Everybody is watching‌�

But Gbajabiamila interjected and raised a Point of Order saying: “We have never, by precedence, by custom and tradition; we have never debated a letter, which is by way of information. If there is the need to debate the president’s letter, we will table on the order paper for debate.�

According to him, “Several letters have been written by several presidents before. It never happened. If you want to debate the letter, place it on the order paper. We are fully ready to debate it.�

The Speaker seemed to be on the same page with Gbajabiamila and said, “We have a provision in our rules that guides this kind of communication and I will advise that we follow the rules. So, I think this matter should be laid to rest.�

Attempt to override President Buhari on this matter is surely a Herculean task. First, going by the provisions of Section 50(2)(c), the two-thirds majority needed to carry out such action among the 109 members in the Senate is 73, while two-thirds of the 360 members House of Representatives is 240. That is the same figures needed to remove the president.

Apart from that, the APC caucus in the House is not backing down.

They are actually talking tough. Their collective position is that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill sent to President Buhari was faulty. They said it was an “imperfect document� capable of disenfranchising millions of Nigerians in the 2019 general election.

Gbajabiamila, led the APC members to meet journalists after a closed-door meeting of the caucus, and their position was that President Buhari’s resolve to return the Bill was in the best interest of the Nigerian electorate.

On calls to lawmakers to veto the document, Gbajabiamila said there is need for Nigerians to get a better understanding of the issues at stake. “Perhaps, a lot of people don’t understand the import and the implications of signing an imperfect document. If the document is imperfect and you can read it or interpret it anyhow, or if count was removed when it should

have been there, then you can’t even override that imperfect document.

You have to first of all amend that document and start the process all over again, and send it back to Mr. President. “Mr. President has done well. If you study the constitution very well and if you look at Section 57, it does not oblige him (president) to give any reason for veto. All he has to do is return it and say ‘I am withholding my assent.’ He doesn’t have to give you any reason, but every time he has done that he has brought forward cogent and verifiable reasons why he is not signing it. “On this particular one, I believe the thrust, spirit and the reason why Mr. President has refused to sign it, which we identify with, is that every vote must count in Nigeria. We have been mouthing this thing and singing this thing for ages. This bill that was sent to Mr. President, and we raised it on the floor at the time of consideration. The effect of it is that you can only accredit voters through the electronic system.

It forecloses manual registration. “When you do that, we were all witnesses to what happened in the last election even the sitting president could not be accredited. So, what Mr. President has done is to protect everybody in Nigeria “Yes, do your electronic accreditation, but make room for the possibility and a very strong possibility too, where such will not work. It is something that happens every day – in the banks – jammers can even be brought in to jam it; millions will be disenfranchised and you and I don’t want that. That is a constitutional guarantee that everybody, who resides in Nigeria has a right to vote and be voted for.

So, we cannot breach the constitution through amendment. “Let’s talk about the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol that everybody has been talking. That is very germane here. The question we need to ask is: what is the real reason for that protocol? Why was that protocol put there?� Gbajabiamila asked.

He said the position of the APC

caucus is that the National Assembly should perfect the document and send it back, adding: “Mr. President will sign it. There is no question about it.

That is our position,� adding that, “Punctuation, a dot, or a line can change the meaning of a provision in a law. Just a single ‘coma’ can change the meaning and make it ambiguous.

We don’t want that.�

Asked if members of the opposition PDP insisted on vetoing the document, he said: “Lawmaking is not about insisting, lawmaking is about numbers.

If they are able to muster two-thirds and they want to push it through, there is nothing we can do. But as a party, we are not going to be part.�

But when asked if the APC has the number to prevent such move by the opposition, he boasted, “We have more than the numbers. We don’t just have the numbers; we have more than the numbers.�

Insisting that it was unwise to override an imperfect document because it would amount to “garbage in, garbage out,� Gbajabiamila said a well-equipped legal department should have worked on a final draft of the document to make it perfect. “Go to the most advanced democracies, they have a legal department.

That legal department is staffed with the best of the best – from Havard, Princeton and the rest of them – and about a hundred people are sitting in the department. It is not the lawmakers that do the final draft, it is the legal department. “Go to our legal department here, perhaps you have personnel of one or two persons. So, the blame will fall on the legal department. Yes, it does not speak well of the National Assembly but we have done our work in terms of the principles of any law we have tried to pass. It is for them to do the final – dot the ‘Is’ and cross the ‘Ts’. “Again, when the National Assembly asked for more money to staff and do things, we are met with a brick wall. It is a difficult scenario that we have found ourselves in. It is not the National Assembly’s fault but if I were to blame anybody, I will say it is our legal department,� he noted.

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INTERNATIONAL Britain and One Brexit Too Many: Beyond Prime Minister Theresa May’s New Confidence Vote

B

rexit is not simply about the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union (EU), and therefore, simply from the supranational authority of the organisation, but essentially from the belief that there can be a United States of Europe, either as conceived by Wojciech Jastrzebowski in his work, entitled, About Eternal Peace between Nations in 1831, or as further propounded by Victor Hugo, who wanted in 1847 ‘a supreme, sovereign Senate which will be to Europe what parliament is to England.’ Victor Hugo also dreamt of a day when ‘all nations in our continent will form a European brotherhood.’ His expectation was that ‘a day will come when we shall see... the United States of America and the United States of Europe face-to-face, reaching out for each other across the seas.’ Brexit is also not simply a withdrawal from the United States of Europe as conceived by Aristide Briand, French Foreign Minister in 1929 and 1930 when he came up with the idea of an organisation with a three-layer structure: European Conference, European Committee and a European Secretariat As much as Britain was not necessarily against a united Europe, the truth remains the caution with which such a united Europe was to be given support. Put differently, Brexit should not be explicated and understood in terms of mere disagreement with EU policies as conflicting with the economico-social and militaro-political interests of Britain. The truth is that Brexit has a deeper background, and, as a policy, it is essentially political. Vie Internationale observes and posits that Britain does not dispute its linkages to the European geographical and cultural space but wants to protect the person of Britain, the sovereignty of Britain, the international recognition enjoyed by the British. Thus, the British want to be cautiously engaged at the level of political commitments to any united Europe project. They also appear to want to put political engagements with the United States above political engagements with the EU in the conduct and management of global affairs. It is within this context that Brexit and its politics should be correctly seen.

And true enough, historical records have clearly shown British suspicions about efforts made to unite European nations. One major rationale that helps to explain the British suspicions is to ask why Britain was not part of the March 25, 1957 Rome Treaty which established the European Economic Community of Six: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, France, Italy and Germany. The question can still be re-asked differently: why a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Community in 1975? What was the outcome of the referendum? And perhaps more interestingly, why another referendum on the same issue in 2016? Finally, how do we explain the fresh calls for another referendum in the Parliament and the eventual renewal of confidence in the government of Theresa May? This column posits further, that, without scintilla of doubt, the new parliamentary confidence vote now enjoyed by Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain is very consistent with the British suspicions of a united Europe that would have a non-controllable supranational authority over the British. It is a confidence vote meant to ensure withdrawal from the EU more for political motivations than because of economic considerations. Consequently, foreign policy makers will need to be more careful in their interpretations of Brexit and its strategic implications for foreign policy response, and especially in terms of its economic and political impact on regional integration in Africa.

And perhaps most significantly, of the many dynamics for a United States of Europe, the British appear to feel more comfortable with the factor of multilateral cooperation that is not detrimental to any British political interest. Consequently, Brexit, as a British foreign policy, raises many international questions, and particularly on the future of regional integration in Africa. For instance, it should be recalled here that regional integration policies in Africa, particularly as enshrined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Treaty, are largely patterned after those of the European Economic Community (EEC), European Community (EC), and European Union (EU).

This means that whatever happens at the level of the EU model of development should be a source of lessons to be learnt by African leaders.

Besides, at the 60th Anniversary of the 1958 All African People’s Conference (AAPC) convened this year at the Senate House of the University of London by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies ICWS),School of Advanced Study of the University of London, and the Westminster United Nations Association, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Foreign Minister of Nigeria and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, noted that ‘a major objective of the Conference

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

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Theresa May, British PM which was the attainment of the unity and integration of African states is yet to be achieved. For despite the gallant efforts in the transformation of the AU, the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the active support for the sub-regional organisations like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Economic Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African continent still has a long way to go in its integration bid.’ Chief Emeka Anyaoku cannot be more correct in observing that the African continent still has a long way to go in its integration bid simply because integration efforts in Europe began many centuries ago and yet, there is the issue of Brexit today. Additionally, similar sentiments and calls for withdrawal still exist in both France and Germany, two countries that pioneered the EEC in 1957. Another source of worry is the likely impact of Brexit for the current Member States of the EU, especially if the aftermath of Brexit begins to make Britain to fare better and have stronger influence in international politics. There is therefore the need for Africa to learn from the current politics of Brexit, particularly from its contents and the dynamics of European integration in the past three hundred years.

Dynamics and Psychology of Brexit Brexit is a resultant of the conflicting attitudinal disposition towards cooperation and integration in intra-EU relations. It is also a reaction to how to relate within the framework of multilateral relations. For instance, some countries want emphasis to be placed on cooperation.

Some others prefer emphasis on integration. Even when discussing integration, distinction is still made between economic and political integration, hence the need to choose between the two.

In the context of Brexit, Britain is an adherent of only cooperation, a cooperation programme that will not engender political integration or affect the political sovereignty of the British. This is the root dynamic of Brexit. Some illustrations will suffice here to justify the problem. As revealed by David Ramiro TroitiĂąo et al, in their edited

On Wednesday, 12th December, 2018 a vote of conďŹ dence was passed on the government of Prime Minister May with 63% of the total vote.The vote, which is nothing more than a reafďŹ rmation of people’s support for Brexit, also raises why there have to be many referenda (1975 and 2016) and calls for a new one to ďŹ nd out whether Britain should belong to the EU or not. Will this not be one Brexit too many? Are parliamentarians truly representing the interests of their constituencies or their own selďŹ sh interests? Put differently, if the people voted for Brexit, why is the issue presented as if the people do not know their onions anymore when, from the memory lane explicated above, the British are not on record to have been favourably disposed towards a united Europe that emphasises political integration? Britain prefers cooperation and unanimity and better sustained ties with the US

work, Brexit: History, Reasoning and Perspectives (Gewerbestrasse, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018), former Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher, gave a speech to the College of Europe (The Bruges Speech) in which she considered Europe as a cultural, political and historical space.

As noted in the speech, Margaret Thatcher said that for 300 years, the British ‘were part of the Roman Empire and our maps still trace the straight lines of the roads the Romans built. Our ancestors - Celts, Saxons, Danes - came from the continent.’ But more importantly, Margaret Thatcher also had it that ‘the British have in a very special way contributed to Europe. Over the centuries we have fought to prevent Europe from falling under the dominance of a single power.

We have fought and we have died for her freedom. Only few miles from here in Belgium, lie the bodies of 120,000 British soldiers who died in the First World War. Had it not been for that willingness to fight and to die, Europe would have been united long before now, but not in liberty, not in justice. It was British support to resistance movements throughout the last War that helped to keep alive the flame of liberty in so many countries until the day of liberation.’ And perhaps most importantly, Margaret Thatcher also said ‘it was from our island fortress that the liberation of Europe itself was mounted. And still, today, we stand together. Nearly 70,000 British servicemen are stationed on the mainland of Europe. All these things alone are proof of our commitment to Europe’s future.’ From the foregoing quotations, many Brexit-related points are clear. First, it is being made clear that the British have always been committed to Europe, especially in the area of its defense and security.

Secondly, the issue of why Europe had not been united earlier than now was raised. Can it be rightly argued here that Britain, in spite of its great commitment to Europe, has been truly united with other European countries, especially in terms of regional integration?

The submission of this column is NO. Let us go down the memory to take a cursory look at the main efforts at European unity to justify the observation. But in doing so, it is also important to note that the cardinal objective of cooperation or integration is to nip in the bud potential intra-European war. If we recall here that the 30-year old war led to the signing of the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia that put in place the modern state system. The purpose of the Treaty was to seek peace and security of Europe. In contemporary international relations dating back to 1871, it should be remembered that the 1870-1871 FrancoPrussian War was preceded by the Battle of Sadawa in 1866. The 1914-1918 war that was concluded with the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, as well as the 1939-1945 that led to the establishment of the United Nations, which was given the mandate of maintaining international peace and security, the epicentre of all the efforts put in place was to prevent any new aggression and ensure peace and security. The secondary objective was economic. With this in mind, the efforts at European unity can now be explained and well understood.

Preliminary efforts at European unity can be traced to the time of the Bohemian King, George of Pod brady (1420-1471) who proposed the establishment of an organisation that would have common institutions such as parliament, secretariat, and supranational insignia. The main rationale behind the suggestion was to mobilise collective action against perceived Turkish threat and to protect Christian lands from Muslim conquer but the suggestion did not fly.

In his work, entitled Le Projet de Paix PerpĂŠtuelle, published in 1713, Charles IrĂŠnĂŠe Castel suggested the Peace of Utretch as basis of European peace and unity. He posited that such a peace should be ensured by a European Confederation that would also have a Permanent Arbitration Council. What is important about this proposal is the issue of confederation. Confederation allows for protection of national sovereignty. It does not also talk about integration. This did not augur well for Britain.

As explained by IrĂŠnĂŠe Castel, who was then the Abbot of Saint Pierre (1658-1743), the organisation was to have common institutions where ‘the main powers of Europe, as the King of France, the Emperor of the German Empire, the King of Spain, the King of England,, and the Pope would have a Permanent Seat, and other less powerful States would have a rotational seat in this Council.’ This suggestion can be looked at as one of the precursors of the veto power and policy of permanent membership of the current United Nations Security Council.

Apart from this,, there was also the work of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), who argued in 1795 in his Perpetual Peace: a Philosophical Sketch, that some conditions must exist for perpetual peace to exist: a peace treaty should only be considered valid in the absence of a tacitly reserved matter for a future war. In other words, there must not be any reservations having the potential to renew belligerency in the foreseeable future. There must not be any room for any independent country to come under the dominion of another State by inheritance, exchange, purchase, or donation. This point underscores the avoidance of aggression, respect for sovereign equality and mutual respect.

More interestingly, Immanuel Kant said all standing armies should be abolished in a matter of time and that no State should by force interfere with the Constitution or government of another State. This is the principle of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of sovereign states over which governments of sovereign states have exclusive responsibility. He also argued that no state, during a war, should allow hostility capable of making mutual confidence in the subsequent peace impossible. Hostility in this case include the employment of assassins, prisoners, breach of capitulation and incitement to treason in the opposing State.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 16,2018

SUNDAYSPORTS

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

Shaky United Visit High-Flying Liverpool

J

ose Mourinho says he plans to attack when his injury-hit Manchester United side travel to Liverpool today. United have nine players either doubtful or ruled out as they look to close a 16-point gap on their rivals.

This is the most points United have been behind Liverpool in the league table before Christmas since Christmas Eve 1990 (16 points), while it’s the most points Liverpool have been ahead of United ahead of a top-flight meeting between the sides since March 1990 (21 points).

However, United have not lost in their last eight league meetings with Liverpool and Mourinho plans to “fight for victory”.

“I’m going to try (to win),” he said. “We know that we are going to play against the leader, against a team on a high. But we have our qualities, we have our potential, and even with the problems we have and the doubts in terms of team choice, of tactics, approach, philosophy.

“We have doubts about everything because we don’t know who’s available, but we are going to arrive on Sunday (today) and with the players we have available, we are going to have a team capable of going there and fight for the victory.”

United have won just one of their last four matches in all competitions and were beaten 2-1 at Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Liverpool overcame Napoli in midweek to secure their progress to the last 16 of the Champions League and are unbeaten in the Premier League this season.

They start the weekend as Premier League leaders and manager Jurgen Klopp said: “I know it will be a very intense game and we will be ready for that.

“This week we reached a big target in the Champions League, we had one day to feel the relief of that. Since yesterday (Thursday) we are back on track. I’m really looking forward to it. Big one.”

Liverpool will be forced into a defensive reshuffle with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all out injured.

James Milner could replace Alexander-Arnold at right back, while Nathaniel Clyne may return to the squad having not played since September.

Meanwhile, Mourinho is hopeful some of his injured players will be available.

Marcos Rojo joined the ranks of sidelined defenders during Wednesday’s loss to Valencia and looks certain to miss out along with Victor Lindelof and Alexis Sanchez. Chris Smalling, Diogo Dalot, Anthony Martial, Matteo Darmian, Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay are all also doubts.

Mohammed Salah (Liverpool) and Anthony Martial (Man United) tussle for the ball in the corresponding fixture last season

David de Gea and Nemanja Matic, who were both rested for the trip to Spain, will return, while Mourinho must decide whether to again leave out midfielder Paul Pogba, who failed to impress at Mestalla.

This will be the 201st meeting between Liverpool and United in all competitions, with the Merseysiders winning 65 and suffering 80 defeats (55 draws).

United are looking to win back-to-back league games against Liverpool for the first time since January 2016, when they won four in a row.

Liverpool are winless in their last eight Premier League games against United (D3 L5) - they haven’t gone longer without a win against the Red Devils in league competition since April 1988 (12 games).

Liverpool are currently on their joint-best Premier League unbeaten run (17 games). They last had a longer run in the top-flight between March-November 1990 (23 games).

Liverpool haven’t conceded more than once in any of their last 19 Premier League games (seven conceded in total), their longest such run in the

top-flight since a run of 38 between April 1978 and April 1979.

United manager Jose Mourinho has won 50% of his Premier League away games at Anfield (4/8); the best win percentage among managers with 5+ such games in the competition.

Liverpool’s attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are all yet to score or assist in a Premier League game for the club against United (combined total of 855 minutes played).

Jesus Brace Sends City Top

3eActuaries Hails Oboh as LET Q-School Begins

Gabriel Jesus said his mother’s arrival in England has improved his confidence as he ended his Premier League goal drought to help Manchester City return to the top of the table.

Jesus had not scored a league goal since August - a run of 11 games and 487 minutes but netted twice before Raheem Sterling added City’s third.

The Brazil forward, who signed for City in 2017 and extended his contract until 2023 earlier this season, has recently been joined in Manchester by his mother.

“My confidence is back because my family is here with me,” said the 21-year-old. “They help me a lot. It is easy for me because they are everything. I need my family in this moment.”

City manager Pep Guardiola said: “He settled so well from the beginning - but it is much better his family is here and strikers need to score goals. He scored two nice goals that will be important for him.”

City will stay top for at least another day, with Liverpool needing to beat Manchester United at Anfield today to reclaim their place at the summit.

This victory, City’s 10th in a row at home in the league, was rarely in serious doubt once Jesus had fired his side ahead on a bitterly cold day at Etihad Stadium.

Yerry Mina’s misplaced pass allowed Ilkay Gundogan to find Leroy Sane in space, and he sent Jesus galloping into the area to score with a fine low finish. Jesus only had to wait another 28 minutes for his second of the game.

When it arrived just after half-time, Sane

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Jesus

was the provider again - with Jesus meeting his precise cross to plant an unstoppable header past Toffees keeper Jordan Pickford.

City looked in complete control but Everton gave themselves hope just after the hour when Dominic Calvert Lewin met Lucas Digne’s cross to reduce the deficit.

The visitors were only briefly back in it, however, with substitute Sterling - a week after suffering alleged racial abuse during City’s defeat at Chelsea - heading in Fernandinho’s cross four minutes later with his first touch.

It was enough to ensure City, whose loss at Stamford Bridge last weekend was their first in the league this season, are back in a familiar position at the top.

Kevin de Bruyne, back from a knee injury that has kept him out of action since 1 November, also came off the bench before the end to give the home fans further reason to cheer.

The Chief Executive Officer of 3e Actuaries, Olawale Opayinka, has applauded Nigeria’s starlet, Georgia Oboh, who will be attending the Ladies European Tour (LET) Qualifying School, starting Monday.

The 17- year- old Nigerian will be one of 107 ladies from across the globe, bidding for the 25 slots that will make them eligible to play on the LET sanctioned professional tournaments in 2019.

The Qualifying School is held yearly for golf professionals and elite amateurs aiming to attain playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour which holds its schedule mainly in Europe, in addition to Australia, South Africa, China and Thailand.

The exercise tees off on tomorrow (Monday) and will run through Friday at Amelkis Golf Club in Marrakech, Morocco.

In a goodwill message, Opayinka charged Obah to write her name in history, saying her accomplishments will shape the outlook of lady professional golf in Nigeria.

Two months ago, Oboh won her maiden professional title, following her victory at the Côte d’ Ivoire Open in Abidjan.

Opayinka, who offered the player a platform to develop her game, when he invited her to 3e Actuaries Equatorial Guinea Open Championship in Mongomo last year, to play with leading lady golfers in the world, remarked that her attitude has already inspired a new generation of Nigerian players.

“Oboh played in our tournament last year in Mongomo. She is a role model for female golfers in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea and

her success at the LET Q-School will rub off positively on golf in both countries. She is a talented golfer and is someone 3eActuaries is glad to have attended our schedule,” Opayinka said.

The Ikoyi Club 1938-groomed teenager is confident of her ability to rise to the challenge in Morocco, saying she would not let the opportunity slip off having come this far.

“This will be my toughest test yet so I am working really hard but praying even harder.

As a young professional I am looking forward to the finals with optimism that I can make the cut of 25 players to be able to compete across Europe next year. I am in good shape having arrived since November 29 to be able to get used to the golf course and weather. I can say that the weather has been very friendly particularly at this time of the year in Morocco.

“Also, I am getting used to the golf course ahead of the finals next week. I am in high spirits and full of optimism going into the competition,” Oboh said.

RESULTS & FIXTURE Man City Crystal Palace Huddersfield Tottenham Watford Wolves Fulham Brighton Southampton Liverpool

3–1 Everton 1–0 Leicester 0–1 Newcastle 1–0 Burnley 3–2 Cardiff 2–0 Bournemouth 0–2 West Ham v Chelsea 2:30pm v Arsenal 2:30pm v Man United 5pm

Sunday December 16, 2018

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N400

MISSILE

Atiku to Buhari

“I am further pained that neither the president nor his vice were in attendance at the funeral and that the federal government did not send a high powered delegation to represent the government at the funeral. This is sad and totally unacceptable.” – Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari for not attending the burial of the nineteen soldiers killed by Boko Haram.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

A Vote for Parliamentary System

I

n case you missed it, 71 reps have tabled a bill before the house proposing the adoption of a parliamentary system of government in Nigeria. For some reason, this major development is not trending. But I find the proposal very interesting, in fact exciting. As a staunch advocate of restructuring (not to be confused with the disguised campaign to “punish” some parts of Nigeria on the basis of ethnicity and religion), I have always believed that returning to a parliamentary system would offer us an opportunity to practise a more robust form of democracy. I like presidentialism, which we currently practise, but I love the parliamentary system.

Before I proceed, a caveat is critical: I do not believe parliamentarianism is the magic solution to Nigeria’s problems. When I say Nigeria’s problems, of course, I refer to the poor standard of living, the corruption and the ethno-religious strife which pervade every segment and every section of the country in varying degrees. I have always argued that competent and patriotic leadership is what we need to address these problems. I am, therefore, not suggesting in any way or by any means that adopting the parliamentary system of government would turn Nigeria to Japan the day after the prime minister assumes power. No. I do not have such evidence in my file.

I am also aware that many intellectuals, activists and commentators have offered proposals that they think would automatically solve our problems and catapult us to development. Some think it is “true federalism” (which is basically about the sharing of powers between the national and sub-national governments), while there are those who believe the magic formula is “fiscal federalism” (I don’t know the Nigerian meaning of this concept, but I always guess the advocates want states to keep the revenue generated in their territories). Many have also suggested that state police, resource control, Shar’ia, and such like, would take Nigeria to the Olympian heights of glory.

For those who don’t know, let me do a brief introduction to the parliamentary system of government, specifically the Westminster type we inherited from the UK in 1960 before discarding it in the 1979 constitution. Under the system, parties contest for seats in the national parliament. The party with most seats usually forms government.

(If the party does not have enough seats, it goes into a coalition.) Thereafter, the leader of the party becomes the prime minister, who is the head of government — like a bank CEO. There will still be a president, who is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but it is a ceremonial position — like a bank chairman.

While the president will be busy receiving visiting heads of state, declaring new buildings open and commemorating Armed Forces Remembrance Day as well as the National Independence Day, the real person running the show is the prime minister, who appoints ministers and takes charge of the budgetary and policy direction of the government. By comparison, the president, in a presidential system, is the head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In the opinion of many political analysts, Nigeria’s president has virtually absolute powers and is the most powerful president in the world. He can do and undo — with little or no restrain.

Buhari

Why, then, am I so in love with the parliamentary system? To start with, for those who think the presidential system is expensive, this is one way to cut the cost. Unlike under our presidential system which practically forces a presidential candidate to campaign in the 36 states of the federation and score at least 25% of votes cast in no fewer than 24 states, the parliamentary system only requires the would-be prime minister, usually the leader of the party, to win a seat into parliament. So long the party forms the majority either by itself or through a coalition, the party leader becomes the prime minister.

That, for instance, means if President Muhammadu Buhari wants to be the prime minister of Nigeria and he is the leader of APC, he only has to win the parliamentary seat from his Daura federal constituency. If APC wins the majority of seats in parliament, Buhari will become the prime minister, except, of course, he is not interested — as we saw in 1960 when Sir Ahmadu Bello, despite being the leader of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), preferred to be premier of Northern Nigeria and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was chosen as prime minister instead. However, it is usually those who want to be prime minister that lead their parties to the general election.

How does this save cost? Buhari would not need posters, billboards, rallies and jingles in Lagos or Kogi. He would not need polling agents in Afikpo or Eket. He only needs them in Daura — just like your senator only needs to win a seat in parliament to have a chance of becoming senate president. Buhari would not need to spend N500 billion — he is not going for an election! The other benefit of this is that he would not owe too many people.

The cost of running national and state elections in Nigeria is so humongous you would need to be financed by those you would end up owing heavy political IOUs. They will take your government captive.

But the real cost-saving comes from forming a cabinet. In parliamentarianism, cabinet ministers are picked from among the elected parliamentarians. That means all the 36 or 42 ministers will come from the national assembly.

Under presidentialism, we duplicate the costs of running government. Look at the number of aides and the cost of maintaining the senate president and the speaker and ministers.

More so, under parliamentarianism, there is no big distinction between the legislature and

the executive. The cabinet minister is also a legislator. That should help reduce the perennial friction over budgetary processes and oversight functions in Nigeria.

Another attraction, for me, is that the nonsense about technocrats versus politicians will stop.

Under presidentialism, some good people can stay out of partisan politics and call themselves “technocrats” — waiting to be appointed ministers after the politicians have done all the hard job.

Under parliamentarianism, you must go and contest win a seat in parliament before you can dream of becoming a cabinet minister. The likely benefit of this is that we would take parliamentary elections more seriously and not abandon them to clowns and opportunists.

Parliamentarianism can, indeed, improve the quality of representation.

By far my biggest attraction to parliamentarianism is the Prime Minister’s Question Time. God, I love it! This is the time during which the prime minister is questioned in parliament on policy decisions and actions by the leader of the opposition. Any prime minister that is not sure of himself/herself will melt. If we were operating a parliamentary system, for instance, the president would have had to answer hard questions about so many issues, from security to the economy. The intense scrutiny before TV cameras is a real test of character and competence. Under our variant of presidential system, the president answers to nobody, in practical terms.

But truth be told, our politicians have been behaving as if we operate a parliamentary system.

An example is when the senate or house of reps issues orders to ministries, departments and agencies to stop a recruitment process or reverse a policy. This is pure nonsense. In presidentialism, the powers are separated — the legislature makes laws, appropriates public funds and performs oversight functions (mainly to ascertain implementation of laws and budgets) while the executive is in charge of policies, preparing budgets and implementing the laws. But in Nigeria, lawmakers run a parallel government.

They mutilate the budget so much the president can no longer recognise it.

In some states, I have heard about opposition parties forming “shadow cabinets” — which is what obtains in a parliamentary system. Shadow cabinets are formed by opposition parties to promote alternative ideas and policies as a counterforce to the ruling parties. They use this to market themselves as better alternatives ahead of the next general election. Also, many state houses of assembly in Nigeria have been passing “vote of confidence” on their governors.

This is a practice under parliamentarianism, not presidentialism. Therefore, we are apparently in love with the parliamentary system without professing it. Why not simply switch over?

Finally, I am not as naïve as to suggest that it is parliamentarianism that will banish poverty from Nigeria. What is obstructing our path to progress is not the structure of the federation or the constitution. As a student of development, I have studied how many countries have made giant strides under all kinds of political conditions: dictatorship, democracy, quasi-democracy, mono-ethnicity, multi-ethnicity, unitary system, true federalism, fake federalism, parliamentarianism, presidentialism, state police, federal police and whatnot. There is just no alternative to competent and patriotic leadership.

Non-negotiable.

And Four Other Things…

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE Controversy has broken out over the exclusion of certain candidates from the 2019 presidential TV debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG). Only five presidential candidates were picked out of the 79. I hold a completely different opinion. For a major TV debate to be effective, it should involve only candidates whose parties have won anything of significance in previous elections. There can be other debates for all candidates. Even if you watched the vice-presidential debate on Friday, it was glaring that it should have been between two candidates. Most presidential elections always boil down to two top candidates. Fact.

MAGU’S ‘MANSION’ There is nothing I like when someone throws a challenge at his accusers. Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), testifying on Thursday in a libel he filed against a newspaper, said emphatically: “I live a modest life. My wife is a civil servant.

We have only one house in Karu, Abuja, and when I retire, I will go back there.” While the onus is now on his accusers to prove that he owns the various mansions attributed to him, I am thinking aloud: how many of our career public officers can publicly declare how many houses they own without any fear of contradictions? Challenge.

ABDULAZIZ’S LAUREL So good they named him twice. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the Premium Times journalist who exposed Mrs Kemi Adeosun’s NYSC certificate scandal which led to her resignation as minister of finance, has been honoured by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism as the Investigative Journalist of the Year 2018.

I would think Abdulaziz even deserves a presidential handshake for helping President Buhari in his well-proclaimed fight against corruption. That would be wishful thinking, though, given that Buhari did not act on the exposé. Even Mr. Adebayo Shittu, a national service dodger, firmly remains a minister months after he was exposed. Dissonance.

AND FINALLY… Controversy broke out recently over contradictory police statements on the legality of having sex in a car. Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, head of the public complaint rapid response unit (PCRRU) of the police, said as long as the sex is consensual and not done in a place of worship, no crime has been committed. But Mr. Edgal Imohimi, the Lagos state commissioner of police, countered that the Lagos state criminal law prohibits engaging in “indecent” activities in public space. Sex, Imohimi said, falls under “indecent activities”. For those who are seriously determined to have sex in a car, can they please tint their windows so that the rest of us who are children can mind our business? Suggestion.

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