Thisday may 11 2019

Despite Court Injunction, Ganduje Appoints 4 New Emirs Says Kano moving to next level with the creation of new emirates Late Ado Bayero’s Son selected Emir of Bichi Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has appointed Aminu Ado Bayero,

the first son of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, as Emir of the newly created Bichi Emirate. Bayero’s son was until his appointment, the Wamban Kano.

The governor, in an announcement on radio yesterday, also unveiled the three other emirs for the additional emirates created this week, following the signing

into law of the bill for the creation of Gaya, Rano, Bichi and Karaye emirates. The other new emirs are Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir as Emir of Gaya; Alhaji Tafida

Abubakar Ila as Emir of Rano and Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar II as Emir of Karaye. Ganduje is expected to present letters of appointment and staff of office to the four

new Emirs today at Sani Abacha Stadium. This is despite of a Kano State High Court order restraining him Continued on page 6

Onnoghen: Appeal Court Berates CCT over Disobedience of Court Orders… Page 8 Saturday 11 May, 2019 Vol 24. No 8797

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UNICEF: Over 3,500 Children Recruited by Armed Groups in Boko Haram Conflict Secures freedom for 900, including 106 girls from CJTF Conflicts in Nigeria, DRC, Syria, Ethiopia, trigger 10.8m new IDPs Bayo Akinloye The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) yesterday revealed that more than 3,500 children were recruited and being used by non-state armed

groups in the on-going Boko Haram conflict in Nigeria. UNICEF also revealed that a total of 894 children, including 106 girls, had been released from the ranks of the CJTF in Maiduguri, Borno State, as

part of its commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children for war. The CJTF is a local militia that helps the Nigerian security forces in the fight against insurgency in north-east

Nigeria. It was formed in 2013, with the aim of protecting communities from attack. In a statement issued yesterday, the UNICEF country representative and the Co-chair of the United

Nations Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting on Grave Child Rights Violations (CTFMR), Mohammed Fall, said: “Any commitment for children that is matched with action is a step in the right

direction for the protection of children’s rights and must be recognised and encouraged. “Children of north-east Nigeria have borne the Continued on page 6

Buhari: Insecurity Remains a Challenge, Vows to End Crisis We are determined to face this challenge and secure the country more than ever before Olonishakin admits lack of synergy in joint military operations Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja said the insecurity crisis confronting the country remained a challenge for everyone, promising that the federal government was committed to confronting the crisis head on. The president made this commitment in the conference centre of the Presidential Villa while reacting to the leadership award conferred on him by the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of Progressive Governors' Forum.

On the same day, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin admitted that there is lack of synergy in the joint operations conducted by the military to enable it achieve the desired potency to curb insecurity in the country. President Buhari admitted that security remains the primary responsibility of the government and called on the citizenry to join the government in the efforts to combat insecurity ravaging the country. The President, who also appealed to Nigerians to have faith in the country, thanked Continued on page 6

China Responsible for Infrastructure Strides in Nigeria, Says President... Page54

IGBINEDION UNIVERSITY@20... L-R: Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Chancellor of Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and wife, Lady Cherry, at the 20th anniversary celebration of the university… yesterday

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PAGE SIX BUHARI: INSECURITY REMAINS A CHALLENGE, VOWS TO END CRISIS them for their patience and sacrifices so far, insisting that “Nigeria is currently on the path of economic growth�. According to him, while every power within the reach of his administration would be deployed to sustain such growth, the government will also ensure that such growth was matched with job creation. He said: "You are all quite aware that insecurity has remained a big challenge for us all. We are determined to face this challenge and secure the country more than ever before. While the protection of lives and property is a primary responsibility of government; it is also incumbent on the citizens to share in this responsibility, as security is a collective responsibility "I call on all Nigerians to continue to have faith in our great country. I thank you for your continued patience and sacrifices towards moving the

nation forward. Your Excellences, you will all agree with me that Nigeria is on a renewed growth trajectory. Accordingly, we will do everything within our powers to sustain the current economic recovery efforts. "We will continue to reinforce our macroeconomic policies to achieve sustainable economic stability and growth. We will also continue to ensure the growth comes along with more jobs and a fair and just distribution of the national wealth. Your continued cooperation in this regard is very vital." The President pleaded with the governors to strongly support the anti-corruption war of his administration as well as the social investment programmes, notably the school feeding agenda of the federal government. Buhari who expressed gratitude to the governors for the award, called for

collaboration in the move to build a cohesive society where the country's resources would be available for the use of all. In his remarks, Chairman of the Progressive Governors' Forum and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha said the award was meant to express appreciation to the founding fathers of the APC and to also specially appreciate the president for "a job well done." Okorocha who noted that some of the governors would serve out their tenures on May 29, implored the President to carry along the founding fathers of the party, saying they are crucial to his stay in power. Like the president, VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo also bagged leadership award from the Forum.

Olonishakin Admits Flaws in Joint Military Operations

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin has admitted that there is lack of synergy in the joint operations conducted by the military to enable it achieve the desired potency to curb insecurity in the country. This is coming as Nigerian Police yesterday said it captured 157 suspected kidnappers across Nigeria last month, while 13 were arrested in the first week of this month in furtherance of Operation Puff Adder launched last month to contain the menace of kidnappers and armed bandits in the North-west. General Olonisakin, who was speaking at the end of a two-day training conference in Abuja, yesterday, lamented that in spite of several ongoing operations, notably Operation Save Haven, Sharan Daji, Whirl Stroke and Whirl Punch, among others, the desired level of synergy was yet to be achieved. “Although these operations

have been largely successful, we are yet to achieve the desired levels of joint force integration that will ensure our joint operations are seamless, achieve the economy of efforts and yet potent enough to achieve our desired end-state under a unified command structure�, he said at the end of a two-day training conference in Abuja, yesterday. He said the military was thus seeking new curricular that would produce officers and soldiers grounded in the dynamics of joint military operations. Olonisakin who had, at the beginning of the conference on Wednesday, declared that the military was yet to achieve the desired level of synergy in its joint operations, said recommendations from the training would engender a review of military curricular while inputs would be evaluated and integrated.

Meanwhile, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, said that 157 suspected kidnappers were arrested across the country last month while 13 were arrested this month. Adamu spoke at a meeting with Commissioners of Police (CP) and above, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. He said the national crime profile from April 1 till date showed an increase in the seizure of fire arms and recovery of firearms. He said Kaduna recorded 18 suspects, followed by Plateau with 17, Edo 15 and Niger and Zamfara with 10 each. The IGP said 218 armed robbery suspects were arrested at various commands and that while FCT recorded the highest number of 42, Edo had 28, Oyo 24, Anambra 22 and Imo 21. Adamu said that Lagos and Zamfara led with 22 each, while Delta recorded 20, Kaduna 12 and Niger 11.

UNICEF: OVER 3,500 CHILDREN RECRUITED BY ARMED GROUPS IN BOKO HARAM CONFLICT brunt of this conflict. They have been used by armed groups in combatant and non-combatant roles and witnessed death, killing, and violence. This participation in the conflict has had serious implications for their physical and emotional well-being." Since September 2017, when the CJTF signed an action plan committing to put measures in place to end and prevent recruitment and use of children, 1,727 children and young people have been released. Since then, there has been no new recruitment of children by the CJTF. UNICEF noted: “The children and young people released today will benefit from reintegration programmes to help them return to civilian life, seize new opportunities for their own development, and contribute to bringing lasting peace in Nigeria, as productive citizens of their country.� The United Nations agency noted that without this support, many of the children released from armed groups struggle to fit into civilian life, as most are not educated and have no vocational skills. “In the ongoing armed conflict in north-east Nigeria, more than 3,500 children were recruited and used by non-state armed groups between 2013 and 2017. Others have been abducted, maimed, raped and killed. “We cannot give up the fight for the children, as long as children are still affected by the fighting. We will continue until there is no child left in the ranks of all armed groups in Nigeria,� said Fall.

UNICEF stated that it had continued to work closely with state authorities and partners to support the implementation of reintegration programmes for all children released from armed groups, as well as others affected by the ongoing conflict, providing an initial assessment of their wellbeing, psychosocial support, education, vocational training, informal apprenticeships, and opportunities to improve livelihoods. According to the agency, at least 9,800 people formerly associated with armed groups, as well as vulnerable children in communities have accessed such services between 2017 and 2018. The UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict lists parties to conflict who commit grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict, including recruitment and use of children. In 2016, the CJTF was listed in the annexes of the SecretaryGeneral’s Annual Report for Children and Armed Conflict for the recruitment and use of children. Following the listing, UNICEF, in its role as co-chair of the United Nations Country Task Force for the Monitoring and Reporting on grave violations against children, has been working with the group and Nigerian authorities to develop an action plan which was signed in September 2017. The “action plan is a signed commitment that allows the United Nations to support a party to conflict listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General’s Annual

Report on Children and Armed Conflict by laying out concrete and time-bound measures it must take to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children, as well as other grave violations,� the statement added.

More IDPs in Nigeria, Syria, Ethiopia than Ever Before Meanwhile, it has emerged that violent conflicts in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, tensions in Ethiopia and Cameroon have triggered most of the 10.8 million new displacements linked to conflict and violence

in the world. According to a statement by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), made available to THISDAY yesterday, a record 41.3 million people are displaced inside their own countries including Nigeria, because of conflict and violence. The new report was authored by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the NRC. The number of people living in internal displacement worldwide as of the end of 2018 is the highest it has ever been, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement, launched today at the United Nations

in Geneva. This is an increase of more than a million since the end of 2017 and two-thirds more than the global number of refugees. The record figure is the result of years of cyclical and protracted displacement, and high levels of new displacement between January and December 2018. IDMC recorded 28 million new internal displacements associated with conflict, generalised violence, and disasters in 2018. The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria, and a rise in intercommunal tensions in Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Nigeria’s Middle Belt region

triggered most of the 10.8 million new displacements linked to conflict and violence. Internally displaced people (IDPs) who tried to return to their homes in Iraq, Nigeria, and Syria during the year found their property destroyed, infrastructure damaged and basic services non-existent. “This year’s report is a sad reminder of the recurrence of displacement, and of the severity and urgency of IDPs’ needs. Many of the same factors that drove people from their homes now prevent them from returning or finding solutions in the places they have settled,� said Alexandra Bilak, IDMC’s director.

RAMADAN KAREEM... President Muhammadu Buhari breaking fast with the All Progressives Congress’ National leader, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja... yesterday

DESPITE COURT INJUNCTION, GANDUJE APPOINTS 4 NEW EMIRS from doing so.

Kano Moving to Next Level with the Creation of New Emirates Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje, yesterday in Abuja said the state was moving to next level with the creation of the new emirates. He also mocked the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, saying, going by the status as a traditional ruler, Emir Sanusi is not qualified to hold talks with the governor but can only discuss with the local government chairman. Ganduje who made this remarks in the conference centre

of the Presidential Villa, while answering questions from State House correspondents on why he balkanised the 800-year old Kano Emirate into five smaller units, said he had nothing against Sanusi. According to Ganduje, the action is not an expression of vendetta against the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, explaining that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) has clearly defined his limit as a traditional ruler who could only report to the chairman of his local government. He also claimed that the balkanisation of the age-long Kano Emirate into smaller units had been a subject of celebration by the people, claiming that the

emergence of the new emirates would make traditional system effective in the development of Kano State. "So, it is not vendetta. I am not against him. In fact, he is supposed to be reporting to the local government chairman according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. "It is the local government chairman that is supposed to discuss issues with him not the governor. So this is celebrated by the people of Kano and we will make sure that the new emirate councils are effective in terms of developing Kano State," he said. The governor also dismissed the opinion making rounds in the polity that he had set out to

destroy the Kano Emirate, an institution said to have been in existence for 800 years, saying such opinion holders are only entitled to their own opinions. He emphasised that the move was spurred by the need for active participation of the traditional system in different sectors of the state including education, security and agriculture and consequently make traditional rulers in the state more vibrant. Ganduje argued that if Kano Emirate had existed for 800 years, the current development also marked the beginning of another 800 years with a new system, pointing out that by breaking the Emirate into four, he was only upholding history.

He said: "Well, they are entitled to their own opinion but we are taking Kano to the next level and we need active participation of the traditional system, especially in the areas of education, security, agriculture. "We need the effectiveness of the traditional rulers. By discentralising it, we are following history. Years back, even before the 800 years you are referring to, the situation was not like that. So, if something developed 800 years ago, things are also developing now and there will be another 800 years. So, look at the history."

Court Restrains Ganduje from Issuing Appointment Letters

to New Emirs A Kano State High Court yesterday granted an order restraining Governor Ganduje from taking any action to legitimise the new emirates created in the state. Justice Nasiru Saminu gave an interim injunction directing all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. One Rabiu Sule Gwarzo had gone to court to challenge the creation of the four emirates. The judge also gave an order directing the state governor and government printers to halt the publication and release of the law that created the emirates.

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Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁĚš Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

TOGETHER AT LAST... L-R: Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chairman, Progresive Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Osun State Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, during an award ceremony organised by the Progressive Governors Forum at banquet hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja ... yesterday

Onnoghen’s Trial: Appeal Court Berates CCT over Disobedience of Court Orders Says suspension breaches right to fair hearing, dismiss appeals as overtaken Alex Enumah iĂ˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division on Friday berated the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over its refusal to obey orders of court made against it during the trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. Onnoghen, who was in January this year dragged before the tribunal over charges of failure to declare his assets as required by law for public officers, was on April 18, 2019 convicted by the CCT on all six-count charge preferred against him by the federal government. However, delivering judgement in four interlocutory

appeals filed by Onnoghen, the appellate court held that orders of court are sacrosanct and must be obeyed until they are set aside. The Court of Appeal in another judgment also faulted the suspension of Onnoghen on the grounds that the suspension violated the right of the former CJN to fair hearing, adding that the order, which was obtained in secrecy posed a lot of questions. In the first appeal, which borders on Onnoghen’s suspension as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), the three-member panel presided by Justice Stephen Adah,

held that justice must not be shrouded in secrecy as done in the granting of the ex parte application. The appellate court said, from the record of proceedings, parties had joined issues and matter adjourned to a later date, only for the federal government to go behind to take order that affected the interest of the appellant, thereby denying him the opportunity to be heard in the matter. However, the court declined to make any order against the suspension since the trial had been concluded and that an appeal on the substantive matter was pending before the court.

“Since the ex parte order had been spent and cannot serve any useful purpose and judgement in the substantive matter had been delivered, the appeal is hereby struck out,� Justice Adah held. In the second appeal relating to the bench warrant issued against Onnoghen by the CCT, the court struck out the appeal on the ground that the records of proceedings transmitted to the court did not show that bench warrant was issued and that there was no supplementary records to established that warrant for arrest was made. “There is nothing in this appeal that requires the attention of the court, it is

here by struck out,� Justice Adah held. In the third appeal, Justice Tinuade Akomolafe Wilson, who delivered the judgement of the three-member panel, agreed with the tribunal that the new law allows the action of the CCT. According to the judgement although the general principle of law is that when jurisdiction of a court is challenged, the issue of jurisdiction must be first determined, nonetheless, the judge held that the specific legislation in Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 overrides the general principle of law. The appeal was consequently dismissed.

In the fourth appeal, which borders on the refusal of the CCT to obey orders of four different courts restraining the tribunal from proceeding with the trial of Onnoghen pending the hearing and determination of the various substantive suits in their courts, the appellate court held that the tribunal erred in law by disobeying the orders. Justice Peter Igeh, who delivered the judgement held, “Judgments, rulings, decisions and orders issued by court of law are sacrosanct and must be obeyed until they are set aside. “Parties are bound by court orders and the order must not be treated with levity.�

Alleged N1.7bn Fraud: First Nation MD’s Trial Finally Begins Ex-NUC Scribe Urges PrivateVarsities to Review High Tuition Fees Akinwale Akintunde

After series of setbacks, the trial of the Managing Director of First Nation Airlines. Mr. Kayode Odukoya finally began yesterday, with the first prosecution witness, Patrick Ogu, a banker, telling the court how Odukoya misrepresented the fact that made Skye Bank now Polaris Bank released loan facilities to the defendants with forged documents. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Odukoya before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on four counts bordering on forgery, use of false information, perjury and stealing to the tune of N1,741,994,962.04. on March 16, 2018. The EFCC had alleged that Odukoya forged the Memorandum of Loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy in respect of a property located in Lagos. Testifying before the court yesterday, the witness, Ogu said the defendants within the period of 2007 to 2012 applied and obtained several loan facilities from Skye Bank which as at December 2016 accumulated to about N3.4 billion and$ 2.4 million. Ogu told the court that at the point of disbursement, Odukoya provided the bank with document he

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used as collateral securities with his institution. According to the witness, Odukoya provided the bank with a document with particular reference to the property at No. 29 Oduduwa Way, G.R.A Lagos registered at Page 33 Volume 33 1011 at the Lagos State Registry, adding that upon both internal and external investigations by the bank’s solicitors, it was revealed that the said property he used for collateral had registration number with page 5 Volume 5 1011. �My Lord, the banks internal investigation in respect of that property is Page 5 Volume 5 1011 which the first defendant at the material time had used the same property as collateral to Zenith Bank PLC,� he explained. Ogu also told the court that his bank instructed its external solicitor to petition EFCC as regards the fraudulent act of the defendant and further wrote him referring to the converted sum which was earlier stated at about N3.4 billion and $2.4 million. The witness also told the court that the defendant responded claiming that the amount were not what was involved, stating that it was N1.7 billion he secured.

Former Executive Secretary, Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Munzali Jibril on Friday, called on private universities to reduce their fees, saying the success of private universities of the future would not be for profit making. He also said high level poverty and the lack of capacity by middle class to afford high fees was the cause of shortcomings of private universities. Professor Jibril spoke while delivering lecture as guest lecturer at the 20th anniversary of Igbinedion University, Okada, headquarters of Ovia Local Government Area of Edo State, noting that many private universities in the country neglected staff development and welfare as they only provide staffing for accreditation. He declared that the late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha did not do was the establishment of private universities because he believed the Nigerian private sector was not responsible enough to be entrusted with the delicate task of owning and running universities. To this end, he said Abacha in 1996, gave a verbal directive for action to be suspended on the processing of applications for private universities. He however, stated that because General Ab-

dulsalami Abubakar upon taking over after the death of Abacha was disposed to establishment of private universities, the processing of applications were brought out of the freezer. According to him, “General Abubakar was favourably disposed to the processing of the applications for the establishment of private universities and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom went on to work on him to plead that the applications for the establishment of private universities be brought out of the freezer.� Chairman of the occasion and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, praised Chief Igbinedion for relentlessly pursuing the licence for a private university for nine years. Founder and owner of Igbinedion University, Okada, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, said his vision for establishing the university was to bequeath to future generation, university education of international standard where academic calendar is run without interruption. Chief Igbinedion hailed the efforts and contributions of two former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar for granting approval for the establishment of Nigeria’s First Registered Private University in the country.

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The Bravery of Emir of Bungudu

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t’s a big shame that bandits are still rampaging in Zamfara State. Several local government areas in this state remain under the servitude of these terrorists. At a point, Zamfara traditional rulers were persistently putting pressure on the military to do the needful. Suddenly, agents of the federal government decided to silence them with threats and intimidation. They were coerced with allegation of aiding the bandits. Of course, virtually all of them chickened out of their legitimate demands. But the Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, has refused to be cowed. Emir Attahiru is now the lone voice exposing the flaws of the military operation in Zamfara State. The truth this monarch wants the whole world to know about the Zamfara debacle is that killings by bandits are not abating despite the military operations against the criminals. Two weeks back, the bandits stormed Attahiru’s domain in broad daylight and killed 15 people. Emir Attahiru’s message to the military is a very simple one: “Nobody is saying they (military) are not doing anything. They need to do more by taking the battle to the enclaves of the bandits, instead of fighting them at the periphery. Most times when they strike and retreat, these bandits regroup and launch more ferocious attacks on innocent villagers, accusing them of inviting the security agencies. These bandits are still around and wreaking havoc. The security force should take the war to them.� The traditional ruler also has harsh words for the military on their air strikes in Zamfara: “The air strikes undertaken by the military do not hit the main camps of the bandits. Reports from Mutu in the Tsafe Local Government Area, Tangaram in the Anka Local Government Area and Dumburum in the Zurmi Local Government Area, among others, are that the areas shelled were not the actual hideouts of the bandits and the victims were innocent civilians. The army has been telling us all this while that it has

Emir Attahiru

thousands of troops on the ground. Why is it taking them (the troops) so much time to neutralise these bandits and allow banditry and kidnapping to fester to this level in Zamfara State? If truly they have located and bombed the bandits’ enclaves as they want to make us believe, we won’t be where we are.� The tactical loopholes in the aerial attacks pointed out by the Emir of Bungudu call for concern. The Emir observed that whenever the Air Force carried out aerial attacks, there were no ground troops to complement air raids and mop up the fleeing bandits. This, he said, allowed bandits to escape and mix with innocent people living in fear and at the mercy of the fleeing hoodlums. The military is yet to respond, appropriately to these loopholes. If all the top traditional rulers in this state have been outspoken like the Emir of Bungudu, perhaps Zamfara State would not be in this mess. Traditional rulers in bandit-ravaged states must realise that the mess will eventually get to them if they refuse to speak out.

This was exactly what happened to the District Head of Daura in Katsina State, Alhaji Musa Umar, who was abducted last week. Thus, Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari, has joined the inglorious list of banditravaged communities. This District Head of Daura is also Buhari’s in-law. Umar, a former customs officer, is married to the daughter of the president’s sister. He is also the father of Fatima, wife of Col. Mohammed Abubakar, Buhari’s aide-decamp (ADC). As at press time, Umar had not been released by the bandits. Other traditional rulers, who have decided to remain silent amidst security crisis in their domains, must learn from the pains of the District Head of Daura. They must consistently speak out about President Buhari’s ineptitude in this vital area of security, in order to be secured. It was encouraging to see the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, join the few top traditional rulers putting pressure on Buhari to perform his constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of Nigerians. On Tuesday, Emir Usman bluntly told President Buhari to check the insecurity ravaging the North-west. The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, who visited the Emir, ahead of the national launch of the distribution of cotton seeds/inputs to farmers for the 2019 planting season, was asked to take the frank message back to his principal. The Emir said that the farmers and herdsmen, who are the target beneficiaries of the government’s agricultural initiatives, had abandoned their farms and herds as killings and kidnappings had become rampant in the region, including Katsina, Buhari’s home state. “Every day I receive reports of kidnapping and killings from the district and village heads. Tell the president that we have to take care of our people, security first. All these programmes, as good as they are, cannot be successful without security. Security is first and fundamental‌I have not seen this kind of country; how do we live like animals?

A Word for Governor Ambode My dear Ambode, one of the areas I believe you have performed woefully for almost four years in Lagos State is in the payment of pensions. Lagos State civil service retirees are gasping for breath. Some of them have died waiting for their pensions. Many are bed-ridden with no money for medicals. Several others have become beggars. Retirees of the Lagos State Ministry of Education are the most pummeled. For over three years after retirement, many are still waiting for their pensions. More will die without getting the fruit of their labour. The truth is that your administration has not been faithfully remitting pensions to Pension Fund Administrators. Many of these retirees have spent the last 35 years of their lives serving the state. What they are now getting in ‘appreciation’ is humiliation from you. This has never happened in the history of Lagos State. It is a big shame that it is happening under your administration.

I am struggling to recover from the shock of the expose by the Chairman of the Lagos State Association of Retirees and PFA Pensioners, Michael Omisande, that those who retired from 2016 till date, were yet to receive a kobo. You know quite well that the PFAs will not pay until government credits retirees’ accounts. My dear Ambode, I am ashamed that you go about investing in grandeur projects, while the masses of the people of this state wallow in poverty. Your failings in healthcare, water supply, education and inner roads testify to this. Those around you won’t tell you this bitter truth. The full story of these flaws is for another day. Back to the issue of oppressed retirees. My dear Ambode, you still have 18 days to amend your ways regarding payment of pensions. For me, 18 days are enough to impact on lives. You must look for money and settle these retirees. I don’t care how you will

Ambode do it. Just do it. A state that spent a terrifying $70 million on an opulent transport interchange has no business owing retirees.

The Persecution of Senator Adeleke Federal forces are doing everything possible to cripple Senator Ademola Adeleke. He is constantly hounded, threatened, arrested and detained by federal agents. They got even angrier when this man was declared the authentic governor-elect of Osun State by the Election Petition Tribunal. I guess the ultimate aim is to make it impossible for him to access his mandate. Adeleke’s real offence is that he is insisting on retrieving the mandate freely given to him by the people of Osun State; nothing

less. For me, this is the real ‘offence’ this man has committed. This is why multiple cases on the same issue are persistently filed against him in courts of equal jurisdiction. This has assumed a preposterous dimension. Just on Monday, Adeleke honoured police invitation in Abuja and was arrested over the same issue of alleged forged statement of result and testimonial, which is already before a Federal High Court in Osogbo. His arrest was also a clear disregard for the extant order of a Federal High Court in Osogbo,

Osun State, which had shielded him from any detention. If the aim of the federal forces is to get Adeleke convicted and put out of circulation, so as not to access his mandate, then, it is dead on arrival. I sincerely hope that the judges involved in all these cases will adhere strictly to the laws of our land. They must be seen on the side of the truth. An election tribunal validated Adeleke’s election in a split ruling in March while an Appeal court reversed it on Thursday. He has proceeded to the Supreme Court.

Three days ago, Magaji Gari of Daura emirate council was abducted. Nobody is safe now, whether in your house or road, wherever you are. What we want you to do for us is to stop the killings. Many people have deserted, abandoned their farms in fear of kidnapping and killings and other atrocities. It’s very unfortunate.� While Zamfara State is in anguish, its bleary governor, Abdulazziz Yari, is busy investing the state’s resources in the construction of Jumu’at Mosques. Within two years, 140 of such mosques were constructed across the state. Yari is celebrating this. He says it is part of his government’s commitment to the development of Islam. However, this governor has not shown the same commitment to the welfare of thousands of people dying in IDP camps across his state. Yari is not committed to thousands of children orphaned by bandits in the last nine years in the state. He is not committed to thousands of women turned to widows by bandits in Zamfara. There is so much suffering in the three known makeshift IDP camps in this state - the abandoned government quarters in Maradun LGA, the uncompleted Emir’s Palace in Anka LGA and a primary school in Tsafe LGA. Facilities are inadequate for the distressed IDPs. Also, the camps are overpopulated because of the large number of people fleeing their villages because of bandits. There is no water or clinic in these camps. The Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency is as good as dead. IDPs can’t feel this agency. People struggle for a meal a day in the IDP camps. Yet, Yari has been spending huge amount constructing Jumu’at Mosques. What a country! This governor should show commitment to saving lives in the IDP camps instead of building Jumu’at Mosques with tax payers’ money.

Life Expectancy in Nigeria

I have spent quality time reading the 2018 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report on global life expectancy. It did not come as a surprise that my beloved Nigeria was poorly ranked. We have the world’s third lowest life expectancy rate of 55 years. UNFPA said the life expectancy of an average Nigerian is only better than those of the people in Sierra Leone, Chad and the Central African Republic. The three countries have respectively 53, 54, 54 years as their life expectancy rates. I was not surprised that life expectancy rates are even higher in war-torn countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, with 73 years, 65 years and 58 years respectively. It is not just about Boko Haram, killer herders and bandits mauling Nigerians. Nigerians are dying in droves because of our shambolic health system and piercing economic problems finagled on the country by a failed leadership. Insecurity aside, life expectancy is also on the decline in Nigeria because of hunger, poverty, disease, malnutrition, and unemployment foisted on the citizens by successive failed governments at all levels. The last four years have been horrendous. Forces of good must continue to put pressure on governments at all levels to perform their constitutional responsibilities of providing security and welfare for the people. This is the only way forward for this country.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 11, 2019

SUPER SATURDAY

Don Jazzy’s Sagging Supreme Mavin Dynasty Like he had the feelings from the feelers making the rounds, Mavin Records boss, Michael Collins Ajereh while appreciating his fans on the occasion of the label’s seventh anniversary on Wednesday, said “all is in order”. Don Jazzy, as he is popularly known, has nurtured great talents from start to stardom. However, the exit of some of the label’s big names like Tiwa Savage and Reekado Banks in the last six months seem to leave the imprint in a saggy state, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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or Mavin Records boss, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, it was a business relationship that paid off while it lasted a little over seven years between him and the label’s acclaimed First Lady, Tiwa Savage. Don Jazzy at the inception of his music company had signed the sexy and talented Savage. Tiwa’s departure from Mavin followed a new deal she signed with American music company, Universal Music Group. As a matter of fact, Don jazzy had confessed that “it’s obvious to everybody, it was an epic journey. I don’t necessarily even feel like now, because you’ve signed to Universal; to everybody it just looks like she’s gone to the land beyond. I don’t understand, we’re still business partners, there’s still catalogues that we share, that she is still going to be receiving royalties from for the rest of her life or whatever. “The business was dope, and she’s actually one of my favourite business partners of all time.” As regards relationship, same could be said of another of the record label’s big act, Reekado Banks, real name Ayoleyi Solomon. Banks, after the expiration of his five years contract had exited the platform in December 2018 to float his own record label, Banks Music. Acknowledging his exit from the Mavin family, Banks had noted; “Taking this bold step and moving on from Mavin Records onto bigger opportunities is something that, though not easy, is absolutely necessary because of my growth. I am very ecstatic about what the future holds and I cannot wait to share with everyone what new opportunities have come. Long Live Mavin Records.” Both Tiwa and Banks parted ways with the label under no rancorous circumstances. Mavin Records is reputed as one of Africa’s leading record label. Founded in Lagos in 2012 by the legendary record producer, songwriter and singer, Don Jazzy, Mavin has no doubt produced some of the most iconic artistes and songs of this decade and has helped, influenced and shaped the sound of Afrobeats music. However, speculations have revealed that Korede Bello may be the next to pull out from the label soon just like Reekado Banks. With these established acts (all thanks to Jazzy’s impact) leaving Mavin Records, industry observers seem concerned as regards the saggy state of the music imprint

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 11, 2019

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SUPERSATURDAY Struggling to Sustain the Supreme Mavin Dynasty

also known as the Supreme Mavin Dynasty. All may just not be in order, as the label boss claimed. It is believed the label is gradually losing its steam and the vibes with which it’s known for may soon evaporate. What does the future hold for the acclaimed beat maker and his record label as he recently celebrated its 7th anniversary on May 8? Don Jazzy who had taken to his Instagram account to thank his followers for the support which had played a role in helping the music label grow in leaps and bounds had this to say. “We will like to say a big thank you to all our fans and business partners for the love and support through the years. Mavin is 7 today and I am sooooo proud of what we have been able to achieve. GOD has been faithful. We had some down times but I will be lying if I tell you I didn’t learn a lot from those times. “Those down times made me and the team stronger and wiser than ever. I love and believe so much in my team. That said, by the power vested in me, with so much fire in my belly, on behalf of the Supreme Mavin Dynasty, I say to every Mavin out there that #AllisInOrder.” As much as the concerns arise, Jazzy’s gift of

talent discovery may fast be at play to shore up the vacuum. As the term “Mavin” describes someone who is gifted and skilled in any field, so is Don jazzy archetypal of it. Reekado Banks alongside Korede Bello and D’ija joined Mavin Records in 2013 to start the Mavin 2.0 with the release of the monster single, ‘Dorobucci’ the following year. This was shortly after the exit of Wande Coal, another vocal powerhouse who had crossed over with Jazzy from Mo Hits. ‘Kukere’ crooner, Iyanya, also had a stint with Mavin Records after his fallout with his former record label owner/business partner, Ubi Franklin, but pulled out of Mavin in controversial circumstances. Current artistes on the label include Korede Bello, Johnny Drille, Di’ja, D’Prince, Dr. SID, Ladipoe, DNA, Rima and DJ Big N. A background to the making of Mavin counts here: The label’s inception came to fruition following the closure of Mo’ Hits Records, a record label which was co-founded by the multi-talented Don Jazzy and music superstar D’banj in 2004 after meeting in London. Prior to commenting on D’banj’s exit from the defunct record label, there were allegations that D’banj signed over Mo’ Hits to Don Jazzy.

In an interview, Don Jazzy addressed D’banj’s departure from Mo Hits, saying, “We were working together and all was going on well. It got to a point where I looked at the situation and we both decided that it was not working and we had to move on”. Don Jazzy then alluded to being hesitant of a name change. Upon establishing the rebranded record label, Don Jazzy said he sees Mavin Records being the powerhouse of music in Africa in the shortest possible time. In January 2019, Mavin Records secured a multi-million dollar investment from Kupanda Holdings, a subsidiary of Kupanda Capital and TPG Growth. Immediately after its establishment, the record label launched its official website and the Mavin league, a social networking site designed to cater to their fans worldwide. Within a year of becoming a revamped brand, the record label released “Take Banana” and “Oma Ga” as singles from its debut compilation album Solar Plexus. For now, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks, Wande Coal and Iyanya are out of the Supreme Mavin Dynasty. Perhaps, Don Jazzy will pull out his magic wand again.

We will like to say a big thank you to all our fans and business partners for the love and support through the years. Mavin is 7 today and I am sooooo proud of what we have been able to achieve. GOD has been faithful. We had some down times but I will be lying if I tell you I didn’t learn a lot from those times

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͚͚˜ ͺ͸͚Π˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE JUDICIARY ON TRIAL

Sehinde Omoniyi urges the chairperson of the Presidential tribunal, Zainab Bulkachuwa, to disqualify herself because of conflict of interest

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s the doors of the Presidential Election Tribunal ing open at the pre-hearing seating, once again the judiciary in Nigeria is at a crossroads. The integrity of the third arm of government, indeed the third estate of the realm, is on trial. The chairperson of the tribunal who is the current President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship, Hon. Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa must quickly recuse herself from the tribunal if the nation’s confidence in the judiciary is to be restored as the last hope of the common man. Married to Alhaji Adamu Bulkachuwa, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator-elect for Bauchi North in the just concluded 2019 elections, it will only amount to a travesty of the law for Her Lordship to serve as a member of the Presidential Election Tribunal. By her association with a staunch member of the ruling political party whose victory at the Presidential polls is in contention, she is vicariously an interested party in the issue at hand. This scenario presents an urgency which is clearly in the national interest for Justice Bulkachuwa to immediately recuse herself from the tribunal before the judiciary is led into another cul-de-sac. Failure for wise counsel to prevail and the prompt intervention of the NJC, the composition of the five-man appeal committee will only be dead on arrival, a mere charade of judicial conduct. Indeed, the five-man court of appeal as eminently qualified as they are in their individual rights, can only earn the trust of the people and the global audience who have become passionate about the goings on in Nigeria’s judiciary since the former CJN Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen suspension saga and his subsequent resignation if the conduct of the case is transparent. There is no doubt that if justice is to be seen to have been done at the expiration of the 180 days allowed for the tribunal seating, the recusal ought

BY HER ASSOCIATION WITH A STAUNCH MEMBER OF THE RULING POLITICAL PARTY WHOSE VICTORY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL POLLS IS IN CONTENTION, SHE IS VICARIOUSLY AN INTERESTED PARTY IN THE ISSUE AT HAND

to be done promptly to avoid any delay and denial of justice. There is no doubt that the judges from the Court of Appeal – Abdu Aboki, Peter Olabisi Ige, Joseph Ikyegh and Samuel Oseji, have their assignment clearly defined. They are to ascertain the veracity of the claims or otherwise of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigeria’s former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that the February 23 Presidential Election was rigged in favour of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari by the election umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Since March, the petitioner has filed his petition and the respondent has responded and vice versa. Pre-hearing sessions are currently on going and this is expected to last for one week. Nigeria cannot afford another charade as the nation makes conscious effort to correct the glaring wrongs foisted on Nigerians in the course of the 2019 Presidential and other elections. As Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa pointed out in her opening speech at the Pre-Hearing meeting last Wednesday in Abuja, over 700 petitions have been filed in the just concluded elections, a clear indictment of the process. It therefore behoves on the judiciary to thoroughly interrogate and critically examine the processes, and results from such an election with a preponderance of misconduct, hues and cries. In the process of sanctifying the process that produces occupiers of public offices especially offices as critical as those of the president and vice president, the judiciary itself must be seen to be above board. After all, it is a popular maxim promoted on the platform of a fearless and just judiciary that he who must go to equity must come with a clean hand. The world attention is riveted on Nigeria in the days ahead and only the judiciary can save itself at this time in particular. Omoniyi wrote from Abuja

THE NEW WEALTH FRONTIER IN AFRICA Nyce Ayuk writes that e – commerce has the potential to take over the market space in Africa

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lobally, e – commerce market share stood at a whopping $2.842 trillion in 2018, a ďŹ gure that is projected to witness on exponential rise to $3.453 trillion in 2019, and by 2020, a staggering sum of $4. 135trn. In Africa, the e – commerce industry is witnessing a signiďŹ cant boom in activities and is arguably the new wealth frontier in the continent. According to Herman Singh of MTN in his presentation on “Scaling in Africa,â€? at the recent edition of Africa.com, Africa represents one of the world’s ďŹ nest untapped markets. He said, “ Africa’s e – and -m commerce opportunity has a potential client base of 400 million internet users, and a rapidly emerging middle class expected to grow by 54% between 2020 and 2030 and decreasing data costs in some countries (43 – 45 %, decrease in the lowest data plan in both Egypt and Nigeria between 2016 and 2017.â€?The smart device growth rate in Africa is now the fastest in the world and as literary levels increase, the outlook for e – commerce in Africa is good. Estimates by Statista, a research ďŹ rm show that e- commerce industry in Africa generated $16.5 billion revenue in 2014 and it is predicted that this thriving industry will attract revenues in excess of $30bn by the year 2022. On the continent, a few trail blazers and market leaders have emerged. The Jumia group founded in 2012 by the Berlin – based company Rocket Internet has become the continent’s best funded e – commerce company with more than 3000 employees with

operations in 23 countries on the continent. Often referred to as the “Amazon.com of Africa, Jumia group became the first Africa e – commerce group to surpass a billion dollars in market value as a result of funding from A.X.A insurance company. Its shopping site, Jumia.com which operates in eleven countries is the largest and most important of Jumia group’s ventures. Jumia group’s head office is located in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Its presence in Yaba, Lagos has drawn an increasing number of tech incubators and start-ups. The proliferation of these companies has helped to reverse a long pattern of brain drain which had hitherto seen many internet geeks seeking greener pastures abroad. These companies continue to draw talented Nigerians with high paying jobs and enticed others to return to fulfill their ambitions. With a population projected to be in excess of 200 million people, Jumia Group envisions that Nigeria will drive the e – commerce revolution in Africa. In 2015, Jumia raked in $149m in revenue. Although this figure is relatively small when compared with the $400bn that MC Kinsey’s Global Institute estimated that Nigeria’s consumers spent in 2014, the institute predicts that by 2025, Africa could be buying $75bn worth of goods and services online annually. This optimum is fuelled in part by existing large structural gap between supply and demand. In Nigeria, there are millions of people with growing

discretionary income but few formal retail stores per capita. In airports across the globe, Africans can be seen with heavy luggage full of products they cannot easily find back home. In spite of the potential of e – commerce growth in Africa, challenges such as infrastructure issues, high delivery costs, security and mistrust issues, high illiteracy issues, highly fragmented markets, and high broadband costs are among the debilitating and critical factors that hinder growth of the business. The level of illiteracy remains alarming on the continent amidst modest level of internet penetration. A 2015 survey of over 90,000 South African online shoppers discovered that high delivery costs and lengthy delivery times were the likely factors to cause shoppers to abandon their online purchases. To get over these challenges, some African online retailers have been experimenting with different shipping options such as drone delivery and crowd – sourced delivery services. These innovations may have profound impact on the viability, affordability and popularity of e – commerce in Africa. In spite of these challenges, many discerning market experts believe that these limitations can be overcome. This infectious sense of optimism is fuelled by smart phone proliferation in Africa, decrease in data costs, improvement in usability and the availability of the e – wallet system. Investors believe that the opportunity

afforded Africa’s large and growing populations of over one billion outweighs the structural challenges the continent presents. Given its untapped potential, the e – commerce has the potential to take over the market space in Africa. Already Jumia has tapped into the transformative capacity of the thriving industry. Herman Singh attributes the company’s successes to 10 factors: establishment of a community of users, building trust, access to the channel, channels itself; a robust payment and micro – payment partner, fulfillment and logistics, merchandizing, location and maximizing customers’ insights. As at today, Africa’s internet penetration stands at only 35 per cent. According to the research from Statista, e – commerce generated $16.5bn in 2017 and forecasts revenue of $29bn by 2022. At present, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya dominate e – commerce sales in Africa. The impending e – commerce revolution can even be more explosive and enduring if African leaders can summon the political will to implement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) which will galvanize trade within the continent. E – commerce in Africa is indeed a sleeping giant waiting to be aroused. With the prospect of this awakening looking a near distant reality, oil the mainstay of many oil producing African nations, will pale into insignificance.

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͚͚˜ ͺ͸͚Π˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Much more is needed to secure the land...

Nigeria and Changing Face of Child Adoption

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hild adoption is now becoming a growing culture in the country. Prior to now, adoption wasn’t really a wellembraced tradition. But the trend seems to be changing as more Nigerians tilt towards the practice. It has been revealed by many indigenous orphanages, especially in Lagos, that things have changed from when they used to appeal through the media for Nigerians to come forward to adopt a child, to having a waiting list of couples interested in adopting babies. According to a high ranking source from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Welfare, the Ministry now receives huge number of applications on a weekly basis without a corresponding availability of adoptable children. In spite of this, however, there is still a lot to be done to boost understanding about adoption and all it entails so that more Nigerians could get involved in the process. This is primarily to promote the culture and make it more acceptable. Research has revealed that children raised in traditional two-parent families experience a lower risk of delinquency than children from alternative family types (Free 1991, Rankin 1983). Another study on juvenile delinquency has shown that family structure is an important factor in explaining delinquency among adolescents. A former Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile–Yusuf, has also advocated the discouragement of institutionalization of children in orphanages. It is her conviction that children who grow under family setting have better advantage than those who were left to bond with other children in orphanages where they would be under strict monitoring. Adoption is governed in Nigeria by two laws, The Child Rights Act 2003 and the Adoption law of the State. Where one seeks to adopt, cohabiting and same sex couples are not permitted by law to adopt children. Juvenile refers to a person who has attained the age of14 but is under 17 years, that is a young person who is not an adult, while the Nigerian Constitution of 1979 defines juvenile delinquency as a crime committed by a young person under the age of18 as a result of trying to comply with the wishes of his peers or to escape from parental pressure or certain emotional stimulation. Adoption would, therefore, assist in reducing juvenile crimes in our society, by putting the children in deserving and loving families where they are re-integrated to contribute positively to the society, as against leaving them in orphanages where after some years they are left to themselves. In the long run we discover that in showing love to these young ones, we are in reality loving ourselves enough to rid the society of potential criminals and nurture potential solution providers to the world problems we have been trying hard to solve. Who would have known that Joke Silva, the veteran Nollywood actress, Jamie Foxx, a famous

musician and actor, the late Apple CEO; Steve Jobs among others, would become what they are today and achieved great feats in their different chosen careers? But thanks to adoption, all these individuals are distinguished persons, respected across the world as a result of what they have been able to achieve in their respective fields of human endeavour. In recognition of the dearth of information on adoption in Nigeria, the Lagos State government has a responsive website www.mysd.lg.gov.ng. Adoption process in Lagos is not cumbersome as it is widely believed, but it is a project and applicants have to be thoroughly assessed and scrutinized. This is aimed at ensuring that only those that are suitable and capable are given the opportunity to adopt because of its legality. Stages of adoption in Lagos Sate include submission of application letter, attending pre-counseling session, invitation for interview, filling of form, home assessment, adoption panel, post counseling, issuance of approval letter, making a choice of child in orphanage (introduction), identification of a child at the orphanages, authority to release for bonding, bonding period and legalization. It has been revealed that adopters usually fail to complete the adoption process to the legalization stage, which is the final phase. There also a tendency for adopters to get carried away after the bonding period has expired. Counselors often educate the adopters about the consequences of failing to complete the

process. Also, most times adopters are particular about physical features of the child they want and health status thereby prolonging the process. Likewise, applicants complain about the waiting period of 12 months as stipulated in section 121 of the Child Rights Law. No matter how prolonged or complex the process of child adoption might be, it is nothing compared to the joy and fulfillment of giving a child hope and a head start in life. So, adopters should patiently pursue the process to its logical conclusion, since it is a worthy cause. Anu Thomas & Oluwatoyosi Funke Ojo Anu Thomas & Oluwatoyosi Funke Ojo, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

German Embassy: Communicate with Nigerians in English

I T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKU MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

applied for a German Visa to enable me attend Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, June 1-5, 2019. For this reason, I was invited to the Embassy at Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island on Thursday, March 14, 2019. The Visa application is written in both German and English to enable nonGermans comprehend. Fortunately at the German Embassy, all officials are Nigerians and they spoke English; even the consul officer who conducted the interview is a Nigerian who spoke English. She also issued a caveat statement in English on “biometric data� captured. On March 27, 2019 the embassy returned my international passport without the Visa. Meanwhile a letter written in German was equally enclosed. I cannot read German, so till date I am yet to know the reasons why the Visa was denied. According to “Vienna Diplomatic Convention� Germany Embassy in Nigeria should communicate with Nigerian citizens in Nigeria in English! Do they expect Visa applicants to be looking for GermanEnglish translators? Abiodun Ademosu, Odunademosu2000@ yahoo.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͚˜ ͺ͎ͯ͡

NEWS

A’Court Dismisses Bank PHB’s Suit In Brief against CBN for Sale of Licence, Assets

Troops Kill Boko Haram Terrorists

Davidson Iriekpen

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal filed by Bank PHB Plc (now Keystone Bank Limited) to challenge the sale of licence and assets by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Bank PHB had in 2012 commenced the suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos due to the revocation of its licence by the CBN and the eventual sale of its assets. CBN, Keystone Bank and Attorney

General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice were the 1st to 3rd respondents in the suit. It claimed that the revocation of its banking licence by the CBN and the eventual sale of its assets through Nigerian Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC) and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to Keystone Bank was done maliciously, in bad faith and in contravention of the provisions of the law. It sought orders to overturn the

decision of the CBN revoking its licence and transfer of its assets through the NDIC and AMCON. In response, the CBN filed preliminary objections challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter primarily on the grounds that the bank lacked the requisite locus standi to institute the action. Upon argument of the applications, the trial judge, Justice Charles Achibong, upheld the CBN’s objection and dismissed the Bank PHB’s claim.

IN HIS VINEYARD...

L-R: Synod Secretary, Rt. Rev. Mathew Ogunsiji; Diocesan Lay President, Mr Deji Aderibigbe; Host Bishop, Rt. Rev. Sunday Ogunlere; Archbishop, Methodist Church Nigeria, Archdiocese of Lagos, Most Rev Obafemi Adeleye ; Diocesan Legal OďŹƒcer, Barrister Tayo Oshadiya at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos West Synod... recently

The judge ruled that the bank failed to demonstrate over acts of bad faith on the part of CBN which was a condition precedent necessary for invoking the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter. He stated that such actions of the CBN were carried out in lawful exercise of its duties. Dissatisfied with the lower court’s ruling, Bank PHB appealed to the Court of Appeal. The CBN also filed a cross-appeal. The appellant formulated issues as follows: Whether the trial court was not bound to follow the decision in Savannah Bank of Nigeria v. CBN and consequently conduct a full trial. Counsel for appellant argued that the trial court was wrong to have decided the matter without conducting a trial, as that was the only way it could have properly evaluated the evidence of the parties and determined whether the actions of the 1st respondent was devoid of good faith. The appellant submitted that the trial court ought to have adopted the procedure in Savannah Bank of Nigeria v. CBN wherein a similar issue was only determined upon full trial. Counsel for the 3rd respondent, Counsel to the AGF, Professor Fabian Ajogwu SAN, in arguing the Cross in his argument, clearly distinguished both cases and drew the court’s attention to the fact that in the case of Savanah Bank, no preliminary objection on jurisdiction of the court was raised thus enabling the court to proceed with trial.

Boko Haram: EU Targets 600,000 for Rehabilitation, Assistance in Borno Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

European Union as part of its plan to bring stability to North-east Nigeria has targeted 600,000 individuals in Borno State alone, being the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency for various interventions to rehabilitate them.. The Union, which through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) execute the programmes in the North-east, listed four core areas of interventions, which include infrastructure, livelihood, social cohesion and peace building, and local governance. The EU programme of assistance, which started in December 2017 in

the troubled region, recorded another success on Friday with 200 youths and women graduating from a threemonth training in various vocational skills in the field of agriculture from the Mohamet Lawan College of Agriculture, Maiduguri. Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Maiduguri, Muhammad Khan, the Emergency Livelihoods Specialist at the UNDP who represented the Head of Maiduguri Sub-Office, Mizuho Yokoi said the United Nations Agency would continue to support stabilisation and early recovery of Borno State. He revealed that 600,000 persons were targeted under the EU support programmes with 15,000 households

to benefit, out of which 2,400 persons would undergo vocational training and another 4,682 would be assisted in agriculture and 1,200 in non-agriculture scheme. Khan told the graduates that: “Graduation is one of the important phases of life. After graduation you must be part of a more practical world. “In this era of practical work, you have to become a symbol of success for others. Your skills should be like the candle who lightens many more candles, so you have the responsibility not to practice this acquired skills for yourself but also to train the other vulnerable youths. “We know the demand for vocational skills trainings is high

and available resources are limited and government or INGOs or UN agencies cannot address all the needs, so you must join hands for the accomplishment of this task of sustainable livelihoods and resilient nation. “After graduation, UNDP plans to support the qualified beneficiaries with start-up business grants so that you can practice and establish business as per your acquired skills.� Also speaking at the graduation, the Provost of Mohamet Lawan College of Agriculture, Mukhtar Alkalli, said the beneficiaries had conducted themselves in a very responsible way in spite of the challenges they had to go through.

Taraba: Eight Killed in Fresh Herdsmen Attack

AEDC Schedule 900,000 Customers for Metering

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

Eight people were killed and several others injured as Herdsmen attacked Jekunho village in Jalingo local government area of Taraba state on Friday evening. The attackers, according to residents of the community who narrowly escaped the attack stormed the community in their hundreds at about 5.00pm and started shooting anybody in sight. Similarly, Rafinkada, Kente and Tor-Musa communities in Wukari local government area came under serious attack and reprisal attacks on Friday as the Tiv/Jukun crisis festers. Narrating their ordeal to newsmen, a resident of Jekunho community, Paul Douglas said the entire village was razed down and

reduced to rubble by the Herdsmen and all the residents had been forced to flee and take refuge at the state capital. According to Douglas, residents of Kona and Janibanbu villages had also been forced to flee their villages due to threats of attack by the herdsmen thereby leaving the communities desolate. "These people have been threatening to destroy our villages and kill our people and now they have succeeded. They came in this evening and opened fire killing anyone in sight. "They were more than a 100 people on motorcycles and they were carrying heavy guns. Our people have fled their homes into other villages and they are threatening to even burn down Janibanibu this night"

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said it has scheduled about 900,000 of its customers for metering within its franchise area for the first instance. This was disclosed on Friday by the Managing Director of the AEDC, Mr. Ernest Mupwaya, during the flag- off of the company's Metre Asset Provider Scheme in Keffi, Nasarawa State. According to the Managing Director, who was represented by the AEDC's director of corporate services, Odubiyi Abimbola, "being moving target, the number may increase and as it does, the vendors will take the increase number along and the project is expected to last for 36 months." He gave the names of the

vendors selected for the metering project simply as MOJEC, TUBOR and MERON. He said: "While MOJEC will handle the Federal Capital Territory and Kogi State, MERON will operate in Nasarawa State. The pedigrees of the vendors approved for the AEDC by the regulator are well known to us as we have worked with them in the past. "We are optimistic that they will deliver on this project as they have always done. On our part, we have provided all the back-end facilities to make the process very simple and user friendly." Mupwaya informed customers at the event that they don't need to offset their outstanding electricity bills before obtaining the prepaid meters.

TheNigerianArmyonFridaynightsaiditkilledseventerroristsalongFuyeand Melere Villages of Borno State. It said troops of 22 Brigade, 7 Division (NA) onOperationHardStrikeincollaborationwithsomemembersofCivilianJTF, killedseveninsurgentsafterafierceexchangeoffire.Anarmystatementsaid the encounter occurred during a clearance operation against the terrorists. The Army said the exchange of fire resulted in the extermination of seven terrorists and recovery of six AK 47 and one FN rifles. It said, “There was no casualtyonthepartoftheNASoldiersorCivilianJTF.TheNigerianArmythrough theDivisionisunwaveringinitscommitmentanddeterminationtoendBoko HaramterrorismandanyotherformofinsecurityinNigeria".Confirmingthe operation, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, said, “The NigerianArmywillcontinuetosensitiseandrequestmembersofthepublicto provideusefulinformationtoitandothersecurityagenciesforaneffectiveand successfulfightagainstthemyriadofsecuritychallengesacrossthenation.�

Dogara to Empower 1,000 Women, Youths

No fewer than 1,000 women and youths are to benefit from a training and empowerment programme on agricultural practices facilitated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr. Iliya Habila which was made available to THISDAY yesterday in Bauchi , said the training programme was aimed at empowering women and youths for improved agricultural production. The participants, are drawn from across the 42 wards in the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi state, which Dogara represents at the National Assembly. Speaking at the opening session of the programme in Bogoro on Tuesday, the Speaker, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Logistics, Mr. Jolly Yakubu, told the participants that the programme was part of efforts aimed at enhancing their farming knowledge towards improving crop yield. According to him, the two-day training session was also aimed at enhancing the capacity of the farmers in modern agricultural practices.

Shun Corruption, NYSC DG Charges Sta The new Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuiabu Ibrahim, has called on the staff to shun corruption and malpractices. He gave the advice yesterday in Abuja during his official taking over from the immediate past DG of the scheme, Brigadier General Suleiman Kazure at the scheme's national headquarters, promising to make corps members, staff welfare and security his top priority. Brig. Gen. Ibrahim who was of immense gratitude to God and President Buhari for the opportunity to serve, promised a cordial working relationship, open door policies and listening ear and promised to take the scheme to the next pedestal. According to him, "My sincere and profound gratitude to, first and foremost, the Almighty God for making today possible. My ardent appreciation goes to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR; Minister of Defence; Chief of Army Staff for finding me worthy to be appointed DG of this great scheme."

Activities for Archbishop’s Birthday The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has unveiled a lineup of activities to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most. Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins. Four days of celebration have been earmarked to commemorate the event, beginning Monday, May 27, and running through Saturday, June 1, the D-day of His Grace’s birthday. According to the Chairman, All Purpose Committee, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, organiser of the event, Mr. Peter Nwanze, the activities include Children’s Day with the Archbishop on May 27; Visitations of the Archbishop to Mother Theresa’s Home in Ketu on May 28 and other charity establishments; Celebration with the elderly residents at Regina Mundi Home and Choral Competition by the Music Commission on May 29 as well as the grand finale on June 1. Speaking further, Nwanze stated that the grand finale would commence with the Holy Mass at Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos at 10a.m.Two books titled ‘Grace to Live’ and ‘Voice of the Shepherd’ will be presented during the reception.

Bosch Partners iCreate Festival 2019

Bosch Nigeria are partners of the iCreate Festival 2019, which aims to bring awareness to various vocational training essential for building talent and skills in Africa.The festival brings awareness to various skill sets such as hairdressing, plumbing to name a few. Bosch Nigeria focused on the construction segment of the iCreate Festival initiatives where Bosch PowerTools were the preferred powertoolsusedbytheparticipants.Additionally,Boschsupportedwithtechnical expertise and training focusing on safety. Bosch Nigeria intends to participate in all three events taking place across the nation, starting with the Regional Technical andVocational Skills Competitions in Kaduna (Northern Region) which held from April 26 - 27, 2019 and followed by regional completion in Enugu (South East) from July 19 - 20 2019.The Finals will take place in Lagos (South West) on December 4 - 5 2019. All three events will also feature exhibitions, entertainment and panel discussions around TVET and youth empowerment.

Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award Call for Nomination for the 2019 edition for the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award is now open till May 31, 2019 on the official website www.entrepreneursaward. com.TheNigeriaEntrepreneursAwardisanannualeventinitiatedtohelpdiscover and recognise leading and emerging entrepreneurs, business executives and corporateorganisationswhoseinnovativeideashadmadesignificantcontribution to the Nigerian economy is diverse sector despite the enormous challenges confronting Nigerian entrepreneurs, their contribution to the economic growth and development, especially in the MSMEs space is undeniable. The Executive Director, Mr. Uwabor Joshua in a statement made available to THISDAY disclosed that Nigeria Entrepreneurs award is at the forefront of celebrating and honouring entrepreneurship in Nigeria. According to him, "we are aware that entrepreneurs drive the economy especially at the MSME level. What we are doing with Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award is not just only to celebrate them, but, also, to galvanise them to do more and accelerate economic recovery and stability. Beyond the award recognition this year, successful nominees will be inducted into the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award Hall of Fame (NEAHOF)."

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NEWS

N650m Fraud: EFCC to Re-arraign Ex-FCT Minister, Akinjide, Others Davidson Iriekpen

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed June 11, 2019, for re-arraignment of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide, and others, charged with N650 million fraud. The charges were preferred against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Akinjide was first arraigned before Justice Sule Hassan, alongside two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ayo Adeseun and Olarenwaju Otiti, on an amended 24-count charge bordering on the alleged offence. They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails. Trial had commenced before Hassan, with witnesses being led in evidence, but mid-way into trial, the case was transferred to another judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke. When the case was called yesterday, the defendants were represented by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), O.F.A Adeosun and Akinola Oladeji, while Mr. U.U Buhari

announced appearance for the EFCC. Ayorinde then informed the court that he would require another date for arraignment of the defendants, as both him and the original prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, were appearing in another trial before a brother judge. He told the court that the prosecutor had expressed his intention to be personally present for the arraignment, and on that premise, he urged the court to grant an adjournment. His application was not opposed by other counsel and the court consequently, adjourned the case until June 11, for arraignment. The defendants were rearraigned on January 16, 2018, before Justice Hassan. According to the charge, they were alleged to have received monies from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the buildup to the 2015 general election. The money was said to have formed part of a total sum of $115 million, allegedly disbursed by Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

RECOGNISED FOR HONOUR... L-R: Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe; the University Chancellor, His Majesty, Dr. Jacob Gyang Buba and Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, during Kingibe’s conferment with the degree of Doctor of Politics and Strategy, Honoris Causa, by the institution at its 13th Convocation Ceremony, in Awka, ... Yesterday

FG Determined to Diversify to Avoid Fresh Application Stalls Judgment on Oil Markets Shocks, Says Minister Extradition Suit against Kashamu Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

As part of federal government’s determination to absorb shocks that may arise from fluctuations in oil market, the government has diversified into solid mineral sector to ensure that the potentials available in it are fully realised in order to build a robust economy that is capable of withstanding such shocks. This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Mines and Solid Mineral Development, Mr. Abubakar Bawa Bwari when he visited National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) Jos, Plateau State to inspect and inaugurate research and development projects executed

by the Centre. The minister noted that the projects were funded through the federal government’s regular budgetary provisions and the solid minerals intervention fund for the development of the mineral and metal sectors of the Nigerian economy, adding that “NMDC is central to government’s efforts at diversifying the economy because it provides the critical research and development work needed for value addition in the mineral and metal processing and production chains.� He added that Nigeria was endowed with abundant mineral resources, many of which were of the highest grade and require

less money to explore compared to other countries where they occur. “Indeed, as a result of the exploratory activities embarked upon by this administration, we have discovered newer and better occurrences of some of these minerals in previously unknown areas. “It is therefore clear that the policies and programmes embarked upon by the Muhammadu Buhari administration had taken the solid mineral sector to the next level. We met a sector that is moribund due to neglect and poor funding, and through deliberate efforts, we have now revived it to make our mining environment competitive again.

Yoruba Pressure Group Backs Ndume’s for Senate President Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Yoruba pressure group known as Odua for Equity have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of Senator Ali Ndume The group made this known in a statement signed by their secretary Ismail Olarenwaju and made available to newsmen in Osogbo yesterday. They said their independent research revealed that Senator Ali Ndume was the most accessible and detribalised aspirant among those agitating for the seat of the Senate president Olanrenwaju added that the group discovered that the Yorubas stand a better chance under Ndume and his accessibility was unimaginable.

He said his group would pressurise their senators across party lines to support Ndume because he was the only one that could reach out to all the six states of the South-west unlike his main opponent that will be answerable to just a state in the zone. “We will let our senators know that we want them to support a man who is not a candidate of any block that will be answerable to, but one who will be answerable to all Nigerians.� The statement also said the APC should not intimidate senators to vote party leaders choice but a candidate who depends on his goodwill and the support of his colleagues “We are optimistic that once Ndume becomes Sen-

ate president, a new dawn of relationship between the national assembly and the executive will begin. “APC and those planning ahead of 2023 election should not put their selfish interest above the collective good of Nigerians. They should remember it is only when Nigeria is in good shape that people can have ambition and pursue such ambition. “Ali Ndume from our findings have capacity to unite and rally members of the Red Chamber for the common good of Nigerians. He won’t subservient to a god father since his emergence would be purely based on his ability and antecedents,� the group concluded.

Davidson Iriekpen

A Federal High Court in Lagos has further adjourned till May 23, to reopen hearing in a suit filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu seeking to stop his extradition to the United States to face drug-related charges. Kashamu, who is senator representing Ogun East senatorial district at the National Assembly, had in his suit (FHC/L/CS/930/2018), urged the court to restrain the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Lagos Police Command, Director General State Security Service (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and their agents from arresting or detaining him, in any manner whatsoever, or interfering with his right to personal

liberty and freedom of movement. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke had taken arguments in the suit from respective parties and had reserved his judgment until April 29. On April 29, judgment could not be delivered in the suit as the period fell within the Easter vacation, and the court did not sit. The matter was consequently, adjourned. At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Mr. Ichakpa Oigoga, was the only counsel who appeared on the side of the defence, and he announced appearance for the NDLEA. The court then asked him if he was aware of a letter written by the applicant, and when he replied No, Justice Aneke asked the registrar to show him copy of the letter to the court.

After reading the letter, Oigoga informed the court that defence would file its counter affidavit in opposition. The judge said that since a letter had already been written, the court had a duty to hear every party. The court consequently, adjourned the case until May 23, for hearing. In the letter, the applicant is seeking to reopen argument in the case which had already been concluded and adjourned for judgment. In a supporting affidavit, the applicant averred that by a newspaper publication, the AGF was reported to have said that the US Government had been told to make fresh request for his extradition, after the former proceedings were dismissed.

SARS Operations Must Respect Human Rights, Says Enugu CJ Christopher Isiguzo and Gideon Arinze in Enugu

Enugu State Chief Judge, Priscilla Emehelu, yesterday said that the operations of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) must be guided by the human rights principles as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria in order to meet up with international best practices. Emehelu made this known at the opening ceremony of a two -day workshop on the provision of monitoring and support to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS) in the state. Emehelu who was represented by Justice A. O Anidi, said that though substantial reformations

had been undertaken by the Police hierarchy to address the numerous complaints and allegations of human rights abuses against SARS personnel, reformations had not well been observed as the incidents that led to the nationwide call for reformation still rear up their ugly heads. Describing the workshop as important and timely, Anidi recalled that the then Acting president, Yemi Osibanjo gave a directive to the former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to ensure a total overhaul of the SARS. She however regretted that some overzealous personnel had become dangerous to the society by their unprofessional

and unlawful conducts of illegal detentions, torture, extra judicial killing and series of human rights abuses and have constituted a toxic climate of fear to the populace. According to her, SARS is a special police unit created with specific mandate to prevent, confront and solve cases related to armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes. She said that the police must therefore strengthen their monitoring apparatus in combating these challenges of some unscrupulous elements in SARS. “Continuous assessment of operatives deployed to SARS must be regularly conducted to determine their suitability in keeping with acceptable standards.�

Plus

Adeboye Adefolalu

Growing up with a White Foster Mother was Interesting

GLOBAL SOCCER FAIRGROUND FASHION FILE SHOWBIZFLAIR

Chuks Nwana

pg. 29 pg. 36 pg. 22 pg. 45

I Do Not Take the Gift of Life for Granted. I’m Constantly Thinking It’s Possible I Sleep and I Don’t Wake Up

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PLUS

I Do Not Take the Gift of Life for Granted. I’m Constantly Thinking It’s Possible I Sleep and I Don’t Wake Up Chuks Nwana is a determined man, uncommonly urbane, suave, cosmopolitan, liberal-minded, progressive and intellectually sophisticated. This Lagos lawyer is on a mission to change the world for the betterment of mankind. Nwana shares his nostalgic memories of growing up with Adedayo Adejobi. He also talks about the gratefulness of being part of an era where values were the norm, the economy, how he’ll love to be remembered, and what Nelson Mandela’s life taught him

W

hat were your nostalgic moments, growing up? I grew up in Ojuelegba area of Lagos State where everybody was a family. We looked forward to coming back from school to play football and as you’re playing football, somebody would have taken a position somewhere to alert you when your father is coming so that you can abandon the football. I narrate this experience to draw the contrast between what happens nowadays where parents encourage their kids to play football as against chopping bulala (horse whip) for playing football. Growing up, life was seamless; there was huge trust. I could eat anywhere. I could go out late at night not necessarily the night club but so long I was in the neighbourhood my parents didn’t mind. Schooling was fun. All you need is to find your way to Yaba and there would be a school bus that would take you for free. School was exciting and teachers were. Our society has become a bit more difficult. Schooling has become a bit hard work and then the level of commitment is neither here nor there. I remember travelling to school by air back in the days. Nigerian Airways was the only airline. I think it was N60 but with the student discount, just with your student Identity card, you’ll get it for N42 or less but it was only the Nigerian Airways. It was good and the flights were regular until things went south. All you needed to do was flash your Identity card and they would sell to you. Nobody took undue attention like ‘let me fact check your Identity.’ Society was bonded, there was trust, but all that has disappeared.

What was your first day in the university like? It’s an interesting episode because I went to university at 16 and my father had to chaperone me. He took me by road in 1982 from Lagos to Calabar. The lesson for me was how my father chaperoned me to school. I try as much as possible to chaperone my own kids. I take them to school, settle them and encourage, talk to and advise them. My experience was quite packed.

What challenges you about what you do now?

Chuks

I’ve been involved in legal practice for years and I get results. When I get results I’m happy. Legal practice is about getting results and not grammar and so when I get results, I feel happy about it. I also sometimes feel challenged by new situations and enjoy the moment. And then, you have kids they are

doing well in school, you’re happy. But other than that, there are things that should depress a man- people taking bribes before your eyes or somebody twisting the truth, lying. There are so many things that would depress a man in our system. But in the midst of all that, we still manage to generate some pleasure. Being around and in the midst of my friends gives me some pleasure. We go out and have drinks but ultimately what you achieve, the objective you attain, the target you set are those things that give you pleasure.

What frightens you? One thing that frightens me is where we are going to as a country at the macro level, then the orientation of some of our youths. There’s so much access to pornography, so much access to anything. The internet is a danger to humanity. I speak very candidly; there are positives and negatives nowadays. They say if you want to make a bomb go to the internet and it tells you how to do it. So, the society was progressing in a measured positive manner. Now opportunities are so fluid. I always say to myself that a parent is just a trustee for a child; ultimately God is the ultimate person that chaperones and determines what the child becomes. You can only do your bits. They say the generation after us is Yahoo generation and somebody said ‘can you imagine what it will be for somebody who has made a career of duping people of their money, hacking into people’s account, stealing money and tomorrow, he becomes president of Senate, or a governor.’? Moral no longer exists. I remember back in secondary school, we used to have a subject called moral instruction taught by the founder of the school. It was compulsory but nobody teaches it anymore. And I went to my son’s school yesterday, he got some awards and I told him I’m proud of him. So, one of the Reverend fathers came and said something that was really instructive. He said, ‘academic excellence is 30%, character is the balance. If you get 7A’s and you’re a thief, liar, it makes no meaning.’ I found that very instructive.

What do you desire to have, which you still don’t have? There are so many things you desire to have in life. At this stage of my life it’s like writing an autobiography when you’re 20. I just believe the world is still ahead of me.

You’ve been married for a while now, how would you describe the experience of marriage? In my family, I’m the last born. I was really not under any pressure to get married.

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PLUS The Way My Father Lived His Life is How I Try as Much as Possible to Live I wasn’t cut out for it then, but I can say to you when I started feeling lonesome you go to work, eat and go to bed at that point I felt that I needed somebody and not for a short period. And then, I had this longing for kids. I like kids a lot. I remember there was this guy from Spain or Italy who never got married and never thought about it. One day, I just asked him why he never bothered about marriage. I said ‘don’t you like kids’? He said ‘I like them only if they don’t grow beyond five.’ He went ahead to explain himself that the innocence of children is what thrills him but when they grow big, he will be unable to manage them and I could see. I have this particular interest in little kids. I remember going to church and seeing kids playing around. I call them and gist with them. I didn’t want to have too many kids but I ended up with four.

At what point did you make that decision that you were set to settle with your wife? What was the deďŹ ning moment? For me, there are several factors that play in this business of marriage and those factors are not constant but the most important thing is when you’re ready and the right person comes, then you move on. My story is not about some childhood sweetheart we had to wait for five-seven years. I just realised as a matter of fact that I have dated in the past but I wasn’t ready psychologically for marriage. So, I couldn’t get down with the thought of marriage. For me then was, how can? It won’t happen. So it’s a meeting of two lines you’re ready, you meet the person at that time you get down and whether the courtship is long or short, challenges are the same.

What makes your spouse unique? To be candid with you the attractions you find in a woman changes over time. She’s pretty, tall, then the kids come and the attraction changes. You’re beginning not to pay too much attention to the beauty. You’re looking at how she handles the home, how does she handle the kids, is she supportive and statistically you know most husband die before their wife. So, you’re looking at if she would cope. Is she the kind of person that would not be able to withstand pressures and so on? Certainly at the point of marriage, I can tell you it was the beauty and calmness they say opposite people attracts. I didn’t see myself as being particularly calm but I saw somebody who was quite calm, who met the basic indices back in those days when you wanted to get married. It was our delight to go out with girls who are hot; we called them hot-chicks. We go out with them, we are always happy to be with them but when it comes to marriage you face church and start to profile some ladies and you know an important aspect of that business is somebody who is God fearing. When you say somebody is God fearing, the totality is inexhaustible in just action. So if you see all forms of those elements you just move on.

How do you feel about raising your kids? I’m very passionate about raising them. I’m passionate about what gets into their heads. Even though you can’t filter everything but I’m passionate about it. I’m a bit of an old school guy when it comes to raising kids. I tend to see myself as a text book father and I know as they say, spare the rod and spoil the child. I know that if you raise your child in Europe or America and you slap your child, you get into trouble. So, I’m passionate about raising them by the books and hoping by the grace of God everything turns out well. But sometimes, I could get a bit overboard. I’m a perfectionist so sometimes I do not take into account their age in the challenges I throw at them. So, that for me is the area I need to try and be a bit more flexible. You see, my generation is not their generation, so I’m trying to show a bit more understanding.

What is the hardest and best part of raising your children? I’ll start from the best part. It is actually in God giving you level-headed children who listen to you, kids who do not succumb to peer pressure, listening kids for me that’s the big attraction those are the kind of kids that they call model kids. They listen, engage and are more open to you. The challenge is that society has become too open; it is very fluid you can’t filter anything, you don’t know when you’re not with them what do they do, but the way to mitigate that kind of situation is try as much as possible to give them a very strong foundation. People make reference to the bible that says teach a child well the way he should go and when he grows he wouldn’t

Chuks with his family

deviate from it. So for me, that’s the mantra.

Who are those you admire most in history and why? That’s a long shot because you sometimes try to put them in square box because you admire people for different reasons. Somebody like Mandela, I admire for his resilience, patience and forgiving attitude. I admire him for his doggedness as well that’s why you see picture of Mandela in my office. Mandela represents triumph of the human spirit over evil. He could have died and become a foot note so I have a big admiration for somebody like Mandela. Then I like reading plenty of autobiographies somebody like Ghandi. From Mahatma Gandhi to Nelson Mandela, to Ali –Mazrui to Walters Rodney, and the king of them all in his annals is Kaduna Chukwuma Nzeogwu, the man who singlehandedly changed the course of our dear country, Nigeria. Reading about these people had in more than one way helped to reform, reshape and re-sharpen my view to various aspects of humans in our diversity. Mandela’s life taught me the resilience of the human spirit, its resolve, its ability to triumph over adversaries, and above all, his godlike traits of doing good. I was born in Zaria so I should even be a citizen of Kaduna State if not that somebody goes to our constitution and write that you’re a citizen of where your parents were born. I’m not even a citizen of where I pay tax. You give me a form now I fill Anambra as state of origin. So sad, I travelled to Rwanda and I visited the genocide museum all accounts about the genocide what it was before the genocide, the genocide and afterwards as a matter of law and policy, you’ll never see a form in Rwanda asking where you’re from. You cannot even ask anybody whether you’re from this pace or that. If you ask they would say I’m a Rwandan. That’s nation building. By law and policy, you won’t see a form that has any of those things; it will have your name phone number address. They are not interested in where you come from; those are the things that have seemingly affected us. The Rwanda society is bonding; people are not identified by their ethnic background. I should actually be a citizen of either where I was born or where I pay taxes. In America today if you move to a new place and you pay tax for 12 months, the law recognises you’re a citizen of that location. That was why Hilary Clinton could move to New York within 12 months and run for office there and became a senator.

If you could change anything in history, what would you change? If I could turn back the hand of clock there are many things I desire to change. I would certainly wish that the bloodshed that the

country had endured would end. I don’t want that kind of situation to occur. Nigeria has also had its fair share of competent and incompetent people at the helm of affairs. Leadership is the key and we have not had it after the era of Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello and the small six months of Murtala Muhammad who had a vision of what he wanted to do. Leadership is too sensitive, complicated for you to learn on the job. The stake involved is so high that you don’t come and start learning on the job. It’s like a doctor learning surgery with a live patient and so in a situation where we expect that visionary leadership would take you across the line, it hasn’t happened that way. And that for me is big regret. If I had my way, I would be happy to filter the way and manner leaders are being recruited. I have come into the age bracket where my friends and colleagues are dying. The truth is every day, I think about death. So every morning you wake up and give thanks to God for another day, but I constantly think about death, why because it helps me to plan. I do not take the gift of life for granted. I’m constantly thinking it’s possible I sleep and I don’t wake up so what happens. If you don’t think about it, it’s foolish. If you think about it, you’ll put your house in order how it turns out eventually. I will tell you a story of a man who was killed by armed robbers somewhere in Aba. He was dealing in scrap metals. I never get tired of telling this story because I want people to learn from such experience. The man had four boys and a wife and the kids were still in school or just getting out of school so the man was shot on his way to work one morning by armed robbers so I was called to process the letter of administration. It happened long time ago and I discovered the man had N17 million in Union bank but his wife could not access N500,000 for burial. So the lesson is whatever it is, always try as much as possible to have your wife be a signatory to the account. Eventually they had access to the money but it was after one year. They had issues they needed to sort out on a short term basis they couldn’t because they could not access the money. I encourage people to have their spouse as the second signatory or son who has come of age.

Who inspires you and why? A lot of people inspire me. But one person who I know has inspired me is my late dad. And he becomes my entire profile in terms of what I do if I have a challenging situation. I would just close my eyes and say to myself what would my father do in this situation. So the way my father lived his life is how I try as much as possible to live my life. What he did, how he did it, his outlook on life, understanding people, showing love and affection. And so when I face challenges, I

just ask myself what would my father have done and then I can say to you without any ambiguity my father has been my very first line of inspiration. But then as I grew older, the only one that has remained constant is my dad. Others change due to circumstance of event. The person who provides you spiritual inspiration as you also grow spiritually you no longer see the person. For instance I worked with Kehinde Sofola and I like the way he went about with his business. Everything is a challenge that needed to be overcome. So I imbibed that positive aspect of him.

What achievement are you most proud of? I’m still not certainly; not very proud of material achievement, I’m more delighted by value achievements. Material things are vanity. What really is legacy is being noted for something honesty, doggedness and tenacity. I say to people the true value of a man is his name. Bill Gates is not assessed by his house, cars they are assessed by their ideas, values that have impacted people over time, then money comes in by the way side.

What would you love to be remembered for? I would love to be remembered for my rendition. I was in Rwanda buying books, others are buying champagne; that gives you the idea of the value I have and want to be remembered for. I have my books I’m reading them. In life, the value you aspire for is very important. I like to be remembered for honesty, my doggedness and my passion for family.

What book are you currently reading? I have been reading varieties of law books. As a lawyer, case related books, new authorities, new statute that applies to my situation. I love reading autobiographies a lot; I always believe that there is a lot to be learnt from the life people have lived.

Whose autobiographies have you read that has inspired you? I’ve read Kaduna Nzeogwu, Mandela, almost all the autobiographies written by the American Presidents. I’m an average student of biography and autobiographies. I read them a lot to try to understand what they went through, their state of mind, challenges they faced; how they were able to overcome them.

If the annals of your life were to be written, what do you think the title would be?

A determined fellow who believes he could influence the world. I like making friends. I trust people easily. That’s a weakness I have.

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PLUS

Adeboye Adefolalu Growing up with a White Foster Mother was Interesting Adeboye Adefolalu, well known as Uncle Ade the Vocal Coach, is a lecturer, mentor, creative director, director of the All Star Music Group and a lot more. He proactively uses his personal, professional and extended networks to connect individuals and enhance the objectives of all for mutual beneďŹ t. In his 25 years in the music industry, he has acquired a great deal of knowledge and experience as a music manager, independent label owner, university lecturer, voice coach, singer/song writer and recording artiste. He talks to Tosin Clegg about his career at large, voice coaching, Nigeria’s music industry and more

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͚͚˜ ͺ͸͚Π˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

PLUS I Have Great Respect for Voices that Touch Souls

W

hy the choice of voice coaching First of all, I have great respect for voices that touch souls. I grew up in an era of some of the most blessed and gifted singers. When I decided to take my singing seriously, I knew I needed to know everything there was to know about how my voice worked, and what I needed to learn, in order to get anywhere near to the level of the greats. And my studies took me so deep into the disciplines that I ended up with a really deep knowledge, deeper respect, and a deeper passion for the voice. The knowledge I acquired set me free artistically. And I developed a burning desire to teach others, so that they might also be set free. My clientele has primarily come from the UK Some of my clients have experienced national and international success. These include: Seyi-Shay, a female Afrobeats Artiste; Kele Le Roc, MOBO Award winning singer; Isaiah Dyer, lead singer of MOBO, DOVE, UMA and GMA award winning Gospel group, Raymond & Co; Allyson Browne, MOBO Award winner and Lead singer (Angelica schuyler) in West End production of Hamilton; Nataylia Roni, lead singer (Nala) in West End production of Lion King, Andy Abrahams, finalist on X-Factor, and a lot more. Nigerian artistes and their vocal strength I have spent some time observing some of the more successful Nigerian Afrobeat artistes, and, generally, their vocal ability (mostly self-taught) is good on record. However, having seen several of these artistes perform live, I am of the opinion that they might not yet have the experience (generally speaking) to perform live, at the standard of the best performers in the world. On grassroots level though, I believe there is a real lack of resource available to educate and inform Nigeria singers about how their voices work. And what they need to do to develop voices that can help them to compete in a very difficult profession; a resource that is very much needed. Importance of voice training for a music artiste The level of dependency on vocal training, depends on the level that an artiste is at (technically and mentally), and the level they want to compete at. If a singer is just starting out, and doesn’t have a lot of ‘natural talent’, then the chances are that they would be more dependent on a tutor to help advise on, analyse, and guide their vocal development. This will take months or even years to get to the level of a voice that touches souls. If a singer has a lot of ‘natural talent’, they may be able to progress with their voices for some time without ever taking a lesson. They may find answers to vocal problems, and see sufficient improvement in their voice. This will also probably take months or years for them to get to the level of a voice that touches souls. If the singer with little ‘natural talent’ decides not to take lessons, they will significantly decrease their chances of reaching the desired level of a voice that touches souls. Conversely, if a singer with lots of ‘natural talent’ decided to employ the services of a ‘good’ voice coach, then you can pretty much guarantee that they would develop their vocals to a higher standard. And in a much shorter space of time! It’s worth pointing out that, in each scenario (with or without a voice coach) the singer still must train their instrument. Self-taught is still training, there are absolutely no short-cuts. The industry is in really good shape internationally Fela Kuti had put Nigeria on the map in a serious way in the 80’s/90’s. And Davido has overseen its resurgence. In between we’ve had Doctor Alban and Dbanj to remind us of our international relevance. But now, I am seeing real progress in the way that the international music industry is taking note

of the Nigerian music industry as a whole. Midem has sent a delegate to Nigeria two years running, which is huge. This puts Nigeria in position to become the capital of the music industry for the whole of Africa. Soon, we could be seeing music industry professions from right across the world, coming to the Nigerian Music week for trading in all things music and entertainment. As well as this, Billboard Magazine announced that uduX just inked a big licensing deal with Universal Music Group. This is a massive indication of the acknowledgment of the potential for Afrobeats on a global scale. On the other hand though, it’s worth pointing out that these deals must not become the Holy Grail like they had become for black music makers in the USA and the UK! I would strongly encourage Nigerian (and Pan-African) music professionals to stay independent. The rewards will be much, much greater and you won’t have to share the spoils with anyone, except on your terms! There is though definitely an urgent need for the industry to take steps to safeguard untapped revenue streams for home-grown artiste. Publishing is the most lucrative part of the industry pie for global companies like EMI and Universal.

We need music business education for managers, record companies, publishers etc, and creative education for producers, writers, singers, musicians, visuals etc. Resources are an essential component for improvement, and can greatly improve productivity in terms of both quantity and quality. Not to get too political, but better roads, better telecommunications, and reliable power supply all will help too. Investment is without doubt the single most important piece of the puzzle. The UK music industry is one of the most valuable sectors for export, and contributes close to three billion to the UK economy annually. The Nigerian music sector has the potential to dwarf this ďŹ gure many times over. But only with the right investment

But we also need better education for artistes We need music business education for managers, record companies, publishers etc, and creative education for producers, writers, singers, musicians, visuals etc. Resources are an essential component for improvement, and can greatly improve productivity in terms of both quantity and quality. Not to get too political, but better roads, better telecommunications, and reliable power supply all will help too. Investment is without doubt the single most important piece of the puzzle. The UK music industry is one of the most valuable sectors for export, and contributes close to three billion to the UK economy annually. The Nigerian music sector has the potential to dwarf this figure many times over. But only with the right investment! I was last here in 1977 right at the end of FESTAC I didn’t grow up with my parents, or with any of my relatives, and was parented by a white foster mother. However, I have always known who I am culturally (thanks to Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key of Life), but my fortunes have never afforded me the opportunity to come home. Because I was so young, and was only here for 10 days, I didn’t really experience anything to ‘miss’. However, on my trip my eyes have been opened to everything I missed experiencing. I spent real quality time with my two younger brothers (one of them for the first time ever). And I realised that even though we have spent our entire lives apart, we are so much alike. We have the same love for life, we have the same humour, we love to dress well, we love music, and we all share the same ambitions for success as entrepreneurs. We all share a deep passion for realising a better Nigeria. I visited my mother (and Step-father) at their home in Ikeja, and realised that I missed (the experience of) growing up on these streets, going to school here, hanging out with my siblings, having Nigerian school friends, developing a palate for Okra, Yam, Ground Rice and Eba! And it got me thinking that if we had all grown up in the same home together, then we would have grown into the most formidable force. And for the first time in my adult life, regret about the life I didn’t have, started to creep in. But then I thought about how God works, and how great God is. And my spirit told me that this was God’s plan all along! He has blessed us all with life experiences that have moulded us into upright, successful, ambitious, intelligent, proud Nigerians in spite of where we grew up. And I know we are not meant to come together until now, to pool our individual experiences, and do something quite profound for Lagosians.

Adeboye

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Fashion File

Phoenix Rising Collection โ 19

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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FASHION FILE

Phoenix Rising ÙÖÖĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ˊ͚ΠPhoenix Rising Collection ’19 by Pernia – This is an awakening ..Introducing our new revolutionary neck pieces collection from Pernia.. The lady of reinvention, Phoenix is a reminder that no matter what you may leave behind, you can light the flame , let it burn and rise again to brighten up your life ‌.Through adversity is how we grow .Reinvention can happen at any moment or at any age and in all aspects of our lives .. The key inspiration is

sparked by the beautiful maasai women who boldly display their femininity through their bead jewelries ..The maasai tribe live in the southern part of Kenya and the northern part Of Tanzania.. And the names of every single neck piece in this Phoenix rising collection was named after some fearless black female warriors through out history, representing the boldness , strenght ,fierceness of the African woman‌

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˜ ˞ MAY 11, 2019

JOE/FAJ THEFRONTLINES

AsNasirel-SRufaiTakesontheLionofBourdillon

M

allam Nasir el Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State is not one to be shy of controversy. In fact, he craves it most of the time. Whether you like or hate him, el Rufai would always speak truth to power no matter whose ox is gored. He’s blunt, has guts, courage and sometimes at the risk of his personal safety says it as it is, damning the consequences. Such was the situation he found himself about a week ago when he was a guest in Ikoyi, Lagos, at an event organised by the Bridge Club tagged, “An evening with His Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State.� During the question and answer session, former Lagos state Commissioner, Dr. Muniz Banire had wanted to know from el Rufai what professionals in Lagos could do to grab power in the face of godfather politics. Without mincing words, El-Rufai said, “Godfatherism. This is Lagos. Let me tell you something sir; you know, Kaduna State used to be like that. There were three or four politicians in Kaduna that you could not become anything unless you had them on your side. Those were the godfathers of Kaduna politics and you had to carry them along and you know, the three words, ‘carry them along’ mean paying them regularly. But we chose a different path and the long and short of it now is that after this election in 2019, we have retired all of them; we had to.� The statement has since provoked national discourse and still dominates political discussions as you read this piece. The controversy is not without reasons. There are those who view El Rufai prescription as a direct affront to the National Leader of theAll Progressives Congress (APC),Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who has held Lagos in a vice grip since he came on board in. 1999. Even after serving his constitutional two terms which ran their full course in 2007, Tinubu has remained the godfather of Lagos politics; choosing who becomes governor, senators, House of Representatives members, StateAssembly members, LCDAchairmen and councillors effortlessly since then. El Rufai’s outburst is being viewed by the Tinubu’s camp as the height of ingratitude and an open declaration of war by certain elements in the North spearheaded by the Kaduna state governor to dump Tinubu after using his resources to secure success for the party across board in from 2015 to 2019 polls. They believe the intention is to eventually dismantle the Tinubu hegemony in Lagos in addition to El Rufai scheming to demystify Tinubu who is eyeing the presidency in 2023 to clear the way for him to emerge as the party’s presidential flag bearer from the north in the same year.

JOSEPH USHIGIALE jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

el-Rufai

Can El Rufai’s prescription work in Lagos? It might work in Kaduna and fail woefully in Lagos for the reasons that the Kaduna state governor was merely engaging in an academic exercise and failed to grasp the complex political network or structure that Tinubu has been able to put in place to succeed. First and foremost, Tinubu has the grassroots behind him and indeed Lagosians and not Tinubu are in charge of their affairs because of the structures and super structures that have been embedded to create political hegemony. Tinubu is a strategic thinker, he was able to identify all the pressure points in the polity. Having done that, he created layers upon layers of heirarchical commands, the heads of these commands consult directly with him on a needs basis and so Lagos runs on auto pilot with or without Tinubu because he has succeeded in amalgamating once disparate unions into a formidable political machine to win elections in Lagos. An example here would suffice, Tinubu identified the markets, drivers, parks, refuse disposal, Motorcyclist, Keke Tricycle etc and formed them into strong unions. The markets are controlled by Iyalojas who reports to Tinubu, the Parks have Unions and the heads of the various parks consult Tinubu, ditto, cyclists, tricycle, and other sundry unions.All these unions collect levies in excess of over N5b

monthly put together. In the area of waste management or refuse disposal, Tinubu opted to create a refuse to wealth programme by dividing Lagos into zones which are cleaned by the different Private Support Partnership operators. These PSPs are chosen based on their loyalty and political clout in their respective areas. This army of loyalists are Tinubu’s grassroots foot soldiers who run Lagos affairs. Then you go down to the Local Community DevelopmentAssociation (LCDA), there are about 54 LCDAs in Lagos each producing a chairman and councillors forming full legislature. These LCDAs have status of a local government council, funded, staffed and they undertake minor community development like building culverts, intervene in primary schools, health care and directly impact the people. It is from the pool of these LCDAs that members of the state assembly emerge. What could be more democratic than this model where the people themselves are involved in the day to day running of their affairs? So Lagos is a different ball game from Kaduna state where El Rufai holds sway and it is these grassroots people and foot soldiers that usually turn out en masses during the primary elections to turn the tables the way Tinubu want them to go. But let truth be told. It is surprising that if not for mischief purposes what democratic credentials does El Rufai has to make such an outlandish prescription? Tinubu has done exploits right from NADECO days, where was El Rufai? In today’s north, El Rufai should size his political exploits with three time former governor of Borno and Yobe states,Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim. Ibrahim is a tested and proven politician and the only one living who has been governor thrice in Nigeria. He was governor in Borno when Yobe state was created, he moved to his home state, contested and won two terms. Since 2007, Ibrahim has represented his senatorial zone thrice till date. His political exploits are well documented in his recent book titled: POORLITICS: The Little Boy from Goniri and the Progressives’ Manifesto. While El Rufai canvasses for N2b from people in black ties to flush out Tinubu, Ibrahim contested for governor at the age of 42 with N20,000 in his pocket. He had no thugs, money nor godfathers like his opponents had, yet he won. Readers can continued online www.thisdaylive.com

Buhari: Ministers Not Compatible with Next Level

“N

ext Level� as a campaign mantra of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was birthed in controversy from its unveiling. The copyright genesis or brand equity of the tagline is not my concern now... What is? The plan and vision of the newly re-elected administration of President Muhammadu Buhari living up to and activating the immense promise of the “Next Level�. By its ordinary connotative meaning, we expect the “Next Level� in areas of despondency, frustration and disorder fuelled by unabated corruption, wanton banditry, unrelenting insurgency, escalating intra-city violence, official criminality and seeming hopelessness in the acts and body language of government... we expect and believe that the mantra portends positive and upward movement that will reduce, if not completely destroy, those aforementioned ills. One may be wrong, but the manner of selection, the timing of processing and the quality and pedigree of the next level of cabinet ministers will provide clear and vigorous pointers that the second term of the Buhari administration may really mean business, and produce some succour for ordinary Nigerians. Based on our country’s experience, the 36 members of the federal cabinet run the government of this nation. So, if we are primed to succeed or doomed to stagnation in the next four years will depend largely on the performance and competence of the ministers. Strangely, there is no serious entry level requirement other than that the selected person ought to be someone who is eligible to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives. Frankly, the first term in office of this administration is not a great template to indicate that the helmsmen will do wonders in the second term. Apart from the “donkey years� (well, that’s my value of six months in a traumatised nation) it took to assemble the outgoing set of ministers, their score cards in office are slightly discomforting and largely uninspiring. Our people say the texture of the morning often signposts the promise of the evening. More than any yardsticks to determine how the next level of ministers should be, perhaps we should make a few detours into the “catastrophes� some of our ministers have crudely conjured to shrink the past few years... which some may find palatable, but hard crappy nuts to swallow for countless others. When ministers assume offices, they make plans and promises... their contracts with their “constituents� on issues pertinent to their well-being. So, have they performed? What achievements... what failings define their usefulness or otherwise, going forward? In a three-part report in 2017 by Premium Times, the mixture of promises, achievements and failures was laid bare to mark the mid-term of most of the 24 ministries and 36 ministers. The litany of broken promises, token accomplisments and staggering failures underscores why the country shows signs of a poorly managed

and malnourished business model. It will become clear that the two directing entities leading this national business are not up to scratch if most of those adjudged to have scored average (or less than average) return to their offices or merely swap positions. That will be a big shame, indeed. Anyway, let us run zig-zag over the investigative reports and identify some of our ministers who should be promptly shoved out the door...just in case you missed the connection. Health: Isaac Adewole/Osagie Ehanire (Average) Outbreak of diseases in the country - meningitis, cholera, measles, yellow fever, etc, - that can be prevented but inadequate vaccines have led to many deaths. Despite assurances, disruptive activities continued to reign in the health sector. “Intra- and inter-professional battles worsened as JOHESU passed vote of no confidence on the minister�. Plans to revitalise 10,000 primary health facilities in 774 LGAs were way off the mark as “healthcare facilities across the country are still in dilapidated state and people still trek many miles to get basic health services�. Science & Technology: Ogbonnaya Onu (Average) His most significant promise was to become “best minister Nigeria ever had.� He failed woefully. The report described him thus: “He is far from being the best minister. Many have described the minister as one of the ‘sleeping’ ones�. Though he was reputed to have promoted the “use of Madein-Nigeria goods by directing the 17 agencies under (his) ministry to patronise Innoson vehicles as well as other local manufacturing companies�, it was clear that inventors had little or no encouragement from the ministry, nor has the automotive industry been in any position to compete with foreign manufacturers. Niger Delta Affairs: Usani Usani (Below Average) This monument to waste is captured in few deplorable sentences: “As acknowledged during the 2nd National Council on Niger Delta in September, the development pace in the region still remained very slow despite huge investments by various tiers of government, development partners, international oil companies and civil society organisations. The ministry’s skill acquisition projects and other projects have been abandoned in the different states of the region�. Education: Adamu Adamu/Anthony Onwuka (Average) In spite of the promise to tackle the out-of-school-children virus, “about 11.5 million school age Nigerian children are out of school, making the country the highest in the world�. Unregulated private schools still abound; over 40% of Nigerian teachers do not have the minimum qualifications; only 450,000 of the normadic school-aged children (out of the estimated 3.5 million) have access to any form of education; inadequate housing and

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

teaching facilities in public universities; labour disputes still thrive in the system. Interior: Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Below Average) Jailbreaks continue to trend; illegal immigrants easily sneak into Nigeria and human traffickers stroll out without much hassles. Awaiting trial menace still plagues the system - accounting for “75% of an estimated 65,000 (prison) inmates�. Sports and Social Development: Solomon Dalung (Average) There were streaks of bright spots: Super Eagles qualified for 2018 World Cup (and AFCON 2019); D’Tigress won the Afrobasket 2017 and D’Tigers were runners up in the male category. But the downside more than bleached out the sunny spots. Nigeria could not participate at: the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas, IAAF World U-18 Championships in Kenya, the African boxing qualifiers, but Dalung was allegedly in Cardiff to watch Anthony Joshua beat Carlos Takam. Major stadia in shambles - the National Stadium Abuja, and Lagos. Water Resources: Suleiman Adamu Kazaure (Below Average) Over 75 per cent of Nigerians do not have access to pipe-borne water. The percentage of Nigerians having access to pipe-borne water dropped from 32% in 1990 to less than seven per cent (in 2017). Nigerians still indulge in open defecation. River Basin Development Authorities are still in a mess. SNAPSHOTS IN MEDIOCRITY Trade and Investment: Okechukwu Enelamah (Average) Labour and Employment: Chris Ngige (Below Average) Budget and National Planning: Udoma Udo Udoma (Average) Petroleum Resources: President Muhammadu Buhari/Ibe Kachikwu (Average) Defence: Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali (Average) Works, Power and Housing: Babatunde Fashola/Mustapha Shehuri/ Suleiman Hassan (Average) Agriculture & Rural Development: Audu Ogbeh/Heineken Lokpobiri (Good) Communication: Adebayo Shittu (Below Average) Transportation & Aviation: Rotimi Amaechi/Hadi Sirika (Aviation): (Average) Information and Culture: Lai Mohammed (Average) Final question: Can we live with a cabinet of averages? Easy answer: Nigeria deserves better.

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EXPRESSION MEDIAGAFFES

‘Beer Parlour’ Incorrect

T

HE PUNCH of April 29 opens the floodgate today with this schoolboy howler: “This, it said, was the reason the case should be given accelerated hearing to restore confidence in (to) the judiciary.â€? “Group says Buhari loves Igbos (Igbo) more than his predecessorsâ€? (Source: as above) DAILY Sun Front Page Headline of April 29 circulated this error: “UMTE: JAMB alerts on (to) new scam to defraud candidatesâ€? “Ortom commends military over (for) counter-insurgency operationsâ€? THISDAY FEATURES of April 29 offered readers four juvenile infractions: “For these communities, particularly worrisome is the fact that these herdsmen have (had) in times past repeatedly plundered their farmlands without any punitive action taken against them.â€? “According to him, they have had instances where the state security agencies shield (shielded) perpetrators because there is (was) ‘order (an order) from above.’ “ BUSINESS WORLD of April 29 disseminated this impropriety: “Okonkwo also advises banks to take cyber security measures very serious (seriously).â€? “As part of efforts to ensure that its new cash withdrawal policy succeeds, the CBN said it is (was)‌.â€? (THISDAY, May 6) “LBS alumni hosts Amaechi‌â€? (Vanguard Headline, April 6) My alumni association hosts or our alumni host Amaechi... No mix-up. “A peasant farmer in Ogbomoso‌has founded two police AK-47 rifles hidden in green leaves on (at) his farm.â€? (THE NATION NEWS, May 5) These juvenile blunders were found (not founded, please o!) by an anonymous reader via cell phone number 08033154530. More contributions

from other readers are welcome. A commuter to a bus driver on Victoria Island: “Can I dropâ€? (before the bus-stop)? Driver: “No! Vicious LASTMA officials are lurking (lurking about)!â€? You alight (not drop) from a vehicle. But, you can be dropped (off). Overheard: “I don’t want to be insultive‌.â€? (The Beat 99 FM, Lagos, May 5 Morning Belt) Rudeness is an insulting (not insultive) behaviour! “Bombing out beer parloursâ€? A public drinking-place is called a pub. There are other variants where alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks may be bought and drunk among other utilities: inn, tavern, saloon bar, lounge and public bar. There is nothing known as “beer parlourâ€? outside Nigerian shores! You can call it our own Native English in its parlous and unacceptable condition. “Beware, gift items could be ladened (sic) with bombs—Army chiefâ€? (Vanguard Headline, April 30) Even at first sight, thoughtlessly, something points out this etymological buffoonery! Newspapers and magazines these days are pitiably laden with inexcusable lexical and structural lapses. “EFCC arrests director over land dealâ€? (DAILY SUN Headline, April 29) Once more, ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’—never the muchabused ‘over’. “FRSC begins special patrol to reduce road crashesâ€? (BUSINESSDAY Headline, April 29) Except in a state of war or social infrastructural decay, roads do not crash. The special patrol is to reduce accidental/ vehicular crashes. No lexical commotion, please. “Armed bandits kill two cops in Yola, pick 2 AK-47 riflesâ€? (DAILY INDEPENDENT Headline, April 29) News: Who’s a bandit? Or: Can there be banditry without arms? A bandit, according to OXFORD Advanced Learner’s DICTIONARY, is a member of an ARMED (emphasis mine) gang that robs people. Therefore, there

can’t be banditry without arms. Let us be circumspect in collocation and do away with sterile applications and reference books. As a testimony to this assertive advisory, THE NEW LEXICON WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, astonishingly, declares that a “bandit is a robber, especially one of a group roving in uninhabited districts.â€? This, obviously, contradicts language currency, emotional and environmental factors associated with word usage. It is imperative to nurture a critical mind in communication to foreclose simulation and travesty. “For the inauguration art exhibition, there was no man know man connectionâ€? (National News, June 29) This is sheer illiteracy! What is ‘man know man connection’? Do you mean god-father, stooge, or crony connection? Certainly, not the excerpt! “Nigeria’s economy may overtake South Africa by 2025â€? (National News Headline, May 29) Business & Finance: either South Africa’s (preferably) or South Africa’s economy (verbosity). “Panasonic brace-up for market challengesâ€? (THISDAY Banner, April 29) Again, phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation. â€œâ€Śour eating and living habits can predispose our systems for (to) such diseases as....â€? “2 vigilante men roastedâ€? First: vigilance men; second: the men were burnt, not roasted! For goodness’ sake, we are talking of human beings–not consumables or objects! “During his visit to the troubled spots.....â€? The shades of violence: trouble spots, but troubled waters. That is the beauty of the English language. â€œâ€Śthat is a prerequisite for development in (on) the continent.â€? “Nigeria was re-admitted into (to) the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), according to the Nigeria Olympic

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

Committee (NOC).â€? “This is tragic and a degradation of human specie (species).â€? “Staff of the Federal Ministry of Education and its parastatals in Lagos has (have) been told they have till next weekend to present their papers.â€? “As he spoke to the admiration of the labour leaders and journalists at (on) the occasion‌.â€? “The stories, in the opinion of the trial judge, was (why this recurring discord?) considered embarrassing to the government.â€? “Journalism schools should include courses on shedding crocodile tears to (in) their curricula.â€? “The police has an image problem, too.â€? Bound to correction: The police have.... “I have persistently advocated, without much success, the need to align policy making to (with) crime control‌.â€? “But if the House Ethics Committee fails to sanitise affairs, then we would be setting a dangerous precedence contrary to the Dimeji Bankole example.â€? Not yet: a dangerous precedent. “Additionally, signals suggest that a lot of work still need (needs) to be done to get us on the democratic superhighway.â€? “The purchasing power in the hands of consumers have (has) been going down; it means that demand for goods and services are (is) reducing.â€? â€œâ€Śthe executive cannot acquiesce to a patently wrong situation in demur in a similar situation.â€? The legislature we deserve: acquiesce in (not to). “It was later gathered that the mayhem was as a result of conflict (a conflict or conflicts) between two cult groupsâ€?. My viewpoint: delete ‘two’ (which is implied) to avoid headaches.

Saka Olododo

No More Godfathers in Kwara Politics ÖÒËÔÓ Ă‹Ă•Ă‹ ÙÙÕ ÖÙÎÙÎÙ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ ÞËÞĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ù×Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă•Ë› Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă‹ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂžĂ‹ĘĽËœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ù××ÓĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ÞËÞĂ? Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ě™ Ěš ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ĂœË› Ă&#x;ÕÙÖË Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă•Ă“ Ă‹Ă? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™Ăœ Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ ÞËÞĂ?Ë› ÖÙÎÙÎÙ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÚÙÖÓÞÓĂ?Ă‹Ă– Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÙÙÞ Ă?ÙÖÎÓĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ? ĂœË› ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ‹Ă•Ă‹Ăœ Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?ÙÖË Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă•Ă“Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ËÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;ÕÙÖË Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă•Ă“Ë› Ă–Ă™ĂŽĂ™ĂŽĂ™Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹ ĂœĂ“Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;ÕÙÖË Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă•Ă“Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž åÓÞÒ Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă‘Ă™ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă? ÞÓĂ?Ă•Ă?Þ˛ Ă? Ă&#x;ÖÞÓ×ËÞĂ?Ă–ĂŁ Ă”Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? ÙÚÚÙĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ×Ùà Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă– ĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? Ě™ Ěš Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ÞËÞĂ? ÞÙ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă&#x;ÕÙÖË Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă•Ă“ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚ΠĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› ÖÙÎÙÎÙ ĂĄĂ™Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ăž ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Þ˚ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÞÓÞĂ&#x;Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— Ă™Ă? Ë› ÖÙÎÙÎÙ ÞËÖÕĂ? ÞÙ Hammed Shittu Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă‹ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÚÙÖÓÞÓĂ?Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ ÞËÞĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă–

E

xpectations of Kwara people are enormous from the incoming administration. Can you assure them that these expectations will not be dashed? The difference between the incoming administration and the outgoing one is this: The incoming administration is a product of the collective efforts of the electorates and politicians whereas the outgoing one is a one man show, with no respect for the masses and their views about the ways and manner they are governed. So, for the incoming administration, everybody is a stakeholder and I know that the incoming governor - Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq realise and know this very well. All of us, the elected members across board, know that there are no more godfathers in Kwara politics.

Olododo

What are your plans for your constituency? For your information, I was a chairman of my local government. So, I’m a grass root politician. I have never abandoned my people in all my years in politics, whether inside or outside the government. I left government about nine years ago. Up till this moment, I never abandoned them. With the help of almighty Allah and the masses, I was elected a member of the House of Representatives. By my own way of identifying with my people, I don’t have to wait for inauguration before I start

doing things that would add value to the lives of my people. That was why I swung into action. I bought generators to power their bore holes immediately after election. And so far, I have repaired 35 bore holes and other little assistance I could give them. I believe more goodies are still in the kitty for my people in my constituency. What’s the update about the next Speaker in the House of Representatives? As the Kwara State coordinator of Hon Femi Gbajabiamila Speakership project in the ninth assembly, all our national assembly members in Kwara State have resolved to align with the directives of the party. In fact, in the North central, we have decided that we will follow the directives of the party. In terms of the Senate presidency, we are backing Senator Ahmed Lawan. What will Kwara State beneďŹ t if Femi Gbajabiamila emerges as Speaker? We believe we are going to benefit a lot. The federal government and the party know that Kwara State is a peculiar state so we need special attention because of the way the outgoing administration handled the resources of this state. I have already made it known to them that we need their assistance and as a member we believe and know very well that good things will come from Gbajabiamila.

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 11, 2019

POLITY Elizabeth Idigbe

Children with Special Needs Deserve Our Love, Support Children with special needs are unarguably the most neglected and the most misunderstood segment of the Nigerian society. Most are often perceived as mental cases and demonised. But for the Punuka Foundation, all that these children need is love and special care.This is why the Foundation is organising a walk to create awareness for these special children on Saturday May 11 at 7am. Managing Partner of Punuka Attorneys and Solicitors, Dame Elizabeth Idigbe explains to THISDAY why the firm has consistently been organising the walk for the past 13 years

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on ground to ensure that there is orderliness and security for all participants. With respect to medicals, we have ambulance and personnel from Faith City Hospital to ensure medical issues are managed, should any arise.

unuka Foundation is holding its maiden charity walk to create awareness for children with special needs. How impactful would it be? What have been the feelers received so far? We have had series of events in the past, and even participated and partnered with other organisations in their charity walk but this is the first time we are organising our own walk. The response so far has been wonderful, and we are excited to bring together individuals and bodies we have worked with over the years to create awareness about special needs children. We look forward to meeting parents, teachers, therapists, and others who take care of these special children; hence we have tagged the walk, ‘Walkathon for Super Special Children.’

After the walk, what next? We have numerous activities lined up for 2019 and beyond, including medical check for the children, youth empowerment in Asaba, charity visitations, sponsorship and partnership with other bodies, amongst others. Aside these activities, we have a major project which is the building of a Childcare Centre that will provide full boarding facilities, education and treatment for children with special needs. The Foundation has already acquired acres of land at Ibeju-Lekki for this purpose and is applying for approval for the building plan, which was delayed for a long time due to some issues but thankfully has now been resolved. We hope to begin construction this year; therefore we have so much that will keep us busy and make a difference in our society.

Why are you personally involved in a project of this nature? What personal experience can you share? I have a child who is challenged and this experience is one of the toughest experiences I have faced in my life. But through it all, I thank God for His grace and provision. I thought to myself, God has blessed my family and I that we can access the care and support my son needs. What about those who do not have the means? And this is the primary motivation for setting up the Punuka Foundation and the various activities and projects we have been carrying out. We started in 2006 and to the glory of God, we are operational and growing in our reach. What level of support have you so far received from the government or sponsors for this initiative? We have received some support, mainly from friends of the firm, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors. We have also received sponsorship from organisations such as Cadbury Bournvita, Faith City Hospital and Miam Miam. In terms of government support, we have not received any support, we are on the verge of commencing the building the Childcare Center perhaps more people and institutions will key into the project. Beyond creating awareness for children with special needs, in which other ways would the walk benefit such children who are the object of the initiative? Since its setup in 2006, Punuka Foundation has partnered with various organisations and sponsored several

Since its setup in 2006, Punuka Foundation has partnered with various organisations and sponsored several projects such as speech and occupational therapy, training of teachers, autism awareness, corrective surgeries, etc, in Lagos and other states in Nigeria.The importance of creating awareness cannot be overemphasised as there is still a lot of stigma and discrimination against children with special needs and even extending to their families, in our society

Idigbe

projects such as speech and occupational therapy, training of teachers, autism awareness, corrective surgeries, etc, in Lagos and other states in Nigeria. The importance of creating awareness cannot be overemphasised as there is still a lot of stigma and discrimination against children with special needs and even extending to their families, in our society. However, aside creating awareness, the walk would serve to bring together all these individuals and groups we have worked together with over the years, as well as those who have not identified with this project to form new alliances and strategies for improving the lot of children with special needs. The Foundation has several activities and projects lined up, so it will also be an opportunity to disseminate information on these activities and projects. In addition, we will get to interact with parents, carers, teachers and our super special children, and it will provide an opportunity for everybody to exercise and improve their physical health and wellbeing. The walk will kick off from the offices of Punuka Solicitors at Lekki. What is the duration? What is the route? The walk would begin at 7am from Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors office on Oyibo Adjarho, Lekki Phase 1, then unto Admiralty Way, down to Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge to Alexander roundabout, Ikoyi and then back to Oyibo Adjarho. We plan for the walk to last between two to three hours. What arrangements are in place for security and medicals for participants, if the need arises? We are adequately prepared for the walk; the Nigerian Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps would be

What level of fulfillment would you derive from organising this event annually? My dream is for our Childcare Centre to be constructed and operational soon and for children with special needs and their families all over Nigeria to be valued as equal members of the society and have access to the care and support they need here in this country. The walk is an avenue for achieving this dream as it will bring together different stakeholders. It would bring me great joy and pride to see everyone key into this project so that this dream becomes the dream and goal of all of us. Most Nigerian organisations are yet to imbibe the culture and practice of Corporate Social Responsibility. If this is one of the ways of Punuka giving back to society, what can others learn from this? Giving back is something I believe in a lot, because as a Catholic there is a biblical instruction to do so. God loves a cheerful giver and God’s love comes with blessings. Also as a human being, I believe the best legacy one can leave behind is having touched lives and made a difference to others. The numerous accomplishments of our firm, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors and also in my family and personal life can be attributed to this blessing. Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors does a lot of pro bono work for individuals and institutions, so why will the PUNUKA Foundation not tow the same line? There are a lot of challenges in our society, and particularly for children with special needs and their families, therefore we are very happy and proud to be changemakers and advocates in our own little way. My advice to other wellmeaning Nigerians and corporate bodies is that giving back to the less privileged is very important if we all do our bits, added together we can make a lot of difference in the country. The government cannot provide everything we need to play our part.

27

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 11, 2019

POLITY

Tumult over Amosun’s Last Minute Actions Femi Ogbonnikan x-rays the implications of the appointment of 1,000 staff into the Ogun State civil service, installation of new traditional rulers, award of new contracts and financial commitments by the outgoing Governor Ibikunle Amosun, less than three weeks to the end of his tenure

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hatever has a beginning always has an end. Barely three weeks to the end of his tenure, the outgoing Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, appears unperturbed about creating financial challenges for the incoming administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun. Prominent among his last minute actions capable of creating crisis for the incoming governor are the elevation of 21 Directors in the state civil service to substantive Permanent Secretaries (PS) status, employment of 1,000 fresh staff, promotion of 5,000 personnel, inauguration of the governing councils of the various state-owned tertiary institutions of learning, including those with students and those that have not admitted students. He also award fresh contracts. Chief Bode Mustapha, former Director-General (DG), Senator Ibikunle Amosun Governorship Reelection Campaign Organisation in 2015, who is now a close associate of Abiodun, the governor-elect, queried the rationale behind the actions. He said: “It is going to make a mockery of the civil service in the state, because it was done with a lot of anomalies. It is misnomer that cannot stand. I will advise the incoming government to return all those people to their previous positions and let due process be followed.” Besides, Mustapha issued a note of warning to contractors involved in any new contract deal to be wary, warning that, “anybody who goes to take a contract at this 11th hour of the outgoing administration is wasting his time and financial resources. Why should you award contracts when you are about to leave office? Why should you employ new people into the workforce of the state civil service when you are about to leave office? In view of the minimum wage, can the state economy sustain new contracts?

All I know is that the tenure of Amosun ends on May 29, this year, and by the grace of God, that of Dapo Abiodun starts on that same day. Soldier goes, soldier comes, and barracks remain the same. So, the civil service should not be politicised. Let whoever is there now do his bit. Whoever is coming, will also do his bit when he gets there

Amosun

Abiodun

The state civil service has already been politicised, considering the haphazard manner with which the promotion exercise was done. “Mustapha, who is also the Bobagunwa of Egbaland added: “What we are saying is that people should revert to their former positions and allow the new administration to look into promotions on merit basis. How can you take a Level 14 officer and make him Permanent Secretary? Is that not politicising the civil service? There are Levels 15 and 16 officers who have not been promoted.” In the same vein, former Deputy Governor of the state, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, who represented Ogun East Senatorial district at the National Assembly, between 2011 and 2015, expressed deep concerns over the last minute appointments and promotion in the Ogun State civil service. He said: “All I know is that the tenure of Amosun ends on May 29, this year, and by the grace of God, that of Dapo Abiodun starts on that same day. Soldier goes, soldier comes, and barracks remain the same. So, the civil service should not be politicised. Let whoever is there now do his bit. Whoever is coming, will also do his bit when he gets there.” In response to the alleged landmines that the outgoing governor has been laying for the governor-elect, the State Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye, hinted at a review of these actions in a press statement

titled, “Dapo Abiodun to Review Amosun’s Last Minute Installation of Obas, Employment and Contracts”, dated Monday, May 6, 2019, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta. He warned the general public that such appointments, promotions and award of contracts will be reviewed by the incoming administration. He said: “You will recall that our party, APC, has in the course of the past few weeks, following our victory at the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial elections, issued media statements cautioning financial institutions from granting loans, overdrafts and other financial instruments to the outgoing government of Ibikunle Amosun. “Though a Joint Transition Committee of the incumbent and incoming Governments has been set up, Amosun has made last-minute appointments and awarded contracts without due consideration to the incoming administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun. “While we accept that the term of this Government expires on the 29th May 2019, it is morally unacceptable that a governor with less than one month to the expiration of his term in office will make mass appointments and promotions, thereby committing the incoming administration to unsustainable financial commitments and obligations. “We hereby alert the general public and those it may concern that all appointments, installation of traditional rulers, contracts, commitments and

obligations entered into during the transition period after the elections will be reviewed and may not be binding on the new administration.” Also, former spokesman to exPresident Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati, in his recent piece titled, “What’s wrong with these end-time governors?” took swipe at the outgoing governor. Abati wrote: “It is barely four weeks to Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s end of tenure, but he seems to find it difficult to withdraw as governor of the state. His minion having lost the gubernatorial election, he has since embarked on a desperate mission to tie the hands of the governor-elect, Prince Dapo Abiodun. He is creating booby traps for him. He is laying land mines. If what we know is so bad, how about other acts of mischief not yet in the public domain?” Meanwhile, the outgoing governor at the 2019 Workers’ Day rally in Abeokuta said he had approved N20.2 billion to defray outstanding deductions and April salaries of the state government workers. Amosun said the state workers would receive their April salaries in full, without removing the net rates. Besides, he claimed he had approved the payment of both the April salaries and outstanding deductions with an assurance that the bank accounts of the state workers would be credited before the close of the business on May 2. Findings have since revealed that the payments have remained a grand deception and a mirage, as only the April salaries had been paid, while the defrayment of the much expected 108 months deductions is still hanging in the balance. At every downturn, the governorelect always survives every plot against him. A Court of Appeal sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Monday, struck out the suit, with reference number CA/A/269/2019, challenging the eligibility of the Ogun state governorelect to contest the last general elections. The Court of Appeal, in dismissing the matter, decided that the action arose upon the Form CF01 submitted on October 25, 2018, and published in Ogun State. It pronounced that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to try the matter and the suit was consequently struck out. Also, it found out that the event complained of, occurred in Ogun state, and the mere fact that the affidavit deposed to, in FCT, Abuja, was not sufficient enough to confer jurisdiction on the trial court. In all, the preliminary objections and cross-appeal by the APC and Prince Dapo Abiodun were upheld by the appellate Court. In his swift reactions to the verdict, Agbaakin Yinka Odufuwa, former Special Adviser (SA) on Forestry to the outgoing governor and now, a close ally of the governor-elect, expressed satisfactions. He said: “In everything about Prince Dapo Abiodun, you will clearly see the hand of God. And it has been pretty difficult for any human being to stop His work. This is another victory for democracy and the defeat of those who think they can play God when in actual fact, they are beneficiary of God’s mercy too.”

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 11, 2019

POLITY

Tax Reforms: FIRS’ Quiet But Steady Progress Bukar Kachalla

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major national lesson for the government and citizens of Nigeria over the last five years is that oil revenue, on which the country is almost totally dependent to fund development, cannot be relied upon to take the country to its desired developmental destination. For decades, local and international economic observers had cautioned against near-total dependence on oil revenue. In 2012, for example, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised developing countries that taxation will play a key role in their bids to move their citizens out of poverty. “Developing countries must be able to raise the revenues required to finance the services demanded by their citizens and the infrastructure (physical and social) that will enable them to move out of poverty. Taxation will play the key role in this revenue mobilization,” counselled the IMF. Such warnings were, however, treated with indifference; one-abetted by favourable oil prices on the international market. The result was a culture of complacency, marked by reluctance to seek alternative revenue sources. This, of course, meant that the country was incapable of optimally generating revenue needed for infrastructural and human capital development needs from the vast range of activities in her economic space- a paradox, given the size of its economy. By 2014, Nigeria started feeling the pinch when international oil prices began tumbling, leaving the Federal Government unable to meets its obligations and forcing it to borrow to pay salaries of civil servants. Governments at other levels naturally suffered the same fate, as many were unable to pay salaries let alone embark on capital projects. The tumble would grow into a nosedive, with prices crashing from $105 per barrel to $53 per barrel in 2015. This was the situation the current administration inherited in 2015, with the country slipping into recession the following year. Faced with the oil price crisis, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, knew it had to look elsewhere to find funding for the various programmes it promised Nigerians. The administration decided to focus on internally generated revenue and sought a man to drive the process. The mantle fell on Babatunde Fowler, who was appointed Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2015. Fowler came in on the back of an impressive record of performance at the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), which he made the model of revenue mobilisation in the country. It was hardly the best period to come into office, given parlous state of the economy, squalid voluntary tax compliance rates (partly encouraged by absence of tax conscience among eligible taxpayers as well as failure of tax administration to recognize the importance of communication) and poor revenue collection processes, which made leakages easy.

Fowler But through dogged implementation of a series of reforms, the FIRS, even under a contracting economy and one that took in the recession, has created a dynamic tax administration environment. Notably, these initiatives have resulted in the automation of all tax processes, which is headlined by the FIRS’ e-Services that have made the processes faster, more convenient and more transparent. Alongside the automation has run those developed to grow tax conscience through massive tax education/enlightenment and robust enforcement. This has seen the country’s taxpayer roll rise from 10million in 2015 to a figure approaching 45million in 2019. Efforts to improve tax education has seen the FIRS establish the Federal Engagement and Enlightenment Tax Teams (FEETT) Directorate, which continues to interact with taxpayers to help them file and register and provide answers to any questions they may have in terms of ease of payment of tax. These efforts have yielded year-on-year improvements in collection figures, the highlight of which was the N5.32 trillion collected in 2018. This figure, an increase of N1.292 trillion over the N4.02 trillion collected in 2017, is the highest ever in the history of the FIRS. Total collection for 2016 amounted to N3.3 trillion. The Service’s focus also shifted to non-oil revenue, as evidenced by contributions from that source. In 2015, non-oil tax revenue accounted for 65 per cent; 2017, 62.25 per cent and 2018. In 2016, it was N2.149 trillion; in 2017, N2.5 trillion and in 2018, N2.852 trillion. Oil tax revenue grew from N1.15 trillion in 2016 to N1.52 trillion

in 2017 and N2.52 trillion in 2018, an indication of the effects of the diversification of the Nigerian economy by the Federal Government. This growth has been underpinned by a reduction in the cost of collection. In 2016, collection cost was 2.6 per cent; 2.49 per cent in 2017 and 2.14 in 2018, an indication that it is heading downwards based on the efficiency and technology being deployed to tax collection. The Information Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives that the FIRS has continued to build on are e-payment channels, which make it convenient and easy to pay taxes anytime and anywhere in the world and download tax payment receipts. Similarly, its Value Added Tax (VAT) automation programme and information exchange with third-party databases and other government agencies have boosted VAT collection rates. In 2018, Auto-VAT collection showed a 31 per cent increase over the N25billion collected in 2017 through the new scheme. In 2016, the FIRS collected N828 billion as VAT; N972 billion in 2017 and in 2018, N1.1 trillion. In terms of the automated deductions at source and remittance of VAT and Withholding Tax from state governments, the FIRS collected N13 billion in 2018. Its e-Receipt system ensures that once a payment is received, the taxpayer is notified through his/her e-mail or phone number and can download the receipt and print them out. A taxpayer can also apply online for Tax Clearance Certificate and receive it online immediately. The use of the e-Receipt facility grew from 9,574 to 59,350 taxpayers in 2018. Revenue from Stamp Duty, through the electronic Stamp Duty process, has equally grown, as its payment has become more convenient. In 2016, the FIRS collected N5.6 billion; in 2017, N10.9 billion and in 2018, N15.66 billion. In its efforts to enforce compliance with the tax laws, the FIRS introduced a series of enforcement initiatives, through which it has recovered huge tax debts. One of such entailed the scrutiny of the finances of businesses/ partnerships with banking turnovers in excess of N1 billion. Through this, the FIRS discovered that about 6, 000 of such businesses had no tax identification, filed no tax returns and paid no taxes. Such businesses, in 2018, paid a total of N21.75 billion in tax liabilities and are paying the balance in instalments. The initiative also saw the FIRS take a look at companies with a banking turnover between N100 million and N999 million. The Service reviewed the financial affairs of this group, through commercial banks, and identified 40,611 that were registered for tax, but made no tax payment, and 44,504 that were not registered and therefore, were no making payments. So far, 45,361 have registered and have started making payments. Through yet another initiative, the FIRS identified corporate organizations that own companies or properties, but were not found within the tax net in 2017. Through this, it generated N1.33 billion in 2017 and N2.88 billion in 2018 in just Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory. This is an exercise is expected to cover the whole of the whole of the country to ensure more are brought into the tax net. Kachalla, a stockbroker, writes from Kano

PHOTO NEWS

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

11.05.2019

Where Next for Victor Osimhen?

NEWS

WILL THERE BE A TWIST TO THE TITLE? PAGE

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Where Next for Victor Osimhen? He has no doubt had a good season with Charleroi culminating into his being linked with several clubs, including AC Milan and city rivals-Inter Milan. With Southampton now joining the fray, the big question is-where will Victor Osimhen ply his trade next seasons?

V

Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ simhen was heavily linked to join AC Milan in the last winter transfer window but it was not to be, while city rival-Inter Milan was touting him to replace their wantaway striker and captain, Mauro Icadi at the end of the season. However, English Premier League side Southampton are said to have joined the race to sign the VfL Wolfsburg striker, Victor Osimhen this summer. Osimhen has spent the season on loan in Belgium playing for Charleroi, where he has flourished, finding the back of the net on 16 occasions in all competitions this

season. Reports however have it that the 20-year-old had already verbally agreed to complete a summer switch to AC Milan before heading to LOSC Lille on loan for the 2019/20 campaign. The decision to loan him to Lille is for him to get sufficient game time to aid his growth and the deal is expected to be rubber stamped in the summer, when his loan deal with Charleroi expires in the summer. Charleroi are due for some compensation from Wolfsburg to wipe out the option they have on signing him permanently after his loan spell

expires. Southampton are said to be bent on luring him to St Mary’s Stadium this summer and are confident of the player successfully obtaining a work permit. Osimhen is still held in high esteem by Wolfsburg and is likely to be a man in demand this summer and the Bundesliga club would likely ask for a fee worth £20 million for the Nigerian attacker. Southampton are really pressing to have a new striker in their fold next season considering the injury problems their attackers were confronted with last season.

Not one of Southampton’s current forward options have gone without niggling injury problems this season. Danny Ings and Michael Obafemi’s respective hamstring woes are well documented, Shane Long often sustains knocks, and Charlie Austin is not a reliable option. Southampton have identified the young forward as a player for their team for next season and are confident of him securing a work permit using the other means bar the number of appearances for the senior national team of Nigeria. In 2016, Osimhen turned down a move to Arsenal after Arsene

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MAY 11, 2019 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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Osimhen in action

Wenger had revealed he was close to bringing him to the Emirates, but his family and representatives chose the German club ahead of the Gunners. “It’s true that a big team like Arsenal wanted me and I feel honoured to be invited over. But personally I feel Wolfsburg is a ladder for me to reach my professional goals,” Osimhen had told BBC Sport. “Yes Arsenal is a good team for young players but Wolfsburg is the best club for me. This is the best place for me to learn and develop because my heart is here with Wolfsburg. The club’s plan for my career is very encouraging and I believe with God

on my side I can grow to become one of the best players in the world,” he had revealed. His impressive form at Charleroi earned him a recall to the Super Eagles squad for the 2019 Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa and he also started in 0-0 friendly draw against Uganda in Asaba. “My confidence level was very low at some point and what going out on loan to Charleroi has done for me is unexplainable,” Osimhen he said. “It was tough in Germany because of the high expectations – some people started doubting me and also pushed me to start doubting myself

as well. “The football in Belgium has helped, I also have a wonderful group of players around me and the coaching crew has been great with me. “As a young player, you hear people comparing you to other stars that emerged from the under-17 World Cup and never fulfilled their potential. “But now at Charleroi I have comfortably found my happiness again, and I thank everyone in Belgium and at Wolfsburg for the opportunity and support.” Osimhen was the top scorer as Nigeria clinched a fifth Under-17 World Cup title in 2015 with 10 goals in Chile, which saw him win the Golden Boot and Silver Ball. After the tournament he decided against joining English side Arsenal, to sign with the 2009 German champions Wolfsburg in January 2016, but injuries restricted him to 16 appearances for the club in all competitions. Despite being a part of the squad for two years, his lack of games meant he missed out of the 2018 World Cup with Nigeria. “I am still young and I think it wasn’t meant to be, but I can still look forward to the future,” he added. “I thank Coach Gernot Rohr for the opportunity to return to the squad and I hope to keep working hard to stay in his plans.” On the back of his impressive performance at 2015 U-17 World Cup with the Nigerian emerging the top scorer to claim both the Golden Boot and Silver Ball, the attacker joined the former German Bundesliga champions. However, the 19-year-old failed to settle into the Wolves’ senior setup amid injury struggles and was shipped on loan to Charleroi this summer. Since moving to Belgium, the youngster has rediscovered his form, scoring seven goals in 12 outings across all competitions. The rise to prominence of Osimhen looked set to address a long-standing problem of Nigerian football: the lack of a dead-eye centre-forward. Not since the passing of Rashidi Yekini, the famed Super Eagles goleador has there been anything close to a sure thing, a player with

the ability to ruthlessly home in on goal. A move to Germany always seemed a problematic fit, as Wolfsburg, whom he joined, are lacking in stability, and have been for quite a while. The constant upheaval, both managerially and administratively, would provide no kind of proper environment for fostering a promising young player. It seems now as though the intervening period has been rather wasted, as has some of his lustre. The German side was eager to farm him out in the summer, and he suffered the indignity of a number of trials in Belgium and the Netherlands, before finally earning a loan move to Charleroi. Not the most auspicious of clubs then or even manner of arrival, given his promise and the fact that he was still only 19. That is not to say that Osimhen is that ood; merely that he may be ready now to lead and if flights of fancy are acceptable, then how far off an invitation to the senior national team is he? Rohr extended invitations to him in his early days as Super Eagles boss, all the while the 19-year-old was barely getting minutes at Wolfsburg. There really is something there and while there are still a few rough edges, the diamond is just starting to peak out. What however is not clear is which club Osimhen will star for next season.

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

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Premier League Decider

Brighton Stand Between City’s Back-to-Back Title Not since 2013/14 season when Manchester City beat Liverpool to the Premier League on the last day has the title gone to the wire and history is repeating itself this season again. Having absorbed everything Liverpool could throw at them in a titanic title battle in which leadership exchanged hands 32 times, The Citizens will retain their crown with victory at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday

Man City celebrating Premier League victory last season

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t is possible they could get by with a draw, or even an unlikely defeat, as they will start their final game one point ahead but Pep Guardiola’s side know better than to expect gifts from Merseyside. In all likelihood City will rack up a 14th successive Premier League win and Liverpool will beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to make it nine in a row and City will take the honours with 98 points to Liverpool’s 97. To put that into perspective those totals would be the second and third highest in the history of the Premier League behind only City’s record-breaking 100-point haul last season when Guardiola delivered his first title. If there was ever a case to share the trophy it is this season, such has been the excellence of both clubs. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool finished 25

points behind City last year, but rose to the challenge and have bridged that gap playing football that at times has surpassed even the dazzling standards of Guardiola’s side. Liverpool have lost just once to City’s four defeats and were briefly seven points in front in January, but in the run-in they have found that as well as the style that is Guardiola’s blueprint, his team also have core of steel. That manifested itself perfectly on Monday when, with Leicester City holding out at the Etihad Stadium, captain Vincent Kompany thumped home a 30-metre screamer to send his side into the final day with their fate in their hands. It was their third 1-0 victory in four games and, say what you like about Liverpool’s armour-plated defence, City

have conceded only three times in their last 13 games as they relentlessly went about becoming the first club to retain the Premier League title since Manchester United 10 years ago. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admitted his side need a “miracle� to win the title now, but in a week in which they performed one to beat Barcelona 4-0, overhauling a three-goal deficit to reach the Champions League final, it would be folly to dismiss the notion of him raising the trophy aloft to end Liverpool’s 29year wait since they last reigned supreme. “City are a great team, but so are we. We’ve competed right to the very end. Whoever gets it will deserve it. From our point of view, we couldn’t have done any more,� Henderson said. It is only the eighth time in the Premier League era that the title has been decided

on the final day. Meanwhile, defender Lewis Dunk has said Brighton will not be looking to hand City the Premier League title on Sunday as the hosts are not planning on making City’s job easy, despite securing Premier League safety already last weekend. Cardiff’s defeat against Crystal Palace meant Brighton couldn’t be caught, and Chris Hughton’s team then pulled off a respectable draw at Arsenal on Sunday. And Dunk admitted that the Seagulls are solely focused on finishing a testing season on a high - even if there will be added interest in the game. “It’s about us doing our own jobs, as a professional footballer you just want to go out and win the games you play,� Dunk said. “It will be nice to go out and have the pressure off slightly this week, we finally

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GLOBAL SOCCER Premiership Table

Team Man City Liverpool Chelsea Tottenham Arsenal Man Utd Wolves Everton Leicester Watford West Ham Crystal Palace Bournemouth Newcastle Burnley Southampton Brighton Cardi Fulham HuddersďŹ eld

P 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37

GD 69 65 24 28 20 13 3 8 3 -4 -6 -4 -12 -10 -21 -20 -22 -37 -43 -54

Pts 95 94 71 70 67 66 57 53 51 50 49 46 45 42 40 38 36 31 26 15

Premiership SUNDAY

Brighton v Burnley v Palace v Fulham v Leicester v Liverpool v Man Utd v Southampton v Tottenham v Watford v

Man City 15:00 Arsenal 15:00 Bournemouth 15:00 Newcastle 15:00 Chelsea 15:00 Wolves 15:00 Cardiff 15:00 Huddersfield 15:00 Everton 15:00 West Ham 15:00

LA LIGA SUNDAY

Bilbao AtlĂŠtico Barcelona Girona LeganĂŠs Vallecano Betis Sociedad Valencia Villarreal

v v v v v v v v v v

Celta Vigo Sevilla Getafe Levante Espanyol Valladolid Huesca Madrid AlavĂŠs Eibar

17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30

v v v

Genoa Lazio AC Milan

14:00 17:00 19:30

v v v v v

Sassuolo Udinese Empoli Napoli Juventus

11:30 14:00 14:00 14:00 19:30

v v

Parma Chievo

18:00 20:00

CLUB

GOALS

SERIE A

Today Atalanta Cagliar Fiorentina SUNDAY

Torino Frosinone Sampdoria SPAL Roma MONDAY

Bologna Inter Milan

Hot Shot NAME

have no pressure – I think that might have held us back in recent weeks, but it’s done now, and we’ve earned our place for another year. We’ve got one game left now and it’s a big one – we showed on Sunday that although we were safe we went out and performed and put our bodies on the line. “The whole world will be watching and it’s a big chance to show everyone what we’re about – it will be a historic game to be involved in and that’s excellent, in the last home game of the season we want to send the supporters home happy with something to cheer about,� Dunk concluded. Interestingly, if Liverpool upset the odds and pip Manchester City to the title on Sunday, the silver trophy they lift for the first time will not be the original but a replica, The Times reported on Thursday. Liverpool trail Manchester City by a

point ahead of the final day of the season, when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers while the league leaders travel to Brighton and Hove Albion knowing a win will make them champions. Since matches on the final day of the season are played simultaneously, the Premier League will have a replica trophy on standby at Anfield in case Jurgen Klopp’s side win the title. The replica is used by the Premier League and often on display in television studios and on promotional tours. The original, which has been at City’s Etihad Stadium since they won it last year, will be shipped to Brighton for Sunday’s game. League winner’s medals will also be made available at both stadiums and any player who has made at least five appearances this season will receive one. That is currently 21 players at City, 19 at

Liverpool. Liverpool have been English league champions 18 times but their last title came in 1990 before the Premier League was formed. However, Huddersfield Town, Fulham and Cardiff City have already been relegated while Chelsea are certain of a top-four finish and Tottenham Hotspur can only be denied by an improbable scenario in which they lose to Everton at home and Arsenal win at Burnley and also bridge an eight-goal inferior goal difference. Even the “best of the rest� issue is decided with Wolves guaranteed seventh spot in their first season back in the top flight. So there will be no distractions as Europe’s most absorbing title race in years plays out its final acts simultaneously on the south coast and Merseyside.

Mohamed Salah Liverpool 22 Sergio AgĂźero Man City 20 Pierre Aubameyang Arsenal 20 Sadio ManĂŠ Liverpool 20 Jamie Vardy Leicester 18 Raheem Sterling Man City 17 Harry Kane Tottenham 17 Eden Hazard Chelsea 16 Callum Wilson Bournemouth 14 Paul Pogba Alexandre Lacazette RaĂşl JimĂŠnez GylďŹ Sigurdsson Richarlison Son Heung-Min Firmino Luka Milivojevic Glenn Murray Romelu Lukaku

Man Utd 13 Arsenal 13 Wolves 13 Everton 13 Everton 13 Tottenham 12 Liverpool 12 Crystal Palace 12 Brighton 12 Man Utd 12

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Anthony Joshua

Super Falcons ready for Niger confrontation

Joshua Turns Attention to Wilder after Ruiz Jr Bout Anthony Joshua against Deontay Wilder is the “only fight� to make next for both world heavyweight champions at the end of the year, says promoter Eddie Hearn. Britain’s unified champion makes his US debut against Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on June 1, just a fortnight after WBC champion Wilder battles Dominic Breazeale in the same city on May 18 Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn still wants to agree terms for a blockbuster bout between Joshua and Wilder,

with all the world titles at stake, although he questioned whether the fight is such a pressing priority for the American. Asked where Wilder could fit into Joshua’s plans, Hearn told Sky Sports: “Hopefully in November-December. “Josh is fighting June 1 and then he’ll go in NovemberDecember, and that’s when we want the Wilder fight. “It’s the only fight to make next for both guys, but everything we’re hearing out of their camp is not really giving us much encouragement that

this is the fight that is going to happen.� With Joshua’s next career move to be decided, Hearn insists a number of other opponents could force themselves into his plans. Oleksandr Usyk remains in contention for a WBO mandatory title fight, despite his heavyweight debut being delayed by injury, while British rivals Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury could also be considered. “It’s frustrating because Joshua wants all the big fights, but what can you do? You can

just keep winning,� Hearn added. “We saw Usyk got injured yesterday and he’s out of May 25th, but he will be the mandatory and that’s a fight that could happen in December. “Maybe the Dillian Whyte fight happens in December. He’s got to beat Oscar Rivas first. “Maybe Josh fights Tyson Fury, maybe he takes the IBF mandatory in Pulev. Anything can happen. Really the most important thing for those four heavyweights is to just to win their next fights, because in this division anything can happen.�

Revolutionplus to Bankroll First International Road Race in Abeokuta History will be made in the capital city of Ogun State, Abeokuta on November 3, 2019, as the city hosts her first international road race in the history of the great rock city. Revolution Plus Property Development Company, a renowned real estate giant in Africa is the headline sponsor and Abeokuta as the host City. MD Revolution Plus Prop-

erty Development Company, Mr. Bamidele Onalaja expressed his enthusiasm and that of his team in bringing a mind-blowing experience to the people of Ogun State. According to the event’s Media Officer, Gbenga Davies, the Revolutionplus Abeokuta 10k Race will begin at Onikolobo Iyana Oloke junction through the scenic Omida Market, leading up

to Ake Junction through to the Iconic Itoko around Saje, with the historic Alake’s Palace as the finish point. Davies, noted in a press statement yesterday, that the route of the Abeokuta 10k Race had been measured by the International Athletics Association Federation (IAAF) certified measurer, Norrie Williamson, and the race

has been awarded its route certification. Davies said further in the press statement, that the Nilayo Sports Management boss also confirmed that in his discussion with the Ogun State Governor- Elect, Dapo Abiodun, a few days ago, he got a huge boost with Abiodun promising full commitment towards increasing the tourism potentials of the state.

AHEAD OF 2019 AFCON

NFF Debunks Super Eagles, Atlas Lions Friendly The Nigeria Football Federation has denied that the Super Eagles will play a friendly game with the Atlas Lions of Morocco in France as part of preparations for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. “We finalised our programme leading up to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations long before now and have publicised same, and a match with the Atlas Lions of Morocco is not on the cards,� NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, said on Friday. “For the avoidance of doubt, the Super Eagles will set up a camp in Asaba, Delta State as from Saturday, 2nd June, play a friendly with the Warriors of Zimbabwe on 8th June and fly to Egypt

the following day. “They will set up a final training camp in Ismailia and then play a friendly against Africa’s number one –ranked team, Senegal in Ismailia on 16th June. On 17th June,

they will depart Ismailia for Alexandria - venue of their AFCON Group B matches.� Three-time champions Nigeria will trade tackles with Burundi on 22nd June, confront Guinea on 26th June

and tackle Madagascar on 30th June, all in Alexandria. The 32nd Africa Cup of Nations will hold in four Egyptian cities (Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Ismailia) 21st June-19th July.

Ooni Lauds Kanu Heart Foundation

His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has hailed former Nigeria international Kanu Nwankwo for his Heart Foundation, saying he had touched the heart of God. While receiving the twotime Africa Footballer of the Year Award winner in his palace in Ile Ife in Osun State at the weekend, the Royal father observed that Kanu through his Foundation had extended love to a lot of

poor people who otherwise would have died with their heart ailments. Explaining that God is love and anyone who was able to show genuine love to humanity has touched God’s heart. In accepting his appointment as the Patron of the Kanu Heart Foundation, Oba Ogunwusi said that he had followed with keen interest the lifestyle of the former Arsenal play maker during his playing days and

after retirement and what baffled him most was his ability to give back to the less privileged through his foundation, adding “that is the purpose of God bestowing wealth to people in order to help the poor� The Oba further relived some of the magical goals of the Super Eagle goalador that the Kanu Heart Foundation had become a global brand that needed to be encouraged to do more.

120 Golfers for Eterno Hotels Golf Classic UBTH golf club will host one of the biggest golf tournaments in the South-south region today as the main event of the Eterno Hotels Golf Classic Championship tees-off at the club golf course, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State. The Eterno Hotels golf classic championship is anticipated to feature over 120 top amateur golfers from more than 10 golf clubs across the country that will rekindle hostilities at the championship. The three-day golf classic which teed-off on Thursday with caddies category, as well as the professional golfers yesterday, is being powered by Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, the vice-captain of the club in collaboration with the club. Iduoriyekemwen noted that Eterno Hotels golf classic championship is a unique golf event being organised by the club and also, as part of the hotels’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the development of golf and the society at large. He said: “Deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, an ardent golfer will do the ceremonial tee-off, while Governor Godwin Obaseki will play by 7a.m. alongside other golfers. “Also, top golfers from South-south zone and other parts of the country are featuring at the event. All necessary arrangements to ensure hitch-free golfing activities have been perfected by the organising committee. “Prizes and trophies will be presented to golfers that distinguished themselves in various categories such as men’s and ladies event, veteran, super veteran category, caddies and professionals. So it has been an exciting and keenly competitive all through these days. “We have golfers from Ibori Golf and Country Club, (IGCC) Asaba; Benin golf club section (BCGS), IBB Golf and Country Club, FCT; Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos; Shell Golf Club, Ogunnu, Warri; Port-Harcourt Golf Club, and many others playing with our members here at the championship.�

WAFU Cup: Super Falcons Promise to Sweep aside Niger Challenge African champions Nigeria intend to take all their opportunities when they clash with the senior women team of Niger Republic in Abidjan today in order to seal a place in WAFU Women’s Cup Tournament. The Nigeriens are the standout whipping team of Group B after a 10-0 bashing in the hands of Mali on Thursday evening, just after the Falcons thrashed Burkina Faso’s girls 5-1 at the same Parc des Sports in Treichville. Former junior international Uchenna Kanu bagged a hat-trick and was named Woman-of-the-Match. The Burkinabes prosecuted most of the encounter with 10 players after Salimata Simpore was sent off in the 16th minute for the foul that led to the first penalty kick. Today’s clash should be even easier for the nine-time African champions, but they are determined not to take anything for granted as football has continued to prove to be unpredictable. “We want not just to win, but to win well so that we quickly seal a place in the quarter-finals,� said Captain Evelyn Nwabuoku. A high-score win today will earn the Falcons an early ticket into the semifinals, take confidence to the maximum level and set them in good mood for the concluding stages of the sub-regional championship. Against the Burkinabes, Uchenna Kanu opened scoring as early as the eighth minute, before Captain Nwabuoku and Amarachi Okoronkwo converted penalty kicks. Kanu scored two more goals in the second period before Charlotte Milogo pulled one back for Burkina Faso. After today’s clash with the Nigeriens, the FIFA World Cupbound Falcons will tackle high-scoring Mali on Tuesday evening. According to the team’s programme, the Falcons will fly out of Nigeria to Austria on 21st May, where they will spend two weeks at the world-renown Avita Resort in Bad Tatzmannsdorf perfecting strategies for the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. They will arrive in France on June 4.

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Okezie

Bob Okezie

Another ‘Foreign’ Addition to Golden Eaglets? FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin wonderkid Bob Okezie has committed his international future to Nigeria ahead of his country of birth, Germany, and has made himself available for selection to the Golden Eaglets ahead of the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup. Kunle Adewale asks if depending on players of Nigerian descents for U17 competitions is not retrogressive to the country’s football inspite of the numerous football academies that surround us and indeed the yearly Principals Cup

E

ach time the Nigeria Football Federation eggheads successfully lobby a player of Nigeria descent to play for his fatherland, something the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick described as VIP Scouting, the federation sees as a master stroke since the home league cannot even be compared to the Principals Cup of the ’70’s and ‘80’s and therefore cannot produce quality players for the senior national team. What is however more disturbing is the new trend of having players of Nigerian decent to player for the Golden Eaglets, a team that has four U17 World Cups under its belt with only Brazil coming closest with three wins?

The NFF boss convinced Chelsea prodigy Adrian Akande to commit his international future to Nigeria over England and was named in the recently concluded Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Tanzania alongside two other ‘foreigners’-Joseph Olawabuola –Bournemouth of England and Lateef Omidiji jr-Go Ahead Eagles of Spain. Now another ‘foreigner’-Okezie is in the book ahead of the FIFA U17 Competition slated for Brazil. Born in Potsdam, Okezie started his football career at the age of six at Fortuna Babelsberg, where he spent six years before transferring to SV Babelsberg 03, then joined his current club in 2018. According to the attacker’s dad Chief Nweke, Bob has visited Nigeria so often where he learnt the words

“quacking�, “shoot heavily� and “control your ball�, etc. In 2015, his club SV Babelsberg 03 won the Brandenburg State Junior League (state junior championship) and the Nigerian whizkid won the golden boot. He is currently the top striker at FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin U17 team and the fourth highest goalscorer in the Nordost regional league in Germany. Asked if the 17-year-old Vikotoria Berlin star will like to play for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, the father, Chief Nweke, replied: “Of course, if Nigeria needs him, Bobby will play. I will like him to join Manu Garba Boys.� Bob is currently the top striker in his third club Vikotoria Berlin 1889 U17 and the fourth highest goal scorer in Nord ost (North East) U17 regional league in Germany. He joined the club in the middle of last season from SV Babelsberg 03 before the end of transfer window. He wears the No 9 shirt for his club and has scored more than 14 goals in his career. It is on record that Nigeria won the maiden edition of the U17 Tournament with mainly players from the school system and were finalist two years later with the same school system. The concern of many observers is with countless academies that surround us and the revival of the Principals Cup by GTBank the football authority can still not get 23 home-grown players that will represent us in an U17 competition without depending on foreign players. In a chat with THISDAY, former Nigerian international and captain of defunct Abiola Babes of Abeokuta, Tajudeen Disu expressed sadness that the federation now look outside the shores of the country for players for an U17 competition, while attributing it to lazy administrators running Nigeria’s football and warned that until the country returns to the basics things would continue to get worse. “The situation is like this because most of our football administrators are lazy and will therefore always look out for the short cut. When we qualified Nigeria for the U21 World Cup for the first time in 1983 virtually all of us were secondary school student or just leaving school,� Disu noted. The former Abiola Babes Captain blamed the politicising of the country’s football as being responsible for the situation we are in. “Until we stand putting the right people in the right position the situation will remain the same. The idea of winning at all cost must also be discountenance; the primary objective is to expose the boys at that age and not compulsorily winning. By bringing in foreign players from abroad to play U17 competitions you are indirectly killing the youth system in the country,� he expressed. Disu also berated the federation for not wanting to have former players who are educated as administrators and coaches as they would prefer people they can toss around. “Most of those running our football federation are also agents and they have boys to sell, that is why they would prefer coaches they can toss around to achieve their aim,� he noted. Nigeria placed fourth in the recently concluded U17 AFCON in spite of parading three foreign-based players.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER t .": , 2019

FAIRGROUND

UBA Celebrates @70

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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n Saturday, 27th April, 2019, the prestigious Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos was agog as Pan African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc celebrated 70 years of operations. The bank with operations in 20 African countries and in the United Kingdom, USA and Paris, threw a lavish party where it treated customers, shareholders, friends and well-wishers to a night of fun and relaxation. Clients, royal fathers, captains of industries, political leaders, clients, friends of the bank and well-wishers from all works of life joined the UBA Group led by the Chairman Mr Tony O. Elumelu, to commemorate 70 years of legacy with the organisation which has over the decades, emerged as one of Africa's topmost financial giants. The bank combined the platinum anniversary with its annual CEO awards ceremony as members of staff from all its 23 countries of operations who had excelled over the past year were rewarded in the midst of thousands of guests. Some of the guests present were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye, Enitan Ogunwusi; the Emir of Kano represented by the Sarkin Shanun of Kano, Alhaji Shehu Mohammed; Former and Present Governors of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke and Prof Ben Ayade; Governors-elect of Lagos, Ogun and Kwara States, Babajide Sanwo-olu, Dapo Abiodun and AbdulRahman AbdulRazak. Pastor Tunde Bakare; Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Otunba Gbenga Daniels; Chief Segun Osoba; Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Dr Jim Ovia; Oba Otudeko; Nnamdi Okonkwo; Rasheed Olaoluwa, amongst many others also graced the occasion. Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babaginda who could not attend the event sent in letters of congratulations to commend the bank on its landmark achievements. Tony Elumelu who acknowledged all past chairmen, board members and management as well as senior staff both past and present said, “These are cherished moments for us, and we’d like to thank all of you who have made it possible for us to be where we are today. “Thank you to everyone, our customers, stakeholders and those who have passed through UBA and worked hard to lay a solid foundation for creating a foremost institution. It is an evening worth celebrating for us all. 70 years is a huge number, a milestone achievement” he said. The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, spoke about the banks’ achievements over the past 70 years and some of its objectives for the coming years, commending staff for their hard work and resilience that have contributed to UBA retaining its position as Africa’s top bank of choice. “Every year, it is our tradition to appreciate our people who have put in their very best and gone far and beyond the call of duty to deliver excellent services to our customers and this year is even more exciting as we celebrate 70 years of our existence,” the GMD explained. Great performances by A-list artists such as ‘science students’ crooner, Olamide, Phyno, Patoranking, Dbanj and female sensation, Tiwa Savage entertained the audience of over 2500 guests. The surprise act which ended the night on a high, was the performance by award winning Nigerian artist, Wizkid who delivered nothing but the best in entertainment.

Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka

Group Chairman, UBA Plc, Tony Elumelu and wife Awele

L-R: CEO, UBA Africa, Mr. Victor Osadolor; GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr Kennedy Uzoka; Ogun State Governor-elect, Mr. Dapo Abiodun; Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu; Chairman, UBA Plc, Mr Tony Elumelu; Kwara State Governor Elect, Alhaji AbdulRahman Abdulrasaq; Wife of UBA Chairman, Dr Awele Elumelu; Director, UBA Plc, Mrs Onari Duke; Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade; and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Representative of Emir of Kano and Sarikin Shanub Kano, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

Wizkid

CEO of UBA Africa, Victor Osadolor and wife, Aderonke.

Tiwa Savage

Olamide

Pastor Tunde Bakare

D-banj

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER t .": , 2019

FAIRGROUND

Meristem Promotes Healthy Living With Inaugural Organic Festival

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eristem, a leading bespoke investment firm and capital market conglomerate is to unveil the maiden edition of its organic and healthy living festival titled ‘Green Fest’. The event, slated to hold on June 1st at Muri Okunola Park, was created to encourage the practice of organic nutrition, fitness activities, and overall health consciousness in order to foster personal growth and increased productivity. The running theme of Meristem Green Fest is ‘Unjunk’ which actively promotes the gradual disposal of artificial and unhealthy living habits and motivates people to adopt healthier lifestyle alternatives to enjoy a longer and happier life. The goal of this festival is to inspire people to take the necessary steps as individuals and as a community towards a healthy and wellness centric lifestyle. The festival will effectively showcase the benefits and practicality of this lifestyle change through a wide array of holistic experiences for families, business owners, young professionals and senior citizens. Borne out of the company’s commitment to empower people through financial growth, Meristem Green Fest, as a platform, is positioned to inspire people to be more accountable for their lives by embracing healthier lifestyle choices as the first step in the journey to true wealth. The investment firm, with this festival, advocates for the adoption of healthy decision-making spanning across different facets of people’s lives which includes nutrition, daily activities and behaviour as well as financial choices. Speaking on the inspiration behind the event, Group Managing Director of Meristem, Oluwole Abegunde, said “At Meristem, we are constantly seeking distinct ways to create value for our clients, and Green Fest is a strong anchor. The Meristem Green Fest was born on the singular truth that health is wealth and if we are committed to growing wealth for people, we must be committed to sustaining health

that will allow them to enjoy their wealth”. In addition to this, Head, Brand Management of Meristem, Solape Akinpelu, added that “Meristem GreenFest is a convergence point for businesses in the healthy-living space and the increasing participants who consume their offerings through different means; consumables, natural skin and hair care, physical and mental fitness coaching and more. All of this will take place in a festive ambience accompanied with live music and funfare. For us as a brand, the Meristem Green Fest, is also an organisational effort to re-affirm that health is wealth, and the ability to grow and enjoy wealth in real-time is dependent on a healthy body and sound mind” The Meristem Green Fest promises to be the ultimate haven for health, fitness, and wellness enthusiasts to unwind with exciting and engaging physical activities which includes aerobics, fitness and exercise, yoga, outdoor games, and much more. The festival will also feature a diverse range of organic food and

drinks vendors, unique exhibitions, masterclasses from experts in the health and fitness field, and captivating musical performances. In addition to increasing public awareness of the benefits of an organic lifestyle, Meristem; with its wealth of experience in the financial service sector, will also promote accountability, financial literacy and financial growth as an extension of the activities of the day. This masterclass will serve as a medium to strengthen and equip small and medium scale enterprises in the organic nutrition sector with the skills to make informed financial decisions for their businesses to thrive in a dynamic economy. The Meristem Green Fest will be the largest and foremost convergence of health, fitness, and wellness experts, practitioners, and enthusiasts of all ages in Nigeria. The family-friendly event is geared towards nurturing a community of individuals that are willing to build and invest in a healthy lifestyle and culture.

Oluwole Abegunde,

Former ColleaguesCelebrates Deputy Governor Elect, Dr Femi Hamzart It was a beautiful evening of ovations, celebrations, goodwill and reminisces at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos for Lagos Deputy-Governor Elect, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and his ex-colleagues from Federal Ministry of Works who hosted him, his family and friends to a beautiful dinner. His excellency had in his company his wife, Oluremi and their daughter, Eniola. When it was time for the remarks and goodwill talks each of his ex-colleague one after another, took the stage to pay him glowing tributes. His ex-colleagues also delivered their goodwill messages charging him to continue his legacy of hard work, diligence, and courteousness in his new assignment. Tosan hosted the event which was enlivened with rib-cracking jokes by celebrated comedian, Bash D Cash who ensured that there was no

dull moment and an atmosphere of humour. Dr Femi came up finally to speak and expressing so much of his experience from the ministry and his plans to work with the Governor for the better state of Lagos. He also used the occasion to pay tributes to APC National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who forced him to leave his work at Morgan Chase in the United States many years ago to serve his fatherland. In the event were personalities such as Prince Segun Oniru,ex-Lagos Commissioner of Waterfront and Infrastructure Development, Yemi Oguntominiyi, Director, Construction and Rehabilitation, Federal Highways, Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO, Temple Management Company, Adedamola Kuti, Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Hakeem Bello, Special Adviser, Communications to Minister of Power, Works and Housing , Honourables from the Lagos State House of Assembly among others.

Nigerian Fashion Brand Shines at Coachella Festival

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igerian Fashion has taken it up a notch at the global scene with is outstanding representation at Coachella stage. Luxury Fashion Brand by Feyi stole the show with her Coco by Lbf number, donned by American rock star artist @ lauraleezy from @ khraungbin rock band for her #coachella performance. Coco by @luxurybyfeyi was one of the piece presented at Aston Martin London last year during SS19 London Fashion Week.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER t.": , 2019

AUTO

L-R: Managing Director, BKG Exhibitions Ltd, Ifeanyi Agwu; General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde; Managing Director 11 Plc., Adetunji Oyebanji; Deputy Director, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Susan Bisong Taiwo; Vice Chairman, ASPMDA, Leo Okoye; Assistant General Manager, Ford Sales, Coscharis Motors Plc., Justin Ngini; Sales Manager, Ford, Coscharis Motors Plc, Amaka Nebuwa, during the official unveiling of the new Ford Everest into the Nigerian market at the Lagos Motor Fair… recently

Coscharis Launches All New Ford Everest, as Lagos Motor Show Ends Today Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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he all new Ford Everest XLT Range and Everest Limited has launched into the Nigerian market, boosting the vehicles’ positioning in the country. The launch, by Coscharis Motors, the sole representative of Ford Motor Company in Nigeria, took place on Wednesday at the Lagos International Motor Show, which winds up today. The new Ford Everest is the most sophisticated Everest seven-seater sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the market. It is more appealing than ever with a range of styling, suspension and feature upgrades, said the General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Coscharis Motors, Abiona Babarinde. He said the new Everest would “provide Ford an important position in the SUV segment, it is a segment which continues to grow in Africa, as well as around the world. Consumers are opting for versatile, family-oriented vehicles that suit their active lifestyles. According to him, “We are excited the new Everest will be joining our local line-up. With

the New Everest, we have raised the game even further by introducing subtle yet effective styling updates with the eye-catching exterior, providing a more refined and luxurious cabin environment, adding several new trend-setting technologies to the already feature-packed range, and building on the outgoing model’s superb comfort and ride refinement with a revised suspension set-up. “More so, the Everest comes in diesel engines, which is what some of our oil services customers have been yearning for, as it is more ideal for access into highly inflammable locations than its petrol counterpart.” The New Everest communicates rugged off-road capability with a sense of refined artistry that takes Ford’s seven-seater SUV to a new level within the segment. The refreshed grille introduces a new level of depth to the design through the layering of three distinctive grille bars that exude exclusivity and luxury whilst presenting a sense of strength and robustness. The lower bumper has been redesigned to accentuate width, incorporating a connected horizontal beam that has been added to the fascia insert, which gives the Everest even greater onroad presence. Aclassy new 20-inch wheel has been introduced

on the range-topping Everest Limited, featuring a modern split spoke design that gives the vehicle a more upmarket and dynamic appearance. Ford has also upped the ante in terms of overall quality and refinement, employing a more purposeful execution of colours and materials. Stronger contrasting elements are employed with the addition of the secondary grille texture against the chrome bright work. The accents move from a single-layer satin metallic to a two-layer glossy metallic paint, giving a more liquid-like feel for customers expecting outstanding quality. The wheel accent paints are now darker to further accentuate the machine-cut surface of the alloys, adding more drama and a more premium look to the overall appearance. A new exterior body colour has been added to the line-up: Diffused Silver is designed as a modern take on the typical luxury beige. It communicates toughness with its added depth and also sophistication with its smooth champagne highlights. The New Everest provides premium levels of quality, outstanding interior space and maximum versatility – now with a selection of new, richer materials and design details that emphasise luxury and style throughout.

JAC Models Feature Prominently at Lagos Motor Fair

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ast growing auto brand, JAC has continued to make waves in the Nigerian market with its appearance at the on-going Lagos Motor Fair, showing its strength as the only newly introduced brand with a full model range cutting across passenger cars, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV), pickup and light duty trucks. Delighted by the achievements of the brand in Nigeria in just about four years, Managing Director of Elizade Autoland, (distributor of JAC vehicles in Nigeria) Mr. Demola Ade-Ojo told pressmen at the Federal Palace hotel, Victoria island, Lagos (venue of the fair) that the pedigree of the Elizade brand coupled with the sound quality of the JAC brand, facilitated the fast penetration of the auto brand into the Nigerian market. Hence, the company recently initiated and sponsored the Mechanic festival, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Elizade Autoland and JAC to relate with and train mechanics as well as provide some basic tools to them. According to the MD, “when you have a very good product with good design and pocket friendly price, the customers will appreciate. We want to get more Nigerians to trust the JAC brand. They already trust Elizade, and they are beginning to trust the JAC brand.” He said all the models of the JAC brand that stood the test of time as more and more corporate bodies, government agencies and individuals are buying the vehicles across the country. The T6 pickup is truly value for money, he said,

Managing Director of Elizade Autoland, Mr. Ademola Ade-Ojo, beside the award winning JAC T6 pickup at the ongoing Lagos Motor Fair at the Federal Palace hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos

as the vehicle which recently passed an all-terrain test at an impressive event in Lagos last year, comes with a lot of packages like turbo-charged technology, digital display, reversed view etc. All these and more, he said, “makes the JAC T6 pickup a workhorse and a leisure vehicle.”

On the light trucks, Demola Ade-Ojo explained that “the quality is better compared to other brands. The JAC light trucks comes with Cummins engines, and high spring and reinforced suspension to enable them carry more load.”

Auto Sector Investors Want Better Response from Government Investors in Nigeria’s auto sector are gravely concerned that the federal government has not paid enough attention to the market, considering its unique position to grow the nation’s GDP and employment creation. This was a vital consensus reached by stakeholders at the Lagos Motor Show, which ends today. The 14th Lagos Motor Fair and eight Autoparts Expo Africa and first Nigeria Motorcycle and Tricycle Expo in Lagos, which opened on Wednesday, will come to an end today. They are worried that the federal government has not paid enough attention to the implementing the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), and that this neglect was slowing down the nation’s development. According to them, the policy should be reviews to make it result-oriented, taking into consideration the realities of the nation. The review of the policy was in order, according to the Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu, adding that the council would ensure that the plan was fully implemented. Aliyu, represented by Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, NADDC, Mrs. Susan Bisong-Taiwo, said “if the country does not have a policy that is passed into law, the auto policy will not achieve its goals.” He said, “Policy somersault has become a challenge for Nigeria, which cuts across all sectors of the economy. “There is no way the policy will exempt the auto spare parts sector, which will in turn create employment for many. The council is trying its best to ensure the policy work.” The President of Automobile Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association, (ASPMDA) Nigeria, Offorkansi Ebubedike, represented by the Secretary, Foreign Trade and Investment Committee, ASPMDA, Leo Okoye, said: “We cannot move to greater heights without the support from government. The Federal Government through the Ministries of Technology, Trade and Investment or the National Automotive Council should come to our aid to open industrial hubs to take care of auto spare parts manufacturing for export. “Double taxation, multiple administrative bottlenecks in our seaports, bad road network and high interest rates are the clog on our wheels of progress. Our containers are left unattended to for months accumulating huge demurrages. Government should look into these areas; solve the ailing problems to pave way for our positive contribution in the economy.” He said, “Chinese visitors entering Nigeria found it easy on the grounds that when they purchase their flight tickets, they flew into our borders to get visas at less than $150.00. But on our part, the Chinese Consular denies and frustrates Nigerians in the issuance of travel visas.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER t.": , 2019

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AUTO

HAWA Launches Made-In-Nigeria All New 2019 Honda HR-V Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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onda Automobile Western Africa Ltd., (HAWA) has launch the made-in-Nigeria All New 2019 Honda HR-V into the nation’s market. The made-in-Nigeria All New 2019 Honda HR-V with it Magic Seat® designed to Change the Norm, was launched into the nation’s market on Thursday, this week at the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Lagos. The All New HR-V marks the presence of an entry level SUV from the Honda Range which combines luxury with affordability. Customer can experience the Power of Three SUVs; Honda Pilot 3.5litre, CR-V 2.4Litre and now the HR-V 1.8Litre. The Hi-Rider Revolutionary-Vehicle (HR-V) 5 seater is proudly assembled in Nigeria with keen adherence to the Honda global production standards during the assembly process. The Honda HR-V has been positioned as a fun and sporty SUV which has been designed to change the industry norm. For us in Honda, we want Nigerians to experience Joy, we say SUVs should be for everyone. Exterior Styling: The All New HR-V receives exterior styling that expands its appeal to the millennials. The grille is enhanced by a new interpretation of the “flying wing” rendered in dark chrome and extending over the new projector-style headlights. Under the chrome band the grille opening has been restyled to emphasize a wide look, and the fog light housings have

All New 2019 Honda HR-V on display at Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, during its launch this week been enlarged to give HR-V a more aggressive stance. Also in the front is a sporty front bumper that gives an elegant yet rugged look combined with LED headlights and Fog lights. In the rear, Taillights with Integrated LED Light Bars give the HR-V a distinctive,

sporty look. New to the SUV-B segment is the Panoramic Sunroof, in the leather grade, making the HR-V deliver the feel of a larger sporty SUV ready for the next adventure. The All New HR-V is flanked by 16” alloy wheels for the Fabric grade and 17” Alloy

wheels for the Leather grade. Interior Styling The All New HR-V boasts of a youthful vibe with unique styling touches. The intuitively designed HR-V cockpit ensures that everything is where you need it.

Range Rover Reaches new Heights, Astronaut Edition Built to Celebrate Partnership withVirgin Galactic

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and Rover Special Vehicle Operations has launched a special edition Range Rover which will be available exclusively to FutureAstronauts signed up to fly to space with Virgin Galactic. TheAstronaut Edition, according to a statement by the automaker, features distinctive exterior and interior design elements celebrating this once in a lifetime experience and Virgin Galactic’s unique community of Future Astronauts. It marks another important milestone in the ongoing partnership between Land Rover and Virgin Galactic, which has been an authentic collaboration since the start. Aunique Zero Gravity Blue paint finish inspired by the depth and intensity of the night sky demonstrates Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations’ state-of-theart technologies and exceptional attention to detail.A bespoke puddle lamp illumination design features the silhouette of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo while unique Astronaut Edition badging features on the tailgate and side profile finishers. Inside, the Astronaut Edition features a crafted piece of the spaceship’s front landing skid that flew on Virgin Spaceship Unity’s first space flight

in December 2018. Part of that skid, which provides the spaceship with a highly effective, lightweight braking mechanism, has been re-purposed to form two discs within the cup holders. One of these references a quote which Richard Branson often makes to his fellow Future Astronauts - ‘See you up there’ -and the other features the details of the space flight. Once a Future Astronaut has flown to space, and becomes an astronaut, this will be swapped out with part of the wooden skid from that customer’s own spaceflight, personally inscribed with the specific details of a life changing experience. Further bespoke features include a ‘DNAof Flight’ graphic on the carbon fibre front console drawer lid and this motif is also debossed onto the leather rear armrest. Solid aluminium metal door handles are engraved with Virgin Galactic’s own Future Astronaut community constellation pattern which represents a global community connected by a love of space. This design also features on the rear of the front headrests and metal letterbox panel design above the glovebox. Additional personalisation options include stitching the Future Astronaut’s initials onto the headrests.

Range Rover Special Astronaut Edition

Dangers of Excessive Speeding

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he message,’’ speed thrills but kills’’, and ‘’don’t kill the child ,kill your speed’’ are two of my favorite messages crafted by the Federal Road Safety Corps to re-enforce its awareness strategies as a critical plank to checkmateexcessivespeedwhichrankstopsamong causative factors responsible for road traffic crashes in the country. While the first was crafted before I was deployed to the media unit some years back as spokesman for the Corps, the second message was coined by a team under my watch to drive home the child safety campaign which I initiated in collaboration with some Non-Governmental Organizations’ such as Safety Beyond Borders and Arrive Alive just to mention a few. Based on road users’ feedback, these messages are on point in driving home the urgent need for motorists to detour from the killer habit of driving above the stipulated speed limits with its inherent risks. There are however some deviants who think differently. One of such deviants is my friend and classmate Toye, who thinks that such messages are mere time wasting. At almost 60years of age, Toye nicknamed by some classmates as’ the speed freak’ is a weird driver who believes that driving is no fun without the accompanying risks of excessive speeding which to him is the hallmark of a competent driver .During our days at the prestigious University of Lagos, Akoka, I was always the first to opt out of a journey once I confirm that Toye would be the man behind the wheels. I was always called a coward, although

SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education Officer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491 few colleagues were too timid to opt out of such trips for fear of being tagged, cowards too. Despite Toye’s so called bravery, I recall vividly that on two occasions, he had near misses while driving from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to Lagos after attending a weekend birthday party of a classmate. Yet, Toye remained unrepentant in his adventurous driving style. My friend Toye is not a loner in this business of excessive speeding. Besides educated drivers like him, there are lots of drivers who believe that the hallmark of good driving is excess speeding. For some, speed and dangerous maneuvering are all the ingredients that make for good driving. In fact, among male drivers, the best way to show off their driving skills is to over speed. The story is not different for young and novice drivers.I recall a case when a caller on a road safety awareness programme on television advised that the maximum should speed be increased from 100km/ph to 180 or 200km/ ph if we are serious about checkmating excessive

speeding. The caller argued that the reason people exceed the speed limit is because the current speed of 100km/ph is meant for retired and old drivers Globally, drivers like Toye are giving safety professionals plenty worry on how to curtail the spate of excessive speeding and the attendant consequences. One of such road safety practitioners is a leading road policing officer in the United Kingdom who recently expressed his support for punishing drivers caught speeding by even 1km/ph. Chief constable Anthony Bangham, a Police Chief in England, came under hammer after he suggested that drivers exceeding the speed limit by a fraction as little as 1km/ph should be prosecuted. He maintained that the existing leeway gives out the wrong signal and could be contributing to increasing injuries on the roads.According to him the present guidance leads drivers to think ‘it is okay to speed’. The Police chief therefore warned his colleagues that there is the need to change road safety messages by ensuring the deployment of greater consistency of approach when dealing with those who exceed the speed limit. Mr. Bangham observed that fatalities increased by 4% in 2016 after years of decline, and admitted the police approach ‘appears to be failing’. He wondered why there was partiality in the treatment for drivers. According to him where there is widespread public support for action against drinkdrivers, those who use mobile phones at the wheel and those who do not wear seatbelts, crackdowns on speeders are ‘actively resisted’ despite the fact that speeding was a factor in 15% of fatal crashes in 2015.Under current policing guidelines, motorists

are not stopped if they are driving at up to 10% over the limit – and they are often given an extra 2km/ph allowance on top of that. This he noted, means that a motorist could go up above the speed limit at built up areas without facing punishment. Like I said earlier, some think his views deserves consideration as they observe that under the existing existing speed enforcement guidance, the 10 percent plus two rule in England, gives drivers the impression that travelling above the speed limit is acceptable . There are however those who think differently, although current speed enforcement guidelines for police set in 2011 are being looked at. The findings of the review will be considered by all chief constables before any action is taken I am constrained by Constable Anthony’s bold comments which I must confess I share, to focus again on excessive speeding; a prevalent driving behavioral pattern. I had focused on other behavioral tendencies such as impaired driving; driving under the influence of alcohol, driving and phoning, fatigue/rage driving, non-use of seat belt/child restraints, overloading, dangerous overtaking, indulgence in night travels, use of substandard tyres-worn out tyres, over/under inflated tyres, mechanical deficient vehicles, under aged driving among others. Tyre you will recall has always been my major focus but today, I wish to again focus on excessive speed which was once selected as the theme for the 4th United Nations Global Road Safety Week which held between 8th-14th May, 2017 to address the risk factor for road traffic deaths and injuries. The focus underscored the FRSC ongoing efforts with the enforcement of speed in keeping with the global trend to curtail speed.

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MAY 11, 2019 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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˜ ˞ MAY 11, 2019

PERSPECTIVE Ndume and the Shape of Things to Come in the Senate Olufemi Ojewunmi

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he battle for the Senate President is on. Ahmed Lawan from Yobe North and Ali Muhammed Ndume from Borno are the contenders. They are both from North-East. Lawan, the Senate Leader, is taunted as the anointed candidate of the executive arm of government. The claim is in dispute because Presidency officials say President Muhammadu Buhari has no candidate while some senior leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC are saying otherwise. Ndume is the immediate past Senate Leader and a former Director of the Buhari Presidential Campaign, North-east. Being ranking senators, the two of them have the requisite qualification to pilot the affairs of the Senate. But beyond that, what are the other issues? Some analysts say the other factors include, but not limited to competence, equity, loyalty, sacrifice and party supremacy. So how do the three contenders stand? Those who are close to Lawan describe him as a gentleman and an experienced lawmaker, having been in the National Assembly since 1999. He first served as a member of the House of Representatives for three terms, that is, between 1999 and 2011, before moving to the Senate in 2011. Before he became the Senate Leader last year, Lawan had headed key committees in the upper chamber, notably the Public Accounts Committee. He had been anointed as Senate President in 2015 before some senators opposed to him played a fast one on the APC and Senator Bukola Saraki emerged. In essence, this is the second time he is running for Senate Presidency. Ndume is going for his third term in the Senate. Prior to coming to the Senate in 2011, he had spent two terms in the House of Representatives, together with Lawan. One time Majority Leader of the House, Ndume, according to analysts, is a die-hard fan of Mr. President but he is said also to be blunt to the point of not shying away from saying the truth even when it hurts the authorities. That, perhaps, is why he is loved by fellow senators across party lines. So much noise has been made regarding the issue of party supremacy on the election of the next Senate President. Unfortunately, the APC National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, is going about it in a manner that suggests that he thinks he is superintending a primary school where the headmaster issues orders to his pupils and the pupils have no choice but to obey. By fiat, Oshiomhole says Lawan is APC’s choice for Senate President. It was a unilateral decision. No consultations. Senators-elect of the APC, who ordinarily should have been carried along on a decision as crucial as the choice of who leads, didn’t even have an input on how Oshiomhole arrived at Lawan and neither did the North-east caucus whose region the Senate

Ndume Presidency had been zoned, enjoy the courtesy of having a say, in clear breach of tradition. Regardless, the party chairman has repeatedly said it is Lawan for Senate President and nobody else, as if he is God. Combative and arrogant party chair! Isn’t it? Meanwhile, this was the same attitude Oshiomhole employed ahead of the 2019 polls that led to the APC losing Adamawa, Bauchi, Imo and Oyo states as well as his own senatorial district in Edo. Even many APC senators-elect are said to be resentful of the way Oshiomhole is going about his ‘Lawan for Senate President’ campaign, an indication that they may vote against the party chair’s anointed candidate on election day. The other issue is acceptability. Between Lawan and Ndume, who is more acceptable to fellow colleagues in the National Assembly? History adequately answers this question. In 2007 when both Ndume and Lawan were in the House of Representatives, even though Lawan had been in parliament since 1999 and Ndume elected for the first time in 2003, it was Ndume who was elected as Majority Leader. And, in 2015, when both of them had become senators and the North-East caucus, which Goje chaired, was to decide who will take the office shared to the zone in a mock

election, Ndume came tops with 10 votes while Lawan had one. In fact, it is said that there is growing agitation among senators-elect from the North-east for another mock election to decide who is more popular between the two frontline contenders for Senate President to resolve the issue of popularity. It was on the strength of the 2015 mock election that Ndume emerged the Senate Majority Leader and as things are, the so-called anointing of Lawan by the Oshiomhole APC leadership, according to party sources, has polarised the party’s senators-elect, thereby making it difficult to sell the Lawan candidacy. On this score, a party source said the party leadership is working with the Lawan group to see how the two other contenders for Senate President, particularly Ndume, can be placated as it is becoming clear that Ndume is increasingly getting support among senators-elect across party line. Now, to underscore the seriousness of the Ndume aspiration for Senate President, of the aspirants, only Ndume has publicly unfolded his plans for his colleagues in the 9th Senate and Nigerians, through a manifesto. He has unveiled the shape of things to come if, God’s grace, he is elected Senate President in June. In the 9-point agenda, Ndume said he would make the Office of the Senate President that which is truly first among equals by reducing the unnecessary privileges attached to the office; work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the executive without undermining the principle of Separation of Power; make new laws and review existing ones to be in tandem with APC’s Next Level Agenda for Nigeria, especially those of Mr. President; make laws that will block leakages and devise improved means of generating revenue, especially through the amendment and review of our tax laws which will help to reduce reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget; run the 9th Senate transparently, through open accountability with full participation of all Senators, (for example, we will transfer the approving powers of the privileges of the senators like foreign travels, allowances to Senate services committee or a new committee to be known as “ways and means committee); protect and improve on the welfare, rights and privileges of National Assembly workers; inculcate espirit de corps in order to utilize the experiences of our former colleagues by engaging them as consultants to committees and members of exclusive services and boards of the National Assembly; in cooperation with my distinguished colleagues, agree on a timeline for confirmation, passage of Bills, especially budgets, as well as executive request and pass the Constituency Development Bill to make Constituency Projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective. Those who are close to Ndume say he is a man of his words.

9th NASS: What Gbajabiamila, Wase Pact Portends Toye Atoyebi

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rior to the pact, Hon. Idris Wase, APC Wase Federal Constituency, Plateau State had very wide acceptability to the extent that even if Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had gone alone and won, there could be rancour in the House of Representatives for some time. This is why the old Wase camp, in explaining its decision to work with the Gbajabiamila camp, had to explain that it accepted the pact in the spirit of national interest, and to avert any possible crisis within the 9th House of Representatives. Interest groups in the north had in the contest for the new leaders of the House, indicated their preference for Wase, but with this pact, however, the camp of those opposed to Gbajabiamila have reportedly been thrown into great confusion, seeing the overwhelming numbers that the current big numbers in the united Gbaja-Wase camp has. In countering the agitations about a Muslim-Muslim ticket (Speaker and Deputy Speaker) in the leadership of the House, the new group is affirming that religion should not by any circumstance be used to deprive the nation of a golden opportunity to change the current narrative about unemployment, rising insecurity, and engender good governance for the teeming citizens of Nigeria, through robust legislation, which the combination of Gbajabiamila and Wase has the potential to deliver. It (the new pact) has great prospects of ensuring stability in the House by galvanising majority of members towards working for the nation. The argument here is, while Gbajabiamila is a visionary lawyer whose passion for the greater good imbues him towards aggressive and somewhat impatient drive for excellence, Wase, and equally patriotic ranking lawmaker is however, calm, collected and measured in his steps, thereby revealing a tendency to ensure a tranquil atmosphere in the House, even in the face of a storm in the Green Chamber.

Gbajabiamila

Besides, those currently introducing religious sentiments in this matter should recall that at some point in the Senate, David Mark (a Christian) was Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (a Christian) was Deputy Senate President, and Victor NdomaEgba (a Christian) was Senate Leader, and there was no fuse from Muslims over this, neither was there evidence that the trio used there offices to convert some Muslims to Christianity.

Rather, many citizens believe that the Mark-led leadership worked for the overall good of the Nation. A similar scenario played out when Dimeji Bankole (a Muslim) led the House of Reps as Speaker, with Usman Bayero Nafada (also a Muslim) as deputy. There was no evidence that the duo took advantage of the offices convert some Nigerians to Islam. Thus, development analysts believe those promoting religiosity in this matter should restrain themselves and join the league of those working for the greater good of Nigerians. Much more importantly, there’s groundswell of evidence that what is uppermost in the minds of Gbajabiamila and Wase is the setting up of a vibrant Legislative Agenda that will focus majorly on three key issues: Speedily addressing the rising spate of insecurity; Tackling the steadily growing unemployment, which worsens the level of poverty amongst citizens, thereby exacerbating the security crisis; Addressing the ugly trend of fiddling with Local Government funds by state governors, thereby incapacitating the LG administration, which is the first point of contact with majority of citizens of this country. Specifically, the proposed Legislative Agenda will outline the step-by-step efforts to be made by the relevant standing committees of the House to, for instance, oversight the Defence Establishment to ensure that money appropriated for addressing security matters are duly disbursed to the agencies concerned, and also properly utilised for the purposes for which they were meant. Equally, it will provide in detail, what the standing committee in charge of ports will be doing to tackle the menace of port congestion, which is a prerequisite for opening up the Nigerian economy for greater inflow of foreign direct investments, thereby creating millions of jobs to curb the rising unemployment. Similarly, the Agenda is expected to outline urgent steps to kick-start a fresh constitutional amendment that will free the third tier of government from the shackles of some dictatorial governors by granting the much sought for LG Autonomy.

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MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: Executive Director, Inlaks, Mr. Tope Dare ; Lecturer, Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Covenant University,Dr. Olamma Iheanetu ; Managing Director/CEO, Africa Operations of Inlaks, Femi Adeoti ; Head of Human Resource & Admin, Inlaks, Mrs. Adetokunbo Ayo-Ogunsanya; Director, Inlaks, Mr. Koyejo Talabi Oladimeji and Lecturer, Faculty of Computer & Information Sciences, Covenant University, Mr. Femi Odusote,during a study tour of the university’s students to Inlaks HQ in Victoria Island, Lagos ... recently

L-R: Commissioner, Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development,Hon. Mrs. Abiola KufileOkonji, a beneficiary,Mrs. Sangobyi Dorcas, Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development, Dr. Ranti Oladeinde and Public Relations Manager, Tolaram Group, Mrs. Omotayo AzeezAbiodun during the donation of Minimie’s empowerment items in Abeokuta, ... recently

Kotex® Battles for Market Share in New Product Launch Competition in the Nigerian sanitary pad market is getting stiffer as US-based Kotex®, flagship brand of Kimberly-Clark, recently launched in the space. The firm officially entered market with range of sanitary pads and tampons brands all of which are targeted at females between ages 19 and 35. The launch took place at Oriental Hotels in Lagos and was graced by the company’s executives locally and abroad, women of class and top celebrities some of who shared their positive experience with the brand.

Speaking at the lunch, Kimberly-Clark’s GBA Director for West Africa, Mr. Koushik Balaji, reiterated the company’s commitment to ensuring a comfortable period experience for all women. Balaji also outlined the stages that culminated in the product launch as he thanked the various state and federal agencies that supported the dream to make it a reality. In her address, the firm’s Head of Marketing, West Central Africa, Mrs. Kemi Saliu stated that Kotex® had succeeded in

positioning itself as market leader in the segment in less than five years it entered Nigeria. She attributed the brand’s success to high and consistent quality of product, support of trade partners and consumers’ loyalty. Continuing, she said: “We have come up with our new range of products to celebrate the spirit of women and to help women to manage their period safely and effectively. Period is a natural part of being a woman and we have come up with innovations to ensure

that women enjoy maximum comfort, confidence and unnoticeable period experience.” She added: “Our new range of pads and tampons exemplify Kotex® innovation in developing high-quality cotton-soft and fast-absorbent pads that allow period experience to be discreet and comfortable. “With our products fully available in stores and outlets in Nigeria, we encourage everyone to tell a friend, an aunty, a mother or sister to try our products and convert them to becoming a Kotex® Woman”.

Minimie Teams up with States to Empower Youths As part of efforts to reduce unemployment rate and poverty level in the country, Minimie, makers of Minimie Chinchin and noodles has joined forces with state ministries across the country to empower Nigerian youths . The empowerment programme saw selected youths in Lagos, Ogun, Ilorin, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Benin and Ibadan assisted with trade assets including branded kiosks fully equipped with regular and new flavours of the Minimie brand including its Tomato & chicken flavour noodles, Chin-chin regular

and newly introduced Chinchin- Hot and spicy favor Speaking on the initiative, Minimie’s Brand Manager, Rani Kolati, said that the initiative was borne out of company’s zeal to eliminate unemployment by supporting willing entrepreneurs who were constrained financially. “In view of this, we decided to encourage youths by setting them up with businesses as we believe that they are the future of the nation. We have been able to bootstrap them with sales kiosk, stock, startup fund as well as supplies, so they can cater

for themselves and dependents. “We have decided to set up the sales kiosks in secure strategic locations at densely populated bus stops and parks in order to enhance sales. After the official handover, we also deploy our area marketing managers to assist with sales trainings and regular checks to ensure consistency and business sustainability.” The Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Abiola Kufile- Okonji, while handing over the items to one of the beneficiaries in Ogun State, Mrs. Sangobiyi- Dorcas, stated that

the initiative was in line with the vision of the state government to create jobs, wealth opportunities and alleviate poverty among residents in the state. She also commended Minimie for supporting the state efforts to tackle unemployment. In the same vein, Lagos State Commissioner Women Affairs and poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande at the empowerment exercise in Lagos, also advised beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunity by effectively deploying skills and assets into in the running of the businesses to enhance profitability.

Indomie Opens First SCSP Lead Consultant Wins ‘Heroes’ Store in Lagos Women in Safety Award As part of efforts to connect more with its core customers, the children, Indomie Noodles, has opened its first kids store in Lagos. According to the company, the store, located at Ikeja City Mall, will be a touch point to the brand’s community by providing creative and exciting Indomitables heroes experiences through various materials and immersive play experiences. Parading all forms of kid-chic designs, innovative displays and consumer ecofriendly merchandise, the store promised to deliver an engaging, entertaining and exciting experience for children. Speaking on the initiative, National Coordinator, Indomie Fan Club (IFC), Faith Joshua, stated that the store idea was prompted by the company’s passion for children.

She added: “The store was birthed out of the children’s craving for more, which allows us to bring creative and exciting Indomitables heroes experience to even more children. It features engaging digital experiences in a unique physical space that will inspire children, parents and fans to fully explore the experience. “It equally promised to create a strong bond with the brand by giving every child the opportunity to look cool like their favourite Indomitable superheroes via various merchandising goods which include, T-shirts, school bags, sunglasses, pencil cases, face caps and super hero stickers, amongst others. “Children and families are free to experience first-hand creativity that goes into Indomitables character merchandise building, all available in the store at any given time.”

The Lead Consultant of Safety Consultants and Solutions Provider Limited, SCSP, Anthonia Beri, has won the Woman in Safety Award at the 2019 edition of the Nigeria Safety & Security Awards/ Lecture, NSAS. NSAS is an initiative of Safety & Security Watch magazine. This year, the award was organised to commemorate the International Labour Organisation Day of Safety and Health at Work’ with the theme: ‘Knowledge of Occupational Safety & Health by Nigerian Employers’. According to the organisers, Beri’s qualification for the recognition comes as a result of her feats and efforts in the industry, all of which are directed towards entrenching safety culture and bridging industry gaps in knowledge and skills through trainings and empowerment programmes.

Commenting on the feat, Beri said: “I really feel humbled and honoured. This reconfirms SCSP drive to continue to champion the creation of required expertise needed to bring the emergency response sector in Nigeria and hopefully, West African sub - region, closer to global standards, thereby, scaling up prospects for life expectancy and development. “I will like to dedicate the award to everyone who is safety compliant to local and international codes and those, who through hard work, dedication and commitment to industry standards continue to operate certified facilities reputed for the provision of quantity safety and security.” She also urged the organisers to continue to make indelible contributions and create massive awareness campaign towards entrenchment of safety culture as the way to go for a safer society.

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Teni’s ‘Sugar Mummy’ Vibes SYLVIA UKAATU ‘Heaven’s Hell’ Berths at Cinemas pg. 47

I Want a Humorous Man Who Loves My Job pg. 48

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Teni’s ‘Sugar Mummy’ Vibes Fast rising musician, Teniola Apata, popularly called Teni the Entertainer, is not resting on her oars as she delivers the video of her street banger, ’Area Mummy’. Her latest is another intoxicating thriller for pop music fans, writes Omolabake Fasogbon

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langs like ‘Gbe Bodi e’ and ‘Gbese’ are presently engaging music suckers. ‘Sugar mummy’ is soon to follow suit and as a matter of fact, ‘Baminisale’, which literally means ‘meet me below’, the energising chorus in the just released ‘Sugar Mummy’ video by Teni, are slangs now dominating the airwaves. The video of the song is coming barely a month after the ‘fargin’ crooner released the audio version of the piece which has since been enjoying good airplay. Teni, known for her quirky appearance and masculine aura, equally put these to play in the close to four minutes colourful video that creatively puts culture and pop to blend. Directed by DK, the video was set in Shitta, a popular area in Surulere, Lagos, which is arguably the headquarters of Marijuana in Nigeria. This offers inkling of the theme of the anthem. Aptly, the piece simply mirrors the way of life and routine in the area, which is masterly characterised by liveliness and rowdiness. This is reflected in ‘Sugar Mummy’s’ settings, language, casts dressing, dance steps, and a show of superiority that ensues between the self-acclaimed Area Mama and another plus sized Nollywood celebrity, Eniola Badmus, while their loyalists try to refresh the duo with hand fan as spectators look on. The street hop act has carefully selected her elements to convey the no-nonsense and kingship control of Area Mamas within their respective jurisdiction. The song, which is enjoying rave reviews, sure promises to spice up street life and takes a special positioning on deejays’ playlists, especially as it rhymes with the popular Zanku beat. The multi-talented act has graduated to a top tier character that is fast penetrating the centre stage of the entertainment industry. Aside reigning in the music space, Teni is equally not doing badly as a drummer and songwriter. Her songwriting skills became known to many after she was engaged by Davido to write his song, ‘Like Dat ‘. While she has been able to carve a niche for herself with her tomboyish ways and looks, this has been reproved unnumbered by people who feel she is taking it to the extreme. But, the American Intercontinental University graduate obviously cares less. She opens up in a recent interview, “There’s an assumption that women have to look a certain way to be feminine, but I don’t want to conform to that stereotype, my thing is this: You don’t get to decide how I choose to live my life. I’m being me - respect that. UGA, the university I went to was a predominantly white institution. I remember someone even asked me if I had elephants in my backyard, it was wild. The other students would look at me crazy when I showed up to class in traditional dress, too. But you know that’s who I am. That’s my culture. If you can wear your blue jeans, I can wear this.” Teni, like her sister, Niniola, has had her fair share of recognitions in the

Teni

There’s an assumption that women have to look a certain way to be feminine, but I don’t want to conform to that stereotype, my thing is this: You don’t get to decide how I choose to live my life. I’m being me respect that industry and the most recent being ‘the Most Promising Act to Watch’ at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards, 2018. With 11 singles and three featured appearances in her credit in just three years of stardom, the Dolor Entertainment act may be flying above the seventh heaven in a very short time.

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Fabian lojode

Katung Aduwak

‘Heaven’s Hell’ Berths at Cinemas Having fulfilled necessary requirements that stopped it from going public, psychological thriller, Heaven’s Hell hits cinemas nationwide. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

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t is not often that a Nollywood production is delayed for too long owing to reasons that mainly border on the presence of “explicit and inciting content”. Perhaps, this might be the first of such experience for it took some years after the movie, Heaven’s Hell, was shot to get the nod from the films and video regulatory board to go public. Actually, the development of the film took a year, after which principal photography commenced on 9 April 2013 in Lagos with the major cast. A couple of scenes were shot in Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Security Prisons in Lagos. Filming in Lagos lasted over three weeks, after which shooting was moved to Wales, where some scenes were also filmed. Initial release date of the movie was then scheduled for January 23, 2015. But it later turned out that the movie was pushed back to allow the filmmakers work on the explicit and inciting content found in the movie by the National Film And Video Censors Board - NFVCB. The producer/director, Katung Aduwak (BBN first winner) had stated thus when he announced the status of the film: “We received advice from a member of NFVCB to re-edit

some scene in the movie which was considered too explicit and inciting. “Well, the scenes are currently being worked upon and in due course, the highly expected movie will be ready. My sincere apologies to all Nigerians who have shown interest in the movie since the announcement, we won’t be able to premiere this January anymore, but soon as we are set to hit the cinemas, details will be available.” The movie production is led by Jeffery Smith who has worked with stars like Rihanna, Fergie, Al Pacino, and Michelle Pfeiffer and handled productions of mega TV success like American Idol. Now set to hit the cinemas nationwide on May 10, the movie stars an ensemble cast which includes Bimbo Manuel, Nse Ikpe Etim, Fabian Adeoye Lojede (of Jacob’s Cross), Bimbo Akintola, Kalu Ikeagwu, Femi Jacobs, Gideon Okeke, Chet Anekwe, Linda Ejiofor, katherine Obiang, Damilola Adegbite, OC Ukeje and Aituaje Iruobe (Waje). Majorly financed by BGL Asset Management Ltd, One O Eight Media with production support of other partners such as Hashtag Media House and Aberystwyth University.

Speaking on this development and the expected impact Heavens Hell will have on Nollywood, Aduwak revealed that it had been all about hard work and determination, for him to finally release this movie: “I am very happy that we are now ready to release this piece, It is not my first movie but I am particularly happy about this; I owe this to every member of the crew and the entire staff of One O Eight Media, also the members of Hashtag Media for being more than a reliable partner; this is a win for us and I am very sure that Nigerians can’t wait for it to get to the cinemas. Shot in locations around Lagos, the psychological drama/ thriller tells the story of two best friends, Alice Henshaw and Tsola Aliu and their husbands Edward Henshaw and Jeff Aliu. On the surface, their lives seem full of friendship and unwavering love, however, beneath the surface lurk betrayal, deceit and darkness. Their lives are abruptly changed forever when Alice meets Efosa, her first love, at the firm’s partnership dinner. A dinner in which Jeff’s new intern, Janet Cole, marks him as prey. Alice finds herself torn between her resurrected feelings

for her ex, love for her husband and the devastating secret she holds which could tear them all apart. Complications arise, and as the plot thickens and twists in turn, the situation devolves to reveal twisted minds and hidden dangers where all was seemingly calm. Will Alice found the strength to stay true to her husband in the face of grave temptation? Will Jeff find the courage to be faithful and true? Will the marriages and friendships forged over years withstand the barrage of secrets and lies, the baggage hidden behind eyes, and the damage that breaks through their lives? Sometimes, it is fear that lies at the heart of love. And sometimes, in the middle of heaven, lies hell. Heaven’s Hell, the true story of domestic violence and terror, promises to capture one of the most shocking incidents of family pain and tragedy. The aim is to use the movie to enlighten Africa- as it seems domestic violence is still handled with kid gloves in this part of the world. Ultimately, Heaven’s Hell intends to liberate people; to inspire someone to get out of a bad relationship…whatever it can accomplish to make the world a saner place.

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for Etisalat under Auxilia Agency. Then I decided to give acting a trial as I knew I could do it. I have the required beauty and brain, which I am grateful to God for, and that has brought me this far. I have only one actress who inspired me and that’s Genevieve Nnaji, but I’m not saying that other actors are not good. I call her goddess of character interpreter, and I love her effortless acting. She delivers her lines perfectly, as if she is in the mind of the writer. I’m that one girl who pursues what she wants As an adult, I believe I have the right to choose what I want to be. My parents had no reason but to bless my choice and my family are 100% behind me. I will say I am a potential producer, as I have done my first movie project Sweet Yesterday. And I’m cooking something new, which will be out soon. Kind of man that catches my attention Man with humour, dark skin, exposed and who loves my job. My turn off in a relationship is not getting attention, as I love attention so much. I want a man that would give me a listening ear and show me how much he cares. My unique selling point I believe everything in an actor is his or her selling point. It is in delivery of your roles to perfection. Your physical looks is also a selling point. I believe I am wonderfully made, so I don’t think I want to change anything as I love me. I know I have got a beautiful face and heart, so I love me.

SYLVIA UKAATU

I Want a Humorous Man Who Loves My Job Sylvia Ukaatu is a Nollywood actress and an emerging producer. She has featured in several films since her inception in 2008 and has defined herself as an actress of her own class. Sylvia tells Tosin Clegg how it all started, about Nollywood as a whole and much more Background and growing up

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don’t have much to say about growing up, but I know it was a beautiful thing having siblings that love you so much and are ready to support you. Losing my father at the point I needed him most, helped in building me up as the

independent lady I am today. I started facing maturity over issues of life. My first appearance I joined the movie industry 2008. Then I did my first appearance in a movie titled, Marine Kingdom, where I acted alongside Clems Ohameze and KOK.

After that, I did Same Blood with Mercy Johnson and many others. After a while, I went to PEFTI for a three-month programme in acting. But I really started as a face model and I was an Ambassador to many companies like Scanfrost/Ignis, Baron Oil, MTN, Grand Beer, Muoka foam and I did some TV commercials

Cosmetic surgery Going under a knife depends on the reason. It’s a choice. I have nothing against it. If it makes one happy, then why not; if it gives you the confidence you desire, go for it. What should be done to take Nollywood higher I think the Nigerian government should start funding good film projects, because movie affects our economy positively. They should build a film village for Nollywood like they have for Bollywood and Hollywood. Also, they should help in combating piracy. My take on Regina Daniels’ trending issue I believe it’s a choice, so people should learn to mind their business. How many are peacefully married to their young husband? How many enjoy their recent marriage? Abeg Regina made her choice so let’s leave her to enjoy it. I believe many who badmouth her will jump at such opportunity if they get it. Age is just a number, what matters is does the duo have mutual understanding? Do they support each other, If yes then what’s the noise all about? So, I respect her decision.

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Tosin Clegg 07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

Gists

Mercy Johnson,Tobi Bakre, Sisi Yemmie, to Speak at ‘Handle it Africa 2019’ The third edition of the ‘Handle It Africa Conference,’ a platform designed to help brands and individuals to strategically harness the benefits of social media, is scheduled to hold on 17th May, 2019 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed ‘Social Media: Extending the Frontiers ‘, the conference will approach social media from a new perspective, highlighting the best ways to not only maximise the benefits, but also solve attendant problems that arise from its

use. Panelists have been specially selected to bring their depth of knowledge to the different discussions expected to take place at Handle It Africa 3. Speakers at the event include Mercy Johnson Okojie, Nollywood actress; Tobi Bakre, Media Personality; Toyosi AkereleOgunsiji, Founder/CEO of Rise Networks; MC Lively, Comedian; Sisi Yemmie, Food & Lifestyle Influencer; Akah Nnani, Actor/ YouTuber; Omowunmi ‘Mimi’ Onalaja, TV Presenter/Host;

Timini Egbuson, Nollywood actor, amongst others. In addition to the thoughtprovoking panel sessions and enlightening conversations at the conference, there will be opportunities for participants to meet and network with young, successful change-makers with a view to promoting collaboration and building partnerships. Handle It Africa is the brainchild of Olufemi Oguntamu, a social media professional and Founder of Penzaarville Africa.

Startimes Announces David Zhang as New CEO StarTimes Nigeria has unveiled its new CEO, David Zhang, at a press briefing held at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja. He joined StarTimes Group in China about 30 years ago and has worked in the overseas department in Africa for seven years but before now, he had worked in the StarTimes Nigeria operations department. The CEO was delighted to brief the press about the upcoming projects and game plans for his new administration. He said, “Our most recent business offering is our OTT business called StarTimes ON. StarTimes ON is our online video streaming service. It is the next generation of StarTimes streaming service. It introduces new features such as video on demand (VOD) live TV and lots of movies, sports and entertainment content all on the mobile app and free of charge.” He added, “We are a major investor in

Nigeria, with our investment put at over $220m. We also employ many Nigerians today, with over direct & indirect employment to over 1,000 Nigerians in all 36 states of the country and indirect employment to more than 3,000 staff through our dealers. As I am now back in Nigeria as CEO, I hope that all of you, who are already good friends with our company will give me more support as we work together every day to ensure that more Nigerians are aware of our good works to provide affordable entertainment to every home.” He said Startimes’ mission remained to provide affordable quality entertainment to every African home, and “we do this through innovation, integrity, diligent and devotion. This has helped us to get closer to our vision - To become one of the most influential media groups in the world.”

David Jhay Switches Fully to Gospel Music Voice Out When Bullied, Says Discussants in Minas Dollz Show Redrun Entertainment lead act, David Jhay has recently announced he would be going fully into gospel music production and performance. He hasn’t been too far away from doing such beautiful music as he as always been keen on being a medium of great musical contents and messages. David said, “Those who are close to me know how much of a gospel person I am. Spent most of my life in the church and I’ve got so much influence from it; so much that I find fulfilment and freedom when I make music about Divinity from within. Moreover, I tried running the other way but He keeps bringing me back to the gospel every time. So, I decided if this is what God wants, let’s do it! I know He won’t leave me to do it by myself.” The musical powerhouse is set to release a couple of gospel songs soon, which would be a way to reintroduce himself and spread the gospel of music across. David is more than just a musician, he is an economy of almost every part of musical production. Talking about his plans, he said, “Right now,, it’s a new dawn as I face gospel music fully. So it’s more release and more music for now. Singles are lined up for the year already and it’s basically more music.”

Bullying has undoubtedly been an issue of worry for both the young and old in school, work and public sectors. Minas Dollz Show takes it hard this week, as they brought in Grace Oggudah, Lifestyle Coach and Mentor alongside Deborah Olusoga, a Health Coach, Author and Speaker to shed light on the topic. Christina Bartlet and her cohost took the show on a quick starter as the guests introduced themselves and went ahead into talking about bullying and how it can be curbed.

Grace said, “Parents should be in touch with their children and allocate time for them, as we are their primary meet. As a parent, you need to step in there as soon as possible and let the teachers know what’s happening. And bullies know who to target and then they go all way out. In the work place, you need to be proactive and it needs to be approached from a compassionate angle as the bully too has issues.” Deborah lend her voice as well “The first step to take when bullied is voicing out, as you need to let the bully know you are being bullied. And as a child, you need to let your parents know because bullying in school and work place is totally different.” Both speakers expressly gave their thoughts about the topic and further heralded Voicing Out as the key to tackling the problem because not talking can lead to a growth in continuous bullying and that an uncontrolled bully could continue without caution.

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SHOWBIZFLAIR

Regina Daniels Uncensored Nollywood star, Regina Daniels, has been unleashing huge stunning photographs on her Instagram page. The traffic is heavy on this social page. Her fashion style is intimidating and classy. No wonder billionaire businessman, Ned Nwoko decided to channel some of his wealth to Regina. This one is special for showbizflair

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER t .": , 2019

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Stunning Ada Karl Nollywood Actress, Ada Karl, spent most of this week sharing cute photos to celebrate her 34th birthday. Her big day was on Monday May 6th. This is one of the delightful Ada Karl photos.

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SHOWBIZFLAIR

Harry and Meghan

Royal Baby Archie Continues to Delight ously dropped a subtle hint back in October, when he revealed his or most of this fondness of the name Archie. During week, royal fans their trip to New Zealand, the royal continue to revel met a young boy in Auckland called in the birth of baby Archie. Archie as the Duke The Duke and Duchess of of Sussex revealed Sussex had appeared in front of his first child had given him a new selected media behind closed doors focus. on Wednesday, cradling their first The Duke and Duchess of Sussex child, who was born at 5:26 a.m. showed off Archie MountbattenMonday morning, weighing 7lbs Windsor to the world at a Windsor 3oz. The couple then shared their Castle photo call on Wednesday. On chosen name on Instagram with Friday, Harry and Meghan teamed an image of Queen Elizabeth, the up with the Duke and Duchess Duke of Edinburgh and Meghan’s of Cambridge to launch a major mother meeting their newest greatproject: a text messaging helpline grandchild. for people experiencing a “tough Harry said becoming a parent was moment”. “amazing” as he held his son in his The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arms. “We’re just so thrilled to have didn’t wait long to reveal the full our bundle of joy. We’re looking name of their newborn son, Archie forward to spending some precious Harrison Montbatten-Windsor. The time with him as he slowly starts to royal couple, who welcomed their grow up,” he said. Meghan said their little boy on Monday, introduced son has the sweetest temperament. him to the world on Wednesday “It’s magic, it’s pretty amazing. I afternoon, and a few hours later mean I have the two best guys in disclosed his surprising name. How- the world. So I’m really happy,” she ever, it seems Prince Harry previgushed. Ferdinand Ekechukwu with Agency Report

F

Royal Baby Archie

Harry and Meghan with Royal Baby Archie

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NEWSXTRA Onu: Nigeria to Launch Own Satellite Soon Adedayo Akinwale Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

TRADING IDEAS...

L-R: Former Vice President, African Development Bank, Chief Bisi Ogunjobi; Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation, Nigeria, Prof. Olu Akinyanju; National Director/CEO Sickle Cell Foundation, Nigeria, Dr. Annette Akinsete; and Executive Head, Corporate Affairs, MultiChoice Nigeria, Caroline Oghuma, at the Closing/CertiďŹ cate Award ceremony of the 18th Genetic Counselling Training Course on Sickle Cell Disorder sponsored by MultiChoice Nigeria held yesterday at the National Sickle Cell Centre, Ishaga Road, Idi-Araba, Surulere Lagos

Claim of N100bn Offer to Miyetti Allah Untrue, Says Presidency Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The presidency yesterday in Abuja, restated that it never contemplated offering N100 billion to Miyetti Allah for any dubious purpose as widely circulated in the polity, describing the rumour as absolute falsehood. According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the issue of money was never discussed in meetings held by both representatives of the federal government and Miyetti Allah. He said if the group had raised any matter involving money, Miyetti Allah would have immediately been dismissed as a dubious group, explaining that it had become compelling to dismiss the allegation again to assuage the minds of the public of such falsehood and as well open the minds of such rumour peddlers to the truth. "We note the statement by

Ohanaeze this morning, who expressed concern about an allegation that government gave N100 billion to Miyetti Allah for dubious reasons. As I said on Channels TV, it is an absolute falsehood. "The issue of money was never raised at any of the meetings between the representatives of government and Miyetti Allah. If they had raised it, this government would have dismissed them as yet another dubious group, like the many making claims to be representing our trusting people but serving their own interests. "We choose again to speak on this because it is dangerous for the public to ignore rumours aimed at inciting people against each other or against the government. The people spreading such rumours should be helped to see the truth and participate in nation building, and not become crisis messengers," he said. The statement also clarified presidency's earlier submission

which compared Miyetti Allah with Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, noting that both groups disagreed with the comparison, but insisted that as the two groups are socio-cultural organisations representing people's interests, even so Miyetti Allah represents the interests of herders. It also stated that Afenifere and Ohanaeze were wrong by opposing the move to dialogue with Miyetti Allah, saying in a plural society like Nigeria, dialogue remains a potent tool for resolving crisis, which he said could not be despised. The statement added that deploying the tool of dialogue in the face of the myriad of security crisis confronting Nigeria today was necessary, adding that Miyetti Allah also has a stake in Nigeria and all stakeholders need to be engaged in the move to build the country. Shehu also said the group does not serve the interest of the North or Muslims alone but rather

everyone, recalling that before petroleum became the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, agriculture had served as the source of the country's income while cattle and hide and skin contributed largely to this. The statement added: "We are pleased that Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo found our insights worthy of attention even when they disagreed with our view that they, as socio-cultural associations, represent same interests as Miyetti Allah, an association of Fulani herders. "The point both socio-cultural groups missed, however, by insisting that government should not to talk to Miyetti Allah is the need to address and engage Nigeria's ethnic, religious, cultural and economic plurality that was evident when General Yakubu Gowon introduced National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. The need to engage all groups of Nigeria is as much relevant today as it was then.

Ajulo Calls for Ngige's Sack as JAMB Releases 2019 UTME He Visits Wounded Activits Results Today Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“n Abuja

Former National Secretary of Labour Party, Dr. Kayode Ajulo has called for the sack of Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige for alleged humiliation of labour leaders and causing a national embarrassment which put Nigeria in bad light. This is as Ngige on Friday visited the National Hospital Abuja to sympathise with those that allegedly sustained injuries during picketing by organised labour at his private residence in Asokoro, Abuja. This is as the Chief Medical Director, CMD, of the hospital has debunked the report that two of the union members allegedly attacked by thugs at the minister's residence were admitted at the intensive care unit, saying that nobody was admitted at the unit. A planned protest session by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against Ngige for failure to inaugurate the board of

National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with Comrade (Chief) Frank Kokori as the Chairman turned into a fracas, as armed thugs allegedly sponsored by the minister disrupted the protest. The defenceless workers were shot at, while some of them who sustained injuries were taken to the National Hospital in Abuja for treatment. Ajulo said, "It is not new anywhere in the world that workers are known for picketing, which is a form of protest in which they congregate to draw public attention to a cause. From all indications, the Abuja protesters were non-violent, with the sole aim to put pressure on the minister to make Chief Kokori as the NSITF Chairman and in this instance, no law was violated." "With my practice in law for almost two decades I can conveniently say that Nigeria and her people are governed by laws one of which does not condone assault or banditry.

After several postponements, the central admissions body in Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has said it would release the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) today barring any unforeseen circumstances. The confirmation came from the Board’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who told newsmen in Abuja though he did not go into details of how the results would be released. Oloyode, however, assured that the Board would meet to finalise on the details to be announced to Nigerians. Apparently noting the apprehension which has trailed the result hitherto released almost same day the examination held but which had to be held back for undisclosed reason. He assured that, “We are releasing our results tomorrow; we are having a meeting today to consider what to put out.� The 2019 UTME was held from

April 11 to April 18 with more than 1.8 million registered candidates but the results had since then, not been released thereby causing apprehension among candidates. There had been reports of malpractices including an allegation that a particular candidate registered more than 60 times to do mercenary examination for different candidates. Also, no fewer than 75 centres were penciled down for punishment over compromising the examination. In a particular case, a Professor was allegedly caught trying to cheat for his child while some brought underage children to do the examination. The examination body explained that it would first screen the entire candidates’ results to weed out those who were involved in any form of malpractice during the examination. The Registrar also paraded an employee of the Board, who allegedly collected N25,000 bribe from a 2018 admission seeker with an assurance to offer admission.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has revealed that the federal government was making strident efforts to ensure that Nigeria build and launch its own satellite soon. Onu disclosed this at the official inauguration of space, seismological and other infrastructure projects at the Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics main observatory Seismic Network Center in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State. But in a statement issued yesterday by the Director of Press, Mr. AbdulGaniyu Aminu, said that satellite would improve the quality of life of Nigerians because it would have positive impact on the environment, medicine, education, security, intelligence gathering, infrastructural development and mobile telephony for good of the country. Though the statement was quite silent on when the country would be launching the satellite or even work had started on it at all. TheCenterforGeodesyGeodynamics was established to carry out earth observation research as well as predict and monitor natural disasters not only in the country but in other parts of the world. The minister noted that incidents of earth tremor witnessed in several parts of the country between 2015 and 2018 had made it important for Nigeria to be well prepared to avoid future occurrence. Onu said, “No nation can plan effectively without according primacy to the occurrence of natural disasters, "The goals and objective of the centre to achieve Nigeria’s capability manpowerandhardwaredevelopment that can sufficiently address space geodesy, crustal deformation, coastal deformation, subsidence and global main sea level monitoring.�

Ondo to Review Polytechnic Tuition James Sowole Ă“Ă˜ Ă•Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? Ondo State Government has set up a committee to review tuition being paid by students of the state owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo. The setting up of the committee, was sequel to complaints by stakeholders that the money being charged by the school authorities was too high. Banji Adewunmi, the Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Youth and Students Affairs,, disclosed the efforts of the government at a news conference where he briefed journalists on what transpired during a meeting between the governor and the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students’ (NANS). The NANS president, Mr. Danielson Akpan had during a news conference alleges that Akeredolu ordered security men to walk him and other executive members of the student body out of his office. Akpan said he and other executive of NANS had come to Ondo State to see the governor on the need to review downwards, fees being paid by students of the state tertiary institutions. The state-owned tertiary institutions Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko (AAUA ) and the Ondo state university of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH ) Okitipupa had been shut following protests embarked upon by the students on the hike in tuition.

Onu added that investment in space science technology by Nigeria was to enable the nation take a great leap and catch up with the developed world. Earlier, the Director General of National Space for Research and Development Agency (NARSDA), Prof. Seidu Mohammed, said that the Seismic Network and Monitoring Center was part of the space-based and geophysical tools that would help Nigeria in great deal in global geodetic and geodynamical activities and monitoring, prediction of seismic activities and mitigation mechanism. He said the agency needed more funds to enable it acquire modern earthquake monitoring, detecting and networking equipment and establishment of more seismic stations that would be collated, with Global Positioning system (GPS) , for robust geohazards studies in Nigeria and its immediate environs.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as EKHANGHE ALEX OGBANG, now wish to be known and addressed as EKANGHE ALEX OGBANG. All former documents valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as ADEKOYA OMONIYI ZIPPORAH now wish to be known and addressed as SULE OMONIYI ZIPPORAH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as JUDITH UYIOSA, now wish to be known and addressed as JUDITH OKOBI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS ALLISON UGOCHI QUEEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AZURUNWA UGOCHI QUEEN . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS JANE IFEOMA NJOKU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JANE IFEOMA UKONU . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHIJIOKE CHIOMA CHOICE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS .ARUHOR CHIOMA CHOICE . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as ESTHER SIMON DACHUNG, now wish to be known and addressed as ESTHER BARNABAS AULLEH . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as MR WILLY MADUEKWE, now wish to be known and addressed as MR WILSON AMARACHUKWU ILOABUEKE.All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS UDAH, AMARACHUKWU STACEY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NWIGBO AMARACHUKWU STACEY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note. I formerly known and addressed as NWOGA KELECHI NKEM, now wish to be known and addressed as IGWEBUIKE KELECHI NKEM. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take take note.

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NEWSXTRA

China Responsible for Infrastructure Strides in Nigeria, Says Buhari Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS‌ L-R: Globacom’s representative at the Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance Lecture, Mr. Folu Aderibigbe; political scientist, Professor Ayodele Olukotun and his wife, Mrs. Olukotun, at the event sponsored by Globacom in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State...yesterday

FG’ll Use Education to Tackle Unemployment, Assures Buhari David-Chyddy Eleke Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ•Ă‹ President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday assured the federal government was determined to tackle the problem of youth unemployment in the country through education. The president who spoke at the 13th convocation ceremony of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State said his government would achieve this through steady funding of education, which he identified as the bedrock of the socio-economic development of society. Buhari who is the institution’s visitor spoke through the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, at the event during the conferment of award of postgraduate and honourary

degrees to beneficiaries. The President said the federal government would remain undaunted in tackling youth unemployment, assuring that he would give maximum attention to education. He said, “Let me at this point restate the conviction of the federal government that education is the bedrock of the socio-economic development of society. Consequently, within the limits of available resources this government will continue to give a primary of place to education. “The federal government will remain undaunted in tackling the challenge of youth unemployment and underemployment through a matrix of initiatives: N-power, the Bank of Industry ‘s Youth Entrepreneurship

Support (YES) Programmes and the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Africa Support Schemes. Please explore such opportunities. “As part of its continuing efforts to stave off the menace of youth employment, government has put in place a number of initiatives to boost the employability of graduands of our tertiary institutions, either as employees or in self-employment. “These initiatives include, but not limited to, the Energising Education Programme, through the Rural Electricity Agency, the intent of which is, inter alia, to provide captive power plants for selected tertiary institutions, thus providing them with much needed uninterrupted power supply; and the Skill G project by TETFund which provides computers, laboratory equipment and other learning resources to

tertiary institutions. “I congratulate Nnamdi Azikiwe University for being a beneficiary of these two landmark projects, which it attracted through its commendable track record in infrastructural development.� In his address, the Chancellor of the University and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba charged the graduands to make the difference for good in any endeavour and communities they found themselves in having been equipped with knowledge, skills and values. Commending Vice Chancellor Prof. Joseph Ahaneku whose five-year tenure would end next month, the Chancellor said, “Your administration has moved the university tremendously forward in all facets of the university: academic, infrastructural and administration.�

PDP: APC Governors Award to Buhari Retailers Accuse Fish Firm of Endorsement of Failure Breaching Local Content Law Adedayo Akinwale Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the presentation of a leadership award to President Muhammadu Buhari by governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a shameful endorsement of failure. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday said that the endorsement was the height of deception and a spat on the graves of victims of unrestrained killings and bloodletting in various parts of our nation. He added that the Buhari Presidency and the APC had chosen to engage in endless unprofitable celebrations in the safety of Aso Villa while Nigerians were left at the mercies of bandits, kidnappers, marauders and insurgents in their homes and workplaces. The main opposition party stressed that solicited award was another failed image-laundering and botched endorsement by the Buhari Presidency, which was being confronted by the weight of public rejection for its failures and the rigging of the February 23, Presidential elections.

Ologbondiyan stated: “The party says it is totally disgraceful that Mr. President’s handlers could conjure such scandalous whitewashing project to gloat on Nigerians at a time they (Nigerians) are extremely hurting over the prevalent economic hardship, hunger, disappointments, failures and humongous corruption that have become the hallmark of the Buhari administration. “Allowing themselves (APC Governors) to be used for such image laundering for President Buhari in the face of his failures to find solution for the killings and kidnappings in Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, Katsina and other states of the federation, the APC governors have again exhibited their party’s unpardonable insensitivity and disdain for Nigerians. “It is disturbing that at a time genuine leaders are exerting themselves for solutions to the myriads of crisis plaguing our nation, those elected on the platform of the APC are busy playing to gallery and acting scripts while our nation continue to slide; the very reason Nigerians voted for Atiku Abubakar on February 23, as their preferred presidential candidate,� he added.

Chiemelie Ezeobi Fish retailers have accused a multinational firm Conakry Industrielle Et Commerciale (CIC), an offshoot of SICOM Group, of allegedly breaching the Local Content Law and depriving them their means of livelihood. They alleged that the firm had, contrary to Nigerian law, engaged in retail sales of fish, an act they alleged was threatening the welfare of Nigerians. In a petition to the Lagos State House of Assembly, the retailers called for an enquiry into the alleged harmful trade practice by the firm. The petition which was signed by an activist, Comrade Buna Ishaq, alleged that the firm’s involvement in retail was competing with middlemen who had been off-takers of its product, thereby putting their means of livelihood in jeopardy as Nigerian businessmen in the sector were being replaced by imported ones. “This is nothing but a combination of economic exploitation and colonisation of the Nigerian market in areas that are envisaged as exclusive preserve of Nigerians going by the Local Content Act 2010 as enacted by the National Assembly. “We write your hallowed chamber owing to the centrality of Lagos State

in the entire fish and fisheries industry (first as port of landing/destination), and also because Lagos State stands to be at the receiving end of the social vices which this threat to the livelihood of many Nigerians would eventually unleash as more homes are driven into poverty. “Needless to say, this matter requires your utmost attention and swift intervention as Nigerians are being short-changed from both ends; Nigerian businessmen who have hitherto provided CIC Ltd with its working capital through pre-paid arrangement for supply of goods are driven out, while CIC Ltd makes excess profit through its direct participation at the retailing level. “The implications for the Nigerian economy and Nigerians in the sector are dire and will eventually de-empower, de-tool and swell up the ranks of the unemployed in Nigeria with a corresponding loss of household incomes. “The direct consequences of this are more hungry homes and the accentuation of social crimes and unrest. It is already resulting in sudden collateral loss/damage and a ruination of investments put in place by these businessmen some of which include debt from bank loans, gradual collapse of facilities such as cold rooms, vans and other facilities with which the sector was hitherto engaged.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja credited the People’s Republic of China for its “genuine efforts to improve our infrastructural development.� Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said the president expressed his appreciation to China while receiving the Chairman of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), Mr. Fenjian Chen in the State House. He said the president told his guest that Nigeria’s infrastructure had depreciated and deteriorated over the years, affecting standard of living, and leading to loss of lives through avoidable accidents, thanking China for the expertise it had brought to the country. “We are very grateful to China for the effort to rebuild our infrastructure, and for bringing technical expertise to the country. We will give the required support and cooperation, so that our old, out of date, and collapsed infrastructure might be turned around,� the president, accord-

ing to the statement, said. According to the statement, the president promised to personally pay attention to many projects being undertaken in the country, for the good of Nigerian people adding that Chen, who led a high-powered Chinese team to meet with the president, described CRCC as an international company, operating currently in 124 countries of the world with 18,000 local employees in Nigeria alone. It also said Chen noted that part of the projects that CRCC was undertaking include rail way, dry port, free trade zone, and building of highways adding that about 40,000 more jobs were to be created from these. “The sum of $250 million dollars will be invested on a dry port in Ibadan, Oyo State, and it will decongest the ports in Lagos, and speed up clearance of goods by the Customs Service,� it quoted Chen to have said. The statement also said Chen commended Buhari for the war against corruption and insecurity, expressing confidence that Nigeria will soon become a much better country.

Firm to Raise N3.6b Via Rights issue Vanessa Obioha

Food Concepts Plc, owner of the Chicken Republic Brand recently announced that it had commenced the process to raise up to N3.6 billion by way of a rights issue. The company in a statement said that it kicked off the process following shareholders’ approval at the 16th Annual General Meeting held on November 1, 2018. The Directors believe that the proposed rights issue presents an excellent opportunity for existing shareholders to increase their investment in the company. Managing Director of the company, David Butler pointed out that “The rights issue will enable the company to achieve its strategic growth plans and maximise shareholders’ value. The net proceeds of the rights issue will be utilised in funding store expansion, supply chain and distribution improvements as well

as launching new brands to meet the flavour profile of the consumer.� So far, the company has submitted a formal application as well as the relevant documentation to the appropriate regulatory authority for approval. Food Concept Plc is also a shareholder of Food Concept Pioneer Limited (Butterfield’s and Yum Yum Baked goods Brands), and currently operates 51 company-owned and 19 franchise restaurants across Nigeria and Ghana. The company’s mission is to be the most loved fast food and baked goods company in West Africa by increasing its market share through affordable value food propositions, selectively opening additional stores in new and existing communities and the launch of additional brands. The company aims to operate 300 Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and to dominate the bread and sausage roll market over the next five years.

Tourism,Transport Stakeholders Chart a New Path Stakeholders in the tourism and transportation sectors at the second edition of the annual National Tourism and Transport Summit and Expo in Abuja, organised by the Institute of Tourism Professionals (ITP), have charged government at different levels and operators in the two sectors to facilitate and ensure the implementation of the recommendations adopted for the socio-economic development of the country. The Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who declared open the two-day summit, commended the organisers for the initiative, which he said is a laudable one as it has the potential to galvanise the two sectors and

related industries to boost the economy of the country. Mustapha, who was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, reiterated the commitment of the federal government to massive investment in building the country’s infrastructure and the pursuit of peace and security in order to achieve inclusive socio-economic development of the country. He said for tourism to thrive, the country needs to be at peace, giving assurance of the federal government’s resolve to handle the various challenges confronting the country while suing for the support and cooperation of all Nigerians and businesses to move the country forward.

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SPORTS XTRA

Women’s World Cup

Nigeria Coach Charges Falcons on Teamwork Nigeria women’s coach Thomas Dennerby has said that African teams need better teamwork if they are to be successful. The Swede said the individual skills are there to match other continents. Dennerby guided Sweden to third place at the 2011 Women’s World Cup and is now preparing to take the Super Falcons to this year’s finals in France. “There are a lot of skilful and creative players in Africa, but these players need to understand how to play together as a team,�

Dennerby said. “Football is really a team sport; one player cannot do it all. They (African countries) can perform better when they go to the World Cup as a team. “African teams need to learn to move the ball around, defend and attack together as a unit. “I think sometimes they play more individually and in a bad shape as a collective side unlike teams from other continents. It’s the biggest difference affecting them.� Dennerby, who took

charge of the Super Falcons in January 2018, was talking after he saw his side thrash Burkina Faso at the West African Football Union (WAFU) zone B Women’s Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. His squad in Abidjan includes Chiamaka Nnadozie, Christy Ohiaeriaku, Glory Ogbonna and Amarachi Okoronkwo, who were all in Ghana when Nigeria won the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. That victory in Ghana saw Nigeria keep up their

record of having qualified for every Women’s World Cup since it began in 1991. Others in the WAFU squad will be hoping to catch Dennerby’s eye and force themselves into his thinking for the World Cup. He believes the continent can do better than ever at this year’s finals if the teams address the lack of collective play. South Africa and Cameroon are Africa’s other representatives in France and the trio will be hoping

to do better than Nigeria’s quarter-finals place in 1999. After mixed results in 2019, Dennerby, who is set to become the first foreign coach to both qualify for and lead Nigeria at the World Cup, is confident they have had a decent preparation to impress in France. “No, I’m not under pressure as a coach because we are working well,� he said. “We’ve prepared well with the tournaments in China and Cyprus, so the Nigeria federation has

been very supportive. “There is nothing to complain about and I know we have a team capable of doing well at the World Cup.� Nine-time African champions Nigeria are in a tough Group A alongside hosts France, 1995 winners Norway and South Korea. Debutants South Africa will play in Group B alongside Germany, China and Spain. Cameroon are drawn in Group E with Canada, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

Pochettino will Discuss Tottenham Future after Champions League Final Mauricio Pochettino has said that he would discuss his

future with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy following the Champions League final next month. The Argentine led Spurs to a dramatic semi-final victory against Ajax on Wednesday, recovering from 3-0 down on aggregate with 45 minutes to play in Amsterdam to progress to the final on away goals. However, before the game he suggested he could leave Tottenham if they win the Champions League this season as it would be too difficult to repeat “the miracle�. While he did not quite repeat that suggestion before their final Premier League game of the season against Everton, Pochettino did say: “After five years I think it is a moment to close a chapter. “It’s not going to be the same in July when we start preseason. It’s so important to have clear ideas of the project and the challenge we are going to have ahead. “It was very clear five years ago that the priority was going to be until the stadium was finished. We feel so proud because our capacity to manage this situation, that was very difficult, is amazing. “But what is next? That is the question. It’s difficult for me to explain. I need to listen to Daniel - he is the boss. “The final is going to be an amazing moment. After the final is going to be a time to talk a lot, and listen to what is next.� Pochettino confessed it has been tough to concentrate on the home game against Everton on Sunday after leading Spurs to their first ever Champions League final, but said they have a responsibility to recover that focus before kick-off.

Pochettino celebrates Tottenham qualiďŹ cation for the Champions League ďŹ nal

Yaya Toure Quits Active Football at Age 35 Former Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure has officially announced retirement from active football. After eight successful seasons with Manchester City, Toure brought an end to his glittering Citizens career at the end of the 2017/18 campaign and subsequently joined former club Olympiacos in September 2018. The Ivory Coast international’s stint with the Greek outfit was short-lived, though, leaving the club via a mutual agreement three months later and has not played a competitive match since. The former FC Barcelona star’s agent Dimitry Seluk

took to Twitter on Friday to announce his client’s decision to retire, in addition to revealing that the 35-year-old is set to enter the world of coaching. “Yaya Toure @YayaToure ended his playing career. Next up is a career in coaching,â€? he tweeted. Yaya TourĂŠ (@YayaToure) on Twitter The latest Tweets from Yaya TourĂŠ (@YayaToure). My official Twitter account Contact: info@officialyayatoure... “I say this for the first time: Yaya decided to end his career as a champion,â€? Seluk said via Sport24.ru “The farewell match given to him by Manchester City, in

principle, was the real end of his playing career. Not only in this team, but in general. “Yaya is one of the best players in Africa and he had one of the brightest careers in the history of African football. Therefore, he should also leave football beautifully, at his peak. “We talked for a long time about this topic. Of course, every football player wants to play as long as possible. In terms of his physical condition, Yaya could do this at a sufficiently high level for another five years. But we came to the conclusion that he, the football player who played for Barcelona and Manchester City, could not lower the bar

with his hands. “We see many players who continue their careers at a sufficiently mature age, and this is commendable. But Yaya and I chose a different path: to leave as a champion and start a new stage in life – a career as a coach, in which, I am sure, Yaya will reach even greater heights than those he achieved as a football player. There are no African coaches in the English Premier League. I think.� The former AS Monaco star clinched several league titles in his club career, during which he turned out for Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos, Monaco, Barcelona and Manchester City.

Nigerian Hurdler Nathaniel Set to Lose Medal after Failed Drugs Test Nigeria’s Glory Onome Nathaniel is set to be stripped of her women’s 400 metres hurdles gold medal from the 2018 African Championships after she was given a four-year doping ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The 23-year-old, who reached the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles when representing her country at the 2017 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in

London, has been sanctioned after she tested positive for stanozolol. Nathaniel’s ban has been backdated to August 30, 2018, the date on which the AIU notified her of the Adverse Analytical Finding via the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. She has also had her results from August 5, 2018 to August 30, 2018 disqualified. Nathaniel underwent an in competition test on August 5

following her victory in the 400m hurdles at her home African Championships in Asaba. Lamiae Lhabze of Morocco will be upgraded from silver to gold in the event, with South African Wenda Nel in line to receive silver. Cameroon’s Audrey Nkamsao is set to be promoted from fourth to third and will inherit Nel’s bronze medal. Nathaniel was a member of Nigeria’s silver medal-winning

4x400m relay team at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also claimed three silver medals at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, finishing second in the 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. Her personal best in the 400m hurdles is 55.01sec, set in the Gold Coast 2018 heats before coming sixth in the final.

NRFFAppointsYakubuasNewTechnical Director

As part of its drive to improve the development of rugby in the country, the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has appointed Abubakar Yakubu a.k.a Yaro as the acting technical director of the federation. According to the NRFF President, Kelechi Mbagwu, the appointment is part of the federation’s drive to improve the development of rugby in Nigeria. Mbagwu said Yakubu’s experience as a former national player would be needed to revamp rugby across the country, adding that his target was to see more Nigerian youths in Rugby. He revealed that the board would do strive to support the growth of the sport at all levels. Speaking on his appointment, Yakubu, who is now the coach of Sabon Gari Rugby Club Zaria, said “the appointment came at the right time. My vision is to upgrade rugby at the grassroots, state and federal levels. The issue of training coaches and capacity building are parts of my commitment. I will ensure that the rugby league is well organised in terms of logistics and fair officiating.

Premier League Title Decider Matches to Air Live on GOtv

GOtv subscribers are in for a football treat as the final games of the 2018/2019 Premier League season will be broadcast live on Sunday, 12 May at 3p.m. The games include title deciders involving the Premier League’s top two teams, Manchester City and Liverpool. The final day matches will be broadcast exclusively on GOtv Max and GOtvPlus packages. City, who recovered a seven-point deficit to climb above Liverpool on the table, will face 17th placed Brighton away at the Amex Stadium. The match will air live on SuperSport Select 2 at 3p.m. Pep Guardiola’s team have been in imperious form, but still need a win to reach 98 points to ensure they win the title for the second successive season. An unlikely victory for Brighton, who are already safe from relegation, will see them move up one place, which should provide some motivation and joy to second-placed Liverpool, who are seeking their first league title in 29 years.

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Emir of Katsina to Buhari “Every day I receive reports of kidnapping and killings from the district and village heads. Tell the president that we have to take care of our people, security first� – Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, lamenting the high level of insecurity in Nigeria.

JOHNDRAMANIMAHAMA GUEST COLUMNIST

Democracy and Elections in Contemporary Africa

I

was here in 2015 to speak at the Oxford Africa Conference on “A Continent on the Move: People, Politics and Business Across Borders.â€? That opportunity, four years ago, to actively engage a broad range of stakeholders was mutually beneficial and I believe today’s will be even more rewarding. A few of my compatriots had the honour, as I stated in 2015, of being trained in this prestigious institution of learning- Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, a former Prime Minister of Ghana, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, one of my predecessors, a legal luminary, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata and a Governance Expert and University Lecturer, Professor Kwamena Ahwoi. I did not have such a distinguished opportunity, but I can assure you I received a reasonably good education from Ghana’s premier University, the University of Ghana at Legon, of which I am very proud. Thank you for the opportunity to be back here again at Oxford. Professor Wale Adebanwi, the Oxford African Studies Centre and the SaĂŻd Business Collegethanks for the collaboration and invitation to share my thoughts on Democracy and Elections in Contemporary Africa. As a historian, the temptation is great for me to begin my exposition from the theories on the ‘state of nature’ by the great thinkers, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau as they apply to the social contract and the beginnings of governance in human society. But such a venture will require the whole day to accomplish. In my allotted time of 30 minutes, I will carry out a brief discourse on current developments in respect of democracy and elections in Africa and hope to have the opportunity to expatiate more in the Question and Answer session. Democracy, ladies and gentlemen, is an antithesis of dictatorship, authoritarianism, tyranny or despotism. Democracy is a system that promotes the participation of the citizens in how they are governed. It reposes sovereignty in the people on whose behalf leadership is exercised. It is based on the rule of law, respect for the rights and freedoms of citizens. Elections are an instrument for exercising choice of the people on who occupies an office of leadership. Elections are therefore an exercise of the people’s right of choice as to who their leaders at various levels of governance should be, often for a period of time defined by law. But make no mistake, elections are conducted as well under authoritarian rule. However, the system of elections under such circumstances are rigged to achieve a predetermined outcome. Democracy allows an environment that promotes creativity and innovation. People will always make a choice for a system of government that allows them to express themselves freely and be able to have a say in how they are governed. Africa has experimented with different systems of government since gaining political independence from colonial rule, but three main eras can be recognised. The immediate post-independence era of oneparty rule, the era of military dictatorships, and from the turn of the millennium what one may call an African democratic spring. This saw a blossoming of constitutional rule and democratic governments across the continent. From the early 1990’s as a result of pressure from their citizens, civil society organisations, external actors, and the general global environment, many African countries begun to open up.

Late Libyan leader, Muammar GaddaďŹ Constitutional rule replaced military dictatorship, elections became the norm rather than the exception, respect for human rights and freedoms, an expanded media space all became the trend to follow. Even pseudo democracies, which still had autocratic leaderships were forced to join the train and allowed elections that turned out often as high as over 95% endorsements of the regimes in question. Recent events however reveal that citizens have the ability and the will to force democratic change. Little sparks can trigger a chain of events that end up dislodging even the most entrenched dictator. When the people have suffered enough, cowardly citizens who earlier fled at the least sign of the heavy hand of repression, become so outraged that they embrace death and injury as a worthy sacrifice in the confrontation with dictatorship. Removal of subsidies last December shot-up the price of bread, a staple food item in Sudan. Spontaneous protest beginning in Atbara quickly spread. As the protests continued, the protestors gained strength in numbers and not even the brutality of the security services could douse the fire that had been lit. A similar fire was lit in Algeria when the ailing President announced that he was going to run for a 5th term in office. Spontaneous protests erupted leading to the collapse of the regime. Earlier in the Arab Spring, uprisings of the people swept strong men, Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak and Muamar Ghaddafi out of power. In Gambia, strong man Yahaya Jammeh eventually had to go into exile, following initial attempts to challenge the result of an election that had given victory to his opponent, Adama Barrow. To consolidate democratic developments in Africa, the continental body, the African Union, in its attempt to capture the will and desire of the people, provided a robust normative structure to guide member states. In its mission of democracy promotion, the AU built an expansive framework and adopted protocols, mechanisms and institutions for implementation. These mechanisms and institutions have been instrumental in strengthening democratic governance in the AU Member States and aided those in the transition from conflict and authoritarian regimes. This is a departure from the predecessor, Organization of African Unity (OAU) Charter of 1963, which embraced the doctrine of non-

interference in the internal affairs of Member Union’s Agenda 2063, which is an integrated, States. prosperous and peaceful Africa. Furthermore, the AU Constitutive Act embraces This prospect is achievable and the signals a new doctrine of non-indifference to human are positive. rights abuses within the territory of another AU Ladies and gentlemen, notwithstanding the Member States. significant gains made, African democracy is still This Act and the 2007 African Charter on fragile and faces major challenges. The dividends Democracy, Elections and Governance are the of democracy are still not immediately tangible continental body’s framework for the protection to the African population. and promotion of democracy. Major inequality exists and the fruits of economic Cumulatively, these tools have emboldened growth are not shared fairly down the class chain. the AU in its democracy-promotion and good Many vulnerable groups are losing out, while governance agenda. affluence of the growing prosperous classes is The democratic spring in Africa has impacted being flaunted in their faces. positively on many African countries. Over the last Social safety nets have not been enough to decade, average GDP growth in many countries stem the growing divide between rich and poor. has ranged between 4 and 6%. Citizens begin to question the need to exercise Many countries have seen an upsurge in their franchise during elections when they feel foreign direct investments. Africa has enjoyed no tangible improvement in their lives. the fastest growth in telecommunications and This could commonly be referred to as IT in this period. democracy fatigue. The African middle class has prospered and Africa is a continent in a hurry. Africa does has been one of the fastest growing in the world. not have the luxury of time if democracy must Per capita income has increased significantly for thrive. many African states. Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia Haille The successful implementation of the Millennium Mariam Desalegn, said “democracy is not all Development Goals has seen achievement of about elections.â€? reduction of hunger and malnutrition. Many He was right, democracy is about improvements African countries have seen an increase in primary in people’s lives, it is about access to social services, school enrolment and achievement of gender it is about jobs and employment, it is about parity in enrolment. social justice and the fight against corruption. Average life expectancy has improved. It is about the establishment of strong institutions. Widespread use of vaccinations has seen a Africa has a burgeoning population. Growth significant drop in under-five mortality and is not translating into jobs as fast as is necessary many children are surviving and thriving. to keep up with population growth. All these positive developments are the dividends It is estimated that about 12 million graduates of democracy. are churned out every year in Africa, and yet As the Chairman of the Tana High Level less than 5 million sustainable job places are Forum on Security in Africa, I had the privilege available for them each year. last week in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, to present a African nations must accelerate growth and summary of the report on the State of Peace ensure that there is a greater diffusion of the and Security in Africa. fruits of growth down the class chain. The report noted some successes achieved While democracy, elections, free speech and by Africans in the quest for peace and good a vibrant media are the greatest assets in the governance in the year 2018. fight against graft and corruption, perceptions r5IF SFQPSU OPUFE UIF IPMEJOH PG FMFDUJPOT JO of corruption can heighten in a democracy 27 countries and successful transfers of power; because there is increased open discussion of r*U OPUFE BO FYQBOTJPO PG TQBDF GPS DJWJM TPDJFUZ acts of malfeasance that create an impression engagement despite the considerable risks the that the canker is on the increase. operators face; This heightened perception of corruption, r5IF SFQPSU BMTP OPUFE UIF HSPXJOH JOWPMWFNFOU added to the fact that the wheels of justice in of young people, braving the odds stacked against a democracy grind very slowly, often leads to them in the political space, to join politics, seek a sense of longing for unconstitutional times elective positions in parliament or public office; where persons suspected of corruption could r5IF ZPVUI XFSF BMTP UBLJOH BEWBOUBHF PG UIF be dealt with without any regard to the respect digital revolution to put developmental issues of for human rights. concern to them on the front-burner of national, Low participation of women in elective politics continental and global agenda; due to socio-cultural factors continue to be an r"T HBNF DIBOHFST JO NBOZ SFTQFDUT ZPVUI indictment on Africa’s democratic development. activism and visa liberalisation are making the In most countries, women form the majority free movement of people, goods and services of the population and yet are severely underacross the continent easier. represented in elective and public office. r5IFZ BSF JO UVSO QSPEVDJOH JNQVMTFT DBQBCMF In my own country, Ghana, while women form of improving regional integration and cross-border about 51% of our population, the highest percentage trade, and also significantly contributing to of seats held by women in our parliament is overall GDP; 12.7% in the 2017 Parliament. This is up from r5IF ZFBS TBX BMM CVU UISFF "GSJDBO 10.9% in the 2013 Parliament. countries meet and sign the Continental Free In many countries, lack of effective Trade Agreement (CFTA), which recently achieved decentralisation of power and resources means that the record threshold of the 22 ratifications required development is lopsided and many geographic for effectiveness. areas find themselves marginalised and deprived. All the above indicate significant strides made towards political and economic liberation of the t5IJT TQFFDI XBT EFMJWFSFE ZFTUFSEBZ CZ people in Africa and paint a picture of a continent UIF GPSNFS 1SFTJEFOU PG (IBOB %S +PIO definitely on course in delivering on the will %SBNBOJ .BIBNB BU UIF 4BĂ•E #VTJOFTT 4DIPPM of the people. 6OJWFSTJUZ PG 0YGPSE JO DPMMBCPSBUJPO XJUI Ladies and gentlemen, for example, if this 5IF "GSJDBO 4UVEJFT $FOUSF BOE UIF 0YGPSE Free Trade Agreement is faithfully implemented, "GSJDB #VTJOFTT "MMJBODF and the arithmetic works out as planned, it may just be what the continent needs to set itself NOTE: This piece is concluded in the online on the pathway towards achieving the African edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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