TUESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2022

FG Commences Collection of Income Tax on Bonds, Short-term Securities from Today Stockbrokers express divergent view over new policy

Kayode Tokede The federal government will today commence the collection of income

tax on bonds, short-term securities.

This followed the expiration of a 2012 gazette which exempted Companies Income Tax (CIT) from

bonds and short-term securities in the past 10 years.

The federal government had in 2012 granted tax waiver on

all bonds and debt instruments issued by all tiers of government and corporate entities.

But the Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) had last month introduced a 0.025 per cent charge on fixed income (Bonds) secondary market transactions, which was

expected to become effective today.

The capital market regulator Continued on page 10

Oil Prices Bullish as 2022 Market Outlook Remains Positive... Page 5 Tuesday 4 January, 2022 Vol 26. No 9764. Price: N250

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Buhari: Tofa, True and Irreplaceable Nationalist Ex-presidential candidate buried in-between parents’ graves Atiku, Ganduje, Buni mourn Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, led other prominent people in Nigeria and around the world to mourn the candidate of

the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the 1993 presidential election, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, describing him as a true

and irreplaceable nationalist.

Tofa died at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), in Kano State, in the early hours of

yesterday after a brief illness. He was buried in-between the graves of his parents at the Hajj Camp cemetery in Kano metropolis. He

was aged 74 years.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Continued on page 10

No Controversy on Who Becomes Next Olubadan, Say Ibadan High Chiefs Declare new king will be chosen based on tradition Oyo ex-AG advises Makinde against appointment of new Oba Jonathan, Sanwo-Olu, Anyim mourn late monarch Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Olubadan-in-Council, yesterday, said there was no controversy over the emergence of a new Olubadan of Ibadanland, declaring that tradition would be followed in the choice of the next king.

But an Ibadan-based lawyer and former Attorney-General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Michael Lana, had earlier advised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde against approving the appointment of any of the current High Chiefs and Baales as the new Olubadan because there were unsettled legal matters relating to the stool.

Meanwhile, there were more eulogies to the departed monarch yesterday. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim, commiserated with the people of Ibadan and the Continued on page 10

MOURNING THE OLUBADAN...

L-R: Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Duad Akinola; Former Oyo State Governor, Chief Rasidi Ladoja; and Iyaloja of Ibadanland, Alhaja Abiola Ameringun, during a condolence visit to Olubadan's palace over the passage of the monarch…yesterday

Buhari, Tinubu Felicitate with Bolaji Akinyemi at 80... Page 8

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

INSPECTING PROGRESS OF WORK ON RED AND BLUE RAIL LINES...

L-R: Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. (Mrs) Abimbola Akinajo; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Mr. Lere Odusote and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works & Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye, during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Red and Blue Line Rail project sites, at the Marina Train Station,... yesterday

Oil Prices Bullish as 2022 Market Outlook Remains Positive Kuwaiti’s Al-Ghais appointed to succeed Barkindo as OPEC’s secretary-general Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

Oil prices remained bullish yesterday rising above $79 per barrel, spurred mainly by tight supply and hopes that demand would further recover in 2022 as well as the shutting down of a 200,000 barrels per day asset in Libya for maintenance.

This is just as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) yesterday appointed a former Kuwaiti Governor, Haitham al-Ghais as its new Secretary General to succeed Nigeria's Sanusi Barkindo, whose tenure expires at the end of July this year.

OPEC and its allies known as

OPEC+ are expected to today sanction an output increase by 400,000 barrels like it has done since August last year.

OPEC+ has been gradually unwinding record oil production cuts of 10 million barrels per day (bpd), about 10 per cent of global oil output and would be left with about 3.4 million barrels at the end of January.

But while the group has been raising its targets, its production increases have not kept pace as some members like Nigeria have struggled with capacity constraints.

In November, OPEC+ oil producers missed their production targets by 650,000 bpd and 730,000 bpd in October, the International

Energy Agency (IEA) disclosed in a document last month.

Brent crude rose 39 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $78.17 a barrel in the afternoon, but had earlier risen as high as $79.05.

On the other hand, the United State’s West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude grew by 0.80 per cent, to hit $75.84 at about 5pm Nigerian time on Monday.

The increase further gained some support from an outage in Libya which would see output cut by 200,000 barrels per day for a week due to pipeline maintenance.

Last year, Brent rose 50 per cent, spurred by the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and OPEC+ supply cuts, even as

Lagos Metro Rail Lines to Commence Operation This Year, Sanwo-Olu Assures Segun James Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday said the Lagos Metro Rail Lines under construction in the state would commence operation this year.

The governor said this after a tour of the train project from Ikeja where the Red Line begins to Yaba, Ebute Meta and finally to Marina.

The Blue Metro system commences from Okokomaiko and terminates at Marina while the Red Line begins from Agbado to Marina.

Despite the public holiday, SanwoOlu along with his entourage went on a tour of the project that lasted more than three hours.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the tour, Sanwo-Olu explained that the monitoring of the project would be done quarterly it is completed.

He commended the contractors for working as scheduled, assuring that work on the project would be delivered as promised.

The governor added: "Our promise is on course, we are believing before the end of this year, we will see trains on top of these tracks. That is our commitment but we will continue to monitor and check ourselves.

"In the last three and a half hours we have gone round to see the constructions ongoing between the Red Line and Blue Line.

"You will recall we embarked

on this trip three or four months ago. We promised that we will be doing it every quarter so that we can see how the contractors are doing.

"I'm happy to report as you all have seen that the constructions are going on as scheduled. Despite today being a public holiday, all the contractors are on the sites.

"You can see where we are coming from, the Ikeja iconic station which will be the most iconic for Red Line, almost the same size like that of Marina. We were able to see that the last time, they were just at the foundation level, but they are now in the second floor before they will get to the fourth floor which will be the final.

"There will be an overpass at Awolowo Way to Agege Motor Road. Everything is on course and we are hoping especially the bridge components will be finished before schedule because of the impact of the traffic on the motorists around the corridor.

"At Yaba, we wanted to make a detour into Mushin but because of the logistics of how to get into the Mushin station, noting there will be an overpass and a station also at Mushin.

"At Yaba, the last time we were there, they were still excavating, but right now they are working to go to the second floor. You also saw the beams and they have been given a marching order to keep to timeline.”

Speaking further, he said: "At

Ebute Meta, there will be an overpass from Muritala Mohammed Road up to Apapa Road. They are launching the columns, the station is far ahead because they have completed the station.

"At the Marina Station is the most iconic for the Blue Line. All the beams are to be launched.”

infections reached record highs worldwide.

There might also be no surprises today as OPEC+ was expected to stick to its plans to increase output in February during its meeting, seeing a mild and short-lived impact on demand from the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Speaking during the 58th conference of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), a precursor to today’s decisive meeting, Barkindo noted that the pandemic was far from over, and that OPEC needs to remain highly nimble and adaptable to the constantly changing situation.

Sharing the secretariat’s latest outlook for the oil market, he stated that despite the steady progress that had been made in terms of the economic recovery, OPEC expects significant levels of uncertainty in the weeks to come, which could slow the growth momentum.

“Looking at demand, we foresee world oil demand increasing by 5.7 mb/d in 2021 and by 4.2 mb/d, both unchanged from last month.

World total demand in 2021 is now pegged at 96.5 mb/d and at 100.6 mb/d in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

“Some of the recovery previously expected in 4Q21 has now

shifted to 1Q22, followed by a more steady recovery throughout 2H22, though risks are skewed towards the downside.

“In terms of the supply side, non-OPEC supply in 2021 is expected to grow by 700,000 b/d to average 63.7 mb/d, unchanged from last month. For 2022, nonOPEC supply growth is forecast at 3.0 mb/d for an average of 66.7 mb/d, also unchanged from last month,” he said.

In a separate congratulatory message to his successor-inwaiting, who was picked by acclamation, Barkindo noted that it was fully deserved and a recognition of the al-Ghais' “extremely positive standing within the OPEC community as a committed, knowledgeable and extremely able technocrat who can lead the organisation in the years to come.”

Barkindo described it as an honour of a lifetime to lead OPEC since August 2016, helping bring together the, ‘Declaration of Cooperation’, the ‘Charter of Cooperation’, and navigate the organisation past the impacts of the industry downturn of 20142016 and the massive repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“With your appointment, this

vital international organisation for our member countries, as well as the global oil market, is in very capable hands,” he said in a letter to the new OPEC head who will be formally inaugurated in August.

Earlier, a special meeting of the conference of OPEC appointed al-Ghais, a veteran of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait’s OPEC Governor from 2017 to June 2021 and currently serving as Deputy Managing Director for International Marketing at KPC as the secretary general.

Al-Ghais was also chair of the JTC of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) in 2017 and subsequently served as a member of the JTC until June 2021.

In its decision, the conference expressed its appreciation to Barkindo for his leadership during his two-term tenure as secretary general beginning on 1 August 2016 and ending on 31 July 2022.

“A long-serving veteran of Nigeria’s oil industry and OPEC, Barkindo had been instrumental in expanding OPEC’s historical efforts to support sustainable oil market stability through enhanced dialogue and cooperation with many energy stakeholders, including the landmark DoC since its inception in December 2016.

Analysts Forecast Increased FG Borrowing as CBN’s Primary Market Auction Rises by 162% Nume Ekeghe and Tokede Kayode

Analysts have predicted that the federal government would sustain borrowing in 2022 as data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed primary market auction rose significantly by 162 per cent in 2021 compared to the previous year.

With the federal government’s increasing borrowing to finance its budget deficit, domestic borrowing was pegged at N6.7 trillion in 2021, as against N2.6 trillion in 2020.

The N4.28 trillion 2021 budget of federal government had huge debt components and this saw the apex bank to support with monthly primary market auctions.

Checks revealed that the CBN conducted primary market auctions three times every month in 2021,

expect for May and September when primary market auctions were conducted four times.

Data revealed that the CBN repaid N3.68 trillion when the instrument matured in 2021, an increase of 65.2 per cent compared to N2.23 trillion repayment in 2020.

Demand for treasury bills surged in 2021 as yield-hungry investors scampered away from stock market into risk-free government securities.

Commenting on the development, Managing Director of Kairos Capital, Mr. Sam Chidoka said the trend would continue and cautioned that it was an unsustainable path.

He said: “Our borrowing in likely to continue in the same traction for the simple reason that we have a budget for 2022 that is a deficit budget.

“We have a budget of about N17 trillion and N10 trillion is supposed

to come from identified revenue heads. So, you probably have N6 trillion to N7 trillion budget deficits that has to be funded by borrowing both local and foreign.

“So, we are likely to see the same traction as we saw last year. But the question is whether our payment sources commensurate with what we are borrowing? The question is whether our debt is sustainable or less thereof and I think that is becoming less sustainable and we have to find a way of either cutting government expenditure or increasing our revenue base in such a way that we can fund some of the things we want to do especially on the capital side.

Speaking further, Chidoka added: “Or borrowing exclusively for capital part of the budget and then using those to capitalise revenue, but I see that we are borrowing for debt

service, recurrent expenditure and I don't think that it is sustainable.

So, I think we are going to see the same high level of borrowing in 2022.”

Also, Head Financial Institutions’ Ratings Agusto & Co, Mr. Ayokunle Olubunmi, said the trend would continue and may be more exaggerated because of plans towards the upcoming general elections.

He said: “It is not far-fetched from what we are seeing as we have seen increased government borrowing basically because of the budget deficit that we've had.

“Government is spending more than they are earning and year-in year-out in the last four years, you see that the projected revenue is way higher than the actual as they have been doing well in terms of generating revenue.

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NEW YEAR SERVICE AT THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH...

L-R: Provost, Diocese of Lagos, Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Very Rev. Adebola Ojofeyintimi; Assistant Secretary, Gbenga Bello; Chancellor, Hon. Justice Adedayo Oyebanji; Archbishop, Ecclesiastical of Lagos Province/ Bishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Revd. Humphrey Olumakaiye; his wife, Prof. Motunrayo; and Registrar, Mr. Olusegun Ajayi, during the New Year 2022 Church Service at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina... recently PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI

Finance Commissioner: Why Ogun Achieved N100bn IGR Target Last Year James Sowole in Abeokuta Ogun State Government yesterday said its N100 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target for 2021 was realisable because it had broadened its revenue base through innovation, provision of infrastructure and digital transformation initiatives.

The State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Hon. Dapo Okubadejo, said this during an interview with journalists in Abeokuta.

Okubadejo said the government

was optimistic of meeting and even surpassing the revenue target for 2022, due to the numerous innovative ideas already put in place.

He said, "We have embarked on a lot of fiscal, economic and financial management reforms in the areas of fiscal responsibility, debt management, procurement, treasury management, investment promotion and ease of doing business, amongst others.

"In addition, several economic transformation initiatives have been implemented to deepen and broaden the revenue base of the state while blocking leakages and

improving process efficiency and service delivery through digitalisation."

Okubadejo said the state had witnessed giant strides through rapid socio-economic and infrastructural developments in all the three senatorial districts especially the establishment of new Economic Development Clusters (EDCs), with shared infrastructure facilities such as power, broadband and other facilities, which will no doubt further improves the state competitiveness.

He said the achievements recorded by the Abiodun's administration in the last 31 months

had been due to the judicious and prudent management of resources available to it.

The Commissioner said Abiodun had demonstrated a high level of competence, commitment and also had been thinking out of the box to transform the state, since his assumption of office.

He explained the administration had embarked on the construction and the reconstruction of many roads, some of which he had been finished. This, he listed to include the Epe-Ijebu-Ode Expressway, the Abeokuta-Siun-Sagamu road, and many other township roads in 18

Nigeria Not Yet Ripe for Direct Primary Elections, Says IPAC Urges National Assembly to expunge contentious clause in bill Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has said the country is not ripe for direct primary as a means for political parties to elect their candidates.

Addressing a media briefing yesterday, to mark the commencement of business in the New Year, IPAC National Chairman and Chairman of the African Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf, said the council was of the view that the National Assembly should expunge the offensive items in the 2021 Electoral Act amendment Bill.

The Council which had earlier rolled out plans of engagements during the year, said it was working on a concept for the establishment of a pan-African democracy institute to be known as the Africa Institute for Democracy (AID), to be located in Abuja.

It said the thrust of the concept was for the deepening and spreading of all-inclusive democracy in Africa, through the creation of a centre for research and teaching of democracy with bias on African peculiar characteristics.

IPAC said that the main contentious clause in the bill was the provision for mandatory use of direct primary election in the selection of standard-bearer of all the political parties.

Speaking on the issue of exigency of adoption direct primaries, he said the country should make haste slowly.

He said the legislation on direct primaries amounted to an attempt to usurp the constitutional rights of

parties as to the method of choice of electing party flag bearers.

According to him, the country's constitution recognises that the issue use of direct or indirect primary election was an internal affairs of political parties.

"The way out of the logjam in view of IPAC is for the shifting of grounds by the legislature and the executive arms of government for a compromise and amicable resolution resulting in a win win scenario.

"This should not be a difficult task given that the two arms are, incidentally, controlled by the same political party, the APC. The IPAC is accordingly, recommending that the legislature should accede to the expunging of the clauses regarding direct primary election thereby saving the other equally important provisions among which, is the one on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results by INEC," he said.

On the stalemate over the bill, the IPAC boss said commended the National Assembly for the courage, high level of commitment and patriotism exhibited in the passage of the proposed legislation that had been widely applauded as ground-breaking and transformative in the annals of the nation's legislative chambers.

Yabagi said in order to avoid further pitfalls in the remodeling and implementation of the proposed legislation, IPAC suggested that the legislature and executive should consider carrying Council along in view of the fact that the bill directly affects its members and the political

parties who would implement the law when eventually enacted.

'For once, we saw our representatives disregarding partisan differences in favour of superior national interest. We saw our lawmakers stood up in a spirited battle in the course of democracy even in the face of intimidation and blackmail.

"We have noted that the only expressed grouse of the President on the basis of which he held back his assent.

“While many may not concede to the explanations of security challenges with the other reasons given by the president, it will be difficult however, to disagree with him on the reason of complex logistics and huge financial burden that direct primary elections will imply for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

"Many have canvassed the view that no amount of money should be considered too high in the efforts to sanitise the nation's electoral process and that the Legislature should therefore, invoke its veto powers to overrule the President.

"To us in IPAC, such an action may be tantamount to a wholesale wrecking of the boat.

“We are of the view that, much as we may cherish its perceived benefits, the country, at this stage of the progress of its democracy, does not appear to be sufficiently ripe and prepared for the direct primary election model in the selection of political party flag bearers.

"Also, against the backdrop of the president's decisive aversion to this particular provision of the Electoral Bill, the use of veto by

the legislature may merely result in a fruitless exercise if at the end of the day, its implementation is not supported by the required funding by the executive.”

On the challenges of insecurity, IPAC Chairman said the council did not buy in the excuse given

by President Muhammadu Buhari that the state of insecurity should dictate the electoral process.

He expressed optimistism that the current insecurity would be properly addressed and reversed going forward.

local government areas in the state.

According to him, several other major economic infrastructure projects such as the Atan-AgbaraLusada road, international Agrocargo airport were at different stages of completion and would be commissioned this year.

Okubadejo said the completion of most of the projects, either newly initiated or inherited from the previous administration could not have been possible without the improved IGR and the long term infrastructure financing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), at a single digit interest rate and two years moratorium.

He said: "Governance is about service to the people. The governor is not sectional in his approach to ensure meaningful developments that has been impacting positively on the lives of the citizens. He is a de-tribalised man who sees the entire state as an indivisible unit.

"The 14-kilometre road projects that links Ijebu-Ode and Epe has been completed. Another ongoing project is the Atan/Agbara/Lusada Road which is at the centre of the Agbara Industrial Estate.

"Due to the serious deterioration of that road, many companies were already shutting down their businesses, and in some cases, selling them off or relocating outside Nigeria, because of the deplorable condition of the road.

"Let us also look at the construction and beautification of the Gateway City Gate at the Sagamu-Abeokuta Interchange, the construction of 1,000 affordable housing units across the state, among other noble projects.”

According to him, “the infrastructure budget that is currently being executed in Ogun State is intended to lay a strong foundation for the economic transformation and sustainability of the state government.

"Given that the state already has fiscal responsibility law, every financing follows due process, not only through the executive committee resolutions, but also the State House of Assembly's resolutions and approval in addition to the very stringent regulatory approval processes by the Federal Government, through the Debt Management Office (DMO), Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

"When such monies are used to fund big infrastructure projects, such as Epe/Ijebu-Ode road that will open up the entire area for massive economic development which serves as the evacuation corridor for Lekki Free Trade Zone, that would also take off the traffic jam along the everbusy Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos/ Ore/Benin roads respectively, it is money well spent."

Apple Makes History, Hits $3trn Market Capitalisation Apple Inc. yesterday became the first company with a $3 trillion stock market value, lifted by investors’ confidence that the iPhone maker will keep launching best-selling products as it explores new markets such as automated cars and virtual reality.

On the first day of trading in 2022, the Silicon Valley company’s shares hit a record of $182.88 around mid-day.

Reuters disclosed that the world’s most valuable company was the first to reach the latest milestone as investors bet that consumers would continue to shell out top dollar for iPhones, MacBooks and services such as Apple TV and Apple Music.

“It’s a fantastic accomplishment and certainly worthy to be celebrated,” said Jake Dollarhide, chief executive officer of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa,

Oklahoma.

“It just shows you how far Apple has come, and how dominant it is seen as in the majority of investors’ eyes.”

Apple shared the $2 trillion market value club with Microsoft Corp, which is now worth about $2.5 trillion. Alphabet, Amazon. com Inc and Tesla have market value above $1 trillion.

“The market is rewarding companies that have strong fundamentals and balance sheets, and the companies that are hitting these sort of huge market caps have proven they are strong businesses and not speculation,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

The rapid embrace of technologies such as 5G, virtual reality and artificial intelligence has also helped these stocks

become market darlings as investors moved towards cashrich companies and away from businesses that have been more sensitive to economic growth.

Apple’s quick adoption of 5G, a technology that has broad implications in the future, provided a big boost. It recently launched iPhone 13 in its second wave of phones with 5G technology.

In China, one of Apple’s biggest markets, it continued to lead the smartphone market for the second straight month, beating rivals such as Vivo and Xiaomi, recent data from CounterPoint Research showed.

Apple’s stock touched a record high of $182.88, putting its market value just above $3 trillion, based on about 16.4 billion outstanding shares. The shares were last up 2.4 per cent at $181.86.

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WHAT DOES WIKE WANT?...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right) receiving Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, when Gov. Wike paid Gov. Ugwuanyi a fraternal visit at his country home in Ohom Orba, Udenu Local Government Area, in the spirit of the New Year celebration... yesterday.

Gwandu Emirate Tussle: SAN Seeks Probe of Supreme Court's Two Years Adjournment of Appeal As lawyer advocates regional courts to expedite cases Alex Enumah in Abuja A legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ahamba, has called for investigation into circumstances leading to a two years adjournment in the hearing of an appeal in respect of the Gwandu Emirate headship by the Supreme Court.

This is just as an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Innocent Daagba has called for the creation of regional Supreme Courts in the country to decongest backlog of appeals at the Supreme Court.

The apex court had on November 29, 2021, ordered a two-year adjournment of hearing in appeal challenging the five-year old order of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which had reinstated H.R.H. Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo, as the 19th Emir of Gwandu, to November 2023.

Justices on the panel that ordered the two years adjournment were Olukayode Ariwoola (presiding), Amina Augie, JohnOkoro, Abdu Aboki and Emmanuel Agim.

In his reaction on the adjournment, Ahamba however, called on the Bar to convene a discussion on the issue and to investigate the real causes of the long adjournment and delay in dispensation of justice, particularly at the Supreme Court, with a view to finding solution in the interest of Justice.

"Our courts are congested, the Supreme Court too is congested with appeals. Nobody can explain, they say its workload, but one has to investigate the causes of long adjournments.

"We must find out why it is so now. I hope the Bar will one day call for a discussion on the issue. The truth is that the Supreme Court is congested,” he added.

On his part, Daagba blamed the country's procedural law and court system for the delay in justice dispensation.

Daagba posited that, “when you unbundle the Supreme Court by creating Regional Divisions, cases like land disputes, chieftaincy matters etc emanating from certain regions will terminate at the regional Supreme Courts, thereby reducing appeals and workload at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

"Some of us have been clamouring for establishment of regional Courts of Appeal and regional Supreme Courts so that certain matters will terminate there", he said, just as he blamed the situation on the nation's constitution.

The November 29, sitting was for the court to hear a motion for substitution of the names of deceased kingmakers in the three appeals marked SC2/2013 (Attorney-General of Kebbi State and others against Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo); SC314/2016(Alhaji

Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar against Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo & anor); and SC266/2017(Governor of Kebbi State and others against Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo.

The briefs for the appeals were filed in 2019 and consolidated.

Jokolo was deposed in 2005 and he promptly went to court to challenge his dethronement.

In 2014, a Kebbi State High Court 6, sitting in Birnin Kebbi, ordered his immediate reinstatement, having been satisfied he was

illegally deposed.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Abbas Ahman said the deposition was contrary to law and that due process was not followed.

Not satisfied with the judgment, Kebbi State Government and Jokolo’s successor, filed an appeal challenging the decision of the Kebbi State High Court.

In a unanimous judgment passed in April 2016, the three judges of the appellate court led by

Justice Tunde Awotoye held that the 2005 deposition of the Emir by the then Governor of the state, Senator Adamu Aliero contravened sections 6 and 7 of the Chief Appointment and Deposition Law of the State because the Governor neither made an inquiry into the allegation against the Emir nor consulted the Kebi State’s Council of Chiefs before arriving at his decision.

The Kebbi State Government and Jokolo’s successor approached

Buhari,Tinubu Felicitate with Bolaji Akinyemi at 80 Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari and former Governor of Lagos State and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have rejoiced with former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi as he marks his 80th birthday anniversary today.

Buhari congratulated the scholar, administrator, publisher and highly resourceful diplomat on the milestone.

The president in a statement by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, joined the academia and the media in celebrating with the former minister, whose intellectual and

managerial influence cuts across almost every sphere of national life, with stronger presence in formulation of policies, particularly on democracy, good governance and diplomacy.

The president affirmed that the scholar had remained unwavering in his patriotism and loyalty to the growth of the nation and Africa, heading the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs at 33, becoming a minister at 43, after earning a Ph.D at 27.

He believed Akinyemi’s foresight, steadfastness and diligence deserved commendation, while appreciating his willingness to share his experience whenever the need arises, including shaping

the electoral process for democracy, and playing a significant role in global dialogue with other nations, the UN, Commonwealth and African Union.

The President prayed for good health and strength, especially in mentoring and inspiring younger scholars and leaders.

On his part, Tinubu, has poured encomiums on the elder-statesman.

He commended the Professor of Political Science for his contributions to the socio-political developments in the country and to democracy and good governance.

In a statement by his Media Office signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, Tinubu, the former Lagos

Wike Tackles Buhari for Signing 2022 Budget after Declining to Sign Electoral Act Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike has said it was hypocritical for President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the 2022 budget recently passed by the National Assembly into law after declining to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The governor said the speed at which the president signed the Appropriation Act, which he had said was impossible to implement, was curious and insensitive to the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

Wike stated this yesterday, when he paid a New Year visit to Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in his home town, Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Wike, who argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government had failed

Nigeria, urged the people of Enugu to speak out against the poor governance the country was experiencing.

He further advised them to join forces with well-meaning Nigerians to salvage the country.

He said: "Look at Mr. President the other day while he was signing the budget, he said the budget is un-implementable. But he went on and signed what is unimplementable. A budget that will determine the state of the economy, the progress of this nation, and the president knew this thing can't work and he signed it. Then the Electoral Act, he said he will not sign it because direct primaries is too expensive.

"What concern me with party primaries? What concerns the poor people with party primaries? The one that concerns poor man,

the Supreme Court for a final decision. Specifically, the appeals before the Supreme Court were aimed at reviewing the verdicts of the two lower courts to affirm or deny that Kebbi State Government contravened section 6 and 7 of the Chief Appointment and Deposition Law of the state because the governor neither made an inquiry into the allegation against the Emir nor consulted the state’s council of chiefs before arriving at his decision.

business man, how to grow the economy, you signed it, knowing too well that it will not work.”

To the people of Enugu State, Wike said: "You must join the rest of Nigerians. Nigeria is dying. Will you be here to see Nigeria die? Is it the kind of Nigeria that people like Nnamdi Azikiwe fought for?

“A Nigeria that when you wake up, what you will hear is 20 people have died, 42 people have been kidnapped, 100 people have been abducted. Everyday death, death."

The Rivers State governor said he was in Enugu to felicitate with Ugwuanyi before the commencement of work in the new year in view of his brotherly love towards him.

He described Ugwuanyi as one of the shining lights of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and admonished him to continue

to remain firm, courageous and supportive of the PDP. The Governor who was conferred with a honorary traditional chieftaincy title of Agunechemba by the Chairman, Enugu State Council of Tradition Rulers, Lawrence Agubuzo, also urged the people of Enugu State to continue to stand by the governor to enable him deliver democratic dividends to them.

In his remarks, Enugu State Governor said Governor Wike had distinguished himself as a bold and courageous leader, noting that he was proud of his leadership.

Ugwuanyi described the visit as the signpost of the deepening relationship between the two states and commended the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers for conferring Governor Wike with

a chieftaincy title.

"Last year, I was in Rivers State on two occasions, on the Governor's invitation to commission two major road projects. On each occasion. I left Rivers State with strong, positive impression of your commitment to project conception and quick delivery.

“You have distinguished yourself as a visionary, bold and audacious leader, even when you have inspired trust and confidence in our democracy. You have fought for our great party, PDP and have given voice for the voiceless. You have been a defender of the defenseless.

"This fraternal visit symbolises the deepening of the fellowship between the government and good people of the Treasure Base of the Nation and of course Eungu State,” he added.

governor, said: "Warm congratulations to former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, on attaining 80. I rejoice with him and his family on this important milestone. Erudite scholar, author, diplomat, pro-democracy activist and committed progressive, Prof.

Akinyemi has done a lot for this country.

"That he has contributed immensely to the socio-political development of Nigeria and to democracy and good governance is evident enough in his trajectory.”

At 33, Akinyemi was appointed the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs and in 1985, at 43, he emerged as Nigeria's External Affairs Minister.

“Easily one of the best the country has produced in that office till date, his two years in office were significant as they represented some of the country's best moments in international relations.

"Prof. Akinyemi also played active part in the country's prodemocracy struggle and has remained till date a key partner in our progressive front. I vividly recalls his role in NADECO. He was a thorn in the flesh of the Abacha regime. He also helped to give scholarly support to the coalition.

"Rich in experience, wisdom and knowledge, Prof. Akinyemi is today an important elder-statesman. His wise counsel is being sought after locally and abroad.

“Today, as he joins the Octogenarian Club, I pray that Almighty Allah grant him more years, good health, renewed energy and more wisdom to continue to make meaningful impacts in Nigeria and beyond."

TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022• T H I S D AY

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TEN NO CONTROVERSY ON WHO BECOMES NEXT OLUBADAN, SAY IBADAN HIGH CHIEFS family of the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 93.

A statement released at the end of a two-hour closed-door meeting held at the residence of Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan Balogun, said members of the council would meet and announce the next Olubadan in line with tradition after the mourning period for Oba Saliu Adetunji.

Curiously, the Osi Olubadan, High Chief Rasheed Ladoja, and two other members of the council were absent at the meeting.

The statement read, “Following the demise of the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, on Sunday, members of the Olubadan-in-Council on Monday condoled with the Governor of Oyo State, Engr.

Oluseyi Makinde, the people of Ibadan land and family members of the late monarch.

“Rising from a two-hour closeddoor meeting held at the Alarere residence of Otun Olubadan and the would-be successor to the throne, Sen. Dr. Lekan Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council described the deceased leader of the Council as an indefatigable ruler, whose reign would be difficult to forget.

“While praying for the repose of the soul of the departed king, the council urged the bereaved family of the deceased to remain joyous and happy for the legacies of good reign left behind by their patriarch.

“The council reiterated that the historical and traditional succession plan to the throne of Olubadan remains sacrosanct, the elevation conferred on all the members of the Olubadan-in-Council as Royal Majesties notwithstanding.

“Members of the council were elevated to the Royal Majesties status by the previous administration in the state led by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi and it became contentious and litigatious.

“Olubadan-in-Council said the elevation granted the members, who also serve as kingmakers, had not in anyway altered the age-long and enviable traditional succession plan to the Olubadan throne in Ibadan land.

“There should be no controversy as to who becomes the next Olubadan amongst us as the previous elevation that made us Royal Majesties did not in anyway affect our respective offices in the Olubadan-in-Council and would not preclude any of us to mount the Olubadan throne whenever it is the person’s turn.

“We are the kingmakers and

we will do the needful at the appropriate time. For now, we are still all in the mourning mood of our departed father and revered leader in the Council and we just want to assure the generality of our people both home and in the diaspora that there’s no cause for alarm."

But Lana, in a letter to Makinde and which was copied to the Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, claimed that approving the appointment of any of the High Chiefs and Baales would amount to an illegality, and would, therefore, be null and void.

In the letter dated January 3, Lana claimed that the Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957, which has not been set aside, forbade the elevation of an Oba to the position of Olubadan.

The seat of Olubadan became vacant on Saturday, January 1, 2022, following the death of His Royal Majesty, Oba llu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso 1, the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Lana, in his letter to the governor, advised that the governor should withhold his approval of any of the High Chiefs or Baales as Olubadan to avoid involvement in the desecration of Ibadan Customary Chieftaincy Law. According to the lawyer, Makinde's predecessor had violated the Chieftaincy Law, when he, "Without thinking the legal effects of his actions on the future of Ibadan traditional institution, conferred the title of Obaship on some High Chiefs and Baales and gave them the right to wear beaded Crowns and coronets, in 2017."

He noted that the action of the former governor was challenged up to the Court of Appeal before the matter was resolved out of court.

Lana stated in the letter to Makinde, "Upon Your Excellency's assumption of office, it was resolved that the matter be settled amicably and same was settled through the instrumentality of a Terms of Settlement, which became the judgement of the Court.

"The said Terms of Settlement recognised the Illegality of the said actions and, therefore, set aside the Gazettes by which the said Chiefs became Obas with a right to wear beaded Crowns and coronets.

"These High Chiefs and Baales were dissatisfied with this Consent Judgement and, therefore, instituted two separate suits to set aside the Consent Judgement while at the same time clinging to the title of Obas (which actually is in contempt of court)."

Lana further pointed out that in committing this alleged aberration, which changed the Ibadan Chieftaincy customary law, the

Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 was not amended and, therefore, remained extant.

He said, "Under that Declaration and all relevant laws, no Oba can ascend to the throne of Olubadan.

In other words, as long as the High Chiefs still cling to the title of Oba, they cannot ascend to that throne and any installation of any of them during the pendency of that suit, is illegal, null and void."

He said in the entire history of Ibadanland, appointment of the Olubadan had never been an issue; hence, the governor should not do anything to make it so.

According to Lana, "It is in

line with this legal situation that I advise, most humbly, that you should withhold any approval of any High Chief to become the Olubadan so that you will not also join in the desecration of Ibadan Chieftaincy Customary law.

"There are only two ways to deal with this situation: one is for the High Chiefs to withdraw the aforementioned cases and the other is to wait for the court to pronounce on it before any step is taken to install an Olubadan. If the court holds that they have the right to be Obas and entitled to wear beaded crowns, then they are perpetually barred from becoming

“However, whether it should be as high as 0.02 per cent is open to discussion. We can’t lose sight of the fact that such will definitely increase the net yield on instruments, reduce spreads and might impact trade volumes. I am sure the market ecosystem will ultimately arise at a point of equilibrium for all participants.”

Also, the Chairman, Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Mr. Sam Onukwue said: “I do not think it's out of place for the SEC to do so.

“The Commission has been charging on equities all along. The proposed charges on fixed income securities should not discourage investors from the asset class.

“Investors have their preferences and would always weigh their risk tolerance and other fundamentals in making investment decisions.”

Speaking further, he said: “We have risk-takers and risk averters.

The former invest more in equity while the latter have a strong hold in fixed income securities.”

In his contribution, the President of the Association of Capital Market Academics (AMAN), Prof. Uche Uwaleke said the introduction of the fee would empower SEC to carry out effective regulation and enhance the capital market.

According to him: “The charge

He said in a condolence message, "Olubadan was a compassionate and sagacious traditional ruler, who served as a worthy custodian of the custom and culture of his people."

According to Jonathan, the late monarch will continue to “be remembered for the way he channelled his wisdom and energy towards the growth and development of Ibadanland, serving as a sage and moral compass in his domain.”

The former president noted that the late Olubadan would be missed, not only in Ibadanland, Continued on page 12

BUHARI: TOFA, TRUE AND IRREPLACEABLE NATIONALIST Aminu Ado Bayero, and former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, were among prominent Nigerians that attended the funeral prayer.

Apart from the president, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni were among those, who sent early tributes to the deceased.

Buhari, while leading the nation in mourning Tofa, described him as a politician of note, who was also a promoter of Islamic culture and civilisation. The president described Tofa as a true nationalist that would be difficult to replace.

The president said regarding the former presidential candidate, “He was, till the end, a patriot to the core. He envisaged a better Nigeria for all. We pray that this dream and collective aspiration and necessary commitment will not go with him. We owe it to his memory and to the nation.”

He Allah to repose his soul and grant fortitude to the bereaved family and friends, the Kano Emirate Council, as well as the government and people of Kano State to bear the loss.

Buhari recalled that Tofa set up the Bureau for Islamic Propagation (BIP) in the mid-80s that helped to unite Muslim scholars in the northern states, narrowing the differences that characterised their relationships.

The BIP also published books and newspapers.

In addition to his tributes, the president sent a four-man delegation to Kano with a condolence letter to Ganduje. The team was made up of Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (rtd), and Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Sulaiman Adamu. It was accompanied by Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity),

Late Tofa Garba Shehu, and Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

In a statement by the Kano

FG COMMENCES COLLECTION OF INCOME TAX ON BONDS, SHORT-TERM SECURITIES FROM TODAY had in a circular explained: “It will charge 0.025 per cent of the total value of all secondary market transactions on bonds, while the Securities Exchange on which the transaction occurs will charge an amount not exceeding 0.025 per cent of the total value of secondary market transactions on bonds while bond transactions by dealing members will attract a single regulatory fee of 0.0001per cent of the total value of the secondary market transactions on bonds, and are exempt from the 0.025per cent fee charge earlier stated.”

Reacting to the development, capital market operators which included the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) and the Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) have expressed support for the move by the federal government.

President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr Olatunde Amolegbe said the introduction of the policy by the apex capital regulator would bring significant regulation to the market.

According to him: “The regulator’s decision comes at significant cost which needs to be covered by the ultimate beneficiaries which are the investors. Therefore, there is no issue with the introduction of a regulatory charge on transactions.

another Oba. "Nowhere in the customary law of any Yoruba town is an Oba elevated to become another Oba. If, on the other hand, the court holds that the Terms of Settlement stands, and their obaship title is illegal, then they are free to be elevated to the post of Olubadan. The ball, your Excellency, is in their court."

Nonetheless, Jonathan, while commiserating with the government and people of Oyo State, expressed sadness over the exit of the monarch, describing him as a renowned leader and king, who had the interest of his people at heart.

is on transactions in the secondary segment of the bond market and it is very much in order as it is already in place in the secondary segment of the equities market.

“It will financially empower the SEC to carry out effective regulation and development of the Nigerian capital market. Besides, 0.025per cent is not significant to the point of discouraging transactions in the bonds market.”

On the other hand, some market operators disagreed with the policy, arguing that it would discourage investors from federal government debt instruments.

Speaking with THISDAY, the oldest trading stockbroker on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Mr. Rasheed Yusuf noted that the new fee would hike the cost of transactions in the fixed income instruments.

“Both the buyer and seller of fixed income instruments will have to pay the additional cost.

Will it make prospective investors mull on the additional cost and conclude that the yield is no longer attractive? These are the things we will be looking out for.

“We will need to find out if the additional cost is sufficient to discourage players in the fixed income market or it will bring about a marginal effect.

“However, it will be a function of the volume an investor is buying from the fixed income market. Can you imagine 0.025 per cent fee on N1billion worth of investors transaction in the fixed income market unlike someone buying N1 million in the same market?” he queried.

On his part, the Vice President, Highcap Securities, Mr. David Adnori said the implementation of the policy would affect liquidity in the capital market.

“With the imposition of fees and income tax, it will escalate cost on the capital market, which is expected to discourage investment.

“What is happening is irrational and it seems that every arm of the government is imposing tax and levies on investment. In other countries, the government gives incentive to enable investment.

“What the government should have tax is consumption not on investment. When you tax investment, your destroying investment flow into the economy and indirectly injuring economy entities that should have provided employment and drive economy growth,” he added.

A Lagos-based analyst, Mr. Moses Ojo noted that the introduction of tax income on government securities would further reduce activities.

State Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, and chief mourner, Ganduje recalled the sacrifices of Tofa, who started taking up leadership responsibilities at an early age, when he was elected councillor in Tofa community in his late 20s, and remained vibrant and dynamic up till the time of his death.

He said as a businessman, trader and philanthropist, Tofa touched the lives of many people, especially, the downtrodden, and expressed the belief that the legacies of the deceased would be approximated for posterity.

Ganduje stated in his tribute to Tofa, “The legacy of his political beliefs and triumphs will be important footnotes in the literature of Nigeria’s government and politics for generations yet to come.

“He was a great man, a quintessential democrat and outstanding statesman, who has left very lasting impressions both on the politics and political history of Nigeria.”

He prayed the Almighty Allah to grant his soul Aljannah Firdausi and grant Tofa’s family, friends, and associates the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Atiku, in a press release by his media office in Abuja, described the late Tofa as a thoroughbred democrat, whose contributions to the growth of democratic gov-

ernance in Nigeria is invaluable.

The former vice president noted that throughout his political career, Tofa was a politician, who believed in the power of ideas and ideologies and was never associated with political violence or any other anti-democratic behaviour.

The Waziri Adamawa was in touch with Tofa until his last days Atiku stressed that the statesman and politician, who had been preoccupied with the state of affairs in Nigeria in recent times, and, especially as it impacted the North, was a “balanced and incisive” personality.

“His style of politics and the panache with which he engaged political opponents will remain classical in Nigeria’s political history and are worthy of emulation by contemporary political actors and the future generations,” Atiku said.

Buni, while describing Tofa as an iconic politician, said in a statement by his Director General, Press and Media Affairs, Mr. Mamman Mohammed, that Tofa was an iconic politician, who shared the values of politics as call to service.

"Late Tofa was a fine gentleman, a true democrat and a nationalist with a definition of politics as a tool for service delivery," Buni said, noting that Nigeria lost the late politician at a time the country's democracy needed his wise counsel.

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NEWS

GBAJABIAMILA INAUGURATES ROADS IN IPONRI...

L-R: Chairman, Iponri Community Development Association, Lagos, Mr. Omotayo Olaniyi; Executive Chairman, Surulere Local Government, Lagos, Hon. Suleiman Yusuf; Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Commissioner of the National Assembly Service Commission, Alhaji Hakeem Akamo at the inauguration of Iponri Zone A, Zone B, Zone D Roads, Surulere, Lagos by the Speaker... on Sunday.

Lukman: It's Difficult to Excuse Buni’s C’ttee from Campaign to Postpone APC Convention Urges Yobe governor not to yield to temptation to stay longer than February Warns against imposition of candidates in Ekiti, Osun poll Accuses CECPC of recklessly managing party primaries Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has said it would be difficult to excuse the leadership of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the ongoing campaign to postpone the national convention of the party, tentatively slated for February.

He said the committee under the Chairmanship of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has done an excellent job since its emergence in June 2020, by bringing down tension within the party, but, however, warned that all his good works were about to be destroyed if it yielded to the temptation of staying beyond February 2022.

Lukman, who stated this yesterday in an open letter to APC leaders, titled: "Plausibility of February 2022 APC Convention",

said ordinarily, there should be no need to be doubtful about whether the ruling party would be having its convention in February 2022 or not.

He recalled that after the end of 2021 meeting of the Committee on Monday, December 20, and in the APC 2022 New Year Message, both signed by the Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, there was confirmation that planning for the National Convention has commenced.

Lukman noted that members and the general public had been put on notice that relevant committees would be set up, but pointed out that the major gap was that no date or details of Committees, their membership and terms of reference, were given.

The party chieftain therefore said, largely, because of the gap, the public speculation was strong that the Convention might not hold in February, and described as worrisome, speculations about

the convention, which had been allowed to create doubts as to when it would hold.

"Inability to commence the necessary planning to hold the Convention and communicate it to members and all stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by the law is what is responsible for all the suspicion and speculation that the Convention may not hold in February 2022 as earlier announced.

"If the CECPC is not interested in the postponement of the Convention from the agreed February 2022 date, why is it difficult to make a formal announcement about the date and venue of the Convention?

Statutorily, by the requirement of the Electoral Act, the party is expected to serve at least 21 days’ notice of the Convention to INEC. "Which basically means that if the Convention is to hold any day before February 28, 2021, the notice

to INEC should be given on or before February 7, 2022. That being the case, the temptation could be to argue that there is more time. Some reminders would be necessary at this point," he said.

He said the speculation about the convention not holding in February 2022, began to gain grounds, when a letter written by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to Buni dated December 13, 2021, called for the postponement of the convention, adding that Kalu’s suggestion basically meant possible extension of the tenure of the CECPC by another six months.

Lukman said it was very difficult to understand the logic of such a recommendation, and that, going by the recommendation, it meant the committee would be saddled with the additional responsibility of organising all party primaries for all positions for the 2023 elections.

According to him, if Anambra 2021 governorship election was any reference, the argument about

avoiding ‘rancour and litigation’ could not be sustained, given that on December 20, 2021, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled that Senator Andy Ubah, was never a candidate of the APC in the Anambra 2021 governorship election following a suit filed by one of the aspirants of the APC, Chief George Moghalu, who argued that the party failed to conduct a valid primary.

"In the end, with the support of the CECPC, Senator Andy Ubah, was the official candidate of the party. Had APC won the Anambra 2021 governorship election, the December 20, 2021 High Court judgement clearly indicated that another Zamfara would have played out. All these are confirmation that management of internal party contest during party primary are being handled very recklessly even by the CECPC," he said.

Unfortunately, Lukman lamented that, since the Anambra election,

APC to Shehu Sani: Kaduna Governorship Not for Idle Bloggers John Shiklam in Kaduna Apparently referring to former Senator Shehu Sani, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, has said the governorship of the state was “not for idle bloggers, who thought that decades of scavenging off the woes of people qualified them for leadership”.

The party had reacted to the declaration by Sani who, while declaring his interest to run for the governorship of the state in 2023, said he would bring changes, that would clean all the dirts the APC had brought in the state in the name of development.

Sani, a former senator, who represented Kaduna Central between 2015 and 2019, had said in an interview with a local radio station on Sunday in Kaduna, that he would contest for the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and “clean all the dirt they brought in the state in the name of development”, if elected.

But the APC, in a statement yesterday, by its Publicity Secretary, Salisu Wusono, said it has provided good governance in Kaduna since 2015, and maintaining that the

people “will not allow nonentities to ruin it for them.”

The statement said, with the 2023 general election approaching, “all sorts of characters are trying to disrespect the people of Kaduna State by treating the contest for the next governorship of the state as if it is a grand comedy.”

Wusono, who said the APC “knows that the people of Kaduna State have seen consistent good governance since 2015 and they will not allow nonentities to ruin it for them,” added that the APC had changed the democratic game in Kaduna, “making politics and governance an arena for the serious and the accomplished.”

He said, “2023 will further confirm that Kaduna State is not an arena for those who have never run anything, who do not have any understanding of development or any appreciation of governance as a serious undertaking.”

The statement said the APC was proud that the government of Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has amply justified the confidence that the people had twice reposed in him and the party at the ballot box.

“The government of Malam Nasir El-Rufai has faithfully implemented the APC manifesto. And

in so doing has changed Kaduna State for the better, in a way that has never been done before,” the statement said, adding that, “governance is a serious activity, meant for those with a track record of serious endeavours, vision, values and clear policies.

“It is not for idle bloggers that think that decades of scavenging off the woes of people qualify them for leadership. Neither is it for persons whose record as civil servants contains no hint that they are capable of serious responsibility.

“It is not for persons, who

for two years remained clueless, when fate handed them power, concentrating instead on their own vain looks and grand titles. This cast of characters is clear evidence that the PDP is clearly wedded to the sorry past, but the people of Kaduna State have moved on.

no party organ had met to review what has happened, warning that, with Ekiti and Osun governorship primaries about to hold and managed by the CECPC, there is the urgent need to appeal to all party leaders to learn the appropriate lessons and avoid the crude show of power whereby candidates of the party are imposed without following party and electoral rules.

The director-general was of the opinion that anyone campaigning for ‘presidential primary and election of National Working Committee members’ to hold ‘on the same day and venue’ simply want a situation whereby any possible dispute around presidential primary would submerge the emergence of leaders (NWC members) of the party.

Lukman said this might lead to an ugly scenario being set up by those campaigning for the postponement of the convention, which is the possibility that all candidates of the party from all the 36 states of the country to be submitted to INEC by the same NWC members whose elections may be disputed.

"Once that is the case, we would have succeeded in making the 2019 Zamfara electoral disaster a national phenomenon in 2023. Is that what the CECPC members under the leadership of His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni want to subject the party to?" he queried.

Magodo Fiasco: Human Rights Lawyer Slams Odumosu, Demands Apology for Arrested Guards Purveyors out to blackmail CP, Lagos Police insist Say statutory powers of the police is to have unfettered access to public places Chiemelie Ezeobi Following the fiasco that happened at Brooks Estate, one of the many private estates at the Magodo area of the state, a human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, yesterday, slammed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Hakeem Odumosu, over the role he played in the incident.

However, the state police command, in a reaction issued by its spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the estate was not

locked down by the CP, saying the purveyors were out to blackmail him for some personal reasons.

The statement stated that Odumosu who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police due to his hard work and commitment to duty, visited the estate on January 1, 2022, to meet a strategic partner at a function after going round, visiting some places in the state to ensure safety of Lagosians.

The private security guards at the estate had prevented the CP from

gaining access without clearance from his host, as was stipulated by rules guiding the highbrow area.

Taking umbrage to what he saw as an insult to his office and person, Odumosu, had ordered the arrest of four of the security guards and one of the estate residents until social media uproar fast-tracked their eventual release, although he was alleged to have later rearrested them yesterday.

Reacting to the incident and the continued avowal of their innocence by the police, Effiong

said the argument that the outgoing CP could enter any place without being questioned was legally unfounded.

In a series of post on his Twitter handle, Effiong wrote: "Since his visit to Magodo Brooks Estate was private, it was perfectly within the right of the private guards at the estate to have subjected him to the usual clearance protocol of the estate.

"It is true that the police has the Continued on page 12

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NEWS

THANKSGIVING SERVICE FOR THE NEW YEAR...

L-R: Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); his wife, Dame Emmanuella Fashola; Chief Judge of Lagos State; Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the Lagos State government thanksgiving service held at Ikeja…recently

Report: 107 Killed in Nigeria in Six Days 16 soldiers affected, 57 kidnapped Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja A total of 107 persons including 16 soldiers, policemen, terrorists, armed bandits and civilians were killed during clashes, kidnapping and armed robbery operations, among others between December 25 and 31st, 2021, a report has revealed.

This depicts the unending security challenges facing the country.

In all, the report revealed that a total of 16 soldiers were killed even as 57 citizens were also kidnapped within the period.

The report was prepared by Security Tracker, a publication on killings and abductions in Nigeria, published by former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, said.

It stated that the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) killed 10 soldiers and children

(estimated at five each), while troops foiled the attack and killed seven militants in Gujba, Yobe State on December 26.

Also, Security Tracker revealed that 22 Boko Haram/ISWAP militants and six soldiers were killed during a clash in Abadam, Borno State on December 29.

The publication, which sources its data from Nigerian media reports also tracks killings and abductions in Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

The report stated that armed robbers killed three civilians even as police officers killed two of the robbers in Udu, Delta State, while kidnappers killed one and kidnapped one person in Ethiope East, Delta State on December 30.

It further stated that armed bandits killed 10 persons in Gusau, Zamfara State.

On kidnappings, the publication stated that 34 persons were

NO CONTROVERSY ON WHO BECOMES NEXT OLUBADAN, SAY IBADAN HIGH CHIEFS but across the country, because of his significant contributions to the growth of the society.

Sanwo-Olu, in his condolence message, said the late traditional ruler’s service to the people of Ibadanland, Oyo State, and Nigeria as a whole, would remain his enduring legacy.

Sanwo-Olu, in the message issued yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, described Oba Adetunji's death as a great loss to the people of Ibadan and the traditional institution in Oyo State.

The governor urged the family, friends, and associates of the deceased as well as the entire people of Ibadan, whose interests the late monarch represented and worked tirelessly to protect during his lifetime, to work towards immortalising him.

Sanwo-Olu said in the message, “On behalf of the government and people of Lagos, I commiserate with my brother, the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and the people of the ancient city of Ibadan, the deceased family, friends and associates on the transition of the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who joined his forebears yesterday (January 1).

"The death of Oba Adetunji is a great loss to the people of Ibadan and he will be greatly missed. He made lots of positive impact during his lifetime, contributing meaningfully to the growth and development of Ibadan, Oyo State, and Nigeria at large as a philanthropist, foremost

music promoter, and, later, as a traditional ruler.

"Oba Adetunji, as a first class traditional ruler, left a lasting legacy that the people of Ibadanland will continue to cherish. I pray that Almighty God be pleased with the soul of the late monarch and grant the royal family and the people of Ibadan the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Anyim, on his part, said Oba Adetunji was a patriotic Nigerian, who was deeply committed to the peace, unity and development of the country.

Anyim worded his commiseration, thus, "I have received with sadness, news of the death of our highly respected traditional ruler, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Olubadan of Ibadan.

Let me convey to your Excellency, the family of His Royal Majesty, and the good people of Ibadan, my deepest condolences on this sad event.

"Late Oba Adetunji was a patriotic Nigerian, who was deeply committed to the peace, unity and development of our country. His nearly six years on the throne brought peace and great development to his kingdom and the entire Oyo State.

“His demise will be greatly felt, as Oyo State and the country at large would miss his invaluable advice and wise counsel as the nation searches for solutions to her many challenges. I pray that the Lord will comfort his family and grant his soul eternal rest in His bosom."

abducted in Gusau, Zamfara State on December 26, while bandits killed five and kidnapped "many" (estimated at ten) in Bungudu, Zamfara State within the period under review.

Furthermore, herdsmen were alleged to have kidnapped seven

in Isi-Uzo, Enugu State on December 27th, while bandits abducted five in Zaria, Kaduna State on December 25.

Security Tracker, in the compiled data of killings and abductions in Nigeria, further stated that soldiers killed six civilians in

Orlu, Imo State on December 30, while the Nigerian Navy killed 10 kidnappers in Onitsha, Anambra State on December 31.

Gunmen also killed one police officer and kidnapped another in Ihiala, Anambra State on December 29, while Kidnappers abducted

a Plateau monarch in Mangu, Plateau State on December 26.

On Christmas day, kidnappers abducted two in Gboyin, Ekiti State, one police officer in MayoBelwa, Adamawa State even as gunmen killed one in Dekina, Kogi State.

BUA Cement, Wartsila OY Sign 70MW Power Plant Agreement for Sokoto Line Four The BUA Group has signed an agreement with Wartsila OY of Finland for the construction of a 70megawatts dual-fuel power plant for BUA Cement’s Sokoto Line four in Sokoto State.

The announcement comes just as BUA recently revealed that it was looking to boost its production capacity in Nigeria over the next three years with new plants in the works.

In addition, a statement yesterday, revealed that this would be the second plant to be constructed by Wartsila for BUA Cement.

The first was the BUA Cement sokoto power plant scheduled to be commissioned alongside the plant in November 2021.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Chairman of BUA Cement Plc, Abdul Samad Rabiu, who signed on behalf of the cement producer said BUA Cement would continue to invest strategically in the West African cement industry to enable it to bridge the huge infrastructure and housing deficit.

According to Rabiu, “BUA Cement is happy and pleased with the progress that Wartsila made with the construction of the power plant we initially purchased for our BUA Cement Sokoto Line 3 which we expect will begin commissioning by November alongside the power plant.

“We believe Wartsila will bring the same level of efficiency, technical

expertise and professionalism to bear in ensuring that this new power plant for the 3million Mtpa BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 will be completed on schedule by the end of next year as we look towards bringing BUA’s total capacity in its sokoto plant to 8 million metric tonnes by early 2023 and 17million metric tonnes across all its plants by the same time.”

On his part, Energy Business Director at Wartsila West Africa, Mark Thiriet, said Wartsila was proud to partner with BUA Group on the BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 project.

He said Wartsila would bring its technical expertise and globally recognised technology to bear in

bringing the project to completion.

BUA Cement Plc is Nigeria’s second largest cement company and the largest producer in its northwest, south-south and south-east regions.

BUA Cement operates strategically from Okpella, Edo State and Kalambaina, Sokoto State with its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.

Currently the second most capitalised manufacturing company on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), BUA Cement is committed to quality - a differentiating attribute, driven by its people, innovation, and technology; and positioned to solving West Africa’s cement under-capacity while driving economic growth and development.

MAGODO FIASCO: HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER SLAMS ODUMOSU, DEMANDS APOLOGY FOR ARRESTED GUARDS right to enter any place in a state to carry-out search, effect arrest or discharge such other official functions. However, this power is not limitless, it is subject to certain procedures.

"Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees citizens the right to privacy, including privacy of their homes. For the police to search the home of a citizen, a search warrant must be produced and the officers seeking to carry-out the search must first subject themselves to be searched to forestall planting of incriminating items by the officers.

"The CP claims he went to the estate for a strategic security related meeting. Magodo Brooks Estate to the best of my knowledge is a strictly residential estate. It is not a place, where government business is carried-out.

"For the CP to arrest security guards, because they simply asked him to call the particular resident of the estate, whose private party or event he came to attend is nothing but gross abuse of power.

"It is immaterial that the CP moved around with his security team. Any nonentity with money in this country can hire dozens of policemen, and even military officers, to move around with him.

"Had there been proper communication prior to the CP's visit, he would have been cleared

immediately he arrived. It is preposterous for Mr. Odumosu to expect the guards to panic and open the access gate upon sighting his convoy.

"That will amount to dereliction of their duty. If we are going to change this country, we must stop venerating public officers as demi-gods. In Nigeria, we have become accustomed to arbitrariness and abuse of power by public officials. This action by Odumosu is illegal and reprehensible. Odumosu owes every person that he arrested apology."

However, the statement by the police read in part: "The Commissioner of Police was accompanied by his armed security details and was driven in his official car bearing an official number plate and a pennant, including all the paraphernalia of office.

"On reaching the estate gate, he was properly introduced notwithstanding the visible security details in uniform including a dispatch rider in his convoy, yet he was prevented from entering the estate by some overzealous private security guards.

"All appeals to the security men to allow the CP go to see someone at a function where an urgent matter bordering on security was to be discussed, fell on deaf ears even when they had foreknowledge of

his coming.

"In spite of this deliberate humiliation, the senior police officer remained calm. When it became obvious that the security men were going overboard, the CP after about 30 minutes humiliation, ordered the arrest of four of the security men, leaving one.

"However, in order not to make the estate porous, the Commissioner of Police immediately posted wellarmed policemen at the gate to support the security man left behind.

"A few minutes later, a female resident of the estate later identified as Adebola Fatiregun who didn't witness the incident but heard of it, stormed the gate in anger, inciting other residents against the Commissioner of Police and his aides. She was also arrested for inciting violence and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

"All those arrested were taken to the Isheri Police Division where they made statements. They were subsequently released few minutes after, following intervention of notable individuals.

"At no time did the Commissioner of Police shut or lock down the estate. The police boss could not have done that for whatever reason, knowing that the estate is a residential one.

"Some residents of the estate in solidarity for the arrested security

men, deliberately closed the gate, thereby creating a temporary gridlock. This they did after the CP had left, perhaps to blackmail him and make him release the security men."

Quoting the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he said provides for freedom of movement, Ajisebutu noted that "the police in particular are statutorily permitted to enter any public place at any time.

"The Brooks Estate is a public place and the roads leading into it are highways and as such, no one has the power to prevent police officers in uniform from entering the estate or any such public places.

"The internal security arrangements of the estates and other public places nonetheless, the statutory powers of the police to have unfettered access to public places must be acknowledged and respected.

"Therefore, managements or authorities of estates in the state are advised to constantly brief their private security guards in this regard.

"Any restriction deliberately put in the way of the police in any of the estates will not be tolerated.

Offenders will be dealt with according to the law, just as the police will not condone any form of embarrassment and recklessness".

TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022• T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

COMMENT

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

AKINYEMI: A QUINTESSENTIAL DIPLOMAT AT 80 Olusegun Adeniyi pays tribute to Bolaji Akinyemi, former minister of external affairs

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fter spending eight years as Director General of the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA) in 1983, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi delivered a short but profound valedictory speech, ‘A Farewell to Policy’.

In it, he highlighted some of the choices Nigeria made on the diplomatic front during what has often been glibly described as the golden era in our foreign affairs. He also made prescriptions on what should guide our future engagements.

But despite the assumption that he was leaving the arena at a relatively young age of 41 that year, Akinyemi has, at different times since then, played critical roles both for his country and the African continent. As he therefore clocks 80 today, I cannot but pay tribute to a respected scholar and statesman who has served Nigeria with intellect and integrity.

Although I did not get to meet Akinyemi until I became a reporter in the nineties, he was one of the people who influenced my choice of course when entering university. In the eighties, Akinyemi was one of the biggest names in diplomacy not only within the country but across the continent. At that time, some of us were naïve enough to believe that studying International Relations at Ife was an automatic route to the world of diplomacy. But notwithstanding the career path I eventually chose, Akinyemi remains a role model not only for me but also for majority of members of my generation. It is indeed remarkable that he has had a successful professional career and public life untainted by any scandal. That is essentially because he remains true to himself and the ideals that count.

A product of Temple University in Philadelphia, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts (both in the United States) and Trinity College, Oxford, England, Akinyemi obtained his doctorate degree in 1969. A scholar who has operated within the intellectual space practically all his life, Akinyemi was at various times a visiting professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland and the Diplomacy Training Programme, University of Nairobi, Kenya. He was also a Regents Lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles. When his tour of duty ended at the NIIA in 1983, Akinyemi returned to the University of Lagos as a professor of political science. In 1984, he was a Visiting Fellow, St John’s College, Cambridge, England. In 1985, Akinyemi was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister by General Ibrahim Babangida.

Akinyemi spent his time in office working for the projection of Nigeria’s soft power, especially within the African continent. Most notably, he initiated the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), a programme by which the best of Nigerian professionals is selected and posted to do volunteer work across African countries for two years. It was designed to “promote the country’s image and status as a major contributor to Third World and particularly African development.”

Through the programme, Nigeria has since 1987 deployed professionals in different fields of human endeavour to The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Rwanda and other countries in Africa and the Caribbean. Available reports indicate that 32 countries have benefitted from this programme in which more than 10,000 Nigerians professionals have participated. A man of ideas, Akinyemi also came up with the concept of the ‘Concert of Medium

AKINYEMI IS A PROMINENT VOICE IN THE ADVOCACY FOR RESTRUCTURING THE COUNTRY. BUT HIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE WHO ARGUE FOR CANNIBALISING NIGERIA ALONG ETHNIC LINES. HE IS FOR A NIGERIA THAT WORKS FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS

Powers’ although like his ‘Black Bomb’ projection, it did not fly.

Unfortunately, Akinyemi has in recent years had to lament the declining relevance of Nigeria, especially within the continent based on the choices we make. When, for instance, the South African candidate, Mrs Nkosazama Dlamini-Zuma defeated Jean Pean, the candidate backed by ECOWAS/Nigeria for the presidency of the African Union in July 2012, Akinyemi considered the victory unacceptable. “This is not the first time South Africa had challenged Nigerian and ECOWAS policies in Africa. She did in Cote D’Ivoire where she backed Lauren Gbagbo against Alistre Quatarra who was supported by ECOWAS as the winner of the election,” Akinyemi wrote. Dalmini-Zuma’s victory, he further argued, marked a defeat for the grand consensus that had up onto that time governed African international institutions that the biggest contributors to the budget would never contest for the top posts in those institutions. “It was in loyalty to that consensus that Nigeria, against pressure from several African states refused to allow Ambassador Peter Onu who had acted as Secretary General to contest for the substantive post in 1984,” argued Akinyemi who urged Nigeria to “reevaluate its aid policy towards any Africa country (especially ECOWAS) countries which voted against its position in this election.”

Akinyemi is a prominent voice in the advocacy for restructuring the country. But his is different from those who argue for cannibalising Nigeria along some ethnic lines. He is for a Nigeria that works for all its citizens. But of more concern to Akinyemi is the loss of a moral compass by new generation of Nigerian leaders. “There are no more values to hold on to”, said Akinyemi who recently disclosed that some parents not only encourage their children to cheat to beat the system but also aid and abet them in their nefarious activities. “No one believes anymore in the concept of society. Nigerians have created their own God in their own image. In my youth, to be accused of theft or any other criminal offence was tantamount to being banished from the society while to be convicted was tantamount to suicide. However, today, no one asks for the source of wealth. People in jail, accused of murder run for, and win elections,” he said.

It is remarkable that even at 80, Akinyemi remains relevant both at home (where he hosts a weekly foreign policy clinic, ‘Through My Eyes’ on YouTube) and abroad. In his post-public office career that has spanned three decades, Akinyemi has represented Nigeria on many international bodies, including the United Nations Group of Experts. In November 2011, Akinyemi led the commonwealth electoral expert and observer team for the Gambian general election.

He was also the vice chairman of the Presidential Electoral Reform Committee, under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. During the pro-democracy struggle in the nineties, Akinyemi fled the country when his life was threatened by the late General Sani Abacha and became a prominent member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in exile. Like many others, he only returned to the country after the death of General Sani Abacha.

As Akinyemi joins the elite club of the octogenarian today, I wish him happy birthday, many more years of active service to the country and in good health.

ADDRESSING THE MENACE OF BULLYING IN SCHOOLS The society must be seen to promote and encourage principles that engender truth, fairness and equality, writes Temilade Aruya

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ullying, a situation where stronger children prey on the weakness and vulnerability of others, has sadly become a worrisome issue among children in our country, especially those in secondary schools.

It is a common phenomenon in Nigerian schools especially, among boarding schools’ students.

Though unacceptable, it is becoming the norm, rather than an aberration and has become very dangerous and bizarre.

Bullying involves negative physical or verbal actions with hostile intent. It is sometimes intended to cause harm and distress to the victims, and it is repeated over time. It is characterized by a power differential between the bullies and their victims.

Bullying manifests in many forms, which include harassment, hounding, maltreatment, intimidation, oppression and discrimination among others. It is normally inflicted by the senior students on the juniors. In fact it is seen as a rite of passage in some schools. It is shocking to discover that children that are presumed innocent could perpetrate such evil against fellow youngsters.

Naturally, compassion, sympathy, empathy, care, kindness, love, and forgiveness, to mention but a few, are usually associated with children.

Normally, the sight of pain, weakness or vulnerability should elicit compassion among children. Thus, a situation where the reverse is the case signals a deep-rooted problem.

Globally, the impact of this despicable act among children cannot be over-emphasized. There are cases

of children who have become victims of depression, suicidal tendencies, bitterness and hatred as a result of the negative impact of bullying.

The death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromomi, a student of Dowen College, Lekki, as a result of injury sustained in school via physical assault by a group of bullies, has, no doubt, taken bullying to a disturbing dimension in our country.

It is rather distressing that a life so precious could be snuffed out in such very pathetic circumstances.

What could have led to such depravity of character?

How could such have gone unnoticed in a school setting, which is meant to be a safe haven for children? What form of upbringing and training were these children actually exposed to?

These and many other questions begging for answers, have been generating a wide range of reactions and ripples across the country. What has actually compounded the whole issue is that many others have been coming out to recount their own diverse tales of bullying.

In order to reverse the ugly trend, teachers, parents, guardians and caregivers need to be on the lookout for signs of bullying and address them promptly.

In most cases, the victims of bullying don’t want to speak out or report for fear of the aggressor.

However, there are signals or signs that could readily show that a child is being bullied.

These include constant loss of personal belongings such as shoes, beverages or socks, which are usually taken by the aggressor. Often, the victim is denied these personal things by the bully, while the parents usually assume that the child was careless.

Similarly, when you notice unexplainable injury on your wards, you must investigate until you get to the root of the matter. At times, such injuries could be inflicted by the aggressor. Anxiety, withdrawal syndrome and loss of sleep are other notable signs of bullying.

Also, school teachers, caregivers and school owners must be able to account for the whereabouts of every student during school hours and thereafter.

A situation where a junior student is serving punishment or locked up somewhere, while classes are on or when siesta is being observed should not be condoned.

It has been observed that most boarding schools in the country don’t separate junior hostels from seniors’ and most of the bullying takes place in the hostel where the senior is more or less the lord. It is, therefore, necessary to separate the hostels and ensure that any senior found within the residences of the junior is dealt with.

Specifically, schools must educate students on the ills of bullying and outlaw it. The school system, culture and value should be such that they do not condone or encourage bullying in any way. School prefects should be taught to correct, not to punish; correction doesn’t have to be always punitive.

It has been estimated that children that bully are mostly from troubled backgrounds, broken homes and might have suffered varied forms of abuse or low self-esteem at one time or the other.

Every individual is an extension of a home and a family; armed robbers, criminals, terrorists are from a family. Likewise, crime fighters, missionaries, philanthropists, inventors of life changing inventions

and the likes are also products of a family.

Essentially, the family is, perhaps, the most powerful unit of socialization and change in the society. Hence, parents and guardians have a crucial role of imparting morals and ethics in their children/wards.

This is not to be done by mere teaching or speaking, but by deliberating inculcating vital virtues and norms in the children through positive action and reinforcement because children model their parents.

As parents, you don’t teach a child to love without showing love to that child. In the same vein, you don’t teach a child kindness without treating people around you with kindness. The way you treat your house helps or domestic workers speak volume and these children learn by example.

Equally, the way that couples relate with themselves and the children also go a long way in forging a stable loving environment where children can thrive and develop the right emotional, physical and social attributes that will enable them add the right value to the society.

Accordingly, the society must be seen to promote and encourage principles that engender truth, fairness and equality; children must not only be seen, they must be heard and protected.

We must all come to realize and accept that when society permits or allows the prey of the innocence and vulnerability of the weak, then it digs its own grave. The society must, therefore, stand up and say no to bully in every ramification.

Aruya is Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

EDITORIAL THE ECONOMY AND THE DIVERSIFICATION RHETORIC Government should show more commitment to diversifying the economy

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espite repeated promises to diversify the economy, there is nothing on ground to suggest any serious thinking along that direction. Yet, apart from the few people involved in the oil and gas sector, which is about the only industry that still thrives today despite its own challenges, most other industries that provide sources of livelihood are in comatose.

That then accounts for why at the end of every month, governors congregate in Abuja for the distribution of oil revenues.

From Abuja, shares of oil proceeds are taken to the states and local governments to be spent. This cheap money has tended to retard other productive activities in the country such that the need for economic diversification is only remembered in times like this when revenue available for distribution to the three tiers of government is dwindling. Unfortunately, even in these moments, there is no real commitment THERE IS NO REAL to the much-talked COMMITMENT TO THE about agriculture secMUCH-TALKED ABOUT tor which nonetheless AGRICULTURE SECTOR still contributes the WHICH NONETHELESS bulk of the Gross STILL CONTRIBUTES THE Domestic Product BULK OF THE GROSS (GDP) in the country DOMESTIC PRODUCT IN today.

THE COUNTRY TODAY We are particularly worried that Nigeria continues to neglect cash crops like cocoa, oil palm and groundnuts, which for years constituted the mainstay of the country’s economy. In the early 1960s, Nigeria’s palm oil production accounted for 43 per cent of the world production, but now accounts for less than seven per cent of global output, with most of the production coming from dispersed smallholders. Meanwhile, Malaysia, which sourced its first oil-palm seed from Nigeria, is the world’s second largest producer.

The case of cocoa is lamentable because Nigeria used to rank among the first five largest producers before

Letters to the Editor

the neglect. Nigeria’s cocoa production which peaked at around 400,000 tonnes a year in the 1970s now accounts for far less. This is despite the best efforts of the National Cocoa Development Committee (NCDC) to rehabilitate old firms, supply heavily-subsidised agro-chemicals, start new plantations or replant aged ones with high-yield trees, and promote the local consumption of cocoa-based products to boost prices.

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T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY 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 SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

lso, the famous groundnut pyramids which hallmarked the groundnut boom in the 1970s started disappearing with the discovery of oil. Not even the establishment of the African Groundnut Council under the aegis of the African Union to promote the production, consumption, and exportation of groundnut oil in six countries of Africa including Nigeria, has helped matters. Like the case of oil palm, groundnut production is done today mostly by small farm holders. Worse, the largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter, now imports most of its food products. Even with all the arable lands, Nigeria is now a nation that cannot feed its people.

Because of this neglect, the economy is sadly overdependent on the oil sector, which provides less than 25 per cent of GDP, despite accounting for 95 per cent of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65 per cent of government revenues. Oil has also created a culture of fast money through government patronage and corruption. The farms are no longer attractive to the able-bodied youths of the country, who stream daily to political capitals of the nation – federal, states, local councils – for this cheap money.

We believe that there are still very many opportunities for the country to diversify the economy. As we have said repeatedly on this page, overdependence on oil revenue is risky, unsustainable, and even unwise.

That of course is why the national economy remains so fragile. We therefore urge government to demonstrate some more seriousness in diversifying the economy from oil to others sectors capable of putting millions of our young people to work.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

SULE AND NASARAWA’S CRYING NEEDS

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t can only bode well for the good people of Nasarawa State, Nigeria`s home of solid minerals, that Nigeria`s annus horribilis is concluding with a cabinet reshuffle by their governor, Mr. A. A. Sule. The reshuffle promises to blow a gust of fresh air through the corridors of power in the State.

The commissioners have since been sworn in and on the team is 29-year-old legal practitioner Hannatu Abimiku Bala who has been given the Special Duties portfolio. For neutrals and stakeholders alike, it promises to be an interesting ride, one which bodes well for indigenes and residents of the state from Akwanga to Agyaragu. It may just be the new beginning of the end for the administration and the people.

Recently, gun trotting killers widely suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded about 12 communities in Lafia, Obi and Awe Local Governments of the State. In their wake, about 20 Tiv farmers lay dead while a further 5000 people were displaced.

Although violent attacks and clashes in the State are yet to take the worrying dimensions taken in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nasarawa has remained on a knife`s edge, delicately skirting the boundary between stability and instability.

The State is home to many of Nigeria`s precious solid minerals. Its proximity to Abuja notwithstanding, the State remains largely agrarian and poor. Yet, there are vast untapped

potential that can engender the new dawn the State craves if only they can be properly harnessed by quality education and proper human capital development. Regrettably, this has not been the case, especially since the state and the country returned to democracy in 1999.

Successive administrations in Nasarawa State have largely failed to live up to the expectations of the people as over the years as politicians in the state have perfected the art of interfacing with the people during campaign sessions only to discard them like used toilet papers once they assume office.

Like many other states in Nigeria, the State is home to many schools at different levels, yet education in the State suffers from the malaise that afflicts education throughout Nigeria. Many of the higher institutions in the state lack the infrastructure that conduce to proper tertiary education.

For primary school pupils, classrooms without windows and chairs and frequent strike actions by disgruntled teachers are now too common. Like many other States in northcentral and northwest Nigeria where there is a considerable population of Christians and Muslims, the State remains steeped in ethnic and religious tension. This tension colours the politics of the state where a Christian has never been governor.

The current governor who has now reshuffled his cabinet is an engineer by profession. Having lived outside the country for long, he is as exposed as they come and in six years, he

has shown that he means well for the State. But that is as good as it will get if the newly appointed commissioners do not get down to the task of rebuilding and repositioning the State. On the newly constituted team is a fine blend of youth and experience. Their collective gifts when properly utilized can set the state upon the path of sustainable development.

But it is a delicate situation. Already, seeing that they have not been given any place on the list of newly appointed commissioners, some ethnic groups in the State have criticized the governor for marginalizing them. The governor must ensure that he carries as many people as he can along in governance so that cries of marginalization in the State can be reduced to the barest minimum.

It is a state of harsh religious and ethnic sensibilities with many different ethnic groups vying for political power and relevance. But more than anything, what the State deserves is a future as solid as the minerals which flood it. The good people of the State deserve a future that is prosperous and peaceful.

The children of the State deserve to know that there is something in the State for them after all. It is the only way the inertia of previous administrations in the State can be wiped off and the people given new slates to script a sensational story for themselves.

Kene Obiezu, Keneobiezu@gmail.com

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NEWS

Suspected Herdsmen Sack Edo Farming Community Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Suspected Fulani herdsman were reported to have invaded the farming community of 2nd Abumere Ojigbelu in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State.

The invaders, said to be in military uniforms, were said to have carried out the attack at the wee hours on Sunday, January 2, 2022, shooting sporadically which forced the villagers to flee for safety, abandoning their homes, farmlands and properties.

Some of the fleeing villagers who ran away for dear lives are now taking refuge in other communities around Okada, headquarters of the local government, where they narrated their ordeal to Journalists.

One of the victims Mr. Mattu Alli, a native of Taraba State and a farmer in the community said: “In fact I am short of words to explain what I witness yesterday in our community. I have been here for the past 20 years with my family farming. I was in my compound with my family resting when we began to hear the sound of guns and people running to different direction.

“I saw one man running towards my compound I ask

him why are you running and he said herdsmen have taken over the village chasing people away from their houses. So I called my wife and we have to run for our lives.

“Up till now, I have not seen my children because every one

of us ran to different direction.

As I speak to you now, I don’t know the whereabouts of my wife and children”.

“Another thing that put fears into our minds is that one of the herdsmen pointed gun at me and said look man we are for

peace, we would only kill you people if you refuse to allow our cow to feed on your crops.

The yams you people have are for our cow, the cassava and all that you have are for our cow. If you people touch our cow we will kill everybody in

this village. We had to run to the next community to save our lives.”

Another farmer, Mr. Sunday Chime said since the past 18 years he has been living in the community, he has not experienced such horrifying

incident.

According to him, “ I have been in this village for over 18 years plus farming in this community. What we saw yesterday surprised us, suddenly we heard gun shots and people running.”

RECOGNISING AFRICA FUTURE LEADERS…

L-R: Former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; Star Prize Winner, Future Africa Leaders Awards 2021, 23-year-old Nzometiah NervisTetsop from Cameroon; former Permanent Representative of African Union to the United Nations, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao and President/Founder , Future Africa Leaders Foundation, Rev Chris Oyakhilome during the December 31st New Year’s Eve Service in Lagos…recently

Lagos Schools Urged to Set up Presidency: OPC Denies Supporting Osinbajo, Tinubu, Fayemi Oodua Peoples Congress restructuring of the country, hence those dropping its name are progress.

Safety Measures for Resumption The (OPC) has said it is not backing the group insisted that what only out to defraud members “When anything happens in Funmi Ogundare

As public and private schools in Lagos State resume today January 4, after the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Ministry of Education, yesterday called on administrators to step up their safety measures with the aim of reducing negative incidence.

The Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who made this appeal in a statement made available to THISDAY, said they should devise appropriate strategies to advance teacher/ student interaction in order to gain an insight and expose negative tendencies before they metamorphosed into unfortunate situations.

According to her, “school administrators should ensure that exposure of students to danger within the school premises are neutralised. They

should also identify possible dangers outside the walls of the schools and escalate it to appropriate state safety and enforcement agencies through prescribed channels.”

While welcoming students, teachers and school administrators to the beginning of the new year and second term for the 2021/2022 school session, Adefisayo further directed that adequate monitoring, especially as it affects boarding school students should be enforced to prevent the incidence of bullying and other vices.

The commissioner re-echoed the warning of the Governor of Lagos State Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu that bullying, cultism and other vices will not be tolerated in Lagos schools, while appealing to the administrators to increase counseling of students against these vices.

the presidential ambition of any South-west politician in 2023.

In a statement yesterday, the OPC spokesperson, Yinka Oguntimehin, said the president Nigeria needs to be better is not the like of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu, and Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi.

OPC explained that whoever succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 will not make much difference without the

Nigeria needs is restructuring.

According to OPC, the country should adopt the 1963 constitution which allows each region to develop at its own pace.

Oguntimehin said the statement is to distancing OPC from an alleged mega accord of 57 civil society groups rooting for a South-west presidential candidate.

The OPC said it’s not a political group nor is it mobilizing for any politician or party and

of the public.

“We are aware that when elections are approaching, some politicians usually use the OPC’s name to curry favours. There are some groups that are affiliates of political parties that usually make themselves available for politicians as at when due,” Oguntimehin said.

He added that even with an angel in charge of Nigeria, without restructuring Nigeria may not make any meaningful

Yorubaland, you don’t hear their voices, except during elections or when they are paid to issue statements against us.

“Even if an angel emerges the president of this nation today, without restructuring, nothing will change for the better.

“Our position on the future of Nigeria is clearly stated in our belief in restructuring. That is why we root for regionalism as the best option for peace and stability,” OPC added.

Nkanu East Wants Enugu Governorship Ticket in 2023 Udora Orizu in Abuja Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial race in Enugu State, stakeholders in Nkanu East area of the state have embarked on consultation to garner support to clinch the slot, alleging neglect and marginalisation of the area.

Nkanu East is where the governorship seat is believed to have been zoned to in 2023,

and the sustainability of the ingrained zoning formula for the governorship position among the three senatorial districts is believed to be sacrosanct in the state.

The Nkanu East leaders made the plea during their consultation with the former state Governor and Senator representing Enugu East, Chimaroke Nnamani, in Enugu last weekend.

Led by the former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, the people called for support from other parts of the state in their quest to produce the next governor in the spirit of equity as well as the need to address the alleged marginalisation of the area.

They stated that Senator Nnamani was deliberately chosen as the first port of call in their consultation and

sensitisation visit in recognition of his leadership role in the politics of Nkanu land and Enugu State.

The delegation argued that since Enugu East senatorial zone is favoured by the ingrained and long standing zoning formula in the state, the position of the governor should be further micro-zoned and ceded to Nkanu East Local Government Area.

The Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has refuted claims by the Abuja chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) that he has ordered the arrest of one Nelson Omonu, who works for Summit Post Newspaper.

Masari, in a statement by his Director General on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, said

or detention of any journalist in Abuja or anywhere else.

The Abuja NUJ, had in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche and Ochiaka Ugwu respectively,alleged that Omonu was whisked away in a commando style by security operatives believed to be working on the orders

But Masari in the statement, described the NUJ statement against him as false, saying the statement by the Abuja NUJ has exposed the bankruptcy of the journalistic ethics among some members of the fourth estate of the realm in the country.

The statement reads: “The attention of Katsina State government has been drawn to a press statement issued by

it accused Governor Aminu Bello Masari of ordering the arrest of one Nelson Omonu, who works for Summit Post Newspaper.

“As bad as the allegation is, the FCT NUJ went on to make degrading remarks about the security challenges bedevilling the state, as if Katsina is the only state facing the menace of banditry.

Again, Glo Sponsors Benin Great Masari Denies Ordering Arrest of Abuja Journalist GSM Village’s Annual Festival he has not ordered for the arrest of Governor Masari. the NUJ, FCT Council in which Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Nigerian telecommu-nications company, Globacom, last week sponsored the annual carnival of the Benin Great GSM Village in Benin-city, Edo State.

This year’s sponsorship is the second in the series following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the company signed with the association for exclusive branding of the village as well as sponsorship of the carnival for a period of five years.

Speaking at the carnival, Globacom Head of Business, Mid-West, Mr. Augustus-Ndu Offor, said Globacom had always supported small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria, as they are the backbone of viable economies.

He said: “The network has always empowered Nigerian youths to achieve their dreams and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development,” assuring the GSM Village of the company’s continued

collaboration to enhance the growth of the association which provides jobs for thousands of Edo youths.

Ndu-Offor expressed appreciation to the executives and members of the association for availing Globacom the opportunity to collaborate with them, and appealed to them to ensure that the facilities provided by Globacom were well utilised.

The Chairman of the GSM Village, Mr. Aminu Abraham, praised Globacom for being a support base for the association, and prayed for more achievements for the company in the coming year.

At a soccer tournament, which was one of the highlights of the festival, the Globacom representative presented awards to the best performing teams, while charging the teams to continue to do their best in their passion, which he said could be one of the ways of further putting the state on the world map.

Asiko Energy Moves to Increase Access to LPG Asiko Energy, one of Nigeria’s leading power and gas distribution companies, has formally started the construction of its latest project to increase accessibility of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Nigerians.

The ground-breaking ceremony of the dual-liquefied gas storage terminal located in

Ijora, Lagos State, took place last month and on completion, the facility will house 5000 metric tonnes of Propane/LPG storage and a 30 million-litre LNG storage tank.

According to the company, the terminal under construction, when completed, will be the country’s first dual liquefied gas fuel terminal, with the ability

to receive, store and distribute both LPG and LNG. Speaking at the ceremony, Managing Director, Asiko Energy, Felix Ekundayo, stated that the project “is the culmination of several years of dedication and hard work by our Company. As we commence the construction of our propane/LPG terminal, we are also laying the foundation

for a co-located LNG terminal consisting of a full containment tank making this the first landbased LNG receiving terminal in Africa.”

Ekundayo commended the Board of Directors of Asiko Energy, shareholders, colleagues, financiers, and supply partner of 15 years and counting, the Nigeria LNG (NLNG) Limited.

TUESDAY, ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

17

TRIBUTE

Bolaji Akinyemi @80: A Tribute

By Kingsley Moghalu

I

n the long arc of any country’s history, many men and women hold offices and titles in public life. In Nigeria, that is the claim to fame of many such personalities.

But if their value addition, individually and collectively, had been significant, our country would have been in better shape than it is today. For few have transcended “being” to “doing”, leaving behind indisputable, inspirational legacies. Few have the capacity for ideas – a deep, reflective intellectual mind as a basis for policy actions, decisions and recommendations that create the kind of impact that outlives them. Even fewer still can reinvent themselves after office and remain relevant long after they have been has-beens.

Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi CFR, Professor of Political Science, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs from 1975 to 1983, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria from 1985 to 1987, Member of the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee in 2007, and Deputy Chairman of the 2014 National Conference, is one of such men. Born in llesha in today’s Osun State on January 4, 1942 the son of a famous school Principal father, the Rev. James Akinyemi, Bolaji Akinyemi turns 80 today. My task here, as a younger friend for whom he was a role model in my teenage years, and as a citizen who has known him for 32 years, is not to recite his long and illustrious curriculum vita. It is to interpret that CV and its owner, to give my view of why and how Bolaji Akinyemi accomplished the feats he did and what they mean for Nigeria, Africa and the black race, and why he still commands strong public influence and attention long after he left public office.

This man’s knowledge of the world is encyclopaedic. He is nothing short of Kissingerian in his impact on Nigerian foreign policy at a time when our country still had a strong presence in world politics. That impact, in a relatively short period of two years as foreign minister, was no accident. Although he previously headed the NIIA for eight years and so was already well known in foreign policy circles, preparation and hard work met opportunity and, combined with a keen intellect and strong worldview, created an eventful career in foreign policy.

After secondary school at Igbobi College in Lagos and Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti, Akinyemi obtained his bachelor's degree in political science at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA in 1964. At the time, America was neck-deep in a Cold War with the communist Soviet Union, the Vietnam War was raging and America’s controversial deployment of its troops to the Asian conflict was becoming a foreign policy quagmire. The Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act had been passed in quick succession as monumental breakthroughs in political rights for black Americans in the Lyndon Johnson presidency. These events formed a momentous backdrop for a serious African student of the world and the place of his race in it.

He went on to graduate school at the prestigious Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he obtained the Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) in 1966. The Fletcher School was founded in 1933 as a joint cooperation between Tufts University and Harvard University.

Its powerful network of alumni includes top political leaders, diplomats, intelligence operatives, and heads of multinational business corporations.

It is a pedigree that opens doors in world capitals.

I know. Inspired by Akinyemi’s impact at NIIA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with his support through a letter of recommendation that helped me win the Joan Gillespie Fellowship, I also took a master’s degree at The Fletcher School in 1992 and joined the United Nations Service immediately afterwards. My appointment later in life as a professor on the faculty of The Fletcher School in 2015 after my tenure at the Central Bank of Nigeria was something that gave Akinyemi a lot of pride. More than many, he understood its particular significance.

Akinyemi went on to study at the University of Oxford from 1966 to 1969, bagging a Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil) at the age of 27. He met and later married his wife Rowena Akinyemi, a British citizen. On returning to Nigeria and becoming a Lecturer and later Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Ibadan, his television interviews and newspaper articles caught the attention of military officers such as Murtala Mohammed and Ibrahim Babangida.

In 1975, when Mohammed became Head of State after the coup that toppled Gen. Yakubu Gowon and pursued a more assertive foreign

Akinyemi policy, he tapped Akinyemi for the post of DG of the NIIA. As the foreign minister under the military presidency of Gen. Babangida Akinyemi established the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps scheme that exists to this day.

Under the scheme, Nigerian professionals provide technical expertise and manpower to other developing countries. This is a more advanced version of the American Peace Corps. It is a classic and practical projection of “soft power”, known to be effective in achieving international influence as an important anchor of bilateral relations between countries.

Perhaps Akinyemi’s most profound conceptual foreign policy initiative was that of the Concert of Medium Powers in world politics, with Nigeria as a key actor in this group of states. The concept was that 16 regional powers, countries that, based on economic, diplomatic and other factors in international relations were considered medium powers would act proactively to promote stability and conflict resolution while at the same time serving as an informal counterweight to the dominance of the Great Powers that were and remain permanent members of the UN Security Council. The Concert also would serve to project Nigeria as a global power beyond Africa and the struggle against apartheid in South Africa at the time. It would deal with cross-cutting issues. With its initial exploratory meeting held in Lagos in 1987, the Concert, later dubbed the Lagos Forum, was to include countries such as Austria, Brazil, Mexico, India, Malaysia and Sweden.

However, perhaps because Akinyemi initiated the Concert of Medium Powers late in his tenure in office, the ambitious idea did not survive his exit from the

Babangida cabinet. This was unfortunate.

Had the initiative grown to become fully established, Nigeria would have been better positioned to have become one of the Emerging Market economies (instead of a Frontier Market) that Brazil, Mexico, India and Malaysia indisputably became.

We would have been better placed to have eventually become part of the BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, making it BRINKS. And we would perhaps have a seat at the table of the G20 medium economic powers from which we are absent. South Africa is, again, the only African country that is a member. Bolaji Akinyemi saw tomorrow in the context of the world and Nigeria’s potential place in it.

Akinyemi’s contributions in the domestic political arena have also been significant.

Through no fault of his, however, Nigeria’s destructive national political culture, which has short-circuited our development, rendered his similarly weighty contributions in this arena stillborn for the most part. The forward-looking recommendations of the Uwais panel on electoral reform were never implemented. The momentous report of the National Conference convened by President Jonathan gathers dust in the archives.

The “bow-tie diplomat” and “professor of significance” as he has been described by commentators, also played a central role in the struggle against the dictatorship of Gen. Sani Abacha. He was a member of the National Democratic Coalition as one of its vocal members in exile.

Bolaji Akinyemi remains a sought-after public commentator today, alongside his role as an elder statesman. Smartly, apart from the occasional newspaper interview, he now deploys a mostly visual medium. “Through My Eyes”, his video and television series

on world affairs, is a must-view for anyone interested in international affairs. From the victory of the Taliban in conflict-ridden Afghanistan to the life and death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, from the role of sports in international relations to the implications of the rise of China as a world power, Akinyemi’s brilliant insights into world affairs do not disappoint.

Can we rediscover and rekindle, on a large scale of public policy, debate and understanding, Akinyemi’s erudite understanding and interpretation of the world? Especially in a time when technology has made the world a truly global village but sovereign imperatives of national interest still reign? The age of Covid- and the politics of vaccine production and distribution, as well as travel bans, provide an opportunity for such reflection. In the long line of Nigerian foreign ministers, Bolalji Akinyemi remains a remarkable figure by virtue of the sheer brilliance and influence of his intellect.

I consider him to be more of the realist school of international relations – the world as it is and how our country can gain competitive advantage, not the world as it ought to be. As the late international relations scholar Hedley Bull who taught at Oxford and my Ph.D. alma mata the London School of Economics argued, we live in an “anarchical society” of states.

Akinyemi understood and sought to advance, Nigeria’s destiny as the biggest black-race country in the world. Politics holds the key to Nigeria’s future. Its brokenness in our country wastes the brilliance of many men and women.

We must therefore return to the leadership of persons with ideas such as Akinyemi. Would that he was as successful in politics as he was in diplomacy. Nigeria would have fared better.

But he has led, and is still living, a life in full.

Cheers to him @80.

Professor Moghalu was a presidential candidate in the 2019 elections and is a presidential aspirant for the 2023 elections.

18

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)

The Politics and Literary Works of Bashir Tofa Chuks Okocha writes that the late businessman and politician, Bashir Othman Tofa who passed away on Monday was also a passionate writer

B

ashir Othman Tofa, a Nigerian politician and literal giant in Hausa language who was of the Kanuri Muslim stock is dead He hailed from Kano State. He died in the early hours of Monday, January 3, 2022, after a protected illness Tofa who was best known as the National Republican Convention (NRC) candidate in Nigeria’s annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election. The presidential contest was supritended by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.

He is remembered as an author who popularised the use of local languages to address societal ills.

He was born in Kano to a Kanuri family on June 20, 1947 and died on January 3. Tofa had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano and then continued studies at City Senior Primary School in Kano. Between 1962 to 1966, he attended Provincial College, Kano.

After completing his studies at the Provincial School, he worked for Royal Exchange Insurance Company from 1967 to 1968. Thereafter, between 1970 and 1973, he attended City of London College.

His sojourn into politics started in 1976 when he was elected a Councilor of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Council, in 1977, he was elected into the Constituent Assembly. During the Second Republic, Tofa was at various times the Secretary of the Kano branch of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and later became the party’s National Financial Secretary and was a national member of the Green Revolution National Committee.

In the aborted Third Republic, Tofa was part of the Liberal Movement which metamorphosed to Liberal Convention but when it was not registered as a political party, he joined National Republican Convention (NRC) proclaimed by the military government of the era in 1990.

In 1993, when the military administration of Ibrahim Babangida introduced the Option A4 system, Tofa was elected the presidential candidate representing Kano and during the subsequent party primaries, the Kano born politician defeated Pere Ajunwa from the then Rivers state, Joe Nwodo from Enugu state and Dalhatu Tafida from Kaduna state to clinch the NRC ticket.

He was a good friend of Col. Halilu Akilu, the security chief at the time.

His running mate in the election was Sylvester Ugoh, an Igbo and a Science and Technology Minister I the Second Republic. Both were members of the defunct National Party of Nigeria.

At the June 12 presidential election, Tofa was defeated in the presidential election by his rivalChief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, a personal friend of Babangida and a Yoruba from South-west Nigeria. However, the official results were never released by Babangida’s government. Babangida was forced to step down in August 1993 after protests calling for the results of the election.

In the June 12 election, the results announced by the Prof Humphrey Nwosu-led National Electoral Commission (NEC), before the process was stopped by the military, indicated that Tofa had received 2.3 million votes while Abiola got 4.3 million. He won 11 states while Abiola won 19 states in the election. Tofa was defeated in his home state , Kano, by Abiola.

Before June 12, he had a personal relationship with Abiola when the latter was Ogun State Chairman of NPN while he was the party’s National Financial Secretary in the Second Republic. It was

Tofa

politics that set them apart.

In 2019, when President Buhari declared June 12, a national holiday to mark Democracy Day, Tofa objected to it. He called for the reconsideration of the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, saying such an action shouldn’t be informed by “some political cold calculations.”

When President Muhammadu Buhari honored Abiola with Nigeria’s highest honour, GCFR, Tofa again objected and declared that he would not have accepted it if

he was given the award.

Apart from politics, he was was also a businessman, involved in oil as well as an industrialist. He was chairman of International PetroEnergy Company (IPEC) and Abba Othman and Sons Limited.

He was also involved as a board member in Impex Ventures, Century Merchant Bank and General Metal Products Limited.

In 2011, he wrote his most popular book in Hausa language. titled “Tunanin Ka Kamannin Ka”’ translated in English, “ The Way you Think

In 2019, when President Buhari declared June 12, a national holiday to mark Democracy Day, Tofa objected to it. He called for the reconsideration of the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, saying such an action shouldn’t be informed by “some political cold calculations.” When President Muhammadu Buhari honored Abiola with Nigeria’s highest honour, GCFR, Tofa again objected and declared that he would not have accepted it if he was given the award

Reflects in Your Character,” consisting of 219 pages.

After the Kenyan writer, Ngugi Wa Thing’O declared that he would only write in his mother tongue, Tofa also followed the pattern and wrote all his books in Hausa language.

His eight books: Tunaninka Kamanninka (The Way you Think Reflects in Your Character), Kimiyyar Sararin Samaniya (Space Science), Kimiyya da Al’ajaban Al-Kur ’ani (The Science and Wonders of the Qur ’an), Gajerun Labarai (Short Stories), Amazadan a Birnin Aljanu (Amazadan in the Land of the Spirits), Amazadan da Zoben Farsiyas (Amazadan and Farsiyas Ring), Rayuwa Bayan Mutuwa (Life After Death), and Mu Sha Dariya (Let us Laugh) were written in Hausa language. He is to be remembered as one of those that developed the literal culture of Hausa language.

His writing in his local language was obvious that Hausa literature has garnered for itself a very wide acceptance among the high and low of the society.

In his role as an elder statesman, he was known to have variously spoken against social ills and maladministration.

Before his death, he was neither a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He died as a social critic.

19

T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022

POLITICS

An Enviable Brain Nigeria is Yet To Utilise Odimegwu Onwumere focuses on the sterling qualities of a two-time gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State and chieftain of the All ProgressivesCongress, Prince Tonye Princewill

Princewill

T

here is nothing that appeals to some persons as noting that you remembered them on their birthday remembrance either through calls, gifts, emails or articles. This is the reason I want a Prince of the Kalabari kingdom in Rivers State and son to a legendary Professor of Medical Microbiology and First class King, Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill to note that he is remembered.

January 4 each year is the elocutionist called Princewill’s birth. He is a leader with the capacity to decipher vision into reality.

He is a leader who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. A thorough London bred of Kalabari parents with humility and humane features like one under the tutelage of one boss somewhere in either Ochanja Market in Onitsha or Alaba Int’l Market in Lagos dominated by Ndigbo.

I had the privilege of being close to the amiable Princewill sometime in 2008.

Having contested the election of 2007 that the outcome is history today, the fearless Princewill was later in the creeks, not for the leisure to be with nature, but for the love of his home state – Rivers state, pleading to the Niger Delta agitators of then to drop their guns.

He was respected and still is, by that singular act of going out of the way of the palace as a prince, to negotiate for peace in his state in a most dangerous creek. Nevertheless, why Princewill has not climbed politically in elective or appointive positions in recent times does not meet the eyes, having been a two-time gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State under Action Congress (2007) and the Labour Party (2015).

He’s a good friend of Mr. Chibuike Amaechi who previously served in oil-rich Rivers State as Governor of Rivers State

from 2007 to 2015 and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007, and now serving as the Minister of Transportation in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. It was on this friendship that Princewill lapsed his case in court in 2007, after the Supreme Court ruled on October 27, 2007 that Amaechi was the duly nominated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the election.

The Supreme Court’s award to Amaechi was against one gentleman known as Sir Celestine Ngozichim Omehia, who barely ruled the state for six months, and was Amaechi’s cousin.

While the followership of Princewill are looking up to the day he would

succeed politically, they are however not disappointed that the dude has succeeded in his private businesses and life. I could remember he once said that he would retire at 50, but seeing that there are so much to do in Rivers and across Nigeria as a country; he would not leave politics for politicians alone.

This, being the reason a minute number in their 80s is still calling the shots in the political sphere in the country.

Princewill is a man who respects people to a fault. His love for hard work, patience and building the right foundation can never be overemphasized. This is the reason he is regarded in his circle of admirers as a phenomenon. Not because he is an engineer by training, or because he holds a post-graduate

Princewill is a man who respects people to a fault.

His love for hard work, patience and building the right foundation can never be overemphasized.

This is the reason he is regarded in his circle of admirers as a phenomenon. Not because he is an engineer by training, or because he holds a post-graduate degree from the Imperial College, London, or because he practices ITIL and Change Management, or because he is skilled in the Oil and Gas industry, or because he is an ICT expert. He is good in both corporate and community relations

degree from the Imperial College, London, or because he practices ITIL and Change Management, or because he is skilled in the Oil and Gas industry, or because he is an ICT expert. He is good in both corporate and community relations.

Being vast in knowledge, the Rivers state government in 2007 saw the rare qualities of the son of the king who rules 33 communities and appointed him as its Investment Consultant. Within a short period, he attracted over Fifty Billion Naira (N50B) value of investments through the Public Private Partnership Initiative of the State Government. The Federal government of then also recognised him with an appointment into the Presidential Technical Committee on the Niger Delta, with a vision to carve a niche that would serve the future of the Niger Delta region.

Princewill is a peacemaker who believes that people should survive on welfare if given the opportunity to thrive. He believes that successful countries have no excuse to building successful citizens. Nigeria invariably needs Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill closer in government either in state or federal level for positive contributions in governance.

His knowledge encompasses politics but on how to move the society forward.

Princewill is a leader whose actions inspire people to dream more, build on their careers and development. He is a tested and trusted innovator who leaves a trail wherever he went. He has a bold course of action, with unconventional political sagacity and strategy. Standing with Princewill is standing with something special in a time of hyper-competition and non-stop commotion. He can blow an uncertain trumpet.

-Onwumere writes from Rivers State

20

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY Ͳ˜ 2022

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Nyaknno Osso: Driving the BLERF Project Ndubuisi Francis chronicles the birth of Nigeria's privately-driven biographical project

Nyaknno Osso

I

n his chosen career path, Nyaknnoabasi Osso needs little or no introduction, particularly among the older generation of Nigerians. His addiction to books, research and documentation is legendary.

He was a foundation member of the team that set up the pacesetting Newswatch magazine, published by Dele Giwa (late), Ray Ekpu and Yakubu Mohammed. Osso was the Librarian and later Editor of the celebrated Newswatch’s Who Is Who In Nigeria.

In his over 50 years in private and public employment, he has straddled the library, information and knowledge management industry like a colossus.

For over 25 years, he worked closely with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, cimaxing with the setting up of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

No such library existed anywhere in Africa, prior to the establishment of the OOPL, which was his brainchild.

Ahead of OOPL's establishment, Osso visited many presidential libraries in the United States of America to understudy the kind of library he envisioned for the former president.

Even as the Newswatch brand appears to have faded into oblivion, and OOPL consummated, he has remained relevant in what has become his forte--library, information and knowledge management.

Besides his 13-room fully-stocked personal library in the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, he has delved into what is probably the most ambitious and challenging task of his illustrious career.

That project is not only dear to him, but is seemingly sapping virtually his every resource. He has continued to make a huge financial, mental, physical, emotional and even spiritual investment in a one-stop, first-in-Nigeria biographical information database; a Who's Who of all times.

It's designed to showcase Nigeria's achievers and heroes, home and abroad, dead or alive, dating back to 1861 when Britain annexed Lagos as a colony.

According to Osso, the biographical information database is fashioned to create an unrivalled, authentic, comprehensive and authoritative source of biographical data, which would be meticulously and continuously updated almost on a daily basis as the needs arise.

He describes the online library as a "celebration of lives, times, and achieve-

ments of Nigerians...is a monumental online library, the first-in-Nigeria biographical information database that showcases our incredible and bountiful human resources."

Interestingly, Osso is driving this humongous (if you like, eye-popping) national legacy project via his Foundation--Biographical Legacy & Research Foundation (BLERF).

In other climes, this uncommon enterprise would have effortlessly drawn the support of public and private entities and multinationals in kind, cash and every imaginable resources.

So far, it has been a solo run for Osso in a country where rich corporations are bankrolling barely-clad youths and morally deficient programmes on cable television.

At some point, he had to dispense with his highbrow hill top home in Wuse 2, Abuja just to raise the sum of N200 billion he needed for a section of the unique project.

But he appears unfazed by the huge financial implications of achieving a monstrous project like the biographical database project.

In an interview, he said: "Our audited financial reports show that we've expended over N300 million with only N2.5 million assistance from ExxonMobil in 2013. We are operating now on a shoestring budget as our websites are still on free, open access.

"What makes this database even more potent is that it is literally and globally on our fingertips with any internet handheld device. It is the ultimate online factbook on Nigeria."

As one of his friends, Aniete Usen remarked: " In a way, this is the veritable National Library of Nigeria.

And there is no doubt in my mind that the man that has made incredible sacrifices to bring about this gigantic

achievement for Nigerians deserves a national honour, that is sometimes awarded to girlfriends of politicians."

The BLERF Philosophy Osso said: "I thought about the improvements I would bring to the Newswatch Who Is Who in terms of the format it would take. Considering the changes in technology, we decided that one of the best ways was to register a foundation called BLERF. "What was most urgent was to create a website, because getting to people these days by questionnaire became a problem. With the website, it would be easy to view and follow the entries.

"Then, we decided that people we should bring into the publication should be the makers, movers, shapers and shakers of Nigeria.

"That means we will not capture who is who now, but who is who yesterday. When we talk about makers and shakers, we are referring to makers and shakers of the nation, Nigeria. Many of these people are no more.

"So, how do generations after today get information on them and the role they played, and put in one collection, or one website that would come out as a book, That those who were not there would be able to benefit from the historical record?"

According to him, history and biography go together, adding that a nation that is not fully informed about its history is one that does not know where it is going.

"The BLERF website will bring those we call distinguished Nigerian achievers and heroes/heroines across the ethnic and tribal fault lines.

"BLERF does not deal with politicians and their politics. Although we identify politicians, particularly

The biographical information database is fashioned to create an unrivalled, authentic, comprehensive and authoritative source of biographical data, which would be meticulously and continuously updated almost on a daily basis as the needs arise

in the National Assembly, but we cover corporate Nigeria, presidency, public service, academia, private sector, and the like."

For those deserving of being documented as achievers, movers, shapers and shakers, Osso believes that the important thing is for one to make some contributions in the polity and economy, particularly in their profession or line of business as a Nigerian within and in the Diaspora.

The biographical information database is a celebration of achievers- those who have made serious contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria, who would either be nominated or their achievements are so glaring.

The 1861 Base Why 1861 as the base year for the documentation of Nigerian movers and shakers?

"That’s the question that comes out quite often. We did not want to start from 1914, the year of Nigeria’s amalgamation.

We went back to when Lagos became a Colony. That could be traced to 1861. We believe that since we are talking about the makers, shakers and shapers of Nigeria’s political and economic history, we wanted to have that year as a cut off period we would cover.

"But, we have in our data bank information from 1464. We did not want to go that far back, because most of the information we have at that time were on religious leaders. I believe someday, somehow, we may still capture them.

"They may not fall within the period 1861. But, there should be a way of letting people know that before 1861, there were others who made certain contributions.

"It has come to a stage that this should be seen by those in government, corporate Nigeria and donor agencies that the publication is a national legacy project to preserve the history or the contributions of our people. It is an everlasting project that would outlive generations of Nigerians. We have broken it into two phases."

Undoubtedly, Osso's biographical information database with its invaluable national flavour and benefits deserves all the necessary support from the private and public space.

For now, that deserved support is missing. But time, the greatest ingredient of posterity would determine whether Osso would shoulder the huge financial burden of this massive project alone or not.

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY JANUARY 4, 2022

21

FEATURES

The Painful Death of Sylvester Oromoni and Inherent Lessons Ehi Braimah

I

n the last few weeks, the news that must have trended the most on social media was the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos. It was the circumstances of his death that elicited high profile reactions from different quarters.

The death has inflicted deep pain and caused feelings of great sadness, not just on the family based in Warri, Delta State, but the anguish also extended to a family of mourners – friends, well-wishers, parents, students, celebrities, politicians, teachers, social media commentators, bloggers, government officials, etc – around the world who also share in the grief.

There was understandable outrage and palpable grief over the death of Sylvester and the news went viral instantly. As a parent, how do you even contemplate burying your 12-year-old child who was not sick before passing away? Social media influencers and notable celebrities have latched onto the news, expressing their anger and calling for justice in the matter. It is well within their rights to do so.

They have a civic responsibility and moral obligation to advocate for human rights, fairness, transparency and justice in this matter or any other matter. As a parent myself, I understand what the Oromoni family is passing through at this time and I want to use this opportunity to commiserate with them as they mourn the loss of their young son.

However, the point must be made that time is still the greatest healer of all wounds. No father or mother wants to bury his own children while they are still alive which explains why such memories are usually difficult to be erased. May God Almighty continue to give the Oromoni family the fortitude to overcome this painful loss and grant eternal rest to late Sylvester’s soul.

When you put yourself in their position, you will probably understand their pains better. Sylvester was the last born of the family and from the interviews his father has granted so far, he had a bright future ahead of him. Students – mostly from the secondary school age – aspire to become future leaders distinguishing themselves in different fields. They are happy to share their stories with parents, siblings, uncles, aunties, cousins and classmates, explaining what they want to become in life.

Most of the time, they want to become writers, doctors, lawyers and engineers.

With rapid advancements in digital technology, those choices are now changing.

On career days, students look far into the future and make career choices. Sylvester, according to his father, wanted to become a pilot but he did not live to achieve his dream. It was aborted abruptly. Sylvester’s painful death is the story that has gone viral and still trending on social media.

Dowen College has now been closed down indefinitely by the Lagos State government while investigation into the controversial death of Sylvester continues.

Shutting the school was a wise decision and it is commendable. This is the same school that has an enviable record of producing bright and intelligent students.

Describing Sylvester’s death as “tragic and unfortunate”, the management of the school condoled with his family and promised to get to the bottom of the matter. The school which has been in existence for over 25 years has assured parents that it was taking steps to ensure the safety and security of their children.

This should be standard for all schools.

Talking about “safety and security” in schools, it is Dowen College today, which school will it be tomorrow?

This development calls for a serious national conversation by all key stakeholders in the education sector. We should not wait until we have another death on our hands before we act. What is going on in

Braimah boarding schools should be discussed and “bullying” must be one of the topics. It is the controversial circumstances under which Sylvester died that escalated the matter and it should be a warning signal to all parents and secondary school principals as well as their proprietors. Primary schools should not be left out in the conversation.

You cannot blame parents who invest heavily in education for their children because they want the best for them and it is evident that education is a meal ticket to a better life. There is also nothing wrong in sending your child to a boarding school. Since the public education system in Nigeria has collapsed beyond redemption, we now have private schools lining up both sides of every high street.

But when parents send their children to school, the primary purpose is for them to study, pass their exams and become worthy in character and learning after leaving school. The joy of every parent is to see their investment in education pay off.

I was privileged to have attended one of the best public secondary schools in Nigeria many years ago where we received quality education and excellent scholarship. At the age of 10, I was admitted into Government College, Ughelli (GCU) in Delta State as a boarding student. The Principal at the time was J.E. Jones, an Englishman.

The entire curriculum and activities in school prepared us to be strong and

independent. We were also taught to be achievers and winners in addition to lessons on hard work, tolerance, perseverance, sportsmanship and leadership. Ask any old boy of GCU, he will you the same story and we wear the GCU mark of excellence as a badge of honour all the time.

Most private schools now strive to achieve the same awesome GCU experience based on their strategic objectives. I must confess that students of many private secondary schools are brilliant and they always come out in flying colours with excellent grades in their examinations.

Usually, it is a contest for the brightest among the brightest students – it is not whether the students will pass the exam; that is usually taken for granted. The issue is how well they will pass. Graduating students are garlanded for their outstanding performance and move on to the next phase of their lives.

However, in life, we must prepare for a time of crisis, when there is an unexpected twist and turn of events and imagine worst case scenarios.

It can come in different forms. For example, no one prepared for the devastating impact of Covid-19 disease which has taken many lives in addition to wrecking global supply chains. Omicron, the latest variant, has caused global anxiety leading to new travel restrictions.

Indeed, every enterprise has the potential risk of a crisis situation that may blow up and threaten or

While we mourn the unfortunate death of Sylvester, all parents – irrespective of tribe, religion, region or ethic group -- must worry about the collapse of family values in our society and the effect on our youths...Teachers and religious leaders also have a role to play in preparing our future leaders for the challenges ahead of them

damage the reputation of the organisation forever. The way out is to always anticipate emergency situations and prepare for them by working with a team of PR professionals who are experts in crisis communications management.

As the experts will tell us, we do not live in a perfect world, and no matter how we prepare, crises will still occur. How an organisation communicates publicly after a crisis has occurred is important in order to mitigate any damage. A key component of the strategy is to brief all stakeholders about the true situation of events as they unfold and constantly update them with new information.

For 15 years, I was part of the team that organised an annual national mathematics competition for JS3 and SS2 secondary schools across 200 centres in Nigeria – same day, same time for the first stage exam.

The second stage exam required the best student in each category from each state and the FCT (74 students and their respective maths teachers) to travel to Lagos every year. The best 10 students in each category from the second stage were invited to Abuja for the prize giving ceremony.

Most of the time, they travelled by road and a potential risk that parents and school principals worried about was motor accident that could be fatal.

Thankfully, we did not record any incident in 15 years. But each time they come to Lagos and Abuja, and return safely, we were always thankful to God for making it possible.

There have been situations where hotel guests were found dead in their rooms or drowned in swimming pools. These are risks hotels have to deal with in their line of business. In oil producing communities, oil spillage is a potential risk. Death of any kind is painful but in the case of Sylvester, the parents and other sympathisers want justice.

From viral videos in circulation, Sylvester’s dad strongly believes his son was severely bullied leading to his untimely death in controversial circumstances. He says he wants the “truth” of his son’s death to come out and it is expected that ongoing investigations will be helpful. The police homicide team has taken over the case which is another important step in the investigation.

The management of Dowen College, from all indications, is cooperating with the police and Lagos State government in the matter. In addition, the school must find a way to engage with the family of late Sylvester who are still heavily traumatised.

While we mourn the unfortunate death of Sylvester, all parents – irrespective of tribe, religion, region or ethic group -- must worry about the collapse of family values in our society and the effect on our youths. It is shameful that some parents are enablers of the bad behaviour of their children, sometimes even encouraging them to cheat at examinations.

Teachers and religious leaders also have a role to play in preparing our future leaders for the challenges ahead of them.

Right from birth until they are 18 years old, our children are largely influenced by their parents, teachers and religious leaders through what they see and hear.

On top of that is access to the internet and what websites our children visit.

Some online contents are not suitable for teenagers who clutch mobile phones day and night just so that they can be fully engaged on Facebook and Instagram.

We should even be more mindful what their younger brothers and sisters watch on television as well as the internet. The unrestricted access to the internet by these kids may yet be the biggest challenge for parents and teachers.

-Braimah is the Publisher/Editor-inChief of Naija Times (https://naijatimes. ng)

22

T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Group Advocates Use of Glass Products, not Plastic for Packaging Bennett Oghifo

A

group, Arcline Beehive Design Foundation (ABDF) is advocating a return to the use of glass in packaging water and other liquids because it is more environmentally sustainable than plastics currently being widely used for packaging.

The group, ABDF, states that it engages in the “Propagation of environmental and sustainable development practices - providing guidance, training and solutions for stakeholders.”

On account of the United Nations declaration of 2022 as the International Year of Glass, ABDF has decided to hold year-long activities to sensitise Nigerians, particularly policy makers on the need to return to the use of glass products in packaging of liquids, including water and not plastics which are neither recyclable nor degradable.

The activities planned, according to the Chairman of Arcline Beehive Design Foundation Board, Mr. Adeolu Okulaja, would include the facilitation of training opportunities for people interested in learning the art of glass blowing to form containers and ornamental products.

Okulaja stated this during their visit to the

Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and the University of Lagos, which is expected to collaborate with them in the year-long activities.

At the meeting were, Mr Adebayo Okuwobi, Mr Adeolu Okulaja, Mrs Funmilola Eyeoyinbo, Dr. Hassan Sanuth, Mr. Adeoye, Mrs Oguntola, Mr. Segun Jemitola, Mrs Obisesan and Mrs Akinwusi.

He said, “We are planning to have a year-long celebration with the University of Lagos. We feel that UNILAG, as an institution, is the best place to push the sustainable development goals.

“We are partnering with the United Nations Information Center, Lagos and the University of Lagos. The Vice-Chancellor is fully involved.

The Faculty of Environmental Sciences is the base of the celebration and we are calling on all partners, financial, technology, social sciences, philanthropists, international bodies, embassies, consulates, to join us in this one in a life time celebration. We’re going to celebrate an SDG for each of the 12 calendar months of the year. In January, we are going to introduce the Sustainable Development Goals. There are 17 of them. Nationally we have a target of 2030 to meet some of these goals. So we are going to introduce them to the whole community and reintroduce them into the country and

say, well, these are sustainable development goals. What do you know about them? And then we’re also now going to take each one

of those goals that supports the international year of Glass. “There are 11 of them that have been outlined and bring them to the fore.”

L-R: John Ameh; Deputy Vice Chancellor Development Services, UNILAG, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa; Chair, Arcline Beehive Design Foundation Board, Mr. Adeolu Okulaja; UN 2022 IYOG UNILAG Coordinator, Professor Mike Adebamo; and UN 2022 IYOG UNILAG Secretary, Dr. David Adio-Moses, during the foundation’s visit to UNILAG… recently

Oriental Energy Chairman, Indimi Extols JBN for Exquisite Aircraft Hangar at MIA Bennett Oghifo

President Muhammadu Buhari, (right); Gov. of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum (left) listens as the Chairman of Oriental Energy Services, Alh. Muhammadu Indimi, OFR, explains a point during the commissioning of the new ultra-modern Oriental Energy Resources Ltd Aircraft Hangar, new taxiway and Executive Guest Houses at the Maiduguri International Airport… recently

Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, OFR, has extolled Julius Berger’s engineering construction quality used in the design and building of its ultra-modern aircraft hangar at the Maiduguri International Airport.

Oriental Energy Resources Limited founded by renowned industrialist, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, OFR, scored a high mark on its infrastructural contribution to the country’s development last Thursday when President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the company’s new ultra-modern aircraft Hangar at the Maiduguri international airport in Borno State. The works also included the cast of an apron slab and a new taxiway constructed to connect the Hangar to the main runway of the Maiduguri International Airport The Hangar materials, including beams, columns, and metal sheets, amongst other technical components were procured by Oriental Energy Resources Limited, while its precision integration and construction was awarded to the nation’s leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. In less than one year of commencement of the works, the ever-reliable Julius Berger has built

the Hangar, which houses not only Aircraft but also offices and welfare spaces for the Client, its employees, pilots and executive guests. Ancillary facilities at the new state-of-the-art Hangar include two modern guesthouses designed and built to Julius Berger’s ISO certification quality standard.

The respected industrialist, Alhaji Indimi commended Julius Berger for the excellent quality of works Julius Berger delivered for Oriental Energy Resources at the Maiduguri International Airport.

Other important dignitaries who accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to the ceremony included the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagan Zulum, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Borno State Ali Modu-Sheriff, amongst others. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Irabor personally actively led the security and military contingent to the successful ceremony in Maiduguri.

Representing the Managing Director Engr. Dr Lars Richter and leading Julius Berger’s delegation to the commissioning ceremony in Maiduguri was the company’s Executive Director of Administration, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi. Engr. Goni Musa Sheikh, Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc was also at the ceremony.

Julius Berger Signs Facility Upgrade Contract with Ikoyi Golf Club Julius Berger Facility Works in Lagos has signed a facility upgrade contract with Ikoyi Golf Club 1938.

Captain of Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, Dr M.I Okoro lauded Julius Berger Nigeria PLC for its widely acknowledged professionalism in the discharge of its engineering construction and maintenance works, describing the company’s work quality as “the good, durable and preferred standard”. He spoke Tuesday in Lagos at the contract signing ceremony to kick off the comprehensive upgrade of the irrigation system for Ikoyi Golf Club 1938 just as he enjoined the country’s building and construction services sector leader to sustain and better their own record in service delivery on the job. Dr. Okoro proudly added that the

partnership between the Club and Julius Berger has come a long way and that it can therefore be sincerely referred to as historical.

Dr. Okoro said, “…on the contract, even as it is for the comprehensive upgrade of the irrigation system in the Golf Course, we advise that there should be an ad-hoc maintenance of the Golf Course.

This is because, as you can notice, the current harmattan weather is now affecting the green grass. However, we are confident that the course will be revived and well greened again with Julius Berger facility works ably coming to the rescue. Julius Berger has a great history of performance with us. They constructed our car park a long time ago, and as you can all see, it is still there

as strong and good as new. So we trust that the company will do a great job of the irrigation upgrade.”

Chairman of Ikoyi Golfers Community of Nigeria Association, IGCNA, Mr. Wahab Aminu-Sarumi did not mince words in re-echoing what the Captain said of Julius Berger even as he wished the Golf Course a rewarding partnership with Julius Berger on the current project.

Present at the contract signing ceremony and flag-off of the facility upgrade works were Lady Captain of the Golf Club, Mrs, Aworanti Oyenike and Course Officer and member of IGCNA, Mr. Peter Eben-Spiff.

Engr. Amina Dotti led the Julius Berger team at the contract-signing ceremony.

She assured that the irreduc-

ible Julius Berger engineering standard will power the works.

Amina was accompanied by the Project Manager, Engr.

Rhoderick Picana amongst others to the event.

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is Nigeria’s leading engineering construction brand, which offers holistic integrated construction solutions and related services including Facility Management.

The Julius Berger Lagos Facility Works is the Lagos-based operational arm of the larger Julius Berger Facility Management Works, which also have an operational arm located at the company’s Region Central North with its hub in Abuja.

The Julius Berger Facility Works operate on the impeccable and irreducible corporate core values of best quality, safety, integrity, compliance, partnership and

innovation all of which have become definitive of the company’s matchless technical expertise and excellence in the implementation of state-of-theart methods and technologies.

Julius Berger Facility Works says, “…we are committed to providing a conducive environment to enable our clients achieve their overall goals through the provision of excellent and sustainable facility management from one single source, using worldclass innovations, technology, skilled personnel and global best practices to ensure the functionality, comfort, safety, durability, sustainability and efficiency of a property”.

With affirmative International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification as well with a proven record of

accomplishment and delivery, Julius Berger Facility Works’ Quality Management Systems are well equipped to satisfy the customers’ needs. Julius Berger Facility Works focuses majorly on the provision of hard and soft Services for buildings and building systems, energy management models, refurbishment and upgrade of buildings and ancillary services, facility management consultancy services to corporate organizations and private clients with net worth real estate assets.

The qualitative and reliably professional Julius Berger badge of competence, technical edge and robustly integrated logistical systems assures high quality services delivery to all clients while ensuring minimum total life cycle cost and value retention of an asset to the owner.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

A T

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

J A N U A R Y

S & P INDEX

3 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

9.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

564.02%

1/4 TO DATE

5.82%

N413.03/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

10.75%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.17%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.85%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.19%

As Sector Illiquidity Persists, Discos Remit Only N265.03bn of N519.77bn Invoices to NBET in Six Months

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) only managed to remit N265.03 billion of the expected N519.77 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) in the first six months of 2021, THISDAY has learnt.

Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the latest in the series, revealed that despite intermittent government intervention, liquidity in the sector has remained a major challenge.

In the first two quarters, spanning January to June, the data showed that only about half of the total expected payments to NBET were made by the 11 Discos to NBET and the Market Operator (MO).

From January to March, the Discos received N260.07 billion invoices for energy they got from the bulk trader and for service charges by the MO, out of which only a sum of N134.92 billion was settled.

In the same vein, for the second quarter, between April and June, while the power distributors were

billed N259.70 billion, only N130.11 was remitted.

Basically, NBET purchases electricity from the Generating Companies (Gencos) through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and sells to the distribution companies through vesting contracts.

It also manages and administers the financial flows for the physical supplies on the network, encourages operation of a competitive market and promotes a contracts-based market that allocates risks efficiently to parties responsible for them.

The Nigerian power supply ecosystem is bedevilled by severe illiquidity, which the Discos blame on their inability to fully recover costs as the market is still largely controlled by the government despite its partial privatisation.

“During the first quarter of 2021, a total invoice of N260.07 billion was issued to the 11 Discos for energy received from the NBET and for service charge by the MO, out of which a sum of N134.92 billion was settled, representing a remittance performance of 51.88 per cent. This

represents a 4.03 percentage points decrease from the final settlement rate recorded in the fourth quarter of 2020,” NERC noted.

According to the regulator, although none of Discos met the expected minimum remittance thresholds (MRTs) to NBET in the quarter under review, Abuja and Port Harcourt met 90 per cent of their expected remittance.

“Overall, the total Discos remittance to NBET was 76 per cent of expected total for the quarter. The average aggregate remittance performances

to MO and NBET decreased from 55.91 per cent in 2020/Q4 to 51.88 per cent in 2021/Q1,” it added.

It continued: “During the second quarter of 2021, a total invoice of N259.70 billion was issued to the Discos for energy received from NBET and for service charge to MO, out of which a sum of N130.11 billion was settled, representing remittance performance of 50.1 per cent. This represents a 1.78 percentage point decrease from the final settlement rate Continued on page 24

‘Access to Climate Information can Solve 50% of Nigeria’s Agric Challenges’ Gilbert Ekugbe The Executive Secretary, HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. Sulaimon Arigbabu, has stated that adequate access and effective utilisation of climate information could address the challenges hindering farmers’ productivity by at least 50 per cent.

Arigbabu stated this at a one-day workshop on developing a feedback framework for climate information in Lagos.

According to him, the essence of

the workshop is to strengthen climate information service delivery in the country in order to build resilience in the Nigeria’s food system.

He said: “We have gone round a few states, we have had town hall meetings with various stakeholders and farmers in different states, research institutions, private sector and the whole idea is to share their experiences with having access to climate information.

“What we have realised is that so many farmers are still unaware of the

extent to with Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) is able to provide this information as many are also now aware that there is a yearly prediction for climate information.”

He, however, lamented that NiMET’s capacity has not being optimally adopted and adapted in the nation’s agric sector, saying that climate information is not getting to the farmers as at when needed.

“Many of our farmers complain about losses that they suffer because they do not have access to climate

FOOD NAME OF COMMODITY

MAIZE

COMMODITIES

LOCATION

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

100KG JIGAWA

N9000

SORGHUM

100KG ENUGU

N24000

100KG DELTA

N15000

100KG

ABIA

N14000

50KG

LAGOS

N13500

SIZE

information at the right time. There is a huge gap in the provision of this service; there is also a huge gap in the utilisation of this service. Our agriculture is climate dependent and that is why we have many farmers who are unemployed for more than half of the year when we were experiencing dry season,” he added.

Also speaking, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, NiMET, Mr. Mansur Bako Matazu, said the theme of the workshop,

SIZE

PRICE

STATE

100KG JIGAWA

“Strengthening Climate Information Service Delivery for a Resilient Food System in Nigeria,” is apt and highly relevant, but, however, stated that Nigeria’s current food system is rife with inequalities and issues that prevent adequate food security for all with grave consequences.

He said that the NiMET has been in the forefront of providing early warning services, stressing that the various weather and climate information generated by the agency are available for clients and stakeholders

T O D AY

PRICE

N9,000

100KG

BENUE

N8,500

100KG

KADUNA

N8,500

50KG

ENUGU

N23,000

50KG

LAGOS

N17,000

100KG

DELTA

N23,000

across the socio-economic sectors of the country.

He said that it is important to recognise the position of the federal government on developing the agricultural sector for sustainable green economy, focusing on food system development agenda that will lift hundred 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade, stressing that the government aim to prioritise healthy diets Continued on page 24

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

24

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

AS SECTOR ILLIQUIDITY PERSISTS, DISCOS REMIT ONLY N265.03BN OF N519.77BN INVOICESTO NBET IN SIX MONTHS recorded in the first quarter of 2021.”

For that quarter, it explained that apart from Eko Disco, none of the other Discos met the expected MRI to NBET, stressing that overall, the total Disco remittance to NBET was 76 per cent of expected total for the quarter.

“The average aggregate remittance performances to MO and NBET decreased by 1.78 percentage points from 51.88 per cent,” it noted.

Still on the commercial performance of the industry, NERC pointed out that there was a marginal improvement in Q1 as the total billing by all Discos to registered customers during the quarter under review was N271 .85 billion, an increase of 4.6 per cent from the N259.90 billion recorded in the preceding quarter.

However, it noted that only N186.34 billion (or 68.55 per cent) was collected. But in comparison with the preceding quarter which recorded a total billing of N269.90 billion and collection of N169.81 billion (65.34 per cent), there was 3.21 per cent points increase in collection efficiency, the

regulator said.

It stressed that the level of collection efficiency indicated that as much as N3.15 out of every N10 worth of energy sold during the first quarter of 2021 remained

uncollected from consumers as and when due. “Thus, only a marginal improvement in the collection efficiency is noticeable during the first quarter 2021,” NERC revealed.

Total billing and collection from electricity consumers by the Discos for the second quarter NERC explained, stood at N268.97 billion and N185.29 billion respectively during the quarter under review,

implying a collection efficiency of 68.89 per cent “The level of collection efficiency indicates that as much as N3.11 out al every N10 worth of energy sold during the second quarter of 2021

remained uncollected from consumers.

“Thus, only a marginal improvement in the collection efficiency is noticeable over the 68.55 per cent recorded in first quarter 2020,” it added.

Deloitte: Oilfield Services to Remain at 25% Below 2019 Levels Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Deloitte in United States, which provides industry advisory services, has said that the oilfield services sector globally will stay at 25 per below 2019 levels this year.

In its outlook for 2022, the firm stated that this is despite the sector slashing costs and optimising operations to stay afloat even before the pandemic.

Being traditionally dependent on upstream cycles, Deloitte pointed out that the sector is now likely to see a permanent structural shift as rapid energy transition shifts the scales of oil and gas revenues and spending.

“Not surprisingly, spending in Oilfield Services (OFS), which declined during the pandemic, is expected to remain about 25 per cent below 2019 levels until 2025. “ With margins at the mercy of another price cycle and reduced spending, many OFS companies are crafting a new strategy for the future of energy,” the firm projected.

With a broadening decarbonisation mandate across industries, it reasoned that companies have an opportunity to lead the way for customers by fully reengineering traditional OFS business models and solutions outside the traditional “oilfield” services and to other industries.

“However, digitalisation will only help to a certain extent. The sector needs to get even leaner and greener.

Providing integrated solutions for decarbonising upstream projects, implementing subscription-based revenue models, or diversifying into the low-carbon space could be key enablers of the future OFS strategy,” it added.

Rightly so, the firm revealed that about 30 per cent of executives surveyed believe that building capabilities in adjacent areas such as hydrogen and carbon capture technology will help them thrive the most in the future.

“Suppliers already have an advantage in leveraging subsurface and reservoir geology expertise and applying it to new emission abatement techniques like carbon capture,” it argued.

Deloitte advised that companies could even diversify some oil and gas capabilities and replace up to 40 per cent of their revenue by servicing renewable markets, quoting Rystad Energy, a renowned research firm.

In bringing about fundamental

transformation, it added that partnerships, alliances, and consolidation appear to be gaining importance.

“Partnerships between OFS and tech companies have already become increasingly common; now the low-carbon or new energy rationale

PALM OIL

SIZE

STATE

Eromosele Abiodun The Area ll Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Onne Port has announced that it achieved a record-breaking collection of N188.64 billion from January to December 2021.

Announcing the collection at the close of work last Friday, Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed described the collection as the highest in the history of the command.

Comptroller Mohammed said the 2021 total is N69.68 billion above the total of N118.95 billion that was collected in 2020.

PH

BUA has said that it signed an agreement with Wartsila OY of Finland for the construction of a 70megawatts dual-fuel power plant for the BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 in Sokoto state, North-West Nigeria.

The announcement comes as BUA recently revealed that it was looking to boost its production capacity in Nigeria over the next 3 years with new plants in the works.

On enforcement and anti smuggling activities, the CAC also revealed that 34 seizures were made last year.

The seizures, according to him, had a total duty paid value of N11.983 billion.

Prominent among the seizures is 1,387 cartons of tramadol falsely declared to evade detection. Other seizures include rice, engine parts, vegetable oil and other concealed items with intent by defiant agents and importers to evade accurate duty payments.

On export, within the period under review, the command processed 1,083,846 metric tonnes of cargo with total Free On Board (FOB) value of $402,367,568.

The Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) value of the total export is N764,462,724 .

While commending the officers of the command for their relentless commitment to ensuring facilitation of legitimate trade and preventing smuggling of any form, Mohammed urged them to intensify efforts in carrying out all NCS functions in the command in 2022.

He advised them to brace up with technology as the procured scanners will be deployed to use soon for faster cargo clearance and easier detection of concealments, thereby facilitating trade.

He said the command will continue to build on achieved

successes recorded through customs community relations effort.

The CAC in an end of the year interaction with senior officers said “ I commend you all for the feats we have jointly achieved in revenue collection, enforcement and trade facilitation.

“They are indeed laudable milestones that we must not only sustain but also improve upon for the benefit of our country’s economy and national security.

Indeed, our various meetings with stakeholders and port users paid off in 2021 because we have noted remarkable improvements in compliance levels.

“As we enter 2022, let us continue

to blend our enforcement capability with intelligence, to always detect all attempts at circumventing the law through false declarations, under declarations and concealments.

“In 2022, whoever attempts doing the wrong thing, like smuggling through Onne Port, will get his cargo seized and risks facing arrest for prosecution in accordance with the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) “We cannot afford to compromise our positions or disappoint on the trust reposed on us. I hereby advise once again, that all importers and agents using this area for their businesses stay on the part of compliance at all times” he said.

In addition, this will be the second plant to be constructed by Wartsila for BUA Cement – the first being the BUA Cement sokoto power plant scheduled to be commissioned alongside the plant in November 2021.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of BUA Cement Plc, Abdul Samad Rabiu who signed on behalf of the cement producer said BUA Cement will continue to invest strategically in the West

African Cement industry to enable it to bridge the huge infrastructure and housing deficit.

According to Rabiu, “BUA Cement is happy and pleased with the progress that Wartsila made with the construction of the power plant we initially purchased for our BUA Cement Sokoto Line 3 which we expect will begin commissioning

by November alongside the power plant. We believe Wartsila will bring the same level of efficiency, technical

expertise and professionalism to bear in ensuring that this new power plant for the 3million Mtpa BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 will be completed on schedule by the end of next year as we look towards bringing BUA’s total capacity in its sokoto plant to 8 million metric tonnes by early 2023 and 17million metric tonnes across all its plants by the same time.”

On his part, Energy Business Director at Wartsila West Africa,

Mark Thiriet said Wartsila was proud to partner with BUA Group on this BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 project. He said that Wartsila will bring its technical expertise and globally recognized technology to bear in bringing the project to completion.

BUA Cement Plc is Nigeria’s second largest cement company and the largest producer in its North-West, South-South, and South-East regions.

‘ACCESS TO CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN SOLVE 50% OF NIGERIA’S AGRIC CHALLENGES’ and affordable nutrition through inclusive, efficient, resilient, and sustainable agriculture would contribute to job creations and sustainable economy growth.

He added that the global food

PRICE

N21,000-24,000

25CL IBADAN N18,000-N22,000 25CL

IMO

N21,000–N24,500

25CL

EDO

N17,000–N20,000

25CL ABUJA

since the start of 2021, bolstered by recovering demand and capped supply from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), however, upstream mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, which typically follows oil prices, remains well below pre-pandemic

BUA, Wartsila Sign Agreement for Construction of 70MW Power Plant

25CL LAGOS N20,000-N25000 25CL

charter for themselves by recreating their business profile, diversifying their work approach, establishing expertise in the low-carbon space, and exerting more control of their growth,” it noted.

The report further indicated that although oil prices had risen

2021: Onne Customs Generates N188.6bn, Surpasses 2020 Collection With N69bn

system is the production, processing, and distribution of food throughout the world, stressing that in October 2021, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), through the State of the Climate in

FOOD NAME OF COMMODITY

could become a dominant driver.

“In fact, 20 per cent of OFS deals in 2021 involved a target company with operations in renewable energy, as compared with 5 per cent between 2017 and 2020.

“In the coming years, companies have huge scope to create a new

N19500- N25000

NAME OF COMMODITY

RICE

Africa 2020, reiterated the effects of changing precipitation patterns, rising temperatures and increased frequency of weather extremes, and their contributions to mounting food insecurity, poverty, and

COMMODITIES SIZE

STATE

PRICE

100KG ABUJA N23,000–N25,000 50KG 50KG

OYO

N22,000-N25,000

PLATEAU N23,500-N25,000 (JOS)

50KG KWARA N24,000–N27,000 50KG

LAGOS N23,000–N26,500

50KG RIVERS N23,000–N26,500 50KG SOKOTO N11,500–N13,000 50KG

EDO

N17,000–N20,000

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

COCOA

displacement in Africa.

He pointed out that the prospects of agro-meteorological services are enormous across the value chain from land preparation through harvesting

to marketing and storage with the support of key players such as farmers, extension officers, input providers, banks, insurance company, transporters to mention a few.

T O D AY SIZE

STATE

PRICE

N740,000

1 TON ONDO – N760,000 1 TON OSUN 1 TON

EDO

N730,000 – N750,000 N720,000 – N740,000

N700,000 1 TON CROSS – N720,000 RIVER

1 TON

AKURE SOUTH, ONDO

N730,000 — N755,000

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

ONIONS

100KG

IBADAN

N25,000

100KG

KANO

N10,000

100KG

BENUE

N27,000

100KG GOMBE

N12,000

100KG DELTA

N21,000

100KG LAGOS

N25,000

100KG ENUGU

N15,000

100KG

N29,000

ABIA

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

25

BUSINESSWORLD

OIL & GAS

Oil Industry: 2021 in Retrospect and Prospects for 2022 In 2021, the Nigerian oil and gas industry witnessed unarguably the level of activities that had not been witnessed in a long while. From the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to the declaration of the ‘Decade of Gas’, the sector remained a major hub as Nigeria began to make haste to get as much oil out of the ground before the world moves on from the consumption of fossil fuels. Emmanuel Addeh looks at the year in retrospect and what 2022 holds for the critical sector, which is responsible for roughly 85 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings

D

espite the enormous negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nigeria ramped up its efforts to draw the all-important foreign and local investment into the oil and gas sector. After decades of dilly-dallying, it finally took the critical step of passing and signing into law the PIA, expected to open up the oil and gas industry and create some clarity around the activities therein. It was a year that Nigeria began to take gas as a critical resource, announcing the increase of the country’s proven from reserve by over 3 trillion Standard Cubit Feet (TCF). After a relatively successful “Year of Gas” as announced by the federal government in 2020, it went further in 2021 to declare the decade of gas, which would culminate in the country being a major producer and exporter of the natural resource by 2030. To further underscore the seriousness it now attaches to gas, the contract award for the construction of Nigeria’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), in the country was awarded last year. Promoters of the project say the facility has the capacity to process 176 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, which would add a major layer to the projected growth of the sector. Although still in the early stages, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas project and other major gas projects going on around the country, will be major game-changers when completed.

MORE OIL

In mid 2021 the federal government concluded the bid round for 57 marginal oilfields, the first in close to two decades. In that exercise, about 161 companies emerged winners. The defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said the expectation was to rake in $500 million as signature bonuses for the federal government and deepen the participation of indigenous operators in the upstream segment of the industry.

Last week, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said that it was set to close out the 2020 marginal field bid round programme, which held in May. To this end, the commission noted that it had put in place all necessary machinery to progress the bid round exercise to conclusion in line with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (PIA).

The commission’s Chief Executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, in a notice to participants in the programme, indicated that an in-house work team had already been constituted to deal with all outstanding issues.

In addition, 2021 was the year which saw Nigeria move to strengthen its position as a regional leader in the oil and gas industry with the inauguration of the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre (NOGEC) in Lagos.

First of its kind in the country, the centre also comprised the search, rescue and surveillance, the command and control centre, national improved oil recovery centre, dispute resolution centre, among others.

REFINING

In an effort to restore the country’s capacity to refine petrol and other associated products, which has fully collapsed, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited signed a $1.5 billion contract for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

With completion set for between 18 and 44 months under a three-phase arrangement, the rehabilitation

was awarded to Milan-based Tecnimont SpA. In the same vein, rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries were awarded at a total sum of $1.5 billion, broken down into $897.67 million for Warri Refinery and $586.9 million for Kaduna refinery.

Furthermore, in 2021, THISDAY broke the news that the NNPC was in the process of acquiring a 20 per cent minority stake in the Dangote Petroleum and Petrochemical Refinery.

The financing arrangement for deal which cost the national oil company $2.76 billion, would be done in different phases and has various funding arrangements.

PIA: ICING ON THE CAKE

In 2021, the enactment of the PIA was unarguably the biggest news in the country’s oil and gas industry.

After about two decades in the doldrums, the PIA has now seen the light of the day and is expected to create an enabling investment environment and codify the regulatory, administrative and fiscal framework for the industry.

The move also saw the scrapping of the existing agencies and their replacement with new ones as well as the inauguration of their chief executives.

Furthermore, NNPC, a corporation hitherto, has now been incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to become a limited liability company.

near Lagos, is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2022.

Put at roughly $18 billion to $19 billion, the refinery will produce Euro-V (less sulphur fuels) quality petrol and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene, generate over 4,000 direct jobs and 145,000 indirect jobs.

Covering an area of 2,635 hectares, the icing on the cake for the much-awaited project is that it will save Nigeria billions of dollars in foreign exchange as well as ensure energy security for the country, other things being equal.

With Nigeria currently refining zero products, the Dangote refinery which will have an annual refining capacity of 10.4 million tonnes (Mt) of petrol, in addition to about 4.6mt of diesel and 4mt of jet fuel, among others, is expected to significantly alter the fuel supply dynamics as well as boost the economy.

Although not a cure-all remedy for Nigeria’s beleaguered oil and gas industry, the project, on completions is forecast to save Nigeria billions of dollars in foreign exchange hitherto spent on importation of fuel.

COVID-19 STILL LOOMS LARGE

Forty four years after its establishment, the NNPC in 2021 declared a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N287 billion for the year for 2020.

Although the national oil company got accolades for its new found transparency, many Nigerians felt that how the profit was arrived at left a lot to be desired.

In 2020, oil prices hit the negative territory, arguably for the first time in history, with some sellers offering buyers dollars to pick the products from them. Nigeria’s benchmark, Brent, fell below $10, literally throwing the Nigerian economy, largely dependent on revenues from oil, into chaos.

Although economies are opening up and economic activities have since revved up globally, the coronavirus remains a major threat to the oil and gas industry.

With the new variant, omicron compelling countries to enforce restrictions on movement, the virulence or otherwise of the virus will definitely remain a major determinant of oil prices this year.

2022: A PREVIEW

DOWNSTREAM DEREGULATION

FIRST PROFIT FOR NNPC

Without doubt, 2022 will be shaped by some decisions taken by the industry’s local players and other resolutions by global and international forces.

For instance the energy transition remains a major existential threat to the hydrocarbons industry.

The global coalition to halt the use of fossil fuels to power the world has never been stronger, especial after the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland.

Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, recently described the phenomenon as an existential threat to the oil and gas industry. On the global stage, the energy transition will pose a major obstacle to the funding of oil and gas projects worldwide.

“In fact, a prompt reduction in fossil fuel revenue without sufficient time or support to manage macroeconomic risks and the structural transformation required to build diversified, sustainable and resilient economies could have catastrophic social knock-on effects for millions of people,” Sylva had argued.

THE DANGOTE REFINERY

At home, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote crude oil refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone,

While it’s been hanging in the air for years, but the argument for full deregulation of the oil and gas industry has never been this strong. If the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is activated as prescribed by the law, the removal of subsidy on petrol prices will likely follow.

This will have ripple effects on almost every facet of the Nigerian economy, coupled with organised labour’s threat to embark on a massive strike action which could markedly disrupt Nigeria’s already ailing economy.

NNPC AS TRANSITION DRIVER

President Muhammadu Buhari remains the defacto Minister of Petroleum Resources, but the newly rechristened Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, by its critical importance, is expected to drive the execution of government’s policies in the oil and gas industry.

At the head of the company is Mallam Mele Kyari, who will oversee the operations and transition of the national oil company under the new Act. The efficiency with which the top oilman handles the task will either make or mar the process.

Added to that is the role that the industry

regulator, the NUPRC as well as its counterpart, the midstream and downstream authority are expected to play in the new changes brought about by the PIA. The firmness with which they enforce the rules and guide the process will have a telling effect on how well Nigeria is able to take full advantage of the new PIA.

LOOMING IOCS’ DIVESTMENT

The International Oil Companies (IOCs) have recently marshalled strong reasons why it is inevitable that they must divest from fossil fuels with pressure coming from activist investors on the board of these companies.

Shell and Mobil for instance are in talks with the Nigerian authorities on how best to go about selling off their onshore and shallow water assets in preparation for a final exit from exploitation of fossils in the coming years.

Although its not new, the term has in recent times, almost become a buzzword in the lexicon of the Nigerian oil and gas industry as IOCs continue to indicate their interest to leave the country in their entirety or sell off some of their assets in alignment with their restructuring plans.

Generally, the IOCs account for more than half of the nation’s daily crude production and a quick summary of their reasons for trimming or realigning their operations include onshore operational and security risks.

They have also listed re-balancing of their Nigerian portfolios ; global capital re-allocation; insecurity and sabotage to infrastructure and most recently and even prominently the drive towards renewable sources of energy.

In May last year, Shell’s Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden, while speaking at the company’s annual general meeting, said that Shell could no longer afford to be exposed to the risk of theft and sabotage in Nigeria.

In addition, shell said that it had been under increasing pressure from investors to slash emissions and pivot toward cleaner energy as the CEO told investors that community issues in the Niger Delta was becoming a huge challenge for the company.

“The balance of risks and rewards associated with our onshore portfolio is no longer compatible with our strategic ambitions,” Shell said.

WILL TRAIN 7 FINALLY TAKE OFF?

In 2021, Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, began early positive steps to realising gas liquefaction effort with the flag-off the construction of its Nigeria LNG Limited’s (NLNG) Train 7 project.

With the ground-breaking by President Muhammadu Buhari at the gas company’s plant site on Bonny Island, Rivers State, Train 7 is expected to stimulate the inflow of more than $10 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria.

In addition, it is projected to provide more than12,000 direct jobs and additional 40,000 indirect construction jobs and develop Nigerian local capacity and businesses.

Buhari said the Train 7 project proved that the NLNG and its company’s shareholders – NNPC, Shell, Total, and Eni – a Nigerian company – could operate a world-class business safely, profitably, and responsibly.

Ramping work up on the project this year would be a major boost to the Nigerian economy, which will benefit from the over $10 billion investment.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

26

BUSINESSWORLD

AGRICULTURE

Agric Sector in 2021: Still Work in Progress Nigeria’s agriculture sector growth remained positive through 2021, but at a considerably slower pace.

Although, the sector grew by 1.22 per cent year on year in real terms in the third quarter of the year under review, Gilbert Ekugbe writes that all hands must be on deck to take the sector out of the doldrums.

T

he year 2021 was an eventful year for Nigerian agricultural sector. It witnessed the sack in September of the underperforming Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sabo Nanono. But not much has changed since he left. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the sector grew by 7.95 per cent year-on-year in nominal terms in Q3 2021, showing a fall of 5.57 per cent points from the same quarter in 2020.

Crop production remained the major driver of the sector as it accounts for 87.32 per cent of the overall nominal growth of the sector in the third quarter of 2021 while quarter on quarter growth stood at 38.48 per cent in the third quarter of 2021.

Agriculture contributed 26.57 per cent to nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the third quarter of 2021 with the report adding that agriculture contributed 26.57 per cent to nominal GDP in the third quarter of 2021, stating that the figure was lower than the rate recorded for the third quarter of 2020 and higher than the second quarter of 2021 which recorded 28.41 per cent and 22.13 per cent respectively.

The report also revealed the sector contributed 29.94 per cent to overall GDP in real terms in Q3 2021, lower than the contribution in the third quarter of 2020 and higher than the second quarter of 2021, which stood at 30.77 per cent and 23.78 per cent respectively.

IMPORT, EXPORT COMMODITIES

The NBS report gathered that agricultural import accounted for N1.3 trillion of total trade in the sector while export stood at N292.5 billion within the same period representing a trade deficit of N1.07 trillion in the agriculture sector.

The report also added that Durum wheat, mackerel, herrings, edibile mixtures, crude oil palm and malt were top agricultural imports into the country from countries such as Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Russia, Lithuania and France.

As at second quarter of 2021, Nigeria exported agro-food items valued at N162.27 billion representing a 112 per cent increase compared to N78.03 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2020 and also represents a 30 per cent increase when compared to N127.18 billion worth of export recorded in the previous quarter (Q1 2021).

During the third quarter in 2021, the agricultural export was valued at 5.9 per cent lower than second quarter 2021, nut 31.0 per cent higher than third quarter 2020. Cocoa beans were Nigeria’s major traded agricultural product valued at approximately N55 billion while cashew nuts in shell were the second most traded agricultural products from Nigeria followed by sesame seeds as at second quarter of 2021.

The Asian continent was Nigeria’s main trade partner in agricultural products’ exports with an estimated export value of N108 billion while Europe occupied the second largest trade partner to Nigeria valued at N39 billion.

CBN’S ABP

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stated that the disbursement of the Anchor Borrower’s Programme (ABP) since in 2015, has reached a total of N756.51 billion to over 3.7 million farmers that have benefited from the scheme.

The apex bank also stated that so far, the sum of N121.57 billion has been disbursed to 32,617 beneficiaries under its Agribusiness, Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, an initiative it introduced in February 2017 by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

The ABP, according to the present administration, was to boost agricultural production and reverse Nigeria’s negative balance of payments on food. However, data obtained from the CBN’s fourth quarter 2020 economic report showed that CBN recorded a shortfall of N378.5 billion in loan repayment by beneficiaries under the programme in six years.

FARMERS’ AND INSECURITY

No thanks to the high level of insecurity across the country, farmers suffered about 50 per cent production losses as a result of insecurity. Particularly farmers in the northern part of the country have fled their farms over fear of being kidnapped by Islamist terror groups. Stakeholders in the industry, however, have called on the federal government to redesign the nation’s security architecture, saying that the situation is bringing about untold hardship on already impoverished Nigerians as food inflation continued to rise pushing many Nigerians into abject poverty.

The former president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, noted with serious concerns the worsening security situation, saying that it is scary that banditry attacks, abduction, herders-farmers conflict, vandalism and insurgency have become recurring incidences in Nigeria as many households have lost their means of livelihood.

APPROVAL OF FARM ESTATES

President, Muhammadu Buhari, ordered the setting up of integrated farm estates in all 108 senatorial districts nationwide to achieve food security. According to the Executive Secretary of National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Mr. Paul Ikonne, who is saddled with the responsibility to create the farm estates, the scheme was aimed at engaging youths to achieve food security in the shortest possible time.

Ikonme said that the move was aimed at making agriculture attractive to young Nigerians. He, however, stated that so far only Kogi and Ogun State Governments have keyed into the programme. Kogi State Government donated 700 hectares of land while 100 hectares of land was donated by the Ogun State Government.

NIGERIA’S HARVEST LOSS

ActionAid’s Country Director, Ene Obi, at the 3rd ECOWAS Agriculture Budget Summit, said that Nigeria’s suffered post-harvest losses of N3.5 trillion annually. Ene called on economic managers to develop measures that would attract investments. The country director also tasked them to come up with strategies in the areas of essential services such access to credit, women in agriculture and post-harvest losses reduction.

A survey conducted by Research and Strategic Communications Consulting Firm, SBM Intel, indicated that about 47 per cent of Nigerian farmers have no access to post-harvest storage facilities.

According to the firm, this inadequacy could lead to post-harvest losses for the farmers that might not be able to arrest the situation by acquiring their storage facilities.

The report said: “The lack of storage facilities contributes to post-harvest losses which could get as high as 60 per cent for tubers, fruits and vegetables.”

Statistics showed inadequate storage, processing facilities and wastages in tomatoes value chain is costing the country’s economy about $15 billion in PHL annually.

FG’S REASSURANCE

Earlier in the year, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, at the public lecture and investiture ceremony of the 6th Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Environmental Engineers, Ms. Lynda Elesa, said restrictions on movement following the outbreak of COVID-19 led to a decline in agricultural productivity and threatened food security in the country.

However, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Mustapha Shehuri, has said that the federal government was committed to ensuring food security despite the COVID-19 pandemic and assured that ongoing collaboration with research institutions would make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production.

The federal and state governments’ officials from ministries of agriculture also reviewed policies and programmes of Nigeria’s agricultural sector to avert the looming food crisis that could arise from insecurity on farmlands.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Ernest Umakhihe, at the official’s session-opening ceremony of the 44th National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development, said the federal government implemented prevailing frameworks of the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) and the Nigerian Agricultural Technology and Innovation Plan (NATIP) as a strategy for food resilience and economic development.

STAKEHOLDERS’ PLEA

The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Kabir Ibrahim, in a chat with THISDAY, said that the country is still grappling with insecurity, COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Ibrahim argued that these have affected farmers’ productivity.

He said: “We have a food insufficiency situation in our hands that is escalating the prices of food.

In order to do better in 2022, we need to get our acts together and all interventions from the CBN, NISRAL, NALDA and the works that needs to be done by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should all be put together to bring solutions to address the challenges of food production.”

He said the new NATIP must be implemented judiciously to impact the food system positively and recommended that the CBN’s intervention should be reappraised to target the real farmers.

On his part, the Director General, Premier Agribusiness Academy (PAA), Mr. Francis Toromade, described 2021 as a tough year for farmers, especially in those in maize and soybeans productions.

Totomade said: “It was tough for farmers because the price of maize and soybeans has never been high like this since I joined the industry in 1987.

This is highest price ever. Soya is not available and when you find it, it is very expensive. Farmers cannot transfer the high cost to consumers and it has made the business difficult for farmers. 2021 was not a good time for farmers. Farmers are not smiling, farmers are groaning. This is supposed to be the time price of soya beans and maize should go down, but the price is skyrocketing.

The insecurity in the country has not encouraged farmers to produce.”

He said that effort by the federal government to intervene in agriculture is a drop in the ocean, adding that his academy is training farmers to boost their productivity. He also called on the federal government to address the insecurity situation in the country.

An Economist and the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises, Dr. Muda Yusuf, stated that Nigeria, as a matter of urgency, must invest in mechanised farming.

Yusuf lamented that Nigeria with a population size of about 200 million people is still depending on hoes and cutlasses to meet its food demands.

He said: “The projections for the sector in 2022 are not too good given all these challenges that the sector is facing. There is problem of security and there is also nothing on the horizon to show that the issue will be addressed anytime soon even as the problem seems to be getting worse. If we do not fix security, how are we going to get people farming and if people are not farming how do they produce and if they are not producing how will the price come down. So the outlook from the point of insecurity and logistics, inadequate application of technology to agriculture, the problems are still there.”

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

27

BUSINESSWORLD

OIL & GAS

Jamoh: NIMASA Committed to Reduction of Human Interface, Improved Vessel Turnaround Time Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said that it has commenced fully digital manifest management regime for all vessels calling at all Nigerian Ports.

The Physical transactions concerning Sailing Certificates and cargo manifest processing

are being phased out completely as stakeholders are encouraged to fully embrace the agency’s initiative by visiting the NIMASA portal. In a statement, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh said that the automation is aimed at further reducing human interaction, improve efficiency and block revenue leakages.

According to him, “In line

with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business, we are committed to improving turnaround time of vessels, reduction of human interface in majority of our transactions with our stakeholders and this is in our bid to ensure transparency and professionalism that the sector require to grow.”

“We have improved our

operational relationship with our sister Agencies, as we speak, we now convey sailing clearance for Vessels to the NPA electronically. We also receive and process manifests electronically.

This has improved efficiency leading to improvement in the turn-around-time of vessels calling at the nation’s Ports.

“Right now we have ensured

that the process of submitting and processing manifests is reduced from 72Hours to 5hours for VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) and larger container vessels whereas it would only take two hours or less for smaller vessels), you would agree with me that these are marked improvement and its still work in progress, “Jamoh said.

He noted that the benefits that would be derived from the total digitalization of all the agency’s processes expected to be completed by 2022 would be enormous not just for the Stakeholders, “but for the country at large including helping to improve balance of trade, and improved commercial shipping activities in Nigeria.”

F i n c h g l o w Tr a v e l s Celebrates Yuletide with Motherless Babies Chinedu Eze Finchglow Travels celebrated Christmas with the children and employees of the Lions Village Motherless Babies Home, Lekki, Lagos and showed them love with gifts and food items.

The visit was themed ‘Box of love’ where Finchglow Travels donated foodstuff to the motherless babies home which houses over 57 children.

The home was created to provide care and protection for abandoned, abused, orphaned, and homeless children recovered around Lagos State, Nigeria.

Commenting on Finchglow Travels’ donation to the orphanage home, the General Manager, Sales and Operations, Finchglow Travels, Ezekiel Ikotun said the donation was in commemoration of this year’s Christmas celebration and to also show love to the children and management of the Motherless Babies Home.

“2021 has been a very eventful year, for us in the travel industry, it has been a year of slow but steady recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As borders have continued to open

up, some have closed due to the pandemic, we know travel is not where it used to be but it doesn’t deter us from extending love to our community and those around us,” Ezekiel says.

“Our visit to the Lions Village Motherless Babies Home is in celebration of the yuletide season and born out of our love for humanity as a brand. We are well aware that donations to orphanage homes and many other institutions that rely largely on support from the public may have dwindled drastically because of the pandemic, hence, this also spurred us to action,” Ezekiel added.

While thanking Finchglow Travels for this kind gesture via a letter of appreciation, the Director-in-Charge, Modupeola Sahid-Adebambo said: “On behalf of the Management, Staff, and Children of the home, we use this medium to express our gratitude to you for your donation to the children. Your company’s demonstration of compassion and thoughtfulness has indeed made a positive difference in the well-being of our children.”

Abia Moves to Protect Markets, Businesses from Fire Outbreaks

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Following the heavy losses incurred by traders in the fire incident at Uratta market, the Abia State government has through its relevant agencies taken steps to forestall further disruption of commercial activities and its attendant negative impact on the economy Goods estimated at hundreds of millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno that engulfed Uratta market on December 23, 2021 triggering apprehension among traders in other markets as the harmattan season with its attendant fire outbreaks has already ensued.

To calm the nerves of traders, the Abia State Fire Service has assured traders in the state of its readiness to protect lives, properties and businesses from fire, saying that it has the capacity to perform the task effectively for the overall economic growth of Abia.

The Acting State Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Arua Nnanna gave the assurance in Umuahia during a meeting with the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief John Okiyi Kalu and market leaders in the wake of the Uratta

market fire.

He said that the firefighting agency has been well equipped by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu administration hence its preparedness to combat any fire outbreak in the state “including high-hazard flammable, non-flammable and hydrocarbon fire” during this harmattan season and beyond.

However, the acting state CFO stated that while his agency was ready to carry out its duties effectively to prevent and combat fire outbreaks it needed the cooperation of stakeholders, adding that traders should take preventive measures to forestall fire outbreaks.

“We are calling on the traders to create sanitary lanes in their various markets to enable free and easy movement within the markets, clearing of bushes which can trigger fire outbreaks within and around the markets, creation and designation of zones in the markets for different products,” he said.

Nnanna further listed other preventive measures traders should put in place, including “prohibition of cooking and smoking in the markets, provision of water supply in the markets to enable easy access to water supply for fire trucks when needed”.

L-R: Chief Operating Officer, Wakanow, Mr. Ladi Ojuri; Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow, Mr.Bayo Adedeji; Chief Executive Officer, Captain Travels Agencyand the Highest Selling Affiliate of Wakanow, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwankwo; and Chief Technological Officer, Wakanow, Mr. Deji Ojo, at the maiden Wakanow Customer appreciation Dinner held in ETOP UKUTT Lekki, Lagos… recently

FG to Partner NGX on Climate Disclosure, Data The federal government has said it will continue to collaborate with Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to build a framework that will help issuers navigate climate disclosure and ultimately improve the climate data available to the investment and finance community.

The Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor stated this during the Digital Closing Gong Ceremony hosted by NGX to mark the end of trading for the year 2021 last Friday.

Ikeazor noted that NGX has played an exemplary role in Nigeria’s commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change.

She added that climate change is a serious and long-term threat to which, “Nigeria has continued to show commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change with our revision

of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pre-COP 26 and also the recent accent of the Climate Change by Mr President which provides, amongst other things, the mainstreaming of climate changes in the country and the establishment of Council on Climate Change to be chaired Mr Presiden.t” “With the step taken immediately after COP26, Nigeria has further demonstrated its commitment towards the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

As part of measures to comply with the National Determined Contributions (NDC) in emissions reduction to climate change in Nigeria, the Federal Government launched the Nigeria Deep Decarbonization Project”, she explained.

The Minister further added that investors are increasingly working together in response to climate change and added

that the Federal Government will continue to engage NGX on climate disclosure and data.

“I hope there would be a continuous continuous collaboration between Nigerian Exchange Limited and the Federal Ministry of Environment to build a framework that will help issuers navigate climate disclosure, associated engagement with their shareholders, and ultimately improve the climate data available to the investment and finance community. Partnership with NGX will provide investors with important new tools to enable capital reallocation”, the Minister said.

Welcoming Ikeazor, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola, said, NGX remains resolute in its commitment to promoting sustainable finance because it recognises that urgent action is required to combat climate change and its impact

as incorporated in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Popoola said, “We are committed to fostering the growth of sustainable financial products which integrate the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change and other environmental challenges. NGX has shown strong commitment to sustainable finance over the years.

In 2016, NGX collaborated with the Ministry of Environment and the Debt Management office to deepen the Green Bond market.

This effort led to the issuance of the maiden N10.69 billion ($25.8 million) 13.48 per cent 5-year green bond in 2017 to fund projects to develop renewable energy. The second tranche, N15 billion ($36.1 million) 14.5 per cent 7-year Green Bond was issued in June 2019 and was over-subscribed.”

Delta’s Tricycle Plant to Commence Operation in 8 Weeks as DSG, Firm Sign MoU Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba The Delta State Tricycle Manafacturing Plant located in Asaba is to commence operations in about two months’ time, the Managing Director of Stallion Group, Mr Manish Rohtagi has said.

He stated this at the formal signing of the documents sealing the partnership with the Delta State Government in respect of the project. The Delta State Investments Development Agency (DIDA) and the office of the State Attorney-General as well as Lagos-based Stallion Group’s Stallion Auto Keke Limited and the landed property leaser, signed

the tripartite agreement in the office of the Secretary to Delta State Government, Asaba.

While noting that his company was delighted to do business with the Delta State Government because the location of the tricycle manufacturing plant in Asaba would open doors of opportunities for the company to do business particularly with people across the River Niger, Mr Rohtagi said that everything was being done towards rolling out tricycles from the Asaba plant early in 2022.

“Once again, I thank you, Mr Chairman (DIDA) for bring us here. I want to reassure you, as I promised you earlier, that the

tricycle plant will be up and running in eight weeks from now, “Rohtagi said.

The Director-General of Delta State Investments Agency, Lucky Oghene-Umoru, described the signing ceremony as “another milestone in DIDA’s efforts to attract meaningful investments to Delta State.”

He thanked the governor, “for all the support for all our activities and for the confidence he has repose upon DIDA, which has enabled us to achieve the successes that we have achieved so far, because in investment a lot is involved; quality assurance decisions, financial decisions and

other decisions are involved.”

The Chairman of DIDA, Hon Paul Nmah, noted that the signing ceremony was a culmination of about two years of negotiation and planning during which the agency established that the Company has necessary “capacity and interest in this very important project”, saying that the choice of the state capital to site the plant was deliberate and strategic. He said that not only was Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, “very keen and supportive of this project”, Delta people including the association of tricycle owners and operators were happy to see the project unveiled about two months ago.”

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QUOTABLE ‘You saw a President yesterday, that said this budget is unimplementable; yet, he went ahead and signed it. Something you know won’t help the country. But, the Electoral Act, he now saw errors - direct primaries will be too expensive….he didn’t sign!’ - Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, Lawyer, Life Bencher, Governor, Rivers State, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Kubi Udofia PhD Kubi Udofia holds a Doctorate degree in Law from The University of Nottingham, a Certificate in International Risk Management from the Institute of Risk Management, London, a Masters degree in Corporate Law from University College London and a Bachelors degree from University of Uyo in Nigeria.

He is a leading and an acknowledged expert, in corporate restructuring and insolvency law in Nigeria. As a scholarpractitioner, Kubi Udofia has extensively researched and written on a broad spectrum of topical issues in corporate restructuring and insolvency law. He is a seasoned transactional and dispute resolution specialist, with extensive knowledge and practical experience in corporate and commercial law.

He is a Partner at Babalakin & Co, a leading commercial law firm in Nigeria.

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Who Owns Nigeria’s Oil? Page V

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

III THE ADVOCATE

Unrealised Expectations!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I wish us all a prosperous 2022 in peace, joy, safety and good health. Amen. It is interesting to note how the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2018) (the Constitution), are actually in consonance with these general omnibus prayers. How well has the Buhari administration fared, in playing their part in fulfilling their obligations in this regard, six and a half years after they assumed office, and less than one and a half years to go?

Taking Stock and Getting Prepared As we begin 2022, it is apposite that we take stock to see where we are, especially vis-à-vis this administration’s main campaign promises - annihilation of Boko Haram (security), fighting corruption and revamping the economy. 2022 will be crucial in our nation’s history, hopefully leading to a watershed (for the better) in 2023, since the Presidential candidates for the next election will soon emerge; we must avoid endorsing and voting for people who are full of false promises which they have no intention of fulfilling, or who simply lack the capacity, ability and wherewithal to fulfil them, and are also incapable of dispassionately assembling the right team to surmount Nigeria’s teeming problems, but would rather make appointments based on extraneous reasons that have nothing to do with understanding and ability, like politics and ethnicity. We will therefore, be studying our candidates closely. For those who are already in Government or have been previously, what were their achievements in the positions they held?

For those who have never held public office, how well have they performed in their endeavours?

Security At the inception of the Buhari administration, the main types of insecurity Nigeria was experiencing were Militant activities in the Niger Delta, and Boko Haram insurgency (and kidnapping to a lesser degree). President Buhari’s campaign promise to restore security to the country, was one of the main reasons he was voted into office. It is trite that, it is unlikely that an insecure environment can thrive economically. It was the hope of millions of Nigerians that when President Buhari, a retired Army General, also known for his stand against corruption, took up the mantle of office, things would change for the better. On the contrary, Nigeria’s ratings on the global security index fell to almost rock bottom, while we have become the poverty capital of the world.

Going by this discouraging report, it means that two of this administration’s main campaign promises have not yet been fulfilled.

Permit me to digress a little first. I cannot but mention the snippets of the Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme I watched on New Year’s eve, in which Lt General Buratai (Rtd), the former Chief of Army Staff (2015-2021), who left the security of Nigeria, if not in shambles, in a much worse condition than he met it (with the assistance of Ibrahim Idris Kpotun, who will go down as one of the worst Inspector Generals of Police in Nigeria’s history (2016-2019)), and had to be practically chased out of office because of the dissatisfaction, mumblings and insistence of Nigerians as a result of his non-performance, was giving advice and words of wisdom on how to quell insecurity! Advice which he himself obviously did not take when he had ample opportunity to do so, while in office for almost six years.

Expectations of 2017 and their Fulfil-

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com Twitter: @TheAdvocate

The

Advocate “I expect that the first thing on the 2022 agenda, as far as administration of justice sector reform by this Government is concerned, is an increase in the salaries, allowances and conditions of service of judicial officers, which have remained stagnant for about 15 years….

Presently, the basic salaries of judicial officers, can only be compared to the newspaper allowances of the Members of the Legislature!” ment Five Years On By the beginning of 2017, very little had been achieved in terms of security. The little impact that was first made at the inception of this administration, seemed to have been lost almost immediately. In my first editorial of 2017, I had listed some of my expectations from Government for that year. They were 12 in number. At the time, the Niger Delta region had been somewhat unstable because of the unholy activities of the Militants - kidnapping oil workers, threatening oil installations etc, and this had had a negative impact on oil production, and consequently, oil revenue therefrom. Considering the fact that all prices had fallen to an all-time low, my first prayer was that peace should be restored to that region, so we could at least, meet our oil production quota, and boost our economy, even though oil revenues were reduced. Thankfully, that issue seemed to have been resolved; relative calm returned to the region, and oil production improved.

My second expectation was that, the Petroleum Industry Bill be passed.

This was finally achieved four years later, as the Petroleum Industry Act was passed in 2021.

My fifth expectation, was for the issue of lack of electricity to be tackled

effectively. This was done initially, up to about 2019/2020. Today, electricity supply has decreased, and once again, become poor and epileptic. Where I had given pass marks of C4 and even A3 or so by the end of 2017/2018 (using the old West African Examination Council scoring system), currently that score has dropped drastically to a P7. I couldn’t really care less about buck passing - whether it is the fault of the DISCOs, GENCOs, NERC or maybe the Minister of Power who is not coming down as effectively as he should on all the stakeholders; but, presently, the situation has been extremely discouraging. Electricity is a basic need, not a luxury. Why are Nigerians being made to exist, as if we are living in the ‘dark ages’? If you recall, President Obasanjo had also promised electricity for all by the 2000 or thereabouts. Needless to say, he too did not deliver on his promise. We talk about the ease and cost of doing business - without stable electricity supply, doing business will always be difficult in Nigeria, while the costs of doing business will be higher than they should be.

My seventh expectation was for all the remaining Chibok girls in captivity, to be released. This was partially fulfilled, as the Buhari Administration secured the release of some of them. Today, over

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad

President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem

100 Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu (a Dapchi girl) and several other students remain in captivity; because, since the Chibok days in 2014, kidnapping of pupils and students, especially in Northern Nigeria, has become the order of the day.

My eighth expectation was that Government would invest in infrastructure. In terms of social infrastructure, there has been some investment in housing, but not much in the area of education and public hospitals. In terms of economic infrastructure, we see the development of the roads, railway network and airports (some projects having been commenced during the Jonathan administration). This boost in economic infrastructure is a step in the right direction; Nigerians are slowly starting to reap the benefits of it. I visited my hometown Ibadan, Oyo State last December, having not been there in over three years. My journey on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway each way was completed in less than two hours; unlike in the past, where because of traffic due to the bad roads, the journey could take up to four hours or more one way (up to nine hours on a particularly bad day). It was also interesting to compare notes while in Ibadan, with Yemi Candide-Johnson, SAN, who had travelled to Ibadan on the train to attend the same event that I went for. We can now choose our means of transportation to Ibadan; being able to travel by train to Ibadan with relative ease, has possibly reduced the traffic on the expressway as many prefer to use this mode of transportation.

However, not all my other expectations (and that of millions of Nigerians) have been met.

Contrary to my ninth expectation, the Naira has continued to decrease in value instead of regaining its former strength; unemployment is rife; insecurity is the worst that it has ever been, as not only has Boko Haram not been decimated, other types of crimes like kidnapping, ‘banditry’ and the Farmer/ Herdsmen crisis have gained ground; the fight against corruption has not gone very far, though we have seen a few convictions; the manufacturing industry is still more or less moribund, while the Civil Service, Nigeria Police and other agencies including the Judiciary, have not been reformed.

My Expectations for 2022: The Judiciary I feel that it would be tautologous to list my expectations for this year, as I have repeated them once too many times over the years.

They are mostly the same as those of 2017.

My expectations really just amount to wanting good governance. In 2022, it is our hope that these expectations, which are our rights guaranteed by the Constitution, will be better met. Naturally, many are cynical, saying that if they have not been met in six and a half years, it is unlikely that they will be fulfilled in the remaining less than one and a half years of this administration’s tenure.

As a Lawyer, I have a keen interest in my own constituency, the legal profession, and the Judiciary. I expect that the first thing on the 2022 agenda, as far as administration of justice sector reform by this Government is concerned, is an increase in the salaries, allowances and conditions of service of judicial officers, which have remained stagnant for about 15 years. This is unacceptable. According to Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN: “We need to significantly improve the remuneration of Judges and Magistrates.

There’s no reason why the salaries of Judges, cannot be benchmarked against that of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives”. I concur. Presently, the basic salaries of judicial officers, can only be compared to the newspaper allowances of the Members of the Legislature! Yet, our judicial officers are known to have one of the busiest dockets in the world; while, on the contrary, our Legislators who are mostly underworked - compared to the Judiciary anyway, are known to receive one of the most fabulous salary and allowances packages in the world. I will continuously harp on this issue, until we see some positive results, which hopefully, will be now.

TUESDAY, JANAURY 4, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

IV LAW REPORT

When Defence of Accident Will Avail an Accused Person

Facts On the 5th day of August, 2010, the Appellant murdered one Idongesit Okon Tom. The Appellant, who was a Police Constable, was on patrol duty with four other Police officers from D division, Itam, Uyo. In the course of duty, the Appellant conducted a stop and search, and eventually stopped the deceased who had no particulars for his motorcycle. The team was headed by PW1, who directed all the Police officers to put the deceased’s motorcycle without particulars into the Police vehicle, and for the Police vehicle to move the impounded motorcycle to the Police station. While the vehicle was about making a U-turn, the Appellant deliberately jumped down from the van, cocked his AK47 rifle and shot at the deceased. The bullet hit the tarred floor, re-bounced and pierced through the deceased’s stomach; he died two weeks later in the hospital.

PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW4, who are Police officers, all testified in their statements against the Appellant. The oral evidence of the Appellant was contrary to what the Appellant said in his extra-judicial statement to the Police, regarding how the gun was fired. The learned trial Judge did not believe the evidence of the Appellant.

He was found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Appellant appealed against this decision, while the Respondent filed a Cross-appeal challenging the conviction for manslaughter by the trial court.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the Appellant’s appeal, and allowed the Respondent’s Cross Appeal. The court found the Appellant guilty of murder, and sentenced him to death by hanging. Dissatisfied with the judgement of the appellate court, the Appellant appealed to the Supreme Court.

Honourable Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 4th day of June, 2021 Before Their Lordships

Mary Ukaego Peter- Odili Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun John Inyang Okoro Adamu Jauro Akomaye Agim Justices, Supreme Court

Issue for Determination The sole issue for determination was: “Whether having regard to the totality of evidence before the court, there was miscarriage of justice when the Court of Appeal held that the defence of accident put forward by the Appellant did not avail him, and therefore, convicted the Appellant for murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.”

Arguments Advancing arguments on the sole issue, counsel for the Appellant stated that the extra-judicial statement of the Appellant negates any intention of the Appellant to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to the deceased. Counsel contended that the Appellant raised the defence of accident and same was corroborated by PW1 and PW4, but the trial court failed to consider the said defence which occasioned miscarriage of justice. He submitted further that, the court below was in error when it held that it was immaterial whether the bullet hit the tarred road before hitting the deceased or hit the deceased before hitting the tarred road, which decision showed the unwillingness of the court below to countenance any defence of accident. Counsel relied on the decision in AMAYO v STATE (2001) 18 NWLR (Pt. 745) 251. He argued further that there was no contradiction in the extra-judicial statement of the Appellant, as against his oral testimony; hence, the reliance of the court below on the case of EDOKO v THE STATE (2015) All FWLR (Pt. 772) 1728, was misplaced. It was also his position that the substitution of the sentence of life imprisonment for death by hanging, was erroneous. Counsel reasoned that since the trial court found that the death of the deceased occurred by accident, it therefore, gave a verdict of manslaughter and not murder, as found by the Court of Appeal. He contended that the court below glossed over

SC. 1092/2017 Between P.C. Imo Akpakpan

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The State

Appellant Respondent

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC) the submission of the Appellant, which led to a miscarriage of justice and if the contentions of the Appellant had been given its due consideration, the decision of the court would have been different.

He relied on the decision in THE STATE v BABANGIDA JOHN (2013) 543 NSCQR 1903. He urged the Supreme Court, to interfere with the decision of the Court of Appeal.

In response to the submissions above, the Director of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, argued on behalf of the Respondent that there was no miscarriage of justice occasioned, and the court below was right to have rejected the defence of accident and convicted the Appellant for murder of the deceased.

Counsel contended that the oral evidence of the Appellant was unreliable; hence, the two courts below labelled it an afterthought - STATE v AJIE (2000) 11 NWLR (Pt. 678) 434. He submitted further that, all the ingredients of the offence of murder were

“….it is settled beyond equivocation that the defence of accident will not admit a deliberate action, even if the accused person did not intend the result of his action … An accused person cannot take refuge in a defence of accident for a deliberate act, even if he did not intend the eventual result”

satisfactorily proved by the Respondent.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In deciding the sole issue, the Supreme Court held that in a long line of judicial authorities, it has become well settled that the burden of proof in all criminal cases is upon the Prosecution to prove guilt of the accused person beyond reasonable doubt, and in like manner, in a plethora of cases the essential ingredients of murder which must be established to secure a conviction are as follows: That the deceased died, that the death of the deceased resulted from the act of the Appellant, and that the said act of the Appellant was intentional with knowledge that death or grievous bodily harm was its probable consequence.

The Apex Court held that on the first ingredient, the death of the deceased under discourse was not in dispute, as even the Appellant conceded that fact. Also, the investigative evidence of PW4 who saw the corpse, the photographs and the post mortem report confirm that the deceased died. This finding of fact was also confirmed by the courts below, putting it beyond argument that the first element of murder has been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

On the second ingredient which is that the death of the deceased resulted from the act of the Appellant, the Apex Court held that there is really no debate as to this issue. Taking a community consideration of the evidence of PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW4 together with Exhibit 1, the extra-judicial statement of the Appellant, the fact of the consequence of the act of the Appellant in firing the gun being the death of the

deceased, was proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The court relied on UGURU v STATE (2002) FWLR (Pt. 103) 330, in support of its finding.

The Supreme Court stated that there is, however, need to bring in the point as to whether or not the firing at the deceased was deliberate as the Prosecution posited, or whether it was accidental as the Appellant contended. The Apex Court stated in this respect, that evaluation of relevant and material evidence before the court and the ascription of probative value to such evidence are the primary functions of the trial court which saw, heard and assessed the witnesses while they testified. Where the trial court unquestionably evaluates the evidence and justifiably appraises the fact, it is not the business of the Appellate court to substitute its own views for the views of the trial court.

In respect of the third ingredient of murder, the court held that the angle taken by the Appellant revolves around this third element of the offence which is the defence of accident put up by the Appellant. Accident is an unintended and unforeseen injurious occurrence; something that does not occur in the usual course of events, or that would be reasonably anticipated. It is therefore, incumbent on the Prosecution to disprove accident when raised by the accused person. Nonetheless, it is settled beyond equivocation that the defence of accident will not admit a deliberate action, even if the accused person did not intend the result of his action – ADEGBOYE v THE STATE (2017) LPELR-42099(SC). ….An accused person cannot take refuge in a defence of accident for a deliberate act, even if he did not intend the eventual result. Thus, the Appellant, who cocked his gun and fired same at the deceased, causing his death, cannot find refuge by relying on the defence of accident.

For a conviction to lie in the charge of murder, the Prosecution must prove the criminal intent of an accused person to cause grievous bodily harm and this can be gleaned from the weapon used and the part of the body targeted. In this instance, where the Appellant used a dangerous weapon, being an AK47, his service rifle in attacking the deceased by shooting, the court has the liberty to infer the intent to cause grievous bodily harm which resulted in the death of the deceased – NWOKEARU v STATE (2013) ALL FWLR (Pt. 689) 1040. It is now trite that a man is presumed to intend the natural outcome of his act. In this case, the Appellant by his action is presumed to have intended to send the deceased to an untimely death. It would be unreasonable and hostile for the law to presume otherwise, that is, want of intention in favour of the Appellant. The court held that all the ingredients of the offence of murder were satisfactorily proved by the Respondent. No miscarriage of justice was occasioned, as the defence of accident did not avail the Appellant having been so considered by the court below.

Regarding the submission that the Court of Appeal erred to have substituted the verdict of life imprisonment for death and convicted the Appellant for murder without considering the defence of accident, their Lordships held that the Respondent having cross-appealed against the conviction and sentence of the trial court, and going by the evidence on record, the appellate court was right to have found the Appellant guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging. The court relied on the case of STATE v BABANGIDA JOHN (Supra). The court below having made findings concurrently with those of the trial court, the Supreme Court could not fault or disturb such findings of fact, or redirect the appropriate punishment as covered by the law, when there is no basis to upset what the court below did.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation Lawrence S. Oko-Jaja with Malcolm K. Ikyegh for the Appellant.

Joseph Umoren (D.P.P, MOJ Akwa Ibom) with Godwin Udom (ACSC), and Akaninyene Akpan (ACSC)s for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANAURY 4, 2022

V NEWS

L-R: Mrs Bolanle Alao, Treasurer; Richard Ayodele Akintunde, SAN, President, BRIPAN; Prof Fidelis Oditah QC, SAN, Immediate Past President; Abiodun Aribiyi, 2nd Deputy VP; Okorie Kalu, Gen Sec.; Johnson Agwu, Assistant Gen. Sec.

L-R: Nnenmna Agu, Obashola Haruna, Ebele Iyayi, Chairman NBA-SBL, Ayuli Jemide; Odunola Onadipe, Femi Banwo, Yetunde Quadri and President ALAN, Joy Harrison-Abiola, during the End of the Year Get Together/ Fund Raising Cocktail Party of ALAN at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi...recently.

PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI KOLAWOLE ALLI

BRIPAN Elects New Council Members The Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) has elected new Council Members and the Executive Committee (Exco) for the Association.

These were some of the highlights of the 20th Annual General Meeting of the Association, held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Those who were elected to serve on the Council for two years include Dr. Bolanle Adebola, Mrs Miannaya Aja Essien, SAN, Ms Efosa Ewere, Godwin Omoaka, SAN;, Femi Ojumu, Olugbenga Biobaku and Dr Adebola Olubanjo. The duo of Chief Chris Okunowo and Prof Godwin Oyedokun, were re-elected.

Also, the erstwhile Executive Committee of the Association, which was led by Prof Fidelis Oditah, QC, SAN, handed over its leadership to the new Exco.

Mr Richard Ayodele Akintunde, SAN, was named as the President; Mr C. V. C. Ihekweazu, SAN, Vice-President; Mr Folorunsho Albert, First Deputy Vice-President; Mr Abiodun Aribiyi, Second Deputy Vice-President; Mr Okorie Kalu, General Secretary; Mrs Bolanle Alao, Treasurer; and Mr Johnson Agwu, Assistant

General Secretary.

In his inaugural speech, Akintunde thanked the immediate past President, Prof Oditah, for his exceptional service to the Association, and promised to consolidate on the achievements of the past Executive Committee. He promised to improve on the members’ experience while interacting with the Association, by revamping the BRIPAN website, and to make it technologydriven, socially connected and more responsive to the needs of its members.

He spoke of his plan to create a Young Members Group, to enable the Association tap into the huge potential and vibrancy of young members.

Akintunde said that the new Executive Committee will constructively engage with the Regulators such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal High Court, to enable members have a better customer experience.

He said the new Exco will promote strategic partnerships and collaborations with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Developmental Agencies,

Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in the

interest of the Association, members and the growth of the insolvency profession.

Akintunde, SAN also promised to revamp the Basic Support Group, and move the Association to

a new office premises for its Secretariat. 60 new members were inducted at the meeting.

Lagos State Judiciary Gets 14 New Judges Steve Aya The number of Judges in Lagos State Judiciary have increased to 70, following the addition of 14 new Judges who were, on Friday, sworn-in

by Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The Judges were sworn in at an elaborate ceremony held at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja.

Addressing the new Judges, the Governor reminded them of the enormous power they wield, and advised them to use it with integrity, without fear or favour. He also told them that all eyes will be on them as they discharge their duties, while urging them to speedily carry out all cases.

"All eyes will be on you to dispense justice speedily, yet fairly and impartially.

You will be expected to live and act above board in all circumstances.

“In your hands lies great power: the power to punish wrongdoers and free the innocent, the power to send a strong message to society about the primacy of the rule of law, and to contribute to the growing body of jurisprudence in the country. This power must be wielded with the utmost sense of care, and responsibility. You must not only be efficient and fair, but you must also be seen to be efficient and fair by all”, he admonished.

He promised his administration's continued support to the Judiciary, to

be able to ‘fully discharge its constitutional functions and responsibilities’.

In his address, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba urged family members of the new Judges, not to put undue pressure on them.

He urged the Judges, not to disappoint the confidence reposed in them.

"You have been picked on merit, please do not disappoint us. You have been called to duty where God polices you. Put the fear of God in all you do.

Your life has changed henceforth. Don't forget your homes, a Judge can't succeed at the Bench, if you don't have a happy home", the CJ added.

The names of the new Judges are Hon. Justices

Olubusola Adeyemi Okunuga, Adenrera Olayinka Adeyemi, Olufolake Olufolasade Oshin, Oluwatoyin Atinuke Odusanya, Olumuyiwa Oluseun Martins, and Ariyike Mutiat Ipaye- Nwachukwu.

Others are Hon. Justices Babatunde Oladapo Kalaro, Omolade Jadesola Awope, Akinkunmi Olusegun Idowu, Olalekan Ayodeji Oresanya, Mujibat Iyabode Oshodi, Ismail Olalekan Ijelu, Mosunmola Muyibat Balogun, and Mathias Oluwole Dawodu.

The latest appointments increased the number of Judges in the Lagos State Judiciary to 70, out of which 24 were appointed since the beginning of Governor Sanwo-Olu's administration.

‘Our Best is Yet to Come’, ALAN Steve Aya Members of Association of Law Firms Administrators, Nigeria (ALAN) have restated their resolve to work towards improving the standard of law practice in Nigeria.

This commitment was stated at the Association’s first end of year dinner cocktail party held in Lagos recently, where ALAN’s new vision was

launched.

In her welcome address, the Association’s Vice President, Miss Oduola Onodikpe, welcomed all guests to the occasion, stating that it was an evening to unwind with all partners, friends, sponsors most especially those who stood with the Association during its teething stage. She promised that the Association would work hard to improve

on the standard of law firms to better service delivery to clients, by organising constant training for its members, with the promise that the best is yet to come.

In his Keynote address, Mr Dan Agbor, the Managing Partner of Udo Udoma and Bello Osagie, stressed the need for law firm administrators to always look forward to new innovations that will enhance

PHOTO NEWS

The Newly Sworn in High Court of Lagos State Judges with Lagos State Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba

L-R: Wife of New Silk and Kwara State Attorney-General, Mrs Islamiyat Jawando, the Mutawali of Ilorin, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq; New Silk, HAG Salman Jawando, SAN and the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon. Justice Sulaiman Kawu at the SAN Conferment ceremony which held at the Supreme Court, Abuja on December 8, 2021

their work.

He said that law firms have evolved from the simple law office where a Lawyers sit down to write briefs, to very big complex, multifaceted offices that require the best administrative skills and brains, with the law firm administrator who is the glue that pulls and holds the firm together.

He then called on law firm Managing Partners, to see these administrators as part of the tools needed to build the brand they dream of having.

Also speaking, Both Mr Ayuili Jemide and Mr Femi Banwo, poured encomiums on law firm administrators for their hard work that has indeed, turned today’s law firms into a modern one stop shops for clients.

According to Mr Jemide, “ALAN is a very important body for law firms in Nigeria; you need to engage the law firms a lot to recognise the value that these administrators bring to the table, and that is why we need to see them as partners”.

“We must impress it upon all Lawyers, that these administrators who are not Lawyers, do bring a lot to the law firms’, Banwo added.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

VI Introduction I have read and keenly observed with great trepidation, the grotesque drama which has ensued from the battle of the pen with little or no truce, however uneasy, between two of Nigeria’s greatest political bigwigs and nationalists, on the backdrop of the Summit organised by a group, Global Peace Foundation, on December 13, 2021, where President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR was alleged to have exhibited hatred and disconcertedness against the Niger Delta Region.

As could be gleaned in an Open Letter from Chief Edwin Clark to President Olusegun Obasanjo, titled “My Disappointment Over Your Unapproved Outburst Against the People of the Niger Delta Region”, the Elder Statesman, among other things noted that the Niger Delta Region has been marginalised by past regimes of the Government, and that he was appalled at that same Government attitudinal disposition towards the minority groups of the Niger Delta was exacerbated by the former President, after the latter allegedly openly interjected and contradicted the submissions of both Engr.

Wodu and Mr O’Mac Emakpore who were Chief Clark's representatives at the Summit.

Chief Edwin Clark while emphasising the constant marginalisation of the people of the Niger Delta Region further noted that, despite the facts that these natural resources are found within the preserves of the Niger Delta Region, succeeding governments have not been committed to ensuring the development of the region, and have not used the money got from the resources of the region for its development, as done for other regions.

Underscoring his argument, Chief Clark further noted that by the principle of derivation as enshrined in Section 140 of the 1960 Constitution, natural resources found within regions in the country were controlled by the people of the regions.

In his response, President Obasanjo while denouncing the notion that he had any hatred for the Niger Delta Region, noted that he had no such grudge for the region and placed more emphasis on the fact that by the dint of the Constitution, all natural resources in any part of the Federation is owned by the Federal Government, and within the exclusive legislative list of the National Assembly.

He further noted among other things, that the territory of Nigeria is indivisible, inclusive of the resources found therein. “No territory in Nigeria including the minerals found therein belongs to the area of (sic) location, and this remains so until the Federation is dissolved”.

I have always dreaded to criticise these Elder statesmen, as these two men are among the four persons I hold in great esteem and awe in my heart when it comes to national issues and political discourse. The other two men are, Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi and Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON. Only those who know the enervating particularity and the indelible contributions these men have exerted to ensure the attainment of a better Nigeria, can appreciate my choice of same.

If we must allow memory to be our guide, it must be noted that Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON is a Nigerian elder statesman of high repute and integrity, who has throughout the course of his political career which has spanned over seven decades, fought and still fights for the emancipation of the people of Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

Similarly, except by some perverse logic and political sentiment, it is an undeniable fact that President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, is one of

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Chief E. K.Clark

Who Owns Nigeria’s Oil? This article by Dr Kayode Ajulo is about the question of the ownership of Nigerian Oil, as raised by Chief Edwin Clark and former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo; and the borderline between Ownership and Trusteeship of Natural Resources in Nigeria our greatest leaders who have guided the sail of the Nigerian Ship in both the military and democratic dispensation.

Be that as it may, I am obliged to note that this clash is nothing but a jiggery-pokery pastime of ancient war lords, in which the former, with respect, may be said to be emotionally incautious,, while the latter, respectfully, was merely engaging in cheeky and specious sophistry to put his points across.

President Olusegun Obasanjo interestingly and surprisingly anchored his argument solely on law, whereas the answer on the ownership is found in the extant provision of our laws and could as well be viewed from the geo-political perspectives of the Nigeria of today's tenuous existence.

De jure and De facto Ownership of Natural Resources in Nigeria Beyond the above red-hot dialogue and pantomime, it suffices to note that Section 44(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Land Use Act of 1978 and the Petroleum Act vest the exclusive control and management of oil and gas in the Federal Government,

“….the Nigerian Federal Government is the “de jure”owner of the oil. However, the indubitable and undeniable reality is that, the Niger Delta region where the oil is found is the “de facto”owner of the oil….rather than being the owner of natural resources, the Federal Government is a trustee of these natural resources, for the benefit of the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”

and not the State or Local Government where the oil and gas are found. It can therefore be said that, the Nigerian Federal Government is the “de jure” owner of the oil. However, the indubitable and undeniable reality is that, the Niger Delta region where the oil is found is the “de facto” owner of the oil.

In the consideration of our geo-political aspect including the security consideration, it is patent that by the circumstance of composition of Nigerian Federal Government, the oil and gas resources are held in trust by the Federal Government on behalf of the Citizens of Nigeria for the overall benefit and development of the nation.

Quite frankly, our extant laws also give credence to the real owners of these natural resources, hence the provision for derivative funds for host communities, particularly, the Niger Delta. In that payment of derivative funds is an implicit recognition of the primary ownership of the people of the land in which the oil resource resides, which position is further and more explicitly buttressed ex cathedral by the Apex Court of the land to the effect that a State shall be entitled to natural resources emanating from within its boundaries, so as to qualify for the allocation of funds from the Federation Accounts. See the cases of A G Federation v A G Abia State & 35 Ors (2002) 6 NWLR (Pt.763) Pg.542; AG Rivers State v AG Akwa Ibom & Ors (2011) LPELR-633(SC).

resources for the benefit of the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Hence, the Government is a steward/custodian of these natural resources to be harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.

The beneficiaries of a trust are the true owners of the same, even if by the very nature of trusts, another may manage and oversee it on their behalf.

In other words, the Federal Government is holding the natural resources in trust for public use, including the communities where such natural resources are found. A careful perusal of Section 17(2)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) clearly dictates that “in furtherance of the social order, exploitation of…natural resources in any form whatsoever for reasons, other than the good of the community shall be prevented”.

Hence, Federal Government’s trusteeship of these natural resources should not under any guise be equated to outright ownership of the natural resources by the Federal Government.

This critical relationship between ownership and trusteeship of natural resources is a vital point in the Nigerian polity and socio-economic development of the nation.

Conclusion From whatever angle this issue is being considered, worthy of note is that there are certain, almost predictable similarities and convergence between the positions of these two prominent Elder statesmen which is the ardour and candour, their impatience with Nigeria’s millennial lassitude, their strident clarion call against marginalisation and mis-governance.

Without much ado, it is my humble admonition that a nation is held together not just by the aggregate of its human and natural resources, but by a qualitative and progressive harnessing of those resources for the betterment of both the regions where these resources are found, and the nation at large.

Doctrine of Public Trust of Natural Resources and Equitable distribution of same In order to bring the present discourse into specific perspective and for the enlightenment of those who might have been swayed by the perspicacious lustre of charm which serenaded President Olusegun Obasanjo’s reply that natural resources are owned by the Federal Government, it is crucial to state that, rather than being the Dr Olukayode Ajulo, FCIArb, UK, Founder/ owner of natural resources, the Federal Executive Director of Egalitarian Mission Government is a trustee of these natural of Africa

VII

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN

0809 889 8888 SMS ONLY

Insecurity: A Great Retardation to Peace and Progress (Part 3) Introduction Recently, we delved into some of the known causes of insecurity in Nigeria, such as; unemployment, imbalance in security decisions/ solutions, border control, etc. Today, we shall x-ray some of the ways to reduce the causes of insecurity. Please, read on.

Nigeria, suggests that fostering trust and mentoring relationships between detainees and program officials can increase the likelihood of positive behavioural and ideological change. Abusive prison or detention conditions, by contrast, have been shown to increase the likelihood of radicalisation. These findings underscore the risks of the current system, in which many detainees are subjected to prolonged pretrial detention periods in difficult and abusive conditions. Lastly, post-release support and monitoring is likely to be essential to prevent retaliatory attacks, marginalisation, or a return to violence.

Restoration/Reintegration Challenges Although Operation Safe Corridor has made a valuable attempt to offer low-risk fighters a way out of extremist groups, it suffers from significant shortcomings. A more effective DDDR (Disarmament Deradicalisation Demobilisation Reintegration) strategy in northeast Nigeria, would have been much larger in scope to match the scale and urgency of the problem.

Yet, these restoration or reintegration efforts face five particular challenges which will be discussed below.

1. Clarifying Eligibility In most conventional DDDR contexts, peace agreements lay out the eligibility criteria for amnesty and rehabilitation. In Colombia, for example, the peace accord with the FARC guerrilla movement established a tiered system: rank-and-file fighters are eligible for amnesty, provided that they were not involved in war crimes or crimes against humanity, while those who exercised command responsibility or were otherwise implicated in serious crimes have to stand trial.

In Northeast Nigeria, the absence of a peace agreement means that it is not easy to determine who should be eligible for rehabilitation, on what criteria and on what terms. The Nigerian Government has, at various times, floated the idea of a general amnesty to incentivise defections and a cessation of hostilities. Yet, many communities in the region oppose such a deal, unless it also provides for the victims of the conflict. President Muhammadu Buhari’s most recent announcement that the “Government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying-down of arms by any member of the Boko Haram group”, once again triggered pushback from civil society groups who argue that a general amnesty will perpetuate impunity.

At the same time, channeling thousands of detainees through the criminal justice system will likely create further backlog and delays.

Because many of the alleged insurgents were arrested based on questionable intelligence and denunciations by local militia groups, the prosecutable evidence against them is scant or nonexistent.

A practical example is an initial round of secretive mass trials launched in late 2017 and early 2018 reportedly resulted in 250 convictions, while approximately a thousand people were ordered to be “released for rehabilitation” because of lack of evidence. According to the Ministry of Justice in Gombe State, some of these Defendants had been held without trial since 2010.

A more realistic alternative would be to expand the current two-track system: (a) a rehabilitation path opened to low-risk fighters and persons associated with Boko Haram (whether or not they have defected), (b) a criminal justice path for higher-risk combatants and commanders.

Doing so will require the Joint Investigations Committee, which oversees the military vetting process, to establish more consistent, reliable, and transparent screening criteria to determine an individual’s level of risk and degree of affiliation with the group, ideally subject to oversight by human rights experts. Also, International partners are currently working with Nigerian authorities to establish databases that will help Government agencies capture and share information about all individuals processed through the system, including in the initial screening phase. This certainly brings hope to everyone, in that, such a database will also help speed up and improve the verification of information

Soldiers at a check point provided by detainees. Yet, ultimately, the Government must ensure greater policy coherence: a strategy aimed at rehabilitating defectors will have limited impact, as long as the military detains thousands of suspects with only tenuous ties to Boko Haram.

It is pertinent to note again that, any effort to establish systematic screening criteria has to grapple with the complexity of people’s relationships to extremist groups, as well as the difficulties of collecting and corroborating information in a context of ongoing conflict.

Some Boko Haram members willingly joined the group, yet later were unable to leave; some were forcibly abducted. Many others’ pathways fall somewhere in between volition and coercion, with social and economic pressures playing significant roles; and although some played active combat roles, others filled various nonviolent support functions under duress, or merely lived under Boko Haram rule, having been unable or unwilling to flee. Erasing these nuances - for example, by referring to those who merely lived in Boko Haram-controlled areas as “repentant Boko Haram members,” and by grouping them with low-risk Boko Haram associates - risks reinforcing stigmatisation and fuelling the misconception that Operation Safe Corridor is apparently an amnesty for violent terrorists.

2. Tackling Deradicalisation A second challenge deals with the relationship between countering violent extremism (CVE), and rehabilitating Boko Haram fighters and associates.

However, the striking question will be, what type of de-radicalisation programs should be included in rehabilitation efforts to minimise chances of recidivism?

Merging deradicalisation measures into DDDR process is a relatively new field of practice, with little rigorous evidence to support particular efforts or initiatives. Yet, a number of emerging findings from the CVE field may nevertheless, help guide more effective programming.

A typical case in Nigeria, the 2014 National Security Strategy called for a “soft approach” to counterterrorism that would include, as part of a comprehensive CVE strategy, a prison-based deradicalisation process for sentenced and pretrial prisoners, as well as after-care for those released by the courts

“Others find it hard to envision living side-by-side with those who killed their relatives or destroyed their village…..As one community worker said in Maiduguri, “If somebody shot your father and ran away, how can you accept them back?”

or through an amnesty. One prison-based deradicalisation program was piloted in 2015, consisting of religious reeducation, vocational and language training, sports, art therapy, and psychosocial support for forty-five Boko Haram affiliates. Yet despite tentative positive results, other prisons do not appear to have expanded or replicated this program. Operation Safe Corridor includes a similar mix of deradicalisation programs for low-risk defectors, though current programming seems to emphasise religious retraining over other services.

Research suggests that radicalisation and entry into extremist groups, tends to be a highly individualised process. It often results from a combination of structural “push” factors like relative deprivation or political grievances, and “pull” factors like appealing ideologies, charismatic recruiters, and material or social benefits. Interviews with former Boko Haram members echo these insights: some young people joined to deepen their religious knowledge, whereas others saw the group as a pathway to get ahead economically. Many highlight the influence of friends, relatives, and colleagues.

Ideally, deradicalisation programming should thus, be individually tailored: not all those who need rehabilitation also need deradicalisation or religious retraining.

For those who played minor roles within the groups or joined for nonreligious reasons, obtaining training and psychosocial support to make a transition back to civilian life is most crucial. For those radicalised and recruited through social networks, deradicalisation efforts may be more effective if delivered jointly to relatives or peer groups, rather than in isolation. However, proper program tailoring requires in-depth information and monitoring of all program participants, which in turn demands greater resources, staff training, and capacity. At the moment, for instance, international assistance providers know little about the backgrounds and deradicalisation needs of those detained in military facilities. Systematic record-keeping on all those passing through the system including those cleared for rehabilitation and those awaiting trial - will be essential for deradicalisation programs to succeed.

Another insight from past deradicalisation efforts is, the importance of credible interlocutors and detention conditions.

Government officials or religious figures who detainees do not trust to speak on religious questions are unlikely to be in a position to challenge extremist narratives, not least because hereditary religious hierarchies and government abuses have been important drivers of radicalisation.

Anecdotal evidence from Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, as well as from the pilot deradicalisation program in Kuje Prison in

1. Preparing for Sustainable Reintegration Another suggestion is the reintegration of former combatants into civilian life, is often the weakest link of DDDR programs. Whereas dissociation and demobilisation involves a set of relatively standardised activities, reintegration has multiple complex and decentralised transitions, from helping combatants rebuild civilian identities, to strengthening interpersonal trust and restoring livelihoods in war-affected communities. Ongoing conflict further complicates reintegration: civilians are more likely to distrust returnees and defectors when the militant group itself remains active, and returnees themselves may be at risk of retaliatory violence.

Despite these risks, Operation Safe Corridor currently lacks a clear reintegration component.

Low-risk detainees have been released back into IDP camps with little preparation or follow-up; others appear to have been held in continued detention at the Gombe facility, even after completing deradicalisation programming out of fear that they will face retaliatory violence upon release. A recent study by the Kukah Centre and Conciliation Resources found that in places where people associated with Boko Haram had been returned, members of the community were not informed in advance, a failing that has fuelled misconceptions and resistance that threaten the long-term viability of reintegration efforts. For example, women and girls who were abducted or lived under Boko Haram strongholds often face suspicion and distrust upon their return. Many people view them as a direct threat, fearing that they have been radicalised and could recruit others.

Men associated with Boko Haram experience even greater hostility, as they often are assumed to have been voluntary and active combatants.

Of course, the views among local communities are not uniform. Many recognise the long-term need for reintegration, but feel that it is too soon for former fighters to return. They demand a longer rehabilitation process, and greater support for the affected communities as a whole. Others find it hard to envision living side-by-side with those who killed their relatives or destroyed their village, particularly as long as the needs of victims are left unmet. As one community worker said in Maiduguri, “If somebody shot your father and ran away, how can you accept them back?”.

In response, several international and local civil society groups have been pressing for community participation in reintegration and reconciliation issues. Community-based rehabilitation models can take different forms. Some simply combine support to former combatants and those associated with armed groups, with parallel assistance for affected population groups, such as youths with similar socioeconomic profiles, IDPs, and other vulnerable groups. Others go further and integrate forums for community decision making, to ensure that the DDR process fosters understanding and is embedded in traditional conflict resolution mechanisms.

Underlying these efforts is the assumption that former combatants and returnees must be socially accepted, in order to prevent them from returning to violence. A locally owned reconciliation process may also help overcome the multiple cleavages that have emerged during the war, not only between Boko Haram fighters and civilians, but also between different religious and ethnic groups, IDPs and host communities, citizens and security forces, and those who fled Boko Haram and those who stayed behind. (To be continued).

Serious and Trivial There are two sides to every coin. Life itself contains not only the good, but also the bad and the ugly.

Let us now explore these.

“When passionate employees become quiet, it usually sends a signal that the work environment has become very dysfunctional” – Anonymous.

VIII

˜ Ͳ˜ ͰͮͰͰ ˾ T H I S D AY

COVER

Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN

‘Judicial Salaries and Allowances are Unacceptable and Unjustifiable’ Ekiti State, undoubtedly, is one of the most economically disadvantaged States in the country; but, the State is blessed with a progressive Governor and a highly cerebral, innovative, reform-minded Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the person of Olawale Fapohunda, SAN, a two-term Attorney-General. He is undeniably, one of Nigeria’s leading experts in justice sector reform. He played a lead role in the drafting of several Nigerian laws, including the Correctional Services Act and the recently enacted Police Act. On New Year’s Eve, he explained and enumerated his achievements in office, and his plans for the remaining part of his tenure to Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi

C

ongratulations on your elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Out of the 72 of you who were elevated, only two were female. Again, some members of the Body of Senior Advocates have not only complained that not only is elevating 72 people too many, the qualification for elevation should be made more stringent. What are your views on this?

It is an incredible honour to be found worthy of the conferment as Senior Advocate of Nigeria. I think it will be unfair to simply look at numbers, in consideration of conferment. It is my respectful view that, the emphasis must be on qualification. Once an Applicant ticks all the boxes put in place by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, there should be no reason for

non-conferment.

Having said this, I believe that a lot more needs to be done to recognise public interest Lawyers, or at the very least ensure that added recognition is given to public interest work in the application process. Presently, Applicants from the advocate category are required to show evidence of four Pro Bono cases only. This, in my view, is inadequate especially when placed side by side with the current access to justice needs of Nigerians. There are simply too few Lawyers working on public interest matters. I am not aware that Applicants in the Academic category, are required to provide evidence of public interest work. Again given the dire need for mentors in legal education, I think this is a missed opportunity. Legal Academics seeking elevation should also be required to show evidence of

“Limited female participation in public life, is one of the major obstacles towards achieving gender equity. Paving the way for more women in the political, business, and civic society arena, is an investment in the socio-economic and political development of States, and invariably Nigeria as a whole”

Pro Bono work including lectures given outside their place of employment, or where practicable, time spent mentoring students in Law Faculties or the Law School. Thankfully, the Nigerian Bar Association is reviewing its Pro Bono policy, and hopefully, all these issues will be considered.

Kwara State recently passed the Gender Composition (Political Offices) Law 2021 providing that the gender composition of those holding certain classes of offices shall not be less than 35% or more than 65% of either sex.

This is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Though it falls short of provisions of places like Rwanda where the Constitution makes it mandatory that a certain percentage must be allowed for female representation even in Parliament, it is a step in the right direction for Nigeria. Kindly, comment on this initiative.

Undoubtedly, this is an important step in moving the conversation on gender equality in Nigeria forward. It is novel.

Limited female participation in public life, is one of the major obstacles towards achieving gender equity.

Paving the way for more women in the political, business, and civic society arena, is an investment in the socio-economic

and political development of States, and invariably Nigeria as a whole.

It is not sufficient to simply ask women to speak out and get involved, we need to enable legal and institutional regimes that allow the voices of women to be heard in any process that will ultimately affect them, their families, and communities. Investing in women’s right to political participation is not a favour done to women, but one that will ultimately have positive impact on our political development.

I have sent a copy of the law to my colleagues in the South West Attorney’s General Forum, as a possible agenda item for discussion in our next meeting. I do believe we should consider enacting this law in our States.

Still talking about Gender Equality and related matters, Ekiti State during your tenure is widely acknowledged to have made tremendous progress in this area particularly in responding to gender based violence. Can you share your experience with us?

I am asked this question frequently, and my immediate response is to say it’s about political will and leadership that understands that the way we respond to all forms of gender based violence, including sexual violence, says a lot about the kind of society that we live in.

IX COVER

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

‘Judicial Salaries and Allowances are Unacceptable and Unjustifiable’ In Ekiti State, Government has adopted a zero tolerance policy for all forms of gender based violence. We do not verbalise this as political speech, we have taken deliberate steps to translate policy into an actionable agenda for implementation. In the implementation process, Mr Governor leads in word and deed. We have streamlined key areas of intervention across Ministries and Government agencies. We also have a monitoring mechanism - the Gender Based Violence Management Committee, Chaired by the Wife of the Governor that oversees implementation.

Talking specifics, we have enacted some of the most progressive laws in the country.

We have reviewed and amended our Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, in response to current realities. We enacted the Compulsory Treatment of Child Victims of Sexual Violence Law, with a view to providing timely, effective and confidential medical support for minors who are victims of rape. We recently passed the revised Criminal Law of Ekiti State. This contains provisions that ensures that sex offenders are appropriately dealt with, while at the same time ensuring that victims do not suffer double victimisation, especially in the course of the criminal justice process.

Concerning victims, we recognised that our criminal justice system places priority on the offender, frequently to the detriment of the victim. We have taken practical steps to reverse this. First, by publishing a Victims Charter, which in very simple language informs victims of crime about their rights and obligations within the criminal justice system. We have backed this up with the establishment of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre. A one stop medical facility, that provides a range of support services to victims of sexual violence. These are in addition to a number of administrative measures we have put in place. For example, a convicted sex offender will not benefit from Mr Governor’s powers of prerogative of mercy. We have also opened a register of sex offenders, to capture details of sex offenders for the purpose of appropriate record keeping.

Let’s talk about this Register. Under your watch as Attorney-General, Ekiti became the very first State to open the Sexual Offenders Register. How does this work in practice?

The Sex Offenders’ Register is a key component of our holistic response to sexual violence in Ekiti State. The Offenders’ Register essentially captures our “Name and Shame” policy. This policy was put in place in 2012, during the first term in office of Governor Fayemi. We discovered that we had little by way of a criminal records registry. In cases of sexual violence, we discovered that there were increasing cases of repeat offenders, and we struggled to obtain records of their previous convictions. This was what led to the idea of opening a register where all the details of the offender will be kept, both manually and electronically. The Director, Public Prosecutions is the custodian of the Register. We have found the Register very useful, particularly in prosecuting repeat offenders. The Register does not exist in isolation. Once the details of a convicted sex offender is entered in the Register, we will publish same details with the offenders picture on all Government

Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN media platforms. Additional measures we have taken, include pasting posters of such offenders in prominent places in the offender’s community or home as appropriate. We have now strengthened and institutionalised this process by its inclusion in the Criminal Law of Ekiti State. We are now set to enforce compulsory psychiatric tests, for persons who defile or rape minors.

The hard won battle for judicial autonomy doesn’t seem to have settled or laid to rest the issue, as many States have refused to comply with the judgement of the Apex Court on the matter. What is the position in your State?

I think the issue of judicial financial autonomy, has largely been settled in all States of the Federation. The Nigerian Governors Forum has been clear and unequivocal, about its support. I am also aware that, the implementation process has commenced in most States. In my State for example, the 2022 Appropriation Law aptly captures estimates from the Judiciary, in compliance with the Autonomy Law. I know that there are a number of States that are presently caught up in a curious situation, where the Judiciary will now get a lot less under this new arrangement. Those States are grappling with how to come to terms with this situation. I think it would be fair to say that, for many States the enactment of the law has been the easiest aspect. I know that there is an ongoing peer review process, where States are sharing their experiences. What should be obvious to all now, is that achieving financial autonomy for the Judiciary will not be an event. It will be a process that will require political will, and sincerity of purpose of all involved.

It is obvious that the Justice Sector is in dire need of reform, from funding, appointment of Judicial Officers, their remuneration and conditions of service,

“If I am asked to suggest one single agenda for the remainder of President Buhari’s tenure, I will suggest a review of Judicial salaries and allowances. It is long overdue.The current situation, is not acceptable or justifiable. We will be deceiving ourselves, if……we assume we can make any meaningful progress in the Justice sector, without this review”

to Prison decongestion, better living conditions for the inmates, Police Reforms the list goes on. With one year left of the Buhari administration, have we made meaningful progress?

The simple response to your question is that, we are certainly not where we were when President Buhari took office.

Yes, we have made progress; but truth be told, we are also not where we should be, given the enormity of what needs to be done. In the area of law reform, we have made remarkable progress.

The Police Act and the Correctional Services Act, both legislation which had stalled in the National Assembly for over a decade, are now laws of Nigeria. We have had investments in prison facilities nationwide and Police stations, to a lesser extent.

Across the States of the Federation, the Justice sector has witnessed a level of prioritisation that has before now been limited to non-existing. So, yes, we have made progress; but, on many important areas we have stalled. One of these areas, is the condition of service of all those who work in the justice system. For some strange reason, we have kept salaries and allowances of judicial officers fixed for a decade now.

Yet, paradoxically we expect quality judgements from our courts. Not even Justices from the highest court of the land, are spared the indignity of poor remuneration. It seems that, as a country, we have resolved that a call to the Bench is a call to penury and servitude. The Correctional Services are not better.

Lately, there appears to have been progress concerning the plight of Police officers. The impact of the increase in Police wages, remains to be seen. Curiously, many of us don’t see the linkage between our struggle with the fight against corruption and the horrendous conditions of service of our Justice sector workers. If I am asked to suggest one single agenda for the remainder of President Buhari’s tenure, I will suggest review of judicial salaries and allowances. It is long overdue. The current situation, is not acceptable or justifiable. We will be deceiving ourselves, if by any stretch of the imagination, we assume we can make any meaningful progress in the Justice sector, without this review.

You are on record to have contracted Covid-19 in 2020, before vaccines were available. What was your experience?

Now that the country is going through the fourth wave, many States have tried to constrain their civil servants to take the Covid-19 vaccine. As a well-known human rights Lawyer, what is your opinion on this matter? Would you support this stand in your State?

We have to realise that, we are dealing with a public health crisis of a nature that we have never witnessed before. When you look at the situation in the United States and Europe, you will agree that God must truly have a soft spot for Nigeria. Somehow, the millions of deaths that were predicted for Nigeria at the onset of Covid 19, has not materialised. It is simply inexplicable that it is those countries that predicted doom and gloom for Nigeria, that are now getting the wrong end of Covid-19. The downside of this for us as a country, is the air of complacency that pervades our national life. Many are still in blissful denial that the virus exists, and those who believe it exists now appear to be suffering from Covid fatigue, and observe the prevention protocols more in breach.

I agree that we should not be complacent.

I am in support of any practical and reasonable measure, that will enhance our awareness of the seriousness of this virus.

Enforcement of vaccination, is a necessary and important step. The available science tells us that vaccination helps, even if it does not prevent infection a hundred percent, it reduces the possibility of serious illness or death. The bottom line is we all need to take this virus seriously, especially given the reality that this may be with us for a while to come.

As a Bencher, what is your assessment of the state of legal education in Nigeria, do we really need reforms?

I think there is broad consensus, that we need a new vision for legal education in Nigeria. Regrettably, there have been a lot of debates to the detriment of practical and sustainable interventions. This new vision cannot simply be about building new Law Schools, or spreading the Nigerian Law School campuses across Nigeria. The vision must focus on quality. I have no issues with the democratisation of legal education, but at what cost? The fact that most of our Law Faculties and the various campuses of the Nigerian Law School are struggling, adds to the urgency of a road map to transform legal education. There have been a number of sensible proposals, which the leadership of the NBA has put cont'd on page X

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forward. I will mention three of these that caught my attention.

First, our legal curricula must be made multidisciplinary, creative and flexible. We must integrate topics such as reforms in the justice delivery system, clinical legal education and alternative dispute resolution, into teaching modules in our Law Faculties and the Law School. Thankfully, many Law Faculties have taken up clinical legal education, with varying degrees of success.

Secondly, quality law libraries in our Faculties are too few, and most poorly stocked. We need to enable an endowment that provides for the latest technological tools of research, linking our law schools with the best sources of knowledge globally.

Thirdly, the NBA Pro Bono scheme under review, must ensure that senior practitioners, particularly legal academics with expertise in particular areas, compulsorily take a minimum number of classes in lesser-endowed Law Faculties. As I mentioned earlier, consideration must be given to including this as a requirement for conferment of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The dismissed unmarried Policewoman in Ekiti State showed your human rights side, as you immediately went to court to defend her. Kindly, shed some light on what really transpired and how the case was resolved. Is it not time that these discriminatory laws or rules of conduct in the Police and other security agencies be expunged from our law books?

In the course of reviewing the Police Act, somehow the Police Regulations skipped our attention. I will also have to take some responsibility for this omission, because I Chaired the then Inspector General of Police Review Committee. A cursory look at the Regulations, will give the impression that the Nigeria Police is at war with women.

The Police Regulations is replete with many discriminatory provisions against female Police Officers. For example, Police women on duty are prohibited from putting on jewellery except wedding or engagement rings and/or wristwatches; applying face powder, lipstick or coloured nail varnish.

They are also required to place the alphabet ‘W’ before their rank. Compensation, Gratuity and Disability Pensions provisions are made for payment only to “wife" or “widow".

No reference to spouses (husbands). Police women married to civilian husbands, are disallowed from living in Police barracks.

Travel allowance are made only for accompanying ‘wife’ and children. No husbands.

Section 121 of the Police Regulations provides that female Police Officers shall, as a general rule, be employed on duties which are concerned with women and children.

Also, married women are disqualified from enlisting in the Police; a Police Woman who is single at the time of her enlistment must spend two years in service before applying for permission to marry, giving particulars of fiancé who must be investigated and cleared before permission for marriage is granted.

Section 125 of the Regulations also states

Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN that “A married woman Police Officer shall not be granted any special privileges by reason of the fact that she is married, and shall be subjected to posting and transfer as if she were unmarried”.

Section 126 of the Regulations provides that “A married woman Police Officer who is pregnant may be granted maternity leave in accordance with the provisions of general order. However, an unmarried woman Police Officer who is pregnant shall be discharged from the Force”. This was the provision relied on by the Police authorities in dismissing the Police woman from the Force.

I took up the matter more out of the need to achieve a comprehensive review of the Regulations, in the hope that a positive outcome will benefit women who wish to enlist the Nigeria Police, but are put off by the Regulations.

Regrettably, the Federal High Court found that the suit was an abuse of court process because of a similar suit having being filed in the Industrial Court.

Thankfully, though, the court affirmed the powers of the Attorney-General to institute human rights suits in defence of citizens rights. I will therefore, be approaching the courts in defence of citizens rights in other matters. We have filed an appeal on this matter. For me, it is about results. I am open to an administrative solution of this matter. I hope the Inspector General of Police will

“Ekiti State can proudly take its place, among States that have removed all vestiges of inherited laws from its law books. We have gone a step further by translating some of these laws, especially the ones that affect the lives of our people on a daily basis, into the Ekiti language….strengthening the Ministry of Justice for effective service delivery, I am most proud of the work we have done in the area of promotion and protection of Women’s Rights”

share my desire for a Police institution that affirms President Buhari’s oft stated commitment, to removing obstacles to women enlisting in our security agencies.

The South West is the only region where the States’ Attorneys-General have established a forum for collaboration. As the Chairman of the South West Attorneys-General Forum, how successful has this initiative been?

The idea of the South West AttorneysGeneral coming together, was driven largely by a desire to share experiences, information and also cooperate on matters that affect the South West States. We have since evolved to sharing our individual State experiences, particularly in areas of law reform and the administration of justice broadly. We agreed on a peer review process, where each State presents its agenda and interventions in the administration of justice.

We share ideas on what works, and what we can do better. We worked together on the Àmòtèkun Law, and the South West Development Commission Bill in the National Assembly. We also worked together to present a South West common position, on the Constitutional Review Proposals.

Presently, we are working on the modalities for publication of the Judgements from the South West States High Courts. We are also working on the Harmonisation of the Laws of South Western States. We have established full fledged Secretariat, and to ensure sustainability especially after we leave office, each State has a focal person with an office in the Ministry of Justice. Our experience is truly unique. Our meetings are always memorable. Such is the wealth of experience and ideas among my brother Attorneys-General, that we are always learning from each other. I tell my colleagues that, I am not ashamed to steal their ideas for use in Ekiti State. That is the spirit that pervades our meetings.

As a two term Attorney-General (which seems to be the exception rather than the norm), as your second term draws to an end in the next few months, what would you say have been your major legacies?

I won’t say I am not glad that my tenure is coming to an end. The opportunity to

serve as a two term Attorney-General has been an incredible opportunity, especially being able to put into practice many of the issues I campaigned on before I became Attorney-General. It has been an amazing journey, for which I am thankful.

I set for myself a vision of a State that fosters the principles of justice and fairness, where the law and the Ministry of Justice are used to bring about positive change and improvement in the socio- economic development of all those living in Ekiti State.

I commenced and concluded a radical review of the laws of Ekiti State. Ekiti State can proudly take its place, among States that have removed all vestiges of inherited laws from its law books. We have gone a step further by translating some of these laws, especially the ones that affect the lives of our people on a daily basis, into the Ekiti language. I have rebranded the Ministry of Justice. We are no longer seen as that boring Ministry where people dress up in black, and only go to court. We have made ourselves relevant, and central to the growth of Ekiti State. Nothing of substance happens in the State without our imprint.

Professionalism, is at the heart of our service delivery. We established the Ministry of Justice Academy - the first of its kind in Nigeria, to further enhance our ability to provide efficient and effective services to the Government and people of Ekiti State. We have published many advisories and practice publications, all with an eye on ensuring that our people understand what we do and how we can be relevant to their access to justice needs. Under my watch, we published the first Ekiti State High Court Judgements Report.

Also recognising the importance of Palace courts in dispute resolution in our State, we published the Ekiti State Palace Court Judgements Report.

So, aside from progressive laws and strengthening the Ministry of Justice for effective service delivery, I am most proud of the work we have done in the area of promotion and protection of Women’s Rights. This has earned the State accolades, both nationally and internationally. My last few months in office will be focused on consolidating our gains, and ensuring that all that we have put in place is sustainable and survives my term in office.

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Police Arrest 35-year-old Man for Attempt to Kill Pregnant Wife James Sowole in Abeokuta Men of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 35- year -old man, Eluyera Wasiu, for allegedly planned with one Adeniyi Samuel to kill his 29-year-old pregnant wife.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the Ogun State Command, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed the arrest of the suspect in a statement.

According to Oyeyemi, the suspect and his accomplice, were arrested following a distress call received by the Divisional Police Officer, Ogijo Divisional headquarters from concerned members of public on the 1st of January 2022, that the two men were engaging themselves in a very serious physical combat at Oponuwa area of Ogijo, and if they were not quickly arrested, it may lead to bloodshed.

He said: “Upon the distress call, the DPO Ogijo Division, Muhammed Baba, quickly detailed his men to the scene, where the two suspects were promptly arrested.

“It was during interrogation to know the cause of the fight that Adeniyi Samuel opened up and informed the police that Eluyera Wasiu contracted him

to kill his pregnant wife, one Bola Taiwo.

“He stated further that Eluyera Wasiu promised to give him N10,000 for the job, out of which he had already gave him N5,000,

to pay the balance on completion of the job.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that, Wasiu Eluyera was married to Bola Taiwo but they got separated due to

irreconcilable differences. Wasiu later got married to another woman who is presently living with him.

“But somehow, he met with his former wife and they started

going out together again which resulted to pregnancy.

“In order not to upset his new wife, Wasiu asked Bola Taiwo to terminate the pregnancy the suggestion that was rejected by

Bola Taiwo.

“Having tried all he could to abort the pregnancy to no avail, Wasiu Eluyera decided to eliminate the woman and the pregnancy.

I WANT TO SUCCEED BUHARI…

L-R: Campaign Supervisor, Olumide Shofoluwe, Executive Assistant to Khadijah Okunnu- Lamidi, Abisola Eboda; independent presidential candidate, Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi; Campaign Coordinator, Alexander Yong, and Coordinator, Stephanie Etiaka, at the official declaration of Okunnu-Lamidi as Independent Candidate for 2023 Presidential election in Lagos…. yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

FG Urged to Dialogue to Cash Crunch in Banks will Cause More Ease Tension in South-east Deaths, Hunger, Afe Babalola Warns Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The immediate past National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), has called on the federal government to ease the tension in South East by adopting political solution and dialogues to address issues agitating the people of the region.

The PDP chieftain, who stated this in his new year message, insisted that Southeasterners were not violent but peace-loving and hardworking people, who were mostly misunderstood.

Observing that 2022 held a lot of promises for the nation, Akobundu noted that such promises could only come to fruition with a renewed sense of understanding and mutual respect in the pursuit of common good.

“I earnestly call on the federal government to immediately ease the tension in the Southeast by heeding to demands for political solution and dialogue to address the issues agitating the people. Southeasterners are not violent but peace loving and very hardworking people, who are mostly misunderstood.

“Moreover, the time has come for leaders of the South East to put aside all personal interests and come together once more to find lasting solutions to the economic, political and social challenges facing our region.

“The South East is blessed with abundant natural, and most importantly, a highly ingenious, inventive, hardworking and resilient human capital resources that, when fully developed and harnessed, will guarantee the desired economic revolution in the region,” Akobundu stated.

I’ve Attracted N2.4bn Projects to Ekiti, Senator Claims Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial district at the National Assembly, Olubunmi Adetumbi, has declared that he had deployed his network and worked hard to attract N2 .4 billion worth of projects to add values to the zone in the last two years.

The ranking Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning, disclosed that the feat was achieved through personal sacrifices to uplift his people and by intense networking with relevant federal government’s agencies to bring dividends of democracy to his constituents.

The All Progressives Congress Senator gave the disclosure in Ifaki Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government area of Ekiti State, yesterday, while giving accounts

of his stewardship and efforts being made to drive human and infrastructure development in the zone.

Adetumbi, who praised Governor Kayode Fayemi, traditional rulers and constituents for their supports, catalogued the projects dotted across towns, villages and 56 wards in Ekiti North to include 20 solar-powered boreholes, seven road projects, 3,6 and 12-block of classrooms in six selected schools.

Others, according to the Senator were five erosion/ ecological projects, building of two lock-up shops and Three ICT training centres across four local governments of Ikole, Ilejemeje, Oye and Ido/Osi councils, while projects in Moba Local Government were in the pipeline and would commence soon.

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti A legal icon, Chief Afe Babalola(SAN) has described the cash crunch hitting some banks as another policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks that would increase the sufferings of the Nigerian masses, thereby causing more deaths and hunger in the system.

Babalola said a situation whereby many Nigerians

could not have access to cash in banks for Christmas and New Year celebrations had further brought negative perceptions about governments, which he said was not good for its image.

The legal luminary therefore, called on the federal government to critically look into the situation of scarcity of cash in banks in the country, warning that if it is not effectively tackled, it will lead to serious hunger, which can dovetail to high mortality

rate, uncontrolled crimes and increased insecurity.

Babalola in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Director, Corporate Services, Afe Babalola University, Tunde Olofintila, said such policy further signposted that Nigeria is backward and not making headway.

The ABUAD’s founder, said : “In recent time, the CBN and commercial banks have inflicted cash crunch on banks customers in the country. The cash crunch

was felt virtually throughout the country.

Many banks had turned customers back for lack of cash while those who had the misfortune of gaining entrance into the banking Halls went home disappointed.

“Customers could not withdraw cash from the ATM machines in my university.

The banks operating in the University also had no cash to pay to customers.”

2023: Female Presidential Aspirant Declares Interest to Succeed Buhari

Sunday Okobi and Andrew Itankelea

A renowned entrepreneur and youth development advocate, Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi, yesterday promised to make Nigeria work for its diverse populace if given the platform to do so.

She promised to harness the

undoubted power of Nigerian teeming youths to unleash the country’s latent potential, which she described as a force to be reckoned with globally.

Okunnu-Lamidi, who is the daughter of former Federal Commissioner of Works and Housing, Lateef Femi Okunnu (SAN), stated this yesterday in Lagos where she officially

declared her intention to run for the Office of the President of Nigeria in 2023.

The founder and chief executive officer of Slice Media Solutions disclosed that she is motivated to vie for the presidency because of her desire to restore hope and make Nigeria work for all Nigerians.

The media expert noted that youths under the age of 30, who represent about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, have borne the most impact of bad governance, adding that the youths account for 13.9 million of the unemployment figures which stood at 21.7 million in the second quarter of 2020.

Wike Hails Ugwuanyi, Says He’s One of Shinning Lights of PDP Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has described his Enugu State counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as a good man and one of the shinning lights of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria.

Wike also described Ugwuanyi as “a humble, gentle and God-fearing leader” as well as “a very reliable brother and

friend”.

The governor made the commendations, when he led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Council Chairmen and elders of the state, including a former governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, to pay a fraternal visit to Ugwuanyi at his country home in Ohom Orba, Udenu

Local Government Area of Enugu State, in the spirit of the New Year festivities.

According to Wike, “This man (Ugwuanyi) you are seeing here is very quiet, very humble but he knows what to do at any point in time.

Governor Ugwuanyi is not a noise maker, he does not shout like me. He is very humble; he

takes everything gently. He is a God-fearing man.”

Conveying the fraternal greetings of the government and people of Rivers to the people of Enugu, Wike who claimed he was amazed by the array of leaders of the state that came to receive him, stressed that Ugwuanyi deserved his commendations.

Delta to Complete Ongoing Projects in 2022 The Delta State Government has stated that its 2022 budget of N479 billion is aimed at completing all ongoing projects across the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who stated this on television programme yesterday, said the Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration would take advantage of the 2022 budget, being the last full year budget, to complete major ongoing projects across the state.

According to him, road construction, building of schools, hospitals, job creation among other things were top priority

in the 2022 budget.

He said: “In 2022, we shall focus more attention on road construction, building and expanding facilities in our schools and hospitals, and these expenditures would take a larger chunk of the capital of the budget while the recurrent will largely

remain what it has been.

“We will be completing a number of key roads, the dualisation of Asaba to Ughelli, interchange at Koka Junction in Asaba; Beneku bridge, Orerhe bridge as well as other community roads being constructed.

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BACK PAGE CONTINUATION THE OIL THIEVES OF NIGERIA source, but somehow, stolen crude from Nigeria simply disappears into a sinkhole, without trace. There are also illegal refineries in the Niger Delta. Every Minister of Mines and Steel Development develops a plan for addressing the menace of illegal refineries, but nothing ever gets done. Even Governors complain about illegal refineries.

Most recently, on January 1, 2022, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, in his New Year address, devoted some paragraphs to the challenge of the environment in the state. He condemned the pollution of the environment by the operation of illegal refineries. He even knows their location: “illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek Road and adjoining areas of the city…” and he wants them shut down with immediate effect. He added that all local government Chairmen should work with “community leaders to locate and identify those behind illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action…” It would be a miracle indeed if either Wike or any other Governor in the Niger Delta would be able to put a stop to illegal oil bunkering activities in the entire region. The big-time oil bunkerers are major figures in the communities and key financiers of political processes!

Oil theft is further tied to the politics of Nigeria and the ownership of mineral resources. Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution, item 39 Schedule II of the Exclusive Legislative List and Section 1 of the Petroleum Act, 1969 vests the ownership and control of natural resources in any part of Nigeria in the Federal Government for the benefit of the people. (Also see Attorney General of the Federation vs. AG Abia State).

For decades, the people of the Niger Delta and others have argued that this is a departure from the Federal principle that Nigeria claims to embrace and that as operationalized, the Federal Government’s ascribed ownership of mineral resources amounts to gross injustice more so as the Niger Delta which produces the mainstay of the economy remains dispossessed, marginalized and underdeveloped compared to other parts of the country that contribute less, and yet seek to control what does not belong to them.

The battle over what is termed “Resource Control” has taken many dimensions over the years including the agitations that led to the Willinks Commission Inquiry on Minority Rights of 1957/58, the heroism of Isaac Adaka Boro (1966), the Ogoni people’s Struggle for Survival, the Kaiama Declaration, the politics of agitation for resource control, Niger Delta militancy and calls for a complete restructuring of Nigeria.

In 2004, Niger Delta Representatives walked out of the National Political Reform Conference when a consensus could not be reached on the subject of resource control and derivation. Niger Delta activists have since taken up this matter by insisting that derivation is

inadequate, development initiatives such as the Niger Delta Development Commission and OMPADEC before it, amount to mere tokenisms, and that total resource control is what the people want. This matter reared its head again recently, and apparently will never go away, given the North vs South alignment around it. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had expressed the opinion at a public seminar that Nigeria’s crude oil does not belong to the people of the Niger Delta but to all Nigerians and to say anything to the contrary would be illegal and unconstitutional.

President Obasanjo correctly stated the position of the Nigerian Constitution, but in so doing he stirred the hornet’s nest as Niger Delta stakeholders led by Chief E.K. Clark attacked him as “an enemy of the Niger Delta”. Niger Delta activists and many other Nigerians think that the 1999 Constitution is a dubious military decree that should not be quoted as Nigeria’s grund norm. President Obasanjo’s argument must have reminded them of that other argument actively pushed by Northern intellectuals in the 80s and 90s that the oil in the Niger Delta actually came from Northern Nigeria and settled in

the Delta, as part of a given process of geological sedimentation. The consensus in the Niger Delta is that this is a thief’s argument and that the real thieves of crude oil are those who exploit other people’s resources and who then turn around to insult the real owners.

It is also in this regard that local players in the Niger Delta who are involved in illegal oil bunkering do not consider their activities theft or crime. In a curious good thief vs. bad thief binary at the heart of oil politics in Nigeria, they justify their own oil theft, and openly flaunt their ill-gotten wealth because they believe that they cannot be taken to task for stealing what belongs to them, their grandfathers and generations yet unborn. They find ready allies across Nigeria and the rest of the world, because everyone else is anxious to make a quick buck. Many young persons in the Niger Delta would rather be a militant or an oil thief. Thievery, by the way, is a national pastime, a national creed, in Nigeria. Everybody is looking for something to steal: from gold in Zamfara and Ilesa to bitumen in Ondo, crude oil in the Niger Delta Basin, and the vaults of the Central Bank, if possible.

The economics, mathematics, cost and politics of oil theft point in one direction: the need for the country to put in place a strong surveillance mechanism. The country’s pipeline network is decayed, hence making the work of the oil thief easy. There was a recent blow out at AITEO’s OML 29 well-head in Santa Barbara River, Nembe, Bayelsa State. It took nearly a month for NOSDRA to be aware of it, and for any agency of government to take any action at all. It is important to have the necessary infrastructure and technology in place, and to treat oil theft strictly as economic sabotage. The penal structure for the crime should also be strengthened. Given the cost to the nation, the minimum sanction for oil theft should be life or death sentence. The politics of oil ownership or trusteeship cannot be advanced as an excuse for criminality. Until Nigeria decides to address its divisive politics, and public officials stop their hollow sloganeering about national unity, the resort to self-help, in form of oil theft or illegal bunkering, should not replace the rule of law. Crude oil refining has also been a problem.

When will Nigeria’s refineries begin to function again at optimal capacity and profitably too?

B O L A J I A . A K I N Y E M I AT 8 0 over a period of eight years, by a total of three administrations: Murtala Muhammad, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari and his subsequent appointment as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs

by General Ibrahim Babangida. Akinyemi was a creative thinker coming up, at every turn with original ideas: the Concert of Medium Powers, the Black Bomb, Nigerian exceptionalism, the power school, and although many of his ideas were rigorously debated, he was never found wanting whenever he was dragged into the arena of intellectual pugilism. I recall his exchanges with the polemicist and poet, the inimitable Odia Ofeimun. Akinyemi argued for the authenticity of African identity and ideas, and the continent as a frontier for development. It was during his time as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs that the Technical Aid Corps, (the TAC)) was conceived and established.

He has since through all seasons remained active in the public domain, an affirmation of his top credentials as a public intellectual, and as a symbol of how intellectuals can with the power of ideas forge a necessary link between the world of ideas and the world of action, between theory and praxis. In this regard, Akinyemi is a master of the art of tact, balance and ambidextrous navigation, as he cultivates the persona of an insider who is yet an outsider, a key player within the establishment at various times, and yet an

Prof. Akinyemi

activist for public good in defence of the masses.

The former DG NIIA, and former Minister, during Nigeria’s turbulent years of transition from military rule to civilian rule, joined Nigeria’s Democratic Coalition and lent his voice openly to the struggle to save Nigeria. He remains fully engaged in public affairs, both locally and internationally, refusing

to slow down. His capacity for work-life balance is also impressive.

In those days, he used to show up now and then at the Niteshift Coliseum, a night-club and entertainment centre, a stone-throw away from his Opebi residence, where he mingled with the young, and enjoyed the good life. He later joined us at The Guardian, on special invitation, as a Consultant to The Guardian Editorial Board. It was a pleasure working with him. These days, Professor Akinyemi has also been a major go-to person for us at Arise News TV for commentaries on international affairs.

He never disappoints. Close to 50 years in the public arena, Professor Akinyemi has remained prodigious and intellectually formidable. I am tempted to say that they don’t make them like that anymore, but Professor Akinyemi himself would be the first to correct me on that score, because indeed what his generation has done is to inspire, amidst the rot that has enveloped Nigeria, a younger generation in academia and civil society, who continue to raise hopes about Nigeria’s future.

I have no doubts that Professor Bolaji Akinyemi is fully aware that there are implications to his attainment of the age of 80. I look forward to seeing him soon in his signature bow-tie and bespoke suit, to toast to his life and times and distinction. Happy Birthday, sir. Many Happy Returns.

P R O F E S S O R B O L A J I A K I N Y E M I AT 8 0 : B R I L L I A N T A N D M AG N I F I C E N T his remarkable “Africa has come of Age” speech as a result, Nigeria’s diplomacy became truly “born again”; remolded, vigorous, result-oriented, purposeful, and imbued with a new found urgency and self-belief.

Remarkably, Prof Akinyemi steered the course as the NIIA DG for eight long years (because the Shehu Shahari administration which succeeded the Murtala/ Obasanjo military administration retained him. Akinyemi steered NIIA to be a continuous intellectual cauldron where ideas sparked against ideas in the form of lectures, conferences, symposia, seminars, round tables workshops involving the most illustrious Nigerian and foreign incandescent brains and statesmen, including Presidents and Prime Ministers. Its library became an unqualified repository of research materials for post-graduate students, on issues political, economic, social, religious, cultural and security because NIIA researchers were churning out qualitative essays, journals and books with amazing speed.

Then in came the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida-led military regime in 1985 which appointed Prof Akinyemi, who began to teach at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, after his NIIA assignment ended, as Foreign Affairs Minister. It was a challenge to the teacher to practice what he preached. Immediately, he reinvented Nigeria’s diplomacy; imbuing it with a new-found but measured radicalism, a streak of economic diplomacy, unmistakable panache, intellectualism, as Nigeria assumed a new sense of national greatness and the duty to fight and conquer for Africa’s sake.

It is in helping Nigeria’s Foreign Policy to assume Africa as its centre-piece and making Nigeria play the role of Africa’s first Super Power and a global minor power with independent ideas that Prof Akinyemi affected the entire African continent and even beyond. Nigeria made its mark in the anti-apartheid struggles, assuming control of it as the undisputed African champion, a country whose position really mattered. Nigeria began to matter in African affairs.

Through some inexplicable miracle, Prof Akinyemi’s brain conceived the idea of Nigeria, a West African country, becoming a frontline state involved in the anti-apartheid fight. And Nigeria actually became one, accepted by the entire world as such. This made a profound global impact, changed diplomacy in Africa and the UN, making Nigeria Africa’s undisputed leader and earned swagger rights for Nigerians.

To back that up, he made it a must that any country that needed Nigeria’s support for a cause must critically dialogue with Nigeria and Nigeria’s interest and gain must be agreed upon. He began this championing of dialogue as an alternative vehicle for foreign policy consultation while he was at NIIA. There, he organized and presided over the following: Nigerian-United States Dialogue (1978),

Nigerian-Soviet Dialogue (1978), Nigerian-Chinese Dialogue (1979), Nigerian- Scandinavian Dialogue (1980), Nigerian-Brazilian Dialogue (1980), Dialogue on North-South, Dialogue with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (of Canada, 1981) and the Nigerian-Chinese Dialogue (1982). Unfortunately, African leaders now converge routinely, like school children, to listen to their “head masters” in USA-Africa, France-Africa, Britain-Africa, Sweden-Africa, China-Africa summits, cap in hand.

Bolaji Akinyemi dreamed up the Technical Aids Corps Scheme which radicalized Nigerian Foreign Assistance Programme, in which Nigerians are serving in various capacities in over 50 countries in African, Caribbean and Pacific nations, telling the story of development and world history and politics from a strictly Nigerian viewpoint. It has been adjudged the most successful and radical innovation in Nigerian foreign policy.

Some of his ideas failed to gain traction in other nations. The Concert of Medium Powers, which attempted to rally some countries as a buffer against the then Super-Powers, the USA and USSR, failed to fly. Hubris kept a country such as Sweden from seeing Nigeria, whose entire earnings lagged behind what Sweden garnered from just two sources, Volvo Company and ABBA music records in the 1980s, as a mate in anything, let alone its leader in the Concert of Medium Powers. Also, even Nigerians did not really understand what Akinyemi meant when he called for us to build the Black (nuclear) Bomb with some $50 million. But to Akinyemi, it was more than an ego trip and might be the only thing to stop a “racially one-sided large-scale annihilation of man”, as he put it, “in a moment of madness”. Akinyemi has always explained that even a bully treats a person with lethal weapon with caution and respect. He still believes in the Black Bomb even today just as he wants the country to send a Nigerian into space. Obviously, his Afro-centric ideas and independent-mindedness has cost him dearly; the West never saw him fit for appointments into multilateral organizations.

Nigerians know that the bow-tie loving gentlemanly Prof Akinyemi studied and later taught in respected universities, including Oxford and Tuft’s famed Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy. He has authored over 13 books and countless essays. He came into the world fully equipped with maximal brain power. When he reads about the controversy over some leader’s First School Leaving Certificate (or the lack of it) which comes from a nation-wide examination, he must wonder why the controversy because even he, Prof Akinyemi, does not have one. He is one of the few Nigerians, who in those days were adjudged bright enough by some committed teachers

and were encouraged to take entrance examinations into the secondary school from Standard Five, instead of Standard Six. He passed, of course.

At Christ’s School Ado Ekiti, in 1962, for his Higher School Certificate, a young Akinyemi won a nationwide essay competition jointly organized by the US Embassy and the Federal Education ministry. He toured the US for three months, aged 20. Meeting legends including President John F Kennedy, Ralph Bunch, the Undersecretary General at the United Nations, Senator Albert Gore, (whose son, Al Gore later became US Vice President), New York state Governor Nelson Rockefeller, left an indelible experience on him. Also, Akinyemi spent just two years of post-graduate studies to earn a PhD! Yet, this obvious gentleman took to the trenches, as a NADECO member when the need arose to oppose military despotism. He suffered exile!

This was where I first came in close contact with this great African. As one would expect from this kind of group fighting a discredited government, NADECO-abroad was a very lean organization.

Led by Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, it had the commitment and participation of eminent Nigerians such as General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Ambassador Raph Uwechue, Chief John Oyegun, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Raph Obiorah, Pastor Peter Obadan, and Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi.

As the Secretary of this group, I always looked forward to our weekly meetings that held at private premises, off Edgware Road in London, because of the regular incisive presentations by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi. Looking back at that struggle, I cannot but acknowledge that Akinyemi’s knowledge of world affairs and how he deployed his vast global contacts shaped my basic understanding of how diplomacy works. Till this day, I have continued to enjoy the benefit of the personal relationship that I cultivated with the great man, during that struggle. Professor Akinyemi still finds time to send weekly best wishes to me, every Sunday morning. I count myself truly very privileged!

Prof Akinyemi bristles with ideas. He has advised our leaders to appoint academically gifted strategists as National Security Advisers and forwarded certain names of suitably qualified persons able to view national security from an all-things-considered point.

Unfortunately, they have always seen national security from the narrow prism of prevention of coups and so have routinely appointed Military Intelligence officers, serving or retired. Now, Akinyemi himself has been touted as the best NSA Nigeria never had.

One of his ideas has not only borne fruit but has resulted in the big boys and girls of the oil industry, who own oil wells and are awash with petro-dollars.

Once, on a plane from the US, a Nigerian working for

a foreign oil giant recounted how oil companies cap “marginal“oil wells whose productivity had declined considerably or were producing crude oil and a larger than normal percentage of other undesirables such as gas or water, and just move on. Prof Akinyemi suggested in a memo that Nigerians be allowed to operate the marginal oil fields and a new business sector opened for Nigerians.

Professor Akinyemi is not tired of pushing the frontiers of knowledge in foreign policy issues. At the last count, his weekly Foreign Policy Clinic on Thursdays – “Thru My Eyes with Prof Bolaji Akinyemi” has recorded about 80 sessions on the YouTube. When I listened to him in one of the sessions analyze the withdrawal of the US armed forces from Afghanistan, I was overwhelmed by the depth of his knowledge of foreign policy. I recommend this weekly program to those interested in understanding world issues.

As the Professor turns 80 today, January 4, 2022, Nigerians should remain grateful to this man of ideas and action who helped raise Nigeria’s prestige globally.

And though he has seen some of his bright ideas go to waste, his belief in Nigeria’s ability to not only become great but gain respect for Blacks everywhere remains unshaken. This is surprising for an important post in the roadmap to Nigeria’s greatness he produced, resulted in the establishment of the National Think-Tank; “it has gone the way of other big ideas” he said in an interview with Sam Omatseye. But he added: “My fate is wrapped around this belief in the future. It makes me look like a fool. A third of the country is under the control of brigands, and I cannot travel to my village without my heart in my mouth. (But) one great man will bring believers to himself and Nigeria will achieve her manifest destiny”.

I think of Prof Akinyemi at 80, not as a lion in winter, crouching, doing nothing except ruing the past. No, instead I see the noble, sagacious, fierce and warlike Ulysses that Lord Alfred Tennyson celebrated in his poem of the same title saying: “Come, my friends, ‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.

Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ We are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”.

My wife and I join other Africans and the rest of the world in wishing Professor Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi, a most memorable and happy birthday.

Professor Sylvester Monye, MFR, former Executive Secretary of the National Planning Commission, a former Special Adviser to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, and the Chief Policy Adviser to the Governor of Delta State, wrote from Asaba in Delta State.

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Pinnick Insists Super Eagles Can Win AFCON in Cameroon Admits Five Eagles test positive for COVID but have recovered

Duro Ikhazuagbe Despite attempts by clubs in Europe to restrict Nigerian and other African players from representing their countries at Africa Cup of Nations starting on January 9 in Cameroon, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick believes Super Eagles can win the tournament.

Speaking on ARISE TV’s“The Morning Show” yesterday, Pinnick insisted that Super Eagles are as good as any of the 24 teams in Cameroon to win the African football showpiece.

“Nigeria can win the AFCON in Cameroon. The country to be feared at this tournament is Nigeria. When you think about Super Eagles preparation for a tournament is not right is when they shock the world and win tournament. Cameroon 2021 will not be an exception,” observed the CAF and FIFA executive Committee member in that his first interview of the new year yesterday on ARISE TV. Pinnick insisted that God has special love for Nigeria.

“Our preparations may look lackluster but trust me, when our players wear the green and white jerseys, it is a different ball game.”

He hinted that interim handler of the team, Austin Eguavoen was working hard with his team to deliver.

“Austin Eguavoen is an excellent Coach. As a former player, he understands the mentality of footballers and is doing his best to bring out the best in our players.,” stressed Pinnick.

However, the NFF President admitted that Eguavoen was facing the usual challenges indigenous coaches confront on the Super Eagles job.

“So many scouts and players’ agents are putting pressure on him to pick their players for the AFCON. They are telling him that this is his chance to ‘chop’ on the Super Eagles interim

coaching job by compromising.

But the Eguavoen I know has rebuffed these people and is doing what he considers to be right for Eagles to have a successful tournament,” revealed the NFF Boss.

Pinnick stressed that this distractions and unnecessary pressure is why foreign coaches are the preference of the NFF. “ Scouts and players agents don’t try this sort of nonsense with foreign coaches,” Pinnick noted.

The NFF President who also admitted that five Super Eagles players tested positive for Covid is unperturbed as four of them have recovered and now test negative while the fifth is awaiting the result of his last test yesterday.

Pinnick is excited with Nigeria’s new Portuguese Head Coach, Jose Peseiro. “ Even before taking over the Eagles job, Jose (Peseiro) Know’s all our players in and out. The other time we were discussing, I was amazed with him reeling out facts and figures about each and every Super Eagles player.”

He dismissed critics who are against the appointment of Peseiro as Nigeria’s gaffer. “ Jose (Peseiro) is a world-class Coach. He’s coming to the Nigerian job with full knowledge of our players and how we play. Any Coach is as good as his last game. Trust me, he’s coming to deliver on the job,” stressed Pinnick who also revealed that the Portuguese coach would reside in Abuja and have a guest house in Lagos.

Pinnick pledged that African Football body (CAF) was going to legislate against European club sides that prevent African players from representing their countries in AFCON. Super Eagles are scheduled to depart Abuja for Garoua, Cameroon on January 5, where they are to kick off their AFCON campaign against Egypt on January 11.

Faith Karagumruk winger, Ahmed Musa (right) , was the latest Super Eagles player To arrive camp in Abuja... Yesterday

Eagles Not Scared of Egypt’s Mo Salah, Declares Awoniyi Ndah admits not under any pressure As Eguavoen shops for video matches of rivals

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Union Berlin forward, Taiwo Awoniyi has boasted that the Super Eagles are not fazed by the personality of Mohamed Salah when Nigeria open their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Garoua in Cameroon on January 11.

The former U-17 scoring machine was one of the 14 national team players that trained yesterday evening at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja under the watch of coach Austin Eguavoen.

He stocked the traditional rivalry between Nigeria and Egypt, saying there was nothing special about the Pharaohs’ wide man.

“I think man for man, we have (Wilfred) Ndidi, (Kelechi) Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa. We have the same calibre of players as well. I think the national team is a team we should be proud of.

“With due respect to Mo Salah, I think we also are individuals with great talent and we should be ready for the Africa Cup of Nations challenge,” Awoniyi said.

He insisted the Eagles won’t settle for anything than winning the continent’s flagship tournament because national pride is at stake in Cameroon, saying: “What we can do for ourselves is to take each game as it comes and be ready to fight for the country”.

The 24-year-old striker, summed up his surprised inclusion in the Nigeria’s Africa Cup Nations party as an honour and priviledge.

He said he takes pride and feels happy about being in the team.

Also Orlando Pirates defender,

Olisa Ndah, who trained last night, said he was not under any pressure whatsoever in the national team.

The former Akwa United central defender, whose father, Ndubuisi, was a former member of Nigeria’s U-23 team in 1996, described his inclusion in the squad as a dream come true and a reward for hard work.

“It’s a priviledge to be here. It is everybody’s dream to play for his national team. My father played his part for the national team and I am here to play my part. I am really happy. I don t feel any pressure coming here. I am here because I have been working so hard for my team,” Ndah said.

Meanwhile interim coach Eguavoen disclosed after last night’s workout that he had watched some video matches involving Nigeria’s Group D opponents- Sudan, Egypt and Guinea Bissau.

He said although the technical crew had dissected some of Egypt’s clips, they were still looking to possess more of such materials because the Pharoahs do not

approach all matches the same way.

Eguavoen expressed optimism of having a camp full of players by the end of today as some of the players left their Europe bases last night.

The former international player said he was more relaxed on the role now than he was two weeks ago, when he battled jitters following his appointment into the role in an interim capacity after Gernot Rohr was relieved of his appointment.

“It is an exciting job and a bit tough because it was not something I was expecting. So I had to like swallow it, digest it and relax and it is coming. Whatever happens is something we have decided to do. I am more relaxed than I was two weeks ago or a week ago. I think we have to strategise now and deploy the way we want to play,” Eguavoen said.

He also admitted that the demands from Nigerians will put the team under extra pressure in Cameroon because the public expect the team to always win the Nations Cup.

Rangnick’s Man Utd’s Unbeaten Run Ends against Wolves

THE MOROCCAN WAY...

Team Morocco travelled with 5000kgs/5 tonnes cargo to Cameroon in a Boeing 787 with personal chefs & ingredients to cook their food, their own water, security detail, mattresses, sterilised the entire hotel and replaced hotel staff in close contact with players with their own....yesterday

Joao Moutinho struck the only goal eight minutes from time to give Wolves a deserved 1-0 victory at Old Trafford and end Ralf Rangnick's unbeaten start as interim Manchester United manager.

It also needed a Jose Sa save in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Wolves their first Old Trafford win since 1980.

Sa turned away a curling free-kick from substitute Bruno

Fernandes, who had earlier fired against the bar when he should have done better.

The visitors controlled the opening half-hour and were back on top by the time Moutinho struck, although the goal was unfortunate for central defender Phil Jones, who was one of United's better performers on his senior return after a near two-year absence because of injuries.

His clearing header fell to the

35-year-old midfielder on the edge of the area and although Moutinho had not scored since February 2021, he kept his nerve to drive a shot through a packed penalty area and into the bottom corner.

The Wolves fans celebrated noisily at the final whistle but it was a crushing blow for Rangnick, with his side remaining seventh in the Premier League, a staggering 22 points behind leaders Man

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Gov Okezie Ikpeazu to South Easterners “I think that the South Easterners have a right to take a shot at the presidency of Nigeria…We go everywhere, we are everywhere, we invest everywhere, we are pan-Nigerian people. Today, a lot of people, on a lighter note are afraid of Sambisa (forest). But for an Igbo man, Sambisa is a business opportunity”---Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, canvassing for an Igbo presidency in 2023.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

The Oil Thieves Of Nigeria T

he lead story in THISDAY newspaper of December 30, 2021 brought the year to a close with a reminder of one of the many ills that bedevil Nigeria, encapsulated in a telling headline: “With Rising Theft, Nigeria Records 193 million barrels of crude oil deficit in 11 months”. This is otherwise translated into an estimated $3.5 billion of revenue lost to crude oil theft in 2021 alone, in other words, about 10% of the country’s foreign reserves. For a country that depends on petroleum products for about 85% of its total exports revenue and has been unable to define a future for itself beyond oil, oil theft is akin to a national calamity, a massive erosion, and an economic sabotage of the highest order. Even if it may not be the only factor that contributes to crude oil deficit, its impact is worth investigating.

With regard to oil theft, THISDAY newspaper was not exactly reporting any new trend. Oil theft has been perennial and unceasing and indeed, it gets worse by the year.

In its latest audit report, made public in July 2021, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) indicated that in 2019, Nigeria lost 42.25 million barrels of crude oil to oil theft, valued at 2.77 billion dollars. This was actually meant to be an improvement (imagine!) because in 2018, 53.28 million barrels were stolen. And then in 2021, 193 million barrels of crude vanished from Nigeria’s resources. The value of stolen crude in Nigeria is enough to fix many of the country’s problems and reduce the obsession with borrowings. This is the reason why oil theft must be stopped. On the average, Nigeria loses about 200, 000 barrels per day. What is stolen in concrete terms is not just crude oil, but jobs, opportunities, and possibilities. Oil theft is also a veritable example of grand corruption, and this is the point that has been made consistently in NEITI’s audit reports. The opaqueness that dominates the

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva

entire oil and gas value chain in Nigeria accounts for oil theft and loss of revenue. The absence of political will to tackle the problem makes it worse.

Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total divested from Nigeria in part because of oil theft.

In September 2021, the Federal Government decided to set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee on the recovery of crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products in the Niger Delta Region comprising the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), all

backed by the security agencies – the Nigerian Army, the Navy, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and others. The committee’s mandate is drawn from the provisions of the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations 2019. Yet, by the end of the year, 193 million barrels of crude oil had disappeared and certainly that must be an under-valuation, an estimate.

It is well known that there is no proper documentation of anything in Nigeria. We don’t even know how many we are. The National Population Commission (NPC) has no accurate register of births and deaths. Should it therefore be any surprise that there is no mechanism in place for monitoring how many barrels of crude oil Nigeria produces or the exact volume of it that is sold? Three years ago, there was some fancy talk about the introduction of technology to monitor output and activities along Nigeria’s oil pipelines network to detect sabotage, human interference and protect critical infrastructure.

Oil was discovered in Nigeria, in Oloibiri, Bayelsa state in 1956. In 2022, Nigeria is still talking about how to protect pipelines through the adoption of technology. Even if technology is deployed through automation, the internet of things, drone technology, and the electronic monitoring that certain commentators recommend would still be an excuse to award contracts and make more money. Whatever works in other countries, Nigeria takes the same ideas and turns them upside down.

The people who want to stop oil theft are really not interested in stopping anything, so it seems, for indeed, oil theft is an organized crime, with a network of stakeholders that cuts across many layers of interest. And that includes the same agencies saddled with the responsibility to stop it. Illegal oil bunkering: hot tapping or cold tapping, or the smuggling and diversion of petroleum products is an expensive enterprise, that involves the collusion

of both state officials and their agents. It may not be incorrect to argue, in fact, that nothing has been done because those who should take the decision or their agents are themselves involved, or they have been compromised. Crude oil in the international market has a signature imprint that indicates the Continued on page 29

Bolaji A. Akinyemi At 80

I

t would require a whole Festschrift to capture the essence of Professor Bolaji Akinwande Akinyemi, who turns 80, today, Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Academic, author, public policy expert, distinguished Professor, man of letters, senior citizen, Professor Akinyemi is a Nigerian icon, one of the diamonds that continue to shine luminously in the Nigerian landscape and whose engagements with his country and the international community, through his writings, and policy interventions confirm his genius, humanism and excellence. In 1975, he was a 33-year old Political Science lecturer at the University of Ibadan when he was appointed as the Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA,) Nigeria’s foreign policy think tank. Akinyemi brought not just youthful energy to the NIIA, he imbued the Institute with his exceptional brain power and intellection and left behind a legacy, upon which his successors, added their own blocks.

His reward was his retention in that position, Continued on page 29

SYLVESTER MONYE GUEST COLUMNIST

Professor Bolaji Akinyemi At 80: Brilliant and Magnificent

A

s Professor Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi turns 80 today, 4th January, 2022, let us reflect on the life of this great African.

A few exceptional persons have had consequential influences on their countries. An even much rarer breed, supreme in their careers, powered by superlative brains and energy, gifted with insights of how to affect the present and make it beneficial to their race, have influenced whole continents. Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, scholar, prolific author, essayist, diplomat, totally Nigerian and proud of it too, and remains optimistic that Nigeria has all the ingredients for greatness, and should arise from the gutter, and give Africa reasons to be proud, belongs to this latter group.

Not many people’s hopes would have been bolstered when in 1975 Gen. Murtala Muhammed appointed Akinyemi the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). Akinyemi was just 33 years old then and a little-known Lecturer in the Political Science Department of the University of Ibadan. But Murtala Mohammed knew Prof Akinyemi, his brain power, his belief and pride in Nigeria and his audacious ideas about a strong and

Prof. Akinyemi

resurgent Africa, and his insightful and novel ideas about diplomacy and its great powers … if rightly wielded. Exhibiting an unusual belief in the town-gown

relationship that should exist between the universities and their communities, Prof Akinyemi had the rare habit of inviting business moguls, top civil servants, military officers, and others of diverse backgrounds to the Political Science departmental Week at the University of Ibadan. While many disdained such invitation, some Army officers including Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo (when they were Colonels and Brigadiers) routinely attended.

Also, Murtala Mohammed, Obasanjo and Bolaji Akinyemi were independent members (who paid annual membership fees) of NIIA. The sheer power of ideas showed its immense force when the novel concepts of how the nation’s diplomatic chess game should be played, began to seep out from the Akinyemi-headed NIIA and enchanted the Foreign Affairs Ministry where a Lt. Colonel Joseph Garba was Minister. Today, the NIIA does not only enjoy robust respect but it ranks among the most highly-regarded government owned agencies. But things were totally different before Prof Akinyemi became its DG. Then, it was in the backwaters, inconsequential, unproductive, devoid of ideas and yes, slumbering.

An authority as credible as Joseph Garba himself testified thus in his book, Diplomatic Soldiering: “There was the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs which had sadly been on death’s door virtually since independence. Soon after my appointment as Commissioner, I received a pre-empt order from Murtala Mohammed to appoint Bolaji Akinyemi the new Director-General. I wondered who Akinyemi was and Murtala Mohammed showed me a book entitled Policy and Federalism: The Nigerian Experience and told me he was the author. Henceforth, its research staff could examine a myriad of problems which I would present to them in an unceasing stream, and write position papers accordingly.

I found the Institute responsive and effective, additionally because it provided a forum for foreign dignitaries. With all this energy and commitment around, morale was high. People looked forward for a new policy and to restructured institutions to launch it. When Angola, our first challenge came, we were ready”.

And since that Angolan challenge came in January 1976, and an enchanting Murtala Mohammed delivered Continued on page 29

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