SUNDAY 12TH JANUARY 2020

Tambuwal, Ishaku, Ortom Battle for PDP Govs’ Chair Winner likely major factor in 2023 presidential run Chuks Okocha in Abuja With the tenure of the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, ending soon, together with his chairmanship

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum, the battle to succeed him has begun to gain momentum. At least three governors from the North are gearing up to

contest the position, when it becomes vacant. The occupant is expected to be a critical factor in the next presidential election in 2023. The position of the PDP

Governors' Forum started with former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2014, when a crisis of succession erupted in the Nigeria Governors Forum

(NGF), with then Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State squaring up to each other. Chairmanship of the PDP

Governors Forum is rotated between the North and South. The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, Continued on page 5

Nigerian, Onoruoiza, among Victims of Crashed Ukrainian Airliner… Page 10 Sunday 12 January, 2020 Vol 24. No 9043

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THISDAY AWARDS 2020... now loading The decade since 2010 has been a decade of change and disruptions. Here are the categories ˾Company of The Decade ˾Brand of The Decade ˾Bank of The Decade

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Amotekun: FG to Make Position Known Soon, Says Malami NBA wants operation manual published as SANs back govs It’s a good move to protect their people, says IPOB Northern youths kick, insist it’s military wing of OPC Tobi Soniyi in Lagos, DavidChyddy Eleke in Awka and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Following controversies that have greeted the setting up of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’, the federal government said last night it was analysing the development and would make its position known soon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in a terse text message to THISDAY hinted at the fact that the federal government was yet to take a position on the matter. But the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) advised the South-west governors and other drivers of Amotekun to publish the operation manual of the security initiative, a move it said would clarify all grey areas about its constitutionality.

Nonetheless, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) declared their support for the security initiative by the Southwest governors, saying they have upheld the constitution of the country. The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) commended the Southwest governors for seizing the initiative to protect their people, unlike their South-east counterparts. On its part, the Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) faulted the creation of Amotekun in the South-west, claiming it is not different from the outlawed IPOB and can be described as the military wing of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). Sharing the concerns of the Northern youths, herdsmen and cattle rearers in the South-west also cautioned against deploying Amotekun Continued on page 11

UNITING FOR RIBADU... Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Vice President/PDP Presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku, at the wedding fatiha of Ribadu's son, Mahmud Nuhu Ribadu and wife Amina Aliyu Ismaila, in Abuja... yesterday

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FOR A BOUNTIFUL NEW YEAR... L-R: Founder of FCMB Group and Asiwaju Onigbagbo of Ijebuland, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun; his wife; Olori Abimbola Balogun; sister of Otunba Balogun, Mrs. Ronke Atere; a director of FCMB Group Plc, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ashiru and Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; during the New Year Prayer programme organised by Otunba Balogun in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, at the weekend

Amid DifďŹ culties, JAMB Suspends NIN for 2020 UTME, Direct Entry Registrations 1,000 centres inadequate for nationwide enrolment, says NIMC Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rescinded its decision to make possession of the National Identification Number (NIN) a registration requirement for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, announced the suspension of the earlier directive on NIN on Saturday in Abuja following public outcry over difficulties intending UTME applicants underwent in trying to enrol and obtain the NIN from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). Oloyede spoke at a news conference jointly addressed with the Director-General of NIMC, Mr Aliyu Aziz, as the NIMC director-general regretted the inadequacy of enrolment centres and irregularities observed in the process. The limited NIMC centres had been overwhelmed by an unprecedented number of Nigerians seeking enrolment in the last few weeks ahead of the UTME registration exercise. Apart from the chaotic situations at the enrolment

centres, there were allegations that NIMC personnel demanded bribes to facilitate enrolment. Oloyede explained that even though the national identification exercise was statutory, the use of NIN for UTME registration had to be suspended till next year. He said this was due to observable lapses and logistics challenges on the part of NIMC, which made it difficult for the commission to cope with the upsurge in the number of those wanting to enrol for NIN. The JAMB registrar said candidates should simply text their names to 55019 to commence registration for 2020 UTME, as it was done in the previous year. He said it was sad to announce the suspension in view of the fact the original intention was to eliminate examination fraud perpetrated through multiple registrations. He, however, warned candidates against multiple registrations and said the board was aware of a deliberate campaign against NIMC by “professional examination takers� – fraudsters – to discredit the enrolment exercise “because the commission was about to break the backbone of their corrupt practices�.

Oloyede said the collaboration with NIMC had enhanced the capacity of JAMB in identity management. He stressed that many persons were prosecuted last year and that JAMB was even more prepared now to expose identity fraud and multiple registrations by examination fraudsters. He explained, “You will recall that in compliance with statutory provisions, we commenced making NIN prerequisite for registration for 2020 UTME. This decision was based on law, on directive, but more importantly, is the fact that this is the right way to go. “All nations of the world go that way and we have no option because we cannot be an island on our own. It has been very productive but we got to a point yesterday (Friday), knowing fully well the registration for 2020 UTME and Direct Entry will start on Monday 13 January to 17 of February, which is five weeks to complete the registration process. “Everything in the education sector is programmed. UTME examination must be written before 4th of April, because WAEC starts the 6th of April

and immediately after WAEC, NABTEB and after NABTEB, NECO. “So, every minute counts in the education sector. When people are making a suggestion to us to shift the registration forward, they did not know what we know. On the basis of this, we came to a very sad position yesterday (Friday) that for 2020 we are not going to use NIN as a prerequisite for UTME registration. “We are, therefore, suspending this till the subsequent year, 2021, when all candidates would have been given what appears like a one year notice that they would have the opportunity to enrol for the NIN. “This does not affect our staff. All our staff, permanent and ad hoc, who are going to participate in this year’s exercise would be required to submit their NIN for verification.� Oloyede disclosed that about 11,000 officials, comprising permanent and ad hoc staff, would be participating in the 2020 UTME exercise. He commended NIMC for the enrolment exercise, noting, however, that after going around the country in the last

one week, it became obvious that the desire to use NIN for registration by candidates was not attainable. The director-general of NIMC, in his remarks, admitted that the commission lacked the capacity to cope with the upsurge in enrolment in the last few weeks, saying NIMC has only 1,000 centres nationwide while over 4,000 enrolment centres are required for the exercise. He corroborated Oloyede’s position that the purpose of the collaboration was to eliminate fraud and examination malpractices related to identity. Aziz emphasised that it was the role of the government to provide proof of legal identity in the form of unique digital identity for citizens to give them access to services, rights and protection. Aziz said, “The upsurge and demand for NIN within the limited centres and facilities have caused us to review and rethink, for us to consider a shift in the commencement date for the use of NIN as a prerequisite for JAMB examination registration. “This is to give more time to intending applicants to obtain NIN, roll out more

registration centres and equipment nationwide under the digital identity Ecosystem and provide identity authentication and verification services anytime anywhere.� He added, “Though, we have about two million JAMB registers when they come to our centres, they come with their parents and siblings to say that let’s do this thing once. We calculated and it results to like 10 million people coming to our centres within a short period of time. “We have only 1,000 centres and based on the standard, we are supposed to have at least 4,000 centres. In the coming year, with the Ecosystem in place, we believe that we will have more than 10,000 centres across the country to eliminate all the rush.� The NIMC director-general noted that from JAMB data, over 15 per cent of applicants was in Lagos while each of the other states had less than five per cent. He said the crowd in Lagos was about four times the number in the other states. Aziz appealed to the public to register to obtain the NIN within the timeline to avoid the effect of any future enforcement drive.

chair, but the party always has interest because of the enormous powers the forum usually enjoys." On the other hand, Ortom is not being taken seriously. He is a newcomer, who just defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC). Although he was National Auditor of PDP from where he was appointed minister during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, before ending up as governor, the odds are not in his favour. According to the source, "Ortom's consideration in the race is basically because he is a second term governor from the North-central and the only PDP governor from the zone." Ishaku, on his part, is

one of the second term governors of the PDP from the North-east and also a former minister during the administration of Jonathan. The source considered his aspiration critical, as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is from the zone. But it is not clear if Atiku is nursing a presidential ambition ahead of 2023 or whether he would support Ishaku. However, many believe it might not be in Atiku’s interest for Tambuwal to emerge the next chairman of PDP governors’ forum. "It is obvious both Atiku and Tambuwal still have their eyes on the presidential job," the source explained, adding, "Whoever becomes the next chairman of the PDP governors is entirely the

prerogative of the governors. “But don't rule out intervention from some politicians." On the role of the South-east governors, the source said, "They are qualified especially, the second term governors, but the rotation of the office of the chairmanship of the forum between the North and the South basically rules them out. "The first term governors were ruled out of contention because they are, though equal, it was resolved during the tenure of former Governor Dankwambo that out of respect for seniority, first term governors should not contest. That was why former Governor Fayose handed over to the Gombe State governor."

TAMBUWAL, ISHAKU, ORTOM BATTLE FOR PDP GOVS' CHAIR had handed over to his colleague from Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, who at the expiration of his tenure handed over to the current chair, Dickson. However, as Dickson is billed to bow out this February, the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Orton, and the Taraba State governor, Darius Ishiaku, are said to be lobbying intensely to become the next chairman of the PDP governors. Their aspiration is already generating tension, which is quite understandable, because the next chairman of the forum would either be a major factor in the 2023 presidential run or in serious consideration as the party’s standard-bearer. It

is widely believed that there is a subtle understanding among key actors in the two leading political parties that the next president of the country would be chosen from former governors. According to a source, which pleaded anonymity, the PDP Governors Forum chairman is seriously in contention, as the governors are believed to control the delegates and are also the major financiers of the party. There are 15 governors currently elected on the platform of the party, The forum, as a powerful bloc, is a formidable force in the party, especially for the second term governors, who still nurse future political ambitions. Wherever the governors throw their weight

is almost always where the majority of the people head. Tambuwal is the deputy chairman of NGF, the main umbrella body of the 36 governors in Nigeria. The source told THISDAY regarding Tambuwal, "If he becomes the next chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, coupled with the fact that he was Speaker of the House of Representatives for four years, then, he would be unstoppable in his presidential quest in 2023. "This is why his alleged resolve to become the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum is causing some ripples among his colleagues. He is also going about his ambition discretely. PDP as a political party cannot intervene in who becomes the

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SUNDAY COMMENT

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

ISSUES I N ZONAL SECURITY OUTFITS The establishment of zonal security outfits bodes ill for national cohesion

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hile we are still grappling with the widespread involvement of the military in internal security duties across the country, a new anomaly has taken route. Geo-political collectives of states have embarked on the establishment of security outfits. While the idea may have started in the southern part of the country, it is spreading to the north in what appears a vote of no confidence in the current security architecture and may have disfigured the current structure. On Thursday in Ibadan, states in the South west launched a regional internal security outfit named ‘Amatekun’. The immediate impulse that informed the birth of this While the geooutfit was the political blocs insist spate of killings, that their internal kidnappings, robberies and security outfits brigandage waged are established in the states in to complement question, by the efforts of the sundry cartels of formal security roving criminals. structures of the These unrelenting assaults had awakened police and military, the collective consciousthe inconvenient ness of the people of truth is that these the region to a primorformations are a dial sense of group mere restatement self-preservation. In the that the existing South east, individual federal agencies have states have since floated their own internal failed in their duty security outfits ranging to protect lives and hastily assembled livelihoods in Nigeria from vigilantes to structured organs empowered by state legislations. Abia, for instance, has created a ministry of homeland security purely for the purpose of protecting the state from ‘external’ security breaches and threats. The ministry has since commenced the recruitment of cadres and officers. On Thursday, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State and the chairman of Northwest Governors’ Forum said the regional security initiatives appeal to him. “We have a lot to learn from them (the South west). I will call a meeting of the states affected by insecurity to see what they

Letters to the Editor

are doing and how we can borrow from them,” said Masari who expressed regret that “criminality has now come to the cities and towns from the forests; the criminals in the cities now invite the bandits from the forest to kidnap for ransom.”

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S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

hile the geo-political blocs insist that their internal security outfits are established to complement the efforts of the formal security structures of the police and military, the inconvenient truth is that these formations are a mere restatement that the existing federal agencies have failed in their duty to protect lives and livelihoods in Nigeria. Of grave concern is the perception that the federal security agencies have acted in ways that suggest lack of neutrality and commitment. It is disturbing that 50 years after the civil war ended, our national political order has reverted to the pre-1966 atmosphere of geo-ethnic solidarity at the expense of a sense of pan Nigerian unity. This is sad. However, the new trend also underlines the limitation of federally controlled police in securing a large and complex national space. The long-standing clamour for state police is finding indirect expression in the outbreak and grassroots popularity of these zonal security formations. The risk we run with the entrenchment of the new zonal security outfits is first that they do not have constitutional legitimacy and are therefore bound to come into operational conflict with both the police and military. There is of course the perennial risk that these outfits could easily be pressed into the political service of governors and influential politicians. We already have an unhealthy situation in which the official federal security structure is often compromised at election time in favour of the incumbent power holders with the net effect of degrading the prospects of genuine democracy. Perhaps the most dangerous meaning of the rise of zonal security is the possibility of a loosening national cohesion. Once citizens begin to feel more secure in their geo-ethnic localities, the much needed national unity will begin to wear down. And once the national defence and security apparatus also begin to command less trust and confidence than the local formations, the risk that political loyalties will balkanise is quite high. Whatever may therefore be the justifications for these outfits, we should not allow our temporary internal security challenges to so overwhelm us that we encourage Nigerians to scuttle back into the embrace of primordial ancient tribal loyalties. That would be a regrettable legacy for President Muhammadu Buhari to bequeath.

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

Dangers of Withdrawing The Military From States

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here is a general book of law that the military personnel the world over hold sacred in their hearts, “The Forty Eight Laws of Power,” written by Robert Greene. The President too, a retired military general, I must confess, had at one time or the other used the book, because it contains all the tactics and strategies to win and conquer the enemy. The book examines the various laws one can follow to succeed in their struggle to success, conquering and defeating the enemy in various situations and encounters. Law 15 of the book says, “Crush your enemy totally,” and in passing a judgment the author states that “All

great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely... If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smoulders, a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: the enemy will recover and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.” I was among those Nigerians placed in fear and tension as to what will happen to us the ordinary citizens of this country who had been victims of insecurity after the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Obok-Ete Ibas, announced the plan of withdrawing the military from some areas in the

country and which will begin from the first quarter of this year. There is no denying the fact that the Nigerian military had recorded tremendous success in the fight against Boko Haram. According to the Daily Trust of 5thJanuary 2020, “Even though some people criticized the many military operations as an incipient military takeover of the country, there is no doubt that they have brought calm to many once volatile areas.” The paper highlighted some states with tremendous improvement like Zamfara, regarded as a “killing field” in the North West, Katsina, Plateau and some areas in the North Central. “There is also no doubt that “security situation in southern Kaduna has

improved noticeably.” I travelled from Kaduna to Abuja recently with no fear of any surprise attack from kidnappers along the road or any possible attack from bandits. With all the successes recorded in the fight against Boko Haram, kidnappers, bandits and the farmers/herders clashes, there is need to exercise caution especially in the fight against Boko Haram. According to the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong who spoke via his director of press and public affairs, Dr Makut Macham, “I think we should do that in a gradual process and with great caution for volatile areas, especially now that we are beginning to build confidence and encourage the return of internally displaced persons to their original homes.”

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr. Samson Ayokunle kicked against the idea outright. According to him, “the embarrassment these terrorists may cause the government if they go ahead to withdraw troops may be too much. A word is enough for the wise”. A word is not just enough for the wise, it will be much to bear if we fail to listen. Truth is that the kidnappers, bandits and the dreaded Boko Haram are still all over the place, especially in the north, while we are still facing the challenges of oil bunkering and pipeline vandals in another part of the country. And these are unleashing mayhem on the ordinary citizens. ––Abbas Abubakar Umar Jabi, Abuja.

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Acting News Editor ĂŒĂ™ĂŁĂ?Ă‘Ă‹ Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă—Ă“ E-mail: Ă‘ĂŒĂ™ĂŁĂ?Ă‘Ă‹Ë›Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă—Ă“ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ă™Ă—ËœÍ¸Î€Í¸Î€ÍšÎ Î€ÍžÍ˝Î Í¸ Ě™Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁĚš

Masari: Bandits Attacking Katsina from Niger, Zamfara ‡Fingers unrepentant bandits in renewed attacks

Francis Sardauna in Katsina Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari yesterday alleged that 90 percent of bandits behind attacks on communities in five local government areas (LGAs) in the state “are from Niger Republic and Zamfara State.� Masari, Speaker of House of Representatives between

2003 and 2007, alleged that some notorious bandits, who refused to accept peace accord and rice smugglers, were behind the renewed armed attacks in the five LGAs. He disclosed this at a session with journalists at the Government House, Katsina, alleging that Dangote and Dankarami were among those who refused

the rapprochement between government and other bandits in the state. Masari had granted amnesty to bandits after a tour of Fulani settlements and strong enclaves of the bandits in Rugu Forest on September 4- 9, 2019 during which the renowned bandits and forest commanders denounced banditry and accepted peace.

The initiative was brokered alongside other governors in North-west after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu convened a peace summit in Katsina, leading discussion with some bandits from the affected states namely; Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna and Zamfara States. But renewed attacks on vil-

ROMOTING GREEN ESTATE ... L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Hon Moruf Akinderu-Fatai; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Lagos State, Mr. Adedamola Akewusola and Director, Echostone Development Nigeria, Mr. Sammy Adigun at the inspection of the state’s first green and eco-friendly housing estate in Idale, Badagry‌ Friday

lages in the local governments, had forced residents particularly businessmen and herders to flee their ancestral homes to the affected local governments headquarters and state capital for safety. At the session Friday night, Masari said the state government in collaboration with security operatives in the state would use technology to unmask the unrepentant bandits from their hideouts and restore public order in Katsina and North-west. He said: “When we started the peace process, gang leaders like Dankarami and to some extent Dangote did not agreed. They never attended any meeting with us. “Sometimes, Dankarami and Dangote would send their representatives, who would go and tell them what happened. But we never heard any commitments from them that they are part of the peace deal,� he said. He, also, pointed out that about 90 per cent of the notorious bandits, who refused to embrace peace accord, live in Zamfara State not in Katsina State. He disclosed that one of their gang leaders, Dangote “resides in Katsina. We know where his camp is, and we have sent a word to him. “So, for those who accepted peace deal from Sabuwa to Jibia, they are living up to the agreement we had with them.

We have responsibility to secure our people. We are not afraid; neither are we shying away from our responsibility, no way.� Masari, however, said the peace agreement he reached with bandits was still on course despite the resurgence of banditry and other nefarious activities in five LGAs – Jibia, Batsari, Dutsin-Ma, Kafur and Malumfashi. He said: “Let me say it for the avoidance of doubt. The peace accord has not collapsed. Whatever the imagination of some people may be orm whatever their conclusion may be, the peace process is on course and achieving positive results as far as we are concerned. “So, the idea of breaking down is not correct. It is false. It is alarmist. They want to once again put Katsina State on the map of insecurity. It is on unfortunate.� He explained what happened in Jibia LGA, attributing to the activities of those smuggling rice and other commodities from Niger Republic to Nigeria. He said the smugglers often invited bandits to come and clear the road for them. Masari said these “are the bandits, who are now invading their homes in Jibia with the active connivance of the people living in Jibia. I am going to deal with this issue. We know them and we know who is doing what.�

Trader Dies After Fire Razes Shops in Anambra Spare Parts Market At least one person has been confirmed dead, following Saturday’s fire that gutted the Mgbuka Obosi Spare Parts Market in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. However, it was learnt that the deceased, who was the chairman of Zone 11 in the market, and was identified as G.O.D, did not die in the inferno. He was said to have slumped in the market “after seeing that his five shops were completely destroyed by the fire.� He was reportedly rushed to a private hospital in the area but

was said to have died later. It was gathered that the fire, which destroyed goods valued at millions of naira, started around 1.30 am. Edwin Okadigbo, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra command, confirmed the incident. Mr Okadigbo, an Assistant Superintendent, said nobody died in the fire because it occurred in the night, when traders had all retired to their homes. He said, “No life was lost in the fire, but the chairman of Zone

11, one Mr G.O.D, slumped after seeing his five shops razed down by the fire. “He was rushed to the hospital but later gave up the ghost.� He said the fire destroyed so many shops and goods because of the highly inflammable nature of the goods sold in the market. The NSCDC spokesperson said that the fire was put out by men of the Anambra State Fire Service, assisted by operatives of other sister-security agencies. He said that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but suspected it could either come from an electrical

Lagos to Unveil First Green, Eco-Friendly Housing Estate Segun James The Lagos State Government has disclosed plan to unveil its first green and eco-friendly estate before the end of the first quarter, saying the scheme was designed to ensure sustainability of the environment. The Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai disclosed the plan after inspecting the Peridot Parkland Estate at Idale, Badagry alongside the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Adedamola Akewusola. According to the commissioner, the first phase of the estate, which comprises 252 two bedroom bungalows, is sited at Idale along Topo-Badagry road, Badagry. He explained that the hous-

ing scheme was built through a joint venture arrangement with Echostone Nigeria and designed to utilise less energy for cooling and heating, thereby ensuring sustainability of the environment. Apart from the benefits accruing to the environment through optimisation of energy consumption, the commissioner said the project “also showcases an innovative technology, which speeds up housing delivery. “The project utilises lesser energy and generates minimal waste from site activities. The green estate comes with a garden and 2 trees each for every house. “The estate has reached 90 percent completion within less than a year of commencement and will soon be delivered to the public before the end of the first

quarter of 2020,� Akinderu-Fatai said. He pointed out that the collaboration with Echostone had shown clearly that the state government would speedily meet up with its target in housing delivery thereby increasing the housing stock in the state. He said the innovative technology and eco- friendly designs used at Idale soon be deployed towards construction of multilevel structures in the urban part of the state to speedily reduce the challenges of housing deficit in those areas. Expressing satisfaction with the quality of houses built at Idale, Akewusola said more housing schemes to be initiated by the state would benefit from the technology introduced by the organisation.

fault or a wildfire from the neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the state Commandant of the corps, David Bille, has expressed his condolences to the leadership of the market and traders, who lost their goods and other valuables, as well as the bereaved family. According to reports, not less than four hundred shops were destroyed by the fire. Many of the affected shop owners lamented their losses and questioned the competence of the market security guards. They noted that the guards should have taken proactive measures that

would have cut down the extent of damage in the market. Although the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, the chairman of the market, Mr Samuel Ezeobodo, gave the report he got from the market security officials after 12 midnight. According to him, a leaking gas cylinder inside one of the affected shops might have been the cause of the fire from where it spread to other shops. Ezeobodo confimred the death of one of the market leaders, Mr Edozieuno, who died of shock upon hearing that his shop was

one of those affected. The damage is massive and some of the affected traders bemoaned their fate, saying they have been rendered helpless. Recently, about seven persons died in a tanker fire accident that occurred near the Anambra State Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, near Awka, the state capital. The security post of the Governor’s lodge was torched. Scores of persons sustained varying degrees of injury in the accident while several cars, houses and shops were also gutted by the fire.

Bauchi Uncovers 596 Dead Civil Servants on Payroll Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State Government has found 596 dead civil servants n the state’s payroll, still receiving salaries and allowances from the state. The Chairman of the State Verification Committee, Senator Adamu Gumba made the disclosure at a session with journalists in Bauchi yesterday, noting that 4,578 people did not present themselves for verification during the assignment, which took about three months. The state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed had constituted the verification committee to verify the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of civil servants in the state, who were suspected to be ghost workers. After completing its assignment, the chairman of the committee disclosed that

the state had a total of 24,736 civil servants in its employment including local government workers as well as pensioners. He added that the committee had verified and cleared 24,736 civil servants across the state, though claimed that 596 dead persons were found on the payroll and 4,578 refused to present themselves for verification. Gumba said the implementation committee might verify those who refused to appear before the committee, though claimed that they “are suspects and everything must be done to identify them. “If the entire 130,000 workers in the state and local governments as well as pensioners will be verified, ghost workers will be discovered Because if we can uncover ghost workers from the 30,226 verified, how much

more will be discovered if the entire number were verified?� He said that all those verified and cleared by the committee but have not received their three months salaries and allowances would now be paid without delay. He declared that already the governor had approved the immediate payment of the arrears of the salaries. Gumba said whatever amount saved from the exercise would be used to improve the welfare of the state civil service for optimum service delivery. He added that in no distant future, embargo placed on recruitment of new staff would be lifted to allow the recruitment of professionals to replace those who have retired because according to him, “most MDAs are lacking professionals in service�

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NEWS Nigerian, Onoruoiza, among Victims of Crashed Ukrainian Airliner Chinedu Eze A Nigerian, Dauda Onoruoiza, has been confirmed to be among the 176 passengers and crew that were killed on Wednesday when a missile from the Iranian forces hit Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 departing for Kiev. The missile destroyed the Boeing 737-800 aircraft few minutes after taking off from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International

Airport. THISDAY learnt that Onoruoiza until his death worked with Boeing on a three-month training in Ukraine and was attached to the Boeing 737-800 to fly with and study the mechanical noise of the aircraft and report back to the company because the said plane was scheduled for maintenance on Monday, January 13, 2020 in Ukraine. Iran admitted Saturday

I Will Not Impose Anybody On Rivers in 2023, Says Wike Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike yesterday declared that he would not impose any governor on Rivers people at the expiration of his second term in 2023. He made the promise at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday during a solidarity visit by the Orashi Region of Rivers State, saying power can never be extended as a gift to any group. He said: “For the position of governor, come out and contest if you have the capacity. Nobody zoned governorship to me, I struggled for it. “I will not impose anybody on Rivers people as governor in 2023. I will not do it. I do not even have that power, not to talk of giving it out. You cannot give what you don’t have. “To be governor of Rivers State, you must have the capacity to deliver,� the Rivers governor said. He warned against the politics of bitterness, which he said, had denied several Rivers communities access to development projects. He said: “Don’t allow anyone to sow seeds of discords among you. Politics should not divide us. Politics of bitterness does not make sense. All of us must not be in one political party. But you must support yourselves to attract projects to your area.� Wike, therefore, urged the people of Orashi to remain

steadfast in their march towards development while advising them not to be intimidated as they seek development. The governor called on Orashi people to form a united front as they work for their people. He said: “We must be able to work as a people. We will not abandon any projects awarded by the State Government. You must work as a team to achieve results.� He called on communities to take steps to protect ongoing government projects. He particularly decried the invasion of Western Ahoada County Grammar School, the Zonal Hospital Ahoada and Government Secondary School, Okeke by the people of the area. Wike thanked the people of Orashi for their support, saying that their early support gave him the leverage to win his election. Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Chibodum Nwuche thanked the governor for siting key projects in Ekpeye land. He described Wike as a beacon of hope, who plays politics of Inclusiveness. He said: “We thank Wike for the projects in Ekpeye land. He has been a beacon of hope and has shown inclusiveness. He is a man with a large heart and he is very accommodating.� Nwuche commended Wike for the key bridges and roads that have opened up Port Harcourt City.

House Condemns Armed Attack on Air Force Troops Adedayo Akinwale Ă­n Abuja The House of Representatives has condemned the recent attack on troops of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) detachment in Birnin Gwari, by armed bandits at Ungwan Yako along Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road. This was contained in a statement the Chairman, House Committee on Air Force, Hon. Shehu Mohammad issued yesterday, saying the attack was targeted at innocent citizens in the community, but was averted by the personnel of the Air Force He stated: “Members of the committee want to use this medium to condemn the attack of troops of the Air Force personnel and also commiserate with the force, the family of the fallen hero who died

at the battle field. He said: “This is sad news for us and to Nigeria as a whole as we look forward to quick recovery for personnel who sustained several degree of injury.� The chairman assured NAF that the committee under his leadership would provide parliamentary support to see that the force and other sister agencies are properly funded to enable them discharge their duties. He said: “I also want to urge members of the force to see their commitment as a duty to their fatherland and redouble effort in the fight terrorism. “Let me on behalf of the committee commiserate especially with the family of the fallen hero and all officers, airmen and women as well as civilian staff of the NAF.�

that it mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, blaming human error and “US adventurism�. In a statement, the Iranian armed forces said it targeted the passenger plane unintentionally. It attributed the crash to radar activity and fear of US action. “The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake. My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families,� Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said. Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 crashed Wednesday after takeoff from Tehran’s airport. The crash came hours after Iran fired missiles at Iraqi military bases

housing US troops in retaliation for a drone strike at Baghdad airport that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. After the missile operation in Iraq, US military flights around Iranian borders increased and Iranian military officials reported seeing aerial targets coming toward strategic centres, according to a statement by Iranian armed forces headquarters. Reports indicate that the aircraft came close to a sensitive IRGC military centre at an altitude and flight condition that resembled hostile targeting. Under these circumstances,

Onoruoiza

the aircraft was unintentionally hit, which unfortunately resulted in death of the many Iranian and foreign nationals,� the statement read.

The victims include 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals.

CALL TO DUTY . . . L-R: Head of Service, Amope Chokor; Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Kunle Oluomo; Husband of the Deputy Governor, Bode Oyedele; Deputy Governor, Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Chief Judge of the state, Mosunmola Dipeolu; Secretay to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi; and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Shuaib Salisu with the newly sworn in Commissioners and Special Advisers in Abeokuta ... Friday

NCDMB: Nigeria Lacks Capacity Ganduje: We’re Sending Almajarais to Boarding Schools to Ravamp Oil Industry Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje yesterday revealed that his administration had concluded plan to send all Almajarais to different boarding schools, where they would be provided uniforms and instructional materials. Ganduje, also, disclosed that the state government had taken the statistics of Almajarai, children in conventional schools, children on Qu’ranic schools and out-of-school children across the state. He said this at the premises of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano while distributing instructional materials to basic education schools to deepen his free and compulsory basic education policy. During the distribution, Ganduje said: “We have taken statistics of the number of out-of-school children in the state. We have taken statistics of our children in conventional schools. We have taken statistics of our children on Qu’ranic schools. “We have also taken statistics of our children who are not attending school at all. We have also taken the data of Almajarai in the state. We have concluded plans to send

them to boarding schools where they will be provided with uniforms and other learning materials.� Ganduje added that his administration would continue to sustain the free education policy, saying in Kano, free, compulsory basic and secondary education policy had become a reality. He pointed out that his education policy “is based on our conviction that education is a must and very necessary to the development of Kano State.� With the training and re-training of primary school teachers, Ganduje added that Kano “now boasts of 98 per cent of qualified teachers in the primary schools.� Ganduje said: “We have introduced school feeding programme. We have put measures in place to ensure that the school feeding programme does not fail at all. We are providing furniture to our schools. “We have embarked on furnishing our schools across the 44 Local Government Areas. We have commenced distribution of millions of text books, pencils, rulers, sharpeners, attendance registers, admission registers, and so many other instructional materials.

The Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) yesterday said that Nigeria lacked the technical skill required to revamp oil and gas industry. This, it said informed its decision to train 1,000 teachers annually to bridge the gap. The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote expressed the concern at a training for 270 teachers in Katsina State, saying the training would help students perform better in areas of technical skills and craftsmanship. The benefidiaries were trained in Mathematics, English Language, Basic Science and Basic Technology, among others, which the executive secretary said, was aimed at promoting science education and boosting craftsmanship. Wabote, represented by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics of the board, Mr. Patrick Obah, said with the training, the students would be able to compete with their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Wabote said NCDMB had placed high premium on capacity development, particularly on the teaching of science technology, engineering and mathematics across secondary and tertiary institutions in the country. He said: “Our target is to train a minimum of 1,000 science teach-

ers each year and to upgrade and equip technical schools to provide infrastructure required for the acquisition of technical, digitalization and essential skills. “In this regard, the board has started the upgrade and equipping of some existing technical and vocational schools, provision of modular science laboratories, modern teaching aids and the improvement of science infrastructure in some tertiary institutions.� He said the board “needs technical administrators and personnel with relevant skills to revamp the oil and gas industry. The training will ensure that students in the state are in the forefront of acquiring essential skills in Nigeria.� In his remarks, the Katsina State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Badamasi Charanchi, said state government partnership with the NCDMB to train the teachers, would change the narrative as it were. He commended the state governor, Mr. Aminu Masari for repositioning the education sector, saying that it is yet another proof that the Restoration Government is leaving no stone unturned in the education sector.

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NEWS

APC had Candidates in Bayelsa Guber Poll, Court of Appeal Rules Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt on ysterday declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had a candidate in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State, contrary to the judgement of the Federal High Court, which declared that the APC had no candidate in the poll. The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa had on November 14, 2019 declared that APC had no candidate in the election. It was ruling on a suit filed by an APC governorship aspirant,

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, challenging the outcome of the party's governorship primaries in the state, The Bayelsa State Governorelect, Chief David Lyon, the APC, and Lokpobiri had filed three appeals before the Court of Appeal, against the judgement of the Federal High Court. Delivering judgement on Lyon's appeal yesterday at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, the Presiding Justice, Hon. Justice Isaiah Olufemi Akeju, ruled that the suit before the Federal High Court, which was filed on October 18, 2019, was status barred, considering the fact that election matters are time

bound. Akeju said: "Election matters, unlike civil matters, are time bound. First respondent’s action, which was filed on October 18, is status barred and stands struck out. The Federal High Court judgement stands on nothing. The appeal subsists. You cannot put something on nothing." Delivering judgement on APC's appeal against the Federal High Court judgement, Hon. Justice Cordelia Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo, declared that the suit was determined without due process and therefore could not stand. Jombo-Ofo said: "The action instituted at the lower court

was determined without due process. The judgement of the lower Court cannot stand." She, however, declared that the undertaking written by Lokpobiri and other governorship aspirants not to challenge the outcome of the primaries cannot stand, as the constitution of a political party, association or group, cannot be superior to the country's constitution. Jombo-Ofo said, "The lower court was right when it said the undertaking cannot prevent the respondent from exercising his right by seeking redress in court. "The two appeals emanated from the suit in Federal High Court and we have stated that

the suit was status barred. The lower court stood on a quick stand by entertaining a matter that was filed out of time. We hereby strike out the High Court suit and judgement. The appeal is hereby allowed." On his part, Hon. Justice Abubakar Muazu Lamido, while delivering judgement on Lokpobiri's appeal, declared that the reliefs granted by the Federal High Court to Lokpobiri were not sought for. Speaking to newsmen later, counsel to Lokpobiri, Fitzgerald Olorogun, said they would challenge the decision of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court. Olonu said, "What happened was that the court said the

action was filed outside the time prescribed by the constitution. Therefore, the court refused to entertain it. "All of us agreed that the lower court made errors when it nullified the entire primaries. The matters are serious matters and we will approach the Supreme Court." Addressing journalists also, counsel to the APC, Sydney Ibanichuka, expressed joy that the Court of Appeal in its wisdom addressed all issues raised by the appellants. Ibanichuka said: "The Court of Appeal has in its wisdom addressed issues raised by appellants in this matter. The matter at the lower court was accordingly struck out."

vital step to protect the region. The 1999 Constitution backs them on this and the new outfit can be seen in the form of community policing," he said. Also, making further clarifications on Amotekun, one of the stakeholders who didn’t want his name in print, told THISDAY that the idea of regional security came up when the Inspector-general of Police visited the South-west over the state of insecurity in the region last year. According to him, “The IG was part of it, when this idea was raised in the meeting he had with South-west leaders and governors. When misinformation about the whole idea started trending, the IG called to ask what it was all about and we told him it was the security idea we discussed with him when he visited South-west. “Amotekun is going to be led by the Police. There will be no OPC involvement. It is a regional security force to be controlled by the police with support from the military, if need be. Nobody will subscribe to what Gani Adams is saying about the OPC involvement. OPC was never part of it.� IPOB commended the South-west governors, elders, stakeholders and politicians for their doggedness and courage to protect their people and region, which culminated in the inauguration of Amotekun. IPOB, in a press release by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, praised the governors over the new security initiative launch, saying the outfit would protect the people of the region from Fulani herdsmen’s attack and other terrorist organisations. The group stated, "We praise South-west governors, elders, stakeholders and politicians for their doggedness and courage to protect their people and their region from the evil hands of Fulani terrorists herdsmen and Nigeria government jihadi soldiers. "The Yoruba decision and effort to launch Operation Amotekun security outfit, just like our leader (Nnamdi Kanu) launched BSS in 2017, is most commendable. What we find horribly appalling, however, is that those who were at the forefront of misrepresenting and condemning our leader for having the vision and foresightedness to challenge Fulani terrorism in Nigeria

are today praise singing the introduction of Amotekun. "This is not the first time in recent weeks that our leader's position and approach has been vindicated by events and utterances from other ethnic groups within Nigeria. The inescapable truth remains that Bishop Kukah's commendable utterances about the Jihadi intent of the present regime in Nigeria and formation of a Yoruba vigilante by OPC are all lines of reasoning and event consistently canvassed and championed by IPOB in the past." IPOB, however, blasted Southeast governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo for commending their South-west counterparts over the security outfit, when they joined in ensuring the proscription of IPOB. "Even the shamelessly treacherous Ohaneze Ndigbo and South-east Governors Forum that actively connived with their Fulani masters to launch a deadly military invasion of Biafraland on the back of the launch of BSS are today openly praising Yoruba leaders for backing OPC's Amotekun project, when they themselves heartlessly sold out IPOB for a pot of porridge," the group said. But the Northern youths council, in a statement, faulted the move and described Amotekun as the “military wing� of the OPC. “Amotekun group in the South-west is OPC military wing in disguise and in the same league with the proscribed IPOB. The President must not allow this unconstitutionality to prevail,� the body said. The group added, “The South-west governors must desist from backing nefarious groups such as this one. Amotekun is a threat to peace and national security and an attempt to jeopardise Nigeria’s sovereignty. Amotekun is no different from Boko Haram and IPOB in their formative stages. “Nigeria Police, DSS and Army shouldn’t take this lightly with the governors of the Southwest. The National Security Adviser should promptly take steps that will avert the looming threat to our national security that is about to be threatened by the South-west governors, OPC and others.� The Fulani in South-west, under the umbrella of Jamu Nati Fulbe Association, said

while the Amotekun initiative was a welcome development, it should not be targeted at their people in the region. President of the association, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salihu, who is also the Serikin Fulani of Oyo State, prayed that Amotekun should not be a platform to persecute Fulani herdsmen in the region, saying Amotekun should operate professionally to fight crimes justly and fairly without making the herders the sole target. he said, “Yes, there are criminals everywhere and you cannot say all the Fulani herders are criminals. This is an initiative, which if well managed, would help in the security of the region. We are not against any initiative aimed at protecting the lives and property of residents and settlers in the South-west. We support it but, like I said, a particular ethnic group should not be the target of this.� He said the Fulani in the region were unaware of the operational modalities of the security outfit, as they were not carried along despite being an integral community in the region. “I am convinced that if the officers of Amotekun do their job the way it should be done, the security of the region would improve. Since the initiative was launched, we have had our misgivings and doubts about the sincerity of the whole project. Our fear is that, are we not going to suffer persecution unjustly in the hands of Amotekun officers,� he asked. The six Southwest governors, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, in the presence of prominent Yoruba traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Prof. Banji Akintoye, on Thursday launched the regional security outfit in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital The governors in their separate remarks at the launching expressed their commitment to the unity of the country, saying the region strongly believed in the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its indissoluble sovereignty. They also assured that they would not do anything to go against the constitution.

AMOTEKUN: FG TO MAKE POSITION KNOWN SOON, SAYS MALAMI as a tool for persecuting the Fulani people in the region, saying while the initiative is a welcomed development, it should not be targeted at the Fulani in the region. Malami, asked his views on the launch of the security initiative, stated in the text message to THISDAY, “It is about analysing the scope of the functions of Amotekun within the constitutional spirit of exclusive legislative list or otherwise.� Asked further if the federal government was going to make its position known soon on the development and, perhaps, clarify the grey areas, his response was short and straight to the point: “Yes, please!� But the President of NBA, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), said it was important to understand the modus operandi of the security outfit to decide whether it was constitutional. Usoro said the constitutionality of the group would be determined by how it works. "Are they going to bear arms like the Nigeria Police? Are they a parallel police? Or are they simply like local vigilantes. What are their powers? Do they have power of arrest?" these were Usoro’s concerns. He was quick to add that the issue of power of arrest was not a big deal, because any individual could arrest an offender and hand him or her to security agents. According to him, "It would be nice to know, how are they going to work. What is their modus operandi? How are they going to complement existing law enforcement agencies, because there also has to be collaboration between them and the security outfit? It is when one knows all these that one can talk about whether there is an infraction of the constitution.� Usoro said if the new security initiative was to tackle armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry, the issue of whether they would be allowed to carry arms had to be addressed. "Currently, those people who are permitted to carry arms are the regular security outfits or officials that we know. Otherwise they would require a licence to carry arms. How are they going to tackle robbery, banditry and kidnapping? Those are the issues one needs to look at." Usoro also said there should be a document spelling out the powers of the security outfit

and that such document should contain the framework under which the organisation would work. He said, "It is when you have such a framework, and not by words of mouth, that you will know what their powers are," noting that the organisation's framework should be published to enable the public determine whether their power is consistent with the provisions of the constitution. “Very importantly, one must state here that the insecurity in the land is creating the need for the establishment of groups like this. I think it puts pressure on the federal government to scale up its effort to ensure security across the country,� Usoro said. A foremost Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Malam Yusuf Alli, said there was nothing wrong with the decision of the Southwest governor to establish Amotekun, because according to him, what the constitution forbids is establishment of a private army. Alli said regarding the security outfit, "They are not setting up a police force or an army. They are not setting up either the police or any of the armed forces the – army, navy or air force. What the constitution prohibits is private army. "It is a matter of addressing the kind of security challenge the country faces. From what I have read about Amotekun, it is going to be constituted by security men, uniformed security men, both police and soldiers and others. “Besides, our society has come to terms with the establishment of vigilante groups. They can be found in every nook and cranny of Nigeria. Nobody has ever said that vigilante is a replication of either the police or the military." Another SAN, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, came down hard on critics of Amotekun and accused them of playing the ostrich. Akintola, in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, said rather than condemn the South-west governors for the initiative, they should be commended for upholding the constitution of the land that they sworn to. He said the primary duty of any president or governor as enshrined in the Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, was the protection of lives and property, stating that what the South-west

governors did with the launch of Operation Amotekun is to further enhance the security of the region. Akintola said the governors, by the initiative, were concerned with reducing the spate of kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery in their states. He maintained that Operation Amotekun was in line with the constitution and more or less not different from Sharia Police and Hisbah in the North-west states of Kano, Sokoto and Jigawa. He said with the locals as the main elements of Operation Amotekun, they would be familiar with their terrain and be able to fish out the criminals in the community, insisting that this would go a long way in reducing crime in the region. The senior lawyer added that most of the governors had continued to commit huge fund to the Nigeria Police through buying of vehicles and other needs, insisting that it would now be out of place to accuse the South-west governors of planning to have state police through the back door by launching the regional security outfit. He stated, "The launching of the regional security outfit, Operation Amotekun, by the South-west governors is in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Primarily, Section 4 provides that the duty of the President or governor is the protection of life and property, which the governors have done with the initiative. "For those playing the ostrich with the security outfit, they are just being mischievous as Operation Amotekun is certainly not different from Hisbah and Sharia Police in the North-west such as Kano State, Jigawa State and Sokoto State. So, rather than accuse the governors of flouting the constitution with the launching of Operation Amotekun, they should be lauded for doing the needful in the interest of the people of the South-west region." Corroborating Akintola’s views, Mr. Olu Daramola, also a SAN, said with the launch of Operation Amotekun, the governors had only exercised part of the power given them by the 1999 Constitution. He said it was a step in the right direction. "It is a right step. I commend the governors of the South-west for coming together to take this

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NEWS XTRA S’West Must Be United to Clinch Presidency in 2023, Says APC Chief ‡ Says no misunderstanding between Akeredolu, deputy Gboyega Akinsanmi

The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor. Bankole Oluwajana has said all political leaders in the South-west should be united if presidency must return to the geo-political zone in 2023. Oluwajana, a former company secretary, NAL Merchant Bank Plc, added that contrary to media reports, there was no misunderstanding between Ondo

State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and his deputy, Mr. Agboola Ajayi. He made the remarks at a session with journalists in Lagos at the weekend, though noted that it was too early to start discussing the 2023 presidential election while the executives at the federal and state levels were just settling down. “I think 2023 is still far off. We just finished an election. We should allow our president and governors to concentrate on the assign-

ments they were elected to carry out before discussing 2023 elections. 2023 is far away. Oluwajana, however, said he was happy that political leaders across the federation were looking up to the South-west “to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as a good development.� He said: “We have not even made the demand. But it is like everybody is thinking towards the direction of South West. For me, I will

simply say that let us just keep our gunpowder dry. We are not going to shy away as a region for a call to duty or to take up the responsibility when the time comes. “The emphasis, for me, is unity. We want unity in the South-west. All our governors must be united. All our political leaders must work together in oneness. We must speak with one voice if South-west must produce Buhari’s successor. With internal rift, it will be difficult for the region to

IN MOGHALU’S HONOUR... -R: President, Whitaker Group and former Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa, Rosa Whitaker; President, Sogato Strategies LLC and former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu; Executive Director, Isaac Moghalu Foundation, Mrs. Maryanne Moghalu and former Ambassador of the African Union to the United States, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao at the Moghalus’ 25th wedding anniversary dinner in Washington DC, recently.

Atiku, Obiano Mourn Renowned Novelist, Chukwuemeka Ike David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano yesterday mourned Nigeria’s foremost novelist and the traditional ruler of Ndikelionwu, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike (Eze Ikelionwu). Ike, who authored “The Bottled Leopard�, passed on at the Nnamdi Azikwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, at age 89 after a brief illness. In a tweet yesterday, Atiku said: “I mourn one of Nigeria’s prolific novelists & traditional ruler of Ndikelionwu in Orumba South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike (the Ikelionwu IX).� Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 presidential election, said the monarch would ever be “remembered for his classics: Toads for Supper & Sunset at Dawn among others. May he rest in peace.� In a condolence message to the Ike family and the people of Ndikelionwu, Obiano mourned the patriarch and traditional ruler, noting that Anambra State had lost one of her greatest assets and totems of excellence.

“I am saddened by the death of HRM Eze Chukwuemeka Ike. He was always a regal presence around us here, bringing his wealth of experience to bear on the deliberations of the Traditional Rulers Council. “We shall miss him. But we shall also find strength and consolation in his exemplary life and the legacies he left for mankind through his literary works and stellar contributions to the traditional institution in Anambra State.� The governor said: “Eze Ikelionwu was an active and esteemed member of the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers until his health began to fail as a result of old age. I will always cherish his support and wise counsel. The government and people of Anambra state will miss him.� Born on April 23, 1931 in Ndikelionwu, Anambra State, Ike was part of the golden set of pioneer African writers and drew motivation from the late novelist, Chinua Achebe. He began his writing journey from school days at Government College, Umuahia, where he wrote fearlessly in the school magazine.

produce the next president. “We will definitely give it what it takes to ensure unity in the South-west. We must realise that other geopolitical zones too want to produce the president in 2023. That is why all political leaders must work together to produce Buhari’s successor in 2023,� the APC national leader advised. On Ondo politics, Oluwajana dismissed reports of misunderstanding between Akeredolu and his deputy, noting that it was in a dictatorial environment that political leaders would not speak on issues or disagree on policies. He said there “is no government anywhere that will not have people that are agitating or expressing divergent views on issues. In government, there will always be voices of argument. But that does not mean there is any serious rancour.� He, therefore, expressed confidence that the APC would retain Ondo State, insisting that whatever happened in the state “is a normal development in an election year. You’ll probably see more as the state’s governorship elections draw nearer. “It happens everywhere. It is only where there is no vibrant political party that you will not have such people that feel otherwise. I am happy that you said the

way it was in 2016. That year we still had an election and won. The moment we pick our governorship candidate the situation will ease. “For me, there is nothing unusual in that respect. I must also accept that we have a governor in Ondo State, who focuses essentially on infrastructure development. The governor sees the state as belonging to the citizens. With a population of over three million, Akeredolu feels that whatever he is going to do must be about these 3 million people. I heard a story sometimes ago that some civil servants went to him and discussed their outstanding salaries. “At that time, he had paid part of the outstanding, remaining one or two months then. He had consistently paid the salaries, every month. I think that particular time; he had about two months outstanding. The civil servants felt that he should pay everything, especially now that the election is approaching. “The governor just told them not to blackmail him because of election. He told them that they were not the only one that own Ondo State. This is what I can afford. I am here to work for everybody in the state. I don’t have free money. He is very passionate serving his people.�

Patients Groan in Ondo as Gombe Condemns Torture Resident Doctors Shun Hospital of Boy by Bakery Operator James Sowole in Akure

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Yahaya yesterday described as dehumanising and unjustifiable the torture of a 14-year old boy inside a bread oven for allegedly stealing bread at a bakery. Also, First Lady, Mrs. Asma’u Yahaya paid a visit to the victim of the torture at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe to get a first-hand report on his health condition. The manager of the bakery had allegedly thrown the 14-year-old boy into the oven over allegation that the boy stole a loaf of bread. The police had arraigned the manager before a magistrate court. Reacting to the incident, Yahaya said he received the report of the incident with sadness, saying it was unacceptable for anyone to inflict such a high degree of pain on a fellow human being for whatever reason. Yahaya ordered relevant state agencies “to follow up the matter and ensure that the perpetrator of the dastardly act faces the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent.� The governor disclosed that the

state would foot all the hospital bills, assuring that his administration would continue to protect the lives of all citizens of the state and ensure that their rights are upheld at all times. He also charged the people of the state “to always report criminal activities to the police rather than take the law into their hands.� Meanwhile, the first lady yesterday visited the 14-yearold boy at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe alongside the state Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Na’omi Awak He sympathised with the victim and his traumatised parents, Asma’u described the heinous act as the peak of heartlessness. As a mother, Inuwa said she was devastated by the dastardly act unleashed on a helpless child who was only striving to earn a decent living. She urged the victim’s parents to be strong, while assuring them of the state’s commitment to ensuring that perpetrators faced the consequences of their action.

Resident doctors at University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Ondo and Akure complexes in Ondo State yesterday embarked on an indefinite industrial action until the state government honoured its obligation. THISDAY checks revealed that residents doctors did not show up in consulting rooms leaving only consultants on duty to attend to hundreds of patients on admission and outpatients. A consultant, who pleaded anonymity, said although the teaching hospital could boast of 40 consultants, the absence of the resident doctors had been putting much pressure on the consultants, who normally attend to patients on request If the strike action continues, the consultant acknowledged that the pressure the absence of resident doctors would put on them might be unbearable. He explained that the action of doctors was causing discomfort already as families of patients were heard complaining about non presence of doctors, whon he said were treating their patients before the action started

Also, some outpatients, who spoke to THISDAY at the Akure complex, blamed the state governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for not monitoring the operations of the hospital management. The patients noted that the governor should have monitored the payment of salaries of all workers at both teaching hospital complexes just as he did for the civil servants in the state. Besides, relations of some patients lamented that they would have moved their family members on admission to private hospitals, but for financial constraints. Chairman, Media Committee, Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMEDTHC, Dr Taiwo Olagbe, had during a protest Friday declared that all their arrears and backlog of salaries must be cleared before they would return to work. They also said all their remuneration must be paid directly into their accounts without any intermediary. However, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro had on Friday said the doctors would start receiving their salaries by Monday.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JANUARY 12, 2020

OPINION Motion Without Movement Government should show greater resolve to move the country forward, writes Abiodun Komolafe

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hose who are familiar with the history of the Israelites will understand why their story in the wilderness will not be complete without a mention of how, at a stage, they had preferred being “slaves in Egypt” to being subjected to mass ignoble deaths “in the desert.” With the pathetic state of our country, it is unfortunate that such hopelessness and uncertain reality now define the lots of many Nigerians. Sentiments apart, Muhammadu Buhari is a good man and Nigerians have to appreciate God for a man of his ilk as Nigeria’s president. He has done ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘and the other’, all in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Forget the fact that the government, which he heads, is now sitting, comfortably, on a huge debt profile of not less than N24.4 trillion; and not a few Nigerians are concerned and palpably worried. Despite her rich socio-cultural legacy, Nigeria is today an unfortunate product of strange, deep and challenging problems which raise lots of questions about how complicated we are as a people. The so-called government think tank seems to be missing the gem as the fulcrum of its policy pronouncements is not syncronising with the expectations of the masses. Otherwise, there would have been a massive socioeconomic turnaround in many sectors of the domestic economy to the benefit of everybody who is a Nigerian, irrespective of his or her status in the society. To make matters worse, the ruling party continues to grapple with the challenge of identity definition while the opposition, either for lack of a credible alternative or non-possession of a financial war-chest to match the rampaging ferocity of its masters in the game, has willingly become prisoner to existing positions. Starting with the federal government’s position on agriculture and rural development, what has changed and what has been the effect? Year in, year out, it is a whole story of woes and catalogue of avoidable failures. This year, if it is not a fight over the procurement of fertilizer, it will be harvest of tirades in trying to expose the corruption in fertilizer distribution. Next year, it is the farmers’ verification exercise and how to account for farmers who are deprived. The following year, the routine begins again: the procurement and the distribution of fertilizer. Whereas, all that has not addressed the alleged corruption in the system!

The point is: if the government is claiming to have spent trillions of naira on “agriculture and infrastructure” in the last few years, why hasn’t the humongous sum reflected on the socio-economic reality of Nigerians? Isn’t it a shame that people are running from Osun State, which claims to be an agrarian population, to neighbouring Oyo State to buy yam tubers, despite the sophistry of the former’s agricultural policies? This is embarrassing, to say the least! Talking seriously, what has become of government’s position on international trade and commerce? What’s happening, presently, to our domestic economy and home-market? These, again, lead us to some other questions! What type of a country is one that fails to realize that making money without working is a recipe for trouble for the national economy? What manner of work is it that makes a truck driver in the United Kingdom live a better life than a supposed big man in Nigeria? Who's calculating the gains and the losses of the Buhari-led administration? The political oligarchs and power-drunk state officials, who, in spite of our being pathetically poor, still derive pleasure in mismanaging our poverty? Or the mere sand-players who only specialize in lying to Nigerians with unrivaled illogicality? For God’s sake, if government reforms are truly hitting their targets, why are Nigerians leaving home, hale and hearty, only to end up in the lagoon as victims of suicide? In fairness to posterity, that Nigeria’s economy is threatened, with the country described variously as a “dumping ground for stronger economies in the world” is no longer news. When Charles

If the government is claiming to have spent trillions of naira on agriculture and infrastructure in the last few years, why hasn’t the humongous sum reflected on the socio-economic reality of Nigerians?

Soludo came in, he introduced some policies to stem the leak in foreign exchange. But by the time Soludo would realize that ‘banking” was “no Ludo’, the powerful-but-evil cabal who benefits directly and thrive on foreign currency exchange in the country, had opposed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor. And, because government of the day didn’t have enough political spine, it capitulated by allowing the Bureau de Change to have its way; and gave it legal backing as Black Market. Well, the effects of this public maladministration on associational life of the average Nigerians, political pragmatism and the issue of succession are better imagined than experienced. This is because people see politics only as a certificate to some luxuries and privileges and are desperate to be in government, not necessarily because they have a clue as to what to do or how to run a government, but because that is the only area where ‘survival-without-stress’, making big money and indiscriminate use of state power are assured. That is why people are no longer committed to party ideologies and manifestos. If Joseph could suggest and successfully implement a policy that effectively addressed the “seven years of famine” in Egypt (Genesis 41 & 42), then, it is pure illusion to measure successes of policies in a bottomless pit. For a serious government, it does not speak to good judgment to encourage endless policies when the people do not feel the track of such plans and actions. It is merely a way of saying that government appears to be busy, doing nothing! As Ghana has now shown that you don't solve a problem by creating another problem, the founding fathers of Nigeria’s political landscape will no doubt be rolling in their graves, seeing what Nigerians have made of politics. All said, it’s time government woke up to its responsibilities by annexing the innate capacities that are bounded in the people’s differing sympathies. Otherwise, the just concluded Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections might have signposted how fast 2023 can take us back to the past. There and then, welcome ‘Gunshot Democracy’! Interestingly, in a violent electoral process, it is the gun and the mastery of its use, not humans or the lobby for votes, that serves as the winning streak. But, in a very real sense, lives and times of Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha have shown that too, has an expiry date! ––Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa, State of Osun.

Lagos Roads and Themes Agenda

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Segun Ogundeji and Rasak Musbau write that the government is determined to make a difference in road infrastructure

overnment’s investment in transport infrastructure is a big factor in people’s quality of life. It is the backbone and chief driver of socio-economic development, which every country strives to achieve. Roads and bridges, in particular, change the face of landscapes; increase connectivity, bring societies closer to the outside world, and attract investment from far and wide. Rightly, one of the cardinal programmes of Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu’s administration is the provision of world class infrastructural facilities to support the growing population of Lagos State and serve as the development driver of a vision of being Africa’s model smart city, a global economic and financial hub which is a fundamental ingredient for economic growth and development. The commitment to infrastructural renewal, expansion, upgrading and regeneration is borne out of the fact that it is a prerequisite to an efficient and integrated transportation, health, waste management and education system. Hence, the strategic role of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to the overall performance and delivery of the major pillars of the development agenda of this administration tagged: THEMES. Thus, it really goes beyond routine that the first assignment of the governor to the state’s special adviser on Works and Infrastructure upon her assumption of duty was to conduct assessment tour of some critical roads across the state. The special adviser, Aramide Adeyoye saw first-hand the trauma the people suffer on some of the roads and reported her findings to the governor who felt the pains of the people and directed that palliative measures should be carried out to alleviate the sufferings of the people immediately. Many people who mostly don’t understand what is involved in road rehabilitation wanted all the roads in the state to be fixed instantly. There was dissonance of noise and cynicism from different parts of the state and on the mass media. The social media was abuzz, but narrative is changing very fast now that evidence of the government resolve to tame the monster of bad roads is becoming manifest. Not that the governor did not prepare or understand what was to be done from the outset. Far from it, but the main objective of the government is simply to apply the right treatment at the right time to achieve the desired level of service. Lagos residents now attest to increase in the speed of work on road infrastructure across different local government areas of the state which is in line with the promise to commence extensive

road rehabilitation and construction once the heaviness of the rain subsides. The ongoing massive programme of road repairs, which the state has tagged ‘Zero Tolerance for Potholes Initiative’ amply attest to the determined drive of the administration to make road infrastructure a vehicle of its greater Lagos journey. A drive through the streets of Lagos will also reveal that roads had been rehabilitated or ongoing in so many locations such as Mobolaji Bank Anthony; Sheraton section (Ikeja bound), Ogudu road, Herbert Macaulay road, Ogunnusi road, Apapa road, LASU-Iba road, Iju road, Ajah Badore road, Ridwan Onifade/ Ademoye street, Arida Bus Stop before Ikotun Oduduwa road, and TOS Benson (Ebute Roundabout inward garage). Others are Cele-Ijesha link bridge (Okota road), Ijesha Lawanson junction by Otun Oba bus stop and Ishaga road by LUTH, Ondo street Ebute metta. Rehabilitation work has also been done at Agbado road (Lagos-Ogun Boundary to Ayinla Bus Stop), Ifako Ijaiye. As part of the roads repair programme, there is a Junction Improvement Scheme to resolve bottlenecks at critical junctions. Sixty of such junctions have been identified, and in the first phase, upgrades have begun on four of them. Guided by the aphorism that says good roads make crucial contribution to economic development and growth, the government has recently completed and commissioned a whopping 31 roads in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, marking a watershed in Mr. Sanwo-Olu administration’s stride to bring the dividend of democracy to the good people of Lagos and most especially the dwellers of Ojokoro LCDA, who are the direct beneficiaries of the 20.216km network of roads project. The Pen Cinema flyover is another massive infrastructural project the government is very keen at completing very soon. As at Friday, January 3, 2020 when the governor went on inspection of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Pen Cinema Flyover, the Agboju to Trade Fair section of the former had been completed while there is assurance that pen Cinema Bridge will be delivered in six months’ time. The state is also doing rehabilitation/ upgrading of the six-kilometer phase one of the 11-kilometer long Ijede road andupgrading of Oniru network of roads under a public infrastructure improvement partnership (PIIP) arrangement. It is now certain that the proposed 38Km Fourth Mainland bridge project which has been dominant on the to-do-list of the state strategic transport master plan will soon see the light of

day. Following the request for expression of interest (Request for EOI) issued on 27th November, 2019 and the public bid opening ceremony held on 18th December, 2019 at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, no fewer than 39 construction companies across the globe expressed interest in the construction of the bridge. Some 32 companies have subsequently crossed the first hurdle in the jostling for the construction of the proposed bridge. From the explanation of the special adviser the proposed project comprises of road and bridges with a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour. It will starts at Abraham Adesanya in Ajah, on the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe corridor, and traverses to the North West direction towards the lagoon shoreline of LagosIbadan Expressway via Owutu/Ishawo in Ikorodu. Though Mr. Sanwo-Olu is paying similar attention to other sectors, it is interestingly that, going through different parts of the state, one will see Public Works Corporation, Hightech,Chinese Construction Company (CCECC), Metropolitan Construction Company, Arab Contractors, Messers Julius Berger, and other contractors working on different parts of the state roads. This is not just happening without a proper grounding. It is so because the government had focused on engaging stakeholders for collaboration and done its home work properly when the complaints were on. It could be recalled that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure recently issued a statement that Lagos State Government will henceforth insist on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), spelt out in all construction projects. This was not only in line with The THEMES Agenda of the administration, it was as a result of the ugly experience of incessant failure of newly constructed structures before their lifespan expires. The experience confirms the fact that some contractors do not conform to the standard procurement process. Sanwo-Olu has demonstrated leadership, unusual passion and unmatched pragmatism. The governor has kept the hope of a greater Lagos alive. In a sum, it is a fact that government do not have unlimited resources, and also cannot do everything at once, but Lagosians can be rest assured that the Sanwo-Olu administration has a robust plan in place to ensure every part of the state benefits from this exercise as quickly as possible. ––Ogundeji & Musbau wrote from Lagos State Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Alausa, Ikeja.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JANUARY 12, 2020

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LETTERS Gender Segregation By Tricycle

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he Kano State Government has suspended the implementation of a directive banning persons of opposite gender from boarding the same commercial tricycles throughout the state with effect from January, 2020. The spokesperson of the agency responsible for implementing the law, Kano Hisbah Board, Lawan Fagge, said the decision was taken on Monday after consultation with the leadership of commercial tricycle operators “who pleaded for an extension of the implementation date.” “The law has been suspended till further notice. The decision was taken after consultation with leadership of commercial tricycle operators who pleaded for extending the implementation date,” Mr. Fagge said. The initial disclosure of this law took the social media by storm where the Commander General of Hisbah Board, Harun Ibn-Sina, who represented Governor Ganduje at the closing ceremony of 77thannual Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) organized by Zone A of Muslim Society of Nigeria (MSSN) held on Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at Bayero University,

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Ganduje Kano banned persons of opposite gender from boarding same commercial tricycles. Ibn-Sina who spoke on behalf of Ganduje stated that the state government is committed to upholding Islamic values. There is absolutely nothing wrong in upholding Islamic values that contribute hugely to the development of the society but this is worrying at a time when we want to implement visa-on-arrival

policy, at a period when discrimination against women is beginning to wane in the World. In Germany, Angela Merkel is the eighth and current Chancellor who is serving her fourth term in office. She is the first woman to be elected chancellor. In the United Kingdom, Theresa May served as the Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. In Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf served as the 24th President of

Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa. The opportunities for women are improving significantly worldwide. In most advanced countries, religion is separated from governance but in the developing nations, policymakers foist policies that have no direct link to developmental issues. The hapless citizens have no option than to obey the rules of the society. Gender segregation law in Kano is not an isolated incident… and it was a cheering news when the law was suspended till further notice. While laws were made in the United Kingdom to outlaw gender segregation sometime ago, we are making laws to promote it. In Saudi Arabia, women will no longer need the permission of male guardian to travel, according to the law published on Friday 2 August, 2019; it is a key step towards dismantling controls that have made women secondclass citizens in their own country. They have also allowed women to apply for passports, register a marriage, divorce or child’s birth and be issued official family documents. That is something we would have thought was impossible few years back. The question for Muslim

NPA, OMS And Coastal Policing

hreatened by increased piracy, sabotage of hydrocarbon infrastructure, resource theft, amongst other transnational crimes, the Gulf of Guinea, where Nigeria is a prominent member and economic player happens to be the most dangerous maritime spaces in the world. With about three million liters of crude oil, produced on a daily basis, Nigeria’s corridor happens to be the most profitable, yet justifiably, the most precarious. Although, it is difficult to estimate the human and material cost of the havoc being wrecked by sea goons on Nigeria’s economy, it is not rocket science to understand the ripple effects it has on revenue generation, provision of critical infrastructure, job creation, and other critical areas of development. While UNODC estimates between $700 million to $800 million, Nigeria’s chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok Ette-Ekwe Ibas estimates that Nigeria and 15 other countries within the gulf of guinea loses about $2 billion annually. Whatever the case, such quantum of loss is not one the country can afford in this period of economic volatility and uncertainty. Happily, there have been some effective “out-of-the-box”

strategies jointly implemented by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Navy since 2013, which has shown great improvements and underscored the effectiveness of indigenous approach to tame the wave of hideous crimes on Nigeria’s maritime corridor, especially within the Lagos harbour. A 20-year contract signed between NPA and Ocean Marine Solutions, an indigenous security and surveillance outfit, based in Lagos, marked the beginning of renewed vigour and will by the Nigerian government to provide security and surveillance for the protection of Nigeria’s vast coastline from the scourge of pacific predators in form of sea pirates, smugglers, robbers, illegal oil bunkers- among whom are vestiges of momentous economic retrogression. Before this period, there were reportedly a total of 31 actual and attempted piracy attacks on Nigeria's maritime corridor in 2013, as reported by statista. However, in 2014, when Ocean Marine services resumed full operations, the number of actual and attempted incidences reduced to 18, bringing it down to about half the margin. Clearly, there were promising signs of nailing the problem of maritime

banditry to an all-time low, as the number of incidents further reduced to just 14 in 2015. However, the emergence of the Niger Delta Avengers, occasioned by desperation of the 2019 general election brought about fresh challenges that spiked attacks on Nigeria's maritime space to 36 incidents in 2016, 33 in 2017, and to an all-time high of 48 in 2018. Although, another report by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) had shown noticeable improvement, as Nigeria reported 14 incidents of piracy for Q1 2019, in comparison to 22 incidents in Q1 2018, there is still more to be done, and the morale needs to be boosted and sustained, not trampled. What then is the way forward? The move by the Nigerian Ports Authority to suspend the contract of indigenous security providers, Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) is poorly conceived, and should be halted immediately, as this is capable of throwing up multiple casualties that the government may not be able to recover from in a hurry. Aside the fact that OMS has helped in providing value for Nigeria's foreign earnings by properly securing our most lucrative space, adjudged the most dangerous maritime zone on earth; the country is also on a thorny path to repeating the P&ID

case, where in, its disrespect for the sanctity of contract has resulted to a multibillion dollar law suit, which threatens to render the economy on its knees, beyond its current difficult situation. It is not to be gainsaid that investors loath insecure and uncertain area, which Nigeria's maritime space has been known for over the years. However, confidence have since been boosted with the operation of OMS, working hand-in-hand with the Nigerian Navy to rid pacific vandals of the country's massive investments, and create a safe haven for both local and international investors seeking to invest in Nigeria's maritime economy. The business of security and the security of business is much too serious to be left in the hands of one entity alone. NPA should therefore start thinking of replicating and sustaining the OMS example to other lucrative harbours within the country, if it has not done so. It should not only end there. Other strategies such as community-based security systems for the protection of maritime assets should be developed and implemented, as this will yield tremendous results in reducing casualties on Nigeria's revenue-making capacity. ––Valentine Tobechukwu Achum, Lagos.

scholar is, is gender segregation a misinterpretation of Islamic principles or there is something we are missing? If this law takes effect, I think we could as well unban women from sitting separately from men during meetings in public buildings. Where do we draw the line? There are diverging opinions and I think we need to do more to enlighten people what we stand to gain with this law before coming back to life. It is an undeniable fact that Muslim women have struggled against inequality and restrictive practices in education, work force participation and family roles and such likes. It is my opinion that not all come from Islam itself but local cultural traditions

that have been passed on from generations to generations. Religious issue in Nigeria is extremely sensitive like a snail’s tentacle and people avoid it like a plague. Yes, Holy issues and religious rites are sacred and powerful but according to Kofi Annan, “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance,’’ and this is what our leaders should aspire to promote - to eliminate conflict, abject poverty and create employment opportunities for the citizens. ––Olusanya Anjorin, Lagos.

Feeding The Hungry in Houston

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ince the wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, fed the homeless in downtown Houston in the United States, it has been a herculean task trying to convince a few persons that charity is not domiciled in a place. That it may begin at home, but must not end there. Perhaps the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 tells a better story of charity. The Bible in recording the story never suggests that acts of charity were alien to the Jewish society. Rather it tries to show that charity is not limited and can come from the least expected person. It equally picks hole in the piety of the priest and the levite. Those opposed to the little acts of charity shown on Houstonians - battling against want - by Mrs Obiano were not thinking right. It may be fair to argue that they did not take into account the following. One, that what Mrs.Obiano did, and has been doing, predates her present status as the wife of the Governor of Anambra. Two, that what she took to downtown Houston in U-Hauls, pitted against what she had taken to them in the past, were mere token. It is only strange that they are waking up to this realization. Regardless, it does not seem that what she did violates any known laws since it is yet to be proven it got in the way of public till. Prior to her present status as the wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Obiano had engaged in charity works both in Nigeria and in the US. She did so through Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) project, a non - governmental organization. It is well to remember the

work was done through free will donations from publicspirited individuals from Anambra State and beyond. The donors, most of whom are private businessmen, are fully acknowledged by CAFE. To date, the beneficiaries of this great work of charity, especially in Anambra have been indigent widows, the aged, the disabled, the unemployed, waifs and others on the wrong side of life. No time did the activities of CAFÉ interfere with those of the government. No time was its source of funding hazy or done through the instrumentality of the state. To this extent, it beats reason to input waste of state fund for a project privately sponsored. Note that what were alleged to be taken in U-Hauls to the needy at downtown Houston were mere food items which anybody with passion for charity could afford. If the argument is that the wife of the governor should not have extended these acts of charity to the hungry in the US because there are enough hungry mouths to feed in Anambra, let it be known that she cannot possibly satisfy every need. The needy will always be around after her. No one person can deal with the challenges successfully even if what were given out in Houston were added in feeding the hungry back in the state. It is doubtful if any other governor's wife, since Anambra, has committed more resources to charity than Mrs. Obiano. She has fed the poor in the state. She has clothed the naked in the streets. She has housed the homeless in the village. ––Ejike Anyaduba, Abatete. (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JANUARY 12, 2020

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TRIBUTE

Lawan at 61: The Quintessential Politician Wielding the Gavel Ola Awoniyi

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hen Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan graduated from the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in 1984 with a B.Sc in Geography, his apparent career was as an academic. The career was probably foisted on him as Ahmad was a beneficiary of the legacy of Professor Jubril Aminu who, as the Vice-Chancellor of UNIMAID, offered graduates with first-class or second class upper degrees appointment at the university as graduate assistants. For the next decade, Lawan’s sojourn was within the academic community of UNIMAID. In 1990, he went to the Cranfield University in the United Kingdom for his master’s and doctoral programmes in Remote Sensing and GIS on a European Union scholarship. He returned to Nigeria in 1996 to resume his teaching career at UNIMAID. Politics did not appear as a prospect in those early days as he focused on being a scientist and an academic. “When I completed my studies and returned, I had little idea that I would join politics. Until a year after I returned, then something happened,” Lawan recalled. “I will not like to describe myself as an accidental politician. But maybe a reluctant one because I never imagined that I will be able to survive in the kind of political environment that we have in Nigeria. But when God is with you, nothing is impossible.” As destiny will have it, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan is today the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the reason he has been described as a hybrid of an academic and a politician. In 1997, with a bit of encouragement from his close friends, Lawan took his first steps into active politics when he joined the defunct United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP). That was during the General Sani Abacha political transition programme that ended with the general’s sudden death in 1998. When General Abdulsalam Abubakar who succeeded Abacha blew the whistle again in 1998, Ahmad joined the All Peoples Party (APP) and was elected its Vice-Chairman in his home state of Yobe. In the electoral cycle that gave birth to the Fourth Republic in 1999, Ahmad was elected to the House of Representatives, representing Badeja Federal Constituency of Yobe State. He spent eight years in the House before moving up to the Senate in 2007. Since 1999, Lawan has won six consecutive elections, becoming one of the longest-serving federal lawmakers in Nigeria. “I never believed for one day that politics is deceit. In Hausa, they say ‘siahsa yaudara ne’. It is not yaudara. Politics is service and if you are a politician and you are elected, you will account for it because you will be asked how you represented the people,” Lawan said. Lawan wanted to be President of the Senate in 2015 but his time had not come. Despite the controversial circumstances of that leadership contest, as a loyal party man, he harboured no grudges against anyone. He eventually became the Senate Leader that year and converted the apparent setback to advantage by building on his parliamentary experience. When the opportunity presented itself again in 2019, he was again the frontrunner. This time, he was resoundingly elected the Senate President by his colleagues across party lines. He has since committed himself to building a united Senate and National Assembly For Lawan, acrimony within Parliament based on political differences or between Parliament and other arms of government benefits no one. Lawan once said: “While l served for the five tenures in the past, I experienced various situations of Legislature/Executive relationships and of course the outcome was mostly undesirable. “At one point we almost impeached the President. At that time, President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 1999, in his first tenure when I was in the House of Representatives. The Executive and Legislature never had a decent relationship and Nigeria and Nigerians suffered for four years in that instance. “The second tenure, I think the President became wiser and the relationship improved and our productivity as a government also improved. So I watched how bad relationship, rancorous relationship between the Executive and the Legislature caused so much anxiety and instability in the land. “We made a conscious decision this year 2019 when we ran for the office of President of the Senate. We told ourselves that we are first and foremost representatives of Nigerians. We came on different platforms, vehicles that took us to the construction site. And of course, at the construction site, all of us are supposed to work together to construct that structure.” This conviction has been driving the President of the ninth Senate despite strident criticism from some quarters who prefer a cat and mouse relationship between the two elected arms of government. Lawan believes in a National Assembly that constantly rises above partisan politics to work for the collective interest of the people. “We believe that fighting between the Legislature and the Executive does not help anyone. The legislators will still collect their salaries. The ministers will collect theirs. But the country suffers. And you will regret after you leave office because you can’t show anything that will justify the number of years you

Lawan have served. “So we said we will work with the Executive arm of government in such a manner that there is mutual respect. They respect us. We respect them. We are not going to be unnecessarily difficult but we are going to be thorough. “Where our oversight is required, we will do so with utmost responsibility but we will ensure that there is prudence, there is economy, there is efficiency in the management of the public fund by the Executive arm of government. “And where we disagree with them, we will agree on the basis of facts and reasons. We don’t have to go to the market square to fight. We will insist, let the national interest define and determine the outcome of our disagreement. Let’s all work for the national interest. And that is what we intend to do.” This pragmatic approach by this quintessential Yobe-born politician, coupled with his bi-partisan leadership style is, no doubt, yielding the desired results when you consider the modest progress that has been made by the National Assembly in just six months.

This includes the realignment of the financial year to a more predictable cycle of January to December and the passage of some critical bills in record time. Add to that, at least for now, that the National Assembly is not dissipating energy unnecessarily feuding with another arm of government but is instead focussing on its legislative agenda. Given his philosophy of constructive cooperation, Lawan is poised to lead the ninth National Assembly to more achievements. Lawan was born on January 12, 1959, in Gashua now in Yobe State in the northeast of Nigeria. At 61, he has enjoyed the privilege of serving his country at the highest level and is determined to demonstrate his gratitude by devoting his public service career to the pursuit of the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. Here is wishing the quintessential politician and leader a happy birthday and many more years of fruitful service to his fatherland. ––Awoniyi is the Special Adviser on Media to the Senate President

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J ÍšÍşËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL Legitimate Self-defence and State Terrorism: The Case of US Drone Strike in Baghdad and Iranian Challenge

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egitimate self-defence and terrorism are two critical issues in international law and relations. They are critical because the main objective of the United Nations or the international community is to ensure the maintenance of peace and security in the world. It was specifically for this purpose that the United Nations was established in 1945. However, preventing a new scourge of wars has not always been easy because every sovereign state has the right to self defence. Every State claims sovereign equality. Every State feels threatened in various ways by the more powerful countries. In fact, in the quest for self-protection, States engage in prohibited acts of terrorism, which we refer to in this column as state terrorism. When terrorism is considered at the level of individuals or private groups, it is criminally. When the same act is engaged in by sovereign states, the story is different. No one talks about crimes but about international responsibility, and when this is not impacting, the concerned State will be talking about self-defence. True, in understanding the concept of legitimate self-defence, there is the need to, first of all, understand the conception of selfdefence. In international practice, self-defence is defined by four factors: there must have been an attack or aggression, which is unprovoked or unwarranted; the attack must have engendered an imminent injury or death; the use of force must be reasonable in retaliation; and there must be an existence of reasonable fear of injury or death by the victim. Considered in legal terms, self-defence enables the use of force to repel force. In this case, the principle is that the use of force must not only be necessary, it must also be reasonable. Even though the factor of necessity is subjective, that of reasonableness must be objective. With this background, when is self-defence considered legitimate? It is when the foregoing four determinants are met that a State can act legitimately in self-defence. As such, self-defence is necessarily reactive. It is an act of retaliation. In general, the United Nations encourages the approach of collective security and collective defence, rather than that of individual self-defence. However, when Member States of the international community consider that their national security interests are under threats, they hardly exercise any patience, waiting for multilateral approach to address the problem. In this case, an action of self-defence is reactive and aimed at punishing, or preventive, not only to deter an imminent danger, but also to send strong messages of protest to the attacker. This is the very case of the US drone attack on the Iranian most powerful military General and strategist in Iran, Qassem Soleimani, at the Baghdad airport on Friday, January 3rd, 2020. The attack raises a number of questions that impinge on the conduct and maintenance of international peace and security. They include, in essence, the nature of relationship between the right to the principle of legitimate self-defence and the mania of the self-defence. Put differently, is the US drone attack helpful to the maintenance of international peace and security? Does the US drone attack on General Soleimani constitute an act of legitimate self-defence or an act of terrorism? We believe it does, because it was reactive, there was the fear of an imminent danger of death of American citizens. There was the need for self-preservation. Consequently, and to a great extent, there was a good justification to believe that the people of America were under the threat of death. On another question, as to whether the United States has the right to attack and kill anyone on another sovereign soil, and particularly not in a battle field, I would submit that the United States, like any other state, cannot have such a right, unless it is within the framework of a cooperation agreement, which can be the case with the US drone attack. For instance, the US attack took place in Iraq where the US has a security working

President Trump of USA

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

relationship with the incumbent government. Let us explain the working relationship and the dynamics of the attack differently, by further looking at it in the larger context of the deepening irritants in US-Iran relations over the years.

US-IranianTies Before 2020

The Iranian government has a supportive understanding with the militias fighting the incumbent government of Iraq. Iran is actually aiding and abetting insurgency in Iraq contrary to the requirement of Article 2 (7) of the UN Charter which prohibits non-intervention in the domestic affairs of another sovereign state. In the same vein, the United States is also aiding and abetting the Government of Iraq. However, US involvement is not the same thing as that of Iran, simply because the US intervention is invited. It is not self-imposed like that of Iran. In fact, if there is not working understanding between Washington and Bagdad, it would not have been possible to have a US military base in Iraq. As such, the position of the United States and that of Iran should be rightly differentiated. Additionally, the position of the United States can be said to be better than that of Iran in the sense that the United States is on the side of the legitimate government of Iraq, even if it can be argued to be to the detriment of popular interest, while Iran is on the side of insurgents. It is against this background that the legality or illegality of the act of self-defence should, first of all, be considered. And more important, it is the fact that the United States is fighting the proponents of Islamic State in Iraq and the Iranians are fighting the opponents that bring the United States and Iran in direct, open confrontation. In other words, there is conflict of foreign policy interest. A second issue is the question of terrorism or state terrorism. Should the US drone attack be considered a terrorist act or a manifestation of the principle of legitimate self-defence? The United States sees in Iran a terrorist state. Iran similarly argues that the United States is a terrorist country. Put interrogatively, has legitimate self-defence become synonymous with terrorism in international relations? For now, the answer can be no, but there is nothing to suggest that it will not be so in the foreseeable future, because of the US drone attack in Baghdad, which is increasingly being acquiesced to. Thus, the issue of terrorism is a critical factor of hostility in US-Iranian relationship. A third issue is the taking into hostage of Americans in the US embassy in Tehran in 1979. In other word, the January 3, 2020 US drone attack on General Soleimani was an expression of the frosty relationship between the United States and Iran since then. The frostiness of the relationship is traceable to many other irritants, especially the 1979 Iranian revolution, during which the Shah of Iran was overthrown and an Islamic State was put in place under Khomeini. By that time, the United States was much in support of the Shah. But largely in protest against the US position, the Iranians violated diplomatic etiquette by forcefully entering into the Embassy of the United States and taking US citizens and diplomats into many months of undeserved hostage. Since that

President Rouhani of Iran

time, US-Iran relationship has been largely predicated on hide and seek, and friendly enmity basis. To put it mildly, it has been a suspicion-driven relationship. A fourth problem is the maintenance of their relationship through third parties. As a direct consequence of the hostage, there was no direct diplomatic relationship between the two countries as from 1980. It was Pakistan and Switzerland that served as protecting powers for Iran in the United States and in Iran for the United States, respectively. This clearly shows that the relationship cannot but lack warmth in the absence of direct contacts. Fifthly, the United States does not want Iran to acquire nuclear capability, to which Iran is vehemently committed, thus raising a situation of conflict of interests or order and counter order amounting to disorder. It was in the attempt to prevent Iran from acquiring the status of nuclear capability that, in 2015, the Iran Nuclear Deal was negotiated and done. All the Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and United States) signed the deal with Iran. Germany and the European Union also co-signed the deal in exchange for relaxation of the tough economic sanctions placed on Iran. The United States signed the deal under President Barak Obama. However, the United States, under President Donald Trump, revisited the agreement and considered the Iranian nuclear deal as the worst deal ever negotiated. He, therefore, not only jettisoned the agreement, but also returned to the status quo ante, by re-instating economic sanctions against Iran and escalating the misunderstanding. In this regard, the United States posited that Iran was not faithfully complying with the obligations of the 2015 agreement, while the other signatories to the deal argued to the contrary. They believed that Iran had remained faithful to the deal. They advised the United States not to withdraw from the deal, but the advice was to no avail. The United States did not accept and the non-acceptance is quite understandable: it is inconsistent with the foreign policy of ‘America First,’ ‘Make America Great,’ and ‘Keeping America Great,’ and this leads us to the sixth question. The policy of ‘America First’ was contemplated upon before his election as US president. It simply meant giving priority to American interest first, in all foreign policy calculations. ‘Making America Great Again’ is a follow-up to ‘America First’ policy, following Donald Trump’s election. While ‘America First’ policy is an objective, an aspiration of Donald Trump before his election, ‘Make America Great’ is the translation of the wish into action, and this has been the policy focus since Donald Trump’s election about four years ago. ‘America First’ and ‘Make America Great Again’ are pleas to all Americans to join hands with the government to ensure the manifestation of greatness of the American people. As regards ‘Keeping America Great,’ it already presumes that the status of greatness has been attained. There is only the need to continue to sustain the greatness. What is therefore required is nothing more than to simply ensure the greatness on a permanent basis. All Americans are required to keep the newly acquired status of greatness and this is the current presidential campaign theme of Donald Trump in the 2020 US elections. The whole essence of the new foreign policy doctrine is never to accept the subjection of any US interest to the determination by another country. And more importantly, the doctrine is to impose US position on others where it is feasible. Consequently, the US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal not only renewed the irritants in the relationship, but also aggravated them. What is particularly noteworthy in the relationship is that, whenever any US interest is threatened, affected or attacked in the Middle East, in particular, the first suspect is always the Republic of Iran. And to a great extent, there is nothing to suggest that Iran could not have been responsible as claimed by the United States. And true enough again, it is in an attempt to prevent being cut unawares that the United States had to go beyond simply withdrawing from the deal, but also imposing, in May 2019, sanctionary measures on any country seeking to do, or actually doing, business with Iran, including the western allies of the United States. In fact, when six oil tankers were sabotaged in the Gulf of Omar in June 2019, the United States held Iran responsible for it, but Iran vehemently denied any involvement in it. With the hostile attitudinal disposition of the United States towards Iran, the Tehran authorities appeared to have been compelled to also review its commitment to the nuclear deal by beginning to dissociate itself from some of the obligations created by the deal for the country, with the ultimate objective of further nuclear research and development. Again, when the Iranian-backed militia in Iraq attacked and killed an American contractor in December 2019, the Americans held Iran responsible and retaliated by also bombing the militia bases in Syria and Iraq. Twenty-five people were killed. What should be underscored is that whatever action is undertaken by the militia is believed by the United States to have also been instigated by Iran. It is precisely this belief that is held to justify the killing of General Qassem Soleimani on January 3rd, 2020. (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

BUSINESS

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Editor: Kunle Aderinokun 08033204315, 08111813084 Email:kunle.aderinoku@thisdaylive.com

Electricity distribution plant

Much Ado about Electricity 7DUL; ,QFUHDVH The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission recently announced an increase in electricity tariffs. While instituting an effective cost-reflective tariff is very critical to the improvement of the electricity sector, it must go hand in hand with commensurate improvement in quality of electricity supply. Over the years, and even more so now, the country’s electricity industry has grown into a massive uncompetitive sellers’ market, characterised by price takers, asymmetric information and heavy barriers to entry and exit. Increasing tariffs, while quality of service remains low, means that NERC is loudly rewarding the distribution companies for their inefficiencies. Nosa James-Igbinadolor reports

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he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said the electricity tariffs being paid by consumers will increase in April this year. NERC disclosed this in its December 2019 Minor Review of Multi-Year Tariff Order 2015 and Minimum Remittance Order for the Year 2020. It said the order was issued to reflect the impact of

changes in the minor review variables in the determination of cost-reflective tariffs and relevant tariff and market shortfalls for 2019 and 2020. The commission said the order also determined the minimum remittances payable by the distribution companies (Discos) in meeting their market obligations based on the allowed tariffs. Nigerian power distribution companies immediately signaled their intention to enforce

the new electricity tariffs from April 1, 2020. The Discos explained that the new tariffs ordered by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission would cater for revenue shortfalls in the sector. In a tariff review clarification notice from the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), the Discos said the tariffs shall remain as they had been since 2015, but would change from April 2020. “The tariffs shall remain the same

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

BUSINESS/ECONOMY Much Ado about Electricity Tariff Increase as they presently are (i.e. 2015 levels) until April 1, 2020 when there will be a slight increment to cater for tariff shortfalls, which shall be gradually passed on to the consumer until this is fully completed by the end of 2021. In view of the foregoing, we state emphatically that there shall be no change or increase in the existing electricity tariff until April 1, 2020 when the new adjusted tariffs shall begin to gradually reflect the dynamism of our macroeconomy.” The Discos explained that the NERC was empowered by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act to carry out minor reviews of the Multi-Year Tariff Order 2015 twice a year. “NERC has just reviewed the MYTO 2015 and has published an order on tariffs and minimum remittance for January to June 2020. The tariffs anticipate changes in the currency exchange rates between the United States and Nigeria, changes in the rate of inflation and gas prices,” ANED stated. Thus, tariffs will join the VAT rate and other tax rates as commodities that have seen sizeable increases over the last one month. The World Bank in its Programme-forresults information document for the Power Sector Recovery Based Loan to the Federal Government had noted that, “The inconsistent application of the tariff policy (the Multi-Year Tariff Order or MYTO) resulted in the deterioration of the financial situation of sector companies, especially Discos. In particular, lack of tariff adjustment to account for depreciation of the Naira in 2016 severely impacted the power sector, as approximately 65 percent of the sector costs are denominated in hard currency. Declining revenues further constrained access to commercial financing by Discos, whose balance sheets were already weak. Without access to financing, Discos have not progressed with investments in metering and rehabilitation of distribution networks, resulting in poor service delivery. Declining revenues have also constrained FGN’s ability to enforce key contracts (including Discos’ Vesting Contracts) with resulting non-payment across the supply chain, including to gas suppliers of the thermal power plants. Payment arrears to the gas suppliers and the occasional sabotage of petroleum infrastructure have led to erratic gas supply, further impacting service delivery. Poor service delivery, in turn, has made tariff adjustments difficult.” Despite the obvious economic case for electricity tariff increase, the reality is that the lack of progress in the sector that necessitated the proposed increase has nothing to do with the end users, but rather with the government and the Discos themselves. As the World Bank further noted in its PID report, “The operational and financial situation of the sector is further aggravated by weak governance and inadequate enforcement of contracts. The sector ’s lack of financial viability hinders the full activation and enforcement of sector contracts and regulations, i.e. the financial consequences of sector companies being unwilling or unable to meet their contractual obligations are not enforced. The power market thus functions on a “best effort” basis with a resulting lack of accountability and poor service delivery.” It is no wonder that the proposed hike has been met with serious opposition across the board, and rightly so. The ineffectiveness of NERC means that consumers of electricity will persistently have to pay more for ending poor quality of service provided by the Discos. In addition, the inefficient privatisation process that saw the transfer of the unbundled electricity assets to technically and financially incompetent investors meant that even with expected tariff increase, the provision of substantial and sustainable electricity and electricity infrastructure would unlikely be achieved any time in the near or far future,

NERC Chairman, Prof. James Momoh

thus perpetuating the sordid state of service provision in the sector. Access to energy is and has always been low in Nigeria. With approximately 80 million people lacking access to grid electricity, Nigeria has the largest access deficit in sub-Saharan Africa and the second largest in the world, after India. The transition from a publicly-owned to largely privately-owned power sector has not brought the expected outcomes and the sector is under severe stress. High losses, low collections and lack of cost recovery tariffs have resulted in an annual financial deficit to the sector of approximately US$1 billion. For the years 2015 and 2016 combined, the tariff shortfall alone amounted to US$1.4 billion. Sector Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses are extremely high, averaging 54 per cent in 2017, versus 27 per cent projected in the tariff regulation/order. The poor financial viability of the eleven Discos has resulted in their low remittances to NBET (estimated to be 26 per cent for the first nine months of 2018) with a resulting lack of timely and full payments to GENCOs that, in turn, accumulate arrears to gas suppliers. While instituting an effective cost-reflective tariff is very critical to the improvement of the electricity sector, it must go hand in hand with commensurate improvement in quality of electricity supply. A situation where metering coverage is extremely low and where power supply duration per day is on average just two hours if at all, makes little or no economic sense and disincentivises customers to pay their bills. Over the years, and even more so now, the electricity industry in Nigeria has grown into a massive uncompetitive sellers’ market, characterised by price takers, asymmetric information and heavy barriers to entry and exit. Increasing tariffs while quality of service remains low means that NERC is loudly rewarding the Discos for their inefficiencies. There cannot and must not be a positive correlation between poor service delivery and increased pricing that benefits the price taker. It is in this sense that many Nigerians believe that the Discos are in league with the NERC to rip off consumers. There is a need for the Federal Competition and Consumer

Oduntan

Protection Commission (FCCPC) to look into the electricity sector and fulfil its statutory responsibility of modifying the behaviour of service providers, in this case, the Discos. It has become obvious that NERC does not have the capacity to do this, as it has shown itself to be a biased player in the industry. NERC must at all times take into consideration the balance between the impact on consumers and the Discos sustainability when making revenue decisions. The economic situation in the country is itself a key encumbrance to the effectiveness of the proposed price increase. Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, in his response to the proposed move by NERC to increase electricity tariff opined that “Nigerians are currently passing through grave economic stress and anything that would aggravate the situation such as an increase in electricity tariff is completely unacceptable. Electricity, he noted, “is pivotal to the economic and social lives of Nigerians and NERC should rather seek ways of making power affordable and available to Nigerians, in line with its establishment laws, instead of an increase in tariff.” No doubt, the substantial tariff increases that have been awarded by NERC to the Discos, will have a major impact on industries’ cost structure, jeopardising the viability of marginal and loss-making firms and, inevitably, accelerating job losses at energy-intensive companies in particular. The tariff increases could also lead to the closure of small businesses in the country already struggling with the many varied barriers to profitability. Due to the subsequent drop in economic demand, retailers won’t be able to pass on the increase to consumers. Expectedly, another effect is that businesses will need to make adjustments to their employment strategies. This might mean job losses, as well as an increase in the price of goods and services. In addition, the proposed upward review of electricity tariffs could further put upward pressure on prices in the near term and push the inflation rate up by as much as 0.9 per cent. The inflation rate increased to 11.61 per cent in October 2019 from 11.24 per cent of the previous month, reaching the highest since May of 2018.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

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BUSINESS/LABOUR

States, Labour Brace up for Decisive Engagement over Minimum Wage Implementation Onyebuchi Ezigbo

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he dust raised by the N30,000 new minimum wage, signed into law in April 18, 2019 is yet to settle.

While the federal government has been able to conclude action on the consequential adjustment, resulting from the new minimum wage and commenced implementation by December last year, majority of state governments are yet to implement the new wage. Despite the signing of the new minimum wage bill into law, state governors have shown apathy in implementing the new wage increase. Initially, the governors rallied under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) to oppose the payment of the N30,000 across board insisting that they were not buoyant enough to implement the agreement on the minimum wage consequential adjustment as was reached between federal government and its employees. Instead, the NGF said governors were going to pay based on the capacity of each state. The chairman of the NGF and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, later clarified the position of the governors, saying they are not opposed to the N30,000 new minimum wage, but its implementation should be subject to negotiations with labour at the state levels. However, the leadership of the organised labour saw the apparent foot-dragging by the governors as unnecessary and a ploy to delay and possibly deny the workers at the state level their right to benefit from the new minimum wage. Labour therefore met in Abuja and issued a deadline urging state governments to constitute negotiating committees and ensure conclusion of talks on or before the December 31, 2019 National leadership of the Labour movement at its meeting with all the state branches of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council lashed out at the NGF’s position, saying most of the states complaining of lack of funds are not sincere. According to the council, states like Lagos, Kaduna, Jigawa and Adamawa had concluded arrangements for the implementation of the new minimum wage. Labour gave December 31, 2019 deadline to 32 state governors to either pay the N30, 000 new minimum wage or risk industrial action. Despite the deadline by labour, many of the states appeared unable to commence negotiations with their workers thereby fueling fears of a possible industrial crisis in the affected states. The two labour centres, NLC and TUC, have so far reacted in a mature way to what they described as the insensitive and provocative act of some governors. Both labour movements have exercised restraint and soft-pedalled on their threat to slam the affected states with industrial action. The leadership of the bodies have said they would be reviewing the reports of progress made by states with regard to the implementation of the minimum wage. At the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting

Kayode Fayemi

of TUC held in Lagos last Thursday, the congress gave states yet to begin negotiations with workers, fresh deadline of January 31 to do so. It asked state governments, who have not complied with the implementation and payment of the N30, 000.00 new national minimum wage to commence negotiations and implementation on or before 31st January, 2020, otherwise they should be responsible for the consequences of their failure. In a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting held in Lagos on Thursday, and signed by the TUC President,Comrade Quadri A. Olaleye, and General Secretary, Comrade Musa Lawal, TUC said it had directed state councils to commence mobilisation of their members immediately. “As at now and by our record, only six states have signed and commenced implementation, 15 states are in the process of negotiation, while the rest are yet to commence negotiation. We want to assure them this is not an empty threat. Labour will shut down any state that has not yet started the implementation or negotiation”. On its part, the NLC said it was not extending the December 31 deadline to states, but has set machinery in motion to receive and analyse reports from each state on the progress made on the minimum wage negotiations. Speaking in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Thursday the NLC General Secretary, Comrade Emma Ugboaja, said there were three states where labour was having challenge in terms of kick-starting negotiations, adding that Kogi, Taraba and Cross River have not set up a committee to negotiate with workers

Aliyu Wabba

as at December 31 deadline,” TUC said. “We are taking reports from our various councils and we are analyzing the reports because they vary; we are not going to have a uniform response to all states. We will take each state based on the kind of report we get from that particular state. Once we finish analysing the various scenarios we have, we will roll out actions on each state according to the nature of discrepancy we are seeing in implementation. “We have not extended the ultimatum and we are not doing that. The deadline is over, but we are only being sure that we do not hurt a process that has already been concluded or being concluded. But we must fish out the exact places where we have clear challenge,” it added. Giving further updates, Ugboaja said states like Abia and Rivers had to adjourn as at December 31 after reaching a conclusion. “We want to ensure that we do not dissipate energy in areas where we do not have to. Clearly, having one third of compliance cannot be a wonderful result. It is not wonderful and it is unfortunate. People are toying with the machinery that should be driving governance and operations in the states. “If the governors believe that they want to work, they should take care of workers that will help them to work. But because they are chasing something different, they do not care about workers. If it is about service, you don’t have to give a deadline; they should have before now taken care of this by themselves. “When you see people who are chattering jets. If you go to the airport and take an inventory of the number

of private jets and who are the people renting them at what cost and what kind of trip, even for wedding, funerals, they are busy renting private jets across the country and they will tell you about cost of governance.” While emphasising the need for governors to prioritize workers welfare, Ugboaja said workers are the ones they use to fulfill the requirements of governance. According to the NLC scribe, workers are the ones that will bring service delivery. If you don’t take care of them, you are not governing. It is not all about political projects of giving water and light. Notwithstanding the inability of labour to force state governments to keep to the December 31 deadline, progress has been made in pushing for the implementation of new minimum wage by states. For instance, more than 20 of the states are in the process of negotiations for the minimum wage consequential adjustment, while states like Lagos, Kaduna and Adamawa have moved beyond negotiations and commenced implementation. Another significant milestone by the labour movement is the fact that the unions have succeeded in breaking the solidarity of state governors and forcing the NGF to abandon its strategy to act as a moderator in whole exercise. Labour has succeeded in drumming home the fact that states can pay the new minimum wage and that they do not have to hide under the excuse of poor finances to deny their workers what they rightfully deserve. At least what the present scenario indicates is that the nation may not have to be thrown into labour crisis on the account of the new minimum wage as substantial progress are being made to resolve the issues.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

BUSINESS/MONEY

Whither the Disparities in World’s Billionaire Rankings? Forbes and Bloomberg are two international media organisations that rank net worths of the richest people in the world. Meanwhile, recent rankings on world billionaires, released by the both organisations, showed some disparities, which calls for some concerns. Bamidele Famoofo reports Bloomberg’s Index he latest ranking of world billionaires released by Bloomberg in the first week of January 2020, showed how 500 of world’s top billionaires fared as at January 2, 2020. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index (BBI), as it is called, indicates that some billionaires across the globe weathered the economic storms of 2019, increasing their net worths, while most of them recorded drops in their fortune. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index is a daily ranking of the world’s richest people. ‘’In calculating net worth, Bloomberg News strives to provide the most transparent calculations available, and each individual billionaire profile contains a detailed analysis of how that person’s fortune is tallied,’’ the company explained. Bloomberg L.P. is privately-owned financial, software, data, and media company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981, with the help of Thomas Secunda, Duncan MacMillan, Charles Zegar, and a 30 per cent ownership investment by Merrill Lynch. American internet and aerospace entrepreneur, media proprietor, and investor, Jeff Bezos, according to Bloomberg, maintained its position as the wealthiest persons in the universe. Bezos, American, is best known as the founder, chief executive officer, and president of Amazon.com, Inc. The first centi-billionaire on the Forbes wealth index, Bezos was named the “richest man in modern history” after his net worth increased to $150 billion in July 2018. In September 2018, Forbes described him as “far richer than anyone else on the planet” as he added $1.8 billion to his worth when Amazon became the second company in history to have a market cap of $1 trillion. Though Bezos’ wealth dropped to $115billion as of January 2, 2020, according to Bloomberg, he remained the undisputable richest man in the world. Bill Gates and Bernard Arnault followed as second and third with $113 billion and $105 billion respectively. Warren Buffett was the fourth with $89.3 billion on the world billionaires list published by Bloomberg. On the African continent, specifically Nigeria, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, on the Bloomberg billionaire index, maintained its position as Africa’s richest man, occupying the 96th position as against his previous ranking of 103. Dangote, with an estimated worth of $14.8 billion, remains the richest man in Africa for the eighth year running. He was the only Nigerian on the list of the top 100 billionaires released by Bloomberg in its yearly billionaires’ list. Nigeria’s only billionaire on the Bloomberg’s list of top 500 richest persons in the world after Dangote was Mike Adenuga, who Bloomberg ranked 499th. According to Bloomberg, he had a net worth of $4.36billion as at January 2, 2020. Adenuga, who is the chairman of Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest telecommunications company by market share, also owns 89.3 per cent of Lagos-based petroleum products distributor Conoil. Globacom, a Lagos-based company, with presence in virtually all states in Nigeria, has 47 million subscribers in Africa’s most populous country, and also operates in Benin and Ghana. The Globacom self-made billionaire increased its net worth by 21.4 per cent, representing $769million year to date, in the review period. Last change in his net worth was $33.1million or -0.8 per cent, according to Bloomberg. Going by Bloomberg’s estimation, Adenuga’s net worth of $4.36billion, as at the time of the rating, can buy 3.53million troy ounces of gold, 81.9million barrels of crude oil. His wealth, according to Bloomberg, is equivalent to 0.0242 per cent of the GDP of the United States, 1.10 percent of the top 100 U.S. college endowments and 69 percent of the top 200 U.S. executives’ total awarded compensation.

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Forbes’ List Just like Bloomberg, Forbes rated the Amazon man, Jeff Bezos, the wealthiest in the world as of January 3, 2020, though his net worth was $2.5billion different from what Bloomberg announced.

Dangote

Adenuga

Forbes magazine is well known for its lists and rankings, including of the richest Americans (the Forbes 400), of the America’s Wealthiest Celebrities, of the world’s top companies (the Forbes Global 2000), 30 Under 30 and The World’s Billionaires. Meanwhile, Forbes Real- Time Billionaires’ list of Forbes Magazine as at Friday, January 3, 2020, obtained by THISDAY showed that Bezos had $117.5billion as against Bloomberg’s $115billion. It represented a difference of $2.5billion. While the Microsoft man, Bill Gates, also an American like Bezos, ranked number two in the Bloomberg listing of billionaires, Bernard Arnault, another American was second on the Forbes ranking with $111.7billion while Bill Gates with a total networth of $108.8billion came behind Arnault as the third richest man on earth. Meanwhile, Bill Gates occupied the second position in the Bloomberg billionaire ranking. Meanwhile, in the Forbes real-time Billionaires’ list on January 3, Dangote’s wealth was put at a distant $8.8billion as against $14.8billion published by Bloomberg on January 2. Howbeit, Dangote maintained its leading position as Africa’s wealthiest man even on the Forbes Billionaires’ list as at January 3. Dangote’s estimated worth in the latest Bloomberg ranking surpassed an earlier ranking by the Forbes Magazine, which placed his fortune at $10.8 billion in the 2019 Forbes Africa’s Billionaires’ list. He retained his position as the richest African for the eighth consecutive year on the Forbes list as well. Africa’s richest man, with his improved worth of $14.8 billion, according to Bloomberg, sits on Dangote Industries Limited, a closely held conglomerate. The Lagos-based company owns sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest cement producer, Dangote Cement, which had revenue of N901.2 billion ($2.5 billion) in 2018. It also has interests in sugar, salt, flour, fertiliser and packaged food. It would be recalled that Dangote was also recently named as the sixth most charitable man in the world by Richtopia, a digital periodical company that covers business, economics, and financial news, based in the United Kingdom. This recognition came after he endowed his foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) to the tune of $1.25 billion. Dangote started his foundation in 1981, with a mission to

enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education and broaden economic empowerment opportunity. Aliko Dangote Foundation was however incorporated in 1994 as a charity in Lagos, Nigeria. Twenty years later, the foundation has become the largest private foundation in sub Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor. The primary focus of Aliko Dangote Foundation is health and nutrition, supported by wrap-around interventions in education, empowerment and humanitarian relief. On the other hand, meanwhile, Mike Adenuga, the second richest man in Nigeria and 202 in the World, according to Forbes, garnered a total of $8.7billion in wealth as at January 3, 2020, which represents a wide margin when placed side by side with Bloomberg’s $4.36billion and 499th position. While Dangote ranked 96th amongst the world’s Billionaires, according to Bloomberg, Forbes placed the number one man in Africa in 195th position. Wither the Disparities? A media and financial analyst, Douglas McIntyre, while making an attempt to explain the differences that exist between Forbes and Bloomberg Billionaire index noted that neither of the two could be said to be better than the other, or perhaps worse. “Once again, the time lines between Forbes and Bloomberg are different, so who is to say who the world’s first, second, third or fourth richest man or woman really are? Clearly, it is impossible to weigh, unless perhaps the measure is made minute by minute — which cannot be done. Forbes claims an army of reporters who sift through everything from public holdings and real estate builds its list. The magazine’s editors say they try to confirm the numbers with the billionaires themselves, who, of course, may not tell the truth,” McIntyre said. McIntyre concluded: ‘’How big a difference is there between the methods of measurement? Each of the two media would say its own is better. However, it is the “daily” yardstick that begs to be questioned.’’

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

BUSINESS/MONEY

In 11 Months, FIC Investors Inject N216tn in the Economy Investors in the Fixed Income and Currency markets on the platform of FMDQ invested about N216.24trillion in short-term, interest-yielding instruments, mainly foreign exchange, treasury bills and repurchase agreements/buy backs in 11 months in 2019. Trading in treasury bills, accounted for the lion’s share of turnover in the review period with N81.73billion. Bamidele Famoofo reports Performance at a glance review of the performance of investment activities in the Fixed Income and Currency (FIC) markets for a period of 11 months in the financial year ended 2019 for FMDQ, showed that investors splashed about N216.24trillion ($597.76billion) on the various investment instruments on offer on the FMDQ platform. The gross turnover recorded by the FIC markets in 11 months of 2019 will finance the 2020 budget 20 times. It is also 15 times the size of the nation’s external reserves as at 8th of January, 2020. The total investment in the markets in the review period will adequately fund Nigeria’s huge infrastructure deficit estimated at $31billion per annum by McKinsey, for about 20 years. Dealing members showed preference for foreign exchange trading which accounted for about 41 per cent of total turnover in the FIC markets in the review period. T-Bills trading attracted N81.73trillion, followed by FX with N48.32trillion; which accounted for 22.4 per cent of total market turnover in 11 months. Apart from FX and T-Bills markets, investors splashed N41.71trillion on repurchase agreements/buy backs, making it the third most treasured instruments in the review period. Turnover in this section of the market accounted for 19.3 per cent of the markets gross turnover. Foreign exchange derivatives and the federal government bonds accounted for 13.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent of total markets turnover respectively. They both attracted N28.43 trillion and N13.86trillion respectively from investors in the review period.

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Turnover Analysis A review of performance of turnover monthon-month (MoM) showed that turnover in the T-bills market between January and April, stood at N29.9trillion while trading in FX was N20.06trillion. About N15.1trillion was spent on repurchase agreement/buy back instruments while FX derivatives and FGN Bonds attracted N10.19trillion and N3.97trillion respectively. All together, turnover was N79.61trillion in the first four months of trading in 2019. Average turnover between January and April stood at N19.90trillion. Market turnover in the FIC markets in the month of May increased to N20.49trillion ($56.8billion) with T-bills taking the lead with N7.4billion. FX attracted N4.3trillion which was below N4.63trillion spent on repurchase agreement/buy back, which recorded N4.63trillion in the month. FX derivatives and FGN Bonds garnered N2.61trillion and N1.46trillion respectively in the month of May. In the month of June, Treasury Bills attracted N7.47trillion from investors, higher than the turnover of May by 1.1 per cent. Meanwhile, FX was less attractive to buyers in June, as turnover dropped by 24 per cent compared to the turnover in May, as investment in T-bills stood at N3.14trillion. FX derivatives and repurchase agreement/buy back recorded N2.92trillion and N3.64trillion respectively in June. Turnover in third quarter (July-Sept) stood at N58.78trillion, the peak month be-

Marina Lagos

ing August. The N23.21trillion turnover in August represented about 39.5 per cent of the third quarter turnover. Turnover dropped in September, standing at N19.21trillion. Investment in the FX space dropped in July, to N3.08trillion as against N3.14trillion in June. In August turnover shot up to N5.57trillion before dropping by 22 per cent to N4.35trillion. Patronage in T- bills was highest in August at N9.09trillion but dropped by 6.6 per cent in September at N8.49trillion. Meanwhile, the two months captured in the last quarter of the year (October and November) recorded N38.24trillion. Turnover in November was N21.61trillion, representing 56.5 percent. Patronage dropped across board in October with FX recording N3.45trillion down from N4.35trillion in September. T-bills, N6.81trillion; FX derivatives, N1.62trillion; FGN Bonds and repurchase agreement/buy back recorded N0.99trillion and N3.32trillion respectively in October. Breakdown of investment in November showed at T-bills accounted for 29 per cent of total turnover while FX did 21 per cent at N6.28trillion and N4.54trillion respectively. Deal in repurchase agreement/ buy back stood at N5.42trillion, accounting for 25 per cent of turnover. FX derivatives and FGN Bonds recorded N2.94trillion and N2.33trillion respectively. Current Turnover in the FIC markets for the month ended November 30, 2019 was N21.61trillion, representing a MoM increase of 29.95 percent (N4.98trillion) on the turnover recorded in October 2019 (N16.63trillion) and a YoY increase of 61.87 percent (N8.26trillion) in comparison to the turnover recorded in November 2018 (N13.35trillion). FX, repurchase agreements/buy-backs and OMO bills were the most traded products jointly accounting for 78.44 percent of the total

FIC market turnover recorded in November 2019. Total FX market turnover in November 2019 was $20.61billion (N7.47trillion), representing a 47.54 percent ($6.64billion) MoM increase from the turnover recorded in October 2019 driven jointly by the increase in turnover of Member-Client FX Spot and Member-CBN FX Derivatives transactions. Analysis of FX market turnover by trade type indicated MoM increases across all categories, with member-CBN trades recording the highest percentage MoM increase at 116.96 percent ($2.95bn), while member-Client trades recorded the highest MoM increase in dollar (nominal) terms, at $3.65billion (43.17per cent). Additionally, analysis by product type indicated that the MoM increase in FX turnover was mainly driven by the 69.66 percent ($3.57billion) increase in FX Derivatives turnover, while FX Spot turnover recorded a MoM increase of 34.70 percent ($3.07billion), accounting for 53.77 percent and 46.23 per cent of the MoM increase in total FX market turnover respectively. In November 2019, the Naira-settled OTC FX Futures Contract (NGUS NOV 27 2019) with a total open contract value of $1.47billion matured and was settled, and a new contract, NGUS DEC 30 2020 for $1.00billion at $/N366.87 was introduced. This brings the total value of open OTC FX Futures Contracts to c.$9.74bn, while the total value of contracts settled from inception to date stands at c.$31.98bn. In November 2019, the CBN Official Spot rate for US$/N remained constant at $/N307.00. Similarly, the parallel market rate remained constant at $/N360.00, while the Naira depreciated against the US Dollar at the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) FX Window by $/N0.15 to close at $/N362.81 in November 2019 ($/N362.66 in October 2019) Fixed Income Market (T.bills, OMO bills and FGN bonds).

In November 2019, the average outstanding value of OMO bills decreased by 1.21 per cent (N0.18trillion) MoM to N14.69trillion, whilst the average outstanding value of T.bills remained flat at N2.58trillion. Conversely, the average outstanding value of FGN bonds increased MoM by 0.45 per cent (N0.04trn) to close at N8.94trillion in November 2019. Trading intensity for T.bills and OMO bills decreased to 0.36 in November 2019 from 0.39 recorded in October 2019, conversely, trading intensity for FGN bonds increased to 0.26 in November 2019 from 0.11 recorded in October 2019. YTD trading intensity for T.bills & OMO bills and FGN bonds stood at 4.83 and 1.60 respectively compared to 5.00 and 1.40 recorded in the corresponding period in 2018. In November 2019, T.bills and OMO bills within the 6M - 12M maturity bracket were the most actively traded among the short-term securities (i.e. 1M – 5Y) accounting for 29.85per cent of the total Fixed Income market turnover, while FGN bonds within the 7Y – 10Y maturity bracket were the most actively traded among the medium to long-term securities (i.e. 5Y – 30Y), accounting for 7.67per cent of the total Fixed Income market turnover. Total turnover in the money market increased MoM by 47.65 percent (N1.78trn) to N5.52trn in November 2019, driven majorly by the Repurchase Agreements/Buy-Backs segment which recorded a MoM increase of 62.94 percent (N2.09trn) in turnover to N5.42trn in November 2019 from N3.32trn in October 2019. Turnover in Unsecured Placements/Takings in November 2019 was N0.10trillion, representing a 75.64 per cent (N0.31trillion) MoM decrease from the N0.41trillion recorded in October 2019, and a YoY increase of 59.14per cent (N0.04trillion) from the turnover recorded in November 2018 (N0.06trillion).

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SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

TRAVEL

Edited by: Demola Ojo email:Demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

An Ekpe Masquerade performing in the heat of competition.

Colourful Grand Ekpe Ceremony Evokes Calabar’s Glory Days

Demola Ojo

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igeria is renowned for its potpourri of cultures which is arguably the premier tourism attraction of Africa’s most populous country. One of these vibrant cultures steeped in history is that of the Efik people who occupy the southern part of Cross River State, some parts of Akwa Ibom and across the Nigerian border in Cameroon. The economy of the Efik was originally based on fishing but the area quickly developed into a major trading centre and remained so well into the early 1900s. From the 1800s, Christian missions were at work among the Efik who are reputed to be the first to embrace western education in present-day Nigeria. By this time, many of the native peoples were well educated in European ideologies and culture, professed Christianity and dressed European. However, the Efik still maintained and proudly professed their culture through fashion, festival and food (Edikang Ikong vegetable soup and Afang vegetable soup are two famed culinary exports of the Efik). Enter the Ekpe A powerful bond of union among the Efik, and one that gives them considerable influence, is the secret society known as the Ekpe. This society has been transformed into the Abakuá cult in Cuba, the Bonkó cult in Bioko and the Abakuya dance in mainland Equatorial Guinea. The Ekpe society is exclusive for male, while females have their own Ekpa society. During the pastYuletide season, the ancient city of Calabar was treated to a special Grand Ekpe ceremony reminiscent of the days of yore when Ekpe was government. For some who have been in the city for at least over forty years, it was the resurgence of forgotten sensory pleasures. For younger residents, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch a glimpse of the splendour and grandeur of the city their parents and grandparents often speak of with nostalgia. Mostly referred to as Grandy Egbo by the European ship captains, traders and missionar-

ies, this was a rare and uncommon spectacle. The festivities kicked off December 29 with the toll of the Sabbath Egbo (Ekpe) Bell as a call to the community to come out for worship, praise and thanksgiving at the Duke Town Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Calabar. This was the same bell that rang 170 years ago on Sunday May 20, 1846 to call all residents of Old Calabar to worship at this same church that had been established by Reverend Hope Masterton Waddell at the invitation of King EyambaV who sought to restore human dignity lost to centuries of slavery and slave trade and usher in a new age of enlightenment. The Ekpe ceremony was also an opportunity for members of the King Eyamba and Duke Town families to celebrate the 100th birthday of their patriarch, His Royal Highness Etubom Okon Ekpenyong John Eyamba XVI, in grand style on NewYear’s Day. Part of activities for the centenary of the man at the heart of the celebration was the initiation of sons and daughters of the kingdom into the Ekpe society and a competition by Ekpe masquerades from different lodges. The Efik are known to have a rich masquerade tradition with the most revered being the Ekpe masquerade said to have served before and during the colonial era as the instrument of government to regulate affairs of the land by enforcing cultural values and norms. The Ekpe society also contributed immensely to the growth of Christianity in the past as the masquerade was also used to ensure that members of the society attend church service when necessary. As members of King Eyamba and DukeTown families celebrated their patriarch, it was not out of place to see them showcasing this part of their culture through different activities. Sons and daughters of the Efik kingdom were initiated into their respective societies and a procession was undertaken to Bassey Duke’s effigy as well as other designated points of the city as the families were joined by an affiliate Ekpe group from Ugep Eburutu. A day after, the decorative fence housing the sun disc known in the local parlance as“Itiat Ekpe Efik Iboku”was unveiled with the grand finale, a competition by Ekpe masquerades from different Ekpe shrines. The climax of the celebrations was the Nyoro festival which again was started by King

Others awaiting their turn

EyambaV when he organized an Ekpe display competition in honour of, and to welcome the missionaries who arrived Calabar in April 1846. In contemporary times, Nyoro Ekpe display is the climax of a series of events hosted by the revered Ekpe society usually held during the Christmas and NewYear holidays when Cross River Indigenes and holiday makers worldwide converge in Calabar. Already an established event with very high patronage locally, it provided the inspiration for the now famous Calabar festival. Nyoro is a culturally and intellectually relevant event aimed at entertaining, enlightening and uniting the Efik people. Through a series of intricate footwork, signs and body language known as“catwalk”which imitates the lion and the leopard, participating Ekpe masquerades competed through a display of their skill, dexterity, understanding and interpretation of what Ekpe represents before a panel of judges and an audience. Based on their performance, scores are awarded and a winner emerges. At the end of the competition, Ikoneto town emerged winner while the first runner up was Atakpa and Ugep Eburutu came third.

Murua Okpoho masquerade

SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER • JANUARY 12, 2020

ŐĞƌŝĂ͛Ɛ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ϵ͘ϭй ǁͬ ǁ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƵŶĚĞƌǀĂůƵĞĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘ dƌĂŝůͲ ŝŶŐ͕ DĂƵƌŝƟƵƐ͛ ^ D y /ŶĚĞdž ĂŶĚ DŽͲ ƌŽĐĐŽ͛Ɛ ĂƐĂďůĂŶĐĂ D ^/ /ŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ Ϯ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϱй ƐƚƌŽŶŐĞƌ ǁͬǁ͘ 'ŚĂŶĂ͛Ɛ '^ ŽŵƉŽƐŝƚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘ϱй ǁͬǁ ǁŚŝůĞ ŐLJƉƚ͛Ɛ 'y ϯϬ ĂŶĚ <ĞŶLJĂ͛Ɛ E^ ϮϬ ůŽƐƚ ϭ͘ϳй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϯй ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ĚĞĨƵƐĞĚ tĂƐŚŝŶŐƚŽŶ dĞŚƌĂŶ ƚĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƐƚĞĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƐŝĂ ĂŶĚ DŝĚĚůĞ ĂƐƚ͘ ůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ͕ ƐĂǀĞ dƵƌŬĞLJ͛Ɛ /^d ϭϬϬ /ŶĚĞdž ǁŚŝĐŚ ƐŚĞĚ ϰ͘Ϭй ǁͬǁ͘ dŽ ůĞĂĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ dŚĂŝůĂŶĚ͛Ɛ ^ d /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ Ϭ͘ϵй ǁͬǁ͘ ^ĂƵͲ Ěŝ ƌĂďŝĂ͛Ɛ dĂĚĂǁƵů ^/ ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ YĂƚĂƌ͛Ɛ ^D ϮϬ /ŶĚĞdž ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ ĂŶĚ h ͛Ɛ y 'ĞŶĞƌĂů /ŶĚĞdž ;нϬ͘ϱйͿ ĂůƐŽ ĮŶŝƐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ͘ ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ĞƐƚ ^ƚĂƌƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ zĞĂƌ ŝŶ DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ă ĞĐĂĚĞ͙ ^/ :ƵŵƉƐ ϵ͘ϭй ǁͬǁ /ƚ ǁĂƐ Ă ƌŽƐLJ ǁĞĞŬ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďŽƵƌƐĞ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ E^ ^/ ĞŵĞƌŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ƉĞƌͲ ĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬ ĞdžĐŚĂŶŐĞ ŝŶ ĚŽůůĂƌ ƚĞƌŵƐ ŐůŽďĂůůLJ͕ ĂĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ůŽŽŵďĞƌŐ͘ KƚŚĞƌ ŐƌĞĂƚ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ŽĐĐƵƌƌĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂƐ h ĞŵĞŶƚ ůŝƐƚĞĚ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞͲ ƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŵĞƌŐĞƌ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ K h ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ EE͘ KŶ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŶŽƚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ƩŽƌŶĞLJ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ &ĞĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚͲ ĚƌĞǁ ƚŚĞ ĐĂƐĞ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ DdE EŝŐĞƌŝĂ WůĐΖƐ ĂůůĞŐĞĚ ďĂĐŬ ƚĂdžĞƐ͘ &ŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ Ăůů ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ĞŶĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ͕ ĚƌŝǀͲ ĞŶ ďLJ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ďĞůůͲ ǁĞƚŚĞƌ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ͘ dŚĞ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŐĂŝŶƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ ϵ͘ϭй ǁͬǁ ƚŽ Ϯϵ͕ϰϭϱ͘ϯϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ ϵ͘ϲй͘ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ േϮ͘ϮƚŶ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽ േϭϱ͘ϮƚŶ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϳ͘ϭй ƚŽ ϱϯϲ͘ϱŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϮϬ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϲ͘ϱďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞͲ ůLJ͘ h ;ϯϰϱ͘Ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ E/d, ;ϯϯϳ͘Ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ t W/ ;ϭϵϴ͘Ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁŚŝůĞ E/d, ;േϳ͘ϭďŶͿ͕ DdEE ;േϯ͘ϮďŶͿ ĂŶĚ h ;േϮ͘ϵďŶͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ ^ĞĐƚŽƌƐ ĂůƐŽ ƉŽƐƚĞĚ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌͲ ŵĂŶĐĞƐ ĂƐ ϱ ŽĨ ϲ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀͲ ĞƌĂŐĞ ƚƌĞŶĚĞĚ ŶŽƌƚŚǁĂƌĚ ǁͬǁ͘ dŚĞ /ŶͲ ĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ϮϮ͘ϯй ŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϮϭ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ t WͲ K ;нϭϭ͘ϲйͿ͘ dƌĂŝůŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ &Z / d ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ϴ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ ϯ͘ϱй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ & E, ;нϭϱ͘ϵйͿ͕ E/d, ;нϭϯ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ DdEE ;нϲ͘ϰйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌͲ ĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ Ϯ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϴй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƚŽŽŬ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ ^Ks ZE/E ;ϭϬ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ &>KhZD/>>^ ;нϭϲ͘ϱйͿ͘ >ĂƐƚͲ ůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůŽƐƚ ϮďƉƐ͕ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƐ ŝŶ &KZd ; ϲ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ dKd > ; ϯ͘ϱйͿ͘ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌͲ ŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƌŽƐĞ

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ƚŽ Ϯ͘ϲdž ĂƐ ϰϵ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϭϵ ƟĐŬͲ ĞƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ E' D ;нϮϭ͘ϭйͿ͕ WZ ^ K ;нϭϵ͘ϴ йͿ ĂŶĚ >/s ^dK ;нϭϴ͘ϬйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ hW ; ϭϴ͘ϲйͿ͕ E Z ; ϭϬ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ hE/KE / ; ϵ͘ϵйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ tĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ ǁŽƵůĚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘ &ŽƌĞŝŐŶ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ EĂŝƌĂ ZĞŵĂŝŶƐ ^ƚĂďůĞ ŵŝĚ ĞĐůŝŶŝŶŐ ZĞƐĞƌǀĞƐ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ DŝĚĚůĞ ĞĂƐƚ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ĞůĞǀĂƚĞĚ ƚĞŶƐŝŽŶƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ h^ ŬŝůůĞĚ Ă ƐĞŶŝŽƌ /ƌĂŶŝĂŶ ŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ ůĞĂĚĞƌ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ Žŝů ƉƌŝĐĞ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ Ă ϳ ŵŽŶƚŚ ŚŝŐŚ ŽĨ ΨϳϬ͘Ϯϱͬďďů ďĞͲ ĨŽƌĞ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ Ăƚ Ψϲϱ͘ϯϴ ĂƐ ĐŽŶĐĞƌŶƐ ŽǀĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŽƵƚďƌĞĂŬ ŽĨ Ă ǁĂƌ ĂďĂƚĞĚ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ƚŚĞ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ĨŽƌĞŝŐŶ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞƐ ĚĞͲ ĐůŝŶĞĚ Ϭ͘ϳй ;h^ΨϮϳϲ͘ϵŵͿ ƚŽ h^Ψϯϴ͘ϯďŶ ;ϬϴͬϬϭͬϮϬϮϬͿ͘ dŚĞ ŶĂŝƌĂ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ďĂŶĚƐ Ăůů ǁĞĞŬ ůŽŶŐ͘ dŚĞ E ^ƉŽƚ ƌĂƚĞ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ േϯϬϳͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ďƵƚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ Ăƚ േϯϬϲ͘ϵϱͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ͕ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŶŐ ϱŬŽďŽ ǁͬ ǁ ĨƌŽŵ േϯϬϳͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ůĂƐƚ ǁĞĞŬ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂůůĞů ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ŝƚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͕ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ േϯϲϮ͘ϬϬͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ͛ Θ džƉŽƌƚĞƌƐ͛ ;/Θ Ϳ &y tŝŶĚŽǁ͕ ƚŚĞ E & y ƌĂƚĞ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ േϯϲϰ͘ϱϳͬh^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ േϯϲϮ͘ϲͬ h^Ψϭ͘ϬϬ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŶŐ ďLJ േϮ͘ϯϴ ǁͬǁ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ŝŶ ƚŚĞ /Θ tŝŶĚŽǁ ĂĚͲ ǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĂƐ ƚŽƚĂů ƚƵƌŶŽǀĞƌ ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ϭϰϴ͘Ϯй ǁͬ ǁ ƚŽ h^Ψϭ͘ϮďŶ ĨƌŽŵ h^Ψϰϲϲ͘ϰŵ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ &D Y ^ĞĐƵƌŝƟĞƐ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ ;^ Ϳ &y &ƵƚƵƌĞƐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ DĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ŽĨ ŽƉĞŶ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ EĂŝƌĂ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽ h^ΨϭϬ͘ϯďŶ͕ ƵƉ h^ΨϮϯϱ͘Ϯŵ ;Ϯ͘ϯйͿ ĨƌŽŵ

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30

SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

12.1.2020

A Golden ‘Grandmaster’s Grandeur at 80 ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

32

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

COVER

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evergreen Billionaire Industrialist

In his palatial home, all that glitters is gold. The glamourous incandescent chandelier suspended in the air towers and glimmers. The decor of the living room spreads out in resplendence. Warmth and wealth fill the air. The elevator takes you up in a glitzy glide, smooth and steady. The air of elegance fills your lungs. You inhale and your eyes are dreamy. You feel youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a dreamland surrounded by riches and richness. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a dream. The elegance and extravaganza are real. Welcome to Oluwa Ni N Sola Estate and the home of Chief Razaq Akanni Okoya. Yet, the surreal but beauteous adventure has just begun, as Funke Olaode relives the episodes of Chief Okoya

F

ortune. Fame. Fortitude. Forbearance. The extraordinary quartet that defines Chief Razaq Akanni Okoyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graceful and glitzy growth spanning eight decades. Chief Okoya has become an unputdownable book filled with exciting pages of riveting plots. Fabulously rich, extravagantly wealthy, Chief Okoya excites the minds and hearts of people. The glint in his eyes, the warmth of his countenance and the peace in his voice say it all. Dressed to the nines, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big day for the big man. For him, 80 years have become like a momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stroll in the park filled with lush greens and happy people. With a persona that commands awe and adulation, Chief Okoya makes riches look even richer. His expansive smile reveals his sparkling white set of teeth as he sinks gracefully on a couch in one of his living rooms. His young children are beside him. The lurking glint in his eyeballs tells you mortals like him are a rare special breed. You want to hear him speak; everyone in the room does. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Age and passage of time have slowed me down,â&#x20AC;? Chief Okoya says with a jot of a joke in his voice. No one really believes him for good reason. Yet, the inventive and positive billionaire industrialist adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;And even as I turn 80, my prayer is to enjoy good health, long life and leave the legacy of my industry behind as I want Eleganza to outlive me and continue with my philosophy of philanthropy.â&#x20AC;? Regal and resourceful, the octogenarian knows what he wants in life: for him, life begins at 80. But before he clocks 80 today, he was 79. You can even roll back the years to when he was born. What you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss is when fortune began to smile on him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My breakthrough in business came at the age of 19. I had built a house at Surulere,â&#x20AC;? Chief Okoya reveals with a sense of rich humility. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sentence in the story of his life. By the age of 21, he boasted of four houses at Surulere. At about 34, he had acquired a property on Ikoyi Crescent; four hectares of land in the heart of Ikoyi. By the time he clocked 40, two high-rise buildings had been added to his name. In all this, the grace with which he acknowledges the eventuality of death is inspiring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death is certain and whether we like it or not we must all go one day,â&#x20AC;? a philosophical Okoya notes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you cross 80 you are just in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;waiting roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; like a departure lounge. You only pray to God to live long and in good health.â&#x20AC;? A dynamic Nigerian, Chief Okoya is the poster boy of an entrepreneur with an enduring enterprise. He is the king of entrepreneurs and industrialists in Nigeria. That can be considered as an understated point. For those who know, the Eleganza Empire is like a utopia many Nigerians want to live in for a moment. Okoya has lived in that real-world he created. An enigma, the Aare of Lagos inhabits a world that shimmers in style as an industrialist and a philanthropist. With

Okoya

him, the world of business will appear like a piece of cake. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what he thinks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honesty, focus, determination, selfbelief, and passion for what you do are key ingredients to being successful and wealthy,â&#x20AC;? Chief Okoya explains. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something else. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I started out I guarded my resources jealously because I believed as

an industrialist the money might come in volume and once you are determined to put the money back into that business and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste it you will see the result. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been busy all my life with business, construction, trading to the extent that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time for social life at the initial stage. And to have sustained all this over the last six decades is by commitment,

hard work and the grace of God,â&#x20AC;? Okoya discloses. An understated legend in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business world, the shrewd billionaire believes success isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t elusive to those who dare. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a businessman, you have to be dynamic. As an entrepreneur, you have to be dynamic and embrace innovation.

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JANUARY 12, 2020˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

COVER

Why I’m Still in the Game at 80

Okoya and wife, Shade

That is the only vehicle that will keep you going,” he advises. “For instance, I started with one item and over the last six decades, we have metamorphosed. From selling tailoring accessories such as buttons and zips to the manufacturing of coolers and later dabbled into real estate. Today, we are producing weave-on for ladies. We produce soaps, chairs, etc.” The beat never stops for Okoya. He dreams it. He goes for it. Most of the time, he achieves it in a grand style. The eloquence of his wealth belies that. A man of immense wealth and wisdom, his reflection on life is that of gratitude and future ambitions. Born on January 12, 1940, admits life has “treated me nicely”. His parents were instrumental in his personal fame and fortune. “In terms of experience, my father did a lot. I learnt how to trade under his tutelage. Spending time with him after school hours each day really helped. That was how I learnt how to sell buttons, zips to the extent that I began to make orders from Japan,” he recalls. That was way back in the 1960s. Chief Okoya adds, “My mother helped me in paying the deposit for the first order and she had been a source of support since then. I’ve been waxing stronger for over 60 years and I haven’t looked back. From that small beginning, I went into trading and later became an industrialist.” Chief Okoya and Eleganza’s fame are beyond the shore of Nigeria. His story and that of his business empire have been

told several times. An ingenious industrialist, Okoya pioneered the production of household items like flasks, coolers, writing materials and other products. His enterprise has even expanded further today. From Iganmu, Apapa, Ikeja to Lekki and Ibadan, Chief Okoya’s magnificence becomes even magnified. He knew he wanted to be wealthy in life. But did he plan to be rich in grandeur? “Maybe not up to this extent,” the billionaire industrialist admits. “But at that time, my father was a very good tailor with a brand new car, five houses and a lot of apprentices which could be an inspiration for a young man. Yes. I knew I would be somebody when I started out but not of this magnitude.” Despite the vicissitudes of old age, his steely resolve remains. One of his beautiful dreams lie very close to his heart. “It is my dream to see Eleganza Industrial City blossom. The factory is built on 35 hectares of land in Ibeju-Lekki. It’s well-equipped. This factory is still part of my dreams. This is where my passion lies. I’m an industrialist,” a self-confident Okoya says. The man of immense wealth is further strengthened by a woman -his wife, Shade -that brims with beauty, brain, and bravura. If Chief Okoya decides to slow down, it’s because he’s got Shade by his side. “In the next two years, I may quit or slow down. Luckily, I have a younger wife, Shade, who is interested and committed to this dream as well. She is always in the factory from 7 am to 7 pm. I have worked throughout my life. It’s time to relax,” Chief Okoya reveals.

To the moneybag, a good carpenter can’t sew a fine cloth. It is little wonder that he stays out of politics. He provides an insight saying, “As I always say, a good carpenter cannot sew clothes. I am a good industrialist. God has helped me thus far. Although some politicians are my good friends, I don’t know much about politics. “I am doing God’s will where he has positioned me. I am too busy with my factory

(Arrowed) Okoya with father (right) and sinblings in 1957

to think about dabbling into politics. It has never crossed my mind.” At 80, Chief Okoya is still on top of his game. But you can feel the air of merriment, pleasantries being exchanged. Excited guests, friends, relatives, and well-wishers enthralled by the man who has been there, done that. Okoya’s eyes glow, his face shines. He flashes a smile and the birthday ‘boy’ cuts his cake. To be continued.

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

GLITZ FOCUS

Nollywood ďŹ lmmaker and actor Kunle Afolayan, Haitian- French actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, and fashion and lifestyle blogger Temi Otedola at the international press conference to announce the cast and production of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the movie.

Temi Otedolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Passion By Vanessa Obioha

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ours before the press conference to announce her acting debut in Kunle Afolayanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming movie, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Temi Otedola, the youngest of the billionaire businessman Femi Otedolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughters posted on Twitter that the day will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;monumentalâ&#x20AC;?, adding that â&#x20AC;&#x153;big news coming later onâ&#x20AC;?. The teaser sent her fans in a frenzy. They wondered what the big news would be, perhaps marriage to her longtime beau, Mr. Eazi. Some speculated that she might have landed a deal. As of the time of reporting, the post had generated 308 retweets and over 5,000 likes. When she finally broke the news to her Twitter fans, hearty congratulations poured in. Like her sister DJ Cuppy, Temiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s venture into the entertainment scene is one that is greeted with fervour. The 23-year-old is famous for her fashion and lifestyle blog which often sees her flying from one country to another. She has been

able to gather her own denizens who pore over her social media posts to get the latest updates on her life. On Twitter, she is a verified user with 676,000 followers. She is also a verified user on Instagram and her followers are inching closer to 600,000. Temi has always been passionate about acting. In her school days, she played characters in school plays. But growing up, she focused on her fashion design aspiration. More so, she never felt the timing was right to launch her acting career. The discussion to star in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; started a year ago. The young fashionista said she has always been a fan of Afolayanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movies from the days of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Figurineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. So when he mentioned that he was working on a movie and would love for her to star in it, she jumped on it. Temi disclosed: â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the process was not easy. I have to audition for a month and pushed to be sure that the role was meant for me and I did justice to the character on screen. I have been in constant discussion with Afolayan since August. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to show the intense work we put in it.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tells the story of a 23-year-old postgraduate student,

Moremi, who has to devise a way to fend off the sexual advances of her lecturer. Temi who plays Moremi said the story is very dear to her heart because of its relevance in society today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The lead character is also a girl of my age and a university student,â&#x20AC;? Temi said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The film is telling a tale about something that is relatable today in Nigeria and other parts of the world. So it is a story that is close to my heart, and I thought I could really bring that story to life.â&#x20AC;? For Afolayan, who has an eye for good talents, he was impressed with Temiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedication to her work. He said one of the things that attracted him to Temi was her energy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have seen Temi on CNN many times,â&#x20AC;? Afolayan stated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I follow her on Instagram and I wondered where does she get the time and energy to do all of that. She is very active, being creative with her fashion. She is a young girl with so much zeal to do something for herself and by herself. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I stand for as well. She is very creative and very talented.â&#x20AC;? Afolayan recalled how he asked her to play out a scene without dialogue and was blown off by the way she interpreted different expressions. It dawned on him

that she would be able to play the character well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can authoritatively say she got it. She is very talented.â&#x20AC;? The movie director further stated that he is looking forward to seeing how she brings life to the character because she has to speak four languages. To Temi, it is a big honour to launch her acting career in an Afolayan movie. But more important, she is very happy to be cast along great Nollywood actors like Sadiq Daba, Joke Silva, Ini Edo as well as Yomi Fash-Lanso. Other notable actors in the movie include Gabriel Afolayan, Ghanaian actor Adjetey Anang, Haitian-French actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ivorian theatre actor Bienvenu Neba, among others. Production of the movie kicks off this weekend and will be shot in three different countries: Nigeria, Cape Verde, and Senegal. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is written by Afolayanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longtime screenwriter Tunde Babalola and has veteran production designer, Pat Nebo and popular make-up artist, Lola Maja-Okojevoh on board. The film also has Ford Foundation as a lead sponsor as well as Canon Central and North Africa.

JANUARY 12, 2020˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

59

High Life Dudun Peterside’s Love for Polo

Mr and Mrs. Peterside

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arried couples are told to share everything. In fact, one of the joys of being married is that there is always someone with whom one can slice the cake with, and eat half slices with twice the enjoyment. So when a wife shares a hobby with her husband, that’s an extra knot in the matrimonial tie. The Peterside couple is remarkable for their aristocratic distinctiveness, something that inadvertently spilled over onto everything else, including their sartorial ensemble, the company they keep, the equal-parts admiration and envy they garner from colleagues and society, the kinds of weddings they underwrite, where such weddings occur, even the types of pastime they indulge, and much more. Atedo Peterside is the husband of the Peterside family. He leads the patrician household as well as wears the pants in the family. As the founder and pioneer managing director chief executive officer of Stanbic IBTC Plc, one might immediately assume that the system of government in the Peterside family unit is monarchic, but it clearly isn’t. To quote Maltese-born British writer and novelist, Gerald Brenan, “in a happy marriage, it is the wife who provides the Dudun Peterside lends a maternal and queenly luminosity to the clan. She also talks a good game in corporate society, being a psychologist and an executive coach who also styles as a human development adviser and consultant trainer. A truly notable pairing is the Peterside power couple – one to keep the money of society and the other to tend the minds of its people. As earlier remarked on, their interests and pastime identify them as relaxed and laid-back. This is corroborated by the general knowledge that Atedo and Dudun are ardent sports aficionados – but not the conventional form: polo, the game where horses get to have fun along with their riders in a congenially competitive atmosphere. Reportedly, their mutual passion for polo came from Dudun herself, who introduced Oga Atedo during their courtship. Sharp man that he is, he embraced it at once, but has since come to love it in truth. This is evident from the fact that he almost never misses out on the annual tournaments. More astonishingly, Dudun is reportedly a top member of the Lagos Polo Club – the only female member for a number of years! For the Peterside couple, bonds cover more than blood and tears and sweat, but also polo.

with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

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

Smart Dude... Intrigues as , Bunmi Ariyo, Embarks on Property Acquisition Drive, Buys Lanre Ogunlesi’s House It is often said that youth is the season of credulity but in his youth, Bunmi Ariyo reforms naiveté into the wisdom of the ancients. The ex-personal assistant of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode understands that experience is the name foolish people give their mistakes. Hence, he set out to evade such mortal blunders very early in his life. He understands that true wisdom emanates not from a moment’s eloquence or from any happily chosen word, but from the accumulation of a lifetime’s thoughts stored up in the eyes and given life in well-thought-out actions. Such priceless sagacity and proximity to power during Ambode’s administration became the fulcrum on which he rose to become one of the biggest collectors of properties in Lagos. In his mid-40s, Bunmi parlayed his political influence into solid wealth and has been acquiring choice property in every available area in Lagos. Whether on Lagos Island or the mainland, Bunmi has parcels of land and sometimes houses where they matter. Months back, he bought a massive property in Opebi, Ikeja; a lot of properties in upscale GRA, Ikeja and recently bought a massive one on a major street in GRA from one of the Ogunlesi brothers (Fola, Lanre,

and Kayode). His property acquisition drive, no doubt, reveals his innate passion to succeed where several of his predecessors and colleagues failed. Don’t blame him, he understands that political office and power are temporary perks in the life of a man hence, his determination to acquire as much property as he can and prepare for life after office. Until his appointment as Ambode’s man Friday, Bunmi had no socio-economic visibility. But with the appointment came a different level of prosperity as he became the unofficial powerbroker and favour dispenser before whom every contractor who had any business to do with the state had to genuflect or bend double as the case may be in order to enjoy the governor’s good graces. He wouldn’t brook any disrespect or dissent from anyone no matter how highly placed. Sooner, the new billionaire had men worshipping him while ladies openly and dreamily gawked at him and wherever he went, the ground literally trembled. In spite of the fact that Ambode is out of government, Bunmi is still very liquid and he has not stopped his property acquisition spree.

Jennifer Obayuwana Steps Out With Mother After a Long Time

Obayuwana

The life of any man is like a field with different kinds of winds being blown across. The man that stands out most of the time is the one who grows sincere gratitude that such winds have not blown him to bits and pieces. When one of such winds is marriage and has only blown good things one’s way, an unreserved sense of gratitude is necessary. It is now the 10th wedding anniversary of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and his darling, Pastor Nomthi Odukoya. In the same space of time, it has taken some marriages to crack and become irreparably broken, that of the Odukoyas is only getting stronger, better and steadier, and the couple understand that that is premised on the faithfulness of God. Taiwo and Nomthi are senior pastors of the Fountain of Life Bible Church, a Pentecostal church in Ilupeju, Lagos, with a membership strength numbering in the thousands. Pastor Taiwo is himself one of the founding pastors of the church – the other founder being his late wife, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, who died in a plane crash sometime in 2005. After the death of Pastor Bimbo Odukoya in 2005, relatives and friends

Between Jennifer Obayuwana of Polo, the popular luxury lifestyle store, and her billionaire dad, John, they have, over the years, successfully kept out of the public eye and mouth, the whereabouts and well-being of her mum, Comfort. Though she is still known as Mrs. Obayuwana, Comfort and John separated almost two decades ago. Many people had no idea what she looked like until recently when Jenny put up her picture and a lot of her friends could not but commend her youthfulness and fashion sense, concurring that the stylish older woman could conveniently pass for Jennifer ’s sister. One of her friends even mentioned that she could not understand why John would ditch his wife and settle for Ene Lawal, renowned as Nigeria’s longestreigning queen. Ene, who was crowned Miss Nigeria in 2004 and held on to the crown until 2010, dated John for a long time but Jenny was reportedly never in

Ogunlesi

support of the relationship because of her starry-eyed belief that her parents could still get back together. In her late 30s, fashionable and brilliant Jenny, who has a son out of wedlock, once dated popular entertainer, D’banj. She was also engaged to Peter Salah, a former footballer-turned-businessman. In spite of promising to grow grey together, the hot on the relationship seems to have cooled in the last two years. In fact, there are speculations that they might have called off the engagement. A widely-travelled lady and polyglot, Jenny, in her position as the executive director of Polo, has played a significant role in the proliferation of international luxury brands in Nigeria. Under her direction, Polo has grown, sealing its place as Nigeria’s only official retailer of the world’s most prestigious watches, writing instruments and high-end accessories through offering a diverse portfolio of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Chopard, Breguet, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Omega, Messika, Arnold and Son, Arty A and Frederique Constant, etc. Jenny also manages and oversees his father ’s interest at his multi-billion naira CAT Construction company.

Taiwo and Nomthi Odukoya Celebrate a Decade of God’s Faithfulness

Taiwo and Nomthi Odukoya

of the Odukoya family knew that things would never be the same again. Tolu Odukoya, the first child of the

late Pastor Bimbo recounted how the sudden death of her mother made her father older than his years. But God brought new light into his life five years later in the form of a Miss Rosemary Simangele Zulu. According to Pastor Nomthi Rosemary, Pastor Taiwo had come to her church in South Africa for a ministration and her reverence for men of God did not allow her to see him in any other light but that of a man of God. But God obviously had something in the pipelines, as she bought and enjoyed one of Pastor Taiwo’s books, Home Affairs – an irony that is divine. When eventually she became Mrs. Nomthi Odukoya, she fits the role. Ten years on now and the Odukoya family continues on the path of progress. In celebrating a decade of God’s faithfulness in their lives, marriage, and ministry, the Odukoyas recognize the guiding hand of God and remain grateful for what is past, what is present, and all that is yet to come.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

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HIGHLIFE

Life after Powerâ&#x20AC;ŚFlorence Ajimobi Completes Multimillion-naira Mall

Ajimobi

For those who are in the know, nothing really ends. Even human life, in all its vastness and tangled complexity, is something that continues on in the legacy of progeny, of enduring ideas, of hope and

ambition. The embers left from earlier fires, the light in the eye grown dim, wrote Walt Whitman, duly flames again. The phoenix of Oyo State, Florence Ajimobi, is flaming again. The fair and striking woman who is Florence Ajimobi, the former first lady of Oyo State, is recognized in the state and in Nigeria as a woman remarkable in beauty and a brandished intelligence. Besides her political status as the scaffold behind former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, her family tree identifies her as unique: born in Benin City of Edo State, Nigeria, but hailing from the Hajaig Lebanon family of renown. When their time as First Lord and Lady of Oyo State ended sometime last year, friends and relatives of the Ajimobis understood that it was just a change of pace and that the couple would emerge from within another sphere of society. Especially Madam Florence, who has always possessed a streak of untameable eminence about her. And they were correct. Shortly after leaving office, Madam Florence launched a book, an appropriately

designated gem titled, My Life Like A Rainbow. If ever she was thought to be a shy individual ignorant of her wares, that was her bubble-pricking, coming-out party. But that, from the state of things, was only the beginning. Florence Ajimobi is back in business! The launching of her 35-year-old establishment has added a new shine to Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital. The new mall, Grandex Mall, is an ultramodern shopping centre located at number 43, M.K.O. Abiola Way, Ringroad, Ibadan. An extensive shopping arcade for the up and up of society, Grandex Mall is an enticing luxury spot with wares that blow the mind. At the opening, relatives and friends of the Ajimobi clan were present, congratulating and celebrating Madam Florence. A company she registered in 1982, with her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, has flourished into a family business that might rival the principalities of retail in no time.

The Silent Billionaire...Why People Talk About Uzoma Ekpechamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La Vida Loca Lifestyle If money is often regarded as the common whore, the universal procurer of people and nations, yet, the perfect means for bribing yourself through the inconveniences of life, Uzoma Ekpecham appreciates also that money matters in the pursuit of ease and luxury. The billionaire oil and gas big boy and managing director of Interglobal Procurement Engineering Services Limited knows what time it is when it comes to living life like a thoroughbred royalty. Bulky Uzoma is self-effacing but loaded. In fact, some say he is rich as sin by virtue of many years of successful transactions in the oil and gas industry and directorship at Elper Nigeria, which has provided various services offshore and onshore to some of the leading international oil companies in Nigeria through their partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

Ekecham

(NNPC). And he lives life to the fullest as he

has the choicest luxuries that make the world seem like Nirvana at his beck and call. Indeed, when it comes to spending good money on the things that make the world go round, Uzoma never holds back; he digs deep into his brimming treasure trove. No wonder the Port Harcourtbased businessman effortlessly inspires wide-eyed discussions in the most unimaginable of places because of his wealth. In his late 40s and with looks that good money and good living have helped to further burnish, you may call Uzoma an Adonis or a dandy for his fashion de rigueur and expensive taste in designer apparels especially Saville Row suits and you would not be wide of the mark. For cars, he is a lover of high-end automobiles.

Femi Fani-Kayode Bereaved The wise Israelite monarch of long ago, King Solomon, taught that there is a time for everything: that to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die. From the most recent thrumming in media airwaves, Mr. Hilary Chikwendu of Nanka, the father-in-law of FaniKayode has passed on to glory. The news of Mr. Chikwenduâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death originated from a post on the Facebook page of Femi FaniKayode. According to the former minister of aviation, his father-in-law gave up the ghost in Abuja at about 10.00 am. Describing the death as a painful incident, Fani-Kayode remarked that the family is in mourning and wished the dear and precious soul of Mr. Chikwendu a peaceful rest. For Femi Fani-Kayode to pen only a handful of words, a man who is known for his copious and poignant essays, a deep injury and grief followed this loss, and one only hopes it does not develop into an abscess of despondency. While not very much is general knowledge about Mr. Hilary

Chikwendu, it is well known that he is responsible for one of the great lights of Fani-Kayodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, his lovely wife, Precious Chikwendu Fani-Kayode, beauty pageant title-holder, model, and Nollywood actress. She is it who distinguished Fani-Kayode as the proud father of a set of triplets, Ragnar Okunade Olusegun Fani-Kayode, Aiden Olumide Benaniah Kayode, and Liam Oluwanifemi Fani-Kayode. The legacy of Mr. Chikwendu is apparent from the heights to which his daughter, Precious, has ascended. From her primary and secondary education in Makurdi, Benue State, to her tertiary education in the University of Calabar, Cross River State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where she obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Environmental Science (Forestry and Wildlife Conservation), the maternal grandfather of Fani-Kayodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triplets has given more to the Nigerian society than one immediately makes out. To the man who conceded his daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passions, such that she came to represent Nigeria at Miss United Nations Pageant in Jamaica, 2014 (and won the world title for her family, community, state and country), words are barely adequate to reckon the loss.

Fani-Kayode

If there is any consolation, it is that Mr. Hilary Chikwendu, proud father, grandfather, and father-in-law is in a better place.

Amazing Grace of Damilola Ogunbiyi... As Buhari Reverses Minister

Damilola-Ogunbiyi

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he latter parts of the year 2019 bore witness to a host of changes and restructuring in the Nigerian political scene and sector formation. Some of these changes were so obviously related that they pulled a lot of attention from the Nigerian people, associated agency/sector staff, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the most recent reports â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the presidency. Damilola Ogunbiyi was one of those bosses whose positions were reshufďŹ&#x201A;ed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in favour of their most immediate subordinates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and who were consequently suspended over infractions that were not sufďŹ ciently spelt out. The indicter of this suspension was the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, who also suspended the Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET), Marilyn Amobi. Before her suspension, Madam Damilola Ogunbiyi was the ďŹ rst female managing director of Rural ElectriďŹ cation Agency (REA), an agency responsible for, among others, implementing the Nigerian Off-Grid ElectriďŹ cation Programme, increasing the development of solar mini-grids and deployment of solar home systems within the country. However, Bigger Boss Sale Mamman sent her on an indeďŹ nite suspension even though she had turned in her letter of resignation, and reportedly ordered an investigation into alleged infractions by the agency while under her supervision. What was not known to many at the time was that the very uniqueness which brought her head REA had already announced her elsewhere and appointed her UN special representative for sustainable energy and CEO of Sustainable Energy for all (SEforAll). Madam Ogunbiyi has fully embraced her new role with SEforAll. Evidently, she knew, like James Russell Lowell, that â&#x20AC;&#x153;truth [is] forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne; yet the scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; keeping watch above his ownâ&#x20AC;?. Following recent developments, President Muhammadu Buhari stepped in to calm troubled waters, reviewed and weighed the whole matter fastidiously, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; according to his letter to Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reversed the indeďŹ nite suspension on account of a lack of due process. He also formally accepted her resignation letter, taking effect from December 31, 2019. Delighted at the turn of events, Madam Ogunbiyiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advocates are doubtless overjoyed, and so is SEforAll â&#x20AC;&#x201C; agents of whom are pleased to have her around. One sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exile, anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exemplar.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

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HIGHLIFE

After Senatorial Loss, Dino Melaye Paints Dubai Red at 46th Birthday Dino Melaye is a name that rings with deafening effects at all tiers of the Nigerian society; one that numerous Nigerians have come to associate with a candid, upfront personality who is not afraid to declare that the king is not wearing clothes, or that the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes pale in comparison to his own, or that there is no king. Melaye is hot stuff, a force of nature, and a tough act to follow. With his latest adventure, Oga Melaye sure knows how to strut his stuff. The senatorial elections of 2019 in Kogi State, Kogi West Constituency especially, held much in store for Senator Melaye. Should he win, Melaye gets to retain his championship title as representative of the constituency in the Senate and continue to serve his people, decry all forms of injustice, and lend colour to the senatorial and general political atmosphere. Tense was the ambiance during the elections and terse the arguments between Melaye and his most capable opponent, Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). To cut the story short, Senator Melaye lost the election â&#x20AC;&#x201C; albeit with absolute reluctance and averseness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the Kogi

Melaye

West Senatorial championship title passed to Senator Adeyemi.

Of course, nobody closed the curtains on Melaye, knowing from experience that not even kidnapping him can bring his juggernaut momentum to an enforced halt. His thunderous assertiveness is not something that can be hidden under anything, not even the senatorial loss. Expectedly, Melaye showed that he cannot come and kill himself, throwing a party in Burj Khalifa in Dubai to celebrate his 46th birthday. Apparently, the boss had been holidaying there with his family and decided to flex his muscles a bit. The end result of his flexed muscles was a dinner party on January 7 that had powerful folks in attendance, including former House of Reps Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, former APC overlord, Timi Frank, political activist, Deji Adeyanju, Instagram sensation, and cash pomp-er, Hushpuppi, lots more. After the whole show, Melaye took to his Instagram page to appreciate his guests and well-wishers. With Dino Melaye at 46, aluta continua, a vitĂłria ĂŠ certa.

7KH 5LVLQJ 3URĂ&#x20AC;OH RI +DNHHP 0XUL 2NXQRODÂŤDV +H $GGV $QRWKHU <HDU

Muri-Okuola

An eagle in flight is an awesome thing to behold. While nature holds out countless wonders for the spirited heart to find rapture in, an eagle climbing the air sends a thrill across. It smacks of limitlessness and possibilities, and the distinctiveness that being a winged doyen is.

Adding another year to his fluorescent years, Hakeem Muri-Okunola is one eagle in flight. Being the Lagos State head of service has its perks and nothing cemented that fact more than the deluge of goodwill and celebratory remarks addressed to Hakeem Muri-Okunola, HMO for short, on his birthday. Across social media platforms especially, HMO received so many felicitations, compliments, and blessings that the gentle HOS probably had to wear a warm headgear to keep his head from bursting. A peek at his history in the civil, social and political scenes reveal that HMO has had a most interesting voyage across the shark holds of the celebrated, distinguished, eminent and famous. This is somewhat expected for a man who holds the title for the youngest Head of Service (he was appointed the HOS at the age of 47). The first son of the late Justice Muritala Okunola, HMO obviously had a path of prominence set out for him, but he was the one who generated a luminosity that has

since eclipsed the budding glows of his contemporaries. Dark of pigment and dazzling of principle, HMO caught the eye of former Lagos State Governor, Bola Asiwaju Tinubu and was made the personal assistant of the political titan between 2003 and 2005. The dignity and diligence with which he went about his duties doubtlessly bridged many a wobbly bridge, going from executive secretary to the governor, to permanent secretary in the Lagos State public service in 2011. Although his upward thrust detoured a fair bit when he was redeployed as permanent secretary of Lagos Bureau of Lands, HMOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey to the heights continued â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to the point that he was reportedly advertised as the running mate to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the current governor of Lagos State. Since taking the HOS seat after the retirement of Mrs. Folashade Adesoye, Hakeem Muri-Okunola has proved his mettle countless times, and the fortitude of an upright character continues to serve him

Babatunde Okewale Celebrates Birthday... Pumps More Funds into Foundation A good name, said King Solomon of old, is better than riches. With the birthday celebrations of healthcare celebrity, Babatunde Okewale, that truth has never been more obvious. January 8 saw the addition of a year to the glorious years of the medical genius that is Babatunde Okewale, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;women doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, whose understanding of the female, infant and family dynamics has won him the admiration of many a practising physician. With his family and friends at hand to mark the day with him in his GRA, Lagos residence, Dr. Okewale was in the best of moods, bathing his guests with his congenial glow. To those who do not know him too well, Dr. Babatunde Okewale is only that doctor whose remarkable intervention delivered Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) mother in childbirth, leading to the birth of her baby boy at the age of 67, a feat that unintentionally broke all kinds of records in the process.

Much longer than this miracle case of the woman who gave birth after 35 years, Dr. Okewale has had his heart set on serving humanity with a steady hand and a brandished scalpel. Since the establishment of his healthcare facility, St. Ives Specialist Fertility Centre in 1996, his emphasis that â&#x20AC;&#x153;it is every womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundamental right to have babies, and age should not be a barrierâ&#x20AC;? continues to gain traction. More than two decades later, the healthcare centre has seen the delivery of over two thousand babies in their IVF unit, a number grows larger by the day on account of Dr. Okewaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique integration of care and compassion into the medical toolbox. This has earned him recognition at various levels, one of the most renowned and recent being a Lifetime Achievement award at the prestigious City People Awards for Excellence, acknowledging Dr. Okewaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution to the field of Medicine.

Okewale

But more than an obstetrician and gynaecologist that Dr. Okewale is, he is also a philanthropist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a fitting aspect he demonstrated on his birthday when he donated millions of naira into his foundation. Unsurprisingly, he was the subject of many prayers, goodwill, and gifts of love and appreciation.

Sanwo-Oluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Milk of Human Kindness

Sanwo-Oluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

The role of a constitutional government cannot exactly be outlined in well-arranged bullets. However, their functions are built around ensuring the best standard of life available at any one time for their people by way of facilitation. In other words, a government provides opportunities and platforms for its people to grow, evolve and flourish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a beloved transformation that often translates to a utopian community with peace and progress as commonplace realities. While not there yet, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is taking active steps to guarantee his people that that utopia is imminent. He did this with a gesture of goodwill and uprightness when he empowered over 1,050 vulnerable women and artisans in the state on

January 7, an initiative he remarked would help the vulnerable out of their downtrodden conditions and equip them well enough to stand on their own feet, and contribute to the march of progress â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something his party, the All Progressives Congress is set out to accomplish. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living in poverty or on the edge of poverty is akin to being submerged in water, struggling to stay afloat. Poverty alleviation seeks to ensure that every person in the water is helped onto a boat, where they can then get a chance to take charge of their lives and their journeys henceforth,â&#x20AC;? said Sanwo-Olu. As such, the initiative will continue across all 20 local government areas of Lagos State on a quarterly basis, empowering women and maximizing all areas of human potential.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu Uniting All Warring Camps Ahead of Next Election

Akeredolu

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), the Governor of Ondo State, is doing all that he can do to make sure that all contentions, strife and the ensuing divisions within the state politico are resolved ahead of the next gubernatorial election. Making concerted efforts to bring lasting peace to the Sunshine State, Mr. Akeredoluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts are yielding expected returns in some areas; in others, not so much. The governor, who has operated in his full capacity since February 2017, has always advocated for peace and unity in all areas of his state, and the country at large. This ambition goes beyond his practiced lawyering or the unquenchable passion with which he pursued his present political position â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and aspires for continuity after the next elections. Governor Akeredoluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pursuits are not without merit, as Ondo State has seen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and continues to see â&#x20AC;&#x201C; drastic changes upsetting the peace. The most recent of these changes, for instance, is the case of Mr. James Ajulo, chairman of the APC in Akoko Southwest local government area of Ondo State, who was kidnapped in his residence. With elections around the corner, concerned folks suspect that the kidnapping is politically motivated. Another testament to Governor Akeredoluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts at unification came by way of the appointment of Mr. Ade Adetimehin who was recently declared the chairman of the APC in the state. A timely intervention, as Mr. Adetimehin has since then taken hold of the battle rams of conflict within the party and called for resolutions. According to the new chieftain, the efforts of Governor Akeredolu to bring an end to all crises have been successful and continue to be. This was particularly in response to the emergence of a governorship aspirant (from within the APC tribe) who alleged that there were divisions within the party and the JRYHUQRU¡V HIIRUWV DW XQLĂ&#x20AC;FDWLRQ were ineffective. In any case, Governor Akeredoluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream of unity and peace might be sooner realized than expected, what with the elections not so far away, and comradery soon to be in very high demand.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Í´Í°

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

Petrolex Oil and Gas Boss, Segun Adebutuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Business Move Segun Adebutu, a top player in the oil and gas business in Nigeria, sits atop Petrolex Oil and Gas. He has done so well for himself and has a lot to show for his efforts. The billionaire son of the Chairman of Premier Lotto, Adebutu Kessignton, who is known for many firsts, scored yet another first recently when he opened his million dollars tank farm in Ibefun, Ogun State, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy landscape. Society Watch gathered that the tank farm has the capacity to turnover 600 million litres of petroleum products every month, and transform petroleum products storage and distribution in Nigeria by catering for about 60 percent of in-country need. The shrewd businessman, who serves as the executive director and member of the Board of Premier Lotto Nigeria Limited as well as chairman of Bluebridge Marine and Oladiran AgroAllied Company, Oladiran Engineering & Trade Limited, is also known for his philanthropic initiatives. Though he has been silent about his latest accomplishments, sources close to him revealed that 2019 was another good year for him, as his company, despite the uncertainty in the oil sector across the world, was able to stay above the waters. Already, he has introduced several innovations into his business, which have placed it in the right position for business opportunities. The well-travelled businessman has injected new organizational policy focus and targets for his various business interests. The move, it was gathered, is aimed at ensuring efficiency and accountability in the operations of his company. Apart from his impeccable records in oil and gas, he ventured into entertainment business when he founded a music record label, Baseline Records, which signed on music artistes like Skales, Saeon, among others. Apart from his interest in business, he is also passionate about service to humanity. Since he founded the Oladiran Olusegun Adebutu (OOA) Foundation, in October 2016, he has splashed millions of naira on several indigent people in the state. It was also gathered that the foundation is poised to reshape and implement sustainable development activities to include poverty reduction, zero hunger, increased access to healthcare, quality education and create an enabling environment for gender equality, potable water, and sanitation.

Founder, House on The Rock Church, Paul Adefarasinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bitter-Truth Homily In his last evangelical message of 2019, Lagos pastor and founder of House On The Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, had tweeted: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s word encourages you to deny the fact that you will face adversity or that it brings sadness and grief. While you are not grateful for the storm you are going through, you can be grateful in the midst of the storm knowing that it will all work out for your good.â&#x20AC;? But it appears some members of his congregation did not agree totally with him, as the charismatic clergy, during his sermon on January 5, at The Rock Cathedral in Lekki, Lagos, announced that about 300 workers of the church had tendered their resignation letters. The pastor, it was gathered, also attributed the mass resignation of the members, whom he said had relocated to Canada, to the biting economic challenges in Nigeria. He also charged his members to stop blaming the government, saying the blame game is the first symptom of irresponsibility. He, therefore, urged them to take full responsibility for their actions and inaction. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Until God gives you challenges that seem bigger than you, you may never find out what treasure you have on the inside,â&#x20AC;? he had said. Worried by the unsavoury development in the country, Pastor Paul, a source revealed, has chosen to fix some basic needs of the populace within and outside his vicinity. In fulfillment of this, he has also called on other privileged individuals and corporate bodies to step up their readiness to assist, since it appears the government is

Adefarasin

not ready to make life easy for its citizenry. The 56-year-old pastor is one of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s billionaire pastors. From the living room of his parents in Ikeja, Lagos, he set up House on The Rock Church in 1994 and his ministry has blossomed over the years to about 40 branches with over 50,000 worshipers

spread across Nigeria and abroad. The buoyant and vibrant church is said to be worth about N50 billion, with a cathedral worth close to N5 billion. It rakes in tithes of about N5 billion and offerings of close to N3 billion annually, amongst other funds.

Dawn of Another Good Time with Davido

Davido

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dear son, David, to God, be the Glory for the talent He bestowed on you. You gave an excellent account of yourself last night at your concert. You exhibited raw talent, genius, industry, staying power, organisation, and hard work. You came fully prepared and rehearsed. I am very proud of

you and I will continue to pray for you and thank God for you.â&#x20AC;? Those were the words of billionaire businessman, Dr. Deji Adeleke, after attending the headline concert of his wavemaking son, Davido, tagged, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Good Time with Davidoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, on December 8, 2019, at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos. For the multi-award-winning singer, that was a good ending in 2019. Interestingly, Davido has started this New Year on a more exciting note with a deal worth several millions of naira, a development that has made his father feeling even much more proud of him. It was gathered that AccessBET, a leading sports bookmaker in Nigeria, has announced the superstar, who enjoyed the best of 2019 headlining topnotch shows, concerts across the globe, as its official brand ambassador. By this, Davido will represent the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image as well as appear in all AccessBETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing campaigns. The partnership, it was also learnt, is in line with AccessBETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision to ultimately become a renowned bookmaker in the

world as well as provide the best online, shop and mobile betting experience in Nigeria. An obviously elated Davido, in his reaction, expressed great delight to collaborate with AccessBET, describing it as one of the best sports betting bookmakers in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a massive fan of Ronaldo and I also love boxing. So, this partnership brings me closer to the things I have passion for. I am particularly excited to be a part of this new journey and I am looking forward to working with AccessBET,â&#x20AC;? he said. Also, Kayode Akinbo, General Manager, AccessBET, maintained that the company is pleased to welcome the multi-awardwinning superstar, Davido, as its brand ambassador. Akinbo said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Davidoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vibrant persona and a worldwide appeal is something we love and this represents another positive step in the right direction for the brand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With great odds and guaranteed fast payment of winnings, sports lovers can enjoy betting on their favourite teams via pre-match, in-play and also entertain themselves with varieties of virtual games.â&#x20AC;?

Families, Friends Remember Late Sport Analyst, Deji Tinubu

Adebutu

Two years ago, the Tinubu family in Lagos lost one of their dear sons, Deji, to the cold hands of death. But for the Oando boss, Wale Tinubu, and other family members, the deceased literally lives on in their minds. Therefore, in celebration of his life and times, the City of David Parish of RCCG, Lekki, where he worshipped till he breathed his last, has continued to remember him with a lot of befitting activities. Also, the family, at the instance of the Oando boss, will organize a remembrance gathering in honour of the departed soul at the family house in

Lagos. The late Tinubu had slumped and died on January 25, 2018, while playing football during a retreat of members of the Lagos State Executive Council and Permanent Secretaries at the Jubilee Chalets, Epe, Lagos State. The engineer-turned-football analyst gained recognition as a radio and television sports analyst with Sports Vision, which he set up with his business partners, Deji Omotoyinbo and Bode Oguntuyi. He served as the chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission before he was elected as a member of the NFF executive committee. He was also a

Tinubu

special adviser on Sports and later Commerce and Industry in the state.

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SOCIETY WATCH

Billionaire Businessman, Prince Arthur Ezeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Worthy Deeds Prince Arthur Eze is the Chairman of Atlas Oranto Petroleum, an oil exploration company with 22 oil licences and producing assets in 11 jurisdictions, including Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Unlike some others in his class, Eze, who is the Ozo Igbo Ndu (Saviour of Ndigbo), has come to represent a protective shield and an umbrella for vulnerable people. Yet, he goes about his charity without blowing his trumpet. In the recent past, Prince Eze, a Forbesrated billionaire, donated over $6 million (N1 billion) to flood relief efforts in Nigeria. Apart from the annual Ofala Festival of Ukpo Kingdom, which attracts people from all over the country and the huge sums which he doles out to good causes, Prince Eze is not known to indulge in an elaborate celebration

of any of his birthdays, even when friends and well-wishers are favourably disposed to it. It was also gathered that Prince Eze is building about 20 roads leading to his hometown, Ukpo village, Dunukofia Local Government Anambra State. The multibillion-naira projects, it was learnt, are nearing completion and most of his people are already excited about the singular private initiative projects, which will ease their movement and impact on their economic well-being on completion. The Anambra State-born billionaire founded Atlas Oranto Petroleum in 1991 and is one of the largest privately-held Nigerian exploration and production groups. The company currently has 22 oil and gas licences in 12 jurisdictions across Africa.

Seasoned Petroleum Engineer, Ralph Ekezie Honoured

Eze

It has assets in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and several Atlas Oranto operated blocks. To date, the company is the largest holder of oil exploration blocks in Africa. Ekezie

High-Flying Lawyer, Eyimofe Atake: A Super Fashionista

Eyimofe

Eyimofe Atake (SAN) is one of the most brilliant lawyers in Nigeria.

His wizardry as a lawyer beggars description, having become a senior lawyer at 41. Apart from his abiding love for his job, one good thing about him is his dress sense, which many often describe as nonpareil. Whenever the distinguished lawyer appears at any social gathering, he always stands out in the crowd owing to his impeccable dress sense. No doubt, Atake, who will be 62 in February, is a shining star in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legal firmament. He is not a pushover when it comes to legal matters. He knows his onions. He is a brilliant mind and even a delight in courtrooms. Indeed, when you watch him in action, you will be enthralled by his articulation and aplomb. Unknown to many, he is also a successful businessman. When he

floated his business, his vision was to pursue his dream on a global stage. Though it looked an impossible task at the time, he was determined to pursue his ambition of ruling the world with unwavering doggedness. Luckily, he has succeeded in engraving his name in the hearts of the generality of his compatriots. He attended Copford College, Colchester, Essex, where he was a School Prefect, House Captain, Athletics Captain, Table Tennis Captain. He also played soccer and rugby for the school. He attended the London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) and Darwin College, University of Cambridge, where he obtained a doctorate degree in Law in 1987.

Ex-Akwa Ibom First Lady, Ekaette Akpabioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Generosity While her husband, Godswill Akpabio, was governor of Akwa Ibom State, she was regarded as one of the most brilliant first ladies in Nigeria. To the admiration of all, Ekaette Unoma Akpabioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elegance and unique style have not waned in any way, five years after her husband left office. It is amazing how the dark-skinned woman has continued to reign supreme. Indeed, many are curious to know how she has remained relevant among attractive wives of former state governors and power brokers. A source told Society Watch that the reason for her continued relevance is not unconnected with her large-heartedness. Last week, the wife of the current Minister for Niger Delta Affairs received praise when she donated houses to Mrs. Mercy Augustine Sunday, a widow from Efen in Ika Local Government Area and Mrs. Etang Robert Ebong from Utu Ikot Eboro in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area. Akpabio made the donations under the aegis of Senator Godswill Akpabio Foundation and the Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI), a nongovernmental organisation, which she founded while she served as First Lady of Akwa Ibom State. Speaking during the commissioning of the houses, Akpabio, who was received in the communities of the beneficiaries amidst drumming and dancing, said the donation of the fully built and furnished apartments to the widows was a visitation from God. She thanked God for using her as an instrument to enhance the living standards of the less privileged across Akwa Ibom State in the past years. The visibly elated beneficiary, Sunday, could not hold back her emotions as she heaped praises on Akpabio and her family for their kind gesture towards her and her eight children consisting of a set of twins, a set of triplets and

Akpabio

three other children and prayed to God to uphold them in all their endeavours. Another beneficiary, Mrs. Etang Robert Ebong from Etim Ekpo, recalled how she was always hysterical when it was about to rain as she used tarpaulin as part of the roof of her house which was most times blown away by the wind. Mrs. Akpabio woman also empowered other widows in the communities in two local government areas she visited through donations of clothing items and cash. Unlike some of her peers who abandoned their pet project after leaving office, her Family Life

Enhancement Initiative had built and donated houses to widows across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. During the event, she was flanked by the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Ini Okopido, the Acting Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chief Ibanga Etang, former Member of the House of Representatives and Senatorial candidate of the APC, Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo, a former member of the House of Assembly, Gabriel Tobi, some women leaders, and chieftains of the APC.

Dr. Ralph Ekezie, a seasoned petroleum engineer, is the chairman/ chief executive ofďŹ cer of Petrodynamics Limited, an oil services ďŹ rm. The astute businessman, who is described as a blessing to Igboland in Imo State, also holds a substantial ďŹ nancial interest in Hallmark Assurance Plc. Today, his company, Drillog, is the number one indigenous Nigerian company in directional and horizontal well drilling, in addition to having other advanced techniques. It continues to push its technological boundaries, while also drawing on expertise from outside where necessary. As proof of his rising proďŹ le, the former MD of Anadrill Schlumberger was crowned the Ugochinyere 1 of Abor( the King of Abor in Orlu), lmo. The colourful ceremony was witnessed by dignitaries, including Mr. Pascal Dozie, Achike Udenwa, Maurice lwu, Allison Madueke, and Ephraim Faloghi, amongst others. When he was unanimously picked by the kingmakers last week, his choice was greeted with an overwhelming show of agreement by all in view of his contributions to the development of the town.

Ex-UBA StaďŹ&#x20AC;, Joel Popoola, Soars Higher There is something electrifying and instructive about Joel Popoola, the Nigerian-born British genius, who pioneered the ďŹ rst abuse-proof digital democracy platform application in the United Kingdom. He exudes the lustre of the proverbial leading lights thus distinguishing himself in the midst of average folks. Having hacked his path as a banker in the United Bank of Africa (UBA) under the direct tutelage of Tony Elumelu, Hakeem BelloOsagie and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, the UK-based professional software testing consultant, has digitalized the workings of democracy on the global stage to suit its real essence. The Rate Your Leader App which he conceptualized, has a ďŹ ve-star rating on the Google market and has been certiďŹ ed as the new level of politics in the new decade. The App simply reconnects electors and the elected, and also uses abusproof technology to combat online harassment and fake news. The holder of a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree from the University of Ibadan, who cuts a brilliant portrait of a genius, said he is moving to launch the App in Nigeria following its successful launch and acceptance in the United Kingdom.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Atiku Abubakar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kindly Accept My Apologies You know I kinda supported this Baba at the last presidential elections. I felt he was the better candidate because I connected to some of the things he was saying. That one has passed, the election battle has been fought and won. The court of the land at the highest level has also proclaimed and there is peace in the land. So our loyalty must by law be with the winner who in itself has really tried his very best to keep us in one kind place that I cannot talk about now. Anyways, that is how I walked into a huge wedding in Victoria Island last Saturday with my Erelu. You know as the Duke of Shomolu washing my new title just given me by the Paramount Ruler of Apata, a suburb of Shomolu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Okelemeta Ekerin- meaning the husband of all widows in the land, I have to be very careful how I comport myself in public. Well that is how I walked into the ambience of the huge hall - you know these Yoruba people can do party. The hall and its content were like I was at a British royal wedding but with everybody wearing aso oke. It was indeed glamorous and exceptional. It was my oga and mentor â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;High

Chiefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Akin Kekere Ekun who was giving out his extremely beautiful daughter in a perfect wedding. So as the Duke I made my way to the very powerful table that had Mr. Kekere-Ekun and his lovely wife Justice Kekere-Ekun. As I got to the place, I went flat on my tummy forgetting all my titles. When you see dignity, you respect o. Mr. Kekere-Ekun has been a very powerful force of good in my life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from mentoring, to dashing me money. From those short calls when I am missing it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Edgar kilode omo boy yi, you cannot say that - he will thunder when I have mis-yarned somewhere. So that is how I went flat with my whole entourage including 50 virgins and 50 bald-headed eunuchs to the power of Mr and Justice Kekere Ekun. He screamed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Duke of Shomoluuuuuuuuuuu and I gave him the traditional dead tortoise warning him not to put his hands near the tortoise anus o. I cannot shout. As I stood up to go to my seat, I saw one bald head. The head was big o. He did not smile. He sat there without saying a word or

acknowledging the Duke. I made a mental note to send one of my people to that person to ask why he did not acknowledge the Duke. He did not recognize nor did he even look at me. The thing pain me because very few Nigerians treat me like that, I just felt that maybe they had not given the man food and as he no want vex, he just maintain him cool. Luckily for him, as I was walking away I saw my brother Jimi Agbaje. We had not seen since our attempted coup in Lagos. We jumped at each other and hugged, his perfume nearly kill me. But as I was walking to my table at the back, near the toilet it suddenly hit me. That bald head could only belong to one person. It had its own texture, its own different shine, kai, that was Alhaji ATIKU ABUBAKAR. Kai. I want cry o. My candidate, my hero, my soldier of democracy. By the time I ran back, he had left. Please my lord do not vex o, I had not eaten so I was not thinking straight, please accept my belated salutation. I am flat on the ground as I write, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vex. God will not let us see â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;alakobaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; this New Year. It is well my lord.

AKIN KEKERE EKUN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; KAI, THAT WAS MAGICAL Mbok, please you people do not vex that I am really talking about this my oga this week. The man no dey let me mention am for this page. He no like publicity as the quintessential gentleman but after this wedding wey Soni Irabor paste the pictures and videos all over social media and the thing still come make front page for newspaper the other day, there is no choice but for me too to join the fray. The invite was the most sought after in the land and no amount of money could purchase it. The manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goodwill as an intellectual and man of high integrity was currency. The elites and crème de la crème wanted to be part of it. So even the Erelu of Magodo - a light weight celebrity was really worried that she wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the invite. She had worked under Oga in Habib for so many years and was personally saved from the chop by Oga at some point with my intervention when she had the usual wahala with her female boss. But she could not sleep feeling that if she did not get the invite her social credibility would be irreparably damaged. But she need not worry, because the Duke -de kampe. The call came from oga himself, come and collect your invite and please do not share. Mbok, I be dey fear to say I no go get the invite but I man up like say, nothing dey happen. I use that invite get a lot of concessions from Erelu - first I postpone buying new car till last quarter of the year, get her to recruit my choice as house

help â&#x20AC;&#x201C; light skinned and curvy that would never have had the job, cook my favourite afang herself without outsourcing amongst many things. Na so we enter the wedding reception o like Lord Mountbatten on his way to go marry the Queen of England. The hall weak me. In all my years of wedding reception crashing I have never seen such glitz. The bride was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;litâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as they say it. She was elegant and exotically beautiful. The groom himself was magically handsome. How these people chose themselves, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know o. The food was something else, it kept coming and I indulged forgetting to go spray the couple and then the quality of attendance manifesting the social credibility of the Kekere Ekuns. I saw my brother and his lovely wife the Shasores â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I hope I got the spelling . Madam can vex for me on this matter so I go Wikipedia to get this one. Aliko Dangote who carefully dodged me, many Supreme Court justices that I will not yab in case I get case for there and so so many juggernauts. Wow, this is how to marry. Congratulations to the couple and special congratulations to my father Mr. Akin Kekere Ekun. I had to outdo myself in this write up because the man no dey gree make I yab am. Kai.

remained comatose and we still could not send our children to school, we would really not be perturbed. If wishes were horses. Make I just keep quiet.

DR. CHRISTOPHER KOLADE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A PERFECT GENTLEMAN You know these kinds of people are no longer being born, I tell you. This kind of Nigerian no plenty again. The way they see things

and approach life has long gone and they have been replaced by donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let me call names. Anyways that is how Chief Obasanjo whose life story is being depicted in my new play, Aremu, suggested that I approached Dr. Kolade for his feedback and support. Mbok, I don forget say the man still dey o. Last time I met him was at the Lagos Business School where I studied and had met him for a private one hour session on Nigeria. I was excited and immediately jumped at the opportunity. That was how I went for the meeting with Mr. Ayo Aderinwale, the deputy coordinator of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. Please come and see the house. Calm o. Not all that garish glamour you will see in those money miss road type of houses. You will know that these ones â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;get moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but na hard work money complete with items picked and stored from a lifetime of service. When he walked in, I almost wept. While I was still standing there and shaking, Ayo was already flat on the floor with his chest fully on the ground. Mbok, the dexterity with which he went down was quite admirable. I joined immediately. Flat on the ground and almost refused to come up again. This was royalty, the epitome of integrity and one of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;warâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heroes in the fight for good governance. As Baba spoke, I was just imagining if these kinds of people could lead us. Even if the economy

Kolade

Ekun

George

Ibru

Abubakar

OPERA NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;WURUWURUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TO THE ANSWER That is how this Chinese-owned social media outlet approached me to come and be writing for them o. They said they will be paying me per article and gave me one long contract that I did not bother to read to sign. The amount they offered per article was enough to buy me a bag of rice and a carton of chicken. I quickly signed. But like everything like this, they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell me somethings o. I had to write a minimum of six articles a month and I must get what they call â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;viewsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. So this is how it works. They put something on your laptop that enables you to self-publish. When you finish, you auto edit and voila you are published. Now the wahala: the small children of Nigeria must â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;viewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; your article. If dem no view, wahala. We all know what our youths are looking for on the internet. So articles like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Buhari and the new world economyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Buhari leave Sowore aloneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; would just die a natural death. I was pulling tiny views o. Come and see only three people viewing me. Meanwhile, people were pulling in 67,000 votes. Mbok, I was not surprised when the mail giving me last warning appeared o. This Chinese people want to embarrass a published

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LOUD WHISPERS author. The Duke of Shomolu and the writer of this column that people have told me is far better than anything that Wole Soyinka had ever written? By month end, they credit me money. Kai, this na business o. I must wake up. So I started studying the things that attracted these young children and discovered that the views were driven by sensational titles. Those people don’t read o, they just see one striking headline and tap. That is how I tried it o. My next article was – sex in marriages, pronto 17,000 views. Kai. I don catch these people. I followed with ‘Joromi- what kind of Joro is this’ my people 15,000 views. I was rolling and now I just did – why I will not let my daughter marry Naira Marley and wowwwwww – 22,000 views in minutes. The mumu people are not reading o, I am sure. But what is my own? I give them what they want. But then again, what kind of people are we breeding as a country? A people who would smirk at serious issues and run towards very light issues in their millions. Sad. BODE GEORGE – DON’T LET ME LAUGH I have heard that you are considering a run for the presidency, please do not let me laugh abeg daddy. If I laugh now, they will say, I am disrespecting elder. Mbok have you heard that the Prime Minister of one European country is just 34 years? We are still struggling with one and now you want to come at close to 100 years to be aspiring when you should be looking at how to make sure that your dentures stay fit. Please this is really not a laughing matter, we have suffered in the hands of this your generation. You have taken us into a bloody civil war, series of coups, maladministration at all levels, turned yourself to merciless godfathers and now you still don’t want to go and be wanting to be using walking stick to be going to work. What is the matter? Please this Baba’s grandchildren should enter this matter before history helps them with a chapter that they would find very very difficult to expunge. Please abeg, someone should hold me o before I go and talk the one that they won’t let me walk freely in Lagos again. MICHAEL IBRU – WHAT MANNER OF MAN? If you have been following me, you will know that I have made new friends – Elvina and Obuks Ibru. These two sisters are children of the late great businessman, Michael Ibru. Elvina played a major role in Emotan which made a lot of people shed tears in this Nigeria. So that is how we called for a meeting to discuss the possible depiction of the life of the great businessman on stage. The meeting was held in his former head office in Victoria Island and I could not help but marvel at the power and influence this great Nigerian wielded in his lifetime. As I sat in his old boardroom, I could feel the aura of his power. I sat on his seat and could imagine him building one of the biggest indigenous conglomerates in the world from there. A business acumen that is today being studied in Harvard and emulated by serious businessmen the world over. I could see the pride in the eyes of his lovely daughters as they regaled me with stories of his life. This play, if brought to life would be filled with suspense, mystical calculations and adventure.

democracy. The only reasons I have heard so far for his ‘removal’ is the fact that ‘governor hand tight’, he no dey drop money. Mbok till we start to hear more credible reasons, Obaseki na the man.

Dangote

Obaseki

Femi Falana on Fire

This is a clear case of old soldier never die. This veteran activist is beginning to look like the only viable voice against the things we dey see for this country today. The way he fought during the Sowore matter and his utterances and statements all show that the fire is still there o and the gray hair never dull daddy. I remember the first time I saw him at the University of Ibadan when they came to sensitize us to the need to

throw the IBB regime into the dustbin of history. He was wearing one blue Ankara and carried Chief Fawehinmi’s bag as a rookie activist. Since then he has come of age, carrying his own and demanding and getting a seat on the table where serious national sensitive matters are discussed. Chief Falana who is dad to Falz, the bad guy, has really shown that khaki no be leather and that this militant regime in suit or khaki pants should be given close marking.

Falana

You just wait and see. Just that Elvina no dey let me talk for meeting o. Make una help me beg am. GODWIN OBASEKI – KEEP PUSHING It is not easy to dislodge a godfather especially one as dogged as this one. I have heard the story of how he even emerged as governor in the first place and the role Mr. Obaseki played in that process. Today, he is lord of the manor and literally wanting to hold the power

of life in Edo State. At this juncture, I must say that I am really impressed with the fight Mr. Obaseki has put up especially considering his background as an investment banker. He was not brought up in the rough and tumble that is the Nigerian political milieu but, in the process, has shown that he is a quick learner. Some of us have thrown our towels into his corner simply because we believe that his reelection would go a long way in strengthening

ALIKO DANGOTE – PLEASE WHAT IS THE SECRET? They say you have increased your wealth by about $4b. Mbok what is the secret, what exactly are you doing that the rest of us have not been doing o? I have been here trying to increase my personal wealth and finding it very difficult to add even N10,000 on the thing. Each time I make money something will happen. This December as I was seeing the results of ticket purchase for my play, Emotan, believing that finally I can start to dream of entering one of these lists - not Forbes o. That one na for una. We get our own list for Shomolu, that is how our estate people say we should come and contribute money to buy generator for the estate. My own bill come be N671,000. My landlord lawyer say he no concern am. So I take all my profit for Emotan, borrow money from one money lender with a two year repayment plan to pay. That is how my personal wealth decrease last year instead of increase. Well, me I will not begrudge you, we get different luck in life. I am happy for you at least you are flying our flag that a Nigerian can legitimately build this kind of wealth, creating jobs, electrifying the economy and touching lives. Well done baba, more power to your elbow. Mbok show us the way. Thank you. BLOOD TRANSFUSION AND JEHOVAH’S WITNESS I used to hear this thing and never used to believe. They used to say that Jehovah’s witness people will never take blood transfusion. Mbok, dem get mind o. So I will be facing death and they will offer me blood transfusion, I will now come and say No? Mbok some people are strong o. So the case where the parents were Jehovah’s Witnesses and their child was anaemic and needed a serious infusion of blood only for the parents who are Witnesses to refuse. I hear they discharged the child and took him home. God now touched a citizen who called in the Lagos State government who did the right thing by getting a court injunction which enabled them get the child back into the hospital. The things that misapplication of religion will cause in this country, only God can handle, I tell you. Well done Lagos State government and thumbs down Jehovah’s Witness and while we are still at it, please help me tell your people to pass over my door during their doorto-door campaign o or else na water I go pour for their body. LAMAN ANDIMI – HOLD ON TO COURAGE This fellow is the CAN chairman in one of those places that Boko Haram has infested. They have abducted him and was made to record the video and send out. In his message, he asked his people not to worry that if it is God’s doing, he will come out alive and if not he would accept his fate. This is true courage under fire. Me, I for cry the kind of cry that would have made them release me so that I can stop irritating them. My brother, our prayers are with you and the good Lord will protect not only you but all the innocent and defenceless Nigerians who are pitted in the forefront of this scourge. God bless you.

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SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

12.01.2020

CELEBRATING

AINO ONI-OKPAKUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

LEGACY

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

CELEBRATING AINO ONI-OKPAKU’S LEGACY Shock waves rippled through the local art community when the news of Chief Aino Oni-Okpaku demise filtered in. In an ensuing outpouring of tributes, friends, family and associates extol her lasting legacies. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

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he had lost the battle to cancer since Thursday, December 26. But, the sad news about her demise filtered into Lagos on Friday, January 3, a day after her 81st birthday. Chief Aino Oni-Okpaku – just recently conferred with the title Yeye Afonasola of Ogotun-Ekiti – had departed this life in the Swedish town of Gothenburg, surrounded by her loved ones. Hers was a deeply fascinating story. It was a story of endless love and commitment. A textile art graduate of the School of Arts and Crafts, Gothenburg in Sweden, she was in the U. S. on an American-Scandinavian Association scholarship, studying for her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California. This was where and when she met her late husband, Gabriel Olusegun Oni-Okpako. Together, the couple had returned to Lagos in 1973 to settle down. Quintessence was created in 1975 in Falomo Shopping Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos after her two-year stint Legacy, an architectural firm. With the sudden death of her husband from injuries sustained during a polo game in Lagos, she kept running the shop, which sold electronics, but directed its focus more to the arts and crafts as well as to supporting indigenous artists. Chief Oni-Okpako remained unmarried and devoted much of her time not only to the development of Quintessence, which was now mainly an art gallery cum bookshop, but also to philanthropic causes. She had, for instance, established Ebunoluwa Foundation and Eruobodo House, a home for children with special needs in Ijebu-Ode. “To better appreciate her, we need to recall that she was only in her late 30s when her husband, Gabriel Olusegun Oni-Okpaku died, yet she refrained from remarrying,” the renowned Lagos-based art collector, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon said. “I never met her husband, but OYASAF has owned an 8ft × 5ft of his oil painting for some 20 years.” Aderemi Adegbite, an interdisciplinary artist who had once collaborated with her in one of her charity projects recalled how he met her. According to him, the Old Falomo Shopping Complex was to be demolished and replaced with a new one. So, he chose to document this iconic landmark architecture in Ikoyi not only

because of the beauty of its architecture, but also because it housed Quintessence. “During my research and documentation, I went from shop to shop everyday for a month before the demolition of the complex commenced,” he recalled. “For some reasons, a lot of owners were not interested in talking about the issues that led to the hasty decision of the state government to bring down one of the city-centre important architecture but Chief Aino Oni-Okpako and Mr Moses Ohiomokhare gave their time to me. They had paid their rent and other charges up to date. I documented the pre-demolition and the demolition process until there was nothing to photograph. I will say this was my first encounter with the Oyinbo woman, who was soft spoken and knew so much about the Nigerian art scene.” Tributes also poured in from artists like Kolade Oshinowo, Chinwe Uwatse, Lekan Onabanjo as well as from the gallery owner Olaseinde Odimayo. Odimayo, in his tribute had attributed the attraction of art collectors, enthusiasts and other clients to Quintessence to the “fine and high quality items stocked [at the shop] and the fact that Aino and her late husband were fine artists with fine taste.” “Over time, art gained more prominence in the gallery's actvities and art exhibitions of the works of local and foreign artists started holding there,” Odimayo recalled. “Book readings also started featuring there … In addition works of old masters such as Ben Enwonwu and Ben Osawe and emerging artists were being routinely stocked.” The artist Adegbite, who worked also with Chief Oni-Okpaku on her charity project, recalled the selflessness with which the initiative was executed. “I think it was in 2014 or 2015 that I received a call from Mr Moses Ohiomokhare,” he recalled. “For the first time, I was told about the Eruobodo Foundation and its operations. Few days later, I was taken to Ijebu-Ode, where the foundation have its home where children with physical challenges are housed and taken care of. I was indeed, touched. I had to wait longer to photograph some of them and also had to play and smile before some could allow me to photograph them. In some cases it was singing that did the magic. It was an experience that will Iinger for a long in my memory.” The photographs taken by Adegbite were used for a calendar and a big banner mounted at the entrance of Quintessence, where it remained for years. In his eulogy, Shyllon acknowledged the contributions of this legendary art connoisseur to

The interior of Quintessence the development of arts and humanity. “The most enviable legacy of Mrs Oni-Okpaku, which calls for appreciation and celebration, is in her long years of selflessness of sponsorship and management of the Eru Obodo Foundation. This foundation of hers, for helping poor and abandoned babies, has for decades, been busy growing and giving succour and promise, to the abandoned babies on our streets, including those deformed and afflicted. Through Eru Obodo House, she has for decades picked and taken care of such babies and organised numerous plastic surgeries and cure to many of them, within Nigeria and at her country of origin, Sweden. By the time of her death, some of such abandoned babies have been old enough to inter marry with many of them, having become part of the management of her Eru Obodo Home, which is located on about six acres of land in Ijebu ode. In addition, she has thrice responded positively to my requests for assistance for art workshops and market opportunities

in Sweden, for three Nigerian artists.” In 2013, Quintessence had to be relocated to Parkview estate gate in Ikoyi, where it found a bigger space and a new home. An endless list of artists had since benefited from Quintessence, through exhibitions, residencies and workshops both locally and internationally. Beyond the art scene, Chief Mrs Oni-Okpaku had planted her footprints in urban beautification. She was a long time treasurer, Lagos Horticultural Society, and a former executive member of the Lagos Polo Club and member, Ikoyi Club. Survived by two children, Jude and Tina, she will be buried in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Monday, January 20. Meanwhile, a condolence register has been opened in Quintessence, Parkview Estate, off Gerard Road, Ikoyi and Eruobodo House, 1, Stadium Road, Ijebu-Ode. A long-time curator at Quintessence Gallery, Moses Omohiokhare revealed that a memorial service will also be held in her honour in Lagos in February.

DRAMA

UNDERSTANDING FELA’S KALAKUTA QUEENSTHROUGHTHE MISTOFTIME An updated version of the Bolanle Austen-Peters Production’s musical about Fela’s women, who eventually became his wives,revisitstheirunalloyedloyaltytoFelaandhisprotestmusicagainstallodds.Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

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erhaps, it is high time someone created a buzz around the Kalakuta Queens! For, indeed, no anecdotes about the legendary Fela AnikulapoKuti’s “Republic” would be deemed complete without an – albeit tangential – allusion to the women around him? Hence, credit goes to the Bolanle Austen-Peters for dredging up the memories of the Nigerian music scene’s recent history. For 10 days, Austen-Peters’ production outfit – Bolanle-AustenPeters Productions (BAP) – regaled the Lagos theatre-going audience with an electrifying musical, whose storyline swirled around these women, who eventually became his wives. Precisely, the musical production, which for the greater part of its 10-day run held at 3 pm and 7 pm daily at the Terra Arena in Victoria Island, ran from Saturday, December 14 to Sunday, January 5. Actually, the current musical production, Fela’s Republic and the Kalakuta Queens was a slight tweaking of an earlier version, which for the past two years had won the hearts of not only audiences in Lagos, but also in Abuja, the Egyptian capital city Cairo and South Africa. Nonetheless, the pivotal theme remains the same: the Kalakuta Queens’ commitment to Fela and his protest music and their unwavering loyalty during the Afro-beat legend’s frequent run-ins with the establishment. For the habitués of the original Fela’s Shrine, the Kalakuta Queens have become virtual mythical figures, whose exploits many would liken to those of the legendary Scythian Amazons. These were women, who could not have existed outside the anti-establishment world of the Kalakuta Republic. Cocooned as they were in this delusional world, details about their lives before the Shrine is still shrouded in the mists of time. This should explain

A scene from the musical why the production makes their years with Fela its focal point. Of course, it is not unlikely that the musical owes its full-house attendance to the mystique surrounding the personality, Fela. Indeed, more than two decades after his demise, his name still elicits awe beyond the circle of his dewy-eyed devotees and even extends to such high-profile figures as the French President Emmanuel Macron and Nigeria's vice-president Yemi Osinbajo. So, what indeed could have been so special about this reefersmoking maverick? Many allude to his revolutionary rants and jeremiads, which they liken to prophecies. Even Femi, the jumpsuit-sporting legend’s eldest son, once said in an interview

with THISDAY: “Most of what Fela used to say in those days have come to pass today.” Perhaps, attendees should focus on his potent message and ignore his free-flowing profanity and his decadent lifestyle. Besides, the hypnotic rhythms of his patented musical idiom, which had been known to teleport otherwise sober adults into a state of delirium at his gigs, wouldn’t let anyone lapse into prudish whims. Such an audacious one would immediately be silenced and scorned for his old-fashioned ideas. Prudery has no place in this delusional state of befuddlement. After all, Fela’s half-clad and pelvic-gyrating female dancers were only part of his overall message to mankind. Meanwhile, the BAP’s intervention, meant to engrave their names in history, is the first of its kind. It is hailed by the two of the surviving Kalakuta Queens Laide and Lara, who watched the musical on its closing day, for its faithful reproduction of their years around the late Fela. Concede it to the musical icon. He was one of Nigeria's most influential figures of his time. Also, a personality cult that developed around him inevitably rubbed off on his musical progenies. As for his bequest to humanity, Afro-beat, its frenzied rhythms and antiestablishment lyrics have extended its appeal to the present long after his demise. As Fela in the musical, the first-time actor Laitan Adeniji - a.k.a. Heavy Wind – has earned himself a seat of honour among the latter-day thespian greats. The multi-instrumentalist musician, who had been weaned on Fela’s music from as far back as when he was only five years old, though the role was both physically and mentally challenging. Of course, becoming Fela was only a part of his brief. (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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JANUARY 12, 2020 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

THEALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Much Ado About Arabic on Naira Notes and Nigerian Army Flag

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ecently, a lawyer sued the Federal Government on the issue of Arabic inscriptions on our currency and on the Nigerian Army’s logo. The fellow, Malcolm Omirhobo, wants the Federal High Court to declare as “illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional to allow the Nigerian Army logo to be adorned, and inscribed in Arabic language, instead of the official English language or Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo which are the three main languages or ethnic groups in Nigeria.” I see this as a function of ignorance, and I will explain. Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are all spoken languages. None of them are written languages, although there does exist some limited form of writing among a few Nigerian tribes. The Hausa people adapted Arabic into the ajami script, and the Igbo have an ancient pictogram writing style called Nsibidi that is entirely indigenous to them and was developed without any outside influence. But both these scripts are insufficient for modern writing, except they are developed, and we have yet to develop them. Now, both Arabic and Roman scripts are foreign to Nigeria. We must understand that Arabic does not mean Muslim, and Roman does not mean Christian. To, therefore, go to court to seek an order rejecting Arabic on our Naira notes and on any of our national emblems is actually silly. You might as well ask the courts also to outlaw Roman script. There are Arabian Christians who have used the Arabic script since before Islam even existed. Waraka ibn Nawfal, the man that prophet Mohammed went to after he had his revelation, was a Christian priest, and he taught and wrote Scripture in Arabic. Mr. Omirhobo’s case would only make sense if the inscriptions were an Arabic script conveying an Islamic message, but thank God that that is certainly not the case. The Arabic Script on Naira notes has nothing to do with Islam. They only indicate the denomination of the Naira note in question. And the Arabic script on the Nigerian Army’s logo represents their motto. It does not carry an Islamic message. So, why do we have Arabic scripts on our currency and on the emblems of some of our national institutions? There is a very simple reason for this and it is not sinister. ßThere are people in Northern Nigeria (my father worked almost all his life in the Northwest) who we in the South call illiterate, but who are actually very learned in Arabic or Ajami. They cannot read and write English, but they can read and write Arabic or Ajami. Some of them do not even reckon with the Gregorian Calendar. They are fully detached from English and other vestiges of colonialism.

Has Mr. Omirhobo ever sat down to consider the great advantage Christians have over Muslims in everyday life in Nigeria? The five day work week that starts on Monday and ends on Friday favours Christians. In Muslim nations, their five day week starts from Sunday and ends on Thursday, so that Muslims can go to the Mosque on Friday. Should Muslims now go to court to compel the Federal Government to make Friday a work-free day? Let us be considerate. We do not want the North to dominate the South, but we should also not obfuscate the North. What Nigeria needs is equality, as well as equity. Yes, I agree that General Buhari is Northernising the Federal Government by contravening the Federal Character Principle, which is enshrined in our constitution. The heads of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, are Northern Muslim men, as are the heads of the NPF, NSA, DSS, NIA, DMI, DIA, NPS, NCS, NIS, and EFCC. The heads of parastatals, departments and agencies are also overwhelmingly from the North, and specifically from the Northwest, and even more specifically, from the Kano-Katsina axis. It makes much more sense for Mr. Omirhobo to sue the Federal Government for breaching the Federal Character provisions, than for allowing Arabic on our currency and other national emblems. The use of European alphabets in Nigeria is less than 200 years old. The use of Arabic is almost 500 years old (starting with the Kanem Bornu empire). If any of these scripts is closer to our culture, it would be ajami. The funny thing, however, is that the origin of all alphabets is from Ancient Egypt, or Kemet (the real name for Egypt). Hieroglyphics are the fountain of origin of all written script. And it is a historical fact that the ancient Pharaohs were Black! Semitic people (Jews and Arabs), learnt the alphabets from their days as slave labourers in Ancient Egypt. They then dispersed from Kemet and evolved their different scripts. It is these Semitic scripts that became the basis for the European script that the Greeks, Romans and modernday Europeans evolved. Not only is this historical, it fits very neatly into scripture accounts found in Genesis chapters 10 and 11 which show that the whole world was then under one government in Babel and that government was headed by a Black man named Nimrod, whose father, Cush (Genesis 10:8) was the father of the Black race. The word Cush is simply Hebrew for Black. As a matter of fact, Scripture was translated into Ge’ez in the 5th Century, 1000 years BEFORE it was translated into English and German. For those who do not know, Ge’ez is the liturgical language of Ethiopia and is believed by many scholars to be the language Adam and Eve spoke in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:7, says “God formed man from the dust of the ground.” There is only one race of humans whose colour matches the “dust of the ground”, and that race

is the Black Race. Every depiction of Adam and Eve as White or Semitic is not accurate. If you read Scripture, at every strategic time in the life of early man, a Black man was involved. Nimrod, the first man to rule the whole world, was Black. We know that because Genesis 10:8 says “Cush was the father of Nimrod”. For those who don’t know, Cush is the Hebrew word for Black. Moreover, the first woman to perform a circumcision was Moses’s wife Zipporah, in Exodus 4:25, and we know from Numbers 12:1 that she was Black “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.” So nobody should deceive you as a Black man that Christianity is a White man’s religion. Far from it. The very first geographical location mentioned in Scripture is Africa, “The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.”-Genesis 2:13. The conclusion of the matter is that no civilisation can single-handedly take credit for today’s writing scripts and alphabets. We already have more than enough trouble and division in Nigeria with the problem called Buhari that we heaped on our heads. We do not need to add more problems. I appeal to Mr. Omirhobo and his supporters to objectively consider my words and tread with caution because Nigeria is a relatively volatile country and little things like this could ignite the type of trouble we do not need as a nation. What we should instead do, is look for legal avenues by which we can force General Muhammadu Buhari to behave like the President of Nigeria rather than the Grand Khadi of Northern Nigeria. And while we are at it, we could perhaps want to use the same instrumentality of the law to prevent the ‘technical’ Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko, from his sharia ambitions, which he recently spoke of, with such glee, that he could have been mistaken for an almajiri that had been left all alone in a kuli kuli store. We have enough real challenges. We should not use our own hands to create artificial problems for ourselves, especially when the rest of the world is building artificial intelligence to bring about progress to the human race.

Reno’s Nuggets

The sea has much water, but you can’t drink it because it is salty. A stream has little water, but you can drink its water because it is fresh. Be content. Don’t compare yourself to others. Your life is not as bad as you think. Their prosperity that you envy may be a mirage that is as useless as seawater to a thirsty man. Do you know that if you have flown in an aeroplane, and have ever had 3 square meals on any day, and have more than one pair of shoes, and own a TV, you are richer than 80% of the world? Don’t let discontentment make you feel poor #FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets.

TRIBUTE

Tribute to HM Professor Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike Emeka Anyaoku

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am saddened by the news of the passing of HM Professor Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike. Vincent Ike was one of the creative writers celebrated all over the world. After the publication of his first novel, Toads for Supper in 1965, and seven other successive works – The Naked Gods (1970); The Potter’s Wheel (1973); Sunset at Dawn (1976); Expo ’77 (1980); The Chicken Chasers (1980); The Bottled Leopard (1985); and Our Children Are Coming (1990) – Vincent Ike unquestionably entered into the African pantheon of literary fame. I first met Vincent Ike at the then University College of Ibadan when I enrolled as a student in 1954. He was one of my seniors whose conduct I sought to emulate. His wife, Ugoeze (Prof) Adebimpe Ike was my contemporary in Ibadan. She is in her own right a distinguished literary figure having attained her professorship in library science. She now speaks Igbo more fluently than many Ndi Igbo. Vincent Ike’s life was much more than writing. He was a long-standing University Professor and administrator, and also served for many years as the Registrar of the West African Examination Council (WAEC). He was a distinguished traditional ruler, HM The Ikelionwu XI of Ndikelionwu in Anambra State and until his death unflinchingly devoted to the sustenance of Igbo culture and history. The resuscitation of society through the vehicle of history and culture was one task that he as a traditional ruler never shied away from, a task that he uncompromisingly deployed his literary creativity to serve. His writings, I dare say, justify the theory that a people without definable culture has no identity.

Prof. Ike Unfortunately, the efforts of our heroes like Vincent Ike appear now to be threatened by the increasing deterioration in the standard of teaching and education in our primary and secondary schools; and even also in our tertiary institutions. I refer here especially to the decline in the teaching of the English Language. As is well known, English Language is now increasingly the universal means of communication. This is notwithstand-

ing the fact that there are different versions and dictions of English - the American English, the Nigerian English, and other national versions of English. However, Vincent Ike and people of our generation were taught England’s English; that is, the English language as written and spoken by the educated English men and women; his novels have attested to that. It is the English language as written by Vincent Ike that I urge our schools and colleges to learn. On the issue of the decline in the quality of education in our nation, I continue to question the rationale that led to the stoppage of the teaching of history in a developing country like ours. We must insist on the full restoration of the teaching of history, especially Nigerian and African history, in all our secondary schools and colleges. As Cicero, the great Roman philosopher cum orator and statesman said, “to be ignorant of the past, is to remain always a child”. The importance of learning our own history from our own perspective is that it not only gives us confidence, it also makes real the concept of equality in our relations with other peoples. The perspective of Africa from Europe is essentially condescending which does not build a sense of equality, or make for mutual respect between African people and other peoples, especially those in the Eurocentric world. I mourn HM Professor Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike, Ikelionwu X1, as an illustrious novelist and Africanist, a great lover of his people and country, and an exemplary patriot and public servant. My wife and I convey our deepest condolence to his widow, Ugoeze Bimpe, his grandson Chukwuemeka, the family and the people of Ndikelionwu. We pray that his soul will rest in perfect peace. ––Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCVO, CFR, CON

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CICERO

Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

Before the Shiites Go ‘Mad’ Again! It’s about time the federal government sought closure to the case of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, writes John Shiklam

T

he reasons given by the federal government for refusing to release the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat, have not only been considered flimsy, but also unconvincing. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Mallami (SAN), had amid wide condemnation for not releasing El-Zakzaky, after Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser and Omoyele Sowore, Convener of #RevolutionNow protest were released, claimed El-Zakzaky could not be released, because he was being persecuted by the Kaduna state government. El-Zakzaky and wife, Zeenat, had been in detention since December 2015, when IMN members clashed with the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State, leading to the death of many people. Although the federal Shi’ites members rescue one of their own in the heat of the clash with security operatives government claimed to be operating under the rule of law, the case of the Shiites is Kaduna Yakubu was also killed. constituted authorities; that they owe their allegiance to Iran. presumed to be being treated without recourse to the rule of The panel headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, These are allegations that the group has consistently law especially, the outright disregard to court orders granting noted that the force used by the army, resulting in deaths, was denied. However, this should not be the justification for treattheir bail with the payment of N50 million as compensation. “disproportionate” and recommended the prosecution of IMN ing them the way they are being treated or for the continuous This outright disobedience to court order had been one of members involved in the killing of Cpl. Yakubu as well as army detention of their leader and his wife. the reasons behind the persistent protests by Shiite members officers, who led the operation that resulted in the deaths of the The federal government seems to be playing with another across some northern states and Abuja, demanding the release 348 IMN members. time bomb, as history seems to be repeating itself. The deadly of their leader. The Kaduna State government, which implemented some Boko Haram insurgent that has caused so much havoc to the Many of them had died in the protests, which often parts of the panel’s recommendations, it was learnt, is yet to country started after their leader, Mohammed Yusuf, was resulted in bloody clashes with security personnel. In Abuja commence the prosecution of the military officers allegedly extra-judicially killed while in custody of the Nigeria Police alone, about 50 IMN were reported to have lost their lives in involved in the killing of the Shiite members as recommended Force. the protests. by the panel. This is why the government must handle the Shiite case Members of the group held the view that the authorities Indeed it was the state government that buried the 348 by adhering to the due process of the law before the Islamic were not justly treating them and had remained unrelenting in Shiite members in a mass grave at the Mando area of Kaduna group becomes frustrated and go mad again, their proscriptheir quest to ensure freedom and justice for their leader. metropolis. About 270 Shiite members were also charged with tion notwithstanding. They had equally insisted that there should be justice for culpable homicide over the killing of the soldier. The current confrontation between the United States and the 348 of their members allegedly killed by soldiers According to Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), counsel to the IMN, Iran could pose serious challenge for Nigeria, following recent during the clash, a development that also followed allegaabout 180 them had been discharged and acquitted last year. protest by the Shiites against the killings in Iran. tions that some of their worship centres particularly, in Zaria But the pertinent questions to be asked include whether the The Shiite are likely to return to the streets again in the as well as the residence of El-Zakzaky had been demolished by lives of the 348 Shiite members killed are not as important as days ahead should the confrontation between United States the Kaduna State government. the life of the one soldier that died in the melee? and Iran, persist and should government continue to detain Note that the state government was prosecuting the IMN Thus, when will the government prosecute the military their leader. leader and his wife at the state high court for alleged culpable officers involved in the killing of the Shiite members as Last week Monday, they staged a protest in Abuja, where homicide and incitement among others. The homicide charge recommended by the judicial panel? Why are the Shiites being they condemned the killing of the Iranian military cominvolved the killing of a soldier, Corporal Dan Kaduna Yakubu, treated as if they don’t have a right to exist? mander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a drone by the United which occurred during some of the clashes in Zaria. What really does the federal government have against States. However, while the IMN leader is being tried for the death them? It must be noted that where people are not treated They burnt American flags, chanting slogans such as of the soldier, the federal government seemed to have turned justly and fairly, they are likely to resort to self-help. When ‘“Death To America” and demanded the release of Zakzaky deaf ear to calls by the Shiites to bring the soldiers, who allegthe system fails them, they seek alternative ways of achieving and wife. edly killed IMN members to book. self-determination. The government must not, either by omission or commisThe judicial panel set up by the government in 2016, to On the other hand, there are allegations that the IMN has sion, push them to the wall with seeming impunity, which has investigate the clashes, in its report, established the fact that, at no allegiance to Nigeria; that they operate a state within a state; been going on for too long. It is time, therefore, to dialogue and least 348 members of the IMN were killed, while one Cpl. Dan that they have no respect for the Nigerian Constitution and chart the way forward.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Yes, No Law Compels Public Asset Declaration

P

Adesina

residential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, last week said his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, would not declare his assets publicly, because no law compels him to do so. Adesina, who spoke during a programme on Channels Television on Monday, in response to the prodding of a group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which had asked Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and all governors to declare their assets publicly with a seven-day ultimatum, maintained that no law mandated the president to do so, adding that declaring

assets publicly was voluntary. There’s no debating the fact that Adesina was right by his submission. It is also true that no law compels the president or anyone at that to do so. But what he failed to realise was that even if the law did not compel him to do so, the burden of integrity demanded so of a man, whose only selling point was integrity, not even capacity. Adesina cannot ignore the fact that the president carries on his should, a lot of moral burden directly linked to his assumed incorruptibility. But the moment he starts to dodge acts capable of validating or disapproving of his integrity credentials, then, the joke is on him.

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BRIEFINGNOTES What Really Does Pastor Tunde Bakare Want? For Pastor Tunde Bakare, hiding behind the pulpit to prosecute political battle is not a smart option, writes Segun james

I

f it was a move calculated to tell President Muhammadu Buhari that he was still available as alternative Vice President, given the recent travails of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, it was not the most effective move. It has only served to bring him out as a political opportunist, seeking to leverage every available opportunity. Pastor Tunde Bakare, the presiding Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, has stirred the hornet’s nest and the backslash has begun to unfurl in torrents, with a majority of the people asking him to drop the cassock if he really wanted to play politics. The political culture is a weird one. It encourages one another to move across political divides without emotions. An average politician goes and comes as he pleases, what matters to them and permanent is interest at all times. But that cannot be said to be the same, when it comes to religion. In Christianity, which Bakare professes as his religion, circumspection is crucial especially, the need to be Christ-like in one’s dispositions. This was the situation, when Bakare took a plunge into the political arena penultimate week. The pastor had visited President Buhari at the State House, Abuja. Although details of the meeting are still shrouded in secrecy, the general belief was that last Sunday’s state of the union address by Bakare, who was running mate to Buhari in 2011, might be the outcome of his meeting with the President. Bakare had in his Sunday, 5 January sermon, which he called “State of the Union” and tagged: Unveiling the True Enemies of Nigeria, urged the President to groom a successor that would take over from him in 2023. Bakare deliberately disregarded the fact that presidents, like other political of seekers, are voted in by the people in an election that involves every adult of voting age. He was however vociferous that after Buhari’s second term elapses in 2023; he should not shy away from picking a successor. Bakare enjoined the president not to leave the choice of his successor in 2023 to chance, insisting that it was important for Bakare...the 16th president-in-waiting? Buhari to influence whoever emerges his successor so that his legacies would not be rubbished. of Deng Xiaoping, a second-generation Chinese leader, who Bakare’s call for the president to handpick his successor laid the foundation for today’s China. Xiaoping flagged off the arrived barely three months after he boasted that he was the ‘Four Modernisations’ programme, which searched around President’s successor. the country for leaders who, in his words, were ‘revolutionary, “Take it to the mountain top if you have never heard it before. younger, more knowledgeable, and more specialised’. I am saying it to you this morning, in the scheme of things, as “In three decades, that programme gave China a succession of far as the politics of Nigeria is concerned, President Buhari is leaders, who piloted China’s economic transformation, includnumber 15 and yours sincerely is number 16. ing the current President, Xi Jinping. Without their foresight, we “I never said that to you before, I want to let you know it would not be running to China today to finance our shortsightthis morning. Nothing can change it in the name of Jesus. He edness. (Buhari) is number 15; I am number 16,” Bakare reiterated, “We must also learn from Nelson Mandela who stepped aside placing his right hand on his chest. after one term, but not without positioning the likes of Thabo However, at his state of the union address, he added: “God is Mbeki and Cyril Ramaphosa. We must learn from the success into succession. Anyone in government that does not concern story of Singapore, whose former Prime Minister, Goh Chok himself about succession is destroying his legacy, because the Tong, once said, ‘Mr. Lee Kuan Yew has always emphasised person coming after you can just mess up everything. political succession, and when I took over, likewise, I planned “Let us ask God for grace of accurate succession; that he for succession…Prime Minister Lee is also working very hard to (Buhari) will not hand over the baton of government and govplan for succession.’ ernance to thieves and perverts, to corrupt and power-drunk “Therefore, even as we build institutions of democratic individuals, but those who are true patriots, who will serve like governance, a key responsibility that history has bestowed on our founding fathers served; though not perfect, they did their President Muhammadu Buhari at this turning point in our best,” Bakare said. journey to nationhood is to institutionalise systems of accurate According to the clergyman, by institutionalising a system of succession that will build and sustain the Nigeria we desire. This succession, Buhari would join the league of strong world leaders is a task that must be done.” like the late Deng Xiaoping of China; the late Nelson Mandela of Words aren’t all that cheap after all. Indeed, they matter and South Africa and Goh Chok Tong of Singapore. as Bakare has found out since his address, the backslash from “As the government of President Muhammadu Buhari ushthe speech has continued to reverberate negatively on him. The ers us into the second decade of the 21st century, the third pivotal question now is, what does Tunde Bakare want? objective of governance should be to build a strong post-Buhari Although Bakare did not mention any name as a possible legacy facilitated by accurate succession. candidate for the President to groom, his body language “In this regard, Nigeria must learn from some of the best suggested that he had himself in mind. Some months ago he had succession examples in recent history. Of note is the legacy named himself as a possible successor to Buhari.

It is in the face of this that the clergyman was urged to move fulltime into the political turf and engage others in the fisticuff instead of shadowboxing from the sidelines. For Chief Lanre Rasak, an All Progressives Congress Chieftain in Lagos State, Bakare is simply a rabblerouser. “That gentleman is a pastor and I think he should concentrate on his pastoral work. He shouldn’t be more Catholic than the Pope and crying more than the bereaved. My advice to him is if he wants to continue with pastoral job, let him do that. But if he wants to participate in politics, he should join a political party and actualise his dream. “He is just trying to create a situation whereby people would label Buhari as not being a democrat but I trust that Mr. President will ensure that he does things in accordance with the Nigerian constitution as well as the constitution and manifesto of our great party, the APC that brought him to power.” For Prof. Pat Utomi, seeking to be president goes beyond ethnic and grooming people for the position. “First thing first, you want to get somebody who has capacity. If you can find people who have capacity coming from different parts of the country, you provide a balance and additional value. “But to just say it is the turn of these people or that people and get the kind of quality leadership that Nigeria has had is not worth the trouble. So, the starting point must be capacity – who can best provide Nigeria or which team of people can best provide Nigeria in the right part. “The second point is that there are fundamental structural issues that will likely make it difficult for Nigeria to make progress no matter who is leading it. We are still running away from addressing those issues, because Nigeria is not a productive nation; Nigeria is a nation of rent-seekers. “And people who are jobbing for the position to take care of themselves without producing. So, the dominant political class in Nigeria is a liability on Nigeria. If Nigeria is to make progress, it needs to get rid of most of the politicians.” However, putting a ceiling on this was the response by the presidency, which subtly replied Bakare, saying Buhari would not impose a successor on the Nigerian people, but leave behind a much better country. “The President will not pick a successor; we know him, he is not somebody like that. Will he be interested in the process? Yes, he will. He will ensure that there is a free, fair and credible election; that nobody will come to use money and resources to bamboozle his way into the leadership of the country. It will not happen. The President will ensure a free, fair and credible process but to handpick a successor? No, he will not do that,” said Femi Adesina, his media aide. According to him, “The President will ensure that Nigeria is in safe hands. There is no point having worked, having made gains, having made advancement since 2015-2023, to hand Nigeria over to those who will take her back or hand Nigeria over to looters once again or you allow looters to allow stolen funds to work for them to seize power. No, that will not happen. “The President will be interested that much in who succeeds him but he is not going to impose anybody. Rather, he is going to create a free and fair process and Nigerians are then going to determine, who the next president should be,” he stated. There is nothing wrong, of course, in a Pastor Bakare nursing a presidential ambition, what is not acceptable is hiding behind the pulpit and running others down in God’s name. The danger here is that by the time others choose to get in the ring with him, he would be held responsible for dragging God’s name in the mud of his ambition. So, the time to be clear with what he wants is now.

NOTES FOR FILE

Taming Increasing Police Assault

IGP Mohammed Adamu

Police assault on harmless citizens has almost become an everyday thing, with a majority of the incidences not sufficiently reported. But the fact that the reported few have consistently received deserving attention raises the hope that it is not that bad in this part of the world. The directive, last week, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, ordering the arrest of three policemen, who were caught on video assaulting a young man, Justice Obasi, in Enugu State, has been largely commended especially that the erring officers had since been taken in. The video, which was shared on a Twitter handle @ onyezeme last Saturday, showed Obasi being manhandled by three armed police officers for refusing

to be searched and unlocking his phone, after he was labeled a fraudster (yahoo boy) albeit without any evidence. Whilst commending the police leadership for rising to the occasion and immediately reining in the officers, it is important that the police take up the campaign against assault or harassment on citizens by themselves. Assaulting the civilian population is not part of their training. Men trained to protect the people cannot pose danger of any sort to the same people. However, if this growing menace is not properly addressed and curtailed, the police would completely seize to be anyone’s friends but become the public’s greatest enemy.

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SUNDAYINTERVIEW Tunde Bakare

Bakare...You can’t close borders and at the same time grant visa-free entry to all

I Quit CPC/ACN Merger in 2011 Because They Wanted Me to Sign a Post-dated Resignation Letter Pastor Tunde Bakare, Founder, Citadel Global Community Church (formerly the Latter Rain Assembly) and Convener, Save Nigeria Group, is a prophetic-apostolic pastor, who has used the pulpit to speak truth to power in Nigeria. In this interview with Gboyega Akinsanmi, Bakare reflected on his conversion from Islam to Christianity, crisis of leadership that currently plagues the country, his role in the botched ACN-CPC alliance, lopsided federal governance structure and the controversies around his political projections, among others. Excerpts:

J

ust recently, you celebrated your 65th birthday. What are the notable moments in your life? I can only thank God Almighty, who has given me life. When we look back, we can only thank God for what He has done through us and for us. We are eternally grateful to Him. Some people, who share the same year of birth with us, are no more. Others have been drowned away by the vicissitudes of life. We thank God for grace. And we thank God for all He has done for us. How about you beam lights on some rare moments in your life? Of course, there are many things. I was very young. I was about three years when I saw my father laying on the floor. I did not know he was dead and that they were going to bury him according to Muslim rite. That imagery has not left, because of the attendant consequences. I was born into clannish wealth, but raised in abject poverty. Then, my world began to revolve only around my mother, who was there for me. She relocated to Sokoto. Also, I remember the day a lion came from the forest and wanted to destroy

us. I just screamed, and the lion went back. The same lion killed several people that day, but we escaped. Apart from the lion’s situation, I had escaped death four times in my life. As a young boy, I went to Ogun River to wash my mother’s clothes. I was swimming in a place in Abeokuta, where young people gathered. While I was in the water, my neck was trapped inside the rock. I thought the end had come. I heard a loud shout: “Oh God, it could not have been me.” It could not have been natural human voice, because I was trapped. That place, I was told, has always killed someone or trapped someone every year. But I escaped that. When I came to Lagos, I had a major accident in 1974. I came in 1973. It looks like stories of woes I am telling you. I went out because I wanted to buy dog feed for the man I was living with. A motorcyclist came from nowhere and knocked me at the electric pole and ran away. I was there for the death. But somebody had mercy upon. He treated me, and I survived that too. I remember when I was almost stoned to death by security guards inside the Railway Compound in the home of Toyin Peters. Toyin Peters was my friend. His father was a civil servant. I would always go there to pluck pear to augment my meal, because I was a sole survivor trying to fend for myself.

Unknown to me, I entered the wrong house. And they took me for a thief, when I was trying to pluck the pear. I went to that house everyday then. They were my friends. They had torn my garments. If they did not rush out quickly that day, I could have been killed. I also escaped death. In 2019, I was air-borne seven times and seven days from Lagos to Abuja, Abuja to London and London to Atlanta for my son’s convocation. Then, I came back to Abuja to give lecture again, all within seven days. While I was giving that lecture, I slumped. It was God that did not let it become catastrophic. I had no stroke. I survive it. These are what we could call hazardous moments. There are also pleasant moments. The day I graduated after a long wait in secondary school was a pleasant moment of my life. My primary school classmates were already four years ahead when I entered into secondary school. I had been taken to carpenter’s shield to learn carpentry. My mother was crying the day I graduated from secondary school. I was also crying for joy. We thank God for that. I remember how I came to Lagos and survived all the ordeals

Continued on Pg. 74-75

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SUNDAY INTERVIEW

t * )"7& /05)*/( 50 %0 8*5) 04*/#"+0 4 $3*4*4 t that I went through. God saw me through till I finished my university education. I was called to the Nigerian Bar. When I got married, November 24, 1984, oh what a day! I was just 30 years old. Then, my children started coming. I began to do tremendous exploits in legal practice before I came into the ministry. There is a lot to tell about my life. You were born Muslim. You were equally raised the Islamic way. But you are now the Senior Pastor, Latter Rain Assembly. What’s the story of your conversion? Known to God from eternity are all His works. My grandfather was the Chief Imam of Iporoseleke Mosque. My father was a core Muslim. My mother went to Mecca and Medina. I graduated from Quranic School on April 16, 1967. I had no desire to become a Christian. It was not that I was sick and I was taken to crusade ground. Not at all! But April 10, 1964, I saw a clear vision the day I was circumcised. I was circumcised about age 10. That night, I saw this Pillar of Light. I still do not have vocabulary for it. It went high from Heaven to Earth. It was so bright. It was desirous of me to embrace that light. I got up to embrace that light. I was circumcised in the morning. As I began to go, I saw it well. Suddenly, the path became block. There was bush here. There was also bush there. There was a well before me. But I got to other side. I was happy, still pursuing this marvelous light. A python came from the left side and held my left leg. And the struggle began and I had nothing to kill it. Eventually, I was able to take off my leg from the python. Remember I was circumcised in the morning. As I was struggling, the circumcised part of my body was bleeding. A lot of blood was oozing out of me. Few metres to the Pillar of Light, there was water. I did not know how to swim in 1964. I started learning to swim in 1966. But I waded through the water. About 10 metres to the Pillar of Light, there was fire. I went through the fire and I woke up. I became hysterical. I lost blood. I did not know what was happening. But I recalled the vision very clearly. Everybody just thought that I had a nightmare. But there was an elderly man there. We call him Baba Olodo, because he came from Olodo. He said all that you said was something in the future that pointed to greatness. I did not fully understand him. But I left it that way. I arrived Lagos July 13, 1973. I was still a Muslim. So, on September 24, 1974, a friend of mine, who was also a Muslim before he became a Christian, wanted me to cover a baptismal service at Yaba Baptist Church. I was a freelance photographer then. I told him: “Are you crazy? How can you tell me that because you are now Gabriel? What did you put in your head?” He said: “Do you want to cover it or not?” But I needed the money. I went to Yaba Baptist Church. I just finished praying my Muslim prayer. I put a small cap at the back of my head. They said I should remove it. I said I was not a Christian. One elderly man said: “In Rome, you must do what Romans do.” I then removed the cap and sat at the back. I was angry with them. They started dipping them inside water. That was the first time in my life I saw it. I went back inside the Church. I said these people were crazy. You could not wash yourselves inside and you were now doing it inside, dipping men and women into the same water. That was what engaged my mind. The reverend that baptised them came out of the water. He announced that there would be communion after the service. Anyway, my friend said I should wait to take the photograph of the communion service. This reverend gentleman, Rev. Emmanuel A. Alade, came out and stood on the podium. He said: “Before we take communion tonight, I have a short exhortation titled Jesus Christ: the Light of the world.” That was the last statement I heard. The Pillar of Light, which I saw in my dream in 1964, stood by him. I thought the whole Church said it. I saw myself maneuvering through the well, struggling with the python, wading through

In Africa, we have Desmond Tutu. In America, you have Martin Luther King Jnr. All over the world, there are those who when they spoke, the ground shook. Everyone has grace to contribute his quota to nation building. The opportunity and the platform God has given, I will use it to serve God, mankind and ensure that we do not maintain civil silence in the face of oppression

the river and going through the fire. My camera was shaking on my shoulder and I shouted: “I have seen Him before. I have seen Him before. I have seen Him before.” Again, they all thought I was crazy. That is how Christ arrested me. It was not easy at all. Going back home to tell them I had become a Christian was not easy. I hid it for few days until October 14, 1974, when I could no longer hide. I was reading my Bible secretly. On that day, they said I should pray in Muslim way. I said: “I am not going to pray in Muslim way again, because I am now born again.” They gave me five minutes to leave the house. That was how I was sent packing from the house. The rest is history. Consistently, you have been using the pulpit to speak to the authorities. Is there any connection between your ministry and your pulpit advocacy? Grace is given to all of us by God to do different things. From childhood, I could not stand injustice wherever I saw it and wherever I still see it. Perhaps, that was one of the reasons I went through the long process of studying Law. I believe we cannot just fold our hands and maintain civil silence in the midst of oppression and wickedness. It is not peculiar with me. Many have done it before. In Africa, we have Desmond Tutu. In America, you have Martin Luther King Jnr. All over the world, there are those who when they spoke, the ground shook. Everyone has grace to contribute his quota to nation building. The opportunity and the platform God has given, I will use it to serve God, mankind and ensure that we do not maintain civil silence in the face of oppression. Despite sustained advocacy against oppression by all and sundry, Nigeria is still not a functional system. Are you not worried that the country is not yet out of the woods? Well, if we are thoughtful, we have course to thank God. First, my advocacy has not robbed off my life, because I have been threatened. I have been arrested. I have been detained not as long as others. My passport has been seized. I have been harassed. But it is not possible to see the likes of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, whom I worked with and others, who have advocated changes in our countries not being inspired by their selflessness. I have not seen much change. But we can thank God for some things. We accomplished some things. We got some result. My attitude to the fulfillment of desire is rooted in the Bible. The Bible says: “hope deferred makes the heart sick. But the desire, when it comes, is a tree of life.” If you recall, that was the only thing the man did not eat out the Garden of Eden. He ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He ate other fruits. But he did not eat from the tree of life. God says if your hope is deferred and you hang on there, whether the desire is fulfilled, you will be like the tree of life to your generation. The Bible also says: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not whither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” We can find this in Psalm 1. What I am trying to bring out is

that there is a season when the desire will be fulfilled if we do not give up. I have seen some success. It is not 100 per cent. We cannot say we are where before, though it is written all over the world that we might be heading for another disaster. But we believe God will avert it. He will not allow Nigeria relapse to another deep crisis. What does Nigeria get out of the woods? The people deserve the type of leaders they get. And leaders deserve the type of people that follow them. The people that have been harassing and oppressing Nigerians are not foreigners. They are fellow Nigerians, who think the purpose of power is for personal benefit, forgetting in is entirety that the 1999 Constitution, as bad as it is, still stipulates that the welfare and security of our people in this country is the purpose of the government. That is one angle that the people deserve the type of leaders they get. There is another angle that if you continue to do the same thing again and again and expect a different result, it is called insanity. I pray our country will not become an asylum of the mad. You can blame politician if you want to. If they beat the drum and we do not dance, the party will stop. But they have a way of injecting money into the system. A young man, who should stand up and insist on what is right, sells his birthright. We are always clamouring for somebody else to fight our battle. That is the problem of Israel until the likes of David and Daniel rose up. The things going on in this country can be stopped. By the time they call us into a room and drop bags of dollars in your booth when you are going, you sing a new song. There are praise singers of every government from inception to today, because they are beneficiaries of the loots. A time will come by the auspices of God Almighty Himself that the people will say enough is enough. We are getting there. How do you know the country is close to when her people will rise and say, enough is enough? We are close to the rage of the poor. Look at the number of young people, who benefit now from the proceeds of crime instead of hard work. Kidnappers are Nigerians, though they may have external collaborators. But what else will you give them to do? An idle man’s hand is the devil’s workshop. They have to survive. Now, if we get to the tipping point when the people say they cannot endure it anymore, it will be difficult to escape their rage. Look at Hong Kong. Look at how it was sustained. There is no government that can survive that, not even in this part of the world. Nobody wants to die, because the government has the monopoly of violence, a lot of us are chicken-hearted. They do not want any hardship or inconvenience. It will continue forever. When you have some daredevil human rights advocates like Gani Fawehinmi and Beko Ransome-Kuti, these young people will follow them. It is not difficult to bring these people down. Not at all! You know what is helping them. It is the philosophy: if you cannot beat them, join them. But the day you join, you cannot beat anymore. So, God will have a remnant. Look at the history of the nations on earth. Ours is not peculiar. A good number of socio-cultural leaders have been

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t /*(&3*"/4 %&4&37& 5)& ,*/% 0' -&"%&34 5)&: (&5 t calling for restructuring. Can restructuring save the country from what you called the rage of the poor? I will not say I have been in the forefront of restructuring campaign. But I have contributed my noble quota. I will still continue to do so for some reasons. First, the destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends. What we have is destructive. It is not only lopsided. It is not federalism. When Gen. Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi promulgated the decree in 1966, he said: “From this day, Nigeria ceases to be Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is now Republic of Nigeria.” From that day, there have always been cosmetic changes. From that day, we have not had true federalism. Yes, we created some states that have brought the nation to death. Many of these states are not viable. And we cannot think if we cannot go forward, we should go backward and reset the country on the right track. It is not working. And you know what? Any constitution that will not bend will eventually break. Where is Soviet Union? It was held together by force. Where is it? Those who do not learn from history will definitely repeat the blunder of history. They will become history themselves. How do you think Nigeria can go about restructuring? My own emphasis is geo-economic restructuring. Let us begin with devolution of powers. The centre is too crowded. It is too loaded. What is the federal government doing with agriculture? Why should the federal government have the Ministry of Agriculture when it does not have land? The land is vested with the state. It is the state governor that has the power to issue certificate of occupancy. A local government chairman hardly has anything to do. You call a governor, the Chief Security Officer of his state, but he could not give instruction to the Commissioner of Police and he obeys. That is the problem that we find ourselves. From Sokoto, you deploy a police officer in a terrain he does not understand in Abeokuta. It does not make common sense. Let us begin with the devolution of powers. Let us make the centre less attractive, not weak, strong state and strong centre. And states that have commonalities in culture, ethnicity, language and proximity can come together and form geo-political zones without disrupting the structure. But let them put their resources together to develop their own area. Nothing stops us from having six Dubais in Nigeria if we have the right thinking people and if we really love this country, and want it to progress. The 2019 elections revealed a lot of deficiencies in the electoral system. How can that be fixed ahead of the 2023 elections? Do you know what we have been doing? There are leakages in our roofs and we patch it since rainy season has gone. During the dry season, it will look as if it is working. When rains come, storm will blow it away. It will start leaking again. We can only get it right when people are ready. We will get there the day the citizens of this country become a prime objective. We will get there the day the people realise that they are the most important persons. We will get it right the day the people realise the sovereignty lies with them and not those who are holding power by all means. Closure of borders has culminated in unprecedented rise in inflation with many people lamenting on a daily basis. What alternative is feasible other rather subjecting citizens to undue hardship? At the beginning when the border was shut, they advanced good reasons for their decision. They justified their decision on the grounds that Nigeria was becoming a dumping ground. They also justified it on the ground that our neighbours relied on smuggling goods into this country and making huge revenue from it at our expense. They equally justified it on the ground that oil was leaking through the borders. When you hear these reasons, you will agree that we can stop this mess. But the truth is that in a globalised world, how can you have your borders closed for a

long time? That is one aspect. Few days ago, Mr. President was in Egypt and said Nigeria is now an all-comer territory. Once you are an African, you do not need visa to come to Nigeria. You can just come. There will be influx of people who think Nigeria is a land of American dream. Are we getting the same benefit from South Africa? Can we take our passport now and go to South Africa? South Africa will not say that, because they know what influx of people can do to them. You close borders for goods not to come in, but Africans can come in. By the time they start coming in, you cannot even manage population explosion that will come as a result of it. It is good we have free movement within the continent and free trade within the continent. But what this lopsided policy - shut the border and bring the people – will cost us will surprise you if not reviewed. When the time comes, we’ll sit again and say maybe we should approach it gradually. Do you share the argument that the policy might have been conceived to change election demography? Those who are behind should say what the reasons are. If it is meant to change election demography, those who are saying so should advance reasons so that the rest of us, who do no know, will know. I just know that no nation should be an all-comer territory, because the good, the bad and the ugly will enter. And they do not need visa to come in. Criminals will enter. They might escape from somewhere and enter Nigeria. And without visa, they can enter. At a time, you did not need visa to go to Britain from Nigeria. In the 1980s, I went to Britain without visa. But the British authorities changed the policy when they saw the characters that were coming from Nigeria. The federal government needs to put checks and balances. Yes, you can come to Nigeria. But in the final analysis, everyone has to go through a system and we can refuse you entry if we think you are not the person we want in our country.

I am not sure. But eventually I move the motion for the merger of ACN and CPC at Eagle’s Square. In retrospect, there are some things that we did right that we will continue to do.There are some things we did not have sufficient facts. But now we are better informed. We’ll do things differently. In our group, Save Nigeria Group, at that point in time, because of the attitude of the CPC to restructuring Nigeria, we thought Major General Muhammadu Buhari, as was then called, was the only man standing that could do this for us. Then, the CPC made restructuring the first agenda on its manifesto. I still have copies of the manifesto. But time has shown that perception and reality can sometime fall apart. If that was the CPC, this is now APC.The APC also believed, because some of the things that were in the manifesto of the CPC were also in the manifesto of the APC. Now that we are in the saddle, it is not in our agenda

In 2011, you participated actively in politics while most men of God see politics as murky. What actually inspired you then? What inspired me then is still inspiring me now, not to sit and fold hands like an armchair critic. I want to contribute my own quota to nation building. I have not let it go at all. It is just that we will do it with the right people at the right time. Whilst discussion between the ACN and the CPC was ongoing ahead of the 2011 polls, unconfirmed reports had it that you refused to sign certain documents that if CPC eventually won, you would resign and an ACN nominee would step in as the Vice President? Is that narrative correct? If that has been the agreement, probably it would be considered. But that was not the agreement. The truth was they came and asked me to resign in advance. They wanted to sign a post-dated letter of resignation. I am not a fool. You want to resign as the Vice President, an office I have not occupied. That is perjury. I told them I could not do that. I told them I would resign as the running mate and I did. I will properly document what happened in my memoirs. Back then I remember they said they were not prepared to lose one finger. Lai Mohammed said he could issue a post-dated cheque. When the day comes, he could cash it. I said Lai Mohammed could write a post-dated cheque as Lai Mohammed. When the day of cashing comes, if it bounces, he will have to look for money. If it does not bounce, he is right. If Lai Mohammed will sign as Governor of Kwara State, he is a rogue. That is perjury, because he was not the governor. They were asking me to resign from an office I have not occupied. I did not beg you that I wanted that. If the alliance between the ACN and CPC had then worked, do you think they would have won? I am not sure. But eventually I move the motion for the merger of ACN and CPC at Eagle’s Square. In retrospect, there are some things that we did right that we will continue to do. There are some things we did not have sufficient facts. But now we are better informed. We’ll do things differently. In our group, Save Nigeria Group, at that point in time, because of the attitude of the CPC to restructuring Nigeria, we thought Major General Muhammadu Buhari, as was then called, was the only man standing that could do this for us. Then, the CPC made restructuring the first agenda on its manifesto. I still have copies of the manifesto. But time has shown that perception and reality can sometime fall apart. If that was the CPC, this is now APC. The APC also believed, because some of the things that were in the manifesto of the CPC were also in the manifesto of the APC. Now that we are in the saddle, it is not in our agenda. Were you consulted to replace Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the time he had crisis? I know nothing about it. Nobody discussed such thing with me. I stood publicly that he should not be disgraced from office except he has violated his oath of office. I will not be dragged into such controversies. I have not held meeting with anybody to be anything. Do not forget, if they penciled down your name in Nigeria, the person, who has the pencil, has the eraser.

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Akeredolu inaugurating Amotekun while other governors and guests watch

Like a Cometh, Amotekun Births in S’West Network, Amotekun by the Southwest governors is a positive initiative that promises to address the current insecurity in that part of the country, writes Kemi Olaitan

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ast Thursday’s launch in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, of a regional security initiative, Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), code named, “Amotekun”, conceived to ensure peace and safety of lives and properties in the region, could not but be a huge relief, despite alleged underhand intrigues, which many believed were designed to stall the idea. Thus, for the six Southwest governors namely Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, it was a collective success story in the bag. The governors led by their Chairman, Akeredolu, supported by prominent Yoruba traditional rulers led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the socio-political leaders led by Prof. Banji Akintoye, converged with fanfare at the Car Park, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, for the unveiling of over 120 operational vehicles and 100 motorcycles for the security outfit. That the ceremony held at all, many reckoned was a big victory for the governors. Although, the governors had at a security summit held also in Ibadan but in June 2019, mooted the idea of a regional security outfit, there had been fears in some quarters that the idea might not see the light of the day. It was also alleged that the federal government was not favourably disposed to it and might not approve of the launch, because it seemed more like an attempt to put in place state police through the backdoor. In addition, the account stated further that the Southwest region being vocal and sophisticated, if allowed would be setting a dangerous precedent for the entire polity. There was

also the fear that the regional security outfit could raise fears about the unity of the country. It was on account of these intrigues that it was alleged that two days before the launch, the governors were summoned for a meeting by the Presidency while the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, also had a meeting with one of the governors. But the governors, who felt that not going ahead with the idea would be sending a wrong signal to the people they swore to protect, however, came out with their heads unbowed and with assurances that they were committed to the unity and oneness of Nigeria. Espousing their belief in the ideals that could make the country stronger and more united, Akeredolu, who is the Chairman, Western Nigeria Governors Forum, while delivering his keynote speech at the launch of the programme, said they were not out to confront the federal government but concerned primarily with the security of the region. On the reasons behind the regional security outfit, he said, “The Southwest states of the federation believe in the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its indissoluble sovereignty. We are committed, in all ramifications, to the ideals that will make the country stronger and more united. “The various nation-states within the federation are diverse, yet almost all of us agree that our strength is in our unity. Consequently, we shall continue to support the federal government, under the able and indefatigable leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, in its avowed commitment and determination to take the country to the next level. Let me on this note thank DAWN Commission for the wonderful job done in crafting the operational framework

for Amotekun. “The Commission has taken care of all grey areas that could cause friction in the operations of the personnel that will be deployed for the programme. As a matter of fact, the Nigeria Police will oversee and moderate the activities of Amotekun, thus making its operation conform to the acceptable standards. Amotekun is the Yoruba name for the Leopard. “It is not the Tiger, Ekun. It is also important that I allay the fears of all those who have expressed misgivings as regards the quality of the personnel to be recruited to serve in the outfit. There is an adequate recruitment mechanism for the exercise. The conventional security agencies will participate, actively, in profiling the recruits. “Nobody with questionable character will participate in the programme. We will make it difficult for undesirable elements to compound the challenges being encountered. Proper background checks will be carried out on personnel to be recruited while the needed registration/identification of such personnel will be done to ensure accountability. “Let me seize this opportunity to once again appreciate the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police, State Security Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies for their unrelenting efforts in combating the various crimes threatening peace and security in the entire country. “Your patriotism in keeping the territorial integrity of our dear nation is acknowledged. The establishment of Amotekun, is without prejudice to the expectations of patriotic discharge of your mandates as provided in our laws. We depend on you, mainly, to secure our territory. You are the experts with the requisite trainings. Your patriotic zeal must

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˾ LIKE A COMETH, AMOTEKUN #*35)4 */ 4 8&45t

Continued from Pg. 76

A crowd of supporters admiring the Amotekun vehicles not wane as a result of this necessary intervention. “The Governors in the Southwest Region will provide all the logistic support that will enhance seamless operations of the programme. Each of the six States has procured 20 Pick-up Vans equipped with communication gadgets and one hundred motorcycles for the takeoff of the Security Network,” he said. With the governors still in the euphoria of successful launching of Amotekun and fulfilling a promise made to their people, many believed that the security outfit was not different from similar ones in some parts of the country such as Hisbah in the North West and Civilian JTF in the North East, all established to further strengthen the security in these areas. Beyond the fact that whatever fears that might have been nursed over the security outfit was mischievous, close observers believed that Amotekun was, in the words of Governor Fayemi, a ‘confidence-building strategy’ by the governors as a response to a problem that the people of the Southwest region wanted solution to. Fayemi added that the governors were not out to have regional police force but rather a step towards community policing, which the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Adamu, has shown interest in, stating that it was a response to a problem that the people of the region wanted A fleet of Amotekun vehicles on parade together to fight a common enemy. That enemy is not solution to. Nigeria; the enemies are the elements among us, and their Makinde, in his welcome address, said it was the priority affiliates that are determined to cause commotion within the of the governors in the region to ensure that both indigenes borders of our states, and threaten our peaceful coexistence. and settlers living within the boundaries of their various “As this launch proceeds today, we will find out that this states carry out their legitimate activities in a secure environarchitecture we have put together is in harmony with the ment. Constitution that we swore to protect. We will also learn that “As governors of these states, it is our priority to ensure everything we have outlined to do with Amotekun is in line that both indigenes and settlers living within the boundaries with the existing security architecture in Nigeria. All we are of our various states can carry out their legitimate activities in doing is creating an appendage of local vigilantes that will a secure environment. The security of their lives and properfeed the current state apparatus,” he said. ties should be of paramount importance. Speaking with THISDAY much later, Special Adviser on “When we discuss the development potential of our states Security to Governor Makinde, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, a retired and talk about investment opportunities and growing our Internally Generated Revenue by exploring areas of compara- Commissioner of Police, said those to be recruited into the security outfit would be trained by the conventional police tive advantage, we remain keenly aware that we cannot force, stating that they would more or less serve as neighbourachieve anything in a state of insecurity. hood watch in the six states of the region. “And so, we are here. To those who are afraid, I say, The Amotekun idea could not have come at a better time when we assumed office, we all took the Oath of Office and promised to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal than now given the various misgivings allegedly expressed in some quarters especially, in Abuja, the seat of power. It Republic of Nigeria; to follow the dictates of the Constitution was nothing but a result of the security summit, which the and protect the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of governors held in Ibadan in July, 2019, where they expressed Nigeria. We have not forgotten our oath. anger over the spate of insecurity such as kidnapping, “Our regional integration, our coming together, should be banditry and armed robbery in the region most especially, seen in one light and one light alone: that we are coming

the killing of the daughter of the Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti. The governors, at the launch, said the region strongly believed in the unity of Nigeria and its indissoluble sovereignty, stating that they had agreed since last year to establish the security outfit to strengthen the security situation in the region. Akeredolu therefore stated further that the Southwest governors were committed, in all ramifications, to the ideals that would make the country stronger and more united, and not to divide it, disclosing that the establishment of Amotekun, was without prejudice to the expectations of patriotic discharge of the mandates of the mainstream security agencies as provided in the laws of the land with the governors primarily concerned with the security of people and property. Apart from Governors Makinde, Fayemi and Akeredolu, other present at the event were the Deputy Governor of Ogun, Noimat Salako-Oyedele; Deputy Governor of Osun, Gboyega Alabi; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Yoruba leader, Prof. Banji Akintoye; Otunba Deji Osibogun, Chief Gani Kayode Balogun, who represented the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, and representatives of various Yoruba groups. However missing at the event were the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, Mr. Shina Olukolu, the GOC, 2.Division, the state Director, DSS, or their representatives.

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GAVEL

Editor: Olawale Olaleye SMS:08116759819 email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com

Lawmakers That May Shape the Ninth National Assembly With the ninth National Assembly still struggling to settle down, some of the lawmakers have already begun to show the stuff they were made of, report Deji Elumoye and Adedayo Akinwale

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s the National Assembly members prepare to resume from their Christmas and New Year break on Tuesday, January 28, all eyes will be on them to get cracking and attend to some of the urgent legislative duties before them. This, however, brings to the fore, question of the lawmakers that made the first six months of the Ninth Assembly worth the while. These were lawmakers who contributed in no small measure to the takeoff of the legislature last June. With the election of presiding and principal officers for the two chambers of the National Assembly on June 11, 2019, all was set for the Senators and House members to begin to discharge their legislative duties, which was the basis of their being elected into the federal parliament.

Ahmad Lawan

The election of Dr. Ahmad Lawan, a ranking Senator from Yobe North, who has spent a record 20 years in the federal parliament, as Senate President sent a clear signal to the public that the Ninth Senate and by extension National Assembly would not unnecessarily engage the Executive on issues unlike the eighth assembly chaired by Dr. Senator Bukola Saraki. From the word go, Lawan had expressed the readiness of the legislative arm to collaborate with the Executive as represented by President Muhammadu Buhari. At every given opportunity, the Senate President always stressed the fact that the current National Assembly was on the same page with the Presidency. This much was displayed in the course of considering Executive communications in the form of confirmation of appointments into boards and parastatals. In most instances, due processes were not followed with relevant committees being given Lawan barely a week to screen the nominees and report back to plenary. Some Senators have had cause in private discussions in the past to complain of the high handedness of Lawan in the conduct of affairs at plenary, saying he only recognised Senators that were considered pro-establishment, when it comes to debating issues on the floor of the upper chamber. They also cited instances, when members raised Point of Order and the Senate President would overrule the Senators concerned without recourse to the Senate standing Rules.

Ovie Omo-Agege

On his part, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, a second term Senator, and Deputy Senate President, is known to be passionate about Electoral reforms and have had cause to present a bill in this regard, which has passed first reading. He is also known to have also presented another Bill on sex for marks, which stipulates punishment for lecturers in higher institutions soliciting for sex in exchange for marks from female students for the consideration of the Red Chamber. Omo-Agege, a lawyer, who is always eager to contribute on the floor of the Senate to bills and Omo-Agege motions bordering on law and judicial system has, however, not had the opportunity of acting for the Senate President at plenary as Lawan was always on hand to preside over the sittings of the upper legislative chamber.

Eyinnaya Abaribe

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senate Minority Leader, also stands out as a lawmaker to watch out for in the current Assembly. At every opportunity, Abaribe

he was always ready to speak truth to the powers that be. Of particular note was when the anti-social media bill was presented before the Senate, Abaribe stated emphatically that the minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Senate will not support the gagging of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views through any legislation. He was also particular about the suffering of the citizenry in his debate on the general principle of 2020 budget, when he said the budget should have human face by addressing the myriad of problems facing the average Nigerian man on the street. He is known to be very frank about issues and will not hesitate to say the truth to power as the year progresses.

Ike Ekweremadu

Former three-time Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, although rarely talks at plenary, whenever he does he brings his wealth of experience to bear on the debate. As a ranking sixth term Senator, Ekweremadu, who sits at the rear of the opposition PDP Senators wing, has sponsored a bill for the amendment of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended). As Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendments for a record 12 years from 2007 to 2019, he is in a better posiEkweremadu tion to know other areas of the constitution that requires further amendment and this may have informed his sponsoring another bill to this effect in the Senate.

Ali Ndume

Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, is another lawmaker who knows his onions, when it comes to parliamentary work. A dogged ranking Senator, who on principle stood his ground to contest against Lawan for the coveted position of Ninth Senate President on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 and lost, Ndume, who is Chairman of Senate committee on Army is also not afraid to speak the truth to power. He had on several occasions spoken against the hardship Nigerians are going through and the need for government to urgently address the issues. He is also concerned about how Constituency Projects of federal lawmakers were executed annually by the Executive and come up with a Bill that has passed through first Ndume reading for the establishment of a Commission to handle such projects.

Oluremi Tinubu

Tinubu

Sabi Abdullahi

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, former Chairman of the Senate Committees on Women Affairs and Environment, has been in the forefront of the campaign for a special status and vote to be accorded Lagos as a former capital of Nigeria. Although she presented a bill to that effect before the Eighth Senate, which failed to scale through, the Chairman of Senate committee on Communications is reintroducing the bill and had commenced lobbying her colleagues so that the bill could see the light of the day this year.

On his part, former Senate spokesman, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, is well known for coming up with Hate Speech Bill which generated a lot of uproar with the death sentence penalty prescribed for Abdullahi

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GAVEL Lawmakers That May Shape the Ninth National Assembly Ben Kalu

promoters of hate speech in the bill. Abdullahi, who is the Deputy Senate Whip and sponsor of the Bill, has however given assurance that he might expunge the death penalty prescribed in the bill.

House spokesman, Hon Ben Kalu is another regular voice in the House, who can never be found wanting when issues that affect the country are being discussed.

Sani Musa

Senator Sani Musa sponsored the anti-social media bill and got the greater bashing from the public, including his colleagues, who asked him to back down on the bill, which had passed through first reading. He would be a character to watch Musa out for in the ninth senate.

Opeyemi Bamidele

The Senate Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, is one of the intelligentsias of the current senate, with sound and enviable legal background. A former House of Representatives in the seventh assembly, Bamidele was recently made a member of the Body of Benchers, an appointment that confirmed his legal relevance. He definitely has a lot to offer in the ninth assembly, although he has remained on the quiet side, intervening only in critical debates with collective interest and value.

Bamidele

Femi Gbajabiamila

In the Green chamber, Speaker Femi Gbaiabimila, is one of the most experienced lawmakers in the House. It is therefore not surprising that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was hell bent on him leading the Ninth House as Speaker. Although he sometimes allows contributions from lawmakers to drag for so long on some bills that have not been passed or motions of urgent national importance, what you can not take away from Gbajabiamila is his sense of humour, when directing the affairs on the floor of the House. His diplomacy and maturity in handling issues that are even against the party in power which he belongs to showed that he is by far a much better Gbajabiamila leader than the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who always kicked against issues or motions perceived to be against President Buhari or his party without considering the argument being put forward by his colleagues. The leadership style of the Speaker has made him a friend to all, he is adored by the lawmakers in his party and even in the opposition.

Idris Wase

Idris Wase, the Deputy Speaker is another experienced lawmaker in the House. However, unlike Gbajabiamila, who allows his colleagues to debate for too long on a bill or an issue during plenary, Wase appears not to have the temperament for that on the few occasions he had presided over plenary in the absence of Gbajabiamila. His style too has endeared him to his colleagues and even journalists. Journalists, most times, like Wase Wase presiding over the plenary, because he has no time to waste. His leadership style has earned him the nickname “Sharp Sharp Wase” among journalists covering the Green chamber.

Ndudi Elumelu

The Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, is another outspoken lawmaker, whose debate and contributions to issues had not gone unnoticed. Though his emergence was the shock of the century to his party, the PDP, what his party and Nigerians cannot fault is that he has been a Elumelu worthy representative. Getting him to respond to issues or reply to text messages may have been an easy one to many journalists, however, picking calls is not one of his positive attributes.

Toby Okechukwu

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha is a ranking member in the House and over the Kalu years, she has remained a Onyejeocha household name and one of the most vocal female lawmakers in the House. There is hardly any issue that is being discussed at plenary that she would not make useful contributions.

Taiwo Oluga

Oluga

Bamidele Salam

Hon Bamidele Salam has never been afraid to speak out his mind on the floor of the House, no matter whose ox is gored. InSalam as much as it is an issue that concerns the development of Nigeria, he doesn’t mind stepping on the toes of even the President to drive home his point. He has given a good account of himself thus far.

Kingsley Chinda

Hon Kingsley Chinda may not have had the blessing of his colleagues, especially the minority lawmakers to be their leader, but that has not deterred him nor affected his morale as the representative of his people. Chinda Actually, he has given Elumelu-led minority caucus a run for their money and forced the minority caucus in the House to be alive to its responsibility.

Yusuf Datti

Hon Yusuf Datti has always been alive to his responsibility as a lawmaker. Most times, his loyalty Datti to President Muhammadu Buhari can becloud his reasoning and the way he contributes to issues on the floor.

Mohammed Monguno

The Chief Whip of the House, Hon Muhammed Monguno, despite being a member of the APC, his loyalty to Nigeria is never in doubt. He believes more in the development of the country. Monguno doesn’t allow his emotional attachment to the Monguno ruling party to affect his contribution to issues of national importance.

Shettima Ali

Shetimma Ali usually contributes on the floor whenever a particular motion or issue targeted at the President, which may attract his ire, is being discussed. He values his loyalty to President Buhari more than anything else. His commitment to Ali the development of his people is the least on his scale of preference, when it comes to the issue of the President.

Toby Okechukwu, Deputy Minority Leader always makes meaningful contributions to issues to the extent that he will always find a related account of event that happened to one of his constituents to drive home his point. With him, there is no dull moment in the House. Okechukwu

Hon Taiwo Oluga is though quiet, however, always makes meaningful contributions whenever she stands up to contribute to issues on the floor. She recently sponsored a bill on the need to establish a Federal College of Education in her constituency.

Leke Abejide

Abejide

Hon Leke Abejide’s presence in the House is usually well pronounced especially, when it comes to debate on the issue of decongesting Nigeria ports. His experience in the maritime sector always comes handy.

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Demola Ojo email:Demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Ruthless Liverpool Extend Premiership Lead to 16 Points

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iverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 16 points with a game in hand as they battled to a hardfought win at Tottenham. Jurgen Klopp’s men became the first team in Europe’s top-five leagues to win 20 of their first 21 games as they withstood a second-half fightback from Spurs to win courtesy of Roberto Firmino’s first-half goal. The Brazil forward turned Spurs’ young debutant Japhet Tanganga then beat Paulo Gazzaniga with a sweet left-foot strike to give the visitors a deserved lead. However Liverpool were then grateful to poor finishing from Jose Mourinho’s side - who were without the injured Harry Kane - in order to record another victory on their seemingly relentless march to a first title in 30 years. Son Heung-Min and substitute Giovani lo Celso missed glorious second-half chances to give Spurs some reward for a performance that improved as the game went on. But Liverpool, their position strengthened further by Leicester City’s shock home loss to Southampton, held on to increase the sense of formality about the destination of this season’s Premier League trophy. Liverpool may not have been at their best - there were even spells in the second half when they looked jaded - but this is a team on a seemingly unstoppable run to the Premier League title. This was their 12th successive league win and it is a remarkable feat to have dropped only two league points from their first 21 games - something no other team in Europe’s major leagues has ever achieved. It’s true they were let off by Spurs’ missed chances but there is perhaps a sense that Liverpool’s dominance is

Nigeria Lines up Cyclists for African Championship in Egypt Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Nigeria will participate in the CAC African Cycling Track Championship, which holds in Cairo, Egypt from January 16- 17. The President of the Nigeria Cycling Federation (NCF) Giandomenico Massari, announced that the team that has been in camp in Abuja since December last year will depart for Cairo on January 14. The delegation will be made up of 10 athletes (six males, four females), two coaches and one mechanic. The team will compete in eight events.They include sprint, individual pursuit, team pursuit, Kerin, Madison, Ominion, 500 meters for female and 1km for male, point race and scratch race. While fielding questions from reporters, Massari expressed optimism that the team will excel in Egypt by improving on their performance at the CAC African Championship in South Africa, where they collected seven medals and in Abuja last year, where they bagged 51 medals. “You can see we are ready for the tournament, the team is getting better day by day and in this year we aim for the best. Of the cyclists that will travel to Cairo, three female and two male, went for a very intensive training in South Africa from December 11- 28, where they had the opportunity to compete at some races. They did very well, the female team came first, second, and third while male came second position. We have very good chances because we have exposed our team

Firmino (in red) scored to help Liverpool to their 20th win in 21 matches

having a psychological impact on their opponents so that when rare opportunities come along, they are being snatched at. And even when not in prime form, Liverpool’s forward line is so potent that there is always a goal in them - as Firmino proved with his neat 37th-minute sidestep

and thumping finish. Spurs will claim, with justification, they should have had a throw-in before the goal but Liverpool are now being propelled with growing momentum to end that long wait to reclaim their perch at the summit of the English game. The root of Spurs’ downfall came in two

distinct aspects of their performance. In the first half, Spurs were far too passive and negative as they sat back, presumably waiting for an opportunity to strike on the counter attack. The tactic was undone by Firmino’s goal, leaving Spurs with no option but to be more positive in the second period.

Nadal, Djokovic Clash in Spain-Serbia ATP Cup Final Rafael Nadal will play Novak Djokovic as Spain take on Serbia in the inaugural ATP Cup final in Sydney today. Top-ranked Nadal came from a set down to beat Australia’s Alex de Minaur 4-6 7-5 6-1 and give Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead over the hosts. World number two Djokovic had earlier beaten US Open finalist Daniil Medvedev 6-1 5-7 6-4 as Serbia beat Russia 3-0. Djokovic beat Nadal in straight sets in last year’s Australian Open final and leads their head-to-head 28-26. He has also not lost to Nadal on a hard court since the 2013 US Open final.

The Australian Open - the first Grand Slam of the year - begins January 20, eight days after the ATP Cup finishes. “Novak likes to play here and Serbia has a great team and is playing very well,”Nadal said. “But Roberto played an amazing match and we have a good team, so we are ready for it.” Djokovic has not lost a match at the event, although he has dropped sets in his past two matches against Medvedev and Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. However, he was able to overcome the highlyrated Medvedev to seal Serbia’s place in the final after Dusan Lajovic had beaten world

Hooliganism: Nasarawa United Clears LMC Fines Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Nasarawa United FC has cleared all fines it incurred from the League Management Company (LMC) following a violent attack on match officials and others at the Lafia Township stadium last year. The LMC, administrators of the NPFL, in a reaction to the unfortunate development took disciplinary actions against the club and consequently hammered a cumulative fine of N4, 250, 000, including a N1,250,000 compensation for the match officials, against the Nasarawa United FC. However, the state commissioner for youths and sports, Uthman BalaAdams, disclosed yesterday in Lafia that the state government has cleared all the fines meted on the football club by the

LMC. He added that other conditions outlined by the LMC for compliance, especially security, by the Nasarawa United were as well pursued to the last degrees. Bala-Adams also disclosed that the state government had concluded arrangements to engage an experienced Technical Adviser for its Nasarawa United FC before January 19. According to the commissioner,“we are going to bring a more experienced Technical Adviser to add value to what the current technical crew is doing. “In respect of adding more players, we want to bring the new Technical Adviser first so that he can vet those players who were on standby to play for Nasarawa United before the January 19 close of shop.”

number 17 Karen Khachanov 7-5 7-6 (7-1). Viktor Troicki and Nikola Cacic then made it a clean sweep in the doubles with a 6-4 7-6 (9-7) win over Teimuraz Gabashvili and Konstantin Kravchuk. “Medvedev is one of the best players in the world and he showed today why,” Djokovic said after their rubber. “This was the most difficult challenge I have had so far this year.” The 24-nation event started with six groups of four teams, who each played three roundrobin ties. The ties - comprising two singles matches and one doubles - are best of three.

RESULTS & FIXTURES Crystal Palace

1–1

Arsenal

Chelsea

3–0

Burnley

Everton

1–0

Brighton

Leicester

1–2

Southampton

Man United

4–0

Norwich City

Wolves

1–1

Newcastle

Tottenham

0–1

Liverpool

Bournemouth

v

Watford 3pm

Aston Villa

v

M’ City5:30pm

Roma

v

Juventus 8:45pm

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

with demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

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n recent years, security has been a major concern in Nigeria, so much so these days, that the US had to issue a travel advisory to its citizens about coming to Nigeria as a result of its (the US) ongoing conflict with Iran. This, in no small part, is due to religious extremism, the type that birthed the Boko Haram insurgency that has terrorised civilian populations in the North-eastern part of Nigeria. The military has not found it easy quelling the Boko Haram threat and their valiant efforts might just be undermined by what â&#x20AC;&#x201C; according to Borno State Governor Babgana Zulum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is extortion. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to report all of you in this

unitâ&#x20AC;Ś nobody can tolerate this. Boko Haram is attacking people and you are here collecting N1000 per car,â&#x20AC;? he said after running into soldiers manning Damaturu-Maiduguri road on his way to a community where Boko Haram insurgents struck a few days before. In its response to the allegations, the army headquarters issued a warning that such pronouncements may be inimical to a protracted war that is proving difficult to end, rather than show readiness to investigate this weighty allegation by a stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief executive. Even more worrying is the disaffection among the rank and file of the army, with reports that personnel attached to the 159 Battalion, Geidam

JANUARY 12, 2020˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

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SOCIALMEDIABITS (Sector 2), Yobe State, threatened to abandon their duty post over their neglect by military authorities and claimed that they are being exploited by insensitive superiors. Meanwhile, governors in the South west have come together to launch a regional security outfit, which inevitably brings up the subject of state police, which many believe is one of the prerequisites for successfully operating a federal system of government. Just as important as security in the national discourse is the state of the economy. The Nigerian situation is somewhat contradictory, a country with the richest individuals on the continent and the largest population of the extremely poor in the world. It prompts questions, like the ones Al Jazeera asked in its article on Nigeria’s oil industry (“where is the cash going”), the very same week that Nigerian stocks were declared the best performing in the world globally. Some may have unintentionally provided answers, like pastor Tunde

Bakare who listed a few of those he believes are the true enemies of the nation: Lawmakers who use constituency projects to rob the nation; judges who pervert justice; Governors who feed fat on unaccounted for security votes; and those who turn states into personal estates. Obviously, those in public service are largely responsible for impoverishing the general population by amassing ill-gotten wealth, the more reason why there is a clamour for them to declare their assets, starting with the man at the very top, President Muhammadu Buhari. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project urged the President, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the 36 state governors to make their assets public in seven days. However, Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina promptly replied that no law mandates the President to declare his assets. One should certainly expect other public officials to follow the President’s example. The opacity continues.

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Price: N400

MISSILE

Gbajabiamila to DISCOS “There is no guarantee that after any electricity tariff hike the Discos will not continue with the nefarious practice of bills estimation or provide uninterrupted power supply” – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila reacting to the approval granted to Distribution Companies to increase electricity tariffs.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

The Electricity Tariff Tango

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hich came first — the chicken or the egg? This is one of the most fascinating debates around. All chickens hatch from eggs and all the chicken eggs are laid by chickens. How then do you determine the cause and the effect? That is the “causality dilemma” we always have to deal with in certain discourses, especially on public policy. If you believe in creationism — as I do — you are more likely to argue that God created the chicken and it started to lay eggs. However, if you are an evolutionist, the Darwinian principle is that species evolve over time. That means chickens had ancestors that were not chickens. Therefore, neither the chicken nor the egg came first. When the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved new electricity tariffs, the most common response from Nigerians was: how can we be paying more for darkness? And the chicken-and-egg question came to my mind instantly. Will tariff increase lead to improved power supply or should improved power supply lead to tariff increase? Should power become stable before tariffs are increased or should tariffs be increased before power supply can become stable? These questions may sound academic, but a closer look will reveal that this issue is part of what we need to crack before we can begin to properly discuss stable power supply in Nigeria. Anybody who is familiar with the Nigerian power supply industry will agree that the problems are far more than tariffs — but tariffs are also at the centre of the crisis. I will be making basic arguments today based on the realities we have on the ground. One basic thing I have observed over time is that many Nigerians do not know that NEPA (the National Electric Power Authority) is dead. They know there is no NEPA again, since 2005, but they think it was replaced by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). They do not know that PHCN too is dead. Making Nigerians understand the “new” power industry is, therefore, critical to policy communication. In the olden days (I mean before 2013), PHCN was in charge of the three chains in the power supply industry: generation, distribution and transmission. Not anymore. PHCN was broken up and privatised. Out of PHCN came six power generating companies (called GenCos), 11 distribution companies (DisCos) and the one and only transmission company (TransCo). These 18 entities are all independent of each other, owned by different people, although the federal government of Nigeria retains stakes in the GenCos and DisCos, and owns 100 percent of the TransCo — the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). There are many other GenCos connected to the national grid. Today, when power is restored, shouting “Up NEPA” has become anachronistic. This looks so simple that you can even accuse me of saying the obvious and wasting your time. But until ordinary Nigerians understand what this means in practical terms, we will never come to terms with the new realities in the power sector. All policy communications will fly above our heads and we will never be able to have a productive debate. To enjoy improved and stable power supply, the GenCos, Discos and TransCo must all be at the top of their game. It is a chain. Unfortunately, there are many factors that will make them perform poorly and continue to plunge us into more darkness.

NERC Chairman, Prof. James Momoh Let’s start with the GenCos. As things stand, Nigeria has the capacity to generate up to 12,000 megawatts — thanks to the power projects started by President Olusegun Obasanjo during his second term and continued or completed by President Goodluck Jonathan. That is enough to meet our critical needs for now. If we can get 12,000mw into the national grid (the TCN transmission lines) and the DisCos are able to take it to our homes and factories, we will cry less about “NEPA”. In fact, most parts of Nigeria will be celebrating uninterrupted power supply. That would be one of the biggest things we ever did for ourselves since the end of colonial rule in 1960. Now, to generate the power, most of the GenCos use gas. Government had to enter into supply/ purchase agreements with gas companies in order to guarantee that whatever they produce will be bought at a particular price under the “take or pay” arrangement. That was the major incentive for private companies to invest their money in building the gas supply infrastructure. The “take or pay” guarantee was the only “collateral” they could use to source for funds abroad. For instance, the federal government pays Accugas about $10 million monthly to guarantee supply gas to Calabar GenCo, owned by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Ltd. Let’s now move to DisCos. They are the face of electricity in Nigeria. Where I live, the DisCo is called Ikeja Electric. They are the ones I see and deal with. The DisCos get power from GenCos via TCN. They collect the revenue from end users on behalf of the entire chain. When you pay a DisCo, the money is shared by DisCo, TCN and GenCo. Because Nigerians are stealing electricity and also failing to pay their bills, it means DisCos are short-paid. If a GenCo sends electricity worth N1 billion to Ikeja Electric but the revenue that comes in is N500 billion — because of illegal connections and unpaid bills, among others — the entire economic chain is messed up. That is a big, big problem. Lest I forget, TCN is a big problem child. It does not have the capacity to take the 12,000mw from the GenCos. It’s like trying to drive a 10-tonne vehicle over a 5-tonne bridge. It will collapse. Even though we can generate 12,000mw, TCN cannot “wheel” more than 5,000mw. Last year alone, we had 10 system collapses. Unfortunately, GenCos cannot produce power and store it, so they have to shut down some turbines to reduce output. But turbines are not designed to be shut down — it will affect performance and manufacturer’s warranty. Until we upgrade the

grid, the system will keep collapsing. Thankfully, we have reached an agreement with Siemens to help us out. Now, to the tariff tango. Government has been subsiding electricity for ages to avoid passing the production costs to the consumers. Under the multi-year tariff order (MYTO) introduced in 2007, the cost of electricity is supposed to be reviewed upward regularly until it finally becomes “cost reflective” — meaning there would be no electricity subsidy again. Good enough, the tariff structure recognises that all fingers are not equal, so residential areas are to pay less under different classifications — R1, R2 and all that. The poorest neighbourhoods, classified as R1, are to pay the least. Since 2007, however, the exigency of politics means MYTO has not been strictly followed. In 2017, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) — which buys power from GenCos and sells to Discos — set up the payment assurance guarantee (PAG) scheme to subsidise power and avoid a breakdown. Federal government provided N701 billion to fund the subsidy. The money has finished. Another N600 billion is on the table but it will still finish and something will have to give eventually. That is why the tariffs are being reviewed gradually. Retaining the subsidy means government has to look for money, not excluding borrowing, to fund it; but adjusting the tariffs upwards means Nigerians will be paying more without any assurance of stable power. Where do I stand? It’s a bit tricky. I live in an estate where, by special arrangement, we pay way above the residential tariff — but we are guaranteed a minimum of 20-hour power supply daily. In reality, we may not experience any outages for days. The outages last for a maximum of two hours. Over 90 percent of the outages are not Ikeja Electric’s fault; rather, TCN lines are always breaking down. I have bought diesel only twice in five months. I control my consumption. What I used to pay for diesel weekly is now what I pay for electricity monthly even with the premium tariff. I’ve serviced my generator only once since August 2019. And, oh, the noise pollution is history. In the chicken-and-egg case, therefore, I can say we are paying more and seeing the result. Tariff increase has led to stable power supply. On the other hand, our arrangement is special and I cannot categorically say that it can be replicated nationwide. TCN’s handicap is still a big clog in the wheel of progress. More so, low revenue collection by DisCos is a big economic headache. DisCos, trying to play safe, are demanding less power from GenCos. There is also the metering gap which many argue is a business ploy by DisCos to keep giving inflated estimated bills to customers. Beyond tariff hike, therefore, these issues must be well addressed. Tariff hike is definitely not a magic wand. Above all, government cannot subsidise power endlessly, especially with the revenue crisis pushing us deeper into debt. The proposed tariff hike is just to reduce the subsidy, not eliminate it. Even with a tariff hike, it will still be cheaper to use grid power than generators. Of course, I think government needs to communicate clearly on these tariff issues and stop playing games. Tell Nigerians the home truth. Electricity subsidy was never meant to be forever. The low income residential areas — the people labour unions say they are fighting for — need to be well apprised of the economic dynamics. We have been groaning under fuel subsidy bills. Why compound the headache?

And Four Other Things… BOKO BUSINESS Prof Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno state, made the headlines on Monday when he confronted soldiers for extorting travellers and creating horrendous traffic in the process. “Boko Haram is attacking people and you are here collecting N1,000 per car,” he said. While Nigerians were clapping for the governor, the army did not find it funny. According to them, Zulum’s “outburst” was capable of derailing the war against Boko Haram. Exactly! Business must continue. If not, the soldiers would be “discouraged”. The war against Boko Haram must not end. Some are making billions sitting in their offices and others are collecting N1,000 at roadblocks. Perverse. COMICAL GOVERNORS Two of the most entertaining governors in this dispensation have to be Chief David Umahi of Ebonyi state and Senator Ben Ayade of Cross River. Umahi, the PDP governor who recently said prayers will be offered in all the local government areas of the state to pick his successor, has informed us that he is also an APC member. Meanwhile, Ayade has charged a journalist to court for attempting to overthrow him, and he has followed that up by appointing a commissioner for foreign affairs. At this rate, he will soon appoint a chief of army staff. By the way, he has just signed his ‘Olimpotic Meristemasis’ 2020 budget. Owelle Rochas Okorocha was obviously an amateur. Comical. IMMUNITY IMPUNITY One of the most mysterious cases in the history of mankind — starting Adam and Eve — has to be the injunction secured by Dr Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers state, in 2007. It effectively granted him immunity for life. While in office, he could not be prosecuted by EFCC because of constitutional immunity — though he could be investigated, according to a previous Supreme Court ruling. But Odili managed to get a “perpetual injunction” that he could neither be investigated nor prosecuted after office. The EFCC appeal was kept in the morgue. Mr Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC boss, says the case will be resurrected. Immunity in office, immunity out of office. Wonders! DÉJÀ VU On July 3, 1988, during the Iran-Iraq war, a passenger flight operated by Iran Air was on its way to Dubai from Tehran when it was shot down with a missile by the US navy. All 290 persons on board died. The Americans said they mistook the aircraft for a fighter jet. On January 8, 2020, a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight was shot down by the Iranian military shortly after take-off in Tehran, killing all 176 on board. Again, it was human error: the Iranians thought it was an American fighter jet on a revenge mission. Iran had just launched missile attacks against an American military base in Iraq. What does this tell us? Let’s make peace not war. War doesn’t pay. Senseless.

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