SUNDAY 7TH MARCH 2021

Eminent Nigerians Say It’s Time to Pull Nation Back from Brink Anyaoku: There’s urgent need for centre to devolve power Sultan: We can’t afford another war Tobi Soniyi In unison, eminent Nigerians, yesterday, at the 2021 Obafemi Awolowo Virtual Lecture, agreed that the time to pull back the nation from becoming

a failed state was now.

Those who led the discussions included the a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Sa'adu

Abubakar; Nobel Laureate, Professor Wolé Soyinka; a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Malam Sanusi Lamidi Sanusi and the daughter of the late sage, Dr. Awolowo Dosumu.

In their respective views, they all shared the opinion that the national crisis presently facing the country might have provided an opportunity to reset the country.

Laying the template at

the lecture organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Anyaoku, who was the special guest honour said, the time to act to make sure that Nigeria did not become a failed state was now.

He, therefore, called on the federal government and the National Assembly to urgently organise an all-inclusive national dialogue that would Continued on page 10

Obaseki Meets Oshiomhole in Auchi, Says No Personal Grudges with Predecessor… Page 8 Sunday 7 March, 2021 Vol 26. No 9464

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Buhari, Osinbajo, Get COVID-19 Vaccine President, SGF ask Nigerians to take vaccines, say it’s safe, efficacious Presidency: No side effect on president Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja The

federal

government

on Saturday made good its promise to publicly vaccinate top government officials against the COVID-19

pandemic, with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo openly receiving their

vaccination jabs.

In a late night statement yesterday, the Media Assistant to President Muhammadu

Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, stated emphatically that the COVID-19 vaccine jab received earlier on Saturday

by President Buhari had no side effect on him.

Continued on page 8

2023: Why PDP will Zone Presidency to the South Amaechi begins consultation in Taraba in an attempt to woo non-APC states Tobi Soniyi From early permutations, THISDAY can report that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is most likely to zone its presidential ticket to the South to match the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is expected to do the same in the 2023 presidential bout.

According to checks, governors and leaders, who currently control the party, have quietly resolved to have the next president emerge from the south in national interest to douse North-South tensions ravaging the country, which they said will be escalated if one party chooses its candidate from the North and the other from the South.

The reasoning behind this decision, it was learnt, is to promote national unity and cohesion in the face of the current crisis bedeviling the Continued on page 5

VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19...

President Muhammedu Buhari being vaccinated with the Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine by Chief Personal Physician, Dr. Suhayb Rafindadi Sanusi

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo being vaccinated with the Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine by Personal Physician, Dr. Nicholas Audifferen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday godwin omoigui

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FORGING A RELATIONSHIP...

L-R: Pro-Chancellor, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), Justice Pearl-Enejere; Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari and Vice Chancellor of UDUS, Lawal Suleiman-Bilbis, during a meeting between NNPC and the University in Abuja on Saturday

Constitution Review Won’t Entertain Any No-Go-Areas as Committee Receives 268 Memoranda

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The process of amendments to the 1999 constitution would not entertain any restrictions on areas to be touched, sources in the National Assembly Committee have hinted.

This is because overall, 268 memoranda have so far been received by the National Assembly Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege, including memoranda for restructuring of the nation along the geopolitical zones.

The 2014 conference report organised by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration is also part of the 268 memoranda in the 9th National Assembly constitution review.

Other items listed in the agenda include state creation,

review of the revenue distribution, state police and devolution of power from the centre.

These requests for amendments to the 1999 constitution came from several socio-cultural groups and leading members of the National Assembly.

A source from the constitution amendment committee told THISDAY that after the sorting of the various memoranda for review, it was gathered that nothing would be sacrosanct in the process.

The source that was not authorised to speak, however, claimed, "There is no-go-area in the review of the 1999 constitution. It is what the people want they will get.

The committee will soon embark on public hearing

on the memoranda received.

"What is expected at the stage of the public hearing and lobbying, there is no go area. There are no restrictions.

Whatever we do has to be passed by the two-thirds of the Senate and the House of Representatives and also the two-thirds of the states houses of assemblies. There are no-go-areas," the source said.

Confirming this too, Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President, who is also the chairman of the National Assembly Committee on the Constitution Review Committee, Dr. Daniel Bwala, said there would be no restriction in the areas of the constitution review.

Bwala, who spoke on the Arise Television Network, said the only way to amend

the constitution should be in line with section 4 of the constitution as any other way is unknown to the constitution.

He advised groups that are yet to submit their memoranda to the constitution amendment committee to do so as they would soon embark on public hearing.

In an apparent reference to the National Consultative Front (NcFront) that is playing the review of the 1999 constitution, Bwala said, "The only way to change the constitution is through the National Assembly. Any other way is banditry. The only legal and constitutional platform for constitutional amendment is contained in Section 4 of 1999 constitution.

Any other is at best an

opinion."

Bwala, also a consultant to the Senate on the review of the constitution, further said the Senate would soon commence public hearing.

"If this body approaches National Assembly, they could be granted a leave out of time to submit their memoranda. Anything out of this is just an exercise in futility and having fun among themselves," he said.

Bwala asked those planning to review the constitution as private persons where they derived their authority, explaining that, "any thing aside of this is called legislative banditry or no respect for rule of law.

Which constituency are they representing? It is a group of scholars, who want to perform legislative duties

through banditry."

Bwala explained that former Senate President in the 8th National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki failed in the attempt to amend the constitution, because he was at loggerheads with the executive arm of government.

But the NcFront in a statement by its spokesperson, Mallam Abdumajeed B Saa'ad, said it had constituted a team of eminent Nigerians, statesmen and women, who are already studying the Terms of Reference for the review of the 1999 constitution.

Ncfront stated that its team would sit twice per week, from the first week of March 2021 to come up with a draft Constitution for Nigerian Stakeholders by the end of April 2021.

the fact that the North has ruled for 43 years since independence while the South has ruled for 18 years," a source contended.

"Right now”, he continued, “The emphasis is not on north and south but what is in the best interest of Nigeria as a country and what steps will ensure its survival. We need to have patriots who can rise to national calling, who will sacrifice their interest, or regional interest to build national cohesion for the progress of the country at this time of crisis", another PDP leader said.

According to PDP leaders, who shared this position, the decision to field a candidate

from the south is not about partisan politics but in the interest of the nation, adding that leaders from both parties should be poised to make the necessary sacrifice to ensure stability.

Other sources within PDP told THISDAY that the emerging consensus was not about PDP but about the country, and that even though a small powerful group appeared to oppose the arrangement within the ranks of the PDP, the party is expected to go ahead with the plan.

Some of those believed to be opposed to this understanding, sources claimed, include a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku

Abubakar and a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

One of the PDP stalwart told THISDAY "we love Atiku and Saraki but we love Nigeria more. Nigeria cannot survive a North-South civil war, this is the time for peace."

In the meantime, one of the APC presidential hopeful, the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has begun his presidential campaign consultations in earnest.

He was in Taraba State last week, where he began campaign for his presidential bid by wooing non-APC states.

Many see this move as strategic in testing the waters to see if he has national appeal.

2023: WHY PDP WILL ZONE PRESIDENCY TO THE SOUTH country. Multiple sources told THISDAY that the decision to settle for a candidate from the south was to match the APC, which had already agreed in principle to zone the presidency to the South after Buhari completes his tenure in 2023.

Though some power brokers in APC are moving to jettison the understanding and crown current Yobe Governor and current interim National Chairman of APC, governor Mai Mala Buni, mainstream stalwarts of the party are sticking to that understanding which will see the party rotating its ticket and zoning it to the South.

"It is clear that APC is

going to the south by the power arrangements and commitment made to rotate the presidential ticket during the formative stage of the party. So, PDP will follow suit," one of the governors told THISDAY. The PDP leaders noted that the last presidential election, which was between two northerners brought about national stability even though the results were fiercely contested, there was no postelection violence, regardless.

They, therefore, reasoned that in the current political climate, there will be a major crisis if there is a candidate from the north and another from the south from the two main parties.

"It can lead to instability and increase the current political tensions", one of the PDP leaders also said.

Consequently, the PDP leaders have dismissed campaign by some northern candidates, who are trying to say that the presidency has been in the south for more years than it was in the north.

These leaders argued that, cumulatively, the north had been in power more than any other region especially, when both military and civilian regimes are combined.

“So, you can clearly see that there is no argument there that the South has ruled for 13 years of PDP's 16 years in power. If you go that route, others may as well point to

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NEWS

Obaseki Meets Oshiomhole in Auchi, Says No Personal Grudges with Predecessor PDP zonal congress holds Tuesday Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the weekend, said he held no personal grudges against his predecessor and former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, but only disliked his style of politics.

Obaseki disclosed this to journalists in Auchi, EtsakoWest Local Government Area of the state, at the Centenary Birthday Thanksgiving of Msgr. Thomas Oleghe and 18th Canonical Erection Anniversary of the Diocese of Auchi held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Auchi.

Obaseki, who exchanged elbow-bumps with his predecessor in compliance with COVID-19 preventive protocols, said they were both sons of Edo with interest of the state at heart.

"I don't have anything personal against Oshiomhole.

I may not like his politics, but he has not done anything personal against me. We all are interacting with the interest of the country and the development of our community at heart,” he said.

The governor also hinted that the zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was earlier scheduled to hold yesterday, has been postponed due to the local government elections that took place in Delta State.

"The Zonal Congress, which was to hold today has been

postponed to Tuesday and it’s a normal routine to satisfy the party's constitution. There is nothing amiss,” he added.

On his part, Oshiomhole, who was a guest at the event, hailed his successor, Governor Obaseki, describing him as

‘his brother and friend.’

Oshiomhole stated: “Once the governor speaks, the matter ends. The governor

knows that pensioners here might not be able to do much, that is why he said every other thing required

to complete the hostel of the Catholic School of Nursing and Midwifery in Uzairue, his government will do.”

FRENEMIES?...

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), and former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (right), at the Centenary Birthday Thanksgiving of Msgr. Thomas Oleghe and 18th Canonical Erection Anniversary of the Diocese of Auchi held at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Auchi, on Saturday,

BUHARI, OSINBAJO, GET COVID-19 VACCINE Shehu assured all Nigerians and dispelled fears and misconceptions about the safety of the vaccine administered on President Buhari and the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo saying there was no cause for alarm.

Buhari’s media aide said the President went about his routine duties after receiving the vaccine jab adding that the vaccine has no side effects on his principal.

His words: "After he got his jab, the President felt normal and went about doing his job. If there are side effects that follow, we will be open about that but so far there is nothing of a side effect, serious or mild on the President. He is carrying on as normal.

"We hope this will help to send a strong message among the people, especially those grappling with hesitancy about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine".

The event held at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja attracted top government officials, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who also chairs the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19; Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

Buhari asked Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity to be vaccinated, saying he has ultimate faith

in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

Mustapha, who described the vaccines as “very safe and efficacious”, refuted claims that the federal government earmarked N10.6 billion as logistics for the distribution of the vaccines across the country.

Speaking shortly after the vaccine was administered on his right arm by his personal Physician, Dr. Sanusi Rafindadi, and the left arm of Osinbajo by the latter's personal physician, Dr. Nicholas Audifferen, Buhari described his decision to take the vaccine in public as “a demonstration of leadership and faith in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.” He said, “I have received my first jab and I wish to recommend it to all eligible Nigerians, to do same so that we can be protected from the virus.”

The president said all state governments as well as traditional and religious leaders should take the lead in the mobilisation effort for the vaccination within their territories and spheres of influence.

He added, “The vaccine offers hope for a safe country, free of coronavirus. I similarly urge all eligible Nigerians to present themselves and be vaccinated in accordance with the order of priority already mapped out, at the various authorised designated centres only.”

Buhari congratulated the PTF on COVID-19 for the successful multi-sector approach to the management of the pandemic. He acknowledged and commended the support of governments, donors, development partners, the private sector, traditional and religious leaders, as well as critical stakeholders, who had supported Nigeria in its response to the pandemic, assuring them that all the resources would be equitably administered.

The president noted that since the beginning of 2020, humanity had remained under the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unseen but very potent enemy around the world.

He stated, “Infection from the virus has resulted in over two million and five hundred thousand fatalities and destroyed several global and national systems. The response in Nigeria and the ECOWAS sub-region has been robust, collaborative and united.

It was driven by a collective knowledge of the fact that ‘no country is safe until every country is safe’.

“The speedy development of the COVID-19 vaccines is quite significant and underscores the collective resolve of humanity to overcome the pandemic.

Similarly, the collaborative effort to ensure equal access has brought relief to poor and

developing countries.”

Buhari spoke of the assurance by the PTF that the AstraZeneca vaccine, which Nigeria has accessed, would arrive in batches, beginning with the four million doses already received. He added that the rollout and administration plan would cater to over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population in 2021 and 2022.

Earlier, Mustapha said with the vaccination of the president and the vice president, they had demonstrated leadership “by offering themselves for the Nigerian people to believe in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines that we have procured and its being deployed.”

Mustapha said soon, no one would be able to travel without being vaccinated. He advised Nigerians not to listen to conspiracy theories about the vaccines but to take them.

According to the SGF, “I think vaccine hesitancy would have to give way to the reality, because the truth about it is that very soon, nobody will be able to travel the world, unless you produce the certificate that we have been given. I have not confirmed but reliably, some countries have started putting restrictions on receiving visitors, even exercising activities of their faith without a COVID-19 vaccination.

“So, the word that is going out there, on behalf of Mr. President, is that Nigerians

should make themselves available, those that are eligible in the first set of the deployment, because the deployment is going to be in four phases, to receive these vaccines. They have been tested; our most strategic leadership has received them this morning.

They are safe, efficacious and it is for the good and wellbeing of our people.

“I wish many make themselves available, and not listen to any conspiracy theories, and not listen to any misinformation, but make themselves available as eligible Nigerians to receive these vaccines and, when it is their turn to do so.”

Ehanire said the jab was painless and a narrow gauge syringe was used with small quantity injected in the upper arm. He said the after effects were mild and little discomfort followed in the area that was injected.

The minister thanked Buhari and Osinbajo for agreeing to the publicised application of the vaccinations against COVID-19.

He said this would boost the morale of the health sector and reassure the public as to the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, which have been of concern to the public.

He said five main pillars had been laid out for the COVID-19 vaccination.

Ehanire said, “First is to continue to scale up the

dynastic and case finding, infection prevention and control to reduce infections that arise in our country.

Secondly, to continue to improve the therapeutics and the case management they have graciously agreed to ensure oxygen plants, at least 88 of them in the country, because we have discovered that high flow oxygen supplementation is key to the treatment of COVID-19 severe cases.

“We have also made the point to continue to sustain, essentially, the routine medical services. So, we do not lose sight of this area and begin to see more fatalities coming even from non-COVID cases, due to fear of COVID or too much focus on COVID. We tend to continue to press on our routine medical services.

“The fourth is the introduction of the emergency medical service – an ambulance system – in your country, which we believe will reduce maternal mortality under-five mortality, accident mortality and all the mortality we see in unexpected events and the country's health system will be able to respond promptly to citizens, when they are in distress. They know whom to call upon.

“The fifth and the final is the introduction of COVID vaccines. We have been a Continued on page 17

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Dikwa: How Multiple Attacks By Insurgents Forced 101 Troops to Desert Battle fatigue fueled desertion, say military sources Zulum visits location for on-the-spot assessment Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Multiple attacks by insurgents in Dikwa and Marte towns in Dikwa and Marte local government areas of Borno State forced over 100 troops to desert the Nigerian Army, THISDAY checks have revealed. The insurgents have attacked Dikwa four times since the beginning of the year, on January 30, February 20, March 1, and March 2.

The attacks had also trapped 25 United Nations workers in a bunker, prompting troop reinforcement and deployment of air strikes to repel the terrorists.

The Nigerian Army had denied reports of a mistake in an internal memo issued with regard to missing soldiers after an attack. It claimed it was taken out of context in some reports, insisting some of the soldiers have re-joined the army. But authentic official army documents point to the contrary.

THISDAY gathered that the issue of soldiers, who had stayed at the battlefield for more than six years, also fuelled desertion in the North-east theatre of operation.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Ibrahim Attahiru, had at a recent visit to the North-east assured the troops that the issue of "overstay" would be addressed.

An Internal memo with reference number THCOMD/ G1/300/12 issued by the Headquarters Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole after the

attack on Marte and Dikwa on February 14 and 19, respectively, forwarded a list of over 100 deserters to commanders and directed them to arrest the men, whenever they were sighted and bring them under escort to the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole. The memo, which was copied to the Nigerian Army Headquarters and all Army Divisions and formations, and signed by Col. A O Odubiyi, also directed the freezing of the accounts of the deserters.

The memo sighted by THISDAY was titled, "Operation Lafiya Dole Deserter Officers and Soldiers Following BHT Attack on New Marte and 81 DIN TF BN Dikwa on 14 and 19 February 2021 MA GY Mohammed N 11524 and 100 Others." It directed concerned commanders to declare the concerned soldiers deserters.

The list contained the names and bank account details of three majors, three captains, six lieutenants and 89 soldiers of other ranks.

The memo stated, "I am directed to connect Reference A on above subject and to respectfully forward details of additional officers and soldiers, who absconded from the defensive location during the BHT attack on New Marte and Dikwa.

"You are please requested to declare the named officers and soldiers deserters WEF 19 Feb. You are also please requested to

cause HQ NAFC to freeze their accounts and apprehend/bring them under military escort to this Headquarters if seen within your AOR.” The Nigerian Army admitted that such a memo was issued but said there was a mistake, because a headcount conducted after a military offensive showed an error in an internal correspondence generated by the formation.

A statement signed by the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Mohammed Yerima, said claims that 100 soldiers deserted the battlefield was unfounded. The army headquarters said an assessment carried out later showed that most of the troops had re-joined their units.

The statement said, "The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication in a section of the media alleging that over a 100 Nigerian troops were reported to have absconded after Boko Haram attacks on Marte and Dikwa. This publication is false, unfounded and an attempt to malign the image and character of the Nigerian Army."

It stated further, "For the records, in the fog of war, it is a routine that head count is conducted to determine the number of men and equipment holding aftermath of military offensive. Unfortunately, an internal correspondence that was originated by the formation

was not properly done.

“It was later discovered that a good number of those affected re-joined their respective units and are currently part of the on-going clearance operations.”

The statement urged the public to disregard the story, saying the subversive intent of the promoters are targeted at dampening the morale and fighting efficiency of troops.

It said, "We continually solicit especially the much-needed public support in the fight against Boko Haram. The Nigerian Army wishes to reassure the general public that troops are in high spirit and currently clearing areas infiltrated by Boko Haram terrorists/ISWAP. "It is on record that the troops fought to defend the Internally Displaced Persons Camp and United Nations Humanitarian Hub in Dikwa. It is pertinent to also note that normalcy has returned to Dikwa and its environs.”

Military sources, however, told THISDAY that many of the soldiers were placed on the desertion list for many reasons.

A source said, "It is a routine practice. When such an attack happens, there is confusion and soldiers are scattered. Some soldiers are killed while others find themselves in places, where they lie low until it is safe to show up."

Another source, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the issue of

soldiers who had overstayed in the battlefield was a major challenge.

The source said, "The issue is that the military pronounces desertion for two reasons. If you are alive and you see or hear that your name is on the list, you will make haste to return or if you refuse to return, then you have deserted and there are consequences.

"Some have overstayed in the battlefield. Some soldiers have spent six years there and have grown battle-weary, which is why the COAS promised to address it."

THISDAY also gathered that some of the soldiers, who had suffered battle fatigue, actually deserted and sometimes left the country while others used the opportunity to rest and later return after they might have been deemed killed in action.

Meanwhile, the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has visited Dikwa for an on the spot assessment of the destruction unleashed by the insurgents.

Dikwa was temporarily recaptured by Boko Haram in a siege during the week and destroyed.

A resident narrated to THISDAY what he witnessed, saying, "Boko Haram came with four gun trucks and took over the town. The army with 11 gun trucks did not put up any fight. They simply withdrew and allowed Boko Haram overrun the town. The terrorists burnt

down all the newly reconstructed buildings and killed many people and abducted some residents before they were pushed back by the military."

He stated that most of the brand new Hilux pick-ups the governor bought for the military were either burnt by the terrorists or driven away by them.

The governor has directed the Ministry of Reconstruction and Rehabilitation to recommence immediate repairs of all structures that suffered damage, including that of military infrastructure and equipment. He also met with residents to assess the damage caused by last Monday’s attack

by Boko Haram on the town and promised to provide aid for the victims of the attack.

During a Security Council Meeting in the state, Zulum lamented the refusal of the military to fight, a source told THISDAY. An obviously frustrated Zulum had asked at the meeting what else he should do?

It was after that attack that the military reportedly declared 101 soldiers as deserters. The soldiers were said to have later mobilised more troops to push the terrorists out and regained control of the town.

The governor, who was in the town on Friday to assess the extent of damage, later joined the residents for congregational prayers, after which he delivered President Muhammadu Buhari’s assurances to the people.

returning violence with violence only multiplies violence. It is not bravery to attack vulnerable people when you can resort to law; it is savagery. As the great African leader, Nelson Mandela observed, ‘Great anger and violence can never build a nation’. Or as Jalaluddin Rumi a 13th century Sufi would say, ‘Raise your word, not your voice, it is rain that grows flowers not thunder.’

“As educated elite we must reflect deeper and learn from the history of other countries.

Societal problems are human and we should be educated enough to know that we can solve our problems without having to carry a stick much less fire a gun. No problem is beyond dialogue, even when you go to war, at the end of it all, you must sit around the table to work out peace,” he said.

He, however, reiterated calls on governments at the federal and state levels “to act promptly, swiftly and decisively. Any inaction may be construed as weakness. Government must send clear signals and walk its talk. Traditional institutions, even as they have no control of the coercive instruments of state, can do a lot to restrain their people from taking laws into their hands, for these institutions enjoy the trust and confidence of their people.

“It is my hope that we shall all rise to the challenges, each doing his bit, and together, we shall surely salvage our country and bring it back to the path of greatness that its potentials promise. We pray to God, the Almighty to give us both the wisdom and the courage to do the right things.”

On his part, Soyinka said there was a consensus that the present centralised system of government wasn't helping

the country, therefore, there was an urgent need to restructure or decentralize the current structure.

To this end, Soyinka called on President Muhammadu Buhari to start implementing whatever was administratively possible to decentralise the current system.

Soyinka noted that those claiming not to understand what restructuring or decentralisation was all about were merely pretending, saying, "A lot can be done now. If necessary, the president can seek advice from lawyers. He needs to take action now."

Sanusi too dedicated his time slot to warning that the system of government being run in the country was too expensive and not sustainable.

He stated that the country could hardly get enough money for education, health care and other necessities, because the larger chunk of government's resources go into taking care of people in government.

For him, Nigeria would have to adopt a system of government that would leave the country with enough resources for the people.

In another breath, Sanusi disagreed with the guest speaker, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, who had claimed that ethnicity was an issue.

But the former CBN governor argued that each ethnic group could retain its cultural identity, however, "we must form a national identity," adding that most of the disputes masquerading as ethnic crises were obviously economic problems.

Dosumu, while welcoming participants, said the lecture could not be held in 2020, because of Covid-19 pandemic and added that it was not an overstatement to say Nigeria faced an existential threat to its existence.

EMINENT NIGERIANS SAY IT’S TIME TO PULL NATION BACK FROM BRINK address the raging concerns.

According to him, the dialogue should take into account, recommendations of the previous conferences and many proposals emanating from various stakeholders with a view to modifying our present governance structure and producing a consensus constitution that could truthfully be described as the product of the people of Nigeria.

He noted that with the current challenges confronting the country, it was only a restructured government that could guarantee the interests of all sections of the country by ensuring equity, justice and fairness for all ethnic groups as well as the economic emancipation of the people.

Anyaoku further advised the country to jettison the present constitution fashioned after the United States of America, a country, which in his opinion, was populated by immigrants.

Instead, he advised Nigeria to adopt the Indian constitution, because India shares a lot of attributes with Nigeria.

"There is no section or ethnic group in Nigeria that does not stand to gain from belonging to a country of the size and resources of Nigeria.

Therefore, it is and should be in the interest of all ethnic groups and sections and component parts of this country to sustain, nourish and progress this our one country.

"Secondly, the current state of events is not sustainable if the country has to avoid becoming a failed and broken state, there are undeniable facts about events in the country.

“First, in addition to economic underperformance, with evidence of growing poverty, there is worsening insecurity of life and property, which is now spreading from the north to all parts of

the country. Not a day passes without reports of people being killed and kidnapped including school children.

"There are also incessant reports of people being killed in their farms by terrorists now being euphemistically called bandits and women and young girls being raped. Human life has become so cheap that the society now regards the loss of human life as of little consequence.

"Thirdly, it has become quite clear that these national challenges cannot be effectively tackled under the present federal system of government.

"I can say with reasonable confidence that from the experience of other countries, whose national attributes are comparable with Nigeria, there is abundance evidence, to show that a federal system that is based on more economically and socially viable federating units with a less dominant federal government is what will restore Nigeria to the part of political stability and more assured economic development," he stated.

The Sultan, in his contribution, said Nigerians must embrace dialogue in resolving whatever disputes confronting them, stressing also that nation building was a challenge especially, for Nigeria coming from colonisation.

He contended that the colonial masters, with their divide and rule tactics, left so much tension, which Nigeria has continued to manage, and therefore reminded those calling for war that nobody had a monopoly of violence and that the end of war would not benefit any group.

While sharing his experience in the military and warning that war was not an option, he called on leaders and those holding political office to be mindful of what they say and avoid making statements that were capable of

escalating tension.

The Sultan also noted that Nigeria's founding fathers managed the tension, including a civil war and that successive governments through policies have continued to manage the tension too.

“Nation building has always been a slow and painstaking process. This is particularly so when these nations are created by colonial fiat. The colonial authorities used the divide and rule techniques, where insinuations of suspicions among different peoples and tribes was the main tool of governance. By disrupting the slow but sure process of social integration, they generate social tension, which needs to be managed over time to avoid conflicts.

“Our founding fathers have done a lot to ameliorate these challenges, heal a lot of these wounds and suspicions. Even when the bitterness planted led to civil war, the military leaders who brought the civil war to its end quickly created policies like the policy of ‘No Victor No Vanquished’ which did a lot to assuage the bitterness and douse the tension.

“Similarly, policies like the NYSC which gives young people the opportunity to live and know other fellow citizens, the unity schools located in different parts of the country and the visits between leaders of the traditional institutions and holding joint meetings, etc. All these and many more went a long way to bring about healing, understanding and accommodation,” he said.

In the past two months, he observed that tension had run very high in the country, further warning the nation’s leaders to desist from making reckless statements that were capable of inflaming passion.

He said, “In the last few months, tempers have run very high, reckless statements from ethnic champions have provoked all manners of reactions, which subsequently led to the loss of human lives, and the property and livelihoods of many citizens.

While the social media fueled this, the inaction of government has allowed many avoidable losses of lives to happen.

“We must quickly learn our lessons. State actors, which have the primary responsibility to protect lives and property, must be alert and prompt in their duties and responsibilities.

Our role as traditional and religious leaders is to educate and restrain our followers and other citizens, many of whom have not witnessed the civil war and hence glorify it with their reckless speeches.

“War is not something to wish for, even when you think you will eventually win it. During my career as a military officer, my tour of duty took me to Pakistan and the borders of Afghanistan, where I saw conflicts and deaths and disruptions of lives with people, who were otherwise comfortable, finding themselves in IDP camps with all the indignity and sufferings.

“Before then I was in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where I saw the results of ravaging civil war with inhuman atrocities afflicted on fellow citizens and this had left a deep scar on the psyche of these nations. And the most recent examples happenings in Syria and Yemen are still fresh in our minds. In all cases, the conflicts disrupted their progress and destroyed their opportunities and they are still struggling to catch up with the rest of the world.

“We need to appeal to our senses to realize that no one has a monopoly of violence and

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MARCH 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

EDITORIAL

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

FOREST RESERVES AND CRIMINALITY Regulators have to do more to secure the forests

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orest reserves serve important ecological and socio-economic functions and are clearly not for hunting, grazing or settlements. In Nigeria, there are 1,129 forest reserves, 29 game reserves, four game sanctuaries and seven national parks. But these reserves are so mismanaged that while being screened at the National Assembly for an ambassadorial position recently, former Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin said Nigerian’s next major crisis would come from the forests. According to Olonisakin, a research he conducted three years ago revealed that many of our forest reserves are fast becoming hideouts for criminal gangs.

Sambisa forest alone in the North-east of the country stretches over 60,000 square kilometres and shares borders with at least three neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad The federal and Cameroon. At the height of the Boko government Haram insurgency, needs to act Sambisa forest became decisively and the tactical headquarflush herders ters and command and control centre of from the forest the insurgents. So confireserves and were Boko Haram national parks to dent members in the protection end their use as which the forest offered dens for societal that they released numerous videos boasting about misfits and to their invincibility and prevent deadly capacity to kill and abduct transmission of innocent Nigerians at will. viruses and other Criminal elements have also sealed the fortunes diseases of the Yankari National Park, in Bauchi State.

Today, insurgents and bandits have taken over other national parks such as Gashaka Gumti National Park, shared by Taraba and Adamawa States; Chad Basin National Park; Kamuku National Park, Kaduna State; Kainji Lake National Park; Cross River National Park. Other forest reserves across the country may not be as large but they are also increasingly being used as haven for perpetrators of all manner of crimes, including banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and cattle rustling.

In Rivers State, for instance, criminality is reportedly

Letters to the Editor

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high in thick forested areas of Gokona, Etche, Emuoha, Ikwere, and Khana councils. Not long ago, security operatives raided a forest in Koro community in Tai local government of the state, where a notorious kidnapper who had terrorised the Ogoni axis for several years, was arrested. In Imo State, most of the forests in Ngor Okpala area have reportedly been taken over by kidnappers.

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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 HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

he motorcycle bandits terrorising the northern parts of the country, the latest group to join the lucrative kidnap for ransom industry, operate from the forests. From Kankara in Katsina State to Kagara in Niger State to the most recent in Jangebe, Zamfara State, bandits now use abandoned forest reserves as their operational bases to camp abducted school children. The greater challenge is that this has become a serious national security challenge.

Last month, Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu ordered illegal occupants to vacate Ondo State’s forest and directed all herdsmen to register.

'These felons have turned our forest reserves into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnapping, negotiating for ransom, and carrying out other criminal activities', noted Akeredolu whose order sparked an outrage particularly in the far north, many of whom said it was unconstitutional, a stand backed by the presidency. But Akeredolu was only responding to the action of some criminally-minded herdsmen who wield sophisticated weapons, killing, raping, and kidnapping innocent people, using some of the forest reserves in the Southwest as hideouts.

Although forest reserves are public property governed by laws, the regulations of 1953 were merely designed to conserve the forests from illegal loggers, and harvesting of plants. The regulations did not anticipate the emergence of automatic rifle-wielding poachers or bandits and so need to be strengthened to capture present and future sources of danger to the plants and animals in these forests and to their neighbouring communities.

In the past, there were patrol guards, armed with dane guns. By the time they were being confronted with heavy fire-power from poachers, they stopped going to work, and then came Boko Haram insurgents and bandits.

Environmentalists are concerned about the possible transmission of zoonotic diseases if cattle cohabit with wildlife. This will be a completely new dimension that the country will find difficult to handle. Thus, the federal government needs to act decisively and flush herders from the forest reserves and national parks to end their use as dens for societal misfits and to prevent deadly transmission of viruses and other diseases. More importantly, the laws and regulations to manage the nation’s forest reserves and parks should be overhauled to fit our current reality.

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.

E DUCATION A S A C HILD ’S R IGHT

hildhood is a time for education, recreation, growth and discovery. All children and young people, regardless of their backgrounds, must have the opportunity to participate and engage in a school system and be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the future.

According to the World Health Organization, “child rights are fundamental freedoms and the inherent rights of all human beings below the age of 18.

These rights apply to every child, irrespective of the child’s, parent’s or guardian’s religion, race, color, sex, or other status”. One of these rights is the right to education.

Nigeria has high number of out-of-school children in the world; the number is put at about 13.2 million.

Especially, in the Northern region, rural and poor communities deny their children’s rights to education, even though the Nigerian constitution and National Human Rights Commission gave them this right.

The Nigerian government had in 2002 introduced an act, and amended by the then, President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 as Child Rights Act. This act, in No.15 stated the “right of a child to free, compulsory and universal basic education”.

Yet, many children are out of school begging, escorting beggars or hawking in the streets to help themselves or

parents generate money for sustainability.

Even though Islamic law is not in support of all the act, it supports the child rights to education declared by the United Nations. Islamic law encourages the parents or guardians to give their children good education, both Islamic and global education (Western education).

According to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the number of out-of-school children has reduced from 10.1 million to 6.95 million in 2020. Adamu who spoke at the 2020 annual ministerial briefing in Abuja on 21 January, 2021, said that the reduction was through the federal government’s Better Education Service Delivery for All

(BESDA).

However, BESDA initiative is implemented in 17 states. All Northeast and Northwest as well as Niger, Ebonyi, Rivers and Oyo States. BESDA had been responsible for an additional enrollment of 1,053,422 children and the ministry of education is working closely with the National Association of Proprietors and school owners of Nigeria to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Furthermore, the minister understands that it is our right to be educated. And which is why he's trying his best to see every child exercising that right to education.

I pleaded with all parents to enroll their children in school, it's their right to be educated. Some Muslim children attend Qur’anic education, which some do not regard as basic education (West-

ern education). These children are officially considered out- ofschool by the government even though they are not.

And I also commend the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum who, during an inspection visit to Northern part of Borno State's schools, pleaded with the parents to enroll their children in school. He threatened that those who refused will not be entitled to palliatives.

That kind of gesture by the Borno State government will encourage rural areas to enroll their children in school and also reduce the number of out-ofschool children in Borno State and in Nigeria as whole.

––Umar Javiya Ahmad, Department of Mass communication, University of Maiduguri.

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OPINION

WHY WE MUST SURRENDER ETHNIC IDENTITIES

Nigerians should subsume their ethnic identities to that of the larger nation, writes Fredrick Nwabufo

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enocides or mass killings do not just happen.

They are usually harbingered by conspiracy theories of ethnic and religious complexions, sentiments, skewed perceptions and assumptions. Are all these ingredients of doom present in today’s Nigeria? Yes, very much so. But it is for this reason that we must not take a day off in pulling our country out of the

precipice.

The Rwanda genocide is a familiar example but of which precedent Africans and Nigerians particularly, have refused to learn from. A smorgasbord of the precipitations of the Rwanda genocide bubbles in our country. The cauldron boils, and we are skating soberly into molten magma.

In about 25 years after the genocide, Rwanda has been able to rebuild itself into the lodestar of Africa. It may not be a perfect country yet, but it is a fine example of how ethnic cleavages can be managed by deliberate government interventions.

Rwanda did not ignore or try to blot out the genocide from its history. It embraced its past shining a light into the present from the ruins of a never-to-be forgotten era. The East African country acknowledges till date that sombre episode and holds an annual event in memory of those lost to the violence.

To pour oil on troubled waters and permanently submerge the vestiges of ethnic conflicts, Rwanda launched a robust reconciliation programme and retooled the Rwandan Identity. Being Rwandan was no longer on the basis of whether you are Hutu or Tutsi.

Let me share a note by the UN on the Rwandan reconciliation effort: ‘’The reconciliation process in Rwanda focuses on reconstructing the Rwandan identity, as well as balancing justice, truth and peace and security in the country. Different measures have been taken by the Rwandan government towards achieving the goal of perpetrators and victims living side by side in peace. For example, the Constitution now states that all Rwandans share equal rights. And laws have been passed to fight discrimination

and divisive genocide ideology.

Primary responsibility for reconciliation efforts in Rwanda rests with the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission.’’

Would I be asking for too much if I request that the government make conscious effort at reconciling all Nigerian groups through intended policies – even if it means setting up a Unity Commission with pragmatic targets? I must say, as of now there is no wilful policy or programme by the government to manage our unity.

You cannot seek to suppress epochal outcomes of the past, whether they are negative or positive, in the life of a people and expect to manufacture congenial relationships. When there is suppression, there is resistance. Whatever you seek to suppress will always be given oomph from the underground.

The little annoyances that effectuated the Nigeria-Biafra civil war are still very much a concern. They remain unaddressed largely because a succession of leaderships did not want to walk the wire for Nigerians or take a middle-of-the-road approach to governance.

We have had leaderships, with the exception of the Obasanjo administration, who put their ethnic and religious interests at the centre of governance.

We need to address the issue of ‘’ethnic origin and identity?’’ Am

We need to build a Nigerian identity. All ethnic nationalities must surrender their individual identities to a Nigerian identity.

Like it is in Rwanda, it can happen in our country

I a Nigerian because I am Igbo? Or am I a Nigerian by virtue of my birth and allegiance to my country? The truth is most ‘’citizens’’ submit to their ethnic nationalities rather than to Nigeria.

They derive their identity not from Nigeria but from their ethnic stock. It is the reason some of them can unleash violence on other citizens of different ethnic spectrum if they perceive their ‘’own’’ is violated.

We need to build a Nigerian identity. All ethnic nationalities must surrender their individual identities to a Nigerian identity.

Like it is in Rwanda, it can happen in our country.

We must be deliberate about managing our diversity. This is where the leadership is remiss. There is no calculated policy to harmonise ethnic divergences and sensitivities; understand this chasm and forge a strong bridge across all lines.

The recent blockade of food supplies to the south should prick us to reflect on the unhinged compassing of our nation. We are on a delicate bend. Nigeria needs men and women who will rise to the responsibility of leadership and steer it ashore -- statesmen and nationalists – men and women who have conquered the lure of ethnic and religious cravings.

I understand the intervention of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State, saved the situation – of what could have snowballed into an ethnic tit-for-tat. Though I learnt another governor was furious with him for intervening in the matter. According to my sources, the obverse governor told Bello that the ‘’south should be allowed to suffer’’.

Really, there are people in high places who live off Nigeria’s ethnic contours. We should starve them of this meal.

We, the Igbo, the Hausa, the Yoruba, the Fulani, the Ijaw, the Esan, the Urhobo – and all other ethnic nationalities -- should surrender our ethnic identities to the Nigerian identity. This does not imply abandoning our roots, but embracing an expansive identity for the survival of our country.

We need leadership.

May Nigeria succeed.

––Nwabufo is a writer and journalist.

An Open Letter to Governor Abdulrazaq

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Ademola Adedoyin urges the Kwara governor to keep the state safe, secure and peaceful

will like to start this letter by stating the obvious: we are in unusual and disturbing times. Our nation is going through a most challenging circumstance perhaps never experienced since the end of the civil war in 1970. Some will even argue that the current tension in the land is probably more precarious than that which led to the outbreak of the civil war in 1967.

Today, our country is under siege, not by external aggressors, but by local merchants of violence, bandits, herders from within and outside Nigeria, who have now found kidnapping more lucrative and rewarding than tending to cattle, and nihilists with no moral scruples who have taken over our forests, raping, killing and generally enthroning anarchy.

In all of this, Mr Governor, our State can be said to be a bit lucky as cases of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, raping and other violent crimes are few and far between. Although they do happen, but certainly not at a scale that would have brought Kwara State to national notoriety as a state under siege.

On the scale of violent crimes in the country, Kwara could still retain its sobriquet of "State of Harmony" at the end of the tally.

This scenario, Mr Governor, I'm afraid, is about to change unless you rise swiftly to the occasion and act decisively to avert the impending calamity in our beloved State.

In specific term, Mr Governor, I will want to zero in on Kwara South Senatorial Zone, specifically Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Areas. What are the issues? As you are already aware, Mr Governor, in the wake of the revolt by the indigenes of Ibarapaland, led by the Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, against the marauding Fulani herders who turned the forests in Igangan and other towns in the area into a den of unconscionable violent crimes, many criminal herders were smoked out of their comfort zones and had to seek hibernation elsewhere.

The reality today is that most of these kidnappers and rapists who were displaced from Ibarapaland have found a new home in portions of land between Ilala and Buari in Irepodun Local Government Area of the State.

Although the overwhelming majority of our people rejected the idea of having to play host to such people with disturbing security baggage and questionable backgrounds, the traditional institutions in the two communities had entered into a pact with the displaced Fulani herders in spite of the security challenges they pose, to the discomfort and consternation of their people.

In any case, the matter became a fait accompli following the federal government's position on the matter. The displaced herders have now assumed the status of refugees, with all the rights and privileges as enshrined in the United Nations Convention. In the circumstance, they now enjoy government patronage, receive relief materials and are generally being looked after.

So today, the Kwara South Senatorial Zone, specifically, Irepodun Local Government, is home to the displaced Fulani herders who were sent packing from Ibarapaland because of series of atrocious crimes and the pains they inflicted on innocent souls in that part of Oyo State.

And that is not all, Mr Governor. In recent weeks, more displaced oncoming vehicle from Igbaja end, who was fortunate to sight the Bororos of indeterminate nationalities have continued to troop to deadly spot before getting too close, and the timely intervention Kwara State and are settling down with us. of the members of the local vigilance group saved the day. The Apparently taking a cue from the federal government, the body marauders disappeared to their hideaways. language and pronouncements of your administration tend to Before the influx of these 'brothers', that corridor was so safe and encourage the influx of these alleged herders into our state. secure that you could drive through it at any time.

In a press statement from the office of the Secretary to the Kwara Mr. Governor, the contention out there is that what happened State Government, Professor Saba Mamman Jibril a few weeks ago, that Sunday midnight was a dress rehearsal of what to expect Kwarans were cautioned against what it described as "xenophobic in the months ahead unless you rise up to the occasion and act statements and violence". decisively.

“Our state", according to the statement", "is known for peace, It is in this context, and to forestall a situation where our peaceful harmony, and hospitality to one another and all sojourners among communities and our forests will become kidnappers' haven, that us. Whatever the challenges at this time, we will not accept xenophowe are pleading with you to rework the security structure of the bic violence or hate speeches that might ignite it". state, particularly the areas that are now being made to host these The statement went further: "The Government, which has been displaced herders, in such a way that this development is factored working with various stakeholders to carefully handle the influx of into the calculations. displaced Fulani herders into the state, is concerned at and accordFirst, Mr Governor, we request for additional reinforcement of ingly rejects a purported quit notice issued to vulnerable persons Police in Ajasse-Ipo, Okeya-Ipo/ Igbaja axis. We ask that the Police who are scampering for refuge in parts of the state. We caution should henceforth embark on a 24-hour patrol along this corridor, against belligerency of any kind. Kwara is historically renowned extending also to Oro, Omu-Aran, Osi up to our border with Ekiti to be a peaceful multiethnic state and traditional home of Yorubas, State.

Fulanis, Nupes, Barubas, Bokobarus, Hausas and many others who Second, Mr Governor, our vigilance groups in Kwara South have lived harmoniously since time immemorial... are well organised, disciplined and result-oriented. What they lack "We feel strongly that what the country requires at this time is its however is the logistics. Mr Governor, we plead that you provide people solemnly coming together to heal old wounds and to live these local security outfits with what they require to function together as brothers. Fanning the ember of disunity and violence is more effectively and efficiently. To nip the creeping insecurity dangerous. threatening the peace of our communities in the bud will require “The Government urges everyone to live in and work for peace. your government providing the needed facilities, equipment and Everything is being done at the state and federal levels to resolve mobility to these vigilance groups. security issues. The government therefore needs everyone to avoid Third is the empowerment of the local governments. Mr anything that could heighten tension or spark off violence".

Governor, you will agree that the situation as at today is that The problem with this press release and the mindset that inlocal government councils only exist in names in the state. I formed it is that, in our bid to be seen as being our brothers keepers, urge you to empower the local councils as the third arm of and perhaps to also ensure that we are politically correct, we have government and the closest to the grassroots. A functional and failed or neglected to critically study and appreciate the profile and properly funded local government will be in the best position to the intention of those who are warming up to us as our brothers. secure their communities as they understand the terrains and The concerns raised by the communities that are now compelled to they will be in position to gather credible intelligence that will play host to the displaced herders are not unfounded, Mr Governor. help to prevent crimes.

The reality, which we must all accept, is that these settlers constitute a Finally, Mr Governor, you will be securing your State and serious threat to our safety and well-being. No matter how much we working in the interest of the electorate and the entire populace want to be politically correct and tried not to be seen as being at odds if you can discourage further influx of displaced herders into the with the powerful centre, this is the realty, Mr Governor: we have a state for now. A situation where displaced herders are storming major security crisis on our hand with this development. communities and taking over their land and creating tension, Indeed, this cold reality stared us in the face in a rude and panic and anxiety is certainly not the definition of being one's shocking manner when in the night of penultimate Sunday some brothers keeper. yet-to-be apprehended criminals took over the major corridor between Ajasse-Ipo and Okeya-Ipo Road, precisely at a spot between –– Adedoyin, an award-winning Journalist and ComBuari and Okeya-Ipo, blocked the road with logs of wood and munication Specialist, wrote from Lagos. were set to commence the nefarious business of depriving people of (See concluding part of the article on www.thisdaylive.com) their lives, limbs and livelihood. The alarm raised by a driver of an

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LETTERS

WHY WOMEN MUST CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE

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omen all over the world, and especially in Nigeria, celebrated the announcement of Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala as the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization in various ways such as the ‘#BeLikeNgozi Challenge, the use of her pictures as WhatsApp status, and other displays of affection for her that showed how proud women were of her.

Women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would not have to audition their capacity to the world. An all-inclusive, people-oriented, and development-conscious government will quickly recognize their worth, and not stereotype them.

On a day like this, we celebrate women’s contributions to society, as well as raise awareness about the fight for gender parity, and inspire support for organizations that help women globally.

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, women stand at the front lines to combat the pandemic and protect their families and society. This is a pointer to the fact that women bear the brunt of the challenges from COVID19 and other prevalent issues globally. In a report commissioned by UN Women and the UNDP, by 2021, around 435 million women and girls will be living on

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Okonjo-Iweala

less than $1.90 a day — including 47 million pushed into poverty as a result of COVID-19.

Yet they choose to challenge the virus by giving their very best to have a safe society and sanity.

Globally, women are becoming progressively involved in reshaping the affairs of their nations, and excluding them from that stage will be undermining their character, capacity, and competence.

Here in Nigeria, our women took the most important position in the #EndSARS protests: they led the fight for change, they grew the movement, and sustained its power; they were also the ‘CBN of the movement, raising and disbursing funds that kept the movement. They held the nation by one hand and their loved ones by the other, putting themselves last in the priority of things.

From the days of the Aba Women's Riots in 1929 and the Abeokuta Women's Union of the 1940s, women have been frontliners, driving change where needed.

Records have it that countries headed by women are not just thriving; they even handled the coronavirus pandemic better than male-led countries. That is because the make-up of a good leader (I don’t mean

MAKING ESAN AGENDA FLY

here is every indication that the unguarded moves in certain quarters to present a common candidate for Edo Central to succeed the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, come 2024, will spell doom for the entire Esan agenda.

This is so because the emerging political reality or permutations no longer favour featuring an Esan indigene to queue behind Governor Godwin Obaseki, from outside his direct influence.

The point being made here is that it is no longer tenable for political godfathers to force their candidates on the people of Edo State, given the way and manner the current Edo State Governor was able to roll back the political clock that eventually resulted in his favour.

In succeeding to

demystify the once potent political influence of the godfathers in Edo State, Governor Obaseki has historically set an interesting precedent.

This is the fact of the matter: no known political godfathers in Edo State can be able to force any candidate on the people of Edo State, as the unprecedented electoral victory won by Godwin Obaseki had shattered the myth about them.

The way things stand politically, Obaseki is in a vantage position to anoint whoever that will succeed him as Governor of Edo State.

Therefore, no matter the number of strategic planning or meetings on the part of those that pushed the Esan agenda before the 2024 governorship election, the idea is most likely to hit the rocks; it will definitely not fly, if care is not taking.

Let me quickly state that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had almost gone into oblivion politically in Edo State, shortly before the last 2020 governorship election, as no one solid political figure was ready to single-handedly bankroll any governorship candidate, until the sudden earth shattering move by Obaseki to the PDP, which electrified the electoral firmament in the state to the point of no return.

It will interest us to know that even as the then All Progressives Congress (APC) state governor during his first tenure in office, Godwin Obaseki's body language suggested that he had a soft spot for the Esan agenda, which by glaring indications, the governor is still much interested in.

Therefore, this piece affords to passionately urge our stakeholders

in Edo Central axis to guide against provocative and unguarded statements that will irritate or inflame Governor Obaseki, to damn whatever consequences, of his eventual going to the opposite direction of the Esan agenda.

This is saying emphatically and categorically that those at the forefront of the Esan agenda, come 2024, must never impose any candidate on Governor Obaseki, instead they should tactically and courageously play safe by allowing the governor to pick his choice of Esan candidate.

Those trying to rock the boat by making inflammatory noise must note this saying in Esan dialect: "Omon - Omon", any contrary opinion will spoil the show for Esan people, come 2024 Governorship Election.

––Diagi Lucky, Benin City.

cosmetics here) and standards are never gender-specific. According to Golda Meir, former Israeli Prime Minister, “Whether women are better than men I cannot say—but I can say they are certainly no worse.”

The barriers for women have always been higher than those for men, and in recent years, it is obvious that those high barriers have been raised even higher for them to be where they would want to be. When the government or nation realizes that having and helping women to attain their dreams is paving the way for quicker development; then the nation is ready for liberation.

We are not ignorant of the fact that there are systemic barriers in place that stifle interest in leadership from women and their quest for equality, however, it is now time to achieve their fullest potential without being questioned or queried because they are women but because they are human. If diversity of perspective is a key index to true progress, then efforts to attain development would be in vain if women are not involved.

Every feminized position should be challenged, as well as male-dominated positions. There should be no limit to what a woman can be. Electing or appointing women to deputy and assistant positions has become a cliché and the demand for equality has become a fruitless longing of women.

This is a callout for equality at all levels.

The systemic gender inequality that has limited women from attaining height that has been known for ‘men only’ should be

challenged. It is time for Nigeria as a nation to take the opportunity this day offers to reflect on how women can be well-invested to become essential contributors to their world. A responsible and responsive government would do that.

Nigerian women will revolutionize their inclusion in politics and other leadership positions when they #ChoosetoChallenge.

Why should women in parliament need to place a special request or make an extra effort for them to be included in the electoral act amendment? It is time to question those clauses that are responsible for their exclusion in the first place.

While it is recommended that women should strive for gold-excellence in all undertakings, since the future is female, they are to also remain committed to breaking barriers, overcome obstacles to their advancement which included advice to prioritize the shattering of ceilings and not their fellow woman because this gender is solely responsible for its fellow.

No other gender would strategies for them on how to circumvent barriers that confront them. In the sense of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, “To be liberated, a woman must feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man but in the context of her own capacity and her personality.”

A challenged world is an alert world; every Nigerian woman should choose to challenge.

––Tumininu Adeeko is a Research Assistant with Yiaga Africa’s Knowledge Management and Learning Department.

Mobile Rudeness?

H

as the mobile phone distracted the world or have people become ruder?

I parked outside a favorite coffee shop and before I had a chance to get out, a young man talking on his phone jumped into the back seat to be met with "This is the wrong car". He then asked if this was an Uber although still chatting on his phone. When told "NO!" he then got out without an apology or even acknowledging his mistake.

Although a trivial example of rudeness it

showed how a person on the phone can have little connection with the real world. What happened to asking of this car was the one for him before getting into a strange car? What happened to not getting into a stranger's car? What happened to not talking on the phone while talking to another person? How do people treat others as non-entities to ignore?

Time to put down the phones, lift the eyes up to horizontal and meet the world and the people in it.

––Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

16

SUNDAY MARCH 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

Emefiele Lists Benefits of ‘Naira 4 Dollar Scheme’ for Diaspora Remittances New incentive scheme to last for 60 days, supports forex stability Osinbajo commends new FX policy Obinna Chima and Nume Ekeghe Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday highlighted the benefits of the newly introduced “CBN Naira 4 Dollar Scheme,” an initiative aimed at incentivising senders and recipients of international money transfers.

Emefiele spoke at a webinar organised by Fidelity Bank Plc, entitled, “The New FX Policy, Implications and Positive Impact on Diaspora Investments,” where he delivered a keynote speech.

The CBN governor explained that the new policy was expected to attract diaspora remittances through the official foreign exchange channels as well as support forex stability in Nigeria.

The CBN had earlier in a circular dated March 5, 2021, signed by A.S. Jibrin, on behalf of the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, and released yesterday, stated that the new initiative would become effective on Monday and Saturday, May 8, 2021. In line with this initiative, all recipients of diaspora remittances through CBN’s licensed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) shall henceforth be paid N5 for every $1 received as remittance inflow.

The apex bank explained in the circular, “The CBN shall through commercial banks, pay to remittance recipients the incentive of N5 for every $1 remitted by sender and collected by the designated beneficiary.

“This incentive is to be paid to recipients whether they choose to collect the United States dollar as cash across the counter in a bank or transfer same into their domiciliary account. In effect, a typical recipient of diaspora remittances will at the point of collection, receive not only the USD sent from abroad, but also the additional N5 per USD received.”

Providing more insight into the new policy, Emefiele said it would offer Nigerians in the diaspora a convenient way to send remittances, adding that it would also aid diaspora investments.

He explained, “Our policy on the administration of remittance flows is aimed at increasing the transparency of remittance inflows, reducing rent-seeking activities, and providing Nigerians in the diaspora with cheaper and more convenient ways of sending remittances to Nigeria.

“In addition, we believe that this new policy measure will encourage banks and financial institutions to develop products and investments vehicles geared towards attracting investments from Nigerians in the diaspora.

We have no doubt that these changes can help to finance a

future stream of investment opportunities for Nigerians living abroad.”

However, Emefiele said, “Yet, the introduction of the new policy presented new challenges, as operators and remittance service providers were initially unable to integrate with the agent banks.”

He said the central bank would continue to work to resolve the intermittent interface challenges in the marker.

Emefiele disclosed that the average cost of sending $200 worth of remittance to Nigeria from the US was about 4.7 per cent, saying studies have shown that even a one per cent decrease in cost of sending remittance can result in a significant boost in inflow.

He added, “Countries in South Asia, such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, are aware of this impact and they introduced reimbursement schemes to support inflows.

“In Pakistan, the scheme, which is known as free send, has enabled record amount of inflows of over $2 billion a month even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bangladesh introduced its own scheme in June 2019, which is a two per cent rebate on remittance inflows. Following this action,

they have also seen a 20 per cent boost in remittance inflows.

“On the topic of round tripping, there is a maximum amount that you can remit through an IMTO. You can’t send a $100,000 through an IMTO. The CBN’s action, while it does not go far enough in offering total reimbursements, is a step in the right direction in reducing the cost burden for Nigerians remitting funds to Nigeria.”

Emefiele also disclosed that the central bank had been engaging the IMTOs and the banks to ensure more convenience in fund remittance. He highlighted the importance of diaspora inflows to the economy, saying the country would be in a position to reap its benefits if remittance infrastructure improves.

He explained, “Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the cost burden of remitting funds to Nigeria by working Nigerians in the Diaspora, the Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced a rebate of N5 for every $1 of fund remitted to Nigeria, through IMTOs licensed by the central bank. This rebate will be provided to the bank accounts of beneficiaries, following receipt of remittance inflows.

“We believe this new measure

will help to make the process of sending remittance through formal bank channels cheaper and more convenient for Nigerians in the diaspora. This new policy is expected to take effect on the 8th of March 2021.

“Accordingly, the CBN strives to constantly improve our remittance infrastructure, ease the process of international money transfer and simplify the experience for senders and recipients. In this regard, we note that the efficiency of remittance services, especially as provided by the IMTOs are critical to our aim of boosting inflows. We would constantly seek to fine tune our policies to mitigate factors that affect the quality-of-service customers face when using IMTOs.” Other speakers at the webinar included the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; President of AfreximBank, Professor Okey Oramah; Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe.

Osinbajo commended the new FX policy, saying it would aid more investment from Nigerians living abroad.

The vice president, who was represented by Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms Yewande Sadiku, stated, “Nigerians in diaspora represent an indomitable force, they are flag bearers of Nigeria’s image, Nigeria entrepreneurial energy and Nigeria’s incredible can-do attitude. In business, politics, education, sports, entertainment, science, medicine, and arts, Nigerians have demonstrated across the world what Nigerians represent in Nigeria. We realise the role of the diaspora and the potential that they represent.

“For several years, the remittances from Nigerians in diaspora exceeded Nigeria’s oil revenues, which translated sometimes as high as six per cent of GDP. We are interested in understanding exactly how to translate this potential to investments.

“So, the office of the VP working with stakeholders, including NIPC, worked on a study and we found that many Nigerians, particularly first-generation males, have a keen interest in investing in their country.”

Osinbajo added, “We noticed

that 70 per cent of remittances go into family support and only 30 per cent of the inflows go into investments and in that 30 per cent, a bulk of it goes into real-estate.

“But what Nigerians in the diaspora indicated would be useful for them is to undertake more investments into Nigeria in specific engagements that promote investment opportunities led by the private sector. From government, what they asked for was improvement in the enabling business environment.

“The effort of government in recent years has been on improving the business environment and initiatives, such as this, driven by the private sector, to attract investment from the diaspora is one of the key things they asked for “We are delighted with the new CBN policy that makes it easier for diaspora Nigerians not just to transfer funds to Nigeria but to have greater control over the funds they transfer to Nigeria. And I know that when statistics would be released, we would see the material impact it would have had on the diaspora remittances from Nigerians to Nigeria.”

NHIS STAKEHOLDERS' ENGAGEMENT...

L-R: The GM, Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Femi Akingbade; DGM, State Coordinator, Ikeja, Lagos Aisha Abubakar Haruna and Executive Secretary Representative , Hajia Asmau Muhammed...recently

BUHARI, OSINBAJO, GET COVID-19 VACCINE long way; it has taken about a year of record scientific work to come about these vaccines in many countries. The shortest period it does take to develop a vaccine before this was four years. And that was a vaccine against mumps. So, this has come up as a very fast intervention and it is for that reason that some people have apprehensions about these vaccines, which governments are at pains to dispel.

“We in Nigeria have finally received our own allegation of accidents. The first comment is AstraZeneca, which is very well known, developed in the UK, is a company that is both British and Swedish. And it is now produced under licence in several countries. The batch

we are getting is from the civil Institute of India, which is the largest vaccine production site in the world.

“This vaccine is safe and has been administered to millions of persons and it is also well sought after. Just a day or two ago, we had reports of a diplomatic squabble between Italy and Australia over AstraZeneca vaccines and where they should go to fast. They is still vaccine nationalism. And we do hope that with your support, Your Excellency, we are continuing to get the flow of vaccines to continue that decentralisation process.”

Meanwhile, the federal government has described as fake reports that it budgeted the sum of N10.6 billion to

transport COVID-19 vaccines to the 36 states and the 774 local government areas as well as the Federal Capital Territory and the five area councils. Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, who spoke after the vaccination of both the president and vice president, explained that the private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) had undertaken to distribute the vaccines to states at no cost to the federal government.

Shuaib stated, “We've communicated very clearly to Nigerians that the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a private sector initiative, has provided a cargo plane that will help deliver the vaccines from

Abuja to all states that have functional airports. For those that do not have functional airports, there is a delivery van that will convey the vaccines from those airports to the states.

“I do not see how that is going to cost N10 billion. So, there is no truth in that information. The truth is that CACOVID has taken up the responsibility of delivering the vaccines from Abuja to the states. The only cost we're going to incur is the cost of delivering the vaccines from any airport to nearby states that don't have functional airports. Clearly, that cannot be N10.6 billion.”

In a related development, governors of the 36 states of the federation have called on the federal government to support them with logistics and

inoculation activities ahead of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the states. The governors also resolved to take actions that would ensure a smooth vaccine rollout exercise across the country, starting March 10, after an extensive discussion on the vaccine administration.

According to a communiqué issued after the governors’ meeting and signed by Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the governors plan to initiate the launch of the vaccination programme in all states from March 10.

The governors said they would ensure strict compliance and prioritisation of the list of eligible persons to be

vaccinated, starting with all frontline workers, support staff, COVID-19 rapid response teams, workers in laboratory networks, isolation and treatment centres, as well as tertiary and specialist hospitals. Also, strategic leaders will be vaccinated to give confidence to the public on the safety of the vaccine, the communiqué stated.

The communiqué said the second phase of the exercise would prioritise older adults (50 and above), while the third and 4th phases would focus on adults (18 – 49), with co-morbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, lung disease, and other health conditions; and adults (18 – 49 years) without any underlying health condition, as well as the rest of the population.

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

WORLD OF SCIENCE

with Kofo Babalola twitter: @KofoBabalola

S ci enc e in S p o r t

T

here is an element of science to everything we see. Whether it be hitting a ball with a tennis racket or swinging the bat in a baseball game, science is inbuilt in all sports we spectate and participate in. From the greatest swimmer, Michael Phelps, to one of the highest handicapped polo players, Alfredo Cambiaso, it seems like there is a key element that makes them the greatest at what they do. Their ability to understand the science aspect of the sport they do is what sets them apart.

Delving deeper into how science plays a huge part in making them the greatest athletes of all time will mean thinking deep into how our human body is wired to carry out these highly vigorous activities. Apart from our human body makeup, there are outside forces that affect the efficiency of an athlete’s stroke and movement on the pitch.

These forces, which often act to oppose movement or transition on a gymnastics beam, could hinder an athlete’s progression to another level. Studies have proven that the most decorated athletes have done something extra to make the forces of nature act to their advantage. They might not have realised it at the time, but the act of looking into areas of their craft that their opponents haven’t thought to look at has Olympic athletes allowed them to have the upper hand when it comes to winning.

In the sport of gymnastics, Simone Biles has proven that despite being small, she can still reach great heights. She has maximised the upward force exerted on her from the air that surrounds her by merely having a better wired nervous system. This was best put by Thomas M. Jessell in ‘The Washington Post’, ‘athletes like Biles have some combination of innately better “wiring” in their nervous systems and an ability to improve motor skills over time.’

The command she exhibits over her body is what separates her from her competitors. Her movements have been well thought out beforehand, as she performs each movement in harmony with the forces of nature. She exhibits a certain fleur and composure with this sport as she manages to land often without having to make an extra step to find her balance.

There is often the saying that practice makes perfect, but practice is a craft that has to be done the right way to become perfect. Without her countless hours trying to increase her muscle and body strength, she would have landed most of her jumps with a hard fall or a twisted ankle. She has done something extra during practice that has enabled her body build to be like none other. Her muscles formed in certain areas that benefit her when making her signature move coined ‘the Biles.’

There is a balance that is being created between the increase of weight that comes with the building of more muscles but also the strength that comes with it. The way that she has managed to strike this balance seems like it was almost by chance like most of science. Although she might not have known what the exercises she did repetitively

were doing, they managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to the scientific makeup of her body. All the extra weight added from the muscles struck a balance between her weight and strength. The fact that it was making her heavier was compensated for by her increase in strength. This reduced the effort she needed to exert on her body to make those flips in the air. Her greater core strength made her feel like she didn’t use much energy, as it now was done with much ease. Our human bodies react positively to consistent training, as it not only has an effect on strength but also increases the sturdiness of the brain.

One thing that sets apart a great athlete from the rest is the person’s ability to push their body past the limit to another realm that now works towards increasing their neurological activity effectiveness. This plays a huge role when in action.

Alfredo Cambiaso knows best when it comes to using science to maximise his potential on the polo pitch. The journey of cloning began when he had to put down his stallion, Aiken Cura, after breaking a leg in the Palermo Open in 2006. With a collection of the stallion’s skin, he used the powerful tool of cloning to create a replica of this horse in years to come. The clones are a genetically identical twin of the horse, but the only difference is that science has managed to create this twin later in time. In Argentina, duplicating the best horses was pioneered by Gabriel Vichera, the scientific director of Kheiron Biotech. This company is working to push boundaries in cloning in Buenos Aires further, as they are looking to clone and edit it to have a certain characteristic.

This is simply making a horse with a certain feature that can also be done naturally by cross-breeding. The acceptance of cloning in the sport of polo has grown alongside the many

wins that teams have had when they play with only cloned horses. The team effort created between polo players and scientists to create change in this sport has broken boundaries and taken polo as a sport to another level.

The engine that drives polo players on the pitch can now be made in a lab to be much faster and efficient to win more championships. Scientists have introduced the creative tool of genetic modification into the sport of polo, which acts to create a horse that meets highly skilled polo players’ needs.

The act of altering their engine to better their skills brings car-racing to mind. Teams in Formula 1 compete to outdo each other in aerodynamics to maximise their potential at winning a championship. The exterior structure of the car has various aerodynamic elements to it to optimise the airflow around it. The airflow around the car is tested in a wind tunnel to ensure that the car’s features optimise its performance.

Apart from ensuring that the exterior part of the car is aerodynamically efficient, the internal structures are packaged to be much tighter to improve the car’s airflow. As heat is continuously generated, there are ducts around the car to help with the heat’s dissipation, therefore, cooling it. The car itself and its surroundings are powered by technology that vastly increases the speed of operation. The high technology needed to remove and put the wheels back on the car during a pitstop is perfected by using hydraulically powered wheel guns that run on high pressure. As every millisecond counts in a race, these added tools act to improve performance.

It is fascinating to see that science itself can have an impact on sports. There is no limit to what science can do, especially when increasing an athlete’s performance.

PERSPECTIVE

RiskManagement,KeytoLeadershipSuccess-TEXEMUK

T

o survive and flourish in the current disruptive socio-economic and political era occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerian and other global business leaders need to integrate risk management and effective leadership into their

operations.

That is Caroline Lucas’s conviction, an ardent advocate of Nigeria’s greatness and a director of the UK firm, TEXEM UK. According to her, the world has never encountered a more disruptive year than 2020, when COVID-19 negatively affected global organisations.

On Sunday in Abuja, Lucas announced in a statement that on March 10 and March 11, the firm would hold live virtual sessions with Nigerian and other global business leaders to proffer strategies for success in the present

uncertain times.

The statement also disclosed the company’s new website, www.texem.co.uk, for public and private sector executives in Nigeria interested in participating in TEXEM’s programme “for optimal, excellent and impactful performance during and after COVID-19.”

It noted that since the emergence of COVID-19, individuals, and organisations struggled to survive and flourish.

While focusing on reducing the pandemic’s impact, TEXEM said many had forgotten that “there have always been other risks that need attention” for organisations to excel during these crises and beyond.

To succeed in these dynamic, digital, and turbulent times, TEXEM pointed out that there “is an urgent need” for strategic leaders who can align culture, risk, and strategy for sustainable success.

It explained, “Truth be told, every organisa-

tion faces risks, including internal ones that often arise from its daily operations and activities. For instance, some risks may arise from inappropriate, unethical, or illegal actions of the employees and even the management.

“These are common, but thankfully, they are preventable. Some other risks also come from external sources, and there is little that the management can do to prevent them. They include political and natural disasters.”

The UK firm added that the current situation threw up other issues to contend with.

The statement noted: “But that is not all.

Don’t forget there are social and economic landmines too to navigate, one of which triggered (the) #EndSARS (protests).

“Cyber threats are still very much around, and the risk from it is growing as we adopt technology more to scale in a period of physical distancing. They did not vanish when COVID 19 struck. Being a leader at such a time requires

additional knowledge and skills on how to provide effective leadership.”

The two-day virtual executive development programme will address how to integrate culture, risk management, strategy, and leadership to thrive.

One of the faculties on this programme, Prof.

Andrew Chambers, the world’s first professor of Internal Audit, said about the programme: “Given TEXEM’s impressive pedigree of consistently helping organisations to thrive and the world-renowned faculties, this is a programme that every executive should not miss.

“Thus, this TEXEM, UK programme on ‘Risk Management & Effective Leadership for Superlative Performance during Turbulent Times’ scheduled to take place virtually, between 10-11 March 2021, promises to offer valuable insights on how to unlock scarce value in an era where there are few.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

BUSINESS

19

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

Strengthening Nigeria’s Fragile Economic Recovery James Emejo aggregates analysts’ perspectives on Nigeria’s recent exit from recession and concludes that more eͿorts are required by the Àscal and monetary authorities to strengthen recovery in subsequent quarters

P

erhaps,itwasnomusictotheearstomanywhenthe country’s economic managers projected last year that the country’s second consecutive economic recession which happened in the third quarter, would be short-lived.

This is understandably so because the slow progress in getting out vaccines that could put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had ravaged the global economic landscape among other things.

The economy slipped into a recession in November last year when growth contracted for the second consecutive quarters by 3.62 per cent in Q3 and previously grew by-6.10 per cent in Q2.

But, the downturn in economic performance didn’t completely come to many as a surprise given the debilitating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had crippled the global economic, as well as led to massive slump in oil demands, a development that that sent oil prices below $20 per barrel.

Furthermore, the country’s inability to trade with other countries, following the lockdown and restrictions of movement to curtail the spread of the pandemic, coupled with the fact that Nigeria’s economy remainedlargelydiversiÀedonpaper-allmadetherecessioninevitable.

However, soon after the recession was declared by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zain Ahmed, was quick to assure Nigerians and investors that the downturn will be short-lived especially as the 3.62 per cent contraction was a major improvement over the performance in the preceding quarter of 2020.

While addressing an audience at the recent 26th Nigerian Economic Summit (#NES26), themed:” Building Partnerships for Resilience” in Abuja, Ahmed had assured that the country was likely exit the recession as soon as the Àrst quarter of 2021, adding that the federal government will aggressively implement the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) launched to boost economic recovery amidst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also keeping the hope alive, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin EmeÀele, had also expressed optimism that the country will exit the recession as early as Àrst quarter of 2021.

Speaking during the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in November, the CBN Governor had said: “Base on data available to the MPC from the CBN, we are somewhat cautiously optimistic that indeed, if we continue doing what we are doing, that there is a likelihood that we would see some little positive output numbers during the fourth quarter of 2020.

“But I can say with some level of certainty as well that during the Àrst quarter of 2021, we would exit the recession”.

The recovery, apparently happened earlier than imagined.

By January, however, the NBS announced that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.11 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2020 (Q 2020), representing the Àrst positive quarterly growth in the last three quarters, and eͿectively allowing the country to exit recession.

The early exit came as a huge surprise to both international and local actors who believed that given the country’s hitherto unimpressive macroeconomic parameters, including inÁation, unemployment, among others, a recovery should have taken a longer period.

The federal government has however, attributed the rebound on several policy moves initiated to contain the situation amidst the challenges caused by the pandemic.

Ahmed, had among other things attributed the exit to the aggressive implementation of the N2.3 trillion National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) which among other things witnessed unprecedented funding interventions to key sectors of the economy especially the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

In addition, from the monetary side, the CBN’s funding interventions and forbearances to businesses to cushion the impact of the pandemic had in no small measure contributed to the recovery which is in record time.

But analysts, had while commending the recovery, also expressed concerns that the economic gains may be eroded in subsequent quarters unless the relevant authorities double eͿorts in stimulating the economy, and getting the priorities right in terms of policy decisions among others.

They believed that even with the positive growth recorded in Q4, the economy is still much vulnerable to shocks that may limit its growth trajectory in 2021 unless the right things are done.

They identiÀed the need to intensify eͿorts to get vaccines for the population as well as tackle the increasing security challenges in the country- factors which could render current eͿorts to reÁate the economy a waste.

Already, a recent report by Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research, revised the country’s growth forecast for 2021 to 1.6 per cent from the previous 2.3 per cent, citing the weaker base eͿects coming out of a shallower contraction in 2020.

Ahmed

Emefiele

The report noted that rising oil exports will be the main growth driver in 2021, while consumer spending and business investment are likely to be subdued because of persistently high inÁation and the slow rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Fitch, however, pointed out that growth is likely to quicken to 2.7 per cent in 2022.

The agency stated: “We expect Nigeria’s vaccination programme to gather pace, which will result in private consumption and Àxed investment accelerating. “We at Fitch Solutions have revised our estimate for Nigeria’s real GDP to a contraction of 1.9 per cent in 2020 compared to our previous estimate of a 3.2 per cent fall.

“The revision follows the release of stronger than expected GDP data indicating that the economy exited recession in Q4 2020, growing by 0.1 per cent Year on year, after contracting by 3.6 per cent in Q3 2020 and by 6.1 per cent in Q220.”

Further providing reasons for a slower growth in 2021, the report pointed out that delays aͿecting Nigeria’s vaccine procurement would undermine supplies, meaning that mass inoculations would not start until closer to end-2021 or even 2022.

It said this would raise the risk of further waves of COVID-19 infections and the re-imposition of stricter lockdown measures, which would curtail growth.

It added: “Should insecurity worsen and spread beyond current hotspots in the North east and middle belt states, distribution of a vaccine would be signiÀcantly curtailed, and similarly hamper the economic recovery.”

Even though EmeÀele, had recently promised to adopt accommodative monetary policy stance in 2021 in order to support economic growth in the country, analysts believed issues around insecurity and vaccines for the population remained crucial to achieving meaningful recovery.

Analysts particularly agreed that the NESP and oil price rebound were instrumental to the country exiting recession but called for a sustained policy intervention to stimulate growth going forward as well as tackle inÁation.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Credent Investment Managers Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Shelleng, said the massive spending by government had certainly gone a long way in driving up GDPÀgures.

He said: “The four components of GDP are personal consumption, business investment, government spending and net exports. It is fair to say that the other 3 parameters except for government spending probably declined in Q4, 2020” adding that “Oil prices have only recently starting rising so that cannot be attributed to the growth in GDP. Besides oil itself is not a major driver of GDP in Nigeria, contributing less than 10 per cent of our GDP Àgures.”

Shelleng, however, pointed out that the real questions bordered on how the exit from recession had aͿected the real economy.

“With increased inÁation and ongoing security and structural challenges, GDP should not really be the main determinant of economic progress. Perhaps Gross National Income (GNI) would be more appropriate to measure income of people and businesses,” he said.

He also believed that if government can maintain its spending in key areas and with global businesses slowly recovering, Nigeria will likely see positive growth albeit very low.

“The structural issues that prevent us from achieving higher

growth levels are still in existence and must be addressed for us to really thrive,” he noted.

Also, in separate interview with THISDAY, Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Dignity Finance and Investment Limited, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, however, believed the exit from recession could largely be attributed to the recent rebound in oil price as well as the aggressive implementation of NESP. He said: “This was simply because the price of crude oil, the main stay of our economy, increased within the last quarter and has sustained that increase till date. That increase has neutralised the negative impacts of COVID-19.”

He said: “It will be fair to say that a combination of ESP and the price of Crude oil led to Nigeria’s exit from recession. The government believed in the economic sustainability programme and committed a lot of resources to it.

Whether the programme was optimised to achieve the result or not is a diͿerent thing all together.

“The price of crude oil however, which has risen up to $65 per barrel, contributed a lot to our recovery and we are optimistic the rise will be sustained even at the risk of rise in local Petroleum products prices.”

On his part however, President, Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said Nigeria’s recovery sends a positive message to the international community especially the multilateral institutions, rating services and investment banks, that the economy is resilient and has capacity to withstand shocks.

He said given the country’s record time exit from recession, it is high time the economic managers focused on achieving strong growth that is inclusive adding that more attention should be focused on jobs and reducing the high rate of unemployment and poverty.

Uwaleke said: “This will require, among others, an aggressive approach to increasing food output by facilitating access to credit by farmers and SMEs, collaborating with State governments to address rural infrastructure deÀcit as well as insecurity.

“Doing so will help bring down food inÁation which is exerting the most pressure on the general price level.”

Hesaid:“Thatthegovernmentheededtheadviceofmanyincluding the CBN not to impose another lockdowns in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in Q4 2020 helped economic recovery.

“I must commend the National Bureau of Statistics for the timely release of key national statistics, such as inÁation and GDP quarterly performance, which facilitates planning by the government and the private sector as well as reduces uncertainty.”

According to the former Imo State commissioner of Ànance, the traction in economic activities could be largely attributed to the CBN interventions and the NESP. “The impact of the oil price recovery was not signiÀcant in Q4 2020 because oil sector contraction was severe at over 19 per cent worse than about 13 per contraction in Q3 2020 due largely to the drop in crude oil output from about 1.67 million barrels per day to 1.56 million barrels per day.

The game changer was the non-oil sector which grew by 1.69 per cent powered by ICT at over 14 per cent, agriculture 3.42 per cent, health at over 3 per cent among others.

“These were areas that enjoyed attention of the CBN and the Àscal authorities in Q4 2020,” he said.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

20

ENERGY

Seeking Justice over Alleged Missing Oil Last week, youth leaders of several ethnic groups in Nigeria converged on Abuja to pressure the authorities to take appropriate action against Shell Petroleum Development Company over alleged underhand dealings in the course of carrying out their operations in Nigeria.

Emmanuel Addeh writes that it was one of the few instances that the country’s youth leaders appeared to have spoken with one voice on such a matter of national importance

T

he placard-wielding, toughtalking horde of youths, stormed the seat of power last Tuesday had one mission in mind: compensation for the aggrieved and sanctions for the alleged culprits.

Drawn from Nigeria’s major ethnic groups, the youth leaders who eventually gathered to address the surging crowd insisted that it was an act of sabotage against Nigeria for an oil multinational to seek to intentionally understate the volume of crude oil over a long period of time, in excess of 16 million barrels.

They argued that, if Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is allowed to go unpunished, it would set a bad precedent for other multinationals, which the aggrieved youth leaders contended have always ripped oͿ the nation in the process of oil exploration and exploitation.

Background While the jury is still out as to what actually transpired and how that magnitude of crude oil could have been understated over a prolonged period of time, the issue is that between 2016 and 2018, the multinational oil company deployed a measuring device not approved for that purpose to calculate the commodity, thereby short-changing its partners and by extension the entire country.

By putting to use a metering device not approvedbytheregulatoryagencyforthepetroleum sector, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the local operators insist that they lost a lot of funds to the indiscretion of the SPDC and its o΀cials.

In trying to resolve the matter, through one of the letters written to SPDC by the regulatory agency, titled “Re: Crude Theft/Loss Allocation Methodology”,signedbyU.KNdanusaonbehalf of the DPR Director, Mr. SarkiAuwalu, the agency which more or less indicted the company asked it to refund some of the alleged missing oil.

It stated that the 2 ; 12” Coriolis Áow meter (the controversial device) installed by SPDC at the inlet of the NCTLline into the Bonny Terminal for Custody Transfer Measurement and Allocation Purposes, was not approved by the department for the purpose and therefore was illegal.

It thereafter imposed a penalty of N250,000 on the oil giant for violation of Section 2(d) of the Mineral Oil Safety Regulation and the provisions of Section 51 of the Petroleum Act; 1969 and demanded that SPDC should return the missing crude which it said amounted to over 2 million barrels to the aͿected local oil companies includingAITEO, Eroton, Newcross and Belema Oil. After a long period of foot-dragging, SPDC in a letter dated February 8, signed by its Business Relations and JV Excellence Manager, Steve Okwuosah, and addressed to the DPR, agreed to return the 2 million barrels in instalments.

But AITEO disagrees with the Àgure and has approached the court in a bid to get the matter resolved and in part, asking for $1,275,975,000, being the amount the company said it would have sold the over 16 million barrels of crude oil at the rate of $79.50 per barrel being the prevailing price in July 2018.

Angry Youths Insist Shell’s Action Act of Sabotage However, during the protest attended by hundreds of young people, the aggrieved youths said that Shell through its action deprived the federal government of the taxes, royalties and other revenues that could have accrued to it, if the crude oil was not understated or at worst, stolen.

Several ethnic youth leaders, including the ArewaConsultativeYouthMovement,Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Movement, Niger Delta Youth Council, Oduduwa Youth Council and Middle

L-R: Capt. Bassey Henshaw, N’Delta Youth Council; Oluwadamilola Opeodu, Oduduwa Youth Council; Godwin Meliga, Middle Belt Youth Council & Kabir Yusuf, Arewa Consultative Youth Movement during the protest

Belt Youth Council, therefore called for sanctions for the SPDC and any organisation sabotaging the country through the diversion of crude oil.

MembersoftheCouncilofEthnicYouthLeaders of Nigeria, speciÀcally demanded that the federal government should sanction Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Limited and its sister companies in Nigeria, for its complicity in the alleged diversion of the 16 million barrels of crude oil and nationalise the company’s assets.

Some of the youth leaders present at the event were Capt. Bassey Henshaw, National President of the Niger Delta Youth Council, Mr. Kabir Yusuf of the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Oluwadamilola Opeodu of Oduduwa Youth Council and Godwin Meliga of the Middle Belt Youth Council.

Henshaw noted that the government should allocate adequate resources; technology, equipment and logistics to security agencies to help monitor oil theft and ensure it never happens again.

He explained that since crude oil is the major source of revenue and foreign exchange earnings, anything that aͿects the sector negatively aͿects the entire economy.

Henshaw stated that when revenue drops, government will be unable to execute the projects in the budget, saying that this ultimately reÁects in the state of the nation as government will be unable to discharge its function and responsibilities to the citizens.

The youth leader recalled that Nigeria, being a mono-economy nation largely depends on the oil sector for its economic survival, saying that oil and gas resources from the Niger Delta region accounts for over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s export and foreign exchange earnings, and way over 75 per cent of the total Nigerian revenue.

According to him, it is indeed obvious that the increase or otherwise in crude oil production affects directly the revenue base and developmental programmes of the Nigerian state, lamenting that the same resource is being savagely stolen in copious quantities daily largely by international oil companies.

He argued that huge loss of revenues to the federal government has resulted in inadequate funding for development initiative, as a result of sabotage.

“We call on the federal government to issue an international warrant of arrest to shell o΀cials and their collaborators, and also a Mareva injunction obtained against them until the stolen crude is determined and returned to the national coͿers and the indigenous companies,” he stated.

Breaking down the Grouses Meliga, who represented the Middle Belt and read the speech summarising the youths’ grouses, posited that Shell misdirected the federal government into expending scarce resources in monitoring and combating pipeline vandalism and oil theft, without knowing that the company was a major actor in the crisis.

Describing it as a threat and a breach of national security, the coalition disclosed that an originating summon had already been Àled at the Federal High Court by them through the Patriotic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (PYON) against the federal government and all the sister Shell companies praying the court to order the government to expropriate, nationalise and take over all assets of the oil giant.

The group, which pledged their total support to the President Muhammadu Buhari economic agenda and anti-corruption stand also commended the Director of the DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, for insisting that the right thing must be done by all companies operating in Nigeria’s oil sector.

The youths argued that the N250, 000 penalty by the DPR was not a recovery of the stolen crude oil or its monetary value and not a sanction against Shell for the attendant loss of revenue to federal government of Nigeria, insisting that it wasn’t commensurate with the alleged loss.

“There is the urgent need for us to bring to the attention of the relevant institutions of state to intervene and recover from Shell the full value of all the stolen crude oil, which it deliberately diverted through the use of the unapproved and fraudulent metering system.

“Thecompanyusedittodeliberatelyunderstate the exact volume of crude oil injected into the Bonny Oil Terminal. Indeed, the intentional usage of the unapproved metering system by Shell was done to steal Nigeria’s crude oil and its proceeds and defraud the real owners of the products.

“Shell also used the illicit method to wrong-

fully appropriate to itself the crude oil revenue, which Nigeria would have made from the crude oil and unlawfully converted and retained to itself the proceeds. This is clear case of unjust enrichment,” they maintained.

Meliga posited that eͿorts at revamping the economy was suͿering from lack of funding because Shell is deliberately sabotaging the eͿorts of the federal government through unlawful diversion of crude oil.

“That is why we are demanding that Shell must be made to account and pay the prevailing market value of the over 16m barrels of crude oil which it wrongfully converted and unlawfully appropriated,” the aggrieved youths added.

They noted that they had also written to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory bodies to take urgent and necessary actions against Shell, its o΀cers and other collaborators.

Shell’s Defence But shell had insisted that the crude reallocation programme between injectors into its JV’s Trans Niger Pipeline and injectors into Aiteo’s NCTL was a normal industry practice.

The company explained that, while the disputes are subject of on-going litigation, it was working to secure an expeditious discharge of the freezing injunction, which it said, it believed was obtained by AITEO without any valid basis.

“Crude allocation review and re-allocation is a normal industry practice to re-allocate previous provisional allocated volumes under the directive and supervision of DPR, and this is not an exercise resulting from crude diversion, underreporting or theft at the terminal,” SPDC noted.

It contended that the industry practice was not peculiar to the SPDC-operated Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal alone and did not translate into any loss of volumes to the federal government.

It maintained that crude oil production metering and allocation were subject to speciÀc guidelines issued by the industry regulator, stressing that the company strictly adheres to these guidelines.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

21

LABOUR

The Labour Crisis Rocking CAC For the Àrst time in recent history of the Corporate AͿairs Commission, its headquarters was shut down by picketing workers, who accused the management of corruption, high-handedness and violation of labour laws. The rift almost turned bloody but for a sense of reason which prevailed and saw the management and the leadership of the two labour centres, NLC and TUC agree to seek fresh dialogue to resolve the conÁict. Onyebuchi Ezigbo reports

R

ecently, labour crisis rocked the CorporateAffairs Commission (CAC).

The matter was so bad that it led to the shutting down of the headquarters of the commission for one day by picketing workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). From what emerged from the face-oͿ, the dispute was two-fold. First there was a misunderstanding between staͿ belonging to two labour centres, NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over recruitment of members, while another part of the dispute had to do allegations of corruption and anti labour practices put against the CAC management by the workers Initially, the two in-house unions - Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPTRE) and Senior StaͿ Association of Statutory Corporation and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC).were at logger heads with each other over issues of unionization of staͿ of CAC. The management capitalised on the internal wrangling between the two unions to insist that only junior staͿ of the organisation should belong toAUPTRE while their senior staͿ counterparts should join SSASCGOC. It said the AUPTRE, which most of the staͿ joined was a junior staͿ union and not applicable to senior staͿ. It supported its position making reference to a ruling by an industrial court. However, beyond the conÁict on unionisation, the aggrieved workers have deep-seated disagreement and allegations against the management of CAC. Some of the issues complained about by the union include, stoppage of promotions due for staͿ, arbitrary transfer of perceived troublesome union activists as well other punitive actions.

Based on the crisis of conÀdence created by the above listed issues and apparent inability of the management to resolve them, the unions embarked on the picketing of the premises of the headquarters of CAC. NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who led the protest at the CAC headquarters said the action of the congress was in solidarity with its a΀liate union,AUPCTRE, which had alleged wrongdoings by commission’s Registrar-General, Alhaji Garba Abubakar.

Besides accusing the CAC boss of thwarting their promotions, AUPCTRE had also accused Abubakar of indulging in divideand-rule tactics, arbitrary transfer of union leaders, transfer of married women out of places where their spouses live, intimidation of workers for engaging in union activities, among many others.

Speaking at the protest ground, Wabba also alleged that the Commission’s Registrar General, Garba Abubakar stalled staͿ promotion. He alleged that the organisation brought in environmental experts to fumigate the agency for N35million in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, including contracting someone to paint the Zone 5 annex o΀ce for N25million.

On his part, AUPCTRE branch chairman, Comrade Ibrahim MakarÀ, alleged that the CAC boss ignored series of eͿorts the union made with a view to averting the conÁict.

According to him, diͿerent letters to him containing alleged infractions by the commission were ignored, thus leading to the face-oͿ. So the workers made good their threat to picket the CAC headquarters, blocking all the entry points to the commission’s premises in Abuja.

Addressing the protesters at the organisation’s premises, Wabba frowned on what he

Wabba

described as the recalcitrant attitude of the chief executive o΀cer of the commission, who he said refused to acknowledge or respond to any of the six letters sent to him from last year till now over suppression of rights of workers of the commission.

Wabba accused the management of the commission of Áagrant violation of workers’ rights under the cover of COVID-19 pandemic policy implementation. He also said many married women and union ofÀcials, who demanded payment of their promotion arrears or voiced resistance to inhuman treatment by the management were being transferred illegally to punish them. There was a drama during the protest at the commission when some thugs confronted the workers, pouring fuel around the union vehicles and threatening to burn them, if they fail to disperse. Wabba alleged that hired thugs were deployed by the management to unleash violence on peaceful protesters and vowed that the ILO procedures in demanding the rights of workers would be followed to the letter until the management reverse its stance on the issues. He warned the CAC management to desist from impunity, especially hiring of thugs to attack workers on peaceful protest to demand their rights and come into a round table for a harmonious resolution of the dispute. Some of the placards displayed by the protesting workers read: “Unionism is our right: organised, join the union”, “Employers, respect workers’ right to unionised” and “We are workers and not slaves.”

However, the Director, Public AͿairs at CAC, Duke Ukaga, took up some of the issues raised by workers. He said the allegations that management has refused to

Abubakar

allow them unionise freely and the staͿ were being compelled to join a particular labour union, were not true. He said the commission, being a very law-abiding organisation obeyed the rulings of the National Industrial Court, which gave a ruling in December 2019 and May 2020, stating categorically that the union, AUPTRE, which most of the staͿ had joined was a junior staͿ union and not applicable to senior staͿ. “This is in line with the Trade Union Act 2004 and 2005.The commission is only obeying the court judgement and till date, there has been no injunction or stay of execution order. So for them to say that we are forcing them to join the union, it’s manifestly wrong. As a result, the commission gave the staͿ the option of choosing which union to join. For the junior staͿ, they went for AUPTRE, while the senior staͿ freely indicated to join Senior StaͿ Association of Statutory Corporation and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC). The staͿ have no grudge with the management.” On the issue of punitive transfers, he said there was a standing rule in the public service about spouses working in the same department and o΀ce. He also said that as part of the reorganisation of the commission, the management might in their wisdom post any staͿ anywhere. “Even in their letters of appointment, it’s stated clearly that their appointment is at the pleasure of the commission and they may be sent to work in any of the branches. So, for one to say that there have been unjustly sent somewhere, it’s not true.” Regarding the issue of embezzlement, Ukaga denied the claim saying, “Though I’m not into fumigation, we have a standard for fumigation considering the type and size of the build-

ing. I can assure you that our management cannot embezzle any government money.”

The picketing almost into a fracas as the protesting workers deÀed the threat by thugs to unleash violence by equally vowing to enlist the support of other a΀liate of the NLC, the Road Transport Workers Union, which has the capacity to match violence with violence. It took the intervention of the security agents and the wisdom displayed

by Wabba and the leadership of TUC to unite and seek for a fresh opportunity for amicable resolution of the dispute with the CAC management.

After some consultations with the commission, NLC president came back to address the protesting workers urging them to suspend protest temporarily till the next day. He told them that the management had reached out to labour leadership, pleading for an opportunity for dialogue on the issues. Later at a peace meeting held by the two in-house unions, SSASCGOC andAUPCTRE, they both agreed to operate and conduct their activities in CAC without any clash of interest.

The unions also resolved to harmonise their positions in order to be able eͿective Àght for the rights of their members. As for the larger issues relating to dispute with CAC management, the unions resolved to demand that the commission invites the two in-house unions and the leadership of two labour centres, NLC and TUC, to a meeting within three days. In the resolution signed

by NLC president, Wabba and theAssistant General Secretary of TUC, Comrade Ibrahim Anka, the unions accepted to suspend the picketing earlier scheduled to last for three days to allow for further dialogue with the CAC management to resolve the dispute.

22

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

BUSINESS OUTSIDER

Failing Forward

“Every successful individual has failed numerous times. Most of them have failed a lot more often than we have” - Steve Jobs, Founder/former CEO, Apple Tunji Adegbite

E

very successful person has experienced failure, yet society continues to condition us to avoid failure. Survivorship bias distorts our understanding of success by disproportionately focusing on only success stories that deÀed enormous odds, sometimes glossing over even their failures. Rather than embrace the opportunities it presents, failure is generally regarded as a sign of weakness and poor decision-making, whether in business or our personal lives. We often fall into the single-story trap when examining failures ² It is always seen to equate to bad even though it usually provides lessons.

This simplistic view overlooks that some failures are inevitable, some are good, and reduces the valuable beneÀts that failure provides to a situation that must not be repeated. Not all failures are created equal; context is important. Harvard professor, Amy Edmondson, categorizes failures into three categories: Preventable Failures: These occur in predictable operations and usually involve deviations from speciÀed procedures and best practices. An example of this is an ice cream company sending out deliveries without an icebox.

Unavoidable Failures: These occur in complex systems and arise from unique and unpredictable combinations of needs, people, and problems.

An example is an Internet Service Provider experiencing downtime because of the failure of an undersea Àbre optic cable.

Intelligent Failures: These are small “good” failures that occur when experimentation is needed. They provide valuable information to help a business or entrepreneur leap ahead of the competition. This necessary type of failure happens during the innovation process, without which there is no growth. Entrepreneurs and professionals must continue to ideate and try out untested experimentation to expand their business frontiers or improve a business process.

Entrepreneurs must shed any Áawed perception of failures and critically analyse all failures to understand the root causes. They must go beyond spotting apparent failures to developing systems to scrutinize all aspects of a business’s functions to detect smaller, veiled negligence and shortcomings, which, when left undetected, can result in much bigger problems.

Failure is a normal part of the entrepreneurial journey that helps to develop resilience and hones instincts, skills that are a must for successful entrepreneurs. Fear of failure is incredibly limiting. It teaches us to “stay inside comfort zones” and play it safe; however, the most successful entrepreneurs — the ones that truly stand out — are built on intelligent risk-taking and experimentation. Embrace failure, and you’re free to take the risks that can reward you with higher proÀts.

Here are some reasons why it can help you succeed by embracing failure and tips to navigate the journey: Failure is an Opportunity to Learn The truth of entrepreneurship is that you will fail at some point. Understanding that failure is a part of the road to success allows entrepreneurs to react more quickly and adapt better

Steve jobs

when it does happen. Failures have the inherent capacity to teach us several lessons, and having the right attitude helps you evaluate and improve from them.

While it is okay to take some time to process it, it is important not to dwell on failures as Àxating prevents you from moving on and traps you in a negative cycle.

Instead, shift your perspective by taking ownership of errors, examine to understand root causes, and take the learnings.

Failures Challenge Perfectionism and Encourage Innovation There’s a false belief that conÁates success with perfect when as rightly stated by Michelle Obama, “Success has nothing to do with perfection.”

Obsessing with perfection can even have the reverse eͿect and cause failure. Perfection does not exist and aiming for it leads to risk- aversion.

The real danger of playing it safe is that it makes you focus on what has already worked in the past.

That’s not how leaders lead or how creative minds innovate. Leaders understand that as an entrepreneur, you have to think big and think boldly.

Failure Builds Internal Capacity The ability to iterate and navigate setbacks can be beneÀcial to entrepreneurs during their journey. Any failure you experience is a challenge to conquer and an opportunity for growth. Successful market leaders search for the tough lessons that can be learned from a situation and divest themselves of the fear of failure.

EͿective business leaders must master the act of adeptly navigating their way through a variety of them on the way to success.

It is near impossible to build resilience from success alone; strength is created when we face uncomfortable challenges. The more an entrepreneur builds the capacity to overcome momentary challenges, they increase their ability to withstand even greater pressures. Exploring your limits is the only way to discover what your limits are.

information and help entrepreneurs escape a cycle of mistakes and setbacks. Entrepreneurs learn from mistakes, but the errors do not have to be yours for you to learn from them.

Advisors oͿer a fresh perspective and opportunity for business leaders to learn and beneÀt from mistakes and growth strategies other entrepreneurs have tried before them.

This call to embrace failure is not a kumbaya empty words of motivation.

As a professional and entrepreneur, I have experienced several failures.

However, my current success would not be possible without my failures.

They provided invaluable learning opportunities, honed my instincts, and helped me discover the new ground of expansion opportunities. Failure is a substantial part of every entrepreneurial journey. Embrace it, pursue excellence, and success will chase you!

Failure Emphasises Importance of Advisers Indeed, new ideas might often be so radical that advisors caution against them. However, no successful business leader operates as an island. Seasoned advisors provide a wealth of valuable

Tunji Adegbite is a thought leader in Strategy and Supply Chain, who is also the founder of Naspire, a business research platform using business insights to help entrepreneurs and professionals in Africa succeed.

He can be reached via tunji@naspire. com.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

23

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

Atiku Bagudu

ATIKU BAGUDU

CBN’sAnchor Borrower Programme is a Phenomenal Success With the launch of the 2020 wet season harvest aggregation and 2021 dry season, input distribution under the CBN-Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) in Zauro, Kebbi State, rice production in Nigeria is set to continue its growth trajectory. In its Àfth year, the CBN has, through the ABP, galvanised agricultural production to meet the country’s growing population requirements. The ABP is an essential part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive for economic diversiÀcation; it has improved the fortunes of rural farmers and transformed agriculture into the potential for economic growth. The CBN and RIFAN have targeted to cultivate one million hectares of rice farms, representing over 350 percent increase from the 221,450 cultivated in 2020 In the last Àve years, 2,923,937 farmers cultivating 3,647,643 hectares across 21 commodities through 23 participating Ànancial institutions were Ànanced in the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory. The seed for this revolution was Àrst sown in Kebbi State under the leadership of Atiku Bagudu. In this interview with Eromosele Abiodun, Bagudu, vice chairman of the National Food Security Council, praised the CBN for its drive to sustain local production. He also spoke on how Nigeria can generate $15 billion from rice annually if it produces 30 million metric tons of rice, even at $500 per ton, Nigeria’s partnership with the Benin Republic, the farmers-herders crisis, and the food blockade by some northern trade unions. Excerpts:

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

24

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

How CBN Has Catalysed Rice Revolution, Changed Nigeria’s Farming

L

ast year there was massive ÁRRGLQJ LQ .HEEL DQG DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ WKDW WKUHDWHQHG 1LJHULD·V IRRG VHFXULW\ $V YLFH FKDLUPDQ RI WKH 1DWLRQDO )RRG 6HFXULW\ &RXQFLO FDQ \RX WHOO XV ZKDW ZDV GRQH WR UHPDLQ IRRG VHFXUH" I think in 2020, in addition to the pandemic, Nigeria witnessed two severe climate-related problems. The Àrst one was the Áooding in many states particularly in the northern parts and then a drought in a number of states particularly in the southern part. So the combination of the two no doubt aͿected food production.

However, most Nigerian farmers are increasingly moving from one crop a year to two crops a year and some as much as three crops a year. So, that is the saving grace.

For those who do dry season farming, the farm has control over variables, higher than during the wet season, where you can’t control the incidence of rainfall or rainfall intensity. But in the dry season, you use water pumps for irrigation, so you have control over the amount of water in the farmland. So, yields tend to be higher during the dry season because you have control over input. So, those combinations of multiple cropping per year and increasing yields have served to compensate for the losses occasioned by both drought and Áooding.

But that is not to suggest that the farmers who suͿered those droughts and Áoods are the same. So that is why many state governments and indeed the federal government has put in support measures. The federal government is considering given money and other forms of support to all the aͿected farmers in the 2020 season.

And the Central Bank of Nigeria has expanded its programmes, both the ones it has been doing directly ² the Anchor Borrower Programme, the admin scheme, COVID-19 support, and other institutions like NICAP. NICAP has also expanded, and then the federal government’s economic sustainability plan envisages spending of over N600 billion in agriculture, both as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to boost the level of economic activity.

The results show that the recovery of the country from the recession, witnessed in the Àrst quarter, is the net eͿect of all the policies and the resilience of the Nigerian people. S,o food security is not materially aͿected. &DQ \RX WHOO 1LJHULDQV DERXW WKH ZKROH LGHD RI WKH $%3" :KHUH ZH DUH QRZ DQG ZKHUH ZH DUH JRLQJ" The Anchor Borrowers Scheme, since it started, has been an innovation of the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that any organised group of participants in the agricultural space should have funding. They should also have uptakers; they should have the knowledge to do whatever subset of agriculture they want to do and do it well. Because once you help - whether it is farming, Àshing, or animal husbandry - people with the knowledge to do it properly support them and provide Ànancing to secure adequate inputs, once they are successful in that undertaking, they don’t have to worry about the market.

Then, part of the Ànancing is also to ensure that they are insured against unforeseen events. You are reducing the risks that participants have taken. Measured by those indices, the Anchor Borrowers Programme has been a phenomenal success because it has mobilised farmers, Àshermen, Àshing communities, and those in the livestock sector to expand the economic activity, generate more yield and earn more from it. That has been quite a remarkable success, being celebrated, both in Nigeria and outside. The central bank also further recognises that even despite this Anchor Borrowers Programme, a good intention, there are young Nigerians, men, and women, out there who want more capital that is riskier because they don’t have a piece of land to start. They don’t have any collateral to secure.

Together with the Nigerian banking sector that donates Àve percent of annual proÀt to a fund managed by the central bank, also a scheme called Admins was

Atiku Bagudu

in terms of its ability to contribute to a product that we can sell elsewhere. Why can’t we be rice exporters" Bangladesh, which has about one-Àfth of the Nigerian landmass, produces over 38 million metric tons of rice. So that means nothing stops us in Nigeria from achieving that.

If we produce 30 million metric tons of rice, even at $500 per ton, that is about $15 billion. States should complement each .HEEL LV EHFRPLQJ WKH KXE RI ULFH other, and that is what we have been doing SURGXFWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD DQG FDQ EHFRPH in Kebbi. We share knowledge. The market WKH PDLQVWD\ RI WKH HFRQRP\ :KDW SODQV is big to meet our needs. One of the event’s GR \RX KDYH UHJDUGLQJ WKLV" successes (in the last) two days ago was the We are not competing with other states. Benin Republic delegation because all of If you recall, I have always said, one of a sudden, the Benin Republic recognised Nigeria’s blessings is that rice grows in that Nigeria’s strategy is a strategy that 36 states and the FCT. There is no state - works for the whole of West Africa. Let even Lagos - they have relatively small us mobilise all farmers in West Africa to land because of urbanisation, which is produce more. It’s commendable that Benin the highest in the country. But still, they has gone as far as saying they will ban have some rice production going on in the any rice that Nigeria bans so that we can state, which is further evidence that rice work. We don’t mind buying from Benin is a Nigerian crop, so to say. In the sense farmers. We are in ECOWAS together; we that maybe it is one of the few crops that are under the ECOWAS and Africa Free you can Ànd growing all the 36 states. Trade Agreement. What Nigeria is doing Some states are even more suitably placed. as Big Brother is evidently now showing For example, the most surprising will be West Africans and others; maybe, Africans Bayelsa. Bayelsa has a lot of water resources. beneÀt mutually. And that is a very, very, Somebody doing rice in Bayelsa would ingenious way for our economy, economic not have water challenges like the one union to work. doing it in Kebbi. Because Kebbi farmers, during the dry season, have to pump 'HVSLWH WKH $%3·V VXFFHVV \RX ZLOO VWLOO (water), even the River Niger is lower GLVFRYHU WKHUH DUH VNLUPLVKHV LQ VRPH than the farm level. You have to pump VWDWHV ZKHUH WKH SURJUDPPH KDV EHHQ to bring the water up. But in places like KLMDFNHG :KDW·V GRQH WR UHVROYH WKDW" I don’t think so, because really, the Bayelsa and some places in Kano (that’s not needed). That is why it is not surprising central bank has been very smart about that even the Shagari government in the it, any group can organise themselves. If 1980s had the vision that Bayelsa, a prime there is Group A that organises itself, and area, should be producing at least two there is an allegation rightly or wrongly, million metric tons of rice. Cross River is another group can do it. The central bank a major producer, Anambra, and Ebonyi. is not lending through one person or one We also have Abakiliki. Like in Kebbi and organisation, or one entity. Because of that, Taraba, the women in Nasarawa, Jigawa, nothing stops people from creating another Sokoto, and elsewhere in Nigeria are known organisation. Even the maize association historically to be involved in rice farming has rival associations, and the central bank and processing. It is not about even being is dealing with all of them. I think Nigerians the biggest; no. This is a big economic have also to embrace the policy success opportunity for the country in terms of that; look, there are some things that we are its ability to contribute to employment, not even competing with each other. We introduced. It supports both production and processing, particularly for young entrepreneurs. No doubt, one can see that many companies in technology, Ànancial innovation, processing, and knowledge provision to the agricultural sector had come up in the last few years. This has been very supportive of the economic recovery and growth creation in the country.

should complement each other. When we complement each other, everyone beneÀts.

Everyone beneÀts not only rice. We have done that for rice. As I said, Kebbi at one time had a partnership with Lagos. We sent people to Imo state to teach them.

Because it is not like Kebbi is competing with Imo, we should complement each other to produce more. We should do the same thing for palm oil. We should do the same thing for cassava. We should do the same thing for yam. We should think of our place in the world rather than our relationship with each other and create more employment.

6RPH SHRSOH ZLOO GLVDJUHH ZLWK \RX RQ WKLV ULFH VXFFHVV EHFDXVH WKH\ DUJXHG ZKHQ ULFH ZDV LPSRUWHG LQWR 1LJHULD LW VROG IRU 1 1RZ WKDW ORFDO ULFH SURGXFWLRQ LV VXͿFLHQW LW VHOOV IRU 1 RU 1 +RZ GR \RX H[SODLQ WKDW" First, when maybe rice was selling for N6,000, what was the exchange rate" What is the cost of input" How much does it cost to buy a litre of oil" For example, I tell you, in Kebbi, 100 percent of the farmers who are doing dry season farming rely on fuel generators to pump water. The fuel price will follow changes in petroleum prices.

When maybe rice was selling for N6,000 per bag, maybe the fuel price was less than N80. So, input cost, material cost, and the exchange rate. But the beauty of that scenario is that Nigerians who are saying that are even ignoring a basic incentive. If you think the price is higher, produce more, go and make a farm. That is the beauty of the economic policy because you have an economic policy that supports everyone to produce.

If I don’t want to buy rice, and I think I can make money because people are making money, let me join. When we produce more, we can either reduce the amount we buy or contribute to national output increase. It is not only the price of rice that has increased. If only rice prices increase relative to other foodstuͿ and other foodstuͿ are not increasing, you can say the rice policy is not working.

25

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

There was No Blockade of Supply to South, Food Dealers Went on Strike But when it reÁects changes in general prices in the economy, the argument will be understandable. Today, the dollar in the black market sells for about N450.

Somebody who imports rice obviously will have used the black market exchange rate, so if he is importing quality rice, it can’t come to him cheaper than Nigerianproduced rice.

incidents can happen. They are a matter of life; sometimes, competition, like in Ibadan, competition for leadership control is not tribal. We have seen competition for leadership of NURTW in diͿerent states, and it is still a perennial problem. We need to all put this together and know that isolated incidents should not be given pride of place to the detriment of those things that are more unifying and now supporting more Nigerians’ livelihoods.

One major challenge about the ABP is loan repayment. There was a time that mosques were engaged to encourage people to pay back their loans. How have we been able to resolve this?

Loan repayment will always be an issue.

But again, the CBN acknowledged that the rate of loan repayment has been increasing.

The rate of default has been declining. We are dealing with a major transformation.

In a major transformation, success is not measured by 100 percent loan repayment.

Success is measured by your objective.

If your objective is to ensure Nigerians can feed themselves, you have to factor in that. What are you willing to trade oͿ to achieve that" If your objective is to create more employment for Nigerians, is it creating more employment" If it is, then you also have to add that in discounting your concern about loan repayment. How does this loan repayment compare with loan repayment in other countries for the same crop or the same purpose" How does this loan repayment compare with loan repayment in other sectors" The CBN has stated that it wants in the next two years to ensure that agricultural lending increased from four percent to 10 percent of the bank loans. This means what’s lent agriculture is four percent of the loss. Ninety-six percent is going elsewhere, not agriculture.

If there are loan losses, it is not because of agriculture. There have been loan losses in the banking sector. The most evident indicator of loan losses is AMCON. We create an asset management company to take over bad loans from the Nigerian banking sector, which is about N5 trillion.

The total lending to agriculture has been under N1 trillion. However, I am not dismissing it. It is an issue. But it shouldn’t weaken our banks. Organisations, companies are increasing the way they extend credit through the ABP and other schemes. It is almost di΀cult to refuse to pay a loan except on an event’s occurrence because biometrics are captured. In addition to biometrics, you have your geometric, GIS coordinates of a Àrm taken. You even have drones being used to monitor when planting occurs when fertiliser is applied.

To reduce exposure, insurance companies are putting in more resources and more personnel to ensure that farmers and all borrowers have done all they need to do.

And then, because of the uptake agreement, overall loan performance has been increasing signiÀcantly.

.HEEL DWWUDFWHG -% )RRGV WR *DVND ORFDO JRYHUQPHQW DUHD DV SDUW RI WKH YDOXH FKDLQ LQ WRPDWR IDUPLQJ DQG SURFHVVLQJ :KDW LV WKH VWDWH RI WKDW SDUWQHUVKLS QRZ" We are seeking Mr. President’s availability sometime this month to commission the factory, with a very big tomato processing facility. The day before yesterday, I showed pictures were about 500 women are employed on a daily basis. It’s been a huge success.

You are a trained economist. You know the CBN should be concerned with monHWDU\ SROLF\ LQÁDWLRQ DQG *'3 JURZWK ,W VHHPV WR EH WDNLQJ D GL;HUHQW SDWK ,I you are the CBN governor today, will you take this direction by being involved in the ABP? This CBN is wonderful. What is central banking" Central banking is at the heart of the economic management of a country. It is not supposed to be the same for every country. Some countries have a more advanced, more sophisticated Ànancial system. Some countries have more capital from around the world come into their economic system. For example, if you go to the UK, the amount of foreign capital in the UK and the American system is higher than Nigeria’s. In Nigeria, maybe the Ànancial resources of Nigerians dominate the banking system. If you go to the U.S., it is not so.

The sovereign wealth funds of countries around the world; the Chinese money is in U.S. treasury bills. Chinese money is not in Nigeria’s treasury bills. Because of this, we have to Àgure out how to do it.

We have to Àgure out how to energise our economy. What Godwin EmeÀele has done is right, and congratulations to him. He has taken whatever risk to take to energise the Nigerian economy to ensure that Nigerian economic agents, whether they are farmers, processors, young people in technology,

Coming back to the pyramid: we XQGHUVWDQG LW ZDV IURP RQH ORFDO government in Kebbi. Is that correct?

No; not necessarily from the local government, but you can easily get from one local government" But I don’t know because I didn’t organise the pyramid. The rice farmers association did. But it’s not even a surprise. It will be a percentage of the rice output of a local government. Let Nigerian believe in themselves. God gave us a great country. I am not surprised if I see this rice pyramid in Ebonyi. I will not be surprised if I see them in Cross River. It is not a big deal. Our people are hardworking. See, our woman, 4 am they are awake. They are by the roadside selling cashew nuts. They are walking to a market with a calabash on their head, and they are out looking for water. You can see our hardworking farmers with their cutlass, hoe working. These people are not lazy.

They have demonstrated their eͿorts for the rest of society, for you in the intellectual arm, you and I that have been educated sometimes at their expense, to think for them so that the value of their eͿorts will be rewarded. That is our role.

The pyramids you talked about should be seen in every state in Nigeria. That is part of God’s providence to us. If we don’t manage it, it is our own making.

Atiku Bagudu

in entertainment; whether they are Àshing communities, are supported.

That is the development Ànance role. The CBN supports the provision of Ànancing and, like I said, an uptake arrangement supporting it, unlike anything we have ever seen before. It is not to say that CBN has never done development Ànance, but the importance attached to it in the last Àve years as a major feature of the management of the bank has never been seen before.

One can see you’re pan-Nigerian. You EHOLHYH LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ SURMHFW :RXOG \RX DOORZ \RXU YLVLRQ IRU 1LJHULD WR JR ZLWK \RXU WHQXUH DV D JRYHUQRU" :KDW LV \RXU SROLWLFDO IXWXUH" Every one of us has an obligation before God, to use whatever providence God has given us to continue to serve our people; your role as a community leader, as a statesman, as an advisor, that it doesn’t end. We have an obligation to our country to continue to provide support, engage in discussion, promote, and advise the people whom God might put in governance. That leadership is alive. It is a lifelong role for me, and we have seen others do it be religious leaders, traditional leaders, other people.

You just have to deÀne your role. You have to know that it doesn’t begin and end with an election. That’s part of one of the things that we have to cure about our democracy.

Democracy is not just getting people elected into o΀ce or giving those elected in o΀ce the illusion that they are the only leaders.

Everyone has a role, whether in or out of o΀ce, to pressure and ensure that leadership continues to recognise our dream, our ideals: we want a strong, united Nigeria.

Our young men and women out there want to compete with the Japanese. They want to compete with the Koreans. They are not interested in our divisive fault lines. They want the pride of a nation. They want the /HW·V WDON DERXW WKH UHVROYHG IRRG support to compete globally, and we owe crisis in the South due to the blockade it to them. by some trade unions in the North and WKH KHUGVPHQ FULVLV ,Q IDFW WKH SULFH RI 7KH $UJXQJX ÀVKLQJ IHVWLYDO ZDV D WRPDWRHV VRDUHG :KDW GR \RX WKLQN LV global event last year. Any plan this year?

WKH VROXWLRQ WR D IXWXUH RFFXUUHQFH RI D Secondly, the central bank governor in crisis like that?

Kebbi on Tuesday stated that he wanted a First, in my remarks during the crisis, situation that rice production in Nigeria I said there was no blockade. We have to ZLOO JURZ IURP ÀYH SHUFHQW RI *'3 WR rise and defend our country against those SHUFHQW +RZ GR ZH JHW WR WKDW SHUFHQW" who have nothing to lose if they encourage The Agungun Àshing festival was us to do the wrong thing. A union called celebrated last year, March 12 to 14. But Amalgamated Union of FoodstuͿ and unfortunately, this year, because of the Cattle Traders issued a statement a few COVID-19 pandemic, we felt that having days ago calling the government’s atten- many people come to the same place, we tion that their members were caught up in can’t manage the COVID-19 logistics. It is a incidents across the country. Not just the festival you can hardly control the behaviour southern part, but across the country. They of many people. Because it is a water-based have lost their vehicles. Before vehicles, event, people cannot jump into the water some of them lost their lives. Some of them wearing a face mask. Because many people lost their vehicles, and it is generally more will come close to each other, it will be di΀cult for them to move goods anywhere so much of a challenge. Regrettably, we across the country. It is not North to South; decided that we’d rather wait and pray. not South to North; that was the statement With all the measures now vaccines maybe they issued and that if nothing was done, by next year, we will have the opportunity they would go on strike. They felt nothing to celebrate. was done to their satisfaction, and they As for your question about rice producwent on strike. But this has been turned tion, producing more rice is easy. Many to ¶Oh, there has been a blockage of some farmers across Nigeria are already farming, movement across the country.’ I remember who, with little support, essential services, calling the chairman. I said, well, then training in modern agronomic practices, whatever the nobility of your cause, it is and Ànancing, have moved from the current misrepresented as a blockade, which is not yield to a bigger yield. That automatically good, and it is coming at the wrong time. increases rice production. In Kebbi, it used He quickly said they didn’t look at it from to be with one hectare; you produced less this perspective. But they felt ignored. I than a tonne. Now with one hectare, you called the chief of staͿ to Mr. President; produce a minimum of Àve tonnes. You can informed him, and promptly agreed to act. imagine if all rice farmers can achieve that, The chief of staͿ told me he had set up a that would be a Àvefold yield or Àvefold meeting with them. I called the chairman increase in rice production. Then more of the amalgamated union and told him. people are attracted to farming or expanding Kogi governor also contacted them. Kogi their farmland and then multiple cropping. governor came here, and I told him, please It used to be that most of our farmers only coordinate the meeting: which had since farmed one crop during the rainy season. been held, and the matter was resolved.

Now, they do more than one crop, and They went there to announce that they had they even invest more in the dry season. So called oͿ their strike. We should strengthen a combination of these and then continuous the bond of what works for us. Nobody support by government policy improved can win in a blockade. production tremendously. President MuThe poor farmer who produces his tomato hammadu Buhari supported the closure and the person selling his palm oil are the of borders, not because we don’t like our ones losing. I have been to Oyo after the neighbours, but just to show that we are Sasha incident. I have been to Abeokuta. I serious about the fact that if Nigerians can was a member of the delegation to Akure produce something, and that the governbefore then to Imo. People who are dealing ment should protect those Nigerians against with these issues are not looking at them unfair competition from abroad. The mesin this elitist camp. They are willing to sage has resonated that more Nigerians forgive each other; they understand that are investing in it.

26

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

BUSINESS INTERVIEW HADIZA BALA-USMAN

NPA Wants to Achieve 3,000Capacity Truck Parks in Lagos Withtheelectroniccall-upsystem(ETO)introducedbytheNigerianPortsAuthority(NPA)tosolvetheApapa gridlock, sanity is gradually returning to the road. Before the electronic call-up system’s commencement, the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, spoke with editors of national newspapers on how the process will work. Eromosele Abiodun presents the excerpts.

E

arly last year, a businessman said it cost N60,000 to clear anything out of the port. But within last December and January, that same truck cost him N1,000,000. The reality is that the more you try, the harder it gets to do anything. Security operatives’ deployment to Apapa is like doing business in the Niger Delta. It is the most lucrative posting for security men in Lagos today.

Regarding the cost of moving cargo, it has been years that it was N60,000. I don’t know at what point that businessman was moving containers out from Tin Can at N60,000 probably before I came here. But I know from January there was huge congestion that we had to set up another team that reduced the cost to about N300,000 to make it cheaper and easier.

But the key issue you mentioned, which is what we strive to do, is that posting for the policemen to Apapa is a beneÀcial posting.

So that corridor Apapa-Tin Can is where they are milking out, so nobody wants the place to be sanitised. It is interesting that we requested through the Ministry of Transportation to have a mobile police command sent to facilitate Tin Can Island decongestion. This thing you are talking about was actually sanitised by last month. Then it came back. We must have designated truck parks, if you don’t have designated parks, they are going to park on the road, and if you say you don’t approve of any of the truck parks being inspected and certiÀed, then you Ànd a replacement one that we will use but what is important is that there must be truck parks.

You cannot have sanity with movement into the Apapa truck parks without that, so that is an issue. Yes, I go there. I have been there. I receive calls every day about congestion. I receive videos of what is going on. I am familiar with the congestion.

I want us to push through and see how this e-call up will be deployed and how eͿective it will be. As you say, the security o΀cers view the Apapa-Tin Can Island posting as the posting where they will make money, and all of them scrambling, hustling that it remains an area where they can make money.

The congestion we have is man-made.

What’s being done to stamp it out?

I will explain our responsibility inside the port. NPA ensures that when vessels come into Nigeria from the fairway point, which is the waterways’ entry, our pilots will board the vessel and navigate the vessel using the tugboat. We ensure that the channels are navigable; there are no wrecks in the channel. The vessel now comes and its berth safely, alongside the terminal. The key sides are strong enough to anchor the vessels, and the terminal operators now o΁oad the cargo onto the terminal. When they o΁oad the cargo unto the terminal, our job is to ensure the terminal operators’ equipment are e΀cient to o΁oad in a timely manner.

We have to ensure that the channels are

Hadiza Bala-Usman

deep enough, that there are no wrecks.

We have to ensure that our pilots and our towage service and our pilotage services provide the necessary towage to bring the boat in and mow it eͿectively. So, when they o΁oad the cargo and put it at the terminal, then agencies that are required to clear the cargo now come into play.

They now take the cargo, place them for inspection. Your container is placed for inspection in an area; Customs is invited to lead the other agencies. They come; they open your cargo. They check, and they let you go if your cargo is deemed cleared and you have made the necessary payments. Once your cargo is o΁oaded and kept on the terminal, our responsibility ends as the Nigerian Ports Authority. The terminal operator’s role is to ensure that Customs e΀ciently screens your cargo, inspects it, and gives you clearance to go.

That is a major stumbling block that we have. Customs have committed to providing scanners in 2021. They have done the procurement. They commit to having the scanners delivered this year.

We will have scanning services done. Now they do it physically. If we have 1.8 million or one million cargo coming into Apapa and Tin Can Island inspected physically,

you understand how ine΀cient that will be. My key performance indicators are tied to the key performance indicators of Customs and other people. Our role ends when the cargo is e΀ciently o΁oaded.

We need to ensure our terminal operators have e΀cient equipment. The inner yard is e΀cient enough for us to put the containers and move the cargo oͿ the vessels and onto the vessels e΀ciently.

In addition, we’re concerned about screening inspection. We also have a situation where cargo remain in the port, and the port becomes a warehouse. We have this running battle with Customs that, overtime, cargo just remain in the port.

We have had to move almost a thousand containers to Ikorodu for Customs to auction, now Ikorodu is full. Customs have still not auctioned, and the terminals now will be full because you have overtime cargo. Ideally, if cargo is overtime, you quickly check it, take it, and auction it, and that is gone, but they seem to have a cumbersome process. I have written to the CG Customs. He said the process would require a gazette. I have told him that it’s interesting Customs is quick to auction vehicles; seized vehicles are auctioned on time. But containers on random items,

they are not excited to auction them. So that is a problem we have. Those are the challenges – inspecting the cargo and releasing them to leave the port. When they also leave the port, we now have another inspection at the gate, so the same people inspect inside, inspect at the gate, and inspect on the highway. But the Nigerian Customs have been insistent that they have been able to make many arrests of items smuggled through these diͿerent layers of inspection that they have put in place, so these are the aspects. It’s di΀cult. The NPA cannot force Customs and the other agencies to do their job. While we have synergy, we also have the challenge of operating on diͿerent wavelengths. This is what obtains inside the port locations.

The operations are not in isolation of the headquarters. We have a port manager in each location, and they supervise the activities of the terminal operators and report to headquarters. I meet with the terminal operators on their equipment and what is required: any terminal that does not meet up with what we expect from them in terms of terminal equipment; in terms of deployment, we sanction them.

It is a hopeless situation if NPA and

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

27

BUSINESS INTERVIEW How NPA Will Use e-Call-up System to Decongest Apapa, Tin Can Ports Customs cannot work together. No major change can be expected; is that a fair conclusion?

The Customs need to be abreast with what they need to do; their obligations. If you know you need scanners, you should procure them in good time, and you should ensure that they are e΀cient. If your staͿ are supposed to come for inspection, what time do they come? Do they come at 9 am and close at 4 pm? Do they work at weekends? What is it do they need to do to improve? When are other agencies coming into the picture? These are the things we need to improve. It’s more to do with every agency upping their game in delivering on their obligations to have improved e΀ciency. The NCS also reference that the scanners are not oͿ the shelf. They are manufactured speciÀcally for their requirement, and the approval was given when Kemi Adeosun was the minister of Ànance. I remember the meetings we had with Kemi as minister of Ànance. This was how many years ago? They still have not acquired the scanners. She submitted that memo to FEC for approval, and in 2021 the scanners have not been delivered. I have been pushing Col. Ahmed Alli, and they say it will be ready this year.

Where are the truck parks located, and what’s the timeline for us to query the V\VWHP·V H;HFWLYHQHVV" We have a list of the truck parks. They are located within the port environment, and one is in Lillypond, MOB in Tin Can Island, and Bola Tinubu Truck Park. We have them on the e-call-up app. I will also encourage some of us who have an interest in this to download the e-toll app on Google Playstore. You will be able to see all the locations of the approved parks.

They’ve all been logged into the app.

When is the right time to start looking DW KRZ HͿFLHQW LW LV" We started on 27 February; if you can give a month into implementation, you will see where the hiccups are. Trucks park is a very good business. If you have a park that can sit 200 trucks and every truck coming to the port must go into your park, it is money. So, I am curious why they were telling me ¶NPA should go and buy land;’ ¶NPA should do this and that.’ It is not our duty. Also, for the Lagos state government to be going back and forth on the truck park issue is not encouraging. In fact, the motor park is a local-state government aͿair. It’s not a federal government aͿair. The motor park is what a truck park is. You designate and say the land used for this place is for a truck park. Then, the private investor will make the payment needed, do the fencing, provide the necessary security, and then log you into the app. It’s a win-win situation. But you know that this corridor is known for how much it beneÀts you keep going back and forth, back and forth on it. I’m hopeful that we have reached sort of the end of the challenge. Between February and the next three months, we will have many teething issues with the e-call-up. But I believe we will succeed in its implementation.

Should NPA and NIMASA be contracting in dollars as against the naira?

The revenue in the shipping industry is denominated in dollars. If you earn naira, you are shortchanging yourself as a country because shipping companies collect cargo payments in dollars. They make payments in dollars. If you collect naira, you are the one depriving yourself of revenue in foreign currency earnings.

At the same time, we have also looked at ways to balance our USD inÁow to our dollar outÁow to reduce the dollar’s pressure. So our F&A are working on developing ways to reduce. For every commensurate dollar we receive, this is the outÁow, and we reduce the USD inÁow and increase our NGR outÁow.

This is what we are trying to do to assist in reducing the pressure on the US dollar.

Any payment that we don’t do in the dollar we want to do them in naira. Any monies we don’t have to receive in the dollar, we receive in naira. We are working on that

the laws of the federation.

There are multiple agencies at the port; most of them perform similar functions.

They have diͿerent duties. Let me clarify that. What is important is that some of them don’t have to be physically present.

That is why we have worked so hard to try to establish a single window, which failed. That single window will enable some agency to remain in the o΀ce. You don’t have to be physically present at the location. Suppose a single window and scanners are all together. In that case, you scan the cargo and send that to all the agencies. They will see what is in the container, make an inspection and do it with that scanned documents. They will now send that back to say this is what we have done, and the cargo will be released or not released based on the virtual inspection. That hasn’t happened yet. But we will continue to have those agencies within the port. There is no duplicity in their roles. They all have diͿerent roles.

But they need not be there physically.

It is not e΀cient to have those agencies coming physically.

What’s the update on the Calabar channel?

We are still in court to reclaim the $15 million we paid them for services not rendered. We have not changed our position. We remain consistent. The contract remains terminated.

Hadiza Bala-Usman

framework to see how we can ease the US dollar’s sourcing and ease pressure in the foreign exchange market. But for shipping, we need to realise that they will make money and we won’t.

What are the challenges in the e-call-up system, and what’s been done to deal with them?

We have challenges in making sure that the available truck parks meet up to the standard. We have seven truck parks.

We will need more to enable us to get to the level where we have 3,000 truck park space for trucks within Lagos. The seven parks have not reached that stage, so we want to have more. The other challenge is compliance, meaning any trucks in the port corridors that don’t have the e-callup app are impounded and kept in the Impounding Yard and will be made to pay. These are the envisaged challenges that we see. But we believe that we might probably have more.

Can you bring us up to speed about the Olokola seaport project, which seems moribund?

When I joined the NPA, there were documentation on the Olokola port, but that was historic. Ogun and Ondo decided to come independently. Ogun submitted a proposal, and Ondo submitted a proposal detailing what they want to do. I told the representative of Ogun, go and work with Ondo. We did the same with Ondo. That port cannot be divided into two; the place is for one operation. For environmental issues, for competitiveness, you cannot have two separate ports in that location.

You have to work together. I told them in a meeting you have to work together.

I keep receiving a separate outline business case from both Ondo and Ogun.

Last year, I wrote letters to them, stating speciÀcally that this was a proposal. It was a historic concept that has both of you working together at Olokola. You have come separately.

We want you to go back and bring it as a joint submission from the two states, and we will have one port in that location.

We cannot have two. I signed oͿ these two letters to the governors. I’m hoping we will receive an appropriate response for them to work together. I want them to work together at the Olokola port to get to the next level. But you know you can’t just have two ports in that location.

I honestly do not see what the challenge is in collaboration because the port will develop. There will be a clear revenuesharing formula, joint shareholders, joint seats on the board. I don’t see the reason everybody wants to work alone. I await the feedback. As you said, the port’s location is excellent. But as they drag their feet, it might become uneconomically viable because, within this environment, we can have Lekki, Badagry, and Olokola, all of them in that location. So whoever breaks through Àrst will grab the market. That is the challenge with that port. I believe it’s the right thing for them to work together to enable that port to happen.

What are the hopes for Baro, Onitsha, and Port Harcourt ports?

Those ports are under the Nigeria Inland Waterways (NIWA). The Nigeria Ports Authority does not control them. We don’t have any information or knowledge of their state. George Moghalu will answer those questions. He’s the MD of NIWA. Why is NIWA in charge of some ports and NPA is in charge of others?

NIWA supervises the inland waterways port. By that, we mean the Onitsha port, Baro port, all the ports that arise from inland waters. So, the ports that NPA supervises are the ports that arise from the coastal line.

How is the e-call-up app going to be managed? There have only been 500 downloads.

People are still sceptical. They are wondering if it will happen or not. But +RZ PXFK ZLOO LW FRVW WR KDYH WKH WKUHH we keep on; when they see the reality deep ports become operational? that you can only access the port with the The government is not funding it. It’s e-call-up app, we believe more people will funded by the private sector. I don’t have download it and utilise it. In the mind the Àgures. But it is in billions of dollars, of anyone, they think what they don’t maybe a billion thereabout. I don’t have the believe in won’t happen. It will take at Àgure. Lekki deep port will be completed least a month for them to see that they in the Àrst quarter of 2022. There’s no can’t go into the port without complying. timeline yet for Ibom and Badagry. We just got FEC approval for Ibom. We are 7KHUH KDYH RQO\ EHHQ GRZQORDGV developing a concession agreement and Is there enough awareness? the details in the next month, and we will We actually did a lot of consultations. We be able to have our timeline. We are also had stakeholders’ consultations over the hopeful that all of them will come to play last two months. We invited the associaby the end of 2022 or early 2023. tion of truck owners, freight forwarders, transporters for a series of stakeholders’ Now that Intel and Atiku had parted workshops. We have done a radio jingle. ways, are you ready to do business with We have done banners. We have done a Intels? lot of media campaigns around it. We We have never refused to do business have even had a town hall meeting. We with Intels. As I said in several forums, we invited them to come with their phones sought to have Intels comply in the same to help them download; show them the way like every other business complies step-by-step process of downloading. with federal government policies. Intels We have done a signiÀcant amount of did the politicisation of the matter. For you media awareness on it, and this media to think that you are above the law, you awareness is targeted at the app’s speciÀc will not make payment to TSA. You will not users. We made a conscious eͿort to do comply with regulations means you are the that. I recognise we need to do more. We only one using your political inÁuence to are going to the second phase of the media refuse to comply. We never had any issue campaign. We probably need to amplify with not working with Intels. They have it, to put it on billboards, on lamp posts terminals; they have a concession with within the port corridors. While we were the Nigeria port. They had a service boat working on the app’s deployment, other operation; the contract expired in August people told them it would fail: ‘Don’t waste 2020. They had another water regulatory your time. They are going to come back agreement with NPA, which is ongoing. to the task force. Don’t bother yourself.

We never refused to work with them. We It is the task force that will work.’ That sought to have them comply and operate scepticism is not allowing them to do within the environment as every other what is required. The several layers of company. For us, it’s not whether Atiku beneÀciaries of the various ine΀ciencies is part of Intels or not. What is obtainable are campaigning actively to see how it is for every company to operate within will fail.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

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njĂŬŚƐƚĂŶ ƌĂŝƐŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ďLJ ϭϯϬ͕ϬϬϬ ĂŶĚ ϮϬ͕ϬϬϬ ďƉĚ͕ ƌĞƐƉĞĐͲ ƟǀĞůLJ͘ tĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚŝƐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉͲ ŵĞŶƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĞůƉ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞͲ ĐŽǀĞƌLJ ŝŶ Žŝů ƉƌŝĐĞƐ͘

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ϰ ŽĨ ϳ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐŝŶŐ ǁͬǁ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ h^͕ ƚŚĞ ^ΘW ϱϬϬ ĂŶĚ E ^ Y ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨĞůů Ϭ͘ϳй ĂŶĚ ϰ͘Ϭй ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐͲ ƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ĚŝƐĂƉƉŽŝŶƟŶŐ ƐŝŐŶĂůƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ &ĞĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ ďŽŶĚ LJŝĞůĚƐ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ h<͕ ƚŚĞ &d^ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ͕ &ƌĂŶĐĞ ϰϬ ĂŶĚ 'ĞƌŵĂͲ ŶLJ͛Ɛ y dZ y ŐĂŝŶĞĚ Ϯ͘ϴй͕ Ϯ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϳй ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ,ŽŶŐ <ŽŶŐ͛Ɛ ,ĂŶŐ ^ĞŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ Ϭ͘ϰй ǁͬǁ ĂŶĚ :ĂƉĂŶ͛Ɛ EŝŬŬĞŝ ϮϮϱ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ůŽǁĞƌ ďLJ Ϭ͘ϰй ǁͬǁ͘

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ Z/ ^ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ǁĂƐ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ǁŝƚŚ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ǁͬǁ͘ ŚŝŶĂ͛Ɛ ^ŚĂŶŐŚĂŝ ŽŵƉŽƐŝƚĞ ĞŵĞƌŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚ͕ ĚŽǁŶ Ϭ͘Ϯй ǁͬǁ͘

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/Ŷ ĨƌŝĐĂ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ǁŝƚŚ ϰ ŽĨ ϲ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌͲ ĂŐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶŝŶŐ ǁͬǁ͘ 'ŚĂŶĂ͛Ɛ '^ ŽŵƉŽƐŝƚĞ ĂŶĚ <ĞŶLJĂ͛Ɛ E^ ϮϬ ĂƉͲ ƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ Ϭ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϯй ǁͬǁ ƌĞͲ ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ EŝŐĞƌŝĂΖƐ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ ĂŶĚ ŐLJƉƚ͛Ɛ 'y ϯϬ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϯ͘ϰй ǁͬǁ ƌĞͲ ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ DĂƵƌŝƟƵƐ͛ ^ D y ĂŶĚ DŽƌƌŽĐĐŽΖƐ ĂƐĂďůĂŶͲ ĐĂ D ^/ ĨĞůů ϭ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϭй ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

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ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ^Ğůů WƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ͙ ^/ ^ŚĞĚƐ ϭ͘Ϯй ǁͬǁ dŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƉƌĞͲ ǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ͛Ɛ ƐĞůů ŽīƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƚƌĂĚĞƐ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ƐŽƵƚŚǁĂƌĚƐ ŽŶ Ăůů ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ƐĂǀĞ DŽŶĚĂLJ͘ ŽŶƐĞͲ ƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž ůŽƐƚ ϭ͘Ϯй ǁͬǁ ƚŽ ϯϵ͕ϯϯϭ͘ϲϭ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ůͲ ƐŽ͕ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ǁŽƌƐĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϯ͘ϯй ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĨĞůů േϮϰϱ͘ϬďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐͲ ƟǀŝƚLJ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ϴ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ ϰϰ͘Ϭй ƚŽ ϰϭϴ͘ϰŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ േϱ͘ϵďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ t D Ͳ E< ;ϯϳϰ͘ϱŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ E/d, ;ϭϰϴ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ hE/s/E^hZ

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

;ϴϯ͘ϰŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E/d, ;േϯ͘ϴďŶͿ͕ E ^d> ;േϯ͘ϭďŶͿ ĂŶĚ 'h Z Edz ;േϭ͘ϴďŶͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ůĂĐŬůƵƐƚƌĞ ǁͬǁ ĂƐ Ăůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶͲ ĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ůŽƐƚ ƐĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁŚŝĐŚ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘ϰй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ hͲ D Ed ;нϭ͘ϭйͿ͘ dŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϲ͘ϯй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ , DW/KE ; ϯϯ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ E ^Ͳ KE ; ϭϵ͘ϬйͿ͘ dƌĂŝůŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌͲ ĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨĞůů ϱ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ Ϯ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĨŽůͲ ůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƐ ŝŶ D E Ͳ &/d ; ϭϮ͘ϱйͿ͕ >/E< ^^hZ ; ϭϬ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ K E K ; Ϯϯ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵͲ ŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƐĞůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ ^d Z>E ; ϭϰ͘ϬйͿ͕ t D E< ; ϭϮ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ DdEE ; Ϯ͘ϯйͿ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ &Z / d ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĚŽǁŶ ďLJ ϭ͘ϵй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐͲ ƟǀĞůLJ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ǁĂŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘Ϯdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘ϰdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ϭϮ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϲϳ ƚŚĂƚ ůŽƐƚ͘ DKZ/^KE ;нϮϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ hE/dz E< ;нϵ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ d '> ^ ;нϴ͘ϬйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁŚŝůĞ , DW/KE ; ϯϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ K E K ; Ϯϯ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ E ^ KE ; ϭϵ͘ϬйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ &Žƌ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ Ă ŵŝdžĞĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌͲ ŵĂŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ďŝĂƐ ĨŽƌ ďĂƌͲ ŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ͘

&ŽƌĞŝŐŶ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ Kŝů WƌŝĐĞ ,ŝƚƐ ŶĞĂƌůLJ Ϯ LJĞĂƌ ,ŝŐŚ ĂƐ KW н ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶƐ WƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ Ƶƚ ƌĞŶƚ Žŝů ƉƌŝĐĞ ũƵŵƉĞĚ ŽŶ dŚƵƌƐͲ ĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϲ͘ϰй ǁͬǁ ƚŽ Ψϲϴ͘ϱϱďďů͘ ĂŌĞƌ KW н ŬĞƉƚ ƉƌŽͲ ĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĐƵƚ ƐƚĞĂĚLJ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ Ɖƌŝů Ăƚ ϳ͘ϮŵďƉĚ ĂŶĚ ^ĂƵĚŝ ƌĂďŝĂ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŝƚƐ ǀŽůƵŶƚĂƌLJ ϭŵďƉĚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĐƵƚ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ZƵƐƐŝĂ ĂŶĚ <ĂnjĂŬŚƐƚĂŶ ǁĞƌĞ ĂůůŽǁĞĚ ƚŽ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ďLJ ϭϯϬ͕ϬϬϬ ĂŶĚ ϮϬ͕ϬϬϬ ďƉĚ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚŝƐ ŵŽǀĞ ǁĂƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ĞŶƐƵƌŝŶŐ Ă ƐƚĞĂĚLJ Žŝů ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌLJ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƐƵƉƉůLJ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ͘ DĞĂŶǁŚŝůĞ͕ ůŽĐĂůůLJ ƚŚĞ ĞdžƚĞƌŶĂů ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞƐ ĨĞůů Ϭ͘ϳй ǁͬǁ ƚŽ Ψϯϰ͘ϵďŶ ;ϯͬϯͬϮϬϮϭͿ͘

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ &KZ y ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŚĞ E

29

ƐƉŽƚ ƌĂƚĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ŇĂƚ Ăůů ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ േϯϳϵ͘ϬϬͬΨϭ͘ϬϬ ǁŚŝůĞ ƌĂƚĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂůůĞů ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ േϮ͘ϬϬ ǁͬǁ ƚŽ േϰϴϬ͘ϬϬ͘ϬϬͬΨϭ͘ϬϬ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ Θ džƉŽƌƚĞƌƐ ;/Θ Ϳ tŝŶͲ ĚŽǁ͕ ƚŚĞ E & y ƌĂƚĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ േϬ͘ϳϱ ǁͬǁ ƚŽ േϰϭϭ͘ϬϬͬΨϭ͘ϬϬ͘ ĐͲ ƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ŝŶ /Θ tŝŶĚŽǁ ŝŵͲ ƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ƚŽƚĂů ƚƵƌŶŽǀĞƌ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϱϱ͘ϲй ƚŽ ΨϮϮϭ͘ϱŵ ĨƌŽŵ Ψϰϵϴ͘ϴŵ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ͘

ƚ ƚŚĞ &D Y ^ĞĐƵƌŝƟĞƐ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ &y &ƵƚƵƌĞƐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ DĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ŽĨ ŽƉĞŶ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ ƐĞƩůĞĚ Ăƚ Ψϲ͘ϭďŶ͕ ƵƉ Ϯ͘ϯй ;Ψϭϯϴ͘ϵŵͿ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŽƌ ǁĞĞŬ͘ dŚĞ ĞĐĞŵďĞƌ ϮϬϮϭ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ;ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ ƉƌŝĐĞ͗ േϰϯϮ͘ϱϴͿ ŚĂĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĚĞŵĂŶĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ƐƵďͲ ƐĐƌŝƉƟŽŶ ŽĨ ΨϰϬ͘ϱŵ ƉƵƫŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƚŽͲ ƚĂů ǀĂůƵĞ Ăƚ Ψϯϳϯ͘ϴŵ͘ DĞĂŶǁŚŝůĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ƵŐƵƐƚ ϮϬϮϭ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ;ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚ ƉƌŝĐĞ͗ േϰϮϲ͘ϱϴͿ ŚĂĚ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂƐƚ ĚĞŵĂŶĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƚĂů ǀĂůͲ ƵĞ ƐĞƩůĞĚ Ăƚ Ψϯϴϵ͘Ϯŵ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵͲ ŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ EĂŝƌĂ ƚŽ ƌĞͲ ŵĂŝŶ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ďĂŶĚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ &y ƐĞŐŵĞŶƚƐ͘

DŽŶĞLJ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ K ĂŶĚ KsE dƌĞŶĚ ,ŝŐŚĞƌ dŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ƚŚĞ K ĂŶĚ KsE ƌĂƚĞƐ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ ϲ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϲ͘ϴй

ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ϱ͘ϳй ĂŶĚ ϲ͘ϯй ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƐĞƩůĞĚ Ăƚ േϯϯϲ͘ϮďŶ͘ KŶ dƵĞƐĚĂLJ͕ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŝŶŇŽǁƐ ǁŽƌƚŚ േϭϯϬ͘ϱďŶ͕ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ േϰϬϭ͘ϳďŶ ĂƐ K ĂŶĚ KsE ĨĞůů ƚŽ ϰ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ ϰ͘ϴй ƌĞͲ ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ &ŝŶĂůůLJ͕ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ͕ K ĂŶĚ KsE ƌĂƚĞ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ Ăƚ ϭϱ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ ϭϲ͘ϯй ƌĞͲ ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚĞƐƉŝƚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ Ăƚ േϱϲϯ͘ϱďŶ͘

KŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ E ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚĞĚ KDK ĂƵĐƟŽŶ ǁŽƌƚŚ േϵϬ͘ϬďŶ ƚŽ ŵŽƉ ƵƉ ĞdžĐĞƐƐ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐͲ ƚĞŵ͘ ĞŵĂŶĚ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĂƵĐƟŽŶ ǁĂƐ ŚĞĂůƚŚLJ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ϵϬ ĚĂLJ ;KīĞƌ͗ േϭϬ͘ϬďŶ͖ ^ƵďƐĐƌŝƉƟŽŶ͗ േϯϱ͘ϬďŶ͖ ^ĂůĞ͗ േϭϬ͘ϬďŶͿ͕ ϭϴϳ ĚĂLJ ;KīĞƌ͗ േϭϬ͘ϬďŶ͖ ^ƵďƐĐƌŝƉƟŽŶ͗ േϱϳ͘ϲďŶ͖ ^ĂůĞ͗ േϭϬ͘ϬďŶͿ ĂŶĚ ϯϲϮ ĚĂLJ ;KīĞƌ͗ േϳϬ͘ϬďŶ͖ ^ƵďƐĐƌŝƉƟŽŶ͗ േϯϲϭ͘ϬďŶ͖ ^ĂůĞ͗ േϳϬ͘ϬďŶͿ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ǁĞƌĞ ŽǀĞƌƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞĚ ďLJ ϯ͘ϱdž͕ ϱ͘ϴdž ĂŶĚ ϱ͘Ϯdž ǁŝƚŚ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂů ƌĂƚĞƐ ŽĨ ϳ͘Ϭй͕ ϴ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϭϬ͘ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĞĂƐƵƌLJ ďŝůůƐ ƐĞĐŽŶĚĂƌLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ďƵůůͲ ŝƐŚ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ďĞŶĐŚͲ ŵĂƌŬ ƚĞŶŽƌƐ ƚƌĞŶĚĞĚ ůŽǁĞƌ ďLJ ϱďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͘ϳй͘ dŚĞ ŵĞĚŝƵŵ ƚĞƌŵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚ ĞŶũŽLJĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ

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ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭϱďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϵй͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŚĂŶĚ͕ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƌƚ ĂŶĚ ůŽŶŐ ƚĞƌŵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ E ƚŽ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶ ŝƚƐ KDK ĂƵĐƟŽŶ ĂƐ KDK ŵĂƚƵƌŝƟĞƐ ǁŽƌƚŚ േϱϬ͘ϬďŶ ǁŽƵůĚ Śŝƚ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͕ ƌĂŝƐŝŶŐ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ͘ tĞ ĞŶǀŝƐͲ ĂŐĞ ƌĂƚĞƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ ůŽǁ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐͲ ŽŶĚĂƌLJ d ŝůůƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘

ŽŶĚ DĂƌŬĞƚ͗ ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ŽŶĚƐ zŝĞůĚ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶƐ ƵůůŝƐŚ DŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ dŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ďŽŶĚƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĞŶĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŽŶ Ă ďƵůůŝƐŚ ŶŽƚĞ͕ ĞdžͲ ƚĞŶĚŝŶŐ ůĂƐƚ ǁĞĞŬΖƐ ŐĂŝŶ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌͲ ĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ĨĞůů ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂůůLJ ďLJ ϯďƉƐ ƚŽ ϵ͘Ϯй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŽŶ Ϯ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϱ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĚĂLJƐ͘ ĐƌŽƐƐ ƚĞŶͲ ŽƌƐ͕ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶŐ ƚĞƌŵ ĂŶĚ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƚĞƌŵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϵďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ >ĂƐƚůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ŵĞĚŝƵŵ ƚĞƌŵ ŝŶƐƚƌƵͲ ŵĞŶƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ŇĂƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘

ĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ^^ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚƐ ƐƉĂĐĞ͕ ƐĞůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌͲ ŵĂŶĐĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ŽƵƚͲ ůŽŽŬ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϳďƉƐ ǁͬ ǁ ƚŽ ϳ͘ϳй͘ dŚĞ ', E ϮϬϮϮ ĂŶĚ ^ E ' > ϮϬϮϰ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƌĞĐͲ ŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƐĞůů ŽīƐ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďLJ ϯ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŚĂŶĚ͕ LJŝĞůĚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ D / E ϮϬϮϮ ĂŶĚ ϮϬϮϳ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ĨĞůů ϴϮďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϯϯďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

ƚ ƚŚĞ ĨƌŝĐĂŶ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ƵƌŽͲ ďŽŶĚƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ĂƐ ĂǀĞƌͲ ĂŐĞ LJŝĞůĚ ƌŽƐĞ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂůůLJ ďLJ ϮďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƚŽ ϰ͘ϱй͘ dŚĞ zWKZd D EͲ ' D Ed ϮϬϮϮ ĂŶĚ E &/E E K s ϮϬϮϲ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƉŽƐƚĞĚ Ă ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ĂĚͲ ǀĂŶĐĞĚ ϰϲďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϭϭďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƌĞͲ ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ &/ >/Ͳ dz E< W> ϮϬϮϮ ĂŶĚ dZ E^E d ^K >d ϮϬϮϮ ŝŶƐƚƌƵŵĞŶƚƐ ƌĞĐŽƌĚͲ ĞĚ ŐĂŝŶƐ ĂƐ LJŝĞůĚƐ ĨĞůů ϭϳďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϭϭďƉƐ ǁͬǁ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŽ ƐĞĞ Ă ŵŝdžĞĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐͲ ƟĐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƌĞĂĐƚ ƚŽ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ LJŝĞůĚƐ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ƵƌŽďŽŶĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ďĞ ĚŝĐƚĂƚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ĚŝƌĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ h^ ďŽŶĚ LJŝĞůĚ͘

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30

˜ ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

MARKET NEWS

NSE to Commemorate International Women’s Day with Closing Gong Goddy Egene

(NSE) will tomorrow join securities exchanges all over the world to commemorate International

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

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

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

Women’s Day 2021 and host its 7th Annual Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 04Mar-2021, unless otherwise stated.

In collaboration with Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, United Nations (UN) Women,

United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), the event is on the

global theme, #ChooseToChallenge and will culminate in a digital closing gong ceremony.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 153.66 155.19 -5.02% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.27% Nigeria International Debt Fund 351.24 351.24 -11.95% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.74 110.74 -1.20% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 1.03 1.05 14.96% ACAP Income Funds 0.65 0.65 -11.09% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.01% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.34 3.50 -5.82% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 18.30 18.85 0.91% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 404.70 416.90 1.08% ARM Ethical Fund 34.97 36.03 3.75% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.20 1.21 -1.41% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.04 1.04 -7.38% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.26% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 102.90 102.90 1.17% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 124.26 125.13 -1.52% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.81% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.06 2.06 -26.61% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.18 2.22 -25.50% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.82% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 127.13 128.03 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 110.20 110.20 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,346.91 1,346.91 5.65% FBN Balanced Fund 182.13 183.42 -2.96% FBN Halal Fund 110.09 110.09 4.58% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 123.68 123.68 3.00% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 123.80 123.80 3.00% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 148.95 150.95 -1.48% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.19% Legacy Debt Fund 3.90 3.90 0.70% Legacy Equity Fund 1.15 1.57 -11.40% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.15 1.15 0.85% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.89% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 127.12 127.65 18.14% GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.40% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.68 2.74 16.79% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.83 156.28 0.27% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.07 1.07 4.99% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.36 1.38 -0.69% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,139.00 1,139.00 1.39% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.60 1.63 7.45% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.23 12.35 -0.09% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 1.25% PACAM Equity Fund 1.57 1.59 -0.38% PACAM EuroBond Fund 109.42 112.09 0.00% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 127.59 129.85 5.69% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 1.13% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,116.56 3,142.71 -3.07% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 226.72 226.72 0.83% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.15 1.16 -2.12% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 297.02 297.03 0.80% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 209.96 212.55 -3.92% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.84% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,784.70 9,910.93 -6.82% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.24 1.24 1.02% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 111.78 111.78 0.63% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.32 1.34 -3.08% United Capital Bond Fund 1.91 1.91 0.99% United Capital Equity Fund 0.88 0.90 1.48% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.02% United Capital Eurobond Fund 118.33 118.33 1.67% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.08 -1.66% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.02 1.02 2.22% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.10 12.20 1.96% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.38 13.49 9.47% Zenith Income Fund 24.18 24.18 0.86% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.35%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

121.58 52.64

0.70% 0.46%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.50 117.25 93.55

12.60 117.25 95.31

-5.39% -3.69% -5.85%

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.89 5.25 16.92 1.00 19.04 176.35

3.93 5.33 17.02 1.00 19.24 178.35

2.88% -7.65% 3.47% 0.33% -7.17% -20.11%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.05

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

31

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

TRIBUTE

Mike Adenuga’s Sister, Afolasade Akande, Goes Home in Style Even in death, she cuts a perfect portrait of loveliness and humanity at its finest. Few people get to transit from being utterly indispensable to “eternally unforgettable.” A real mother does. If she is a mother to treasure, she can never be replaced. This truth, amongst so many others, manifested in how Madam Afolasade Margaret Akande was buried last Friday at the prestigious Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, Lagos. Like a renaissance artist intoxicated by the muse, Mama’s children chose to paint beautiful and everlasting pictures in her memory. The beauty is in the detail, writes Lanre Alfred she achieved with remarkable humility and forthrightness.

Her humanity was real, and her compassion was infectious, making it possible for her to touch so many lives in different ways and different measures. This reality was fervently attested to by friends and family she left behind. Many revealed that they were touched by her presence while alive, that she touches their lives even in death.

Madam Afolasade died on her 80th birthday, left behind her husband, Philip Babasola Akande and four wonderful children. They are Jimi, Tunde, Yewande and Tosin. She was a dedicated Christian, wife, mother, and grandmother who lived a virtuous lifestyle until her death. Describing the deceased, one of her younger friends, Modupe, in an emotionladen voice, extolled the virtues of her friend, claiming she was “a friend and life-fulfilling counsellor who had a wonderful life of passion, a life of selfless service to humanity. She was a mother of astounding qualities who relished greatness and prodded me to be great and do great things.”

Friends and family admitted she was a perfect embodiment of human compassion and will to bring a little happiness into people’s lives. Maybe as humans, this is the most important gift anyone can hope to deliver. Like very few people most respected world over, not those of realism, but Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana - people of humanity, Madam Akande could be said to have strived in the interest of the underprivileged and downtrodden. There is no gainsaying she was the Queen of the Akande clan and a doting mother to her children, a title no monarch could claim. Madam Afolasade loved her children very deeply and was prepared to sacrifice her happiness for theirs.

What a Day to Go

U

nlike her peers, she did not evaporate without an eyewitness. She did not groan in dying, twisting the sweaty sheet around her chest. She did not gasp for breath feeling as if her senses drowned while she thrashed alone in the dark. Nobody has such terrible memories of Chief Folasade Akande.

When her time was up, she departed the world, leaving priceless memories of her behind for her loved ones. What a day to go! Yes, on January 27, her 80th birthday.

Alas, she passed away early hours of that day when goodwill and congratulatory messages were coming in from family and friends.

Effortlessly, Mama Akande evolved as a worthy inspiration to generations of family and friends alike, emitting a rare shine that imbues the day with light and hangs upon the cheek of night like luminous beams of lighthouses.

The second of the five children of Pa Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr. and his wife, Juliana Oyindamola, both of blessed memory, her siblings include the late Mrs. E.O. Osunsade popularly called Aunty Olu; Otunba Demola Adenuga, the Bajulaiye of Ijebuland and accomplished businessman; Otunba Yetunde Adegbola and Dr. Mike Adenuga, the multibillionaire Chairman of Globacom and Apesin of Ijebuland, the last born and the most famous of the Adenuga children.

Indeed, if not for covid-19, her multibillionaire younger brother would have shut down a whole city anywhere in the world and celebrate the illustrious life of their beloved sister, who they had variously described as a pillar of trust, hope, compassion and support to everyone around her. Friends of the Adenugas say Mama never shied from giving them crucial and beneficial moral support in the most trying and pleasant moments; that she was undoubtedly their guiding light through the wilderness of life and their interminable gust of calming wind on life’s stormy seas.

Fondly called Mummy Ikoyi, among other terms of endearments for which she is known, Mrs Akande’s eight decades spell on earth was highly eventful, lively and full of impact. There is hardly anyone who knew her who did not have a name for her. She was that full of life and action, getting involved in almost everything she came across in the most positive of ways. Little wonder her siblings, nieces and nephews nicknamed her ‘the professional letter writer.’

Mama Akande was always known to express herself in writing whenever she felt offended or slighted. She exhibited such prowess much better in her various complaint letters to the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) of yore whenever her telephone lines malfunctioned. She had no time to engage in verbal exchange. She was highly cultured.

As the child of doting parents, Mama Akande, just like the other of her siblings, was not spared of the good things of life, including education. She not only attended the best of schools of her time but was encouraged with the best life can offer to pursue her dreams. Consequently, she qualified as a Chartered Secretary from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries, United Kingdom.

On her return to Nigeria, she was engaged by the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). But like her industrious mother, she soon delved into the trading business, where she excelled. Her industrious nature propelled her to become a major wholesale distributor for Nigerian Breweries Limited and Guinness Nigeria Limited, where ingenuity and classy entrepreneurship shot her to the top.

She had a catalogue of fond names given to her as occasion demands. To her cousin, The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, she was ‘Sade Olowo Ketu’ because her shop was located in Ketu, Lagos, from where she transacted business for many years.

To her children, she was Shady Girl or Mumskid, owing to her loving and fun-filled nature. Bittersweet Memories of a Beloved Enchantress At the ceremony that was at once sorrowful and uplifting, Madam Akande was remembered as a woman of unimpeachable nobility whose life of compassion and style transcended humanity’s familiar and often pedestrian vanities.

A committed and active member in her church’s affairs, her funeral service was put together by the Church of the Resurrection, Anglican communion, Victoria Island, Lagos, an event which was held on Friday. Internment followed

A Life Cast in Gold

Akande immediately at Vaults and Gardens. At the funeral, the goodwill enjoyed by Adenugas and Akandes was brought to full display as many of his friends, family, and business associates trooped out to participate in the celebration of life Mama Afolasade.

As the ceremony progressed through the day, memories of the deceased and strains of the tender feelings they invoked in her family and friends unleashed a flood of tears.

A middle-aged man, obviously a recipient of one of the deceased’s fabled kindness probably spoke for many when he said Madam Folasade was the first privileged woman he had seen to have got down on her haunches, looked them in the eye and treated them as equals.

No doubt, Mama’s children were palpably shaken with grief, and they mourned, as did many in the church and others that came out to pay homage to the deceased.

This remarkable display of grief and support continually invoked questions about the true womanhood of Madam Afolasade. To many, she was a woman at ease with children and the elderly, able to bring immeasurable happiness into their lives but not capable of anything insidious and wily.

It is never easy to criticize someone of privilege, wealth, and position for helping the poor and disadvantaged. Thus.

Madam Afolasade did a lot of good in her life, excited profuse tributes in her wake.

According to her family, the deceased often said all she wanted to do was bring a little bit of happiness into people’s lives, be a source of hope to the hopeless especially, and that

Her final ceremonial progression through Victoria Island and Ikoyi’s streets raised treasurable memories of her life among family, friends, and even close neighbours. The recollections bespeak the misery of a watching world that fell in love with the beautiful daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother.

Despite the pain of remembering, no one wished to let go of the brilliant memories of Madam Akande. Hovering by her side as she was borne toward an enchanted future, the children rued the final departure of their mother, struggling in their grief to deal with the humbling reality that their sweet, chaste mother had finally set out alone into eternity.

In one sense, though, Madam Akande was not gone. The day before she was blessed and buried, her son made a rare, profoundly wrought surmise after days of puzzling grief that no one who knew his mother will ever forget her. He averred that many others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her.

Echoes of a Befitting Funeral Even her coffin captured this mixture of the traditional and the personal. It was draped with the royal standard; on top of that rested a spray of white lilies, Mama’s favourite flower.

And there was something else: a bouquet of white tulips from and a wreath of white roses. Madam Akande’s cortege was joined along the way by the most important people in her life.

They walked behind her coffin, and then so did representatives from each of the families and communities whose lives Mama had touched like no other human. The deceased would turn in her grave for the honour and unrivalled show of love that her beloved children attracted for her sake.

This was a day of remembrance, yes, and a day of grieving.

The flood of despair that poured forth frequently resulted in a cascade of tears. The cleric, no doubt, delivered a remarkably personal and pointed tribute to Mama’s memory. He noted that though it was not enough to canonize her memory, it was the least he could do to venerate a woman and mother who was passionately inured in her desire to do good for others.

Indeed, Madam Akande’s life and meteoric streak across her community’s consciousness enraptured people by its endearing qualities. No simple word or grand funeral ceremony can capture the essence of her extraordinary appeal. Her poise and beauty swayed men, but her hold on women was stronger still.

Madam Akande was a living embodiment of the best humanity could ever offer. She was a dedicated Christian, wife, mother, sister, grandmother. Yes, she was Dr. Mike Adenuga’s sister.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

32

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

7.3.2021

MUNIRAT ANTOINETTE LECKY ECLECTIC, ELECTRIC, ENERGETIC: THE LECKY GIRL’S STORY As she slithers into that velvety red dress, her lithe, athletic body of a ballet dancer takes on a new form. Svelte, stylish but simple, her eyeballs glisten behind the glasses. Attractively slim, she exudes grace, grandeur, and gumption. As the camera lights flash in the studio, her flourishing beauty becomes the spotlight. In the next scene, she’s found on the basketball court. With the legs of a sprinter and the dexterous hands of a ball juggler, she nimbly plays to her heart’s delight. Her vistas are unending. She’s the paragon of Nigeria’s modern young woman. Eclectic and empathetic, she’s in another scene, one of Nigeria’s IDPs camps. She seems to have packed a lifetime into a moment’s breath with her various interests and endeavour.

Even with all this, one may just be having a peek into the unravelling life of Munirat

Antoinette Lecky, writes Vanessa Obioha ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

COVER

Grace, Gumption, Goodness: Inside the World of Nigeria’s Modern Woman

O

ften paved with potholes of challenges is the exhilarating road to fame. But Munirat Antoinette Lecky has refused to buckle under pressure. She is moving at her own pace. For her, fame was not unexpected. Viewed by more than 20 countries on the continent, The Big Brother Naija show promised popularity, and Munirat Antoinette Lecky got a healthy share of it. Though she didn’t emerge, winner of the third season of the reality TV show, it didn’t stop fame from embracing her.

The show beamed her to thousands of people across the continent and made her an instant celebrity, a term that has assumed different meanings nowadays. No thanks to the Internet. Antoinette was among the deserving contestants whom fans voted back into the game after eviction.

Elegant, eclectic and excellent, Antoinette is unmistakably remarkable. Deep in thoughts, effervescent in expressions. With brains and beauty, she demonstrates grace and gumption in stately but simple manners.

Expressly gracious, the young woman reflects the more electric and eclectic ‘Naija spirit’ in the 21st century.

As her life’s momentous episodes continue to unravel, the flashes of brilliance become Antoinette’s signature. A woman of many parts with enduring ideals, she is always aiming high.

There’s no settling for less in her world.

Her appearance in the BBN show is

just a moment’s step further into the largerthan-life canvas she has envisioned.

With the show behind her, Antoinette is advancing her career

in different interests. She combines her administrative skills as a Business Management graduate with her passion for sports. Her favourite game is basketball. With the legs of a sprinter and the dexterous hands of a ball juggler, she nimbly plays to her heart’s delight.

With her spritely long legs and lithe body, bouncing balls in courts is more than a pastime. Her love for sports dates back to her high school.

In college, however, she initially toed the medicine path, but her passion for sports gained the upper hand in the long run. She would wholeheartedly embrace sports during her master’s degree, attending the Devos Sports Business Management Programme.

“I don’t think I would ever go to medical school, but I have a general interest in health care. I often watch health-related

LECKY

programmes and can do basic first aid. We should all be interested in physical and

mental health,” says Antoinette.

Since her return to Nigeria, she’s been expanding her focus to football. Antoinette is among a few women actively involved in sports management in the country, and that realisation doesn’t make her gleeful.

“I’m not impressed with the number of women involved in sports.

There is still great gender disparity in sport, and I can’t wait for the day the numbers and respect level increase,” she hopes.

Apart from sports, her physique also lands her a spot in the modelling world. As she slithers into that velvety red dress, her lithe, athletic body of a ballet dancer takes on a new form.

Svelte, stylish but simple, her eyeballs glisten behind the glasses. Attractively slim, she exudes grace, grandeur, and gumption. As the camera lights flash in the studio, her flourishing beauty becomes the spotlight. Her recent modelling works include an exclusive pictorial styled by Angela Qehaja (Bella Hadid, Carine Roitfeld, Matte Projects, Philipp Plein) and shot by photographer Ritchie King (Cardi B, Taylen Biggs, Nike).

While in Big Brother Naija House, the idea of launching a haircare line hatched in her mind. The concept was stirred by the compliments she received from her fellow housemates on her hair texture. It’s also been, many years ago, her desire to own hair care products. After the show, Antoinette found a partner. Together, they launched the hair care product Anto X Taries Hair Builder.

Still brimming with ideas, Lecky would launch a marketing and management company, Room 22 Agency, “where I started by planning events and photoshoots, and this year.”

It’s part of her plans to add “influencer management” to her services and co-own a gifting and printing company. That company is O’Compatriots Lifestyle Brand.

With the firm, she will “specialise in sourcing made-inNaija gifts to

promote unity.”

It doesn’t end there. Acting is in the mix, and sometime in March, she

will play the host of an online talk show, ‘She’s A Boss,’ which aims to empower African women from all walks of life.

Eclectic and energetic, Antoinette can’t stop reinventing herself. She’s become a kaleidoscope of what Nigeria’s young women should be.

Her vistas are unending. She’s the paragon of Nigeria’s modern woman, unassuming and unapologetic in pursuing her visions. Eclectic and empathetic, she’s in another scene, one of Nigeria’s IDPs camps. She seems to have packed a lifetime into a moment’s breath with her various interests and endeavour.

Her recent initiative is the LiveWire Project.

“It is my pet project where I hope to make a difference one person at a time, especially with the girl child and women.

The feedback has been great. I think people expected it because I have always been philanthropic,” she reveals.

“I have sponsored a scholarship to a hospitality institute. I have visited an IDP camp. I do a clothing charity sale, donating funds to NGOs. I only hope to do so much more this year,” she discloses.

Once Antoinette sets her mind and eyes on anything, there’s no mountain too high. She understands the terrains of her visions.

Shuffling between her passions can be overwhelming, yet Antoinette makes multitasking look easy on the eye. Though the source of her courage may elude her, she expresses certainty that her métier lies in organisation.

“Honestly, I don’t even know how I handle it all,” Antoinette acknowledges.

“But, I’m very good at organisational skills. I know how to prioritise. Sometimes I get overwhelmed. I try my best to not let ‘failures’ weigh me down as it’s a part of success. I cherish my mental health and try not to let anything affect it. I love to work hard, play harder.”

Besides work demands, social pressures stare Antoinette in the face. Now, a public figure, she is regularly under scrutiny by fans and detractors. Born and raised in New Jersey in the United States by Nigerian parents, the entrepreneur would realise that the road to fame is often paved with challenges.

Chief among the challenges are unfair criticisms. For instance, after leaving the Big Brother Naija house, Antoinette was shocked that people judged her based on her religion. She is a Muslim.

“I don’t think anyone is perfect in their religion. People like to remind me that I’m a Muslim. It was the most frustrating criticism I received,” she intones.

Even in her celebrity status, Antoinette refused to buckle under social pressures.

What has helped is understanding her role in society. She has learnt to deflect unwholesome opinions with the athletic agility of a pugilist. The world she inhabits can be very demanding.

“Celebrities are often under pressure in terms of being compared to their colleagues,” says Antoinette.

“While celebrities don’t exactly have to give in to the pressure, we are trying to grow in our careers, and we do look at other people’s trajectory.” For certainty, the pressure can be very intense. It’s not a dreamland. Antoinette doesn’t pretend it is. Nevertheless, she runs her show on her terms.

“I’m definitely on my own pace,” she affirms. Then, Antoinette admits, “But there are some people’s careers I wouldn’t mind emulating.” Her understanding of being a celebrity is even more intriguing.

She explains, “Celebrity means different things to different people. But in general, I think it’s a person who is popular, known by many, and kept to a higher standard, when in reality, we are regular people with some form of influence.”

Antoinette’s vision is expansive, the mood is expressive, and the vision crystal clear. As life’s episodes unfold further, she is more than determined to make the best of every moment and add spice to the world of others.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

59

GLITZ FOCUS

Women’s Day: Nigerian Women’s Trailblazing Heels of Change As the world marks International Women’s Day on March 8, Vanessa Obioha profiles outstanding Nigerian women who have taken up the challenge and are blazing the trail in their careers Ijeoma Nwaogwugwu

R

epresentation of women in the top echelon of media organisations is still relatively low. The Managing Director of Arise TV is one of the few women in journalism who has effectively shown their worth over the years. Nwaogwugwu was one of the pioneer staff of THISDAY Newspapers before climbing the rungs to become the paper’s executive editor. During her tenure, she demonstrated profound professional diligence. She was actively involved in the process of newspaper production. From the gathering of stories, editing, planning to when the paper finally goes to press, she knows the process like the back of her hands.

To her credit, she is the only editor (to date) to have edited all three newspaper titles, starting with the Saturday edition. She went on to edit the Sunday edition and, finally, the daily title. She is the second woman in Nigerian journalism’s history to be appointed editor of a national newspaper, the first being Doyin Abiola.

In 2018, she was appointed to lead the Arise News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, where she is also setting trends and making the TV station a go-to place for authentic and up-to-date information.

Kadaria Ahmed

Despite her recent controversy with the Nigerian media, Kadaria Ahmed is one of the country’s outstanding female journalists. She started her career with the British Broadcasting Corporation in London and cut her teeth in other media print, radio, online and social media. A media entrepreneur, she owns a media company Daria Media driven by the public good and closing the journalism gap.

Ahmed is exceptionally known for anchoring four live televised election process events since 2011; notable among them is her interview with President Muhammadu Buhari in the run-up to the 2019 elections. In 2020, she launched Radio Now, a radio station focused on delivering factual and unbiased news.

Amy Jadesimi

Featured in Forbes 2018 top 50 women, Amy Jadesimi is one of the country’s female trailblazers. Trained as a medical doctor, Jadesimi dropped her coat and stethoscope to take the reins of her father’s company, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL).

Under her watch, LADOL is utilising the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expanding service to sectors outside the oil

Chioma Ude

One of the prominent film festivals in Africa is spearheaded by the delectable Chioma Ude. A graduate of Marketing from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ude founded the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in 2010 and would have marked the festival’s 10thanniversary last year if not for the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic.

Ude has helped young and budding filmmakers sharpen their craft and network with high-profile filmmakers and film studios in the world through the festival. The festival serves as a place to network and market ideas. Some of the international festival partnerships she secured over the years include Relativity School, Alliance Francaise and British Film Institute.

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu

Chioma Ude

Ijeoma Nwaogwugwu

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu

Hadiza Bala-Usman

Hadiza Bala-Usman

The daughter of the late academician and historian Bala Usman, Bala-Usman grabbed headlines in 2016 when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed her to oversee the Nigeria Ports Authority. She became the first female managing director of the agency in its 66 years of existence. Until then, she was the chief of staff to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, helping to spearhead reforms in a state that badly needed rejuvenation.

The politician didn’t hesitate to roll up her sleeves and take up the herculean task to reform the agency riddled with corruption. Perhaps, one of the most laudable achievements of BalaUsman is the launch of Eto, an electronic truck call-up system designed for the management of truck movement and access to and from the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos.

The app is responsible for the scheduling, entry and exit of all trucks from the ports. This development has, in a way, helped to curb the deadlocked traffic in the Apapa axis. BalaUsman is also a co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement.

her platform, spotlights women and issues affecting them.

To further project the female gender as an integral part of the society that should not be overlooked, she launched the Voice of Women Conference and awards where top female personalities are recognised, and women development discussed. She is the executive director at St. Ives Communications.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe

When it comes to developing and showcasing world-class local content on our airwaves, no one does it better like Africa Magic’s Channel Director, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu. She is passionate about bringing the best African stories on screen and is one of the few women in a leadership position at Multichoice Nigeria. Her initial dream was to be a broadcaster but eventually ended up in marketing, where she kicked off her career as a Client Service Manager at Tequila Nigeria.

Before joining the media and entertainment company, she worked with multinationals such as British American Tobacco, The Coca-Cola Company, and Airtel. She also spearheaded the launch of Africa Magic Igbo and the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, driven by her passion for the television and film industry in Nigeria.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe

Rightly called the ‘Queen of Nollywood Films,’ Peace Anyiam-Osigwe has many firsts attached to her name. She is the first to screen Nigerian films in international festivals and direct the music video of the defunct twin group P-Square. Her contribution to the growth and development of Nollywood films is almost unrivalled.

Anyiam-Osigwe founded the prestigious Africa Movies Academy Awards (AMAA) under the Africa Film Academy. A Ted fellow and a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), she started her career as a writer at a young age and became one of the influential voices in Africa’s filmmaking industry.

Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi Kadaria Ahmed

Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi

Olamide Brown

Amy Jadesimi

Toun Okewale Sonaiya

industry and creating tens of thousands of jobs.

Her experience at Goldman Sachs spurred her business acumen. She was inspired to pursue an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Before her venture into the business world, she served as an Archbishop Tutu Fellow, working to reduce maternal mortality. Jadesimi was also named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

In 2014, filmmaker Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi embarked on a mission to have Nollywood films compete in the prestigious global film award, Academy Awards. Despite the setbacks, AnyaeneAbonyi was relentless in her pursuit and would achieve her dream this year when a Nollywood film ‘The Milkmaid’ was confirmed eligible to compete in this year’s award.

Unfortunately, the film didn’t make the shortlist.

The young filmmaker also produced the first film, ‘Ije,’ that starred actresses Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde. She is a graduate of Theatre Arts and has a master’s degree in Film Directing.

Olamide Brown

Toun Okewale Sonaiya

On December 18, 2015, Toun Okewale Sonaiya made history with the WFM radio station’s launch. The station is the first female-oriented radio station in SubSaharan Africa. With her vast experience in radio broadcasting, having worked for Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Ray Power and Choice FM, Sonaiya, through

The young Nigerian-British medical doctor is the brain behind Flying Doctors Nigeria Limited, West Africa’s first air-operated emergency medical services based in Lagos. She was inspired to launch the establishment after losing a loved one and her desire to see improved medical services.

She also specialised in aviation medicine, helping her to launch the medical company effectively. Brown is a co-founder of a venture capital firm, Greentree Investment Company which provides growth capital to some of Africa’s technology start-ups. Her passion for better Nigerians’ well-being led her to establish the Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Company in 2019, a healthcare and wellness sector investment firm that brings together the investment and operational activities her team conducts in the health and wellness space.

The company held its first edition of ‘The Conversation’ with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adebayo.

During the pandemic’s peak last year, Brown and her team launched a COVID-19 mobile testing booth that helped reduce the need for as much PPE and minimise the risk of healthcare worker infections by providing a barrier between the potentially infected patient. The 35-year-old health practitioner is the editor of the International Journal of Emergency Services.

COVER 2 A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

7.3.2020

CLEMENT MUDIAGA ENAJEMO STEPPING INTO A NEW WORLD Famed fashion designer Clement Mudiaga Enajemo has been evolving as the fashion world transitions from one trend to another. The clothier fondly known by his brand name Mudi Africa has set its eyes on lifestyle designing. His mission is to transform your space into an appealing and comfortable abode, writes Vanessa Obioha

A

t precisely 5 pm, Clement Mudiaga Enajemo ordered his employees to shut down. It was a Friday evening, the start of a new weekend, and Lagos’s city was

already feeling the rhythm of the work-free days. Before eventually leaving his mesmeric office in the Anthony Village neighbourhood, the fashion designer checked with his employees, gave final instructions to his manager and

accountant which included doling out small cash to his workers for the weekend.

Since he became a household name, Mudi Africa as he is fondly known has assumed a judicious work habit. He resumes work

every day by 7 am, sometimes before his staff, and closes by 5 pm.

On a few exceptions, he breaks out of his habitual mould, particularly when he is out of town — he travels mostly on weekends and returns by Monday morning at most. The only time he goes on a long vacation is between December 24 and January 15. When his workers are overwhelmed by orders, he works all night with them. If he needs to go out while at work, he takes an Uber rather than drive his branded car. This way, he keeps his workers on their toes as they have limited knowledge of his whereabouts.

In the past 27 years, Mudi has stayed true to his passion, evolving as the fashion world transitions from one trend to another, and still maintaining a spot in the top rungs of the ladder. Hardly would you mention his name without fetching a complimentary reaction. His name sometimes travels beyond his areas of operations. He has stores in some select African countries including Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.

Last year, while his contemporaries were still navigating the uncertainties presented by the deadly coronavirus, he opened a shop in Abuja, pooling a constellation of elites to the glamorous event.

Of course, eyebrows were raised and the suspicion of his wealth provenance resurfaced.

Perhaps, in his early days, such comments would have left him up in arms. Nowadays, he brushes off derogatory remarks like an irritating housefly.

“I’m used to it,” he said on a recent Sunday afternoon at Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.

“Anything you do, people will talk.

I have been in the fashion business for 28 years now. If I’m still where I am, then something is wrong.

Sometimes, such comments are products of jealousy, as a way of consoling themselves.”

The Delta State indigene lost his Abuja shop in 2018 when the property’s new owner evicted everyone. Since then, he’s been hunting for a new outlet.

Fortunately for him, 2020 was the year he finally secured one, thus the launch event.

The negativity that often accompanies successful people, to Mudi is a fundamental Nigerian problem. He made a comparison with the political landscape where he argued that people with good ideas are often relegated. Merit, according to him, is based on one’s bank account. However, more frustrating to the clothier is seeing Nigeria tagged as the poverty capital of the world.

“It’s painful because we all know that not everyone is poor. In Nigeria, we believe that money is everything but poverty is a mindset. Most people in

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

61

COVER 2 How MUDI Moves, Mesmerises government are mentally poor. Those who have brilliant ideas are not allowed to come forward. And people with ideas don’t have the patience for protocols.”

He tapped the table as he buttressed his points.

“The level of pettiness is so high among those in government that even when you have an idea that will add value to their performance what comes to their mind is that the project will make you shine. Most people in the corridors of power feel very uncomfortable with sharp people and use whatever means to create a wall not to expose their incompetence.

“Let me give you an example.

When the former governor of my state, Emmanuel Uduaghan was a governor, I tried all I could to access him to share my ideas, but I was frustrated by those around him. Some of them are the ones blaming him for lack of performance today. Sycophants can easily mislead a leader who is not hands-on, and there is a thin line between sycophancy and true loyalty. Being hands-on is not about knowing how to share a political post but understanding true performance. Since 1999, governors who were and are still hands-on in terms of performance are not more than five,” he argued.

When Mudi makes such comments, his friends tell him to join politics. But he’s the least interested. His passion still revolves around art. It can be argued that when it comes to art, particularly visual art, Mudi is an eager beaver. It’s seen in the creativity and styling of his apparel. Little wonder that his clients are mainly top echelons in society.

Recently, Mudi expanded his love for art and style to the lifestyle world by launching his lifestyle aesthetics brand.

Called UDIAG Lifestyle, a play on his native name Mudiaga, the designer is keen on transforming homes, offices, and even the environment with his artistic touch.

“Most Nigerians spend huge amounts of money on building an expensive house, but the environment does not reflect the money spent. There is no harmony, class, or taste. That is where I come in,” he said.

Upon entering a space, his first thought is how things are arranged. Are they haphazard?

Do the colours complement? Is the place spacious or chock-full of miscellaneous items?

“There are times you enter a space, and it is offensive to the eyes. The rug is clashing with the curtains and upholstery,” he shook his head in repulsion.

“Your space has to be appealing, and that has to do with style. If you are not creative, you won’t have a style. One thing I have learnt over the years is that as a designer, you must have taste, style, passion, and creativity” he explained.

He describes himself as a minimalist and his style as a hybrid of vintage and modernity. He loves adding a retro look to a contemporary space. What Mudi is offering with UDIAG is to make spaces appealing and comfortable.

“People often travel out to buy furniture and new things. With us, you can be assured that we will rearrange your house without buying new things. Less is more,” he added.

It is not entirely surprising that Mudi would delve into the lifestyle designing world. A look at his workspace shows that the handwriting has always been on the wall. His showroom is a spacious place with minimal design, from the white walls to the symbolic embellishments. For instance, the first sewing machine he used is creatively linked to a thread-like hangar attached to an enormous fancy needle.

The faces of his mannequins are half cut, showing only the lower part. They only don shirts while the trousers are neatly tucked in an elegant branded bag at their feet.

His main office boast of a woven table shaped in the form of a sewing machine. On the walls are two big frames; one a picture of his humble beginnings and the other, an image of his office which usually makes passersby stare in awe.

Every part of his office breathes his brand, even down to the doormat that has his name meticulously cut out.

His abode in the elitist part of Ikoyi is no different.

White walls don his living room, a dual-purpose centre table that can also serve as stools perches at the middle, a TV set is tucked into a white decorative box and could be wheeled to any part of the room for convenient viewing. A turntable surrounded by different sound systems. His wine bar is not the conventional wooden racks, rather, a white fibre-polished calabash hanging strategically on the walls. A white glass cupboard displays an array of stemwares.

He confessed that people are always in awe of his work and living space such that they urged him to go into interior designing.

However, he sank his teeth into lifestyle designing in 2018, when he renovated the very popular Post Office Square (Junction Roundabout) in Ughelli Headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government, Delta State which Governor Ifeanyi Okowa highly commended.

That’s not all. He spread his artistic touch to the Delta State House of Assembly and complex.

Though clients are trickling in, Mudi is confident that UDIAG will soon become a household name like his fashion brand. The good news is that with UDIAG, you don’t have to plan a money heist. For him, a tastefullyfurnished space has little to do with money.

“Taste is not all about money; it’s about paying attention to details. If you don’t have it, you don’t have it.”

Mudi

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

HighLife Governor Diri’s Silent Revolution

G

Diri

overnor Douye Diri of Bayelsa has seemingly been hiding behind his Government House’s doors, preferring to work quietly. Unknown to many, the man popularly known as the Miracle Governor due to the way he emerged has more on offer in 365 days than his critics are aware.

Senator Diri assumed the governorship mantle of Bayelsa on February 14, 2020, with Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo deputy governor. Diri had wrested power from the declared winner of the November 16, 2019 governorship election, David Lyon (whose victory was overturned by the Supreme Court because his running mate submitted false documents to INEC). Diri came to power unexpectedly, returning the state’s apex position to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Since then, Diri has seemingly kept a low profile. Seeing as it is both strange and impossible to understand that a sitting governor would go under the radar, folks called out, asking to see what Diri has accomplished in his first 365 days in office.

When the veil was removed, it interestingly revealed some of what he had been doing undercover. From road and transport to education, health and media, Diri has touched them all. Some ongoing, yes, while others have already been commissioned and running. Some of the projects include the Glory Drive Road from Igbogene to Onopa and the Igbogene to Elebele Outer Ring Road (which were both forgotten for some time but were taken up by Diri’s administration). The Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, YenagoaOporoma Road and the Isaac Boro Express Road (past projects of the previous administration, which Diri has continued work on), the 4.5km Igbedi Road in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, the expansion and beautification of the Edepie/Etegwe Roundabout.

Others are the Elebele community bridge in Ogbia Local Government Area and the complex to house three state-owned media houses (Radio Bayelsa, Niger Delta TV and New Waves) (all of which were started by Diri and are ongoing).

Then you have the water project in Ovom Town, Yenagoa LGA (which has been completed); the Imiringi community bridge in Ogbia LGA, Kaiama Referral Hospital and the ultramodern incinerator at the Bayelsa Medical University complex (which were all commissioned on February 12, 2021 — two days before Diri marked his first year in office).

Overall, there is still a mile to go before the tenure of Governor Diri ends. In the meantime, the man is quiet but busy, and the evidence is there for all to see.

with KAYODE ALFRED ͮͶͯ​ͯʹ͵ͳͷͶͮ͵˜ E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

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

Friendship Made in Heaven: The Dangote-Otedola Duo Friendship is a gift. To find affable people with similar interests, who are willing to, hand in hand, take on the world—this is a blessing. And so, for apex Nigerian Barons of wealth and industry, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, gold bars and grand bounties would take one to the moon. Still, it is a friendship that would give one possession of it.

One might never find friends who are both identical and dissimilar at the same time. What most folks know is that both Dangote and Otedola have operating interests in the most lucrative industries in Nigeria: energy and oil, construction and real estate, shipping, even agriculture.

What most people are ignorant of is that the business presence of one often motivated the other.

The age gap between the older Dangote and the younger Otedola is about 11 years, but this has never so much as twitched their friendship, let alone rattled it. As celebrity A-list journalist Dele Momodu

Otedola

Dangote

reported, Otedola’s admiration for Dangote reaches into the heavens, and he (Dangote) plays the role of a friend, mentor, business associate, and all-round kindred spirit.

Since Dangote set out to make a habit of wrenching wide our jaws in wonder with his new baby, the massive integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in Lekki Free

Zone, Lagos, Otedola has been one of his most outspoken supporters. The chairman of Geregu Power Plc was photographed many times while supervising the $18 billion project.

It is friendship made in Heaven, this thing between those two. A gift of seven lifetimes, this friendship.

Common Interest as Nigerian Oil Moguls Take over Julius Berger There was a time in Nigeria when, among the common people, Julius Berger was associated with heavy trucks and nothing else. Perhaps if those people had known that the company behind these huffers and puffers had more lucrative contracts on its hands than any other establishment in the same sector in Nigeria, they might have paid a bit more attention to the name.

In recent times, Julius Berger has come to be known for its long reach into the nest of Nigerian sectors and industries.

Like spiders with their residence inside châteaus and shanties, Julius Berger has its place in all fields and lines of businesses.

For a company with German origins and principal (Bilfinger SE), this is what it means to do well.

Julius Berger’s success profile has been attributed to its thick dossier of social and

political connections. Anybody who is anybody in the up-and-ups of the toppers of the Nigerian economy has had some form of contact with Julius Berger. The company recently branched out into the agricultural sector, a domain that scholars and researchers have been calling attention to since the oil industry got rickety. This, too, has been tied to happy business alliances.

All that aside, the main subject of attraction to Julius Berger these days, outside its perpetually growing network of interests and investments, is its Board of Directors, a diverse lot of accomplished professionals, if ever there was one. What clips the minds of folks the most is that eight of the 13 board members are Nigerians! In other words, regarding the board, Julius Berger is 62 percent Nigerian and only 38 percent German. (A bit

Azudialu

more skewed, and there would be twice as many Nigerians as Germans.)

In any case, among the board members of Nigerian origin, two (Mutiu Sunmonu, Chairman of the Board, and Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi, the Director of Administration) are executive members; one (Ernest Chukwudi Ebi) is the only independent director among the 13. The remaining five (Belinda Ajoke Disu ( Mike Adenuga’s daughter), Dr. Ernest Nnaemeka Azudialu, Engr. Goni Musa Sheikh, Engr. Jafaru Damulak, and Gladys Olubusola Talabi) are all non-executive directors.

Happy Times: Oba Saheed Elegushi in Double-Barreled Celebration

Oba Elegushi

These are fine times for His Royal Majesty, Oba Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla III. In a matter of weeks, Elegushi’s Some folks will never know how others their age are pulling it off. Without self-awareness and confidence, observing the life of someone like Valentine Ugbeide is torture: torture for the competitive person and torture for the unambitious. How does any man have it all good? But Ugbeide does, although most folks know next to nothing about him.

Folks talk about class and fortune as though those are all there is to a good life. Granted, the man leads a quiet life and minds his business, the deep pockets of Val Ugbeide do not define him (if they did, he would be on every millionaire watch list; but he isn’t—for now). A man who made his millions with diligence and doggedness is a man deserving of praise.

imperial household and the entire people of Ikateland will be soaring above—and celebrating among—the clouds. The occasion for celebration is nothing other than the commemoration of 11 years of Elegushi’s reign and 45th birthday.

Among the traditional monarchs of Nigerian, Elegushi occupies a unique spot as the youngest, most stylish, well-groomed potentate. Loved by his people since ascending the throne in 2010, Elegushi has kept a clean and terrific slate. No wonder the people of Ikateland adore him. Case in point, the forthcoming double-barreled celebration — 45 years alive, 11 years a king.

According to insiders, things are already boiling and sparkling within the Elegushi Royal Palace, as the imperial household hustle around to retrofit His Majesty’s palatine environs to match his characteristic style.

Moreover, with Elegushi’s twin wives, Olori Sekinat Aramide and Olori Hadiza, in charge

of the doings, there is bound to be colour and class, beauty and bliss, happiness and harmony on that day. The theme for D-Day is “11:45”— 11 years as king, 45 years as a son of the Ikate soil.

Such iridescent arrangements bring to mind the coronation of Elegushi in 2010 as the 21st monarch of the Ikate-Elegushi kingdom. The land and its people were getting a well-educated, wellgrounded young man: a novelty of both worlds, to be sure—the legacy of the Ikate-Elegushi identity and culture and the progressive spirit of the new age. Thus, songs of joy and rejoicing suffused the land for weeks.

Perhaps circumstances might have cast Elegushi in a different role—as a House of Representatives member, for one, or as Lagos governor. But serving the people of Ikateland came first, and Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi has done nothing but that. So 11 years on the throne and 45 years alive are well worth celebrating.

How Val Ugbeide Became the Talked-about Guy It is likely that his devotion to his church and pastor, House on the Rock, and Paul Adefarasin, exposed his cover. Otherwise, excluding those who were up and close with him, folks assumed Ugbeide to be the usual fortunate chap who had somehow stumbled into some money. Fortunate he is indeed, but stumbling into money is no longer a thing, not even in Nollywood and Bollywood cinema. Wisdom and good work got him where he is.

Valentine Ugbeide is the proud founder and MD of Gremoore Limited, an indigenous establishment currently operating out of

Lagos with interests in EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation).

He started the company in 2014 after his time at the well-known offshore projects, services, and energy company, Subsea 7 (formerly Acergy), where he served as the Director in charge of Commercials.

But Ugbeide is not just the talk of the town because of his business genius, but because he is a man refined. His wife, Linda Ugbeide, is known as his eternal varnish and one of the great delights of his life. With Val Ugbeide, the headlines always read ‘All correct!’

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HIGHLIFE

79 Hearty Cheers to Pastor Adeboye, GO of Redeemed Christian Church of God

Pastor Adeboye

The timely exodus of several notable political figures in Nigeria from their various parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has caused some sensation around many quarters. Optimists theorise that all the good heads inside one hat are good; pessimists suggest otherwise; opportunists find this a new justification for rapid decisionmaking, but realists can see that things are about to get very complicated.

The migration trend has not affected Ogun State much, but the reappearance of old foxes is guaranteed to stir up the relative quiet. The suppositions and suspicions come to a head with the old proverb: how many master cooks would it take to ruin the broth?

Joining Governor Dapo Abiodun on the APC public pedestal is none other than his immediate predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, joined by his immediate predecessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD), who is also joined by his immediate predecessor, Chief Olusegun Osoba.

In other words, four successive generations of Ogun governors on the APC’s tribune, raising the hairs of experienced folks.

The amalgamation of the lot makes for

The sudden ‘mobilisation’ of folks on social media on Tuesday, March 2, 2020, came as a shock to some people. The genteel and smiling face of Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), was all over the place. Seventynine years and counting, Daddy GO, as his world-wide congregation knows him, received felicitations and accolades from great and small.

Baba Adeboye is one of those characters that have reached the level of legends while still alive. “Daddy said I should tell you” is a catchphrase associated with him and him alone, and even sceptical comedians tread lightly when romanticising this phrase. It is a reverence born out of the acknowledgement that Baba Adeboye, a man as human as possible, has touched the Divine.

Baba Adeboye jokes about his humble beginning, claiming that even the poor

referred to his family as poor. But the man eventually climbed the ladders of society via the education sector, with a Bachelor’s in Mathematics in 1967, a Master’s in Hydrodynamics from University of Lagos in 1969, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the same University of Lagos in ‘75.

These degrees, and the brilliance that bore them, earned Baba Adeboye an academic position at the University of Lagos — a position he still holds. But it was his ministry at RCCG that brought him to the attention of the world. Between 1973 and 1975, Adeboye went from being an interpreter to being commissioned to the pastoral ministry by Pa Josiah Akindayomi. Six years later, Adeboye became the General Overseer (GO) of RCCG. Since taking over as GO, RCCG has grown exponentially, with functioning parishes in more than 196 countries and a heart-stopping 14,000 in Nigeria alone.

Captains on Single Ship...Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, Amosun and Dapo Abiodun in APC

Abiodun

exciting conversations and political calculations.

Governor Abiodun and OGD are close friends, as the latter aided the former’s ascension to the gubernatorial chair. So there’s likely negligible

tension and suspense on that front.

Between OGD and his immediate successor, Senator Amosun, is a thick history book of alleged contention. Although this was resolved recently, folks are likely to recall the seemingly endless news pages detailing the lengths the Senator had gone to suppress OGD. But “the past is a different country…” so there’s probably nothing hazardous on that front either.

Chief Osoba is the figurative godfather of them all, the first in the line and the only one who successfully made a comeback (after a short hiatus of six years, between his first tenure, 1992 to 1993, and his second, 1999 to 2003). The man has the ears of fellow political ancestors, within and outside the APC.

How Katsina Billionaire Dahiru Mangal’s Son Died In Bike Accident In the hitherto enviable and exotic world of Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, the sky is no longer a silvery and opalescent delight; it is now pitch black and brackish. And sadly, it would take almost forever for things to return to normalcy for him and family.

Nura Dahiru Magal, a son of renowned Katsina billionaire businessman and Airliner, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal died in a ghastly power bike accident. A source close to his family said that he died when his bike crashed along Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic around 4pm on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Nura, a Master degree holder from a London university, was buried on Thursday, March 4. It was a devastating and distasteful death that has plunged the entire Mangal clan into a pall of gloom. Everybody with the Mangal suffix,

RETRACTION PR Job Gone Sour: Why Friends of Belema Oil Founder, Tein Jack-Rich, Aren’t Happy with AY the Comedian In our February 21 publication we published Ë ÝÞÙÜã áÓÞÒ ÞÒÏ ÐÙÖÖÙáÓØÑ ÒÏËÎÖÓØϘ ˩ ÙÌ Gone Sour: Why Friends of Belema Oil FoundÏܘ ÏÓØ ËÍÕ̋ ÓÍÒ˜ ÜÏØ˪Þ ËÚÚã áÓÞÒ ÞÒÏ Ù×ÏÎÓËØ˪˛ We have since realized that some aspects of the information captured in the publication ÎÓÎ ØÙÞ ßØÎÏÜÑÙ ÏÎÓÞÙÜÓËÖ ËÚÚÜËÓÝËÖ˛ Ï ÞÒÏÜÏfore withdraw the story in its entirety and ßÜÑÏ ÞÒÏ ÚßÌÖÓÍ ÞÙ ÎÓÝÜÏÑËÜÎ ÓÞ˛

friends, associates and relatives of Dahiru particularly have been unanimous in their grief. What was even more befuddling was that Nura was planing something big when death sneaked in, mowing him down in his prime. If Dahiru , indeed, had one chance to make a wish, he would probably wish the death of his son was mere nightmare. Watching him bemoan his fate, you could feel and touch his grief and like someone who has signed out on laughter, the sounds and melody of tumbrels and harps for him have stopped making any meaning for now.

Aminu Salisu Tsagero, writing on behalf of the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, wrote of Facebook: “We pray to God to have mercy on him and forgive him Amen. May God give his parents the patience of this loss. We are praying for God to have mercy on our parents and the

Dahiru

rest of the muslim community.

“And when ours comes, may God make us die in good faith, amen”.

The All Progressives Congress in Katsina also sent a message of condolence to Mangal.

When Hunter Becomes Hunted: Woman Swindles Ex-Police PRO, Ngozi Braide of ₦3.7m

Braide

In an episode that should be titled ‘Irony of Ironies,’ a former police spokesperson in Lagos was recently robbed of about 3.7 million. It was not at gunpoint, nor the charming command of other-natural powers, but the accused lady allegedly made off with her

things.

The Ogba Magistrates Court in Lagos has been visited with a case of fraud and theft that sent tongues wagging. The suspect in the case, Chinyere Livina Awuru, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of fraud levelled against her by CSP Ngozi Braide.

According to reports, Awuru had somehow met the CSP at Vadang Beauty & Cosmetics Store, Maryland, Lagos, and then proceeded to pluck goods worth 3,700,000 from her. The reaction of Braide was captured — shock, heartstopping shock — but not

the transaction that led to the clearing out of her millions.

The reports further alleged that the goods belonging to —but had changed ownership from — Braide included women’s hair worth 1.1 million, a wristwatch (or wristwatches) worth 1.6 million, and other men’s accessories worth 1 million—making 3.7 million.

Folks that keep up with the times will be no strangers to Madam Braide, who has always been hailed as a book-smart and street-smart spokesperson for the police.

She also had a reputation for being a no-nonsense person.

Who’ll Settle Shina Peller-Femi Gbajabiamila Tiff?

Gbajabiamila

T

he tiff between Shina Peller (House of Representatives member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/ Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency, Oyo State) and the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, has allegedly persisted.

This time, however, the sword of accusation points to Peller.

Folks are likely to remember the drama that played out last year during a House of Reps session, around the same time the nation was contending with protests. Not expecting to spy a similar episode of outrage against authority, Nigerians were treated to a face-off between Peller and Gbajabiamila.

The former alleged that the latter refused him an occasion to speak.

It was all a mess, as it seemed that the Nigerian legislature could not restrain themselves, let alone the protesting citizens.

But the Peller-Gbajabiamila tiff did not end there but allegedly continued to gather dust, waiting for the opportune time to explode in our faces.

Not long ago, the rumour mills released the news that Peller had tried to reach Gbajabiamila, and Gbajabiamila made a habit of ignoring him. Gbajabiamila allegedly faced a remonstrating social media mob back then.

Now, insiders have alleged that Peller is disloyal, unwilling and indeed unable to commit to his status and station.

To be sure, Peller’s position has been reportedly shifty, especially since the Bago incident (where Mohammed Bago lost to Gbajabiamila after allegedly getting influential members—like Peller—to support him). Perhaps there are itching scars from that election that Peller intends to rid himself of. Perhaps not. The gist now, however, is that Peller and Gbajabiamila need to mend things.

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Medical Terrorism – A Worse Kind of Pandemic This coronavirus thing has really exposed the thievery within the medical community. The private health delivery system is a scam. I will be making general statements blanketing the whole community hoping that I can goad them to come out and debate the economics of private health care delivery in this country. How can you be charging N48 million for coronavirus? This same coronavirus that people are curing with herbs and with N2,000? My billionaire friend I heard was made to deposit N10 million and still lost his life. Wait for it o: the family also paid another N6 million to retrieve the body. Another billionaire friend of mine said, “Edgar, once you are a big man and contract coronavirus, it will be like they are putting a gun to your head. A price is placed on your life.” He told me that his colleague billionaire into oil and gas paid a N10 million deposit and luckily survived. When he was discharged, he got another bill of N18 million, making it N28 million. You may ask, Edgar, why are you crying for people who drive

Rolls Royce on our terrible roads? I will tell you.

Private hospitals have taken advantage of the huge gap in health care delivery to exploit the community mercilessly, and nobody is safe.

Personally, my wife was a victim. Today, she is in the grave with a poor son and me left behind, asking wetin happen.

Na blood sugar and BP; dem collect over N3 million, push us between Ikoyi and Ikeja, and all the doctors in that place could not find a vein. Simple vein o that my mama, as a midwife for Military Hospital Yaba, used to find with her eyes closed. Eventually, despite all the huge sum paid, the woman went into a cardiac arrest and died. My in-law, Prof say, I should leave it to God. This is exactly the issue - leaving it all to God and allowing this scam to go on. I dare and challenge all private hospital proprietors to a public debate on private health care delivery economics, and let’s drill down and see if there is any justification for all these huge bills. If they win, I will run stark naked on Lekki bridge. Until then,

I will say, categorically, what we have in place as private health care delivery na medical hoteliers who build fine 5-star hotels as hospitals and be charging you for accommodation while pretending to heal you.

The ratio of mortality on COVID-19 between private hospitals and government facilities, if gauged, could be five to one. Meaning that if you have COVID-19 today and went private, you will pay through your nose and will most likely die compared to going to Yaba. See all the big men wey die for Ikoyi and Lekki. At some point, e come be like say na conveyor belt of morbidity.

Meanwhile, Yaba dey announce discharges like a plaything. The painful thing for all this one, na health minister wey dey go airport go receive vaccine and pose beside am like na Prince Charles come visit us, instead of critically looking at how to strengthen the system and save us from all this chicanery. What we have na medical casinos masking as hospitals. I stand to be corrected and better enlightened.

Rubbish!

SOWORE: HIS SECRET IS HIS GODS You know, in Shomolu, the first thing they will teach you as you come of age is the fact that you cannot put all your eggs in one basket. As they will say, no be one road dey lead to market. So I do not understand all this hullabaloo surrounding that ‘person’ Sowore carry come court. Even the Sowore sef miss the plot. He is vexing that they are calling the person a herbalist. What is wrong with being called a herbalist? Herbalism na very noble profession. My uncle Eno is a distinguished herbalist, and the last time I saw him in Uyo, he told me at 82, he had herbs that still gave him strong erection. In fact, he chewed one herb and stood up to show me his instant erection. I screamed uncleeeeeeeee! I believe you o! Too much information o, no kill me o. Soon after my leader’s appearance with his man, other pictures of him in various places of ‘power’ emerged. If he hadn’t gone to the white garment one, I would have said he no get sense.

I saw pictures of him in the mosque.

The man is very holistic in his search for protection. Now you see where the seeming fearlessness comes from. You see why dem dey press him neck for court even all the time, the man stand up waka go, saving us the stress of going into the street and shouting – ‘Sowore life matter.’ Na these people dey give am the confidence say nothing can happen.

Go to face the bullets. If you die, come and catch me and call me a bastard. That is what they would have been telling him.

My own is how he manages without getting confused because the juju man, the white garment man and alfa would all give him different instructions to follow.

How will he know which is which? Well, that na him business, make he continue.

We really need his irritant self at this time.

We are in a state of anomie in Nigeria today. God of Sowore should come and save us o.

fine, her height, eyes, colour and sweet demeanour. Kai. Anyways, make I focus.

What the staff were actually saying with those gifts na, “Oga, you cannot die o.

We have children to pay school fees. So you must live long for us o.” Abi, why staff go dey give you keep-fit thing na, especially now that rate of slumping for that Mudi age group, my age group too, is almost at a pandemic level? Anyways, that is how I siddon there for almost two hours, and hungry wan kill me. Mudi was determined not to spend money and me sef I was determined to spend him money.

That is how God saved him, that one sweet old woman walked in with smoothie, parfait and all that kind thing.

By this time, hungry don almost kill me. I don dey need oxygen because my belle don they shout. I take three of the drinks to save my life, hug the woman, and thank her for saving my life. That is how Mudi spent N4,350 on me for him birthday but as I dey work away, I dey hear am dey argue with the woman say the thing too cost say make he pay N3,000. I just laugh. Happy birthday, bro.

God will continue to protect you and guide you with good health in the name of everything you hold dear.

Sowore

Mudi

MUDI – OLD MAN, YOUNG MAN During the week, this k-legged but highly talented man celebrated his birthday. All the beg in the world did not make Mudi do party. He called me the night before to say, “Oh boy, tomorrow na my birthday.

When be your mama burial?” I say leave my mama burial, wetin dey happen, where make we land? He say, “Oh boy, focus. We need to bury your mama.” That is how I appeared in his studio, and the man dey use me do busy. I say today na today. A man cannot be clocking close to 90 when life expectancy in Nigeria is 60 and dropping and will not celebrate. That is how his staff came in with a gift for him.

They say, “Sir, you have to be healthy, so we bought gym things for you, so you keep fit.” The girl wey present the thing, if you see her sweet legs, too fine o.

But if I try, Mudi go kill me. The girl is

Kuponiyi

Ehanire

CAN – LET’S SANCTION HIM I don’t know if the Christian Association of Nigeria has any enforcement powers.

The way their members are going on, it is almost becoming a lawless community.

From allegations of sleeping with people’s wives, unexplained wealth down even to rape sef, the community is today facing a very serious image crisis. Today, men of God are not being held in high esteem. I tell you. But that is not really my own focus. It is that pastor in a virile video saying that those of us who allow our wives to be on top during sex will not make heaven is my problem. How can he be saying that God told him that? He did not stop there o; that God even told him that those of us who “do from the back, like dog” will also not make heaven. This man was very categorical and even went ahead to describe all the styles that I have become an expert as the main reason why I will not make heaven. This has distressed me as he said that the only Bible-sanctioned style is missionary, which from professional, practical experience is limiting – please order my new book -Anonyumous Nipples for more info. I explain this to Duchess when next she comes for her dosage. I will say, “Sorry dear, your people have said no on top o.” Well, na she dey kuku go church, fellowship and crusade. Wetin concern me. I have sent the video to her, and she block me. Is it my fault? Is it me that God sent the message to? See her

Adeyemi

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LOUD WHISPERS dey block me. Please, CAN should do something about this pastor. This is the most dangerous of them all o. He must recant. His God must come back and give me permission to be doing the one from the back because that woman on top own dey suffocates me. Please, while we are at it, kindly do not mention oral to this pastor o: that one he will faint from shock.

Mumu pastor. Dem plenty o.

SENATOR ADEYEMI – NOT A SMARTWAY TO TALK How can you for the life of me pronounce the word drunkard before or after a sitting governor’s name? That is what we call ‘oma mbe’ in Shomolu. That is when you say someone is too forward.

This Smart person is not smart at all o, and it shows a poor command of the English language because you would have achieved the same result with a creative and dramatic interplay of the English words. But when you have such a limited hold of the language, you will just be doing bulldozer and be causing chaos. Anyways, me I sha like Ikpeazu’s response. Let me paraphrase him: I would end by borrowing what Chinua Achebe said in one of his books, “if a mad man picks your clothes while you are in the bathroom and takes off and you go after him naked, nobody would know who is mad after all.” You see how people wey understand English dey take yab people with sense and style? This our Kogi man go just open mouth vomit. Na wa.

CHARLES SOLUDO – YOU HAVE MY UNBENDING SUPPORT Let me state very categorically that in line with my current ideology, which will not change anytime soon, that I fully endorse Prof. Charles Soludo as he begins his run towards the Anambra Government House. I believe that it is now time we pushed an issue-based agenda, and only those with a certain level of intellectual depth would understand how to play the politics of merit instead of the politics of tomato and na me, na me wey we dey see for our country. I believe very strongly in ideology being a guide in the continuous search for consensus that is politics. When we have a narrow-minded semi-literate and obnoxious leadership guided by nepotism, ethnicity, selfishness, greed and avarice, what you get is the near anarchy we find ourselves.

It is not too late for the great nation if people with Soludo’s intellectual bent begin to stand up to be counted. We can take the country state by state until we have credible leadership at the centre, which would then cascade downwards.

Enough of the cowboys and illiterate marauders in power. Enough of the statue-building, diarrhoea-infested charlatans who parade our corridors of power, stealing and pillaging our common wealth while taking advantage of the fault lines, our diversity to exploit us madly. Mbok, Prof., anywhere you need my help, let me know at least worst case, I can galvanize all the light-skinned single women over 40 in Anambra to support us. That is the demographic I understand, no come ask me how o, you know say you na Prof, just leave am. If you need them, let me know.

RAUF AREGBESOLA – PATRIOT-IN-CHIEF People are wicked o. How can they say that Ogbeni has collected over 200 months’ salary in arrears? Me, I know this is not true, because if daddy had done that, he would have at least bought some socks to be wearing on that his kembe and court shoes. The man has said that it is not true and I believe, abi you know see the scraggy looks? The man has been on a perpetual fast for the people of Osun and has such, he has remained quite slim with a gaunt and underfed looks.

These are the patriots. These are the people who are slaving for Nigeria and we will be yabbing them and doing fake

of this Tanko. This one no fine like my own and this one no get sense like my own. My own Tanko will never sit in an APC government and be collecting salary and others inside him agbada and come and be tweeting what they say he tweet. That na rubbish na, be like say someone just give am phone and the excitement make am say make he test the thing and bam, tweet himself to detention and unemployment. The DSS as usual overreact for simple advice the man give him godfather and Gandunje for the first time react perfectly. Me I will not only sack him but will rub pepper on a koboko and slam his bare bottom.

That is the problem, if you feel so strongly about something, you resign and shout well. But you still siddon there, they enjoy, they attempt a Gani Fawehinmi. The hypocrisy is annoying abeg. I am sure where he is now, he is begging to get his job back. He will say, it is devil o, na so we dey. Only Nigerians understand this kind behaviour.

Soludo

news about them. It’s not fair, it is things like this that want to make me support Uncle Lai’s push to regulate social media.

My Lord Aregbesola has been reported to have said that he did not collect salary throughout his stay and since the government cater for all his needs there was no need to collect the salary, how much was it sef? So he donated it all to the people of Osun. Truth is that no be only him donate his salary, even all Osun civil servants during his tenure donate their salaries too. If you know, you know.

Abeg make una leave me this morning o.

SALIHU TANKO YAKASSAI TWEETS HIMSELF TO HELL When I first heard this news, I wondered if it was my friend from Unilag, Tanko

Aregbesola

Yakassai. The last time I saw him was at Dominoes a day before Valentine.

That is when ‘aristos’ like us used to do Valentine o. Not this year’s own before they come and slap me o. It was a long time ago o, that time Tinubu never come back from NADECO exile. So Tanko hail me, shout Edgar what are you doing here, I say mumu, what are you too doing here. He say, you know na. February 13 na our own Valentine’s Day because the ‘smallies’ will need to spend time with their small boyfriends, and we will have to be at home watching Cock Crows at Dawn and using Aboniki balm to rub madam toe inside hot water. So when I heard the name, I tried to reach my own Tanko. I no get am for phone, but I was relieved when I saw the picture

FOLASHADE TINUBU OJO – WHAT HAPPENED Mbok, the first time I saw the ruling that we cannot levy traders at the Ikeja Computer Village, I thought the ruling was from the International Court in the Hague or at least the Ecowas Court. But on scrutiny, na court for Ikeja o. Come and see laughter for Duke Summit.

People were saying how we can lose a court case for this our Lagos. The same Lagos wey 52 local government chairmen sign to remove sitting governor? Please, mummy, I think it is fake news because this one cannot happen. In Ikeja? Mostly Igbo traders?

Mr. B

That they will not enter the lagoon on this one is what me I am waiting to see.

But before we push them, please let’s wait until this fine Igbo girl that I am chasing agree for me first. She is very fine o. Sweet, brown skin and if you see her backside, you will understand why I am saying that we should hold on first before we do something about this ‘yeye’ ruling. Is this the beginning of the revolution? No be me dey ask o, na Demola Sanyaolu dey ask. Oya catch am.

CHIKE IROEGBUNAM – REACHING NEW HEIGHTS I hope say I spell his surname well. If not, too bad, nothing I can do, no be you pay my school fees, so I know owe you.

Chike does not like being in public glare but do I really care? The man is simply doing remarkable things professionally and otherwise. Chike has, over the years, delivered some of the most iconic real estate transactions on the island. With a strong portfolio, I can safely say that Chike today is simply the most influential player in that space. The skyline of the Ikoyi-Victoria Island axis is today beginning to really emerge pristine due to his efforts.

The class and elegance of his works make his architectural practice a major pull for those who know. He will call, ‘Edgar where are you, are you chooking? And I will say ‘Lord I just finish. He will say, ‘Leave chook, come there is money to be made’. I will say, Bro leave me o, let me do what I came to this world to do and you continue with what you came to this world to do. I just want to say welldone to this very hard-working and vision-driven Nigerian.

Chike will be designing and superintending the massive people theatre that will be owned by over 500 Nigerians and will redefine theatre in Africa. He is doing things. Well done, bro.

TUNDE KUPONIYI – LONG TIME BRO… This is how I saw his picture in the papers.

He is now the Managing Director of Nigeria’s biggest full indigenous Digital Bank, Hope PSP. I hadn’t seen or heard from Tunde in years. The last time was when I was a small investment analyst at Habib Bank subsidiary – HNB Trustees, and he used to come for deposit. I can’t remember the bank he was working for.

But he was kind and gentle with me.

He was truly an egbon, and he gave me advice that saved my life. He had called and said, ‘Edgar, you know you work in a conservative environment- Habib, slow down with the lifestyle.

Then I had a 090 mobile phone and was flaunting it all over the place.

That advice situated me and made me calm down. So when I saw his picture, I started looking for him. I asked one other Kuponiyi on my contact list, ‘I say, bro do you know one Tunde Kuponiyi? And he say, ‘ohh na my uncle he don die”. I say you dey craze na MD of Hope PSP Bank, he cannot die. I just see am for paper. I finally got his number and went to see him after over 20 years. The conversation immediately went straight into business.

Hope PSP is doing things in that space payments. With just your phone number, you can do so much safely. I wish him very well in this new endeavour. Well done, bro. Meanwhile, say hi to your Oga Agada, a nice man.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

Accolades for NCAC’s Boss Otunba Olusegun Runsewe

Abacha

Gumsu Abacha’s Shocker

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hen Fatima Abacha, also known as Gumsu, left her Cameroonborn billionaire husband, Bayero Fadil Mohamadou, many wondered what could have torn apart the lovebirds.

The reason is not farfetched: for 20 years, their marriage was a source of envy to many celebrities, as it was seemed to be made in heaven.

During the years of their sizzling romance, the lovely daughter of the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, had enjoyed the marital bliss and also flaunted her handsome hubby either on their wedding anniversary or on his birthday celebrations.

He showered her money, gift and above all, unblotted love.

But not many were aware that it was all cosmetic until the marriage that produced five children crashed like a pack of cards in 2019 due to irreconcilable differences.

Two years after, Gumsu seems to have moved on, as if nothing had happened in her life.

How? She did not give the critical public any cause to imagine that she was seeing anyone not to talk of getting married soon until last Saturday when the news hit the streets that she secretly married the governor of Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, at Mohammed Abacha’s residence in Abuja.

Gumsu is wife number four, as the governor had earlier married three wives. Among them is Umi Adama, the daughter of his predecessor, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, whom he married in 2019, 24 hours after he took the oath of office.

Those whose paths have crossed that of Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, are always quick to say that he is blunt to a fault.

In their analyses of his personality, these people often maintain that he likes to call a spade a spade and that he always expresses his position on any issue based on personal conviction.

Runsewe, who once headed the National Orientation Agency, may also be described as an activist. For some time, the former director general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, has been mouthing the need to keep the African culture’s sanctity.

Among other preoccupations, he is leading the struggles to instil the core African cultures and values in African children.

At different fora, he sermonised and even called on parents to show the right paths to their children and wards to not fall into the bottomless pit of moral bankruptcy.

In particular, Runsewe has not hidden his disgust for the lifestyle of popular cross-dresser, Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju, also known as Bobrisky, whom he describes as a bad influence on the Nigerian youths.

As proof of his sincerity of purpose, Runsewe tethered the rampaging bull in 29-year-old Okuneye when news broke that he was planning to set up the African chapter of Gay and LGBT on the occasion of his birthday in 2019.

Commenting on the lifestyle of Okuneye, Runsewe, who was hailed by many across the country for putting Okuneye in check then, said: “He started by selling and using bleaching creams. Now, he has grown boobs, bums and hips.

“If he is doing well with his immoral lifestyle, how do you convince Nigerian youths to do the right thing? Bobrisky has the right, but not within the Nigerian environment.

“If he wants to continue with that way of life, then he should leave Nigeria. Our culture does not allow such personality in our society.

“Just like in Nigeria where notorious homosexuals and cross-dressers have been arrested and released, the jail sentence passed on Cameroonian homosexual promoter vindicates the relentless campaign of the need to rid Nigeria of the presence of homosexuals such as Bobrisky and his likes.”

Interestingly, Runsewe’s voice has refused to be drowned in the cacophony of noise by Okuneye’s followers, as some notable Nigerians

Runsewe

have also begun to call him out.

In a recent chat with Society Watch, the President, National Council for Women Societies, NCWS, Laraba Shoda, saluted the NCAC boss’ courage for condemning what she described as a big blot on African culture.

Similarly, the notable Nollywood actor, Saheed Balogun, said Nigerian parents should rise against Bobrisky and his likes, who continually disrespect African cultures.

He stated, “Their alien lifestyles should be nipped in the bud and not allow to become another disease like corruption.”

The Untold Story of a Gentle Billionaire, Leemon Ikpea’s Divorce Saga

Ikpea

As a young man, Chief Leemon Ikpea had dreams after working hard to become materially comfortable: he wanted to get married and live happily ever after.

He was advised not to seek a wife outside of his hometown. So, he went home to take a wife. He was married on April 2, 1982. But that blissful episode was fleetingly momentary.

Years rolled by, and children entered the marriage. But the wife of this billionaire oil magnate said to be a stark illiterate refused to improve herself, as every effort to get her educated failed; neither did she excel in the

businesses set up for her. Unduly aggressive, hostile and incorrigibly stubborn, she made life unbearable for a warm, simple and agreeable husband.

When push came to shove, Chief Ikpea took a second wife after 20 years of the marriage (the union lasted 39 years until the recent divorce). Sources close to the family disclose that her unbearable stubbornness and refusal do as her husband wants are at the root of husband’s frustration. She had successfully turned her children against their father despite all he did for them.

Like a drowning woman seeking to clutch at anything, her team launched a campaign of calumny against her humble and simple billionaire hubby, in both the traditional media and also in the social media. . The source added, “Chief put all the children in strategic positions in his company. Everyone’s got a house from him. One he bought a N450 million-house; another a N850 million-event centre. What else did this woman and her children want?

“Chief has been magnanimous; settled everyone. It seems the more he gives them, the more they wanted.”

In 2020, when the matter came to a head, Chief Ikpea filed for divorce. He divorced the wife in a Benin court. Well, a divorce can take place anywhere. But the estranged wife and her lawyer have been spinning spurious

Top Realtor, Morola Olabisi Babalola’s Vantage Position

Babalola

Today, Morola Olabisi Babalola could be said to have taken a vantage position in the nation’s real estate sector.

When she set forth on her journey in the industry, her major priority was to allow the teeming masses of Nigerians to be proud house owners.

Her vision was clear: to impact people in need of homes, reaching out to new families just growing up with the creation of “middle-income-homes” in the highranked area of Lekki and on Victoria Island of Lagos State.

Driven by passion, Babalola, the mother of three, is set to launch a housing cooperative tagged, ‘Affordable Housing Cooperative Society Ltd,’ to make tenants become landlords of the houses they rent and empower members.

Undoubtedly, she is bringing to bear her over 20 years’ experience at Primewaterview Limited, on her fast-

yarn, casting aspersion on the judge that sat on the case. The court granted Chief Ikpea’s prayer to divorce his wife, ordering him to provide a home for her.

“Chief complied without hesitation.

But she refused to move out of his Banana Island abode despite court order. Court bailiffs came to enforce the orders of the court. She went to press, saying she wasn’t taken care of.

Her lawyer, the source pointed out, was also economical with the truth even though he signed papers for a new residence for Chief Ikpea’s estranged wife.

The lawyer also accused Ikpea of getting a ‘friendly’ judge to preside over the divorce case.

Unease lies the head that wears the crown: an inside source at Lee Engineering Ltd (owned by Chief Ikpea) revealed that one of the billionaire’s children has continued to milk the company dry in the name of supplying the firm with stationery.

“The magnanimous billionaire has done his best for his children and in-laws.

He bought them cars and houses and employed them,” said the source.

“Our oga is a good man to his family, anyone who knows him can attest to that.

What they are doing to hm in the social media is undeserved,” he added. growing company, Townsend Property Investments Company, established in 2017.

She later became the managing director of PWV Management Services, a subsidiary of the company, and the Group MD and Chief Executive Officer of Primewaterview Holdings Limited in 2012, after the resignation of the erstwhile GMD and CEO, Adetunji Ogunwusi.

She hit the ground running when she set up her company with the launch of a 38-unit home in Lekki delivered to the subscribers in record time.

With Townsend Properties Limited, Morola sets a new standard for others to follow, with real estate launch into tourism while partnering international organisations like the African Union.

This is geared towards building tourist destination centres across the country to create a more comfortable and stress-free tourist experience.

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

LONG BEFORE SADIQ DABA’S SWA N S O N G Sadiq Daba as Inspector Danladi Waziri in October 1

A SOPRANO’S LIFE IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC PAGE 69

07.03.2021

Cover continued on Page 68

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

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ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

LONG BEFORE SADIQ DABA’S SWANSONG Legendary actor and broadcaster Sadiq Daba, who since 2017 had been fighting a losing with prostate cancer and leukaemia, eventually succumbed to death by these ailments on Wednesday, March 3. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke writes

T

his was how it used to be like back then: Nigerian Television Authority’s estimated 30 million viewers would hear Bongos Ikwue’s sonorous voice and know that it was time for Cockcrow at Dawn. That voice, which was accompanied by the strum of his guitar, had the effect of a pheromone on families across Nigeria, keeping them glued to their television sets.

Cockcrow at Dawn – which shared the same title as its music – used to feature many colourful characters, among whom was Bitrus. And the character Bitrus – played by Abubakar Sadiq Daba who died on Wednesday, March 3 – had remained evergreen in the television audience’s memory.

In the late Daba, the Kannywood – moniker for the Hausa-language movie industry – actors saw an inspiration. Popular actor Ali Nuhu, for instance, fondly remembered in a BBC interview Daba play the character Bitrus. Also, the director Babangida Bangis said that it was the deceased roles in Cockcrow at Dawn and The Village Headmaster that motivated him to join the movie industry. According to him, northerners were proud of the achievements of one of their own at a time when they were not many on national television.

Of course, Daba would not only be missed by his northern brethren but also by such industry's leading lights as the filmmaker Femi Odugbemi, Kunle Afolayan and Ajoke Silva, among others. Outside the Dabba industry, figures like the former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Senator Shehu Sani and the publisher Dele In the post, which he made in a London hospital, he had Momodu were among the distinguished personalities, who also specially expressed his gratitude to “the wonderful and paid their tributes. caring doctors and ancillary staff of the Lagos State UniverWhen the Cockcrow at Dawn star first announced in sity Teaching Hospital and that of the Obafemi Awolowo 2017 that he had been diagnosed as suffering from prostate University, Ile-Ife. cancer and leukaemia, the expression of support and Shortly afterwards – less than two months precisely – he goodwill that trailed the announcement was overwhelmwas sighted in Abuja during the Project Pink Blue walk ing. A fundraising drive, bolstered by the financial support against cancer in commemoration of World Cancer Day on of the billionaire businessman Femi Otedola put him on the February 3, 2018. path to recovery.

Even though Daba was launched into the limelight, thanks In that Facebook post he made on Tuesday, December 19, to his starring in Cockcrow at Dawn, he was also featured in 2017, Daba reeled out the names of the human rights activist films and soap operas like Behind the Clouds, The Village Dr Josephine Odumakin, the broadcaster Soni Irabor, Headmaster, A Place Like Home, Soweto and Moment of the former Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Truth as well as in Nightmare, a 1995 film by Zik Zulu, which the Plateau State Governor Bako Simon Lalong, Senators also starred the likes of Onyeka Onwenu, Pete Edochie and Dino Melaye and Shehu Sani, Azuka Jebose and Suleiman Sandra Achums.

Aladeh, among several others for their role in his recovery.

His acting career had first started with radio dramas before

his path crossed that of the legendary producer Peter Igho at the NTA (then NTV Sokoto), where the latter used to head the drama department.

He had wormed his way back into the industry’s consciousness when he starred as Inspector Danladi Waziri in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1. It was his role in the psychological movie that won him the Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actor in 2015. He was also conferred with the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

His last known major movie role was in Citation, another movie by Kunle Afolayan whose storyline revolves around the sexfor-grades culture in tertiary institutions.

Daba, who apparently had his roots in Kano, was raised in Sierra Leone, where he attended St. Edwards College in the capital city of Freetown.

It was during this period that he got all the encouragement he needed from his father to develop his passion for broadcasting, which offered him the platform on which he launched his acting career. His father, who heard him mimicking the leading broadcasters he used to listen to on the radio, had bought him a tape recorder with which he recorded his voice.

With his return to Nigeria in 1968, at the age of 15, he entered another phase in his life. His broadcast dreams were fulfilled when he auditioned for a role at Radio-Television, Kaduna (RKTV). This, he owed to Khalifa Baba Ahmed, who was impressed by his voice at Hamdallah Hotel, had introduced him to the station, where he was first employed as a continuity announcer.

Apart from studying at the NTA’s Television College and at the Ahmadu Bello University, where he received a degree in mass communication, he held several positions in the industry as a news anchor, reporter and editor.

He had after his retirement from NTA, where he had worked for almost four decades, partnered with his long-time friend and CEO of Dasamal Television Network (DTN), Isiaku Aliyu to host the show Sadiq Daba Presents.

Daba, whose earthly remains were committed to earth on Thursday, March 4 afternoon according to Islamic rites at the Agege Hausa Cemetery in Lagos, was survived by his wife Bolaji Daba, his two children and six grandchildren.

THEATRE

Producing Theatre in a Pandemic

Edgar Yinka Olatunbosun

T

he theatre renaissance in Nigeria recorded between 2014 and 2019 that brought several world-class performances such as Kakadu the Musical, Saro the Musical, Wakaa, Isale Eko, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens as well as festivals such as Lagos Theatre Festival and the Lagos Fringe can be said to be short-lived due to the ravaging Covid-19

pandemic. Last year, the closure of theatres dealt a big blow to the burgeoning industry that caters to actors, directors, producers, make-up artists, costume designers, publicity handlers, and other professionals.

But with government’s effort to reopen the economy, some dogged theatre producers have waded through the storm, exploring new ways of producing plays without breaching the Covid-19 protocols.

One theatre producer who remained very active throughout the pandemic is the Founder and Creative Director, Kininso Koncepts Production, Joshua Alabi.

The globe-trotting theatre producer has toured the UK, South Africa, Germany, and several African countries with his theatre for development projects. Motivated by the need to keep theatre alive, while engaging the community and the artists, Alabi revealed to THISDAY that many actors were depressed during the lockdown of theatre spaces.

“People who have always done the same things all their lives and then a moment comes when they are unable to do so. That was a moment when theatre could have done more. Last year, when theatres were shut, we did something called ‘Telephone Whispers’ where we brought out our audience database and we began to call them one after the other to tell them a few minutes-stories just to make them happy; to make them feel like they are watching live theatre or radio drama. After that, we did home theatre with 25 of our theatre stories on social platforms. So, we didn’t want to give up but to be the hope for the people because many businesses crashed.”

He is currently working on Cream-Body, which is part of the 2021 edition of the Lagos Theatre festival later this month.

“We started it as ‘Skintone.’ Last year April, we were supposed to attend a festival in Berlin but since we couldn’t travel, we did research laboratory exchange among all the countries involved in November. Skin tone was about colours, skin bleaching and identity especially in Africa, India and Asia,’’ he revealed.

With “Cream-Body,” he challenges the discrimination against dark-skinned individuals who are sometimes treated as though they are less qualified to be humans, or to get certain jobs and recognition. In another production titled “Sniper,’’ he puts a spotlight on mental health and suicide.

“Sniper will be showing in April at Alliance Francaise. It will also be streamed live. It is supported by Goethe Institut, Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SRPI), LUTH, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba and Arts4Life, a non-governmental organization with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and Kininso Koncepts Production. We have been managing to rehearse amidst the Covid-19 protocols. As artists, we sometimes forget the social distancing, wearing masks, use of sanitisers. But we are trying to use our space where some of our artists are also lodged here and we are trying to stay safe.’’

For the consummate investment banker and

theatre producer, Joseph Edgar, being relentless is his strategy to cope with the pandemic.

“It is at times like these that you would know whether you are born to do this because the challenges that are involved are humongous- the fear, the risk of getting infected or delivering a platform that will serve as a major spreader of the virus. But, we have got to have that sense of urgency to tell your story and you continue to be restless.

In December, at the peak of the second wave of the pandemic, his theatre company, Duke of Somolu Productions staged “Our Duke has Gone Mad Again.” He described this show as one of the most herculean productions ever, though haunted by the uncertainty of government clampdown.

“Luckily for us, we already anticipated this and we worked on a production that could be done outdoors. We worked very closely with the Lagos State Safety Commission and made sure that we met all the requirements. We didn’t sell tickets so that we wouldn’t have that deluge. It was extremely difficult. At the end of the day, we had a wonderful production. And in the end, we had that sense of fulfillment that we were able to tell our story.’’

Edgar considered funding as a major obstacle to theatre at this period as a big sponsor once pulled out of the production at the last minute, despite having the brand listed in banners, fliers and other advert forms. Still, he had the good fortune of actors who were not driven by financial gain. But it was important to keep them safe.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

ARTS & REVIEW\\CLASSICAL MUSIC

Chiejina

A SOPRANO’S LIFE IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC Despite the devastating impact of the pandemic on the operatic world, Francesca Chiejina remains hopeful and steadfast in the pursuit of her lifelong passion. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

S

omehow, the show had to go on. So, operas, which under normal circumstances have always been performed in specifically-designated physical spaces, suddenly had to move on to digital platforms. And London, UK-based Francesca Chiedu Chiejina, for whom the year 2020 had been a particularly strange one, has good reasons to deem herself “quite fortunate”.

It was indeed an apocalyptic scenario. Work “dried up” and weeks of despair turned into months as companies began to fold up. “It was a harrowing experience watching friends and colleagues ending up in dire straits because their industry and means of livelihood disintegrated overnight,” recalls the Nigerian-American soprano, whose Royal Opera debut saw her playing the role of Ines in Guiseppe Verdi’s opera in four acts Il Trovatore.

At the moment when the flame of hope seemed about to be extinguished, an unexpected turn of events rekindled it. “Just as quickly as the work seemed to disappear, theatres, dancers, directors, producers and musicians began to band together to move their work online.”

Even as humanity continued to groan under the pandemic’s devastating impact, Chiejina took solace in her participation in five digital projects. Besides, Benjamin Britten’s 20th -century chamber opera The Turn of the Screw, which was put on by Opera Glassworks, there was also Igor Stravinsky’s English-language opera in three acts and an epilogue, The Rake’s Progress, which was put on by Blackheath Halls. Then, there was this recital with the London Song Festival of French Music from the 1920s Paris, a small Monteverdi recording arranged for Longborough Opera as well as some operatic arias recorded for Opera Prelude Company.

“It’s [been] quite a lot of work, and I’m incredibly fortunate that I’ve been able to keep stable income at such an unstable time,” says the 30-year-old.

Metaphorically speaking, Grimm’s tale character Rumpelstiltskin seems to have nothing on her when it comes to the art of spinning straw into gold. She likens the plethora of newly-created classical music content accessible online, often for free, or for a small payment/ donation, to the Wild West. “If I’m honest, we’re all learning on the job and taking risks that seem to be paying off! I was undoubtedly sceptical at first but the results have been astonishing.”

Now, in retrospect, she believes that it’s just like human beings to experience devastation and still find hope and opportunity amidst the carnage. “When the world returns to some form of equilibrium, and it will, a

lot of the tools we’ve amassed will help us bounce back into what I predict will be a better normal,” she adds, waxing optimistic.

Perhaps, it’s Chiejina’s penchant for self-analysis that has seen her through these times when she is compelled to practise her craft in the absence of a physical audience. “Although there has been a decent amount of work available, it’s not nearly as busy as it would have been normally,” she explains. “In the weeks and months where I’ve not been working, I’ve really had to redefine what it means to be an artist. I’ve made the rookie mistake of aligning an unbalanced amount of my identity with what I do. With the blinding noise that is being ‘busy’ fading, it became therapeutic to create art for the sake of creating, create art as a means of self-soothing, create art as a response to joy and sorrow, and finding it is enough. Funnily enough, they were the very same reasons I began to create in the first place.”

Speaking of which she started getting to know herself outside of being an artist. “As a young artist in today’s world, the rule usually goes, do a lot of work, figure out your strengths, highlight those, garner a reputation for the said strength, and it should be smooth sailing from there, or so we’re told…

“Like many of my colleagues, I was doing the circuit, prided myself on being busy, and was running on fumes. Quarantine came as an enforced break. With so much more time on my hands and being forced to face oneself, there’s nowhere to hide.”

It was only a matter of time before another piece of the jigsaw falls into place. So, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor graduate, who also holds a Master’s degree from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, began to reconnect with herself. “In a way, I reintroduced me to myself: I remembered who I was before life got so busy.

In reconnecting with myself, I, in turn, began to reconnect with old friends and family. As a lot of us did, I picked up a few new skills and hobbies. I feel like a well-rounded and more balanced human being, who happens to be an artist.”

Coming to terms with the fact that there wasn’t going to be a quick fix for the coronavirus pandemic got her thinking about how her post-pandemic life would be.

Would the soprano, who has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, remain as busy as she has been? Would this post-pandemic life be sustainable and good for creating high-quality work? “I can’t predict how I’ll feel or how life will play till the time comes.

But I know the world has changed forever… What once was, will never be, and I look forward to embracing the new experiences.”

Talking about sustainability, Chiejina considers the swift venture into other careers by her colleagues as one of the most surprising and impressive results of the pandemic. As for the careers – which in administrative and teaching positions – they were part-time and, in a few cases, full-time. There were still others among her colleagues who chose to retrain and acquire new skills.

Nonetheless, Chiejina – who once said she had no plans to part ways with the operatic world – prefers to look on the bright side. Of course, she acknowledges that the pandemic has had devastating effects on the arts, especially on live performances. Still, she thinks that the operatic artform transfers beautifully into a digital medium. Her verdict: “It will never replace it of course, but it does a fantastic job for now.”

Meanwhile, her earliest childhood musical memories – sight-reading a piano piece, hearing the music for the first time, and being in complete blissful awe that her fingers, hitting these black and white keys, were creating music – continue to accompany her as a guiding star.

Thanks to her dad, Anthony Chiejina, who is the Group Head, Corporate Communication of the Dangote Group, she and her three siblings (two boys and a girl) were enrolled for violin and piano lessons at the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos.

This was how her love affair with making music – especially of the classical genre – began. And talking about The MUSON Centre in Lagos, her plans to perform at the venue between 2020 and 2021 have been suspended on account of the prevailing circumstances.

Back to her vocation, she had studied with the likes of the American operatic soprano Martha Sheil and James Paterson. She studied under Sue McCulloch at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama while she was studying at the University of Michigan.

Earning her degrees implied exposure to courses like musicology (music history), music theory, acting, dance and movement, human anatomy and physiology, German, Italian, French and a bit of Russian.

At a later stage in her musical education, she passed through masterclasses with Martin Katz, Kamal Khan, Gianna Rolandi, Joyce DiDonato, Brigitte Fassbänder, Edith Wiens and Felicity Lott.

Noteworthy milestones on her career’s path include her selection as one of five singers from around the world for the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme in 2016 and becoming a finalist of two major competitions: the Kathleen Ferrier Competition at the Wigmore Hall and the inaugural edition of the biennial Glyndebourne Opers Cup in 2018. Through the exposure from both competitions.

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GLITZ FEATURE

One of the eye popping befitting final resting place

Life After Death: How Wealthy Nigerians Prepare for Afterlife As it is on earth, so do many super-rich Nigerians want it to be in the afterlife. They want an extension of their life of luxury even when they are dead and buried. That is why some of Nigeria’s wealthiest, royals and aristocrats are spending millions of naira on where they will finally rest. The number one choice of a befitting final resting place is the Vaults and Gardens in Ikoyi, regarded as the foremost rest haven for the departed souls. Though sited on almost four acres of land, spaces at the Vaults and Gardens are almost sold out, writes Lanre Alfred.

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obody makes a lovely corpse, but Nigeria’s super-rich would have none of that. The recent funeral culture among Nigeria’s high society sees them bury their dead in ways that emphasise the deceased’s earthly comfort and elegance.

Current realities within the funeral economy point to the fact that death is not the ultimate leveller after all. The rich-poor dichotomy in life is reflected in funeral rites. It is little wonder that undertakers exploit the opportunities to provide exclusive resting places for those with the wherewithal.

By all indices, General T. Y Danjuma (retd), former Minister of Defence, is one of Nigeria’s redoubtable billionaire businessmen interested in different lucrative sectors of the economy, including telecommunications, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and maritime. He also sits on the board of many blue-chip companies. Thanks to his vast wealth, he lives in choice homes in Nigeria, Marbella, Spain, and other exotic and idyllic capitals.

As has become the tradition of fellow billionaires, royals, and the ‘privilegentsia,’ Danjuma, married to the dainty Daisy, a former senator, is also preparing for life after death. At the age of 82, he should. He has bought a marble mausoleum inside the Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, regarded as the most elitist cemetery in Nigeria. His prospective final resting place is beside that of his wife, and it is as elegant as their enviable life. Danjuma is, however, not the only one prepared for the hereafter.

Like Boyscouts, Wealthy Nigerians Are Prepared

People no longer wait family members to choose where will be buried when die, they are acquiring vaults and mausoleums and

basically planning ahead. Those who opine that the rich and influential ways are different from those of mere mortals are not mistaken.

From the ways they live in opulence and style to places where they can be seen, the moneyed class never wavers in the tiniest of details that have to do with their well-being. It is why many of them are splurging on preparations for the afterlife.

Many top Nigerians have bought mausoleums and fitted them out to taste in preparation when the Grim Reaper calls.

Some privileged Nigerians that are so prepared, sources said, include the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Tunde Fowler, the former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services.

It was in the same cemetery that Fashola buried his father in August 2013. Likewise, Abibat Mogaji, Tinubu’s mother and former IyalojaGeneral of Nigeria, was buried there in 2013.

In the bowels of the Vaults and Gardens are the remains of the Rolls Royce-loving businessman, Akin Olugbade, who died recently, Wale Aboderin, former Chairman of Punch Nigeria Limited, Esther Osunsade, the eldest sibling of Dr. Mike Adenuga, and Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas.

The list also includes TPastor Eskor Mfon, Chief Odunewu, Chief Awelenje, Pa Okome, Tayo Aderinokun, Angela Onyeador, Otunba Gadaffi, GbegiOjora, Connie Madubuko, Prof Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, Akin Temple, Nike Shonibare, Titi Adenug’s mother, Susanna Okome, Punch Chairman, Wale Aboderin, Tunji Okusanya, Pa Remi Olowude, Funke Adedoyin, Tajudeen Disu, and Funmi Suinner.

About The Vaults And Gardens, Ikoyi

Everything about the private cemetery belies luxury. From its well-manicured lawns

and gardens, the walkways and driveways, to the serene scenery and splendid landscape that exude a peaceful memorial park, Vaults and Gardens bears a striking semblance to the home of the wealthy and aristocrat. But it is the final resting place for those who can afford its dollar-priced facilities for their deceased loved ones.

Patrons enjoy the right to erect structures on their vaults, although the cemetery’s management takes great care to monitor and set a benchmark for the kinds of structure they could construct. The measure is geared to protect its original layout and design from being abused or over-run by over-ambitious patrons. The Vaults and Gardens’ walkways are paved and well-laid out with an overhanging cloud of celestial serenity. There is no apprehension that corpses would be buried atop each or accessible to ritualists searching for body parts as is customary with public cemeteries.

Commissioned by former Governor Tinubu in 2006, the Vaults and Gardens, regarded as the foremost haven for dead loved ones, is arguably the most exquisite and aestheticallypleasant private cemetery in West Africa.

“Vaults and Gardens provides your departed loved ones with a beseem cemetery ground with state-of-the-art facilities. We provide you with a dignified, caring, and memorable funeral reflecting the lifestyle of your loved ones.

“We grant adequate information to help facilitate your funeral services, memorial services, etc. Vaults and Gardens has a dynamic, innovative and dependable teamoriented Management, which is made up of qualified and seasoned professionals with foresight and imagination,” a statement on its

website said.

Divided into different sections, the High-Density Vaults section, as the name implies, has the highest number of vaults and a uniform cross-sectional area. The Muslim High-Density Vaults, a section where burials are done according to Muslim rites, are designed to suit the Muslim faithful. In contrast, Medium Density Vaults, which layout is more spacious than the HDV section, can accommodate single or double vaults depending on clients’ preference.

Other sections are the Alley Signatures and the Special Low-Density Vaults (Mausoleum) SLDV, available on special application.

“The perimeter of land applied for is designed and built to the desired taste of the client,” outfit stated.

The mausoleum or SLDV is the most expensive because it is built to the owner’s taste and can contain up to four corpses depending on the client. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued on each of the vaults and handed over to the deceased’s family.

This C of O is usually tenable for 25 years or more, after which the family will have to renew such.

There is also a hall for funeral services.

Other services include an up-to-date information archive and website that give access to write tributes to loved ones; online ‘Plan Ahead’ for booking hall, choir and musical band, caterers, undertakers, decorations, wreaths, etc.

There is also a provision of the headstone, tombstone monument and customised mausoleum crypt.

Why The Super-rich Are Splurging Fortune On Vaults And Gardens

There is a morbid fear for public cemeteries because they are over-stretched, badly-managed, and no new state facilities are built. There have been cases of corpses being buried atop other corpses in some of the old cemeteries, while flood reportedly uproots those in shallow graves. There is also the fear of ritualists who comb cemeteries for corpses.

A few years ago, the police in Lagos paraded a middle-aged man with seven human skulls hidden in a sack. During interrogation, he told the police that he got the skulls from the Atan Cemetery in Yaba, revealing that he scaled the cemetery’s fence at night to exhume corpses and sever their heads. In Ibadan, a member of a vigilance group was caught with human skulls. So, stories of people getting caught with human skulls or fresh human heads dug from public cemeteries are commonplace.

Therefore, a worker at the Vaults and Gardens said, “It is understandable that those who can afford it will buy spaces dignifying their existence for their burial or that of their loved ones.”

A mortician who preferred to be anonymous told ThisDay that vanity is a common thread that binds Nigerians, whether rich or poor, Yoruba or Igbo, Muslim or Christian. He added that because of Nigerians’ craze for everything luxurious and to show that they are superior to the next person, Vaults and Gardens has nearly sold out all its spaces.

“Yet, the space occupied by dead people is not even half of what those that are alive have bought. The truth is that many rich people are conscious and concerned about where they would be buried, which accounts for the rush to own a space,” he said.

Space Is Running Out

With a total land estimated at 3.7 hectares, Vaults and Gardens accommodates about 4,500 vaults, a sharp contrast to what happens in public cemeteries. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shored up the weekly number of internment there. That is where the problem lies. Despite being forced by the demand for spaces to increase their fees, Vaults and Gardens has virtually sold out all its spaces. The mortician added that several property owners nearby are offering their properties for sale because of the juicy offer from the Vaults and Gardens management desirous of expansion because there is increasing demands for spaces.

At the moment, the cheapest space is about N25 million, while the premium spaces go for as high as N150 million to N250 million.

Well, for those who cannot afford the Ikoyi flagship cemetery, O’la Kleen Holdings, the brains behind the Vaults and Gardens, have opened two other outlets in Ibeju-Lekki and another in Port Harcourt.

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CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Situating Buhari’s Shoot-on-Sight Order Seen as foggy, unconscionably belated but welcome, the recent shoot-on-sight order by President Muhammadu Buhari on AK-47 wielding bandits has spawned a divided reception, notes Louis Achi

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n an interview with the BBC early last week, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed security agencies to shoot-onsight anyone seen with AK-47 or other deadly weapons.

“The president has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47. He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately,” he said in the interview monitored by THISDAY. Given AK-47’s bloody centrality as the tool of choice in the raging criminal infamy in the Nigerian story, it was a welcome development. But still, many feel such a weighty presidential pronouncement ought not to be within the remit of a second-tier presidential spokesperson – disclosed in a BBC interview.

Many believe that given the immensity of the issue on hand, a direct presidential proclamation or at the least, a directive from the National Security Adviser (NSA) addressing the extant matter would’ve been a more appropriate messaging channel.

More, many still believe that the lack of specific implementation strategy and template as well as input by the national parliament throws up more posers as to the constitutional appropriateness of the presidential directive – notwithstanding the fact that such a course was very long overdue.

In the Nigerian constitutional context, a presidential executive order presumably equates a United States presidential proclamation. But unless authorised by the US Congress, a presidential proclamation does not have the force of law.

Presidential proclamations are often seen as a practical tool for policy making, because they are considered to be largely symbolic.

The administrative weight of these proclamations is upheld, because they are often specifically authorised by congressional statute, making them “delegated unilateral powers.”

Their issuances have occasionally led to important political and historical consequences in the development of the United States.

George Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793 and Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 were some of America’s most famous presidential proclamations in that regard. The legal weight of presidential proclamations suggests their importance to presidential governance.

But according to an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Barrister Alozie Mmerengwa, notwithstanding that a much higher executive-level pronouncement was desirable in delivering such a directive, so far no authority from the executive has countered Garba Shehu, then it must be assumed it is in reality the presidential position.

According to military.com, the Russian-made AK-47 assault rifle (Avtomat Kalashnikova) is perhaps the most widespread firearm in the world. It is the standard infantry weapon for 106 countries. There are an estimated 100 million AK-47s of a number of variations round the world.

A study on transnational crime in the developing world revealed that the cost of a black market AK-47 can run as little as $150 in Pakistan. The price of an AK family firearm in Africa is an exception to that general rule. It’s usually much cheaper in many African countries, because the demand is so high that markets are usually flooded.

Not unexpectedly, the presidential shoot-on-sight order has spawned different reactions from diverse stakeholders.

Mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has backed the order holding that the security situation requires such extreme measure.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Emmanuel Yawe, “Though only lawyers can interpret the legality of the

Buhari President’s order, that the President ordered people to be shot without trial is a legal issue but we agree that, there is need for extreme measure to stop the experience of this weapon, which has not helped the security of this nation. So, there is need for extreme measures to curb the spread of small arms like AK47.

“It is not right for private individuals to carry AK47, which is known all over the world as a very dangerous assault rifle. Nigeria is not at war, so why should people carry AK47 freely?”

For Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader of the House of Representatives, President Buhari ought to have personally issued the directive to shoot persons bearing arms illegally.

Elumelu, member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in Delta, stated this last week, on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels Television programme.

Taking a different tack, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged President Buhari to rescind his “shoot-on-sight” order.

According to SERAP, the most effective way to address the killings, abductions and violence is to ensure full compliance with the Nigerian Constitution and human rights law.

“If the authorities are truly committed to ending the killings and abductions, they should take meaningful measures to protect

Nigerians; immediately identify, arrest, probe and prosecute suspected perpetrators; and provide victims access to justice and effective remedies.

“The shoot-on-sight policy is a threat to human rights-based law-enforcement approaches; may be abused and (may) exacerbate the impunity by law enforcement officials. Non-violent means should as far as possible be applied before resorting to the use of force and firearms.”

Under the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency, he gave a shoot-onsight order to rein in the excesses of the Yoruba Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

His words on live television: “The police have instructions that any criminal should be shot on sight. Anyone, who calls himself OPC should be arrested and if he doesn’t agree he will be shot on sight.

“We cannot allow this country to be overtaken by hoodlums and criminals. When people decide to behave like animals then they must be treated like animals.”

Many had expected a similar direct order, not one seen as indirect and veiled. Since the order had been issued, there have been pretty little reports of the body count of Ak-47 bearing bandits mounting. Nigerians watch.

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

How Not to Engage the Jagaban!

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Tinubu

ertain moves from official quarters suspected to be against a former governor of Lagos State and one of the national leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, do not show that any of the agencies of government has really learnt anything let alone motivated to modify their modes of operations.

The mad rush to the media – either traditional or social – has always proven to be counterproductive particularly the choice to leaking sensitive official documents, even when an investigation has not commenced, is a further testimony to the un-teachable character disposition of the government as an entity.

No one is under any obligation to like Tinubu especially, that his ways do not quite fascinate some categories of people, what cannot be denied him is the fact that he is equally a big player in the game and understands the nuances to a very large extent.

Thinking he would buckle to a cheap plot is not only naïve but also exposes the inexperience of those assigned the task. He is certainly not a super human, but smart enough to always clean up after him and that, he does with dexterity.

Besides, you can’t beat him to his game. A media trial will only earn him sympathy and the investigating agency, a distraction and public opprobrium. You guys should learn to think out of the box.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

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BRIEFINGNOTES

The Dirty Fighting in Imo TheunceasingfaceoffbetweenincumbentImoStateGovernor,SenatorHopeUzodimmaandhispredecessor,Senator RochasOkorocha,isfastunsettlingAPC’sgripinthestate.Amby Unezewrites

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mo State has been in the news for the wrong reasons lately.

If it was not the military invading Orlu in a wild chase of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) members, it was Governor Hope Uzodimma and his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha struggling for state property. But the eventual outcome of the fight might tell heavily on the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

For Senator Rochas Okorocha, who was governor from 2011 to 2019, he never believed that the state he ran as an emperor for eight years could in less than two years of leaving office turn against him and sadly, for the wrong reasons. Sure it is, and due to so many cogent and verifiable reasons.

While he held sway as governor, Okorocha had the penchant for running the state as a family concern. His capacity for illegally acquiring state and people’s properties as well as his alleged lust for building properties, even with state resources, were unprecedented.

This was a man, who superintended the resources of the state for eight years, and what the people got from him were sprawling estates and properties in all the nooks and crannies of the state. Is it the Eastern Palm University at his village Okpoko in Ideato South local government area, or his Royal Palm Hotels and Apartment in Owerri, which he ascribed to be owned by his wife, Nkechi, or the former Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) at Orji, that he turned to his private Rochas Foundation, or the massive land he converted to build his private mansion at Spibat?

Again, Okorocha’s conversion of the new Owerri area originally mapped out for the relocation of Imo New Government House, which he gave out to family members and cronies is another cause for concern to the government and people of the state. It is indeed an understatement for someone to say that Okorocha and family members own half of Owerri, capital of Imo State.

Then one can ask, were all these properties he claimed to belong to him and his family members there before he assumed office in 2011? And the answer is in the negative. When Okorocha contested for governor in 2011, some individuals had to contribute money for him to execute his election campaigns. But by the time he left office eight year after, he claimed to be richer than the state.

Granted that the period of his reign as governor experienced opening up of the state astronomically, it was also believed that the major reason for opening up the state was to enable him acquire more estates and property in those virgin areas. No wonder, Okorocha publicly laid claims to be richer than the state. That assertion is not contestable considering the amount of wealth he’s alleged to have amassed, using his office as governor.

Based on the above scenario, subsequent governments after him believed that in order to get back some of the properties he illegally acquired, is a task that must be accomplished. This prompted his immediate successor, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who had a stint in office before the Supreme Court removed him to set up a Judicial Panel of inquiry into land matters and related issues. That panel was set up to investigate wrong acquisition of lands and review lands taken over by the previous administration without due process.

The panel drew its powers from the Imo state Judiciary Panel of Enquiries Law created under the administration of Rochas Okorocha. To do its job efficiently, the panel invited memoranda from the general public – interested groups and persons. All that Governor Hope Uzodimma did was to allow the panel to continue with its inquiry for the general good of Imo people, having seen its potency.

The Panel completed its seating and came up with a 74-page report with recommendations to the Imo state government, which the state gazetted and became a supplemental legislation, having the full backing of the law. It was based on this, that the Imo state government sealed the premises of the Royal Palm Estate as recommended by the Judicial Panel of Enquiry and gazette it, having been built on an area specified as a green verge.

Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Chief Enyinna Onuegbu, while reacting to issues of the implantation of the content of the gazette said, “the governor has directed that we certify all C of Os issued in the state as well as to maintain a register for allocation. We want to maintain transparency by ensuring that

Uzodinma and Okorocha all allocation must be by public notice so that Imo people will know that a particular area is available for allocation and they will bid for it.”

On what government intends to do with the areas originally mapped out for government projects such as the proposed new government house complex at New Owerri, that had been tampered with by previous government, Onuegbu pointed out that the white paper answered those questions where public lands were taken for mixed used without change of purpose and when “we start to implement it, Imo people will know it is for their interest”.

Lending their voice in support of the government, Imo Stakeholders rose from a meeting last Saturday and mandated Governor Hope Uzodimma to use all legal means to recover all properties, including money belonging to the state, which was stolen by any public official regardless of the status. The stakeholders drawn from all walks of life from the three senatorial districts also said they were irrevocably committed to supporting the government of Uzodimma and would stand with and by him to ensure that his plan to rebuild Imo was achieved.

Those in attendance came from the 305 wards in Imo State and included prominent men, women and youth leaders, who mould opinions in the traditional, religious, political, academic, business world.

Earlier, Governor Uzodimma in his address to the stakeholders titled: “Imo State Must Be For All Imo People”, used the opportunity of the 4th Stakeholders meeting since he assumed office to brief Ndi Imo on his achievements so far in the last one year in office.

He also briefed them on the security situation in the state and the recent development involving Okorocha, who according to him took the laws into his hands by going to forcefully unseal a property sealed by the government.

Governor Uzodimma reiterated his earlier stance that he has come to serve Imo people with sincerity of heart, noting that his government would only do the things that were in tandem with the wishes of the people, insisting that nothing would make him change his vow to God regarding service to Imo. He also pleaded with the people to be wary of those who were instigating crises in parts of the state for selfish political reasons and maintained that his government would never allow such persons and their mercenaries to wreak havoc on the state.

However, giving teeth to the government to implement the contents of the whitepaper on lands, Justice Fred Njemanze of the High Court sitting in Owerri on February 24, 2021, granted an application filed by L.M. Alozie (SAN) seeking an interim forfeiture of all properties acquired illegally by Okorocha while in office.

But, Okorocha in a swift reaction to the court order said, “Let us first and foremost, describe the Interim Order of forfeiture as belated, an after-thought and deceitful. It has further exposed the double standards of what we have in Imo today as state government. And equally strengthened our consistent claim that what is happening in Imo is a clear case of vendetta, envy, hatred and conspiracy by the state government against Okorocha and his family. Okorocha, in a release by his media adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, noted that in their application for an Interim Order of forfeiture last Wednesday, the government never talked about the distortion of the Owerri Master plan again.

“They talked about illegally acquired properties. This is why the order is an afterthought, belated and deceitful. And with this Court order after they had invaded, looted and destroyed the properties in question leveraging on the Whitepaper, it only showed that they had acted wrongly, arbitrarily and unlawfully right from the outset,” he stated.

Interestingly, political pundits believe that the framers of the laws understood that the state doesn’t hold the monopoly of being right all the time, which is why the court exists for anyone to seek redress. Okorocha has been advised not to be ‘so rusty that he has forgotten the role of the court’.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state expressed dismay over the imbroglio happening in the state over time, accusing the APC-led government and members to stop the panic caused by the party in the state.

Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Ogubundu Nwadike said, “We wish to add that since the inception of the present APC Government in the state, Imo State has never experienced any modicum of peace. Rather, the state has continued to wallow and dangle on the debris of hopelessness, misgovernance and massive developmental haemorrhage. Rather than tormenting and unleashing terror on the Imolites, the APC government in the state should begin to champion a harmonised and defined strategy for leadership excellence and good governance.”

NOTES FOR FILE

COVID-19 Vaccine: Choose Life!

No one has stood in the way of vaccination against Covid-19 than some religious leaders, whose campaigns had dissuaded many people from the inoculation. But when the news came that Saudi Arabia has made vaccination compulsory for pilgrims, the joke suddenly took a 360 degrees turn against them and this applies to many others in different respects.

Even if the argument is only that with the vaccine, severity of a Covid-19 is lessened and the case of death ruled out, then, it is worth trying. Truth is that many of those who had died from the virus would

have elected to take the jab and also bought it at any cost if available in their hour of helplessness. But they missed out on it.

That you are around to see the vaccines come alive is a privilege that many have refused to consider as such. There’s nothing ungodly or religiously counterproductive about the vaccines. It is just an idea that has come to save the world from the menacing Covid-19 and give hope. Taking the vaccine, therefore, means choosing life and that’s the route every living of eligible age should ply.

Mustapha

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CICERO/REPORT

Adeyemi

Akere

Ikpeazu

Abaribe

How Adeyemi’s Outburst Ruffled Feathers in Abia With the way it was received in both camps, Senator Smart Adeyemi’s recent tirade against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State appears irredeemable. Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo report

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enator Smart Adeyemi’s name may not ring a bell in Abia State. But his recent outburst against the Governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has placed the Kogi West senator on the lips of not a few Abians. Adeyemi has so far got quite a load of criticisms enough to drown him if they were in liquid form.

No word has been spared in hitting back at the rather irresponsible utterances of the lawmaker, who threw caution to the wind in what he justified as his own way of defending his governor, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

The drama on the floor of the hallowed chamber of the Senate on February 23, 2021 was like a bolt out of the blue. No one saw it coming as the issue before the Senate was a motion on the need for revalidation and restoration of the Safe School Initiative. Then, there was a complete deviation from the direction of the debate, when it got to Adeyemi’s turn to speak.

Going off tangent, the Senator launched a verbal assault on the governor of Abia State and called him “a drunkard” and “a champagne drinking governor”.

Adeyemi joined the people of Abia as targets of his mudslinging outbursts wondering why “Abia is governed by drunkards” in spite of the fact that the state is inhabited by highly intelligent, highly educated and highly enterprising” people.

The corollary of Adeyemi’s statement is that, aside from the governor, there are other “drunkards” serving in the government of Abia. It was indeed an outlandish claim. Sadly, not even the interruption from the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, could stop Adeyemi from completing his voyage of a drunken senator.

The initial response from Governor Ikpeazu was to dismiss Senator Adeyemi’s tirade as a product of not even drunkenness but outright mental derangement.

In a statement by his chief press secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, Ikpeazu suggested that the Kogi West Senator should present himself for medical examination to ascertain his mental state.

“Our view is that the Senator is either suffering from a protracted case of mental illness or is battling with occasional fits of schizophrenia, which manifests in making careless, dishonorable, unrelated and incoherent statements,” the statement read.

As individuals and groups from Abia fired missiles to ostensibly pulverize Senator Adeyemi, it was not until March 2, 2021 that Ikpeazu personally responded to the comments made by the Kogi Senator.

The opportunity came at the launch of the book MADE IN ABA, an autobiography of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

“Let me use this opportunity to respond to whether or not I am a drunkard as posited by someone last week,” said the Abia governor. “I do not drink and I

don’t begrudge those who do”. With this categorical statement, Ikpeazu effectively deflated Adeyemi’s drunkard claims.

The Abia governor noted that it was regrettable that “at a time when leaders are called to speak on serious issues affecting our people, some chose to dwell on what others do and what they do not do”.

However, the Abia governor refrained from wading into the murky waters of verbal onslaught against his traducer. “If you are bathing and a mad man takes your wrapper and runs away, if you run after him naked, people will not know who is the mad person,” he said.

Amidst the barrage of criticisms, Adeyemi made efforts to justify his inglorious outing, when he said the insults he poured on Governor Ikpeazu was in retaliation for similar attacks on his governor, Bello.

The Kogi West Senator alleged that the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abaribe had insulted the governor of Kogi by insinuating that Bello’s abysmal performance was not portraying Nigerian youths as capable leaders.

But observers are still searching for the genuine reason Adeyemi left Senator Abaribe and instead went for Governor Ikpeazu if he was so hurt by the comment allegedly made by the Abia South Senator. It is quite obvious that the former President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) owed the revival of his political career to Governor Bello, who helped him to defeat his nemesis, Senator Dino Melaye.

No doubt, Adeyemi had gone overboard to please his political saviour, Bello by dragging Governor Ikpeazu into a matter he knew nothing about. The Kogi Senator had hidden behind the parliamentary immunity conferred on lawmakers inside the hallowed chamber to soil the image of both the governor and the people of Abia.

Some critics have, however, faulted Adeyemi’s lame duck excuse, wondering why the alleged insult on Governor Bello did not have the tsunami effect, like that of Ikpeazu, if it was as weighty as Senator Adeyemi perceived it.

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said he was gutted by Adeyemi’s conduct in the red chamber, warning that “the Senate is not for thugs”. He berated Adeyemi for making such “uncouth, careless and derogatory outburst against the (Abia) governor at such a hallowed chamber, more so when there was no link between the matter being debated and Abia government”.

A former governor of Abia, Senator Theodore Orji in a statement issued by his chief liaison officer and spokesman, Ifeanyi Umere regretted that Senator Adeyemi could scandalize and drag the image of a sitting governor to the mud without any justification.

Orji, who is currently serving his second term in the Senate for Abia Central, noted that, by his conduct, Adeyemi has displayed ignorance of “the enormity of the dignity and carriage which the office of the governor

conveys”.

The member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency, Hon. Uko Nkole contended that the “uncomplimentary and unparliamentary” outburst against Ikpeazu breached the rules of the hallowed chamber of the Senate.

The Abia federal lawmaker argued that Senator Adeyemi was out for mischief and hate speech as Governor Ikpeazu “was never the subject of the motion being debated and by no stretch should his name have come up negatively in the course of Senator Adeyemi’s contribution.

The political parties were not left out in the fray. The main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the first to react, when the Southeast zone of the party vehemently condemned Adeyemi over his unguarded verbal assault and demanded that he should publicly apologise to Governor Ikpeazu within seven days.

The position of the party was contained in a statement by the zonal publicity secretary, Augustine Elochukwu, following an emergency meeting of the zonal working committee (ZWC) at Enugu.

The zonal party leaders stated that the description of Governor Ikpeazu as painted by Adeyemi with a tar brush has no bearing with reality. They warned that Senator Adeyemi would be dragged to court if he failed to apologise.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) would take none of that. It promptly countered the PDP, arguing that the Senate Minority Leader is the right person to offer apology over his uncomplimentary remarks against Governor Bello. The APC Deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, threatened in a statement that the ruling party would take “legal action” against Senator Abaribe if he failed to publicly apologise to Bello. For now the standoff continues as none of the dramatis personae has blinked yet. Senator Adeyemi is yet to retract his tirade and tender an apology as demanded by Abia people and PDP. Senator Abaribe, on his part, has not apologised to the Kogi governor as demanded by APC. It’s yet to be seen if any of the aggrieved parties would make good their threats of seeking legal redress. But as a way out of the imbroglio, the caretaker chairman of Abia APC, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa has said that both Abaribe and Adeyemi should apologise to the governors they insulted.

“The people of Abia State are not quarreling with Adeyemi; Okezie Ikpeazu is not quarreling with Adeyemi. What happened is that Senator Adeyemi and Senator Enyi Abaribe left their responsibility as lawmakers and were engaging in banters and they carried their jokes too far,” he reasoned.

He said that it was necessary that, “we should call these two gentlemen to order to live up to the responsibility why we sent them to the red chamber, where you don’t go and crack expensive jokes”.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

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CICERO/REPORT

Asake: Gumi, Northern Leaders Not Sincere about Security President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jonathan Asake, in this interview withTHISDAY, alleged that the federal government and the Northern governors were not serious about tackling the security challenges in the north. John Shiklam presents the excepts:

O

n February 25 2021, the Northern governors and traditional rulers in the region held meeting on the deplorable security situation bedevilling the north. Are you hopeful that governors would bring an end to the scourge?

The governors of the 19 northern states have been holding such meetings for a long time and it has not translated into any tangible action against banditry. We have not seen the impact of their meetings in terms of tackling the killer herdsmen terrorising communities in the north.

So, I don’t think there will be any difference between their recent meeting and similar ones in the past. It is the same rhetoric. If they truly wanted to address the problem, they would have done so long ago.

Some of the governors are part of the problem.

There is no consensus among them as to how to address the issues. Like Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state said, some of the governors are in support of amnesty for the bandits and paying compensation to them, some are opposed to it.

The people are tired of all the political shenanigans of these Northern leaders particularly, the governors.

One doesn’t know, who to trust or believe anymore, going by the reckless and insensitive utterances coming from some of them. I don’t see any element of sincerity or willingness to curb the security challenges facing the region.

They don’t seemed to have any tangible solution to the problem like their Southern counterparts, who decisively adopted measures against this menace, by constituting their own security network.

The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, was quoted to have said Nigerians would be surprised to know those who abducted school children in his state, meaning that he knew those behind the abduction. Yet, the governor did not go after the criminals and would not disclose their identities. How do you interpret his action?

The governor of Bauchi State also defended herdsmen carrying AK47 riffles. So, any keen observer will conclude that the utterances, actions, inactions and body language of some Northern leaders suggest that they are complicit in promoting the insecurity bedevilling the region.

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric visited the bandits in their forests in Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger States, advocating amnesty for them, “like Niger Delta militants”.

What is your opinion on that?

Frankly speaking, not only Shiekh Gumi, most of these Northern leaders are only employing and applying “Taqqiya’’ on the rest of us. Taqqiya is an arabic word. It means to outrightly deceive or mislead someone. It also means to pretend to be doing one thing when in the real sense you are executing a different agenda.

Many people who know about Taqqiya in this country don’t believe in the commitment and sincerity of Shiekh Gumi to finding solutions to the problem of insecurity. Going by his contradictory utterances, actions and body language in his campaign for amnesty for these killer herdsmen, it is now clear that his advocacy is bereft of sincerity of purpose.

I want to ask some fundamental questions about Gumi’s so-called peace mission to the bandits.

First of all, who commissioned him? He visited the bandits with armed security men, who bankrolled him to embark on negotiations with the criminals terrorising communities across the country especially, in the north?

These criminals have killed, maimed, raped, abducted and destroyed properties, rendering thousands of people homeless. Many people have been displaced and are living in dehumanising camps with all the attendant humanitarian situation and so on.

The viral video where Gumi was seen addressing a group of Fulani herdsmen in Hausa language has exposed him as a divisive person. He was heard inciting the bandits against Christians. He was telling the bandits that there are Christians and Muslims in the Nigerian army and that it is the soldiers, who are

If Gumi is able to locate these bandits in their various hideouts in the forests and talk with them, I wonder why the security forces, with all the technologies and other intelligence gathering facilities at their disposal have not been able to locate them and go after them.

For me, the amnesty programme being canvassed

by Gumi is suspicious. It is not in the best interest of Nigerians. He is comparing the killer herdsmen with the Niger Delta militants, any right thinking person knows that there is just no basis for such comparison.

Asake Christians that are killing them (the bandits).

This is very unfortunate, shameful and reprehensible. It is totally unacceptable for a man that goes about claiming to be making peace to be found inciting the bandits against Christians. We expect Gumi, who was a captain in the Nigerian army, to know that in the military, there is no religion or tribe. The military is one of the uniting institutions in this country, once you introduce religion and tribe in the armed forces, this country will be in deep trouble.

If it were a Christian cleric that made this statement, I can assure you that the government and security agencies would have gone after him. Since the video went viral, the security agencies have not invited him for questioning even the federal government has not made any statement condemning the man.

These are some of the things that make us feel that in this country, there are some people that are superior to others. They can do or say anything and get away with it. You recall how the government and security agencies reacted to statements made by Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

You also recall the reaction of the government to Bishop Matthew Kukah’s Christmas message in 2020.

The questions on the lips of keen observes are: Why has the security agencies not summon Gumi? Why is the federal government quiet about Gumi’s utterances?

Why are the security agencies not raising eyebrows about Gumi’s visits to the bandits and campaigning for amnesty for them? Which sensitive nerve did Mailafiya stepped on that warranted his harassment by the Department of State Security (DSS) and the police? Are there different laws for different citizens in Nigeria?

Is it not clear that Gumi is inciting the military against itself along religious lines as well as inciting the killer herdsmen against soldiers, that are Christians and by extension, Christian communities? Is it not scandalous that Sheikh Gumi knows the hideouts of the terrorists in the forest and has been meeting them while the security forces pretend not to know where they are?

Is it not probable that the rest of us are being profiled?

Why is it that our security agencies appear not to see or hear the obvious danger in Gumi’s utterances and actions? These and many more questions are begging for answers.

Many Nigerians are baffled at how the bandits were able to acquire AK47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons in the country.

This question should be directed to the government and security agencies. They should tell us how the bandits amassed so many weapons. It clearly shows that the government has failed in its primary responsibility of ensuring the security of its citizens.

But some stories about how the bandits got their weapons are beginning to surface. I am sure you must come across a video clip that has gone viral.

In the video, an angry Fulani bandit swore that the government supplied them with AK47. In the video, the man said the Fulani are known for cattle rearing and farming. He said cows don’t give birth to AK47 and that the Fulani don’t have the capacity to manufacture AK47 riffles. The man swore that if he is lying, God should take his life!

Besides, there are stories that during the 2015 general election, some people, in their desperate quests for power brought bandits for war, should former President Goodluck Jonathan refuse to concede defeat.

If these stories are true, then government is culpable.

The way President Buhari is running this country has even created an impression that his government is more of a government of Fulani by Fulani and for the Fulani. Probably that is why criminal Fulani herdsmen are brazenly carrying AK47 and other dangerous weapons and invading communities, killing, raping, kidnapping and destroying property with impunity and nothing happens.

You don’t get to hear of any arrest of the culprits and the criminals continue with their heinous activities. While the bandits move about freely with their weapons, Nigerians, who are victims have no right to defend themselves. Security agencies go about arresting people with ordinary dane guns, accusing them of being in possession of unlicensed arms, but bandits move about freely with AK47. A governor was even justifying this illegality.

The bandits are making millions of naira from kidnapping. When they abduct people, instead of tracking them, arrest them and bring them to justice, the government negotiates with them like they did in the recent abduction cases of school children in Niger and Zamfara States. The bandits are pampered and treated as sacred cows.

What do you think is the solution to banditry and kidnapping?

Security agencies should work hand-in-hand with communities. Government should empower communities to protect themselves against these marauders. Once the bandits know that the people have the capacity to defend themselves, they will not just invade villages and slaughter people like rams. After all, the Minister of Defence recently said Nigerians should not be running away for the bandits. Let the security agencies work with the people, so that they can face the bandits.

There should be collaboration between security agencies and the communities, who know the terrain and are in a better position to provide credible information about the location of the criminals. The teeming youths in the communities should be recruited to join forces with security personnel, just like it was done in Borno State in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists.

This can only happen if the security forces are sincere and fair in their dealings with the people. The government should provide the necessary arms that will match or surpass those of the bandits and motivate security personnel to put in their best in fighting the criminals.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

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FEATURE

Farmers/herders’ Clash: Ogun’s Roadmap to Peace Kunle Abdul-Azeez

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he issue of insecurity ravaging Nigeria has manifested in several forms, the most poignant being the conflict between herders and farmers in some parts of the country.

Whereas the clashes between nomadic herders and natives of agrarian communities continued to make headlines, efforts by relevant authorities to provide mutually acceptable mediation mechanisms and find a lasting solution to the recurring hostilities have rarely gained traction in the media.

In the midst of the national malady, Ogun State has also had its ugly share. In recent weeks, some parts of Yewa axis of the state have experienced deadly attacks allegedly carried out by armed Fulani herdsmen. The natives also reportedly fought back.

Several people have lost their lives in the mayhem. Some others sustained injuries. Houses, vehicles, motorcycles and other valuables were also razed. Mostly affected are villages within the Ketu communities which share border with the Republic of Benin. In Eggua, Oja-Odan, IganAlade, Gbokoto and Ijoun, Owode-Ketu, Ebutu Igbooro, ImekoAfon and other affected areas, tension has since built up.

However, the timely intervention of Ogun State Governor, Prince DapoAbiodun, appeared to have staved off what could be a disastrous bloodbath in the state. Despite the subtle attempt in some quarters to politicise the security challenges and spew convoluted narratives, theAbiodun-led administration is leaving no stone unturned in putting an end to incessant feud between herders and farmers in his domain.

In furtherance of his commitment, the Governor, last Tuesday, deployed 10 patrol vans and 20 motorcycles in the Yewa axis of the state to check the herders/farmers’ crisis in the area. The deployment was a follow-up to the Joint Special Security Intervention Squad constituted shortly after the crisis broke out.

At the presentation ceremony held inAbeokuta, the state capital, Abiodun said the measure was a fulfilment of his promise to return peace to the areas affected by the herders/farmers’ crisis in the Yewa axis. He recalled how he sent a high-powered government delegation to mediate between the two parties when the crisis broke out a few weeks back, and his promise to support the task force with operational equipment and other necessary logistics. He therefore said the presentation of the equipment was a step in making good his promise to support the task force for the success of its assignment.

Abiodun noted that the people of the areas who lived close to the border area of the Republic of Benin usually had difficulties making distress calls in times of trouble. He explained that the state government had been having series of meetings with telecommunication firms, adding that plans were underway to deploy more masts to the areas towards improving communication.

The Governor pointed out that the vehicles and motorcycles were meant only for the Yewa axis, saying same measure would be replicated in other parts of the state if the need arises. Noting that Ogun State was widely known for peace,Abiodun assured that his administration would ensure that anyone found sponsoring or perpetrating crime in the state woule be severely dealt with.

He advised the people of the state to stop ascribing crime to a particular ethnic group, saying that “a criminal is a criminal regardless of where he comes from.”

The governor observed that proliferation of fake news had also contributted to escalate the herders/farmers crisis in the area. He described as falsehood reports that no fewer than 5,000 indigenes of the state had escaped to seek refuge in the Republic of Benin because of the crisis.Abiodun said, “I wonder who took the census and how that can take place without meetings between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

“Some who came toAbeokuta because of the crisis were provided with free accommodation and so I wonder why some people would just sit down somewhere and be cooking up untrue stories.”

The Governor disclosed that the state Ministry of Justice had been saddled with the task of ensuring that there were necessary laws to provide for punitive measures against publishers of fake news.

In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Police, EdwardAjogun, thanked the Governor for fulfilling his promise.According to him, the measure was a warning signal to perpetrators of violence that hard times await them.

Ajogun assured that all security agencies in the state were committed to restoring peace to the troubled spots and would do everything within the ambit of the law to achieve the objectives of the task force.

There is no gainsaying that violent clashes between herders from northern Nigeria and farmers in the southern zones have exacerbated ethnic differences in the country in recent years and threatened national security and stability.

Faced by drought and desertification, insecurity across the Sahelian belt and the loss of grazing land in traditional territories, herders have migrated southward in search of pastures and water for their cattle and consequently engaged in dangerous struggle over land with local farmers.As they increase in frequency and intensity, these conflicts have claimed thousands of lives and worsened humanitarian and economic crises.

Tens of thousands more have been displaced while properties,

Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabimtan; chairman of the Peace committee on herdersfarmers conflict in Ogun State, Hon. Kayode Oladele and the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Benjamin Akinyemi at the meeting of the peace committee held at Obas Complex, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta on Monday crops and livestock worth billions of naira have also been destroyed in the protracted strife.Access to illicit and smuggled firearms has further deepened the crisis.

While the crisis appeared to be driving the country on the cliff, the Abiodun-led government in Ogun State commenced the process of finding a lasting solution to the farmer-herder crisis in the state. The process first started with a peace mission; a government delegation comprising top officials and representatives of security agencies was sent to the affected areas. It was themed “confidence-building mission.”

Speaking at the palace of the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, the state Commissioner for Local Government and ChieftaincyAffairs, Hon.AfolabiAfuape, who was part of the government delegation, said there was need for peaceful coexistence in the state.

Afuape noted that though the farmer-herder crisis was a national problem, the state government was looking at ways of finding an enduring solution to it as the incumbent administration was not happy with recent happenings in some parts of the state.

He said, “We have come on the instruction of the State Governor, Prince DapoAbiodun to see what can be done to address this crisis.

“I must stress the need for peaceful co-existence among all our people, irrespective of where you come from. Though this crisis is a national issue, Government is putting security plans in place to secure the lives of our people in this area.”

The commissioner stressed the need for the people to be vigilant by reporting strange faces and movements to security officials.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy,AlhajiAbdulwaheed Odusile, appealed to the people not to take the laws into their hands, but rather allow the security agencies and the traditional rulers to handle any ugly situation.

While restating the imperative of peaceful co-existence among indigenes and residents from other ethnic groups, Odusile hinted that an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting was scheduled to hold to find solutions to the problems.

The commissioner appreciated the royal fathers in the area for dousing the tension that arose as a result of the attacks from suspected herdsmen, calling for the sharing of necessary information that would lead to the end of the crisis.

The SpecialAssistant to the Governor on Inter-EthnicAffairs, Prince Hadi Sani, who spoke in Hausa and Yoruba languages, pleaded with the people to be peaceful as no meaningful development could take place in a violence-ridden environment.

On his part, the SpecialAdviser to the Governor on Security, Sola Subair, a retiredAssistant Inspector General of Police, said a Joint Security Task Force that would be stationed in the affected areas just as he informed that theAmotekun Corp would soon come into being.

In his remarks, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, acknowledged similar challenges in other parts of the country but added that it was becoming pronounced in the state in recent times. The monarch called for immediate setting up of theAmotekun Corps in the state, while also advocating the involvement of traditional rulers in the selection of the corps’ operatives.

“The State Governor has done well by putting in place mechanism to address this problem. I want to plead with the Governor to commission theAmotekun Corps. When doing this, all critical stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, should be involved in recommending people who know the terrain. Round pegs should be put in round holes,” Oba Olugbenle said.

The monarch, who called for the meeting of all traditional rulers to discuss the issue, suggested the inscription of owners’ names on each cattle, arguing that this would help in identifying the owners in the event of destruction of farms by cattle.

Speaking in his own palace, the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Ebenezer Akinyemi, traced the crisis to cattle feeding on farmers’ produce. He, therefore, called for the creation of special areas for herders to graze their cattle.

He also called for the rehabilitation of schools in the area to attract more children, saying that the number of out-of-school children were increasing in the area.

In the course of the visit, the delegation had a town hall meeting with the people of Oja Odan and also addressed the people at Ibeshe and Ilaro Garage, as well as the Hausa community at Dangote Cement Factory at Ibeshe and Kara,Abeokuta, where they appealed for calm and support in finding amicable solutions to the crisis.

The member representing Yewa North II State Constituency, Hon. Haruna Egungbohun, who laudedAbiodun’s efforts towards combating the menace of killer herdsmen, stressed the need to beef up security in the axis to prevent further loss of lives. However, some of the indigenes, who spoke at the meeting, called for the protection of farmers and their produce in the areas, assuring that they were ready to live in peace with their neighbours.

Immediately the “confidence-building mission” carried out its assignment, the Governor followed up by leading top government functionaries and security chiefs for an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas. During his visit, he informed that a stakeholders forum aimed at finding lasting solutions to the farmers-herders clashes would hold with some northern governors in attendance.

“This forum will have the representatives of all areas affected by this violence and some of the people who have been living with us for so many years. There will be representatives from outside the state.

It is our hope and desire that at the end of the forum, we would find a common ground on how to live peaceful,”Abiodun had told his audience, including monarchs of the affected areas.

While denouncing violence in any form, the Governor noted that the state has been a haven to people from other ethnic groups and foreigners. He condemned activities of people who come to stoke violence and sow seeds of discord among residents. He assured that government would settle the hospital bills of the injured and compensate those who lost their properties and means of livelihood during the crisis.

During his visit, the Governor stated that the planned task force would be made up of personnel from the military, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services (DSS) and local hunters, among others, to patrol the areas and restore confidence among residents.

At the Obas Complex, Oke-Mosan,Abeokuta, a stakeholders parley on farmer-herder conflict was convened as promised by GovernorAbiodun.At the event, Northern Governors, including Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi),Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano),Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) were in attendance.Also, Governor RotimiAkeredolu of Ondo State, who is the Chairman, South West Governors’ Forum, was present.

Abiodun, while speaking at the parley, said it had become worrisome that people who had co-existed peacefully for years are suddenly at each other’s throat on account of sources of livelihood.

He stated that it was time urgent and pragmatic steps were taken in settling the farmer-herder conflict to forestall it from snowballing into an unstoppable crisis.

His words: “From time immemorial, herders and farmers have peacefully cohabited and have continued to find joint solutions to their mutual challenges, occasional frictions and misunderstandings, while sorting these differences amicably.

“Our first priority in Ogun State is the safety of lives and property of everyone in our dear State irrespective of the circumstances of their birth or religious leaning. Let me restate that we will not compromise.

“There is a need for collective action among all of us, whether as native farmers; cattle owners; herders; local community leaders; security agents, etc to rid our dear State of these criminals.

“We must use the opportunity of this parley to tell ourselves the truth, not necessarily by apportioning blame, but definitely we must come up with more practical and viable recommendations that will further cement the peaceful coexistence that we have always had in Ogun State.”

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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 ˾ RCH 7, 2021

CICERO/REPORT

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T

hat Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura made Nasarawa State proud by being the only governor, who presented a party to the merger of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has encouraged Governor Sule to be crisscrossing the length and breadth of the country, rallying support for his predecessor to be elected the next national chairman of the APC. And this, no doubt, has received the blessing of citizens of the state.

Perhaps, Governor Sule’s door-to-door campaign to elect AlMakura might pay off since of all the three main legacy parties that formed the APC, only the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has not occupied the chairmanship seat of the APC. Moreover, with the President exiting in 2023, a school of thought opined that the APC would be a good bargain to the occupation of national seat of the party.

This school explained that the CPC elements were pushing for the chairmanship slot because since the birth of the merger, it is the only legacy party that has not produced national chairmanship of the APC. The first national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, came from the former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) bloc, Chief John Oyegun from the bloc of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and the immediate past national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was also from the ACN bloc.

Perhaps, it was against the above equation that Governor Sule, when flagging-off the state membership registration and revalidation exercise of the APC at his polling unit at Gudi Station of Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, pleaded with Nigeria to be kind to CPC, as Nasarawa State is the place to look at when choosing the next national chairman of the APC. Sule said: “If Nigeria would be kind to CPC, Nasarawa State is the place to look at so that you can be kind to CPC. That is my message to Nigeria today, because I believe that if in any other way we want to say Nigeria wants to be kind to us, then, we should be kind to Nasarawa State at any level. That is my message.

“Today is history for us in Gudi Station and I think for the rest of the life of Gudi Station, this is a very special day. Gudi has always strived itself in identifying itself with distinguished Senator Tanko Al-Makura; the architect of modern Nasarawa State, from the time he brought CPC, and CPC having the only state of Nasarawa that was used as part and parcel of the alliance that formed the APC today.”

Excited at the Gudi registration and revalidation exercise, the governor said Al-Makura has made Nasarawa State proud by being the only governor, who presented a party to the alliance that gave birth to APC. In addition to that, the governor said Gudi Station has always been proud in identifying with Senator Al-Makura, even when some of them were not in the CPC. “I remember on the day of the election in 2011 in front of me, because being in Dangote, I would not have been in any other political party than the ruling party at that time. So, openly, I was in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But my brothers and sisters were voting CPC right in front of me.

“Before you (Al-Makura) came and took Gudi Station to CPC, Gudi was purely a PDP town, where our first executive governor, Abdullahi Adamu, came and led us and we continued in that direction until you came over and took us to CPC,” he narrated.

The governor was also glad at the unity he saw during the flag off of the APC membership registration and revalidation exercise at Gudi, saying he would not forget it for the rest of his life. “If anybody is thinking there is problem in Nasarawa APC today, that person has been proven wrong. Even in our small place of Gudi, you either say I am for AA Sule or I am for Silas Agara. Silas Agara and I are saying anybody that comes to be registered, register them because at the end of the day, Silas Agara is not contesting for governor.

“So, everything is actually falling into place. Therefore, all the grammar about differences in our party is not there. When we came in, there was enough within our party to work together for everyone to benefit,” Sule concluded.

President Muhammadu Buhari had never won election in Nasarawa State since the advent of the forth republic until 2019, when Senator Al-Makura rectified the impediments militating against the president hitherto culminating in the first ever victory of election by Buhari in the state.

Nevertheless, the maiden victory of Buhari in the state convinced some political observers in the state that Senator Al-Makura ws really the laboratory technician to the APC. A breakdown of the 2019 presidential election results in Nasarawa State as announced by the Returning Officer for the state, Professor Azuibike Nwankwo of the Nigeria Science Academy (NSA), showed that out of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, President Buhari won in eight Local Government Areas, while the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,

Al-Makura won in the remaining five council areas of the state.

THISDAY gathered that the outcome of the 2019 presidential election marked the first time the PDP lost Nasarawa State in a presidential election since the return of democracy in 1999, even as the president got his highest number of votes in Lafia, the state capital, where he polled 55,254 votes, while Atiku Abubakar got his highest votes in Karu Local Government Area after polling 49,292 votes.

Addressing supporters of the APC, who thronged the Government House, Lafia to celebrate Buhari’s victory in Nasarawa State, Senator Al-Makura, who was then governor of the state, said he was overwhelmed by the president’s victory in the state hence he lacked words to express himself because the state has broken the jinx in its political history.

According to the former governor, “Today, I am happy that Mr. President has won Nasarawa State, because the state, been a state that is cosmopolitan and infiltrated by all kinds of difference, has become a difficult state to deliver especially, on the exercise like this because sentiment of emotions and other things.

“But since the beginning of political dispensation in 1999, we have not seen an election that has become a game changer, a decisive factor in killing and burying politics of sentiments, emotions than the emergence of President Buhari as the winner of the presidential election in Nasarawa State.”

Nevertheless, political observers in the state recognised another jinx that was broken by Al-Makura in the state, where the APC clinched all the three senatorial seats of the state at the National Assembly as well as winning four out the five seats in the House of Representatives.

Thus the observers were of the views that there was every indication the erstwhile governor has converted the state from a PDP state to an APC state hence making him a candidate to beat for the position of national chairman of the APC at the party’s forth coming national convention.

Despite that the 2019 general election has come and gone, it however left behind memories that are still caressing as Senator Al-Makura is still basking in the euphoria of supremacy, perhaps, due to the sudden takeover of government affairs in Nasarawa State by the defunct CPC, which was structure-less at the time.

The sudden takeover, which brought Al-Makura to the saddle of leadership in Nasarawa in 2011, no doubt, stung both the state and national hierarchy of the PDP on the back like a wasp.

Perhaps, the PDP loss of Nasarawa State at the 2011 governorship race to the defunct CPC after it had governed the state for

12 years was analysed by political analysts as a plus for Senator Al-Makura as he guns for the national chairman seat of the ruling APC. Be that as it may, it was against the above backdrop that political pundits in the state were of the opinion that the PDPcontrolled legislative arm of government, then was instigated to, by either by hook or crook, uproot Al-Makura out of the Lafia Government House through impeachment, which at the end of the day did not see light of the day.

Consequent upon that, the then Chief Judge of the state, Justice Suleiman Dikko, constituted a probe panel to investigate the 16 allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Senator Al-Makura, who was the then governor of the state, by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

But the panel’s last public sitting on August 5, 2014 dismissed all the charges leveled against the erstwhile governor that, “the refusal of the state assembly to participate in the proceedings implies that it had failed to tender evidence to prove its case.

“The rule of natural Justice and our criminal laws put the onus of proof on the complainant, failure to which the accused is deemed innocent. The House has failed to advance evidence of the 16 allegations. The panel agrees to the prayer of the counsel to the governor and has no option than to dismiss each and every of the charges against the governor.”

It was against this scenario that Senator George Akume, when speaking sometime ago during an APC rally organised by the southern senatorial district of the state in Lafia, classified Al-Makura as one of the greatest men in the northern region that valued and focused attention on education especially, the level of development he was undertaking at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He added then that Al-Makura was a transformer of the state that is beyond compare since creation of the state. “Al-Makura is a man that loves the state and the nation. He cares for education. Everyone, who passes through Nasarawa State, must appreciate the quality of work; and for the first time in the history of Nigeria, primary schools are constructed like universities. Those edifices were only seen in Nasarawa State under Governor Al-Makura.

He noted further that it was only in Nasarawa State that teachers and other civil servants were being paid to date while schools were being constructed and renovated across the three senatorial zones of the state.

Akume, who is presently the Minister of Special Duties and had governed Benue State for eight years, said: “For such a man to be discarded, that can never be in tandem with the history of this country following his developmental strides.”

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MA Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

PERSPECTIVE Osinbajo: We Are Committed to Tackling Criminality Vice President Yemi Osinbajo outlines government efforts at tackling ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria

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few weeks ago, during the unfortunate incident that led to a crisis in Shasha area of Oyo State, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, delivered a powerful statement on the essence of unity and justice in society.

According to him, “Shasha market has been a melting pot for traders bringing foodstuff from the North to the Southwest for decades.

Traders from the North have done business with their brothers from the Southwest and they have lived in peace and even inter-married. Shasha represents unity.”

The VP continued, “So when a disagreement arises between individuals or a criminal act is committed by one against the other we must ensure that we see it for what it is, a criminal act, which must be punished according to law. Not an ethnic conflict. Every Nigerian has a constitutional right to live, work and enjoy their lives in safety, peace under the law.”

Osinbajo reminded all Nigerians again of the essence of national unity and government’s commitment to ensure peace and justice for all. This was sacrosanct especially with the recent clashes between Hausa and Yoruba communities in Oyo State and parts of the South West.

Osinbajo further noted that it was “the duty of government through the police and other law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute any person who commits a crime against a citizen of this nation. It is the role of the citizen to assist the police to identify the criminals.”

As analysts have opined, clearly, the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes will go a long way in addressing some of the concerns that are threatening the unity and security of the nation. For the umpteenth time the Vice President reiterated the government’s commitment and the resolve of the Buhari administration to tackle injustice, insecurity, ethno-religious crisis and other forms of criminality in the land.

Expectedly, the National Economic Council (NEC), which is chaired by him, has been at the heart of driving the government’s actions on ensuring justice for all Nigerians and nipping the crisis in the bud.

The actions by the Osinbajo-led NEC is amidst calls for justice by individuals in other previous crises, prompting the adoption of far-reaching decisions by government, including the setting up of judicial panels of inquiry by NEC last October.

The council had directed the immediate establishment of state-based judicial panels of inquiry across the country to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extra-judicial killings so as to ensure justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units.

It is worthy to note that unlike in the past, the federal government took decisive action on ensuring justice for victims of extrajudicial killings, brutality by security operatives, and prosecution of criminals and their sponsors as well as the call for compensation for the loss of livelihoods and property.

The establishment of judicial panels nationwide followed the EndSARS protests. In a genuine show of commitment to the welfare of citizens, President Muhammadu Buhari acceded to the demands of the protesters, in addition to NEC’s recommendations.

Despite the efforts of the Buhari administration to tackle injustice and insecurity, some critics have, at different times, accused the federal government of paying lip-service to the issue of the pursuit of justice for victims of violent clashes and related crimes across the country even as several measures have been deployed to address the concerns.

It is in acknowledgment of the fact that “injustice anywhere is

Osinbajo a threat to justice everywhere” that Buhari had between October 2020 and February 2021, taken concrete steps to address the situation head-on, rallying relevant stakeholders in ensuring that the situation did not degenerate.

Beyond rhetoric, the Buhari administration has, and is, indeed providing the sort of leadership required to address the wave of criminality and injustice across the country. The signing of the Police Act, and the endorsement of several reforms in the justice and law enforcement sector, affirm the administration’s commitment to social justice.

Recently, the VP stated that the reformed Police Act and the Police Trust Act signed by the president was part of the government’s efforts in improving the police while ensuring the rights of Nigerian citizens are protected.

“After 70 years of the Police Act, Mr. President signed the new reformed Police Act 2020 into law. The new law contains in many parts components of a charter of the rights of citizens when being questioned,” he said.

By this, the administration has demonstrated, more than previous governments in the past, rare courage in ensuring the unity and security of Nigeria and Nigerians at all times despite the dynamic nature of the security challenge in the country. Although it is not reinventing the wheel, its policies and programmes have been, undoubtedly, targeted at addressing the problems frontally.

But a more lasting solution to the crisis rests in an effective partnership between the states and the federal government, which has been explored under the auspices of NEC. For instance, the adoption and implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), a comprehensive strategy to address the farmer-herder conflicts in some parts of the country.

According to the council resolution, “States are encouraged to promote modernization of livestock and council, therefore, called for the strengthening of the National Livestock Transformation Plan”. Also, the overhaul of the operations of the Nigeria Police Force which started over two years ago; and the setting up of judicial panels in the States to resolve cases of police brutality, are some of the manifestations of the fruitful relationship between the Federal Government and States that has clearly marked the pathway to social justice and is defining unique solutions to the lingering issues.

This is in addition to the calm demeanor and consistent narrative of President Buhari and VP Osinbajo which is key to resolving the issues, even when situations seemed to have escalated in some areas as witnessed in Oyo State and parts of the South West.

Expectedly, both leaders have been applauded for their definitive stand against criminality and acts of injustice, by many who are familiar with recent happenings in the polity especially the workings in the justice and law enforcement sectors.

Restating the government’s commitment to addressing the situation at a recent interaction with newsmen in Lagos, Prof.

Osinbajo said “we are in government at one of the most challenging times in history. The pandemic has made matters worse and we have also had security challenges that have stretched our law enforcement capacities all over the country.

“What we must ensure is the prosecution of all those who have been arrested for kidnapping, banditry and all other forms of criminality.”

In a critical review of the security situation in the country at its last meeting of Thursday, February 18, 2021, the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN and composed of governors of the 36 States and the FCT, unanimously recommitted to ensuring the full protection of all Nigerians wherever they reside, without regard to ethnic, religious, or regional status.

The council had also called for the strengthening of border controls to discourage cross-border crimes and the effective observation of ECOWAS Transhumance protocols.

Affirming Council’s position of the ECOWAS protocols on Transhumance, Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, at a recent parley on resolving the herder/farmer conflict, advocated what he described as “commercial herding” as panacea to the incessant clashes between herders and farmers in the country.

Ganduje reiterated his call on the federal government to ban open grazing and block grazing routes from the northern to the southern part of the country, noting that herders would need to abandon “traditional grazing” and embrace “merchant grazing” in order to find lasting solution to killings and wanton destruction of property that had characterised farmers/herders clashes in the country.

By and large, just as it acted swiftly in containing the nationwide protests against police brutality, and in addressing challenges in the management of COVID-19 across the States, NEC’s renewed commitment and approach to resolving the resurging ethno-religious conflict across the country should be embraced by all and sundry.

As Osinbajo rightly asserted in his condemnation of the Shasha Market crisis, “a criminal act is committed by one against the other, we must ensure that we see it for what it is, a criminal act.” Truly, we must call a spade by its name. Leaders must unite across different divides to ensure issues of breakdown of law and order are tackled frontally in the manner advocated and adopted by the National Economic Council.

COVID-19: The Need to Look at MultiChoice Chigoziem Dike

of their operational costs and which ignores the inclement conditions under which businesses operate. I hold a similar view of politicians, who confession: I happen to be I suspect, give tiny fractions of what they earn to one of millions of Nigerians, who view corporate organisa- their constituents via empowerment schemes. I have held on to this view for a long time, but my tions, especially those with hold on it has weakened a little. non-Nigerian origins, as Why? How? By whom? I will answer the being in the country for questions in reverse order. MultiChoice is the nothing other than profits.

While I fully understand that answer. I am a DStv subscriber and MultiChoice is the last company I thought had any feeling a loss-making business is nothing more than for its subscribers beyond taking their naira-of a recreational activity, I still cling to the view course, in exchange for the quality entertainment that businesses in Nigeria, where regulatory unavailable outside its two platforms. My two institutions are frail, are in the game to make youngest siblings recently became subscribers of money and more money. Nothing else in spite DStv and GOtv respectively, a reason for which of efforts by companies at “giving back to the society”, which I think are sometimes attended they are thrilled. The thrill they are experiencing is not just that they now have access to what they by obsequious publicity whichmakes them have always wished for (both just got jobs), but appear hollow.

That view is a product of my belief that what the cost at which they got it.

They are, I believe, two of the earliest benefibusinesses “give back to the society” is measly compared to what they cream off their custom- ciaries of MultiChoice’s ongoing price reduction promo via which aspiring subscribers can buy ers – an assumption devoid of any knowledge

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DStv and GOtv decoders at hugely discounted prices. The older one got herself a DStv decoder at N9,900 complete with a free one-month subscription on DStv Confam. The younger rewarded herself with a GOtv decoder for N6, 900, which came with free subscription on GOtv Jolli for the same period. The price slash promo, announced some four weeks ago, I believe, is appropriately timed, as it shows that the provider’s understanding of COVID-19’s impact on finances and desire to soothe its effects on its customers.

Hints of the understanding shown had manifested last year, just as COVID-19 berthed in Nigeria and threatened a never-seen-before disruption of socio-economic life. The balm provided was “We’ve Got You” campaign, an allusion to the willingness to support customers. The campaign, of which I was a beneficiary, ran for three months and provided DStv and GOtv subscribers an upgrade to the next higher bouquet on renewal of the subscription on his/ her regular bouquets.

That gesture was also attended by the granting of access to Free-to-Air (FTA) news, kiddies and sporting channels. And with the ban on congregation for religious purposes, part of the measures to curtail the spread of the virus, a pop-up channel, Hallelujah, was introduced to bring the church to DStv and GOtv Christian subscribers’ living rooms just as Muslim subscribers were granted access to Sunna TV, starting from the beginning of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month.

The lockdown, of course, imposed on fun seekers the obligation of staying away from parties. To fill the gap, party fun-loving DStv and GOtv subscribers were served weekly lashings of party fun through Turnup Friday and Owambe Saturday. More fun came via COVID-19 Hope for Africa Concert, in partnership with One Africa Global Foundation.

––Dike a Public Affairs analyst, writes from Abuja Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ RCH 7, 2021

POLITY

Abducted Nigerians schoolgirls released by Kidnappers...recently

Will Northern Nigeria Ever Find Peace?

Adetola Odusote

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he insecurity in Northern Nigeria today is not accidental. It was a deliberate social decadence systemically incubated over the time and became a way of life for the society. The political leadership, the oligarchy and the proletariats accept the talakawa and almajiri’s poverty concept as God’s will. This has been the way of life of the North.

No nation in the world neglects its youth and expect to be at peace. The Almajiri system being practiced in the entire Northern enclave was a nuclear bomb waiting to explode and is now exploding.

I predicted the present insecurity in the North 25 years ago when I was doing my national youth service (NYSC) in Borno State. I have traversed the North EAST, NORTH WEST, NORTH CENTRAL, and have witnessed the Almajiri phenomenon. My personal encounter with them remains scary till today. I remember telling people around me and even wrote an article about it in a national newspaper in 1998, warning that if the federal and northern state governments failed to find a quick fix to the Amajiri issue, the future would be bleak for the North and the nation at large. We are now in that future today.

In our NYSC Camp in Potiskum, Yobe State, the almajiris were allowed to invade the camp at will.

The Military manning the gate were instructed to always open the gate for them especially in the afternoon when lunch was being served. Most afternoon, the authorities ensured we are served a local diet that majority of the corps members (majorly from Southern part of Nigeria) did not like (Brabiscu).

The young boys, dirty, unkempt, trooped in with their plates in their hundreds. We had no choice than to give them the brabiscu as soon as we are served at the kitchen. We were always wondering about where they came from. When I couldn’t eat brabiscu, I would go to a restaurant in the Mammy Market in the camp to buy and eat better meal. There was a day I was in the restaurant eating. As I looked back to request for water, my plate of food was gone. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I peeped outside and saw 4 young almajiris eating my food hungrily without scruples. The restaurant owner quickly went on her knees begging me to leave them, warning that if I beat them, the consequence might be bloody. She had to serve me another plate of rice free.

On another day, I had a near conflict encounter with a fellow corps member in same platoon over the almajiris that invaded the camp. He wanted to fight me because I shouted on some of the boys who were putting their mouth directly in the tap to drink water; same source of water for all the corps members in the camp. I reproached them to get a cup to

fetch the water instead of putting mouth in the tap. But alas, my fellow corps member went wild telling me that we southerners always think we are better than them. He said President Muhammadu Buhari was once an almajiri before he was picked up and sponsored into the army; that he himself was an almajiri before he was picked up on the street and sponsored to school. He was so vexed in his spirit that he brought out knife from his jackboot, to the shock of everybody and I had to beat it.

How will you manage a situation where millions of children as young as 4 years are left by their insensible parents to go and survive by themselves on the streets where they are at the mercy of Islamic teachers who are ready to indoctrinate them with religious extremism?

Unfortunately this Islamic teachers become the only guardian they have; he mold their faith by his own belief; he provides food and sometimes shelter them under a tree in harsh weather. When he has nothing to feed them, he send them to beg on the streets.

The moment their polygamous father realised they are old enough to beg, he gives them plates and send them out to cater for themselves. They leave home at that early age, and become wild on the street. The children lack parental care and never know any family values.

From the streets they formed groups and move gregariously and menacingly about towns and cities. Some of them are groomed by radical Islamic scholars who radicalized them. Majority grew up and become enemy of the state; and social renegade to the society. Former Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi at various fora condemned this regional societal menace that breeds criminality.

Unfortunately, with Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, unscrupulous politicians find them as valuable human resource for political thuggery to rig elections and terrorize oppositions; they are cooked for criminality, armed with guns and machetes to kill, maim and destroy.

Not only did they become instruments for destabilization in the hands of Politicians, international terrorist groups like Alqaeda, ISIS, Hezbolar find them available human capital base for the spread of their islamization agenda in Nigeria. BOKO HARAM was borne out of a sour relationship with the former governor of Borno State Senator Alli Modu Sheriff. They have become so formidable that the entire military arms of Nigeria, fully stretched, have not been able to contain them. From Boko Haram, other coordinated insurgent groups have emerged terrorizing the entire nation. They come under all sorts of anecdote such as banditry, killer herdsmen, cattle

rustlers, Fulani kidnappers etc.

The northern part of the nation has not known peace for over ten years now. When the outgoing Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd) declared recently that the insurgents in the North will not go for the next 20 years, the nation was shocked, but those in the know, knew that the combatant general who had spent his entire 6 years tenure as Chief of Army Staff battling the insurgents, was damn right.

As long as poor people are allowed to give birth to children they cannot cater for; babies that are easily weened into the Almajiri system, raised through youth poverty and delinquency, the North will never know peace.

The federal government and some Northern state governments have made the situation so dire right now. This is because of the way they are handling the issue; which gives vent to the declaration of General Buratai that the insurrectionary may not end in the next 20 years.

Moreso, the leadership has politicized the crisis and institutionalised kidnapping by continuously negotiating with the bandits and kidnappers.

They justified negotiation/ransom paying mediation approach as politically correct methodology of dealing with it. The presidency is dealing with the issue with kids gloves. Our Commander in Chief President Buhari is not ready to declare the crisis as act of terrorism. The body language and utterances of some political and religious leaders in the North have continuously emboldened the criminals who now see insurgency and other criminal acts as a sustainable lucrative business.

Criminals now dictate terms and condition for negotiation; they are being begged to surrender and accept amnesty. No serious nations in the world follow that route to end terror acts and succeed.

If the leaders in the North failed to find solution to the almajiri social system, they will continue to breed banditry, kidnapping and all kinds of criminal acts and the region may never know peace. They must begin to invest in their people, start orientation campaign about responsible parenting, family values, and come together as a region to re-invigorate the almajiri and nomadic education program started by former President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR. ––Adetola Odusote is the Director, Re-Ignite Public Affairs Limited, a strategy driven research- based solution provider in the Public Affairs space for business and government in Nigeria. The firm provides services that help to improve governance, and enhance relationship between the business community and the different arms of government and its agencies.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ RCH 7, 2021

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THECOURT

From the Supreme Court, a Self-serving Request Supreme Court’s memorandum to the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution seeking to increase the retirement age of justices from 70 to 75 years is coming under attack by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami and others, who feel that there are more important things that need attention in the judiciary than mundane issues. Davidson Iriekpen reports

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former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, last week, came down hard on the memorandum sent to the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, seeking to increase the retirement age of justices of the Supreme Court Justices from 70 to 75 years.

Penultimate week, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, had revealed that the Supreme Court justices were pushing for their retirement age to be increased from 70 to 75 years.

According to him, there was also another memo calling for increase in the retirement age of judges of the states, including the FCT and the Federal High Courts from 65 to 70 years.

At present, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices retire at 70 years while state High Court and Federal High Court judges, including judges of the FCT High Courts, retire at age 65. Omo-Agege said the apex court’s proposal and that of the High Court judges would be treated by the committee and brought before the Senate for consideration as two bills

by March 2021.

Among others, he said: “To put you under further pressure, we have also decided to extricate one or two issues dealing with the judiciary, most importantly, the one dealing with the retirement age for judges of the states, including the FCT and the federal high courts to bring in parity with the 70 years retirement age of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

“There is also the issue of the clamour by the Supreme Court to also move from 70 to 75 years. I am sure you are all aware that it is up to our colleagues in both chambers and of course, the State Houses of Assembly to decide whether or not we should move ahead with both.”

But the proposal has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians, who feel that instead of the judges to harp on absolute independence of the judiciary, they were making mundane requests that would not do the country any good.

For instance, while justices of the Supreme Court of the United States serve for life, in other jurisdictions such as Germany, United Kingdom and Canada, where life expectancy is high, they retire at 68, 70 and 75 respectively. Many have argued that in these countries, even at these ages, they are still of sound minds unlike in Nigeria.

This is why many analysts and observers feel that it would be wrong for the National Assembly to increase their retirement age. They argued that when the judiciary is independent, not only would the emoluments of judges be significantly improved, many other conditions of service would be well taken care of.

Those who spoke to THISDAY wondered why the judges were afraid of retirement? They also wondered if the soundness of their minds would remain intact at 75, questioning the depreciation of productivity value, level of their physical fitness and their mental fitness for the delicate national assignment?

For these reasons, they enjoined members of the National Assembly to concentrate their energies on issues like independence of the judiciary, devolution of powers, restructuring, state police and others that are urgently needed to move the country forward. Justice Salami, while reacting, advised the Senate to ignore it, saying some of the judges were not healthy and strong enough as many of them regularly travel abroad for treatment. He also claimed that some of them forget easily in addition to memory challenges.

The former PCA added that some of the judges do not know their actual age and have been using declaration of age affidavit, noting that the nation could fill the vacancies from a pool of qualified, experienced and healthier professionals.

He said: “It’s understood that it’s being contemplated to raise the tenure of the Supreme Court justices and possibly those of the Court of Appeal to 75 years within the next couple of weeks, to be precise, before the end of March. The profession is ominously silent over it.

“I could remember that the same issue was brought up by the Senate during my screening for the President of the Court of Appeal, which was persuaded by my reasoning. I contended that very few of us had birth certificates. Invariably we rely on declaration of age, which is generally inflated, because they are inferred from incidences or occurrences the happening of which we were not sure of.”

According to him, it is dangerous and unproductive for the

Gavel nation to increase the age of judges it is unsure of, adding that to be increasing age, which is predicated on unsure parameters could be dangerous merely, because their counterparts elsewhere retire at about that age without taking into account the faulty starting point.

“Many of them are not healthy. They regularly travel abroad for treatment, and some of them forget easily in addition to memory challenges. In the circumstances, some of the justices would only be there as passengers to fulfill statutory conditions without ability to make meaningful contribution.

This is a condition that could easily be exploited by dishonest members of the court.

“It’s my humble opinion that the present retirement age is adequate for any sincere hardworking member of the court.

It’s not only consuming but also tasking emotionally, physically and mentally. There is a pool of qualified, experienced and healthier professionals from which vacancies created by their respective retirements can be filled,” he said.

Salami said even at 70 years, some of the judges in the apex court were no longer strong as they used to be, adding that what should be paramount to the nation now was the output of the judges at old age.

He said: “We should have in mind their output at old age. The interest of the nation and not preference of the justices should be paramount on the minds of the senators.

The employer and not the labourer, determines the duration of the contract. It’s the people who make a constitution for themselves and not an institution thereof.”

Supporting Salami’s views, a lawyer, Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, did not see the need for the new retirement age.

“On my part, I do not see the need for such increase in the retirement age. If our judges and justices are unanimous on this demand, it means they are all comfortable with what is happening in the system, including deprivation of the independence of judiciary, poor facilities and remuneration and the unnecessary workload they are being shouldered with.

“It was the politicians that insisted the other time that they must be allowed to argue their appeal on governorship election cases up to the Supreme Court, which further increased the workload of the Supreme Court Jurists.

“The appeal on such cases used to terminate at the Court of Appeal. I am of the view that the Supreme Court Justices in particular must be seriously concerned, and be pushing for the constitutional review that will checkmate the nature of the appeal cases that go to the Supreme Court as observed by

some justices of the court.

“There are appeal cases that should not have business going to the apex court but should terminate at the Court of Appeal.

Another thing again is that we operate a system that encourages people to falsify their ages unnecessarily.

“It is not surprising that some judges have been sanctioned in recent time for falsifying their ages, when going into the system. It is not the number years that a judge put into the judicial service that matters but the positive impact and contributions made. It is for this reasons that I concur with Hon. Justice Ayo Salami and I have nothing more to add,” he stated.

Also faulting the proposal, a public affairs analyst, Alex Enemanna said, “Why is the muscled and emasculated judiciary not harping on independence rather they concentrate on elongation of retirement age? Are they comfortable with the current system, where they beg cap-in-hand, wholly at the mercy of the executive for allocation in a way that stifles the principle of independence of the arms of government? These are questions begging for answers.

“Left to fly, new retirement age for judges will serve as disincentive for younger benchers, who aspire to reach the top of their professional career. With one representation from each state, it implies that there will not be any replacement until a sitting judge clocks 75 or 70 as the case may be. Lest I forget, why are we so sure that the soundness of the minds of the judges will remain intact while we over-labour them at an old age? Are they immune from depreciation of productivity value, as they grow higher in age?

“What is the level of their physical fitness that we must bank on their mental fitness for such a delicate national assignment at the age of 75 and 70, respectively? Aside this, this self-serving mission has the tendency to further generate constitutional crisis than we may envisage. What happens if civil servants, police officers, the military and para-military agencies and the rest begin to ask for a new retirement age?

Can we shoulder the pressure?

“The national and state legislatures must discard such bill to the bin, where it rightly belongs. They should commit their energy to pushing agenda that will have a wide spread and minister to the critical needs of our people particularly, security, employment and national unity. These should occupy the front burner in the upcoming Constitution Review exercise. Anything short of this will amount to effort in futility,” he concurred.

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MARCH 7, 2021 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

THE ALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Is Buhari’s Government Behind Banditry as Alleged by Repentant Bandit?

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ast week, a video surfaced in which a repentant herdsman, of Fulani origin, alleged that he and other bandits were given AK-47s by the present administration, so that they could kill Nigerian citizens.

The man swore to this, and said his years of training as an almajiri led him to reject the bandit lifestyle, hence his admission.

Almost a week since that video went viral, the Buhari administration, which is usually very quick to respond to anything involving people of Fulani ethnicity, has remained loudly silent.

Is there silence consent? Is it an admission of guilt? Are these bandits, who are now killing Nigerians in every state of the federation, people who were surreptitiously brought to Nigeria in the run-up to the 2015 Presidential elections, and primed to soak innocent ‘dogs and baboons in blood’ in the event that Buhari did not win that election?

It will be recalled that on November 20, 2014, then Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was the Director General of the Buhari campaign organisation, threatened that if their party did not win the 2015 election, the APC would not recognize the outcome and would form a parallel government.

The repentant bandit’s admission corroborates statements made by a former All Progressives Congress chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, who on his 70th birthday, a month ago, said: “The Fulani causing security problems in the country were brought in to help facilitate victory in the 2015 election.

After the election, the Fulani have refused to leave. I and other like minds wrote and warned those we started APC with that this was going to happen but nobody listened.”

And as if the revelations by the repentant bandit were not enough, his words were corroborated by one of the released travellers, abducted by bandits in Niger. Upon their release, one of the freed women gave an interview to Channels TV right there at the Niger State Government House, in which she said the leader of the bandits that seized them, one Kachala Ali, said they took to banditry because the promises made to them by the government had not been fulfilled.

What promise did the Buhari administration make to these bandits? Your guess is as good as mine.

These two occurrences (Baraje’s statement and the repentant

Buhari bandit’s admission video), plus the statement made by Sheikh Gumi, where he was surreptitiously recorded telling active bandits that Christian soldiers are the ones killing Muslims to “ignite a crisis” and the usually garrulous Buhari Presidency’s silence is very disturbing. Very disturbing indeed.

The Buhari administration’s silence over these allegations, when bandits are daily killing Nigerians, sometimes in their tens and others in their hundreds, is not golden. Did the Buhari administration arm these bandits and then abandon them after ascending to power?

Is that why this government has treated them with kid gloves?

Nigerians will recall that on May 10, 2019, the Presidency released a statement, saying, inter alia: “Miyetti Allah, like any other trade, community, ethnic organization or interest group is a legal stakeholder in our nation and should be respected. We maintain that the government needs to engage all stakeholders and seek partnership in building our country.” Is this emotional attachment the reason why this administration is failing to investigate Sheikh Gumi’s reckless statement that is already causing disharmony within the military?

Sheikh Gumi is of Fulani origin and many Nigerians are asking

THE PUBLIC SPHERE with Chido Nwakanma

whether this gives him a cloak of invincibility and untouchability.

Because it is clear that if Bishop David Oyedepo, or Bishop Matthew Kukah, or Obadiah Mailafia were caught saying what Gumi said, they would be in serious trouble with the government.

Has our own government been sponsoring people to kill us?

This is not something we can sweep under the carpet anymore.

Many Nigerians have given their full and total commitment to the Nigerian Project and are now beginning to sense that things are not adding up.

For example, why was the Buhari administration so quick to send helicopter gunships to Orlu, in Imo, when they are yet to send them to Zamfara, Katsina and other hotspots in the North?

Or take what happened at Ifoh, in Ondo state. The Oba of Ifon was killed by killer herdsmen, and according to a community leader, Chief Olufemi Awani, nothing was done by the police to bring the herders responsible for the death to book.

After some unknown persons retaliated by killing cows, the community leaders and members were summoned to Abuja by the police over that!

These are troubling signs and lend credence to the admission by the unnamed repentant bandits.

Nigerians must insist that this and other weighty allegations must be investigated by an independent body. We should not be governed by people who have deadly animosity with segments of the population.

Nigerians are not blind. We are observing the coordination between the Buhari administration, Northern Elders’ Forum, and the Arewa Consultative Forum, and how they close ranks when accusatory fingers are pointed in the direction of killer herdsmen and bandits.

This speaks volumes. This raises suspicions that just as the Northerners of Sudan used the Janjaweed against the South, some Nigerians may be using herdsmen against other Nigerians.

Buhari may want to note that when there was violence in the Southwest during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, occasioned by skirmishes between the Oodua Peoples’ Congress and Northern traders, President Obasanjo went on national TV and ordered the police to shoot any OPC member engaging in such skirmishes on sight.

Read the full article online www.thisdaylive.com

@ChidoNigeria https://www.facebook.com/chido.nwakanma

Okowa’s Jinx Breaker with Asaba Airport

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saba Airport stepped out of the shadows of neglect and scorn Tuesday, 23 February, to emerge as the second airport in Nigeria to operate as a concession with the promise of brighter days.

First Investment Development Company (FIDC)-MENZIES Aviation (MA) Consortium won the brownfield contract to manage the airport for 30 years on terms that will invest over N28billion to build new facilities and upgrade existing ones.

It has a bonus; the new classification of the upgraded airport as international.

Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa earns plaudits for pulling through the successful concession deal that the Federal Government has repeatedly failed to secure with the many loss makers that are Nigeria’s airports. Remarkably, Okowa led Delta State to this deal that positions Asaba Airport to replicate the success story of the Murtala Muhammed Airport2 Lagos run by Bi-Courtney Limited. It holds promise.

Asaba is the first brownfield concession as MMA2 is the first greenfield. A brownfield concession involves granting rights to an investor to manage existing assets and facilities as well as to improve them. With a greenfield, the investor builds from the ground up.

By 17 March 2021, Delta State will receive an upfront payment of N1b from the Asaba International Airport Development Consortium to confirm their financial obligations. The concessionaire would commence the execution of several “mandatory capital projects” within the next three years. They include upgrading the Airport/Terminal and building facilities for cargo, maintenance, repair, operations, and tank farm. They will also build an industrial park, offices and a hotel/conference facility.

Their obligation includes ensuring that Delta State indigenes constitute a minimum of 20 per cent of employment, getting an airline to operate out of the Asaba International Airport as its operational hub, and ensuring the continued viability of the airport as their fortunes also depend on it.

The concessionaire will pay Delta State a royalty of 2.5 percent of its annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) in addition to an annual fee of N100m each year.

The revival of Asaba Airport and promotion to an international status is a positive story of intentionality and government continuity. It runs against the grain of our many airports as White Elephant projects. In the essay, “Our airport is newer and bigger than yours though a white elephant”, https://www.thisdaylive.com/index. php/2020/08/16/our-airport-is-newer-and-bigger-than-yoursthough-a-white-elephant/ I canvassed the case for stopping the many airport projects in the South East as only the egos and need of the governors are the drivers. Records from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria show that only three of Nigeria’s over 20 airports covered their costs between 2017 and 2019.

Former Governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan built the Asaba Airport that took off in 2011. Between the first commercial flight to Asaba on 24 March 2011 and October 2013, the airport recorded 6 300 flights conveying over 190 000 passengers. The volume translated to an average of 260 flights and 6 800 passengers per month. It had potential.

However, the airport quickly flew into trouble for low quality and non-compliance despite the N40b cost. Experts raised severe concerns about the undulating nature of the runway/taxiway and the hill beside the airport.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority downgraded it to a Category 3, meaning it could only accommodate small aircraft such as the Q400 and DASH 8.

What has Okowa done? It is to the credit of the former Senator and current governor that he took up the challenge of not abandoning the project. Instead, he recognised that the original impetus and projections made sense only if. He brought the IF. As the governor recounted during the ceremony to sign the concession agreement, “This administration had to rehabilitate/ reconstruct the runway fully, taxiway and other ancillary works, complete the perimeter fence, and evacuate the hill beside the airport for the provision of an obstacle-free zone for the runway as demanded by the regulatory authority. Subsequently, the regulator upgraded the Asaba Airport to Category 6, which enables aircraft as large as the Boeing 737 to land.”

The Okowa administration installed the Instrument Landing and Airfield Ground Lighting System that enabled the airport to now handle night operations. It has operated night flights approved by the NCAA and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency since

the beginning of 2021. “I am happy to report that the airport now has a medical centre. The Firefighting Station has been completed, while the Watchtower for firefighters is 80% ready. Meanwhile, the previously unserviceable Automatic Weather Observation System and the Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System have been repaired and are functioning, improving the overall safety of the airport”, Okowa reported.

Partners in the First Investment Development Company (FIDC)MENZIES Aviation (MA) Consortium include First Investment Development Company Limited, Menzies Aviation Plc, Air Peace Limited and Cybernetics International Services Limited. Others are Rainoil Limited, Radisson Blu Hotels, Quorum Aviation Limited, Arbico Plc and Sibraxis EEIG of Greece.

Concessions are the route to profitability and sustainability for most airports globally. Nigerian lawyer and investment guru Adebayo Ogunlesi is the majority shareholder and runs the Gatwick Airport in London as a concessionaire. New York’s JFK Airport runs a substantial part of its operations on the concession model. It applies equally to the celebrated Changi Airport in Singapore.

The Public-Private sector participation model has worked in many jurisdictions. There are many lessons from similar concessions, starting with that of the Bi-Courtney team with MMA2 in Lagos. The Delta State Government and its concessionaire must avoid the minefields.

Deloitte says in Balanced Concessions For The Airport Industry: Delivering Win-Win Outcomes For Successful Airport Concession Contracts, one of the main lessons in airport concessions is ensuring that the partners take in the interests of stakeholders beyond the state government and the investors. Stakeholders include critics such as the opposition APC that picked on the N100m fee.

It forgot the N1bn, the share of profit before EBITDA as royalty and the projected investment of N28bn. The most significant is the probability that the airport will function optimally in private hands, guaranteeing jobs and spin offs. The partners must listen to them as well.

The Deloitte study suggests four guiding principles for a balanced concession: collaboration, balanced risks and rewards, transparency and information sharing, and mutual interest. May Asaba International Airport succeed.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 7, 2021

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Buhari: Last Emperor, Dual Mandate

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y May 2023, military generals spawned by the Civil War will have ruled Nigeria in one form or the other for a total of 45 years out of 62 years of independence. Out of this period, 16 years will be accounted for by the two double term presidential tenures under generals Obasanjo and Buhari, both of whom tossed their battle fatigues and returned as elected civilian presidents. The total time spent under all forms of pure civilian democratic interventions will amount to 17 years over this period. For those hooked to the unhappy arithmetic of Nigerian power politics, it might be of interest to note that one southern military leader, Aguiyi Ironsi, ruled for only 6 months just as Murtala Mohammed, a northern military coup leader, also ruled for only 6 months, both cut down by our national penchant for regicide and ugly reprisals.

In this long pageant of martial hegemony and uniformed oligarchy, President Buhari brings up a significant rear with a heavy burden. By dint of biological subtraction, he is the last of the Civil War generals that will rule Nigeria ever again. By the logic of history, therefore, Mr. Buhari is the custodian of a dual mandate in Nigeria’s progression. First and most immediately, he has a mandate to account for his incumbent stewardship as an elected president on the ticket of the All Progressive Congress(APC). Secondly and historically more significant, he is bringing the rear in a long tradition of military and military inspired leadership of Nigeria. As it were, Buhari is now the one who has the unenviable task of writing the postscript of Nigeria’s age of military dominion. Somehow, both mandates are complementary.

It is therefore dishonest to limit Buhari’s ultimate responsibility and the legacy expectations from him to just his current two term presidency. The plain unvarnished truth is that Mr. Buhari is part of the mostly military establishment that has shaped the Nigerian reality. As an individual, he was military head of state for two years, petroleum minister for two years, military state governor for 12 months and will be an elected president for an 8 year tenure. There is a sense in which Buhari, next to Obasanjo, accounts for the longest stretch of dominance of power positions in Nigerian history to date. To that extent, his handlers must quickly readjust their rhetoric and spin in order to reasonably account for his personal responsibility for the bulk of Nigeria’s past and present problems.

From the end of the war in 1970, the collective leadership of the Nigerian military that concluded the civil war of 1967-70 became, perhaps unconsciously, the joint authors of a new national order. The new order replaced the pre- war order governed by the independence constitution of 1960. In place of a four region federal structure, a new 12 state unitary structure was inaugurated. The critical elements of the new order were the pursuit of national unity at all costs, the reduction of the power of ethnicity in preference for a nationalist ethos, the reorganization of the national security apparatus along a unified command structure to align with the imperatives of the new national order.

Other collateral aspects of nation building were predicated on these pillars. A national army that was organized away from the regional basis of the immediate pre-war arrangement. This was complemented by the creation of a unified national police command structure. Soldiers and policemen would henceforth be posted to serve anywhere in the federation irrespective of states or regions of origin. This security arrangement was accompanied by the creation of institutions of national social integration such as the NYSC, Unity schools and the Nigerian Law School etc.

To address issues of uneven development of the country in terms of education and manpower involvement in the agencies of national government, an affirmative action programme was decreed into place. The Federal Character principle was designed to address the unequal representation of citizens in federal establishments and opportunity centers.

The consolidation of the new national order also required the tailoring of infrastructure to promote the growth of a common market with railroads, highway network, power grids and energy distribution systems and the development of a stock exchange, banking and financial system. The latter were designed to encourage seamless mobility of capital, labour and other factors of economic production across all sections of the country.

The key political re-engineering tool in the hands of the military was the creation of states and local governments.

Creation of states was initially a principle of geo political power decentralization to weaken ambitious regions, strengthen the centre and thus prevent another Biafra type secession and civil war. The use of balkanization as a check against powerful parts in favour of an all powerful centre was however driven to the limits by the subsequent indiscriminate creation of states.

Successive military dispensations simply bastardized the creation of states.

In the hands of successive military despots, the creation of new states became an instrument of power legitimization and tenure elongation. Of course, the pretense to attention to the wishes and aspirations of the people was always a handy tool of public manipulation. Little or no attention was paid to the

Buhari economic viability of the new states nor the real political cost of sustaining them. Successive constitutions were tailored to make the states look alike and function alike. The replication of institutions of governance in all states as centres of governance and political authority meant that we were mistaking institution building ,which is literally furniture placement, for nation building. The cost of governance escalated while standards of performance and service delivery went critically south.

The subordination of myriad weak states to an almighty federal behemoth inherently defied the basic law of true federalism. True federal states come into being at the prompting of federating units, not on the fiat of an all powerful imperial power. In a true federalism, components in need of unity, collective security and economic integration come together to define the rules of unification while delineating the powers of the national government. The United States is a classic example. The states of the union created and appropriately empowered the federal government. The reverse is the case in the Nigerian instance where an all mighty federal government created the states by fiat and continues to spoon feed them while limiting their powers substantially. In a true federation, the federating units however retain their authenticity, identity and diminished sovereignty while ceding to the national government taxes, residual powers and functions, some merely emblematic, to make them part of a nation in the international system.

While the military dominion over Nigeria lasted, the new national order remained a political and security order. It was not a constitutional order since the military administrations could only survive and thrive by keeping constitutional rule and rule of law in perpetual abeyance. Only on the eve of transitions to civil rule in 1979 and 1999 did the military move to institute constitutional arrangements to guide their successor administrations. And in each case, the military engineered those constitutions to reflect their interests, predilections and wishes.

The most essential ingredient of the new national order was of course its dependence on the coercive pre-eminence of the federal authority. This was the only tool with which the federal authority could act as the ultimate guarantor of the new order.

The superiority of arms and might that ensured the reunification of the country after the war was retained as a basis for national unity and order. No one asked the components of the new unity their true self -determination aspirations or indeed the extent of their tolerance of the new federal might. There was a minefield that only needed time to go live.

The reliance on federal force of arms as the ultimate guarantee of the survival of the new order required a coherent national defense force held together by a uniform ideal of the nation, its founding principles and desired goals, direction and strategic positioning in the emergent international system.

Regrettably, these serious considerations and elements were conspicuously missing among the leading officer corps of the Nigerian military. As it turned out, each general interpreted the challenge of nation building in their own image. Personal ambition and a desire to occupy a place of prominence in national history quickly overran whatever collective sense of mission that may have driven the post war push for a new order.

In a slew of frequent coups and counter coups, the military presented itself as inherently undisciplined, disorganized and therefore ill equipped to carry out a programme of serious nation building. Above all, the military force that won the civil war was not necessarily the requisite force to guarantee a pax Nigeriana. The new national order needed a defense and security arrangement that was strategically elastic to deal with unsettled internal security issues of incipient nationalism while acting as a force of stability in West Africa. That force needed to be tailored to the changing nature of national security and the shifting profiles and temperaments of the nationalities that make up the federation.

Order and peace could therefore only be maintained for

as long as the guaranteeing federal authority had a military might that could effortlessly overwhelm the forces of future non- state actors determined to challenge the pre eminence of the federal authority. In a changed international order, the self determination of nationalities, the recognition of the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples and their entitlements to the resources on their lands spelt danger for an over centralized federal state with diminishing resources, weakening institutions and increasing inequality.

Incidentally, the current international order is heavily weighted in favour of self determination and human rights over and above the dominance of overbearing nation states. Where the authority of nation states has threatened the survival and rights of individuals and minorities, the international system has weighed in, even militarily, on the side of victimized groups. Libya and Syria are nearby recent examples. Challenges like the Niger Delta militancy, IPOB separatists, Boko Haram, viral banditry and the numerous flashpoints of ethnic and identity restlessness have more or less caught the Nigerian federal power unawares and unprepared at a bad time in world history.

The survival of huge multi national federations beset by challenges of diversity and internal security management challenges can only be guaranteed by adherence to rigorous democracy and the rule of law. As matters stand in Nigeria, multi party democracy may be complicating the task of national security and stability. Politicians are feasting on the divisions, insecurity and diversity of the nation to advance their political interests. Mr. Buhari now has to prevail in so many fronts. He has to succeed as a manager of violence for which he is trained as a soldier. He has to overwhelm his political adversaries according to the laws of political competition while respecting the rights of all citizens including villains.

He has to meet the myriad expectations of a populace that is producing desperately poor people at an unprecedented rate.

Above all, the security challenges of the time demand that he manages to be simultaneously a war president (Boko Haram, Bandits, separatists!) and a peace time democrat.

Therefore, the key problems that currently beset President Buhari’s administration have to do with his location within the matrix of the critical elements that defined the national order instituted by he and his fellow war generals. National unity, national security, and integration are the key elements of that order. Incidentally, he came to power as a civilian president at a time when that national order was expiring and unraveling.

Let us be reminded that it usually takes an average of 45-50 years for most national and international systems of order to unravel. Check: the system of global order after the 1945 end of World War II began cracking by 1990. Germany’s division after 1945 was reversed by the 1990s. Japan after 1945 found new international roles and rules of engagement after 1990.

In Nigeria, nearly every aspect of the 1970 national order has been in tatters for close to a decade. National security guaranteed by federal might is in ruins. All manner of non state armed actors and gangs, militias, vigilantes, cultists, bush hunters etc. are daily challenging and overstretching the federal might.

National unity is shredded as divisive politics has become the fashion at the apex of power. The nation that reunited and remained at peace and in unity for over 40 years is now shredded by ethnic, regional, religious and socio economic schisms. The Federal character principle is largely abandoned as regional hegemony has ascended to centre stage and usurped the deep state. Even the Federal Character Commission established to administer the post war affirmative action cannot be fully constituted by the federal government.

The solution of state creation and balkanization as a magic bullet for political stability has come full cycle. Nearly all our states are bankrupt, unviable and disastrously governed. The semi autonomy of states is being replaced by a loud clamour for restructuring of the federation in response to a new wave of divisive politics headquartered in Aso Rock Villa presided over by a cult of sectional power hegemony experts.

The network of national infrastructure that was designed to create a common market and unite our peoples has mostly fallen into miserable disrepair. From this avalanche of end time complications, Nigerians expect Mr. Buhari to rediscover the mission of 1970 and navigate the nation back to the stability of the 1970s-1980s. Incidentally, the path for Buhari to salvage and justify his current incumbency is also the road to rediscover the 1970 collective mission of the war generals and go beyond it. In addition, as an elected incumbent, he still has his own current mandate and that of his party to justify and deliver on.

Without compulsion, out of his own free political volition and with no coercion from external influences, Mr. Buhari in his current iteration publicly undertook to fix national security, pervasive corruption, the bad economy and a bit of hunger through agriculture. He has been struggling with all these challenges with mixed outcomes in the midst of odds. But he now has the next 24 months to deliver on all these areas.

But by far the greatest overriding concern of most Nigerians is the credible fear that the nation that was saved from tragic disintegration in 1970 does not totally unravel under Buhari’s current watch. This is about the only remaining assurance that Nigerians expect from this president when he hands over power to whoever succeeds him come 12 noon on May 29th, 2023.

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MA Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL China-Nigeria Relations in the First and Next Fifty Years: Issues, Expectations and Prospects

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elationship between the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria is quite interesting because it is largely defined by many geo-political factors. First is the factor of demography. Nigeria is the most populous nation-state in Africa. It also has the largest black population in the world. And true enough, in every five African peoples, one of them is a Nigerian. In the same vein, China has the biggest population, not only in Asia, but also in the whole world. As such, both countries are demographic powers that cannot be easily neglected in the demographic and foreign strategic calculations of all medium and great powers in international relations. This cannot but be so because of the serious implications for international economic cooperation.

In this regard, for instance, China has Africa as a strategic focus in its own version of perestroika and glasnosts, that is, opening-up-tothe-world and restructuring diplomacy. In other words, Nigeria is one major country of interest and focus to be used as instrument of Chinese foreign policy interest. Nigeria has the biggest market and is generally perceived to be a big power in the making, especially in light of its potential riches that are yet to be transformed into manifest power.

Second, both countries claim to be Third World countries. Nigeria’s claim is more of an acquiescence of the classification by the Breton Woods Institutions, while that of China is self-proclamation, rather than as a result of the classification of the Breton Woods institutions. By way of comparison, if China were to be considered a developing country, then Nigeria cannot qualify to be in the same league with China, because China is far more developed than Nigeria. China has a foreign policy of win-win and down-to-earth partnership strategy which African countries, particularly Nigeria, cherish. In the strong belief that they are both developing countries, they always promote politico-economic cooperation.

Third, Nigeria and China have the common problem of insurrection: Hong Kong has a separatist agenda like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in Nigeria. Beijing Authorities have a policy of ‘One China, Two Systems’ that asserts one sovereign and independent China politically, but condones two economic systems: socialist system in Mainland China and capitalist system in Hong Kong. Surely, it will be a conflict of interest for Nigeria to support Hong Kong’s break away and not expect agitations for self-determination to continue in Nigeria. Thus, what really have been the hallmarks, the irritants, the dynamics of the first fifty years of the relationship? What does the next fifty years look like? Will they be better?

The First Fifty Years China-Nigeria diplomatic ties were established on February 10, 1971, meaning that the relationship was already fifty years old as at February 10, 2021. They were established one year after the end of Nigeria’s civil war on the basis of peaceful togetherness, shared economic development strategy at the bilateral level, and political solidarity in their multilateral relations, in spite of the fact that the relationship. had a vertical character. Put differently, China and Nigeria operated on the basis of sovereign equality, even though Nigeria is not at par with China in practical development terms.

It should not be forgotten that China had the largest city, Kaifeng, in 1500 A.D., thus placing Paris as the second biggest city in the world. With China being on record to have invented papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass, etc, China cannot be rightly placed at the same level of development with Nigeria or any other African country. China is not only an original member of the United Nations and a Permanent Member of its Security Council, but also the first country to sign the 1945 UN Charter. This unwritten factor of China being a senior partner in the relationship is always borne in mind in Nigeria’s attitudinal disposition towards the Chinese.

In deference to Nigeria, China has always avoided showing any iota of braggadocio in the relationship. One good manifestation of this point is their National Day normally celebrated on October 1.

In Nigeria, the Chinese always celebrate their Day before October 1 to respect Nigeria and to enable the participation of Nigerians and

VIE INTERNATIONALE

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

President Xi Jinping and President Buhari Chinese on Nigeria’s October1 and any other day chosen by the Embassy of China in Nigeria.

And true enough again, in preparation for the celebration of the 50 years of their diplomatic relations, the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos organised a Symposium and Speech Competition on ‘’49 Years of Nigeria-China Relationship and 60 Years of Nigerian Nationhood’’ and ‘’71 Years of Chinese Nationhood’’ on October 2020. Issues in the relationship were addressed variously by scholars. In 2021, many of the issues are still there, meaning that a cooperative attitude will still be required to meaningfully address them. In this regard, the lessons from the civil war taught the Gowonian regime the need to develop warm ties with the development partners and to promote peaceful coexistence.

Subsequent administrations have continued to promote better understanding with China.

And true enough again, relationship between the two countries in the past fifty years was quite warm for other reasons that are not far-fetched. The Chinese often present themselves to Africa as being friendlier than Africa’s former colonial masters, a point that has always and generally impacted on Nigeria’s attitudinal disposition towards China. As noted in China-Africa 500 Facts About China, Africa and Relations Between the Two, published by the Sinolingual Co. Ltd and Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2015, Mr. LI Zhaoping, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, made a number of very interesting remarks about Africa and its people.

First, he said the ‘Chinese and Africans are brothers and sisters and will remain so forever.’ This point is noteworthy for the relationship in the next 50 years. The relationship is expected to be always brotherly and sisterly. But does this mean that brothers and sisters do not disagree and quarrel? Does it mean that there will not be qualms in the relationship in the near future? They may disagree but the disagreement cannot be to the extent of mutual self-destruction.

In sum and essence, China-Nigeria relations have been quite warm in the past 50 years.

Noisome problems were few and were always quickly and diplomatically contained.The issues of mistreatment of Nigerians working in Chinese companies, adulterated drugs imported from China, signing contractual agreements in which Nigeria’s sovereignty is reportedly ceded as a conditionality, etc, are questions that should be more seriously taken for purposes of better general public enlightenment to avoid misconceptions and unnecessary public animosity, because the next 50 years will involve the application of law diplomacy from the perspective of the Chinese. Nigeria’s foreign policy should therefore look at Nigeria-China relationship in the next 50 years from four approaches: what focus, which method, what environment, and what outcome? Nigeria’s focus should be driven by quests for transfer of technology. Method of fostering the relationship should underscore Ojo Maduekwe’s citizen diplomacy and Oluyemi Adeniji’s beneficial and constructive concentricism. China and Nigeria do not have exclusive control over the international geo-political environment. Consequently, both countries should prepare for the impact of a changing world of globalisation. In terms of outcome, time will tell and situational reality will decide

Second, Mr. LI noted that there is a common saying among Chinese diplomats according to which ‘you fear Africa before going there, fall in love with her after arriving, and miss her after leaving.’ This is simply to suggest that life is about living with courage and not be deterred by preliminary fears when engaging in any venture. It also shows that Africa is not really bad as generally presented to the world. Eye witnesses and empirical evidences clearly show the goodness in the people of Africa.

Thirdly, Mr. LI also said the region of the world that has been most memorable to him as a diplomat in his more than fifty years engagement in diplomacy is Africa, which has great civilisations like China. In his words, ‘the simplicity, diligence, optimism, and kindness of African people are worth learning.’

Without jot of doubt, there are lessons from Africa that the Chinese can learn, but Africa, particularly Nigeria, is ill-equipped to learn any lessons from China. This brings us to the issues in the bilateral relationship. It is important to re-state that the relationship was very friendly and warm. For instance, at the level of economic relations, the volume of bilateral trade was valued at over $50 billion in the past three years. There are 218 Chinese companies in Nigeria. They are all actively engaged in the various sectors of the economy. Chinese loans are majorly for infrastructural development in Nigeria: $874 million for the Abuja-Kaduna railway project, $600 million for airport terminals in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, etc However, the warmth in the relationship is still tainted with some major concerns. For instance, there is the serious problem of lack of strategic focus at the level of Nigeria. There is little, not to say no indication at all, of what is to be achieved in terms of technology transfer. This is an area that Nigeria ought to seek lessons from.

Under this lack of strategic focus is also the question of safety and security of life and property. In other words, how can we bring about a better life for Nigerians in China and Chinese in Nigeria?

China, as noted above, has the biggest population in the world.

How do the Beijing authorities deal with their big population and also successfully ensure food security? There is the need for Nigeria to evaluate some lessons from Chinese demography and food security. More importantly, Nigeria needs to evaluate periodically the definienda of cooperation and partnership. Apart from these, Nigeria’s main export to China is petroleum. There is no export diversification. There are also reports of counterfeited or adulterated drugs from China.

At the level of political understanding, not only are many international observers pointing to China as a new colonial master, complaints have been raised as regards the contractual agreements done by the two countries. Particular emphasis was placed on the observation that Nigeria unnecessarily ceded her sovereignty to China as a conditionality for loans in the agreements. Eyebrows were particularly also raised on the maltreatment of Nigerians in China within the framework of COVID-19 saga on April 10, 2020.

In fact, the saga led to a brief diplomatic row: there were complaints that Nigerians were quarantined two-times, that their passports belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria were attached, and that Nigerians were always mistreated in Chinese companies. And perhaps more notably, the invitation extended to the Chinese medical team to come to Nigeria to assist in the containment efforts of COVID-19 generated much controversy.

Additionally, the Nigerian Medical Association officially protested against the invitation extended to the Chinese medical team in the strong belief that the invitation was much shrouded in secrecy. The controversy also generated intra-government, both at the legislative and executive arms of government, disaffection.

Whatever is the case, to what extent are the foregoing dynamics likely to be relevant in the next fifty years? What are also the likely new dynamics to expect in the conduct and management of the relationship in the foreseeable future?

The Next Fifty Years The next fifty years can be gleaned from Nigeria’s position and expectation as probably best presented in April 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo during the visit of President Hu Jintao to Abuja. In the words of the former President, ‘this twenty-first century is the century for China to lead the world. And when you are leading the world, we want to be close behind you. When you are going to the moon, we don’t want to be left behind.’

We similarly noted elsewhere that China-Nigeria relations has a brighter future, especially if it is located within the partnership framework of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the China Institution of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) (vide Bola A. Akinterinwa, ‘’NIIAand CICIR within the Framework of Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership: collaboration as a Desideratum,’ in Bola A. Akinterinwa Ogaba D. Oche, eds.

Nigeria-China Dialogue Series: Issues in Contemporary ChinaAfrica Relations, No.1: NIIAand CICIR, August 5-9, 2013, p.2).

In explicating the future, one approach is to consider policy pronouncements and the present development dynamics of the relationship, and then investigate the extent to which they will still be relevant in the foreseeable future. For instance, the future relationship cannot but largely be a resultant of the personality or status of what both countries will be. Will they be weaker or stronger nations? Will there be a change in their political status or the political status quo will remain?

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: ÑÌÙãÏÑ˲ËÕÓØÝËØ×Ó̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט͸΀͹ͽͺͻͽ΁ͺͽͻ

Fresh Crisis Looms over APC Constitution Review Committee Caretaker c’tte lacks power to review constitution Disputes seeking another six-month extension

Gboyega Akinsanmi and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The decision of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to constitute an eight-man committee to review the party’s constitution has stoked a fresh crisis in the rank of its national leaders, THISDAY has learnt.

While a wing of its national leadership accused some governors elected on the platform of pushing the APC into constitutional crisis, others argued that the decision was a ploy by the caretaker committee to seek

a fresh six-month extension.

Multiple sources expressed concerns over the eight-man constitution review committee yesterday, noting that the CECPC absolutely lacked power to review the constitution of the party, Amid the controversy, the National Secretary of the APC caretaker committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe disputed that the CECPC planned to seek another extension of tenure before next June.

CECPC was constituted in June 2020 to conduct an elective national convention in December last year, but it sought

a six-month extension, which was granted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in December 2020.

On Tuesday, it inaugurated an eight-man committee to review the constitution, a decision that stirred fresh concern in the rank of the APC leaders that CECPC might not conduct a national convention in June 2021.

Chaired by Prof. Tahir Mamman, the constitution review committee comprises Mr. Dare Oketade as Secretary; Prof.

Dakas Dakas; Hon. Akinremi Olaide; Dr. Ego Ezuma; Hon. Mohammed Kumaila; Shuaibu Aruwa and Dr. Ekokoi Solomon.

With the committee in place, aggrieved leaders claimed that it was a pointer “to the extension of the tenure of the caretaker committee,” which they argued would create a constitutional crisis for the party.

Besides, they noted that the on-going membership registration/revalidation exercise “has already been extended till the end of April 2021. By implication, the party cannot conduct ward, local government and state congresses until the exercise is duly completed.”

Speaking anonymously with THISDAY yesterday, a member of the dissolved National

CERTIFIED FOR PUBLIC USE . . .

L-R: Managing Director, Planet Project Limited (PPL), Mr. Abiodun Otunola, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat at the inauguration of the newly reconfigured Lekki First and Second roundabouts by PPL ... recently

Executive Committee (NEC) categorically said the caretaker committee would seek another six-month extension.

He added that the caretaker committee would not be able to complete the ongoing revalidation/registration exercise, constitution review and the conduct of congresses in three months.

He noted that the caretaker committee “cannot complete the assignment in three months.

So, it is true that they will seek further extension. The Constitution Review Committee was not supposed to be inaugurated now.

“The caretaker committee is supposed to wait till the party is ready to conduct a convention. That is when the review of the party’s constitution is done, not now. This one is just abracadabra.

“Even, the caretaker committee has no right to inaugurate a constitution review committee. It does not have the right because it is just a caretaker committee set up to take care of the party for a while until the substantial body is in place.

“Even the registration and revalidation exercise, they do not have the right to conduct it. It is just because we do not follow the rules and regulations of the party,” the party source lamented.

Another NEC member, who spoke with THISDAY in confidence, said another six months extension would create a constitutional crisis in the party.

He said: “How are they going to call for an extension in the first place? Are they going to call for another NEC meeting? Or is it the Caretaker Committee that

will sit and extend itself?

“The committee will create a constitutional crisis for the party. Also, they might now give room for people to go to court. So, they have to be very careful. I read an online report talking about convention in December 2021.”

In specific terms, an entirely different party source warned of the implication for the plan to seek another six-month for the caretaker committee, which according to him, might deepen internal crisis within the party’s ranks.

He also warned that another six-month extension “will create a crisis in the party. The extension the committee got in December 2021 took the intervention of the presidency before some party members who were initially opposed to it agreed.

“It will surely create a crisis.

Even, some party members were against the extension if not because of the intervention from the presidency. Some party members insisted that they should go.”

However, the party source observed the governors might not oppose “another six-month because they are the one in control of the party now.”

Concerned with this development, an APC pressure group, Concerned APC Stakeholders, yesterday noted that it was not surprised by the latest move by the caretaker committee to seek another six-month extension.

In a conversation with THISDAY, the group’s spokesperson, Mr. Abdulahi Dauda warned that the way things are going in the party is bad. Even the extension given to the committee in December 2020 was unconstitutional.

Marwa Warns NDLEA Officers against Illegal Arrest, Detention Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Chairman and Chief Executive of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa yesterday asked officers of the agency to desist from hostage arrest or arresting relations of suspected drug offenders on the run.

He, also, warned against detaining suspected drug offenders beyond the hours allowed by law, insisting that they should be presented before

the court within the time limit.

He gave this warning in a statement NDLEA’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi issued yesterday.

In the statement, NDLEA’s boss warned commanders, officers and men of the agency against the detention of suspects beyond the limit allowed by law.

He, also, prohibited the arrest of a relation, spouse or acquaintance of a suspected drug offender, often referred to as hostage arrest.

He disclosed: “The directives were contained in the reviewed operations and investigations guidelines to all commands of the agency across the country.”

It said the order has become imperative in view of the current democratic dispensation in the country and the need to adhere strictly to constitutional provisions regarding arrest and detention of suspects.

He said: “To avoid a breach of the operations guidelines, arrangements must be made

for the filing of charges in court within 24 or 48 hours as may be applicable. Where this is not possible, a detention order must be procured from the Federal High Court for the continuous detention of an arrested person.”

Marwa further directed that investigations in all cases “must be concluded not later than one (1) week. In all cases of raid operations, all non-culpable suspects must be separated from those culpable and released immediately.”

NDLEA’s chief equally demanded that all prosecutors must ensure prompt filing of charges in courts and pursue timely arraignment of suspects.

He however reaffirmed that NDLEA personnel remain empowered to arrest and carry out searches whenever there is reasonable ground to suspect that a drug related offence has been committed.

He warned that detention of persons for purposes of obtaining information and/

or intelligence without such a person committing any drug related offence was prohibited.

“The agency and its personnel shall in the course of arrest and search respect the dignity of the human person of the suspect.

“Accordingly, a suspect shall not in any way be ill-treated. Leg chain and handcuff may only be used where the person is violent and/or resistant to arrest such that reasonable force is required to restrain him/her.”

Group Condemns Declaration of No-fly Zone in Zamfara Tobi Soniyi

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Zamfara Movement for Peace and Good Governance has condemned in very strong terms the no-fly zone order imposed on Zamfara State

by President Muhammadu Buhari describing it as part of the orchestrated plot aimed at declaring a state of emergency in the state.

Chairman of the group, Jamilu Magazu in a statement in Gusau accused the

All Progressives Congress-led federal government of using the opportunity created by the recent kidnapping of school children in Zamfara State to take back the state through the back door by looking for ways to declare a state of emergency in the state and make a former member of House of Representatives Sani Jaji the sole administrator.

Zamfara State governor Bello Matawalle had said that he accepted the “no fly zone” order imposed on the state by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Matawalle said “the decision of Mr President on the no-fly zone, I accept it and I agree with that. People don’t even know that Zamfara does not have an airport. So, the states that have airports and are encountering this kind of situation, what happens to them?” the governor asked.

However reacting to the development, the group stated that the APC federal government had not declared a state of emergency in Mungonu Borno State the hometown of

the National Security Adviser (NSA) which has been occupied by the Boko Haram terrorists for the past ten years neither did it declare a state of emergency in Katsina State when over 344 school children were abducted in Kankara, nor did it declare a state of emergency in Niger State where over three hundred students were just abducted and released.

“We wish to put it on record that the APC-led federal government is being too economical with the truth and is politicizing the

abduction of school children in the country for political gain.

“344 Kankara students were abducted in Katsina, Yobe students were abducted in Dapchi, Chibok girls in Borno State and only when it happened in Jangebe in Zamfara State that the National Security Adviser (NSA) with the connivance of Hon Sani Jaji is plotting a state of emergency first with this no fly zone while in all the other states that have been grappling with insecurity for more than ten years have never been faced with no fly zone neither was a state

of emergency declared in any of these states.

“A no-fly zone cannot be arbitrarily declared without a recourse to the National Assembly noting that a no-fly zone also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft is not permitted to fly. Aircrafts that violate a no-fly zone may be shot down by the enforcing state, depending on the terms of the NFZ.”

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NEWSXTRA Osinbajo Asks N’Assembly to Consider Devolution of Power Proposals 5HVWDWHV KRZ WR HQG IDUPHUV KHUGHUV FRQÁLFW 6D\V QDWLRQ EXLOGLQJ LV FKDOOHQJLQJ Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged the National Assembly to consider some of the proposals before it for the purpose of devolving more powers to sub-national governments to tackle security challenges.

Osinbajo, also, restated that the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), which all governors have endorsed under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC) would end farmers-herdsmen conflicts.

He made these calls at the opening session of an International Conference on Patriotism, Security, Governance and National Development.

The conference was convened by the Global Patriot Newspaper in collaboration with the Nigerian Consulate in New York and Nigeria in Diaspora Organisation, (NIDO) New Jersey Chapter.

Among others, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Tijjani Bande; President of NIDO, Dr Kazeem Bello and Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) featured at the conference.

The vice president canvassed the decentralisation of the police force while addressing security concerns He said: “We must accept that there is a need for greater decentralisation of the police force.

I have been a frequent advocate of state policing. I believe this certainly must be the way we must go.”

He challenged the National

Assembly to consider some of the proposals in its custody to devolve more powers and responsibilities to the sub-national governments.

He said the National Assembly “is in a position to consider some of the proposals that have gone to them for the purposes of devolving more powers to the states for security purposes and for addressing the security challenges.”

Regarding steps taken to address the perennial crisis between farmers and herders, Osinbajo said the federal and state governments are committed to NLTP’s implementation as developed by consensus of governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).

He said the NLTP “is a comprehensive strategy for addressing farmer/herder conflict essentially by encouraging interested states to establish cattle ranches.

“The crucial point here is that no community or state is compelled in any shape or form to give land for ranching. Ranching is essentially a business. NLTP is not a land grab in any way. Every state is completely responsible for its land.

“The federal government cannot go to any state and take any land. Already 22 states have indicated interest and pilots, with the support of the Netherlands government, are ongoing in 4 states of Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau and Gombe.

“If we are able to execute the NLPT, we will be able to see an end to the farmer-herder conflict because the goal is to make livestock breeders more sedentary and derive more financial benefits,” Osinbajo said.

He said the idea of building a society desired by all Nigerians

Transcorp Hotels Unveils New Platform Africa’s leading hospitality brand Transcorp Hotels has announced the launch of Aura, a new digital platform through which people can book accommodation and restaurants.

In a statement yesterday, the company said the new brand, Transcorp’s first in the alternative accommodation segment, was part of its asset-light model, leveraging technology to deliver “true hospitality, exciting experiences, and drive shareholder value.”

“It’s a new dawn in the hospitality industry! I am thrilled to introduce you to Aura by Transcorp, the digital platform we are using to connect people to quality accommodation, great food, and awesome experiences,” said Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc., Dupe Olusola.

“For more than 30 years, Transcorp Hotels Plc has been at the forefront of creating a superior guest experience at our locations.

Today, our commitment to innovation has offered us an opportunity to extend this beyond the hotel premises,” Olusola added.

Speaking on the launch of Aura, Obong Idiong, Chief Executive Officer at Africa Prudential Plc, Aura’s technology partners, expressed excitement, saying finding the right accommodation when you travel “can be incredibly complex.

“Options available for the right prices are often limited, and travellers sometimes end up with an accommodation that taints the travel experience.

“Transcorp Hotels Plc has been able to fix that with Aura, and we are proud to be associated with them,” he said.

Idiong added that to ensure a top-notch user experience, the organisation built a solution to drive digital transformation by adopting shared living spaces for the Aura business.

The statement added that using an advanced search algorithm powered by artificial intelligence, Aura would determine the relevance of locations taking into consideration the customers’ preferences and requirements to “meet them at the point of their needs.”

Priscilla Adeboye, a travel enthusiast and early adopter of Aura, disclosed that the global pandemic had pushed international travel down her list.

“But I still want to be able to take some time off work or spend a weekend away from home with the family. I have found incredible homes on Aura that meet my need for space and privacy,” she said.

Though Aura service is currently available in Nigeria only, guests and hosts can sign up at aura.transcorphotels.com to start booking or hosting.

“is tasking and requires the contribution of all Nigerians.”

The challenge, according to the vice president, is for everyone to build, and not to destroy, to add to what is available and not to take away.

He emphasised the need for citizens “to unite in building a better society. The task of nation building is exerting and may even appear messy as the process continues, especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation like Nigeria.

“It challenges all values, patience and tolerance of citizens, it may even be costly. It is a challenge thrown to everyone, to build,

not to destroy, to add to, not to take away.”

While addressing security concerns, the vice president canvassed the decentralisation of the police.

“We must accept that there is a need for greater decentralisation of the police force. I have been a frequent advocate of state policing.

I believe this certainly must be the way we must go.

“The National Assembly is in a position to consider some of the proposals that have gone to them for the purposes of devolving more powers to the states for security purposes and for addressing the security challenges.”

Regarding steps taken to

address the perennial crisis between farmers and herders, Osinbajo said the federal and state governments were committed to the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), as developed by consensus of governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).

He explained that the NLTP “is a comprehensive strategy for addressing farmer/herder conflict essentially by encouraging interested states to establish cattle ranches.

“The crucial point here is that no community or State is compelled in any shape or form to give land

for ranching. Ranching is essentially a business.

“NLTP is not a land grab in any way. Every state is completely responsible for its land. The federal government cannot go to any state and take any land.

“Already 22 States have indicated interest and pilots, with the support of the Netherlands Government, are ongoing in Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau and Gombe State “If we are able to execute the NLPT, we will be able to see an end to the farmer-herder conflict because the goal is to make livestock breeders more sedentary and derive more financial benefits,”

GOOD NIGHT, PA OBUA . . .

L-R: Former President Goodluck Jonathan; Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Doye Diri; member representing Ogbia Federal Constituency, Mr. Azibapu FredObua and his wife, Slender, during the funeral service of Azibapu’s father, Chief Jacob Fredrick-Obua at Emeyel 2, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa ... yesterday

Gunmen Invade Kaduna FAAN Staff Quarters, Abduct 11 John Shiklam in Kaduna and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Eleven people have been reportedly abducted at the staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Kaduna.

The quarters is located just before the airport tollgate.

Multiple sources said the incident occurred at about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday when gunmen invaded the quarters.

An official of the Kaduna Airport who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident.

He said the gunmen gained access to the staff quarters by vandalising the parameter fence

between the airport and the staff quarters.

According to him, the bandits attacked two houses in the staff quarters and abducted 11 people.

He said: “The gunmen invaded the staff quarters at about 2am on Saturday and attack two houses.

“The houses of a staff of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and a staff of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET).

“The bandits abduct nine members of the family of the NAMA staff and the wife and son of the NiMet staff.

“The staff quarter is located before the tollgate to the airport. It is all fenced, but bandits tempered

with the parameter fence and entered the staff quarters.

“They came in through the land side where flights operates. The cut the parameters fence between the airport and the quarters”, he said.

Mohammad Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, did not respond to telephone calls and text messages when contacted.

In a similar development Friday, suspected herdsmen have killed two farmers in Isaba Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area (LGA) Ekiti State.

The murder occurred on Friday evening when the farmers were said to have had a confrontation with the herders which escalated to bloodshed.

A resident of the town confirmed that one of the victims was popularly known as Jisoro while the other was a security guard with a construction company.

The assailants were said to have fled after killing the victims.

Speaking further on the incident, the Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Police Command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said the crisis between the farmers and herders led to the death of the two persons.

Abutu, anAssistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) stated that it was a confrontation between the farmers and people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, who were alleged to have been terrorising the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of the council area.

Doctor Advocates PPP in Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector Tobi Soniyi

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the inadequacies in Nigeria’s healthcare policy and the need to embrace the public-private partnership model in funding and managing the sector.

The Medical Director, Garki Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Adamu Onu in an interview expressed joy that vaccination for COVID-19 has started on a successful note even as he hailed the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 for doing a very good job in evolving a robust and workable national response strategy.

“The PTF on COVID-19, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha has done remarkably well in managing the pandemic going by the rate of infection, fatality ratio and the rapid deployment of new infectious diseases laboratories across the country,” said Onu while reviewing the collaboration between public and private hospitals in managing the coronavirus pandemic.

Onu noted that while the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the huge gaps in the healthcare sector, replicating the template between NISA Premier

and the Federal Capital Territory Administration would provide needed improvements.

He noted that the pandemic has provided a stress test on the nation’s healthcare system which has exposed areas of inadequacies within the public even private health sectors.

“Nigeria’s healthcare sector is not as strong as it should be and the Covid-19 crises that came about is basically what I will call a stress test for the Nigerian health sector and in that regard, we have not done as well as we ought to have done. But based on my experience here in Garki

Hospital, I can confidently say that the PPP model is a very good way to improve the healthcare sector so that when pandemics like this arrive, the capacity is there to be able to curb or handle such and take care of it.

“The PPP between NISA Premier and Garki Hospital, being the first of its kind in Nigerian health sector, has successfully passed this test. Since its inception in 2007 till date, the hospital has not shut down for a single day either due to strike action or any other reason and we have not sacked any staff ever since,” Onu elaborated.

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NEWSXTRA Abiodun, Amosun Disagree on Proposed Airport Projects Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta

The cold war between the Ogun State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun and his immediate predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun manifested at the weekend, as the two leaders differed on the nature of the airport to give priority in the state.

While Abiodun made the case for a cargo airport to support the state’s massive agro-allied development potentials, Amosun called for the construction of an international passenger airport.

The duo expressed these divergent positions at separate sessions with the Senate Committee on Aviation under the leadership of Senator Smart Adeyemi in Abeokuta at the weekend.

In 2007, the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel

commenced the agro-cargo project in Iperu-Remo in Ogun East, but could not complete the project conceived to support the state’s agricultural production.

Amosun, on his assumption of office in 2011, however initiated an international airport located in Wasimi, Ewekoro Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun West and abandoned the cargo airport project proposed by Daniel.

At the meeting with the aviation committee on Friday, Abiodun explained the significance of the agro-cargo airport project to the state’s economy, especially its agricultural section.

Specifically, the governor told the committee said it would continue with the plan to construct agro-cargo airport at Iperu-Remo, insisting that the agro-cargo airport “is a priority

need for the state.”

Abiodun said what Ogun State “is yearning for is an airport that will support its massive agroallied development potentials.”

He said the people of the state entrusted his administration with qualitative representation to create the enabling environment for a public-private sector partnership, which is fundamental to the creation of an enduring economic development strategy.

He added that the decision “to continue with the agro-cargo airport project, located in IperuRemo in Ogun East Senatorial District, was made by the state’s joint inter-ministerial committee, which evaluated and placed priority on it, as against the Wasimi passenger airport in Ewekoro Local Government Area.

Abiodun said a lot of verifi-

able work had started on the agro-cargo airport project, which had the approval of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

He, however, informed the committee that there were no details or information on the Ewekoro project in the handing-over note of the Amosun administration.

“This administration is methodical. The need to have a cargo airport was made by our joint inter ministerial committee and we consequently evaluated the initiatives that were started by previous administrations because government is a continuum.

“After a thorough evaluation, the choice of the airport cargo location in Ilishan was unanimous, it complements the agric/process-

ing factories’ ecosystem in that corridor with access/egress road network.

“To that extent, our decisions are guided by the principles of good governance. Is it fair, just and equitable to all? Is the process transparent and inclusive? Did the people have input?

Is it of economic importance?

Will it possibly impact the life of our people? As we must hold ourselves accountable at all times.

After all, the people are the essence of governance and we are only holding the office in trust for them,” he said.

On Saturday, the committee inspected the construction site of the international site, which Amosun conceived, but could not complete it before the end of his administration.

Amosun conducted Adeyemi and other members of the Senate Committee on Aviation through the proposed site of the international airport in Wasimi, Ewekoro LGA. After inspecting its construction site, Adeyemi vowed to fast-track

the construction of the proposed International Airport in Wasimi in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State.

Adeyemi, currently representing Kogi West Senatorial District, disclosed that the project was part of the committee’s concern, saying it had been occurring in the federal government’s budget.

The senator, though could not ascertain when the construction would be completed, said the federal government would consider all available means to ensure that the project would see the light of the day.

“On the completion of the project, I cannot say anything. Ours is to make sure that money that is appropriated for the project is spent on it,” he clarified.

He also hinted that the committee “will meet the Ministry of Aviation for the continuity of the construction in due time.

We cannot diversify the economy without partnering with the aviation industry.

Buhari, House Minority Greet Obasanjo at 84 Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

ENSURING ELECTORAL SECURITY. . .

Delta State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Muhammed Ali (3rd right) with some officers visit polling units at Asagba, Delta State during the state’s local government election ... yesterday

Sadiku, World’s Renowned Polymer Scientist, Listed Among Africa’s Leading Researchers Chibuzor Oluchi One of the world’s renowned polymer scientists, Prof. Emmanuel Sadiku has been listed among the top 500 researchers, by scholarly output, in Africa over the period 2015-2020.

The listing was made by SciVal, a web based analytics solution that provides comprehensive access to the research performance of over 20,100 research institutions and their associated researchers

from 231 nations worldwide.

According to the organisation, the Ogidi born researcher has 170 scholarly output, his most recent publication being this year.

Sadiku was also credited with 1,562 citations and a h-index of 31.

The h-index is an author level metric measuring the productivity and citation impact of the publications of a scientist or researcher.

He is well-known in polymer circles in Nigeria, Scotland,

Italy, Germany, Sweden, South Africa and recently, in India for his exceptional research work.

Although he spent some time in industry, he prefers the classroom and laboratories, sharing his knowledge and expertise with postgraduate students.

Since 2004, Sadiku has been working as the Research and Development Professor at the Department of Polymer Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa.

He started his academic career after successfully completing a National Diploma in Textile Technology at the Kaduna Polytechnic in Nigeria.

Thereafter, he received a scholarship to enrol for a BSc (Hon) in Fibres and Polymer Science at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

The theme of his thesis was Optical and Mechanical Properties Relationships of Polypropylene Films.

NHIS Parleys Stakeholders on Service Delivery The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) says it will continue to provide a seamless service to enrollees and deepen healthcare insurance in Lagos.

NHIS State Coordinator, Aisha Haruna, disclosed this at a recent interactive stakeholders’ forum.

The event held at the Police Officers Mess in Ikeja GRA attracted stakeholders from health maintenance organisations, healthcare providers, and enrollees from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and the media.

According to Haruna, NHIS’ continuous engagement with the stakeholders improves quality service delivery to enrolees.

“Through awareness and education, all the stakeholders would have the opportunity to address the challenges encountered by the enrolees, especially in the areas of the indiscriminate charges by some of the healthcare providers, the delays in granting referrals authorisation, payments of capitation and fee for service to the providers by the HMOs,” she

said in a statement.

The NHIS state coordinator added, “The NHIS, under the leadership of Prof. Muhammed Nasir Sambo, is striving to ensure the health system in Nigeria is taken to a level to which the attainment of universal health coverage can be achieved.”

As part of strengthening the scheme’s operations, the coordinator mentioned that the NHIS’s management approved a reconciliation exercise on HMOs indebtedness to facilities, conducted in 2020.

According to her, the purpose of the exercise was to ensure prompt settlement of claims by the HMOs to the healthcare facilities.

Amaka Anyaegbunam, the South-West Coordinator of the Police HMO, who spoke on behalf of the HMOs, explained that the major challenges facing healthcare managers in Nigeria included wrong referral timing due to a lack of adequate communication between healthcare service providers and the HMOs.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives have felicitated former President Olusegun Obasanjo as he marked his 84th birthday anniversary.

In a statements his Media Assistant, Garba Shehu issued yesterday, Buhari noted that Nigeria would continue to look up to the former president for wisdom and statesmanship.

Buhari said Nigeria “will continue to look up to the former president for wisdom and statesmanship.”

Buhari, on behalf of the Government of Nigeria, wished the former president, who has served the country with loyalty and huge dedication, continued good health and happiness.

He prayed God almighty to sustain Obasanjo with greater wisdom and strength to continue his good works for the country as family, Nigerians and friends around the

world celebrate the former president.

Also in a statement by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu yesterday, the minority caucus congratulated Obasanjo on his 84th birthday, describing him as a true detribalised and patriotic leader.

The caucus, also, extolled Obasanjo for his steadfastness in fighting for unity, stability, good governance, infrastructural development as well as entrenchment of democratic values in our country.

It said Obasanjo stands out as a great leader, whose vision, courage, and exceptional commitment lifted our country at her various trying moments.

It said: ‘’As lawmakers, we extol Obasanjo’s statesmanship, particularly in leading our nation on the path of democratic rule, reordering our national priorities and productivity capacity, revamping our economy to achieve foreign debt relief and turning a once pariah nation into a global investment epicentre and one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Ganduje Justifies Zamfara’s No-fly Zone Order Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje yesterday justified the decision of the federal government to declare a no-fly zone in Zamfara State, saying it would make the state and its neighbours more secure.

Consequently, the governor warned political leaders not to toy with security-related matters, saying negative reactions from states can undermine the efforts of the federal government in securing the nation.

He gave this warning in a statement by his Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, describing the declaration of Zamfara a no-fly zone as a well thought-out security strategy.

He noted that the National Security Council came up with

the strategy because it would help to overcome security challenges not only in Zamfara but other neighbouring states.

He urged the politicians to wait and see how the strategy would work before making comments capable of undercutting the efforts of security services to keep the country safe.

The governor observed that the measure would aid in cutting suspected logistics supply and evacuation of the nation’s natural resources particularly gold.

“The issues of security should be beyond partisan considerations.

I do not see anything political in declaring the no-fly zone in Zamfara state. It is purely based on security and intelligence reports that there are suspicious criminal activities going on there.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

NEWSXTRA Exiting Recession Not Enough to Guarantee Economic Recovery, Say Analysts Ndubuisi Francis and James Emejo in Abuja Mixed reactions have followed Nigeria’s exit from recession in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020.

While the slight improvement in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded in Q4 is good news, analysts say it is not significant enough to mark economic recovery.

The belief in professional circles is that even as the economy has turned the corner, earlier than predicted, it is time to focus on achieving strong and inclusive growth.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently declared that the country’s GDP showed a positive growth rate of 0.11 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the

fourth quarter of 2020 after two consecutive quarters of contraction, which led to a second recession in about four years.

The economy slipped into a recession in November 2020, when growth contracted for two consecutive quarters by 6.10 per cent in Q2, and 3.62 percent in Q3.

Despite the marginal growth in Q4, analysts warn that the economy is not completely out of the woods.

They urge the government to further stimulate output growth, among other measures.

While welcoming the positive growth, which further proved the resilience of the economy, some analysts caution that the economy is not really out of recession yet, as two more consecutive quarters of positive growth are required

Nigerian Army Announces New Appointments, Redeploys GOCs Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Army yesterday announced the appointment of senior officers and redeployment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs).

A statement signed by Army Spokesman, Brigadier-General Mohammed Yerima, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, approved the appointments.

It said the shake-up was a normal routine aimed at reinvigorating the system and designed to reposition the Nigerian Army for optimal performance.

The major highlights of the postings and appointments include Major General AS Maikobi from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command and appointed Commander, Major General DC Onyemulu from Armed Forces Simulation Centre to Special Task Force (Operation Safe Haven) and appointed Commander, Major General SA Yaro from Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guarantee to

Nigerian Defence Academy as Commandant, Major General LA Adegboye from Headquarters 82 Division to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General OI Uzamere from Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre and appointed Commander, Major General OF Azinta from Defence Headquarters to Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and appointed Chief of Training.

The statement said Major General JB Olawumi is to remian in Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Logistics, Major General CO Ude from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Army Training Centre and appointed Commander, Major General G Oyefesobi from Defence Intelligence Agency to Headquarters Command Army Records and appointed Commander, Major General BM Shafa from Defence Research Development Bureau to Army Headquarters Department of Army Transformation and Innovation and appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation.

Nigeria, South Korea Strengthen Cultural Ties Charles Ajunwa As part of efforts to strengthen cultural ties between South Korea and Nigeria, the two countries have agreed to further explore and consolidate on the mutual cultural benefits, which started in 2010.

The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, disclosed this when the Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea, His Excellency, Kim Young Chae, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.

Runsewe noted that Nigeria has benefited a lot from the mutual relationship with South Korea in areas of education, poverty eradication, trade and many more.

According to him, the trade between the two countries as at 2011, was well over $3 million dollars.

The NCAC boss also informed the South Korean Ambassador on the forthcoming programme of NCAC called the International Arts and Crafts Expo (INAC) and requested for the participation of South

Korea.

He also sought partnership with the Republic of South Korea in organising a joint exhibition in Nigeria and in South Korea noting that this will be very rewarding to both countries.

On capacity building, Runsewe told the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria that the need for capacity building for NCAC staff on seminars, workshops and conferences on arts and culture, festivals, exchange visits and exhibitions between South Korea and NCAC cannot be over emphasised.

In his response, the ambassador of South Korea, Kim Young Chae said the embassy of South Korea will be interested in a joint programme for school children and other cultural programmes that will make Koreans to understand Nigerians better. He proposed a joint food festival as well as Arts and Crafts exhibition later in the year.

The ambassador said that the Korean cultural centre would soon be upgraded so that NCAC could use it to project Nigerian films and programmes.

to attain full recovery.

In separate interviews with THISDAY, the analysts point out that government intervention is needed in key areas to help drive growth, especially in agriculture and Information Technology (IT), which are currently the growth drivers that should certainly be supported.

A former Commissioner for Finance in Imo State, Professor Uche Uwaleke, believes the exit from recession is without doubt an upside surprise that sends a positive message to the international community, especially the multilateral institutions, rating services, and investment banks, that the Nigerian economy is resilient and has capacity to withstand shocks.

Uwaleke, also the president of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, said the development would certainly enhance the country’s credit standing internationally.

He said: “I will not be surprised if it triggers an upward revision in growth forecasts for Nigeria in

2021 by the IMF and the Fitch, which had projected weak growth rates of 1.5 per cent and 1.7 per cent, respectively.

“It is instructive to note that favourable news about any economy can influence increased flow of foreign investment.”

Uwaleke explained that the NBS’ GDP report “has a number of lessons, including the fact that the Nigerian economy can actually survive without the oil sector; agriculture sector remains a game-changer, contributing over 24 per cent to real GDP; and crude oil output is critical to the oil sector’s performance.

“Going forward, now that the economy has turned the corner, earlier than predicted, it is time to focus on achieving strong growth that is inclusive. By implication, more attention should be focused on jobs and reducing the high rate of unemployment and poverty.

“This will require, among others, an aggressive approach to increasing food output by facilitating access to credit by farmers and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

(SMEs), collaborating with state governments to address rural infrastructure deficit, as well as insecurity.

“Doing so will help bring down food inflation, which is exerting the most pressure on the general price level.

“That the government heeded the advice of many, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), not to impose another lockdowns in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in Q4 2020 helped economic recovery.”

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Credent Investment Managers Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Shelleng, said with soaring food prices, there is need for government to boost local supply.

Shelleng said: “This cannot be achieved until insecurity issues are adequately addressed. With positive GDP figures it could be said that the economy is technically climbing out of recession, but in reality we would need to see figures for Q1 2021 to determine if truly we are on

the growth path.

“The slight uptick in GDP figures in Q4 2020 could be largely attributed to the ending of lockdown and increased growth in sectors that have benefited due to lockdown, such as information technology and communications.”

Also speaking with THISDAY, Managing Director/Chief Executive, SD&D Capital Management Limited, Mr. Idakolo Gbolade, warned that a couple of policy missteps, such as wrong handling of the impending petrol price increase, unrest in various states, and wrong information management, can easily erode the gains already recorded.

Gbolade said: “What this growth implies is that we are gradually coming out of recession and we are witnessing increased activity in the economy, majorly from increased importation activities, increased inflow through the I & E FX window, and activities have started picking up after lockdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

UNITED WE STAND. . .

L-R: Former Ebonyi State Governor, Senator Sam Egwu; former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi; National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Austin Akobundu and Enugu State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during the PDP South-east Zonal Congress, in Enugu, yesterday

Two Nigerians Sentenced to Death in Ghana for Killing Four Women

Oil Palm Firm Re-strategises for Optimal Performance

A Sekondi High Court in Ghana has sentenced Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Orji, both Nigerians, to death over the kidnap and murder of four Takoradi women in 2018.

The judgement, passed on Friday, came after a sevenmember jury found them guilty on all the eight counts of conspiracy to kidnap and murder after about two years of hearing the case.

Richard Agyei Frimpong, the trial judge, said the suspects have the right to appeal the ruling within a 30-day window.

However, if they refuse the option or fail in their appeal, they will join over 160 people who have been sentenced to death since 1993 in Ghana.

This case, which is of huge interest to the public particularly the twin cities of Sekondi-Takoradi, is fixated on the president of Ghana to sign the death warrant as the Ghanaian 1992 constitution provides that any death sentence will have to be signed by the president to make it effective.

The Okitipupa Oil Palm (OOP) Plc has embarked on some measures aimed at re-strategizing and putting the company on a solid footing to enable it respond effectively to emerging challenges and return it to its past leading role in the industry.

The oil company has now partnered with the Nigerian Institute For Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin, Edo State for a massive re-training of its personnel in line with the vision of the new management and board to restructure and re-position the company for optimal performance The company’s Managing Director, Taiwo Adewole, in a statement, said over 32 participants at the week-long seminar held at its head office in Okitipupa, were drawn from all the key sectors of the firm with the hope of equipping them with the latest skills and knowledge essential to working in a modern oil palm industry, driven by IT-based technology.

The seminar was planned as a deliberate follow-up to the recent

The two Nigerians were accused of kidnapping and subsequently killing Ruth Abakah aged 19; Priscilla Blessing Bentum (21); Ruth Love Quayson (18) and Priscilla Koranchie (15).

The girls were captured between July and December 2018 at different locations, including Kansawurodo, Butumagyebu, Nkroful junction all in Sekondi-Takoradi of the western region in Ghana.

On January 4, 2019, after months of fruitless checks, relatives, friends and some residents went on a demonstration demanding justice.

Still searching for the girls, the police finally discovered their bones in a septic tank in the house of the lead suspect, Wills. A DNA test confirmed that they were indeed the remains of the four girls.

After their remains were discovered and further investigations were conducted including results of the DNA samples taken from their families, Wills and Orji were charged with conspiracy and murder.

restructuring of the operation and services of the firm, which included contracting out some of its operations, out-sourcing some of its services and renting out to private individuals, small scale farmers and small scale oil palm processors, some of its plantations which covered over 10,000 hectares.

Adewole said the training, apart from exposing participants to skills and knowledge, would also make them key properly into the objective, mission and vision of the new operators of the company.

He said the choice of NIFOR was not an accident but that it was part of the road-map of the new Management team when it took over about three years ago to regularly inject new strategies into the firm capable of accelerating the attainment of the new mission and vision of the company, adding that to achieve this objective, NIFOR with its array of international experts in the oil palm industry, was the place of first choice.

87

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 7, 2021

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

PREMIER LEAGUE

Xhaka Error Costs Arsenal Maximum Points at Burnley Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

A

rsenal were denied victory by the woodwork, some heroic Burnley defending and the video assistant referee amid a dramatic late onslaught as Granit Xhaka’s error ultimately cost the Gunners dear.

After Xhaka’s errant pass struck Chris Wood for a bizarre equaliser to cancel out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opener, Arsenal piled on relentless pressure in the closing stages.

The Gunners thought they had been awarded a penalty against Erik Pieters but the spot-kick and the defender’s red card for deliberate handball were overturned

by VAR after replays showed he had diverted Nicolas Pepe’s shot onto the bar with his shoulder.

That was not the end of the late drama as Ben Mee’s block denied Aubameyang a sure-Àre winner in stoppage time before Dani Ceballos crashed an eͿort against the post with almost the last kick of the game.

Ultimately, however, the blame for the dropped points will be laid at the door of Xhaka, who was sent oͿ in the Gunners’ December defeat by Burnley and had another day to forget against the Clarets.

Receiving an ill-advised short pass facing his own goal from keeper Bernd Leno, he tried to clip a square ball to David Luiz across the penalty area but succeeded only in hitting Wood in the midriͿ and the ball bounced into an empty net for the softest of levellers.

Buoyed by the unexpected gift, Burnley controlled a scrappy second half before Arsenal’s late siege but Leno Àrst produced a Àne save to keep out Erik Pieters’ dipping 30-yard volley, and then used his leg to deny Wood in a one-on-one.

A Àfth successive home draw inches 15th-placed Burnley seven points clear of the Premier League bottom three, while Arsenal remain 10th, their hopes of a late push for European qualiÀcation hindered by two dropped points.

Elsewhere, Southampton won for the Àrst time in 10 Premier League matches as Che Adams’ spectacular strike helped Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side claim all three points at She΀eld United, whose slim survival hopes took another blow at Bramall Lane.

Adams riÁed a half-volley into the top corner four minutes into the second half, ending a run of 16 games without a goal in all competitions.

Saints, who lost Danny Ings to an early injury, had broken the deadlock when James Ward-Prowse sent Aaron Ramsdale

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (left) on duty for the North London team at Burnley...yesterday

the wrong way from the penalty spot following Ethan Ampadu’s clumsy challenge on Nathan Tella.

Takumi Minamino should have added a

UFC 259:

Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya to Battle Jan Blackowicz Live on DStv! Top martial art star, Israel Adesanya, intends to burnish the legend when he aims to become just the fifth fighter in UFC history to become a two-weight champion simultaneously The Nigerian steps into the octagon against Jan Blachowicz, the lightheavyweight title-holder, in a bid to add to his middleweight championship honours.

The Pole is bigger, more experienced and older, but none of these are qualities that will unduly trouble Adesanya. He’s made a career of trashing reputations, his speed, power and movement combining to build an unbeaten 20-0 record.

Blachowicz, though, will come hard.

He’s a fearsome striker who has lost just once in his last nine fights, which ensures the likelihood of Adesanya having to work hard.

If “Stylebender” Adesanya is able to defeat Blachowicz, he’ll join Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo as one of just five fighters in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously. That accomplishment would solidify his claim as one of the best UFC fighters ever.

It figures to be a special weekend as UFC 259 will become just the seventh UFC event to feature three title fights, but also the first ever to feature four champions across three fights on a single card.

The other title bouts pit Amanda Nunes, the best women’s fighter in UFC, against Megan Anderson and Petr Yan, the bantamweight champion, against Aljamain Sterling.

The fights are to be broadcast live from Las Vegas on SuperSport Action (DStv Channel 210), Grandstand (DStv Channel 201) and Variety 3 (DStv Channel 208) from 2am this Sunday, 7th March 2021.

Robert Lewandowski (second left) scored hat-trick yesterday

Lewandowski Hat-trick Win Six-goal Thriller for Bayern Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick outdid Erling Braut Haaland’s early double as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Dortmund in a Der Klassiker thriller.

Haaland drove Dortmund ahead from 20 yards after just 74 seconds and then turned home Thorgan Hazard’s cut-back.

But Lewandowski steered in Leroy Sane’s cross and levelled from the spot after Mahmoud Dahoud fouled Kingsley Coman.

Leon Goretzka drilled Bayern ahead late on before Lewandowski’s third conÀrmed a return to the top of the Bundesliga.

third for Southampton when he Àred wide from Ryan Bertrand’s low cross, while Adams, Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong all went close late on.

Sports Minister Vows to Remove Illegal Structures at Awolowo Stadium Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has vowed to remove all illegal structures at the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan.

Dare made this threat yesterday during the continuation of his tour of sporting facilities and visit to Team Nigeria athletes preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Worried by the deplorable state of the facilities, the Minister vowed that all illegal structures at the Stadium will be taken off just as was done with the National Stadium in Lagos and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja.

He appealed to private investors in the country to take advantage of the public private partnership of the government by turning most of the hostels to hotels to generate revenue for government and the investors.

“The non-functional hostel is a source of worry we plan to clear these illegal structures and turn the hostels to hotels.”

Earlier during his tour, the Minister visited two Olympic-bound athletes Lawal Rufiyat Folashade and Liadi Taiwo.

Dare admonished them to do their very best by putting up a befitting performance at the games.

The athletes expressed appreciation to the minister for the cash incentive which they said would be a big morale booster to their preparation.

Sunday March 7, 2021

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Nigerian Politicians and Their Gunmen

S

adly, this story makes me laugh. A human rights activist shared with me an experience she had during a governorship election in one of the south-west states many years ago. She said she was in the state capital on election eve when she learnt that a renowned political thug (who is now being branded by sections of the media as a messiah) was in the government house preparing to unleash mayhem the next day. The activist panicked and requested to see the leader of the police team detailed from Abuja to oversee security for the election. She said she told the police chief “this guy in government house has killed people” during elections and that he must be caged by all means.

“You know how the police chief replied me?” she asked me, rhetorically. “He simply said: ‘God will catch him one day!’ I was rattled. I told him: ‘It’s like you didn’t hear me well, sir. I said this guy has killed over a hundred people in recent elections! He is here to kill!’ The police chief replied: ‘I heard you very well. You think the guy is in government house without a go-ahead from Abuja?

You think those who sent me here didn’t know he is also here? You think they don’t know that he is here for this election as well? Please don’t put me in trouble. God will catch him one day.’

My brother, it was unbelievable.” I felt so dejected after the conversation, even though I was laughing on the surface.

In my article, ‘A Nation Surrounded by Gunmen’ (February 28, 2021), I lamented that the political authorities are making it difficult for the security agencies to tackle insecurity because of their coded messages. After reading the article, a retired police commissioner gave me a call. He emphasised just one thing from my article: “Nobody wants to be sacked.” By the time we ended our long conversation, I was totally downcast. I already had an idea of most of what he was telling me, but the details from his personal experience further weakened me. The long and short of our discussion is that Nigerian politicians need to come clean on much of the anarchy ruining the land.

Let me summarise what he said in just one paragraph: “There is a lot already being said about the corruption in the security agencies, the lack of equipment, the poor welfare, the human rights abuses and other issues. The one big thing that has not caught the attention of you journalists is the role of politicians in fuelling the insecurity.

Most of these people we call Niger Delta militants, bandits, terrorists and armed robbers today were produced by politicians. When they had been used for elections and dumped thereafter, they took to full-time crime, deploying the arms that were given to them by the politicians. That is partly why we are here. And we are in serious trouble.”

He reminded me how militancy started in the Niger Delta: how a governor who wanted to be president started arming thugs to terrorise his political opponents; how he fell out with the first group of thugs after his re-election and raised another group to counter them; how the two groups started engaging in gun battles; how one of the groups was backed by the federal government and the leader of the other group was charged to court; and how different groups started coming up as the thugs realised the kind of power they could wield and how much of crude oil they could steal; and how they finally rebranded as campaigners for economic and social justice in the oil region.

“Simon,” he said. “I can take you through the list of the criminals giving police the toughest time across the country – from the north to the south.

Most of them are products of politicians either jostling for power or trying to retain it. There is no state in Nigeria where politicians don’t have thugs

IGP, Mohammed Adamu whom they arm at election times. The only place today where we don’t have established political thugs and thug leaders is Abuja. And it is very easy to understand why: there is no governor or mayor in Abuja. The FCT minister is appointed by the president. If we establish a mayoralty in Abuja today, politicians jostling for the position will start breeding thugs. Abuja will not know peace again.”

He told me the origins of the “ECOMOG boys” in Borno state, many of whom obviously ended up in Boko Haram after the 2003 general election.

He told me about the “Yandaba boys” in Kano state who were readily deployed as political thugs during elections. He came to the south-west and gave me a comprehensive list of the “union leaders” who have been perpetuating criminality, such as kidnapping and murder, without any consequences – because of the “big” politicians they are working for. Some of them are dead now. There was also the example of the late Terwase Akwaza (“Gana”) in Benue state who led the killing gangs for politicians and became uncontrollable.

After the call, I began to chew on the discussion.

I concluded that there is definitely a link between our brand of politics and the rise in gun crimes in Nigeria. I do not suggest in any way that all crimes are linked to politics and politicians. True, right from the time Nigeria started managing its democracy after colonial rule, elections have always witnessed one form of violence or the other. But that does not tell the whole story of gun crime in Nigeria; after all, armed robbery started flourishing under military rule and there were cases of assassinations here and there as well.

It will therefore be disingenuous to limit violent crimes to civil rule. There is no such evidence.

Also, as I pointed out in a previous article, we have watched Nigeria move from one level of insecurity to another since we gained independence in 1960, both under civil rule and military regimes.

Nevertheless, politicians have played a substantial role in fuelling the degeneration since 1999. We cannot discuss the insecurity and ignore this fact. The nursery of thugs is always there, so the politicians tap into it and take it a step higher by arming them to win or retain power. They have little need for them after elections and the thugs now have to fend for themselves. The arms they carry and the political protection they enjoy make it easy for them. Politicians are key enablers.

I have always argued that politicians are undermining the security agencies. Give police the best personnel, equipment and funding if you like, but we will still be at the mercy of a kill-or-be-killed political culture that produces

“youth leaders” and “union excos”. It is from among these youth leaders, motor park chairmen, road transport associations and street urchins that politicians empower gunmen to intimidate and eliminate their opponents. Killer weapons to equip the thugs are brought into the country either by land or sea and officials at the borders or ports are usually induced to look the other way. The guns become multi-purpose when election dusts settle.

There are questions I always like to ask for which I am yet to get answers. The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) announces all the time that its officials have seized illegally imported “pump action rifles” – but why do we not hear about prosecution afterwards? How many people have been charged to court for illegal importation of arms?

The cargoes were shipped with documentation, right? Is it that difficult to track the importers?

Let me guess: the importers have connections to politicians. When a well-publicised crime in Nigeria ends up in nothing, be sure some people have pressed buttons somewhere and we will not hear about the matter again. This is Nigeria.

The retired police commissioner recounted instances of when political thugs would be rounded up on the eve of an election and his superiors would come under intense pressure to release them.

“One day I looked at my boss and I almost shed tears. The pressure on him was just too much.

They would be saying: So, it is true you want our party to lose? So it is true that you have collected money from our opponents? It is a tough job,” he said. The pressure does not stop there, certainly.

It comes with name-dropping of higher political authorities and threats of sack for “betrayal” and “compromise”. Only the fittest of the fittest can remain firm under such circumstances.

While we continue to discuss the insecurity in Nigeria along the lines of weak security architecture, porous borders, poverty levels and unemployment rates, we must not lose sight of the ignoble role of our politicians. In a recent viral video, a man described as a “repentant bandit” said it was “government” that gave them guns.

I understood that to mean a governor’s agents supplied the seed guns with which they started their banditry enterprise. I recall how some of the Offa robbers, who killed 33 people including 12 police officers in 2018, reportedly confessed that they were political thugs during the day. Even state government vehicles were allegedly found with them.

How can we overcome this? I wish I had the answer. Maybe if, or when, we have state police, it would limit the illegal arms linked to electioneering. Governors would be fully in charge of the police in their states. They would, thus, not need to arm thugs to intimidate and eliminate their opponents as it currently obtains. However, this may not stop their opponents from having their own thugs. While governors may be able to “legally” use force to frustrate and contain their opponents – in which case the arms in circulation will be “legal” – their opponents may raise the bar and increase the calibre of weapons for their own thugs. I honestly do not know how things will pan out.

But whatever we are doing to address the insecurity in the land, we must not lose sight of the factories that produce gunmen. Perhaps we need circuit breakers – or outliers. We need judges, police chiefs, governors and presidents who are ready to buck the trend, who are ready to do what is right no matter the cost, whose ultimate desire is to take Nigeria to the path of peace and progress.

That is why I think our politicians also need to have an honest conversation with their consciences on the role they are playing in destabilising this society. They need introspection. If our politicians don’t change their ways, some things will never change in Nigeria. We reap what they sow.

And Four Other Things…

VACCINE VIRTUE Yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo publicly took the COVID-19 vaccine. That, to me, is a very important “do as I do” message to the Nigerian public. I like the optics. I am also impressed by the huge number of Nigerians who have registered to take the jab as the world urgently tries to reduce infections, overcome the pandemic and go back to normal. I know that the religious fanatics and conspiracy theorists – or “drama queens” like Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state – will continue to resist the vaccine, but at least people now have a choice. We have lost too many loved ones to COVID for us not to bother about finding a solution. Progress.

BLOCKADE BAGGAGE Foodstuff sellers and cattle dealers from northern Nigeria recently placed a “blockade” on the south to protest of the killing of their colleagues. Expectedly, prices of certain foodstuffs went through the skies.

This opened the eyes of many southerners to how dependent they are on food supplies from the north. The unintended effect is that food prices also crashed dramatically in the north as a result of oversupply. Perishable items also started wasting away. Both sides suffered losses in different ways. The simple message is that we need each other, at least for now. But the bigger warning, in my view, is the vulnerability of the south to a food crisis if the north embarks on a blockage. Lessons.

CRUDE TACTICS Crude oil prices are projected to hit $75/ barrel by September but I am not excited.

Oil prices are being pushed up by OPEC+ output cuts – and that means we have to keep producing less than our capacity.

With deregulation, high crude prices mean Nigerians will pay more for fuels, particularly petrol and diesel, and that can worsen things in a country where people are already battling very harsh economic realities. The landing cost of petrol today is above N200 per litre! I would prefer a steady crude price of $55/barrel, a steady production of 2.2m barrels per day, and steady petrol price of N175/litre. I am certainly not looking forward to $75/barrel at 1.2m barrels per day. Oily.

BUNNY THE WAILER On Tuesday, Neville “Bunny Wailer” Livingston, a reggae pioneer, died at 73 from ill health. That brought an end to a legendary chapter in the history of reggae music. The previous week, Ewart Beckford (“U-Roy”), the DJ who pioneered reggae rap (“toasting”) in the 1960s, also departed this world. Bunny Wailer co-founded The Wailers with Robert “Bob” Marley and Peter “Tosh” McIntosh in 1963. They took ska and rocksteady music through an evolution that ended up in reggae – which they sold to a global audience. They parted ways in 1974.

Bunny, who had super hits such as ‘Cool Runnings’ and ‘Electric Boogie’, outlived Marley by nearly 40 years and Tosh by 33 years. Adios.

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