SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 2020

COVID-19: Tinubu Advises FG to Increase Naira Expenditure Seeks tax reduction for firms, suspension of VAT Urges CBN to print more naira notes, lower interest rate to spur borrowing Obinna Chima As the world races to enact measures to suppress the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress

(APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has advised the federal government not to reduce its budgetary expenditure. Tinubu suggested, instead, that the government should increase its public expenditure by 10

to 15 per cent. He gave the advice in a statement titled, “A Message on the Coronavirus: A Time for Unity, A Time for Thought, A Time for Action,” released today on his 68th birthday celebration.

The statement was, apparently, in lieu of a colloquium, which had been held in the past 11 years on Tinubu’s birthday. He said in line with current social distancing measures against

the spread of the coronavirus, the organisers of the event had decided to postpone it.

The former Lagos State governor said to save both lives and livelihoods in times of emergency, like the

present one, extra inflation from enhanced government spending was a necessary price to pay. He also advised the federal government to Continued on page 5

DMO Issues N968bn Promissory Notes to Oil Marketers, States, Others…Page 5 Sunday 29 March, 2020 Vol 25. No 9120

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N400

N

COVID-19: Health Minister, NCDC DG Brief Buhari Tobi Soniyi

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, received COVID-19 briefing at his

residence at the State House, Aso Rock, Abuja, from Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control

(NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu.

Photographs of the briefing made available to media houses seemed to lay to rest speculations about the

health status of the president.

While some said he had been flown abroad to (England or Cuba) for medical treatment, others claimed to have seen

a Nigerian presidential jet at receiving briefing on efforts Dubai airport in the United being made to contain the Arab Emirates.

Coronavirus in the country.

However, the president Continued on page 5 was seen in the photographs

COVID-19: Lagos Begins Clinical Trials of Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin US prepares to evacuate citizens, releases $274m to Nigeria, others 8 new cases as El-Rufai tests positive, total now 97 Commuters, vehicles stranded as Rivers border closure bites amid fears of virus spread Ogun shuts borders Our Correspondents The federal government through NAFDAC and the Ministry of Health has granted Lagos State permission to commence clinical trials of a combination of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Azithromycin for the treatment of the dreaded coronavirus that is currently burning through human populations around the world.

Given the success the state has recorded so far in the treatment of patients, having treated and discharged six and 10 others due to be discharged in the coming days should they record two negative tests following treatment, THISDAY has learnt.

A presidency source told THISDAY yesterday that the federal government was impressed with the state government and consequently decided to grant the approval

for clinical trials of the drugs for treatment of the virus.

This is seen as a major step forward towards the usage of the drugs. It is not certain yet how the trials would pan out. But French researchers had announced last week that a combination of both drugs was effective 100 per cent cure in treating COVID-19 patients.

In a related development, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control yesterday said it has expanded the number of labs with the capacity to test for #COVID19 to 6 with the inclusion of the Virology Laboratory of University College Hospital, Ibadan The centre in its twitter handle said: "Tomorrow, we will be in Abakaliki to set up another lab as we quickly ramp up #COVID19 testing capacity in Nigeria."

Continued on page 5

BURSTING THE MYTH OF FAKE NEWS...

President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa being briefed by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu laying to rest speculations that he has been secretely ferrried out of the country for emergency medical attention abroad.

2

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 •T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

3

4

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 •T H I S D AY

5

ÍşÎ Ëœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE COVID-19: LAGOS BEGINS CLINICAL TRIALS OF HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, AZITHROMYCIN Meanwhile, the report by French research study, which allegedly confirmed a combination of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Azithromycin as effective in treating COVID-19 patients, was published by TECHSTARTUPS, a fast growing online technology media destination, dedicated to promoting new technology startup companies.

TECHSTARTUP had earlier published a story about a new study published by NIH, which showed that Hydroxychloroquine has been found to be more effective and potent than chloroquine in vitro treatment of coronavirus.

Rivers Border Closure Bites, Impact Felt Far and Wide Also yesterday, fears mounted over the closure of Rivers State border with Bayelsa town of Mbiama by the Rivers State government in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus.

However, there are fears that the closure may turnout to be counter productive as hundreds of vehicles are stranded in Mbiama waiting to be allowed into Rivers state. The massive crowd has raised fears of a possible epidemic as no one is observing social distancing guidelines.

According to a source, those who can bribe security operatives enforcing the closure bribed their way and were allowed into Rivers State while others who couldn't waited and mingling with one another hoping that the closure would be lifted.

As the closure bites, the newspaper industry is hard hit

the most as most circulation vans could not take newspapers in or out of the state.

The fate of the newspapers was so alarming that the Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the umbrella body of correspondents of national newspapers in the state, had to write to Governor Nyesom Wike, who is also the chairman of the Task Force for the enforcement of restrictions, for special waivers for newspaper distribution vans.

Ogun Shuts Down Borders Ogun State Government has announced the closure of its borders with the neighbouring states and the international border with the Republic of Benin.

The closure will be enforced at midnight on Sunday, March 29, 2020 and will be in force for two weeks in the first instance.

A statement by Kunle Somorin, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, claimed the state was constrained to effect border closure in order to stem and flatten the curve of the spread of the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, not only in the state but in the country and in the West African sub-region. “The position of Ogun State is peculiar. It not only shares an international border with the Republic of Benin, it does so with all other states in the Southwest (except Ekiti), including Lagos State, which has understandably recorded the highest number of infections in the country largely, because it hosts the busiest air and sea ports and it’s the nation’s economic capital. “The border closure will not only be beneficial to Ogun State

but the national efforts to curtail and contain the virus. Lessons from other climes strongly indicate that closure of borders has the potential to drastically flatten the curve of spread whilst unrestricted movement portends grave dangers,� Governor Abidoun further explained.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Worried that the economic effect of the coronavirus outbreak may endure longer than envisaged, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has asked the G-20 to give Nigeria and other African countries $100 billion in emergency grants to stimulate their economies and cushion the effects of the pandemic that has claimed over 30,847 lives and infected 662,852 across the globe.

The United States death toll so far reached a grim milestone, According to CNN, over 2,000 persons has lost their lives as at late yesterday. Nevertheless, the US at the weekend announced an initial investment of nearly $274 million in emergency health and humanitarian assistance to help countries in need to fight the raging coronavirus and other related health issues.

Nigeria is billed to get more than $7 million from the fund, according a statement by the US Department of State In the meantime, as the virus continues to take its toll on the physical and economic health of nations, eight new persons in Nigeria, including Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-rufai, tested positive on Saturday, bringing

the total cases in the country to 97. Nigeria recorded new cases in Benue State, which had its first infection, and Edo State.

Fearing imminent explosion of the virus in the country, the US and some European countries have concluded plans to evacuate their citizens from Nigeria in the wake of the rising COVID 19 cases. The warning came from some European diplomats, who projected that the infection rate might rise to 10,000 in the coming weeks, because, according to them, about 5,000 persons had already had contact with infected persons across the country.

Consequently, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development said it would focus on the poor and vulnerable, including the elderly, refugees, IDPs, persons living with disabilities, trafficked persons, and petty traders in its response to COVID-19 in the country. Taking a cue from private sector operators and the state national oil company, NNPC, the 43 ministers in the federal cabinet announced the donation of 50 per cent of their salaries for March 2020 to support government's effort to combat the pandemic.

This is just as state governments across the country announced tough measures, including shutting their borders, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. Many of the states were already considering economic stimulus packages to help majority of their residents cope with the stay-at-home order by government.

UNECA, one of the five regional commissions created by the United Nations to

promote the economic and social development of its member states, predicted that the global health crisis would hit Nigeria and other African countries harder, with a heavy and durable and economic toll. The commission, which proposed $100 billion economic stimulus package to the G-20 on behalf of its African member states, in a statement THISDAY obtained from its Communication Office Friday, predicted that post-COVID-19 challenges would complicate Africa’s economic challenges.

G-20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the EU, comprising economies that account for about 90 per cent of the gross world product, 80 per cent of world trade, two-thirds of the world population, and half of the global land area.

In its statement, UNECA observed that COVID-19 would leave Nigeria and other African countries with durable economic consequences, which it predicted, would threaten progress and prospects, widen inequalities between and within countries, and worsen current fragilities.

Specifically, for Nigeria, the commission forecast that there might be potential loss of 1.6 per cent growth rate, which according to its report, might be worse with COVID-19 forcing Africa’s biggest economy to shut down its strategic sectors.

The commission explained that the growth rate for Nigeria could fall from 2.9 per cent to 1.3 per cent in 2020, noting that with Nigeria accounting for 74 per cent of ECOWAS, the region might follow a similar trend.

In the light of the short-term

and long-term effects of the virus, the commission pleaded with the G-20 leaders “to announce a US$100 billion (in addition to the $50bn already committed) to fund the immediate health response, social safety nets for the most vulnerable, feeding for out-of-school children, and to protect jobs. “As a proportion of GDP, this is consistent with measures taken in other regions. To ensure immediate fiscal space and liquidity, this package should include a waiver of all interest payments, estimated at US$44 billion for 2020.�

Besides the $100 billion economic stimulus package, UNECA urged the G-20 leaders “to support a waiver on principal and interest for African Fragile States such as the Sahel, Central African Republic and others that are already struggling with the burden of debt and have limited fiscal space.�

The commission challenged the G-20 leaders to make provision for enhanced predictability, transparency and accountability of financial flows so that African finance ministers could plan effectively and civil society stakeholders could help track flows to ensure they reach those most in need.

UNECA predicted the likely loss of 30 million jobs on the continent in the post-COVID-19 era, thus proposing that the G-20 leaders should implement emergency measures to protect 30 million jobs immediately at risk across African economies, particularly in the tourism and airline sectors.

Requirement for banks should be revised downward. “Also to ensure liquidity, the CBN should be willing to expand its balance sheet and improve liquidity by purchasing government bonds and other instruments held by banks and other institutions. “The Nigerian stock market is falling. CBN and others should be planning how they might intervene to prevent a potential run on the stock market. Potential measures include expanding Quantitative Easing to enable the central bank to purchase strategically important instruments trading in the stock market and instituting a moratorium on margin calls. “The corona crisis will shrink the inflow of dollars. Hopefully, this is temporary, no more than a few months. CBN can allow some downward pressure on the naira without energetically intervening to defend the exchange rate. Only if and when the rate seems that it might dip precipitously should the CBN intervene. “The Bank may want to revisit its decision prohibiting non-institutional Nigerian dollar holders from participation in open market operations. Greater leniency will bring more dollars into the CBN. “If economic trouble does come, government must be willing to freeze payment of certain consumer-related private debts. Evictions, foreclosure and light and water cut-offs might have to be suspended.

Suspension or partial reduction of payment of school fees for our most indigent families must be

considered (that is when schools reopen) while government offers temporary support to the schools themselves.�

He called on the international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to be cooperative and forward-leaning in the current “sobering period�.

According to Tinubu, “We have entered a sobering period.

We face a challenge we cannot see but one that can find us all too easily. As individuals, this puts every one of us at a startling disadvantage. “Each is rendered vulnerable by the reckless act of his neighbour. Each is made safer by the enlightened conduct of a stranger. The very nature of this assailant calls us toward greater unity and kindness. “In the normal push of our daily affairs, we tend to focus on what divides us. We are either APC, PDP or another political affiliation. One person is rich.

Another is poor. There is the labourer then there is the boss. “One person is of the north, another of the south, with both often acting as if the boundary between the two cannot be traversed. We are of different ethnic groups; these identities mean so much to us that we behave as if the affiliations are the very source of our humanity. “In this, we tend to forget God. Even when we worship God, we divide ourselves in ways that too often bring violence to a way of life meant to bring peace and compassion. “But, the coronavirus is now here. If we carry forth in our usual ways, we may well carry

ourselves into national disaster.

Normal practices will not suffice.

We all must do better lest we all fail and suffer the grave consequences of collective failure.

We pray that this terrible cloud will pass from us. However, we must prepare for the possibility that it may linger to rain hard upon us.�

Tinubu advised against the myth that the virus was not a black man’s disease.

He said, “We hoped that our hot climate would bake and destroy the virus. That wish now appears too optimistic. We even said our history in dealing with malaria and other tropical diseases granted us some type of immunity. “Well, I doubt that immunity exists as there is no scientific evidence supporting this claim.

If such an immunity exists, it is at most incomplete and so unreliable as to be of no avail to large segments of our population. “The rich cannot bargain with the disease or pay it off.

It neither reads bank account statements nor is it intimidated by them. The poor, likewise, are subject to it for it has no mercy nor cares about one’s prior or present hardships. Neither does it seem to study geography. “Northerner and southerner are equally its prey. It will attack those who pray at the altar in church as well as those who face the Qiblah when praying in the mosque. To corona, we are all the same. Thus, to fight corona, we must treat each other the same, as brothers and sisters in one national family under one heaven.�

His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the president had approved funds for the Lagos State Government and NCDC. The president also approved the release of a presidential jet to NCDC for emergency operations.

The president said, “I advise

all Nigerians to follow to the letter the health guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and our State Governments. “Wash your hands thoroughly many times throughout the day. Observe 'social distancing' of a

minimum of two metres. Do not make unnecessary journeys outside of your homes. Do not attend public meetings or public gatherings – including religious events – which is where, through social contact, the virus can easily be transmitted.�

Continued on page 8

COVID-19: TINUBU ADVISES FG TO INCREASE NAIRA EXPENDITURE announce a tax credit or partial tax reduction for companies, adding that the Value Added Tax (VAT) should be suspended for the next two to four months to help lower import costs and protect businesses against shortages.

Tinubu advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to lower interest rates to stimulate borrowing and private sector activities. He described COVID 19 as a health and medical problem with heavy economic costs, saying it is blind to social, economic, and tribal boundaries, and imposes a need for cordiality and love.

Citing interventions by governments in most developed economies, including China, he advised the federal and state governments to begin to prepare appropriate responses to counteract the effect of grimmer emergencies, just in case the situation deteriorated gravely, in the face of falling oil prices and dollar shortfall.

The APC leader, discussing the effects of the current pandemic, stated, “This does not, however, necessitate a corresponding shortfall in public sector naira expenditures. The US controls dollar issuance. We control naira issuance, as is our sovereign right. Just as America has used its sovereign right to issue its currency to stave economic disaster, so, too, may Nigeria issue naira for the same purpose. “The natural instinct will be to reduce spending. Such reductions may be prudent for individuals and households.

For government to move in this direction only feeds economic

carnage by amplifying economic hardship. Prudent fiscal policy is generally ‘countercyclical.’ As the private sector shrinks, government does more. “At minimum, the federal government must stick to its naira budgetary expenditures. In fact, government should increase naira expenditures by at least 10 – 15 per cent during an emergency.�

According to him, the federal government cannot become naira insolvent because it has the ability to issue the national currency. “Consequently,� Tinubu stated, “should circumstances require increased spending, we should not hesitate to do so; but we must keep the watchful eye to ensure inflation does not climb too high. However, to save both lives and livelihoods during a moment of historic emergency, a touch of extra inflation from enhanced government spending is a small price to pay. In fact, it is a price that must be paid. “The alternative may be a harmful deflation which historically has proven more difficult to tame and cure than a small inflationary increase.�

He added, “Allocations to state and local governments should be included in this addition. If not, we risk subnational recessions in important sections of the country. “If the virus is largely kept from becoming a widespread public health menace, government should accelerate spending and actual work on key infrastructural projects particularly regarding transportation. “This will lower costs while

bolstering the economy by generating employment and business activity. If the virus does become a large-scale public health challenge, more funds should be allocated to the health sector. “Government should announce a tax credit or partial tax reduction for companies or firms. VAT should be suspended for the next two-four months.

This will help lower import costs and protect against shortages. “We need to protect the people from food shortages and high prices. As such, we must quickly improve farm-to-market delivery of agricultural produce. Also, government should initiate a crash programme to decrease spoilage of agricultural produce by construction of storage facilities in local marketplaces in and around major cities and towns throughout the country.�

Tinubu stressed the need for the establishment of strategic grain reserves, where government should facilitate steady supply by establishing minimum prices for basic food products.

He said, “The CBN should lower interest rates to spur borrowing and private sector activity. CBN and other financial regulators should be alert to signs of fragility in the financial markets and banking sector. The central bank should be prepared to enact extraordinary measures should the financial sector exhibit stress. “The CBN should be prepared to give banks liberal access to its loan discount window to ensure adequate liquidity within the banking sector. The Cash Reserve

COVID-19: HEALTH MINISTER, NCDC DG BRIEF BUHARI A video obtained by THISDAY also showed Ehanire and Ihekweazu briefing Buhari.

Contrary to reports on social media, the photographs further showed that the president was healthy and not hooked to a ventilator.

While Nigerians, especially

those active on social media, continued to speculate on the president’s health status, Buhari was said to have worked in his office until Thursday, when the office was fumigated. Reports from the State House stated that the president worked from home

on Thursday and Friday.

Feelers from the seat of power said the president was expected to resume at his office on Monday.

Buhari had earlier in the week issued a statement outlining measures to contain the coronavirus.

6

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 •T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

7

8

ÍşÎ Ëœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS COVID-19: LAGOS BEGINS CLINICAL TRIALS OF HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, AZITHROMYCIN It added that the G-20 leaders should take measures “to support agricultural imports and exports, the pharmaceutical sector and the banking sector. An extended credit facility, refinancing schemes and guarantee facilities should be used to waive, restructure and provide additional liquidity in 2020.�

It equally emphasised the need for the G20 leaders “to support a liquidity line available to the private sector operating in Africa to ensure essential purchases can continue and all SMEs dependent on trade can continue to function. “G20 leaders should ensure that national and regional stimulus packages covering private and financial systems include measures to support African businesses through allowing for the suspension of leasing, debt and other repayments to global businesses.�

UNECA proposed that the G-20 leaders should support and encourage open trade corridors, especially, for pharmaceuticals and other health supplies, as well as support the upgrade of health infrastructure and provide direct support to existing facilities. It said this would enable countries “to focus on prevention as much as possible and start building curative facilities. Support should be provided to WHO and CDC Africa with funds channelled through the Global Fund, GAVI and others. “G-20 leaders should support public health campaigns and access to information including through an expedited private sector partnership for internet connectivity to enable economic activity to continue during social distancing measures and to support the effective sharing of information about the pandemic.�

The commission argued that the G-20 leaders should take these measures “to support Nigeria and African countries to cushion the effects of COVID-19. This is a global crisis affecting the whole world. “Africa, however, will be hit harder with a heavy and durable economic toll, which will threaten progress and prospects, widen inequalities between and within countries, and worsen current fragilities. African countries need support in preparing for the health crisis, and for the economic fallout. “The measures being taken in Asia, Europe and North America such as physical (social) distancing and regular handwashing will be a particular challenge for countries with limited internet connectivity, dense populations, unequal access to water and limited social safety nets.�

UNECA said African countries “are preparing for the worst effects of COVID-19,� a pandemic that has put the global economy to a halt.

US Preparing to Evacuate Citizens Fearing an escalation in the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the United States prepared emergency flights to evacuate its citizens in the country. The US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria had advised nationals, who were not in Abuja and Lagos, to work with local airlines to make travel arrangements while flights were still available. The Embassy, in a notice titled, “Health Alert: US Mission in Nigeria�, urged American citizens to be in Abuja and Lagos as soon as possible to join the arranged flights back to the US. The notice read, “At present, there are no scheduled flights to the United States. However, we are actively exploring options and attempting to secure flights despite global airport closures and travel restrictions. “We will email US citizens immediately once we have flight details, routes, and costs.

US citizens, who are considering returning to the United States, are urged to travel to Abuja or Lagos as soon as possible. “The Embassy and Consulate are unable to assist with lodging, food, or transportation costs, and some hotels have closed or are closing. “To disseminate important information and alerts for US Citizens including possible evacuation flights, the State Department uses the Smart Traveller Enrolment Programme as its primary messaging system.

US Citizens in Nigeria, who want to be informed about emergency flights and receive other alerts should enrol in STEP immediately.�

Diplomats Warn of Virus Explosion Some Western diplomats, last week, warned that the number of persons infected with the virus could witness a significant rise in the coming weeks on account of the poor handling of the situation by government. Nigeria currently has over 81 confirmed cases and one death from the pandemic.

The diplomatic community contended that infections could rise to over 10,000 in the coming weeks, as there were at least 5,000 persons, who had come in contact with infected persons in the country. This category of persons, it was believed, had mingled with thousands of others in the society without realising they had the virus, which is largely asymptomatic in this part of the world.

"This is the real danger. A lot of people, who have had contacts with original carriers of the virus don't even know they have the ailment and have in fact gone ahead to mingle with hundreds and thousands of others in the society, spreading the virus further,� said a senior diplomat attached to one European high commission in the country.

The diplomat, who spoke to an online newspaper on Friday, explained, "From information we have in the diplomatic community, there could be an explosion of confirmed infections in the coming weeks. It is going to disrupt a lot of things."

Another diplomat, whose country was reported as having provided technical support to African nations battling the spread of the virus, also echoed the same sentiment, when he said the situation in Nigeria was dire, because the number of untested infections far outweighed those examined by the government agencies.

It is alleged that so far only about 200 persons have been tested for coronavirus in Nigeria due to the unavailability of testing kits. But this figure is being disputed because Lagos alone is said to test between 120 and 150 daily.

Although in the week, a Chinese billionaire, Jack Ma, donated testing kits and protective items to Nigeria and other African countries to help combat the virus, hundreds of potentially infected persons are yet to be examined in Nigeria, therefore increasing the risk of an epidemic in the West African state.

"We could be having tens of thousands of confirmed cases across Nigeria in a few days from now. There are thousands of people with the virus already on the loose in the country and many of these people cannot be traced.

They have taken this pandemic into every nook and cranny of this country,� the diplomat stated.

He advised Nigeria to act fast to avert a full-blown war, adding, however, that Western countries would continue to provide technical support to help Africa and the rest of the world conquer the virus.

Nonetheless, some Western countries are said to have

begun to evacuate their citizens from Nigeria and other African countries. An example was an Air France flight, which Thursday moved 260 Europeans from Nigeria to France to prevent them from being infected with the virus. This followed a one-week permission to Air France and KLM by the federal government to evacuate Europeans from the country as a result of the spread of the pandemic.

Similarly, on same Thursday, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Catriona Laing CB, said the mission was exploring available options to send staff and their families back to the United Kingdom.

The World Health Organisation said Nigeria and other African countries battling COVID 19 must conduct more tests to show the true picture of things and avert a major crisis.

8 New Cases as El-Rufai Tests Positive Nigeria recorded eight new cases of COVID 19 carriers, including El-rufai, who personally announced the results of his test, bringing the total number of infected persons in the country to 97.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced this yesterday, saying of the total 97 cases, Lagos has 59, FCT 16, Ogun three, Enugu two, Ekiti one, Oyo seven, Edo two, Bauchi two, Osun two, Rivers one, Benue one and Kaduna one.

Announcing his test result Saturday evening, El-Rufai said, “Earlier this week, I submitted a sample for COVID-19 test. The result came in this evening and I regret to say to say it is positive. “According to the protocol managing the COVID -19, I am in self isolation as requested by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control – that is for someone that is showing no symptoms.�

He called on the people of the state to continue to observe preventive measures announced by the state government. “It is important that everyone should stay home and stay alive�, El-Rufai said, adding that his deputy, who is in charge of the task force on coronavirus, would continue to issue statements from time to time.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, who broke the news of the state’s index case to journalists in Makurdi after a meeting of the State Action Committee on COVID-19, said the infected person, one Susan Okpe, had returned from the United Kingdom a few days earlier. The governor stated that the blood sample of the affected lady was taken to Abuja alongside others and tested for the virus at the NCDC, stressing that the others tested negative.

Advising against stigmatisation, he noted that about eight contacts were being observed and pointed out that staff of the facility where the patient went for medical attention would also be isolated and monitored for the required number of days.

Ortom said as part of proactive measures to prevent the spread of the disease, major markets would be closed from Monday, 30th March 2020, and hinted the possibility of closing roads linking Benue and other states in the days to come.

He, however, said shops and medical stores would be open to the public with hand sanitisers placed at strategic entry points to the shops for use by customers.

He reiterated the ban on social gatherings such as funerals, weddings, Church as well as Mosque activities, urging Christians and Muslims to worship at home until the situation improves.

Humanitarian Ministry Targets Vulnerable Groups

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, announced the decision to target the vulnerable in the society after a meeting of the COVID-19 response committee, comprising all the agencies under her supervision. Farouq said work must commence immediately.

"We are in an emergency and work must start immediately.

Given the current global crisis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must work together and deploy all of our resources in unison to support the national efforts for maximum impact," she said.

The National Emergency Management Agency will anchor the delivery of services and relief to people most especially, the vulnerable groups, along with the other agencies, including National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the four components of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs); namely N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme (NHSFP).

The minister said the ministryled intervention would prioritise prevention and community engagement and increase sensitisation to curtail spread of coronavirus particularly, among the person of concern in the implementation of the initiative to drive the overall national strategy adopted by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The ministry also directed all its agencies to make available both human and material resources to NEMA and the PTF for use in the response to the pandemic.

Ministers Donate Half of Salaries to COVID-19 Cause The 43 ministers in the federal cabinet have announced the donation of 50 per cent of their salaries for the month of March 2020 to support government's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

A statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, quoted the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, who coordinated the donation, as saying it was a gesture of solidarity and support for the federal government's efforts to tackle the disease, which at the last count has afflicted over 92 persons in the country. ''This global virus outbreak will require nations, continents and smaller communities to pull together to contribute their resources and support one another. This will facilitate an early resolution of the problem,'' Mohammed further quoted Senator Saraki as saying.

Plateau Takes Tougher Measures, Shuts Down Borders The Plateau State Government has taken tougher measures to prevent any case of the virus in the state, appealing to citizens to endure and comply with the orders in the interest of all.

Addressing the press in Jos on Saturday, the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Professor Danladi Atu said, "In order to ensure that we prevent any case from coming into the State, government has rolled out measures including shutting of markets; ban on festivals; restriction of gatherings to not more than 50 people; ban on weekly Sunday markets at Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru and

environs; closure of night clubs and drinking joints.

"As of yesterday Friday 27th March 2020, there is substantial compliance and the government commends the good and peace loving citizens of Plateau State who have adhered to the directives.

"However, the government takes exception to the nonchallance and flagrant disregard of the directives by some individuals and groups who have remained recalcitrant.

They have also mobilised their followers to disobey the orders of government, which is meant to protect the lives of the people.

"Let me categorically make it clear that nobody is above the law and government is taking necessary action. In line with the directive of Government for full implementation of compliance, the Governor has asked Security agencies to take the necessary measures on such persons."

Also, Atu said the state has decided that tricycles would no longer take more than 1 passenger, while Saloon cars will only take 4 passengers including the driver.

On border restriction, Atu said, "Effective Sunday 29th March 2020, there will be prohibition of vehicular movement into Plateau State from all border entry routes from 6pm to 7am.

All people coming into Plateau State should note and take note of this and prepare their trips to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.

Oyo Imposes Curfew as Governor Goes Into Isolation With cases in Oyo State now three, the state government has taken additional measures to contain a further spread of the virus by introducing a dusk-to-dawn curfew between 7 pm and 6 am, while at the same time closing some markets in the state to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is just as the governor, Seyi Makinde has gone into isolation to observe if he has been infected or not, even as the state is monitoring 84 other people suspected of contracting the virus.

The state COVID-19 Task Force, which made the disclosure in a statement issued in Ibadan, the state capital, stated: “The COVID-19 confirmation test for two suspected cases have come back POSITIVE. The isolation process has been initiated. 84 Persons of Interest have been identified, and contact tracing and collection of samples have commenced. “The state’s diagnostic centre set up in collaboration with the University College Hospital is now ready. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) certification is still pending but the Director-General of NCDC has made a pre-statement about the molecular laboratory in Oyo State. “The index case remains stable and is still under observation in the isolation unit at Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho. The number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is now three. “As a result of this, I have directed that the following additional measures be put in place: a dusk to dawn curfew (7 PM to 6 AM); no gatherings of more than ten people should be held anywhere in Oyo State.

From Sunday night, March 29, 2020, all markets will be closed except those selling perishable food items Also, Makinde made the disclosure of his isolation while speaking on phone to a live private radio programme monitored in Ibadan, saying the Coronavirus was no respecter of anyone and that he took the decision to be on self-isolation based on the advice given by

the NCDC. "I am now in self isolation, yes, I have been advised by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to isolate myself, because I had contacts with some people. All the governors, who had contacts with some of the people who have it have been advised to isolate themselves.

The governors’ forum advised us to do so.

"This disease is no respecter of anyone, whether you are rich or poor. I am currently on isolation. It is unfortunate that some people, rather than assist themselves or the people, are criticizing. When they want to criticise, we are not saying that they should not criticise, but I care for the people of Oyo state.�

Meanwhile, Makinde, on Saturday informed residents of the state that his government was already working on palliatives to ease the pressure on residents of the state following the partial shutdown of activities as part of the precautionary measures put in place by the government to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

He, however, stated that the state would need to work on accurate data and design to ensure that the palliatives get into the hands of residents with genuine needs for them and not get cornered by middlemen.

Uzodimma Locks Down Imo State Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has ordered a complete lockdown of the state, effective from yesterday as part of the government's efforts to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

In a State broadcast, the governor ordered that all markets be closed indefinitely and prohibited all forms of marriage ceremonies. He also announced the ban of all forms of burial and funeral ceremonies and declared that all forms of religious worships in churches and mosques, including crusades and open evangelism were prohibited.

Uzodimma further directed that all borders into the state be barricaded with road blocks and that those coming into the state must be given a clean bill of health by the health officials attached to the check points, before they are allowed entry.

He equally directed all civil and public servants in the state, except those on approved essential duties, to stop work immediately.

He said a combined team of military, police and other security agencies would be deployed to the streets to ensure strict compliance with the directives.

Edo ConďŹ rms Second Coronavirus Case The Edo State government has confirmed a second index case of coronavirus pandemic in the state Last Tuesday, the first case was confirmed in the person of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Francis Okiye who travelled to United Kingdom and has since being quarantined.

Confirming the second index case whose name was not given, Special Adviser to Governor Goodwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie urged residents of the state, especially traders and businesses to support the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s efforts to curtail the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state by complying with the basic precautionary measures and other guidelines to contain the scourge.

Meanwhile, chairmen of the local councils have in the state intensified campaigns to complement efforts by the state government in checking the spread of COVID-19.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

9

SUNDAY COMMENT

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

RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC The authorities could do more to contain the transmission of the viral disease

T

he signs are ominous. The number of Nigerians infected with COVID-19, the deadly viral disease that has become a global pandemic, jumped from less than 20 at the beginning of last week to almost a hundred by last night, according to figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Aside Lagos where the first index case was recorded and Abuja, the virus has spread to no fewer than 10 other states.

That there has been a spike in the number of cases was not unexpected. Indeed, it is significantly low by global standards, which leads to the conclusion that far many Nigerians may have contracted the virus without knowing.

The receipt during the Millions of week of donation of Nigerians are medical supplies from jobless while many Chinese businessman and CEO of Ali Baba, of the employed Mr Jack Ma, has are not paid living helped to increase wages, hardly the country’s testing leaving any room capacity for the virus for savings. Others and experts are proget their daily living jecting that the number from the streets. It of infected people could rise to 39,000 in is thus significant Lagos State unless the that they are restrictive measures put provided for in in place are observed these testy times. without fail. The same That’s the only way could be said for many other states. to keep them at However, as governors home announce a lockdown in their states, the greatest challenge will come from keeping people at home in a country where, according to the United Nations projection, about 80 per cent of citizens earn incomes from the informal sector or in “vulnerable employment”. Commendably, the Lagos State government has plans, and they are increasingly being enforced. Besides asking people to stay at home, and ordering the closure of offices and shops, except those offering essential services like medicine stores and food, the state government has announced some stimulus package for many of

Letters to the Editor

T

the downtrodden.

We consider this very significant and we hope the entire nation is conscripted into the plan. It will determine the measure of success of the war against the spread of the disease. The reality of the Nigeria situation is that even before the advent of Covid-19, many people could hardly eat a good meal a day. Millions are jobless while many of the employed are not paid living wages, hardly leaving any room for savings. Others get their daily living from the streets. It is thus significant that they are provided for in these testy times. That’s the only way to keep them at home, and from endangering their lives and millions of others.

I

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

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

t is noteworthy that many of the people who have tested positive to the virus in our country, as it is all over the world, are prominent people in the public sector. That has helped to destigmatise the disease. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19, there is now a campaign on hand hygiene, safe cough practice, and social distancing. However, despite the indisputable evidence for the efficacy of alcoholbased hand rubs, the fact that many reside in congested areas in cities like Lagos where the first index case occurred and has since been the epicentre is a challenge. Another challenge which is national is the dearth of healthcare workers with appropriate training and personal protective equipment to deal with the pandemic. To compound the challenge, the United States seems to be encouraging from Nigeria and other Third World countries brain drain at a very critical moment by seeking to hire international medical staff to handle the increasing number of coronavirus cases in their country.

That Nigeria is going through a difficult period as a result of the CODIV-19 pandemic is no longer in doubt but there are gaps in the manner we are dealing with it. Although schools have been shut, churches and mosques have been ordered closed while restrictions have been placed on international travels to and from our country, the response from the authorities still appears to be episodic and ad hoc. While the level of awareness on some of the risk factors is now high across the country, more can still be done, especially in dispelling baseless rumours, discouraging unhelpful practices and generally rolling out measures that will help contain the virus.

We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to take ownership by leading the efforts from the front.

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.

COVID-19 and Lessons in Leadership

he world is inundated with numerous cases of Covid-19, and as always good leadership has bridged the gap in many countries experiencing this outbreak, helping to reduce the burdens on the citizens.

A recent example is the United State Congress, which upon the outbreak of this pandemic, has been up and doing and same goes for the U.K parliament.

In the space of this period, the United Stated Congress passed into law, fundamentally important bills which reduce the burden on the citizens during these trying times. Such bills as: one, the Corona virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020. The bill includes $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the 2020 corona virus pandemic. The $8.3 billion is

divided into $7.8 billion in discretionary appropriations and $500 million in mandatory spending.

The $500 million is for Medicare telehealth mandatory spending, which would allow Medicare providers to furnish telemedicine services to seniors.

When broken down by category, the bill provides funding for the following purposes: more than $3 billion for "research and development of vaccines, as well as therapeutics and diagnostics; $2.2 billion in public health funding to aid in prevention, preparedness and response efforts — including $950 million to support state and local agencies; almost $1 billion for "medical supplies, health-care preparedness, Community Health Centers and medical surge capacity, and $1.25 billion to fight COVID-19 internationally.

Broken down organization-

ally, the bill provides emergency supplemental funding for the following departments and agencies with the United States Department of Health and Human Services: Food and Drug Administration, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.

Two, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act: The bill contains provisions for the following: It allocates $500 billion for assistance to businesses, states, and municipalities, with no more than $25 billion designated for passenger air carriers, $4 billion for air cargo carriers, and $17 billion for businesses critical to maintaining national security; creates a $349 billion loan program for small businesses; allocates $130 billion in relief to the medical

and hospital industries; provides $1,200 to Americans making $75,000 or less ($150,000 in the case of joint returns and $112,500 for head of household) and $500 for each child; expands eligibility for unemployment insurance and provides people with an additional $600 per week on top of the unemployment amount determined by each state; expands tele-health services in Medicare; and provides the Secretary of the Treasury with the authority to make loans or loan guarantees to states, municipalities, and eligible businesses.

Three, Families First Corona virus Response Act provides paid leave, establishes free coronavirus testing, supports strong unemployment benefits, expands food assistance for vulnerable children and families, protects front-line health workers, and provides additional funding to states for the ongoing economic consequences of the pandemic, among other provisions.

Besides, emergency family medical

leave provides Corona test to the citizens. Also included is the expansion of unemployment benefits.

All these have been passed and signed into law. Nigeria’s legislators have made the opposite the case. Upon the outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria, our legislators went on a straight two weeks break while other legislators in the world are stepping up and rising to the occasion.

Few days ago, the U.K parliament out of deep sense of responsibility passed a Corona Virus Act 2020, a 358 pages document. All for the good of the citizens.

But what do we get from our legislators in times of emergency as this? The National Assembly recently took delivery of newly purchased vehicles for its members.

–––Opatola Victor, Abuja.

(See concluding part on www. thisdaylive.com)

10

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

NEWS With Dwindling Revenue, Nigeria Faces Uncertain Future ‡ ‡

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

N7.85tn shared in 2019, N8.14tn in 2018, N5.98tn 2017 Teriba, Yusuf recommend strategies to escape meltdown

Statutory allocations to the federal government, 36 states of federation and 774 local government areas (LGAs) regressed by 24.43 percent between July 2019 and February 2020, indicating grave economic consequences in the months ahead, according to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) reports analysed by THISDAY. The reports, which cover the periods between 2015 and 2020, were independently obtained from the websites of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

As shown in the FAAC 2019 series, the three tiers of government shared N769.53 billion in July 2019; N720.88 billion in August 2019; N740.87 billion in September 2019; 702.02 billion in October 2019; N650.83 billion in November 2019; N716.30 billion in December 2019; N647.35 billion in January 2020 and N581.57 billion in February 2020.

With the allocation of N7.85 trillion in 2019, federal transfers to the federal, state and local governments also nosedived by 3.35 percent between 2018 and 2019 compared with an upsurge of 36 percent they collectively recorded between 2017 and 2018 when a sum of N8.14 trillion was shared among the governments.

In 2015, for instance, the three governments shared N5.65 trillion; N4.62 trillion in 2016; N5.98 trillion in 2017; N8.14 in 2018 and N7.85 trillion in 2019, amounting to a whopping sum of N32.24 trillion, which were shared among the

federating units in the space of five years.

Between 2015 and 2016 alone, ĂŚĂŚthe federal transfers significantly crashed by 18.35 percent, which among other factors forced the domestic economy into recession with the growth contraction of about 1.62 percent in 2016, though the regression started from 2014 when the growth rate was 6.31 percent to 2015 when it slumped to 2.65 percent.

In 2019, as FAAC 2019 Series revealed, the revenue contraction also affected the 13% derivation fund due to the oil producing states in the federation, which suffered a regression of about 8.99 percent against the growth of 48.13 percent it recorded in 2018 and 20.90 percent in 2017, the year the country recovered from recession.

Specifically, as shown in the reports, the oil producing states in the federation alone shared N387.78 billion in 2015; N354.25 billion in 2016; N428.64 billion in 2017; N634.02 billion in 2018 and N577.15 billion in 2019, which did not include their statutory allocations.

With this steady revenue contraction with its attendant implication for economic growth, the Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Muda Yusuf and Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates (EA), Dr. Ayo Teriba lamented that the decision makers had learnt nothing from what the country went through between 2015 and 2017.

Although they acknowledged that the cause of the revenue contraction was temporary, the economists warned that oil price

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

$ # " !

$

$ $ $ $ $ $

$

"!$ " ## " #" " ! # " ! ! " # !!

2,531,974,575,092.60 2,006,829,272,992.08 2,607,360,445,182.91 3,475,329,867,824.78 3,401,276,998,811.43

ment the budget; stoke heightened capital flow reversals and cause round-tripping in the forex market if the CBN forex management model remains unchanged.

With the unprecedented economic setback the country suffered between 2016 and 2017, the director-general lamented that nothing fundamentally “has been done to address the structural and policy problems impeding the diversification of the Nigerian economy.�

He, therefore, proposed that governments at all levels should work together “to conceive of a Nigerian economy without oil revenue and construct an economic management model based on this assumption.�

He, first, recommended that urgent steps should be taken through appropriate policy choices “to attract domestic and foreign non-debt private sector capital for

slump might weaken investors’ confidence and put undue pressure on the Naira exchange rate.

If the value of the Naira depreciates further, LCCI’s director-general argued that it might undermine the capacity of the governments – federal, states and local – to implement capital projects due to astronomical increase in project cost.

He, also, warned that the slump might put pressure on foreign reserves with profound macroeconomic repercussions; increase production and operating costs for businesses; trigger tumbling stock prices and heighten inflationary pressures on the back of currency weakening.

Besides, the director-general warned that the slump might weaken purchasing power with adverse implications for the welfare of the citizens; widen fiscal deficit; precipitate weak capacity to imple-

Gboyega Akinsanmi

1,557,996,008,418.17 1,287,354,934,509.53 1,681,854,039,822.06 2,213,219,781,175.65 2,207,989,225,176.74

infrastructure financing. For this to happen, however, the policy and regulatory environment must inspire the confidence of investors.�

He, equally, recommended that idle non-revenue yielding assets of the governments should be sold to generate liquidity while foreign exchange market should be liberalised [as much as possible] to attract forex inflows into the economy.

He, also, suggested that public private partnership should be bolstered “to attract private capital into the critical sectors of the economy. Aside, public private dialogue should be deepened to harness quality ideas on how to navigate through the current shocks in the economy.�

Apparently, in a bid to keep inflation under, the director-general proposed that pragmatic steps should be taken to reduce the production costs for oil producing companies to make the sector more competitive.

Aside, Yusuf canvassed the need “to urgently review the spending structure of government and the cost of governance. The ballooning recurrent expenditure, in the face of declining revenue, is a cause for concern.�

He highlighted the imperatives of pursuing structural reforms, which according to him, was fundamental to promoting economic inclusion and self-reliance.

With the implementation of structural reforms, the directorgeneral suggested that fiscal federalism “is imperative to ensure the fiscal viability of the states.

Current structure of federalism can only perpetuate the dependence of the federating units on the federal government.�

'

1,175,014,332,678.81 966,988,372,815.95 1,266,025,034,885.12 1,815,182,395,811.35 1,661,858,732,889.39

387,782,864,929.39 354,250,808,878.15 428,636,421,525.77 634,020,914,380.38 577,144,625,274.71

"" $ $ # # $ # $#$ ! ## !# #!$ # !

# # ! $##

Consistent with the proposal of LCCI’s director-general, EA’s chief executive, Teriba criticised policy agencies for failing to prevent a situation in which temporary decline in oil price would once again create permanent economic problems.

With the economic turbulence that shook Nigeria to its foundation between 2016 and 2017, EA’s chief executive regretted that policy makers had done nothing “to insulate our economy from the weak oil price. Between 2016 and now, we have just shown the world that we learnt nothing.�

Teriba, however, said the country now “has fresh opportunities to do some of the things we had missed the opportunities to do between 2016 and now,� though required to prepare a strategy to access trillions of dollars the developed countries “are currently injecting into the global financial system.�

EA’s chief executive observed that borrowing from either sovereign lenders or international financial institutions “is not an option for Nigeria currently. But with the way the developed countries are injecting more money into a global financial system, there will be liquidity glut after the lockdown. “The developed countries are giving people money at a time that the people cannot even spend it, at least until the lockdown ends. When the lockdown ends, there will be surplus liquidity in the international financial system.

Much of the liquidity will end up in developing countries that know how to adopt investment friendly policies,� he explained.

( )(% *)* *+$ $$+ ,* ' )$( '%& &+, $,( *$ ( ,+& +*( ,'$ '$( +) + $&* *(% ,(, $,% $) * +'+ %), (+% $(% %* &% %&+ #+, )(& #*( ##

DMO Issues N968bn Promissory Notes to Oil Marketers, States, Others

‡ Plans to release new debt management strategy Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Debt Management Office (DMO) as at February 29, 2020 has issued a total of N968.092 billion promissory notes to oil marketers, states, federal agencies and exporters on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).

DMO, a federal agency set up to centrally coordinate the management of Nigeria’s debt, released the data on its official website yesterday, detailing promissory notes it had issued up to February

2020.

By definition, a promissory note is a financial instrument that contains a written promise by one party to pay another party a definite sum of money, either on demand or at a specified future date.

DMO’s data revealed that state governments received a total of N484.852 billion; oil marketers N266.072 billion; exporters N137.125 billion while federal agencies received N68.796 billion.

According to the DMO, all the promissory notes have maturity dates between 2019

and 2024.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in April 2019 approved the establishment of a promissory note programme worth N3.4 trillion for the settlement of inherited local debts and contractual obligations of the federal government.

Promissory notes are sovereign instruments, negotiable and have liquid asset status, but non-interest bearing.

They enable the federal government to formally recognise and account for its true liabilities in line

with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) Meanwhile, the DMO is on the verge of releasing a new Debt Management Strategy (DMS), which sets out the modalities for debt management in the country.

A DMS details how the government intends to borrow and manage its debt to achieve a portfolio that reflects its cost and risk preferences, while meeting financing needs. It guides debt management decisions and on-going operations.

The aim of debt management is to raise the required amount of funding at the lowest possible cost over medium to long term consistent with a prudent degree of risk.

Based on latest figures, Nigeria’s total public debt stock, comprising federal and state governments as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stood at N26.2 trillion as at September 30, 2019.

A top official of the DMO told THISDAY that indication that the soon-

to-be-released DMS may continue to give external sources of borrowing higher preference over domestic was given by the Director General of DMO, Ms. Patience Oniha recently, when she unveiled the nation’s debt statistics.

He said Oniha had disclosed that work on a new Debt Management Strategy (2020-2023) was being finalised by her agency and would soon be sent to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

11

12

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 •T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

13

14

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

OPINION Tackling The COVID-19 Pandemic The authorities must tighten the noose against the deadly disease, writes Felix Oladeji

I

t ought not to be a hard sale to convince anyone that try as we may and have, Nigeria is well behind the emergency response curve required for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, now is the time to escalate the national resiliency level holistically, and in an unfettered manner. Luckily, we have global response examples, best practices and lessons learnt to borrow from, as well as mistakes that should be avoided entirely.

My assessment of this matter is non- partisan and purely from the policy and complex emergency response perspective. First, I believe that those who are against shutting down non-essential public and academic institutions are wrong.

They are putting their economic considerations first. We must be aware that whatever economic or financial losses we incur nationally in our preventive efforts, will ultimately pale when compared to eventual national losses, if we fail to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 expeditiously.

Here is the painful reality. Nigeria now has over 80 cases of coronavirus infections in the country. Cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria will escalate exponentially shortly. For now we seem comfortable in orchestrating its containment. The spread of infections will eventually rise because of indiscipline, our fluid forms of urban and rural transportation, lack of societal control regimes and structures during emergencies, poverty, compelling need to fulfill sustenance and hierarchy of needs at any cost, poor national safety nets, illiteracy and poor national orientation in compliance with public orders.

Furthermore, we seem to be allowing our success in managing the limited scope Ebola outbreak to induce a false sense of response capabilities in us.

The wide gap of distrust that exists between the national population and the government is a critical factor. If we must sell fear and use shock therapy to induce compliance with preventive measures, now is the time. That may be the only way to guarantee the escalation of our national resiliency to the required level. Federal and state cooperation will be imperative, beyond setting up the Presidential Task Force

on COVID-19, and the National Economic Council meeting intermittently. Our national leaders must also lead by example; first by personally exhibiting publicly, the value of social distancing. That is not happening yet.

My point of view remains unapologetically consistent. I’m not into dooms day scenarios, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Bearing in mind that Nigerians, including traders, fuel vendors, contractors, consultants and even healthcare providers tend to profiteer from crisis and emergency situations, the federal government must take the lead. We must have a strict Presidential Executive Order on hoarding and price gouging.

That order must also be enforced. Various states might have some comparative response advantages in terms of finances and social and health structures, but this is time to collaborate and not compete. Decentralisation will work best and help overcome the red tape and bottleneck approach associated with all efforts, policies and finances coming out of Abuja.

So what to do? The healthcare providers need more support.

But we must have structured and uniformed response units at the state level. The reactive responses so far are grossly insufficient for the scope of impending complex emergency and crisis that could be cataclysmic for Nigeria. At the state level, we must start setting up centralised and localised testing and holding spheres, as well as quarantine areas. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its state counterparts (the

Our national leaders must also lead by example; first by personally exhibiting publicly, the value of social distancing.

That is not happening yet

State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs), military and para-military agencies and all first responders, should now be on “Code Yellow” operational mode across the nation. Our national prevention advocacy is disjointed.

Television and Radio jingles and handbills in various ethnic languages are not reaching the critical masses out there. This explains the recent cases of chloroquine overdoses, by those who are self-medicating. It also explains the lackadaisical response to social distancing. We need to escalate a public awareness preventive measures advocacy process. Such campaign should be national in scope.

The COVID-19 challenge to Nigeria will demand collective national leadership that is assertive and robust.

Nigerians need to see President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo personally leading that campaign. Presently Nigeria is on the lower rung of the COVID-19 spiraling totem pole. The extrapolation and increase will definitely come, if lessons from Iran, Spain, Italy and U.S. are anything to go by. Our demographic mosaic is much more diverse and equally much more susceptible. Our local population will involuntarily shift from epicentres of infections, and in doing so abet the spread. The high-point of the crisis will come if and when we are eventually required to lockdown cities, towns and communities. We must, therefore, contemplate what our contingency sustenance plans will be for city and rural families, in terms of healthcare, food, finances, if we arrive at that critical juncture.

From past experience, some, including bureaucrats, policymakers and consultants, have exploited moments of dire national emergencies as means of getting rich quickly.

It happened in Niger Delta and in the North-East, and even the 2012 flood disaster. Yet, we should not allow such experiences from stopping the federal government from releasing the funds required to combat this pandemic robustly. States can’t go it alone and should not pretend to be ready, when they know they are not. We must escalate our national resiliency now. We must seize the moment.

––Oladeji wrote from Delta State

COVID-19 Pandemic: Breaking The Circle of Transmission Tayo Ogunbiyi argues the need to obey government directives in order to curb the spread of the viral disease

I

nitially, we did not really bother about it. It is a Chinese problem, some of us had thought. Somehow, it broke the Chinese barriers, made a foray into Asia and got the whole of the continent entangled in its deadly claws. Having done sufficient damage in Asia, Europe, precisely Italy, became the next target.

From Italy, Europe caught the fatal bug and from there the United States got a dose of it. Donald Trump, the garrulous American leader, who had earlier dubbed it a ‘Chinese syndrome’ now knows better. His nation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) runs the risk of experiencing a worse outbreak of the pandemic.

In Africa, we had boasted that the ailment dares not come into a tropical environment like ours. That has since been proven untrue, as many African nations currently battle the mysterious plague.

Take it or leave it, Covid-19, the 21st Century monster, is causing the entire world anxious moments as no terrorist organization has ever done. The number of people who have died as a result of the pandemic globally now exceeds 20,000, with more than 500,000 infected in 158 countries.

This shows the massive impact the virus is having on the world. It has found a foothold on every continent except for Antarctica. Thousands of flights had been cancelled, music and sporting activities postponed or cancelled. Some nations have been on lock down for weeks, yet, respite seems out of sight.

On Wednesday, March 12, 2020, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

As it was with most Africans, Nigerians did not originally bother about the plague until a certain Italian arrived Lagos on February 24th via Milan, and ever since the center no longer holds. Individuals hitherto thought impregnable now stand at the mercy of the rampaging virus.

It is not surprising that Lagos, being the most populous state in the country and the nation’s center of commercial activities, has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria.

Fortunately, the state has prepared for the virus. It has been building capacity steadily for any biosecurity threat. Its biosecurity facility, a level three laboratory,

one of the very few in Africa with modern design, can handle very dangerous pathogens.

The state government has been working tirelessly to curtail the virus from spreading. It has made effort in tracing over 2300 people that were exposed to infected persons. This is no mean feat, as the battle to curb the virus from spreading continues.

Cheerily, the situation is not all gloomy. The Italian who imported the infection to the country has since been discharged after weeks of intensive care. The index case reportedly appreciated the exceptional care and support given to him by staff of the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba and members of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). He has also consented to donating one unit of white blood (plasma) which is rich in antibody proteins that target coronavirus.

Nevertheless, the Lagos State government didn’t relax on this feat, as it pronounced the shutting down of all schools and markets in the state. Currently, public gatherings of more than 20 stand suspended while the state public servants from GL 01 -12 now work from home. The rapid spread of the pandemic necessitated all the precautionary measures.

This is wise, considering the fact that the virus spreads faster when a person infected with it is exposed to a large group of people. Being densely populated, with over 20 million people, the virus can spread fast in Lagos if adequate measures are not put in place. The new social distancing policy, is, thus, a right step in the right direction.

According to WHO Chief, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus “if countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace and mobilize their people in the response, those with a handful of novel coronavirus cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters, and those clusters becoming community transmission”.

So far, the level of preparedness and efforts of the Lagos State government in handling the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely applauded.

The WHO Chief, Dr. Ghebereyesus, hailed Nigeria’s and by extension Lagos saying, “This is a true act of solidarity and an important step in stopping the Coronavirus from spreading further”. This is a

testimony that the decision of the state government to spearhead construction of the biobank and biosecurity laboratory at the Mainland Specialist Hospital, Yaba was timely and ingenious.

Through a clear and coherent communication strategy, the state government has aroused the consciousness of residents on the symptoms and preventive measures to take in avoiding the disease.

It has also fought the scourge of fake news and rumours as it gives daily updates on the virus.

Just like the case with the Ebola virus, in which months later the country was declared Ebola-free, with WHO hailing a "spectacular success story" and commending authorities for their "effective coordination of the response”, we might be on course of yet another remarkable victory.

However, Lagos residents and, indeed, all compatriots need to fully come to grasp with the reality of this deadly virus. It is rather sad to note that many still carry on as if it is all a joke. People still congregate without regard to the social distance policy. Some bars and markets still carry on with business as usual.

Ironically, the disease often spread easily at large gatherings.

In South Korea and Singapore, the disease spread largely through organized gatherings. From the experience of a few nations that have successfully curtailed its spread, strict adherence to social distance rules clearly played a huge role.

Thus, the need to shun all forms of large gathering, and even stay at home, where possible, cannot be over-emphasized. This is the most effective way to break the circle of transmission. The virus transmits rapidly where there are large cluster of people.

As in the case of Ebola, this tough time shall also pass. As Governor Sanwo-Olu rightly affirmed: “We have overcome more challenging situation in the past, and we shall surely surmount this also”. But then, we need to be on same page with government and other critical stakeholders by observing all rules and regulations.

Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

15

LETTERS Sanitising Governance And Political Institutions

T

housands have died and the numbers keep increasing everyday as the world is shaken, beaten and forced to a compulsory holiday by the global pandemic, the Corona virus, otherwise called “COVID-19”.

In the wake of COVID-19, it is pertinent to note one of the most troubling factors that will be at play. This, as Karl Max puts it, will be a class struggle between the haves and the haves not. Whatever the direction of the outcome of this pandemic, one thing is sure; it will herald a groundbreaking reorganization of our society or the total collapse of the current socioeconomic, political and governance system.

If this scourge had been able to force governance and businesses in developed countries like China, Russia, United Kingdom, the United States and the likes, to a halt, it was clear that it was just a matter of time before the virus crept into the African continent, and particularly Nigeria, the most populous black nation on Earth. While the developed world battled and are still battling to contain the virus which supposedly has no cure at the moment, the ineptitude of Nigeria leaders held sway. Rather than spend time on activating emergency measures, take spot-on decisions and address the nation forthwith, they

Minister of State for Health, Sen. Mamora engaged in frivolous political misadventures, basking in the euphoria of their mediocrity at the expense of the well-being of the people.

The President himself, as the father of the nation, set an abysmal example as he saw no need, whatsoever, to initiate an emergency address to the nation, instil confidence in the general populace or reveal intended measures in combating the corona virus when it was first reported in Nigeria. In fact, in some quarters, the President’s absenteeism and delayed national address in such critical time

of an emergency, further reinforced some people's belief that indeed there was nothing like a corona virus epidemic in Nigeria. Needless to mention the flippant and lack-luster attitudes of some states’ chief executives, whom instead of spearheading emergency measures, were busy in political frontline, holding rallies and nonessential meetings. We must also not forget the reckless and irresponsible behaviors of some state officials in the president's kitchen cabinet who still went about their activities, even out of the country to corona virus

high risk regions.

Amidst all this treacherous trend exhibited by these leaders, we must recognize the exemplary leadership by a few others, particularly governors of the North-West region, for their proactive response, including the governor of Lagos State, who has been on the frontline of the containment in his state. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health are worthy cases in point for institutional efficiency.

The demonstrated incompetence of the federal government and some state executives over the years has exposed and will continue to expose more people to danger. Today, the country is faced with a pandemic that threatens to gulp the whole nation, rich and poor alike; elites and commoners, a time the privileged ones never saw coming, and even if they did, not in their life time.

One hard fact we must admit is that given the structure of our society with the high level of unemployment and considering that a greater percentage of the population depends on their daily business activities to make ends meet, the containment measures of government in the coming days will be even be harsher reality for lot of Nigerians. The limited health access for the poor and vulnerable population will become even more palpable.

The overburdened transport

The Value of Regular Exercise

"A

ll work and no play make Jack a dull boy," is a cliche which is generally accepted as true.

You could be healthy, but if you do not take some exercises or play games, you could become overweight and dull.

Regular physical exercises help to tune up the organs of the body, the muscles and nerves. Playing games also makes you to be emotionally and socially healthy. It makes our brains work faster and more accurately.

Even The Holy Scriptures acknowledge the value of physical exercise when it says, among other things, at First Timothy, Chapter 4, Verse 8, that " …physical training (or "exercise") is beneficial..."

With regard to engaging in regular physical exercise, some people have erroneously concluded that they do not need to exercise because they are not overweight. However, although overweight and obese people stand to benefit greatly from a regular exercise program, even if you are not overweight, increasing your physical activity is very likely to improve your overall health and help prevent serious diseases, including certain types of cancer.

What are some factors that contribute to a person's poor state of health? They include: unhealthy (high-calorie) diets and a sedentary life-style. Also,

even though technology and other modern inventions have helped to make many laborious jobs more bearable, there is an irony in this. While modern technology has been conducive to better health, with the passing of time, it has also contributed to a sedentary life-style among many people.

This includes children, who are spending longer times in front of the television, or with video games, smartphones, or other technological devices. Also, for adults, having a job that requires little physical activity, can contribute to a sedentary life-style.

In view of the foregoing, how can regular physical exercise help to improve our health and counteract the effects of a sedentary life-style?

Many scientific studies have given credence to the value of regular physical exercise.

For example, in an article by Ujunwa Atueyi about "How to be happy and live a purposedriven life …" published in The Guardian of Monday, January 1, 2018, engaging in regular physical activity was top on the list among the steps listed on how we can boost our quality of life.

In the article, it was reported that "… many studies have focused on the role of physical exercise not only in keeping us fit, but also in improving our physical and mental health."

Furthermore, according to the article, " . . . numerous

recent studies have shown that exercise can counteract and prevent depression. . . As little as one hour of exercise each week, regardless of intensity, can keep mood disorders at bay" according to researchers from Australia's Black Dog Institute. Also, according to Michelle Segar from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, "any movement is better than nothing." So we should stop feeling guilty about not reaching a set target or not exercising at a certain intensity. " Even children need physical activity. Studies have shown that an increasing number of children, especially girls, do not engage in regular physical exercise. It is good to note that there are many ways that children can benefit from regular physical activity. These include: helping them develop strong bones and muscles as well as healthy joints; prevention of overweight and obesity; increase in self-esteem and prevention of anxiety and stress; development of an active life-style that may prevent a sedentary adulthood; among others. The elderly also can benefit from a moderate exercise program. However, they need to consult their doctor before they start a program of strenuous activity.

Although regular physical exercise has its merits, a word of caution for all would not be out of place: Before deciding to engage in more vigorous

exercises, it would be wise to consult a doctor, to ensure beforehand that the more vigorous exercise program that you are contemplating, would be suitable for you, considering your current state of health.

Also, according to an article entitled: "Are You Getting Enough Exercise?" published in the May 22, 2005 issue of Awake! magazine, page 7, (which you can access online at: www.jw.org/en/ library/magazines/g20050522/ ), drinking enough water is important during exercise.

A part of the article reads: "Inadequate water consumption during exercise can be harmful.

It can cause fatigue, decreased coordination, and muscle cramping. When you exercise, you sweat at a faster rate, and this can lead to a drop in your blood volume. If you do not replenish the water that is lost through perspiration, the heart has to work harder to circulate the blood. It is suggested that to avoid dehydration, you should drink water before, during, and after an exercise session.

Staying physically active, along with proper nutrition and rest, is vital for good health. Let us, therefore, cherish our bodies as a gift from God, and strive to maintain a good routine of regular physical exercise. So, are you getting enough exercise? . . . If not, you can start doing something about it today!

––Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos..

system and the unstructured nature of our markets tend to set the pace of the devastating ordeal of a society that is weakened by an economic tragedy, even as supply and demand become mismatched.

The housing deficits coupled with the overcrowded shanties even in major cities are forces to also contend with. We are at a crossroads, and if we do not watch it, these harsh realities will only transmogrify into a potent revolt from the underprivileged and neglected; a revolt that will not only reverse any gains recorded from the containment measures, but will eventually consume us.

We are all guilty! The irresponsible leadership is a well-earned pay-out of our apolitical approach to governance and docility as citizens to mediocre leadership. It is now clear, more than ever, that our collective destiny as

a nation is more important and bigger than the parochial mindset that inspires our elective choices or voting behaviors.

As we grapple with a global pandemic that neither understands tribalism nor ethic sentiments, an epidemic that affects the poor and rich alike, may we also take the time to reflect on how our actions, inactions and lack of informed actions as citizens also greatly contributed to our inability to contain this scourge. Make no mistake, global epidemics cannot necessarily be barred from arising, but their outbreaks can be contained and the damage can be limited or made minimal. But this feat can only be inspired by genuine innovative leadership; a leadership that is competent.

––Michael Agada, conflict management and development practitioner.

A Hair-Raising Virus Relief

A

s the Coronavirus has spread around the world, we have seen a number of restrictions imposed and Australia is no different. We are at level two and likely to move to even more strict restrictions.

For us this means schools are closed, coffee shops can only sell take away coffee and I have to do my music lessons by skype. Depending on your beliefs you can't seek divine intervention as all churches, sports and horse racing

I

meetings are cancelled for the moment.

Few days ago the Prime Minister announced the easing of one restriction - the length of a hairdressing appointment was no longer limited to half an hour and you could now still get a cut and colour. An odd restriction to ease and of no consequence to me as I am bald.

I know this is a serious problem, but I want my sit-down coffee and cake.

––Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia.

Give Us Electricity in Okeho

n the past, electric bulbs have work to do virtually all year round because Okeho had good supply of electricity.

But this is becoming history as the town currently is experiencing acute shortage of power in the last few years.

The shortage of electricity has been one of the major challenges confronting Okeho, and this has stunted the economic growth and development of the town when compared to other major towns within Oke-Ogun.

Aside agriculture, which is now impeded, the populace relies on electricity to do their daily artisan jobs, such as welding, sawmilling, baking and host of other lucrative jobs. The shortage of electricity supply has brought a huge set back to the economic fortunes of the town as there has been a spike in the cost of production. Inversely, the consumers/ customers have to pay for it because of the hike in the prices of items dependent on electricity. Entrepreneurs now have to expend a lot of money on petrol, and this has increased the financial burden of the people.

Recently, the charges of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, the supplier of electricity in Oyo State, can be said to be high. Residents of Okeho

and environs hardly enjoy the electricity they paid for. The current supply in the town is not more than 12 hours in a week. Unfortunately, each household is still billed about N3,000 monthly. It took a lot of efforts by the youths of the community to negotiate with the DISCO before the bill of each household without metre was reduced to N1,800 monthly.

We hereby call on IBEDC to do the needful in Okeho, Kajola Local Government and environs. Neighbouring local government areas such as Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Saki are enjoying electricity supply compared to Okeho.

Equally, we are also calling on the state government to play its own part towards making shortages of electricity a thing of the past. We are inundated with challenges which include poor roads, poor water supply, inadequate health facilities, amongst others.

Dividends of democracy which have been promised to the local government are not forthcoming; worthy of note is the Oyo State College of Health Technology promised by the former Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

––Kayode Awojobi, Okeho, Oyo State

16

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž RCH 29, 2020

COVID-19 DONATIONS

COVID-19: Nigeria’s Industrialists Rise to the Occasion Ăž Ă‹ ÞÓ×Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËŞĂ? Ă‹Ăž Ă Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă–Ă– ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‘Ă?Ăž ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂžĂŒĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă• Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă?Ă– Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă‹Ă Ă“ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă“Ă? Ę¨Ă˜Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Demola Ojo

T

he COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has necessitated a response which can’t be left to governments alone. Globally, the private sector has had to contribute both money and materials to stave off an existential threat that does not discriminate based on race, religion, sex or class. With this evident truth, individuals and corporations have pooled resources to support governments in tackling the rapidly spreading virus, and save thousands – potentially, millions – of lives.

However, it took a while for Nigeria’s wellto-do to rise to the occasion. In fact, the elite has been fingered as being culpable for the increase in numbers, with majority of cases being a result of travellers who refused to follow instructions by self-isolating upon their return from countries with a high number of cases.

Last week, the spotlight was beamed on Nigeria’s leading industrialists after Chinese billionaire, Jack Ma, offered support by donating medical supplies including 100,000 masks and 20,000 test kits to aid in the fight against the virus.

The immediate reaction on Nigeria’s social media space - apart from profound gratitude to Jack Ma – was to question what Nigeria’s multi-millionaires and billionaires were doing to contain the virus. Thankfully, it took just a few days for a robust response in the form of donations.

Notable among these was by the founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, who announced a donation of N1bn in cash through the BUA Foundation, as well as placing orders for additional equipment and medical supplies including testing kits and protective gear to nine states across the country. States to benefit include Lagos, Kano, Adamawa, Edo, Kwara, Rivers, Abia, Akwa-Ibom and Sokoto.

Speaking on the donation, Rabiu said it was very important for the private sector to support the government’s effort to curb the spread of the pandemic. He added that the donation will be done through the Central Bank of Nigeria led Private Sector Coalition Committee against COVID-19. “This donation will not only provide additional needed funds to the government and NCDC’s efforts but will also serve to protect healthcare and medical workers on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic. In addition to donating the ordered medical supplies and equipment to the two most populated states in Nigeria, we have also selected seven states across all geopolitical regions in Nigeria where significant members of the BUA workforce and their families are situated to help preparedness and response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. “Each of these nine states will receive about 100,000 protective facemasks, 1000 high grade medical protection and isolation gear, 2000 protective goggles, 1000 gloves and 1000 testing kits among other things,� Rabiu added.

Rabiu followed up a day after announcing his donation by actually redeeming his pledge.

In a statement late Friday BUA announced that the N1billion to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria has been transferred to the COVID-19

relief fund account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. “In addition, the company also announced another donation of N300million to Sokoto, Edo and Ogun States to assist in galvanizing a coordinated response and adequate preparedness in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in this states. The donations to Sokoto and Edo States were on behalf of its Cement subsidiary, BUA Cement which has its major operations in those states whilst Ogun was also selected as a beneficiary due to its proximity to Lagos which had been the epicenter of the virus in Nigeria.�

He also announced another donation to 9 states of medical and emergency kits and supplies including face masks, testing kits, safety goggles, gloves, personal protective gear - which have already been ordered and should be delivered soon.

In his comments on the additional donation of N300million to Edo, Sokoto and Ogun States, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group said that although these states have been identified for this intervention in the first instance, “BUA is monitoring the situation closely and is also looking at other states that may need additional help. We will continue engaging with these states and relevant partners including the NCDC in the areas where they need support to win this fight against COVID-19.�, Rabiu added.

Rabiu also urged other well-meaning Nigerians – individuals and corporates alike, to join hands in supporting the efforts to put the virus in check in Nigeria, financially and otherwise. “Our country needs us now more than ever. This is the time to come together and support.� Rabiu’s quick action, matching pledge by actual transferring the money is bound to put pressure on others to match words with action.

Fellow billionaire and renowned philanthropist, Femi Otedola also pledged N1 billion to support the “eradication of COVID-19 across Nigeria.� Otedola made this known via his instagram and twitter handles. “We must all do what we can to flatten the curve,� he said. Otedola’s donation comes just a few months after he donated N5 billion to the Save the Children Foundation to support destitute children in Nigeria’s Northeast region which has been ravaged

by terrorists.

The United Bank for Africa Plc is also playing its part by announcing a N5 billion donation through the UBA Foundation, which according to the bank is to “catalyse a comprehensive pan-African response to the fight against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.�

The donation will provide significant and much needed support to Nigeria and 19 other African countries, by supplying relief materials, critical care facilities, and financial support to governments. The UBA support programme will allocate N1 billion to Lagos State, N500 million to Abuja and N1 billion to the remaining 35 states in Nigeria and N1.5 billion. Funds will also be allocated to countries where the bank has presence across the continent.

According to UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, “This is a time when we must all play our part. This global pandemic must bring citizens, governments and business leaders together – and quickly. As we see a rapidly increasing number of cases of the coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa, the private sector has to work hand in hand with various governments, in stemming the spread of the global pandemic. “We commend the efforts of governments and we are keen to partner and contribute our resources to the collective effort, that will ensure the response to the pandemic is swift and effective,� Eleumelu affirmed.

Meanwhile Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest lender by assets, is teaming up with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to provide treatment and isolation centres across the country. The facilities which will have Chinese experts and serve as testing, isolation, treatment and training centres will be ready within weeks, the bank said.

Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria’s leading lender, is already setting up a 100-bed

Intensive Care Centre at the Onikan Stadium for those that may be infected by the coronavirus. The bank’s CEO, Segun Agbaje, said the centre will be fully equipped with all the necessary gadgets, including respirators and personnel to treat and care for those that may be affected.

On its part, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has collaborated with 33 upstream oil companies to donate N11 billion to the cause. According to the NNPC statement revealing the donation, “...we are immediately providing medical consumables covering testing kits, medical protective suits and ambulances to the highly impacted areas across the federation,� the statement read.

Some of the companies that contributed to the initiative are Shell Nigeria, ExxonMobil Nigeria, Total Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria and ENI Nigeria.

Others include Oando, Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited, Addax Petroleum, SEPLAT and Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Limited. Aiteo, led by founder Benedict Peters, has been known to fund initiatives of national importance including paying salaries of the national football teams’ coaches.

The above named are just a few of the individuals and organisations that have shown they can be counted on when all hands need to be on deck to prevent the spread of the virus which has proven to be no respecter of names and reputations.

The view from advanced economies in the Western world already reeling from the effects of the outbreak, is that African countries need all the help they can get to prevent a catastrophe. So far, Nigeria – through the efforts of the National Centre for Disease Control - has managed to keep fatalities at a bare minimum. And now, with the support of the country’s leading corporations, the doomsday predictions may be averted after all.

Agbaje

Peters

Kyari, NNPC

Elumelu

Rabiu (left) and Otedola have both commited N1 billion to help contain the novel coronavirus outbreak

Dangote

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

17

18

MA ͺ΁˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL COVID-19 Pandemic and Global Counter-measures: Matters Arising and Foreign Policy Implications

C

OVID-19 is the new name given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to Coronavirus, the newest threat to the maintenance of global peace and security. The manifestations of the threat have remained the same worldwide: sneezing, coughing, high temperature, and ultimately, death in many cases. However, in terms of strategies of containment of the threat, they have varied from one country to the other, but the strategic objective is common, which is to prevent the spread of the threat, and eventually nip it in the bud.

In Nigeria, for instance, the strategy of containment is at two levels: external and internal. At the external level, it seeks, on the one hand, to prevent new carriers of coronavirus arriving the country by banning some flights into Nigeria, as well as eventually closing all borders, on the other hand. The Government directed that all returnees from countries infected by the coronavirus should engage in self-isolation for two weeks.

Also at the external level, the Government of Nigeria solicited international help, on the basis of which the Beijing authorities would assist by supplying vaccines, the controversial story is raised hereinafter.

At the domestic level, the containment strategy has been more interesting. Several official engagements have been suspended.

The judiciary decided to go on break for two weeks and so have the members of the National Assembly. The meetings of the Federal Executive Council have been suspended. And perhaps more disturbingly, civil and public servants, below the grade level of 12, have been directed to work from home where it is possible.

As instructed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Fola Femi-Esan, ‘all non-essential public servants on grade level 12 and below are to stay and work from home with effect from Tuesday, March 24, until further notice.’ Additionally in this regard, ‘all other categories of officers who will be at work, are strongly advised to limit the number of visitors they receive to the barest minimum. This is to reduce physical contact as much as possible.

The private sector is not spared at all. Private businesses that are not considered essential, have voluntarily or otherwise been closed. Some banks have been closed, So have markets been selectively closed. Tertiary institutions, schools, either privately or publicly owned, are currently under closure. Some airlines (Arik, Air Peace, Azman, Dana, and Max Air), suspended their local flights on Friday, March 27, 2020. As noted earlier, the objective of all these measures is to assist in the prevention of the spread of the virus, to mitigate the effect, and make it easier for Government to ultimately control the deadly coronavirus.

What is useful to note is that the Government of Nigeria does not have the means of its own to combat the virus beyond efforts at preventing its spread. Even at the international level, only prescriptive measures have been suggested. For instance, the UNICEF and the WHO have adopted the strategy of general public enlightenment on the nature of coronavirus and on what is doable to mitigate its effect, if not completely nip it in the bud.

The UNICEF has it that, when COVID-12 falls on a metal surface, it can only survive for twelve hours, and therefore, it prescribes that washing hands with water and soap regularly can be a solution. When the virus falls on one’s hands, it cannot live for more than ten minutes, meaning that if one has an alcohol-based sanitiser in one’s pocket, the solution, again, may not be far-fetched. The UNICEF also has it that gargling with warm water and salt water kills the tonsits germs, as well as prevents them from leaking into the lungs.

And more interestingly, the UNICEF also says that if the coronavirus falls on fabrics, it can remain there for nine hours.

It therefore requires the washing of cloths or self-exposure to the sun for two hours to have the virus killed. If the virus is also exposed to a temperature of 26-27 degrees centigrade, the virus would surely be killed. Drinking hot water and exposure to the sun is what is recommended.

In fact, many are the suggested solutions variously suggested by private individuals and medical professionals. It has also been suggested that boiling the cover of oranges, with onion and salt, etc, and then bowing down to inhale the steam there from, will also kill the virus. True, there are many trending solu-

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs tions, but the threat is still seriously ravaging the whole world to the extent that thought-provoking questions and matters now have to be raised, not only in seeking to understand the nature of the virus, but also in understanding what the future holds for humanity, especially in terms of the global politics of its containment.

International Matters Arising

The first international issue to address is the stay-at-home order given by sovereign governments and the refusal of their people to comply with the order, thus raising a conflict between governmental authority and individual right of movement. It is a conflict between the need for collective security and survival, on the one hand, and assertion of individual’s security and survival, on the other. Government is trying to protect the collective interest, while those refusing to comply with the stay-at-home order are seeking to protect selfish, limited interests. Which should be given priority of choice?

Without doubt, in an attempt to contain the coronavirus pandemic, some countries came up with the policy of stayat-home. In the United Kingdom, for instance, some people, numbering about 1.5 million, who have been identified by the National Health Service as most likely to have a higher risk of severe illness should they contract the coronavirus, are strongly advised to stay in door. In this category are people that had received organ transplants, those already living with severe respiratory conditions or specific cancers. They are advised to stay at home for, at least, twelve weeks.

The stay-at-home order in Italy and France are more interesting. Many people in the two countries hid under the umbrella of freedom of choice to stay at home. They believed in the freedom of movement. They did not comply with the stay-at-home order. The implication in Italy is that Italy is currently leading the world in terms of the number of casualties. The situation is so critical to the extent that the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, has to settle for divine intervention.

As the Prime Minister put it, ‘it is the most difficult crisis in our

COVID-19 is more than a pandemic as it has many foreign policy tentacles. It has become the object and subject of special research, development aid, and an instrument of foreign policy. For instance, an Air France/KLM aircraft arrived Lagos Nigeria onThursday, March 26 to evacuate Europeans in Nigeria. According to Air France,‘due to COVID-19, Air France is doing all it can to ensure French and European nationals currently abroad can return home.’It is also on the basis of COVID-19 that the Chinese Jack Ma Foundation donated 107 boxes of surgical masks,medical disposable protective clothing,faceshieldanddetectionkitstotheGovernmentofNigeria.COVID-19compelledGovernment to find money that was not available to treat COVID-19 victims at home.At least, not less than N15 billion has been disbursed. COVID-19 does not allow for self-treatment abroad. Whether lessons would be learnt from this, by beginning to think of a world class general and specialist hospitals in Nigeria, is a mute question. But for sure, Nigeria is a country where honesty of purpose is always frustrated, dint of hard work is combated, and patriotism is vehemently fought on the altar of ethnic chauvinism and political chicanery.

post-war period.’ And true enough, as at March 21, 2020 Italy had recorded 793 more deaths to reach a death total of 4,825.

According to the Johns Hopkins University, 13,000 people have died out of the 304,500 people diagnosed with the coronavirus infection. The way forward for Prime Minister Conte is now to plead with God to intervene, arguing that what is humanly possible had been done, but all to no avail. Everyone is therefore waiting for God’s intervention.

The case of France is equally noteworthy. France is on record to have registered 112 coronavirus deaths in one single day and thus taking its total number of death to 562. There are 14,459 coronavirus confirmed cases in France. 1,525 out of the 6,172 infected people in the hospital are in severe condition. It was in light of the gravity of this problem that the French president, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, had to give the stay-at-home order.

On March 12, 2020, he appealed to all the French people to have ‘individual and collective discipline,’ but the French did not heed his call. As noted by The Economist of March 19th, 2020, many French people ‘spent a rather sunny early spring weekend, wandering around parks with friends and shopping in crowded street markets.’

This factor of non-compliance compelled President Macron to direct on March 17, 2020 that whoever is leaving home should be in possession of an attestation, be it hand-written or typewritten, or printed out from the Interior Ministry’s website, that they were on essential business, shopping for food or basic necessities. The point being underscored from the foregoing is that, grosso modo, there is always the tendency by a few individuals to impose their limited and selfish interests on collective interest.

Some churches in Nigeria openly and consciously admitted that they did not comply with the government’s stay-at-home order because they are heavenly protected. We all know that it is not because they are heavenly protected that congregants are encouraged to defy the order, but essentially because of monies to be contributed to the church. This is the bitter truth. Italians who took such stay-at-home order for granted are already taking the bitter pills as a result. Government must therefore be more strict in enforcing compliance with the stay-at-home order until there is an enduring solution to the pandemic.

A second international matter is how presidential leadership should be manifested in the war against coronavirus. In general practice, presidents, especially of the leading and powerful countries, have always come out in person to give regular update on the various efforts of their governments in battling the disease. They always take advantage of the opportunity to also assure and reassure the people of their safety. They allay their fears.

In the context of Nigeria, for example, President Muhammadu Buhari has not for once come into the open to address the nation on the critical pandemic. As explained by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, ‘the style our President has adopted is to set up a Presidential Task Force headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) which (sic) briefs regularly.’ More important, Mr. Adesina has it further that ‘you have the Minister of Health who briefs, you have the Minister of State for Health who briefs, you have the NCDC who briefs, so you have that chain and there is no lack of information.’

What should be asked here is why is Nigeria’s case always different from that of international practice? Mr. Adesina readily gives ‘idiosyncratic’, factor as an answer. True, there is no disputing the psychology of human differences in attitudinal disposition. However, what Mr. Adesina is not able to understand is probably why Nigerians are asking PMB to provide visible leadership by example as it is done in other more advanced countries. Many Nigerians raise issues of whether PMB still has the intellectual capacity and physical fitness to provide leadership of the country. In fact, many do not believe that PMB is truly in charge of political governance of the country, hence, they want to see him perform life. This is why the technical arguments of Mr. Adesina appears to be missing the expectation of the people.

And without any jot of doubt, the foreign policy implication cannot but be that a very wrong perception of PMB will be developed. Diplomatic agents are readily available to note the people’s observations in relation to whatever government spokesperson may want to give in response. What the general practice is internationally, is that leaders kick-start with messages of re-assurance of good hope and then allow the ministers to do the rest. PMB’s style of keeping quiet or simply delegating authority and not being able to speak publicly for once is nothing more than an infliction of self-injury and perception of incapability.

It is therefore partially gratifying that, on Friday, March 27, 2020, PMB made it clear that he had received extensive briefings on the state of the nation as it relates to COVID-19 pandemic from the relevant Federal Government Agencies and also from the Lagos State Government. He informed that he had approved the immediate release of N10 billion grant to Lagos State, being the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak. He also informed that he had approved N5 billion special intervention fund for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to enable it equip, expand and provide personnel to its facilities and laboratories.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS

19

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

Assortment of drugs...local drug manufacturers will beneďŹ t from CBN’s stimuus package

Despite CBN’s Swift Response to Covid-19, FG Delays Fiscal Stimulus The Central Bank of Nigeria recently unveiled a series of multi-billion naira credit facilities aimed at stimulating the economy in the wake of the rampaging coronavirus. While the intervention is welcome especially in aiding struggling SMEs, families and healthcare industry, there is need for the federal government to do more to assist the poor through fiscal interventions. Nosa James-Igbinadolor writes

I

n a series of intervention last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, unveiled a succession of targeted facilities including a N50billion targeted credit facility as well as a N100billion credit support intervention for the health sector. The apex bank announced the dual funds in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which had led to unprecedented disruptions to global supply chains, sharp drop in global crude oil prices, turmoil in global stock and financial markets, lockdown of large swaths movements of persons in many countries, including Nigeria.

While the N50billion targeted credit facility stimulus package, ac-

cording to the bank aims to among others, cushion the adverse effects of COVID-19 on households and MSMEs, support households and MSMEs whose economic activities have been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulate credit to MSMEs to expand their productive capacity through equipment upgrade, and research and development, the N100billion credit support intervention for the health sector seeks to strengthen the industry’s capacity to meet potential increase in demand for healthcare products and services. Specifically, the CBN noted that “the scheme is to provide credit to indigenous pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare

value chain players intending to build or expand capacity�.

The apex bank further noted that, “the scheme is expected to improve public and private investment in the healthcare sector, facilitate improvements in healthcare delivery and reduce medical tourism to improve foreign exchange conservation�.

While the N50 billion scheme which is expected to be financed from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) will cover key economic activities including agricultural value chain, hospitality (accommodation and food services), airline service providers, manufacturing/ value addition, trading and any

other income generating activities as may be prescribed by the CBN, with NIRSAL Microfinance Bank being the eligible participating financial institution for the Scheme, the N100 billion health intervention fund is expected to be funded from the Real Sector Support Facility-Differentiated Cash Reserves Requirement (RSSF-DCRR) and have Deposit Money Banks and Development Finance Institutions were eligible to disburse the fund.

The Nigerian central bank’s action comes against several monetary policy measures taken earlier to keep the economy afloat. As noted by investment firm, Cardinal Stone Partners, these include a N1.1 trillion stimulus to support

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

20

BUSINESS/ECONOMY Despite CBN’s Swift Response to Covid-19, FG Delays Fiscal Stimulus local manufacturing & boost import substitution as well as ensure that laboratories, researchers, and innovators work with global scientists to patent and produce vaccines.

The CBN also quietly devalued the naira by adjusting its FX intervention rates at the I&E (-5.6%% to c.N380/$) and BDC (-5.0% to c.N378/$) markets, amongst others, in response to Nigeria’s weakening external position and buffers. At the official window, the naira was also repriced lower to c.N360/$ from N307/$, resulting in a narrower spread between the official rate and the rates in other FX market strata. Elsewhere, the apex bank revealed plans to activate the N1.5 trillion Infraco project and redirect oil & gas dollar sales to itself instead of the NNPC. The former is expected to boost infrastructure while the latter is aimed at ensuring continued funding for petroleum imports and supporting the new policy on fuel price modulation.

It also comes against global monetary and fiscal responses to the debilitating effect of the COVID 19 attacks across the world. In the United States, the congress last week approved a $2trillion stimulus package, the largest economic stimulus in US history, in response to the economic impacts of Covid-19. While corporations will be the biggest recipients of the bailout, some of that money will be paid directly to Americans hit by the pandemic. Most taxpayers will get a check in the mail, while those directly impacted by the economic effects of Covid-19 are slated to receive robust government support.

In the United Kingdom, a gigantic stimulus package was launched to stabilise Britain’s virus-hit economy on Friday, including the government paying the wages of workers throughout the country.

British Finance Minister, Rishi Sunak said that to help businesses pay people and keep them in work, the next quarter of VAT payments will be deterred, which “means no business will pay any VAT from now until the end of June and you’ll have until the end of the financial year to repay those bills.�

India’s finance ministry announced a 1.7 trillion ($22 billion) economic stimulus package that will include delivering grains and lentil rations for three months to 800 million people, some 60% of the world’s second-most populous country.

No doubt, the multi-billion naira multi-targeted credit facilities as policy responses will likely provide a calming effect on the economy.

As noted by analysts at Cardinal Stone, “the measure could help manufacturers cover important obligations and keep plants running to meet domestic demand without inordinately raising prices to account for the rising cost of raw materials. The measures to support pharmaceutical and healthcare companies are also positive, given the shutdown of countries across the globe, ongoing spread of the COVID-19 virus in Nigeria, and sustained panic buying of pharmaceutical products domestically.�

However, the terms of participation would likely crowd out the most affected economic demographics from accessing these credits. The interest rate of 5% per annum for interested participants in the N50 billion scheme remains very high for households who are eligible to access a maximum of three million naira as well as for SMEs who will be allowed a maximum of twenty-five million naira credit.

For the loan tenor, the CBN posits

EmeďŹ ele

that “working capital shall be for a maximum period of one year, with no option for rollover. Term loan shall have a maximum tenor of not more than 3 years with, at least, one-year moratorium.�

In addition, before beneficiaries can access the facility, the guidelines requires that a collateral be pledged by beneficiaries under the programme which shall be “acceptable by NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (MFB), but may include any one or more of the following: Moveable asset(s) duly registered on the National Collateral Registry (NCR); Simple deposit of title documents, in perfectible state, Deed of Debenture (for stocks), in perfectible state; Irrevocable domiciliation of proceeds; Two (2) acceptable Guarantor; Personal Guarantee of the promoter of the business; Life Insurance of the Key-Man, with NIRSAL Microfinance bank (NMFB) noted as the First Loss Payee and Comprehensive Insurance over the asset.

For households and SMEs, the guidelines stated that eligible households or MSMEs will have to submit applications directly to NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB). The application the guidelines said must, among others, “contain BVN number, business registration (where applicable) and business plan with clear evidence of the opportunity or adverse impact as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.�

While the monetary intervention from the Central Bank is welcome, there is need for the government to do more. The unprecedented orders from the federal and many state governments keeping nearly 200 million Nigerians at home for all but critical expeditions to places like markets and pharmacies risk

heaping further hardships on the people. Blue collar workers including Carpenters, Masons, Plumbers, Mechanics as well as itinerant produce peddlers, day laborers and other informal workers form the backbone of the Nigerian economy, comprising a major component of all employment, according to official data. Many buy food with the money they make each day and have no savings to fall back on.

Their main concern is food and not the virus. Untold numbers are now out of work and many families have been left struggling to eat.

The House of Representatives on Thursday, passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill, 2020, which, among other things, aims at providing temporary relief to companies and individuals from the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill seeks to provide temporary relief to companies and individuals, and to alleviate the adverse financial consequences of a slowdown in economic activities brought on by the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease in Nigeria. It will also protect the employment of Nigerians who might otherwise become unemployed as a consequence of management decision to retrench personnel in response to the prevailing economic reality. It will also provide for a moratorium on mortgage obligations for individuals at a time of widespread economic uncertainty and “cater to the general financial wellbeing of Nigerians pending the eradication of this pandemic and a return to economic stability.�

The Senate is yet to however pass the measure having gone on recess to resume in two weeks. This means that Nigerians badly affected by the COVID -9 crisis will have to

wait for the Senators to return from their holiday in order to make critical economic gains from the buffeting corona pandemic.

Managing Partner of Sahel Consulting, Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, in a recent write-up, in response to the growing coronavirus, warned that while it is planting season in most parts of the continent, “farmers are being asked to sit at home, the movement of seasonal workers is restricted, research institutes that provide seeds, fertiliser blending companies and agro dealers, processors and markets are all being shut down. Our regional and national borders are closed, and trading is being restricted.

These realities, if prolonged and not urgently addressed, will lead to short term consequences of food shortages, price hikes, and medium to long term consequences of under-nutrition, mass starvation and eventually death, especially among our most vulnerable populations.�

Nwuneli further cautioned that “beyond guidance and protocols, our governments must urgently partner with the financial services sector to develop comprehensive loan packages for farmers, and entrepreneurs who are committed to working during the crises and can demonstrate their capacity to fill critical gaps in the food ecosystem.�

There is therefore an urgent need for the government to go beyond the monetary interventions by the CBN and fashion a fiscal stimulus package to blunt the effects of the lockdown on the poor, an economic demographic that has been geometrically expanding since 2015 as a result of millions of job losses that have characterised the Buhari administration.

21

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Falling Oil Prices, Bigger 7KUHDW WR 1LJHULD¡V ,Qà DWLRQ Nigeria’s headline inflation sustained its upward trajectory for the sixth consecutive month, with the February CPI hitting 12.20 per cent year on year (y/y) from 12.13 per cent in January. It was the fastest pace of consumer price growth witnessed since April 2018. Experts, however, said the rising inflationary trend could be sustained as continued drop in oil prices, which threatens the ability of the central bank to keep defending the naira might worsen the situation. Bamidele Famoofo reports

E

xperts have warned that headline inflation in Nigeria in the months ahead might be bigger than what was recorded in February, when the figure rose by 7 basis points (7bps), to 12.20 percent.

The threat which the falling crude oil prices and other commodities pose on the value of the Naira, would be the reason why inflation will skyrocket as CBN may not be able to continue to defend its value in the days ahead, researchers at Cordros Capital argued. “For the next few months, the recent precipitous decline in crude oil prices, which now questions the CBN’s ability to keep the naira range-bound, poses a fresh upside risk to both the core and food baskets, and by extension, the headline inflation�, Cordros stated.

Though experts said they would expect the apex bank to defend the naira at all cost, they are uncertain if that will be possible in the present economic situation orchestrated by the raving Covid-19 pandemic which has badly hit prices of commodities especially oil in the world market. “We expect the CBN to explore all available options, including ‘gun-boat’ tactics, to defend the currency. However, we believe that the lack of substantial fiscal buffers and foreign investors continued aversion towards naira assets, will eventually force the CBN to re-price the currency should oil price sustain its downward spiral�, a report published by the firm disclosed.

The report stated further that: “Assuming, the border remains shut through 2020 and the proposed electricity price hike is implemented in April; we expect inflation to hit 15.89per cent in December, and average 13.21per cent over 2020FY. However, currency devaluation is now the key upside risk to our forecast. On our estimates, 10per cent devaluation will move the naira closer to its fair value.�

But the CBN’s monthly Business Expectations Survey (BES) does not agree with the position of Cordros as it said surveyed firms expect the average inflation rate in the next six months and the next twelve months to stand at 11.66 and 11.75 percent, respectively.

Border Closure Impact Wanes According to Cordros Capital, the impact of border closure on inflation has diminished significantly as the first slower pace of price growth was witnessed in February, seven months after the closure of land borders in Africa’s biggest economy. “Though in line with our expectations, the magnitude of the price increase was somewhat slower than our initial thoughts. Pointedly, the headline month-on-month number moderated by 8bps, the first slower pace of price growth witnessed since the announcement of the closure of the land border in August 2019. The key takeaway for us is that the initial reaction from border closure-induced price hikes appears to have dissipated. To underscore the preceding, the headline month-on-month print of 0.79per cent was 41bps below the five-year historical average for the month of February, supporting the view that the impact of tighter market supply, occasioned by the border closure, has thinned out.�

Review Food inflation notched higher to 14.90per cent in the review period, owing to an unfa-

A pepper market

vourable base from the prior year. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the highest increases were recorded in the prices of bread and cereals, fish, meat, vegetables, and oils and fats. Compared with the situation in the previous month, food inflation moderated by 12bps to 0.87 percent month on month in February.

Elsewhere, core inflation rose by 9bps to 9.43 percent y/y. The pressure was most significant in the prices of Pharmaceutical products, Non-durable household goods, Catering services, Passenger transport by air, and Repair of furniture. On a month-onmonth basis, the core basket moderated by 9bps to 0.73 percent.

The urban inflation rate increased by 12.85 percent (year-on-year) in February 2020 from 12.78 per cent recorded in January 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 11.61 per cent in February 2020 from 11.54 percent in January 2020. On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 0.82 percent in February 2020, up by 0.10 from 0.92 percent recorded in January 2020, while the rural index also rose by 0.76 percent in February 2020, down by 0.07 from the rate recorded in January 2020 (0.83) percent. The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 12.03 percent in February 2020. This is higher than 11.92 percent reported in January 2020, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in February 2020 is 11.09 percent compared to 11.04 percent recorded in January 2020. The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending February 2020 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve

months period was 11.54 percent, showing 0.08 percent point from 11.46 percent recorded in January 2020.

Food Index The composite food index rose by 14.90 percent in February 2020 compared to 14.85 percent in January 2020. The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending February 2020 over the previous twelve-month average was 13.98 percent, 0.12 percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in January 2020 (13.86) percent. This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread and Cereals, Fish, Meat, Vegetables, and Oils and fats. On month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 0.87 percent in February 2020, down by 0.12 percent points from 0.99 percent recorded in January 2020.

All Items Less Farm Produce The highest increases were recorded in prices of Pharmaceutical products, Non-durable household goods, Catering services, Passenger transport by air, Repair of furniture, Maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment, Water supply, carpet and other floor coverings, Major household appliances, Dental services, Hospital services and Vehicle spare parts.

The ‘’All items less farm produce’’ or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce stood at 9.43 percent in February 2020, up by 0.08 percent when compared with 9.35 percent recorded in January 2020. On month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 0.73 percent in

February 2020. This was down by 0.09 percent when compared with 0.82 percent recorded in January 2020. The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 9.09 percent for the twelve-month period ending February 2020; this is 0.02 percent points lower than 9.11 percent recorded in January 2020.

Ination by States In February 2020, all items inflation on year-on-year basis was highest in Bauchi (14.47per cent), Niger (14.06per cent) and Plateau (13.98per cent), while Borno (10.46per cent), Abuja (9.68per cent) and Kwara (9.59per cent) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation. On month on month basis however, February 2020 all items inflation was highest in Kano (1.59per cent), Benue (1.55per cent) and Taraba (1.53per cent), while Ondo, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Bauchi, Anambra all recorded price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level or negative inflation rate).

Food Inflation on month-on-month basis however, February 2020 food inflation was highest in Benue (2.38per cent), Osun (2.36per cent) and Rivers (1.77per cent), while Abuja, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Ogun and Ondo all recorded price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate). In February 2020, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Sokoto (17.12per cent), Plateau (16.99per cent) and Gombe (16.96per cent), while Nasarawa (13.50per cent), Bauchi /Katsina (13.04per cent) and Bayelsa (11.89per cent) recorded the slowest rise.

22

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/FOCUS

Potential Impact Of Covid-19 On Africa’s Agricultural Landscape Joshua Uzu

U

ntil 14 February 2020, when the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Africa, the world wondered how Africa seemed to be spared from the global viral outbreak. That has since changed with the virus now in over 46 African countries and the World Health Organization advising Africa to prepare for the worst. As African nations scramble to curtail the spread of this virus and limit its negative impact on their economy, special efforts must be made towards ameliorating the potential impact of COVID-19 on the continent’s agricultural landscape.

The 2014/2015 Ebola outbreak demonstrated the devastating impact a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease can have on the agricultural landscape in Africa. According to a 2016 Reuters article on the impact of the Ebola epidemic, “many farmers in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia were unable to grow or sell their crops because of measures to contain the virus, including travel restrictions, border closures and quarantines, as well as fear of infection. Rice, cassava, and other crops went unharvested. Food production in Sierra Leone’s breadbasket and epicentre of the epidemic stalled, and weekly markets ceased trading because there was nothing to sell, according to the World Bank.�

While the estimated fatality rate of COVID-19 is much lower than Ebola’s, the coronavirus infection seems to spread much faster than Ebola. Hence a much larger proportion of the population is at risk of being infected, with repercussions ranging from a few weeks of illness to death. Even in the best-case scenario of having no additional deaths, the preventive measures being proposed for the containment of the COVID-19 spread such as self-isolation and quarantizations has the potential to adversely affect food production.

This is because many African nations just commenced the planting season of their major crops and if farmers abandon their farmlands indiscriminately, in line with the general selfisolation calls, agricultural production will be adversely affected. The repercussion of such abandonment will be felt towards the end of the year when current food supplies must have been largely depleted without adequate replacement from new harvests, leading to food shortages, price hikes and starvation among vulnerable members of society.

On the other hand, even if farmers are permitted to engage in production, it will still be very challenging for farms to source adequate agricultural labour as these would be affected by the lockdowns and thus unavailable to render required input. Unfortunately, current mechanisation levels on farms across Africa is low, with farmers having to depend on manual agricultural labour to meet crucial productivity targets. For instance, while the number of tractors per square kilometres in India and Brazil are 128 and 116 respectively, Rwanda and Nigeria boast only 1.3 and 2.7 tractors per square kilometres. Thus, any scarcity of agricultural labour in most African countries is likely to result in an overall dip in farm productivity which will lead to food shortages and attendant food price hikes. The effect of the food price hikes may be further exacerbated by the decline in consumers’ purchasing power due the projected COVID-19 Pandemic-induced global recession, resulting in widespread hunger and starvation across the continent.

Typically, the effect of low production volumes is supposed to be cushioned by preserved food in storage facilities, which will be released to markets in periods of low production, preventing food shortages. However, in many African countries, the storage

A farmer

facilities are either not enough or in many cases defunct/outdated. Hence, the food products stored in these reserves are inadequate to meet the projected food deficits.

Beyond the threat to food production in Africa, the spread of coronavirus may also negatively impact international agricultural trade. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many nations have closed their borders and reduced the quantity of their imports, including agricultural products.

This could have grave implications for the agricultural sectors of nations that are very export oriented. For instance, according to the Agricultural Business Center, South Africa could suffer $2.5 billion export losses as a result of the coronavirus dampening demand from Asian countries. This projected decline in demand for agricultural produce from Asian countries across Africa, could lead to food waste, reduce farmers’ income, lead to job losses and could limit countries’ ability to generate foreign revenue, which would have an overall negative impact on the African economy.

In combatting against the food production and international agricultural trade threats highlighted above, African nations must take both short and long-term approaches. r 'PPE 1SPEVDUJPO 5ISFBU *O UIF TIPSU term, African governments should designate agriculture as an essential service and provide safety guidelines for stakeholders in the agricultural sector involved in on-farm production, processing, and logistics to operate amidst the lockdown of the general population. This will all but guarantee a steady supply of food across the region and prevent future food shortages, whilst reducing the risk of the potential spread of

COVID-19 in the continent. Countries like the United States, Australia, Denmark and New Zealand have deemed their entire food supply chain as an essential service, which is exempted from the current lockdowns, whilst adhering to strict protocols to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. In addition, the approved agencies in charge of price regulations should provide oversight and ensure that private individuals and organisations do not take advantage of the pandemic to engage in indiscriminate price hikes and exploitation.

Also, grains and stored products in the silos of African nations should be quantified and strategically released to markets according to need at regulated prices. Both private and government-owned facilities must cooperate to make this possible.

In the long term however, African governments should provide subsidies to smallholder farmers for the rental of mechanized equipment to help them cope with fluctuations in agricultural labour, save time and massively boost productivity. Also, large commercial farms should invest more in precision agriculture technologies such as agricultural drones that can reduce costs linked to agricultural labour and inputs. Farmers cooperatives across the continent should also enter into longterm partnerships with private companies that provide agricultural drones and other cutting-edge technologies and innovation in the agricultural space to boost their productivity and reduce cost. In addition, African nations should invest in the modernisation of defunct and under-performing silos as well as establishment of new ones in strategic regions to provide food buffers in times of scarcity. Finally, national stored food products research institutes should be well funded to

enable researchers to come up with novel ways of storing key food products of each country, which can be implemented by the available facilities. r*OUFSOBUJPOBM 5SBEF 5ISFBU 5P HVBSE against the potential loss of revenue from international trade of agricultural products, African nations should adopt the recommendations of a 2016 study by the Food and Agriculture (FAO) on the Ebola viral outbreak in West Africa, which highlighted the need for countries that close their borders for health reasons to consider the option of maintaining cross-border trade corridors in order to maintain agricultural trade flows.

Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African nations that have ratified the agreement can explore the markets of other member nations to replace agricultural markets that they have lost due to the viral outbreak.

In conclusion, the drive for continental food security will be useless without a wellfunctioning agriculture value chain that will guarantee the flow of agricultural products from the farm to the final consumer. Left unchecked, the COVID-19 outbreak could have devastating impacts across the entire agriculture value chain in Africa, undermining the food security target in the continent.

African leaders and relevant stakeholders need to give serious thought on appropriate measures that must be put into place to ensure that the recent gains in the food security drive on the continent are not eroded by this deadly pandemic and the time for action is now.

Joshua Uzu, Consultant at Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited info@nourishingafrica.com.

23

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/ PROPERTY & REAL ESTATE/PERSPECTIVE

Forum Provides Certainty for Investors in Uncertain Market Conditions

F

ineandCountryWestAfrica’s annual Refined Investor Series, has provided smart investors the compass for strategic opportunities in Nigeria’s real estate market.

The Refined Investor Series held recently in Lagos with the theme: FOCUS 2020: The State of the Nigerian Real Estate Market. The Refined Investor Series, reputed for high level conversations also well attended by astute business leaders and investors- this year was different as Fine & Country West Africa collaborated with PwC and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie as knowledge partners to execute what has beendescribedasoneofthemostanticipated & insightful Real Estate events for the upper quartile market in Nigeria.

This year’s edition took a multi-dimensional approach to point smart investors to strategic opportunities in the market cycle as well as guide them through efficient visioning, planning, and management of their real estate investments. Fine and Country West Africa led conversations addressing the current state of the real estate market, regulatory updates, challenges, opportunities, new growth areas and the focus for the year 2020 with a vast contribution from our multi-sector speakers from the marketing, legal, taxation, and financial perspectives.

The State of the Nigerian Real Estate Market report was unveiled at the Refined Investor Series, in what many investors and business leaders described as a carefully curated Report by Fine and Country West Africa with contribution from PwC and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie. The report captures economic data for the sole purpose of reviewing the performance of market forces in the industry and to act as a guide to astute investors.

The first panel session was made up of multi sector professionals like Dr.Andrew S. Nevin PhD (Partner - WestAfrica Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist, PwC), MrsLoladeOsosami(Partner,UdoUdoma& Belo-Osagie), Mr. Olawale Opayinka (CEO, Eko Development) and was moderated by Mrs Udo Okonjo (CEO/Chairperson, Fine and Country West Africa).

The objective of this intricate mix of panelists was to critically evaluate the current state of the Nigerian real estate market

A cross section of speakers at the ReďŹ ned Investor Series 2020

& extract lessons around financial risks, the changes in taxation policies, the objectives of the investor in a changing market, the role of government and policy making in land and urban regulations, the need for innovation in the real estate sector.

The CEO/Chairperson of Fine & Country West Africa noted in her keynote speech on inspiring investor confidence, that market comes in circles and for each circle there is a right strategy to adopt. It is only when one continues to implement the same strategy and expect different outcomes that we create stagnation. She further stated the objective of this year’s Refined Investor Series 2020 was to lay the roadmap to develop a strategic framework to enable investors and professionals create

new strategies, fill in the gap and address the areas that have not worked.

One on our knowledge partner for the Refined Investor Series, PriceWaterCoopers presented a keynote address by Dr. Andrew S. Nevin PhD (Partner - West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist, PwC) who gave an insightful presentation on some ways to unlock the diaspora market. He said in his speech that Nigerians needs to invest in Nigeria to grow the economy and to inspire confidence in foreigners. International investors will not invest in Nigeria unless Nigerians start investing in Nigeria.

The 2nd panel discussion featured top experts such as Linda Tobi-Isiekwena, Partner, Molan Solicitors, Obi Nwogugu, Principal Partner,

Africa CapitalAlliance, PeterAleogena, Managing Partner, Prestige Capital Limited and was moderated Esiri Agbeyi, Partner, PwC. The panel explored a deep dive into structuring real estate deals and the intricacies for ensuring optimal returns for every real estate project. With a thorough market evaluation and scenarios, the panelists shared tips and key points an investor to pay attention to, in order to achieve optimal returns on investment.

The panel discussions were also enlivened and enriched diverse contributions and perspectives from a wide-mix of our audience of top real estate experts, industry leaders and professionals.

Look out date for the annual Refined Investor Series 2021.

How to Mitigate Coronavirus Economic Doom Prediction, A Guide to Business Temiloluwa Sobowale

I

t is no news that the Coronavirus pandemic is making the world economy go through one of the most challenging times in History and many industries have been affected with many more to be affected as predicted by economists and global experts.

Fear has become the currency of the day, that shouldn’t be your approach to this predictions.

We have seen various visualisation on the situation(explanatoryanalytics)andthenmoved to predictive analytics(telling us what might happen in the future with what is happening now),but the impact of the prediction on your business will still be dependent on the decision you make or not make now on your business (Causal analytics),so while the predictions are out there, fear will cloud your decision making capabilities and you can make poor judgments, which will lead to crises for your organization(the crises will be based on your decision not the predictions),so Fear is not a currency to spend now.

PLAN! PLAN!! PLAN!!!

Here are a few tips on what you can do now to reduce the impact on your business Break your plan into 3, Best case (if current situation remains the same as you projected for the year) Expected case (If prediction happens how do you survive) Worse case (if things got worse than predicted),with this in mind you can scale your business down appropriately to fit current realities with this suggestions below

1)Let-go of Negative customers, Yes we all customers but not all of them are positive i.e the cost to serve them is higher than the revenue from them. You will say but I hope that in the future I can increase pocket share from them and they become profitable. NO! they can only be profitable if you are still in business in a few years, so make hard decision to let them go, and stop dragging down margins you are earning from other profitable customers.

Before you make a decision to let-go, you need to do proper analytics to determine profitability of each customer, truth is some customers bring in a lot of money (revenue) but are difficult to satisfy (cost to serve), but some spend less but they never call or disturb you, don’t look at revenues per customer, look at margin per customer, then do profiling for the customers using various variables so that you can easily identify customers like that across your business and let them go. Letting go might mean reducing cost to serve, you can confine them to customer service level 1 meaning they only get only email responses(instead of level 3 they are on before, where they call contact center free, have dedicated account managers, and also have email access).

2)Look at your PRODUCTS, What is your return per product?, and don’t get emotional about this, that you spend so much time developing and marketing a product ,does not mean the customers will use it and it will become profitable, so look critically at products that are delivering your margins, and focus on them moving money to grow their share of market in your industry, increasing your margin per product and reducing your loss per product, use deep analytics to identify

profitable products that customers are willing to pay for. In looking at products, look at attributes that customers really care about and build them into your product, you need some level of analytics to bring precision into what attributes to remove(wasting money and low use rate)and what attributes to scale(doing well and can be done bigger).This is no time for much futuristic plan, you need to survive this time before you can even have a future, but be sure you are removing the non-essential, time and money wasting attributes from your product portfolio.

3)LookatYourHUMANRESOURCES,using HR analytics to know who is delivering returns to your business and who is not (regardless of level), focus your retaining people with the greatest returns.

You can decide to pay higher per KPI delivery instead paying per hour, this will help tie activities to results and you will get a better optimized Human capacity use.

4) Look at your Industry, which of your products has the most opportunity to increase market share, then focus to drive this for increased market share and revenue. Remember if customers buying power goes down by 50per cent, industry spending is down 50per cent too, hence if you can increase your market share on a products by 50per cent, when industry is down 50per cent you will be down by just 25per cent, putting you in a better shape than the average competition in the market, this will put you at an advantage in the coming months.

5) Look at your marketing spending, don’t just cut it down, use analytics to pinpoint the most important channels that achieve your desired goals, then increase budget on those

channels (Since they deliver better results) while cutting down on others to reduce your spend in this time, your reduction should also be based on highest return per channel to lowest return per channel. Please don’t assume here, find out from research and analytics, which of this is more effective and then sort and cut.

Like I said before you need 3 strategies, here is an example based on the write up above 1) Keep my plan as is because prediction didn’t wasn’t as bad as projected (Best case) 2)Reduce Negative customers by 50per cent,non-performing products by 50per cent,un-utilised product value/attributes by 50per cent,non-performing Human resource by 50per cent, industry market share increment by 50per cent, marketing spending not delivering ROI, a 50per cent budget cut(Expected case) 3)Reduce Negative customers by 90per cent,non performing products by 80per cent,un-utilised product value/attributes by 90per cent,non performing human resource by 85per cent, industry market share increment by 85per cent, marketing Spending not delivering ROI,an 85per cent budget cut.

Do simulation exercises with your team on virtual work/working, plan for the worst but hope for the best.

Please plan for the predictions, panic and fear only deliver poor results ALWAYS!!

All the best in your planning. –––Sobowale, a Kellogg Alumni, is an executive scholar in Sales and Marketing, co-founder of www.brandmanager.ng and CEO of Intelligent Interactive Limited, a brand Marketing and digital analytics company in Nigeria.

24

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Marina Lagos

Covid-19: As CBN, Bankers’ Committee Rally Support for the Economy The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in alliance with the Bankers’ Committee made a bold move, recently, to ameliorate the imminent economic pains that the novel Covid-19 virus would unleash upon the teeming population of Africa’s largest economy. To achieve the goal, a sum of N3.5trillion was earmarked to help boost the local manufacturing sector, import substitution and support the healthcare sector in anticipation of a possible solution to the ravaging virus. Bamidele Famoofo reports Red Alert

T

he Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria last weekTuesday warned that the outbreak of the corona virus pandemic would lead to massive economic crisis capable of throwing many countries into recession.The committee said the Covid-19 pandemic would not only result in health crises,but also massive economic crises that would force even leading industrialised countries into recession. The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin EmeďŹ ele, announced the position of the committee at the end of its two-day meeting held at the apex bank’s headquarters in Abuja.

EmeďŹ elesaidtheMPCunderscoredtheCOVID-19 pandemic as a public health crisis which would continue to undermine any monetary or ďŹ scal stimulus unless appropriate measures were taken to trace,test, isolate and treat infected persons in order to curtail the spread.While calling for a signiďŹ cant reduction in migration across the country, the governor said the committee urged the federal government to take the necessary steps to safeguard the population through close monitoring and emergency measures toidentifyandcareforinfectedpersonsinthecountry.

He said the overall medium-term outlook for the global economy remained uncertain with increased deterioration in ďŹ nancial market conditions and weak global output growth.

A Proactive Move In line with global trends, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers’Committee agreed to back a N3.5 trillion (about $9.7billion) stimulus package for the Nigerian economy.

Last week,the Senate of the United States agreed upon bailing out the world’s biggest economy with a whopping $2trillion.The World Bank in conjunction with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) also has announced its plan to help weak economies of the world with $14billion while the United Nations is advocating a release of $2billion for the same purpose.

AccordingtoacommuniquÊissuedbytheBankers’ Committee after a meeting it held recently inAbuja, the association of top chief executives of banks said it has given its full support to the policy measures of the apex bank,noting that over N3.5trillion would be made available in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 on Nigeria.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,Godwin EmeďŹ ele,speciďŹ cally stated it would support critical sectors of the economy with N1.1 trillion intervention funds.

EmeďŹ ele said about N1trillion would be used to support the local manufacturing sector as well as boost import substitution. The CBN boss who is known to be an advocate of development ďŹ nance, noted that a sum of N100 billion would be deployed to support the local health sector in order to ensure laboratories, researchers and innovators work with global scientists to patent and produce vaccines and test kits in Nigeria.

The CBN’s N1.1trillion intervention fund which will be distributed through commercial banks (in Naira and foreign exchange) to pharmaceutical companies in the country to enable them to procure raw materials and equipment to boost local drug production in Nigeria.

On the other hand, the balance N2.4 trillion which sources close to the deal said might have

to come from commercial banks is expected to be injected into the economy in the form of loans to small businesses and the manufacturing sector.

Likely BeneďŹ ciaries Some of the pharmaceutical companies listed by the CBN Governor are Fidson Healthcare Plc,May and Baker Plc, Neimeth International Plc, Unique Pharma,SwissPharma,DanaPharma,OrangeDrugs, Sagar, GSK, Emzor Pharmaceuticals. Mr EmeďŹ ele also mentioned that the list was not exhaustive as more companies could also beneďŹ t.

According to EmeďŹ ele“the Bankers’Committee took the decision to support the pharmaceutical companies given the fact that the present pandemic was of grave public health concern, coupled with the fact that many drug-manufacturing countries planned or had already banned the export of drugs and medical supplies from their respective countries, thereby leaving Nigeria no choice but to produce the drugs locally.â€?

Not for ProďŹ t Governor EmeďŹ ele disclosed that engagements will be held with correspondent banks,trade creditors, trading partners regarding existing letters of credit and trade commitments.The CBN Governor said that proďŹ t would not be the primary motive at this time“rather, preserving conďŹ dence, ďŹ nancial stability and support for the economy will be the overriding objectives.â€?

In line with his drive for supporting locally made goodsandservices,theCBNGovernorandtheBankers’Committee advised Nigerians and companies to prioritise their import needs and focus more on sourcing raw materials and input locally.

EmeďŹ elepointedoutthatinthecourseofthemeeting, the Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, called and speciďŹ cally requested that the CBN and the Bankers Committee pay particular attention to the health sector.

Ahmed assured of federal government’s intention from the ďŹ scal side,to provide waivers and incentives to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to come back again alive in Nigeria.

Legislative Backing In a record time, the House of Representatives has passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill, 2020, which, among other things, aims at providing temporary relief to companies and individuals from the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.The bill especially seeks to maintain the general ďŹ nancial wellbeing of Nigerians pending the eradication of the pandemic and return to economic stability. It was titled,‘A Bill for an Act to Provide for Relief on Corporate Tax Liability, Suspension of Import Duty on Selected Goods and Deferral of Residential Mortgage Obligations to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for ďŹ xed term to protect jobs and alleviate the ďŹ nancial burden on citizens in Response to the Economic Downturn Occasioned by the Outbreak of COVID–19 Disease.’The bill, at the plenary last week Tuesday, passed the ďŹ rst, second and third readings in just over one hour.

It was jointly sponsored by the leadership of the House, including the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Speaker,AhmedWase.The Senate, which is required to concur with the legislation before onward transmission to the president for assent, had, however, adjourned for two weeks before the House concluded work on it.

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

25

26

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

THE EXECUTIVE OBADIAH MAILAFIA Hope of Defeating Covid-19 Rests on Nigerians’ Resilience, Not Govt The outbreak of Covid-19 has visited untold strain on the global economy, including Nigeria’s. In this interview with Ndubuisi Francis, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, says he is not impressed with government’s response to the scourge, so far. According to him, his hope resides not in government, but in the resilience and indomitable courage and generosity of Nigerians.

The development economist laments that the nation’s failure to diversify the economy will continue to undermine its long-term development prospects in the coming decades

T

here has been a spike in ination rate.

What does this tell about the economy?

Yes, we would recall that in January, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced inflation had spiked to 12.12 percent, up from 11.98 per cent in December. Inflation, is of course, a signal that things are going off tangent. Inflation taxes the poor, discourages investments and dampens the prospects for real growth in the economy.

But there are other issues as well. As you know, poverty has also worsened in recent times. The World Bank estimates that in 2018, the number of poor in Nigeria stood at around 85 million. Today, the figure is more like 94 million. This is to say nearly 50 per cent of our population of 200 million are destitute poor as internationally defined. Growth has been painfully sluggish over the last couple of years, but I do not think the prophecy of another recession as feared by the CBN boss has not come to pass. Obviously, a few things have been done right. The IMF Article IV visitation team early this year listed some of those positive interventions as being: adoption of the Finance Bill 2019; the passing of the 2020 appropriation bill in December 2019, accompanied by a new determination to improve budget execution is a big plus; the tightening monetary aggregates in January 2020 through the MPC’s announcement of higher cash reserve requirements to respond to worsening inflationary pressures; and new initiatives to improve power sector performance and commitment to further improving the business climate and the ease of doing business. You would also recall that a new Economic Advisory Council has been put in place, headed by some of the best economists we have in the country. But none of us could have foreseen the perfect storm ushered in by the global coronavirus pandemic that began late last year in the Chinese industrial city of Wuhan. It has spread around the world like a scourge.

World oil prices have collapsed. A big hole has been opened in the 2020 budget by way of a worsening deficit. If truth be told, I am not impressed by government responses so far. The president has not addressed the nation to allay fears and anxiety among our mass publics. There is an alarming rate of despondency in the atmosphere of diminishing expectations. The naira has wobbled and has only recovered through yet another expensive intervention in the forex market by the central bank. This has led to further depletion of the external reserves. You can only do so much until rational actors see that you are only bluffing yourself. At this rate, we must brace ourselves for hard times.

Many analysts have blamed the fail-

MailaďŹ a

ure of the government to diversify the economy for the current hysteria over the impact of Coronavirus, especially with the drop in oil prices. What is your view?

I would say Yes and No. Yes, to the extent that our monocultural dependence on oil and our abject status as a rentier oil state in the international political economy keeps us in a very weak position whenever oil prices fall. Although oil makes up only 10 per cent of our total GDP, that 10 per cent

accounts for 50 per cent of total government revenues and a staggering 94 per cent of foreign earnings. Relying on a relatively small sector for half of our income and almost 100 per cent of all our foreign earnings, is a really dangerous position to be in. This means that when the oil market sneezes, we catch fever. Our failure to diversify the economy will continue to undermine our long-term development prospects in the coming decades. The ‘No’ aspect of my response centres on the fact

that failure to diversify is not the only variable at work here. China, Italy and the other advanced industrial nations are highly diversified economies. And yet the Covid-19 has impacted on them severely. Ability to cope with pandemics of this nature derives not only from the robustness of the economy but also from resilience of national health systems and the solidity of social capital that holds communities together in hard times. The news from Italy portrays a nightmarish scenario. A dear friend who happens to

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

27

Hope of Defeating Covid-19 Rests on Nigerians’ Resilience, Not Government be a highly successful businessman and investor, sent me a heart-breaking SOS from Milan yesterday. And it simply says: “What is happening here is frightening, agonising. Please, pray for us!� Italy has one of the best medical healthcare systems in the world. And yet, the pandemic has been most devastating there. We hear of 400 casualties every day. And it keeps spreading like a harmattan hurricane. If this can happen in an advanced industrial society like Italy, then God help us! I am still not impressed with the quality of our preparedness in Nigeria. My hope resides not in government but in the resilience and indomitable courage and generosity of our people. We defeated the evil winds of Ebola and we will defeat Coronavirus.

By God’s grace, we shall overcome!

The Group Managing Director of NNPC last week told Nigerians to brace up for real tough times in at least the next three months. Do you think the alarm is justiďŹ ed in the light of the impact of Coronavirus on the economy?

He who wears the shoes knows where it pinches. If the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, expresses such alarm, who are we not to cry wolf with him? The GMD was lamenting the fact that hundreds of oil tankers from our shores are wandering aimlessly in the Atlantic Ocean, with nowhere to go. Some of the biggest buyers in Europe and Asia are in a complete economic lockdown. Europe has closed its borders. When societies face life-and-death choices, business often has to take a back seat. This is the drama that is unfolding at present. In the past couple of weeks, the global price for Brent crude has gone as low as $27 per barrel, before rising to something like $30 per barrel. You would recall that the oil majors that dominate our oil sector have made us believe that the cost price is $27 per barrel. Anything below that would throw us completely out of kilter. The NNPC recently warned that hundreds of oil tankers from our shores are wandering aimlessly in the wide expanses of the Atlantic Ocean, with nowhere to go.

The lockdown in Asia and Europe is largely to blame. There is yet another geopolitical spoiler – Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have boasted that they are prepared to bring down oil prices to $10 per barrel. That has less to do with the pandemic than with their desire to settle geopolitical scores with Iran and the Russians whom they believe are allegedly encroaching on their traditional markets. If this continues, we may well be heading to a nightmare scenario. As you know, the naira has taken some hard knocks. The other week, it went to as low as N400 to the dollar. It is currently hovering at more than N364 to the dollar. There is a glimmer of hope, however. We are told that the emergency hospitals that were built up in the thousands by the Chinese are being shut down one after the other.

The rate of new cases is going down. This might turn out to be China and Xi Jinping’s finest hour. The Chinese have won one of the worst wars that were ever inflicted on them. And I believe they will come out the stronger. In the case of Nigeria, even as we speak, our president has not deemed it fit to address the nation and to allay fears. We hear rumours that the cases being reported are well below the actual reality of things. And I am not persuaded that we are adequately prepared. We need to do more work and get more facilities in place while conscientising our people.

Many analysts have expressed apprehension that the Nigerian economy might slip into another recession, if the current global emergency and oil price drop continue. Do you align with this school of thought?

A recession, in our present circumstances, is not inevitable. But it can happen if we allow panic, fear and folly to take over.

Medical science shows that many people afflicted with terminal illnesses die more from fear than from the actual affliction.

The same is true of the economy. Worsening oil prices and a falling exchange rate will create a further fiscal crisis. Imports will become more expensive and inflation pressures will rise, even as the productive sector continues to wobble. Unemployment and poverty will worsen. Our external

MailaďŹ a

reserves currently stand at $36.4 billion.

Governor Emefiele himself had announced a threshold of $30 billion at the level at which some form of devaluation might be unavoidable. At the rate we are going, we are careening dangerously close to the edges. As you know, the naira has taken some hard knocks. The other week, it went to as low as N400 to the dollar. It is currently hovering at around N380 today.

Other macroeconomic fundamentals are looking weak. But a recession will not happen if we steer the economy with boldness and courage. Economics is the science of alternatives. As revenues dwindle, we must of necessity reorganise our priorities. My biggest worry is that consumption has been the dominant paradigm in our public expenditure system instead of capital projects and long-term investments. We must therefore re-prioritise in the context of increasing scarcity. Secondly, at a time of anxiety and mass panic, government must preach calmness. Behavioural economics theory shows that panic, fear and emotions can be more destructive than generally realised. So, it is vital for the authorities to come out and reassure the public. Sadly, the president we have has seemingly self-isolated himself as it were.

He is not coming out to address the public and to allay their fears. I also expect an announcement of a big intervention fund to make quick injections into the economy in order to cushion some of the deleterious effects of the fallouts from the global pandemic. President Trump in the United States announced a figure of $2 trillion as an intervention fund. He has also signed an executive order placing a moratorium on mortgage and other debt payments.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain announced an amount of ÂŁ350 billion. The FGN has announced nothing remotely close. All we heard is that the CBN is to provide a paltry N1.5 billion to support action towards tackling the coronavirus problem. Like I said earlier, the economic fallouts are staggering. Sometimes, it is not a disease that kills, but the fear that accompanies the disease. We need a major intervention fund to counteract the economic nightmare and the spectre of diminishing expectations that stalk our economic landscape.

The federal government has unveiled a cocktail of measures in response to the impact of novel Coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid-19, including cutting the 2020 budget by N1.5 trillion, 20 per cent cut in capital budget as well as the reduction of oil benchmark price from $57 per barrel to $30. What is your take?

I believe these to be realistic measures.

But it would have been good to know the sectors that are being affected by the budget cuts. There are notorious areas of consumption that I think must not be our priorities. On the other hand, social programmes that focus on the poor and vital infrastructure projects ought to be a priority.

The CBN also released six policy measures to battle the economic impact of Coronavirus. Do you think these measures are adequate and timely?

We welcome these new initiatives on the part of the CBN. First, the CBN’s intervention facilities have been granted a moratorium of one year on all principal repayments, with effect from March 2020.

Second, there is to be a reduction of interest rates on all applicable CBN intervention facilities to five per cent from nine per cent per annum, for one year effective from March 2020. Thirdly, the apex bank announced a N50 billion facility through the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) microfinance bank for households as well as Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that have been hit as a consequence of Coronavirus. Fourth, the CBN grants leave for commercial banks to consider temporary and time-limited restructuring of tenor and loan terms for businesses and households most affected by the pandemic.

Sixth, there is to be some credit facilities, although amount is unstated, to be granted to the health sector. And finally, the loan deposit ratio (LDR) of the banks will be refined to ensure great credit access for SMEs and households. In addition, the CBN also announced that it is now to operate a unified exchange rate. This is a welcome development. As far as I am concerned, the operation of multiple exchange rates was only a wilful form of profligacy that opens the doors to rent-seeking and corrupt behaviour. So, better late than never. I am just so sad that the level of iniquity involved in maintaining multiple rates has done untold damage already. All these measures, if fully implemented, will help to cushion the effects associated with the pandemic while restoring business confidence.

The Senate has approved a $22.7bn foreign loan at a time the DMO lamented that debt service is becoming difďŹ cult. How do we reconcile this?

I do not think the Senate should have approved these new loans. Before we incur further loans, we needed to have done a thorough evaluation and audit of all the loans we have taken in the past. And I have always said it, that no foreign loans should ever be incurred, unless they are for specified infrastructure projects with

a guaranteed return on investments. And we should ensure that we have robust expenditure frameworks that block all financial haemorrhages in the system.

Honestly, I am far from being impressed with what is going on at present. However, I think the government recently announced it was suspending those loan applications.

You may also need to know that the Igbo East have sued the federal government to warn that they will never be liable for any loan repayments in future. This is because Igbo land is not a beneficiary of any of the projects being planned. If I were in their shoes, I would take the same position.

There has been a steady decline in foreign reserves as well as a depletion of the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

With little or no buffer, is there a real cause for alarm with the current global economic emergency foisted by the Covid-19 pandemic?

As you know, our external reserves currently stand at $36.4 billion. Governor Emefiele himself had announced a threshold of $30 billion at the level at which some form of devaluation might be unavoidable. At the rate we are going, we are careening dangerously close to the edges. At the same time, our Excess Crude Account has something like a paltry US$70 in its kitty. During the Obasanjo years, we had something of the magnitude of US$18 billion in that account. Obviously, not only are there robber barons around; we have shown ourselves to be poor prudential managers of our public finances. But tackling a pandemic has less to do with the health of the macro-economy than with the resilience of national health systems and the solidarity networks that help communities survive perilous times. It calls for leadership and vision. I am not impressed with the leadership, but I have faith in our people.

Nigerians are a great and resilient people.

At the hour of maximum danger, we have proven to be a brave and resilient people.

I therefore urge us never to panic. What we have to fear is fear itself. We should conscientise our people to do what medical science tells us are absolute imperatives for survival: avoid crowded places; keep away from anyone coughing; abide by the strict rules of physical hygiene; wash your hands regularly; apply sanitisers every now and then; and have regular intakes of things like garlic, lemon and ginger with warm water. Our traditional neem tree, I am told, also works magic. It is the raw material from which chloroquine sulphate is made. Boiling it and drinking it helps, in addition to covering yourself with a cloth while inhaling it and getting its heat into your body can kill coronavirus. Great nation, good people!

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

28

4/&$7 $1%* S&P Global Downgrades Nigeria͛s Long term Issuers Ra ng to ͚B ͚ S&P Global Downgrades Nigeria͛s Long term Issuers Ra ng to ͚B ͚ In recent mes, we have highlighted the deteriora on of Nigeria͛s external balance.

The recent release of the full year external sta s cs gives us a full picture of the performance in 2019. The 4:2019 balance of payments sta s cs showed a deeper contrac on in the current account balance to 7.0bn or 5.4% of GD , the largest quarterly current account de cit on record.

There was a decline across all the components, save current transfers which remained resilient, up 10.7% o to 7.0bn, driven by higher remi ances from abroad. The goods account contracted 1.5bn during the quarter, the rst since 3:2016, driven by higher imports and a sustained modera on in exports as oil prices tapered during the quarter. The sharpest contrac on was recorded in the services account, which dipped 11.7% o to 9.3bn. Likewise, the income account remained under water at 3.2bn, contrac ng 3.4% o . On annual basis, the current account balance moderated to 17.0bn or 3.3% of GD from 1.3% in 2018. This was mainly driven by higher imports of capital goods and services amid a sustained decline in exports, masking the improvement in current transfers during the year. With Covid 19 and the oil price war between ussia and Saudi rabia depressing oil prices and a ec ng investorsÍ› sen ment towards naira assets, we expect

a further deteriora on in the balance of payments in 2020.

Following elevated external sector vulnerabili es, S& Global a ngs has lowered Nigeria͛s long term sovereign credit ra ng to ͚B ͚ from ͚B͛ with a stable outlook, but a rmed the B short term sovereign credit ra ngs on Nigeria. The downgrade re ects Nigeria͛s fragile external posi on, underpinned by plumme ng global oil prices. The implica on remains increased ou low of foreign capital, higher cost of external borrowings by the FG and an una rac ve investment climate.

COVID 19 Spillovers: Are the Proposed Economic S mulus Measures Enough Globally, countries are responding to the unprecedented economic challenges brought by Covid 19. In Nigeria, the CBN recently announced some s mulus measures to support the real sector given covid 19 spillovers. Some of the measures announced include the reduc on of interest rate to 5.0% from 9.0% and a one year moratorium on all CBN interven on facili es. The apex bank also created a 50.0bn targeted credit facility to support households and SMEs as well as a special credit support of 1.1tn for the manufacturing and the healthcare sectors respec vely. In addi on, the CBN announced a private sector coali on to support to the FG in procuring medical supplies to contain covid 19 pandemic. To further support the economy, the commercial banks have also been granted regulatory forbearance in the

restructuring of loans. s we noted in our ost M C release earlier this week, the s mulus measures adopted so far are marginal at less than 1.0% of GD and the impact on the economy would be limited.

On the scal side, an Emergency Economic S mulus Bill 2020 to support households and corporates passed three readings in one day at the ouse of epresenta ves, an impressive milestone. The Bill now awaits consent by the Na onal ssembly (N SS) and given the urgency at hand, we expect N SS to pass the Bill in record me despite being on recess. The Bill proposes temporary measures to cushion the e ects of covid 19 spillovers on Nigerians and businesses and is expected to terminate in December, 2020. Some of the provisions of the Bill include the suspension of import and stamp du es on essen al medical supplies required to ght the pandemic as well as a 50.0% rebate on corporate taxes and the imposi on of new moratorium on mortgage obliga ons.

In our view, the proposed s mulus measures are laudable. owever, we believe the impact of the s mulus measures would be limited.

The rebate on trade du es should support Nigeria͛s response to the spread of Covid 19 and the healthcare system. The discount on corporate taxes will also support businesses, but this leaves out the informal sector which accounts for around 60.0% of economic ac vies. The same applies to the moratorium on

mortgages given weak penetra on, especially at the bo om of the pyramid. We believe s mulus measures should be scaled up and targeted at states and the informal sector for signi cant impact. lthough the FG has a limited room to support the economy given weak revenues, high non discre onary obliga ons including debt and reduced investorsÍ› con dence, we believe concessionary loans from mul lateral organisa ons, foreign aid and the issuance of discounted bonds locally would provide comfort.

Global E ui es Market: Economic S mulus Boosts Market Performance The global economy and nancial markets con nue to reel from the unprecedented nega ve impacts of COVID 19 with early es mates of economic indicators sugges ng an imminent global recession. This week, the total number of ac ve cases rose to 462,684 from 209,839, with the number of deaths increasing to 20,834 from 8,778 across over 150 countries and territories. The S is now the epicenter of the virus as the number of cases has surpassed the count in China and Italy at 81,321 and is s ll rising fast. With the implementa on of social distancing measures in the S, the number of people that led jobless claim in March rose to 3.3 million, the highest on record. The outsized role of the S in the global economy, means that the uncertainty surrounding COVID 19 would con nue to bite hard. Global leaders con nue to respond to the crisis, with a 5.0tn s mulus announced to

# " 4/&$.'/3$- '1(01.$/%' '31+%2 (01 # /&'6 1+%' 1+%' 1'5+042 411'/3 *$/)' 411'/3 *$/)' 1+%'

!'+)*3+/) /&'6 30 1+%' # *$/)' $3'

+%,'1

#

+5+/&'/& $1/+/)2 #+'-& #+'-&

-+)4-% 20071-'%6-215

-46)/ *4-'%

7%4%16; 4756 %1.

:

:

$)1-6, %1.

:

:

)56/) -+)4-%

:

:

%1+26) )0)16

:

:

'')55 %1.

:

:

!1-6)( %1. *24 *4-'%

:

:

2/(-1+5 /'

:

:

:

:

:

:

-+)4-%1 4)9)4-)5 %*%4+) *4-'%

6

6

:

:

)642/)70 )8)/230)16

:

:

6%1&-' 2/(-1+5

:

:

/274 -//5 2* -+)4-%

:

:

16)41%6-21%/ 4)9)4-)5

'2&%1. 4%151%6-21%/ 1'

:

:

-()/-6; %1.

:

:

:

:

.207 -/ %/0

:

:

:

:

:

%1+26) 7+%4 )*-1)4;

!1-/)8)4 -+)4-%

:

7-11)55 -+)4-%

:

:

4273 /'

:

:

6)4/-1+ %1.

:

:

! 2* -+)4-%

:

:

7562(-%1 %1( //-)( 1574%1')

4%151%6-21%/ 243 2* -+)4-%

4)5'2 !1-21 %1. 2* -+)4-%

26%/ -+)4-%

%1(2 //-)( 1(7564-)5 7/-75 )4+)4 -+)4-%

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

)6% /%55

2624) ,)0-'%/ 1(7564-)5 6(

# %15%4( 1574%1')

216-1)16%/ )-1574%1')

4%15'243 26)/5 /'

:

")0% %1.

4(28%

:

:

:

:

:

: :

:

:

:

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

29

trailed on the back of sell o s in TOTAL ( level in I&E Window declined 72.0% to support the economy during the G 20 sum10.0%), CONOIL ( 9.9%) and MTNN ( 2.9%).

827.3m from 3.0bn recorded in the previmit that was held on March 26, 2020.

Similarly, the Industrial Goods index ( 0.5%) ous week. The decision to stop F sales to the

declined due to price deprecia on in WAPCO BDC segment would widen the premium beerformance across the developed markets ( 7.9%). On the other hand, price apprecia on tween parallel market and o cial spot rates. was posi ve across board. In the S marin WAPIC (+23.8%), NEM (+18.9%), STERLING kets, the S& 500 and N SD advanced (+13.5%) and ACCESS (+9.4%) pushed the Int the FMD Securi es Exchange (SE) F Fu10.7% and 10.2% w/w respec vely following surance (+3.3%) and Banking (+2.1%) indices tures Contract Market, the total value of open rounds of economic s mulus provided by northward. contracts of the Naira se led at 14.0bn, up the S government. Likewise, ong ong͛s

430.7m from 13.5bn in the prior week deang Seng and apan͛s Nikkei 225 indices Investor sen ment as measured by market spite the maturity of the M 2020 instrugained 3.0% and 17.1% w/w respec vely on breadth (advance/decline ra o) weakened to ment. The 2021 instrument (contract economic relief hopes while the ͛s FTSE 1.1x from 1.4x recorded the previous week as price: 386.46) received the most buying ll Share index advanced 5.7% w/w. Germa33 ckers gained against 30 that declined. interest in the week with addi onal subscripny͛s ET D and France͛s C C 40 indices ETRANZACT (+28.6%), WAPIC (+23.8%) and on of 49.3m which took total value to appreciated 7.8% and 6.8% w/w respec vely CUTIX (+20.7%) led the gainers while NIGERI835.4m. On the other hand, the M 2020 a er the ECB announced its plan to scrap AN BREWERIES ( 15.0%), AFRIPRUD ( 11.2%) instrument (contract price: 381.46) was the limits on bond purchases for its emergency and DANGSUGAR ( 10.0%) led the decliners. least subscribed, with an addi onal subscripprogram.

We believe that the market would con nue on on of 70.7m for a total value of 1.9bn.

a downtrend due to a weak and uncertain In the B ICS market, performance was bulleconomic environment.

Next week, we expect rates to trade within ish as 4 of 5 Indices under our coverage

the new speci ed band across di erent segtrended higher. Brazil͛s Ibovespa index led Foreign Exchange Market: Naira Falls amid ments. the gainers, up 11.5% w/w, while South Global Pandemic

frica͛s FTSE/ SE ll share index closely folLast Friday, the CBN released a circular Money Market: Gain Resurfaces in the Treaslowed with a 6.6% rise w/w. In ussia, the which indicates a gradual transi on to a uni- ury Bills Market TS index gained 3.9% w/w while China͛s form exchange rate. Following this, the ex- This week, the OBB and OVN rates opened Shanghai Composite advanced 1.0% w/w. change rate between IMTOs & banks, banks & the week higher at 6.00% and 6.93% respecLastly, India͛s BSE Sens was the only loser, CBN, CBN & BDCs and BDCs & end users were vely from last week͛s close of 4.80% and down 0.3% as investors reacted nega vely set at 376.00, 377.00, 378.00 and 5.30% as system liquidity reduced to to the shutdown of business ac vi es.

380.00 respec vely. Meanwhile, oil prices 387.6bn. On Thursday however, the OBB

con nue its downtrend as it se led at 27.59/ and OVN rates plunged to 2.70% and 3.30% in In the frican market, performance was bbl. while external reserves further moderated that order due to maturing instruments that bearish as 4 of 6 indices our coverage closed 0.1% to 35.7bn from 36.0bn last week. With brought system liquidity to 703.1bn. t the in the red. enya͛s NSE 20 and Nigeria͛s ll the pandemic a ec ng oil prices and investor close of the week, the OBB and OVN rate Share indices led decliners with losses of sen ment, the prospect for accre on in re- surged to 15.80% and 17.10% respec vely as 5.3% and 1.5% w/w respec vely. Similarly, serves remains weak.

Ghana͛s GSE Composite and Mauri us system liquidity fell to 529.0bn.

SEMDE indices slipped 0.8% and 4bps w/w

The CBN spot rate remained unchanged at Following the unsuccessful OMO auc on in in that order. On the other hand, Egypt͛s 361.00/ 1.00 from the prior week. t the the previous week, the Central Bank did not EG 30 and Morocco͛s Casablanca M SI parallel market, rates depreciated 30.00 w/w conduct its weekly programme to mop up indices rose 7.7% and 1.4% w/w respec veto se le at 410.00/ 1.00. t the Investors͛ Θ excess liquidity despite maturing instruments. ly.

ExportersÍ› (I&E) Window, the N FE rate

lso, investors͛ sen ment remained weak in opened at 380.55/ 1.00 and closed at the secondary OMO market due to concerns In sia and the Middle East, performance 381.50/ 1.00 on Friday, deprecia ng around COVID 19. was mixed albeit posi vely skewed as 3 of 5 9.50kobo w/w from 372.00/ 1.00. c vity Indices we cover advanced w/w. Thailand͛s SET and atar͛s DSM 20 indices led laggards, down 2.4% and 1.1% respec vely. Converse

ly, Turkey͛s BIST 100 and E͛s D General

indices appreciated 2.7% and 2.3% w/w

respec vely. Lastly, Saudi rabia͛s Tadawul

SI rose 0.9% w/w. In the coming week, we #

% #) % %) % %) # " $ # expect developments around the COVID 19

#

%) % %) ") # %

pandemic to shape the direc on of global

! # $) # ) " ) ! " !

nancial markets.

!

# " ) ) ) " # !

Domes c E ui es Market: The Bears Main"

!% ! ) ! ) #)

%

tain DominanceÍ™ ASI Sheds 1.5% w/w #

& " & ) " $)

) & #

& The domes c equi es market maintained its %& "& % &) " ) &) % $ # downtrend this week, despite recording $

gains on 3 of 5 days during the week. Conse- %

#

% ) ) % ) $

$ quently, the benchmark index fell 1.5% to & &% % % ) ) ) !

close at 21,861.78 points. s a result, TD #& # " ) #) ) return fell to 18.6% while investors lost 174.8bn as market capitalisa on declined to 11.4tn. c vity level waned as average

volume and value traded fell 48.3% and

54.2% respec vely to 290.2m units and

3.0bn. In terms of volume, ZENITH (283.7m

units), GUARANTY (199.6m units) and AC " "

" ) $ ) "# %) $

# CESS (121.5m units) led the chart while

! %" ) $ ) ! ") ! % $ GUARANTY ( 3.4bn), ZENITH ( 3.2bn) and

&

) " #) %) "

$ NESTLE ( 1.2bn) led by value.

! $#" %" ) ) !% )

erformance across sectors was bearish as " " " ) & ) " $) ! !

only 2 of the 6 indices under our coverage &# $ ) ) ) "

gained w/w. The Consumer Goods index ( # 8.1%) led the losersÍ› chart due to losses in $

" ! # & &) # &) % &) ! # "

NIGERIAN BREWERIES ( 15.0%), %

" #" & &) ) " ) &

DANGSUGAR ( 10.0%), NESTLE ( 10.0%). The & % " & ! & #) ! #) ! !) %

% Oil & Gas ( 2.2%) and F ICT ( 1.4%) indices

#

# %"

& ")

& ")

" )

#

In the secondary T bills market, average yield dived to 3.5% from the 4.3% last week. The one year instrument was the most demanded asset, resul ng in average yield decline to 4.5% (vs 5.6% in the previous week). Furthermore, the 91 day and 180 day bills fell to 2.2% and 3.9% from previous week͛s close of 2.9% and 4.5% respec vely. In the coming week, we expect high liquidity from maturing OMO instrument worth 293.7bn to keep rates low in the money market.

Bond Market: Bearish Sen ment Persists This week, the Debt Management O ce (DMO) held its monthly bond auc on o ering IL a total of 50.0bn across 3 tenors. The 2023 (O er: 15.0bn; Sale: 5.0bn @ 10.0%) instrument was reopened at a lower rate compared to February͛s auc on of 12.75%.

On the other hand, the IL 2029 and IL 2049 instruments were replaced with IL 2035 (O er: 15.0bn; Sale: 20.0bn @12.50%) and IL 2050 (O er: 20.0bn; Sale: 25.0bn @ 12.98%) ll instruments were oversubscribed as bid to cover ra o stood at 1.4x (5 year), 4.6x (15 year) and 4.6x (30 year).

In the secondary market, average yield rose 4bps w/w to 11.9% as sell pressures persisted. bearish sen ment was witnessed from Monday to Wednesday before the bond aucon, a er which the market posted gains on the following consecu ve trading days. cross tenors, the short term bonds recorded the most sell o s, up 15bps in yield w/w, trailed by the long and medium term bonds whose yield rose 8bps and 4bps respec vely.

t the SS Eurobond market, there was a bullish performance as average yields fell across all instrument s, save Senegal 2021, Senegal 2024 and Ghana 2023 instruments which rose 69bps, 45bps and 59bps respecvely. The ambian 2024 and 2022 instruments enjoyed the most buying interest, shedding 311bps and 310bps respec vely.

The Nigerian 2023 and 2025 instruments followed closely, trimming 239bps and 233bps respec vely.

For the frican Corporate Eurobonds under our coverage, the bearish trend con nued as average yield rose 44bps w/w. The SIB N E GOLD 2023 posted a bullish performance, falling 409bps w/w, trailed by NEE G ENE G 2022 declining 34bps. On the other hand, the B O T M N GEMENT 2022 and FI ST ND B N LTD 2028 led losers with yields rising 534bps and 153bps w/w respecvely. In the coming week, we expect ac vies within the bonds market to be shaped by developments surrounding COVID 19.

30

˜ ˞ MARCH 29, 2020

MARKET NEWS

FMDQ Commits to Making Nigerian Financial Market Competitive Goddy Egene

market credible and globally financial market transactions, competitive. as well as data and information FMDQ Group is Africa’s first services, across the debt The FMDQ Group has reiterated its unwavering vertically integrated financial capital, foreign exchange, commitment to work with market infrastructure (FMI) derivatives and equity markets, five wholly legislators and other capital group, strategically positioned through its market stakeholders to to provide seamless execution, owned subsidiaries.

Speaking during a visit of make the Nigerian financial clearing and settlement of A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. investment vehicle that allows both small and Investors with similar objectives buy units of the large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their that willl generate their desired return. investments. The assets are divided into shares that An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, GUIDE TO DATA: etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 26shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the Mar-2020, unless otherwise stated.

the Nigerian Senate Committee avenue for the committee on Capital Market and officials and FMDQ to collaboratively of the Securities and Exchange discuss further areas of mutual Commission (SEC) recently interest as well as associated in Lagos, the Group Chief initiatives towards building Operating Officer at FMDQ a resilient capital market in Group, Ms. Kaodi Ugoji, said Nigeria. the visit provided a conducive Speaking on initiatives to 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.

unlock Nigeria’s potential through the capital markets, Head of External Relations at FMDQ Group, Mrs. Adaze Uzor-Kalu, highlighted FMDQ’s role in championing the realisation of the Nigeria that we desire.

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 113.35 116.99 -22.63% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 6.50% Nigeria International Debt Fund 294.32 294.32 -5.81% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.86 8,686.00 514463.58% ACAP Income Funds 0.76 0.76 34.40% 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 7.07% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.46 2.51 -0.24% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED 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 N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 86.41 87.01 -10.07% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.12% 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 N/A N/A N/A 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 0.07 0.05 7.00% Paramount Equity Fund 9.65 10.04 -22.05% Women's Investment Fund 104.32 105.15 -5.56% 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 6.33% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 92.36 92.74 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 99.17 99.65 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.84% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.81 0.82 -12.27% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.31 1.31 -1.05% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 5.87% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 5.24% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,186.02 1,189.76 2.14% 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 1,294.68 1,296.32 0.28% FBN Balanced Fund 129.20 130.07 -12.00% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.19% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 111.78 112.61 -6.26% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 112.36 113.19 -6.23% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 101.31 102.48 -22.15% 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 7.32% Legacy Debt Fund 3.72 3.72 1.67% Legacy Equity Fund 0.94 0.95 -17.05% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.09 1.09 1.05% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,819.85 2,848.62 -5.48% Coral Income Fund 3,139.44 3,139.44 14.53% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 6.39% 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 5.26% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 114.98 115.72 5.79%

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 5.42% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.05 2.09 -6.33% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 10.87% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 136.48 136.85 -4.89% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.13 1.15 -3.12% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,128.36 1,128.36 2.70% 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 1.33 1.35 8.99% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.31 12.34 8.87% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.00% PACAM Equity Fund 0.91 0.91 PACAM EuroBond Fund 85.12 87.11 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 108.88 110.76 -11.16% 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 1.03 1.03 2.68% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 -5.29% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 1.60% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -13.48% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 1.85% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 -13.59% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.53% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -13.44% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 1.36% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 0.00% 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 1.07 1.09 -10.75% United Capital Bond Fund 1.77 1.77 2.21% United Capital Equity Fund 0.59 0.61 -16.28% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.22% United Capital Eurobond Fund 113.52 113.52 1.49% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.04 1.04 -4.85% 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 9.01 9.11 -12.36% Zenith Ethical Fund 10.78 10.87 -7.29% Zenith Income Fund 23.25 23.25 4.56% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.73%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

3.20 120.83 52.49

-66.85% 1.45% 0.85%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

7.17 74.53 56.31

7.27 76.10 57.35

-17.58% -19.41% -23.63%

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

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.69

17.60%

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.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

29.3.2020

PROF RALPH AKINFELEYE

INSIDE STORY OF A MAVERICK PROFESSOR ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

32

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

COVER

Nigeria’s Professor Who Could Have Been a Pilot Few professors rock like him. He champions Fourth Estate of the Realm.

He denounces Fourth Estate of the Wreck. He enraptures you in the knowledge of mass communication. In Nigeria, he is ubiquitously the go-to oracle of journalism. Though he’s not from time immemorial, his influence, aura, and brilliance make it feel like he’s been there forever.

Beyond the University of Lagos’ Department of Mass Communication, Prof.

Ralph Akinfeleye remains iconic: he links ‘the gown’ with ‘the town’. Plus, as an academic, his name is one of the sexiest in Nigeria. Funke Olaode explores the momentous moments in the life of this maverick Nigerian

H

e is iconic, brilliant, highly connected and influential. He is an erudite scholar, a distinguished professor, an accomplished media and communication expert. Prof.

Ralph Akinfeleye has been around for over four decades as a lecturer. He’s since retired but is far from being tired. Always fired up, he remains upwardly mobile with an extra ‘tyre’ to boot; age hasn’t slowed him down. He brought the African continent on the world map when in August 2019, he was elected as a council member of the World Journalism Education Congress; the first African to be so honoured.

Chances are if the name Akinfeleye sounds strange, you’re probably not interested in mass communication, a field he has recorded strings of successes. Akinfeleye distinguishes himself as a brilliant scholar with over 40 years in his field. His name is synonymous with the University of Lagos, Mass Communication Department where he was once the chair and head of department. He has equally made a mark supervising 10 doctoral students out of 13 produced so far in the department.

At over 70, Akinfeleye has become a reference point on how to distinguish oneself in his field.

Son of a cocoa buyer whose lineage has produced many bishops and reverends in Anglican Diocese.

Recounting his growing up, Akinfeleye said he was brought up by disciplined parents which shaped his life. “I am from the centre of the universe, the city that is naturally fortified with rocks and mountains and hills. Idanre in Ondo State. I grew up in Idanre and Lagos. My father was a farmer and a produce merchant. He also had a stint with CFAO back then. My mother was a businesswoman she is 90 something now and still very agile. It was a comfortable beginning for me but my father was a disciplinarian and man of God. You would be in trouble if you don’t go to church on Sunday. Sunday school was also compulsory. And you have to go for a choir practice. He was an Anglican by faith and today the family has produced many Reverends and Bishops. My cousin is the Lord Bishop of Lagos Diocese, Bishop Humphery Olumakanye. My father was very kind and loved his children. We must not stay outside till 7 o clock in the evening. I was a footballer and I have to return home by 6:30 pm.�

The erudite scholar began his primary education at St. George’s Anglican Primary School in Idanre in Ondo State. He would later proceed to Baptist Boys’ High School in Ekiti for his secondary education. Akinfeleye’s journey into academics was accidental. It was purely the work of providence.

His childhood dream was to be a pilot or an industrial engineer. His stellar performance at a competition organized by the American Embassy on Current Affairs altered his early dreams. In the end, he won a book titled “Exploring Journalism� which evoked his curiosity to explore. Akinfeleye explored and got stuck.

This was in the early 70s. Akinfeleye didn’t stop at admiring the book, he was addicted to information on the roles of journalists and what they can do. “The atmosphere changed from being either a pilot or industrial engineer to a journalist. I didn’t stop I started sending messages and always go to the American Embassy Library to read. I enrolled at the United States Information Service (USIS).�

He started exploring schools where he could read journalism and found out that the University of Missouri in Columbia was the First World War School of Journalism. It was the only school that offered a degree in Journalism in the whole world and was founded in 1908 by Walter Williams. He secured admission to the prestigious school. While at the University of Missouri, Akinfeleye was taught everything about journalism; radio, TV, and newspapers. “We had radio and TV stations and we had two newspapers. And when you finish they will give you journalist screed, it is like a code of conduct that tells journalists what to do and what they must not do in terms of objectivity. I graduated in 1978.�

His journey into academics began shortly after graduation when he secured employment at

57

MARCH 29, 2020 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

COVER

The Maverick Professor And His Mesmerizing Moments Lincoln University. Apart from lecturing at Lincoln University, he was a director of communication and oversaw the school’s KLU FM Radio Station. He also worked in Missourian Newspapers.

After graduation in 1978 in America, he decided to work in academics and journalism thereby mixing ‘the gown with the town’. And leaving the United States in 1978, having been interviewed in Washington DC by the External Affairs, The Ministry and University, just like a man who sees tomorrow, University salary was the least but pitched his tent with Unilag. Like a man on a mission, he redefined the school of communication.

Changed the system from nothing casting to narrow-casting and now digital casting having led his school to secure a $5 million grants. “ When I took the appointment, the university was the least in terms of salary but I was determined. I came back to Unilag as a lecturer having equipped himself up to doctorate before coming to serve my motherland. I came here with my PhD. The decision to study for my doctoral was influenced by a colleague who studied Business Administration and he came back to Nigeria after his first degree. He was calling me a professor.

“For me, I didn’t break. After my first degree, I went for a Master’s and PhD. That my friend encouraged me that having a BSc is an excellent, master’s degree a luxury and PhD Madness.

He said he would not go further. By the time I finished, I had a PhD. I was sponsoring myself and God helped me.

I was getting grants and scholarships opportunity from the US and Canada.

I was on the Dean’s List which gave me the opportunity to get grants and Tuition waiver. I was paying in-state and had to maintain a good GPA.” Today, his name is synonymous with the University of Lagos, Mass Communication where he has continued to make a mark. His journey at Unilag began in 1979/1980.

“I was interested in academic and the industry. When I came back here and saw what was on the ground, I promised to make a difference. The journalism schools didn’t have radio or Television and they were awarding degrees without having all the necessary learning aids. They were doing Nothing casting. I promised to lead the school to digital casting. I applied to the then Head of Department, the late Prof. Alfred Okpobo. In 2002, we were able to get license and we were the first campus to get radio license in Nigeria through then President Obasanjo. By 2017 through the help of God and the help of former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahaman Bello and current VC, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, they helped us and we got the first Campus Television licence.”

Speaking on the grants from the World Bank, Akinfeleye said, “When we applied for a grant with the World Bank, we competed with nine universities and polytechnics and went to Abuja to defend our proposals. At the end of the day, we got the grant $5 million. At that time it was N1 billion and that is why we were able to buy all the equipment for our radio and television station. When we got the Television license it was not difficult to go on air. For instance, we have OB Van, a teleprompter, a red camera, a special camera that can shoot underwater and 20 kilometers. Today, we have moved from nothing casting to narrow-casting now we have digital casting.”

Why did he come back despite the opportunity America has to offer?

“My professor, an American asked me why am I going back and I told him ‘you as an American if you had sought a greener pasture elsewhere, who would develop America. Tell me what America has not done; they have been to the moon, the sun to develop the country. So I am one of the people who believe there is no place like home.”

Then has he always been in academics?

“Yes,” the prof said. “When I finished my PhD and returned to Nigeria the following Tuesday. As said earlier, in

Prof Akinfeleye

those days, employers would travel down to Washington to interview us at the embassy. I had three offers; one at the External Affairs, one in the Ministries and The University, which was the least and I took it. When I got to Unilag I met some of the British trained professors with due respect some were good while some exhibited wickedness to the extent that a student with 3.99 would not be allowed to graduate and because of half a point in one useless course the student would repeat it. I am talking about a potential 2.1 candidate. I fought that injustice and I became popular amongst my students.”

It wouldn’t be an understatement if you attest to the fact that Akinfeleye propagates the idea of mixing ‘the town with the gown’ amongst lecturers just as lawyers are allowed to practice in law chambers during sabbaticals.” It was a challenge when I wanted to go to the field to practice. The establishment opposed my going into the newsroom to practice. I said you allow lawyers to go to chambers to practice that newsroom is my chamber and I fought it. Today, mass communication lecturers are allowed to do their sabbatical in radio or television stations on magazines or anywhere.”

“And during my sabbatical, instead of me to go University of Polytechnic to go and teach, I went straight to work in

Concord Group Newspaper owned by the late MKO Abiola. It was in the 80s. I started the Community Concord, the first community Newspaper in this country. I worked with Dr. (Mrs.) Doyin Abiola. We had branches in all the 21 states at that time with editors.

“After that, another sabbatical, instead of going to the academic settings, again, I went to work with the United Nations Population Fund (UNPA) where I spent two years as their communication specialist and country representative.

It was an eventful moment for me and made an impact. We did a lot of socialcultural factors affecting us as a nation, particularly ethnic problems. The third Sabbatical, I went to help Lagos State University (LASU) to start their School of Communication.”

Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye was once the chair and former department head at the University of Lagos. He is currently the chief consultant of the Centre of Excellence in Multimedia and Cinematography/Unilag Radio 103.1 FM and Television. His legacy while HOD remains indelible and according to him, he would forever be grateful to the Advertising guru, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo for his benevolence.

“When my tenure was about to expire, I walked up to him and said

‘My tenure would soon expire, what can you do for me. My office then was a bungalow and the man said he would demolish the bungalow and did three floors for us. I approached the then VC who also gave his seal of approval. The result is the gigantic edifice named after the Advertising guru. I am grateful for Shobanjo’s benevolence gesture.”

Akinfeleye is an authority in the field of journalism. Can he bodily say in the last 20 years, the Nigerian media has lived up to expectation as the nation’s watchdog?

He said, “It’s yes and no.”

“It is yes because the Nigerian press may not be the freest press in Africa but the most outspoken. Again, within the past 20 years, we have moved from nothing casting to narrowcasting to broadcasting. For the past few years, if you look at the broadcast system without prejudice with the print, we have been able to have what we call ownership pluralism at the expense of content pluralism. There are more people getting radio station license but the content is the same which negates media deregulation of 1992.

“The newspapers are doing well but others have come and gone. Also, there are more training schools than 20 years ago but with the exception of Lagos, Ibadan, BUK, UNN, ABU and some others, some are not doing the right thing. I go on accreditation and I see what they have, the quality of their lecturers.”

But the so-called national newspapers in Nigeria are struggling with a circulation of 20,000 or fewer copies in a country of at least 70 million adults. What is the problem? He explained, “My position is that Nigeria has no national newspaper.

What we have is a community newspaper or regional newspaper. Again, Media literacy is low and social media which has turned everything to social disorder with the aid of technology. But that doesn’t mean that the mainstream newspapers should sleep or be on the bench. They should counter to make sure social media don’t overtake them. Social media practitioners are not journalists I call them information traffickers. They traffick in falsehood, they traffic in fake news and they can cause disharmony through the ebb of technology especially in Africa.

“For instance, the owner of Facebook was in Nigeria two years ago and they asked him ‘Are you practicing journalism?

He said no that he is only providing a platform for information dissemination to pass information as fast as possible at no cost. Fake news has been with us since 1890 and it died away. And as from 2017, it resurrected. There are about 30 nations that have ganged up to promulgate social medial law. It can’t work because it is like when you want to padlock the air. How? What you can do is for service providers to checkmates them.”

On how Nigeria education can be fixed, Akinfeleye believes Nigerian education isn’t as bad is being painted and the record of many outstanding Nigerians trained in Nigeria making waves across the globe is overwhelming.

He will want the political elite in Nigeria to be sincere and that the government should honour various agreements to curtail incessant strikes because education is a very powerful instrument for national development, national integration, and national coherence. Unending strike.

Akinfeleye retired a few years back when he turned 70 and he is still in demand everywhere. He is currently the chief consultant of the Centre of Excellence in Multimedia and Cinematography/ Unilag Radio 103.1 FM and Television.

“Life is a continuum and professors don’t retire they continue to profess especially professor of communication and journalism. As I tell my students that we continue to profess even in heaven. So, I am still on the roller coaster,” said the professor.

He would like to be remembered as a Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, a peaceful man, the action man, principle man, who doesn’t discriminate and who likes to take care of the needy.

58

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

FEATURE

Adenowo’s Forbes Entrepreneur Award Testament to A Mother’s Inuence Adenowo

Demola Ojo

R

ecently, Olajumoke Adenowo, one of Africa’s most notable architects, was announced winner of Forbes Woman Africa Entrepreneur Award for 2020 at a glitzy event in Durban, South Africa on March 6. The Forbes Woman Africa Award recognises remarkable women across the African continent who have made significant strides in their spheres of influence and serve as role models to young women who look up to them for inspiration.

Adenowo’s recognition as the continent’s foremost female entrepreneur for the year is the culmination of a journey which started decades ago when she was a young woman. In 1994, at the age of 25, she founded AD Consulting, her own boutique architecture and interior design firm. She has gone on to win multiple awards in her chosen field. “I thank Forbes Woman Africa. I am honoured. This is validating and encouraging and is an affirmation of the fact that one can do things right and still be celebrated,“ Adenowo said during her acceptance speech at the award gala in Durban. “I stand on the shoulders of African female entrepreneurs who are committed to serving their families, communities, and the continent, those who strive daily to optimise their potential against all odds.�

Long before precociously starting her own company, Adenowo had seen firsthand how a woman can hold her own in fields dominated by men. The Forbes’ award winner was quick to pay tribute to her mother as an inspirational influence on her life. “The family is the matrix of aspirations. My mother Prof Olufunmilayo Oloruntimehin is a professor of Sociology and as a child,

just watching her contribute value as she travelled the globe and handle her affairs competently, unwittingly gave me permission to aspire,� Adenowo revealed.

Adenowo’s mother is an achiever in her own right, and it is no surprise that she is her daughter’s chief role model.

Oloruntimehin graduated from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1966 with a BSc Hons in Sociology and later obtained her Masters degree at the University of Ibadan.

She worked at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) in Ibadan, then started her career as a lecturer at the University of Ife which spanned over a period of 30 years from 1973 - 2003. This was a fruitful period in which she became one of the youngest and first female professors at Unife and the first alumni dean of the faculty of Social Sciences.

She served as the first African executive member of the International Sociological Association (an Initiative of UNESCO) when at their summit in Uppsala, Sweden in 1978 at the age of 37, and was elected by her colleagues as vice president, a position never held before by an African.

Oloruntimehin travelled extensively as a conference speaker of note and her plethora of academic publications, books and journals have been published globally by prestigious institutions such as Princeton University and translated into various languages.

Chip Off the Old Block

Adenowo has followed in the footsteps of her mother in rising above barriers. The Principal Architect of AD Consulting is a professional who is also an academic, having being appointed a Guest Laureate at the Technical University of Munich, Germany’s leading architectural program.

She is also a sought after public speaker, an author, radio host and an expert on leadership, women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Just by seeing my mother shine, she was giving me the permission, telling me without saying a word that a woman could aspire not just for a happy family but to also add value to her generation beyond the home front Now one of the most influential architects out of Africa, Adenowo has been described as the face of architecture in Nigeria and CNN tagged her ‘Africa’s Starchitect’.

In 1999, she founded Awesome Treasures Foundation, a philanthropy recognized by the United Nations and affiliated with the Edmond De Rothschild Family Philanthropy Platform.

She is an alumna of a number of prestigious institutions including the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Yale School of Management, IESE Business School, amongst others. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (UK) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. �My parents forgot to tell me being a woman was a disability. By the time I left home and the world tried to tell me, it was too late,�

Adenowo said. “Just by seeing my mother shine, she was giving me the permission, telling me without saying a word that a woman could aspire not just for a happy family but to also add value to her generation beyond the home front.“ Adenowo and her husband Olukorede are blessed with two young

men. “I think it’s imperative that women bring up their sons to respect women,� she tells this reporter. “Our sons respect me in my own right as a human being.

To them, negative gender bias just has no basis. They have seen without having to be told that a woman is not inferior to a man in any way and I see them use their strength to protect women, to help and not oppress. “When a mother’s son treats another woman badly it’s proof that he doesn’t think much of his mother either. As mothers, it’s our responsibility to mould our sons’ world view about women and they observe our actions more than they listen to our words.

A mother’s failure to model exemplary womanhood may be personal to her but it’s not private, it has a ripple effect on us all in the sons she releases into society,“ she says.

Adenowo’s trajectory in life is an example of how early influences create the lens by which children view their universe. Mothers have a profound effect on their offspring and are models for their daughters. Without a word spoken, a daughter looks up to the closest example she has of her own gender and sees practical demonstrations of what is clearly possible and achievable .

MARCH 29, 2020˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

59

High Life

T

Fayemi

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

Governor Uzodinma Fires Back at Wike: He is a Pretender

Fayemi Gets in the Face of Buhari’s Aide, Babafemi Ojudu o think about it, politicking is not altogether different from a regular vocational gig. There are pressures and perks, peonage and publicity, and the usual snafus that the escorts of occupational hazards. In politics, however, the die is cast when a name is called out of order, a fist smashes the tender tendons of an upturned nose, and an uppercut is carefully measured out as recompense for a bruised ego, character or reputation.

In other news, Ekiti State Executive Governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi has finally returned the swing taken at him

by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters on the election in Ekiti State. This he did by pointing out that he was more concerned with protecting his people from the dreaded Covid-19 virus, rather than court the votes of the good people of Ekiti State – as presidential aide Ojodu would prefer.

Fayemi’s rebuttal is in response to an interview where Senator Ojodu allegedly implied that the Fayemi-led administration had not accomplished a single thing of note since coming on board. Furthermore, the Senator reportedly emphasized the lack of measurable growth and development in critical areas of the state’s economy, including the areas of industrialization and youth empowerment.

Those who are familiar with Ekiti State political grounds already know that Fayemi and Ojodu are not exactly best friends. Although both of them were credited with delivering Ekiti State and delivering their polling units to aid President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid, it has also been general knowledge that so great is their dislike for each other that anyone of them might prefer the scratching of their little fingers to the absolute extinction of the other.

Of course, they ran against each other during the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primaries – and Fayemi got to dance the victory dance. Ever since, each one has been casting shades against the other and setting the other up as the proponent of violence, division, and unrest within the party and the State.

This recent case of Senator Ojodu essentially labelling Governor Fayemi a lazy something is therefore not a new thing. Fayemi’s response also proves that he might really be too occupied with the Covid-19 wahala to return Ojodu’s haymaker with an uppercut.

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

Uzodinma

Alexander Pope, the poet and writer who mastered the divinity of wit – but perpetually kept charm at arm’s length – reasoned that words are like leaves and where they most abound, much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found. Therefore, wrote he: “The sound must seem an echo to the sense.” This is an approximation of the very same sentiment extended to Governor Nyesom

Wike by his gubernatorial colleague, Governor Hope Uzodinma.

It has been a pretty wellknown fact for a while now that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has resorted to snapping his fingers in the face of those who are on par with him and quite well above him. This came to light on Tuesday the 17th of March when Governor Wike decided to jiggle his tassels on national television by scolding Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State for a number of things, including that Uzodinma had irresponsibly pointed out that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were behind the recent attempt to oust Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from his position as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike further rationalized his comments by laying emphasis on the migration of Uzodinma from PDP to APC, claiming that Uzodinma had been an agent of the APC while in PDP and – having failed to perpetrate the destructive ruin that the APC were native to – had decided to lay unverifiable lies at their feet, e.g. Oshiomhole’s near-fall from

Much Ado about ₦41 Billion Akwa Ibom ‘World Class’ Hospital In times of great fear and fervour, it is not uncommon for the society to look to its leaders for solace or sympathy. (Then most of them remember that said leaders are cows and crooks, and promptly look elsewhere). It is during this time that they take a closer look at what this leader said and that the government did.

Amidst scares of the Covid-19 virus, folks have started to take notice of certain ghosts lingering where they should not.

Put differently, people are starting to ask why such and such a project or facility – that would otherwise be essential to managing the crisis – is not available, not operational, or not in existence at all.

The ‘World Class’ hospital that was proposed and commissioned in Akwa Ibom under the peerless directive and government of Senator Godswill Akpabio is one of these.

One of the most discussed and evaluated projects of Senator Godswill Akpabio, while he was Akwa

Akpabio

Ibom Governor, was the commission of a Grade-A, first-class and WorldStandard hospital, the first of its kind in the State and

grace. He extended his rebuke to the rest of the APC who he referred to as a brood of strange bedfellows with nothing good in mind for Nigeria but their own power-grappling urges.

Governor Uzodinma, in his response, explained that folks such as Wike were very well behind Oshiomhole’s saga; what other evidence to the fact but Wike’s thoughtless attitude and the passion with which he spoke against Uzodinma. In fact, said Uzodinma, several notable members of the PDP have taken to walking out of the party as a result of the presence of pretentious folks such as Governor Wike.

It has been stated that Governor Wike’s comments against Governor Uzodinma have been nothing but a way to gather in praises; that he cares nothing for the judiciary he pretends to stand by but is simply pretending – perhaps because pretension is now more a habit than anything else.

And that was how Governor Hope Uzodinma clapped back at the claptrap of Governor Nyesom Wike. in Nigeria. The project sunk about N41 billion and was publicized to be the zenith and beginning of contemporary healthcare in Nigeria, a relief for most people who had to undergo the inconvenience of travelling abroad just so they could get a physician’s counsel.

Akpabio’s hospital enjoyed the cheers and salutations of the Nigerian people and sat on the pedestal, waiting to be called to action. And now that Covid-19 has come knocking, Akpabio’s hospital is nowhere in sight.

Numerous people are of the opinion that even if the research from a purported N41 billion World Class hospital cannot provide a cure, then it should have holding centres and areas for bed-rests and the quarantine of infected Nigerians. None of that is forthcoming.

As a result, it is now being alleged that Senator Akpabio’s project was nothing but a waste of cash. Other quarters have taken the whol e d eb a c l e to the ex trem e b y s ta ti ng tha t i t wa s a ha l f - b a ked , whi te el ep ha nt, wi th the el ep ha nt’s tu s k b ea r i ng a sizable f r a c ti on of

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

60

HIGHLIFE

No Loud Noise for Seyi Opeyemi Saraki in the News Again Tinubu’s Wife at 30

Adeniyi

For folks who are watching out for any scintillating gist coming out of the house of the political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, new things are indeed in the offing. It turns out that the delectably enchanting wife of Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, very recently celebrated her third decade on earth and it was a hush-hush affair. So, hush.

Nothing satisfies a man like fresh water from a cold, cold glass and the

soft hands of his smiling woman. This is exactly the portrait of a relationship that has always been demonstrated between the soft-spoken Seyi Tinubu and his neckbreaking beauty of a wife, Layal Jade Tinubu. Since their wedding in 2016 (at the Picturesque Villa Erba, Lake Como, Italy), Seyi has made it a point of duty to let the world know that he got the best out of it in the person of Layal, and her birthdays – as a result – are always especially enviable affairs.

This year, Seyi posted on social media that Layal has done more for him in the 15 years he has known her than he could do in a lifetime. He praised her for the inimitable role she had played in his selfgrowth, business career and his world in general. Using other endearing terms, that man undoubtedly set numerous men searching the deep for their own Layal – a lady of beauty and brains, might and means. And what she has done with her brains!

Lady Layal is the founder of the

prestigious Tots Toys, a modern-day toyshop for children’s education, providing just the right amount of fun and learning to hold captive the errant attention of kids and delight them into learning and development.

A homely woman on all accounts, Layal is also a co-founder of the Noella Foundation (which is a non-profit private organization that advocates and empowers the adoption and application of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable ideas and action plans in improving the Nigerian economy at a sustainable pace.

Seyi and Layal have a lovely daughter, Nuella, who is the delight of their little family and all who know her, and a little rascal still hiding in Layal. In fact, it might just be that it is the soonto-be-born child that was responsible for the quiet 30th-year birthday celebration. Nothing less is expected of the grandchild of Jagaban Bola Tinubu, child of advert guru Seyi, and baby of a dynamic, sharp and far-seeing Layal.

Where Is Babatunde Fowler?

In the coming years, historians and event analysts are going to pore and ponder over the gymnastics present in the Nigerian political sphere. They are undoubtedly going to conclude that there were masquerades in the marketplace that could never be expunged, and that those that were slickly set aside became lost in the great scheme of things.

Although it cannot be said that the smoke and dust have settled over the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), it is obvious that its former executive chairman, Babatunde Fowler, is yet to make a re-appearance.

Since he was sent packing out of the FIRS chairmanship suite, numerous folks have bewailed Fowler’s untimely and indeterminable high fall. It must be reiterated that virtually nobody expected things to take the ungainly turn they took in his case, and so most of his loyalists and supporters have little need to prepare for the avalanche of change that was coming for the former FIRS head honcho. Although nothing survived, not even Soyinka’s imagery of a “wrinkled petal pressed between pages of longdiscarded books�, the question on the minds and lips of many is not surprising:

where is Babatunde Fowler?

After his torrential tumble, many were of the opinion that Fowler was going to employ deep and integrative education (Bachelor in Science in Economics, a minor in Political Science and a Master’s of Business Administration degree) in pursuing endeavours similar to the one he was retired from. Therefore, it would not have been particularly peculiar for him to have emerged in an administrative, managerial or entirely political regalia, and float right back up. But nothing has been seen of him in the three of his involuntary sabbatical.

Unlike others like him (who fell from the high heavens), it is not known whether Fowler has relocated out of the country that did not want him to manage their taxes, or is holed up in hibernation somewhere within Lagos, the place of his birth. Not even the acrobatic dance of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) policy was enough to get him to poke his head out of wherever cave he was residing in at the time.

From FIRS boss to a hobbit true to the name, the location of Babatunde Fowler remains anonymous to the

Fowler

public, as is the condition of the man himself.

Why Senator Bayo Oshinowo, Lagos Speaker, Obasa Play Cat And Mouse Game

Oshinawo

It is always an instructional experience following the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Nigerian political community.

There is much to be learnt there, especially including how one must not offend, what steps – having offended – one must take, how one must take care to offend just the right person with just the right dosage of offence to climb up the assembly, and what measure of retaliation one must take to keep in good

standing with those who could further improve the ascent up the assembly. The game is afoot for Obasa and Oshinowo, and it is mighty instructive.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly is none other than Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, a lawyer and forwardthinking hunk of a man. With a political career which firmly took off in the late ‘90s, Hon. Obasa enjoys the patronage of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and APC Jagaban, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Oshinowo (popularly referred to as Pepper) is a serving member of the Lagos State House of Assembly in his fourth term. However, Oshinowo is a very influential, very connected grassroots politician, as well as a trusted and wellknown ally of APC national leader and political mammoth, Tinubu. Oshinowo is a self-made businessman who has made his dough from a flourishing marble trade and several other entrepreneurial ventures.

According to reports old and new, Obasa and Oshinowo have been playing

the game of stools for quite a while now. Being accomplished political characters with the same political figure as a father, Oshinowo has been allegedly commissioning blueprints to oust Obasa from his current high seat – a gesture that Obasa is allegedly aware of and equally returning in full measure.

The recent suspension of House members who were loyal to Hon. Oshinowo made it obvious that Obasa was not a grinner for nothing. Oshinowo allegedly attempted to return the gesture by masterminding the failed attempt to impeach Obasa.

Curiously, both men continue to speak highly of each other in public, swearing that all is well between them and they are as close as ever. Other folks think otherwise, reporting that the weird power plays are intentional gambits set in motion

by Obasa and Oshinowo.

If the allegations of a raging rift prove true, then the deck is stacked, the cards are ready, and these honourable colleagues are mere steps away from ending the game. In other news, the game continues.

Saraki

C

Credit must be given where and when it is due. That is why Nigeria’s most successful anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has established itself as defenders of innocent money, protectors of ďŹ scal chasteness, and all-round sharp guys. In their pursuit of justice, they have held up and prosecuted folks of rank and folks without, having no desire to kiss derrieres – and not caring for whose particular derriere they were ignoring. In their new case against Opeyemi Saraki, the EFCC has not blinked twice at the direction of his cousin, the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki – except in suspicion.

Former Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals to the Kwara State government, Mr. Ope Saraki has been arraigned before a Kwara State High Court by the EFCC for an alleged diversion of N221,339,827.

SpeciďŹ cally, the EFCC alleged before Justice Adenike Akinpelu of Kwara State High Court that Mr. Saraki had lifted these funds while supposedly purchasing 13 ambulances and 13 generators for 13 general/specialist hospitals in Kwara State.

Furthermore, it was stated by the EFCC that Saraki had struck his mine while operating with and under MC Drive Logistics and Institutes Limited, the contracting business outďŹ t that was awarded the contract of procuring the 13 units of 100 KVA generators for 13 general/specialist hospitals. This, said the EFCC, was against the law (i.e. section 12 of Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000), and demanding serious punishment. Therefore, EFCC advised the court to hold and keep Saraki in any one of the prison cells – curiously – within the state.

In defence, Ope Saraki pleaded not guilty, and on account of his standing in society be allowed to post bail. His defence counsel, Dr. Kayode Olatoke (SAN), drew the court’s attention to a similar incident in 2015 when Saraki was granted bail, regardless, and did not jump the fence for it.

With this sound and timely defence laid before Justice Akinpelu, it was inevitable that Saraki would be granted bail, and he was – in the sum of N300 million (much more than the alleged amount ďŹ lched) and equivalent sureties. The case was then adjourned until April 16, 2020.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

61

HIGHLIFE

Entrepreneur Extraordinaries, Abiodun Oshinibosi, Michael Afolaranmi Celebrate Birthday With The Needy

Afolaranmi

Oshinibosi

It is becoming more and more obvious to people that the 21st century is not as dastardly evil and soaked in the devil’s pores as was once assumed. It turns out that the goodness in man remains a fountain of bubbly freshness, despite prevailing contrary circumstances. The recent birthday celebrations of two very successful bosses demonstrated this fact, as both men preferred to exercise their vast wealth on the satisfaction of others rather than on themselves: Abiodun Oshinibosi of Abelinis and Michael

Afolaranmi of 12Baskets.

Abiodun Oshinibosi is the Chief of everything happening at Abelinis Limited, a project-encompassing company that specializes in Activation, Events and Promotion, and is currently taking the lead in that sector of the Nigerian economy. The man is a genius in his field but has found a way to balance work life and family life. A father of three, Oshinibosi is at the top of his game, and his clocking 45 recently was just another milestone in a riverbed of

accomplishments.

The second man within this laudable category is none other than Michael Afolaranmi, the Managing Director (MD) of the prestigious and well-celebrated 12Baskets Foods, the smart and quick-delivery outfit that services the needs of numerous folks and organizations across Nigeria. His is a venture that is very well-loved by people great and small and has brought recognition and respect to the Afolaranmi household from far and wide. He too added a year to his already fruitful years and celebrated it in a most peculiar manner.

Mr. Abiodun Oshinibosi chose to stand out among his peers on his birthday by donating gifts to those who were in need and increasing the funds available for running his non-profit charity foundation. This was a gesture that did not only minister to the needs of the beneficiaries but also gave them a steady grasp of hope for the future.

Michael Afolaranmi did something similar.

His birthday was not celebrated among friends and relatives but among the underprivileged of society. Afolaranmi shone brightly as he visited several orphanages, bringing light and love and fellowship in a time of isolation, unrest, and unprecedented need.

Both Oshinibosi and Afolaranmi have proved that birthdays are not events for slugging wines and hugging bottles, but an avenue to touch more lives, allay sorrows and fears, and share their possessions with those in need.

Much Ado about Bode George’s Constant Sermon on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu If anything has been made crystal evident since Asiwaju Bola Tinubu began to make eyes at the seat of President, it is that there are a number of individuals that would rather vacate their comfort zones than have him as president or even a presidential candidate.

These folks have made it clear that they would rather drag their naked bottoms from the innermost parts of Nigeria, across a landscape dotted unendingly with glass and bones and shark teeth, until they arrive the shores of some distant country where there is not even the sniff of Tinubu’s diplomatic scent. Chief Bode George is one of these people.

While the enigmatic Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still suspiciously publicly reticent on the matter of his possible 2023 presidential candidature, folks like Chief Olabode Ibiyinka, the former military governor for Ondo State are loud on their disdain for such an ambition. Bode George especially has made it a habit of

decorum to announce to individuals within earshot that a Nigeria that wakes up to see Tinubu in Aso Villa as the Grand Commander of the Nigerian Republic is a Nigeria that would find his shadow fleeing across her landscape and making camp in Togo.

It has been highlighted by different individuals that Chief George’s adamant derision of Tinubu’s candidacy is something of a juvenile sport that is very amusing, and likely has its foundations in the two and a half years he (Chief Bode) spent in jail sometime in 2009 – for contract inflation and other infractions – which he has laid at the feet of Bola Tinubu. Chief Bode has denied any such nonsense, stating that his opposition of Tinubu is on principle, that Tinubu was neither deserving of the honour of presidency nor capable of accomplishing anything substantial.

Interestingly, Tinubu himself has not replied to any of Chief Bode’s declaration,

Tinubu

not even to tell him well done for implicitly announcing his (Tinubu’s) vast capacity for sophisticated statesmanship and scaring off intending presidential candidates.

Time will tell what will become of both Chief Bode George’s increasing threats and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s smirking silence.

Fayose, Olujimi at War Over PDP Ward Congresses

Fayose

One only needs to turn towards Ekiti State and one would be bombarded with tidings regarding the condition of things within the state, especially in the pavilion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). At the moment, it is reported that the two elephants of the state’s PDP, former governor Ayo

Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujimi have twined together their trunks in scrimmage mode, and each one is doing his/her best to grate the coarse mud with the other’s nose.

To any experienced observer, whatever is going on between Fayose and Olujimi – as it resolves around PDP in Ekiti State – is only demonstrative of the fact that both parties are vying for control of the party at the State level.

Needless to say, grounds for this endeavour for control abound: party leadership tends to accommodate future contenders for political posts; there are honour, recognition and a million other perks associated with the position; and of course, the party leader gets to fulfill the aspirations of his party members.

Fayose and Olujimi’s tussle came to a head recently during the PDP ward congresses. It was in the course of this event that a scuffle broke out between a camp loyal still loyal to Fayose and another camp loyal to Olujimi. Both sides expectedly saw the matter from different, nearly opposite perspectives.

Olujimi’s faction was admittedly on the ground for the ward congresses earlier than Fayose’s group. They (Team Olujimi) took care

to undergo the electoral exercise under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) and several other security agencies. However, it became obvious to them that something else was in the pipelines when the chairman of the ward congresses and the deputy governor of Taraba State (who was the Chairman of the ward congresses), Haruna Manu, arrived late for the exercise – with some of Fayose’s people in tow. Olujimi’s group is, therefore, decrying a compromise between Manu and Fayose, and asking only the results before Manu’s arrival be tendered as true and final.

Fayose’s camp is of the opinion that the faction of Olujimi were there early so they could bundle away the electoral materials – and failing to do so, tampered with everything, such that all electoral processes that were carried out before their arrival are null and void.

Still throwing unmentionables at each other, the camps of Senator Olujimi and Ayo Fayose are still quite busy and hard at their tasks.

Fear Grips HighProfile Nigerians over Coronavirus

Ehanire

Judging from recent events, there’s much that can be expected to emerge from a pandemic at the individual, community, regional, national and global levels. For one, introspection – which has not really killed anyone before – allows individuals to assess their lives and weigh them on balanced scales; then there’s the fear of having fallen short. And then there are phantom effects sponsored by a conscience recently awoken. Truth be told, with the Covid-19 virus seemingly hopping from one highprofile Nigerian to the next, these are not exactly the best times to belong to the privileged category.

One of the obvious perks of being privileged – especially with wealth and fame and active networks and connections with powered persons – is that the bridge to other individuals in the same category and above is always open for passage. Therefore, any wellbehaved scion of a powerful family can waltz into any hole or tower within his sight and shake hands with the lords there. That is absolutely not an advantage at the moment.

With coronavirus having already swallowed up every other sentiment but its own, the whole world is green with fear and dread. Since the virus has been confirmed to hop from one individual to the next via contact, nearly everyone is untouchable at the moment.

Because not every Nigerian can board a plane to an exotic locale, there are a limited number of people who are responsible for the crop of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Nigeria.

Obviously, those who are first to the stew are those who are moneyed, well-connected or high-up enough.

In fact, with several very highprofile folks already confirmed and quarantined, all the folks that have had the misfortune of physically interacting with these infected ones are in the grips of fear and dread at the moment.

For once, it would appear that having limited or no connection to power holders in the Nigerian society is paying off; having no visa or aspiration to board an international plane is paying off; not knowing somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody is paying off.

In other news, while highprofile folks are trembling and wondering who touched their garments and when, there are very mixed signals coming from the low quarters of the Nigerian society: there are fear and anticipation, and an unhealthy amount of joy.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

62

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

Bayo Adelabu Not Giving Up on His Dream

Adelabi

Perhaps, if the former Central Bank of Nigeria top shot, Bayo Adelabu, had listened to wise counsel, he would probably have had a rethink about going into politics.

It was gathered that the respected banker did not heed the advice of his friends and family members who discouraged him from venturing into politics after he declared his intention to vie for the number one job in Oyo State come 2019.

But today, he knows better, as the Ibadan, Oyo State-born banker’s dream of becoming the state’s governor evaporated before his very eyes. Before he was defeated by the incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, the banker had enjoyed the support of the then governor, Isiaka Ajimobi as well as that of the leadership of the All Progressives Party, APC. Consequently, he had boasted to anyone that cared to listen that no amount of money was too much for him to spend to become the governor of the state. But in one of the most political upsets ever, money spent never yielded any result, as he was trounced by candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Seyi Makinde.

Well, that is not the story.

It was gathered that the grandson of the late Adegoke Adelabu is keeping his next move close to his chest, though a source revealed that he might stage a comeback in 2023. “Since he lost his dream of becoming the number one citizen of Oyo State, Adelabu has remained unperturbed and has continued where he ended in 2019, as he is reaching out to the grassroots to revamp his political career,� a source added.

Until his appointment as deputy governor of the CBN, he was an executive director/chief financial officer at First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Prior to that, he had held the positions of general manager as well as the West African regional head of Finance and Strategy (Consumer Banking Business) for Standard Chartered Bank where he was head-hunted in 2009.

Adelabu holds a first-class degree in Accounting from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria.

Oil & Gas Magnate, Kenneth Yellowe’s Moment of Glory In the oil and gas industry, Kenneth Yellowe’s name evokes a mixture of admiration, envy and respect.

He is the Chairman of Global Energy Incorporated, a thriving energy firm in the United States, and is among the most dynamic businessmen currently operating on the African continent.

Yellowe has founded several companies over the years and served as a partner in a hydrocarbon trading company in Nigeria before relocating to Houston in the early ’80s for studies. He ventured into a highly capitalintensive venture, set up a local subsidiary of his firm in Nigeria and leased a multi-million dollar Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) known as the Berge Okoloba Toru from a foreign firm, Bergesen.

When Yellowe was setting up a multimillion-naira facility in the country, his sole aim was to create jobs and improve Nigeria’s oil and gas sector with such a tremendous capacity to advance the regional and national economic growth of the nation.

To show his seriousness and determination for the business, over $400 million was secured from international financial institutions and individual investors, while Global Gas and Oil Refining Global Gas Refining Limited (GGRL), an independent indigenous gas processing operator and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) producer, operating in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, became the first indigenous private company to successfully embark on a multimillion-dollar gas processing and refining facility in the country, with operations and assets situated in the Niger Delta creeks at Cawthorne Channel, Rivers State.

When the FPSO commenced production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in commercial quantity from the Cawthorne channel in the Bonny River, Yellowe became the toast of the oil and gas industry, as his local subsidiary Global Gas and Refining Limited (GGRL), was hailed as the best thing to happen to the domestic gas industry.

Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) promptly signed a contract with

Kenneth

Global Gas to extract liquids and heavy deposits from the associated gas and re-inject the lean gas through SPDC for onward delivery to Nigeria LNG Limited, in Bonny. The rest of the gas was fractionated into propane and butane for export to other countries.

However, the multimillion-dollar contract, which started as a huge money-spinner for both firms, fell apart when SPDC allegedly reneged on their agreement, thereby leaving everything in jeopardy by the SPDC’s inability to honour their side of a binding Gas Supply Agreement executed in March 1998 and renegotiated and resigned in March 2002.

Consequently, a large workforce comprising

several hundreds of teeming Nigerian youths were laid off; experts of different nationalities, as well as several dozens of local contractors and the thriving host communities, have all now been made redundant.

Since then, things have gone awry in Global Gas and Refining Limited (GGRL). The FPSO that was leased at a huge cost ended up being sold by BW Offshore International at a loss of over 2 million dollars after a kidnap attempt on crew members.

In fact, it was a thorn in the flesh of the businessman and serious headache that refused to go away. In spite of the foregoing doleful development, Society Watch gathered that Yellowe, who serves on numerous boards, is currently heaving a sigh of relief and singing a victory song as a Lagos High Court recently set aside the arbitral tribunal award, which dismissed Global Gas and Refining Limited’s claim for a breach of contract for the supply of gas by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.

The presiding judge, Justice Taofiquat Oyekan-Abdullahi delivered the ruling in Suit No: LD/1910GCM/2017 between Global Gas and Refining Limited v. Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.

In her ruling, the judge set aside the ICC Award in which the majority of the Arbitral Tribunal (Prof. Oba Nsugbe, QC, SAN & Mrs. Doyin Rhodes-Vivour (SAN) with Mrs. Dorothy Udeme Ufot, SAN delivering a minority opinion upholding the claims of the claimant) dismissed the claimant’s claims.

The judge underscored the fundamental importance of full disclosure in international commercial arbitration.

She, thus, upheld the argument of Global Gas that the failure and neglect of the President of the Arbitral Tribunal, Prof. Oba Nsugbe, QC (SAN) to disclose his earlier involvement in a matter in which the SPDC was involved amounted to gross misconduct for which the Award delivered by the Majority of the Arbitral Tribunal ought to and must be set aside.

Temitope Adebutu Adds Another Year

Adebutu

“Smile, because you are beautiful; laugh, because you are living life to the fullest and stand strong because haters can’t bring you

down.�

Without a doubt, Temitope Adebutu, the beautiful daughter of Chief Adebutu Kessington, has lived by the above quote with seriousness.

Indeed, she has chosen to live her life inspired by the import of that witty saying, despite the challenges she has faced in the past.

Last Thursday, she turned 36.

Though she didn’t celebrate it, many of her friends, family members and colleagues, as well as well-wishers, remembered her, as they sent greetings and poured encomiums on her.

Also, a source revealed that she was full of life that day, as she carried on with infectious zest and liveliness.

It was also gathered that she did not betray any modicum of frustration or emotional disturbance.

It will be recalled that her crashed marriage to

Olujuwon Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had been rather messy, as the public was fed with some unpleasant news about their marital life.

But those close to her say that the brilliant, intelligent and personable magistrate court judge has finally put this ugly drama behind her and moved on.

At 36, she has a beautiful face, smooth skin, and a nice figure that leaves a lot of men drooling.

So, while you keep wondering when she will be hit by the Cupid arrow again, a source disclosed that her major concern is how to pursue her career with unwavering doggedness. “She has not totally shut out her heart for any Prince Charming though,� the source added.

Happy Moment for Segun Odegbami For obvious reasons, former Nigerian international, Segun Odegbami, is extremely happy now.

The former Green Eagles striker and Chairman of Worldwide Sports has been granted approval by the federal government to own and operate a sports radio station in the country.

The nearly two decades of waiting came to a glorious end, last week, as Odegbami’s company was listed among the select few that were given approval for various forms of broadcasting operations.

According to the elated Odegbami, who earned the sobriquet of ‘Mathematical Odegbami’ in his heyday as a football player, he was determined not to force the approval by doing anything illegal, corrupt, or immoral in order to get it. In his view, it is a dream whose fulfilment should come only because the authorities agree it is merited.

So, year in year out, Odegbami watched in shock and amazement as licences were being flung around the country like confetti at marriage to every Tom, Dick and Harry. He was of a strong belief that his licence was a

sure deal and would be approved for him by the government with ease and pleasure one day.

That day finally came a few weeks as President Muhammadu Buhari eventually saw the need to grant him a sports radio licence and penned his signature for Odegbami’s application alongside over 60 others. “In the dispensation of President Muhammadu Buhari, the elements are unfolding their divine conspiracy. In a grand drama of life, many things have started to come together (needless to list them here), and the most unexpected interventions are taking place, most of which I definitely know nothing about.

That’s why my greatest gratitude goes to my Father, the Creator of the Universe,� Odegbami stated.

He added, “I thank President Muhammadu Buhari, the Hon. Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare; the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; former DG of the NBC, Mallam Danladi Bako; Ambassador Mamman Yusuf; Senator Babafemi Ojudu; and Mr. Femi Adesina, both Special Advisers to the President; and many others that may have had a

Adegbami

hand or a prayer in making my 17-year dream (to join my friend, Dr. Larry Izamoje of Brila Sports FM) to operate the second, the biggest, boldest and best Sports Radio station in Africa, become reality.�

63

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

SOCIETY WATCH

Billionaire Businessman, Oladipo Jadesimi’s Expansion Drive Among the Nigerian aristocrats, Chief Oladipupo Jadesimi is no overnight sensation.

In fact, by all standards, the oil mogul can be adjudged as a successful man. He is a certified billionaire who achieved success in an old-fashioned way. Over the years, Jadesimi has run several businesses in the energy, finance and real estate sectors.

He is the Founder and Chairman of Ladol Group, the largest indigenous Free Zone Industrial Park, which hosts a variety of high-value industrial free zone enterprises.

About three decades ago, Jadesimi joined hands with late Chief Godwin Aret Adams, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and other highly respected Nigerians to initiate a truly indigenous public oil company, Niger Delta Exploration and Production.

The company has pioneered the development of small and medium-sized oil and gas fields in Nigeria and has moved on to bigger projects including an oil refinery.

Since 2012, the company has been operating a 1,000BSPD (Barrels Per Stream Day) topping plant producing diesel from its Ogbele Oil Field.

But in 2018, it received the regulatory nod to commence construction of the 5,000BSPD

Jadesimi

Train 2, designed to produce jet-fuel, marine diesel, high pour fuel oil (HPFO), naphtha and more diesel.

With plans to strengthen its position and boost activity at its subsidiary, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited, NDPR, which operates the onshore Ogbele field, Jadesimi sought and got $140 million from the International Finance Corporation for his

Ogbele refinery.

The IFC financing, nearly a third of the cash needed, will be put towards the construction of two single-level modular refinery units, each with a capacity of 5,000 bpd.

It is no gainsaying that this Oxford University-trained lawyer loves his quiet lifestyle. Despite his status as a wealthy businessman, he has managed to stay partially invisible among the top members of Nigeria’s social establishment.

As much as the septuagenarian billionaire has managed to keep away from prying eyes, his two beautiful and cerebral daughters, Amy Jadesimi and Emma McQuiston, who is Britain’s first black marchioness, have in recent time continued to make their dad’s name rings positive vibe.

Emma, the mixed-race daughter of Jadesimi, became a viscountess following her marriage in 2013 to Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth.

Her marriage into the British aristocracy’s most eccentric family saw her become the Chatelaine of the Longleat Estate in Wiltshire.

On her own part, Amy, a trained physician-turned-corporate executive, as the eldest daughter is running the family flagship business, LADOL as its CEO

Iyabo Obasanjo in Political Wilderness

Obasanjo

Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, needs no introduction. Her foray into politics, in the views of many, seemed to have a divine seal.

This is because she shot into the spotlight not too long after she became a partisan politician. At the outset, everything pointed to the fact that her political paths were laced with roses; and, indeed, her meteoric rise had been applauded particularly by the womenfolk.

Not a few wished they were in her shoes during her glory days as a commissioner for health under Otunba Gbenga Daniel and later a senator.

Then, she was the toast of the high and mighty in society. Indeed, to put it mildly,

life was good; and she sure looked the part of a veteran politician headed for greatness.

While in the Senate representing Ogun Central she was the chairman of Senate’s Health Committee and member of the committees on security and intelligence, land transport, science and technology, education, national planning and interparliamentary.

However, her reign as a political heavyweight began to wane shortly after her father left power and finally came to a halt in 2015 when she was ‘crushed’ by Senator Gbenga Obadara.

Since her shocking defeat, the woman who many see as controversial, has been left in the cold, now wandering in the political wilderness.

Ex-Ogun Governor, Segun Osoba’s Pristine Legacy Olusegun Osoba, a former Governor of Ogun State, is never a little fry in the political arena of Ogun State. Over the years, he has built a formidable legacy in and outside the state. The Akinrogun of Egba has always bounced back like a cat with nine lives.

The more they try to bury him, the more he sprouts like a seed in a well fertile land. He has faced many challenges that would ordinarily consume a lily-livered. It will be recalled that the former Managing Director of Daily Times relocated out of Ogun State barely weeks after he was defeated in his re-election bid by his successor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

The former governor could not stand the heat of the antics of the government that succeeded him and left the state for Lagos.

His exit from the political scene had allowed Daniel to establish his political structure in the state. Osoba would come back to the political limelight when Ibikunle Amosun took over from Daniel.

That was made possible owing to the fallout between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Daniel as well as the implosion within the People’s Democratic Party to deny Daniel the ability to install his preferred successor. But sadly, Osoba later suffered terrible treatment in his dealing with Amosun.

Not long after he took over the reins of power in the state, Amosun showed the stuff is really made as he called everybody’s bluff. It was as if he was on a revenge mission, and he hijacked the

existing structure in the state. As a result, Osoba was left in the cold. As if that was not enough, the Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun, who was nominated by Osoba, was sidelined.

However, it was payback time towards the last general election, as Osoba showed that he is no featherweight.

It was literally a war in the state as Amosun vowed that Osoba and his people would never stop his anointed candidate, Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade from being his successor.

But Osoba and some powerful forces, including Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, APC Chair, Adams Oshiomhole, Bola Tinubu kicked him out. They supported Adedapo Abiodun. And the fight was fierce.

In the end, Abiodun won! So, Osoba, just as he had predicted, had the last laugh over Amosun. And the new governor has continued to show so much appreciation to Osoba for his support.

Again, this was demonstrated last week at an event in the state, after the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Oludare Sunday Kehinde, had openly derided Osoba.

The unguarded comments by the commissioner, according to our source, would have fuelled political discord between the governor and the Osoba group, if not for the quick move by Abiodun to repair the damage by disowning the commissioner and pledging allegiance to Osoba.

Abiodun openly castigated the commissioner in an open statement while

Osoba

talking up the virtues of Osoba as a great leader.

The commissioner has since been suspended from office, amid different efforts that shore up the image and rating of Osoba as a political leader in Ogun state.

Many political observers in Ogun State have described the move as the best ever..

NPA Boss, Hadiza Bala Usman’s Brilliance

Usman

Since her appointment as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, has continued to earn people’s respect owing largely to her brilliance.

Listening to her during any chat, you cannot but love her for her self-esteem.

But even as she strives to make a name for herself in the society, rumour mongers have not ceased to weave a romantic tale about her with Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

Not unmindful of this, the NPA boss, during a recent TV talk show, described it as an over ogged story that has been on for a while. “I am deďŹ nitely not his girlfriend. The governor is my mentor and my boss. He has been very supportive of my career and the career of every other woman that has worked for him. “As you are aware, Kaduna State is the ďŹ rst State in northern Nigeria that has an elected female deputy governor; so you can see he has that commitment having women in positions of authority. So, that rumour is completely untrue,â€? asserted the NPA boss.

During the chat monitored

by Society Watch, she further explained how she attained success in a male-dominated industry, saying â€?I just always remain bold and conďŹ dent, always be better than them (men) and always try to know more than they know.â€?

The 44-year-old single mother of two is a politician.

She is one of the few women identiďŹ ed with the BringBackOurGirls Movement.

Her appointment in July 2016 into such a plum position by President Muhammadu Buhari generated a bit of controversy as many saw it as ethnically-based and questioned her qualiďŹ cation and experience for the role.

Hadiza however, said such sentiment was part of attempts to pull down women who are in high positions in society.

64

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Babajide Sanwo–Olu: The Three-Star General

It’s a time like this that we begin to see the steel that some humans are made of. This is the third time in a row that I am writing about this my governor since this crisis began. In my estimation and also in the minds of a lot of people, he has shown more than passing resolve to lead us through this trying time.

He has shown so much courage, confidence and stability as he meanders through the worsening crisis. All of his actions have shown a strong resolve and combative leadership and I must say I doff my heart.

A couple of days ago, I watched him give a press conference where he announced the closing of all markets. Although I expected that decision before now, it is still a very strong decision in the right way.

His leadership awakens a sleeping community and gives us the kind of hope that is lacking in the centre. You know me, I don’t hide my mouth and will say it as it is. Governor Jide is hitting the right note and we should really thank God for giving us this kind of leadership at this time.

Well done bro, my only small problem and on a lighter mode is

why did you react that way when a cheeky journalist asked you to recap everything you had said in Yoruba?

You looked stunned, looked around you before you started in shaky Yoruba to explain what was needed at this time by citizens to remain safe. That Yoruba was passable, like urban Yoruba that should be deepened. When this is over, you come over to Shomolu and let’s take a deep lesson in Yoruba speaking for effective mobilization. Don’t worry that was just small yab, you did well. Well done my brother, well done!

PROF. AKIN ABAYOMI – YOU LOOK TIRED! My brother, you look really tired.

I hope you have been stealing some moments to rest a bit. You are at the epicentre of this crisis and you come across as a man that knows what he is doing. You have done so well and I am sure you will continue to do well until we come out of this wahala. Well done, my brother because without you and your team na mass graves we go dey look now. You cut across as selfless and as someone who just wants to do his job. Lagos is blessed to have someone of your calibre as the arrowhead of our response to this tragedy. As I write, about 51 Nigerians have come down with the fever, one has died and we have cured one.

Relatively and comparatively to other countries we are not doing so badly if there is anything to cheer about in this situation. It is your tireless effort and that of your team, that I believe is keeping these figures at this ‘respectable’ levels. If only Nigerians can just have sense and respect the simple rules, this thing will ease off and we will flatten the curve. Me, I have been checking my temperature per second, per second.

I have self-isolated since the first case in China, no be now. And I continue to keep a high level of hygiene as my own contribution to this fight. No more sex, no more even kissing sef. It’s not easy. But it’s a small sacrifice we all have to make at this time. Well done, my brother. Please, don’t let yourself go o.

We really need you at this time. So take care of yourself, bro. But let me ask one small question: does this thing affect erection? Is there any correlation? That is pre- or after infection. I just dey ask, no vex.

For the naysayers, I pull my pants and bend down in front of you all showing you my bare buttocks in salute to your cowardice and utter recklessness. Mshewwwww.

CORONAVIRUS –THE NEWDEAL! I remain optimistic that we as Nigerians will beat this scourge once

again. The Nigerian spirit is imitable. We are a strong breed of people courageous and bold especially in the face of adversity. I refuse to believe all those dire projections saying 45 million of us will die from this. I refuse the negative chants from the career pessimists who see nothing good in this country. With our so-called dilapidated healthcare system, we have cured an Italian and have kept the fatality rate at just one at the point of writing. Even that one sef, he had other debilitating health challenges.

This is the best place in the world to be at this time. Nigeria is resolute, we are standing and those of us who push all those fake news and negativity should hide in shame. Since the first index case, we are sub-60. Despite all the rubbish predictions, we will not hit the 100mark before this is over. Our champion health workers are on the field battling and the best we can do is to support them with prayers and encouragement.

Government should set up a special intervention fund for all health workers, quadruple their salaries and give their children scholarships for life. This would encourage and reward them. They are trying. I have blocked over 3,000 people on WhatsApp. Anybody who sends me fake news or negative story is blocked and I don’t care who the person is because this is not the time. We have to hold hands and fight this as a people. We have a wicked minority who pray for our leaders to come down with it for whatever reason, is that not madness?

Mbok, right-thinking people should come together and build a bulwark against this negativity and watch us hit the finishing line in triumph. My salute to all the patients and their relations, my prayers are with you during this tough time but be rest assured that there is a God out there and he knows why these things happen and he would not let us suffer needlessly.

Akin-Abayomi

Bala

Odusile

EXCLUSIVE SURVIVALTIPS FOR OUR GOVERNORS ON SELF-ISOLATION Going into isolation is not easy o. I have been in isolation before for over two weeks and if not for xvideos, I would have run mad. I cannot recommend this one for all these governors who are going into selfisolation because if them first ladies catch them, the wahala that will come, will pass Corona. But I can give them some small tips. Try to listen to a lot of music to get your mind off the trauma. People like the late Victor Olaiya, Timi Dakolo, Asa and Tuface. Victor Olaiya’s ‘Baby Jowo’ comes highly recommended and please when you are listening to it that line that says – ko wa funmi loyan tutu mu- please listen to that one well and keep rewinding it, it will do wonders to your soul. You may also listen to some classical. Andre Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti come to mind. They worked wonders for me when I had issues with erectile dysfunction. My lords being in isolation can toy with your brain, all sorts will just be coming to your head.

You have to fight it.

Watch documentaries especially the ones of great leaders. Watch Martin Luther King, watch Obama and see how they aided in nation-building by the sheer conviction of their thought processes. I want you to come out of this isolation hale and hearty and of sound mind and ready to give far better service to the fatherland. Other items you will need, include a big jar of vaseline – don’t ask me why, Bible, laptop, hot bowls of afang - I can send that to you, Nigerian Constitution and a compilation of all Obasanjo’s letters to both Buhari and Jonathan. While you are still in isolation,

Sanwo-Olu

you should be allowed to receive phone calls from normal Nigerians so that you can for once have a true feeling of what we are going through and not the glazed and beautified stories your aides feed you guys with on a daily basis. I wish you happy isolation even as we are seeing that your numbers will be growing in the coming days.

I am happy not because you are having health challenges but because I am confident that you all will survive – they say 80% of sufferers get better but because this would give you guys the opportunity to calm down, relax and slow down on the gra-gra with the hope that when you come out of this seclusion, we would have better and redefined leadership. How many more are we expecting?

THE CORONAVIRUS FIGHT: CORRIGENDUM You know it is never too good to be jumping and be jabbing people.

That is how after I saw the medical equipment the Chinese tycoon donated to the cause of fighting Corona and seeing on Instagram one big-headed Nigerian Forbes-rated billionaire dancing around in his parlour with no care in the world, I unleashed. My madness was compounded when I saw another Forbes-rated one still doing a motivational talk at this time. I have always asked myself wetin this woman get to tell us and she never stops trying to sell a story of hard work and integrity wey get k-leg.

Anyways I fired on Whatsapp calling our Forbes billionaires all sorts of names including big empty heads only for someone to forward me the press release by Access Bank showing that working with the Dangote Foundation, they were building a 1,000-bed hospital amongst other things. Mbok, shame catch me. I felt stupid. I was also told that Aliko Dangote had initially pledged a tidy sum of N200 million for

Dangote

65

MARCH 29, 2020˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

LOUD WHISPERS the fight. He has also gone ahead to set up what they call the Coalition Against Coronavirus (COCAVID) working with such esteemed brands like Zenith Bank, MTN, GTB and others. Mbok, tears start to fall from my eyes. These are patriots.

Nigeria will win this battle.

I tell you if we could only just believe and stop sending out that stupid fake news all over the place causing unnecessary panic. Well done, guys.

I am sorry I cannot contribute to this particular one. No worry, the next one I will be leading from the front as a bona fide member of the group. Chai, did I just say the next one? This Edgar, kai!

COVID–19 – OPEN LETTER TO INTERNET GURUS The number of Nigerians who have suddenly turned experts in this virus on the internet is amazing. They are the ones who have all the information and who have dissected and eaten the virus in their internet labs. They spew information daily telling us how many Nigerians will die of the virus and how many will be castrated even when they have been treated successfully. Data both fake and real remains at their disposal.

But they will never leave their gadgets to join the forces on the ground in the fight. The lazy fools hide behind the anonymity of their gadgets to spew all sorts of rubbish causing fear and panic all over the place. They swarm social media like bees rubbishing factual-based information as emitted by the authorities and replacing them with beer parlour analysis of the situation.

Forty-five million Nigerians will die, they scream. There are only two ventilators in the whole country and one has been commandeered to Aso Rock.

There are millions of confirmed positive Nigerians who have not come out and are walking around like zombies in the ghetto that litter the land. It is over, Nigeria is finished, we are not ready, the healthcare system is none existent, our Minister of Health is an accountant and the President cannot pronounce Corona. My people, I have blocked over 3,000 people on WhatsApp, the torrent of falsehood never stops coming but yet they will not do anything. They will just buy their N100 data and be causing confusion all over the place when people like Prof. Abayomi and his team are working day and night to resolve this matter. These are the people who confused Atiku making him feel that he had the presidency with their internet votes. Pushed the poor man to go humiliate himself at the Supreme Court and left him high and dry. I have a name for these ‘ghost analysts’: I call them ‘ndisime’. It’s an Ibibio name for------ ask the next Ibibio man mbok leave me.

ROGUE, SENSATIONALISM JOURNALISM I heard a sad story this week. Two bloggers were arrested and charged with malicious intent to blackmail and other such charges. They were arrested in Lagos, flown to Abuja and remanded in prison. You see, this to me brings to climax some of the things that have been happening in this space. I am not a journalist but I have plenty as friends and I listen to them especially those who claim they do the celebrity rounds and gossip and really fear for the profession.

The line between ethical journalism and rogue journalism as played by our soft brothers is so thin that a tiny finger can tear it apart. It’s scary.

One time I got a call from a soft-sell magazine, ‘Edgar, you are sleeping with your boss and the story is making the cover of our magazine. We need to talk. Now I was not Duke of Shomolu and I was not this fine. I was one young skinny lad working at NAL Bank and

Opara

Sanusi

nobody knew. My boss was eight months pregnant and didn’t even like me. In fact, she had sacked me and I was still begging.

So sleeping with the woman was really not on the cards. The caller – my friend insisted that I was sleeping with the woman and that I had to come over. Mbok, laugh nearly kill me. I called my other friend who is in corporate communications and today is one of the biggest guns in that space. He made some calls and killed the story only for the story to now appear in an obscure magazine with screaming headlines – Sex Scandal: Prominent Investment Banker in a hot sex romp with boss. Mbok, see me o. Na only cry I start to cry o. I look my madam, she look me. Her belle bigger than Obalende roundabout.

Mbok, what did I do to these people? The story went around the soft journalism circuit and when they tired they dropped it. By this time me sef when I see the lady, I will start asking myself if I truly slept with her and forgot. You can imagine the trauma the lady would have gone thru. She kuku fast-track my sack to maintain distance.

As if that was not enough, a few years

later another screaming headline –‘The many wives of popular BGLBig Boy’. This time, dem put picture of my madam. So I no fight but the story was all a figment of the imagination of the writer. I was said to be dating NTA newscaster on the back of the earlier sex scandal. That I was reputed to be very good in bed – that one I like. At least it is better than saying I am a 2-minute man. And they concluded that it was a result of my prowess in bed that I was all over Lagos shooting and impregnating women. Mbok, I just hold the paper stand for Marina dey cry. Abi what else could I have done? My father was livid. A pastor giving birth to this kind person?

I have used my own stories because I have no shame so you can imagine the lives and reputations that have been destroyed because of this wanton craze for sensationalism from our brothers. Na beg, let’s tread softly. This style cannot win awards o.

EMIR SANUSI –THATWONDERFUL DINNER You see, in these times of Corona, I

ABBA KYARI - BE STRONG I believe in destiny and I am sure you do too. I may not agree with some of the things I have heard about you but what I will not doubt is your selfless service to this nation. The news that you have tested positive for this sickness should invoke empathy and support. This is why I am writing to you boldly to show compassion and to wish you well. You will be OK, just take your meds, respect the rules of engagement and listen to your doctors. This is a fight you will have to fight with all humility and I personally need for you to come out of this a winner because of the

Kyari

very strong signal it would throw out there. For me, this situation is an opportunity to strengthen our resolve as a people. It would be a huge PR coup for such a high profile and powerful figure like yourself to go through this and come out tops.

So daddy, remember, this fight is not only for you but for the 200 million of us. So you owe us the duty to win. This is another national assignment but this time an assignment that MUST be won. No excuses mallam. So concentrate and fight this battle. You have our prayers. Allah will protect you.

have been very reluctant to write about my visit to the highly respected Emir or should I say former Emir Sanusi.

Because now when you go somewhere, after three days NCDC or Lagos State Ministry of Health will now announce, ‘all those who visited Emir Sanusi from 18-20 March should immediately go on self-isolation. That one, I will just die. So that is why I no want to announce that my visit but as he don reach about eight days since I go and I never get catarrh except some small rash for my right bottom, we can take the risk. It was my good brother and friend Kola Kareem who called me for something. I immediately asked for an opportunity to visit the Emir. He said, no problem. I promptly forgot you know how Lagos wahala can be.

I think it was Duchess who was telling me if I did not give her N300,000 for tithe that I should not bother coming home. I say she should send me the pastor’s name let me negotiate a payment plan. She blocked my phone. So that day I dressed like a Super Eagles ball boy with a tracksuit and went into the G-Wagon that was sent to fetch me. That is how we entered the presence of the very charismatic Emir. He is handsome o, very thin and looking like my friend Danlami Sule, former MD of Keystone Bank. I fell on the floor and greeted him. I was introduced as that boy that writes that crazy column and he too is mad. You see he did not comb his hair. The Emir smiled and shook me. We were ushered to the dining area where we met Hajiya Marian, one of the Emir’s queens. Extremely beautiful and cerebral. She engaged me with deep and introspective opinions on Nigeria and the role of the woman amongst others.

As she spoke, I was looking at the food being put on the table. Mbok, come and see food. All sorts and I swore to be part of the meal no matter what. Luckily, Emir Sanusi asked me to join his first set of five people on the table. After which we sat down to discuss. They were off the record and I am not supposed to say and will not say. It is not today I have started keeping secrets. After the talk, he thanked me for coming and I thanked him for hosting me. I presented to him my book in which he had a generous mention. As I bade him bye, the taste of the food was still in my mouth. I swore that Nigeria has not heard the last of this gentleman. This is only the beginning.

Na now the fight just start. As for me, na the food concern me. Please, Mr. Kareem when are we going again?

CHIEF ROBERTOPARA – ONTHE MATCH AGAIN! This my brother was a major combatant in the last elections. His motive, according to him, was to contribute very powerfully to the total emancipation of the Nigerian youth especially in the area of financial empowerment amongst others. Although he did not go far (I doubt if he had up to 1,000 votes that is if you add that of his neighbours), he has decided to have a go at his vision using another platform. I have just heard that he has set up one of the biggest youth-based NGOs in the country with the express task of gathering about one million youths from all six geo-political zones of the federation.

Chief Opara in a discussion stated very emphatically that what motivates him was the gory scenes he faced during the campaigns where humans and animals shared the same watering holes.

A country with this amount of wealth and with this kind of suffering remains an abysmal shame according to him.

So his medical mission on the back of this which is not for profit would go a long way in ameliorating this particular problem. I wish him well. He no go easy but make him try.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

66

INFOGRAPH

ADVERTISEMENT

0OF1FSTPO

$"/ .",& " %*''&3&/$& +V VCMGU 1PG 2GTUQP VQ OCMG C FKHHGTGPEG #PF YKVJ GCEJ CEVKQP YG NGCXG QWT HQQVRTKPVU KP VJG UCPFU QH VKOGЯ

$)6%& +*%&0/80 %'1 ,Q[ +PE

1P /CTEJ VJG 'K' LQWTPG[ DGICP YKVJ 10' GOCKN h8IFSF JT UIF 0VUSBHF h HTQO %JWFG ,KFGQPYQ HQNNQYKPI 2TGUKFGPV 7OCT /WUC ;CTŦCFWCŦU CDUGPEG YCPVQP MKNNKPIU KP ,QU CPF HWGN UECTEKV[

504:/ #6$,/03 -BUF

A:&.* "%".0-&,6/

/WUKE #TVKUVG .CY[GT ,QWTPCNKUV

5JG KPURKTGF CPF EQNNCDQTCVGF YKVJ WU KP QWT HQTC[ KPVQ TCFKQ CV 6QR4CFKQ (/ KP VJTQWIJ VJG /P8BIBMB.POEBZ RTQITCO +P YG JCF TCFKQ RTQITCOU KP UVCVGU

'ZGEWVKXG &KTGEVQT 'K' 0KIGTKC

5JG NGCFU VJG 'K' VGCO DWKNFKPI CP KPUVKVWVKQP VJCV OCMGU VJG ECUG HQT C EKXKE GPICIGOGPV TGXQNWVKQP KP 0KIGTKC

9G CTG UWRRQTVKPI CEVKXG EKVK\GPU VQ QEEWR[ VJGKT QHÆ’EG VCMG OQTG CEVKQP CPF CORNKH[ VJGKT UVQTKGU

*//0$&/5 *%*#*" #BCB

+0)/ .0.0)

/WUKE #TVKUVG 'K' U 4582 #ODCUUCFQT

%JCKTOCP %'1 %JCPPGNU 68

*G JCU EQPUKUVGPVN[ CFXQECVGF HQT PQP XKQNGPEG VJTQWIJ JKU 816' 016 (+)*6 %#/2#+)0

'K' U LQWTPG[ QH JQUVKPI FGDCVGU UVCTVGF KP YKVJ JKU UWRRQTV 'K' JCU UKPEG JQUVGF QT EQ JQUVGF QVJGT FGDCVGU YKVJ VJG mSTU IJTUPSJD NVMUJ QMBUGPSN NVMUJ MBOHVBHF EFCBUF JO

+PJO UIF 0OF1FSTPO DBNQBJHO CZ TJNQMZ SFDPSEJOH B TIPSU WJEFP XIFSF ZPV UBML BCPVU IPX BT A0/& 1&340/ ZPV SF MFBWJOH B MBTUJOH '00513*/5 JO ZPVS DPNNVOJUZ 5"( 64 0/ 40$*"- .&%*"

&J&BU &J&'PPUQSJOUT

GPPUQSJOUT

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

29.03.2020

MANU DIBANGO END OF A SAXY LIFE! Dibango

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 29, 2020

68

ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

MANU DIBANGO END OF A SAXY LIFE!

The legendary Cameroonian-born Afro-jazz musician and saxophonist, Manu Dibango on Monday became one of the latest casualties of the monstrous COVID-19 which claimed his life at 86. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

T

he world woke up on March 24 to the rude shock of the news of the death of Emmanuel N'Djoké "Manu" Dibango, a leading Afro-jazz musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Actually, the world has not really been sleeping since the Covid-19 outbreak became a pandemic. Health workers, medical supply companies, tech companies, and the media are some of the most concerned personnel, who are involved in one way or the order in putting a face to this creepy outbreak. With over 20,000 deaths recorded, the impact is cringe-worthy at the mention of any prominent figure as a casualty. So was the sad epilogue to the life story of Dibango as he breathed for the last time in a hospital, South of France.

Born in Douala, Cameroon, his father, Michel Manfred N'Djoké Dibango, was a civil servant while his mother was a fashion designer, running her own small business. Dibango's uncle was the leader of his extended family. Upon his death, Dibango's father refused to take over, as he never fully initiated his son into the Yabassi's customs. Throughout his childhood, Dibango slowly forgot the Yabassi language in favour of the Duala.

As a child, Dibango attended the Protestant church every night for religious education and developed his interest in music from there. In 1941, after being educated at his village school, he was accepted into a colonial school, near his home, where he learned French.

He arrived in France in the early 1950s to study jazz and saxophone and then began to play in clubs. Dibango shot into international stardom with his 1972 seven-track album titled, “Soul Makossa” in which the title track became a global hit. The song "Soul Makossa" contains the lyrics "makossa", meaning "dance" in his native tongue, the Cameroonian language Duala.

It has influenced popular music hits, including Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie". The 1982 parody song "Boogie in your butt" by comedian Eddie Murphy interpolates Soul Makossa's bassline and horn charts while "Butt Naked Booty Bless" by 1990s hip-hop group Poor Righteous Teachers heavily samples its musical bridge and drum patterns.

Composed for the African Cup of Nations in 1972, Soul Makossa earned two Grammy nominations at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974 in the Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Instrumental Composition categories. The song won the hearts of many fast-rising artists of the period including

Dibango the phenomenal King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Jackson would later face a lawsuit for infringing on Dibango’s copyright in his classic hit, “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'”. The track had a sample of Dibango’s hook in Soul Makossa in the popular line: 'Mamasay Mama-sa Mama-kosa'.

Eventually, Jackson opted to settle out of court. But in 2009, Jackson and Rihanna worked on another collaborative track titled, 'Don’t Stop The Music' with the same Soul Makossa sample, forcing Dibango to hurl Jackson back to court, like an unrepentant cheating spouse.

When Rihanna asked Jackson in 2007 for permission to sample the line, he allegedly approved the request without contacting Dibango beforehand. Dibango's attorneys brought the case before a court in Paris, demanding €500,000 in damages and

asking for Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music to be "barred from receiving 'mama-say mama-sa'-related income until the matter was resolved". The judge ruled that Dibango's claim was inadmissible: a year earlier, a different Paris-area judge had required Universal Music to include Dibango's name in the liner notes of future French releases of 'Don't Stop the Music'. By then, Dibango had withdrawn legal action, thus waiving his right to seek further damages.

Despite this history behind him, Dibango enjoyed a strong professional relationship with many international artists including those of Nigerian descent. A former member of the seminal Congolese rumba group African Jazz, Dibango has collaborated with many other musicians, including Fania All-Stars, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Adé, Don Cherry as well as Sly and Robbie. His popularity rose in the UK with a disco hit called "Big Blow", which was originally released in 1976 and re-mixed as a single in 1978 on Island Records. In 1998, he recorded the album “CubAfrica” with Cuban artist Eliades Ochoa.

Dibango's first instrument was the keyboard, later the saxophone and vibraphone. A great arranger, he had been in concert with a quartet and other times with a 28-piece orchestra.

His band is reflective of his cosmopolitan nature.

He served as the first chairman of the Cameroon Music Corporation, settling disputes around artists' royalties. Dibango was appointed a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2004.

His song, "Reggae Makossa", is featured on the soundtrack to the 2006 video game Scarface: The World Is Yours. In August 2009, he played the closing concert at the revived Brecon Jazz Festival. In July 2014, he made an 80th-anniversary concert at Olympia, France which was broadcast by TV5Monde.

Tributes have poured in since his death. One of them came from the South African pop diva, Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

“It’s very sad news to hear about a brother and the son of the soil. It is a real bitter pill to swallow. This Coronavirus is right here and it is disrupting everything. May his soul rest in peace. It is really hard to believe that he is gone,” she said on SABC News.

The Grammy-winning Afrobeat musician, Angelique Kidjo, declared on Twitter: “You’re the original giant of African music and a beautiful human being.”

Other celebrities who have tested positive for the virus include Idris Elba and wife, as well as Tom Hanks and his wife. They have since recovered from the disease.

BOOKS

Enter Mukhtar Balewa: Africa’s New Literary Hope Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

T

uesday, March 31, would have been a landmark day for the Nigerian literary scene and, of course, the Enugu-based Delta Publications (Nigeria) Limited. But, the onslaught of the Coronavirus disease – a. k. a. COVID -19 – has forced the helmsman of the book publishing company, Dilibe Onyeama, to shelve whatever grand plans he had for that day to a more auspicious time in the future.

That would have been the day Delta Publications would have presented its latest fiction title, Prince of Mali, to the Nigerian public at the NUC’s 800-seater IdrisAbdulkadirAuditorium inAbuja.

For the author, Bauchi-born Mukhtar Balewa, this would have been a grand entry in the literary scene as a novelist of serious contemporary fiction. Indeed, there have already been parallels drawn between his style and plot-structure, by his publishers, to those of the British literary legend Graham Greene.

Astatement from the publishers’ online editor, Manuela Charlotte, describes the successful bid to engage Mukhtar Balewa as “the kind of scoop that every publisher would dream of in this depressed economy plaguing the book industry, the only way out of which is to find an outstanding new literary luminary who has an exceptional story to tell. The developed story-line of Prince of Mali is a monument to the ancient art of storytelling, with a style and descriptive power that is as compelling as the theme of the story.”

As a scion of Nigeria’s late prime minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the author’s name would already have struck a chord with many a Nigerian reader. Expectedly, his personal life

Balewa experiences as a living witness of Nigeria’s bloody coup d’état of 1966, which saw his father, SirAbubakar Tafawa Balewa assassinated, enriched his armoury of inspirations.Added to this were his numerous trips to the gold-mining province of Kayes in western Mali, his background in social psychology, love for his continent Africa and a deep interest in its development, which have joined forces to inspire the writing of Prince of Mali.

As for his writing talent, it was discovered and nurtured from an early age while he was at Epsom College, an elite public school in England. He had grown up in Britain’s rural Kent and Sussex for nearly a decade, attending Westbrook Hay Preparatory School in Hertfordshire for five years before his years at Epsom College in Surrey. The support by his literature master went a long way in whetting the young lad’s appetite for fiction as well as later preparation of research papers. The lattermost was punctuated when he served both the Federal Government administrations of Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan as Special Adviser on Social and Economic Development.

On the novel, whose central theme is the West African slave-trade, Mukhtar Balewa says wistfully,

“I wanted to remember those heroes ofAfrica who, for centuries, were scarred by the experience of inhuman bondage. The story takes place during the waning years of the transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest periods in human history, between the 15th and 19th centuries, when mankind – black, white and brown, high and low, from king and queen to boat-builder, politician, soldier, knave and plantation owner, sold their conscience and dignity in a vulgar orgy of incredible cruelty, in order to acquire the huge riches it spewed up. Many became infamously rich, but the memory, the stain of the horrors of rape and pillage, has continued, in one dark form or the other, to haunt a beautiful people on both sides of the ocean, still trapped in a futile struggle to free themselves of its residual agonies.

“I also wanted to portray the impact on the peoples ofAfrica, those who were left behind – all of the victims of that hurricane that ripped through their lives for nearly 400 years.And even after that, there was yet more to come.”

Perhaps, as a possible defence for Prince of Mali’s exploration of what has become a well-worn theme in both European andAfrican literature, which would appear to indict the author with lack of originality, Onyeama argues: “The story of slavery, in this case, presents the facts from the perspective of a Westerner who grew up in the traditional atmosphere of prejudice, built-in arrogance of ignorance, and self-deception. The highlight of the story involves the hero Didier, a French slavemaster, who suffers the misfortune of getting captured in one of his kidnapping forays inAfrica and subsequently enslaved by the natives. Understandably, it’s a tale of pathos and bitter irony, in that the slavemaster-turned-slave is now forced

to take a long, hard look at himself in bondage and confront his conscience through moralising on the sheer evil of his chosen way of life. The book has a deep message for every society.”

SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2020 • T H I S D AY

69

70

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÎ Ëœ 2020

GAVEL

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

An Unpleasant Week for the National Assembly The federal lawmakers, last week, took time to assess federal government’s response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, even as the Senate mourned the loss of Senator Rose Oko, report Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu

I

n the wake of the concern among the public including the legislative arm of government about the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly was badly hit last Tuesday with the sad news of the death of a ranking female Senator, Rose Oko, who died of cancer a day earlier at a London hospital.

Oko, a former member of the House of Representatives, representing Cross River North Senatorial District, died at the age of 63 and was of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who chaired the Senate committee on Trade and Investment until his death.

Her demise brought to three, the number of Senators lost to the cold hands of death in the Ninth Assembly in a short period of four months with the other two being of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), namely Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, who died at his Abuja residence in December, 2019 and Senator Ignatius Longjan, who died in an Abuja hospital in February, 2020.

This incident altered the proceedings of the Senate for that day as it hurriedly observed a one-minute silence in honour of the late senator, while also suspending plenary in line with the tradition of the National Assembly as a mark of respect for the deceased colleague.

This followed the adoption of a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi and seconded by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Senator Oko’s untimely death elicited reactions from her colleagues with the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, saying he received the sad news with shock.

Lawan, while commiserating with the deceased’s family and the loved ones she left behind also condoled with the people and government of Cross River State over the loss. He said Oko’s death was a great loss to the Senate and to Nigerian women in politics.

He posited that the late Senator would be greatly missed by her colleagues in the Ninth Assembly while praying that the Almighty God would comfort her family and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

On his part, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, described the late Senator as a gentle amazon, who used all within her to serve her people and the nation. He said the demise of Oko is a great loss to her constituents, the people of the South-South geo-political zone and the nation at large. “In June 2015, Senator Oko became the first female Senator to represent Cross Rivers North senatorial district and in 2019, she was re-elected by her constituents. Before her elevation to the Senate, she represented Yala/Ogoja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in the Seventh National Assembly. “As Chairman of Senate Committee on Trade and Investment and in her capacity as Senator representing Cross Rivers North senatorial district, Senator Okoh diligently strove for the betterment of the lot of our people. “Coming so soon after the exit of Senators Benjamin Uwajumogu and Longjan Ignatius Datong, who represented Imo North and Plateau South Senatorial District respectively, this is really a great shock,� the statement stated.

Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa/ NEPAD, described as sad and devastating the death of his colleague, Senator Oko. Nnamani noted that the Senate nay the Nigerian political class has lost one its best and fertile female minds in politics, adding that Senator Oko through her works and actions, displayed strong character and truly endeared herself positively to all who came

Senate in session across her. “She was one politician, who was passionate about the welfare and wellbeing of the ordinary Nigerian. Senator Oko demonstrated this attribute with the avalanche of empowerment programmes, social amenities and infrastructure she attracted to her constituency�.

Senator Nnamani noted that Senator Oko was a consummate academic, administrator and politician, who radiated brilliance, competence and capacity in all her endeavours. “Her death at this time is one too many.

It reminds us of the painful reality of the transcience of human existence�.

Painful as her death was, Senator Nnamani maintained that Oko left a legacy of hard work, honesty and patriotism and prayed that the good Lord would grant her soul eternal rest.

However, on Coronavirus pandemic, as the numbers of persons infected with the virus increased, the disease is fast becoming the most challenging global health crisis. With Nigeria recording its first death and over 51 infected persons, the federal government, taking some suggestions given by the National Assembly, has been rolling out measures to curb the spread of the disease.

The federal lawmakers not only asked the government to postpone the National Sports Festival, but also insisted that it followed the path of other countries to close borders, halt flights, ban large public gatherings and shut schools and other public places.

Some measures put in place to address the Covid-19 pandemic by the government include the travel restrictions, visa cancellations and flight halting on high-risk countries, border closure, ban of religious and other large gatherings, the provision of almost N1 billion to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to procure facilities to support emergency responses, and the setting up of a Presidential Task Force (PTF).

But lawmakers across party lines last week expressed concern about the threat of Coronavirus in Nigeria becoming serious, and that more needed to be done by the government

to halt the spread.

A member of the House of Representatives Hon. Simon Atigwe (PDP, Enugu), on his part, decried government’s response so far, and therefore called for a state of emergency.

Atigwe asked President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, issue a proclamation of a state of emergency on the pandemic in the country.

According to him, the call by the federal government on Nigerians to prepare for tougher measures to curtail the ongoing spread of the disease is capable of creating panic among the populace, especially the illiterate people.

He explained that such action would not only help the government in halting the growing outbreak of coronavirus, but also in ensuring quick recovery of those already infected.

He specifically urged President Buhari to immediately set up an emergency fund to help the country fight the COVID-19. This, he stressed, would further boost several efforts put in place to mitigate the impact of the epidemic on people’s health, their economic lives and that of the country.

Besides, Atigwe also called on the federal and state governments to provide standard equipment and facilities at the centres created to cater to coronavirus victims. He also stressed the need for the establishment of testing centres in all the 774 local government areas across the country with a view to showing adequate preparation to handle any further spread of the disease.

His words: “There is need for federal government to do a little more, beyond closing of airports, schools and sporting event, among other measures. The government should make the establishment of testing centres in all local government areas a top priority. “The non-availability of testing centres in the entire Southeast and the North before now is not good enough for the country and there is need for adequate preparation by the government in every part of the country.� “Also, standard isolation centres should be built in all states with the support of the

Federal Ministry of Health. Containment is very cheap than cure.�

He said that the National Assembly would be willing to approve fund for the federal government to establish the centres and their continued upgrading to the required standards In the same vein, another lawmaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia state), was of the opinion that the COVID-19 pandemic qualifies as an imminent danger affecting the entire country, which constitutes a valid reason for the declaration of a state of emergency.

Kalu, who also doubles as the House spokesman said, the measures set up by the government to combat the spread of COVID-19, such as self-isolation, social distancing, ceasing of unnecessary movement, and testing are not being complied with by Nigerians. “Therefore, it has become imperative to give these measures the backing and force of law for the sake of public safety�, he said even as he assured that if a state of emergency was declared by the executive, the House would not hesitate to reconvene to deliberate on the issues.

According to the lawmaker, “Section 305 of the constitution empowers the President to issue a proclamation of a state of emergency and according to Section 305(3)(e), the proclamation can be made where there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the community or a section of the community in the Federation. “According to Section 305(2) such declaration of emergency must be officially gazetted and forwarded to the Senate President and Speaker of the House who are in turn expected to convene a meeting of the Senate or House to consider the situation and decide, by two-thirds majority, whether or not to pass a resolution approving the proclamation. “Several countries have declared a state of emergency to enable them effectively combat the virus; among them are USA, Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Thailand etc. We must not wait until we have been overwhelmed or have attained the number of deaths as these countries before we take necessary steps.�

71

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Mohammed

Atiku’s son, Mohamed

Kyari

High and Mighty Vulnerable as Coronavirus Hits Harder The high and mighty now most vulnerable as Covid-19 turns out a social leveller, writes Samuel Ajayi

I

t took the announcement by a former Vice-President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, to announce that his son, Mohammed, had contracted the raging Coronavirus for many to finally admit that the pandemic was no respecter of status, position, affluence and political power.

As if it was the trigger the notorious virus had been waiting for, the number of high and mighty, especially in Nigeria, that have tested positive to the virus has increased exponentially.

In fact, sources told THISDAY that many of them have tested positive and have privately self-isolated without announcing, obviously for egocentric reasons.

A social media user wrote on Facebook that, “All over the world, when people, especially prominent ones, test positive to COVID-19, an announcement is made immediately. But here, (in Nigeria), many of our big men have the virus but have quietly gone underground for fear of stigmatisation, perhaps.”

He added that some of them were even unhappy with any of their fellow top political office holders who chose to make the COVID-19 status public, especially if they had come in contact with the person lately.

The reason being that they usually mingle and discuss at close personal level during their often nocturnal meetings and during routine political meeting, especially during the several meetings held during the recent attempt to remove the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adam Oshiomhole.

Perhaps, it is reflection of how many top political office holders have become aware that that the people, especially their followers and personal aids, see them as super men and women who are above infirmities and even death.

To demonstrate how much the virus does not respect status, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced on Friday that he had tested positive to Coronavirus and would be self-isolating.

The Secretary of Health, Matt Hancock, also tested positive to

the virus. In fact, Johnson, the British Prime Minister, gave detailed account of how he was feeling before going for a test, which came out positive.

In Nigeria, the most prominent case was that of the powerful Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari.

Kyari had travelled earlier to Germany and Egypt and did not self-isolate. A test late last week revealed that he had contacted the virus. This gave rise to very rife speculations that President Buhari too might have contracted the dreaded virus. Though, this has been confirmed to be false.

Kyari was not the only big fish the COVID-19 virus caught.

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and now governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, had also tested positive to the virus and even claimed he might have contracted it from Mohammed, Atiku’s son.

However, sources told THISDAY that he was also in Germany with the Chief of Staff.

During the week, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, tested positive to the virus and he immediately went into isolation. He had just returned to the country before he tested positive.

Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Philip Shuaibu, made the announcement. But luckily, his wife and kids tested negative.

Just like the wife and kids of Mohammed, Atiku’s son. Besides, Governor Godwin Obaseki, of Edo State, has gone into isolation.

Earlier last week, the Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, was the first prominent Nigerian leader to announce that he had come into contact with two people who had tested positive to the COVID-19 virus and as a result, would be going into self-isolation.

This was even before he had even gone for a test.

A couple of weeks ago, a number of prominent Nigerians had gone to attend the 80th birthday bash of the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdome, retired Justice George Oguntade. One of the attendees, who spoke with one of THISDAY’s editors said, if there was to be an outbreak, there would be

in the hundreds. He said despite the fact that the virus was already ravaging part of the United Kingdome at the time, guests at the birthday bash were mingling, hugging and having body contacts recklessly.

He said the only person who observed social distancing was the wife of a former governor of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola. What makes the case of high profile individuals, who have contracted the COVID-19 worse is that they could not even travel out of the country for proper medical attention.

It was no wonder, therefore, that the only death recorded was that of a 67-year-old Suleiman Achimugu, a former managing director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), who just returned from medical treatment abroad was exposed to the virus in the process.

Ordinarily, with dreaded virus like this ravaging the world, they would have simply travelled out of the country to access better and advanced medical facilities; the type years of bad governance had denied the country. Now, some of them are likely to be attended to by the manpower and facilities that are also available for commoners.

Beyond this, however, is the fact that perhaps, the spread of the virus would have been successfully curtailed if the nation’s sea, land and air borders had been closed earlier. But as many Nigerians have come to realise, the decision to keep the nation’s borders open was to allow these prominent Nigerians, their families and friends who were outside the country to return home.

Unfortunately, the spread of the virus has been caused by these same highly placed Nigerians who, rather than self-isolate after being exposed to the virus in the countries they travelled to, chose to mix, relate and socialise with their aides and close relatives upon arrival.

What the nation has at hand now is a virus that has chosen to ravage the high and mighty even more than ordinary Nigerians.

And for the first time, Nigerians have a social leveller in Coronavirus.

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

T Sanwo-Olu

Lagos: So Far, So Good!

he situation in Lagos is though nothing to cheer about, because it is the same in many parts of the world: the continuous spread of Covid-19, it is however not a hopeless case, because the government of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has provided the much needed leadership, the type Abuja is not in a place to provide, even if given a different opportunity.

From taking administrative measures, which had informed considerable lockdown of the state to providing decent isolation centres as well as sustaining the cam-

paigning against a further spread of the virus, Governor Sanwo-Olu has earned for himself a different place in the body polity, both in the state and the country in general.

Although the battle is far from being over, indications so far showed that Lagos is clearly in safe hands, including neighbouring states that are tapping from the stellar performance of an able leadership. Lagos, however, must not rest on its oars but continue to explore more initiatives on how to keep this as low as possible. Well done, Mr. Governor!

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

72

BRIEFINGNOTES At Oyo-Ita’s Trial, COVID-19 to the Rescue Reviewing some of the events that led to the arraignment of a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, Kingsley Nwezeh writes on the arguments for her bail, which was hinged on Covid-19 and the intrigues that led to her eventual fall

L

ast Monday, a former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over a N3 billion fraud, corruption and money laundering allegations.

Arraigned alongside Oyo-Ita by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was her special assistant, Ubong Effiok; Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Ltd; Garba Umar and his companies notably Slopes International Ltd and Gooddeal Investments Ltd. Also arraigned was U & U Global Services Ltd, belonging to Mr Effiok, and Prince Mega Logistics Ltd. They were arraigned for alleged fraud in relation to Duty Tour Allowances (DTA), estacodes and conference fees in addition to receiving kickbacks on contracts.

They were all arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The former top civil servant was arrested in August 2019, by the EFCC and was released after four days in detention. Oyo-Ita was however fired in September after N600 million was allegedly found in her aide’s bank account and has since been replaced by Mrs. Folashade Yemi Esan.

The defendants were arraigned on an 18-count charge filed on February 28 by the anti-graft agency.

Count one: “That you Winifred Oyo-Ita (whilst serving as a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Power) and Frontline Ace Global Services Limited (a company incorporated in Nigeria and of which Winifred Oyo-Ita is the sole signatory of its bank accounts at Zenith Bank) sometime in April, 2010 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court collaborated in disguising the genuine ownership of an aggregate sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira only) paid by the Federal Ministry of Power into the Zenith Bank account of Frontline Ace Global Services Limited No: 1011518656, which sum was derived directly from an illegal act, to wit: corruption and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 14(1)(6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.

Another charge against Oyo-Ita reads: “That you Winifred Oyo-Ita aka Winifred Ekanett, whilst being the Head of Civil Service of the Federation) between 2nd August, 2016 and 28th February, 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of an aggregate Sum of N62,215,169 (Sixty Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) only paid into your Zenith Bank account No: 1001074067 knowing that the said funds formed part of the proceed of an unlawful activity to wit: fraud (purported estacodes, fee for journeys not embarked on) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.

The defendants were later granted bail after pleading not guilty to the18-count charge.

In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, MS. Abubakar, told the court that he was fully aware of the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world, and therefore urged the court to place stringent bail terms and conditions that would not undermine the bail

My lord, I hereby confirm and appreciate the fact that there is epidemic worldwide, which requires social distancing among other measures. In the light of this, I have discussed with my colleagues at the operation department concerning the conducts and antecedents of the three defendants

Oyo-Ita system.

“My lord, I hereby confirm and appreciate the fact that there is epidemic worldwide, which requires social distancing among other measures. In the light of this, I have discussed with my colleagues at the operation department concerning the conducts and antecedents of the three defendants, all of who were on administrative bail granted them by the EFCC. “The information I received from them indicated that the fourth and seventh defendants, to a large extent, have honoured and respected the terms of bail. But regarding the first defendant, our officers had serious problems trying to serve her charge and also bringing her to court for arraignment.”

He, nevertheless, urged the judge to impose stringent terms and conditions that would ensure the availability of the defendants, particularly the first defendant, Oyo-Ita, whose conducts and antecedents, he said is nothing to write home about.

But counsels to the defendants: Paul Erokoro, SAN; A.C Ananukwa; Ebuka Nwaeze and Okechukwu Ajunwa applied for less stringent bail in the light of the corona virus pandemic.

In his ruling, the judge granted Oyo-Ita bail in the sum of N100 million, two sureties in like sum. One of the surety, he said must be a civil servant not below level 17 in any federal ministry, agency and parastatal.

The sureties, he further said must be residents of Abuja and one of them must be owner of property worth N100million in the Metropolis of Abuja.

The sureties, the judge ruled, should depose to affidavit of means and attach it to the affidavit. Also, the judge ruled that the international passport of the first defendant should be deposited with the court registrar.

Her final arraignment followed months of intrigues that started with her hospitalisation at an undisclosed hospital in the Jabi Area of Abuja immediately the EFCC got on the matter.

Initially, Oyo-Ita reportedly tendered her resignation letter as soon as the scandal broke but the presidency later clarified that she was still on her desk. The speculation over her resignation followed her absence at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting owing to the fraud investigation. She later assumed duties after President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly insisted she returned to her desk.

Oyo-Ita’s travails emanated from the return of a former Chairman of the Pension Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina, to the Ministry of Interior as a deputy director. Maina then had a N2 billion pending fraud charge against him by the EFCC. The then Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau had said Maina’s reinstatement was made possible through a letter from the Head of Service. Following the development, President Buhari ordered the dismissal of Maina and probe of his reinstatement. Oyo-Ita had swiftly denied the involvement of her office in the reinstatement.

“The attention of the office of the head of the civil service of the federation has been drawn to several media reports that the head of the civil service of the federation has approved the re-instatement into the federal civil service of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina and his subsequent posting to the ministry of interior.

“The head of the civil service of the federation (HCSF) wishes to inform the public that the re-instatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the office of the head of the civil service of the federation,” he said.

The statement had further stated: “Consequently, the purported re-instatement and posting by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading.”

But her position appeared not to have gone down well with some powerful forces that attempted to return Maina, whose posters had flooded Maiduguri and Abuja streets, indicating his intention to run for the governorship of Borno State.

NOTES FOR FILE

A Minute Silence for the Slain Soldiers

Buratai

Whilst the world was battling the ravaging Covid-19 and hoping to prevail as soon as possible, the animals living in the bushes in Nigeria’s far North in the name of insurgents, struck again, just when everyone thought the country had enjoyed some respite from their mindlessness.

But they were impervious to the happenings around the world, struck and killed at least 50 Nigerian soldiers in an ambush near Goneri village in northern Yobe State. Military officials and villagers confirmed the development.

Although the defence ministry spokesman, John Enenche, who confirmed the development

to reporters in Abuja, did not disclose the exact number of casualties, locals however placed the death toll at between 50 and 75 people, while some of the media houses adopted a conservative 47. But much later, the Army came out to sir it only lost 29 men to the 100 lost by the terrorist group.

Whatever it was, the nation needlessly lost some good men of courage and patriotism to the war against terror, when the world had a more deadly virus to deal with. Definitely, these men died in the line of duty and they deserve, at the very minimum, a minute silence. Shall we?

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

73

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

Bisi Akande with Ondo and Osun State Governors, Rotimi Akeredolu and Gboyega Oyetola

APC: All Eyes on Bisi Akande’s Committee The Chief Bisi Akande-led APC Reconciliation Committee has commenced work on how to put the party back together again, but certain critical issues will determine the success or failure of its mission, writes Chuks Okocha

F

ollowing the various crises rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the national leadership of the party, late last year, set up a reconciliation committee to resolve some of the issues aggravating the malcontents.

There are two main issues in the APC crisis and they are Edo state and States.

The reasons for this are not far-fetched. It is simply the forthcoming governorship elections in the two states later in the year. The crisis in Edo State is much more pronounced, because the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole is from the state and is an interested person.

The first committee that was dissolved had 10 members and was headed by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.

The main term of reference assigned to the committee was to address and resolve the crises within the party and bring about unity ahead of the 2023 general elections. But that didn’t quite work out hence the setting up of another committee.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the committee has 10 members and is headed by the president of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan. He said the move was sequel to the resolution of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Other members of the committee are Chief Bisi Akande (vice-chairman); deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase; Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Senator Kashim Shettima; Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; Alhaji Nasiru Aliko Koki; Senator Khairat Gwadabe-Abdulrazak; Senator Binta Garba and Senator John Enoh (secretary).

But the Lawan did not last following protest from some members of the party from Edo State against the senate president and in response to their prayer, the party dropped Laawan and a member of the reconciliation committee. He was however replaced by Akande in the reconstituted committee.

The terms of reference were still the same. It is to address the grievances of party members across the country and resolve existing conflicts, all with a view to fostering oneness, strengthen the party for better

governance and ensure unity of purpose within the party.

Announcing Akande’s committee, the APC spokesperson said, “President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reviewed the membership of the party’s National Reconciliation Committee,” adding that the 12-member committee would be chaired by Akande, while Senator John Enoh would serve as the Secretary.

Other members are Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello; Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola; Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase; Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Senator Kashim Shettima; Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor; Alhaji Nasiru Aliko Koki; Senator Khairat Gwadabe-Abdulrazak and Senator Binta Garba.

The committee has so far kicked off with its reconciliation duties, by meeting last week to strategise on how to execute its mandate.

According to Enoh, “The national reconciliation committee has received about 150 memoranda... After that meeting, I believe we are going to have a chance to roll out what and how we are going to go about the work.”

As the committee was preparing to get to work, one of the factions in the crisis in Edo State opened a factional office. This, to many, was an obstacle to the reconciliations. Even the secretary noted that the opening of a factional secretariat of the party in Edo has made the job of the committee more difficult.

“If there is anybody or any group of people that opened up another secretariat and all that, in the meantime, it just brings to greater focus the great need for the work of the committee; that is what I can say. It makes the work of the committee more and more imperative.”

Asked which of the factions or state committee that his committee was going to begin its reconciliatory moves with, Enoh said, “That is what I am telling you. I said we are having a meeting on the 24th and all these issues are likely to be attended to at that meeting. We haven’t set out any procedure yet. The much we’ve done was to call for memoranda from the public.”

But the reconciliation committee has the force of the APC governors’ forum to contend with. Already, it is being said that the governors elected on the platform of

the party are asking that both the Edo governor and his Ondo State counterpart be given the right of first refusal to contest in the elections coming up later in the year.

How the Akande committee will handle this is yet to be determined.

Also, one of the terms of reconciliations in the crisis was that Oshiomhole should reconcile with the Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki. How this would be resolved is yet to be seen also.

This is because the forces lined up against him have not sheathed their swords yet. Also, Oshiomhole has not helped himself in this quagmire that he finds himself.

What will he do to the ambitions of Pastor Ize Iyamu, who defected from his party, the PDP to APC? What is the future of the ongoing reconciliations? But the future of the APC is in perilous hands and can only be resolved in the interest of the incumbent governor, Obaseki, when he is given a second term ticket.

How possible is that? Will Ize-Iyamu and his supporters give up without a fight? This battle for APC governorship ticket will determine whether the national chairman has survived.

Though the governors of the party were not in unison to remove Oshiomhole, certainly they will not support him to stop Obaseki from contesting for a second term. This is because the broom they support now could as well be used to sweep some of them out during their own days of trial with a political godfather.

The governors are still there. They operate like a cult.

Will they allow one of their own to be humiliated out of office in Edo state? What would become the terms of reconciliations?

Although one of the conditions given to Oshiomhole is to reconcile with the governor, Obaseki, what is not clear is how that would be done. Some of his associates, like Ize-Iyamu have crossed the line of no return.

It was gathered that the embattled national chairman might not be averse to the reconciliation, but what would happen to his hardline supporters? What becomes of their political future? This will be a very hard nut for Oshiomhole and it will form part of his deciding points, going forward.

The big question, therefore, is: will Oshiomhole sacrifice them for his political interest or would he go down with them? What will happen to them? The jury is still out.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

74

CICERO/TRIBUTE

Rose Oko, an Amazon’s Painful Passing The late Senator Rose Oko will always be remembered for her good works while alive. Bassey Inyang writes

O

n March 23, 2020, in far away London, United Kingdom, the curtains fell for Senator Rose Okoji Oko, who until her last breath represented the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State, and was Chairman, Senate Committee on Trades and Investment.

As the renowned humanitarian, Mother Theresa noted, “Death is nothing else but going home to God,” and that is the inevitable ritual, the bundle of beauty and brains, Dr. Rose Oko, observed on that fateful day. She simply and quietly returned to her maker, leaving behind the planet earth to continue its battle against the pandemic known as Covid-19 otherwise known as Coronavirus.

Though Oko had battled chronic ill health, the news of her demise was a surprise, and was received with shock, not only in Cross River State, where she hailed from, but across Nigeria and beyond.

According to the great philosopher Leo Tolstoy, “Man cannot possess anything as long he fears death, but to him who does not fear it, everything belongs.”

Tolstoy perception of death aptly captures the Spartan approach Oko, the elegant and highly cerebral woman with captivating command of English language, put to life.

Hence, when others would have given up before the feeble jabs of ordinary fever, Oko against all odds got elected into the Nigerian Senate in 2015 from her hospital bed, for an undisclosed ailment, and kept hope alive for herself, the people she served, and humanity and was elected again to the Senate in 2019, much more to the brilliant representation she offered her constituents, and Nigerians within and outside the hallow chambers of the National Assembly.

Aside from her contributions to debates, and the duties of the various committees she belonged, the constituency projects she put on ground, and her humanitarian gestures had spoken in her favour. Though Oko lived for 63 years on earth, every minute mattered to her, and should be used for productive endeavours. No wonder Oko excelled in almost everything she set out to achieve in her personal and public life.

As a politician, before Oko was elected into the Senate in 2015 on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP), she was a member representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, having been effortlessly elected to the lower chamber of the National Assembly in 2011 on the PDP platform.

There, she occupied the position of Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Education – an office that suited her calling as an academic. Indeed, those were landmark achievements not only for Oko but the female gender in that part of the state, where no woman had been given such opportunity in partisan politics.

Before returning to the PDP in 2011, Oko had pitched tent briefly with the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 2007 and contested that year’s general election as the party’s governorship candidate.

She lost the election to Liyel Imoke of the PDP, but one thing was clear, the activism in her, driven by her crave for the Cross River women to be heard and given the appropriate space to venture and make imprints in the polity was established.

With the campaign slogan “ROKO FOR GOVERNOR 2007”, she instantly became a rallying point for the ordinary woman in Cross River State, up until her demise.

Perhaps, this singular quality of female activism informed the powers that be in the PDP to persuade her in 2011 to return to the party, for which she was a founding member, and was compensated with a ticket to contest the House of Representatives election, which she won.

Though Oko departed quietly, when it was least expected, amidst the global attention on the Covid-19, which has killed thousands, her death could not escape the attention of many of those who ever had a chance to know her and left behind to mourn her departure.

A cousin of the deceased, Patrick Ikorgor Okoroji, in reacting to her departure said, “Heart broken to hear of the passing of my dear Cousin Senator Dr. Rose Okoji Oko after a long fought battle with physical affliction. You gave your best to your world. Now that it has pleased the Almighty God to call you home, may your soul find eternal rest in Heaven! Adieu, Distinguished Senator Dr. Rose Okoji Oko.” Reacting to the news, former Chairman of the Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in the state and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said mournfully.

“Jesus wept. An Amazon has gone – a multi-talented bundle of beauty and brain – human effigy of humanity; classical personification of patriotism, Dr. Rose Okoji Oko, a forceful driver of change. We walked and fought oppression on the democratic arid streets of our state. Seeking ancestral identity to breed back communal with youthful company in tow.

“Vibrant vibrations of liberation songs to raise consciousness with pride from imposed shame saw Rose Oko in her navy blue jeans and brown T-shirt bought from Efraya market campaigning in the violence prone 2003 (2007) elections. Then to the Green chambers, the rosy Rose arose, arriving in stylish storms of intellectual urbanity.

“Getting to the Red chamber became a journey from pride to

Rose pity. This cancerous obstruction had weakened the once green rosy vibrancy to a pale withering Rose, waiting to fade. This hopeful helplessness still hurts with a treacherous sting.

“Another rose of equal sustained legacy had raced on in similar circumstances – Rose Abang-Wushishi. Arguably the First woman AIG in Nigeria, it’s only human to wish up what the Creator has decreed down. We painfully bow to the Giver, whose taking we neither can question.”

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, whose constituency she represented in the Senate, described the development as “shocking” and “huge loss” to the state.

“Death has struck so grimly at the heart of Cross River State.

Rose Oko was not only a senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District but was also a good ambassador of the state in the senate”, Ayade lamented.

“Rose was no ordinary daughter of this state. She was a dogged fighter for anything that could bring honour and dignity to our state. She was an Amazon for justice and fair play.

She was a development partner. She loved Cross River.

“Right from her days as a lecturer, Commissioner, House of Reps member and finally Senator, Rose’s single creed was the development and stability of Cross River State. We have lost a rare gem. Rose is irreplaceable.

“I’m downcast. I’m crestfallen. My heart is heavy. I lack words to describe the extent of my grief,” Ayade said in a press release signed by his Chief Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita. The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, described the death of Oko as a great loss to the nation and Cross River State.

In a brief condolence statement issued by one of his aides, Ola Awoniyi, the Senate President condoled with late Oko’s family and others that she left behind. Lawan, the statement said, also condoled with the government and people of Cross River State over her demise.

He said Oko’s death was a great loss to the Senate, and Nigerian women in politics, and will be greatly missed by her colleagues in the Ninth Assembly.

President Muhammadu Buhari has also reacted to the death of Oko. A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as saying Oko’s services will be greatly missed.

“The President believes the senator’s historic service to the nation at the National Assembly, starting out at House of Representatives and, later, at the Senate, will always be remembered, affirming that her long stay at the legislature clearly testify to her popularity and acceptance.

“As one of the women, who championed development issues at the National Assembly, especially on girl-child education and health, President Buhari notes, with sadness, that her voice, intelligence and experience will be sorely missed, and the promise of a brighter political career would not be realised.

“President Buhari commiserates with family of the deceased, her friends and political associates, praying that the almighty God will continue to comfort them, while urging them to find strength and solace in her legacies of a life of service to God, country and humanity.”

The late senator hailed from Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, born on 27 September 1956 to her mother Agbo Ojeka, and father Thomas Ojeka, all froto Opkoma.

Oko, an alumnus of WTC Primary School Enugu, Federal school of Arts and Science Ogoja, and University of Calabar, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, and the University of Port- Harcourt, had a 2nd Class Upper in B.A (Hons) Linguistics from the University of Calabar, Cross River state.

A Graduate Course in Linguistics shortly followed at The University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. A career Educationalist, Oko returned to the University of Calabar and graduated with M.A. Linguistics in 1984. From The University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, 1990, Oko bagged a Doctorate in Linguistics. She also added to these, in 2007, an MBA from the Management As an academic, she had many publications to her credit, one of which is Management Institute of Canada. Oko also had many academic publications to her credit. She also belonged to many academic, political, social, cultural, and philanthropic groups.

Though Oko is no longer in the physical realm, she will always be remembered for the good works she did while on earth. For as the great religious philosopher Gautama Buddha said, “Neither fire, nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

75

CICERO/REPORT

Will Obaseki, Oshiomhole Give Peace a Chance Now? With the tension generated by the political differences between the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole and the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki nearly subsided, Adibe Emenyonu, asks if both leaders would be willing to give peace a chance now

L-R: Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba kyari; Obaseki and Oshiomhole

“I

f Obaseki was a good politician, what is expected of him is to go from leader to leader, and beg. Obaseki should not be too big to beg. Without our votes, Obaseki cannot be governor. That is the truth. That Obaseki is the governor today is because all of us came together to say we were going to vote for him.

“For your information, to tell you how hard it is to win elections in Edo State, during the last presidential election, Obaseki lost his unit, ward, local council area, his House of Representatives constituency seat and lost his Edo South Senatorial District seat even as a sitting governor.

“For me, there can only be reconciliation if the governor is humble enough to go to the critical stakeholders and beg them. It is only then we would see if we could find a place in our heart to forgive him of all his transgressions.”

Those were the words of Henry Idahagbon, a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and member, Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a pressure group in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC), working to ensure Governor Obaseki does not secure second term ticket at the party primaries coming up in June this year.

But one of the governor’s men, Charles Idahosa was still beating his chest that Obaseki’s second term ticket was not negotiable, saying there is nothing like reconciliation. He said though they (the governor and his supporters) had accepted the reconciliation committee, there is nothing to reconcile, because Oshiomhole is the problem of APC in the 36 states.

“We are waiting for the National Reconciliation Committee and ready to listen to the team. I will advise that the easiest way to solve the job of the committee is for Oshiomhole to resign or let them fire him. That will bring peace in the 36 states of the federation in the interest of the party.

“We should not expect anything good from an Oshiomhole-led national chairmanship of APC. You can see the trouble Oshiomhole has caused APC nationwide. People are protesting in APC secretariat in Abuja, and the next thing they say it is Obaseki. Everything that is not in their favour is Obaseki.”

But unknown to Idahosa, there are far-reaching moves by both Oshiomhole and Obaseki to mend fences in order to ensure peace reigns supreme in the state.

For instance, it has been gathered from reliable source that

apart from the Bisi Akande-led reconciliation committee, some friends of both leaders had initiated moves to ensure Obaseki and Oshiomhole bury the hatchets Although the terms of reconciliation is yet to be made public, it was gathered both leaders are working assiduously to end the rift in the state. And part of the ways to end the rift, an APC chieftain who refused to be mentioned, claimed some interests might be sacrificed in the reconciliation.

He said one of those that might be used as political guinea pig is the deputy governor, who might be replaced, because he was perceived as one of those who misled the governor to begin what he described as “unnecessary political battle.”

The chieftain noted that one of the reasons Oshiomhole decided to pull Shaibu, who was then in the House of Representatives was for him to guide Obaseki politically, ensure harmony in the party so that APC’s policies and programmes would continue uninterrupted for rapid development of the state.

But this was not to be as he alleged that the deputy governor and other party chieftains in the state took advantage of Obaseki’s political naivety to lure him into building a self-styled political structure and crush the existing one.

The consequences of this, the APC chieftain declared, resulted in the deriding of a few individuals and well-meaning persons, who had the courage and altruistic motives to make peace, using their political allies to insult them for having the audacity to even proffer peace.

Besides, he noted that with his personal investigation, he observed that the governor was not an ungrateful person and that most of the crises were not his original ideas but those who have personal political grievances in the past with other with opposing views, hence they took advantage of the governor’s miserly nature to push him into the crisis to make money for themselves “That was why there is a new twist now on the intervention by President Muhammadu to mean that part of the peace deal to give Oshiomhole a soft-landing was that Obaseki should be given second term and those outside the state are now making a choice for Edo people while the erstwhile combatants are now advocates of peace and reconciliation,” he noted.

Consequently, there are feelers that Obaseki, in the name of reconciliation, might be asked to sacrifice his deputy, who has waged war for him when it mattered most?

This is because at several times, Oshiomhole had accused Shaibu as the one behind all the assaults and attacks on his

person, which the deputy governor had denied, saying it was the national chairman of APC that taught them all they were doing and remained his godson.

But with the popular saying that in Nigerian politics anything goes based on permanent interest and no permanent friend, a chieftain of the party loyal to Obaseki said, “ If that is the only condition for Obaseki to get second term, I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

He alleged that the deputy governor was the one behind war the drums, which metamorphosed into a full blown theatre of a political crisis while some other government’s appointees were behind the emergence of political camps and the multiple litigations in court just to make money for themselves. According to him, if that is the price they get for misleading the governor, so be it.

He said with their actions, “Democracy began to have its stride on development with litigation taking the place of political administration and thuggery becoming the order of the day,” adding that, “and where such exists, threats, tyrannical acts, intimidation and cultism became the instruments of influencing political discourse as those, who were supposed to douse the tension and rein in the combatants became ethnic champions and political patrons/matrons.

Another ally of the governor, who also pleaded anonymity countered that Obaseki will not acquiesce to such arrangement after all Shaibu did to ensure he was not disgraced out of office. He said the governor will be doomed if he agreed to drop his deputy, because of his own ambition, adding that together they came and together they would leave.

Be that as it may, some political actors have advocated the need for peace and reconciliation, advising Oshiomhole not to foist a candidate on the state, because after all, he has just one vote.

They called on the Oshiomhole to heed the advise of Major-General Cecil Esekhaigbe, (rtd) an indigene of Edo State, who said, “Since godfatherism has been ‘destroyed’ in Edo going by Oshiomhole’s slogan, there should be no undercover help but to continue to maintain peace.

Quoting the retired General, he said, “Governor Obaseki should ignore the political jobbers around him and continue to win the hearts and minds of the people of Edo State with developments as that is the surest path to continuity in office”, adding that, “This is the time for both leaders to shed the weight of political jobbers around them, who do not wish the state well developmentally.”

76

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž RCH 29, 2020

CICERO/FOCUS

COVID-19: How Governor Abdulrasaq is Keeping Kwarans Safe from A GlobalPandemic ÖÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă˜Ă™ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂœĂ—Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă‹Ă Ă“ĂœĂ&#x;Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ ÞËÞĂ?Ëœ Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™Ăœ ĂŒĂŽĂ&#x;Ă–ĂœĂ‹Ă’Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŒĂŽĂ&#x;Ă–ĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă‹Ă› Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂžĂ? Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš ĂŒĂŁ ĂžĂ‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ÓʨĂ?Ëœ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂšĂ? ÞÙ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă?ÞËÖÖ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹Ëœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Hammed Shittu

G

overnor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State has demonstrated exemplary leadership since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. This is perhaps not surprising. By rolling out proactive containment and suppression strategies ensure that the viral pandemic disease does not endanger the state.

Although the state is bordering communities like Baruten Local Government Area and other neighbouring states of Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Kogi and Niger, the governor is leaving nothing to chance to safeguard and boost the health and socio-economic wellbeing of the rural communities.

Abdulrasaq has commenced enlightenment programmes in the state’s public and private radio and television stations properly orient Kwara residents to be more conscious of the pandemic disease and imbibe new, safer health habits.

This footing has also assisted the government to reach the people of the rural communities in the state by enlightening them on the imperative of washing their hands, keeping social distancing, halting unnecessary travelling, stoping handshaking, and more importantly reporting to the nearest hospital if the people feel feverish, experience harsh coughs, among others.

The governor further convened a meeting with religious leaders, transport unions and royal fathers, among others, on the need to support the government on this unfolding virulent health threat – the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the stakeholders’ parley, the governor further moved to curb the spread of the pandemic disease in the state with the closure of both public and private schools.

The governor, in a statement issued in Ilorin, signed by the Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaja Bisola Fatimah Ahmed, directed all the schools to be under lock and key in the state.

The statement said, “This is to, once again, inform Kwarans that public and private schools (primary and secondary) will be closed down as part of the efforts of the state government to contain the spread of Corona Virus pandemic (COVID-19) ravaging the world. “The closure order may be reviewed to include higher institutions later if the situation calls for it and the school authorities across the state are to comply with this directive. The government is aware of the fact that most schools ought to begin their second term examination next week. “However, the government is compelled to prioritize public safety at this time of the global pandemic. For this reason, all schools (primary and secondary, private or public) should be shut by and children should be encouraged to stay at home. “The government calls on the people to maintain the highest standards of personal hygiene and practice social distancing within the limits necessary for safety. Members of the public may contact these telephone numbers to report anything related to the pandemic: 08064369063, 090293978826.�

As this was going on in the state, the governor ordered churches, mosques to be closed down while the civil servants have been directed to work from home so as to curtail any spread of the disease into the state.

The governor said civil servants’ salaries would be paid on time so as to enable them to meet their financial commitments to their families.

The governor also took another giant stride at ensuring that the coronavirus pandemic

Abdulrasaq does not spread to the state by approving the funding for the construction of an isolation centre located at Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin and also setting up a technical committee on the Covid-19, headed by the state deputy governor, Mr. Kayide Alabi, as a bold decisive decision that will save lives.

Speaking with journalists on the new development, Governor Abdulrasaq said the development was based on the commitment of the government to ensure good welfare, security, and well-being of all Kwarans. “We have embarked on a robust healthcare transformation agenda, to give every Kwaran access to better quality and affordable healthcare. Currently, we have no confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kwara State and this decisive decision is meant to upgrade healthcare infrastructure in Kwara state. “Even so, basic preventive measures by individuals and communities remain the most powerful tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As individuals, we are all responsible for the general well-being of fellow Kwarans and should work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by washing our hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as much as possible daily. “Avoiding touching our eyes, mouths, and noses, covering our mouths and noses with our bent elbow or tissue when we cough or sneeze, staying more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick and coughing and wearing a mask if you are ill (especially if coughing) or looking after someone who is ill and coughing, abstaining from handshaking until the threat of this COVID-19 is zero, avoiding crowded areas and minimizing any gathering to a maximum of 25,� the Kwara governor explained.

He added, “As a community, we must do everything possible to prevent any transmission of COVID-19 by embracing the concept of social distancing and selfisolation. These measures are to prevent anyone that may be infected with COVID-19 from spreading the disease to others.

An exponential spread of COVID-19 in our

community might be catastrophic because we could have thousands of our citizens sick at the same time.�

Governor Abdulrasaq further stressed further, “We need to encourage all Kwarans to get involved in this fight against COVID-19.

We believe we will achieve desired results only if and when our people are properly sensitized on how to protect our communities from the virus. “We are determined to continue to make the necessary investments in healthcare to safeguard the lives of our people. A 20-bed high-quality isolation centre has been completed and equipped at Sobi Specialist Hospital and plans are underway to build additional and well-equipped 12-bed intensive care units at the General Hospital, Ilorin. “We have put in place a “COVID-19 Technical Committee� comprising healthcare professionals and officials whose primary responsibility is to assist our administration in combating COVID-19 in Kwara State.

This committee is headed by the Deputy Governor. “In addition to the above measures, including the emergency telephone lines already given by the Ministry of Health, you will be receiving regular briefings and bulletins from us on the development. Finally, l wish to reassure all Kwarans of the determination of our administration to prevent, contain, and limit the impact of the pandemic on our people.�

Meanwhile, the technical committee on the pandemic has quickly swung into action towards ensuring that the Covid-19 viral scourge does not get to the state. Series of enlightenment programmes and radio jingles have been deployed to educate the people of the state, especially the rural communities in the state, on the need to remain safe.

The chairman of the committee, who is also the deputy governor of the state, Mr. Alabi with the committee’s secretary, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, have been working round the clock to ensure that the preventive mechanisms put forward are adequately implemented by the residents of the state so as to curb the spreading of the pandemic disease to the state.

The committee ensured the newly built isolation center is well equipped to accommo-

date around 100 patients at a go while Kwara works with Abuja, on the ongoing efforts to establish zonal test centres with the capacity to screen blood samples for COVID-19.

The state has also strengthened the capacity of its personnel to deal with the emergency. One of the members of the committee (the Commissioner for Health) Dr. Raji Rasaq said, “Work is going on to extend this (isolation) centre. We are looking at extending it to accommodate about 100 patients and that should be ready in the next couple of weeks.�

He added, “The ministry of health has built the capacity of some officials to handle any case of coronavirus while simulation/ drilling exercise would begin immediately for the health officials to be on high alert.�

Also, another member of the committee who is also the State Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Edith Onyemakan, said that men of the Immigration Service have been deployed to all irregular routes in the border communities of the state prevent illegal immigrants into the state.

She said, “The deployment of men of the Immigration Service became imperative so as to curb any invasion of immigrants that may be wanted to escape through illegal routes into the state after the closure of land borders by the federal government. “The men of the Immigration Service are also at alert at the Ilorin International Airport, where they monitor any incoming of expatriates that may be sneaking to Ilorin through the airport and take their documentation.�

But, on Wednesday, the chairman of the committee, Mr. Alabi spoke with journalists on the journey so far and declared the total lock-down of the state social and economic activities with the immediate effect.

In view of this, the government said that all motor parks, markets, taxi and okada operators, mosques and churches, social functions and engagements activities have been closed down.

The development, according to THISDAY checks, might not be unconnected with the recorded cases of COVID-19 in Osun, Oyo, Kogi, Ekiti and Niger states.

According to him, the development became imperative so as to protect the lives of the residents of the state. Alabi said that the government would put security arrangements on the ground so as to ensure the compliance of the order in the state. “The locking down of the state would curb any invasion of unsuspected members of the public that may likely invade the state through commercial operators from the neighbouring states of the federation.

The fast-food operators in the state should do take-away of their foods and avoid any customers to sit down to eat in their business premises henceforth.�

While assuring the members of the public of prompt preventive measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state, Alabi said that the government would not rest on its laurels.

He, therefore, called on the people of the state to cooperate with the government in the task of curtailing the invasion of the pandemic disease in the state.

On the insinuation that Governor Abdulrasaq has been on isolation for allegedly shaking hands with some top federal officials, Alabi said, “I want to say emphatically that our governor is not in isolation and he is hale and hearty.�

By and large, strict compliance by citizens, with the new policy moves taken by the Kwara State government to curb the spread of the coronavirus, will certainly keep Kwarans safe.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ MARCH 29, 2020

77

FROMTHECOURT

Finally, Supreme Court Rests Zamfara Governorship Matter The Supreme Court, last Friday, thwarted another attempt to make it reserve itself, by foreclosing the issue the Zamfara State governorship debacle. Davidson Iriekpen writes

T

he Supreme Court, last Friday, again made it clear that no amount of antics and trickery by politicians and counsel would ever make it to revisit a case it had earlier decided.

The court demonstrated this when it ruled on an application by the Abdulaziz Yari faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a review of its May 24, 2019 judgment on the intra-party dispute in the Zamfara State APC The court had, in the judgment, held among others, that the APC did not hold valid primaries preparatory to the 2019 general election, voided its (the party’s) victory in the elections and made a consequential order, directing the party with the second highest scores in the election to claim the victory.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State benefited from the effect of the consequential order, with its candidate taking over all the elective positions in both the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.

Dissatisfied with the apex court’s judgment, the Yari faction of APC, through their lawyer, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), filed an application on June 17, 2019, asking the apex court to “review, amend, correct and/or set aside the consequential orders” contained in the May 24, 2019 judgment.

While arguing the application on March 17, 2020, Clarke prayed the court to review the consequential order on the grounds that it was wrongly made. He argued that the order the Supreme Court ought to make was directing the APC and INEC to conduct fresh primaries and elections in Zamfara State, instead of voiding the party’s victory.

Clarke argued that by the consequential order, the Supreme Court made it possible for the PDP, which was not a party in the Zamfara APC’s intra-party dispute, to benefit from the outcome of the dispute. He contended that when the Supreme Court sat on the date it gave the judgment, the case was purely a pre-election matter, not an appeal from the lower court, flowing from the tribunal.

“There was no tribunal in place to hear postThe CJN, Tanko Muhammed election matters, because election had not been held. The Supreme Court was sitting, at that time, as a court of of June 2019, because the notice of appeal was filed on March 4, first instance.

2019, and the court said so in its judgment of May 24, 2019.” The “We are saying that the consequential order was made out court missed the application. of jurisdiction. The consequential order that would have been Surprisingly, still not satisfied, the APC faction last month, made was to order INEC to conduct fresh primaries and elecfiled another application before the court. But in a majority judgtions. Section 235 of the Constitution, says only the tribunal that ment, four members of a five-member panel, led by the Chief can decide electoral dispute, in this case, there was no appeal on Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, dismissed election dispute. the application on the grounds that it was without merit.

“The consequential order allowed non-parties to benefit from Justice Inyang Okoro, in the lead judgment, held that the the outcome of the intra-party dispute between members of application was vexatious and a gross abuse of the process of the the APC. The other party that benefited from the consequential court. He said the apex court lacked the jurisdiction to review its order (the PDP) was never a party to the Zamfara APC’s own judgment. The court re-emphasised its finality, saying it is intra-party pre-election dispute. The court should grant the sealed. application in the interest of justice,” Clarke said.

“The finality of the Supreme Court is sealed. The application In a counter-argument, lawyer to the Senator Kabir Marafa is a gross abuse of court process; it is frivolous. The application is faction of the APC in Zamfara, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged hereby dismissed,” he held. the court to dismiss the application with punitive cost. He Justice Okoro consequently awarded the cost of N2 million argued that, not only is the application without merit, it constiagainst the appellant to be paid to the 1st –140th respondents. tutes an abuse of the process of the court.

But in a dissenting judgment, Justice Centus Nweze held that Ozekhome added that with the recent two decisions of the the court ought to have reviewed the judgment by setting aside Supreme Court, in the governorship disputes in Bayelsa and the consequential order, which made the Peoples Democratic Imo states, the applicant ought to have quietly withdrawn the Party (PDP) the ultimate beneficiary of the intra-party crisis in application. the Zamfara APC. He added that the court rejected the current appellants’ Justice Nweze was of the view that, if the court believed it was application, because the matter complained about was a prenot a Father Christmas, it ought not to make the consequential election matter, which had been overtaken by Section 285(12) of order, which was grounded on reliefs, not sought and which the Constitution, which prescribed 60 days from the day of filing made a non-party to the litigation the beneficiary. of notice of appeal.

He noted that the Supreme Court has reviewed its decision Ozakhome said, “On June 17, 2019 the same applicant made before and should be bold enough to admit where there are similar application that was struck out by this court on July 22, errors that ought to be rectified. He dismissed the objection 2019, the two main reasons given by the court included that raised by the respondents, upheld the application and granted ‘because the applicant did not comply with Order 8 Rule 16 of the prayers sought. the Court of Appeal Rules. Nothing has changed since the last Since the enthronement of democracy, the Supreme Court has ruling of the court for them to come back with the same applicaremained steadfast by not reviewing its judgments whenever tion.” an application to that effect brought before it by politicians. From He urged the court to dismiss the application with punitive Andy Uba, Celestine Omehia, Great Ogboru, Emeka Ihedioha cost, and noted that the application constituted a gross abuse of to David Lyon, the Supreme Court had disappointed them. the process of the court of the land.

While in some cases the court had verbally reprimanded the Ozekhome added: “This pre-election matter died on the 4th applicants for daring to bring such applications, it had also on

several occasions, embarrassed and fined senior lawyers for not properly guiding and advising their clients.

This is why many have reservations with the court for the needless suspense and false hope it gave the APC in the Zamfara case. They feel that after hearing the case on March 17, it should have immediately dismissed the application with a strong warning and huge fine instead of reserving for judgment and keeping the country in suspense on the matter.

Those who spoke to THISDAY, referred to the court’s summary dismissal of the application for the review of the governorship tussle in Bayelsa State and the huge fine imposed on Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

The court had last February excoriated Babalola and Olanipekun for daring to file an application for a review of its February 13, 2020 judgment that nullified the victory of the APC candidate in the governorship election in Bayelsa State. It did not only describe the application as vexatious but frivolous. An emotional Justice Amina Augie, who delivered lead judgment, described the action of Babalola and Olanipekun as regrettable and a deliberate desecration of the judiciary.

“I feel like shedding tears that senior counsel in this case would ever bring this kind of frivolous applications during my life time. This court is not authorised and indeed lacked jurisdiction to review any judgment delivered on merit, more so when the applicants have not pointed out any accidental error or slip in the judgment.

“There must be an end to every litigation. It is settled that the decision of this court is final. This is final court and its decisions are final for all ages,” Justice Augie said in an emotion-laden voice.

In the ruling that lasted about 30 minutes, Justice Augie ordered Babalola and Olanipekun to pay N10 million each to each of the three respondents as fine. She held that by Order 8, Rule 16 of the Supreme Court, the court has no powers or authority to review any judgment delivered on merit safe for clerical error.

According to her, it is only a legislation that can alter the decision of the apex court once a matter has been fully heard and an order made.

78

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž RCH 29, 2020

PERSPECTIVE

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Femi Hamzat_ Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi

Sanwo-Olu: Leadership in Crisis Times Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ÞËÞĂ? Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™ĂœËœ ĂœË› Ă‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă”Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂĄĂ™Ě‹ Ă–Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽËœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Israel Opayemi

O

ne of the most fascinating courses I have sworn I must attend at the Kennedy School in Harvard this year is on “Leadership in Crisis Times�, a one week Executive Programme co-chaired by Arnold Howitt and Dutch Leaonard, two leading experts in crisis management.

Interestingly, three of the case studies used during this programme are “Emergency Response System Under Duress: The Public Health Fight to Contain SARS in Toronto, Almost a Worst-Case Scenario: The Baltimore Tunnel Fire of 2001, Command Performance: County Firefighters Take Charge of 9/11 Pentagon Emergency.�

These case studies are all about how cities have responded in crisis times. All of these case studies are particularly relevant to me, because the two portfolio responsibilities assigned to me as the MD of Chain Reactions Nigeria, my Public Relations Consulting firm is Senior Executive Counsel to organisational leaders and crisis management.

They are, therefore, relevant to me as a Public Relations Consultant, who works with the Governor of a state like Lagos with over 20 million people.

But I am motivated to write this piece for a number of reasons, chief of which is the humility some of the ardent critics of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu have displayed in the last few days. I had had a bitter argument some months back with a professional colleague of mine, who had written off this governor over the state of roads in Lagos State. I told him I was putting my calling on the line to assure him Governor Sanwo-Olu will not fail Lagosians.

Weeks later, he kept on sending me WhatsApp messages about roads being fixed across the State. Immediately the Governor rolled out the containment strategy for Covid-19, he gave me a call and said, “Israel, I am now a repentant admirer of your client. You said it.�

What endeared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to my colleague is, always what we as Crisis Communications Consultants are trained to teach our clients. The first lesson in crisis times is, always communicate. Brief your people. Communicate your plan with clarity and conviction. When a leader goes quiet in crisis times, the rumour mill would thrive.

I listened to the most ridiculous of the rumour merchants on the social media just this week. It was the audio recording of a phone call by a certain unnamed woman, who claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari and his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari had been smuggled out of Nigeria to the UK for treatment.

C’mmon! Do you put a President and a Chief of Staff in a carton and smuggle them out of the country or what?

What my practice has taught me is that, in crisis times,

never leave a void. If you do, because nature abhors a vacuum, the rumour merchants will fill it for you.

In crisis times, the greatest gift of consolation a leader can give his people is the gift of hope. Hope that, as people, we will overcome the scourge. A leader is a merchant of hope. This is the first sterling quality a leader must possess and release in crisis times.

A leader must brief his people. By briefing, he gives hope. By briefing, he gives a sense of assurance. Lagos would have been in dire straits but for the regular briefing institutionalised by Governor Sanwo-Olu. Imagine if the manufacturers of food and beverages had shut down this week due to uncertainties.

We risk violent attacks and looting of malls and stores across the state by desperate people in search of food and water. Governor Sanwo-Olu engaged critical stakeholders in Manufacturers Association of Nigeria via a teleconference on Wednesday and Thursday back to back. He gave a sense of direction. He engaged the leadership of market association. Again, he gave a sense of direction.

Immediately the Abule Ado explosion occurred around 9am on Sunday 15, March, I had sent Governor SanwoOlu a text and followed up with a call to discuss the need for him to urgently send out a message of hope and assurance to the people. He assured me all Lagos State Government’s first responders were at the scene of the explosion.

He informed me he was getting briefed and he will do immediately there is some clarity as to the true state of things and that he would visit the scene. I could feel the pain in his voice as we spoke for about 11 minutes on the phone. He did exactly just what he told me he would do and even more by way of announcing a Disaster Relief Fund right at the scene of the explosion. He gave a leader’s most precious gift to a people in distress: hope!

You may then begin to ask, why does Governor SanwoOlu seem to outride every storm successfully? He has travelled through three storms in quick succession in one year, namely the storm of citizens’ discontent on poor state of roads, restriction of commercial motorcycles and tricycles, Abule Ado pipeline explosion and he is in his fourth storm.

The first thing I have found with this Governor is that, he reads and listens. Each time we have sent him a strategy document or an advisory on any issue, he has read it and thoroughly dissected it before we will meet. He has also shared with his Commissioner for Information and Strategy and the Communications team for inputs.

So, I have concluded, blessed is a people whose leader is a reader!

On the listening part, I will struggle to score who does it better amongst three governors have had the privilege of working with as a Consultant and one as Aide. As Governor of Lagos State for 8 years, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola

would take his note pad, listen to you, then, with surgical precision, he will take your point one by one. Then he swings to execution mode.

Till date as second term governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi will sometimes not commit to do what you have counseled him to do. But check the papers and the social media in 24 hours he has done exactly just that and perhaps more.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s style as Governor still makes me laugh till today. As an Aide who had unfettered access to him then, he would argue with you first, then, gets his then ADC, Gbolahan Lawal to call you to document your point of view into a one page document.

Asiwaju then refines the ideas and goes ahead with discipline to execute them. I have carefully checked the environment of all these leaders. They have either not surrounded themselves with sycophants as Aides or they know who amongst them to listen to.

A senior Special Assistant to Governor Sanwo-Olu once said something intriguing to me during one of my visits to the Lagos House, he said, “I have never seen a Boss like mine. We his Aides can practically summon him to a meeting and tell him, Mr. Governor, we don’t like what you did on this matter.�

He said he would take his time to explain the rationale for his decision to them and ensure they understood. I practically had goose bumps all over me hearing this. I have concluded that a people are blessed when they have a leader who listens.

One of the tasks I have set for myself post Covid-19 is to help Governor Sanwo-Olu document the processes followed to manage this pandemic. Governments should document the handling of this pandemic, as a Case Study for future needs by either themselves or their successors.

One thing is clear: Lagos State is gifted with a safe pair of hands in Governor Sanwo-Olu and I do hope, this experience would be shared at a Peer Review Session by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) under the leadership of Dr. Kayode Fayemi sometime soon.

States need to develop better mechanisms for crisis management. After this health crisis, we will be heading straight to managing a severe economic crisis that will be a direct result of Covid-19. Nigeria will need more Governor Sanwo-Olus, when that crisis starts. We will need our leaders to brief us regularly. We will need more Merchants of Hope at the State and Federal level.

Thus, Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Pro. Akin Abayomi, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso and the entire Lagos State Executive Council, please take a bow to these accolades and others already rendered by grateful Lagosians on the social media. Together, we will outride this storm and march to the Greater Lagos of our dream. ––Opayemi is a Lagos-based Public Relations Consultant

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

79

ENTERTAINMENT

The World of Television and Streaming During COVID-19 Pandemic With many people stuck at home, Vanessa Obioha looks at the viewing experience on television and streaming platforms

Family watching TV

A scene from Ultimate Love reality show

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria continue to spike, Nigerians are gradually embracing the gospel of social distancing. This means bad business for the entertainment industry which thrives on social gatherings. Shows are cancelled, festivals postponed and leisure venues closed. With many stuck at home, TV and streaming platforms are becoming the escape routes for selfisolation. Viewers are increasing their screen time,

scouring for programmes that will uplift their mood in the devastating era.

Global viewing figures from Nielsen, the American market research company showed that TV viewing increased in South Korea, Italy and America since the coronavirus outbreak.

The expanded viewing trend is good news for content providers on the sound and sight medium in Nigeria. As filmmaker Femi Odugbemi observed, there are many films by young filmmakers available

on cable TV and other platforms that are yet to be watched. He sees the self-isolation directive by the government as an opportunity for viewers to discover new films and appreciate the young storytellers in the country. He is particularly intrigued by local language films. “As the head judge of the seventh edition of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), I watched tons of films from across the continent and I was impressed by our local languages films; that is Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa. Truly, the production qualities have improved significantly. The sound quality is better, the pictures are stunning, the performers are fantastic because people are more comfortable speaking their own language. But it is the authenticity of the content that is the mindblowing. The storytelling is amazing. There is great improvement. If we are going to the kind of work that the world will pay attention to quickly, we have an advantage with our local language films.�

The former president of Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) added that “Staying at home will give the audience an opportunity to connect with the variety of programmes on TV and familiarise themselves with the young talents both behind and in front of the camera. Television and content are an incredible way to sustain one in this critical moment. They convey messages of hope.�

Another filmmaker, Ike Nnaebue foresees a rise in streaming platforms. “This is the time for content producers to explore online distribution. There will be a lot of content consumption this period.�

Streaming platforms such as Netflix reportedly experienced an all time high viewing traffic last weekend according to a report in Forbes. The Group Executive Director of FilmOne Entertainment and Filmhouse Cinemas, Moses Babatope disclosed that the demand for Nollywood movies has grown exponentially on streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video. “We have supplied almost 50 movies.� Babatope revealed that the company was forced to close down theatres at the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The expanded viewing gain however may be short-lived as the outbreak poses a threat to live content production. For instance, MultiChoice Nigeria recently cut short the duration of its reality TV show, Ultimate Love. The show’s finale, earlier scheduled for April 5, will now hold today, March 29. The company also stopped the love guests from receiving external visitors as well as leaving the Love Pad. In adhering to the order of social distancing, the past Sunday live show had no studio audience.

The leading entertainment company announced other changes in a statement. It disclosed that it is expanding its content offering for news, movies and kid shows. “In light of the disruptions to the school year in some markets, we are also working to provide access to the best available educational content, to help keep young minds stimulated and engaged,� says its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe.

MultiChoice Nigeria brings the best of live sports events to Nigeria fans but with the postponement and cancellation of most sport events, the company is offering viewers a robust array of award-winning sport documentaries from around the globe and “produced thematic channels for viewers to relive the greatest sporting moments of all time.�

The company said it has opened some of its sport channels such as SS1 and SS7 to other bouquets.

On the other hand, global streamer Netflix suspended production on all scripted series and films in the United States and Canada for at least two weeks, but the suspension will not affect the inevitable surge in viewing traffic.

Babatope however foresees a crowded film release schedule when normalcy returns as delayed films are slotted in with movies that were already planned for the same period. “Also, it will take some time for movies in production to resume filming, and that may have implications for the schedule as far as 2021 and 2022,� he said.

The TV industry is likely to experience a loss in advertising revenue as the pandemic continues to upend economies. For streaming platforms such as Netflix and Iroko, their dominance will be determined by the size of their content vault and subscription price.

80

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

GLITZ MEMOIRS

I lost my husband two years ago. I still miss him. He is an unforgettable and irreplaceable husband.

I remember him every day as a good man. I have a nickname for him. I call him ‘Emi mi’ my heart. He was a generous, loving and caring man. He loved me so much that he said I would not die before him that I would bury him. So if there were to be another world, I will marry him all over again

MADAM JADESOLA IBIDAPO

At 88, My Love Story Remains Unforgettable Always dressed to the nines, Mama Jadesola Oluwemimo’s sparkling white teeth betray her age. Her polished and radiant skin cuts the image of a woman in her 60s. The tinge of tintinnabulation in her voice echoes the tone of a nightingale. Her persona is a delight. Her graceful gait, turning caducity into youthfulness, presents a woman in her prime except that she was born in 1932. Mama Jadesola Oluwemimo’s photographic memory is enviable. At 88, she’s a matriarch full of life. From the lineage of Abraham Onigbanjo of Lagos Island, Mama signposts humility, modesty and ingenuity as revealed in this interview with Funke Olaode LIFE HAS TREATED ME FAIRLY ife is full of ups and downs and if you can endure you will be an overcomer. For me, at 88, I have no regrets about life because it has treated me fairly. It has been a blissful life surrounded by a

L

loving husband and wonderful children.

So far, it is being good and I give glory to God. I thank God for my life because I faced tribulations in my life trajectory. I had some challenges, I mean intrigues that are associated with family and marriage.

For instance, how to manage various

in-laws from mother-in-law to the extended family. It was not easy at the early stage of my early life and later, my marital life. I endured and God didn’t allow it to consume me.

I WAS BORN INTO ABRAHAM

ONIGBANJO’S FAMILY OF LAGOS ISLAND I was born on March 23, 1932, at No. 2, Varon Lane on Lagos Island into the family of Abraham Onigbanjo, who happens to be my grandfather. He hailed from the Olowoogbowo Area, Ita Kose of Lagos Island. In fact, the popular masquerade in my family was Gelede. By the time I was born, my father, Abraham Babatunde was working at the railway as a mechanical engineer while my grandfather, Abraham Onigbanjo was an auctioneer. Unfortunately, I had a faint recollection of my mother because she died at the age of 32 years leaving behind six children of 5 girls; two are twins and a boy. I didn’t know when my mother passed away because I was already living with my paternal aunt, the late Mrs. Theodora Onitiri. I was five years when I was taken to the Onitiris. The usual norms in those days children were easily given out to relations as there was this belief that they would be properly brought up. I was with the Onitiris where I had all my education before being my own boss.

LIVING WITH RELATIONS WAS A SCHOOL I began the phase of my life at age five when I was sent to live with a paternal auntie at No. 2 Hotonu Street, Lagos Island (Koro Agbede). Mr. Oni, Yeside Dawodu and Mr. Onitiri were all living in the same compound. The experience wasn’t palatable. It was a polygamous setting. That house was a school on its own because of intrigues that are usually associated with polygamy. Sincerely, I learned so many things and endured

81

MARCH 29, 2020˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

GLITZ MEMOIRS

How I Lost My Dad, Beloved Aunt In Two Days so many things with my aunt. The sprawling compound which extends to the adjacent Street at 14, Makanju Lane, was a little world on its own, bristling with activities from dawn to dust. I worship at African Church Cathedral Bethel, Lagos. Our Sunday school teachers, led by the late Hector Adeboye Thomas were strict disciplinarians.

Though they rarely use the cane, they were quite adapted to twisting ears and almost twisted my ears out of their sockets. Prof. Onitiri’s uncle, Emmanuel Onitiri, one of the elders of the African Church, had his own little world at the Makanju end of the compound. Morning prayers were held in Emmanuel Onitiri’s living room, quite early and we dread being woken up so early for the event.

A hymn would be sung, there was Bible reading and prayers, all led by Mr. Onitiri. The working day began with each of us facing his or her appointed tasks.

But his uncle J.O Okunrinboye, who had been in Lagos for several years and was a big man, waded into it.

Other individuals intervened: there was another uncle of his, Magistrate Ojomo, and a man who occupied a position equivalent to a permanent secretary. Luckily for me, one of my guardians came to my rescue with the assurance that I was getting married to the right man and into the right family.

Everything pointed to the fact that he was a genuine man so I didn’t give up.

We eventually got married on January 1951 when I was 19. After I got married in 1951, my husband said I shouldn’t do any work and become a full housewife.

I have been a housewife in the past 69 years. After some time, I was into petty trading in my house because the entrepreneurial spirit was still burning.

I had two housemaids. Whether my husband put some money down or not I must get something done.

EARLY EDUCATION AND DESIRE TO BE A BUSINESS TYCOON I began my early education at St. Paul Primary School on Breadfruit Street at age five in 1937. I spent five years and later proceeded to Ireti Girls’ High School on Lagos Island where Mrs. Bucknor was the headmistress. It was a wonderful experience for me to have been enrolled in school. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish my secondary education because it had always been my childhood dream to be a business tycoon.

But I read it to the level that I could raise my head high. When I left Ireti Girls High School, I dabbled into business executing contracts. Again, my guardians were business people. They had so many things in the compound. They supplied bread, guinea fowl and chicken. In a way, they spurred that entrepreneurship in me which helped me when I launched out fully to be on my own. I dabbled into business supplying eggs to Kingsway Store and Leventis. I was a young housewife when I lost my guardian, Mrs. Theodora Onitiri and father. They both had a motor accident in 1968 on LagosShagamu Expressway. My father died on December 22 and my auntie died on December 24 in 1968. It was a tragic and devastating year for me.

BEING A SUPPORTIVE WIFE IN TIMES OF TRAVAILS We were married for 67 years until he died two years ago. He was a caring, loving and good husband to me and a wonderful father to my seven children (four boys and three girls) who responded to the training. My first son is a retired pilot, I have medical doctors, a lawyer, a professor, Ibiyemi ‘Tunji-Bello and a computer analyst. Life is not a bed of roses, we had our challenges but I stood by him and I supported him when he was down just to ensure that our children go to school. I was a supportive wife when my husband lost his job. I engaged in all manners of petty trading to keep my family afloat. I fried baked beans, I was into hair-dressing, I was selling cooked beans. I didn’t abandon him and my home. I endured until he got his job back and financial normalcy returned to my household.

Looking back I cannot thank God enough for His mercies over my family. They are all works of God that nobody can challenge.

God has been kind that I don’t have any regret. I have learnt so many lessons from this life. Some of my friends would say, ‘what are you still doing with that man?’. But I didn’t listen to them because one thing about life is knowing what you want. Marriage is not a bed of roses.

It takes perseverance, love, tolerance to be able to sustain your home. For me, wives should love their husbands. Be humble, be respectful, and be content with what you have. Don’t compare yourselves with others.

MEETING MY HUSBAND I met my husband (now deceased), Meshach Emiola Ibidapo in Lagos. He was a contractor with a track record of excellence. He made a mark and left his foot on the sand of time as a successful man. He was part of the crew that constructed Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road in the 60s and also part of the team that constructed Tafawa Balewa Square and Ahmadu Bello Way where Silver Bird Galleria and Nigeria Television Authority are situated. I met my husband while he was working with Barclay’s Bank, Lagos in late 1949 when I was around 17 years. I used to supply the Kingsway Store. In those days, bankers working with the English bank must dress corporately. The Barclay’s Bank was known all over the world and the other Bank such as The Bank of British West Africa now called First Bank. Dressing well was part of the total package and Berkley’s bank started it. In the morning before they entered the banking hall, they would parade themselves and we would be looking at them. It was during this show of fashion parade that he sighted me and would not let go.

THE ‘CHASE’ THAT PRECEDED THE MARRIAGE

Madam Ibidapo

Having made up his mind to ‘chase’ me, he actually walked into my house to ask for my hand in marriage. It was love at first sight. He told me that he wanted to marry me that it was not a boyfriend and girlfriend thing.

Whenever he wanted to see me, and in order not to incur the wrath of my guardians, we had coded words that we used to communicate. He would say, ‘Jadesola, emi mi, owo re lowa. Mo fe fe e ni’ meaning, Jadesola, my heart is in your hand I want to marry you. He would whistle and I will peep through the window and he would come in. I was convinced right from the outset that he meant business. We courted for almost two years and I said if you were ready, come and see my

PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

guardians. And above all, God sealed the deal for us.

MY HUSBAND WAS REFERRED TO AS A MAN FROM THE HINTERLAND When it was time for me to get married to my husband, Emiola Meshack Ibidapo, there was opposition from my family because they didn’t want me to marry an ‘ara-Oke’, a man from the hinterland.

My late husband is from Owo in Ondo State and my families are Lagosians; the Normal Williams, the Ayubas, the Onitiris, the Onigbanjos and so on. There was this general belief that the ara-oke didn’t keep to one wife. So there was opposition.

MY HUSBAND IS UNFORGETTABLE AND IRREPLACEABLE I lost my husband two years ago. I still miss him. He is an unforgettable and irreplaceable husband. I remember him every day as a good man. I have a nickname for him. I call him ‘Emi mi’ my heart. He was a generous, loving and caring man. He loved me so much that he said I would not die before him that I would bury him. So if there were to be another world, I will marry him all over again.

I AM NOT AFRAID OF DEATH At 88 and having seen it all I am not afraid of death. If it comes today I will go gladly to meet my maker. I have embraced God right from childhood as my all in all. Being raised in Christian Faith also helped my life trajectory. It helped to keep me in check not to derail against all odds. There is nothing in this world that is more than God Almighty. If one follows Him wholeheartedly, he will not only direct your path, He will also make your way smooth.

82

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

with DEMOLA OJO demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ëœ ĂŒĂŒĂ‹ ĂŁĂ‹ĂœĂ“ ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÚÙĂ?ÓÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă‹Ă Ă“ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă?Ă• Ă‹ ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă&#x;ÚÚÖÓĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ĂšĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë›Ë›Ë›

L

ast week, the coronavirus pandemic took on another dimension in Nigeria with a few notable personalities contracting the virus. Chief among them was President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. The influential Kyari had been to Germany days earlier to help broker a power deal. Like many of Nigeria’s elite, he didn’t self-isolate when he got back, as he embarked on a round of meetings with governors, ministers and other people of influence.

This seemed to be the spark for those in government to sit up and give the pandemic the attention it deserves. Tests and self-isolation became the in-thing, and the subsequent sighs of relief with most results coming back negative.

Kyari wasn’t the only high-profile Nigerian that tested positive to the coronavirus. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had earlier announced that his son contracted the virus. Not long after, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who came in contact with Atiku’s son also tested positive.

It has been difficult keeping up with the steady rise in numbers of cases. Yesterday afternoon, it was 89.

This has precipitated unprecedented reactions, with the airspace shut down, states curtailing movement and imposing curfews, approval for stadiums to be converted to isolation centres, markets, banks and nonessential businesses closed.

There was a clamour on social media for the President to address the nation and calm frayed nerves as the

MARCH 29, 2020˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

83

SOCIALMEDIABITS populace was told to stay at home, especially in Lagos and Abuja. With growing concern and insinuations regarding the whereabouts of President Buhari, images and a video of him receiving the health minister at the presidential villa yesterday were a little reassuring, even if it fell short of an address.

The narrative from the presidency is that the president is less of a talker and more of an action man who delegates responsibilities and ensures things are done right.

Talking about things being done right, it took Chinese billionaire Jack Ma’a donation of thousands of test kits and face masks to wake Nigeria’s private sector up and support government in containing the virus.

Thankfully, they have started to pitch in. From Abdul Samad Rabiu and Femi Otedola who both committed N1 billion each, to GTBank and Access Bank who are at the forefront of putting up infrastructure, many more hands are on deck to fight the battle.

Unfortunately, there are other things to contend with. It was reported that Boko Haram killed more than 50 soldiers in Borno State, a reminder that the devastation being wrought by the insurgents is far from over. Still on devastation, an explosion rocked Akure and its environs in the early hours of yesterday. According to official reports, it was caused by a faulty truck laden with explosives headed for a quarry.

The above news items weren’t enough to distract from reports that members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives are taking delivery of 2020 models of Toyota Camry cars.

There were accusations and counter accusations; a rep claimed it was stale news as questions were raised over the outlay and other uses this could be put to, like buying much-needed ventilators.

Despite the outcry over the cost of these expensive vehicles, a rep like Akin Alabi thinks the Camry is not good enough.

According to him, he’ll rather add money to buy a better car.

84

MARCH 29, 2020 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

THEALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Nigerians Need a President Who Soothes in Times Like These

A

sked why President Buhari has not addressed Nigerians over the #CoronaVirus pandemic, his spokesman, Femi Adesina said: “It is not his style”.

Yet, during the 2019 election, Buhari addressed Nigerians PER SECOND! He went to all the states addressing Nigerians personally. He wore Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa clothes. He spoke pidgin and English. He even danced (can you imagine Buhari dancing!). Apparently, Nigerians votes are more important than Nigerian lives.

We cannot go on like this. President Buhari fumigated Aso Rock to protect only himself and his family and left the rest of Abuja to their fate. Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu is fumigating the whole of Lagos. Buhari eats at taxpayers’ expense and has provided medical facilities for himself from the public purse.

Yet, he does nothing as Nigerians starve during the #CoronaVirus lockdown, and have little emergency medical supplies beyond what Jack Ma donated.

The Governor of Lagos State, Jide Sanwo-olu, is ten times the leader Buhari is. Buhari is a disgrace to the word, leadership!

His aides may not say this to his face, but few thinking people have any respect for Buhari, in Nigeria and abroad!

Instead of hiding while Nigeria is in confusion, Buhari should approach the US and ask them to release the $308 million Abacha loot on compassionate grounds. I assure Buhari that President Donald Trump won’t refuse because of #CoronaVirus.

And when he gets the money, rather than give his crony, Governor Atiku Bagudu, the $100 million that the US alleges that he wanted to give him, President Buhari should rather use it to pay N5000 to each of the 38.5 million BVN accounts in Nigeria, so Nigerians don’t starve during the lockdown.

Going further, Buhari should call Aliko Dangote on the phone and use the N37 billion he budgeted to renovate the

ENGAGEMENTS

National Assembly to order emergency food supplies to be delivered free of charge to each of the 774 Local Governments of Nigeria. If Buhari does not know how to lead, I have just given him what in Nigeria they call expo!

But, let me say that President Buhari and his cabal are more responsible for spreading #COVID19 in Nigeria by failing to close our borders because Abba Kyari and Buhari’s daughter were abroad.

Now, after putting us in this mess, Buhari has no message for us. What nonsense! We must not hear that Buhari found his way to London or any other country after #CoronaVirus found its way to Nigeria because of his inefficiency.

Nigeria is so unprepared for this crisis because Buhari and his cabal never expected that they would ever be in a situation where they could not travel with ease to London and other Western cities.

In five years, Buhari budgeted over N11 billion for Aso Rock’s clinic. After such spending, how come the clinic still can’t treat Abba Kyari? How come he had to be taken to a facility in Lagos?

Where did all the money go? Insufficient ventilators and vital equipment!

The Villa clinic budget is enough to have built five hospitals that can cater for #CoronaVirus patients. What were they doing with the money? Buhari’s incompetence has finally caught up with him and his cabal!

The media is reporting that both President Buhari and Abba Kyari are coughing. I pray they recover soon. But while they are coughing, they must cough up the N11 billion that they claimed they spent on an Aso Rock clinic that can’t even treat them when they fall ill! Even when he has tested positive for #CoronaVirus, the Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, still addressed the UK public live today. But in Nigeria, no one has seen Buhari for a week because it is not “his style” to address those he leads.

Buhari has turned himself into an international figure of fun to the extent that one of the most famous Islamic clerics, the

Buhari Imam of Peace has described him as the “dumbest person in Nigeria. Can you blame the Imam? Is he wrong?

Let me end this piece by saying that Nigeria needs a leader to give REASSURANCE, GUIDANCE and LEADERSHIP. If Buhari continues to hide, while Nigeria faces her greatest public health crisis in her history, then the National Assembly should IMPEACH him so a COMPETENT leader can emerge.

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

A Virus with Dividends

I

n his play, Madmen and Specialists, Wole Soyinka acknowledges evil as a potent force of history. At the climactic moment, the deranged professor protagonist admits the role of his own evil essence with a caveat: ‘Poison has its uses. You can either use it to kill or to cure’. This could be a fitting summation of the ironic mission of the raging Covid-19 virus pandemic. As nations, powerful and weak alike, cower under the grip of this most lethal pathogen; the invisible adversary may bear dividends which our current morbid frenzy may not readily perceive.

Understandably, these are dreadful times. In the worst affected countries, the bereaved can no longer attend funerals because they do not know if it is going to be theirs next. Recreational ice rinks have been turned into morgues as mortuaries are themselves bursting with morbid occupancy. The rituals of social existence have come to a screeching halt as whole nations have been quarantined behind the closed doors of wherever people call home.

Suddenly, the things we were accustomed to taking for granted have suddenly become forbidden rituals of death or invitations to ailments with no certain cure. The citadels of high knowledge grope pitifully for a cure that humanity never anticipated. The places of comfort have suddenly turned into abodes of ominous danger, disease and even death as no one knows where this dark enemy lurks. As the powerful and the weak alike scurry behind closed doors, the very fabric of society and its communal essence have been fatally altered and fractured.

Corona virus struck at a time when humanity had become more united by technology than ever before. A world united by a ubiquitous social media and anonymous mob psychology is a ready victim to an unseen enemy that kills in thousands. The global crowd of common work and common leisure is suddenly dispersed by the silent voice of imminent death. An ancient unifier, the fear of death, has forced us all indoors to rediscover the primacy of self, family, the essential individuality of our mortality and the privacy of our primal destinies.

Yet, beneath the morbid siege of the unseen enemy, there may in fact be hidden dividends, benefits and lessons. Globally, the rise of Donald Trump and likeminded populist autocrats in different countries had made isolationism and rugged nationalism a growing fashion.

Nations were shrinking inwards, retreating behind their

borders, shutting out immigrants, refugees and sometimes-honest visitors. The gains of globalisation and a borderless world forged by trade, commerce and technology were being furiously eroded as new noisy slogans of selfish nationalism (‘America First!) and isolationism rent the air. The threats to our common humanity were palpable as the bonds that held nations in multilateral arrangements were being routinely shredded and dissolved. Global problems like climate change, inequality, extreme poverty, terrorism, the threat of nuclear conflict and the likelihood of epidemics were being deliberately downplayed.

Between the United States and its global power rivals, mainly Russia and China, a new but silent arms race and lavish build up was taking shape as a new struggle for global pre –eminence gathered steam. By the third quarter of 2019, Mr Trump could boast that he had committed a frightening $2 trillion to re- arming and re-equipping the United States for global pre eminence as mankind’s most formidable war machine. China and Russia unabashedly showed off new military equipment with previously unimagined capacities for mass murder.

Suddenly, the Corona virus pandemic strikes literally from nowhere.

National boundaries have become useless in the wake of a virus that respects no borders. Arms and armaments are hardly called for because the world is at war with an enemy that has no face, no formations, no command and control, no rank and file and no recognisable uniform. As the virus spreads death and disease across national borders, attacking the powerful and lowly alike, national borders have become mere demarcations on the face of the earth, useful for the statistics of infection, disease spread and likely death. All the immigration controls, border walls, protective migration control legislations,

trade barriers and other newfound separatist gimmicks have come under severe stress.

By a curious reversal, a virus that respects no borders is forcing the world to revert to the power of international cooperation to deal with an affliction that is blind to artificial demarcations.

The corona virus recognises no passports, no skin colour, no social status. It is even blind to fame and bank account balance. Leaders that hitherto shunned international cooperation are turning to the rest of the world in search of protection for their citizens. In one day alone, Mr Trump confessed that he had been in touch with over 150 nations on ways to fight the Corona virus in a concerted manner. Two days ago, the arch immigration and travel ban president was lifting the ban of professionals from the ‘shit hole countries’ of Africa in search of doctors and nurses. The powerful Group of 20 (G20) most developed economies had to meet by telephone conference as their leaders are hunkered at home, forbidden from physical contact or even proximity with each other!

Suddenly, race, nationality, social class, geography and all the other divisive parameters that politicians usually conjure up to protect their interests and advance narrow national interests have become redundant. Interestingly, Covid-19, by the pattern of its infections in major countries, has attacked the blight of inequality with perhaps a direct message to those whose job it is to reduce inequality. By a curious irony of faith, political leaders, celebrities and global business moguls have fallen primary victims of the new virus.

Above and beyond the urgent compulsion to international cooperation and the restoration of the post World War II global order, the power of the nation state is being challenged anew. The primary duty of protection of the citizens has come back to centre stage as the Leviathan is summoned to urgent duty. Big government is being challenged to return to the primary work of the social contract. What now cuts across all nations is the protection of its citizens from the present public health emergency and its economic consequences.

This is a call that nations are answering according to their divergent abilities.

––Dr. Chidi Amuta, a member of theTHISDAY Editorial Board writes from Lagos.

Continued online www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

85

NEWS XTRA

Afenifere Seeks Inquiry as Explosion Destroys 60 Buildings in Akure

‡ Worries about spate of blasts in S’West ‡ Obi sympathises with government, people Deji Elumoye in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure A truck allegedly conveying improvised explosive devices yesterday exploded at Elleyowo/ Ilu-Abo along Akure-Owo highway in Akure North Local Government Area, Ondo State, injuring at least 13 residents.

Apart from the varying degrees of injury inflicted on the victims, THISDAY observed that the explosion brought down over 60 buildings, consequently displacing hundreds of resident of the community.

Concerned with the spate of blast in the Southwest, panYoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere asked the government to investigate the explosion, which reports claimed, had already stoked humanitarian crises with the cases of forced displacement.

Also, former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed shock over the explosions while commiserating with the government and people of the state, thanking God that no life was lost in the disaster that could have claimed many lives.

However, THISDAY findings revealed that the incident occurred at about 1:00 a.m. when a truck that conveying quarry explosives from Ibadan in Oyo State to Auchi in Edo State exploded, creating an expansive gorge on the AkureOwo expressway.

Findings further revealed that the explosion did not claim any life, though at least 13 individuals

including driver of the truck and 60 building including churches and schools were destroyed at varying degrees.

Different eyewitness accounts told THISDAY that the explosion was heard in various parts of the state capital located at a distance of about 10 kilometres from the scene of the blast.

Among the buildings that were destroyed due to the incident, THISDAY observed, are the Possibility Ground for All Nations Church, Ilu-Abo and the Aina Awwuan International School located close to the scene of the incident.

One of the eyewitness accounts, also, revealed that some security operatives that escorted the truck at a distance directed the driver and occupants of the truck to alight shortly before the explosion occurred.

Another eyewitness account disclosed that the driver of the vehicle had observed there could be explosion at Shasha market, but did not pull up at the market due to the population of the area.

Shasha is a major market in Akure where food items like pepper, tomatoes, yam and cattle from the northern parts of the country are offloaded before transported to other parts of the state capital and suburb.

At a session with journalists yesterday, the Principal of Aina Awwuan International College, Mr Roland Kayode said the school’s security guards notified him about the incident, saying he thanked

Offor Donates $30m Medical Equipment to Nigeria, 18 Others Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Chairman of the Chrome Group, Sir Emeka Offor, has donated medical equipment and educational materials worth $30 million to Nigeria and 18 other African countries.

Offor, who set up the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) to alleviate suffering of the less privileged across Africa, said several medical institutions and higher institutions in Nigeria would benefit from the first phase of the donation.

The donation was announced in a statement his Chief of Staff, AIG Chris Ezike issued at the weekend, noting that it was part of the foundation’s mandate for education and health programmes on the continent.

He said the donation was in line with Offor’s initiative geared towards supporting the efforts of the Federal Government in the provision of quality healthcare service and education to the citizenry.

Offor also listed 14 hospitals and medical institutions spread across the country that have received one container each of consumable and medical equipment to include National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu; Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Teaching Hospital Awka, Anambra state; Police Hospital, Abuja; University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno state; General Hospital Daura, Katsina state; Federal Medical Centre,

Yenagoa, Bayelsa state; Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, Katsina State and Gombe State Specialist Hospital,Gombe.

Other benefitting hospitals and institutions are Kebbi State Medical Centre, Kalgo, Kebbi State; Nigeria Police Force; Nigeria Army; Ogun State Hospital, Ilaro, Ogun State; Central Hospital, Benin City, Edo State; General Hospital, Oraifite, Anambra State and one container reserved for Emergency Deployment.

According to him, 80 universities, 22 polytechnics, 37 colleges of education, seven public libraries (one from each of the six geo-political zones including FCT), 180 primary and secondary schools nationwide have received their support materials from the first phase of books recently distributed by the Foundation.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari and governors of Edo and Abia states were represented during the books distribution held in Abuja.

Other attendees, according to the release, include Governor Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe state; Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP Anambra South) and representatives of both the Chief of Army staff and the Director-General of State Security Service (SSS).

The statement alluded to the fact that Offor made the largest single donation by an individual to Rotary Foundation in the whole of Africa when he donated one million dollars to rid the world of polio.

God that students were not in school due to the shutdown.

He claimed that the explosion had caused the school collateral damage in the tune of hundred of millions of Naira, thereby appealing to the state government to come to the aide of the school.

Also, the founder of the church, Prophetess Olayemi

Adesida disclosed that she was in the church when the explosion occurred.

Adesida added that the building collapsed on her, though managed to find her way out of the wreckage shortly after the explosion.

The state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu yesterday visited the

scene of the explosion alongside the Commissioner for Police, Mr. Undie Adie. The governor described the incident as an accidental discharge.

Adie, who addressed journalists at the scene, disclosed that the explosives were meant for a quarry company. He said the vehicle conveying the explosives, which

was on transit through the state had developed mechanical faults before it exploded opposite Aina Awawa International College.

The commissioner added that security operatives who were escorting the vehicle gave the red alert which made the truck driver and another person to abandon the truck before it exploded.

OUTRIGHT COMPLIANCE . . .

Oladipo Market, West Africa’s biggest spareparts market, Mushin shut in compliance with the directives of Lagos State Government on Covid 19 ... yesterday ETOP UKUTT

Stakeholders Justify Passing Vote of ConďŹ dence in Babalakin’ Tobi Soniyi A group of stakeholders comprising non-teaching staff of the University of Lagos have explained their decision to pass a vote of confidence on the Pro chancellor and Chairman of University of Lagos Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) is due to his commitment to the development of the institution.

Nine members of the nonteaching staff: Adekola Adetomiwa, Asaju Toye Ogundeji Ademola, Babatunde Oseni ESQ, Godson Nwankwo, Kolawole Kolapo, Koleowo Omolabi, Adeniyi Adebowale and Ibrahim Adenekan, recently passed a vote of confidence in Babalakin.

In their note of justification at the weekend, the stakeholders said

they were in support of amicable resolution without loss of any position on any side and that their decision was also hinged on their appreciation and support for his leadership.

According to them, the vote of confidence was necessitated by his dispassionate assessment of his contribution to nation building and the progress of the institution in particular.

They said: “Babalakin parades intimidating but beneficial credentials of outstanding performance in business and public life. To us, in the University of Lagos, he amply demonstrated his goodwill when, shortly after his appointment as Pro chancellor, he convened a village square meeting with all the non teaching staff members, junior and senior.

“Through the meeting, he obtained salient information on marginalization, stagnation, delayed promotion and several untreated welfare matters. “Today, many staff members have been positively affected by measures, steps and directives which issued out of that village square meeting.

Many stagnated officers have their careers restructured and delayed promotions granted. “We are equally aware of his insistence on the need for prudence in the utilisation of the Universities resources,� they explained.

The stakeholders, also, noted that Babalakin is a great alumnus of University of Lagos, a pride of the university community.

They had earlier appealed to the

Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Toyin Ogundipe and Babalakin and their supporters to sheathe their swords.

They noted that it was in the interest of the institution, the staff and the students for peace to reign in the university. The relationship between the vice chancellor and the chairman of council recently turned sour, the fall out of which was the suspension of the university’s convocation initially slated for from March 9 to March 13.

While the governing council blamed the vice-chancellor, for the suspension of the 56th convocation ceremonies of the institution, Ogundipe denied any wrong doing saying that all his actions were based on precedent.

Court Removes Dosunmu as Eko Club President, ConďŹ rms Fanimokun Akinwale Akintunde A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has nullified the election of former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Adegboyega Dosumu as the President of Eko Club.

Consequently, the court declared a Lagos socialite, Chief Babatunde Fanimokun as the duly elected president of the club, a sociocultural organisation formally set up about 45 years ago to protect and promote the interest of its members in all spheres of life The trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke gave the order recently, directing the Dosunmu (second defendant) to stop parad-

ing himself as president of the club just as it made injunctive order against Eko Club (first defendant) and the Guardian Council (third defendant).

In its decision, the court directed the Guardian Council and its agents not to review or undermine the decision of the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) which reinstated Fanimokun as the club’s president, thereby nullifying Dosunmu’s election.

Fanimokun, a two-term president of the club from February 2017 to February 2019 at the completion of his second term and in accordance with the club’s Constitution, applied to contest for the same office for the third term, got elected by the decision

of the clubs AGM, but his election was resisted and rejected by the Guardian Council made up of trustees of the club.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the council, on April 12, 2019, he approached the court asking it to resolve some fundamental questions surrounding the election of president of the club.

He asked the court to determine whether or not he had the right to seek election as president.

He also sought the court’s pronouncement on the eligibility or not of Dosumu whom he alleged did not satisfy the club’s electoral requirement of seven years mandatory membership

and full payment of his annual financial subscription to participate in the election.

He further sought to know if the decision of the council could override that of a constitutionally constituted AGM of the club.

He asked the court to declare that the council lacked the competence to interview and present Dosumu as candidate for the election because of his alleged in-eligibility, having not met the criteria for the election.

He asked the court to re-instate him as the duly elected president of the club.

In his decision, Aneke reviewed the club’s criteria for a member to be eligible to vie for the post of president.

86

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽËœ

NEWS XTRA

Jonathan, Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Fayemi Greet Tinubu @ 68 Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Former President Goodluck Jonathan, President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan; Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila yesterday felicitated with the National Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, who turned 68 today.

Also, Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Kwara State chapter congratulated the APC leader, describing him as a symbol of national unity.

In separate statements yesterday, the leaders prayed that God “grants Tinubu, who governed Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, many more years of service to humanity and his beloved Nigeria.�

In a message of goodwill he personally signed, Dr. Jonathan described Tinubu as a patriot and political leader, who according to him, had contributed so much to the growth of the nation’s democracy.

He said: “I felicitate with you, your family and all your well wishers on the occasion of your 68th birthday. As a patriot, politician and leader, you have contributed so much to the advancement of our nation’s

democracy and nurtured many individuals to greatness.�

Lawan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ola Awoniyi described Tinubu as an inspirational political leader and a champion of national unity and development.

He said: “All through his political life, Asiwaju Tinubu has doggedly groomed leaders, set development templates and built bridges for national integration and cohesion, all of which he sees as necessary tools for robust development and great nationhood. “Tinubu’s concept of leadership enables him to motivate associates and inspire in them confidence and loyalty. His imprints are indelible on politics and governance at the sub-national and national levels in Nigeria,� the senate president said.

For Gbajabiamila, Tinubu is an icon of democracy, who has dedicated his life to the tenets and ethos of progressive politics with unwavering commitment, focus and dedication.

In a statement by his media adviser and publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the speaker added that the APC leader had been serving humanity diligently and tirelessly in the last 68 years on earth.

He said Tinubu’s belief in democratic tenets “is unparalleled, and his democratic credentials are unprecedented and unrivalled.

The history of Nigeria’s current democratic experience would not be complete without the name of Asiwaju.

NCC Denies Releasing N300m Subvention to NITDA Emma Okonji in Lagos The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday disputed a claim that it released a sum of N300 million to the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as subvention.

The commission denied the report in a statement by its Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, noting that the information contained in the publication was a mere falsehood.

The statement said in order to put the records straight, no agency of the federal government was empowered under laws to give subvention to another agency as by extant laws of the government.

It added that every agency “makes its budget and gets approval for appropriation from the National Assembly and such budgets are spent according to the appropriation of the National Assembly. “Our budget doe not contain any allocation for subvention, let alone granting same to a sister agency established by law. We cannot create a provision in our budget for another agency to implement. “Subventions to all agencies are done by the federal government with resources domiciled in the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). Even salaries to Ministries Department and Agencies (MDA) come from there.�

The statement said NITDA, as

an agency of government, prepared its own budget and spent same “to execute its own programmes as it deems fit. “Since the advent of the new administration, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has always encouraged a working relationship and close synergy between all the parastatals under the purview of the ministry and not cross-funding of any of the parastatals. “The minister has also facilitated support at the highest levels of government to programmes and activities of the commission especially in facilitating meetings with the Nigeria Governors Forum on issues of right of way for expanding the telecommunications infrastructure and declaring telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).�

He, therefore, said: “We did not receive any directive from Pantami on funding any activity of NITDA and no approval was given in that regard. “Whoever thinks so, simply threw caution to the wind by rolling up speculative information that we know nothing about let alone implementing.

The statement further disclosed that the NCC was “not in any partnership with NITDA to warrant any subvention for capacity building let alone implementing one, insisting that NCC did not at any time, release money to NITDA as subvention.�

“Asiwaju is someone that has become a household name not only in Nigeria, but in the entire African continent. Today, our current democracy, which started in 1999, enjoys stability due largely to the contributions of Asiwaju and others of like mind.�

Omo Agege, in a goodwill message he personally signed,

commended the former lawmaker and APC National Leader for his service to fatherland.

While applauding the elder statesman for standing vehemently against military regime, Omo-Agege described him as a political icon and architect of modern Lagos.

He pointed out that Tinubu

would remain “a reference point in Nigerian politics because of his selfless and humane nature. “Your antecedents are clear attestations to my belief that you still have a lot to render to your fatherland-a Senator who later set the template for the greatness and viability of Lagos State; a political icon known for standing

resolutely for democracy during the military era, leading eminent patriots towards actualising the restoration of democracy. “Your capacity to work vibrantly with people across all forms of divides has enriched Nigeria’s politics and fostered tremendous unity of purpose such as that which birthed the APC,� he said.

UPDATING LAGOSIANS . .

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye; Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi and Permanent Secretary, Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Olugbenga Aina, at a news conference on COVID19 in Lagos State....... yesterday KOLA OLASUPO

COVID-19 Won’t Cause Fuel Scarcity, NNPC Assures Nigerians ‡ FCDA shuts Christ Embassy; KSJI defers tournament Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday assured Nigerians that the lockdown of some states in the federation as preventive measures against COVID-19 would not lead to fuel scarcity.

Also yesterday, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) shut a branch of Christ Embassy Church for conducting a secret wedding programme in Abuja.

The church was shut for violating directives banning any gathering of over 20 persons nationwide.

NNPC’s Group Managing

Director, Mallam Mele Kyari allayed fear about unfounded report of fuel scarcity in his twitter handle, @MKKyari yesterday, urging Nigerians not to engage in panic buying.

Kyari said the states had consented to allow movement of petrol-bearing trucks and operation of fuel stations during the period of sit-at-home, noting that the pandemic would not lead to fuel scarcity.

He said the corporation “has made robust stock and supply plan, hence no need for panic buying. States have all consented to allow movement of fuel trucks and operation of stations during any sit at home action. “Our stock and supply plans

are robust and there is no need to buy more than you require at anytime. We will keep you supplied,� NNPC’s group managing director assured Nigerians.

Also, in a bid to comply with the stay-at-home directives on COVID-19, the Knights of St. John International (KSJI), Port Harcourt Grand Commandery, Rivers state had deferred its golf tournament, drills and all activities until further notice.

This was contained in a statement by the head of the tournament planning committee, Brig-Gen. George Ikioumoton yesterday.

The statement said the tournament was billed to hold between April 3 and 4, but now suspended

due to the directives of the federal government and World Health Organisation on COVID-19. “Sequel to the foregoing, all activities, including payments made to vendors, for services in view of the events are put on hold; to be applied accordingly when the suspension is lifted,� the statement said.

The committee urged Nigerians “to stay safe in this trying times.

Remember to wash your hands frequently and maintain a social distance.�

Aside, the ministerial team on compliance with COVID-19 shut Christ Embassy Church for conducting a secret wedding programme in contravention to the directive of the federal government.

Illegal Logging Stokes Arms Proliferation, Insecurity in Cross River Bassey Inyang in Calabar Illegal logging is endangering rainforest and forest resources, in Cross River State, the out going chairman of the state’s AntiDeforestation Task Force (ATF), Dr. Odey Oyama, has said.

According to him, illegal loggers have been aiding and abetting arms proliferation in the state. ATF is the state’s agency to protect rainforests and forest resources.

Oyama, in a letter to the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade said lack of cooperation among government agencies had not only endangered its operatives, but had also exposed corruption on the part of some government officials.

This development, he said, was responsible for his decision to resign

his appointment.

In a the five-page letter, Oyama complained about the activities of the cartel of illegal loggers, coupled with the lack of interagency cooperation saddled with the responsibilities of protecting the state’s rainforests, and forest resources. He said he had to resign partly because of interferences in the operations of the ATF by other agencies of government without any attempt at joint consultations or synergy.

He, also, observed that there was outright absence of security cover for all the field staff and operatives that had been deployed in strategic positions all over the state, thereby constituting another major hindrance to the operation of the task force

He lamented the brutal attacks on the volunteers and special agents of the ATF, who according to him, were deployed in strategic monitoring positions in the rainforests across the state.

The letter read in part: “By reason of lack of officially constituted security cover, even the police was unable to secure our personnel from attacks. It is inhuman, on my part, to continue deploying young men and women into assignments which are certainly perilous in the face of the fact that they are deployed into service without an officially constituted joint security task force. “It is only the presence of a properly constituted government joint security task force with the capacity to curtail the activities of the illegal trade cartels and cabals that are extremely desperate;

and have often resorted to the use of illegal firearms to protect their illegal trade. “The present dastardly act of the cabals leading to their inflicting injuries on our field personnel could not have taken place if a joint security task force had been deployed alongside the personnel to provide adequate security. “After several incidents of attack on our field personnel and volunteers, as well as the multiple cases of interferences, with the operations of the ATF constituted under my chairmanship, it is the most appropriate time to vacate office in order that I may not be confronted with the unfortunate circumstances of having to offer explanations for the death of ATF field personnel who are neither covered by security nor by insurance.�

ÍşÎ Ëœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

and Dr Yele Aluko, member, Ernst and Young global COVIDͲϣύ ƉĂŜĚĞžĹ?Ä? ĆŒÄžĆ?ƉŽŜĆ?Äž ĆšÄžÄ‚ĹľÍ˜

87

Sunday March 29, 2020

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N400

MISSILE

Teriba to Federal Governmen

“Between 2016 and now, we have just shown the world that we learnt nothing. Policy agencies did nothing to prevent a situation in which temporary decline in oil price would once again create permanent economic problems.” – Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates (EA) and one of Nigeria’s leading economists, Dr. Ayo Teriba spoke to THISDAY in an interview.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

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

Tackling the Myths around COVID-19

S

ome recent events in Nigeria have gladdened and saddened me in equal measure. I was glad when prominent Nigerians who were diagnosed with the coronavirus publicly declared their status.

I rejoiced, thinking this would finally take the lid off the disease. To start with, some cynics, particularly of the Jubril Al-Sudani movement, had said the Italian index case was a hoax and a ploy to steal money. They demanded to see the photo, the phone number and the birth certificate of the Italian before they would believe. I agree that we like petty politics in Nigeria but I felt this was a dangerous territory that could easily expose ignorant and gullible Nigerians to infection.

Also, I felt naming names would finally take the stigma off the disease that has been devastating and depleting the world.

Revelations that Mallam Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state, and Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, son of the former vice-president, had contracted the virus would, in my opinion, encourage more people to go for the test. Ours is a very judgmental society, I know, but since there is no scientific proof yet that COVID-19 is contracted mainly through immoral behaviour, nobody should be ashamed to take the test and reveal the outcome. Well, I said “in my opinion”.

I became sad when the development produced negative reactions instead. Rather than help send the message that COVID-19 is real and not a respecter of status, it ended up encouraging some Nigerians to conclude that it is a disease meant for government officials. Some even said it was designed by God to fight corruption better than the EFCC. This particular sentiment is gaining ground among the poorly educated. How, then, can we explain to them — or try to convince them — that they too can catch the virus?

How would they know that currency notes and public transport can be sources of contact with the virus? It just makes it tougher to educate the people.

The problem I thought removing the veil of anonymity would solve has now been further compounded. Twisting and trivialising the message has produced the “God catch them” gloating among low-level Nigerians — regardless of their education and social status — who are often excited when bad things, such as plane crashes and cancer, happen to “bad” people. However, the message needs to be passed strongly to all and sundry: COVID-19 does not distinguish between the rich and the poor, the high and the low, the prince and the pauper, and the saint and the sinner. It is an infectious disease.

As long as you are a human being, you can be infected. Let that sink in!

Myths can only help the COVID-19 disease to spread more in Nigeria. The notion in the early days was that it was a disease for the white race. It did not help matters that the index case was an Italian. It reinforced the false belief that the black skin was immune.

There were also a lot of jokes around how Avian Flu, Mad Cow disease and Ebola did not survive in Nigeria, meaning COVID-19 would also fall by the wayside in no time.

There were reckless assumptions that the virus

Buhari

could not survive under our temperature, with this stupidity being promoted particularly on WhatsApp and Facebook. These myths probably made us lower our guard. And here we are today.

Another notion that is going round, which must be factored into the enlightenment campaign, is that it is a disease for the elderly and those with underlying medical issues.

True, there is overwhelming statistical evidence that these categories of people constitute the bulk of the fatal cases, but that does not mean the seemingly healthy and young people cannot be infected. In fact, Nigeria recorded the case of a teenager on Friday. And, come to think of it, how many Nigerians really know their health status? Some have heart issues and diabetes without knowing. The wise thing is to get everybody to be careful.

This “elderly” theory is half the story and could be misleading.

While it is good to keep emphasising the need to avoid handshakes as part of general measures to contain the spread of the virus, the information is, again, not complete. According to the experts, the coronavirus does not enter the body through the skin but through MEN — Mouth, Eyes and Nose. So while we must definitely avoid handshakes, we may still use our hands to touch infected surfaces, such as handrails and cups, and end up putting them on the face, thereby becoming vulnerable.

If your hand mistakenly touches someone else’s — or you absent-mindedly shake hands with someone — please just go and wash up rather than start crying that you’re dead.

Who even says you will die? Having the coronavirus is not a death sentence. Most patients survive it. This must be said again and again. That should encourage people to come forward for the test if they suspect they have been exposed to the virus. If they test positive, they can then go into isolation to stop it from spreading as well as receive treatment for the symptoms, if needed. This is an aspect of containment that is crucial under the circumstances we have found ourselves.

But when people think it is a death sentence, they are too reluctant to test and they may continue to spread the virus. All over the world, people recover from the disease. In Nigeria, people are recovering too.

There are arguments over the effectiveness of lockdowns. Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus emerged in December 2019, went into

a total lockdown for two months. About 11 million people were shut in. The latest figures indicate that there are no new infections in the city. That means the lockdown worked.

It is always very difficult believing figures from China, but we can at least take it on the face value that the lockdown produced results. But will lockdowns work in every country? Does every country have the capacity to lock down without creating a different set of serious problems? That is the debate that is raging as lockdowns are being considered worldwide.

Lockdowns may work more easily for a fraction of the populace. The average Nigerian relies on daily earnings. What Iya Mufu makes from selling akara is what she spends to make dinner for her family. She does not have the money to stock up food stuff and other supplies for the next one week, much less two months. Lockdowns will hurt her and her family. There is also the danger of forcing younger people to stay in the same space with the elderly, thereby exposing their fragile bodies to the virus to which they are mortally vulnerable. There is definitely going to be a price to pay for any decision we take about lockdowns — but we must choose the greater good for the community.

There are indeed several measures being taken to contain this virus which I believe are proving effective. Physical distancing is one measure that should be taken seriously. It doesn’t matter if we test positive or negative — we just have to keep some distance from each other. Personally, I have this impression that the virus has spread so rapidly across the world principally because it is airborne.

According to scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the US National Institutes of Health, Covid-19 survives outside the body system.

A virus from the droplets of infected persons remains viable in the air for hours and on surfaces for days.

When we find ourselves in enclosures or confined spaces such as aircraft, trains and halls, there is a high chance that we will come in contact with the droplets of an infected person; if not directly then on surfaces. I am, therefore, working with the theory that many people caught the virus by being in the same space with infected persons. That is why physical distancing will play a very important role in slowing down the virus.

The primary focus globally is to slow down infections while the scientists work round the clock to develop treatment and vaccine.

Physical distance could be tough on the mind but we have a war to win. We will reconnect when all this is over.

Finally, I would appeal to Nigerians to spend more of their time fighting the virus — through personal hygiene and communal responsibility. They should volunteer, where necessary, to help where their skills fit in. I have written this article as my contribution to public enlightenment. Do whatever you can to support those who are working to keep us safe. Spend less time attacking and distracting them. There will be plenty time to play politics if we survive this pandemic. I will say this as many times as I can: everything cannot be politics and politics cannot be everything. We are faced with a crisis that can turn Nigeria into a graveyard. If you can’t help us, please don’t hurt us.

And Four Other Things…

SCATTERED STRATEGY At this critical juncture in human history, I insist that President Muhammadu Buhari has to be at the forefront of the war against COVID-19. We need his face. We need his voice. Nigeria is at war and the commanderin-chief must lead from the front. He cannot disappear. He cannot be aloof. We need him to comfort us, to give us confidence — in addition to any other measures he has put in place to prosecute this war. It is even ridiculous that we are discussing this! It is not about personal style — it is about what is right and what is expected of any leader in these unprecedented times. All is not lost. He can make amends, redeem the time and stand up to be counted. Leadership.

FAKE NEWS WEEK Are you a fan of fake news? You must have had a wonderful week. On Monday night, Buhari was rushed to the UK having tested positive for coronavirus, according to a WhatsApp audio that went super viral. On Wednesday, he was rushed to the UK again.

In fact, somebody saw the presidential jet at the Dubai International Airport. Although Abuja is six hours to London, the jet first flew seven hours to Dubai and another seven hours to London! Emergency indeed!

On Friday, yet again, Buhari was rushed to the UK after the minister of aviation gave him approval to fly a Challenger jet. Buhari was flown to the UK thrice in five days! And you believed it. And circulated it. Jokers.

RISING FIGURES Now that Nigeria has more testing kits, expect the number of Nigerians testing positive for the coronavirus to be on the rise. I have always believed the figures being released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are going to go up as soon as we start carrying out more testes. Until recently, we had done less than 200 and there is no way that can reflect the reality on the ground given what we know about our travelling habit. As at yesterday, there were 89 confirmed cases. Definitely, there will be more as tests are ramped up. It is now very important for people who think they have been exposed to come forward for tests so we can manage the spread.

Urgent.

STIGMATISING COVID-19 Did you hear Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state celebrate his victory against a COVID-19 patient on Wednesday? Listen to him: “It is with gratitude to God that I announce to you that our state would have been infected with coronavirus yesterday but for the vigilance of security agents who, acting on a tip-off, prevented an infected person from boarding a flight from Abuja to Port Harcourt. The infected person beat all security measures that were put in place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and was to sneak into Port Harcourt before security agents stopped her.” This is exactly how to stigmatise people and force those infected to go underground. Absurd.

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com