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Emefiele: N35tn Infrastructure Investment Needed for Double-digit Growth Urges govs to make states economically viable FG to screen projects for PPP suitability Ndubuisi Francis and James Emejo in Abuja The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said Nigeria requires about

N35 trillion investments in infrastructure for the economy to post a double-digit growth.

But Emefiele, in a goodwill message he delivered yesterday at a webinar on "Financing Public-Private Partnership to

Boost Infrastructure Delivery in Nigeria," organised by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in Abuja, added that given the paucity of government revenues, it will be difficult to support such

investments using government funds alone.

The Nigerian economy, which is just crawling out of recession, recorded a 0.51 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2021 after a 0.11

per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Besides, Emefiele, at another forum yesterday, also called on governors to make their states economically viable in order to reduce their dependence on

allocations from the Federation Account.

Emefiele, whose message to the webinar was delivered by the Deputy Governor of the Continued on page 48

NERC to Enforce Compensation for Under-supplied Electricity Customers... Page 8 Friday 28 May, 2021 Vol 26. No 9545. Price: N250

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IG: Agitation for State Police Unnecessary Says 1,166 suspects arrested in South-east, South-south Deji Elumoye in Abuja

FOR IMPROVED ELECTRICITY SUPPLY...

Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote; Executive Director, Legal Services, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Mr. Mohammed Mahmud; Managing Director/CEO of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Managing Director/CEO of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Adeoye Fadeyibi; and Directors, EKEDC, Mr. Dere Otubu and Mr. George Etomi at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve electricity supply in Lagos…yesterday

The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Alkali, yesterday described the clamour for state police, which topped demands at zonal public hearings on constitution review held by the Senate on Tuesday as unnecessary.

Baba, who featured at the weekly media briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said state police, as being canvassed by different interest groups Continued on page 49

Jubilations in Maiduguri as Yahaya Emerges New Army Chief Several generals may retire Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The announcement of Maj. Gen. Faruk Yahaya as the new chief of army staff (COAS) yesterday drew pulsating jubilations at the headquarters of Operations Hadin Kai in Maiduguri, the Borno State

capital.

Troops of the theatre command of the war against the insurgency in the Northeast jumped for joy as they were told of the rise of their commander to the top job of the service.

“The excitement is not

surprising,” a top military officer told THISDAY last night, explaining: “Yahaya has a reputation for taking care of his troops.”

But for several senior officers, particularly Yahaya’s superiors, they have approached the end of the

road; and it’s not a laughing matter as they might have to abruptly retire.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), had in a statement by its spokesman, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said: "The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, has appointed Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff.

"Prior to his appointment, Maj. Gen. Yahaya was the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian

Army and the incumbent Theatre Commander of the Counter-Terrorism Counter Insurgency military outfit in the North-east, code-named Operation Hadin Kai." The appointment THISDAY

Buhari Pledges Better Nation for Future Generation...Page 5

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Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Buhari Pledges Better Nation for Future Generation Lawan, Gbajabiamila, govs felicitate with Nigerian child

Deji Elumoye, Udora Orizu in Abuja, Segun Awofadeji in Gombe and Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged his readiness to bequeath a better Nigeria to the present and future generations.

The president, in a goodwill message to mark this year’s Children’s Day, described children as precious blessings who should be nurtured to carry the burden of society in the future.

Also, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as Governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State felicitated with children on their special day.

Buhari, while hosting some children at the State House, Abuja, as part of activities to mark the occasion, said that he would focus attention on guaranteeing them a better tomorrow.

A statement yesterday by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Buhari, after spending time with his guests, bid them farewell, saying: “Bye-bye, see you next year.”

The short ceremony witnessed the cutting of a ‘national cake,’ a guided tour of the president’s office, meeting rooms, banquet hall and the zoo at the Presidential Villa.

On his part, Lawan, in his message, urged all the 36 states to ensure the domestication of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003.

Lawan, in a statement, called on government at all levels to recognise the critical importance of issues that affect the well-being, happiness and growth of the Nigerian child and to give them priority in their plans and actions.

"On the occasion of the celebration of this Day, I reassure the Nigerian children that the National Assembly will always accord their needs full attention in its legislative duties with a view to making laws that protect and promote their rights.

"Let us all remain ever conscious of our duty to bring up our children with the right orientation and to bequeath to them a peaceful and prosperous society," he stated.

Gbajabiamila, while rejoicing with the children said in a statement that children are truly the leaders of tomorrow because of the enormous potential they possess.

He stated that they must imbibe good morals and face their studies squarely.

He also urged them to be worthy ambassadors wherever they find themselves.

On his part, the Gombe State governor who described children as the hope of the nation called on them to

look forward to a brighter future as his administration is committed to their welfare and sound education.

He said: "To build a better tomorrow, we must build our children," adding that as future leaders, children require security and right upbringing from both parents and government.

In his goodwill message, Abiodun used the occasion

to announce the approval of a scholarship for a public secondary student, Oyinbo Precious.

Precious, a Senior Secondary School (SSS 2) student of Naiwar-Ud-Deen Grammar School, Obantoko Abeokuta, was given the scholarship for her brilliant citation on the obligations of parents towards their children, at the ceremony to celebrate

the Children's Day. The governor said in Abeokuta that he listened to the citation of Precious and he was impressed by her fluency and courage to face the crowd, hence, his decision to approve a scholarship for her.

According to him, the scholarship will cover her secondary and tertiary education.

He directed the Special Adviser on Basic Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, to work out the modalities for the scholarship.

The governor said his administration would continue to identify young talents in the state and offer them platforms to excel in both academic and vocational studies.

STATE OF THE STATE...

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the state of the state address in Lagos…yesterday

NNPC Announces N578bn Operating Revenue, N538bn Expenditure in February Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday reported N578.79 billion operating revenue for February while total expenditure stood at N538.94 billion.

It stated that it was subsequently left with N39.85 billion, which it termed as its trading surplus for the month under review, representing a 314.24 per cent increase from the N9.62 billion surplus it recorded in January.

NNPC, in the February 2021 edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR), said its trading surplus or trading deficit was derived

after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said in a statement that NNPC Group’s operating revenue as compared to January 2021, increased by 35.64 per cent or N152.07 billion to stand at N578.79 billion.

Similarly, the expenditure for the month increased by 29.21 per cent or N121.83 billion to stand at N538.94 billion.

The expenditure for the month as a proportion of revenue was 0.93 per cent as against 0.98 per cent the

previous month.

“The significant increase in trading surplus is attributed mainly to reconciled accounts by the corporation’s downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), using the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) pricing template.

“Other factors that boosted the trading surplus figure included the performance of Duke Oil, Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) and Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC), which recorded robust gains as a result of increased debt collection and cost optimisation measures,” the NNPC said.

In the period under review, the corporation stated that it supplied a total of 1.41 billion litres of petrol, translating to 50.52 million litres per day.

In terms of natural gas offtake, commercialisation and utilisation, the NNPC said out of the 206.05 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) produced in February, a total of 133.06 BCF was commercialised.

This consists of 40.15 BCF and 92.91 BCF for the domestic and export markets respectively.

“This translates to a total supply of 1.433 million Standard Cubic Feet Per Day (mmscfd) of gas to the domestic market and 3.318 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the

month.

“This implies that 64.48 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialised while the balance of 35.52 per cent was re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared,” the corporation added.

According to the NNPC, gas flare rate was 7.67 per cent for the month under review (i.e. 565.52mmscfd) compared with average gas flare rate of 7.12 per cent (i.e. 529.20mmscfd) for the period of February 2020 to February 2021.

It noted that during the period under review, 54 pipeline points were vandalised, representing a 50 per cent increase from

the 27 points recorded in January 2021.

NNPC stated that the Warri area accounted for 50 per cent of the vandalism and the Mosimi Area accounted for 39 per cent while Kaduna and Port Harcourt areas accounted for 7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively.

“NNPC continues to work in collaboration with the local communities and other stakeholders to eliminate the menace of pipeline vandalism,” the corporation said.

It added that the report, the 67th in the series, is published in keeping with the corporation’s “commitment to transparency and accountability.”

No Row over Addax Oil Blocks’ Revocation, Say FG, China Emmanuel Addeh and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Cui Jianchun, and Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, yesterday met in Abuja, with both countries agreeing that there’s no row between them.

A statement by the Special

Adviser to the minister, Mr. Garba Mohammed, said the two top officials committed to sustaining the excellent relations between their countries.

Among other issues, the statement noted that both parties were of the belief that the recent revocation of some Oil Mining Leases (OMLs)

held by Addax Petroleum (a Chinese owned company) was purely a commercial decision and will not have any impact on the excellent relationship between the two nations.

Last month, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to restore four oil mining licences revoked

from Addax Petroleum, owned by the Chinese state-run Sinopec.

The petroleum ministry, through the DPR, had revoked the four OMLs, citing the company’s inability to comply with targets and had set up a committee to facilitate the takeover of the assets by new operators- Kaztech/Slavic

Consortium.

But a statement from the presidency, signed by presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, later announced the restoration of the leases to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which is in a production sharing contract with Addax Petroleum, thereby

overruling the ministry’s position.

Apparently to mend fences, Jianchun after concluding the discussions, extended an invitation to the minister to visit China.

Sylva accepted the invitation and promised to pay a visit to the Asian country later in the year.

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NERC to Enforce Compensation for Under-supplied Electricity Customers FG mulls exit from power sector Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Electricity consumers may finally begin to get some compensation for under-supply of power to their homes and businesses from July, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has said.

The move comes against the backdrop of complaints by energy consumers that the Service-Based Tariff (SBT), which has led to a huge increase in electricity bills paid by customers only places obligations on them without appropriate sanctions for Distribution Companies (Discos) that under-supply.

Under the policy, customers are meant to pay for electricity based on how long they receive power daily, with payments reflecting the quality of services offered, and based on a minimum average hour of supply and other metrics.

Consumers are divided into five bands A–E, where band A is for customers who get 20 hours of power and above daily; B has customers who get power for 16 hours daily and C covers customers who enjoy power for 12 hours and above a day.

Similarly, those that enjoy power for eight hours and above fall under D, while band E is for customers who only get four hours and above but below eight hours of power supply daily.

However, Deputy General Manager, Markets Competition and Rates, NERC, Mr Abba Terab, stated at the 58th session of the “Power Dialogue,” organised by the Electricity Hub that for now, compensation will be based on a 60-day circle.

He stated that as the process gets fully automated, the commission will migrate Discos to a monthly compensation arrangement.

According to him, customers who do not get the expected

quality and quantity of supply will be refunded and downgraded to a new band while there will be an attendant adjustment on their tariff levels.

He stated that customers have now hit 78 per cent cost reflectivity, especially those in band A and B. He said in cases where the problem of lack of supply was not from the Discos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would be compelled to compensate the Discos with the same procedure for sanctions going for the Generation Companies (Gencos).

He said: “If I am in band A, I should get band A service and when I am paying band A service and I don’t get band A service, but I get band B service, I should be compensated accordingly. That’s the position of the commission and it has been made very clear to all operators within the industry.

“We believe that by the time we carry out the minor review, this will be done. When the automation of the meters is done, compensation will be on a monthly basis. If over a period of six months a customer does not get minimum service, he will get a refund on a monthly basis for the energy.”

He added that towards implementing the penalty regime, the commission is already reviewing the data and at the end of the period, before the minor review is concluded, appropriate compensation for customers will be passed on to the defaulting entity.

“But subsequently, as we fully automate some of the distribution transformers, because feeders might still be on even when at their level customers don’t have supply.

When this is fully automated, it will be done on a monthly basis continually from July

onwards,” he said.

He stated that the industry was on the right track on the service-based tariff policy, which is being accelerated by the installation of meters nationwide, adding that because of the implementation of the policy, more energy is being delivered.

“So, some of the generators are operating at an optimal level and are now being pushed to their limits and that’s why some of them (power systems) are failing, maybe because of limitation in gas supply,” he said.

Meanwhile, The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has said that it is looking at various strategies to reform

the government-owned TCN, adding that the ultimate plan is for the federal government to exit the power sector completely.

Director-General of the organisation, Mr Alex Okoh, was quoted by a Bloomberg report as having made the comment in an interview yesterday, saying that the agency will share its proposal “very shortly” with the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) that the state-owned corporation be unbundled and then privatised.

The five plants that have not been put up for sale will remain state-owned for now, Okoh said, adding that “the

objective ultimately is for government to exit the power sector and just let the private sector drive the sector.”

Okoh said the federal government was right to have terminated the incomplete process that the agency initiated for all 10 facilities in 2014, leading to the revocation of the process for the Benin and Calabar plants.

EMA Consortium, controlled

by Benedict Peters, which was named a “preferred bidder” for the Benin and Calabar plants seven years ago, obtained a pair of injunctions from the Federal High Court in June 2019 barring the BPE from selecting new buyers for the two sites.

On May 9 this year, the company warned that the Calabar and Benin facilities are “not available for sale” as they are the subject of ongoing litigation.

“We are hopeful in reaching an amicable solution for the benefit of the nation,” Managing Director of the Power, Infrastructure and Real Estate Division of Aiteo Group, Ransome Owan, told Bloomberg by email.

But Okoh said the BPE was challenging the injunctions in court, as the agency believed that it’s on “solid legal ground” because it was within its rights to cancel the transactions at any stage before executing the sale of the shares.

COME TO ME...

President Muhammadu Buhari celebrates with children to mark Children’s Day in Abuja…yesterday

godwin omoigui

INEC: Attacks on Facilities Threaten Democracy, Elections Commission loses 1,105 ballot boxes, 694 cubicles in 41 incidents Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday lamented the continued vandalism of the commission's assets, warning that it could weaken elections and democracy, if not properly addressed.

Yakubu said the commission lost 1,105 ballot boxes, 694 voting cubicles, 13 utility vehicles and 429 electricity generating sets in 41 incidents nationwide.

Yakubu, at a meeting in Abuja with security chiefs under the aegis of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Electoral Security (ICCES), therefore, renewed his call for closer collaboration between INEC

and security agencies.

Yakubu said the last few weeks had been challenging for the commission.

He added that the spate of arson and vandalism targeting the commission’s facilities and property had become a major threat to its scheduled activities and the electoral process.

"In the last two years, the commission has recorded a total of 41 incidents involving deliberate attacks on the commission’s facilities. Nine of these incidents happened in 2019 and 21 cases in 2020. In the last four weeks, 11 offices of the commission were either set ablaze or vandalised.

"Two of these incidents were caused by Boko Haram and bandit attacks while 10 resulted from thuggery during the election and post-election violence. However, the majority

of the attacks (29 out of 41) were unrelated to election or electoral activities.

"In fact, 18 of them occurred during the EndSARS protests in October last year while 11 attacks were organised by ‘unknown gunmen’ and ‘hoodlums.

"Although the commission is assessing losses during recent attacks, our preliminary assessment so far indicate that we lost 1,105 ballot boxes, 694 voting cubicles, 429 electric generating sets and 13 utility vehicles (Toyota Hilux)," he stated.

However, he said that "by working together with the security agencies, we can stop these attacks and the wanton destruction of critical electoral assets."

He added: "These attacks, which initially appeared

as isolated and occasional actions have now become more frequent and systematic targeted at demobilising and dismantling critical electoral infrastructure in the country.

"This will not only undermine the commission’s capacity to organise elections and other electoral activities but will also damage the nation’s electoral process and democracy. Indeed, these attacks on the commission’s facilities should now be treated as a national security emergency."

According to him, the meeting will constitute a first step to finding a lasting solution to the challenges, adding that to disrupt the electoral process is to undermine democracy and destabilise the country.

He said the emergency

meeting, originally scheduled for Monday, was rescheduled due to the death of a member of the committee, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash last week in Kaduna, along with 10 others.

He explained that since the conclusion of 2019 general election, the commission, working with the security agencies, has so far conducted four off-season governorship elections and 28 out of 32 by-elections.

In his response, the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), pledged the cooperation of the security agencies in stopping the destruction of INEC's assets.

He said: "It is important for us to sustain these processes which undoubtedly are not only international but morally

accepted means of propelling ourselves into development in this century which is extremely turbulent.

"As Nigerians, obviously, we have seen a lot of activities with a lot of unwanted experiences which have affected the electoral process, activities, actions that have been carried out by non-state actors who are determined to scuttle this process which is supposed to be clean, transparent and allow the people self-determination.

"Of course, we are gathered here to look at means and ways of quickly, stopping the rising spate of criminality, violence and destruction with a national effort.”

Monguno promised that the Office of the National Security Adviser will always support all INEC activities, as well as all agents of government.

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COMMENT

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

SOUTH-EAST, INSURGENCY AND THE COMING REFUGEE CRISIS Fredrick Nwabufo contends that the bloodletting in the Southeast is fraught with folly

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hat fuels an insurgency? The combustible mixture of ideology and ignorance. If a clump of uninformed people has an ideology they can die for, they will do the illogical for it. The intercourse of ideology and ignorance does not follow logic.

Insurgency ignites and thrives in the residence of

seductive dogma.

The Igbo hold life dear. The sacrality of life is ensconced in Igbo cosmology. ‘’Igbu ochu’’ (murder) is considered the most deadly sin in Igbo land. In fact, in the old days where murder is committed, the community will have to proceed on many days of cleansing of the land and atonement for the crime. But what changed?

It is also popularly assumed that the Igbo are natively non-belligerent and that they cannot in any circumstances resort to taking innocent lives violently. Really, the Igbo are a peaceful people, but recent events in the south-east have cast a doubt on this assumption.

Without a doubt, there are genuine grievances regarding the southeast and national government relationship, but these grievances, whether injustice or inequality, are not circumscribed to the south-east. Every Nigerian is aggrieved. Every region -- north, south-west, south-south -- has a bone to pick with the leadership. All the regions in the country are marginalised as regards the equitable distribution of resources to the people.

To put it clearly, every region is marginalised. But a more factual statement will be ‘’all Nigerians at the bottom rung of the social ladder are marginalised’’. Nigerians are victims of the carnivory of the elite. It does not matter whether they come from the north or the south. We are all victims of elite conspiracy regardless of where we come from.

It is agonising that the scions of the south-east are turning their region into Aleppo in Syria. Who brings violence and war to his own home? As of 2019, the south-east was reputed to be the safest region in Nigeria. It was also buoyant and fared well on the development index. All of that is tumbling down.

The killing of police officers -- some of them Igbo -- the targeting of northern residents; the destruction of property and arsoning of police stations are tragedies that should have never been allowed to happen.

This cancer was fed and allowed to metastasise. The Igbo nourished this beast that is now gnawing at their groin. When the serial murder of police officers began, some applauded the effort of their killers on

IT IS AGONISING THAT THE SCIONS OF THE SOUTH-EAST ARE TURNING THEIR REGION INTO ALEPPO IN SYRIA. WHO BRINGS VIOLENCE AND WAR TO HIS OWN HOME? AS OF 2019, THE SOUTH-EAST WAS REPUTED TO BE THE SAFEST REGION IN NIGERIA… ALL OF THAT IS TUMBLING DOWN.

the inscrutable assumption that the police are in cahoots with criminals to destroy Igbo land. Now, the destruction of the region is not by the hands of some herdsmen or bandits, but by the might of the sons of the land. How is irony defined?

Igbo citizens who hold contrary opinions to the ‘’group sentiments’’ are threatened with violence. This puts a disturbing aspect to the secessionist agitations – if all views must be unitary. The Igbo have never been known to be herded or conscripted into a tyranny of opinions and actions. The Igbo are known to be republican; open to robust arguments and subjecting every thought to scrutiny. But what changed?

The killing of police officers in the south-east has been unmitigated and security agencies appear to have left the people to their own fate. Armed robberies have returned at scale. There are lamentations everywhere. A lady shared an experience of how a mechanic she paid upfront to fix her car in Anambra absconded with the money and automobile, and even threatened her while bragging, ‘’there is no more police in the south-east’’. Cultists and street lords have assumed control of interest areas in the region. There is fear and chaos everywhere. Life has become nasty, brutish and short in a once peaceful region.

As a matter of fact, we are on a familiar path albeit a treacherous one. The signs are ominous. A Nigerian born in 2000 can tell how Boko Haram started in the north-east. Security agents and formations are often the first to be targeted by militant groups. When they are taken out, the people become defenceless and a new order of violence by armed gangs reigns. Security operatives are being killed and security facilities destroyed in the south-east now. After the security scaffold is decimated, innocent residents and even those gloating over the revelry of blood may become the next victims.

Already, there are displaced persons living in IDP camps in parts of Ebonyi State -- displaced as a result of internecine clashes among communities. And with the prevailing savagery by the secessionist group, there is bound to be more refugee problems in the south-east – if the attacks persist. Where does that leave a people whose preoccupation is buying and selling?

We cannot end this barbarity if we do not agree. If some choose to keep native sympathies for those taking innocent lives, how then can the bloodletting stop?

It is all in our hands.

Nwabufo is a writer and journalist

SOUTHERN LEADERS AND THE 1999 CONSTITUTION

The dwindling relevance of southerners in the political and economic space in Nigeria is self- inflicted, argues Michael Owhoko

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nterrogating the role played by southern leaders in the making of the 1979 and 1999 Nigerian constitutions that have decapacitated the south with dimmed prospects for its young teeming generations, is imperative at this point of Nigeria’s history. These two constitutions laid the groundwork for the current acrimony in the country, raising a national question.

Nigeria was a country of optimism until it was subverted by entrenched interests, using demography and political delineation, two key parameters to give the north an edge over the south. These mechanisms of inequalities were perfected first, through the 1979 Constitution, and later the 1999 constitution. But Southern leaders were actively involved in the making these two constitutions without flagging the contradictions. Reference to the 1979 Constitution is imperative here because the 1999 Constitution was cloned from it. Niki Tobi, Chairman of the 1999 Constitution Debate Coordinating Committee (CDCC) confirmed this: “…Nigerians basically opt for the 1979 Constitution with relevant amendments. They want it, and they have copiously given their reasons for their choice in the different memoranda and oral presentations. So, we have recommended to the Provisional Ruling Council the adoption of the 1979 Constitution….”

In the making of the 1979 Constitution, southerners were members of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), Constituent Assembly (CA) and the Supreme Military Council (SMC) that eventually approved and decreed the 1979 Constitution into effect.

Also, southern leaders played significant roles in the process leading to the 1999 Constitution, beginning with the Constitution Debate Co-ordinating Committee (CDCC) to the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) that finally gave it legal teeth.

How come the southern leaders allowed these constitutions that have diminished the south to a position of underdog, despite laying the golden eggs and serving as the country’s revenue base, to pass?

Were they sleeping or overwhelmed by blurred vision or fleeting comfort or hypnotic hallucination?

The dwindling relevance of southerners in the political and economic space in Nigeria today is proof of leadership deficit.

I have refrained from mentioning names for fear of illogical innuendos. By southern leaders, I mean all persons that have occupied positions of authority

and influence either in the military, presidency, national assembly, judiciary, ministries, departments, agencies of government, private sector, religious organisations or are opinion influencers.

Both the 1979 and 1999 constitutions deepened the unitary system of government with enormous powers at the centre. While the 1979 Constitution had 67 items on the exclusive legislative list, and 12 items on the concurrent list, the 1999 Constitution, increased this to 68 on the exclusive list, but retained same 12 items on the concurrent list, indicative of strong centre and weak states.

This is contrary to the 1963 Constitution which had 45 items on the exclusive legislative list and 29 items on the concurrent list, reflecting a weak centre and strong regions. The intention by the founding fathers was to enable the federating regions possess a level of autonomy that will enable them leverage on their peculiar capacities for development. This constitution was compatible with the country’s multiethnic configuration.

Before Nigeria came into existence in 1914, various ethnic groups had existed as autonomous nations.

Each of these ethnic nationalities had their distinct administration and socio-cultural peculiarities and dispositions. They had sovereignty, and this allowed them to pursue their respective visions, ambitions and development strides independently.

The need to preserve this without completely ceding their sovereignties to the union called Nigeria, necessitated the 1963 Constitution. The constitution had all the features of federalism. The component parts were co-ordinates and independent of each other, and freely expressed their diverse cultural differences. Each region had its own constitution, police and independent administration peculiar to their respective needs. Existing fiscal autonomy as reflected in the derivation principle gave each region financial freedom where they generated own revenue from which 50% was retained, and the remaining 50% was shared among the states and the federal government. While the federal government received 20%, the balance 30% was shared among the regions, including the producing region.

Unfortunately, this system of government was terminated and replaced by the military with a unitary system, first by Decree 34, and later through 1979 and 1999 constitutions where power is concentrated at the centre. This system completely removes the sovereignty and autonomy of the

federating states or regions.

This has triggered torrent of demands for a return to federalism through restructuring of the country’s political system. Expectedly, these calls are coming mainly from the southern part of the country due to growing awareness of the inability of the 1999 Constitution to support aspirations of millions of Nigerians, particularly the people of the south.

But the northern oligarchy loathes this, and wants the status quo maintained because of the advantage they have over the south. The northern part is allocated more population figures, number of states and local government areas (LGAs). This explains the hold, influence and control over the country’s political structure and resources by northerners.

This also accounts for the dominance of the north in the legislature. Since population is central to political power, conduct of accurate census in Nigeria has become difficult as the north tries to maintain population superiority. That the Sahel region is more populated than the Savannah Belt or Rain Forest is inconsistent with nature.

Now, a new generation has emerged from the south, who are now questioning the rationale behind the 1999 Constitution. The chickens have come home to roost. The mistake of the sleepy southern leaders is turning around to haunt the system, resulting in cry for equity and justice to correct the lopsided federation.

In a federation, no one part or group should be seen to be dominating the other. Of all the ethnic nations in Nigeria, the Fulani are the newest to arrive in 1800, yet, have become the most powerful with diverse influence in the Nigerian polity. This feat could only have been achieved through deliberate strategy, unison, concerted leadership expedition and territorial ambition.

This hegemony is evident from headship of all three organs of government by northerners, just as all key strategic government agencies are also held by them. Even criteria for admission into federal schools and employment into MDAs are lowered for the north while higher qualifications are required from the south. Yet, the south which plays host to sources of revenue for the country, looks on, and failing to question this imbalance in a supposed federation of equal partnership.

The need to protect primordial interest rather than national interest is also evident in the push for open grazing, establishment of Rural Grazing

Area (RUGA) or cattle colonies across the country.

It is same with the proposed Water Resources Bill.

To make a private business of herding, a federal government matter is abuse of power aimed at achieving hegemonic interest, political domination and territorial expansion.

The sleepy southerner leaders must wake up to smell the coffee and stop the subservient corporatism. For too long, the southern leaders have allowed themselves to be used by their counterparts in the core north, who have continued to manipulate them over a plate of porridge. Give a southern leader a few pecks of office, including a chauffeur-driven SUV car with a police escort, along with opportunities for unearned income, the future of his people can be compromised.

Some of these southern leaders are already scheming to become vice-president to some Fulani politicians in the north by 2023. Why are they so inferior that they cannot assert themselves and push for presidency, rather than settle for less? With shrinking opportunities in the south, their selfish actions will only worsen the growing miseries among the southern youths.

The ENDSARS protest by southern youths was a demonstration to protect their future. All they see is frustration induced by bleak outlook, compounded by police brutality. Same sleepy southern leaders betrayed them.

It is the low premium the north places on the south that enabled it to question the outcome of the meeting of the southern governors’ forum held in Asaba. Northern governors have been meeting over the years but the south had never questioned their resolutions. Objection to the southern governors’ resolutions is a proof of the superordinate-subordinate relationship. It is a sad reality, and the southern leaders with dimmed vision are to blame.

Nigeria belongs to all, and must be made to work.

To achieve this, the country must be restructured and built on equity, justice, equal opportunity and criteria for all. The current unitary system as contained in the 1999 Constitution must be discarded and a new constitution tweaked after the 1963 Constitution with elements, perhaps, drawn from the 2014 Confab Report be adopted, otherwise, de-amalgamation is inevitable.

Dr. Owhoko, journalist and author, is the Publisher of Media Issues, an online newspaper based in Lagos

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EDITORIAL BEYOND THE OBASANJO LIBRARY EXPLOSION The regulatory agency could do more to stem the dangerous trend

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n what was recorded as the fourth within a period of one week, one person was immediately confirmed dead with another critically injured following a domestic gas explosion at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State last week. “Early reports indicate that the explosion was caused by gas used in maintenance of ACs at the unit. An investigation has been launched for further details and action”, said an aide to former President Obasanjo, Atom Lim. Managing Director of the library, Vitalis Ortese, said the explosion occurred when a pair of technical vendors were conducting routine servicing of the air conditioning units.

While we commiserate with the family of the deceased, the rate at which gas explosions of different variants claim lives in our country should worry the authorities. At least five persons were killed with dozens of others injured in a densely populated suburb of Lagos last year when a Liquefied PetroTHE PROMISE TO PHASE leum Gas (LPG) OUT AND REPLACE plant exploded and THE GAS CYLINDERS IN engulfed the entire CIRCULATION WITH MORE area. The LPG ADVANCED ONES SHOULD tanker was in the process of dischargBE HASTENED ing its content at a time the station’s generating set was running. The spark and the explosion which followed threw the discharging tanker across the road. Aside the loss of lives and the injuries sustained by many, 25 buildings, 16 shops, a private school building, a hotel and several vehicles/tricycles were razed.

Also of increasing concerns are gas explosions of the domestic kind, mostly because of leaking cylinders. Ironically, this is coming amid intense campaigns on the need for Nigerians to drop kerosene for gas as a cheaper and cleaner means of cooking. In recent years, fatal explosions had been reported in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Lagos, Jigawa and many other states. In one of the

Letters to the Editor

incidents, the gas escaped into the air and got to a fire point where a lady was operating a restaurant, killing people along the way. Another gas explosion at Arakale market in Akure, Ondo State was traced to an illegal gas re-filling plant which wounded many and razed many shops.

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T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

ot long ago, a chlorine cylinder exploded at the Plateau State Water Board treatment plant at Lamingo, Dogon Karfe, Jos South local government, leaving eight people dead, among them a pregnant woman and children. Dozens of others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Perhaps the most sensational was the explosion in an Abuja suburb which claimed the lives of two sisters, aged 31 and 25 in 2013. The two young ladies were trying to put out the fire when the gas cylinder exploded, killing them instantly. In another incident that is typical of the carelessness often associated with many homes, a female domestic help in Epe, Lagos, turned on the gas and left to chat outside. By the time she returned to light up the gas, the kitchen was suffused with chemical. The resultant fire and explosion sent her and neighbours scampering for safety. At least 24 people suffered various degrees of burns. In yet another, a retail outlet was discharging gas from a big cylinder without safety measures. The explosion cost him his life.

For years, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has harped on the need for an enlightenment campaign to ensure safe use of LPG by households. But there are no measures put in place despite numerous accidents that have claimed lives. There are also reports of adulterated gas being sold at retailer outlets across the country. To avert these tragedies, the promise to phase out and replace the gas cylinders in circulation with more advanced ones should be hastened. Some households have been using the same cylinder for upwards of three decades. That is a disaster waiting to happen.

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

MAKING NIGERIAN CHILDREN LEADERS OF TOMORROW

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ear Nigerian children, let me first felicitate with you on your memorable day. In as much as I am also a child before my parents, the day has been specially designed for people between the ages of zero and 17 years. You will agree with me that our beloved country is far from the state we want it to be.

Despite the lofty visions of our founding fathers, the generation that succeeded them and the one that follows this second generation have turned our once glorious land into ruins.

Our founding fathers have their own faults. After they successfully fought their common enemy (colonial master), they failed to plan for governance. After they got independence, how, who and which group would lead and constitute government; personal and group interests and the inability to manage the vast conglomeration they fought for surfaced. These eventually brought distortion, disruption, derailment and gross mismanagement of our country and her wealth (human and material resources).

The generation that succeeded our founding fathers was dominated by a bunch of opportunists, who were more concerned with reaping from where they did not sow. They were more or less inept. They were easily fooled by our former colonial master and their allies. They jointly milked us unapologetically.

The generation today’s youths look up to is helpless. They largely failed to question the status quo. Despite their exposure and education, they are easily pushed around. They failed to speak for the disadvantaged ones especially the masses among them. They suffered and smiled.

Today’s youths have been handicapped. When we were at your age bracket, they told us the same thing that we were the leaders of today. Dear children, up to this moment, our today has not come. The one or two youths among us you see in positions of leadership were handpicked. They do not represent us.

Neither do they demonstrate our capabilities in this digital age.

They have restricted us from leadership positions. They inserted into our constitution age barrier to deter us. They demonise and monetise politics to discourage us. They poorly educate us to deprive us of qualitative knowledge.

They use religion and ethnicity to divert our attention from governance. They subject us to poor parenting. They call us unprintable names home and abroad.

They empower some of us with demeaning skills. They do not employ us and also make it difficult for us to set up ourselves. They do not want us to be independent financially and intellectually. All this they do to retain their status.

To be sincere with you, they have succeeded in making many of us irrelevant that many of the few dogged ones among us are finding it difficult to bring many of the youths to their senses.

Dear children, we are fighting back. Just that it seems insurmountable. We are fighting so many forces. We are fighting the remnants of the generation that succeeded our founding fathers and the generation that follows these remnants. I must confess that it is not an easy battle.

Dear children, we want you to see through these events. We are waiting to add you into our fold. But we want you to be better equipped. Stay above their gimmicks. Do not let them hoodwink you as they did to many of us.

We cannot afford to leave our fatherland in this mess. They will want to twist history for you. But we are ready to always present to you factual history that you can use to defeat their antics.

It is disheartening that after over three decades of independence and 22 years of uninterrupted democracy, the foundation of a great Nigeria has not been laid.

Qudus Adewale Lawal, alaniadewale@yahoo.com

WHEN GOOD PEOPLE GET STRANGE IDEAS

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he north of Australia is suffering from a mice plague, literally millions of mice, and the farmers are trying to get rid of them by any means including poisoning them. Farmers care for animals but they need to get rid of the

mice.

The animal activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has suggested that “… humane traps allow small animals to be caught gently and released unharmed.” These are not cuddly little furry animals; they are vermin that will eat all the food that animals need, and they are also difficult to catch. The suggestion of releasing them elsewhere is impractical as they need to be moved away from farms but where to, to the desert where they would starve or to the city where they would not be appreciated?

Sometimes people with good intentions come up with ideas that are silly because they have no real understanding of the actual problems.

Let’s save the Whales and the Pandas but not the mice.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021

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POLITICS

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

The Political Genomes of Babangida, Abacha, Obasanjo, Jonathan and Buhari in All of Us Yahaya Balogun who writes from Arizona, United States of America expresses deep convictions that Nigeria will overcome her enduring challenges

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fear evolution has inbuilt greed and aggression to the human genome. There is no sign of conflict lessening, and the development of militarized technology and weapons of mass destruction could make that disastrous.” -Stephen Hawking The number one New York bestseller, Angie Thomas, in her new book titled: “The Hate you Give” is a compelling book I recommend to haters anywhere to read. Nigerian haters who dwell in self-hate will benefit immensely from the imports of the book. In a nutshell, the book chronicles the burden of black African-Americans in the dark periods of American history. That is, the Jim Crow era in America and its resurgence now!

The hate you spread in Nigeria may be counterproductive and consume you and many other innocent people. Politics, religion, and tribal motives are the three nuances being weaponized to destroy the nation’s fabric and the world. The new normal in Nigeria are confusion, hate, greed, hypocrisy, jealousy, instant gratification, hedonism, and general hopelessness.

Sadly, the prevailing state of anomie in the country is a concerning development.

The alarming situation is multiplying at a rate we have never seen before in Nigeria! The problem seems to be at the point of inflection now! There are two groups of people in Nigeria today whom I term as ‘opposing forces!’ The first group believes that Nigeria is a “mere geopolitical expression” that is irredeemably destined to disintegrate any moment from now. The second group of people believes that Nigeria is a bridge of hope if her people get their mojo to make it so.

Differently, the first and second groups of these Nigerians believe that “Nigeria is a matter of time!” “A matter of time” represents the two different opposing “believers” of Nigeria.

This writer is an incurable optimist who incurably belongs to the latter group of people (those who believe that Nigeria is a bridge of hope). Going by the prevailing circumstances in Nigeria, you are allowed to call this writer a fantasized dreamer!

But this writer’s dream of a new Nigeria through optimism is anchored on his courage of convictions and the antithesis of the evolving global developments. It will get worse before it gets better! But the rattling eternal question is: “e go better, e go better…” when will it be better?

As quoted above, Steven Hawking’s instruction and exposition are based on the current three nuances (Politics, Religion, and Tribe) in Nigeria. Nigeria is sitting ignorantly on a tripod stand of hate while love hovers aimlessly in her horizon.

Politics, religion, and ethnicity are now being used expeditiously as weapons of hate to hatch a plan to destabilize and plunge the country into a destructive war.

Nigeria is already going through the bedlam of crisis, false unity, and conceited associations. It’s high time we renegotiated our unity through constructive conversations, or the country perished.

Conversations that will redefine amicably our ill-conceived conception of administrative convenience as designed by the brutish British and colonial masters. With nostalgia, everyone was jostling in the euphoria of glowing expectations of a birthed Nigeria at Nigeria’s infancy and independence. Abruptly, the military putsch punctuated the joy of launching Nigeria into Eldorado. The falseconceived nation became a dystopian country where human life is a dispens-

able and expendable commodity. Bribery and corruption were institutionalized by the self-styled Military President, General Babangida, and it has become a way of life. Everyone is now motivated by

instant gratification, selfishness, greed, and ugliness of hate. Corruption is the umbilical cord that connects Nigerians.

Corruption in Nigeria can be defined as the inability of the corrupt people to eke

Interrogating Lawan’s Position On Restructuring Mon-Charles Egbo, Print Media Aide to the Senate President explains his principal’s position on recent topical issues

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hough perceived differently by various interests, restructuring is today a subject on the front burner. It is as topical as it dominates all socio-political discourse in the country. And of course, the reasons are not far-fetched. Nigeria is literally on the brinks. Implosion is just a matter of when it can happen.

There are varying potentialities for violence in every part of the country.

Insecurity has grossly weakened the national economy and in its wake exposed the citizenry to untold hardships. The armed forced forces and other security agencies are extremely over-stretched. Agriculture is unfortunately crippled even as lives and property are lost by day.

And quite rightly, vast majority of Nigerians are unanimous that it is only by restructuring that the ship of the state can be redirected towards restoration. They are convinced that it is only by sincere and holistic attempt at restructuring the polity that the unity and prosperity of the country as well as peaceful coexistence among the people can be truly guaranteed.

But then again, it is not just about rhetorical campaigns merely for political capital or sectional appeals. It is about the fundamentals and realities.

It is about our common humanity. For the socio-politically-conscious, the kind of restructuring that well-meaning Nigerians clamour for is one that will be all-encompassing, broad-based and offer opportunities for speedy and ordered national development. As such, we must be open-minded and sincere enough with profound willingness to truthfully talk among ourselves in order to find lasting solutions to the prevailing myriads of challenges militating against our journey to nationhood.

Primarily, there must be honest

acknowledgement that the constitution we inherited from the military is as faulty as it is now outdated. It did not originate from “the people” but rather a product of imposition. The present constitution is evidently tying down the prosperity of the country. There are a whole lot of things unproductive and counter-productive about it. Nigeria is endowed with men and women of characters, competences and capacities to take us to our desired destination as a people, but the faulty body of laws in operation frustrates every activated attempts at moving forwards.

Need for local government autonomy, devolution of power or attainment of true federalism, state police and financial autonomies for state legislatures and judiciaries are among the major issues generating massive concerns presently. So empirically, constitution is the problem. And that is why the recently-declared position of the southern governors on sundry national matters was popular. But beyond applause, it is a valid example of the agenda-setting roles that leaders at all levels, both public and private, should play now towards evolution of a truly people’s constitution. They highlighted some of the issues they expect the country to urgently address largely by way of constitution amendment. As an instance, implementation of anti-open cattle grazing can only be successfully achieved through the instrumentality of the constitution or in the interim, by an executive order, given the volatile state of the nation manifesting as the high level of mutual suspicions among the various tribes and sections. So it requires systematic and holistic approaches.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

or have access to the national cake like their counterparts. If an evil individual has access to the nation’s wealth illegally, corruption becomes an opportunity; he becomes part of the opposing forces.

The gnomes of the then iron-fisted General Buhari, the evil-genius Babangida, the cunningness of Mr. Tortoise Obasanjo, the mindless mind of the dark-evil-goggled Abacha, the meekness and naivete of Jonathan, and the current mummified Buhari are in all of us! The system of government in Nigeria is a government whereby the looted monies are ‘re-looted’ by the looters for the looters. A country where the looters are beatified with “rankadede” and bestowed upon with the highest national honor, honorary academic awards, and chieftaincy titles. Nigeria is a country where illegal wealth is flaunted to motivate prospective and future leaders (oh sorry, future looters) to engage in a rat race to loot from the national vaults. Nigeria is a country that welcomes, with fanfare, a Britain’s released ex-convict who robbed his people’s wealth. Nigeria is a country with people who swim in the pool of mediocrity with calm indifference to meritocracy.

Now, it is a big task to change a rotten system! It also requires an unfettered approach with vision, imagination, and unbridled determination to salvage a contradictory nation. Nigeria must save herself from herself to achieve good sustainable results. Nigeria is a beautiful nation in a big bang of a disgusting mess, pangs of hate, lies, and bad leadership.

It’s unfathomable to see how Nigerians now openly traffic in greed, hopelessness, and self-hate to hate themselves. Most Nigerians are being weaponized or armed with hate by the politicians, religious bigots, and tribal zealots at the expense of their future. Nigerian non-correctable countrymen and women are now making a once-beloved country the forest of hate and divisiveness. So many ghoulish compatriots now hide under the canopies of politics, religion, and ethnicity to spread hate and division.

Meanwhile, some of our contemporary Nigerians do hate overtly, and some do hate covertly. Before this period, it was greed and covetousness that were prevalent. Now, hate, greed, and ignorance are intertwined in the warped consciousness of the people. Our people need cognitive restructuring! People relish daily in this new normal of an abnormal situation.

The majority of those people who traffic in hate and corruption are primarily religious people and corrupt toddlers of immediate yesterday. They are less knowledgeable in the cruel history of Nigeria. Those who are knowledgeable of Nigerian history suffer from deliberate indifference.

Nigeria is a holy-alliance nation with spiritual entrepreneurs. Hate and resentment are now the trademarks that make people self-destruct.

I sympathize with patriotic Nigerians who are genuinely fighting daily to reorientate and change the corrupt system.

Corruption is a menace, an institutionalized problem. It’s generally an acceptable way of life. It destroys, kills, and wastes human and material resources. Whoever wants to fight corruption in a dysfunctional society must be ready for frustration, malignant abuse, hate, jealousy, and resentment.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021

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PERSPECTIVE

Two Steikes That Proved the Minister of Labour Akeredolu’s Rising Profile in America, Malami and Shehu Chido Nwangwu accentuates the great depth of insight conveyed by recent statements credited to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State

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or good reasons of being a courageous and reasonable articulator of the diversity of the embattled democracy project in Nigeria, my contacts in Washington DC and the U.S Department of State, indicate a rising profile for the Ondo State Governor and legal scholar, Rotimi Akeredolu.

He appears in the eyes of the Diaspora Nigerians a leader who speaks to the facts and realities of the rapidly dangerous twists of insecurity and violence.

Insecurity and terrorism, incrementally and installmentally, are destroying the fabric of Nigeria.

Leadership, most of the time, emerges in times of crises and conflicts and challenges. Evidently, in some ways, Akeredolu’s clarity and specificity on burning national issues sets him far apart from the unclear, double-speak and tangled statements of the complicated aspirant for the 2023 presidential elections, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu, being the former Governor of Lagos.

There’s a challenge and opportunity to lead from the front — in today’s Nigeria. Back-to-back since the past 10 days, while Tinubu and other Buharicannot-be-wrong (BCBW) political journey men and partisan travelers bounce from the Sokoto caliphate to the Kano Emirate, on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, Akeredolu raised the weight and pointedness of the language of engagement regarding the political economy and power.

Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, responded to the statement from the Buhari presidency, which attacked the recent resolutions and recommendations of the 17 Southern governors of Nigeria to ban open grazing by cattle in the region, their call for Nigeria’s president, retired Major General Mohammadu Buhari to hold a national dialogue and seek effective solutions to the escalating issues of insecurity across the country.

In the statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, the resolutions and suggestions issued by the governors were belittled as “acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate power.” Shehu added that it was an attempt to violate the rights of some Nigerians.

Then, came Akeredolu’s thunderous take down of Shehu Garba in a news release titled, ‘Mr Garba Shehu: On the Trail of an Agent Provocateur ’. For valuable context, let me an extended

excerpt from that explosive news release which has since gone viral.

Akeredolu threw the equivalent of a credibility bomb at the presidential spokesman, asking that “Mr. Garba must disclose, this day, the real motive(s) of those he serves, definitely not the President. He can’t continue to hide under some opaque, omnibus, and dubious directives to create confusion in the polity. Mr. Garba contends that ‘their announcement is of questionable legality’, referring to the 17 Governors of the Southern states, but the decision of certain elements to take the ancestral lands of other people to settle their kinsmen, including the “gun-wielding “killer herdsmen” and their families, and provide “veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves” for which “the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side”, does not appear to him as a comprehensive plan for land grabbing, a precursor to internal colonialism.”

“Governors no longer have powers over the lands in their territories. They must take instructions from appointees of the Federal Government on such matters.”

“It is clear that Mr. Garba seems to have issues understanding the difference between licentious criminality and qualified rights under our law. It’s our duty to continually nudge him off his current state of cognitive dissonance.

His pronouncement betrays dubiety and mischief. It raises suspicion on a grand, deliberate, persistent, and insidious design to use naked force to subjugate the real owners of the land.

Mr Garba Shehu is a major supporter of the current pervasive anarchy in the land.”

A few days before the Shehu showdown, Akeredolu had countered the criticism made on Channels TV by Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Shehu Malami, on the decision of the Southern governors banning open grazing of cattle by anyone in their own states. “…it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the Northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north…. Does it hold water? Does it hold water for a Northern governor to come and state expressly that he now prohibits spare parts trading in the north?” Malami’s description of the sellers of auto parts is a veiled reference to the Igbo business persons who are, by far, the nationwide leaders of the auto parts business. The herds of cattle are led, predominantly,

by Fulani herdsmen from the Northern sections of Nigeria and parts of the Sahel. Malami is Fulani.

Akeredolu’s precise counterpoint came like a Texas tornado: “Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset.”

Clearly, the diplomatic circuits of the world are asking: who is the silverbearded, straight-talking leader?

Obidigbo Urueze-Ide, an Abuja-based journalist and poet commends easy-going disposition of Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment

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hursday, May 20, 2021 saw two national strikes resolved in one day.

One grounded two of the three arms of government for nearly two months, while the other, lit a fuse that almost engulfed the entire country from Kaduna State. Their timely resolution have saved the nation some tragic consequences once more . It is not conflicted in any way, that the line that seamed the world of work to the polity is very malleable . One foretastes the other and mutually, they share salutary and antagonistic factors and effects. A regressive world of work is an active volcano on the fortunes of nations.

Luckily, Nigeria has a relatively stable industrial milieu substantially obtained on the strength of a sustained effort of one man, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige. Otherwise, the situation on the ground is unsupportive.

The incidence of unemployment put at 33% by the National Bureau of Statistics, the heavily inflated prices of goods and services that ate out the Minimum Wage and the unresolved age-long labour issues that ginger restiveness will ordinarily mock preceding submission of a stable national labour locale. Ministry of Labour is a distinction at a time many Nigerians would trace a larger chunk of our woes to incompetent leadership! Here is a shining post amidst multiple dim lights . Unfortunately, this effort is diminished in optics, by the usually more visible foibles in the collective leadership. Ngige faces huge headwinds in labour , yet he delivers.

The hell that was Kaduna between May 17 and 20, 2021 is well-documented in the media. It was unprecedented. It would be the first time in history Labour would march one state with the weight it marched on Kaduna. It was a total lockdown of all services amidst threatening specter of violence by thugs apparently hired by the state government . It was anarchic , law and order almost broke down, as the NLC affiliate unions the country over, threatened to join in sympathy . NUPENG warned members were gearing to down tools just as the Minister of Works and Power raised alarm over plans by the affiliate unions in the sector to impose darkness on a nation already benighted by a nightfall of hunger, disease and insecurity. Had the strike prolonged, government would have offered on a platter, what detractors could not achieve during the last EndSars protests in a renewed national conflagration.

Therefore , the intervention of the Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment was a stich in time. With the torrents of mess the man keeps clearing in the industrial sector, it is little arguable that he is the bulwark without whom the country will descended to a Hobbesian jungle. His letter to the warring parties in Kaduna was concise. “I am therefore constrained in the exercise of my powers as the Minister of Labour and Employment , under the Trade Disputes Act, CAP . T8, Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004; to invite you and your top officials to the emergency trade dispute conciliation meeting.” The letter equally asked the two parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the resolution of the dispute which included the retrenchment of workers, compulsory retirement of workers on Grade Level 14 and above and those who have attained the age of 50 years irrespective of their Grade Levels, reduction of the staff strength in each Local Government to 50 and casualization of workers on Grade Level 1-6.

The Kaduna State Government was led to negotiation by the Commissioner for Local Government Ja’afaru Sani and the Head of service , Bariatu Mohammmed while the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba led labour .

The atmosphere warring parties created

in Kaduna was an assurance that sleeves could be rolled up at the meeting and it did with Bariatu Mohammmed insisting the NLC apologize for calling the Kaduna Governor a tyrant. NLC yielded no inch.

With barrage of allegations and counter , the Minister appeared to have deliberately allowed a rowdy window for ventilation of the bottled up, before deflating the tension in his usual deftness for issues to be resolved with decorum. Six hours down the line , issues got to a head as Ngige reached out for section 20 of the Labour Act, CapL1, laws of Federation of Nigeria and declared that all the things in contention border on redundancy as fully captured by the law. He further explained the provisions were not followed by the Kaduna State government.

The meeting therefore decided to constitute a 10-man Bi-partite Committee comprising six representatives of State Government and three officials of the NLC to engage further with the objective of reverting with a work plan on how to integrate the provision of section 20 of the Labour Act and report back Tuesday 25, May 2021.

By the time the MOU was signed, the once stony faces beamed with laughter , fist pounding and bumping , giving themselves dap and banters. The peace maker has made peace once again.

Then came the turn of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria(JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) who have patiently waited for hours along the corridors of the Ministry. In fact, officials of the Ministry had to hurry up the Kaduna team who were foot dragging over the semantics of a particular word deployed in the MOU. They were yet to leave their seats when members of PASAN and JUSUN began to take some of the vacant seats.

The journey to the climax the day was for the two unions was tortious and windy, involving arms and tiers of government as well as professional associations whose opinions must determine the resolution of the autonomy challenge.

Ngige together with Sen. Ita Enang who is the Secretary of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Autonomy of the State Judiciary and Legislature had to liaise with Attorney General of the Federation, the Solicitor General of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, the Governors’ Forum, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, Conference of judges and the Nigerian Bar Association as well as the two unions . With the unions insisting the provisions of the 1999 constitution was non-negotiable, rebuffing rapprochement overtures, the stake got higher. No wonder offers were turned down and strike lasting as long. But the issues were more complex than the usual straight negotiation as legalism and equity battled for balance on a scale denominated by figures of financial autonomy.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021 •T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͶ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

Ͱ ͯ ˜ Ͱ ͮ Ͱ ͯ MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

REPO 16.50 % 17 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

16.50 % 18.50 % 20 %

S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

507.35 % -0.12 % 01.98 %

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE -9.20 % YEAR TO DATE -24.31 %

EXCHANGE RATE N379/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes

Green Africa Offers N16, 500 Fares

AWARD WELL DESERVED

L-R: Director of Engineering Services, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engr. Salisu Daura; Director of Commercial & Business Development, Sadiku Rafindadi; Managing Director, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu; Director of Human Resources & Admin, Honorious Anozie; Director of Airport Operations, Capt. Mukhtar Muye and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Clifford Omozeghian, after presentation of Icon Leadership Award to FAAN MD by the Presidential Diary Magazine in Abuja...recently

Labour Threatens NAMA over Recruitment of 130 Staff from Katsina State Chinedu Eze The President of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Mr. Abdulrazaq Saudi has said the labour union may embark on protest against the alleged lopsided employment of workers into the aviation agencies.

He said this was as a result of the recent alleged employment of 130 staff into the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) from Katsina state.

But the Managing Director of NAMA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu told THISDAY that the allegation was not true.

Saidu said labour was already meeting to decide which action to take, including paralysing the agency’s operations, to stop such unilateral employment that

AVIATION does not follow due process.

He noted that this has been going on in the aviation agencies for a long time, saying that the workers were imposed on the agency’s management by their supervisor, saying the management does not have any choice than to accept them.

He said that in the case of NAMA, the agency needs technical staff to manage the air traffic control and engineering departments, but most of these people employed do not have requisite qualification for that so they end up in the administration department of the agencies.

Saidu said, “If you go to any of the agencies like NAMA and the Federal Airports Authority

of Nigeria (FAAN), five to six workers would stay at one table; yet the agency would be lacking technical staff to man the technical areas of the jobs they do.

“We have confronted this problem many times. There was one time such employment happened in FAAN and we hear they were doing training in Kaduna. We trailed them but there appeared there was nothing the management can do. That is the same thing happening to NAMA now.

“The same thing also happened to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

They will tell you that the directive came from powers above.

“The problem is that they are not employing people with the

qualification that the agencies need and they are not following federal character. Some of them are not even trainable.

For example, FAAN needs people in the area of security and fire departments, but those employed are not even qualified for such positions; so they crowd administration department, where you have five to six persons on the same table. It is the same when you go to NAMA,” Saidu further alleged.

He said before a staff would be qualified to work in the air traffic control where the agency continuously need personnel, the person must have studied geography, “but many of these people employed Continued on page 24

‘Industrialisation Key for Strong Supply Chain’ Eromosele Abiodun The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone, Dr. Amy Jadesimi, has said that industrialisation is key to building a strong supply chain.

Jadesimi stated this as a guest speaker at the hybrid event of 2021 Society of Petroleum Engineers Nigeria Council Annual Technical Symposium, with the theme: ‘Maximising Supply Chain Viability in-Country: Drawbacks & the Way Forward.’

The LADOL boss added that the best way of achieving industrialisation in Nigeria was to support and enable thousands of new sustainable Nigerian businesses across a wide range of industry.

These businesses, she stated, may well currently be such that primarily support the petroleum sector, but which in future could transition to primarily support other

MARITIME industries from agriculture to urban building and green energy.

According to her, “The key to having strong supply chains in Nigeria is industrial development and diversification.

“The data shows that the most profitable businesses and those that will have increasing access to finance are sustainable business.

“Nigeria has an unmatched opportunity to grow and industrialise sustainably.

“Sustainable business models, she stressed, work across all industries adding that, “In fact, in just four sectors – healthcare, agriculture, energy, and urbanisation – there are $12 trillion of sustainable business opportunities.

“As one of the fastest growing countries in the world our need is greater than most and

our reward will be greater than most if we latch on to these opportunities now.”

She explained that oil and gas is an integral part of Nigeria’s economy not only because the country is an exporter, but also because the petroleum currently drives and is an integral part of every economy across the world.

“But the world economies have almost universally committed to shift away from petroleum towards greener solutions. We are living in a world where the largest country in the world, led by President Joe Biden’s administration is making green commitments, not just in terms of transitioning but also in terms of investment today, far beyond the commitments made by previous leaders.

United Kingdom, Europe, and countries in Asia are doing the same, “the LADOL boss continued.

Jadesimi further stated, “Even if we don’t transition our economy, we will end up being forced to. But that is the wrong way to look at this global shift. Rather this shift is a chance for us to build the right way and achieve sustainable industrialisation ahead of wealthier countries, which have to backward integrate.

Especially since technologies are getting cheaper.

“In summary, we need to industrialise to protect and strengthen our supply chains today – doing so sustainably through the local private sector will yield greater profits now and, in the future, enable to get access to cheaper, longerterm funding and put us at the forefront of a world-wide transition. While this transition could take another 20 to 30 years, there is no doubt that it is needed, it has started,

Green Africa has commenced flight tickets sales with offerings as low asN16,500.Theairlinesaidthebookingwebsitegreenafrica.comisnow opentomembersofthepublicforticketpurchasefollowingthepre-sales approval of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Cities to be served are Lagos (LOS) connecting Akure (AKR), Ilorin (ILR), Abuja (ABV), Owerri (QOW), Port Harcourt (PHC) and Enugu (ENU).

“Flights as low as N16, 500 are available on the website with flight dates starting from June 24th, 2021. Three products are available – gSaver, gClassicTM and gFlexTM giving customers the flexibility of purchasing the product that suits their travel plans. gFlyers who register on the booking website – greenafrica.com get a unique code that gives 10 per centofftheirfirstbookingtocelebratethismilestone,”theairlinestated.

Speaking on the development, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green Africa, Babawande Afolabi, said, “Today is a great day for every member of the gTeam and we are thrilled that our customers can now book their trips with us.We are building a value carrier that will connect customers to their opportunities and be a catalyst for positive change across the region.”

The ongoing “gFlyer Special Offer” which takes 10 per cent off ticket prices will last till 11:59pmWATon June 23rd, 2021. Corporate package known as “gBusiness” is planned for roll out within the coming weeks to cater to SMEs and corporate travels.

Theairlineisoneofthenewentrantsthataretodebutsoon,asithasfinished the last stage of the process to obtain Air Operator Certification (AOC).

ThereareotherairlineslineduptojointheNigeriandomesticmarket,soit isexpectedthattheoutrageousairfareswouldsoonbecomecompetitive.

Like Green Africa, other new entrants have chosen small body aircraft, which industry experts said are more profitable and easy to maintain.

Air Peace Begins Flights to Ilorin

Air Peace has announced the commencement of Ilorin flights from Lagos and Abuja as well an increase in its daily flights to Accra, Ghana Spokesmanoftheairline,StanleyOlisa,whodisclosedthistojournalists, stated that the airline was set to kick off daily Abuja-Ilorin-Abuja and Lagos-Ilorin-Lagos flights on June 17, 2021. Olisa explained that the new route further exemplifies the airline’s unwavering determination to interconnect various cities across Nigeria while filling the gaps in Nigeria’s air travel connectivity, adding that the flying public could start booking flights for the new destination.

Accordingtohim,AirPeacecontinuallyreviewsitscurrentroutenetwork, assesses the air travel needs of Nigerians and consequently develops strategic action plans to meet those needs by launching new routes and connections for Nigerians at affordable fares, with its signature hospitality.

“In the same vein, the airline has also increased its Accra flights to two daily in line with popular demand.

“AirPeacecurrentlyservices16domesticroutes,fiveregionalroutesand two international destinations, including Johannesburg and boasts of a mixed fleet of 28 aircraft, including 2 brand new Embraer 195-E2 jets delivered earlier this year, with 11 more lined up for delivery,” Olisa said.

Ethiopian Medical CenterVaccinates Employees

Ethiopian Airlines Group has started vaccinating its employees against COVID-19initstemporarilyopenedvaccinationcenter.EthiopianMedical Center is equipped with the latest facilities to give the service in its temporary vaccination center at Ethiopian Aviation Academy. Front line employees with direct contact with customers and partners will get priority. All employees will get the second dose of the vaccine four weeks after they take their first dose.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “I am happy to announce that we have imported COVID-19 vaccination for our group employees. Safety is always our top priority and vaccination of our employees will enhance the safety of our colleagues and customers onboard and on the ground. Vaccination of employees will increase passengers’ confidence to fly with us. We will continue to implement all mandated safety measures and the vaccination will supplement those preventive measures. This is a big milestone in our fight against thepandemicandwehopetowelcomeourpassengerswithfullyvaccinated employees in flight and on ground.”

Ethiopian has been implementing safety measures to protect its customers, staff and partners. It set up its own COVID-19 testing and isolationcenterforstafftopreventthespreadofthevirusandtoensure employees’ wellbeing and safety.

“We have surveillance capability to detect aircraft that have primary, secondary or both transponders that transverse our airspace” Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),

Captain Fola Akinkuotu Continued on page 24

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͶ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD LABOUR THREATENS NAMA OVER RECRUITMENT OF 130 STAFF FROM KATSINA STATE in the agency do not have such qualification.”

“They just use political fiat to employ people to into the agencies. These people are imposed on the Chief Executive Officers by their number one officer, their boss.

“After the exit of Dr Harold Demuren as the Director General of the Nigerian NCAA, we have not seen Chief Executives who insisted on professionalism like him.

“ANAP NAMA branch has held meetings over that recruitment, but it seems that whether we protest or not they will still impose those workers on the agencies. They will tell you that the directives came from Abuja. What will the agencies do? So we have to act,” Saidu said.

Akinkuotu in his response, said every recruitment in the agency followed due process, saying there was no way the Minister would impose workers on the agency, remarking that every recruitment must get approval from the Federal Character Commission (FCC), which also monitors the recruitment to ensure that every part of the country is represented in the recruitment.

“When you want to recruit you notify the Federal Character Commission. FCC will approve the recruitment and supervise the process, including the interviews and make sure the right things are put in place. So there is no way the Minister can impose people on the agency.

“I think because we are in a democracy a lot of things happen and you allow them to happen. That explains why people willingly distort facts to satisfy their interest group.

So these are issues with democracy,” Akinkuotu said.

‘INDUSTRIALISATION KEY FOR STRONG SUPPLY CHAIN’ and it will happen.

“In order to secure our supply chains today, in order to secure our economy and industries tomorrow, we must develop more local ecosystems, just as we have done in LADOL, which support a wide range of industries.” ineering, in manufacturing, in design and create finished goods here.”

Customs Intercepts Fake Drugs, Generate N426m from Importers Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The Comptroller General Strike Force Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it intercepted unregistered and fake drugs imported into the country through the nation’s seaport.

In a chat with newsmen in Lagos, the Coordinator of the unit, Deputy Comptroller, Ahmadu Shuaibu, said the unit also recovered N426.4 million as debit note collected on cargoes that were under declared at the seaport.

According to him, also impounded were super market goods, smuggled foreign parboiled rice among others smuggled items intercepted by the unit.

He said, “Sequel to conscientious documentary checks, the ICT component of the team recovered the sum of N426.4 million from demand notices (DN) raised with within April till yesterday.

The money recovered from demand notices could have been lost to unscrupulous importers.”

He said the seizures were products of credible intelligence and meticulous documentary checks, adding that govern-

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Asst. Editor, Money Market

Nume Ekeghe

Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) ××ËØßÏÖ ÎÎÏÒ (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

ment’s rationale for prohibiting the importation/exportation of some of the goods was to safeguard the nation’s socioeconomic and health wellbeing.

While giving the breakdown of the seizures made within the period under review, he said the seizures included, 575 bales

of secondhand clothing, 1,1440 cartons of super market goods, 664 cartons of drugs without NAFDAC number, 530 cartons of foot wears and 1,600 bags of foreign parboiled rice.

However, he decried the unlawful importation of textile materials into the country, add-

ing that importation was killing the nation’s textile industries and jobs meant for teeming youth in the country.

He warned importers to desist from importing goods, which have negative impact on the nation’s economy and the lives of Nigerians.

He added, “While we appreciate our patriotic trader’s for their compliance with the Customs and Excise extant laws, we employ the cooperation of all international traders to imbibe compliance in the interest of the nation’s socio-economic wellbeing and security.”

RENDERING ACCOUNT

L-R: Acting Company Secretary, Prestige Assurance Plc, Chidinma Ibe - Lous; Managing Director, Mr. Sarbeswar Sahoo; Chairman, Dr. Adedoyin Salami; and Independent Non Executive Director, Mrs. Funmi Oyetunji, at the at the 51st annual general meeting of Prestige Assurance Plc held in Lagos...recently PHOTO; ETOP UKUTT

NPA to Resolve Truck Call-Up Challenges Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, has assured port users of the authority’s commitment to speedily resolve all teething challenges against the smooth implementation of the electronic call-up system.

Bello-Koko made the pledge while interacting with truck owners and drivers during his visit to the Lilypond Terminal in Ijora, for a firsthand assessment of the physical infrastructure built for the call-up system, which is domiciled in the terminal.

The visit, according to him, was to enable him re-evaluate the performance of the truck call-up system three months

after it was deployed, and also engage directly with the service users to appreciate their concerns and bottlenecks arising from their subscription of the traffic management platform.

Bello-Koko said all teething issues arising from the truck call-up system would be addressed progressively, stressing that both the online scheduling process and truck transit arrangement would be fine-tuned to check against manipulation and other related irregularities.

According to him, “We will ensure that the entire process is fully automated and secured to prevent counterfeiting, while priority will be given to export cargoes in line with the economic diversification agenda of the federal government.”

He told stakeholders that

the NPA was poised to sustain the implementation of the minimum standard of trucks operating in the ports with the view to assuring that standard operating procedure (SOP) are imbibed at all times pointing out that trucks that fail to meet with expectations would not be allowed onto the “Eto” app.

He called on the ports community to collaborate with the NPA’s management in order for the sector to operate in tandem with international best practice. According to him “Eto” has come to stay, we shall together ensure its workability”, the economy being better for it.

He appreciated the Lagos State Government for the collaborative synergy and their

role in enforcement.

Speaking on behalf of haulage operators doing business at the port, President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, expressed his delight over the unannounced visit of the Acting Managing Director.

He described the visit as a demonstration of the NPA’s helmsman appreciation that the truck call-up system is a priority.

“We are very happy with your visit, it shows clearly that you a listening and focused leader, who is prepared to tackle the critical issues affecting port business in our country. We will work with you as the success of NPA is our success as well.

“We commend the Author-

ity for giving us this call-up system, however the story so far has not been enjoyable, we’re hopeful that things will improve very soon, ”he said.

The Nigerian Ports Authority had on February 27 this year rolled out an electronic call-up system for trucks dubbed “Eto”, to address the intractable traffic gridlock along the access roads leading to the two major seaports in the Lagos area.

The visit to Lilypond Terminal by the Acting Managing Director, his first since he assumed office on May 6, is to enable him assess the quality of equipment so far deployed and identify the necessary measures required, so that the system can be made to achieve its intended objective.

‘Nigerian Marketing Industry Prone to Budget Decline without Collaboration’ Raheem Akingbolu

Group Business Editor

NEWS

A former President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Kelechi Nwosu has predicted a more declining future for the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry, if the practitioners fail to yield to the wise counsel of experts on the need for agencies to collaborate amidst striking global advertising fortune.

Speaking at a forum organised by journalists in Lagos, titled: ‘Partnerships: The future of Building Vibrant IMC Ecosystem,” he charged stakeholders to collaborate at different levels in order to grow the burgeoning Nigerian advertising market.

He reiterated that the IMC

space has become more complex and therefore requires collaboration and partnerships for economic productivity.

According to him, the Nigerian advertising market has been characterised by stiff competition and low productivity. He stressed that low oil price, economic recessions in 2016 and 2020, Covid-19 only made the situation worse. Nwosu noted that the Nigerian market is largely under-performing and shallow considering its huge population.

Citing comparison between the Nigerian and U.S markets, he stated that while Nigeria’s 2020 annual advert expenditure stood at $243 million compared to the US figure of $243 billion, its GDP of N 152.32 trillion

($400 billion) was a paltry sum relative to the US $20.3 trillion for the same period at 205 million and 332 million population respectively.

Contextualising the issue, Nwosu stressed that the economic realities and indices present an ugly picture for the Nigerian advertising market.

He said: “We are a prevalent poor country. It is estimated that 82 per cent of our population live below the poverty line.

Despite the slight GDP growth we have recently recorded, poverty will continue to rise if it’s not accompanied by population growth.

“However, our huge market and our population remains a big attraction. This is why there has been a lot of interest from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia,

India and China) to come to our market to do business”.

Making a case for collaboration as a tool to grow the industry, the TBWA boss stressed that the complex nature of Integrated Marketing Communications makes it imperative.

According to him, “Advertising has evolved into IMC. The IMC has become a lot more complex. No one knows it all. You always need to rely on partners to work it out. Advertising is built as a collaborative industry.

“Great creative works usually come out when agencies collaborate with clients. Besides, we are dealing with a very shallow market and it requires that we collaborate if we want to grow the market.”

Responding to claims that trust has been a major albatross of mergers & collaboration in the IMC, Nwosu noted that such fears could be dealt with if partnerships are legally consummated.

“People will naturally have fears towards such business relationships but they can be dealt with if the terms of the partnerships are well documented and agreed by parties involved. Collaboration is key is if we must grow the industry.

“For instance on the MTN project, TBWA works in collaboration with PR, Experiential and media agencies. While some of these agencies are from the Omnicon group, we also compete against each other in other areas.”

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Lawmaker Seeks More Funding for Aviation Agencies Stories by Chinedu Eze

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, has stressed the need for more funding of the aviation agencies to enable them cope with the increase in demands for air travel.

Nnaji made this known in Abuja, during an interaction between the committee and the heads of agencies led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mr. Hassan Musa. The interaction was at the instance of a motion on the urgent need to investigate claims of engine failure and bird strikes that disrupted Aero Contractors and Max Air flights on Kano and Port Harcourt routes.

The House in plenary had mandated the committee on aviation to summon the Ministry and its agencies

to give clarifications on the two incidents to avoid accident in future.

The chairman demanded assurances from the team which included the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) Captain Musa Nuhu, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadadu, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), Captain Fola Akintotu, and the Commissioner Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB) Akin Olateru who assured the committee that flying is still safe in Nigeria’s airspace.

Nnaji stressed that the insecurity in the country has placed high premium on air travel which required that the Ministry and the

agencies needed to do more to sustain the safety records the country has achieved in that past years.

On his part, Musa assured that the problem of bird strike was a worldwide phenomenon and the several studies have proved that it doesn’t pose much threat to safety.

His statement was corroborated by Yadudu and Olateru.

Yadudu specifically stated that bird strikes impacts negatively more on finances of airlines than safety, adding that it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and sometimes up to a million to replace an engine damaged by bird strike. He explained that a lot of funding was needed to upgrade some of the aviation facilities including the bird strikes control equipment.

IATA: Despite COVID-19 Economic Disruption, People Still Eager to Travel The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Tourism Economics has stated that in a report that people remain eager to travel in the short and longterm despite the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic.

IATA said to ensure that aviation can sustainably deliver its social and economic benefits, it is critical that governments step-up their support for more efficient operations and foster an effective energy transition.

The forecast highlights included that in 2021, global passenger numbers were expected to recover to 52 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels (2019); in 2022 global passenger numbers were expected to recover to 88 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels and by 2023 global passenger numbers were expected to surpass pre-COVID-19 levels (105 per cent).

Also, by 2030, global passenger numbers were expected to have grown to 5.6 billion. That would be seven per cent below the pre-COVID-19 forecast and an estimated loss of two to three years of growth due to COVID-19.

IATA also stated that beyond 2030, air travel was expected to slow, due to weaker demographics and a baseline assumption of limited market liberalisation, giving average annual growth between 2019 and 2039 of 3.2 per cent. IATA’s pre-COVID-19 growth forecast for this period was 3.8 per cent.

“The recovery in passenger numbers is slightly stronger than the recovery in demand measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), which is expected to grow by an annual average of 3 per cent between 2019 and 2039.

This is owing to the expected strength of domestic markets like China with large pas-

senger numbers and shorter distances.

“I am always optimistic about aviation. We are in the deepest and gravest crisis in our history. But the rapidly growing vaccinated population and advancements in testing will return the freedom to fly in the months ahead. And when that happens, people are going to want to travel.

“The immediate challenge is to reopen borders, eliminate quarantine measures and digitally manage vaccination/testing certificates.

At the same time, we must assure the world that aviation’s long-term growth prospects are supported with an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

“Both challenges require governments and industry to work in partnership.

Aviation is ready. But I don’t see governments moving fast enough,” said, IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh.

IATA said short-term restart would include the damage of the COVID-19 crisis, which would be felt for years to come, but all indications are that people have retained their need and desire to travel.

These include the fact that any possibility for borders to re-open is met with an instant surge in bookings.

The most recent example is the 100-percentage point spike in bookings from the UK to Portugal when the UK’s “Green List” was announced in early May. Also the economy is strong and can fuel growth in travel.

February 2021 industrial production levels stood at 2 per cent above February 2019 levels; consumers have accumulated savings in the lockdowns, in some cases exceeding 10 per cent of GDP and vaccination rates in developed countries (with the notable exception of

Japan) should exceed 50 per cent of the population by the third quarter of 2021.

“This should be a clarion call to governments to get ready. The travel and tourism sector is a major contributor to GDP. People’s livelihoods are at stake. To avoid greater long-term economic and social damage, restart must not be delayed. Governments can facilitate a safe restart with policies that enable restriction-free travel for vaccinated people, and testing alternatives for those unable to be vaccinated. Governments must also be ready with processes to digitally manage the vaccine or test certificates—ensuring that a safe restart is also efficient,” said Walsh.

On sustainability, Walsh also said, “Aviation will grow because people want and need to travel. But we must be able to fulfill that consumer demand sustainably. Those are the ground rules for any business. It is no secret that this is more challenging for aviation than sectors with broader energy alternatives. But with the support of governments we will get there through a combination of means”.

IATA noted that aviation is committed to cutting its net carbon emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050, remarking that it already has a good track record of decoupling emissions and demand growth per passenger journey in half since 1990 through efficiency gains, but governments need to step up as well.

In addition to efficiency and technology gains, CORSIA (the first global carbon offsetting scheme for an industrial sector) is stabilizing emissions from international flights at 2019 levels. A low-carbon energy transition for aviation has commenced with sustainable aviation

Evaluating Nigeria’s Business Environment Chinedu Eze The Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo has said that it is wrong for aircraft lessors and insurance companies to describe Nigeria as high risk environment and increase leasing costs and insurance premium for domestic carriers.

Mbanuzuo told THISDAY in an exclusive interview that they use the term high risk for Nigeria to discriminate against the country because there are worse environments in the world where insurance premium and cost of leasing are relatively lower than in Nigeria.

According to him, lessors use such term to deny Nigerian carriers aircraft for leasing and forcing them to buy the aircraft, which many cannot, but because of the hue cost. He noted that many airlines in the world lease aircraft which makes it easy for them to operate, adding that comparatively lessors lease the aircraft to lessees in other environments at relatively cheaper rates.

He stated that because the Nigerian insurance sector cannot undertake huge risks because of their low capital outlay, international insurance firms rip off Nigerian airlines by describing Nigeria as high risk environment.

“Well, I do not believe that, Nigeria is not a high risk environment to me. It is something that they use to discriminate against us or because they think they can get more money from us. Our environment is not worse than somewhere in South America and other parts of the world,” Mbanuzuo said.

He acknowledged that the reasons why they describe Nigeria as high risk is because most of its airfields have very poor landing aid when compared to what is in Europe where every landing aid is working 99.9 per cent most to the time but in Nigeria pilots fly through thunderstorm without working instrument landing system (ILS), very high omnidirectional radio range (VOR), noting that Nigerian airlines have been ingenuous over the years and have operated safely.

“When they say it is high risk, what is high risk there? If airplanes are falling down from the sky every day then we understand that. But I don’t see any of that. And this affects us in matters of insurance.

“Unfortunately our insurance companies here are not strong enough to underwrite a small airline like Dana Air. You have to go abroad and when you get there they bring out stories of risk, they double the price or triple the price of the premium because they know you can’t go anywhere. If I had a very, very strong Nigerian insurance company that could handle us, I will sit down and do it here,” he said.

Mbanuzuo commended efforts the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is making to see whether the lessors and insurance companies can review

Nigeria is not a high risk environment to me. It is something that they use to discriminate against us

Mbanuzuo their rating on Nigeria but noted that the regulatory body can only guarantee Nigerian carriers but may not be able to influence them to end their discrimination of the Nigerian operators.

“I am sure you know that we said in 2021 in Dana Air that we are looking at adding more aircraft to our fleet. Part of the strategy was to lease aircraft; we are not looking to purchase. Purchasing a new aircraft needs huge amount of money. One of our colleagues just purchased a new aircraft recently with the support from their bank.

“I applaud them but not everybody has that kind of support especially in this market where sometimes the finance houses want their returns within five years or so. So we are seriously looking at adding aircraft to our fleet but one thing we found out when we went to the aircraft market was that many of them were very, very happy with Dana Air, after we showed them our financial status and the operational side.

“Of course they are going to look at your passenger load factor, where you fly to, they were very happy when they looked at what we have, but there was something they all mentioned. They said Nigeria has leasing problem and it is not the NCAA that caused it.

“That there were previous concerns that requested for aircraft, got the equipment and after a while through one problem or another did not pay their leasing fees or return the aircraft as agreed. Yes, the market might be bad. Sometimes it could be because the dollars are not there. You know over two years ago we have been facing the problem of foreign exchange,” he said.

Mbanuzuo said the bad experience in the past made lessors to develop negative perception of Nigerian carriers, but noted that lessors have many aircraft parked and waiting to be leased.

“There are a lot of aircraft parked out there looking for lessees or buyers. So I am not sure if it is an NCAA problem, it is a country problem that we have to find a way to solve. We have had situations where the lessors come to take the equipment and the Nigerian party goes to court.

“The NCAA also is helpful but people go to court and come up with all sorts of injunction. So it is a complex problem and it affects all of us. But at Dana Air we don’t have a problem, we have only one aircraft on lease. They have seen our books and they are quite happy with us but it is very difficult to release aircraft to us because we are Nigerian carrier,” he said.

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ANALYSIS

Unlocking Domestic Airlines’ Profitability, Efficiency Last week, Dana Air and Ibom Air signed an all-encompassing codeshare agreement to work together for better satisfaction of their customers. Chinedu Eze writes that if fully embraced it would boost the revenue of the domestic carriers

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ast week two Nigerian carriers, Dana Air and Ibom Air signed full codeshare agreement, the first major airline alliance for over a decade in Nigeria.

A codeshare agreement, also known as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number as part of their published timetable or schedule.

It is also related to interline, which is a voluntary commercial agreement between individual airlines to handle passengers travelling on itineraries that require multiple flights on multiple airlines.

These alliances are what made many airlines in different parts of the world successful and it has become a tradition in more advanced societies like the US and Europe, where a passenger with a ticket from one airline could travel with other airlines, connecting flights with other operators.

The codeshare agreement between Dana Air and Ibom Air was historical because it was comprehensive and broke the jinx that had lingered over the years because of apprehension and suspicion, largely whelped by stiff and unhealthy competition among domestic carriers.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had at different occasions canvassed for airlines alliance, seeing it as the key to reduce flight cancellations, flight delays and low load factor, whereby two or three airlines would airlift passengers small number of passengers to the same destination instead of putting the passengers on one flight and having a full load factor.

THISDAY had spoken to airline managers who would conceitedly say that they won’t partner with other airlines because they have different ideology, different history and so on, but industry observers say that the objective of airline business is to take passengers and goods from place to place and make profits.

So, Dana Air and Ibom Air have to be commended for showing other airlines that this could be done.

Need for Alliance At different aviation fora in Nigeria, aviation consultant who is also the Chief Executive Officer of African Aviation Services Limited and the President of African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), Nick Fadugba, had said that the key for survival of the domestic carriers is partnership.

Fadugba said Nigeria is the strongest market in Africa and therefore should have viable airlines.

“First of all, I am very passionate about aviation in Nigeria, I believe we are not where we should be today, given our resources. There is no market in Africa that is comparable to Nigeria. Whether you are a market lady or a board chairman, we travel; we are a nation of traders. Many foreign airlines are coming into Nigeria making good profit and yet most Nigerian airlines, to the best of my knowledge, are not making a lot of money,” Fadugba noted.

He also said, “In fact, some airlines are quite poorly financed, so we need to do better. You know the international aviation industry has changed dramatically since the days of Nigerian Airways; today no airline can succeed working alone.”

Therefore, I want to once again appeal to airlines in Nigeria to come together, to work together in operations, training and maintenance.

We need to partner. Even if we don’t merge we need to partner with one another,” he explained.

Fadugba also noted that the average fleet size of airlines in Nigeria was about maximum of 10 aircraft and such airlines want to compete with British Airways that has over 400 aircraft, noting that Delta Air Lines has over 500 aircraft even Ethiopian Airlines has a 110 aircraft.

“So how can small airlines compete? And I am not being disrespectful, by the way; the airlines I am not talking about is fleet size, I am not talking about commitment to the industry, but I want to be realistic, because

Ibom Air operates multiple daily flights between Uyo, Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Enugu and will be launching the Port-Harcourt destination from June 7, 2021.

Having commenced operations in June 2019 with CRJ900 aircraft, the airline said an additional two brand new Airbus A220 aircraft will be joining the fleet this month, bringing the number of aircraft to seven, making it one of Nigeria’s fastest growing airlines.

Ibom Air has delivered a consistent average of 91 percent schedule and on-time performance since its inception.

Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with a mixed of nine aircraft and daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Owerri. The airline is reputed for its world-class inflight service, innovative online product and services and top- notch on-time performance.

L-R: Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air, George Uriesi and Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager, Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo shake hands after the codeshare signing between the two airlines

this industry is cut-throat.

“If you don’t have a critical mass in terms of size, in term of good management, in terms of fleet, in terms of good network, it is very hard to succeed. So we have the market in Nigeria, we are very fortunate but the fact is that our airlines are at the moment not of the size that can compete effectively against the big airlines coming into Nigeria,” the industry consultant said.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director and CEO of Aero Contractors, Captain Abdullahi Mahmoud, told THISDAY that such cooperation would ensure that passengers’ interest was protected.

He lamented the lack of cooperation among Nigerian carriers, saying this has adversely affected their operation.

According to him, if they have been working together they would have been reaping the benefits of such cooperation, which include providing alternative choice of flights to their passengers.

“I have said it severally that one of the biggest challenges that airlines in Nigeria have is that they find it very, very difficult to come together. There is dirty professional politics that is being played, which is very, very unfair. And it is so disappointing because when an airline is having problem another airline will feel happy about it.

“But if the airlines come together, even if there no interline, you will have what they call passenger protection. You will sign a protection agreement with other airlines. When you have a challenge, you will call the other airlines and seek the protection of your passengers,” he said.

The above observations underscore the significance and impact of the partnership between Dana Air and Ibom Air to the aviation industry.

Benefits of the Partnership The signing of the codeshare agreement took place at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo between the Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo and the Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, George Uriesi.

The airlines described the partnership as significant milestone for Nigeria’s aviation industry, which would afford Dana Air and Ibom Air a business arrangement whereby

both airlines jointly offer flights to common destinations, while operating services to destinations that are not within each airline’s regular routes.

By so doing, both airlines expand their market presence and competitive footprint in the interest of the flying public.

The airlines also said the codeshare alliance would commence full service in June.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mbanuzo noted that the plan to sign the agreement started a year ago, adding that it is a partnership for sustainable growth.

“The discussion started about a year ago and we are happy to be here today, formalising it. This is the first of its kind for domestic airlines in Nigeria and a huge step in the right direction for both Dana Air and Ibom Air. “It is a partnership for sustainable growth and connectivity for the flying public as Ibom Air passengers can now fly Dana Air to Owerri and all other Dana Air destinations while our guests can now fly to Calabar and other Ibom Air destinations.

“Dana Air, like Ibom Air, is committed to the growth of the aviation industry and both airlines have shown great commitment to customer satisfaction, schedule reliability, operational efficiency, passion and innovation.

We do hope that this partnership between Ibom Air and Dana Air will set a positive precedent for greater good of the industry”, he said.

Also speaking at the event, the COO of Ibom Air, George Uriesi, said the alliance would offer increased frequencies into common destinations as well as codeshare flights into destinations each airline operates into, providing more options for passengers and businesses retention for both airlines.

According to him, “With the initiation of this business alliance, both airlines have embraced a key global best practice. At Ibom Air, our business model and unwavering commitment remains schedule reliability, on-time departures and excellent service. Hence, we are constantly on the lookout for better and more effective ways to serve our customers.”

He explained that the code-share agreement helps the passengers by providing them clearer route options and allows them to book travel from the two airlines under one carrier’s code.

This proves beneficial if the customer books from point one to two under one code and then from two to three under the other code.

Dana Air, like Ibom Air, is committed to the growth of the aviation industry and both airlines have shown great commitment to customer satisfaction

Passenger Satisfaction The Dana Air Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager, Mbanuzuo, told THISDAY that the main objective of the codeshare agreement was to give passengers of the two airlines the best service.

“It is normal to ensure that the passenger has better choice of service. Now, what we didn’t actually mention today is that from last year Dana Air and Ibom Air have been having re-protection agreement. And re-protection agreement is for regular operations when there is a problem. It is not normally something that we would advertise out there because it is not for regular operations. But we have had agreement and arrangement whereby if Dana Airline or Ibom Air has a problem or situations that are technical, we can help each other out.

So this is like the next step of the process.

We have had lower level agreement already before this. And so moving it further to try and ensure that, when we saw the benefits of that previous agreement, so we think going further for the customer,” he explained.

Impact in the Industry The Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr.Uriesi responding to a question on what impact the codeshare would have in the industry, remarked that it is hard to say right now but expressed the hope that if the partnership goes as planned it would have the desired impact.

“If you ask me this question six months down the line, I would have had evidence to show that our business before the codeshare and our business after the codeshare. But what I would say is the airline seat is a very perishable item, once that door closes any seat that is not occupied is perished forever.

“So the airline aims to put as many people on board as possible as on an aeroplane can take. So if we have a flight where we have 65 passengers and we close the door, we go with 65 passengers.

“But if because of the Dana Air alliance, 15 more passengers join, instead of 65 we will be carrying 80 passengers. That is 15 more passengers as a result of Dana Air and vice versa.

“And if you cumulate that over a month, you will be surprised how many extra passengers come on your flight as a result of this alliance.

And you can easily calculate that and you see exactly how much more optimal your business is because of the alliance with Dana.

“And the alliance is not just on the passenger level, we plan to synergise in many, many ways.

We will synergise our schedules, even other things including up to maintenance at some point. We are going to try and pull resources to work together as an airline.”

Travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechi Ukoh described the codeshare agreement as significant.

“It is a positive thing. You know I tried to create codeshare for airlines in West Africa because I know the benefits. It is very desirable and brings comfort to the traveller. It will also reduce cancelled flights and flight delays.

“The two airlines may arrange it that every hour they have a flight to one of the major routes. I like the two airlines and they seem compatible. Before Ibom Air came, Dana Air has the best in-flight service,” Ukoh said.

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MARITIME

Understanding FMoT, NPA, INTELS’ Brouhaha Eromosele Abiodun writes on what transpired between NPA, INTELS, LADOL, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the need for president Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervene before the maritime sector is further imperiled

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wenty-two days ago, Nigerians woke up to the news that the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman has been suspended from office for an allegation that the NPA under her watch failed to remit operating surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

The NPA’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohamed Koko, a key member of the NPA management alleged to have withheld operating surpluses was appointed to replace his boss, an appointment regarded by pundits as a curious elevation for a major figure in the administration to be investigated.

A few days after Bala-Usman’s suspension, a panel of enquiry was set up to investigate the failure to remit operating surplus to the CRF. A week after the panel was set up, a major twist in the matter was reported as it turned out the panel will now probe Bala-Usman for insubordination as against the earlier claim of not remitting operating surplus of N165 billion to the consolidated revenue fund account.

A member of the administrative panel had told TheCable that the focus would now be “insubordination.”

He said: “We are looking at two things.

One, the suspended managing director was in the habit of communicating directly with the president and bypassing the honourable minister. This is gross indiscipline and a breach of public service communication line. That is enough to get her sacked.

“Two, the minister directed her to restore all Intels’ contracts that were suspended or terminated. What she didn’t know was that the president was in the know of it. She failed to comply.

This is insubordination and she is not above discipline.”

However, according to THISDAY report, a source at the transport ministry had volunteered that Buhari actually withdrew his approval for the reinstatement of Intels’ contract after Bala-Usman wrote to President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to explain NPA’s position.

Gambari, the source said, forwarded her response to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), for a legal opinion.

The source said Malami wrote to the president to state that the NPA was right and that no contracts were terminated or violated.

Buhari then withdrew his approval for the reinstatement of Intels’ contract and that was believed to have infuriated Amaechi, who accused Usman of insubordination.

According to the source, “If you look at the terms of reference properly, we are to examine and investigate compliance with the communication channel as obtained in the public service. Insubordination is not a small offence.”

The panel member accused her of bypassing the minister and dealing directly with the president despite a “clear reporting hierarchy.”

Asked about the N165 billion nonremittance claim, the member said: “Available evidence shows that the allegation may not be true… it is a matter of reconciliation of what the Budget Office thought should be the remittances with what the actual remittances should be.

“Since audits have been done over the years, there is obviously nothing more to that. It is not as if NPA’s monies are in private banks. Everything is with the CBN, so if there were no remittances, it is just about looking at NPA’s accounts with the CBN.” Although the minister asked the eleven-member panel to “examine and investigate the procurement of contracts from 2016 to date” as part of the terms

Amaechi

Bala-Usman

of reference, another source at the NPA said it was going to be a “tricky job.”

“At NPA, any contract beyond N50 million for goods and services and N200 million for works are referred to the ministerial tenders board (MTB), which is headed by the permanent secretary of the ministry.

“If we go into probing contracts since 2016, we may end up probing the minister himself. About 70 per cent of the contracts for capital projects go to the MTB, after which the minister presents them to the federal executive council (FEC), presided over by the president himself, for approval. We will check if all the procedures were followed, but I am personally not optimistic about that.

The suspended MD, from indications, is a process person, ”he said.

“A company was given this contract.

When you award contracts, it is not government business how you go and source your money. Government does not pay for the cost of funds. If you have a project as a contractor, you go to a bank, they give you a loan, you give your bond or guarantee, how does government take up the liability of the cost of funds?, “said an official of the NPA.

The Case of INTELS From the foregoing, it has been made clear that the needless controversy was about the reinstatement of INTELS contract.

At this juncture, a proper understanding of the INTELS contract with NPA is important.

On August 9, 2010, the NPA on behalf of the federal government entered into an agreement with a sister company of INTELS Nigeria, Deep Offshore Limited to build 200 metres of berth at Onne port, Rivers State.

To recoup its investment totaling $2.7 billion (Lekki Deep Seaport is been built for $1.5 billion), INTELS singed another contract with the NPA for service boasts revenue collection and agents management with 72 per cent of the revenue going to NPA/INTELS to service the debt and the balance 28 per cent as commission to INTELS. The Service Boats contract expired August last year but INTELS insisted it must act as agent to the federal government to collect pilotage revenue while the NPA argued that the agreement does not reference INTELS or any agent but revenue to offset the amortisation deal.

After collecting the pilotage revenue for 10 years, the $2.7 billion has not been paid off, making the NPA to conclude that Nigeria was shortchanged in both contracts. Part of its many grievances with the contract is the standing rule by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) that commission on such contracts should not go above 15 per cent. The NPA insists INTELS collecting 28 per cent violated this law and is also using judicial manipulation to undermine Nigeria. Also, the NPA was required to pay for the cost of funds and the NPA saw this as cheating.

“Nigerian government invested $2.7 billion in building, not a full Port actually, but 200 metres of berth, the same time Singapore built a deep seaport with modern hi-tech facilities for far less.

The LADOL Controversy Another major case been sighted by commentators to support the insubordination question is the misunderstanding between the NPA and LADOL. In early February 2020, the NPA sanctioned LADOL for violating the terms of the land lease at Tarkwa Bay, near Light House Beach in Lagos.

The NPA had in a statement said the action is part of the efforts to boost accountability and ensure transparency, which is the fulcrum of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, as well as boost the confidence of local and foreign investors in Nigeria’s operating environment.

THISDAY had exclusively reported that LADOL profited at the expense of the federal government by subleasing 11.2426 hectares of land out of the total 121 hectares leased to it at outrageous amount of money without recourse to NPA. The firm was alleged to have collected $45 million (N16.2billion) from Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited (SHIN) for the 11.2426 hectares of land for which it paid only $524,105 (N37.73 million) to NPA. Documents exclusively obtained by THISDAY revealed that whereas the NPA charged GRML a rent of $104,821.95 per year for five years on 11.2426 hectare for the head lease, GRML charged the sublease (SHI) $9 million per year for five years for the same portion of land, collecting a total of $45million.

The documents showed that GRML was on January 1, 2003, initially granted a 21-year lease over 80 hectares of land at Takwa Bay by the NPA. Another lease of an adjoining 34 hectares was subsequently granted, bringing the lease area to 114 hectares.

From the recent survey, THISDAY had reported that the total lease area is now 121 hectares.

In a letter dated November 22, 2013, GRML applied to NPA to sublease 11.246 hectares out of the 121 hectares (nine per cent) to MCI-SHI FZE for the purpose of expanding facilities at LADOL Offshore Support Facility in readiness to handle the integration of the Egina FPSO onshore in Nigeria for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Total Upstream Nigeria.

The letter also stated that expanding

the facility would generate 55,000 jobs within and outside LADOL, save billions of dollars from being spent outside Nigeria and make the country the West Africa hub for oil and gas engineering.

In consideration of the huge investment that was to be made by SHIN, GRML, in the letter pleaded with the NPA to consider and approve the sublease expeditiously so that SHIN would not cancel the project and use its existing facility in Goje, South Korea for the entire Egina project.

The NPA obliged in a letter dated March 12, 2014 and a conditional approval for the sublease was conveyed.

Competent sources at the NPA however told THISDAY that the NPA suspected fowl play when GRML failed to furnish it with the sublease agreement between it and SHIN throughout the tenor of the sublease, so as to conceal the actual amount it collected from SHIN. The sources told THISDAY that LADOL eventually furnished NPA with the sublease agreement only in August 2019 following a highly toned letter from the NPA, dated June 18, 2019.

THISDAY also gathered that another sublease agreement between the parties, which was dated September 13, 2013, was terminated, because NPA’s approval was not sought as provided in the head lease agreement.

Apart from allegedly profiting at the expense of the federal government by collecting outrageous amount from SHIN and paying far less to the NPA, documents also showed that LADOL, through GRML had also entered into another sublease agreement with an American company called Africoat Nigeria Limited, without any recourse to the NPA contrary to the provision of the head lease agreement with NPA. A letter to the Managing Director of the NPA by the General Manager, Land and Assets Administration, dated November 14, 2019, notified the NPA boss that there was evidence to show that GRML granted at least a sublease to SHI-MCI in September 13, 2013 without any recourse whatsoever to the NPA. Unanswered Question The above scenarios lay credence to the argument by maritime stakeholders that there are many questions begging for answers.

As reported by THISDAY last week, the Minister of Transportation was aware of what transpired between NPA, INTELS and LADOL but was driven by his personal grievance with the embattled NPA boss.

THISDAY had exclusively reported that the suspension of Bala-Usman, at the request of Amaechi, was the culmination of a two-year war of attrition between the duo, triggered by disagreement in 2019 over whether or not to renew the channel management contracts.

It was learnt that the NPA had in 2020 placed advertisement in newspapers calling for expression of interest and bids.

Sources said two bid rounds were cancelled on the orders of the minister over disagreements on the selective bids and open bids.

The channels in contention are: Lagos, Port Harcourt (Bonny) and Warri while Calabar is under litigation.

Each channel management contract is valued at $100 million a year for five years making it $1.5 billion (N600 billion) for the three channels for the five years.

THISDAY learnt that Amaechi had requested that two Chinese companies are selected to manage Bonny and Warri Channels, a request the NPA rejected because it violated due process. Meanwhile, it has also emerged that politics has a major role to play it the ongoing saga.

While this is been debated, stakeholders have called on president Buhari to step in before it is too late.

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NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 07010510430

2021 CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION

Boosting the Self Esteem of Children with Cleft Lip, Palate

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Boosting the Self Esteem of Children with Cleft Lip, Palate For Smile Train, the world largest cleft lips and palate foundation, its objective is targeted at improving speech capabilities of children born with Cleft Lip and Palate. This year, to commemorate Children’s Day, Sunday Ehigiator reports that the organisation, through its Sing and Smile Club, is using heart-compelling songs as therapy for the children, as well as create more awareness about CLP

C

hildren’s day is a commemorative day observed globally on different dates. In Nigeria however, the day is marked on May 27 of

every year.

Brief History According to Wikipedia, the International Children’s Day was first declared in the year 1925, at Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. On November 4, 1949, June 1, was established as the International Day for Protection of Children by the Women’s International Democratic Federation in Moscow.

In 1954, Children’s Day was proclaimed by the United Kingdom to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world’s children.

That is observed to promote the objectives outlined in the Charter and for the welfare of children. On November 20, 1959, The United Nations adopted the ‘Declaration of the Rights of the Child’, and chose the same date as ‘World’s Children’s day’ to commemorate the declaration.

Children’s Day Celebration in Nigeria In Nigeria, Children’s day is annually celebrated every May 27. It was established as a holiday in 1964. It is a public holiday for primary and secondary school children.

Due to the large size of the country, only a few groups of children (schools or other organisations) are selected to march past in a parade. The children are usually given treats such as an outing or doing some jobs that adults would normally do.

In some situations, primary and secondary school children compete in military parades for a prize which will be given at the end of the competition.

Spiral of Silence among CLP children As the ‘Spiral of Silence Theory’ developed

by German survey and Communication Researcher, Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, in 1960, connotes that unpopular group(s) of individuals develop a fear of isolation due to people’s perception of them.

This fear consequently leads them to remain silent instead of voicing their opinions in public, even when they have opportunities to do so. This has been the fate of children born with Cleft Lips and Palate (CLP) during every children’s day celebration In Nigeria.

Due to sequence of abuse and discrimination they constantly face mostly due to their facial appearance, especially before having an oral and maxillofacial surgery and the way they talk, which is often made jest of by other children, and the society they found themselves, they hold back or are held back by their parents or guardian, from participating in the children festivals, as other kids would do.

The Sing and Smile Club Constituted by children born with CLP, volunteers from various walks of life, and Smile Train partners, The Sing and Smile Club is the latest Smile Train initiative aimed at continuing a speech therapy process for CLP children through singing, also with

Programs Director of Western Central Africa, Smile Train, Mrs. Nkiruka Obi with some CLP children

the aim of boosting their self esteem and confidence as they socialise and interact often with other stakeholders above mentioned, and the general public with a noticeable smile.

According to the Programs Director of Western Central Africa, Smile Train, Mrs. Nkiruka Obi, “the Sing and Smile Club is an initiative that has been designed to complement the speech therapy treatment services for our palate/speech patients and this also helps to incorporate the psycho-socio components to their treatment.

“And what we found out was that, it has not only brought the family together, but it has also built a level of confidence for the children to network, make friends and interact.

“It has also brought the whole people in the cleft eco-systems, such as partners, doctors, and even our volunteer journalists, GSK employees, Smile Train employees together, and it has been an exciting time.”

Celebrating CLP Children On the Sing and Smile club, Mrs. Obi noted that, “Today has been so exciting. As we celebrate our children on this special day of the Children’s Day in Nigeria, we are celebrating this day with the Sing and Smile Club of Smile Train, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

“We have sung, we have celebrated, and

we are so excited to be celebrating children born with CLP in Nigeria on this great day when we are also celebrating every other Nigerian child.

“In the spirit of the universal health coverage of leaving no one behind, Smile Train knows that children born with CLP are all part of our community, and that is why we have taken it upon ourselves to celebrate them, and we are doing that as part of the spirit of the children’s day celebration in Nigeria.

“Every child, including children born with CLP, deserves to be celebrated today.

So I want to wish the children a very happy children’s day celebration. God bless our Nigerian children and all the children worldwide.”

CLP Awareness in Nigeria According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), each year, more than 200,000 children are born with CLP in the world, one in every 500 to 700 children. Also, at least, 19,000 children are born with the condition yearly in Africa, 12,000 of whom are in West Africa and some 6,000 in Nigeria.

A 2016 study by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) also reports that 35.3 per cent of respondents believed that CLP was an act of God; about 5.9 per cent believed it was due to an evil spirit, while 9.8 per cent of the respondents thought the condition was due to wicked parenting.

This according to Mrs. Obi shows the level of awareness about CLP among Nigerians.

“Nigeria is still coming up in the area of awareness, there is still a lot that hasn’t been addressed, and that is why we still hear cases of cleft children being stigmatised.

“CLP is as a result of a failure of fusion in the process of gestation. As of today nobody can pinpoint the exact cause, because a lot of factors are interplaying, it could be environmental or even genetic.

“Research is ongoing to determine the exact causes, but for now, cleft is still a medical mystery. It is just a congenital defect, meaning that children can be born with it.

“There is no spiritual issue to it, CLP children are not evil spirits or witches. And as today, the solution is right here at our doorstep by a simple surgery that would last for about 45 minutes and free, all paid for by Smile Train.

“So let us not stigmatise the child, let us not traumatise the family, because they have a CLP child, let us all be good ambassadors and advocate for the cleft child, and let us work together to ensure that no child born with cleft in any part of the world is left behind but given an opportunity to live a full and productive life. “I believe that with this celebration, and also in the spirit of the universal health coverage of leaving no one behind, we should ensure as patriotic citizens that we include children born with CLP even in the celebration,” she said.

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NEWS

Quest Oil Opens First Retail Service Station at Iju Stories by Mary Nnah Quest Oil Group, last weekend, formally unveiled its first retail service station on Iju Road, Iju, Agege Lagos, after its acquisition of ASCON Oil. The company had acquired ASCON Oil Company Limited in July 2019 out of the desire to expand her expertise into the downstream space while also aiming to become known for excellent customer experience in the retail and commercial fuel space in Africa.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the Group CEO of Quest Oil, Mr Dele Goke explained that Quest Retail has been on a mission to make strategic and productive expansions that will result in significant improvement in the company’s performance and service delivery, thereby increasing its customer satisfaction levels.

He said therefore that the launch of the Iju Road station brings Quest Oil a step closer to the attainment of this goal.

“It gives us great pleasure to contribute our quota to national economic growth by providing clean and affordable petroleum services to the Iju community and its environs. And it is our innate desire to continually

L-R: Group CEO, Quest Oil, Mr Goke Dele; Director General/CEO Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola and COO, Quest Oil Group, Dr Ochuwa George during the unveiling of the Quest Oil Iju Retail Service Station, recently

expand while bringing Quest Retail closer to you”, Goke added.

Quest, Goke said further, was born out of his desire to own and operate an integrated energy company in Africa. This implementation started with the incorporation of Quest Oil and Engineering Services Limited in 2010 which started as a gas and Power Company offering services to companies in the Food and Beverage industry.

In 2018, the company took a strategic initiative in the acquisition of Ascon Oil Company Limited in its bid to expand its downstream capabilities and

assets.

“The rebranding of Ascon as Quest retail falls under the initial goal of integrating all of our offerings under the Quest Umbrella”, the Group CEO noted. The Director General / CEO of Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola who was special guest at the event said service stations like the Quest retail service station in Iju, will play a critical role in the nation’s economy by providing energy and lubricating oils for vehicular transportation.

Mojola who expressed optimism that the new addition will enable easier access to

petroleum products within the Iju environment, congratulated Quest Oil Group on the attainment of a milestone.

While praying that the company will continue to grow from strength to strength, Mojola implored that they always maintain international best practice as regards Occupational Health & Safety as this is the only way to ensure that the company is safe from accidents, incidents and avoidable fatalities that can drastically affect its bottom line.

The DG further implored Quest Oil to continue to interface regularly with the commission in order to keep abreast with updates and reviews in safety regulations, policies and guidelines.

The Chief Operating Officer, Quest Oil Group, Dr. Ochuwa George stressed that one of Quest’s corporate goals is to provide affordable, clean, reliable and sustainable energy to all in line with the United Nations SDG 7.

“The launch of this service Station on Iju Road Lagos State is a step towards achieving our goal. We are on a constant quest for excellence as we provide the best possible service to our customers”, she added.

Aramanda Signs Partnership Deal with HD Designs Aramanda International, a bespoke Nigerian fashion brand, recently signed a manufacturing partnership deal with HD designs in New York, United States.

Founded in 2013 with a sense of style that can be described as an infusion of the old and new Nigeria, Aramanda as a brand has tailored kings from varying corners of Nigeria, dignitaries and public figures from the shores of Lagos to streets of United States of America.

The brand has been worn on various red carpets by African superstars and celebrities all around the world.

Started in the city of Ibadan, the Aramanda brand was said to be the brand with the most market penetration. From the base in Ibadan, the brand is virtually capturing the imagination and pockets of both young and old clients, especially the upwardly mobile and high-end

Aramanda

clients in Lagos,Abuja, London, Dubai, United States ofAmerica and Guadeloupe.

In a bid to get a foothold on the international fashion scene, the Founder of Aramanda, Araoluwa Olamilekan Popoola, had wanted to attend fashion shows in different parts of the world. He then decided to start

from USA, unfortunately, he wasn’t granted a visa.

Popoola then decided to run the American market remotely from Nigeria.

Speaking on the recent partnership deal with the New York-based firm, Popoola, said, the manufacturing deal with HD Designs New York is a big

deal to everyone at Aramanda, adding, “we had always wanted America’s market and for a while, it looked like the American market did not want us. “About three years ago, I sought to attend a fashion show in the US and was denied a visa.

Thereafter, I opted to penetrate the US market remotely from outside her shores by getting our outfits in people’s faces.

We targeted influential people to experience our product and tell others about our good job and delivery. “ Early this year,mybusiness partner,StanMukoro,toldmeabout HDDesigns,agrouphehadworked withinthepast.Hemadetheconnection and conversations commenced.Weworkedassiduously to make this happen. Today, the USA knows Aramanda.

And now it’s time for the whole world to meet Aramanda”.

Max Live Re-ignited Concert Excitement Excitement was ignited last weekend by Fearless energy drink powered Max Live concert where music lovers were thrilled by favourite artistes in Lagos.

The evening show was organised by Max FM 102.3 with the theme “Music Experience.”

It was a moment of fun as fans were energised by the Fearless brand which comprises the Fearless Classic and Fearless Red Berry energy drinks produced by Rite Foods Limited, a truly world-class and proudly Nigerian Food and Beverage Company.

It was an explosion of entertainment with The excitement was visible on the faces of the audience who were overjoyed with the performance of Laycon, known

L-R: Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, Brand Manager, Rite Foods Limited Boluwatife Adedugbe and Hart Idawarifagha Ishmael, at the event

as Olamilekan Moshood Agbeleshe, the winner of the Big Brother Naija season 5 as well as other artistes such as Ladipoe, Blackbonez, Ckay, Skales, Falana, Crayon, Idahams, Ruger

and Candybleakz featured at the show.

Crayon, the new face of Afrobeats, who has brought to the Nigerian music scene a blend of pop and local groove,

thanked the leading brand for aiding Max Live concert which brought some of the best singers together to make the evening exhilarating.

Commenting on the show, Rite Foods’ Brand Manager, Boluwatife Adedugbe, said as a leading brand, Fearless energy drink likes to associate and promote positive energy which music enables, a reason that prompted their support for the Max Live show.

Adedugbe stated that the lion mentality of I CAN, I AM of Rite Foods which has led to the production of premium brands has spurred the widely energy drink, Fearless, to identify withthehugelypopularbroadcast stationinpromotingentertainment.

AfriSAFETargets100Million AfricansasNominationsfor2021 AwardsKicksOff Organisers of the African Safety Awards for Excellence (AfriSAFE) have announced plans to kick off a Safety and Health campaign tagged ‘I Am Safety’ as nominations open for the third edition of the prestigious Safety Awards.

Chairman, AfriSAFE Board of Governors, Rear Admiral S. A. Olukoya (rtd), said the goal Participants at the red carpet at a past of the campaign is to reach 100 AfriSAFE Award event million Africans with effective safety awareness messages thatinfluence them to contribute positively to the safety of workers, the workplace and by extension, the environment.

“Work-related deaths, injuries and diseases take a particularly heavy toll in developing nations across Africa and this has severe consequences on organisations and economies.

“The ‘I am Safety’ campaign is orchestrated to address these threats, especially at this perilous time we are in. “ We are hopeful that the campaign will influence our audience to recognise the benefit of staying safe and keeping our environment safe”, Olukoya said.

While announcing that nominations could be made via www.afrisafe.org, AfriSAFE Chief Coordinator, Femi Da-silva, said the 2021 award is dedicated to celebrating the Super Humans of our everyday life - People dedicated to making our world safer and better.

Da-silva explained that there are different award categories which include The AfriSAFE Young Innovator award. This award category attracts a rather handsome dollar cash prize and is open only for individuals under the age of 23.

PeakMilkCelebratesNationalBreakfast Week,WorldMilkDayinstyle Peak milk, Nigeria’s foremost dairy brand from the stables of FrieslandCampina WAMCO, is promoting healthy eating habits with the National Breakfast Week (NBW) and World Milk Day 2021.

The double celebration features special experiential and media-led events and activities aimed at highlighting and celebrating the importance of a healthy breakfast as an ideal tool for accomplishing the day’s goals.

At this year’s event, Peak milk will reach several Nigerians through its digital campaign to encourage them to express their love of milk.

Marketing Manager for Peak Milk, Grace Onwubuemeli, said that the National Breakfast Week and World Milk Day will provide an opportunity to show people that milk is the perfect breakfast complement and it remains one of the richest natural sources of vitamins and minerals as it enhances mental and physical performance.

Activities queued for the event started running from May 24 and builds up to 2021 World Milk Day on June 1st. This includes digital conversations on social media highlighting the relevance of breakfast meals that are enriched with the goodness of Peak. Expected to be part of the celebration are key Peak milk stakeholders including koko and tea retailers who would lend their voices to promote the importance of eating healthy breakfast meals, especially those with Peak milk.

The brand will also visit public places around your community to get consumer insight on breakfast and its importance.

As part of the celebration, Peak Milk will reward its loyal customers with shopping vouchers in the ‘Celebrating Peak breakfast’ challenge, where they will be required to make 30 second videos of themselves eulogising their favourite Peak breakfast.

Cleric AscribesRising Insecurity to Lack ofFocusby ReligiousLeaders The General Overseer of Flaming Sword Ministry, Obalende, Lagos, Bishop Adebayo Babalola, has ascribed the rising insecurity in Nigeria to the inability of the Christian leaders to focus on their primary duty, which is to pray the church and the nation out of every crisis. While speaking with journalists in Lagos recently, Babalola lamented that the church has failed Christianity by drifting from its primary duty of praying.

He insisted that the task of reforming Nigeria lies in the hands of men of God in the country, who are in a better position to seek Divine guidance, through prayers on ways to direct the governance of the nation.

The cleric, who is all set for the wedding ceremony between his son, Samuel Oluwasegun and Sylvia Anjolaoluwa, later this month, said the church is in a position to pray for the country and change the ills confronting it.

The Bishop stressed that the business of the church is to pray that the country will have direction and not to interfere in election of the time. He urged the church to take up the challenge to reform the country instead of being armchair critiques of the government.

He advised Christians not to lose their primary focus of prayer by directing the soul of the nation, adding: “Prayers, direction, focus: these are where the solutions to the problems of this country lie. We should tell the truth to those in power, not in a political way but in a way of direction”.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

AfroCinema: Celebrating Africa’s Stories through Film Stories by Vanessa Obioha Fifty-eight years after the African Union was established to celebrate the onward progress of the African countries and symbolise the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation, the continent has significantly continued to exhibit that enormous progress and determination.

While many may cast doubts on the leadership of most African countries, the global appeal of African culture and arts cannot be overemphasised and is certainly indubitable. Be it music, films or other forms of art, indeed, African art has consistently portrayed Africans in the best light. It showcases the beauty of the ambitious men and women who are shaping the continent’s narrative with their creativity.

In music, the likes of Nigerian music artiste, Burna Boy set the trailblazing earlier this year when he clinched the first solo Grammy award for a Nigerian artiste. MultiChoice Nigeria brought the epic moment to Nigeria through one of its M-Net channels.

Other Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Davido, Yemi Alade are likewise breaking boundaries alongside their African counterparts like Ghanaian Gyakie, South African Busiswa among others.

However, one notable export of the continent is

A scene from Dream Chaser showing on AfroCinema

films. Through the stories told by African storytellers, the continent is reimagined. Where stories of impoverishment and underdevelopment have flourished in the past, the present is replete with tales of success and innovation. The Nigerian film industry commonly known as Nollywood has played a significant role in pushing these narratives. The industry which is the second-largest film producer in the world is arguably synonymous with African cinema. Nollywood combines talent, creativity and

zealousness to make African stories global, reflecting not just who we are but the future of us.

A consistent enabler of Nollywood is MultiChoice Nigeria through which various interventions such as the MultiChoice Talent Factory, Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) and Africa Magic channels have helped to groom and showcase African talents. The media and entertainment company prides itself on being Africa’s biggest and most loved storyteller with its rich offering of

contemporary films, TV series and reality TV shows that portray African passion and determination.

Therefore, as the continent marked the Africa Day celebration, MultiChoice launched a pop-up channel dedicated to African cinema. The M-Net Movies channel called AfroCinema started airing on May 21 and will continue to show the best of African films such as ‘Sunset in Makoko’, a production by MTF alumnus Allen Onyige, till May 30. Other Nollywood films premiering on the pop-up channel available on DStv channel 198 to customers on Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Confam and Yanga packages and GOtv channel 29 to customers on Max and Jolli packages, include ‘Bling Lagosians’, ‘Sylvia’ and ‘Dream Chaser’.

They will also showcase top films from other African countries such as ‘The Train of Salt and Sugar’ (Mozambique), ‘Ensulo’ (Kenya) and ‘94 Terror’ (Uganda).

AfroCinema is arguably a befitting way to celebrate Africa’s cultural diversity captured by filmmakers across the continent. Their doggedness and positivism have yielded collaborations that turned challenges into possibilities and produced award-winning productions that have launched the careers of many directors, producers, and stars.

Indeed, AfroCinema rightly symbolises the onward progress of the continent in creating colourful stories for us and by us.

Mixed Emotions Trail Waje’s Choice on The Voice Nigeria Knockouts Fans of The Voice Nigeria season three expressed a gamut of emotions over Waje’s choice in last week’s episode. The exuberant coach made the ultimate decision to send Eazzie to the Battles over Teslim, a choice that didn’t augur well with most viewers.

Teslim was the first to take the stage on Team Waje and performed Styl Plus’ ‘Run Away’. His delivery was deemed exceptional, particularly when he gave Yemi Alade a rose. Being

Anu and Inioluwa survived the Knockouts

the first performer in her team, Waje thought it safe to send him to the Danger Zone before deciding his fate.

Somi to Pay Tribute to Makeba in New Album Featuring Kuti, Kidjo Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti and Beninese veteran singer Angelique Kidjo are among the artists that will feature in the upcoming album of Grammy-nominated Rwandan-Ugandan vocalist and songwriter Somi.

Titled ‘Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba’, the album is a celebration of the late Makeba’s musical contributions and messages of social justice.

It will feature Somi’s renditions of Makeba’s best-known songs — both Makeba’s compositions and covers — starting with the iconic single “Pata Pata,” a global hit from 1967.

Regarded as one of Africa’s first international superstars, Makeba (whose given name is Zenzile) elevated the spirit of a continent, including her native South Africa.

Her courage, however, was met with blacklisting that began with her marriage to civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael.

Somi’s lifelong love of Makeba’s music and personal strength led to a record that she hopes will inspire a rediscovery of Makeba’s life and work.

“This album is my attempt to

Somi

honour the unapologetic voice of an African woman who inevitably made room for my journey and countless other African artists. In short, I owe her. We all do,” she says.

The artist revealed that after the album release slated for July 30, she will take the story of Makeba’s life to the theatre stage with her original new musical ‘Dreaming Zenzile’. Written by Somi and directed by Obie Award winner Lileana Blain-Cruz, the production is set to premiere later in 2021.

‘Dreaming Zenzile’ features a cast of five—including Somi as Makeba—a live band, original music and reinterpretations of Makeba’s popular repertoire.

For her first foray into theatre, Somi was named a 2019 Sundance

That decision would however cost Teslim the chance to continue this journey in the music competition. By the time Waje listened

to all her talents, only Nuel Ayo and Inioluwa got an automatic ticket to the Battles while Anu got a steal from Yemi Alade whose team is now complete.

Arguably, of all performances of the team, Eazzie’s was the least favoured. Even Waje felt the 24-year-old talent didn’t bring her A-game. So it came as a surprise to fans when she picked Eazzie over Teslim at the end of the day. While some argued that she was moved by emotions,

Mr Eazi Plans Strategic Entry into East African Tech Industry Tosin Ajibade popularly known as Mr Eazi has set his eyes on the East African tech industry.

Following an announcement about his plans to enter into a partnership with some expert friends to start a functional digital Bank for Africans in the diaspora, the singer and investor has kicked off with an African tour of relevant technology bodies.

His first stop was Rwanda where he paid a visit to the country’s Development Board to explore business and investment opportunities in the country.

According to a post by the

board, the singer is particularly interested in Rwanda’s creative, e-payments and gaming sectors.

Over the years, Eazi has explored his entrepreneurial side by founding a series of ventures. One of his notable projects includes Empawa Africa; a talent incubator that worked with acts like Joeboy, DJ Neptune, J Derobie and King Promise.

In Rwanda, he was welcomed by the Chief Tourism and Conservation Officer, Belise Kariza; and the Division manager – Investment Promotion and Export Marketing, Philip Lucky.

Tosin Ajibade and Philip Lucky of the Rwanda Development Board

others pitied her dilemma, stating that she should have saved Teslim immediately. Ifunanya was another talent many thought deserved a spot in the Battles.

It is never an easy job for a coach to let talents go, especially when one is blessed with many talents. Waje’s team boasts one of the best vocals on the show and making that decision to save or not to save could be very challenging.

As she aptly pointed out in a tweet addressing the outcry over her

choice, it’s a game, so there are bound to be winners and losers.

Darey’s team will be performing on tomorrow’s episode which will air on Africa Magic channels on DStv at 8pm and Views Channel at 9pm. Viewers can catch the repeat on AIT and Wazobia TV and Max on Sunday. First Bank is also rewarding fans of the show through its First Moments trivia on social media as it continues to invest in the entertainment industry.

Supernova Covers Black Celebrity Magazine

Award-winning actress and singer Supernova is the cover star of Black Celebrity Magazine.

In the magazine’s latest issue, Supernova talked about her music, movie and her life experience in the entertainment industry and how it has shaped her career.

Born Chinenye Nweke, the singer is well known for embracing different genres of music and styles and her activism on social media. Earlier in the year, she released a love ballad ‘Love Me’ to mark

Supernova

Valentine’s Day celebration.

The song was accompanied by another romantic song ‘My Year’, a song that she said would ‘uplift anybody facing difficulties.’

Burna Boy is Spotify’s Most Streamed African Artist Globally Grammy winner Burna Boy has emerged the most streamed African artist globally on the music streaming platform Spotify. The streamer carried out a survey to determine the top streamed artists globally from the African continent as part of its Africa Day celebration where Burna Boy took the top spot. Over the past 90 days (March-May 2021), ‘Loved By

You’ featuring Justin Bieber has amassed over 31 million streams, globally.

“Spotify has always celebrated Africa’s abundance of talent and diversity. Now with Spotify’s presence acrossAfrica, wewillcontinuetousethepower oftheplatformtoamplifyAfrican creators to a global audience,” saysHeadofMusic,Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu.

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YK @ 60: Salute to the Heartbeat of Afrobeat Lanre Arogundade

I

t was as if even in the thick of battle the Comrade was hit by something that felt like a thunderbolt. The type described in Mario Puzzo’s epic film - ‘The God Father’ - when on the instructions of Vito Corleone, the Don himself, his youngest son Michael, relocated to the Corleones’ native Sicily after he had taken deadly revenge on a New York police officer.

Michael had while roaming the rocky fields of Sicily in the company of his bodyguard come across a beauty named Appolonia in an environment full of flourishing flowers.

The guard was soon to lead Michael to the father of the angelic creature to let him know that the exiling Corleone had been attracted to her daughter. “Our friend has been hit by the thunderbolt”, he announced playfully.

1984 it was and Yeni was there at the ticketing table and gate of Afrika Shrine on Pepple Street, Ikeja, as I arrived with my entourage of comrades and activists to deliver a lecture as president of the National Association of Nigerians (NANS).

Long haired, well dressed, athletically built and radiating in the afternoon sunshine, even if somewhat on the shy side under the sombre atmosphere, there was no disguising the authenticity of her beauty.

Even if my Comrade ‘guards’ had noticed the thunderbolt-like effect, there was no father to immediately convey the message like the Sicilian case as Fela was languishing in jail on trumped-up currency trafficking charges by the Buhari-Idiagbon regime.

The mission to the shrine was actually to deliver a ‘Free Fela’ lecture. I had earlier missed the opportunity to enter a plea of mitigation on behalf of millions of Nigerian youths upon the pronouncement of the guilt verdict (as was anticipated) on Fela by the Justice Okoro-Idogu tribunal at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of the tribunal’s sitting as Fela’s lawyers, Kanmi Ishola Oshobu and Femi Falana had planned.

That plan didn’t materialise as fierce looking armed soldiers insisted I had no business in the tribunal room especially as Kanmi, in the frenzy

Yeni Kuti

and confusion of the moment, introduced me as a Law student at the University of Lagos, the ID card of which I couldn’t produce since I was studying at the University of Ife. The cool and calm disposition of young Yeni despite the pains and pangs of Fela’s prolonged incarceration registered. Registering later was also the fact that there must have been something intelligent, trustworthy and reliable about her to have been entrusted with a key business part of the sometimes unpredictable Shrine environment.

Looking back, it can be argued significant business stint at the old Afrikan Shrine must

have been the roots of the managerial role that Yeni would later play in Femi’s Positive Force Band, the new Afrikan Shrine and the larger Kuti family.

Indeed, if we speak of the Kuti family in terms of the unity of love that binds them today despite tensions of the past, the ultimate credit must go to Yeni. Her deeper insight and perceptiveness that no sacrifice was too small or too big to sustain the radical Kuti legacy in general and Fela’s revolutionary one in particular, have been the magic wand. She pulls the strings that holds the younger generation Kutis together in an unbreakable chain.

Felabration, Yeni’s brain-child that has become an annual crowd pulling and globally recognised musical, educational and artistic celebration of Fela, is easily the greatest manifestation of that unity of love.

Often seen playing frontal role are the arrow heads including Yemisi (the matriarch), Femi, Dotun, Nike, Kunle, Seun and Motunrayo, who as the fourth generation Kutis, are the children of Oludolapo, Olikoye, Beko and Fela; the grand children of Rev Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti and Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti and the great grand children of Rev. Josiah Jesse (JJ) RansomeKuti acclaimed drummer and super composer of Yoruba Christian songs, from whom the musical blood apparently flowed.

Choreography is the stream of that blood that bubbles in Yeni’s veins - incidentally often the less talked about in what makes Afrobeat such an enthralling orchestra.

The energetic waist writhing, buttock quaking, arms hovering, neck spinning, body twirling, front, side and back stepping give interpretative effect to the tunes coming from the horns, the saxes, the drums, the piano, the metal cones (agogos) and the beaded gourds (shekeres). It is arguable if the dancers are not the hardest working members of the Afrobeat orchestra, for they are also singers who regularly partake in the call and response choruses for which the musical genre is famed.

Over the years, Yeni scored excellent marks as lead dancer and lead trainer of dancers, a no mean feat in Femi Kuti’s pulsating fast tempo brand of Afrobeat. Age is no barrier, for each time Yeni steps out of retirement to dance to the compositions of Femi, Seun or Made, the shout of YK power would render the Afrikan Shrine air as the crowd stands to applaud. It cannot be otherwise.

If Femi is the king of Afro beat, Seun the crown prince and Made the heir apparent, then Yeni is the undisputed queen mother.

On this joyous occasion of her 60th birthday, I join in wishing the heart-beat of Afrobeat many happy returns. t"SPHVOEBEF JT %JSFDUPS *OUFSOBUJPOBM 1SFTT $FOUSF *1$

EU Envoy Pledges Improved Collaborations with Nigeria ˾ ßÜÙ ÒË× ÖËßØÍÒÏÝ ØÏá ÌÜËØÎ ÓÎÏØÞÓÞã ÓØ ÓÑÏÜÓË The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, has pledged the commitment of EU countries and their business concerns in Nigeria to redouble efforts to collaborate with their Nigerian counterparts and the government as trusted partners.

Ambassador Ketil Karlsen who gave the assurance during the celebration of European Day by the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria said: “the European Union is a trusted partner not only in Nigeria but across the African continent and they are committed to engage to end security threats across Nigeria and the regions to consolidate democracy gains”.

He noted further that the EU as the largest trading partner with Nigeria is committed to promoting environmental and security conditions.

Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo CON in his keynote address commended

L-R: Member of European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Pelletier; Senior Assistant to the Honourable, Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Ms. Abimbola Olufore, President, European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria, Mr. Adefolu Majekodunmi, Chairman ANAP Jets, Mr. Atedo Peterside, Vice President, European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria, Mrs. Mary Ojulari, Member of European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria, Mr. Jordi Borrut and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Ketil Karlsen during activities to celebrate European day and the launch of European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria brand in Lagos

EuroCham Nigeria for maintaining cordial relationships with Nigerian businesses and reiterated the commitment of the federal government to invest in initiatives that will promote and foster social investment.

He specifically thanked the European Union for supporting the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director General of the World Trade

Organisation.

Also, the Chairman, Anap Business Jets Limited, Mr. Atedo Peterside CON, in his keynote address titled: The Potential for Business Partnerships: What are the “Low Hanging Fruit” Opportunities? called for a level playing field to avoid the continued prevalence of multiple exchange rates that have deterred foreign direct

and portfolio investments as well as genuine Nigerian investors who do not have the “clout” to access cheaper forex.

He said: “It is becoming increasingly difficult and impossible to justify making a major investment in Nigeria as the investor is forced to compete with a few persons whose cost profile is lower on account of their privileged

access to cheaper forex.”

Speaking further, Mr. Peterside called on the investing public to embrace and apply Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors as part of their investment analysis to identify material risks and the odd genuine growth opportunities as some of the socio-economic problems are man-made and can disappear as quickly as they appeared.

While also calling for concerted efforts to expand business opportunities between the EU and Nigeria, the President of EuroCham Nigeria, Mr. Adefolu Majekodunmi unveiled the new brand identity from European Business Oganisation (EBO) to European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria to reflect on the heritage of the European Union as well as to further establish the profile of the organisation as a credible resource platform for healthy collaboration between European and Nigeria key business stakeholders.

Mr. Majekodunmi reiterated that: “the EuroCham Nigeria identity will put the organisa-

tion at a vantage position in nurturing the existing healthy business collaborations under his leadership to ensure that the organisation provides a constant link between the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and the European business community in Nigeria as well as to help local investors to have access to the global market opportunities”.

The European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria, hitherto known as European Business Organisation (EBO) Nigeria, was founded by 18 European companies in October 2018 at the 7th EUNigeria Business.

It is a member of the EBO Worldwide Network representing European business interests in markets outside the European Union that seeks to further promote trade, investments and exchanges with European business, as well as advocating European quality standards, best practices and corporate social responsibility and opening access to an active network channel in over 45 key markets that serves European multinationals.

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

With ‘Alasiri’, Alatise Articulates an Allegory of Alienation at Venice Biennale Architettura At 17th Venice Biennale Architettura, Nigeria’s leading artist Peju Alatise makes history as the first female artist from Nigeria with ‘Alasiri’- her sculptural installation of doors and figures that bears global resonance. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

W

hen Nigeria made its debut in 2017 at 57th edition of the prestigious international exhibition, Venice Biennale, Peju Alatise- a leading interdisciplinary artist- was one of the three-artist team, which included Victor Ehikhamenor and Qudus Onikeku, that represented Nigeria.

Last weekend, Alatise made yet another historical feat as the first female Nigerian artist to participate at the Venice Biennale Architettura.

The rare opportunity came knocking at first in March 2020 but due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the grand show was postponed till 2021. With the theme, “How will we live together?”, the international exhibition which runs from May 22 to November 21, 2021 assembles architects, scholars, artists and other professionals from around the world with 112 participants from 46 countries.

Alatise features in the category “Among Diverse Beings” at the prestigious global exhibition, curated by Hashim Sarkis. Trained as an architect at the Ladoke Akintola University, Oyo before pursuing a full-time career in the arts, Alatise’s career in the arts spans over two decades; a path paved with awards and recognitions. She is a fellow at the National Museum ofAfricanArt, a part of the Smithsonian Institution.

Alasiri, her site-specific submission at Venice Biennale, is a sculptural installation of doors and figures that allows for mutual understanding or otherwise to take place. She described it as a ‘secret keeper that allows you to simultaneously experience being an outsider and insider.’’

While reflecting on the theme of the international exhibition, Alatise said: “This is a poignant question made more complex by the current Covid-19 crisis that the whole world is experiencing at the moment. The answer begs for moral inclusion that I feel architecture alone cannot give. The Yorubas from west Africa say ‘Yara rebete gba oju omo’kunrin ti won ba fera den’u which means a small room can inhabit 20 young men if they have a deeper understanding for one another. They also say

Peju Alatise at Venice Biennale Architettura

‘Eniyan ribi ilekun, ti o ba gba e laye ati wole, o ti di alasiri’ meaning people are like doors; if they permit you entry, you become their keeper of secrets. This time last year, there were voices of populist ideas of people who want to break up countries with nationalist views. Now, the Covid-19 has given us a taste of what it will feel like to live alone.’’

Alatise questioned the possibility of isolation in a high globalized world. Religion, culture, ideology and identity may constitute points of divergence, but our collective humanity is non-negotiable.

Born in 1975 in Lagos Nigeria, Alatise is a multidisciplinary artist who paints, sculpts, and expresses ideas through mixed media installations. Her works reflects Afro-modern ethos, Yoruba cosmology and religion.

The President of Venice Architecture Biennale, Kazuyo Sejima in his opening remarks at the inauguration commended the spirit of collaboration among the participants.

“Everything that has happened and will happen in the next few days is a s a result of the collaboration of Biennale local and national authorities that have made it possible for the biennial staff and visitors to arrive here in full safety and security.

“The collaboration between the curators and architects who have been here since the beginning of the year who have let us understand that it was possible to have installations here,’’ he said.

The Spanish architect and scholar, Rafael Moneo has received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this edition of the Venice Biennale.

Kunle Adewale at 40: A Celebration Focused on Children and Community

Yinka Olatunbosun

In honour of the Children’s Day celebration, it is inevitable to celebrate an artist who had contributed to the lives of children and the community at large. Since the beginning of the year, the countdown to the 40th birthday of the Arts in Medicine advocate and artist, Kunle Adewale has been a rollercoaster of charitable causes. He had been involved in community outreach projects that targeted the vulnerable, marginalized, the sick, the disabled and other community members in partnership with organizations, art groups as well as support from friends in Nigeria and abroad.

Adewale walked the streets, literally distributing copies of his inspirational memoir titled “Atunbi: The Grit, The Gut and The Glory.’’ He went as far as dump sites, in search of young boys whose lives could be touched by his life story. He didn’t spare the street sweepers; many posed with copies of his book. Rather than throw a lavish party to mark the milestone age, he celebrated humanity.

“Clocking 40 is not a small feat,’’ he began during an electronic interview with THISDAY. “Being alive especially during the COVID-19 era is a big deal. Being a community and charity minded person, my desire is to see that more people have access to therapeutic art engagements and opportunities that can improve their quality of life and health outcomes.’’

Against all odds, he was determined to take ‘Atunbi’ to correctional facilities in Lagos. Well, he could have chosen a few of them that were accessible but he insisted on reaching Kirikiri Maximum Prison, defying the perennial traffic inwards Apapa axis, facing the dangers of riding

Adewale

commercial motorcycles.

“I visited Nigerian Correctional facilities make to donations of over 40 autographed copies of my memoir to correctional officers and inmates at Ikoyi and Kirikiri Maximum Prisons. The goal was to inspire public servants and empower inmates through my lived experience. Books are powerful and they have the potential of transforming the minds of people who are in dark moments in the lives. My visit to these facilities was well received and has birthed conversation on facilitating more therapeutic arts for inmates in Ikoyi and Kirikiri Prison.

Over the years, I have facilitated art programs and co-anchor art therapy for inmates in Abuja and Benue State by working with the United States Art Envoy to Nigeria through the US Embassy Abuja,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, during his visit to the Special Correctional Center for Boys, Oregun Ikeja, he reached out to children as well as adolescents.

There, a book reading session was organised with over 100 boys at the facility. For someone who had such as eventful childhood like his, that encounter was a very emotional one.

“There were moments my eyes were teary seeing the hope in the eyes of these young ones who were inspired by my story telling session and life experience of being raised in an environment filled crime and yet becoming a light bearer and pacesetter in Nigeria and around the world. The audacity of hope for juvenile was something that brought me joy. I believe life should be lived to help others find the right paths through our lights,’’ he recounted.

Autographed copies of ‘Atunbi’ were given to the boys and donated to the Correctional Center Library. There are plans to hold art therapy sessions for the boys to replicate the type that was carried out at the Correctional center for Girls at Idi-Araba some years ago.

Another landmark project he had undertaken is the ‘Art Kits for Kids and Teens’ on hospital admission during the pandemic.

“With help from the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria and friends, we have donated over 60 art kits to children and teens on hospital admission. I believe that these art kits would go a long way to help the patients to cope with anxiety, hospital stress and speed up their recovery. My hope is that the children, teens and their parents would use these art kits as form of therapy while undergoing treatment in the hospital. I hope that those kits would help them to discover their talents and enhance their creative skills,’’ he said.

Unusual Suspects’ Spellbinding Moments of Creativity at AAF Yinka Olatunbosun The roll call of participating artists at this new show was a long one: Yusuff Aina Abogunde, Damilola Adeniyi, Luke Agada, Talut Kareem, Chiwendu Kelechi, Muofhe Manavhela, Motlhoki Nono, Mookho Ntho, Kelechi Nwaneri, Michelle Okpare, Ayanfe Olarinde. Together, they brought life once again to the walls of the Victoria-Island home of African Artists Foundation, the host of the group exhibition titled “Unusual Suspects.’’ Curated by Princess Ayoola and Jana Terblanche, Unusual suspects celebrates the unique visual dialects of eleven contemporary artists and looks for connections between contemporary and precolonial expressions. The energy in the building was immersive; a break from the norm, perhaps, with many young ones migrating to visual arts in an unprecedented many. With ‘no music concerts, no night clubs’ in the Covid-19 protocol, the exhibition opening signaled a looming ‘art boom.’

The works of Chiwendu Kelechi, Kelechi Nwaneri and Yusuff Aina Abogunde are firmly rooted in pre-colonial history. Nwaneri cited traditional Igbo forms and writing systems like Uli, Usibidi, and Mbari as visual guides.

Contemporary stories are revealed and erroneous notions about Igbo culture are dispelled using these historical African signifiers.

Some of the works were preoccupied by the contemporary expressions of gender. The artists claim that colonial structures and the introduction of western religions have played an active role in diminishing previously held notions of gender fluidity. Therefore, ‘Unusual Suspects’ reflects the continuing conversation around gender, toxic masculinity, feminism and how they are expressed and what they mean for an evolving culture. Outside these confines of feminine and masculine expressions, gender-fluid identities are finding a voice and expanding our conception of performed identity.

Olarinde whose works are based on gender equality, gender fluidity, feminism and toxic masculinity explained the concerns that propelled her paintings.

“We live in a society where people are judged by how they look and they act without even getting to speak to someone or getting to understand them,’’ she said.

Some artists challenge the dominance of patriarchy by encouraging people to express themselves beyond the limiting confines of gender roles. These artists use visual art through various modes of storytelling and imagination to represent shifting cultural and gender identities.

Nwaneri, who had exhibited outside Nigeria several times in the past, takes a personal tilt, painting a typical birthday scene in one of his works. He said it captures the experience of a friend who cares for her niece after the demise of her brother.

“She does her best to give her the best. The brother left her some good fortune and she does her best to put it into a good use,’’ he said, while moving towards another painting that bears influences from social media culture.

“The works are done with charcoal and acrylic on canvas. They were all made this year,’ he said, amidst the noise from the excited guests at the opening night.

The exhibition runs till June 23.

One of the works at the exhibition

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Dapo Abiodun at 61: Come, Let Us Rejoice!

Kayode Akinmade

T

OMORROW, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State’s fifth democratically elected helmsman, clocks three scores plus one. It is, as usual since 2019 when he mounted the saddle, a double-tiered song and dance, for this is also the day that he clocks two years in office, two solid years of phenomenal feats in a Build Our Future Together movement.

Many would say that the celebrations have been richly earned, but Governor Abiodun will let no one forget that being alive and in good health has not come by the arm of the flesh. It has all been by the grace of the Almighty God in whose lustre he (Abiodun) basks, firmly believing that whatever He does, He does so well, and that the future with grace at the steering wheel is beyond assured.

This is not merely fortuitous, and the fact that Prince Abiodun reckons that he might one day become a preacher of the gospel is not even under consideration right now. The point is that in the last 61 years, he has, for want of a better phrase, confronted more than a fair share of baptisms of fire. From serious health challenges that almost took the wind out of his sails to perils on the road stoked by men of the underworld; from character assassination by trusted allies to hollow promises by friends intent on nothing but personal gain, however dishonestly obtained; from persecution by the Ogun State political establishment when he threw his hat in the ring to the purveyance of falsehood by opposition desperadoes when, eventually, he made it after a decade of trials ... the Iperu-born Prince, business mogul and consummate administrator has seen it all.

From 1998 when he got elected to a senatorial position under the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) and late that year when he introduced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State but bowed to party wishes and supported Otunba Gbenga Daniel for the Oke Mosan job, to 2007 when, again, he bowed to party supremacy and conceded the Senate race, to 2011 and 2015 when he threw his structures behind Senator Ibikunle Amosun to clinch the Ogun top job, Abiodun has faced battle after battle. Success has not come on a silver platter: it has been a case of par adua ad astra, “through difficulties to the stars,” as the Royal Air Force proclaims in pursuit of triumph.

Governor Abiodun

And so, praises and adorations to the Lord of all will occupy the most substantial portions of today as Abiodun exults in the joy of The Lord.

Proverbs are the horse on which words ride in the land of Oduduwa, and if a word is lost, it is with proverbs that it is retrieved: character, say the Yoruba, is beauty. And on this point hangs the first aspect of the personality of Governor Abiodun that deserves ample mention.

Governor Abiodun is, to say the least, a man of character; an Omoluabi, in the full Yoruba conceptualisation of the term. Entrusted with power, he has not gone haywire, as is the wont of many in this clime. He does not rail at elders in the name of political braggadocio; he does not use dirty and uncouth language even when justly aggrieved; he has not used the instrumentality of state power to constitute himself into a glorified lout. He exudes refinement, and refinement is a critical need of every society’s leadership. Abiodun is not without his own fair share of human foibles. But when leaders come on the scene in this clime, with the value of self-effacement, of discipline, of self-denial and of comportment, they deserve applause. The nation teems with brilliant rogues in the corridors of power but Abiodun presents a difference we must embrace if we want true progress. In choosing not to habitually pick quarrels with people or be drawn into the murky waters in which political charlatans swim every day, Abiodun is not being a coward: he is being a man of character. Character is beauty, and as the timeless poet John Keats writes in his epochal poem, Ode on a Grecian Urn: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

Many in political circles thought that immediately upon assuming office, Abiodun would root out the over 1000 workers clandestinely

and improperly thrust on the state’s wage bill in the twilight of the Ibikunle Amosun administration. But their qualms proved to be of no movement: the governor chose to regularise their appointments, together with those of a slew of permanent secretaries. That was a political sermon without sophistry: politics must be without bitterness.

Enthralled by his open embrace of all, highprofile politicians in the opposition have cast their lot for Abiodun. The roll call includes a two-time governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Dimeji Bankole; Alhaja Salmot Badru, a former deputy governor of the state, and Prince Gboyega Isiaka, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a main challenger during the 2019 governorship election. The list also includes Apostle Dave Salako, a two-time member of the House of Representatives; Elder Joju Fadairo, former State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Chief Pegba Otemolu, former State Secretary of PDP, among others.

Unlike some, Dapo Abiodun did not come into office as a career politician. He was already established in the oil and gas and security world before he toed the path of partisan politicking. As many would no doubt recall, it was to him that the Lagos State military government turned in the early 90s when the state was under the siege of robbers, especially from the neighbouring countries. He developed a car tracking mechanism that saved lives, and the Rapid Response Squad of the state comprising mobile policemen was placed under his control.

And since being sworn-in as the fifth democratically elected governor of Ogun State on May 29, 2019, he has left no one in doubt about his administration’s interest and focus on the information super highway, launching the Ogun TechHUB described as an innovation hub that provides ideal conditions for entrepreneurs to collaborate, flourish and accelerate the growth of their businesses, the Ogun Technopreneurship Program (OTP) which has the crucial objective of nurturing high quality ideas in various industries to become tech-start-ups and Tech-SMEs, and the Ogun Innovate Start-up meant to empower people in the state with essential skills needed to succeed in business, to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and to empower the unemployed.

It is a fitting tribute to his genius that the ICT industry accounts for more than 21 per cent of Ogun State’s GDP while providing countless job opportunities for the growing educated and

creative citizenry. The witness of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is apposite here: “Bridging the digital divide in the state will begin to improve education outcomes and provide opportunities for improved access to education across the state starting from primary to the tertiary level. The digital revolution that this project will bring will be a game-changer in every aspect not the socio-economic life of the state.”

Excellence is inevitable in Ogun at this moment, and going forward. The event, the operatives of the security outfit had been carefully selected and trained to secure lives and property, while the state government has provided the outfit with vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets, technical back-ups and the political will for an effective take-off and efficient operation.

In November last year, he flagged off the Adire Digital Market at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, advocating the promotion of Nigeria’s indigenous fabrics to the world and affirming that adire fabric could be adopted as national wear for athletes during sporting engagements. Adire, he declared, would become the official school uniform in all public schools in the state. He then urged Foreign Missions to adopt adire fabric as a cultural symbol that will further project our rich culture to the outside world.

The first phase of the Agro-Cargo Airport at Ilisan-Remo in Ikenne local government area of the state would be ready by May next year. The cargo airport, a heteropolis (complete airport city), would have a special agro-processing zone, with factories where raw materials could be turned into final products for export, and would, in fact, be complemented with the first international testing centre where goods would be evaluated for export.

Prince Dapo Abiodun comes seasoned with experience from the corporate and political worlds, a man of deep introspection, high intellect and passion to make real, verifiable change in the lives of people; a game-changer built for the toughest of times, a technocrat with a difference; a master administrator fully cognizant of the place of a stellar cast of committed individuals in driving developmental agenda, the values of teamwork, the gains of data-driven governance and, of course, the rewards of perseverance. t"LJONBEF GPSNFS $PNNJTTJPOFS PG *OGPSNBUJPO JO 0OEP 4UBUF DPOUSJCVUFT UIJT QJFDF UISPVHI LBZPEFBLJONBEF !

HNBJM DPN

The Internet Age: It’s Time for Africa Alex Okosi Bryan Obonyo, Shay Sade, Monique Touko, David Osafo, and Ian Oplot are a London-born and bred group of friends who one day decided they would record their reactions to Afrobeats music videos by African artists. That fine day occurred, according to their official website, in 2017. Fast forward to 2021 and the Ubunifu Space YouTube channel has provided viewers with content compelling enough to amass more than 288 000 subscribers. The closely-knit group of Brits has also already produced its first eight-part docu-series, #UBUONTOUR, following the friends around as they discovered South Africa and Kenya in December of 2019.

On the other side of the Atlantic, 27-year-old Louisville, Kentucky-based creator, Tremayne Yocum has pivoted his Mansa Mayne channel on YouTube to focus on producing content centered on his reactions to Amapiano and South African hip-hop music videos, as well as Amapiano dance and viral videos.

These two seemingly mundane examples of young people doing what they do (using the internet, social media, and digital platforms to express themselves) also point to a more impactful trend: the power of the internet to build and nurture cultural movements. Contemporary African music and dance culture

Okosi

are quintessential examples of this.

YouTube has played an essential role in the discovery and development of popular African sounds and the export of the continent’s music to listeners worldwide. The 25 most-watched Sub-Saharan-African artists on YouTube get more than 70% of their views from outside of Africa. That’s not only astounding, but it also further illustrates the potential that the platform has for breaking continental subcultures, and growing a base for them overseas.

The internet has an immense potential to change dominant representations of the continent, its countries, and its peoples to ones that are more representative, of not only the realities on the ground, but also the potential and immense talent and innovation that Africa has to offer the world.

In 2020, as the world was trying to get to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic, YouTube partnered with Viacom CBS’s MTV Base and Hollywood star Idris Elba to take the Africa Day Benefit Concert At Home to places and people that traditional television would not normally necessarily be able to reach while supporting the continent’s fight against the effects of the pandemic.

Beyond music, the internet can also play an important role in shaping the narrative on the continent overall. Africa’s rich storytelling culture has been proven, with Nollywood, for example, cultivating large global audiences.

African storytellers are taking advantage of the internet, and platforms such as ours, to share their passions and cultures.

This year, an inaugural class of African YouTubers received grants for the development of their content, giving the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund content creators an opportunity to thrive on, and add diverse viewpoints to, the platform. As we, once again,

prepare to celebrate Africa Day, it’s incumbent upon us to reflect on where and how we want our beautiful, vibrant, and youthful continent to go. And the odds seem to be pointing in our favour.

As a continent, Africa is poised for growth and development. By 2030, according to the World Economic Forum, one in five people will be African and by 2034, Africa is expected to have the world’s largest working-age population of 1.1 billion. Similarly, CFR.org expects that by the year 2100, one in three people on Earth will be African. This means that, by the end of the century, sub-Saharan Africa—which already has an extraordinarily young population—will be home to almost half of the young people in the world. And Youtube will continue to provide the platform for these young people to showcase their talent and skills on a global stage.

African entertainment players have already made significant strides in partnership with YouTube-proof that the internet, and the world, are ready to hear more from Africa and our creators. At YouTube, we are committed to continuing to showcase the power of African talent and creativity to the world. t0LPTJ JT UIF .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS &NFSHJOH .BSLFUT :PV5VCF &.&"

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METRO

…Your city life in print

Enugu: Chronicling Ugwuanyi’s Six Years of Good Governance Samson Ezea It is another year of stock taking of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s six years of good governance in Enugu that endeared him and his government to the people of Enugu.

These six years which include four years of his first term and two years of his four years second term have been eventful, developmental, peaceful and inclusive.

Within this period, Ndi Enugu have witnessed massive infrastructural development, absolute peace, security, social justice, social services, good governance and employment generation which were among his administration’s fourpoint agenda unveiled to Ndi Enugu during his first term swearing-in at Okpara Square, Independence Layout Enugu in 2015.

Ugwuanyi’s administration has recorded considerable achievements despite the fact that on assumption of office, his administration was faced with myriad of daunting challenges that included recessed economy, paucity of funds, backlog of unpaid workers’ salaries, arrears of pensioners, infrastructural deficits in rural areas, unemployment and others.

These apart, Ugwuanyi’s party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has been in power at the centre and state with enormous goodwill and ample opportunities, for the first time since 1999 lost power to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre.

Not deterred by these obvious discouraging and enormous challenges, Ugwuanyi in his inaugural speech, committed the affairs of the state to God Almighty with the slogan “Enugu State Is In The Hands Of God.” Without hesitation, Ugwuanyi’s administration hit the ground running, by bringing to bear the governor’s financial prowess and prudence in reforming, rejigging and repositioning the state’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) system for better performance and improved revenue generation.

This singular action improved significantly the states’ Internally Generated Revenue from N14b in 2016 to N18.4b in the first ten months of 2017 and now 31billion, thereby placing the state in a good financial stead, even without the monthly federation allocation as revealed by The Economic Confidential in its 2018 Annual States Viability Index (ASVI).

Also introduced in the day-to-day running of the government by Ugwuanyi were good governance, equity, fiscal discipline, accountability and transparency. Since then, governance in the state took a new direction geared towards peaceful co-existence, integration, and even development across the state. Ugwuanyi’s leadership style has decidedly remained inclusive, progressive, eclectic and unprecedented in the state’s leadership history.

Within his first term in office, Ugwuanyi’s administration presence and footprints prefaced virtually all the 450 autonomous communities, 17 local councils and three senatorial zones in the state.

All the sectors of the state economy witnessed his government’s interventions with rural development, education, health, infrastructure, security, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment, taking the lead. Across the state, roads like Opi-Nsukka dual carriage way, Obechara Road Junction-Umuakashi Mechanic villageIkenga Hotels Junction-Enugu Road Nsukka Junction and Umuezebi-Nru Junction have been completed. Others include extension of AgbaniAforAmurri Road, the extension of Ituku Road, the construction of Ogonogoeji- Ndi Akpugo Road ( Atavu Bailey Bridge-AforOnovo) the construction of the 42-metre span Bailey Bridge and road works across River Nyama to Amichi, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amaechi Uno/ Obinagu community, all in Nkanu West LGA. Of note is that the Agbani-Amurri Road was constructed for a community that has

Ugwuanyi

never witnessed any form of development or government presence on its land in the past 100 years plus. In the same vein, the OgonogoejiNdiagu-Akpugo Road fromAtavu Bailey Bridge to Afor Onovo is the first state government road in the entire Akpugo land since the creation of the Enugu State.

Not left out is the popular and historic Milliken Hill Road, Ngwo, constructed in 1909, but was abandoned for several decades before Ugwuanyi’s administration reconstructed it with streetlight. The three-kilometre road is part of the 12-kilometre 9th Mile-EkochinNgwo- Miliken Hill-New Market federal road which state government rehabilitated to serve as alternative route for commuters and motorists plying Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

Also within the state capital, Ugwuanyi’s administration has executed numerous road projects at Holy Trinity Street and Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Nawfia Street, Ibuza Street, Isi-Uzo Street all in Independence Layout Enugu. Also asphalted are Mount Crescent, GRA Enugu, Dental School-Tipper Garage Road, Trans Ekulu, Enugu; Loma Linda-Timber Shed Road and many others. In his first four years Ugwuanyi’s administration spent not less than N45b in road construction and reconstruction across the state.

These are not inclusive of the numerous road projects awarded by Ugwuanyi’s administration close to his reelection that have been completed and are in use now.

In the education sector, through the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Enugu is among the states that have consistently paid their counterpart fund making it possible for them to access the Federal Government Universal Basic Education fund.

With this, ENSUBEB has built and renovated more than 480 primary school classrooms, provided learning and teaching facilities and recruited more than 3500 teachers. Also recruited through the Post Primary Schools Management Board ( PPSMB) were more than 1200 secondary teachers in addition to the 857 volunteer teachers( engaged during the past administration) but were not regularised as permanent staff.

Of great emphasis is the fact that Ugwuanyi’s administration has equitably distributed developmental projects and appointments across the state in spirit of unity, equity and fairness to the admiration and happiness of all in the state.

This is a clear departure from the winner takes all practice of the past that created bad blood among political stakeholders in three senatorial zones of the state.Ugwuanyi has not only continued to maintain the infrastructure he met on ground, he has built new ones, completed and still completing the abandoned ones across the state.

After many decades without any national or international trophy in its kit, the state-owned Rangers International Club with the massive support of Ugwuanyi’s administration had won the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League and the 2018 Federation Cup. Notwithstanding that his administration inherited backlog of salary of workers and arrears of pensioners, Ugwuanyi never engaged in buckpassing or blame game for one day. His government boldly took the bull by the horn by clearing the outstanding salaries, promotion and introduced prompt payment of workers.

Since then, workers in the state receive their salaries every 21st of the month and 13 month in December as bonus. That is the first of its kind in any state in Southeast zone. This is despite the fact that Enugu State is not oil producing state and is almost at the bottom in the cadre of monthly Federation allocation. This made the national leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and workers in the state to confer on him the award of Most Workers’ Friendly Governor in Nigeria.

Also being gradually addressed by Ugwuanyi’s administration is the arrears of pensioners that have piled up for years due to failure of the past governments to clear it.

Under Ugwuanyi’s administration, Enugu State has recorded the lowest crime rate, even in the face of the resurgence of criminal activities across the country. This milestone which brought about the peacefulness of the state was once attested to by the leadership of Police Service Commission. This was responsible for the prevailing peace in the state, before, during and after 2019 elections.

Even when there was some security lapses across the country after the 2019 elections of which some parts of Enugu were affected, Ugwuanyi quickly rose to the occasion by rejigging the security architecture of the state, established and equipped Forest Guard in the state. The Enugu Forest Guard is first of its kind in the country. Ugwuanyi’s administration also appointed former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonnia Onovo as the State Security Consultant.

The overwhelming support Ugwuanyi’s administration enjoyed during his first term and his resounding victory in his reelection is a clear testimony of his outstanding performance in office and style of leadership that gives everyone,irrespective of religion, tribe, status and party affiliation sense of belonging in the affairs of the state. That is why from Enugu West, East to North, among the artisans, Christians, Muslims,workers, youths, adults, residents, visitors, religious groups and others, Ugwuanyi is the man of the people, father and governor of all.

It is also for this reason and others that Ug-

wuanyi’s chieftancy. title, Gburugburu has become a brand, movement and household name in the state and beyond today. His style of politics is emulative and tolerant. Unlike most political leaders, Ugwuanyi has used political power as shield to protect and unite the people, instead of the usual sword, political office holders often use to divide and oppress the people, especially perceived enemies.

This and many other feats and giant strides of Ugwuanyi’s administration endeared him and his government to the hearts of Enugu people.

After being overwhelmingly reelected for a second term with 95. 5 plus percent votes by Ndi Enugu, many had expected that Gov. Ugwuanyi would rest on his oars and give good governance a back seat. But that was not the case. Knowing full well that to whom much is given, much is expected and that the reward for hardwork is more work, just like in his first term, Ugwuanyi hit the ground running after being sworn-in for second term in office.

He proved the cynics and sceptics, who had always believed that elected political public office holders, especially governors do not perform in their second term wrong with his developmental and progressive actions since his reelection.

In line with his avowals, assurances and promises in his reelection acceptance speech that he and his team will continue to serve the state with fear of God, humility and unwavering commitment to improving lives and lifting the state to unprecedented heights, Ugwuanyi’s administration has been living by its words and walking the talk with the construction of the 22.443km Neke- Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti Inter-community road linking Isi Uzo LGAwith Udenu LGA, 26.665km Ukpabi- Nimo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road targetted at opening up the agrarian communities of Uzo-Uwani LGA, and the 10.5km Nike Junction-Harmony EstateAmorji Nike- Adoration Pilgrimage Centre road that serves as bypass to everbusy Nike road and a link between the densely populated Abakpa-Nike and the suburb of Emene Enugu and others. Work is ongoing at the first Enugu State flyover at the popular T-junction along Nike road that was awarded by Ugwuanyi’s administration.

With the approval of minimum wage for Nigerian workers, Ugwuanyi was among the first governor in Nigeria to approve minimum wage for workers, after working out the consequential adjustment with labour union leaders in the state.

Also with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, Ugwuanyi was among the first governors that took proactive and precautionary measures by buliding and equipping Isolation centres, approving life assurance for health workers and embarking on aggressive sensitisation campaign alongside all the relevant stakeholders in the state.

These efforts were recently appreciated and acknowledged by the health workers. They include the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association of Nigeria that honoured him inAbuja with COVID-19 Response Champion and National Association of Resident Doctors ESUTParklaneHospitalChapter,whocommended him for being outstanding in handling the pandemic in the state.

Inlinewithhisadministration’sflairforgenuine peace, Ugwuanyi has not only settled some knotty andage-longcommunalcrisisthathavedefiedsettlementbeforenow.HealsosetupaPeaceandConflict Resolution Committee headed by Dr. Uche Ogbu with former members of House of Assembly and National Assembly as members.

Consolidating and expanding vigorously on its first term’s giant strides, Ugwuanyi’s administration has opened up the rural areas to reduce urban migration, created jobs, provided good governance, maintained and sustained peace and security as major policy thrust. Enugu State is indeed in the hands of God. t&[FB XSJUFT GSPN *OEFQFOEFODF -BZPVU &OVHV

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POLSCOPE The Maladies of Malami

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Canticles….

Imagine a President Yahaya Bello!

Yahaya Bello Abubakar Malami

M

r Abubakar Malami is the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. He is a 54-year Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Until 2015, when he got appointed into the President Muhammadu Buhari cabinet, not much was known or heard of the Birnin-Kebbi born lawyer.

Many believe he is one of the top beneficiaries of the Buhari administration as he was not a visible member of the Pre-2015 Buhari presidential efforts and forays, even though he had served as legal adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Yet, he landed a top job: the foremost law officer of the country. But in almost all his outings, Malami ‘s utterances have not only been disastrous but highly misleading, and this has inadvertently put a query on his background and his understanding of basic justice.

He is a graduate of Usman Dan Fodiyo University, and later went to University of Maiduguri for a Masters degree in Public Administration. A local breed, so to say!

Last Tuesday, Malami was seen at the parliament, struggling to extricate himself from what was appearing like an indictment for his office illegally spending a whopping N2 billion from recovered loot, allegedly to pay lawyers who were prosecuting terrorist suspects. His responses to the questions were as clumsy as they were confusing.

Last week, Malami obnoxiously seized the headlines when he compared the ban on Open Grazing by all Southern Nigerian governors to banning all spare parts sellers in the north. It was an inverted innuendo on the Igbos, whose folks are essentially the dealers on spare parts sales. It was an utterance in bad faith. Many Nigerians were shocked that a supposed Minister of Justice, one schooled in the theories of equity and jurisprudence of justice did not know the difference between open grazing and spare parts trade. Was he mentally daft not to know or was he just being politically mischievous? Either way, it is despicable, not only for his exalted office, but for the ethos in the pursuit of national unity.

Here are herdsmen—be they Fulani or whatever, whose name now collocate with rape, kidnappings, maiming and killings, being compared to genuine entrepreneurs deeply involved in the business of selling and buying, without hurt or threat to anybody. Not even a Grade 3 pupil will have the idleness of brain to slate the two businesses on the same page.

Beside the huge threat to the security of lives and property across the length and breath of the country, the cattle herders, do not pay tax. The spare parts sellers do. Many of the former are involved in killing of innocent lives, the latter don’t. While the former have a running battle with farmers across the land, the latter do not.

While the herders, in pursuit of their endeavours encroach on and destroy the businesses of others, the latter do not. Does Malami need to go back to school to know these? How can a man lacking in such basic understanding be presiding over the justice system of over 200 million people? People like Malami are the raison d’etre of our under development as a people.

Before this obnoxious comparison, Malami had trended when he announced that the so-called Ibori loot of 4.2 million British pounds recovered from the United Kingdom, will be used to execute federal projects: Lagos-Ibadan road, 2nd Niger bridge and Abuja-Kaduna road, arguing mendaciously,

that the money so recovered belongs to the federal government and not Delta State from where the money was stolen. How warped! A state governor stole the funds from his state’s coffers, sent same abroad. He got caught and the money so stolen is recovered. Then a minister of Justice suddenly argues that the said money belongs to the federal government. But Malami won’t say that Ibori ever operated or had access to the federal till. Rather than say the cost of recovering the fund should be paid into the federation account, Malami says the whole money belongs to the federal government.

What is worse, not even one of the said projects on which the money was to be expended, was located in Delta State. Not even a Minister of Injustice (if any) can do worse. But as a reprieve, the Accountant General of the Federation had declared last Tuesday that the recovered Ibori loot has been sent to Delta State government, even though the latter had denied receiving the money as at last Wednesday.

Malami obviously likes power. He tried to contest for Kebbi state governorship, but lost to the incumbent Gov Bagudu in the primaries. He loves to be atop. He likes to control. It is his desperation to control every lever of power that got him clashing with the former EFCC acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu. He wanted to subsume the EFCC and literally be in charge, determining those to be prosecuted and those to be let off. But Magu did not accept. Malami used the appurtenances of his office to pull down Magu in a rather weird and queer manner. Imagine the mountain of allegation leveled against Magu. Till today, nothing has been established against Magu, otherwise his prosecution would have been running. Does the non-prosecution of Magu not mean that he was merely persecuted by a man who should be a judicial avante garde? Why have they refused to make open the findings of the Ayo Salami panel which probed Magu’s alleged misdemeanours?

Latter day events have revealed that Malami’s exploits were all aimed at installing his kinsman, scion and lackey, Abdulrasheed Bawa, as the EFCC chairman, even as he (Malami) still has his eyes on the Kebbi governorship seat. Rather than dispense equity, the young man has been dishing out iniquity in all dimensions.

Last December, peeved by the spate of killings and general air of insecurity in the country, the lawmakers in the House of Representatives, had resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to come address them on the issue of security or the lack of it in the country. The leaders of the lower house had respectfully gone to invite Mr President, who in turn gave his word to come to parliament. While everybody awaited the date, Malami, 24 hours to the agreed date, released some statement, again, arguing casuistically, that Mr President cannot and would not appear before parliamentarians. That was how the meeting was aborted. The consequences are that the security situation only worsened and became far more dire.

This same Malami it was, who was so quick to declare the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a terrorist organization, yet refused to declare Miyetti Allah or Boko Haram or even the bandits as terrorists, just because the latter groups are largely his Fulani folksmen, while the former are Igbos.

The maladies of Malami are many. His ilk are a danger to the continuous existence of a united country. He plays politics with everything. He even suffers judicial jaundice. He is not deserving of the high office he occupies.

A

re you expectant of one of the impending wonders of the land?

Impending wonders? What could that be? Is President Buhari resigning and handing over to Professor Yemi Osinbajo?

Far from it!

Then what can it be?

Do you know that we could end up with a new kid on the bloc as our President come 2023?

New kid? In this Nigeria? You are better wake up from your dream. It won’t happen!

Calm down! It is never over until it is over.

Did you not hear that lots of Nigerians have been begging and urging Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) to get into the presidential race in 2023? And do you know that the call has assumed the tempo of a movement now, with the clamour for GYB increasing by the day and spreading like the gospel of salvation?

Gospel of salvation indeed! Where is that spread? Tell me! Who is spreading it?

It appears like you have not been following the trends in the social media. Did you not hear or read of the South West women, led by one Bolanle Ade-Idowu clamouring for GYB to become the president in 2023? Did you not read or hear of a youth group urging GYB to join the presidential race? Did you not read or hear of … (raising the full palm like a traffic warden ) Enough! I did not hear or read anything. Don’t you try to initiate me into your club of gullibility.

You mean you don’t know that some of those so-called clamour meetings are arranged and sponsored? Did you not hear that a Television house conducted a research involving 5000 Nigerians and only six per cent of the respondents said they wanted GYB as President? What did that tell you?

These ones I am referring to are voluntary and impulsive, not sponsored.They have seen and identified the onyx in the young man calledYahaya Bello and believe that he could be a solution to the myriad of problems we have in this country.They are self-energised, self-motivated and self-inspired.

Wonders will really never end! What did these so-called self-motivated persons see in Yahaya Bello to demand for his becoming our President?

Are we a joke? Yahaya Bello as President? Has he been able to manage the 3.3 million people in Kogi State, as to now handover the fate, fortune and complexities of over 200 million people to him? Are you so brain-damaged?

All the faculties of my brain are working full blast.You need to check out the credentials of this young man: he is young and energetic.

At 45, he is full of energy and ideas. He is certainly not part of the historic rot that has ruined the foundation of this country. He’s shown sufficient capacity to turn around the captivity of Zion, if you know what I mean.

Do you realise that since five years ago, he’s been in the vanguard of re-ordering the

fortunes of his state? Do you remember he carried out the first-ever bio-data verification of the workforce in Kogi State and he was able to remove 18,211 ghost workers off the payroll of the state?That he brought down the monthly wage bill from N5.8 billion to N4.6 billion, per month at the time? Imagine all that he helped the state to save and plough into development.

Do you know that he is one of the most women-friendly governors in Nigeria? With an ordered female vice chairman in all the 21 Local Government Areas in the state, plus having a female ADC and a female Secretary to State Government (SSG), GYB has scored a huge high in gender balancing in government, as recommended by the United Nations?

I don’t think that is a governance virtue. I believe the governor just likes women. That is why he’s flocking his government with women all over.

Like late Mumammar Ghaddafi, he loves women taking care of his safety.

Do you know that GYB is also one of the middle belt governors who has been able to stave off the insecurity pandemic from his state.You think it is mere happenstance? Look, this young man has got strategy and brain.

And if he can do it at a micro level, he can do it on a larger scale. I think we can have a GYB transform to PYB—President Yahaya Bello.That way a PMB can hand over to PYB!.

I still think you are dreaming. This is the same Yahaya Bello who not only spent state resources buying Limousine cars for himself and his traditional ruler, but also refused to allow NCDC officials to enter Kogi State, claiming that there is nothing like Corona Virus!

He was arguing like a native illiterate, opposing science with rustic and primordial arguments.

How can a leader argue that way? Didn’t you see all his fellow governors disowned him?

But can’t you see that in the entire federation, Kogi State has the least cases of Corona Virus infection ?

That is because he would not allow the people to be tested whether they have it or not? And that is a problem for a supposed leader. How can he not listen to contrary opinions? How can he not absorb criticisms, be they constructive or obstructive? He is not tolerant. He believes that every contrary voice must be silenced, anyhow. Societies don’t grow and develop that way.

Look, nobody is perfect. Don’t forget he is a youth.There are tendencies to have youthful exuberance interfere with his judgements.

But enough to say we learn everyday. I believe that the capacity to govern and raise the bar of good life for the generality of the people should be considered. We should focus on the bright side of the dark sides and push the ship of state to a safe and comfortable habour.

It is the alchemy of that youthfulness that nearly turned him to an enfant terrible, trying to harass and intimidate anybody not on his side of the divide. That cannot work in this 21st century. If he wants to become President of Nigeria, he must go through the Democracy Academy thoroughly, wean himself of violence and dictatorial tendencies and then come back with piety for a public endorsement.

44

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͶ˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

W’Bank Approves $700m for Water Supply, Sanitation Programmes in Nigeria Obinna Chima The World Bank has approved the Nigeria Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program (SURWASH).

The $700 million credit from the bank’s subsidiary, the International Development Association (IDA) will provide six million people with basic drinking water services and 1.4 million people access to improved sanitation services in the West African country.

According to a statement, the program would deliver improved water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to 2,000 schools and Health Care Facilities and assist 500 Communities to achieve open defecation free status.

These would be implemented as part of the Government of Nigeria’s National Action Plan (NAP) for the revitalisation of Nigeria’s water supply, sanitation, and hygiene sector, it added.

“In 2019, approximately 60 million Nigerians were living without access to basic drinking water services, 80 million without access to improved sanitation facilities

and 167 million without access to a basic hand washing facility.

“In rural areas, 39 percent of households lack access to at least basic water supply services, while only half have access to improved sanitation and almost a third (29 percent) practice open defecation – a fraction that has marginally changed since 1990.

“In recent years, the Government of Nigeria (GoN) has strengthened its commitment towards improving access to WASH services, spurred on by the need for Nigeria’s WASH sector to catch up with its regional counterparts. This led to the government declaring a state of emergency in 2018 and launching the NAP aimed at ensuring universal access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services by 2030, commensurate with the SDGs,” it added.

Furthermore, the statement explained that the program would support the NAP which is a 13-year strategy prioritising actions within three phases: Emergency Plan, Recovery Plan, and Revitalization Strategy and also the Clean Nigeria; Use the Toilet Campaign which aims

to have Nigeria free of open defecation by 2025.

“Given that access to WASH is an important determinant of human capital outcomes, including early childhood survival, nutrition, health, learning, and women’s empowerment – all of which in turn affect labour productivity and efficiency; the Program’s centrality to the human capital agenda and its potential to influence key human capital outcomes cannot be overemphasised,” World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri said.

“Participating States will be able to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene which will help to keep more girls in school, create employment, and reduce open defecation, while developing greater resilience to the impact of climate change, as well as conflicts between different land and water users,” he added.

The SURWASH program, is performance based and participation is open to all states in Nigeria based on their commitment to specific reforms in the sector.

Uduanu: Non-interest Fund Will Deepen Financial inclusion Nume Ekeghe Given Nigeria’s large Muslim population, the new pension non-interest fund, expected be launched in the last quarter of this year, will help deepen financial inclusion in the country, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sigma Pensions, Mr. Dave Uduanu, has said.

The non-interest fund, which is Fund VI under the multi-fund structure introduced by the National Pension Commission (PenCom), is for contributors who choose to have their pension contributions invested in non-interest money and capital market products.

In his speech at a virtual conference to promote ethical investments in Nigeria hosted

by Sigma Pensions yesterday, Uduanu also stated that when

launched, the non-interest fund will boost investments in the non-interest finance sector.

Uduanu explained: “The Islamic finance global market has been expanding rapidly in recent years, recording 15 to 20 per cent annual growth, and is estimated to be worth $3trillion, and the industry is gaining wider recognition in Nigeria.

“The non-interest Fund will take off in the fourth quarter of this year. It will boost interest in non-interest finance and also deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria given the country’s large Muslim population that is not participant in the ethical fund investments and Islamic financing and this is the right time for it.”

The Sigma Pensions boss called on ethical investors to tap into the many investment opportunities which, according to him, abound

in the country.

He stated that when it takes off, the non-interest Fund will be a positive development for the pension industry, adding that Nigeria was probably the only country with a large Muslim population that does not currently have such an ethical Fund.

He explained that for the second time in two years, Sigma Pensions decided to host the 2021 conference, which had as its theme, “Non-Interest Investing: Investing My Money; My Values,” as part of its efforts to raise public awareness about non-interest finance ahead of the launch of the Non-Interest Fund.

Also speaking at the conference, the guest speaker and MD/CEO, Lotus Capital, Hajara Adeola, commended Sigma Pensions for providing a platform for increasing public awareness about non-interest finance.

We Still Retain Concession Rights over Ibadan Road, Says Contractor The ENL Consortium Limited has alleged that a concession agreement it entered with Oyo State Government in respect of the Ibadan Circular Road project was still legal and subsisting.

A statement signed by its lawyer, Oluseye Opasanya, claimed that ENL Consortium Limited is the concessionaire of the 32-kilometre East End Wing of the 107-kilometre proposed Ibadan Ring Road under the terms of a concession agreement dated August 25, 2017, with Oyo State Government under the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Pursuant to the agreement, ENL said it was granted exclusive rights to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the Ibadan Circular Road for a period of 35 years.

The firm noted that its attention was recently drawn to certain pronouncements credited to Oyo State Government in connection with a proposal to re-award the project to another entity, in spite of the continued validity of its concession rights in accordance with the concession agreement.

The firm claimed that the proposed re-award of the project was unlawful and politicallymotivated, insisting that the move was an attempt to, “expropriate the assets and contractual rights of ENL, contrary to the terms of the subsisting concession agreement and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

“For the record and for the avoidance of doubt, ENL wishes to state that the responsibility for financing the project was placed

entirely on ENL; and since it was awarded the Concession Rights in 2017, it has, at its own cost, undertaken various activities in furtherance of the project, including: commissioning of the survey and construction designs (incorporating bridges, culverts and the drainage system) for the 32-kilometre road; clearing and removal of the topsoil from about 30 kilometres of the route; earthworks construction on about five kilometres of the route; laying of asphalt on over two kilometres of the route; blasting of heavy stone and laying of stone base on about one kilometre of the route; installation of streetlights on about two kilometres of the route: and paying compensation to farmers and families for the acquisition of land required for the project,” the statement said.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT WEDNESDAY, 26 MAY 2021

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $67.47 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $67.41 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations .

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

45

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͶ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Dangote: Nigeria to Earn $700m Annually from Sugar Backward Integration Goddy Egene The Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery(DSR) Plc Aliko Dangote, has urged government to faithfully follow through the Backward Integration Policy (BIP) in the sugar industry as the nation stands to rake in foreign exchange up to $700millon yearly from Sugar production self-sufficiency.

Speaking at the 15th annual general meeting (AGM)

in Lagos, yesterday, he said allowing distortions in the sugar masterplan framework could adversely affect the target of the nation attaining self-sufficiency as projected.

According to him, BIP is a commendable policy that will not only reduce imports of raw sugar but save the nations enormous foreign exchange used for importation.

He said: “The BIP in the Sugar industry is going on well

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

if the National Sugar Master Plan is followed strictly and the players all follow the rules, the country will be better for it as Nigeria will save between $600million and $700 million annually as forex.”

He disclosed that the backward integration policy of DSR was recording appreciable progress even as he declared the company’s irrevocable commitment to the policy.

Speaking on the performance

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

of the company, he said that despite the disruptions in the economy occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, DSR recorded an increase in production volume which rose by 13.7 percent to 743,858 tonnes in the financial year ended December 31, 2020, compared to 654,071 tonnes in 2019.

According to him, turnover of N214.3 billion was recorded in 2020, showing a 33per cent increase over the N161.1 billion

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

in 2019.Profit after taxation increased by 33.2 per cent to N26.70 billion as against N22.36 billion in 2019. The board of the company declared a dividend payment of N18.22billion to the shareholders, amounting to 150 kobo per ordinary share of 50k each.According to Dangote, the improvements were attributable to operations optimisation strategy despite disruption caused by civil unrest in last quarter of the year.

O F

“Our growth continued to benefit from the sustained efforts to drive customer base expansion and several trade initiatives and investments.”

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, DSR Plc Mr. Ravindra Singhvi, said the sugar group continued the growth path with commitments to improve performance and generate value for all stakeholders.

2 7 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

46

˾ FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

Friday, May 28, 2021 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Fell 0.1% The dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ůŽƐƚ ϳďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

ϭ͕ϲϴϴ͘ϭϮ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ dŚŝƐ ǁĂƐ ŽŶ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ in GUARANTY (-1.2%), DANGCEM (-2.9%), and ETI (-1.0%).

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϰ͘ϯй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ŽƵƌƐĞ ^ůŝƉƐ &ƵƌƚŚĞƌ͘​͘​͘ ^/ ĚŽǁŶ ϰϵďƉƐ

Price Previous Change Current Price YTD Weighting Change

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

1,688.12

-0.07%

837.00

0.0%

32.2%

74.25

0.0%

11.3%

-4.0%

28.10

-1.2%

8.5%

-13.1%

dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ĞdžĐŚĂŶŐĞ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞůLJ

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 BUA Cement Plc

yesterday, as the All-Share Index fell further by 49bps to

3 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC 4 Zenith Bank PLC

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

5.4x

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

15.0%

68.8%

15.4%

3.6%

-1.7%

-1.7%

10.0%

3.5%

0.6x

5.7%

13.4%

-4.0%

19.1%

11.2%

35.7x

6.7x

2.5%

2.8%

-13.1%

26.6%

4.3%

4.1x

1.0x

10.7%

24.7% 32.4%

2.1%

22.90

0.4%

6.5%

-7.7%

-7.7%

23.1%

2.9%

3.1x

0.7x

13.1%

204.00

-2.9%

5.2%

-16.7%

-16.7%

32.0%

15.5%

11.4x

3.6x

7.8%

8.7%

160.50

0.0%

4.8%

-5.5%

-5.5%

97.1%

11.4%

14.3x

13.0x

5.9%

7.0%

1,384.50

0.0%

3.8%

-8.0%

-8.0%

104.8%

17.8%

28.0x

37.5x

4.4%

3.6%

21.45

4.6%

3.5%

1.9%

1.9%

8.8%

6.2%

10.8x

0.9x

4.7%

9.3%

8.20

0.0%

2.9%

-3.0%

-3.0%

16.4%

1.4%

2.5x

0.4x

9.8%

40.1%

ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ േϵϴ͘ϲďŶ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ

9 Access Bank PLC 10 United Bank for Africa PLC

7.10

0.0%

2.3%

-17.9%

-17.9%

0.3x

7.3%

7.15

0.7%

േϭϵ͘ϴƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ as volume traded rose

11 FBN Holdings Plc 12 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

2.5%

0.0%

0.0%

11.1%

1.1%

3.8x

0.3x

6.3%

58.20

0.3%

2.2%

3.9%

3.9%

4.5%

1.8%

63.1x

2.9x

1.6%

1.6%

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC 14 International Brew eries PLC

46.00

0.0%

2.2%

4.4%

4.4%

20.7%

2.9%

7.0x

1.4x

8.7%

14.3%

5.70

0.0%

1.6%

-4.2%

-4.2%

-15.5%

-3.4%

15 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC 16 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

28.00

0.2%

1.2%

7.7%

7.7%

671.70

0.0%

ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϯϴ͕Ϭϰϰ͘ϱϴ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ in DANGCEM (-2.9%), GUARANTY (-1.2%), and UACN (2.2%). Consequently, YTD loss worsened to -ϱ͘ϱй while

ďLJ ϱ͘ϱй ƚŽ Ϯϭϰ͘Ϯŵ units while value traded fell by 26.4% to േϭ͘ϯďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ ^Ks Z E/E^ (27.2m units), D E &/d (17.2m units), and UACN

;ϭϱ͘ϳŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ GUARANTY

;േϮϮϲ͘ϯŵͿ͕

UACN ;േϭϳϰ͘ϯŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ ZENITH ;േϭϯϰ͘ϮŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

5 Dangote Cement PLC 6 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC 8 Lafarge Africa PLC

17 11 PLC 18 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

219.50

19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 Ecobank Transnational Inc

21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc

ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

23 Sterling Bank PLC 24 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

Across sectors under our coverage, performance was bear-

25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria 26 Presco PLC

ŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ͕ ϭ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŶĚ ϭ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ Kŝů Θ

27 Unilever Nigeria PLC 28 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

Gas and Industrial Goods indices lost 1.1% apiece, following

29 United Capital PLC 30 Guinness Nigeria PLC

price decline in DZ^ (-ϱ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ DANGCEM (-2.9%). The Banking ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ Ϭ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐͲ ƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů-ŽīƐ in GUARANTY (-1.2%), ETI (-0.1%), and t W/ (-ϱ͘ϳйͿ͘ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž gained 0.1% ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ƉƌŝĐĞ ƵƉƟĐŬ ŝŶ ,/W> (+6.4%) and &>KhZD/>> (+0.2%). However, the AFRI-ICT index

1.0x 5.0%

1.8%

67.0%

67.0%

1.6%

0.9%

39.4x

0.5x

6.1%

2.5%

0.8%

-3.7%

-3.7%

7.4%

3.2%

26.9x

2.0x

3.9%

3.7%

96.50

0.0%

0.9%

6.0%

6.0%

24.6%

16.0%

11.7x

2.7x

7.3%

8.5%

2.28

0.4%

0.7%

-9.5%

-9.5%

11.4%

1.1%

2.3x

0.2x

9.7%

44.0%

5.15

-1.0%

0.6%

-14.2%

-14.2%

0.6%

0.0%

68.6x

0.2x

17.15

0.0%

0.6%

-2.6%

-2.6%

25.5%

12.6%

7.0x

1.7x

8.7%

14.2%

2.99

0.0%

0.5%

-10.2%

-10.2%

5.0%

30.8%

1.67

-0.6%

0.3%

-18.1%

-18.1%

9.2%

0.9%

4.1x

0.4x

3.0%

24.2%

14.80

0.0%

0.4%

2.1%

2.1%

18.4%

5.8%

8.6x

3.2x

2.8%

11.7%

0.86

2.4%

0.3%

-4.4%

-4.4%

-1.3%

-0.3%

0.5x

1.1%

-2.5%

78.90

0.0%

0.3%

11.2%

11.2%

17.9%

7.3%

2.5x

2.7%

12.35

0.0%

0.2%

-11.2%

-11.2%

-6.2%

-4.1%

15.0x

1.1x

0.0%

0.2%

0.0%

0.0%

1.4%

0.3%

33.8%

33.8%

35.5%

4.2%

29.00

0.0%

0.3%

52.6%

52.6%

-17.8%

-9.0%

5.85

0.0%

0.2%

0.0%

0.0%

25.0%

7.8%

3.0x

0.7x

1.15

0.0%

0.2%

1.8%

1.8%

20.5%

3.3%

3.2x

0.2x

145.00

0.0%

0.2%

11.5%

11.5%

19.10

0.0%

0.2%

7.3%

7.3%

8.3%

1.1%

8.3x

35 Wema Bank PLC 36 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

0.56

-1.8%

0.1%

-18.8%

0.0%

0.0%

37 Oando PLC 38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd

3.00

0.0%

0.1%

62.50

0.0%

54.00 3.57

39 Beta Glass PLC 40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

1.5%

3.2x

5.30

33 Total Nigeria PLC 34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

-8.2%

0.7x

6.30

31 Custodian and Allied Insurance 32 AIICO Insurance PLC

26.3%

6.7% -5.6%

1.9% 4.8x

1.5x

11.1%

0.9x

20.8% -22.4%

9.4%

33.5% 31.7%

21.9x

4.3%

4.6%

0.6x

2.0%

12.1%

-18.8%

8.0%

0.5%

2.9x

0.4x

7.0%

34.5%

-100.0%

7.4%

0.9%

6.8x

0.7x

4.3%

14.8%

-18.9%

-18.9%

14.5%

2.6%

1.3x

0.2x

77.4%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-28.7%

-7.6%

1.9x

-16.8%

0.0%

0.1%

-2.5%

-2.5%

9.3%

6.4%

0.0%

0.0%

-0.8%

-0.8%

-10.6%

-5.5%

7.8x

0.7x

2.1%

0.6x

12.9% -22.5%

ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a in e r s P ric e

P ric e C hg %

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

M B EN EF IT

0.44

7.3%

SOVR EN IN S

27.2

-10.0%

R EGA LIN S

0.45

7.1%

M B EN EF IT

17.2

7.3%

C UT IX

2.25

7.1%

UA C N

15.7

-2.2%

C H IP LC

0.67

6.3%

T R A N SC OR P

12.5

2.4%

C H A M P ION

2.12

6.0%

ST ER LN B A N K

12.2

-0.6%

21.45

4.6%

UB A

11.0

0.0%

T R A N SC OR P

0.86

2.4%

R OYA LEX

9.4

-6.3%

A R D OVA

15.00

1.7%

A C C ESS

8.9

0.0%

UC A P

6.30

1.4%

GUA R A N T Y

8.0

-1.2%

LIVEST OC K

1.84

1.1%

WEM A B A N K

7.8

-1.8%

T ic k er

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ as measured by market breadth ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϴdž ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϰdž ŝŶ ƚŚĞ last trading session as 16 stocks advanced while 21 declined.

D E &/d

;нϳ͘ϯйͿ͕ Z ' >/E^

(+7.1%)

and

CUTIX (+7.1%) led gainers while ^Ks Z E/E^ (-10.0), dZ E^ (-8.1%) and ACADEMY (-7.7%) led decliners. We

WA P C O

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s

ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ƌĞŐŝŽŶ͘ T ic k er SOVR EN IN S

P ric e 0.27

P ric e C hg % -10.0%

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

GUA R A N T Y

226.3

-1.2% -2.2%

A B CTRA NS

0.34

-8.1%

UA C N

174.3

A C A D EM Y

0.36

-7.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

134.2

0.4%

R OYA LEX

0.74

-6.3%

D A N GC EM

104.1

-2.9%

WA P IC

0.50

-5.7%

N EST LE

86.8

0.0%

N EIM ET H

1.72

-5.5%

UB A

78.1

0.0%

M RS

11.50

-5.0%

A C C ESS

73.0

0.0%

ST A N B IC

45.4

0.0%

M A YB A KER

4.00

-4.8%

P R EST IGE

0.50

-3.8%

NB

38.8

0.3%

-3.6%

WA P C O

38.0

4.6%

J A P A ULGOLD

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

T ic k er

0.54

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

47

FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

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

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

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 26May-2021, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 151.85 153.37 -6.13% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.85% Nigeria International Debt Fund 299.93 299.93 -24.47% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.82 110.82 -1.13% 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 N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A 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 5.16% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.20 3.26 -11.07% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 2.12% Anchoria Equity Fund 126.71 128.15 -4.74% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.04 1.04 -21.63% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 18.80 19.37 3.67% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 411.91 424.33 2.88% ARM Ethical Fund 37.03 38.14 9.84% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.08 1.09 -11.29% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.95 0.96 -14.73% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.43% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 104.28 104.28 2.53% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.94 1.94 -25.61% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.98 2.02 -29.34% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.01 1.01 1.11% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.73% Paramount Equity Fund 15.64 15.92 -2.23% Women's Investment Fund 130.69 132.05 -1.85% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.36% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 114.09 114.84 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 106.54 106.54 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 2.77% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 2.97% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,153.43 1,160.75 -3.70% 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 1,369.54 1,369.54 9.57% FBN Balanced Fund 183.87 184.98 -2.03% FBN Halal Fund 109.52 109.52 5.99% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.75% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 124.85 124.85 3.36% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 150.98 153.09 -0.13% 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 2.92% Legacy Debt Fund 3.94 3.94 1.91% Legacy Equity Fund 1.54 1.57 1.05% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.16 1.16 2.00% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.36 1.38 0.00% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,138.54 1,138.54 3.09% 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 10.62 10.70 1.58% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 5.72% 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 1.63 1.65 7.33% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.39 12.45 2.12% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.66% PACAM Equity Fund 1.57 1.58 -1.02% PACAM EuroBond Fund 110.79 112.37 0.75% 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 129.34 131.67 7.53% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 2.80% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,115.00 3,139.64 -3.14% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 229.61 229.61 2.12% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.17 1.19 0.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 301.05 301.05 2.17% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 214.65 217.32 -1.77% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.37% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,102.11 10,227.51 -3.82% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.25 1.25 2.23% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 113.68 113.68 2.34% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 101.08 101.08 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 1.33 1.35 -2.52% United Capital Bond Fund 1.94 1.94 2.54% United Capital Equity Fund 0.88 0.90 1.81% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.93% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.55 120.55 2.96% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.08 1.09 -0.48% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.05 1.05 4.98% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.11 12.22 2.05% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.58 13.70 11.17% Zenith Income Fund 24.06 24.06 0.36% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.92%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

123.38 51.39

2.19% -1.93%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.22 122.66 95.94

12.32 122.66 97.67

-7.51% 0.76% -3.48%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

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 N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.52

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

48

FRIDAY, ͺ΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

PAGE FORTY-EIGHT JUBILATIONS IN MAIDUGURI AS YAHAYA EMERGES NEW ARMY CHIEF gathered has left several senior officers facing an imminent retirement from service.

Yahaya, a member of the 37th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), succeeded Lt. Gen, Ibrahim Attahiru of Course 35, who died along with 10 other military officers and personnel in a plane crash in Kaduna last Friday.

Sources told THISDAY yesterday that should Yahaya decide to strictly follow military tradition, members of Course 35 and Course 36, who are his senior by date of commission, would have to go.

Investigation revealed that the army's Chief of Policy and Plans, Maj. Gen. Ben Ahanotu, and Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Minna, Maj. Gen. Abubakar Maikobi, who were course mates of the late army chief, are certain to go.

There is also the possibility that some members of Course 36, who are also senior to Yahaya, may be retired.

But sources said that their career could be saved through redeployment to the tri-service section of the military or to the Defence Headquarters, under the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, who is of Course 34.

However, their possible redeployment depends on the decision of the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen Bashir

Salihi Magashi (rtd), who chairs the Armed Forces Council, and Yahaya.

According to military officers, familiar with the tradition of the armed forces, they may also be posted to the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre in Oshodi, Lagos, the Command and Staff College, Jaji and other such military formations.

A top military officer who spoke to THISDAY said: "There are three ways to look at it.

The officers at the same level with the current army chief that has just been appointed can be posted to tri-service institutions with those that are ahead of him.

"The Chief of Defence Staff is in 34th Course. You can get members of the 36 course to go and work there. It does not affect anything. "There is only one member of the 35 Course in the army (Maj. Gen. Ahanotu).

He can go home.

"The ones that you should be worried about are members of the 36 Course but you can take them to head military formations in Jaji, Oshodi; you can bring them to Defence Headquarters or Defence Research and Development Bureau.

"He (new Army Chief) can also decide to retire them. He can retire them; they have spent about 35 years in service. No big deal about that. He can work with his course mates (37). The late army chief worked with his course mates. He was the one that insisted that they should

Yahaya not retire."

On how some of the top contenders were eliminated and the considerations that led to the emergence of the Yahaya, another senior officer, who spoke anonymously, said the elimination of Ahanotu, the second-in-command to the late Attahiru, was hinged on the fact that he was due for retirement.

He was supposed to retire when Attahiru was appointed.

“Maj. Gen. Maikobi, from Kano, is of Course 36; defence minister and chief of naval staff are from Kano. I. M. Yusuf is also of 37. Yusuf has operational experience. The problem Yusuf had is that he is from Yobe State where the IG of Police hails from.

"Farouk Yahaya is from Sokoto and has no contender in that area or any inhibiting factor, no service chief is from there.

“Maj. Gen. M.S. Ahmed was disqualified because he is from Kano where the naval chief and the defence minister are from,"

he stated.

On the number of generals that may be retired, he said: "Only the military secretary can say that because it depends on many factors.

"When Attahiru came on board, the minister of defence insisted that all members of 35 course must go but he pleaded that two of them remain to help him, Ahanotu and the TRADOC commander. From today, the two of them will not bother to come to the office.

"The same thing with the 36 course that is his (Yahaya's) senior may not even remain. The same minister of defence may say that all members of Course 37 should go. He did that in the navy when the present naval chief was appointed. He said that all Course 36 must go so that he should have command and control."

He added: "He can say all members of 37 Course should go; it depends on the decision at the strategic level. The decision will come from the Chairman of Armed Forces Council, who is the Minister of Defence, and who will also decide on how to streamline the army.

"It is not easy to say who will go or not. It's only when you check the seniority role that you can say so - if you check from the first 30, less CDS. “The new army chief is in 37 Course. Even in the 37, he is number 27. If he is no 27 on the seniority roll; let's say 23 are

going from 36. But if you add his course mates more will go.

If you also add the two from 35, you can arrive at 30."

THISDAY further gathered that the expected retirement of the senior officers in the army may also affect their colleagues in the navy and the air force.

"When the present service chiefs were appointed, their course mates in the three services were advised to leave the service and they all left except for those who were moved to the defence headquarters.

"If you ask the opinion of other younger officers, those who are due for retirement should go," the source said.

He described the new army chief as a man known to have the welfare of the army at heart.

"In terms of welfare, duties, he is even better than Buratai.

He does not listen to gossip,” the source added.

Profile of New Army Chief, Yahaya Yahaya was born on January 5, 1966, in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State. A member of the 37 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he started his cadet training on September 27, 1985, and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on September 22, 1990.

Yahaya has held many appointments, including staff, instructional and command.

Notable among the appointments he held are Garrison Commander, Headquarters Guards Brigade, Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Deputy Director, Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, Deputy Director, Army Research and Development and the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Polo Shield.

He also served as the Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO) to the Minister of Defence, the Commander, Headquarters 4 Brigade and 29 Task Force Brigade (Operation Zaman Lafiya). He was also Director, Manpower at the Army Headquarters, Military Secretary, Army Headquarters and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.

The new COAS is a recipient of many honours and awards, including Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Grand Service Star, Passed Staff Course (Dagger), National Defence Course (Chile), Economic Community of West Africa State Monitoring Group Medal, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, General Operations Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal and Golden Jubilee Medal.

He is married with children.

EMEFIELE: N35TN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT NEEDED FOR DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH bank on Economic Policy, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, stated that the theme of the webinar was topical as a critical part of efforts to drive sustainable growth of the economy.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic had exerted unprecedented impacts on the economy, adding that interventions by the monetary and fiscal authorities had led to Nigeria exiting recession with muted growth.

He said: "While this news is positive, growth is still well below our population growth of 2.7 per cent. It is therefore imperative that we all work together to harness the growth potential of the Nigerian economy.

"If we take into account Nigeria's Infrastructure Masterplan, we require close to N35 trillion worth of investment in order to attain double-digit growth. But given the paucity of government revenue, which the BPE director-general mentioned earlier, it will be difficult to support these investments using government funds alone.

"So, finding ways to harness public-private partnerships have become very important and we are happy to acknowledge that these partnerships have started in earnest and the Central Bank of Nigeria looks forward to continuing collaboration with the BPE to harness these partnerships to ensure that we significantly scale up investment in our infrastructure."

In her keynote address, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, said from the 2021/2022 budget cycle, all infrastructure projects in Nigeria must be screened for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) suitability and compliance with the National Integrated Infrastructure Master plan by her ministry and the BPE before inclusion in national budgets and subsequent procurement.

The minister, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), said: “All these efforts are to

ensure that PPP takes a center stage in the procurement of infrastructure in Nigeria."

According to her, the federal government is willing to discuss and incorporate suggestions from stakeholders with a view to strengthening Nigeria’s PPP framework.

She stated that the webinar was an opportunity to hear from participants on the concerns and areas they want the government to address to make investment beneficial and deliver value to the country.

She solicited the support and cooperation of the public and private sectors partners, local and foreign partners, financial institutions and other important key stakeholders towards the successful implementation of the new PPP policy directive.

She added that the present administration is committed to the development of infrastructure through PPP arrangements.

The BPE Director-General, Mr. Alex Okoh, also said in line with its new role in the administration of concession programmes of the federal government, the bureau, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning had developed a PPP project information tool, which has been forwarded to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), to capture all current and proposed infrastructure projects in the country.

“This will help document a pipeline of PPP projects across various sectors of the economy,” he said.

He added that some MDAs have submitted their PPP Project Information Data ahead of the final submission date of May 31.

According to him, the bureau will partner the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF) to screen projects to ensure that only those that are financially as well as economically viable are included in the ‘National Pipeline of PPP Projects’.

He stated that the BPE will also establish a revolving

Project Development Fund (PDF) for PPP transactions, while funds realised from the pool will be used to facilitate the proper structuring of PPP transactions.

He expressed hope that financial institutions will support the initiative to increase the number of viable projects that could be successfully brought to commercial and financial close in the infrastructure space through PPPs.

Emefiele Urges Govs to Make States Economically Viable Also yesterday, Emefiele called on governors to make their states economically viable in order to reduce their dependence on allocations from the Federation Account.

Emefiele, at the inauguration of the Rivers State Cassava Processing Plant in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state, also told reporters that there was no devaluation of the naira, contrary to speculations.

He, however, lamented that notwithstanding the country's position as the largest producer of cassava in the world, it spends over $580 million to import its by-products, adding that the country can no longer afford to support continued importation of items that can be produced locally.

Emefiele said the CBN had set aside N1.5 billion for land clearing and urged the states, particularly those in the southern region, to take advantage of the facility to open up their respective economies.

He also advised the governors to woo private investors to help resuscitate their economies to generate employment through agriculture, adding that this will help the states boost internally generated revenue.

While commending the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for the cassava project, he encouraged other governors to emulate the

gesture to empower the citizens.

He said: "We seize this opportunity to encourage our states, particularly the southern states, that there are facilities available for you to draw to involve in land clearing.

"At least, N1.5 billion is available for land clearing. It may seem small but it's a seed that we can start with.

"We need to see to how we can open up our states for the good of our people and also for the economic viability of out states.

"Please, help to make your states economically viable so you can depend less on revenues from FAAC so that you can grow your economy.

"You can encourage private sector who need these processed materials for their final produce."

On the rumoured devaluation of the naira, he said: "Naira was not devalued, it's just the handiwork of mischief-makers.

"People just go about, do your business. Naira was not devalued, we will continue to do our business and Nigeria will continue to prosper."

However, Emefiele stated that the cassava project is designed to support improved production and processing of the commodity into highquality flour.

According to him, such investments could help drive economic growth, reduce unemployment as well as induce other wealth-creating activities in the state.

He added that it also helps support the CBN’s mandate of promoting economic growth for the country.

The CBN governor expressed delight that the project would improve livelihoods, as well as enhance the sustainability of farming for over 3,000 farmers by guaranteeing the offtake of their farm produce.

He said this guaranteed off-take would encourage participating farmers to improve their output per hectare in order to earn additional income.

He also said the project provided them with a verifiable

platform to access finance from the CBN and other financial institutions through the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) among other benefits.

He said with the ability to process over 45,000 tonnes of cassava, the facility would provide high-quality cassava flour for households, industries and bakeries.

Emefiele added that about N7.43 billion had been accessed by four out of the six states in the South-south region to open up more land for cultivation, create access roads to agricultural lands and provide infrastructure among other support services in the region.

According to him, these measures are helping to induce greater activity in the agricultural sector and are enabling the movement of goods from farm to factories, and to the markets.

Emefiele said the current situation had made it imperative for the central bank to work towards supporting programmes to enable greater cultivation and processing of key agricultural commodities.

He said so far, the apex bank's developmental finance initiatives had been focused on creating an enabling environment to drive both public and private sectors' participation in the real sector with strategic deliverables around price stability, job creation, financial inclusion, import substitution and accretion to foreign reserves, among others.

He added that the bank's interventions seek to improve access to credit for households and businesses, which will enhance productivity and create value across a wide range of economic activities.

Emefiele said so far, the Rivers State Government had accessed over N13 billion from the CBN's various intervention programmes.

He said: "As I said earlier, we have given them over N10 billion which have been fully repaid. And anytime they ask for money because he (Wike)

is a very good debtor, we will always give them the facility.

"You heard him say that around May next year, even a year before he hands over, that he would have no debt.

So he can come and take the money and pay back next year."

On his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, said the country must strive to grow its food despite the current security challenges facing it.

"Obviously, we cannot succumb to our security challenges, we have to eat, we have to farm whether there is security or not and that is absolutely necessary.

"The security matter is not affecting agriculture alone but the entire country, and I think in spite of all the security issues people have been raising, agriculture has been growing in this country even last year.

This season's dry farming will multiply what we have done last year," Nanono told reporters.

TOP GAINERS MBENEIFTS REGENCY CUTIX CHIPLC CHAMPBREW TOP LOSERS SOVETRUST ABCTRANS ACADEMY

NGN NGN 0.03 0.44 0.03 0.45 0.15 2.25 0.04 0.67 0.12 2.12 NGN 0.03 0.27 0.03 0.34 0.03 0.36 ROYALEXCH 0.05 0.74 CORONATION 0.03 0.50 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,420.00 Volume: 214.17 million shares Value: N1.34 billion Deals: 3,565 As at yesterday 27/5/2021 See details on Page 45

% 7.3 7.1 7.1 6.3 6.0 % 10 8.1 7.8 6.3 5.6

49

FRIDAY, ͺ΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Constitution Review, an Exercise in Futility, Says Afenifere South-south, Ohanaeze seek power devolution, state police Christopher Isiguzo, Gideon Arinze in Enugu and James Sowole in Akure The apex Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, yesterday described the ongoing process of amending the 1999 Constitution as an exercise in futility.

However, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Southsouth geopolitical zone and others demanded devolution of powers, fiscal federalism and state police in the new constitution.

Reacting to the decision of the group not to submit a memorandum to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said amending the constitution would not achieve any result.

He said: "Afenifere advocates fundamental restructuring of Nigeria for the reinvention of a federal constitution as the agreed principles of governing Nigeria and its diverse ethnic

nationalities by our founding fathers, which will ultimately replace the imposed 1999 unitary constitution.

"Amending the constitution is an exercise in futility and a waste of time and public fund.

"We cannot claim to be a federal republic and be governed by a unitary constitution.

We cannot claim to be in a democracy and be governed by a constitution that does not emanate from the people.

"Amendment will not cure the anomalies. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.

"Every session of the two arms of the National Assembly, since 2007, has embarked on the same jamboree of a constitutional amendment, spending public funds on public hearings, without any result.

"The National Assembly is part of the issue to be determined in the process of restructuring and cannot legitimately be the judge in such exercise.

"This is evident from the

condemnation of the declarations of the Southern governors in support of restructuring by both the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives, while the committees, as agents of the National Assembly, were gallivanting around the country.

From nothing, nothing comes.

Ex nihilo nihil fit."

However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday demanded internal autonomy based on a restructured Nigeria in the proposed new constitution.

The organisation’s President General, Ambassador George Obiozor, spoke yesterday on the second day of the South-east zonal public hearing of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He stated that true federalism must be clearly defined reflecting decentralisation and devolution of power among the federating units.

He said it had become imperative for every part of the country to be given equal

treatment in order to effectively address the issue of neglect and marginalisation of some sections of the country.

According to him, when true federalism is entrenched, it will be difficult for federating units to continue their lamentations.

The South-south geopolitical zone also demanded decentralisation of power, resource control and creation of additional states in the region.

Many stakeholders from various ethnic nationalities and organisations, including the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Ikwerre People’s Congress (IPC), trooped to the Port Harcourt venue of the programme yesterday to submit their memoranda.

The host Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who declared the hearing open, emphasised the need for the amendments to produce a people’s constitution that would guarantee devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, creation of state police and strengthening of the electoral

system.

He said the amendments must allow the states to create and sustain local government councils and ensure the reduction of the cost of governance at both federal and state levels.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Ipalibo Banigo, said a better constitution could only be possible if the ongoing exercise was approached and carried out with sincerity of purpose.

Wike said: “Although this is the third time the National Assembly is embarking on this exercise without successfully producing a constitution that will satisfy the generally of Nigerians, the Rivers State Government nevertheless welcomes the exercise.

“A better constitution can only be possible if the exercise is approached and carried out with sincerity of purpose and the commitment to correct the fundamental challenges that have caused deep cracks to the foundation of our country

and threatening to tear our dear nation into pieces.

“It is only the blind that may not see that Nigeria is headed for a dangerous precipice unless something drastic and urgent is done to correct the identified flaws in our constitution and the nature of the federal system that has been foisted on this country."

Presenting the state’s position, the Attorney-General of Rivers State and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, condemned what he described as centre-dominated federalism practised in the country.

He called for the transfer of many matters on the exclusive list to the concurrent list.

Stakeholders at the Sokoto Zonal centre also advocated state police and devolution of power.

According to the subcommittee chairman, Senator Adamu Aliero, a total of 58 memoranda were received yesterday from stakeholders from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

Labour Threatens Strike without Notice over Kaduna Dispute, Fuel Price Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday served notice that it would embark on a nationwide strike without notice if the Kaduna State Government remained adamant and recalcitrant or refused to halt the sacking of workers.

It also threatened to withdraw services of workers in Nigeria without any further notice should the federal government decide to increase the price of refined petroleum products, especially petrol.

In a communiqué issued yesterday following its virtual

National Executive Council (NEC) held on Tuesday, NLC said it considered issues arising from the industrial crisis in Kaduna State and resolved to continue to keep its doors open for dialogue and amicable resolution of the industrial crisis.

The communiqué, jointly signed by the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and Acting General-Secretary, Mr. Ishmail Bello, however, said the NEC meeting resolved that "in case the Kaduna State Government remained adamant and recalcitrant or continues to pursue the path of war, threat and punitive actions against

workers and their interests, that it had given the National Administrative Council (NAC) the power to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Kaduna State and also call for the withdrawal of services of all workers in Nigeria without any further notice."

On the proposal by the Nigeria Governors' Forum to the National Economic Council (NEC) to increase the price of fuel, NLC said it had resolved to respond with an immediate declaration of a nationwide strike in the event of further, increase in fuel price by the government.

Governors had endorsed the

report of the el-Rufai Committee set up by the NEC, which recommended N280 per litre as the price of petrol as against the current N162 and N165 per litre.

But NLC said its NEC meeting had resolved "that any the decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined petroleum products, especially petrol will attract an immediate withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country without any further notice.

"The NEC reiterated that it still stands solidly by its decision taken at its meeting which took

place on 17th February 2021 to reject further increases in the price of refined petroleum products, particularly petrol.

"The NEC also re-echoed its decision that the only sustainable way out of the crisis of fuel importation and associated dislocations in the downstream petroleum sub-sector is for the government to rehabilitate all four public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones."

It added that the NEC resolved to write officially to the federal government conveying the plight of Nigerian workers, the concerns of congress and the resolutions of the NEC on the

matter of fresh proposals for an increase in the pump price of fuel, especially as informed by the stance of the Nigeria Governors' Forum.

With regard to the review of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, NLC urged the National Assembly to retain labour administration, national minimum wage, pension and industrial relations on the exclusive legislative list of the constitution.

The meeting also resolved to mobilise workers at all the zonal public hearings to lend weight to the demands and aspirations of workers in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.

with a total of 3, 700 policemen drawn from our various units, including the Police Mobile Force, the Strike Force, CounterTerrorism, Special Protection Unit, etc. These commands were reinforced with this personnel with specific instructions with an operation order targeted at stabilising the incessant attacks on police facilities.

“The first operation in the South-east was launched on 18th May in Enugu and we clearly stated our mission and vision.

All the states in that zone were in Enugu. We also had meetings with stakeholders to look at the non-kinetic way of addressing the issue. We also advised them that whatever agitation they have, could be done peacefully without targeting the police or other security agents.

“We did the same thing in the South-south and all the states in the zone actively participated. I assured them that since the time we launched these operations, we have had a recipe of policemen coming to defend themselves and repel most of these attacks.

We had successful repels and arrests as well as recoveries in great numbers."

According to him, a total of 1,166 high-profile suspects have been arrested and weapons and arms recovered in the two zones in less than two months He said: “For record purposes,

following the launch of Operation Restore Peace, we have so far recovered the following weapons and arms from secessionists and insurgents: one general-purpose machine gun, 10 AK-47 rifles, nine locally fabricated rifles, four locally fabricated pistols, 19 AK-47 magazines, 5,419 live ammunition with 10 improvised explosive devices.

“In terms of arrests, we have 398 armed robbery suspects, 258 cult-related offenders, 222 murder suspects, 202 bandit-related suspects and 86 suspects involved in cases of kidnapping. Four hundred and thirty-four firearms of various descriptions were also recovered.

These statistics are from April 7 till date.”

The IG stated that after analysing the security situation in the six geo-political zones of the country, he realised that the morale of police personnel was dampened due to the EndSARS protests, which led to the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) last year.

He said he had to move fast to boost their morale upon assumption of office last month.

“The security situation in the country has been significantly stabilised from time to time, but you see occasional disruptions coming from these zones, in the form of either attack on police

personnel or facilities or even all law enforcement agencies, including the military.

“Therefore, we decided to rejig the morale of our personnel, which had been a little bit dampened since the EndSARS came and went away. With the proscription of SARS, we have been able to marshal up the courage of our personnel who have been involved in handling violent crimes and post them for anti-robbery patrols and the investigation of violent crimes, which include robbery, kidnapping, cultism and banditry among others,” he said.

Responding to a question on the recent attack on Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, the IG said those involved had been arrested.

“We’ve been able to uncover the assailants and we've been able to establish what actually happened contrary to what he said, and we've been able to get these people and know where they came from; how they came. But the case is still under investigation and that is why…there are some vital things that we have not been able to complete.

“But as for those who would pull the trigger and those who organised the crime, they are with us; they have been arrested,” he added.

IG: AGITATION FOR STATE POLICE UNNECESSARY nationwide, already existed in different forms in many states of the federation.

He also said the police commands in both the South-east and the South-south had been reinforced with the posting of additional 3,700 officers and men there since the establishment of Operation Restore Peace in the area in April. He added that the new security strategy has resulted in the arrest of 1,166 high-profile suspects.

Alkali wondered what the demand was all about again when most states already run structures regarded as their own local police.

Apart from the local police structures, like the various vigilante groups supported by state governments, he stated that the police supported states in preventing and fighting crimes by training more than 70,000 citizens nationwide.

He, however, said the National Assembly was in a better position to look into the demand for state police.

He said: “State policing is an issue. I remember, as far back as 1998, I think I had a project in one of our courses, writing on the desirability of state policing and the issue has been reoccurring, but now I think it is more.

“If you look at it technically, I doubt if there is any state that does not have state police even

now. What do I mean? There are creations that are done by state governments to assist law enforcement agencies in trying to maintain law and order, or enforce regulations or laws that are created by state governments.

“We have vigilante everywhere in this country. We have various types of organisations that have been created by state governments to assist in policing.

Some of them had even House of Assembly laws that guide their operations.

“The space is open to everybody. We even always say policing is not a matter of the Nigerian police or the Nigerian law enforcement agents; everybody can be involved in policing.

“But I want to know the shape that the advocates of state police want it to take and it is an issue that is left for lawmakers and the government.

“We are ready to work with anybody. We are ready to collaborate and synergise with anybody to make sure that Nigerian citizens enjoy the best of protection.

“If you look at it, the community policing aspect, we have trained over 70,000 Nigerians from all states of the federation to assist in crime prevention and control.

“In fact, we have even gone to the extent of using the Police Act

to kit them with police uniform that will give them identification as a spy. That is to say, all those who are trained are to go back and assist in policing within their own locality. You have policing capability and powers ends within your community and it is the community that we suggest who and who will be involved in such a business and we are working with them.

“State governments or state governors are chief security officers of their states. As far as I'm concerned, they are and remain one and my commissioners of police are ready to take all local instructions from them.

“As for agitation, it is there but everybody is already involved in creating one agency or the other to complement the efforts of the Nigerian security agencies.

The National Assembly can look into the agitation which is their own responsibility.”

Alkali also said the new strategy launched by the police in the South, tagged “Operation Restore Peace” was aimed at restoring law and order in the affected areas.

He added: “We decided to launch an operation, which is tagged ‘Operation Restore Peace,’ and we targeted the South-east and South-south for the first phase of the operation.

We reinforced these two zones

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NEWS

Two Police Officers, Nasarawa Gov’s Aide, Others Arrested for Vandalising Railway Facilities Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Special Adviser to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, on Infrastructure, Yusuf Abubakar Musa, has been arrested by the state

Police Command for allegedly vandalising Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) facilities.

Others arrested include two police officers and one operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among

Malami Denies Receiving N2bn Recovered Loots Alex Enumah in Abuja The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, yesterday denied receiving the sum of N2 billion from recovered stolen funds.

Malami in a statement challenged those alleging that his office received the said sum to come forward with whatever evidence they have to prove their allegations.

In the statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Gwandu, the minister recalled that Nigeria, prior to the repatriation of all the recovered assets signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with other foreign governments on what the monies would

be used for, adding that the government has been working in compliance with all the provisions of multi-national agreements reached.

“It was on the basis of the application of the said funds in line with the agreements that Nigeria earns reputation among international committee of nations which translated into further recoveries”, the statement read in part.

The AGF further pointed out that the federal government has a designated account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where all recovered assets are kept.

While claiming that he neither as a person nor as the AGF, received any funds from the recovered assets, Malami challenge any person who has any evidence of such payments to come out publicly with proofs.

others.

The state Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, yesterday paraded the arrested Special Adviser alongside 16 other suspected vandals at the state command headquarters in Lafia.

This was even as the police command equally paraded eight suspected armed robbers, 37 kidnapers, and recovered five live ammunition, 12 motorcycles, three vehicles and N760,000 from the suspects during the operations.

Longe gave details of the other suspected vandals to include Mohammed Isiaka, former supervisory councilor on Education in Nasarawa Eggon

LGA; Mr. Marta Thai; a Chinese national and manager of Young Xing Steel Company, Abuja (receiver); and Jacob Terlumun Emmanuel, the procurement officer of the Chinese company.

Others arrested, according to him, were “Samuel Shagbaor, a staff of the NRC and the principal technical officer covering Agyaragu, Lafia and its suburbs; Umaru Dauda and Abubakar Nuhu, owners of the trailer who offered N160, 000 bribe to secure the release of the trailer; Nathaniel Oba, principal partner, Nathoba and co, a law chamber in Benin-city, Edo State, who is the legal adviser to Yong Xing Steel Company Nigeria

Limited, who offered N600,000 to bribe the investigating team of the Police Anti-kidnapping Unit to secure the release of his client.”

However, the state police commissioner gave names of the suspects arrested at the crime scenes to include Samuel Asoloko, a personnel of the Nigerian Legion; Inspector Richard Joseph, who is attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia; Sergeant Mali Peter, attached to SCID, Lafia, and Ibrahim Amegwa Usman, a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to

the Arm Squad, Command Headquarters in Lafia.

Longe gave details of exhibits recovered from the suspects to include one Falker Mercedes Benz truck with registration number LFA 636 ZX loaded with vandalised rail tracks/ slippers; one DAF truck with registration number T-1726 LA trailer loaded with vandalised rail tracks/slippers.

Others are N160,000 offered as bribe to secure the release of the vehicle; two white Peugeot J5 buses, one of which was laden with vandalised rail tracks with registration number XU 790 ENU and QAP 654 XA respectively.

Lagos to Close Eko Bridge for 10 Weeks

TWELVE HEARTY CHEERS…

Lagos State Government has announced that the Eko Bridge from Costain to Alaka in bound National Stadium will be partially closed for 10 weeks for emergency repairs by federal government.

The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, who made this known in a press statement, said the closure will take place from June 4 to August 13.

Oladeinde explained that the repair was necessary to complete the rehabilitation works at the opposite side of the bridge earlier embarked upon by the Federal Government, hence the need for a notice of routes diversion.

He said pending the commencement of the rehabilitation works, alternative

FG Not Doing Enough to Protect Lives, Says AI

routes have been made available for the awareness of motorists, to manage traffic during the period of repairs.

Part of the statement read, “Traffic from Apongbon to Alaka, Stadium, Inner Surulere or Ikorodu Road will be diverted to Eko Bridge to access Costain Roundabout to Iponri through Alaka and Funso Williams Avenue.

“Similarly, motorists from Eko bridge will have to navigate their desired destinations through Costain Roundabout to Abebe Village( by Nigerian Breweries Plc) through Eric Moore to Bode Thomas to Adeniran Ogunsanya, to access Shitta Roundabout by Stadium under the bridge to Funso Williams Avenue to Dorman-Long Bridge and Fadeyi-Ikorodu Road.

Military Releases Malian Civilian Leaders after Jonathan’s Mediation Leaders of Mali’s military have released Interim President, Mr. Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister, Mr. Moctar Ouane from detention following intervention of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the mediator of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Mali.

The former President had travelled to Bamako, the capital of Mali on Tuesday to meet with the military leaders and other stakeholders after the sudden turn of events in the transition process that led to the detention of the two leaders by the military under the control of the Vice President, Colonel Assimi Goita.

The mediator and his team had on Wednesday obtained the commitment of the military

leaders to release Ndaw and Ouane, after visiting them at Kati Barracks, near Bamako where they were being held, to ascertain their health condition.

Before visiting the President and the Prime Minister in detention Jonathan had met with Goita where he demanded their unconditional release.

He also urged the authorities to maintain peace and stability which, according to him, were key to the conduct of the transitional process.

The release of Ndaw and Ouane early yesterday morning came three days after they were detained and stripped of their powers, barely nine months after they were appointed to lead the transition government.

L-R: Independent Director, Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, Chief Raymond Ihyembe; Company Secretary, Ms. Amaka Obiora; Chairman, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola; and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Olabode Makanjuola, at the 12thAnnual General Meeting of the company in Lagos …yesterday ETOP UKUTT

Davidson Iriekpen Global watchdog, Amnesty International, has accused the federal government of not doing enough to protect lives and property in the country.

It said the alarming escalation of attacks, abductions for ransom and frequent killings across the country which have left people feeling more unsafe, show utter failure of the government to protect lives and property.

A statement signed by its Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho,

to mark the global watchdog’s 60th anniversary, it said incessant killings and the failure of the authorities to end them and bring suspected perpetrators to justice have continued to be a threat to the right to life in the country.

“Incessant killings and the stunning failure of the authorities to end them and bring suspected perpetrators to justice have been and continues to be a threat to the right to life in Nigeria. From the days of military’s heavy-handed rule to the years of civil rule and up to today violation of human rights

by both state actors and abuses by non-state actors continue to be matters of concern,” Ojigho said.

Amnesty International which said it started working on Nigeria on June 1, 1967 with an intervention on the Nigerian civil war which ended in 1970 and when the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, was declared a prisoner of conscience, added that not much has changed about human rights in Nigeria since then.

It noted that “the concerns remain flagrant disregard for human rights, failure of authorities

to protect the people, threats to human rights including the right to freedom of expression, suppression of dissenting voices and lack of accountability.”

According to Ojigho, “While facing violations or policies that undermine people’s rights, Nigerians always resort to protest – and other peaceful means of seeking change. But violent clampdown on protests remains a major area of human rights violation. Protest is not a crime and Nigerians must be able to assemble peacefully and express themselves without fear.

Sanwo-Olu Renders Account of Two Years’ Stewardship FunmiOgundare Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday rendered account of stewardship of his administration in the last two years, saying that his administration has delivered on the THEMES developmental agenda as promised the electorate.

He said the totality of his administration’s efforts was geared towards ensuring a safe and secure society, where youth employment

is guaranteed.

Speaking at the “2021 State of the State Address” held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, which was attended by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, members of his cabinet, traditional rulers, political gladiators, captains of industries and media executives, Sanwo-Olu said the Greater Lagos collectively envisioned by Lagosians is closer now than ever before.

“We are exceedingly happy with the progress we have made in the last two years. Our accomplishments

have placed us at a vantage position from where we can now catch a Glimpse of the Greater Lagos we envisioned together.

“As a government, we have consistently matched our word with action and worked tirelessly to transform into reality our shared aspiration of making Lagos one of the most functional and habitable cities in the world. We can do it; we will do it. We have laid a very solid foundation for the transformation of our State

through strategic interventions and meaningful executions beyond this period,” he said.

The Governor said his administration is working tirelessly to deliver the Fourth Mainland Bridge, Imota Rice mill, Integrated Mass Transit System, which includes the blue and red line rail projects, water transportation, Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) as well as other infrastructure to Lagosians within next two years.

Sokoto Records 411 Rape Cases in One Year The Sokoto State Government yesterday said the state has recorded 411 cases of rape in one year.

The state Commissioner of Women and Children Affairs, Hajia Kulu Sifawa, disclosed this at the Women Development Centre in Sokoto during the celebration of this year’s Children Day. Sifawa explained that the

state government has done enough for children in the state by domesticating Child Rights to cater for Child Rights abuses.

According to her, the ministry in collaboration with civil society organisation and non-governmental organisation would do everything possible to make sure that the victims of rape and defilement get justice.

She proffered stiffer penalty

for rapist, stressing that the increasing rate of rape cases in country could be blamed on moral decadence.

The commissioner, therefore, enjoined parents to rise up to their responsibility and inculcate good moral and values in their children.

In her remark on a girl, Joy Emmanuel, who was confined in a cage for eight months by her

aunty, the commissioner said the state government would cater for her medical bill and welfare, and would ensure that the aunty faces the full wrath of law.

In another development, the wife of the state Governor, Mariya Tambuwal, celebrated this year Children’s Day with the pupils of Abdulrasheed Raji School at Skyland amusement park in Sokoto.

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NEWSEXTRA

Nwodo Demands Creation of Adada State Aba State Movement leans on Ohanaeze for state creation

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo yesterday drew the attention of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review to the age-long demand

for the creation of Adada State in the South-east.

The Aba State Movement has also disclosed that it would lean on Ohanaeze Committee on State Creation on its request for the creation of Aba State.

This is coming as the Rivers

Niger, Yobe Govs Mourn Kebbi Boat Accident Victims Laleye Dipo in Minna Yobe State Governor and Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, and his counterpart in Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, have commiserated with the government and people of Kebbi State over the unfortunate boat mishap which claimed several lives.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Director General, Press and Media Affairs, Mr. Mamman Mohammed, the Yobe State governor described as devastating the death of the young enterprising persons who died while pursuing their legal means of livelihood.

“It is with sadness but with total submission to the will of Allah, that we lost these hardworking Nigerians.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Yobe state, l condole with the government and people of Kebbi State over this very sad and monumental loss.”

Niger State Governor, Bello in a condolence message expressed concern over the tragedy, saying “the situation is worrisome and pathetic”.

Bello sympathised with the families, relatives and close associates of the those who died in the mishap and urged them to keep faith alive and accept it as an act of God . “ I sympathise with the relations of the victims of the boat that capsized; please take solace in the fact that Allah gives and takes and knows why He permits it to happen,” the governor said in the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje.

State governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike has also called for the creation of additional state in the South-east geopolitical zone, stressing that there is no way the South-east should continue to have only five states.

According to Nwodo who spoke in Enugu venue of the public hearing on Constitution Review, the South-east has long been marginalised in the distribution of state entities and as such, the creation of an additional state would help give the people a sense of belonging.

He noted that the demand for the creation of Adada State has come a long way, recalling

how legislators in the South-east met in 2006 in Imo State where they threw their weight behind the need for the creation of an additional state to be known as Adada.

Responding, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is the chairman, Senate subCommittee on constitutional review, said that no other state in the South-east had made a request for the creation of another state and that shows that the demand for Adada State is the collective resolve of all citizens in the zone.

Wike, while earlier receiving members of the Committee

in a courtesy call at the Government House, Port Harcourt, also called for the creation of additional state in the South-east to correct the current imbalance in the six geopolitical zones.

He said: “There is no way the Southeast should continue to have only five states. It is very unfair. Since other regions have six states, Southeast should be made to have six states.”

Meanwhile, the Aba State Movement has disclosed that the Ohanaeze Committee on State Creation had recommended the creation of Aba State in the report it submitted to South

East Governors Forum more than two years ago.

The leader of the movement, Mr. Emmanuel Adaelu, said in a statement yesterday that: “The report is another pillar that supports our request.

“The Committee considered the merit for the creation of Aba and Adada States, respectively, resolved and recommended for the creation of Aba State, with 12 members supporting, and five abstaining. The Committee also recommended that any other state creation exercise in the South-east should give Adada State priority,” Adaelu explained.

Caverton’s Assets Hits N67.5bn as Makanjuola Re-emerges Chairman Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, in a consensus decision by shareholders of the company, has reappointed Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola as its chairman at its 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos yesterday.

Besides Makanjuola, two other directors, Bashiru Bakare and Mallam Bello Gwandu, were brought back to serve on the board of the company for another tenure.

Also, PriceWaterHouseCoopers was appointed as new external auditor for the company. The new auditor will replace Ernst and Young (EY), which retired as the company’s Auditor at the

AGM. Meanwhile, shareholders of the company, who were represented by leaders of five shareholders’ groups, praised the board and management of Caverton for offering them 10kobo per share dividend for the financial year, which ended on December 31, 2020. According to them, the robust dividend policy of the company had made that possible.

A shareholder, Chief Sunny Nwosu, said the company has a future going by the magnitude of investment it is doing at the airports, adding that: “Shareholders appreciate what you are doing, meanwhile

we need more dividends.”

The National Chairman, Progressives Shareholders Association, Mr. Boniface Okezie, also commended the company for the dividend, noting that: “This is not too bad a result and dividend considering the impact of COVID-19 on the industry in 2020.”

The Chairman, Dynamics Shareholders Association, Mr. Alex Adio, also commended the company for its robust dividend policy.

Responding to accolades from shareholders, Makanjuola explained that the board offered to pay 10kobo per 50k ordinary share against the advice of the

internal auditors for it to pay 5kobo and retain the remaining cash to grow the company.

“In view of our policy to grow shareholders’ value and returns despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the group’s overall performance, the board of directors of your company is pleased to recommend for your approval of a dividend of 10k per 50k ordinary share in respect of the 2020 financial year,” he said.

Makanjuola, however, acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry and particularly on the financial performance of Caverton Plc.

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FG Releases New List of Violators of COVID-19 Guidelines Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The federal government has released another list of 132 Nigerian travellers wanted for breaching the Health Protection Regulations 2021 in relation to the COVID-19 protocol.

The Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, who also doubles as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation

(SGF) , Mr. Boss Mustapha, released the name of the defaulters late yesterday in a statement.

This brings to 222 the total number of international travellers declared as persons of interest by the federal government since the first list was announced on May 23.

PSC said all the latest violators arrived in Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He said the defaulters were declared Persons of Interest (POI) because they constituted considerable danger to the overall public health by evading the mandatory seven-day quarantine for persons arriving from restricted countries- Brazil,

India and Turkey.

According to him, these precautionary measures were a necessary step to mitigate the risk of importation of variants of covid-19 and break the chain of transmission to the population.

“Under the new measures,

passengers arriving from/or that have visited any of these three countries within 14 days prior to the visit to Nigeria, are required to follow mandatory arrival quarantine and testing protocols in designated facilities.

“The PSC, has, however,

observed that while most of the arriving passengers dutifully observed the guidelines, some (Nigerians and foreigners) have violated them in contravention of the provisions of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Regulations Protection, 2021,” he said.

Saraki Kicks as Kwara Panel Urges AbdulRazaq to Prosecute ex-Govs Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A former Kwara State governor and immediate past President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has dismissed the report of a committee set up by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to investigate sales of Kwara State’s assets, which recommended the prosecution of Saraki and former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, as well as other former government officials.

The committee’s white paper accused the ex-governors and other government officials of economic sabotage against the state through sales of public assets to cronies at give-away prices.

But Saraki has dismissed the panel’s recommendations, saying neither him nor his successor was invited by the panel to give evidence.

Saraki, in a statement from his Media Office, which was

signed by Press Officer on Local Matters, Mr. Abdulqadir Abdulganiyu said neither him, who left the office 10 years ago nor Ahmed, the immediate past governor got an invite to appear before any investigative and fact-finding panel set up by the Abdulrazaq’s administration.

“Thus, it is clear that the so-called investigation being conducted is not about finding facts. It is about throwing mud and staining the predecessor of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in office,” he said.

Saraki insisted that him and Ahmed would never be shy of giving account of how they managed the assets of Kwara State.

The statement noted that both men took decisions concerning those assets in a manner that would enhance their value and stimulate economic activities in the state, which was hitherto referred to as a civil service state.

Berekete: NBC Suspends Licence of Radio Station The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended the license of Human Rights Radio for recurring unprofessional conduct.

This was announced in a statement issued yesterday after the NBC met with the owner, Mr. Ahmed Isah, who is also the host of Berekete Family Show, a programme on the radio station.

Isah, who had been caught in a BBC documentary assaulting an interviewee, was at the meeting granted the opportunity to explain the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident at his radio station.

In a statement issued yesterday, NBC said it reviewed the events and noted the

unreserved apologies and regrets expressed by the broadcaster.

“The Commission states, however, that the action of the broadcaster is in clear violations of the Broadcasting Code and a betrayal of the confidence reposed on him by the people and Government of Nigeria on whose behalf he holds the radio license in trust.

“Section 0.1.1.2.1 of the Broadcasting Code provides in the Social Objectives of Broadcasting that Broadcasting shall – ‘promote generally accepted social values and norms, especially civic and social responsibilities; and encourage respect for the dignity of man’.

NEMA: 7,000 People Affected

by Attacks in Two Sokoto LGs KasimSumainainAbuja The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that about 7, 000 persons have been affected by the recent bandit attacks in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

A statement that was issued yesterday by Head Media and Public Relations of NEMA, Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, noted that a joint assessment carried out by staff of NEMA and Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), established that about 6,200 of the affected persons are currently living in camps and host communities at Sabon Birni Primary School and Isa town in Sokoto State, as well as neighbouring Shinkafi town

in Zamfara State.

The Head of NEMA’s Sokoto Operations Office, Mr. Aliyu Shehu Kafindangi, who led the assessment team on behalf of the Director General of NEMA, Air Vice Marshal Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd), sympathised with the affected persons and assured them of necessary relief support.

The NEMA said that many communities in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State were affected by several incidents of the alleged bandit attacks, which resulted in the loss of lives, injury, property damages including houses, livestock and displacement of the people from their homes forcing them to flee to other neighbouring communities.

DISCUSSING AGRICULTURE …

Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele (left), and Rivers state Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, at the inauguration ceremony of Rivers State Cassava Processing Plant in Oyigbo, Rivers State …yesterday

Don’t Bring Sharia to South-west, PFN Warns Senate Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has warned against moves by some groups to introduce Sharia law to the South-west region through the on-going constitutional review being carried out by the Senate.

The PFN also called on the Senate not to succumb to such agitation that could plunge the country into major religious crisis.

A statement that was issued yesterday by the media office

of the PFN President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, and made available to THISDAY, urged the lawmakers to direct their energies towards solving the mounting problems bedeviling the country most especially as its concerns the security of lives and property of the populace.

The statement warned that “problems confronting our nation are enormous than wanting to create more. Sharia law is alien to our culture of religious existence in the South-west. As such, nobody

should through any subterfuge bring it in so as to cause crisis.”

It said that the introduction of Sharia law into the Southwest could only pitch the Christians against their Muslim counterparts.

The release reads in part: “We want to strongly warn the Senate and those behind this plan to unsettle the peace being enjoyed in this country to desist before it’s too late.

Don’t instigate religious crisis in the South-west as this could further threaten the fragile peace of the country.

“The secularity of our existence, which is devoid of any religious upheaval, should not be tampered with under whatever guise.

We shall resist this by every legal means at our disposal.

Without the Sharia, we have always lived peacefully with our Muslim brothers. We know that this is the handiwork of those who are hell bent in unsettling our country at all cost. But the good news is that they have failed. As far as we are concerned, the proposal won’t fly and can never fly.

Oyo Community Petitions Makinde over Chieftaincy Crisis

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Kingmakers, members of the two ruling houses of Emiolu and Oshunbiyi, as well as prominent indigenes of Iresa-Adu in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State have petitioned the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, to intervene in the chieftaincy crisis rocking the ancient town.

They urged the governor to stop Prince Adeyeye Oyerinde from parading himself as the Aresa-adu.

In the petition dated May 19, 2021, titled: ‘The Aresa-adu of Iresa-adu chieftaincy and the position of the two ruling houses, the chiefs and the kingmakers of Iresa-adu and all indigenes of the towns against the fraud of being perpetuated by Prince Adeyeye Oyerinde, and the threat to peace of the town’, which was made available to THISDAY yesterday, they said none of the two ruling houses forwarded the name of any candidate to the kingmakers as

required by the chieftaincy laws of the state and the Aresa-adu of Iresa-adu chieftaincy declaration.

They disclosed that the Emiolu ruling house went to court to challenge the letter issued by Surulere LGA to the Oshunbiyi ruling house, where Prince Oyerinde came from, asking them to produce a candidate to fill the vacant throne of Aresa-adu, and in the process obtained an injunction restraining members of Oshunbiyi ruling house, the local and state

governments from going ahead with process of nominating and installing any person from Oshunbiyi ruling house pending the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction.

According to them, while every member of the two ruling houses abides by the injunction and awaits the decision of the court, Prince Oyerinde has refused to do this despite the fact that the injunction is still extant.

PDP Alleges Plot to Attack Members in Ebonyi Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lamented the alleged harassment, intimidation and unfounded criminal allegations against its members and stakeholders in the Ebonyi State chapter of the party.

Addressing a pressing conference in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said during a recent

courtesy call on the state Governor, Dave Umahi, in Abakaliki by the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Zone 9, Mr. Okon, “the governor openly and without any investigation, criminally accused prominent leaders of our party, including Senetor Anyim Pius Anyim, Senator Sam Egwu, Chief Ali Odefa, Hon. Linus Okorie among others as sponsors of banditry and violence in the state.”

He further stated that it is

already a common knowledge that agents of the Umahi-led administration “had gathered known cultists and thugs, and armed them with dangerous weapons, including pump action riffles, to be unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens, particularly members of the opposition party.”

According to the PDP, “These agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ebonyi State have also resorted

to using the thugs to disrupt the meetings of our party as well as foist a reign of terror in the state, even as thugs have taken over the streets and openly extort money from helpless motorists.

“Recently, the PDP member, Amos Ogbonnaya, who refused to join Umahi in APC was abducted and later released with life-threatening injuries after public outcry, and he is still in the intensive care unit of a hospital.”

Triller Celebrates ‘Africa Month’ with Creativity Challenge Peter Uzoho

Triller, an AI-powered music video app and talent discovery platform, has launched a creative challenge to celebrate Africa Month with a call on users to join the #ILoveAfricaBecause challenge on Triller and share their unique African stories.

Triller app allows users to create and share short-form

videos, including videos set to, or automatically synchronised to music using artificial intelligence technology.

To make the day more memorable and exciting, Triller also called on users to create and upload videos tagged #ILoveAfricaBecause to showcase everything they love about the beautiful African continent, from its richly diverse cultures to its

delicious cuisines, distinctive music and amazing people.

Making the call in a statement, the Africa Strategic Partnership Director, Triller, Joel Houenou, urged users to “Show the world who you are and what you love about Africa.

“Show us what’s close to your heart about the vibrant street and dance scenes in your part of the world, about the art that

catches your eye, about your home city, about your best getaway spot, or about some of the natural beauty in your country.”

Speaking on why the Africa Month celebration and the #ILoveAfricaBecause challenge was dear to the company, Houenou noted that Triller revels in and celebrates diversity and creativity.

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ICAN, ANAN Clash at Public Hearing on Forensics and Fraud Examiners Bill Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Association of National Accountant of Nigeria (ANAN) yesterday in Abuja clashed at the public hearing of a bill to establish Chartered Institute for Forensic and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN).

While ICAN insisted that the objectives being proposed in the bill, which included organising and providing professional training in specialist areas of forensic and fraud examiners, already exist in the accounting profession.

But ANAN insisted that the establishment of the institute would benefit the country towards achieving good governance.

Speaking at the public hearing of the bill, the Second Vice Chairman of ICAN, Mr. Innocent Okwuosa, recalled that there was a similar bill, Chartered Institute of Forensics and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria passed by the eighth Assembly, but that President Muhammadu Buhari refused assent to the bill.

Okwuosa noted that ICAN has forensic faculty that trains people on forensic, adding that everything being discussed in the

bill is already being covered in the training that ICAN is providing.

Okwuosa pointed out that forensic is not a primary profession, stressing that globally, specialist areas like forensics are built on foundation of primary profession and cannot therefore be a stand-alone profession.

According to him “This bill seeks to create one professional body that encroaches into the practice of other numerous professional body like accounting, law, engineer, among others, and this is an anathema as unprofessional body can claim to be the bit and pieces of other professions.”

Nnamani Condemns Burning of Police, INEC Offices, Calls for Dialogue Davidson Iriekpen in Lagos, Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Deji Elumoye in Abuja Former Governor of Enugu State and Senator representing Enugu East senatorial zone, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani has called for an end to the arson,

CHANGE OF NAME I formally known and address as ORILADEWA OLUMIDE ADEBIMPE, now wish to be known and address as ORILADEWA ABIDEMI ADEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as OLUMAYOWA RASHIDAT OYENIYI, now wish to be known and address as OLUMAYOWA RASHIDAT ADESOYE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as MADUBUKO CHINELO MARTHA, now wish to be known and address as OFFORBUZOR CHINELO MARTHA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as PEACE ORITSENENINI ATAKE, now wish to be known and address as PEACE ORITSENENINI IKHUORIA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EBOKA GLORY ABIGAIL, hereby wish to be known as MRS CHUKWUYEM GLORY ABIGAIL. All former documents and records referring to me remain valid. General public should kindly take note.

This is to notify the general public that GREAT SUNDAY KOLAWOLE and KOLAWOLE SUNDAY ERUEMULOR is the same person, and now wish to be known KOLAWOLE SUNDAY ERUEMULOR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to notify the general public that the bearer of these names FAVOUR ROMANS & ELIJILE THANKGOD, refers to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ELIJILE THANKGOD. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

The general public should please This is to notify the general public that OJERAHI CHUKS and OJERAHI CHUKWUEKWU FERDINAND is the same person, and now wish to be known as OJERAHI CHUKWUEKWU FERDINAND. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

invasion of police stations and the burning of the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the South-east geopolitical zone .

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Nnamani said that the trend was dangerous, anti-development and against the known culture, tradition and hospitality of Igbo people.

“This trend is capable of alienating us from the rest of Nigeria. What we require is a society or nation of equal opportunities where no one is segregated upon or discriminated against on account of his ethnic or religious leaning.

“Justice and equity is what we should agitate for not violence.

We can only achieve this in an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

“Burning police or INEC facilities cannot be a solution.

The world is already a global village. We need each other.

Those behind these acts must sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue,” the senator stated.

He pointed out that the 17 southern governors in their last meeting held in Asaba, Delta State recommended a national dialogue to discuss the way out of the myriad of problems confronting the corporate existence of Nigeria adding that, “this is the way to go”.

379,000 Applicants Jostle for 4,120 Immigration Jobs Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has disclosed that a total number of 370,000 applied for the 4,120 vacancies available for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and all 774 local governments.

The Comptroller General, Mr. Muhammad Babandede who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, said out of the total number, 6,145 were invited for the training.

He stated that all successful officers must undergo a drug test, adding that no chance will

be given to any applicant who is already addicted to drugs.

He said there was no going back on the May 31, deadline for the clearance of backlog of passports, adding that as so far, 23,907 were yet to be collected by applicants.

The CG added that the Ikoyi office has the highest number of yet-to- be-all collected passports which were over 7,000.

He added that the office is set to produce between 130,000 and 150,000 passports between yesterday and May 31, while locally, 58,000 will be produced to beat the deadline.

Democracy Watch Hails Senate for Criminalising Ransom Payment Dike Onwuamaeze

The Democracy Watch has commended members of the Senate for seeing the bill entitled “Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021” through its second reading in the Senate.

The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (PDP Imo State), seeks to amend the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013 and outlaw the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the release of any person who has been wrongly confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.

A statement that was issued yesterday by the Democracy

Watch and signed by Mr. Jackson Marizu, applauded the new bill which stated that “anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongly confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not less than 15 years.”

Marizu recalled that the 8th Senate came up with a similar bill entitled “Abduction, Wrongful Restraint and Conferment Bill,” but failed to go the whole hog with it.

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Islamic History of Masjid Al Aqsa – (II) Source: Visit Masjid Al Aqsa/IslamiCity from last week)

(Continued

2. From Prophet Muhammad (saw) to 1917 After the death of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the second Khalif of Islam (who was also a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)), Umar Ibn Al Khattab, entered and mercifully liberated Jerusalem (accompanied by 40,000 Sahaba) on the invitation of the Christian leader at the time, without shedding blood and with the guarantee of protection for the lives, property and places of worship of others within the city who wished to remain there. As Umar’s personality and characteristics closely resembled and matched those of the liberator of Jerusalem foretold within scriptures, the people of the city were quick to embrace and accept his rule.

As mentioned earlier, when he arrived at the site of Al Masjid Al Aqsa in 637/638AD, he didn’t find a place of prayer but rather a plot of land that had been left barren and had been used as a rubbish tip by the Romans. Upon seeing this he took the responsibility to remove the waste with his own hands and to rebuild Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

Both the Christians and the Jews were pleased with the arrival of Umar and the Muslims, and with their just rule.

In 691/692AD, Abd’ al Malik bin Marwan began constructing what is nowadays known as the Dome of the Rock on top of the rock which some believe was the place where Prophet Muhammad (saw) embarked on his Miraaj to the Heavens. However, it must be noted that regardless of whether the rock has importance for this reason, its main significance derives from it being within the boundaries of Al Masjid Al Aqsa and therefore part of Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

The Muslims lost Al Masjid Al Aqsa to the Crusaders in 1099AD and were the victims of one of the darkest and most bloody days in its history.

On arrival into Jerusalem. The Crusaders announced that they would not take any prisoners, resulting in a large proportion of the Muslims fleeing to Al Masjid Al Aqsa in order to seek refuge. The Crusaders later entered the blessed Masjid and massacred thousands of Muslims inside. Al Masjid Al Aqsa was then converted into a palace, and it took 88 years before the Muslims reclaimed it in 1187 under the leadership of the great leader Salahuddin Ayyubi. His reclamation of Jerusalem and Al Masjid Al Aqsa was reminiscent of Umar Ibn Al Khattab’s liberation five centuries earlier, and was a stark contrast to the actions of the Crusaders just a generation prior. Like Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Salahuddin Ayyubi did not allow a massacre of civilians or soldiers, and after reclaiming Al Masjid Al Aqsa he also used his own hands to clean the blessed land, and famously sprinkled rosewater through the Masjid.

The Muslims once again had unhindered control of Jerusalem and Al Masjid Al Aqsa for a significant period of time – approximately eight centuries – and their rule was characterized by peace, justice and prosperity, with Al Masjid Al Aqsa becoming a great centre of learning with scholars from all over the world travelling to study and teach within its blessed precincts. Throughout almost this entire period, the Christians and Jews were provided safety and protection, and their rights were respected as People of the Book.

3. From 1917 to the present day For numerous centuries during the Ottoman caliphate, the city of Jerusalem and Al Masjid Al Aqsa were preserved with honour and dignity, with Muslims being in charge of the administration of the city, but in line with Islamic law and the Ottoman millet system, they provided religious freedom and security for the Jewish and Christian minorities. However all this changed when the Zionist movement in Europe emerged with the aim of creating a Jewish state on Muslim Palestinian land. This Zionist movement which was supported by the British, was further strengthened during World War 1 when the British captured Jerusalem and brought an end to eight centuries of Muslim rule. On arrival into Palestine in 1917 they found a land that was 90% populated by Arabs and with fewer than 56,000 Jews (of which only 5% were native Palestinian Jews, with the majority being those who had fled European persecution in recent decades). The British allowed the Muslims control of Al Masjid Al Haram during this period.

Five years after the British capture of Jerusalem, the first restoration works of the 20th century in Al Masjid Al Aqsa took place, and a couple of years later in 1924 Trans-Jordan took over custodianship of Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

In 1947 prior to Britain passing over the issue of Palestine to the UN, the Jews owned less than

6% of the total land of Palestine. For this reason, when the UN General Assembly recommended (despite this being outside of their competence according to the UN Charter) having a “Jewish state” which would comprise 54% of the Palestinian land, the native Palestinians rejected the proposal.

In 1948 after a war and numerous massacres and atrocities committed by the Zionists, the Jews established “Israel” on 78% of Palestinian land, and captured approximately 85% of Jerusalem.

The Jordanian Arab Legion took control of the West Bank – including 11% of the eastern parts of Jerusalem which encompassed the Old City and Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

In 1967 following a further war, Israel illegally occupied East Jerusalem and claimed to unify Jerusalem as part of Israel. This move was, and is still, opposed and unrecognized by the international community. Following its capture of Jerusalem and the protests that followed, the Jewish authorities swiftly handed Al Masjid Al Aqsa back to Muslim control.

Following attempts by prominent Israeli figures to establish Jewish prayers at Al Masjid Al Aqsa and subsequent protests, a law was passed prohibiting Jewish prayer on Al Masjid Al Aqsa. The decision also meant that Jews and foreign tourists could only enter Al Masjid Al Aqsa through the Maghrebi gate.

However since 1967 many Israeli authorities have passed rulings permitting Jews to offer worship on the site of Al Masjid Al Aqsa and many organisations have been lobbying Israeli officials to start the process of rebuiliding a Jewish place of worship on the sacred land of Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

In 1969 a fire that was started by a Zionist extremist destroyed the mimbar that was installed

by Salahuddin Ayyubi. The mimbar was considered one of the most beautiful in the world and was constructed with over 10,000 interlocking pieces of Cedar and other wood, Ivory and Mother of Pearl affixed without a drop of glue or a single nail. Most of the damage from the fire took over 20 years to repair, due to the Israelis not allowing suitable resources into Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

In 1987 four Palestinian men were killed queuing at a checkpoint in Gaza, sparking the first intifada.

Intifada literally means “shaking off” and is used to convey the meaning of setting Palestine and Al Masjid Al Aqsa free from Israeli oppression.

In 2000, Ariel Sharon marched on Al Masjid Al Aqsa surrounded by over 1000 security guards and police. This sparked the second Palestinian intifada.

Following this visit, restrictions were placed on Palestinians wishing to pray at Al Masjid Al Aqsa, with Palestinian men (especially those between 18-50 years of age), facing bans from praying at certain times. These restrictions continue to this day.

In March 2013 Jordanian King Abdullah II signed an agreement with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas which maintained and reiterated the status quo that the King of Jordan is the official custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem and that he has the right to exert all legal efforts to preserve them, especially Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

In November 2013 a draft Israeli law was proposed in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) allowing Jews the right to pray on Al Masjid Al Aqsa. This development was the result of 40 years of intense lobbying by nationalists who wish to destroy Al Masjid Al Aqsa in its current form, and replace it with a Jewish place of worship.

In October 2014 Israeli authorities closed Al Masjid Al Aqsa for the first time since 1967. This resulted in mass protests across Palestine and the Muslim world, and was swiftly followed by Al Masjid Al Aqsa being reopened.

In May 2021 during the last days of the holy month of Ramadan, attacks on the Masjid Al Aqsa were carried out by Israeli police so that Jewish extremists, whose ultimate aim is to destroy our mosque, could march through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem.

To summarise the present day situation: Israel systematically denies access to Al Masjid Al Aqsa to most Palestinians, has permitted excavation works to be carried out under Al Masjid Al Aqsa damaging the foundations of Al Masjid Al Aqsa, and has permitted Jews to enter Al Masjid Al Aqsa during certain times on most days (despite this being contrary to traditional Rabbinical law for fear of disrespecting such sacred land). In addition to this, Israel maintains a security force on Al Masjid Al Aqsa permanently despite numerous appeals by the Supreme Muslim Council – and yet still fails to prevent Zionist extermists causing damage to Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

Concluded

54

FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Nigeria Retains 32nd Spot in May FIFA Ranking Femi Solaja with agency report In spite of the back-to-back win recorded by the Super Eagles in the last FIFA window, Nigeria remained static third

spot in the continent and 32nd position globally in the May ranking released by the world football governing body yesterday.

The Super Eagles had defeated Squirrels of Benin

Olofinjana Named Technical Director of Swiss Club Grasshopper Zurich Ex-Wolves and Nigeria midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana, has been named as technical director at Switzerland’s most successful club Grasshopper Zurich.

The 40-year-old will oversee the football departmentat the newly-promoted Super League outfit and immediately find the right candidate to fill the ‘position of the head coach’ .

The former Stoke City, Hull City and Cardiff City player was snapped up from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he was most recently loan-manager and had previously worked in various roles.

“This an important role and I look forward to working together with the amazing people at Grasshopper to hopefully steer this massive club in the right direction,” Olofinjana told BBC Sport Africa, after beating off stiff competition from other top applicants.

“A club as decorated and

Seyi Olofinjana...gets top job in Switzerland

influential as Grasshopper deserves stability and we need to find the right ways of restoring its lost football glory.”

Olofinjana, who holds two master’s degrees as a sports director and project manager, has inherited a club keen to bounce back from the humiliating lows of 2019 when it suffered relegation from the Swiss top flight for the first time in 68 years.

He becomes the latest African to hold the technical director position in Europe after compatriot Michael Emenaloheld similar roles at English side Chelsea and French club Monaco.

After two years in the Swiss Challenge League (second tier), the Hoppers sealed promotion last week and the Nigerian insists they are back where they truly belong.

“The history of the club and incredible fanbase clearly reflects a side that deserves better,” he added.

“It is our collective job to set this team in the right direction and among the elite clubs competing for success.”

Olofinjana started his career at Crown FC of Ogbomoso in his native Nigeria, before a stint in the country’s topflight with Kwara United led to a summer 2004 switch to Wolvesvia Norwegian club Brann Bergen.

He spent four years at Wolves before moving to Stoke City in July 2008and after a season he joined rivals Hull Cityfor £3m in August 2019.

Stints at Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesdayin England followed before ending his European career where it all began in Norway this time with IK Start.

CBN Senior Tennis: Imeh, MaryLove, Oyinlomo Cruise into S’finals The men’s single’s defending champion of the 43rd edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Tennis Open Championships and tournament’s top seed, Joseph Imeh, yesterday defeated Clifford Enosorogbe 5-0 (retired) to cruise into the quarter finals.

He later capped the victory with another win to advance into the semi-finals. Similarly, Nonso Madueke earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Ojo Oyelami to advance to the next round as well.

Number 3 Seed, Musa Mohammed came from a set down to beat 2014 winner, Henry Atseye 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 while Thomas Otu also came from a set down to stop old war horse, Shehu Lawal with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.

Michael Chima similarly stopped Peter Lawal with 6-0, 6-2 win to advance.

Actions were also witnessed in the women’s singles category of the 2021 edition of the CBN Senior Tennis Open as America-based little Marylove Edwards stopped former champion and Edo 2020 National Sports Festival champion and tournament’s Number 9 seed, Sarah Adegoke 6-2 (retired) to reach the semifinals. Adegoke could not continue due to injury.

Top seed and women’s singles defending champion, Oyinlomo Quadri outclassed Ronke Akingbade 6-0, 6-1 to reach the Last 8 stage of the competition.

The wheelchair category was not left out as Alex Adewale beat Ajani Idowu 4-0, 4-1 in one of the men’s singles match-up while Simon Promise sent Kayode Alabi Samuel packing via a 4-0,4-0 defeat.

Republic in Porto Novo by a lone goal and an emphatic 3-0 win over Lesotho in Lagos to confirm a place in the next 2022 AFCON tournament in Cameroon next January.

However, Super Eagles victories over Benin and Lesotho thereby leading to accumulated 1487 points, appear to count little in affecting the position of Nigeria in this latest ranking.

Aside Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya also didn’t make any movement in the latest ranking.

Former African champions,

Bafana Bafana who square up against Zimbabwe later this year, still retained their 15th place in Africa and 75th in the world.

The Harambee Stars will not be featuring at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, nonetheless, they still maintain their 23rd spot in Africa and 102nd position globally.

Charles Akonnor’s Black Stars of Ghana who are unbeaten in their last two games sit in seventh place in Africa and 49th in the world.

Senegal are ranked first

in Africa and 22nd in the world with 1542 points while Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles – who are also unmoved - remain 26th globally and second in Africa after accruing 1512 points.

Guinea Bissau was the biggest mover in April – leaping a massive 11 places to rank 108th in the world, while Namibia are ranked 111th.

For Africa Cup of Nations debutants Comoros, losing 4-0 to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt on the last day of their AFCON qualification

are rated no. 36 in Africa and 131st worldwide.

The order of the top six has not changed, with Belgium leading the pack while France, Brazil, England, Portugal and Spain follow in that order.

With most African teams taking part in international friendlies in June, there is bound to be significant movement in the next edition to be released on August 12.

Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles would face AFCON hosts Cameroon in a friendly game while Senegal will try Zambia and Cape Verde for size.

Super Eagles players celebrating their victory over Benin Republic during AFCON 2021 qualifier in Port Novo...recently

Cricket Launches Accelerated Growth Programme in Abuja The Caretaker Committee of the Nigeria Cricket Federation has launched Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) to spread the game to targeted 250, 000 youths in a grassroots development plan.

Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Professor Yahaya Ukwenya who was also the President of the immediate past board of the federation said at the launch on Children’s Day in Abuja that the event was a continuation of the inituative started by the last board.

“We had an outlined growth

plan that we stuck to. Facility was one of the core of our attention while the four-year tenure lasted, and we were at the tail end of it before the board was dissolved.

This programme is actually a continuation of the plan,” Ukwenya stressed.

He said the outcome of the focused plan meant that the country now have three cities with two world-class Cricket pitches each. The cities are Lagos, Abuja and Benin.

According to him, “This phase of development, is meant to complement the

facilities that are now in place” Ukwneya said standard playing surface and access to cricket equipment had been the albatross of the game’s growth and that the launch of the Accelerated Growth Programme is meant to bring everything together.

“We have employed 37 field officers across the states of the federation and 2, 000 starter’s kids for the officers to run the game,” he added.

Over 100 kids were involved in the exhibition game at the launch of the programme on Children’s

Day in Abuja yesterday.

Secretary General of the federation, Taiwo Oriss, said that the Nigeria Cricket Federation remains perhaps, the biggest employers of development officers, which speaks on the huge investments it has made in that regard.

“This project ties all our growth agenda together and we have a well structured team to drive this and deliver cricket as a tool for youth engagement and empowerment throughout the country,” Oriss concluded.

All Set for Gov Diri Scrabble Championship The stage is set for the first-ever Governor Douye Diri National Scrabble Championship, which holds this weekend in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Almost 400 participants from across Nigeria and Europe, including former world champion, Wellington Jighere as well as no fewer than four former African champions have booked their participation for the scrabble showpiece.

The three-day championship is sanctioned by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) with some of its officials already in the

state to ensure a hitch-free competition.

Chairman of the Bayelsa State Scrabble Association (BYSA), Mr. Daniel Alabrah, who confirmed this to journalists in Yenagoa, said the scrabble community in the state was upbeat and that preparations were in the final stages.

Alabrah, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, said the interest from secondary schools in the state was quite encouraging and that many schools have equally registered their students.

Alabrah however noted

that the sponsorship for the championship had been a challenge even as he commended the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for his commitment to sports development and for encouraging youth participation in sports generally. “We are set for the Governor Diri Scrabble Championships. Already, NSF officials, including the immediate President and Secretary-General, are in Yenagoa. We are optimistic about delivering a good tournament.

“The interest from secondary schools has been

quite encouraging too. Many have registered their students for the championship.

“The registration is free for students not above 16 years as the target are those in secondary school. Scrabble is a board game that positively develops the mind and we are focused on catching them young.

He assured all participants of adequate security as the state’s police command had been informed about the hampionship.

He also said the 8pm curfew in the state would not affect the event as games would end before the time.

FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021 • T H I S D AY

55

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MISSILE

Afenifere to N’Assembly “Amending the constitution is an exercise in futility and a waste of time and public fund…Amendment will not cure the anomalies. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand” – The apex Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, describing the ongoing process of amending the Constitution as a jamboree.

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

Between Akeredolu and Ayade I n the past few weeks we have been treated to how degraded Nigeria has become, we have also witnessed the manifestation of a contrary trend. The latter was the retrieval and reassertion of the spirit of federalism by the Southern Governors Forum. Ordinarily, elected public officials do not deserve a special applause for doing the job they were elected to do and it is a reflection of how badly beaten by the rain we have become that ordinary acts are reckoned as extraordinary. The point is we do not have high expectations of them hence the pleasant surprise whenever they appear as rising up to the occasion-as on this occasion: At its meeting held on May 11, 2021, the Southern Governors’ Forum reviewed the situation in the nation generally and focused on the current security situation, agitations/restructuring, prospect for interstate collaboration and partnerships..observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits into the southern part of the country has presented a severe security challenge such that citizens are not able to live their normal lives including pursuing various productive activities leading to a threat to food supply and general security.

Consequently, the meeting resolved that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria”.

Three responses followed in quick order and were remarkably in unison and conformity in parochialism, poverty of thought and atrocious use of English language. First, was Attorney General Abubakar Malami who blurted, in a barely coherent condemnation of the governors’ collective decision to ban open grazing: “It is a dangerous provision for any governor in Nigeria to think he can bring any compromise on the freedom and liberty of individuals to move around. For example, it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north.”

Simultaneously, the Miyetti Allah fumed: “The only thing that can stop us from grazing in any area is if there are no grasses and water in such place. Fulani don’t have borders or boundaries; they don’t need permission to graze their cows from one area to another area. They follow the constitution, which permits them internationally to graze anywhere. ECOWAS permits us to graze anywhere”.

And then President Muhammadu Buhari capped it all: “It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) - regardless of the state of their birth or residence..With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves, the federal government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side”.

Anyone minded to take on these responses could not do better than these two personalities. I can do no better than either.

First was a decades old judgment of Justice

Akeredolu Adewale Thompson “I do not accept the contention of defendants that a custom exists which imposes an obligation on the owner of farm to fence his farm whilst the owner of cattle allows his cattle to wander like pests and cause damage. Such a custom if it exists is unreasonable and I hold that it is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience and therefore unenforceable in that it is highly unreasonable to impose the burden of fencing a farm on the farmer without corresponding obligation on the cattle owner to fence his cattle. Sequence to that I ban open grazing for it is inimical to peace and tranquility and cattle owners must fence or ranch their animals for peace to reign in these communities.”

The other was the response from Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State: “Mr Garba contends that “their announcement is of questionable legality”, referring to the 17 governors of the southern states, but the decision of certain elements to take the ancestral lands of other people to settle their kinsmen, including the “gun-wielding “killer herdsmen” and their families, and provide “veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves” for which “the federal government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side”, does not appear to him as a comprehensive plan for land grabbing, a precursor to internal colonialism...Most traditional families in Nigeria have occupations. Pastoralism is not an exception. Any ethnic group still trapped in anachronism may be assisted to embrace

modernity. Dispossessing communities of their ancestral lands, encouraging denizens of the forests to overrun lands belonging to other people and forcing alien bands of migrants on the local populace to live “sideby-side” with other communities cannot be for the purpose of animal husbandry. It raises suspicion on a grand, deliberate, persistent and insidious design to use naked force to subjugate the real owners of the land”.

If Akeredolu remains consistent on this credible trajectory he would one day deserve our standing applause but for the moment let us beware of the perils of premature applause. ‘Unlucky is the land without heroes but unhappy is the society in need of one’ says Bertolt Brecht. I do not trust nor expect any governor in Nigeria to remain forthright and defiant in the defence and advocacy of fairness, equity and justice for long especially where it conflicts with the politics of the incumbent personality cult of President Buhari. It is not the case that the governors are incurably incorrigible neither are they irredeemably mercenary, rather it has to do with their constitutional vulnerability to the power politics of the federal government. It will take a governor scrupulously wedded to iron clad probity in the discharge of his duties to withstand and stare down any adversarial interest and intervention of the federal government in his stewardship. It takes a governor who is prepared for the worst case scenario of walking away from the lofty perquisites, pomp and pageantry of office. And since the governors can be relied upon to have their wardrobe stocked full of skeletons, the fear of the politically compromised Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the beginning of wisdom.

Acting under whatever compulsion the sickening spectacle of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State proves the point. To his eternal shame, he could found no plausible excuse to gratify his political harlotry than the blasphemy of citing Buhari as a nationalist “Having seen and known the nationalistic disposition of President Buhari and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of”.

Yet this man was at the same time signatory to the recently issued communique of the Southern Governors Forum, which noted that “there is need to review appointments into federal government agencies (including security agencies) to reflect federal character as Nigeria’s overall population is heterogenous”.

Relentless in his scurrilous sycophancy, Ayade went further to bear witness “to all

Ayade and others like him are a critical part of the reason Nigeria has remained unable to salvage itself from the death grip of the syndicate represented by the trio of the president, the AG and Miyetti Allah

the efforts Buhari has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today”. This testimony is so weird and illogical and beggars the question whether Ayade meant it as a compliment or condemnation.

Where, for God’s sake, has Buhari brought Nigeria to from where he met it in 2015? The poverty and corruption capital of the world?

A country in which “In the north, if you are a Muslim and you want to travel, you must pray, fast for days before embarking on the journey. If you are Christian and you want to travel, you must fast and pray for days before you travel. We have never experienced this kind of situation.

Imagine in the North, before you go to your farm, you will have to pay gunmen to allow you farm. If you want to harvest your farm produced, you will still have to pay gunmen before they allow you to harvest”. The real tragedy of Ayade is that, in credentials, he belongs to the class of political leaders (in age, enlightenment and intellect) you will expect Nigeria can predicate its hopes for a better tomorrow. In his early fifties and a university professor, do they come better recommended? In one of his television appearances, ARISE TV, to be precise, Ayade was so unintelligible and craven to the point the interviewers had to keep asking him if he would defect back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were the party to win the presidential election in 2023. And it was a question begging to be asked because he could not otherwise rationalise his action beyond the need to identify with the political party in power.

You could see the barely concealed contempt and disgust written all over the faces of the interviewers. Ayade and others like him are a critical part of the reason Nigeria has remained unable to salvage itself from the death grip of the syndicate represented by the trio of the president, the AG and Miyetti Allah.

With the president and the AG routinely finding common purpose with the Miyetti Allah in the struggle against common sense, enlightenment and modernisation, Nigeria is getting increasingly polarised between the camps of chauvinistic backwardness and those of aspirations for a better tomorrow. I don’t know how familiar is Miyetti Allah with the Nigerian constitution let alone the ECOWAS charter but its warped and obtuse outburst can be excused. What cannot be excused is the demonstration of the same mindset by the federal government; a primitive and anarchic mindset that recognises ‘no borders and boundaries’. This is the sort of captive primitive mentality that grates deep on the nerves of people outside the Miyetti Allah conclave and fosters the widespread prejudice that ‘we are not the same with this people”.

Such unfortunate prejudices are further reinforced by the mindless conflation of fundamental human rights with the impunity of open grazing of cattle- which bespeaks a mentality that equates the welfare of cows with the wellbeing of human beings. It is regrettable that Nigeria has come to this sorry pass where people’s backs are up against the wall with no further room to spare prompting the recourse to divisive confrontation.

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