SUNDAY 7TH JUNE 2020

Nigeria Agrees to Deeper Cuts as OPEC Extends Output Curbs to July Oil cartel warns member countries against complacency amid gains Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) held its 179th meeting on Saturday through an online conference, resolving to extend

record oil-production cuts through July. This was as Nigeria agreed to compensate for its inability to fully comply with the April deal by henceforth embarking upon deeper cuts over the

next three months.

Just as Secretary General of OPEC, Mr. Mohammad Barkindo, cautioned member countries not to be carried away by recent gains in the oil market as evidenced by the

gradual rise in oil prices and the on-going recovery process.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had in statement said Nigeria was unable to completely

adhere to the agreement of the 23-member cartel to reduce daily production by 9.7 million barrels. Sylva stressed that the country achieved a 52 per cent success.

The April oil quota cut

deal followed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global demand and a devastating price fall brought about by a price war between Russia Continued on page 5

Buhari Renews Danbatta’s Appointment as NCC Boss...Page 12 Sunday 7 June, 2020 Vol 25. No 9190

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Obaseki: Edo Election Will Shape Nigeria’s Democracy Demola Ojo

in the state would reshape the nation’s democracy.

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday stated that the 2020 governorship election

The governor spoke during a ‘Thank You Tour’ to principal officers and ward leaders in Oredo Local Government Area

(LGA) of Edo State, noting that he won his ward contrary to statements credited to his opponents. Obaseki urged the Edo people to be wary of the antics of those spreading rumours

in the run-up to the elections scheduled for September this year.

Obaseki also described as laughable, rumours doing the rounds that he lost his ward in

the last general election, saying those who make up such stories forget that election results are documented.

The governor, yesterday, denied allegations that he

forged certificate of University of Ibadan, stating that he was not like those that burn buildings to cover up Continued on page 5

100 Days after Index Case: FG Targets Molecular Labs in 36 States, FCT NCDC confirms 389 new cases, raising tally to 12,233, discharges 3,826, deaths, 342 Lagos records three days consecutive decline in new cases, discharges 42 Inter-states travel ban crippling hotels, other businesses, proprietors cry out

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja One hundred days after Nigeria's index case, an Italian man, was discovered in the country, the federal government has said it is targeting at least one standard infectious disease laboratory in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This is as the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 389 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, with tally now 12,233, while discharges are at 3,826 and deaths, 342. Notably, Lagos in the last three days has recorded consistent decline in new cases. Yesterday NCDC confirmed 66 new cases in the state against 121

recorded on Friday. While the state government announced discharge of 42 recovered patients, 31 males, 11 females.

It is not certain whether this is an indication of flattening of the curve.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, made this disclosure on Saturday during a visit to the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja.

The visit was, however, part of the federal government’s activities to mark the 100 days since the country recorded its index case of COVID-19 with an Italian in Lagos.

Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government Continued on page 8

BUA: Buhari’s Reopening of Terminal Timely for $400M Plant at Rivers Port... Page8

INFECTIOUS DISEASE HOSPITAL FOR KATSINA...

The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari (m), makes a presentation to the Deputy Governor of Katsina state, Mannir Yakubu, before the official ground-breaking ceremony of the Emergency and Infectious Disease Hospital, in Katsina...yesterday

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AfDB Approves $288.5M to Support Nigeria’s COVID-19 Fight Obinna Chima The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $288.5 million loan to help Nigeria tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impact on people and businesses. The loan is expected to bolster the federal government’s plans to improve surveillance and response to COVID-19 emergencies, ease the effect on workers and businesses, and strengthen the social protection system.

The country had in April secured $3.4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in emergency financial assistance under the fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to support efforts to address the severe economic effect of the COVID-19 shock and the drastic fall in oil prices.

According to a statement from the Abidjan-based bank yesterday, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous

country and the continent’s largest oil producer, is facing twin crises – a health epidemic caused by COVID-19, and an economic crunch largely occasioned by a global oil price plunge.

As of June 5, the country reported 11,516 coronavirus cases, 3,535 recoveries, and 323 deaths.

The loan is AfDB’s initial response to help mitigate the slump in oil prices and its impact on the economy.

Senior Director of the African Development Bank for Nigeria, Ebrima Faal, said, “About 40.1 per cent of Nigerians live below the poverty line of $1.90 per day and it is feared that the fall in household income during the pandemic will result in wealth deterioration for both the formal and informal sector workers. “The proposed programme will ensure that the fiscal position and the economy are sufficiently supported to weather the COVID-19 shocks, thereby limiting its potential adverse

impact on livelihoods and the economy more generally.�

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Nigeria’s economy was projected to grow by 2.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product in 2020 and further expand by 3.3 per cent in 2021.

But the statement noted that with the advent of the pandemic and the slump in crude prices, the economy was expected to shrink by between 4.4 per cent, under a conservative baseline scenario, and 7.2 per cent, should the pandemic persist to end-2020.

Faal said beyond Nigeria’s immediate economic recovery needs, the bank and other development partners would dialogue with the government on proposals for medium-term structural reforms to diversify and boost domestic revenues away from the oil sector. “The Bank has instituted strong fiduciary measures to monitor the use of COVID-19 funds, and will maintain dialogue, particularly

with the Office of the Auditor General in Nigeria, to ensure adherence to the transparency and accountability of the funds,�

Faal added.

The bank’s intervention aligns with its COVID-19 Response Facility (CRF); Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022); and High 5 priorities, especially, to “Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa�.

It is also consistent with the second strategic pillar of the recently approved Bank’s Country Strategy Paper 2020-2024 for Nigeria.

In a related development, the Board of Directors of the AfDB approved Nigeria’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2020-2024, which builds on the successes and challenges of the 20132019 edition, and incorporates emerging developmental realities and opportunities shaping Nigeria’s political and economic landscape, including in the postCOVID-19 period.

The multilateral institution

explained in a separate statement obtained yesterday that the approval was made on May 27.

Faal re-affirmed the institution’s support for Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.

He said, “In the implementation of the CSP, the Bank will also support Nigeria to address economic shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price shocks by focusing our interventions in sectors that will strengthen public health infrastructure and accelerate efforts towards economic transformation and diversification of export earnings and fiscal revenues from oil.�

The 2020-2024 CSP identifies supporting infrastructure development and promoting social inclusion through agribusiness and skills development as key priority areas for Nigeria. It states that the priorities are selected to leverage Nigeria’s rich endowment of natural and human resources

toward transforming the lives of its people.

Faal explained, “It is in this context that the new CSP has been customised to support government efforts in confronting challenges and to foster long-term, socially inclusive development. “Under the CSP, the Bank will deploy a combination of sovereign and non-sovereign financing instruments to support the two priority areas, including investment and institutional support projects, evidence based analytical work in numerous economic sectors, policy dialogue and provision of advisory services. “Special focus will be put on supporting the Nigerian private sector, in terms of financing and advisory services, and on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiatives that enable innovative, long-term investment in energy, transport and water and sanitation.�

Ban Herders from Other African Countries Ganduje Tells FG Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has called on the federal government to halt the movement of herdsmen from other African countries into Nigeria. Ganduje said this would help to end the incessant conflicts between crop farmers and herders, which often snowball into violent bloody confrontations.

The governor spoke on Saturday during the commissioning of 25 housing units under the RUGA settlement project at Dansoshiya forest, in

Kiru Local Government Area. He said this was the first batch of 200 housing units earmarked for construction under the scheme.

Ganduje said the foreign herders must be stopped “because they come to this country with guns and other weapons, which flames the clashes between herders and farmers. “Since they bring with them such weapons, they bring crimes and criminality into the country.�

'Even after the COVID-19 interstate border lockdown, the

border closure should remain to prevent Fulani herders from West Africa to come into the country. Such migration should be prevented."

He said, “Their movement is what brings to us all sorts of clashes between herders and other communities, apart from their clashes with farmers.�

He disclosed that Dansoshiya RUGA would serve as the nucleus of the RUGA settlement project in the state.

Ganduje explained that the state engaged in the project for three main reasons. “First and

foremost is to avoid clashes between farmers and herders, secondly, to avoid movement of herders, which is the source of conflict, and to avoid cattle rustling."

He said, “It is absolutely necessary to improve and modernise breeding system for Fulani cattle. As it is clear that a gallon of milk is more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is therefore necessary for us to utilise this great opportunity.�

The governor promised to build a school and hospital in the settlement, so that the people

settling there could get access to good health delivery system and be educated. He promised that the second RUGA project would be at Falgore forest, where a military training ground was recently inaugurated.

Ganduje invited Fulanis across the country to come to Kano RUGA settlement, assuring, "Other units of the housing will continue, as we are receiving more Fulanis from other places."

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of the State Investment and Properties Company (KSIP), who is

also Chairman of the state RUGA Committee, Dr. Jibrilla Muhammad, commended the pace of work on the project and assured of its success.

Managing Director of the State Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), Mr. Munir Gwarzo, disclosed that two million liters of water would be provided for the settlement and other towns around when completed. Gwarzo stated that work had started at the site, but was only stopped due to the lockdown arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

be a government of the people by the people and for the people.

It will not be a government of the people by a few people."

The APC leaders in Oredo, comprising Hon. Austin Eweka of ward one; Martins Osakue of ward two; Charles Atiemwen of ward three; Oteghe Adams of ward four; Taiye Omoregie of ward six as well as other leaders and principal officers of the party

in the local council, pledged their loyalty and continuous support for the governor based on his track record of success achieved in the last three and a half years.

Also, during the visit, the APC leader, Oredo ward four, Adams, presented the result of the 2019 general election, displaying the tallies for House of Representatives, Senatorial and Presidential elections,

where it was clearly shown that the governor won his ward convincingly.

Obaseki was accompanied on the visit by his Chief of Staff, Mr Osaze Uzamere; Special Adviser on Political and Community Matters, Chief Osaro Idah; Special Adviser on Politics, (Edo South), Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha, and APC Chairman in Oredo LGA, Mr. Godwin Alabi, among others.

do not want to jeopardise these successes in any way. We also need to appreciate that the waters remain choppy, and as we navigate our journey it will not be plain sailing, but we have to remain resolute.

It is in the interests of us all. “It was the legendary Russian poet, Bulat Okudzhava, that once said: ‘Let us join hands my dear friends. We won’t get lost if we are together.’ Together we can ensure that our hard-earned achievements are not compromised or lost. “Following on from the 179th Meeting of the OPEC Conference earlier today, it is vital that we look to lay out possible pathways for the coming months, the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

"This will enable all DoC partners to remain proactive, focus on 100 per cent conformity, and help further rebalance fundamentals and reduce volatility in the oil market."

He said though it had been a rollercoaster ride since April, what had been consistent over this period was the

commitment of participants in DoC to the voluntary production adjustments, the largest and longest in the history of OPEC, OPEC+ and the oil industry, and to rebalancing and stabilising the market.

Barkindo also spoke on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “A paralysis had gripped continents, nations, industries and people. As we all bore witness too, the effects on the oil market were unparalleled.

Large-scale oil demand destruction, at a level never seen before; a massive supply and demand imbalance; and, global storage capacity filling quickly. “Perhaps the epiphany of this was April 20, or what some have called ‘Bloody Monday’, when the WTI May contract went negative, ending the day at close to minus $40/b.

The panic this day caused was palpable. It left CEOs, oil companies, traders and analysts open-mouthed; how could this have happened? It left us all searching for answers.�

OBASEKI: EDO ELECTION WILL SHAPE NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY their certificate scandals, more so that no one could forge a certificate issued by the University of Ibadan, a foremost citadel of learning.

His words: "When people come out to lie that I didn't win my ward during the last election, they forget that election results are documented. They say I forged my certificate. How can you forge the certificate of the

University of Ibadan? I am not like those that burn buildings to cover up their certificate issues."

The governor however noted that the forthcoming governorship election in the state would be a watershed moment in Nigeria's nascent democracy, adding that the polls would change the face of Nigeria's elections and strengthen her democracy.

Speaking on why he visited the area, Obaseki said, "I am just going round to say thank you to my people for their support so far. I am assuring them that I will continue my good work in the state.

"We have been practising democracy for 21 years now.

We cannot continue to behave the same way. This time, we will change the narrative. This will

NIGERIA AGREES TO DEEPER CUTS AS OPEC EXTENDS OUTPUT CURBS TO JULY and Saudi Arabia. While the agreement called for the curbs to ease at the end of June, OPEC, however, decided yesterday to remain cautious and extend the production restrictions to July, with China and other countries gradually opening up their economies.

For May, OPEC+ compliance with the deal was about 89 per cent, meaning the group fell some 1.1 million barrels short of the target set in the April agreement. The news also reflected on the international price of oil Saturday, with Brent crude futures, the global benchmark of prices, rising 5.8 per cent to $42.30 a barrel, the highest level since March.

A statement released by OPEC after the virtual meeting noted the positive ramifications of the decision taken by all participating countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) and commended additional adjustments from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Norway, and Canada, and shutting in of production in view of the acute imbalance

in the global oil markets.

The statement said, “It was emphasised that the production adjustments in May, as well as the gradual relaxation of many of the lockdown measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe and an economic pick-up, had contributed to a cautious recovery and the return of more stability in the oil market. “Nevertheless, with global oil demand expected to contract by around 9 mb/d for the whole of 2020, consolidating this gradual recovery will require continued commitment and intensified efforts from DoC participating countries and all major producing countries. “In light of these facts, and in view of current fundamentals, all member countries agreed to the five key elements in reaching their unanimous decision, which will be recommended to non-OPEC participating countries.�

It added that members, “Reconfirmed the existing arrangements under the April agreement, subscribed to the

concept of compensation by those countries who were unable to reach full conformity in May and June, with a willingness to accommodate it in July, August and September, in addition to their already agreed production adjustment for such months."

Member countries also agreed the option of extending the first phase of the production adjustments pertaining to May and June by one further month and recognised that the continuity of the current agreement was contingent on them fulfilling their obligations. “The meeting, therefore, agreed unanimously to extend the first phase of the production adjustment agreed at the 10th (Extraordinary) OPEC and nonOPEC Ministerial Meeting for a further month, to now run from 1 May 2020 to 31 July 2020,� OPEC said.

Meanwhile, Barkindo warned at the 11th OPEC and nonOPEC ministerial meeting held via videoconference that despite the successes in the market, global oil demand was still expected to shrink by more

than 17 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2020. He urged countries to remain committed and proactive to the recovery process, saying, “This is not the time to stand back and admire what we have achieved thus far.�

Barkindo said, "The very early green shoots of a revival are evident; we do hope that we have turned a corner.

Nevertheless, global oil demand is still expected to shrink by more than 17 mb/d in the 2Q20, and while it is expected to ease in the second half of the year, for the whole of 2020 the contraction is still forecast to be around 9.1mb/d. This will bring global oil demand to 90.6 mb/d; back to levels last seen before the 2014-2016 market downturn. It underscores the fact that we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to maintain the laser focus on helping bring supply and demand back into balance and providing a more stable market in the coming months. “This is not the time to stand back and admire what we have achieved thus far; we

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BUA: Buhari’s Reopening of Terminal Timely for $400M Plant at Rivers Port Dockworkers commend president Eromosele Abiodun The management of BUA Ports and Terminals, a subsidiary of BUA Group has described the reopening of its terminals at Rivers port as timely for the ongoing development of bestin-class terminal at the Rivers Ports to serve not only users of the Rivers Ports but also, the recently constructed $400million foods manufacturing complex adjacent to the terminal.

This is just as dockworkers at the Rivers ports in Port Harcourt have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention that lead to reopening of the BUA terminals which was shut down last year by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The terminal was shut down in a move challenged by BUA at the time, and decried by maritime stakeholders.

The NPA had late last year decommissioned and shut down the BUA Ports and Terminals Limited, operator of terminal B, Rivers Port, Port Harcourt,

for security reasons.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, had while speaking at a stakeholders meeting organised by the NPA in Port Harcourt said the NPA, as a responsible government organisation, took the step to save lives and limbs of those working at the terminal.

NPA, she added, took the decision for health and safety reasons after receiving a letter from BUA on security challenges surrounding the quays wall at its terminal. BUA however countered the NPA’s assertion and explained that this challenge was only affecting one of its four berths and it requested the NPA allow them do the necessary repairs at the berth but the NPA rather than grant the request, proceeded to issue a notice of termination without due process and against the terms of the concession agreement.

However, following the reopening, dockworkers in their numbers took to the docks of Port Harcourt to thank key

stakeholders for their timely intervention in the crisis between the BUA Ports and Terminals and the NPA, which halted business activities at the terminal B. Addressing the dockworkers at the rally, a National Trustee of the dockworkers’ branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Waite Harry a praised the President for his commitment to due process, which ultimately led to the withdrawal of the notice of termination issued to BUA Ports & Terminals, in line with the concession agreement.

The government also directed both parties to resolve all outstanding issues in line with the concession agreement, discontinue the pending arbitration in London, and reopen the BUA terminals immediately.

This pending arbitration could have cost the country or BUA hundreds of millions of dollars in judgement losses hence the decision by the Presidency to reopen the terminal and stick to due process by following the dispute resolution mechanism as laid out in the concession

agreement.

According to Comrade Harry, “this action has saved the jobs of many dockworkers whose only source of livelihood comes from working here. The resolution of the crisis has changed our status from being “prisoners of hope� due to untold hardship dockworkers faced over the inability of ships to berth at the BUA terminals. “We must also appreciate the Management of BUA Ports & Terminals who continued to support us monthly throughout this period. We are happy that we can now return back to our work through this gesture by the federal government, which will also bring economic prosperity to the state and the nation in general. I hope that all outstanding issues can now be resolved by both parties amicably.�

Meanwhile, the management of BUA Ports and Terminals has disclosed plans to resume operations at the terminals within the Rivers Ports.

THISDAY learnt that the NPA

is set to immediately withdraw the notice of termination of concession it had earlier issued BUA in 2019.

In a statement on Wednesday, BUA had expressed readiness to resume operations at the reopened terminal soon.

The statement reads: “We are pleased to inform our stakeholders and the public that we have received official communication to the effect that; “The notice of termination issued by the Nigerian Ports Authority sometime last year against our Rivers Ports-based BUA Ports & Terminals be withdrawn forthwith; The ongoing arbitration at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) be discontinued, and; The BUA terminals be reopened immediately for operations. “This decision is in line with our earlier and consistent stand that all parties respect the content and spirit of the concession agreement for the facility. “We also want to thank you unequivocally – our dear customers, employees,

dockworkers and other stakeholders for your patience, support, and for keeping faith with us throughout this period. “BUA remains a law-abiding corporate citizen and is looking forward to working with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority in resolving any outstanding issues and making the Eastern Ports one of the best in the country. “BUA wishes to express its most sincere appreciation to all stakeholders for their successful intervention and mediation. Their intervention has saved jobs, protected huge investments and prevented potential judgement losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars from being incurred by either the country or our company in the arbitration process at the LCIA in London which is set to be discontinued. “We look forward to kickstarting operations at the BUA Terminals to once again provide the excellent services that have become the trademark of our BUA brand,� the statement concluded.

Fayemi Seeks National Response on Rape, Rallies Governors Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has rallied behind the campaign against sexual abuse and sought a declaration by the governors against the menace. Fayemi said there should be a national response to rape, stressing that it is a more serious issue than the current coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world.

The governor spoke on Friday in Ado Ekiti while signing into law the compulsory treatment and care for child victims of sexual violence bill. The bill meant to strengthen the Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law, 2012, had earlier been passed by the House of Assembly.

Its enactment was against the

backdrop of a rising incidence of rape in the country.

Fayemi sought partnership with the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Paulin Tallen, for a coordinated response to rape and other sexual crimes. He said Nigeria might experience a second wave of COVID-19 infections if necessary precautions were not taken.

The governor said COVID-19 could be transmitted through sex, given the spate of rape cases in the country.

According to him, “I have no epidemiological proof that it can be transmitted through sex. However, since it can be passed on through other body contacts, to that extent, it can be linked.

“Rape is a more serious pandemic than COVID-19.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Inspector General of police are to address governors on Wednesday at the meeting of the governors’ forum. They are to work with us on this issue and tell us what they have been doing. It has to be a national response. Rape is not a simple issue again.�

The governor disclosed that Ekiti was the first state in the country to open a sexual offenders’ register and enact a domestic violence law in a bid to name and shame offenders. “But it has still not stopped,� hence the need for a national response to the situation, he stated.

Fayemi directed the office of the Attorney General and

Commissioner for Justice to always oppose bail applications and plea-bargaining for rape offenders. He said the issue of rape had gone beyond what the government of a state could handle, saying he would use his position as NGF chairman to bring together the 36 states governors to declare a state of emergency on rape.

Speaking to journalists after assenting to the bill, Fayemi said, “The Ministry of Justice is further directed to reaffirm state policy of opposing bail and rejecting plea bargain proposals from perpetrators of rape and child defilement.

The state government’s policy of ensuring that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from my power of prerogative of mercy remains in force.

“We will strengthen the Gender Based Violence Management Committee to continue to provide rapid and comprehensive responses to all forms of violence against women and children. In particular, the GBV Management Committee will be empowered to improve collection and analysis of data to monitor our GBV programmes.

A state-wide sexual violence prevalence study will be commissioned in the general population to enable us have reliable data on the nature of the problem. I’m proud to sign a law that affirms one of the important policies of my administration. “The ‘Compulsory Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence Bill, 2020’ reaffirms our commitment not

only to prompt medical care for child victims of sexual violence but also supports our resolve to achieve the effective prosecution of sex offenders.�

Fayemi described the new law as timely. "It is fitting that the House of Assembly passed this legislation this week,� he said, adding, “Over the past few days, our country has witnessed acts of extreme violence perpetrated against women and children.

In our state, the story is not different. Not a day passes without reported cases of rape and child defilement.�

He decried the dehumanisation of women and children by rapists and called for the declarations of a state of emergency to enable more decisive actions against the scourge.

gather people could be opened, the federal government should also lift inter states ban, assuring government that the hotels would comply with the Covid-19 safety protocols.

the masses and the governments at all level on the pandemic "The immediate reaction of many Nigerians to the NCDC's midnight nightmare of increasing cases is that the agency now has a panic button it uses to scare the citizens and governments of Nigeria, and simply for selfish gains. If not, why then is the Covid-19 pandemic and its ancillaries the sole preoccupation of the NCDC and other public health bodies for now?"

The group, however, asked if it was because it’s currently the only disease that gives access to large sums of money from the public purse and the private sector.

"This country is plagued by many other endemic diseases like Lassa fever, malaria, meningitis etc which kill more than the Covid-19. We have had over 655 deaths from Lassa fever alone in the last few months in Nigeria. “Malaria remains the highest killer of children in the world.

Why are they ignored with mounting death tolls while Covid-19 is given all the attention? Is death by Covid-19 now some kind of elite death,

100 DAYS AFTER INDEX CASE: FG TARGETS MOLECULAR LABS IN 36 STATES, FCT of the Federation (SGF), led the team to the laboratory being managed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He said the country now has the capacity of 30 testing centres as against the three that were in existence, when it first recorded the index case on February 27 this year. “Before now, Nigeria only had about three testing laboratories nationwide for testing of infectious diseases. Now, 100 days of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the country can now boast of having 30 testing centres,� he said.

He reiterated government’s plans to increase the country's national response such that all the 36 states of the federation would have a molecular laboratory and the FCT. “The government is targeting having at least one standard infectious disease laboratory in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT,� he said.

Director General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, while speaking, noted that in the coming months, the Centre would continue to work with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Medical Laboratory

and Science Council of Nigeria and other partners to carry out laboratory related research and validation, as Nigeria scales up her testing capacity.

According to him, the national reference laboratory was the apex public health reference laboratory in the country, which has the mandate to coordinate the diagnosis of diseases of public health importance. “Since the first confirmed case was reported 100 days ago, (yesterday) several health workers have been at the forefront. We remain grateful to state task forces, emergency operations centres, rapid response teams, laboratory scientists and all health workers, who continue to work very hard for national health security. “Our strategy is to ensure more people are tested, contacts are traced early to prevent further spread and confirmed cases are treated. In the absence of a vaccine, Nigeria and the rest of the world must depend on public health, social measures and supportive management of confirmed cases," he said.

Meanwhile, confirming 389 new cases of Covid-19, the NCDC puts the breakdown thus:

Lagos – 66; FCT – 50; Delta – 32; Oyo – 31; Borno – 26; Rivers – 24; Edo – 23; Ebonyi – 23; Anambra – 17; Gombe – 17; Nasarawa – 14; Imo – 12; Kano – 12; Sokoto – 12; Jigawa – 8; Ogun – 7; Bauchi – 5; Kebbi – 2; Kaduna – 2; Ondo – 2; Abia – 1 and Niger – 1.

The NCDC however put the national tally at 12,233, while discharges are 3826 and deaths, 342.

Inter-states Travel Ban Crippling Hotels, Other Businesses, Proprietors Cry Out Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Hotels proprietors in the country under the aegis of Nigeria Hotels Association have decried the continuous inter states travel ban imposed by the federal government to contain the spread of coronavirus, saying it has crippled their hotels and other businesses.

National president of the association, Eze Patrick Anyanwu, while addressing journalists at a press conference held at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, yesterday said, they had recorded huge losses

since the imposition of the travel ban.

He noted that 95 per cent of their customers were travellers, who come from other states, lamenting also that many hotels had resorted to borrowing money from banks for the maintenance of the facilities and staff salaries.

Anyanwu, who stated that hotels contribute immensely to national development especially, through provision of jobs to numerous citizens, urged the federal government to include them among the beneficiaries of the Covid-19 palliatives to save their businesses from collapse.

"Above all, the request of our financial palliative through the umbrella of Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) as a special intervention is hereby being stressed again.

"I want to use this opportunity to inform the federal government that the hospitality industry is very important in this country.

We are the ones accommodating your visitors coming into the country from all over the world.

We are contributing immensely to the economy of this country.�

According to the hotel proprietors, if markets and places of worship, which could

NCDC, PTF Misinforming Nigerians on COVID-19 Protocols, Says Civil Society Group George Okoh in Makurdi The Conference of Harmonised Civil Society Organisation in Nigeria (CHCSON) has called to question, the role of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in the fight against the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, saying they’ve been misinforming the people.

The coalition, at a press briefing in Makurdi, yesterday, accused the two bodies of acting above board and wondering if they had achieved anything in the fight against the disease.

According to the Team Leader, Mr. Solomon Semeka, the NCDC and PTF have been misinforming

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

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EDITORIAL

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

THE TRIAL OF AKINWUMI ADESINA Africa should pull all the strings and keep faith with Adesina. The global bully must be tamed

T

he endorsement of 15 former African leaders adds considerable political weight to the efforts to save the embattled president of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina from what appears a power show engineered from outside the continent. What is at stake is not just the career of one man but the sanctity and integrity of the internal governance mechanisms of Africa’s preeminent financial institution.

The obvious anomaly of a minority shareholder seeking to arm-twist an organisation to do its bidding is the real issue that stakeholders must understand.

In contravention of laid down rules and procedures, the AfDB Board of Governors What is at last week ordered stake is not investigation of just the career another Adesina, even when the of one man but bank’s ethics committee had cleared him of althe sanctity legations of corruption. and integrity to the board, of the internal According the review of the charges governance would be conducted by a “neutral high-caliber mechanisms individuals” within one of Africa’s month. It is the culminapreeminent tion of weeks of pressure financial from the United States that has been using its financial institution and geo-political clout to blackmail the rest of the world to do its bidding.

The world order that placed the US in a global leadership position after the Second World War came with responsibilities. Paramount among these is the need to deploy dialogue and consensus in the resolution of issues. Implicit in that responsibility also is the need to seek solutions to multilateral problems in a manner that respects the views and interests of all nations and regions.

The current lack of diplomatic candour in US relations with international organisations derogates America’s power and reduces its influence. The AfDB imbroglio, the Paris Climate Accord jet-

Letters to the Editor

T

tisoning and withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) are ready instances of a negative turn in America’s behaviour in the world under President Donald Trump. But it would be tragic if the United States is allowed to destroy the AfDB just for power mongering.

T

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

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

he whole controversy started when some unnamed AfDB employees accused Adesina (whose five-year term ends on August 31 and was due to be re-elected unopposed for another term) of breaching the institution's code of ethics. These Whistleblowers had submitted a 15-page report with 16-point allegations accusing Adesina of preferential treatment, self-promotion, “impunity and bad governance.” But an internal inquiry by the bank cleared the 60-year-old Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture of wrongdoing, describing the allegations as “spurious and unfounded.” Not satisfied, the United States, the bank's second largest shareholder after Nigeria, in a letter signed by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, voiced reservations about the clearance and called for a fresh and independent investigation. It was a move vehemently challenged by many African leaders. At the end, the US had its way after securing the backing of some European countries like Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

While we await the outcome of the new probe, there is no doubt that the “crisis” within the AfDB is an assault on the leadership of one of the foremost multilateral institutions, and more importantly, the credibility of the bank. Established in 1964 with Nigeria as the highest single shareholder, the AfDB has 54 African countries (with 60% voting power) and 26 non-African countries. But since the financial institution established to fund the development needs of African countries was created, perhaps no president of the bank has impacted more on the continent than Adesina, the first Nigerian to earn the position in its 55-year history. His five-year tenure has been remarkable in solid achievements. Only last October, the bank raised $115 billion in fresh capital in what many saw as a personal success for Adesina.

The financial institution remains the only one in Africa with a Triple-A credit rating.

It is clear that some external powers are playing politics with the AfDB essentially to undermine the institution. It is gratifying that President Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed his (and Nigeria’s) support for Adesina. We hope other African leaders would not cave in under external pressure to withdraw their support for the AfDB president who remains the sole candidate for re-election in August.

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

We Must Renounce Our Tribal Identities

he recent current of the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the US has surged tremendously in Nigeria – a country in the thrall of its own unique kind of “racism’’ – tribalism. Nigerians held protests at the embassy of the US in Abuja, condemning the murder of George Floyd, an African-American, by a Caucasian Minneapolis police officer a few days ago. Really, while the protests are for a righteous cause, no doubt, we need to re-wheel and deepen them to square up to our own fundamental imbalances.

The US is a society that is attuned to its frailties and rises to the occasion when need be to confront them. While there are laws to address issues of racism in America like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there are no laws

assiduously tackling tribalism in Nigeria. In fact, the laws we have in Nigeria are designed to accent tribalism and nepotism; for example, the Quota System, “Federal Character Principle’’ and “catchment area’’ policy.

I must say, while the Quota System and the Federal Character Principle were ideated to rugby-tackle concerns of ethnic representation in the public sector, they have over the years become the fulcrums on which tribalism, nepotism and ethnic dominance are scaffolded. These policies have also enthroned incompetence, discrimination, lack of healthy competition, indolence and indiscipline in the national life while supplanting meritocracy and competence.

I scored 284 in JAMB – high above the cut-off mark of

the course I applied to study at university. But I could not secure admission at the university I wanted which was in another part of the country where I am supposedly not a native. I was robbed of choice because of the “catchment area’’ policy. This was many years ago, but the academic apartheid still persists in Nigeria today.

There is no change even in 2020!

Now, I have an eight-year-old son, and if I elect that he studies in Nigeria, that will be putting him through the same mill of discrimination and institutional apartheid that I faced. I think, this is the worst kind of “native racism’’. We really have got to make Nigeria work for all Nigerians.

We live in country where to transact any official matter you

have to declare your “state of origin’’ and not your “state of residence’’ – even when you have lived in a particular area in the country since your nativity.

I recall, in March, the Cross River State house of assembly rejected the appointment of Akon Ikpeme as substantive chief judge of the state — because she is from Akwa Ibom, even though she is married to a Cross Riverian.

In a voice vote at a plenary session, the assembly rejected Ikpeme’s appointment after receiving a report by the committee on judiciary. In the report, Godwin Akwaji, representing Obudu constituency, and five others, recommended her rejection on the loony grounds that she is not a native of the state.

Is this not apartheid? We subsist on the worst kind of discrimination based on tribe and religion. And what is more tragic is that these

prejudices are institutionalised.

We cannot pontificate on racism in the US, when some Nigerians cannot buy land in certain parts of the country. We cannot sit in judgment on racism in the US, when some Nigerians kill other citizens in the cognomen of ethnicity and religion.

We cannot be indignant with racism in America when some Nigerians cast ethnic slurs like -- Inyamiri, Ofe nmanu, Aboki – on their fellow countrymen. We cannot be more outraged by a foreign blight than by the sickening plight of our own people and the system.

That is classical hypocrisy.

We must begin to erode “tribal identities’’ and revive the “Nigerian identity’’ to make progress as one country. I am Nigerian. That is my tribal identity.

––Fredrick Nwabufo, fredicknwabufo@yahoo.com.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ÍľË&#x153; 2020

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NEWS

Acting News Editor Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2122;ĂŁĂ?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x201C; E-mail: Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2122;ĂŁĂ?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2039;Ë&#x203A;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x201C;ĚśĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2039;ĂŁĂ&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ë&#x203A;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ë&#x153;͸Î&#x20AC;͸Î&#x20AC;͚ΠÎ&#x20AC;͞ͽΠ͸ Ě&#x2122;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2013;ĂŁĚ&#x161;

Report: Fulani Herdsmen Killed 2,539 Nigerians in 654 Attacks Bayo Akinloye Between 2017 and May 2, 2020, Fulani herdsmen conducted 654 attacks, killed 2,539 and kidnapped 253 people in Nigeria, a report obtained by

ThisDay has shown The report titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Working Document -- Fulani Militiasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Terror: Compilation of News (2017-2020),â&#x20AC;&#x2122; revealed bloodcurdling statistics of vicious attacks, deaths and kidnappings

by the herdsmen.

It stated that the herdsmen assaults against farmers in Nigeria were â&#x20AC;&#x153;regular, systematic, targeted attacks.â&#x20AC;?

The author of the report JosĂŠ Luis BazĂĄn, an independent

researcher and analyst, based in Brussels, Belgium, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigerians are suffering widespread and systematic terrorist attacks by, mainly, Boko Haram, the ISIL-aligned Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), Fulani

PROMOTING AGRICULTURE . . .

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma (middle) with Chairman and Members of Implementation Committee of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences after inauguration.

militias and Ansaru.â&#x20AC;?

BazĂĄn, however, pointed out: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Global Terrorist Index 2019 published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, indicates that the primary driver of the increase in terrorism in SubSaharan Africa was a rise in terrorist activity in Nigeria attributed to Fulani extremists: in 2018, Fulani extremists were responsible for the majority of terror-related deaths in Nigeria (1,158 fatalities), with an increase by 261 and 308 percent respectively from the prior year.â&#x20AC;?

The report noted that most of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fulani attacks were armed assaultsâ&#x20AC;? (200 out of 297 attacks) against civilians (84 percent of the attacks).

A breakdown analysis of the document by THISDAY indicates that in 2017, there were 99 attacks resulting in the killing of 202 people while 12 were kidnapped. In 2018, the attacks intensified rising to 245 resulting in bloodbath that caused 1,478 deaths.

The number of those kidnapped during that period rose to 29. Last year, 169 attacks, 524 killings, and three kidnappings were reported.

So far, in 2020 as of May 2,

according to the report, there were 141 attacks, 335 people killed and 137 kidnapped.

But behind the figures, the document said the attacks, killings, and kidnappings were targeted at farmers who were â&#x20AC;&#x153;predominantly Christians.â&#x20AC;?

The report said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of the victims are farmers (predominantly, Christians), but Fulani (predominantly, Muslim) have also attacked policemen, soldiers, etc.â&#x20AC;?

It noted further, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In our view, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remain blind to the reality of regular, systematic, targeted attacks carried out by a minority of Fulani groups that spread terror among (Christian) farmers to achieve their own purposes, using AK47s, too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The attacks of these Fulani armed groups that form militias fit with the commonly accepted notion of terrorism as the intentional and illegal use of violence or threat of violence to intimidate a large spectrum of society, in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological or social objectives, and with the description of terrorist acts by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1566 (2004).â&#x20AC;?

Buhari Reappoints Danbatta as NCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Vice Chairman Tobi Soniyi

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday reappointed Professor Umar Garba Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission.

Professor Danbattaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reappointment was based on the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), in line with the Nigerian Communications

Act, 2003.

The minister said the renewal of the appointment was to consolidate the gains made in the telecommunications sector in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.

While wishing Danbatta the best, the minister directed him to significantly improve on the overall performance of the commission as well as ensure that adequate mechanisms are put in place to facilitate the implementation of all policies of federal government through

the ministry.

He further charged him to ensure that the interest of telecommunication consumers, Nigerians and investors are adequately protected.

Danbatta was appointed the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC by President Buhari in 2015 or five year tenure after the expiration of the two tenure of his predecessor Eugine Juwa.

Reacting to the renewal of Danbatta, NCC in an advertorial commended President Buhari for his visionary leadership as

Police Arrest Anambra Businessman for Unlawful Possession of Firearm

By David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Police in Anambra have arrested a prominent business man in the state, Chief Pius Nweke for alleged unlawful possession of firearms.

Nweke, the CEO of Best Aluminium Manufacturing Company, a roofing sheet company was arrested at about 12 noon on Friday in Onitsha while he was driving to his office.

THISDAY gathered that the businessman who hails from Abba in Njikoka Local Government Area, and has been a major force in his community, which had been at loggerhead with Ukpo community had his car intercepted and searched by police officers, and an automatic pistol found in his possession.

Anambra State police commissioner, John Abang who confirmed the arrest said that Nweke was

arrested by policemen attached to the Inspector General of Police team known as STS. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Policemen of the IGPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s STS while on routine patrol at Awada area saw and intercepted a Lexus Jeep which its number plate was covered and then searched the car and the occupant and in the process found a beretta pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition in it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has been taken into custody for further interrogation at Onitsha there with STS. He will be taken to Abuja because the STS headquarters is in Abuja. So, definitely he will be moved to Abuja for further necessary actions and interrogations.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, the president General of Abba community, Mr C. Anaekwe has described Nwekeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrest as frame up and abduction instead.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nweke was abducted by the men of the Nigeria police.

As at the time of this release, the whereabouts of Nweke is still unknown,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He said the arrest was connected to a tussle between Abba and Ukpo community over a large plot of land, citing that Abba people were being oppressed and intimidated by their Ukpo neighbours, using the police. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since June, 2019 citizens of the Abba community have been subjected to police intimidation, harassment and victimization with not less than 19 citizens of the Abba community charged to courts for offences ranging from obstruction to armed robbery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At present, two out of the five persons arrested on 18th December, 2019 and charged before the Magistrate Court, Umudioka are still in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service.â&#x20AC;?

demonstrated by the approval of the designation of the Telecommunications Infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure.

The commission said the decision would in no small way provide the needed protection for the infrastructure that had been subjected to vandalization over the years.

It said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mr President , we truly appreciate your leadership.

The success the industry has recorded in the last five years is due in no small part to your support.â&#x20AC;?

Danbatta

FG Seizes Dan Eteteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Private Jet in Canada The federal government has seized a private jet allegedly bought by Dan Etete, a former minister of petroleum, who is being prosecuted for alleged involvement in the $1.1 billion Malabu oil deal.

The former minister had denied any wrongdoing.

The Cable reported that Babatunde Johnson, whose firm, Johnson & Johnson Solicitors, was appointed by the Nigerian government in 2016 to recover assets from the OPL 245 deal, told Financial Uncovered that the the government had been on the trail of the Bombardier 6000 jet, with tail number M-MYNA, since it landed in MontrĂŠal-Trudeau International Airport in Canada on May 29.

According to the website, the jet had just flown from Dubai via Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland, and it is not known whether any passengers were on board.

On Saturday, a court in the

province of Quebec reportedly granted a seizure order for the aircraft, and was served on Tibit Ltd, the company which owns it.

Tibit Ltd, an anonymously owned company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is said to have been given June 9 to oppose the court order.

The jet, Johnson said, had been grounded in Dubai for the past four years, where it had been closely monitored. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our investigators in Dubai then noticed that the jet, having been grounded in Dubai for so long, suddenly did some test flights and even went up to a cruising altitude for a short while. It seemed like they were testing whether they could fly somewhere,â&#x20AC;? he was quoted to have said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The jet then took off from Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, mid-morning on Friday.

We did not know the destination at that point. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We now suspected that it was

being flown to Canada for a major service, pending a possible sale. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had just a few hours to get a legal team in place on the ground there in Canada to file the injunction. It was 3am in Nigeria when I made a statement to the judge via video link.â&#x20AC;?

In January, a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Gwagwalada issued a warrant of arrest against Etete following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the deal.

In 2011, the federal government brokered a deal between Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd, the original allottees of the enormously endowed but controversial OPL 245, and Shell/ENI who wanted to buy the oil block from the Nigerian company.

While Shell and ENI paid a signature bonus of $210 million to the federal government, they paid $1.1 billion to buy 100 percent interest in the oil block from Malabu.

SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž JUNE 7, 2020

OPINION Rethinking Leadership: VisionAnd Capacity ofATransformer Leaders who have led successful transformation of their societies have been men of exceptional intelligence, knowledge and wisdom anchored on integrity, writes Anya O. Anya

W

hen we think of leadership in Nigeria as indeed in the rest of Africa we often ignore the historical burdens that predispose leadership to failure. We often forget the burden imposed by our past by slave trade, the colonial experience and the baggage of past failures in leadership.

These historical burdens impose on the present leadership the obligation to rethink the future for a new vision that will mitigate the constraints imposed by the past.

Unfortunately, the leadership that succeeded the colonial administration inherited the structures of governance, hook, line and sinker without examining the features of their new inheritance as to relevance, suitability or applicability in the environment of a truly independent nation. Both Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa in separate speeches pointed out the existence of this hiatus.

Furthermore in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multireligious society the leaders did not have the luxury of close interaction with each other. Hence they could not develop a common vision of the future for their new nation nor could they share a common code of values. Such interaction could have underlined to them the necessity of their mutual interdependence.

Such interdependence would have facilitated the emergence of a leadership cadre sharing a common vision of the future with a code of values or ethos that would enhance collaboration, cooperation and the convergence of interests developed in an environment that engenders simultaneously a sense of autonomy and self-determination in the constituent sub-national polities. The desirability of a federal state would have been under the circumstances self-evident.

The flipside to this anomalous situation is the centrifugal tension that has haunted the new nation from its earliest days. As Karl Maier an American journalist had cause to observe â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śthe long term solution in Nigeria to the crisis that arise in a multiethnic state is for the various parties, however many they may be to sit down and negotiate how they want to govern themselves and how they ultimately want to share resources and to decide whether they ultimately want to live togetherâ&#x20AC;Śuntil they begin that process of internal reconciliation at best Nigeria (will) lurch from crises to crisesâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;?

As daunting as the challenge of leadership may appear, history teaches that such leaders have emerged at critical points in their nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Otto van Bismark did it for Germany, Ataturk for Turkey and in more recent times, Deng Xiaping for China, Lee Kwuan Yew for Singapore, Mohamed Mahathir for Malaysia and Mandela for South Africa. Leaders who have led successful transformation of their societies have been men of exceptional intelligence, knowledge and wisdom anchored on integrity, sensitivity and tenacity of purpose. They are people who have a clear sense of purpose with the uncanny ability

to handle the organizational politics of their environment while managing processes to facilitate the desired outcome. As managers of processes they have enhanced capacity to resolve dilemmas, ethical issues and conflicts as well as to shift paradigms through creative thinking and applicable techniques of persuasion. They are masters in the management of creative tension.

In a plural society such as Nigeria each individual carries multiple identities which stir the deeper sensibilities and dynamics that shape human relationships: the boundaries that challenge leadership today are more psychological than structural or organizational. They involve the whole gamut of human relationships often associated with strong emotions: the presence or lack of trust, loyalty, respect, pride, common purpose, safety, security, threats and the small matter of ownership.

The fundamental challenge of leadership then is to understand how identities are formed out of the interplay of two fundamental but opposing forces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the need for differentiation, divergence, and uniqueness in contradistinction to the need for integration, convergence and belongingness. The ultimate challenge for leadership is how to bridge or span these multiple identities by reaching out across the complex boundaries in human relationships. Consequently leadership must have the capacity to manage boundaries, forge common ground and purpose even as they discover new frontiers to conquer.

Modern research in management science has identified six practices which facilitate the emergence of the capacity for â&#x20AC;&#x153;boundaries-spanningâ&#x20AC;? leadership. Such research has shown that when the multiplicity and complexity of forces are brought to bear in alignment and synergy they produce what has been called a nexus effect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the emergence of new and unexpected realities that bring with them new possibilities that inspire groups to recognize that they can achieve together above and beyond what they can realise on their own. That is indeed, the inherent strength in diversity: the whole taken together in this new environment of cooperation and collaboration, (a new creative diversity) becomes bigger than the sum of its multitude of separate parts. Since the leader is the driver of the new situation he exudes the zeal to excel, determination to innovate and commitment to sacrifice to the common good.

The greatest need of Nigeria at this period of convulsive changes is a leadership that has the consuming passion and compassion to build bridges across the peoples of Nigeria beyond ethnicities, cultures and religions

Boundary-spanning leadership then is the ability to create direction, alignment and commitment across boundaries in the service of a higher vision and goal. The higher desirable goal in our present circumstances being to build a new Nigeria where equity, justice and prosperity is available and accessible to all individuals, all regions and all constituencies. Leaders must therefore lead across groups, and diversities at the historical juncture where experience, expertise and varied identities intersect, even as two powerful human forces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; differentiation and integration collide to catalyze a new reality driven by collaboration, innovation, and transformation engineered by a new mindset and new mental models. As the late Albert Einstein observed â&#x20AC;&#x153;problems cannot be solved at the current level of consciousness that created themâ&#x20AC;?. Hence the inevitability of change. So where do we go from here?

It is pertinent to remind us at this stage that the three outstanding problems facing Nigeria are presently r 5IF DIBMMFOHF PG OBUJPOBM *OUFHSBUJPO r 5IF DIBMMFOHF PG OBUJPOBM EFWFMPQNFOU BOE r 5IF DIBMMFOHF PG CVJMEJOH B 1BO /JHFSJBO MFBEFSTIJQ DBESF It was our late compatriot Chinua Achebe who had observed: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership. Nigeria can change if she discovers leaders who have the will, the ability and the visionâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

This is the crux of the matter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the selection process for leadership is anchored not on the discovery of new talents and grooming them for service according to the national vision and the national code of values. The preponderance of what passes for leadership in Nigeria today is provided by the political class: self-selected and self-perpetuating through an amoral and value depreciating network of god-fathers who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. So we need a wholesale change in the rulership class. Fortunately we have in the Report of the 2014 National Conference a report that can serve as a new grundnorm, for embedded in that document is the framework of a new constitution: the result of an unprecedented national consensus which can be validated by the Nigerian peoples in a referendum. In the meantime we can make the chapter 2 of our present constitution justiciable and mandatory on all governments at all levels. Maybe that such an initiative should serve to return the government to the people since all the issues that should concern the citizen is fully aggregated in that chapter II of the present constitution.

In summary, the greatest need of Nigeria at this period of convulsive changes in the global environment is a leadership that has the consuming passion and compassion to build bridges across the peoples of Nigeria beyond ethnicities, cultures and religions. It is not rocket science. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Professor Anya, FAS, recent remarks at the National dialogue of the Nigerian Prize for leadership

Battling COVID-19: $ðÊôôíÜïíÝ "ÜÏ 1áôùßùÍÝ áÎ 5ðí 7ÊÍÍùÜí Rajendra Aneja argues that the research organisation and the lead scientist who discover the vaccine to neutralise COVID-19 should be rewarded generously

B

illions of citizens across the world, irrespective of religion, ideology, caste and creed, wait with bated breath, for scientists to discover a vaccine to fight coronavirus.

Never before, has the discovery of a product, been so critical. Research institutes are burning the midnight oil to find a vaccine including the Oxford University, Massachusetts-based Moderna, Beijing-based Sinovac #JPUFDI 1GJ[FS BOE #JP/5FDI *OPWJP 1IBSNBDFVUJDBMT which is working on a DNA-based vaccine, etc.

Convalescent plasma has been used earlier against viral illnesses like rabies, hepatitis B, polio, measles, influenza and Ebola. It was also EFQMPZFE JO UIF USFBUNFOU PG .&34 BOE 4"34 1MBTNB UIFSBQZ JT a form of passive immunisation, unlike a vaccine, which produces active immunity. It is showing encouraging results. However, finding adequate volunteers for trials, without an antibody therapy, is challenging and has its own medical and ethical risks.

Most researchers opine that the vaccine is least a year away.

However, the world needs it today. Countries, states, communities are shutting their borders, to prevent the spread of the disease.

The World Health Organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief scientist, Ms. Soumya Swaminathan, has predicted that it may take four to five years before Covid-19 is controlled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many factors will determine how long and to what extent the virus remains a threat, including whether it mutates, what containment measures are put in place and whether an effective vaccine is developed,â&#x20AC;? she opines.

Mr. Michael Ryan, WHO's Emergencies Director also feels that Covid-19 is a new virus entering the human population for the first time and it is difficult to predict when it can be harnessed. This is HMPPNZ OFXT 1. +PIOTPO PG #SJUBJO IBT BMTP DBVUJPOFE UIBU XF NBZ not find a suitable vaccine at all.

WHO is not a pioneering research or remedy leading organisa.BOZ OBUJPOT JO "TJB MJLF $IJOB *OEJB 1BLJTUBO .ZBONBS tion. It has been reduced to a bureaucratic institution. It should etc., and in Africa like Kenya, Nigeria, etc., are very crowded. The wholesale markets, local buses and metro trains are always fiercely be restructured to play a more vibrant role in a crisis of this magnitude. crowded. How will people work to make a living? And, if people 5IF TDJFOUJTUT BU 6OJWFSTJUZ PG 0YGPSEhT +FOOFS *OTUJUVUF BOE UIF have no money how will they feed themselves and their families?

Oxford Vaccine Group have expressed concerns that they may Thus, if a vaccine is not found soon, it could lead to a collapse of not be able to complete their research since the virus is diminishPVS QSF MPDLEPXO XBZ PG MJGF 1SFTJEFOU 5SVNQ IBT PGUFO BTTFSUFE ing in the UK. The Oxford scientistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; group should consider that the Coronavirus is manmade and came from a laboratory. commencing simultaneous trials in countries like Brazil and So, if the virus took birth in a laboratory then it is possible to India where the virus is yet robust. The trials must go on. manufacture an antidote to it.

Normally scientists and researches work for academic About 100 vaccines are under various stages of testing, including recognition. It is time to motivate them with finance and honour trials on animals and patients. After discovery, the vaccine should too, considering the high stakes of Covid-19. The global economy be patent free and citizens should not have to pay for it. Local HPWFSONFOUT TIPVME QBZ 1IBSNBDFVUJDBM DPNQBOJFT TIPVME XPSL has come to a grinding halt due to an invisible, but hyper-active virus. The world should declare a reward of USD 10 billion to the on a pure cost-basis in disseminating the vaccine. At a time when research organisation and USD one billion to the lead scientist, the human race is under threat, profits can wait. who discover the vaccine to neutralise Covid-19. This may sound After the vaccines are shortlisted, it will be a massive challenge preposterous, but it is the need of the hour. In addition, the most to produce billions of doses and distribute them in glass vials DPWFUFE BXBSET PG UIF XPSME MJLF UIF /PCFM 1SJ[F TIPVME HP UP across countries, towns, hamlets. It can be a logistical nightmare. the scientists who discover the vaccine.

Mr. Kalipso Chalkidou, director of global health at the Centre for Collecting USD 10 billion should not be a problem. Around Global Development, sums up the challenge as â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need to build 200 nations are impacted by Covid-19. Each nation has to the plane as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re flying it.â&#x20AC;? contribute USD 50 million or even less, since the more affluent The World Health Organisation (WHO) could have provided OBUJPOT MJLF UIF 64" 6, $IJOB +BQBO FUD XJMM DIJQ JO NPSF leadership in the equitable distribution of vaccines across the We should not scrounge, when the future of mankind is at stake. world. Unfortunately, it has come for severe criticism, especially GSPN 64 1SFTJEFOU 5SVNQ *U JT JOEFFE VOGPSUVOBUF UIBU 8)0 IBT not played a leadership role in the current crisis. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School It should have led the research efforts to find a vaccine to and author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Thoughts for a Better Worldâ&#x20AC;? counter coronavirus. It should also have led efforts worldwide, to finalise a list of definitive medicines to treat the disease. Sadly, (See concluding part of the article on www.thisdaylive.com)

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

15

LETTERS

ADDRESSING RISING CASES OF RAPE

O

nce again, the unpleasant reality of the appalling issue of rape in our society has been brought into the fore as Vera Uwaila Omozuma, a 22-year-old university student in Edo State, was recently found dead in a church after being allegedly raped.

Vera, who went to study in a church at Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City, on May 27, 2020, was allegedly raped and assaulted by assailants.

It was gathered that the men forced their way into the church, where they raped and struck her in the head with a fire extinguisher. The church security guard who found Vera in a pool of blood, reportedly called for help and the victim was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Vera did not recover from her state of unconsciousness until she died.

Vera’s sad episode is just one out of many such sordid rape tales that have come up of late. For instance, on May 30, in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State, 11 suspects were arrested for allegedly raping a 12-yearold girl.

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan The suspects were apprehended after the police received a complaint that one of the suspects, aged 57 of Ma’ai village was seen at Limawa market in Dutse LGA, trying to lure the victim. During the course of interrogation, the victim listed names of 11 men who had sexual intercourse with her at different times.

Similarly, last April, 18-year-old Jennifer was allegedly attacked and raped by a gang of five men in Narayi, a small

community in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Her assailants were said to have carried out the dastardly action on the teenager after giving her a liquid content — said to be a mixture of alcohol and drugs — to drink. Two of the suspected rapists have been apprehended while the remaining three boys are currently at large.

In a manner that suggests the demon in charge of this reprehensible act

is on the loose, 18-year Barakat Bello, student of the Federal College of Animal and Production Technology, Moore Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, was recently raped and killed in Ibadan. The ugly incidence took place at her home in Akinyele, Ibadan and the corpse found near the house.

Though a global phenomenon, the appalling side of rape in our clime has to do with recklessness of the perpetrators, lackluster response of justice administrators and absence of institutional supportive system to help the victims.

More worrying is that a good number of suspected rapists move freely on the streets after committing the heinous act. Also worrisome is the fact that not much is being done in respect of strengthening our weak law to incisively deal with perpetrators of rape.

Rape victims suffer a sense of abuse that goes beyond physical injury.

They may become skeptical of men and experience feelings of embarrassment and disgrace. Victims who suffer rape trauma syndrome experience physical symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbances, and fatigue.

They may also develop

The Gender Quagmire

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iterally, All Fingers Are Not Equal; but in practical, when the hand wants to perform the function of eating, all the fingers are involved. Though some play more important roles than others but they all have equal opportunity to participate.

As ordinary as it looks and seems, this is the stack reality about the role of gender in our society.

Everyone has a unique and distinctive role to play in human societal development and for societal balance and equity, it is pertinent that everyone be given an equal opportunity for one to effectively contribute his/her quotas to the society.

This is not an article about gender inequality because we do not have the mandate to differentiate the superiority of a gender over the other. But as responsible citizens aiming to achieve an ideal society, everyone must imbibe the culture of fairness. Even in a law court; for there to be a balance in the adjudication of judgement and to curtail sentiments and biases; both lawyers (Prosecutors and Defence) are given a fair hearing in any jurisprudence. This is done to ensure both sides receive equal treatment.

This should also be applied in any society as it relates to gender. Both

sexes should be given an equal opportunity for them to exhibit their internal strengths, talents and aspirations in a sane society. This call is absolutely different from the call of gender equality.

This is a call for Equal Gender Opportunity.

Gender equality, simply put, is a belief that both men and women should receive equal treatment.

People should not be discriminated against because of their gender. It can also be called sex equality, gender egalitarianism, sexual equality or equality of the gender. The protagonists of gender equality fail to realise the differences in nature, capacity, strengths and resolve in both sexes.

Though all fingers are fingers but never the same in size, length and function. In a work environment for example; one shouldn’t expect that a female pregnant or nursing parent should be exposed to the same work hours as the male. In such scenarios, gender equality will be difficult to achieve.

If this is done, there will be an outcry from the “feminist” group who will kick against it.

Gender equal opportunities; as different from gender equality, is the absence of barriers to economic, political and social participation on grounds of sex and gender.

Simply put, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. This does not mean that women and men have to become the same; but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.

The concept of gender equal opportunity also called equality of opportunity is the idea that people ought to be able to compete on equal terms, or on a level playing field for advantaged offices positions. Reducing unequal gender opportunities strengthens economies and builds stable and resilient societies that give all individuals in the society (including boys and men); the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Some steps to achieve gender equality are: Talk to women and girls: one of the reason why we have not achieved gender equality everywhere is that women and girls voices are too often excluded from global and national decision making.

Make education gender sensitive: There should be progress in increasing awareness in gender sensitivity of educational system.

Let girls use mobile phones and be exposed to basic technologies device: Girls should be encouraged in the use of

technological devices like internet, computers phones, etc. Through this medium they will be able to say their minds.

Raise aspirations of girls and their parents: one of the key strategies must be to change how girls, families and society imagine what girls can be and can do. We need to give girls images, ideas and role models that expand their dreams.

Empower mothers: They say charity begins at home.

Through empowering women at community level you will also enhance girls education.

Give proper value to women’s work: The unpaid work women and girls do provide the foundation for the global economy. There should be an equal work equal pay worldwide.

Encourage women into non-traditional vocations: Encouraging women in non-traditional jobs is crucial in not only making long-lasting change in their lives but also help break social taboos.

Stop the violence: Gender inequality has allowed for violence against women to continue unabated.

Now is the time to take action for equal gender opportunities.

––Grace O. Abu, Programme Assistant, Women & Child Safety Programme, Cal-maji Foundation.

psychological disturbances related to the circumstances of the rape, such as intense fears. Fear of being raped has social as well as personal consequences. For example, it may prevent women from socializing or traveling as they wish while worried and unenlightened parent can use it as excuse of limiting educational progress of girl-child.

Rape takes away from the victim, human rights such as right to life (as it led to death in some instances), right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty and security of person and right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

It is a crime against basic human rights and it also violates the victim's most cherished of the fundamental rights - the right to life.

Sadly, occurrence of cases of rape calls to question not only our sense of justice but our civilization as a people. Now, let’s attempt to examine why some men engage in the heinous crime of rape.

According to experts, rape mostly occurs as result of a violent craving to control the victim rather than an attempt to achieve sexual fulfillment.

They deem rape an act of violence rather than mainly a sexual encounter.

Beside the desire to control, rape also underscores the sorry state of mind of the perpetrators.

The blatant way rape is often committed shows that perpetrators still operate in a distorted mindset of women as assets to be used and dispensed with at will.

Many Nigerians believe that women/girls invite trouble on themselves by being careless. Mothers often chide daughters for wearing provocative clothing, in most cases a sleeveless garment or a pair of hip-hugging jeans. Though one isn’t an advocate of indecent dressing, but it could not be a justification for raping. Come to think

of; is indecent dressing a ‘rapeable’ offence?

The weak stance of the law towards rape needs to be seriously addressed.

Women and girls who are raped in Nigeria have little hope of obtaining justice and reparation. Victims are sometimes pressured into withdrawing the case or parents of victims prefer financial settlement out of court to a criminal prosecution.

Where cases are brought to court, prosecution sometimes fails because police refer cases to a court lacking appropriate jurisdiction and progress is then obstructed by the slow administration of the judicial system. In some cases, the alleged perpetrator is charged with a different and less serious criminal offence.

Sadly, perpetrators of rape have continued to enjoy the crime because the onus of proof lies only with the victims. The victim is the one that must provide the bed sheet used to rape her. She must provide her underwear and not clean herself before going to the police station and the hospital even when it is sure that there would be delays in getting and presenting the report of medical tests because of nature of our health facilities. She must not urinate, drinks liquid or takes any other bodily action as these could threaten her evidence.

A lot has to be done if we must achieve a rape/ sexual abuse-free society.

A bothersome issue is the idea of giving culprit option of paying fine of such amount as ridiculous as N250, 000 which can be easily afforded by the culprit and his family.

Of what use is the fine compared to damage caused the rape victims?

Recent upsurge in rape cases questions our sanity as a people. We need to make stronger laws against the shameful act.

––Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Don't Be A Sucker

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has swiftly spread around the world although misinformation and bogus treatments have probably spread faster through the world of social media.

Scientists were still getting their test tubes out by the time non-scientific cures and bogus treatments were being sold on the internet, but we know where the real answers will come from or at least we should know.

Perhaps the oddest story relating to bobus and untested treatments is that of the ex-Madagascar Minister

of Education Rijasoa Andriamanana who planned to buy over two million dollars' worth of lollipops to help make a herbal treatment less bitter when given to school children. Don't they know that all good medicine tastes bad - actually that's an urban myth rather than a fact but people believe these things too easily.

We need to wait till scientists, hopefully, develop a vaccine and spread that around the world. Ignore the internet wisdom and look for accurate scientific sources of information.

–Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia.

16

SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

17

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍżË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESS

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

Ending Petrol Subsidy, Price Capping, a Brave Way out The federal government has finally decided to take on the scandalous long fraught petroleum product subsidisation by doing away with price modulation. A courageous decision no doubt. It has, however, been late in coming. Nosa James-Igbinadolor reports

A

fter years of indecision and political cowardice by varied Nigerian administrations, the Buhari government has finally decided to be brave and take the only rational way out of the pricing quandary that has dogged the Nigerian petroleum industry since the 1970s.

OnThursday,thefederalgovernmentproceeded with the full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector with the removal of the existing cap on petrol price, urging marketers to import and sell the product, according to the dynamics of the forces of demand and supply, thus allowing petrol marketers to import the product and sell at prevailing market prices, without the usual price band set by the concerned regulatory agency.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), the organisation tasked with the pricing policy of petroleum products noted that henceforth prices would be fully determined by market forces with the agency only continuing to monitor trends in the crude oil market and advise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and oil marketers accordingly.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Abdulkadir Saidu, noted that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In exercise of the powers conferred on it by Section 7 and 24 of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (Establishment) Act. No. 8 of 2003, and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, with the approval of the President hereby states the following: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Market-based pricing regime for premium motor spirit (PMS) using the pricing template of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The price cap per litre in respect of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is removed from the commencement of these regulations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the commencement of these regulations, amarket-basedpricingregimeforPremiumMotor Spirit (PMS) shall take effect. The agency shall monitor market trends and advise the NNPC and oil marketing companies on the monthly guiding market-based price.â&#x20AC;?

Even though Nigeria is a major oil producer, it imports 91 per cent of its daily petrol needs, leaving local prices exposed to shocks from exchange rate fluctuations.

Making the right economic decision in Nigeria is never easy. It might be easy anywhere else, but not in Nigeria. In a country where public policy decisions are deliberately skewed and subjected to base political machinations, the decision of the federal government to bow to simple economic logic and voices of reason to finally do away with the subsidisation of petroleum products allows for among others, freeing billions of dollars hitherto spent on subsidising these products to be spent on critical infrastructure needs.

BudgIT, a civic organisation, in a report said the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fuel subsidyâ&#x20AC;? deprives the nation of funds needed for critical socio-economic development.

For example, the N10 trillion consumed by the subsidy regime is sufficient to provide 27,000 megawatts (MW) of solar-powered electricity for stable power supply.

Former Central Bank Governor and deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II had in 2019 urged the Nigerian government to scrap fuel and electricity tariff subsidies in order to stabilise the economy. He noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2011, when I was CBN governor,Nigeriamade$16billionfrompetroleum sales, and we spent $8billion importing petroleum and spent another $8.2billion subsidising the product... and I asked, is this sustainable? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The country is bankrupt and we are heading to bankruptcy. What happens is that the Federal Government do pay petroleum subsidy, pays electricity tariff subsidy, and if there is a rise in

A fuel dispenser

interest rates, the federal government pays. What is more life-threatening than the subsidy that we have to sacrifice education, health sector and infrastructure for us to have cheap petroleum? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If truly President Buhari is fighting poverty, he should remove the risk on the national financial sector and stop the subsidy regime, which is fraudulent,â&#x20AC;? he added.

IMFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Managing Director, Mrs. Christine Lagarde,earlylastyearwarnedthatsubsidyspending was infringing on other critical areas of capital development, hence the need for the government to refocus. The IMF chief said it was the monetary institutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general principle to discourage fossil fuel subsidies because of its consequences on other areas of life and development.

According to her, as far as Nigeria is concerned, with the low revenue mobilisation that exists in the country; in terms of tax to gross domestic product (GDP), Nigeria is amongst the lowest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A real effort has to be done in order to maintain a good public finance situation for the country and in order to direct investment towards health, education, and infrastructural development.â&#x20AC;?

Highlighting some of the negative impacts of fuel subsidy, Lagarde said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look at our numbers from 2015, it is no less than about $5.2 trillion that are spent on fuel subsidies and the consequences thereof. And the Fiscal Affairs Department has actually identified how much would have been saved fiscally but also in terms of human life, if there had been the right price on carbon emission as of 2015. Numbers are quite staggering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If that was to happen, then there would be more public spending available to build hospitals, to build roads, to build schools, and to support education and health for the people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, how this is done is the more complicated

path because there has to be a social protection safety net that is in place so that the most exposed in the population do not take the brunt of those removal of subsidies principle. So that is our position.â&#x20AC;?

Between 2010 and 2014, Nigeria spent a total of N6 trillion ($35 billion 2015 figure) to subsidise petroleum products.According to the World Bank, fuel subsidy incapacitated the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to save for the rainy day, occasioned by falling crude oil prices in the international market.

The bank, in its Nigeria Economic Report No. 3, warned that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the fiscal cost of the fuel subsidy is very high, reaching an estimated $35billion during 2010â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2014. Moreover, annual costs are increasing over time due to rising fuel demand and the depreciation of the naira. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In recent years, numerous audits and reports have identified widespread corruption and fraud intheadministrationofthefuelsubsidy,andofficial petrol imports have substantially exceeded actual consumption. Attempts by the government to crack down on fraud and delay payment of the subsidy have commonly met with severe fuel shortages in the country that also impose high economic and welfare costs on Nigerians. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The $35billion cost of the fuel subsidy during 2010â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2014 was a primary reason why Nigeria was unable to accumulate a fiscal reserve in the excess crude account that could have protected the country from the recent oil price shock. Fuel subsidy obligations are expected to reach 18 per cent of all government oil revenues in 2015, and, if the current regulated prices are maintained, this is projected to increase to more than 30 per cent by 2018.â&#x20AC;?

In 2019, over N780 billion was spent as subsidy, surpassing the N305 billion provision in the 2019 budget. The federal government made a N450

billionprovisionforfuelsubsidyinthe2020budget.

Product price capping and subsidisation have been very bad for the economy. As noted by the bank, most of the petrol volumes Nigeria spent money to subsidise are inflated as daily consumption rose to 54 million litres per day (ml/d) from 40ml/d in 2017, ostensibly due partly to out-smuggling. Thus, the bank noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the calculations for the fuel subsidy are based on heavily inflated fuel consumption estimates, with the fiscally severely constrained Nigerian government effectively subsidising neighbouring countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; petrol consumption as some of the fuel is informally re-exported through the porous borders.â&#x20AC;?

PPPRA had disclosed that Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily consumption increased by two million litres to 56 million litres in 2019. This was a 22 per cent surge over 2017 daily consumption of 46 million litres. This increase, according to the report, was largely not in line with â&#x20AC;&#x153;our consumption pattern during the time.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;There has been a drastic decline in the importation of new cars over the period due to high import duties and levies. Similarly, the increased traction of diesel engine vehicles and other modes of transportation such as air, water and rail, also do not support the supposed rapid growth in daily fuel consumptionâ&#x20AC;?, the agency noted What has likely spurred the decision by the governmenttojettisonthehighlycorruptsubsidisation programme can be traced to two major factors.

The crash in oil prices and the attendant massive reduction of revenue inflow into government coffers has left the Nigerian government with little money to keep the fraudulent subsidisation programmegoing.Theglobaloilindustryhasbeen struggling with both tumbling demand and infighting among producers about reducing output.

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍżË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESS / ECONOMY

Whither the Nigerian Economy?

The economy expanded by 1.87 per cent in real terms during first quarter of this fiscal year, but the growth was not without pains as the COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on growth with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declining by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.68 percent quarter on quarter and -0.23 percent compared to the figure recorded in first quarter of 2019. Going by the dwindling economic activities recorded in the first quarter, economic pundits are predicting a steeper drop in growth for 2020. Bamidele Famoofo reports

T

he GDP growth of 1.87 per cent, which Nigeria recorded in first quarter of 2020, apparently, is a not an indication that all is well with the economy. In the first instance, the growth was lower by -0.68 per cent compared to the figure in last quarter of 2019 and -0.23 per cent less than the figure in first quarter of 2019.

A report on the performance of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP in first quarter released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has started taking its toll on major economic sectors of the economy, which recorded negative growth compared with Q4, 2019 performances.

There have been projections that the economy will not grow in the on-going fiscal year by economic experts with some touting a recession.

For instance, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which earlier in the year predicted that Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy will expand by 2.5 per cent, recently recanted, saying growth could slide by 3.4 percent or N4.95trillion by the end of the year.

Besides, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) submitted recently that GDP will decline by 4.1 percent in 2020. The projection of the economic think-tank group was based on an average oil price of $35 per barrel and 1.3 million barrel per day production. NESG also said investment will drop by 39.4 percent in 2020 as government dedicate more of its scarce resources to providing palliatives to cushion the impact of the pandemic on Nigerians. The group said contraction of the GDP will be largely dependent on expected slow growths in key economic sectors like Agriculture, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Trade.

Government revenue is expected to drop by 40 per cent while inflation journeys towards the 15 per cent mark.

Q1 Performance Review According to NBS, GDP grew by 1.87 percent (year-on-year) in real terms in the first quarter of 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This performance was recorded against the backdrop of significant global disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 public health crisis, a sharp fall in oil prices and restricted international trade. The performance recorded in Q1 2020 represents a drop of â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.23per cent points compared to Q1 2019 and â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.68per cent points compared to Q4 2019, reflecting the earliest effects of the disruption, particularly on the non-oil economy.â&#x20AC;?

Quarter on quarter, real GDP growth was â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14.27 per cent compared to 5.59 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.

In the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N35,647,406.08 million in nominal terms.

This performance was higher when compared to the first quarter of 2019 which recorded N31, 824,349.67 million, with a nominal growth rate of 12.01 per cent year on year. Relative to the first quarter of 2019, the nominal growth rate was higher by 0.11 per cent points but lower than the preceding quarter by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.32 percent points. For better clarity, the Nigerian economy has been classified broadly into the oil and non-oil sectors.

Performance by Sectors During the first quarter of 2020, an average daily oil production of 2.07 million barrels per day (mbpd) was recorded. The production level was higher than the 1.99mbpd recorded in the same quarter of 2019 by 0.08mbpd and the fourth quarter of 2019 by 0.06mbpd. The oil sector recorded a real growth rate of 5.06 per cent (year-on-year) in Q1 2020 indicating an increase of

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed

6.51 per cent points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2019.

However, growth decreased by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.30 percentage points when compared to Q4 2019 which was 6.36 per cent. Quarter-on-quarter, the oil sector recorded a growth rate of 11.30 per cent in Q1 2020. The oil sector contributed 9.50 per cent to aggregate real GDP in Q1 2020, up from figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2019 and the preceding quarter, as the share of the non-oil economy declined.

The non-oil sector grew by 1.55 per cent in real terms during the reference quarter (Q1 2020). This was slower by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.93 per cent points compared to the rate recorded during the same quarter of 2019, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.72 per cent points slower than the fourth quarter of 2019. The non-oil sector was driven mainly by Information and Communication (Telecommunications), Financial and Insurance (Financial Institutions), Agriculture (Crop Production), Mining and Quarrying (Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas), and Construction. In real terms, the Non-Oil sector contributed 90.50 percent to the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP in the first quarter of 2020, less than its share in the first quarter of 2019 which was 90.78 percent and the fourth quarter of 2019 recorded as 92.68 per cent. Activities that witnessed weaker performance relative to Q1 2019 include quarrying, road transport, accommodation and food services as well as

real estate.

The mining & quarrying sector grew nominally by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10.57 percent (year on year) in Q1 2020.

Metal ore exhibited the highest growth rate of all the sub-activities at 8.72 per cent followed by crude petroleum and natural gas activity at -10.20 percent. However, crude petroleum and natural gas was the main contributor to the sector with a weight of 99.51 per cent in Q1 2020. Compared to Q1 2019, the performance in Q1 2020 represents an increase of 8.75 per cent points, but a decline of â&#x20AC;&#x201C;23.31 per cent points when compared to Q4 2019. The sector contributed 7.97 per cent to overall GDP in the first quarter of 2020, lower than the contributions recorded in 2019 first quarter at 9.98 per cent but higher than the previous quarter recorded at 6.86 per cent.

The Agriculture sector grew by 22.47 per cent year-on-year in nominal terms in Q1 2020, showing a decline of â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.11 percent points from the same quarter in 2019. Comparing with the preceding quarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth rate of 13.80 percent indicates an increase of 8.66 per cent points.

Crop Production remained the major driver of the sector, as it accounts for 90.54 per cent of overall nominal growth of the sector in the first quarter of 2020. Quarter on quarter growth stood at â&#x20AC;&#x201C;19.58 per cent in Q1 2020. Agriculture contributed 20.88 percent to nominal GDP in the first quarter of 2020, higher than the rates

recorded for the first quarter of 2019 but lower than Q4 2019 which recorded 19.10 percent and 23.38 percent respectively.

Nominal GDP growth of the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2020 was recorded at 28.47 per cent (year-on-year), or -7.97 per cent points lower than figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2019 (36.45per cent) but 2.18 per cent points higher than the preceding quarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rate of 26.29 per cent. Quarter on quarter, growth of the sector was recorded at 2.84 percent.

The contribution of the manufacturing sector to nominal GDP in the first quarter of 2020 was 12.98 per cent, higher than the share recorded in the corresponding period of 2019 at 11.31 per cent as well as the fourth quarter of 2019 at 11.37 per cent.

Real GDP growth in the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2020 was 0.43 per cent (year on year), lower than the same quarter of 2019 as well as the preceding quarter by â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.38per cent points and â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.81 per cent points respectively.

Growth rate of the sector, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, stood at â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5.38 per cent, lower than the quarter on quarter growth rate recorded in the preceding quarter of 2019. Real contribution to GDP in 2020 first quarter was 9.65 per cent, lower than the 9.79 per cent recorded in first quarter of 2019 but higher than the 8.74 per cent recorded in Q4 2019.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍżË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESS/FOCUS Against this background, holding up the forensic audit and highlighting the World Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in promoting same may undermine the implementation of the loan program.

The report of the National Economic Council highlights the objectives which include: a forensic audit; potential dilution of FGN and investor equity, with a resultant increase in state government equity and ownership; and Introduction of new investors. It also identifies issues associated with the Open Book Audit (OBA) audit of the Discos.

Creeping Politicisation In effect, NECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politicization of the sector, its aspirations of encroaching on private investor equity, its illegitimate expansion of its mandate runs several risks some of which include: a concerted pushback by the governors, utilizing their significant resources; populist identification of the citizenry with their governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aspirations to maximize the value of their respective statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; investment in electricity infrastructure; and NECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reference to or highlighting of the issues of OBA specified in the NEC report as validation of why the forensic audit is vital.

Further, the proposed forensic audit apparently is being employed outside of context, for purposes that are not consistent with its utility and as a mischievous distraction from the root causes of NESIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liquidity challenges.

Minister of Power, Mamman Sale

Chairman/CEO,NERC , Prof. James A. Momoh

Grid Electricity: Situating DISCOs in the Emerging Dispute

As the odd regime of non-cost reflective electricity tariff structure and huge debts are stifling the crucial power sector, a seeming politicisation of the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regulatory environment and breaches in terms of the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privatisation are birthing inconsistences hamstringing Distribution Companies (Discos) - but they are fighting back. Louis Achi looks at the key issues

E

arly this year, the National Economic Council (NEC) rose from its monthly meeting with a resolution ordering a forensic audit of electricity distribution companies (Discos) since the privatisation of the power sector in 2013.

Briefing State House reporters in Abuja after the NEC meeting, Mr. Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, explained the resolution followed the submission of a report by the NEC Committee on Power, chaired by the Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.

According to him, the committee, saddled with the responsibility of ascertaining the status of the ownership structure of the Discos, came up with idea of forensic audit of their accounts, which was approved by the council and also alleged that the N1.7 trillion spent on the power sector in the last three years had yielded little tangible results.

It could be recalled that the Minister of Power Saleh Maman, speaking after a Federal Executive Council meeting, presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja, way back in February, had stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Government will not continue to subside the sector. If they (DisCos) are not ready, they should tell us. We have a plan on willing seller, willing buyer.â&#x20AC;? The minister further said government was in talks with a German firm, Siemens, to be part of solutions it was seeking to address the challenges.

According to Maman, the nation had the capacity to generate 13,000 megawatts and could transmit 7,000MW and blamed DisCos saying they had the capacity to take between 3,000MW to 4,000MW only.

Significantly, access to energy remains low in Nigeria. With approximately 90 million citizens lacking access to grid electricity, Nigeria has the

largest access-deficit in sub-Saharan Africa and second to India, globally. The switch from a publicly-owned to essentially privately-owned power sector has not yielded the expected outcomes, translating to extreme sectorial stress. High losses, low collections and lack of cost-effective recovery tariff regimes have spawned an annual financial deficit to the sector of approximately US$1 billion.

Regulatory Latitude From THISDAY checks, Section 96 of the Electric Power Sector ReformAct, 2005 (EPSRA) gives the regulator latitude for investigative action as necessary to balance the interests of consumers and operators in a monopolistic sector.

This requirement, naturally, engenders ready hostility in any context in which the operator is seeking to create an imbalance by precluding or objecting to any means by which the regulator seeks to maintain this balance. This is more so in an environment in which the customer believes that the operators are shortchanging them, under-delivering and underperforming and, essentially, â&#x20AC;&#x153;preyingâ&#x20AC;? on them.

Furthermore, the prevailing message that has been and is being painted by government agencies and other NESI stakeholders is that the DisCos are holding back remittances that should go up the value chain, on the back of sharp practices of estimated billing, resulting in the current market liquidity challenges. Additionally, DisCos have been labelled with bad governance that has resulted in poor procurement practices, improper financial transactions, nepotism, et cetera.

As Discos have opted to challenge the proposed forensic audit of their operations, the resultant perceptual reaction to the litigation will be that they are seeking to impede an activity that is expected to shed some light on their alleged

malpractices and, more so, when the regulator is legitimately perceived to be seeking to meet its responsibility and conduct an exercise that seeks to protect the consumers from the Discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;sharp practices.â&#x20AC;?

An expectation associated with the implementation of the German Siemens project is a valuation of the Discos, as necessary to determine the basis of any potential share dilution that may result from the ability of the Disco investors to meet their counterpart funding or repay the resultant loan.

Of critical note is that the forensic audit has been identified as part of the process of determining the valuation of the DisCos, as indicated by Paragraph 1.d. of the State House correspondence dated May 21st, 2020, â&#x20AC;&#x153;National Economic Council (NEC) Ad Hoc Committee on Ownership Review and Analysis of Discos and Electricity Sector Review,â&#x20AC;? obtained by THISDAY. More, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is expected to utilize the information â&#x20AC;&#x153;in developing the commercial structure of the intervention under this Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) and in undertaking an independent company valuation of the Discosâ&#x20AC;? (Fact Sheet) On the surface, a repudiation of the forensic audit by Discos would and could be construed as an attempt to undermine Mr. Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Siemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initiative. There is more. The World Bank has indicated that the forensic audit is a pre-condition to the $500 million loan that it is seeking to lend to the Discos for capital investment. It posits that the audit is nothing more than an assessment to determine the DisCosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; areas of deficiencies, a precursor to identifying the areas of need and investment. Accordingly, it is partly financing the forensic audit (via the Transmission Company of Nigeria [TCN]), in tandem with the U.K. funded NigerianAdvisory Infrastructure Facility III (NIAF).

DisCosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Grouse From THISDAY findings, in principle, DisCos are not opposed to forensic audits as they are required to provide audited financial reports to the regulator annually. The power distribution entities recognize the value of audits as a tool to maintain the balance in a monopolistic commercial environment and to establish a foundation for the correction of the liquidity challenges of NESI. Nevertheless, they believe that the challenges of liquidity are not a â&#x20AC;&#x153;DisCoâ&#x20AC;? only problem. As such, any sincere attempt directed at correcting the challenges of NESI must be one that is holistic and addresses all stakeholders along the value chain. Consequently, DisCos, TCN, GenCos, gas-to-power and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) should all be subjected to forensic audits, rather than a selective persecution of a sub-sector.

More, DisCos believe that if there is to be value associated with any forensic audits, a forensic and technical audit of the entire NESI value chain must occur, for identification and alignment of the critical elements that will remedy the current dysfunctional state of the electricity market versus the vilification of the DisCos as the sole villains.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, from its modus operandi, the independence of the regulator clearly continues to be undermined and is, currently almost nonexistent.Amajor factor in DisCo opposition to the forensic audit would appear to be the consistent third-party, seemingly, agenda-driven requests for forensic audits by the National Economic Council (NEC).

NECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multiple requests for the DisCos to be forensically audited and its related directives to NERC appear to be based on an interest to expand state government ownership into private investor interests, in violation of the terms of the privatization transaction terms.

These compromise the sanctity of contract with a potential for negative outcomes, as associated with the recent cases of P&ID (Gas Supply) and Sunrise Power (Mambila).

It also undermines the DisCos ability to access urgently needed financing, due to the resultant uncertainty and further injects a disruptive political agenda into the business of the DisCos seeking to improve supply and service delivery to their customers.

Cut to the bone, it is this use of the forensic audit

by NEC to illegally encroach upon the assets of the private investors that the DisCos are leery of and consequently oppose. Apotential back-door re-nationalization cannot be discounted here and this renders private sector investor subject to similar uncertainty and action.

Clearly, the sectorial challenges will not be corrected by completion of a forensic audit.

Indeed, while the DisCos are not opposed to the principle of a forensic audit or any other audit, the DisCos are opposed to a distraction from the core issues that have resulted in the illiquid situation of NESI. It can easily be recalled that from the onset of the privatization, the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failure to the meet the four critical commitments of a cost-reflective tariff, that would enable DisCos make the capital investments required for addressing decades of historical government underinvestment in the sector; injection of N100 billion of subsidy to defer the effects of any tariff increases on electricity customers.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍżË&#x153; 2020

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Okonjo-Iweala: Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Visible Technocrat Once again, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, two-time Minister of Finance in Nigeria and former Managing Director of the World Bank has been nominated for a top international job at the World Trade Organisation. At 65, the Nigerianborn economist and international development expert, who sits on the board of a couple of international corporate organisations which include among others, Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), and the African Risk Capacity (ARC), continues to be relevant to solving problems across the globe. Most recently, the government of South Africa invited her to join its economic team to help place the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s troubled economy on the path of growth. Already, President Muhammadu Buhari is rallying support for her to represent the continent of Africa and Nigeria at the top echelon of world trade. Bamidele Famoofo reports

T

he nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest development economists to vie for the position of the DirectorGeneral of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in an election that will hold in Geneva, next year, did not come as a surprise to Nigerians, as her antecedent speaks for her.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who already has confirmed the nomination in an official announcement through the Nigerian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has started rallying support for her eventual emergency as DG of WTO come next year, by engaging member countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; embassies and permanent missions.

If the will of the president comes through, the two-time former Minister of Finance in Nigeria would serve as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candidate for the term 2021 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2025 at the elections scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021.

A renowned global finance expert, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, is an economist and international development professional with over 30-year experience, having worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America.

She is currently the Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; a member of the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc, and was recently appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy to mobilise International Financial Support in the fight against COVID-19, as well as Special Envoy for the World Health Organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.

Okonjo-Iweala had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the position of managing director. As finance minister, the former finance minister steered Nigeria through a varying degree of reforms, particularly on macroeconomic, trade, financial and real sector issues.

Background Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria where her father, the late Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo was the Eze (King) from the Obahai Royal Family of OgwashiUkwu.

Okonjo-Iweala was educated at Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, Enugu, St. Anneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, Molete, Ibadan, and the International School Ibadan.

She arrived in the US in 1973 as a teenager to study at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude with an AB in Economics in 1976. In 1981, she earned her Ph.D in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a thesis titled Credit policy, rural financial markets, and Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agricultural development. She received an International Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) that supported her doctoral studies.

Okonjo-Iweala

She is married to Dr. Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon. They have four children - one daughter, Onyinye Iweala (AB, MD, PhD, Harvard) and three sons, Uzodinma Iweala (AB, Harvard, MD, Columbia), Okechukwu Iweala (AB, Harvard) and Uchechi Iweala (AB, MD, MBA, Harvard).

Career History Okonjo-Iweala had a 25-year career at the World Bank in Washington DC as a development economist, rising to the number two position of managing director. As managing director, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia.

Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2009, food crises, and later during the financial crisis. In 2010, she was Chair of the IDA replenishment, the World Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in

grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world. During her time at the World Bank, she was also a member of the Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa, which was set up by the Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark, and held meetings between April and October 2008. Okonjo-Iweala served twice as Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finance Minister and also as Minister of Foreign Affairs. She was the first female to hold both positions.

Achievements During her first term as Minister of Finance under President Olusegun Obasanjoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Administration, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club that led to the cancellation of $18 billion out of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debt of $30billion.

In 2003, she led efforts to improve Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s macroeconomic management including the implementation of an oil-price based fiscal rule where revenues accruing above a reference

benchmark oil price were saved in a special account, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Excess Crude Accountâ&#x20AC;? which helped to reduce macroeconomic volatility.

She also introduced the practice of publishing each stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly financial allocation from the federal government in the newspapers.

This action went a long way in increasing transparency in governance. With the support of the World Bank and the IMF to the Federal Government of Nigeria, she helped build an electronic financial management platformâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Government Integrated Financial Management and Information System (GIFMIS), including the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), helping to curtail corruption in the process. As at 31 December 2014, the IPPIS platform had eliminated 62,893 ghost workers from the system and saved the Nigerian government about $1.25 billion in the process.

Okonjo-Iweala was also instrumental in helping Nigeria obtain its first-ever sovereign credit rating (of BB minus) from Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in 2006.

Following her first term as Minister of Finance, she returned to the World Bank as a managing director in December 2007.

In 2011, Okonjo-Iweala was re-appointed as Minister of Finance in Nigeria with the expanded portfolio of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy by President Goodluck Jonathan. Her legacy includes strengthening Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public financial systems and stimulating the housing sector with the establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC).

She also empowered Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s women and youth with the Growing Girls and Women in Nigeria Programme (GWIN); a gender responsive budgeting system, and the highly acclaimed Youth Enterprise with Innovation programme (YouWIN); to support entrepreneurs that created thousands of jobs.

This programme has been evaluated by the World Bank as one of the most effective programmesofitskindglobally.Underherleadership, the National Bureau of Statistics carried out a re-basing exercise of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); the first in 24 years, which saw Nigeria, emerge as the largest economy inAfrica. She took a lot of heat for the fuel subsidy removal policy by the Nigerian government, an action that led to protests in January 2012. In May 2016, the new Nigerian administration eventually removed the fuel subsidy after it became apparent that it was unsustainable and inefficient.

Later career Okonjo-Iweala is co-Chair of the Global Commission for the Economy and Climate, with Nicholas Stern and Paul Polman. Previously, she served as the co-Chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

In the past, Okonjo-Iweala was also a member of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (2015-2016), chaired by Gordon Brown; the Commission on the New Climate Economy (also co-Chaired

by Paul Polman and Lord Nicholas Stern); the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Foundation; the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Secretary Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (2012-2013); and the renowned Growth Commission (20062009), led by Nobel Prize winner Professor Michael Spence.

Okonjo-Iweala is the founder of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first indigenous opinion-research organisation, NOI-Polls. She also founded the Center for the Study of Economies of Africa (C-SEA), a development research think tank based in Abuja, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital and is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development and the Brookings Institution.

In 2012, Okonjo-Iweala was a candidate for President of the World Bank, running against Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim; if elected; she would have been the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first female president.

Since 2019, Okonjo-Iweala has been part of UNESCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Commission on the Futures of Education, chaired by Sahle-Work Zewde. In 2020, the International Monetary Fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, appointed her to an external advisory group to provide input on policy challenges. Also in 2020, she was appointed by the African Union (AU) as special envoy to solicit international support to help the continent deal with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic challenges, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Okonjo-Iweala as a member of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic advisory council.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍżË&#x153; 2020

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BUSINESS INTERVIEW JOY AYONOTE How CRSL is Reducing Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 0LOOLRQ +RXVLQJ 'HĂ&#x20AC;FLW Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current housing deficit is put at 22 million units and N200 trillion may be required to bridge that gap. In the meantime, Joy Ayonote, the Managing Director of Construction Recruitment Solutions Limited (CRSL), has stepped in by providing affordable housing units. In this interview with Bayo Akinloye, Ayonote talks about a new approach to addressing housing deficits in Nigeria and the future of home-ownership Tell us about CRSL run CRSL(Construction Recruitment Solutions Limited) that specializes in property Development under CRSL Homes. Although at its infancy, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already providing truly affordable and well-received housing units in Mowe-Ofada, Ogun State. It is also my ambition to assist the industry to streamline the standards for recruitment, appraising skills of artisans and providing technical training. I am excited at the prospects of what we do, especially as I ventured into the industry past middle age.

market. After the studio, comes two, two and three-bedroom homes. The opportunity to trade up is available. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not suited for families with children.

I

Has the market been receptive to your entry?

I was overwhelmed by the response I received from my test marketing sessions. I did not have to go public as most units appear taken. Viewings have been delayed for weeks sadly, due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Why did you choose to focus on studio apartments?

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t strictly focus on studios. I also build one, two and three-bedroom homes. I am moving towards special housing and now build homes for the wheelchair user. The studio is the most affordable unit we have. From the number of inquiries, I receive, it is clear that people seek this price and product. Half of the enquiries notably came from diasporans. Prices, although subject to change are currently N3m.

As a developer, what is your target market?

First and second-time buyers within the 25-35-year-old bracket are my primary target.

Prices of units start from just N3m. The idea is to start with more affordable units and then trade up with our one, two, and three-bedroom homes. I note, however, that prospects tend to be older, already own houses, and do not require assistance with funding.

What are the immediate challenges you have faced since your entry into the property development?

The biggest challenges sadly originate from the government. It sometimes can take over a year to provide a survey plan. It would be helpful to have service level agreements, specifying time frames, and being accountable to the public especially as it is a paid-for service.

The over-zealous foreman, who prides himself - rarely ever herself I am proud to tease - as an architect, builder, structural, and quantity surveyor is best described as an affliction.

When I built a unit for the first time, I was fortunate to work with chirpy, rugged, can-do spirited types, who got more and more frustrated with the lack of roads and other infrastructure.

We had a 2-week break and came back to find the Estate owner had started building units on the only road. It cost me almost three months in time. I choose to develop residential property within estates to avoid the Omo-Onile scourge but clearly a lack of legal framework encourages that sort of high-handedness. No notice was given. I got a call at the end of the three monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wait for the developer, asking if I had travelled.

Construction-related financial products for micro-businesses are rare, if at all available. It winds me up each time I am asked by a building material vendor if the house is mine or for rent.

It has become almost acceptable to suggest the use of sub-standard materials to build homes for rent and for sale to others. I could write a book about the challenges which make me admire those who are thick-skinned and forge ahead regardless. I have picked up so much in such little time too and remain inspired to build more affordable units, thankfully.

What is the difference in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s property development and the UK where you lived for a long time?

The UK is light years ahead of Nigeria with regard to building standards. Town planning as the word implies is painstakingly carried out for years, ensuring adequate infrastructure is provided before property development takes place. It is impossible to have six churches on one road, 20 schools in one estate because permission will not be granted. The communities are

Which areas are you concentrating on?

Ogun state is where our buildings are for now.

We have plans to commence building in Abule Egba, Ipaja mostly on the Mainland.

Ayonote

involved and provided a right to reply to planning application notices, to allow members to raise any concerns and objections where necessary.

Conservation is a big deal in the UK and so is health and safety. I saw not one but three squirrels at Orile-Imo, Ogun State and exclaimed with delight.

Government built estates have no ramps and wheelchair access yet claim to provide inclusive housing services. Fortunately, CRSLHomes build and modify built units for wheelchair accessibility and for infirmed people too.

Property developers carry out extensive research into materials, giving the consumer some flexibility and input sometimes over kitchens, colours, textures in the UK. Development funding is easily accessible in the UK and there are a number of financing options such as buyer funding developments, construction project funding and private funding initiatives to name a few. There are grants and loans. It is rare for a private developer like myself to self-fund.

I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily have to go to the government in the UK, they literally come to you with information and assistance via fairs, when registering a business, applying for planning permission. There is definitely more engagement with communities, more accountability, clearly defined roles with service level agreements.

Communication is readily available and enquiries promptly handled so I am partial to the level of professionalism from the UK Property Developers as with those working in government departments in charge of making processes run smoothly. Funding is available in Nigeria. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOMS and the National Housing Fund. Getting accessed and approved promptly is not the norm.

The challenges are mostly attitudinal. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lack of vision, information and sometimes lack of care can be problematic.

How supportive has the insurance sector been to real estate development and how can it be improved?

I am unaware of any recent support from the insurance sector to real estate developments say within Mowe or Abule Egba for example.

I would love to see more professionals within construction covered by professional liability insurance. Artisans, as they are popularly called, provide a whole new level of risks thus remain an untapped market for insurers. I have not heard any radio adverts directed at the tiler, painter, bricklayer, roofer who clearly could benefit from products like injury, loss of limbs, life, disability, long-term illness and loss of wages.

The lack of consumer protection especially from the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective is uninspiring.

How many homebuyers have an idea if there is a housing ombudsman and the function they would play? Insurance companies could educate customers through advice. I would have thought it makes sense for insurance companies to gift their clients with fire and smoke alarms. It would be helpful if home-owners undertake adequate building insurance to cover a rebuild cost. Truly priceless advice. Most donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother to.

What is studio apartment development?

A studio flat, also known as a self-contained apartment, or commonly as a mini-flat, is a fairly sized room that serves the function of a number of other rooms such as a living room, bedroom and kitchen but is combined into one room. CRSL offered studio flats as a step onto the property

Have government policies toward affordable housing been far-reaching to realizing the set objective?

No, despite the obvious effort, the price of the affordable unit is still untouchable to the average minimum income wage earner. Most two and three-bedroom units cost between N7m and N10m. With monthly earnings of N30,000, how is the buyer supposed to pay off a N3m housing fund? It could work if the mortgage not a fund over a minimum period is spread over 25 years. The option to settle the debt earlier with little or no fines might help.

How has COVID-19 impacted the property market and how do you see this long term?

Education, banking, court sessions went online but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like online housing.

COVID-19 has seen a lot of loss of income cases.

With cash-strapped people, come landlord-tenant cases. People are bound to weigh the cost of constantly paying rent versus buying land, houses whether off-plan or otherwise. I predicted that post-lockdown, more people will inquire about investing in landed properties and plots of land.

Property developers are bound to review their building costs as I am. CRSL Homes will use for the next phase, laterite soil blocks as they are heat resistant amongst other qualities. When rendered or skimmed, there is no telling what is beneath. Long-term, I predict an increase in demand for affordable units like mine that are in the region of N3m. Trends that will see leases on affordable units shrink to 25 years from 99 years.

How affordable are the studio apartments compared to the purchasing power of the average Nigerian?

N3 million for a studio flat unit is as fair as it gets.

With the right initiatives from the government, combined with the current housing funding, I would say that the average Nigerian can afford it. Studio and one-bedroom flats are rare. The more experienced developers advise against them for reasons that Nigerians are sentimental about their property and find it hard to trade up.

46

SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

7.6.2020

PROF. TOYIN OGUNDIPE NIGERIA’S UNSUNG, TESTED AND TRUSTED ADMINISTRATOR He didn’t admit being a prodigy. Though he may fancy himself as a late boomer because of his “unseriousness,” he obtained a doctorate at 30 and became a professor at 42. The yarn he spins underscores his measure of humility and modesty; virtues he admits his mother drilled him with. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, Ogundipe doesn’t offer much of glitz but his waltz in the hall of fame is non-pareil. Without glossy grooming and glitzy gait, he possesses in abundance intelligence, diligence, and expertise.

A tested and trusted administrator, a world-renowned botanist, he lives in a universe only a few have the potential to inhabit. At 60, he shares with Funke Olaode the unglamorous but watershed moments of his life ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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

COVER

From Obalende to Being Unilagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VC

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I

wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t serious in my early years,â&#x20AC;? says Prof.

Toyin Ogundipe, who bagged his PhD at the age of 30.

Ogundipe does not offer much of glitz but his waltz in the hall of fame is non-pareil. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not so difficult to identify him in a crowd.

Yet, what he may seem to lack in glossy grooming and glitzy gait, he possesses abundantly in intelligence, diligence and expertise.

He packs so much body of knowledge in his sometimes-rustic countenance and illustrates the still waters that run deep.

At various times, he trained at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, University of Reading, UK, University of Cambridge, UK; University of Johannesburg; Harvard University in the United States; and Kunming Institute of Botany, China; and has researched on Molecular Plant Taxonomy/Biosystematics, Forensic Botany, Cytogenetics, Ethnobotany, Paleobotany and Ecological conservation, with over 90 publications in accredited academic journals.

He also co-authored eight books with his research output chiefly in the areas of Molecular Plant Systematics, updating the taxonomy of some plant genera and using the anatomical features in the identification of sterile and fragmentary plant specimens.

Driven by his passion for botany, Prof. Ogundipe successfully transformed three empty rooms into fully-equipped laboratories. Two of his research works in collaboration with other scholars are currently undergoing the process of patenting.

By 42, he was already a professor and today, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a polished diamond.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the vice-chancellor of one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-known universities, the University of Lagos.

Unassuming but intriguing, Prof.

Ogundipe offers just a peep into his life story like prefaces, footnotes, and endnotes that you must scour to piece together the pieces of his episodes.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing outrageous about the tale he shared or some adventurous leaps that will leave your heart in your mouth.

But with a discerning mind, his story leaves you a fortune. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am from a polygamous home and was very close to my mother,â&#x20AC;? he reveals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mother always told me: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Humility will bring lots of benefits to you but pride will take everything from you.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She would constantly remind me that if I lost everything in life, I shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose my character. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anybody that destroys your character kills you. My mother had a lot of influence on me. She loved me so much and as a stubborn child, she had a unique interest in me. She would look at me and tell me, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am praying for you.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Few months short of Nigeria gaining independence from the colonial British, Ogundipe with a shrill cry at Island Maternity made announced his arrival to the world on 31 May 1960. It was not announced on radio, TV or in the newspaper but he was a star born without pomp and circumstance.

More humble than noble, Ogundipe grew up in Obalende on Lagos Island, Lagos. His mother ran a grocery store at No. 44 Moshalashi Street, Obalende and his father, a retired soldier after World War II who worked with P&T until 1971. He passed away in 1979.

Young Ogundipe began his early education at Araromi Baptist school on Moloney street before proceeding to secondary school first at Eko Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; High School and later C.M.S Grammar School where he started his A levels at 17 in 1977.

Armed with a higher school certificate, Ogundipe had the goal of becoming a pharmacist and a reverend.

But he did not want to be a medical doctor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I disliked medicine back then, as a child I thought doctors were wicked because of the injections they administered,â&#x20AC;? he explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In between my secondary and higher school certificate, illness struck which did not enable me to progress smoothly. I was supposed to attend the University of Ibadan but I had issues with my JAMB (results).

Like I would always say to my children

Pof. Ogundipe with the wife

there is always a period in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life where things are relatively slow and tough. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, good or fast a car maybe it must have a time it would slow down.

I consider these my years of struggle,â&#x20AC;? a philosophical Ogundipe says as he recalls how his ambition of studying Pharmacy became a pipe dream.

Settling for Botany, he adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just had the confidence that I must be an achiever. I was focused even before I finished the National Youth Service Corps that I would do my postgraduate programme in Botany and would move into academics and I made up my mind that I must reach the pinnacle of that profession.â&#x20AC;?

Erasing peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notion that those studying Botany are herbalists or alagbo omo, Ogundipe said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Studying Botany or Yoruba does not terminate your career. I was not discouraged and I always say a first degree is to prepare you for the next level. We have those who studied medicine and today they are event planners.â&#x20AC;?

After his first degree in 1984, he had his National Youth Service Corps at Tai-Eleme in Rivers State and went back to the University of Ife for a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Botany. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Funny enough I made second class lower and my friend that made first class was not admitted to do his postgraduate programme but I was admitted,â&#x20AC;? a pleasantly surprised Ogundipe recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was when I saw the hands of God in my life. In Ife, the masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme was based on research and students were examined individually. I was examined by Dr. Otenyebwa from Ghana who is now a professor.â&#x20AC;?

But there was an unexpected event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a bit of delay resulting from the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions which had universities shut down for months,â&#x20AC;? the Unilag VC sighs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I eventually completed the programme and enrolled for my PhD which I finished in two and a half years which was unprecedented at the University of Ife. I defended my PhD thesis on 15 March 1990 by May 15 of the same year I resumed work with the University of Lagos.â&#x20AC;?

At what stage did he embrace teaching? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I embraced this right from the day I made up my mind to pursue a career in Botany. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t such a serious student during my first degree even a friend of mine would say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Toyin got born-again when he started his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme was a symbolic turn for me and this was when I truly took up the mantle and Botany more seriously,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

He believes his journey into academics at Unilag was divine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After my PhD, I visited Lagos.

My mother had moved back to Ijebu. I had planned to convey the news of the completion of my PhD to an uncle who had taken me in and guided me in 1973. He moved me from Obalende to Bajulaiye as a result of my misdemeanours as a child.

Unfortunately, he had passed on. My cousin who had graduated from the University of Lagos coincidentally on 15 March was to have a reception. I attended her reception organised by her family. At this gathering, I met Prof. Okusanya who was then Dean of Postgraduate School of the University of Lagos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had not met him earlier and unknown to him I had done some work for him in the past via my supervisor. We met, exchanged pleasantries and then I asked jokingly if there was any vacancy at the University of Lagos despite already having offers from Lagos State University, University of Ibadan and Olabisi Onabanjo University. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had planned on coming to Lagos but did not have any plans of working in the University of Lagos. I returned back to Ife to correct and finalize my PhD. As soon as a vacancy was available resulting from one of the four candidates declining to work at the university because he was not ready to work in Lagos, someone was sent from Bajulaiye to Ife to inform me about the offer by Prof.

Okusanya,â&#x20AC;? the Botany professor explains.

He adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I quickly wrote my application and submitted it. Subsequently, I was employed, I got notified about my employment on my return to Lagos, this was on 15 May though I was surprised that no interview was held at that time before the employment. On receiving the letter of appointment, the HOD then Prof Regina Ugborobo instructed that I resume work immediately which I did. The Interview held sometime in October. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the interview, I would consider this another moment of divine arrangement.

I was initially offered to start as Lecturer ll but as a result of my performance during the interview and under the mandate of the ViceChancellor then Prof. Alao, which was to give the top interviewee a start at Lecturer I, I was offered a start at Lecturer I instead.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;At first, I did not understand,â&#x20AC;? Ogundipe admits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But Prof. Olowokudejo later told me that I was technically three years ahead of my pairs. This upgrade was based on interview scores. In 1993, I was promoted to senior lecturer, 1998 to associate professor and then in 2002 to the glory of God, I was made a professor.â&#x20AC;?

For Ogundipe, the icing on the cake in his professional career was the day he delivered his inaugural lecture titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Roots of the past, Route to the Future.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I say this because of the circumstances surrounding it. I prayed to God back then concerning the processing of my professorship appointment and he gave me the topic of my Inaugural lecture. I was surprised as I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet a professor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But God had already delivered me a topic. I remember sharing this phenomenon with someone around me then. God was still at work as my inaugural lecture was delivered within six months of appointment to the glory of God and this was unprecedented at that point in time,â&#x20AC;?

Ogundipe discloses.

The professor of repute locally and internationally understands the need for multidisciplinary collaboration and has been working with other scholars from different disciplines within the university and other institutions locally and internationally.

The fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Science Royal Society of Biology, London, Leadership for Environment & Development, Linnaean Society of London, Institute of Security, Institute of Corporate & Business Affairs Management, Nigeria, and National President, Botanical Society of Nigeria, since joining the University of Lagos in 1990, has held different administrative positions.

He was head, Department of Botany where he introduced sweeping reforms at the department. As a sub-dean, Faculty of Science, he began the computerization of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; results and also attracted collaboration from multinational corporations. He later became the dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies where he attracted a lot of town-gown relationships and led the computerization of the entire process in the School.

He was also the director of the Academic Planning Unit and in 2016 was appointed as deputy vice-chancellor (academics & research) and later appointed as the vicechancellor of Unilag. Since assuming office on November 12, 2017, there has been a renaissance in demand-driven research in the university and the town-gown relationship is being renewed.

Similarly, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been working assiduously to promote entrepreneurship amongst students of the university. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Becoming the vice-chancellor is not by my power or might. Being selected to lead despite the number of bright-minded professors available is a privilege and the grace of God,â&#x20AC;? he acknowledges.

On a cure for COVID-19, the professor notes: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is in the scriptures and the Quran as well; there is nothing nature cannot heal and there is no cure that cannot be got from plants. The problem we have is our overappreciation of foreign discoveries at the expense of domestic endeavours.â&#x20AC;?

Ogundipe has spent 30 years at Unilag, his staying power includes the grace of God, institutional loyalty and then his students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love my students so much. I benefitted from my supervisor. He invested so much in me, not monetarily but rather in guidance and support. I see my students as me. I see them as ambassadors and representatives.

I have a close bond with my students and I care about them dearly,â&#x20AC;? says Ogundipe.

Besides being an academic, the professor of Botany is also a senior pastor at the RCCG. How does he strike a balance between science and religion?

He says matter-of-factly: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is always a boundary. When it is time for pastoral work, I focus on that and when it is time to work, I focus on work. God has, however, been good to me and has guided my steps.

I commit my ways to the hand of the lord.

I have no issues with sleep or rest as I am confident in the guidance of the lord.â&#x20AC;?

Ogundipe married his beautiful wife whom he met while rounding off his doctorate at Ife, with the future wife studying Economics.

Their chemistry jelled, falling head over heels in love, they got married on 8 October 1992. The marriage is blessed with three boys.

For the professor of Botany at 60, life couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have been better.

But were there things he would do differently if he could turn back the hands of time? â&#x20AC;&#x153;No. God has been good to me. There is nothing I would have done differently,â&#x20AC;? he affirms.

And boldly, the professor of Botany continues, in his unassuming way, to build on the blocks of life as he celebrates a diamond jubilee.

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

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High Life Why Ibe Kachikwu Will Not Forget Late Baru

T

he death of immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, was a shock to many people. As a top-ďŹ&#x201A;oor stakeholder in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, Baruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decisions have affected many lives and the Nigerian economy deeper than most would realise. He will not be forgotten in a hurry. He will never be forgotten by the immediate-past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwuâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; who was Baruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predecessor at the NNPC. Kachikwu was among those who expressed sincere condolences to the family of Baru over the latterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demise.

In his message, Kachikwu wished peace upon the soul of the departed and prayed that his family and close friends have the fortitude to bear the loss. He also mentioned that it was only a month ago that he contacted Baru, asked about his settling down for retirement and wished him well.

That last bit is doubtless a surprise to most people. It would be an understatement to state that Kachikwu and Baru were not the best of friends.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evidence to the fact that they constantly sought to outdo each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; not necessarily in a chummy fashion. Not ever in a chummy fashion.

There is a bit more depth to their tango. However, it became evident when they kept knocking heads whenever they were pairedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which happened more times than necessary, according to an analyst.

Baru took over the NNPC GMD position from Kachikwuâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who had gone on to be State Minister of Petroleum Resourcesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in 2016.

Kachikwu and Baru collided on nearly everything. For instance, when conďŹ&#x201A;ict over oil matters in the Niger Delta was at its head, Kachikwu favoured peaceful resolution and increased investment into the region; Baru urged the government to institute a military tactic and prohibit the actions of militants through force.

Kachikwu had also almost made a practice of accusing Baru of sidelining himâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and other members of the NNPC board or Petroleum Ministry regarding important decisions. An example of this was a repositioning exercise laid out by Baru to effectively rattle the position of 55 NNPC executives. Expectedly, Kachikwu opposed this move and appealed passionately to President Muhammadu Buhari. Baru won.

So throughout their shared history, there has been more conflict that anything else. One might say that Baru never let Kachikwu sit comfortably and thus pushed his career and corporate experience further than imagined.

Nonetheless, the memory of Maikanti Baru will remain tied to Ibe Kachikwu, and the latter will never forget him.

Kachikwu

with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayďŹ&#x201A;ex2@yahoo.com

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich and famous

Amazing Lifestyle of the Rich: Ajimobiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daughter Flaunts Multi-Million Naira Designer Bags Collection

Ajimobi and his daughter, Abisola

Luxury is not a household marker; it is an exclusive right. While the requirements for standing out in these contemporary times arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much to write about, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a trick

to being outstanding. This is the lesson that Abisola Kola-Daisi would have the rest of us learnâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially in such lean times.

Among the many trending subjects on social media today is one that involves the daughter of former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi. This is the case wherein the delectable Abisola Kola-Daisi showed off her expensive designer bagsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all of which someone estimated to be valued at several million dollars. Even as her father is recovering from COVID-19 in Lagos hospital.

According to the established and celebrated business lady, sitting on her bed and surrounded with her babies from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Burberry, Hermes, Gucci etc. was her way of taking a break from all the crazies, and counting her blessings.

Kola-Daisiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s display raised a bit of a racket. While there were some folks who were inspired by her expensive display, there were others who thought â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and labelledâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the whole thing a wicked shenanigan. One of these latter categories called Kola-Daisi out, and accused her of staying silent in the face of ongoing social and gender crisisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and spending all her time

What Prince Bolu Akin-Olugbade and Olu Okeowo Have in Common

playing with bags.

Always the humble soul, Kola-Daisi did not remind the person that the bags were her own, purchased with her own money and her sweat. Instead, she explained to her critic that she was indeed using her voice and influence for the sake of the oppressed.

This is not the first time Abisola KolaDaisi is facing criticism for her highquality tastes. Not too long ago, she raised eyebrows when she stepped out in a Miu Miu Embellished Printed Twill Mini Dress worth #1.5 million. There is also the more recent one in which she took on a challenge and displayed some of her shoes for the world to seeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;another display of an expensive shoes collection that most can only dream of. But the lady has the means to acquire such premium accoutrements.

Abisola Kola-Daisi is the CEO of Florence H Boutique, a luxury shoe and accessories store in Victoria Island, Lagos. She is also the wife of Kola Daisi, son of Chief Kola Daisi, the business mogul of Ibadan nativity.

There is thus no helping it; a girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bags are a consolation in difficult times. one of the closest duo within the same status of wealth and standing. They partied together, travelled together, and even dressed alike. But what the duo reportedly had as a shared interest above all else was love for the Rolls Royce automobile.

Aare Bolu Akin-Olugbade and Olu Okeowo have both made it a point of note to spend money on very expensive cars, especially the Rolls Royce brand. According to media waves, both of them have at least 5 vehicles of that brand registered in their name and resting in their garages.

For those in the dark concerning their businesses, Akin-Olugbade is a billionaire businessman, while Okeowo is a property merchant and the Chairman of Gibraltar Construction Nigeria Limited. Although the latter is the more quiet/reserved of the two, their cars speak for their mutual appreciation for the best things that money can acquire.

With all their shared narratives, AkinOlugbade and Okeowo are reportedly estranged.

The reason for the split has been speculated up and down. However, the rumours boil down to age differences and an ambition to outshine each other. The first speculated cause follows the older Bolu Akin-Olugbade allegedly demanding respect from the younger Olu Okeowo on account of ageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and the latter refusing. The second speculated cause for their split has been cited as the reason both of them still acquire Rolls Royces whenever they can.

Friendship or not, the owners of the Rolls Royce car brand are not losing out.

Okeowo

Akin-Olugbade

Friendship is a force like no other. To mind the wisdom of King Solomon, money is a shelter even as wisdom is a shelter; but the advantage of friendship is that it preserves the lives of its bearers. That is the tale of Prince Bolu Akin-Olugbadeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Owu Kingdomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and Olu Okeowoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Asiwaju Onigbagbo of Iruwon Ijebu Ode; what the duo have in common, and the differences that exist now.

Bolu Akin-Olugbade and Olu Okeowo are

two of the richest folks in Nigeria. Although they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as wealthy as Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, or Mike Adenuga, Akin-Olugbade and Okeowo are Ăźber rich in their own rights.

They are also recognised titleholders from their respective communities in Ogun State: Akin-Olugbade is from Owu-Abeokuta, while Okeowo is from Iruwon-Ijebu Ode. In the old days, Akin-Olugbade and Okeowo were chummy companions, by far

Unique Motors is today one of the leading companies in the Nigerian auto-dealing industry. It is definitely the big name when it comes to the sale of luxury cars. Few know that the brain behind the enterprise is a man who has climbed heights of industry and essentially brawled his way to the topâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with Unique Motors in his grasp. That is Adebiyi Adesina, .

Chairman DE UNIQUE GROUP Of companies The trail of Adebiyi Adesina, the Ilara Mokin, Ondo Stat- born started much the same way as everyone: undecided and unclear. Thus, life went on as it ordinarily would for a boy from Ibadan. He attended Baptist secondary school, Oke Ado in Ibadan, between 1994 and 2000.

Four years later, he was off to the reputed ivory tower, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife. It must be wondered what the world had shown to the young Adebiyi Adesina between those four years of secondary education and the hallowed tertiary institution. Whatever the case, Destiny played her cards when he was admitted to OAU to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Having earned that Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree, it was time to set off into the world and bring dreams to fruition.

And that is exactly what Adebiyi Adesina did in September of 2011: he established Unique Autos, the home of automobiles. For those who knew him, Unique Motors had always existed within the vision and aspiration of Adesina, and

Adebiyi Adeshina: An Auto-dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Path to Success

Medayese Adeshina

had finally become a reality.

Since 2011 until now, Adebiyi Adesina has essentially tipped the sales of car-dealing in Nigeria. With a number of innate and acquired

skills (including negotiation, marketing strategy, project management, business development and strategic planning), Adesina has led Unique Motors to the apex of auto-sales in Nigeria.

Although still situated in Lagos, Unique Motors has expanded its operations to Lekki, Omole Estate, Festac and Abule Agbaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; where it has full and working offices. The company does not only deal in new cars; it has extended its service delivery package to include maintenance, upgrade and reselling of carsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all to maximise the satisfaction of their high-end clientele.

Since coming onto the corporate scene as a young and visionary entrepreneur, Adebiyi Adesina has received several awards, most of which are in recognition of his grasp of enterprise, business character and productivity. Of course, he has not neglected the underprivileged, but has received praise in recent time for philanthropy and charity.

The trail to success of Adebiyi Adesina is the one that has few flowers at the beginning, and few twists and turns; it is a straight footpath that gradually opened into a highway.

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

50

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

Billionaire Business Mogul, Jimoh Ibrahimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Passion Love or hate him, Jimoh Ibrahim is a phenomenon.

His business strategies may not appeal to you, but what is incontestable is that he is blessed with uncommon business acumen. Today, by virtue of his rare accomplishments, he is one of the few Nigerian businessmen who can rub shoulders with other top businessmen around the globe. His quest for knowledge is not only impressive but inspiring. Interestingly, as he seeks knowledge, he also loves to share it.

In fact, some of his workers are said to have benefited from his wealth of knowledge.

In line with his passion for quality education, the serial entrepreneur has joined the league of private university owners with the establishment of Fortune University in his home town, Igbotako in Ondo State.

The foundation laying was done in March, 2020 by the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN. The establishment of the university, it was gathered, was borne out of the genuine concern and the desire for a critical intervention towards having quality university education in the country.

The institution, it was also gathered, â&#x20AC;&#x153;aims to offer the finest university education, with its unique offerings and innovative delivery methodologies, coupled with great infrastructure designed to make learning conducive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The institution is envisioned by the business mogul, having himself been driven by a strong thirst for wide varieties of knowledge at the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest institutions such as Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge universities, among others.â&#x20AC;?

The billionaire is currently a Ph.D. student in Management Science at the Cambridge. He is also studying for a Ph.D. in War Studies at the University of Buckingham. Indeed, if the history of billionaires in Africa were to be documented, his name would stand out.

He is a rare gem, who set out to achieve greatness in life. Evidence of this, no doubt, manifests in all his business interests, which include oil & gas distribution, hotels, resorts, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance, publishing and investments, among others.

Ibrahim

Ex-NSITF Chair, Ngozi Olejemeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Unenviable Status

Olejeme

In her halcyon days as a top player in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political setting, Ngozi Juliet Olejeme commanded a lot of respect. While she was envied by many of her peers, many others saw her as god-sent in their lives.

Olejeme, a former chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust-fund (NSITF), would later venture into politics when she aspired to be governor of Delta State on the Platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Sadly, Olejeme,

also a former chairman of the Board, Subsidy ReInvestment Programme, SURE-P, has now fallen from her enviable position. This came after she was arrested by the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. At the outset of her trial, she had wrongfully thought that she could escape justice owing to her influence in the society.

Indeed, she was said to have boasted that she was untouchable. But years after, the Delta Stateborn billionaire is now ruing the day she had dipped her hands in the cookies jar.

Unfortunately, the more she tries to clear her name, the deeper she sinks.

Society Watch gathered that a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had ordered the interim forfeiture of assets and properties traced to her, following an ex parte application filed by the EFCC on December 12, 2018.

In his ruling, the judge held that â&#x20AC;&#x153;an order is hereby made attaching/forfeiting in the interim, all assets and properties set out in the schedule attached to this application, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, pending the hearing

and determination of the trial in Charge No. CR/365/17 pending at.â&#x20AC;?

Some of her properties that were seized include a one-storey semi-detached residential building located at house/flat 86, 11 Crescent, Kado estate, Abuja; a fenced plot of land with C of O No. DTSR16326, located at plots 104 and 105, Block IV, Phase V, Core Area, Asaba, Delta state; Six units of one bedroom apartment; one unit of five bedroom bungalow; a block of six units of office space, all located at 196, Melford Okilo road, Amarata-Epie, Yenegoa, Bayelsa state.

Others include one duplex and fourbedroom residential building with swimming pool, gatehouse, fully furnished with stateof-the -art facilities, located at No. 25 Kainji Crescent, off Maitama, Abuja. This same property is also known as plot No. 738 Cadastral zone AO5, Maitama, Abuja; A storey building; two bungalows; printing press with printing equipment; a fenced empty land measuring 1422.765 square meters, located at km.9 Asaba-Benin Express road, Asaba, Delta state.

Businessman, Ayo Karim Embraces Familiar Terrain

In fact, if there is one thing he knows how to do best, it is money making. From construction to oil and gas business, he has made a name for himself in Nigeria and even beyond.

Little wonder, many were surprised when he ventured into the murky waters of politics. This, it was gathered, is because he is known to be too gentle and emotional for the business of politics in Oyo and in the country in general.

Just as predicted, it was like a misadventure of sorts for him, as he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clinch the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in the election. Unperturbed, the billionaire showcased his sense of good

sportsmanship and supported the preferred partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candidate, Adebayo Adelabu, who eventually lost to Seyi Makinde of Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democratic Party, PDP. This, no doubt, endeared him to many who see him as a man of peace and one who eschews politics with bitterness. A source revealed to Society Watch that the Ibadan-born billionaire has annihilated this in his mind and moved on. At the moment, the astute corporate giant is said to have returned to his original boardroom job, which suffered a big setback during his political foray. He is currently investing in a property and real estate business through his company, Winchester, in Oyo State.

Karim

Encomiums for Ex-Oyo Gov, Alao-Akala as He Joins the Septuagenarian Club

Alao-Akala

Though his kind of politics may not appeal to some people, a former Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao Akala remains a recurrent decimal in the state politics.

The Ogbomosho born ex-top cop is one of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politicians whose views cannot be waved aside.

He is one experienced politician who has risen through the ladder of success, having been a local government chairman, a deputy governor as well as a governor.

As a result, many of his friends, political associates, fans and supporters were out last Wednesday to rejoice with him when he joined the septuagenarian club. Many, it was learnt, showered praises and encomiums on him for his resilience as well as sagacity. For a fact, many

would not forget in a hurry how he replaced his former boss, Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja, in 2006.

Since then, he has been viewed by many as a brave politician who fears nothing and would fight his way no matter how hard it is for his ambition.

It will be recalled that, after he allegedly ganged up against his former boss alongside the late Ibadan top politician, Lamidi Adedibu , he became governor of the state and ruled in 2007 on the platform of the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democratic Party. But he was not so lucky in 2011, as he failed to return to Agodi, the state government house. Since then, he has continued to nurse the ambition of governing the state once more.

Ex-Gov Orji Kaluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Patience and Persistence Pay Off Without recourse to exaggeration, politician and businessman, Senator Orji Uzoh Kalu , is fast proving to his detractors that he is indeed a cat with nine lives.

The more they try to bury him, the more he sprouts like a seed in a well fertile land.

The billionaire, who sits atop many businesses across the country in the past, has faced many challenges that would ordinarily consume a lily-livered. But the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is indeed a warrior and a master of the game.

Even though he is a lone fighter, many of his enemies are never his match So, It was a denouement of sorts to the seemingly unending drama involving the former governor of Abia State, when a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on June 2, 2020, ordered that he be released from the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kuje , Abuja.

Prior to that momentous moment in the life of the member of the National Assembly, he

had been arraigned alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, his Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House, over an amended 39-count charge bordering on conspiring and diverting the sum of N7.65bn from the coffers of the state.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges, thereby leading to his trial, which suffered a lot of twists and turns for 12 years.

In the end, the trial Judge, Justice Muhammed Idris, on December 5, 2019, slammed a 12-year imprisonment on him and also ordered that Kaluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, be wound up and all assets forfeited to the Federal Government.

Following the order, the EFCC had, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, marked the properties belonging to Kalu to ensure that they were not dissipated, following the December 5, 2019 order of Justice Muhammed.

Meanwhile, dissatisfied with the judgment, Kalu, through his counsel, had first approached the Appeal Court and later the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment of the lower court.

Kalu

While he awaited his fate in the apex court, many of his critics had foreclosed the possibility of victory for him.

Indeed, the rain of cynicisms from several quarters had poured on him almost ceaselessly.

But in the face of all, it was obvious that he put his absolute trust in God, believing that that he would soon be left off the hook to go back to the National Assembly to give quality representation to his constituents.

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

51

with JOSEPH EDGAR ̥͸Π͸Πͽ͝ͺͽͿΠ̢͚

Uwaila Omozuwa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tears of Joy This caption took me more than an hour to come up with. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to picture sadness, gloom or blood. I wanted something positive to depict this story. Nothing came, my head went blank. I just sat on my couch staring into space. I walked into my daughter Chantalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room and watched my 17-year-old damsel sleep peacefully totally ignorant of the danger that lurks in our society.

A danger that comes with simply being an innocent, sweet and beautiful damsel thrown into a den of rapists and cultists with no means of defence. Uwaila just wanted to be

Fashek

MAJEK FASHEK â&#x20AC;Ś. AND THE RAIN FELL I once had an encounter with Majek.

He had jumped in front of my car in an attempt to get me to get him some strong drink that early morning somewhere at the Jibowu bus stop in Lagos. I came out of the car, hugged him, bought him the drink and had a spiritual battle with him. The encounter was perfectly documented in a write-up published by the beautiful Linda Ikeji. The write-up sent him to rehabilitation and his son Randy called to say thank you.

So when I woke up this Monday morning, on my way to take a leak, the news feed hit my phone, Majek had passed on. I smiled. I finished taking my leak, went downstairs to take my daily Vitamin C- they say we must boost our immunity and since I no fit drink all that garlic, I just respect myself with Vitamin C. After all this ritual, I now took my time to start reading all the commentaries on the great manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passing. You see for me, I remain very happy that he is finally free. I had prayed for this moment and really wished for it to come sooner and peacefully. This was a tortured soul. I saw the fear in his eyes that morning. He pleaded with me through those beautiful eyes to allow him go. He wanted to leave the suffering that comes with that level of ingenuity, it was too much for him to bear. I understood, I saw where he was coming from and in our usual commune in dreams he kept pleading and wanting to go. I saw Majek fairly regularly in my dreams since that encounter. We connected and his eyes held me captive. It was almost a weekly ritual - the dreams. I knew the time was near cos by this time, the pain in his eyes had been replaced with a weary resignation of prayers answered. The last time he came to me on my couch, he hugged me and said thank you. So I smiled at the news of

herself; she wanted to prepare herself for the vicissitudes of this country by gaining knowledge. Now all that has been cut short because of a son of a diseased mangy dog who not being able to curb his devilish lust had to just rape her and finish her off so that he would not leave any trace of his abominable sin. I do not want to push any negative narrative to this episode, but to grace the memory of beautiful Uwaila with the sweet aroma of beauty as she gloriously heads towards the warm bosom of the Lord. This was a death that will be rewarded in heaven and

Trump

his death and went out the window to peer at the heavy rains bellowing over rusted roof tops in honour of the great magician that was Majek Fashek. He was truly a god and rain fell even in his death in perfect obeisance to one of the greatest that came this way.

COVID-19 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FG SURRENDERS Abi wetin else we go call am?

Infections rising daily that one is even beginning to consider running away from Lagos to Kogi . Now we have passed the 10,000 mark and speeding to only God knows where and government now comes with an almost total relaxation of the measures aimed at curbing the spread mbok, now we are truly on our own o. Some of us had advocated the easing of the lockdown but only if they put more efforts in ramping the management to keep death and discharge rate steady or at a minimum. But what did we get, nothing at that end but a government raising its hands in absolute surrender hoping that juju or some local brew will help do the magic. So to your tents my people as we begin the unique Nigerian style of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;roughingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; it. We go rough am, no problem. Mbok kuku open the churches and mosques since everything don open before those ones will start retrenching and downsizing.

The thing don hit them, I for laugh but this no be laughing matter. God for us all, all man to himself.

THE DRAMA CALLED TRUMP This man is simply something else. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know how to describe him.

You know me I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like following the crowd so I will not call him names that the rest of the world have been calling him, I go just beat my own path.

The man gives the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;madnessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a positive glow. Him own don pass that level. The other day in the wake of the protests that have engulfed America following the murder of Mr. Floyd, I saw a tweet purportedly

as such will not sully this write-up with the usual boring and urbane call on the authorities to fish out the perpetrators. For me, I will just attempt a sweet walk through with my darling uwaila towards the pearly gates of Heaven. It is after I have ensured her smooth transition, that we will come back and bemoan what our society has turned into. For now, Uwaila have a simply wonderful and God blessed transition to where you really belong cos you truly do not belong to this brutish hell hole we call our country.

Omozuwa

Malami

Kabaka

from him complaining about the state of cleanliness of the bunker blaming Obama. Mbok, I screamed, this one is just something else. Bunker? Dirty?

For this one that is happening. Kai. Just as I thought it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get worse, he ensures that the authorities brutalize unarmed protesters so that he can go to church and hold bible and take picture. kai, na this kind one we should get here, the drama is colourful. What we have hear na silence of the lamb. This one is per second excitement. Well, they voted him, they sure got what they wanted. We dey here with our own. Same same just far less drama.

Na wa.

my life and go back home. That is how one day on third mainland bridge I see my baby in the Car I buy for her and na one mumu boy dey drive the car. I weak. My cousin Nelson was driving, he said, bro lets jam the car. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finish the car. I say no calm down. I am a man of peace. Wait o, gist is coming. That is how the girl see us and wave me. I wave her back. The next thing that mumu, wey know know how the Car come about come dey vex. He started abusing the girl that who was that. They parked and she was pleading and begging. As we got closer, I heard her say he is our Usher in Church. Kai, me, my Car. My brother Nelson say we should come out and beat the boy. Imagine. I say lets just go, let me carry my sorrow. It is not his fault, na me be the mumu. So you see why I understand perfectly where this man is going to with this. We are watching to see the outcome because this is a landmark case. If the guy win, then he would have saved millions of men like me from the tyranny of these mercantilist women. However, just as I was going to press, I saw anther report purportedly from the young man saying that he did not authorize the publication of the said letter.

Worefer.

ZUBAIRU MALAMI â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;OH MY GODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; At first, I thought it was just the usual social media banter that this gentleman, former boyfriend of the new wife of our Custom Oga was asking to be refunded the sum of N9m being amount spent on gifts and the rest. Then I saw in one of the reports a letter allegedly written by his Lawyers and I stood up. At face value, you would want to just brush this young man aside and laugh but my people this thing can pain o. Let me tell you my own. That is how when I was still working in BGL and had stupid money, I bought Car for one young damsel o. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Please nobody should show Duchess this paper o, I have already told her that Thisday is not selling this weekend that the Editor is on leave- mbok after six months of buying the car, tear rubber o, the beautiful igbo girl say she no do again.

I nearly die. The Car was in her name but that was not the point sef, me I don love am die. Infact those days, if I no hear from am first thing in the morning I don rush to her house go see if she get pimples or if the pimples dey give am headache. Such was my love. So when she dropped the bomb, I was devastated to say the least. Well, what can I do, I try to pick up the pieces of

GABRIEL OGBECHIE: THE BIRTHDAY BOY Just to say happy birthday to this wonderful friend and brother. It was his birthday last week and he celebrated on zoom. You see why this Covid thing is just spoiling things.

Gabriel? You people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know Gabriel o. His birthday? He would have declared especially with what he just did on Admiralty way in Lekki.

He thinks I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know, I just dey look am, me that I am a spirit? Anyways, I just want to use this medium to send heartfelt felicitation to my brother wey get money pass me and also to his lovely wife Godrey as they celebrate another blissful year. Welldone

52

JU ÍżË&#x153; ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL The Truth about Untruths: NIIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DG Succession Crisis or NIIA as a COVID-19 Isolation Centre?

I

read with much interest media reports on what has been described as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;succession crisis,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; following the end of tenure of Mr. Bukar Bukarambe, Professor of International Relations, with particular bias for Afro-Arab studies at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). His tenure came to an end on April 19, 2020. Before then, he directed the Acting Director of Administration and Finance, Ms. Bridget Otobo, on Thursday, March 9, 2020 to furnish him with information required for writing his hand-over note, but the Acting Director never did. This is the first truism and one rationale for the delay in handing over before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

On Monday, May 4, 2020 Ms. Bridget Otobo wrote to Professor Bukarambe that she had been directed to inform all members of staff about the appointment of an Acting Director General for the NIIA. On Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Professor Bukarambe replied that he never directed her or anyone to inform the staff, arguing that the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supervisory Authority of the Institute, was addressed to him as outgoing Director General and not to anyone else.

Consequently, in his eyes, Ms. Bridget Otobo went beyond her jurisdictional powers, especially that Professor Bukarambe was yet to officially hand over the baton of authority. Without doubt, there was nothing he could have done during a total lockdown.

In the same vein, Ms. Bridget Otobo, also without due process, unilaterally as an acting Director, issued a letter to Mrs. Stella Abimbola Dada, substantive Director of Library and Documentation Services, to proceed on her terminal leave, apparently to avoid handing over to her. In research institutes in Nigeria, retirement is not determined by the regulation in the Public Service (thirty-five years of service or sixty years of age) but attainment of sixty-five years of age. Mrs. Dada has not complied with such directive in the strong belief that Ms. Bridget Otobo does not have any locus standi for behaving as another Director General.

Additionally, Ms. Bridget Otobo issued a circular, convening a meeting of all members of staff, during which she presented Dr. Fred Aja Agwu, Professor of International Relations, as the Acting Director General and Chief Executive. Professor Agwu took advantage of the forum to plead for cooperation and compliance with the rules and regulations, but quickly forgetting what Thomas Jefferson said in French Treaties Opinion, that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;an injured friend is the bitterest of foes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; In other words, Professor Agwu had injured most of his research colleagues in different ways. Consequently, many members, not to say the majority of them, held the belief that it is better to have the NIIAclosed down and turned into a COVID-19 Isolation Centre, rather than have him as an Acting Director General of the NIIA. Thus, there are many problems. First, the problem of who has the right to hand over is raised. Is it Ms Otobo, a Deputy Director, but acting as Director of Administration and Finance, or Professor Bukarambe who was yet to hand over? Professor Bukarambe believed that he was the only legitimate person who could rightly hand over authority as directed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also believed that Ms. Bridget Otobo should not have had the effrontery of refusing to provide him with the relevant information he requested for, and still be much delighted in acting in his place as another Director General of the Institute. This is the second truism.

It is an important background to the reported â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;succession crisisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the NIIA. What is perhaps noteworthy about the reporting of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;succession crisisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is that it has been more of half-truths or total untruths, deliberately given to confuse the general public and create confusion in the Institute, rather than considered as a resultant of ignorance of the reporters. If the stories as reported are not meant to confuse and create politico-academic lull, then questions must be raised on the professional competences of the reporters. My contention here is that the reporters know what they are doing.

MediaReportandtheTruths There are two reports I have stumbled at before writing this column: that of Nicheng.com, an online publication, and that of Daily Sun, whose reporters clearly demonstrated the beauty in academic journalism, the gospel of which I have been preaching for more than a decade now. Academic journalism is about going beyond reporting events as they occur, but also making comments that are driven by analysis. Comments can be free but analyses are not. Analyses must always be predicated on hard facts. Let us espy

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Prof. Bukarambe, Director-General NIIA the truth about the untruths, on the basis of textual methodology, in both reports, with the ultimate objective of drawing attention to why it has been majorly difficult for the NIIAand Nigeria to make progress as a research institution and as a nation-state.

The online report by the Nicheng.com is titled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Exclusive: Confusion in NIIAas outgoing DG hands over to level 13 officer, ignores Onyeamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directive.â&#x20AC;? The article was written by Ishaya Ibrahim, the News Editor of TheNiche, and published on Friday, May 29, 2020. The report is the most unfortunate for various reasons. It creates more complex problems than simply informing and educating the public.

The first reason is the complete ignorance of the News Editor regarding the financial structure in academic institutions. In the words of Ishaya Ibrahim, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;TheNiche learnt that Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, has asked Bukarambe to hand over to the most senior officer of the institution, but he refused, and anointed a level 13 civil servant, Efem Ubi, as the acting directorgeneral.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The truth here is that Dr. Efem Ubi is not on grade level 13 but on CONRAISS 13, which is the equivalent of Grade Level 15 in the Public Service. Another misinformation by Ishaya Ibrahim is the presentation of Dr. Ubi as a Civil Servant. He is not. He is a Public Servant. This is not about semantics. There is a fundamental difference between and among a Ministry, a Department and an Agency of government.

Asecond reason is that, in the words of Ishaya Ibrahim, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Professor Bola Akinterinwa was the former DG who handed over to Bukarambe.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This statement is not true. It is a white lie. I handed over to Mrs. Stella Abimbola Dada on November 30, 2015. She resumed duty on December 1, 2015. Professor Bukarambe took over from her on January 26, 2016. This type of misinformation cannot be relied on for academic or meaningful research. Ishaya Ibrahimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report unfortunately taints the record of TheNiche as a credible newspaper.

Athird reason is about half-truths and Ishaya Ibrahim cannot be faulted except that he was unable to ask further questions about what he was told. According to Ishaya Ibrahim, Professor Akinterinwa, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;five years after he left office, he has refused to let go of his official quarters. He locked it up, while his successor could not do anything about it because he owes his appointment as DG to him.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ibrahim Ishaya should have asked from Professor Agwu, his

Again, as much as I agree with the Permanent Secretary, is he prepared to query the acting Director of Administration and Finance, who acted ultra vires, but claimed to have acted on the basis of his instruction? More important, the Permanent Secretary reportedly also said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;it was not a very good situation to have people really getting involved in an ofďŹ cial situation and personalise it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Admittedly, it may not be very good a situation. However, is there any ofďŹ cial situation that does not begin with personal perception of the ofďŹ cial situation? Which situation is not addressed by human beings? Jean-Baptiste Molièreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has argued that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;il faut manger pour vivre et non pas vivre pour manger,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;that is,â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one should eat to live and not live to eat.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;This clearly suggests that the nexus between living and eating is thin, and the same cannot but be true for ofďŹ cial and personal situations. Consequently, as exempliďŹ ed by the NIIA succession crisis, one should be wise before taking action, and not after action. The NIIA should be prevented from being further destroyed and turned into a possible COVID-19 isolation centre

first informant, why it has been so.

Since he has not done so, the truth is that Professor Akinterinwa did not lock up his flat. The very Professor Agwu, along with Professor Charles Dokubo, Ms Agatha Ude, then Director of Administration and Finance et al put an additional padlock to my own existing lock, thus preventing me from entering into my flat.

This eventually led to an assault and the referral of the matter to the police and the court. The aftermath of the court prosecution led to other court cases in which Professor Agwu was involved and in other cases that are still pending for court adjudication.

The reporters should ask Professor Agwu questions and Bridget Otobo, whether, in the Department of Administration, dates of birth are not always changed for staff, whether promotion examinations results are not always changed, whether, as DG, I did not draw attention of the then Ike Nwachukwu-led Governing Council to these acts of serious misconduct. More interestingly, Ishaya Ibrahim should ask what the response of the Governing Council to the foregoing. The Council only â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;notedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; them. These are the issues around which the appointment of Professor Agwu are also tied.

And most interestingly, Professor Fred Agwu, like any other professor at the institute, and on the same CONRAISS grade level elsewhere, earns a gross pay of N5,784,756 per annum. He is paying per annum the sum of N491,704.26 for his 4-bedroom flat, one self-contained Boys Quarters (B/Q) and two parking slots, located on Idejo street, in Victoria Island, Lagos. The amount is computed on the basis of 8.5% of annual basic salary, translating to about N40,975.355 monthly. Professor Fred Agwu, who complained about insolvency and inability to pay his rent, a complaint that prompted the Governing Council to jettison the application of the Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy of Monetisation and to introduce the policy of 8.5% of basic salary, rented his B/Q out for more than N300,000 contrary to regulations. He was not alone in doing this, but as I noted earlier, he is still engaging in the act of gross misconduct without impunity.

True and thanks to Major General Ike Nwachukwu-led Council, which refused to sanction acts of gross misconduct, but preferred to condone them by directing that a notice of six months be given to the illegal occupants to quit, Professor Fred Agwu has not complied with the directive of the Governing Council since 2015, even though the ultimatum of six months expired in October 2015.

Apart from Professor Bukar Bukarambe who did not rent out his B/Q, all other occupants did illegally rent out their B/Q. When I was to take sanctionary measures against them at the end of the expiration of six months, Professor Agwu and others les protests against me, insisting that I must be removed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote to say that I should hand over to the most senior officer because there were protests against me. I responded that I would hand over, not because of any unfounded and non-investigated allegations and protests against me, but because my tenure had not been officially and documentarily renewed. My four-year tenure ended in November 2014, but I still remained in office until November 30, 2015.

To avoid the future distortion of truths about happenings in the NIIAunder me as Director General, and to show the whole world that there is always beauty in honesty and dignity of purpose, I took the main leaders of the protests to court. So far, my dignity has been restored by four different court judgments. I am also happier a Christian that I forgave all those who had wrongly accused me.

This is another truism.

In spite of this, the point remains that the act of renting out any part of officially-allocated quarters constitutes a serious misconduct which is sanctioned by dismissal from office, as provided for in the NIIARegulations. Today, Professor Agwu is the only one still renting out his B/Q contrary to Public Service Rules and this is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Most Senior Officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to whom the baton of leadership is to be given. There is the need to build institutions, rather than seek to destroy them.

Afourth reason is the factor of illogicality in what Ishaya Ibrahim said: Akinterinwa locked up his flat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;while his successor could not do anything about it because he owes his appointment as DG to him.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I already noted above that I did not hand over to Professor Bukarambe. To say Professor Bukarambe owed his appointment to me is, at best, not illogical, in the sense that, in the tradition of the NIIA, only core academics can be appointed as acting Director General. The most senior director, when I was to hand over, was a non-academic. I drew the attention of Government to it and noted that Professor Bukarambe was the most eligible and suitable to be so appointed. If he was appointed, he owed it to destiny and to the glory of God Almighty and not to me, a small person. So, I handed over to Mrs. Stella Abimbola Dada on the basis of her being the most senior director and doing so does not require any lobbying.

Her acting capacity falls under the provisions of Section 6 on Acting Appointment in the Public Service Rules. Such appointment is administrative and for a short period. It is not political like presidential appointments.

The truth of the matter is that it is not known in history where darkness fights a war with light and wins or where untruth defeats truth in a battlefield. Abattle can be easily won, thanks to fire power, but winning war is more complex. Professor Bukar Bukarambe cannot do anything about the locked-up flat because the flat was part of the basis of court prosecution, (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

07.06.2020

MAJEK FASHEK NO MORE WEEPING FOR THE RAINMAKER

Cover continued on Page 54

Majek Fashek

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

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ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

MAJEK FASHEK: NO MORE WEEPING FOR THE RAINMAKER Nigeria’s leading reggae icon Majek Fashek’s final years may have been marred by lingering health issues but his passion for music remained undiminished, writes Yinka Olatunbosun

M

ajek Fashek, born Majekodunmi Fasheke, had everything it took to be a superstar- a wonderful voice, multi-instrumental streak, amiable character, striking looks and a supportive mother. From his childhood, his mother spotted his music talent and bought his first guitar. Though his father hailed from the Osun State town of Ilesa, Majek grew up in his mother's hometown in Benin and was deeply influenced by the rich cultural ethos of the Bini people. He honed his musical skills while playing keyboard, drums and the saxophone for his church back then.

His musical fame gained some altitude when he joined the group, Jastix, with musicians McRoy Gregg and Black Rice.

The trio became the in-house band on the NTA Benin show, Music Panorama; with another reggae group, The Mandators, they went on tours.

Majek shot into mainstream music success in 1988 with his debut album, Prisoner of Conscience, which had the incredible classic, 'Send Down the Rain'. That song was released during the rainy season and it became a popular myth that once the song was played, it would rain thus earning him the moniker, 'The Rainmaker'. Fans adored him and drew parallels between him and Bob Marley, which the musician validated with a reappropriation of Marley’s 'Redemption Song'. Though he tapped heavily from reggae, his music self-branded “pangolo" was a potpourri of juju, reggae, folk, afrobeat and acoustic soul. The talking drum and guitar were characteristic features of his music.

In 1989, he won six PMAN awards in top categories such as Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Reggae Artist of the Year, amongst others. As a very influential artist of the period, Majek added his voice to the anti-apartheid campaign to liberate South Africa with the song, 'Free Africa, Free Mandela' which was part of his second album, 'I&I Experience'. His critically acclaimed album 'Spirit of Love' was produced by 'Little Steven' Van Zandt for Interscope Records, which marketed hip-hop greats like Dr Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tupac. In 1992, he appeared on the talk show, Late Night with David Letterman, to promote his new album, and performed the song, 'So Long Too Long' for the television audience, clad in agbada, a traditional attire for Southwest Nigerian men.

Majek broke into the US market first with performances in clubs until he grabbed the attention of the co-founder of Interscope Records, Jimmy Levine. Subsequently, he secured a mouth-watering deal at age 27.

“The kind of money I got from my deal in America, I had never seen before in my life,” Majek once disclosed in a television interview. “So I thought I should come to Nigeria and celebrate with my people. I bought a 28-track mixer, speakers and I flew them into Nigeria instead of shipping them.”

The equipment he brought to Nigeria at a huge cost could be used for a full concert. He revealed that he had over $200,000

Majek Fashek in performance when he returned to Nigeria. At the peak of his career in 1989, artists such as Lucky Dube were opening acts for Majek Fashek.

When it was time to return to the US, it dawned on his managers that all was not well with the talented artist. Majek began to show signs of mental illness. Though he smoked weed at some point in his life, just like many rastas, that was not sufficient to explain the complexity of his mental and physical health deterioration. Many media reports alleged that he might have suffered from substance abuse owing to the pressure of the newly found international fame. But Majek told a different story.

“I never abused drugs. My wife broke my heart. I only went through depression,” he disclosed.

In other interviews, he claimed that his health challenges were spiritual in nature.

Majek told this story repeatedly throughout his life. His attempts to make a come-back after losing his recording deal with Interscope Records were frustrated by his illness. He lost some weight, part of his teeth and even his voice. But he never lost his passion for music.

He was among the local acts featured at one of the 2006 THISDAY concerts which featured American leading artistes like Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes and Ciara, among others.

In 2015, he reportedly checked into a drug rehabilitation centre in Abuja. At the first and second editions of 'Africa Meets Reggae Festival', organised by Victor Essiet of the Mandators at

the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Majek’s showmanship was impressive. Two years ago, he marked his 30 years in mainstream music. By September 2019, his health deteriorated and was flown to the UK with the financial aid by the business mogul, Femi Otedola.

On June 1, 2020 he died in his sleep, incidentally in New York – a city he demystified in his song, 'Majek Fashek Ina New York.'

One of the first reactions to the news of his death came from Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, shortly after it was shared on Tuesday morning by his manager Omenka Uzoma on Instagram.

“I mourn the death of quintessential, maverick musician and Edo son, Majek Fashek...who took the world by storm with his enigmatic talent, remains one of the finest cultural icons of his age and would be remembered for his disarming craft and skill,” Obaseki tweeted.

Lemmy Jackson, who produced some of Majek's greatest hits such as 'Send Down the Rain,' paid a glowing tribute to his memory in a social media post.

Jackson said, “I will tell you first-hand that what I miss most about him is his humility and high level of creative energy.

Those of us alive who had the privilege of working with him will attest to this fact. This sad news has devastated me, although Majek's later life was more of a troubled one, people like me never ceased to pray for his full stability, and then this?

I pray for his family to have the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

Truly, Majek represented a generation of consciousness that gripped Nigeria's music scene in the 80s and 90s in the era of military rule. His lyrics captured the themes of survival, oppression, love, African liberation and unity, poverty, societal decay and other social realities.

One of his music contemporaries, Edmund Spice, famed for his song, 'Iyeneyeh' as well as his cover of Tracy Chapman's 'Baby, Can I hold You Tonight,' reflected on Majek's artistry in his tribute via a chat with THISDAY. “Majek Fashek, you were a very costly gift to your country Nigeria, to continent Africa and to the entire world. You weren't ordinary and just like your songs, you were extraordinary. You chose your words tactically in terms of writing music and songs. Your songs are for yesterday, today and tomorrow. You have come your world and have passed your message through music which will forever remain a guide for generations to come. I love you Majek. Great freedom fighter.

RIP,” he said.

Majek's music had inspired younger generation of musicians in Nigeria including Sound Sultan, King Wadada and TuBaba who performed with him on a few occasions and recorded “So Long" as with the legend who had the dream of producing a comeback album. His death is regarded as a relief for his friends and family, who watched him battle for life in his later days.

BOOKS

Rape as Dream Killer in New Book Yinka Olatunbosun

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ape, an age-long sexual violence has gained more prominence in recent times perhaps for the intervention of the social media. Many victims had been denied justice because the onus of establishing the truth has always been the burden of the rape victim. Today, that burden has been shared by the society at large who now have a renewed sense of responsibility towards ensuring that justice prevails. This explains why an author, Odega Shawa unearths the complexity of rape in his novel, titled Hello Vagina.

Published by Kalakuta Books, the book is dedicated to the memory of two rape victims.

One of them is Miss Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbaje (2005-2018) who for more than three years was allegedly raped by her uncle and his son until she developed VVF and died. The other woman is Lindsay Armstrong (1985-2002), who committed suicide after her ordeal in court with her rapist. In a creative non-fiction style, Shawa tells the story of a young teenage girl, Kelechi who was raped by a serial rapist and killer through a

series of episodic plots.

Kelechi is a brilliant, vivacious girl from a humble background with a tall dream of becoming a writer. She is unaware of how some undesirable characters will overturn her dream with their selfish needs. As an under-aged, she has endured sexual harassments from persons known to her. Even the church is not a safe haven as the pastor is known to secretly take advantage of young girls in his care. Her younger brother, Kelue and his friend, Moro had been conspiring to extort money from Uncle Sola, a videographer in the neighborhood who had made a pass at her.

Unknown to her, a bigger danger lies in wait in a dangerous chance meeting with Teejay.

Teejay, portrayed in the story as a vilain, made his break in Nollywood with the help of a female movie producer. Intoxicated by the riches and fame that his Nollywood career has brought him, he brazenly exploits new screen hopefuls with the promise of a rewarding acting career. Expectedly, his reckless lifestyle wrecks his matrimonial bliss. His wife, Hadiza returns home one day to find her husband in bed with three aspiring movie stars. After long hours of

heated argument, violence strikes. Teejay kills his wife and swiftly moves to cover it up to preserve his public image ahead of his political ambition. Like a dare devil, he sues the media house that published the story and gives the money to charity. Emboldened by impunity, he rapes Kelechi as well.

Through the story, the author beams the light on the roles played by the religious leaders, judiciary, police and others who should hold the perpetrators of such crimes accountable. The ‘bromance’ between Fred, the judge and Teejay has been instrumental to his escape from the long arm of the law for many years. The closing poetry by the protagonist, titled “Hello Vagina" questions the rationale behind rape, sexual harassments and the porn culture that have made women to be seen and treated as mere sex objects at work, at school, in their places of worship and almost anywhere outside their mother’s wombs.

The author creates a comforting counterbalance in his portrayal of men in the story with the character of Mr Okon who plays as a father figure to Kelechi in her time of distress.

With this literary effort, Shawa heeds the loud calls by women across the globe for men to join the fight against the scourge of rape.

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

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NEWSXTRA Buhari Meets Masari, Promises Improved Security in Katsina Â&#x2021;As helicopter gunships decimate 70 bandits in Kaduna

Omololu Ogunmade and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has assured people and government of Katsina State of renewed efforts, and review of operations, to improve security of lives and property in the state, and other

parts of the country.

Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said the president, in a meeting with Governor Aminu Bello Masari, at the State House on Thursday night, threatened that bandits, who had committed crimes against innocent citizens in the state, and across the

FG Inaugurates Committee to Drive Digital Identity Emma Okonji The federal government has inaugurated a steering committeemmittee for the Nigeria Digital Identity for Development Ecosystem Project to fast-track the implementation of the strategic roadmap for accelerating digital identity development for the country.

Inaugurating the committee, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who is also the chairman of the team, said digital identification remained central and critical to realising the objective of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Economic and Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP).

He said the strategic roadmap, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on September 12, 2018, â&#x20AC;&#x153;is a culmination of the enormous collective efforts and contributions of so many institutions and stakeholders, which began in

the year 2015 when this government took a decision to forge a credible and cost-effective pathway for identification management.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, to accelerate the implementation of the strategic roadmap, therefore, government considered and adopted a threetiered institutional arrangement comprising of a Steering Committee, a Strategic Unit, an Implementation Unit situated in the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and with responsibilities for providing overall governance and coordination, ecosystem partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; coordination and communication and day-to-day project implementation respectively.

Mustapha further said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Project Steering Committee was established as the highest body with the responsibility of providing policy, institutional and operational guidance towards delivering on the identification vision and promise of the Strategic Roadmap.â&#x20AC;?

Group Donates Hospital Equipment to Edo State Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City As part of efforts to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic in Edo State, a group of corporate organizations under the name, Coalition Against COVID-19 yesterday, donated hospital equipment to the Edo State Government.

The donated two Intensive Care Unit beds, 150 beds and mattress, hand gloves, respirators, ultrasound machines and other Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) at the state owned Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City.

Making the presentation on behalf of CACOVID, Mr. Patrick Akoroda, Zonal Head of Zenith Bank in the state, noted that the coalition was made up of people who came together to help state governments fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He further explained that the coalition consisted of commercial

banks and other conglomerates who came together to help Edo State fight the virus.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hospital equipment supplied is for Edo State. We have made similar donations to other states of the federation. We are people who are interested in public healthcare and so decided to raise funds to supply hospital equipment estimated at hundreds of millions of naira.â&#x20AC;?

Akoroda disclosed that what was given was just the first phase of what the coalition intended to do in the fight against the pandemic.

The second phase, he said would be the supply of food items for the vulnerables and poorest of the poor.

Receiving the donations on behalf of Edo State Government, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Izielen Asogun thanked CACOVID for the gesture.

country, would not be spared.

He said Buhari also warned bandits to surrender their weapons, or face â&#x20AC;&#x153;disgraceful and violent ends.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shehu said the president pledged more decisive military operations against bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina and Kaduna States.

According to him, Buhari commiserated with Masari over loss of lives from attacks by the bandits, which include District Head of Yantumaki, Alhaji Atiku Maidabino, and All Progressives Congress Chairman in Batsari

All Progressives Congressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has commiserated with former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, over the loss of his wife, Alhaja Ariat Aderoju Smith (nee Jinadu).

Alhaja Smith died on Friday June 5, 2020 at the age of 69. Her remains were buried on Saturday June 6, 2020 in accordance with Muslim rites.

In his condolence message released by his Media Office on

Saturday, Tinubu described the late Alhaja Smith as a diligent woman, dependable wife and doting mother to her children.

He said Alhaja Smith was a devout Muslim who would be remembered for her life of service to Allah and humanity.

Asiwaju prayed that Allah comfort Smith and the children.

He also prayed that Allah forgive the shortcomings of the deceased, reward her good deeds and grant her Aljanna Firdaus.

Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO) said the air interdiction followed timely and credible information on the banditsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movement within the area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Troops pursued the bandits through Gidan Maikeri village in Chikun LGA into the forest.

Their location was identified and consequently engaged by Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunships. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the air interdiction, 70 bandits were confirmed killed by human intelligence while others escaped with injuries. The troops are exploitating the forest. Details

to follow as they unfoldâ&#x20AC;?, it said.

The update signed by Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, urged people in the area to â&#x20AC;&#x153;as a matter of security concern report those with sudden and suspicious injuries to the security forces. This is to ensure that the escapees are mopped upâ&#x20AC;?.

Also, Enenche said troops of Operation Yaki in blocking positions for Operation Accord at the outskirts of Kankomi village apprehended two banditsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; logistics suppliers and recovered recharge cards, cigarettes, soft drinks and groceries.

HELPING THE NEEDY Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Sen. Basheer Mohammed (2nd left), with some beneficiaries during the distribution of agricultural items to farmers from Kura, Garun Malam and Madobi Local Government Areas of Kano state ... Friday

Iyayi: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Livestock Industry to Hit N50tn in 10 Yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, Prof. Eustace Iyayi, has said the livestock industry in Nigeria could be valued at least N50 trillion over the next decade if all the right structures are put in place.

Currently, according to him, the industry is worth at least N30 trillion.

Iyayi cited the right structures to include proper infrastructure for value chain development, expansion and sustenance, financing, research and development for new breeds, and capacity development of operators.

Making this revelation in Abuja, Iyayi also said the industry was currently growing at an annual rate of 12.7 percent.

The current worth of the industry would therefore constitute approximately 20 percent of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP, and more than 30 percent at the rate of the 10 year projected figure against todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP. In spite of the impressive size, Iyayi warned that the industry in Nigeria was grossly underproducing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are grossly under producing because we still import 70 percent of our beef and 25 percent of

poultry. We consume about 1.3 million metric tonnes of milk annually and 60 percent of it is imported,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He said the feed industry alone was a multi-billion naira industry, adding that the poultry subsector is N1.6 trillion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see the industry growing to a net worth of about N50 trillion in the next decade if all the right structures are put in place,â&#x20AC;? he stressed.

In charting the way forward to actualise the growth potential of the livestock industry, Iyayi said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the first step to increase production

is to improve on the breeds of our animals so as to maximize their genetic potential. Second, is to adopt ranching for our beef and dairy cows. Rearing them in confinement will lead to their improved productivity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Third is for livestock producers to also be incentivised in terms of input subsidy. Fourth is to develop the value chains for the poultry and livestock species. This way people will see livestock production as agribusiness, leading to expansion of markets and business opportunities in the subsector.â&#x20AC;?

One Killed, 12 Injured as Truck Rams into Vehicles in Jos Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Tinubu Commiserates with Smith over Wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Demise

Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdulhamid Sani Duburawa.

Meanwhile, Helicopter Gunships deployed by the military in a combined air and ground offensive have killed 70 bandits in Kachia Forest in Kaduna State.

The bombardment followed a joint clearance operation by troops of Operation Thunder Strike, Operation Accord in conjunction with troops of 312 Artillery Regiment and local vigilantes on clearance patrol in Kachia Forest.

An update on the war against armed banditry issued by the

.A 45,000-litre-capacity truck filled with petrol on Saturday lost control and rammed into several vehicles and pedestrians at very busy Polo roundabouts in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, killing one person on the spot and leaving 12 others critically injured.

An eye witness said that the incident occurred at about 12 pm when the driver of the truck with registration number Abuja RBC 141 XB lost control of the vehicle following break failure as he drove down from Hill Station Junction to the roundabouts.

The truck allegedly driven by an

underage driver climbed several vehicles including seven commercial tricycles with passengers before it finally crashed into the fence of Saint Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College where some people also sustained injuries.

The driver and two passengers in the truck reportedly jumped out of the truck and went into hiding to avoid attack from a mob of passers-by.

The Media Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps Plateau Command, Mr. Andrew Bala who confirmed the accident said one person was killed in the crash while 12 others sustained injuries and presently receiving treatment at Bingham University Teaching Hospital

He attributed the accident to mechanical fault, explaining that the driver of the truck lost control

as a result of brake failure and rammed into seven tricycles and three cars.

Buhari Celebrates Erogbogbo at 90 President Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with Alhaja Sadiat Abeke Erogbogbo, a retired teacher and businesswoman who turns 90 June 7, 2020.

He felicitates with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the woman, who was known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;kind teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the early part of her professional life.

A well-rounded Nigerian, Mama Erogbogbo was born in Kano in 1930, schooled in Lagos, and later

taught in Kano, Lagos and Jos, where she impacted positively on the lives of students who passed through her tutelage.

Buhari salutes Mama Erogbogbo, who is mother to Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and wishes her sound mind and good health, even as she is celebrated at 90 by all those whose lives she had touched positively.

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

NEWSXTRA Covid-19: Abiodun Commends Journalists, Others Â&#x2021; As FMC Abeokuta records fresh casualty Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has commended journalists in the state for helping

to create the needed awareness to flatten the curve of Covid-19 .

He made the remarks in Abeokuta, at the weekend while giving the people on governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Police Arrest Kidnap Kingpin, Kill 2 Others, Recover Cattle, AK 47 Daji Sani in Yola The Adamawa State Police Command yesterday in Yola said it arrested a notorious kidnapping suspect, killed two members of his gang and recovered 15 cows, 171 sheep and 39 rounds of ammunition including one single barrel gun with 16 carriages.

The command made the announcement on Friday in a statement signed by its public relation officer, Mr Sulaiman Nguroje, a deputy superintendent of police.

The police, however, did not disclose the name of the arrested kidnapper.

Nguroje said the success was recorded on June 4, 2020 following a distress call from one Yahaya Sale, a resident of Ganji Village in Gombi Local Government Area who told the police that he had received several calls from unknown persons

threatening to kidnap and kill him if he did not pay a ransom.

He said as soon as the police received the complaint, the command swung into action by deploying its anti-kidnap unit.

He said the police were able to track the kidnappers by working with hunters.

Nguroje further explained that fierce exchange of fire between the police and the suspected kidnappers led to the arrest of the gangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kingpin while two of his members were shot dead and others escaped with gun wounds.

According to him , the command also recovered one AK-47 rifle with 39 rounds of live ammunition, one single barrel gun with 16 cartridges,15 cows and 171 sheep.

He said the state police command appreciated the support of members of the public while calling on anyone whose cattle were rustled to report to state CID Yola with evidence to claim them.

efforts on curtailing the spread of the disease.

Abiodun also thanked health workers across the state and security agents for helping to prevent what would have been a health disaster . â&#x20AC;&#x153;As always, I specially thank all our frontline workers -doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical lab scientists, supporting personnel and indeed all health workers. â&#x20AC;&#x153; I commend the resilience and understanding of security personnel, journalists and other essential workers for their cooperation in the efforts to flatten the curve of Covid-19. There is no doubt in

my mind that, together, we will banish Covid-19 from our lands,â&#x20AC;? he enthused.

On the occasion, the Correspondents Chapel presented the governor with a plaque to commemorate his 60th birthday.

Presenting the item, a former chairman of the NUJ in Ogun State, Mr. Niyi Ogungbola, said that journalists in the state were proud of Abiodunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to the state.

In his response, an impressed Abiodun described the NUJ and its Correspondent Chapel as pivotal to the dissemination

of government activities, hence he held them in high esteem.

Meanwhile, the Federal Medical Centre, Idi- Aba, Abeokuta, has recorded two new cases of the Coronavirus disease.

A statement by the Head, Public Relations and Information Unit of the Centre, Mr. Segun Orisajo, said one of the two patients died before the outcome of the result of her samples . â&#x20AC;&#x153;The deceased was a 43-year old trader, who lived at Ota. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She was admitted at the centre and was being managed for decompensated chronic liver

disease and covid-19 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The deceased was subsequently screened but passed away later that day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The result of her samples returned positive some moments ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The second patient is a 40 year old man who was on referral from Joga Orile Primary Health Centre .

He is being managed for sepsis with a chest focus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was subsequently screened and the result of his samples returned positive.

The patient is currently in the centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s isolation. He has sustained clinical improvement,â&#x20AC;? Orisajo revealed.

Rumpus in Osun PDP as Loyalists Dump Ogunbiyi for Adeleke Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo This appears not to be the best of times for a former governorship aspirant under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, as no fewer than fifteen members of his campaign group named â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Idera De Movementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; have dumped the body and switched over to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Imole Deâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of Senator Ademola Adeleke within the same party.

The former Ogunbiyiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field

officers in a press conference addressed in Osogbo yesterday adduced various reasons for their resolve to pitch their tent with Adeleke.

The spokesman of the disenchanted Ogunbiyiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign field officers, Mr Kingsley Awosiyan from Ife-Central Local Government Council Area of Osun State, accused their former political principal of flirting with the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) both

in Osun and neighbouring states.

The ex-Ogunbiyi campaign field officers said, the result of their assessment of the activities and disposition of their former principal to the PDP plight in the state was indicative of the fact that it would continue to have a negative effect on the fortune of the party either now or in the nearest future.

Awosiyan disclosed that having weighed all the prevailing options he and his colleagues arrived at

a conclusion to unequivocally go with Adeleke.

They reminded their former principal how they served him diligently and with absolute loyalty when it mattered and wondered why he chose to sideline them lately.

They however, pledged to work conscientiously in their new political abode to ensure overall victory for the PDP in all future elections in the state.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Edo 2020: The MAD Button Now Activated The feud between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his estranged ally and National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, keeps festering ahead of the party’s primary on June 20, writes Samuel Ajayi

I

t started as a rumour. Then it gained traction and by time delegates of the Edo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), go to the polls to elect the party’s flag-bearer in the governorship election in the state later in the year, it would have taken a miracle to see Governor Godwin Obaseki and his estranged ally, former governor and current National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, in the same camp.

The battle line has been drawn and each camp seems to have reached a point of no return in the battle for the soul of not just the state chapter of the APC, but also the state.

Rewind to four years ago and you would wonder what could have gone wrong between the two political soul mates. A sitting governor and one of those who made moves to reconcile the two in the early days of their feud told THISDAY on the condition of anonymity that he got frustrated because it seemed there was something the two men were not willing to disclose about what caused the rancour in the first place.

“This has made reconciliation difficult if not almost impossible,” the governor said.

Initially, the discord between the two politicians was being discussed in hush tones within the state until the bubble burst some months ago. Though many had accused the governor of ‘showing his hands’ too early. He has also been accused of being ungrateful to the man who ‘made’ him politically and biting the hand that fed him.

He too had countered that his sin was that he did not open the state’s treasury to people who wanted to loot it, pointing out that his disagreement with his estranged political godfather was based strictly on principles. Not personal.

The disagreement between the duo reached a new height in 2019 when the governor declared that Oshiomhole must inform him (the governor) any time he wanted to visit the state so as to ensure his personal safety. Many knew this was far from the truth as it was during the period the national chairman had issues with some national leaders of the party.

Also, last year, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the Peoples Democratic Party’s flag bearer in the 2016 governorship election, suddenly announced his resignation from the party with rumours making the round then he was pitching his tent with the APC. This was later confirmed when he announced his defection to the APC. But the Obaseki group that was well aware that Ize-Iyamu was being prepped to pick the APC ticket instead of the incumbent governor. Subsequently, IzeIyamu’s planned grand entry into the party was scuttled as Obaseki banned public gathering in the state and enlisted the Inspector General of Police to withdraw permission for the rally, where Ize-Iyamu would have announced his defection to APC. The rally, if at all it could be called that, was eventually held in Ize-Iyamu’s personal home.

Late last year to early this year, plans were hatched to get Oshiomhole out of office. As expected, Obaseki was fully involved in the scheme. Sources told THISDAY that President Muhammadu Buhari, who had initially given his nod for his removal, later backed off due to fears that some elements he would not be able to control might hijack the party.

A political analyst, who spoke on the condition of

Obaseki and Oshiomhole anonymity, told THISDAY that the moment Obaseki and co failed to remove Oshiomhole, they should have known that his own re-election would hang in the balance. He explained that Obaseki should know that Oshiomhole would come for him with full force. The APC chairman did not disappoint only that the way he wants to go about it will pit him (Oshiomhole) against other stakeholders in the party.

Oshiomhole is said to be pushing for the candidacy of Ize-Iyamu, seen by his critics as counter-productive and vindicates those who allege APC is worse than PDP. During the 2016 campaigns, Oshiomhole, known for his lack of restraint when speaking publicly, had lambasted Ize-Iyamu, calling him unprintable names, saying he was a thief, who had no discernible source of livelihood. Predictably, a video of that incident surfaced on social media recently.

“Oshiomhole, truth be told, lacks finesse at times,” the political analyst told THISDAY. “Some of the things he said in that video should not have been said by a national chairman of a party, even a sitting governor. The problem now is that won’t he feel any shame mounting the rostrum and raising the hand of the same Ize-Iyamu up and telling Edo people that he is the best thing to have happened to the state?”

That is the dilemma and that is why many governors on the platform of the party are ready to battle Oshiomhole to a standstill over the issue. Many of them are of the opinion that even if Obaseki would not be returning to office, he would not be replaced by someone who just defected to the party from the PDP. Besides, the APC governors also fear that the Zamfara scenario might play out ultimately in Edo. Akinloye Oyeniyi, a political analyst and legislative expert, who at a time was the National Public Secretary of the now deregistered Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), echoed the

same concerns.

He said APC constitution does not allow individuals in Ize-Iyamu’s situation to seek the party’s governorship ticket because he would not have stayed long enough in the party to qualify to contest on the platform of the party, adding, “In compliance with Article 31 (3 i, ii and iii), APC will have to first scrutinise Pastor Ize-Iyamu, whose time of joining the party disqualified him from running for the governorship position; thereby making him to need a waiver to run and also if he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction for any criminal offence.”

If Ize-Iyamu is to apply for a waiver, he has to apply at his Iguododo Ward Executive of the party, which will forward it to his Orhionmwom local government, which in turn forward it to the state chapter of the party that will further route it to the South-south geo-political chapter of the party for onward transmission to the National Working Committee of the party.

It remains to be seen how Ize-Iyamu will scale these hurdles considering how fragmented the party is, right from his ward to the state level.

Meanwhile, Obaseki has gazetted a new law, which prohibits any gathering of more than 20 people in the state and designated the Ogbe Stadium as the only venue, where any gathering more than that could take place.

Many are of the opinion that Obaseki did that to frustrate the moves by Oshiomhole to conduct the selection process of the governorship candidate via direct primary, whereas the camp of the governor wants indirect primary.

It remains to be seen what the final outcome will be. But, according to political observers, this is one battle Oshiomhole did not need to have waged, questioning his leadership style described as autocratic, lacking respect for other stakeholders.

Oshiomhole has always prided himself as the one who sacked godfatheris in Edo politics. Will Obaseki do the same to him?

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

Adesina: Home Support Changed the Game

T Buhari and Adesina

he President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina was at the presidential villa in the week, to see President Muhammadu Buhari over plans by the US government to open up a fresh and ludicrous investigation on him, a development that sparked outrage amongst African countries and their investor allies.

Already, there had been concerns about the situation, especially, the negative slant that often comes with allegations of sleaze, even as the idea of stepping aside for an independent investigation had begun to take a life of its own before the giant of Africa put its foot down, declaring unflinching support for Adesina, not minding

that he was a product of the opposition PDP. Not long after Buhari gave his support and asked Adesina to continue with his good job, the Board of AfDB also came out to stand with this Nigerian that’s been doing Africa proud for many years. Also preceding the presidential backing were supports by prominent individuals, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as other people from all over Africa.

It was only a question of time before Adesina’s traducers knew they were traveling the wrong route. The Buhari support, without doubt, changed the tenor of the debate and in a sense, forced those behind the “Adesina Must Go” campaign to beat a retreat. Kudos to the home support that came in good time!

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž JUNE 7, 2020

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BRIEFINGNOTES Eased Lockdown and a Case for the Schools If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe enough to remove restrictions on religious gatherings, with possibilities of congregations of up to 500, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough reason to canvass for the reopening of schools, writes Demola Ojo

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ith the month of June came optimism, following indications that through proper management, the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

In Nigeria, the presidential task force on COVID-19 progressed to the second phase of easing restrictions on various socio-economic activities.

A well-received guideline by the PTF chairman, Boss Mustapha, was the directive that the nationwide curfew, which before June 2nd was from 8pm to 6am, will now be between 10pm and 4am.

The PTF notably relaxed the restrictions on religious gatherings in accordance with safety guidelines, while the ban on interstate movement remained, with exemptions for goods and essential travel.

The full opening of the financial sector was also welcome, with banks now free to operate normal working hours five days a week. Hotels may also reopen but restaurants outside of hotels must remain closed for eat-in, with only take-outs allowed. Bars, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs and parks are closed until further evaluation.

The aviation sector has been directed to start developing protocols for domestic flights to resume from June 21 but schools are to remain closed, as protocols have not yet been concluded for them to resume.

National coordinator for the PTF, Sani Aliyu reiterated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The mass gathering of more than 20 people, outside of workplaces or places of worship remains prohibited.â&#x20AC;?

He further stated that reopening of churches and mosques is not unqualified, but with conditions subject to agreed protocols reached between State governments and religious leaders. These include the mandatory use of masks, sanitizing of hands, limited opening hours and physical distancing.

However, based on the responses on Twitter, more than a few thought it odd that schools remained closed, without indications of protocols being developed, while religious gatherings are allowed.

According to the user @hawt_red â&#x20AC;&#x153;Religious houses (are) being prioritised over businesses that actually contribute to the economy.â&#x20AC;?

Another user, @Dahygu_Breez, opined; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government should work on these policies for tax payers rather than this backward focus on satiating powerful lobby interests.â&#x20AC;?

The argument supporting the opening of religious organisations include the limited duration respective congregations are in close proximity, the frequency of services (Sundays and Fridays) and that safety protocols are probably better observed at places of worship. Adults are more responsible, and safety protocols can be better observed. There is also the argument that going to church or mosque is optional, and those who are not comfortable with it should stay at home.

To this suggestion, @kazhamza replied: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can stay in our houses but people who go can still give it to us as offices are now open. Opening potential super spreader places like houses of worship is illogical. It takes just one service for many to get infected.â&#x20AC;?

Some of the states worst hit by the pandemic baulked at the new federal government guidelines.

The Lagos State government went in-depth into reasons why it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be in its best interests to allow the return of religious gatherings.

Some religious leaders were quoted to have said they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t guarantee gatherings of less than 20 and supported a continuation of the ban on congregations.

Lagos State commissioner for home affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even before the pronouncement by the federal government, we have been having meetings with the religious leaders. We also had one with the leaders of the two faiths and I want to tell you categorically that at that meeting, the possibility of reopening religious houses was ruled out totally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They claimed that they cannot take such responsibility of ensuring that only 20 or 50 people are praying behind them.

Like an Imam said he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what is going on behind him whenever he is leading a prayer. He said if more than

SGF and PTF chair, Boss Mustapha briefs President Muhammadu Buhari 20 or 50 people are staying at his back, he is not going to take responsibility for their presence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, at the meeting, we ruled out in totality the issue of reopening the religious houses until we have a clear coast for us to do so.â&#x20AC;?

A few days after, however, the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, communicated plans for religious gatherings to commence in about two weeks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will now be restricted openings of religious houses based on compliance that we have seen and reviewed with the safety commission. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From 14 days time, precisely on the 19th of June for our Muslim worshippers and from the 21st of June for our Christian worshippers, we will be allowing all of our religious bodies to open at a maximum of 40% of their capacity and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be working with them as being expected by the Lagos State Safety Commission. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we know that these places of worship have different sizes but even if your 40% capacity is really so large, you cannot have beyond 500 worshippers at once, and keeping that maximum 40% capacity is really important. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be encouraging people to have more than one service and ensure that they keep their premises clean, disinfect before another round of worship can take place.â&#x20AC;?

Follow the Science

By the time Lagos allows up to 500 to congregate, airports

in five locations across the country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Owerri and Port Harcourt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will start receiving commuters.

Hotels and banks will practically be in full swing.

The belief among a large number of the youth (judging by twitter) is that without powerful lobby groups like say banks or religious organisations, the fate (and future) of Nigerian students is not of utmost priority to decision makers.

Students, majority of whom are below the age of 24, are the least affected by the coronavirus globally. School and university closings globally were aimed chiefly at protecting teachers, parents and the population as a whole, not students.

Opposing school reopenings in the name of protecting the kids doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a lot of statistical sense.

While they probably form the bulk of asymptomatic carriers, logic based on science suggests they should be the group free to move and build some form of herd immunity, while the vulnerable, old and sick are isolated for their protection.

There is little evidence to suggest that reopening schools increases the rate of infection of the coronavirus. The reopening of schools in 22 European countries has not led to any significant increase in coronavirus infections among children, parents or staff, a videoconference meeting of education ministers from around the EU last week revealed.

Hopefully, focus will soon shift to developing protocols for Nigerian students to resume instruction under hygienic conditions.

NOTES FOR FILE

Okonjo-Iwealaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Appointment: Kudos to Buhari

Okonjo-Iweala

In one week, President Muhammadu Buhari scored two mesmerizing goals that upped the ante for his party and government.

First was his support for Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), which invariably changed the game for a man, who had been rattled over a probe instigated by the US Government and soon after, he nominated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to enter into the contest for head of the World Trade Organisation.

For a race many had deemed a walkover for Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lord Peter Mandelson, a tested

ZDUKRUVH RI VHYHUDO KLJK SURĂ&#x20AC;OH EDWWOHV 2NRQMR Iwealaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nomination as a heavyweight African contestant, is currently unsettling the turf and making it a lot more interesting.

Indeed, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a huge lessons in leaders to always present their best in all things. When they make meritocrazy the foundation of their choices, then, mediocrity takes the back seat.

While it is not given that Okonjo-Iweala would ZLQ KHU FKRLFH GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ UHSUHVHQWV D GLÍžHUent mindset and a thought process that shoves politics and nepotism aside for constructive leadership. Kudos!

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

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CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

Jegede: Putting the PDP on Loyalty Test In this year’s governorship election in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party will either reward loyalty or encourage contempt for party’s supremacy, writes Shola Oyeyipo

A

nywhere in the world, though factors such as financial war chest, popularity and the personality of aspirants are some of the criteria that influence how candidates emerge in party politics, more than anything, loyalty to the party supersedes every other considerations, because that is what will determines whether or not the party could trust anyone it puts forward for

elective office.

Thus, ahead of the Ondo State governorship election coming up on October 10, 2020, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is faced with a litmus test on either to consider party loyalty or other extraneous factors in arriving at its choice of governorship candidate. But the party is expected to make the most reasonable decision.

Feeling the pulse of a majority of PDP members in Ondo State, the popular opinion is that though the Deputy Governor, Mr.AgboolaAjayi is deploying money and high-level political treachery to wangle his way through and pick the party ticket, it would be counterproductive if he bulldozes his way through at the detriment of a loyal party member such as the PDP governorship candidate in the 2016 governorship election, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, who has remained a steadfast member of the party over the years.

There are other notable and steadfast PDP members in the race such as the party’s National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, a former Commissioner for Environment, Mr Sola Ebiseni and a former council chairman, Mr. Banji Okunomo.

Governor OluwatotimiAkeredolu’s second term bid is strongly threatened by multiple layers of gang-ups within his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and among those contending against the incumbent governor is his deputy,Agboola. But, even where the PDP welcomes him, it is most ideal that the party leaders ensure a free, fair and credible primary that would throw up a formidable candidate against the ruling party.

Party members are already sounding warning notes on the implications of bringing a man with his known treacherous dealings into an otherwise serene PDP, especially, in view of his alleged duplicity in dealing with his boss,Akeredolu. That is seen as a trait that is innate and which could have negative impacts on the opposition party.

Another area of concern among concerned party members is that bringing inAgboola and fielding him as the party candidate at a time like this would only be the harbinger of a crisis – it could constitute even a bigger burden on the PDP in the sense that loyal members, who have diligently served the party over the years would be disgruntled.

“If a man, who comes into the party within a month, carries the party banner, it would be a very bad example that cannot but divide the party on the way to a governorship election,” said a party loyalist, who claimed that though the party neededAgboola, not as a governorship candidate.

Some anti-Agboola campaigners are singing it to the ears of the party leadership in the state andAbuja to hearing of the party to be wary of the baggage the deputy governor carries as regards allegations of perjury against his person.

There had been allegation that when he was serving as the chairman, Ese-Odo local government area (LGA), Ondo State,Agboola Ajayi enrolled for the 2004 May/June Senior School Certificate Examination as a full-time student of Community High School, Mobolorunduro, with the registration number: 4291420/058.

This is in violation of a byelaw contained in Section 23 (9) (1a) and (2) of the WestAfrican Examination CouncilAct Vol. 15 Cap. 104, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014, which provides that a candidate for its May/June examination should be a student in a school approved as a centre for the examination.

He was also alleged to have given December 8, 1980 as his date of birth so as to be able to put in as internal student at the school.

However, he subsequently deposed to an affidavit for correction of date of birth on March 9, 2006, at the Federal High Court,Akure, where he changed his date of birth to September 24, 1968.

ThoughAgboola described the allegations as sponsored media attacks, concerned PDP members fear that they were enough to disrepute a governorship election in a state as Ondo, where people are very conscious of academic credentials and integrity, more having in mind the recent experience in Bayelsa State.

Another debate in the PDP is the issue of zoning, which some members have been suggesting as a way to pick the party’s candidate and by which they hope to disqualify Jegede from the race and favourAgboola.

In a January 2020 letter to the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus and the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election,AlhajiAtikuAbubakar, two PDP bigwigs fromAgboola’s Ondo South senatorial district in the persons of Mr. Solomon Bitire and Chief Daisi Mafimisebi, said it was the turn of their zone to produce the next governor or else the party stood no chance in the election.

Their argument was that since Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is from Ondo North; his predecessor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko was from Ondo Central (where Jegede comes from), then,

Jegede it’s automatically the turn of the South.

They further buttressed their argument by noting that Chief AdebayoAdefarati from Ondo North was in the saddle from 1999 – 2003; Dr. OlusegunAgagu from Ondo South held sway between 2003 – 2009; Mimiko from Ondo Central served from 2009 to 2017 and that ifAkeredolu who is from Ondo North serves from 2017 till 2020, someone from South should have the party ticket so as to follow the rotation.

“The winning formula for the PDP in the coming gubernatorial election is for the party’s candidate to emerge from the Ondo South Senatorial District. We also pray the leadership of the party at the national level would not allow itself to be used as instrument to disrupt the political cultures and tradition of Ondo State electorate,” Bitire and Mafimisebi noted in their letter.

This position did not really hold water with some PDP members, including former commissioner from Central senatorial district, DayoAwude; former member NDDC Board, Benson Amuwa (Southern senatorial district) and former member, House of Representatives, Hon. Bobby Omotosho (Northern senatorial district), who responded in a counter-letter that the PDP has zoned its governorship to the South in the past and yet never got any tangible result.

The trio described the contents of Bitire and Mafimisebi’s letter as “product of the elevated self-interest – an assertion that is very far from the truth,” and “out of touch with reality.”

Maintaining that never in history had PDP zoned its candidacy to any part of the state,Awude said competence and capacity had always been the basis for assessment.

According to him, “Arundown of the PDP governorship candidates since 1999 as listed below supports this position of merit being the driving force than other factors, including zoning. 1999 – Dr. OlusegunAgagu – Southern Senatorial District. He lost the election to theAlliance for Democracy (AD); 2003 – Dr. Olusegun Agagu – Southern Senatorial District (He won and became governor) and in 2007, Dr. OlusegunAgagu, Southern Senatorial District.

“He was sworn in for a second term in office until the tribunal upturned the verdict in 2009 and returned Dr. Olusegun Mimiko as the governor. 2012 – Chief Olusola Oke, SAN – Southern Senatorial District. He lost to the then incumbent governor. 2016 – Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, (SAN) – Central Senatorial District. His name, which was earlier replaced on the INEC list with Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim – from the Southern Senatorial District, and was only restored 72 hours to the election.

“He lost the election due to the distractions and division arising from the intra party crisis that bedeviled the party at the time.”

He reckoned that the PDP had picked four of its five candidates since 1999 from the same Southern Senatorial District, stressing that, “If zoning was the issue, the other senatorial zones would not have cooperated with the party in picking from the same zone on four consecutive occasions.”

Corroborating this view, Chairman of Ondo State Signage and AdvertisementAgency (OSSAA), Mr. Remi Ofakunrin stated that, “From the data above, if a virile and versatile mind would allow justice and equity to play their role in the ongoing imbroglio, it’s quite understandable, where the pendulum will swing to.

“PDP will be applauded to have been so generous and magnanimous to the people of Ondo South Senatorial District. If the other two senatorial districts have not been so considered, members of the party in the south should reciprocate the good deeds of the party and embrace its principles.”

Another PDP leader, Chief Olaniran Jogodo disapproved of zoning. He said: “I strongly advise against zoning. Let us go for the best as may be decided through a free and fair primary after which all aspirants will be addressed by leaders and persuaded to join hands and work together to clinch power.”

However, Jegede, who has been calling for fairness for every participant in the election, stands a good chance to clinch the party ticket and subsequently take the party to victory, considering his consistence in the party and widespread acceptance in the state.

His political structure of 2016 is also expected to come handy for his campaigns.

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FROMTHECOURT

Again, Cross River Government Dares NJC Who blinks first between Cross River State government and the National Judicial Council over the refusal of the state’s House of Assembly to confirm Justice Akon Ikpeme as the substantive chief judge for the second time? Davidson Iriekpen reports

T

he Cross River State House of Assembly for the second time on Tuesday rejected the request by the National Judicial Council (NJC) seeking the confirmation of Justice Akon Ikpeme as the state’s substantive chief judge.

On March 2, after serving as acting chief judge of the state for three months, the lawmakers had rejected a similar request from the NJC on the grounds that Justice Ikpeme was not an indigene of the state and therefore constituted “security risk.”

Instead, they approved the appointment of Justice Maurice Eneji as the Acting CJ of the state. However, from indications, through a second letter penultimate week to the lawmakers, the NJC insisted on Justice Ikpeme’s confirmation for her to function as substantive chief judge of the state.

Based on the council’s insistence, on May 29, 2020, Governor Ben Ayade through Secretary to the State Government, Tina Agbor, wrote the lawmakers appealing to them to do the needful.

The letter titled, ‘Re-affirmation of Honourable Justice Akon Ikpeme,’ said, “I am directed by His Excellency, the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, to convey the attached correspondent from the National Judicial Council on the above for your consideration and other necessary action.

“You are to treat the above with the urgency it deserves, in view of the emergency situation we find ourselves in our world and to ensure that there is no vacuum in our judiciary and the concomitant effect in the entire political space as a result thereof.

Please, accept the kind regards of His Excellency, the Governor.”

After the letter was presented to the lawmakers, the Leader of the House, Peter Odey representing Ogoja State Constituency, moved a motion which was seconded by the Deputy Leader, Hon. Fred Osim representing Ikom (I) state Constituency, to the effect that the assembly could not reverse itself on the issues bordering on the confirmation of Justice Ikpeme, because there was no fresh information on the issue.

“The correspondence from the governor to the House is not new, and had been treated before,” Odey said.

There was, however, no counter motion, prompting the Speaker of the assembly, Eteng Jonah Williams, to put the motion to voice vote and and those who were in support of the motion were in the majority, the speaker ruled.

Speaking to journalists after the sitting, the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Effa Esua, said he was sad over the resolution of the assembly, adding that the lawmakers’ decision has thrown the judiciary into confusion and further crisis.

“It is sad and unfortunate that it is happening in a House that I am part of. It is the resolution of the House but as they say, we the minority have had our say and the majority have their way,” he said.

Justice Ikpeme was born in the old Cross River State. She had all her education in the state. In fact, her father was a permanent secretary in the old Cross River State. In 1987, the state was split into two – Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State – and by virtue of her father being from Akwa Ibom State, her state of origin changed.

She is married with children to an indigene of Cross River State. She started her career in Cross River State Ministry of Justice and rose to the position of Director of Public Prosecution and later appointed as a judge in the state. She has served meritoriously and despite several challenges along the way, has had various accomplishments and received a commendation from the former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, for her immense contribution towards achieving a sustainable and independent democracy in Nigeria.

To the knowledge of the state apparatchik, Justice Ikpeme has consistently claimed Cross River State, not Akwa Ibom State, as state of origin in all relevant records, by virtue of her marriage to a bona fide Cross Riverian.

With the retirement of the former Chief Judge, Justice Michael Edem, last December, in compliance with Section 271 (1) of the Constitution, which states, “The Governor of the State shall make the appointment of a person to the office of Chief Judge of a State on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to confirmation of the appointment by the House of Assembly of the state.”

However, following political undercurrents and intrigues, the state’s assembly rejected her confirmation as substantive chief judge of the state on the grounds that she was not originally from Cross River by birth even though she is married to an indigene and the fact that she would constitute a security risk

Ayade to the state.

Signs that there was trouble over her confirmation first played out on February 28, the day slated to deliberate on her confirmation, when most members of the assembly stayed away from sitting, the day slated to deliberate on her confirmation.

Eventually, when deliberation started on March 3, two opposing reports were presented for consideration, indicating that the Committee on Judiciary that handled the matter was divided as a faction of the committee led by its Chairman, Efa Esua, cleared Ikpeme for confirmation, while another led by Godwin Akwaji (Obudu State constituency) and five others recommended that the judge be rejected, because she is not from Cross River State.

Following the confusion, the assembly after a heated debate, rejected both reports and a committee of the whole ultimately rejected her confirmation through a voice vote.

But a member of the assembly representing Bakassi constituency, Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, cautioned his colleagues against setting a bad precedent, saying, “This is my fifth year in the House and I have never seen two reports being presented to the House from a committee.

“The House has to be on the side of justice at all times and avoid setting a bad precedent. We need to strengthen institutions and avoid sowing seeds of ethnicity and disunity in the House.”

Though the non-confirmation of Justice Ikpeme has been blamed on the state’s assembly, many people believe that it is Ayade that is behind the plot. Knowing the overwhelming influence governors have on state assemblies, analysts noted if the governor did not support the move, the lawmakers would not have had the effrontery to reject NJC’s nominee.

They wondered what Cross River State has against Justice Ikpeme. The 1999 Constitution does not emphasise indigeneship. Instead, the constitution talks about citizenship of Nigeria, making one to wonder where the state derives the authority to reject Justice Ikpeme on the ground of ethnicity or state of origin.

Other examples abound of judges like Amina Augie and Mary Peter-Odili who rose to the peak of their career using their husbands’ state of origin.

Observers equally wondered how the Cross River State government concluded that Justice Ikpeme would pose a security risk to the state when she got security clearance from the Department of State Services (DSS), the body saddled with handling security issues and appropriately screening candidates for judicial appointments before her name was sent to the NJC by the state government as the preferred candidate for the position of chief judge in December 2019.

To date, they are wondering if the state government knew that it would in future deny her anything on account that she is from Akwa Ibom State, why was she not told before she entered the civil service or advised to transfer her service to Akwa Ibom long ago?

This is why her rejection had elicited reactions from a cross-section of eminent Nigerians, civil and non-governmental organisations.

Specifically, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) vehemently condemned the action of the state, describing it as an absurdity, naked injustice discriminatory and gross violation of human rights, which must not be allowed to stand.

They called on the NJC to ensure that Justice Eneji is not confirmed as the substantive chief judge of the state.

For now, Nigerians are anxiously watching to see if the NJC, under Justice Tanko Muhammad, would allow such discrimination and impunity by the Cross River State government to stand. In Rivers and Osun states, the council under Justice Aloma Mukhtar vehemently resisted every attempt by the states to alter the hierarchical seniority in the judiciary.

In Rivers particularly, under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the crisis that led to the rejection of Justice Daisy Okocha, who was NJC’s choice for the state and Justice Peter Agumagu, the state government’s choice, led to the shutting down of the state judiciary for almost two years.

This is why observers are of the view that the NJC should not allow Cross River State government to get away with its impunity, discrimination and unconstitutional act, as doing so would make other states of the federation to do the same.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ JUNE 7, 2020

SPECIALREPORT

Arowojolu

Akomolafe

Arowojolu

Asojo

Thomas

Itoro

Tosin

Agbetunsin

Okoh

Asojo

How THISDAY Life Lessons Produced Heroes amid COVID-19 Some two years ago, Nigeria’s leading media group, ThisDay, in its characteristic ingenuity, unveiled ‘THISDAY LIFE LESSONS’, an online learning and networking platform specially created to allow free, undoctored, uncluttered flow of concepts, ideas and information on all the key wheels of life: Spiritual, Finance, Health, Business, Career, Relationship, Fun -Time, Community Contribution and Mind Development.That same platform has made measurable developmental impact on its members since inception. For instance, a good number of members of LLS, seized the opportunity of time offered by the Covid-19 pandemic to acquire certifications from Causera, a leading US based online learning platform, in differentfieldsoflifetogetthembetterpreparedforlifeafterthepandemic,Bamidele Famoofo writes

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ithout any iota of doubt, the purpose for which the THISDAY LIFE LESSONS was created some two years ago is being achieved, gradually. Going by the testimonies of the beneficiaries, lives are being transformed as members practice the lessons learnt on the platform.

Some of the men and women who have followed religiously the lessons on the platform took the bull by the horn during the Covid-19 lockdown to better position themselves for opportunities that would emerge after the pandemic rather than throwing up their hands up in fear and hopelessness-as many people, unfortunately, have done.

Editor-at-Large, THISDAY Newspaper, and Executive Editor, LLS, Ayo Arowolo, disclosed the motivation behind the choice of some members to go for certifications during the Covid-19 compulsory holiday: “Running with the information we shared on the THISDAY LIFE LESSONS platform about six weeks ago about FREE online courses offered by Cousera, a US-based online learning centre, some have gone ahead to obtain certifications they have started to use to affect their communities and influence their friends.”

According to Arowolo, “there are two amazing couples who among the lot that have acquired over 13 certifications...and they are still counting!”

Ronke Stephen-Asojo, an Investment Banker and a Fashionpreneur, was very determined as she went on and on until she acquired nine certifications to her credit. This incredible LLS member who also teaches and trains youths and young wives in her local church and community about hard choices to make about their dreams and their goals and how they can empower themselves with their finances to help reach these goals and dreams, learnt about the Coursera online courses through THISDAY LIFE LESSONS platform. She was subsequently added to the COURSERA HELP DESK platform created by the platform where participants were being guided on how to go about the COURSERA certifications.

The real motivation for Ronke came from one of the assigned LLS-ADVISORS on the platform who shared his experience of garnering 29 certifications within eight months. Her words: “I was highly motivated by this being someone that loves challenges and arduous tasks. My husband encouraged me and he also was initiated alongside when he saw the way I was going about the learning curve. The push and the motivation given by the advisors on the platform are tremendous and this has been

fuelling my zeal and yearning to upgrade and hone my skills during the lockdown.”

“As at today I have been able to earn nine certifications within a month and with many more to come. Out of the nine courses, I got two certificates using financial aid as the techniques for applying for financial aid were extensively taught on the Coursera Help Desk.”

In fact, Ronke have already put in for a financial aid for a course which can help her to process an application for the University of London Global MBA. Now Ronke is knowledgeable in the fields of Personal and Family Financial Planning, Planning for Young Adults, Behavioral Finance, Converting Challenges to Opportunities and The Science of Success. The other fields where she was certified include Personal Branding, Successful Career Development, Introduction to Coding and Fundamentals of Sales and Marketing with Goldman Sachs 10,000 women.

“I have so learnt that this season is truly a testament that a crisis is also an opportunity. Crisis/disruption with its attendant negative consequences should not only be approached as a threat but also as an opportunity. By default we try to focus our energy in the middle of a crisis to protecting ourselves against the negatives rather than exploiting the positives which are this Coursera courses and other online courses,” a visibly delighted Ronke told THISDAY LLS. Though Okoh Olayinka was not ignorant of the opportunities of learning offered by Coursera and other MOOC platforms, it was THISDAY LLS that opened her eyes to the fact that he could get financial aid to obtain certificates without having to dispense with her personal cash. Her testimony: “Before now, I had been aware of courses on Coursera and other MOOC platforms. But I was only aware that one has to pay to access the courses in an unlimited manner. It was unknown to me that I can seek financial aid for the courses. All that changed, during this COVID-19 pandemic, consequent to the information shared on this platform and most importantly the guidance provided by the THISDAY LIFE LESSONS ADVISORS assigned to guide us. They gave us tips on how to apply for financial aids. The tips worked!”

“Based on my new knowledge, I applied for financial aid on “Genomic Data Analysis”, and applied for one free course - Data Science Maths skills, as that will help me in my career as a researcher. After that, I applied for two courses, since my financial aid was yet to be approved, and took them concurrently. Today I have completed five (5) courses, my financial aid has been

approved, and I am taking three courses concurrently at the moment. It didn’t stop there; my wife who is a programmer is also running a course on Artificial Intelligence at the moment,” he said.

Olayinka disclosed that the courses he took have really helped his career and family. “As a Life Science Lecturer and Researcher, “Data Science Maths skill” and “Pandemic, Epidemic and Outbreak” have contributed to my Public Health and Life Science knowledge and shaped how I will conduct research and analyze my data. “Personal Branding” and “Successful Career Development” have exposed me to salient ways to build my career, publicize my works and make a difference; while “Personal & Family Financial Planning” has really helped me understand better how to organize my finances. It also deepened my understanding of what some of the coaches on LLS have been teaching on personal finance. The certificates for the courses I have completed are below.”

Agbetunsin Oluwaseun, author, public speaker and pastor was one of the beneficiaries of the courses offered by Cousera.

He has so far obtained four certifications from Coursera, and he hopes to obtain more certificates before long.

“I cannot but mention the motivation provided by Thisday LLS Advisors during the journey. The offer of giving anyone who obtains two certificates or more to have a dinner with one of the Thisday LLS Advisors was a big motivator. Having been privileged to benefit from such offer before on the Thisday LLS platform (a dinner with Prince Yemisi Shyllon), I decided not to be left behind,” Oluwaseun enthused.

Itohan Iroro, a Lawyer, Chartered secretary and Arbitrator was not left in the personal development programme powered

by LLS. He has now acquired knowledge in Personal Family Financial Planning, Introduction to personal Branding, Mindshift: Break through obstacle to learning, Team skills: communicating effectively, Communication strategy for virtual age, and Introduction to intellectual property.

Other members who also converted the lockdown were: Mrs Ibukun Orowade, who got a certification in personal branding; Kayode; Kayode Akomolafe who got a certification in social innovation; Kunle Stephen Asojo, Kemi Arowojolu who obtained six certifications and Wale Arowojolu But a greater accolade should go to Olawale Thomas who led other THISDAY Life Lessons Advisors to served on the help desk created to help apply successfully for the coursera certifcations. Wale says: ‘when you help others , you are actually helping yourself.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž NE 7, 2020

PERSPECTIVE

OntheGeorge FloydProtests

Oni Omoile Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x2122;ĂĄĂ&#x2039; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;ĂŁ ĂĄĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ë&#x203A; Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x2039; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x153; Ă&#x161;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ë&#x153; Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2039;ĂŁĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013; Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x;Ă?Ë&#x203A; Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ë&#x153; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ë&#x153; ĂĄĂ&#x2019;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ă?Ë&#x203A; Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă? ĂĄĂ&#x2039;Ă? ĂĄĂ&#x153;Ă&#x201C;ĘľĂ?Ă&#x2DC; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x161;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2018; Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă? Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.â&#x20AC;?

-John F. Kennedy

T

his is the least surprising event of all time.

It is comparable to repeatedly whacking a hornetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nest with a stick or twisting a bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s balls before he rampages into the matadorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arena.

Any living thing put under enough duress will trigger the innate fight-or-flight response that governs nearly all sentient life.

This is no different for us as human beings as the apex of life on this floating space rock, even with the numerous complexities that belie things. To narrow the focus down, this obviously applies to America and its history of racial injustice, from the Natives who were slaughtered and betrayed time and again, to the enslaved Blacks who quite literally built this country from the ground up.

Even having the fortune of living in the most human rights friendly era in humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, refined by countless years of ideological war, activism and trial and error, it is still so awful that people feel the need to respond this way in order for their voices to be heard. That the ingrained, systematic oppression and outright murder of their brothers and sisters by those sworn to protect them is not okay.

It is explicitly written in our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Constitution â&#x20AC;&#x153;When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.â&#x20AC;?

I may have gone over this a little in previous posts, but putting things into a more personal context feels essential for the content of this post.

Yes, I am (obviously) a black man, born here in the US whilst being ethnically Nigerian.

I have the fortune of being born into a loving two- parent immigrant household who worked (and still work!) themselves to the bone in order to live in a cushy upper middle class suburb where the biggest issues police have to worry about is breaking up teenage house parties and drug abuse.

Even growing up, my encounters with racism were the comparatively milquetoast (yet still meaningful and harmful)

Protesters for George Floyd in Europe stuff like expected to being good at sports, liking rap, and being shipped with the only couple other black girls at our school just because our skin was the same color.

Even now, with the exception of a certain episode in Missouri, all my personal interactions with police have been friendly and cordial. One of my best friends is a cop himself!

All of this goodwill and yet, for the rest of my living days, I will always have that mortal fear in the pit of my stomach whenever I interact with the police because with the figurative roll of the dice, I might end up encountering that/those cop(s) because of what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve witnessed in this country.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made my peace with it if it ever does happen, even if I would still be terrified. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even begin the fathom the fear of people who have much more visceral experiences and claims with police brutality than myself.

Imagine for a second. To the average black person, what options do you think are left in their eyes? Peacefully protest? They are still doing this and rightfully so! But as I literally witnessed from the inside as a part of the NFL during Colin Kaepernickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anthem protests, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be met with disingenuous criticism about â&#x20AC;&#x153;disrespecting the flagâ&#x20AC;?, even when that very flag itself was borne out of protest, VIOLENT protests I might add. Change things from the inside? We had an ACTUAL BLACK PRESIDENT, and even though it clearly wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t entirely his fault given opposition obstruction and the general limitations of the nature of federal/ state relations, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t magically ease the racial tensions that have boiled within America like some believed it would that hopeful election night in November 2008.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

COVID-19: Lagos Offers Succour to Tourism Associations, Unveils 10-year Master Plan

D

espite the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in the country, tourism practitioners had cause to look forward to better times following stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; meeting between executive members of tourism associations and Lagos State government on Friday in Lagos.

The meeting was convened by the Lagos

sector and easy take-off of your businesses when the fight against this disease is eventually won.â&#x20AC;?

Akinbile-Yussuf maintained that the decision of the government to suspend all tourism-related activities was necessary to contain the spread of coronavirus.

She added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a government, we realize that it is only when your businesses thrive that the economy of the state can be more vibrant which, would in turn, positively affect the IGR of the government. As a result of this, be assured that we would not take decisions that have negative impacts on your existence without due diligence.â&#x20AC;?

To show the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to better synergy with tourism stakeholders, Akinbile-Yusuf unveiled a master plan for tourism in the state.

She said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The document provides for a unified and enabling framework for promoting, tracking, and improving tourism in the state.

More than ever before, the present state of tourism businesses globally provides an opportunity for the state government to develop and make tourism more inviting and attractive to its local tourists.â&#x20AC;?

Continuing, she stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In view of this present situation globally, I urge you all to bear in mind the inevitability of a gradual recovery process and the need to tread softly when the L -R Ayo Balogun; commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharmacist (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile- sector eventually becomes fully operational. As Yusuf; Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Solomon Bonu and Co-ordinator such, the desire for profits must not be at the expense of the safety and life of your customers FTAN Lagos state chapter, Gbenga Sunmonu chapter of the Association of Federation of Tourism Associations.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, assured tourism practitioners of necessary assistance, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The present situation of COVID-19 which had posed a great challenge to our collective goals is of serious concern, not only to your Association but to the State Government as well, hence the need for us to come up with a post-pandemic road map for this

or staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I implore you not to compromise any of the operational guidelines that the Ministry had already outlined and others that would still be brought to your attention in the course of our interactions.â&#x20AC;?

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Solomon Bonu, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The truth is that the State Government is also affected greatly by this pandemic. I advise the practitioners rather than asking for a partial re-opening of hotel operations, they should consider the overall effect of their request on the generality of the masses, pointing out that the lives and safety of the citizenry and their customers must not be compromised for any reason.â&#x20AC;?

The Coordinator of AFTA, Lagos chapter, Mr. Gbenga Sunmonu, the government for carrying stakeholders in the sector along amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Associations in attendance include Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Hotel & Personnel Services Association (HOPESEA), Restaurant & Fast Food Services Proprietors Association of Nigeria (REFSPAN), National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA), Association of Tourists Boat Operators of Nigeria (ABTOWAN), Association of Travel and Tourism Writers of Nigeria (ATTWON), Nigeria Hotel and Catering Institute (NHCI), Lagos Hoteliers Association (LHA), Institute of Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN).

SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

63

Sunday June 7, 2020

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Price: N400

MISSILE

Ganduje to Buhari “Even after the COVID-19 interstate border lockdown, the border closure should remain to prevent Fulani herders from West Africa to come into the country. Such migration should be prevented” – Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, calling on the federal government to ban herdsmen from West African countries and others from coming into the country to end incessant farmers and herders clashes.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

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

To Keep Nigeria One

H

ow time flies. When Major Abubakar Umar was appointed military governor of Kaduna state by Gen Ibrahim Babangida in 1985, he was just approaching his 36th birthday. He was fresh-faced and handsome, with the trademark well-arranged moustache — the trend at the time. Beyond his looks, Umar came across as a progressive, one who cared about the ordinary people, one who viewed society with a pair of liberal eyes despite having royal blood.

He voluntarily resigned from the army as a colonel in 1993 after being detained without trial for allegedly seeking to undo the June 12 annulment. Now 70, he is in a good place more than many of us to comment on national affairs.

To start with, Kaduna state is one of the most complex to govern in Nigeria because of the eternally bitter ethno-religious divide. As governor, Umar watched as age-long, pent-up ethno-religious sentiments exploded in Kafanchan town in March 1987. When the dust settled, there were 19 dead bodies on the ground. Hotels, vehicles, churches and mosques were set on fire as the riots spread to the neighbouring cities of Kaduna, Katsina and Funtua. And 33 years after, the dead bodies are still piling up. We still don’t know when the burning and killing will end but we definitely know that the last one is not the last one. That is what unresolved resentment does to a society.

Umar, a Fulani Muslim from Birnin Kebbi, needed to carefully tip-toe through the mines as governor. If he acted one way, Christians would scream “bias”. If he acted another way, Muslims would shout “Judas”. It was not a pretty situation. At a time in Nigeria’s history, Kaduna represented nothing but killings, killings and killings. Everyone predicted that a religious war would start in Kaduna, engulf the entire north and tear Nigeria to pieces. But, as Umar once warned, if you win a religious war, “you cannot win religious peace. Since the killing started how many Christians have been converted to Islam? How many Muslims have been converted to Christianity? It is an exercise in futility”.

In an open letter last week, Umar warned President Muhammadu Buhari on the dangers of lopsided appointments and took him on a historical excursion into how Nigeria’s delicate ethnic and religious balance has been managed in times past. He referred to the choice of the army chief in 1965 and how an Igbo officer, Gen JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, was appointed on the basis of seniority even when some northerners were rooting for Gen Zakariya Maimalari, who was equally qualified. The Northern People’s Congress (NPC), led by Sir Ahmadu Bello with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the prime minister, could have chosen Maimalari and damned the consequence, Umar said.

In 1976, according to Umar, Gen TY Danjuma, a northern Christian, willingly gave up being second-in-command to Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, for national harmony. Lt Col Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a Fulani Muslim and Danjuma’s junior, had to be given double promotion and made second-in-command to balance the equation. Umar said two northern Christians, Chief Sunday Awoniyi and Dr Ishaya Audu, served as close aides to Ahmadu Bello.

In fact, Audu was Bello’s personal physician.

Umar warned Buhari that legacy is not just about the tangible, such as infrastructure, but also the intangible — the lasting impression

Buhari about his sense of equity and justice.

The immediate trigger for Umar’s letter was apparently the ongoing drama on the choice of the president of the Court of Appeal. Despite being nominated by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, a northern Christian, has continued to occupy the position in an acting capacity as Buhari has not sent her name to the senate for confirmation.

What we are hearing is that Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, a Muslim from Kano state, is being preferred to Dongban-Mensem. Umar wrote: “If she is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd.”

Umar was commended or condemned, depending on the camp. The southern and middle belt “leaders” who have sentenced the Fulani and Muslims to hell fire suddenly started hailing Umar — forgetting that he is also a Fulani and a Muslim. Well, his view serves the purpose, so that’s fine. Let the same Umar come out tomorrow and state the obvious fact that Fulani herdsmen are also a big problem for northern farmers and he will be called names. That’s the way life goes. Most of those condemning Umar are, of course, Buhari’s supporters; how dare Umar accuse Buhari of lopsidedness? Surely, they said, he’s always had personal scores to settle with the president!

Where do I stand on Umar’s letter? Let me make preliminary comments first before I go into the substantive issue. Anybody who knows me very well or has followed my writings over the years will remember one line of argument I always make: that in any multiethnic, multi-religious society, you can never achieve harmony and integration when any part genuinely feels marginalised or excluded.

Those who developed the federal character principle are not idiots, no matter what they tell you on Twitter. The principle behind federal character, to my understanding, is to make sure Nigeria’s ethnic, regional and religious make-up is reflected in federal appointments.

However, there are those who argue against federal character on the ground that it promotes mediocrity. I have read comments that the principle was developed to favour northern Nigeria in federal appointments because they cannot compete on merit. I do not know if this was the basis for the development of the federal character principle in the first place, but it is absolute nonsense to say the north of today does not have qualified people.

There is no field of human endeavour that the north does not have capable people. It is very condescending — and patently false — to suggest that a northerner can only get a job if he does not compete with a southerner.

Even when we look at the complaints about Buhari’s appointments, I have not seen anyone provide evidence that the northern appointees do not have the qualification and experience and are, thus, incompetent; at least on paper. The Justice Lawal that is being pushed to become the president of the Court of Appeal is as qualified as Justice Dongban-Mensem, so the question is not about the CV. The question is about what is right and what is fair. Why bypass the most senior judge, who is eminently qualified and who has been screened and recommended by the NJC, and pick someone else? That, to me, should be the question in this case — not the religion, not the ethnic origin.

Those who oppose federal character often tend to argue that it is the opposite of merit.

Again, I disagree completely. There is no region, religion or ethnic group in Nigeria today that does not have competent and qualified people. I challenge anybody to name just one ethnic group or state that does not have competent engineers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, communication specialists, educationists, quantity surveyors, architects, and such like. The troubling issue is: do we nominate our best even in the application of federal character? It is untrue to suggest that all the competent people in Nigeria are from one region, or that one ethnic group has monopoly of merit.

Meanwhile, shortly after Umar’s letter was published, a list of Buhari’s appointees was circulated on social media to suggest that indeed, southerners have got more appointment than northerners. In fact, the south-west has the lion’s share. When you look at the long list, though, it is populated by special assistants, senior special assistants and special advisers.

Ministers are also there — but that is a constitutional requirement that nobody can do anything about. However, I thought the general argument, even before Umar’s letter, was about heads of federal agencies. That is the list they should circulate to counter Umar, not the catalogue of special assistants.

In his THISDAY column on Thursday, Olusegun Adeniyi wrote and I quote: “While no president should be held hostage by those who maliciously reify ethnic or religious prejudices or those who still bellyache five years after suffering an electoral defeat, the pursuit of equity in the distribution of opportunities in a plural society offers not only emotional satisfaction and a psychological sense of belonging to all groups but aids national cohesion and development as well.” I align myself with his position. In the end, it is not as if distributing appointments benefits the ordinary people, but there is a place for optics and emotional satisfaction in nation-building. This is a natural fact.

I eagerly await the office of the SGF to release the full list of agency heads to prove the critics wrong — or right — on the distribution of positions. There can never be peace in any society where some parts feel they don’t belong or they are only being tolerated. Resentment and bitterness build up this way. Umar knows the devastating consequences of pent-up ethnoreligious sentiments. He was governor of Kaduna state. He saw it all. Buhari is doing very well in infrastructural development, no questions about that, but Nigeria is fractured and needs healing. Nigeria needs to be united. Buhari must start applying the balm today. Otherwise, the resentment will keep building up.

And Four Other Things…

OPEN-AND-SHUT Why are pastors in a hurry to re-open their churches when the threat of COVID-19 is still very much out there? Various studies carried out so far have established that the coronavirus disease easily spreads in crowded or closed spaces such as worship centres, restaurants, gyms, markets and public transport, etc. Singing, it is said, aerosolises respiratory droplets. The classic example is a choir in the American state of Washington. Despite taking precautions, such as washing hands, using sanitisers and observing physical distancing inside the enclosed hall, 45 of the 60 choristers developed COVID-19 symptoms within four days. Two of them died. Those who have ears, let them hear. Wisdom.

NO TO RAPE There are different forms of rape. There is the statutory rape: having carnal knowledge of a minor, one who is not legally old enough to give consent. Now, it doesn’t matter if there is consent or not; it is still rape. There is also the rape that occurs when a straightforward “no” is ignored, no matter how intimate both of you get. And then there is the brutal, bestial sexual act forced on a person under dehumanising circumstances, especially by someone they were not intimate with. Now, let us get this cleared up — rape is rape, no matter the form. As we rev up the campaign against rape, all these dimensions must be well captured. It doesn’t have to be violent to be rape. Perversion.

BLACKS CAN’T BREATHE The sadistic murder of George Floyd, a black American, by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, has sparked nationwide protests in the US. Chauvin actually smothered Floyd like a goat. In truth, the impression I have always had about the US is that there is something in the system that condones and fans racism, especially against blacks.

Erring police officers are hardly punished.

At most, they are sent on “administrative leave”. Crime without punishment can only normalise crime. I know racism is everywhere, but in the UK, open misdeeds are usually punished. For a country that is already dealing with gun crimes and mass shooting, the US is fast turning into an eyesore. Pathetic.

SO LONG, MAJEK Majek Fashek, the Nigerian reggae prodigy who started dying about 25 years ago, finally shed his mortal body on Tuesday in the US, where he had been receiving medical attention. The story of Majek is as tragic as it could be: from a handsome young singer and fine song writer with angelic voice to a scraggy, virtually homeless man in a spate of 10 years of stardom. Many believe the death of his mother affected his career badly, but that is neither here nor there.

What we are very clear about is that at some point, he lost his way, got into bad habits and never recovered. Something tells you he could have been far greater, but nothing can diminish his greatness still. Legend.

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