SUNDAY 1ST AUGUST 2021

MTN Records N790.3bn Revenue in Q1 2021 Suffers losses in mobile, data subscriptions

Emma Okonji MTN Nigeria yesterday declared revenue of N790.3 billion, representing an increase of 24.1 per cent in

its unedited half year results for the period that ended on June 30, 2021.

The company’s Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, and Amortisation

(EBITDA), grew by 27.6 per cent to reach N417.2 billion.

The EBITDA margin improved by 1.4 percentage points to 52.7 per cent and its Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) was

up by 39.1 per cent to reach N186.4 billion.

Its dividend per share rose to N4.55 kobo, which is about 30 per cent increase.

The telecoms company,

however, suffered losses in the number of mobile subscribers and data subscriptions.

According to the report, mobile subscribers declined by 7.6 million to 68.9 million,

impacted by the regulatory restrictions on new SIM sales and activations.

Active data users also Continued on page 8

PDP Govs’ Committee to Review Report on Zoning of 2023 Presidency… Page 5 Sunday 1 August, 2021 Vol 26. No 9610

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After Marathon Meeting, IG Asks Kyari to Respond to Allegations To set up an investigative panel US may activate extradition treaty, says Falana Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja After a four-hour marathon meeting between the Inspector-

General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Baba, and the head of his Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Deputy Commissioner

of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, the police boss has directed Kyari to respond in writing to the allegations contained

in the United States’ court summons linking him to a $1.1 million fraud committed by the internet fraudster,

Abbas Ramon also known as Hushpuppi, THISDAY has learnt.

THISDAY also gathered

that the IG will also set up an investigative panel to Continued on page 5

Protests Hit APC Congresses in Kwara, Lagos, Imo, Osun, A’Ibom, Delta, Others Akpabio’s loyalists accuse Akpanudoedehe of manipulation Keyamo, Ogboru, Ojougboh’s supporters shun congress in Delta Aregbesola’s group kicks against adoption of consensus Okorocha, Ararume, Abe’s factions boycott exercise in Imo, Rivers Segun James in Lagos, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, Okon Bassey in Uyo, Amby Uneze in Owerri, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti and Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba The ward congresses held yesterday by the All Progressives Congress (APC) were characterised by protests, boycotts and the formation of parallel executives in some states, THISDAY investigation has revealed.

Some of the affected states include: Kwara, Ekiti, Kano, Lagos, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, and Enugu.

However, states such as Edo, Katsina, Jigawa, Niger, Ogun, and others elected their ward leaders through a consensus arrangement as recommended Continued on page 6

HURRAY! ASAGBA IS 97...

L-R: Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; Asagba of Asaba. HRM, Obi Chike Edozien; and his wife, Modupe, during the 30th coronation anniversary and 97th birthday celebrations of the Asagba at his palace in Asaba...yesterday

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PDP Govs’ Committee to Review Report on Zoning of 2023 Presidency Ortom’s support for power shift ruffles feathers in Atiku, Tambuwal, others’ camps Former vice president commences consultations Chuks Okocha in Abuja A committee set up by the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 presidential election and the party’s November/ December 2021 national convention, will also review the earlier report on the zoning of the presidency by the main opposition party, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

This is as the Benue State governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom’s support for the next president of the country to emerge from the South to ensure peace, justice, and equity in the country is said to be ruffling some feathers in the PDP, especially in the camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, are believed to be nursing presidential ambition.

Also, THISDAY has gathered that Atiku has commenced consultations to realise his ambition in 2023.

In their recent meeting in Bauchi State, the PDP governors were said to have set up a committee to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general election and the planned national convention.

The setting up of the committee, which has Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as Chairman and Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as two unnamed party officials as members, was however not made public by the party.

However, Makinde alluded to the existence of the PDP Repositioning Committee, when he met Fintiri last week in what appeared to be the maiden meeting of the committee in Ibadan.

The Oyo State governor wrote on his verified Twitter handle released by the PDP Publicity Directorate thus, "PDP Governors’ Forum Committee on Party Repositioning- Earlier today, we met with my brother, @GovernorAUF of Adamawa State. As members of the @

OfficialPDPNig Governors’ Forum Committee on Party Repositioning, we are working to re-establish our great party as the best alternative for Nigerians in 2023."

A source close to the PDP governors, who spoke to THISDAY on the objectives and working templates of the committee, said that the PDP governors mandated the committee to look into the report of the party’s committee headed by the Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, which threw open the party’s 2023 presidential ticket to both the North and the South.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP had last year urged the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to investigate why the party lost the presidential election in 2019.

This was sequel to a motion raised by Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last general election.

The source close to the governors told THISDAY that the Makinde-led committee is to study the Mohammed-led committee’s report and make its recommendations to the PDP governors very soon.

“Also, the Repositioning Committee is to look at the viability of holding a national convention of the party in November or December this year bearing in mind that it is very close to the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general election and the implications of such a convention bearing in mind that it is too close to the general election,” the source explained.

According to him, some PDP governors have raised concerns that the party should not enthrone a leadership that will be learning on the job at a crucial time when elections are around the corner.

The PDP governors told the committee to determine if it would not be too close for comfort for the party to

enthrone a new leadership at a time the party should be consolidating ahead of a general election.

Another source of concern to the PDP governors, it was learned, was the comment by the Governor of Benue State, Ortom who has thrown his weight behind the clamour for a southern president.

Ortom had recently argued that the presidency should shift to the South after eight years of a northern presidency.

“Whosoever comes from the south is not my business. Once the people accept him, I’m ready to support that person.

And I stand on that based on my stance on equity, fairness, and justice," he reportedly said.

Ortom’s position, it was gathered, has ruffled some feathers within the PDP, especially among the governors and the camps of Atiku, Tambuwal, and Kwankwaso, who nurse presidential ambition.

One of the PDP governors

told THISDAY in confidence that the implication of what the Benue State governor said is that the party is divided on the issue of the zoning of the 2023 presidency.

“Though the PDP has not decided where the presidential candidate should come from, such comment from Ortom is like putting a wedge in the party’s efforts. We will wait till the committee set up on the party’s repositioning finished its work on the way forward.

We should not jump the gun."

He explained that Tambuwal; Atiku; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Bauchi State governor have presidential ambitions.

Some PDP stakeholders have argued that the north should present the presidential candidate for 2023 because former President Olusegun Obasanjo spent eight years, while President Goodluck Jonathan also spent six years.

They argued that it remains another four years to balance

the north/ south balance of power within the PDP. But those who argued in favour of the southern presidency cited the case of President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that power should shift to the South after Buhari’s eight-year rule.

Meanwhile, Atiku last week commenced consultations on his presidential aspiration with a meeting with the Rivers State governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

The meeting, it was learnt, was also aimed at reconciling the governor with the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus.

Wike and Atiku fell apart over the choice of the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as the vicepresidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election.

The Rivers State governor was said to have felt slighted for allegedly not consulted before Obi was chosen as the running mate to Atiku.

PARTY AFFAIR...

Ogun State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun (middle) flanked by the newly elected officers at the end of the Ward Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 3 in Iperu, Ikenne Local Government Area…yesterday

AFTER MARATHON MEETING, IG ASKS KYARI TO RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS review Kyari’s response and his alleged culpability.

This comes as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was noncommittal on the visit of FBI agents to its headquarters and their request to arrest Kyari for extradition.

But foremost human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has said the United States may activate the existing extradition treaty between the US and Nigeria should the federal government decline to hand over Kyari.

There is also a groundswell of opinion in the security and intelligence community that Kyari must not be sacrificed given his efforts and role in crime containment in the country.

Also, despite the evidence of

Kyari's alleged collusion with Hushpuppi, there is a measure of confidence in police circles that Kyari would scale through the FBI hurdle.

THISDAY gathered that Kyari met with the IG on Friday for four hours at the Force Headquarters where he explained his side of the story in response to the US court indictment.

A senior police officer privy to the meeting told THISDAY that the IG later directed him to respond "officially and in writing".

According to the source, Kyari is expected to make his official submission to the IG this week.

He also told THISDAY that the IG has concluded plans to set up a committee to review the allegations contained in

the US court papers as they relate to Kyari.

"A committee will look at the matter. They (members of the committee) have been notified individually," the source added.

Force spokesman and Commissioner for Police (CP), Frank Mba, declined to comment when contacted by THISDAY. The IG had in an earlier statement by Mba, ordered an internal review of Kyari’s alleged involvement in the series of crimes committed by the notorious internet fraudster.

Meanwhile, the EFCC was non-committal on the alleged visit of FBI agents to the commission to seek the anti-graft agency’s collaboration given the standing working relationship between the two

security agencies.

Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, declined to confirm or deny the alleged official communication between the two security organisations.

"I don't know. I can't confirm", he said.

However, Falana told THISDAY that the United States may activate the existing extradition treaty between the US and Nigeria should the federal government declines to hand over Kyari to the US authorities.

"The United States and Nigeria have an extradition treaty which covers the offences allegedly committed by DCP Abba Kyari. If the police officer insists on his innocence, he may want to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the District Court in the United States.

"Otherwise, the United States government will have to request for his extradition by the terms of the treaty.

Once the request is received by the federal government, the Attorney-General/Minister of Justice will commence extradition proceedings in the Federal High Court", he said.

"Alternatively, the office of the Attorney-General may file charges against the police officer since the offences were committed in Nigeria", Falana said.

He urged the federal government to handle the matter by international laws.

"When I suggested to the federal government to request for the extradition of Sunday Adeyemo (a.k.a Igboho), I was simply advising the authorities of both Nigeria and Benin

Republic to operate under international law.

"I am also asking Nigeria and the United States to handle Abba Kyari's case under international law", he said.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, retired senior security personnel said Kyari's matter should be handled carefully because of its delicate nature.

"While the matter should be handled carefully, we must remember that he is innocent until proven guilty. Kyari, it must be noted, is very important to the security and intelligence sector given his contributions to national security", he added.

There is also a measure of confidence in police circles that Kyari would overcome his travails.

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FG Meets ASUU Tomorrow over Unresolved Issues Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will meet tomorrow (Monday) to iron out issues relating to the allegations raised by the lecturers regarding the non-implementation of their agreement with the government last December.

The union had last week threatened to resume the industrial action it suspended since December 2020 over the federal government’s alleged failure to honour many of the agreements it signed with the lecturers.

ASUU’s chairman at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Dr. Ibrahim Inuwa, made the threat, while speaking with select journalists at the union’s secretariat.

He said the protracted strike, which was to press home their demands for the continuous survival of public university system in Nigeria, was suspended in December after the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the various issues providing timelines for the implementation of each of the eight items.

Inuwa disclosed that over seven months after the MoU was signed, only two out of the eight issues were addressed.

He listed some of the pending issues to include Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), funding for the revitalisation of public universities, salary

shortfall, proliferation of state universities and Visitation Panel.

Others, according to him, include: Renegotiation, replacement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) and withheld salaries and non-remittance of Checkoff Dues.

He lamented that only salary shortfall and visitation panels to federal universities were addressed.

But according to a statement issued yesterday by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Charles Akpan, the minister, Senator Chris Ngige, will be hosting the leadership of the ASUU to a meeting at the ministry's

conference room, federal Secretariat in Abuja.

Akpan said: "The Minister for Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige will be hosting a meeting with ASUU. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 2, 2021 at Minister’s Conference Room".

A key agenda of the meeting is the implementation of the agreement entered into with ASUU by the federal

government.

ASUU President, Prof.

Emmanuel Osodake had earlier told THISDAY that the union had been summoned to a meeting with Ngige on Friday.

But the meeting was apparently shifted to Monday to enable members of the government team to be ready.

He said: "We have met with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator

Chris Ngige and promised to reach out to us. He has called us for a meeting on Friday.

Osodake said that the union had not issued any strike threat but that what it did was to put the federal government on notice for it to ensure the implementation of the agreement signed with the union before the National Executive Committee meeting of the union this month.

FAREWELL...

L-R: Past President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Goodie Ibru; President, LCCI, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje; Immediate Past Director General, LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf; his wife, Mrs. Memunat Yusuf; and Deputy President, LCCI, Mr. Knut Ulvmoen, at the farewell party in honour of the former DG in Lagos…yesterday ETOP UKUTT

PROTESTS HIT APC CONGRESSES IN KWARA, LAGOS, IMO, OSUN, A’IBOM, DELTA, OTHERS by the national secretariat of the party.

THISDAY gathered that the party’s faction loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, held a parallel congress in Kwara State.

A splinter group within the Lagos APC, Lagos4Lagos, also claimed that it held a parallel congress but the chairman of the party in the state has debunked the claim.

Loyalists of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, also held parallel congresses across some wards in the state.

Abiodun has however said there was no parallel congress in the state.

In Oyo State, party members loyal to the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, and those loyal to former governor, Mr. Adebayo Alao-Akala held different ward congresses in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.

One person was killed in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during the ward congress held across the 177 wards in the state.

The exercise was characterised by a supremacy tussle between the supporters of the National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, and the loyalists of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); Executive Director in charge of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh,

and former governorship candidates of the party, Olorogun O'tega Emerhor and Chief Great Ogboru, also distanced themselves from the exercise in Delta State with thousands of their supporters on account of the alleged hijack of the congress materials by the loyalists of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie OmoAgege.

APC members backed by Senators Rochas Okorocha and Ifeanyi Ararume, also shunned the exercise in Imo State, just as the loyalists of Senator Magnus Abe boycotted the congress in Rivers State for the supporters of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

In Akwa Ibom State, the supporters of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, accused the Secretary of the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe of manipulating the exercise.

APC members loyal to the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, also kicked against the adoption of consensus arrangement by the loyalists of Governor Gboyega Oyetola in Osun State.

However, despite the protests, the APC last night hailed the conduct of the congresses across the states, saying that its National caretaker chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, was not distracted.

Supporters of the Minister

of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio, organised a protest at the party’s secretariat along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, the state capital.

The bonfire was set outside the party office, causing heavy gridlock along the major access road outside the Uyo metropolis.

The protesters demanded the cancellation of the ward congress, alleging that Akpanudoedehe "fraudulently manipulated the lists to include only his loyalists as candidates for the congresses".

Some of the placards displayed during the protest read: "Akpanudoedehe cannot decide for us in Akwa Ibom”; "The list cannot stand;" "We reject this shambolic manipulation by one man”; This congress cannot hold" and "Enough of one-man dictatorship in Akwa Ibom APC." On Friday, stakeholders under the aegis of APC Elders Forum led by the Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd), had passed a vote of no confidence on the state caretaker Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen, alleging that he was playing the card of Akpanudoedehe by manipulating the exercise and doctoring the candidates' list in his favour.

The crisis rocking the Kwara State chapter of the ruling APC deepened yesterday as the two leading factions in the party embarked on separate congresses to elect their ward executives at the 193 wards in the state.

A group loyal to the state Governor, Alhaji

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, under the platform of AA Group adopted a consensus arrangement for the emergence of their executives at the ward congresses.

But a group loyal to the Information Minister, Mohammed, under the platform of the Loyal Group used direct system for the emergence of their ward executives in the state.

Members of the APC in Osun State also yesterday adopted consensus in the election of their leaders across the 332 wards in the state amidst allegations of exclusion by loyalists of Minister of Interior, Aregbesola.

A loyalist of the minister and former Osun State Assembly Speaker, Hon. Najeem Salam, who was at Ward 4, Ejigbo, alleged that the executives were imposed, and not elected.

But the Chairman of the National Congress Committee, Mr. Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the exercise was successful.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola also said the congresses across the state were very peaceful.

“You can see that members of the party are here, you know, in their large number to endorse the congress done in line with the directive of the national secretariat. It is free.

Everybody has been allowed to express their wish, and you have seen it.”

In Imo State, former Governor Rochas Okorocha and his supporters did not participate in the ward congresses.

In the same vein, another chieftain of the party, Senator

Ifeanyi Araraume, and his loyalists did not also participate in the congresses.

However, the supporters of the state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, held the ward congress in all the 27 local government areas of the state in a peaceful atmosphere.

In his reaction, the factional chairman of the party loyal to the Okorocha, Mr. Daniel Nwafor, said they boycotted the congress concerning the court order.

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Valentine Oriji, had on Friday in a suit filed by Mr. Okey Anyikwa, the APC chairman in Ideato South Local Government Area, suspended the congress in the state.

Meanwhile, one person was reportedly killed in Ado Ekiti during the exercise.

The man, simply identified as Jide, was said to have been hit with a charm when two rival groups clashed at Ward 10 in Ado Ekiti.

Another account said he was stabbed to death by thugs, who invaded the ward after the result of the exercise was not in their favour.

Also in Ado Ekiti Ward 08, where the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, and the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, hailed from, the exercise was marred with violence as anti- and pro- Fayemi groups engaged in a fight.

In Wards 04 and 08, as well as some wards in Ikere Ekiti, Fayemi’s loyalists and the members of the Tinubu

group named South-west Agenda for 2023 (SWAGA) also engaged in a fierce battle.

Confirming the killing, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Police Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, said the incident occurred at the Fajuyi area, when some people were celebrating their victory in the congress.

"A few hours ago, we got a distress call that someone was beaten with substance suspected to be charm during APC congress.

"The police rushed to the area and by the time we got there, the person had been moved to the hospital.

"We learnt that he was beaten with charm and later died in the hospital," he said.

Abutu stated that his men and officers had begun an investigation into the matter, while clarifying that no arrest had been made as at press time.

It was gathered that the resistance put up by members of SWAGA, who turned up in large numbers, actually sparked up the crisis as Fayemi’s supporters were also resolute to assert their supremacy.

In Lagos State, the leader of a group within the APC, Lagos4Lagos, Mr. Olajide Adediran, told THISDAY that his faction held a parallel congress.

"Yes, all our members filed out today across all the 245 wards to affirm all members of our group, who paid for nomination forms, but were not given the forms because Continued on page 10

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Resident Doctors to Resume Nationwide Indefinite Strike Tomorrow Consultants give 21-day ultimatum

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Nigeria’s health sector is about to face another round of crisis as the resident doctors have resolved to commence a nationwide indefinite industrial action tomorrow (Monday).

This is coming as the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has given the federal government and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) a 21-day ultimatum to halt persistent cut in wages of members or face total and indefinite nationwide strike action.

The resident doctors, under the auspices of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), said they would embark on the strike due to the failure by the federal and state governments to attend to the issues affecting the welfare of its members.

The doctors said they were dismayed that despite several meetings with the Presidential Committee on Salaries and other top government stakeholders on the review of hazard allowance for health workers, the allowance still remained a paltry sum of N5,000.

They also noted the alleged non-payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance to some of its members in federal and state tertiary institutions.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, NARD said: "After critical appraisal of the performance of both federal and state governments on all the issues affecting the welfare of our members as observed above and the insincerity of government in implementing the Memorandum of Action after 113 days, the NEC unanimously resolved by vote to resume the total and indefinite strike action from 08.00hrs on Monday, August 2, 2021".

The doctors demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular removing House Officers from the scheme of service.

They also decried the undue hardship doctors on GIFMIS platform were facing due to the delays in payment of their salary arrears ranging from three to seven months.

NARD further expressed concern over the poor response of most state governments in domesticating the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017 while commending states like Delta and Benue, which have adopted the law.

In addition, NARD lamented the acute manpower shortage in most tertiary health institutions and the attendant burnout effects on its members.

It said the situation has been made worse by the ongoing deadly brain drain decimating the nation’s healthcare system.

The association also accused the Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. T B Sanusi of non- remittance of its membership dues.

It stated that its members were committed to the smooth running of the health sector, adding however that they can only do so when their welfare is given the desired attention.

However, the Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige had said a lot of progress had been made in the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement with the resident doctors.

Speaking shortly after a recent meeting of the federal government's team with NARD at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ngige said substantial progress was made in operationalising the insurance scheme.

total and indefinite nationwide strike action.

THISDAY gathered that the ultimatum took effect from July 26, 2021.

Addressing a press conference in Jos, Plateau State, the President and Secretary of MDCAN, Professor Ken Ozoilo and Dr. Moses Chingle, respectively, said it was disheartening that consultants teaching in universities across the country have continued to suffer underpayment for over 10 years.

In the joint statement read

by Ozoilo, they said: “This income loss is the result of the fact that their work in the teaching hospitals is undercompensated, and also the fact that the remuneration system in the university does not recognise them as doctors, despite the fact that the University primarily employs them because of the

fact that they are doctors.”

Explaining further, Ozoilo said: “This income loss has led to the increasing difficulty in attracting the brightest and the best of consultants into the university as lecturers, a steady exodus of the few doctors in academia to service centres and a worsening of the brain drain phenomenon.”

He added that a letter from NSIWC dated, April 23, 2021, with reference number: SWC/S/04/S.410/T/86 to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation had directed the removal of doctors who are lecturers from the CONMESS Salary Scale on the IPPIS platform for the payment of their salaries in the universities, a development he described as unacceptable.

Ozoilo said MDCAN had made several efforts to engage various arms and agencies of government with the aim of achieving a negotiated

peaceable solution in the past 10 years to no avail.

He stressed that efforts had been made by some federal universities to ameliorate the income loss by payment of clinical lecturers in those institutions on CONMESS Salary Scale in the university relying on appropriate and relevant circulars issued by government, adding that the letter from NSIWC had directed the removal of the consultants from CONMESS in those few universities is absolutely the last straw.

Ozoilo said: “Consequently, MDCAN has resolved to withdraw the services of its members from all public institutions to press home its demand for an appropriate, fair and just compensation for the work of clinical lecturers.

NEC therefore, hereby issues a 21-day ultimatum effective from today, Monday, July 26, 2021 to government and its

agencies as a notice of its resolve."

According to him, “We demand immediate withdrawal of the NSIWC letter Ref no: SWC/S/04/ S.410/T/86 of 23rd April 2021 directing the removal of doctors from CONMESS on the IPPIS platform in the university. A directive that all universities previously paying their clinical lecturers on CONMESS Scale, before the aforesaid NSIWC letter should revert back to that practice immediately.

“All clinical lecturers in the remaining universities should be placed on CONMESS Scale for the purpose of their remuneration in the university.

Alternatively, award of a compensation for the income loss incurred by doctors in the university on account of being lecturers, provided that this shall also reflect in their pension contributions.”

Consultants Give FG 21-day Ultimatum Meanwhile, MDCAN has given 21-day ultimatum to the federal government and NSIWC to halt persistent cut in wages of members or face

EVERGREEN...

L-R: Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Speaker, state House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi; and Member representing Isi-Uzo Constituency, Mrs. Catherine Amaka Ugwueze, during the unveiling of a book in memory of her late husband, Hon. Chijioke Ugwueze, at Ikem, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state...yesterday

MTN RECORDS N790.3BN REVENUE IN Q1 2021 declined by approximately 52,000 to 32.5 million.

Giving details of the telecoms company’s operational review for the half year, MTN Nigeria CEO, Mr. Karl Toriola said: “Service revenue grew by 24.1 per cent, Year-on-Year (YoY), driven by the sustained growth in data and also partly due to the lower base in comparative 2020 voice revenue that resulted from lockdowns during that period.

“Voice revenue grew by 13.1 per cent, benefitting from an 11.8 per cent increase in traffic and our customer value management (CVM) initiatives. The impact on voice revenue from the industrywide suspension of new SIM registration was partly offset by higher usage in our active SIM base as well as migration to a higher quality of experience.

“Data revenue continued

the positive momentum from H2 2020, rising by 48.3 per cent,” he explained.

He said this was driven by increased usage from the existing base, supported by the acceleration in our 4G rollout and enhanced network capacity following the acquisition and activation of additional 800MHz spectrum in Q1.

The results showed that data traffic rose by 83.0 per cent YoY, while smartphone penetration was up by 5.8pp to 49.3 per cent.

“Our 4G network now covers 65.1 per cent of the population, up from 60.1 per cent in December 2020,” he added.

According to him, Fintech revenue rose by 48.2 per cent driven by increased adoption of Xtratime and the core fintech services.

“We continue to expand our MoMo agent network and

broaden our service offerings.

Our registered MoMo agents increased by 121,000 in H1 2021 to more than 515,000,” he said.

Commenting further on the results, Toriola said: “In the first half of 2021, we made good progress strengthening the resilience of the business, managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and enhancing support to our people, customers and other stakeholders.

"We extended our commitment to the Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID) with an additional N3 billion contribution over a two-year period, half of which has already been paid. This is in support of efforts to promote the health and security of Nigerians, as we navigate our way through the pandemic, and in line with our Y'ello Hope initiatives through which we provided support to our

broad base of stakeholders to the value of approximately N25 billion in 2020.

“Our progress towards achieving greater business resilience is reflected in the upgrade by Global Credit Ratings (GCR) of our national scale long-term issuer rating to AAA and affirmation of our national scale short-term rating of A1+ with a stable outlook. This puts MTN Nigeria on the highest possible GCR scale for short-term and long-term ratings, providing a solid platform for growth.”

According to him, 2021 would mark the 20th anniversary of MTN’s presence in Nigeria.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we are pleased to announce that our Board of Directors has approved our participation in the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit (RITC) Scheme. This is in response to government’s

drive towards publicprivate partnerships in the rehabilitation of critical road infrastructure in Nigeria. We intend to participate in the restoration and refurbishment of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. Conversations in this regard have already commenced, and further announcements will be made in due course,” Toriola explained.

“In line with our desire to plant deeper and more permanent roots in Nigeria, we have also initiated plans to commission a purpose-built, state of the art MTN Head Office, designed to act as a central hub for our network, a catalyst for creativity and innovation, and a showcase for the flexible working structures that are driving efficiency gains in this new normal working environment.

“Aligned with our wider commitment to environmental

sustainability, it will meet the highest global environmental standards, demonstrating the role of green technology in our future,” Toriola added.

He promised that MTN would continue to invest in improved world class services and its network, accelerating the expansion of its 4G coverage and providing home broadband.

“As part of our rural connectivity programme, we plan to connect approximately 1,000 rural communities to our network this year with an additional 2,000 communities in 2022. We are delighted that these are translating into strong operational performance in line with the objectives of Ambition 2025. In the next three years, we will invest over N600 billion to expand broadband access across the country in support of the government's broadband plan,” Toriola further explained.

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NEWS

Economists Fault 2022-2024 MTEF, Say N14.6tn Debt Service Plan Unsustainable Propose securitisation of assets as an alternative strategy

Gboyega Akinsanmi Nigeria's leading economists have faulted the 2022-2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), warning that projecting N14.6 trillion within the timeframe is unsustainable.

The economists, however, tasked the apex government to consider securitisation of its idle assets as an alternative funding strategy rather than pushing the country into a debt trap that might eclipse its future economically.

Chief Executive, Economic Associates (EA), Dr. Ayo Teriba; Founder, Centre for Value in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, and a former Deputy Governor, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia canvassed these views in separate interviews with THISDAY yesterday.

Under the 2022-2024 MTEF and FSP, the federal government had projected to spend an aggregate of N14.6 trillion on debt servicing while it planned a budget of N13.95 trillion in 2022; N15.54 trillion in 2023, and N16.8 trillion in 2024 within the timeframe.

As shown in the MTEF, the federal government projected to spend N3.6 trillion on debt servicing in 2022, N4.9 trillion in 2023, and N6.1 trillion in 2024, bringing debt service cost to a cumulative of N14.6 trillion.

Concerned about the budgetdebt service percentage under

the 2022-2024 MTEF and FSP, Teriba lamented that the debt service cost, as projected in the three years, “is higher than both capital expenditure and recurrent spending.”

EA’s chief executive argued that the sustainability of the country’s debt or the burden that the debt would impose on its finances largely depended on how it borrowed.

He, therefore, said the size of the debt “matters very little. But the type of debt that we contract matters more. Some types of debt are not sustainable on the one hand. Some types of debt are sustainable on the other hand.

“There are some types of debts that are not worth contracting and that can make the borrowers worse off. Some types of debt are worth contracting and that can make the borrowers better off. The major weakness in the MTEF that we have identified is that the bulk of Nigeria’s debt is not linked to assets.”

He blamed governments’ failure to link debt to assets as the reason the country's debts “is not sustainable. We borrowed, but the borrowing backfired by restricting our ability to spend even the low revenue that compelled us to borrow in the first place.”

Teriba suggested that a better way of borrowing “is to seek to raise debt that does not impose debt service cost on us. That is the significant difference between asset-linked debt and debt that

is not linked to assets.”

He, therefore, called for the securitisation of assets, which according to him, centred on an arrangement that allowed the lender to use the assets of the borrowers to generate revenue within an agreed timeframe without debt service cost attached.

The economist said: “This is what we call securitisation of assets. It is sustainable because it is of great benefit to the borrower even beyond the cash that you raised. First, I get additional cash to supplement my low revenue.

“Second, I have put an idle asset into use by authorising the financiers to manage that asset to recover their money and make a profit over the agreed threshold of profit you will be renting it to me. I am not going to repay the principal and you cannot come to me for any interest payment.

“The governments can come up; line up an idle fund for securitisation and use it to replace our existing unsecuritised debt.

We do not have to pay N14.6 trillion we have projected for debt servicing in three years.

Nigeria is very rich in assets.

But most of these assets are idle.

That makes the case for asset securitisation very urgent.”

In his comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s debt profile, Utomi described the 2022-2024 MTEF and FSP as unwelcome, noting that it was unexplainable “to be where we are right now in terms of debt profile and the

future of the economy.”

He, also, lamented that the country “has got to a situation of not creating an option for how we can sustain the economy.

Rather, we are just waiting for oil proceeds and paying up whatever we have borrowed in the meantime.”

According to him, that is a very poor vision of how to grow an economy. What is now evidently happening is that the debt has become unsustainable. Many state and federal governments are spending a substantial share of their revenues on debt servicing.

This is not sustainable.

Utomi, however, recommended the strategy of focusing on the supply side, which he said, entailed the production of goods and services and generating a balance of trade from exports that favour Nigeria to bail the country from the debt trap.

He, rhetorically, asked: “What do you produce? How do you produce? We need a strategy for that. In my opinion, the strategy must seriously focus on production and foreign exchange generation that deal with our debt problems. We need to look at something I talk about all the time – our factor endowment and going into perspective planning.

“We need a desperate strategy to push us in the direction of producing for exports where we have a comparative advantage or where the economy enjoys a latent comparative advantage,” the professor recommended.

He, also, challenged the federal government's strategies “to expand the economy or the economic activities by leveraging our assets to create capitals.

Peruvian economist, Hernando de Soto made a strong point about poor countries like Nigeria. We have a lot of assets. But those assets are not tangible.

“It cannot transform so quickly to collateral for example that somebody can use it to get funding for ventures that will expand economic activities. We do not have that representational system in the land registry.

“In Europe, every piece of land is documented in the land registry and the value is established through the land registry. Every point in time you borrow from a retirement plan, for example, use the money to invest and create new value or wealth. That is how we can grow our economy.”

Mailafia, in specific terms, urged the government “to cut back drastically on certain worthless expenditures while keeping a leash on the cost of governance.

“Government should also engage with our creditors to restructure our loans to ensure the fiscal space that will enable us to continue to grow while expanding the possibilities of collective welfare.

“There should be a more rigorous system of accountability for the continuing revenuegenerating agencies of

government – Customs, FIRS, NNPC, and others. We hear many gory tales of trillions being lodged in private accounts.”

CBN’s former deputy governor, also, observed that boosting revenue in the present situation would require also ensuring a sound macroeconomic environment and an attractive business eco-system that enables businesses to flourish.

According to him, it is only when this happens that the government will be in a position to tax them. Finally, we must learn to live within our means.

The current operating cost of the government is way too high.

Some many lacunas and gaps facilitate financial leakages and hemorrhages. All these must be rigorously plugged.

In 2022, under the framework, the federal government put projected expenditure at N13.95 trillion, comprising N3.4 trillion for non-debt expenditure, N3.6 trillion for debt servicing, and N3.61 trillion for the implementation of capital projects.

By 2023, it increased its total projected spending to N15.54 trillion, with N6.49 trillion allocated for non-debt expenditure, and N3.61 trillion for capital expenditure.

In the 2024 fiscal year, is projected to spend N16.8 trillion to finance its budget, with debt servicing gulping N6.1 trillion; recurrent expenditure N6.4 trillion, and capital expenditure standing at N3.61 trillion.

IMF’s Borrowing to Nigeria, Other Low-income Countries to Hit $48bn Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that its financial assistance to low-income countries, most of which are in Africa, could hit $48 billion covering the current COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate aftermath.

In a release on its efforts to help low-income countries hard-hit by the pandemic, the Bretton Woods institution said that the large financing needs of poor countries are only likely to grow as they deal with the crisis and its economic impacts.

The fund noted that while providing stronger safeguards against taking on debt they cannot handle, for these efforts to aimed at assisting poorer countries to succeed, economically stronger member countries will have to play

their part.

It stated that the pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the economies of many low-income countries which has led to output growth stoppage or reversal, living standards decline, poverty increase, warning that a decade of solid progress is now threatened.

The IMF report stressed that financial assistance to 50 lowincome countries reached $13 billion in 2020 compared to an average of $2 billion a year prepandemic: a more than six-fold increase while $739 million in grant-based debt service relief was granted to 29 of its poorest and most vulnerable members.

However, a report by Transparency International (TI), which tracks these funds in several countries, has said that the $3.4 billion which Nigeria received last year in emergency financial assistance from the IMF

to support its COVID-19 has been less than transparently spent.

Added to that, the TI said Nigeria’s federal government announced a 2.3 trillion Naira (US$6 billion) stimulus, but noted that a review identified several factors that weakened the effective implementation of commitments.

According to the TI report, some of the challenges to openness in the government spending of the loans, as well as the stimulus package by the federal government, were that relevant information was either hidden, hard to find, or inaccessible.

It noted that tracking published information was difficult, whereas beneficial ownership information was inadequate.

“In almost all cases, there was not sufficient identifying

information about beneficial owners to ensure that people were not illicitly profiting from government contracts. Moreover, governments did not specify how they would provide the information they committed to disclosing,” the TI report stressed.

The report which covered Nigeria, Cameroon, Ecuador, and Egypt, noted that according to official figures, many of Nigeria’s poorest citizens have yet to see the benefit of the assistance.

“Against these difficult conditions, civil society groups have highlighted how crucial it is to keep governance safeguards from slipping through the cracks, leaving life-saving resources at risk of theft or malfeasance,” the transparency initiative stated.

It added: “In October 2020, the government announced it would release a first interim audit report of its COVID-19

spending. This report was never released to the public, despite an official from the Auditorgeneral’s office indicating the report was already submitted to the National Assembly in September 2020. An interim report was produced by 15 January 2021; however, this report does not appear to be publicly available.”

But in its report, IMF stated that looking ahead, low-income countries will continue to require exceptional levels of external financial support as they recover from the pandemic, and boost investment to build more resilient and inclusive economies.

Against this backdrop, the IMF said that it has approved a package of far-reaching reforms to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) to allow it to better respond to the financing needs of low-income countries over the next few years.

“With a challenging road to recovery ahead, we project that demand for IMF support will remain elevated. Total IMF lending to low-income countries is projected to reach around $48 billion during the pandemic and its immediate aftermath. PRGT credit outstanding could peak at $32 billion in 2025-26.

“However, there are significant uncertainties around the timing and strength of the economic recovery, and the possible demand for fund concessional support.

“But IMF loans will only meet a fraction of the external financing needs of low-income countries. Bilateral donors and multilateral development agencies must also step up to play their part, both through bilateral aid, and support for the IMF’s fund-raising efforts,” the fund noted.

PROTESTS HIT APC CONGRESSES IN KWARA, LAGOS, IMO, OSUN, A’IBOM, DELTA, OTHERS because the delegation from the National secretariat saddled with the responsibility of selling forms alleged that the governor of Lagos State hijacked the forms from them. We will then send our exco list alongside evidence of payment to Abuja. We will all take it up from there,” he said.

But amidst the reports that parallel ward congresses were conducted in the state, the party's Caretaker Committee Chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, has debunked the report even as he maintained that members of the party adopted a consensus arrangement to elect the 37 executive members in each of the 245 wards across the 20 local governments and 37 development councils in the state.

"Parallel - I don't know that one. I want people to

stop emphasising things that will create problems in our fold. Make us cohesive, not emphasising a particular candidate or person trying to do something,” he added.

The party, in a press statement signed by the state's Publicity Secretary, Mr. Seye Oladejo, said the ward congress was a success in the state.

In Kano State, the Chairman of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), Mr. Shehu Dalhatu also kicked against the consensus arrangement adopted by the loyalists of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Dalhatu argued that the party members should be allowed to exercise their franchise.

"We are here to exercise our franchise. We came to witness justice and seek justice.

"The statement by Governor

Ganduje on the resolution to adopt consensus candidates is unfortunate. That is premeditating the election,” he added.

However, Ganduje has allayed the fear that the nationwide ward congresses would be voided following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court.

Ganduje spoke to reporters at his ward at Ganduje town in Dawakin Tofa LGA, shortly after the congress held across the 484 wards in the state.

While commenting on those having reservations on the Ward Congress, Ganduje stated that it was natural that people in any democratic contest would not be happy with anything that runs contrary to their interest.

The Enugu APC ward congress was also characterised by the allegation of missing

result sheets across the 260 wards in the state.

However, the congress took place peacefully despite a suit instituted by aggrieved members seeking to stop the exercise in the state.

Four aggrieved members of the party had on Friday dragged some officials to the Enugu High Court, alleging that the exercise had already been compromised and urged the court to stop it.

However, the party yesterday observed the congress with the adoption of consensus option in several wards and voting by delegates where the consensus option failed.

But some party leaders alleged that the officials deployed to the 260 wards for the exercise did not go to the congress venues with the result sheets.

They claimed the result sheets

were not handed over to them.

When contacted, the chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, confirmed he received the reports about the missing result sheets.

“The fact is that in all the 260 wards, I have received calls that there were no results sheets.

It was INEC officials that first alerted me about it,” Nwoye said.

He, however, said the exercise was peaceful and there was no parallel congress across the state.

APC Hails Congresses, Says Buni Not Distracted Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the party, Akpanudoedehe, has said the Chairman of the Committee and the

Governor of Yobe State, Buni was never distracted, but kept faith with the party's Ward Congresses’ date held yesterday.

He rated the conduct of the ward congresses across the country high despite reports of pockets of crisis in some states.

Akpan-udoedehe, while reacting to the conduct of the exercise in a telephone interview attributed the success of the exercise to the support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the doggedness of Buni.

He stated: "I want to thank Mr. President and our National Chairman (Buni). They did not succumb to all the plots to make us look back at the caretaker committee level. The chairman is not moved by all the distractions.

He kept faith with the date. He has been focused and keeping to the agenda of the party."

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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 ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

EDITORIAL

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

THE U.S. INDICTMENT OF DCP KYARI The involvement of a well-decorated officer like Kyari in alleged criminal activities is scandalous

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lthough the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered an internal review of the “allegation and indictment processes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)” against Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, we hope the federal government will take the matter much more seriously. This is a case that goes to the heart of law and order in Nigeria and our reputation as a country. While the police are in order with their internal process, President Muhammadu Buhari should get the office of the Attorney General of the Federation involved on how to ensure a quick resolution of vexatious international embarrassment.

Ordinarily, law enforcement agencies draw their oxygen from moral authority. That seems undermined severely by this grave allegation against a key officer of the Nigerian Police Force.

Worse still, this is someone that has been touted as a “super cop” and officially decorated as a “good example” to his peers, including by the House of Representatives.

Whatever may therefore be his excuse, the lurid details contained in the United States’ court papers, obviously from phone tap and forensic investigation, are pointers that Kyari may have been living a professional double life.

It is indeed noteworthy that Kyari, who heads the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the police, is not new to allegations of impropriety. In 2019, both the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Amnesty International had accused him and the IRT of gross human rights abuses and illegal expropriation of proceeds of crime to the tune of hundreds of millions

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Whatever may be his excuse, the lurid details contained in the United States’ court papers, obviously from phone tap and forensic investigation, are pointers that Kyari may have been living a professional double life

Letters to the Editor

of naira. As head of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Kyari also had a reputation for gross human rights violations. But the embattled DCP is well connected within the political hierarchy and the media and has always casually dismissed allegations against him. With the FBI indictment--which he carelessly described as a "show" on his social media handle before deleting the message--his luck may have finally run out.

The U.S. Justice Department last Thursday charged Kyari alongside five others with offences bordering on wire fraud, conducting financial transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity, and aiding and abetting identity theft.

He is fingered as the muscle man for Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi, an Instagram celebrity, arrested last year in Dubai and whisked to the U.S where he has changed his initial plea of ‘not guilty’ to guilty in a multi-million-dollars money laundering fraud. e hope the federal government understand the gravity of Kyari’s indictment by the FBI. While it is not fair to use the action of a few criminally minded citizens as an excuse to profile or negatively brand any country, that has become the reality of the Nigerian situation regarding identity theft otherwise called ‘419’.

A few weeks after Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai last year, six Nigerians were also arrested. “The suspects targeted victims overseas by creating fake websites for well-known companies and banks in a bid to steal victims’ credit card information and then launder the stolen money,” Dubai police Brig. Jamal al-Jalaf said. A damning statement by the American Department of Justice (DoJ) in June last year said, “Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC (Business Email Compromise) scams. Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organisations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.”

Given the foregoing, the involvement of a welldecorated senior officer like Kyari in alleged criminal activities is a major blow for the country’s already battered image. But his indictment by the FBI may not come exactly as a surprise. Often, the link between law enforcement officers and criminal kingpins in our society has been hazy. In addition, we have developed a police culture that is perceived by the public as synonymous with corruption. Even before the Hushpuppi indictment, Kyari had earned enough doubt in his career to have elicited questions from the relevant authorities.

That he has come thus far is in itself an indictment on the place of integrity in the Nigerian public life.

For the president, this case presents a low hanging fruit opportunity to remind Nigerians and the world that he still has a residual commitment to anticorruption.

S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN DEPUTY EDITORS FESTUS AKANBI, EJIOFOR ALIKE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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 SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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.

UNDERSTANDING WHY GENDER EQUALITY IS IMPORTANT

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espite many international agreements affirming the rights of women and girls, yet this gender is still more likely to be poor and illiterate than men. Women and girls have less access to property ownership, credit, training and employment. Women and girls in the developed world and those in developing countries are less likely than men to be politically active and far more likely to be victims of domestic abuse and other forms of violence.

Gender equality involves the empowerment of women, with a focus on identifying and redressing power imbalances and giving women more autonomy to manage their own lives. When women are empowered, whole families benefit, and these benefits often have a ripple effect on future generations.

Gender equality is a human right. Women are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom from want and from fear. Gender equality is also a precondition for advancing development and reducing poverty: empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities, and they improve prospects for the next generation.

Ensuring the rights of women and giving them opportunities to reach their full potential is critical not only for attaining gender equality, but also for meeting a wide range of international development goals.

Women's empowerment is a critical aspect of achieving gender equality. It includes increasing a woman's sense of self-worth, her decision-making power, her access to opportunities and resources, her power and control over her own life inside and outside the home,

and her ability to effect change. It is important to mention that gender issues are not focused on women alone, but on the relationship between men and women in society. The actions and attitudes of men and boys play an essential role in achieving gender equality.

Women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to basic and higher education, greater health and safety risks, and less political representation, globally.

Education is a key area of focus. Although the world is making progress in achieving gender parity in education, girls still make up a higher percentage of out-of-school children than boys. In Africa girls and young women’s access, retention and completion in schools is still of huge concern. The latest figures from UNESCO (2019) show that 52

million girls are not in school in Africa, women. This can be related to women while four million will never step into a having fewer opportunities for health classroom compared to two million boys. education, unequal power in sexual Typically, families with limited means partnership, or as a result of genderwho cannot afford costs such as school based violence. Maternal health is also fees, uniforms, and supplies for all of an issue of specific concern. In many their children will prioritize education countries, women have limited access for their sons. Families may also rely on to prenatal and infant care, and are girls' labor for household chores, carrying more likely to experience complications water, and childcare, leaving limited during pregnancy and childbirth. This time for schooling. But prioritizing girls' is a critical concern in countries where education provides perhaps the single girls marry and have children before highest return on investment in the they are ready; often well before the age developing world. A girl child that is of 18. Quality maternal health care can educated is better informed, more likely provide an important entry point for to postpone marriage, raise a smaller information and services that empower family, have healthier children, and send mothers as informed decision-makers her own children to school. She has more concerning their own health and the opportunities to earn an income and health of their children. to participate in political processes, and t /EJEJBNBLB $ "OJ 1SPHSBN she is less likely to become infected with 3FTFBSDI .BOBHFS BU )JQ$JUZ HIV. *OOPWBUJPO $FOUSF Another important area is Women's health and safety. HIV/AIDS is becoming Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com an increasingly impactful issue for

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

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NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

FIFTY-EIGHT HEARTY CHEERS . . .

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Hon. Jimi Benson; a business leader, Mr. Wole Akande; a former National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo; Chairman, Southern Senators Forum, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Minister of State for Labour, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Mr. Onofiok Luke; Mr. Jackie Lee; the immediate past APC National Legal Adviser, Mr. Babatunde Oghala (SAN) and a former member of National Assembly representing Lagos West, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi at Bamidele’s 58th anniversary organised in his honour by Afikuyomi in Abuja … recently

Saraki Honours EFCC’s Invitation Chuks Okocha and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was, however, allowed to go home at 9.15 p.m.

Spokesman of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the invitation extended to the former governor of Kwara State by the commission.

“He honoured an invitation by the commission”, he said.

A source told THISDAY that

Saraki honoured the invitation shortly after attending a wedding ceremony of the daughter of former governor of Kwara State, Mohammed Lafiagi, at the Blue Velvet Marquee, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Uwujaren did not state why he was invited.

However, Saraki’s Media Office also last night confirmed that the former Senate President, on his own volition visited the office of the EFCC to clarify any issue that the commission would raise with him.

In a statement issued by Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, the media office recalled that following the

order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the fundamental human rights case filed by Saraki during the period of the former chairman of the EFCC, which precluded the commission from investigating him until the matter is dispensed with, the commission at the last hearing on July 14, 2021, pleaded with the judge that the order was preventing them from doing their job.

“Following this complaint, Dr. Saraki, as a responsible citizen, on his own volition approached the commission that at the earliest convenient

date, he was willing to visit the commission’s office and clarify all issues they might want to raise with him.

“He, therefore, visited the commission’s office this afternoon and answered some questions. He is back home.

He was not arrested. Dr. Saraki also assured the commission that he has nothing to hide and will always make himself available to clear all issues that may require his attention,” the statement explained.

As Senate President between 2015 and 2019, Saraki spent a considerable time facing allega-

tions of corruption.

He was acquitted by the Supreme Court in June 2018.

In his new case with the EFCC, however, Saraki is to answer questions over alleged theft and laundering of public funds using a network of cronies and proxy companies.

The suspected proxies, who executed purported contracts for Kwara State under Mr Saraki, allegedly made returns, for many years, to the former governor, forming an organised a network of dirty money flow.

The funds involved were huge, running into hundreds of

millions in naira and hundreds of thousands in foreign currencies at various times, sources said.

Anti-graft investigators have obtained a list of the proxy companies involved and analysed a pattern of suspicious transactions between them and Saraki.

One of them has been reportedly responsible for funding Mr Saraki’s lifestyle, including paying over a hundred million to settle the bills for rent and renovation of Mr Saraki’s Maitama residence based on interviews with persons familiar with the property.

Ribadu, Ezekwesili, Others Lament Corruption in Judiciary

Dike Onwuamaeze

The rot in the Nigerian judicial system has been identified as the major impediment against the anti-war corruption war, according to a panel of discussants at an event with the theme “The Cost of Corruption” that was organised yesterday by the Federal Social Democrats (FSD).

The panelists also stated that the judiciary has promoted the culture of impunity among

public officials and noted that corruption in the judicial system has debased Nigeria’s constitution and reduced it to a worthless document.

Among the participants who shared this view during the event were the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu; former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili and a Professor of Law and Legal Practitioner, Professor Konyin

Ajayi (SAN).

Other members of the panel were the Chief Execurive Officer of the Financial Derivative Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, a Legal Practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ms. Funke Adekoya, the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Dr. Ishaq Oloyele and the Co-Founder, BudgIT, Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde.

Ribadu said that from his practical experience as a former chairman of the EFCC

the judiciary was the biggest problem confronting the fight against corruption.

He said: “We have all we need to fight corruption in our laws.

But talking about the judiciary, I can assure you that some of the biggest problem that I faced was the judiciary and it remains so up till now.”

He lamented that all the EFCC did during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo were reversed “including some convictions that we secured. They

were all reversed and thrown out when there was a change of government.”

Ribadu added that the cases of corrupt governors the EFCC charged to court in 2007 are still pending in courts today except for three convictions.

Ezekwesili, who is also the Chair, FixPolitics, regretted that succeeding administrations failed to build on the successes recorded by the Obasanjo’s administration on the war against corruption, adding

that a corrupt judiciary is the worst thing that could happen to any society.

She said: “The kind of legal instruments we have are sufficient to enable us to execute a successful war against corruption. The judiciary, by lingering on cases the EFCC brought before it since 2007, basically signaled to the society that corrupt persons can get away with it because when the government changes things can change.”

Jonathan Alleges Threat to Relevance of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on leaders and stakeholders of Ijaw Nation to shun divisiveness and work together in love and unity for the collective interest of Ijaw people in Nigeria.

Jonathan made the call at the weekend when the national executives of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) accompanied by the central zone officials of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),

paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

According to him, the relevance of the Ijaw ethnic nationality as a minority group is being threatened because they don’t exist within one location, except in Bayelsa State where their homogeneity is very pronounced.

He urged well-positioned Ijaw sons and daughters to sacrifice for the people and to also place collective interest above personal gains, stressing

that the differences among Ijaw should not jeopardise their unity.

Jonathan said the INC and the IYC have a huge role to play in ensuring the unity of the Ijaw people, especially among the political class, warning that political contestations must not be allowed to disunite them.

“But the key point about us is the unity of the Ijaw people. And that is key. We are not too many in terms of physical numbers. We are widely spread, not concentrated

in a geographical area, so our relevance is threatened along many states.

“Apart from Bayelsa State where we have a majority or almost the whole population, others are spread thinly (in other states). And people like this need to be united to make an impact.

The collective interest of Ijaw should take precedence and people must sacrifice because of the interest of Ijaw land.”

The former President congratulated the INC executives

on their successful election and subsequent inauguration, and commended them for the programmes and activities they hold to promote the Ijaw cause.

He also thanked them for the visit and encouraged them to feel free to seek his involvement in any issue, adding that he was ready to play his role in service to Ijaw land.

Earlier, the INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, had expressed gratitude to Jonathan for supporting Governor Douye

Diri to ensure a hitch-free election of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organisation, which had been adjudged to be very free and credible.

Okaba, a professor of Sociology at the Federal University, Otuoke, said his leadership hit the ground running soon after their inauguration on May 14, “to drive the Ijaw agenda for resource justice, restructuring and internalisation of the Ijaw struggle for self-determination and self-actualisation.”

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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 ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

OPINION

THE MAKING OF A ‘HOME-GROWN’ CONSTITUTION The 1999 Constitution is quite in order, argues Joe Ekpe Edet

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igeria is on the march for a new constitution that is expected to usher in a fresh, promising and invigorated era. The past constitutional experiments which mid-wifed the Parliamentary (Westminster styled) and the Presidential (American styled) systems of government seems not to have met the expectations of many. It has been described variously as a “a document that tells lie against itself” by no less a person than Chief Rotimi Williams; as a fraud by Prof. Itse Sagay and as an illogicality by the foremost Constitutional lawyer, Prof.

Ben Nwabueze. There have been great agitations therefore to produce an autochthonous constitution which would be “a made in Nigeria constitution”. What then is an autochthonous constitution? Perhaps the phrase will be better understood by defining the word “Autochthonous”. The word simply means indigenous or native. The word is traceable to ancient Greece where the Athenians considered their ancestors as the primordial inhabitants of the land, as if sprung from the very soil of the region that they inhabited. Thus their word for any true born Athenian was “autochthon” which is literally translated to mean springing from the earth.

A constitution is therefore said to be autochthonous in nature if it derives its force and validity from its own native authority. Put differently, a constitution is autochthonous if it is home-made or home-grown, but is not imposed by an imperial or colonial master or power. The U.S. constitution is a good example of an autochthonous constitution. The constitutionmaking process clearly reveals that it is autochthonous. The reason is not far-fetched. As a result of the dismal failure of the Articles of Confederation, the 55 representatives of the 13 colonies-turned-states met at the Philadelphia convention on May 14, 1787, for the purpose of amending the defects of the Articles of Confederation. But when the delegates to the conference concluded that the Articles of Confederation were beyond repairs, they proceeded to change the entire form of government at its very root – that is, they staged a bloodless coup d’état. When nine of the 13-state ratification conference congress ratified the draft constitution, the confederate congress of the United States, on September 17, 1788, enacted the new constitution to come into effect on March 4, 1789.

Equally, the preamble of the U.S constitution also testifies as to its autochthonous nature when it states: “We the people of the United States” in order to form a more perfect union. This wording indicates the process by which the United States of America was created – that is by the voluntary unification of the states, where the individuality of each state was accepted and recognized. According to Chief Justice Marshall in Mcculloch v. Maryland the “We the people” of the United States of America, not the individual States, created it. In that case, the State of Maryland had claimed that the constitution emanated from the independent sovereignties of the states and that the exercise of the federal power could not predominate basis of federal-state claim of power. Injecting this theory of “independent state sovereignty” as a theoretical basis of federal-state relationship, Chief Justice Marshall also established the principle that the new government created by the constitution was national, not just federal government.

According to Chief Justice Chase in Texas v. White, the “We the people of the United States who had manifested their will, through their adoption and ratification of the constitution , to form “a more perfect Union”, of indestructible states, were the people of the “entire nation”, not just the people of “a particular state”, There, the constitutional issue was whether the ordinance of secession adopted by the conversion and ratified by a majority of the citizens of the state of Texas, and all the acts of its legislature intended to give effect to that secession, were constitutional within the meaning of the “we the people” of the U.S. Chief Justice Chase, of course, declared those acts of the people of Texas unconstitutional because they (the people of Texas did not constitute the “we the people” within the contemplation of law.

But in its most modified form the concept of “we the people” of the U.S constitutes the “people” of every generation of the Americans (that is, the contemporary, not the dead, Americans) who have the power to change the constitution at their will, and whose will is to be respected by the “Public interpreters” (legislators, judges and administrators).

In Nigeria, the preamble to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 for example, declares that it was made by “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria having firmly resolved to live in unity”. The wordings of the preamble are concerned with the creation of an “indivisible and indissoluble” whole, since the units were originally created by carving out three regions: Northern, Western and Eastern from the one unitary whole. According to J.A.Yakubu in his Constitutional Law text, the preamble to the constitution, clearly speaks of the constitution as a by-product of the people put together and firmly confirmed by representatives of the people. An enacted constitution should therefore meet the needs and aspirations of the people to which the document relates. This has been the main contention and argument for a constitution drafted and anchored on originality.

Although the mere declaration that a constitution is made by “We the people” does not ipso facto make it an autochthonous constitution, the 1979 Nigerian Constitution making process which metamorphosed or birthed the 1999Constitution, clearly shows that it is autochthonous and that the constitution was drafted by a Constitution Drafting Committee made up of eminent Nigerians and headed by Chief Rotimi Williams, the foremost lawyer. The draft constitution was further debated by a Constituent Assembly which was made up of equally eminent Nigerian citizens. The majority of the membership of the

The present agitation may be linked to the perceived imbalances and lopsidedness that is thought to be brought about by some constitutional provisions. Nigerians seems to have found a scapegoat in the constitution as the architect of the myriads or litanies of woes that have bedeviled the nation lately

constituent assembly members were elected by the people of Nigeria in their different constituencies. Moreover, Nigerians of all walks of life contributed immensely to the debates which preceded, an indeed, influenced the constituent assembly in its deliberation on the Constitution. The argument that it could not be described as being truly autochthonous seems, however, to have risen from a restrictive definition of what is autochthonous. This is particularly so not only because that constitution was not forced upon the people of Nigeria by an external imperial or colonial authority, but also because the people of Nigeria acquiesced to the amendment made by the Supreme Military Council (SMC) and indeed, the enactment of the Constitution.

The process that led to the making of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 which is almost a replica or a facsimile of the 1979 Constitution gives credence to its autochthonous nature. On 11th November 1998, the then Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, an indigene of Nigeria though a military ruler inaugurated the Constitution Debate Co-ordinating Committee (CDCC) headed by the renowned jurist, Justice Niki Tobi, a justice of the Supreme Court as he then was. It was charged with the responsibility to inter alia: “pilot the debate, co-ordinating and collate views and recommendations canvassed by individuals and groups and submit (the) report not later than 31 December 1998”. This the committee deed and so many Nigerians send their memoranda and petitions.

The Head of State equally charged them to address key contentious issues and the draft constitution addressed the following issues viz: The principle of zoning and rotation; best way of cultivating a sense of belonging in all segments of the society; the merits and demerits of the provisions, which call for multiple vice presidents; Which constitutional provision could serve as the most effective anti-dote to future seizure of political authority other than through constitutional means; the issues of the principle of derivation as a criterion for distributing the national wealth by increasing to 13%; devolution of powers and giving more responsibility to lower tiers of government by expanding the competence of state and local governments in sectors such as education, agriculture, health, etc; creation of more commissions at the federal and state levels in the constitution; establishment of the National Judicial Commission; establishment of a Constitutional court charged with the responsibility of handling election petitions and hearing matters pertaining to the enforcement of fundamental rights; the proportionality representation of political parties in the formation of the cabinet within a presidential system of government and how workable is the provision, which permits ministers appointed to the Federal Cabinet to continue to retain their seats in the National Assembly.

Dr. Edet is Head, Private and Property Law, University of Calabar Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

THE FUTURE OF THE SOUTH-EAST Fredrick Nwabufo urges the South-east to work with Nigerians across regions and parties

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hose plunking for secession and advancing hate for the north may not know that the region was once a convenient political ally of the south-east. The political establishment of the 1960’s was governed by the north and the south-east in expedient nuptials -- before the January 1966 coup which opened Pandora’s Box. The north and the south-east have had a crossed destiny.

The politics of the Igbo has not always been suffused with emotions and native prejudices. A good case is the pragmatic entente Nnamdi Azikiwe’s NCNC forged with Ahmadu Bello’s NPC in the 60s – despite the two parties’ diagonal differences. While Bello’s NPC was ultra-conservative, Azikiwe’s NCNC had a liberal character.

Also, in 1979 the south-east worked with the north to see the emergence of Alex Ekwueme as Nigeria’s first vice-president under a presidential system of government -- and with Shehu Shagari as president -- less than 10 years after the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. In fact, while Ekwueme was a member of the National Peoples Party (NPP), Shagari was a member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). But this did not stop the entente cordiale.

Although the NPP/NPN alliance later became fractious in 1981, the emergence of an Igbo citizen as vice-president a few years after the war blurred the blot of the Igbo being a conquered people. It was under this arrangement that Odumegwu Ojukwu was allowed to return to Nigeria from exile in Ivory Coast in June 1982. And a year after his return (in 1983) he ran for senatorial office – but lost.

The south-east was heuristic in these instances, and played realpolitik. But what happened afterwards?

In the 2003 presidential election in which Ojukwu, the famed Igbo leader, vied, the south-east voted tremendously for his rival –

Olusegun Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In fact, Ojukwu’s ‘’Igbo party’’, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) could not even win governorship elections in the south-east except in Anambra -- the late politician's native home.

In Anambra, Obasanjo had 466,866 votes which represent 54 percent of the entire count while Ojukwu had 279,378 – 34 percent of the total tally. In Abia, Obasanjo had 386,748 votes (51.7 percent) while Ojukwu had 260,899 votes (34.9 percent). In Ebonyi, Obasanjo had 752,823 votes (94.5 percent), but Ojukwu polled only 20,525 votes (02.6 percent) within the same range as Muhammadu Buhari who had 16,308 votes in the state.

In Enugu, Obasanjo had 897,721 votes (79.7 percent) while Ojukwu had 177,050 votes (15.7 percent). And in Imo, Obasanjo polled 656,861 votes (64.6 percent), but Ojukwu had 281,114 votes (27.7 percent). The late Igbo leader’s second attempt in 2007 was also unsuccessful.

Obasanjo trounced Ojukwu on his own turf. Why? The election was not so much about Ojukwu, but about the centring of the south-east. The Igbo elite consorted with the PDP which at the time had a national appeal, and they were able to pivot the south-east in the nucleus of national politics.

But the south-east’s liaison with the PDP over the years has not yielded commensurate dividends in terms of economic and infrastructural developments for the region. The beneficiaries of the PDP years were the elite who had sizeable representations in government.

With the deracination of the PDP from central power, the south-east slumped into opposition – a role it has shown a lack of artistry and tact to handle. There is also the south-south quandary. With the south-south emerging as a redoubtable

power bloc, the south-east lost its bearing and place as the ‘’beautiful bride’’.

The south-east regaining its place means it must look beyond a solitary party. It must put itself in the thick of things.

And to sit at the table, it should discard isolationist politics and work with Nigerians across regions and parties – as it did in the past. It must forge new alliances – a political and social concordat.

Although Ojukwu lost the election, his participation in the exercise was of consequence. His participation showed manifest belief in Nigeria. A non-believer in a united Nigeria will not seek to be the country’s president. So, the involvement of Ojukwu, being a former separatist leader, in the election exemplified a reformed mindset committed to building a Nigeria where justice and equity reigns.

In a 2017 broadcast, President Buhari revealed his conversation with the late Ojukwu on Nigeria. He said: “In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura. Over two days we discussed in great depth till late into the night and analysed the problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country must remain one and united.”

Whatever change we seek is in the ballot and not in the barrel of a gun. Ojukwu’s victory is the personal example he showed by participating in elections and chaperoning a political party -- APGA -- long after the war. He buried the hatchet and looked to a new future in a united Nigeria. The party stands to date. We should emulate him. t GSFESJDLOXBCVGP!ZBIPP DPN

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

15

LETTERS

BETWEEN UI AND ITS ALUMNI

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he relationship between a school and its former students is analogous to that of a father and his children. A responsible father, within an African context, though, laboured to raise up his children properly with an expectation that the children would make him proud in future and ultimately take care of him in his old age.

In the same breath, a good school which has succeeded in producing quality students expects to enjoy the goodwill of its old students for the products are its wealth.

Although no law makes it mandamus that every alumnus must come back to assist their alma mater, it is a moral conversation, really, that a river should always remember its source.

It is natural for a tree to grow several branches which spread out to all directions, however, those branches never lose touch with the roots. This analogy is relevant in this context. University of Ibadan (UI), like a tree with many branches, has produced outstanding alumni of immense status and brand equity.

The Nigeria’s premier university which came into existence in 1948 with 104 foundation students, has since produced thousands of alumni who are reigning in robust resources across the world. Ibadan is popular because of the quality of its products. No wonder that the latest catchphrase on campus now is “UI: our products are our pride”.

Just like a proud father who has successfully raised outstanding children, the UI has been enjoying the goodwill of its prestigious products who are scattered all over the world.

Perhaps because of the quality of training received from UI, not a few former students have been looking back with a view to giving back to the University that shaped their lives.

These alumni have been so passionate and generous to their alma mater. From people like Dr. Michael Omolayole

who formed the first University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) in Lagos in 1958 and established UI endowment fund along with others, to Elder Felix Ohiewerei, the late Sir Gamaliel Onosode among others, UI has benefitted immensely from its former students, and is still benefiting. Even those who did not attend the UI, but have one form of relationship or the other with the institution, like a one-time Chairman of Council, Chief Wole Olanipekun have been so generous with their resources towards the betterment of UI. Chief Olanipekun who was the Council Chairman between 2009 and 2013 built a 400 - capacity Law Lecture Theatre in Ajibode, UI second phase as a major highlight of his legacy.

The legal icon spent a lot of his personal resources in lifting the institution even as he refused to take sitting allowances. Those of us who are privileged to be working in the University have equally benefitted from the goodwill of the alumni.

For instance, my office can boast of solar energy, courtesy of four members of UI 1990 graduating set, including Hadrat Hameed Azeez, Adebowale Oyedeji, Olu Odugbemi and Adenike Oduela Ajetunmobi. They did not just come together to buy me the facility, they later mobilized their colleagues to provide solar electricity to the Faculty of Agronomy. Their alma mater is the ligature of their bond. What about the former Chairman of Lagos UIAA, Mr. Sola Oyetayo? He has been so helpful anytime he is called upon. How does one thank all those who have been coming back to assist UI in various ways including some state governors, senators, businessmen and women, diplomats and academics? Only God can reward them.

The relationship between UI and its

alumni has been so good, but it can still be a lot better. The school’s facilities are becoming old. Government alone cannot do much for obvious reasons. The University requires rebuilding, rehabilitation and reconstruction in various ways. This is indeed a wake-up call on all other alumni across the world to come to the aid of the University that made them. Giving, they say, does not depend on abundance but on the heart.

However, the story of a relatively young alumnus which provoked the inspiration for this write up may be the nudge that many older products of the UI require to do the needful. If there is no lesson that is too little to learn, some will find the exploits of Mr. Jamil Omobolaji Eniola, who is a 2001 Microbiology graduate of Ibadan, not only challenging, but remarkably edifying, regarding philanthropy towards one’s former school.

Mr. Eniola who is a United Kingdom (UK) based amazingly began to contribute to the development of the UI right from his undergraduate days and

has not stopped ever since. In 1998, there was a rainfall which damaged his department (Botany/Microbiology).

While the counting of losses was ongoing, both staff and students were shocked when Eniola stepped forward and donated #50,000 towards the reconstruction of the damaged department.

That kind of a gift as well as the thoughtfulness is uncommon, particularly among the students. But Eniola set the pace.

Upon graduation, he relocated to the UK, working in various places including getting involved in the United Nations' activities, including consultancy, conferences, seminars and workshops. Eniola, who later established a philanthropic Hawau Eniola (HEN) Foundation in honour of his late mother, came back to UI in 2017 with a donation of various medical equipment during cancer screening exercise to the UI Health Centre. He also donated money. In the same 2017, he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University to build a multi-purpose theatre which will be named after Dr. Maya Angelou, a world-renowned

SIMONE AND NAOMI’S WISE CHOICES

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ince when has mental health been more important than a gold medal?

ALWAYS! It is unfortunate that more people haven't prioritised their mental, and physical, health over their sport, work, or any performances.

The recent withdrawals of Simone Biles form some Olympic gymnastics events and Naomi Osaka from the Wimbledon tennis championships highlight the pressure top level sportspeople can face and yes some of them can lead fantastic lives travelling the world but

not all of them. It is not a situation I ever faced but there were always nerves before any games and that was only in front of teammates, school mates and occasionally parents in competitions that did not really matter and have long been forgotten.

There is so much that

we have to worry about that perhaps we should all stop and ask for help when needed or even when we just want to talk to someone.

Wise choices Simone and Naomi. t %FOOJT 'JU[HFSBME .FMCPVSOF "VTUSBMJB

poet and human rights advocate in recognition of her work in Africa.

The MoU is still underway.

In 2018, Eniola working in synergy with eight of his colleagues, during the UI 70th anniversary shocked the pundits with the way they brought UI alumni together in the UK, raising about N80 million for the University from a si ngle event. Agai n, i n t he same year, he donated cash a nd t rophy towards t he Facult y of Arts football competition tagged “Dean’s Cup”.

Last year, Eniola fully sponsored leadership programme of the Student’s Union while also donating various books to the union’s library and the Kenneth Dike Library.

In March 2020, he also donated handsomely to the Faculty of Science Students Association (FASSA) week. Again this year, Eniola, through his HEN Foundation gave scholarship to five students

under the programme he tagged Student’s Enhanced Engagement Development, (SEED).

Each of the student was given Three Hundred Thousand Naira for the programme.

But what is his motive? Eniola explained that he was neither a politician seeking general acceptability nor a contractor planning to get a contract from UI, but rather interested in giving back to the University that made him. Hear him, “I have moved round many Universities across the world, I feel proud of UI and I am interested in contributing my own quota towards its betterment.” Indeed this is the desired direction for every graduate of the University. It is the best way for one to immortalize one’s name.

Sunday Saanu, Vice Chancellor's office, University of Ibadan r +FSPNF .BSJP 6UPNJ 1SPHSBNNF $PPSEJOBUPS 4PDJBM BOE &DPOPNJD +VTUJDF "EWPDBDZ 4&+" -BHPT

APC AND ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS Sexuality education in our clime is erroneously viewed as promoting unhealthy sexual relationships among young people which unfortunately is not the case. Sexuality education seeks to equip young people with life skills and values needed to determine and enjoy their individuality. It views femininity/masculi The glimmer of hope that the country will have a free and fair election in 2023 general election had been dashed by our senators. Section 52(3) of the electoral amendment bill 2021 which provides for electronic transmission of election results from the polling unit received a kiss of death by the APC senators after a rowdy session in the Senate. In 2015, when President Goodluck Jonathan introduced the card reader which was part of the drive to checkmate multiple voting, detect election fraud and ensure free and fair election, the APC which was desperate to clinch power commended the bold initiative. There is no gainsaying the fact that APC was the beneficiary of the card reader machine in 2015 general election. The election victories recorded by the party across the country could be credited to such technological innovation. Little wonder

many Nigerians expected the National Assembly to maintain the momentum by passing the section 52(3) of the electoral bill into law, and pave the way for electronic transmission of results. By its name, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), should act independently according to the laws that established it. For the Senate to insist that INEC should collaborate with Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the possibility of adequate network coverage in the country and seek for its approval before it adopts electronic transmission of result raises serious suspicions on its part.

The million-naira questions begging for answers are: why did majority of APC senators vote against the electronic transmission of result? Are they acting on the script of their party to frustrate any genuine efforts to have a credible and acceptable poll in 2023? It is either the ruling party plans to rig the 2023 as suspected or is jittery that the transmission of result electronically will expose it to serious defeat. The civil society organisations and Nigerians should wake up and reject this glaring rape of our democracy. t -BXBM "EBNV 6TNBO ,BEVOB 4UBUF

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SUNDAY AUGUST 1, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

BUSINESS

Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

5 Tier 1 Banks Refund N36bn to Customers in 3 Years tomers as well as regulatory authorities.

Complaints received are given a unique identiÀer number for tracking purposes, acknowledged, and addressed promptly.

“Where a resolution can be provided immediately, the customer is provided with feedback, if not, the issue raised is referred to the appropriate team in the Bank for prompt resolution,” the bank stated.

Complaints rise 14.4% Festus Akanbi

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n line with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the resolution of customers’ complaints, relief seems to be on the way of aggrieved customers of commercial banks in the country as the total budget of the Àve Tier-1 banks for the settlement of customers’ complaints within three years (2018, 2019, 2020) hit N36,030,416,012.27.

The aͿected banks are *uaranty Trust Bank (*TBank) 3lc, =enith Bank 3lc, $ccess Bank 3lc, )irst Bank /imited, and 8B$ 3lc.

The data collected from their respective Ànancial statements also showed a progressive rise in the number of complaints received by the Àve banks within the period under review.

In, 2018 for instance, the total number of complaints received by the Àve banks was 1,726,016. )or the 2019 operating year, the Àve banks received a total of 2,325,791 complaints, while 2,721,270 was the number of complaints received in 2020, bringing the total complaints received within three years to 6,773,076.

Within the period under review, the amount of money set aside for the setllement of customers’complaints by the Àve Tier-1 banks increased by four percent, rising from N6,257,474,043.53 in 2018 to N16,370,852,265.37 earmarked by the Àve-tier 1 banks in 2020. )urther analysis of the bank’s budget for complaints’ resolution showed that $ccess Bank 3lc, which set aside N63,351,320 in 2018, earmarked N3,954,787,501 and N3,954,787,501 for 2019 and 2020 Ànancial years, respectively.

Similarly, N326,328 was refunded to customers by *TBank 3lc in 2018. The Àgure came down to N282,014 and N105,000 in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

In the case of 8B$ 3lc, N403,877 was paid out as a refund to customers in 2018. In 2019 and 2020, the bank refunded its customers N22,699 and N3,725, respectively.

In 2018, =enith Bank refunded its customers to the tune of N800,131,355 whereas it paid less in the following year as the Àgure came down to N421,465,468. However, the Àgure went up in 2020 when the bank paid N3,722,876,538 as a refund to its customers.

In this category, )irst Bank emerged as the bank with the highest budget for customers refund, as it disbursed N5,393,261,263.53; N9,025,438,907.37 and N9,397,751,386.37 for 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.

However, banking industry watchers described the frequency of customers refund as an indication of timely response of banks to their customers’ complaints although some argued that banks were merely paying for their ine΀ciency by setting aside a huge amount of money to settle customers since the need for refund wouldn’t have arisen if banks had done their homework very well.

Speaking with our correspondent, Executive 'irector, Cordros Capital /imited, 0r. )emi $demola said banks’ response to customers’ complaints is a good omen to the industry given the attendant rise in customers’ conÀdence, which the bank’s response would engender.

He maintained, however, that the banks don’t have anywhere to hide anymore given the strict monitoring and supervision of the Central Bank of Nigeria. ´$ny bank that defaults in this regard already knows it has the apex bank to contend with,” he said, adding that many banks see the settlement of complaints as

Bank customers queuing up to use Automated Teller Machines

a way to market themselves as responsible institutions.

He said some customers may not be impressed with the huge amount of money set aside for settlement because some of the complaints are time-wasting and avoidable.

“Things have changed now as many customers have resorted to mounting serious media campaigns against any defaulting banks. Many customers now rush to Twitter to call out any of the erring Ànancial institutions and since banks wouldn’t want to be trolled on the social media, they have to make provisions for a quick refund,” he said.

Banks Strategies to Reduce Customers’ Complaints Meanwhile, some of the banks said efforts are being put in place to attend swiftly to customers’ complaints as competition favours banks with quality service. )or instance, the management of $ccess Bank said it maintains complaints channels to facilitate a seamless complaint and feedback process. $ccording to the bank, various channels have been provided for the use of its customers and these include a 24-hour contact centre with feedback through emails, telephone, SMS, /ivechat, Social Media, etc; - )eedback portal on the Bank’s website; - Customer service desks in over 500 branches and toll-free telephone lines to the o΀ce of the *roup Managing 'irector in the banking halls of key branches.

The bank also encourages correspondence from its customers and it also has the Ombudsman Desk On its part, the management of )irst Bank has pledged to continue to leverage and improve the Customer Relationship Man-

agement (CRM) tool, Microsoft Dynamics 365 to collate Bank-wide complaints, track complaints, investigate the root cause analysis and resolution, and manage customer expectations.

In 2020, the bank introduced some selfservice capabilities, notably the Interactive Voice Response at the contact centre to resolve basic requests and certain complaint types without recourse to a customer care agent.

The bank said this improved its business processes in addition to the continuous e-training and development carried out bank-wide to bridge the knowledge gap and improve complaints management during the unprecedented year. This was in addition to proactive measures taken in conjunction with relevant supervisors to avoid the expiration of agreed resolution timelines. $ccording to the management of 8B$ 3lc, the bank seeks to proactively exceed its customers’ expectations at each of its multiple contact points with the bank users.

“In line with the Bank’s focus, our 24/7 Customer )ulÀlment Centre (C)C) has been fully empowered, fortiÀed, and repositioned to oͿer seamless and unparalleled service excellence to all 8B$ group customers and prospects alike,” the bank said in its 2020 annual report.

The management of *TBank explained that the complaints and feedback structure put in place ensures the prompt resolution of customers’ complaints.

“The Complaints 8nit of the Bank is charged with the responsibility for the receipt, prompt investigation, and resolution of customers’ complaints. It also serves as the liaison between the Bank and its cus-

Poor Services $lmost daily, Nigerian bank customers have one complaint or the other regarding their banking experience. *reater number of consumer complaints about banking services relate to excess charges, $utomatic Teller Machines ($TMs) issues, 3oint of Sale (3oS), Bank VeriÀcation Number (BVN), chequerelated issues, and fraud among others.

The coming of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced banks to review their operations, has also increased complaints about the associated delays in banks.

In their bid to comply with safety protocols put in place by the government, bank customers no longer enjoy the freedom of entering into banking halls as they used to, a development that has increased demand for online transactions.

However, the reality is that some banks’ $TM galleries are always packed full with people spending hours on end just to withdraw cash from the machines.

However, complaints about issues like dispense errors, controversial deductions are among issues customers are battling with.

It was in response to these complaints that the Central Bank of Nigeria created the Consumer 3rotection Department (C3D) in 2012 in furtherance of one of its core mandates of promoting a sound Ànancial system.

The C3D was established to develop and implement an eͿective consumer protection framework that would promote consumer confidence in the financial system.

The Department performs three primary functions: Complaints Management: This involves resolving consumer complaints against financial institutions under the purview of the CBN; Market Conduct & Development: This is to entrench fair and responsible market conduct amongst the financial institutions concerning their customers; Consumer Education/ )inancial /iteracy: This is to promote and disseminate financial education and awareness amongst existing and prospective consumers for the enhancement of their economic well-being. $ccording to the apex bank major expected impact is the entrenchment of fair and responsible business conduct amongst financial service providers as well as the existence of a consultation and feedback mechanism to periodically determine the extent of consumer satisfaction. $nother expected impact is a general improvement in Ànancial capability as a result of the various Ànancial literacy programmes which would ultimately increase participation.

TABLE SHOWING 5 TIER 1 BANKS’ REFUND TO CUSTOMERS BETWEEN 2018-2020 BANK

AMOUNT REFUNDED 2018

AMOUNT REFUNDED 2019

AMOUNT REFUNDED 2020

$CCESS B$N. )IRST B$N. *TB$N. 8B$ 3/C =ENITH B$N.

N63,351,220 N5,393,261,263.53 N326,328 N403,877 N800,131,355

N3,954,787,501 N9,025,438,907.37 N282,014 N22,699 N421,465,468

N3,250,205,616 N9,397,751,389.37 N105,000 N6,839 N3,722,876,538

Source: Selected banks’ annual reports (2018,2019 and 2020)

TOTAL=N36,030,416,012.27

TOTAL N7,268,344,337 N23,816,451,557.27 N713,342 N433,415 N4,944,473,361

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

FINANCE

All Eyes on Banks as New Policy on Forex Takes Effect Monday …as analysts weigh the pros and cons of new policy By the time Nigerian foreign exchange users approach their banks for their forex needs this week, after the ban on bureau de change operators from the direct supply of ); from the CBN, a regime of transparency, ease of transaction, and stability is what they will be expecting as anything short of that will make last week’s crackdown on BDC operations an exercise in futility, reports Festus Akanbi

With the new policy, banks will have to double their efforts to meet demand for foreign exchange

A

fter a long spell of indiscriminate rate Àxing by operators of Bureau de change in the nation’s foreign exchange market, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) eventually came out of its shell to eliminate BDC operators from the chain of forex traders with access to

o΀cial supply.

In the new dispensation unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday, the CBN said it was stopping the sale of forex to Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators. It also announced that it has now permitted banks to receive forex deposits.

At the end of the Monetary 3olicy Committee (M3C) meeting, members unanimously voted to retain the Monetary 3olicy Rates (M3R) at 11.50 .

The committee also retained the asymmetric corridor at 1 /-7 , CRR at 27.50 , and retained liquidity ratio at 30 .

And for those thinking the apex bank may have a change of heart over its action, its Director, Monetary 3olicy Department, Dr. Hassan Mahmud said there is no going back even as the CBN is set to commence the refund of capital deposits and licensing fees, where applicable, to Bureau De Change (BDC) promoters who had pending licence applications before Tuesday’s announcement of the end of ); sale to the currency dealers.

Similarly, the banking sector regulator, in another circular, directed all banks to set up teller points at designated branches across the country to fulÀll legitimate ); requests for 3ersonal Travel Allowance (3TA), Business Travel Allowance (BTA), tuition fees, medical payments, and SMEs transactions, among others.

However, as the nation awaits the implementation of the new policy of selling dollars directly to commercial banks for onward sale to the public, the Naira has continued to be at the receiving end with rates oscillating

between N520 and N525 at the parallel market between Wednesday and )riday last week.

Such was the confusion and arbitrage that characterised the forex market after the CBN threw the bombshell, as some dealers moved to cash in on the CBN’s directives before the banks settle down to the business of full-scale forex sale to end-users.

Stunned by the CBN’s surprised ban from its supply of forex, some BDC operators said Nigerians ); users will pay dearly for the unfolding development, considering the unreliability of banks to carry the CBN’s instruction to the letters.

The current spike in the value of dollars is blamed on the decision of some operators to hoard the currency, having got winds of the CBN’s plan to ax that segment of the foreign exchange market as well as the panic buying by some ); users who anticipated a prolonged period of rates instability.

ABCON Fights On 3resident, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu *wadabe, said the association would engage the CBN to address the ban on ); sale to its members. *wadabe said the planned engagement would, among other things, seek to identify and sanction earring BDCs. *wadabe said in a statement that the pronouncement by the CBN did not stop BDCs from providing ); services as allowed by their operating licences and in their operating guidelines. *wadabe said, “BDCs are licenced to provide retail ); services, including buying from the public and also selling to end-users for allowable transactions, namely, 3TA, BTA, payment of medical, and school fees.”

Bank CEOs: We are ready to sell FX Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs, Herbert Wigwe, said

authorised Ànancial institutions in the ); market would ensure full compliance with the CBN directives to ensure ); stability. Wigwe said customers could walk into their banks to purchase dollars for legitimate transactions. He noted that the banks had agreed that the process would start immediately following a meeting with the CBN. Wigwe, who is also *roup Managing Director of Access Bank 3lc, said the banks were ready to meet the mandate of the CBN, adding that they have more than enough capacity to deliver. He explained that the process would be centralised to avoid abuse.

In addition, Wigwe said banks yet to adhere to the mandate by the regulator to create a forex desk would be sanctioned.

There is no doubt that the assurance given by the chief executives of banks to ensure full implementation of the CBN directives in their respective banks came as a boost to the apex bank’s policy change, however, industry watchers contend that the promise made by bank CEOs, and the cooperation of banks’ staͿ assigned to interface with the potential forex buyers are diͿerent things.

According to the CBN *overnor, on average, the bank trades 110million weekly ); of 20k each, to over 5,000 BDCs with total annual sales of 7.2 billion to Nigerian BDCs. The only place on planet earth where CBN sells ); directly to BDCs. The *overnor also announced a ban on the over 500 BDC applications it receives monthly.

EmeÀele however said, “The bank would henceforth discontinue its sales of foreign exchange to BDCs. Operators in this segment of the market would now need to source their foreign exchange from an autonomous source.

They must however note that the CBN would deploy more resources to monitoring these sources to ensure that no operator violates our anti-money laundering laws; The bank would now permit commercial banks in the country to begin accepting cash deposits of foreign exchange from their customers.”

19

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

FINANCE $OO (\HV RQ %DQNV DV 1HZ 3ROLF\ RI )RUH[ 7DNHV (;HFW 0RQGD\ (FRQRPLVWV :HLJK WKH 3URV DQG &RQV of New Policy In their separate interviews with THISDAY, leading economists, who described Tuesday’s intervention as necessary, however, cautioned that the apex bank needed to go the extra mile so that the policy will not be counterproductive at a period of rising demand for foreign exchange.

In an email exchange with THISDAY during the week, the Managing Director, Chief Economist, Africa and the Middle East, Global Research of the Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, said the Ànancial authorities must ensure that the new policy does not fuel the growth of more parallel markets in the country.

She stated, “While the pledge of reforms is encouraging (more FX supply to the I&E window, the likelihood that we do eventually see more adjustment to the I&E FX rate), the challenge in the interim will be to stop the emergence of a new parallel market.”

I&E window is the market trading segment for investors, exporters, and end-users that allows for FX trades to be made at exchange rates determined based on prevailing market circumstances.

She, however. warned that “Unless the supply of FX improves meaningfully, this is likely to remain a risk. However, a meaningful improvement of FX supply to the I&E window would be the best hope of halting parallel market trading for larger transactions,” adding however that, “Much will depend on the extent to which the authorities are also willing to tolerate price discovery on the I&E window.” /RRNLQJ %H\RQG %DQNV Meanwhile, there seems to be a consensus among economists on the need for the regulators to create an additional avenue for the sale of foreign exchange.

The fear is that unless the CBN looks beyond banks for the sale of forex to the end-users, undue pressure may be brought to bear on the local currency, which may depreciate further and eventually make the new policy backÀre.

Industry watchers said there is a need to learn from the past when o΀cials of commercial banks made a kill from fx sales by giving all manner of excuses to disqualify customers from forex sale while some bank o΀cials indulge in forex roundtripping.

This was the fear raised by the Group Managing Director, Cowrie Assets Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu when he spoke with THISDAY during the week.

Chukwu warned that “The concern is that the new policy may bring about more problems than the CBN intends to solve. The fact is this. You have a commodity that is in short supply. You have further constricted the supply channels, so it follows that unless you expand the supply channels you are going to have an increase in the arbitrage, so it’s expected.”

So, the question is, what are the other options available to the regulator?

Chukwu believes that the more the merrier. He said, “The basic thing for me is that the CBN should have a cocktail of other policies that will address all those concerns to ensure we don’t see a depreciation of the currency that will far outweigh the beneÀts of this new policy.

“In the Àrst place, the Central Bank must Ànd channels to provide FX to those legitimate end-users who were enjoying supply from the BDC market.

These people include small-time traders, who are buying goods.

“Their consignments size is in the range of $50,000, $10,000, $5000. These people buy money from the BDCs, lodge it in the bank and transfer it in $10,000 (which the CBN allows) to their suppliers.

“If these traders go to the bank to open Form M and letter of credit and they are waiting for allocation from the CBN, they may wait for one year without getting any allocation and their businesses will die because they can’t aͿord to buy money from the parallel market.

“If you do not create the window that will enable them access money from the bank then, you will see them going back to the parallel market and they will buy dol-

Emefiele

Wigwe

Gwadabe

lars at any rate and you will see a serious eͿect on the local currency so, the CBN must have a cocktail of policy so that one, to ensure that those that have legitimate demands are satisÀed, or to ensure that those whose needs were being met by the BDCs have access and that access is as stylus as the BDC access.

“Secondly, there are demand channels that the CBN has to agree with the federal government to outlaw or reform under the current arrangement.

“Vessel hire in Nigeria is denominated in dollars. It simply means if someone takes a vessel from the NNPC, he pays the vessels owners in dollars and most of them buy their money from the BDC market. Government should legislate that all cabotage transactions are denominated in local currency so that these people who are doing oil and gas trading will not need to be going to buying money from the parallel market.

policy on interest rates, saying “My Àrst observation is that it is odd to see the CBN attempt to control the supply and cost of money. Basic microeconomic frameworks suggest that policymakers can either control price (interest rates) or quantity (money supply) but not both simultaneously.

“The high cash reserve ratio (CRR) and high monetary policy rate (MPR) contradict the growth aspirations of the government.

“Besides expecting to see higher investment volumes in an environment of rampant insecurity is as good as a crab waiting to cross a river.”

Similarly, Chief Executive O΀cer, Global Analytics Consulting Limited, who is also a former Presidential Candidate, Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, (ANRP), Mr. Tope Fasua shares Awoyemi’s optimism on the temporal nature of the current spike in the dollar exchange rate at the nation’s parallel market.

He said, “My take is that the spike in the value of dollar vis a vis the naira will be temporary especially if the CBN moves strongly on its stated policies and oversight function with the banks. The invisible trade transactions which the BDCs are meant to take care of will be well serviced through the banks thus reducing pressure on foreign reserves and the black market.”

“It was just impossible to manage or supervise thousands of bureaux de change.

I reckon a lot of the funds allocated to BDCs ended up funding imports of which we haven’t been able to extricate ourselves as a country. So those imports may fall back entirely in the black market thus pushing their prices up. However, the same players have an opportunity if they consider producing locally.”

bureau de change operators as Ànancial intermediaries between the apex bank, the market, and the retail end.

He explained that what has happened in the past is that these guys were to sell foreign exchange principally to people traveling out of the country, but from tourists coming into the country, noting, however, that along the line, they derailed.

“This has become a source of concern to the regulators and rightly so. What has happened was that these guys will buy the dollar at N400 and an hour later, sell it at N500.

“So, in 2000, we have 74 BDC operators.

By 2010, it had increased 27 folds, in other words, we had 2000 operators from 74.

By 2020, the Àgure has gone up to 5000.

“In the last quarter, the federal government, in other words, the Central Bank of Nigeria spent more on travel to the tune of $472million, which is higher than debt service put at $172 million. No country in the world can survive that kind of hemorrhage, so that was why the CBN had to take steps,” Rewane said.

According to him, “Some have argued that after all, they were licensed by the CBN in the Àrst place. The reality is that what has happened is like a daytime robbery.

The question now is what are the steps to be taken?”

The Financial Derivatives boss said the Àrst option is to stop everything as was done by the CBN.

3D\PHQW LQ 1DLUD “It is also important to state that payments to the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) by people using vessels and payment to NIMASA are denominated in local currency, today, you have to pay NPA in dollars. It means those bringing PMS and others will have to source for dollars and if you go to the banks, you will not get these dollars, so the government will either legislate so that all such payments are now done in the local currency to avoid these demand that will go to the parallel market and shoot up the exchange rate.”

In his view, Chief Executive O΀cer, The CFG Advisory, Mr. Adetilewa Adebajo said the CBN’s spike on BDCs implies that $7.2 billion allocations will now be moved to the banks who will open dedicated tellers to process valid for FX transactions.

Adebajo believed “This situation oͿers the banks an opportunity to create a viable FX interbank market with transparent bid and oͿer rates that Nigerians can access via the existing inter-banking platforms.”

According to him, “How long this will last is yet to be seen, as we recall that CBN last year for separate reasons suspended sales to BDC and resumed several months later.”

6SLNH LQ SDUDOOHO PDUNHW UDWHV WHPporary Chief Executive, Proshare Nigeria Limited, Mr. Femi Awoyemi shares similar optimism on the ability of the parallel market rate to stability very quickly.

He said, “Concerning the spike in the parallel market exchange rate, I agree with you said the spike in the parallel market rate is likely to be temporary, explaining, however, that “the retail market needed to fund payment of school fees, medical expenses, and travels would gradually adjust to sourcing FX from the banks as the banks themselves rethink the customer transaction experience and tweak services in a way that eases access to FX in the retail market.”

But Awoyemi disagrees with the CBN

%DQNV ZLOO PDNH WKH GL;HUHQFH However, unlike some other commentators on the new policy of the CBN, Fasua maintained that banks will make a diͿerence once they settle down for business.

“I foresee better compliance by the banks than what we had before. The banks and their executives have a lot more to lose than sundry BDCs with no o΀ces and no substantial prime movers behind them or the many licenses obtained by politicians and all sorts of powerful people.

“Bank MDs will ensure that their fx bidding licenses are not suspended because of small PTA transactions and there has to be collaboration among many people within the bank to perpetrate large scale heists.

Compliance, control, operators, and even executives have to come together for such to happen, and even then there is a high chance for whistle-blowing. I also believe that customers can and will put the banks under pressure and hold their feet to Àre to prevent cheating. Banks that are. not complying will be reported as well. Most will avoid the embarrassment,” he stated.

In his analysis, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Nigeria Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane described the

&DQ WKH %DQNV &RSH" He said “There is need for administrative control, but the problem is that the moment you stop things administratively, you now create a certain black-market premium.

People are going to be inconvenient. “The CBN says go to the bank. I agree with the CBN Governor, but you and I know that walking into a bank and coming out in Àve minutes is something else. It’s easier to put 60 Áies in a matchbox than to go into a bank and come out in Àve minutes.”

Rewane is not unaware of the challenges of transacting business in Nigerian banks. That was why he called for close monitoring.

“So, anything that is cumbersome, that is inconvenient will drag people away further from the system. So, people will suͿer. The ultimate solution, which I will like to recommend, is that the CBN should encourage everyone to go to the bank but it should sell to bureau de change at the parallel market rate by Àve percent, in other words, if the parallel market is N500, you can sell to the bureau de change at N490. The N10 margin is way lower than the N100 margin.”

He however warned that the eͿorts of the apex bank to instill discipline in the foreign exchange market will be counterproductive unless a market solution is put in place.

He insisted that “Nothing is cast in stone. The truth is that administrative solution has its limits. It will be abused one way or the other, so the best thing to do is to have a market solution and they can work together.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

20

THE EXECUTIVE AYODEJI BALOGUN Farmers are Majorly Feeling the Brunt RI ,QÁDWLRQ RQ )HUWLOLVHU 3ULFHV Over the years, the federal government has expressed the desire to have a vibrant non-oil economy, but has not really matched its talk with action. No doubt, there have been policies and blueprints to develop the sector to vibrancy, the laid-back, nay lackadaisical approach of government in performing its role as the enabler, has confined such lofty ideas to the doldrums. Save for services, entertainment and media that have been very active and the less-than-optimal contribution by agriculture to the economy, the non-oil sector’s performance is unsatisfactory. Despite all these, the private sector has been leaving no stone unturned in its bid to optimise the sector and contribute its quota to the diversification from the oil sector. Chief Executive Officer, AFEX Nigeria Exchange, Mr. Ayodeji Balogun, speaks with Kunle Aderinokun on developments in the agriculture sector, effort by his platform to advance the cause of farmers, particularly highlighting a number of initiatives geared towards enabling the sector to unlock its potential and accelerate its growth

W

hat inspired the FUHDWLRQ RI WKH $)(; 1LJHULD ([FKDQJH and how has the journey been?

My aspiration to build a scalable and e΀cient commodities exchange market stemmed from my early years in Kigali, Rwanda. It was the year 2012 and I was working at the East Africa Exchange (EAX) in Kigali. It was a boom time for commodities trading and there was a signiÀcant rise in the numbers of exchanges that were being set up. In the same year, after an investment worth $7 million was used to develop the technology stack at EAX, I got approval to set upAFEX Commodities Exchange in Nigeria. I was tasked with one goal: to transform Nigeria’s commodities exchange market into a scalable, e΀cient, and proÀtable system.

One of the early goals was to leverage data and the trusted network of investors in the agricultural ecosystem to create a market infrastructure that could work for Nigeria. Since its founding in 2014, AFEX has developed and deployed a viable commodities exchange model for the West African market; building a strong supply chain infrastructure to support the securitisation of agricultural products. AFEX operates 85 warehouses in Nigeria’s key grain-producing areas and accounts for over 100,000 MT of total national storage capacity. Since 2014, the Exchange has reached over 200,000 farmers and traded over 200,000 MT of commodities with a total turnover of N28 billion.

OurmissionistosupportNigeria’sfoodsecurity while promoting a fair exchange of value among players in agricultural value chains. To achieve this goal, AFEX looks to introduce products that de-risk the sector, drive Ànancial inclusion for rural communities, develop technology for data collection and market access and enable Balogun the deployment of capital.

As the CEO of the organisation, what were WKH FKDOOHQJHV \RXU WHDP IDFHG WR VFDOH WKH FRPPRGLWLHV PDUNHW LQ 1LJHULD DQG :HVW $IULFD DQG KRZ GLG \RX WDFNOH WKHP" In the economies that we operate in, there has always been a gap in the production level of commodities, farmer’s access to Ànance and market, and information Áow on how the commodities market operates. We decided to build the largest supply chain infrastructure for commodities in Nigeria that would then be leveraged to unlock capital for the sector and improve the livelihoods of farmers. We, therefore, created scalable solutions around storage, Ànance, and technology.

A key thing we had to do was to set up warehouses across the key grain-producing states in the country and provide storage as a service for the farmers. This means that instead of a farmer to

rent warehouses or keep his grains in his house, where he will lose 20-30 per cent of the volume over time, you have a situation where you can bring it into a warehouse and he can pay for the three bags he is storing for 3 months and he stores it. So, it is stored as a service and then takes oͿ the burden and the risk of storage oͿ the farmer.

Also, we focused on facilitating farmers’ access to Ànance in form of inputs like fertilisers, seeds, and crop protection products while also being enabled to access support in terms of extension services that impart knowledge on good agronomic services. We don’t see our relationship with the farmers as transactional, we see it as a community we are building, and so trust is central to that system, but so is ensuring that they see much-needed value in the bundle of services that we are providing for them and can record

growth year-on-year. When a transparent and fair market system determines what the true value of commodities is, which essentially covers the role of a commodities exchange, it helps to promote investments, it helps with transparency, and it helps with an equitable distribution of value across the system.

Lastly, AFEX built a technology-enabled Exchange that facilitates eͿective trading and settlement of commodity transactions, helping to structure and formalise the commodities markets.

Through our technology stack, WorkBench and ComX, we can facilitate the aggregation and trading of grains through our expansive network of warehouses across the country, allowing farmers to access markets. The ComX app is the Àrst digital trading platform for commodities in Nigeria with

an increasing array of innovative commoditybacked securities, and a learn module that further facilitates the education and information needs I spoke about earlier.

&DQ \RX JLYH XV VRPH RI WKH VXFFHVV VWRULHV UHFRUGHG ZLWKLQ WKH ÀYH \HDUV RI RSHUDWLQJ LQ WKH FRPPRGLWLHV HFRV\VWHP DQG EH\RQG" Over our Àrst Àve years, we built Nigeria’s largest supply chain infrastructure, and can now provide our infrastructure as a service to the market while unlocking capital for the commodities market in Nigeria. We are proud to pave the way for many Àrsts in the commodities ecosystem.

We released the ÀrstAsset-Backed Commercial Paper listed on an Exchange inAfrica to bridge the Ànancing gap between processors. We introduced

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

21

THE EXECUTIVE There Exist Numerous Opportunities across the Agriculture Value Chain Nigeria’s Àrst-ever commodities index - theAFEX Commodities index (ACI) tracking the changes in price for four key agricultural commodities.

We also worked with capital market players to structure debt securities to Ànance over 113,000 smallholder farmers. AFEX also listed the Àrst Exchange-Traded Commodity in Nigeria – the Fair Trade ETC – on ComX. ComX is a digital platform for trading and investing in commodities, which we launched in 2020. It reached 5,000 users in two months of its launch and won the Apps Africa Innovation Award for best in Agritech & Foodtech that same year. Since its launch in 2020, the trading platform has seen signiÀcant growth in turnover as technology has seen over N30billion in total turnover since its launch. Our Input Financing programme that unlocks Ànancing for farmers has grown from serving 803 farmers in 2015 to 35,000 farmers in 2020.

These are a few among many milestones we have achieved since our inception. We have a laser-focus vision to be the reference point for commodities in Africa, and this continues to play a huge role in our contributions towards unlocking the potential of Africa’s commodity value chains.Through the development of innovative products and services around storage, logistics, and trade with access to Ànance and a ready market serving as a supporting pillar.

7KH SUREOHP RI VWRUDJH ORJLVWLFV DQG ÀQDQF LQJ KDYH EHHQ LGHQWLÀHG DV NH\ LPSHGLPHQWV WR IDUPHUV· SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG VXVWDLQDEOH IRRG SURGXFWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD +RZ KDV $)(; KHOSHG WR FUHDWH VFDODEOH VROXWLRQV LQ WKHVH FRUH DUHDV" Our value proposition to farmers has always been two-fold: access to Ànance and access to markets, which are two huge problems that smallholder farmers in Nigeria have historically been unable to surmount. By engaging with the Exchange, farmers will be able to gain access to Ànance in form of inputs like fertilisers, seeds, and crop protection products while also being enabled toaccesssupportintermsofextensionservicesthat impart knowledge on good agronomic services.

At the end of the season, the farmers can also access larger markets through the Exchange as their products can be aggregated with that of other smallholder farmers and furnish the orders of Exchange clients on the processor side.

This process is a transparent one where farmers can get information on prices and determine for themselves when to sell considering that our storage infrastructure also allows the farmer to store their produce in AFEX warehouses that have certain quality parameters that ensure that the grains retain their value. We already have a process in place via our outreach structure, which allowed us to proÀle farmers and include them in our systems after which we disbursed loans in form of inputs and actively provided support for them through the production cycle up to harvest when we are now triggering our repayment structures, but also enabling the farmers to get access to a market for their leftover commodities.

Why You Should Try Intermittent Fasting

Balogun

potential impact on production.

On households, the brunt is felt more, worsening food insecurity threats created by low production, high post-harvest losses due to lack of storage, and declining income levels.

6SHFLÀFDOO\ ZKDW LV $)(; GRLQJ WR VXSSRUW WKH JRYHUQPHQW·V DJHQGD LQ WKLV UHJDUG" We recognise the Central Bank of Nigeria’s eͿorts in promoting sustainable production of commodities for a food-secure nation. Beyond the capabilities we have gained through farmers’ aggregation and outreach structures, our valuable data insights across the value chain could be accessed by both the private and public sector and harnessed to enable adequate planning both for policy at the government level and advocacy and execution for active players in the sector.

At AFEX, we see data as an infrastructure for the future. We have the largest database of credible farmer data complete with bank veriÀcation numbers and land coordinates. The way we think about Capex’s around buildings and warehouses and balance sheet, we feel data is also the balance sheet item that in Àve years ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ $)(; KDV UDLVHG PLOOLRQ the players with the most extensive data will be WR ÀQDQFH $JUL 60(V LQ 1LJHULD :KDW GRHV the most competitive in the space. Technology WKLV LQLWLDWLYH DLP WR DGGUHVV" $QG ZKDW·V WKH allows us to gather data and analyse it a lot more e΀ciently to create knowledge and insight.

LPSDFW VR IDU" This initiative was aimed at eradicating the high 7HOO XV DERXW WKH UHFHQWO\ ODXQFKHG \HDU cost of procurement incurred by processors. The mission is to provide low-risk working capital for ,PSDFW 5HSRUW WKH JDS $)(; ÀOOHG QH[W stakeholders in the sector, which are transparent PLOHVWRQHV Our Àve-year impact report highlights the and have a highly valuable investment return.

Hence, AFEX has developed the infrastructure full impact of AFEX’s activities over the years for workable warehouse receipts, which allow in enabling productivity, trade, and access to commodities to be transferred to Ànancial as- Ànance to rural households through the use sets and listed under the borrower’s portfolio of innovative technology, and in structuring on the AFEX trading platform. This serves as an Nigeria’s commodities ecosystem. Measuring alternative solution for market participants to impact is now more important than ever. Having have easy access to Ànance, thereby, reducing grown signiÀcantly over the last Àve years, with risks and costs attributed to collateral Ànancing. a data-backed strategy, we decided to gauge With the warehouse receipt system linked to our impact in these communities, which aligns Ànanciers, the system will facilitate the Ànancing with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set of agriculture while allowing Ànanciers to value by the United Nations – SDGs 1, 2, 5, 8, and 12 and mark the commodities’ price to market on advocating for no poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, decent work, and economic growth, a real-time basis. and sustainable production and consumption.

Over the last Àve years, AFEX has built a net:LWK DOO WKH FKDOOHQJHV LQ 1LJHULD·V HFRQRP\ SDUWLFXODUO\ ZLWK UHJDUGV WR LQÁDWLRQ DQG IRRG work of over 200,000 farmers and cumulatively SURGXFWLRQ KRZ DUH IDUPHUV FRSLQJ RU ÀQGLQJ facilitated over 200,000MT in trades, matching orders from producers and brokers with buyers DOWHUQDWLYHV" Farmers are majorly feeling the brunt of inÁa- on our trading platform at fair prices. And we tionary pressures on fertiliser prices which could are glad that most of the farmers registered with aͿect production this year. It will be important AFEX live above the national poverty line.

This journey with the SDGs will serve as a to know whether or not farmers are using more fertilisers this year than they did last year and our guide for AFEX’s 10X growth. Over the next Àve 2021 crop production survey report will reveal years,AFEX aims to scale 10 times in the capacity that. However, for AFEX farmers, our input and capability. We will build inclusive markets; disbursement programmes will help cushion establishing an e΀cient trade infrastructure with the brunt of fertiliser prices on farmers and the one million MT storage capacity that supports a

robustsupplychainnetworkwhilealsoenhancing the livelihoods of one million smallholder farmers, aggregating one million MT trade volumes, and facilitating funding of $500 million.

Our vision remains to be the reference point for commodities in Africa.

:KDW DUH WKH RSSRUWXQLWLHV IRU WKH FRPPRGL WLHV PDUNHW LQ WKH FRPLQJ \HDUV" Given the increasing attention in the space and how underserved the market is, there exist numerous opportunities across the value chain, frompre-productiontoproductionandultimately consumption. Broken down, we at AFEX have identiÀed opportunities from SMEs that link the diͿerent stages in the value chain and provide essential agricultural services, to wealth creation byunlockingalternativeinvestmentopportunities through commodities trading for Nigeria’s retail and institutional investors. The list is endless as the value chain continues to develop and grow exponentially.

What’s your assessment of the agriculture sector and the non-oil sector of the economy and highlight their contributions or otherwise to the nation’s GDP. Over the years, agriculture has proven to be resilient, despite the slow real growth in the sector, as the sector accounts for about 1/3 of the jobs in the country. Last year, the sector contributed tremendously to the economy’s recovery from a recession caused by the global pandemic. With this in mind, we believe the sector is yet to unlock its potential as the fund inÁow into the sector has averaged less than four per cent of both domestic and international capital in the last Àve years. /RRNLQJ EDFN RQ \RXU MRXUQH\ DV &(2 WUHQGVHWWHU DQG DJULSUHQXHU ZKDW GR \RX ZLVK ZDV GRQH GL;HUHQWO\ WKDW ZLOO VHUYH DV D SLHFH RI DGYLFH WR D \RXQJ DQG EXGGLQJ LQYHVWRU HQWUHSUHQHXU RU &(2 RXW WKHUH" In the years to come, the tools needed for success in life are beyond building complex Ànancial models and creating insightful decks.

They require understanding people (millennials and tech-natives particularly) and how to keep them continuously motivated. They require understanding of the world’s wicked problems (poverty, Ànancial inclusion, climate change and adaptation) and how to create commercially viable solutions. The Àrst thing I advise is to seek knowledge to be able to build businesses; businesses that will last. The second is grit; you can fall 10 times in a year and you have to be able to stand back up eleven times. Finally, leadership assumes followership, and without followership, there is no leadership and the only point you have that followership is when people can trust you, and that comes down to being ethical in your conduct.

You’re probably living under a rock if you’ve not heard about intermittent fasting because it’s one of the most popular health and fitness trends right now.

It was the most googled diet last year.

I got on the intermittent fasting plan in 2016 when I finally decided to do something about my weight and relationship with food and it was really transformative for me.

I lost about 30kg in six months but weightl oss wasn’t the only benefit I got on this plan.

The biggest thing was how drastic my cravings reduced and I’ve been able to keep the extra weight off.

Intermittent fasting is a feeding plan that alternates between fasting and feeding periods, the goal is to systematically starve the body long enough to trigger fat burning.

While research is still being done and the method may not be suitable for everyone, there is evidence that when done correctly it can help lose weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol prevent/ control diabetes and improve brain health.

When we eat, nutrients in food are broken down into glucose, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and is transported into the various organs where it serves as the major energy source.

Excess glucose is stored for later in the liver and adapose tissues as glycogen and fat.

In between meals, when the body is in the fasted state, the liver converts glycogen back to glucose to supply the body with energy.

Typically, an inactive persons takes about 10 to 12 hours to use up the glycogen stores, although someone who exercises may do so in much less time.

Once the reserve of glucose is used up, the body taps into energy source in the adapose tissues.

Thisiswhenfatsarebrokendownintometabolic fuel called ketones, which are also tremendous for modulating inflammation in the brain.

This is why people on intermittent fasting plan will experience a reduce in brain fog.

If the fast lasts long enough, the body burns fat for energy.

You’ll lose all that extra fat and losing this extra fat has been associated with a range of health benefits.

Insulin is the hormone responsible for driving glucose into the cells, so it is regulated to match the amount of glucose in the blood, which is high after a meal and low between meals.

Because insulin is secreted after each meal, eating throughout the day keeps insulin levels high most of the time.

Constant high insulin levels may desensitize body tissues, causing insulin insensitivity, the hallmark of pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Fasting helps keep insulin levels low, reducing the risk of diabetes.

Fasting however is not for everyone. You shouldn’t attempt this feeding plan if you are a child or teen, pregnant or breastfeeding, have an eating disorder or underweight.

Or if you’re dealing with diabetes type 1 or advanced diabetes and some other health issues.

Please consult your doctor or physician before going on this plan.

For intermittent fasting to be safe and effective, it must be combined with balanced meals that provide good nutrition.

It is important to stay hydrated and avoid overeating, especially unhealthy food when breaking your fast and during your feeding window.

Next week I’ll write a complete beginners guide to intermittent fasting for those that are curious, and common mistakes that may be stalling your results.

–– Odunuga is a certified fitness trainer and is the founder of Easyfit, a brand that aims to simplify the obscurity that people have about fitness. You can follow @Easyfitng on instagram for fitness tips, motivation and healthy recipes and reach her at Easyfitng@ gmail.com.

22

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

ECONOMY

Akume

Chairman, FIRS, Mohammed Nami

Gbajabiamila

Repositioning Nigerian Gaming Industry for Better Performance, Revenue Generation Kehinde Olaosebikan who participated in the just concluded maiden National Gaming Conference held in Lagos, gives an overview of the conference and how the National Lottery Regulatory Commission is moving to make the lottery industry a major revenue earner for the country

T

he Nigerian sports betting and gaming industry has grown astronomically in the last few years.

This exceptional growth can be attributed to the large population, especially the number of youths, increased access to digital telephones, successful internet penetration, increased access to internet-enabled devices and signiÀcant awareness being engendered by NLRC. However, in spite of the huge number of people engaged in betting, Nigerian government generated less than N1 billion revenue from the gaming industry in 2019.

Global trends has also shown that the gaming and lottery industry, if well regulated, is a major sector for the generation of tax revenue by the government.

In 2020, the country’s video game market was worth a total of $104 million, and analysts believe this Àgure will rise to $126 million in 2021.

For two days, July 28 to 29, stakeholders converged in Lagos to brainstorm on ways to reposition the gaming industry for better performance and revenue enhancement in the 21st century.

At the historic Conference, Àrst of its kind in Nigeria, there is consensus among participants that this could be achieved through understanding the Ànancial regulatory obligations of the gaming operators, developing regulatory framework for Ànancial transaction in the sector, understanding taxation as well as resolving multiplicity of regulations in the gaming Industry.

Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental AͿairs, Senator George Akume, said the industry, including international stakeholders, generate in excess of N250 billion in 2019, yet revenues to the government did not exceed N1 billion.

The minister noted that the low revenue to the government was unsustainable and unacceptable.

In order to block leakages in betting and eliminate discrepancies often observed from the books of some operators, Akume said the Federal Government would soon acquire a Central Monitoring System (CMS) for the gaming industry in Nigeria.

Akume said the acquisition of the CMS would enable the Nigeria Lottery Regulatory

Commission (NLRC) and its sister agency, the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) to perform maximally in their regulatory functions and provision of lottery good causes to Nigeria.

“This will undoubtedly entrench transparency and accountability in the industry, thereby making things a lot easier for all stakeholders,” the minister said.

He commended the commission for organising the conference, adding that the theme was apt and topics slated for discussion were germane to the current situation concerning the gaming industry in Nigeria. He praised the courage and proactiveness of the leadership of the NLRC. In his address, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, Director-General of NLRC, said that the gaming industry was of vital concern to the government and key to its revenue enhancement.

“The commission has consistently worked on the actualisation of a Central Monitoring System platform to ensure real-time monitoring and promote accountable transparency in the gaming sector,” Gbajabiamila said.

According to the NLRC boss, the commission is already working on the amendment of existing lottery laws to provide a legislative and regulatory framework that best serves the industry. He was optimistic that the National Gaming Bill 2021 would be passed into law before the end of the year.

“It is common knowledge that the industry has evolved and adopted technology to optimise operations so much that extant laws do not reÁect the reality or trend of the Nigerian gaming industry,”he said.

Dr Bello Maigari, NLTF Executive Secretary, on his part, admonished licensed lottery operators on prompt remittance to ensure continuity and sustainability of Corporate Social Responsibity (CSR) to the society.

Maigari, who was represented by Mr Abubakar Nakwada, NLTF Head of Operations, said that enhanced and improved lottery remittance would ensure the continuity of good causes for the greater wellbeing of Nigerians .

He said that over the years across the globe, lottery and gaming have been identiÀed as a wealth generator, noting that proceeds from lottery was όused to transform societies and Nigeria should not be an exception.

He noted that for Nigeria to maximise the potentials of the industry, lottery business

owners and entrepreneurs must encourage best practice, collaboration, curtail corruption and acts capable of undermining the growth of the sector.

Maigari said he saw the conference as a constructive engagement that would make Nigeria’s lottery and gaming industry work in a manner that was systemic, coordinated and impactful where everyone had a stake in making it a huge success.

On taxation, the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Alhaji Muhammad Nami, said that the law expects lottery operators to comply with the tax regime by registering for taxes and obtaining tax identiÀcation numbers.

Nami, who was represented by Mr Matthew Gbonjubola, Group Lead Strategic Tax Operations, FIRS, said that operators were also expected to keep adequate records of all their transactions.

“Lottery Operators are required to Àle relevant returns which includes income tax , PAYE returns of all employees in the state where they are resident, pay withholding tax from suppliers and very importantly cooporate with tax authorities.

“It is not only gaming operators that complain about taxation, it is important to note that revenue most be generated to cater for citizens,” Nami said.

He noted that the conference would give stakeholders in the industry an opportunity to dialogue and resolve some of the challenges faced in the sector In his contribution, Yahaya Maikori, Founder of Law Allianz, asks Nigerian gaming industry to invest in software as most of the revenue leaving the country from the sector was spent on software.

Also, Mr Adewale Akande, of Bet9naija, said that most lottery operators in Nigeria do not have the technical know-how to develop software for their day-to-day activities.

“The people who are capable of developing these software are outside the country, this is because we don’t develop it locally.

“We need to fund developers in Nigeria so that we can get the software we want internally, instead of importing from other countries,” Akande said.

He said the event was an opportunity for lottery operators to have a direct dialogue with regulators and resolve the issue of multiplicity of regulations in the sector.

Speaking on ethics and responsible gambling, NLRC Director of Legal Services, Mrs Olayemi Ajayi, advised operators in the gaming industry to market and advertise responsibly to avoid portraying the sector in a wrong manner.

“All operators are expected to have both physical and virtual checks in place at all times to ensure no player below the age of 18 is allowed to play,” she said.

Olayemi said that responsible gaming is a very important element in the industry in order to protect lottery players and encourage operators to do the right thing.

“The objective of responsible gaming is to ensure the integrity of the operation of all stakeholders in the gaming industry,” the NLRC director said.

On gaming addiction, Olayemi urged players to indulge in gaming just for entertainment purposes, noting that they should not use it as a way of coping with stress, loneliness or depression.

She also stressed the need for players dealing with addiction to seek professional help or advice from a counselor.

Other ways of avoiding addiction is to always treat the money lost as a form of entertainment, she counselled.

“Set a limit to your spending at every session and stick to it, expect losses, don’t use your credit cards to play lottery games and create balance in your life,” she said.

In a communique issued after the gaming conference, the stakeholders resolved that Ànancial reporting standard be tailored to accommodate the peculiarities of the operators in the gaming industry.

It was also suggested that the gaming industry, being a Áedgling one, requires a robust legislative framework which would accommodate the concerns of all stakeholders.

Also, all operators have agreed to close ranks with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and its sister agency, National Lottery Trust Fund in the establishment of monumental projects to reÁect the impact of lottery proceeds in the society.

With the epoch making National Gaming Conference, NLRC has put the Lottery industry on a higher pedestal with the assurance of bigger, better and greater rewards for all stakeholders and much more revenues for Nigeria.

23

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • AUGUST 1, 2021

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

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

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 29Jul-2021, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 157.35 158.91 -2.74% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 4.64% Nigeria International Debt Fund 308.25 308.25 -23.60% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 111.46 111.46 -0.57% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.31% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.23 3.39 -4.83% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 3.80% Anchoria Equity Fund 135.39 136.95 1.79% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.10 1.10 -17.55% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.75 20.34 8.89% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 428.98 441.91 7.15% ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.09 -1.00% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.97 0.97 -7.78% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.93% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 105.4 105.4 3.63% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,012.81 1,012.81 1.28% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.00 2.00 -12.74% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.12 2.16 -9.52% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.23% Paramount Equity Fund 16.10 16.92 2.29% Women's Investment Fund 137.19 138.79 3.09% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.01% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 118.66 119.41 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 107.24 107.24 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.65% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.18 1.20 -1.41% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.36 1.36 -13.83% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.20% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 5.70% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,134.84 1,149.62 -1.48% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund 191.79 193.13 2.19% FBN Halal Fund 111.49 111.49 7.77% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.64% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

126.36 157.71

126.36 3.35% 159.92 4.32% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.96 1.58 1.18

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 5.19% 3.96 2.35% 1.61 3.66% 1.18 3.97% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 3,720.03 3,358.16 100.00

Offer Price 3,772.57 3,358.16 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn -0.68% 2.50% 5.57%

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.76% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.81 2.87 -1.70% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 151.78 152.06 -2.39% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.29 1.33 2.14% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.09 1.09 0.13% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.43 1.45 4.86% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,138.85 1,138.85 4.92% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.51 11.57 9.93% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.09% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.66 1.69 7.18% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.46 11.52 -5.50% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.79% PACAM Equity Fund 1.66 1.67 4.97% PACAM EuroBond Fund 112.48 114.21 2.34% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 133.13 135.42 9.71% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 10.11% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,282.09 3,316.97 2.19% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 231.76 231.76 3.07% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.21 1.23 3.39% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 305.02 305.02 3.52% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 223.91 227.28 2.60% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.00% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,317.03 10,461.32 -1.70% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.26 1.26 3.15% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 114.97 114.97 3.50% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 102.62 102.62 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.30 1.31 1.38% United Capital Bond Fund 1.90 1.90 3.79% United Capital Equity Fund 0.87 0.89 9.67% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.39% United Capital Eurobond Fund 119.29 119.29 4.23% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 3.52% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 5.77% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.95 13.06 9.14% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.25 14.27 16.22% Zenith Income Fund 24.23 24.23 1.05% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.75%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.53 51.79

10.25% 2.65%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.39

13.49

1.29%

127.15 100.31 18.02 18.24

130.22 102.43 18.12 18.34

5.70% 1.07%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.92 5.94 17.52 1.00 19.57 151.38

3.96 6.02 17.62 1.00 19.77 153.38

3.81% 4.38% 7.96% 5.55% -4.60% -30.89%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

24

AUGUST 1˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL Resurrection of NIIA: A Review and Agenda Setting for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy

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he Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) held a two-day Virtual Roundtable on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy on Monday, 12th and Tuesday, July 13, 2021. The theme of the Roundtable was‘’Looking Back, Going Forward: Setting the Agenda for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy.’’The methodological implication of the theme is not far-fetched: the need to draw lessons from the past using the present to define the new way forward. It also requires a holistic approach in the choice of which past issues to draw lessons from. And perhaps more significantly, it requires the articulation of which type of future is to be desired and which type of agenda will be good enough to enable the Government of Nigeria respond to the current challenges of a changing world of globalisation.

And true enough, the Roundtable was not simply a platform for academic reflections but, most significantly, a platform for the resurrection of the NIIA, which suffered an academic thrombosis inflicted on it by the NIIA Governing Council, chaired by General Ike Omar Nwachukwu. The NIIA slumbered, not to say dead, as a result of the thrombosis, but was brought back to life by the new Director General, Professor Eghosa Osaghae. The NIIA is gradually becoming again a living institution. It was under this recovery effort that the NIIA held the Roundtable and also an Ambassadorial Forum on Nigeria-Bangladesh Relations on July 26, 2021. The quality of the Roundtable, in terms of paper contributions, methodological approaches, theoretical analyses, and conjectural submissions, lend much credence to a new NIIA in the making.

The virtual Roundtable was structured into four main parts which were organised into two sessions per day: morning and afternoon.

Twelve papers were scheduled for presentation on the first day, but eleven papers were actually presented. The ten papers were scheduled for presentation on the second day. This report focuses on some papers that bother more on the use of foreign policy as an instrument of national security, national development, national integration, and particularly for policy-making and implementation.

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SomeProblemsofthePast Professor Hassan A. Saliu gave an overview of the structures, processes, outcomes and reviews of Nigeria’s foreign policy since 1960 and noted that‘the Presidency has, more or less, become the only face of Nigeria’s foreign policy and that the role of the unoffficial channels is diminishing by the day. Ditto for the research arms. The existence of these structures has not guaranteed much coordination of the foreign policy.’

More important, Prof. Saliu said the Nigerian Diaspora Commission ‘invades the policy environment without proper synergy with the Ministry of foreign Affairs,’which still makes policy briefs, but its views under the current Republic, are sometimes not considered and (are) kept in (the) dark on some issues. Attendance at international fora has proven the point on lack of coordination in Nigerian foreign policy.’On the way forward, he suggested doing away with ad hoc approaches to foreign policy, making greater efforts to resolve domestic problems, embarking on a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s foreign policy and paying more attention to Nigeria’s relations with the Western world. ‘’Nigeria and the Emerging Economies: China and India,’’was the focus of the paper of Dr. Efem N. Ubi, the Director of Research and Studies at the NIIA. He began his presentation with a quotation that ‘the striking thing about the global economy is how little it relies on the United States as the main engine of growth. Since 2007, China’s rapidly expanding economy has provided the largest contribution to global growth, while half of the world’s expansion over the past year has come from three countries: China, India and Russia.’

In his analysis of Nigeria’s relations with China and India, Dr. Ubi noted at the level of India that India is Nigeria’s largest trading partner and Nigeria is also India’s largest trading partner in Africa. As he put it, ‘total bilateral trade between India and Nigeria during the year 2019-20 registered US $13.82bn, as against US $13.89b recorded during the year 2018-19.’

On relations with China, Dr. Ubi had it that‘the turn of the Millennium saw a stronger Nigeria-China relation in socio-political and economic terms, especially in terms of the Nigeria-China strategic Partnership agreement, done in 2006 and which underscored the need for expansion of trade; investments in agriculture; telecommunications, energy; and infrastructure development. In this regard, Dr. Ubi strongly believed that Nigeria should harness its relationship with the Emerging Economies for its development.

As regards Dr. Tola Ilesanmi’s‘’Gender and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,’’ she provided an exegesis of the problems of policy making and implementation. Considering that Nigeria currently ranks number 139 out of 156 countries on the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report (vide

Onyeama World Economic Forum, 2021), she suggested a pro-gender approach in which more women are appointed into leadership positions within the foreign and security services; adoption of explicit gender equality policies, especially within the framework of the National Action Plans (NAPS on Women, Peace and Security; and the elevation of‘gender equality to a foreign policy priority by establishing dedicated budget and stand-alone funds for women’s rights programs and organisations.’

She also placed a particular emphasis on the need for Nigeria to domesticate the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which requires UN Member States‘to ensure increased participation of women in peace keeping missions and in the security sectors.’A basis for domestication can begin with the adoption of the First (2013) and Second (2017) National Action Plan as basis of implementation of the UNSCR 1325.

Dr. Habu Mohammed of the Political Science Department of Bayero University, Kano, noted in his own paper, ‘Economic Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,’that Nigeria adopted economic diplomacy in 1988 as a new direction to hasten economic revival and sustainable development, but under subsequent administrations, the policy‘was either relegated to the background or its vigorous implementation reduced to near oblivion until its resurgence as a foreign policy framework of the new civilian administration in 1999.

The paper investigated what the changes and continuities in the conduct of Nigeria’s international economic relations were, with emphasis on the challenges and prospects in the current unipolar world.

He observed that the introduction of economic diplomacy in Nigeria is a shift in the direction of the country’s foreign policy from its traditional posture of afrocentricism and that the shuttle diplomacy embarked upon by Foreign Minister Ike Nwachukwu‘was more of a declaration of intent’to the outside world, that investment opportunities abound in Nigeria, but‘the gesture was rarely responded (to) by host countries largely because of the climate of the domestic environment.’

In his examination of‘Nigeria and the European Union: the Cotonou Years and Beyond’, Professor Victor Adetula of the University of Jos, observed that‘despite some critical remarks on Nigeria-EU relations, there are some positive aspects of the relationship, mainly traceable to the period of the Lomé Conventions. However, the benefits from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement and its impact on national development are negligible.’He also noted the likelihood of the

Speaking, grosso modo and in evaluative terms, the Roundtable was a good development. It woke up the NIIA Research Fellows from their long academic slumber and also provided a renewal of opportunities for their peers in other institutions to share ideas with them on foreign policy. The major challenge, however, is the environmental conditioning of foreign policy agenda setting, which was only tangentially discussed by Professor Eghosa Osaghae and Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo. The Roundtable had little discussions on the dilemma of the domestic setting which has made intellectual activities very difficult.

There is the need for agenda setting, for foreign policy, which is really not the problem. Agenda setting should, lato sensu, be for the foreign policy makers, as they are the noisome problems. Put interrogatively, what type of agenda setting can be helpful to Nigeria’s international image if there is selected criminal administration of justice, if thousands of farmers ‘all over the country are killed with the government unable or unwilling to do anything’ to borrow the words of Professor Ogunsanwo? What type of agenda setting is required when foreign policy institutions are being bastardised even by the Governing Councils and Foreign Ministry meant to be a supervisor and a guide?

expired Cotonou Agreement being renewed and defined by the international system‘which has become increasingly less charitable and characterised mainly by rising nationalism, a decline of multilateralism, and the continued fragmentation of global governance architecture and international regulation.’Consequently, he submitted that the Nigerian government must pay more attention, reappraise its capabilities against its values and interests, and advance its interests in the international system. For instance, while the relationship with the EU is desirable, Nigeria needs to critically assess its membership of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and its relevance to its development needs and priorities.

Dr. Willie Aziegbe Eselebor wrote on‘Border Security in Nigeria: a Strategic Variable in Foreign Policy,’and noted that‘border security remains a variable because an open (borderless) border or globalised border, without control cannot guarantee peace, security and development.’Therefore he opined that Nigeria should‘do a scenario analysis to determine what Nigeria realistically wants to do with its borders. He also submitted that what Nigeria‘should address in agenda setting is how to ... engage with UN-AU-ECOWAS in relation to peace and security; and/or the role of European Union and especially, France when it comes to the G-5 Sahel and in the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Nigeria must aim to play active roles through foreign policy making in AU and other regional blocks.’

Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo of the Center for Diplomatic Studies and Public Affairs, Lead City University, Ibadan, spoke on“National Values, Interests and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in the 21st century,’and drew attention to the fact that most countries have their values: Equality, Liberty and Fraternity for France; Harmony, Benevolence, Righteousness, Courtesy, Wisdom, Honesty, Loyalty and Piety for China; Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness, Common Good and Justice for the United states; Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity for India; Protection of Human Dignity, Human Rights and Democracy for Germany, etc.

Professor Ogunsanwo noted that these values are mostly aspirational and not necessarily respected by all citizens.

On the basis of the December 2019 document on National Security Strategy, Nigeria’s values are ideals of freedom; equality and justice; sanctity of human life; human dignity; democracy; rule of law; free enterprise; respect for human rights; and equal opportunity and access to justice. These are in addition to the values of respect for elders, honesty and accountability, cooperation, industry, discipline, self-confidence and moral courage articulated in the 2014 National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS).

Additionally, he differentiated between and among vital national interests, which are hinged on national survival and require that all resources be deployed; strategic national interests that are also important, but less than vital; and peripheral interests. As he put it, ‘regional security by way of combating terrorism, insurgency and other transnational crimes, also fall under this category of strategic interests.

The defence of these interests will enhance the protection of Nigeria’s vital interests. Peripheral interests deal with Nigeria’s international obligations, assisting in humanitarian operations, etc.

AgendaSettingandQuoVadis In terms of agenda setting and way forward, in addition to the various recommendations noted above, Professor Ogunsanwo believes that the future of Nigeria’s foreign policy depends‘to a large extent on the success or failure of present efforts to transform the economy, industry, energy, infrastructure and digitalisation.’And perhaps, most notably, he said‘it will be share hypocrisy to pretend that you can promote abroad values such as respect of human life and the rule of law when no such exists in Nigeria. Where there is selected criminal administration of justice and thousands of Nigerians in farming communities all over the country are killed with the government unable or unwilling to do anything, we cannot talk about promoting justice and the respect for lives and property abroad. He who goes to equity must go with clean hands. We should learn to do just that with our domestic affairs.’

From the perspective of Professor Femi Otubanjo, whose paper is entitled‘’Is there a Doctrine and Orientation in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy?’’, it is argued that in the 60 years of Nigeria’s independence,‘there have been as many doctrines as there have been regimes, but there has been only one significant change of orientation.’A doctrine‘is the articulation of a country’s vision of its preferred role and priorities in its relations with other countries or the general international system,’ while‘foreign policy orientation is the predictable disposition of a state in its relationship with others and its preferences in the international system. It is the axis from which all policy choices and even, instruments radiate. Orientation is very much like a paradigm from which theories, hypothesis, doctrines and choices flow.’

In sum, Professor Otubanjo said‘doctrines have been ephemeral in Nigeria, the orientation of Nigeria’s foreign policy has changed only once: from Balewa’s pro-western inclination to Gowon’s broadening of relations with the Eastern Bloc as a result of military necessity. All the attempts at doctrinal postulations, since then, have been based on the presumption of Nigeria’s robust relations with all nations and regions of the world.’

It is noteworthy that the submission of Professor Otubanjo is quite interesting and right on the basis of the good distinction made between a foreign policy doctrine and a foreign policy orientation.

However, when he noted in his paper that‘in spite of the grand declaration of non-partisanship in East-West ideological disputes, Balewa could not untie Nigeria from the umbilical cord of Nigeria’s colonial master and her allies,’Professor Otubanjo is simply implying that the Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

01.8.2021

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DR. ANTHONY OBI OGBO

I HAVE ENJOYED MY LIFE; NO REGRETS He started his career in journalism with a bang, when, as a 20-year-old undergraduate, he was employed by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the owner of the weekly Trumpet Newspaper as a Chief Cartoonist. His creativity later pushed him to the Guardian Newspaper, where he ran a cartoon column under a pseudo ‘Baba Toyin.’ Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo has since conquered his career world, acquiring two master’s degrees and capped it with a PhD all in the United States. Talented, vibrant, and daring, Dr. Ogbo is currently a publisher of International Guardian, a publication based in Houston, Texas, and a journalism professor at Texas Southern University.

Funke Olaode shares her encounter with him.

e is an artistic genius.

He is talented, vibrant, and daring, which summons up his traits.

His creativity pushed him into journalism at the age of 20 in 1981 while he was a student at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) in Enugu, studying Fine and Applied Arts. But Dr Ogbo’s craft went beyond the four walls of his classroom as the political authority summoned him. Ogbo hadn’t flouted any political law, mind you. But the power that be wanted him to use his artistic genius through cartoons to subdue the opposition party. It was the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Nigeria People’s Party (NPP) era. By that time, consciously or unconsciously, his career path was paved. Dr. Ogbo is conversant with history, witnessing the Nigerian civil war that broke out in 1966 when he was barely five years old. His innocent mind witnessed the destruction and disruption of humanity and society in general.

“I am a civil war generation. I was born in 1961, the civil war broke out in 1966/1967, and that three years I was in the middle of the war with my grandparents. So the trauma, sleeplessness, anytime you hear a big sound, you come out to see if there is something coming up. I witnessed bombs being thrown, household was bombarded at a point before we ran back to the village. I witnessed all that, and eventually, the war ended. The post-civil war era was when I had to go to school learning under the tree because the buildings were all messed up. And the funny thing about it is that at the end of the day they will bring you to take examinations.

“I witnessed hardship. I see my fellow students because they could not afford school fees they were driven out. And then sometimes we will be going back to school and see some of them selling peanuts. So all those kinds of experiences shaped my life, and sometimes when they talk about going to war or when they flex muscles, people like us will speak differently. And then we tell them that you can’t achieve anything fighting, nobody has, you can win a war without carrying a gun. We are even lucky that that war ended; Syria is still on,” he recalled.

As a young man searching for purpose, Dr Ogbo toed the career path trod by an ordinary man. But his case was different. His career found him early, and he dabbled into journalism.

“I was very young when I got into journalism. My first school was Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, where I studied fine and applied art. The same year I was actually appointed the chief cartoonist at the Weekly Trumpet, which was serious political paper owned by NPN, National Party of Nigeria. And our job in that paper is to lampoon the opposition, which is the NPP (Nigerian People’s Party). The Nigerian People’s Party is the main opposition party. This is the deal. They won the three eastern states because if you remember the two-thirds majority controversy, they said NPN won 12 states that are not two-third.

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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COVER

MyViews on Journalism and Futurism

“We diagnose organisations to strategize, strategies on how to fix their problems and how to fix challenges.

And we also help young people who are interested in leadership and also help them source funding opportunities to study leadership

Ogbo

So the next election, their intention was to get two states from the east at least. So our job at that newspaper is to make sure that we tear down the NPP so that the NPN can get at least between Anambra, Imo, and Plateau states. They could get one or two states from there.

“They saw my cartoon and invited me and asked if I was the one that did that. They were expecting to see a big man, but when they saw the little thing, they said, ‘Can we take you to a room so that you can give us a sketch.’

They were trying to see if I was the person that actually did the cartoon.

So they took me to a room, and I came out within five minutes with a cartoon that they actually used that day. That was how I got the job. That was the thing about the Trumpet,” he recounted.

He was born in Kaduna to parents who hailed from the East. His father was working with the then Postal and Telegraph (P&T). His father’s influence, he admits, draws him into the newspaper.

“My father was politically inclined. Every morning they would bring all the newspapers to my house.

And being young and I cannot read at that time, I have to always look at flip through those papers and look at the pictures. So at the time when I started reading, that was how I actually got involved in the news. So his influence got me into everything about the news and everything about the newspaper,” he explained.

While he was fiddling with newspapers as a toddler, his artistic in him was germinating.

“I started drawing when I was little. They have to actually keep me away from the walls. And at a certain point, my dad said, ‘leave him alone.’ And then there is something he does every time he comes back

from work. He brings me blank sheet of papers. Sometimes he brings like a bundle, and I draw the whole thing out. And then during the war, when we moved back to the village, there was no paper and pen, I will use in drawing, so I will draw on the sand.

And when I draw on the sand, I don’t like anybody to play around there. Again, I got it from my father’s side because I know that I have an uncle who is a reverend father and also an artist. So right from childhood, my career path had been paved. And then multitasking, then I followed journalism then flew away with it,” he disclosed.

Dr Ogbo as an undergraduate was a rich student.

“I had a car as a student because as an OND student I was on level six,” he said.

“I was earning salary, allowance and they also gave us stuffs because I was young and didn’t want my parents to know, I will be giving it to other people. They gave us things like bags of rice and so many other things.

So I was thinking that if I take those stuffs to my house, they will ask, ‘You are still going to that newspaper?’ They will want me to stay away from the place. Honestly, that era opened my eyes about Nigeria, the (broad or fraud), the gains, the conspiracy theories.”

After his sojourn at IMT, Dr Ogbo moved to Lagos for the mandatory one-year youth service. But prior to that, there was a coup led by then Gen. Buhari, and Weekly Trumpet was frozen. “They moved us from Weekly Trumpet to Daily Star, a government paper. So I became the chief cartoonist for Daily Star. So basically, I spent more time as a student in Daily Star more than Trumpet.

So when I graduated, Daily Star said, okay, since you are serving in Lagos, we are going to move you to Lagos. So they actually moved me to Lagos. There was a cartoon piece in the Guardian called Baba Toyin, it was very popular, I am the Baba Toyin. And I was in the creative section as the supervisor.”

As Dr Ogbo was moving up the ladder, his ingenuity was opening doors, and he became sought after. He had spent two or three years in Guardian when he was called

to Prime People to revive the moribund paper. He used his magic wand to bring the paper back to the street, and within few days, it became a household name.

He stayed in Prime People till 1989.

By the late 80s, the pen profession was becoming too dangerous as journalists were being prosecuted while media houses were being proscribed.

Having seen the handwriting on the wall, his uncle advised him to move abroad. This was in 1989. He moved to the United States of America in 1989 and kept his flame of journalism going.

“I became a foreign correspondent for Prime People in Michigan, but I moved to Texas because Michigan was too cold. I later resigned from Prime People when I got a job with the Houston Chronicle. And from Houston Chronicle, I got into the Houston Sun, from Houston to the international Guardian till today.”

A visionary and industrious individual, the emergence of the internet fired up Dr Ogbo to seek more knowledge, having realized that the boom on the internet was going to affect publishing. He had an option. Whether to sit down or move with the trend.

Again, he just got married. Dr Ogbo decided to go back to school.

“I knew that the publishing industry was going to be affected. I went back to school. I was making babies at the same time. I did two masters in the University Of Phoenix, Arizona. I have one master’s in Human Resources and Human Resources Management and another master’s in Business Administration (MBA). So I was living in Texas, shuttling between Arizona, which is the state. I immediately went into my PhD in Management, specialising in organizational leadership. And that was when I set up an educational outfit called American Journal of Transformational Leadership. American Journal of

Transformational Leadership is a nonprofit academic outfit in the United States that trains transformational leaders.

“We diagnose organisations to strategize, strategies on how to fix their problems and how to fix challenges.

And we also help young people who are interested in leadership and also help them source funding opportunities to study leadership. Because we found out that most of the problems that we have in Africa are tied down to leadership.

And most of the time, also people have the wrong impression of what leadership is all about especially distinguishing between leadership and management.

And most of my books are actually centred on leadership and management. I am so passionate about transformation and based on the fact that the society where we are facing a lot of challenges. I am currently a professor of Journalism in Texas Southern University.”

That Dr Ogbo breathes, eats and sleeps with journalism is an understatement.

He gives tips on how to be a successful journalist. “Journalism is about passion. If you don’t have passion, if your aim is to be rich, you will not make it in journalism.

Because it is not structured to make people rich, it is to empower the community. A community journalist goes to a certain community because something is going on there. You want to report that thing even when nobody sends you. You are part of that community. You report out of passion. Why are people treated this way? But commercial journalists, it doesn’t matter who is hurt. He or she just goes there and makes his money and get out. So what keeps me and what keeps any good journalist is the passion for journalism.

You must have inner love, and it is about helping people.”

That Nigerian media is struggling, is saying the least. He noted, “When the internet came out, what media companies did was to go into research about how to monetise the media beyond the street presence. And most media in the West have taken advantage of it, except some of our media, they are still relying on the street. My Guardian cut its circulation from 50,000 because we were in Houston to 25,000. And then, we channel all our resources into the internet. There is still a lot of money in the internet. When I came to America, I went to Houston Chronicle, USA Today, to see what they are doing before I set up my paper. I worked with the State Chronicle, and I was moving from section to section. I went to community college to study commercial art because I found out that their computer programmes were different from Nigeria.

I studied commercial art, that is where I got acquainted with Photoshop and all production software, and that is what helped.

“Let me tell you something about Nigerian journalists. I am talking about the traditional journalist. I can tell you that with or without the internet, they are good.

As far as their competence is concerned, they are good. I have classes that have one or two Africans, but Nigerian journalists, they are on fire. Maybe it is because of the way we train in our schools, the way we train people in English language and some other things. And again, when you read the internet, I read the internet, I have a strong social media presence. I see them, they are good.”

His last six decades have been on a roller-coaster mix with career fulfilment.

Looking back, were there things he would have loved to do differently?

“I have enjoyed my life and have no regrets. And what I would have done differently? One thing is not to wait for opportunities. When the internet came out, we were staring. I was here when they started Yahoo, Google. So that is some of the things that I teach students now. I tell them that any time you see people rushing up or something comes out, go for it don’t wait. Because the idea is that by that time it is a risk, but take it. Because by the time you wake up to start going up people have already gone. Don’t allow opportunities to pass you by.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

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GLITZ PERSONALITY

KIKE MORONKEJI

How I’m Shaping New Narratives in Nigeria’s Motion Pictures Streaming services are the new gold in the global movie industry, and in Nigeria, Kike Moronkeji, a qualified scientist and engineer in different fields, joins the race with the launch of Gidi Box Office, writes Vanessa Obioha

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s far back as she can remember, Kike Moronkeji has always been arts inclined. Her creative streak was evinced in different hues, from writing poems to stories which she hardly completes — a familiar challenge for emerging writers. She was particularly drawn to Nollywood.

“I had a very strong interest in Nollywood movies,” she said.

However, her educational qualifications boast more engineering courses. She has a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, a master’s in Aerospace Vehicle Design, a PhD in Biomechanical Engineering. She is also a chartered engineer with the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Yet, her passion for the arts continues to grow such that when she discovered a way to marry the two passions together, she leapt on it with unbridled fervour.

The result is the birth of a new movie streaming platform Gidi Box Office.

“A movie streaming platform was such a draw, particularly as I could marry entertainment with technology,” she enthused.

Gidi Box Office serves as a subscription video-on-demand service streaming platform of specially curated Nollywood titles. The goal is to showcase premium content from Nollywood’s silver screens, alongside Nigerian movies making debuts at international film festivals to a global community.

“The opportunity this platform offers is a well-balanced ecosystem that provides an outlet for the content provider and a rich source of African stories for the viewers. The outcome of this fine balance serves the purpose of heightening your viewing pleasure, maximising options, and tapping into a huge diaspora community.

“Our goal at Gidi Box Office is to establish a standard and world-class Nollywood video streaming services platform that will accommodate users from all across the world,” explained Moronkeji.

The streaming industry is rapidly growing globally. Since the American giant streamer Netflix recorded success and demonstrated the global appeal of streaming services, more media and entertainment investors are joining the queue. In America, the streamer is facing competition with new services such as Disney Plus and HBO Max. The latter recently announced plans to enter the Latin America market while Amazon, the giant e-commerce company owned by one of the world’s richest, Jeff Bezos, revealed plans to buy the 97-year-old film and television studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — also home to James Bond films — for $8.45 billion which will help its streaming platform Amazon Prime to compete favourably with other streamers in the American market.

In Nigeria, Netflix is still the cream

Moronkeji

“We are committed to helping the industry grow by showcasing the sensational, engaging, interesting, exciting, dramatic, and adventurous films by content producers for consumers, of Nollywood. Since last year when it announced interest in producing original Nigerian content, many Nollywood movies have been added to the expanding vault of the streamer. Besides, the streamer recorded significant growth last year when the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the world as more people depended on entertainment to overcome the gripping uncertainty. However, ARISEPlay, the new global streaming service from Arise Media Group, is also taking a market share.

The way Moronkeji sees it, online

video consumption will not decline in the coming years. Rather there will be a rapid spike.

“In recent years, online video consumption has grown rapidly and is projected to continue on that upward trajectory over the next several years. The growth of the online viewing audience is driven by both growing internet penetration and the availability of increasingly capacious broadband networks (both fixed and mobile) capable of transmitting high-quality video. This

growth is occurring in both developed and developing countries.

“The fastest growth is expected in the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.

Africa is projected to see significant growth in subscription video-on-demand services as the nascent market continues to mature,” she said.

Particularly, she sees an increase in Nollywood consumption. This, she said, can be attributed to “the increase in our production values, art direction, improvement in script construction, continuity, well-developed plots brought to life by actors that respect their craft, to name a few.

There is obviously so much more that can be credited to this surge in interest in Nollywood content.,” she noted. “All this did not happen overnight, and we have our legends in the industry to thank for all their hard work in laying the foundation that we will continue to build upon.”

While few Nigerian-owned streamers are vying for their position in the market, Moronkeji believes her platform has a comparative advantage. According to her, the difference lies in the Gidi Box Office approach to streaming and distribution.

“There is no doubt that the industry is extremely competitive, which is why we are clear in our objectives that the diaspora is our target audience. We aim to bridge the gap in the market by solving the problem of limited access to direct cinematic Nollywood content for diaspora audiences. Our objective is on servicing the diaspora, which is anywhere between five to 15 million people and expected to increase to about 25 million by 2026.

“In focusing on our objective, we also address the challenge of limited distribution opportunities for filmmakers and content creators. We will keep evolving and bringing new features to our platform to ensure our customers have a smooth and seamless viewing experience.”

The engineer plans to work with upcoming independent filmmakers and has developed two models to remunerate content producers for their work. The first model involves a one-off payment where a license fee is paid on acquisition. The second model, which is based on performance and the number of streams their content generates, will be a ‘pay per hour’ payment model. Moronkeji disclosed that the ‘pay per hour’ option provides the filmmaker with an opportunity to earn revenue each month for as long as their content is on the platform.

Currently, there are two plans on the platform: a monthly subscription plan for $4.99 (N2,070) or a yearly subscription, which costs $53.89 and includes a 10% discount.

“We are looking to license more premium cinema movies for our global audience because we understand the huge appetite by people in the diaspora for quality Nollywood movies,” she said.

“Not everyone in the diaspora is able to travel to Nigeria for premieres of the cinema movies or conveniently watch Nollywood movies in Nigerian cinemas, so we must bridge this gap by being the platform that makes these movies readily available.”

The platform’s first original series, ‘Sisi Eko,’ launched in May while its feature film ‘13 Letters’ is currently in post-production and will go to cinemas before the end of the year.

The movie is produced and directed by the super-talented Kayode Peters and parades a stellar cast that includes Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, Bolanle Ninalowo, Mofe Duncan, Teddy A, among others.

“We are committed to helping the industry grow by showcasing the sensational, engaging, interesting, exciting, dramatic, and adventurous films by content producers for consumers,” she stated.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

HighLife Against All Odds, Uju Ifejika Wax Stronger “The virtue of angels is that they cannot deteriorate. Their flaw is that they cannot improve. The virtue of man is that he can deteriorate. But his virtue is that he can improve.” This Hasidic saying has seen the light of day in the life and times of Uju Ifejika, the indefatigable oil madam who remains in a class of her own.

Any ambitious female in the Nigerian corporate corridor must overcome two barriers: the dominance of men in the same industry, and the sky-piercing excellence of other women in the same corridor. Against these barriers, one can only say that Ifejika is doing well. Even now, she stands out as the first and only boss of an indigenous oil company, and not one that is still wallowing in obscurity either.

How does one go about introducing this woman? Ifejika is known first and foremost as the Chairlady and CEO of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited (BUNL), one of the prominent petroleum companies of Nigerian origin with vested interests in upstream exploration and production.

With this identity, Ifejika has laboured with other overlords of the oil industry to upgrade the standards of living for Nigerian communities which border the sites of exploration and production, providing job opportunities, advocating cleaner environments, and offering options for better-quality livelihood and welfare. In truth, Madam Ifejika is more than this.

A native of the renowned Opobo area of Rivers State, Ifejika climbed into the ranks of oil-sector nobility after years and years of hard and smart work. Her corporate experience from her years as a junior legal practitioner for Texaco in 1987 to the present are shouldered by a Diploma in Law and an LLB from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, her membership of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), as well as the laudable insignia identifying her as a fellow of the Institute of Arbitration and Conciliation.

Despite all these, it is Ifejika’s vast ambition and unyielding spirit that keeps pushing her forward.

Against the traditional odds of male dominance and the emerging blockade of female control, especially in the banking corner of the Nigerian corporate block, Ifejika’s momentum remains unstoppable.

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

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

All is Set for Yusuf Buhari’s High Octane Wedding

§

Buhari

These days, any mention of Babatunde Fowler, the hitherto upbeat former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), leaves one in sighs. His is a narrative that is best told by an aged individual under the gentle moon, to a gathering of individuals whose stars are on the rise.

Fowler’s stars, after all, were almost in the middle of the sky, until they fell to the ground.

Who remembers the taxman now that he is a humble hermit?

Fowler is one of the least popular subjects of enquiry in Nigeria today. Folks are no longer interested in where he is, what he is doing, and his plans for the future. This is all the more peculiar considering that although the man’s business is his business — that much is true — his nest is too discreet an abode and too tempting a source of gist for many to resist. The man has become a conditional hermit, one who lives under the radar because he has to.

But hark, great things are on the horizon.

According to recent reports, Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has recruited Fowler for its eight-member board of its Pan-African

These are the happiest of times for Yusuf Buhari, the son of President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. With his wedding a few weeks away, the sanguine young man is already the talk of the town. Everything is set for the marriage ceremony; bucks, buddies and bride.

It is said that weddings do tell families apart, not only unhappiness as Leo Tolstoy would have us believe. The preparations for the wedding of Yusuf Buhari to Princess Zahra Ado-Bayero, the daughter of the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado-Bayero, for instance, show that the pair has the best of backers. Beyond the flattery from outsiders that this privilege has engendered, the preparations foretell something of a legendary wedding, even for characters at the level of their families.

The trending news at this time is that the father of the bride-to-be has given his approval for the organisation and inauguration of a 145-man committee.

Based on the word on social media, the main goal of this little army would be to

ensure that the wedding ceremony does not meet any obstacle or complication along the way.

While several notable individuals have been speculated as part of the 145man wedding defence team, only the names of the Chairman, Nura Ahmad (Madakin Bichi), District Head of Bagwai and the Secretary, Abba Waziri (Falakin Bichi), have been confirmed by credible sources. In other news, this is a home team that knows its onions and would be willing to go all out to flatten impediments and ensure a colourfully memorable event.

Meanwhile, the wedding date has reportedly been fixed to hold on August 20, 2021, and at the Emir of Bichi’s Palace.

Nothing could be better for both Yusuf and Zahra whose love story is said to have started with their meeting in the United Kingdom while pursuing their academics.

A lovely pair, indeed, and a mighty noble alliance.

Tunde Fowler in The News Again

Fowler

Oversight Committee. Alongside other individuals from South Africa, Ghana and

Botswana, Fowler will be working in close quarters with the legislation to advise the different member nations of the African Union (AU).

Indeed, these are happy times for Fowler. Even the new appointment docks on his best points—accounting.

Of course, he will always be known as a taxman. After all, before becoming the Chairman of the FIRS, the Lagosian had already made a name for himself as a tax administrator that assisted in the reforms that are currently in use in Lagos State.

Thus, the new appointment is a virgin land for him to shine.

For two years, Fowler has been rusting, needing so much more than the reports of a visit from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) here, or an accusation of fraud and corruption there. Thus, the new prospects at the AU and PAP are a welcome break from the old narrative.

Kwara Governor Falls Below Expectations as Lai Mohammed, APC Go for His Jugular

Mohammed

The road is narrow for one’s enemies. This is one of the best ways to describe the matters tying Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, to a public boxing ring. Contrary to the concept of solidarity that political party members are supposed to uphold, neither

Abdulrazaq nor Mohammed is taking it easy with the other.

The Yoruba slogan for ‘enough is enough’, ‘o to ge’, has reportedly become the trending mantra in Kwara State. This can be traced back to the lamentations of the Information Minister who has done nothing to hide his discontent with Governor Abdulrazaq with whom he once pushed the wagon of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the influence of national figure and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, out of their native Kwara State.

This time, Mohammed is not holding back but going straight for Abdulrazaq’s jugular.

Mohammed recently explained the origin of his feud with the governor. According to him, Abdulrazaq served as the rising sun against a tide of darkness in 2019 and so had his full support, and that of his friends, to take over the reins of power in Kwara State. And he did.

Unfortunately, noted Mohammed, Abdulrazaq

is not fulfilling the purposes of his calling but has gone against everything they once stood for.

To this effect, Mohammed noted that his All Progressives Congress (APC) party has ‘entered once chance’ with Abdulrazaq, a phrase that suggests a dangerous ride with little hope of salvation. Even though he was warned during the primaries, Mohammed said he thought that it could not be worse than the former administration. But he could not be more wrong as he implied that Saraki’s administration is still a shade of light compared to Abdulrazaq’s pitch-black administration.

In other words, Mohammed and his camp of the APC elite in Kwara are not happy with Governor Abdulrazaq, convinced that the number-one Kwara citizen is no longer worthy of his position.

Thunderous Accolades for Tokunbo Wahab as Lagos State Adjudged Best in Education

Ifejika

It was US poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that said that the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. This is the case with the esteemed Tokunbo Philip Wahab, the Special Adviser on Education to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. One award after another, Wahab’s efforts have raised Lagos State’s education sector ranking a few more degrees.

In the present, if there are three solid

things that Lagos State is known for, it has to include a dynamic and indefatigable governor, a smart and progressive framework for administration and policy implementation, and a fiery educational sector, certainly the number one in the country. This is credited to the combined efforts of the Special Adviser and Sanwo-Olu. One a sagacious visionary, the other an ultraflexible administrator. What a team!

Of course, the high ranking that Lagos State has received on the education front is not without cause. The ultimate plan of

Wahab

Wahab is to restore the glory of teaching and learning alike to the good people of Lagos State, as well as build steps, via quality education, for the young to ascend to unprecedented heights in the state, country, and beyond.

53

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

HIGHLIFE

The Return of Arunma Oteh

Oteh

For the former Treasurer and Vice President of the World Bank, Arunma Oteh, these are great times. Her life so far has been nothing short of a colourful adventure, with prestigious positions in the most reputable international organisations. After a bit of time spent outside the corporate limelight,

Oteh was recently appointed as the Chairperson of the Royal African Society.

Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who are peerless at their business. This is Oteh at her game. Even an organisation that has been in operation for 120 years recognises her value as a sharp and effective lady of business and management.

Oteh’s appointment to the Society’s Chairperson role came a few days ago. As the Royal African Society is an organisation that toils for the advancement of the African continent and people by creating avenues for communication and deliberation on several topics between people in the UK, Africa and the rest of the world, Oteh will be in charge of commandeering the visions and implementations of this bridge from Africa and the UK to the rest of the world.

This is something she can do.

Before this appointment, Oteh was

recruited by the former President of World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, to take up the role of Vice President and Treasurer. Having satisfied the objectives of this role, Oteh tried her hands at being an academic scholar at St Anthony’s College, Oxford University, and became no less than an executive-in-residence at the prestigious Saïd Business School. It was while she was still sharpening her abilities in this position that Ecobank Group appointed her to its board of directors as a non-Executive Director. Then came the Royal African Society.

No doubt, Oteh’s reputation, corporate profile and a long list of hands-on experience precede her and continue to pave a path for her, but all that is predicated upon the person itself, Arunma Oteh.

These really are the best of times for the native of Abia State; the best of times indeed.

What’s up Between Ambode and Bosom Friend, Adeniji Kazeem?

It is not for no reason that our parents cautioned us against friends who are like zebras with a duality of stripes that reflect the duplicity of their hearts. Did the former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode hear this counsel in his teens or did he remain headstrong despite it? At least he knows it now, thanks to the actions of his old pal, Adeniji Kazeem.

Media houses and newsrooms have begun to zero in on the dregs of the damaged friendship that used to exist between Ambode, and his former right-hand man, the former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kazeem. With the return of the former Governor to the limelight as the APC’s Deputy Chairman of the South-west subcommittee of the Contact and Strategy Committee, all the empty spaces at his side that used to be occupied by his friends and retainers have become even more conspicuous.

Most folks would recall the semi-shock that accompanied the termination of Ambode’s

gubernatorial ambition after he had served for only one term. To show that there was more to the issue than a simple turnaround of Lagosians’ support, Ambode lost during his party primaries and had nary a chance to compete on the big stage. Notwithstanding, a loss is bearable with friends and loved ones—except that some of those disappeared into thin air, blown away by the same winds that shredded his dreams of two terms.

Based on reports from insiders, Kazeem was one of those who were blown away (or hightailed under fairer and more favourable weather) during that horrendous episode in 2019. The conclusion to this effect, according to well-informed folks, is that Kazeem knew himself to be at risk of being forcefully untethered from the centre of Lagos state politics, and so speedily sought refuge under the same canopies that thrust Ambode out of power and pertinence.

To make matters worse, the ambitions

Kazeem

of Kazeem have not seen the light of day while under the new canopy, similar to how Ambode resided in obscurity for almost two years. Now that Ambode is out again, folks are looking to see the next course of action.

Pillar of Sport, Benedict Peters’ Immense Contribution to Sport

Peters

US industrialist and philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller, is remembered for great things, especially how much he did for others of lesser social and economic class.

The man said very simply, “I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow man according to the dictates of my conscience.” This just might be the guiding line of thought for Deltan billionaire and oil merchant, Benedict Peters, especially in his efforts to inspire young people via sports.

Depending on the source, Benedict Peters is number seven in the list of Nigerian billionaires, and number 17 among African’s wealthiest people.

Notwithstanding, only a handful would make a case against Benedict Peters being the number one with reference to gross contributions and involvement in youth development by way of sports.

For Peters, sports is more than entertainment, but something akin to a gateway for people of modest (and privileged) backgrounds to make celebrated names for themselves. When he was recognised and honoured by Forbes Africa Magazine at a VIP reception in New York in September, 2018, this was listed in his litany of accolades: A keen

believer in the power of sport to motivate and inspire youth, Benny has provided support to sports, sponsoring the Nigeria Football Federation for a five-year period, providing assistance to the Confederation of African Football Awards and the Aiteo Cup. Folks will remember that it was Peters that masterminded the second edition of the Aiteo-NFF awards in 1994 to celebrate the legacy of the Super Eagles team of 1994, what he referred to as ‘the golden era...a phenomenal moment when our country spoke one language—football.’

During that event, Peters celebrated every contributor to sports, and was himself honoured with a standing ovation triggered by Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick.

It was during that event in Eko Hotels and Suites that it was revealed that Benedict Peters is singularly responsible for 30% of the entire expenditure of the NFF. 30%! That is a pillar of sports indeed.

Benedict Peters is a paragon of sports, no question about it.

Esther Ajayi Set to Officially Commission Church in Nigeria Happy times are in view for the still-growing congregation of Love of Christ Generation Church C&S (Worldwide), the Christian assembly that was founded by Rev. Esther Abimbola Ajayi.

A few months ago, reports were buzzing about a potential cathedral in the offing. This has now been confirmed with the date of the grand opening in sight.

The congregational family of the church is on its heels with jubilation over the fact that its new cathedral in Lekki, Lagos, had been completed. The grand opening of the modern Nigeria Cathedral is only a few

weeks away and is definitely going to be the highlight of September.

According to reports, Ajayi has gone all out to erect this magnificent edifice. Her intention, it is reported, is to build something of a sanctuary where her many members can have sincere fellowship and spiritual growth, increasing the knowledge of God and their individual purposes on earth.

Ajayi, who plays the role of mother to the thousands of church members, has never held back with whatever she does. Known for her philanthropy and concern for the nation and its people, Ajayi

has played a vital role in the transformation process that is close to completion among so many Lagos residents. A confident and conscientious woman, the cathedral is only her latest project in a long list of contributions to the spiritual growth and development of her Love of Christ assembly.

The date for the grand opening is September 5, 2021.

Based on the plans that have been unveiled so far, that day would serve as a double celebration for the grand opening and dedication of the cathedral to its purpose: a place of worship for Nigerians everywhere.

Ajayi

Akinruntan

Prince Femi Akinruntan Floats New Fun Spot All work and no play renders one an unhappy idiot. As more and more avenues are created in Nigeria to cut down the possibility of idiots cropping up among the elite of the Nigerian business society, especially, Prince Femi Akinruntan has emerged, as he usually does, to brighten the prospects of this movement. His new idea of a fun place, The Duke, has already begun to stand out and offer a spot of respite from the long hours of work and deliberation.

The Duke, the new lounge and bar located at Osborne, Imoyo, Lagos, is quite a fun place.

Furnished with features that the rich and royal can appreciate, the place is an independent world away from the drudgery and backbreaking exertions that bring in big money and raise the status of individuals and their families. The lounge is designed to relieve these good folks of the burden of work that tends towards tediousness and cleanse their minds and bodies with good drinks, music and business alliances.

The Duke is the brainchild of Prince Akinruntan, son of the uber-wealthy and influential monarch of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan.

Only the Prince and a few others can think up and establish such spots in the fast-lane animation of Lagos streets. But then again, Akinruntan is his father’s son, a true chip off the old block.

While the success of Oba Akinruntan’s Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited has been credited to the monarch himself, his son is definitely part of the action. His endeavours in advancing the name and prestige of the royal family are second only to his father’s, which is another reason the growing popularity of The Duke among the wealthy and influential of Lagos society should come as no surprise.

Still, the Prince’s progressive mind and grasp of the industry and good life is something that remains his own, a unique trait unreflected in any other Akinruntan, living or otherwise.

He, too, is doing well.

54

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Osaze Osemwegie-Ero – This Commissioner Went to Jail Soft-spoken and gentle, the former Commissioner for Arts Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs in Edo State actually went to jail. I had met him during the 2019 National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Benin where I was showcasing my wonderful play ‘Emotan’.

I suffer o. Edo people refused to give me money. I was just running up and down looking for sponsorship wey no come.

Everybody pointed to one man. They call him Captain. Everywhere I went, they said, ”Go to Captain Hosa, na your man. Na only him fit give you the kind sponsorship you dey find.” I pursued that one tire and it looked like the more I chased him, the more the man was determined to evade me.

After days of running around, I would go to Ero’s office and siddon, stretch my leg and say, “my brother, your people hard.”

We would laugh and crack jokes. We had a mutual friend Austin Ebose who is now the Managing Director at Anchor Insurance.

So it was Austin that called me last week to say, “Edgar oya come my office, Commissioner dey here”. I asked him which. He said “just come,” and I went and

saw my friend. I almost wept.

We had heard the story but we didn’t have all the details. Shortly after the NAFEST, on his way to an official assignment which I am sure had to do with the returning artefacts, he was captured in Amsterdam and was later transported to Italy where he was labelled a mafia king and promptly sent to jail. One year and six months later, he regained his freedom but not without the fight of his life.

As he sat by the pool side of Eko Hotel, narrating his story to a shocked little audience made up of his close friends, I struggled to listen intently. The sumptuous buffet laid out just by my side was distracting me. Come and see the food, all sorts complete with Afang o. The snail was even bigger than Ero’s Head but no be food carry me come there. I came to listen.

He was being prosecuted with an allegedly defective Italian Mafia Criminal Code 416 according to him. The same order that made hundreds of innocent Nigerians like him victims of poor profiling and an unreliable judicial system. By his estimation, there are about 300 innocent Nigerians still

languishing in various Italian jails without any hope for justice.

This has now turned into his life’s work.

Getting every innocent Nigerian out of the madness that is the Italian penal system.

My own is simple. If a government official on an official assignment can be picked up just like that and our people in government from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Diaspora Commission who for all intent and purposes is just a platform for ego driven ‘boju boju’ opportunistic initiatives to the Presidency can just sit down and fold their hands without saying a word, then we are in a worse situation than hitherto thought.

I am happy my brother is back with no bitterness. He smiles, laughs and hugs thanking God for the experience and showing grit determination to help those he left behind.

As I walked towards the buffet table the third time, Ero screams at me, “Edgar, you no dey tire?”

I didn’t hesitate to fire back. “You no go shut up now before I send Italians come jack you again. Wetin concern you?”

FOREX CRISES – COME AND BUY US As I watch the Naira take a beating in the markets, I just fold my hand and smile. When things don reach this kain level, what do you do? The CBN very quickly and rightly so has announced the stoppage of using Bureau de Change as a platform for distribution and has redirected their focus on Money Banks. The arbitrage in that space was mad.

They have asked all genuine users of forex to approach their banks for the same. All in a bid to stabilize the markets.

But my people, me, I have a better idea. We need a stop gap measure and very quickly.

The main issue here is demand. The demand for Forex far outstrips supply and in simple economics, when that happens, there is scarcity and when there is scarcity, price will go up. So, the simple solution is for us to shore up supply.

Oil can no longer do it alone. Looking at the diaspora receipts which have been announced at $25 billion at its peak, levelling off at $17 billion recently, I am seeing a quick fix solution.

My investigations show that 70 per cent of the diaspora receipts are from lowly skilled Nigerians operating in what I will call the soft labour sector — make I talk abeg — domestic servant. House boy, house girl, nanny, dog walkers, that kain thing.

So why don’t we dig deep into our over 20 million unemployed youths and push as many as possible into that space, so that they can earn the dollars and bring the money back.

Make una they laugh there. The Philippines earned over $34 billion just last year from house girl work. They even dey send some of them come this our Lekki. Mexico is the leader in this matter.

So why can’t we take all these our slay queens who are just disturbing us with their assets on Instagram over the place, train them, protect

them and secure placements for them all over the world.

What is Abike Dabiri’s agency doing? Let’s turn it into an international placement agency, position it with international HR experts, legal experts and educators who will provide the basic infrastructure that would regulate this deliberate brain drain, if we can call it that.

Where that fails, let us consider selling some of us. Me, I am ready to be sold o. The way this thing is going, everything go soon scatter o except there is intervention from the Almighty. Fear is catching me.

GENERALT.Y. DANJUMA –TARRY AWHILE I did not see the news item that he had passed but I saw the rebuttal. Please can we stop announcing people dead when they are still alive. It is a sick joke. From Nnamdi Azikiwe, to Obasanjo, to IBB, Nigerians keep announcing people’s obituaries up and down.

This country is a funny one. General Danjuma is a historical figure. He is a man that has played some very critical role in National History and depending on which side of the divide you are, he could either be a hero or a villain.

To me, na Hero, because he married Senator Daisy Danjuma. Ohhh my God… the mummy remains one of the most beautiful and elegant mummies I have ever seen in my life. Look, let me use the excuse of this matter to talk about her.

I used to see her picture in the papers and be asking myself, how is it possible that a woman can fine like this? To think that she even comes from Edo State. Not that Edo women are not fine o — before they come and knock my head — Edo women are very beautiful but her kind of

beauty na for Akwa Ibom you can see it.

So that is how I vowed to meet her. It took me over 10 years of plotting and strategizing.

Finally, during my run for ‘Emotan’, I got the meeting in Lagos.

That is how I walked in and Madam came to meet me. My tongue glue to the roof of my mouth. I looked at her, like a mumu. She greeted me, I couldn’t talk. She must have noticed how dazzled I was by her beauty but she didn’t rub it in my face. Rather, she looked at me so warmly and told me softly “tell me what you want.” Still, the super glue no gree leave my mouth. I just told her “nothing ma.”

She laughed and started doing all the talking.

When she finished, she got up and said “Sorry I have to go.” I told her “thank you” and watched her walk away, still mesmerized.

Na that kain beauty you think Papa General will be in a hurry to leave. Daddy will reach 200 and still be watching. Be watching.

CAROLINE SOSU – ANOTHER ELEGANT BEAUTY This Mummy will kill me when she sees this, but I have tried very hard to keep it away from this page. This my last write up about Senator Danjuma just makes me damn the consequences. Patapata na the Coca Cola she used to give me when I go visiting that she will stop giving me na. Abi? Mrs Sosu is the mother-in-law of a former governor; a Nigerian I have tremendous respect for, if for nothing else, but for the fact that he continues to command reverence among his people. And also because I have eaten yam and eggs in his house. It is not easy.

I want to celebrate Madam Sosu this morning because of her humanitarian gesture all over the world. In the last few years, I have raised

Buhari

Danjuma

Sosu.

Osemwegie-Ero

And in Tinubu’s voice, I asked him, “Is it your money? Is it your food?” See me see wahala.

millions of Naira for widows. I love widows and they are my pet project.

Every time I announce an exercise, Mummy Sosu is the first to support. Her kindness and generosity always make me cry and each time I ask her why, her modest response is always “I am a widow.”

Mbok, let me celebrate not only her surreal beauty – she fine o. Come and see. Tall, light-skinned and eyes like the rock of Bilbao — whatever that means. Her stupendous generosity to the cause of widows is admirable.

God bless you ma. God bless you really good.

OMOYELE SOWORE – ACTIVISM IN REVERSE Can I call Sowore my friend? I should think so. I have him on WhatsApp and he used to be a member of the Duke Summit before his famous incarceration. When he was freed, he refused to come back which is ok by me because I really would not like to be called in by ‘Men in Black’ for anything. You see me so, I no get power for all that detention thing.

No Afang, no sex, no phone. Mbok, just leave me.

So that is how I encountered Sowore on WhatsApp one day. I had been receiving his broadcast, calling for revolution, protest, crusade; all the things he usually likes calling for and decided to engage him.

I said “Bro, don’t you think you should change tactics. This crusade, protest, street fighting and all, e no dey work o. You are gradually crying yourself into irrelevance.

Soon if you no take time na Youth Corps, DSS dem go dey send to come carry you o.”

As expected, he no gree. He said “No. You don’t understand, we have to flush these people out.” I asked him “where is your power? Your pull has waned. Even Davido is pulling more crowds than you in this sector.

See EndSARS dey even drive you comot.

Adebiyi

55

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

LOUD WHISPERS Where is your power when you can only pull six people to your crusade?

He still no gree. “The struggle continues.”

I just shook my head: this one still dey UNILAG mode, so I left him.

You see, Sowore’s folly is plenty. His Sahara Reporter platform is really not helping his cause with its often colourful reporting and his strategy is becoming weak by the day.

I begged him to re-engage the democratic process. I begged him to try the Senate and take the battle within. He said it was an insult, so I kept quiet.

You see, the system is entrenched. We have structures that cannot be pulled down by wearing jeans and painting your face black and be shouting under the bridge. We need serious agitators that will discuss the issues — economic, political and social. We need people that will engage the process and use it to achieve a purpose for the greater good.

I have never heard Sowore or his ilk talk about economic issues or the political misogynism going on. It’s always “we no go gree, we no go gree. They have beat me o, God will punish them o.”

Let’s pull back, re-strategize and re-engage using democratic processes and institutions to take power.

Much as I hate saying this, Tinubu did it and that is why he is king today. God bless you my brother.

TEENAGE ARSONIST– A SADTALE Mbok, how we go even start to engage this one. I saw the CCTV footage of this nine-yearold who set fire to a huge supermarket with over N5 billion worth of goods inside.

I have also watched the footage of the young girl being interrogated by the police on the matter. This is what we used to call in Shomolu, ‘he just tire person’.

How do you handle a juvenile like this?

A nine-year-old who is capable of such a dastardly act? She carefully went to the aisle with gas cylinders, took a match and calmly put it to flame and walked away. Another footage shows her and someone, maybe her sister, outside as people struggled to put the flames away. Her companion was even smiling.

I think this case is not only for the police. We should bring in witchcraft catchers and their kinds. This one is not ordinary eye at all.

Witchcraft is at play here o. Real witchcraft.

Please don’t call my name o or show the girl this piece, make she no come deal with me o.

Wicked.

AIG ABANG – YOU SCARED ME Me, I don’t like to hear anything police o. I know the police are your friend but I dey like stand far from this kain friend. So that morning, while I was nestling in the lush suite at the Golden Tulip in Oniru after the memorable one-year remembrance of my wife, Mena, my phone rang.

True caller did not reveal the name and me, thinking that maybe na Sponsor for Aremu or Awo, picked the call.

“Is that Edgar Joseph?” asked an authoritative voice. My mind fly. Who be this one again o.

“Who is asking”, I asked, forming boldness.

“I am AIG Abang from the Nigerian Police Headquarters in Abuja.”

Piss catch me. I die.

I look the phone, my heart start to dey beat. I know that I have died already today. What have I done wrong? Who did I offend abi is it my landlord? But I have told him to calm down na. When I finish Awo I go pay.

The voice continued, “Please is that Joseph Edgar?” I replied yes. Even me, I could not recognise my voice again. I thought about dropping the line and blocking it. But that would just hasten him declaring me wanted like Igboho and putting my naked picture all over the place with a bounty on my head.

I started to pray. I called on the God of Israel and also the God of Akwa Ibom. I promised to pay the backlog of tithes if this cup can pass over me. I swore to go to the Village stream and bathe naked in obeisance to my ancestors, and finally I swore to relinquish my title Duke of Shomolu.

I cannot have a police problem; I will not have a police problem. The only police problem I ever want to have is to marry a policewoman and that one must be like Inspector General level. Anything after that, please exempt me.

The oga no gree drop o. I say AIG Abang mbok what have I done. See what I was telling Sowore, na AIG they send to me not even Inspector. This na very serious matter o.

Oh, did I support Igboho in any write up?

But I have been abusing Nnamdi Kanu na.

Did I beat traffic light somewhere? Wetin this AIG dey find with me o.

The moment he said “I am the Head of MOPOL in Nigeria’, I just collapsed. This is it.

Finally, my death has come. Those ones, their khaki pants alone can give you Ebola. What can I do o? Who can I call? Every policeman I know has retired. Should I call Keyamo – I don yab that one, he no dey take my call again.

Finally, I decided to be brave. Las las, he will say come to Abuja and I will tell him, I am in Cotonou, that only Buratai can catch me and that one that cannot speak French, I will just knock him head and enter Germany.

So I said, “Yes sir, how can I help you?”

“Edgar, I want to buy your book ‘Anonymous Nipples’”. I peed. Yes, I am not ashamed to say that I peed my pants.

I just shout, Abangggggggggg!!!!!!!! If I catch you. He laughed heartily and we spoke glowingly like old friends and he said, “Edgar, you have found a brother in me and likewise,’ but I told him that next time he calls me “no dey do like that. you no know say we dey fight BP?” Please going forward, any police, DSS, Interpol wey wan buy my book, please go through Abang. Make una no come kill me before my time. I just bury my mama.

Mitchell Elegbe – Switching to Power Someone sat me down and told me the story of Interswitch. I think it was my sister Fayo Williams. She sha likes the story of how this man sold the idea of Interswitch to his then employers. Not sure if they bought into it or if he went out on a limb, what is very sure today is the behemoth that he has dropped on the economy.

I sha like to celebrate Nigerians who still believe in this country and who continue to do things despite the lazy pessimism that seems to have engulfed us.

People like Dr Afolabi who has dropped The Marriot that has been reported to be valued in excess of N25 billion, or Tony Elumelu whose recent foray into oil and gas shows a remarkable confidence in the sanctity of our economy, continue to hold a powerful place in my heart.

Interswitch today seems to be the backbone of digital transactions which run into trillions of Naira. It continues to afford seamless back and forth of transactions, enabling the deepening of markets and driving the efficient exchange of goods and services.

I would like to look more critically at this giant firm to better understand its working so that I can better use it as fodder to ward off the pessimists who seem to think that nothing good can come out of this Jerusalem. Welldone guys.

DINO MELAYE – BIG MOUTH, BIG HEART

This Daddy just used to amaze me. He

has a penchant for shooting skits and posting them all over social media. This is a powerful tool as it keeps him very relevant to a strong demographic – the youths.

So, it was announced that our dear President was going to the UK to attend an Education Summit. All of us keep quiet o. No be my mouth you go hear say, Sikira mama no wear something (coughs).

Everybody had the same thought but kept quiet.

Trust Dino to carry his big head to social media to be asking questions that touch the heart. He asked, “what is a certificateless man going to do in a forum where you have intellectually mobile characters?”

You see why this Dino should be avoided at all cost. These kinds of people have their protection, they will not tell you.

It is either Juju or they will be wearing the testicles of a virgin antelope around their waist. Innocent you, will now carry

Dino

ordinary head and be following him and be repeating his statements not knowing that by the time our Ogas in black come, the man will jump off the bus and be doing like he needs a ventilator to breathe but the Juju will not let them catch him.

But you will now just stand there and be looking like mumu, and they will catch you the way they caught Adeyanju and Sowore.

Mbok, I have kept quiet o. I do not agree with his sentiments in that video. He speaks for himself and not for me. Wetin concern me, have I eaten enough Afang?

And I still have one more wife to marry so I need my testicles in good shape for that mission.

If Buhari wan go Education Summit for Timbuktu, make he go, na him prerogative.

Na him get himself. Abi, you no hear when he talk say, ‘I belong to no one’? E be like say Dino dey toilet that time and he no hear. Kai!

PRINCE BIMBO OLASHORE – A FEW MINUTES A ‘SLAVE’ I sha like to call myself a slave. It is my own way of showing extant humility. Na my Mama teach me. She would usually say, “Common shut up my slave” when she is talking to me and we would laugh.

When I meet intellectual giants, I go into my ‘slave’ mode. I listen and learn. I bow and try to sponge as much as I can. It was Dapo Adelegan, the maestro that gave me the link.

He was the one that said, “Call Prince, you will learn one thing or the other.”

What Dapo did not know was that as a young investment banker, I had gone for completion board meeting – that is when you are about to go to market with an offer – and Albert Okumagba, my then boss at BGL and Prince Bimbo Olashore where both headlining the offer.

The then Doyen of the market — forgotten his name — had stood up and said when two Princes back an offer, it cannot help but succeed.

That afternoon, I started looking very closely at the career trajectory of Prince Olashore.

I had a huge admiration for what he was doing at Lead Merchant Bank who were my customers while at Habib Trustees.

I also had friends there, people like Segun Banjoko and Seyi Abe with Mrs Ojo and my interactions showed a world class level of professionalism.

So, my meeting with Prince almost 20 years later was remarkable. He was smaller in stature, I guess from disciplined living, and still had his good looks. We talked, or should I say, he talked about his career, his present focus which is heavily into nonprofits and his outlook towards life and politics.

Our conversation further cemented my respect for him that afternoon and I presented to him my book ‘Aremu’ as a gift.

It was a wonderful meeting I must say. God bless you sir.

SAMIRA ADE ADEBIYI – ELEGANTTO THE TEETH I cannot even believe that Samira is turning 50. Samira is my man, Ade Adebiyi’s wife of many years. Ade is a brilliant banker who until recently was the Managing Director at GTB in the UK. But it is not about Ade today, it is about Samira. Samira is also a brilliant banker who started her career in Habib and ended it in UBA. She is such a wonderful bird that you cannot help but like her. She is my sister and you will pardon me for the effusive praise that I am going to lavish on her. It is to ensure that my Afang will be well served at the party heralding her 50th.

A consummate banker and mother, you will always find her warm and giving. Extremely beautiful and elegant, Samira was a huge catch for Ade who is yet to believe his luck.

If you want to read more about Ade, Samira and myself, then you should go see my memoirs. You will see how Ade and I used to drive his Honda convertible to visit Samira in Isolo.

This kind of love story touches the heart. It truly does. Years of wonderful marital bliss, mutual career progression and God, giving them healthy and fulfilling lives with which they have brought up two very wonderful boys while still giving to the society. I swear, I never ask Samira for anything wey she no give me o.

Happy birthday my sister and May God continue to bless you with good health and long life. See you at the party, please don’t start till I get there o.

USMAN IMANNAH – GRITTY DETERMINATION Usman is about to launch his multi-billion Naira baby food factory somewhere in Lagos. This boy, if I can call him that, is built of steel. First, he was an investment banker, then a banker, and then started doing Tea for BP and the rest, and now, he has dropped a powerful factory for the manufacture of homegrown baby food. This is the resilience we are talking about in this country. This man believes in this country and its huge potential.

Despite all the setbacks that have been thrown his way, he continues to wax stronger in his belief that the potential that abound in this country far outweighs whatever you will get as an expatriate slave abroad.

Well done bro. We are behind you. We will born the children that will need your baby food. Make I go ask the Duchess if she is game.

56

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

10th Year Memorial: Celebrating the Life and Times of Igwe Paul Nkoloenyi Wednesday, July 21, 2021, marked the 10th year remembrance of one of Nigerian society’s most outstanding patriarchs and business moguls, Chief Paul Ofodile Nkoloenyi (Enyi Kwo Nwa). His family and close friends hosted prayer sessions in his honour in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Fondly called Nwa Kalu Nnia by his loved ones, Igwe Nkoloenyi died on July 21, 2011, in Lagos. He was 68 years old.

His wife, Lolo Ngozi Nkoloenyi, one of Nigeria’s most formidable matriarchs and style icons, and children paid tribute to him on his 10th remembrance.

“Exactly 10 years today, July 21, 2011, the cold hands of death took our irreplaceable father, grandfather and sweet husband. It has been a decade since he left us, but time has not healed the wound that his sad departure inflicted on us. However, we have surrendered to the will of Almighty God. “We miss him more than words can express. We pray that his soul continues to rest in perfect peace,” the family wrote.

In her tribute, as disclosed to Society Watch, Nkoloenyi described her husband as a legend and a good man. She added that the wound caused by his death is yet to heal.

“My husband, Paul Nkoloenyi, was a legend. He was a very nice man; his legacies are still speaking, even ten years after his death.

This is a man that trained about 20 people from primary school up to the university level. Even in his community, they cannot forget him.

Since he departed, they have not been able to install an Igwe.”

Indeed, if the willpower of man could hold Nkoloenyi back, there was enough love and goodwill to keep him back. His funeral ceremony, which drew thousands of dignitaries, who came to bid him farewell and share in his family’s grief, bore eloquent testimony to this fact.

Nkoloenyi is survived by his wife, six children and seven grandchildren.

Since the death of her husband, the fashion maven has been occupied with raising her children, running the family business and playing the dotting granny to her grandchildren.

Nkoloenyi

Billionaire Oil Mogul, Mohammed Indimi’s Many Honours Billionaire oil mogul, Dr Mohammed Indimi, is not the typical entrepreneur you watch on television every day or read about in newspapers.

With an estimated net worth of about $1 billion, Indimi is also a philanthropist with visible impacts in wide-ranging areas like health, housing, social welfare and particularly, education. He launched the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation (MIF), through which he executes his humanitarian projects.

The Borno-born businessman has also greatly empowered and supported people affected by the Boko Haram crisis in his homestead and the north-eastern part of the country in general.

In 2016, the billionaire was under severe criticisms over his huge financial support for Lynn University in Florida, United States of America, where he also built the Mohammed Indimi International

Business Centre-named after him with a donation of $900,000. But that has not obliterated the sustained support of the Borno State-born billionaire to several Nigerian universities.

It was, therefore, not surprising that Indimi was honoured alongside other prominent Nigerians by the University of Lagos during its last convocation ceremony with a doctorate.

His is a reminder of life and its paradoxes. The oil magnate reportedly did not attend a formal school because his father could not afford to pay for Western education. Though he only attended traditional Qur’anic school, he managed to learn how to speak, read and write in English and other languages.

In view of this, he vowed to spend his fortunes on education to support institutions that will give quality education to people.

He also vowed to mentor as many students as he can in various entrepreneurship and skills

Indimi

Billionaire’s Daughter, Florence ‘Cuppy’ Otedola, Leads Youth Alliance

Otedola

Billionaire mogul, Femi Otedola’s daughter and international DJ, Florence ‘Cuppy’ Otedola, is among notable young Nigerian development enthusiasts leading the Lagos Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Youth Alliance network.

This was announced last week by the Lagos State Office of Sustainable Development Goals and Investment, as part of her commitment towards mobilising opportunities to advance and scale up innovative solutions in the attainment of SDGs across Lagos State.

Cuppy, who is the founder of Cuppy Foundation, an NGO established to tackle issues surrounding child protection and education for girls and persons with disabilities (minorities), is a passionate Nigerian who loves giving back to society and contributing to the resilience of communities.

The artiste, who is also very passionate about education and youth development, has spearheaded several initiatives such as the ‘Cuppy Takes Africa’ tour in 2015 in partnership with Guaranty Trust Bank and the Dangote Foundation. She has also personally paid for several students to go to university in Nigeria and worked with various organisations such as the Global Citizen, Royal Commonwealth Society, and more recently the “Save The Children” Initiative in which she raised over $13m.

It was therefore no brainer that this young philanthropist has opted to be a strong partner in the Lagos Youth Alliance which is a strategic platform established for young people to connect, dialogue, collaborate and consolidate efforts on sustainable development in Lagos State. She will be joined by other young and outstanding developer crusaders who over the years have inspired social change in Lagos and Nigeria.

They include Nollywood actress Jumoke Odetola; Doyinsola Ogunye, founder of Mental and Environmental Development

Oando Boss, Adewale Tinubu: The General Hoists Another Flag of Victory His ability as a strategist has never been in doubt. He is also acknowledged to have a unique winning streak, which beggars description.

In the past years, the stories of Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, which are defined by happy endings, have continued to confound many. Indeed, many, including his worst critics, cannot feign ignorance of the abundance of God’s grace in his life. This is because the ‘oil marshal’ a few days ago recorded another victory in the volatile business battlefield.

This adulation of Tinubu has been trending for some days now on social media, particularly as many remember his face-off with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). At the height of the SEC onslaught against him and Oando, Tinubu had sought justice in the court of law.

Interestingly, about two years after, the much-sought justice has now been served and his prayers granted, to the delight of his fans.

On July 5, Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos granted leave to him and Oando Plc to file a

Tinubu

motion for a judicial review of the decision of the SEC. The court also granted an order of certiorari for the quashing of SEC’s directive to Oando to convene an extraordinary general meeting on or before July 1 to appoint new directors and

Initiative for Children (MEDIC); Joshua Alade, Executive Director of Nigeria Youth SDGs Network; Sowemimo Abiodun, an ECOWAS Youth ambassador; Mary Dinah, Executive Director of Mary Dinah Foundation; Taiwo James, an active social development crusader; Solomon Adetokunbo, a reputable Agropreneur and sustainability advocate and Alexandre Akhighe, the Founder of African Clean-Up Initiative.

Speaking on the initiative and the commitment of Governor Babajide SanwoOlu in stimulating the passion of Lagos youths around development and good governance, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Mr Lekan Fatodu, applauded the sincerity of purpose and selflessness of these young individuals.

He affirmed that the government is looking forward to working with the whole youth development sector to ensure that the SDGs aspirations translate into reality.

While appraising the development, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals and Investment, Mrs Solape Hammond, remarked that as a state known for putting young people at the fulcrum of change and development, the initiative is ambitiously prioritising youthled movement that is inclusive, responsive, transparent and sustainable. articulate remedial measures for alleged corporate governance lapses.

The court further granted an order of certiorari for the quashing of a press release

by SEC on June 1 appointing an interim management team to be headed by one Mutiu Sunmonu (the third respondent) to oversee Oando’s affairs.

The victory did not come as a surprise to many; rather, it is just another record broken by the oil guru. Industry watchers, who spoke under anonymity with Society Watch, affirmed that the deal by Oando Plc and the SEC to end the legal battle was taken in the best interests of the company’s shareholders and the capital market. The deal, it was gathered, included the payment of a sum of money and a commitment by the company to implement improvements in corporate governance.

Tinubu, no doubt, comes across as a phenomenon. His audacity of hope and selfassurance first manifested when he resigned from his father’s law firm at the young age of 27 to pursue his own pristine vision. He had taken that audacious decision at a time when it was the status symbol to work in one’s father’s firm. The mustard seed that he, alongside his friends, deepened into the soil back then has germinated into an Iroko that not only gives shade to millions of people but also feeds a million others spread across the world.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

1.08.2021

BETWEEN NAIRA MARLEY AND CHILDREN’S PARTY MUSIC PLAYLIST It is high time organisers of children’s parties took another look at the lewd content of the music playlist.

Yinka Olatunbosun argues

F

or a music star gliding over the uneven bars of music, controversies and a nearcult followership, Naira Marley needs no elaborate introduction. Folks who are stuck on classic music are often quite sceptical of contemporary Nigerian music because of the likes of Naira Marley. But then, his fans branded “Marlians” transverse generations which is quite strange given the nature of his songs. Marley is one of the most recognisable voices from the streets with a highly sexualised persona. Ironically, his debased music constitutes most of his popular songs like “Mafo”,”Coming”, “Tesumole”, “Do it for the Gang” and “Soapy”.

Still, Naira Marley is not necessarily evil although he has situated himself in pop culture as a symbol of rebellion and sexual gratification. His lyrics are often raw, as he references drugs, sex and violence. But Marley has attempted to promote some values through his less popular songs. For instance, in his love ballad, “Chi Chi”, he condemns sexual harassment with the visuals. Also, the song titled “Why” treats the subject matters of betrayal, friendship, loyalty. Another song titled “As E Dey Go” has a video that condemns violence against women, sexual harassment; “Aye” – is another song that shows Marley’s philosophical side. In it, he says the world is not hard but it is the people of the world or the worldly who make the world harsh.

“Koleyewon” which is his special dedication to the casualties of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests is even less pungent in the light of the underlying issues that informed the song. Generally speaking, no one can blame Marley or his contemporaries for singing what “the people of the streets” want to hear.

Gone are the days when the playlists at children’s parties included songs like Princess Olubunmi Olajubu's classics- “Eko Dara Pupo" meaning education is very good; “Bata mi adun ko ko ka” meaning ‘My shoes will make a rich knocking sound”; Funmi Adams's “Nigeria My Beloved Country”; Evi Edna Ogoli's “Look Before You Cross” and Sonny Okosun's “Tire Ni Oluwa” loosely translated as “This belongs to you, Lord.” Even more recently, we have had Tubaba’s “See Me”, Skale’s “Shake”, Asa's “There Is Fire on the Mountain” and “Jailer”, to list but a few on children's party playlists. Most of the older songs are laced with deep values, ranging from patriotism to civic responsibilities.

To be sure, Olajubu's songs in particular have become anthems of sorts as many teachers still make their pupils learn every word of it till date.

But it is a different ball game when a DJ arrives at the school parties, birthday parties or a vacation spot for children.

They usually start with songs that have cross-over appeal like the popular Davido ballads and Burna Boy's dance tracks like “Killing Dem”. The DJ simply wants to entertain children and get them to dance.

Then when the unsuspecting teachers and parents have become distracted by the buzz of the party, they slot in those

Naira Marley

Naira Marley

Naira Marley songs or other songs with x-rated lyrics.

The past week was just pathetic. Echoes of playlists from children's parties in the many Lagos neighbourhoods included Naira Marley's raunchy duet with South Africa's pop diva Busiswa titled “Coming”. What could be more outrageous than this? Now, some would argue that conservative views like this writer's is hypocritical; after all Marley's songs are a reflection of the daily reality. Yes, sex is a human behaviour but sexually-graphic lyrics for children falls short of that. If it is indecent for married people to have

sex in public, then it is expected that the details would also be kept private. Since when has it become normal for a four-year old to sing “kissing, touching, orgasm?”

Well, it seems our society as a whole has become more tolerant of what is and is not acceptable language. Some parents don't listen to these lyrics; they simply just dance and then erroneously assume that their children are not listening to these highly-sexualised lyrics too.

The impact of popular music on children's and adolescents' behaviour and emotions has been of paramount concern to paediatrics. Many of them agree that

lyrics have become more explicit in their references to drugs, sex, and violence over the years, particularly in certain genres like hip-hop, trap, dancehall and new Afrobeats sounds. This argument is really not about boycotting Naira Marley's songs but it's about censoring the playlists that a DJ curates for children's parties.

According to the American Academy of Paediatrics (2006), almost 1 in 5 male youth, and 1 in 4 female youth like their favourite songs because of the lyrics.

Other studies have found that the more importance youth place on a type of music, the more they pay attention to the lyrics. Before the advent of mobile phones and quick access to the internet, many school-age children had self-made lyrics books or journals.

Music is also one powerful learning tool that must not be abused consciously or unconsciously by educators. Most children learn by repetition; it follows then that the more they are exposed to this kind of music, the quicker the lyrics would be etched on their minds. And when they develop a certain degree of emotional intelligence, these lewd lyrics have the potential to inflame them with passion.

Psychologists have traced early sexual behaviour to a child's media exposure although some media theorists have argued differently. While most parents control their television and radio channels, video games and the use of their mobile phones by their children, they often neglect the party playlists, leaving the DJ to curate it. It is the job of parents, guardians and educators to censor the kind of music that their children party around with. Children’s party playlist should not be the same as clubs’. It should be carefully curated and be intentional about entertaining and educating. After all, every child that has sung Katy Perry’s Roar knows the sound that a lion produces- that’s some education.

Recently, a video of Davido scolding his daughter went viral. The young girl was twerking to Cardi B’s song “Up” at her birthday party. Well, the dance was appropriate for the song; it was the age of the dancer that was inappropriate and that should spark serious conversations about a child’s media exposure and not the usual off-handed, sentimental comments like “so cute”.

Outright ban of sexually-graphic songs can never be the solution as these songs often get more popular at parties and in the clubs. Being selective about music choice for self and for young children is a more enduring value to imbibe.

Educators, parents and other professionals working with children also need to realise that music is an educational tool in whatever form it comes and education is not constrained within the four walls of the classroom. That’s why Afrobeat legend, Fela classified “culture and tradition” as teacher in the song “Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense”. By extension, revellers should be saying, “DJ, Don’t Play Me Nonsense” if the shreds of moral values left were to be preserved for the sake of young children.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

KNOWINGHYACINTHOBUNSEHAND HISUNDYINGPASSIONFORANA Odili Ujubuoñu

I

met Hyacinth Obunseh a few weeks after the publication of my debut novel, "Pregnancy of the Gods," in April, 2006. I was there to submit the book for the ANA prize. I didn't know anything about him or much about ANA before that Thursday evening. I would later learn, when we met at that year's ANA Convention in Bayelsa, he was the publisher of the Hybun imprint and the then Publicity Secretary for ANA. Hyacinth and I became friends. Through him I met most of the wonderful friends I have today within the Nigerian literary circle across the country. We stayed close to each other at most of the conventions I attended where he introduced me to writers and scholars. He was a recognisable and welcomed face to my colleagues in the office and my family members at home. Such was the nature of our relationship that we called each other "Nwa Mama."

The period he shared ANA's office space, at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu is unforgettable. He was the de facto welcoming hand of the gathering of literary journalists and writers within the surroundings of the Samarkand Tree. The friendships, criticisms, literary banters and quarrels that feted those evenings and weekends are stories for another day. I suspect that the seeming death of the National Theatre bars as writers' afterhours- rendezvous might not be entirely unconnected to his eventual relocation to Abuja.

In 2008, ANA through him and Denja, invited us to design and package the 50th Anniversary celebration of the book, "Things Fall Apart." It was a book trek design that would take us around five states of the federation. This enjoyed a worldwide media blitz for the book, the great author and for ANA, an organisation founded by Chinua Achebe.

Having worked closely with him, I can testify that Hyacinth was at the centre of the success of that project Privately, we were good friends. We worked together and played together. I was hard on him where I found him weak and he didn't spare me either way. We disagreed on a lot of things for we were products of different histories and values. Like the Igbos would say, it is understanding that makes canines play with their teeth and not hurt each other.

Many of my friends and writer colleagues couldn't fathom how we were best of friends. I always quipped that they didn't know Hyacinth.

Hyacinth was a strong man, who hardly bent to the pressure of opinions when he's convinced otherwise. Even his worst enemies would attest to how passionate he was with his beliefs and how battle-ready he always was to defend them.

Sometimes, taking the lethal bullet of ignominy yet moving on like the one described by the British rock singer, Sting as "It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile."

Unarguably, Hyacinth fuelled his belief in ANA and it's survival as a writer's organisation with a filial intensity that dispensed suspicion. But that was the price he had to pay for doing what he loved doing and the manner he went about it.

At the last ANA Convention in Ilorin, It was obvious our friend was going. Seeing how weak and sick he was, I asked him more than a dozen times, why he had to be at the convention. He didn't answer me.

Instead, with frail hands on tether-hooks of a waning life, raspy voice and failing eyes, in- between spasms of chest-searing coughs, Hyacinth wanted to discuss ANA 40th Anniversary celebration. I was cross with him, asking him to do something about his health which was obviously failing before it became too late. If there was a dent on the glorious moment of that occasion in Ilorin, it was Hyacinth's condition.

James Eze, Edozie Udeze and I talked about it for

Obunseh hours driving back to Awka after the convention.

I followed up weeks after but with Hyacinth you'd only know if you're close by.

Hyacinth probably lived this long, after his first battle with this same terminal illness that walked him home, because of his love and passion for ANA which was going through a turbulent period at that time of his bed status. He loved and lived for this organisation.

Hyacinth tied and broke many lasting bonds of friendship in ANA. He was not a perfect man, ANA is also not a perfect organisation and we the writers

that make it up are no where near perfect. I think his "perfect imperfections" should guide us to a better understanding of ourselves as we live today to mourn him, and rebuild a united organisation in his memory. He's gone with his strengths and weaknesses but can the story of modern ANA be fairly told without his name in it? No. Journey well, son of Oko-Ogbele! See you on the other side whenever, where the great river and dialects don't divide our shared tongue, memories, friendship, fraternity and life. ˾ ÔßÌßÙĿß ÓÝ Ë ËÑÙÝ̋ÌËÝÏÎ ËßÞÒÙÜ

EXHIBITION

ANTICIPATING kó’s VISUAL FEAST OF TWO SOLOS

T

wo artists – Busayo Lawal and E. D. Adegoke – are holding two solo exhibitions at the same time – from Saturday, August 7 to Thursday, August 26 – and at the same gallery space: kó, which is located along Cameron Road in Ikoyi, Lagos.

That’s right, two solo exhibitions.

Not a joint exhibition.

While Lawal’s exhibition, which the press release proclaims to be“the first major exhibition of the artist’s work in Nigeria”is titled Life in Asymmetry, Adegoke’s debut solo is titled The Age of Dreams.

Besides sharing the same time and venue, both exhibitions also have the same curator, Sabo Kpade. A few words about Kpade. Besides being a curator, he is also the gallery’s resident critic. This Fellow of Global Arts and Cultures at Rhode Island School of Design (in the US), who is also a content writer for Apple Music Africa, has previously

worked as an interim curator at Retro Gallery in Abuja. He also used to be a culture writer for such publications as Contemporary &, Media Diversified, The Guardian Newspaper (Nigeria) and Okay Africa, where he was also the UK correspondent.

He is a member of the US branch of the International Association of Art Critics, which is widely known by its acronym AICA. Back to the exhibitions. Lawal, whose Life in Asymmetry holds in kó’s Gallery I & III, is said to have a more than two-decades long history for interrogating“the conventions of visual vocabularies to challenge received notions of the time-space continuum, migration and power.”If the artist’s body of work, which includes large-scale paintings and drawings on paper, can be described as pivotal in his career, it is because they are the products of what could be described as fondness for the Yoruba ceremonial aso oke.

His appropriation of this ageless textile tradition expresses itself in original forms, which are richly nourished by their motifs and colour schemes.

Curiously, kó describes the solo exhibition as“Lawal's artistic statement writ large”. This is explained by his focalisation on the minutiae of the woven cloth’s fascinating patterns, which are infallible guides into an intriguing world of craft and purpose, dedication and cultural histories, fortitude and fate.

“What makes the man is the story. What makes the story is the man”says the artist is quoted as saying.

Actually, Life in Asymmetry is Lagos-based artist’s second solo exhibition since he held his first show at the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos in 2014. Prior to that outing, he had taken part in group projects steered by the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation and Ford Foundation. He also participated in several group exhibitions in Lagos organised by the National Gallery of Art, Alliance Française, United Nations Information Centre, the National Council for Art and Culture and Eko Atlantic as well as in such group shows in Abuja as the ones at the Greece and Italian embassies.

Meanwhile, Adegoke’s solo exhibition, The Age of Dreams, holds in Gallery II. Apparently, the Olabisi Onabanjo University performing arts graduate’s body of work can be split into what the gallery’s statement describes as“two broad categories”. First, there are poses, which are said to be“formalised”and“less richly decorated than the second set”. Talking about the latter, there are“costumed figures suggest an elevation from literalism to the metaphorical”.

Blackness, or rather its celebration, seems to be the theme around which it orbits. His paintings, which are said to be“guided by the formal rigour of portraiture, as well as a creative desire to further foreground 'blackness’in the discursive conjectures of art history”, attest eloquently to this fact. Through them, he breathes new ideas into conventional portraiture and highlights the primacy of self-esteem.

Before this exhibition, the 23-year-old’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions in Nigeria, the UK and US.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Taiwo Olusola-Johnson’s Tale of Resilience Yinka Olatunbosun

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ithin the arts community in Lagos, the indefatigable photographer, Taiwo Olusola Johnson otherwise known as TOJ is a ubiquitous individual. Known to all as the official photographer of the leading cultural hub in Lagos, Freedom Park, TOJ has captured and documented many historical events at the Park and beyond. Lagos International Jazz Festival, Lagos Theatre Festival, Eko Theatre Carnival, Lagos Book and Arts Festival, Afropolitan Vibes, Felabration, Soyinka at 80 are just a few of the events that he had covered.

Behind his camera lies an incredible story of resilience. Like most young Nigerians, TOJ left the Nigerian shores in search of greener pastures in different parts of Africa for five years after his OND programme. When it finally dawned on him to return to his motherland, he met the film maker,

Femi Odugbemi in church.

“It was when I discovered that he was a filmmaker that I spoke to him that I’d like to go to a film school. He encouraged me,’’he recounted. TOJ’s father, Akanbi Taiwo was a multi-instrumentalist and a percussionist with the legendary juju musician, Chief Ebenezer Obey. So, he thought he could also try his hands on music. After a year, he gave up on his music dreams. And then, Femi Odugbemi decided to sponsor him to the PEFTI film school.

“After that, I went through a lot of online trainingCanon, Nikon and other online platforms. I worked with Femi Odugbemi for a year and later I joined Nike Art Gallery where I happened to be the official photographer for four years. One day, I met Mr. Theo Lawson. I have known him for a long time. I had been coming to Freedom Park and I discovered that no one was documenting the park. So, I approached him on Keith Richards’birthday. I told him that Felabration was approaching. Someone should document it. He agreed and I covered Felabration for a week. I presented the pictures to him. After seeing them, he said,‘You have been too far away from me- work with me'.”

A tiny work space was made available for TOJ at the park in lieu of salary; all he needed to do was to

document events and upload the pictures online.

If you’re wondering how he survives on doing a selfless job, he revealed that the people he’d met through Freedom Park events had engaged him for coverage.

“Even when I was in Nike Arts Gallery, I was not a salary-earner. Mama Nike would just introduce me to an ambassador, for instance.‘This is my son; he is our official photographer. He is a good boy o.’That was how I made my money which could pay ten people’s salaries. Photography was just what I chose even though I studied film making.

I have done behind the scenes photography for Tunde Kelani in movies like Dazzling Mirage, Yeepa!

And Sidi Ilujinle. TK is like a father to me; he would not hesitate to correct you. I met TK who was just passing by Freedom Park one day. He looked at my small space and the pictures and said,‘’This is what Hakeem Shitta used to do.’’I didn’t know Hakeem Shitta so I googled him.”

Hakeem Shitta was an ace photographer, chronicler of arts who died in 1997 after a protracted battle with a tumour in the head region.

TOJ has made a name for himself in the most unassuming manner. He covered Saro the Musical 1 and 2, WAKAA the musical, worked behind the

scenes for BAP’s 93 Days movie which involved setting up of equipment at locations. He had done still photography for popular movies too.

“I remember the first time I did it for TK, I wasn’t expecting to be paid,”he said.“I thought it was a privilege to have an opportunity to work with him.

He paid for feeding and hotel accommodation. Two weeks later, he called me and said I didn’t even ask for my pay. I thought he wanted to complain about my shot. But he asked for my account number.

Covering marriages is mentally disturbing because it is very stressful especially in selecting the pictures for a photo album. But theatre productions, I can shoot and without editing post online within 30minutes. That’s easy for me. I cover covering iconic birthdays like Soyinka at 80, Tunde Kelani at 70 especially people in the arts community- they are very good with referrals.”

TOJ often attend rehearsals and read scripts every time he needed to cover a theatre production.

This habit has stood him in good stead for taking shots of live actions especially those of moments that embody the story.

His younger years were marked by mischief. He would jump the fence during school hours and still arrived late in the evening after school hours.

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CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

Has Super Cop, Abba Kyari, Stepped on Banana Peels?

Highly celebrated Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari’s career faces litmus test as Instagram celebrity-turned internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas (Hushpuppi) ropes in the super cop into a clingy web of crime, financial malfeasance - opening a can of worms, Louis Achi writes

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or the celebrated Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, this is certainly not a celebratory period. Indisputably, a specially gifted cop, he has been at the cutting edge of special and high intensity investigations in the past years. Not unexpectedly, with his exploits as the head of the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team, Kyari has endeared himself to many Nigerians.

But mid last week, a bombshell dropped on Kyari as Instagram celebrity Ramon Abbas (Hushpuppi), a Nigerian indicted in international high wire fraud said he paid Kyari bribes from his proceeds of fraud for which he was deported from Dubai to US for trial. Kyari issued a statement on Thursday debunking Abbas claim.

Kyari was roped into the muddle after the US Department of Justice quoted Hushpuppi as telling the court that he bribed the DCP to jail Chibuzor Vincent, an associate with whom he was locked in a dispute over how to share $1.1 million proceeds of a fraudulent deal against a Qatari business executive.

Vincent reportedly alerted the victim of the $1.1 million fraud and told him he was being scammed by Hushpuppi’s syndicate. It was on this basis, the court documents stated, that Hushpuppi allegedly contacted Kyari to facilitate Kyari Vincent’s arrest.

Not permitting grass to grow under his nimble feet, as news of the allegations of his dealings with Hushpuppi spiked, Kyari denied them out rightly, explaining he only facilitated Hushpuppi’s purchase of native clothing and that there hadn’t been a bribe. The DCP clarified that Hushpuppi made a distress call after threats were allegedly issued to his family by Vincent. Unfortunately for Kyari, the unfolding development is unearthing other dark dealings he was allegedly involved in on his beat.

Kyari’s core constituency, the Nigeria Police has admitted it’s been served court processes to arrest and ferry him across to the US for trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also said the US authorities have written it on the matter.

Hushpuppi, was arrested in the UAE in June 2020, alongside 11 of his associates, over allegations of hacking, impersonation, scamming, bank fraud, and identity theft. His extradition to the US came after the UAE police had carried out a special operation dubbed ‘Fox Hunt 2’. He was accused of defrauding 1.9 million persons of N168 billion. He was later arraigned and detained at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre (MCC) in Chicago, ahead of the trial.

Mid last week, he pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge, which could earn him as much as 20 years in prison if found guilty.

As the current controversy unfolds further, certain key issues that could have a bearing on which way the cat jumps came to the front burner.

Kyari who has been saddled with high-profile assignments, led the operation that captured Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, the notorious billionaire kidnap kingpin better known as Evans, in 2017. Recently, Kyari, who won the police medal for courage for three successive years, was deployed to probe the attack on Governor Samuel Ortom, of Benue State. But beyond these sterling accomplishments and qualities as a police officer, he has also been accused of several dirty deals.

Amnesty International and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), had in 2018, accused Kyari of illegally draining the assets of one Collins Ezenwa, a suspected criminal, after his team killed the man. Ezenwa’s wife, at the time, alleged that Kyari and his team withdrew money from her late husband’s account and pocketed millions from his hotels. Kyari denied corruption amongst his team but did not categorically address the allegations made by Ezenwa’s wife.

The Lagos State judicial panel on #EndSARS was also told how Kyari’s squad carried out extrajudicial killings. In late 2019, a federal high court sitting in Jos, Plateau had threatened to jail Abubakar Mohammed, the then IG and Kyari, for disobeying its orders. This was after the duo failed to produce a suspect, Nanpon Sambo, who was alleged to have died in police custody in Abuja.

Kyari was also accused of extorting N41 million from one Afeez Mojeed, a Lagos-based businessman in October 2020. Mojeed claimed the extortion was done in 2014 when Kyari was the of-

ficer in charge of the now-disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS) in Lagos.

Mojeed claimed he unsuccessfully sought justice at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). In a petition filed on October 22, 2020, through Salawu Akingbolu & Co, and addressed to the Lagos judicial panel of inquiry for victims of SARS-related abuses, Kyari and his officers were accused of forcefully taking about 32 items from Mojeed’s house during a raid in 2014.

The businessman, who was at home with his pregnant wife, an 18 monthold son, and mother-in-law, said phones, cheque books, bank cards, and documents were taken. After ransacking the house, Mojeed was reportedly taken to the SARS office in Ikeja where he was detained for 14 days.

He was later “arraigned on a trumpedup charge” of stealing N97 million. It was alleged that for over one year during which the matter was in court, the police “never showed up or brought any witness”.

“They forcefully took his wedding ring and that of his wife from them, opened their wardrobe and took the sum N280,000 and the sum of N50,000 was also taken from his car, after which the Honda Accord (2008) model was seized and taken away till today,” the petition read, adding that the charges against him were later struck out in court.

Mojeed said while in detention, “the police under the supervision and threat of Abba Kyari (OC SARS) forced him to sign three Zenith Bank cheques in the sum of N150,000 each, making N450,000 on October 22 to 23, 2014 and gave the sum to Alabi Olawale Nurudeen who is one of their cronies to withdraw”.

The lawyer representing the billionaire-kidnapper, Evans, had also accused officers of the Kyari-led Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team of extorting money and valuables running into hundreds of millions of naira from his client.

Olukoya Ogungbeje had petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC) in October 2017.

The petition was also copied the National Assembly, the then Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, and Amnesty International.

While the local allegations against Kyari could be buried under the carpet, the super cop will have more to tell the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to clear his name of Hushpuppi’s allegation.

Under due legal process, there are issues that would unfold to determine whether Kyari will be extradited to US or not, based on court pronouncement.

Kyari currently faces the greatest test that could make or mar his hard-earned reputation and destroy his glorious career.

The next few weeks will bring more clarity to the fate of the super cop.

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

APC’s Unending Battles Within

Buni

Since the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was sacked by the National Executive Committee (NEC) under controversial circumstances, the ruling party has remained in internally-induced crisis, despite all the public posturing over defections from the opposition parties.

The NWC was replaced with a Caretaker/Special Convention Committee, chaired by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, who was sworn in by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

The members of the sacked NWC and other APC leaders felt that the NEC action was illegal but could not contest the decision due to the fear of Buhari, which is the beginning of wisdom in the ruling party.

Few hours after the dissolution of the NWC, 18 members of the NWC loyal to Oshiomhole had issued a statement, insisting that the APC NEC meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari was illegal.

But in a move to scare the Oshiomhole’s loyalists, the Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Mr. Salihu Lukeman, advised the Buni-led committee not to hesitate to activate the expulsion clause in the APC constitution if the sacked NWC members went to court.

With these threats, coupled with the fear of Buhari, the sacked NWC members licked their wounds silently.

However, the recent Supreme Court’s minority judgment on the Ondo State governorship election has indicated that Buni’s appointment may not pass legal scrutiny.

In the minority judgment read by Justice Mary Peter-Odili and supported by Justices Ejembi Eko and Mohammed Saulawa, the apex court held that it was unlawful and a violation of Article 17(4) of the APC constitution and Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution for Buni to be serving as the National Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Yobe State at the same time.

Though the majority judgment ruled in favour of the APC, it was feared that the case would have turned against the party if the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had joined Buni, as a party to the suit challenging Ondo State governor’s candidacy, since Rotimi Akeredolu’s candidacy was endorsed by Buni.

With this development, the fate of the party’s nationwide congresses held yesterday under Buni’s leadership may remain uncertain.

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BRIEFINGNOTES How Mustapha’s Turaki of Ilorin Title Ruptures Existing Power Blocs The recent turbaning of a national chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Saliu Mustapha, as the Turaki of Ilorin, a position previously held by a former Senate Leader, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, and his son, a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has potentially ruptured the power blocs in Kwara State, Chuks Okocha reports

T

he ancient Hausa-Fulani kingdoms’ chieftaincy systems recognise the Turaki as an officer at the palace court, but the title means more than that in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, considering its history and significance of the previous occupiers to the power dynamics of the emirate and state’s politics at large.

The revered Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, recently filled the position, which had been vacant for over two years.

He announced this amongst other traditional titles conferred on eminent and illustrious sons of the ancient city including the new Matawalle of Ilorin, formerly held by the late AbdulRazaq Ganiyu, the father of the incumbent Governor of the state and the first attorney in the entire northern Nigeria.

The eldest son of the father of the Kwara State governor, Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq, now holds the title.

But of all the nine titles, one stood out — The Turaki of Ilorin, which was bestowed upon Saliu Mustapha on the account of his enormous contributions to the emirate and his unending acts of philanthropy.

The aspiring Chairman of the ruling APC, believed to be an underdog in the tight race with former governors and senators, might have added another feather to his cap by clinching this title.

Political observers say the development shows Mustapha’s influence and also a power shift from the Saraki hegemony in Kwara State.

This is because, the patriarch of the Saraki dynasty and a Second Republic Senate Leader, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, was the first most visible bearer of the title after the billionaire business mogul, the late Alhaji Sani Okin.

The strong man of Kwara politics later relinquished the position after he rose to the rank of Waziri of Ilorin, a title he held until his death in 2012.

Saraki’s eldest son and a former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, was named the Turaki in 2006, while serving as the governor of the state.

And like his late father, he was elevated to the office of the Waziri in 2018.

After the elevation of the former Senate President to the position of Waziri, watchers of Kwara politics had expected that someone from the Saraki dynasty or one that matches its influence would fill the vacant Turaki title.

It was therefore not surprising that the expectation was quite high at the annual Bareke where the big announcement was made.

However, the power dynamics was disrupted with Sulu-Gambari’s announcement of Mustapha as the new Turaki, which was greeted with wild jubilation from the mammoth crowd present.

In view of his overwhelming acceptance, some observers argue that his appointment is a liberalisation of the political space in the Ilorin Emirate from what used to be an absolute dominance by the Sarakis in the emirate’ affairs, having ruled the state for more

than three decades until the APC won landslide in the 2019 election.

For other observers, Mustapha represents a new order as he is the youngest ever who has held the title, and the first that has not held an elected postion in the past.

It will also be gratifying for President Muhammadu Buhari to know that an office formerly held by his political rival is now occupied by his ally of nearly two decades.

In 2009, when a breakaway faction of the ANPP led by Muhammadu Buhari formed the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mustapha was the national deputy chairman of the party, a position he held until the party merged to form the APC. Mustapha was also a key member of the Buhari Campaign Organisations in all the years the former military general contested presidential elections until the fourth successful bid.

While some have argued that Mustapha’s political alliance with Buhari may not count when considering a consensus candidate for the post of the national chairman of the APC, the growing influence of Mustapha in Kwara politics and beyond is pronounced with the new title.

Most importantly, being the youngest title holder in the Ilorin emirate, he appears to have ticked a box, demonstrating his ability to bridge the gap between the older and younger generations of the party.

The APC, considering the wide dichotomy amongst different age grades, needs a thoroughbred party man who can marry the interests of both ranks.

“I have the widest experience so far.

The records are there to show. I’ve learnt to manage people, I have learnt to accommodate different interests, and I have learnt to stabilise political platforms from some of the best hands that have managed political parties before in the history of politics in Nigeria. I have also paid my dues,” the 49-year-old had reportedly said in an interview.

By and large, analysts believe that Mustapha is a man to watch, not only in the political dynamics of Kwara State but especially at the national level as the APC national convention, in which he is a key player draws near.

The Mutawalle title, like the Turaki which passed from the late elder Saraki to his son, Bukola, was also last held by the late patriarch of Abdulrazaq family, AGF Abdulrazaq Ganiyu, who was the first Commissioner for Finance in the Kwara State as well as the first lawyer in the whole of northern Nigeria.

Others honoured at the event include Ilorin-born Islamic scholars, Sheikh Farouq Suleiman Onikijipa, who was appointed the 4th Grand Mufti of Ilorin, Professor Yakubu Aliagan, who was conferred with the title of Seriki Malami of Ilorin, Sheikh AbdulRahman Sholagberu who was appointed the Malami Ubandoma of Ilorin, among others.

New Turaki of Ilorin. Saliu Mustapha

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Keyamo

Buni

Did Supreme Court Weaponise APC’s Opponents?

Pushing ‘constitutional brinksmanship,’ the ruling All Progressives Congress had vowed to go ahead with the conduct of its state congresses scheduled for July 31 (yesterday), despite the legal clogs identified by the Supreme Court in the apex court’s split judgment that narrowly gave victory to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Louis Achi writes

H

ad the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) joined Yobe State’s Governor Mai Mala Buni, who also doubles as the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as party to the suit challenging Ondo State governor’s candidacy, the APC would have by now be rueing her surprising callowness. But the PDP did not.

Four justices, out of a seven-member panel, agreed the petition filed against Akeredolu’s victory was incompetent because Buni was not made a party.

Justice Emmanuel Agim read the lead majority judgment, which was supported

by Justices John Okoro, Lawal Garba and Tijani Abubakar.

Jegede and PDP had contended that by the provision of Section 183 of the Constitution and Article 17 (4) of the APC constitution, Buni acted unlawfully by being the Yobe State Governor and serving as APC’s chairman at the same time, and as such the nomination/sponsorship letter he signed for the APC, notifying INEC of the candidacy of Akeredolu and Lucky Aiydatiwa (as governorship and deputy governorship candidates) was void.

In his lead majority judgment, Justice Agim held that, since Jegede and the PDP made Buni the centre of their allegation of constitutional breaches, he ought to have been made a party in the case to enable him defend himself in line with the doctrine of fair hearing. He then upheld an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, to the effect that the petition filed by Jegede and his party at the election tribunal was incompetent because they failed to include Buni as a party.

But in the minority judgment read by Justice Mary Peter-Odili and supported

by Justices Ejembi Eko and Mohammed Saulawa, the court upheld the appeal and dismissed the cross appeal by INEC, Akeredolu and APC. Odili and two other members of the panel were of the view that since the APC, for which Buni acted, was a party in the case, there was no need to include him as a party.

Peter-Odili held it was unlawful and a violation of Article 17(4) of the APC constitution and Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution for Buni to be serving as the National Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Yobe State at the same time.

Following the apex court’s split judgment, a worried Minister of State for Labour and Employment and President Muhammadu Buhari’s loyalist, Mr. Festus Keyamo proclaimed that Buni, the party’s caretaker committee chairman had become an albatross to APC and must go immediately. “The Supreme Court has just weaponised all those that would be aggrieved by the APC congresses to proceed to court to challenge the competence of the Buni-led CECPC,” he stated.

Keyamo who said the party must halt all preparations and conduct of congresses nationwide forthwith also said the APC was lucky because the “Supreme Court has just given us a great and useful hint to save our party just before the beginning of our Congresses.” He went further to roll out options the party must urgently consider as to preempt its unraveling.

His words: “The planned congresses across the country slated for this weekend must immediately be suspended because it will be an exercise in futility. The competence of Gov. Mai Mala Buni to organise the congresses has been called to question

by the Supreme Court.

“The NEC of the party can urgently meet and consider and reconstitute the CECPC to exclude, not only Gov. Buni, but anyone holding any executive position in any government establishment as stipulated in Article 17 of the APC Constitution.

“Under Article 25 of the APC Constitution, it is the National Chairman or two-thirds of members of NEC that can summon a NEC meeting. Since we cannot vouch for the legality of any NEC meeting summoned by Buni now, the safest is to get two-thirds of NEC members to sign an invitation to summon a NEC meeting where the CECPC would be reconstituted and our party would be safe.

“Alternatively, the Board of Trustees of the Party, which includes Mr. President, can be activated to organise a National Convention in line with Article 13 of the APC Constitution where it is given such powers.”

Kayode Ajulo, lawyer and another APC chieftain also re-echoed Keyamo’s position. But APC has dismissed the apex court’s minority judgment, insisting there was no backing off from its congresses scheduled for July 31 (yesterday).

Reacting to a statement by Keyamo, one of the lead counsel to the APC in the petition, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), described Keyamo and Ajulo’s statements as personal opinions in interpreting the judgment.

Akintola, who is also a chieftain of the APC, said the minority judgment is of no legal value as it cannot be cited in any case in court and can only remain in the realm of academic discourse. The National Secretary to the caretaker committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, in his reaction, said the party would go ahead

with the congresses as scheduled and advised members of the party not to fear.

The key question emerging from several stakeholders is - has the Supreme Court, through its adjudication weaponised opponents of APC who could now wield the legal cudgel and challenge the party over extant constitutional breaches?

It could be recalled that in June 2020, the conservative Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), led by President Muhammadu Buhari centralised itself as the key power bloc within the ruling APC, out of the party’s four foundational political entities, leaving ambitious heavyweights like Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other tendencies in the lurch.

Flowing from this adroit take-over and related intrigues which saw the using and dumping of the likes of then APC National Deputy Secretary, Victor Giadom, dissolution/reconstitution of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State emerged as acting party chairman. Buni is a dyed-in-the-wool CPC member and Buhari loyalist.

The ‘coup’, at the instance of Buhari, which dissolved NWC supposedly dominated by loyalists of Tinubu and the ousted party chair, Adams Oshiomhole, was hatched at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The caretaker committee was to conduct the party’s National Convention to elect new leadership for the APC within six months. But political intrigues have since extended Buni’s mandate and is still running.

However, whether or not the Supreme Court judgment will lead to the muchpredicted explosion of the ruling party sooner than expected is a matter of time.

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Paris Club Refund Unsettles Abia Govt If one of the dividends of democracy is that leaders should always give account to their true employers, the people, many have wondered why the Abia State government is silent on the alleged irregularities in the recovery of the state’s share of the Paris Club Refund, Shola Oyeyipo writes

I

f there is anything the people of Abia State are currently demanding from the Abdulrasheed Bawa-led Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), it is to thoroughly investigate how a whopping sum of N11billion was allegedly deducted from the Paris Refund to the state through consultancy services, and bring those responsible for the diversion of the funds to justice.

The bubble busted recently, when the antigraft agency invited the state’s immediate past Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, following a petition allegedly filed by a company called Ziplon Nigeria Limited, over a contract it entered with the state government in 2014, which the government had allegedly breached. Also invited was his predecessor, Mr. Phillip Nto. Oriaku alleged that the former governor, Senator Theodore Orji, had signed a consultancy contract with two companies, Ziplon Nigeria Limited and Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited, to be paid 20 per cent and 30 per cent fees, respectively, on Paris Club refunds received from the federal government.

The implication was that for any money received under this heading, 50 per cent would be paid as fees to these consultants.

He further revealed that before he was appointed a commissioner in 2015, some N8.2billion was received as Paris Club refund by the previous government. Strangely, there was no record of what happened to the money. Under his watch, he went on, the government received N22billion, out of which the consultants were asking for N11billion as fees. According to his account, when he refused to pay the said sum, he was dragged before the EFCC. While stakeholders in the state were waiting for the state government to clear the air on the issue, it kept mute until a former Managing Director of the defunct Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Otti, challenged it to disclose all it knows about the allegations.

Otti, who had contested the governorship position of the state, in a statement, alleged that the Commissioners of Finance during the tenures of Orji and incumbent governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu had confirmed that the two “consultants” had an agreement to collect about 50 per cent of the refund due the state, which agreements, he said were “questionable,” “dubious” and “unreasonable.”

The banker-turned politician noted that “even in a difficult task of recovery of bad debts through a consultant, the maximum compensation applicable all over the world is between two and five per cent.

“So, what brought about the rate of 50 per cent?” Otti queried.

He stressed that Ikpeazu should explain why, on assumption of office, he did not terminate the agreements allegedly designed to defraud or shortchange the state.

Otti, who also noted that the “consultants” have dragged the state to a Federal High Court in Abuja and the EFCC, with respect to the agreement, in a statement titled: ‘Abia Paris Club Refunds: Stealing on An Industrial Scale,’ insisted that silence on the part of the Ikpeazu’s government on a matter he referred to as “stealing on an industrial scale,” cannot be golden.

The former bank MD raised some pertinent questions and made demands he expected the government to respond to, thus: What was the role of a consultant, and in this case, consultants, in the process of the federal government making refunds to state governments?

He also wanted to know if there was any other place in the country where consultancy fees were more than five per cent of refunds and wondered why anybody would ordinarily sign away 50 per cent of his money as fees to consultants.

Otti acknowledged that the agreement was signed by the previous government, but argued if the agreement had been cancelled

Ikpeazu

by Ikpeazu, the contractor wouldn’t have had the legal basis to institute an action in court nor petition the EFCC. He also asked the Ikpeazu’s government to disclose the steps it took to confirm what the previous government did with the N8.2billion refund, since the former Finance Commissioner claimed he did not see any record of how it was used.

Otti also charged the state government to take more than passing interest in the matters before the EFCC and the High Court to ensure that the matter was not only muddled up but expanded to include recovery of looted funds from the treasury of the state.

He noted that from Oriaku’s revelations, it was clear that Ikpeazu was aware of the existence of the so-called consultants and the alleged questionable agreements they had with his predecessor on behalf of the government with a view to crippling his government and shortchanging the people.

He argued that the consultants would not have had any locus or grounds to approach the EFCC against the state if the governor had on assumption of office ensured the termination of the contract entered into by his predecessor.

He concluded thus: “The state government should take interest in the matter before EFCC which borders on recovery of funds for one of the consultants and expand the matter to recovery of looted funds in the name of consultancy fees for the benefit of the state. Finally, let me state that this intervention, as usual, is selfless and aimed at reminding those in leadership positions in Abia that silence in this kind of matter is not golden. The government at every point must be accountable to the people. The government should therefore come clean and explain what it knows about this matter to Abia people.”

Otti had hardly concluded his statement when the governor’s Chief Press Secretary went agog, abusing him and calling him names.

A few hours later, the state Commissioner of Information took over, lampooning and insulting him for daring to ask his boss

questions about his stewardship and social contract with the people.

Interestingly, they said practically everything except that they failed to answer the simple questions Otti posed. And since those questions remain unanswered till date, they will continue to be asked and the public will continue to wait for their answers.

Last month, the Enugu Zonal office of the EFCC arrested Oriaku and some officials of the Abia State government on matter. It was gathered that the officials were detained and later granted administrative bail.

However, the invite by the EFCC has forced the state House of Assembly to wade into the issue. But it is being frustrated as Oriaku has shunned the invitation extended to him by the ad-hoc committee set up by it to probe the issue.

It was later gathered that he had, through his legal counsel, responded in a written statement and given reasons why he could not honour the invitation.

Angered by the development, the state assembly has threatened to issue warrant of arrest on the invitees should they fail to appear before it.

At committee’s sitting last Monday, a member representing Isuikwuato State Constituency and Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Hon. Emeka Okoroafor, said: “We are doing our constitutional mandate as it concerns public fund and anyone one who fails to come, then we will apply to the Speaker for warrant of arrest to bring them here to do what is needful.”

The chairman added, “His argument was that after he left office, he did know whether the amount was paid and that matter is in different courts. It was based on the controversy and the report that we received from the law firm, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Co, and many petitioners that we decided investigate Obinna Oriaku’s claim.”

He added that the invited people who should help in the fact-finding mission, adding that many of them refused to honour the invitation.

“We will be left with no other option than to do what the constitution demands that we should do,” he said.

Analysts have argued that Abia State is one of the states in the South that has been badly governed since the return of democracy in 1999. Most said is that the state is also receives so much in federal allocations as an oil producing state. In spite of its relatively huge earnings from oil proceeds every month, the state’s debt profile, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO), has more than doubled from N33.53billion in 2015 to N70.57billion by March 31, 2021. Yet, they believe that there is nothing in terms of development to justify this huge debt.

Despite the bailout funds and Paris Club refunds from the federal government all totalling over N36billion, the state has taken its record of indebtedness to its workers to an unconscionable high.

For instance, as at June 2021, teachers in primary and tertiary institutions and health workers are being owed outstanding salaries ranging from 19, 27 to 31 months.

With teachers’ salaries, both at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels outstanding for several months, many wonder what the government is expecting from the educational sector and kind of products are it is expecting from schools whose teachers are not being paid.

Another serious concern is the nonpayment of salaries to health workers in the state even during this period of medical emergency, where health workers elsewhere are paid extra allowances to keep them focused on saving lives.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had threatened to terminate the training of medical students at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, over protracted industrial action. The first Vice President of NARD, Dr. Aromo Adejo, in an interview disclosed that NARD would instruct all relevant agencies to stop training medical doctors at Abia Teaching Hospital and withdraw their accreditation forthwith.

It is believe that not only would the N11billion that was allegedly siphoned through the consultancy, comfortably cleared all the salary arrears being owed to these workers but also address the infrastructural deficiency in the state.

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Obaseki’s Endless Wait for Saints as Cabinet Members Adibe Emenyonu writes that eight months after being sworn in for a second term in office,

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State is still waiting for the saints to come down from the heaven before he constitutes a cabinet and hit the ground runnng.

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mmediately after he was sworn in for a second term in office at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, on November 12, 2020, Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki announced the reappointment of Mr. Osarodion Ogie as Secretary to State Government (SSG). He went further to say that all other political appointments would be made by February this year.

With his promise, expectations were high especially for those nursing the ambition to become political appointees. Even at that, members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who initially raised eyebrows swallowed their venom and gave him the benefits of the doubt.

But when the month of February came, the good people of Edo State were told that due to the impromptu marriage the governor had with the PDP after being chased away by his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), he needed to understudy the new bride so as to live in harmony with her and avoid a repeat of his experience in APC. As the people waited patiently, another terminology, harmonisation, was invented to justify his delay in constituting a cabinet.

The governor said there was a need to harmonise positions in the PDP since his government was a combined efforts of breakaway members of his former party, APC and his new party.

To actualise this, he muted the idea of collapsing the party structure to elect new party executives across board.

Although this move did not go down well with the party leadership, it was however, forced to swallow its pride so as not to be seen as rocking the boat too early.

With this convincing argument, the goal post was further shifted to the end of April to allow the harmonisation committee finish its work and come up with an acceptable position so that everyone would reap from the bountiful harvest.

Before this could be achieved, the state Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi was suspended by same persons that signed a protest letter prevailing on the party National Working Committee (NWC) to call the governor to order over his suggestion of collapsing an already constituted wards, local government, senatorial and state party executives to integrate his own loyalists from APC. Realising the futility of his motives, Obaseki hurriedly asked all those interested in political appointments to approach a screening committee, chaired by a former Vice Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Prof. Dennis Agbolahor, for screening.

To make the entire process look democratic, prospective applicants were also asked to get endorsement from the various political leaders in their domain as part of criteria for consideration.

It was gathered that Agbolahor’s committee had since submitted its report but rather than acting on it and making the appointments, Obaseki allegedly pocketed the report and travelled overseas.

This latest behaviour has thickened the suspicion that the governor is merely buying time and not in a hurry to constitute a cabinet.

To confirm speculations that he is playing on the intelligence of people of the state, the governor had three months ago, written to the 10-member

Obaseki

state House of Assembly for approval to appoint Special Advisers and an express approval was given.

But till date, he has not announced any name for the generous approval he obtained from the lawmakers.

There were speculations that the state is broke and cannot finance the appointments, hence Obaseki’s delay tactics and decision to run a dysfunctional administration where only him will be in charge, devoid of accountability.

His political opponents are also of the view that his refusal to appoint a cabinet is an indication that his second term campaign mantra “Make Edo Great Again” (MEGA) was not just a mere slogan but stage show.

The opposition APC in particular, has described the situation as no longer funny but deliberate act to cover up ‘something.’ The party argued that the state is broke and lacks the funds to sustain the cabinet members when appointed.

In his comments, a former Director of Publicity of the APC, in the 2020 governorship election, Mr. John Mayaki, described the situation as regrettable, predicting that the wait is going to be a long one. He noted that the delay would certainly set the state backward and become a recurring incident in successful administrations.

He maintained that being a secondterm governor, Obaseki has no excuse whatsoever not to immediately appoint his commissioners and other aides.

According to him, imagine a governor who has no media aide - no Chief Press

Secretary, no Special Adviser Media, no Commissioners for Information, Attorney General and other key positions; what does that tell you other than incompetence and lack of fund?

He added that it is either the governor lack confidence in those who worked with him before, the capacity to govern or taking the people for granted.

Concerns have been raised on how the governor intends to implement the 2021 budget without a cabinet, given the functions of a cabinet in approving and driving huge projects and infrastructural development.

It has been argued that it would be difficult to implement, especially a capital item in the budget amounting to N2 billion in a particular ministry, when the commissioner is mandatorily required to present the proposal to the State Executive Council (EXCO) for approval.

Curiously, Obaseki’s party, the PDP seems to be in a fix, having discovered too late in the day that the man they got married to is not what he packaged himself to be when the marriage was consummated. The party is forced to adopt the “sit down and see” attitude for fear of getting unfavourable treatment.

When asked to react to the delay

by Obaseki to constitute a cabinet eight months after his inauguration, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Nehikhare could only muster: “I don’t want to be seen criticising the governor.”

Another close associate of the governor, who pleaded for anonymity

also said: “I cannot criticise the governor when the committee he set up to screen commissioner-nominees and other political appointees just submitted their report last weekend and the governor just travelled overseas. I am sure when he comes back, he will look into the report before him and do the needful.”

In Edo State government, nobody takes responsibility for any action or inaction except the governor himself and nobody to call upon to react to any burning issues except occasional statements from the office of the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, and equally occasional posts of government activities by the former SSA (Media) who has also not been reappointed.

Obaseki, who prides himself as a technocrat and investment banker, has so far demonstrated obvious lack of focus and direction to govern Edo State in his second term.

The common saying in Benin is that while Obaseki is probably waiting for the saints to come down from heaven and be appointed as commissioners, he has succeeded in putting governance to a standstill.

But since Obaseki cannot claim Sainthood because he is not, waiting for saints will be an endless wait. He should borrow a leaf from Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who was inaugurated before him, but has since appointed commissioners in some key ministries to keep the wheel of government going without waiting for Saints.

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Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

When House Opts for Private Defence Contractors to Tackle Insecurity With its recent call for the engagement of private security contractors to tackle the security challenges facing the country, the House of Representatives may have given up hope on the ability of the federal government to deploy its security forces to defeat bandits and insurgents, Adedayo Akinwale writes

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or over 10 years, Nigeria has contended with an insurgency in the Northeast zone, resulting in a steady occurrence of catastrophic outbreaks with the attendant loss of lives and property. Furthermore, killing of farmers by herdsmen, banditry, cattle rustling and communal clashes in North-west and North-central regions have also exacerbated.

Following the security crisis, it wasn’t a coincidence that when the Ninth House of Representatives launched its Legislative Agenda, security was part of the social menace it planned to solve through legislative action.

The lawmakers acknowledged that the numbers of active-duty servicemen and women in the police and other security agencies were insu΀cient to meet the challenges facing the country.

Thus, the House promised to work with the national security agencies police, army, civil defence - to determine the needs and provide funding for the strategy to be met.

Recently, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Chikun/ Kajuru federal constituency of Kaduna State, Hon. Yakubu Barde, lamented that bandits were abducting health workers to serve as health personnel in their camps.

He said the health personnel recently abducted in Kaduna were treating wounded bandits.

The lawmaker said the recent abduction of two nurses at the leprosy hospital in the state was part of the new strategy by the bandits. According to him, the families of the two abducted nurses informed him that bandits were not willing to release the nurses, but were instead planning to keep them to serve as medical personnel.

He stated: “I have visited the families, and from their conversations with the abductors, they told them they have gotten staͿ - that they are never going to release them —that those nurses will be working for them, to treat their wounded members—who are wounded in the battle with the military. So the hope of them coming back……I don’t know what kind of magic can bring them back. Honestly, the government has failed in terms of providing security for my constituents.”

Barde therefore urged the government to seek the help of developed nations to combat general insecurity in the country.

Lawmakers Opt for Private Defence Contractors Since the inauguration of the Ninth House on June 11, 2019, a number of resolutions have been passed as part of the eͿorts to tackle the security crisis facing the country, but none has been given consideration by the federal government. However, the Ninth House under the leadership of the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, went a step further when it organised a security summit aimed at providing solutions to the intractable security challenges facing the country.

As part of the recommendations from the security summit, the House called on the federal government to immediately consider the use of private defence contractors for targeted security operations

The House of Representatives plenary

to combat insurgency and terrorism in the country.

Reading the recommendations of the summit which were laid before the House on July 8, 2021, Gbajabiamila said the Green Chamber also called for immediate enhanced training for the Police Mobile Unit to improve their capacity to deal with insecurity.

The House added that a special team of 40,000 Police Mobile Unit o΀cers should undergo this special training, while 1,000 should be deployed in every state for immediate operations in the North-east, while the South-west and South-east can receive the remaining o΀cers out of the 40,000 o΀cers.

The House also called on the federal government to create a new team under the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to train and work with the guards of Nigeria’s forest, saying this unit would collaborate with the current Forest Guards who will remain under the control of the 36 states of the federation. It urged the federal government to encourage the intelligence agencies working with the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Chief of Defence StaͿ to initiate a screening and vetting programme of all frontline o΀cers of the Nigerian military to Àsh out moles and double agents who have so far compromised most eͿorts at combating insecurity and wining the war against insurgents and terrorists.

It lawmakers also urged the federal government to “Give immediate consideration to the use of private defence contractors for targeted security operations to combat insurgency and terrorism

especially.”

The House further urged the direct use of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund to procure some of the immediate equipment needed by the rank-and-Àle police o΀cers in Nigeria, adding that this intervention would include the procurement of modern critical equipment for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as speciÀed by the leadership of the NPF. It also called on the federal government to support the creation of local security committees in all the 774 local government areas, adding that the panel should include traditional rulers, religious institutions and local opinion leaders, which should be managed by the NPF as part of its community policing mandate.

The House further urged the federal government to deploy early warning systems nationwide including installation of CCTV cameras and other surveillance, satellite and electronic equipment along major highways, public places and major cities and borders, while also urging the government to establish and strengthen a National Crisis Centre (NCC) within the Nigerian Police. It added that the NCC would be the national coordinating centre for all civil security response actions and monitoring of resolutions of such with monthly reporting on all incidents.

The lower chamber added that the country must take major steps to control the Áow of illegal arms into the country, by strengthening the control of the country’s borders to detect and seize any illegal shipment of arms into

the country, arrest and prosecute any person associated with the illegal Áow of arms into the country.

The House said Nigeria should reach out to overseas arms dealers to enlist their cooperation against the sale of arms to non-state actors, stressing that there should be a major diplomatic initiative with the governments of countries known to have companies engaged in selling arms to non-state actors.

“Continuous arms collection and depository scheme should be established nationally to encourage disposal and collection of illegal firearms. The federal government should strengthen and instruct widespread use of the centralised national criminal database by the NPF and mandate access for other security agencies, providing resources to ensure this can be done, saying this should also include modernisation of the national fingerprint database.”

Analysts believe that for the legislative arm of government to call on the federal government to hire machinery to combat insecurity in the country showed that the present administration might have ran out of ideas on how to deploy government ‘security forces to restore peace in the country.

However, whether or not the federal government will implement the recommendations of the House, which were submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly before the National Assembly proceeded on its annual vacation last month, remains a matter of conjecture.

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AUGUST 1˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL Resurrection of NIIA: A Review and Agenda Setting for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy

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he Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) held a two-day Virtual Roundtable on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy on Monday, 12th and Tuesday, July 13, 2021. The theme of the Roundtable was‘’Looking Back, Going Forward: Setting the Agenda for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy.’’The methodological implication of the theme is not far-fetched: the need to draw lessons from the past using the present to define the new way forward. It also requires a holistic approach in the choice of which past issues to draw lessons from. And perhaps more significantly, it requires the articulation of which type of future is to be desired and which type of agenda will be good enough to enable the Government of Nigeria respond to the current challenges of a changing world of globalisation.

And true enough, the Roundtable was not simply a platform for academic reflections but, most significantly, a platform for the resurrection of the NIIA, which suffered an academic thrombosis inflicted on it by the NIIA Governing Council, chaired by General Ike Omar Nwachukwu. The NIIA slumbered, not to say dead, as a result of the thrombosis, but was brought back to life by the new Director General, Professor Eghosa Osaghae. The NIIA is gradually becoming again a living institution. It was under this recovery effort that the NIIA held the Roundtable and also an Ambassadorial Forum on Nigeria-Bangladesh Relations on July 26, 2021. The quality of the Roundtable, in terms of paper contributions, methodological approaches, theoretical analyses, and conjectural submissions, lend much credence to a new NIIA in the making.

The virtual Roundtable was structured into four main parts which were organised into two sessions per day: morning and afternoon.

Twelve papers were scheduled for presentation on the first day, but eleven papers were actually presented. The ten papers were scheduled for presentation on the second day. This report focuses on some papers that bother more on the use of foreign policy as an instrument of national security, national development, national integration, and particularly for policy-making and implementation.

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SomeProblemsofthePast Professor Hassan A. Saliu gave an overview of the structures, processes, outcomes and reviews of Nigeria’s foreign policy since 1960 and noted that‘the Presidency has, more or less, become the only face of Nigeria’s foreign policy and that the role of the unoffficial channels is diminishing by the day. Ditto for the research arms. The existence of these structures has not guaranteed much coordination of the foreign policy.’

More important, Prof. Saliu said the Nigerian Diaspora Commission ‘invades the policy environment without proper synergy with the Ministry of foreign Affairs,’which still makes policy briefs, but its views under the current Republic, are sometimes not considered and (are) kept in (the) dark on some issues. Attendance at international fora has proven the point on lack of coordination in Nigerian foreign policy.’On the way forward, he suggested doing away with ad hoc approaches to foreign policy, making greater efforts to resolve domestic problems, embarking on a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s foreign policy and paying more attention to Nigeria’s relations with the Western world. ‘’Nigeria and the Emerging Economies: China and India,’’was the focus of the paper of Dr. Efem N. Ubi, the Director of Research and Studies at the NIIA. He began his presentation with a quotation that ‘the striking thing about the global economy is how little it relies on the United States as the main engine of growth. Since 2007, China’s rapidly expanding economy has provided the largest contribution to global growth, while half of the world’s expansion over the past year has come from three countries: China, India and Russia.’

In his analysis of Nigeria’s relations with China and India, Dr. Ubi noted at the level of India that India is Nigeria’s largest trading partner and Nigeria is also India’s largest trading partner in Africa. As he put it, ‘total bilateral trade between India and Nigeria during the year 2019-20 registered US $13.82bn, as against US $13.89b recorded during the year 2018-19.’

On relations with China, Dr. Ubi had it that‘the turn of the Millennium saw a stronger Nigeria-China relation in socio-political and economic terms, especially in terms of the Nigeria-China strategic Partnership agreement, done in 2006 and which underscored the need for expansion of trade; investments in agriculture; telecommunications, energy; and infrastructure development. In this regard, Dr. Ubi strongly believed that Nigeria should harness its relationship with the Emerging Economies for its development.

As regards Dr. Tola Ilesanmi’s‘’Gender and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,’’ she provided an exegesis of the problems of policy making and implementation. Considering that Nigeria currently ranks number 139 out of 156 countries on the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report (vide

Onyeama World Economic Forum, 2021), she suggested a pro-gender approach in which more women are appointed into leadership positions within the foreign and security services; adoption of explicit gender equality policies, especially within the framework of the National Action Plans (NAPS on Women, Peace and Security; and the elevation of‘gender equality to a foreign policy priority by establishing dedicated budget and stand-alone funds for women’s rights programs and organisations.’

She also placed a particular emphasis on the need for Nigeria to domesticate the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which requires UN Member States‘to ensure increased participation of women in peace keeping missions and in the security sectors.’A basis for domestication can begin with the adoption of the First (2013) and Second (2017) National Action Plan as basis of implementation of the UNSCR 1325.

Dr. Habu Mohammed of the Political Science Department of Bayero University, Kano, noted in his own paper, ‘Economic Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,’that Nigeria adopted economic diplomacy in 1988 as a new direction to hasten economic revival and sustainable development, but under subsequent administrations, the policy‘was either relegated to the background or its vigorous implementation reduced to near oblivion until its resurgence as a foreign policy framework of the new civilian administration in 1999.

The paper investigated what the changes and continuities in the conduct of Nigeria’s international economic relations were, with emphasis on the challenges and prospects in the current unipolar world.

He observed that the introduction of economic diplomacy in Nigeria is a shift in the direction of the country’s foreign policy from its traditional posture of afrocentricism and that the shuttle diplomacy embarked upon by Foreign Minister Ike Nwachukwu‘was more of a declaration of intent’to the outside world, that investment opportunities abound in Nigeria, but‘the gesture was rarely responded (to) by host countries largely because of the climate of the domestic environment.’

In his examination of‘Nigeria and the European Union: the Cotonou Years and Beyond’, Professor Victor Adetula of the University of Jos, observed that‘despite some critical remarks on Nigeria-EU relations, there are some positive aspects of the relationship, mainly traceable to the period of the Lomé Conventions. However, the benefits from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement and its impact on national development are negligible.’He also noted the likelihood of the

Speaking, grosso modo and in evaluative terms, the Roundtable was a good development. It woke up the NIIA Research Fellows from their long academic slumber and also provided a renewal of opportunities for their peers in other institutions to share ideas with them on foreign policy. The major challenge, however, is the environmental conditioning of foreign policy agenda setting, which was only tangentially discussed by Professor Eghosa Osaghae and Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo. The Roundtable had little discussions on the dilemma of the domestic setting which has made intellectual activities very difficult.

There is the need for agenda setting, for foreign policy, which is really not the problem. Agenda setting should, lato sensu, be for the foreign policy makers, as they are the noisome problems. Put interrogatively, what type of agenda setting can be helpful to Nigeria’s international image if there is selected criminal administration of justice, if thousands of farmers ‘all over the country are killed with the government unable or unwilling to do anything’ to borrow the words of Professor Ogunsanwo? What type of agenda setting is required when foreign policy institutions are being bastardised even by the Governing Councils and Foreign Ministry meant to be a supervisor and a guide?

expired Cotonou Agreement being renewed and defined by the international system‘which has become increasingly less charitable and characterised mainly by rising nationalism, a decline of multilateralism, and the continued fragmentation of global governance architecture and international regulation.’Consequently, he submitted that the Nigerian government must pay more attention, reappraise its capabilities against its values and interests, and advance its interests in the international system. For instance, while the relationship with the EU is desirable, Nigeria needs to critically assess its membership of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and its relevance to its development needs and priorities.

Dr. Willie Aziegbe Eselebor wrote on‘Border Security in Nigeria: a Strategic Variable in Foreign Policy,’and noted that‘border security remains a variable because an open (borderless) border or globalised border, without control cannot guarantee peace, security and development.’Therefore he opined that Nigeria should‘do a scenario analysis to determine what Nigeria realistically wants to do with its borders. He also submitted that what Nigeria‘should address in agenda setting is how to ... engage with UN-AU-ECOWAS in relation to peace and security; and/or the role of European Union and especially, France when it comes to the G-5 Sahel and in the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Nigeria must aim to play active roles through foreign policy making in AU and other regional blocks.’

Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo of the Center for Diplomatic Studies and Public Affairs, Lead City University, Ibadan, spoke on“National Values, Interests and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in the 21st century,’and drew attention to the fact that most countries have their values: Equality, Liberty and Fraternity for France; Harmony, Benevolence, Righteousness, Courtesy, Wisdom, Honesty, Loyalty and Piety for China; Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness, Common Good and Justice for the United states; Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity for India; Protection of Human Dignity, Human Rights and Democracy for Germany, etc.

Professor Ogunsanwo noted that these values are mostly aspirational and not necessarily respected by all citizens.

On the basis of the December 2019 document on National Security Strategy, Nigeria’s values are ideals of freedom; equality and justice; sanctity of human life; human dignity; democracy; rule of law; free enterprise; respect for human rights; and equal opportunity and access to justice. These are in addition to the values of respect for elders, honesty and accountability, cooperation, industry, discipline, self-confidence and moral courage articulated in the 2014 National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS).

Additionally, he differentiated between and among vital national interests, which are hinged on national survival and require that all resources be deployed; strategic national interests that are also important, but less than vital; and peripheral interests. As he put it, ‘regional security by way of combating terrorism, insurgency and other transnational crimes, also fall under this category of strategic interests.

The defence of these interests will enhance the protection of Nigeria’s vital interests. Peripheral interests deal with Nigeria’s international obligations, assisting in humanitarian operations, etc.

AgendaSettingandQuoVadis In terms of agenda setting and way forward, in addition to the various recommendations noted above, Professor Ogunsanwo believes that the future of Nigeria’s foreign policy depends‘to a large extent on the success or failure of present efforts to transform the economy, industry, energy, infrastructure and digitalisation.’And perhaps, most notably, he said‘it will be share hypocrisy to pretend that you can promote abroad values such as respect of human life and the rule of law when no such exists in Nigeria. Where there is selected criminal administration of justice and thousands of Nigerians in farming communities all over the country are killed with the government unable or unwilling to do anything, we cannot talk about promoting justice and the respect for lives and property abroad. He who goes to equity must go with clean hands. We should learn to do just that with our domestic affairs.’

From the perspective of Professor Femi Otubanjo, whose paper is entitled‘’Is there a Doctrine and Orientation in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy?’’, it is argued that in the 60 years of Nigeria’s independence,‘there have been as many doctrines as there have been regimes, but there has been only one significant change of orientation.’A doctrine‘is the articulation of a country’s vision of its preferred role and priorities in its relations with other countries or the general international system,’ while‘foreign policy orientation is the predictable disposition of a state in its relationship with others and its preferences in the international system. It is the axis from which all policy choices and even, instruments radiate. Orientation is very much like a paradigm from which theories, hypothesis, doctrines and choices flow.’

In sum, Professor Otubanjo said‘doctrines have been ephemeral in Nigeria, the orientation of Nigeria’s foreign policy has changed only once: from Balewa’s pro-western inclination to Gowon’s broadening of relations with the Eastern Bloc as a result of military necessity. All the attempts at doctrinal postulations, since then, have been based on the presumption of Nigeria’s robust relations with all nations and regions of the world.’

It is noteworthy that the submission of Professor Otubanjo is quite interesting and right on the basis of the good distinction made between a foreign policy doctrine and a foreign policy orientation.

However, when he noted in his paper that‘in spite of the grand declaration of non-partisanship in East-West ideological disputes, Balewa could not untie Nigeria from the umbilical cord of Nigeria’s colonial master and her allies,’Professor Otubanjo is simply implying that the Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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Recommitting Ourselves to Values and Promises Ferdinand Agu

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have been asked to speak on behalf of the friends and well-wishers of Ike-Obosi, Osita Chidoka, the celebrant. We are assembled here to show of bonds of friendship, to share fond memories and to recommit ourselves to the values, dreams and promise that have made our brother Osita a very outstanding personality at 50.

Osita and I met in 1998 at the review of the ‘Abuja Master Plan’. He had finished his NYSC a few years back; and was easily the best Youth Corper in the Federal Capital Territory. That was why they retained him in the Federal Capital Development Authority. We met again at the occasion of the handing over from the military regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar to the civilian administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. That was at dawn of this Fourth Republic in 1999. He was the Assistant Secretary of the Federal Government Committee on the Handover which was headed by Major-General Nom. I go back this far to support what the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has just said: that Osita is a star. Even at that young age he was clearly destined to play an important part in the affairs of our nation.

Then we met again in year 2000, while we were both serving the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who was then the nation’s Minister of Transport. Suffice it to say that Osita was very outstanding. Even though he was the Personal Assistant to Chief Ojo Maduekwe, he was meritoriously nominated to attend a course in Singapore that was meant for heads of maritime administrations, admirals, director generals etc. And he came top of the class. He won the gold plaque for the course and came home adorned with laurels. On his return to Nigeria, in 2003, he coordinated the efforts to produce the first Port Reform Policy of the Obasanjo regime. That document went to the Federal Executive Council and was approved.

Thereafter, like they say, the rest is history.

We are all witnesses to Osita’s summon to power - as head of the Federal Road Safety Commission by President Obasanjo, three days to the end of his administration – at the age of 36. For a while it seemed that the appointment would not stand but the new President, Umaru Yar’Adua and his Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe moved swiftly to confirm Osita in that position. Seven years later. based on his sterling performance, Osita was appointment as Minister of Aviation by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Understandably, most of you know him as an outstanding politician and as an accomplished public servant - as a leading public man. It behoves me explain part of the reasons why he has been so successful at every point of call. I will do so because there are younger ones here and it is not enough for us or them to merely admire him. Our youth need heroes that they can relate to - in values and attributes.

For example, in the early days of the Cuban Revolution, school children, every morning recited: ‘I want to be like Che’ (At other times it was: ‘I want to be like Camilo Cienfuegos.

I am sure many of you will recall that the Argentine-born Ernesto Che Guevara was one of the most charismatic and enduring heroes of the Cuban revolution; and so was Camilio Cienfuegos). I want to see a day that young children in Nigeria will say ‘I want to be like Osita’.

Very early in life, Osita prepared himself for leadership. The cornerstone in that preparation, like he mentioned earlier today, was studying the Bible, So I will not talk about that. Instead, let me briefly talk about his literary bias. Osita has a very strong literary mind. He took to books very early in life. He once confided in me that he aspires to own as many books as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The late sage owned a collection of over 11,000 books and on his death, they were donated to the Ogun State University. Osita’s collection of books is mounting. He hopes someday to pass them on a University in Anambra State. In terms of literary influences on Osita, permit me to mention a few. Kahlil Gibran was a spiritual and romantic Lebanese writer of the early 20th century. Some would call his works

Chidoka esoteric. Those of you that care to, can refer to his works in the Prophet, The Mad Man and host of others. The works of Kahlil Gibran, his discourse on the human condition evoked strong streams thought in Osita as a youth.

Secondly, let me recall when we did his 40th birthday – 10 years ago. Osita organised a live theatre group at the venue, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja to perform a sketch of the work - ‘Arrow of God’. That is the last novel of the famed African trilogy by Achebe, consisting of: Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God. The theme and cast of characters of that book furnish us with rich, enduring sociological impact and lessons. One sees the interplay of forces for a society in transition. The Igbo society of the time and setting of the book found itself in transition and in conflict. Of particular import are conflicts that result from ascribing the actions of leaders to the infallible will the gods instead of the rational judgement or irrational prejudice of the men that they are. If one extrapolates, it becomes evident that so many things in today’s Nigeria were handled and foreseen in the Arrow of God. Osita remains fascinated by the Arrow of God, because he strives to understand the nature and causes of our society’s transition and conflicts – at the ethnic and national levels.

When he left Federal Road Safety Commission, we had a reception like this for him. His theme song then was Frank Sinatra version of: ‘I did it my way’. For Osita, it is a song with deep meaning and one that often triggers reflections. So, for those young ones that want to be like Osita, open your minds to reading, because readers are leaders. Yarn for and seek the meaning of things, especially the meaning of life and our experiences. Because Osita is exposed to a wide range of literature and thought process, you

see what we witness today: a very modern man, a man of the world that is totally at ease with his tradition; one with full grasp of the story, myths and cultural symbolisms of his people and yet he understands the imperatives of nation-building; a man who appreciates that tomorrow’s Nigeria needs men that will come together with open minds, irrespective of their diverse backgrounds, to synthesize and reconcile our different tendencies.

The other thing I want to say about Osita, is that he has had many mentors and heroes. Over the years he has caught the eyes of some very outstanding Nigerians. It is not for me to name them here, but on his 40th birthday many of them spoke about Osita, including President Obasanjo, Babagana Kingibe - you name them.

Others like former President Mahama, Prince Michael - the Duke of Kent, Chief Arthur Eze and late Chief Authur Nwankwo have proudly identified with Osita at various times. Today, we have President Jonathan – in person. He has commended Osita in glowing terms. And let me pay tribute to a particular mentor, the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a mentor we shared in common and whose untimely death we still lament. The wife is here today, Chief Mrs Ucha Maduekwe.

The great Athenian leader, Pericles, said this of his Athens: ‘We do not imitate, because we are a model to others’. Osita does not imitate, because on his own - he is a model. His brand is to continuously strive towards what the ancient Greek called sophrosyne – that is, excellence in character and soundness of mind. It is an ideal not easy to find or attain; but it is a worthy aspiration. Heroes and mentors may help one along the way but ultimately it is a personal quest. It cannot be achieved by imitation but rather by rigorous self-analysis,

self-discovery and self-application. It is the power of his example in this honourable quest that will make our youths someday to declare: I want to be like Osita.

Going forward, Osita said here that he wants to devote the rest of his life to building hope in Nigeria. I admire that. I also share those hopes. I earnestly do. The event you (Osita) did in the 36 states of Nigeria tells us that there is hope. Hundreds of youths – your followers on Facebook and other social media - heeded your call to service. They organised and visited at least three hospitals in every state of the federation; and on your behalf delivered presents, help and succour to mothers and children that either shared the same birthday with you or were in despite need. I commend you for the inspiration and huge financial sacrifice. I commend them for enthusiasm, conviction and willingness to serve. Indeed, there are budding shoots of hope. There may yet be a national renewal, a rebirth.

But my fear is that we cannot go far with hope if there is no faith. We cannot claim to have faith in Nigeria if we do not have faith in ourselves; and, in our neighbours. For the Nigeria of our dreams to be true, we need hope but we also need faith – that is, faith in ourselves, faith in the next man, faith in the next group – regardless of religion, ethnicity, political, social and economic definition. And so, every Nigerian must ask himself or herself, do I really have faith in my neighbour? Any man or woman, especially those in public office that does not have faith in his or her neighbour does not believe in this country. By virtue of his example, I am delighted to hold Osita up as a man that believes in himself and believes in his neighbours. And, I challenge the upcoming generation and as well as all our leaders to show that they believe in themselves and in their neighbours.

Finally, Osita, I congratulate you. When you wedded, City People flashed a banner ‘Chidoka, Abuja big boy weds’. Then, we said it was a bit superfluous. Yet, every single day since that wedding, you have proved that you are not just an Abuja big boy, but that you are indeed a Nigeria big boy, and I say it in a positive way. When you left Federal Road Safety Commission, you said you did it your way.

For the next phase of your life, that phase of building hope in Nigeria, I wish to recommend that you also incorporate or adapt the spirit of the ‘The Man in the Arena’ - by US President, Theodore Roosevelt. I refer to the speech he made at the Sorbonne, in France, on April 23rd, 1910 (He titled that speech ‘Citizenship in A Republic’ but it now popularly remembered for this part about the man in the arena: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Shame on the man of cultivated taste who permits refinement to develop into fastidiousness that unfits him for doing the rough work of a workaday world).

Nigeria of tomorrow will belong to those who enter the arena, not those who sit and snivel and criticise, but those in the arena of nation building, men and women fighting in great combats of the times, willing to take the bruises to build a better Nigeria and a better world. You, Ike-Obosi, Osita Chidoka, are already in the arena. We wish you all the best. God will guard and guide you. God will bless you. I hail your wife and your family; and on behalf of all your friends, we say: do it your way and survive in the arena. _Agu, a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, delivered this speech at the birthday celebration of Osita Chidoka in Abuja, recently.

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ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Poverty: Beyond the Matthew Effect Chidi Amuta

P

overty and inequality in capitalist society often find cruel justification in enabling theologies. Says the Christian gospel according to St. Matthew: “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from them” (Matthew 13:12). In other words, the systematic and progressive impoverishment of the poor and the further enrichment of the rich is the unstated driving principle of wealth creation in a free market system. For those who feel undue discomfort with the perennial presence of the poor in our midst, there is an even more depressing solace from the same St. Matthew: “… the poor you will always have with you.”

(Matthew 26:11). This is what is called the Matthew effect.

If left unchecked and allowed to drive the logic of society, the Matthew Effect would produce the classic dog-eat-dog society that is unsafe for both the rich and the poor. The poor will get so desperately needy that they will turn on each other and also perennially hound the rich. On their part, the rich will retreat into gilded cages and use the mechanism of their dominance of the state to further weaken the poor by deepening their desperation. A dangerous vicious cycle is born. Those who use peaceful sleep as a measure of social peace and security would then argue that the rich cannot sleep safely because hunger is keeping the poor awake. A society of restless vagabonds and wealthy insomniacs.

We are right in the grip of this gruesome beast. See what we have: endless power tariff increases, frequent hikes in gasoline pump prices, astronomical increases in food inflation, increases in house rents, healthcare and education costs are all systemic instances of a disproportionate taking away from those who‘hath not’. On the other hand, we have hidden tax reliefs for the rich, tax rebates for dubious charitable causes, concessions on corporate taxes, differential exchange rates to favour some imports, free SUVs for elite political office holders andfreegasolineallowancestohurlthesevehiclesaround town and country- all amount to adding onto those who already have too much. In the process, we are fuelling a seaofpovertyandincreasingtheinequalitygulf.Asociety thatsimultaneouslyincreasesthepopulationofthepoor and the gap between the stupendously rich and the abjectly poor is a festering ground for vicious insecurity.

Present day South Africa is our nearest destination on this untidy journey.

The role of the state ought to be the mitigation of this conflict to create a reasonably fair society in which the rich can create more wealth to pay for the welfare that reassures the poor that upward mobility is possible.

Unfortunately, our own state has in fact become the key driver of inequality and generator of mass poverty.

Governancethatdoesnotcreateopportunitiesforcitizens to pursue their dreams can only end up diminishing the frontiers of national greatness. The excuses and argument have always been the same: Government needs money to fund its systemic profligacy and institutional excesses. So, it can, as in Mr. Buhari’s case, borrow and spend money like a drunken sailor under the guise of infrastructure development and all manner of silly pageantsandceremonies.Meanwhile,thetaskofcreating a fair society remains unaddressed, drowned in political bluster while the nation sinks.

According to the 2019 Poverty and Inequality Report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 40% of Nigeria’s estimated population of 220 million (about 83 million people) live under the poverty line of N137,430 which is $381.75 per annum. This comes out as a little over a dollar a day for this sea of humanity. The government has rounded up the size of Nigeria’s poverty republic to 100 million, making us now the much celebrated presumptive‘poverty capital’of the world.

Yet a society that has been so prolific in producing and reproducing poor people has also been remarkable in recent times in producing individuals whose quantum of wealth and display of garish ostentation would suffocate the most decadent clans of affluent humanity. By generating so much poverty, we have created a society that is celebrating the immorality of excess. We are witnessing the elevation of cash into a deity worshipped by most. See the recent cash deluge at the Oba burial of Mr. Obi Cubana’s mother. See the garishopenbazaarsandworshipofcashatparties,burials, weddings etc. A new theology of affluence has arisen in the most unlikely places, our university campuses.

Undergraduates now spend more time on laptops perpetuating assorted cybercrimes than listening to impoverished lecturers and professors.

In recent years, Nigeria has become the home of one ofthelargestpopulationsofpoorpeopleintheworld.An estimated poor population ratio of 40-50% of the total population is not exactly a flattering statistic.The causes

Ahmed aremanyandvariedbutallcomedowntoamismanaged mismatch between resources and demographic trends.

Equally,tobeblamedisourcontinuingoverdependence on oil and gas rents and royalties as the mainstay of our economic survival. In a world that is moving decisively away from hydrocarbons to alternative cheaper energy sources, our oil dependency syndrome spells certain disaster. Consequently, the resource base of the federal government has continued to come under increasing severe pressure with the attendant devaluation in the extent and quality of basic social services and the major indices of human development.

Thepopulationofthecountryhasgrownexponentially from 55.98 million in 1970 to over 201 million in 2019 and about 215 million today. Similarly, our per capita per head has grown from $224 in 1970 to $2,149 today but the purchasing power of the current higher figure is less than what the smaller figure could buy in 1970.

Only an average of 20% of Nigeria’s 1970 population could be regarded as poor while over 48% to 55% of today’s population is functionally poor. Poverty today is definedbytheWorldBankandothermultilateralfinancial institutions as people living on less than $2 a day.

With a very young population, Nigerians aged under 45 constitute an estimated 38% of the total population.

Since 1970, Nigeria has continued to depend on oil and gas royalties for 95% of its foreign exchange revenue.

With a steady decline in foreign direct investment inflow (recently a decline of over 70%) and a declining manufacturing sector in recent years, the economy has been unable to generate employment at a rate to cope with the demographic increase and the pace of production of skilled manpower and educated people especially the teeming youth population.

Ayouthbulgehasresultedinstratosphericunemployment figures (currently nearly 35%) while secondary and tertiary institutions have increased exponentially and continue to spew out unemployed youth onto the streets of decaying urban centres.

Poverty has produced an anarchic population as life has become a scramble and a hustle among the many.

Poverty induced criminality has sent crime statistics through the roof nationwide resulting in the culture of perennial insecurity that now haunts the nation. A resource poor treasury has led to considerable decay in the capacity of the state to equip the armed and security forces adequately to contain an upsurge in crime and militant nationalism.

Theprevalenceofpovertyisclearlythegreatestthreats toournationalsecurity.Inacurioussense,however,poverty hasbecomealevelerandaunifiereveninatimeofpolitical and ethnic fundamentalism and divisiveness.There is no functional difference between the poor man or woman in Maiduguri and the one in Port Harcourt; between the poor woman inYenagoa and their opposite number in Sokoto. They all speak the same dialect of the Nigerian language. They are hungry, homeless and sometimes hopeless. Nearly all the troubles that confront us as a nation can be traced to either direct poverty or the fear that the ogre of poverty could rise one day to devour the fortunes of the rich and prosperous.

Nigeria’s inequality is not just class inequality alone.

There is also a stark regional inequality. There is first a north-south divide in the inequality index.Then within thenorthitself,therearefurthersubdivisions.IntheNorth Western states, poverty rate is higher at about 81% in Sokoto but a lower 31% in Niger state. Adamawa,Yobe, Sokoto,Taraba, Zamfara and Jigawa have an average of

78% poverty rates, all far above the national average.

In the southern states, the percentage is much lower, tapering into single digits in Lagos and some other sourthern states.

What makes Nigeria’s poverty and inequality more dangerous is that they have in the last three decades becomeincreasinglyendemic.Ifyouarepoor,thechances that the children you labour to send to college on your artisanal incomes will break out of the poverty cycle is becoming rare. Only the very exceptional child of poor underclassparentsstandachanceofsecuringmeaningful let alone earning an income that could liberate them from the poverty cycle of their origins. Poverty is now being passed down from generation to generation.The artisan’s son who graduated from university may end up an Okada rider or Keke operator, a frustrating and tragic downward mobilityof sorts.

Insomefairness,theBuhariadministrationhascorrectly identified increasing poverty and inequality as a crisis point. In his 6th anniversary broadcast to the nation in May,thepresidentcreditedhisadministrationwithhaving migrated a contentious 10 million people out of poverty.

In the absence of reliable statistics, no one knows who these are and where they live.The President has followed up this claim with a renewed commitment to lift a total of 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over a ten year period. For a president who has less than 17 months to leave office, this can only be a political commitment made on behalf of future administrations.

Meanwhile, the administration has embarked on a cocktail of measures targeted at reducing desperate poverty among the most vulnerable segments of our populace.These include the various Direct CashTransfer Schemes, micro creditTrader Money, the School Feeding Programme, the Small to Media Enterprises credit scheme, the various Agricultural Credit Schemes and AnchorBorrowersSchemes.Itishopedthattheseschemes will over time converge to reduce the magnitude and demographics of the poor in our midst.

Easilythemostsystematicandwellthoughtoutpoverty alleviation programme in our history was undertaken under the Babangida administration (1985-1993) It includedtheestablishmentofCommunityBanks,People’s Bank,acomprehensiveruraldevelopmentdriveunderthe defunctDirectorateofFood,RoadsabdRuralInfrastructure (DFRRI), the Directorate of Employment, NERFUND, the Mass Transit Programme etc.

Lack of sustainability and inter regime disruptions have invalidated most of these measures.

In a quest for genuine models f poverty and inequality reduction, Nigeria is not alone. Other major countries with huge populations have since recognized that they cannotachievegenuinedevelopmentunlesstheytackle the scourge of poverty and inequality. In this regard, the strides of China, India and Brazil should be instructive.

China’s achievement in poverty reduction has been described as a modern day miracle. According to the World Bank, a total of 850 million people have been lifted out of poverty in China in the last 20 years. The poverty rate fell from 88% in 1981 to 0.7% in 2015.This is poverty as measured by the percentage of people living on $1.90 or less per day by 2011 purchasing power parity terms.

This translates into an average poverty reduction rate of 42 million people per annum. In total, the Chinese have reduced their poverty rate by over 60% of the population in 20 years.

China’s strategy focused on the poorest people in the rural areas. It massively moved them from poor homes in

the countryside to apartment blocks in urban areas.This has led to rapid urban renewal and the uplifting of the standards of hygiene and living among the former slum dwellerswithacorrespondingeconomicempowerment.

FactorsinChina’smacroeconomicenvironmenthelped in the process.The adoption of a market economy and increased economic activity have been key factors.This wasjoinedbyanincreaseinthebankedpopulationaswell asimprovementsinthestockmarketandanastronomical growth in foreign investments in the Chinese economy.

Similarly,hugestridesintechnologyespeciallyInformation Technologyhaveconvertedmassivedemographicsinto a unified manufacturing hub and market.

India’s poverty reduction strategy is a systematic combination of strategies that has assured India of a modestpovertyreductionrateof13.65millionpeopleper annum in the last twenty years.Various United Nations reportshaveacknowledgedthatin10years(2006-2016), India has lifted a record 273 million of its population out of poverty. This has been achieved through a series of rural development programmes targeted majorly at poverty alleviation in the rural areas. By targeting the rural areas, the Indian strategy resembles the Chinese one in general but is distinct in being based on specific programmes.There are four basic schemes in the Indian mode.The Rural Livelihood Mission(NRLM) guarantees the rural poor access to finance to increase household incomes through access to credits for micro projects located in the rural areas. The Mahatma Ghandhi Rural EmploymentGuaranteeAct2005guaranteesindividuals in rural areas a minimum of 100 days minimum wage employment. It is extended to rural families whose adult male members volunteer to do unskilled work in return for the guaranteed wage.

There is also the Rural Housing Guarantee Scheme designed to provide housing for all by the year 2022. It guarantees the rural poor access to permanent housing with electricity, LPG connections, pipe borne water and toiletfacilitiesunderanaffordablemortgagearrangement that is both simple and affordable. To ensure that rural populations have access to essential goods, there is the Public Distribution System which aims to manage food distribution and reduce the scarcity of essential food items to rural dwellers at affordable prices.

Brazil’s poverty reduction strategy on the other hand is guided by a principle of numerical balancing. It aims at improving the incomes of those at the bottom of the economic ladder at a rate faster than those of people at the top and also faster than the rate of GDP growth.The result is that Brazil has been able to reduce both poverty and inequality simultaneously in the last two decades.

Between 2003 and 2009, 21 million people have been liberated from poverty. The Brazil National Institute of AppliedEconomicResearchsaysthatthecountry’sPoverty Incidence Rate declined from 35.8% to 21.4% between 2001 and 2009, a period during which the country’s Gini Index (which measures rate of inequality) dropped by 9%, the lowest since the 1970s.

Some key policy measures helped Brazil achieve this feat.

Firstisthe“BolsaFamilia”whichprovidesfamilyincome support for families whose per capita monthly income is less than $47. In return, families must ensure that they vaccinate their children against common childhood diseases.They must also attend routine primary health programmes and also ensure that their children remain in school. Compliance with these requirements is what assures people of continued participation and benefit from the family cash support programme. This has simultaneously helped in uplifting health standards as well as education participation among the poorest segments of the Brazilian society.

From the experiences of these other countries, there are clear lessons that Nigeria must learn and strategies we need to urgently adopt. First, our hope of reducing poverty must begin with addressing rural poverty.The poorest urban Nigerian is often many times better off than the most well off rural Nigerian.Therefore, we need to emulate the Chinese and Indian examples in focusing on the rural majority.

Secondly, we need to tie poverty reduction benefits to specific developmental sanctions and rewards like in the Brazilian model. In addition, our current land title and tenuresystemsneedtobereformed.Weneedtoremove encumbrances on rural land titles so that rural farmers can use such land to access credit from the banks and credit unions to raise their living standards.

Most importantly, Nigeria needs to more aggressively deploy the benefits of the digital revolution to reduce the poverty among our teeming masses. Through the Apps on our cell phones, a psychological inequality is already being addressed.We should now use those very Apps to accelerate the mobility of factors of production across the national space. If Nigeria does not face the scourgeofpovertyandinequalitycreativelyandsquarely, the insecurity lies ahead could consume the country.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 1, 2021

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NEWSXTRA

Group Accuses FG of NCC Act Violation on Twitter Suspension Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The federal government blocked access to Twitter, an American microblogging and social networking service, in violation of the regulatory framework under the Nigerian Communications Act, correspondences between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Global Rights have alleged.

Under the regulatory framework, correspondences further disclosed, the apex government is required to issue regulatory directive to service providers following legally stipulated directions – to wit: exposure draft for comments.

These are revealed in a letter by the Executive Director, Global Rights, Ms Abiodun Baiyewu to Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta on July 9 seeking details under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 about Twitter’s ban.

In two replies signed by its Director, Legal & Regulatory Services, Josephine Amuwa and Head, Legal Registry Services Unit,

Jerry Ugwu, however, the NCC defended its decision not to make public details about compliance with the regulatory framework before consumers were denied access to Twitter.

Specifically, the NCC, in its July 5 reply to the request, cited security reasons for its refusal to release details about its compliance with the regulatory framework before it issued directive the blocked access to Twitter on June 4.

Rather than issuing a regulatory directive on the conduct of Twitter, the letter revealed that the federal government only issued a press release directing telecom operators to block all users from accessing Twitter nationwide, a clear violation of the provision of the NCC Act. The letter argued that the directive of the NCC to telecom operators “to block consumers access to Twitter did not follow due process as provided under the NCC Act,” observing that a press release “is not a regulatory directive” the legislation envisaged under its Section 53 (1-2).

As stipulated in the Act, for instance, Section 53(1) mandated

the commission “to issue directions in writing to any person regarding the compliance or non-compliance of any licence conditions or provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation, including, but not limited to the remedy of a breach of any licence condition or the provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation.

Section 53(2) provided that the NCC “shall, before issuing a direction under subsection (1) of this section, issue a notice in writing to the person specifying the nature of required compliance and the person shall be granted an opportunity to be heard or may submit a written submission within a reasonable time period specified in the notice on the reasons for his conduct or activity.”

Beyond the provisions of Section 53 (1-2) that makes mandatory issuance of regulatory directive, Section 57 (1) provided that the Commission “may hold a public inquiry on any matter of a general nature that relates to the administration of this Act or its subsidiary legislation which will serve the objects of this Act.”

Lawyer Asks N’Assembly to Amend Constitution to Reflect True Federalism Alex Enumah A legal practitioner, Chidi Amamgbo has called on the National Assembly to take the advantage of the ongoing constitution review to make Nigeria a true federal system.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, Amamgbo said states must be empowered to be independent economically.

Amamgbo, who is also admitted to California State Bar, said that the way the country is being run presently negates all principles of federalism.

According to him, the idea of the centre taking resources from the states and sharing it out to states is antithetical to federalism.

He said: “Why do we call it a federation when oil producing states cannot control their resources?

The states should be allowed to control their resource level and then

pay taxes to the federal government for defence and foreign affairs.”

He warned that any amendment that did not address this fundamental issue is a mockery and will not bring about the change Nigerians are yawning for.

He said: “Every state must be a mini nation able to thrive on its own without depending on the federal government. If this is done, there are states that have no business being a state.

“If we are truly serious about changing the constitution then we should address that. Why will you go to Rivers State, collect their oil, bring it to the centre and distribute it to all the states and tell them that their derivation is 13 percent?

He also suggested that the review should also aim at strengthening the independence of the judiciary saying that the judiciary as presently constituted

is not independent.

“We must make the judiciary a co-equal arm of government to the executive and the executive. Until the judiciary can call the shots, impunity will remain pervasive”, he added.

Amamgbo, who said he returned to Nigeria from the US to seek election into the National Assembly, called on well meaning Nigerians to participate in politics saying that politics should not be left for those who do not have the interest of the people at heart.

He stated that many of those in political offices today had no business being there because they had nothing to offer other than to go and steal public funds.

He also advised political parties to stop giving tickets to the highest bidder but should, in the interest of the country, ensure that only those who have something to offer are allowed to lead the people.

Akeredolu’s Victory, Divinely Ordained, Says APC Chieftain James Sowole in Akure A former National Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bankole Oluwajana at the weekend said the victory of Ondo State Governor, Pastor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his Deputy, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Supreme Court on Wednesday was divinely ordained.

Oluwajana, therefore, congratulated Akeredolu and his deputy, urging them to speed up the implementation of the eight-point development their administration had designed to make Ondo an investment destination.

He made these remarks in a statement he issued on Friday in response to the decision of the apex court, saying the decision of the apex court had put an end to the series of litigations that followed Akeredolu’s re-election In his statement, Oluwajana said the judgment confirmed Akeredolu’s overwhelming victory in the October 10, 2020

governorship election in which he won by landslide in 15 out 18 local government areas (LGAs) in the state.

Now that all legal contests have been concluded, Oluwajana noted that Akeredolu would concentrate on the sustained implementation of his eight-point development agenda aimed at redeeming the state’s lost glory.

He added that Akeredolu’s victory “is divinely ordained from the outcome of the governorship election to the conclusion of the legal fireworks that followed it.

With the decision of the Supreme Court, God has perfected what He started.

“Every stage has proved that Akeredolu is popular among the Ondo people and his re-election is ordained from Heaven despite diverse multi-level litigations that could have truncated people’s mandate,” the APC chieftain said.

Oluwajana, therefore, congratulated the governor and his deputy, urging them to speed up the imple-

mentation of the administration’s eight-point development agenda, which they conceived to redefine the future of the state.

As the development agenda envisages, according to him, accelerating massive infrastructure development, ensuring efficient service delivery, promoting rural and agricultural development, maintaining law and order for adequate security and providing effective health care and social welfare services will make Ondo State economically competitive and socially stable.

The governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede had challenged Akeredolu’s victory in the October 10, 2020 governorship election in which the governor polled 292,830, as against Jegede who garnered 195,791.

Jegede had lost petitions respectively at the Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal and Court of Appeal, both of which dismissed the appeal for lack of merit

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NEWSXTRA Don’t Keep Kyari in Office While Probe Persists, CSOs Task PSC, IG Gboyega Akinsanmi Civil society organisations (CSOs) yesterday warned the Police Service Commission (PSC) and Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Baba against keeping the Commander of the IG Intelligence Response and Monitoring Team, Mr. Abba Kyari while investigation was ongoing.

CSOs, also, warned that failure to handle Kyari’s indictment with transparency and within the ambit of rule of law “can damage what remains of the credibility of President Muhammadu Buhari’s war against corruption.”

These views are expressed in separate responses by a former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu; Director, Centre for Public Policy and Research, Dr. Sam Amadi; Head, Transparency International in Nigeria, Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani and Executive Director, Global Rights, Ms. Abiodun Baiyewu to THISDAY’s inquiries yesterday.

Kyari, a Deputy Commis-

sioner of Police (DCP), was one of six people indicted over the alleged plot to defraud a Qatari businessperson of $1.1 million, masterminded by Ramon Abbas (a.k.a Hushpuppi).

The other suspects that were indicated alongside comprise AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (Bolamide).

Kyari, who faces a US arrest warrant, denied any wrongdoing in a statement on Thursday.

However, the Nigerian Police force said in a statement it had ordered an internal review of the allegations.

Reacting to Kyari’s indictment yesterday, Odinkalu hoped that the police authorities would do right by the facts of the case brought against Kyari.

Odinkalu, who recently joined the Fletcher School at Tufts University, noted that keeping Kyari in his position as the Deputy Commissioner of Police would not do the Nigeria Police any good given

the magnitude of the crime he committed.

He, therefore, said: “I hope they would at least have the good sense to sequester him from further policing role pending the outcome of the review, so-called, that the Inspector-General says he has ordered. Anything less would be worse than ham-handed.”

He, however, observed that an arrest warrant “is not a conviction. That requires a trial. But it indicates that there is probable cause. In a case of white collar crime, it is a significant cause

for worry notwithstanding the existence of a presumption of innocence.”

While the legalities of Kyari’s indictment may be dry, Odinkalu said the optics “are not. The idea that there is a transnational warrant out for arguably your most high profile police officer is more than just awful optics.

“It could - and almost certainly would - hamper international co-operation with the Nigerian Police Force concerning white collar crime. That is why the regime would prevaricate on this at their own peril,” Odinkalu

noted with grave concern about Kyari’s indictment for Nigeria’s already miry public image.

Amadi, a former Chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), pointed out that the saga of Abba Kyari would significantly test the credibility and rule of law status of the Buhari administration.

Amadi lamented that the federal government “has been swift in arresting those it considers have violated the law. It has actually been a law and order state, even though it has not been an exemplary rule of law state.

“We expect a quick and measured reaction to the request from the US. The Attorney-General of Police is right to say that Nigeria will follow established international law norms in complying with the judicial order from the US. “Since Kyari has flatly denied the allegations, the only option is for him to engage lawyers and enter an appearance in the US court. He would probably be granted bail and his lawyers can move to have the case vacated if the evidence against him is spurious or insubstantial.

Tinubu Out of Nigeria, Not Hospitalised, Says Aide National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, is currently out of Nigeria but not hospitalised, his Media Adviser, Mr. Tunde Rahman, has said.

Reacting to reports that the former Lagos State governor was hospitalised in the United States, Rahman said in a short statement yesterday that his principal was “hale and hearty”.

The statement reads, “His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is fine. He is hale and hearty. He is not in any hospital. He has no medical problem that would require hospitalisation.

“Yes, he is out of the country at the moment. He will be back shortly.

“Anytime he travels out of the country, the next thing some mischievous people would say is he is sick, hospitalised or has died.

“It is shameful that perpetrators of this evil are not deterred by the fact that each time this fake news has been propagated, they have been proven wrong.

“Who really is afraid of Asiwaju Tinubu? Those wishing Asiwaju Tinubu evil or dead should be careful. They should know the matter of life and death is in the hand of only God Almighty.”

Okowa, Silva, Akindele, Others Mourn Oniga Omo-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, ace actresses, Joke Silva and Funke Akindele yesterday mourned the death of veteran Nollywood actress, Rachel Oniga.

Oniga’s son, Olatunji, confirmed the death of the actress yesterday, saying his mother died Friday night around 10:00 p.m.

“She passed last night around 10pm. She had malaria and typhoid,” Olatunji said.

A popular screen queen, Oniga featured in scores of

Nollywood movies —both English and Yoruba— before her demise. Okowa commiserated with the Oniga family, Urhobo nation and Nollywood over the passing of veteran actress.

The renowned movie star hails from Eku in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta.

In a statement in Asaba yesterday by Mr Olisa Ifeajika, his Chief Press Secretary, Okowa expressed bewilderment at the passing of Oniga, saying she was a consummate actress whose demise was a huge loss to Delta and Nigeria.

Moghalu Rejoices with Sanusi at 60 Sunday Ehigiator

A former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Kingsley Moghalu has congratulated the Sarkin Kano, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Muhammadu Sanusi II, as he turns 60 years of age.

In a statement yesterday, Moghalu described Sanusi as a man that has made a tremendous impact on Africa’s largest economy as CBN’s governor from 2009 to 2014 and also broadly on Nigeria’s national

affairs.

He also said Sanusi’s impact cut across the sphere of Islamic religious and social affairs, as an author and public intellectual, and on the global stage.

“Not only were you honoured as the World Central Bank Governor of the Year and Africa’s Central Bank Governor of the Year in 2012

by The Banker Magazine, you were named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Persons in the World in 2011.

CALL TO BAR …

Father, Mr. Igho Oghoghorie; New lawyer, Mr. Kesiena Igho Oghoghorie, and his mother, Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie, after Kesiena’s call to Bar in Abuja...recently

In Five Months, NDLEA Apprehends 5,000, Secures 500 Convictions Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it had arrested no fewer than 5,000 suspects and secured 500 convictions between January and May 2021 for drug abuse and trafficking.

Marwa, a former military governor of Lagos State, called all leaders and stakeholders across the country to see the urgent need to rid Nigeria of drug scourge.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa, made this known yesterday in Ibadan at a book launch authored by Retired Brig.-Gen. Larinde Laoye.

Marwa said that 3,000 offenders

had been charged to court, while 2,303 individuals were counselled and treated for drug-related problems within the months under review.

He said that more than two million kilogrammes of assorted drugs were seized and over N90 billion worth of drugs and cash recovered.

NDLEA’s boss said that statistics of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking recorded by the agency in the first five months of the year calls for sober reflection.

He said leaders at all levels should attach some urgency “to the need to rid our society of the drug menace. That is why we are advocating a new social order where drug testing becomes the

norm, for couples as part of the wedding rites, for students as a continuous process starting from admission into tertiary institutions and for government employees as part of the employment process and periodic validation of their employment.”

Speaking on why its expedient to awaken the consciousness of the audience and indeed all Nigerians to the urgent need for them to support the NDLEA in its effort to save the country from the menace of abuse and trafficking of illicit substances, Marwa said it was to safeguard the future of Nigeria.

He said: “It is our wish that our younger generation should follow the illustrious path of Gen

Laoye. But I want us all to be aware that the drug situation prevalent in our society today will make such an achievement difficult for a lot of young people.

“Our record at the NDLEA in the first five months of this year calls for sober reflection: over 5, 000 arrests; over 3, 000 charged to court with more than 500 convictions; 2772 individuals were counselled and treated for drug-related problems.

“More than two million kilograms of assorted drugs were seized and over N90 billion worth of drugs and cash recovered. These statistics are alarming and are red flags about the need to safeguard the future of the young generation.”

Nigeria Not Fully Ready for AfCFTA, SMEDAN Chairman Reveals Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Chairman, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Femi Pedro has revealed that Nigeria has not done enough to fully take advantage of the recently launched African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Pedro, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, revealed that about 50% of the key players did not know what they could gain from the continental agreement.

He made this disclosure during a at a virtual roundtable under a theme, “AfCFTA and Non-state Parties: Implications for Trade and Dispute Resolution. The programme was organised by the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb).

Registrar of NICArb, Shola Oshodi-John; Deputy Team Lead, Trade Enablement and Coordinator, Policies, National Action Committee onAfCFTA, Dr. Fatima Bello and the Director General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof.

Muhammad Ladan participated at the programme.

Also in attendance were the Secretariat President, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Dr Ken Ukaoha; Partner, Hogan Lovells, Nathan Searle and an expert in International Economic Relations, Covenant University, Prof.

Jonathan Aremu.

As SMEDAN’s chairman, Pedro disclosed that he was in touch with nearly all small businesses in Nigeria, roughly

46 million in the country, saying there was need for massive enlightenment on the agreement.

Based on observations so far, according to him, it was obvious that more than 50 per cent of the key players did not know what they stand to gain from the continental agreement.

He said the issue “is the lack of mass enlightenment. Nigerians are totally unaware of AfCFTA. We can sit down here talking about protocols, dispute resolution mechanism and all, but if you take a survey of businesses in Nigeria , I can tell you that less than 50 per cent of them fully understand what AfCTA is all about..

According to Pedro, with an African market of about 1.2 billion people and $3 billion worth of

businesses, the initiative has huge potential when fully harnessed by the country.

He maintained that while Nigeria “is still grappling to understand the workings of the organisation, many countries under the AfCFTA would like to take advantage of Nigeria’s huge markets and are already positioning themselves.

“We are lagging behind because our businesses are not fully aware of how to take advantage of the market environment, which is huge and is a game changer.

AfCFTA has the capacity to transform businesses, as markets are already opening up to cover Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco and all over Africa, whether in finance, technology or manufacturing.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ AUGUST 1, 2021

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SUNDAYSPORTS TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES

TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC

Okagbare Doubt Dope Result, Demands Test of ‘B’ Sample ȱ ę ȱ ȱŗŖŖ ǰȱ ȱ ȱŘŖŘŗȱ Ȭ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃę ȱ

Blessing Okagbare...Wants ‘B’ sample tested after suspension by AIU

Duro Ikhazuagbe

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igeriansprinter,BlessingOkagbare who tested positive for banned substances and was yesterday suspended from the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has challenged the decision and call for the testing of her‘B’sample.

The 32-year old Nigerian 100/200m record holder wasprovisionallysuspendedfromtheGamesbyAthlet-

ics Integrity Unit (AIU) after her sample collected in an out-of-competition test on July 19 turned out positive for Human Growth Hormone.

GrowthHormoneisanon-specifiedsubstanceonthe 2021WorldAnti-DopingAgency(WADA)ProhibitedList and a provisional suspension is mandatory following an adverse analytical finding for such substance under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.

But few moments after AIU issued the statement of her suspension from the semifinal of the 100m she had qualified for yesterday and also stopped from further

participation in the Games,THISDAY learnt Okagbare has called for the testing of her‘B’sample before ban is pronounced on her.

A top Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) official confirmed Okagbare’s position.

“She has appealed for the testing of her ‘B’sample which is a standard practice if an athlete doubts the result of the‘A’sample. We therefore have to wait for a few for the result before any further action,”observed the top official who did not want his name in print last night from Tokyo.

Okagbare’s suspension came on the heel of the disqualificationof10NigerianathletesfromtheGames by the AIU due to their missing the mandatory threeout-of- competitions tests before arriving Tokyo.

The 10 Nigerians were part of the 20 athletes from seven countries barred from the Games on similar ground.

TheathleteshowevertooktothestreetsoftheAthletes Village inTokyo on Friday to protest the poor handling of their cases by AFN and sports ministry officials.

Also yesterday, Nigeria’s third entrant in the men’s 100m,DivineOduduruwasdisqualifiedfromtheevent due to false start. All the sprinters in that heat had earlier been warned for a technical error.

Unfortunately, Oduduru became the scape goat as he was caught on camera false starting again. He was promptly disqualified from the 100m leaving Enoch Adegoke and Usheoritse Itshekiri as the country’s flag bearers in the event.

Adegoke who won the National Sports Festival in Benin City last April however picked athletics biggest stage to announce his arrival in the business, running a personal best of 9.98secs to win his heat.

2021 world’s fastest man, USA’s Trayvon Brommel whotopsthepre-Gamesworldlistwiththe9.77seconds he ran last month in Florida was amongst the athletes Adegoke dusted en-route qualifying for the semifinals scheduled to hold today.

Along with Itshekiri, the duo will be looking to become the next Nigerians that will make the final of the event at the Games after Davidson Ezinwa and Olapade Adeniken did in the 1990s.

Adegokehasbeendrawnagainstthesameathleteshe defeated,Brommel,Nigeria-bornQatari,FemiOgunode and Britain’s Zhana Hughes in the second semifinal heat while Itshekiri will run in the first semifinal and has been drawn against four sprinters who have ducked inside 10 seconds this season led by Canadian, Andre De Grasse.

In the women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan ran 12.72 seconds to win her first round heat and keep her hope of becoming the second Nigerian to win a sprint hurdles medal at the Olympics after Glory Alozie won a silver medal in Sydney in 2000.

The 24-year old has been drawn to run from lane five inthefirstsemifinalheatat11.45am(Nigeriatime)today.

Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria says it received with great shock the news of Okagbare’s suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit for a doping rule violation.

ItaliansTame D’Tigers, as Mike Thompson-Herah Emerges Second-fastest Woman in Olympic Brown’s Men Crash Out Elaine Thompson-Herah became the secondfastest woman in history as she beat fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to retain her Olympic 100m title in Tokyo yesterday.

The 29-year-old ran 10.61 seconds, a new Olympic record and just 0.12secs short of the world record set by the US’Florence Griffith-Joyner (Flo-Jo) at Seoul in 1988.

Shericka Jackson completed a Jamaican onetwo-three inTokyo with a time of 10.76, 0.02 behind Fraser-Pryce.

“I have been struggling with my injury back and forth,”Thompson-Herah told BBC Sport after victory.

“I see all the bad comments. I take all of my losses, all of my defeats and I use them as my motivation,” observed the Jamaican.

Fraser-Pryce, who qualified fastest for the final, found herself under pressure almost immediately from the gun as her usual whip-smart start did not fire as expected.

With the long-striding Thompson-Herah on her shoulder, Fraser-Pryce tensed up over the final 30 metres.

Thompson-Herah’s lead was comfortable enough for her to salute the clock and photographers as she crossed the line in a time that matches Griffith-Joyner’s second-fastest time. It also sets

a new Olympic record.

Thompson-Herah, who came third in the Jamaican trials earlier this year, relished her victory over her domestic rivals, with silver little consolation to a grim-faced Fraser-Pryce.

“It wasn’t the best 30 metres because I had a stumbleataboutthethirdstepandIneverrecovered from it,” said 34-year-old Fraser-Pryce, who was aiming to become the first woman to win three Olympic 100m titles.

“I am excited because, as a mother and at my fourth Olympics, to be able to stand again on the podium is just a tremendous honour.

“But, you know, my emotions are still very raw right now. I am sure I will go home and there will be some tears.”

Thompson-Herah has been suffering with an Achilles tendon injury for almost five years.

It forced her to withdraw from Doha 2019, where she had hoped to win her first individual world crown. Instead, she watched from home as Fraser-Pryce claimed her fifth.

She came close to pulling out of last month’s Jamaican trials because of a recurring bout of pain from the injury.

But she managed to make the start line and qualify in the 100m and 200m, ensuring she will have a chance to repeat her sprint double from Rio.

Nigeria’s D’Tigers, on Saturday lost 80-71 to Italy to crash out of men’s basketball event of the Tokyo Olympics. The result against the Italians means D’Tigers lost all their three group games following earlier defeats by Australia and Germany.

TheNigerianseniormen’sbasketballTeamneeded tobeatItalywithatleastninepointsandhopeAustralia defeats Germany to stand a chance of qualifying for

thequarter-finals.TheItalianstookthefirstquarter29-22 butD’Tigersfoughtbacktomakethescores40-39athalf time. D’Tigers led in the 3rd quarter 61 – 64 to rekindle hope of a comeback but couldn’t hold on to the lead.

Coach Mike Brown’s side were ranked 4th team in the Olympic prior to their arrival and raised the hope of Nigerians after defeating USA and Argentina in exhibition games in Los Angeles.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY

Osimhen Scores Brace against Bayern Munich Nigerian forward, Victor Osimhen, gave a sign of what to expect from him in the new Italian Serie A season when he fired a brace in Napoli’s 3-0 pre-season friendly defeat of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena yesterday. The former Lille star shot Napoli into the lead in the 69th minute after he was set up

by Adam Ounas. It was the same Ounas that also provided the assist for Osimhen’s second of the game two minutes later. The 22-year-old has now scored seven goals in three pre-season outings for Luciano Spalleti’s side.

Victor Osimhen

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“The earlier the EFCC knows that it was established to fight corruption in the interest of the public the better. It should stop doing the bidding of government in power” – PDP youths under the aegis of South-south Youth Vanguard warning the EFCC to desist from harassing the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

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Abba Kyari: Superstar Cop in the Soup

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allam Abba Alhaji Kyari, the deputy commissioner of police widely celebrated as “Super Cop”, dotes on limelight like an ant on sugar.

But the celebrity cop may be seeing the dying days of his super stardom with his stinging indictment in the US. The principal character in the case is the self-confessed Nigerian inter-continental scam artist, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, best known as Hushpuppi. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has secured a warrant of arrest to pick up Kyari, who has denied all allegations — notably the one that he, for a fee, helped Hushpuppi arrest, detain and torture one Vincent Chibuzor, said to be Hushpuppi’s co-fraudster who had snitched on him.

Hushpuppi, who — like Kyari — is an indigene of Instagram, was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 over allegations of hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud and identity theft. Eleven of his associates were also picked up. They were extradited to the US. Hushpuppi has already pleaded guilty to money laundering charges, which means he may spend up to 20 years behind bars. But the real shock for me, and I guess many Nigerians, is the extent of the alleged involvement of Kyari in the network of fraudsters. He has denied the allegations, mumbling something under his breath about native clothes and caps. Police authorities in Nigeria say they will do an “internal review”.

I may here confess that I used to be a fan of Kyari.

About 12 years ago, a senior friend had narrated to me how his car was stolen somewhere in Yaba, Lagos state. Kyari led the team of police officers that eventually recovered the car and arrested the suspects. I started hearing good things about the officer, and I was not surprised when he eventually got double promotion. He began to hold sensitive positions and was delivering results, as far as my eyes could see. I was happy. Everybody who knows me very well can testify that I am ever guilty of always looking for Nigerian heroes and role models to celebrate in the midst of the bad news that always surrounds us. Kyari fitted the bill.

I never celebrated him in my writings, but I used word of mouth to speak good things about him, even though we have never met or spoken or had any contact whatsoever. My opinion of him was based on what people I respect were saying.

But I was very uncomfortable with his celebrity lifestyle. A police officer, or any law enforcement officer, should always be discreet and remain as faceless as possible. To start with, you are going after criminals. You can easily be the target of gangs who may want to harm you. Discretion is vital. My discomfort turned to disgust when I started hearing about the activities of his boys and how they were living large. Another Nigerian hope betrayed, oh dear!

But if we are to be candid, it is because things are so weird and warped in Nigeria that we would be celebrating police officers for arresting criminals.

What else is their job? Is it to be blaring siren all over the place? To be carrying suitcases for politicians and their girlfriends? To be speeding recklessly on the road, driving against traffic and parking in places clearly marked “No Parking”? To be drinking gin and playing “Baba Ijebu” at 8am as those ones on Kaffi Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, do every day? To be waylaying and extorting motorists? I must regret that we celebrate mediocrity too much in this country and that is why many of us cannot cultivate or understand excellence.

You cannot really blame me, I would plead. In a country where it is alleged that police officers randomly arrest sex workers and rape them as part of “fringe benefits”, that police officers give weapons to robbers, that you go to report murder at the police station and they demand for money

Kyari to do investigation, you cannot but celebrate the Kyaris that come along your way once in a Blue Moon. That is a rare commodity in the police force. I have to restrain myself from commenting on the specific allegations against Kyari before he exercises his right to defend himself, but some of us already have enough knowledge of the policing system to come to some reasoned conclusions.

Without prejudice to the police investigation, the right of Kyari to clear his name, and the actual resolution of the US case, I want to make the following preliminary and general observations.

One, the way Nigerians use the police to settle personal scores is something we have to address in order to stop urinating on the rule of law. It was alleged that Kyari was used by Hushpuppi to “teach” Chibuzor “a lesson of his life”. Chibuzor had allegedly badmouthed Hushpuppi before a Qatari victim whom they were about to dupe $1.1 million. The alleged phone exchanges between Hushpuppi and Kyari were quite worrisome and scary. Let’s just say the “Super Cop” was not smelling of roses at all.

Two, is there any code of conduct for our police officers on their personal relationships and the boundary lines? In his rebuttal, Kyari explained that Hushpuppi saw some of his native clothes and caps on his social media page and said he liked them. So, he “was connected” to the seller, Kyari revealed, and the clothes and caps “were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office”. Can you imagine a tailor sending personal clothes to the FBI office for delivery to any agent, much less someone who was not in any way working at the bureau?

Kyari said it with so much panache that you must weep over how low our standards are in Nigeria.

It is what it is.

Three, how do we check the intimacy between police officers and criminals in the community?

Kyari has been very open when it comes to his relationships with known political thugs and people of questionable wealth. He has never hidden it. In fact, Kyari is a socialite. I do not know of any serious country in the world when a police officer of any cadre would be attending lavish parties and wearing “aso ebi”. It is not just that professionalism has gone to the dogs or that he appears to be bigger than the police institution that employs him. Those are serious issues, but of particular concern is the potential conflict of interest when a police officer is in bed with dubious characters.

Four, the FBI has not paraded a single suspect to be interviewed by the media. The agency gathered all its facts from the investigations, did forensic analysis and headed for the courts to kick-start

the prosecution process. In Nigeria, the so-called suspects will be paraded before the media where they will make plenty “confessions” and that would be the end of the matter. The all-time low has to be the case of the murder of Usifo Ataga, the CEO of Super TV. After police made an open show of the confession of Chidinma Ojukwu, who said she was the killer, she later granted an “exclusive” interview from custody to retract her confessions.

We are just a collection of clowns in this country.

Five, on reading the court deposition by Andrew John Innocenti, the FBI special agent that led the investigation, I was ashamed all over again for the Nigerian security agencies. You could see a professional job by the FBI. Painstaking investigation, intelligent analysis and lucid presentation of the facts. I tell people that if the FBI comes for you, your chances of escaping conviction are next to nil.

In Nigeria, the police or EFCC will first arrest and detain you for weeks before looking for evidence to take you to court. They lose cases so easily.

In climes where they take themselves seriously, they first build up the evidence and prepare the indictment before knocking on your door.

If Nigeria is a country that learns lessons, the Kyari affair, irrespective of how it is resolved, will not go to waste. It is an opportunity to review the conduct of police officers and come up with reform initiatives to restore professionalism to the force. I understand that Nigeria is generally upside down and we should not expect the police to be insulated from the rot and the mediocrity. After all, are they not products of a rotten system? But this is a defeatist mindset. I do not accept that we are genetically bad. We are just dirty. What we need is to be cleaned up, given new clothes and re-programmed to stay clean. At least one institution can lead the way and show what is possible.

In a conversation I had with President Muhammadu Buhari two years ago, he said something that gets me thinking anytime I am frustrated with the Nigerian system. “If the judiciary and police live up to expectations, Nigeria will get better. In fact, the job of the president will be easy,” he said. While I largely agree with him, I would not say he has done much to reform those institutions. We may argue that the judiciary is independent and separation of powers in a presidential system should be respected, but what excuse can the president make about the police?

Reforming the police to become more professional is not impossible. It is about determination. It can be a legacy for him.

In the wake of the Kyari affair, we need to pay more attention to ethics in public life. There is a reason why judges, police officers and other public officers are expected to have limited social lives. The risk involved in mixing with the wrong crowd is one; the need to always appear impartial to potentially contending parties is another. While an argument can be made that socialising can be a source of intelligence gathering or gaining better understanding, doing so without cover, as Kyari was doing, not only creates a moral muddle but also puts lives of prized state assets at risk. Why was he never called to order by his bosses? Nigeria could have been saved this global embarrassment.

The Nigerian government should now be working seriously to tackle the matters arising. How can police officers become more professional? How can we curtail the menace of using the police to settle personal scores? How can we address the agelong issue of torture, which is probably a carryover from military regimes when security agencies operated with impunity? How can police stop parading suspects before the media? How can police officers be held personally liable for misconducts and misdemeanours such as bribery, collusion with criminals, torture, extra-judicial killings, breaking traffic rules and misuse of siren and firearms? This is not rocket science, I think.

And Four Other Things…

BUHARI IN THE UK Some people are never tired of spreading fake news. It is part of their daily chores.

In July, after President Buhari moved his medical trip to the UK by one month, Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader, was “intercepted” in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria. He had jumped bail in 2017. Some of the people spreading misinformation on WhatsApp said Buhari cancelled his trip because he was under a travel ban for “abducting” Kanu, a UK citizen. Really? Buhari has now travelled to the UK and even held bilateral talks with the prime minister — while Kanu remains in detention in Nigeria. And some of those circulating the fake news signed off their broadcasts as “doctor” or “prof”. Deluded.

IGBOHO IN PRISON Supporters of Sunday Igboho, the Nnamdi Kanu wannabe, pulled their own stunt when the brave Yoruba warrior was caught in the Republic of Benin on his way to Germany — allegedly to seek asylum on a suspicious passport. In no time, news started flying round that Benin had released him and he was now on his way to asylum. They even used an old picture of him inside an aircraft to back up their fable. Many people fell for it. I am currently involved in a research on how misinformation is generated and why some people are predisposed to falling for it. This is a good case study for me. It now seems Igboho will spend some time in Benin prisons, even if not deported to Nigeria. Pity..

APC IN A FIX The APC may have set itself up for a spectacular judicial quandary with the apparently illegal position being held by Mallam Mai Buni as the de facto party chairman. Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution says: “The Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”

There is yet no judicial pronouncement on this but if the feelers from the Supreme Court decision in the Ondo election petition are to serve as a guide, some things done by the Buni-led leadership may become null. I think it is time for Buni to go back to govern his state, even though the APC thing seems too sweet for him to let go of. Amusing.

NAIRA IN TROUBLE On Tuesday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that it would no longer sell FX to bureaux de change (BDCs). The bank was selling $20,000 to each of the 5,500 BDCs every week — about $5.7 billion a year. While the BDCs were getting FX from CBN at N393/$, they were selling on the streets for N500/$ — instead of the “recommended” N400. The “spread”, as they call it, was an incredible N107/$. If you own a BDC and you are not extravagant, you wouldn’t easily go broke making an average of N2.14 million a week and N8.56 million a month. You are something like a bank MD in your own right and nobody should talk to you anyhow. But CBN just doesn’t have the dollars. Simple.

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