SATURDAY 28TH AUGUST 2021

Convoke National Dialogue Now to Save Nigeria, Okowa Tells FG Declares there are too many voices of anger calling for justice in the affairs of the nation Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed worry about the various challenges confronting the country, calling on the federal

government to convoke a national dialogue “to enable Nigerians talk to one another on the way forward in tackling the issues threatening to wreck the nation's ship.”

Speaking at an inter-

denominational thanksgiving service to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the creation of Delta State, held at St. Peters Anglican Cathedral, Asaba, yesterday, Okowa said that the state of the nation

required urgent but realistic approach that would ensure lasting solution to the various challenges threatening to tear the nation apart.

The governor said that the federal government should not

pretend that all was well with the country as "there are too many voices of anger calling for justice, fairness and equity in the affairs of the nation," while urging the government to take steps to listen to the

voices without further delay.

He expressed dismay that the nation was still paying lip service to its status as a federal system, as too much power Continued on page 5

FG Orders Stoppage of Striking Doctors' Salaries… Page 5 Saturday 28 August, 2021 Vol 26. No 9637

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Secondus Resumes, Stopped from Attending National Caucus Meeting Ploy to stop him from presiding over NEC meeting on zoning unfolds Caucus endorses October 30 for National Convention Chuks Okocha in Abuja Following a favourable court ruling last Thursday, Prince Uche Secondus yesterday resumed as the National

Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, but was prevented from attending the National

Caucus meeting of the party.

Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division vacation court, Rivers State had, few days back, granted an interim injunction restraining

Secondus from parading himself as chairman and member of the PDP, sequel to the consideration of an ex parte application filed by two members of the party against

Secondus and the PDP. But last Thursday, Justice Nusirat Umar of the Kebbi State High Court ordered Secondus to return to his position, saying she was

satisfied after reading the affidavit of the respondents that an interim order should be granted on the purported Continued on page 5

Obasanjo: It’ll Cost Nigeria More to Break up Than to Remain One Says those who don’t want to see the country’s continued co-existence will fail Charles Ajunwa Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday reiterated his support for a united Nigeria, saying the cost for Nigeria not to continue existing “is much more than the cost to make Nigeria to continue to exist.”

Obasanjo, who spoke during the book launch and 85th birthday celebration of his Eminence, Sunday Mbang, former Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, held in Lagos, declared that those who did not want to see the country’s continued co-existence would fail.

The former president’s declaration is coming amid

secession agitations, fueled by perceived injustice and worsening security situation, across the country.

The Buhari government has been battling with secessionist groups, including the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by detained Nnamdi Kanu; as well as the Yoruba Nation secessionist group, spearheaded by Prof Banji Akintoye and Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.

But Obasanjo, who was the convener of the programme in honour of Mbang, assured the respected Christian leader that the enemies of Nigeria would not win.

Continued on page 5

Irabor: Armed Forces Reviewing Operations in Trouble Spots... Page 10

CELEBRATING MBANG@85...

L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Sunday Mbang; and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; during the launch of a book on the memoirs and 85th birthday celebration of Mbang in Lagos…yesterday

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ˜ ͺ΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹

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FG Orders Stoppage of Striking Doctors' Salaries Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government has commenced the implementation of the no work, no pay rule on striking doctors with effect from Monday August 2, 2021.

In a letter dated Friday, August 27 and signed by the Director of Hospital Services Department in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, it directed all the Chief Medical Directors and Managing Directors of federal government's tertiary health institutions to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay rule on the

doctors that are on strike and on any health worker that may join the strike subsequently.

Resident doctors under the auspices of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had vowed to sustain the ongoing nationwide industrial action until their demands were met by the federal and state governments.

The doctors, who are protesting the alleged non-implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement it reached with government in December 2020, said that the federal government and some states owed their members

salary arrears ranging from seven to 19 months.

The striking doctors had earlier refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding brokered by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Innocent Ujah, which gave specific timelines for addressing the doctors' demands.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), held in Benin-City, Edo State, NARD expressed disappointment that Abia, Imo, Ekiti and Ondo states

still owe its members several months’ salaries.

The communiqué, signed by the president of NARD, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said after a critical appraisal of the issues affecting their members, as well as the exparte injunction obtained against it by government, the association decided to continue the strike.

However, a letter addressed to the chief medical directors and managing directors of federal tertiary health institutions, titled : "Re- Law and Principles Concerning the Right to Strike; Application of Section 43 (1) (A), of the Trade Union Act Cap T8,

Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, (no work, no pay), states in part: "We are in receipt of a letter from the Minister of Labour and Employment informing the minister of the laws governing the ongoing strike by the members of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the need to immediately apply the provisions of section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Union Act on special provisions with respect to payment of salaries during strikes and lock outs, known in labour parlance as "No work, no pay" with effect from Monday, August 2, 2021 when the strike by NARD

members commenced.

"Consequent on the above, I am directed to inform you to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay, policy on the striking doctors, with effect from Monday August 2, including other health workers that may embark on strike subsequently.

"You are to compute the financial implications of the no work, no pay rule from the salaries of the resident doctors and any other health worker that participated in the strike, using the attached template and forwarded to the IPPIS office, through the Federal Ministry of Health for implementation."

own pace; we may not all be able to grow at the same pace and we must realise this as a nation," he stated.

Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Asaba, Rt. Rev'd Justus Mogekwu, in his sermon said Delta was a microcosm of Nigeria because of the diverse ethnic groups in the state, but stated that in spite of the diversity, the people lived together in unity, love and peace.

He commended Deltans for their resolve to work and live together in the overall interest of the state, adding that a state where bigotry, bloodshed, bitterness, intolerance, among other vices, existed could hardly make any progress.

Quoting from the Bible, Mogekwu said that the future was bright for the state, as long as Deltans continued to put their trust in God in all their ways.

He pointed out that politics without integrity has been the bane of Nigeria's development and urged politicians to stop cross-carpeting from one political party to another.

The thanksgiving service was attended by wife of the Governor, Dame Edith Okowa, Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro; former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori; his former deputy, Sir Benjamin Elue and former military administrator of the state, Navy Captain Walter Feghabo (rtd).

CONVOKE NATIONAL DIALOGUE NOW TO SAVE NIGERIA, OKOWA TELLS FG is still concentrated in the centre against the principles of true federalism.

He likened the nation to the human body with many parts, which needed to be healthy for the whole body to function properly, saying that it could not be well with the nation, "if it is not well with the component parts."

He cautioned against building the nation for the elite and the rich while the poor masses were left in the lurch.

Okowa said, "The rich and the elite will not live peacefully in a country where there are many poor people.

"We are still in a nation where so much power rests at the centre, with the federal

government, and I believe that it is not right and it is time for more powers to be devolved to the states and more money and resources given to the states.

"Nigeria will be better for it if we restructure, but the greatest challenge we have is as a result of insecurity and it is pushing many people more into the poverty line.

"As a country, we are troubled and there are so many ethno-religious crises but it’s time for us to sit down and talk, otherwise we may not be able to continue as a nation.

"In staying as a nation, we must find solutions to the voices of anger and we must dispassionately look for the

opinion leaders in the different parts of Nigeria and speak truth to ourselves."

Nevertheless, the governor congratulated all Deltans on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the state's creation, noting that the state had come thus far because God's presence had been with it.

Okowa recalled that when the state was created in 1991, it was greeted with cautious optimism, but thanked God that 30 years after, Deltans had become more united as a people.

He paid tribute to past leaders of the state for laying a solid foundation for its development, saying "we have come to realise that we

are one people though with different ethnic groups and we have come to realise that we can only do better if we work together as one state.

"I thank our past leaders for laying a solid foundation for the development of the state which we have been building upon.

"We thank God because that foundation is truly strong.

Today in Delta we can look round and find that there are many growing towns in the state unlike most states.

"We have several growing cities in Delta State and when you take a tour to many states, you will find out that God has truly blessed us in Delta.

"We are growing at our

SECONDUS RESUMES, STOPPED FROM ATTENDING NATIONAL CAUCUS MEETING suspension of Secondus pending the determination of the case.

Based on Justice Umar’s ruling, Secondus arrived at the national secretariat of the PDP at 9.55pm yesterday, and held separate meetings with the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jubrin; the national secretary, Senator Umar Tsuari; and other members of the National Working Committee.

The Deputy National Chairman, South, Yemi Akinwonmi, who held the fort in his absence, upon receipt of the court’s order handed over the affairs of the party to him.

According to a statement

by Ike Abonyi, Media aide to Secondus, "at the brief handover ceremony, Secondus pledged to continue to provide good leadership to the party. Elder Akinwonmi also announced that he had received the court order, which he presented to the caucus meeting."

Speaking with newsmen later at the secretariat, Secondus said he returned to office as directed by the court.

He said: "I obeyed the Monday court order that suspended me and yesterday, as all of you are aware, I was reinstated through a stay order.

So, as you can see, I am in my office. With me here is the deputy national chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi."

However, an attempt by Secondus to join a meeting of the National Caucus of the party, which was ongoing at the headquarters, was rebuffed by members of the Caucus.

Sources said members of the National Caucus appealed to Secondus to stay away from the meeting “because the order of the Kebbi State court had not been received.”

Another source said some party leaders told Secondus to stay away from the National Caucus meeting, to allow the party to resolve the matter “in the overall interest of all, with

all litigants withdrawing their suits from court.”

As a result, Secondus remained in his office while the National Caucus meeting lasted.

A source told THISDAY last night that most governors in the PDP National Caucus do not want Secondus to take charge of the party after his positive Kebbi Court order, so as to prevent him from presiding over the NEC meeting today, where the issue of zoning of national positions would be made.

“These governors have their own agenda and they don’t want Secondus to derail it with the zoning arrangement. This is why they don’t want him at the NEC meeting tomorrow (today), as presiding officer.

They will allow him to take charge of the party on Monday after the NEC meeting,” said the source.

However, another source close to Secondus told THISDAY that the embattled chairman confirmed to him that he had reached an agreement with the NWC members to attend and preside over the NEC meeting today.

At the National Caucus meeting, the acting national chairman, Akinwonmi, informed the members that he had received the court order from Kebbi State, approving the return of Secondus.

The Caucus insisted that a committee be set up with the aim of disposing and resolving the crisis permanently, instead of allowing Secondus to take charge.

Akinwonmi, said: “Why I was still panting that it was too stressful for me, a letter was served to me. I know the letter would be of importance to this meeting and I received it. I told him. Coincidentally, I showed the BOT chairman, he said that he received it too; meaning that the letter was served on me and the BoT Chairman and the Chairman,

PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, urging the national caucus to take a decision on the Kebbi State High Court order.

Tambuwal assured that the party would resolve the matter peacefully.

He said: "I want to assure you that our governors are working together for the benefit of our party, for the benefit of our country. With the assemblage of people here, by the grace of God Almighty, no issue can remain insurmountable.

“I have the confidence that, by the grace of God, whatever issues we have, we shall be able to, at this caucus meeting, resolve them.

"The governors of the party are ready to continue to work for the party, for their respective states, for us to continue to deliver good governance.

I believe at the end of this meeting we shall see the light at the end of the tunnel."

At the end of the meeting, the National Caucus approved a six-man committee to resolve the party’s crisis out of court.

It also recommended that the National Convention should hold between October 30 and 31. The venue of the national convention is yet to be determined.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will hold today, Saturday August 28 to discuss the zoning of

the offices for the NWC of the party.

Governor Tambuwal said the former senate president, David Mark "is heading the six-man committee" that would review the two conflicting court judgements with a view to finally putting to rest the leadership crisis in the party.

Tambuwal said: “We have just risen from our 40th meeting of the National Caucus of our great party, the PDP, where we have resolved to submit to the NEC of our party tomorrow (today), a recommendation from the National Working Committee for the national convention of our party to be held between Friday 30th of October and Saturday 31st of October.

“Also, this distinguished body had empaneled distinguished leaders of our party, under the leadership of former President of the Senate, David Mark to interface with our leaders who are involved in these issues of court, so that all court matters can be withdrawn and for normalcy to return to the party.

"I appeal on behalf of this body to all well-meaning members of our party to sheathe their sword. Let us embrace peace because Nigeria is waiting for PDP and I believe that we have the capacity to resolve whatever issues we have internally."

On the position of the national caucus on the Kebbi State judgement on stay of the Rivers State judgement, Tambuwal said, "Well that matter came up, and in view of the fact that we are yet to receive the service of the court order, this committee is going to talk with all the parties involved accordingly."

Also speaking at the National Caucus meeting, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said: “We are here today and I believe that our deliberations will be guided by maturity, by integrity, by intelligence, which are all hallmark of our great party. We have gone through greater crises in the history of this party and we have come out stronger each time.

And I also believe that we are also going to come out of this crisis stronger. That will lay a foundation to our returning to power in 2023."

Meanwhile, the David Mark led committee met Secondus in office, where they canvassed an amicable resolution of the crisis to avoid any external body from hijacking the crisis and frustrate any other measure of resolving the crisis At press time, the David Mark committee was said to be meeting with the Rivers State Governor, Wike in the government lodge

PDP Governors Forum Denies Asking Secondus to Quit Meanwhile, the PDP Governors Forum last night denied the insinuation that it had asked Secondus to quit as the party’s chairman, in spite of the Kebbi State High Court order reinstating him.

A statement by Cyril Maduabum, the Director General of the Forum, said that governors at its emergency meeting on Thursday, 26th August, merely endorsed the NWC resolution adopting Akinwonmi, the Deputy National Chairman, South, as acting National Chairman, and the holding of the NEC meeting of PDP on Saturday, 28th August, 2021.

The statement said: “For the avoidance of doubt, this warped interpretation of the statement of the Chairman of the PDP-GF, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, after their emergency meeting on Thursday is clearly mischievous.

"At the time Tambuwal spoke on Thursday night, the Kebbi State High Court Order had not been received by the Forum, and consequently was not discussed or commented upon. This clarification has become necessary to set the facts straight."

OBASANJO: IT’LL COST NIGERIA MORE TO BREAK UP THAN TO REMAIN ONE He said: “We are here to honour somebody we should honour, and learn from him (Mbang), to show that we genuinely love and appreciate him for the service he has rendered to the Christian community in this country and world over. And to assure him that whatever happens, we will continue to work for unity, peace, security and progress of this country.

“I know that these are things that are dear to his (Mbang)

heart. We want to assure you that Nigeria will continue to exist because the cost for Nigeria not to continue to exist is much more than the cost for us to make Nigeria to continue to exist.

“There are many people - high and low - who can be described as enemies of Nigeria, but they will not win over those who are friends of Nigeria.”

Obasanjo promised to continue to work for the

peace and progress of a united Nigeria.

The former President eulogised Mbang for his steadfastness, which had kept their relationship intact over the years, and described the former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria as a lover of Nigeria.

The celebrant recalled how he and Obasanjo became friends and that since then "we have become brothers, but of different mothers."

Also at the event, the Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of the occasion, Udom Emmanuel, thanked the former President and the celebrant for keeping together over the years, assuring that they would remain his fathers.

The book, a memoir, chronicling the journey of the octogenarian, is titled: "My Life and Times, a Memoir by Sunday Mbang". The launch was organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

NEWS Niger Governor Receives Released Tegina School Pupils, Says Abductors Have Madness in their Heads 08064268968 (sms only)

Laleye Dipo in Minna Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who received the released pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School yesterday afternoon, has described the abductors of the school children as “having sickness and madness in their heads.”

The children who were abducted on May 30, this year were released on Thursday and travelled through the night to arrive in Minna the state capital

at about 1a.m. yesterday.

They were first taken to the Primary Health Care facility in Bosso Local Government Area where they were attended to medically before being given new clothes and the female ones among them were given the Muslim head veil, Hijab.

The school children who were brought to the Government House in three air-conditioned buses, filed out into the Conference Hall.

Bello, who confirmed that four of the released pupils were not

okay, said that “There is sickness and madness in the heads of people who kidnapped these pupils, I cannot understand how you abduct a three-year-old and keep him for more than two months.”

According to the governor, the abduction of the pupils

has affected “the morale and confidence of the children and their parents but we will work on that.”

The governor said now that the pupils had been released, the government would go after the kidnappers and bring them to justice.

News Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

There was a contradiction in the number of pupils released.

While Governor Bello claimed that a total of 91 pupils were kidnapped, and that he received 90 as one died in captivity, the head teacher of the school Alhassan Abubakar Garba said 93 pupils were released.

Garba in an interview with journalists vowed that the school would not be closed as a result of the incident instead he insisted that the school would be reorganised. “The school will continue, we will redesign it and we will change the uniform.”

Though Garba refused to say

Kogi at 30: Okun People Commend Bello for Uniting Ethnic Groups in State, Demand Governorship Ticket As Kogi State celebrates its 30 years of existence, the people of Okun in Kogi State under the umbrella of Okun Development Association (ODA) have lauded the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, for uniting all ethnic groups in the state.

The group also congratulated the governor on the 30th anniversary of the state, praying that God should grant him the wisdom and good health to lead the state to the zenith.

The group, however, noted that as the state celebrates its 30 years of existence, it was important to state that Okun still lacked major infrastructural development, calling on the state government to do the needful.

ODA in a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday by its President-General, Femi Mokikan, noted that prior to Bello assumption of office as the governor of the state, the Okun people were the most marginalised major ethnic

group in the state in the area of employment, appointment, project execution among others.

“But on assumption of office, the governor introduced a policy known as ‘Ebigo Agenda’, meaning Ebira, Igala, and Okun agenda, which is primarily to promote unity and oneness of the government and people of Kogi State with the sole aim of portraying the interest of the state first above individual or selfish interest.

“Without an iota of doubt, the Ebigo Agenda is commendable and one of the best moves of the New Direction Government of Bello as it has confirmed that Kogi State belongs to all-Igalas, Ebiras, and Okuns-as against the claims of some quarters in the past.

“Worthy of note also is the institutionalisation of this agenda in the area of appointments (both civil service and political), allocation and execution of projects. This is

Bandits Kill 11, Injure Six in Fresh Onslaught on Katsina Community Francis Sardauna in Katsina No fewer than 11 villagers have been killed and six others injured by bandits in fresh onslaught on Dan-Kumeji community in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A resident of the area, Abdulmumini Sani, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with THISDAY yesterday, said the bandits attacked the village on Thursday around 11:30p.m. and started shooting sporadically.

According to him, as the villagers started running for safety, unknown to them the bandits had

stationed themselves in strategic positions killing the villagers at sight.

He said: “At the end of the attack this morning (Friday), we counted 11 dead bodies and we are currently making arrangements for their burial while six others were seriously injured. Those injured are currently receiving treatment in a medical facility.”

He called on the state government to deploy more security personnel to the village and Kankara town to avert future occurrence of what he termed bloodbath in the area.

OUR ERROR Yesterday, in our front-page banner caption on the photograph, titled: A Souvenir for The General, printer’s devil interfered with the spelling of souvenir. Instead of SOUVENIR, we spelt it SOURVENIR. We regret the mix-up and apologise to our reading public.

– Editor

WE SHARE IN YOUR PAIN. . .

L-R: Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, during a condolence visit to the Abioduns on the demise of their patriarch, Dr. Emmanuel Abiodun, at their family house in Iperu on Friday

Jos Killings: Plateau Assembly to Buhari,Your Silence Dangerous Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Plateau State House of Assembly has expressed worry over President Muhammadu Buhari’s continued silence over the recent killings in the state, saying the same Presidency that spoke same day Muslim commuters were recently attacked in Jos, had now lost its voice days after a Christian community of Yelwa Zangam was attacked and over 35 persons massacred in their homes.

The Assembly said it had expected the President Buhari to condemn the recent killings

with the same urgency and zeal it did when the Muslim travellers were attacked.

It also gave Governor Simon Lalong two weeks to take decisive action on the incessant attacks and killings in communities in the state.

Addressing a world press conference in Jos, the Assembly also called on the people of Plateau to rise up and defend themselves and their communities, as the conventional security design seemed to have shown ineptitude to do so, and can no longer guarantee the safety of the people.

Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Peter Dasun, who spoke on behalf of the House said the killings were unacceptable.

He commended the youths for publicly displaying the corpses of the victims at the state House of Assembly in order to send a strong message to the government that it was not doing enough to protect the citizens.

“We commend the youths on the Plateau for sustained coordinated and organised campaigns against the killings and as well the courage to make it go viral by sending strong messages to the

world using the dead bodies of the mayhem on the social media and the streets of Jos. The display of the corpses in the House of Assembly is a sign that they recognised the authority of the House as an institution that can speak for the people. We greatly appreciate that action.

“As an Assembly with the people at heart, we call on Plateau State citizens to have confidence in us with renewed commitment as we have given two weeks to the governor to take action on the resolutions the House has forwarded on security matters and how to restore peace.

Ohanaeze Insists No Open Grazing in Igboland as Uzodinma Backtracks Ahamefula Ogbu The apex sociocultural Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide yesterday insisted that their position was that there was not going to be any open grazing in any part of Igboland but said it would use persuasion on any governor that holds contrary view or position on the issue.

This is as Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has backtracked on his reported opposition to anti-open grazing when he told State House reporters that there was no need for the law and that there was no anti-open grazing bill in the state since farmers and herders had an understanding and had been coexisting peacefully.

Spokesman of Ohanaeze, Hon. Alex Ogbonna, told THISDAY that the position of the Igbo apex organisation had not changed but that should anyone hold a contrary view, they would engage the person and through dialogue, they would arrive at a common position.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo has already taken a position that open grazing will not be allowed in Igboland and that position has not changed.

If anybody has a contrary opinion, there is no need to threaten or apply sanction; what we will do with such a person is to engage him and let him state his convictions and we will also state ours and make the person see why we said it should not be practiced in Igboland, at the end

we will resolve it,” he explained.

On the statement issued by one Okechukwu Isiguzoro purporting to have been issued by Ohanaeze, Ogbonna said any person who was issuing any statement on behalf of the Igbo organisation other than those who won election at Owerri was an “impostor” and should be disregarded.

Isiguzoro had issued a statement threatening to ostracise Governor Uzodinma from Igbo land for breaking ranks with Southern governors who at a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, took a common position to ban open grazing in Southern Nigeria and later in their second meeting in Lagos, gave a September 1 deadline for member states to outlaw

the practice.

In what appears as a retraction contained in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwuike Nwachukwu, Uzodinma expressed regret that his statement on open grazing law was “interpreted out of context” by a section of the media.

He said what he meant was that farmers and herders were peacefully coexisting in the state as a result of mutual respect and understanding.

“The governor who spoke through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba also disclosed that contrary to insinuations, the state has an Open Grazing Law which became operative since 2006,” the statement said.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

NEWS House Minority Caucus Decries FG’s Clampdown of Media Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

FREEDOM AT LAST. . .

Released Tegina pupils shortly before being reunited with their parents after 88 days in captivity of bandits that kidnapped them for ransom

Security, Good Governance, Critical for Sustainable Devt, Says FG Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government has declared that security and good governance were foundational and fundamental pillars for the attainment of sustainable development.

The government stated that in spite of paucity of funds, security agencies were prioritised in the allocation of limited revenues, adding that despite the 5.01 per cent second quarter growth in gross domestic product (GDP), there was still a lot of work to be done to achieve sustainable development.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, stated these in a paper she presented in Abuja, yesterday at the Executive Intelligence Management

Course 14 of the National Institute for Security with the theme, ‘Governance, Security and Sustainable Development in Africa: Nexus, Challenges and Prospects’.

To underscore the premium paid on security, she said about 86 per cent of the 2021 Supplementary Budget was dedicated to the capital and recurrent expenditure needs of the security agencies to supplement the allocations in the 2021 amended budget.

According to her, several initiatives to promote good governance are also funded through the federal budget supplemented with the assistance of development partners.

Ahmed noted that the constraints posed by insecurity and misgovernance on sustainable development were multi-faceted

and required an all hands-ondeck approach.

She said: “The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning under my leadership plays a critical role in ensuring the funding requirements for the various MDAs involved in achieving this objective, including the security agencies, are met in a timely and predictable fashion.

“However, at the ministry we envision our role as extending beyond facilitation to actively engaging in the design and delivery of initiatives which directly contribute to building the superstructure of good governance and security in Nigeria, all within the mandate of our ministry and its agencies.”

But she observed that although good governance and security were instrumental to sustainable

development, she was of the belief that causality also runs in the other direction with growth and economic development creating a safe and secure environment where all Nigerians can pursue their livelihoods.

Despite the 5.01 per cent second quarter growth in gross domestic product (GDP), she declared that there was still a lot of work to be done to achieve sustainable development.

“The most recent GDP data which reports real GDP growth of 5.01% in the second quarter of 2021 is very encouraging news as it indicates the Nigerian economy is on a solid path to recovery.

It is important to note that much of the growth was driven by the expansion of the non-oil sector of the economy where most Nigerians are employed.

FG to Revive Privatised Non-performing Enterprises Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government has promised to resuscitate non-performing privatised enterprises which were sold about 10 years ago.

About 37 per cent of the privatised enterprises are reported to be non-performing.

This prompted the federal government to set up four inter-agency committees on the resuscitation of ailing/ non- performing privatised

enterprises in the country.

The committees yesterday submitted their reports to the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh in Abuja, who reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to collaborate with relevant agencies to resuscitate and bring to life, the moribund enterprises.

Receiving the reports of the committees, Okoh expressed the hope that with the wealth of experience, expertise, commitment, diligent and intellectualism

exhibited by the members in the course of carrying out their assignment, the outcomes would bring the desired solution to the non-performing privatised enterprises.

He said the affected enterprises, privatised about 10 years ago were in the automobile sector, bricks and clay (housing) sector; oil palm sector, mines and solid minerals sector and others, failed to meet the aim of the privatisation and reform programme of the federal

government.

Okoh said this prompted the government, through the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) to direct the BPE to investigate the cause(s) of their inability to perform; and also proffer viable and acceptable solutions to resuscitating them to perform optimally, create employment, boost the economy and increase gross domestic product (GD), among other benefits.

OPEC+ May Stick to Planned Output Hike on Oil Price Rebound

Release Zakzaky’s Travelling Documents, IMN Urges FG

Emmanuel Addeh with agency report

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies are expected to press on with their planned revival of oil production when they meet next week, as prices bounce back from their August stumble.

The coalition led by Saudi Arabia and Russia is gradually restoring the vast amount of crude production halted during the pandemic, and will probably ratify the next monthly instalment when it gathers on September 1, according to a Bloomberg survey of traders and analysts.

Crude markets faltered earlier this month as the resurgent pandemic threatened demand in China and the U.S. But prices have since recovered after fuel use proved resilient to the latest coronavirus wave, giving the cartel and its partners more breathing space.

“Uncertainties over the world economy and the growth recovery in China have largely peeled away.

There’s good evidence that the bottom in oil prices was temporary and overdone, and if the recovery continues, OPEC+ would likely stick to the plan,” said Ed Morse, head of commodities research at Citigroup Inc. The group has already restarted roughly 45 per cent of the unprecedented production volume shuttered last spring.

Under a plan spearheaded by Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, OPEC+ will return the rest in monthly increments of 400,000 barrels a day through to late 2022.

Bloomberg quoted 17 of 22 traders, analysts and refiners surveyed as saying that they expected no change to the next schedule at Wednesday’s meeting, meaning October’s hike will go ahead as planned.

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has urged the federal government to release the international passports of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, to enable them travel abroad for medical attention.

In a statement by the spokesman of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, yesterday, the group said the government had not returned their international passport to them since the medical trip which was allegedly scuttled by the government in 2018.

Musa said both the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Security (DSS) had denied being in possession of the couple’s travelling documents since their release following the ruling of a Kaduna High Court.

The duo were detained for over five years and were being

prosecuted for alleged culpable homicide among other charges following a clash between IMN members and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State, in December 2015.

The Kaduna State High Court, under trial Justice Gideon Kuradah, had in a ruling on July 28, 2021, said the Kaduna government failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants, and accordingly discharged and acquitted them.

However, after their release, the state government filed fresh charges against them at the Federal High Court, bordering on alleged terrorism and treasonable felony.

The IMN lamented that “four weeks after being discharged and acquitted by a Kaduna State High Court, El-Zakzaky, and his wife, were yet to travel abroad for medical treatment as their international passports are still being held by security agencies and a new one has not been issued to them.

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has frowned at the federal government’s growing clampdown on the media as well as the lack of professionalism and neutrality on the part of the regulatory agency under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.

The caucus said its position was predicated on the query issued Channels Television by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the invitation of some presenters of the television outfit to the headquarters of the Commission on Thursday, over some recent interviews conducted on the station’s morning show, Sunrise Daily.

The leader of the caucus, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, in a statement issued yesterday also berated the federal government over an unwarranted harassment of Channels Television and its staff.

The caucus noted that this development smacked of another toxic push against press freedom

and the citizens right to know, contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

It said: “The Minority Caucus frowns at the growing clampdown on the media as well as the lack of professionalism and neutrality on the part of the regulatory agency under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.

“As lawmakers, we hold that rather than try to muffle the media, the broadcast regulator should have directed the television station to avail the federal government the opportunity to refute, with facts, the statements of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during the Sunrise Daily programme, which it considered critical or misrepresentation of the government.”

The caucus described the commandeering of Channels Television presenters to NBC’s headquarters in Abuja, the query of television outfit, and the unrelenting intimidation of independent broadcast media outfits by the NBC as most inauspicious.

Plateau Crisis: Sanwo-Olu Evacuates 3-Week Old Baby, Lagos Students from Jos Segun James As the violence in Jos, the Plateau State capital continues to escalate, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the evacuation of the state’s indigenes to Lagos immediately.

The first of evacuees including a three-week-old baby and students of state origin arrived Lagos yesterday.

The evacuees comprised 64 UNIJOS students and the three-week-old-baby, named Daniella, who was reported to have been delivered shortly before the crisis in Plateau State by the mother, Manya Banfe, a 200-Level student, arrived Lagos in the afternoon and met with Governor Sanwo-Olu at the

Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, before being released to their families.

The students who were accompanied by security agents and government officials arrived at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa at 1:56p.m. with their belongings in a luxury bus and other vehicles after long hours of journey from Jos to Lagos.

The students who were so excited to be evacuated from crisis-hit Jos and other parts of Plateau State currently experiencing violence and killings in the last few weeks, sang praises and showered praises on Governor Sanwo-Olu and top officials of the Lagos State Government for rescuing them from what they described as the ‘war zone’.

Commercialisation of Natural Gas Resources to Boost Economy, Says Kyari John Shiklam in Kaduna The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has said that the corporation was committed to the commercialisation of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources to support balanced economic growth and job creation across the country.

Kyari spoke in Kaduna at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NNPC, the Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) and the Kaduna State Government for utilisation and expansion of gas supply in the state.

He said the initiative was aimed at utilising the nation’s abundant gas resources.

According to him, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Projects would soon be completed to further boost the transmission of gas.

The utilisation and gas expansion project which is being facilitated by the Gas

Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) would ensure long-term involvement and support of Kaduna State Government and key gas sector players such as the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) and virtual pipeline companies to provide gas supply assurance to industries within the state on competitive terms.

Kyari who led a team comprising the Managing Director of GACN, Mr.. Olalekan Ogunleye, noted that Kaduna used to be a hub for industries, expressed the hope that the signing would help provide the gas needed for some of those industries to be revived.

He said, as the world transited to low carbon energy, the nation’s huge gas resources would continue to be an important source of clean energy for today and the future.

“There is no better way of making cheaper and cleaner energy than delivering gas into the domestic market,” he added.

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NEWS Osinbajo: Governor Abiodun’s Late Father Lived a Fulfilled Life Deji Elumoye in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commiserated with Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on the demise of his father, Pa Emmanuel Adesanya Abiodun, saying the deceased lived a fulfilled life of impact.

Osinbajo stated this yesterday in Iperu, Ogun State, while paying a condolence visit to Governor Abiodun and the family over the transition of their 89-year-old father.

The Vice President who was

accompanied to the family house by both the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, said he was in the state to deliver President Muhammadu Buhari’s condolences.

He said: “I am here with my brother, Dapo Abiodun, certainly not as a visitor. This, as you all know, is home for me. Papa was my father, and so, I am here to represent the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

While consoling with the family, the Vice President noted that “there are three reasons at least, why we should be rejoicing and not mourning. The first is that Papa lived a long life, almost 90, a year to his 90th birthday, that is a good number.”

“The second is that before he died, I don’t think that there was any prayer of his that was not answered. I think one of his important prayers was for his son, who had aspired to be governor of Ogun State, and

he is in fact the governor. Papa saw the inauguration of his son as governor. He was there for his first year, second year, and he did so with great joy.

“The third reason is that he has left behind a worthy legacy. The Bible says a good man leaves inheritance for the children and children’s children.

The inheritance is not cars and houses. Even houses, when it is transferred from children to the children’s children, they will end up selling it.

UK Donates Another 592,880 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Nigeria BennettOghifoand Michael OlugbodeinAbuja The federal government yesterday received another 592,880 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine donated by the UK via the COVAX Facility.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses donated to Nigeria from the UK through COVAX to 1,292,640 doses in August alone, according to a statement by the UK. These vaccines delivered to Nigeria are part of over five million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines that the UK donated through COVAX, the scheme designed to ensure equitable, global access to COVID-19 vaccines.

This latest batch was part of the 9 million COVID-19 vaccines the UK donated around the world since the end of July 2021. Recipient countries include Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Senegal, Egypt, Ethiopia,

and Pakistan.

The statement said, “These UK-donated doses are part of a broader pledge to share 100 million vaccines with the rest of the world

by June 2022. 80 per cent of these doses will be shared through the COVAX Facility, with 30 million due to be sent by the end of 2021.”

The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, made this pledge at the UK-hosted G7 Leaders’ Summit earlier this year, according to the statement.

It added that the UK had led the international response to COVID-19, including through kick-starting efforts to establish the COVAX Facility in 2020, providing £548 million to fund vaccines for lower income countries. “So far, the COVAX Facility has delivered more than 152 million vaccine doses to over 137 countries and territories, including in 83 lower-middle income countries. COVAX aims to deliver 1.8 billion vaccines to lower-income countries by early 2022.”

20 Killed, 37 Injured, Property Worth N1bn Lost in Flood Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

YOU ’VE DONE WELL… L-R: Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy Agba and the Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj. Gen. Sanusi Dahiru, exchanging souvenirs during the minister’s visit to Army Headquarters Garrison in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja ... yesterday

Irabor: Armed Forces Reviewing Operations in Trouble Spots Kingsley Nwezeh inAbuja The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor said yesterday that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was reviewing its operational engagements in the various theatres in order to bring peace to the crisis parts of the country.

Gen Irabor stated this at the 6th edition of the CDS security parley with military veterans tagged, “CDS Interactive Session with Retired Senior Military Officers in the South-south Geo-political zone”,

held at 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in Asaba, Delta State.

The CDS said the security parley, which was flagged-off in the South-west, was of immense benefit to the Armed Forces, as several topical issues that emanated from all the geo-political zones were being addressed.

This, he said, was guiding the military high command in reviewing its operational doctrines and plans.

According to Gen Irabor, “interaction is a continuous process, so much value has emerged from the

interactive session with our retired senior officers, and we are going to leverage the success and benefit to improve on security and safety of lives and properties.”

The defence chief noted that the operational engagements of Delta State, which was in synergy with other internal security arrangement, were impacting on the peculiar security challenges, including illegal oil bunkering, piracy, among others, adding that the security disposition in the South-south region would continue to get better.

He further explained that the security parley would focus on engaging critical stakeholders such as royal fathers, some of whom were equally retired senior officers and among the participants. They are expected to take some lessons arising from the interaction to sensitise their subjects.

The CDS assured that the Armed Forces would continue to foster the right ambience for other stakeholders in order to holistically combat the numerous security challenges in the region.

Don’t Squander Wealth of Future Generations, Atiku Tells FG

ICPC Moves against Estimated Billing, Illegal Sale of Meters

Bennett Oghifo

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration to stop borrowing more money to prevent an impending financial crisis.

Atiku said in a statement issued by his media organisation yesterday that he sounded a similar alarm on June 16, last year devoid of political undertone but that he was derided by the Presidency, rather than heed his warning and proffered solution.

“Interestingly, yesterday, (Thursday, August 26, 2021) the Budget Office of the same administration released a statement to the effect that Nigeria made N2. 23 trillion revenue in the first half of 2021, and spent N2.02 trillion on debt servicing, representing 90.58% of

National revenue in the period under review (H1).

“Although this clearly vindicates me, I have no joy that things have gotten to this stage.

“Once again, I call on the government to revisit the solutions provided in my June 16, 2020 statement and other interventions made earlier by other patriotic Nigerians and my humble self. Nigeria is the only country we have, and we must all do everything possible, irrespective of party affiliation, to keep our nation financially solvent for future generations.”

According to the former Vice President, “On June 16, 2020, I sounded an alarm to the nation that our debts have reached unsustainable levels, and were consuming over 90% of our revenue in debt servicing.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related OͿences Commission (ICPC) yesterday moved against corruption related matters arising from estimated billings, illegal sale of meters and other related oͿences in the electricity sector.

The Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, while speaking at a consultation meeting of business membership organisations and electricity regulatory bodies organised by the Association of Public Policy Analysis (APPA-Nigeria), in Abuja, noted that the incessant complaints about high billings of electricity tariͿ by power regulators was becoming rife.

Owasanoye, who was

represented by Mallam Hassan Salihu, an Assistant Commissioner in the Commission, called on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), CommunityBased Organisations (CBOs) and electricity regulatory bodies to join hands in the prevention of electricity related corruption in Nigeria.

The ICPC chairman revealed that the commission articulated the national ethics and integrity policy which was geared towards instilling lost values as a norm in the lives of citizens in the country.

The ICPC, in a statement, said the seven core values of the policy include human dignity, voice and participation, patriotism, personal responsibility, integrity, national unity, and professionalism.

Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has disclosed that deaths recorded so far as a result of Áoods in parts of the state had increased to 20 while 37 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries with property worth N1 billion lost.

Giving an update on Áood situation in the state while brieÀng journalists yesterday, the Coordinator, Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Abubakar Umar Gabarin, said that more deaths were recorded, adding that all the 20 local government areas of the state were aͿected by Áoods so far.

Gabarin, who said that the agency was still collating reports on Áooding in parts of the state, noting that while 6,000 farmlands were submerged, 47 culverts were washed away with 27 bridges collapsed.

According to him, “We are still collating number of casualties. However, we have recorded additional Àgures of death: we recorded additional three in Gamawa, we have two in Darazo and two in Duguri.

Flood brought three dead bodies in Jama’are.

“We recorded 37 people injured. Forty-seven culverts were washed away by the Áood, while 27 bridges collapsed, 6,000 farmlands submerged with over 2,000 families aͿected and over one billion naira property lost.”

The SEMA coordinator further said that the state Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, had set up a high powered committee headed by the state deputy governor, Senator Baba Tela, to go round the aͿected areas with a view to assessing and bringing a comprehensive report on the damages caused by Áoods in communities.

Runsewe Commends Media for Promoting Arts, Culture Director General of National Council for Culture and Arts (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has commended the media for their tireless contribution to the promotion of culture, arts and tourism in Nigeria, saying the successes he achieved over the years were made possible by the Nigerian media.

Runsewe, who made the commendation during an interactive session with journalists at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, said the purpose of the meeting was to exchange views, opinions, knowledge and experiences on how this very important sector can be strengthened as a vehicle for creating wealth and driving sustainable economic development of Nigeria.

The NCAC boss who was accompanied by the Director, Performing Arts, NCAC, Mr. Sam Agbi and Director, Special Duties; NCAC, Dr. Gerald Adewole, said media and other stakeholders

in the arts and culture sector in Nigeria should as a matter of collective responsibility ensure that the sector takes its pride of place in the Nigerian economy, warning that the near total dependence on crude oil exportation as the source of our foreign exchange earnings had greatly slowed down the pace of development in other sub-sectors of the economy such as agro-allied industry, manufacturing, solid minerals, and the service industry, among others.

“I urge us to work together to synergise, to always share ideas and experiences on the best practices in the sector. Countries like China, India, Dubai, Brazil and South Africa that are reaping from the huge benefits in the arts, culture and tourism sector today started like us. They did not have better resources than us. It is the vision, the passion and the commitment that makes the difference. It is not too late to start now,” he said

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COMMENTARY

THE NADIR OF GOVERNANCE

The attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy has exposed the vulnerability of everyone, writes Sonny Iroche

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he recent unprecedented and hitherto unimaginable attack on Nigeria’s premier military training institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), by terrorists, is a clear indication of a total failure of leadership in Nigeria.

Just to draw comparisons with other military academies such as the West Point (USA) and Sandhurst (UK), the NDA, should be one of the most militarily secured facilities in any serious country and government. Any wonder, therefore, why the over a decade war against Boko Haram, seems unwinable? This has further exposed the underbelly, unreadiness and vulnerability of our Armed Forces to protect and defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria. When such an embarrassing failure is evident in any institution, the military command, starting from the Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari; the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Service Chiefs to the Commandant of the NDA, should be called out and held accountable. If one of the most strategic facilities which is at the nucleus of our safety and security can be so easily compromised and defiled, one wonders what could happen to ANY other critical civilian facilities in the country. Such as the other key critical facilities in the country, which are at the heart of the development of any country are: • National Electricity Grid, which is centralized and over the years been vulnerable to intermittent theft and vandalism of its equipment and infrastructure. This has been one of the reasons advanced by advocates like us, for the decentralization of the National Grid, which is under the total purview of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

• Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), is the fulcrum of the banking and financial services of both the federal government, the banks, international trade and businesses. The government Minting and Printing Company of Nigeria, which is responsible for printing the local currency and other vital government documents, is a parastatal of the CBN. What would be the consequences to the country’s economy should such facilities, come under terrorists’ attacks?

• Foreign Embassies and High Commissions, of countries that are established in the country, would certainly be concerned about the safety and security of their personnel and facilities both in Abuja and Lagos. Giving the evident porosity of our security apparatchiks, as shown by the frequent terrorist attacks on schools, institutions and now the effrontery of the NDA attack; must be a cause for concern for the international and diplomatic communities in the country.

The unending security breaches in Nigeria have had dire consequences on the economy and Feel Good Index of the country. Foreign Direct Investments into the country have dwindled to their lowest levels ever in the history of the country.

The APC led government of President Buhari seems to have lost total control of all aspects of the management of the country.

Nigeria is in perpetual nadir as a country. For when one thinks that the country has descended into the worst possible lows, we very quickly sink into new lows.

No doubt, our country needs urgent help to stem the further atrophy and possible disintegration, in the mould of other failed states like Afghanistan, Lebanon and Somalia.

IF ONE OF THE MOST STRATEGIC FACILITIES WHICH IS AT THE NUCLEUS OF OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY CAN BE SO EASILY COMPROMISED AND DEFILED, ONE WONDERS WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY OTHER CRITICAL CIVILIAN FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY

It is not too late to still salvage whatever is left of Nigeria’s nationhood, honor and integrity. This administration hasn’t much time left to be filibustering and blaming all others, but itself for its abysmal performance and failure.

One of the several ways that the Buhari administration could save the iota of governance credibility that could still be available, is to, first, without further delay, dissolve his tired and lackluster cabinet, in order to rest those ministers with political ambitions of running for offices, come 2023.

Secondly, approach one of the big five international consulting firms in the country to assist him in seeking out some of the best professional hands (and they are many). Because all that most of his ministers and aides are concerned with now, is politics and their 2023 ambitions and nothing altruistic in the execution of their key performance index.

The few months left for this administration, demand serious engagements on people oriented services, management of the economy, safety and security of lives and property, restructuring of the country, bringing the various peoples of the country together - as never before has Nigeria ever been this polarized along ethno-religion lines.

Does any one of the president aides ever tell the president that all his statements that follow any terrorist attacks on Nigerians or some of the faux pas committed by the administration, now sound like the barking of a toothless bull dog and nauseating to the ears of both Nigerians and the comity of nations?

We don’t need commiseration, condolences to the several families that have lost loved ones, or what the president says or promises that he will do. All Nigerians and our development partners want to see and witness, are specific actions, and serious steps taken by this government to ameliorate the rudderless trajectory of the Nigerian ship of state.

How history and historians will judge President Buhari’s administration, is almost certain. How much can he do in this remaining injury time of his government? We are however, reminded and hopeful that wonders shall never end. siiroche@yahoo.com

IN SEARCH OF COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP Chris Gyang urges Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, to stand with the people

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n times of crisis, citizens look up to their leader for protection, respite and direction. A leader takes charge from the front, securing the values, identity and posterity of his/her people. And the people trust and support him with the assurance that he would neither lead them astray nor abandon or betray them. From antiquity to the present day, these are some of the most fundamental grounds on which the legitimacy of leaders and their relationship with their followers are founded.

But, sadly, this is not what obtains in today’s Plateau State. Today, the governor and the people he purports to lead stand poles apart.

The governor and the majority of the people of the state are going in completely opposite directions. While the people continually resist the shackles of the northern oligarchy, Governor Lalong appears to be desperately aligning himself with their diabolical agenda. An agenda built on ethnic and religious supremacy and dominance. An agenda that has now become a death sentence on the indigenous citizens of the state whom the governor swore to protect at all times and under all circumstances.

As we have pointed out elsewhere in the past, it is from these broad perspectives that we must understand both past and the unfolding bloody onslaughts on innocent Plateau citizens

by Fulani herdsmen and sundry Islamist militia who President Buhari and Governor Lalong have deceptively continued to label as ‘unknown gunmen’, ‘miscreants’ and ‘criminals’.

They do so in order to conceal the true identities of the perpetrators and their sinister and longstanding plans to make us forever subservient to their narrow, primordial whims.

That is why, once again, Plateau people are in deep mourning and agony. They are

painfully suffering from the wounds of a brutal attack launched by a well-known enemy that has become a thorn in the flesh of almost all Nigerians - Fulani herdsmen.

At around 10.00 pm local time on Tuesday, August 25, 2021, they launched a well coordinated attack on the quiet, mainly Christian community of Yelwan Zangam, in the suburbs of Jos, the Plateau State capital. Not less than 36 innocent people were massacred - some of them slaughtered, others set on fire and burnt beyond recognition. Reports say that children and women were among the victims.

The following day, journalists reported witnessing policemen openly weeping on the streets of Jos upon sighting the corpses that hundreds of aggrieved youth loaded in trucks in procession to Government House, Rayfield, Jos. Amid chaotic scenes, the equally grieving police officers allowed the youth proceed to the seat of power where they dumped the human remains to register their frustration over the governor’s consistent inability to stand with the people in the face of such attacks which have spiked in recent weeks.

The latest incident comes after a security alert was slammed on the entire country following the August 14 killing of 22 Fulani Muslims at Rukuba Road, Jos North LGA. They were said to have been traveling back to Ondo State from a religious festival in neighbouring Bauchi State.

Pundits argue that the Yelwan Zangam massacre has once again highlighted the strong feeling among most Plateau people that Governor Lalong may very likely be in cahoots with President Buhari, working in the interests of the Fulani herdsmen.

They say that, for instance, immediately after the killing of the 22 Fulani men, the Presidency

swiftly deployed a massive security and intelligence paraphernalia and personnel to handle the matter and issued a statement condemning the attacks. President Buhari was also said to have lost his appetite due to the trauma he suffered from the sad incident involving his 22 Fulani kinsmen. On his own part, Governor Lalong visited the Fulani survivors in hospitals.

And within a record two days, the security dragnet was able to bring in more than 22 suspects.

But as we write, the Presidency has not issued any statement about the Yelwan Zangam massacre. And, as is usual with such heinous crimes against indigenous peoples, the question of the identity of the perpetrators is still in doubt, talk less of making any appreciable progress towards their arrest. And in a matter of days, the gory massacre will be swept under the carpet – and become one more sad footnote in our bloody history. Until the herdsmen strike, once again.

As for Governor Lalong, even his die-hard supporters who had continued to give him the benefit of the doubt are now beginning to doubt his sincerity in handling these recurring outbreaks of violence which have placed indigenous communities at the receiving end. They fear that if he does not change his attitude and stand with his people, the state may likely descend into anarchy as more and more communities come under the attack of the rampaging, land-grabbing Fulani herdsmen.

The overwhelming feeling among the majority of Plateau citizens is that they have become expendable pawns, sacrificed by their governor in a high stakes political chess game. His aim, they say, is to gain acceptance and legitimacy within the ranks of the oligarchy and be able to

muster some political crumbs from their tables.

It is worthy of note that had Governor Lalong not prevaricated and spoken from both sides of the mouth about the crisis in Plateau State, the protracted Bassa carnage, which ultimately led to the Rukuba Road incident, would have been averted. To be sure, Fulani herdsmen are currently occupying Rafin Bauna (Detsen Kaura) in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA). This area is a stone’s throw from the headquarters of the formidable 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army.

Also in Riyom LGA, the Fulani have seized large swathes of rich agricultural lands in Rankum and Fass which they have renamed Mahanga and Tafawa. These herdsmen and their well-armed militia use these indigenous areas to launch attacks on communities in Bassa and Riyom LGAs respectively. But this is just a tip of the iceberg.

It is upon these cauldrons of simmering injustice, forceful dispossession of lands, destruction of farm crops and wilful massacres that the Lalong administration sits; pretending that dispensing the kind of jaundiced justice prescribed by President Buhari would make Plateau’s horrific nightmare disappear in one fell swoop.

Courage, sacrifice and integrity are the universal hallmarks of great leadership. These outstanding qualities make leaders and their people survive periods of collective adversity and come out even stronger.

Is it too late for Governor Lalong to firmly grab integrity and bravely dare his peoples’ enemies in order to earn a place on the pantheon of Plateau State’s great leaders?

Gyang is the Chairman of Journalists Coalition for Citizens’ Rights Initiative

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INSIGHT

Can we stop the brain drain?

Gov Fintiri and Burden of Debt

The Traumatised Children of Tegina

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or the families of the kids seized from their school by bandits in Tegina, Niger State, and finally released after 89 days in captivity, the terror was real, raw and rasping. They were all over the place for months trying to scale the mountain put before them by ruthless criminals. It was heartwrenching to note that some of those children were as young as four. Finally, after three months, there is a nationwide sigh of relief.

As the children remained in captivity, Nigerians could relate. Even Nigerians yet to become parents themselves could relate to the indescribable anguish of parents who had to go through interminable days and nights without knowing the whereabouts of their children. For many families life lost its meaning. It became difficult to eat or even sleep.

Yet for months, it appeared that the government of Niger State and the federal government were content to do only little. Or perhaps, they were petrified of the ruthless bandits closing upon the rest of Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory from impenetrable forests.

The banditry in Niger State has been unsparing.

A member of the State`s Executive Council was abducted and subsequently released to tell harrowing tales of the blood curdling tactics of the bandits.

The Niger State Government subsequently struggled to dispel accusations that it paid ransom to get the commissioner released while the children abducted from Tegina were left to languish in the lair of their tormentors.

As the days passed, the criminals who were holding the children perfected the art of coining outrageous and outlandish demands. Millions were paid yet they had the cheeks to ask for millions more and even means of transportation to facilitate their criminal enterprise. To salt the wounds, they crafted a bucket list of demands complete with the chilling warning that unless their demands were met, the children would face an unimaginable fate.

Belongings were sold to raise money even as parents lamented that there existed omniscient and omnipotent informants who fed the criminals critical information. It is humiliating for Nigerians that right in the forests of Niger State, such an elaborate criminal enterprise was allowed to go on with the government appearing lost and helpless.

It is no coincidence that something similar is afoot in Kaduna State with the captive students of Bethel Baptist High School. The unfortunate incident in Tegina was not isolated. For years now, there has been a method to the madness of these bandits.

They kidnap kids for ransom and in return for their sweat they rake in millions of naira. Their schemes

run so smoothly and seamlessly for months that no one in their right senses can discount complicity in high places.

The questions are endless: Where do these bandits keep their victims and who are those that facilitate their indescribably malignant missions? Surely, the bandits and those who facilitate their heinous crimes against innocent children have no place here.

But they would not have been so audacious and ruthless were it not for Nigeria`s extremely porous security situation. While Boko Haram holds its own against Nigerian soldiers in the North-east, other criminals studied Boko Haram`s manuscript. Being crass and criminal opportunists, they have invested their criminal energies into terrorizing Nigerians.

They have perfected the act of storming schools and abducting students to force terrified families to raise millions in these days of austerity.

Nigeria`s pathetic security situation which gravely imperils the education of children also ironically emphasizes the power of education to transform the country and carry out the most important form of disarmament – that of the mind.

The trauma experienced in Tegina must not be allowed to be repeated anywhere. It is why every school in the country especially in Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi, Borno, Yobe and Katsina States must be secured.

Kene Obiezu, Abuja

G

overnments throughout the world borrow funds to stimulate the economy and secure the future of its people. When revenues fall short of spending, governments must borrow. Borrowing by a government is not a crime; if there are well-spelt priorities and prudent management of funds including efficient debt management strategies.

However, if borrowed funds are not directed to productive parts of the economy, they will constitute an impediment to long-term growth of the economy, open the windows of mismanagement and create citizens’ mistrust of the government.

Some experts say, not-well-managed commercial debt service and repayments lead to growth retardation - commercial debts have an overhang effect!

The Fintiri government has so far borrowed billions of naira in just two years - N9.9 billion for the 2000 housing units, N17 billion for critical projects and N4 billion for the Adamawa State University and the recently approved N100 billion bond for agribusiness.

Many people are of the view that ‘agribuisness is a generic statement. Though, to their credit, the Fintiri government was able to restructure many loans collected by the previous government- especially that of the Bindow administration As of March 31, 2021 Adamawa State domestic debts stood at N95bn. Massive borrowings without proper strategy for investment always lead to heavy debt burden and, also creates adverse effects for the

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU 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

economy and on the poor people. The big question: is the Fintiri government borrowing without prioritizing? Did the government put in place plans for the efficient utilization of the borrowed funds? Or it is just the same old Nigerian story - borrowing for consumption?

On August 21, 2021, the Daily Trust published a story on the structural decay at foremost General Murtala Mohammed College Yola, but few meters away from the school, the Fintiri government is constructing a multi-billion naira flyover and inter-change – a misplacement of priority? There is news going around that the Fintiri government is in the process of renovating and furnishing the Adamawa government lodge in Maitama, Abuja at the cost of N250 million of which N100 million has already been released. Another misplaced priority?

The Boni Haruna administration bought the building at the cost of N100 million.

On August 18, 2021 the Adamawa State executive council approved the sum of N56m for consultants to monitor the completion of the 40km Pella-Maiha Road which was awarded in 2007 by the Murtala Nyako administration. The project which was worth N3 billion but now N9 billion (the adjustment happened between the period of the Nyako-Bindow governments) though, there is nothing wrong in hiring good consultancy firm in order to get excellent results. However, prioritizing of needs of the people is very important for a government like that of Adamawa State with meager resources and very poor people. Critics of the Fintiri government always point that a very important problem with the administration is it is unmindful of capital flight from Adamawa. Most of its contracts are handled by non-indigenes of Adamawa. For example, the consultancy for the monitoring of the completion of the Pella-Maiha Road should have been handled by locals. Imagine forming a committee with people Sajo Gella, SYB Yunusa and many more from that area to handle the monitoring. Fintiri will get the desired results as well score a point on policies and politics at the same time.

The Fintiri government is facing three critical issues – firstly misplacement of priority. Some of its projects are misplaced. Secondly, the government is facing the issue of public mistrust. However good its intentions in borrow; many citizens don’t trust the government. Thirdly, the Fintiri government is also having the issue of poor distribution of wealth. However, to be fair to Fintiri, it is not easy governing Adamawa State, but accepting some good advice can help.

Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

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NEWS Kogi Procures Nigeria’s First Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Chamber Nseobong Okon-Ekong

PUTTING HEADS TOGETHER… L-R: Executive Director Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Mrs. Ore Famurewa; Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Mr. Ben Langat; and Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sambo Nanono, renewing their commitment to dairy value chain development at an MoU signing ceremony in Abuja...recently

Bandits Release 32 of 63 Remaining Abducted Students of Kaduna Baptist School John Shiklam in Kaduna Bandits have released 32 of the remaining 63 abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna.

They were released yesterday evening after an undisclosed amount of money was paid.

Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, conÀrmed their release in a telephone conversation yesterday evening.

Hayab said, “32 of the 63 students have been released this evening and have been reunited with their parents.

We still have 31 being held by the bandits,” he said.

The released 32 students came a week after a batch of 15 were released on Saturday last week and reunited with their parents.

The bandits had on July 5, invaded the school, located some few kilometres away from Kaduna metropolis and

abducted 121 students.

So far 90 of the students had regained freedom, remaining 31 in captivity.

Sources said the parents have spent a total of about N200 million as ransom for the release of the students as demanded for ransom on each batches of the students that were released.

Ugwuanyi Hands over Mosques to Insecurity: ‘FG to Prioritise Improving Electricity Supply in Barracks’ Muslim Community in Nsukka Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in keeping with his earlier directives, on Friday, formally handed over to the Muslim community in Nsukka, two mosques rebuilt by his administration which were hitherto aͿected following a protest that erupted in the area, late last year.

Ugwuanyi, on the heels of the unfortunate crisis, immediately dispatched the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Hon. Cosmas Ugwueze and the security agencies to scene to restore peace and normalcy, which resulted to no loss of life and minimal damage to property.

Ugwuanyi further directed the immediate rebuilding of the two aͿected mosques and consequently detailed the council chairman to liaise with the leadership of the Muslim community in Nsukka, to redesign and construct new mosques for them.

Handing over the rebuilt mosques to the Nsukka Muslim community, led by the Chief

Iman, Nsukka Central Mosque, Alhaji Yakubu Omeh, yesterday, Ugwuanyi, represented by the Chairman of Nsukka LGA, Hon. Ugwueze, thanked God that the incident did not lead to any loss of life.

The governor thanked the Christian and Muslim communities for sustaining the existing peace in Enugu State, reassuring them of his commitment to continue to protect everybody resident in the state.

In a message of appreciation presented Prof. Momoh Mumuni, the Muslims expressed their profound gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for rebuilding and inauguration of the mosques, stressing that the governor has “shown high level of compassion, tolerance, resilience, dedication, commitment, bridge-building spirit; and has exhibited sincere passion for which we have known you since your days; and harbor no grudges against anybody living in your domain”.

Amidst growing security challenges facing the country, the federal government has assured the military that it would double its eͿorts to ensure a stable and sustainable electricity supply across military barracks and formations in the country.

Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, gave the assurances yesterday during a visit to the Army Headquarters Garrison in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.

Jedy-Agba who said electricity has a key role to play in the Àght against insecurity noted that as the government was working to improve the general welfare of men and o΀cers of the military and other security agencies, special attention would be given to the electricity challenges in barracks.

He said that “I’m happy to be here because from the introduction, I have heard names that reÁect our cultural and ethnic diversity; every part of this country is represented here, so we can talk to ourselves as Nigerians.

“My visit is at the instant of the Commander. I was here before to see for myself, the electricity challenges in this barracks. When I came, I identiÀed some issues like the high electricity rate even when the power supply was a major challenge. To solve that problem, we dropped the barracks from grade “A” where the electricity rate is high to the level you are now where you can guarantee at least, a minimum of four hours of electricity a day at a low cost.

“I understand that just four hours is not enough but coming from where we were, you can agree with me that this is an improvement. Also, note that that’s the minimum per day but we are working to ensure it’s improved to about 18-24 hours per day. We can’t underestimate the importance of electricity in the Àght against the criminal elements trying to destabilise our country. So, as a government, we are working to double our eͿorts to ensure better electricity supply in the barracks and other security formations.”

Ikpeazu: We’ve Done Enough to Put Abia Among Progressive States Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has said that his administration had done enough in critical sectors of the economy to guarantee the state a deserved place among the comity of viable states in Nigeria.

He stated this in a statewide broadcast to mark the 30th anniversary of the state by the former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who on August 27, 1991 created Abia along with five other states.

“Our interventions in various critical sectors are yielding positive fruits,” Ikpeazu said, adding, “The future of Abia State is secured in

the pantheon of economically and socially progressive states.”

He said that his administration had been working in tandem with the dreams of the founding fathers of Abia and with a 30 year development plan he has now put in place, the future is very bright for God’s own state.

He explained that the development plan document, which he

later unveiled at a ceremony at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, “is a product of dedicated research and consultation, guided by development experts.”

According to him, the document encapsulated the wishes of Abians as collated from town hall meetings held across the state, adding that it would henceforth guide all plans and actions of government.

The Kogi State Government has procured the first hospital based Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) chamber in Nigeria.

With this development, Nigeria becomes the fifth country in Africa with such sophisticated medical equipment.

According to a statement yesterday, signed by the Commissioner for Health in Kogi State, Dr. Saka Haruna Audu, this was great news for Nigerian patients who hitherto had to travel abroad for such treatments.

Audu said, “Whoever has been following the trend of achievements in Kogi State Health Sector must have now seen the purposeful move to turn the state to a choice destination for health tourism.

“This is only possible with much thanks to the determination

of His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to revamp the state’s health sector and change the old narrative of a moribund sector that supervised substandard services.”

HBOT chamber is a very useful equipment that can help in healing people with both internal and external life threatening injuries as well as in health complications like air or gas embolism, brain and sinus infections, necrotizing soft tissue infections, arterial insufficiency or low blood flow in the arteries, radiation injury, especially as a result of cancer treatment, anaemia, osteomyelitis, gas gangrene, carbon monoxide poisoning, burns and skin grafts.

“HBOT is becoming increasingly popular and mostly used as adjuvant therapy to conventional treatment/management of some life threatening conditions to minimise healing times,” he stated.

Ex-Abia Gov, Orji, Speaker Mourn Demise of Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, Adanma Okpara Former governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji and the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, have described the demise of Mrs. Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi and Adanma Okpara as great loss to Abia State in particular and Nigeria in general, saying they received the news with sadness and disbelief.

Senator Orji in a statement by his media aide, Eddie Onuzuruike, said late Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi who was wife of the Àrst military Head of State, General Johnson AguiyiIronsi and late Mrs. Adanma Okpara wife of the former Premier of Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, contributed their quota to the development of the country.

“Death, the end of man’s journey on earth struck in Abia Central Senatorial District snu΀ng life out of two exceptional and most celebrated matriarchs, former First Ladies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Eastern Region

comprising the South-east and South of today, Ladies Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi and Adanma Okpara.

“These ladies experienced the darkest segment of our history as General Johnson Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi was brutally assassinated in a counter coup in 1966, while Dr. M I Okpara, Premier of Eastern Region went on exile at the Demise of Biafra.

Victoria and Adanma, in a fatal coincidences are no more today having gone the way of all mortals. They highly exempliÀed the biblical virtuous woman and brought to the fore the dictum that marriage is for better and for worse.

“By their exits, Umuahia North LGA, Abia in general and as a matter of fact, the entire nation, have been robbed of motherÀgures whose lifestyles, stoicism and amiability will be greatly missed for a long time to come.”

Enugu At 30: Ekweremadu Pays Tribute to Founding Fathers Deji Elumoye in Abuja Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has felicitated with the government and people of Enugu State as the state clocked 30 years Friday.

Ekweremadu, in a statement entitled “Enugu: 30 and Fledging”, poured encomium on successive leaders of the state and the founding fathers, saying although there had been challenges, the state had made progress, while potentials remain enormous.

According to him: “This day will always remain special to the Waawa people as we also remain grateful to the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida for graciously creating Enugu State some 30 years ago.

“Although there has been challenges, I must congratulate and commend successive leaders of the state, namely, Col. Herbert Obieze, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Navy Capt. Temi Ejoor, Col. Mike Torey, Col. Sule Ahman, Navy Capt. Adewunmi Agbaje,

Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, Barr.

Sullivan Chime, and today, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for the progress made so far.

“It is to their collective credit that Enugu, as former capital of the defunct Eastern region, East Central State, old Anambra State, and old Enugu State, remains a cynosure of unity and egalitarianism, an investment destination, one of the most secure states of the federation, and a rallying point and home for Ndigbo, the people of the former Eastern region, and indeed all Nigerians.

“I doͿ my cap to the founding fathers of the state such as Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, HRH Igwe Edward Nnaji, Chief Enechi Onyia, HRH Igwe Charles Abangwu, Chief Basil Okwu, HRH Igwe John Ugwu Nwodo, and a host of thers for their doggedness, sacriÀce, progressivism, and foresightedness”.

Ekweremadu, while also congratulating the people of the state, reiterated that the future and progress of the state remain a collective task.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

08054699539

Which Grazing Area is Buhari Talking About?

A

man elected President of the whole country persists as a sectional leader.

This is the situation this country has found itself with President Muhammadu Buhari. The standard is that he should, in conformity with his oath, be president to all. Buhari is not interested in this. He is always struggling to rise above primordial sentiments and often pursuing parochial ethnic agenda. Buhari’s clannishness is legendary and Nigeria has never had it this bad. Often, he leaves me depressed.

Our President’s latest weird move was the statement last week that he had approved the recommendations of a committee to review “with dispatch, 368 grazing sites across 25 states in the country and to determine the levels of encroachment.” Which grazing site is our President talking about? Which encroachment?

Legally, there is nothing like grazing sites or routes in Nigeria again. This prickly move is simply part of Buhari’s contentious pledge to revive strange old-fashioned grazing routes for herders.

Today, the document that governs this country called Nigeria is the 1999 Constitution.

The law on land matters is the Land Use Act and it is entrenched in the 1999 Constitution.

The rule vests all powers on land issues, all over the country, in governors and not the federal government. Governors remain the custodians of land. The President’s power is limited to land in Abuja. Buhari knows this but has chosen to snub this fact for selfish reasons. Grazing sites and grazing routes are now invalid. This is the truth that must be told.

No power over land is granted to Buhari in the 1999 Constitution. The Grazing Reserves Law of 1964 has been supplanted by the Land Use Act. Whatever law establishing grazing routes is now obsolete and completely nullified by the operational Land Use Act. Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, remarked: “In respect of land and the use, federal government, can’t legislate on how land is controlled and distributed in any part of Nigeria. Even if we assume, without conceding that laws for grazing routes made under the Northern Region of Nigeria, covered everywhere, the Land Use Act has superseded both routes and the law establishing them. Also, it is one thing for the President, to direct, it is another thing

Buhari

for the Attorney General of the Federation, to implement a law which doesn’t exist. He can’t enforce a non-existing law.”

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is apt to challenge Buhari in the Supreme Court on grazing routes and areas. Other governors should join him if Buhari refuses to back out. Ortom remarked: “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria supersedes the Northern Nigeria Law that provided for grazing reserves. The truth is that if the entire country had accepted ranching; then, why is Mr. President insisting on open grazing when there is no land for such.”

Aside from Buhari’s drive for grazing sites and routes being unconstitutional, how can our President be talking about such measures, when he knows that open grazing had been banned in many states because of the delinquency and insecurity associated with it? The president

must learn to show respect for the feelings of Nigerians outside his Fulani kingdom.

Anybody genuinely interested in ending the brutal clashes between farmers and migrant herders must not be talking about grazing sites and routes. Emphasis should be on promoting peace in our lovely country, not fueling our lines of division. Ranching should be on the front burner. Nomadic cattle rearing is an aberration in modern societies. Nigeria can’t be an exception. Buhari should be interested in ranching in the interest of everybody, not advocating the continuation of a Stone Age idea. His support for open grazing has divided this country. Our President is unperturbed by the fact that Nigeria is falling apart because of his clannishness. He has set brothers against brothers; sisters fighting war. Our diversity mismanaged.

Our unity practically destroyed. This country has never been this mismanaged.

Herders must return to their bases and cuddle ranching. If it does not happen, rampaging criminal herders and Fulani militias will persist in their nefarious activities against crop farmers. These murderers are enjoying a free rein with the tacit support of the powerful leadership in Abuja that controls all the security agencies. That has always been my position on the unending killings and abductions by lawless herders across Nigeria.

President Buhari confirmed my conviction with his infamous remarks extolling grazing routes and areas. Our dear President supports this archaic and ruthless cattle rearing method in this modern era. Buhari is obsessed with this outdated animal husbandry practice and he is now looking for laws to enable him revive grazing areas and routes for herders.

Buhari wants herders to continue moving cattle from Sokoto to Lagos, and beyond, unhindered. No wonder security agents are always lethargic in their response to SOS messages from crop farmers and communities ravaged by criminal herders. This is why huge swathes of this country have become killing fields, as killer herders, claiming a right to unencumbered feeding ubiquitously, are cruelly destroying lives and farms. They are never apprehended.

In Benue State, the criminal herders control several local government areas. Attacks on crop lands and farmers by criminal herders have led to astronomical hike in prices of food

Many Lies of FIRS against MultiChoice

Nami

I knew something was wrong somewhere when early this week, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) went about pushing a sham statement that the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) sitting in Lagos had ordered MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV and GoTv, to pay 50 per cent of N1.8 trillion which it had determined to be the amount in taxes that MultiChoice had failed to pay to the government in past assessments. It was the dubious FIRS, interpreting the order to align with its aim of arm-twisting MultiChoice for cash. I knew the judge could not have given such order without considering the guidelines of the FIRS Act on such disputes.

So, it did not come as a surprise when

on Wednesday, MultiChoice issued its own statement, putting the ruling in a logical perspective, in conformity with the Act Establishing the FIRS. The firm remarked: “The direction issued by the TAT does not compel MultiChoice to make payment of 50% of N1.8 trillion, being half of the disputed tax assessment which is under appeal.

“The direction issued by the TAT, in accordance with paragraph 15(7) of the Fifth Schedule to the FIRS Establishment Act, requires MultiChoice Nigeria to deposit with FIRS, an amount equal to the tax paid by MultiChoice Nigeria in the preceding year of assessment, or one half of the disputed tax assessment under appeal, whichever is the lesser amount, plus 10%.

“The lesser amount is the tax paid

by MultiChoice Nigeria in the previous assessed year, which is substantially less than the disputed assessment. MultiChoice Nigeria is a law-abiding corporate citizen and continues to engage constructively with FIRS in an attempt to resolve this matter.”

This is clearly what TAT ordered. I have a Certified True Copy of the order as I write this piece, and I can assertively say that the FIRS issued a wrong and misleading statement, as part of its campaign of calumny against MultiChoice. For the purpose of clarity, if MultiChoice wishes to proceed with the tax appeal, according to the order, it would deposit an amount equal to the tax it paid in the preceding year, or one half of the disputed tax assessment under appeal, whichever is the lesser amount, plus 10%. Of course, the “lesser amount” in this case will be the tax it paid in the preceding year and not the

disputed N1.8 trillion under appeal. The key word here is “lesser amount”. There is no ambiguity.

After this clarification by MultiChoice, the management of FIRS suddenly went mum. The FIRS could not respond because it apparently told lies in its statement. This agency called FIRS is visibly out to destroy MultiChoice. The Muhammad Nami-led FIRS has a hidden agenda in this case and the federal government has to swiftly step in. This country must stop harassing foreign investors. Already, the ease of doing business in Nigeria is appalling. Now, FIRS is compounding it with bogus tax demands on companies. Nigeria’s sham tax system is a key factor discouraging foreign investors.

This weird tax system is often cited by risk analysts advising foreign investors. As a result, Foreign Direct Investment is on the decline.

Now to the main allegation against MultiChoice, which resulted in the voodoo N1.8 trillion tax demand of the FIRS. So how much has been the firm’s turnover in all its years in Nigeria to warrant N1.8 trillion unpaid tax? How much has been its profit in 27 years in Nigeria to necessitate such a figure in tax liabilities? How is it possible that the FIRS kept quiet for 18 years while a company owes N1.8 trillion tax liabilities?

MultiChoice Nigeria has proven to be a law-abiding corporate citizen. So, the FIRS must constructively engage with it to resolve this tax issue. Unfortunately, the Nami-led FIRS is unwilling to do this. So, to move forward, he must be thoroughly whipped by the federal government.

In fact, this FIRS Chairman should be sacked immediately to save the federal government in particular and Nigerians in general, from unending embarrassment by the agency.

across Nigeria. This is a fact. Daily, farmers are deserting large fields for fear of being killed.

They have every reason to be afraid. Many have been slaughtered on their farms by killer herders and Fulani militias. Buhari should be worried if indeed, he loves everybody in this country. A President, in this modern era, must not be seen promoting abnormality.

My dear Buhari, open grazing is no longer practicable. Not with the killings, rape, crop destruction, kidnapping, and geographical hegemony that comes with it. The culture of nomadism can be eliminated. Lee Kuan Yew proved this in Singapore. Late Muammar Gaddafi proved this in Libya.

For those disheartened by Buhari’s incongruity, I have good news for them today: Nigeria will survive Buhari and return to that path of a peaceful, brotherly and loving country.

We have less than two years to go.

Masari’s Call for Self-defence Rational, Just Eight days ago, terrorists stormed Duba village, Batsari LG of Katsina State, in the night and operated for hours, inflicting pain on the villagers. Numbering over 300, and armed with sophisticated weapons, the terrorists killed scores and abducted many.

For hours, they ransacked and looted houses and shops in the community, dispossessing people of personal belongings, including foodstuff and money. As usual, security agents failed to respond to the calls for help by the villagers.

People like Governor Aminu Masari, who should be protecting us are lamenting.

Few days back, he declared: “Hardly a day passes by without a person being killed or kidnapped. No single day, although the situation is not as bad as it was last year. Just a few days ago, about 10 people were killed in a village. How can you, as a leader, be okay with this situation?”

It is a fact that the terrorists boldly assaulted Duba, because the villagers were unarmed and they also knew that help would not come from anywhere for the traumatised people. If the villagers were armed, they wouldn’t have been boldly attacked by the terrorists. These killings must stop. There is no point waiting for government. Nigerians must stand up and defend their villages and towns.

This is why I support the recent call by Masari on Nigerians to acquire weapons and defend themselves against the terrorists.

He stated categorically that citizens should no longer fold their arms and allow the terrorists to continue killing them.

According to Masari, it is morally wrong for people to submit meekly to the bandits without any attempt to defend themselves, adding, “it is the people’s meek submission that emboldens the bandits to continue with their heinous activities with murderous frequency; people must divorce their mind from the mistaken notion that security is government’s sole responsibility.”

Masari has been honest enough to admit that the Nigerian state can’t guarantee security for citizens. This is why he recommended self-help.

The federal government has failed woefully to protect citizens. Masari has also failed the people. But I will not denounce him for recommending self-help because it is the way to go. Terrorists will be cautious when they know that those they are going after may also be armed.

This is why we must all be allowed to acquire weapons to fight these bastards.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

NEWS

Nigerians to Enjoy Legal Services Via Mobile Apps Dike Onwuamaeze The Paralex Logistics Limited (PLL) is set to launch a mobile app platform that would leverage on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to link individuals, corporate organisations and institutions to lawyers that would provide

them with legal services that meet their needs.

The PLL said that it would render a broad range of services across Nigeria and beyond by offering interested end users access to legal services from accredited lawyers and law firms and serve as a trusted link to regulatory, administrative and

other institutional government and private entities.

The PLL said: “We are dedicated to ensuring that persons in Nigeria both natural and corporate have access to legal assistance, paralegal support services, with a view to getting value for money and enhancing access to logistics

of legal processes through the use of cutting edge information technology solutions.

“If you need bespoke legal advice anywhere and anytime, we will connect you to lawyers across Nigeria as our network of Paralex Participating Lawyers (PPLs) are always available and ready to assist you. Type in

NHRC: Continued Criminalisation of Petty Offences is Tagging Poverty a Crime Michael Olugbode in Abuja Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu says there is urgent need to decriminalise petty offences in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, insisting that sending someone to jail for violation of such offences is akin to criminalising poverty.

He equally said the major key to decongestion of custodian centres (prisons) “is when other means of punishment other than jail term is given for violation of petty offences.”

Speaking to participants at the Project Review Meeting on Decriminalisation of Petty

Offences within the African Region held in Abuja on Thursday and yesterday, Ojukwu who was represented by the Head, Monitoring Department of the NHRC, Okay Agu, explained petty offences could be found in laws that are aimed at controlling public nuisance on public roads, public places as well as laws criminalising some informal commercial activities like hawking and vending.

He further explained that in Nigeria, petty offences fall within the broad category of minor offences, misdemeanors, simple offences and summary regulatory offences such as

urinating in public and washing clothes in public.

He said against the background that laws on petty offences seem to mainly target the socio-economic lives and activities of the poor and marginalised population in society, the significance of this project on human rights needs not be overemphasised.

He said: “Remarkably, the principles encourage member states (African countries) to consider the use of non-custodial measures as an alternative to imprisonment.

“It is appalling to note that petty offenders, most of who are awaiting trial for

offences such as being a rogue and vagabond, being idle or disorderly, loitering, begging, hawking, failure to pay debt and being a nuisance among others, constitute a significant number of persons in detention and thus contribute to the growing number of inmates in custody across the country.”

Ojukwu, while disclosing that the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences Project was being implemented in Nigeria with the support from the Network of Human Rights Institutions in Africa (NANHRI), said the initiative was simultaneously implemented in Uganda and Sierra Leone.

any area of law you require a lawyer’s assistance, or enter your location and we will connect you with a qualified lawyer around you to offer you the legal service you require. Our PPLs have been screened and chosen carefully to ensure that only persons enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria to practice as barristers and solicitors are the only ones on our platform offering legal services to our users.”

The Deputy General Manager of PPL, Ms. Zainab Lawal Akapo, revealed that the company would deploy its services in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Kano with a broad range of services, which include litigation, logistics, legal assistance, bail bond, virtual court, webinar and cloud storage.

Akapo stated that the “mobile app on-the-go offers end-users access to legal services from accredited lawyers and law

firms, communication services; a trusted link to regulatory services, public sector contacts, and other institutional and private entities.”

She added that the PPLs would reduce the stress associated with legal practice and related logistics issues while its cloud services would enable end-users to work on documents from different devices picking up from where they left off and enhance access “to logistics of legal processes through the use of leading-edge ICT solutions for exceptional services in the industry it operates.

“Its unique features for logistics delivery include package security, real-time online tracking of parcel movement till the last mile by both sender and receiver, delivery alerts to the sender by email report and SMS, cashless and robustly secured payment system with debit/credit card, bank transfer or wallet, etc.”

John Momoh, Ogah to Speak at NACJ Awards Organisers of the Annual Integrity Lecture and Awards, the Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ) have named Dr. John Momoh, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television and the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, as speakers for this year’s event scheduled for September, 2021 at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

Ogah will speak on this year’s theme, ‘Integrity is Everything’, while the Keynote Address tagged, ‘Media Integrity, Essential Ingredient for Building a Virile Nation’

will be preached by Momoh.

This year’s event will be the 9th since inception As the 2021 NACJ awards gather momentum, past recipients of the awards have described it as a laudable initiative.

According to Mohammed Adamu, the immediate past Inspector General of Police, the award was a welcome idea that would further enhance the quality of leaders in Nigeria.

Former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Barrister Tunde Ogunsakin, described the award as a “priceless treasure”.

Free Suspected Pregnant IPOB Detainees or Prosecute them, HURIWA Tells Ebonyi Govt Ahamefula Ogbu Human Rights and advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the alleged arrest and detention of about 300 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), some of them pregnant women without

I formally known and called IRIFO BLESSING A. now wishes to be known and called OGRO BLESSING LIZZY. Former documents remain valid. General public to note, please.

I formerly known and addressed as ELEGBEDE TITILAYO ODUNAYO now wish to be known and addressed as ABIODUN TITILAYO ODUNAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ANTHONLA AINA SAMUEL now wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONLA AINA OGOYE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

prosecution by the Ebonyi State government and pressed for their immediate release.

HURIWA asked Governor Dave Umahi to order the unconditional release of the detainees as their incarceration had violated their fundamental human rights and breached the maximum number of days permissible without prosecution.

The body also prayed the National Human Rights Commission to take up the case and ensure the constitutionally guaranteed freedom were not trampled on while they should conduct routine visits to prisons in Ebonyi State to see things for themselves and protect the vulnerable.

The rights body in a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said it was shameful that Ebonyi State could be used as a slave or labour camp for citizens caught in conflict with the law only because they belonged to the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) for months without following due process of the law.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

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Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Wizkid

Wizkid Headlines ‘Lost in Riddim’ Festival Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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igerian Star boy Wizkid will headline a brand new afrobeats and dancehall music festival coming up in a couple of weeks from now.

The festival “Lost in Riddim”, which was created to showcase most popular international music acts, will have Grammy award-winning artistes Wizkid and Burna Boy, alongside other African pop stars like

Tiwa Savage, Shenseea, and KoͿee. Taking place October 2-3 in Sacramento, United States, the festival will also feature Tems, Rotimi, Mr Eazi, and more.

“We created this event to not only showcase some of the most popular international music artistes in the entire world, many of whom continued to be overlooked by major US music festivals but also create a unique celebration about the beauty of African culture,” said festival co-founders, Fornati Kumeh and Jehu “Manny” Hunter in a statement. Most recently, Wizkid announced the dates for

his upcoming North American tour, which kicks oͿ in September.

Born Ayodeji Balogun, the pop star Wizkid will tour with his monster 2020 album, ‘Made in Lagos’, one of fans favourite albums of the year in the United States and Canada. The tour dates begin September 10 in Boston and continue until October 12 in Atlanta. Early next year, the superstar artiste will head to Canada for January dates in Toronto and Montreal.

Wizkid ‘Made In Lagos’ tour dates include Brooklyn, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Toronto and Montreal Recall that Wizkid’s forthcoming one-oͿ

show at the 02 Arena in London sold out within 12 minutes. Shortly after it was announced, fans were left scrambling to try and Ànd leftover tickets. Some fans have even asked for a second date at the same venue. Fans who weren’t able to get tickets took their frustration to Twitter, with one “crying” after being unable to purchase ticket.

The ‘Ojuelegba’ crooner becomes Africa’s most signiÀcant music act that has sold out the 20,000 capacity London O2 Arena in 12 minutes. The concert would also be Wizkid’s sixth-time performance at the prestigious venue. Wizkid is scheduled to perform on November 28, 2021 as part of the O2’s Welcome Back lineup, with other superstars such as Burna Boy and comedian Mo Gilligan also announced.

With that record sale, Wizkid joins the league of international artistes like Spice Girls (2007, 38 seconds), The Rolling Stones (2012, 7 minutes), Gary Barlow (2014, 6 minutes), Rihanna Rihanna (2011, 10 minutes), and Beyonce (2004, 12 minutes) who have sold out the 02 Arena in less than Àfteen minutes. Multiple award-winning Wizkid has continued to record waves of success with his music.

Earlier in August, Wizkid featured Canadian star Justin Bieber on the remix of ‘Essence’, the 11th track from his fourth studio album, ‘Made in Lagos’. The Canadian superstar also shot his own video for the song. Due to the remix, ‘Essence’ received 23.2 million radio audiences in the US, with 87.3 thousand unit sales. It currently sits at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. This run has also propelled Wizkid onto recordbreaking, chart-topping stratospheres.

The remixed version of ‘Essence’ also sits at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard world digital song sales chart as of last Tuesday. The album, which has spent a total of 41 weeks on the World album chart, had debuted on the number two spot in November 2020. It was also the Àrst African album to debut on the Spotify Global Album chart at top ten position barely a week after its release.

Released in October 2020, Made in Lagos recently clinched the No. 1 spot on the Billboard world album chart, ten months after its release. The album gained international recognition early this year after several international stars drummed support for ‘Essence’, the eleventh song in the album.

‘Essence’, featuring Nigerian breakthrough star, Tems, made history being the Àrst Nigerian song on the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200 music chart in July.

Not resting on his oars, the Afrobeats star Wizkid on Friday (August 27) released the deluxe edition of his Made in Lagos album. The project has a total of 18 songs with four additional tracks to the initial album. The new tracks include ‘Anoti’, ‘Mood’ featuring Buju, ‘Steady’ and ‘Essence’ (remix).

Charles Okpaleke’s Remake of ‘Diamond Ring’ Ferdinand Ekechukwu

One of the few well-crafted and produced Nollywood classic movies of the 90s, “Diamond Ring”, will be in cinemas soon as remake. This disclosure has elicited nostalgia since it was Àrst announced a couple of days ago by Play Network Studios, the stable from which groundbreaking sequels like “Living In Bondage: Breaking Free,” “Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story”, and “Nneka The Pretty Serpent”, was produced. Announcing the latest acquisition, which excites him the most, Charles Okpaleke, the CEO of Play Network revealed that unlike the studios’ long list of classic sequels, this production might wrap up the “Play Network Nostalgic collection”.

“Play Network studios has just acquired the intellectual property rights to this Nollywood classic ‘Diamond Ring’. This would be a Remake and not a Sequel”, Okpaleke posted on Instagram. “This might probably be the last movie under

the ‘Play Network Nostalgic collection’.

Coming soon to your screens!!”

The entrepreneur in another post went down memory lane with a scene from the old Diamond Ring captioned: “One of my most exciting acquisitions… what a performance!!! A remake coming to your screens soon!!” One would love to see Okpaleke remake “Dangerous Twins”, another Nollywood classic before he wraps up his remakes and sequel expedition with Ramsey Nouah sitting on the directorial seat of these productions.

Following Play Network’s well-received ‘Living in Bondage’ sequel in 2019, the production company acquired rights to a number of other Nollywood classics, including the forthcoming Glamour Girls and OsuoÀa In Miami. Interestingly, the latest, Diamond Ring, a 1998 Nollywood thriller directed by Tade Ogidan, stars Richard Mofe Damijo, Liz Benson, Tunji Bamishigbin, Teju BabyFace, Sola Sobowale, Bukky Ajayi and Bimbo Akintola. It was made in 2 parts. Movie buͿs and fans of Play Network have expressed

pleasure to the announcement and crave the likes of Rchard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, and Bimbo Akintola reprise their roles in the movie.

The movie “Diamond Ring” follows the story of conÁict between the spirit of Mrs. Gladys (Liz Benson) and members of Chidi’s university cult group, XG. In a bid to display Àtness for a life in the secret cult, Chidi (Teju ‘BabyFace’), a freshman and the only child of his parents; Chief and Mrs. Ijeoma Dike (played by RMD and Sola Sobowale) steals valuables from Mrs. Gladys’ corpse, including the eponymous diamond ring. Chidi naively sold the ring, purchased a car for his girlfriend Bimbo (Bimbo Akintola) who suspected that he’s joined a cult and asks him about it but he denies. Not long after, the spirit of Mrs. Gladys haunts Chidi and his gang. Chidi is struck by a peculiar sickness which could not be treated by orthodox medicine. The members of the cult begin to die successively. The long and arduous task to Ànding his healing culminates in the return of the ‘Diamond Ring’ to Mrs. Gladys’ corpse.

Okpaleke

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

SHOWBIZFLAIR

SayRahChips: Dancing Her Way to Fame Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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arah Olaniran, stage name SayRahChips, has been a dancer right from childhood. Everybody in her obscure Iyana Isashi locale in Okokomaiko, Lagos then knows her for that. So she grew up taking on the art of dancing. Now fast-forward to recent time.

When ‘SayRah’ as she’s fondly called by her over 450,000 seething fans isn’t dancing, teaching, or touring the world with stars like Davido, Wizkid, Chris Brown, Tiwa Savage, Mr. Eazi and the likes, she’s whipping up a feast in the kitchen, engaged in some TV shows or being a creative director.

She bears an inspiring story, having made a career out of her passion for dance. The extraordinary dancer, choreographer, movement Àtness coach has taken the international web by storm with her multifaceted dance videos and signature looks, and has fast become a force to reckon with in the Afro dance scene. With over a decade experience to her name across many prestigious platforms, SayRah recently set Lagos and Abuja on Àre with her #RahDanceInvasion dance classes on the 21st and 22nd of August, at Oriental Hotel Lagos, and Bodyline Studio Wuse2, Abuja.

A Dance graduate of Columbia College, Chicago, she recently launched her own multi-dimensional business empire which covers beauty, Àtness, and swimwear called RahNation.

Mentored by renowned Nigerian dance coach and choreographer, KaͿy, Sarah would later honed her craft at (SPAN - Society for the Performing Arts of Nigeria) where she was certiÀed in Latin, Ballroom, Ballet, Nigerian traditional dance, Jazz, HipHop, Salsa and Contemporary dance. Modern dance, Ballet en pointe, improv, and Traditional West African dance added to her dance skills while studying in Chicago.

On a recent Thursday morning in Lagos, ‘SayRah’ shared her story to a select group of arts/entertainment jour-

nalists and music artiste consultants. “I have been dancing since I was like four years old. I found love of dance from doing cultural dance in nursery and primary school. My dad use to love and watch the dancers dance and I loved to like impress my dad”, she narrates.

SayRah continues: “I also had an elder sister Dupe who used to dance at the time. She would copy stuͿ from TV like Aliyah, Sisquo, all the American artistes that we had dancing, like Michael Jackson, in their videos and everything she did I wanted to do. So I would like also learn the TV and learn from her. Basically that’s where my love for dance started. It grew as I got older. And then I lost my dad in 2008.

Prior to that the year before that, 2007, we were watching Maltina Dance Hall competition and my dad was like ‘why don’t you guys tell me about this we could have gone. . .’

“And we were like ‘oh we didn’t know you would want to do that!’

And he was like ‘let’s go next year’.

So unfortunately he died before the auditions. But my mum was like ‘your dad wanted to go for this so let’s all go’.

And we (family) went for the Maltina Dance Hall auditions for 2008. My sister got in; she was the representative.

My uncle had to represent my dad. I think we came 5th in that year and it was fun and great and basically that was where I realized you can actually study dance. And that’s when I realized that there are other forms of dancing, like speciÀc forms. And my whole brain just exploded. I was like yes!

“So yeah after that, I Ànished secondary school and then I went to SPAN (Society for the Performing Arts of Nigeria) where I started studying dance for two years. And then around that time, my mum was like ‘okay you have to go to university. I understand that you want to keep dancing but you have to go to university’. Then I did my research, found a school in Chicago oͿering degree in dance. I did a whole power point to like convince my mum and then she was like ‘it’s your passion, it’s something you would love to do, something that you are really good at

SayRahChips

as long as you are going to get a degree out of it I will support you.’

“Of which I’m really grateful for because where we are from that’s not normal; it’s not normal for parents to support you dancing. It’s not their thing. If it’s not Kaffy (the dancer) it’s like what are you doing?

Of which Kaffy also has been part

of my journey. She also trained me while I was still in Nigeria. I worked with her for like two years. So, yes, basically that’s how I ended up going to Columbia College, Chicago.

And I studied dance for four years.

And after that I have been touring, teaching afrobeat and afro dance classes all over the US.”

Dream Empire Music unveils Lisa Viola, Majeeed, Verchi Ferdinand Ekechukwu International record label, Dream Empire Music, has launched operations in Lagos, Nigeria, with the unveiling of three talented artistes, Lisa Viola, Ekeh Chiaka Joseph, a.k.a Majeeed (singer/songwriter), and Ifeanyichukwu Chigbo Kennedy, a.k.a Verchi.

Now working with same producers that delivered Afrobeats hits for Grammy awardwinning Burna Boy, Angolan born, Australian raised Lisa Viola, who would soon drop her debut single titled ‘Lagos’, featuring label mate, Majeeed, explained why she relocated to Nigeria to continue her already established music sojourn.

She said, “I chose to come to Nigeria because in Australia I was the only artiste doing and representing Afrobeats on a lot of levels; so whenever a Nigerian artiste comes, I would be the opening act or they would call me to help with promotions or with dancers. So, I was always a part of that community and let’s be real, the hottest tunes are coming out of Nigeria, so I was like I’m coming here because this is

where I want to be.”

Speaking on his music at the unveiling, Majeeed, who pushes beyond his limits to exert himself as a boundless artiste in his own space said, “I don’t have a speciÀc genre of music.

I like to explore. So I would say I’m a versatile artiste; I pick up very fast and I don’t limit myself.

I know Dream Empire Music understands my vision, they understand where I want to take my career to. That’s why I put pen on paper with them. I feel the label aligns with the vision and we are ready to make magic.

Having worked with Seyi Shay, Omotola Jolade Ekeinde, Harrysong, among others, Afrocentric RnB singer/songwriter, Verchi, boasts of a music brand which would comfortably compete on the Nigerian music scene.

Verchi who is set to drop a debut EP titled ‘Afro Diets’ said, “My voice is the Àrst thing about me that is diͿerent from any other person. The way I write my music is diͿerent. I sing more about love and my experiences. I don’t focus more on heartbreaks, I sing about love. What’s going to make a diͿerence for me is my sound.”

The trio of Lisa Viola, Majeed and Verchi already have a single titled, ‘Ogaju’.

Majeeed, Lisa Viola, and Verchi

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

SHOWBIZFLAIR Jaywise

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Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

I Will Be Fulfilled When I See Lives Change Through My Music Ezerioha Francis Izuchukwu, popularly known as Jaywise, is no newcomer to the buzzing music industry. Since inception, he has proven his worth with classic sounds and heavy drips of exceptionalities and excellence. He defines his style of music as “Afrochestra”, a genre which he takes pride in as unique, special and pregnant with a new sound reality. He talks to Tosin Clegg about music after COVID-19, his new EP, his style of music and a lot more COVID-19 and the music industry

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he COVID had a troll on the Global economy but laid a huge positive impact in the music scene.

The sit-at-home period exposed fans to real good music as they took their time during the quiet period to explore great music. The COVID period discovered and favored good talents, now you don’t have to shout to be a star and it boost the economy of the music industry as everything went digital, the streaming platforms became so popular. Also, that was the period digital concert became a norm, although we missed the physical concerts.

Inspirations for my music A lot of people ask me this, but you know, this thing comes, it just comes and keeps coming, it’s talent, you can’t help it, even when I feel like I don’t wanna write, some dope vibe will just pop out my head, I’ll be like “damn” lol.

I’m mostly inspired by trends, personal experiences or people’s story, when I want to make music.

My Ep “Sound of god” was simply inspired by my life experiences Most stories on the EP are real stories.

I took my fans by surprise as they have never heard me sing before. All the tracks are hit songs, as reviewers said, but track 7 is special to me as it reminds us about the Lekki crisis. I didn’t want it to be a fast song, really wanted it to hit diͿerently. I wrote those lyrics from the inside, I spoke for the souls, I imagined the message they would have loved to pass if given a chance to speak to us again and I delivered it just as I was inspired and I’m overwhelmed with the response I’m getting.

I have been on the road since after dropping my EP It’s been from one radio interview to another, and I’ve been doings gigs.

I have upcoming plans for the fans, dropping soon. I preach love and hustle in my music and I will feel fulÀlled when I see lives change through my music.

My love for orchestra sounds has helped me shape my music My style is new so I’m gradually

taking my time to introduce it while I still make Afro hip pop music, but I will call my style afrochestra music.

Good music is spiritual, it’s original, it comes from within. That’s why most times fans express diͿerent emotions during concerts when good music comes on. Some music make you cry, reminisce or remind you of great moments, others come with strong messages. Good music hits differently, yes sometimes we drop club songs about girls, but in our album or EP we prove our talents, over there we give you some good message, like some tracks in my EP hit differently.

Producers and artistes I would love to work with and why I have worked with some phenomenal producers like Elijah and Kayzbeat, then after I dropped Billionarie, Chris brown’s producer “Ke on the track” sent me some beats to work on and also admire PHEELZ, Don Baba and Sarz sound. I can’t wait for our session to happen. These giants think outside the box and will surely nail my style of music.

Ademola Authentic Bags New Deal One of Nigerian movie Industry heavy weights, Muyiwa Ademola popularly revered as Muyiwa Ademola Authentic has been announced as the brand Ambassador of Suave Empire.

The company known as “100% FashionRealtyAgricTainment Brand” is a luxury business brand and has been in existence since 2012.

Their mission and vision is to advance and contribute meaningfully to the socio-cultural style and development of the immediate environment by reaching out to the general public through top notch products and services.

The Chairman/CEO of Suave Empire, Matthew Ogunniyi, expressed how happy he was to have the Nollywood star as the ambassador of SUAVE brand. Muyiwa is an accomplished Nollywood star in particularly in the Yoruba movie niche and has proven himself over time as a master of his craft displaying excellence and admirable inter-

Ademola Authentic (3rd from left) being unveiled as brand Ambassador of Suave Empire

pretation of skills.

He was unveiled on August 23 at Suave Empire Headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State. Authentic is expected to leverage his popularity

and influence in the entertainment industry and across social media to promote the Fashion, Entertainment, Real Estate and Agribusiness of the company.

Pheelz’s Rhythm is Cool in Simple Magazine Gifted producer, singer and songwriter, Pheelz Mr. Producer brought his cool rhythm as he covers the new digital issue of Simple Magazine.

The gentle giant, christened Phillip Kayode Moses, is revered for his jaw dropping music production, discography across multiple genres for the biggest music heavy weights you can think of in Africa, Europe and America, and talks coolly about his vibe, rhythm and why we can’t help but get hooked on good music.

From 2012, when he popped onto the

scene with his production of most of the songs on Olamide’s “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth” album, Pheelz has a hypnotic staying power, reinventing himself with the time but retaining his emoting rhythm even when he rebranded his famous tag from ‘Pheelz Mr. Producer,’ to ‘Riddimacoolayor.’

In the Simple Magazine, Pheelz talked about his “Hear Me Out EP”, his many creative sides and why “my favorite thing about music is the power it has to control emotions.”

Pheelz

Jaywise

Triller Launches Specially-curated Playlist for African Fans AI-powered music video app and talent discovery platform, Triller, has announced the launch of Pan African and localised country playlists speciÀcally curated for fans in Africa.

With these Àrst-ever genre-discovery playlists, the platform intends to bring an entirely new experience to itsAfrican users – and to consolidate and expand its already well-established presence on the continent.

In a statement released by the company, Triller noted that the playlist, which is available throughout Africa, oͿers fans an exciting array of lists to choose from, with PanAfrican-focused Akwaaba,Amapiano,African Drill, Gospel and Bonjour leading the pack.

WithAkwaaba, Triller invites users to discover the biggest music trends of the moment and to get a drone’s eye view of all the new releases on the continent. The playlist, which provides access to a mind-blowing panorama of genres, moods and experiences, is speciÀcally curated to provide a 100% immersion in African music and to get users’ creative juices Áowing.

The three other Pan African playlists bring a more genre-speciÀc experience. Bonjour is the go-to playlist for all of the very latest urban French-language hits and also features breakthrough colabs between francophone and anglophone artists fromAfrica and the diaspora.

In a similar way, Amapiano features all of the rising stars from this South African-born genre as well as a burgeoning number of Amapiano genre colabs from across the continent.

African Drill, on the other hand, is dedicated to one ofAfrica’s biggest and fastest-growing genres, the Drill Movement. This is the place to discover Drill/Rap made in Africa by Africans - from Ghana to Nigeria and down to South Africa.

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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 28, 2021

IMAGES

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ecently, Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) held its 2021 Reunion Conference and Celebration of the University's Diamond Anniversary at the University's campus in lle-lfe, Osun State. The two-day yearly gathering held last weekend , which paraded an arrray of successful and accomplished alumni members kicked off with a Jumat Prayer and visit to the Vice -Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede. The Chairman BoT UNIFEMGA later hosted a dinner for members to celebrate a successful outing. Here are some of the dignitaries that attended the event.

Prof. Saburi Adesanya (left) receiving an award from Mallam Yusuf Alli SAN

L-R: Chairman BoT UNIFEMGA, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti (left) presenting an award to Vice Chancellor, OAU, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede

L-R: Prof. Abubakr Sanusi and Deputy Chief of Staff to Osun State governor, Abdullahi Binuyo

L-R: The Conference Paper Presenter, Dr. Usman Bugaje and Barr. Adebayo Shittu

R-L: Former President, UNFEMGA, Engr. Odeyinka Abdulwaheed and Luqman Obileye

Chairman, UNIFEMGA Reunion Dinner Party, Prof. Sabiru Adesanya and wife, Olusola

L-R: Vice President UNIFEMGA, Mohammed Buari and Barr. Abiola Olaitan

L-R: Waheed Akin Olajide, BoT member and Guest Lecturer at the Dinner, Prof. Lukuman Oyedele

R-L: Dr Lateefat Durosimi and Dr Adenike Olatinwo

R-L: Prof Suraju Ajadi andHassan Nureni

Adeyanju Sehu and wife Zinat

R-L: Prince Akinlusi Adeniji and Mr Hamzat Omotayo

R-l: Dr Saidat Hamzat, Dr Mistura Sani and Dr Hamdalat Yusuf

L-R: Mallam Yusuf Alli SAN (left) presenting an award to Prof Lukumon Oyedele with them is President of UNIFEMGA, Abdulfatah Olalenge

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ AUGUST 28, 2021

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IMAGES

L-R: Alhaji Rafiu Adisa Ebiti (left) presenting an award to Prof. Abubakar Abefe Sanusi with them is Mr Ameen Babatunde

R-L: Imam Abdulfatah Bello Engr. Bashir Lawal and his wife, Sofiat

R-L: Dele Abdulateef Olatunji and Prof Isiaka Aransi L–R: Abdulkabir Fasola and wife with Mrs Fatimo Ajadi

R-L; J.A. Kilani, Alli Bakau, Kolade Adosun, AbdulGaniu Oladokun and Tokunbo Rufai

Prof. Yomi Daramola receiving an award on behalf of Late Jerome Udoji (right) from Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti

L-R: Alhaja Modinat Rufai, AbdulRahaman Balogun, Ahmed Afare, Kafilat Oyeleye and Morufat Balogun

R-L: Ajibade Quadri and Sanusi Abdulbasit

R-L: Olukemi Soyoye, Folashade Otubusin and Adefunmilola Hakeem Tijani and wife, Bola Adeyemo

L-R: Dr Nabeel Odeyemi and Adegoke Adeyemi

R-L: Mr Ameen Babatunde, Dr B.A Raji and Dr. I.B. Jimoh

R-L: Former Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, President, UNIFEMGA, Mallam Abdulfatah Olalenge, Najeem Ewesanmi, Prof MAO Rahaman, Mallam Yusuf Alli (SAN) and Chairman BoT, UNIFEMGA, Alhaji Rafiu Adisa Ebiti

R-L: Mr Idowu Ola and Mr Olufemi Saibu

Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff Ayanleke

L-R: Chairman BoT UNIFEMGA, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti presenting an award to Prof Olusegun Isaac Alatise with them is his wife, Ayokunnumi and daughter, Oluwaferanmi

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

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TRIBUTE

Victoria Ironsi, Adanma Okpara Go Home in Glory It was double tragedy for Abia State and Nigeria when the wife of General Aguiyi Ironsi, first Military Head of State, Victoria and wife of late Micheal Okpara, Premier of the Easter region, Adanma demised 24 hours apart and tributes have been pouring in, reports Ahamefula Ogbu

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ate seemed to have served them on similar plates as they are from the same place, Umuahia, Abia State, though married to men of different callings, one to a military officer and the other a politician but from same Umuahia. They were First ladies, one at the federal and the other at regional level. It seems the differential in professions of their spouses account for the minute difference in time of their exits which is within 24 hours.

Events that led to the death of General Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi also culminated in the stoppage of the democratic reign of Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara who after being shoved out of office by the military lived till 1984 when he died and his widow continued life till Sunday, August 22, 2021.

Lady Victoria Nwanyiocha Aguiyi Ironsi, born November 21, 1923, she was wife to military Head of State of Nigeria, General Ironsi who betrothed her at 16 years while she was still in secondary school at Holy Rosary Convent School in Okigwe and had five children, two males and three females before the reprisal coup of 1966.

His son, Ambassador Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi confirmed the transition of his 97 year old mother, adding that details about her death and burial plans would be made available in due course.

About 24 hours earlier, widow of Dr. Okpara, Adanma had reportedly died in an undisclosed hospital where she went a day earlier for medical attention. She was aged 96. She was the first lady of the Old Eastern region comprising about nine states today. Born June 22, 1924.

The demise of both first ladies marked a huge loss to Abia State and the nation in general as they lived quiet lives with their children till last week which has thrown Abia into a state of double mourning.

Lady Ironsi was also a woman leader, an administrator, having been appointed Commissioner in the Local Government Services Commission in Umuahia, a fashion designer and women political leader in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She was the first to hold the position of First Lady of Nigeria and glamourised it with her dressing which earned her the reference as “pretty and effortlessly regal” She was said to have been managing her health following a stroke she suffered some years ago which later claimed her life in the early hours of Monday, August 23 that had drawn a lot of condolence messages which attest to her sterling qualities.

Lady Okpara who would have turned 97 in December was said to have been managing a debilitating ill health arising from old age before she went to hospital on Saturday and died on Sunday.

She was said to be the wind behind the late husband’s sail as she accompanied him in his political journeys and helped to ensure he was the success which he is remembered for as he supervised the South East economy that was rated and fasted growing economy globally then.

She was before her death, a woman leader, farmer and teacher an influential community leader whose counsel was highly revered.

Adanma attended Central School Ndoro, Ikwuano Oboro; Mary Flanney Memorial School Oron, Women Training College.

Victoria Ironsi and Adanma Okpara Umuahia and Westhill Teachers College among others and was said to have dutifully combined all she did with raising their children.

Since the demise of the duo, torrents of tributes have flooded the media space in condolence messages from across the country and beyond with President Muhammadu Buhari leading the pack with flowery words.

A condolence message from the President through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina read, “President Muhammadu Buhari extends deepest condolences to the Aguiyi-Ironsi family, and government and people of Abia State on the passing of Chief Mrs. Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, wife of the first military Head of State, Major General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi.

“The President affirms that Lady Victoria’s incredible strength and exceptional courage during one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history pedestals her as a mother of the nation, God-fearing and a foremost woman of valour.

“The President notes that the former First Lady will be remembered for laying a solid foundation for women’s leadership role in the seat of power and as a founding member of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association; she passionately championed the welfare and wellbeing of families of military officers.

“The President recognises that 55 years after the death of General J.T Aguiyi-Ironsi, Lady Victoria never stopped working for the greater good of Nigeria, and for peace, stability, healing and reconciliation in the land.

“The President sincerely hopes that Lady Victoria’s labours for the country will not be in vain, and joins all Nigerians

in praying for the repose of the soul of the departed and comfort for those who mourn.”

On Lady Okpara, the President commiserated with family and also joined the government and people of Abia State and all Nigerians in mourning the passing of an enterprising and disciplined mother, who was a worthy example of humility and hard work to her children and the many women she mentored in her community.

He affirmed that the late wife of the very formidable figure in the First Republic and the Eastern Nigeria, led by example even after leaving public office.

In a condolence message on behalf of his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and other members of his family to the Aguiyi-Ironsis’ and the Government and people of Abia State, former President Goodluck Jonathan noted that her passing on was a great loss to the nation, because of her place in Nigeria’s chequered journey of nationhood.

Jonathan who spoke through his former media Adviser. Ikechukwu Eze, described her as “a notable matriarch, who established herself as a totem of support and stability even in very challenging times in the nation’s history.

“For a long time, after her husband’s unfortunate death in office, she conducted herself as a doyen of womanly dignity and honour in a manner that epitomised patriotism, courage, and compassion.

“She was indeed a devout woman, whose enormous sacrifices for the unity and progress of our nation will not be forgotten.”

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State said that he received the news Okpara’s death “with a heavy heart but with a deep sense of gratitude to

the Almighty God for a very fulfilled life”, adding that the late First Lady of Eastern Region was the backbone of her husband, who was premier between 1959 and 1966.

Ikpeazu who spoke through Onyebuchi Ememanka, said “Together, they gave the people of the old Eastern Region, a first class government, whose achievements continue to reverberate even till this day,” Ikpeazu said.

He added that “the spousal support she provided to her late husband was instrumental to the monumental success he recorded as premier” Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, also commiserated with the family of the late Okpara on the demise of its matriarch, Lady Adanma.

“I received the news of the death of your matriarch with mixed feelings. It is usually a saddening moment for me at the news of the demise of anyone at all; even though this one is at a very ripe old age. Death naturally diminishes humanity and the loss of one’s mother is very painful at any time”, Atiku said in a statement.

In his message, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said with the death of both Victoria Aguiyi Ironsi and Adanma Okpara, Nigeria and Abia State had lost two great women.

Abaribe, spoke through his media aide, Uchenna Awom, and lamented the death within a space of two days of the two great women marked a sad end of glorious era.

“I’m happy they lived a robust and very active life of service that is worthy of emulation and of course both of them raised good families and highly successful children, who are contributing very well in the development of our dear country and state of Abia. We are very proud of them and will sorely miss them,” Abaribe said.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

INTERVIEW introduce them to memory-friendly songs.

The state of our politics and role of traditional institutions As you have said, traditional institutions play a key role in society and their politics. Rulers may play the role of mediating between the people and the state or enhancing national identity. We also serve to resolve minor conflicts and provide an institutional safety-valve for often inadequate state bureaucracies. The list is endless.

Adeyemi

Oba Lamidi Adeyemi

We Need to Include Young Adults in All Aspects of Decision Making The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi lll is adored beyond the Yoruba race. He exudes opulence, and royalty. This royal father commands influence and affluence amongst his subjects. The Alaafin is always looking magnificent and radiates warmth. He has been on the throne for over five decades. Oba Adeyemi has combined the wisdom of age with the vibrancy of youth to preside over his people. Articulate, sound-minded, and fearless, Alafin is a man full of history. He knows the history of Oyo like the back of his hand and recalls with ease and amazing accuracy past occurrences in the empire. Oba Adeyemi is a selfless statesman and highly detribalised traditional ruler who has made invaluable contributions to nation-building.Today, he will bestow two chieftaincy titles on two accomplished sons of the soil who have distinguished themselves in all human endeavours. Oba Adeyemi gives Olaoluwakitan Babatunde an insight into the origin of Oyo Empire, the preservation of culture and heritage, and why he is honouring Dr. Babajide Agunbiade and Hon. Shina Peller with chieftaincy titles The rich history of the Oyo Empire

F

irstly, the Oyo Empirehas a rich cultureandit’sa verygoodthing thatalotofpeopleareinterested inthishistory.The Oyo Empirewas aYorubaEmpireofwhatistoday easternBeninandwesternNigeria including Southwest zoneand the western halfofNorth central zone.

MyEmpiregrewtobecomethelargestYoruba state.ItrosethroughtheoutstandingorganisationalandadministrativeskillsoftheYoruba people, wealth gained from tradeandourpowerfulcavalry.

The Oyo Empirewas the mostpolitically important stateintheentiretyWesternAfricafromthemid7th to the late18thcentury, holding swaynot only overmostofthe other kingdoms inYorubaland, but alsoover nearby African states, notably the Fon KingdomofDahomey inthe modern Republic of Benin tothe west. Its territory encompasses a real mixofenvironmentswithportionsofrainforest, dry forest, savannah, and mangrove swamp. We benefittedmostfromthesavannahregions,which facilitated easymovementand trade contacts withneighboringstates.Aswiththenationswhich prospered throughout the secondmillenniuminthe region, the Oyo Empireexploited local resources suchasokra, yams, dates,palmoil,and fish. Ironsmeltingtechnologypermitted the productionof irontools and weapons while tradedgoods included

kola nuts, pepper, ivory,gold and slaves. The Oyo Empire, with its capital at old Oyo, prospered to whatitistoday and our people have played major preservative roles astheyare key custodiansof ourcultural heritage.

Oyo’s influence in nurturing the Yoruba identity and consciousness Yoruba culture consists of cultural philosophy, religion and folktales. We have rich and diverse culture ranging from our religion, festivals, food, music, art, among others. There are so many aspects to our culture. For instance, respect is an important aspect of Yoruba tradition. It is a symbol of peace and orderliness. In Yoruba culture, the younger person is expected to greet the older one. Music is an important and cherished part of Yoruba culture. The Yoruba people are known for our drumming tradition, especially using the dundun. We have several historical festivals organised by the Yoruba race worldwide.

The Child naming culture is also very significant for us. Yoruba names always have meaning and significance and names are given to children according to the circumstances surrounding their birth. We have our food that is part of our culture and it is peculiar only to the Yorubas, our arts, sculpture. I can go on and on. The role and depth of Oyo’s influence in nurturing a Yoruba identity and consciousness among the Yorubas has continued to resonate across generations and boundaries.

In all of this, the most important aspect of our culture that we cannot afford to lose is the element of the Oyo culture. These are embodied as; symbols, language, naming, food, norms, values, and artifacts. It is also the basis for a global understanding of our people, beliefs and tradition.

Why I emphasised youth’s empowerment during my 50th coronation anniversary During my 50th coronation anniversary as Alaafin of Oyo, one of the key things emphasised was youth empowerment. We need to include young adults in all aspects of decision-making process, honour their voice and understand and implement their honest opinion and ideas, especially those ideas that foster national unity and bring development. We must be willing to share power and privileges to make our country great for both adults and youths. If you noticed, most of the chieftaincy conferment, I made recently, were for high achieving young men, most of them under 50 years.

How to teach and induct the next generation into the Yoruba traditions and culture We are dealing with a smart and technologicaloriented generation. Hence, teaching and inducting this generation involves improving communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. We can start by exposing them to authentic materials. I have learnt of ‘Live Native Speakers’; lets introduce them to Live Native Speakers, serve them our meals and

Conferment of chieftaincy titles on two prominent Yoruba sons It takes a lot to be invited into Yoruba royalty and be considered for these Yoruba-wide titles.

US-based Dr. Babajide Agunbiade and Hon. Shina Abiola Peller are the ones getting the chieftaincy titles. They are indigenes with impeccable characters. I took the decision to confer historical titles on these two prominent Oyo and proud Yoruba sons of mine because of their contribution to society and outstanding representation in their various industries and fields of endeavours.

Agunbiade is one of the most cerebral oil and gas experts and, most especially, representing Nigeria gallantly in global oil and gas, rising to the leadership in global oil and gas. I am proud to be associated with such intellect. He’s a passionate competent dependable well vast guy that goes the extra mile to make sure people around him achieve their full potential. He is a very astute gentleman fair and balanced family man and ultimate professional. Nigeria will be in a better place if we all do like me and identify such rare gems and allow them to lead us. As with Shina Peller, what can I say? His father and I come a very long way and I have known him all of his life. His relentless passion to help others, strive for peace and harmony, rare business acumen and intellect made me to be one of the people to advise him to go into politics. Look at all the work he has done and how he is representing the people of Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency in Oyo state. It is unbelievable the work he has done in the last two years to foster development, peace, harmony and prosperity.

Look at what he is doing across the country for the Lead Generation Initiative, sensitising youths for political involvement and fostering peace at a difficult time at Oke-Ogun. Definitely, he is one of the best honourable members we have in the country today.

The uniqueness of the titles These are highly coveted titles. The title I am conferring on Agunbiade is Atobaase of Yorubaland which means “the one who is competent enough to be a king”. Please, do not confuse this title with the Atobase title which means “the one who improves or beautifies the king”. The Ayedero of Yorubaland that I conferred on Peller is the Ayedero of Yorubaland, literarily means “the one who brings peace and prosperity to the world.” Peller is ordained to elevate his people and bring peace and prosperity to the world. Please note that this conferment represents me and all Yorubas and the recepients must be addressed as High Chiefs or His Majesties. Not royal majesty, but His Majesty. Against the backdrop, and in accordance with our culture, I consulted the Oyomesi, the traditional cabinet of the Alaafin, who are the kingmakers and they rigorously ascertained the character, business acumen, philanthropy, and public dispositions of both Agunbiade as Atobaase and Peller, as Ayedero of Yorubaland and we found them worthy as thoroughbred Yoruba men who are culturally inclined and traditionally oriented personalities that can wear the toga of Yoruba royalty and to be promoters of the institution of Chieftaincy.

No one needs a second look to realise what great achievers they are. Peller is the son of Alhaja Silifat and the late Professor Moshood Abiola Peller. He is from Iseyin, Oyo State and he is an entrepreneur, politician, industrialist, and member of the 9th National Assembly. Peller is the chairman and chief executive officer of Aquila Group of Companies and Club Quilox. He is an exceptional philanthropist who is selfless in many ways. Agunbiade an Oyo man from Fiditi in Oyo State is a foremost Sub-sea Engineer and has nearly 25 years’ experience in oil and gas offshore industry. Neither of them solicited for these titles. They were given to them due to their exceptional attributes and the need to promote brilliant young men. The dual have been selected as custodians of our cultures, beliefs and tradition and are expected to keep their good works going, as well as represent their fatherland in the spaces of endeavours.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

POLITY Na’Allah Unveils Three Books Scholars and lovers of Arts were recently held spellbound when one of their own, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, unveiled three books; two plays and a literary review of Dadakuada, a traditional Yoruba oral genre. Raheem Akingbolu, who witnessed the presentation of the books and the life performances that heralded them, writes that the author has successfully established the place of cultural heritage in the development of religion in African societies.

I

t was a moment of truth, told in both comical and radical voices. For everybody present, there were lessons to take home. Perhaps intentional, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, in whose honour the people gathered, had indiscriminately invited guests that cut across the political, traditional and business communities. There were also youths –the leaders of tomorrow, in their hundreds. All assembled at the main lecture theatre, Faculty of Management of the University to witness the public presentation of Yoruba Oral Tradition in Islamic Nigeria: A History of Dadakuada and two plays- Seriya and Omokewu.

Himself a respected deep thinker, the chairman of the occasion, who is also the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed was the first person to notice the seeming contradictory but progressive setting at the venue when he humorously queried the author’s choice of reviewers.

The chairman started by admitting that the event would be interesting but wondered while Prof. Na’Allah, who is believed to be of the moral school went for Prof. Ibrahim Bello Kano of the Bayero University, Kano, one of the most visible literary Marxists in this part of the world as reviewer of one of the books. Meanwhile, the other book reviewer, Prof. Sola Olorunfemi of the University of Ibadan is also another brilliant literary giant of the radical school.

Prof. Rasheed commended the academic for remaining committed to his professional engagement while holding a key leadership position.

“It is very rare for a sitting vice-chancellor to write a book.

He is an exceptionally brilliant literary analyst. NUC is happy with the change already manifesting at the University of Abuja and we will work with all arms of government to ensure that the institution takes its place at the leading University in Nigeria,” he said.

As the event progressed, the observation of the NUC boss was quick to manifest as Bello and Olorunfemi, maximally explored the podium and the lessons in the book to send a message to Nigerians on leadership and followership. In particular, Olorunfemi frowned at the time spent to recognise many people who came late to the event instead of focusing on the main business of the day.

While, the two plays, Seriya and Omokewu, reflect the communal philosophy, discipline and local upbringing of the playwright, and draw on the need to build a valid future for subsequent generations, the Yoruba Oral Tradition locates the oral performance of Dàdàkúàdá genre of music within the Islamic Yoruba setting and helps to fuse tradition, creativity and politics, thereby asserting the significance of the form.

In the book, Na’Allah, traces Dadakuada history and artistic vision and discusses its vibrancy as the most popular traditional Yoruba oral art form in Islamic Africa.

In dissecting Omokewu, Prof. Bello, commended the author for the clever manner he infuses music and dance into the play, which in all contributed to the early development of Islam in Ilorin. He was however quick to add that the task of his reviewing exercise was not to ease the knotty issues in the play but to expose them.

“As a master play right, Na’Allah shows class in the manner he introduces his character and their roles. Through the play, the author presents to the world the culture and religion of Ilorin in a dramatic but interesting manner,” he stated.

Olorunyomi, who expressed concern over the manner in which Nigerians have almost allowed their cultural heritage to be suppressed, commended the promoters of Dadakuada and Na’Allah in particular for sustaining the tempo. He pointed out that Dadakuada has since given birth to two other genres of literature.

While condemning intellectual laziness among today’s scholars, Olorunfemi commended Na’Allah for standing tall and not allowing himself to be embroiled in plagiarism. “I have learnt a lesson from Na’Allah, which I want all scholars to take seriously. In Dadakuada, Na’Allah is honest enough to make reference to even his own previous work, wherever he uses something there. He didn’t assume that he is the author of both but still references,” The University of Ibadan teacher however challenged the author on the need to domesticate his work by looking inward for local publishers, who would make his work more accessible to Nigerian students and scholars.

To reinforce the beauty of the genre, the current king of Dadakuada, was ushered in and the elderly man captured the mood in line with the tradition of the founder, Odolaye Aremu and danced with Na’Allah and other Ilorin promi-

L-R A former governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Ambassador of Venezuela to Nigeria, David Valasquez Caraballo; Prof. Na’Allah and a former Minister of Sports and Youths Development, Bolaji Abdulahi during the unveili

nent guests at the event. He reeled out evergreen messages that saw many Yoruba guests gesturing in agreement.

Perhaps because of his relationship with Ilorin, Prof. Olu Obafemi’s take on Omokewu, could be said to be authoritative, considering his tone of conviction. According to him, the book stands out because of its unobtrusive combination of cultural heritage, religious consciousness and a deep sense of community and history.

He also pointed out that the dramatic narrative and performance convey ‘totalist theatricality’ and that all the moving symbols and icons, images and metaphors, proverbs and aphorisms realign to typify the essential reality of modern Ilorin in a way that defies pure history or sociology but made possible on the dramatic turf.

“The concluding, spirit-possessing, subliminal outcome is both mesmerizing and fascinating. The play flows eloquently in the vibrant rhythm of the Ilorin human culture. It is good to read it as drama but best to live it on stage as I have done, where all the salient elements of gesture, the visual, vernacular wordage and kinesis connect,” he stated.

A former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Bolaji Abdullahi; simply described the three books as a key to the historical and religious development of Ilorin. “Through the three books, Prof. Na’Allah has simply taken us on a traditional excursion into our early life and challenged us on the need to uphold our cultural heritage. The timing of the unveiling is particularly apt, considering the value erosion the society is currently contending with,” Abdullahi added.

For the author of Morountodun and other plays, Prof.

Femi Osofisan, the beauty of Seriya lies in its radical, progressive thrust, as well as its bringing to stage, so, vividly, vignettes of life in a section of the country that most of Nigerians are not familiar with, and rarely see. “A potentially powerful play here, which may eventually turn out to be a significant contribution to our repertory,” Osofisan stated.

But according to Obafemi, the main strength of Seriya is its dialectical blend of religious and political education, with an unmistakable revolutionary intent.

According to him, with the play’s woven intricate but unobtrusive dialogue, with palpable images of light and darkness, fusing theocracy with politics in a palpable, simple and lucid lyrical tone, Na’AlIah has “given us a new play, which proposes a new path to social liberation in which manipulative partisan politics is unequivocally unmasked.”

Obafemi, who is also a former President of the Nigeria Academy of Letters (NAL), added: “The wedlock proposal which comes at the end between the radical Mariama and the cleric Aafa is instructive of a future in which love and moral rectitude, shorn of external material trappings, becomes the defining features of socially just polity of our

dream.”

Commenting on the community play, Omokewu, Tim J. Cribb of the University of Cambridge, UK, said the author has done what many notable writers did for their people.

He said: “What Synge did with Riders to the Sea for the West of Ireland, and Dylan Thomas did with under Milkwood for the fishing villages of Wales, and Soyinka did with The Lion and the Jewel for Egbaland, and Walcott did with Dream on Monkey Mountain for Trinidad, landmark plays all, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah has now done for Ilorin in Northern Nigeria.”

According to him, Na’allah has given back to the community its own “myths and traditions and songs, condensed and lifted up into a play, a joyful occasion, a festival for all seasons and for all peoples. On the wings of Islam, it can travel around the world.”

As pointed out by the various commentators, the author examines Dàdàkúàdá relationship with Islam and discusses how the singers, through their songs and performances, are able to accommodate Islam in ways that have ensured their continued survival as a traditional African genre in a predominantly Muslim community.

Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the event, Prof Na’Allah said he wrote the books to show leadership in scholarship and interrogate certain societal ills, adding that the world cannot move forward if scholars are asleep.

“It is my job as a scholar to do scholarship and the kind of scholarship that I do is that of identity, culture, literature, comparative studies, poetics and as the VC, it is important for me to show leadership in scholarship — to scholars in my university, Nigeria and all over the world, it shows that even if you take a position of the VC, you are not exempted from the scholarship. The truth is we have so much to do in the areas of interpreting our culture, engaging in research to find solutions to the problems of this country,” he said.

He takes a swipe at the manner in which globalization is being viewed in Nigeria and that the concept has almost become a global threat.

“For instance, the issue of cyber fraud is prominent in the country. That is, using technology to commit fraud but technology is about goodness, convenience, comfort and earning money in the right way. In other countries like the United States of America, young people are billionaires because they are creating great things using technology but in Nigeria, it has been turned upside down. So, we now need to go back to our culture and show the world, especially the young people that our culture is all about Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

25

POLITY

Globacom and theTelecom Sector: 18 Years of Bold Moves Chidiebere Nwobodo

I

magine ocean without water. Imagine forest without trees. Imagine desert without sand. Imagine atmosphere without oxygen. Imagine the universe without sunlight.

Imagine Nigeria of today where GSM services were still exclusivity of the rich, elite and upper middle class.

Imagine Nigeria where GSM networks cum internet connectivity were still limited to the major cities.

Imagine “giant of Africa” where majority of her poor and lower middle class could still not afford GSM lines, mobile phones and their attendant services—and still have to queue at phone boots to make and receive calls. Imagine if potential telecom subscribers were still buying SIM cards at an exorbitant prices and being billed per minute. Imagine 2021 Nigeria without social media—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatApp, etcetera.

Then, Imagine the nation’s telecom industry without Globacom! Who could have broken the duopoly of the legacy mobile operators that debuted in Nigeria two years before Globacom? Who could have been the catalyst that ignited what has become a revolution in the sector? Which service provider could have hastened the emergence of mobile banking in Nigeria? What of arrival of Fintech companies made possible by broadband services?

Without reliable and affordable mobile network cum internet services, should we be talking about Netflix, ShowMax, Zoom, Skype, Tele-medicine, online shopping, e-conference, Uber, Bolt, social media live streaming, etcetera,? The advent of GSM in Nigeria and the speed of light at which it cascaded to majority of the nooks and crannies of Nigeria was made possible by fierce competition created by the emergence of Globacom on the scene.

Like an explorer about to sojourn on a voyage to rescue millions of Nigerians cum Africans trapped in the doldrums of telecom unavailability, Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr., got hit by a ray of an idea, he conceptualized it, transformed it into vision, of which was translated to a statement tagged, “Building Africa’s biggest and best telecommunications network”.

Despite being the first indigenous GSM operator to be licensed, Chief Adenuga was not scared of the behemoth foreign service providers already in the country—clear two years ahead of him in the telecom market. Like “The Bull” he is fondly called, he feared no competition. Rather, he became the competition. He threw in the dice. A new dawn beckoned.

On August, 2003, Globacom—Nigeria’s first indigenous mobile operator was born with an ambitious mission statement: “To be the largest, most successful entertainment, information and telecommunications solutions provider, in Nigeria and Africa.” Starting with the pay-off line, Glo with Pride, at the launch, Globacom hit the ground running with superior 2.5G network, compared with what was obtainable in the sector then.

Globacom did not only become the game-changer but via innovative prowess disrupted the market; raised the bar— inadvertently and advertently, began what has been later christened telecom revolution in Nigeria. When legacy mobile operators insisted that per second billing system was not economically practicable at the moment, and covertly held Nigerians at oligopolistic jugular of duopoly, Globacom—like a rampaging bull driving the renaissance, broke the jinx and pioneered per second billing in the country. This became the magic wand that made the conspicuous difference.

The subsequent crash of cost of SIMs and calls from N20,000 and N50 per a minute, respectively, to as low as N200 and 5 Kobo per second, ensured that more Nigerians—who were hitherto unable to own SIMs cum mobile phones, could afford them with the corresponding services.

Nigerians were bitten by the bug of Glo vis-a-vis mobile phone services. In a chain reaction, massive demands for mobile network connectivity began across the country.

All the service providers started rolling out telecom infrastructure across the country to meet up with demands of their subscribers and also outclass competition—Globacom was at the forefront of this quest. Less than a year after launch, Globacom amassed over one million subscribers on its then nascent network. Other operators got jittery and increased their pace of infrastructural rollout.

In this process, hundreds of thousands of jobs were created, multi-faceted business opportunities opened.

Telecom sector became the “new” oil and gas industry in Nigeria. In an upward spiral of momentum and cascading gains of the frenzy to be part of a society populated by mobile phones , more Nigerians got connected. Life became easier. By making telephony accessible to the common man, Glo accelerated national development in Nigeria and venture into Ghana to replicate the same

Adenuga

feat.

The towering imagine of self-effacing Founder and Chairman of the Company, Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr., loomed larger than life as entrepreneurial enigma with midas touch—having blazed other sectors of the economy before a glorious stopover in the telecom industry. At this point, Glo had become endeared to the hearts of Nigerians for making GSM services affordable to the downtrodden. The myth that mobile phones were exclusively reserved for the privileged few had been demystified by the vision of one man.

Glo was the first operator to introduce Blackberry service to Nigerian consumers at a time when Blackberry was the undisputed King of business devices. It instantly became the fancy cum status symbol and compulsory companion of upwardly mobile business men and women and professionals in Nigeria. This service made it possible for telecom consumers to have access to their mails on the move through the then novel feature called “push-email”, piggybacked by flat-rated internet made possible by Glo network. Other operators joined the bandwagon.

Not relenting in its efforts as catalyst of this wind of change, Glo stepped up its game with its new slogan—Rule Your World. This message of empowerment helped build confidence in the youths that they can achieve their dreams, rule their world by being the best they can. Globacom decided to rule the world of broadband market in the country and beyond, with the construction and launching of an international submarine cable called Glo-1.

It is the first time a single company would implement such a massive undersea project in Africa costing over $800m dollars.

It is an expansive solely owned trans-Atlantic cable, providing internet connectivity between Europe, America and the West African coast. The 9,800km-long cable has landing points in Lagos of Nigeria, Accra of Ghana, Senegal, Nouakchott of Mauritania, Casablanca of Morocco, Vigo of Spain, Bude of England, etcetera.

Glo-1 delivers a much faster and robust connectivity for voice, data and video. In addition to boosting the provision of services to telecom end users, the facility is currently providing the much-needed connectivity to critical sectors of the economy such as oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, commence, education and health, among others. This humongous subsea cable has increased

internet connection between Nigeria and the rest of the world.

After 18 years of eagle-eyed vision, bold moves and spirit of resilience, in retrospect, I will say again: Imagine Nigeria’s telecom industry without Globacom! Imagine that Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr., Mr. Per Second Billing (PSB), did not break duopoly of legacy mobile operators! Nigeria would have been eighteen years behind in the global telecommunications services.

Social Media would not have been as popular today in the country because only limited youthful population would have had access to mobile phones and internet connectivity. Imagine the beauty and vibrancy of opinion molding; information dissemination; citizen’s journalism; business opportunities; talent discoveries; content creations, etcetera, made possible by a liberalized telecom sector brought to the doorsteps of Nigerians by Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr., using the instrumentality of Globacom Limited.

Beyond telecom industry, Glo has hugely supported Nigeria’s and Ghana’s entertainment industries and beyond. Its involvement with Nollywood and leading Nigerian music talents, the sponsorship of music shows such as Rock ‘n’ Rule, GloNaiga Sings, Laffta Fest and the continent’s number one music singing talent reality TV show, X Factor, which debuted in Africa in 2013. The Company also supports movie industry in Nigeria (Nollywood) and Ghana (Ghollywood).

Adenuga’s love for sports and youths development has immensely been demonstrated via Globacom’s heavy investment in the nation’s development. Globacom had consistently sponsored the Nigerian League from 2003 to 2010 seasons. It returned in 2013, a new N1.9 was signed up to 2016. It has also funded the Ghana Premier League for many years. The Company sponsored GLO-CAF Award, a platform to celebrate African football excellence, for many years.

Once again, imagine Nigeria’s and Ghana’s sports and entertainment industries without Globacom! Glo’s 18th Anniversary is celebration of Dr Mike Adenuga’s sterling vision, bold moves and liberalization of telecom sector vis-a-vis mobile phone services, to give unfettered telecom access to the downtrodden. t$IJEJFCFSF /XPCPEP XSJUFT GSPN "CVKB WJB DIJEJFCFSFOXPCPEP!ZBIPP DPN

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

TRIBUTE

A Tribute to Lady Adanma Okpara Eddie Mbadiwe

T

he demise of Ezinne Adanma Okpara at the age of 99 (she would be 97 in December) calls for celebration and reflection. It is the closure of an era when people got into politics to serve their fellow citizens.

She was a very gentle soft spoken woman of few words who preferred the background rather than the razz mataz of kleg lights. One of her relations Cecilia was a classmate in Higher School at Methodist College Uzuakoli and on the few occasions when she visited the school, her stately carriage, dignity and poise endeared her to all she came in contact with.

Her husband Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara succeeded Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Premier of Eastern Nigeria.

Dr. Okpara was firebrand, fiery and turbulent and was always in his elements when people cheered “M.I Power.” In 1964 when he was fully in charge, Eastern Nigeria was regarded as the fastest growing and industrializing region in the world in what was regarded as the economic blitz of Eastern Nigeria.

Pius Okigbo who was economic adviser to the Federal Government recorded that, in an address in Madras India, Dr. Okpara jolted the world with his programme of industrial and agricultural revolutions anchored in the innovative farm settlement scheme.

Adanma, like the good wife she was, supported her husband and ensured he kept a cool head and did not steal from the public till. When Dr. Okpara left office, the only landed property he owned was one uncompleted building at Ogui Road in Enugu. There was no house in his home town Ohuhu in Abia State.

Some of his later successors supposedly better educated assigned to themselves large chunks of Independence layout which hopefully EFCC will recover and restore to the people.

The bond between Adanma and Dr. Okpara was a master class level 101 marriage and the only other political marriage that can be compared to that was the one between Chief Dideolu and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Those marriages were role models for our current politicians.

On one occasion, my wife and I were privileged to sit next to Adanma and her husband at a wedding at Hotel Presidential in Enugu. It was an afternoon we will always cherish. Dr. Okpara narrated how the entire complex, including buildings, grounds, swimming pool, tennis courts up to crockery and cutlery was completed at a cost less than 500, 000 pounds. Now we will be budgeting billions. In the spirit of the time, he also built a replica in Port-Harcourt. That is functional up till today.

I recollect with nostalgia that as a member of the House of Representatives, I was invited as part of the Presidential Team to a conference in Paris to brain storm on problems confronting Nigeria. In one of the round table discussions, I asked the Minister of Agriculture then why they had not tapped into the agricultural revolution of Dr. Okpara anchored on farm settlements scheme. That programme would have led to full scale employment. He moped at me until the Chairperson, Baroness Lynda Chalker prompted him respond. He had no answer.

The nation remembers and mourns Adanma and our sincere commiserations and condolences go to the Okpara family.

One hopes Uzodinma and his siblings most of whom live in

Okpara

diaspora will ste p f o r w a rd a n d f i t i n t o t h e r i c h and enviable legacy built for them by their p a re n t s . R e s t i n p e a c e L a d y C h i e f E z i n n e A d a n ma Okpara. t 3U )PO %S &EEJF .CBEJXF XSJUFT GSPN "CVKB

Kidnapping: FCTA urges Residents to Report Strange Faces Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja In the light of the security situation in the country, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has urged residents of the territory to be vigilant and report strange and suspicious faces in their vicinity to security agencies to safeguard life and property.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu made the appeal yesterday following the monthly FCT Security Committee meeting chaired by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.

“Security is a collective responsibility, so, we must communicate when we see those we consider as unknown faces around our areas, especially with what we are seeing or hearing across the country,” she said.

She, however, assured the residents of the Territory of the safety of their lives and property saying as the security agencies were very alert to their responsibilities.

She said the security apparatus in FCT was very much awake and the information gathering network was very much active.

The minister also said that the cases of kidnappings have drastically reduced in many parts of the Territory, while assuring that the security agencies were working hard to curb the crime in the areas that are still prone to the incident.

Also speaking, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, who was attending the meeting for the first time since his appointment earlier in the month, also called for the cooperation of the residents of the FCT by giving timely and accurate information to the police while assuring them of their security and safety.

PHOTO NEWS

L-R; Pharmacist Jimi Agbaje; Head of Department, Pharmaceutical Services, National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Dr. Mrs. Collette Elechi; former Minister of Health/ Special Guest, Prince Adelusi Adeluyi; Author of the Book /former National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Olumide Akintayo; and Managing Director/CEO, Fildson Health Plc, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae during the Book Presentation and Launch of Chequered Pavements in Pharmacy Practice held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja in Lagos ….recently SUNDAY ADIGUN L-R: Managing Director, Without a Box, PR Consultant, Theodore Nyingifa; Dairy of a Kitchen Lover, Chef and Food Blogger, Tolani Tayo-Osikoya and Head of Category Homecare Africa, PZ Cussons, Ejiroghene Iku-Ahusimere at the official signing of Tolani Tayo-Osikoya as Morning Fresh Brand Ambassador in Lagos… recently.

L-R: Director-General, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Hans Essaadi; Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, L-R; Second runner up Winner of the ONGAlicious Next Top Chef, Rita Okon; winner, Bibian UgwumChief Kola Jamodu and President, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Mr. Mansur Ahmed dur- bara; and the 1st runner up, Joan Azonobor during the final competition of the ongalicious next top chef held in Lagos…. recently ing the introduction of Essaadi as the new Managing Director .

GLOBAL SOCCER

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

28. 08.2021

NEWS

WHO BLINKS FIRST?

PAGE. 29

Peter Olayinka Will He Jettison Cult Hero’s Status for New Challenge?

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Peter Olayinka got the better of Barcelona defender Gerrard Pique at the Camp Nou

Peter Olayinka Will He Jettison Cult Hero’s Status for New Challenge?

Though, he joined Slavia Prague just a little over three years ago, Peter Olayinka is already seen as a cult hero by Sinobo faithful, having helped the club lift three league titles and two FA Cups since his arrival. All that may change if FC Copenhagen agree to pay the Nigerian buyout clause

F

C Copenhagen identifies €7 million-rated Super Eagles forward, Peter Olayinka as the ideal replacement for in-demand Danish youngster Mohamed Daramy.

There are not many Nigerian internationals in the Danish top-flight but one of the country’s flying wingers could be on his way out this summer after FC Copenhagen resolved losing Danish youngster of Sierra Leonean descent, Mohamed Daramy , having identified the Super Eagles forward as the ideal replacement for the 19-year-old right-winger.

The Danish Super Liga giants have nurtured Daramy since he was 16, but they could see him leave this summer, with Club Brugge among other clubs interested in his services.

However, Olayinka is the man the Lions are targeting to fill in the hole that is expected to be created with the departure of Daramy, according to Danish Football.

Despite being predominantly deployed as a winger, Olayinka has managed 22 goals and 15 assists in 110 games for the reigning Czech champions – the most he has registered for any of the five clubs he has played for in Europe.

Injury has limited the former Zulte Waregem ace to just 27 minutes of league football this season. Still, his previous exploits have convinced FC Copenhagen to prepare an offer for the forward rated at €7 million.

Olayinka excelled in the 2020-2021 Europa League, contributing three goals and two assists in 11 matches before Slavia Prague were knocked out of the competition by Arsenal in the quarterfinal stage.

The 25-year-old was particularly impressive against the British teams in the Europa League, bagging assists against Leicester City

and Glasgow Rangers, before netting the crucial opener against Steven Gerrard’s team at the Ibrox Stadium.

Slavia Prague are aware that several foreign clubs are interested in their number 9 and are looking to sell him for no less than six million euros.

Olayinka has spent three seasons at the Czech champions, scoring 22 goals in 107 matches.

He is tied to Slavia Prague until June 2023 having extended his contract last December.

The forward has scored 11 goals and registered four assists, in 3,825 minutes of 27 times he played this season as he helped the Czech Republic reach the last eight of the UEFA Europa league.

Barcelona will not forget in a hurry, exploits of Olayinka in the UEFA Champions League two years ago and he gave the Camp Nou faithful something to ponder upon at the end of the day.

Olayinka had scored an own goal as Slavia Prague fell 2-1 to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League game as he deflected a Luis Suarez shot with his chest in the 57th minute to put Barcelona ahead again after Jan Boril cancelled out Lionel Messi’s opener.

In the return leg at Nou Camp, Olayinka may not have scored but he was a thorn in the flesh of Barcelona.

Indeed, his performance did not go unnoticed by his compatriot, Asisat Oshoala who plays for Barcelona femini.

The Super Falcons striker praised the spirited performance Olayinka after his Czech side, Slavia Prague left Camp Nou with a point following a goalless draw against the Spanish champions in the Champions League.

The Super Eagles forward, who played the entire duration of the game, was a handful for

the Blaugrana defenders as his physical presence made life difficult for the likes of Gerrad Pique, Clement Lenglet, Nelson Semedo, and Jordi Alba on the night.

The 25-year-old covered a distance of 11.31 kilometres and that was only bettered by two Barcelona players, Frenkie de Jong (12.11km) and Vidal (11.57km).

Oshoala took to her official Twitter handle to commend the energetic display of the former KAA Gent of Belgium player. “@AsisatOshoala: Peter no Dey tire #BARSLP,” her tweet read.

In an earlier group match against Inter Milan at the iconic San Siro Stadium, Slavia Prague were on the verge of beating the host after Olayinka deservedly put the underdogs in front in their UEFA Champions League opening match but a 92nd minute equaliser from Nicolo Barella ensured that the Italians shared the spoils.

The goal, a first for Olayinka in the European elite football championship, came at a venue which holds a lot of memories for the Nigerian.

“San Siro is one of the most popular stadiums. I used to select the stadium when I used to play video games growing up,” he said on Instagram.

Olayinka admitted he was nervous at first, but the feeling of scoring at such an iconic stadium was overwhelming.

“When I got to the stadium, I was very nervous, even before the game. I was thinking of the stadium, and after scoring I didn’t know how to celebrate it. The feeling was overwhelming, but it was absolutely fantastic.”

His goal against Inter Milan made him become the first Nigerian to score on his Champions League debut since Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s hat-

trick for Maccabi Haifa against Olympiakos in September 2002.

The 25-year-old made his debut for Nigeria against Brazil in an international friendly following eye-catching performances for his club in the league and in Europe.

Olayinka says he had a rough beginning as a young aspiring footballer, adding that he had little parental support as his father didn’t think a career in football was possible. “At first my dad didn’t support me,” he told Brilla FM. According to him, things were tough to the extent that he could barely get food to eat before going for practice.

He said, “I was on the streets for a very long time, things weren’t easy. I suffered mostly growing up; things were difficult. I would drink garri and kuli-kuli or go on an empty stomach after practice. But I kept my focus and would pray for a breakthrough.

“Later he noticed I could make a living from it and he became my number one fan. He bought me playing kits and my boots.”

Olayinka has also been linked with a move to France and Germany following his impressive performance for Slavia Prague this season.

Speaking on the rumour surrounding his future at the club, Olayinka toldbrila.net that he’s open to possibilities of trying some new, but he’s still a Slavia Prague’s player.

“I would be interested in new adventures at some points, but I don’t know because there have been rumours.

“But for now, I can say I’m 100 per cent Slavia Prague’s player, but we will see what happens in the future,” he said.

The Nigerian may still only be 25, he is already a veteran of Czech football, where he has been since 2018.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

GLOBAL SOCCER Premier League Super Saturday

Liverpool, Chelsea Clash in Early Title Race Arsenal take redemption song to the Etihad

With both sides having amassed the maximum points and yet to concede a goal, Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield in what no doubt is the headline fixture of this weekend’s Premier League. Though the league may just be only three weeks old a win by any of the sides would go a long way in shaping their title ambition. In another scintillating fixture, defending champions, Manchester City host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium and a victory for the Citizens would ensure the Gunners had their worst league start in 67 years. It is therefore a great weekend of football especially for the neutrals to enjoy way that many Gooners feared - with Lukaku bullying his way through the Arsenal defence to score the opener - while James put the game out of sight before the half-time whistle blew.

Having supposedly been given only another few games to save his job in the Emirates dugout, Arteta’s intention to lay down a marker in the EFL Cup was clear, as a strong Gunners XI thrashed a youthfullooking West Bromwich Albion side 6-0 in Wednesday’s second-round clash.

While that result did give the travelling Arsenal party something to cheer, celebratory moments have been few and far between in the Premier League, although they did embark on a seven-game unbeaten run away from home before suffering defeat against Brentford.

Not since the 1954-55 season have Arsenal lost their first three games in a top-flight season, but if they are to avoid a similar fate here, Arteta’s men must emulate the FA Cup-winning squad from 2019-20, which sent City packing 2-0 in the semi-finals.

While their record on the Wembley turf is unparalleled, Arsenal have not endured such fortunes at the Etihad Stadium, as they have lost their last five league games away to Guardiola’s men and have won just one of their last 10 in the blue side of Manchester.

Chelsea defender, Antonio Rudiger tries to stop Lverpool striker, Sadio Mane from inflicting any damage to the Blues

W

ith their 100 per cent starts to the season on the line, Liverpool and Chelsea prepare for a blockbuster Premier League clash at Anfield this evening.

Jurgen Klopp’s side saw off Burnley 2-0 in week two, while Chelsea eased to victory at Arsenal by the same scoreline.

With the Anfield faithful returning to the scene of the crime in the 2020-21 season, Klopp insisted that Liverpool would not be out for revenge against Burnley, who ended the Reds’ 68-game unbeaten home run in the top flight last term.

Lightning would not strike twice for Sean Dyche’s men on Merseyside, as Diogo Jota’s header and Sadio Mane’s calm finish either side of the half-time whistle propelled Liverpool to a comfortable win after their equally dominant success over Norwich City on the opening weekend.

Starting as they mean to go on, Liverpool’s back-to-back wins and clean sheets have seen them rise to third in the rankings - level on points and goal difference with Chelsea and West Ham United, Klopp’s men will endeavour to once again take advantage of Manchester City and Manchester United’s early slip-ups.

Victory over the Clarets marked Liverpool’s seventh in a row in the Premier League - the last four of which have seen Klopp’s men record shut-outs and the Reds’ bright attacking contingent have helped their side score at least two goals in each game during that hot streak.

Also unbeaten in 12 Premier League matches since going down 1-0 against Fulham back in March, a Liverpool side with a near-empty medical room certainly have the look of title challengers once again, although their opponents are equally desperate to

reclaim the crown.

There were no prizes for guessing who would make the net ripple first at the Emirates Stadium last week, as Romelu Lukaku up against Pablo Mari and Rob Holding certainly spelled trouble for the Arsenal defence.

The £97.5m man’s physical presence proved impossible for the Gunners to deal with as he bullied his way through to tap home Reece James’s cross in the 15th minute, and James soon went from provider to goal scorer to put the tie to bed with 35 minutes on the clock.

Thomas Tuchel’s side may not have made a lot of additions this summer, but the resigning of Lukaku may have given the Blues the attacking edge that they need to turn into genuine title contenders, although that tag will certainly be put to the test against the 2019-20 champions this weekend.

It has been 11 years since Chelsea last opened a Premier League campaign with three wins and three clean sheets on the trot, but having restricted Arsenal and Crystal Palace to a combined 10 shots earlier this month, Tuchel’s resolute defence will aim to replicate such performances against one of the most famed attacks the country has to offer.

Mason Mount scored the only goal as Chelsea prevailed 1-0 at Anfield last term, but that defeat represented only Liverpool’s second in 13 league games against Chelsea, who had previously failed to win in five on the Merseyside turf.

Earlier today, the professor meets the protege at the Etihad Stadium at lunchtime, as Manchester City take on Arsenal.

Both sides recorded crushing victories in their most recent encounters, with City easing to a 5-0 success over Norwich City while the Gunners thrashed West Bromwich

Albion 6-0 in the EFL Cup. Manchester City’s lengthy pursuit of the England captain, Harry Kane has failed to bear fruit following confirmation that he will be staying put at Tottenham Hotspur, but Pep Guardiola’s side are now being tipped to move for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo in the coming days.

However, if last week’s performance against Norwich was anything to go by, City seldom need more attacking options in their ranks, as goals from Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte and an own goal from Tim Krul propelled them to a straightforward 5-0 win over Norwich last time out.

Having recovered from their Community Shield defeat to Leicester City and openingday loss to Tottenham Hotspur, the reigning champions recorded their second consecutive 5-0 Premier League win on home soil following last year’s final-day drubbing of Everton, but Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea remain above Guardiola’s men for the time being.

Furthermore, this weekend’s hosts have only failed to score in one of their last 35 Premier League matches at the Etihad Stadium - an astonishing streak which is unlikely to end no matter who leads the line out.

Of course, a crushing win over Arsenal would allow the Citizens to temporarily reclaim their rightful place at the top of the standings, and given their opponents’ recent performances, Arteta is a long way off emulating his former teacher Guardiola.

Granted, Arsenal’s double-figure absentee list was hardly ideal for the visit of European champions Chelsea, as Arteta’s men sought to right the wrongs of their dismal openingday defeat to Brentford in front of their own fans.

However, the game panned out in the

Head to Head 12/05/21 Chelsea 0-1 Arsena l 19-09-22 Premier League Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool 19-04-14 Premier League Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea 18-09-29 Premier League Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool 18-05-06 Premier League Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool 17-11-25 Premier League Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea 17-01-31 Premier League Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea 16-09-16 Premier League Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool 16-05-11 Premier League Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea 15-10-31 Premier League Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool 15-05-10 Premier League Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Man City v Arsenal 12:30 Aston Villa v Brentford 15:00 Brighton v Everton 15:00 Newcastle v Southampton 15:00 Norwich v Leicester 15:00 West Ham v Crystal Palace 15:00 Liverpool v Chelsea 17:30 SUNDAY

Burnley v Leeds Utd 14:00 Tottenham v Watford 14:00 Wolvers v Man Utd 16:30

La Liga TODAY

Celta Vigo v Bilbao 16:00 Elche v Sevilla 18:30 Sociedad v Levante 18:30 Real Betis v Madrid 21:00 SUNDAY

Barcelona v Getafe 16:00 Cádiz v Osasuna 18:30 Vallecano v Granada 18:30 Atlético v Villarreal 21:00

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

GLOBAL SOCCER

Some of the participants at the Lagos Sports Summer Camp engage in a game of Scrabble

Super Eagles in training

World Cup Qualifier

FIFA Appoints Togolese Officials for Super Eagles, Liberia Clash World football governing body, FIFA has appointed Togolese official, Kouassi Attisso Attiogbe as the referee for next Friday’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match between Nigeria and Liberia scheduled for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The Day 1 clash between the Super Eagles and the Lone Stars will commence at 5pm Nigeria time, with Attiogbe to be assisted on the

lines by compatriots Komlan Domenyo Adiwotso (assistant referee 1), Limna Kabassima (assistant referee 2) and Yelebodom Gado Bodjona (fourth official).

FIFA has also appointed Munkaila Nassam Adam from Ghana as match commissioner, while Abdellah El Achiri from Morocco will serve as referee assessor.

The match officials are expected to arrive in Lagos on Wednesday, while the

delegation of Lone Star is scheduled to land on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the 5,000 –capacity Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena on the island of Mindelo will host the Day 2 clash between the Super Eagles and the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde.

That game will hold on Tuesday, September 7, with the Super Eagles set to fly out of Lagos aboard a chartered jet on Monday, September 6, and return to Nigeria immediately after the match.

…Only 5,000 Spectators to Watch Match The Confederation of African Football has approved for the Nigeria Football Federation to have only 5,000 spectators at next week’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The NFF had applied to have

12,000 spectators at the venue.

“As it is known, we would like to reiterate that the CAF and FIFA covid-19 match protocols clearly state that all matches must be played behind closed doors.

Nonetheless, CAF analysed and assessed your request from a medical, stadium requirements

compliance, and safety & security perspective in your venue. Accordingly, a decision has been taken to exceptionally allow the presence of 5,000 spectators in the aforementioned match,” CAF wrote in the letter signed by Raul Chipenda, Development Director.

Anjorin, Shoretire, Eight Other Nigeria-eligible Players in England Squads The English Football Association has finalised its rosters for upcoming international matches next month, with 10 Nigeriaeligible youngsters invited to the youth teams.

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has earned a maiden call-up to the England U21 squad and he is joined on the roster by PSV Eindhoven teenage sensation Nonso Madueke.

England U21s will face Romania on September 3 before a 2023 UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifier with

Kosovo on Tuesday September 7.

Arsenal midfielder Miguel Azeez and Chelsea winger Faustino Anjorin have been called up to the England U20 squad for the upcoming friendly against Romania.

Though Azeez has been involved with the Young Lions in the past, this is the first time he has received a call-up to the U20 team.

Celtic goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi , younger brother of 2021 Super Eagles invitee Joshua, has been called up to

the England U19 squad for for upcoming fixtures with Italy and Germany.

England U19 Head coach Ian Foster has selected four other players of Nigerian descent, namely Daniel Oyegoke, Carney Chukwuemeka, Samuel Edozie and Shola Shoretire.

Fulham midfielder Michael Olakigbe has been included in the England U18 squad for a five-day training camp in Wales.

The Young Lions will face Wales at Newport County’s Spytty Park September 3.

Cameroon Coach Sets Target at Aisha Buhari Cup Head Coach of Cameroon Women’s National Team, Gabriel Zabo will begin his coaching journey with the Indomitable Lionesses against Ghana’s Black Queens at the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament Cup holding in Lagos, Nigeria next month.

Zabo replaced Alain Djeumfa as the head coach after the erstwhile gaffer’s team’s failed to qualify for the Women’s Football Tournament of the Tokyo Olympics, and is gearing up for tough challenges against Group B foes - Ghana and

South Africa.

“We had to set up a team. We have developed a lot more defensively and from the second regrouping, we will start to evolve on the offensive strategy,” he disclosed.

“We have a very difficult group where we will have to play Ghana and South Africa. We will go with the firm conviction that we will proceed from the group phase on to the knockout rounds first and then we will see what next.

“For the moment, we are calm, we are preparing and I

think that with the girls who will come from overseas and those who will be retained here, we will have a good tournament.”

The Lionesses will open their campaign at the six-nation tournament against Ghana on September 13 before taking on South Africa in the second group B game two days later.

Zabo will look to make a bright start to his reign with the Lionesses as they gear up for a doubleheader against the Central African Republic in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race starting in October.

Osimhen Battles Ndidi, Iheanacho, Moses in Europa League ˾ Draws pitch Napoli against Leicester, Spartak The Europa League won’t be short of Nigerian stars, but there’s one group to look forward to following the conclusion of the draws yesterday afternoon.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen will come up against Leicester City’s duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, and Spartak Moscow’s Victor Moses after their teams were paired together in the Europa League group stages.

The Neapolitans were pitted against Leicester City, Spartak Moscow and Legia Warsaw in Group C. It means Osimhen will face his international compatriots Ndidi and Iheanaco, and also a clash against former Super Eagles star Moses.

The competition won’t be short of Nigerian stars this season.

In Group A, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun will hope to

help Rangers overcome the challenge of Lyon, Sparta Prague and Brondby.

Onyekuru, who scored his first goal for Olympiacos on Thursday, will aim to consider in the same vein when the Greek champions take on Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce and Royal Antwerp.

Paul Onuachu’s Genk have been paired against Dinamo Zagreb, West Ham and Rapid Vienna.

Local Government Chairmen Commend Sanwo-Olu on Sports Summer Camp The chairmen of Ijede, Ikorodu North and Igbogbo Bayeku Local Council Development Areas have hailed Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for backing Lagos Sports Summer Camp.

The Ijede council chairman, Motunrayo Gbadebo-Alogba said that the Lagos Sports Summer Camp was a testimony of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s love for children.

She stated this during her pep talk with the campers at the Oriwu College, Ikorodu, venue of the Phase 2, Season 2 of Lagos Sports Summer Camp in the Lagos East Senatorial District.

“I want to thank our lover of children, Mr. Governor for doing this for Lagos children and for bringing it to Ikorodu Division.

“There is no doubt that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu likes children and wants them to be useful in life, that is the reason for this Lagos Sports Summer

Camp is happening,” she said.

She urged the campers to make use of the opportunity given to them by the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Sports Commission.

Also speaking at the camp, the Ikorodu North council chairman, Adebisi Abiola, gave kudos to Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Sports Commission for engaging the children in sporting activities and vocational skills at the Lagos Sports Summer Camp.

“Thank you Governor Sanwo-Olu for doing this for Lagos Children.”

Igbogbo Bayeku council chairman, Olusesan Daini, commended the governor for giving approval to Lagos State Sports Commission to organise the Summer Camp.

He made this commendation when he visited the participants of the Phase 2 of Summer Camp on Tuesday.

According to the chairman, the camping was to enable the campers have better relationships with one another and promotion of team work.

He urged the campers to transform what they are learning at the camp to a life changing activity for a better tomorrow.

“You can be a producer of large power bank in your locality, if you concentrate on what you are being taught on how to produce power bank which is part of what you are going to learn at the camp.”

The chairman promised to give the campers some gifts during the closing ceremony to round off the seven days camping today.

Meanwhile, the Board of Lagos State Sports Commission also visited the venue of the Phase 2 of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp at Oriwu College on Wednesday to motivate the 120 campers.

Exciting Games from La Liga, Serie A Seasons on DStv, GOtv DStv and GOtv customers can look forward to extended action from the La Liga and Serie A with matches running from yesterday to Sunday.

The pick of matches from Spain’s top flight this weekend is Atletico Madrid hosting Villarreal at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday 29 at 9pm on SuperSport La Liga and SuperSport GOtv La Liga (DStv channel 204 and GOtv channel 32).

Another intriguing clash in La Liga this weekend sees Real Betis host Real Madrid at Estadio Benito

Villamarin at 9pm on SuperSport La Liga and SuperSport GOtv La Liga.

Sunday’s early game sees Barcelona welcome Getafe to the Camp Nouat 4pm on SuperSport La Liga and SuperSport GOtv La Liga.

The pick of matches today sees Lazio in action against Spezia at 5:30pm on SuperSport Variety 3 (DStv channel 208).

Today also sees Juventus play their first home match of the season, as they welcome Empoli to the Allianz Stadium in Turin

at 7:45pm on SuperSport Football and SuperSport GOtv Select 1.

Moving onto Sunday, Napoli face a tricky trip away to Genoa at 5:30pm on SuperSport Football and SuperSport GOtv Select 1, Jose Mourinho’s Roma will take on newly-promoted Salernitana, and Milan will fancy their chances of a three-point haul at the iconic San Siro at 7:45pm on SuperSport Football and SuperSport GOtv Select 1 when Cagliari makes the trip from Sardinia to the North of Italy.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

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GLOBAL SOCCER

Madueke

Nonso Madueke

Finds Home at Philips Stadium After a scintillating season with PSV Eindhoven, speculations were rife on his move to the English Premier League with Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur leading the race for Nonso Madueke signature. Against all odds, the Anglo-Nigerian decided to elongate his stay at the Philips Stadium with a contract extension

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onso Madueke appears to have ended speculation surrounding his future after putting pen to paper on a new deal at Dutch Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.

The Daily Mail had reported that the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were keeping tabs on the England youth international of Nigerian descent ahead of a possible move this summer.

Madueke has been rewarded for his fine performances since the season began with a new contract that keeps him at the Eindhovenbased club until the end of the 2024-2025 season.

In nine matches this term, the 19-year-old tallied six goals, including a brace versus Ajax Amsterdam in the Johan Cruijff Schaal, and contributed an assist.

Speaking after the new deal was confirmed, Madueke said on PSV’s official website: “I have felt at home at PSV from day one. We are going to make it a great time together in Eindhoven, with wonderful football evenings.”

Director of Football Affairs John de Jong was delighted that the Anglo-Nigerian has extended his contract amid interest from foreign clubs.

“There was a lot of interest from foreign

clubs in Noni, but we wanted to connect Noni to PSV even longer. After good talks with Noni and his family, he succeeded in extending his contract until 2025.

“We as a club are very happy that Noni will stay and we look forward to a successful collaboration,” de Jong said.

Madueke joined the youth team of PSV in the summer of 2018 after stops at Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.

Indeed, PSV Eindhoven manager Roger Schmidt had always been confident that Madueke will remain at the club next season amid speculation linking the winger with possible moves to Premier League clubs in the summer. Schmidt has a plan in order to convince the England U-21 international of Nigerian descent to stay, by citing the development of Mason Mount and Phil Foden at Chelsea and Manchester City respectively.

Mount and Foden are products of Chelsea and Manchester City academies and rose through the ranks before establishing themselves as first team regulars.

Speaking to reporters, Schmidt said: “Noni is just such a player who can go through this development. He has the potential, but now he also needs the experience.

“He has a lot of potential playing football and mentally, but here we offer him the space

to continue his development.

“We talk to him a lot. Not necessarily about the rumours. It is clear to me that he will stay.”

The 19-year-old Madueke, a product of Tottenham Hotspur academy, has been involved in 17 goals in 30 matches in the current season despite his limited game time.

The youngster was born in England, but he is also eligible to represent the three-time African champions through his parents.

Madueke has indeed revealed he is open to representing Nigeria at the international level despite being born in England.

Madueke has caught the eye of many this season following his brilliant start to life in the Dutch Eredivisie. The former Tottenham youth player also has one goal and two assists in the Europa League this season. His impressive performances have brought him into public consciousness with his international future now a subject of debate.

Madueke was born in England and has represented the Three Lions at youth level.

However, he also qualifies to play for the Super Eagles through his parents, and he could consider switching allegiance to the three-time African champions.

When asked about his international future, Madueke told The Sun: “I am only 18, so I have got to be open to everything. If I had a

closed mindset, I would not be where I am now, so for sure I am open to both.

“We just have to see in the future what is best.” Should he decide to switch allegiance, Madueke will join the likes of Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina and Joe Aribo in the list of players who chose Nigeria ahead of England.

Chukwunonso ‘Noni’ Madueke has inked a new four-year contract with PSV Eindhoven that will keep him with the Red-and-white until the summer of 2025.

Agreeing to a new deal with the Dutch giants has put to bed all the transfer rumours surrounding the English youth international of Nigerian descent.

Noni Madueke had been linked to virtually most of the top clubs in Europe, with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Arsenal, Leicester City, and Tottenham Hotspurs believed to be the front-runners for his signature.

It was no surprise because the 19-year-old has been excellent for PSV on the domestic scene and in Europe, drawing a comparison with former Real Madrid star Arjen Robben.

However, the exciting attacker has committed his future to the Philips Stadion landlords after extending his contract until 2025.

“Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve noticed from everything that this is the best place to develop,” the youngster told the club’s official website.

“I, therefore, did not hesitate for a moment to stay here longer. I have felt at home at PSV from day one.

“We are going to make it a great time together in Eindhoven, with wonderful football evenings.”

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMIFULA OGBU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

PERSPECTIVE Enugu State @ 30: 2023 and Ugwuanyi’s Quest for Equity Louis Amoke

Ugwuanyi’s response Addressing the mammoth crowd at the rally, Ugwuanyi did not mince words in rekindling his unwavering commitment to the sustenance of a peaceful, united and prosperous Enugu State, saying: “In doing so, we shall be consultative, just and equitable”.

His words: “Having listened to all the speeches, I now understand that ‘Ife Emelu Mma’ mantra, is both a statement of fact and a philosophy; a philosophy that situates and inspires a just and equitable dispensation of political leadership in our polity.

“In its literal sense, it is ‘ofo’; an invocation of the divine spirit to bear witness to our acts of justice and equity. “Your message is therefore clear. It is understood in all ramifications. May God grant your prayers and heart’s desire”.

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istorically,thecreationofEnugu State30yearsagobyGeneralIbrahimBabangida’sregimesignificantly transcendedprovidence.Itwas largelytheoutcomeofatenacious strugglefortheemancipationof thepeopleofWawa-speakingarea (EnuguandAbakaliki)ofIgboland,by thefoundingfathersofthestate.

Both perceptually and in reality, it was a sustained agitation against injustice meted to a people (Wawa) who were honest, patient, intelligent and hardworking.

The spirit of the dogged struggle was to birth and bequeath to its people and future generations a state anchored on peace, development, unity, equity and justice.

Enugu as the capital city of Nigeria’s Eastern Region; East Central State; old Anambra State; old Enugu State, when Abakaliki (now part of Ebonyi State) was part of it and the present Enugu State, has come a long way on the side of history. It is home for all Igbo, politically, socio-culturally and economically.

Sustaining the founding fathers’ dreams The creation of Enugu State on August 27, 1991, brought unbridled excitement and a sense of accomplishment to the founding fathers. It consummated the liberation of the Wawa people to live freely in a society founded on the pillars of peace, equity and justice.

No wonder, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in his 2015 inaugural address, recommitted himself to the dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the state to “take up the gauntlet of the struggle for the emancipation of the Wawa man from where our heroes past stopped”.

Ugwuanyi also vowed, in accordance with the ideals and aspirations of the founding fathers of Enugu State, to “deploy government services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen to make a living, educate our children, and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment”, while pursuing vigorously, employment generation, enhanced social services and good governance, rural development, security and justice.

This sound vision, the governor has dexterously accomplished in spite of avalanche of challenges confronting the nation’s economy, security and public health, among others.

In a recent forum, Ugwuanyi reiterated his commitment to the sustenance of these noble, lofty ideals and the principles of equity and justice in running the affairs of the state, reassuring that his administration will, at its end, “bequeath to all, a just, equitable, peaceful, united and prosperous Enugu State that has ascended more rungs on the development ladder”.

Quest for equity and justice ahead of 2023 This pronouncement was in response to the recent demand by the people of Enugu East Senatorial District, at a well-attended mega rally, in Enugu, that it is their turn to produce the next Governor of Enugu State in 2023, in the spirit of equity and justice, and based on the long established rotational template in the state.

Speaking at the rally, themed: “Oganiru Enugu East Senatorial District”, the Convener and Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, stated that it was the unanimous stance of the people of Enugu East Senatorial District that Ugwuanyi has a major role to play in the choice of his successor since his predecessors enjoyed such privilege during their tenures as governors of the state.

They therefore requested Ugwuanyi to uphold the long established rotational arrangement among the three senatorial districts of the state, namely Enugu East, Enugu West and Enugu North. Enugu East Senatorial District comprises six local government areas of Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East and Nkanu West.

Aligning with the Speaker’s position at the rally, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye announced that the party has zoned its governorship position in 2023 to Enugu East Senatorial District.

The APC chairman eulogized Gov. Ugwuanyi for his uncommon leadership qualities as a peaceful, humble and development-oriented governor.

In his speech, the former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, expressed optimism that Ugwuanyi will endorse his successor from Enugu East

Ugwuanyi Senatorial District, stressing that “Gburugburu will give Ndi Enugu East Senatorial District governor in 2023; we are only waiting for the time to come to know who will be the next governor from our zone”.

On his part, former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, endorsed the stance of the people of Enugu East Senatorial District at the rally and commended the organizers of the event for galvanizing the people of the zone to come and appraise the existing rotational principle of zoning in Enugu State.

Nnamani lauded Ugwuanyi for the peace being enjoyed in Enugu State, expressing confidence that the governor’s disposition to peace and good governance will guarantee a peaceful transition in 2023, where a candidate from Enugu East Senatorial District will be elected governor of the state.

Enugu West endorsement and the PDP rotational agreement Lending their support, a few months after, the people of Enugu West Senatorial District converged on Awgu Local Government Secretariat and declared that it is the turn of Enugu East Senatorial District to produce the next governor of Enugu State in 2023, based on the principles of equity and justice as well as the existing rotational arrangement, which was reaffirmed by the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the State Caucus meeting of the Party in 2013.

Speaking at the massive rally tagged: “Ife-Emelumma Enugu West Unity Rally for Gburugburu”, which was graced by Gov. Ugwuanyi (on invitation), his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ubosi, State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Augustine Nnamani, present and former members of the National and State Assemblies, Chairmen of Aninri, Awgu, Ezeagu, Oji-River and Udi LGAs, Traditional Rulers, the Clergymen, youth and women groups, among others, the Convener and Chairman of the Central Organising Committee of the rally, Senator Ben Collins Ndu, told Gov. Ugwuanyi that the people of Enugu West Senatorial District have assembled to speak with one voice that the zoning of the governorship seat of the state favours Enugu East Senatorial District.

Senator Ndu who disclosed that the people of Enugu West Senatorial District are 100 percent in support of Gov. Ugwuanyi and his decisions in respect of his successor in 2023, maintained that they firmly stand by the decision of the State Caucus of the PDP in 2013, that the governorship position of Enugu State should rotate to Enugu East Senatorial District after

the expiration of the turn of Enugu North Senatorial District presently occupied by the governor.

The Convener revealed that he seconded the motion moved by Chief Hon. Dubem Onyia, at the said PDP Caucus meeting of July 7, 2013, that the governorship position of the state should rotate to Enugu North Senatorial District in 2015, with an understanding that it should rotate to Enugu East Senatorial District in 2023, after the turn of Enugu North Senatorial District.

Senator Ndu pointed out that the PDP meeting of 2013 was attended by the party leaders such as the then State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Engr. Vita Abba, then Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime (from Enugu West Senatorial District), then Deputy President of the Senate and the current Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, then Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo, other members of the National and State Assemblies who were members of the Caucus and members of the Party’s Board of Trustees from the state, among others.

He added it was based on the PDP decision on zoning of the governorship position that Rt. Hon. Ugwuanyi from Enugu North Senatorial District emerged the governorship candidate of the party and thereafter the Governor of Enugu State in 2015.

“What we are saying in Enugu West Senatorial District is that in Enugu State, governorship position rotates among the three senatorial districts. You (Ugwuanyi) are a beneficiary of the motion I seconded in 2013 that the governorship seat should rotate to Enugu North Senatorial District. The motion was amended by Dr. Charles Egumgbe that after Enugu North Senatorial District, it would be the turn of Enugu East Senatorial District. The amendment was adopted by the Caucus at that meeting”, Senator Ndu said while displaying the minutes of the meeting and other documents.

In their goodwill messages, other speakers at the unity rally, such as all the members of the State House of Assembly in Enugu West Senatorial District, Chairmen of the five LGAs in the zone, members of the State Executive Council (EXCO), the PDP LG Chairmen, the Traditional Rulers, the youth and women, former House of Representatives member, Rt. Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, former Minister of Aviation, Amb. Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, among others, endorsed the pronouncement made by the Convener, reiterating that it is the turn of Enugu East Senatorial District to produce Gov. Ugwuanyi’s successor in 2023.

Brief history of Enugu guber rotational transitions In 1999, Senator Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani from Nkanu West LGA in Enugu East Senatorial District occupied the exalted seat at the Lion Building as the Governor of Enugu State for two consecutive tenures of eight years, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which ended on May 29, 2007.

Senator Nnamani who could have ordinarily advanced a cause for his successor to emerge from his senatorial district (Enugu East), championed and spearheaded a rotational zoning process among the three Senatorial Districts of Enugu State, which led to the emergence of a candidate of the PDP from Enugu West Senatorial District, in the person Barr. Sullivan Chime, as his successor in 2007.

It was based on this rotational arrangement that the offices of the Deputy Governor and Speaker of the State House of Assembly were zoned to the other two senatorial districts, Enugu East and Enugu North, respectively.

Shortly after the successful reelection of Chime in 2011 as Enugu State Governor, the debate on the sustainability of the zoning arrangement as played out in the two consecutive transitions in 2007 and 2011, occupied the major part of the PDP-led government of the former governor.

The agitation that it was the turn of Enugu North Senatorial District to produce Chime’s successor, as the last senatorial district to benefit from the triangular rotational arrangement, in the spirit of equity and justice, was spontaneous and justifiable.

It was a trajectory that was unanimous and endearing to the dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of Enugu State, who painstakingly struggled for the emancipation of the Wawa people of Igboland, for them to enjoy peace, freedom, love, unity, development and political stability, laced with justice and equity.

The recent revelation at the Enugu West Ife-Emelumma rally that the PDP reaffirmed a rotational zoning formula in 2013 which favoured Enugu North Senatorial Zone to produce Chime’s successor in 2015, with a caveat that, after eight years, it will move to Enugu East Senatorial Zone, and thereafter Enugu West, connotes peace, equity and justice.

The governor’s message As we celebrate Enugu State at 30; as Ugwuanyi continues to dedicate his time and energy to the sustenance of peace and entrenchment of good governance in spite of the nation’s economic, security and public health challenges; as the debate on 2023 keeps occupying the minds of discerning members of the public, one important message by the governor remains that “in the fullness of time, dialogue, justice and equity shall take pre-eminence”.

He (Ugwuanyi) is grateful that “beyond our election, God has been with us all the way. His blessings have afforded us peace and unity. His speed has taken us through far-reaching developmental milestones. His love has sheltered us from the menace of COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic challenges. His mercy has navigated us through the #EndSARS protests and recent spikes of insecurity”, adding that “in every adversity, He (God) has made us stronger, more peaceful, more united and more determined to succeed as a people”. Enugu State is truly in the hands of God. Amoke writes from Enugu.

SATURDAY AUGUST 28, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK Why Isn’t My Car Key Remote Working?

L-R: Head, Dealer Development and Special Projects, Henry Ade Ojuoko; Marketing Manager, Andrew Ajuyah; General Manager, Corporate Services, Mr. Bunmi Onafowokan; Public Relations Manager, Mrs. Bukunola Ogunnusi; and Head of Service, Sylvester Enwere, all of TNL, at the launch of the new Starlet in Lagos… recently

TNL Launches new Starlet Mini Sub-compact SUV

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oyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) has unveiled the new Toyota Starlet mini subcompact SUV to the delight of its dealers, customers, and the general public.

The launch event was held at TNL’s corporate headquarters in Lekki, Lagos during the week, with funfare and attendees were briefed on the fine points of the product, test-drive it and make enquiries about the new vehicle.

The Managing Director of TNL, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo said the introduction of the new Toyota Starlet was a response to the yearnings of their numerous customers.

Kunle Ade-Ojo, who was represented by TNL General Manager, Corporate Services, Mr. Bunmi Onafowokan, stated that the new elegant Starlet was built with quality and style in mind.

Kunle Edo-Ojo said, “The STARLET is our response to the yearnings of our customers that

have over the years demanded an entry vehicle.

It is an elegant vehicle imbued with the Quality, Durability, Reliability and Style that the Toyota brand stands for. The vehicle in its own right is a mini subcompact SUV and it comes with 150,000 kilometres or 5 years warranty; whichever comes first. There are three variants of the 1.4 litre engine to cater to the preferences and pockets of the target segment. The available variants are Entry grade, Mid grade and High grade.”

According to him, “Quality after-sales service is an essential component of our business value chain. We have consciously continued to improve on our after-sales service delivery and bringing such services closer to our teeming customers. In a few months’ time, we would commission our world-class Certified Service Centre (CSC) at Isolo, Lagos. This facility has a body and paint section, a workshop and a parts section among other services available. With all sense of responsibility, I wish to note that this Centre is second-to-none in Nigeria when

compared to others, on the pedestal of equipment, highly trained manpower and exceptional service delivery. It is expedient to add at this juncture that this unique Centre is a fertile training ground for our dealers’ Technicians to gain hands-on experience.

Toyota (Nigeria) Limited will not only continue to invest in the Nigerian Automobile Industry but also align with the aspirations of the Nigerian government to revolutionize the local Industry.

“Year 2021 marks our 25th year of being in the automobile business in Nigeria. It is going to be marked quietly while thanking God for bringing us thus far as our investments and our dealers spread across Nigeria. Let me again quickly seize the opportunity to tender our unreserved appreciation to our loyal customers who have kept us in business. Our promise to you is to continue to surmount the horizons of technology in order to deliver unrivaled services to you as we both journey on the uncharted routes ahead. The best is yet to come.”

Hyundai Motor Wins 16 Red Dot 2021 Awards

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yundai Motor Company has said it won 16 design awards, including two ‘Best of Best’ and 14 ‘Winner’ honors, at the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 2021, hosted by Germany’s Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen.

Red Dot recognised Hyundai Motor’s new technology campaign ‘Little Big e-Motion’ as Best of Best in the Film & Animation category. The campaign video shows how a minicar equipped with Emotion Adaptive Vehicle Control (EAVC) technology helps young patients go from hospital bed to treatment room. The video also received a silver award from 2021 New York Festival Advertising Award.

Red Dot also recognised ‘Hyundai EV Infotainment System - Jong-e’ theme design applied to IONIQ 5 as Best of Best in Interface & User Experience, the company’s first win in this category. The system’s Jong-e Graphic User Interface (GUI) offers various interior ambience settings, such as soft, delicate and exuberant color gradients with parametric pixel design elements like those used for IONIQ 5’s exterior lights. The system encapsulates the EV’s eco-friendly concept and Hyundai Motor’s brand identity. (*The word ‘Jong-e’ means ‘paper’ in Korean).

In addition, Hyundai Motor reaffirmed its competitive edge in brand and communication design by earning 14 Winners across seven categories, including Film & Animation, Interface & User Experience, Spatial Communication, Apps, Advertising, Online, and Digital Solutions.

Winners in the Film & Animation category included Hyundai Motor’s ‘This is Us’ campaign video that shows the hopes and solidarity to overcome COVID-19, and the ‘I’m in charge’ cinematic film,

2021 Red Dot, Hyundai Motorstudio

which calls for everyone’s responsibility to move the world in a sustainable way.

Winners in the Interface & User Experience category included ‘Hyundai Infotainment System-Aqua Theme Design’ and Hyundai Motor’s smart TV platform ‘Channel Hyundai’. Winners in the Apps category included ‘Channel Hyundai’ and Hyundai’s connectivity application ‘Bluelink’.

The Red Dot Award is the second global design award to honor ‘Hyundai Infotainment System-Aqua Theme Design,’ ‘Channel Hyundai’ and ‘Bluelink,’

following iF Design Award 2021 earlier this year. It is also notable that ‘Channel Hyundai’ won in four different Red Dot categories, including Interface & User Experience Design, Apps, Online, and Digital Solution.

Winners in the Spatial Design category included ‘Hyundai Motorstudio Busan,’ ‘Hyundai Motor Group Training Center,’ ‘Hyundai EV Station Gangdong’ and ‘Hyundai Cheonan Global Learning Center,’ which were recognized for providing new customer experiences through spatial design.

Car key remote fobs are a nice convenience to have, but they all stop working eventually. Even if it’s just a dead battery, you can pretty much guarantee that your car doors will fail to unlock with the remote at one time or another.

While there are a few different reasons that a keyless entry remote might stop working, most of them are pretty easy to check yourself. The most common problem with these car key fobs is that the batteries just go dead over time, in which case replacing the battery should fix the problem.

Other key fob remote problems are more complicated, but it’s still possible to fix them. Here are the five things you’ll want to check first when your remote stops locking or unlocking your car doors: 1. Verify that the remote is actually bad by using a backup remote.

2. Check and replace the key fob battery as needed.

3. Take the key fob apart and check for broken contacts or misaligned buttons.

4. Reprogram your remote yourself or have a professional do it.

5. Replace your remote if necessary.

Is Your Car Key Remote Actually Bad? This is extremely basic stuff, and it won’t apply to a lot of people, but the first step in figuring out what is wrong with a car key remote is to verify that the problem is actually the remote. So if you have a second remote, and you haven’t already done so, you’ll want to check whether or not it works.

If the backup remote is able to lock and unlock your doors, then you’ll know for sure that there’s actually some kind of problem with your main remote.

If your backup remote doesn’t work either, it’s always possible that it is also bad. However, there could also be a mechanical or electrical problem with the door locks.

At this point, you’ll want to check and make sure that your physical key, or emergency valet key, is able to work the locks.

If you don’t have a spare remote, you may be able to buy a used one or get one from your local dealership. Your local dealership may also have a universal remote they can use to check if your remote lock mechanism works.

What About Cars With No Physical Keys?

Some cars have push-button ignitions that only operate when the key fob is close by. These vehicles still usually have a physical key for locking and unlocking the doors, but it may be hidden. The key fob will often have a hidden key inside, so if you don’t have a physical key for your vehicle, then check the fob for a release button or switch.

The other issue you may run into is that some car doors don’t have any visible place to insert a key. Most of these vehicles still have a keyhole, but it may be hidden behind a trim piece near the door handle. In that case, you will want to look for a trim piece with a small slot in it, which you will have to pry away to access the keyhole.

Warning: Prying away a trim piece like this does carry some danger of damaging the paint on the car door or door handle, and you can also dent or bend the trim piece.

So if you aren’t comfortable, and there isn’t an emergency that requires you to get inside your car immediately, you may want to consult a professional.

If you are able to lock and unlock the doors with the physical key, then the locks are probably fine mechanically.

However, there could still be an electrical problem. You can rule part of this out by locking and unlocking all of the doors via the physical primary control inside the vehicle, which would indicate that the electronics are fine.

There is always a possibility that the receiver could be bad, or even disconnected, but it’s more likely that there’s just an issue with your keyless entry remote.

You can check behind and under the dashboard for loose wires, but don’t connect or plug anything in if you aren’t able to verify that it’s actually the wireless door lock receiver.

Check Your Keyless Entry Remote Battery Most car key remotes use category 4 button cell batteries that aren’t expensive. However, it’s still a good idea to verify the actual battery your remote uses and check to see whether or not it’s good.

There are a few ways to determine the type of battery you need. It may say in your manual, or you can contact a local dealer. You can also just open up the remote and look at the battery, which will typically have a number printed or stamped into its surface.

Car key remotes typically use CR2025 or CR2032 batteries, although CR1620, CR1632, and others are also used in some applications. Once you know what type of battery is in your remote, you can either check the voltage with a multimeter or just swap out a known good battery since they aren’t that expensive. Most of these batteries should show about 3 to 3.6 volts.

(Source: Lifewire)

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

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AUTO WORLD

Group Head Corporate Services, PAN, Abdulqadir Yinusa; Board Chairman, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Senator Osita Izunaso; Ag Managing Director, PAN Nigeria Limited, Ms. Taiwo Oluleye, Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Jelani Aliyu, Chairman, Nigeria Automotive Manufacturer Association, Prince Aromolaran Tokumbo, during the visit of the group to PAN assembly plant in Kaduna… recently.

The new ALBON President and Managing Director, Izuchukwu Transport, Nonso Ubajaka; and the association’s Secretary and Managing Director, ABC Transport, Frank Nneji, at the meeting in Enugu… recently

ALBON Elects Ubajaka President, Promises to Work with Govt

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he newly elected President of the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), Mr. Nonso Ubajaka, the Managing Director of Izuchukwu Transport Ltd, has assured that his executive council would give priority to collaborating closely with the government to protect the interests of the association and its members.

Ubajaka stated this shortly after he was elected president of the association at its recent its biennial general meeting in Enugu, where members elected a new national executive committee to drive the transport proprietors’ body through the next two years.

Ubajaka, who was the association’s Vice President,

succeeds the former President, Prince Emeka Mamah, Chief Executive Officer of Ifesinachi Industries Nigeria Ltd, now a Commissioner in Enugu State; while the Managing Director, ABC Transport Plc., Frank Nneji, retains his position as the Secretary.

The new president emphasised the need for ALBON leadership to always interface with various tiers of government (local, state and federal) and their agencies in order to ensure that the transporters are encouraged to play their vital roles in the nation’s economy.

The new President identified some of the challenges that deserve immediate attention as daunting insecurity and unprecedented period of low passenger patronage resulting from harsh economic realities and COVID-19 pandemic. He urged the transporters not to despair,

but brace up to tackle the hurdles frontally.

Also elected into the new executive committee are the Executive Director of Ezenwata Transport, Samuel Eze (1st Vice President); Executive Director, Ifeanyichukwu Motors, Obiora Egwim (2nd Vice President; Executive Director, E. Ekesons Transport, Chijioke Ojukwu (Treasurer); and Executive Director, Gobison Transport, Peter Obi (Financial Secretary).

Ubajaka lauded his predecessor, Prince Mamah, with whom he had worked very closely, for piloting the affairs of the association commendably in the last four years.

He assured, “ALBON which our founding fathers with their tremendous efforts toiled days and nights to build and bestow on us, will not be extinguished.”

He said, “The greatest challenges facing us today are

the glaring issues of daunting insecurity, great period of economic depression resulting in the unprecedented period of low passenger patronages and COVID-19 pandemic.

But, we shall not despair. We shall face these challenges frontally to remain afloat and viable as a group.

“Accordingly, in the next couple of weeks, I will call upon you for us to have a comprehensive review of the current bus fares of the association as it affects our individual and collective financial records.

“Tangential or central to price review is the work of the Taskforce Committee which, as you know, is key to any price implementation. Therefore, the Taskforce Committee will be re-organised to ensure that approved bus fares on all routes nationwide are well enforced and implemented.”

K8 Design Fuses Innovation, Elegance, Creates Futuristic Sports Sedan

K

ia Corporation has announced the arrival of the K8 to the Middle East region, the first model to arrive following the rebirth of the Kia brand and one that exemplifies the automaker’s new purpose and ambitions for the future.

The K8 represents a new model name for Kia and is the first to show the brand’s new design identity as well as the contemporary new Kia logo. The official launch of the K8 in the Middle East region will take place on September 15, 2021. Aside from Korea, the car will be mainly sold in the GCC with KSA being the focus market.

With a focus on modern, premium quality and dynamic performance, the K8 moves forward in the sports sedan space and will build on the success of the K7(known as Cadenza in some markets), continuing Kia’s rise towards excellence

in the segment later this year.

A modern and innovative sedan, the K8 combines sportiness and performance with a progressive and sleek exterior design.

“Being Kia’s flagship sedan in the MEA region and a representation of our new brand direction, the K8’s launch is a hugely significant moment,” commented Yaser Shabsogh, Chief Operating Officer at Kia Middle East and Africa. “This is the first model to showcase Kia’s latest design identity and new logo, but this is only scratching the surface of what this model is capable of. Every inch of the K8 has been designed to excite, from the striking design to the sophisticated technology and sublime performance.”

Exterior design: embodying an exciting new future Taking on an all-new name and the first model to be launched following Kia’s recent rebrand, the K8 has been designed with the future in mind.

Kia K8

How To Guard Against Flat Tyre How would you feel if you planned to leave very early in the morning for work or embark on a trip but on entering your car, you discover you have a Áat tyre? How would again feel if besides the Áat tyre , you also discover that your spare tyre is down too while your jack is faulty and because it is still early in the morning, there is no vulcanizer to help Àx the problem. You can imagine your frustration!

Now, let us suppose that you have the above situation when you have already driven out and in an isolated/ dangerous spot and perhaps in the night or while it is raining? What if it happens to a medical personnel on an emergency or a couple on the way to their wedding? What if it is a school bus conveying children to/ from school and the driver leaves the children there in search of a vulcanizer? What if it happened to an ambulance conveying a sick person or road crash victim whose life depends on how fast treatment is administered or to even a security patrol vehicle on an emergency assignment?

What if it happens to a lady and she is all alone? Situate this ugly experience happening in a deserted area where your safety and or the safety of your loved ones are not guaranteed?

What if this happened to a learner driver or to a drunk driver?

The above scenario is no mere supposition or Àction. It happens every day and it could

SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

happen to you even if your tyres are just out from the factory and Àlled with the best tyre sealant in the world! I must confess that I have had my own personal experience along the Lekki express in Lagos State .It is saner for me to skip sharing the pain and anguish this caused me which made me miss a very vital appointment. The cause could be either a tiny puncture or a leaking valve stem. So how can you save your time, life and valuables in the event of such happening to you? There is only one way: ensure you always carry a compact tyre inÁator that you can power from the cigarette lighter of your vehicle to pump the Áat tyre.

How can the inÁator save your time? T o answer this question, let us consider the steps you need to take to change to a spare tyre; see how much time this will take and then

compare these with the steps you need to take to utilize the tyre inÁator and see how much time involved. Let’s number the various steps needed to change to a spare tyre so we can get a clearer picture of what is involved. The Àrst step is that ( 1) you will need to bring out your jack ( hoping it works) and secondly the nut driver ( spanner) or ratchet. The third is that you will need to bring out your spare tyre. This may not be easy depending on where and how it is stored in your vehicle and you could also be unfortunate to discover that the spare tyre is equally Áat since most people hardly check to see the condition of the spare before driving.

The third step is that if you do not have wheel blocks in your vehicle, you will need to look around for something you can use to block the two tyres (front and back) farthest from the Áat tyre so as to prevent the vehicle from rolling as you jack it up. The Àfth step is that you need to remove the hub cap Àrst before you can have access to the wheel nuts. The wheel nuts on the Áat tyre have to be unscrewed, half way Àrst and then fully when the vehicle is jacked up.

Your wheel will normally have about Àve nuts and removing each is taken a step so this means further Àve steps (6, 7, 8, 9, and 10). Note that some nuts can prove very stubborn to remove.

The eleventh step is that you will need to locate the proper spot under the vehicle to place the

jack and this might not be easy to locate.

The twelfth step involves the actual jacking up of the vehicle and you might discover that when fully operated, the jack has not given the vehicle enough ground clearance to remove the Áat tyre. So you jack it down which is thirteenth and look for objects to place under the jack to support the height which is step fourteen while step Àfteen involves jacking it up again.

When enough clearance has been got, you now fully unscrew the Àve nuts which will be another Àve steps (16, 17, 18, 19, and 20).

After removing the nuts, you remove the Áat tyre which is step twentyone and then go for the spare which is step twenty-two.

You need to properly guide the spare tyre through the studs to click it in position which is step twenty-three. Having done that, you screw the Àve nuts back halfway Àrst (another Àve steps 24, 25, 26, 27, 28), and then jack down the vehicle which is step twenty-nine.

With the vehicle fully jacked down, you now screw the Àve nuts tight (another Àve more steps 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,). It is now times to (35) remove the jack, (36) pack it, (37) store away the Áat tyre and (38) remove the blocks placed on the two tyres to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Process completed. You are now free to drive oͿ.

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

BY

EBERE WABARA

‘Heyday’ Uncountable

Y

OU are welcome to the last edition this month.

Nigerian TRIBUNE of August 2 circulated four major blunders: “President Jonathan had always seized (taken) every opportuned (opportune) moment….”

‘Seizure’ in this context is a piece of Americanism! ‘Take’ is pleasant and melodious to the ear. “…had while being screened by the Senate as a ministerial nominee passed a vote of no confidence on (in) the nation’s two major anti-corruption agencies….”

Lastly from Oke-Ado, Ibadan: “It is such a wonderful innovation that it is surprising that it never occured to anybody until now.” Spell-check: occurred.

“StanbicIBTC’s gross earnings hits N32bn in June” For lexical profitability: earnings hit.

“TASUED alumni tasks registrar on cult group” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, August 1) Is it that most journalists do not read these days that juvenile errors keep recurring? Alumni association (single entity) tasks, but alumni (plural) task.

“New SANs to be sworn-in (sworn in) September 20” THE GUARDIAN of July 31 issued this minimal error: “Talks over ASUU demands collapses (why?) again” “Independence of the press: From whom and for what?” (SUNDAY PUNCH, August 22) Get it right: From whom and what for (not for what?)

“Lagos govt condoles victims of market fire” Either condoles with or just consoles.

“If you are one, who ordinarily shy (shies) away from challenges, then don’t bother meeting her.” (SUNDAY PUNCH

Essence, July 25) The subject-predicate dislocation here is preposterous.

“Many women ruin their homes by keeping tabs on their hubby” (SATURDAY PUNCH, July 24) Emotional plurality: hubbies.

“This, I believe, has been and should be the burning issues (‘issue’ it should be, commonsensically) in the state.”

(Nigerian Tribune, July 30) “Access bank (sic) asks court to windup oil firm” (Source: as above) Right: wind up.

“Curbing the increasing menace of destitutes on the streets” (SATURDAY TRIBUNE, July 24). Simple: the destitute (not destitutes) “NCC arrests 13 in Benue over piracy” (Saturday Independent, July 24) I will arrest my Ogba colleagues shortly for lexical insensitivity.

“Workers resume strike again” (THISDAY, July 29) Let us jettison ‘again’ from that extract to foreclose any industrial action. ‘Resumption’ cannot co-function with ‘again’.

“Islamic banking will break-up Nigeria” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, July 29) Yet on this vexatious matter: phrasal verbs abhor hyphenation! So, break up the phrase.

“The 2021 World Investment Report has indicated that Nigeria is presently enjoying FDI inflow….” (Nigerian Tribune Business, July 29) I do not understand this obsession with the inclusion of ‘currently’ and ‘presently’ in sentences that have structural currency encapsulated in ‘is’—and ‘enjoying’—in this instance.

Therefore, Nigeria is enjoying….

Nigerian TRIBUNE of July 28 inflicted damage on the English language thus: “The deployment of soldiers to serve in the Joint Task Force constituted

Nyaknno Osso: A Colossal Bibliophilist Knocks 50 at 67 A room without books is like a body without a soul - Cicero The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library - Albert Einstein hen we remember the torchbearers of the great Nigerian journalism of the 1980s, they don’t come bigger than the original promoters of Newswatch newsmagazine: the cerebral flourish of Dele Giwa, the literary eloquence of Ray Ekpu, the nous of the master prose stylist, Dan Agbese, and the scalding taciturnity of Yakubu Mohammed. Their individual influences began long before Newswatch, in the crevices of Daily Times, Sunday Times, Sunday Concord, Nigerian Chronicle of the 70’s and 80’s... seeping even into some part of the 90’s. Their positions in the pantheon of the Nigerian media and society are distinguished and highly regarded.

But to those who understand the business of the Media - great stories, magazine reports and features are particularly outstanding only because of the quality and breadth of their ‘backgrounding’. The painstaking research, efficient and robust archival and retrieval system and rich, easily accessible library management. The depth and power of your editorials, informed commentary and award winning stories are often a product of a profoundly comprehensive and robust library. Yet such an easy proposition is a formidably expensive and tortuous project, with capacity to consume any number of personnel without requisite passion, funding, tenacity and flair for the demands of the effective and constantly evolving library enterprise.

Now, there is hardly anyone better, more driven, intellectually astute and more punctilious than the man in charge of Newswatch research and library services from inception, Nyaknnoabasi Osso. The man noted as the driving force behind the path-finding and award-winning biographical encyclopedia, Newswatch Who’s Who in Nigeria (published in 1990) has carved a virtually unassailable niche for himself in octopal library services, a reputation that, I suspect, has scarcely been rivalled.

Osso began his journalism in 1975 with the Nigerian Chronicle, right after leaving the Library School of the University of Ibadan. He left Chronicle newspaper in 1984 to be a part of the pioneering management staff of the new newsmagazine, Newswatch. By the time he left arguably Nigeria’s most influential magazine in 1991, he was the Chief of Research. He resigned to act as Consultant Librarian to the same organisation.

Eight years later, he was appointed by then president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the Special Assistant on Library, Research and Documentation - all through the Obasanjo years - between 1999 and 2007. The pride of Akwa-Ibom was the mainstay of the workforce feed-

W

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

to restore order in the beleaguered state….” The JTF and Boko Haram: restore order to (not in).

“Why we deploy soldiers to Port Harcourt—Wike” (National News, July 28) The governor deploys soldiers in (not to) Port Harcourt.

Still on National News under clinical inquisition : “…gathered to pay their last respect (respects) to legal icon….”

Yet another headline from National Mirror: “Minister calls for unity in the education sector” Education Today: educational sector.

“The three gentlemen were obviously having a great time walking almost hand in hand, trading banters over the unfolding drama among humans back on earth.” ‘Banter’ is uncountable.

“It looks like the IMF is demanding for conditions likely to slow down the pace and the exercise.” Yank away ‘for’. When used as a verb, ‘demand’ does not take ‘for’, except in the noun form.

For the umpteenth time: “Lagos commissioners sworn-in (sworn in)” “Every decision of government is subjected to the magnifying lenses of interest groups that invariably include ethnic and geopolitical gladiators and champions of all manners (manner) of group interests.”

“The efforts of the police command in identifying the dangerous areas and in alerting the residents is (are) acknowledged.”

“The damages and loss of lives to NATO and Yugoslavia were unnecessary.”

‘Damage’ in this context is uncountable.

“An agenda similar to that of Murtala/ Obasanjo regime was hurriedly packaged to cleanse the civil service in order to enhance performance and inculcate

ing the Obasanjo rollercoaster the profundity and intellection to bestride Nigeria and the African continent with erudition in public speeches, and heartwarming spontaneity in continental and global interventions.

Little wonder then that even after his two-term tenure as president, Obasanjo would not let Osso be. Instigated by the brilliant presentation of a proposal that Osso had nursed for many years hitherto, Obasanjo immediately appointed him (in 2007) as the pioneer Executive Secretary/ Project Coordinator of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation - perhaps the first in Africa.

Mission accomplished, Osso withdrew from this position in March, 2013 to focus on his own business (after serving others meritoriously for almost 30 years - about half of that within pristine presidential ambience).

Now based in Abuja, the foremost bibliophilist sits as the chief executive officer of Biographical Legacy & Research Foundation, BLERF - ensconced in a 13-room research edifice in Gwarinpa area of the FCT, aside a container (twenty feet by eight feet) brimming with research materials gathered through the past five decades.

Few years ago, in 2018, the restless documentarian launched a legacy project (yet ongoing) dubbed BLERF’s Who’s Who in Nigeria - in a digital format (1861-2021 - www.blerf.org). And like the majestic being, he keeps giving. This year, we have been regaled with more offerings from Osso with the unveiling of BLERF’s Most Amazing 5,000 Women In Nigeria (1861-2021 - womennigeria.org). It essentially celebrates “determined, fearless, decisive, outstanding women of Nigeria”.

Contrary to general assumption, library administration is a pretty expensive vocation. In this decade, as a stand-alone project, Osso’s BLERF would have gulped more than 200m, with only N2.5m incoming as support from an organisation. He also had to sell his family house at Wuse 2, Abuja to raise badly needed funds to sustain these projects.

Without viable support from organisations and wealthy individuals, the national legacy projects detailing 160 years of Nigerian remarkable humanity and accomplishments would stutter, and stagnate. The two projects have several thousands of names and records profiled online, and hosted independently on an open-source framework. The lifewire of such a massive biographical exploration is research, and more research involving long trips across thousands of lands, seas and cultures.

So, what is Osso’s back story? Almost every admirable successful story has some threadbare origin capable of deepening our admiration, and somehow justifying the inspirational toga we hold aloft. Young Nyaknnoabasi Osso joined the Library Service of the University of Ibadan in 1971 as a Library Assistant, under the guidance of Dr. Felicia Adetoun Ogunsheye. She has the distinguished honour of being the first female professor in Nigeria, by becoming a professor of Library and Information

discipline into (in) our national life.”

“Nigeria and the international community has (have) just celebrated this year’s World Literacy Day.” “Secondly, it’s (its) legal duty to advise on the....”

“They have not yet established the full processes of their interaction in the chamber too, and the formality of procedures are now still (is still) being developed.”

“The German African Project which was conceived as a cultural milieu between the two countries….” A review: between the countries, preferably even as the excerpt is now acceptable, according to the dynamics of the language.

“I wish the politicians, especially the elected ones, should feel the pause (pulse) of the people….”

“Part of this quality sense concerns the debate on how best to eat a dish, with cutleries or with the ten fingers.” Would it have been nine fingers? ‘Cutlery’ is uncountable.

“There has (have) been electoral programmes before, so what is different with this one.”

“Senators yesterday in Abuja assured that the PIB bill would be ready for promulgation next week.” Who did they assure?

“I am a product of a system which allowed a poor farmer-cum-fisherman’s son to go through the very best schools…..” ‘Best’ has reached the end-point of intensification and cannot be inflected (by adding ‘very’). It is an absolutely superlative word.

“During the heydays of Christian missionary activity in the southern parts of Nigeria, communities were actively involved in building schools.” Thoughts on education: ‘heyday’ is uncountable.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

Science in 1973, and has remained Osso’s mentor all of these 50 years. He speaks fondly of her: “She has guided me like a godmother, adopted son, dedicated student and professional career adviser for 50 years.” A remarkably accomplished Nigerian, Prof. Ogunsheye was the first female student and graduate of Yaba College of Technology (1946), pioneer student of University of Ibadan (1948), the first woman dean of faculty in Nigeria in 1977, had been part of the UI’s Kenneth Dike Library from 1958, she would be 95 years old on December 5, 2021.

Osso recalled his encounter with ‘a forest of books in Ibadan’, 50 years ago, in a recent chat with the Independent newspapers: “In January 1971, I was staying with my uncle, Prof Eno Jumbo Udo, who was then a lecturer in soil science/agronomy at the University of Ibadan. It was my uncle’s wish that I should study medicine, because as he had noted, I was the most brilliant person in our family, having had one of the best results in then Eastern Nigeria.”

But fate would interject. While waiting for admission into the university, he showed interest in a vacancy advert on campus canvassing for library assistants. He was lucky. He recalled his first week in the Kenneth Dike Library: “That was my first time in a library as big as UI’s. When I got to the circulation department - it was the only place I could access then because I was not a student - what I saw was amazing…awesome. I saw more than one million books and magazines well laid out on shelves and the ambience was serene. The ground floor was filled with journals and magazines. I was enraptured. Within the first 24 hours of starting work, I had traversed from the circulation department on the ground floor to the seventh floor and the two levels underground. I was simply overwhelmed with the quantum of books, journals, periodicals…archival materials. That night, I could not sleep. I was just turning and twisting and seeing that library and books and journals.”

That was the beginning of a titanic battle to convince his uncle that Library Science was more important to him than Medical Science. He nonetheless got admitted to study his newly found love, in 1972. His story: “My uncle refused to have anything to do with that course of study. He said he would not spend one kobo on my pursuit of it, because I ‘misdirected’ myself. I paid my fees with the money I earned... So, I had to get financial help from different sources to struggle to pay my fees, at least in my first year…”.

37

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: National President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mrs. Comfort Eyitayo; Chairman, ICAN, Ikorodu District, Olusola Akinloye; Pioneer District Chairman, ICAN Ikorodu, Rev. Samson Disu,and wife of the new chairman, ICAN Ikorodu, Mrs. Florence Akinloye, at the investiture of Akinloye as the 8th District Chairman of ICAN Ikorodu in Lagos.... recently

R- L: Executive Director, CSR-in-Action, Meka Olowola; Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo ;Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, Bekeme Masade and Chairman, Mining & Solid Minerals Group Lagos, Otunba Babatunde Alatise at the launch of the 2020 Corporate Sustainable Investor Report released by CSRin-Action in Abuja....recently

FoodCo Restates Commitment to Retail Growth

Consumer goods firm, FoodCo Nigeria Limited has restated its commitment to the growth of the Nigerian retail sector, just as it graduated the first set of its fellowship programme.

The fellowship programme was introduced in 2019 to improve the capacity of post-graduate students looking at building a career along the retail sector. Benefitting students were exposed to fundamentals of management and best practices and placed in real-life problem-solving situations to enhance their ability to think and evolve ideas for business decision-making.

Human Relations Business Partner of FoodCo Nigeria, Adetoro Adewuyi explained that the fellowship was initiated to address dearth of skilled professionals at management levels to consequently drive growth of Nigerian

retail sector.

She said, “The Nigerian consumer retail segment where FoodCo operates is one of the largest in Africa. However, most of this market is in the informal space which leaves a lot of room for wastage especially in the areas of human capacity development and resource optimisation. This is the challenge the fellowship seeks to address by nurturing a new generation of retail business leaders with the right career orientation, multi-functional skills and top-notch leadership training, necessary to help Nigerian retail achieve its potential.”

She added that with the outcome of the programme, the retail sector holds a promising future in terms of attracting a talented pool of managers and leadership who understand the key operations and can drive key innovations in the sector. One of the fellows, Oluwatomilade

Soremekun, described the training as an eyeopener to the rich prospects of the Nigerian retail industry He said: “The fellowship has changed my perception towards the industry, especially with respect to the many untapped opportunities for a rewarding career in management and leadership roles. I am grateful to FoodCo for the opportunity and also urge MBAs and other post-graduate students who are considering a career in retail to apply for the fellowship, given the immersive training style that puts students in the frontline of everyday business decision-making.

The fellowship programme is designed as a 24 months rotational programme of which successful candidates selected from an initial 3-months internship phase are offered placement into the two-year programme.

Dotts Media House Executes 3D Zebra Crossing in Lagos Leading Marketing Agency, Dotts Media House has executed a 3D Zebra Crossing project in Yaba, Lagos to commemorate 2021 Youth Day of Service, YDOS. Speaking during the execution of the project in Lagos recently, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DottsMediaHouse, Tiwalola Olanubi, stated that the project was in fulfilment of the organisation’s social commitments.

Olanubi also expressed appreciation to Leap Africa, the initiator of YDOS for providing a platform through which the project was implemented.

According to her, the project tagged “Project Safe Crossing”, affirmed that being responsible

and providing solutions to problems without waiting for government, is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. On the choice of Yaba for the project, Olanubi said, “the agency has maintained a second office at the Sabo/Yaba area for the past six years and our team has noticed some form of disorderliness in relation to vehicular movements, making pedestrian crossing unsafe, especially for students of AJE comprehensive high school.

This is why we have taken it upon ourselves to provide this solution.

“Sabo-Yaba roundabouts amongst other places in Lagos state need a safety enabler such as a Zebra Crossing to ensure the protection of

pedestrians while crossing.”

Continuing, he said, “This 3D Zebra Crossing project will not only make motorists drive responsibly but will reduce the rate of accidents in the area majorly because it’s not the usual Zebra Crossing, but a 3D format that forces the driver approaching to slow down for pedestrians.”

While appreciating the team for a job well done, he pledged the organisation’s readiness to support growth and development of Lagos, Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Alongside the 3D Zebra Crossing, the agency also provided signages which are meant to compel motorists to drive slowly while pedestrians cross the road.

Indomie Announces Winners SystemSpecs Urges Partnership of ‘ Eat and Win’ Promo to Grow ICTSector DuÀl Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Noodles has announced winners of its just concluded Indomitables Eat and Win’ Promo.

The brand presented not less than 2500 winners nationwide where 137 of them were awarded N13.7 million cash prize.

Also, more than 2000 winners won prizes ranging from school bags , lunch boxes as well as caps and T-shirts worth N37 million.

According to the organisation, the ‘Indomitables Eat and Win’ Promo is a consumer engagement initiative meant to reward loyal consumers across the nation.

Speaking on the promo in Lagos, Group Corporate Communications and Events

Manager, DuÀl Prima Foods Plc, Temitope Ashiwaju, reiterated that the exercise was a way of appreciating customers loyalty, especially during the Covid-19 period.

We are happy with the level of participation we got from consumers while the ‘Eat N Win’ promo lasted.

This is a clear pointer to the value consumers place on the brand. Despite eͿects of COVID-19 on the global economy, we have decided to go ahead with the promo in order to give back to the people.

“We feel that despite the pandemic, it is important to put a smile on the faces of our teeming consumers across the country. This is why the promo ran at this time.”

Information Communication Technology, ICT, company, has sought for workable partnerships to improve growth and engender sector sustainability.

Executive Director of the company Deremi Atanda, proffered this at a webinar organised by the Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG).

The webinar which was anchored on the theme: ‘Collaborations for a Resilient ICT sector’ highlighted the gains of ICT to the national economy, which were further amplified by COVID-19 crisis, the need to sustain the growth trends.

Already, the Nigeria’s ICT market is projected to create three million jobs in the economy according to UK’s Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport.

Atanda noted that driving

collaborations through strategic planning, deliberate actions and campaigns would help to sustain achievement in the sector and attract more investments.

He further suggested some actionable steps including the embedding of sustainability in the training curriculum at various levels, a handbook that captures the history of ICT in Nigeria and documentation of top 100 ICT projects created by Nigerians in Nigeria or diaspora.

Citing the situation where 50 to 60 per cent of federal government workers were asked to work from home at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted that the company was able to support government at both federal and state levels with computers and broadband connectivity to enhance remote working.

Hollandia Evap Milk Partners Mercy Johnson-Okojie Families have been enjoined to look forward to a return for the second season of Mercy’s Menu, an online reality cooking show hosted by versatile actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie in partnership with leading evaporated milk brand, Hollandia Evap Milk.

The show, which premiered on August 12, will feature exclusive content for audiences, including quick, easy, exciting meal recipes and helpful cooking tips in eight weekly episodes said the organisers. “The Mercy Menu show promises to be lots of fun to watch and will feature her intimate experience of cooking with some of your favourite celebrities as guests, including Maryam Apaokagi (popularly known as Taaooma), Funke Akindele Bello and Mary Remmy Njoku.

“It will be aired on Mercy JohnsonOkojie and Hollandia Evap Milk’s Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages every Thursday. Three viewers will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes every week through participation in a special social media trivia contest highlighted during the show.

“Mercy’s Menu is designed to enhance Hollandia Evap Milk’s bond with consumers by inspiring them with exciting meal recipes for their everyday lifestyle. It is also a platform to reiterate Hollandia Evap Milk’s nurturing and nourishing health benefits to every member of

the family.”

Hollandia Evap Milk is a creamy, tasty, nourishing, all-rounder evaporated milk and contains the right nutrients for a healthy breakfast. Hollandia Evap Milk is rich in B-vitamins, Calcium and Vitamin D. Brand Manager, Hollandia Evap Milk, Ademola Mafikuyomi, said that cooking connects people in many ways. The Mercy’s Menu show will offer families the choice of culinary tips, exciting meals, fun & nourishing moments “We are here to bring joy to families and friends with easy recipes and activities that will help them make the most of the season, and who better than Mercy Johnson-Okojie to share her take on classic recipes to remind us all of how much fun we can have together in the kitchen,” he said.

Award-winning actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, expressed delight at the opportunity and stated that “it is incredibly important to enjoy every single moment with the people you love by inspiring them to enjoy simple pleasures like cooking with the support and right nourishment from Hollandia Evap Milk.”

Hollandia Evap Milk is available in 60g, 120g and 190g pack sizes, and can be purchased at CHI Shoppes, departmental stores, neighborhood kiosks, markets, as well as supermarkets across Nigeria.

TFN Rewards Outstanding Fellows Teach for Nigeria, a non-profit organisation has rewarded outstanding brains at the graduation ceremony of its third cohorts that held virtually recently.

The new set of graduates, numbering 44, were deployed to underserved schools in Ogun State communities to extend quality education opportunity to 29 public primary schools in the state. The exercise was in line with the goal of the organisation to bridge inequity gap Nigeria, consequently social and economic development.

Former Federal Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, emphasized the role of quality tutors to economic growth and nation development.

She said,”The quality of teachers is important because with quality teachers in the classroom, students are able to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy. TFN has designed that solution and tested it by selecting the best graduates and absorbing them into the education sector, giving them the opportunity to be impactful in the classrooms.

She charged the new fellows who were inducted in 2017 to utilise the knowledge they have acquired gainfully as they proceed to the labour market and contribute meaningfully to societal growth.

“Leaving the fellowship does not mean leaving everything you have gained but entails scaling all the skills gained in leadership, collaboration, core values, and mindsets. It includes translating your learnings to shape the 21st century economy. You are a resource, so don’t undersell yourselves and remain purposeful. The world waits for you”.

In her remark, Chief Executive Officer of Teach for Nigeria, Folawe Omikunle said, “The efforts and successes of our graduating cohort has made it evident that indeed a movement of exceptional leaders can change the narrative in Nigeria. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, our fellows remained resilient, adapting solutions to improve learning outcomes in underserved communities”.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

38

COLUMN/FEATURE

THEFRONTLINES

A Case for CallyAir

JOSEPH USHIGIALE

A

fter rounds of speculation and delays, it was heartwarming to see the much-awaited CallyAir, an airline floated by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State take to the air in its maiden flight from Lagos landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport in Abuja on July 15.

The idea of CallyAir which Ayade said was conceived in 2017 took almost five years to crystalize.

It was bogged down by the paucity of funds, regulatory bureaucracy, and several other unforeseen factors that finally reared their heads along the way.

In the face of dwindling revenue, why float an airline was the question on the lips of concerned Cross Riverians? Most of them believed that the governor was biting much more than he could chew and that his inability to make headway with his signature projects like the super highway and Bakassi Deep seaport meant that the idea of floating an airline was dead on arrival.

Ayade surprised his army of pessimists and cynics when the aircraft made its grand maiden flight into Abuja from Lagos. On hand to receive it, an elated Ayade pointed out that “It was a dream we had in 2017 occasioned by the high influx of traffic into Calabar and the monopoly of some airlines dominating the Calabar route.”

Apart from filling an economic vacuum, the building of airports and floating of airlines in Nigeria today have become somewhat a show of state nationalism. Almost every state today, out of the sheer pursuit for survival is either building an airport, floating an airline, or both. Cross River is engaged in both and has succeeded in inaugurating its airline. The last huddle before Ayade now is to complete the Obudu international airport which he promised to deliver in December on schedule.

To be sure, Ayade is not the first governor to venture into the aviation sector. During the Donald Duke administration, where the state policy was to drive tourism and make Cross River state a destination, Duke, short of floating an airline, partnered with Aerocontractors to position an aircraft to the state with a dedicated route to Obudu Cattle Ranch thrice a week.

Liyel Imoke, who succeeded Duke, moved it a notch further by buying a turboprop aircraft from the Rivers state government and handing the same to aerocontrators to operate. In terms of continuity, Ayade built on the foundations of his predecessors to float CallyAir. Even with Ayade’s feat of bringing his idea to reality, critics have continued to assail and accuse him of running an exclusive and opaque government lacking in transpafrency and not being guided by corporate governance.

At issues are the way and manner the procurement process was handled; controveersy over the airline ownership structure, operational model, terms of agreement with Aero, status of the Airline Operator Certificate (AOC), source of funding, are they aircraft on lease or outright purchase, what is cost of aircraft?

Ayade In the entire process, either out of distrust for his subordinates or stakeholders, or for pecuniary gains, the governor reportedly handled every aspect that led to the crystalization of the airline without involving other stakeholders. This approach has undoubtedly pitched the stakeholders against the governor with avoidable allegations flying all over the place.

From my personal observation and study of the governor, his style is very exclusive and carries the toga of “I know it all”. He hardly consults, his style is not participatory and dictatorial. On an occassion, I remember making a suggestion about something to the governor only to get a brutal retort from him challenging me as to “why do you think I didn’t think about it before”?

Even with his nuances, I must admit that Ayade is a man in a hurry to leave a legacy after exiting office. Regrettably, his hunger for achivements has blindsided him into taking on too many projects far more bigger than his meager rersources could deliver. To accuse Ayade of lacking the initiative to act would be a great disservice to him. In truth, he has overreacted and exposed his lack of capacity to prioritise.

Let us take CallyAir as a case study. From inception to this moment, many believed the project was moribund and Ayade was blowing hot air since talk is his hobby. Cynics were not wrong in distrusting him too because Ayade started hyping the establishment of CallyAir long before Rochas Okorocha former governor of Imo and Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom did. Yet, Imo went ahead to partner and launch ImoAir with DanaAir while Udom successfully launched rave making IbomAir. While many gave up on him, Ayade believed in himself and dog-

jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

gedly forged ahead with his dream to bring it to fruition. A triumphant Ayade was to say at the maiden flight of the airline that “Let the people know today that anything your mind conceives can be achieved. Cally Air will also be flying Obudu and Obudu cattle ranch will have its huge traffic.”

It is to his credit that he has put all his critics and naysayers to shame by delivering a brand new airline that is being saluted by industry experts as one of the best in the country today. For instance,the CallyAir Boeing 737-300 comes with a special GPS system, the bestin-class and of its kind in use including possessing a state-of-the-art communication system. It is the most successful aircraft type in Boeing history and is renowned for having the highest safety record.

Addressing stakeholders in Abuja during the airline’s maiden flight, Ayade assured that “This is the beginning of Cross River state’s emancipation and complete decoupling from dependence on the federal government. My strong conviction is that Cally Air is the beginning of the privatization process of actually creating a private sector that never existed before. It is also the beginning of creating an alternative economy that never existed in Cross River state”.

With dwindling state resources, Ayade’s latest move should be interpreted as a strong message that sub-nationals could actually become fully independent. There is no doubt that the Airline if well managed could increase passenger traffic to Cross River state and the Obudu international airport billed for completion this December.

So far, the incursion of CallyAir in the Nigeria’s aviation industry would increase the industry standards for other aviators to follow and also ensure safety and punctuality in at a time flights into Calabar were epileptic and unreliable..

According to Ayade, “Even if I, as the governor, is late for boarding by one minute, the planes have to shut their doors and leave me on the ground. It is a commitment that I give that no one single Cross Riverian will have the right to keep this aircraft on the ground for one second. Leave as soon as its due. What I want is Cally on the dot”.

In terms of quality and safety of CallyAir which the governor described in the following words: “CallyAir has a unique appeal.

Its sheer size, aircraft brand, quality of flight, and timelines make the airline unique,” industry experts who spoke with this reporter opined that passengers patronising the airline have nothing to be afraid of assuring that the quality of aircraft procured by Ayade is far better than what currently obtains in the country today.

“You have nothing to worry about in terms of safety of the planes and all that. With my experience in aviation spanning over 35 years, the planes procured by your governor are the best in class. I stand to be quoted that these planes are the best in Nigeria today even more sound than the ones owned by Aerocontractors managing the planes.

Readers can read full article online www.thisdaylive.com

National Security in Focus as NBC Meets Broadcast Stations’ CEOs Samuel Ajayi reports on recent meeting the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, had with station CEOs on need to keep national security in mind when doing their jobs.

T

he National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, had a rough one with a section of Nigerians when it recently wrote to stations on the need to exercise caution when discussing issues that bothered on national security during their early morning newspaper review shows.

The memo, signed by the Director of Monitoring and Operations, Franca Aiyetan, had cautioned stations to ensure that, when discussing news headlines, care must be taken not to give undue exposure to bandits and in such a way that one section of the country was not set against the other.

Against the backdrop of this development, the Commission decided to organise a meeting with chief executive officers of broadcast stations in all the six geopolitical zones of the country. The Southwest edition was held at Providence Hotel, GRA, Ikeja and the Commission could not have chosen any other person to deliver the keynote address other than the Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet.

Speaking on what he described as the‘new Nigerian Air Force’, the one-star general listed those things that have positively changed in the Air Force since the appointment of Air Marshal Oladayo Amao as the new Chief of Air Staff.

The high point of his address was the fact that the three services-Army, Navy and Air Force-now collaborate which had made the job of fighting bandits and insurgents more easier.

“It might not be what you want to hear or what you will agree with, but things are improving security wise in the country in the last six months since the change of service chiefs by President

L-R: Secretary to the Commission, National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Dr. Igomu Onoja; Director of Public Relations, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet; and Director-General, NBC, Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, at the meeting with broadcast stations’ CEOs in Lagos.

Mohammadu Buhari”, Gabtwet said.

Now delving into relationship between the security agencies and the media, especially broadcast stations, the Air Force spokesman said the urge to be the first to break a particular news has made professionalism being sacrificed on the altar of expediency.

He lamented that at times, the job of security agencies is being made difficult going by the way certain operations are being reported by the media.

To him, at times, security agencies are being accused of killing innocent civilians when that case is direct

opposite. To him, the media, especially broadcast stations needed to do more to put some bloggers and online news platforms that usually report take news out of business.

“My door is open twenty-four hours and seven days of the week. My lines are always open and you can call me any time and I will pick your call. All you need is to take the extra step to get in touch”, the Air Commodore stated.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Commission, Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, while welcoming participants to the meeting said the Commission

was not out to intimidate nor suppress popular voice of gag anyone. He added that the aim of the meeting was for the Commission to listen to CEOs of broadcast organisations in the Southwest and forge a way forward for the benefit of their viewers and listeners and development of the nation.

“NBC is not meant to suppress or gag anyone.

We are partners with you and we are here to listen to you as a family. We are here to listen to you as a family. We are not here to give you instructions or tell you what to do. But your duty is to protect the country and also protect the country’s national security,”Ilelah said.

He added that the media, especially broadcast media, has become tools for politics, entertainment and sports. He, however, lamented the menace of fake news in the polity.

“The spread of fake news and hate speech is becoming rampant. Your duty is to make sure you don’t become tools in the hands of those who peddle lies,”the NBC boss advised.

Just as the Southwest edition of the meeting was being rounded off, the NBC team headed for Enugu, the Enugu State capital for the Southeast edition of the meeting with CEOs of stations. There, broadcast stations in all the five states of the Southeast would be expected at the meeting. Earlier, the Northwest edition had been held in Kano.

Organising this meeting was clearly a proactive move by the Commission going by the clear misrepresentation that trailed its recent letter to broadcast stations over how their newspaper review programmes were being handled vis-a-vis the need to keep at the back of their minds the need to bear in mind the security implications of some issues.

39

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER AUGUST 28, 2021

SPORTS XTRA

28 Years after Spectacular Goal against Khan, Okocha Still Enjoys Rave Moment in Germany VFL Bochum attacker Gerrit Holtmannhasexpresseddelight that his excellent strike against Mainz last weekend is drawing a comparison with Okocha’s wonder goal for Eintracht Frankfurt 28 years ago.

Holtmann evoked memories of that memorable Okocha goal against goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and the entire Karlsruher SC defence when he grabbed the

opening goal for Bremen on August 21.

The 26-year-old got tongues waggling inside the Vonovia Ruhrstadion when he went on a solo run, dribbling past a few defenders before shooting the ball through the legs of Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner in the 21st minute.

It was a goal similar in make-up to the one Okocha

wrought in 1993. The former Super Eagles skipper danced past three Karlsruher defenders and goalkeeper Kahn before slotting the ball into the net.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is in no doubt that it remains the greatest goal in Bundesliga history.

And German star Holtmann is proud to have created enough

magic to be compared with Nigeria’s greatest ever football magician.

“You admired it as a child,” HoltmanntoldBundesliga.com, recalling Okocha’s goal, scored two years before the Bremen star was born.

“He (Okocha) went through (the defenders) as if they were only flagpoles. I would be happy if my goal was compared

with it.”

Okocha would score many other fantastic goals for PSG, Fenerbahce, Bolton Wanderers,

and the Nigerian national team, among others, before calling time on a successful football career.

Okocha

Premier League Managers Back Non Release of Players

Action in the ongoing 2021 Afrobasket between Nigeria’s D’Tigers and Kenya

2021 Afrobasket: D’Tigers Record Second Win, Outdunk Kenya Nigeria secured its second Afrobasket victory with a 7155pts win against Kenya as they set their sight on an automatic quarter finals ticket.

D’Tigers came out with a 20-8 win in the first quarter while Kenya picked the second quarter18-14ptsbutthatwasnot enough to stop Nigeria finishing the first half 34-26.

UzodinmaUtomitookitfrom where he left off against Mali scoring 17pts to lead the side against a determined Kenya.

Jeremiah Mordi came off the bench to have a fantastic game

offensivelyanddefensivelywith a total of 10pts and 5 rebounds hassling the Kenyans all around the floor.

TK Edogi scored 9 points, 4rebounds and 1 assist while JordanOgundiranhad9ptswith an impressive 75 per cent field goal conversion.

Coach Mike Brown at the press conference emphasised on the need to improve as a team most especially defensively.

“I think we had some good shots offensively tonight that didn’t go in but our effort was inconsistent offensively and I

thought that was what hurt us more”.

Brown said the team played better in the second half despite a good defensive effort from Kenya. “When defense stiffens up, we get tighter or better.

All we have to do is drive the basketball. When we drive the basketball, the defence will collapse and if we are unselfish, which the guys have been most part, we make the right pass and the floor is spaced, we are going to get good shots offensively.”

Reacting further, Brown said, “We don’t want people

to believe in us. We believe in us and that is all that matters. We haven’t played well. We played better in the second half though, I thought as a team. Even in the first game we did not play really good and we played better in the first game than the second game” “We can be better, we believe in ourselves and we believe we can continue to get better as the tournament goes along”, Brown said.

Nigeria will play Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday in its last group game.

Lokomotiv Moscow Offer Anjorin 5-year Deal Anglo-Nigerian wonderkid Faustino Anjorin is heavily linked with a permanent transfer to Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow.

Anjorin has been offered a five-year contract and wages of two million euros per season, meaning he will earn at least

10 million euros over the duration of his contract.

The winger’s agent is expected to arrive in the Russian capital on Friday, August 27 to complete negotiations with Lokomotiv Moscow.

Anjorin trained with Chelsea’s first team in pre-season

but was not involved in their first three competitive games of the new season and has not figured for the U21 and U23 sides too.

Born in Poole, England, Anjorin officially joined Chelsea as a schoolboy at U9 level and in July 2018

he signed a scholarship at the Blues, which was upgraded to a professional contract four months later.

One of the most promising academy players, Chelsea are expected to include a buy-back clause into any deal taking him away from Stamford Bridge.

Man Utd Re-sign Ronaldo on a Two-year Deal Manchester United have re-signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus on a two- year deal after reaching agreement with Juventus United have agreed to pay £12.8m for the 36-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner, with the deal subject to personal terms, visa and a medical. Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games in his first spell at Old Trafford before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009.

“Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester,” said a United statement.

United’sannouncementcameafteradramatic24hours.Neighbours Manchester City had looked to be one of the favourites to land the former Real Madrid player and some reports suggested personal terms had already been agreed between the two.

However, Ronaldo has opted to return to United where he spent six years and won three Premier League titles, one Champions League, two League Cups and one FACup - as well as the Fifa Club World Cup and Community Shield - under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Initially, Ronaldo thought there was no chance of a deal with his former club, but United have decided to make it happen, while City have missed out on another striker option after main target Harry Kane committed to Tottenham.

Speaking before City face Arsenal in the Premier League today, manager Pep Guardiola said: “Cristiano is a Juventus player. I cannot add anything else.

“Right now, my feeling is I am more than delighted with the squad we have and we will stay the same.”

Premier League managers have backed the clubs’ decision not to release players for matches in red-list countries during September’s international break.

Under current UK government rules, players would be forced to miss several games because of the 10-day isolation period required on return to the UK. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said it “made no sense” to release players.

“We pay the players, to go and play three games and then play Leicester in the Premier League is not possible.”

He added: “They are isolated with no training for one week, 10 days, so it is no sense.

“We have to say again today what is the position of the club and the Premier League because it is not just Manchester City. It is a problem of the calendar and

the schedule.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the prospect of 10 days’ quarantine for his players on their return would put their fitness at risk.

“When players go on international duty, for club managers it’s not great but we still always do it, we never moan,” he said. “In this case it is different because England has different rules.

“The rules in England are if you come back from a red-list country you have to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel. Not a hotel of your choice, a hotel of somebody else’s choice, next to the airport of wherever. And it’s not even close to being a spa hotel. It’s eating and waiting and sleeping.

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith said it was a difficult situation for organisers, but that he did not think footballers should be exempt from the current rules.

Guardiola Clarifies Comment, Says No Plan to Leave Man City Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola yesterday clarified comments about his future saying he had no plans to leave the Premier League champions when his contract runs out in 2023.

The Spaniard was quoted this week saying that he wanted to take a break before a possible move into international football.

“I am not thinking to leave after two years,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of City’s Premier League game at home to Arsenal today. “I can leave maybe in two months when the results are not good or the organisation is tired of me or I cannot handle better these players.”

“I can leave in three months like I can leave

in five years. What I said is after my period at Manchester City I will take a break. That’s for sure. It can be in one month, in two years, three years, five years. Right now, today, I don’t have reasons to leave,” Guardiola added.

“I am more than committed to this season, we are going to try to do it better, especially to play better, that is my target this season.”

“So when I’m finished I’ll take a rest a little bit, because 12-13 years almost without much of a stop, I wanted to do something else. And after that maybe a new team or a national team if someone wants me. But I didn’t say in two years I’m going to finish my career in Manchester City.”

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Olanipekun to Buhari

“Even if we assume, without conceding that laws for grazing routes made under the Northern Region of Nigeria, covered everywhere, the Land Use Act has superseded both routes and the law establishing them” – Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, punching holes in President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive for grazing areas.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

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26 years

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Will President Buhari Ever Conquer the Terrorists?

F

ellow Nigerians, I do not know what you think individually but I’m sure many Nigerians are now collectively worried that the Taliban style capture and overthrow of the Afghanistan Government and people may eventually happen in Nigeria, in not too distant future, but sooner rather than later. The .interesting and sad state of our own situation is that we do not have the US and its European allies being sympathetic to our cause. And of course, it is not that the support they gave Afghanistan eventually proved to be of much help to the Afghans Rather it merely delayed the inevitable and made the fall of the Afghan government even more spectacular once America decided to withdraw its troops.

The whole country collapsed like a pack of cards before the very eyes of the Afghans who now feel very much let down by the Americans. With the way things are going in our defenceless country, it is becoming crystal clear by the day that Boko Haram will soon subjugate vast swathes of the northern part of our country, and it will not be too long before they push for the capital, Abuja in the federal Capital Territory, itself. It is only those who are naïve that cannot see this bleak future for our country. We do not need to be seers or soothsayers to be able to predict the impending calamity for our nation and its innocent citizens. We are not prophets of doom rather our aim is to achieve the contrary and reverse our fortunes which for now seem to be going in a fast downward spiral, like a raging tornado. However, we hope that by vociferously voicing our concerns, those in authority, particularly President Buhari, may be jolted to act, and to act decisively.

I’m also aware about the complacency of some other Nigerians who live perpetually on, and cling to, the phantom hope that our problems, especially our insecurity problems, will just vamoose the same way they came without us lifting any finger. It is such unbridled optimism, buoyed by faith in whatever religion that they profess, that baffles me endlessly about our people. For me, God will only come to our assistance when we have shown a penchant or proclivity for helping ourselves to identify, proffer solutions and then resolve our problems. We cannot continually raise our face and offer endless entreaties and pleas to God and believe that without more, salvation will come. No, it is perdition that will follow if we persist on embracing such a foolhardy and foolish course.

I’m a relatively good student of world history and I’m reasonably assured of the fact that the greatest nations on earth did not have to fold their arms akimbo, but had to work feverishly and assiduously, to achieve greatness. As for me and my house, we do not rule out the possibility of some terrorists, masquerading as bandits, invading our southern frontier townships and villages to unleash the sort of mayhem that would scare the living daylights out of all of us. If truth be told, we are already quite scared, and some are pissing in their pants knowing that the gory stories that we heard about in Borno State and its environs is fast becoming the story of the whole of Northern Nigeria including the Middle Belt.

It is obvious to me that this Buhari administration lacks the capacity to confront terrorists headlong in Nigeria. This is not because we do not have brilliant, courageous and brave men and women in our armed forces, but for the simple reason of nonchalance and seeming protection of rabid criminals by those in overall authority who should be fighting

Buhari them to a standstill. It is obvious that top government functionaries are complicit in the wholesale terrorist incursion of Nigeria which we are now witnessing. I also do not believe that there are many sincere and altruistic reasons for the more than tacit support being given to these scoundrels and infidels by the Government and its cronies. Whilst some are convinced that the whole agenda is the Islamisation of the country, I am beginning to believe that there is some more sinister and underhand motivation at play and it can all be captured by one word, greed. I am starting to feel that there is a selfish and economic angle to all this. There is the allure of gold and the lust for filthy lucre which comes from the trade in arms. One part of the solution is that we must start to be our brother’s keeper. Our private intelligence network must be sharpened and honed. We cannot rely any longer on so-called military or government led intelligence. It has failed woefully so far in protecting the government and our armed forces. I also believe that the time is fast approaching when we may all have to start bearing at least small arms. If the government will not protect us, if the government is busy deploying the might and array of its vast military arsenal on puny innocent subjects like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemo, instead of attacking the marauding terrorists that want to hold us all hostage, then it is incumbent on us to start looking at other means of protecting ourselves.

In the past we have had to fend for ourselves for all the simple things of lives. These now all pale into insignificance when our security and well-being is seriously endangered and our very lives and existence, individually and as a nation, is put into dire peril. Instead of being just our own little local government, we must now apparently become self-dependent and self-sustaining, We must become our own government and take over our own security.

We must be actively proactive. Pacifism and sitting on the fence cannot help us any longer.

I will never advocate violence, but we must be ready to defend our homes and homestead.

Our holes are our castles, and we must defend them with all that we possess. If government has lost the plot and its raison d’etre for asking for our votes, then we must not lose everything else. I hasten to add that while I believe in the efficacy of prayers, that alone will not solve our problems because even the scriptures have taught us that heaven helps those who help themselves. This is the brutal reality and truth of life.

Where lies our hope and salvation when the retired Major General we brought back from the dead of forced retirement is unable to fulfil the most basic of our expectations for reviving and resuscitating him, an end to insecurity. It is like a hawk not being able to capture some little chickens. Nothing has disturbed and embarrassed Nigeria in the comity of nations more than the almost total breakdown of law and order across the country, because there is supposed to be a no-nonsense old soldier at the helm of affairs.

Notwithstanding this fact, the government seems only concerned with covering its shame and embarrassment in areas that do not matter, as for example sending DSS to disperse young and old Doctors intent on making a living outside the country when their own country has deliberately chosen to forsake them. If it were not so tragic it would be just too hilarious. The stuff of which slapstick comedy is made, We are already bored and tired of hearing and listening to the same repeated tales by moonlight from Buhari’s spin-doctors who wish to blindfold, hoodwink and convince us that some evil enemies are out to deliberately frustrate Buhari and his government. This type of cock and bull stories have become so nauseating. If the government has enemies, they are these same spin doctors, lackeys and charlatans who believe that this is all the old man wants to hear. The truth is this government has been in power now for over six years. If it is still finding and giving excuses for its failure, then something is tragically wrong somewhere. It is the height of shamelessness for anyone to keep regurgitating the same frivolous reasons for failing to deliver on his promises to the helpless and hapless people

of Nigeria. Enough is enough. Face front.

There is nothing back there. It is instructive and worthy of note that this government is actively romancing the much-maligned Goodluck Jonathan as a potential successor.

Where then is the sense in blaming him for the current ills and woes of this government if they are turning to him for salvation?

If President Buhari and his acolytes are not tired of lamenting like the Biblical Jeremiah, I’m embarrassed on their behalf. But they can’t blame anyone for their collective woes.

The fault is theirs and theirs alone. No one is under any illusion that this government is serious about fighting terrorism and terrorists.

There is now apparently an overt cover and protection for the terrorists. It is the reason no appreciable progress has been made despite the huge resources and manpower wasted in the last decade. Our military personnel are being sacrificed on the altar of personal expediency and greed. It is a wonder that there has been little attempt at mutiny, and this probably just demonstrates the great discipline and resolve of our noble and gallant officers and men. I salute them.

They must now act to save us by doing their duty to their Fatherland first and foremost and rooting out the insurgents and terrorists no matter the body language of our present leadership. It is the only way in which we will still have a country!

I feel goosebumps all over me whenever I remember that President Muhammadu Buhari has less than two years to go and there’s nothing tangible to see on ground. If we move away from the debilitating matters of insecurity, our infrastructure deficit is most appalling. That is another story for another day!

The Caroline Akinloye I Knew

I

knew of MRS CAROLINE ONYEMAECHI EBENUWA ADISA-AKINLOYE long before we met in person. Her persona was larger than life. She was a paragon of beauty, very sociable, confident, outgoing, intelligent, smart and unmissable in any gathering.

Her name had been in the news early in her life when she got married to one of Nigeria’s most influential politicians, the Chairman of the all-powerful National Party of Nigeria, Chief Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye (AMA – Always Mentally Alert). Their whirlwind romance was talk of the town. I was naturally intrigued by their love story.

All manner of tales were weaved and woven around the famous couple. She was likened to a modern-day Cleopatra, a living goddess with wiles and charm.

Mrs Akinloye and her husband were forced to flee into exile in 1984 after the coup that toppled the government of President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari. They lived together in exile for a lengthy period.

Fast forward. On July 25th, 1995, I also fled Nigeria, through the smugglers’ route into Cotonou, in Benin Republic, and eventually meandered my way into England. I was on the run from the much-dreaded military junta of General Sani Abacha. I would spend the next three years in exile under very excruciating circumstances and conditions.

It was while in London that the idea for Ovation International magazine was conceived and delivered. Like all new publications, of the lifestyle genre, we needed to attract the attention of the rich and famous. One of the stories that

would perform the magic for us was the one titled “100 Nigerian Stormy Women.” It was a gathering of who’s who. One name featured prominently, that of Caroline Akinloye.

However, we never met until much later.

We were introduced by a mutual friend. I had expected her to complain about the way she was described and portrayed in our story but instead she told me actually enjoyed our package. She was cosmopolitan and very liberal.

We instantly became friends. And her sociability and affability were remarkable. I expected her to be standoffish, but she was clearly simple and humble even if highly sophisticated in taste. She introduced me to her young kids, two boys and two girls who were twins. Lagun was closest to me. He’s always been sociable even at an early age, like his mum.

Mrs Akinloye liked to host special guests in her Belgravia palace. Her parties were legendary and were always must attend treats for the high and mighty.

We didn’t see much after I returned to Nigeria from exile, but we spoke from time to time.

She was very comfortable with me and always trusted my judgment and as a result confided in me a bit.

I was stunned to hear of her sudden transition last year, from Lagun, now a big man in his own right. I was saddened and immediately commiserated with the children. One year has already passed and I’m happy to keep the memory of my very dear friend alive by penning this tribute to her.

May her beautiful soul continue to rest in peace...

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