SATURDAY 21TH NOVEMBER

ASUU Set to Call off Strike as FG Exempts Lecturers from IPPIS Raises earned allowances, revitalisation fund to N60bn, promises clearing salary arrears Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja After over nine months strike, the doors of Nigeria’s universities look set for opening latest Friday next week.

This follows the federal government’s decision yesterday to accede to the demands by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll

and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Also, the government has scheduled another meeting tomorrow with the organised labour to review the working agreement on issues relating

to the Downstream Sector of the Petroleum industry and electricity tariff.

The meeting with labour will take place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

At yesterday's meeting

with ASUU, the federal government’s side shifted ground on a number of issues, including the insistence that all the academic staff of federal universities must be paid through IPPIS.

With the resolution of the dispute on IPPIS, which appeared to be a major stumbling block to the conclusion of negotiations by Continued on page 5

Lawan: There Will Be Anarchy If Senate is Scrapped… Page 5 Saturday 21 November, 2020 Vol 25. No 9357

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APC Govs Storm Jonathan’s House As He Marks 63rd Birthday PDP missing, pressure on former president to run on APC ticket in 2023 continues Bennett Oghifo in Lagos, Chuks Okocha, Udora Orizu in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Apparently in continuation

of pressure on former president Goodluck Jonathan to run for president in 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some governors of the party

yesterday stormed the Abuja home of Jonathan to felicitate with him on his 63rd birthday anniversary.

The governors, who visited Jonathan were Yobe State

Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, who recently defected to the APC from the PDP; Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu and Jigawa

State Governor, Abubakar Badaru. A former President of the Senate, who is a chieftain of the APC, Ken Nnamani, also visited Jonathan.

Sources told THISDAY

that the governors used the opportunity of the birthday visit to subtly represent their Presidential proposal Continued on page 5

Buhari Begins Search for New EFCC Chairman, Looks Outside Police

Says anti-corruption war becomes endangered when persons entrusted with the responsibility of that magnitude become suspects themselves Festus Akanbi in Lagos and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Feelers from the Presidency last night revealed that the search for a new Chairman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have started, following the recommendation of the Justice Ayo Salami panel for the removal of the anti-graft agency’s suspended acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

Presidency source also confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is looking outside the police force in the search for the new EFCC boss, in conformity with the recommendation of the panel that probed sleaze allegations against Magu.

The source confirmed that a small search team would be constituted in the next few days to narrow down on the candidate capable of delivering the President’s dream of a Continued on page 5

JONATHAN AT 63...

L-R: Mrs. Adiki Iluma, Dame Patience Jonathan, former president Goodluck Jonathan, Group President, Azikel Group, Dr. Eruani Azibapu, and saxophonist, Banky Sax, during the former president’s 63th birthday celebration in Abuja…yesterday

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Lawan: There Will Be Anarchy If Senate is Scrapped Urges Nigerians to vote out current senators in 2023 if they don’t like their faces Deji Elumoye Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Udora Orizu Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday warned those clamouring for the scrapping of the Senate that the country runs the risk of falling into anarchy if it happens.

Lawan spoke while declaring open a retreat for top management staff of the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja.

Rather than clamour for the scrapping of the upper chamber, the Senate President challenged those not comfortable with the senators in the current Ninth Senate to vote them out in 2023.

"If you don't like the set of members in the Ninth National Assembly, change all of us in 2023. Get better people and let's support the system to function," Lawan said.

He described the Senate as a leveller which ensured that all parts of the country are equally represented “unlike the House of Representatives where states with higher population produce the highest number of lawmakers.�

Lawan said: “Ask for what you think we should be doing rather than saying close down the Senate or the National Assembly. Do you understand the implications of what would happen if we close the senate? I am not saying so because I am in the Senate. “The Senate is a leveller because in the House of Representatives, population is major. That is why some states will have five, six members and others have up to 20. So, if you say close down the Senate, there will be a day when people will cry foul. In the Senate, what Kano produces is what Bayelsa will produce. There

are three senators in Kano and three senators in Bayelsa, so that stabilises the system. “Without the National Assembly and the legislature across the country, what you have is not democracy anymore.

So, the value of the legislature and the National Assembly to Nigerians is democracy. If you take out the legislature, it might not be a dictatorship but certainly not a democracy.�

The Senate President also faulted the argument of those clamouring for the scrapping of the Senate because of the perceived jumbo pay being earned by the senators, urging critics to focus on supporting the system by ensuring that all monies allocated are well utilised.

He said the annual budget of the National Assembly was less than one per cent of the nation’s 2021 budget, adding

that in a budget of over N13 trillion, the National Assembly got only N128 billion.

Lawan asserted that the value of legislature to the nation is democracy and without it there won't be democracy.

He said: ''This maybe a little bit controversial but I will not run away from it. What does the National Assembly, the legislature mean to Nigerians?

Can we debate properly what the functions of members of the National Assembly should be, rather than talking about jumbo pay?

Lawan also revealed that members of the National Assembly were working assiduously to pass the 2021 budget by the second week of next month, ensure passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and undertake constitution review before the end of second

quarter of 2021.

The Chairman of the National Assembly also advocated for more legislative aides to the lawmakers, saying the current number of aides per lawmaker is inadequate and that the situation makes most members of the National Assembly to struggle to do most things themselves.

Also speaking, the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman said by bringing together the major agencies and actors in the National Assembly to have a frank discussion on major issues of institutional strengthening, the retreat can come up with important recommendations and strategies for improving service delivery and general performance of the national legislature and the legislative bureaucracy. ''The ability of the National

Assembly to effectively undertake its core functions effectively depends on a number of key factors which are institutional and legal framework and then strong organisational structures.

The relevance of this retreat is even better highlighted in the light of the recurring uncertainties and disagreements about the powers and limits of management and commission.

"Recent events have once again brought into bold relief the need to have an honest discussion on some of the challenges that the legislature faces. Despite the clear definition of roles in the NASC Act 2014, there are grey areas and sticking points that have perennially resulted in conflicts and I hope this retreat will help address some of these challenges and hence reposition the National Assembly to perform better,'' the director general said.

the overall effort to protect the country’s political and economic systems, and simultaneously sustain its existence.

Buhari also stated that the fight against corruption must be fought without fear or favour.

He thanked members of the Salami-led panel for what he described as their dedication and commitment to the battle against corruption.

Furthermore, Buhari claimed that it was the endemic nature of corruption in Nigeria which propelled the federal government's focus on anticorruption war.

Listing various measures embraced by the federal government to put the menace of corruption under control, Buhari said the government remained focused on the war against corruption until victory. ''The sad reality confronting us as a people is that there is corruption almost everywhere; at many levels of government, and nearly every stratum of our society. Mindful of the threat that corruption poses to us as a nation, this administration has specifically focused on the fight against corruption. ''As a government, and in furtherance of our anticorruption programme, we have since inception engaged in many reforms in removing corruption, including but not

limited to the enforcement of Treasury Single Account (TSA), strict implementation of the Bank Verification Number Policy and signing unto the Open Government Partnership. A lot of efforts have gone into building and development of our anti-corruption institutions. ''We have so far kept faith with our promise and shall remain committed until Nigeria triumphs over the evil of corruption, attain a prosperous economic status and surmounts her security challenges," he said.

According to the statement, Salami in his own remarks, told Buhari that Magu and 113 other witnesses appeared and testified before the commission.

He also told the president that 46 petitions and memoranda were presented by different individuals and organisations with complaints against the embattled and suspended acting chairman of EFCC. Salami told the meeting that the panel embarked on a nationwide physical verification of recovered forfeited assets, including real estates, automobiles, vessels and non-cash assets.

He said the juror commended the president for the initiative to dispose all forfeited assets ''because of the poor condition of the assets we saw during our physical verification nationwide.''

team for the 2009 agreement, Ngige said both were satisfied with the progress so far made, adding that letters have been issued to members of the renegotiation team.

He added that the meeting agreed the inauguration of the university visitation panels will be carried out as soon as the institutions reopened, while awaiting gazetting.

On his part, ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said that the union has received the new proposals by the federal government and that it would

go and consult with its organs before taking a position.

"I don't really have much to say as the minister had said it all. Government has given us offers and we have promised to go back to our organs to brief them and then come back to government. We acknowledge that progress has been made," he said.

Ogunyemi said that ASUU would need till Friday next week to meet with its organs before reverting to government. The meeting was therefore adjourned till next week Friday.

the former President's patriotism and dedication to the unity, peace and development of Nigeria, as well as offering counsel on various issues.

whose commitment to the unity, stability and development of our nation remains unparalleled.

The party described him as a detribalised Nigerian, an undiminished icon of democracy and global figure, who has amply demonstrated that the essence of leadership, at all levels is in the humility of applying its values and opportunities for the collective good rather than for self.

BUHARI BEGINS SEARCH FOR NEW EFCC CHAIRMAN, LOOKS OUTSIDE POLICE corrupt-free anti-graft agency.

The source further confirmed that “the sleaze and abuse of office allegations against Magu, a commissioner of police, were overwhelming,� and that he may be put on trial.

The panel advised the president to appoint the new EFCC chairman in an interim position for two years.

In a way that suggested that the report might have nailed Magu, Salami, according to a statement by Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, advised Buhari to consider appointing the next Chairman of EFCC from other law enforcement or security agencies, as well as core staff of the EFCC, as provided in the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.

Salami said: “Your Excellency, permit me to say that four successive chairmen of the EFCC from inception have been drawn from the police. Therefore, in appointing a new chairman of EFCC, consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and qualified core staff of EFCC as provided in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act 2004).

"It is also important to point out that at the moment, 970 policemen (114 drivers, 641 mobile policemen and 215

operations), are on secondment in the EFCC. "Therefore, an exit plan for the disengagement of the police and other personnel within two years from now should be considered.

This will address the issue of non-promotion of core staff for over nine years. “Your Excellency, our thinking here is that whoever you are appointing other than a core EFCC staff, should be in transitional capacity of two years during which period, arrangement would be made for appointment of any of the core staff who has been commended by National Crime Agency, UK and other international law enforcement for their professionalism."

Salami thanked the president for giving members of the commission an opportunity to serve.

Buhari: AntiCorruption War Endangered Apparently referring to Magu, while receiving the Salami report, the president lamented that anti-corruption war becomes endangered “when persons entrusted with the responsibility of that magnitude become suspects themselves.�

Buhari, who said corruption

is entrenched in every aspect of Nigeria's national life, did not mince words to say that the situation becomes disturbing when leaders of institutions mandated to fight the menace are themselves alleged to be corrupt.

According to him, there can be no greater abomination than that because it does not only strike "at the root," but also undermines the anti-corruption crusade itself.

He said it was against this background that he set up the Ayo Salami-led commission of inquiry to unravel the mystery behind the mystique of Magu's alleged involvement in corruption that he was fighting.

Buhari, who further said the federal government was ready to go the whole hog to fight corruption, threatened that no one was too big to become the victim of anti-graft's sledge hammer.

He said: "However, the stark reality of widespread corruption becomes poignant when allegations of corruption touches on the leadership of an institution set up by law to coordinate and enforce all economic and financial crimes.

"It is an abomination that strikes at the root, and undermines the government’s anti-corruption programme. ''It was in response to the serious allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission that I set up a Panel headed by the Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami, retired President of the Court of Appeal, via an Instrument dated 3rd July 2020 pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (Cap T21, LFN, 2004). ''We recognise that there are more grounds to cover in the war against corruption, and we are prepared to go out to possess those lands by cutting off any stream that nourishes the seed of corruption and supports its growth. ''Let it be known that in the fight against corruption, no one is too big to tackle, as no individual is bigger than the Nigerian State!''

He said his desire was to make Nigeria zero tolerant to corruption, describing the country as a place "where the menace is vigorously battled."

He added that whereas corruption exists in all countries of the world, and being handled differently, he wants Nigeria to be among those that do not condone it. ''Corruption is present in all countries. Some governments treat it with levity. Some fight it all the time. I want Nigeria to be counted among those countries that do not tolerate but fight corruption," he said.

The president tasked all Nigerians to be enlisted in the battle against corruption, in

ASUU SET TO CALL OFF STRIKE AS FG EXEMPTS LECTURERS FROM IPPIS both parties, the coast is now clear for ASUU to suspend its industrial action.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige however said that ASUU is expected to go and relay the latest proposals to its organs and revert to government so that the universities can reopen next week.

While reading out the communiquÊ at the end of the grilling seven-hour negotiations at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Education, Ngige said government had agreed to ASUU’s demand to pay their

members salary arrears from February to June using the old salary payment platform, GIFIMS. In a reconciliatory move, the government also accepted to wave the threat of "no work, no pay" and approve payment of salary arrears to the striking lecturers.

Ngige said: "The meeting agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education and that of Labour and Employment will look into the issue of "No work, No pay" as stipulated in Section 43 of the Trade Union Disputes Act, Cap 18 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 with a view to

getting approval for the withheld salaries to be paid.

"It was also agreed that the mode of payment of those that had not been captured on the IPPIS platform between the months of February and June, 2020 be adopted for the purpose of payment during this transition period."

In addition, the minister said that the meeting agreed that a suitable template to address all the anomalies identified in the previous processes should be handled by the Accountant General of the Federation,

the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission and Vice Chancellors of universities.

The government also offered to increase the Earned Allowances to university staff from N30 billion to N35 billion or N40 billion and revitalisation Fund from N20 billion to N25 billion.

It said that Vice Chancellors are to submit details of Earned Academic Allowances and Earned Allowances to the NUC before November 30.

On the reconstitution of the federal government's negotiating

APC GOVS STORM JONATHAN’S HOUSE AS HE MARKS 63RD BIRTHDAY to Jonathan who served only one term as president.

The move to have Jonathan run in 2023 on the platform of the APC is no longer a secret.

The thinking is that it will satisfy the increasing clamour for power shift to the South.

Buhari’s close loyalists believe that Jonathan would be harmless to their group interest and as such the right person to take over if power were to shift to the South. “He handed over power

peacefully and nursed no bitterness against anyone and therefore will not be a threat to the interest of the north,� said a source in Buhari’s camp who didn’t want to be identified.

The attraction to Jonathan’s possible candidacy from Buhari’s camp is that he will serve just one term of four years.

A growing number of influential northern leaders of thought are favourably disposed to the idea of Jonathan’s second

coming.

Meanwhile, as family members and friends gathered to celebrate the former President on his 63rd birthday yesterday, the Northern Governors Forum and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have eulogised him as a true democrat whose impact has transcended the shore of Nigeria.

In a congratulatory message, the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, who is also the Plateau State Governor,

Simon Lalong said the former President has continued to serve the country with zeal and commitment.

He said, "President Jonathan is a true democrat whose passion for the growth of democracy is reflected not only in his records while in office, but of his current engagements where he has travelled round the world to monitor elections and also engage with stakeholders."

The governors also saluted

Jonathan a Detrabilised Nigeria, says PDP In the same vein, the PDP yesterday saluted the former President, describing him as an exceptional democrat,

Continued on page 14

SATURDAYNOVEMBER 21, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺ͚, 2020

Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁĚš Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Report: Nigeria Among Most Dangerous Places for Children 93,236 children killed in conicts in10 years Adedayo Akinwale Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Nigeria has been named among the most dangerous places on earth for children according to a report by the Save the Children Report which said a total of 93,236 children had been killed or maimed in conflicts in the last 10 years.

The report also named Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, DRC, Mali, CAR, Iraq, South Sudan and Sudan as other most dangerous countries for children in conflict.

The report revealed that an average of 25 children were killed or injured every day.

This was contained in a new report released by Save the Children report, titled: ‘Killed and Maimed: A Generation of Violations Against Children In Conflict’.

The report which was the fourth in a series entitled Stop the War on Children, was also released to commemorate World Children’s Day. It stated: “A total of 93,236 children have been killed or maimed in conflicts in the last 10 years, it was revealed today.

That means 25 children; the equivalent of a classroom full of pupils, have been killed or injured on average every day. “Many were victims of

airstrikes, shelling, landmines and other explosive weapons used in populated areas where families have been ripped apart and tens of thousands of children left dead or scarred for life. “Last year alone, more than a third of the verified child casualties were caused by explosive weapons - with the number dramatically higher in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.�

The report also revealed that in 2019, 426 million children lived in a conflict-affected area – a slight increase on the year before, while around 160 million children lived in a high-intensity conflict zone, also an increase compared to 2018.

The report noted that the impact of explosive weapons on children was complex, robbing families of their hopes and their ability to access vital services, and often profoundly altering the direction of a child’s life.

It said that over the past decade, more than 200,000 such violations were verified, adding that the record was sadly broken in 2019, which saw 26,233 grave violations committed.

The report noted that the actual number was likely to be even higher as some violations, notably sexual abuse, were grossly underreported.

The CEO of Save the Children, Inger Ashing, stated: “Behind the

stark numbers are countless stories of the child victims of war. Many are casualties of people blatantly disregarding international laws and standards, and governments turning a blind eye. Yet several countries have made a conscious decision to keep selling arms to warring parties even where it was clear they were being used against children. This cannot go on. “This weekend, the world’s richest and most powerful leaders gather in Saudi Arabia for the G20 summit in Riyadh. A day’s drive away, millions of vulnerable children in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from or if they will survive the

next airstrike or artillery shelling.

This is an opportunity for world leaders to use their influence and their voice to make the right choice, and to stop the war on children.�

The report said that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the focus should be on fighting the virus, warring parties continued killing and maiming children.

It stressed that the UN called for a global ceasefire in July, endorsed by 170 countries, but since then, 177 children had been killed and maimed in Yemen , dozens had been killed or badly injured in Afghanistan,

means to prevent children from being harmed but we continue to see unbelievable violations, year on year. It is as if the world has stopped caring.� ‘More than 3 million children were living in an area where violence had been raging for 18 years or more; the number of children recruited by armed forces rose by 639 from 2018, to 7,845 in 2019. Over 3,100 children were found to have been recruited in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone; “Over 4,400 times humanitarian organisations were denied access to children – six times as often as in 2018.�

the violence in DRC has spiked, and children in Myanmar are frequent victims.

Earlier this year, the report said, the Saudi and Emirati-led coalition was taken off the UN’s ‘list of shame’, which calls out perpetrators of grave violations against children, adding that the coalition was delisted even though children in Yemen were still bombed almost daily.

Ashing continued: “Never in human history have we been more aware of child rights violations – bombings are verified, recruitment is documented and we see children starving on TV as they are denied aid. We have the

Gbajabiamila: Security Aide Who Shot Vendor Handed Over to DSS Kingsley Nweze, Olawale Ajimotokan Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Udora Orizu Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday said he had handed over the security operative, Abdullahi M. Hassan, who shot a newspaper vendor, Ifeanyi Okereke, to the Department of State Security (DSS) for investigation and appropriate administrative and judicial action.

Okereke died at the National Hospital Abuja on Thursday after he was shot in the head by one of Gbajabiamila’s security details, around the National Secretariat, after he and other newspaper vendors flocked around the convoy of the Speaker, who was passing by on the fateful day, to ask for money.

Gbajabiamila, in a statement, giving update on the horrific event, also said he had arranged to meet with the late vendor’s family.

The Speaker, while commiserating with the family of the victim, urged all Nigerians to join him to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.

Thestatementreads,‘’Theunfortunate deathofMr.IfeanyiOkerekeatthehands ofoneofmysecurityaideshas left me deeply shaken. Mr. Okereke was a citizen going about his business, trying to make a living for himself and his family. There is no reason for his life to have ended the way it did. ‘’This morning, I have handed over the security operative, Abdul-

lahi M. Hassan, to the Department of State Security (DSS) for investigation and appropriate administrative and judicial action. In the interim, he has been suspended from the convoy. I expect, and I will see to it that the family of Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke receives the full measure of justice so that their bereavement is not compounded by any actions that can cause them further pain and suffering. ‘’I have expressed my personal condolence to his family and have arranged to meet with them when the parents of Mr. Okereke, who are already on their way, arrive in Abuja. Additionally, I have committed to them that I will support his wife and the immediate family he has left behind.’’ The DSS, which yesterday identified the shooter Hassan as one of its own, said he had been detained, as part of its disciplinary procedures, and had opened a detailed investigation into the allegation.

According to a statement last night by the Public Relations Officer of the Service, Dr. Peter Afunanya, they would be transparent and accountable in handling the killing of Okereke by their personnel, and that they were liaising with appropriate authorities to achieve this objective.

The statement said, “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to the allegation of shooting and killing of one Ifeanyi Okereke by a security aide of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

HIGH LEVEL CONSULTATIONS‌ L-R: Dr. Yomi Finnih, Chief Bisi Akande, President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Segun Osoba and Prince Tajudeen Olusi when the All Progressives Congress Leaders from the South visited President Buhari...on Thursday at the Presidential Villa.

STATE HOUSE PIX

Saraki Calls for Sustainable Development of North-central Chuks Okocha Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on leaders across the North Central geo-political zone to push for the development, peace and unity of the region.

Saraki, who said this when the executives and a cross-section of members of the North Central Peoples’ Forum paid him a courtesy visit at his home in Maitama, Abuja, emphasised that the development of the North Central zone is in the

interest of the entire nation. the former Senate President said: “If it is about development for our people, you have my support. This initiative aimed at development is long overdue. “If you talk about the unity of this country, you must factor in the North Central. If you are talking about the future of this country, it lies on many of the resources like minerals and agriculture that our region has.

This is why forums like this are crucial — because it will give us a credible platform to push

for the holistic development of our region. “My father of blessed memory, and other leaders like Chief Sunsay Awoniyi have all tried very hard to support the mobilisation of the people for the development of the North Central region. As a result of this, I have always been very committed to the development of the region in particular because it plays a crucial role in the development of the entire nation. “All of us that have worked for other zones to have their

development commissions, it is time for us to seek the support of those zones to have ours — in order to promote the long-term sustainable development of our regions and our people.�

Earlier in the meeting, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, retired Lt. Gen. Useni, commended Saraki for his work for the region, while bestowing on him the title of ‘Patron of the Forum’ for his remarkable contributions and achievements over the years.

Oyo State Govt. Takes Full Control of LAUTECH Kuni Tyessi Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The long time disagreement between the Oyo and Osun states government over ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, has been laid to rest as Oyo State takes ownership of the University.

Subsequently, the institution’s teaching hospital which is based in Oshogbo, the Osun state capital will be solely under the responsibility of the Osun state government.

LAUTECH was established in 1990 by the old Oyo State government with the main campus located in Ogbomosho. The teaching hospital was subsequently established in Oshogbo. When Osun state was carved out if the old Oyo state in 1991, both states became joint owners of the institution.

Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof.

Abubakar Rasheed who disclosed this, yesterday, in Abuja, said the decision

was as a result of governance and management challenges which consequently was affecting appointments of vice chancellors and other principal officers, as well as irregular payment of staff salaries.

He said in 2010, when it became obvious that the joint ownership of the institution was an issue, and in an attempt to resolve the challenges and restore normalcy, a transition committee was set up by the commission to oversee the affairs of the

university for three months.

According to him: “The mutually agreed dissolution was formalised through the signing if a memorandum of agreement by the executive governors of Oyo and Osun states witnessed by the attorneys general if both stayed, giving legal effect to the transfer of ownership of LAUTECH to the government of Oyo state and the College of Health Sciences, Oshogbo to the government of Osun State.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺ͚, 2020

NEWS

Ndoma Egba’s Wife, 6 Others Die in Ondo Accident James Sowole Ă“Ă˜ Ă•Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?

ASSESSING DEVELOPMENT...

L-R: Managing Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr Lars Richter; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Chief of Sta to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari during the inspection of the Ongoing Reconstruction of Abuja -Kaduna -Zaria -Kano Dual Carriageway in the Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna and Kano States

All 9 Kidnapped Police OfďŹ cers Regain Freedom Festus Akanbi and Kingsley Nweze in Abuja Police authorities yesterday announced the rescue of its nine officers kidnapped along Katsina-Zamfara Expressway on November 8.

The officers were said to have been attacked on their way to Zamfara from Borno State to carry out a special assignment.

Police spokesman, Frank Mba, (a Deputy Commissioner of Police), who broke the news of their rescue in a statement, last night, said two of the officers are currently receiving medical attention in a hospital while the remaining seven are being debriefed.

The police image maker,

who was silent on whether any ransom was paid or not, in the statement said “The Nigeria Police have successfully rescued nine police officers who earlier went missing on 8th November, 2020 between Kankara town and Sheme in Katsina State after the night commercial bus they were traveling in came under attack by heavily armed men, all dressed in Military Camouflage, but suspected to be bandits. “The officers, all Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), were on their way to Gusau in Zamfara State from Maiduguri at the time of the incident. Two of the officers are currentlyreceiving medical attention in a hospital, while the remaining seven are being debriefed.�

Speaking on the detail of the rescue mission, Mba said “covert operation to locate and rescue the officers commenced immediately they were discovered missing en-route to their destination.�

This action, he said, explained the decision of the police authorities to keep mum so as not to jeopardise the rescue operation and put the lives of the officers at a risk. “The apparent delay in commenting on the unfortunate incident was a deliberate decision aimed at protecting the integrity and confidentiality of the rescue operation and the concomitant safety of the officers,� Mba stated.

According to him, preliminary investigation has shown that the

attack on the vehicle was an opportunistic crime as the officers were all traveling in mufti, unarmed and alongside other private citizens in the commercial vehicle.

He insisted that the total number of officers involved in the incident was nine and not 12 as previously and wrongly reported in some sections of the media.

The police spokesman disclosed that a follow-up investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

He said the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, has reassured Nigerians that the Force is working assiduously to ensure an improved safety and tactical presence of police personnel on our highways as the yuletide approaches.

MainOne MDXI Appolonia Data Centre Gets CertiďŹ cation MDXi, West Africa’s leading commercial data centre provider has received Tier III Certification on the Design Documents of its new Appolonia Data Centre from Uptime Institute, The Global Data Centre Certifying Authority.

A statement from the company explained that the 104-rack facility extends MainOne’s MDXi’s footprint into Ghana to deliver best-in-class data centre uptime and operational performance to meet the rapidly growing demand for Colocation, Managed Hosting and Cloud services in Ghana.

It added that the facility will

be built and operated with the same operational standards currently in place at MDXi’s premier Data Centre in Lagos, Nigeria which is certified to both the Tier Certification of Design Documents (TCDD) and Tier Certification of Constructed Facility (TCCF).

Speaking on the award, Chief Operating Officer, MDXi, Mr. Gbenga Adegbiji, stated “The Appolonia Data Centre has been designed to meet rigorous standards in order to deliver highly secure and reliable infrastructure with multiple

layers of redundancy on all critical electrical and mechanical components.

This guarantees continuous access/uptime to hosted critical applications and data, improving the overall operational efficiency and profitability of our customers.

We have engaged leading MEP and EPC contractors, Sterling & Wilson who are handling the modular mechanical and electrical units, while a team of local partners led by Incept Architectural Consults (IAC) are responsible for the civil, structural, construction and site works.

The Acting Country Manager, of MainOne Ghana, Emmanuel Kwarteng, announced that the Appolonia data center further consolidates the company’s investment in infrastructure to enable West Africa’s Digital Economy. He noted that the data center will provide the required infrastructural support for the digital transformation of businesses in Ghana without having to invest scarce Capital and Human resources to build their own infrastructure, thus improving business efficiency and profitability.

‘Gbajabiamila Should Take Responsibility forVendor’s Killing’ The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has been asked to take responsibility for the extrajudicial killing of Abuja newspaper vendor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke, by a security aide attached to the Speaker.

The Rights group in a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko alleged that the Speaker was in the terrible habit of moving about and around Abuja with hundreds of people in his convoy and wondered why such a man that had his higher education and worked in a civilised clime like the United States of America could be so power drunk and primitive as to intimidate poor residents of Abuja each time he needs to attend a function.

“The other day at a five star hotel, the Speaker was seen with nearly one hundred people attending just one meeting. The fuel and human resources wasted in running the office of Speaker in the current administration is outrageous and wayward.�

HURIWA condemns the killing of the vendor as pure murder and has demanded for the immediate arrest, prosecution and punishment for murder of the trigger happy cop who shot and killed the Abuja vendor. “In management as well as in political leadership, the revered ethical principles of responsibility and accountability demands that Speaker Gbajabiamila takes total responsibility for the irresponsible conduct of his

personal security assistant who reports directly to him just as HURIWA says the Speaker showed insensitivity and reckless lack of empathy by failing to render first aid assistance to the vendor the moment he was shot going by the reports that the Speaker allegedly asked the trigger happy security detail why he shot at the vendor. The attempt by the Speaker to spread propaganda seeking to exculpate or exonerate his person from that despicable crime is totally unacceptable. “Accountability in the considered opinion of intellectuals and scholars is a readiness to have one’s actions judged by

others and, where appropriate, accept responsibility for errors, misjudgments and negligence and recognition for competence, conscientiousness, excellence and wisdom.� While responsibility is defined as a bundle of obligations associated with a role, accountability could be defined as “blaming or crediting someone for an action�- normally associated with a recognised responsibility.

The accountable actor is “held to external oversight, regulation, and mechanisms of punishment aimed to externally motivate responsive adjustment in order to maintain adherence with appropriate moral standards of action.� The Rights group said the Speaker should and must take responsibility,� the group said.

Seven persons including Amaka, the wife of the former Senate Leader, Senator Ndoma Egba, last night lost their lives while no fewer than eight others, were critically injured, in a fatal accident, that involved four vehicles.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his condolences to Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and members of his family over the sudden and tragic death of his wife, Mrs. Amaka Ndoma-Egba.

The vehicles involved according to a source, are a commercial Toyota Avensis car bus, a Honda car, a truck and a Toyota Coaster bus belonging to the Sports Centre of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA).

The accident, occurred near the military check point along Ore-Okitipupa Road in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State. It was gathered that the late wife of the former Senate Leader, was being conveyed in a Toyota Coaster Bus, belonging to the Sports Centre of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Akoko from Benin to Igbokoda, in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

The occupants of the ill-fated bus, according to the source, were on the way for a burial programme at Igbokoda.

It was gathered that the truck first hit the two cars before ramming into the coaster bus which

it pushed into the bush.

Four persons including Amaka, were said to have died in the bus while three others died in the two cars that were first hit by the truck.

Confirming the accident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ondo State, Mr. Ahmed Hassan, confirmed the accident.

The sector commander, however, said that only four persons, three females and a male died in the accident.

He also disclosed that eight other persons were critically injured and taken to Pima Hospital, Ore, for treatment He said: “The accident happened around 9:00p.m. It involved three vehicles. Four of the occupants of the bus, died three female and one male. “The accident was caused by loss of concentration and speed violation.�

Also speaking, the Head of Public Relations, Media and Protocol of AAUA, Mr. Victor Akinpelumi, said the only information he had, was that a Coaster bus of the institution, on official assignment, was involved in an accident. “The university has sent officers from the Works Department to the area to assess the situation and were being expected.�

The president, according to his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said his thoughts and prayers were with them in this period of grief.

Don’t Despair, UNICEF Tells IDPs at World Children’s Day Michael Olugbode Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has assured children in the troubled North-east not to despair, insisting that their future is assured.

The over 10 years Boko Haram insurgency has left more than 1.5 million displaced, several thousand widowed and orphaned, even as many children have been forced out of school.

Speaking during an event organised by the Fund to mark the 2020 World Children’s Day in Maiduguri, UNICEF Field Officer in Borno, Mr. Maulid Warfa urged children forced out of their schools by insurgency and taking temporary shelters at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the three most affected states of the North east, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe not to be despair about the future of their education.

Warfa, who recalled an experience while growing up, said he was not different from them but today he had surmounted the obstacle thrown at him.

He recounted the story of his life as an IDP child in Somalia, an East African country where he lived at an IDPs camp after being forced out of school by insurgents.

He said as a victim of violence and kidnap, the road to his education initially appeared gloomy but he kept his hope alive and has a story to tell today.

He urged the children not to lose hope, stressing that the future was still bright.

Warfa said: “Just like you children, I grew up in an IDPs camp in Southern Somalia. I was only nine (9) years at that time.

Like you, I have lost families and friends to insurgency. I have been ambushed, I have been kidnapped before. I know the feeling of hunger and lack of furniture in classroom.�

He said he did not give up his idea and determination to get education despite all the odds, noting that the obstacle rather propelled him to move forward.

The field officer said COVID-19 pandemic complicated the out-ofschool plight of the IDPs children in the three northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as protected closure of schools and almost halt the education of the IDPs children at the camps for displaced persons.

He said UNICEF with collaboration from partners, was supporting over a million children in remote learning on radio and television in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. “In Borno, 685, 000 children including those attending Islamiyya and Tsangaya centres, are being supported with remote learning,� he disclosed.

Borno Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo congratulated the children.

She urged them to see themselves as future leaders even as she assured of the support of the government to the children and women.

Some of the children that spoke during the event canvassed for the introduction of vocational skills in primary and secondary schools. They said the skill acquired would assist them to be self-reliant to support their education. They also asked for the continuation of palliatives to the poor even after COVID-19.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺ͚, 2020

08054699539

Kaduna-Abuja Highway: The Road to Death

T

he unending abductions and killings on the infamous Kaduna-Abuja highway reflect all the trappings of a failed government. This is the main road to death in Nigeria and has remained like this for over two years. The abductors are setting up new camps daily. Hapless people are abducted for ransom. Some pay and still end up being killed. Some are killed on the spot in the process of abduction. Motorists have become increasingly fearful on this highway because of the growth and intensity of kidnappings.

Abduction is big business here. These can only happen in a country without a government.

The security of the people has evidently been relegated in Nigeria.

This shame of Nigeria is dizzying. It is an open secret that the kidnappers have camps in the bushes around the Kaduna-Abuja highway. All our security agents know this, yet nothing has happened in terms of permanently taming them. I find this extremely disgusting. The use of technology and high caliber equipment by security agents are pertinent here. In sound societies, the kidnappers would have been wiped out with helicopter gunships. To tame the Kaduna-Abuja highway kidnappers, our military must be proactive. They should stop regaling us with imaginary stories of bombing the kidnappers. They have no practical result to show in this regard. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Ndume was right when he urged security agents to go after the bandits and kidnappers in their various hideouts. They should not wait for them to strike before taking action.

Their camps must be persistently located and destroyed.

Just last Sunday, eight students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were abducted on this highway. They were among the scores of people abducted same day, with two victims killed. As at press time, the ABU students had not been freed. Their parents are struggling to raise the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. Security agents are also often abducted on this notorious axis and they pay for their freedom. What a country!

Last September, an army officer, Colonel S.B Onifade was abducted and killed by the bandits after N10 million ransom was collected. The military could not rescue one of its own. How will they rescue ordinary Nigerians?

Communities located on the Kaduna-Abuja highway are also persistently attacked by the kidnappers. Chikun and Kagarko local government areas are badly affected. Nigerians living in these two local governments persistently

IGP Mohammed Adamu

pay kidnappers, with unending tales of woes.

I remember that Col. Samaila Inusa, serving with the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, was kidnapped by gunmen around Kamazo area in Chikun Local Government.

The police, military and other security agencies persistently fail Nigerians on the Kaduna-Abuja highway. These security organisations have largely been grandstanding, without any proactive measures to checkmate the kidnappers. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had severally given instruction to his men to end kidnapping on this road, without result. Adamu sits in his office and reels out instructions that are hardly obeyed. I am convinced that he is not in charge of the police and has lost control. All those accusing him of losing control of the police have nothing to prove again. The operational and administrative command and control of the Force must be overhauled. Adamu has to go for a new IG to come in and do this refit.

A retired army general, Garba Wahab, remarked recently: “The IGP May be sitting in Abuja with the paraphernalia of office, but he has lost the control of the police force.� The retired infantry army general was unequivocal that something must be done urgently for the police to regain their morale that has been at the lowest ebb after the attack on barracks and its personnel by hoodlums who hijacked the EndSARS protests. Much as I agree with

General Wahab, it is pertinent to add that the problem of the police started before EndSARS. In the last five years, morale has been very low in the Force because the leadership failed the personnel. The various reforms Adamu claims he has been implementing to reposition the Force for greater efficiency are mere cosmetics.

It is a shame that the police struggle to rescue their men when kidnapped. Bandits held six Assistant Superintendents of Police captive in Katsina State for 9 days, until yesterday.

They demanded N100 million ransom for their release. The ASPs were among the nine on their way to the Zamfara State Police Command on transfer. They were ambushed in the Dogondaji area of Katsina State and taken into the forest.

When the police are unable to manage crisis, the military comes in to help.

This is the global standard. In the case of Nigeria, the military has failed to help on the Kaduna-Abuja highway. On Tuesday, I heard the army chief, Tukur Buratai, saying the military is doing a lot to combat kidnappers and bandits along this notorious highway. “The issues of kidnapping and attacks by bandits are being taken care of. The Nigerian Air Force and the Army are doing a lot in this regard,� remarked Buratai. So, my dear army chief, where are the results of these operations? This is evidently a ruse. Buratai knows that it is still business as usual on this highway.

Where does President Muhammadu Buhari stand in all of these killings and abductions on the Kaduna-Abuja highway?

It is an embarrassment that this country’s Chief Security Officer is AWOL. The man that should lead the attack against kidnappers on the Kaduna-Abuja highway is nowhere to be found. Nigeria is in a deep mess.

Buratai was last Tuesday making a case for a special intervention fund for procurement of more equipment, training and provision of accommodation and other infrastructure in the military barracks for his men. He said more money is needed for procurement of hardware equipment and “procurement of platforms for the Armoured Corps also requires special intervention because with 100 per cent equipment capability, tackling insecurity will be enhanced and criminal elements wiped out.�

I am not impressed one bit by the army chief’s request for more funds. I agree that the military needs to be better equipped, but any money pumped into the military under its present leadership will be a waste. What has happened to the billions of Naira pumped

Unparalleled Treachery of Dave Umahi I nearly cracked my ribs with laughter on Tuesday while reading reports that Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State had defected to the All Progressives Congress. This governor spent most of this week dancing naked. For this man and many other Nigerian politicians, it’s just about their personal interest.

Umahi’s heart and soul had always been with the APC. He has his eyes on a bigger pie at the federal level and has been told he would get it by defecting to the ruling party. So, Umahi came up with humdrum reasons for dumping the PDP. He said he abandoned the PDP in protest against the injustice done to the South-east by the party since 1998, adding that the APC would protect the interest of the region in the 2023 presidential election. Haba! Injustice to the South-east by the PDP? PDP has always been South-east and South-east is PDP. This region benefited the most when PDP was in power at the centre. Besides, what has Umahi done for the South-east in all his years in government? When the PDP zoned the position of national vice-chairman to the South-east, Umahi cornered it for his younger brother, Chief Austin Umahi. Is this how to fight for the South-east?

APC will protect the interest of the region in the 2023 presidential election?

Is there anything cast in iron in Nigerian politics? By Wednesday, Umahi added that he left the PDP because Governor Nyesom Wike controls the party. These bread and butter politicians never cease to amaze me.

Umahi should have looked for a better reason for leaving the PDP instead of opening his mouth to reel out rubbish. Real men don’t unleash such lies.

For the likes of Umahi, it’s not about ideology but the next meal ticket and personal ambition. Politics of ideology took a flight from our dear nation a long time ago. Umahi knows the difference between a Progressive and a Conservative, but his belly and unbridled ambition supersede. Today, he’s a progressive and before you know it, he’s flying the flag of conservatives.

It’s all about his stomach and desire.

This country can’t make progress with people like these. Obviously, Umahi can’t be trusted. The guys in the APC know this and are apparently having a good laugh. I am surprised that he is the only one unaware of this. This is why he is dreaming of a bigger position at the federal level on the platform of the APC. Many are clearly enjoying the Umahi soap opera. Let him continue his drive for power, more bread and more butter. This

Governor Dave Umahi

is why Umahi, who was deputy governor for eight years and governor for a second term under PDP, is shifting to APC. He is now stacking heaps of rubbish on the same PDP that gave him fame and power. This is the usual treachery by Nigerian politicians for personal goals. I won’t be surprised to find Umahi back in the PDP in few years.

into the military in the last five years? This is the big question we should be asking Buratai.

A new army chief needs to come and manage the funds.

On the flip side, five days after gunmen killed the District Head of Gidan Zaki village, Haruna Kuye and his son, Destiny, in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, security agents are yet to arrest anybody in connection with the crime. The deceased were murdered at their residence by men wielding AK-47 rifles and machetes. The late district head’s wife sustained machete wounds on her hand while his daughter had a gunshot wound on her finger. We have been told that soldiers and other security agencies are carrying out investigations and trailing the assailants, but still no result. Governor Nasir El-Rufai should go beyond condemning the killings. He said he had directed the Commissioner of Police and Director of the Department of State Services to team up with the military forces on ground to ensure diligent investigations. El-Rufai has to genuinely follow up. He has to ensure killers of Haruna Kuye and his son are fished out and made to face the law. This is the only way killings and counter-killings can end in Zango Kataf.

DSS DG, Yusuf Bichi

Skewed DSS Recruitment The Department of State Service (DSS) under Yusuf Bichi is notorious for disrespecting the federal character law entrenched in the Nigerian Constitution. Several weeks after the last scandalous lopsided recruitment into the agency, those who should call him to order have refused to speak up. This means that Bichi has the support of the Presidency in this barefaced disregard for the Nigerian Constitution. The DSS itself has not denied the tilted recruitment. In the enlistment, Katsina, the state of President Buhari alone has 51 cadets as against 44 cadets for the whole of the five states in the South-east. A deeper probe of the newly commissioned cadet officers on geopolitical zone shows that 165 are from the North-west, while the entire South-south has 42. North-east has 100, North-central, 66 and South-west, 57.

The DSS boss allegedly recruited a large number of cadets from Bichi Local Government of Kano State where he is from.

So, what is the relevance of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) established to enforce federal character in recruitment into Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the federal government? The FC is just a lame duck. This is responsible for the consistent abuse of federal character in the MDAs. The Buhari government does it with so much impunity. This is most glaring in appointments into military and paramilitary agencies. A section of the country dominates.

Even the FCC was constituted without regard to the federal character principle it is supposed to enforce. So, the FCC is dead on arrival. This is why the likes of Yusuf Bichi can get away with anything.

Civil society groups must rise and challenge this skewed DSS recruitment in court. The exercise must be cancelled.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ NOVEMBER 21, 2020

SUPER SATURDAY Joke Silva ilv lva va and Olu Jacobs ac

35 Years and Still Sturdy Two Nollywood y stars, Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs, spent most of this week celebrating g 35 years of matrimony. y Joke and her “Omoboy” have had a jjourney full of good and inspiring g stories, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

N

Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva

ollywood y stars, Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs enjoy j y being g together g as a couple p many years down y the line despite p their stardom and individual roles. That togetherness g has taken them far as best friends and life p partners for 35 y years.

It’s a thing g of enormous joy j as such to see both iconic duo win together g as thespians p and as husband and wife on all fronts. To mark their 35th wedding g anniversary y last Monday, y Joke took to her verified Instagram g account to celebrate their union, tagging g gg her husband, Olu, that she nearly y forgot g it was their wedding g anniversary. y “Maybe y not forgot g but overwhelmed,” Joke wrote, recalling g that their marital jjourney y had taken three decades and a half. The highly g y respected p and award-winning actress, who fondly y calls her man “Omoboy” y shared ap photo of herself and her husband, thanked God for the years she had spent y p with her sweetheart and wished the two of them many y more years y to come. Wearing g traditionallydesigned g African p print with their faces full of smiles, Joke wrote: “Totally y forgot. g 35 years y together. Thank you, Lord.

Here is to many y more years. y Happy ppy wedding g anniversary Omo boy y @_olujacobs.” j Blessed with two male children, the celebrated couple p have stood the test of time in their marriage g and a shining example p for many y in the institution of marriage. g Also together, g they y have charted the path and blazed the trail for p today’s y g generation of filmmakers and actors – on stage g and on the screen. A story yg goes that Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva met in 1981 and it has been y full of good g and a jjourney inspiring p g stories. According g to Olu, who is now demure with age g @ 78, g gentled by y the years, he met Joke during the

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ NOVEMBER 21, 2020

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SUPER SATURDAY Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs: 35 Years and Still Sturdy

Olu and Joke p p pre-production of a stage g p play y in Nigeria g a year y after he arrived from England. g He saw her and had a connection as he got g attracted by y her look instantly and declared his intention to marry her openly. p y Olu said that the moment he set his eyes y on Joke, he knew she was his wife. He said, “We were having g a management g meeting g for a play, p Wole Soyinka’s y Jero Metamorphosis p when a young y g lady y walked in. Immediately y she walked in, something g inside me told me that she was going g g to be my y wife and I told the people p p around me that I was going g g to marry y her. That was in 1981. In 1986, we g got married. I was not in a relationship. p I had a disappointment pp that kept p me away y and I never wanted any y serious commitment because the wound was still raw but when I met her, we talked and played a lot and it surprised p people p p a lot.

“We travelled together g a lot as well. When the time came, I did not hesitate and it was as if she was waiting g for the q question as well. I proposed p p to her in Tunisia because we were shooting g a film, Ashanti. She came to join j me there on her way to England g and I asked her to marry y me.”

So far, the journey has been incredible and

extremely y interesting g for both. It has also been one of learning. g Once speaking p g on their marriage, g Joke said: “I don’t think anybody y y can ever p prepare p anyone y for marriage. g I had friends who were married until one partner p died or death did them part p and well over 40 y years we’re each other’s friends.

They y had their challenges g and they y weathered the storm. Those were my y role models. Knowing g full well that there will be storm, I soon realised that my y storms were totally y different from their own storms. I wasn’t prepared p p for my y own storms.

“When my y own storms too came, it was also a learning g curve for both sides (my y husband and I).

We both had to learn to forgive g each other. I learnt that marriage g is not a destination; it’s a continuous jjourney, y and somehow, it seems like the enemy y knows that, so he says, y ‘So, you y weathered this storm, let me throw another one, let me see whether you y will weather this one.’ But, I think when y you know the p person y you are married to, when y you like the p person y you are in relationship with, when you y do have respect p for each other, you learn. At least for me, for my y y husband, he always y wanted what was best for me. I had to also learn what was best for him but I finally y got. g It differs from person to person and it all depends

on what y your background g is.”

Amid the storms and p perceived rollercoaster jjourney y of their sweet matrimony, y there were times when it almost hit a brick wall. Joke said: “It happened pp a lot. I recall a p particular incident that happened pp when we jjust had our first baby. y It turned out to be a learning g curve for me. Olu had jjust come back from set. Apparently, pp y what hap ppened was that he was still in that character that p he had jjust p played y on set. So we were jjust talking and he jjust started shouting g and I was like, ‘Is it me y you are talking g to? Do y you think I don’t have a father?’ So I p packed my y clothes and I dumped p it in my y car, carried my y baby y and I remember our landlady y lived at the back of our compound. p “So, she (landlady) y came out and started shouting, g ‘Joke, where are y you g going g to?’ I told her that I was g going g to my y father’s house. When I g got home the first person p I saw was my y mum and she said, ‘what are y you doing g here?’ I began g ranting g and she said ‘you y don’t have a house or a room here; you y better pack p your y bags g and go g home.’

My y father sort of understood where I was coming from. Funnily, y my y husband called and asked, ‘When are you y coming g home?’ That was the first time, and I did it a couple of other times.”

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ÍşÍšËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

BALA MOHAMMED’S QUEST FOR STABILITY In the face of grave national crisis, Mohammed is steadfast in the pursuit of political stability, writes Emma Agu

T

hese are difficult times: for Nigeria and Nigerians; for the government and the people of a potentially great country but whose extraordinary endowment has been squandered; to the point that it is now begging other countries for peanuts, compared to the colossal wealth that has been frittered away. These are times that task the resolve of men and women and challenge leadership to either play on the highway of nobility or totter along the alley of mundane pedestrianism.

I have always believed that the best time to assess political leadership is when danger lurks, particularly when the existing social order faces the risk of collapse. The recent EndSARS protest was one such conundrum and despite the posturing by some commentators, it caught Nigeria’s political leadership flat-footed.

Credit had been given to the federal government’s handling of the agitation before some elements in military uniform bungled the response through a mindless shooting spree, at the Lekki Toll Gate, in Lagos that is now the subject of an intriguing investigation.

Today, as the denials and the blame games make the rounds, and frantic efforts are being made to douse tensions and restore a sense of normalcy, our thoughts and prayers go the families of both the protesters and the security personnel who lost loved ones to the mayhem. It will remain one sad blot on the bloody canvass of Nigeria’s quest for enlightened policing and an effective internal security architecture.

Be that as it may, it was not bungling and fumbling all the way. Though belated as it was, the dialogue initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, aimed at engaging critical stakeholders, particularly the youths, in finding a solution to the problem, is step in the right direction. A flurry of town hall meetings and entreaties, by prominent Nigerians, to the protesters to sheath their swords appears to be making the right impact. By happenstance, I witnessed the town hall meeting in Bauchi, where stakeholders beamed their searchlight on the protests: the events, probable causes and likely solutions. Fireworks, there were: but ultimately, what obtained was akin to a family meeting where m embers subjected the existential threats confronting the nation, particularly Bauchi State, to honest and rigorous scrutiny.

The time was short but well utilized; credit to all those present but more to the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed. To appreciate the yeoman’s role he played, one needs to understand the peculiarities of Bauchi State, in which the House of Assembly, is controlled by the leading opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC); yet nobody could use the EndSARS protest for political ends. Here is a state that, prior to May 2019, had the highest number of out-of-school pupils of 1.3 million, a potentially lethal reservoir for recruitment of jobless youths; yet they did not take the bait to pour into the streets. Here is a state where prior to Bala Mohammed’s assumption of office as governor, restive youths known as Sara Suka regularly terrorized the people, yet the youth present at the event heeded the entreaties to remain calm even as speaker after speaker, lamented the parlous state of the national economy and the high-handedness of some elements of the disbanded SARS!

TO BALA MOHAMMED, THE CRISIS THAT HAD ENGULFED THE COUNTRY CALLED FOR STATESMANSHIP, NOT POLITICS; FOR HONESTY, NOT DUPLICITY AND FOR COMPASSION, NOT GRAND-STANDING OR THREATS

Why then did the youth of Bauchi State shun the protest in spite of pre-existing socio-economic conditions? One answer lays in the systematic shrinking of youth unemployment through sustained empowerment programmes by the Bala Mohammed administration. As if the government envisaged the impending implosion, as lately as September 2020, it had started distributing 1000 tricycles and 250 transport vehicles to the youth, under a highly subsidized hire purchase scheme. Before that, 4000 youth who were trained by the state government, in modern farming techniques, had taken to the farms and were no longer available for recruitment either as insurgents or protesters. The implication is that, if an idle head is the devil’s workshop, then the devil could not recruit followers from Bauchi State.

One other important deterrent was Bala Mohammed’s single-minded commitment to pre-emptive security which entailed deploying resources to intelligence gathering, logistical support to the security paraphernalia of the state and the domestication of rural security in the hands of local leaders. All the security chiefs at the meeting confirmed that the administration has encouraged various stakeholder groups, particularly the security agencies, to take ownership of internal security. The result is the presence of an effective intelligence network that ensures that, more often than not, security threats are nipped in the bud before they get out of hand.

But if those were the remote conditions predisposing the youth of Bauchi into calm sobriety, his handling of the actual town hall meeting on security, threw ample light on those leadership qualities of Bala Mohammed that have encouraged the people to take ownership of their own security and ultimately their lives. As Chairman of the occasion, Bala Mohammed assumed the posture of a neutral leader, albeit in a deeply polarised political setting. He had an ear for everyone who wanted to speak, empathised with every complainant, regretted the wanton killings that took place, assured every despondent person, assuaged some restless youth who, from their persistent gesture and thinly disguised heckling, had obviously targeted some of the guests at the town hall meeting.

For those who expected the governor, to play the partisan card, who expected him to blame the APC-controlled federal government for the crisis engulfing the country, they were wrong. To Bala Mohammed, the crisis that had engulfed the country called for statesmanship, not politics; for honesty, not duplicity and for compassion, not grand-standing or threats. His antecedents, as a statesman, speak to a predictable consistency. The one that readily comes to mind was when, in 2010, some elements tried to stall Goodluck Jonathan’s ascent to the Presidency. Bala Mohammed, then a Senator under the banner of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), sponsored the Doctrine of Necessity resolution that paved the way for Goodluck Jonathan, to become acting President and later President. Here then, was one such other situation: the nation was in the throes of anarchy; political hounds were baying for blood and to get that blood could throw the nation into irreversible destabilisation.

Towering high above petty partisanship, he wore the garb of a statesman, giving deserved recognition to the empowerment programmes of the federal government.

RAGE OVER FUEL PRICE INCREASE Ayo Oyoze Baje argues that Nigerians are overburdened

“Leadership is taking responsibility, while others are making excuses� -John Maxwell

“W

hat do these people in government take longsuffering Nigerians for? How do we explain or begin to justify four increases in the pump price of petrol within one year, coming soon after the months of excruciating lockdown cause d by the COVID-19 pandemic? This was at a time when other people-friendly and compassionate leaders across the world were sharing various forms of palliatives to cushion the economic effects on their citizens. But what were our own political helmsmen doing? They were busy hoarding the palliatives, increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) and electricity tariff, not minding the negative ripple effects these have on the fragile economy. “Now, we are confronted with an escalating inflation rate that has spiralled to over 14 per cent while the exchange rate has hit N472 per dollar! With these several businesses will definitely crumble. Perhaps, it is all because they do not spend a kobo of their stolen wealth to buy fuel, pay for electric power or even buy raw food items in the market. “For me, this is nothing but sheer cruelty.

They do not wear the same shoes as we do and therefore, do not know where they pinch us�! That was vintage Andrew, my friend of over two decades venting his anger. “Calm down, Andrew, because this is one of the spin-off effects of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry�.

I began to explain but only got Andrew’s emotions triggered off. “Mr. Baje, you should know that you are one of the few Nigerians I respect, because you have consistently expressed your undying

love for the country through your essays, lectures and contributions on topical television programs. But please, don’t try to explain or defend what these callous people have done.

Tell me, do they understand the meaning of deregulation? In fact, which oil industry are you even talking about? “Do you mean an oil industry which boasts of four comatose refineries, on which they claim to spend billions of Naira every blessed month for the never-ending turn-around maintenance, without producing a drop of refined petrol? Do you mean an industry reflecting a rental state where the NNPC workers keep being paid for little or no meaningful work done? Do you mean an industry that has become a conduit pipe? In fact, do you consider Nigeria as an oil producing country, all? � Andrew went on, reeling bare facts and figures to put paid to any claim to the fight against corruption in the oil industry.

And all these reminded me about Obi Ezekwesili’s candid opinion on the series of pump price increases. She referred to them as: “cosmetic price-fixing measures of this administration that it continues to wrongly call deregulation. Real deregulation and liberalization of the of the petroleum sector would result in the same kind of structural change that happened in the telecommunications sector, making it possible for the poorest to have access to mobile phone services when competition amongst private sector companies terminated the previous government’s monopoly and the costly inefficiency of NITEL’s provision of telephone services.� That makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Of course, it does. If the administration that promised to reactivate the refineries has failed over five years down the line, where lies the trust element, between it and the good

people of Nigeria? If again it now claims to have removed fuel subsidy, which they lambasted the previous Goodluck Jonathan-led administration of misuse, what stops it from using part of the subsidy to provide impactmaking palliatives to put a smile on the faces of hapless Nigerians? Why not use part of the subsidy to build strong and stable infrastructure to act as catalysts to boost the economy through employment generation? Why not sell off the refineries, if real deregulation has taken place?

Honestly, something must be missing somewhere along the productive value chain that leads to sustainable economic development. The pain again is that when important decisions, such as the fuel price increase is made without the stakeholders’ input and the government tries to find excuses to justify it, such exhibits nothing but a disconnect in the governance process.

For instance, for the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva to claim that the new price is due to the announcement of a positive outcome in the final stage trial of the coronavirus vaccine is indeed laughable! The vaccine is being developed by American pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer Inc. in collaboration with BioNTech. How do we explain the paradox of the NNPC claiming to have spent N535.9 billion on subsidy, FAAC precisely in the First Quarter 2020?

As if adding fuel to the raging fire of anger in the land, Sylva said off-handedly that Nigerians will soon get used to it. To him there was nothing wrong with the recent price of the Premium Motor Spirit(Petrol)! But no!

We are not donkeys that keep enduring the owners’ profit-making loads on its back and moving ahead with a ‘mumu’ smile. We have started asking how Nigeria has spent about

$25 billion (N11.800 trillion) in turnaround maintenance of refineries in the past 25 years while the oil production facilities still remain moribund.

We want the outcome of the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum Sector’s probe of the NNPC’s claim to have spent over $396 million(N186.912bn) between 2013 and 2015 on maintaining refineries. Again, we need explanations as to how NNPC incurred a cumulative loss of N123.25 billion within 10 months between January to October 2019, putting the total revenue of the facilities at N68.82 billion while the total expenses incurred was N192.1 billion within the same period! It is also our right as tax-paying citizens to understand the patriotic concerns of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, that the country spends a whopping N120 billion annually on these non-performing refineries.

Indeed, Nigerians deserve to know why they have to pay a huge sum of N170 per litre of petrol, especially in their country ranked as Africa’s largest oil producer and also home to the second-largest proven oil reserves in Africa.

It happens to be the 11th-largest oil producer in the world. They should also task the crop of their past and present leaders to explain why there is so much youth unemployment, job losses, decrepit infrastructure, insecurity and poverty in a land God has blessed with ‘milk and honey’.

So far, we have been taken on a long, donkey ride and enough is indeed, enough!

As Andrew, my good friend rightly stated, it is time for our so-called political leaders to wear our shoes and feel exactly where they pinch us. We need credible answers to these questions, because we claim to run a democracy where the leaders should be accountable to the people and not to themselves.

13

ÍşÍšËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

The shame of a nation...

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Kidnap of ABU French-Language Students

N

igeria and the intentions of Nigerians do present no-brainer puzzles that a six-year-old can solve with ease. For a much older folk like me, I was only left wondering in perplexity about the actions and utterances of a segment of Nigeria regarding the recent situation in France that threatened to escalate on account of the beheading of a school teacher, Samuel Paty, by an Islamist.

What troubled me really was the call by the far-right party of Marine LePen to expel nonconformist Muslims in France by force; this party, the National Front, is slowly gaining a wider berth in the French society.

However, over here in Nigeria, especially at Kano State, the state governor and a local mullah ummah went into vituperative overdrive, renaming the popular France Road at Sabon Gari in Kano City as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Madina Roadâ&#x20AC;? and calling louder for â&#x20AC;&#x153;punitiveâ&#x20AC;? actions to be taken against the interests of France, including the sack of all French nationals in the service of the Kano State Government and replacing French with Arabic in school curriculum over there. What I did not hear was a call to the ummah of Nigeria to shun France mainland in their holiday and medical tours. Whatever the comical effect and hypocrisy of such attitudes of our Kanawa compatriots, the message of hate for France and President Emmanuel Macron was duly

P

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Fired

resident Trump has fired Christopher Krebs who was the head of the agency that oversaw the voting technology. The reason he was fired was that he did his job properly and said so despite the president saying the opposite. Basically, the president has said the election was rigged which effectively means he considers Krebs to have rigged the results. This would lead to lawsuits if there was any credibility to the accusation or the accuser.

Most people are honest, do their jobs properly and the better their job performance is, the more secure their job is except in the of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Fired!â&#x20AC;? Trump reality tv world.

Keep your head up Chris, you did the right thing. Well done.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

disseminated across the country. Now, then, it was reported in the news media that a blatant kidnap job was done on Frenchlanguage students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who were on a journey to Lagos to link-up with a purpose-specific French cultural centre to further their finer grasp of this foreign language. The way a pro-north newspaper reported this kidnap incidence, you do not have to be an intelligence officer to start thinking of so many questions to answer. We understand that there were more female students on that fateful trip than male students and we parents can only sit back and imagine the horror of a religiously-fuelled vendetta on hapless Nigerian maidens. But, who ordered that hit? Whatever think-thank had advanced the cause of kidnappers and terrorists as necessary political tools to effect changes in the body polity (the kidnap of the Christian Chibok girls was the main issue that forced Goodluck Jonathan out) had also unwittingly chart the course for the disintegration of Nigeria. Point to note is that an action of this nature further reinforces the convictions of people like Trenton Tarrant and Emmanuel Macron.

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

Makama and Misau/Dambam Constituency

T

he essence of democracy is to give room to all citizens to participate in the process of governance through representation. Nigeria operates a representative democracy in which government constitutes three arms namely, the executive, judiciary and legislature. The legislature is the institution which differentiates a democracy from a dictatorship. It constitutes elected senators for the Upper Chamber and elected representatives for the Lower Chamber as it is with the presidential system.

Legislators have the onus to stand for their constituents to check the excesses of the executive arm, make laws and facilitate in bringing dividends of democracy to their constituencies. The process of the workings at the National Assembly is done through bill, which may be sponsored by a member or come as either an executive or a private bill. Before a bill becomes a law, it has to pass through three readings at the legislature and get a presidential assent.

It can therefore be inferred at this junction that the legislature is of so much democratic importance whereas Abraham Lincoln would vehemently agree, the people get to own the government, have it for themselves all by themselves.

Thus, if the purpose of having the legislature as an institution of democracy is to be achieved, only conscious, concerned and well-meaning politicians deserve to be elected to serve in either of the hallowed chambers of the NASS. Else, politicians without capacity will go there only to constitute nuisance to the democratic process, waste tax payersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; money and mar rather than make their constituents and constituencies.

Such is the scenario in Misau/Dambam federal constituency where in more than one year of stay at the NASS, Honorable Ibrahim Makama has sponsored zero bills.

In fact, the member is yet to second a T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R moved motion. This is in spite of the fact EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE that his constituents are facing a plethora DEPUTY EDITOR FESTUS AKANBI of challenges which if nothing is done, we MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE will continue to perceive the miasma of CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI hopelessness in such a manner as to keep EDITOR NATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN us in permanent state of despair.

MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE And as if to inflict more pains to the injuries Misau/Dambam is sustaining, courtesy of the honorable memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 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 absolute low performance at the Green GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, Chamber, Hon. Makama cannot be traced ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI and located by any of his constituents. He DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE has no Constituency Office and even at DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI that, no one can tell the last time he was SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH sighted for instance, in either Tofu Ward ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO in Misau Local Government or Yanda CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO Ward in Dambam Local Government.

HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Mukhtar Jarmajo, Misau Town, Misau LGA, Bauchi State

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾NOVEMBER 21, 2020

NEWS

Zenith Bank, UBA Post N963.4bn Gross Earnings, N236bn Profit Goddy Egene

HONOUR WELL DESERVED ...

L-R: Managing Director, Castle Concert Limited, Engr. Edward N. Moore, receiving the plaque of conferment of Fellowship of Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) from the President of NSE, Engr. Babagana Mohammed, FNSE, in Abuja...recently

Kyari: Gas Supply to Power Generating Companies has Improved Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has said that gas supply to power generating companies (Gencos), has significantly improved, adding that the major challenge now is that of transmission.

A statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said that Kyari spoke during the 2021 budget defence and performance appraisal meeting with officials of the corporation which held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

Kyari, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, Mr. Yusuf Us-

man, attributed the success of the corporation in the gas sector to the support and cooperation of the committee and the entire legislature.

He said gas supply to power had improved to a large measure, which he said was evident in the improved power supply currently being witnessed in the country.

“We have significant gas in the network currently, but the challenge however, is transmission,” the Kyari stated.

On the AKK pipeline project, the NNPC boss told the lawmakers that it was designed to supply 2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (2bcfd), stressing that it would be the primary source of gas for the power plants currently being

developed in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

In its remarks, the Senate Committee on Gas commended the NNPC on the various gas development projects it had undertaken, especially the Ajaokuta - Kaduna - Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator James Manager, the statement said, expressed satisfaction with the various gas development projects embarked upon by the NNPC despite the impact of COVID-19 on the oil and gas industry.

He said the interface between the committee and the NNPC would have been more frequent but for the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reassured

the corporation that his committee would undertake an oversight visit to the projects for proper assessment soon.

On his part, a member of the committee, who is also the immediate past chairman, Senator Albert Akpan Bassey, lauded the NNPC for publishing the 2018 and 2019 Audited Financial Statements (AFS) and for reducing losses by over 95 per cent.

“I want to commend the team led by the present GMD, a team of dedicated and passionate Nigerians.

If they can reduce losses drastically within such a short time, I am sure the next report will reveal huge profit to the country. We must give them our support and cooperation,” he stated.

MSME Survival Fund: SMEDAN Warns Applicants to Be Wary of Extortionists Wole Ayodele inJalingo The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has warned applicants of the MSME Survival Fund to be wary of extortionists and refrain from giving money to anybody to access the funds.

Speaking in Jalingo, Taraba

State, during a town hall meeting to sensitise artisans and transport business operators on how to access the MSME Survival Fund, Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, stated that application and processing of the grant is 100 per cent free.

Insisting that applicants must not offer money to anybody to register

or facilitate their applications, the DG assured the people that every application would be treated on its merit.

The meeting, which was attended by the officials of trade associations in the state including tailors, barbers, plumbers, NURTW and other stakeholders was scheduled to hold across the 36 states and FCT.

Radda stated that a total of 330,000 artisans and transport business operators would benefit from the programme across the country which translates to 9,009 in each state and FCT. Each of the beneficiary, according to him, would receive a grant of N30,000 to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown.

APC Govs Storm Jonathan’s House As He Marks 63rd Birthday Cont:d from Pg. 5 In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, “Nigerians will remain eternally grateful to former President Jonathan for his personal sacrifices towards the unity and stability of our dear nation to ensure the corporate existence of our country during one of her very trying moments.

“This is in addition to his efforts in entrenching democratic tenets of rule of law, respect for constitutionally guaranteed rights and personal liberty of citizens, as well as strengthening our electoral system and institutions of government for national growth and stability,” he said.

Moreover, the PDP said that the former President Jonathan is celebrated for his giant strides in repositioning the nation’s economy to become one of the fastest growing in the world, through meticulous application of robust economic policies in key sectors, which stabilised the

currency, enhanced transparency in governance, boost the productivity of Nigerians in every sector of national and international endeavors and granted the nation a strong voice among the comity of nations.

Besides, the PDP said that “the life style of former President Jonathan is one which teaches the immeasurable values of humility, patience, faith and loyalty. From him flows a lesson for leaders to remain steadfast to their calling and avoid desperate quest for political power at all cost.”

Jonathan, an Outstanding Leader-House Minority Caucus In its tribute, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives described Jonathan as outstanding statesman and quintessential democrat.

The caucus in a statement signed by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said Jonathan is an extraordinary leader, a shining example of a

detribalised Nigerian, whose sense of honesty, humility, selflessness, love for all Nigerians, as well as commitment and personal sacrifices for the unity and stability of the nation saved her corporate existence and laid the solid foundation for the national unanimity the nation enjoys today.

The caucus said, ‘’Over the years, as the deputy governor and later governor of Bayelsa State; Vice President and subsequently the President of our dear country, and now a global statesman, Dr. Jonathan has continued to exhibit uncommon leadership virtues in seeking only the good of our nation and humanity at large.”

Fani-Kayode Felicitates with Jonathan Former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode in his goodwill message to Jonathan, described him as a a kind, gentle and compassionate man.

Fani-Kayode said: “For the

last four years I have been with President Jonathan on his birthday.

Unfortunately this year I could not make it because I am touring the South-east and South-south for a series of crucial political meetings but we spoke on the phone during the party and I am delighted that no less than four APC governors and my good friend the APC chieftain Kashim Ibrahim Imam honored this great man with their presence.

“This says a lot for the APC and it confirms the fact that we can play politics without bitterness in this county. I wish some PDP governors had been there too because many of them love him too. President Jonathan is by far the most humble, civilised and humane person in Nigerian politics today. A great leader and a kind, gentle and compassionate man; he is our leader and wherever he goes is where we will go. May God bless and keep him for many more years.”

Zenith Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, pan-African financial institutions, have reported a combined gross earnings of N963.375 billion and profit after tax (PAT) of N236.132 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 despite the challenging operating environment.

A breakdown of the results showed that Zenith Bank Plc recorded gross earnings of N508.975 billion, indicating a growth of 3.6 per cent compared with N491.268 billion in the corresponding period of 2019.

Net interest income improved by 4.9 per cent to N225.179 billion, from N214.627 billion, while non fee and commission income fell by 19.9 per cent to N59.123 billion, from N73.847 billion. Impairment charges increased by 37.5 per cent to N25.1 billion from N18.259 billion.

Profit before tax stood at N177.283 billion, showing an increase of 0.6 per cent, while profit after tax grew faster by 5.7 per cent to N159.315 billion from N150.723 billion.

Zenith Bank attracted deposits of N5.224 trillion from customers, up by32.2 per cent compared with 3.952 trillion recorded as at December 31, 2019. In the same vein, the bank gave out loans of N2.711 trillion to customers, showing a growth of 32.6 per cent from N2.043 trillion recorded at December 2019.

On its part, UBA grew its gross earnings from N428.7 billion in 2019 to N454.4 billion in 2020.

Net interest income rose by 17 per cent to N186 billion compared with N158.9 billion. Impairment charges printed at N11.476 billion, up from N6.663 billion in 2019.

UBA reported a Profit Before Tax (PBT)of N90.4 billion compared to N98.2 billion recorded in 2019.

Similarly, the bank recorded an after-tax net profit of N77.1 billion, thus putting its annualised return on average equity at 16.4 per cent.

Operating income also improved by 10.4 per cent year-on-year to close at N293.7 billion, up from N265.9 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2019.

Barkindo: New Wave of COVID-19 Calls for more Sacrifices from Oil Producers Festus Akanbi As the global community comes to terms with the new wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Petroleum Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo, has raised the fear that the modest gains achieved in moderating global oil market so far in the year could pale into insignificance unless more sacrifices are made by OPEC members.

Barkindo, who acknowledged the previous sacrifices and ongoing efforts of key global economic leaders to tackle the fallouts of the pandemic said new lockdowns, second and third waves of COVID-19 and high levels of unemployment, remain major concerns globally.

He therefore called for concerted efforts in ensuring stability in the global oil market.

The OPEC chief, who spoke at the 24th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) held via videoconference during the week, noted that despite conformity to production adjustments, the overhang

remained massive in both the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries; and non-OECD. He said the situation required vigilance and continuous monitoring, particularly given the large uncertainties going forward.

The JMMC came ahead of the impending 180th Meeting of the OPEC Conference on 30 November, and the 12th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 1 December, According to him, the large fiscal stimulus packages remain supportive, and vaccines offer hope, but the benefits of the latter will take time to trickle through to the real economy, and oil demand growth.

He stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic showed no sign of abating, ripping through regions, countries and populations as we head into the northern hemisphere winter,” noting however that “the announcement of various COVID-19 vaccines with over 90% efficacy rates, including Russia’s Sputnik coronavirus vaccine, had given a shot in the arm to the economic and oil demand outlook, offering some hope going forward.”

Abia Economy Suffers due to Poor State of Federal Roads, Says Ikpeazu Emmanuel Ugwu Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on contractors handling the rehabilitation of federal roads in the state to quicken the pace of work as the poor state of the roads was already doing harm to the Abia economy.

He vowed that he would intervene to save the situation if the contractors failed to live up to expectation. The governor lamented the harm which the dilapidated federal road network was doing to the economy of Abia, vowing that he would intervene to save the situation.

Speaking at an interactive session with journalists at Umuahia, the governor noted that it was becoming increasingly difficult for business and commerce to flourish as it used to between Abia and it’s neighbouring states due to the very poor state of interstate roads.

Abia shares boundaries with seven states, namely Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Rivers Akwa Ibom and

Cross River and is connected to its neighbours by network of federal roads that are all in state of disrepair.

Ikpeazu, who expressed his frustration with some of the contractors engaged by the federal government to fix the roads, said that his patience was running out.

He warned that if the contractors failed to change their lackadaisical attitude and return to site he would have no alternative than to take over the rehabilitation of the already awarded federal roads.

Governor Ikpeazu stated that his past efforts to rehabilitate federal roads in the state were frustrated with litigations by contractors and nonchalant attitude of the relevant federal ministry.

Citing the federal road that links the NNPC Depot at Osisioma to Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South local government through to Port Harcourt, Ikpeazu said that he had commenced the reconstruction of the road but the federal authorities halted the project.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž N Í°ÍŻË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

15

NEWSXTRA

'Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Drag Ohaneze Ndigbo into Partisan Politics over Umahi' Bennett Oghifo Prominent leaders in the South-east have warned that the strength of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, a sociocultural organisation of the region, would be eroded if it is dragged into partisan politics.

Two of their leaders, Dr.

Eddie Mbadiwe and Professor Chudi Uwazurike stated this in reaction to an alleged statement by the organisation endorsing the recent defection of Governor David Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The leaders said they ex-

pected the Ohaneze to study the political landscape at the appropriate time and advise the Igbos on what best serve their interest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have noted with concern a release by Chief Charles Ibegbu, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo more or less endorsing Governor

David Umahiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projected defection from PDP to APC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Governor Umahi in fulfilment of his political ambition is within his rights to play politics as is expedient to him. However, Ohaneze Ndigbo as a socio-cultural organisation must not be dragged into partisan politics if it is to retain its moral

authority on matters concerning Ndigbo. We advise Ohaneze to focus heavily on our peoples well-being and resist being dragged into partisan politics. Left to politicians, this sage body will degenerate into in-fighting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the appropriate time, we would expect Ohaneze to do a detailed and objective study of the political landscape in Nigeria and advise Ndigbo on what they believe is best for them.

We would also advise that

Ohaneze should take time to study the activities of Ibo state union in the period 1940 - 1957. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a major part of this period Chief Z.C. Obi was president and he held the Ibos together. Let us identify what made Ibo State Union the Custodian and anchor of Ibo Values. Finally, we recommend to all Igbos to imbibe the old age mantra of Igwe Bu Ike and Onye Aghala Nwaneya,â&#x20AC;? the statement said.

Police Arrest Man for Killing His Two Children Laleye Dipo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;

FUNDING ADVOCACYâ&#x20AC;Ś

L-R: Chairperson, Business Strategy Committee, 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative, Dr. Biola Mohammed; Council Member, Dr. Jerry Nwankwo; Chairman, Governing Council, Deacon Yinka Obalede; Chairperson, Launching Committee, Mrs. Yoyinsola Makanjuola; and Member, Board of Trustees/ Council Member, Mrs. Fasina Modupe, at the maiden launch and fundraising ceremony of 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative in Lagos...recently Ë?

2023: 5000 APC, PRP Members Decamp to PDP in Katsina Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Katsina State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, has announced the defection of 5,000 members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Redemption Party (PRP) to the party.

Majigiri, who revealed this while receiving the decampees in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state, urged them to concentrate on strengthening the party's platform before the 2023 election cycle. He said: "Last week,

my deputy represented me at an event in Malumfashi where he received decampees from the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Redemption Party under the leadership of Ja'afar Aliyu. He decamped to PDP with over 2,300 people. Today, we witnessed the registration of Lawal Yusuf into PDP. "He decamped with followers of over 2,700. When you add the followers of Ja'afar Aliyu and that of Lawal Yusuf, you will have over 5,000 in Malumfashi local government alone that joined PDP within this week.

The decampees are from APC, PRP and APGA".

He, however, said lack of local government system and "misappropriation" of funds meant to cater for the welfare of rural dwellers in the state, had also contributed significantly to the spate of banditry and other nefarious activities afflicting the state, saying local government system is dead.

The PDP chairman, who accused the governor of running a closed-door government, called for the involvement of traditional and religious leaders in the ongoing war against banditry for the sustainability of peace and development in the state.

Lai Mohammed Pledges to Implement Creative Industry Report Charles Ajunwa The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has received the report of the Implementation Committee for Post-COVID-19 Initiatives Committee on the Creative Industry, with a pledge to implement the recommendations of the committee.

Receiving the report in his office on Thursday, the minister assured that the Government will not disappoint the stakeholders in the Creative Industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can assure you that we will study the report and commence its implementation in earnest,' he said. Alhaji Mohammed commended the Committee for its wide consultation with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the

Creative Industry in order to secure their buy-in and ensure inclusiveness.

He commended members of the committee for their painstaking work that culminated in the report. In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee and the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, said the Implementation Committee set up 14 clusters to collate the views of all the players in the Creative Industry, with a view to drafting immediate, medium and long time implementation plan for the turnaround of the Creative Sector, which was badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Otunba Runsewe, who thanked the minister for his foresight in setting up the committee,

said this is the first time any government will engage the entire spectrum of the Creative Industry in order to chart a course for the development of the industry.

The minister inaugurated the Committee on August 18th, 2020, to design an implementation plan on immediate and short-term relief for the Creative Industry, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (short term); design a Policy Framework for Tax Relief for the various sectors in the Creative Industry, if it is identified as one of the measures aimed at achieving immediate and short-term relief for the Industry, and to work out a detailed implementation plan for a long-term intervention for the overall development of the Creative industry in Nigeria (long term).

He said: "Since the inception of democracy in 1999 to date, we have never had a governor that doesn't have local government councils at heart like Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

This is someone who met elected local governments officials in the state and dissolved them without following due processes.

The Police in Nasko, Magama local government area of Niger State have arrested one Abubakar Maidabo for allegedly killing his two sons.

Maidabo was reported to have slaughtered Shehu Abubakar 4years old and Umar Abubakar 8years of age with a Cutlass.

The incident took place in Nasko town last Saturday.

According to the Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer ASP Wasiu Abiodun in a statement made available to newsmen the suspect after slaughtering his two biological children with a Cutlass reportedly packed their remains in two sacks before hiding them in the bush.

Abiodun said the suspect later informed his own father about what he did leading to the case being reported to the Police in Nasko headquarters of the local government area.

During interrogation the suspect was said to confessed to committing the crime claiming his action was an act of God Abiodun said in the statement.

He said the corpses had been taken to General Hospital Nasko for autopsy while investigation into the case has commenced.

In another statement, ASP Abiodun disclosed that three suspects had been arrested in Suleja local government area for allegedly vandalising NNPC pipeline and scooping fuel from the burst pipe lines.

Those arrested according to the statement are Daniel Joshua 37yrs, Sunday Ezekiel 33 and Suleiman Madaki 29 years all of Numba Gwari village in Suleja LGA. Abiodun said the suspects were arrested while vandalizing NNPC pipeline and scooping PMS at Numba-Gwari, Suleja adding that during interrogation, they confessed to commiting the crime.

He disclosed that six 25 litre jerricans containing PMS, 48 empty jerricans, eight drilling bits, and one drilling machine, a chisel, a hammer, a shovel, four plastic containers and a funnel were recovered from the suspects Abiodun said investigation into the case has also commenced.

Ex-Guber Aspirant Cautions FG against Fuel Price Regulation Hammed Shittu Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; A former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, Mr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola, has cautioned the federal government against act of fixing the pump price of fuel.

He said market forces should determine the appropriate price for petrol whenever the commodity is deregulated in line with the best practices so as to avoid further corruption in the oil sector.

Last week, the federal government, through the Petroleum Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC) announced hike in the ex-depot price of fuel to N157.

Babalola, an expert in oil and gas, spoke with journalists in Ilorin yesterday when he was conferred with the Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Management and

Leadership (FCIML).

He noted that the government's regulation of fuel price has encouraged corrupt practices in the petroleum sector.

He added that dealers in the industry should be allowed to dispense the product and recoup the profit therein.

The former governorship aspirant maintained that the real deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry would bring about competition as obtainable in the telecommunication sector.

"Considering the economic reality of the moment, one will probably want to say it (hike in fuel price) is not justified.

But in reality, it is the best decision and I think they are not even doing it right. When you deregulate, you don't fix price.

Let everybody sell as they buy and make their profit.

"For example, when the telephone companies came

into the country, we were making calls at N50 per minute. Even if you used only one second, they charged you N50. But when competition came, the whole thing went down. Today, it (phone call) is about N7, and the exchange rate is even worse than it was at the time they came in. What is the cause? Competition.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as ELEGBOGUN SEGUN DANIEL , now wish to be known and addressed as ELEGBOGUN ARAMEZELE DANIEL. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONYEMA CHUKWU-NZE, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEMA EVINWANZE. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank, Diamond Bank and the general public should take note.

16

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

Plus Bukar Usman I Have an Obligation to Do Good as Much As I Can While Alive

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 21, 2020

PLUS

I Have an Obligation to Do Good as Much As I Can While Alive Dr. Bukar Usman is a retired permanent secretary in the Presidency; proliďŹ c writer, accomplished administrator, passionate folklorist, and informed public aďŹ&#x20AC;airs analyst. He has authored dozens of books covering a wide range of topics, including oral literature, history, governance, public policy, media, security, politics and international aďŹ&#x20AC;airs. Dr. Usman, who will clocks 78 next month talks to Khalid Imam, on many topical issues, including the secret of his graceful looks and mental alertness position to comment on that. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enumerate what secrets she puts in my meals but I notice that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m frequently served freshly-cooked wholesome meals and few fried or baked items.

I eat only one main meal in a day, take fruits, and drink lots of water.

Personally, I had prayed in my civil-service days to retire when I was still strong enough to do certain things I could not do while in the service. I had also resolved after retirement not to be engaged in any full-time post-retirement job. I had enough of it in my over 30-year active working career. I had kept faith with that resolution since my retirement, at the age of 56, from the federal public service in 1999.

My advice to people would be that they should engage in sporting activities, work for a living as much as they can in their youthful days, and plan and save for their retirement so that they can have what they need to take care of themselves and their families in their old age.

Usman

What were your formative years like?

I

was born at Biu, Borno State, on 10 December 1942. It was there I spent my formative years; that was pre-primary school. I started primary school at Biu in 1951. Before then, I was enrolled into Sangaya (qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an school) run by my uncle.

It was a stone-throw from our house. We read qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an on a wooden slate in the morning and at night around a bonfire.

We fetched guinea corn stocks and shrubs in the day time to make the bonfire for the night lesson. We also fetched water and did other chores for the qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an teacher, my uncle.

The night lesson usually lasted about one to one and half hours.

We also went about with small calabashes to beg for food in the neighborhood as almajiri.

It was while playing in the street one afternoon that I was grabbed by a Dogari (palace guard) who took me to our Emir, the Emir of Biu. The Emir ordered that I should be taken to the primary school which was just about one hundred metres away from the palace. That was the beginning of my formal education and I unceremoniously bid goodbye to Sangaya. The qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an school inculcated in me self-reliance and self-discipline in that even though my family house was nearby and the Sangaya was in front of my uncleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house where I slept, I still went about to beg for food.

Tell us a bit about your parents?

My parents never went to school. My father was a petty trader selling clothes and needles. I helped him sell the needles in the market which was a weekly market held on Mondays in Biu town. My mother was also a petty trader. She sold dry pepper and dry tomatoes. She bought the fresh ones cheaply during the rainy season and sold them dry in dry season when the ingredients were scarce. She also had several farmlands in and around Biu town. I followed her to the farms to help her.

Through petty trading, she saved enough to buy me a bicycle when I was in secondary school. That was in 1962. Her gift was quite an encouragement in my education career. My mother also gave me garden eggs, cucumber and pan-fried ground nuts whenever I was returning to boarding school after the holidays. My father was a strict disciplinarian. He made sure I did not stay out late in the night as we went out to play in the street at moonlight. He administers concoctions to cure my minor ailments such as cold, cough and fever. Garlic was one of the concoctions. The flesh of a red-neck lizard too served as medicine against whooping cough. The test of the efficacy of

those native treatments was that somehow I got cured.

When did you leave Maiduguri for further education?

From 1955 when I went to Maiduguri to continue my primary and secondary education, I was largely out of my parents care except when I went home briefly on holidays.

That was so as I was in boarding school for my senior primary and secondary school at Maiduguri (1955- 1963). From there I proceeded to Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College Lagos for my higher school (19641965) and then to Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (1966-1969).

After that I worked in the federal civil service starting as a Third Class Clerk in 1969 rising to the post of a permanent secretary in the presidency where I retired in 1999. My parents were not responsible for my school fees. Biu Native Authority, Northern Nigeria Regional Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria sponsored my education at various levels from primary to the university. If anything, boarding life guided much of my childhood and adult life.

By December you would be 78 but you still look 60; what is the secret of your youthful looks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; should one attribute it to good diet, exercise or what? And what do you think people should generally do to make them age gracefully?

Exercise, by which I mean physical exercise, certainly helps to keep the body and mind fit, according to medical advice.

However, in my case, much of the physical exercise I did was during my school days (1951-1969). As a secondary school student in Maiduguri (1958-1963) I was an all-rounder in sports: I participated in track and field events in athletics and also played football, basketball, hockey, rugby and table tennis. I represented my school, Borno Provincial Secondary School, now Borno College at annual inter-provincial sports competition. I also represented the Northern Region as an athlete at the annual inter-regional sports competition in Lagos. I represented Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College Lagos at annual inter-collegiate football competition (1964-1965). I represented Ahmadu Bello University as a footballer at the annual Nigeria University Games (NUGA) (1966-1969). The last NUGA games I participated was hosted by the University of Ife in 1966. That was when the university was still at Ibadan and before it was renamed Obafemi Awolowo University. Perhaps these sporting activities in my youthful days carried me through to this day as currently my physical exercise is minimal.

Regarding dieting secrets, I think my spouse is in a better

One of your readers, Dr. Wale Okediran, the General Secretary of Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), once described you as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;book industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and I think he was expressing the opinion of many readers of your books who are surprised that you keep churning out one new book after another. What do you set out to achieve with these books, and what is motivating you to keep publishing?

I must thank Dr. Wale Okediran and other well-wishers for their compliments. The inexhaustible nature of my subject matters, which are culture, public service and public affairs, is part of what motivates me to keep publishing. Having worked in the Nigerian public service for decades, I felt I had certain things to share with the public. I write because I want to contribute whatever I can to public enlightenment and value re-orientation; and I want to leave a legacy future generations would find useful.

I see folklore as a tool we can use to re-shape the values of our people. I discovered that verbal aspects of folklore, such as folktales, legends and myths, and the physical aspects as well, feed the oral tradition of nearly every community in Africa, and the oral traditions of many communities in other parts of the world. Verbal folklore is, therefore, a rich and important area for literary engagement. Folktales contain values which can be inculcated in children for character molding. The first informal school of many children in Africa is the evening folktale-telling sessions conducted for children by their parents or some other older relations. Due to the pressure of modern life, many families have now abandoned this vital practice.

I sincerely hope that my folktales publications will reawaken interest in this important area of our culture. As we dig the ground in search of gold and other precious minerals, so also we should research into our traditions. From the feedback so far, it appears that my efforts are not misdirected. My folktales books are cherished for their educational and entertainment values. A female tutor in one of the schools that received books of folktales donated by my foundation wrote back to say that my books rekindled her interest as well as the interest of her children and her students in our dying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tales by Moonlightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tradition.

I remember her thanking me for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;taking away my childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s addiction to TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Appreciative responses like hers encourage me to keep writing and publishing.

Your earlier short-story books such as Girls in Search of Husbands, The Stick of Fortune and Taskar Tatsuniyoyi were all set in Northern Nigeria. Now you have a series of huge volumes of pan-Nigerian folktales tagged â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Treasury of Nigerian Tales (TNT)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. How many books have you published under this new series? And can you comment on some of the themes of the many stories of these books?

The TNT (Treasury of Nigerian Tales) series was initiated after a pan-Nigerian tales-collection exercise sponsored by the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation from 2013 to 2015. Over 4000 tales were collected. From the collections, four books were conceived.

Book 1 is the master copy of all the tales collected. Books 2, 3 and 4 contain analyses of some aspects of the tales based, among others, on their themes and settings. Books 2, 3 and 4 have been published under the following titles: A Selection of Nigerian Folktales: Themes and Settings (Klamidas: 2018); People, Animals, Spirits and Objects: 1000 Folk Stories of Nigeria (Klamidas: 2018) and Gods and Ancestors: Mythic Tales of Nigeria (Klamidas: 2018). Book 1, which contains thousands of stories, is so bulky that it is split into two (Volumes 1 and 2) and is yet to be published.

From your research in Nigerian folktales, what would you say are the strongest ties uniting Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones? Would you say that if Nigeria accords the study of tales a special place in its education curricula, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s march towards national integration would be achieved with greater ease?

Everyone who has the opportunity to access the folktales books I have published so far will certainly realise a common thread which runs through the oral traditions of our communities. The common objectives are to ensure a sound child

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 21, 2020

PLUS Boarding Life Guided Much of My Childhood and Adult Life upbringing through rendition, mostly under moonlight, of tales depicting good and bad deeds, using mainly animals, spirits and objects as symbols. The animals used are dictated by the environment of the folktale narrators but the lessons learnt from the y. stories remain the same in every community.

Certainly, the integrative value of folktales ed and folklore in general cannot be underestimated as appreciating other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture would erase some misconceptions and improve inter-cultural understanding.

The #EndSARS protest that hit Nigeria a in October 2020 reminds one of some of the issues you examined in Restructuring Nigeria: An Overview, which was published earlier in the year. What is the book all about? In your view, what is the way forward for Nigeria; do we need constitutional restructuring or ethical restructuring or both?

It is true the release of my book on restructuring Nigeria preceded the #EndSARS protests ts by a couple of months. However, some of the iss sues of governance raised by the protesters have ve been lingering for quite some time. Restructuring ng g is one of such issues and it has been a subject of discourse in the media and in private discussions. My book on restructuring Nigeria was preceded by my article on the subject written in n 2017. To fully clarify some of the issues raised, I developed the article into a 125-page book titled d Restructuring Nigeria: An Overview (Klamidas: s: 2019). In a nutshell, the point I tried to make in n the article and in the book is that though there was merit in the constitution of 1963, which emphasised the autonomy of the regions, as highlighted by proponents of restructuring, a lot of irreversible changes had taken place since that constitution was abandoned. As such, it is not possible to revert to the same constitution as wished by some of the agitators. And even if we are to review the constitution, much is still required in terms of change of our attitude to governance. I argued that this is necessary and equally important as some of the ills of concern to the people are not structurally-induced.

Why, for instance, should someone who by all standards is well off and comfortable steal public funds in billions? And why should some cases linger in our courts while similar cases in other countries are disposed expeditiously?

Is your My Public Service Journey, which dwells on your public-service experiences and insights, an update on your two earlier autobiographical works, Hatching Hopes and My Literary Journey? What links these three books together and what sets them apart?

Of the three books, Hatching Hopes (Klamidas: 2006) was written first. It is my autobiography. It tells my story and covers my childhood, education and working career.

There is now a second, updated, edition (Klamidas: 2018). Next comes My Literary Journey (Klamidas: 2013) in which I tried to answer the question I was repeatedly asked: how did you get involved in writing books during and after your public service career? My Public Service Journey (Klamidas: 2019) takes the reader back to the issues that preoccupied my over 30-year tenure in the Nigerian public service; a major difference is that in this book I placed little emphasis on purely personal matters.

Of the over 30 years I served, about 27 were at the Cabinet Office which was later renamed the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the Presidency, the hub of Government business. I rose from a third-class clerk to the post of a Permanent Secretary and was privileged to work under 11 Secretaries to the Government of the Federation some of whom combined the post with that of Head of Service. That privilege gave me an overview of governance of the country from immediate post-independence period, through parliamentary and presidential systems, and through military and civilian administrations.

So, I felt I have a story to share with the public. These considerations aside, I believe that regardless of whatever business one has been engaged in for a reasonable length of time, it is advisable that one should commit his or her experiences to writing for the benefit of others and for the development of that field of endeavour.

The style you adopted in narrating the story of your over 30-year experience in the public service in My Public Service Journey could be described as simple.

Why did you opt to start each chapter with an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Introductory Noteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;?

The style adopted in writing My Public

foundation was approached by the administrators of the Ebedi International Writers Residency Programme and it contributed some funds in support of their work. The foundation also supported financially the hosting of conferences by the Nigerian Folklore Society and the Asb sociation of Nigerian Authors. The foundation also donated books to the African Humanities Programme (AHP), primary/secondary schools, colleges of education, universities and to book clubs and similar organisations that have shown interest in reading and distributing our publishing outputs. The foundation remains open to any collaboration that would further strengthen and enhance the attainment of its set objectives for the benefit of humanity.

Usman and family

Service Journey was deliberate. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Introductory Notesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are essentially meant to put the reader in a proper frame of mind to fully comprehend and appreciate the policy or matter under discussion in each chapter. For instance, not everyone understands that there is a difference between a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;public officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;civil servantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or why an official letter begins with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am directedâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and ends with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Your obedient servantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

As the year 2020 winds up, is the reader to expect new titles from you? If yes, what are they?

It is a pleasure and privilege for me to seize this opportunity to announce that three books under the sponsorship of the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation have gone to press and are expected to be published before the end of the year 2020 or early 2021. One of the books titled A Foundation of Hope tells the 10-year history of the Foundation and its activities during the period. A second book is titled Songs for Bukar Usman, a 24-chapter compilation of renditions, by six Nigerian artistes, in public commendation of my modest contributions as a writer and former public servant and in praise of my involvements in charity and cultural promotion. The book reflects upon the activities of the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation and related matters. The third book is titled Nchikota Akuko-Ifo Ndi Igbo. This is one of the two books of Nigerian folktales sponsored by the Foundation for publication in the indigenous languages of their narrators. It is one of the products of the pan-Nigerian folktales research project referred to earlier in answer to one of your questions. Comprising 317 tales, it is a counterpart to Ă&#x201D;gĂśrĂšn-Ăşn Ă&#x152;tĂ n lĂĄti IlĂŞ YorĂšbĂĄ (Klamidas: 2019) published earlier under the same sponsorship.

Depending on the availability of orthography and printing fonts of any of our indigenous languages, a selection from the over 4000 tales collected during the pan-Nigerian folktales research project could be published in the future. Aside from the aforementioned indigenous-language publications, Eirene Sahel, a German NGO in Niger Republic, had published a selection of the tales in Ajami (Hausa written in Arabic alphabet) for the education of children in that country.

Now, let us talk about the activities of the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation as it clocks 12 this year. Would you say you are satisďŹ ed with what the Foundation has achieved so far? What else would you hope to see the Foundation achieve?

With a motto of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Service to Humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a mission statement that says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Make Life More Meaningful to Othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation was established as a charity organisation on July 21, 2008. Based in Abuja, it was primarily intended to provide a platform for my family members, our associates, well-wishers, and other individuals and organisations with similar objectives and

aspirations to extend gestures of goodwill to needy members of the society as far as the resources at our disposal allow.

Among the stated aims and objectives of the foundation was to assist the needy, in all manner of circumstances, financially and in kind, more especially with respect to welfare and empowerment of widows, orphans, orphanages, the sick, physically challenged persons, victims of disasters, and educational pursuits of the less privileged in the society.

The foundation also aims to support diseaseeradication schemes and other charitable organisations. That has been the focus of the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities.

It is most gratifying that the foundation has been in existence for about 12 years. In commemoration of the first decade of its existence, its activities have been documented in a book titled A Foundation of Hope which will be published later this year or early next year.

While dispensing financial support to individuals and organisations in need, the foundation realised that there is a serious dearth of reading materials, especially for our children and young adults. This made them to turn to foreign publications and television programmes. The foundation, therefore, began to support research and books production, especially when the book is relevant to our local environment.

There are foundations in the West still touching lives long after their founders have passed on, would you like your foundation to outlive you? Aside from the dozens of publications the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation is sponsoring, which would naturally outlive you, do you think you have put in place the right structure for your foundation to last into the distant future?

The foundation was established with a 10-member trustees filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission. The structure as filed is in compliance with the Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stipulated requirements for the establishment of such organisations. Continued survival of the foundation, like any other organisation, depends on cash flow to support its activities.

Every effort is therefore being made to sustain the foundation as an ongoing organisation in our lifetime and beyond as far as possible.

However, bear in mind always that nothing is permanent.

Is your foundation open for collaboration? So far, has your foundation collaborated with other organisations whose objectives are aimed at improving or touching lives?

As stated above, it is one of the outlined objectives of the foundation to collaborate with organisations with similar objectives. A few organisations have approached us for collaboration with respect to specific projects or programmes they are interested in and the foundation has collaborated by contributing cash and/or materials. For instance, the

As a northerner and as someone who has seen it right from the preindependence days of the Sardauna up to this trying period, would you say lack of purposeful leadership is the reason the North seems to be losing its bearing?

What is the way out of this mess and do northern elites like you have any leading role to play in salvaging the future of the battered North?

Much of the North under Sardauna, I witnessed as a primary and secondary school student (1951-1965). As a secondary school student at Maiduguri, I proudly represented the North East at an annual sports competition at the regional headquarter Kaduna and subsequently represented the Northern Region at annual inter-regional sports competition to compete with Eastern and Western Regions at Lagos. These events enabled students to interact within and across the regions.

With the creation of a 12-state structure for the country by the General Yakubu Gowon administration in 1967 and further state creations by subsequent administrations, the concept of the North as a monolithic political and administrative entity no longer exists. And to make sure it never resurrects in the former form under any guise, its common assets were shared out among the successor states in the former Northern Region.

Some commercial establishments were left to survive on their own or die. The Northern sentiment is constantly undermined by ethnoreligious and other cleavages. There is hardly a common platform. The North only remains as a geographical reference point. This sorrowful and pitiful state obtains in spite of the occasional meetings of Governors of the successor states of the former region.

If you are to advise the present crops of northern political leaders, what advice would you offer to them? What would you encourage the leaders to focus on in order to save the region from its developmental and security challenges?

The way forward is that those who find themselves in positions of leadership in the successor states have a responsibility to attend to common problems of the sub-region not withstanding their political and other differences. Some of the issues which have been with us for quite a long time are first and foremost insecurity, abandonment of agriculture as an occupation engaged in by a great number of people, the collapse of the few industries in the sub-region, inadequate formal education for the youths and eradication of poverty arising from lack of employment opportunities. There is urgent need to create opportunities for gainful employment outside public service. That requires intensified effort to train skillful artisans in well-equipped craft schools and technical colleges.

The current statistics of out-of-school children in the North is staggering. What advice would you give this category of youths?

It is those charged with the responsibility of empowering them with formal education that should be advised to give more attention to child education. So far, what we have appears to be lip service with no apparent sustained programme and determination to empower the children over a reasonable period of time.

Hence, many children are still on the streets.

How do you hope to be remembered?

I had been asked similar questions several times in the past. My reply had been and still is: It is immodest of me to prescribe how I should be remembered. I have an obligation to do good as much as I can while I am alive. It is up to those I interacted with or on whose lives I impacted in my lifetime, positively or negatively, to choose how they might want to remember me. It is my earnest hope that my good deeds would outweigh the bad and that many would remember me more for the good deeds.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͺ͚Ë&#x153; 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR Ayo Ajayi

Dying Culture of Musical Concerts, Bad Omen for Nigeria Ayo Ajayi, a theatre producer/director, pianist, composer, music director and choral trainer, is the Music/Artistic Director of Declassical Arts and Entertainment Company Ltd, the Producers of OMG the Musical and Legends, among others. He talks to Festus Akanbi on the dying culture of musical concerts in Nigeria and why government needs to lead in the efforts to make entertainment industry a veritable revenue earner State of the Nigerian music industry

early as two years old. His library became my first musical resource, I however eventually stole almost all the books in his library and others stole almost everything from me as well, sad. He never passes any opportunity to present my admirable skills to the world even when I was still very young. He decided to enroll me in schools that have robust musical heritage. That was how I found myself at CMS Grammar School, Bariga that has the fame of Nigerian greats like Fela Sowande, Art Alade and a host of others. My father is a great man if I am allowed to say that myself.

T

he Nigerian music industry is a big market that keeps evolving.

It is a large market for all kinds of popular musical genres and it is quite economically viable.

The industry has been able to thrive despite the lack of support from the government and that is remarkable. The creativity put into the creation of sound and the ingenuity that goes into the marketing of the tracks should by now be a topic of research in our institutions of higher learning.

Having said this, the industry is a reflection of the larger society, and has benefited immensely from the herd mentality on the street as we have it in all other spheres and sectors.Acritical assessment shows that although the industry is fast growing, the growth can also be detrimental to the health of the society at large if not properly channeled. One question I ask myself always is, what is the value proposition of the industry?

How does the industry impact the lives of people of different age groups? When we find answers to these questions, maybe our way of assessing the situation will change.

I am in love with the industry and I am sure it can only get bigger and better, however there needs to be a surgical operation on the content been churned out of the industry, and of course nation building should be one of the topmost objectives.

The place of Church music in the larger music industry Church music, like every other aspect s of music is not stagnant. There was a time in the history of the Church when only the priests were allowed to sing, then came Martin Luther who thought otherwise and started writing hymns for people to participate in worship. John and Charles Wesley and a host of others contributed their quota to the growth of hymn singing, then came the American gospel in the 20th century attached to the ministry of Billy Graham. The American gospel became so popular that it almost seemed like all other genres will die a natural death but here we are today with all these Church musical styles growing in leaps and bounds.

The influence of Europe and America on Nigerian Church music is very potent and the various denominations have pitched sides with either the conservative Europe or the Wild robust America. The Church Music ministry has its place in the Nigerian Music scene and it also continues to expand.

In the orthodox worship liturgy, there is a penchant for anything Europe or America to the detriment of our own. Nigerian choirs and singers boast of performing works of Handel, Mozart and Mendelssohn better than the Europeans whose culture the works reflect. I am not against performances of these great masters, what I am totally against is the act of negligence towards everything Africa. We have forgotten how to develop our own worship culture like they did theirs. If this was not a conversation about the Church, I would have referred us to that Fela Anikulapo Kutiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s track, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kolo mentalityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but for the sanity of our priests who might be reading this, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll desist from being carnal (smiles). Incidentally, history has it that it was Felaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfather that first authored the first series of Christian religious songs. Another challenge is the availability of the scores of the LegendaryAfrican composers, how can we have easy access to purchase and download scores globally like what the West has done.

So, I came up with the initiative of NigerianArt Music Project (NAM Project) with the objective of promoting Nigerian works and the composers and making their scores available at a competitive rate for the public. This project is not entirely

Ayo Ajayi

religious but religion play a vital role in African Art Music, so yes, sacred music will be a part of the offerings. As part of the grand plan, we curate,recordandbroadcastworkbyourNigerian composers and performances of NigerianArtists to bridge the communication gap between the authors and the consumers. The first series of NAM Concert featured some of Nigerians top composers namely, Ayo Oluranti Ph. D, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bidemi Oyesanya SAN, Chinedum Osinigwe PhD, Seun Owoaje, David Aina, Alaba Akinselure and of course, Ayo Ajayi.

The inverse of what is happening in the Orthodox setting is what we have in the Pentecostals.

They seem to have a better understanding of how it is easier to communicate and worship in your own space, focusing on circumstances prevalent around you. Yes! The Pentecostal started learning the ropes from works of people like Ron Kenoly, Don Moen,Alvin Slaughter, Richard Smallwood but in no time at all, names like Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, and a host of other professionals, global Church Artists have pervaded the scene. This is very admirable.

The contributions of veterans such as Lady EvangelistBolaAre,Pst.Adelakun(Ayewa),Good Women Society Choir led by Mama Fasoyin and the Christ Apostolic Church Choir, Yaba led by evergreen Prince S.AAdeosun deserves mention.

Organised musical shows and concerts Lack of infrastructure is the reason why we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have musical shows and concerts these days. To put up a serious concert needs adequate funding and as a producer of concerts, musical theatre shows, I know that the bulk of your expenses is on venue and technical. Producers cannot break-even from gate-takings. This lack of infrastructure has denied us of a lot ,which include a positive culture of having family outings on a regular, networking atmosphere, tourist attraction ventures, employment opportunities for the youth.Adensely populated area like Lagos

State should not have less than 25 active theatres and concert Halls, on the contrary, we only have about two functional make-shift theatres and a recital hall.

I pray the scale will fall off our eyes someday to notice that the greatest export for us is our creative abilities especially in the arts, government and the private sector needs to step in, fund the art and culture sector to the benefit of all.

I have a lot of music gurus I look up to in Nigeria, Africa and the world over. Being a versatile performer, it would be difficult to pin my hero down to just a name. However, the likes of the late Col. J. Ade Olubobokun, Mrs. Marion Akpata, Mrs. Edna Soyanwo, Ayo Oluranti, Mrs. Tolu Obajimi and Seun Owoaje have had enormous impact on me at my developmental stages. I love the sound of Fela, Anikulapo Kuti. I even did a whole production on his life and music.

African Artistes like Salif Keita, Yossour Ndor, Miriam Makeba, Angelique Kidjoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sounds are too original to be ignored, a host of Europeans and American Classical greats will pass for me as well especially the Russian five. My father is my greatest musical hero of all time.

The Man Ayo Ajayi I lectured at the MUSON School of Music before I decided to pursue a higher calling. I am a theatre producer/director, pianist, composer, music director and choral trainer. My first music lesson was given to me by my father before I was encouraged and nurtured at the CMS Grammar School, where I eventually became the School Choral director and pianist. My debut was at age seven, when I performed at the ECOWAS conference concert at the Sheraton Hotels in Abuja. I have since then been involved in so many educational and performance tours both in and outside the country.

Musical career path My father started me up on the piano from as

Experience from foreign tours I was the music director at BAP Productions from about 2013 to 2017, and we had numerous performances both in and outside Nigeria. We toured London twice with Saro the musical and Wakaa the musicals and Bolanle Austen-Peter is that type of boss that everyone needs to have at a point in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey. She practically stretches you to the limit, nothing to her is impossible, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit at meetings to say, Madam, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible. We practically trashed all the history books and models and whatsoever and we went all practical, experimenting with different themes and whichever gets approved will have to be developed in just about 60mins, there was no time to come back tomorrow.

The second time I was in London, I was invited to see the Phantom of the Opera by an Art Patron and my number one supporter, Mrs. Toyin Hassan-Odukale. After the show, I became really angry. My anger was directed first at the level of mediocrity back home and the lack of infrastructure that would not allow young people create magic like their counterparts in the western world. It is such a shame that we have so many talents in Nigeria who have not been able to express themselves and attract the whole world to see what a super-power Nigeria can become. I have also travelled to manyAfrican countries at different occasions to perform. These include Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda.

Outstanding shows The year has been a tough one for artists due to the Covid-19 restrictions, so majority of what we have done have been online. NAM Concert series are ongoing, the first part showed on YouTube on Saturday, 7th of November while the second and final part for these series is scheduled for Saturday, the 21st of November at 7pm. I am also preparing for a Christmas Lockdown Concert, another block-buster that will disrupt the way we think about music and arts in general.

OMG the musical is billed to come back in April 2021, this is a production on the strength of three Nigerian Heroines namely Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo and Gambo Sawaba, how their struggle for women and girl-child emancipation can be our light for the continuous struggle even in this contemporary times.

Inall,mymusicaltheatreproductionsarealways built around the ancient and the modern. We are in a very fast and moving world, in fact people have called it pop-culture and the generation after us has also called themselves the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;soro-sokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Speak up) generation, but hey! Can we pause and learn from history, according to George Santaya â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; My production house Declassical Arts and Entertainment is committed to a better Nigeria and we will always engage the narrative by using the most trending art form, Musical theatre - the stage, music, drama and dances to convey our messages.

Read full interview on www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͺ͚Ë&#x153; 2020

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SHOWBIZFLAIR

Teniola Olatoniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;New Normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Now at Cinemas Teniola Olatoniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movie, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The New Normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; premiered last Sunday in Lagos. The feature was an instant hit among its moderately packed audience, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

M

onths after making waves at international film events and bagging awards including the Best International Narrative at the annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Jury Awards, and the award for Best African Female Filmmaker at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), Teniola Olatoniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movie, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The New Normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was brought home last Sunday at the beautifully decorated The Lux @ Adam and Eve in GRA Ikeja. The dramedy opened in 54 cinemas across the nation yesterday.

Preceded with red carpet entreaties, guests were treated to a cocktail reception prior to the movie screening.

It was a moderate gathering, elegant, fun and beautiful as guests had time to mingle. Media personality, Denrele Edun, made louder the red carpet which was graced by some members of the cast like Kehinde Bankole, Enado Odigie, Olumide Oworu, Zara Udofia Ejoh, Rita Edwards, alongside prominent celebrities such Ireti Doyle, Diana Yekini, Ade Laoye, David Wilson, Seye Makinde, Charles Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Tudor amongst other industry practitioners and invitees.

While a lot of talk leading to the premiere had been themed around the fact that the movie has won prestigious awards and graced prominent international film festivals despite not being officially released, the film has also generated a lot of positive buzz due to its strong, compelling story. As the movie screened to the moderately packed audience, there was no mistake that the 2:18 mins feature film was an instant hit among the moderately packed audience. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The New Normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; revolves around the lives of four couples and a single friend as they navigate individual and collective issues of discrimination, nepotism, misogyny, infertility, addiction, and mental health, while trying their best to keep up appearances and escape societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffocating boots with their often hilarious and always

surprising results, thus finding their way to a whole New Normal. The movie highlights the need to keep real identity, the quest to self-discovery in relationships, marriages, careers and lifestyle.

Many called The New Normal a break from the norm and a perfect movie for the times we are in. One cannot agree less, seeing the movie explore various themes seamlessly with quite relatable storylines and sub-plots. Talk about its characterisation, setting, props and costume.

Teniola Olatoni, the CEO and Creative Head at Sourmash Stories Production and her team got it right in its directorial debut and with a sterling cast of Richard Mofe-Damijo, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, Bimbo Akintola, Enado Odigie, Adunni Ade, Meg Otanwa, Mofe Duncan, and Bikiya Graham-Douglas, Femi Jacobs, and Yemi Blaq who brought their A games on board.

Same for Sani Muâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;azu, Kehinde Bankole, Kenneth Okolie, and Broda Shaggi (Pastor Enoch) in a cameo appearance of the most hilarious form as the clergyman who attempted to deliver â&#x20AC;&#x153;gender fluidityâ&#x20AC;? Temi, played

by Olumide Oworu. It wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be out of place if he goes by a new moniker pastor Shaggi. On its dialogue, the viewers will have a lot to laugh at, especially when words made popular by the recent pandemic assumed different connotation. Like in a scene where Femi Jacobs (Banji), who newly walked down the aisle with Enado Odigie (Nike), uses the expression â&#x20AC;&#x153;am on lockdown o!â&#x20AC;?

The audience couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but laugh as he hints his close pal Yemi Blaq (Michael) about his wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s libidinous drive at home, such that he cannot afford a side chic in addition to that. Or is it the sweltering exchange between RMD (Mr. Chairman) and Mercy Johnson (Jade, the single mother). And so many other lines in the movie that caused the audience hysteria.

Speaking about the movie shortly after the curtain call, quite enthusiastic Teniola Olatoni who had a stint in film

L-R: Director of The New Normal, Teniola Olatoni and Producer of the ďŹ lm, Tobi Olanihun

school in 2018, said she had always wanted to do movie as international student in London: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have always wanted every now and then for over the past twenty years that I would like to make films, to act. So I would stay awake, hold my eyes open, catch the Oscars when I should be studying.â&#x20AC;?

Now she did twenty years after, and a great one, adding â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today is the begin-

Recording of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Village Headmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Begins Tosin Clegg

Weeks after Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP) announced their ground-breaking partnership to revive the iconic The Village Headmaster TV drama series, cast and crew have now started the recording of the first season of the programme.

The recording, which commenced on 9th November 2020, is currently taking place at several locations across

Lagos State, and is scheduled to end before the Christmas holidays, in order for postproduction to commence.

Directed by the multipleaward-winning Patience OghreImobhio, the programme stars some of the original cast, including Dejumo Lewis (Kabiyesi), Ibidun Allison (Amebo), Dan Imoudu (Chief Dagbolu), Dele Osawe (Teacher Fadele), Melvin Obriago (Teacher Oghene), Kate Adepegba (Folake), and Lara Akinsola (Doyin); as well

as a diverse list of superstars, including Chris Iheuwa, Mr. Latin, Rachael Oniga, Funky Mallam, Jide Kosoko, Omo Ibadan, Okele, Fathia Balogun, Rycardo Agbor,Yemi Shodimu, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Jide Alabi, Christy Imanlehin, Yemi Remi, Monica Friday, Deborah Anugwa, AjobieweJr., Jumoke Olabisi, Ronke Oshodi Oke, Eric Obinna, and others.

The Village Headmaster drama series would start airing across Nigeria, and several parts of Africa, in April 2021.

Wale Adenuga Junior

ning of getting where I want to go to.â&#x20AC;?

The New Normal was written by Tunde Babalola. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So far the movie has made waves internationally before coming home.

Now coming home, we are hoping to replicate that and do even more because it is our story. And we are Nollywood. So this is our home base,â&#x20AC;? said Olatoni.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͺ͚Ë&#x153; 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR Empress Njamah

Reinvigorated at 40 Ferdinand Ekechukwu

N

ollywood actress Empress Njamah has a lot to be grateful for as she celebrated her 40th birthday last Tuesday.

The movie star clocked a new age on Tuesday, November 17, and she took to her social media page to mark the special occasion. The screen diva flooded her Instagram page with series of posts and photos specially taken for the celebration.

The actress could not hold back her excitement and untamed joy as she expressed her profound gratitude to God for keeping her alive and healthy to see yet another year added on to her age.

While announcing her big day to the public, the actress went ahead to share a few photos of herself looking attractively stunning while putting her curves on display. Fans and colleagues were seen in the comment section of her posts with congratulatory messages. In the caption that accompanied one of the pictures, the actress gave all thanks to God who made it possible for her to witness another year in good health. She captioned one of the sexy new photos of herself posing in a bodysuit to celebrate her birthday thus: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m officially a year older today and much cooler than ever. What Do you think. Happy birthday to me!!!â&#x20AC;?

In a follow-up post, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liberian Girlâ&#x20AC;? further wrote, â&#x20AC;&#x153;My being alive and healthy today is as a result of none other than the almighty God. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll forever be grateful to you, God.

Happy birthday to me, myself and I.â&#x20AC;? In another post, a praiseful Empress crooned: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Birthday to meâ&#x20AC;ŚThankful to God almighty for everythingâ&#x20AC;ŚIf only you know my testimonyâ&#x20AC;ŚA new year of life is a priceless blessing, so I pray to God today with thanks and wish more happy years to come. I hope that my closest people here will share with me this day in the warm and friendly atmosphere. Happy birthday to me.â&#x20AC;?

Her birthday posts and messages did just end there. She continued following a surprise birthday party thrown for her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who am I to have 4 surprises in one day? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t call them friends but family, am not a fan of surprises and I pleaded with them for weeks not to do this, even slept out to avoid this morning one, yet they got me now people don see say I no get liver @vichianopartyplace and my friends thank you.â&#x20AC;?

Prior to her series of birthday posts, Empress showed off some sultry dance moves with a set of female dancers.

The Nollywood actress shared these lovely and energetic photos with a must-watch dance video to remind just how ready and fit she is to keep up with her gigs and acts.

Empress has consistently celebrated her birthday with the less privileged either in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja or in Lagos.

But on this occasion, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s different.

She started acting in 1995. As part of her corporate social responsibility, she launched a foundation called House of Empress that caters for kids with special needs. The foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016.

Empress Njamah

Lancky Cresco

I Grew Up Listening to All Genres of Music Fast-rising artiste, Chike Nneli, popularly known as Lancky Cresco, started his music career in 2008 when he officially dropped a mix tape while in school, but has been doing music since childhood. Lancky tells Bennett Oghifo that it is his calling Music is my calling Just as pastors will say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a calling, likewise it is for me.I grew up listening to all music.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a big fan of good music, African, India, western music.

To be particular, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very comfortable with music like rap, soul, classic, and Afro beat. The spirit of music always speaks to my heart. As I render my music, people tell me it touches their lives for good. And the spirit enables me too with the sound and beats I compose.

Partnership with Big Swing Music I am in partnership with Big Swing Music. As I am allowed to express myself the best way I can. I play Mente music. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I will call it, Mind music.

People that hear my sound tell me it takes them on trans. I can look at your eyes and write music. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how I tell my

tales. I sink into the feeling and also get inspired by the spirit.

My concern is longevity of my sound, and how my music can affect you positively. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always working on my music and trying my best to be the best me every day. I wake up a better person from yesterday. Since I produce and record myself in studio, I try to come up with extended plays.

It changes from time to time.

I am a registered Nurse I am a registered Nurse, a Videographer, business consultant. I try to help and touch people in any way I can and at all times. I went to New York as a frontline Nurse. That was a big risk. I though the world had come to an end, but I was willing to help out, after first consulting my God, and he told me it was fine, I should go ahead, and that I will be safe.

Featuring others I think to do feature, you have to know if you guys have chemistry. If there is chemistry, then you guys will make a hit.

For me, I am open to see who my spirit points me to. And when it happens Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll reach out and likewise the other guy. Just for the fact I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t promote my music makes me feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not doing it well enough, but my music is a forever thing so I look at promotion like, if you have the money to constantly blast it online. Or you allow the music move how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a message. So, I am allowing the music to hit those itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look at finances as a challenge. But once excess money comes I can go ahead and do a heavy blast online. I am living my dream, but waiting to reap the fruits of my labour.

Lancky Cresco

SATURDAYNOVEMBER 21, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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Ë&#x153; Ëž NOVEMBER 21, 2020

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

BY

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? Wrong

Y

OU are welcome to this edition: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your simplicity and love for God and things of God is (are) worthy of emulation.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Simplicityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are two distinct items that require pluralism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sector equally offers options for national development, given its vast potentials (potential or potentialities) to drive a more sustainable economic growth in terms of job creation and revenue diversification.â&#x20AC;?

Increasing agricultural budgets: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Potentialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is uncountable, unlike â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;potentialityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (potentialities) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Italian police swoop on Nigeria (Nigerian) mafia group, arrest 73â&#x20AC;? (THISDAY Front Page, October 31) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Women owned (Women-owned) businesses get loan (loans) at 15% p.a (another full-stop) (Access Bank full-page advertisement, THISDAY, October 31) The next set of blunders is from THISDAY under review: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am not a wife beater, my wife never packed (moved) outâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śonly for him to plead for (with) her to return.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has worked in different capacity (capacii ties) on some major Nollywood projects likeâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Akeredolu wants illegal arms, ammunitions surrenderedâ&#x20AC;? (News Extra, October 31) Truth & reason: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ammunitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is non-count. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are fair-minded, courageous, a defender of truth and special (and a special) gift to humanity.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senate tackles Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minister over road projectâ&#x20AC;? (NATIONAL NEWS, November 2) Gentlemen of the Press, the official is a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not diligent President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal/ domestic operative! Get it right: Senate tackles ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the same thing applies to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;commiss sionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at state level and councilors in the case of local government areas or wards. Public offices and their occupancies should never be personalized!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;PDP alleges plot to cover-up (cover up) diversion of COVID-19 palliativesâ&#x20AC;? Noun: cover-up; phrasal verb: cover up (strictly no hyphenation) â&#x20AC;&#x153;But this has been made more difficult now with the unwarranted destruction of private and public propertiesâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, except in technical applications, is uncountable. Example: The properties of water are hydrogen and oxygen. (I know science, too!) I hope I have not blown my trumpet this second time round. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhari unveils N75b youth investment fund, reassures on implementation of protestersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demandsâ&#x20AC;? Who did my assiduous president reassure? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Assureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/â&#x20AC;&#x2122;reassureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cannot stand alone. â&#x20AC;&#x153;SARS operatives threw me down 2 storey building, broke my spinal cord, trader tells panelâ&#x20AC;? The overzealous cops threw their victim down from 2-storey building (note the two interventions) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alleged fraud: Ex-Imo gov (Gov.), Ohakim, for court arraignment Nov 11â&#x20AC;? Delete â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from the diseased extract to foreclose stark illiteracy! One of my copious dictionaries defines â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;arraignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (verb) (law) as: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;to make someone come to court to hear what their crime isâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. And the noun (countable and uncountable): â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;arraignmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Is it very clear, my dear page follower? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yakubu got his doctorate (doctoral) degree in Nigeria History from Oxford University in 1991.â&#x20AC;? Alternatively, doctorate in Nigeria Historyâ&#x20AC;Śin 1991 Further note that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;doctoralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is an adjective (used only before noun), while â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;doctorateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a noun. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Insurance companies assessing cost of damages at NPA Hqtrsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Usmanâ&#x20AC;? BUSINESS/ MARITIME NEWS: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Damageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is non-count except exclusively in legal or insurance reparaa tive circumstances. â&#x20AC;&#x153;EduTech records first class (first-class) nursing graduatesâ&#x20AC;?

The next two solecisms are from THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER PERSPECC TIVE, November 7: â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śthe Arochukwu born (Arochukwu-born) businessmanâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śthe 4th and 5th National Assembly (assemblies) as member representingâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The entire staff and management of Century Group Celebrates (useless capitalization) (celebrate) with Chief Tunde Afolabiâ&#x20AC;Śas he turns 70â&#x20AC;? (Full-page advertorial, THISDAY, November 7) Again, happy birthday sir! â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śbut the former Tottenham player is still at crossroads (a/the crossroads) as to where his international future liesâ&#x20AC;? (GLOBAL SOCCER, November 7) â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śthe state among the commity (comity) of states.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;#EndSARS: Nigeria (Nigerian) businesses lost over N5trâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;NECAâ&#x20AC;? (PAGE 2 BUSINESS, November 11) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our prayer is that God Almighty will bless and keep you with (in) good healthâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhari launches National young farmers schemeâ&#x20AC;? (NATIONAL NEWS, November 11) A rewrite: Buhari launches National Young Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Scheme â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śthe Nigerian people will continue to put their tribes (ethnic groups) ahead of the country.â&#x20AC;?

Please note that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tribeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a derogatory word used by colonialists centuries back! This kind of imperialist relic distorts and vitiates English language dynamism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rest in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect peace, until we meet in heaven to part no more.â&#x20AC;? (THISDAY TRIBUTE. November 14) Even the computer underlined this error because Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peace is perfect and does not require any embellishment whatsoeverâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;no matter the emotion! â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let things hit me to push me back; instead I use it (them) to propel myself such as the passing (sic) of my dad.â&#x20AC;? (THISDAY PLUS, November 14) â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śwho was arraigned on a 34-count charge bothering (bordering) on the diversion ofâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;?

From DAILY INDEPENDENT of November 6 come the next two errors: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We assure Your Excellency that this confidence reposed on (in) our former Senate Leader is well placed and will manifest without probation.â&#x20AC;?

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

â&#x20AC;&#x153;CSR: NLNG invests N200m on (in) 10 Nii gerian postgraduate scholarsâ&#x20AC;? Source: as above) For the first time since this column birthed, we continue this edition with an advertisement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Salt Spring Resort has been redefined and renovated to provide excellent service.â&#x20AC;? A refreshing experii ence of paradise; provide an excellent service or provide excellent services Still on the above source: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are poise (poised) to deliver uncompromise (uncomm promised) quality product that will ultimately satisfied (satisfy) our esteemed customers. Come lets (letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) give youâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? What do we do with the sub-literacy of advertisement copies? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anger, protests, as deceasedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends point fingers at lawmakerâ&#x20AC;? Get it right: point the finger at lawmaker THE NATION ON SUNDAY of November 15 endangered the English language on two occasions: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In most cases, the necessary environn ment does not exist for meaningful importation (impartation) of knowledge.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Matters are not helped by students who are now distracted by things that have no bearing to (on) their studies.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, appears set to take the bull by the horn (horns) by declaring his interest in the 2023 presidencyâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, are to cough-out (no hyphen) a total of N5 million for repairs of damages (damage) they perpetrated during a demonstration in July last year.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Damageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; admits an inflection only in reparative matters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, It is the turn of the teachers, in the race for the coveted seat of vice-chancellorship, and boy, are the learned dons falling over themselves (one another) to out do (one word) each other (one another)?â&#x20AC;? When two fellows are concerned, we use â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;each other,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; but if it is more than two, it becomes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secret cult in the campusesâ&#x20AC;? Always on campuses.

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Chairman/CEO, Dala Inland Dry y Port, Kano State, Abubakar Sahabo B Bawuro; Group p Head, Business Development, p SIFAX Group, p Victor Olotu; Head of Operations, p Dala Inland Dry y Port, Kano State, Y Yakubu Tsalhatu Jumare; Managing g g Director, Dala Inland Dry y Port, Kano State, Ahmad Rabiu; and Managing g g Director, SIFAX Container Terminal, Ijora j Causeway, y Paul Linden, during g the assessment tour by y the Dala Inland Dry Port team to newly inaugurated SIFAX Container Terminal, Ijora Causeway, Ijora, Lagos...recently

L-R: Portfolio Manager, g Flavoured & Non-Lager g brands, Nigerian g Breweries Plc.,Sarah Agha; g Brand Ambassador, Star Radler, Erica Nlewedim; and Brand Manager, g Star Radler, Onyebuchi Allanah, during the Star Radler consumer launch at W Bar Lounge, Ikoyi â&#x20AC;Śrecently

L-R: Chairman, Onigbongbo g g LCDA, Mr. Oladotun Olakanle; Senior Brand Manager, g Home and Hygiene, yg Reckitt B Benckiser West Africa, Mrs. Chioma Sylva-Ifedigbo; y g Permanent Secretary, y Office of Environmental Services, Ministry y of Environment and Water Resources, Mrs. B Belinda Aderonke Odeneye; y Harpic p Brand Ambassador, Dr. Helen Paul; and Director Sanitation, Ministry y of Environment and Water Resources, Dr Hassan Sanuth, at the 2020 World Toilet Day y celebration and inauguration g of public p toilets donated by Harpic in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

R-L: Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and Chairman, Implemenp tation Committee for Post-COVID-19 Initiatives on the Creative Industry, y Otunba Segun g Runsewe; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji j Lai Mohammed; and the Chief Press Secretary, y Federal Ministry y of Information and Culture and Secretary of the Committee, Joe Mutah, during the presentation of the Committeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report to the minister in his oďŹ&#x192;ce in Abujaâ&#x20AC;Śrecently

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 21, 2020

25

POLITY

Douye Diri: 5 Times Victorious at the S’Court Stanley Nkwazema

O

n November 16, 2019, the people of Bayelsa State marched out in large number to elect a governor to take over from Seriake Dickson, who interestingly served out a two term of four years each and now back on the campaign trail to fight for the Bayelsa Senatorial seat. It was a sham of election where the will of the people was never allowed to prevail as all efforts were made to thwart, turn democracy upside down and stunt the little progress that the state witnessed in the eight years under the former governor.

Bayelsa State should have a place in the Guinness Book of Record. Here, a candidate by the name Douye Diri had been to the courts a total 31 times, five ending up at the Supreme court.

He came out victorious in all.

It was not funny. Indeed, it all started after the September 4, primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where Diri emerged as the party’s choice having defeated the former NDDC Managing Director, Ndutimi Alaibe, who went to court to challenge the exercise in what could be referred to as a preelection matter. From the High Court, Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, Alaibe could not upturn the result of the primaries. Diri and the PDP dragged the APC to court to challenge the eligibility of the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC). The High Court found him ineligible but the APC challenged the ruling and the status quo was maintained.

The APC candidate and his deputy were declared winner and the Appeal Court ruled in favour of the party, causing PDP to approach the Supreme Court. However, a day to the February 14, 2020 swearing -in date, the apex court threw a bombshell.

The then Governor elect David Lyon was already rehearsing at the Samson Siasia Stadium for the swearing in when news filtered that the apex court had ruled in favour of PDP and a certificate of return was subsequently issued to Diri and his Deputy Lawrence Ewhurdjakpor.

But not satisfied, the APC candidate went ahead to seek a review of the case at the Supreme Court which not only threw out the case but awarded millions of naira cost against the APC candidate.

Not satisfied, still bent on throwing spanner in the works, petitions and legal fireworks continued with the Elections Tribunal where the Alliance for Democracy, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), Labour Movement (LM) and Accord Party contested the election of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo.

The The Tribunal gave victory to the two former Senators but the two other judges ruled in favour of the applicants and asked INEC to organise fresh polls within the stipulated period.

However, the PDP candidates went to the Appeal Court which nullified the judgment of the lower court. Yet the parties again approached the Supreme Court that gave the final seal of approval on the election of Diri and his deputy.

It is on record now that no candidate or governor-elect has ever been dragged through the entire legal process in the history of Nigerian democracy to seal the seat. In the process, Douye became a regular face at the Supreme Court in the Federal Capital Abuja and not as an amicus curiae but a disturbed man who had so much to offer the state but was being distracted by

My message to Bayelsans is that there is hope for us and prosperity is coming to Bayelsa. Nobody should despair.This is the time for us to bring our ideas to the table.This is the time for us to actually walk the talk and look at issues dispassionately without sentiments and emotions, in order to bring development and prosperity to our state

Diri

the legal issues against the party and his seat at the Creek Haven in Yenagoa.

Besides Diri , his Deputy, Ehwrudjakpo was also caught up in the legal tussle where his NYSC certificate was alleged to be fake. The court also cleared the Deputy Governor, having discovered the fact that he duly wrote a letter to the NYSC after his name was wrongly spelt in the certificate and a fresh one issued, which he duly submitted to the INEC alongside other relevant documents for clearance.

Indeed, it has been distracting that in the past nine months.

Diri never spent more than three weeks in Yenagoa or traveled out of the country because of the cases against him.

Humble to a fault, when many thoughts tilted towards declaration of a full-blown war against the litigants, Diri, extended a hand of fellowship to all those that filed petitions against his election. Diri, in his reaction to ruling of Wednesday by the Supreme Court, which dismissed the last batch of cases against him and his deputy, said the litigants were neither his enemies nor enemies of Bayelsa, while insisting that they only exercised their rights by going to court and that he did not consider the litigations as personal regardless of the fact that they distracted him.

Interestingly, the dismissal of the petitions of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Liberation Movement (LM) and Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) against the deputy governor and that of the Accord Party (AP) against Diri was the fifth time the governor and his deputy had won at the Supreme Court.

However, in putting a final seal on the governor as being duly elected, the apex court said the appeals lacked merit and therefore dismissed all four petitions.

Diri said: “I have over the period leading to the Supreme Court ruling said as a state we do not need all of this distraction.

We are one and the brotherhood should be paramount. After elections, particularly when a government has taken the oath of office, we expect everybody to support and bring their ideas on board for Bayelsa to grow and become prosperous. That is why we tagged our government the Prosperity Administration.

“So, today marks the end of all the litigations. If anybody wants to further appeal, maybe he can appeal to the court of the devil. But, constitutionally, I believe this is the end of all the litigations.

“Once again, I call on my brothers that had gone on this appeal to join hands with the government of the day. And what should be uppermost on our minds should be the interest of Bayelsa and not individual and personal interest. Of course, it is their right to take their matter to the end. However, I call on my brothers on the other side, who are not my enemies but political adversaries, so to speak, to join hands with our government and ensure that we bring development and prosperity to our people.”

Diri commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other justices of the Supreme Court for their professionalism and for

proving that the court was the last hope of the common man by standing on the side of the rule of law, urging the Bayelsa people not to despair due to the challenges of the time.

“The times are hard. We are in tough times in the face of COVID-19, which is still threatening, and the dwindling resources of our country and of our state.

We believe God that has divinely put us in the position of leadership to also provide the divine resources for us to develop and prosper in Bayelsa and in Nigeria.

“So, my message to Bayelsans is that there is hope for us and prosperity is coming to Bayelsa. Nobody should despair. This is the time for us to bring our ideas to the table. This is the time for us to actually walk the talk and look at issues dispassionately without sentiments and emotions, in order to bring development and prosperity to our state.”

Again , when many thought that with litigations now buried and time for Diri to settle down to unveil his vision on the people of the state especially in areas of infrastructure development, agriculture and sports, some elements in the state are not done yet.

Few days to the Supreme Court seal of approval for Diri, a coalition of 45 NGOs went to court, seeking an order of mandamus compelling him as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioners for Works and Infrastructure, Health and Education counterparts to make public the debt profile, account balance, and what the present administration of Bayelsa State inherited from the previous administration on February 14, 2020, on the state’s accounts from 2015 to 2019 in line with provisions of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011.

Although the state government has refused to be drawn into another legal war even as it has been confirmed that the appropriate response will be made by the lawyers for the state in court in due season, it is strongly believed that for the sake of the court of public opinion that these sorts of court actions, which are nothing more than fishing expeditions, distractions and a drain on the lean resources, will not be helpful in our quest to build a prosperous and united Bayelsa State.

This fresh litigation looks more or less like another episode of a well-established but unfortunate pattern of over 12 litigations which have amounted to nothing more than judicial exercises and disturbances that will further drain the regime financially.

The financial records of the state have never been hidden for examination but available on the internet and elsewhere and would have more than satisfied candid information seekers.

In accordance with extant laws, there have been monthly Transparency briefings, since 2012, that have provided the very documents that these NGOs are presumably requesting for in court. It is instructive to recall that, as a prelude to the subsequently botched transition, a joint committee of the government of the day and representatives of the APC was formed and full disclosure, contained in hand over notes was prepared.

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 21, 2020

POLITY Unlocking Nigeria’s Maritime Potential Recently, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh delivered a lecture in Abuja where he made eye-popping revelations on Nigerian maritime potential. Olaoluwakitan Babatunde, dissects the lecture, and returns with the verdict that the sector could be Nigeria’s next big thing if prevailing challenges are addressed

T

Whatever we have to do, now is the time. From now to 2030 when Europe plans to abandon oil is only 10 years. During the campaign, Joe Biden wants US to be independent of oil. If US and Europe are saying no to oil, where are we going to be in the next few years?

he occasion was the lecture on “Maritime Security and National Development in Nigeria: The Role of NIMASA”. The venue was the Nigeria Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria’s apex institution for the training of her senior military officers. The audience was the Course 29 of the College as well as the Command and full compliments of the College’s Faculty led by the Commandant, Rear Admiral Mackson Kadir.

The guest lecturer was the Director-General of the Nigerian MaritimeAdministration and SafetyAgency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, who left no one in doubt that he understood the Nigerian maritime sector, its challenges, and prospects like the back of his hands. One could have heard the drop of a pin on floor throughout his presentation as the former Executive Director (Finance andAdministration) in NIMASA, holder of doctorate degree in Logistics and Transport Management, Master’s degree in Management from the Korea Maritime and Ocean University in South Korea, Professional Certificate in Materials Management from the Institute of Logistics in the UK, members of the Institute of maritime Economists in Canada, and attendee of management courses at the Said Business School, Oxford University, United Kingdom (UK) and the Institute of Public Partnerships in Washington DC, United States (US), held the audience spellbound as he brought both knowledge, intellect, and experience to bear in his delivery.

The $1.6 trillion annual maritime potential Can the Nigerian maritime sector generate $1.6 trillion dollar into the nation’s treasury per annum? Hyperbolic as it sounds, Dr. Jamoh said it was achievable as the country could actually net from the maritime sector 30 times her annual earnings from oil.

“The capacity of all this opportunities (in the maritime sector) is going to generate not less than 1.6trillion dollars, according to a World Bank research. This can be done, if we can properly harness all these investment opportunities and have foreign investors come and assist to develop those areas”, he stated.

The world’s most dangerous waters Enumerating several factors, which he said, “hamper the achievement of that millage or Nigeria producing that $1.6 billion per annum”, the NIMASADG decried Nigeria’s unsafe waters.

“The International Maritime Bureau, IMB, recently released report this Third Quarter, rated Nigeria as having the most dangerous waters in terms of maritime security”, he stated. This is owing to rampant pirate and armed robbery attacks on vessels and seafarers.

In its October 2020 report, the IMB described the Gulf of Guinea as the “world’s piracy hotspot”, noting that out of the 85 seafarers kidnapped from their vessels and held for ransom between the beginning of 2020 and September, 80 were taken in the Gulf of Guinea in 14 attacks reported off Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana.

“On 17 July 2020, eight pirates armed with machine guns boarded a product tanker underway around 196 nautical miles southwest of Bayelsa, Nigeria. They held all 19 crewmembers hostage, stole ship’s documents and valuable items, and escaped with 13 kidnapped crew. The tanker was left drifting with limited and unqualified navigational and engine crew onboard.Anearby merchant vessel later helped the tanker to sail to a safe port.

“Amore recent example was on 8 September 2020, when armed pirates attacked a refrigerated cargo ship underway around 33 nautical miles south-southwest of Lagos, Nigeria”, IMB reports.

Meanwhile, Nigeria loses about $25.5 billion annually to illegal maritime activities in her waters, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation loses about $1.35 billion on Illegal bunkering, while the cost of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea due to stolen goods, security, and insurance has been estimated to be about $2 billion. Consequently, countries of Gulf of Guinea are sidelined in global maritime governance.

One of the implications of such low rating is the negative image it creates for the country.

“Today, anywhere you go outside the country and you are discussing with someone conversant with the maritime sector, the first thing he will start to think about is the position of Nigeria in terms of maritime insecurity. So, how can you attract foreign investors when they don’t have confidence in your maritime security based on the IMB’s report, which by the way is an unbiased report?, he queried.

Jamoh said there was equally the direct negative impact on shipping in term of ports of cargo and ship diversion as “those who understand the terrain very well will never agree to bring their ship into the country”. They would rather divert their ship to the neighbouring countries like Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic so that they can discharge their cargoes without the headache of maritime crime.

There is also the consequential impact on cost of freight.According to him, although a cargo from the UK to the US would have

Jamoh to be transported almost double the distance UK to Nigeria, the cost of freight from Nigeria to UK will be much higher because of maritime insecurity.

Yet, there is the high cost of insurance to worry about as Nigerians pay war premium even when the country is not at war.

“The international community, the stakeholders in the merchant industry, and the merchant cargoes sat down and looked at the risks associated with going to Nigeria and they decided that the insurance must be increased.At the end of the day, what we are paying is war premium, which translates to the high cost of that cargo, which in turn links to the other point of inflationary impact on goods and services”, he explained.

In the face of such odds, inflation becomes inevitable from time to time.

The Enabling Triangle: Way forward Drawing from the concept of The Enabling Triangle in his 2018 book entitled “Harnessing the Nigerian MaritimeAssets”, Dr. Jamoh said the nation must address the issue of good governance of the maritime sector squarely to tap its potentials.

“When you have good governance, you have addressed all the issues. Today, we are talking about maritime insecurity. The international community is concerned, they want to make sure that they arrive Nigeria safely and leave Nigeria safely. There is the issue of corruption, among others. Good governance will bring about policy interventions so that it can help many things to flourish”, Jamoh said.

The next is investment in infrastructure, for without it, Nigeria cannot address maritime insecurity, noting that the assets for policing the country’s waters and our exclusive economic zones were nothing to write home about.

“So many (other) factors come to play here, including our waterways, maintenance culture, among others. Today, one of the things that the country does is to employ the services of private security providers for our waters. Most of the ships used to provide security belong to the private sector. We must have fiscal policies for the Nigerian Navy to have what they needed in terms of modern equipment, spare parts, and maintenance,” said the NIMASADG. Calming the troubled waters However, in line with its mandate, NIMASAhas been adopting creative approaches to addressing the challenges. For instance, whereas Nigeria has been unable to disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund since 2003, Dr. Jamoh assured that NIMASAwas working round the clock to see if it could break the jinx before the end of 2020.

Today, the country can boast of modular floating docks.

“The modular floating boat can help you to repair your security boat and make sue you respond to whatever crisis you have in terms of attack. The Federal Government made an intervention

and as I speak, we have modular floating docks at the Naval dockyard. Only Nigeria and SouthAfrica own that type of modular floating dock. This modular floating dock was purchased with over N50 billion and has the capacity to dock not less than eight ships in a month. We are working very hard to put it to use now”, Jamoh stated.

But no doubt, the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project, DBP, remains NIMASA’s most ambitious and innovative initiative to comprehensively address insecurity and criminality in Nigeria’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. DBP comprises two Special Mission Vessel (SMV) with the capacity to stay at sea for over three days, 17 fast intervention vessels, and the UnmannedAircraft System (UAS). The unmanned aircrafts are linked to SMVs, such that once the SMVs receive information from the UAS, they will dispatch fast intervention vessels to deal with the threats immediately. The Project equally boasts of three helicopters in addition to two Special MissionAircrafts equipped with gadgets to take and transmit information to different arms of the Project.

There are also 17 armoured vehicles for the hinterlands, while the Command, Control, Computer Communication, and Information Centre (C4i) was officially launched at NIMASA’s base in Lagos a few months back.

Proactive approaches and teamwork Although the cost of the entire DBP, which is estimated at $195 million, is shouldered by NIMASAalone, Jamoh said the agency was committed to sharing of the facilities with other relevant agencies.

“The issue of maritime security requires a combination of efforts.

Those who commit illegal acts at sea are highly adaptable, increasingly sophisticated in their methods and often well-informed. So, local, regional and global efforts must be flexible and proactive.

“If the NigeriaAir Force needs an aircraft to fight the pirates, I hand it over to them for the operation. If the Navy needs a vessel, I hand it to Navy because we cannot go it all alone. They go there and achieve the needed result. NIMASAshares in the credit, but importantly, Nigerian will be the best for it”, the NIMASADG reasoned.

Jamoh said NIMASAhad equally created the Maritime Intelligence Unit to streamline intelligence and optimise intelligence gathering and sharing among the agencies to boost preventive and proactive approaches, including sensitisation.

In concluding, emphasised the urgency of unlocking Nigeria’s maritime potentials, especially given the fast-plummeting oil revenues and prospects.

“Whatever we have to do, now is the time. From now to 2030 when Europe plans to abandon oil is only 10 years. During the campaign, Joe Biden wants US to be independent of oil. If US and Europe are saying no to oil, where are we going to be in the next few years?” Jamoh said.

GLOBAL SOCCER

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

21.11.2020

Cyriel Dessers Unalloyed Loyalty

NEWS

RENEWING HOSTILITIES PAGE. 29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 21, 2020

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Cyriel Dessers Unalloyed Loyalty

Dessers celebrating one of his goals with a teammate

His dream has always been to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria and when he came in as a last minute substitute against Tunisia in an international friendly last month, his excitement knew no bound and he looked forward to subsequent national team invitations. However, Cyriel Dessers’name was missing in Nigeria’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifier matches against Sierra-Leone but the Racing Genk striker said he’s still committed to playing for Nigeria despite still having the option to play for another country

R

acing Genk star Cyriel Dessers, is not thinking about quitting the Nigeria national team despite his omission from the squad list for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone.

The Belgian-born striker paid the price for his lack of playing time at Genk, having logged only 73 minutes in the Belgian First Division A since he returned from his first international duty with the Super Eagles.

Assuming he was called up for this month’s fixtures, he would have been given the chance to become cap-tied to Nigeria.

Dessers’ teammate at Racing Genk, Paul Onuachu is believed to be ahead of the former Heracles Almelo attacker in the pecking order of strikers for club and country.

“Thirteen internationals are missing,” Dessers told Tubantia on his teammates who were called up to represent their nations this month.

“Last time Paul and I went together, this time I was not called up. I understand that.

I hope and assume that I will be back in the future.

“Genk has met me with a plan, so I am curious about how things will go in the near future.”

Dessers, 25, was lively when he came off the bench for the last 18 minutes of Nigeria’s

1-1 draw with Tunisia in a friendly that took place in Austria on October 13.

He had waited patiently for his Super Eagles derby since his decision to dump his country of birth- Belgium for motherland.

His wait was further stretched with the postponement of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier matches owing to Coronavirus pandemic. The wait however ended when he came in as a 72nd-minute substitute in the international friendly game against Tunisia in Austria. Dessers was indeed looking forward to the AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone but it was not to be as coach Gernad Rohr had other ideas and Desssers’ direction was not looked at.

It was indeed a disappointment for Dessers who had been hoping to play his first competitive game for the three-time African champions.

He was in line to make his debut for Nigeria in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game against Sierra Leone in March but the game was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Dessers had stated before now that it would be “incredibly amazing” to play for Nigeria and hopes his form will earn him a call-up.

The 25-year-old, born to a Belgian father and Nigerian mother, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles, given he is yet to

feature for the Dutch senior team.

His dream of staring for Nigeria finally came to fruition following his international bow against the Carthage Eagles, and the 25-year-old has expressed his delight at representing the three-time African champions.

Dessers was ecstatic to get his first international debut for Nigeria in the 1-1 draw against Tunisia.

He was an unused substitute against Algeria, notwithstanding, he made his bow against the Carthage Eagles after replacing Ahmed Musa with 18 minutes left to play at the Jacques Lemans Arena.

“Proud and honoured to represent a big football nation like Nigeria. Proud to be a Super Eagle,” he tweeted.

“I am tired, I barely slept last night and still have to go home by car, but it was worth it,” Dessers told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“It was fun, I was very well received in the group.

“This was a highlight in my career, yes.

“There are not many things that are highly regarded, right? Maybe become a top scorer, yes. But playing for your country.”

Dessers said he was now looking forward to his next game for the three-time African champions.

“Who wouldn’t want to be there again?”

He asked rhetorically.

“You never know in football. But then I

will have to play well at Genk in the first place. That’s my main concern now. Making more minutes at Genk now requires my full focus.”

While at Heracles Almelo, Dessers had expressed his wish to represent the 2013 African champions after meeting with officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.

He was invited for the first time earlier this year by Rohr for Africa Cup of Nations qualification with Sierra Leone – an encounter that could not take place owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 which crippled football-related activities across the globe.

“It hurts me because I thought it was going to be one of the best moments of my life - or at least my career - and that it didn’t go through was really painful,” Dessers told BBC Sport.

“Iknowit’sayoung team, a lot of players playing in Europe, so I think that the adaptation would be fine and I hope when I come into the team they accept me.”

After impressing in the Eredivisie, where he scored 18 goals and provided six assists to emerge as joint-top scorer in the Dutch elite division, Dessers penned a four-year deal with Belgian top-flight side Genk.

However, he has not had enough playing time at the Luminus Arena this season, having just scored two goals in six league appearances for Jess Thorup’s men.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 21, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Man City Aiming to Put Premier League Season Back on Track against Spurs After a two-week interlude due to international break, club football returns with the Premier League fixtures pitching two of the most successful coaches against each other. Jose Mourinho welcomes arch rival Pep Guardiola to the Tottenham Stadium. While Spurs sit second in the table, Manchester City are experiencing their worst time in five years after a stuttering start to the season. However, a win against Tottenham will put their Premier League season back on track, but against a Mourinho side, it will definitely be a high mountain to climb

Premiership Table Leicester Tottenham Liverpool Southampton Chelsea Aston Villa Everton Crystal Palace Wolves Man City Arsenal West Ham Newcastle Man Utd Leeds Brighton Fulham West Brom Burnley SheďŹ&#x20AC; Utd

8 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 7 8

9 10 2 4 10 9 2 0 -1 1 -1 4 -3 -2 -3 -3 -8 -11 -9 -10

18 17 17 16 15 1 13 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 6 4 3 2 1

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Newcastle Aston Villa Tottenham Man Utd

v Chelsea v Brighton v Man City v West Brom

12:30 15:00 17:30 20:00

SUNDAY

Fulham v Everton 12:00 Sheffield Utd v West 14:00 Leeds Utd v Arsenal 16:30 Liverpool v Leicester City 19:15 MONDAY

Burnley Wolves

v Crystal Palace 17:30 v Southampton 20:00

La Liga TODAY

Levante Villarreal Sevilla AtlĂŠtico

v Elche v Madrid v Celta Vigo v Barcelona

13:00 15:15 17:30 20:00

v Getafe v Sociedad v Valladolid v Valencia

13:00 15:15 17:30 20:00

v Real Betis

20:00

v Lazio v Atalanta v Cagliari

14:00 17:00 19:45

v Benevento v Torino v Parma v Bologna v Sassuolo v Genoa v AC Milan

11:30 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 17:00 19:45

SUNDAY

Eibar CĂĄdiz Granada AlavĂŠs MONDAY

Bilbao SERIE A TODAY

Crotone Spezia Juventus

Tottenham striker Lucas Moura tries to get past Manchester Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kevin De Bruyne

O

ld rivals Mourinho and Guardiola renew hostilities today when Tottenham Hotspur welcome Manchester City to North London in the headline fixture of this weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier League.

For the first time since January 2017, Spurs go into a showdown with Man City sitting above their opponents in the table, and victory would lift them to the very top until at least Sunday night.

Matches with Mourinho and Guardiola in opposing dugouts almost demand that as much attention be focused on the managers as the clubs, and for Guardiola in particular he will be looking to crown a celebratory week which saw him finally put pen to paper on a new two-year contract at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

Arguably the two highest-profile managers in football have faced off in Clasicos and Manchester derbies before, with Guardiola enjoying the better of their past meetings.

Indeed, Mourinhoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 defeats to Guardiola-led teams are more than he has suffered against any other manager, while Guardiola himself has only beaten Manuel Pellegrini more often as an opposing boss.

The dynamics may be a little different heading into todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showdown, though, with Tottenham flying high and belief beginning to grow that they could launch a genuine title challenge

this season - just one year after finishing 40 points off the pace.

There is still a long way to go, of course, but the signs were promising before the international break, with Spurs embarking on the longest current unbeaten run in the league and picking up 17 points from the 21 on offer in that time.

Another victory this weekend would secure four league wins on the bounce for the first time since February 2019, while their only setback in their last 14 outings across all competitions came away to Antwerp in the Europa League last month.

If there is a concern for Spurs right now it may come in the fact that only two of their Premier League matches this season have been decided by more than one goal, and their last three have seen them only scrape past Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Bromwich Albion.

Mourinhoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s men have still picked up nine points from nine in those games, though, while they head into this weekend boasting the joint-best defensive record, the joint-best goal difference and the joint second-best attacking record in the division.

Even so, Mourinho may still be demanding an improvement from his side, whose relatively kind fixture list since the October international break has now well and truly ended.

Six of Tottenhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next seven league games come against teams that finished in the top eight last season -

Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers - while they must also play three Europa League games and an EFL Cup quarter-final in that spell.

Tottenhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true title credentials may be a lot clearer by Christmas, then, and by that stage, Man City will hope to have hauled themselves back into the front-running of that conversation too.

Guardiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side have only won three of their seven outings so far this season, dropping nine of the 21 points available to them to find themselves 10th in the table.

However, City do still boast a game in hand over most of the other teams in the league and are only six points off pace-setters Leicester, so they certainly have the scope to make up for their uncharacteristically sluggish start.

A 1-1 draw at home to champions Liverpool last time out was the third time they have shared the spoils in their last five Premier League games - as many as their previous 70 outings in the competition.

Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggles to turn those draws into wins can be directly correlated to their relative lack of goals this season, having found the back of the net only 10 times in their seven league games.

To put that into context, City had plundered 27 goals by the same stage of last season, and their current tally is their lowest after seven games since 2010-11.

SUNDAY

Fiorentina Inter Milan Roma Sampdoria Verona Udinese Napoli

Guardiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s men have failed to score more than once in each of their last five Premier League games, having netted 16 times in their previous five before that.

It should be noted that City have not completely dried up in front of goal - their tally of nine goals in three Champions League games is bettered by only two other clubs, for example - but their Premier League profligacy will be a growing concern.

Guardiola may subsequently be hoping that his players carry their international form into domestic duties, having seen Ferran Torres score a hat-trick for Spain against Germany, Rodri also get on the scoresheet in that match and Ruben Dias net twice for Portugal against Croatia.

However it comes, Guardiola will know the importance of returning to winning ways this weekend, whereas victory for Spurs would be another statement of intent in what supporters increasingly hope could be a memorable campaign.

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺ͚, 2020,

GLOBAL SOCCER

Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev pose for a photogragh during the press conference at the Principality Stadium

Winner of the maiden DStv Premium Golf Day star prize, Dr. Ogunbiyi Ogunbanjo (middle), receiving his trophy from Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Tope Oshunkeye, at Ikeja Golf Clubâ&#x20AC;Ś last Saturday

NFF Appoints Daura Head of Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Football The Nigeria Football Federation yesterday announced the appointment of Amina Sani Zangon Daura as its new Head of Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Football.

Recruitment firm, Phillips Consulting, noted that during the entire exercise, Ms Daura â&#x20AC;&#x153;demonstrated a strong passion for the development of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football from grassroots to elite levelâ&#x20AC;? and that â&#x20AC;&#x153;she was able to prove to the panel her capacity for stakeholder

management and fundingâ&#x20AC;?. She fitted the bill of a Nigerian and a female as stipulated by the NFF for the position.

A UNICEF ambassador, Ms Daura will oversee the development of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football across the nation and also provide technical support to the Head Coach, Randy Waldrum. She will be responsible for increasing the participation of women in football at all levels and developing opportunities for

women in football with respect to grassroots education, performance and administration.

A total of 11 candidates were interviewed for the position, including seven Nigerians. There were also an Italian,aFinnishandaBelgianinthefinal poolfromwhichAminaDauraemerged.

EducatedinEngland,Amina has over 15 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football organisation, and last worked for Helping Hands Foundation for Child Education.

Ahead of Title Defence, Joshua Aiming to Destroy Pulev Anthony Joshua is looking â&#x20AC;&#x153;sensationalâ&#x20AC;? in the final weeks of training camp as he aims to â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolutely destroyâ&#x20AC;? Kubrat Pulev, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavyweight star gave a glimpse of his destructive skills when Hearn visited Joshuaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters in Sheffield on Wednesday, with his WBA, IBF and WBO title defence against Kubrat Pulev edging closer on December 12.

Pulev has defeated Derek Chisora and Hughie Fury since his sole defeat against Wladimir Klitschko, back in 2014, but Hearn believes Joshua

intends to inflict a crushing loss on his IBF mandatory challenger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I went to see him yesterday, he looked absolutely sensational,â&#x20AC;? Hearn told Sky Sports. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moving so well. We know heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brought in a couple of new trainers with Rob McCracken leading the way. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s punching so hard, so sharp, so fast. I think this is going to be a tough fight against Kubrat Pulev. I also think he is going to absolutely destroy him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to break him down, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to dissect him, and

heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to punish him. I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to see a statement. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to put too much pressure on him, but I really do. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I think. â&#x20AC;&#x153;AJ will always be a relaxed, humble guy, but I really believe having seen the improvement that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made, the spite in his punches, I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get a thrilling display from Anthony Joshua.â&#x20AC;?

Joshuaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate ambition remains an undisputed world title fight against WBC champion Tyson Fury, who this week abandoned plans for a homecoming clash with Agit Kabayel in December.

Power Forward Develops Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth Potential in Sport Power Forward, a youth development initiative launched in 2013 by the ExxonMobil Foundation, the NBAand Africare, uses basketball to teach health literacy, including malaria prevention and personal hygiene, and life skills, such as leadership, respect and responsibility, to students in 30 secondary schools in Abuja.

This initiative, in its seventh year had twotime NBA all-star Victor Oladipo and 2015 NBA Champion Festus Ezeli headlined the first virtual

Power Forward Huddle which livestreamed on NBA Africa YouTube on Nov. 19.

The event, hosted by TV and radio host Jimmie Akinsola, celebrated seven years of the Power Forward program for youth ages 14 and under and coaches from 30 schools in Abuja.

The one-hour show, celebrating the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact in Abuja, also featured representatives of the program partners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ExxonMobil Director of Community Investment and Strategy, Jim Jones;

NBA Africa CEO, Victor Williams; and Africare President and CEO, Robert Mallett; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as well as testimonials from Power Forward students. The organisers also thanked FCT Abuja Secondary Education Board and Nigerian Basketball Federation for their support of the initiative.

Victor Oladipo and Festus Ezeli spoke about the role basketball played in their lives, the values of the game and credited their Nigerian upbringing for the successes on and off the court.

Festus Ezeli recalled his visit to Nigeria last year, after a decade and a half abroad, when he also took part in the sixth Power Forward Finals at the National Stadium in Abuja. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had been gone for 15 years. I left my home, I left my family, it was just me when I came to America.

And coming back after all this time, a lot of inches taller, it was a very emotional time. You know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always going to be home. Nigeria is always home,â&#x20AC;? visibly excited Festus explained.

LaLiga Resumes this Weekend Live on StarTimes The last time either of the two giants of Spanish football, Barcelona and Real Madrid, were not leading after Week 9 was in 2006, when Sevilla topped the table.

Looking at the current La Liga table, Real Sociedad, Villarreal and AtlĂŠtico Madrid occupy first, second

and third places respectively.

Real Madrid are fourth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; four points behind Real Sociedad, albeit with a game in hand, while Barcelona are eighth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nine points behind the leaders, but having played two games less.

Today both Barcelona and Real Madrid will have their mettle tested as they travel

to AtlĂŠtico Madrid and Villarreal respectively.

The games will be broadcast live on StarTimes football channels. StarTimes subscribers can share La Liga moments live with their loved ones by linking their decoder smartcard number to StarTimes-ON mobile

app on up to three mobile devices; this enables them to stream all StarTimes content on their mobile devices at no extra cost.

Also, non-subscribers can stream all sports content live on StarTimes-ON app as low as N400 weekly, with an option to subscribe with their MTN airtime.

Thrills of DStv Premium Golf Day As early as 6am last Saturday, the prestigious Ikeja Golf Club in Lagos had started receiving golfers, with kits in tow, arriving in trickles. After about half an hour, the trickles grew into thick streams of golfers and their caddies.

The occasion was the inaugural edition of the DStv Premium Golf Day, sponsored by premier pay television service provider, DStv. Golf enthusiasts trooped in to see who among the 99 golfers would win the prizes on offer.

The 99 had been picked from a total of 500 registrants in line with the physical distancing requirements of COVID-19 safety measures.

The DStv Golf Day followed the stroke play format, which sees each golferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number of strokes counted in two rounds of 18 holes-the first nine holes and the back nine holes, with the golfer with the overall best score from the 18 holes to be announced the winner.

The first game kicked off at about 6.45 a.m, with golfers taking turns on the lush-green course of the club.

For many golfers, the hopes of posting outstanding performances started fading after the first nine holes when they came to the realisation that their performances were hardly the type that would win them any of the prizes. Afew quit, while others continued to the back in the hope of making up their scores.

After the day-long exertions on the golf course, golfers took a time off and reconvened for the scheduled cocktail, where the results were to be announced and prizes handed out to the winners.

The cocktail, anchored by Mr. Omini Ofem, was hugely anticipated for the announcement of the winners. The star prize, a business class ticket for a weekend stay in a five-star hotel in Dubai, was won by Dr. Ogunbiyi Ogunbanjo with a net score of 65. Mr. Remi Olukoya, with a net score of 67, emerged the runner-up and was rewarded with a business class ticket and a weekend accommodation at a five-star hotel in Rwanda. Next to him was Mr. Rasheed Adebisi, with a net score of 69. He was rewarded with a weekend accommodation in a five-star hotel in Lagos. Mrs. Linda Obieze won the women category with the same score and was rewarded with a golf bag.

The prize for the longest drive was claimed by Mr. Femi Ajala, who won a 55-inch television. Mr. Ife Muritala, son of a golfer, won the prize-a golf bag- for the nearest to the pin (hole 17).

Ofem noted that the DStv Golf Day attracted golfers from other clubs such as Ikoyi Club (Golf Section), Ibadan Golf Club, Abeokuta Golf Club, Benin Club (Golf Section) and Ekiti Golf Club.

Speaking at the cocktail, Captain of Ikeja Golf Club, Mr. Oladimeji Durojaiye, said members of the Ikeja Golf Club were delighted that the club was chosen by the sponsors. He also noted that golfers were very enthusiastic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We thank the DStv team for bringing such initiative to Ikeja Golf Club.

This is the first tournament and the feedback from players have been very impressive. We sincerely hope this will become an annual event,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Mr. Tope Oshunkeye, Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, who represented Mr. John Ugbe, CEO, MultiChoice Nigeria, said DStv was happy to be associated with the event and it was a way of showing appreciation to subscribers on the DStv Premium package.

In his remarks, Jenkins Alumona, CEO of Flykite Productions, the event organisers, thanked the golfers for their participation and expressed hope that the event would be held in other golf clubs in Lagos and other cities.

Over 150 Players to Grace Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inaugural Golf Tourney No fewer than 150 golfers are expected to tee-off at the Ibori Golf and Country Club (IGCC), 2020 Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inaugural Golf Tournament today at the golf course, Asaba, Delta State capital.

The long awaited inaugural golf tournament is making the IGCC golf course wearing a new look in readiness for the tournament featuring top playing golfers from different golf clubs in Nigeria.

The 2020 edition of the tournament being organised by the IGCC Captain, Alfred Ebreneyin, will see golfers competing for laurels in both ladies and men, veteran and super veteran categories respectively.

Captain Ebreneyin remarked that the tournament was earlier scheduled for second quarter of this year, but was postponed due to Coronavirus pandemic.

The arrival, registration and cocktail took place yesterday, while the ceremonial tee-off and tournament proper holds today as well as presentation of prizes to winners and the dinner party in the evening at the club house.

The captain is optimistic that the tournament would be hitch free and well organised with Covid-19 protocols in place to ensure the safety of players and guests.

Ebreneyin stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This inaugural tournament will be successful. By my estimation, we are anticipating nothing less than 150 golfers at the tournament. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are coming from clubs such as Benin Club Golf Section (BCGS); UBTH Golf Club, Benin City; Ogunnu Golf Resort, Warri; Port-Harcourt Golf Club; IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja; Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos; Ibadan, Jos, Enugu, Calabar and amongst.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 21, 2020

31

GLOBAL SOCCER

Ovie Ejeheri Three-way Battle for His Signature At just 17 years, he is already attracting serious attention at both club and international levels. While Premier League clubs are scrambling for his signature, England, Nigeria and Uganda are involved in a three-way battle to secure the international services of Ovie Ejeheri Ejeheri

E

ngland, Nigeria and Uganda are at the moment involved in a three-way battle to secure the international services of Ovie Ejeheri, according to a report.

Sky Sports report that Ejeheri is eligible to play for England, Nigeria and Uganda, with each keen to convince him to play for them.

Meanwhile, the English FA have called him up to join their youth goalkeeper training camp in December.

A number of Premier League clubs are also watching him, as he still hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t got a professional deal at Arsenal.

Ejeheri joined Arsenal at the age of five, progressing through the ranks to the U-18s. He also made the bench for the U-23s on one occasion this season.

However, the goalkeeper spent almost the entirety of the last campaign out injured.

The 17-year-old started his first game of 2020/21 in the U-18sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; last match against Norwich. He made a couple of saves and was close to keeping a clean sheet before the away side scored in the 86th minute.

Ejeheri also trained with Arsenal first-team over the international break, and the fact heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starting matches for the U-18s suggests he could still sign a professional deal to stay. But clearly, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of interest at both club and international level if he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

The 17-year-old Anglo-Nigerian has been in fine form for the Gunnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; U-18

team over recent months and the England invitation presents him a chance to be handed an international call-up.

Should Ejeheri impress English national team selectors, he could be handed a call-up to Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s squad ahead of preparations for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup billed for Indonesia.

Speaking to Goal through his representative Segun Jegede of Utmostt Sports Management, the teenager revels in this opportunity that will help him â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;showcaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; his talent as well as boost his professional career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very good opportunity for me to showcase my talent and put myself in the mix,â&#x20AC;? Ejeheri told Goal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working hard at Arsenal for over a decade. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy that the work Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been putting in is being noticed by the English FA and coaching staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely a means of progression for my career. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a development that will challenge me to keep raising the bar in my career endeavours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a step in the right direction for me to get more recognition in the England set-up.â&#x20AC;?

Born in Greenwich, London to a Nigerian father and a mother from Uganda, the goalkeeper could spark a selection war between Uganda, Nigeria and England in future.

Ejeheri, whose football role model is Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gianluigi Buffon, also talked about his future and the heights he would love to reach

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My goal in the next three years is to play regular first-team football at club level and represent England or Nigeria at international level,â&#x20AC;? he continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look forward to the challenges of professional and international football at the highest level.â&#x20AC;?

Alongside Nigeria prospects like Miguel Azeez, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Mazeed Ogungbo and Daniel Oyegoke, Ejeheri is a second-year scholar at Arsenal for the 2020-21 season and could be offered a professional contract should he continue to dazzle academy coaches.

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR

THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 21, 2020

NOVEMBER21˜ ͰͮͰͮ ˾ THISDAY,THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

33

34

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͺ͚Ë&#x153; 2020

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK Why Is My ABS Light On? What Does ABS Mean?

ABS stands for antilock braking system and it is one of the most important safety features on any new car, truck, or SUV. An ABS system uses sensors to help prevent your wheels from locking up during hard braking.

This can help you maintain control of your car in an emergency.

Hyundai Kona, an electric SUV

How Does ABS Work?

ABS uses sensors mounted at each wheel, along with a series of valves and pumps, to monitor tyre grip and brake pressure during extreme braking conditions.

Let us say you are on a highway and traffic ahead comes to a sudden stop. When you press hard on the brake pedal, the ABS system springs into action. If the sensors detect a wheel has â&#x20AC;&#x153;locked up,â&#x20AC;? meaning the tire has stopped spinning and is now skimming across the road, ABS rapidly reduces and then reapplies brake pressure to help restore control and bring the car to a quick and controlled stop.

Before ABS, drivers were taught to pump the brakes to prevent wheel lock and loss of control.

With ABS, this is done automatically.

Full Charge of Hyundai Kona Costs Below N4,000, Drives 482KM

Why is My ABS Light On? Like many issues with modern cars, multiple problems could cause your carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ABS light to illuminate.

In some cases, the warning could be a false signal that something is wrong. Simply restarting the car might cause the light to turn off. To be on the safe side, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smart to have the system checked by a mechanic anyhow.

P

rospective buyers of Hyundai Kona, an electric SUV, rolled out of the assembly lines of Stallion VON in Lagos recently need not worry about their electricity bills going up because of its low running costs.

Recently, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated Hyundai Kona, the first electric car assembled in Nigeria by the Stallion Group.

The governor, who led other senior members of government to Stallion Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s assembly plant VON at Ojo, Lagos, described the car as a future that was happening in the present.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a way to go, and it is the future that we are seeing now. This is the first electric car that we are seeing and we as the government need to partner with them.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The future that we see is the future of technology and this is the technology that we are talking about. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is 21st Century technology that has been brought into our country. With the innovation of Hyundai Kona, we do not need to put the pressure on what is the pump price of oil again, what is the pump price of petroleum again.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the issues and fights that we are having about prices of petroleum going up and the rest of it will be a thing of the past.â&#x20AC;?

Running Costs According to Stallion VON, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Another factor that will grease Konaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheel of success in the country is the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s running cost, which is quite minimal.

That will be more so in Nigeria, where electricity consumers resident in accommodation categorised under R1 are charged only N45 per kilowatt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That implies Hyundai Kona owners would incur only N3300 for a full charge that will do a running of 482 kms, if he or she plugs the car into public power supply. The charging is also as simple as getting your mobile plugged in at your home or office electrical socket.â&#x20AC;?

The ease of charging is unmatched and can be plugged in at home or work for 9.35 hours for a full battery charge and the power consumption for full charging is 143 WH/KM (68.926 kwh for 482km). Besides the Hyundai Konaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electric power-packed performance for providing a thrilling driving experience it also manages to excel with its charging kit capacity of 2.3KW, with a voltage

of 230V and frequency of 50Hz. The styling of the vehicle is conventional, the interior is luxurious, and the ride is nearly silent.

Kona electric has been extensively applauded for its class driving range, safety convenience features and fast-charging capability. Its success can be measured by the following; In April 2020, it was named the Best Small Family Car by the inaugural TopGear Electric Awards based on its 24-hour (1,600-km) performance. This year, U.S. News & World Report named it the Best Electric Vehicle. WardsAuto included KONAElectric on its 10 best engines list. In 2018, Auto Express named it the Affordable Electric Car of the Year. The EV also played a role in the KONAnameplate winning Spanish newspaper ABCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Car of the Year award. It also won the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

While EVs may have had a checkered past, there is still an unanimity amongst auto industry leaders and analysts that a tipping point is approaching where mass adoption will become inevitable. These factors have come together to force the traditional industry to take electrification seriously -faster than we had previously expected.

Sanwo-Olu, Gbemisola Saraki for PTONAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AGM, Bus Exhibition

O

ne of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tech-enabled automotive trade platforms, Cars45, has reiterated its commitment to buying and selling within Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s automotive industry.

Theyalsowanttodefinethefuture of automotive trade across the country by providing consumers brand experience that helps them with smarter choices.

Cars45, founded in 2016, provides an end-to-end digitized customer journey for buying and selling cars for individuals and corporate organisations with a desire to help them get the most value from any automotive transactioCars45 Series A fund raise in May 2017, was acquired by OLX Group in November 2019 to demonstrate their ambition to lead the online market for used cars. Cars45 has now been fully integrated as a proud member of the OLX Autos family.

Cars45 announced some products offerings that include: GoMechanic45, an aftermarket service aimed at providing quality and affordable car repair services for consumers and corporates, deepening thecultureofpreventivemaintenanceandscheduled servicing in a manner that helps them to maximize the lifetime value of their vehicles.

Institutional and Corporate Sales will cater to corporate and government institutions by solving issues around fleet liquidation and valuation as well as supply while adding value to their automotive needs and unlocking new levers of growth and productivity.

International Trade services christened as EasyShipDirect is an end-to-end importation service that will facilitate the acquisition of clean titled cars into the country, help the government realize revenue via the payment of import duties and

Lastly, Cars45 has partnered financial institutions - fintechs and banks to provide vehicle financing services to both consumers and car dealers with a view to removing long-standing barriers to car ownership and help grow the pool of car owners across the country.

The company also noted that its expansion into Kenya and Ghana is growing while strengthening its partnerships with car manufacturers and OEMs that include KIA, Kelwarams and CFAO with a

Buses at an exhibition

view to facilitating new car sales and ownership.

Alsospeakingduringthebriefing,Head,Marketing and Communications, SholaAdekoya reiterated the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to driving the growth of the automotive sector in Nigeria and ensuring that car-buying and ownership becomes a seamless, safe and secure experience for consumers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We take our responsibility of providing quality service offerings underpinned by transparency and integrity very seriously.

Potential causes for an ABS warning light include: A fault with the ABS tire speed sensors located at each wheel Problems with the valves and related pumps that regulate brake pressure Low brake fluid, which reduces braking performance, even when ABS is not needed An issue with the fuse dedicated to the ABS system If you have an OBD scan tool, you can plug it into your car, examine the trouble codes, and potentially learn more about the problem. However, you will still probably need a mechanic for the fix.

What Does the ABS Light Look Like?

The warning itself is easy to spot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s located in the gauge cluster directly in front of the driver. An ABS light shows the letters â&#x20AC;&#x153;ABSâ&#x20AC;? within a circle; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illuminated in either red, orange, or yellow.

Can I Drive My Car With the ABS Light On? If the car is still braking normally, any potential issue is likely related to the ABS system itself, and not the brakes. Still, the best advice is to make sure the car is safe to drive and get to a mechanic as soon as possible.

If the ABS light comes on and all braking suddenly feels abnormal, stop the vehicle and call for assistance. The last thing you want to do is make a broken brake system made worse by risking an accident.

What Does It Cost to Fix an ABS Problem?

That depends on what the problem turns out to be. Something as simple as low brake fluid or a blown ABS fuse will be relatively cheap and quick to remedy.

A laptop-based vehicle diagnosis might also indicate the problem is a computer glitch, not a damaged or worn part. Again, this should be inexpensive and easy to remedy.

More expensive issues would be related to items like faulty speed sensors, and whether the sensor can be repaired or needs to be replaced. Depending on the vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age, it might be a good idea to have all four sensors checked and replaced if one is showing extreme signs of wear and tear.

Another pricier fix would be if the valves and related brake pumps are damaged and need replacement.

Remember, just because a sensor is worn doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean you need to completely overhaul every aspect of your ABS. Get a detailed explanation of the problems, and ask to see the worn parts, if possible.

If the car is brand new and still under warranty, anABS-related issue is almost certain to be covered.

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER Ëž Í°ÍŻË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

FAJ/JOE

THEFRONTLINES

The P&ID Gas Project, j Restructuring and Southern Conundrum

JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T

he recent landmark rulings in favour of Nigeria in a matter instituted by the federal government against Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) in both the United Kingdom and United States of American courts are worthy of commendation.

While presuming that the facts of the rulings are already public knowledge, the point needs to be made that the present administration of President Muhamm madu Buhari deserves commendation for its dogged pursuit of this matter to its logical conclusion. Rather than accepting the positions canvassed by the battery of compromised lawyers urging the federal government to enter into a contrived agreee ment which would have cost the commonwealth a fortune, the government, convinced that the promoters of the gas project failed to fulfill their own side of the agreement refused to play ball.

In the end, Nigera, by the ruling has been saved from paying P&ID the $10b arbitration claim it tendered before the courts.

The ruling is without doubt a fresh breathe of air and indeed a deodorant for an administration reeking from one corruption scandal to another. The administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record which sticks out like a sore thumb is so bad that even its anti-corruption czar is under investigation for sleaze. Yet, the redeeming feature in this matter is the seeming statement from the administration that future projects that are not well negotiated and which result in such claims and other judgement debts (which are very many) that have fleeced the commonwealth of billions of dollars would no longer be entertained.

Now that Nigeria has secured reprieve from the P&ID case, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return to the rationale behind the Gas Supply and Processs ing Agreement (GSPA) entered into between the late Umaru Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aduaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government and the P&ID and to ascertain whether or not it was desirable and who stood to benefit from it?

To begin with, Nigeria is known to flare most of its gas released during oil drilling. Until recently, the penalty for gas flaring also known as flare payments (penalties) was N10 per thousand standard cubic feet. However, a revised penalty issued few years ago increased or reviewed it upwards. A statement from the Nigeria Gas Flare and Commercialization Programme (NGFCP) said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the upward review in the case of any one producing 10,000 barrels of oil or more, to $2.0 USD per thousand standard cubic feet of gas and, in the case of anyone producing less than 10,000 barrels of oil per day, to $0.50 USD per thousand. This year, government has projected a revenue of N104b receipt up from N45b which accrued to the federation account in the past.

Thus, it was cheaper for the oil majors to make flare payy ments rather than investing in gas production which would

have had multiplier effects including generating revenue for government and improved electricity supply to millions of homes in Nigeria.

So was the project desirable and was it going to have positive effects on the people and the economy? Yes it was because at present, the World Bank estimates that only 59% of the country have access to reliable supply of electricity. It also acknowledged that with almost 8 billion cubic meters of gas flared annually according to satellite data, Nigeria is the seventh-largest gas flarer in the world. At the same time approximately 75 million Nigerians lack access to electricity According to the records, the GSPA was signed during the administration of President Umaru Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua. The duo of Mr. Michael Quinn and his partner Brendan Cahill proposed the project to late President Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua in August 2008. At that time, the late Rilwanu Lukman, a 2-time OPEC Secretary-General, who was Minister of Petroleum Resources at the time, signed the GSPA. It was learnt that the P&ID and the Nigerian Governn ment entered into a 20-year Agreement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; known as the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to refine natural gas for powering Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electricity grid. Specifically, the GSPA was to generate an additional 2,000 megawatts of power for the national grid. Such a major increase in low-cost electricity supply brought by the P&ID project could have been transformative for millions of Nigerians.

As part of the deal, the P&ID was required to build a state-ofthe-art gas processing plant to refine natural gas (â&#x20AC;&#x153;wet gasâ&#x20AC;?) into â&#x20AC;&#x153;lean gasâ&#x20AC;? that Nigeria would receive free of charge to power its national electric grid. The P&ID was not entitled to be paid for this work: instead, it was to own the by-products created by the refining â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as propane, ethane and butane or natural gas liquids and was to have the exclusive rights to sell them on the international markets. This market was projected to be worth billions of dollars over the 20-year lifespan of the contract.

Had this project taken off as planned, it would have curtailed the wasteful flaring of natural gas that is released during oil drilling in addition to depleting the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural resources and depriving it of the much needed revenue. A government taskforce â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP)â&#x20AC;&#x201C; found out that in 2016 alone, Nigeria failed to earn over $1.1 billion in potential gas revenue, as a result of flaring as much as 275 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

New data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) showed that between Q1 and Q3 2018, oil and gas firms flared a total of 251.9 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas for a total loss of N197 billion (approximately US $547 million) in potential revenue.

So given the viability of the project and its multiplier benefits to the economy, why has Buhari not shopped for a new

Son of Manâ&#x20AC;ŚWhoTurnedYou to God?

A

s the year 2020 trudges to an awkward end...just few weeks away...we elect to look inwards, and, for the moment, look away from the ever present, ever baffling, ever dispiriting culture of undergovernance, if not mis-governance...in a nation divinely lavished with innumerable mineral resources, and incredible mass of diligent, teachable and adaptive people. One has found solace, or shall we say sanity, in personal introspection, and a desire to add a modicum of instructions, experience and candid admonishments in the mindset and philosophical underlinings of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s man.

The following piece is my humble contribution to efforts that have been afoot for decades in building and sustaining more responsible and beneficial interpersonal skills which ultimately translate to a more decent and egalitarian society. Here goes...

Recently, I received an invitation card (they call it â&#x20AC;&#x153;inviteâ&#x20AC;? now) to an event I had looked forward to attend. Eventually, I chose not to attend. The snag was that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Admits One Onlyâ&#x20AC;? was boldly printed on the back of the gilt-edged card. I was nonplussed, because I had planned to attend the event with my wife, and apparently the organizers conveniently ignored the fact that I was married, or that I would really appreciate my partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company at the loudly publicised event.

I toyed with the idea of calling the attention of the organizers to the oversight, and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;seek redressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. As quickly as the thought came, I brushed it aside, and decided not to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;disturbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; those who must be running from pillar to post, considering the incredible stress of organizing a big-time event in Nigeria. The distraction of asking for additional cards can generate all sorts of emotions that I simply decided to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;buryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the chance of attending the event altogether. But that set me wondering: why do people send single admittance invites to obviously married couples? Where do they expect the unpreferred spouse in that relationship to go on the day of the event?

Are they encouraging more guests to come in singly for any particular reason beyond attending and enjoying

the recreation on display? What is the motive behind â&#x20AC;&#x153;Admits One Onlyâ&#x20AC;??

Crowd control?

My submission is that many men in marriage relationships have scant regard for their womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feelings when it involves offi f cial and even unoffi f cial outings. They feel it is within their manly duty and privileges to junket around town, trawling from one party to another with male friends, because men can â&#x20AC;&#x153;take care of themselvesâ&#x20AC;?.

I even heard of a big company whose staff, by unspoken rule, were not expected to come to company sorties with their spouses. It is sheer baloney!

That sort of mentality is occasioned by deliberate pig-headedness and ignorance. When we tie the proverbial knots on wedding days, we declare to the glee and adulation of invited guests and families, that in all circumstances and situations, we would love and cherish the presence and essence of the beaming brides. But we really do not mean what we say, do we? Or else we harbour different agenda that will later be sprung on the unsuspecting women.

This is how I know: when you make vows to make your wife-to-be happy and become one - the parents and guests assume that you have weighed the seriousness of your vows, and that you would do all in your power to make the vows sustainable and applicable. In short, when they hear you say that two of you shall become one, as the good book says, they believe you know that will be taken in its literal form. They assume that you will start, from the first day of your marriage, to throw out all these habits, proclivities and idiosyncrasies that define fi only you. They pray and hope that you will begin the process of giving life to your vows, and kickstart the process of welding your ways and your passions with that of your wife, such that you truly become ONE in as short a time as possible.

However, what is prevalent is empty bravado couched as essential individualism, even in the unison of wedlock.

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s machos want to eat their cake and yet have it. They want to have a stable home, a happy wife and prosperous lifestyle outside their homes. They are

jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

genuine promoter to resuscitate the GSPA project after the initial setbacks given the fact that Calabar and the entire South-south in particular and the South in general hold the highest gas reserves in the country?

According to worldometer, Nigeria holds 187 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves as of 2017, ranking 9th in the world and accounting for about 3% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total natural gas reserves of 6,923 Tcf. Nigeria has proven reserves equivalent to 306.3 times its annual consumption. This means it has about 306 years of gas left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves).

Therefore, it was out of sound judgement and economic viability the late Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua administration decided to embark on the project. By choosing the South, Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua was utilizing its comparative advantages as the rightful place to site the project.

Why then did Buhari not tow the same line?

A carefully study of Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developmental thrust and body language will show that his interest is the north and not pan-Nigeria. The core reason for this is clear: with the hindsight of the Biafran civil war, IPOB and Oduduwa Republic clamourr ing for self determination and the current growing clamour for restructuring, Buhari and his northern allies are already thinking ahead.

In the last five years, he has deliberately set aside every project that has benefits to the south and initiated by past administraa tions. Instead of building on what he met, Buhari choosed to begin new projects sited exclusively in the north.

For example, he completed the Abuja - Kaduna rail line simply because it is in the north and would serve the north even when there are so many other rail projects initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan which aimed at connecting the entire country.

Buhari also took a further step to initiate an entirely new rail project from Kano to Maradi citing national interest as reason. In place of the GSPA in the South, Buhari has undertaken a very ambitious gas project from Ajaokuta, Kaduna to Kano.

Details of the project indicate that the Ajaokutaâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Kadunaâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Kano (AKK) pipeline is a 614km-long pipeline being developed by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to transport natural gas from southern Nigeria to northern Nigeria.

The ÂŁ2.2bn ($2.8bn) pipeline project represents phase one of the 1,300km-long Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline (TNGP) project, which is being developed as part of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gas Master Plan to utilise the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surplus gas resources for power generation as well as for consumption by domestic customers.

The TNGP project also forms part of the proposed 4,401km-long Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) to export natural gas to customers in Europe.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDEE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

bemused when things donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go their way, in spite of their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;effortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sacrificesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. They are incredibly untouched by the irony of their positions, in clear juxtaposition with their marital vows. Perverts!

The question that pops up is: how can you be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in truth, and still accept single cards? And still attend â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;family meetingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; where your spouse stays outside in the car or in the visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room? Why do you fix your vacations on different occasions whereby one partner will continue to work while the other occupies his or her time with one distraction or the other? Like visiting friends and families abroad or in the hinterlands - alone!?

The answer is in your heart. When you choose to leave your parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; house, and be joined to another who has equally left behind her familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coveringâ&#x20AC;Śthe spirit of your union enjoins you to fuse into a oneness that cannot be easily dismantled by rampaging foxes, occasional storms, other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silly attitudes and such vicissitudes of life. Surely challenges will ariseâ&#x20AC;Śno one is able to avoid thatâ&#x20AC;Śbut a sensible and pragmatic fusion of two willing and mutually responsible and caring adults will provide a formidable shield for their children and many of their productive trees for God to water.

See, you are not a weakling if you cannot do without your wife; nor are you emotionally unbalanced if you suffer anxiety when you miss your husbandâ&#x20AC;Ś that is how it should beâ&#x20AC;Śafter all, all parts of your body are fused as oneâ&#x20AC;Śa hurt to the nose will affect all of the body. Good health and wise lifestyle is keeping all parts of the body in good cheer. Same with your marriageâ&#x20AC;Ś both of you must be one in sustaining and encouraging those things, actions, persons and places that give you cheer and joy. Seize the moment, now.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͺ͚Ë&#x153; 2020

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

Nigeria Ranks 11th in Global Demand for Noodles

President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Dame Olajumoke Simplice, presenting Award of Excellence to Conference Chairman, Prof. Godwin Oyedokun, at the Annual International Academic Conference on Taxation, organised by CITN in collaboration with Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State... recently

Hypo Seeks End to Open Defecation on World Toilet Day Hygiene and sanitation brand, Hypo, has called for increased public trust in public toilet facilities to make Nigeria overcome the challenge of open defecation.

The organisation made this call while marking this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Toilet Day in partnership with the Lagos State government.

In marking the day, Hypo sponsored the cleaning of public toilets and offered free defecation service for Lagosians in selected facilities across Lagos State for three days.

Speaking at an event to observe the day at Ojodu Berger public toilet, Lagos, Brand Manager of Hypo Toilet Cleaner, Akintayo Akinseloyin noted that the gesture was part of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to build public confidence in public toilet facilities.

Akinseloyin observed that many people are discouraged from using public toilets because they fear for their safety. This he said has contributed to the practice of open defecation among over 47 million Nigerians. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In commemorating the 2020 World

Toilet Day, we decided to take over the cleaning and management of few toilet facilities, for example, Berger, Arena market in Oshodi and Trade fair, all in Lagos State for the first phase of our programme. We shall be deploying our resources, including the Hypo toilet cleaner to keep the toilet sparkling, attractive and germs free. By so doing, people who make use of the facilities can have a positive view of public toilets and develop a desire to use them when there is need.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking on the theme of the Day, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change, Akinseloyin maintained that Hypo sought to connect the theme with customers by ensuring that they have access to proper toilet facility. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talking about sustainable development globally, there have always been issues around water, but here in Nigeria, we are faced with the challenge of open defecation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hypo is committed to driving behavioural change to bridge infrastructure gap, ensure more public toilets facilities in households and support the federal

government to end open defecation by 2025.â&#x20AC;?

Director, Public Health Education, Lagos state Ministry of Health, Mrs. Sola Hassan, commended Hypoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort for collaborating with government to end open defecation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lagos state government has been building public toilets facilities across the state to quell open defecation and so, I can boldly say that the figure is reducing in the state. Hypo has been quite supportive though several initiatives that have paid off. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The theme for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Toilet Day has a lot of importance for environmental and personal hygiene which also aligns with the COVID-19 safety campaign. Even presently that some parts of the country are faced with the scourge of Yellow Fever, the place of environmental and personal hygiene cannot be ruled out.â&#x20AC;?

Also speaking, Head, Supervisor, Ojodu Berger Toilet, Adenike Adebayo, expressed appreciation to Hypo for the collaboration and promised to always maintain the standard of hygiene to ensure public safety.

Nigeria has been rated one of the largest markets for noodles consumption globally.

The World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), in its latest report, ranked Nigeria 11th in the global demand for noodles, putting Nigeria among the largest consumers of instant noodles, with 1.92 million servings as at May 2020. The report also ranked Indomie Instant Noodles as the most consumed brand in Nigeria.

Speaking on this feat, Chief Operations Officer of Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Adesh Jain, averred that Indomie was able to sustain market dominance by giving priority to innovation and creativity.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The successful exploitation of new ideas is crucial to a business being able to improve its processes, introduce new, improved products and services to market, increased efficiency, and, most importantly, improve profitability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Though we have maintained market dominance in the noodles market in Nigeria for close to three decades, we will not rest on our oars because we understand that market environmentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whether local, regional, national or globalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are becoming highly competitive, hence, there is a need to do more.â&#x20AC;?

He added that Dufil had consistently adapted its product-lines to the changing marketplace over the years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2019, we added Indomie Relish to our range of products as a response to consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yearning for a wholesome and satisfying meal experience. Indomie Relish was introduced to meet this need as it provides a complete, balanced and savoury culinary experience with real fish chunks and fish powder in the seafood flavour packs,â&#x20AC;? Jain said. It will be recalled that in November 2017, Dufil Prima Foods also consolidated its dominance in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s noodles market by acquiring the plants of Dangote Noodles Limited, a subsidiary of Dangote Flour Mills Plc.

Autochek Secures $3.4m for African Automotive Industry Autochek, the automotive technology company which aims to build solutions for the African market, has raised $3.4 million in a pre-seed funding round, co-led by TLcom Capital and 4DX Ventures with inclusion from Golden Palm Investments, Lateral Capital, Kepple Africa Ventures, MSA Capital and a number of local angel/seed investors.

The start-up will use the investment to grow its Nigeria and Ghana markets and will see further investment in technology and growing its teams. The pre-seed investment announced today follows Autochekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acquisition of the Cheki Nigeria and Cheki Ghana brands in September 2020.

Etop Ikpe, founder and CEO of Autochek, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This early stage investment allows us to get started with the work of developing technology products and services that will transform automotive trade on the continent, whereby we significantly improve transactions and after care support for car owners, dealers and other stakeholders across the African automotive industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Building on the solid work that the Cheki Nigeria and Ghana teams have done over the last ten years, we are already dispersed across multiple locations and applying the technology built and developed by our Autochek auto-tech experts, we are well positioned to scale quickly, as demand for reliable and well priced cars on the continent grow. With this pre-seed round and our seasoned strategic investors on board, we are working to transform the automotive sector on the continent.â&#x20AC;?

Andreata Muforo, partner at TLcom said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Autochek is radically improving customer experience and dealer economics in an industry that creates value and jobs across the continent and we are excited to be part of that journey.

Lagos Enhances Capacity Honeycomb Confectioneries of Artisans, Tradesmen Celebrates 5th Anniversary In line with its policy on wealth creation, the Lagos State government has embarked on the retraining of artisans and tradesmen, as part of efforts to restore public confidence in the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competence.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of Y2020 upskilling of 2000 Tradesmen and Artisans in Lagos recently, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke stated that the initiative was put together to enable the trainees meet up with the job demands for the 21st-century economy.

She restated that the retraining of 1,500 Artisans and 500 Tradesmen, which were drawn from the Lagos State Council for Tradesmen and Artisans, LASCOTA, was a demonstration of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to enhance the competence and quality of artisans and traders in the state for global competitiveness.

She said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gives me a deep sense of satisfaction to note that we are committed to ensuring that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise, MSME sector of Lagos Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, to which most of you belong, grow and flourishes.â&#x20AC;?

She urged beneficiaries of the programme to reciprocate the kind gesture of the government by contributing their quota towards the attainment of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greater Lagos, Your Lagos, Our Lagos.â&#x20AC;?

She warned that the training programme was not just about going to various centres and getting a certificate, but about broadening scope, widening horizon, thinking creatively and absorbing the truth about life. We must see the training beyond our certificates.â&#x20AC;?

Arobieke also restated the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to the informal sector, as demonstrated through the implementation of different programmes anchored by the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment in collaboration with other agencies.

The Executive Secretary of Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, LASTVEB, Ms. Ronke Azeez, had earlier introduced the 2,000 Artisans and Tradesmen who are to be trained in 19 different fields including fashion designing, block laying, catering, barbing, shoe making, cosmetology and hair dressing, among others.

Honeycomb Confectioneries Limited, a quality premium food company in Lagos, is rolling out the drums in celebration of its 5th year anniversary. Some of the programmes and events already lined up to celebrate the anniversary include thanksgiving service, Distributorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum and the first annual guest lecture tagged: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eating Right, Eating Healthy in the State of Pandemic.â&#x20AC;? The Annual Distributorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum will take a new dimension in commemoration of the anniversary.

Speaking on the upcoming lecture, the Executive Vice Chair of Honeycomb Confectioneries Limited, Mrs. Biyi Tunji-Olugbodi, said the guest lecture is the first of its kind from Honeycomb Confectioneries and the theme for the lecture is a reflection on the new world order that warrants eating healthy. The most crucial way to build oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immunity is through healthy eating. According to World Health Organization (WHO), eating a healthy diet is very important during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the coming of the second wave of the coronavirus, it is important for one to prepare especially in the area of health. The conference is set to empower

participants with practical knowledge to eating healthy in the state of pandemic.

According to her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we have decided to put together this event so that we can educate the public on a topical issue such as this. The world has become hybrid and human activities has reduced , however, everyone needs to know the best way of nourishing their bodies.â&#x20AC;?

The lecture is set to hold on Wednesday, November 25th, 2020 from 2PM - 3PM. The keynote Speaker of the virtual event is Dr Joy Odimegwu from the Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, others are the Special Guests of Honour, Dr (Mrs) Lola Akande, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry & cooperatives, Lagos State and Ms Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture, Lagos State.

Honeycomb Confectioneries Limited is a confectionary company that is passionate about feeding the nation with quality premium food.

Established on November 1, 2015 at 7, Akowonjo Road, Dopemu Lagos and currently produce various loaves to delight her teeming consumers.

SATURDAYNOVEMBER 21, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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SATURDAYNOVEMBER 21, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 21, 2020

38

SPORTS XTRA

No Plan to Sack Rohr, Says Pinnick

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has insisted there is no plan to sack Coach Gernot Rohr despite mounting pressure.

Rohr has faced scrutiny following a run of four games without a win and more criticism followed after the Super Eagles let a 4-0 lead slip at home as Sierra Leone fought back to draw 4-4 in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

It further increased after the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports minister Sunday Dare took to social media to question the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;suitability and competenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the coach on the back of the 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nobody is happy about what happened against Sierra

Leone in both matches,â&#x20AC;? Pinnick told BBC Sport Africa â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it is not enough to sack the coach because his team is still top of the Nations Cup group after four matches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His statistics speaks volume for him, so on what indexes do we want to sack

him considering the contract recently signed by both parties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No matter how emotional and disappointed the fans are, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no basis to sack him now and he deserves to keep his job.â&#x20AC;?

Rohr took charge of the three-time African champions in August 2016 and led them to a third place finish at the 2019 African Cup of Nations - after the team had missed back to back tournaments in 2015 and 2017.

But he has faced unrelenting criticism over tactics and choice of players from the local media, former players and disappointed fans.

However, Pinnick has backed the German to lead the West African nation to the delayed continental showpiece event in 2022 and the World Cup in Qatar same year, as agreed in his recently extended two-year contract. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you look at his

performance, where he has won 29 matches, drew 14 and lost 10, you can say that is enough to back him,â&#x20AC;? said Pinnick. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, the performance in the last two games has not gone down well with some people, but we need to be professional, honest and respectful in how we analyse things.â&#x20AC;?

Interestingly, Rohr has been widely credited with assembling a young team made up of players who had previously represented their country of birth at age-group levels.

Yet his critics argued that obsession â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;with foreignborn playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has led to his decision to overlook players from the domestic league in his squad.

Rohrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defence is that Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best players are based in Europe and he would always pick local players good enough to compete at international level.

A r s e n a l Ta k e ov e r C l a i m

Kalu Told what it would Cost to Buy out Kroenkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shares

Pinnick wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be stampeded into sacking Rohr

Aiyegbeni Berates Rohr, Says Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s One of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Worst Coaches Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has labeled Gernot Rohr as one of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;worst coachesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Super Eagles history and questioned some of the credentials of the current crop of players.

In the recent Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, Nigeria squandered a four-goal lead in a 4-4 draw at home to Sierra Leone before playing to a 0-0 stalemate in the reverse fixture away to the Leone Stars in Freetown.

Nigeria remain top of Group L despite the results and remain on the cusp

of qualification for Cameroon 2022, but Aiyegbeni believes Rohr is unfit for the hot-seat and has demanded he relinquish his post. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The coach is not good enough, let him go,â&#x20AC;? said Aiyegbeni on Lagos Talks as reported by Goal. com. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of the boys are not good enough, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where they are bringing them from. Who is inviting these players?

The former Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Middlesbrough, Leicester City and

Portsmouth forward added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our football is getting worse every day.

When I was there, people criticised us, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re way better than these ones. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The coach is not good enough, no clue. Gernot Rohr is one of the worst coaches in our history. He is not good enough.â&#x20AC;?

Rohr, 67, took over the Nigerian reins in 2016 and led the club to 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification and a third-place finish at the 2019 Afcon hosted in Egypt.

Nigeria Striker, Imo Joins Compatriot Micheal at Pitea The 2018 Swedish champions Pitea have completed the signing of Nigeria striker Anam Imo, on a three-year contract after passing her medical.

Pitea based outfit secured the Super Falcons star as a free agent after successfully seeing out her two-year contract with 2019 Swedish Damallsvenskan winners Rosengard this November.

The 20-year-oldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move to Pitea extends her impressive budding career in Sweden, where she had been since 2018 after leaving Nigeria Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier League side Nasarawa Amazons.

During her spell at Malmo IP, the Nigerian was influential in her sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title success in 2019 and runners-up finish in the 2020

season, scoring 10 goals in 40 outings for Jonas Eidevallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team.

Having completed her move, the striker becomes the first signing ahead of 2021 Damallsvenskan season for coach Stellan Carlsson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first new acquisition for the 2021 season to Pitea IF DFF is ready,â&#x20AC;? the club website announced on Thursday evening. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is 20-year-old forward Anam Imo from FC Rosengard who signed a threeyear contract with the club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is welcome to the club and a more detailed presentation will come later.â&#x20AC;?

The signing of Imo explains the ambition of Carlsson to help the 2018 Damallsvenskan winners improve on last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

form after a long battle to beat relegation from the top-flight.

Following her switch, Imo will become thesecondNigerianwiththeSwedishoutfit after veteran Super Falcons defender Faith Micheal.

Before her first move abroad, she scored eight goals for Nasarawa to emerge as 2018 womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top-flight topscorer and was named the Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Female Player of the Year same year.

At 18, she also put up a fine display as Nigeria recorded a title success at the 2018 Africa Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup of Nations in Ghana.

Imo will aim to continue her career at LF Arena when Pitea launch their Swedish league campaign in 2021.

Youths, Athletes to Get Data Base, Says Sports Minister A new dawn awaits Nigerian Youth as well as Athletes as the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development is planning to create a data base that will serve as reservoir from which opportunities could be accessed.

This would also ensure that proper records are kept to enable youth derive maximum opportunities.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare said the data base would soon be created for the Nigerian youths to address unemployment, age cheats and to counter falsehood.

Speaking during the 6th edition of

the Town Hall Meeting yesterday, the minister reiterated that there were so many opportunities for jobs, empowerment and training for the benefit of the youths.

Dare explained that youths should avail themselves of the stream of opportunities and how to get trained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For NYIF, it is important to note that the fund is for youth between ages 18-35, thus if you are older than 35 years you will have difficulties in completing the application process. From time to time there are minor difficulties in the platform, so

we have decided to use better platform which the federal government use to recruit people for previous programs.

This platform makes adjustments, has flexible feature and complaints can be easily taken care ofâ&#x20AC;? .

The Minister further stated â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the application is successful , the youth would undergo another process of training by Entrepreneur Development Institute(EDI) who are certified trainersâ&#x20AC;?

He assured that there will be a review of the process of application to train as many people as possible to benefit from the loan.

Nigerian billionaire Orji Kalu has been linked with a move to buy Premier League giants Arsenal in recent weeks. The 60-year-old, who has built his fortune from numerous business ventures, recently announced that he is keen to purchase a 35 per cent stake in the club, which is currently wholly owned by Stan Kroenke, in order to help the club win trophies.

Kalu has previous football experience having backed Enyimba FC in his native Nigeria between 2000 and 2007, providing considerable funding to allow them to dominate the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top flight.

He tweeted on Monday: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our success with Enyimba FC between 2000-2007 has continuously increased my passion for football. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the pillar of sports in Africa, I am considering an investment in football & I will buy 35 per cent stake in Arsenal FC. Our target is to lift the Champions League & EPL back to back as we did with Enyimba.â&#x20AC;?

Kalu may have an indication of how much it would cost to carry out his intentions, but previous comments from the brother of Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe may highlight a problem for the Nigerian should he wish to take full control of Arsenal in the future.

Bob Ratcliffe, who is head of the football division at Ineos - the owners of Ligue 1 outfit Nice - revealed in January the price of taking over a top Premier League club.

He told the Financial Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Business of Football Summit that a move to gain full control of a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;top sixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; could cost â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;at least ÂŁ2 billionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which is around twice as much as Kaluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s estimated net worth.

Meanwhile, taking over one of the other Premier League sides would come at a price of between ÂŁ150 million and ÂŁ350 million, with Ratcliffe adding that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all for saleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Arsenalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current chief Kroenke, who became a billionaire through his real estate and entertainment ventures, took full control of the club in 2018 after buying Alisher Usmanovâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minority stake.

Kjokovic, Nadal in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ATP Finalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Last Four

World number one and two, Novac Kjokovic and Rafael Nadal reached the ATP Finals last four by beating Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas respectively, The Serb world number one beat Zverev 6-3 7-6 (7-4) at the O2 Arena in London. Djokovic, seeking a record-equalling sixth title at the end-of-season tournament, was pushed much more in the second set but raised his level at the crucial time in the tie-break.

He will play Dominic Thiem in the last four today.

Meanwhile, the Spanish world number two overcame Greek Tsitsipas 6-4 4-6 6-2 in London. Nadal, 34, had been the more consistent player until losing serve to drop the second set, but fought back to dominate the decider. The 20-time Grand Slam champion will play Russian Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals at the O2 Arena today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was playing, I think, a great level of tennis for almost two sets,â&#x20AC;? said Nadal, who hit 32 winners and made just 13 unforced errors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The score was close, but in terms of feeling I felt that I was playing better than him. Then the situation changed. He won that game and then I was starting to suffer a little bit more with my serve.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

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MISSILE

Wike to Umahi

“Umahi is insulting the intelligence of the South-east people by claiming to have the interest of the region at heart whilst pursuing his personal ambition.”

– Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, slamming his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi, who claimed he dumped the PDP because the party had been unfair to the South-east.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

As Peace Returns to Oyigbo, My Candid Observations

F

ellow Nigerians, please, let me confess that no one hates war more than me.

One of my dreams in life is to win the Nobel Peace prize, even if it is a tall order, and possibly sheer fantasy, but my obsession with peace makes me strive to preach non-violence whenever I have the chance.

However, sadly, I believe some Nigerians think war is a tea party. They revel in it and relish it, endlessly, without considering the repercussions.

They glorify violence as if it serves any real useful purpose beyond the maiming and killing of people, fortunes and nations. I have read about wars, I have visited war fronts and watched horrific scenes from war films, and I know no one should ever wish for war. Most wars are unnecessary, and many wars end senselessly because they often terminate at the negotiating table where they should have started in the first place. So why fight, destroy and perish in wars? Pointless!

So, you can imagine my mood as we drove out of Port Harcourt on Thursday, November 19, 2020, heading to Oyigbo, a place that has been in the news for more bad reasons than good in recent times. I had been under pressure to go on the fact-finding mission to the latest theatre of war in Nigeria and I’m glad I did.

Here then is the summary of my recent expedition to RIVERS STATE. I had interviewed MAZI NNAMDI KANU weeks back and his fans were very happy because a came across as a First Class brain who knew onions. The brilliant man himself tweeted the following day expressing his satisfaction with my comportment and describing me as the Larry King of Africa, a compliment I truly appreciate.

Thereafter, his fans and others requested me to interview GOVERNOR NYESOM WIKE. By popular demand, and because I always believe a journalist must hear and ventilate the other side of any story, I contacted the irresistible and irrepressible Governor of Rivers State. He easily and readily accepted my invitation to join me for a chat on one of my Instagram live sessions and requested that his aides contact me to set it up. The interview went well, and he answered my questions as candidly and as boldly as he could. He didn’t mince words about his sharp disagreement with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB he leads.

Some people who are extremely loyal to Kanu got angry. They said Wike was lying. They said he was the one who ordered the killing and mass murder of the people in OYIGBO or OBIGBO (depending on which side you belong). They challenged me to go to the town and see the level of destruction and devastation. During my interview with the Governor, I had also asked questions about his developmental projects because the session was not just about his altercation with Kanu. It was also about his almost six years stewardship of Rivers State and his political career so far. The Governor immediately invited the Ovation Media Group to visit Rivers and see things for themselves.

He was confident that given the infrastructural development Rivers State had witnessed under his watch, we would require over two weeks to cover his projects. We accepted his challenge and we headed to Rivers, prepared to spend a little over a week, regardless of what was on ground. We were pleasantly surprised. Two weeks and counting, our team is still in Rivers State. There is simply so much to be seen. Our visit involved traveling and traversing the length and breadth of Rivers State.

Some people who have been following our trip insisted that I must visit OYIGBO, a part of the State which they alleged has been under military siege. Of course, we were always going

Wike to visit OYIGBO because of what had transpired.

As journalists we would have been remiss and failing in our duty if we did not.

Therefore, unknown to those who felt I had bottled it and had possibly succumbed to Governor Wike’s persuasion, I was already making plans and arranging reconnaissance and security for the trip to Oyigbo. I was determined to see the possible bloodbath and devastation that I was reading about constantly on social media. Nobody can pressurise me into doing or not doing something that I consider important, worthwhile and newsworthy. To be fair, I received no pressure whatsoever on this matter from Governor Wike. Indeed, when I needed it, he promptly provided us with the security that we needed.

During our visit to Rivers State, I was compelled to make a quick dash to Ghana for some engagements. Then, suddenly in the middle of planning the trip to Ghana, former President Jerry John Rawlings sadly passed on.

I spent more time in Accra than I had planned but eventually returned to Port Harcourt where we had temporarily set up base in order to properly cover the State and provide our readers and viewers with accurate news and footage of what has been going on in Rivers State in the past five years and more..

It was after my return from Accra that I met with Governor Wike and informed him of our plans to visit Oyigbo. As I have said, he had no objection. In fact, he immediately called his Chief of Staff, Chukwuemeka Woke, a perfect gentleman, and told him to facilitate our journey.

The State provided vehicles and security. The Governor said he had previously told me that I was free to visit any part of Rivers State unhindered, and that he was serious and had not been joking. He did not want to prejudice or compromise our story or be seen to do so.

My team and I set out on Thursday morning with the much talked about security challenges in the Local Government uppermost on our minds. I must reiterate and confess that no one, not even the Governor, gave us RESTRICTIONS or directions as to where to go or those to talk to or not whilst we were in Rivers State. We reached our own decisions and conclusions about where we wanted to go. I was absolutely in control of our operations and choices. In going to Oyigbo, I employed and deployed my vast experience in the last two decades in promoting peace in West Africa and visiting war torn areas. In a sense, I was returning to familiar turfs and terrain.

We decided to embark on a visit that we

would be able to feature LIVE on Instagram and Facebook so that viewers could see and feel what our mission was all about, directly, instead of merely viewing and reading an edited story. We also used the opportunity to monitor comments on the live feeds on Instagram and Facebook and therefore we were able to respond live to some spontaneous requests.

There were times I came down from the car to walk around a bit and interact with the people based on requests, instructions and directions from the live feeds. I felt comfortable and very much at home amongst the indigenes and residents of Oyigbo and the people welcomed us and freely expressed themselves about the military operations and preponderance of hunger, which was a major issue for them.

I asked from the people about the murders and wanted to know if killings were still ongoing.

Everybody we spoke with confirmed what had happened, but they all said the situation was under control. But they pleaded for the curfew to be relaxed and for a major road that was still blockaded to be opened in order for their businesses to thrive.

I was surprised that some people kept abusing us during the live broadcasts despite our open, transparent work and apparent selflessness. We remained unperturbed because we were not out to impress anyone but to do our job as professionally as we know best. Some of them complained that I went with security and my reaction was, so we don’t deserve to protect our lives? I certainly have a duty and responsibility to those I work with who look up to me to ensure their safety in areas that are potentially dangerous and could be flashpoints. I do not take this lightly and would never shirk my responsibility and duty.

The same people who said people were being killed willy nilly in the area expected us to go to the same terrain without any security. That would be utter recklessness and madness and would be akin to me sanctioning and encouraging us to commit mass suicide!!!

Incredible, Unbelievable!!!

We went, anyway, security and all, and we reported live. Contrary to what we had read, life has returned to normal, substantially, in the town. Markets were bristling with the usual hustle and bustle of a boisterous community. I wonder why those who seek the truth expect you to doctor reality to suit their premeditated beliefs, misconceptions and prejudices. I am not a purveyor of fake news and it galls me when people would rather read and see what is false rather than accept the unpalatable truth.

It was a great experience for us. We listened to the Local Government Chairman, Prince Gerald Oforji, and the Chiefs. We heard the citizens loud and clear. We saw the military and the Police Command. We saw the incredible degree of attacks on security installations and reprisal

killings that reportedly triggered the monumental violence on both sides of the divide. No one could ascertain how many deaths occurred and documented on both sides.

I announced repeatedly on our live feeds that families and friends of the dead should please find ways to contact us. None has so far been brought to our attention. One of the commentors wrote that we should visit and interview “reasonable people” instead of those we already met, and we requested for leads to such people, but none was suggested.

In all, we believe we fulfilled all righteousness.

On a personal note, I travelled to a terrain that appeared risky, dangerous and perilous from the reports I had read, not to impress but to offer my own patriotic support and efforts towards ensuring that peace ensues and endures. Those who already declared Governor Nyesom Wike as their enemy were not expected to like or appreciate our objectivity.

Each side would have expected us to support their own position only. Rather, we chose to visit, listen, report, broadcast live, and leave the rest to those watching the unfortunate saga to determine the veracity of and accuracy of what they had heard through our objective and unbiased report.

Our sincere thanks to Governor Nyesom Wike for allowing us the freedom to travel to different parts of Rivers State without any encumbrance or impediment. Like him or hate him, he is pushing the frontiers of development in his State. He may be controversial but that is expected of a man with such passionate beliefs and uncommon tenacity. He is frank to a fault in a clime where politicians are known to be Masters of doublespeak.

What I find most impressive is his unalloyed and unassailable commitment to State and nation building. I will encourage and implore him to pay more attention to developing and extending the frontiers of infrastructure to Oyigbo Local Government, particularly given what has happened recently. The roads are the worst we have seen in a State overflowing with fantastic networks of roads, with more under construction.

The people told us of hunger despite being willing and ready to work very hard. That should be the next focus of the government of Rivers State. It is heartwarming that major investments are going into beautifying and opening up the State, providing security, protecting the health of the people and building conducive educational facilities all across. The Governor should not be discouraged by the resistance to his efforts. Leadership is usually about the ability and capacity to manage people and resources in a democratic society. His work has been undervalued, under-reported, or, let’s say, eclipsed by politics... He deserves our best wishes.

And I Paid My Respects to Jerry Rawlings Last week, one of Africa’s greatest leaders of the 20th century, former President Jerry John Rawlings, suddenly passed on. The news sent shockwaves across the world. I wrote a special tribute to a man who meant so much to many of us and was hoping to continue this week, but I chose to focus on our visit to Rivers State partly because I am hampered by being away without access to our archives, which I hope to achieve by next week when we return to base.

It was a great honour and privilege for me to travel to Ghana last week and was able to sign a condolence register opened by the government

of Ghana at the International Conference Centre in Accra, last Monday. This brought me closer to the realization that we’ve indeed lost the great giant of a man, an icon, and a legend.

The story of Jerry John Rawlings, the much celebrated, flying, dashing, charismatic, astute, dynamic, intelligent, witty Ghanaian military officer, politician, leader and statesman, of Scottish descent, is a compelling and gripping one, especially for young Africans who may not know why he’s being celebrated globally. It must be told repeatedly, over and over again.

Please, stay tuned on this page for a story like no other.

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