SATURDAY 25TH JULY 2020

FG Mandates All Civil Servants to Undergo COVID-19 Test Cases hit 39,539, with 16,559 discharged and 845 deaths Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government yesterday issued a circular directing all MDAs to carry out COVID-19 tests for all civil servants.

The circular, dated July 17, 2020, and addressed to all Permanent Secretaries, was issued by the Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Dr Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan.

It was signed on her behalf

by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Dr Evelyn Ngige.

Meanwhile, the 591 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria yesterday, took the number of confirmed cases to

39,539, with 16,559 discharged and 845 deaths.

The COVID-19 test circular, a copy which was sighted by THISDAY last night, indicated that the federal government had made provisions for

facilities to allow the conduct of the test at THISDAY Dome and Nanet Suites, as part of efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus. ''Accordingly, your are required to notify all staff of

the availability of the testing facility, to enable members of staff who experience COVID-19 related symptoms and those wishing to get tested in yours Continued on page 5

Lagos Allays Fear of Residents over Closure of 3rd Mainland Bridge...Page 6 Saturday 25 July, 2020 Vol 25. No 9238

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PDP, Presidency Squabble over Resignation Call Rather than quit, president will continue with crusade against corruption Chuks Okocha and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria amidst insecurity

and poverty, calling on President Mohammadu Buhari to honourably resign as the country “is now on a ventilator, gasping for breath.”

However, the presidency last night reacted to the call

on President Buhari to resign, saying he won't resign but would rather continue with his crusade against corruption.

The PDP also challenged the Buhari administration to investigate and prosecute

those who moved bullion vans stacked with money into Bourdillon Road in Ikoyi, Lagos, if it was serious in fighting corruption and money laundering in the country.

Addressing a press

conference yesterday in Abuja, the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said: “What we are witnessing in our country today is a total collapse of the nation.

The country is on ventilator

gasping for air, under such circumstance, President Buhari should do the honourable thing required of an elder statesman in situations like this; Continued on page 5

How 2023 Calculations May Have Led Dogara Back to APC Joins Boss Mustapha as options for northern Christians Chuks Okocha and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Calculations for the 2023 Presidency, particularly regarding the significance of a northern Christian candidate, may have largely influenced the decision of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sources said the permutations uppermost on the minds of the current leadership of the party, while pushing for Dogara to return to the APC, included the option

of the former speaker being used as Christian running mate, in case the party settles for a Muslim Southern Presidential candidate in 2023.

The source said Dogara is also seen as a candidate that could be sold for the Presidency of Nigeria in the South, being a Christian, in case “the powers that be” decides not to cede power to the South.

“The forces controlling the APC view Dogara as a younger version of the current Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Continued on page 5

@ 50...

FG Can’t Afford N300bn for N-Power ONIRU The Oniru of Iruland, Lagos State, Oba Abdul Wasiu Omogbolahan Lawal (Abisogun II) and the Group Managing Director/CEO, Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, during a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler by Wigwe on his 50th birthday at the Oniru Palace, Beneficiaries, Says Minister... Page 14 Access Victoria Island, Lagos...yesterday

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NAF: We Buried Arotile without Autopsy Because Family Did not Ask for it Case handed over to the police for investigation, prosecution of the prime suspect Kingsley Nweze in Abuja Following insinuations that an autopsy was not carried out on Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile

to determine the cause of her death, the Nigerian Air Force came out yesterday saying the autopsy was not done because her family did not demand for

one and that they wanted to move on quickly.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air

Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, stated this while speaking on a television programme in Lagos, barely 24 hours after the distinguished Arotile was

buried at the National Military Cemetary, Abuja.

The Spokesman for the NAF said further that the second factor which made autopsy

unnecessary was because the circumstances surrounding her death were clear.

them and there is no crime in double assurance.

"We will do justice to all our members and that’s what will bring peace and that is what will guarantee peaceful co-existence. "That is what will bring the consolidation of the party, the rebuilding of the party. Without doing justice, you cannot achieve that and we are sure of doing justice to all our members."

Asked if the move did not imply strategising towards the 2023 presidential election, Buni responded in the affirmative.

However, he was swift to add that the rebuilding efforts would transcend preparation for 2023 general election.

"Well, of course, not only 2023 strategy. We are rebuilding the party to outlive all of us. It’s not only about specific time or period. It's not about election. It's not about electioneering. It is about building a party," he said.

Dogara’s defection marked the second time the ex-speaker would dump the PDP for APC. He had first dumped the PDP in 2014 ahead of the 2015 general election along with nPDP members who defected to the newly formed APC. APC is a product of the mergers of different opposition

political parties and a dissident group from the PDP, known as nPDP. Dogara dumped the APC for PDP in August 2018 ahead of the 2019 polls following the persistent acrimony which accompanied his emergence as the speaker of the House of Representatives against the wish of APC leadership in June 2015.

Bauchi PDP: We're Not Aware of Dogara's defection

Continued on page 15

HOW 2023 CALCULATIONS MAY HAVE LED DOGARA BACK TO APC who is also seen as a northern Christian option, in case they need to push a Christian candidate for the Presidency in 2023. Dogara in his early 50s is much younger than Boss Mustapha who will be close to 70 by then,” said the source close to the current leadership of the APC in Abuja.

Another source at the PDP national headquarters admitted recent disagreement between Dogara and Governor Bala Mohammed in his native Bauchi State, but said such was not the factor that influenced his defection to the APC. The source, who has partnered with Dogara’s political camp in the last few years said: “Yes, it is positioning and there are two permutations in this. It is positioning to have a Christian as a presidential running mate from the Northeast in 2023 which is the easiest scenario.

“The second permutation is that should the Northern establishment be unwilling to cede power to the South in 2023, a Northern Christian with support from across geopolitical boundaries will be a masterstroke.”

It was gathered that Dogara was excited by these permutations and

subsequently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday, for the APC, the party he dumped in 2018 ahead of the 2019 general election.

Following the defection, Dogara met with President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in the State House, Abuja.

In a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it remained a united party, “waxing stronger daily” and described Dogara’s defection as a personal one, while wishing Dogara the best in his new party.

Dogara was led to a meeting with Buhari by the Chairman of APC Caretaker/ National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, who introduced him to Buhari as a returnee to the ruling party.

Dogara declined to speak with journalists after the meeting, but Buni who confirmed his defection to APC, said he and Dogara had paid a courtesy visit to Buhari in continuation of fresh efforts to rebuild APC. When told that people would be surprised to see him visit the president along with Dogara, Buni said there was nothing to be surprised about, because the former speaker had officially

returned to the party.

According to him, factors which led to his exit from APC in 2018 had since been nipped in the bud.

He said the president was happy to see Dogara return to the party as part of APC's reconciliation efforts, and welcomed him back to the party.

Buni added that the party was currently contacting aggrieved members of the party, including those who had earlier dumped it and now willing to return.

He assured those aggrieved that the party leadership would ensure that justice prevailed in the rebuilding efforts.

He said: "They shouldn’t be surprised because the former speaker is a member of the APC and he is back because the reason he left the APC is no more there.

"He (the president) welcomed him. He’s happy with the development. That’s what he’s looking for. We are rebuilding the party and these are the steps we are taking towards rebuilding the party.

"Well, we are meeting all our aggrieved members particularly those who have interest in coming back to the party. They should feel free to do so. We are assuring

PDP Waxing Stronger The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan told THISDAY yesterday that there was no crisis in the party and therefore don't know why Dogar dumped the party for the APC. "It was his personal decision and we wish him well in this his decision.

Our party remains one and indivisible, while also waxing stronger,” Ologbondiyan said.

It was however gathered that Dogara was having some problems with the party in Bauchi State and that the PDP leadership at the centre was working on the resolution before the former speaker suddenly appeared in the camp of the APC.

The PDP in Bauchi State says Dogara is yet to inform the party of his defection to the APC. The state’s Chairman of the party, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam while reacting to reports of Dogara leaving the PDP in a telephone interview with THISDAY said the party was still expecting a formal notification from Dogara if indeed he had defected.

“We have not received any letter of him leaving our party and when you see him with the President, it's normal because he was formerly Speaker of the House of Representatives, maybe there are some issues he wants to call his attention to, but when he makes his defection official to us, we shall comment on that. For now we are waiting to receive a letter from him,'' He said.

Dogara had in 2018 left the APC for the PDP after a rift with the former governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar.

The former speaker had only recently headed a screening panel of the PDP primary for the Ondo State governorship election.

PDP, PRESIDENCY SQUABBLE OVER RESIGNATION CALL throw in the towel because Nigeria is on free fall and has entered depression from recession, and save the country from ruins.”

He lamented that no effort was being made from any angle to halt the on-going free fall being witnessed on all fronts in the country, saying Nigerians had become helpless and rsolved to accept their fate and live like citizens of nations without leadership and with no direction.

According to the PDP National Chairman, the Buhari-led government had exhausted their propaganda of winning the war on terrorism, only in their press releases, “as reality has dawned on all, both the military and political leaders are now helpless and confused.”

He said the call by the Nigerian Senate for the service chiefs to resign was a proof to the world that there was no executive arm of government in place.

Secondus said: “Having few months back advised the executive to sack the service chiefs for having outlived their relevance and re-engineer the military for the emerging challenges, and having watched the security situation in the country grow from worse to worse, the legislators have limited option but to do what they did, at least to show the people they represent that they are sensitive to their plights.

“Not even during the three year brutal civil war did we witness as much as over 300 soldiers absconding their duties and pouring abuses on

their commander. Only poor leadership from the military and the polity can drag down morale of soldiers to such pitiable level. The Presidency rising immediately to challenge the Senate shows also the level of confusion in the system.”

He stressed that since transparency International said few years ago that the worst corruption was going-on in Nigeria under this regime, the situation had continued to worsen.

He explained that it had now become a bazar, with no pretense about it, with all critical agencies of government, including the anti-graft body themselves engulfed by it.

On the economy, Secondus said: “The nation's economy is walking into depression because we are least in recession, and it's being fast-tracked by the widening scope of corruption involving operatives at the high places.

“The free for all corruption going on all over the place leaves us with the impression that the country is dying, and there has been a scramble for what one can get out of it before the final demise.

“It's very disheartening that as the looting and the relooting of the nation's resources are going on under the watch of the acclaimed anti-corruption President, no serious reaction is coming from a government that prides itself to be fighting corruption.

“Rather than confront the already exposed corruption cases, the government deliberately takes cautious steps to play it down with

a view to protecting their members who are neck deep in the growing sleaze.

“After providence decided to expose the massive fraud going on in the nation's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the last five years, rather than bring it to the fore, the Presidency in the great cover-up decided to take the investigation, including the interrogation of suspects, to Aso Rock Villa behind camera where all the exposed issues are kept away from the public glare.”

Secondus said that Nigerians were aware that after the massive fraud exposition involving critical members of the administration, subtle moves were on behind the scene to free culprits and save the face of the government at the expense of the nation.

He explained that this had been the case since this administration came in 2015, disguising as an anticorruption regime, while in reality they are looting the country dry.

According to him, “After their double speak on fuel subsidy and pricing, they have recorded the highest amount of subsidy in the petroleum sector, while running the show in utmost secrecy with the President presiding as both the President and the Petroleum Minister.

"As we speak, the big corruption cover-up is on-going in critical sectors, the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, the Maritime sector, the Customs,

the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, North East Development Commission, NNPC crude Oil sale to China etc.

"Nothing brings out the exact character of President Buhari's administration to corruption than the on-going free-for-all fraud at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, where the so called forensic auditors sent in by the President to unearth fraud are themselves becoming visible accomplice to the crime. The Senate has already indicted the Interim Management Committee, IMC, and the supervising Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

A commission set up to help the suffering people of Niger Delta has become a bank for APC members.”

Buhari Won't Resign, Presidency Replies PDP The presidency last night reacted to the latest call by

the PDP on the President to resign, saying the president won't resign.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said rather than quit, the president would continue with his crusade against corruption.

According to the statement, the president would also revisit corruption cases either handled shabbily or ignored by the past administrations.

While accusing the party of undemocratic tendencies, the statement said the National Assembly and security agencies would also continue to play their respective parts in the fight against corruption.

The statement, which said the PDP should not continue to launch "subterranean attacks" against the system, added that the opposition party would not be allowed to scare the government from probing corrupt allegations against ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

"President Buhari will not resign. He is determined to continue the crusade against corruption, both legacy and recently unearthed cases, that are found to be shabbily handled, and in some cases unattended to by past administrations.

"The National Assembly, by virtue of its right to conduct its oversight function is currently carrying out own investigations. "Additionally, the security and intelligence agencies are equally doing their part and must be given the time and space to conclude their work and present their reports.

“The PDP cannot scare the government from probing the grave allegations made against MDAs and their chiefs because failure to do so will amount to a historic betrayal of public trust.

“The PDP cannot subject Nigeria’s democracy to subterranean attacks and continue to pretend that they are well-meaning," the statement said.

FG MANDATES ALL CIVIL SERVANTS TO UNDERGO COVID-19 TEST MDAs to take advantage of this opportunity. ''The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has also updated the ''Guidelines on the Control of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) ServiceWide'' to address emerging issues in the control of the disease in the work environment. The guidelines can be accessed on the website of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (www.

ohcsf.gov.ng),'' the circular said.

Ngige requested all permanent secretaries to bring the contents of the circular to the attention of all staff and ensure that all parastatals and agencies under their supervision were notified.

The updated guidelines on the control of coronavirus in the civil service was developed through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and is intended to provide workable

strategies for all MDAs and their staff to mitigate the impact of the outbreak in the workplace and wherever all civil servants are.

Some of its recommendations include approval of sick leave for staff who fall sick, restriction of movement in MDAs, discontinuation of non-essential travel and provision of face masks, gloves and respiratory protection for relevant staff among others.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JULY 25 , 2020

NEWS

News Editor Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (sms only) Email ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Lagos Allays Fears over Closure of Third Mainland Bridge Segun James

The Lagos State Government has reassured residents of Lagos that there was no cause to be apprehensive as all necessary measures to ameliorate any discomfort owing to the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge have been taken care of.

The government stated this at a joint press conference addressed by the Commissioners for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; Transportation, Dr. Frederick Oladeinde; Special Advisers to Lagos State Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye and Mr. Oluwatoyin Fayinka, Special Adviser on Transportation, as well as Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Apapa, Mr. Kayode Opeifa.

The government said all funding for the reconstruc-

tion of Abule-Egba-Toll Gate route on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was ready but work was being delayed due to procurement process.

Omotoso assured that all well-known traffic management strategies had been put in place to ensure a smooth ride.

According to Oladeinde, there was no need to worry as 75 per cent road users would not be affected, pointing out that the 25 per cent that would be affected, alternative routes had been created for them and would most times be travelling against traffic.

The Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure Mrs. Adeyoye said the government had assigned all the responsibilities to all the traffic management agencies in the state especially the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), adding that major repairs

had been carried out on inner roads in areas like Oyingbo and Yaba that had direct links with the bridge to ensure hitch-free ride.

She assured that the alternative routes would make movement easier for people, assuring that the state government had done everything to make life a little more comfortable for people as they journey to ensure a smooth ride.

Fayinka assured that not less than 650 LASTMA officials will take the lead in traffic management to be complemented by other traffic agencies and “they are well prepared and trained and are ready.”

Also speaking, Opeifa assured that there was no cause for alarm because it was something that had been done before and like before there won’t be much

stress or hardship on road users.

The General Manager LASTMA, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye said, “this is not the time for the officers to arrest offenders for minor traffic infractions” because of the ongoing repairs of the bridge.

He noted, “it is the responsibility of every Lagosian to deal with the traffic on the roads,” even as

he appealed that everybody should be part of the traffic management this period, adding that, “you are part of the problem of traffic management if you are buying and selling in traffic, parking on the road, disobeying traffic officers, you don’t need LASTMA to come and teach you how to drive, try your ultimate best to drive properly.”

Ali Reads the Riot Act to Customs Officers, Warns against Bribery James Emejo in Abuja The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), yesterday read the riot act to officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), warning against bribetaking as well as disregard to the service regulations.

He however said though the country’s imports and export revenues had been significantly affected by the global slowdown in economic activities occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the customs was nevertheless committed to collecting whatever revenue was due to the government.

He said the pandemic had not in any way prevented its officers from carrying out their responsibilities to fulfill their revenue mandate, adding it had adapted and restrategised all means of revenue collection.

Speaking at the decoration of the newly promoted officers in Abuja, he pointed out that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the disciplinary actions taken against two Assistant Comptrollers General of Customs (ACGs) were purely based on the recommendations of the disciplinary committees following a thorough investigation.

He said no officer of the service was untouchable, adding that the punitive measures taken by management were further demonstration that nobody was above the law and no officer would enjoy special cover if found wanting in any area of responsibility.

The Board of the customs had at its 52nd regular meeting approved the appointment of five ACGs, promotion of 2,634 officers and dismissal of one ACG as well as compulsory retirement of another ACG. The events leading to

the dismissal and retirement of the ACGs reportedly happened when they were heading Sectors 3 and 4 of the ongoing border drill which was coordinated by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

However, the CGC, explained that the disciplinary measures were “to ensure that discipline is maintained and to assure everybody from top to bottom that nobody is above law.”

While congratulating the beneficiaries of the promotion exercise, he said the NCS had been able to fully established a well-orchestrated standing operational procedure for promotion.

He warned that the era of unmerited or favoured promotions were gone, stressing that going forward, “the only way to get promoted is to work hard.”

Ali said: “There’s no shortcut and there’s no easy way of getting promoted: if you don’t get promoted you don’t blame anybody but blame yourself.

“Let me also say this that of recent, you probably would have seen that we have taken some disciplinary measures which affected members of the management.

Just a couple of days back, the Board had approved the dismissal and compulsory retirement of some of the members of management.

“Your position does not matter, the rank does not matter but what matters is your behaviour, character and that is what will save you and move you forward.

“I believe this should now be a deterrent to anyone who feels he or she has reached a certain rank and untouchable: there’s no untouchable rank in the customs.

ANGLING FOR POWER. . .

L-R: Mrs. Alexandria Chidi Onyemelukwe; Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Adamu Umaru Fintiri; Enugu State Governor and Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Primary Election in Ondo State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Emeka Etiaba, SAN after meeting PDP Delegtaes in Akure...yesterday

A’ Court Upholds Jonathan’s Cousin’s No Case Submission in Alleged $40m Fraud Alex Enumah in Abuja The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division yesterday upheld the no-case submission made by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola in his alleged $40 million fraud and money laundering trial.

The appellate court in a unanimous judgment by a three-man panel led by Justice Stephen Adah held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

Azibaola, his wife, Stella and a company linked to Azibaola, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited were arraigned in 2016 on a nine count criminal charge for allegedly diverting the sum of $40 million meant for the supply of tactical communication kits for special forces.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the money was allegedly transferred from the account of the office of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) with the Central Bank of Nigeria to the domiciliary account of Azibaola’s company.

However, the defendants who at their arraignment in 2016 pleaded not guilty to the nine count charge, after the prosecution closed its case after calling 10 witnesses and tendering 31 exhibits.

However ruling on the nocase submission on March 29, 2018, trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, partially upheld the no-case submission of the defendants.

While the court completely upheld the no-case submission in

respect of the second defendants and accordingly discharged and acquitted her from the charges, it held that Azibaola and his company had a case to answer in regards to counts two and three of the charge.

Miffed by this decision, the EFCC approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja seeking to set aside the ruling and ordered the defendants to enter into their defence.

But in their judgment yesterday, the appellate court held that the lower court was right when it upheld the no-case submission of the first and third defendants partially.

According to the judgment, the trial court was in order to discharge and acquit Azibaola and his company in counts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 because offences of money laundering were not

sufficiently proved, nor did the prosecution establish any prima facie case against the respondents.

“We have gone through the records and found that the appeal is lacking in merit, the appeal is hereby dismissed and the judgment of the lower court upheld,” Justice Adah who read the lead judgment stated.

Earlier, the appellate court dismissed a preliminary objection to the appeal on the grounds that the interlocutory appeal has live.

The respondents had argued that the appeal was academic because judgment had already been given in the substantive case, wherein the court discharged and acquitted them in the remaining count two and three charges

FG Approves 6th Evacuation Flight of Stranded Nigerians from US Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government has approved the 6th evacuation flight for stranded Nigerians in the United States.

The Consulate General of Nigeria, New York, in a statement dated 20th July, but made available to journalists yesterday said the flight was scheduled to depart Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey on Friday, 7th August 2020 by 21:15hrs.

It added that the Ethiopian

Airlines Flight No. ET509 would arrive Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Saturday, 8th August 2020 by 13:25hrs, before proceeding to Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, arriving by 15:50hrs.

The Consulate said all prospective evacuees duly registered with any of the three Nigerian Missions in the US should purchase their one way tickets through www.ethiopianairlines.com at the cost of $1,250 for Abuja and $1,350 for Lagos bound passengers.

It added, “For Economy Class

and $2,800 (Abuja) and $2,900.00 (Lagos); for Business Class for adult/ child fare, including all taxes, with the usual percentage reduction for infants under 2 years.

“All prospective evacuees who purchased tickets, should immediately forward a copy of their ticket, with the Name, Tel. No. and Contact Address of their Next of Kin in Nigeria to cgnny@nigeriahouse.com.”

The consulate said in line with Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, all prospective evacuees must present documentary evidence of a negative

Covid-19 PCR test result, which must not be older than 14 days and preferably not less than five days on the date of departure and would undergo temperature checks five hours before departure, adding that any intending evacuee without the stipulated test result would not be allowed to check in.

It noted that prospective evacuees were also required to wear face masks, use hand sanitisers intermittently and adhere strictly to all instructions of the different relevant authorities on arrival in Nigeria.

SATURDAY JULY 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JULY 25 , 2020

NEWS El-Rufai: Cycle of Attacks, Reprisals, Cause of Southern Kaduna Killings John Shiklam in Kaduna

TACKLING COVID ...

L-R: General Manager, Zex Standard Pharmaceuticals Limited, Victor Akomolafe; Director, Administration and Human Resources, Lagos Television, Toyin Ayanbadejo; Corporate Communications Manager, Nosak Group, Kenneth Adejumoh; and Director, Finance, Lagos Television, Theresa Olorunfemi, at the presentation of Atlantic Hand Sanitiser by the team from Zex Standard Pharmaceuticals Limited...recently

Alleged Money Laundering: Abuja Court Summons Diezani for Trial Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday issued a summon on former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Maudeke, to appear in court and respond to allegations of money laundering against her.

Diezani, who is taking refugee in the United Kingdom, has been on the radar of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly defrauding the nation of billions of dollars.

The EFCC has been on her trail since she left office in 2015.

Delivering ruling yesterday in an ex-parte application by the EFCC, Justice Ojukwu ordered the issuance of summons on the former petroleum minister for her to attend court for the purpose of her arraignment on

the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/ CR/208/2018.

The judge further ordered that the court’s summons be published in a conspicuous manner on the website of the anti-graft agency, including a national newspaper.

She subsequently adjourned till October 28, 2020, for Diezani to attend court for the purpose of her arraignment on the pending money laundering charge.

Arguing the exparte application, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Faruk Abdallah pointed out that since Diezani allegedly fled the country, it was difficult to get her back to respond to the various criminal allegations against her, adding that only a court’s summons or arrest warrant would compel her to appear in court.

The EFCC, in a document

filed along with the motion ex-parte, said it sought to question Diezani, without success, in relation to many allegations against her, including “her role as the Minister of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) by NNPC to; Septa Energy Limited, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited.

The commission said it also wants Diezani to respond to questions about “her role in the chartering of private jets by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Ministry of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of contracts

by NNPC to Marine and Logistics Services Limited.

The Commission further

claimed it was investigating Diezani’s business relationships with Mr. Donald Amamgbo, Mr. lgho Sanomi, Mr. Afam Nwokedi, Chief lkpea Leemon, Miss Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde, Mr. Benedict Peters, Christopher Aire, Harcourt Adukeh, Julian Osula, Dauda Lawal, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Mr. Leno Laithan, Sahara Energy Group and Midwestern Oil Limited.

It added that Dezani was also required to explain “her role in financing the 2015 general elections.”

The EFCC said it equally wanted the ex-minister to speak on several items, documents and jewelleries recovered from her house at No: 10 Chiluba Close off Jose Marti Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and some identified properties that are linked to her in Nigeria, UK, United States of America, United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

Court Strikes out Motion Seeking Reversal of FG’s National Theatre Handover Davidson Iriekpen Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday struck out an application seeking to reverse the alleged handover of the National Theatre to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Access Bank Plc and the Bankers Committee.

The ex-parte application was

brought by Topwideapeas Limited through its lawyer, Mr. Chijioke Okoli (SAN), who argued that the July 12, 2020 purported handover of the edifice by the federal government was a breach of due process, given that the property and its adjoining fallow land were subject of a pending lawsuit marked FHC/L/CS/2392/2019.

The firm is challenging the

Edo 2020: Obaseki Flags off Campaign Today The Edo State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 19, 2020 governorship election Mr. Godwin Obaseki, will today, flag off his reelection campaign.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the flag off was scheduled to commence by 10a.m. at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, in accordance with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines against the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Osagie said the Obaseki-led administration had in the last three years and eight months positioned the state on a growth trajectory, noting that the majority of Edo people were ready to vote for Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu to give them the opportunity to do more.

The governor’s aide noted:

“Governor Obaseki has performed excellently, touching all sectors of the state. His campaigns will be showcasing excellent governance and unmatched leadership positives.

The governor has given a good account of himself on the back of the massive infrastructure transformation, education, healthcare, judicial and investment reforms, sustained efforts to evolve an industrial economy and a searing commitment to improving the well-being of Edo people.

“His popularity is unrivalled; we are accepted by our people from the villages to the urban centres.

The acceptance is resounding and deafening and come September 19, 2020 the governor will be reelected for a second term in office to consolidate on his people-oriented projects and reforms.”

Osagie further urged youths in the state not to allow themselves to be used as tools to perpetrate any act of electoral malpractice.

nullification of its concession over the National Theatre Complex in Iganmu, Lagos.

The plaintiff said its consortium voted $3.5billion to develop the edifice into a world class tourist centre, adding that the concession was breached by the federal government and its agents.

The National Theatre and the National Troupe of Nigeria Board; Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC); Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation; AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF), Central Bank of Nigeria; Access Bank of Nigeria Plc and its Group

Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe are the defendants in the suit respectively.

Following the order of court for the defendants to show cause why the orders sought by the plaintiff in its ex-parte application should not be granted. they responded by filing several processes in defence and urging the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s motion.

While the 1st to 4th defendants were represented by Mr. Nelson Orji, the 5th defendant was represented by Professor Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) and the 6th and 7th defendants were represented by Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN).

Niger Workers Begin Strike over Slashed Salaries Laleye Dipo in Minna Hospitals, state secretariat and other state institutions in Niger State have been put under lock and keys as Niger State workers embarked on work-to-rule-action at the beginning of a three-day warning strike yesterday.

Vehicles in the fleet of the state transport authority were also off the roads with workers expected to be on essential services joining the strike.

The warning strike is also coming on the heels of the payment of the slashed July 2020 salaries to the accounts of the workers which was the major reason for the declaration

of the trade dispute.

Niger State Government had told Organised Labour it did not have the resources to pay 100 per cent salaries to its workforce opting to pay 70 per cent and 60 per cent to workers in the civil service and those in the local governments effective June.

Organised Labour opposed the government decision and gave the administration a seven-day ultimatum to rescind its decision by paying the full salaries to all the workers. The ultimatum expired at midnight of Thursday resulting in the strike taking off.

The compliance with the NLC / TUC order was total as virtually all government businesses have been paralysed as a result of the strike.

The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has said that the incessant killings in the Southern part of the state, was caused by “cycle of attacks, revenge and reprisals.”

The Presidency had also attributed the massacre in Southern Kaduna to religion and ethnicity.

Garba Shehu, Presidential spokesman had in a statement on July 21, maintained that “From available security records, the problem in Southern Kaduna is an evil combination of politically-motivated banditry, revenge killings and mutual violence by criminal gangs acting on ethnic and religious grounds.”

El-Rufai, in a statement issued yesterday, after featuring in a special programme on local radio stations in Kaduna on Thursday night, saidattacksbybanditsinthestategotcoated with ethnic and religious hues when it affects communities in the Southern part of the state.

Thegovernor’sstatementcameasseven people were killed on Thursday night in a fresh attack on Agwala Doka, Kajuru Local Government Area of the state by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

In the last four days, no fewer than 43 people have been killed by invading gunmenincommunitiesinKaura,Zangon Kataf, Kauru and Kajuru LGAs of the state.

President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr. Dio Awema, said the attack on Agwala Doka occurred at about 9p.m. when the bandits stormed the community and open fire on the villagers.

However, el-Rufai, in the statement after the radio programme by his spokesman Muyiwa Adekeye said, “insecurity in Kaduna State was being perpetrated by criminal elements who had been killing, kidnapping people and rustling cattle the entire

North West” According to him, “the criminality of the bandits gets coated with ethnic and religious hues when it affects communities in the Southern parts of the state, where it tends to exacerbate communal tensions and pitch people who have lived peacefully together against each other.”

The governor said his administration had “taken major steps to secure the area, including ensuring that a military base was opened in Southern Kaduna along with two mobile police squadrons, answering a decades-long demand for enhanced security presence in the area.”

The statement said further that “in addition to security presence, peace requires that everyone should obey the rule of law and avoid self-help, because ultimatelypeacedependsonthewillingness of people to live in harmony and to settle their difference peacefully.”

Accordingtoel-Rufai, “attacksbybandits are not localised to a single part of the state”, noting that “these criminals attack people irrespective of their religion or ethnicity and they have been perpetrating their reign of terror in Giwa, Birnin Gwari and parts of Igabi local government.’’

“These bandits operate mostly in Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states and their attacks in those states are seen and reported as criminal activity, but these same attacks are perceived differently when they occur in Southern Kaduna and are invested with ethno-religious colourations,” he said.

He said further that “when bandits attack in Southern Kaduna, security reports show that youths from the affected communities have often responded by mobilising to attack Fulani communities in their area whose members share the same ethnicity with the presumed bandits, even though many Fulani communities are also themselves victims of the bandits, in Kaduna State and elsewhere.”

‘Why We’re Suspending Minimum Wage, Making Deductions in Delta’ Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Government has appealed to all civil and public service stakeholders, including the organised labour, for understanding on the government’s decision to adopt some apparently inconveniencing but temporary fiscal measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on state revenues.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Chiedu Ebie, who made the appeal while briefing newsmen in Asaba yesterday, said that the interim fiscal measures, which were the outcome of wide consultations with stakeholders on current government expenditure, include the suspension of the N30,000 National Minimum Wage that came into effect in Delta in November 2019 and deductions from salaries of certain categories of the workforce.

In company with the Delta SSG at the briefing were the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, his Finance counterpart, Sir Fidelis Tilijie, the Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Martins Bolum and Comrade Ike Onyia, representing the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) on labour matters in the state.

However, the SSG noted that the duration of the state government’s

unavoidable review of salaries of its workforce on grade levels 07 and above as well as political appointees would be six months with effect from July 2020.

Ebie, who described the stringent austerity measures as “painful but inevitable sacrifice” from the affected workers and political appointees in the light of the unprecedented COVID-19 challenge, said that the Okowa administration had remained responsible especially in its relationship with its workforce and citizenry even in times of dwindling revenues.

Ebie said in part, “For the avoidance of doubt, it is important to state that the temporary review of salaries is only applicable to political appointees and workers on Salary Grade Levels 7 (seven) and above, and does not affect workers on Salary Grade Levels 1-6 and frontline medical personnel.

“It is not a repudiation of the payment of the new minimum wage in the state but temporary measure that will be lifted as soon as the economy improves - which we hope will be within the next six months).

“The measure is without prejudice to other staff entitlements such as promotions and/ or advancements to deserving workers.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ 2020

08054699539

Our Insecurity Mess Getting Messier

I

spent most of last Monday pondering about the declaration by Army Chief, Tukur Buratai, that the nation’s security situation is now better than what it was last month after President Muhammadu Buhari gave the military marching orders to tame insecurity. Tukur made the declaration after briefing Buhari on efforts by the military to tame raging terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across the country.

Buratai claimed the military had successfully contained insecurity with different operations in the Northwest and Northeast. According to the Army Chief, “kidnappings, serial killings and cattle rustling have been brought under control and people in affected parts of the country could now go to their farms without fear.”

Coldblooded Buratai added: “Some of the insecurities are as old as history itself. It is not today that we have been contending with armed robbery, as far as I know, armed robbery has been existing in this country even before we were born and it’s still going on.

Kidnapping too is as old as the history of the country but it all depends on the level it’s been perpetrated at a particular time…If all Nigerians continue to do is to complain and criticise security agencies, the situation may not get any better.”

Haba! Buratai! The military has successfully contained insecurity? The security situation is under control and it’s not like what was happening a month or two ago? This is coming from an Army Chief, who, few days before this speech, lost three officers and 12 soldiers to bandits in an ambush in Faskari, Katsina State. The bandits attacked the gallant soldiers of 72 Para Battalion while on patrol. Buratai must learn to show some respect to the souls of hundreds of soldiers killed by terrorists across our country.

Daily, we are losing grounds to Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers because of the ineptitude of our security chiefs exemplified by Buratai.

The Army Chief is even angry that Nigerians are complaining and criticising heads of security agencies over raging insecurity. So, we should just fold our arms and continue to watch our brothers and sisters butchered by terrorists?

I am shocked that Buratai briefed the President about his questionable progress and the Commander in Chief did not raise pertinent questions. The truth is that terrorists, bandits and kidnappers have evidently not been contained.

Buhari’s marching orders to heads of security agencies have not achieved anything. No aspect of the task given to them has been accomplished.

The Northwest and the Northeast are still very much in a big mess.

Killings by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers pour. I need to run through just the last 21 days of terrorism for our President. I know that the legion of sycophants around him will make it difficult for him to read it. But, perhaps, something miraculous could happen in this direction. I will open the account with the story of traumatised residents of Gora Gan village, in Zango-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where 10 persons, including the village head, were butchered last Monday by Fulani militias. A

Buratai

seven-year-old boy was among those killed. A day earlier, the militias attacked Kukum Daji village, in Kagoro chiefdom of Kaura LGA of the same Kaduna State, killing 21 people. Hundreds of people from Gora Gan and Kukum Daji are now living under dehumanising conditions in Zonkwa IDP camp.

Earlier in July, 24 people were killed by the militias in three other communities in Zango Kataf Local Government - Chibob, Sabon Kaura and Ungwan Audu. The Chairman of the local government, Elias Manza, confirmed that the attackers were Fulani militias. So, 55 people slaughtered in Chibob, Sabon Kaura, Ungwan Audu, Gora Gan and Kukum Daji, this month alone, and the killers are still roaming freely.

What a country!

Killings by Boko Haram and ISWAP are unending; yet, Buratai told the President last Monday that they had been tamed and Buhari believed him! The fact is that they still roam freely in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. This week, they stuck another knife into the heart of the nation by killing five abducted humanitarian workers in Borno State. The dreadful 35 seconds video featured five hooded Boko Haram members standing behind the five abductees who were kneeling before them and eventually killed them.

The murdered workers were from the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Action Against Hunger, Rich International, and International Rescue Committee, abducted last month. As usual, Buhari condemned the killings, pledging that his administration would implement measures to prevent a reoccurrence.

Our President sympathised with the families of the five aid workers, assuring them that his government would continue to do all it can to ensure that every remaining vestige of Boko Haram is wiped out from Nigeria and that the perpetrators of this atrocity would face the law.

I was waiting to see a line where Buhari would mandate security agents to fish out the killers within a given number of days. It was not there.

It was just the usual rhetoric; so sad. With this style of leadership, security will continue to deteriorate in my beloved Nigeria.

The same Boko Haram terrorists are asking a 75-year-old blind IDP, Ndarfa Jato, to pay N20 million ransom for the release of his daughter and niece abducted by the group. Jato is staying at the Christian Association of Nigeria camp in Maiduguri alongside hundreds of others displaced from Gwoza since 2014. The old man fled his village, Gava, in Gwoza LGA in 2014 when Boko Haram raided it, killed over 100 villagers and burnt several houses.

His daughter, Lami, a 25 year old graduate of Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri and his niece, Renita Bitrus were abducted by Boko Haram two weeks ago in company of a tractor driver, while on a farm at Tungushe village, in Magumeri LGA of Borno State.

This blind man is desperate for the release of his daughter and niece because they help him with his needs. He lamented: “I told them that as an old man of 75 years and blind, living in an IDP shanty camp, there is no means for me to raise the N20 million ransom.” Who will help citizen Jato?

In Kano State, the daughter of Murtala Kore, the lawmaker representing Danbatta Constituency in the state’s Assembly, was abducted last Sunday. It happened around 2am at his home in Kore village. The abductors were after him but took away his daughter, Juwairiyya, when they did not find him at home. The lawmaker had to part with an undisclosed amount of money to secure the release of the 17-year-old SS II student of Government Girls Secondary School, Jogana.

Kidnappers operate freely in many of our highways. The Abuja-Kaduna and Abuja-Lokoja are most notorious. It’s big business here. Daily, they maim and abduct, unhindered. What kind of a country, with a government, would allow these to continue to happen?

The likes of Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State have also been playing politics with our raging insecurity. Imagine this governor attributing kidnapping, banditry and Boko Haram insurgency to politicians who want to contest the 2023 general election. Masari, who spoke earlier this week, said “such politicians believed that by sponsoring violence and other acts of criminality, they would be blackmailing the Buhari administration to contest in the forthcoming general election.”

He added that most of the terror attacks in the country were sponsored by politicians. Masari has been the weakest link in the war against bandits in his state by covertly supporting Fulani against Hausa. I guess he is one of the politicians supporting terrorism. Let’s leave Masari to continue with his treachery. Judgement day is around the corner.

On the flip side, the Senate’s resolution on Tuesday asking the service chiefs to step aside, following the endless killing of soldiers fighting Boko Haram and banditry, is a welcome

The Joker Called Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio

Last week, I rightfully referred to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, as a clown, following the manner he messed up as a governor, a senator and now, as minister. I guess nobody is still in doubt about this, following his volte-face at the House of Representatives over his earlier allegation that the lawmakers got 60 per cent of the contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission. This jester, who made the claim on national television, has turned around to deny it, few days after he was told to provide the list of the profiting lawmakers. He went back crawling to the lawmakers, saying he referred to old contracts awarded by the NDDC which had not been paid for, and some of which are part of the constituency projects of the lawmakers. This minister is believed to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of NDDC contracts. So, he was only showboating

few days back.

Akpabio’s volte-face is disgusting.

Can you imagine this minister denying something that was recorded? This is a remark we all heard clearly. Well, I was not surprised. This is the true character of Akpabio. It tells you how warped he is and can’t be trusted with anything, right from his days as commissioner in Akwa Ibom State. Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila scornfully read Akpabio’s response, which came after he threatened to sue the minister for failing to prove that NDDC awarded contracts to them, and said it would still be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges for scrutiny.

Akpabio has no business remaining a day longer as minister. He is responsible for the bulk of the mess at NDDC in the last nine months. With a man like this, Nigeria will continue to lag behind.

development. Of course, the service chiefs won’t heed the resolution, but the point has been made. The representatives of the people have concluded that the service chiefs are hopeless.

That is the point made. These guys have been holding this country by the jugular. They have to step aside for Buhari to appoint new ones with fresh ideas. Kudos to the courageous Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, who engineered the resolution.

The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Ayo Fadahunsi, proposed that additional prayer demanding the stepping aside of the service chiefs. He also deserves commendations.

Just as I said earlier, we often hear of our President issuing statement to commiserate with victims of terrorism. But we hardly hear him mandating the security chiefs to get the killers within a time frame. Things have just got to change.

Sani-Omolori

Sani-Omolori’s Folly is over His folly is finally over. I am talking about the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, who was scheming to serve for 40 years as a civil servant. His 35 years ended in February, but he sat back, claiming the 8th Senate amended the terms of service for civil servants in the National Assembly to allow them to do 40 years. With millions of people jobless, this man and 148 others spent months scheming to do 40 years in the civil service.

Wonders will never end in Nigeria.

Even when the Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, asked him to go, Sani-Omolori rebuffed her. Yemi-Esan had clearly explained that the extension of service of the Clerk of the National Assembly was illegal and urged the leadership of the National Assembly to reverse it. She stated: “The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) classifies the clerk and other staff of the National Assembly as public servants whose conditions of service are guided by the public service rules which derives its existence from Section 169 made pursuant to Section 160(1) of the Constitution.

“In specific terms, Section 318(1) of the Constitution states that ‘public service of the Federation means the service of any capacity in respect of the Government of the Federation and includes as (a) clerk or other staff of the National Assembly or of each house of the National Assembly. The public service rules prescribe attainment of 60 years of age or 35 years of service for an officer to retire, whichever comes earlier.”

Yemi-Esan’s memo was clear enough, but SaniOmolori scorned it and even battled the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC). He went further to give contrary orders to other disengaged staff of the NationalAssembly that had clocked 35 years.

Thanks to the insistence of the Chairman, NASC, Ahmed Amshi and Yemi-Esan, the desperate Sani-Omolori was eventually pushed out.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

SUPER SATURDAY Ngozi Nwosu’s Story of Anguish, Triumph Iconic television and Nollywood star, Ngozi Nwosu has sustained her game for over three decades.

Many will always remember her for roles in television series like Ripples and Fuji House of Commotion.

Ngozi briefly disappeared from the screen in 2019 due to health challenges. It was a kidney illness that almost took her life. But she was lucky to survive the near-death experience, thanks to scores of Nigerians that mobilised and supported her in the fight against the ailment. Ngozi recently shared the story of her battle with the kidney disease and survival on a television programme.

Ferdinand Ekechukwu captures her story of anguish and triumph

W

Nwosu

henever the name Ngozi Nwosu pops up, what comes to mind is the bright, vivacious face of the ever-smiling, funny actress that has brought joy to many viewers. Of note, the legendary Nollywood celebrity has had a pleasant career as an actress for years, assuming different roles. For some of her popular characters, she played “Madam V Boot” in the television series, Ripples. She is also known for playing “Peace” in the popular 90s sitcom, Fuji House of Commotion. Her character was the third wife of Chief Fuji, often shown as his favorite.

She began her career starring in Yoruba movies before making her home-video debut in ‘Living in Bondage’ in 1992. Back in the day, intimate or scenes involving kissing in Nollywood productions were not a common occurrence. But Nwosu kissed her colleague, Kenneth Okonkwo (Andy), in one of the scenes in ‘Living in Bondage’ and it got many people talking. Fast forward to recent times, she appeared as Mama Tiwa in ‘Skinny Girl in Transit’ and in the brilliant, rib-cracking Airtel ads as Mama Amaka.

But that is not all there is to the thespian. Having thrived as an A-list celebrity in a career that spanned over three decades, the vivacious actress has had her fair share of life, going through rough times with her health. For years, she was off the screen following an illness which affected her career. The diagnosis was kidney disease. She eventually got treatment abroad through a state government and some organizations.

The veteran Nollywood actress and entertainment powerhouse was recently a guest of Chude Jideonwo on his show.

During the interview, she disclosed how she’s battled the illness, her brush with death last year, and her journey to healing. On this episode, sharing her chilling near death experience was like telling a story people already know about her.

But this scenario this time was totally different from a past narrative which also threatened her life and put her acting gig to a halt.

During the interview, she talked about the painful ordeal of battling a kidney disease, and being at the center of a media storm of rumours at the same time. Ngozi also recounted how after shooting for a film in 2019, she lost consciousness and almost passed away.

Recounting one of the lowest moments of her battle with illness, Ngozi told Chude, “It was a rap for the day. And I was in my room. Just got up to get water from the fridge and that was it.

I fell and I blanked out and when I regained consciousness I thought it was just ‘okay it’s just one of those things.

So I told myself to get up and walk, but I couldn’t. There, I was looking at my phone. I couldn’t call for help. The generator was on, so nobody heard me.

I asked myself, ‘is this the end of the road?’

The conversation went deeper into

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

11

SUPER SATURDAY Ngozi Nwosu’s Story of Anguish, Triumph

Nwosu how she has chosen to live her life – leaning into vulnerability with her shoulders held high even in her darkest moments. “I cried! I said ‘how will I do it who will I call?

“The generator is on nobody heard me. And then I went back to God. ‘I said God, if truly I serve you, this will not be the end of the road. I said just give me the grace for me to get up. I need to open door for help and I was lying looking at myself helpless. Nobody to help me and so after a while, the strength came from nowhere and I was able to now use my bum to crawl. I crawled. Now it’s to stand up, open the door and shout. I couldn’t. I was just looking at myself. And I’m like God this can’t be the end of the road; no it can’t be.

“I tried, I used the other side to stretch, it was painful and I was able to hold on to the door. I was

panting for like 15-30 minutes. Just to hold myself so I can open the door. As I opened the door, I screamed. And help came, I passed out again.”

Ngozi also reveals that nothing prepares one for the kind of scrutiny celebrities are placed under by the public. Touching on the false reporting which had claimed that she was battling leukemia, she said the experience was similar to being “buried alive”.

“The price of being a celebrity is over-high,” she said. “If I didn’t handle it the way I did, it could have killed me.”

Truth about the light screen actress is that she prays fervently and doesn’t believe in ‘Woli’ (prophet) for everything like in her character Mama Tiwalade in ‘Skinny Girl in Transit’. The 56-year-old film star who used to be married said: “I do pray.

When I want to talk to my God, I talk to Him, no need to call Woli. I sit in my house, do my prayer, and talk to my God. I go to church and that’s it.

When you believe in Woli, it means you don’t even have a life of your own. And it means when anything happens in life, you have to call Woli.”

She cleared the air on the belief by some that her current Airtel deal is her biggest endorsement so far. “No, it is not. I have gotten some endorsement that was even more than Airtel. When I did “Face of Nigerian Centenary” it was more than Airtel.

OMO Door to Door campaign was a big project as well. It’s just that Airtel has been the one running for years, not one-off like the other ones. Airtel has been consistent but I have done bigger jobs apart from Airtel.” Ngozi Nwosu is fluent in Igbo, Yoruba and English languages.

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ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

HOSA AND THE PRICE OF NEUTRALITY Captain Hosa Okunbo is committed to a life of harmony and accommodation, writes Michael Veritas

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olitical regicide tends to degrade and sometimes disfigure the thrust and tenor of politics in Edo State.

It’s severest expression might have been attained under the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when a new rejectionist mood gripped the land. Under its massive fervor, old icons, who had long controlled the resources of the space, were shown the door.

In some instances, their decapitation from the plinth was accompanied by much opprobrium and nastiness.

That era is over, but the attack on godfatherism endures, sometimes as a mild variant but at other times, with increased insidiousness and continuing virulence.

This perhaps explains, why in spite of the cultural mutualities, Edo politicians and supporters, tend to deploy alone and apart, rather like belligerent standing armies. Yet politics ought to unify and develop rather than divide and destroy. The political environment in Edo is consequently heaving with the cadaver of expired or humiliated leaders. In these ranks you will find Chief Anthony Anenih, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and others. Comrade Oshiomhole , the immediate past Governor, having mentored Godwin Obaseki, is now surprisingly involved in a political feud with his own successor.

These disagreements have fouled up Edo political life in a very pervasive fashion. But were politics to remain strictly within its given jurisdiction, it would have perhaps been a matter of less gravity. But the poison is spreading and corroding ordinary civic lives and relationships and some well-meaning watchers have called for restraint and a rethink. The case of Captain Hosa Okunbo is a fascinating example of how enduring civic friendships can be needlessly fouled up by the thrust and cut of partisan politics.

Captain Hosa was a licensed commercial pilot, having flown with reputable airlines around the world. But in one sudden flight of the imagination, Captain Hosa traded the joy stick for the boardroom in 1992, when he was aged only 30 years. His engagement in business was fruitful and quite soon he became a social and cultural referral in the Benin metropolis. His residence in the heart of the old Benin GRA became a favorite destination, frequented by the poor and the rich; by the famous and the anonymous and also by figures from politics, from government and from the private sector. He himself was a professed non- politician but he reveled in the company of those who plied the hazardous trade. The high point of Captain Hosa’s political engagement was in 2003 when he provided rather voluble support for Igbinedion’s governorship election campaign. The friendships formed

WE NEED MORE ROOM FOR PLURALITY IN EDO POLITICS; WE MUST PRODUCE AND SUSTAIN FREEDOMS TO ASSOCIATE; ULTIMATELY WE MUST ALSO AVOID RANCOR AND ENGAGE IN MORE FRATERNAL POLITICS

during that era, pre-determined large measures of the political solidarities which prevail in Edo today. All of the leading lights; Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu, Captain Hosa and many of those who today back Godwin Obaseki, or Ize Iyamu, were all part of the mix.

Enlightened opinion therefore considers it odd that Captain Hosa’s inability to support Godwin Obaseki’s second term bid should be considered a piece of heresy. Government supporters have spoken with great vehemence and severity against the captain. Some have threatened extreme harm on his estate and business interests. Yet this same man, has customarily hugged the path of peace and political harmony. It was Captain Hosa who sought a reconciliation at all cost between Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki. The effort seemed doomed as unsubstantiated rumors maligned Captain Hosa with the allegation that he himself was eyeing the governorship prize. He was perceived unjustly as a rival rather than a genuine peace maker. The sabres have not ceased rattling.

One of the regrets in all this is the growing anti-hero convention that is beginning to trend in Edo State.

Societies require to be lifted by heroism and heroes. When heroism dies the human spirit degrades. It is thus important that while we extol the quaint old values of humble labor, we also venerate those who reach the summit either through politics or through the boardroom and commercial exertion. Often it is the slothful ignoramus who sniffs at success and describes it as crime or voodoo.

However, in spite of attacks from the vendors of politics, Captain Hosa, rather than regressing into despair and recrimination has recommitted himself to a life of harmony and accommodation. In a recent press statement he said he was happy to break free from the pressures of local partisan politics and would look up to a greater sense of engagement at the federal level. This is not escapism. It is merely a different flight plan.

Thirty two years after jumping off the cockpit, Captain Hosa has achieved distinction in his new life of business, covering a wide agenda of interests; he has associated with an assortment of political figures and engaged in massive philanthropy. The attack trained at him sometimes gives the unjust impression that wealth creation is a crime and that political support for some platforms is adverse. We need more room for plurality in Edo politics; we must produce and sustain freedoms to associate; ultimately we must also avoid rancor, engage in more fraternal politics and see creators of wealth like Captain Hosa, as the new norm. That way, whatever result the governorship election produces, Edo State will be the winner.

READINESS, EDUCATION AND RAPE Victor C. Ariole argues the need for the authorities to provide a conducive environment for children to learn When a toddler cries for food and you decide to crack palm-kernels for him, you know he will ask you; where are the teeth to crush them? - Gaius Ariole

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he expedient and imperative for Nigeria, now, is that all must be done to crack and marsh kernels for Nigerian children whose readiness drive needed to be actuated to go on learning; otherwise over million Nigerian children and youths could enter into recessive or even dormant neuronal readiness drive mode, leading to either depression or deviant behaviours.

Readiness is one of the concepts educational psychologists talk about, alongside maturation and genetic disposition, for the positive development of children. Environment helps in actuating readiness. Favourable environment makes for good and wholesome development of the child.

Environment sewn with unceasing dangerous items makes for deviant development. The minimalist way Gaius, my old-man, explains is what is stated above. However, if, indeed, you intend to assuage the hunger of the child for no other alternative to palm-kernel, then, you must marsh it in pulps for him. Note that in crass poverty in some areas in Biafra during the war, palm-fruit and palm-kernel were never in lack, and they were well used the way current crude oil ought to be used.

What is not in lack in the current lockjam of actuating the readiness for functional duties of over 10 million Nigerian children and youths,

expected to be useful to the nation in future, is the solid mineral and crude oil exploited, currently, that must be cracked and mashed to serve the best interest of the youths and children for they are as at now asking the government to start cracking and mashing it for their use, instead of presenting the figures of oil sales to them, as they do not have the capacity or the readiness to be the ones putting the money of the sales to usefulness now. Education is the only way to do that and it must stand on the ethos of: Education for social Justice and Sustainable Enculturation Process. Note that it is not for acculturation but enculturation as what education inculcates must not be strange to the enduring cultural dynamics the society intends to follow so as to be competitive in the global culture. What education does is to be mindful of human beings who must sustain the dynamism of the society; and they must be educated following the continuous matching of their genetic disposition, that is ever evolving and seeking for challenges, either in the society or beyond, to actuate its potential.

So, at maturation of such potential and their readiness to perform challenging functions that ennoble the society, which their physical growth or innate abilities expose, it behoves the leaders and the government to provide the environment that sharpens such readiness push to perform requisite functions expected of them.

So, schools must open with safety facilities made available or in the alternative functional tablets with available electricity must be provided for the over 10 million youths and children who

need them now to continue strengthening their neurons for positive orientation without which more Almajaris and rapists could be facing Nigeria in years to come. Providing isolation centers in each school, running water taps, observing social distances, are not impossibilities or beyond One Trillion naira.

Indeed when people go to the National Assembly and see legislating against rape as a “one-way” phenomenon isolated from government or leadership delinquency, one wonders if such leaders are to be exempted from psychological rape of the society that make a physical rape just a child’s play. Imagine the current revelation of the embezzlement in the NDDC which greatly impoverishes the masses of that region, and creates frustrations that lead to either alcoholism or deviant behaviours among their populace.

If people take time to evaluate patients on the spectrum of autism, as explained by experts, they could notice that even as seen as genetic condition, it could be challenged to reverse. An expert in brain studies in Allez-Savoir, Lausanne – Paola Bizzi, sees it as ever process of neuronal internal communication to steady or adjust individuals to realities and experiences faced in life; and that as flapping butterflies, their neurons in their clustered pyramid outlook, must be made beautiful by the experiences they encode.

This is where “never interrupt the educational experiences a child is going through” comes in. An interruption could be devasting to some children or youths. The encoding process of the neurons does not want vacuum.

Vacuum is always filled by, possibly, what the society abhors for its own positive sustainability.

Hence, even the rape epidemic in Nigeria, as at now, could be a remote vacuum creation in the individuals involved, in the past, because as Morayo of TVC thinks in her programme that “Mr. Johnson” (referring to a great erection of the penis) could be made to reason and come down instead of getting to rape level, “an ugly flapping” neurons that had suffered vacuum, could turn a great mental case, like a soldier suffering from artillery shock.

The West, especially, refers to LGBTQAI+ and expect those in that spectrum to identify themselves so as to avoid being wrongly evaluated as normal human beings when they misbehave. It is part of society acknowledging their own weak proactive intelligence gathering that had reached the pandemonium level, and is pleading that people identify where they fall in the spectrum so as to avoid being discriminated against.

Every deviant behaviour is easily detected in an educational environment if, indeed, those in charge make it a point of raising future participants in the society whose readiness drives had been well encultured to lean towards positive ends. The environment government and leaders provide today goes a long way in making tomorrow better. Covid-19 could just be a child’s play in how challenging the coming world could be for nations, especially in caring for their future generation.

Ariole is Professor of French and Francophone Studies University of Lagos

13

ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Farewell...

Partial Closure Of Third Mainland Bridge

T

Transportation, Dr. Oladeinde, priority would be given to motorists driving he second longest bridge in Africa, the Third Mainland Bridge, was from Mainland to the Island in the morning and afternoon to use the Third partially shut down midnight of Friday 24, 2020, for maintenance work.

Mainland, while those driving against traffic will use the alternative routes.

The bridge, which starts from Oworonshoki and links Apapa-Oshodi Meanwhile, the Lagos State government had carried out improvement Expressway as well as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the work on alternative routes mapped out for diversions. According to the state Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island, is arguably the busiest in Africa. governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, more roads have been furnished The bridge, which was inaugurated in 1990 by the Babangida military junta, used to be the longest in Africa until 1996 when the 6th October Bridge while the design of the alternative routes have been improved. The state government is equally working on other arterial routes so that motorists in Cairo, Egypt was completed. There has been reports about some weak and commuters can have seamless journey times to and from their places of joints of the bridge, which has raised some serious safety worries for users of work. the bridge.

Significant efforts have been made toward providing alternative routes The bridge was last closed for repairs in August 2018 for three days of during the closure. The Federal Ministry of Works has repaired Iddoinvestigative maintenance check. Thereafter, some components needed for Oyingbo Road, while the drains on the road has equally been cleared. Failed completion of repairs were sourced abroad because they were not available portions of the Independence Tunnel on Ikorodu Road have also been fixed. locally.

With all these measures, the partial closure would likely affect only about In order to ensure a seamless repair exercise, the Federal and the Lagos State Governments had engaged in several consultations aimed at developing 25 per cent of the regular traffic on the bridge. The 75 per cent of vehicles that normally ply the route will still have access to move on the bridge a perfect traffic management plan. Thus, the federal government will be during the period of repair. working with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as well as the Lagos To further assuage the discomfort that may be experienced by commuters State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to manage traffic during the and ease the roads of gridlock, the state government had strengthened the period. About 600 LASTMA personnel would be deployed to direct traffic to state-owned Lagos Ferry Service (LAGFERRY) by doubling its capacity for ensure free vehicular movement on major routes across the axis. mass movement, thereby giving the residents an alternative through water During a recent press conference jointly held by the Federal Controller transportation. of works in Lagos, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde and the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Works, Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Aramide Adeyoye, Lagosians were assured that necessary measures would Alausa, Ikeja be put in place to reduce gridlocks during partial closure of the bridge.

Consequently, there would be diversion of traffic in two phases during the partial closure of the bridge between Friday July 24, 2020 and January 24, 2021.

The phase one of the diversion, which will last for three months for repairs of the Oworonsoki bound lane of the bridge, would be from 12:00am T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R to 1:00pm from Oworonshoki to Lagos Island on EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE the Lagos Island bound lane, while the afternoon DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKU traffic from 1:00pm to 12:00am would be from MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE Lagos Island to Oworonsoki on the Lagos Island CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI bound lane.

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN The phase two, which is to last for another three MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE months for repairs of the Lagos Island bound lane of the bridge, would be for morning traffic from 12:00am to 1:00pm from Oworonsoki to Lagos Island on the Oworonsoki bound lane, while the T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D afternoon traffic from 1:00pm to 12:00am would EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA be from Lagos Island to Oworonsoki on the GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, Oworonsoki bound lane.

ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI In order to ease the inconveniences which the DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE maintenance of the bridge might cause, especially in DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH terms of traffic build up, motorists have been urged ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO to ply some alternative routes such as Carter Bridge CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI through Iddo through Oyingbo to join Adekunle DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO ramp inward Oworonsoki. Secondly, motorists HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA could also ply Ijora Olopa through Western Avenue TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com to Ikorodu Road.

According to the Lagos State Commissioner for

Religion, Corruption and Poverty

S

urely, corruption and poverty are two ills that Nigeria will not be able to fix anytime soon; the reason for this is widespread religious fatalism. Folks do not demand for accountability from those elected into government because, well,“Fate” has decreed that they must be in government at the time that they are in government.

Thus, if they “chop and wack” government money, “Fate” has also pre-destined this. By extension, if a soul wallows in abject poverty, there is absolutely no reason for that one to seek to improve his lot because “fate” had ensured that that one will taste poverty and suffer in it.

This is the reason why, out here, folks think that Ibrahim Magu, formerly of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is being harshly done by; this bloke does not get criticism but laudation for all the chops that he had “eaten.” After all, “fate” determined that he would head the EFCC and there was nothing anyone could do about that and this “fate” knew beforehand that there would be seized loot to be re-looted. So, what’s all this ado and hullaballoo about? On poverty, it is even annoying that Bill and Melinda Gates desire to eliminate world poverty; really do they know that in trying to do so they are challenging “fate” and the pathways that have been charted for humanity?

By the way, how dare mortal ‘uns like Bill and Melinda contemplate this action? What impudence! It is better that the lame should not be encouraged to leap, the dumb not be encouraged to shout, the blind not be encouraged to spy, etc. Basically, “fate” loves it when “practitioners” give alms. How would they give these alms if they do not wack government money that accrues from the lands of the “unfavorable?” In Nigeria, our clogged minds are barriers to effective reasonableness.

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

To Hell with That!

A

couple in Britain have won the right to name their child Lucifer, a name banned in many countries.

There seems to be some people who value their “rights” more than the norms of society and the reality that their child will suffer for their choice.

There are literally thousands of names that would be a better choice including Dennis, although that is attributed to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.

Parents shouldn’t put their child through hell just to make a point.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JULY 25, 2020

NEWS

FG Can’t Afford N300bn for N-Power Beneficiaries, Says Minister Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has said the federal government cannot afford the cumulative N300 billion grant demanded by 500,000 exiting beneficiaries of the N-Power.

It would be recalled that the outgoing enrollees of the scheme on Thursday protested at the

National Assembly and the Federal Secretariat Complex to request the federal government to employ as well as pay them all a grant of N600,000 each.

Farouq in a statement issued by the Deputy Director Information, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, insisted that this demand was not part of the agreement of engagement the beneficiaries signed with the federal government, which clearly stipulated that they would be exited after

two years. ‘’It is noteworthy to state that the FGN has expended hundreds of billions to N-Power beneficiaries during the last four years and is liaising with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, which is responsible for the payment of their stipends, to ensure that any outstanding legitimate claim is settled. ‘’The FG cannot afford to continue to pay the exited N-Power beneficiaries stipends

indefinitely, more so that the process of engagement of new beneficiaries has already began,’’ Farouq said.

She stressed that though the ministry was not a lending agency, it was in contact with other Ministry’s, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) such as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), to see if the exited beneficiaries can key into their empowerment programmes.

Court Declares Army’s Operation Positive Identification Illegal Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

A Federal High court sitting in Lagos has declared that the Nigerian Army had no power under the Constitution to breach the fundamental rights of Nigerian to free movement within the country.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa’s decision was sequel to a suit filed by human rights Lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, challenging the Army’s power to breach Nigerians rights to free and unrestricted movement as guaranteed by the Constitution under the pretence of Operation Positive Identification.

Falana in his suit filed last year with No: FHC/L/CS/1939/2019 prayed the court among others, stopping the Nigerian Army’s operation code name-Positive Identification campaign, arguing that such action would breach the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to liberty and freedom of movement.

Joined as Respondents in the suit were the Chief of Army

Staff, COAS, the Army and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

When the suit was filed, the Attorney General of the Federation filed a response, praying the court to dismiss Falana’s suit, arguing that the human rights lawyer lacked the locus to institute the case.

Mr. Dayo Apata, SAN who represented the Attorney General of the Federation alongside Mrs. Olayemi Badewole, who represented the Nigerian Army had challenged Falana’s locus standi to institute the suit.

They had canvassed that the Army had the power to maintain law and order in any part of the country.

Dismissing the Attorney General’s objections and the Nigerian Army, Justice Aikawa held that the applicant had the locus standi to have brought the case.

Granting Falana’s reliefs, Justice Aikawa held that the plaintiff has locus since the planned military action will affect his (Falana) fundamental rights as guaranteed

by the Nigerian constitution as well as other Nigerians.

The court also restrained the Respondents from carrying out the operations as planned, while declaring that such operation would violate the rights of Nigerians to their constitutional freedom of movement.

Falana had argued that the planned nationwide operation expected to run from November 1, to December 23, 2019, by which Nigerian citizens would be required to move about with means of identification is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

Falana added that the operation violated his right and that of other Nigerian citizens to liberty, “as encapsulated in Section 35 respectively of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, (Cap A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The human rights lawyer had recalled in a supporting affidavit

that on October 8, 2019 the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai disclosed that the operation positive identification, said to be ongoing in the North-east theatre of Boko Haram insurgency would be extended to cover the entire nation.

He said the operation required Nigerian citizens to move about with legitimate means of identification such as the National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ Licence and passports or other valid official identification.

He noted that the increase in deployment of security forces nationwide would be with potential of movement disruption, and the army had thus advised Nigerians to ensure that they always carry valid means of identification.

Opposing the Army’s plan, Falana argued that by virtue of Section 215 (3) of the Constitution, the Nigerian Police “has the exclusive power to maintain law and order and secure public safety and public order in the country” and not the army.

57 Marginal Oil Fields: Itsekiri Group Kwara Deputy Governor Tasks Youths on Agricultural Initiatives Seeks FG, Stakeholders Dialogue Sylvester Idowu inWarri An Itsekiri group, The Niger Delta Advocacy Initiative (NDAI) has called on the federal government to urgently convene a meeting with stakeholders over the bidding process for the 57 marginal oil fields to forestall the growing tension in the Niger Delta region.

President of NDAI, Comrade Esimaje Awani made the call yesterday in Warri during a peaceful protest by youths of Itsekiri nation against alleged marginalisation of Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri in the ongoing bidding process by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The group threatened to join their elders and leaders in shutting down oil and gas activities in their areas if the Federal Government refuses to heed to its cries for “fairness and justice”.

It would be recalled that Gbaramatu Ijaw and Itsekiri oil and gas producing communities had last Sunday vowed to follow through the threat to shut down operations in their areas, following expiration of an ultimatum to the Federal Government.

Esimaje noted that the call for a stakeholders meeting with the Federal Government was borne out of the desire of the group to seek an amicable resolution of the grievances of the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko oil and gas producing communities

in the region.

“Evidently, the issues being raised are genuine and we believe it is of utmost importance that there should be a stakeholders meeting in which the concerned authorities will amicably dialogue with leaders of the groups and relevant stakeholders to listen to all complaints and possibly chart a course to address same so as to bring down the brooding fire which appears to be growing consequently by the day”, he said.

Esimaje suggested that the proposed meeting should include the Minister of Niger Delta, Minister of State for Petroleum, NNPC Group Managing Director, DG NOSDRA, DG NIMASA, MD Nigerian Ports Authority, Director, DPR, IOCs and affected community leaders/ stakeholders.

While awaiting urgent response by the Federal Government to avoid negative action capable of crippling the oil and gas industries in the region, the President of NDAI noted that the grievances of the people were genuine and must be tackled with tact.

He demanded that the Federal Government should immediately suspend the ongoing process of bids for the 57 marginal fields and invoke the doctrine of necessity and sincerely integrate the interest of competent companies owned

by Niger Deltans, mostly from the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko extractions.

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi has stressed the need for the nation’s youths to channel their intellects positively, especially to the area of agriculture for the socio-economic growth of the nation.

He particularly urged the youths to shun all forms of fraud and rise up to be employers of labour through agriculture so as to make the nation great.

Alabi stated this at Versa Farms at Oke-Iya town in Ifelodun Local Government Council of the state, during an inspection visit to the farm, recently.

The farm, which is headed by two young entrepreneurs, Mr. Olasunkanmi Mustapha and Mr.Ibitade Ibrahim, specialise in the planting of tomatoes and peppers in large scale, on hectares of land.

Since the farms commenced operations, its products are being sold in Ilorin and other regions of the country.

However, the deputy governor who said that he was impressed with the positive developments on the farm, stating that he was encouraged to return to farming after his tenure in office.

He said, “I am greatly

impressed by what I have seen here today, it shows that, talented young men in Nigeria could still positively channel their talents and visions to make this country great.

“This is a clarion call to those young Nigerians who have been infected by internet fraud mindsets like the suspected Hushpuppi to have a rethink and channel their talents towards ideas that can be of help towards moving the nation forward.

“Though, these men are young, but I am not old to start farming, I have been encouraged by what I have seen here, that I would go into farming after my tenure in office so as to make food available for all Nigerians.”

Speaking on behalf of the team, Mr. Mustapha said, “The vision of the Versa Farms is to produce foods for consumption

by Kwarans and to also give back to the people.”

He said tomatoes and peppers were planted on 30 hectares of land at Oke-Iya farm, adding that 100 hectares of land have been acquired in Ajase-IPO town to plant tomatoes, peppers and rice.

Mustapha therefore said that the sale of the products has been highly encouraging, as consumers now rely on their products in the open markets unlike tomatoes and peppers from the North.

Bill for Compulsory Treatment of AttackVictims Without Police Clearance Passes 2nd Reading Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A bill seeking compulsory treatment of armed attack victims without police clearance has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill seeks to empower hospitals- both public and private to treat victims of armed attack aside gunshots injuries without a police clearance in order to save the victims the agony of being rejected as it is presently the case in Nigeria.

The bill titled, ‘A bill for an Act to amend the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots Act 2017’, thereby expanding the scope of its application to include other forms of weapons other than firearms that could be used to inflict injuries on a victim was sponsored

by Hon. Wale Raji.

Leading the debate on the bill at the plenary on Thursday, Raji said originally, the bill was the crux of the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots Act, 2017.

He said due to the restricted

coverage of this Act, many innocent victims of other dangerous weapons other than firearms have consistently been rejected by the hospitals for want of a police clearance, which has led to their untimely death.

Raji explained that with the amendment of the law which would accommodate innocent victims who sustained injuries other than gunshot injuries, the National Assembly would have consciously put an end to the conundrum of hospitals refusing to treat dying patients who have sustained injuries other than gunshots injuries and without a police clearance.

He stated: “The intent of the extant law as it is today is to the effect that an innocent victim who sustained a grievous bodily injury from a weapon other than gun/ firearm will be deprived medical attention if he/she is without a police clearance. This outrageous act of the hospitals leading to the death of innocent victims indirectly constitutes a deprivation of their right to be alive.

Social Campaigner, Amam Calls For Societal Re-Birth, Marks Birthday

Popular social decay campaigner and philanthropist, Princess Ada Okeke Amam has called on world leaders to integrate policies that would help in reducing the spike of rape cases, racism, drug abuse and a host of other social vices in the society.

According to her, the sharp rise in the number of rape, drug abuse, racism and other crimes against humanity speaks of total neglect on the part of both the leaders and the led.

She recalled that years back in Africa, issues such as rape and racism were not as pronounced as they were today.

“Even The Founding Fathers of the America we see today. I am speaking of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams.

“Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Jay just to mention a few never founded racists

nations or colonies. I mean in those days, those who rape were not treated with kid gloves as it is today. For that matter, it wasn’t common for fathers to rape their own daughters, even those kids below five years and vise versa.

You can imagine the pain. These are grave abominations that we permit today and God is definitely never going to be happy with us on these. The leaders and we the led must initiate a strong wave of change to salvage our society again now,” she said.

“I really thank some very distinguished women of our time who are helping with redirecting our straying ship. The likes of Her Excellency Mrs. Zainab Buba Marwa, Dr. Chief (Mrs) Patience Jonathan, former nigerian first lady, Dr. Mrs. Gloria Laraba Shoda, president, national council of women societies (NCWS) and Our Own Senator Florence Ita-giwa, she added.

How Notorious Lagos Criminal Gang Leader was Arrested Chiemelie Ezeobi Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested the wanted traditional ruler of Oguntade Village, Oba Lateefu Olarinde and his son, Prince Yusuf, alleged to be responsible for violent attacks on people and properties in Satellite Town, Amuwo Odofin.

Olarinde, a self-acclaimed monarch, was arrested on Thursday at his hideout in Ile-Epo, several months after he fled to Benin Republic as a result of a manhunt for him.

They were declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, after series of petitions from residents, warehouse owners and truck drivers accused the monarch and his sons of harbouring and unleashing armed thugs on people who refused to fall for their extortion.

THISDAY had in a series of reports done last year reported the activities of these thugs notorious for killing, maiming people, looting and demolishing properties at Mile 2, Abule-Ado, Ojo Road, Abule-Osun, some parts of Festac, Vin-Niger

and Abule-Osun areas.

Although their operations have continued unchallenged for many years, they recently drew the ire of the CP when they launched an onslaught against truckers that killed two and injured many others.

Policemen who were sent to contain the situation were also attacked by the hoodlums who pelted bottles and stones on them as well as destroyed some of their vehicles.

Angered by the development, the CP vowed to fish out the culprits and their sponsors no matter how long it took.

It was gathered that he deployed undercover detectives to monitor Oguntade village and report back to him whenever Olarinde and Yusuf, who both fled to Benin Republic, returned.

Left in the dark of the plans by the police, the suspects who sneaked back into the country weeks ago, sponsored another attack last Tuesday at AbuleOshun where three persons, including a young man, were badly injured.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

15

NEWS

We Don't Spend N1m Daily on COVID-19 Patient, LASG Clarifies

Segun James

Alarmed by reports quoting the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof.AkinAbayomi, as sayingthatthestategovernment spends one million Naira daily oneachCOVID-19patientinthe

state, the government yesterday denied the figure as untrue.

The government in a statement

by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said there must have been a misunderstanding between what the Health Commissioner

said and what was reported in the media.

According to him, "it is clear that N1,000,000 sounds more sensational than N100,000, but we must not allow sincerity to be sacrificed on the altar of sensationalism. What the Honour-

able Commissioner sought to communicate was the range of symptom manifestations of the Coronavirus – from mild and moderate to severe and critical.

"He explained that the cost of treating these manifestations vary, considerably. In summary, he said

Imo PDP Accuses Uzodinma of Coercing Traditional Rulers to Protest against His Sack Amby Uneze ÓØ áÏÜÜÓ Following the fresh legal moves to sack Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State by some individuals, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has accused the governor of coercing traditional rulers of the state to embark on public protest as a prelude to seek public sympathy.

The PDP also accused the governor of receiving about N175.7 billion in the past seven months as a combination of revenue from various sources without any projects to show

for it.

Speaking during a press conference in Owerri yesterday, the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Martin Ejiogu, said the party was constrained to react to such posture by the Uzodinma administration, "which exposes the traditional institution in the state to undue ridicule."

According to the party, “we feel our royal fathers must not be coerced and compelled into such conduct as public protest for a matter that is purely that of Senator Uzodinma, that is capable of bringing shame and disgrace to not only them

but also to the state. The cries of Imo pensioners have not only reached the ears of God Almighty, but also the ears of opposition class in the state.

"Therefore, it is understandable that by the high status of the traditional institution in our state, this regime must not force Ndieze Imo to embark on an unconscionable, self-ridiculing public protest over what they know nothing about."

On the governance of the state, Ejiogu also alleged that "from our investigations and findings, this regime has received the total sum of N175.7

billion as a combination of revenue from the federation account for the state and local governments, as loans borrowed by the regime so far, as savings from ghost workers and pensioners uncovered by this regime, and as internally generated revenue by this regime.

"The point of worry is that much as the N175.7 billion revenue accrued to Imo State within the seven months of this is now known, the whereabouts of that Imo money is not known. It is not clear whether the money has been utilised."

Many Feared Trapped in Another Lagos Collapsed Building Bennett Oghifo An unconfimed number of people were trapped in a three storey building that collapsed yesterday on Cemetery Road,

Ebute Metta, Lagos.

According to eyewitness account, first responders, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority arrived the scene

of the collapsed building located opposite the Health Center at Ebute Metta. The building, which collapsed in the afternoon, housed some shops in addition to residents.

About two weeks ago, another three-storey building collapsed on a Bungalow at Freeman Street, Lagos Island, killing a policewoman and two children.

We Buried Arotile without Autopsy Because Family Did not Ask for it Daramola said the deceased’s parents were satisfied with the way the service handled the incident.

He also disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force had handed over the case file of Arotile to the police for investigation and prosecution of the prime suspect, Nehemiah Adejoh.

The NAF spokesman said: “On the issue of autopsy or otherwise that would have been initiated by the family but based on discussions with them and the fact that witnesses were there at the time she was taken to the Nigerian Air Force hospital in Kaduna, there were no doubts as to the cause of death which was head injury as a result of blunt force trauma caused by the vehicle hitting her from the rear.

“So, in consultation with her family, her father, Akintunde Arotile, said they wanted closure on this matter and that he was comfortable with the Nigerian Air Force’s investigation which, of course, is also being transferred to the police.

“Autopsy was not done because it wasn’t requested, the cause of death was already known based on the investigation and how she was taken to the hospital and the confirmation was made. There were no doubts in that regard and there was no request from the family for that specifically. No autopsy was done.”

According to NAF, Arotile, who was Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, died at the NAF

base, Kaduna, after being hit by a car driven by her former classmate with two others onboard.

Daramola said contrary to claims by a lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), the age of person that drove the car, Nehemiah Adejoh, that knocked down Arotile was not 36 but 24 and was a junior of the deceased in the Nigerian Air Force Secondary School. He said the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps were invited to investigate the incident.

The NAF spokesman said, “First of all, we carried out a preliminary investigation to determine those who were involved, their level of involvement, interviewed witnesses and looked at the scene. That was our own first phase of investigation because it happened on the base.

“The Air Force has its own Air Police Directorate where we have forensic and K9 investigators many of whom are trained in and out of the country. Some of them also trained in police institutions and there is a lot of collaboration between the Nigerian Air Force Air Police Wing and the Nigeria Police. Immediately it occurred, we involved the police.”

Daramola said NAF had concluded its first level of investigation into the incident and would now present the case to the police for further investigation since it involved civilians.

According to him, the police from the Kawo Divisional Police station were involved in the case from the onset.

Continued from Page 5

The NASF spokesman said: according to section 28 of the “In terms of handing over to Road Traffic Law. Speaking on the NAF prelimithe police, the handover will be done today ((Friday); It does not nary findings, which indicated preclude further investigation by that the deceased died of head the police, they will still call all injuries, Daramola stated, “There is the witnesses, and they would a process in terms of investigating still interview everybody and also incidents that occur in the Nigerian Air Force Base. visit the crime scene.

“First of all, we carry out a “From the first day, the traffic officers from Kawo police station preliminary investigation to were invited, an inspector and determine who are involved, two corporals were brought in their level of involvement, to and were able to capture crime interview witnesses, to look at scene evidence that was relevant.” the scene. That is our own first Arotile, 24, Nigeria’s first female stage of investigation, because it combat pilot was knocked down happened on the Base.”

He said the NAF has its own

by Adejoh who was driving a Kia Sorento SUV at the NAF base in Air Police Directorate comprising forensic investigators, who were Kaduna on July 14.

The driver was reportedly trained locally and abroad with reversing the SUV when it hit deep collaborations with the police.

But many Nigerians are callArotile who fell and hit her head on the tarmac. The car also ing for a national inquiry into ran over part of her body after Arotile’s death, stressing that an independent postmortem was also knocking her down.

The Squadron Pilot at the 405 necessary to establish the cause Helicopter Combat Training of death.

Group, Enugu, subsequently CHANGE OF NAME died from loss of blood and known and addressed trauma to the head at the 461 I,as formerly JOHN BRAIMAH PRECIOUS NAF Hospital, Kaduna.

AGBOVOBO .E., now wish to The driver and the other be known and addressed as two occupants of the car, Mr MRS. AKHANEMHE PRECIOUS Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr AGBOVOBO. All former documents remain valid. The general public Festus Gbayegun, all former should take note. schoolmates of the deceased at the Air Force Secondary School Former Name MISS OKULAJA, (now Air Force Comprehensive OLUWABUNMI ESTHER now to be known School) Kaduna, were taken into as MRS ADENIBUYAN OLUWABUNMI ESTHER, the authority of Ondo State custody.

Universal Basic Education Board (Ondo Adejoh may face manslaughter SUBEB) and general public to take note charges and on conviction, is liable and all previous documents remain valid. to seven years imprisonment,

this about the cost of COVID-19 care: Every case is different and it is very difficult to calculate exactly how much managing a COVID-19 patient would cost, but what is clear to us is that when you add up the expenses of maintaining the facility, infrastructure, human resources, feeding and consumables, it costs the government approximately 100,000 naira per day for a non-complicated COVID-19 admission."

Omotoso said "of the 13,835 positive cases identified in Lagos thus far, about 18% equivalent to 2,490 have been admitted into the state’s isolation centres. Of all these patients admitted – about 7% were severe and 1% was critical; that is 8% of total admissions."

An alarmed Information Commissioner cried out that "It has become evident from the subsequent reporting of

the Honourable Commissioner’s comments and answers that there are misunderstandings that require clarification" adding that "Honourable Commissioner gave an indication of the considerations factored into the costing of intensive care, including ventilation, dialysis, intravenous antibiotics, oxygen and other high and intensive care requirements, depending on the complications of the case.

"He went on to estimate the cost of intensive care, which usually requires a longer period of admission, and may range between N500,000 to N1,000,000 per day.

"Unfortunately, certain sections of the press chose to latch on to the figure of N1,000,000 and disregarded the painstaking context that had been provided

by Prof. Abayomi."

N13bn Delta Secretariat Complex Ready in October, Says Okowa Omon-Julius Onabu ÓØ ÝËÌË The multi-billion naira ultramodern Delta State Secretariat Complex in Asaba, the capital, would be ready for inauguration in about three months, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said yesterday after inspecting the massive edifice.

While expressing satisfaction with the level of work on the project despite the delay caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, Okowa urged the contracting firm to sustain the tempo of work on the building complex, which is expected to be a one-stop centre for state ministries, departments and agencies.

The governor appreciated the quality of internal work and finishing of the building and promised to visit the site again in August with a view to ensuring that the project was ready for inauguration and use of the workers as

projected.

All necessary papers relating to logistics and further funding of the complex had been approved, he disclosed, and expressed confidence that the project would be completed on schedule.

On the provision of electricity for the gigantic edifice and other government offices in Asaba, the governor said that government was partnering a private firm to handle the supply, saying that the issue of power would be laid to rest soon so that workers can heave a sigh of relief and work in more comfort.

Conducting the governor round various sections of the edifice, the representative of the contracting firm, Mr. Kester Ifeadi, assured the governor that everything needed for the completion of the project was ready, promising its deliverance before the end of September.

APPOINTMENT Nike Olufade Elected Council Member of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) Mrs. Adenike Olufade has been elected as a Council Member of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN).

She was one of the four elected members inducted into office at a swearing-in ceremony which held at its Annual General Meeting.

The four council members were sworn-in on Thursday, July 16, 2020, following a week-long electronic voting process.

Adenike, a former Executive Director Marketing of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) is currently the CEO/Managing Director of Digimage Consult and the Chairman of the Lagos Island chapter of the NIMN. Adenike, who topped the category with 163 votes, said her goal was to support the NIMN leadership in building an institute that wiould attract the best talent in the marketing

Mrs. Adenike Olufade (fnimn) profession, enhance the skills of existing members and position the NIMN for the challenges in a post Covid era. Other elected council members include; Bewaji Babatunde, a returning council member with 95 votes, Hope Gbagi with 63 votes and Walter Okafor with 74 votes.

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

POLITY

Ugwuanyi Redefining Road Infrastructure in Enugu Joseph Aneke

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hen Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi assumed office as the governor of Enugu State on May 29, 2015, and promised to deliver a new state devoid of political rancour and acrimony, but laced with development in every gamut, many thought he was making a political statement. They likened it to the usual antics where politicians promise to build a bridge where there is no river or even a gully.

However, five years down the line, Gburugburu, as he is fondly called has proved cynics wrong and shown that his words are his bond. First, he coined a slogan, “Enugu is in the hands of God,” to drive home the central message of what his administration represents.

The slogan, which has become a signature tune of all official engagements in the state is not just in words; but also in action, as evidenced by the uncommon peace and massive infrastructural developments that have enveloped the state since he came onboard.

Currently, what catches the fancy of many is Ugwuanyi’s efforts to ensure that as many rural communities as possible are connected by quality roads and bridges. Worthy of mention in this piece also are his efforts to ensure that existing roads in the urban centres are maintained and new ones constructed.

It is clear to every discerning mind that the integrated rural development agenda of Ugwuanyi’s administration is poised to enhance connectivity and access to homes, businesses and communities, as well as stimulate commerce and economic growth in the benefiting communities.

This was clearly demonstrated recently when the former governor of the old Anambra State and Senator, who represented Enugu East Senatorial District, Chief Jim Nwobodo, acknowledged publicly that Ugwuany’s rural road infrastructure has wiped away tears in his eyes and put smiles on the faces of his people in particular, and the entire Enugu people as a whole.

Nwobodo was reacting to the construction of the 14-Bay Bailey Bridge across Nyama River, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amechi Uno/Obeagu communities in Enugu South Local Government Area.

Nwobodo, who spoke during the inauguration of the bridge

by Ugwuanyi, said: “Thank you for this great honour, which you have done to me. I thank you for wiping away my tears. Since 1999, I have never stayed more than two weeks in Enugu, but since this governor came, all that has changed. I have been in Enugu for the past six months because of the peace he has entrenched.”

By constructing that bridge, the former governor confessed that Ugwuanyi had actualised the age-long dream of his people, adding that it was a feat the past governors of the state could not achieve.

Although many people wondered why Ugwuanyi should construct such a bridge in Nwobodo’s senatorial zone when he failed to do that as a governor and even as a senator, those who are

conversant with Ugwuanyi’s style of governance would appreciate the fact that he was not just fulfilling his promise of delivering democracy dividends to every part of the state, he was also responding to his administration’s rural development agenda.. He saw the compelling need to unlock the tremendous opportunities for the benefitting communities and he utilised it as a clairvoyant leader.

Again, Ugwuanyi recently delivered a 13-kilometre Nike Lake Junction, linking Harmony Estate to Amorji Nike and Adoration Centre, through Orie Emene Road. This is happening at a time when most state governors are dropping development projects in their states due to the harsh economic effects of Coronavirus pandemic, which has practically brought the global economy to its knees.

The road which traversed the thick forest of Umuchigbo community in Enugu East Local Government Area of the state, would not only help to reduce the traffic congestion experienced in Abakpa Nike, but also increase the economic development of the area. The road has lined drains and five river crossing, as well as culverts and bridges, linking the busy and thickly populated Abakpa Nike with Emene satellite town.

The road is so strategic that it would open up development at the Harmony Estate as well as provide access to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which is currently undergoing massive rehabilitation.

Even the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Fr. Ejike Mbaka, could not but commend the governor for the project and prayed that God would continue to increase his wisdom to enable him to work for the people of the state. “The road passed through a thick forest, and it is only a governor, who has a political will to work for his people that could do what Ugwuanyi did,” Mbaka said.

The governor has also, within the last few months, transformed the university town of Nsukka into an urban city. All the major roads leading into and out of the town have been dualised with street lights lining most of them.

It is also important to note that the Enugu State Government under Ugwuanyi has successfully keyed into the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP); a project specifically designed by the Federal Government to improve the ease of transportation and bring sustained access to the rural population through rehabilitation and maintenance of key rural roads in selected states in the country. Enugu is one of the states that are successfully implementing the project, which is jointly sponsored by the World Bank and the French Development Agency.

Ugwuanyi approved the release of over N4.2 billion as its counterpart fund payment in the first phase of the project which involved nine rural roads totaling 115.36km in the state. This is in addition to another rural road project in the state known as the Community Based Road Maintenance and Annual Mechanised Maintenance, which has already mapped out plans to rehabilitate 49.8km of rural roads.

The nine roads under the RAMP include Abor Road, EgedeAwhum Road, St. Mary Ngwo-Nsude Road, Ugwuoba-Nkwere

Ugwuanyi Inyi-Inyi Road, and UNTH-Enugu Agu-Ndiagu-UmuaniaguObe-Amurri road. Others are Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti Road, Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani Road; IkwokaAmagu-Ajuona-Akabusiyi Obimo Road as well as Adani-AsabaIgga-Ojjor Road.

Acursory look at the above rural roads would seem as if the governor is giving undue advantage to some communities but that is very far from the truth. Gburugburu is a governor that spreads infrastructural development, particularly rural roads, to every part of the state irrespective of party leaning or ancestral lineage. He attends to the needs of a particular community or section of the state depending on how such projects impact the lives of the people in such areas.

On that score, the state Executive Council recently awarded contracts for more infrastructural developments in the urban and rural areas, worth over N1.1 billion. Top on the list of road projects awarded for construction and rehabilitation is the construction of phase III Amokwe Road in Udi Local Government Area, starting from Udi Station through Ibuzo Amokwe to Amokwe Station Road. Others include the extension of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ezi Ukehe-Afia Four-Umurusi-Major General Ezugwu HouseUmuoka Junction Road in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area, the construction/rehabilitation of Ojoto Crescent, Trans Ekulu, Enugu; the reconstruction of Brown and Brown Crescent, Independence Layout, Enugu; completion of internal roads at Diamond City Estate, GRA, Enugu; as well as the completion of Ozidem-NroboAbbi-Nimbo Road in Uzo Uwani LGA. Ugwuanyi is indeed, God’s sent to Enugu people, and like he has always said: “Enugu is truly in the hands of God.” ––Aneke writes from Coal Camp, Enugu.

EFCC Chairmanship: Southerners Need Not Apply Pascal Ikwudi

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lthough the phrase “Need not apply”, is used in classified adverts, window of a shop, etc. to make clear what an undesired group that needn’t bother applying for a job, historically, it was popularised by the discriminations against the Irish code-named NINA (No Irish Need Apply), which inspired the 1862 song “No Irish Need Apply”. The lyrics of that song were subsequently adapted to reflect the discrimination the Irish felt in America.

This has largely been the lot of southern Nigerians. While on the average a Nigerian leader of southern extraction would like to balance things out and on merit, such gestures are hardly ever reciprocated whenever the North has the power. Even those of us in the private sector were always advised to get anAlhaji as a Director in our companies in order to be able to land government contracts and patronage, especially in those years of military regimes. But, certainly, the South has not had it this rough as currently obtained under the President Muhmmadu Buhari civilian administration. Merit, integrity, and competence are banally sacrificed on the alters of crass prejudice and nepotism.

In Nigeria today, it appears that to be a Southerner is to be on the wrong side of the Niger in a nation that should be bound in freedom, peace, and unity, as our national anthem exhorts. In June this year, Chief Edwin Clarke had in June 2020 written an open letter to President Buhari entitled “Let’s Call a Spade a Spade”, wherein he called him out over what he considered nepostistic mistreatments of South South indigenes even in the oil industry sustained by resources from the Niger Delta.

The fault lines and discriminations have become so predictable and aggravated that the leaders of Southern Nigeria had to drag the President before the courts in a N50 billion suit as last resort after all entreaties to the President fell on deaf ears. In the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/595/2020, and filed at the Federal High Court inAbuja on June 8, 2020, the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clarke; theAfenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti; President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr John Nwodo; a leader of the Middle Belt people, Dr Pogu Bitrus; and

ChiefAyoAdebanjo,Alaowei Bozimo, Mrs. Sarah Doketri, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife,Air Commodore Idongsit Nkanga, etc. also urged the court to order Buhari to reverse “the lopsided appointments complained about in the security und quasi-security agencies and immediately take steps to appoint persons from other states and geopolitical zones in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

However, if the names being mentioned since the reports on theAttorney General of the Federation’s memo to President Buhari, which put the “former” Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on high jump hit the newsstand are anything to go by, then it does not appear the President cares a hoot about the litigation or sensibilities of the South.

By the way, the EFCC appears to be a patrimony of the North, especially the North East of Nigeria, as no southerner has headed the Commission either in acting or substantive capacity since its establishment in 2003 till date. It is noteworthy that although the EFCC was founded under the presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a southerner, he appointed Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, a northerner from Adamawa, North East, as the pioneer Chairman.

When the late President Musa Yar’Adua became President in 2007, he relived Ribadu of the position in 2008. He appointed Mrs. Farida Waziri, who hails from Gombe State, North East Nigeria, as Ribadu’s successor in May 2008.

Upon the coming into office of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from the South, sacked Farida Waziri in November 2011 and appointed Ibrahim Lamorde asActing Chairman on the same 23rd November 2011. Ibrahim Lamorde hails fromAdamawa State, North East Nigeria. Nevertheless, Jonathan nominated him to the Senate for confirmation and the Upper Chamber confirmed Lamorde was as Chairman on 15th February 2012.

However, few months after he assumed office in May 2015, President Buhari gave Lamorde the boot on 9th November 2015 and appointed Magun inActing capacity. Magun also hails from the North East, Borno State to be specific. He has been in acting capacity amid controversies despite his rejection by the Senate twice.

Normally, you would therefore expect Buhari to appoint Magun’s successor from the south since the position has been resident in the

North for almost 20 years. But as I said earlier, if the names being bandied in the media are anything to go by, it can be said that as far as the President and his kitchen cabinet are concerned, southerners need not apply, for the President is not looking their way.

According to a 22nd June report by Vanguard newspaper, top on the list of those allegedly being considered by Buhari is Mr. Mohammed Sani Usman, a retired Deputy Inspector-General, DIG, of Police.

Next is the current FCT Police Commissioner, CP, Mr. Bala Ciroma, who had a stint at the EFCC previously as Head of Operations.

Also mentioned is a retiredAssistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, from Kebbi State.Although the name of Ms. Diseye NsirimPoweigba, a retired Commissioner of Police, was reportedly also sent to him for vetting, subsequent report said that the name was a “No, no” for the President for obvious reasons. But of all these names, CP Bala Ciroma’s name appear to be the loudest.

Currently, the President has appointed the Director of Operations at EFCC, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mohammed Umar, to oversee the affairs of the Commission reported to hold sway at the Commission in acting capacity, while 12 Directors, in addition to the Commission Secretary, Olanipekun Olukayode, have all been suspended. It is quite ironical, but typical of the Buhari administration, to not only save the head of Director of Operations, Umar, who should know the in and out of the operations of the agency under Magun, but also went ahead to ask him to put him at the helms of the Commission.

Again, even if by any magic Umar is not confirmed as a substantive Chairman, it is quite predictable going by the bandied names, Buhari’s body language, and his well-known antecedents, that it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a Southerner to succeed Magun.

There appears to be a sacred code – SNNA(Southerners Need Not Apply) as far as the EFCC and other GradeAMinistries, Departments andAgencies (MDAs) are concerned in this Buhari adminstration.

Well-qualified, educated, competent people and citizens of outstanding integrity can only be found North of the Niger. But let us not forget, Buhari belongs to nobody and he belongs to everybody. This is the tragedy of a nation.

––––Ikwudi writes from Owerri

17

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

POLITY

NEMA Releases Ogbonna-Erondu Delighted with Official Portrait Contributions of Abia Diasporans of DG Bennett Oghifo

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DG NEMA, Muhammed

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he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has released the official portrait of its Director-General, Air Vice-Marshal Muhammadu A. Muhammed (rtd), who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 30th April 2020.

The DG formally assumed duties on 5th May 2020 and has since begun to put in place modalities and processes essential to properly position the agency to effectively and efficiently deliver on its statutory mandates vis-a-vis disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response in Nigeria.

Muhammed comes with a wealth of experience serving in various capacities in the Nigerian Air Force and public service, including as Chief of Policy and Plans at the Nigerian Airforce before his retirement.

He holds a BSc in Political Science/MSc in Strategic Studies and is decorated with the medals of General Service Star, Pass Staff College and Fellow Defence College among others.

he Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Diaspora Matters and Special Duties, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, has expressed joy with the progress Abia Diasporans all over the world are making by working together and contributing to Abia State development.

Speaking in Newark, NJ in the United States on the eve of the 2020 National Diaspora Day, the Special Adviser commended the spirit and devotion of Abia Diasporans and their commitment to support the Abia State government in various developmental programmes.

She highlighted some of the activities and accomplishments since her appointment about a year ago that include: acquisition and establishment of the Diaspora office at the Government House in Umuahia; resettlement and retraining of Abia returnees from South Africa; donation of medical equipment and supplies worth over N180 million; multiple medical missions; donation of school supplies and various educational materials, including sanitary pads; and establishment of scholarships for tertiary education for Abia State scholars. She also commended Abia Diasporans for their community spirit and praised their responses both individually and as organisations in the fight against Covid-19 in Abia State.

The Special Adviser recalled how the Diasporans have complemented the efforts of the state government by engaging in a number of initiatives such as: sharing their expertise in infectious diseases and epidemiology; providing educational services; providing PPEs to the state isolation centers; and donating cash, food supplies and other relief items to their communities.

Ogbonna-Erondu applauded the introduction of Abians in Diaspora Commission Bill (H.A.B. 21 of 2020) which has gone through the second

reading in the Abia State House of Assembly.

She also thanked the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and members of the Abia House of Assembly, especially the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji; the Majority Leader, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu and the sponsors of the bill: Hon. Mike Ukoha, the Minority Whip and Hon. Stanley Nwabuisi.

She expressed her optimism that the bill, when fully passed, would fulfil the key objective of promoting and establishing a true partnership between Abians in Diaspora and those at home for the development of the state.

The Special Adviser acknowledged that the unwavering support and encouragement of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and his government facilitated these contributions.

She thanked the governor for his willingness and openness in working with Diasporans for the good of the state.

She also commended the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCom), Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for her unrelenting effort to galvanise and organise Nigerian Diasporans all over the world as partners in the development of the country.

Finally, she implored Abia Diasporans to continue working hard in their various fields and to always project a good image of the state and country abroad.

She happily recalled conversations with Abia Diasporans in a number of countries such as USA, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, China, Belgium, South Africa, Ghana, UK and the Netherlands, which she said revealed their keen interest in the development of Abia state.

She reminded Abia Diasporans everywhere that a lot remained to be done in the state, and that “while we can always criticise and identify problems, it would be more useful for Diasporans to spend their energy in finding meaningful ways to contribute to Abia development no matter how small.”

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Amber energy drink sales representatives displaying their new product to commuters entering BRT in Lagos...recently

L-R: Deputy Commissioner of Police (State CID), Amaechi Oliver; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Finance and Administration), DCP John Ayuba Babangida jointly receiving a Hilux van from Ekiti State First Lady and Chair, Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi for the use of the state Juvenile and Women Centre in Ado-Ekiti...recently

L-R: Head, Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Dr. Demola Sogunle; Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health L-R: Yoruba Leader, Auto Spare Parts and Machine Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Alhaji Ibrahim Olaleye; and Incident Manager, PHEDC, COVID-19 Response, Lagos State, Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam; Technical Consultant, Treasurer, Chief David Ajisafe; Member, Mr. Nurudeen Adeniye; and Chairman, Yoruba Forum, Mr. Akin Ola- Biosecurity, Lagos State and Global Executive Secretary, GET Consortium, Dr Babatunde Saka; and Director, tunde, during a press conference to protest the marginalisation of Yoruba traders in the management of ASP- Lagos State Biobank of Consultant Clinical Microbiology, Dr Bamidele Mutiu, during the donation of COVID-19 MDA Market affairs in Lagos...recently Test Kits to Lagos State at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba , Lagos...recently

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

TRIBUTE/POLITY

ObaLawalat50:LifeDedicatedtoExcellence Tosin Clegg

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popular and riveting quote says, “Excellence is not a destination; it’s a continuous journey that never ends”.

It takes a life dedicated to service and serving to live beyond the now, thinking, dreaming, planning and actualising a set goal or objective. This is the summary of a life voraciously given to excellence and service. This is the life of His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal.

His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal was crowned the 15th Oniru of Iru Kingdom on the 7th of June 2020. Prior to his monarchical appointment, Oba Lawal has been active on critical leadership positions both in the private and public sectors, preparing him to stir up notable shifts and acceptable standards for human development.

In the public sector, he served as a three-time Commissioner in Lagos State, firstly as Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives from July 2011 – May 2015; Commissioner for Housing, October 2015 – May 2019; and from August 2019 untill his coronation, Commissioner for Agriculture.

During his service in the agriculture sector, his notable interventions included: the initiation and development of the 5-year Agricultural Roadmap for the State (2020 – 2025), he also initiated the first Agricultural Stakeholders Summit, introduced the Lagos Agriprenuership Programme, initiated the Eko City Farmers’ market, the Annual Agric Value-Chain Empowerment Programme, Annual Lagos Seafood Festival, Eko Live Animal Transport Project and Lagos Urban Forest Animal Welfare Centre project, supervised and managed over 10,000 cooperative societies with a member strength of one million persons, spread across public and private organisations with an asset base of over N60 billion, amongst other meritorious and ground-breaking interventions.

In the housing sector, he established the Rent-to-Own home ownership scheme; the Master Craftsman Initiative for Artisans; pioneered the 4-in-14 days bungalow housing development from substructure to completion and, introduced the Lagos Affordable Public Housing (LAPH) initiative to encourage joint venture between the private sector Oba Lawal and the State government in the provision of houses initiated policies Plc, Dr. Rotimi Fashola, expressed his delight working alongside Oba Lawal to achieve the various initiatives he headlined while in office. that would boost and support residential mortgage markets.

“I have known him for over a decade and he is such a beautiful soul.

Other positions of experience and service for Oba Lawal includes Oba Lawal is a very determined person and one of the very few you being on the board of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund from have in public offices who would go to any length to achieve desired 2011-2019; Senior Special Assistant (Special Projects) to the Governor results. His kind is rare and I am impressed with the level of commitof Lagos State (December 2008 – July 2011), Escort Commander to ment and renewed zeal he brought to projects while in service to the the Governor of Lagos State, Superintendent of Police (rtd), Nigeria government,” he said.

Police force, amongst others across private and public roles.

“At 50, Oba Lawal is just starting life. He is very intelligent, gentle, In his dedicated service to humanity, Oba Lawal also received accommodating and niche builder who did so well during his sernumerous awards and accolades, particularly in recognition of vice to the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture. The people of Oniru his doggedness, creativity, and unflinching commitment towards kingdom must be proud to have a rare gem like Oba Lawal leading discharging his duties. the community with his wealth of experience,” Fashola added.

Ascending the throne of his forebears, as the Oniru of Iru To Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo, a Judge at the High Court of Lagos, Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Oba Lawal is well prepared to lead Iru Kingdom to greater heights.

Lawal clocked the golden age of 50 yesterday. As it is customary for “To have come out with the best results at the Police Academy friends, relatives and associates of people with unblemished and stellar records in private and public offices, multitudes celebrated the and being the Aide de Camp (ADC) in the most vibrant state in the country prepared him for this assignment. Also, his having a monarch on his birthday.

Master’s degree in conflict resolution, which is key to the throne, has Commenting on the competence and determination of Oba Lawal as a public office holder, Team Head, Projects, Elephant Group uniquely placed him in the right position to lead. Imagine, he did all

of these without knowing he is preparing for this position, so his training dovetailed to ascending the throne,” Justice Akapo said.

He added; “He has acquired a lot of connections, skills, intellect and experience in conflict resolution. Obaship is a local administration and he has been involved in government administration, so having been in governance at the state level that will make it a straight part for him to rule Iru land.”

For Oba Lawal, who graduated with one of the best results from the Nigerian Police Academy, it is safe to say he spent quality time reading through pages of printed materials, quality books and other forms of developmental materials to increase his wealth of knowledge.

This fact was corroborated by the Executive Director, Page Financials International Services Limited, Mr. Remi Ogunsipe who admitted the easiest of gifts to pick for the monarch on his birthday are books.

“You can call him bookworm and you are right. There are times I spend Sundays at his place where we talk through books, politics, personal development and a lot of other things,” Ogunsipe said.

“He is actually driven by intellectual conservations. You can discuss any issue with him, and he would gladly hold a conversation because he must have either read about it or had a close experience, he can share. He is one of the humblest beings I have met and doesn’t hold grudges irrespective of your pedigree.”

Extolling the visionary qualities and competence of Oba Lawal, Mrs. Dorothy Obata, Head Business Development, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), said; “HRM Oba Lawal is a person of many qualities, yet humble and accessible; soft-spoken but articulate; he thinks about the people all the time. He is a visionary, always thinking of ways to make a difference and indeed makes a difference anywhere he leads. I saw evidences of this when he was Honourable Commissioner in the Ministry of Housing and then briefly in the Ministry of Agriculture. I am happy for the people of Iruland because they have a ruler who will take them to higher levels of development in every sphere.”

Femi Okuyelu, Country Manager, Ferratum Money, Nigeria and Laotan Olamuyiwa, Chief Executive Officer, Folham NIG Limited, are appreciative of Oba Lawal for his youth and agricultural driven schemes. According to Okuyelu, “HRM Oba Lawal has been a good mentor and role model. He has a sincere passion for youth development and empowerment. This is often reflected in his choice of projects. Agood example is Agriculture, an objective to make young agripreneurs self-respecting and prosperous owners of their own farming enterprises.”

On the other hand, Laotan Olamuyiwa said; “He takes personal interest in intellectual development and has a compassionate commitment in making Iru an enviable kingdom. He is quite knowledgeable with a continuous quest for learning.”

With a robust level of experience and active service in key sectors of the economy, it would not be far-fetched to say that Iru kingdom is about to witness one of the most unprecedented developments directly under a monarch. Many theories of development have affirmed that development thrives on ideas but more important is the fact that ideas are not self-applying, individuals will have to drive them. To be able to do this, such individuals - the drivers of development - must first be refined and possess key indicators that they also have internalised at a personal level. HRM Oba Gbolahan has been refined for delivery of excellence and groundbreaking achievements.

Government Robbery is the New Norm Eddie Mbadiwe

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veryday Nigerians wake up with a jolt. All you have to do is pick up the papers or listen to the radio and the rest of your day is almost ruined This piece is not about Magu neither is about the horrendous billions been flung around at NNDC. My advice if you must read the papers is that you do so after your dinner so that your digestive system can try to settle the imbalance before you sleep.

Corruption is endemic and systemic in Nigeria. The system that cannot police itself is fit for rubbish bin but what is the replacement? Magu was placed in an outfit that is recovering billions of dollars, pounds in Nigeria and abroad and we are so naïve to believe he will just hand it all over. What is his salary as a policeman? We are all jokers and Magu is a victim of the Nigerian system which cannot place enough road blocks for checks and balances. The endemic and systemic nature of corruption in Nigeria can be compared to a patient who has frequent crises from has sickle cell anaemia. Long term relief is only possible by blood transfusion. The question is how do you transfuse a nation?

I had in a previous contribution canvassed setting up of anti-corruption court at two levels. Primary court and appeal court level. These courts will have people of proven integrity to try, confiscate and imprison people who have looted the nations treasury. They will impose punitive jail sentences. The

instruments setting them up will exclude all the frills of regular courts where trials can go on for twelve years. They will be known as The Peoples Courts.

I remember the biblical story when a woman of easy virtue was brought before Christ and the question after her accusers had disappeared became, who will cast the first stone? We live in a country where if you have a government appointment, the first advice you get is where the stealing escape routes are in the system are buried. If by the time you serve out your term and you have not emptied the treasury, they call you a “proper bloody fool.”

Two Christmas ago, two Reverend Fathers were looking for me. They were not from my parish. They drove past my house three times after the villagers had pointed it out to them.

Eventually when they located me, the first thing one of them said was “ Honourable, this cannot be your house” I wanted to know why. The house is a bungalow and he said every person who has been to parliament from this constituency built a mighty mansion. I only looked at them and did not say a word. The people of Nigeria need serious re-orientation and possibly psychiatric treatment. We cannot escape it but there is an urgent need for this country to have a permanent Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Anyone who cannot explain their sources of wealth must forfeit them to a common wealth and also go to prison. If we do not do this, future generations will exhume dead people, try them and still punish them.

This country has to be run with Truth. Truth is colourless, and

works in a straight line. Even if you step on its neck, it will refuse to die.

The other danger of corruption is that people are no longer prepared to work hard for if you can find your way to be a Director General of a parastatal or ministry, you simply have to know how to fiddle with vouchers and then retire early and find a safe haven to deposit your loot. People have retired at grade level 16 and then came out to build estates.

It is not just stealing money that is corruption. There are other forms.

When we make appointments not minding the federal character law and skew all of them in one direction that is to my states or my relations only, that is tantamount to the mother of all corruption and is a crime. By this action you kill all incentive and the zeal to excel. You are also killing the nation. More than sixty years after and independence, Nigeria is still waffling and wobbling. We pull the black man backwards because whatever we do here reflects directly on every black person. You may end up producing a nation of semi-idiots inadvertently.

This bare faced corruption attempts to circumvent natural laws of growth and it must therefore must fail.

This AUGEON STABLE has to be cleansed one way or the other. There is currently something trending on the social media called “In Nigeria” let me leave you with it. “in Nigeria, the population of people wanting to steal is higher than the population of people stealing. We are in trouble.

Rt. Hon. Dr Eddie Mbadiwe writes from Abuja

SATURDAY JULY 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

AUTO Coscharis Group Upgrades Online Platforms Across Brands, Subsidiaries

The new Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 4MATIC+

New Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 4MATIC+ Compact SUV for Any Lifestyle Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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brisk lap of the race circuit or a weekend trip to the mountains with your sports gear stowed in the back: the new GLA 45 4MATIC+ (combined fuel consumption 9.2-9.1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions 211-209 g/km)1 and GLA 45 S 4MATIC+ (combined fuel consumption 9.3-9.2 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions 212-210 g/ km) are the assured masters of a multitude of disciplines. When required, these compact allrounders can unleash a level of dynamic handling to impress even sports car owners. The 2.0-litre engine is the most powerful series-produced four-cylinder turbo engine and is available in two output and torque versions. Even the base model delivering 285 kW (387 hp) is more powerful than the previous model. The S-variant rated at 310 kW (421 hp) jostles with considerably higher vehicle classes. The active, fully-variable AMG

Performance4MATIC+all-wheeldrivedistributes the power to the rear axle wheel-selectively by AMG TORQUE CONTROL, so providing the basis for top traction in any driving conditions.

The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 8G dual clutch transmission apportions the power within a split second to suit the specific driving situation.

One new feature which makes a substantial contribution to the incomparable driving experience is the active, fully variableAMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive: this system offers selective power distribution to the wheels on the rear axle via AMG TORQUE CONTROL. This means that the power is distributed to the left and right rear wheels flexibly and at different ratios, according to the given driving situation – resulting in optimum traction, whatever the road surface conditions and whatever course the route takes. This made possible by a redesigned rear axle differential featuring two multi-disc clutches, which selectively provide the flow of power to each individual rear wheel.

New four-cylinder turbo engine delivering superlative power With an output of up to 310 kW (421 hp), the completely new Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre engine is currently the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder manufactured for series production. Mercedes-AMG has improved on the output of the preceding engine by 30 kW (40 hp). Maximum torque has also increased, from 475 to as much as 500 newton metres.

The four-cylinder engine delivers extremely agile drive power in two output ratings: with 310 kW (421 hp) as the S-Model and with 285 kW (387 hp) in the base version. The new compact sports cars absolve the sprint from zero to 100 km/h in record time: the GLA 45 S 4MATIC+ requires just 4.3 seconds, while the base model GLA 45 4MATIC+ gets up to speed in 4.4 seconds. The top speed of the base model is electronically limited to 250 km/h, while the S-Model is allowed to leave the factory with a top speed of 270 km/h.

Amber BRT Initiative Launched to Ease Commuting in Lagos

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mber BRT, an initiative to ease commuting in Lagos, has been launched by a private company, Amber Energy Drinks Ltd., as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Officials of the company said in a statement that the free bus ride initiative, which coincides with the launch of their Amber Energy Drinks, was in recognition of the fact that commuting in Lagos State could be “hellish and sometimes nightmarish for residents with the ever increasing population on a daily basis.”

The statement said Amber Energy drink has put in place a well- co-ordinated plan with the respective transport authorities such that is required by “members of the public is to buy a Can of the drink at BRT bus terminals or yellow buses garages and parks in the city and get a BRT ticket for free. The Can as the automatic passport gives the commuter free entrance into the BRT buses or the conventional popular Lagos yellow buses, depending on destination for a smooth relief and jolly ride between 4pm-6pm Mondays-Friday every week at work close.”

According to the statement, “Selected bus terminals that have become the epicenter of Amber Energy drink free bus ride with fanfare are; Leventis, CMS, Oyingbo, Fadeyi, Maryland, and Ojota. (This runs Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for BRT buses) while Oshodi, Obalende, Marina, Ojuelegba and CMS (runs Wednesdays and Fridays) for the conventional Lagos yellow buses. At these locations and on those days, the sight to behold is Amber Energy drink brand ambassadors beautifully clad in the branded T-shirts on

Ticketing at Amber BRT initiative

black pants interacting and sharing the tickets to consumers for a rewarding and enriching Amber experience.” Upon buying a Can of the much sought after energy drink, commuters take their seats inside the BRT buses as they savor the unique taste of the refreshing black, slim, sleek energy drink with natural caffeine and essential vitamins. It is not only filling, nourishing and stimulating, but pleasantly fun and appealing.

The General Manager of Amber Energy Drink

Ltd, Ms. Lola Adedeji said, “For us at Amber Energy Drinks Ltd, we have done everything possible, even what other companies cannot do to satisfy and meet our consumers’ needs and demands”. Her words, “We have taken our time not just to study the market but also who our consumers are and what they will need, and have decided that at every step on the way, Amber will meet the needs of its consumers, so, it is so much fun and many wonders are still coming from the Amber Energy world!.”

Coscharis Group recently upgrade its Corporate and Brand Portfolio’s digital platforms in order to reposition its mode of doing business now and in the nearest future especially given business trends in the post COVID 19 era in Nigeria. Subsequently, the company has broadened its social media channels and interactivity of its respective websites to be more customer-centric.

The Group’s objective is to bridge the gap that is being created by the expectation that a chunk of our business relationship management will be transacted through digital strategies going forward.

According to Abiona Babarinde, General Manager, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, it is imperative that any business planning to remain relevant must key into the digital divide especially to be able to reach the growing aspiration generation on the one hand and the now teeming target market traversing into the digital platform given the COVID-19 saga.

Furthermore, the General Manager stated that these channels are geared toward enabling customers, prospects, and aspirers to engage with our brands from the comfort of their homes.

To ensure engagement, the self-help feature has been upgraded on the corporate website to enable visitors remotely reach out to us and receive immediate feedback. In addition, each brand now has its bespoke website aside the Coscharis group website. This makes tailored searches easier especially since you can link back and forth from the website to the social media page.

Customers, prospects and aspirers are encouraged to follow these handles as we intend to push a lot of sales, service and lifestyle offers via these platforms. “It is an opportunity for followers to get fresh updates and rewards from our respective brands as well as useful management insights from the President of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka.”

PAN Nigeria Limited Begins Production of Higer Bus PAN Nigeria Limited has started the production of Higer Bus in its plant in Kaduna, following the recent partnership between it and Higer Bus Company Limited of China.

PAN Nigeria is the foremost multi-brand automobile manufacturer and assembler in the country and Higer Bus Company, established in 1998, is China’s leading exporter of buses and coaches. The Higer company’s vehicles are available in more than 100 countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, according to a statement by PAN Nigeria’s Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Oladeji Victor Bamidele.

The models to be produced in Nigeria are Higer H5C 16-seats, Higer H6C 19-seats and Higer Ambulance. The vehicles, useful for mass transit, transportation of school children, and ambulance services, started rolling off the company’s assembly lines in Kaduna in December 2019. The partnership also enables the delivery of city buses for mass intra-city bus services.

The Higer Bus comes with features such as Charging ports for all passengers/occupants, park-assist, rear camera, DVD/15’ LCD Display for passengers as well as spacious leg and head room. In addition, the HigerAmbulance is fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment such as suction catheters, stretcher belts and anatomical mattress, silicon resuscitators with mask, pulse oximeter, digital thermometer, 2kg fire extinguisher, automatic loading stretcher, scoop stretcher, AC/DC electronic suction machine, and oxygen regulator, among others.

The Managing Director of the Company, Mr. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, said, “PAN Nigeria has a long rich history in the production of quality vehicles in Nigeria, which have proved to be durable and high performing.

Some of the station wagon ambulances that we produced as far back as the 1980s are still being operated by some hospitals in urban and rural communities throughout the country.

The Higer Ambulance and transport buses will follow this proud tradition of durability and quality.”

Mohammed added that, “With the recent Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, hospitals and other health establishments, along with their doctors, nurses and other personnel are currently going through trying times.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Timeless Kate Henshaw Yemi Alade Stars in Beyonce’s ‘Black is King’ pg. 23

Adefeso Breaks Down for Tamar Braxton pg. 24

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Timeless Kate Henshaw Veteran Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw celebrated 49th birthday last Sunday and she ‘slayed’, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Kate Henshaw

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he may not cut the image of someone in this age bracket; believe it or not, screen diva Kate Henshaw is 49. The veteran Nollywood actress celebrated her birthday last Sunday, and she slayed! In the mood of celebration, the fitness enthusiast and brand influencer shared stunning images from her birthday shoot session with celebrity photographer, Busola Dakolo.

Kate, the ever smiling lady is a bundle of energy in the behind-the-scene video she shared from the shoot. She looks ravishing as she seems to have rolled back the clock.

The ageless beauty who rules Nollywood showed off her toned shape, looking years younger than she is in the series of posts via her Instagram page. The actress used the opportunity to appreciate God for His unfailing

love and palpable favour over her.

She admits that she is not perfect but God perfects all that concerns her. She captioned one the post “Your unfailing love for me and your favour over me is palpable. I am grateful to Almighty God for adding another year to me. Not that I am perfect but you perfect all that concerns me…..”

Her comments section poured with love and affection from her friends, fans and colleagues. In another, the sweet single mother of one expressed gratitude to her friends and fans for showering her with love on her birthday. “Every blessed year, I am blown over, humbled, and truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers you send my way. For everyone who commented, liked my pictures, called, texted, DMd, Storied, Feed, sang, exposed me with their posts (you know yourselves)…. my heart is still singing

songs of joy. My God will honour you.

“My God will show up for you before you ask Him to. Tears of joy, peace unbridled will be your portion. Blessings in things money can and cannot buy will be yours. You will be a blessing and be blessed even in this year 2020 because it costs God nothing to turn things around in the twinkle of an eye.

Lots of love to you all…”

At 49, a consistent workout routine is one of the secrets to her ageless looks.

Kate is a gym addict who makes working out seams easy and with a body like hers; you can pretty much wear whatever you like.

From when Henshaw made her debut in 1993 in the movie, “When The Sun Sets”, earning a paltry N35, 000, the famous Nollywood actress, model, television personality, and entrepreneur, has always blown the hearts of many with her talent and skills

in interpreting roles. She didn’t think about becoming an actress until 1993 when she participated in her every first audition and got her first role. This, to her surprise, gave her a lead role. This was the first time she appeared in a big movie in Nollywood.

Even though the role was regarded as not a huge success for her, it actually marked the beginning of her career.

Eventually, she grew into a big star that she is now. In 2008 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the film Stronger Than Pain.

In the pipeline for the actress is an untitled Nigerian Netflix Original, directed by filmmaker Akin Omotoso, starring Kate Henshaw, Ade Layoe, Richard Mofe Damijo, Joke Silva, amongst others. This six-part series, announced in February, is set in contemporary Nigeria and shot in Lagos.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Yemi Alade Stars in Beyonce’s ‘Black is King’ Beyoncé’s visual Album “Black is King” unleashes extended trailer, starring Yemi Alade, Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong’o, and more. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

Yemi Alade (3rd right) with Beyonce (4th right) an other ‘Black is King’ artistes

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merican singer, Beyonce Knowles has unveiled a second trailer for ‘Black Is King’, her new visual album that will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on July 31. The film is an adaptation of the music from her album, “The Lion King: The Gift,” and is set to arrive two weeks after the one-year anniversary of The Lion King’s live-action release. According to Disney, Black is King “reimagines the lessons from the 2019 blockbuster for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns, inspired by “The Lion King: The Gift” album which featured African artistes.

Last month, the 24-time Grammy winner announced her new visual album “Black Is King” with the release of its first trailer, written, directed, and executive-produced

by Beyoncé herself. After the release, people, especially from the black community had expressed varying opinions on how Africa was portrayed in the visual album which forced her to make another trailer, featuring appearances from Beyonce’s husband and collaborator Jay-Z; fellow Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland; Bey’s mother Tina Knowles-Lawson; actor Lupita Nyong’o;

supermodels Naomi Campbell, Aweng Ade-Chuol, Adut Akech and more.

The film album will also feature guest artistes who appeared on the record, including Nigeria’s Yemi Alade, South Africa’s Busiswa Gqulu, and many more. In addition to its July 31st debut on Disney+, the project also secured a distribution deal with DStv that will allow viewing for those on the African continent. This includes South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gabon, Cape Verde, and more.

Beyonce’s music and her thought-provoking, cinematic visuals are in sync with her black ideology. Following the success and impact of works like 2006’s B-Day video anthology, her self-titled surprise album in 2013, the massively-acclaimed Lemonade on HBO in 2016, and the exquisite 2019 Coachella documentary Homecoming, ‘Black is King’ continues the epic saga she’s been building with The Lion King. The new visual album is about to take viewers on a journey, displaying Black resilience, excellence and beauty.

“Life is a set of choices. Lead or be led astray,” Beyoncé warns as quick glimpses of a

young king growing up and finding himself while navigating a tough life flash through the official trailer. Disney has previously said of the film: “The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honored in a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity. His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.”

At one minute and 22 seconds, the “Black is King” trailer shows some of Beyoncé’s famous friends and family, including Naomi Campbell dressed in white, rocking her signature long straight tresses, Mama Tina Knowles and Kelly Rowland enjoying themselves during a vibrant tea party, and Lupita Nyong’o striking a pose. In a teaser trailer shared in June, Beyoncé referred to “Black is King” as “a labor of love” and reflected what it’s been like spending the past year “filming, researching and editing day and night” to complete the “passion project.”

“I spent a lot of time exploring and absorbing the lessons of past generations and the rich history of different African customs.

While working on this film, there were moments where I’ve felt overwhelmed, like

many others on my creative team, but it was important to create a film that instills pride and knowledge,” she explained.

In addition to voicing a key character in the 2019 update to the classic story, the Grammy Award-winning artiste also produced and curated the film’s accompanying soundtrack titled “The Lion King: The Gift.” The album, which married the styles of Black and African music and artistes, received positive reviews from both critics and fans.

Fans will easily be able to recognize quotes from Simba and Scar in the new trailer, and the vivid cinematography and styling mirrors Beyoncé’s “Spirit” and “Bigger” music videos from the Lion King soundtrack. According to the press release, the visual album was filmed in New York, Los Angeles, South Africa, West Africa, London, and Belgium.

Beyonce is credited as writer, director and executive producer on ‘Black Is King’.

Collaborators on the project include Bey’s frequent music video director Jake Nava, Pierre Debusschere, “This Is America” creative director Ibra Ake, filmmakers Blitz Bazawule, Emmanuel Adjei, Dikayl Rimmasch and Nigerian Jenn Nkiru. Popular Nigerian music video director, Meji Alabi, is also said to be among those who worked on the new project.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˛ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Adefeso Breaks Down for Tamar Braxton David Adefeso, the Nigerian boyfriend of American reality/ music star, Tamar Braxton, is battling emotional trauma following Tamar’s suicide attempt, reports Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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n audio of a call for help to save the life of America’s reality star Tamar Braxton on July 16 has revealed that her Nigerian boyfriend, David Adefeso broke down in tears when he found Tamar unconscious after a suicide attempt.

In the wake of her medical emergency call released on Monday, Adefeso told a dispatch paramedic: “She’s been drinking and she’s on medication for depression.”

According to reports, the reality star was staying with her boyfriend at the Ritz Carlton in downtown LA when the incident occurred. The 43-yearold was then rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles.

In the touching audio, Adefeso suggested that she was having issues with the TV network that airs her reality show. He told a dispatch paramedic: “She was very angry earlier on. She’s had trouble with the network, the company she’s working with, and they did something today.”

Financial expert, Adefeso and the singer/actress, Braxton have been in a relationship for two years.

At one point, he was then heard crying uncontrollably as he waits for an ambulance to arrive and says: “And it’s come to this. They’ve taken away her happiness, everything.”

Tamar Braxton alluded to her alleged suicide attempt in a message sent to various family members same day, hours prior to her hospitalization.

In the message, the younger sister to popular American soul singer, Toni Braxton, had lamented about being a “slave” and suggested that the only way out’ of her situation was “death.”

“I am a slave. I do not own my life.

My stories, my pictures, my thoughts or beliefs. I’ve asked my massa to free me. I’m threatened and punished for it. The only way I see out is death.

I will choose that before I continue to [live] like this. Please help me,” concluded Tamar, followed by a prayer emoji.

It comes after PageSix said in a previous report that Braxton sent a scathing email to WeTV execs, accusing them of destroying her family and making her “suicidal”.

On July 20, she was said to be alert and responsive and was transferred to a different hospital for specialized mental health treatment. A spokesperson for the TV personality told an outlet. Tamar’s condition is unclear at the moment, but the outlet claimed that Tamar has been extremely

Adefeso and Tamar Braxton

emotional due to an ongoing contract dispute with WeTV. A spokesperson for Tamar said: “Tamar has had a very tough and emotional day. More information will be coming in the next few days. Please pray for her.” A report claimed Braxton’s hospitalization unfolded hours after WeTV that air her reality show “Braxton Family Values” debuted the new trailer for her series, “Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life!”, which explores the star’s journey with motherhood, love and her career as she records a new album.

The mother of one was reported to been upset that series producers used her childhood trauma, including her allegations of being molested to boost ratings. Braxton shares 7-year-old son Logan with ex-husband Vince

Herbert. In addition to Braxton Family Values, which premiered in 2011 and co-stars her sisters Toni, Traci, Towanda and Trina, along with their mother, Evelyn, Braxton also opened a new reality show in May. Braxton and Adefeso’s show Coupled & Quarantined, which they livestream on YouTube, did not air as planned that Thursday night following the incident. Instead, the channel posted a video statement announcing that the show had been postponed as Braxton was “under the weather and not feeling well.”

Meanwhile in a late report last Wednesday, Tamar Braxton’s family is puzzled by her boyfriend’s actions the night of her apparent suicide attempt ... and they’re alarmed by his influence over her emotions. Sources

connected to the Braxton family said Tamar’s boyfriend, David Adefeso, had seen the pilot episode and promo late last week for her new reality show, ‘Get Ya Life!’ ... and he was very unhappy.

“We’re told David got angry about the show’s content and how he was portrayed in it and his reaction, in turn, made Tamar upset.” They also say he’s very involved in her business decisions. “As for David’s portrayal in the pilot, someone who’s seen the episode tells us David, at times, comes off as demanding and controlling. In the episode, we’re told Tamar decides to go on a spiritual healing journey, which includes no sex for 45 days, something that really upsets David. It’s hard to deny that tension is played up in the promo.”

SATURDAY JULY 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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˜ ˞ JULY 25, 2020

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

BY

EBERE WABARA

‘Police’ Pluralism

“P

OLICE is your friend� is fatally incorrect. Get them right: Police are your friends; the police command is (not are); the police force is (not are); the policeman/ woman is your friend— for those who believe! Police: always plural if used as a stand-alone.

NATIONAL NEWS of July 20 formally opens the gateway to anarchy today: “Nigerians that can afford it spend fortune in protecting themselves and members of their families.� Get it right: spend a fortune or spend fortunes THE NATION JOBS of April 16 created a spelling loophole: “The banking reforms have brought in its trail casualities and survivors.�

Spell-check: casualties DAILY INDEPENDENT of April 16 contributed four blunders to this edition: “Can certain traits be transfered (transferred) from one state to another?â€? â€?‌many children have became (become) orphansâ€? “Black Wednesday as Benue Revenue Office razedâ€? What does this mean? “World Bank commends Nigeria over (on/for) maternal death reductionâ€? (Source: as above) TRIBUNE of April 11 committed an uncommon foible: “Within the party, there have (has) been a series of movement (movements)‌.â€? “The recurring shipwrecks on the Lagos water has (have) resulted in the erosion of choice beach lands‌.â€? “All said, however, what is important is that people prepare themselves to (for) a heavy downpour this year.â€? (THE NATION COMMENT Page, April 11) No embellishment, please:

just downpour, which simply means heavy rain. Therefore, ‘heavy downpour’ is sheer verbosity.

BUSINESSDAY of July 11 gave readers a paragraph they should distrust: “Electricity sector stakeholders and consumers have hit back at the Federal Government’s claim that the nation’s electricity generating capacity has reached 4,000 megawatts, saying the claim was false and that generation has indeed nosedived to less (sic) 3,600 megawatts.� Even without being professorially numerical, the reality here is that reduction from 4,000 to 3,600 can never be a nosedive—it is only a slight drop! Let us avoid malapropism.

For the reader that sought the meaning of ‘sic’ via SMS: It is an adverb that means “thus (added in brackets after a word or expression in a quotation which looks wrong or absurd, to show that it has been quoted correctly).� Source: The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of The English Language.

The next three headline blunders are from Vanguard of February 15: “New Edo lawmaker sworn-inâ€? Phrasal verbs (stave off, swear in) abhor hyphenation. “Relocation of varsity: Only 2 people die in protest —Policeâ€? Tense characterization of headlines notwithstanding, only 2 persons (not people—even without being a lexicologist!). “A money bag threw some wads of naira notes into the air‌.â€? A politician’s campaign tragedy: A money-bags.

The Guardian of February 16 equally jumped on the bandwagon of headline slovenliness on two embarrassing occasions: “PENGASSAN is not aversed to PIB, says Ogun� I am averse to ubiquitous headline gaffes. “Post conviction bail only granted under

Most of Our Leaders Lack Value Training

T

he fumes of public discourses - or more correctly, public displays - make any opinion outside of hammering the idiotic and impunitious spectacles of senior executive officials exchanging words with federal legislators in televised probe dramas...as nothing short of Afganistanism. That is a mouthful way of explaining a writer’s preoccupation with happenings and socio-cultural upheavals in countries thousands of miles away; yet his home-grown shenanigans piling up to the roof are studiously ignored.

One is able to premise a no-guilty plea when you take the sum-total of our four-part treatise as excursions into public and private etiquettes...a clarion call to take a deeper look at our ethical and value-adding elevation or lionization of genuine representations of the Nigerian society. What we are concluding today is part of what is ailing our society - a complete absence of shame and disregard for values (or a complete lack of exposure to modifying values) such that today’s so-called adults and godfathers behave as if they had no “home-training� and foundational pruning wherein you were taught not to steal, covet or cheat to gain advantage or escape due punishment.

It is so sad today that men and women in their 50’s and 60’s with pretensions to scholarship (professors, lawyers, doctors, etc) are serially accused of fiscal and managerial “pickpocketing� of their official positions, held in trust; and their responses to these astonishing accusations range from “she had four ex-husbands...�, “you’re a Mushin boy... I’m a V. I. boy...�, “I’m the same age as your Oga in Lagos...�, “We fed school children with billions of naira in their homes...� or “yes, we shared hundreds of billions as palliatives across Nigeria...but we cannot disclose names of beneficiaries...�.

Others respond to allegations of high stealing and misappropriation by acting clinical epilepsy... strapping on neck-braces...hugging surgical trolleys...and all sorts of diversionary nonsense. Without a scintilla of shame... nor a spectre of sanction.

The level of official disregard for extant laws and fiscal responsibility is so prevalent and keen that many Nigerians watch in utter disbelief...haplessly wishing grave and disastrous comeuppance upon these daylight bandits stinking the corridors of power with their grandstanding and nonchalance.

However, it was not this bad at the beginning of this nation-state...the African societies were not this tolerating of and lethargic to unarmed robberies. We didn’t start our ancestry on this template of insulting disregard for the starving majority by a clutch of irredeemable carpetbaggers who appear uncontrollable and untouchable...even as their hopelessly atrocious behaviors fill the airspace. You just wonder: does the president read the same newspapers...watch the same television...or browse the internet? His boys and girls are not hiding, nor relenting on assaulting the common-

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

exceptional circumstancesâ€? An all-time critical element: Post-conviction bail‌ “Obasanjo, Atiku condole victims’ familiesâ€?

Either condole with or simply console. “UI Lagos alumni restructures� (THE PUNCH, February 14) Alumni (plural) restructure or alumni association restructures.

Avoid mix-ups. “Atiku overated himself� (TheNEWS Headline, February 14) Spell-check: overrated. “I said there is no more monolithic north�

(Nigerian Tribune, July 13) A rewrite: I said there was no more monolithic north. “Ministry drafts health officials to cholera infested areasâ€? (Source: as above) Community News: hyphenation (cholera-infested areas) makes a lot of difference in lexis and structure. “Promoting values based leadershipâ€? (First Bank Full Page Advert) Leadership initiative: just as corrected above. “To eradicate the level of illiteracy in the state‌.â€? You can only reduce illiteracy. Even the most educated nation in the world still has a percentage of illiterate population. Some people are either circumstantially or naturally uneducable! “Tafawa Balewa crisis: Governor’s soothing balmâ€? What else would balm do if not soothe.

So, Governor’s balm “Fake journalist arrested in Imo with 4,054 voters card� A terse observation: voters’ cards. “Students invest N2m on science lab rehabilitation� Invest in (not on). “Dozens feared dead as Obaseki flags-off (flags off) campaign in Benin� Confirm before going to bed whether they were dead or not! ‘Feared dead’ does not convey anything. A canon of journalism: when in doubt, leave out. I am interested in formal/standard English—not

wealth...with uncommon greed and impunity!

Before we completely digress, let us bring this tetralogy to some kind of conclusion. How did we get here? What did our forefathers set as examples for us? Let us review the source of our original worldview...to appreciate the viciousness of the current departure from the path of honour and virtue.

Now, let us probe the underlying factors that should influence our reading and acceptance of “book� definitions of a Celebrity based on environmental conceptions and preoccupation of Western and American civilizations.

It is in understanding and appreciating the honour of place accorded certain concepts of human transactions amongst the African people, and the black race in general, that has promoted and made to flourish thousands of years of shared cultural and ethno-religious harmony and integration.

Even when the concepts of societal values, driven by environmental peculiarities of American, Asian and similar scholarship, dominate contemporary imaginations, we can still find few shared cultural experiences. Let us go through a few explanations of societal valuation around the world: “Here are seven social values: Respect. Justice/Fairness.

Honesty. Service/Giving Back/Contribution. Responsibility.

Family. Community.� - Quora.com (July 21, 2017) “Social values form an important part of the culture of the society... They provide the general guidelines for social conduct. Values such as fundamental rights, patriotism, respect for human dignity, rationality, sacrifice, individuality, equality, democracy, etc., guide our behaviour in many ways.�

- Yourarticlelibrary.com “Our values are important because they help us to grow and develop. They help us to create the future we want to experience... The decisions we make are a reflection of our values and beliefs, and they are always directed towards a specific purpose.� - Valuescentre.com (May 29, 2019) One writer breaks it down admirably. Puja Mondal, in “Values: It’s Meaning, Characteristics, Types, Importance�, enthuses: “Generally, value has been taken to mean moral ideas, general conceptions or orientations towards the world or sometimes simply interests, attitudes, preferences, needs, sentiments and dispositions.

- Values are collective conceptions of what is considered good, desirable, and proper or bad, undesirable, and improper in a culture.

- Familiar examples of values are wealth, loyalty, independence, equality, justice, fraternity and friendliness. These are generalised ends consciously pursued by or held up to individuals as being worthwhile in themselves.

- Characteristics: Values may be specific, such as honouring one’s parents or owning a home; or they may be more general, such as health, love and democracy.

- ‘Truth prevails’, ‘love thy neighbour as yourself’, ‘learning is good’ are a few examples of general values.

state-side or provincial versions. “Voter registration: A post mortemâ€? All-time little things that matter, but look insignificant: post-mortem, please. â€œâ€Śbecause they are not entirely immuned from the adverse consequences of pervasive poverty in third world nations.â€? (THE PUNCH, July 16) Get it right: immune (not immuned) from. “These are the major factors but there is a final secret with regards.‌â€? (NIGERIAN Tribune, July 16) Get it right: as regards or with regard to. “Encumbered by the demands by many who need her services, she atimes turn (sic) cases to colleagues in Owerri town.â€? (Leadership, February 15) No encumbrances: at times (two words). “LAST week Monday’s press briefing by the administrator....â€? (Nigerian Tribune, July 16) Functional communication: LAST Monday’s press briefing. ‘Week’ is redundant in the construction. “Today on the continent, there are all manners of refugees‌.â€? (THISDAY, July 16) Not yet in want: all manner of refugees.

The next failed sentence is from The Guardian of July 13: “Extremism had also brought about the death of 37 left-wing intellectuals when the hotel in which they were holding a conference in the central town of Sivas was touched (torched) on December 2, 2010.’’ “In Nigeria today, it needs these props to support its misrule and no amount of talks about human rights will make it surrender its very life wire.� (DAILY Sun, July 16) Lexical reality: livewire.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

- Individual achievement, individual happiness and materialism are major values of modern industrial society.� Yourarticlelibrary.com We cannot conclude our discussion on concepts of societal values without weighing in with an African perspective. This shall be supplied by Sunday Awoniyi’s “African Cultural Values: The Past, Present And Future�: “... ‘values’ refer to the attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and actions that are cherished and acceptable standards of behaviours which each society expects that the members should abide by. Although, values differ from person to person and from one society to another.

This is because social groups or human societies have various beliefs, attitudes and standards that form their value system... ...Although, it is important to note that talking about African cultural values does not imply that by any means there are no cultural disvalues or negative features of the African cultures...

African people have various moral and societal values meant to regulate interpersonal relationship and to perpetuate the entire community. Africans have certain standards or norms to be observed. These standards or norms are meant for social cohesion and smooth running of the community.

They are to prevent members of the community from becoming rebellious and thereby endanger the welfare of the society. In African society, there are a set of values that guide the behavior of every member. Specific mention could be made of values such as hospitality, chastity before marriage, truth, respect for old age, covenant keeping, hard work and good character....� (Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa - Volume 17, No.1, 2015).

In conclusion, public figures such as Celebrities are, broadly speaking, expected to portray certain elements of societal values (morals, virtues or norms) since their lifestyles and positioning combine to influence, motivate and inspire the general public. Such values include: accountability, decency/integrity, financial independence, education/ enlightenment, honesty/fair play, loyalty/group fidelity, caring/compassion, giving/charity, discipline/forthrightness.

The above are some of the means (highlights) of societal values, while the ends (consequences) are peace, health, comfort, brotherhood, kinship, communal progress, advancement, etc.

Questions: Where are such Nigerian men and women, in public space? Have you seen any Celebrity lately?

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

25.07.2020

Ndubuisi Egbo

Living His Dreams in Albania

NEWS

BATTLE FOR TOP FOUR

PAGE. 29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Ndubuisi Egbo

Living His Dreams in Albania al adviser is ic n h c e t n ig re fo Each time a f the Super o e rg a h c e k a t o employed t ning battle n ru a s y a lw a is Eagles, there ration e d e F ll a b t o o F a eri between the Nig el employing fe t a h t s n a ri e ig and some N s sheer a m a e t l a n io t a n e a foreigner for th are Nigerian re e h t n e h w s d n waste of fu he job even t g in o d f o le b a p coaches, ca hievement of c a t n e c re e h t h better. Wit alkeeper, o g s o g a L f o r e rg former Julius Be ia, where n a lb A y a w ra fa Ndubuisi Egbo in Albanian e h t in w o t a n a ir he led KF T season’s t x e n o t e c la p a k League and boo mpaign for a c e h t , e u g a e L s Champion charge of the e k a t o t s e h c a o Nigerian c ained more g s a h m a e t l a n io senior nat unle Adewale K s e t ri w , n io t c tra

E

mmanuelEgbolastweekendledhis team, KF Tirana, to win the 2019/20 Albania League title, becoming the first African to win a title with a European league side.

In addition to winning the league, Egbo automatically booked a place in next season’s European Champions League campaign and he says he is not going to the competition to sing the anthem.

“I was happy we emerged champions of the league. I wasn’t following the statistics; it was when people were talking about it that I realised the enormity of what we have achieved.

“When I took over, I had people praying for me and we had prophetic declarations that we were going to be champions. That was our major objective and not the Albanian Cup, but if we win, it will be double joy.

“On the Champions League next year. It is the dream every fan, player and coach for their club to play in Europe. The Stadium atmosphere is electric, the fans, the melodious anthem. We are not going there only to enjoy the anthem but to win and reach the group stages,” Egbo who took over reigns of the Tirana when they were down to the 8th position said.

In a chat with THISDAY via telephone, former Julius Berger safe hand, Christian Obi, hailed Egbo for this rare achievement, while calling on him to work harder to sustain his feat.

“Egbo joined Julius Berger after I had left the club, but I knew him to be a hardworking and serious-minded person, therefore, what he achieved never came to me as much of a surprise.

There is no doubt about the fact that he has made a big mark by doing the unthinkable in faraway Albania, which will go a long way in helping Nigerian coaches to be reckoned with even outside

the shores of the country,” Obi said.

The 2005 World Youth Championship bronze medalist, said Egbo’s achievement was a victory for Nigerian coaches.

“He is a pride to Nigerian coaches all over the world and it is high time Nigeria Football Federation starts looking inwards in their choice for national team coaches, there are many Egbos in Nigeria and abroad,” the former Heartland of Owerri goalkeeper trainer said.

Obi, however, charged Egbo to be ready to work harderashewasnowagoldfishwithnohidingplace.

“Getting to the top is one thing, but sustaining it is another. He should, therefore, be ready to put in extra effort to sustain his achievement as all eyes are now on him,” he noted.

For proponents of home-grown coaches to take charge of the senior national team, Egbo’s feat with KF Tirana is just a justification for what they have been clamouring for- a Nigerian coach to be in charge of the Super Eagles.

Indeed, former national team captain, Segun Odegbami is of the opinion that some former Super Eagles players were better qualified to coach the national team than the current handler, Gernot Rohr.

According to the man fondly called ‘Mathematical Odegbami’ in his days, former Eagles stars like Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke were more qualified for the national team’s job than the Franco-German tactician.

“I don’t think any white coach should come and coach us anymore, not after the generation of Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, Jay Jay Okocha who played at every level.

“If they can get the basic qualification which is not essential in my own estimation, but people insist that they must have it, they are qualified.

Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke have

the qualifications Gernot Rohr does not have,” he said.

It would be recalled that ahead of Nigeria’s 2010 World Cup campaign, another strong voice, if not the strongest, of Nigerian coaches, Adokie Amiesimaka criticised the Nigeria Football Association, as the federation was then known, for hiring a foreign coach- Lars Lagerback when we had a better local coach in Shaibu Amodu. He severally warned that the Swede had nothing to offer Nigerians.

The ex-Green Eagles winger has constantly harped on the need to look inwards in solving the national team’s coaching problem.

After watching the Eagles lose to Greece, a feat that gave Greece their first World Cup win, Amiesimaka was simply livid.

“Why on earth did Lagerback take Obafemi Martins and Nwankwo Kanu to South Africa, if he knew he was not going to use them? I have said it over and over again; we do not need a foreign coach. Please Patrick Ekeji should explain to Nigerians why they hired Lagerback.

Samson Siasia could have done better than the Swede whom they wasted millions of naira on,” Amiesimaka had said after Super Eagles lacklustre performance at the African Mundial.

The proponents of Nigerian coaches for the senior national team may however be getting close to having their say if the words of Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick are to be believed.

Giving reason for the appointment of Joseph Yobo as Super Eagles assistant coach, the NFF boss said it was to position him to take over from Rohr as the national team manager.

Pinnick believes the 39-year-old would add value to the Super Eagles and hope he would follow the footsteps of former international Stephen

Keshi, who guided the side to their third Africa Cup of Nations title in 2013.

“When Yobo was captain of the Super Eagles I saw inborn leadership character in him. His charisma and the way he carried other players in the team was exceptional. Yobo is a born leader.

This is why the federation decided to appoint him as one of the assistants in the Super Eagles team. “We are looking up to Yobo to manage the Super Eagles in future and being part of the team’s technical crew will give him that opportunity to coach the Super Eagles in the nearest future,” Pinnick had said.

However, Egbo’s feat remains the loudest voice in the call for local coaches to take charge of the national team.

Egbo became the first African coach to qualify an European club to participate in the prestigious Champions League after he led Tirana biggest club in Albian to win the 2020 League title with seven points clear. They are also in the final of the Albanian Cup. Egbo, 46, made 12 appearances for the Super Eagles between 1999 and 2002 during which time he manned the goal for Tirana, winning three trophies with the club.

Following his retirement from playing in 2011, Egbo went into coaching, becoming the goalkeeping coach of another Albanian side, Bylis, before returning to Tirana in 2014 in the same capacity.

In 2019, the ex-Nigerian international was promoted to become Tirana’s head coach and he has now done remarkably well; winning the league title in his first year in charge.

Interestingly, KF Tirana who will be celebrating their 100th anniversary this month will have a chance to clinch a domestic double on August 2, when they face Teuta Durres in the Domestic Cup final.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Man Utd, Chelsea, Leicester Battle for Top-four Finish As the curtain is drawn on the English Premier League tomorrow, Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester will be battling for a top-four finish to book a place in next year’s UEFA Champions League. Champions, Liverpool and runners-up, Manchester City have already booked their places in Europe’s top contest next term.

Attention will not only be at the top of the log, as Bournemouth, Watford and Aston Villa will also be battling for survival

Premiership Table Liverpool Man City Man Utd Chelsea Leicester Wolves Tottenham Sheff Utd Burnley Arsenal Everton Southampton Newcastle Crystal Palace West Ham Brighton Aston Villa Watford Bournemouth Norwich

Hot Shot PLAYERS

37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37

CLUB

50 62 28 13 28 13 14 2 -6 7 -10 -11 -18 -19 -13 -16 -26 -27 -27 -44

96 78 63 63 62 59 58 54 54 53 49 49 44 42 38 38 34 34 31 21

GOALS

Jamie Vardy Leicester 19 Jamie Vardy Leicester 23 Danny Ings Southampton 21 Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal 20 Mohamed Salah Liverpool 19 Raheem Sterling Man City 19

SUNDAY

Arsenal v Burnley v Chelsea v C/Palace v Everton v Leicester v Man City v Newcastle v Southampton v West Ham v

Solskjaer, Lampard and Rogers...one of these three managers would not be in the dugout

O

ne of Manchester United, Chelsea or Leicester will end up thwarted in the bid for Champions League qualification as the battle for Europa League qualification is also going down to the wire.

Champions Liverpool and runners-up Manchester City have long since rubberstamped their places in Europe’s top contest next term – though Pep Guardiola’s men needed a Court of Arbitration for Sport victory to confirm it, Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester will fight it out for the other two berths. United face a trip to direct rivals, Leicester, while Chelsea host Wolves in Sunday’s final round of league fixtures. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United only need a draw to secure that all-important top-four finish.

With Leicester and United facing each other, a draw would also be good enough for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea to seal that Champions League berth. The only way Leicester can guarantee a top-four finish is to beat United, although a draw would be enough for the Foxes should Chelsea lose at home to Wolves – owing to superior goal difference.

The teams who finish fifth and sixth in the league will qualify for next season’s Europa League. Should Chelsea beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final, then seventh place will also earn a Europa League spot.

The team to qualify in the lowest league position goes into the Europa League’s

second qualifying round. Wolves and Tottenham are fighting it out for sixth place. Wolves are one point ahead of Spurs heading into the final round of fixtures, with Jose Mourinho’s Londoners taking on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

A win will guarantee Wolves sixth place then, but Spurs could still leapfrog the Molineux men.

The complication to all this would be the scenario of both major European trophies this term being won by English teams who finish outside the Premier League’s top four. Were Chelsea to win the Champions League and Wolves the Europa League – and both finish outside the Premier League’s top four – then both sides would qualify for next term’s Champions League. In that scenario fourth place in the Premier League would only be good enough for a Europa League berth. Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Wolves will all be in European action next month. Should any win their trophy they will qualify for the Champions League regardless of their Premier League placing.

Meanwhile, Manchester United captain says he’s ready for Sunday’s Champions League shootout with former club Leicester, saying “you’re in the wrong sport” if you cannot get up for the highpressure clash.

Solskjaer’s men were far from being at their best against West Ham on Wednesday, but the 1-1 draw at an empty Old Trafford was enough to see them break

into the top four for the first time since September.

Solskjaer’s men will secure a return to European football’s top table if they avoid defeat at the King Power Stadium, with Maguire returning for the first time since last summer’s big-money move to Old Trafford.

“We’re disappointed,” the United skipper said after the 1-1 draw. “It was an important game – a very important game not to lose – but we want to win the game.

“We want to win the game, want to score goals. We have scored numerous goals of late and we started the game really well. We started the game on the front foot, high tempo, big intensity and we should really take the lead. And then we had a sucker punch before half-time, which was disappointing.

“Great reaction from the lads to come out second half. It was a great goal from Mason Greenwood: great feet, great finish and nice play from Anthony Martial as well to find him.

“It’s a huge game. We’ve got three days now to prepare for it, which with our schedule being what it’s been, it’s generally been two days and then play.

“So, you don’t get time on the training ground, it’s more about recovering.

“It’s nice to have three days, which seems a bit crazy to say but the schedule has been hard for the lads. But we’ll be ready on Sunday.”

Teenager Greenwood may well have a

Watford 16:00 Brighton 16:00 Wolves 16:00 Tottenham 16:00 Bournemouth 16:00 Man Utd 16:00 Norwich 16:00 Liverpool 16:00 Sheff Utd 16:00 Aston Villa 16:00

key role to play against the Foxes, having capped another promising display with an emphatic goal to cancel out Michail Antonio’s penalty.

“It was a great goal,” Maguire said.

“When he gets in that box and he can manoeuvre his feet and he can manoeuvre it to either foot, he’s a nightmare for defenders. I know from training.

“But he’s been excellent, it’s great to see him playing with confidence.

“He always seems to be on the scoresheet, especially since we’ve returned from lockdown.

“He’s a special talent and he’s going to have a big future at this club.”

The point not only put United in the top four but guaranteed West Ham’s survival, with David Moyes looking to kick on next season having been allowed to leave after staving off relegation in his first spell.

“We’re under contract anyway so whether we were Premier League or not I was going to be at West Ham unless the owners chose different,” he said.

“Last time I only had a short contract so the owners were entitled to do what they wanted to do, this time I am under contract and I can see shoots of improvement.

“The owners can see shoots of improvement too and I think they understand the way we would like to go and the idea we have got.

“I think there is a great opportunity to improve a great club with big ambitions.”

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 25, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Liverpool Trophy celebration

Leon Balogun

Napoli Agree Initial €60m Fee for Osimhen in a Five-year Deal

Nigeria Pushing for Saka to Pick Super Eagles over Three Lions

Striker to wear Zola’s number 9 jersey Napoli have agreed an initial €60m fee with Lille for Victor Osimhen, with the Nigeria striker set to sign a five-year contract and join the Serie A side in the most expensive transfer deal of the summer so far.

The 21-year-old scored 18 goals in all competitions for Lille before the French season ended prematurely owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and has been linked with several English clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool. But Osimhen, who changed agent last week, looks set to move to Napoli after negotiations between the clubs were completed on Thursday.

It is understood the fee could rise to €81m after a number of performancerelated add-ons – €1m more than the

African record transfer feeArsenal paid Lille for the Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pépé last summer. There is also an option to extend Osimhen’s contract by a further year.

According to Napoli’s official radio station, Osimhen has already chosen a shirt number to wear ahead of his imminent move to the Italian Serie A club.

The Nigeria international has asked for the number 9 jersey used by former Tottenham Hotspur star Fernando Llorente in the 2019-2020 season.

The Napoli number 9 shirt has also been worn by Gonzalo Higuaín, Gianfranco Zola, Daniel Fonseca, Nicola Amoruso and Simone Verdi in the past.

Osimhen wore the number 7 on his

back at Lille, while he was given the number 18 and 45 at Wolfsburg and Sporting RSC Charleroi respectively.

He has worn the number 9 for the Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles, Olympic Eagles and most recently Super Eagles following the retirement of Odion Ighalo.

Meanwhile, Lille are expected to step up their efforts to sign Jonathan David having seen a €25m bid for the Canada striker rejected by Gent this month. The French club have signed the 35-year-old Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz in preparation for Osimhen’s departure and have been told they must pay a Belgian record fee of €30m to secure David.

Leon Balogun Joins Rangers on a One-year Deal Glasgow Rangers have signed Nigeria centre-back Leon Balogun after the 32-year-old ended the season with Wigan Athletic.

The Germany-born defender, who has 32 caps, has signed a one-year contract.

Balogun had completed the season on a short-term contract with Wigan having spent time on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard believes the defender will “add strength and depth” after the long-term loss of Nikola Katic with a knee injury.

“His experience in the Premier League, as well as his international pedigree, strengthens our squad and will assist in the development of our young defenders,” Gerrard said.

“Leon has just finished a round of competitive fixtures with Wigan so

will hit the ground running. He’s a positive and bright character and we are looking forward to his influence around the group.”

Balogun, who joined Brighton from Mainz 05 in summer 2018, played 13 times after switching to Wigan in February but left after they finished second bottom of the English Championship.

He began his career in Germany with Turkiyemspor Berlin before moves to Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Darmstadt 98.

Since joining Wigan, he has played 11 times since January and been a crucial part of the Latics fight against relegation. Paul Cook’s men were eventually relegated following a 12-point deduction due to administration.

Joshua Questions Fury’s Fights’ Quality Anthony Joshua has said that Tyson Fury “hasn’t been in the deep end long enough” to be considered “intimidating”.

Joshua criticised the amount of difficult fights that his fellow world heavyweight champion has battled through.

He said at a Sky VIP event: “What have you seen from Fury? A couple of feints? Moving around?

What have you seen that makes him seem so intimidating? Speed?

“If the sport is lacking so much talent then all you need is feints and movement to be classed as a great of this generation.....

“With hard work, motivation and studying you can overcome that.

“So what do people see in Fury that is so fear-

some, intimidating, that he can’t be touched at the top level?

“I take him as a serious challenger, of course. But resume? It’s taken him a long time to grow.

“His fight with Wladimir Klitschko was his first real challenge and he overcame it, but it took him eight years to build his experience and confidence.

“Then he had two years out and fought Deontay Wilder.

“He hasn’t been in the deep end for long enough to show me that he can swim there for a long time. You have to continually prove that you belong there. You don’t just come there once or twice.

“For me as a fighter, that’s how you gain my respect.”

Many Rangers fans believe he will be a good signing for Steven Gerrard’s men.

Rangers still want to bolster their attacking options before the Premiership gets under way on August 1 According to former Wigan recruitment analyst Dougie Wright, there is no better centre-back in Championship I don’t think there was a better centreback in the Championship than Leon last season.

He was so comfortable and absolutely strolled it. He made those around him better by how good he was.

Defensively, he’s not the most aggressive, but he’s very intelligent in terms of his positioning. He was very composed in possession, could play left or right side at centre-half and brings the ball out well”

Leicester Battle Man Utd, Serie A Matches Airs on MultiChoice DStv and GOtv subscribers can look forward to a thrilling weekend of European football action,as SuperSportbroadcasts live action from the Premier LeagueandSerieA fromFriday to Sunday 26.

The weekend action in the Premier League is headlined by the meeting of Leicester City and Manchester United at the KingPowerStadiumonSunday, akeyclashindecidingEngland’s representatives in next season’s UEFAChampions League – as will Chelsea’s clash at home to WolverhamptonWanderers.The excitingmatchwillairliveat4pm onDStvSuperSport4andGOtv SuperSport Select 2 Fans of African football will keep a keen eye out for the clash of Napoli and Sassuolo at Stadio San Paolo on Saturday.

The match which will air at 8:45pm on DStv SuperSport 9

and on GOtv SuperSport Select 5, will see Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly come up againstexcitingIvorianforward Jeremie Boga.

Koulibaly missed the Neapolitans’ 2-1 win at the Mapei Stadium when the teams met back in December 2019 and this time around, he will be eager to keep his fellow West African quiet as he builds toward a likely exit from the club.

The round on Sunday also features Juventus looking to underline their dominance with a home win over Sampdoria and a potential thriller between Roma and Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico –theteams’ last three meetings across all competitionshaveproduced17 goals. The match will air live at 8:45pm on DStv SuperSport 9 andonGOtvSuperSportSelect5.

Nigeria are accelerating their attempts to convince Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka to pick them over England, according to a report.

The Daily Mail reports that Nigeria are looking to fast-track Saka into their senior set-up to try and persuade him to choose them over England.

Saka featured for the England youth teams at multiple levels, all the way up to the U19s. But until he makes a competitive senior appearance, his future is still up in the air. According to the article, he hasn’t made a final decision just yet.

With England, Saka is in line for a promotion to the U21s, at least. David Ornstein recently reported that he’s even catching Gareth Southgate’s eye for a potential senior call-up later this year. The international break in September isn’t too far away now.

The clamour for Saka’s allegiance obviously comes from his four goals and 12 assists in senior football this season. Despite playing in a number of positions, including regularly at left-back, Saka is performing to a consistently high level.

If he can have another couple of good games to close out the season, that’ll surely help his case.

New Premier League Season to Kickoff September 12 The 2020-21 Premier League and English Football League seasons will start on September 12.

In the top flight, the campaign will end on May 23, while the Championship, League One and League Two seasons will culminate on May 8 and 9.

Next season’s play-off finals will take place on the final weekend in May. The current Premier League season will end on Sunday after it was suspended for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The regular Championship season concluded on Wednesday, with the play-offs finishing on August 4.

Most League One and League Two teams have not played since March.

The Premier League said it would “continue to consult” with the Football Association and EFL “regarding the scheduling of all domestic competitions”.

However, the start date for teams still playing in European competitions is still under discussion.

It remains possible they will be given a delayed start, given they could be playing well into August.

Last-16 ties in the Europa League - featuring Manchester United and Wolves - resume on August 5, with the final scheduled to take place on August 21.

Remaining Champions League last-16 ties resume from August 7, with Manchester City and Chelsea still in the competition.

Liverpool Captain Named FWA Footballer of the Year Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has won the Football Writers’ Association Men’s Footballer of the Year award.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who led Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years this season, received more than a quarter of the votes.

“As grateful as I am I don’t feel like I can accept this on my own,” he said.

“I owe a lot to so many people but none more so than my current team-mates, who have been incredible and deserve this every bit as much as I do.”

Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane, Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford also finished in the top five.

Henderson added: “I accept the award on behalf of this whole squad, because without them I’m not in a position to be receiving this honour.

These lads have made me a better player - a better leader and a better person.

SATURDAY JULY 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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MISSILE

Gbajabiamila to Akpabio “The Honourable Minister has failed to respond to my request.

Therefore, I must conclude that his statement intended solely to gaslight the nation to avoid accountability for the evident maladministration and malfeasance in the NDDC” – The Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, accusing Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, of perjury and defamation of the parliament.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Do You Think Nigeria Can Ever be Good Again?

F

ellow Nigerians, wherever two or more Nigerians are gathered and engaged in deep-heated discussions and arguments, you can immediately guess what the issue is all about, NIGERIA and our intractable problems. The questions on most lips today are: are we likely to witness a better Nigeria again; is Nigeria cursed or jinxed; do we have leaders who can rescue Nigeria from the brink of collapse; is corruption in our DNA; are we the worst country in the world; is it better to just break up Nigeria and say in unison “to thy tent oh Israel...”? And so on and so forth...

I shall endeavour to respond to the very germane questions, as complex and complicated as they may be. The first question suggests that Nigeria is a good country. Once we all agree on that in principle, then there is hope for a greater and better Nigeria. If we disagree, we must ask ourselves why we are frustrated about the wasted opportunities. Even the famous African writer, Chinua Achebe, had virtually written Nigeria off in his final offering to the country, in his book titled “There was a Country.”

Nigeria can truly frustrate The Pope and make him lose faith in God. It is not that we don’t all know our problems, or that we lack the mental abilities to think through and come up with solutions, but most of us are just too selfish and crudely self-centred to make the necessary sacrifices. We all grumble and lament endlessly before attaining power but as soon as we get into office, it seems some demonic forces overpower our common sense and turn us into foolish morons. Or why would anyone think of stealing in arrears and in advance?

What could drive any soul, sensible, rational or otherwise, to inflate contracts at 1000 percent and still stupidly refuse to execute the jobs?

The events of the past few weeks are just enough to task the brains of every optimist and turn us into an incurable pessimist. The stealing going on in a country that has the last Saint standing as President is not only mind-boggling but absolutely incredulous. So, I’m not surprised that many of our citizens have given up finally on anything good ever coming out of Nigeria.

But, please, wait a minute, I don’t think hope has evaporated totally from Nigeria. It is true I feel such negative vibes too, sometimes, but I know for a fact that it is not impossible to save Nigeria from its self-inflicted pains, self-immolation and destruction. Kindly permit me to offer my own ideas in a jiffy.

What do we need to move Nigeria forward from this seeming state of inertia or even backwardness? The most important is that one man who genuinely believes in one Nigeria, and is willing to carry everyone along. We don’t need a multitude to fix Nigeria. Let me now describe in greater detail who that man should be. We need a completely detribalised Nigerian.

That man must not be a religious bigot or tribal warlord. Sorry, the closest to such would be a Moshood Abiola or an Olusegun Obasanjo, despite his many other foibles. The leader must be naturally brilliant, intelligent, streetwise and confident like those two. The man must have managed people and resources successfully in his personal and private capacity. A man who has never managed business and resources is not likely to be well-equipped to manage the economy of a country as massive as Nigeria.

That man must know how to assemble the best team, strictly on merit. Former Presidents Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo impressed me in that aspect. We urgently need a man who believes in a star-studded cabinet and not some colourless and odoriferous desperados who are

Buhari

not interested in nation-building. He must be tolerant of different shades of opinions. He must be fair-minded and treat everyone with respect and decorum. He must obey the rule of law and allow separation of powers, as enshrined in our Constitution to flourish.

That man must know the importance of time, hit the ground running and have his blueprint and masterplans ready from day one. The masterplans must embrace the use of technology and de-emphasise physical contacts between government operatives and raw cash. This will normally reduce temptations by potentially corrupt souls. As much as possible, the leader or President must search for Nigerians with proven records of integrity all over the world.

What’s the biggest task ahead of that man?

Education is the bedrock of modern nations.

That man must subscribe to this truism. A nation that fails to invest aggressively in education at this time and age is doomed and sentenced to eternal damnation. Education should never be about going to school only and obtaining certificates. No. Education should make everyone a useful citizen, a compassionate human being

and responsible soul. We should open vocational schools in every part of Nigeria and teach our youths how to become more of entrepreneurs instead of waiting for jobs that are not available.

There is business for most of those with requisite knowledge. But many go to school today to possess certificates that would not be relevant to their lives and well-being.

The next man should be ready for battle, even a full-scale war with the reckless politicians who are not ready to sweat by sacrificing for Nigeria. He must commit to urgent reforms.

The present American Presidential system we practise cannot be sustained. It will kill Nigeria, ultimately, if we don’t kill it. A system that forces a country to spend the bulk of its resources on politicians and civil servants is parasitic and must be exterminated by all means. We must consider a parliament with hugely reduced members. We must also think of how our Parliament can be a part time vocation for patriotic people. How I wished our previous military governments were disciplined enough to hand over such institutions to us. The outlandish enjoyment of our politicians is no longer tolerable or tenable.

If it continues unabated, the mad insecurity in the land will soon quadruple and not even the uniformed men can contain it.

We must grow our economy by diversifying our exports. Nigeria is blessed with so much, but we are too mentally lazy to change our over-dependence on oil. Our population should be an asset and not a liability. We have significant natural resources which we are yet to tap. We need to transform our country into an industrial giant. The exploitation of these resources can only augur well for the development and transformation of our nation. It is essential to produce more at home than going abroad for nearly everything.

This won’t happen until that man finds the will and courage to fix electricity problems.

The endemic issue of corruption would have to be tackled differently. It should become a way of life for all of us, ingrained in our body fluids.

It should stop being a veritable tool for vendetta and witch-hunt. The leader must stop paying hypocritical lip service to fighting corruption if he is not willing to live by example. The billions

of Naira we allocate to running the various State houses should be hacked down drastically.

This time around, most of the Presidential jets should be sold off save for two for the President and Vice President. When President Obasanjo took power in 1999, he used to fly commercial flights, initially. This forced civil servants to calm down a bit. Nothing stops our President from choosing Air Peace or Arik as our symbolic National carrier. So, wherever he/she is going, you can charter one and patronise a Nigerian company. This will encourage our airlines to keep their aircrafts in serviceable conditions when they know the leader and others may call on them anytime. Our leaders must stop making frivolous flights from fancy.

No Nigerian leader must go abroad for medical treatment. This has become a major source of embarrassment. Is it not sad that some of the best Doctors in the world are Nigerians but they can’t practise in their own country? I pray that COVID-19 has taught us all a big lesson. If it hasn’t, then our case is beyond redemption.

There is no earthly reason Nigeria can’t build one world class hospital per region. But none of these suggestions would ever work without the determination to succeed where others have failed. Who can ever imagine that the present government has spent over five years already, with nothing really tangible to show for it?

Lastly, do we need to break up Nigeria for things to work optimally in our country?

Once again, my response is no. That will never be the answer. There is no region or State in Nigeria that has only one tribe in the region or even in a State. And where one single tribe predominates, there are several groupings within such tribe. What it means is that if you carve out a Yoruba nation, or whatever name you call it, how will it stop the perennial troubles between the different language groups? I am convinced that once we have a leader who gives every Nigerian a sense of belonging, the agitations would subside.

The billion-dollar question is, who will bell the cat? Truly, it seems we are doomed.

And suddenly my optimism has changed to pessimism...

Goodbye Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua I am aware of the spate of sacrilegious allegations and accusations that have dogged Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua since he passed on during the week. It is not my intention to dally into them simply because I have not investigated the gory allegations of unbridled corruption and abuse of power, and I know not what is true, exaggerated or fake news.

For me, one must always hear both sides of the story before taking a principled position.

Sadly, a dead man cannot defend himself or even ask for forgiveness. All I wish to do here is mourn the passing of a cherished colleague and older friend.

I often wondered what Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua saw in me that made him take to me so much. But I had no doubt that we bonded well despite our obvious disagreements on politics in all its ramifications.

I got to know Mallam Ismaila Funtua, the Godfather, as many knew and called him, through his friend, Chief Moshood Abiola, the Boss of Bosses, about 30 years ago. Malam was interested in the Leadership of the Nigerian Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria

of which Abiola was then the President. Malam was extremely networked like Abiola. They both made so many friends all over Nigeria and age was no barrier. Both men agreed to collaborate with each other. Since that time, we have had a special bond in spite of our political differences in recent times.

My opposition to the Buhari government, based on my belief that it condones ineptitude and incompetence is well known. Mallam on the other hand was a die-hard Buhari loyalist, a member of the famed cabal ruling the country which he unabashedly publicly admitted in an interview. We both held on to our respective positions and Mallam did not give up on me. He would call sometimes, on Saturdays usually and once I saw his call, I knew immediately there was fire on the mountain. He was fiercely jingoistic in his relationship with President Buhari but also respected and tolerated his critics. What he hated was when a writer never sees anything good in government.

I loved his company because he was such a confident and charismatic man, attributes

which many saw as arrogance. He often listened and gave way to superior arguments. He was admired by many of us for that reason.

I remember the last three encounters I had with him. The first was when he had invited Nduka Obaigbena and I to his Lagos home in Victoria Island while President Buhari was ill in London. Mallam was angry because he felt that some people in Lagos and Abuja wanted Buhari dead. I told him it was not true and that he had only allowed paranoia to creep into him. I was with him before Nduka arrived. He then complained about a very senior columnist in Thisday who had written a scathing attack against Buhari. Nduka calmed him down and told him that every Thisday columnist was independent and was not controlled by him. When we stood up to go, he said I shouldn’t leave. Nduka had another appointment to catch. I stayed and Mallam and I discussed late into the early hours.

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