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President: Let’s Chart New Path to National Greatness Says it's senseless for petrol to be cheaper in Nigeria than S’Arabia At N305,113, minimum wage higher in Saudi, PDP replies Buhari Omololu Ogunmade and Chuks Okocha in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday rallied Nigerians to chart a new path to achieve a greater nation.

The president, in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria's diamond jubilee, also spoke on why he was persuaded to pull the plug on the fuel subsidy era, triggering a higher petrol price regime.

According to him, it does not make sense for petrol to be cheaper in Saudi Arabia than in Nigeria.

Data from the Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy,

International Energy Statistics, show that Saudi Arabia has the second largest proven oil reserves in the world— some 268 billion barrels, approximately 16 per cent of the world’s proven reserves—

as against Nigeria's 36.8 billion barrels.

However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dismissed the president's comparison between the fuel price in Saudi Arabia and

Nigeria, saying it does not take into account the national minimum wage in the Middle East nation, which is N305,113 and Nigeria that pays N30,000.

Continued on page 43

COVID-19 Prompts BPE to Readjust Privatisation Timelines...Page 5 Friday 2 October, 2020 Vol 25. No 9307. Price: N250

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Buhari, Others Preach Unity, Hope Despite Challenges Policymakers, business leaders predict bright future for Nigeria Our Correspondents President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday led a pack of notable Nigerians and foreign dignitaries to celebrate Nigeria at a global virtual commemoration of the nation's

diamond jubilee, organised

by THISDAY ARISE Group.

The event, lasting over six hours, was a medley of speeches, music and fashion show.

It was a virtual celebration produced and broadcast from

Lagos, Abuja and London, but staged in various cities around the world and streamed to a global audience on ARISE Play, ARISE NEWS CHANNEL, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, among others.

The global virtual

commemoration of Nigeria's 60th independence anniversary was powered by Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Polaris Bank and Bet9ja, among others.

Buhari and others who featured on the programme

reviewed how far the nation had come since independence in 1960, and called for national unity for an assured bright future.

Business leaders and policymakers who featured in the global virtual

S P E A K E R S AT T H E G L O B A L V I RT U A L C O M M E M O R AT I O N

Buhari

Mohammed

Dangote

Emefiele

Kyari

Wigwe

Ovia

Adesina

commemoration also predicted better days ahead for the country, despite the current challenges.

The messages had a common theme of admission Continued on page 9

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Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

COVID-19 Prompts BPE to Readjust Privatisation Timelines Bureau to partner ministry in health sector reforms

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is to readjust its timelines for the privatisation of some of the 19 government-owned companies slated for sale in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency had earlier slated 19 enterprises for privatisation with estimated proceeds in excess of N260 billion.

The privatisation proceeds are factored into the financing the 2020 budget.

Some of the listed transactions for the fiscal year are nine power assets, including the Yola Electricity Distribution Company; Afam Power Plant and the Nigeria Integrated Power Plants (NIPPs).

In an interview with THISDAY to mark his 60th birthday, which also coincided with Nigeria's 60th independence anniversary, the BPE Director-General, Mr. Alex Okoh, stated that due to the disruptions engendered by the pandemic, it was unlikely for the agency to conclude transactions on all the entities slated for privatisation this year.

He said over 60 per cent of the target would be achieved while the timelines would be adjusted to conclude the rest in the first quarter of 2021.

He, however, expressed satisfaction that the two major transactions that are yielding over 50 per cent of the entire revenue projection for the year- the reprivatisation of the Afam Power Plant and Yola Distribution Company- are

almost concluded.

Okoh said: "The health pandemic has not only disrupted the global economic environment but our specific local or national economy. When we made those projections, of course we did not envisage the disruption that would come from COVID-19. We projected to add to the fiscal purse this year about N260 billion. It is looking highly unlikely that the entire projection can be realised this fiscal year.

"But we are still pursuing the programme. It means that more of the financial proceeds and the revenue expectations may be coming in later as envisaged, perhaps by the end of the first quarter next year.

"Two of the transactions that should be contributing more than 50 per cent of the N260 billion we have almost concluded. In the few weeks, we should be able to conclude on these two transactions. " So, I am hopeful that before the end of this particular fiscal year, we should be able to realise at least 60 per cent of our initial estimate or target."

The BPE DG said the agency was in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health to reform the healthcare sector to provide universal coverage for the entire populace, including the informal sector.

"That is going to be a major reform. You know we have carried out several sectoral.

"We want to be able to provide universal health coverage and access to every citizen of this nation in such a way that they don't have to bother about

paying for the care. It will be based on single-payer system which means that the federal government, through a particular agency, will be responsible for paying for the health care of every citizen who needs it. So, access to medical and health treatment and intervention will no longer be dependent on whether you are rich or whether you are poor. We are going to more or less aggregate the services and aggregate the payment

system of the person for that particular service," he added.

According to him, what distinguishes the proposed system from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is that "the National Health Insurance Scheme, first and foremost depends on your subscribing to the health insurance," adding that for those who are not formally engaged ( the informal sector) who constitute over 80 per cent of the population, there is no assurance of getting health

care when they fall sick.

"It is different in that this coverage is for the entire population. The health insurance system itself as it is now, we are looking at how to accommodate it within that larger framework to provide funding for the single payer who will then be responsible for paying for the health insurance because for every health insurance scheme, if you are not paying for the premium, then you are not entitled to treatment,"

he stated.

On his message for Nigerians on its diamond anniversary, he said although the country could have done better than what it has achieved presently, it is nevertheless better together as one united entity.

"It is good that we stay together as a nation. Certainly, we should have achieved a lot more than we have done, but it (the anniversary) gives us an opportunity to refocus," he said.

CELEBRATING NIGERIA @60...

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari, the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan and former President Goodluck Jonathan at the 60th independence anniversary celebration, in Abuja... yesterday godwin omoigui

Police Arrest 30 #RevolutionNow Protesters CP detains inspector for brutalising photojournalist Chiemelie Ezeobi The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 30 protesters barely 12 hours after the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, charged police personnel to disallow any rally or protests on October 1.

Odumosu has also ordered the detention of one Inspector Adadu Innocent for brutalising a photojournalist, Kayode Jaiyeola, of The PUNCH. However, despite Odumosu order banning protests, protesters, under the aegis of RevolutionNow, hit the streets of Lagos yesterday to demand a better Nigeria.

Odumosu, during a security meeting with area commanders, divisional police officers and heads of units, had also warned parents and guardians against allowing their

children and wards to participate in any rally, protests or wage war against the federal government.

He further warned that parents or guardians of any youth arrested for such act will be prosecuted.

But the protesters disregarded his warning as they trooped into the streets of Lagos, demanding a better society and an end to bad governance.

In response, police operatives who were deployed to maintain the peace arrested over 30 protesters, injuring some in the process.

During the demonstration, which started at about 9a.m, the protesters took off from Ojota and marched on Maryland singing solidarity songs.

They dressed in orange and green colours and carried placards with various inscriptions that reflected

their grievances with the state of the nation.

However, the police disrupted the protest and arrested some of the participants.

Confirming the arrests, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the protesters were arrested for unlawful assembly and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

He said: “The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 30 protesters at various locations within the state for unlawful assembly, conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and other offences, including violation of COVID-19 protocols/laws in Lagos State.

“The arrested individuals, who put on crested vests of #RevolutionNow with placards, will be charged to

court on Friday, October 2.”

Reacting to the case of the injured photojournalist, whom a police officer broke his head with a baton, Adejobi said the officer responsible for the assault has been detained and awaiting orderly room trial.

He said: “The CP, who was monitoring the deployment and operational activities of officers and men of the command for the enforcement of the order against unlawful gathering and protest by some unpatriotic individuals, raced to the scene and personally moved the injured journalist to the Police Cottage (hospital) at Area F, GRA, Ikeja.

“He personally waited and ensured the injured journalist was given immediate and best medical treatment.

“The preliminary findings carried out by the Commissioner of Police

and eye witness accounts from senior officers on ground, revealed that the cop suddenly attacked the journalist, without any previous altercation or confrontation.

“This propelled the Commissioner of Police to order for his trial in order to serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of engaging in unprofessional and unethical conducts.”

Earlier in a press statement where they called for nationwide protest to register their grouse against bad governance, the Coalition for Revolution (CORE), the organisers of the #RevolutionNow protest, had demanded the reversal of “anti-people policies implemented by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.”

The group, led by a former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, said:

“These harsh policies that have bored a burdensome hole into the pockets of the Nigerian people are coming at a time when citizens are recovering from the adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global health crisis that was also mismanaged by the Buhari’s government, further plunging already struggling citizens into deeper financial problems.

“It also comes at a time when there is an unprecedented dictatorialstyle crackdown on free speech, dissent, activism, journalism and the right to associate and congregate peacefully and protest.”

The group also demanded the reversal of the hike in the price of petrol, the sacking of service chiefs and an end to “state-supervised and approved impunity under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

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Osoba Faults Adebanjo on Zoning of Presidency, Boycott of 2023 Elections Segun James A former Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Olusegun Osoba, has faulted what he described as the unilateral decision of an elder statesman and chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, to zone the 2023 presidency to the Igbo and also ask the Yoruba to boycott the 2023 elections if the Buhari administration fails to restructure Nigeria.

He also cautioned the elder statesman against insulting him further, saying “it is now fire-for-fire” in the verbal war between them.

Osoba said he would no longer respect "the little" age difference between them if Adebanjo continues to insult him.

The former governor who was reacting to a virtual event where Adebanjo allegedly called him "a sell-out," added that "Adebanjo has never wished me well."

He faulted Adebanjo’s position that the 2023 presidency should be zoned to Igbo, saying that the Afenifere leader has no power to take such a decision without the input of other Yoruba leaders.

He also accused the Afenifere leader of being responsible for the break-up of the pan-Yoruba organisation into splinter groups because of his rigid posture on issues.

Osoba, in an interview with journalists in Lagos, described Adebanjo as a dictator, adding that he disagreed with his position that the South-west should boycott the 2023 presidential election due to the failure of All Progressives

Congress (APC)-led federal government to restructure the country.

According to him, while the Igbo have a right to contest for the presidency in 2023, the Yoruba and other Nigerians also have a right to do so.

He stated that Adebanjo's rigid position may have to do with the fact that he has never contested any election in his life, and does not know what it takes to go through the rigour and negotiations in politics.

He said Adebanjo is not in a position to speak for the Yoruba nation as there was no agreement with anybody to boycott the elections.

Osoba challenged Adebanjo to tell the world where he got his boycott philosophy from, saying that Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whom Adebanjo claimed to be emulating, never supported the boycott of elections during his lifetime.

He said: “There are two issues that I disagree with Adebanjo on. For example in his own dictatorial way, he says he has now zoned the 2023 presidency to the Igbo.

I want to query him, who is he to zone the Yoruba race out of the presidential race in 2023?

Who is he?

“Where did we meet as Yoruba to say that we are ceding the presidency to the Igbo?

Awolowo will not behave like that. There will be a meeting where there will be consensus.

“Of course, the Igbo have a right to contest in 2023 just as I as a Yoruba man also have a right to contest. But

he (Adebanjo) has unilaterally zoned it to the Igbo. That is part of his dictatorial attitude.

He is a dictator.

“Two, he says we must boycott 2023 elections. Where did we sit down to decide that Yorubas will boycott the 2023 elections? He doesn’t read history, even the history that he was part of. In 1964, he was then still in exile in Ghana.

The issue of boycott arose. The National Congress of Nigeria

Citizens (NCNC) and Action Congress (AG) went into an alliance and formed the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA).

“Overnight, they decided to boycott the election. Awolowo, who was in Calabar prison, sent a message that we should never boycott the election. He said boycott is not recognised by law anywhere and that we will lose out.

“Of course, we boycotted and

we lost out in the government that was formed in 1964. Our other wing of UPGA in the East refused to boycott and so we produced nobody in the National Assembly then.

Awolowo has never been a supporter of boycott.

“Adebanjo should tell me example of when Awolowo ever boycotted and where he (Adebanjo) got that philosophy from. I query him, where did we meet as Yoruba to say that

we are going to boycott 2023 election? Even if we boycott, other Yoruba will go into the race. The PDP Yoruba will contest, and so, who is the loser?

“If we are going to boycott, let it be that all of us sat down together, debated it and arrive at a conclusion. There are the two major issues that Adebanjo is preaching, which are unrealistic and which Awolowo would never have supported. Awolowo will never support boycott.”

TOAST TO NIGERIA AT 60...

Juju music legend, Sir Shina Peters and his band performing during the ARISE Group/THISDAY global virtual commemoration to mark Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary celebration, in Lagos...yesterday kunle ogunfuyi

Tariff Hike Can’t Guarantee Improved Power Supply, Say Electricity Workers Fault FG’s injection of N1.7tn into privatised sector Ugo Aliogo Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have condemned the recent hike in tariffs, saying that it will not improve power supply.

They also faulted the injection of N1.7 trillion by the federal government into the power sector, since its privatisation.

The General Secretary of NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero, told journalists in Lagos yesterday that the increase in tariffs cannot improve electricity supply since power generation relies on gas.

He also criticised the federal government over N1.7 trillion

spent on the power sector despite the privatisation.

Ajaero expressed displeasure that the federal government has continued to invest more money in the electricity sector, even after privatisation.

He stated that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should have balanced profit with social interest, adding that the commission and the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) are all working for the interest of the Distributing Companies (Discos).

He said: “Government is charging Nigerians tariffs based on production from gas, which is the most expensive form of

generating electricity because the leaders in the generating companies are pricing the gas produced here with international market prices. It is unfortunate that government privatised the sector at N400 billion, retained 40 per cent and has spent N1.7 trillion in the same sector. Looking at it, the Discos cannot have up to 20 per cent and government has brought another N1.7 trillion upon the N400 billion already invested.

Since seven years, no percentage has been added to 40 per cent share while the same shares of the workers have been allocated to them.”

He called on the federal

government to hand over the management of the power sector to the union for proper accountability.

“It is sad that government didn’t review the financial losses caused by privatisation.

If government doesn’t address the failure of Discos in the privatisation process, NUEE is ready to take over all the Discos in the country with our members who are engineers and run it more efficiently,” he stated.

He lamented that some of the investors managing the Discos are traders, adding that government relies on the expertise of the workers in the sector to maintain it.

He alleged that the privatisation of the power sector was designed to fail, describing it as an explosive policy to milk the economy.

“Seven years after privatisation, the country has not exceeded 4,000 megawatts of power,” he added.

Ajaero said no power plant has been constructed in the last seven years since the Discos took over, adding that Nigerians should not expect improved power supply soon.

He expressed concern that the federal government has continued to build power stations and construct lines for improved power supply

in a sector it claimed to have privatised, adding that “the policy somersault is unacceptable.”

On the suspension of strike by labour to protest the hike in petrol price and electricity tariffs, Ajaero said the decisions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are bidding on all members.

According to him, the suspension of the strike is an opportunity for NLC and TUC to gain some relief, adding that after two weeks, the labour leaders might resume negotiations with the federal government.

PDP Govs Call for Dialogue to Hasten National Growth Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum (PDPGF) has harped on the need for a national conversation on the way forward for Nigeria, stressing that the nation cannot continue to remain helpless in the face of the challenges confronting its people.

It cautioned that the worsening social contradictions starring Nigerians in the face must not be allowed to destroy the country.

The governors, in a message yesterday by Chairman of the forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Waziri

Tambuwal, to Nigerians to mark the country's 60th independence anniversary celebration, expressed the optimism that the nation can be rescued from the current slide.

The forum said it is through a national dialogue that realistic and acceptable solutions could be found to the problems threatening the country’s peaceful coexistence and national unity.

The PDPGF said given the magnitude of the problems in the polity today, the efforts of the National Assembly should be enriched by the participation of stakeholders.

According to the forum, a

national dialogue is needed among the various groups and leaders in Nigeria to discuss and further agree on how to continue to make the country a better place for all.

The governors said the nation can be repositioned for greatness by all stakeholders working together.

"We cannot continue to plead indifference or remain helpless in the face of the challenges confronting us as a people.

"Nigeria is our common heritage. We must not allow the worsening social contradictions to destroy our country.

"At 60, we have indeed come of age. And we are optimistic that the nation can be rescued

from the current slide.

"Given the evident social discontent within the polity, there is a need for a national conversation on the way forward for our beloved but beleaguered nation.

"In this conversation, modernisation of our economy to meet the challenges of technology, innovation is of crucial importance.

"It is through such a national conversation or dialogue that we can find realistic and acceptable solutions to the problems that have continued to pose a threat to peaceful coexistence and national unity", the PDP governors added.

They thanked the National

Assembly for serially amending the 1999 Constitution to strengthen the nation's democracy.

"Given the magnitude of the problems in our polity today, the efforts of the National Assembly should be enriched by the participation of relevant stakeholders.

"We need a national dialogue among the various groups and leaders in Nigeria to discuss and further agree on how to continue to make Nigeria a better place for all," the governors stated.

The governors saluted the doggedness and indomitable spirit of Nigeria's founding fathers, who laboured strenuously and expended

the energies of their youth to ensure the birth of a new nation on October 1, 1960.

"Through the collective efforts and struggles of our founding fathers, the indomitable Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the ebullient Sir Ahmadu Bello, the graceful Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, and the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and their other notable compatriots, Nigeria achieved independence from British colonial domination.

"On this special occasion of the nation`s diamond jubilee, we acknowledge the sacrifices of these founding leaders who gave us a hope for the future; a future that we could be proud of," the governors said.

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PAGE NINE BUHARI, OTHERS PREACH UNITY, HOPE DESPITE CHALLENGES of difficulties and challenges, while acknowledging evident progress and a determination by the government and the people to make further progress.

The message of hope was captured by Buhari, who said: "We must salute the courage and painstaking efforts of our founding fathers to bequeath a country of great promises. We also pay tribute to all those who in search for a better Nigeria made supreme sacrifices with their lives. Our diamond age is by no means a small achievement. The vagaries of life's journey, are often filled with great dangers necessitating the effectiveness of consistent innovations and creativity, to be able to manage our individual ambition and destination in many ways, and to maximise the collective benefits of our common humanity."

The president stated that Nigeria's journey in the last 60 years was with daunting challenges, culminating in the civil war.

"Our politics, and our collective inability dread above several of our fault lines have been critical and fundamental to Nigeria's imperfect journey in the last 60 years. Some of these concerns and indeed challenges of independence, remain regrettably, so even today. As we mentioned, this does not in any way diminish the achievements of our country.

"In the last 60 years, the fact remains, however, that none of our challenges has impacted more negatively. As we celebrate this diamond age today, we must never lose sight of the untravelled route to Nigeria's manifest destiny. We offer this to millions of our people who have continued to invest hopes and huge expectations in their leaders and national elites. We also owe this to Africa and the black race, to enhance the dignity and self esteem of the black people throughout the world," he added.

Buhari seized the occasion to highlight some of the achievements of his administration.

He said: "Since my assumption of office as president of this country, nearly five-and-a-half-years ago, our administration has tried to place its hands on some of our initial challenges.

Namely, security, rejigging of our economy through diversification and taming the cancer that pervades the corruption in our national life has become. While we won on several fronts, it is work in progress in several other areas. As a government, we shall recommit ourselves in order to reset our five ways for a new Nigeria. "Attainment of this would undoubtedly require a commitment and collaboration of our countrymen and women to remain resolute in their beliefs, for that new Nigeria, that assures of our greatness together, and not a smaller needs."

Earlier, while introducing the president before he delivered his statement, Chairman and Editor-inChief, THISDAY Newspapers and ARISE Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, had said

the president promised a legacy by political reform; economic reform beginning with the regulation and reducing inequality in the economy.

SGF Calls for Unity to Fast-track Growth The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, called on Nigerians to demonstrate togetherness and courage in order to return the country to its golden past.

He added that getting back to those days and getting better as a nation will depend on how the citizens imbibe the spirit of togetherness.

He noted that in the past, Nigeria achieved great feats when the people were united and had a collective thinking as one people.

“It is the collapse of living individually for the collective and living collectively for the individual that has largely been responsible for our present state,” he said.

The SGF stated that the support of individuals, the private sector, communities and religious leaders, traditional rulers and all Nigerians will be required for the country to achieve its goals.

Saraki Seeks More Commitment to Youth Development The immediate past President of the Senate and former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, focused his address on Nigerian youths He said: "Today, If one looks at things from the perspective of young people, one might be forgiven to conclude that the promise has largely remained unfulfilled.

Today, providing for the basic welfare of our young people is a challenge. Why do I focus on young people? Simply because they are our future. It is they who in 40 years’ time will be the august individuals celebrating our centenary independence anniversary.

Indeed, the greatest resource this great country has today is, to my mind, our dynamic, resourceful, and ebullient young people who presently constitutes more than 50 per cent of the population. So, numerically speaking, the country is already theirs."

Saraki then proposed a solution to ensure the future greatness of Nigeria.

According to him, the Nigeria of the dreams of its people can be guaranteed "if we establish the foundation for a future in which our youths can drive Nigeria forward, we definitely will have a strong chance of rebuilding our country.

Then, we can perhaps at long last realise the dreams of our founding fathers.

The issues of security, underdevelopment, lack of unity and the negative forces which propel the recent surging demand for the disintegration of our country cannot be defeated if we fail to advance the right capacity building and utilisation policies and programmes for Nigeria’s youths."

We've Made Progress Despite Challenges,

Says Fayemi In his contribution, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, noted that over the years, Nigeria had grappled with difficult challenges, some of which seemed certain to break the ties that bind the country.

“We have overcome a depressing civil war, disruptions of our democratic systems, painful recessions, and horrible epidemics.

None of these, however, could break the resilient Nigerian spirit. We have had long periods of sunshine too - the times when we are deliriously happy and proud to be Nigerian”.

“We face many challenges today, but they are temporary and we shall rise above them in that typical Nigerian way. Our problems shall not define us and they will definitely not break us. The emasculating influence of poverty, insecurity, social imbalances and sectional discontent, have ensured that Nigerians have not come to appreciate our country dearly. Yes, there are ample reasons to be dissatisfied with our seeming inability to turn our huge potential to visible success.

"True, we are not where we ought to be. But the irony of the Nigerian story is that while her inadequacies are apparent to all, her progress is difficult to ignore either.

To suggest that Nigerian has not made progress is to declare that the works of her heroes and heroines are in vain.

“Without a doubt, we have a long way to go and we still have many challenges. But history teaches us that the nation building project is a journey and not a destination.

But it is a journey that is the collective responsibility of all of us. We must continue to work towards a more perfect union, correcting impediments to progress, adjusting the gaps in the system and believing that Nigeria is more than the sum of its parts. In the words of Alfred Tennyson in his poem Ulysses, we must continue to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

Okowa Urges Nigerians to Shun Divisiveness In his address, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, implored Nigerians to shun any form of division.

"I encourage all of us to stand firm, resilient and shun all forms of divisive tendencies. The times we live in call for unshakeable faith, courage, and optimism and our ability to build a country of our collective dream and become the envy of other nations.

"Yes! It has no been an easy journey by any stretch of the imagination.

There have been trees and turns and sometimes it appears we are headed for the precipe, but by God's merciful intervention, we are managed to stay the course.

"It is not debatable that we are yet to fully realised our collective aspirations as a united prosperous country, where primordial loyalty and sentiments

have subsumed under an all-embracing national etho of patriotism, commitment, honesty, integrity and justice.

"Nevertheless, we must appreciate the progress we have made. I believe we can be proud of how far we have come as a country.

"Yes! We are not where we think we should be, but the truth also is that we are no longer where we used to be. Most importantly now, democracy has come to stay in our country."

Let's Keep Hope Alive, Says el-Rufai On his part, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, challenged Nigerians to use the occasion of the 60th Independence anniversary to keep hope alive and ensure that in the next 60 years Nigeria will be a better place for all.

According to him, every Nigerian has the capability to be better than what he or she wants to be in a nation where the promotion of merit and the rule of law are encouraged.

The governor called for the promotion of rule of law and focus on a new national discourse where merit takes pre-eminence over the various diversity issues.

El-Rufai who used Kaduna State as a case study, said reforms are ongoing in the state to ensure that poverty does not stop a child from acquiring a good education.

He explained that there are reforms that will create employment through new investment policies in the state.

The governor added that there are reforms in health sector and the promotion of merit in the state, which he described as work in progress.

Sanwo-Olu: Nigeria Growing Stronger The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said despite the country's challenges, "the good thing is that even in our diversity, there is strength in our unity and that Nigeria has continued to grow stronger."

He identified of the most crucial priorities of his government as the creation of enabling environment for the youth to attain their individual potential.

He stated that normalcy was beginning to return to Lagos after months of travail from health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that his administration recognised the critical role of the youth in the future development of the country and will create opportunities for them to achieve their goals.

He said that the state government would strive to maintain the prime position of Lagos State as the nation's commercial and economic nerve centre.

"We feel a sense of responsibility to ensure that Lagos remained home for everyone that comes here to do genuine business.

Lagos remains the centre of excellence in the country and we all continue to create that enabling environment," he stated.

emotions and the hopes and expectations that were ahead."

Amina Mohammed Pledges UN Policymakers, Commitment to Nigeria's Development Business Leaders Predict Bright Nigeria's international Future for Nigeria diplomat and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, promised that the UN will continue to accompany Nigeria, in its quest to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and a future deserved by all Nigerians.

According to her, Nigeria missed it when it failed to develop the rural areas.

She said: "My humble reflection is the missed opportunity of investing in our local level of government, where our communities and our people, the diamonds in the rough, reside. My hope is that we will find it in ourselves to rise up against what divides us and look for the strands and the fabric of nature that bind us together; that we find the wisdom and the courage to embark upon a new journey of discovery that will see the young people of this great nation shape its future. That we may all rise to our aspirations in peace, in unity in dignity and respect for each other, leaving no one behind."

The business leaders and policymakers who featured in the global virtual commemoration predicted better days ahead for the country, despite the current challenges.

Speaking at the virtual event, Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari; the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, among others, expressed confidence in the growth of the country, despite its challenges in the last 60 years of independence.

In their goodwill messages at the THISDAY/ARISE Group event, they urged Nigerians to uphold the legacies of the founding fathers of the nation and to work collectively to develop the country.

Ex-minister, Akinyemi, Recalls Good Old Days

Dangote: We Should've Hope in Nigeria

A former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, recalled a Nigeria where people like him who studied abroad were offered citizenship on platters of gold.

He said: "We preferred to come back home. Because we believed in the Nigerian dream. And why not?"

He painted a picture of Nigeria at independence where there were more television services than some European countries had.

"We had world recognised teaching hospitals. We had the world recognised airlines, we had the world recognised shipping lines. Some of the best brains in the world were Nigerians. We were called the African Giant and we believed it. Our vision was for Nigeria to reach the sky and the stars."

According to Dangote, Nigeria has challenges since independence but it has surmounted them.

“The future is great and we should have hope in our country Nigeria.

Our latest challenge is the COVID-19 pandemic, which of course is a global challenge, but the private sector, under CACOVID, rallied round the government to alleviate most of the impact that came with it.

Government also did very well to alleviate some of the impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable citizens of the country.

“Nigeria as a country is blessed with arable land, good climate, mineral resources.

With the population of the youths of Nigeria, the country must focus on agriculture to grow the economy.

Nigeria is for Nigerians and no one can make Nigeria great, except Nigerians,” Dangote said.

He added that in the last 20 years alone, the Dangote Group has invested over $20 billion in manufacturing, agriculture and in other areas.

“Nigeria used to import cement, but today the Dangote Group alone has over 32 million tonnes of cement. For the first time in the last 10 years, Nigeria became a net exporter of cement and by next year, Nigeria will become the largest exporter of cement in Africa, and today we are self-sufficient at home in the consumption of cement.

"Nigeria is also doing well in the growth of fertiliser, even though we still import fertiliser at the moment.

By next year, Nigeria will become the largest exporter of fertiliser in Africa.

Ahmed Joda Trips down Memory Lane A retired Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industries, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, shared similar sentiments as Akinyemi as he described his mood as sombre.

He recalled the historical moment the Nigerian flag was hoisted and the Union Jack flag lowered.

"I must be one of the very few Nigerians that is alive and witnessed it all... And as we celebrate this day, I feel that I need to go back memory lane, how I felt as a young Nigerian at the centre of Tafawa Balewa Square.

Bright lights were dimmed, the British flag was lowered, and the green-and-white new Nigerian flag was upheld. The lights came back and the crowd went wild. That moment, Nigeria became a sovereign nation.

Millions of hearts, plenty of

Continued on page 37

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAYOCTOBER 2, 2020

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POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

Tourism, Resilience and Rural Development Folorunsho Coker, Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, draws attention to the necessity of building the resilience of tourism as a platform of economic opportunity and advancement that positively impacts rural development

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ith the focus this year being on Tourism and Rural Development, which is no doubt crucial and more than timely, still for me the 2020 edition of the World Tourism Day, being observed far and near in our world under a very peculiar circumstance today, speaks essentially to the notion of resilience. Human resilience. The resilience to overcome difficulty, undesirable situations, and a dreadful pandemic. More importantly, it about the need to build resilient systems that can keep advancing the human experience, despite manifestations that attempt to constrict this.

That tourism is capable of resilience, and reinvention, is not in doubt, as long as the imperative for humans to connect and renew their relationship with space, which is fundamental, continues to exist. This is clear in the determination that has seen to the convocation of this year’s World Tourism Day, even as many of the activities are virtual and lean on digital technologies. It is the liberating possibilities of technology that also inform innovations that have led to the holding of virtual visits, tours, and concerts, etc., which reinvent much of what is constitutive of tourism.

As invoked in the theme of this year’s gathering, tourism certainly has an integral relationship with rural spaces and their development, as hundreds of locations across the world, which offer the appeal that motivates visits are far away from the urban centres, whether as designated world heritage sites or simply unique landmarks and physical spaces. These are places of economic opportunity that support ways-of-life, jobs and incomes, but could equally exhibit challenges around proper development.

More so, with the adverse consequences that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is need for concerted efforts at reimagining tourism to create more resilient opportunities for the survival and progress of people in rural locations. Fortunately, we had prefigured this in our programme design at the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, as I will broach shortly.

The past seven months, since our various countries and regions were impelled to simultaneously lockdown before their gradual reopening at this time, have impacted the world in a most unprecedented way – at least not in a way that has been witnessed in more than a generation. These have been at the instance of an invisible adversary that has assailed mankind, with its consequences boldly etched across the spectrum of our ways-of-life, while giving rise to a novel way of being now considered as the ‘new normal’ or ‘re-imagined living’.

This ‘new normal’ has seen to the reordering of our lived experiences in very significant ways, as it exacts its quite heavy demands on the essence that defines us – the sheer physicality of human-to-human interaction, and contact. And, perhaps the sector that shares the largest burden of this ‘disembodiment’ is tourism, whose lifeblood is hinged on the need to witness and partake in experiences that mainly involve physicality, contact.

The advent of the coronavirus before the close of the previous year and its wild leaps into 2020, dragging in tow the morbidity referred to as COVID-19, alongside grisly body counts, from the Southern to the Northern Hemispheres, has left much of the world under a pall of the fear of contagion. And tourism has become strapped to a respirator, struggling for breath. This has driven many to the hasty prognosis of the ‘death of tourism’, discounting the inherent resilience in the human spirit.

Yet, sadly, the impacts are evident to all across urban centres, peri-urban and rural spaces – many of which are also hubs of tourist convergence – with the unravelling of economies, loss of livelihoods, and upsurge

in existential angst, growing in tandem with desperation.

Prior to the emergence of the Coronavirus, as statistics from 2019 reveal, tourism and its extensive value chain contributed some $8.9

trillion to the world GDP, which was about 10.3 per cent of the total GDP, while also accounting for 330 million jobs worldwide, making for one in every ten available jobs. It rose to become the third largest sector of the

The Table Shakers Got It Wrong About Fayemi Yemi Akinbode, a stakeholder of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State writes that the heap of blame poured on Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State over the recent woes of the party is misplaced

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ince his ascension to the mantle of leadership of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has become the most popular governor in Nigeria, and perhaps the most maligned occupant of that position in recent times. Incidentally, most opposition to his leadership have come mainly from some elements in the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) not necessarily because he is not a performing leader, but majorly because of the sounds and rhythm of 2023 politics.

The rising propaganda by a few out-offavour narrow-minded and self-serving interest groups to annihilate the reality of a potential Fayemi presidency is fuelling the ill-talk, lies and endless media assassination of the character of Governor Fayemi.

Readers should not be oblivious of the fact that Fayemi is one of the most brilliant leaders that Nigeria has produced in a while. At the root of these are mere hearsays, rumours and wicked views that have no iota of truism. Thus the hate campaign has become so huge, that if we allow it to fester, the undiscerning publics may think the table shakers have something good to say, this may be twisted and snowballed into serious public negative perception. Perception most times, may be greater than reality, even though perception in most cases, are misconceptions and wrong notions held on to tenaciously by the “nay sayers” in an emerging public scenario. Perception, most times are wrong notions of a people about issues, personalities and subjects that may convey a false impression, which in most cases are laden with bias, prejudice and total falsehood as the case may be.

It is always good to debunk falsehood and wrong notions in public space so that the general public will have the benefit of balancing their views on key public discourse. We would attempt to dwell on

the facts of the issues at hand as much as we can, without joining issues with anybody or group of people. This will also send some signals to the peddlers of falsehood to realize that they cannot have their way all the time.

In recent times, I have read commentaries and views of certain people, some of who are interested stakeholders, public opinion molders and concerned individuals on a range of narratives bordering on the leadership of Ekiti State, Governor, Kayode Fayemi, the politics of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the role of the Nigeria Governors Forum of which Governor Fayemi is the current chairman. We have also watched with keen interest various attributions that have been made to the man at various levels on a variety of issues. Matters ranging from Senator Biodun Olujimi versus Senator (Prince) Dayo Adeyeye protracted election legal battle in which Olujimi secured a final victory at the Court of Appeal.

Also we have read many articles and commentaries by detractors on the purported or what they called the “anti-party posture” of Governor Fayemi in the just concluded Edo governorship election, for which the social media is replete with countless narratives of allegations of how Governor Fayemi, being the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum connived with elements in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to scuttle the election of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu the APC candidate in the September 19 Edo governorship election.

So many stories have we also read about how Governor Fayemi was alleged to have turned himself into a cog in the wheel of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intransigent moves to emerge as the APC’s presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general election.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

global economy, constituting 7 per cent of world trade, 6.8 per cent of total exports and 28.3 per cent of total services export.

Tourism was responsible for $1.7 trillion visitor exports, in addition to attracting $948 billion in capital investments, and earning 4. 3 per cent of total investments in the year. The sector grew faster than any other aspect of world trade in the earlier five years. And, in Nigeria, it was the source of 34 per cent of the GDP and 20 per cent of jobs.

Quite unfortunately, the rather deleterious impact of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 saw to the decline of about 22 per cent in world tourism in the first quarter, with indications that the figure could swell to 80 per cent before the end of the year, and occasion a loss of close to 120 million jobs globally. Much of this loss pertains to jobs in medium and small enterprises, having women and youths bearing a significant aspect of the burden.

Equally, there are estimates that with the restriction and drop in consumer demand, the effect of the pandemic would lead to a loss of close to $1.2 trillion in international visitors’ spending, an erosion of up to 2.8 per cent of the world’s GDP, all snowballing into a 4.9 per cent contraction in the world GDP by the end of 2020. This discouraging number count bodes ill for many nations, and has particularly created economic emergencies for countries largely depending on tourism for survival.

While it is occurring at a time of critical impact to the human experience, this year’s World Tourism Day is the 40th anniversary of the reflection on the role of a sector of huge social, cultural and economic value to humanity. And, one that has the inherent potential of enabling the attainment of a number of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As articulated by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), this year’s emphasis on Tourism and Rural Development “celebrates the sector’s unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind.” Furthermore, “World Tourism Day 2020 also highlights the important role tourism plays in preserving and promoting culture and heritage all around the world.”

As much as the theme of this year’s observation accurately points to the huge economic prospects offered by tourism in the rural areas, yet the impact of COVID-19 has equally outlined the great vulnerability of these spaces to adverse situations, particularly of their women and youth, in a manner that intensifies poverty, whilst accelerating the rates of migration to cities, and hence deepening the rural-urban divide.

Regrettably, communities in rural areas are less able to survive the impacts of COVID-19 in the short and long terms due to their greater percentages of aging people, lesser incomes and a more vast digital divide. Still, the reinvention of more resilient tourism will drive the recovery of the global economy, especially in rural communities, where it is a leading provider of jobs, for women and youths, thereby mitigating the urge towards the urban drift and its raft of newer challenges.

In Nigeria, the necessity of building the resilience of tourism as a platform of economic opportunity and advancement that positively impacts rural development prefigured the assault of COVID-19. But this now finds greater significance in its ability to engender national economic recovery – in a country seeking to retrieve itself from the tipping point or impact of the coronavirus – through the growth of employment and an expanded base for commerce.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAYOCTOBER 2, 2020

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PERSPECTIVE

EPISTLES of ANTHONY KILA

Trumped in History by Biden and Racist ‘Proud Boys’

A New Introduction to Corruption

Chido Nwangwu, Founder of USAfrica multimedia Anthony Kila laments the unfortunate visibility networks reviews the first in the series of debates of Nigeria on the global corruption index between between President Donald Trump, the ear Readers Just as expected, one of the Republican party flag-bearer and his Democratic six major items or keywords that dominated discussions in party challenger Joe Biden and declares it as past few days of ceremonies, analysis, the worst, most embarrassing and undignified lamentations, accusations, justifications platitudes and promises about Nigeria is exchange between two major presidential corruption. The other five keywords are poverty, insecurity, development, patriocandidates in the United States of America tism, and in a very Nigerian way, hope.

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F

irst and above all, in raw and revealing clarity, in his direct and unscripted character and all of its unedited crassness, the date September 29, 2020 will remain permanentized as the day Donald J. Trump diminished and exposed himself to the lowest level position in America’s presidentialpresidentitial history’s ranking.

Second, despite some of the important things he is doing, because of his weighty but corrosive words before and especially on September 29, history — as written by folks like me and others — will denote him as the only man who had the privilege, the rare privilege of serving as the President of the United States but chose, willfully and giddily, to impress, acknowledge, embrace and give validation to neo-Nazis, skinheads, and certified racists such as the so-called ‘Proud Boys.’

Third, deservedly so, the so-called debate of September 29, 2020 between President Donald Trump, the Republican party flag-bearer and his Democratic party challenger Joe Biden has already gone down in history as the worst, most embarrassing and undignified event in the history of the face-to-face competition

Mr. Trump’s serial incapacity to demonstrate personal discipline or maintain public decorum, his fixed position and “strategy” of disrupt and interrupt came to the dynamic arena, the battle field of ideas and failed, woefully!

Like a double-edged sword, like a razor blade, worked against him

and exchange between two major presidential candidates in the United States of America.

Yes; the coarse, shrill, interruption filled showdown initially and formally advertised as an enlightenment forum turned out a fiasco!

Fourth and without any doubts, Mr. Trump came in with a strategy to disrupt; disrupt; and disrupt continuously and possibly throw his opponent off-balance and have the man forget his sequence of thoughts and presentation. This will allow him, that is, Mr. Trump to show he’s up to the rigorous demands of presidential leadership and leave Biden as an old, incapable embodiment of incoherent “left wing, socialist and radical ideology.”

However, as a political scientist and communications specialist, I do know that aggressive public messaging is like a double-edged sword, like a razor blade.

You can use it to cut, metaphorically, your opponent’s message, it can also work against a person deploying it!

And, I must note that given Mr. Trump’s serial incapacity to demonstrate personal discipline or maintain public decorum, his fixed position and “strategy” of disrupt and interrupt came to the dynamic arena, the battle field of ideas and failed, woefully! Like a double-edged sword, like a razor blade, worked against him….

The wheels of Whatever remained of his “strategy” seeking a first round knock out of the battle-tested right of center liberal public servant and strongly anti-apartheid and vigorously anti-racism voice Joe Biden failed. Trump was clearly guilty of an overreach!

Plus, almost 80% of not just interruptions but tactical, preemptive interruptions.

The near imitation of the WWE’s wrestling trash talk has been described as a “disgrace” by CNN‘s Jake Taper; as “a train wreck” by the former spokesman for President George Bush, Ari Fleischer.

On her part, the usually formal correspondent of the CNN Dana Bash called it “a sh*t show.”

Fifth, it is a shame and dangerous descent for the U.S President Trump to openly tell racist groups to “stand by”!

Such inflammatory stoking of bigotry and mainstreaming of the offsprings of the messengers of hate constitute, substantially, an existential moral threat to the works and legacy of the truth-tellers and prophets.

Sixth, Trump should take an iron-clad stand (not made-for-tv retakes) against the assorted confederacy of skinheads and neo-Nazi thugs in Europe and corners of the United States. As well as against the radical jihadist merchants of death in Nigeria called Boko Haram and other transporters of hate, mayhem and bigotry.

It’s simply not too much to ask. A change is gonna come, as the golden voice Sam Cooke sang to America decades ago!

Two things are worthy of note in this list: One is that the negative elements are government related, whilst the positive one is individual. The other thing to note is that all the other elements have been linked to corruption: There is a general belief that things are bad in the country largely due to corruption.

This belief is not new, it appears those in government agree with the idea too.

Successive governments have all in their own way promised to tackle corruption and they all have in their own different way done some tackling. It goes without saying that sincerity of purpose varies from administration to administration.

Regardless of efforts or intention, results all attempts show that they have all failed. The proof of such failure lies in the fact that we are still feeling the pangs of corruption and that we are talking about corruption today.

There is no use for us to go the route of arguing that “my party or government did this or that”, there is no gain in saying “what about this or that government or administration”. The objective points here are that, sadly, global comparative analysis places Nigeria high on the corruption index and that in our day to day lives, corruption is still very vivid and flourishing.

Given the way things stands it is perhaps time that we step away from our legitimate and natural moral stance on corruption to take a simpler but more rational approach to the issue of corruption. A new approach to understanding and tackling corruption is needed. It appears that for over five decades we have generally moved towards corruption like something to fight without ever stopping to deliberate and understand the nature and causes of this corruption amongst people.

In taking a new introduction to corruption, one of the first things that we shall discover is that corruption is a very human and very social phenomenon. To that extent, like most social occurrence, everyone can be corrupt but luckily everyone can also live without corruption: It all depends on circumstances.

If in our public discourse and deliberations, we take time to ask ourselves what are the causes of corruption before going into the solutions. We might find new solutions or at least take new approaches to dealing with it.

I have posited elsewhere that the major causes of corruption are scarcity, uncertainty, impunity and chaos. These elements are interrelated and feed on each other towards a vicious cycle for both the victims and beneficiaries of corruption.

The genesis of all corruption stems from a system that is incapable of providing for all its users and stakeholders.

Put the best people in the world in any community of equals and you will soon see that once they don’t have enough of some basic items of survival, cliques will be formed and dependency will be created.

The greater the disparities in a system the more likely are people to defer, deceive, cajole and discriminate. Ordinarily, the need to survive tends to trump dignity and integrity in the needy and it tends to reduce the sense of fairness and empathy in the privileged. It takes extraordinary traits such as heroism, nobleness and maybe even stoicism to remain pure when burdened with need or to remain fair when robed in privilege.

The way out of scarcity induced corruption is to put more emphasis on production rather than on distribution. We also need to reassess what we consider the minimum standard of living and strive for the good of all to make it available for the most.

One thing worse than scarcity is uncertainty. In Lagos, when a commercial bus break downs the instinct of most passengers is to block the conductor from running away. They do so not because they are mean but because they do not know what might happen next. There are tales of people who get into public office and their first move is to identify and pocket what they can find. They do so because they know court might nullify the election that got them into power. As a teacher, I personally see how hard it is for my graduands to truly believe that a good qualification and ability to solve problems will get them a good career.

Sadly at a very early, too early, stage in life they all too conscious of the wretched dictum, “it is not what you know but who you know”.

Where instead of order and clarity, chaos reigns, choices of people, projects and policies are made based on temperaments and chance. Accountability and merit suffers and rather than work for excellence the trend is to please and appease.

There are scenes of fathers of families who take pride in calling themselves children or godchildren of other adults. They lie to and for their benefactors to stay afloat. In meetings, many specialise in finding out what their leaders wants and then convince the leader of the leader’s view. These people do so because there is no clear and dignified path to survival.

One thing worse than chaos is impunity.

Where should people do what is good when those that lie, cheat and steal get away with it? If we really want to fight this evil called corruption that is holding us back as a people we need to change approach by spending more time in understanding the simple but devastating causes of corruption.

-Prof. Anthony Kila can be reached at @anthonykila

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

COMMENT

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

THE PROMISE OF INDEPENDENCE Taiwo Odukoya writes that with all the potential, Nigeria cannot afford to fail

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will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing - Genesis 12:2 There are many ways in which Nigeria is a miracle.

With the unique distinction of being the most populous black nation on earth, she is a confederation of cultures and languages, religions and dreams; a country that has survived colonialism and a civil war, draconian dictatorships and doomsday predictions and one, which in spite of her deep-seated challenges, has contributed so much to the African continent and to the world. She is a country still full of promise 60 years since she wrested herself from colonial rule.

The truth is, nations are products of promises, conceived by the collective desire to build systems and structures that guarantee the fulfilment of individual potential. Former US President Barack Obama captured it quite well when speaking of the promise of the American nation. “Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation - not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago,” he said.

The promise of Nigeria, in many ways, is what has kept us together and driven us forward against all odds. Fraught with difficulties as our journey has been, we are grateful to God that we are still here, still with hope, working to build the country of our dreams.

Congratulations, Nigeria! Happy Independence Day! But as we celebrate, we must also reflect.

The psalmist reminds us to “number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Moments like this afford us a chance for introspection, to celebrate and strengthen what is good, and also to face up to our mistakes, learn from them and course correct. Many may argue, with good reason, that Nigeria has hardly lived up to its potential. Like the biblical children of Israel, we have circled the same mountains for too long.

A recent survey by the United States Institute for Peace on how the state of insecurity in the country is affecting the government’s coronavirus response shows that roughly six in 10 respondents across several states have experienced insecurity or violence in the last 12 months. Sixty years after independence, it is most unfortunate that Nigerians still do not feel safe within their own borders.

In 1987, violence erupted in the College of Education,

THE PROMISE OF NIGERIA, IN MANY WAYS, IS WHAT HAS KEPT US TOGETHER AND DRIVEN US FORWARD AGAINST ALL ODDS. FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES AS OUR JOURNEY HAS BEEN, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO GOD THAT WE ARE STILL HERE, STILL WITH HOPE, WORKING TO BUILD THE COUNTRY OF OUR DREAMS

Kafanchan in Kaduna State, where Christians were attacked by Muslims over an alleged misrepresentation and interpretation of the Quran. Hundreds of people were killed. In 2020, in the southern part of Kaduna, violent attacks and conflict have again left scores dead and many families bereaved, a perennial cycle of violence that has claimed thousands of lives since 1980. Boko Haram, armed bandits, kidnappers and suspected Fulani herdsmen continue to be on the rampage, wreaking havoc, across the northern part of the country, with incursions in the southern part. The question is: What have we done to genuinely stem this ugly tide? What have we learnt from our mistakes?

This despondent state of affairs has further widened the chasm of mistrust between the leadership and the people. The Bible tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick, which is why a promise, in the context of nationhood, cannot go unrealised in perpetuity without irreparable repercussions.

There is an urgency to get things right; we can no longer afford to ignore or overlook the problems that seek to tear us apart. We, therefore, make a desperate call to leaders in every strata of society, particularly those at the helm of affairs, to fix Nigeria. And the time to do it is now. As we bask in the euphoria of patriotism that attends the Independence Day celebrations, let us remember that the greatest act of patriotism we can demonstrate is to serve, within the purview of our respective offices, with competence and integrity, with a renewed determination to leave no one behind, ethnicity or religion regardless.

The words of Franklin D. Roosevelt continue to ring true: “In our personal ambitions we are individualists.

But in our seeking for economic and political progress as a nation, we all go up or else all go down as one people.”

As a country, we can go up. We have the potential to. One of the greatest tragedies of human existence will be for Nigeria to fail. We cannot let that happen.

No, not on our watch! As Tafawa Balewa, speaking at Nigeria’s independence ceremony exactly 60 years ago, said, “I promise you, we shall not fail for want of determination.”

We look forward to many more years of celebration, together, stronger and more prosperous, each one playing his or her part.

Nigeria has a great future. Please let it be!

Odukoya is the senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos

OSINBAJO AND DONALD TRUMP’S STRATEGY Politicians must be courageous enough to tell their people the truth, writes Chidi Okoro

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ou would not have thought it possible, but as September comes to an end, over 205,000 Americans – more than any other country in the world – have died from coronavirus.

The pandemic has sobered the world’s economic and military superpower, the United States, with over seven million of its citizens infected.

Some people have laid the blame for the severity of the situation in America at the feet of President Donald Trump. It is not difficult to see why.

Several US media organisations have recently published stories claiming that Trump knew as early as January, how deadly the virus was before it hit the country, but thought it prudent to downplay its seriousness. In March, during which over 1,000 Americans died of the disease in a single day in New York, the White House declared the pandemic a national emergency.

The US President reportedly told respected journalist Bob Woodward in an interview same month that “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.” Trump’s panic control strategy may or may not have contributed to America’s high COVID-19 death rate, but it reminds one of another potentially deadly strategy proposed by Northern Nigeria socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on September 28.

The advice followed a comment Osinbajo made last Sunday at the Ecumenical Centre in Abuja during the nation’s 60th Independence interdenominational church service with

the theme: “Together… Come, Let Us Rebuild….” Osinbajo said Nigerians need to collectively address the challenges militating against nation-building to avoid breakup.

With the challenges facing the country, the vice-president stressed the essence of showing love to fellow Nigerians, adding that “Fortunately for us in Nigeria, our walls are not yet broken but have cracks that could lead to break, if not properly addressed.”

Osinbajo, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, said: “The theme should serve as a clarion call to Nigerians to be prepared to contribute their quota to national development. “We need love for this nation. We need selfless love to rebuild Nigeria. It is only that kind of love that can help us as Nigerians to rebuild the cracks that we have in our walls, in our country Nigeria.”

According to media reports, sociopolitical groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Pan Niger Delta Forum advised that Osinbajo’s warning that cracks in the country could lead to its breakup, should not be taken for granted. They said Nigerians could not continue to live in denial.

But the ACF, though admitting that there were unhealthy cracks, advised the vice president not to make such a statement because it could worsen tension in the country. Its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, was quoted as saying that “The cracks are unhealthy but we expect the vice president to calm nerves and not make a pronouncement that will aggravate the situation. The ACF is hopeful that Nigeria will overcome its current travails as it did in the

past and even overcame a fratricidal war to break up Nigeria. To do this, Nigerian leaders like Osinbajo should watch their words.”

This position is an interesting one, but, quite frankly, is potentially fatal.

The ACF, like Trump, does not seem to realise that the strategy of keeping from Nigerians, the facts of the precariousness of the country’s state of affairs, could backfire in the long run. It seemingly does not realise the severity of Nigeria’s case of disunity, which Prof Osinbajo – a gentleman – alluded to, albeit with a positive outlook.

Just two weeks ago, for instance, news headlines were dominated by statements by two elder statesmen – former President Olusegun Obasanjo and playwright Prof Wole Soyinka – expressing concerns about the sorry state of our national cohesiveness. Obasanjo, in early September, claimed that Nigeria is becoming a failed state and is more divided under President Muhammadu Buhari.

On September 15, Soyinka backed Obasanjo and warned that the country is on the edge of total collapse. “The nation is divided as never before,” Soyinka said, in a statement, between ‘Dividersin-chief’ and ‘Dividers-in-law.’ Other Nigerians, including the convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof Ango Abdullahi, have also often warned about cracks in the country’s unity.

Of course, ‘Divider -in- Chief’ was in reference to the federal government’s criticism of Obasanjo while defending Buhari’s efforts at promoting nationbuilding and Nigeria’s unity. As part of the defence, Minister of Information Lai Mohammed said on September 13 that President Buhari’s efforts prevented Nigeria from becoming a failed state. In

his statement sent by his spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi, Mr Mohammed said that “Those who genuinely love Nigeria will support, rather than subvert,” Buhari’s “committed leadership.”

The minister said President Buhari came into office at a time that a swathe of the country’s territory was under occupation, a period when many Nigerian towns and cities, including the capital city of Abuja, were a playground for insurgents and a moment that the nation’s wealth had been looted dry, with little or nothing to show for the nation’s huge earnings, especially in the area of infrastructure. “Nigeria today faces a lot of challenges. But whatever situation the country has found itself in, things would have been much worse but for the deft management of resources, unprecedented fight against corruption, determined battle against insurgency and banditry as well as the abiding courage of Mr President in piloting the ship of state,” Mohammed said.

The federal government has a point. It has indeed taken many steps to stop the insurgency and try to get the country on the path of national development. But where questions still remain, politicians must find the courage and integrity to tell their people the truth, even while looking for a solution. This is what Prof Osinbajo has done, rather than pretending that all is perfect.

Hopefully, all will be well, but the ACF must do itself a favour and meditate on the immortal words of the late rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., when he said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Okoro wrote from Aba

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T H I S D AY ˞ ˜ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

EDITORIAL

MAGU: THE PROBE WITHOUT END The inquiry into Magu’s stewardship is dragging and giving room for speculations

T

his appears not the best of times for Ibrahim Magu, who has been under suspension as the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for almost three months. A Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Magu was initially arrested, detained and eventually released at the instance of the Presidency based on investigations reportedly being conducted on his stewardship. Without a clear idea as to when the investigations will end, the whole saga has been reduced to a media circus.

Dismissing media report of claims of regretting his appointment as Chairman of the Presidential Judicial Commission of Inquiry currently investigating allegations against Magu, Justice Ayo Salami is accusing the legal team of the former EFCC acting chairman of orchestrating proTHE IRREDUCIBLE MINIMUM paganda against him. “I want to IN THE INVESTIGATION point out that OF MAGU, AND THE such wild claims EFCC, IS THAT THERE BE against me and TRANSPARENCY AND THAT the commission JUSTICE BE SERVED AT THE are not strange to me, given the END manner in which the lawyers to Magu have been carrying on in the conduct of their client’s case before the commission,� Salami wrote in a press statement he signed. “Planting such lies in the media about proceedings at the panel has been their pastime. They believe that it is by engaging in such media propaganda against the commission that their client can be easily absolved of the various allegations that have been brought against him.�

The Magu legal team, in dismissing a report that their client ‘begged’ the committee, has also said that “these orchestrated stories in the public space may have the effect of shifting the real focus from the quest for facts and truth which is the focus of the inquiry to sensational-

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ism, half-truths, propaganda which will neither benefit either Nigerians who are interested in the real facts and truth nor the panel members who have toiled for days to execute the assignment including the subject of inquiry whose proclamation of guilt or innocence will define his future career.�

Whatever may be the issues in this unfortunate saga, the crux of an anti-corruption commitment ought to be a strict adherence to the rule of law. So, the irreducible minimum in the investigation of Magu, and the EFCC, is that there be transparency and that justice be served at the end. Therefore, leaving the issue to speculations and conjectures is very much unhelpful. And the manner the Presidential Investigation Committee is being carried out leaves many questions hanging. If for close to six months the panel is still sitting and is not sure of when it would conclude its assignment, is the investigation open-ended?

Whatever may be the ‘various allegations’ against him, Magu, like every citizen of Nigeria, deserves a fair hearing. Besides, there are other issues arising from the committee’s sessions that are of concerns. Against the background that it was a recent memorandum from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami which suggested to President Buhari the need to sack Magu on alleged grounds of “diversion of recovered loot�, “insubordination� and “misconduct�, we wonder why he would refuse to appear before the panel he helped to constitute. If the full scope of the current investigation is to expose the extant practices that fuel abuses by officials, we endorse it wholeheartedly. But it must go beyond the career of one officer to a reform that strengthens the EFCC and its very important mandate.

We hope the Salami committee will speed up its work, conclude the sessions and turn up its report so that a decision can be taken both on Magu and the EFCC leadership. There is need for an urgent closure on this unfortunate saga that has further soiled the image of the country.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

NIGERIA AT 60: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

A

trip down memory lane.

On October 1, the nooks and crannies of this great nation was filled with jubilation and celebration, Independence was finally granted by the British colonial masters and Nigeria became a sovereign nation. Indeed, it was a day of joy and absolute gladness for both the young and old in the nation and those in the diaspora. The then speech delivered by the ceremonial President Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe raised the hope of Nigerians with the assurance that sooner or later, radical and unimaginable growth and development would take place, making the country one of the best among her counterparts in the world. The reality of this hope is yours to decide.

From time, the reverse has been the case of our nation and the hope of the masses dashed for so long a time. It wouldn’t be a wrong question to ask, is Nigeria’s independence a curse or a blessing? This is because countries that were given independence at the

same time as Nigeria have moved forward and are taking commanding position in economy, education, health, science and technology and a host of others. But our dear country, 60 years after gaining independence is still in motion without movement.

In all walks of life, if there is anything that Nigeria is unanimous about, it is the fact that Nigeria has a stunted growth. Countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and many others that were at the same development level with Nigeria in the 60s during the peak of decolonization process have since gone ahead in human, material, infrastructural and development indices. In contrast, Nigeria, the most populated black nation in the world, appears to be on a steady decline and decay.

It wouldn’t be a wrong connotation, if I posit that based on the scenario that surrounds the nation at this time that “our right senses have left and only the wrongs are right� and indeed, you do not need a soothsayer or fortuneteller to tell you the fate of

this nation. Basically speaking on the governing strategies of our dear nation, majority of those at the helm of affairs after 60 years of independence are square pegs in round holes, whose aim is to loot the belongings of the masses instead of working towards national growth and development.

Several years after independence, the nation’s health sector remains in a shambles. Our social amenities are noting to write home about, majority of highways can now be likened to death traps which indeed is a big slap on our face. Majority of the citizens live in darkness. Water is gold.

Nigeria has been stagnant for too long and it is high time we all and most especially those in leadership turned a new leaf and take our dear country to her rightful position in the comity of progressive and forward-looking nation. Our leaders should start working for the good and general wellbeing of the people.

Kayode Awojobi, martexayobami@ gmail.com

PLEASE PAY UP

F

rank Sinatra sang “Who wants to be a millionaire?� I did, but with the low pay for teachers and the amount of tax I paid, it never seemed likely. However, it appears, as initially reported by the New York Times, that not everyone has paid as much tax as I did. Donald Trump presents an image of wealth and by implication, a high income, and yet he has been reported as paying no tax in eleven of the last 18 years. This appears to be basically because he lost so much money in his business operations. All of this may explain why he doesn’t want to provide his tax returns, probably through embarrassment.

Pay the taxes that will help to support everyone else.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO 2% 3%

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

2% 3% 4%

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

S E P T E M B E R S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

602.60 % -0.04 % 2.33 %

1 8 , 2 0 2 0

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE 7.07 % YEAR TO DATE 25.24 %

EXCHANGE RATE N379/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes Arik Resumes Service to Enugu

STOCK-TAKING

L-R: Finance Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Mobolaji Fakayode; Managing Director, Mr. Olanrewaju Jaiyeola, and Company Secretary, Mrs. Yewande Giwa, at the 11th Annual General Meeting of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc in, held in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

At 60, Experts Highlight Opportunities, Challenges in Aviation Sector Chinedu Eze Experts in aviation have x-rayed the performance of the industry since the nation’s Independence, saying even though so much has been achieved, more needs to be done.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi told THISDAY that Nigeria has recorded many achievements in the aviation, just as he stressed that more needed to be done for the country to become globally competitive.

Sanusi said air transport sector has existed for almost 100 years in Nigeria and has grown to a high level since the first aircraft landed in the country in 1925, and flight operations started in 1936.

“The Civil Aviation Act that made the regulatory body au-

AVIATION tonomous is worthy of commendation. Nigeria established the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), which have greatly improved the industry and separated service providers from the regulators.

“By doing that Nigeria has maintained the best standards and has also abided by the rules of the International Civil Aviation Orgsnaisation (ICAO),” Sanusi said.

Sanusi, however, said while Nigeria needs to build very strong carriers, kudos should be given to Aero Contractors,

which was registered in Nigeria in 1960, making it the oldest airline in the country.

Not only that the airline has lasted for 60 years, it has also established the first Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) for commercial and relatively larger body aircraft, Boeing 737 both in West and Central Africa, he said.

“In the area of training, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria has trained hundreds of pilots and engineers who have made their marks globally. It has also trained other professionals and ensured the supply of the needed manpower for the sector,” the CEO said.

Speaking in the same vein, the General Secretary of Aviation Round Table and the Managing Director of Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu, told THISDAY that in the last

60 years, the number of federal, states and private airports has increased from about 12 before Independence, to about 26 today.

“International airports have increased also to five, from two; the passenger traffic has increased from a level below one million to about 15 million.

“Aside from Nigeria Airways at Independence, there had been over 30 private airlines in and out of the industry so also are the foreign airlines that were also not more than 10 but today about thirty.

“With all these seen as development, there isn’t much progress towards the global standard. The Nigeria Airways that was built as national carrier became defunct as a government carrier; the lifespan of the private Continued on page 22

PAAR in Breach of TFA, WTO Convention, Says Custom Agents Eromosele Abiodun Customs agents in the country have called on the federal government to urgently put mechanism in place to review the present Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) currently being used by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), so as to accommodate the realities with present destination inspection operation regime.

In a petition addressed to President Muhammau Buhari, the agents said PAAR in its current form do not conform to international best practice and law of the land, especially as signatory Trade Facilitation agreement (TFA), the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AFCFTA) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) convention.

President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), the umbrella body of customs

MARITIME agents in Nigeria, Lucky Amiwero, in the petition stressed that PAAR is not procedurally backed by law and its treatment.

According to him, “PAAR has no legal relevance with regards to pre-assessment procedures and treatment of import, as such goods are not pre-assessed before arrival and not inspected, which requires the select the principle of examination to be conducted with frequent lifting of value in contravention of the Customs and Excise Management (Amendment) Act 20 of 2003.

“As member of the Presidential Task force on the Reform of Nigeria Custom service, member of additional 167 committees of the federal government, we find it expedient to draw the attention of government on our responsibility to conform with

international best practice and law of the land, especially as signatory Trade Facilitation agreement The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement and other trade conventions.

“After eight years as member of presidential task force to reform the NCS, we noticed that the objective of setting the PAAR has not being met as most of the propose feature are not realisable.”

The process, he added, was being duplicated in contravention of the Customs and Excise Management Act 20 of 2003 and the WTO convention on inspection of goods, “which duplicates process in the application and causes delays in the port.

“All the objective of introducing the PAAR, has not been met as at today, which gives worry to the trading public,” he said.

Amiwero added that the PAAR process only contain documents

submitted that was not physically inspected to generate report to give the backing of assessment based on the report, “which is actually documentary checks and information supplied by the importer without physical inspection, in clear contravention of WTO convention of import inspection and the Customs and Excise Management Act 20 of 2003, where value is lifted at will by the Service reference to the law on valuation.”

He added that the only law binding on the inspection and contains process and procedure for the conduct of inspection is covered under Section of the PreShipment Act, which includes the issuance of Clean Report of Finding (CRF) that ascertains the inspection of goods conducted before shipment, which requires minimal inspection

Arik Air has announced that it will resume services from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, effective October 6, 2020. Flights between Lagos and Enugu would operate three times weekly: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the first instance.

Arik Air had suspended flights to Enugu last year when the federal government closed the airport for reconstruction. Passengers have beenyearningforthereturnoftheairlinetoEnugufollowingthereopening of the airport for commercial flights earlier in September.

The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu said the carrier is happy to be back in Enugu.

“WearedelightedtoreturnservicestoEnuguhavingmissedouresteemed customers in and around the Coal City.

“We are pleased to be back to offer exceptional travel experience to our highly esteemed customers who will be elated with our on time departures.”

The airline advised customers to take advantage of its online booking platform for their ticket purchase and ensure that they observe all COVID-19 protocols at the airport as well as on board.

Traffic Forecast Downgraded

The International AirTransport Association (IATA) has downgraded its trafficforecastfor2020toreflectaweaker-than-expectedrecovery,as evidenced by a dismal end to the summer travel season in the northern hemisphere. IATA now expects full-year 2020 traffic to be down 66 per cent,comparedto2019.Thepreviousestimatewasa63percentdecline.

August passenger demand continued to be hugely depressed against normal levels, with revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) down 75.3 per cent, compared to August 2019. This was only slightly improved compared to the 79.5 per cent annual contraction in July. Domestic markets continued to outperform international markets in terms of recovery, although most remained substantially down on a year ago.

August capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) was down 63.8 per cent compared to a year ago, and load factor plunged 27.2 points to an all-time low for August of 58.5 per cent.

Basedonflightdata,therecoveryinairpassengerserviceswasbrought to a halt in mid-August by a return of government restrictions in the face of new COVID-19 outbreaks in a number of key markets. Forward bookingsforairtravelinthefourthquartershowthattherecoverysince the April low point will continue to falter. Whereas the decline in yearon-year growth of global RPKs was expected to have moderated to -55% by December, a much slower improvement is now expected with the month of December forecast to be down 68 per cent on a year ago.

AIB to Conduct Regional Training

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigeria, has revealed plan to conductatrainingforallaccidentinvestigatorsintheWestAfricanregion to showcase its world class Flight Safety Laboratory located in Abuja.

TheAIBCommissioner,AkinOlateruwhodisclosedthisduringaRegional Enlightenment Symposium held at Enugu, recently, said the training would be held before the end of 2020.

Olateru, who was represented by the General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi described the symposium as, “another viable platform for all stakeholders to meet and deliberate on how to further grow our air transport system and promote our safety culture to meet global best practices.”

“Safety is the backbone of aviation and without it aviation loses its meaning.This is why every organ or unit in the industry works tirelessly to ensure the safety of air travelers. Until recently, the Nigerian aviation industry had no fatality for about five years.

“Iwouldliketoassureairtravelersthattheaviationindustryisnotdaunted in its commitment to achieve zero accident in the industry.The AIB, on its part will not relent in its vigorous pursuit of adding values that will up the ante of safety in Nigeria and Africa,” Olateru added.

“Our duty, as accident investigators of civil aviation, is one thing, but understandingone’sneedsisverycriticaltothesuccessofanyinstitution.

“TheBureau,underthecurrentadministrationisfocusedonengendering relationships,whichwouldfacilitateexcellenceandenduringworld-class standardsintheinvestigationandpreventionofairaccidentsinNigeria.

“Collaboration is about creating a working relationship. For anybody to want to collaborate with you, first of all, you need to be in a position to add value. What we have done at AIB, is that we have raised the profile of the Bureau and built that trust within the industry that we are unbiased.That we are professionals, focused and that we are clear on our mandate,” he explained.

“Nigerian airlines have operational challenges; I personally think that the government could do better for our local carriers” Rector, International Aviation College, Ilorin,

Benedict Adeyileka Continued on page 22

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T H I S D AY Ëž OCTOBER 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD AT 60, EXPERTS HIGHLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES IN AVIATION SECTOR airlines on the average, fall short of ten years; they were mostly single ownership without management board. “The major and common problems of the private and public operators are; poor business plans; poor financial health and ineffective oversight on the compliance to the economic regulations by the responsible regulatory authority,� Ojikutu said.

He also noted that there is inadequate aeronautical facilities at most airports that either make them dormant or out of operation at sunsets or in inclement weather, thus giving multiple destinations to the foreign airlines and the lack of considerations for the markets on the domestic routes for the domestic airlines. “We must review our policies that put the foreign airlines before the domestic airlines on the domestic routes by limiting the destinations of the foreign airlines to either Lagos or Abuja and any other but they can make multiple landings at these airports daily or weekly. “

PAAR IN BREACH OF TFA, WTO CONVENTION, SAYS CUSTOM AGENTS The pre-assessment arrival report, he said: “Indicates that all formalities as to inspection of quality, quantity and value has been conducted and the report is the final process of payment and collection of good by the importer/ licensed customs agents, which is still subject to multiple interventions by the service in contravention of WCO Kyoto convention of customs core principle of harmonisation and simplification of Customs procedures Nigeria being a contracting party.�

Amiwero added: “Since the inception of Destination Inspection in 2006 till date, the inspection fees is drawn from the Section 3-(1) of the Pre-Shipment Act to service the inspection scheme, which is still only the law for inspection of import of goods. “The PAAR is procedurally not linked or tied to any law, it has no assessment or report content to process, as there is no report or assessment done, but only documentary information, which is not assessment or report and not qualify for international validation procedure.�

NEWS

Fitch Revises Nigeria’s Outlook to Stable, AfďŹ rms at ‘B’ Rating Obinna Chima Fitch Ratings has revised the outlook on Nigeria’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) to stable, from negative.

It also affirmed the country’s IDR at ‘B’. According to a statement, the revision of the outlook reflects a decrease in the level of uncertainty surrounding the impact of the global pandemic shock on the Nigerian economy.

It pointed out that oil prices have stabilised, while global funding conditions have eased and domestic restrictions on movement have started to be relaxed. “Nigeria has navigated external liquidity pressures from the shock through partial exchange rate adjustment combined with de facto capital flow management measures and foreigncurrency (FC) restrictions, while disbursement of external official loans has supported the level of international reserves. “While external vulnerability persists from currency overvaluation and a possibly large FC demand backlog, this is adequately captured by the ‘B’ rating, in our view,� it added.

The global rating agency noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has continued to prioritise exchange rate stability over other policy goals.

It further pointed out that,

“the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has achieved progress towards its stated goal of unifying the exchange rate, following a cumulative 19 per cent two-step devaluation of the ‘official’ exchange rate,

which is mostly used for the government and the oil sector’s FC transactions.�

According to Fitch, the broad stability of the I&E rate since end-March has been mostly achieved through a severe

contraction in FC supply, illustrated by a drop in the average value of daily transactions on the I&E window by 87 per cent in April-August relative to the first quarter 2020 average.

COURTESY VISIT

L-R: Deputy Commandant and Head of Admin, Lagos, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Daniel Apeh; Treasurer, Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), Mr. Kelechi Obiakwata; Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Mumuni; NSCDC Lagos State Commandant, Makinde Ayinla, and Vice-Chairman ALPSPN, Dr. Nzeribe Okegbue, during a recent courtesy visit of the association to the NSCDC in Lagos...recently

Aig-Imoukhuede Calls for PPPs to Preserve the Planet Former Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede has appealed to business leaders, investors and heads of government on the urgency to collectively fight for the preservation of biodiversity of the planet at the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly.

The high-level virtual summit was organised by Volkan Bozkir to support the first United Nations Summit on Biodiversity at the level of heads of state and government had as its theme: “Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development.�

According to a statement, speaking as the sole African non-state actor at the summit,

the Nigerian investor made a case for sustainable business practices and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to support biodiversity.

He stated that the loss of biodiversity was not only an environmental issue, but also a developmental, economic, health, security and moral one.

The United Nations revealed that biodiversity was declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history, with growing impacts on people and our planet and Africa is no exception.

Bringing this home to Africa, Aig-Imoukhuede noted that, “Africa is immensely rich in

biodiversity and yet by the end of this century, Africa could lose up to 30 percent of its entire animal and plant species as a result of excessive exploitation, unsustainable industrialisation, deforestation, pollution and many harmful human activities.�

In 2012, Aig-Imoukhuede was instrumental to Nigerian banks and the central bank adopting of the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles.

He also made a business case for private sector activism, stating that: “biodiversity provides annual benefits valued at approximately $120 trillion– more than the entire world economy. In contrast, the global

financing needs for achieving the Convention on Biological Diversity is less than one per cent of its annual economic benefits. “It is the moral duty of every leader in the world who enjoys the privilege of responsibility to join the fight to save our planet. “Governments have a key role in enacting policies and programmes to protect and restore the Earth’s ecosystems, including establishing incentives to encourage sustainable business practices as well as sustainable investments,� the philanthropist added. “However, the fight to save our biodiversity conservation

should not be left to government alone, it requires multi-faceted global efforts and collaborations by all stakeholders including the private sector, especially corporate leaders and executives,� he added.

There is increased urgency to demonstrate leadership and commitment to improve our relationship with nature. “The appearance of COVID-19 has shown that when we destroy biodiversity, we destroy the system that supports human life. If we continue at our current rate, the loss of biodiversity will undermine progress towards achieving 80% of the Sustainable Development Goals.�

Agencies Move to Harmonise Operations in Maritime Sector Eromosele Abiodun The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu, has disclosed that all federal government agencies in the maritime sector are looking for ways to harmonise their operations.

Moghalu disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the end of the monthly meeting of heads of maritime agencies in the sector hosted by NIWA in Lokoja,

Kogi State.

According to Moghalu, the meeting looked at issues concerning maritime security and safety, adding that briefings were received from NIMASA and NIWA on efforts made so far in the area of trade, development of manpower, enforcing the protocols to reduce the carnage on Nigeria’s waterways, and the removal of wrecks, “which is being address by all the sister agencies in the country.�

He further stated that the meeting set up a committee on multi-model approach to cargo delivery, “there was also a briefing on Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for its support on cargo movement from the ports to the dry Port especially in Kaduna, there was update from the D.G of NIMASA on the deployment of a modular floating dock. “The committee also looked at the movement of Cargoes from Lagos Port to Onitsha River

Port and other Ports within the Country putting to active use of the Waterways and also other related issues were deliberated. “ He added: “It is very important for us in the Maritime Sector to have decided to setup a platform we can share ideas, synergize where we can contribute our quarter in developing polices and building the Maritime Industry.� “This is our Third meeting and is expected that this meeting will continue as we set issues

that concern the Maritime Industry. We will discuss to find solutions so that we can put them to use in our various establishments and at the same time bring solutions to the government at large.�

Speaking on flooding sensitisation, security and safety on waterways, he said NIWA has a department that monitors flood and gives their report, which is made available to other agencies so that people can be aware and take precaution.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

CDC Reiterates Commitment to Nigeria’s Economic Devt, Growth

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Ă—Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă– ĂŽĂŽĂ?Ă’ (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT) Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ äÙÒÙ (Energy)

CDC Group’s Chief Executive, Nick O’Donohoe and Chairman, Graham Wrigley, led a delegation of its Board members on a virtual visit to Nigeria recently, where the group reiterated its commitment to economic development and growth in Nigeria.

CDC Group is the UK’s development finance institution

and impact investor.

Funded by the UK Government, all proceeds from its investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa and South Asia.

The delegation met Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, and others, to understand the impact of

CDC’s support to its investees through the COVID-19 crisis and to understand how to stimulate recovery and growth.

Discussions also focused on CDC’s own response to the pandemic through its preserve, to strengthen and rebuild programme. The discussion also focused on CDC’s continued role in supporting the economic ecosystem of Nigeria, particularly through

the imperative lens of a green recovery.

During the virtual tour, CDC met local business leaders, learning more about how they need to grow their companies and how investors can support their ambitions.

CDC is an active investment partner in Nigeria and has over 70 years’ experience investing across Africa.

Nigeria represents a key

market for CDC, which has $425 million currently invested in the country. Its portfolio of nearly 100 businesses supports nearly 38,000 jobs.

CDC also partners 40 investment funds, and Benson Adenuga is CDC’s Head of Office and Coverage Director in Nigeria. Investment partnerships include Afreximbank, Africa Capital Alliance and Indorama.

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

EDC Partners Mastercard Foundation on Youth Empowerment Stories by Chinedu Eze The Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) has announced a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to launch the Transforming Nigerian Youths program. The EDC said it recognised that employment was a pathway out of poverty and so was seeking to use the programme to create a network of entrepreneurial and managerial change makers, particularly young people and women across the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Nigeria.

The EDC said the free training program aims to boost employment creation and sustainable livelihoods. “This program is open to all and is primarily focused on Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna states. Through this program, 40,000 young people will be supported with the resources and learning required to start, grow, and expand their businesses. “The program will also provide support and resources to young people who want to become employable in the creative and agricultural sectors.

In the last decade, Nigeria’s unemployment rate has continued to increase,� EDC said.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate as at the second quarter of 2020 was 27.1 percent, indicating that about 21.7 million Nigerians remain unemployed, of which 13.9 million are young people.

The EDC is an establishment of Pan-Atlantic University, which is a leading enterprise development Centre and has in the last 17 years provided support services to thousands of SMEs through capacity building, advisory services, and partnerships with organisations that have an interest in the development of the SME sector in Nigeria. “We are excited to be part of the Transforming Nigerian Youths program to empower young Nigerians, especially women. It will serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurial reorientation, job creation, and sustainable livelihood,� the Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Mr. Peter Bankole.

Bankole explained that the intervention would scale EDC’s online learning capabilities to provide core business training to an even broader grouping of SMEs in the agricultural and creative sectors of the economy.

It will also ensure that even the most marginalized, including young women in the north, can access this world-class training. “Young Africa Works in Nigeria is committed to enabling opportunity for at least eight million young Nigerians.

Entrepreneurship will play a key role in achieving this goal.

Fortunately, Nigeria also has no shortage of young entrepreneurs. “This initiative, which is part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy will prepare and enable young people to pursue theiraspirations and create productive livelihoods for themselves and others,� said Country Head, Nigeria at the Mastercard Foundation, Chidinma Lawanson.

Applications are open for young Nigerians, especially women within the age range of 18-35.

The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.

It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world.

Aviation Sector to Lose 4.8 Million Jobs in 2020, Says IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said about 4.8 million people would lose their jobs by the end of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The global body said despite the current crisis facing the global aviation industry, its commitment to pursuing sustainability remains strong, particularly as the sector starts to recover.

Speaking at the Global Sustainable Aviation Forum, industry leaders reiterated that long-term climate action should be a priority alongside economic recovery in the coming years.

Executive Director of the

cross-industry Air Transport Action Group, Michael Gill said: “Air transport is in the midst of the deepest shock in its history. We expect a reduction of up to 4.8 million jobs in the sector by the end of the year and a massive hit to our ability to connect the world.

However, as we plan for the recovery of air connectivity, we also must prioritise our environmental progress. “Our sector has a long-term climate change goal to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050. With the right help from governments, the energy sector and technologists, we expect that global aviation will be able to hit net zero emissions a

decade or so later. “Some parts of the world will be able to meet this point earlier and a number of individual companies have already set goals along these lines. To achieve this will require a transition in our energy source from fossil fuel to sustainable aviation fuel, the acceleration of research and development of electric, hybrid and potentially hydrogen aircraft. “It will also require a commitment to collaboration going even beyond our current levels. We have the next decade to set the scene for sustainable global connectivity for the next 30-40 years.�

Heritage Bank Marks Nigeria @60 with Reward Scheme Heritage Bank Plc yesterday joined the nation to celebrate Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary.

In a bid to commemorate the independence, the bank rolled out a couple of activities in achieving this feat.

The bank slated an online competition for customers to make videos recitation of them presenting the “National Pledge� in Pidgin English and the four best videos would be rewarded with total cash prize of N1million.

Also, staff of the bank were not left out in the celebration as they are also expected to recite the pledge in all their different units and Experience Centres, doing it in front of the national flag, whilst they wear clothes with touch of

green to office for certain period of time.

In a statement, the Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo affirmed that as a bank that places much importance and value on the national heritage, “we want to remind Nigerians of their loyalty and commitment to the nation; thereby imbibe the patriotic spirit in citizens that despite the challenges, it has been 60years of dignity and pride as individuals, who together, make up this great country called Nigeria.�

According to him, reciting the National Pledge in pidgin language would help invoke in every individual their national pride of love, devotion and sense of attachment to our fathers’ land and alliance with

every citizen who share same sentiment. This attachment could be combination of different feelings relating to the country in terms of sociocultural, ethnic, political and historical interests.

He reiterated, “We are not just excited, but we are also reflecting on what our commitment as individuals has been to our great country Nigeria. Looking inwards at our journey over the last 60years, we believe as an institution that this is the best time to reflect on the National Pledge and what it means to us as a Nation. “To this end, Heritage Bank is championing the movement to keep our commitment as a nation by reciting the National Pledge.�

‘Why Fewer Nigerians are Returning Home’

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Chinedu Eze Reports have indicated that many more Nigerians would have returned to the country since resumption of international flights on September 5, 2020 if not for restrictive Covid-19 protocols and high airfares.

Shortly before international flights resumed, the federal government had stopped evacuation of Nigerians abroad but there were still many Nigerians stranded overseas. Many of them have been struggling to return home but cannot pay the cost of airfares, which have risen due to the extra cost required for Covid-19 tests.

The Regional Manager, South West, Murtala Muhammed International (MMIA), Lagos, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba told THISDAY that the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is still bringing stranded Nigerians from the Middle East country, using the low cost carrier, Fly Dubai.

Shin-Aba said late last week Fly Dubai brought in some Nigerians from UAE and the airline would operate three or four more flights to Lagos to bring in more stranded Nigerians. “UAE has been bringing in stranded Nigerians from Dubai and there will be three or four more flights by the airline into the country. Fly Dubai brought back Nigerians last Thursday or Friday,� she said.

But while many potential air travellers are still wary about boarding flights, airlines cannot use low fares to attract them because they are hamstrung by the high cost of PCR tests for Covid-19, which some countries, including Nigeria charge outrageous and with the attendant cumbersome protocol.

Acountry manager of one of the foreign carriers that operate into the country told THISDAY that the cost of Covid-19 tests, coupled with new airport charges by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has made air travel very expensive that anyone not on essential travel may not want to pay such outrageous fares.

I went to the Lagos office at Yaba and did the test but two weeks after I am yet to get the result. I have gone there three more times and they told me their server was down

For example, the cost of travelling to Ghana from Nigeria for a return flight has significantly increased from the pre-Covid-19 era of about $300 to over $800, as Nigeria charges about N100, 800 for return Covid -19 tests, while Ghana charges about $240, when added to air fares, airport charges and insurance, a passenger could pay the aforementioned sum of money for a flight of about 35 minutes.

In addition to the above problem, passengers have confirmed alleged scam going on with Covid-19 tests, where payments were made in the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) approved portal but some of the monies are not reflected as payments made, thus putting the passengers in a quandary.

Also laboratories and hospitals are alleged to device ways to make those who intend to travel pay more for the tests.

A Nigerian who returned from Sweden has narrated how he was allegedly made to pay N42, 300 three times for Covid-19 tests without acknowledgement of the payment made, while a family that wanted to travel out of the country went to do the test and thereafter all members of the family were said to be positive. The hospital collected more money from them for treatment, but when they decided to go for another tests in a different facility, results came out and everyone was negative.

Findings showed that some of the designated hospitals by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) no longer conduct the tests for departing or arriving passengers.

Also, while the federal government may have denied collection of money from travellers for the test to be conducted, investigations have shown that each traveller pay the sum of N50,450 to the bank account of NCDC through its portal: nitp.ncdc.gov.ng/onboarding/ homepage.

One of the affected passengers and a Nigerian, Mrs. Adetokunbo Oshifowora, disclosed to the media that she filled the Covid-19 test form online through the NCDC portal from her base in United Kingdom and paid the sum of N50, 450 to the Sterling Bank account of the NCDC and her payment was confirmed by the agency.

According to her, she was given Lagos State BioBank for her to conduct the test seven days after arriving the country, but surprisingly, when she called the hospital for the test to be carried out, she was told they had suspended Covid-19 tests for arriving and departing passengers.

When she enquired further about the sum she paid for the test purpose, she was directed to NCDC for further clarification.

She lamented that all efforts to conduct the test or retrieved her money had proved abortive.

Some Nigerians who spoke to THISDAY also confirmed that Covid-19 test was administered on them at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), but two weeks after the result was not sent to them. “I went to the Lagos office at Yaba and did the test but two weeks after I am yet to get the result. I have gone there three more times and they told me their server was down,� one of the Nigerians who identified himself as Stephen, told THISDAY.

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T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Olateru: Accident Investigation Has Improved Air Safety The Commissioner/CEO of Accident Investigation Bureau, Akin Olateru, in this interview says the implementation of recommendations after accident investigations has improved air safety in Nigeria. He also explains the agency’s plan to evolve to multi-modal organisation to investigate accidents on all forms of transportation. Chinedu Eze brings the excerpts:

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than Air Force sending down their black boxes to overseas for download, they can use our lab in Abuja to do the download and save our country some costs. At the end of the day, it is to the benefit of the entire nation.

On National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), we have been on this MoU with them since 2017, we are still talking and that is what I mean by saying sometime it can be frustrating. AIB is not Akin Olateru’s company, but it is a Federal Government agency; we have a mandate. We have got some recognitions from some organisations like the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), you could see the way Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) performed during the last unfortunate accident and that is why we are taking it further to sign an MoU with LASEMA to see how we can train their staff on how we work, what we expect from them when there is a crash.

We have done a lot of trainings with the Nigerian Police as the first responder. We have trained civil defence, but like the Nigerian Police, I am still waiting for the MoU to be signed. I agree with you that it is 100 per cent important for all relevant agencies to come together and work as a team. There is no confusion as to everyone’s roles. We all have independent roles to play, but when we work together, we can achieve a much better coordinated service delivery.

hat is your assessment of the global aviation industry in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic?

Covid-19 is not new to anybody; even kids on the streets know what it’s all about. The pandemic has affected aviation industry worldwide. We are one of the industries that this Covid-19 has affected a lot in terms of revenue loss. It’s a very expensive virus and it has crippled a lot of activities, a lot of families are out of jobs.

I think Nigeria has done its best to curtail it. I give a lot of credit to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19. They have been able to manage it very well. We just don’t have experience in this. It took us like a plague. So far, I am impressed with the way we have been handling it. I am impressed; we will make adjustments as we go along in terms of relaxation and all of that. It depends on scientific evidence available to the team. And I believe the phase will pass; things will be back to normal, but when? It is the scientists that will come out with vaccines that will help to mitigate this risk. I believe it’s a matter of time, things will fizzle out and things will return to normal.

How is your organisation addressing the challenges brought about by the pandemic?

In terms of performance, we refused to let the pandemic affect us. We are still doing what we would do normally, Covid-19 or not. We still ensure we deliver on our mandate, we ensure we do what we have to do, but the only problem we have is funding. Covid-19 has affected our revenues greatly. You know our source of revenue is from the three per cent we get out of the 5 per cent we collect from the Ticket Sales Charge/Cargo Sales Charge (TSC/CSC). So, in terms of affecting us, it’s more of less funding. But, in terms of doing delivery on our mandate, we made sure it hasn’t affected us in anyway.

How far have you gone with your plans to expand the scope of your incident and accident investigation to other modes of transportation in the country?

You will agree with me that it will start once the bill is approved by the National Assembly and the Presidency. Currently, we are set out to investigate air accident and there is a proposed bill in the National Assembly. At the House of Representatives, it has passed the second reading; we are waiting for public hearing on the new AIB bill. At the Senate, we are waiting for second reading and public hearing. Thereafter, it will be transmitted to the President for assent. For us, when you look at what we’ve done in air transport, we have been able to mitigate so many risks; we have managed to learn from our lessons in serious incidents. You look at aviation, it is a highly regulated industry, very expensive, highly technical, the fastest and the safest means of transportation and it is because of all these checks and balances that have made it so.

There is a difference between investigating for liability, criminality and safety. AIB has been investigating for safety, not for liability and it is the same we want to take to other modes of transportation. It is not about who is at fault, it is about how can we prevent future occurrence. This is our core mandate and this is what we want to focus on. That is where we are and it’s going to take effect as soon as we have the green light from the President.

Accident investigation is a very complex

Olateru

assignment, what challenges do you face in the cause of discharging your duties?

When you look at it, challenges could come in any organisation in four major areas; equipment, infrastructure, human capital and systems processes and procedures. I always say that if you score less than seven out of 10 in any of these four areas, you still don’t have a company. If you have the best equipment and you don’t have manpower, you are not going anywhere. And if you have the best manpower, equipment, but you don’t have a good infrastructure and there are no systems and procedures to help them navigate their workings, you are not going anywhere. So, those four areas, I will say we had a huge challenge in them when I came in. Of course, the pillar of all the four is funding, but with the support of Aviation Minister and the National Assembly, we have been able to navigate throughout that.

Since your assumption of office over three years ago, how much have you expended on training your personnel and on accident investigations?

There are no two accidents that are the same; they may look the same, but there are no two accidents that are the same.

Also, in terms of costing, I don’t think I have been able to break it down to exact figure. So, I will not be able to give you the exact figure, but I can describe the process for you. The type of accident will determine the cost. Sometimes, we have to send an engine back to the manufacturer, they call it engine teardown. So, we have to factor in cost of shipping, esta codes for two of my engineers that will go with it.

What we want to ascertain is the engine producing power as at the time of the crash.

So, there are several things that can push up the cost in accident investigation. It is a painstaking process; very detailed exercise, tasking and sometimes, it can be daunting because you must get it right. This is what accident investigation is all about. You must ensure whatever fact you put out there, you have enough evidence to back it up and this is why we go through so many different processes, depending on the crash.

We get supports from engine manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, support from some countries; sometimes because it can be very complex sometimes.

Apart from the flight safety and material science laboratories you already have, which other projects are the management thinking of embarking upon?

Currently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved construction of AIB headquarters and AIB training school in Abuja.

These projects have started; we have two laboratories – flight safety and material science. For the material science laboratory, it’s a work in progress because we want to transform the material science lab to an avenue where we can make money.

We cannot charge for what we do. We don’t charge for accident investigation; we don’t invoice anybody. We can look for little areas where we can use our resources to make money. That is the way we are going so that we would be able to address the issue of funding.

What is AIB doing about information management in case of an air accident?

It’s a very serious issue and I will be honest. It can be frustrating sometimes because some agencies of government don’t really understand the need for collaboration.

They don’t understand why we are pushing for this cooperation. I will give you an example, God forbid an airplane drops into the sea, AIB doesn’t have the capacity for sea divers to retrieve any wreckage or black boxes, but Nigerian Navy does. Since 2017, I have been pushing the Nigerian Navy to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AIB. It is not the day that we have an accident that we will start looking for who to call. This is the essence of these MoUs. Recently, we signed an MoU with the Nigerian Air Force and one of the benefits of that is that aircraft could drop off anywhere; bad terrain, difficult terrain that we cannot access. Air Force can help us with the logistics. We too can be of help to the Nigeria Air Force because we have a world-class safety lab in Abuja, rather

You trained about 10 investigators on the use of drone recently, were you able to deploy it to the crash site of Quorum Aviation helicopter crash?

No, we didn’t. AIB is a responsible agent of government. We can’t flout any government rules and regulations. To operate a drone, you need a license and we are yet to sort that out with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). In getting the license, part of the requirements is to train your people on how to handle the drones, which we have satisfied. The operator has to be licensed by NCAA. So, we are in the process of normalising our documentations. You will agree with me that any company or agency of government must constantly review its processes to enhance service delivery. That is one thing we do here, we see how we do it and how we can make betterment or simplify the processes or get a better result for better performance.

Did this hinder your job in getting materials from the crash?

The non-deployment of drones didn’t affect our level of material gathering. The fact is drone is extremely essential when you have a wider area of crash, when you have a crash spanning about half a mile or a mile for instance. It takes time to walk through that to gather information or evidence, but for this one, we were fortunate the crash site was a bit contained. It was not over a large expanse of land. So, that is why we didn’t really miss it, but we hope to fast track our application with NCAA. But, on that day, LASEMA used their drones to take some pictures, but for us in AIB, we did very well. We have and gathered the right information. Deployment of drones will happen once we have necessary permit and licensing from NCAA. How soon will this be?

I can’t speak for NCAA. We are putting our papers together and put in our application; may be soon. I don’t know how fast. Be mindful, this set of AIB team will probably be the first the NCAA will be licensing. So, it’s a new thing to NCAA, but I believe we will get there.

25

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

ReclassiďŹ cation of Directors in CAMA 2019 and Lacuna in Corporate Governance Code Ayokunle Ayoko

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he Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2019 (‘CAMA 2019’) was signed into law on August 7, 2020 with implications on the required number of independent directors on the Board.

Additionally, reporting on the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance 2018 (Code) which becomes mandatory effective from the current financial year means that there will be a lot of focus on regulatory compliance arising from the Code and CAMA 2019.

The focus of this piece will be the review of the provisions of the Code on the potential reclassification of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INED) as Non-Executive Directors (NED).

In order to foster objectivity, Principle 7 of the Code requires the Board to comprise INEDs who will hold office for a maximum of three (3) terms of three (3) years each, and provides a non-exhaustive list of factors for measuring independence including; not holding a shareholding of such value with the propensity to impede independence or more than 0.01 per cent of the paid up capital of the company, not being an employee of the company or group within the past five (5) years, not being a close family member of any advisers, directors, senior employees, consultants, auditors, creditors, suppliers, customers or substantial shareholders and not serving on the board for more than nine (9) years. Confusingly, the metrics for measuring an INED’s independence as stated in CAMA 2019 is at variance with that of the code. However, this is not the focus of this piece.

Specifically, Principle 12 of the Code makes provisions for tenure recommendations for the different classes of directors on the Board.

The Code provides that the tenure for the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/ CEO) and Executive Directors (EDs) should be determined by the Board and that in determining the tenure of an ED, the Board should take into account his performance, the existing succession planning mechanism, continuity of the Board and the need for continuous refreshing of the Board.

Whilst the Code recommends that the tenure for INEDs should not exceed 9 years cumulatively, curiously and notably, the Code adopts loose language on the length of tenure for NEDs. The Code only provides in Principle 12.8 that: ‘NEDs should serve for a reasonable period on the Board. However, it is necessary to reinforce the Board by continually injecting new energy, fresh ideas and perspectives.

The Board should ensure theperiodic appointment of new Directors to replace existing NEDs.’ On the face value, this adequately covers all issues arising from tenure

Lawan requirements for all classes of directors. Not quite.

On a deeper dive, questions remain unanswered.

First, whilst Principle 7.5

of the Code disapproves the reclassification of an INED as a NED, it is silent on the reclassification of an INED to a NED.

The likely instinct of anyone reading this piece, is that this should not be an issue especially since, the qualifications to become an INED is much more stringent than that of a NED and should be allowed.

However, this loose language treatment of the NED’s tenure has implications where a Company decides to reclassify an INED as a NED. As it is, both the CAMA 2019 and the Code do not prohibit or disapprove the reclassification of an INED to a NED. Effectively, this means that where a company decides to go this route, after the expiration of the allowed three terms of three years for the INED, the INED may conclude his tenure as an INED and start his

tenure as a NED on a fresh slate. This is made possible as there is no provision in the Code requiring a cooling period for the INED before taking up any further role within the Board.

Indeed, the individual may continue as a NED for donkey years, as long as he is able to maneuver around the Board’s dynamics and survive the Code’s recommended ‘continuous injection of new energy, fresh ideas and perspectives’ for NEDs. It is considered view that this situation represents a lacuna and cannot be said to be the intendment of the drafters of the Code.

There is a danger of abuse except urgently addressed. One solution

may be for the Code to be revised to disapprove the reclassification of INEDs as NEDs. Secondly, a clause maybe included in the Code providing for a cooling period before the INED is able to take up any further role within the Board.

Finally, the Code may be revised to simply include a tenure stipulation for NEDs. If stipulated to exceed the tenure terms for INEDs, it will be prudent to clearly state that where an INED is to be reclassified as a NED, his already served tenure as an INED will be put into consideration in the calculation of his tenure as a NED. -Ayoko is the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser for Berger Paints Nigeria Plc.

26

T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Nigeria’s Maritime Sector Still Struggling after 60 Years EromoseleAbiodun writes that the Nigerian maritime industry has been held back by corruption, policy inconsistencies and decaying infrastructure 60 years after the country gained Independence

Amaechi

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igeria is blessed with a vast coastline that many other country could only wish they have. Wits 853 nautical miles of coastline located on the corridor of Gulf of Guinea and the Bright of Benin, 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zone, 30,000 kilometres of waterways, comprising over 50 rivers, eight out of the 36 states having littoral status coupled with vast and fast growing population estimated at more than 200 million, Nigeria has no reason not to be a force to be reckoned with in the global maritime community.

However, like many sectors of the economy, the maritime sector is also bedeviled by many challenges that look impossible to resolve.

But a few government agencies in the sector in the last few years have made efforts to make things right. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), for instance, has taken several steps to make Nigeria a hub in West Africa.

However, years of neglect and corruption have made it looked like nothing is been done. The founding fathers of Nigeria knew that the state of the ports is a critical factor for efficient maritime operations, hence the establishment of the NPA by Ports Act (Cap 155 LFN 1954). This created the structural framework for the management and regulation of port operations. The authority executed its first wharf extension project between 1956 and 1961 in Lagos and Port Harcourt ports.

Further expansion of Lagos Ports was done between 1970 and 1975 and, in 1977 the Tin-Can Island Port Complex was inaugurated to ease the pressure of heavy imports (mostly government cargoes) on Apapa Port. In 1979, the new Warri and new Calabar ports were inaugurated. Port construction and expansion continued between 1981 and 1985 while the new Sapele port was constructed in 1982. In 1996, Federal Ocean Terminal Onne Phase 1 was constructed. Financing was done through agreement with the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. Reliable statistics in the mid-1980s showed that the public ports operated at 47 per cent of their capacity at the best and cargo throughput dropped to 28.7 per cent of previous years. To increase efficiency, enhance capacity and introduce healthy competition in government enterprise, Government, in 1988, promulgated the Privatisation and Commercialisation Decree.

In 1993, the implementation of the commercialization programme of the NPA was partially carried out and it became Nigerian Ports Plc. This was reversed in 1996 as a result of inherent weakness of the policy and government, through the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), upgraded the state of NPA from full commercialisation to partial privatisation called concession, to make room for private sector involvement in port operations. Following the calamitous multi-year port congestion that gripped the nation’s

Bala-Usman

ports and arrested Nigeria’s development for much of the oil boom years of the 70s, the federal government made efforts to reform the system. The efforts never yielded any reasonable fruits as corruption and inefficiency reigned, denying government the needed revenue from the sector.

As a result of the painful experiences of congestion in the 70’s, the federal government, again, made efforts to reform the NPA in the 1980s.

Consequently, the NPA management was restructured into four zones: Western, Central, Eastern and Headquarters. The government also created Nigerian Ports Plc. However, the policy failed abysmally due to rear-guard action from the die-hard culture of centralisation. Government interference was rife and patronage and self-enrichment by some government officials overseeing sizeable part of the maritime sector went to a new level. Foreign exchange earnings from Nigerian Ports Plc disappeared into private pockets and port infrastructures were allowed to rot.

Port Concession Policy In a bid to arrest the situation, the federal government in 2001, came up with the idea of concessioning the ports to qualified private operators.

Dutch firm Royal Haskoning BV was commissioned to study Nigerian ports preparatory to the reform.

The resulting report, called Haskoning Study, was submitted to the federal government and was accepted as a cogent x-ray of the Nigerian seaport system. The report criticised the over-centralisation of administration that saw NPA function as both regulator and operator; the overlap of authority in the system and the duplication of efforts. It recommended a “Landlord” port administration model where government’s role would be restricted to policy formulation while private operators undertake the day to day running of terminal operations, stevedoring, warehousing; and investments in port equipment and infrastructure, among other activities. The report called for NPA to be unbundled into three zones and for concessions by open bidding. After examining the report, the NCP, endorsed the “landlord” model, and under a new transport policy NPA was given the role technical regulator to manage the ports for which there were no bids.

The National Transport Commission (NTC) was to become commercial regulator while National Ports Commission would become overall coordinating agency for the ports sector.

Five landlord port authorities were slated for Lagos; the Niger Delta; Port Harcourt; Calabar and the inland ports. A total of 25 concessions were identified in 11 ports and there were bids from 110 companies to manage eight ports: Bonny, Calabar, Koko, Port Harcourt,

Sapele, Apapa, Tin Can & RORO. With bids submitted by March 2005, concession commenced in 2006 with 20 concessions concluded. In March 2006 the concessionaires commenced operations.

The flagship concession, Apapa Container Terminal was signed in March 2006 with APM Terminals, which had taken over P&O Nedlloyd earlier in the year. The Danish shipping firm, A.P. Moller (APM Terminals’ parent company beat 25 other bidders to the 25-year concession.

Prior to the concessioning of ports to private operators in 2006, doing business in the nation’s ports was a hellish experience laced with a myriad of problems. Some of which were; turnaround time for ships which took too long making businesses to brace themselves for weeks if not months of endless waiting before their cargo could be loaded or discharged.

Fading Dream However, what is happening today in the industry betrays the plans of the founders of Nigeria whose lofty aims of using the maritime industry as a launching pad for economic prosperity when they established institutional structures to drive the dream.

Nigeria once had a national carrier called Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), which was then the pride of the nation.

At the time, indigenous shipping thrived with plethora of indigenous shipping companies dotting our maritime landscape.

Nigeria’s seafarers, unarguably among the best in the world, were the toast of the international shipping community, our cargoes, which we had and still have in abundance, were being freighted by Nigerian owned ships.

The NNSL, which boasted of about 20 vessels, for which Chief Olusegun Obasanjo prides himself as his legacy and which he is still lamenting their loss till today, had packed up. It was liquidated in 1995 with all these vessels gone.

Today, more than 80 per cent of our indigenous shipping companies have equally gone under, swept away by the harsh tide of the inclement economic climate.

While regulators were busy playing politics with the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF), an interventionist programme meant to empower the struggling indigenous ship owners, foreigners took over the coastal trade, ostensibly reserved for the locals through the instrumentality of the moribund Cabotage law.

Recently, government’s attempt to revive the National carrier from its ruins expectedly fell like a pack of cards when the leading investors, Pacific International Lines, (PIL), pulled out of the inglorious deal.

This has further compounded the agony of the country that has cargo but no vessel to convey them.

Ending Foreign Dominance Sadly, the implication of this fundamental system failure was that the country would be at the mercy of foreigners who now dictate the terms of trade.

Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello believes effort must be made to reverse the trend.

“What we have now is a sector dominated by foreign ships and they dictate to us. We have no choice than to listen to them, yet we own the cargoes. To correct this anomaly, we should have the ships. No matter how wide or long our coastline is, no matter how long our inland water is, and how our ports are, if we do not have the ships, then we cannot pretend to be a maritime nation, ” he said.

He added that Nigeria’s claim to having a maritime industry, despite its huge potentials and great natural attributes, is pretentious.

“No serious maritime nation that has cargo will allow foreigners to dominate and determine their carriage and freight. That is what Nigeria does, relinquishing its cargo to foreign vessels because it has none. Though painful, this is the reality of the situation of the industry, 58 years after independence, “he added.

Heaven for Piracy Another issue of the decadence in the industry is the one of piracy and insecurity, a problem that seem to defy solutions. Over the years, Nigeria has been designated as one of the most dangerous maritime zones whose waters are clustered with dare-devil pirates, kidnappers and other sea robbers.

International reactions to the rot in the Nigerian maritime sector have been varied and poignant.

The issue of lack of secured waters, despite government efforts to reverse the trend, has in different times, earned the country an unenviable sobriquet of ‘war zone’ with the attendant surcharges and high insurance premium.

At another times, foreign vessels divert cargo to the neighbouring countries or restrict their voyage to the Lagos ports, which they consider reasonably safer than their counterparts at the eastern and south- south axis.

The culmination of this structural deformity in the sector was the loss of the membership of category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during its elections in 2017, 2018 and last year.

That loss is a sad reflection of the level of trust and confidence of the international maritime community in the nation’s maritime sector.

These problems have unfortunately reduced Nigeria to a struggling giant among other competing African countries for a load centre, a status which should have naturally been conferred on the nation as a natural choice for maritime hub centre within the Central and West African sub-region.

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Access Bank’s ‘Tough Choices’ as Wake-up Call Raheem Akingbolu reviews the new television commercial of Access Bank titled ‘Touch Choices’ and concludes that it was conceptualised to pass two messages -identify with patrons during this trying period as well as making a global statement

Wigwe

A

s a subtle response to the effect of the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic, the global corporate communities have not only redirected the focus of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), they have also adjusted the thrust of their advertising messages to reflect how compassionate they are.

This is logical, as society appears to be increasingly turning to companies and CEO’s

for guidance in turbulent times. Public relations and communications professionals are all seeking to provide the best counsel and the most effective messaging and contingency plans in a situation that truly has no playbook.

Of course, many analysts have encouraged brand owners and promoters not to allow the uncertainty of this period to become a drawback.

In a latest television commercial of the Access Bank titled ‘Tough Choices’, the bank looks beyond normal banking business in identifying with its patrons. As a responsible corporate body, Access Bank sends compassionate messages to stakeholders that their bank share in their burden while they cope with the fallout from Covid-19 pandemic. Through a sublime voice that depicts affection, concern and strong feeling, Access Bank speaks to what its local and international customers may be passing through at the moment. At a time like this, the Access family salutes the courage and sacrifices being made by it patrons, hence the title ‘Touch Choices’.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

Developing Actionable Strategies for Success in Era of Negative Growth Maduabuchi Ubani

I

n times as challenging as these, organisations need leaders to inspire the implementation of timely and practical strategic insights, effective navigation of uncertainties and to help them achieve sustainable success in the face of unprecedented volatility.

Prepare and equip yourself and your leaders for the long road ahead with Texem UK’s 2-day senior executive development programme on Beyond Survival: developing actionable strategies for success in an era of negative growth.

The programme would leverage TEXEM, UK’s impeccable pedigree of helping organisations to win and its world-renowned faculties such as Prof. Christian Stadler (Warwick business school, UK) and Prof.

John Peters (Former Royal Air force fighter, Prisoner of war, Top World Leadership Speaker and Chair of Association of MBAs).

In addition, the programme would attract highly experienced corporate leaders like Samer Chidiac, Regional Director & Resident Chief Innovation Officer, Microsoft Technology Centres across MEA thus, would offer participants practical strategies to give their organisations the best chances of achieving sustainable, profitable growth. It is expected to hold on October 7th and 8th, 2020.

After a 50 per cent discount, the programme fee is N401, 000 (covers study materials, lecture and certificate) and it would be a virtual and engaging sessions Faculty Stadler is an authority on strategic management, and he lectures on the subject at Warwick business school. He has held similar teaching positions at the University of Bath School of management, Tuck school of business at Dartmouth, and Innsbruck University.

He is the publisher of the Bestselling book Enduring Success published by Stanford University Press.

After devoting a significant part of his career to studying how long-established corporations grow, adapt, and consistently beat their competition, Christian gained extensive knowledge on strategic long-term

Peter

Stadler

Chidiac

success initiatives. His work has featured in the Harvard business review, wall street journal, Sloan management review, CNN, and the BBC. Also, Peters is the former chair of the association of MBAs and a top speaker on leadership. A British War hero who was tortured during the first gulf war. A documentary on his life which underscores his resilience and ability to turn around adversity to opportunity has been nominated for a BAFTA award and won the Independent documentary of the year. An experienced speaker with global acclaim, he was the sole reader representing the British armed forces before her majesty the queen at the national gulf memorial service. He also followed nelson Mandela on stage in South Africa and received a standing ovation.

He has a master’s degree in business administration and is credited with a ground breaking cultural change programme in the RAF received the 1999 flight international aerospace industry award for training and safety. Since he departed from the RAF, he has been a performance coach and business consultant to corporate leaders. He is incredibly effective at motivating and inspiring audiences, always leaving them with an inspired sense of purpose and a greater understanding of how to adapt to unexpected

change.

In the same vein, Chidiac is a Chief Innovation Officer, Business Psychologist, International Expert & Speaker on Strategic Innovation & Digital Transformation with an extensive regional experience of more than 19 years covering 20 countries in the Middle East & Africa.

Living an influential life where his thoughts, visions, and teachings reach more than 500+ thousand followers from around the world on a daily basis through books, articles, quotes, podcasts and social interactions, along with International speaking engagements on topics related to innovation, strategy, motivation and technology.

Currently, SC is the Regional Director & resident Chief Innovation Officer of the Microsoft Technology Centers across the Middle East & Africa based out of Dubai.

Formerly, SC was Chief Innovation & Future Specialist at The Government of Dubai, Based at the Office of the Director-General & Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads & Transport Authority.

Holding 10 International Awards, publisher of 8 books (including a National Best Seller), and formerly the Chief Executive Officer of one of the FIRST Innovation Management Consulting Firms in the Middle East & Africa (Quick Refresh - QF5) and

an Innovator (With IP/Patent on mobile payment); Themes to be covered r%FWFMPQJOH BO JOOPWBUJWF NJOETFU GPS organisational success r&WBMVBUJOH JOOPWBUJOH BOE USBOTGPSNJOH the business model r$SFBUJOH BO JOOPWBUJWF BOE QSPàUBCMF organisation through culture, structure, and strategy r5IF TVQFSJPSJUZ PG BO BNCJEFYUSPVT organisation: lessons from case studies r&MFWBUJOH TQFFE BOE DSFBUJWJUZ BOE embracing frugality, scale, and enhanced performance r.PWJOH PVUTJEF UIF DPOWFOUJPOBM BDUJWJUJFT of learning Benefits The purpose of this course is to enable participants and their organisation navigate the challenging conditions that often come with an economic recession. Given Texem’s professional experience in both the private and public sector, it is the ideal choice for your organisation’s future. More specifically, the programme will help them: NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

Education: Sine Qua Non For National Development Dapo Akintoye By now, we all acknowledge 2020 as a remarkable year for everyone, in every regard - positive and negative. Although the crisis has been more than any we have ever seen in our lifetime, it is a forgone conclusion that this is beyond a health crisis. The socio-economic implications are more far reaching especially in the education sector which is the focus my submission today. We already had a crisis of sorts within the sector, but the pandemic which resulted in a lot of schools being shut down to embrace virtual learning has unmasked the inequities and deepened the existing problems.

As part of activities to celebrate the 111th anniversary of the founding of Kings College, Lagos, a crop of brilliant minds deliberated on the challenges in the educational sector, the future of education and way forward.

In his keynote address, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, set the tone by saying this lecture is not about looking back, it is about the future, and the future is now.

He made it clear that this generation of young people need to be prepared for a world that thinks and operates differently from what used to be obtainable.

According to the VP, every nation that has prospered has come to accept as a norm that education must lift the mind of the people beyond self; there must be a demonstration of well-established moral standards; corruption and deviance must

be the exception not the rule.

In his words, ‘’How effectively we are able to educate and empower our people, will determine the outcome of our economic aspirations, and how we are able to compete globally.’’

In her keynote speech, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General, United Nations, stated that getting students back into school must be our priority as a nation.

According to her, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, over 260 million children globally have been cut off from e-learning, and 5.9 million learners in SubSaharan Africa may never return to school due to the lost time, further widening the gaps in the education system.

She added: “This is an opportunity to re-imagine education, and make educational technology and digital capability available and accessible to the most vulnerable societies, including teachers.

For this to happen, education cannot depend on technology controlled by the private sector.’’

She insisted that the education system cannot develop without trained and motivated teachers who need to deliver a system that teaches how to respond to the work and societal demands of the future.

She implored all to use the recovery of the Covid-19 to build a better world; a world where the human relationship between student and their teachers is not lost but where required digital tools for open access is paramount.

In a robust panel discussion moder-

ated by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, who is the Chairperson of the KCOBA 2020 founders week and which had Gen. Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser; Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba, Minister of States for Education, who was represented by Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education; Mr. Olumide Akpata, President, NBA; Mr. Hakeem Adeniji-Adele, former Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft; and Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, President, Queens College Old Girls Association, as discussants, the key issues were tackled in a deliberate conversation with action points to revolutionise the sector.

What came out quite clearly in all their submissions was the fact that education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world and Nigerians are known to be gifted with a mental acuity that is extraordinary so all hands must be on deck if we are to see significant change in the sector.

Government resources alone cannot drive education especially with the quality of education we know our people need. All conversations on education will be futile if we fail to adequately carry along all cadres of society, especially the poor, underprivileged, and the girl child.

The need for funding to adequately equip the sector could not be over-emphasized.

Omoigui-Okauru focused on the girl child and the need to instill not just academic skill in our children, but consciously build the right behavioral traits; teachers and parents alike need

to encourage curiosity, self-worth, selfconfidence and courage. Adeniji-Adele gave his tech-based perspective, reiterating the need to adequately empower the students of today to shape the world of tomorrow. The digital divide is widened so much that, children that cannot access digital learning tools may never catch up with their peers who have such access.

On his part, Akpata, reminded the panel of the fact that discussions on Public Private Partnerships for Unity schools, (of which Kings College is one), have been in the works for almost 15 years. He insisted that this would be a solution to funding for the education sector. Indeed, the Kings College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) have between them distinguished personalities that can set the college on the track to being one of the best in the world and altruistic investments from private investors can help raise the bar.

Representing President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, Chief of Staff said: “The Federal Government is interested in the outcomes of these deliberations.’’

After all is said, I cannot help but agree with the UN Deputy Secretary General when she said “the future of education, and the future of society, are inexorably linked….and tackling the issues within that sector is a challenge for you, me and the collective whole.

-Akintoye, a marketing consultant writes in from Lagos, Nigeria

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 08038901925

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COVER

Nigeria’s First Ladies When the annals of Nigeria are pored over, accolades or vilification often trail the leaders who have either marred or made this nation into what it is today. However, little is said about the women who held the forte for their husbands in various capacities, especially in nurturing the home front.To mark the 60th anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence Day, CHIEMELIE EZEOBI and REBECCA EJIFOMA profile these First Ladies from independence till date, their pet projects and the impact they played in nation building albeit behind the scenes

T

he saying ‘behind every successful man is a successful woman’ has been proven several times over. In leadership, it is no less different with the Office of the First Lady as they

are the support system their husbands lean on to excel in their careers and duty to country.

Although Nigeria’s constitution does not officially recognise the Office of the First Lady, according to ‘Concept of First Ladies and Politics in Nigeria’ by Kunle Ajayi, it has

Flora Ogbenyeanu Azikiwe

become a syndrome and a phenomenal issue in Nigerian government and politics.

In Nigeria, although these First Ladies might not be officially recognised, but they are every bit as important as their men, because they are often the engine room that drives the men. From Flora Ogbenyeanu Azikiwe, the wife of the first President of Nigeria,

Nnamdi Azikiwe to the incumbent, Hajia Aisha Buhari, these women have become stronger and much more formidable 60 years later as they have grown to become pillars through various empowerment schemes and outreaches to women, youths and children.

Below are the First Ladies in the annals of Nigeria’s independence:

Maryam Abacha

Mrs. Flora Azikiwe, the wife of the first President of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe, became the First Lady of Nigeria from October 1, 1963 to January 16, 1966.

Mrs. Maryam Abacha, wife of General Sani Abacha, assumed the office of the ninth First Lady of Nigeria on November 17, 1993 until July 8, 1998. Her pet project was the Family Support Programme (FSP). It was her own way of pleading women’s cause and out of concern for the improvement of Nigerian families’ quality of life and extended to health, agricultural and vocational activities

Esther Oluremi Obasanjo

Turai Yar’Adua

Mrs. Esther Oluremi Obasanjo, the first wife of General Olusegun Obasanjo, became the fifth First Lady on February 13, 1976 to October 1, 1979.

Mrs. Turai Yar’Adua, wife of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, became the 12th First Lady from May 29, 2007 to February 9, 2010. Her pet project Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEF) sought health sector interventions as well as interventions in the area of poverty reduction, drug abuse and lifelong education

Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi Mrs. Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, wife of General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, became the second First Lady of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 to July 29, 1966.

Fati Lami Abubakar

Safinatu Buhari Safiatu Buhari, the first wife of General Mohammadu Buhari, became Nigeria’s sixth First Lady from December 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985

Justice Fati Lami Abubakar, wife of Abdulsalami Abubakar, was the tenth First Lady of Nigeria from June 8, 1998 to May 29, 1999.

Her pet project was Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection (WRAPA). This non- governmental organisation provided her with an advocacy opportunity to articulate and propagate women’s concerns relating to the advancement and protection of their rights.

Patience Jonathan Victoria Gowon Victoria Gowon, wife of Yakubu Gowon, was the third First Lady of Nigeria from August 1, 1966 to July 29, 1975.

Maryam Babangida Mrs. Maryam Babangida, wife of General Ibrahim Babangida, came into office as the seventh First Lady on August 27, 1985 until August 26, 1993.

She began what would later be known as pet projects. Hers was the Better Life Programme (BLP). Launched on September 14, 1987, its objectives were designed to raise the social consciousness of women about their rights, as well as their social, political and economic responsibilities; bring and mobilise women together, as well as stimulate, educate, enlighten, improve, enrich and encourage them.

Ajoke Mohammed Mrs. Ajoke Mohammed, wife of General Murtala Mohammed, became the fourth First Lady on July 29, 19765 to February 13, 1976

Margaret Shonekan Mrs. Margaret Shonekan, wife of Ernest Shonekan, was the eighth First Lady of Nigeria on August 26, 1993 and left same year on November 17

Stella Obasanjo Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, the second wife of President Olusegun Obasanjo, became the 11th First Lady of the country from May 29, 1999 and passed on while in office on October 23, 2005. Her pet project Child Care Trust (CCT) particularly targets challenged children and women with disabilities. It has as its motto ‘Sowing the Seeds of Hope’ and it specifically aims to provide quality health care and other social services for children and women in Nigeria.

Mrs. Patience Jonathan fondly called “Mama Peace”, is the wife of the immediate past President Goodluck and the 13th First Lady of the country from May 6, 2010 to May 29, 2015. Her pet project started while she was in Bayelsa as wife of governor of the state.

Her NGO known as A. Areuera Reachout Foundation was established in 2006 and tilted towards providing training for women, medical support and assistance to people with heart conditions, empowering the youths and women to overcome challenges through skills acquisition and development for productivity and wealth creation as well as rehabilitation of female ex-convicts especially in the Niger Delta. It also extended its mission of reaching out to the elderly.

Aisha Buhari Mrs. Aisha Buhari, second wife of the incumbent President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, became the 14th First Lady of Nigeria on May 29, 2015 till date. Her pet project Future Assured is an initiative of the Aisha Buhari foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation set up with the aim of advocating for the wellbeing of women, children and adolescents in Nigeria.

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PoloLuxuryUnveilsHighly Anticipated2020PashaDeCartierWatch Mary Nnah Nigeria’s leading retailer of luxury watches, Polo Luxury has recently unveiled its highly anticipated timepiece for 2020, the Pasha De Cartier, an iconic watch, originally designed for the Pasha of Marrakesh in 1933.

Considered to be the first waterproof watch from Cartier, the 2020 design pays homage to Cartier’s traditional watchmaking style, combining the original 1980’s model with a more defined silhouette, and several innovative mechanisms and enhancements.

In 1985, the legendary watch designer GĂŠrald Genta designed a version of the Cartier Pasha whose form is still celebrated.

Boasting a network of some of the world’s most affluent brands and individuals, Polo Luxury Legacy of groundbreaking innovation is reiterated through its exclusive partnership with French watch brand, Cartier.

Founded by Louis-Francois in 1847, Cartier is a French jeweller that supplies luxurious treasures, mixing modern design with timeless flair. The brand is recognised for its highquality workmanship and royal

Polo Luxury... Cartier Pasha De Cartier Mechanical 2020

heritage; it was the supplier to the Royal Court of France during Napoleon III’s reign, and described by Edward VII as “the jeweller of kings, and the king of jewellers�.

With flagship locations in Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, and Shanghai, among others, Cartier has one of the most enviable claims in horology history: the purveyor of the

world’s first men’s wristwatch, the Cartier Santos.

Today, Cartier has a strikingly beautiful catalogue of some of the most sought-after timepieces in existence, including the Cartier Tank Solo, The Cartier ClĂŠ De Cartier, and the Pasha De Cartier.

According to the Executive Director at Polo Luxury, Jennifer Obayuwana, Cartier’s patented

QuickSwitch system brings an element of modernity to the recently launched 2020 timepiece.

She explained therefore that customers can customise between the steel, gold and leather straps for a truly personal look, complete with a sapphire crystal lens.

The Pasha De Cartier is available in stainless steel, 18K yellow gold, 18k pink gold, 18k white gold and diamonds.

Commenting on the fruitful relationship between Polo Luxury and Cartier, Obayuwana, said further that the partnership between Cartier and Polo Luxury is a testament to Polo’s unrivaled positioning as West Africa’s leading retailer for high end goods. “Since the beginning of our relationship 10 years ago, Polo Luxury has continued to prove itself to be the perfect ally for Cartier in this region, attracting opulent customers from across the world to shop the brand in our Nigeria based boutique stores�, she added.

She revealed further that Cartier’s refined catalogue of luxury timepieces and jewellery are available for purchase exclusively at Polo Luxury, Nigeria.

Yinka Rythmz Takes Fans on a Journey Yinka Rythmz, also known as the Apase of West Coast, is taking his fans on a journey with release of a multi-million video project for his latest album “More than somebody� which he believes will make waves worldwide.

The musician, who is also a Pharmacist and currently resides in Las Vegas, admitted to releasing some singles in the past but believes the current project would make waves around the world.

Yinka Rythmz noted that he has been exposed to a lot of things now that he is older. “I’ve experienced more than usual perspectives of life.

So, with this project I want to carry my fans along with me on a journey. I want them all to experience how my songs are produced, directed, what motivates me, learn a little bit about my history, incorporate my father’s legacy, my personal lifestyle, and things I go through on a day to day basis.�

According to him, he is now able to use “legends and evergreen artists residing

Yinka Rythmz

back home in Nigeria�; people who have a direct connection with his background and most importantly, his late father is also incorporated into this project. “I want to merge the past with the future. This project also gave me a chance to experience the rich culture of this industry. This project allows me to showcase my story in order to encourage, teach and motivate those coming behind. I can say that in the end I want to do something unique and different from the norm hence the title, “More Than Somebody��

He recalled: “I was born

to late Alh. Rasheed Adio, 2nd Barrister in Agege a.k.a Mr. Somebody which automatically made me Omo Somebody. Life was a constant flux of gaining my own identity while trying to fit into my father’s shoes, which is still too big to fit in.

Omo Somebody was tested with a lot of responsibilities and challenges of life which now made me Mr. Somebody. “Through the journey of life, there are many things I have had to overcome which made me realise that I’m not just a regular person.

Issues of discrimination, low self-esteem, intimidation, self-consciousness and equality injustice what is widely tormenting people.�

The Pharmacist-cummusician stated that it has not been easy combining work in the medical world, music as well as being a family man. “As a business man in the Medical Community, of course you have to be knowledgeable,professional, and disciplined on priorities.

You have to know how to stay

on schedule and not deviate from your daily routines but my family is my rock. “I never neglect any of my family needs or responsibilities. I try as much as possible to balance out my work, my family and my career.�

Yinka Rythmz is always quick to acknowledge his fans as he says, “my fans have been very supportive and dedicated to my craft all these years. I just want them to take time to enjoy this album just as much as I was so happy and excited to make it. I want them to spread the word out to the world that they are “MORE THAN SOMEBODY� regardless of what life is throwing at them. I love you all and I can’t wait for you all to experience my album in a movie�. The Akpase of West Coast, who reiterated that he is more than somebody, stated that the album unveiling was going to happen very soon. “It’s going to be all over the entertainment news, online blogs, newspapers and magazines�.

Again, Rose of Sharon Choir Eulogises Nigeria As Nigeria celebrates its 60th year Independence anniversary, the Rose of Sharon Choir of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Rose of Sharon Parish is out with her first ever single track, which talks about the nation’s greatness.

The Gospel Choir based in Lagos has teamed up with award-winning Timi Dakolo, one of Nigeria’s finest, to create the masterpiece.

Produced by Philip Uzo and spearheaded by RCCG, Rose of Sharon Parish, this new tune has a soulful, faith based rhythmic sound, set to cause waves not only within

Rose of Sharon Choir

Nigeria but across the African

music scene and internation-

ally. It has a message of hope.

The song titled “Again�, talks about reawakening hopes and dreams again in the present, future and destiny of our beloved Nigeria. With its rich distinctive vocals and lyrical content, this project is undeniably a modern classic that will become a household reference point for the Nigeria of our dreams!

The visuals soon to be shown on livestreams and television stations replicate the story of hope and victory as we rise again as one Nigeria.

Siju Iluyomade Leads Governors’ Wives, Celebrities, Others on a Walk Most often nowadays, exercise seems to be too complex, coupled with an ever busy attitude peculiar to us in this part of the world. However, just a 75-minute brisk walk could do a lot to your overall health, especially if you do it regularly.

It is on this premise, that Dr. Siju Iluyomade’s Arise Women, an age-long purely humanitarian foundation, is Siju Iluyomade daring all odds to once again come up with “Arise Walk for Life�, a global initiative specially dedicated for Nigerians to keep up with health in general.

The idea solely conceived by the gorgeous lawyer of over three decades, has always been experienced by thousands of individuals including prominent Nigerians in business, politics, entertainment and also the vineyard of the Lord.

With over 10 years of putting the event together, the anticipation for this year’s edition, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2020, has been very tremendous.

As usual, organisers of the health-awareness walk have disclosed that the event will commence at 7:00am in over 50 clusters across Nigeria, London, United States of America, Canada and various isolation centres. Each cluster having a minimum of 25 persons amongst who are influencers and celebrities that have always been part of Arise ; the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sports and Super Eagles legend, Daniel Amokachi; Olympic Gold medalist and sports administrator Mary Onyali; former deputy governor of Lagos State and special adviser to the president on sustainable development goals, Her Excellency Adejoke Orelope Adefulire; popular Disc Jockeys, Humility and Xclusive, Kaffy ans DJ Cuppy; actress Bimbo Akintola; ace gospel musician, Nathaniel Bassey, and football legend, Peter Rufai, amongst others.

With all health protocols in this season of COVID-19 in place as stipulated by presidential task force and Lagos State government, this year’s edition termed ‘Staying Alive’, is expected to be streamed online LIVE from the starting point to the finishing line to further encourage many Nigerians who could not join the Walk.

The Arise Walk for Life sponsored by Siju, as the highly resourceful woman is called, is one of the events that holds yearly as a forerunner to the flagship event, The Arise Women Conference is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2020.

Koniku Wins Global Innovation Olympian in World 2050 Challenge Koniku, a Silicon Valley-based biotechnology company founded by Nigerian-born scientist and entrepreneur, Osh Agabi, has recently won the Innovation Olympian in the World in 2050 Competition.

Koniku (pronounced co-nee-qu), derived from the Yoruba word which translates to “has no death�, is among a cohort of 34 organisations pursuing ground-breaking solutions to propel the global community into a safer, healthier, and ultimately happier future.

The World 2050 Challenge is a prestigious and internationally acclaimed honour and achievement. It is bestowed on individuals, corporations, and organisations that tackle enormous social challenges from pandemics, to world poverty, to climate change. This inaugural World Challenge was announced at the World Economic Forum’s annual conference in Switzerland, Davos.

Winners are exposed to power brokers and strategic partners at global summits and forums, including Davos, the G7, G20, APEC, UNGA, and much more. The World in 2050 boasts over 10,000 partners and futurists from 180 countries who are convened five times a year to stimulate discussion and solutions about the future.

Koniku is one of five winners of the Humanity Prize.

Commenting on the award, CEO of Koniku, Osh Agabi, said, “We are honoured to have been included in this inaugural cohort of revolutionary thinkers and leaders.

The world in 2020 will prepare us for a better world in 2050 if we work together to push society forward.�

Koniku’s commitment to quick and efficient diagnosis of the COVID-19 and other diseases will be a major contribution to the healthcare sector. It mobilises biotechnology to quickly detect disease. Its patented smell technology, called KonikoreTM, can identify the presence of infections, such as COVID-19, in 10 seconds, smell bombs, detect poison in our foods, and cancer in our bodies. “KonikoreTM is like a living smell camera. Imagine if we could breathe into a device and know if we had diabetes or hypertension. Imagine being able to locate, localise, and eradicate a highly contagious disease like COVID-19 or SARS before it becomes a global pandemic. Koniku aims to revolutionise detection and diagnosis. “ Koniku is supported by Platform Capital Group – a group comprising Platform Capital Investment Partners, Diatom Impact, and Unicorn Group. Platform Capital is a growth markets-focused, sector agnostic, principal investment and advisory firm.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

How Big Brother Naija Season 5 Shattered Records Stories by Vanessa Obioha

On Sunday, September 27, Laycon the unknown artiste who entered the Big Brother Naija House with 19 strangers emerged winner of the fifth season of the popularTV show.

His iconic win marked the end of the show which defied the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not a few imagined a postponement of the show due to the raging pandemic that crippled many social activities. Even when the show finally began on July 19, there were still doubts about the success of the show due to a few changes introduced. From the shortening of the duration, non-contact with outsiders, to the absence of audience participation at the Sunday Eviction live shows.

However, on Wednesday, September 30, when the winner Laycon was awarded his prize in a televised programme,the organisers MultiChoice revealed that the season was successful.

“Big Brother Naija Lockdown Edition has set an unprecedented record, living up to its reputation of being Africa’s most-watched reality television show,”said the CEO, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe.

First, it shattered the voting records. While last year’s season recorded 240 million votes, the Lockdown season garnered a whopping 900 million votes.

Part of the smashing figures came from the Awoof voting campaign that allowed fans to predict, vote, and lockdown their favourite housemate to clinch the grand prize.

Notwithstanding, the new record speaks

Laycon (middle) receives his cash prize as the winner of Big Brother Naija Season 5

volumes of the popularity of the show which is viewed by Africans in the continent and the diaspora.

Also, Ugbe added that the ripple impact of the show on the Nigerian economy cannot be overemphasised.

“Over 1,000 people directly or indirectly supported the production of Big Brother Naija Lockdown edition, and cumulatively over the years it has provided over 10,000 jobs for fashion designers, content creators, decorators, logistic companies, prop makers, makeup artists,photographers, housekeepers, carpenters, caterers, and many more.

BaddyOoshaFeaturesNairaMarley,OthersinNewEP A year after he released his first EP ‘Street’ Dubaibased Nigerian musician and businessman Badmus Akeem better known as Baddy Oosha has dropped another EP.Titled‘September 30 the EP’, the seven-track EP parades the ingenuity of the music maker and his longtime producer and friend Pjay. Both were stuck in Dubai after the lockdown was announced to curtail the strange COVID-19 spread.

Aptly named after the birth date of the artiste, the EP is meticulously curated to bring back the good vibes of the pre-pandemic era.

The artiste revealed that the strange coronavirus is the inspiration behind the EP. To deliver different flavours of the EP, the

Baddy Oosha

businessman who runs the Oosha Empire collaborated with other street musicians, Naira Marley, Reminisce, and Slimcase. The artistes showcased their talents in their output, producing melodious tunes that will keep their fans frenzied. In ‘44-4’, he teamed up with Naira Marley to narrate a tale about female fans that desire attention from celebrities.

The track is followed by his duet with Slimcase‘H’oil’, a comical song on theYoruba pronunciation defect of the word ‘oil’.

‘Party Hard’ sees Baddy Oosha uniting with his longtime collaborator,Reminisce.

The dancehall infused track is adjudged the party track in the EP. In a way,‘September 30 the EP’ is an ode to street music.

Widely recognised as‘Daddy Street’, Baddy Oosha identifies with the genre that is very popular in Nigeria. He’s been credited for propelling many street musicians to the spotlight. With the new EP which was officially released on September 30, Baddy Oosha is looking forward to bringing the groove back to the streets.

InNewBETSeriesIsono,NotEverythingisasItSeems Anyone watching the new BET Africa new series Isono that premiered on Monday, September 28 will be intrigued by the dualities of the characters.

From the lead character Mary Ndlovu played by Nthati Moshesh to that of his son Gabriel (Bohang Moeko), everything seemed cool on the surface until the masks were removed.

We catch the first glimpse of these veneers in the first episode. Mother Mary as she is faithfully called is like the

modern-day MamaTheresa.

She runs a church House of Grace that takes in unwanted, at-risk, and delinquent children. She gives them a stable home and an education. Her altruistic nature fetches her awards and accolades, making her the ideal role model for women.

To keep up the act, Mary portrays herself as a woman who adores children and even helps couples to adopt children but not everything is as it seems. Mary bared her fangs when the young

mother whom she had paid handsomely for her upkeep demanded that she returned her child (Mary already planned to give her child up for adoption).

Pretending to give in to the young lady’s request, she ended up killing her with the award plaque she received at an occasion. Her brutality and piety are the suspense wheel of the South African telenovela that parades other great acts like Charmaine Mtinta, Bongani Gumede, and Fezile Makhanya.

“I think Ebuka (the host) has provided the workflow for a thousand fashion designers in just four years. The entire team worked tirelessly to maintain the usual quality and standards that have come to be associated with the show.”

Although some of the show’s elements were relaxed for the safety of contestants and production team, Ugbe disclosed that it didn’t save cost for the company.

“Rather, it’s the other way round. In just reconfiguring the backend of the show, we had to get a larger space, get more rooms, move equipment, stable power, and other

things. We are not complaining, we have to face these challenges when we meet them.

We had to think very creatively, take out some elements of the show, and replace them with new elements. At the end of the day, we tried to create a balance.”

“For us, it’s more about how do we still bring the same things we are doing differently in light of the COVID-19 situation,” added Channels Director, Africa Magic, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu.

Perhaps, the biggest milestone the show recorded this year was the number of prizes won by fans and contestants.Unlike in the past edition where the winner carted away N60 million worth of prizes, this year the winner Laycon took home N85 million grand prize.

His prizes included N30 million cash prize, an SUV from Innoson Motors, a trip to watch UEFA Cup finals courtesy of Pepsi, Scanfrost home appliances, a year supply of Indomie noodles, Munch It snacks, and Colgate toothpaste, a Travelbeta sponsored trip to Dubai with a loved one among others.

The first runner-up Dorathy will also join Laycon to explore the Guinness House in Dublin, Ireland.

During the show, lucky contestants won prizes from different sponsors including the lead sponsor Betway.

To cap the winning spree, 30 lucky fans who participated in the Awoof voting and predicted Laycon as the season’s winner were awarded one million naira each. The winners were picked through a raffle draw out of over 38,000 DStv and GOtv subscribers that participated.

Stephanie Linus’ New Ambassadorial Role Four months after she launched her ‘Hygiene First: My New Habit’ campaign, Nollywood actress and filmmaker Stephanie Linus has been appointed as the National OPS-WASH (Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) ambassador by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.

The award is the highest form of recognition given to anyone in the private sector by the ministry.

At a recent ceremony in Abuja to recognise the actress’s role in inspiring improved personal and community hygiene, the minister applauded the ef-

forts of the actress hygiene campaign while charging her to inspire behavioural change among Nigerians to take responsibility for their environment.

Linus launched the campaign in May to awaken consciousness about personal and community hygiene in the country.

“We want people to pay better attention to the habits that affect our health and environment and make better choices. It starts with our behaviour. We want everyone to know that the cleanliness of our environment is not someone else’s responsibility.

“It is our collective responsibility as Nigerians to put in the work and achieve clean and healthy communities that we’re all proud of,”she told THISDAY during the launch of the campaign.

In her new role, the producer of the award-winning film ‘Dry’ promises to challenge Nigerians to make good hygiene a culture, as well as inspire citizen participation and responsibility.

Also present at the ceremony was the National Coordinator for OPS-WASH, Nicholas Igwe, who lauded the involvement of the entertainment industry in the WASH sector towards creating behavioural change.

Coca-Cola Felicitates with Ikoyi Club at 82nd Anniversary On Tuesday, September 29, the Coca-Cola System comprising Coca-Cola Nigeria and Nigeria Bottling Company joined others in celebrating the 82nd anniversary of the Ikoyi Club, the elite club in Nigeria which was established in 1938.

Having just reopened since the shutting down of social clubs in the state to curtail the spread of the capricious COVID-19 pandemic, the anniversary celebration was held in the club lawn with many prominent personalities in attendance.The anniversary

of the club incidentally coincides with the 67th anniversary of Coca-Cola’s presence in the country.The internationally recognised beverage started in Ebute Metta, Lagos, in 1953.

The long-term partnership between Ikoyi Club and Coca-Cola Nigeria has seen meaningful support of various sporting activities including badminton and golf, with the club hosting the Coca-Cola, sponsored golf tournament tagged ‘Road to Mauritius’ in 2018.

Speaking on the anniversary, the Manag-

ing Director Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd, Yebeltal Getachew expressed an affinity for the mood and theme ‘The Upliftment of Hope’, noting that 2020 had been a challenging year and as such the event was aptly tagged.

“Our corporate ideals align with those of Ikoyi Club. We have a corporate purpose to refresh the world and make a difference in Africa. We like the Club’ are doing all that we can to reach out and empower people who have especially been impacted by this disease.”

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

A Tale of Two Authors A virtual interaction with two Nigerian authors in diaspora, Paul Obiamiwe and Enuma Chigbo provoked curiosity in their new literary offerings, writes Yinka Olatunbosun The resurgence in black rights movement on a global scale is a subject of reason and a cause for concern. It is not surprising to see a few new creative works that delve into the issue. For starters, Paul Obiamiwe, the author of the book titled, “Africanism,’’ bears an African writer’s moral responsibility to explain Africa history and heritage to the world.

Born in the UK, he returned to Nigeria at the age of eight to complete his secondary school at Edo College Benin City and studied medicine at the University of Benin. After obtaining his Bachelors of medicine and science (MBBS), he returned to the UK where he completed his postgraduate studies and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh.

No doubt, his cross-cultural trajectory in life has etched some deep impressions in his mind about humanity and how racism is still a problem some centuries after the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

“My inspiration to write the book came from my lived and vicarious experiences of racism,’’ he began. “The book, ‘Africanism,’ revisits African history through African eyes. It tries to redress the inaccurate western version of African history and explores the severe psychological issues it creates amongst black people everywhere.’’

Many afro-centric authors often blamed the colonisers for under-developing Africa with oppressive and exploitative policies and legacies that have seeped into many constitutions used in governing the African people today.

Obiamiwe shared this sentiment as he spoke on his position in this book.

“I do agree that the western world underdeveloped Africa. In the book, the reader will find that the west continues to apply significant amounts of negative pressure to African nations creating the ideal chaotic situations they need in order to continue the process of exploitation,’’ he argued.

He remarked that the book Africanism will contribute to fostering a better and more balanced view of Africans everywhere. Western nations have presented the world with a denigrated image of Africa and black people globally which in turn supports their racist ideology.

SylvesterAguddahona RollercoasterofExhibition

Aguddah

Yinka Olatunbosun As soon as the lockdown measures eased, a leading cultural hub in Lagos, Freedom Park had its gates thrown open to welcome visitors to its first solo exhibition since the lockdown. Titled, “The Times,’’ the show featured works by the collage artist, Sylvester Aguddah. Curated by Ifeanyichukwu Oraemeka, the exhibition is about works that the artist produced during the lockdown. “For over a month during the lockdown, I was emotionally drained. As an artist, my environment influences my mood. I look for exciting African stories to tell but this was not one of those times. The whole world was going through a pandemic. And we all just needed to stay safe.

“I made works with expression and embedded in the colours that speak energy. Working with paper, cardboard, fabric and recycled materials, I bring ideas to life. I was able to produce about 20 new works and as the lockdown eased, I thought it was great sharing my works with the world,’’ he said. The author also observed that his work had been influenced too by the spate of sad news and deaths during the COVID-19 period.

As he wrapped up the solo show at Freedom Park Lagos, Aguddah kicked off another solo exhibition at The Metaphor, a social club domiciled in Victoria Island, Lagos. The show which kicked off on September 17 features the collage and mixed media works. The show runs till September 30.

(Africanism and Letters from the Wilderness

“The book helps to restore a more accurate version of African identity and deconstruct the false western narrative and racist ideology,’’ he said. A few days after an email interview with the UK-based Obiamiwe, Enuma Chigbo who wrote the faith-based contemporary literature titled, “Letters from the Wilderness,’’ revealed how this book was given an interesting start. The book is the sixth in Chigbo’s collection. Indeed, it is a compelling memoir from an award-winning female author who has a varied work experience as a retail manager, journalist, special project co-ordinator and advertising administrator.

The story was born out of an unforgettable encounter with an Uber driver who invited her to his church.

“That Uber ride was not an ordinary one.

It was a prelude to the birth of ‘Letters from the Wilderness’ and to me, this was a clear confirmation of His word, ‘Be not forgetful

to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares,’’ she once said in an interview.

In her exclusive chat with ART WEEKEND, she revealed how she received support from her spiritual family at This Present House.

“Sometime in September 2000, I started to attend church after a two year break or rebellion as it were. In this new place of exhilaration and reconciliation, I began to keep a diary within the four walls of my bedroom. Six months later, the diaries evolved into a mini book. Pastor Tony Rapu of This Present House, my pastor at that time was the first person who encouraged me to write.

Prior to that time, you couldn’t get me to put a sentence together,’’ she recounted.

In the end, she found herself writing after that eerie encounter with the taxi driver. She wrote forty letters and explained the numerical

significance.

“I would say it was more of a leading by the Holy Spirit. Before I attended his church, I was lead to write a letter, talking about the deep historical ties Nigeria has with his home country Jamaica.

Biblically, the number 40 represents the end of the wilderness phase and the beginning of the entry into the Promised Land. I was led to inculcate this concept into the writing of my book,’’ she said.

Any reader would sense the cross-cultural currents in the book. Like Obiamiwe, Chigbo has been deeply influenced by her cultural experiences while traversing different countries.

“I like to exchange and compare stories between theirs and stories from Nigeria.

However, the Nigeria- Jamaica angle has been somewhat of a quest for me for a long time. I recall sometime in 2004, during my years in Johannesburg South Africa, I was doing some research on a tourism project for someone. It was then I stumbled upon Calabar Boy’s High School in Jamaica. I wondered immediately if it was anyway connected to the city of Calabar in Cross River State, Nigeria. Nine years later, after my first trip to Jamaica in August 2013, I was delighted to know that there is one. Calabar Boy’s High School is about 107 years old and said to be one of the best schools in that vicinity. This school was birthed by the Calabar Theological College in Kingston, which was founded sometime in the 18th century. Some of the founders of the college were slaves that came from off the coast of Calabar Nigeria. They gave it the name “Calabar” because the scenic beauty of their new surroundings reminded them of the land from where they came.

Linking nations through their history, for me opens the portals to a greater future, details of which I am unable to comprehend or describe as of today,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, it is her belief that exploring history and what connects us definitely paints a beautiful picture of the future.

Urban Kitchen Season 4 Premiers with Chinonso Rebecca Ejifoma The long-awaited Season four of Urban Kitchen show, otherwise known as ‘Cooking meals on budget,’ is set to premiere second week in October at its sparkling ultramodern kitchen studio in Magodo, Lagos with ChinonsI Arubayi continuing as its host.

The show, which will run on 13 terrestrial TV stations across Nigeria, will air on three stations in the US, two in the UK, also as in-flight entertainment on select airlines and on major VOD platforms.

According to Arubayi, Urban Kitchen is a show that teaches both man and woman how to cook on a low budget with a confident bargaining power.

“As a woman, I’ve hosted a couple of shows.

Urban Kitchen is different and very special to me. First of all, I’m a foodie. I love food and love really nice tasty food. At the same time, I like to save my money,” she added with a chuckle while speaking at the studio.

Since she was unveiled in 2018 as the hostess of the show, Arubayi had made it a reality that one could have one’s way with bargaining in any market.

Whilst sharing her experience with chefs, she revealed that many had struck some good deals that are quite impressive. For a foodventurer like Arubayi, this show is truly an eye opening experience as it has demystified the culinary space, making the kitchen suitable for both male and female.

“This show is not just for women. It is for men, too. That is why we have had some male chef come on board. We are of course trying to challenge the idea that it is only a woman that should be in the kitchen,” the one-time beauty queen enthused.

Arubayi

The idea of Urban Kitchen sprung from the pool of ideas of the initiators – Daodu Felix and Jude Chukwuka – who wanted to display Nigeria from a positive angle to the world. Their interest stretched beyond politics, religion, and sexual orientation; hence, they were left with two unifiers, sports and food.

Urban Kitchen was formed to reflect every aspect of the Nigerian culinary lifestyle. Its ultimate quest is to bridge the gap with its urban kitchen featuring local dishes. While creating content for food, the creator and producer of the show, Felix, said they saw the need to fuse in entertainment.

Since it was officially launched in 2015, Urban Kitchen, owned by SATE TV, has featured celebrity guests such as Ramson Noauh, Basket Mouth, Denrele, Richard Mofe-Damijo, 9ice, and Pasuma amongst others.

Each season is loaded with 26 episodes to relish. Participants are meant to send in a video of their adventure to the market, their bargaining power and their kitchen skills. While the show will premier in October, its food channel, SATE TV will be coming up in seven months.

The show is open to prospective to send in their videos and get a chance to cook for their favorite celebrity at the season 4.

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FERTILITY

Y

with DR. KEMI AILOJE Info@lifelinkfertility.com; Website: lifelinkfertility.com 08033083580

MID -CYCLE SPOTTING: WHEN SHOULD I WORRY? PART 1

ou know it is not time for another period yet, but after a swipe at the loo you notice a spot of light pink or red blood around about middle of the menstrual cycle, it may be mid-cycle spotting.

What is mid-cycle spotting?

Mid-cycle spotting is bleeding that occurs outside of your menstrual cycle. It is also known as mid-cycle bleeding, abnormal uterine bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, or metrorrhagia. The color of the blood may help to give a clue to help determine if it is mid-cycle spotting or a sign of an irregular period.

Menstrual period bleed will usually be bright to dark red, heavier than just light spotting, lasting for a few days ranging from three to seven days in most women of reproductive age while blood from the more common causes of mid-cycle spotting will be small in quantity, light pink or red, or even dark brown, with spotting lasting for as short as a few hours to one day.

When Does Mid- Cycle Spotting Occur?

It occurs when the follicle bursts open and releases the egg. Right before the mature egg is released, estrogen levels drop, which can cause the endometrium to shed and result in light spotting.

SPOTTING JUST BEFORE OVULATION Spotting during ovulation lasts about a day or two. The drop in estrogen that signals a woman’s body to ovulate may result in ovulation spotting. It is estimated that about 5% of women experience mid-cycle spotting right in the middle of their menstrual cycles occurring during ovulation, a time when the body undergoes rapid, complex hormonal changes. For these women, ovulation spotting is generally of little cause of concern.

Blood is typically pink or light red. Bleeding is light and lasts only a day or two. Some women who regularly spot during ovulation use this as an indicator to either become or avoid getting pregnant. Ovulation may also

hormone that affect the function of virtually all the organ in the body. When there is a disorder in the thyroid function whether high thyroid hormone or low thyroid hormone, disturbances in menstrual cycle is expected either irregular period, spotting mid cycle or even having a prolonged menstrual flow.

Luteal Phase defect Luteal phase defect occurs when a person menstruates less than ten days after ovulation, this can result into low progesterone level which could lead to menstruating a lot sooner than expected.

Tumors in the Reproductive System Tumors whether benign or malignant can cause make the hormones to be unstable, which can result into bleeding when you are less expecting your menstrual flow

be accompanied by mild bloating or abdominal cramps.

Spotting After Ovulation Spotting after ovulation may indicate “implant bleeding”. This is when a fertilized egg implants and attaches to the lining in the uterus. Implantation bleeding may occur around the time mensural cycle is expected to start, but there are a couple of noticeable differences. Unlike regular period, blood clots or tissue will not be seen in the spotting.

This type of light spotting occurs after conception, usually a few days before the next scheduled period. Instead of the bright red of menstrual blood, this blood will be light pink or even dark brown. Also, implant bleeding is usually pinkish or light brown in color. Up to a third of women experience this symptom of early pregnancy. It is common and doesn’t pose a danger to the developing embryo.

Other common causes of mid-cycle spotting include: Hormonal imbalances The menstrual cycle is regulated by a com-

plex network of hormones. This is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis. Any disruption to your HPO caused by medical conditions such as Endometriosis, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),Thyroid disorder, Luteal phase defects, Uterine fibroids ,Ovarian cysts may trigger midcycle spotting.

Endometriosis Endometriosis is a disorder in which the tissue (endometrium) that lines the uterus is found growing elsewhere, endometriosis usually can cause pelvic pain associated with menstrual period, painful period, mid cycle spotting.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a condition that affects mostly women of reproductive age, women who are polycystic have more male hormones (androgen) and a polycystic ovary can cause mid cycle spotting, irregularities in menstrual cycle, developing follicles which refuse to release eggs.

Thyroid disorder Thyroid hormone stores and produces

Fibroids/Polyps Benign growths that form in the uterus such as Uterine fibroid and polyps are more likely to cause irregular bleeding if they grow into the uterine lining or on the cervix.

Ovarian Cyst Rupture If you experience a sharp pain on either side of your lower abdomen, followed by slight bleeding around the time you should be ovulating, if you have excruciating pain, nausea, vomiting, or bleeding from the vagina during any point in your cycle, you may have a ruptured ovarian cyst Anovulation Bleeding during ovulation is not an unusual thing as some may even experience light spotting during ovulation but when cycle is anovulatory it may trigger bleeding before menstruation because this is as a result of hormonal imbalance. A way to confirm if one’s cycle is anovulatory is to do ultrasound scan, check the basal body temperature every morning and if there is no increase in temperature and no dry, sticky cervical mucus then one may be said to have anovulatory cycle

t5P #F $POUJOVFE /FYU 8FFL

LMdb.ng Creates Avenue for Nigerian Manufacturers to Showcase Creativity, Connect to Buyers For a long time now, Nigerians have been dependent onimported goods and have neglected locally manufactured products. Local manufacturing companies have struggled to stay in business because of the lack of appetite for locally manufactured goods and Nigeria as a country has been saddled with a huge import bill in terms of balance of payment. The resultant effect of this addiction has been the creation of an import based economy with little foot prints in the local manufacturing sector.

While the oil boom lasted, the Nigerian economy could cope with the huge import bill and the resulting demand for the dollar.

With the recent drop in the global price of crude oil and the worldwide effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has been struggling to cope with the demand for the dollar because Nigeria’s income stream which is based on proceeds generated from the sale of crude oil.

In other to reduce the demand for the dollar, the government has come up with strategies such the ban on importation of some goods and the exclusion of some other goods from the Central Bank’s foreign exchange purchase portal.

With the current ban in some imported goods, Nigerians have resorted to patronizing locally manufactured products. This in itself is good for local manufacturers and the Nigerian economy at large.

Prior to the restriction on the importation of foreign goods, various reasons such as quality and pricing had been adduced for the lack of appetite for locally manufactured goods.

Thus, there is an assumption that for locally manufactured goods to sit well with the Nigerian

consumer, the goods should be affordable and be of good quality. However, after a careful investigation of goods made in Nigeria, it was observed that there are a lot of good quality locally manufactured products but Nigerians still prefer to patronise foreign products either because they doubt the quality of the product or they are unaware of the existence of affordable local substitutes. It is this gap that LMdb.ng intends to bridge.

LMdb.ng is a newly rebranded online shop-

ping destination for all Nigerian made products.

Their aim is to create an avenue where Nigerian manufacturers of genuine products can showcase their creativity to the world and also connect buyers to sellers.

Their mission is to “Promote Nigerian” bybecoming the engine of commerce and trade for Nigerian products across the world. The reach of Nigerian products is about to broaden, and quality products from skilled shoemakers, tailors etc. can now be sold from the comfort of their workshop by taking advantage of the bespoke section in LMdb.ng.

The online portal creates an avenue to shop for different categories of products ranging from fashion, home and office decoration, bespoke fashion and shoes, hair care products, baby products, cosmetics and many more.

They currently offer nationwide and international delivery (coming soon) with several convenient and secure payment options to choose from. They are constantly expanding their product variety to include more exciting categories.

Boomerang’s Magic Makers Marks Nigeria’s Independence Day with Series for Children Launched on Thursday, September 17, 2020, Boomerang’s Magic Makers recently kicked off Nigeria’s Independence Day with 60 reasons to celebrate through the Magic Makers initiative.

To celebrate the 60th Independence Day anniversary, Boomerang prepared something special for its young viewers with fun activities, engagements, testimonials, and everything inbetween to help commemorate this important day in Nigeria’s history!

The Magic Makers initiative, proudly brought by Boomerang to audiences all over Africa, is all about inspiring creativity to make those magical moments shine just a little brighter!

The series, which kicked off on Mother’s Day, followed by Father’s Day, allows little ones to show off their wildest, craziest, and imaginative ideas to the Boomerang community.

For the third edition of Magic Makers, Nige-

rian children can now join in the Independence Day celebrations by sharing the fruits of their creative imaginations with their peers across Africa, showcasing their cultural diversity.

They have given children 60 reasons to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day through a video series providing children with a voice, showcasing their stories, and giving them a platform to share cool, creative ideas.

From specially designed crafts, to yummy

recipes, DIY stop-motion tutorials, quizzes to interactive activities and games to encourage creative thinking, the website will keep kids entertained with refreshed, fun, new stuff to discover until the end of October.

Magic Makers is being aired throughout the whole continent, offering video testimonials from local Nigerian kids on how they celebrate Independence Day with their family, and how their friends, across Africa, can make their celebrations a little more special too!

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METRO

…Your city life in print

1004 Estate Association Board, Exco Threaten Court Action against Falsehood The Board of Trustees (BoT) and Executive Committee members of the 1004 Estate Home Owners and Residents Association (HORA), Victoria Island Lagos, have threatened to seek legal action against any falsehood leveled against them. They issued the warning to those behind the current video making the rounds on social media on the current state of the estate with “clearly defamatory contents on the management of the Estate” built over 40 years ago.

In a statement issued by the Legal Officer of HORA, Barrister Femi Gbenle, the group said “our lawyers have been briefed to act on the clearly libelous attack on members of the BoT, Exco and other homeowners who have been defamed in that video and other false and negative publications.””

“While thanking those who have reached out with questions and concerns as well as with words of support and encouragement, the HORA BoT posits that much of the claims in the video are more than a mix of falsehood layered with half truths, as the content did not reflect the current state of the estate. “ He said last week, officials of the 1004 Estate Community Development Association (CDA) led by Mr. Matthew Ibadin at a press conference, made some allegations bordering on financial impropriety in the region of N8billion against HORA officials. According to HORA BoT in its press release “we state unequivocally that there is no N5billion or any other falsely quoted sum in 1004 Estates that has been mismanaged or misappropriated.

“The key purveyors of these false claims are well known in the estate for several infractions which include non payment of rent service charge and electricity. “Having been sanctioned for these infractions (consistent with the estate

bye laws) and curbed by our current press conference and the attendant public outcry, they have resorted to outright lies and half truths via social media and negative press to divert attention from their illegal activities.”

Describing members of the BoT and Exco of HORA “as well as the various committees as professionals who volunteered to serve the estate pro bono and derive no pecuniary benefit”, the statement said “anyone with contrary claim, should not stop at making cheap mobile videos but publish their evidence”.

The BoT affirmed that the current exco is headed by Barrister Lara Ademola “who only became acting chairman in March 2020 and that general meetings of the estate residents are held twice a year in line with the provision of the 1004 HORA constitution to give updates including financial reports to Homeowners and Residents and also receive feedback.”

Giving account of how services in the estate are run from the service charges collected yearly, the BoT said for the year 2020 the budgeted service charge is N626,000 per flat and for 2019, it was N546,000.

“It is pertinent to say that as at September 20, 2020 collection rate for the full 2019 service charge was 85 per cent while for the current 2020 only 40 per cent of the apartment in the estate have fully paid while 45 per cent have paid half as at the same date.”

It further stated that the management of the estate provides “a suite of services, using professional service providers and these include 24 hours power supply, water treatment and supply, security, cleaning and gardening, waste (including sewage) collection and disposal, elevators, club houses, maintenance of common areas and recreational facilities”.

Throwing more light on the situation, the

BoT members stated that the 1004 Estate has 1074 apartments and average collection rate annually is between 60 per cent and 70 per cent and that in the last five years, the average service charge stood at about N500,000 with contention that since 2015 when 1004 HORA took over management of the estate, it is only this year that charges will amount to over N600,000.”

On the issue of electricity, the BoT pointed out that some residents rather than pay for their electricity “would prefer to bypass their meters.” It revealed that “a forensic audit of our power account showed that over 40 per cent of residents in the estate were involved in such.

“This organised power bypass (sic) was so prevalent that it brought the power infrastructure to the brink of collapse as receivables could no longer sustain power delivery to due-paying residents” adding that “at a point, the deficit from it was over N185million and rising”.

According to them, “these power and illegal connections apart from the financial impact, also poses a danger of fire to the Estate.”

Regrettably “the firm stance of 1004 HORA under the chairmanship of Barr. Lara Ademola in fighting these criminal acts has attracted extreme hostility and propaganda against her, other HORA officials, Home Owners and the BoT by these perpetrators.”

On structural integrity and outlook of the buildings in the estate, the BoT stated that “some concerns had been raised by residents and well meaning members of the public on the structural integrity of our buildings.

“To address these concerns, a firm of structural engineers was engaged to carry out an integrity audit of the buildings and their

expert assessment reassured of the structural integrity of the buildings. They also affirmed that there is no impending danger of collapse of the structures.”

However, not oblivious of the facade of the buildings and the need to improve on this, the BoT said “it is important to note that when the apartments were sold, it was mandatory for each buyer/homeowner to pay N300,000 as Asset Replacement Fund to be pooled for capital development and refurbishment of the estate.”

“The funds totalled about N322million at the time, but the then facility managers Messrs 1004 Estate Limited; a company owned by Samuel Ukpong with whom these funds were domiciled, failed to release the funds when the management of the estate was taken over by 1004 HORA. “We are currently in court with this company to recover the money with accrued interest believed now to be in the region of N600million.”

The statement further stated that in February, 2020 an Estate Refurbishment Committee was set up to coordinate the execution of needed civil, mechanical and electrical works to improve the look and value of the estate and the exercise is currently ongoing.”

It would be recalled that on September 18, 2020 HORA had held a press conference to draw attention to what it called threat to life, property and peaceful enjoyment in the estate “by the same persons who engaged in electricity theft and nonpayment of service charges” but allegedly enjoyed the protection of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Bar Beach Police Station against sanctions imposed by the estate in line with its community bye laws.

MTN Uses the Powerful Mother’s Voice to Deliver Its “Wear It For Me” Initiative At the beginning of September 2020, COVID-19 cases in Nigeria was at 56,735, with deaths at 1,093. The battle to get people to practise safe precautions during the pandemic has been an uphill one, requiring constant reminders, awareness, convincing and cajoling. This is why MTN’s “Wear It for Me” initiative is timely and important. Wear It for Me, but that’s not all, I’m also wearing it for you. To guarantee our continued safety and survival in the face of a silent, still unravelling enemy, wear a mask for me.”

To drive this message home, MTN has called on the power of a mother’s voice - the symbol of love, protection and sacrifice in hope that everyone will listen. The mother, the bedrock

of the society, is asking her children to wear the mask for her. It is not the most comfortable request but at this point, it is expedient. And beyond whatever personal reservations one might have against wearing a mask, the mom is saying, “wear it for me”.

During the first stage of the spread of COVID-19, when uncertainty filled the air, everyone seemed to be particularly careful as knowledge about the virus and its effects was speculation at best. Whether it bore similarities and to what extent. Many were inclined not to take chances with their lives, therefore, they religiously washed hands, used their hand sanitizers and wore facemasks while holding a fair amount of suspicion for anyone who seemed remotely

ill, or moved too close to them.

To curb the spread of the pandemic, governments closed their borders, and ordered lockdown across cities. Many were stuck home, with news of more cases of the virus on TV and social media for company. Information about the development of vaccines was unclear, and there didn’t seem to be any progress.

As the lockdown ban was lifted, and life slowly returned to normal, the only protection we seemed to have was to “Wear a mask”.

This instruction has however been particularly challenging to enforce. It is obvious that many doubt the efficacy of simply wearing a mask as protection against a virus that has killed millions globally. Others find it uncomfortable.

As simple as this act is, wearing a mask, especially in public places, limits the spread of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19.

According to the WHO, medical masks can protect people wearing the mask from being infected, as well as prevent those with symptoms.

From people speaking, to sneezing, countless respiratory droplets are released into the atmosphere. Movement and contact spread these droplets far beyond the point of generation, before reaching a suitable host, upon which it can wreak havoc. Wearing a mask properly, over the nose and mouth, is a failsafe way to minimise the release of these droplets and the attendant spread.

Schneider Electric Releases New Offer for Uninterrupted Power Supply Schneider Electric has announced the availability of a new category of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPSs) smart solution from itsAPC brand, that can help electricity consumers in Nigeria reduce total spend on electricity tariff.

This is coming on the heels of federal government’s dialogue with organised labour which resulted in a suspension of the recent increase in electricity tariff.

The Schneider Electric’s Smart-UPS Lithiumion, which is designed for local edge environments micro data centres, offers trusted, premium power protection to ensure network and data availability regardless of surges and unexpected blackouts.

It ensures consistent and reliable connectivity at the most critical moments, increased UPS battery life, lower maintenance service costs,

and fewer onsite visits, providing up to a 50 per cent lower total cost of ownership over 10 years.

“APC single-phrase UPS with Li-Ion battery fills industry gap by addressing customer demand for greater resiliency, simplified maintenance and lower cost of ownership,” Viviane

Mike-Eze, the Communications Manager for Schneider Electric, said in a press release.

She added, “some key benefits and features of Smart-UPS Lithium-ion include a longer life span. The batteries can have a service life upwards of 10 years.

“Another interesting thing about this UPS is that it comes in smaller size and weight. Due to higher energy densities, Li-Ion batteries, which it uses, have a much smaller footprint and weigh about 30 percent less than sealed lead acid batteries.

“This offer from Schneider Electric lowers maintenance and total cost of ownership.

With double the battery life, the amount of maintenance and associated costs required over the life of the UPS is reduced by up to 53 per cent.

As regards its safety feature, Mike-Eze noted that, “APCby Schneider Electric products have proven record of safety and best-inclass designs, as well as adherence to safety regulations (UL 1973, UL1642/IEC62133), which provide added peace of mind.

36

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

POLSCOPE

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

So, What Next for Oshiomhole?

Canticles….

Celebrating Bronzy Diamond at 60

H

urray, we have come of age. Nigeria turned 60 yesterday. The nation was agog with celebration.The feeling is electrifying and …. (cuts in) Which feeling feeling is electrifying? Where did you see the electric in the first place? Which place was agog? Was it Tafawa Balewa Square or was it Eagle Square?

Did you not watch all the parade and celebration at Eagle Square yesterday? Did you not see school children wearing white and green, waving the national flag? Didn’t you see the release of the eagles? Didn’t you see the fun and merry associated with such great ceremony?

In fact, the government has said the celebration will last for 365 days.

You think it is a joke?

So, Mr Diamond, what is the jubilation all about?

Oshiomhole

H

itting the public dais at a time Nigerians were somewhat disenchanted with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) under the lackluster leadership of late Mr Paschal Bafyau, especially on his role during the June 12 (1993) struggle, the advent of Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole was like a deliverance. He came with poise. He had some charisma. He was articulate (never mind his strong Bini accent). He seems to have understood deeply the nuances of government versus Labour.

His presentations were flawless.Almost.

He took on governments fearlessly. For a while, it looked like a redeemer had finally come, for the Nigerians workers, nay, all Nigerians not in government.

He said what the people wanted to hear.

He was clearly a man of the people.

Those in government top position did not like him. He was seen as a trouble maker, a game spoiler etc.

I recall one morning, on AIT, when then presidential Spokesman (to then President Olusegun Obasanjo), Dr Doyin Okupe challenged Oshiomhole to debate on fuel price increment.

Oshiomhole came prepared. He was firing from all cylinders. He was quoting figures and citing local and international examples. Through out the entire session, Okupe looked like an intimidated school urchin. He was miserable. Such was the awe and aura around Oshiomhole, as the President of the NLC. What’s more, he was ascetic (what with his signature khaki and khaki outfit). He was articulate, dainty and dramatic. Never mind that some uncharitable persons keep making a heavy weather over his not having certificates from formal education. Still, he made it to the cover of many news magazines.

His image grew big and waxed strong, so much that he nearly looked like an alternate president of the Federal Republic.

Then he waded into partisan politics.

Many were somewhat disappointed that he had to stoop low for the governorship of a state, because he had shown enough presidential acumen in him. His leadership equipage was high and strong.

But he decided to test the waters from the state level. And so, when he contested for the governorship of his Edo State with Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, and the latter was declared winner (with the aid of the legendary Mr Fix It— late Tony Anenih), everybody cried fowl, insisting that Oshiomhole couldn’t have lost the election. Truthfully, 17 months after, the election

tribunal declared that Oshiomhole was the winner.

He then became a governor and decided to truly govern, if nothing else, to shame those who wanted to scheme him out. He was courageous in taking on projects including hiring (10,000?) youths at a go, across the state.

He literally opened up the inner recesses of Edo State, not forgetting the city.

He made a song and a dance about killing godfatherism in the state. He put it succinctly: “A situation where one man decides, has been abolished.

All I want is for power to move to the people. The people should decide who becomes their leader and that leader will not be answerable to any godfather, but to them.” He orchestrated the mantra of one-man-one-vote to the level of a political anthem in the state Getting a second term was therefore not a problem.

Towards the end of his second term he was already inching into troubled waters. He was always quarrelling with the then Finance minister, Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.

At the end of the Jonathan administration, Oshiomhole emerged as the National Chairman of the party, after his kinsman and predecessor, Chief John Odigie Oyegun was edged out, no thanks to Ahmed Bola Tinubu who did not like how Oyegun checked his plot to produce the Ondo State governor at the time.

Oshiomhole’s emergence not only created factions in All Progressives Congress (APC), it increased the enemy index of the former NLC president.

And that marked the beginning of the Oshiomhole slide.

If there was any doubt about how Oshiomhole’s personality and governance style affected the fortunes of the party, it is sadly on the shrinking of the APC size.

While Oshiomhole inherited 24 states controlled by the APC, by last May when he left, the political networth of the APC had shrunk to just 19.

Finally, two weeks ago, he lost even his own state to the PDP. Next week, the Ondo governorship poll will take place, APC’s chances also look shaky.

His style of governance became an issue. He stopped being rational. The might and awe associated with his office as chairman of the ruling party, circumscribed his person. He listened more to himself, and nearly had the mien and mind of an alpha and omega.

He believed, wrongly, that if Tinubu be for me, who can be against me?

Opinions from those outside the Tinubu-circle were rebuffed. It took a toll on the fortunes of the party. It

soon landed in lots of faux pas leading to several needless losses. That is why his troubles began even from his home when some unknown political quantities conspired to suspend him from his ward. That was the beginning of the troubles.

Today, APC is smaller than it was four years ago. Oshiomhole cannot shake off the blame. Some say he is a bearer of bad luck.

So, if Oshiomhole’s worth as a leader is to be measured by the vicissitude that befell the APC, the judgement will be harsh, because the fortunes of the party plummeted under him.

Worse still, he is now in the woods.

It is bad enough that he lost his state, yet it is doubly worse that he seems to be hanging there as an ordinary party man, stripped and frustrated.

Last June, his profile crumbled when he was sacked from office as National Chairman with a presidential fiat, when an interim National Exco headed by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, was inaugurated. A new and proper election is due at the end of the year. It is not certain if Oshiomhole is in control of any lever of power and influence in the party any more. His structure has been dismantled. He is clearly now outside the power loop of the party.

Perhaps, he would have had a thread of relevance and influence if and only if his party won the Edo election. Then he would have settled for the godfather status that he always condemned but inadvertently laboured to be. But no.

Edo state is lost paradise. So where would the Iyamho-born politician take refuge now? His country-home mansion, will certainly be too big for him alone. With no immediate family members, nor political allies and associates, the mansion in Iyamho dorp will be a hollow enclave that will stamp home the frosty message of political winter.

Oshiomhole seemed to have lost out on all fronts. Not even those 14 state lawmakers who were not sworn-in would be happy with him. With no allies at the national level, nor affinity at the state level, Oshiomhole is sure on a boring retirement.

Relief might however come his way if the presidential moves of his backbone: Bola Tinubu makes a head way. But the handwriting on the wall does not suggest that there will be light at the end of that tunnel.

But Oshio Baba, as his supporters hail him, had casually dusted off the impact of the hit he got, when he said “in life, you win some, you lose some” adding that “life goes on”. Good philosophy!

But Oshiomhole will soon realize the barbed reality that comes with political orphanage.

Look, if you don’t know it, I will tell you: we need to pop all the champagne we can. The gift of life is awesome. Nigeria has survived too many ill-winds that have scattered many other countries. We survived the Nigerian civil war. We survived the June 12 crisis. We have been surviving the Boko Haram terror machine. We have been surviving all the ethnic bloodbaths. We have been surviving… (cuts in) Stop orchestrating banality and inanity. You claim that you have been surviving Boko Haram? Really? Do you realize that Boko Haram has killed more people than the Nigerian civil war? Are you not aware that a whole governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, was attacked twice in 3 days by these same people you say you have been surviving? What about the 18 policemen, soldiers and civilian JTF that were not so lucky? And you are popping champagne? Yes, you are celebrating Diamond, but honestly, it looks like bronze. It is a Bronzy Diamond.

Cry Beloved Country!

Don’t be an insufferable ingrate.

There is so much to thank God for.

That Nigeria is still together as one entity is worth celebrating. Our size is our strength and our USP. No matter what you may say, we are a well-prized country. And we should be proud of our heritage.

You are dwelling on the dressed-up image. Not the inner content. If you look deeply, you’d see that the inner organs are writhing in pains, shrinking in size and getting vitiated. What is being presented to the world is a country freshly released from the studio of a creative make-up artist. The beauty and glitz is only skindeep. It cannot be sustained for too long.

Did you not hear the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha recently expressing fears that the nation could break up?

My friend, I ask you: why would it not break up? Did you not hear of the recent recruitment by the Department of State Service (DSS) where the north got 535 slots while the entire south plus north central got 93 slots? Is that the country you are celebrating? Can’t you see the socalled size is a scissor? Is our togetherness not a pain and emotional harassment?

How do you explain the lopsidedness of that recruitment exercise? Are we really one country? Where is equity? Where is fairness? And to know that the section that is less endowed is the region that gets the very best, always.

You are digressing from the issue on ground. Nigeria is in a festive mood.This is not time to bemoan our short-comings.There is no country without challenges. As Bob Marley would sing, Forget your sorrows and

President Buhari

dance. It is dancing time. Nigeria is 60 ! Hey hey hey…, Ha Ha Ha… After the dance, hunger will remind you that you have been seized by delusion. Darkness will wake you up and terrorists will smash you and your house.

But if you escape them, kidnappers will wait for you at the next junction. So, dance on while you can! ( a long hiss).

Those who see the cup as half full instead of seeing it as half empty are those who make progress in life.The tendrils of the yam will still flourish whether or not yam beetles are in the teething problems. We can see a new dawn.The government is doing everything to set Nigeria on the right path and a strong footing. We are…

(Cuts in) Could you spare me these your plastic hopes. At 60 you are just seeing a new dawn and you say we should be popping champagne. When will it be day break? Look at your mates: Look at Malaysia, Look at Brazil, Look at these smaller nations. Have they not left us behind? And you are here, reveling for a being a giant in mosquito legs!

Have you asked yourself why Nigerians have suddenly become vulnerable in other countries including even Ghana or South Africa? If Nigeria was home enough would our sons and daughters be streaming away to inconsequential countries like Ghana, Libya, Lebanon, South Africa, Dubai , Qartar etc? Where were these other countries 60 years ago?

Can’t you see we are really losing it as a nation? Have some people not described us as a BFN country?

What is BFN? Big for Nothing.

That’s very uncharitable. In fact, it smells like hate speech. You will soon hear from Lai Mohammed.

In the world of soccer, medicine, business, education, socio-cultural promotion etc, Nigeria is up there.

Don’t forget the richest man in Africa is a Nigerian. Don’t forget one out of every four black man in the world is a Nigerian. We are hugely endowed with human and material resources, like none other.

True, but we are also endowed with fantastically corrupt smart alecs, like those who spend billions of Naira feeding unknown and unseen school children during lockdown; like those who divert money meant for feeding unity college students into their private bank accounts.

Like those who spend huge money doing endless Turn Around Maintenance for refineries that never work. (turns away, humming Veno Mario’s 1985 song) Nigeria Go Survive…

If them thief our oil ooo. Even of them burn the oil ooo, Nigeria Go Survive.

I say of them drink the oil ooo No matter how them try ooo Nigeria go survive Our roots them strong for ground ooo Ancestors no go gree ooo

FRIDAY, ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

37

NEWS BUHARI, OTHERS PREACH UNITY, HOPE DESPITE CHALLENGES In petrol refining and petrochemical, Nigeria is producing 650,000 barrels per day in refining capacity and Nigeria is expected to become a net exporter of petroleum products by the time we complete the Dangote Refinery. "Nigeria will also be second largest in Africa in terms of petrochemical production and export,” Dangote said.

Emefiele Seeks Rededication to Make Nigeria Great Emefiele urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to those ideals that once helped Nigeria to become a great nation.

He said the nation's founding fathers paved the way for activities that harnessed the creativity and ingenuity of Nigerians.

“Our leaders fostered inclusive growth by investing in the areas that yielded job creation and greater economic growth.

In the past, investment in cocoa in the western region and proceeds from cocoa were used to build the famous cocoa house and educational institutions.

“In the past, Nigeria emerged the largest producer of palm oil globally, with a 43 per market share in the 1960s.

"In the northern region, we had the groundnut pyramid that provided a significant portion of Nigeria’s export revenue.

"In the light of these investments and efforts of our founding fathers, they were able to turn our dreams of a greater Nigeria into reality,” Emefiele said.

He, however, said the reliance on oil proceeds, exposed the country to the volatility caused by the drop in crude oil price in the world market, which slowed down Nigeria's economic growth.

"The onset of COVID-19 pandemic further amplified our challenges, but out of every crisis, comes opportunities.

"The 60th anniversary as an independent nation, therefore afford us of the opportunity to reflect on the journey so far, and I call on Nigerians to rededicate themselves to those ideals that once helped Nigeria to become a great nation,” Emefiele added.

Together, We Shall Prosper, Says Akinwunmi The President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, commended Nigerians and prayed for glorious future for the country.

“Together and united, we shall thrive and we shall prosper and together we shall shine, together, we shall excel and bring honour to our land,” Adesina said.

Atedo Peterside Lauds FG over Fuel Subsidy Removal The Founder IBTC Bank Plc and Anap Business Jets Limited, Atedo Peterside, commended the federal government for its bold

decision to remove fuel subsidy, which he described as drain on the resources of Nigeria, He noted that the greatest mistake made by past leaders was to allow subsidy to subsist until the Buhari administration finally removed it.

“I was encouraged by the president’s speech today.

He was talking about fuel subsidy. That is one of the areas past successive government failed and I was happy that he admitted that he is among those who now understood and now convinced that we cannot make progress while throwing away the bulk of our resources for something we cannot afford,” he said.

Jim Ovia Lists Nigeria's Achievements Also in his speech, the founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, said Nigeria has achieved so much in the past 60 years in the areas of education, enterprises, entertainment and many other sectors that if the citizens put their heart together and ensure the indivisibility of the country, Nigeria will record even greater achievements.

“In 1960, when we achieved independence, there was no single private university, but today, of all the total number of universities that exist in Nigeria, about 50 per cent are privately owned. I will also recall in 1960, no single Nigerian entrepreneur or enterprise businesses were listed on London Stock Exchange but today a few of them are listed on London Stock Exchange,” Ovia said.

BUA Chairman: Together, We Can Achieve Much The Chairman/CEO BUA Plc, Samad Ishaku-Rabiu, called for the unity of Nigeria to sustain the growth trajectory and noted that Nigerians are imbued with the spirit to succeed, adding that so much would be achieved if Nigerians come together without the current divisive tendencies.

“There was a vision of our founding fathers, a vision that I believe can be achieved.

Our founding fathers have built us a nation, one that is bound in freedom, peace and unity. As citizens and leaders today, we must do all that we can to build on that vision, sustain the legacy and then pass it to the future generation,” Ishaku-Rabiu said.

Blair Optimistic about Nigeria's Future Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, commended Nigeria for its achievements and projected that Nigeria would be one of the greatest nations on earth.

He also noted that two key problems of Nigeria are bad policies and bad governance and expressed hope that the country would overcome these challenges.

Breakup Not

Solution to Nigeria's Challenges, Says Sanusi A former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said in 60 years of independence, the country had passed through challenges, including wars, terrorism, extremism, extreme poverty and recession.

"These are challenges that people, thought will divide Nigeria, but what we need is unity of purpose to move Nigeria forward.

“We need the right policies that will make us stronger and undivided. Those who think that dividing the country is the solution to our challenges, will soon realize that division will lead to further divisions because there will always be people who will claim they are not satisfied. It is my hope that Nigeria will have peace and develop a true national identity and see each other as brothers and sisters. It is my hope that this country will realise in my lifetime, the potential of being a truly great third world country that will rise to become one of the first world countries,” Sanusi said.

Kyari: Nigeria on Right Growth Trajectory Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, said the national oil company is no longer operating an opaque system.

Kyari stressed that aside just releasing the audited financial statement for the 2018 financial year, the 2019 results is now ready and will be made public soon.

He noted that the company would continue to push the frontiers of transparency so as to return adequate dividends to its shareholders.

He stated that though there are lots of negativities in the country, the positives far outweigh the negatives for Nigeria at 60 and expressed the hope that Nigeria is on the right trajectory under the present administration.

According to him, in the last 30 to 40 years the NNPC has provided enormous resources from oil, adding that under the Buhari government, the political interference that bedeviled the corporation in the past no longer exists.

He added that with the current spirit of accountability pervading the corporation, the NNPC is set to survive the next 40 years and transform the country's economic story.

0"We have delivered on everything we said we will do. In the last 43 years, nobody cared about accountability to shareholders, but we have done the books for 2018 and we are ready with the one for 2019" he said.

Nigeria Remains Strong Nation, Says Okonjo-Iweala A former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said despite its challenges, Nigeria has remained a strong nation.

“Our country has known

many turbulent times. We have gone through wars, economic recessions, terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout it all, we have come out strong resilient and optimistic.

Even when times are hard, Nigerians are known never to give up.

“I salute this spirit of optimism exuberance, innovation and creativity. I salute our young people who embodied these attributes.

No matter how tough the times are, I know Nigeria and Nigerians would overcome.

My own love for our country and the pride I have in being Nigerian would never disappear or dissipate. I hope you cherish your own love for our country,” she stated.

GTBank CEO Hopeful of Better Future Managing Director and CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Olusegun Agbaje, stated that despite the negative reports about Nigeria around the world, the country remains the world’s best kept secret.

He said with the vibrant youths who form 60 per cent of the population and the untapped natural resources, the next 60 years will be better for Nigeria.

According to him, “I will like to start by congratulating all of us who come from this very special nation.

The amazing things and the very strange and weird thing about Nigeria is that when read all the reports that you hear about Nigeria from different part of the world, what tends to have the most noise are all the negative things but I won't bother to talk about those today because we have all read them and we know them. When you arrive in Nigeria, as you come through the airport, the first thing that hits you is the energy in the country and as you drive from the airport, to those who are very discerning and observing, what you notice is what I like to refer to as Nigeria’s most valuable resource.

“For those who don’t know Nigeria well I will like to say that Nigeria is the best kept secret in the world. For those who are artist, what they will see is a blank canvass, for those who are writers, what you see is a white page. The most valuable resource in this country is our population, that population of 200 million people that you see places us around the seventh largest nation in in the world."

Wigwe Calls for Reflection on Nigeria's Future On his part, the Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, Mr Herbert Wigwe, called on Nigerians to reflect on the future of the country.

Nigerians, he added, have succeeded in many fields of human endeavour, stressing, however, that there is so much more work to be done “I want to congratulate all Nigerians and I think as Nigerians it is time for us to reflect on our future and the future of our great country.

It is a time to celebrate but more importantly it is also a time to reflect on several

Nigerians and our leadership who have brought us to where we are today. It is often said that you are only as weak as you are divided but as strong as you are united.

“I think today is also a time for us to reflect on national unity, national security and a day for all of us as Nigerians to make a full commitment to ourselves that we will work together to make our country the greatest country in the continent," he said.

Nigeria, Beacon of Hope for Africa, Says Zenith Bank CEO The Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, described Nigeria as the beacon of hope for the black race.

The Zenith Bank boss said: “On this occasion of our diamond jubilee, I will like to remind us that as a people, we are known to be extremely talented, intelligent, hardworking, brilliant, dogged and we are creative. Above all, we are uniquely beautiful people.

“These are attributes that have continued to underscore the very outstanding accomplishments of our various compatriots at home and abroad. In every aspect of human endeavour, there is an indomitable Nigerian spirit you cannot break. I feel proud to be a Nigerian.

“As we all work collectively towards our desired and glorious future, I will like to urge all of us to commit to live right and do right for our dear nation, both in our closet and in the open. Let us continue to build unity out of our diversity as we work harmoniously to tap our abundant human and natural resources,” he said.

FirstBank CEO Praises Buhari Also, the CEO, FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Adesola Adeduntan, praised Buhari, whom he said has been providing the nation with responsible leadership.

“At FirstBank, we have been here since 1894 and our emergence on the Nigerian landscape preceded the amalgamation and we were here at Independence.

So, for over 126 years, our bank, FirstBank, has played a pivotal role in the overall socio-economic development of our dear country, Nigeria.

“We have been there in commerce and we have also amplified our corporate social responsibility in several areas, touching lives both at the corporate and individual levels. That is why we have said boldly that FirstBank is woven into the fabrics of the Nigerian society. In the course of 2020 and with the arrival of the COVID-19 in the country, "FirstBank has played a major role in assisting the federal government and various state governments in addressing the issues associated with COVID-19."

BET9ja MD: Nigeria, a Blessed Nation The Founder and Managing Director of BET9ja, Mr Ayo Ojuroye, described Nigeria

as blessed with so much talent, natural resources, an endowment he stressed will make Nigeria great.

While acknowledging that the year 2020 has been tough due to the outbreak of COVID-19, he said togetherness, hard work and charitable work have helped Nigeria to overcome the challenges.

He said: “It is my honour to be wising Nigeria happy diamond anniversary. I grew up in the 70s and I have witnessed a lot of change in the fortune of the country since the time of my birth.

But I have found Nigerians to be hardworking, resilient, humorous and determined.

Of all of my years growing up, and having spent a significant of my adult life growing up in England, I could never be more proud to call Nigeria my home."

More Opportunities Ahead of Us, Says Finance Minister In her statement, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the greatest success recorded by the country till date is "our unity and our togetherness."

She said despite the challenges, the country has had wonderful opportunities, stressing that "we do have more wonderful opportunities ahead of us to rally our people, to see our nation with a great destiny ahead".

She said though the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted on the federal government's revenue, it has, however, continued to invest in critical infrastructure to ensure continuous growth hinged on programmes and projects that would enhance employment of the large percentage of youths.

Ahmed said: "We are working together to forge ways and means which government revenue will be stabilised to restore adequate fiscal space to fund the federal and state governments through the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

"President Muhammadu Buhari did mandate a committee, which I chaired, to ensure that the business of government continues to run as normally as possible with government agencies considerably funded," she added.

Onyeama: Our Best Yet to Come The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that at 60 years, the nation's best is yet to come even as he urged Nigerians to continue to 'stick together' in moving the country forward.

Onyeama urged Nigerians to keep hope alive, remain resilience so as to overcome national challenges.

He observed that Nigerians as a people have a lot going for them which "we should be thankful', adding that contrary to some opinions Nigerians have a lot to celebrate at 60.

According to him Nigeria, apart from being the largest country in Africa, also boast being the largest economy on the continent.

38

FRIDAY, ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

FOR THE RECORD

Buhari: Let’s Work Together as a Strong, Indivisible Nation Being an address by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary

I

speak to you today as your President and fellow citizen on this epoch occasion of our country’s 60th independence Anniversary. As President, I wish to renew my appreciation to Nigerians for entrusting me with your hopes and aspirations for a better and greater Nigeria.

Today, it is my unique privilege to re-commit myself to the service of this great country of great people with profound diversities and opportunities. We are bound by destiny to be the largest and greatest black nation on earth.

At this stage in our nationhood it is important that we reflect how we got here to enable us work TOGETHER to get to where we aspire to be as a strong indivisible nation, united in hope and equal in opportunity.

On October 1st 1960 when Prime Minister Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa received the constitutional instruments symbolizing Nigeria’s independence, he expressed his wish that having acquired our rightful status as an independent sovereign nation, history would record that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace.

This optimism was anchored on the peaceful planning, full and open consultation and harmonious cooperation with the different groups which culminated in Nigeria emerging as a country without bitterness and bloodshed.

Our founding fathers understood the imperative of structuring a National identity using the power of the state and worked towards unification of Nigerians in a politically stable and viable entity.

That philosophy guided the foundation that was laid for our young nation of 45 million people with an urban population of approximately 7million occupying an area of 910,768 square kilometers. These demographics led to development challenges for which major efforts were made to overcome.

Today, we grapple with multiple challenges with a population exceeding 200million occupying the same land mass but 52% residing in urban areas.

Sixty years of nationhood provides an opportunity to ask ourselves questions on the extent to which we have sustained the aspirations of our founding fathers. Where did we do the right things? Are we on course?

If not where did we stray and how can we remedy and retrace our steps?

Upon attaining independence, Nigeria’s growth trajectory was anchored on policies and programmes that positively impacted on all sectors of the economy. However, this journey was cut short by the 30-months of civil war.

We came out of the civil war with a focus on reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation that enabled the country to put in place world class development structures and a strengthened public service that well served the government.

This positive trajectory continued with a return to democratic government which was truncated by another round of military rule.

For a cumulative 29 of our 60 years existence as a nation, we have been under military rule.

My summary of our journey so far as a nation is necessary to appropriately chart where we need to go and how to get there TOGETHER. Today, I am aware that our economy along with every single economy in the world is in crisis. We still face security challenges in parts of the country, while our society suffers from a high loss of moral rectitude which is driven by unbridled craving for political control.

An underlying cause of most of the problems we have faced as a nation is our consistent harping on artificially contrived fault-lines that we have harboured and allowed unnecessarily to fester.

In addition, institutions such as civil service, police, the judiciary, the military all suffered from a general decline.

We need to begin a sincere process of national healing and this anniversary presents a genuine opportunity to eliminate old and outworn perceptions that are always put to

Buhari test in the lie they always are.

The stereotype of thinking of ourselves as coming from one part of the country before seeing ourselves as Nigerians is a key starting point to project us on the road to our deserved nation’s evolution and integration.

To start this healing process, we are already blessed with the most important asset any nation requires for such – OUR PEOPLE – and this has manifested globally in the exploits of Nigerians in many fields.

It has been demonstrated time and time again that Nigerians in the diaspora frequently excel in science, technology, medicine, sports, arts and many other fields.

Similarly, the creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Nigerian at home have resulted in globally recognised endeavours.

I am convinced that if we pursue our aspirations TOGETHER we would be able to achieve whatever we desire. That informed our adopting the theme TOGETHER to mark this epochal event.

Together we can change our condition for the better and more importantly, together we can do much more for ourselves and for our country.

I chose the path of self-reflection because this is what I do on a daily basis and I must confess that at most times, I always felt the need for a collective reflection as I know that the foundation for a solid future which this administration is laying can only be sustainable if there is a collective commitment by Nigerians.

Nigeria is not a country for Mr. President, any ruling or opposition party but a country for all of us and we must play our part, irrespective of challenges we face, to make this country what we desire.

To achieve this, we must focus our minds, TOGETHER as a people, on ways of resolving the identified critical challenges that underlie our present state. These include: (a) Evolving and sustaining a democratic culture that leaves power in the hands of the people; (b) Supporting the enthronement of the rule of law, demanding accountability of elected representatives and contributing to good governance; (c) Increasing our commitment to peaceful co-existence in a peaceful, secure and united Nigeria; (d) Harnessing and Optimizing our tremendous

human and natural resources to attain our goal of being in the top twenty economies of the world and in the process; (e) Lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years; (f) Strengthening institutions to make them stronger in protecting National Interests; and (g) Imbibing tolerance in diversity.

I am a firm believer in transparent, free, fair and credible elections as has been demonstrated during my period as a democratically elected President.

The recent build-up and eventual outcome of the Edo State elections should encourage Nigerians that it is my commitment to bequeath to this country processes and procedures that would guarantee that the people’s votes count.

The problems with our electoral process are mainly human induced as desperate desire for power leads to desperate attempts to gain power and office.

Democracy, the world over and as I am pursuing in Nigeria, recognizes the power of the people. However, if some constituencies choose to bargain off their power, they should be prepared for denial of their rights.

This call is made more urgent if we realise that even after a transparent, free, fair and credible election, desperation leads to compromising the judiciary to upturn legitimate decisions of the people.

It is necessary to, therefore support the enthronement of the rule of law by avoiding actions which compromise the judiciary.

Fellow Nigerians, our history has shown that we are a people that have the capacity to live peacefully with one another.

As a government, we remain committed to our constitutional oath of securing the lives and properties of the citizenry. I, however, call on the citizenry to also support government by providing the necessary community level intelligence in addressing these challenges.

In moving forward together, it is important to strengthen our economy to provide sustainable means of livelihood for as many Nigerians as possible so as to eradicate absolute poverty from our midst.

I want to re-emphasize my dedication and commitment, a dedication and commitment that propelled my public service career and informed my quest to continually seek for an opportunity to improve the lives of Nigerians,

set the country on the path of prosperity and lead the country to a better future.

This administration has been focused on rebuilding and laying the foundations for a sustainable Nigeria. Of course, we have met and are still meeting the challenges inherent in any rebuilding initiative – more so that of a nation like Nigeria that has undergone avoidable levels of deprivation – but can be surmounted if we all work together.

I wish to re-iterate that our people and our spirit of excellence remains our most important asset.

In this wise, the need to return to our ageold ethical and high moral values would be necessary and this informed my launching of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy on Monday 28th September, 2020.

The policy would not implement itself and the first contact of the visibility of its implementation is the Public Service whose on-going reforms would be expected to be sustainable and give a radical re-direction in providing services to all Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, in addition to public health challenges of working to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, we have suffered a significant drop in our foreign exchange earnings and internal revenues due to 40 per cent drop in oil prices and steep drop in economic activities, leading to a 60 per cent drop in government revenue.

Our government is grappling with the dual challenge of saving lives and livelihoods in face of drastically reduced resources.

In this regard, sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible.

The government, since coming into office has recognized the economic argument for adjusting the price of petroleum. But the social argument about the knock-on effect of any adjustment weighed heavily with the government.

Accordingly, in the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of: (a) Tradermoni (b) Farmermoni (c) School Feeding Programme (d) Job creation efforts (e) Agricultural intervention programmes No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous Governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts.

In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.

Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted.

We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; (a) Chad which is an oil producing country charges N362 per litre (b) Niger, also an oil producing country sells 1 litre at N346. (c) In Ghana, another oil producing country, petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.

Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre.

It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.

Fellow Nigerians, to achieve the great country we desire, we need to solidify our strength, increase our commitment and encourage ourselves to do that which is right and proper even when no one is watching.

Fellow Nigerians, let us collectively resolve to continue our journey beyond the sixty years on the clear understanding that as a nation we are greater together than being smaller units of nationalities. By the special grace of God we shall come through any transient challenges.

It is my sincere hope that by the end of this anniversary on September 30th 2021, we will all be proud of taking this individual and collective self-assessment for the progress of our great Nation.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

God Bless us all. Thank you.

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Police Raise the Alarm over Alleged Influx of Bandits into Ekiti Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Ekiti State Police Command has raised the alarm over alleged plans by suspected bandits to invade the state and wreak havoc on innocent citizens.

The command said accurate intelligence report at its disposal confirmed that the bandits would

pose as law-abiding citizens before settling down and start launching attacks on their host communities.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Babatunde Mobayo, in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti yesterday urged the citizens to beware of whom they harbour as strangers.

Nigerian Leaders Must Turn New Leaf, Say ACF, Sani John Shiklam in Kaduna The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and Senator Uba Sani have advised Nigerian leaders to turn a new leaf and avoid pitfalls that have hindered the progress and unity of the country in the last 60 years.

In the statements marking the country’s 60th Independence anniversary, they lamented the problems that have stunted the progress of the country.

The ACF in its statement said: “Nigerian leaders have consistently remained mediocre refusing to build even on the modest achievements of the first republic leaders.”

The statement which was signed by the spokesman of the forum, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe, noted that “given our resources, both material and human, Nigeria should have achieved greater heights” at 60.

The ACF lamented that the “Nigerian military, which fought heroically to keep the country one, has become a shadow of itself, overwhelmed by a rag-tag army (insurgents).”

While felicitating with President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians on the 60th Independence anniversary, the forum said the country has been bedeviled by poor and visionless leadership.

“The ACF notes that given our resources, both material and human, Nigeria should have achieved greater heights.

“We are a country blessed with unlimited resources from God. “Our greatest undoing is poor, visionless leadership which has failed to take advantage of these God given gifts to build a virile, progressive country.

“The country has since independence been mired in short-sightedness and mind boggling corruption that have shocked its citizens and the world,” the statement said.

Yawe said further that “as Nigeria turns 60, the ACF advises its leaders and the people to turn a new leaf and avoid the pitfalls of the past that have hindered our march to progress, unity and prosperity.”

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 153 to 59,001 Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has recorded 153 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 59,001 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Lagos recorded 81 new cases; Rivers, 21; Federal Capital Territory

(FCT), 11; Ogun, eight; Kaduna, seven; Oyo, six; Akwa Ibom, five; Osun and Katsina, three each; Edo, Ebonyi and Nasarawa, two each; while Plateau and Kano recorded one each.

It said: “So far, Nigeria has recorded 59,001 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 50,452 patients have been discharged, while 1,112 persons have died.”

Flood Kills 50 Persons in Jigawa, Displaces 10,000 Families Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse About 50 persons have been confirmed dead in Jigawa State following the recent flooding in the state caused by the overflown River Hadejia to communities in the state, it was learnt yesterday.

The flood also displaced over 10,000 families in various locations across the state, with the worst cases in the eight local government areas of Hadejia emirate.

The state chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Yusuf Sani, disclosed that the flood is getting worse by the day.

He confirmed that 40 people died as of last Tuesday flood, adding that the state government officials are still assessing the situation.

According to him, “It (flood) has now reached the Hadejia

area and has forced many people out of their homes. Many of them are now living in schools and other alternative shelters they can find.”

The SEMA chairman also explained: “The last time I spoke to you, I told you more people have died, including children.”

He recalled that last Tuesday, angry mob attacked an aide to Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, and other officials who had embarked on a flood assessment of the Ganuwar Kuka area of the state.

It was also revealed that the attackers purportedly wielded sticks, machetes, and other dangerous weapons to register their displeasure against the state government over alleged lackluster attitude towards the flood, which, to them, has affected eight local government areas under the Hadejia emirate.

Mobayo stated that the armed hoodlums had concluded plans to start entering the state in batches and continue to hatch their insidious plans against the residents of the state.

According to the statement, “It has come to the notice of Ekiti State Police Command through intelligence gathering that some group of persons suspected to be armed hoodlums and criminallyminded aliens have concluded their plans to enter Ekiti State in

their large number in order to unleash evil, cause havoc and create apprehension.

“Furthermore, intelligence gathering has it that the first set of the armed and criminallyminded hoodlums will arrive the state with the pretence of settling peacefully with their host communities while others will come later to launch attacks and cause havoc on innocent populace.

“The Police Command wishes

to state that this does not call for panic, rather, it is a call for an effective and enhanced community policing.

“In view of this, the state Commissioner of Police implores all and sundry to be security conscious, extremely vigilant and report to the police immediately any suspected person or group of persons are arriving, residing or found suspiciously in their environment.

“The CP also implores all

land owners, landlords and agents to be conscious of and know the identities of those they accommodate, let or sell their properties to in order to avoid accommodating or harbouring criminals who may in turn threaten the peace of the society.”

Mobayo also advised the commercial drivers and motorcyclists to be watchful and report to the police any suspected traveler arriving any part of the state.

GRAND ENDORSEMENT...

L-R: Chairman of Lagos East By-election Campaign Council of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Kaoli Olusanya; senatorial candidate of APC for Lagos East, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru; Omobowale of Ikorodu Division, Col. Nwako Reuben (rtd); Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos State, Chief Uche Okpotemba; apex leader of Ndigbo in APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe; Deputy Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos State, Mr. Chris Akwilo, Lagos East leader of Ndigbo, Mr. Kelvin Nwoha; and Eze Ndigbo of Ikosi-Isheri, Eze Remi Anyamele, at the meeting of Ndigbo in Lagos East with Abiru in Ikorodu, Lagos...yesterday

Political Leaders, Families Steal Nigeria’s Wealth, NLC Alleges Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused politicians and their families of cornering the nation’s wealth.

The union said it is “a big disservice to our natural endowments and a huge slap on the resourcefulness of our people” that 60 years after independence, the nation was still importing toothpick, pencils

and needles.

NLC’s President, Ayuba Wabba, in his Independence Day message delivered yesterday, noted that “we make a huge mockery of the biggest assemblage of black people on the planet if at 60 years, we are unable to refine our own crude oil.”

According to him, Nigeria remains the only member of the Organisation of Petroleum

Exporting Countries (OPEC) suffering from this malaise.

Wabba in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria at 60: Celebrating togetherness’, described as sad, the nation’s inability to generate 5,000 mw of electricity with its abundance of water sources, vast windy terrains, coal and large deposits of natural gas.

He stated, “It is sad that at 60 years, our political leaders still prefer to send their children

to schools abroad and treat themselves in foreign hospitals since our public schools and hospitals have been so terribly mismanaged.

“When it comes to eating from the cake, Nigerian workers and people are shut out in the cold and rain, while those who have forced their way to positions of political leadership corner the collective wealth for themselves and their families alone.”

FG to Complete $1.6bn Lagos-Ibadan Railway in December The $1.6billion Lagos-Ibadan railway project will be completed in December this year or early January 2021, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said.

Amaechi, who disclosed this yesterday during a live television programme that also had the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, in attendance virtually, said he would work with Fashola and the Lagos State Government to

move heavy duty trucks away from roads.

During the programme, which was monitored by our correspondent in Abuja, Fashola, while responding to a question, insisted that Nigerian roads would not last without the construction and usage of functional rail lines.

“I am his biggest champion when he (Amaechi) is presenting his request in the cabinet for the rails because I know that

without the rail the roads will not last,” Fashola said.

He added, “The tankers are plying excess cargo; they are moving 60,000 tonnes instead of 33,000, 40,000 or 45,000 tonnes maximum. So, the best way is to move all that cargo into the tracks.

“That is what happens in countries we want to be like and that is where we are heading. So, he (Amaechi) has my support.”

Responding, the

transportation minister said what his counterpart in the works ministry stated were correct, adding that he would partner Fashola and Lagos State to move cargoes from roads to rail.

Amaechi said the transfer of cargoes to rail would start majorly with the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, adding that the line should be completed this December or early January next year.

Fayemi Didn’t Influence My Tribunal Judgment, Says Olujimi Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti The Senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district at the Senate, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, has said it impugned on her integrity for some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to allege that the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, influenced the state senatorial tribunal and Appeal Court Judges for her to reclaim her mandate through judicial means.

Olujimi was reacting to the allegation made by a group of

APC members led by Senator Tony Adeniyi that Fayemi unilaterally changed the venue of the Appeal Court sitting in Olujimi’s favour in her judicial contest against Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

Olujimi, who described the allegation as “mischievous, slanderous and malicious,” said she retrieved her mandate because the election was marred with irregularities and for not being conducted in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Acts.

The Appeal Court in Kaduna had on November 6, 2019, upheld a unanimous tribunal judgment sacking the candidate of the APC, Prince Adeyeye, and declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Olujimi, winner of the Ekiti South senatorial election held on February 23, 2019.

Olujimi, in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said: “My attention was drawn to a slanderous, mischievous and malicious write up by some lawyers and members of the APC imputing that the judgement

was purchased in my case at the Ekiti Senatorial Tribunal and Appeal Court.

“My initial reaction was to say that I am not a member of their party and to allow them steam in their sauces. On the second thoughts, I felt that they and their co-travellers might misconstrue my silence to be admission of guilt.

“Let me make it clear that at no time before, during and after the trial have I met with or discussed the case with Governor Fayemi”.

40

FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS XTRA

BUA Chairman, Rabiu Congratulates Nigeria at 60 The Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, has congratulated Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s 60th independence anniversary held yesterday.

In the goodwill message signed by him, the BUA Founder noted that it was 60 years ago that Nigeria became the most vibrant black nation in the world known for the

richness of its culture and its progressive people.

He argued that while 60 years might seem a long time, Nigeria is still young as a nation, revealing that he only turned 60 this year and still considers himself a young man.

Rabiu also disclosed that while the journey has not been a smooth sail, celebrating

Nigeria at 60 comes with great nostalgia.

“Recently, a foreign friend of mine was commenting on how easy it is for a Nigerian to easily dominate fields or spaces wherever they find themselves - anywhere in the world, and it got me thinking.

What can we do to develop our national life in a way that helps every single Nigerian

regardless of Age, Gender, Ethnicity, or Status to achieve their full potential?

“It was Barack Obama who said in his book, ‘The Audacity of Hope’ that, “… what’s troubling is the gap between the magnitude of our challenges and the smallness of everything else --the ease with which we are distracted by the petty and trivial, our

chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our seeming inability to build a working consensus to tackle any big problem.”

He wasn’t referring to Nigeria but this quote also rings true for us as Nigerians.

“Have we ever stopped to think of what is possible if we pooled together our individual strengths and resources in positive service to our country?

“There was a vision of our founding fathers – a vision that I believe can still very much be achieved. Our founding fathers have built us a nation, one that was to be bound in freedom, peace and unity. As citizens and leaders today, we must do all we can to build on that vision, sustain the legacy and then pass it to future generations.

Peterside: Nigeria’s Democracy in Great Danger The founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside, has said the democracy is in great danger in Nigeria.

Peterside was speaking yesterday at The Platform, a programme organised by Covenant Christian Centre to mark Nigeria’s independence anniversary.

“In my generation, about the only thing we delivered through activism was democracy. That democracy is in danger because we decide if and where we have free and fair elections,” he said.

“It must not only be free and fair elections in Edo State, it must be free and fair election everywhere. You cannot have a set of rules in Edo and have another set for other states.

“The easiest way to destroy democracy is for people who do not win elections to assume office. That is not the democracy we fought for and that’s the democracy our youths must fight for.”

Peterside called on the federal government, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of Police (IG), and the military to put pressure in ensuring that the democracy that was fought for is not tampered with or destroyed.

He also urged the youths in the country to focus their activism on reviving Nigeria’s democracy.

“The activism they (youths) have to focus on today is to get free and fair elections. Without free and fair elections, young people cannot participate in politics because they don’t have the tools and they are not the best regal,” Peterside said.

“The regal are those with the best learning, which are elderly people. They (youths) will have to dismantle all that so that it will only be those with the best ideas who win elections.”

SIXTY HEARTY CHEERS...

1. L-R: Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Dare Kadiri; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his wife, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun; state Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, cutting the cake of Nigeria’s Independence Diamond Jubilee at the State Secretariat, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta...yesterday

We’re Collating Facts on Edo Election, Says Ize-Iyamu Adibe Emenyonu in Benin The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has said he and his party are at liberty to pursue any legal option they deem fit as long as the peace of the state is not threatened.

In an Independence Day message signed by Ize-Iyamu, he said his party was collating facts and would soon speak authoritatively in the best tradition of rule of law, fairness

to all and due process.

He said, “We will brief you all in good time and that time is near. But then, the question is after September 19, what next?

We owe you an explanation on the way forward. Indeed, not a few have been bombarding us with this question. Well, we have kept quiet so far, not because we are bad losers, as some unfairly presume. It’s rather because, no matter the situation, we are staunch soldiers of the rule of law and due process.

“Suffice it to say that with due sensitivity to the feelings of our

people, we are busy collating our facts. Only after can we speak and speak authoritatively in the best tradition of rule of law, fairness to all and due process. We will brief you all in good time and that time is near.

“In the course of our methodical approach, not a few deem to have pre-empted our course of action and pleaded that we do not proceed to the courts to challenge the election result. While that cannot be dismissed as an entirely bad plea, what I can

say is that whatever action we subsequently take will be rooted in due process and the rule of law. We will exercise every right available to us under the law, given the electoral facts at our disposal.

“Even as we speak, our people should know that the PDP and their agents and privies have instituted 13 lawsuits against my running mate and I. None of them have they discontinued after the election. So, if the PDP don’t pass up their rights under the law, why should we in the APC do so?”

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next week’s election, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said he ignored warnings about his deputy, Mr. Agboola Ajayi and ensured he was well paid to make him comfortable.

Akeredolu said he gave Agboola free hands to operate but was later betrayed.

Akeredolu, who spoke at a radio programme in Akure,

said his deputy does not want to be patient.He stated that he was ready to forgive all his detractors.

“Agboola (Ajayi) does not want to wait for his time. I made him comfortable. I asked him to represent me in so many places but some people were warning me, I said they should leave him alone.

“No deputy governor has collected what he was

collecting in the history of the state. I gave him N13 million monthly. His predecessors did not collect as much as that.

No deputy governor collects as much as that in Nigeria.

I gave him enough room to operate yet he betrayed me.

“My performance in all the sectors in the state will earn me the victory at the election.

“We have been doing our best for this state; all the abandoned projects of the

past administration have been completed. We have rehabilitated and constructed over 700 primary schools in this state.

“We have improved our education system. We have received a loan to complete the abandoned Owena Water Project, we will do it. We are also working five dams, there are so many things in our plans to do for the state, the governor stated.

Marshall Harry’s Son Alleges Assassination Attempt on His Life Ondo 2020: I Paid Agboola N13m Monthly, Says Akeredolu “However, on my way out of Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt A chieftain of the Accord Party (AP) and son of the pioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Dr. Marshall Harry, Hon. Inye Marshall-Harry, has raised the alarm over threat to his life and that of members of his family by suspected assassins.

Inye is the son of the late Marshall Harry, who was assassinated in 2002 in circumstances yet to be explained till date.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Inye said the threat forced him to abandon his plan to attend the burial of retired Justice of the Supreme Court, late Hon. Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, at Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state.

He stated that he is also living in fear in Abuja, where his father was assassinated in 2002, saying it seems those who killed his father were still hovering around him.

Inye said: I came in from Abuja by air and had cause to reach Benin-city, Edo State, before the burial of Hon. Justice Karibi-Whyte. I therefore made a road trip to Benin-city, through Warri in Delta State.

Port Harcourt, I observed that a particular vehicle appeared to be keeping close to me, and so, I had to instruct my security attaché to be on the alert, thinking that there could be a kidnap attempt on me, and, at that point, I could not help but remember how assassins brutally murdered my father in March 2002.”

He stated that although his trip to Benin-city was successful, on his way back to Port Harcourt, he still noticed that he was being trailed and might have been hurt if not for the presence of the security detail he had as escort with him on the journey.

The Rivers State-born politician wondered what anybody could want to eliminate him for, saying: “Even though I aspired to contest for the Degema/Bonny federal constituency seat in the House of Representatives in 2019, since I didn’t get the ticket, I went back quietly to continue with my life and business. So, why me?”

Harry, who appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to order investigation into various attempts on his life, called on security agencies to protect him, like other law-abiding citizens, and not allow criminals or agents of vicious politicians to operate unhindered.

Aggrieved UNIUYO Senate Members Petition Council over Selection of New VC Okon Basssey in Uyo Some aggrieved members of the Senate of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) have petitioned the Governing Council of the institution over alleged attempt by the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Enefiok Essien, to manipulate the selection process of a new vice-chancellor.

In the petition addressed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Essien, the aggrieved persons demanded that the process be made democratic and transparent in line with the tradition in other universities.

A copy of the petition was also sent to the Governing Council Chairman, Prof. Austin Awujo, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIUYO chapter.

The petitioners alleged that the outgoing VC, whose five-year tenure would end at this year, has flouted the laid down process leading to the emergence of the new VC of the school.

The petition was signed by six professors, including a former Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Prof. Trenchard Ibia.

The petitioner said a special

meeting of the Senate was held on September 28, 2020, with an electronically circulated agenda tagged: ‘Member of the Senate on the selection board for the appointment of a new VC for the University of Uyo’.

At the meeting, the Registrar, Mr. Aniediabasi Udo, reportedly misled the Senate by lifting, circulating and reading section 4 of the Universities’ (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993, as if that section is part of the process of appointing a new vice chancellor.

The section 4 read: “Where vacancy occurs in the post of

Deputy Vice Chancellor, the VC shall forward to the Senate a list of two candidates for each of the Deputy VCs that is vacant (emphasis Registrar).

“The VC willingly guided by the Registrar’s misinformation, erroneously sought and obtained the Senate approval to appoint two Senate members to the Joint Council and Senate selection board.

“This is completely against the age-long known procedure and practice of election of the Senate representative to the Joint Council and Senate Committee.

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NEWSEXTRA

Glo Felicitates with Nigeria at 60, Preaches Peace, Harmony The grand masters of data, Globacom has congratulated Nigerians on their exemplary patriotism, hard work, resilience, determination and never-saydie spirit, which have kept the country alive in the last 60 years of nationhood.

In a goodwill message to mark Nigeria’s Diamond Independence anniversary, Globacom enjoined citizens at

home and in the diaspora to uphold these unique virtues to overcome the current challenges bedevilling the nation.

“It’s been 60 years of resilience, determination and a never-say-die spirit for Nigeria.

For Glo, it’s been 17 years of imbibing and showcasing this same spirit to the world”, the company said.

The company noted that

2023 Presidency: New Campaign Group Emerges for Tinubu Chuks Okocha in Abuja A group of young Nigerian professionals has unveiled a political movement in Abuja to work for the actualisation of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, perceived presidential aspiration.

The movement known as Young Professionals for Tinubu 2023, with membership across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, said it has been in existence for almost two years, noting that the occasion was to mark its formal inauguration.

The National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Ahmed Muhammed Ibrahim, noted that Tinubu’s leadership qualities and knack for development informed the group’s resolve to work for his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as well as his success in the 2023 presidential election.

According to Ibrahim, “Tinubu is a natural leader

who has extended the hand of friendship to all regions of the country. He has what it takes to lead Nigeria towards prosperity.

“He has the skill to discover talent and the ability to consolidate on the achievements of President Muhammdu Buhari.”

The leader of the group, who said mobilisation was already on, called on lovers of Nigeria to support the movement.

Also speaking at the event, the Secretary-General of the group, Mr. Ishaq Muhammad, observed that Tinubu should be the natural successor to President Buhari as they played the lead role to ensure APC won at the federal level and in many states across country.

“The president and Tinubu are core progressives who put personal benefits aside to rescue the country from the brink of collapse in 2015, so he knows what needs to be done to achieve a greater Nigeria,” he submitted.

Fashola Urges Nigerians to Focus on Governorship, LG Elections The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has advised Nigerians to pay more attention to the outcome of governorship and local government elections than presidential polls.

The minister was speaking yesterday at The Platform, an annual conference organised

by Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos.

The virtual event hosted by Poju Oyemade, its convener, was to commemorate the nation’s 60th independence anniversary.

Fashola said Nigerians should rather pay more attention to the government at the local and state levels rather than the federal level.

The minister explained that the governments at both levels are directly responsible for providing basic education, primary healthcare, water supply, among other necessities of Nigerians.

“Government is not magic and we continue to project hope. But some Nigerians must realise that what we expect of the Nigerian federal government perhaps lies more with the state governors and the local government,” he said.

“Some of the most basic things are with them. So looking for it from the federal government perhaps is why we seem to have been disappointed because we are looking for the result in the wrong place.

Waste management, water supply, primary healthcare, basic education, those are all things with the local and state government.”

“Federal government does not own a primary healthcare centre. In Nigeria, the federal government has roughly about 107 secondary schools.

I will urge people to go and read the constitution. The powers the president has are about 25, many of them are circumscribed by the national assembly and judiciary.

“The government that can transform us and give us the things we want most quickly are the governments closest to us – state and local government. Security is a shared responsibility. Going forward in choosing leaders, we must make sure that we pay even greater attention to who is governor, who is a local government chairman than we pay to who is president.”

Nigerians have every cause to celebrate the numerous achievements, milestones and the country’s continuing status as one cohesive nation bound in freedom, peace and unity for the past 60 years despite its myriad of challenges. Globacom added that the nation’s composition as a country of over 300 peoples of diverse traditions, cultures, inclinations and beliefs should enrich and unite rather than divide us.

“Nigerians as a people should consider the unity of

the country as a project that must be upheld by all of us irrespective of our diversities.

In the same vein, the continued wellness and security of all compatriots from all tribes and religious divides should be of utmost importance to everyone,” the company posited.

According to Globacom, “All Nigerians should, to all intents and purposes, emphasise more on the values that unite us and ignore those that put wedges of attrition between us. We must love and respect one another

and hold dear the sanctity of life of every Nigerian in all nooks and crannies of the country; we must relegate our tribal and religious differences, and hold dear the harmony, safety and progress of the nation and its peoples”.

“It is heartwarming that digital telephony has further improved the life experiences of Nigerians with Globacom playing a pivotal role through Per Second Billing which granted access to millions and empowered all with innovative

solutions and avant garde offerings. Globacom’s support for educational endeavours, culture, entertainment, sports and other worthwhile ventures have also been exemplary”, the company posited.

While wishing the country more years of enhanced development and growth, the telecommunications giant promised its subscribers seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Independence Day holiday.

LEADER OF TOMORROW...

Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (left), receiving the Nigerian flag from a child, during Nigeria’s 60th Independence Day celebration at the Sabon Gari Stadium, Kano...yesterday

Kyari Bags Special African Leadership Commendation Award

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been conferred with the African Leadership Commendation Award by the African Leadership Magazine.

The award was conferred on him at the 5th US-Africa investment Forum and the African Business Leadership Awards 2020 which was held virtually.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kyari commended the African Leadership Magazine for recognising the little effort to reposition the NNPC by his management team to deliver value to the Nigerian people.

He described the award as a challenge to do more and reposition the industry on the path of sustainable growth. ‘’For the little effort we are putting to deliver value to

the Nigerian people to be recognized is worth minding, this has also thrown a new challenge at us, telling us that we need to do more, that this company can deliver more value to its shareholders and ultimately the Nigerian people will recognize that this company is serving them,’’ the GMD stated.

The African Leadership Award was designed to

reward exceptional corporate leadership and contributions to the development of Africa and the great works that leaders are doing on the continent.

Other awardees at the ceremony include Ahmed Shide, Minister of finance and Economic Cooperation of Ethiopia and Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison, the Governor of Ghana’s Central Bank.

Ojukwu Varsity ASUU Chairman Alleges Threat to Life over Strike David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, Prof Okey Aniebo, has raised the alarm over threat to his life by the management of the university for refusing to call off the strike.

Aniebo, who spoke to journalists in Awka yesterday, said he has been severally harassed by gun-wielding security men at the gate of the university, while trying to gain access to the school campus, and other forms of threat to his life.

According to him, “There are cases where the security

men have accosted me and denied me access into the university compound. I was also told that the security men have been told to stop me at the gate. They have also been queried for allowing me into the university campus.

“On one occasion, I asked for written authorisation to that effect. They have harassed me many times, including asking me to call the Chief Security of the university, just to be allowed in, but I have refused.

“They have used all manner of tactics against me, but when they found out that the media was now aware of their activities against me, they have stopped threatening me.”

On the emergence of a new faction of ASUU in the university, Aniebo alleged that the faction was being sponsored by the ViceChancellor of the university, Prof Greg Nwakoby, insisting that the lecturers in the university were still on strike-until all their demands are met.

“The meeting was sponsored by the vice-chancellor and chaired by the Deputy ViceChancellor, Prof Ekwenze.

It is therefore a university management meeting and not a meeting of ASUU-COOU. “ASUU has neither bowed to any pressure nor suspended the on-going national industrial action by the union.

The desperate action of the

vice-chancellor is capable of undermining the inflow of huge intervention funds from federal government to the university,” he said.

Meanwhile, a faction of ASUU in the university headed by Prof Osita Chiaghanam had earlier in the week passed a vote of confidence on the ViceChancellor of the university, Prof Nwakoby, insisting that he has exceeded the expectation of the university staff, both in remuneration and in infrastructure.

The faction had also accused Prof Aniebo and his executive of being self-centered in the union’s struggle, insisting that it would not be a part of the strike.

FRIDAY, ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS PRESIDENT: LET’S CHART NEW PATH TO NATIONAL GREATNESS In addition, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBF) described Buhari’s nationwide broadcast as “the tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing.”

Besides the speech, Buhari also joined other dignitaries, including two of his predecessors, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, at a low-key ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja to commemorate the nation's 60th Independence anniversary.

Buhari, in the nationwide broadcast, outlined efforts by his administration to make Nigeria greater, saying no past government did what his government is currently doing with the available scarce resources.

In defending the end of fuel subsidy regime that was greeted by criticisms from a cross-section of Nigerians and threats of an industrial action by labour unions, the president said it was necessary to save the economy.

He compared the pump price of petrol in Nigeria with what obtains in neighbouring countries and beyond, saying that Nigeria's price is the cheapest.

Buhari who said his administration had managed to keep things going, alleged that those who presided over "near destruction of the country," still have the temerity to criticise his government.

He said his government had no option than to face the reality and take tough decisions, which he said culminated in the hike of the pump price of petrol.

He said the necessity to adjust fuel price had been realised since he came to power, but what would be the attendant effect became a burden on the government.

He explained that it was such imminent effects that necessitated certain programmes introduced by the government to cushion the impact on the poor and the vulnerable.

He said: "In this regard, the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible. The government, since coming into office has recognised the economic argument for adjusting the price of petroleum. But the social argument about the knockon effect of any adjustment weighed heavily with the government.

"Accordingly, in the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of: trader moni, farmermoni, school feeding programme, job creation efforts, agricultural intervention programmes.

"No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous governments from 1999-2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticise our efforts.

"In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions. Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted.

We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; ( a), Chad, which is an

oil-producing country charges N362 per litre (b). Niger, also an oil producing country sells 1 litre at N346. (C). In Ghana, another oil- producing country, petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.

"Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre.

It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.

According to him, if Nigeria must attain the greatness desired by all, its strength must be consolidated, commitment must be increased and there must be a collective encouragement to do what is right.

He appealed to all to forge ahead in the collective spirit of togetherness beyond this 60th independence anniversary celebration, adding that "we are greater together," than being split into smaller entities.

Buhari expressed optimism that when the one year designated to celebrate the nation's diamond jubilee lapses in September next year, all will be proud of the decision to collectively forge ahead.

"Fellow Nigerians, to achieve the great country we desire, we need to solidify our strength, increase our commitment and encourage ourselves to do that which is right and proper even when no one is watching.

"Fellow Nigerians, let us collectively resolve to continue our journey beyond the sixty years on the clear understanding that as a nation we are greater together than being smaller units of nationalities. By the special grace of God we shall come through any transient challenges.

"It is my sincere hope that by the end of this anniversary on September 30th 2021, we will all be proud of taking this individual and collective selfassessment for the progress of our great nation," he added.

The president who thanked Nigerians who entrusted him with the mandate of leadership, said he was committing himself afresh to the service of Nigeria.

He asked the citizens to reflect on how the country got to its current state as the basis for all to work together.

Paying tribute to Nigeria's founding fathers, Buhari recalled how Nigeria's Prime Minister at independence, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, received constitutional instruments which he said symbolised Nigeria's independence on October 1, 1960.

The president, who said the event of October 1, 1960 was laced with optimism that the country would forge ahead in harmony, added that the population of Nigeria, which was 45 million at independence, has now risen beyond 200 million with multiple challenges.

According to him, yesterday's anniversary presented Nigerians with the platform to ask themselves how much they had upheld the aspirations of the founding fathers, whose policies and programmes of their era positively impacted every sector of the country.

He said: "On October 1st 1960 when Prime Minister Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa received the constitutional instruments

symbolising Nigeria’s independence, he expressed his wish that having acquired our rightful status as an independent sovereign nation, history would record that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace.

"This optimism was anchored on the peaceful planning, full and open consultation and harmonious cooperation with the different groups, which culminated in Nigeria emerging as a country without bitterness and bloodshed.

"Our founding fathers understood the imperative of structuring a national identity using the power of the state and worked towards unification of Nigerians in a politically stable and viable entity.

"That philosophy guided the foundation that was laid for our young nation of 45 million people with an urban population of approximately 7 million occupying an area of 910,768 square kilometres.

These demographics led to development challenges for which major efforts were made to overcome.

"Today, we grapple with multiple challenges with a population exceeding 200million occupying the same land mass but 52 per cent residing in urban areas.

"Sixty years of nationhood provides an opportunity to ask ourselves questions on the extent to which we have sustained the aspirations of our founding fathers. Where did we do the right things?

Are we on course? If not where did we stray and how can we remedy and retrace our steps?"

Buhari who recalled how Nigeria went into the civil war and came out with the resolve to embark on reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation, noted that Nigeria had been under military rule in 29 of its 60 years of existence.

He said the summary of his message was the need to chart a new path together, highlighting the state of the economy and how important state organs have been experiencing a decline over the years.

He called for national healing and appealed to all to jettison ethnic sentiment and see themselves as Nigerians first.

He stated that Nigeria's problem is predicated on the fault lines of such sentiment.

He praised Nigerians in Diaspora for their successes in science, technology, medicine, sports and arts, among others, as well as the resourcefulness of their kinsmen at home.

He said: "We came out of the civil war with a focus on reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation that enabled the country to put in place world-class development structures and a strengthened public service that well served the government. This positive trajectory continued with a return to democratic government which was truncated by another round of military rule.

"For a cumulative 29 of our 60 years existence as a nation, we have been under military rule. My summary of our journey so far as a nation is necessary to appropriately chart where we need to go and how to get there TOGETHER. "We need to begin a sincere process of national healing

and this anniversary presents a genuine opportunity to eliminate old and outworn perceptions that are always put to test in the lie they always are. The stereotype of thinking of ourselves as coming from one part of the country before seeing ourselves as Nigerians is a key starting point to project us on the road to our deserved nation’s evolution and integration.

"To start this healing process, we are already blessed with the most important asset any nation requires for such – our people– and this has manifested globally in the exploits of Nigerians in many fields."

The president highlighted various gains inherent in the spirit of oneness,and listed ways citizens can promote unity.

"I am convinced that if we pursue our aspirations together, would be able to achieve whatever we desire.

That informed our adopting the theme: 'Together' to mark this epochal event. "Together we can change our condition for the better and more importantly, together we can do much more for ourselves and for our country.

"I chose the path of selfreflection because this is what I do on a daily basis and I must confess that at most times, I always felt the need for a collective reflection as I know that the foundation for a solid future which this administration is laying can only be sustainable if there is a collective commitment

by Nigerians.

"Nigeria is not a country for Mr. President, any ruling or opposition party but a country for all of us and we must play our part, irrespective of challenges we face, to make this country what we desire.

To achieve this, we must focus our minds, together as a people, on ways of resolving the identified critical challenges that underlie our present state. These include: "Evolving and sustaining a democratic culture that leaves power in the hands of the people; Supporting the enthronement of the rule of law, demanding accountability of elected representatives and contributing to good governance; Increasing our commitment to peaceful co-existence in a peaceful, secure and united Nigeria; "Harnessing and optimising our tremendous human and natural resources to attain our goal of being in the top twenty economies of the world and in the process, ifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years; strengthening institutions to make them stronger in protecting National Interests; and imbibing tolerance in diversity," he said.

The president, who described himself as a firm believer in transparent, free, fair and credible elections, said the attitude reflected in his own election.

He added that "the recent build-up and eventual outcome of the Edo State elections should encourage Nigerians that it is my commitment to bequeath to this country processes and procedures that would guarantee that the people’s votes count."

The president also yesterday joined Gowon and Jonathan, who were the only Nigeria's

former leaders who attended the anniversary celebration, at the Eagle Square, Abuja, to mark the occasion.

The two ex-leaders joined Buhari to sign anniversary register during the ceremony.

The ceremony was also attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; a former Chief of General Staff, Lt-General Oladipo Diya (rtd.) and former Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Other dignitaries at the occasion included Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, cabinet members, top government functionaries and diplomats.

The ceremony featured intriguing displays, traditional dances and other entertaining performances by a combined group of both military and civilian artistes.

However, the high-point of the event was the fly past in the air displayed by the Nigeria Air Force helicopter pilots, which was very brief because of poor weather conditions.

The Nigeria Air Force explained that the fly past was abridged in contrast to plans because of low clouds at the Eagle Square.

Minimum Wage is N305,113 in S’Arabia, PDP Replies Buhari Reacting to the president's broadcast, the PDP described the economic assertions in the independence anniversary speech as a huge slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians.

The main opposition party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari’s attempt to justify the increase of fuel price in Nigeria by comparing it to the N168 per litre cost in Saudi Arabia is a morbid joke.

The party stated that the minimum wage in Saudi Arabia is N305,113 (3,000 Saudi Riyals), which is 10 times higher than the paltry N30,000 which is largely unimplemented in Nigeria.

It charged Buhari to address the divisive tendencies and poor economic policies of his administration.

According to the PDP, "is Mr. President not aware that, on the average, a person working in Saudi Arabia earns around 4,230SAR (N430, 267) to 16,700 SAR (N1,698,693) per month?

"Our party charges Mr. President to always check his books before making such offensive comparisons, including the price in Egypt where monthly average earning is around N222, 841 (9,200 EGP) against our N30,000."

The party said in comparing the costs with other countries such as Ghana, Chad and Niger where purchasing powers of citizens are much higher, "did Mr. President reflect on the cost of house rent, education, healthcare and average dependence on fuel for daily survival by ordinary citizens as obtainable in Nigeria?

"If the flawed assertions as evident in Mr. President’s speech are a direct reflection of how policies are formulated in his administration, then one needs not wonder why our economy is in doldrums."

The PDP said if the Buhari administration had continued

the programmes by previous administrations to revive the refineries and provide infrastructural backbone for the productive sector, fuel price will not be more than N100 per litre in Nigeria.

"Our party also holds as ludicrous that President Buhari is hyping his ‘better together’ theme when the administration he heads, runs on nepotism, disregard for rule of law, human right abuses, corruption, political intolerance, suppression of free speech and aggression towards dissenting voices," it added.

The party also urged Buhari to toe the line of the Edo State governorship election in the October 10 Ondo State governorship election so as to consolidate the legacy of free and fair election under his watch.

Buhari’s Speech Uninspiring, Say Southern, Middle Belt Leaders On its part, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBF) described Buhari’s broadcast as “the tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing.”

The organisation said Buhari would have made sense if he had used the opportunity to outline the process of reconstituting Nigeria to return it to the path of productivity, autonomy for the federating units and sustainable peace and development.

The SMBF, in a statement

by Yinka Odumakin (Southwest), Chief Guy Ikokwu (South-east), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-south) and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), said: “The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has examined the broadcast of President Buhari to mark the occasion of the 60 years of independence of Nigeria and disappointingly concludes that it was like the tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

“In the midst of all the country is going through that requires the leadership to summon the constituent units to the table of brotherhood to seek fundamental ways out, all we were treated to were the usual bland sermons and empty rhetoric.

“The president said he was engaging in self-reflection but he never remembered how our founding fathers negotiated a federal constitution which put us on the path of development in the early years of independence until military intervention set us on the ruinous unitary lane which has fostered underdevelopment to the point that we are now the global secretariat of poverty at 60.

“It is shameful that on this type of occasion, our president had to be lecturing us on why we had to pay more for fuel because countries like Ghana, Egypt and Niger are paying more.

“The president would have been more inspiring if he had used the opportunity to lay out the process of reconstituting Nigeria to return it to the path of productivity, autonomy for the federating units and sustainable peace and development. To leave Nigeria under its failing structure and be talking of launching ethical whatever is a meaningless distraction.”

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NIGERIA @ 60...

NIGERIA @ 60

US, India Felicitate with Nigeria at 60 Our Correspondents The United States of America and India have congratulated Nigeria on her 60th anniversary Independence.

The US Secretary of State, Mr. Michael Pompeo, in a statement issued yesterday, said Nigeria is an important leader in West Africa and across the entire continent.

He stated: “The United States will continue to support the Nigerian people as you seek to collaborate with your neighbors to expand regional peace and security and counter violent extremists.

“Our countries share important democratic values and a similar entrepreneurial spirit, and we congratulate the Nigerian people for your commitment to tackling corruption, strengthening democratic institutions, and leveraging Nigerian entrepreneurship to promote economic recovery.

Even now, the people-to-people partnerships between our two nations are helping Nigeria combat the threat posed by COVID-19. “ Pompeo said US looks forward to continuing working with a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria and to making progress in support of our shared values in the coming year.

On her part, Indian felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari and the government and people of Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s 60th Independence anniversary.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Indian President, Ram Nath Kovind, sent a congratulatory message to Buhari through a letter delivered by the High Commission of India in Nigeria.

According to Adesina, Kovind on behalf of himself and the government and people of India, noted that “India and Nigeria have always enjoyed close and friendly relations,” adding that the “engagement is age old, deep-rooted and multidimensional.”

He quoted the Indian President further: “India and Nigeria seek healthy growth and prosperity for both nations and share common concerns, priorities and approach on major international issues.

“India is taking over as member of the UN Security Council for the term 2021-2022. During this period, India would like to work towards a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System – NORMS.” Makinde: Let’s Remain Focused, Create Happier Moments in Future Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday, declared that Nigerians should use the occasion of the nation’s 60th independence anniversary to focus on moments of its happiness rather than looking behind and living in regrets.

Makinde, who stated this in his state broadcast in commemoration of the country’s diamond jubilee, said that the country has got some things right in the last 60 years, noting that the current democratic experience is one of the positives that must be maintained and nurtured to maturity.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor, shortly after the state broadcast, also led other Oyo State Government functionaries on a walk, which started from the Arcade of the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

According to the governor, though a lot of people would choose not to see anything good in Nigeria and would want to spend the rest of the day reminding Nigerians of all the times the country has failed the test of nationhood, it is not all a tale of woes, as the country has got some things right.

Governor Makinde called on all Nigerians to continue to give democracy a chance, stating that residents of Oyo State are now enjoying true democracy following their decision to vote for the people’s government.

Obiano: Nigeria Has Shown More Resilience Than the World Imagined Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has said that Nigeria has shown more resilience than the world imagined.

Obiano stated this in his Independence day address, saying that the country has survived a brutal civil war, and also survived years of military regimes and all manner of shocks.

He said: “Fellow citizens, we shall not sing with our loudest voices when the world is silent. We cannot roll out the drums for celebration when the world is in deep grief. For Covid-19 has restricted our laughter; but it has not killed our joy.

“Covid-19 has shaken us with unimaginable fear; but it has not broken our spirit. So, fellow citizens, though we are not loud in our celebration today, our happiness is the size of the moon. We are thankful to God for guiding us in safety and peace in all that we have been through. And we join our fellow compatriots all over the world to wish Nigeria a Happy Birthday!”

Bauchi Gov Advocates Political Tolerance for Strong, Virile, United Nation

L-R: Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; his wife, Edith; wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Ebierin Otuaro; Speaker, state House of Assembly, Hon Sheriff Oborievwori, and State Chief Judge, Justice Marshall Umukoro, during Nigeria’s 60th Independence day thanksgiving service, at the Government House Chapel, Asaba...yesterday As the nation celebrates her 60th Independence anniversary, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has emphasised the need for peaceful coexistence, harmonious relationship and political tolerance among the various ethno-religious and political entities in the country towards building a strong, united and virile nation.

He said all hands must be on deck towards building a strong united nation considering the fact that the period of politicking has passed with the conduct of the 2019 general election while 2023 is still miles away.

Mohammed, who spoke yesterday during a Town Hall meeting with youths and women as part of the activities marking Nigeria’s 60th Independence Day celebration held at the Command Guest House, Bauchi enjoined youths to get involved in “politics not as a tools in the hands of politicians who will use you for selfish ends, but be in politics to ensure good governance and a better future for yourselves”.

We Must Renew Our Belief in Nigeria, Says Ganduje Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has called on Nigerians and the people of Kano in particular to renew their faith in the country and aggregate their strength and focus towards building a stronger nation.

Ganduje said this in Kano while delivering a speech at the Independence Day celebration.

The governor congratulated Nigerians on the Independence celebration and called for special prayers especially by the clergy and traditional institutions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused devastation of lives and economies across the globe.

According to Ganduje, the peace being enjoyed in the state had contributed to the boost in commercial activities, noting that people from outside Kano and Nigeria are coming to do business without fear.

Strong Institutions to Promote Devolution of Power Key to Nigeria’s Development, Says Wike Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said Nigeria’s development will remain stunted without strong institutions that will promote devolution of power.

Wike made the assertion at an event to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence Day celebration at Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said it was time for Nigerians to confront core political and economic issues that hamper sustained growth.

According to him, to put Nigeria on the path of progressive growth, the rule of law, a fraudproof electoral system, an effective neutrality of law enforcement agencies and independence of the judiciary should be put in place.

“We may gloat in the limited progress that we have made since independence. It is true that we have achieved relative expansion in access to education, healthcare and the socio-economic infrastructure.

“But if we fail to give considerations to the serious challenges preventing us, we cannot build a free, fair and just nation that will command the total loyalty of all nationalities.”

Fintiri Congratulates Nigeria Adamawa State Governor, Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 60th Independence anniversary.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Humwashi Wonosikou He noted: “It is with great pleasure that I extend congratulations to Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 60th anniversary celebrations.”

The governor stressed that after two decades of democratic process, the political class must advance democracy, peace and prosperity through mutual interests based on shared democratic values.

He said: “It is possible to achieve a truly free

society rooted in common values in order for democracy to thrive.”

Kogi Gov Tasks Nigerians on Protecting Rule of Law, Sovereignty Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has felicitated with Nigerians on the country’s 60th Independence anniversary, urging them to protect rule of law and the sovereignty as a people and nation.

The governor also prayed that “it may please the Almighty God to prove to Nigerians that diamonds are forever, and grant enduring future of unity and faith, peace and progress”.

In a state broadcast to the people of the state at Government House in Lokoja yesterday, Bello explained that every Nigerian would agree that the journey so far has been a challenging odyssey.

“It is a credit to our unbroken will to succeed and our resilience as a nation of diverse peoples that we have made it thus far despite plenty of milestones in our history where we could have messed it up, or missed it totally.”

Lack of Nation-state Reason for Disagreement, Laments Ex-NIMASA DG Immediate-past Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has lamented that disagreements in the nation stems from the fact that Nigeria is not yet a nation-state but a country made up of many nations.

Peterside spoke yesterday while speaking at the annual October 1 Conversation organised by a good governance advocacy group, Unity House Foundation (UHF) in Port Harcourt, with the theme: ‘Where are the People’.

He said: “Nigeria is not necessary a nation-state, but it is a country we cannot deny that fact. Nigeria is made up of many nations forced by common colonial experience and within the past 100 years, have been trying to fund an indivisible bond of nationhood, where traditional and national lines of nations are blurred.

“Unfortunately, our history is littered with our struggle to become a nation-state. Nigeria is first an emerging community of nations in a holy or unholy marriage, doing everything possible to make the marriage. This for me is the first challenge, as a nation we have to deal with the challenge of nationhood.”

Gombe Gov Salutes Nigerians Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari, the good people of the state and Nigerians in general on the occasion of the country’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.

In a goodwill message to mark Nigeria at 60 and Gombe State at 24, Governor Yahaya reminded the people of the sacrifice of the nation’s founding fathers.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya said his administration has embarked on a 10-year development plan which will cover governance and socio-economic growth to ensure continuity in governance and lay solid foundation for an enduring development of the state.

Zulum Calls for Renewed Patriotism Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, yesterday called for renewed patriotism from all Nigerians.

The governor in a signed statement on Nigeria’s Independence anniversary celebration, conveyed his well wishes to President Muhammadu Buhari and all fellow citizens on the nation’s 60th anniversary.

Zulum thanked Nigerians from the North and South who have shown empathy for the people of Borno in the midst of daunting challenges facing the state.

The statement read: “As our dear country marks 60th independence day, it is my honour to extend

well wishes to our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari and to fellow Nigerians.

“It is also an obligation for me to, on behalf of government and the good people of Borno State, extend our profound gratitude to millions of fellow Nigerians in the north and south who have ceaselessly demonstrated empathy for Borno State as we go through a phase of security challenges which we shall overcome by the grace of Almighty God. Ortom Calls for Sovereign Conference to Chart Way Forward for Nigeria Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged the federal government to convene a Sovereign National Conference to chart the way forward for Nigeria.

Ortom said this yesterday at the IBB Square Makurdi, during the Interdenominational Independence Thanksgiving Service organised by the State Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in collaboration with the Benue State Government.

He stated that the teething challenges facing the country culminating in high level corruption, insecurity, impunity and marginalisation necessitated his call, stressing that the sovereign national conference would provide the platform for frank discussions to strengthen the unity, peace and security of the country.

The governor also called for implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan, pointing out that the conference proffered solutions to the multifaceted problems confronting Nigeria.

He said at 60, Nigeria is in need of leaders who can steer the ship of development for the country and restore confidence in the minds of the people.

Okowa Wants FG to Reconstruct Benin-Warri Highway As Nigeria marks 60 years of nationhood, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on the federal government to embark on total reconstruction of Benin-Warri highway, saying the road has collapsed.

He also urged the government to give urgent attention to the Agbor-Eku road within the state, which is also in a deplorable condition.

The governor made the call at an interdenominational thanksgiving service at Government House Chapel, Asaba, yesterday, to mark the independence anniversary of the country.

He said that the poor state of the roads had accounted for loss of many lives and goods in accidents and robberies and also often resulted in loss of man-hours through unending traffic snarls.

The governor assured that as soon as the rainy season was over, work on Warri storm drainage project and concrete tarring of some roads in the area would commence, affirming that his administration was committed to giving equal attention to every part of the state.

Okowa implored the National Assembly to re-visit the Electoral Act amendment to guarantee free, fair and credible elections at all levels.

Kwara Speaker Harps on Unity, Patriotism Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, has called on Nigerians to continue to be united and patriotic in order to take the country to greater heights.

In a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday to congratulate Nigerians on the occasion of 60th year Nigeria’s Independence, Danladi-Salihu said that: “It is when we are united as a nation that goods things meant for us can be achieved without any hindrance”.

The statement which was signed by the Speaker’s Media Assistant, Mr. Ibrahim Sheriff said that, “Nigerians should continue to stay away from any act capable of dividing us as a nation”.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D A

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THE RAIL LINE TO MARADI Yet the Minister of Transportation under whose purview the ports fall, is more interested in a rail line to a land locked poor country with near zero economic value to Nigeria, just to satisfy his boss’ unexplained motives.

The ports have largely remained in the same state since their inauguration with minimal upgrade. No major expansion or modernization has been carried out to match the growing size of the economy over the years and bring them at parity with international competition even though vast revenues are daily generated by the government from the ports.

The handling capacity of the ports in Nigeria is put at 60 million metric tonnes, while demand and usage is about 100 million metric tonnes. These are expected to rise with the increasing population, urban expansion and attendant demand for more markets.

The cargo throughput handled in the ports increased from 66,908,322 metric tonnes in 2009 to 74,910,282 metric tonnes in 2010, indicating a 12 per cent jump. Is Mr Amaechi preparing for the challenges of an expanding economy where the role of the ports is inevitably bound to be more crucial than ever?

Nothing he has done by way of anticipatory policy formulation shows that he understands the changing economy dynamics.

Apapa Port, which is the largest in the country, is a river port with a very low draft of about 10 metres. Tincan Island port, which is close to Apapa in size, is also a river port with the same draft level.

Large vessels cannot call at the ports because of this situation. Benin Republic and Ivory Coast have better sea

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as OMODON ONYEKA FAITH now wish to be known and addressed as UKATU ONYEKA FAITH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ports than Nigeria with 18 metres draft hence the reason larger vessels call at those ports and then do transshipment to Nigeria. Many of the cargo ships heading to these two countries actually carry goods meant for Nigeria. This should make every patriotic Nigerian feel ashamed..

Mr Minister of Transportation, am I making sense here? Why not dredge our ports to a depth of 20 metres draft or more so that larger vessels that currently prefer to go to Benin Republic and Ivory Coast because of the low draft of our ports, can begin to come to Nigeria?

Don’t you know how much revenue Nigeria is losing to Benin Republic and Ivory Coast because of the low draft of our ports?

Mr Minister, why leave the big pile to chase peanuts? If you modernise our ports to international standards and transform them to ports of reckon, Nigeria will surely experience big economic benefits far more than your ridiculous coastal benefits from your nebulous rail line to Maradi. I am sure $2 billion will go a long way to transforming these strategic seaports rather than waste it on a rail line to nowhere. Your defence of Buhari’s rail line to Maradi smacks not only of willful complicity, but of deliberate misinformation about the accruing benefits.

This is possibly the worst kind of misinformation dished out to the public.

The question still floating in the air is: What is the volume of trade between Nigeria and Niger Republic that Nigeria is looking to tap into with a $2 billion rail line? That is the million dollar question everyone is asking you and your government. We need answers not posturing. In the absence of any good economic reason, the balance of probability weighs heavily on politics in furtherance of unexplained affinity to that country.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as OSABUOHIEN QUEEN EDOSA. now wish to be known and addressed as JONATHAN QUEEN EDOSA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ADENIYI, MOFOLUWAKE JOAN now wish to be known and addressed as FADARE, MOFOLUWAKE JOAN. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NDUBUISI EMMANUEL CHIDERA now wish to be known and addressed as LAWRENCE EMMANUEL CHIDERA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as DAN-ILOMBO TAMUNODEI NMA SONIA now wish to be known and addressed as TAMUNOBELEMA TAMUNODEI NMA SONIA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as RUKAYETU OMO OYAKHILOME, now wish to be known and addressed as RUKAYAT OMO ODEBIYI. All former documents bearing my former name remain valid, authorised concerned and the general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as UKPABIO MERCY. now wish to be known and addressed as UKPABIO MERCY D. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as UTIBE ABASI ESUABANGA now wish to be known and addressed as UTIBE JOSHUA ESUABANGA. All documents bearing the former name remain valid. The following institutions should please take note: Dansol High School, Lagos, Jerare Summit School, Lagos., Ridley College, St Kathrine, Ontario, Canada., Nigerian Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs., The Nigerian High Commission, Ottawa, Canada., The Canadian Embassy, Nigeria., The United States Embassy, Nigeria., The British Embassy, Lagos, Nigeria., First Bank of Nigeria.

I formerly known and addressed as UNAGWU ADA FAITH now wish to be known and addressed as UNAGWU THERESA FAITH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as FELIX ADAIGWE ONWUKA now wish to be known and addressed as ONWUKA ADAIGWE PAULINA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

‘Building Nigeria of Our Dreams’: North 535, South 93 Buhari is building the Nigeria of our dreams so said former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the early days when Buhari had clearly begun to unfold his ethnic agenda. Now, all pretences are off in his quest for northern dominance.

The latest news in town ticks the box of the ethno-religious agenda of this government. It is about secret recruitments into the Department of State Services (DSS) by the Director General, Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

Where 535 persons from the North were recruited, only 93 from the entire South were recruited. Even more ridiculous is the fact that Bichi recruited 71 of the 535 from his own local government. Take another look at the numbers, and ask yourself who these people are and what their intentions for Nigeria really are. When is enough really enough for these people?

Unfortunately as stated earlier, this follows the Buhari template of ethnic dominance - that has been the hallmark of his entire life and public career. Unfortunately, the danger signals were all too visible from the get-go. Many gullible young Southerners were too naive to see beyond the surface of the very bad product sold to them by Bola Ahmed Tinubu and co.

They championed the Change agenda and sloganeered Sai Baba all the way. A change so rotten that it is choking Nigeria to death.

Well, everything has exploded in their faces. All we are hearing from them now are quiet murmurs of lamentation.

Unmoved, Buhari is tightening the screws on Nigeria.

Let me leave you with the timeless wise words of Avijeet Das: “We face many storms in life. And every storm that we face changes us!” for good or bad, this storm will surely end someday.

Sahara Group Boosts SDGs with Launch of Impact Fund Sahara Foundation, the corporate citizenship vehicle of energy conglomerate, Sahara Group, has launched the Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) and the Governance Unusual programme to facilitate the generation of ideas and solutions to increase access to clean energy, mobilise partnerships to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as inspire a good governance paradigm shift.

Accordingly, the Sahara Foundation will drive the programme using the Sahara entrepreneurship model with an underlying ethos of “creating enabling environment for entrepreneurs.”

The fund’s capacity, according to the Group, is set at over $100,000 with opportunity for incremental access by beneficiaries based on impact, reach and sustainability matrices targeted at supporting young social entrepreneurs in Africa with seed funding as well as providing access to mentoring from Sahara Group and other private sector partners to scale up clean energy and sustainable environment innovations.

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Why Shooting Stars?

Spahic Omer/IslamiCity Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent to enlighten and guide. The Qur’an sums up the task as bringing people out from darkness into the light.

In other words, the Prophet came to teach people what life in its totality is and how to live it. Life is too short and too serious to be wasted or subjected to trial and error procedures.

Thus, some of the more repugnant adversaries of the Prophet were ignorance, superstition, and blind following. He went to great lengths to fight them.

An example of this pattern is this: According to a hadith (Sahih Muslim, Book 26, Hadith No. 5538), the Prophet was sitting once at night with some of his companions when suddenly a meteor shot (shooting star) gave a dazzling light. He asked what the people used to say in the pre-Islamic days when there was such a shot (of meteor).

The companions replied that they used to say that that very night either a great man had been born or a great man had died. However, the Prophet said that those meteors were shot neither at the death of anyone nor on the birth of anyone. Rather, whenever Almighty Allah decides to issue a command, His words are transmitted from one group of angels to another throughout the seven heavens. In this process of transmission, the jinn attempt to eavesdrop on what is going on. They snatch what they manage to overhear and carry it to their friends (non-believers, sorcerers, fortune-teller and astrologers).

And when the angels see the jinn doing so, they attack them with meteors.

The Prophet concluded: “If they (the jinn) narrate only which they manage to snatch that is correct, but they alloy it with lies and make additions to it.”

This same process is mentioned in the Qur’an as well: “Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars, and as protection against every rebellious devil, (so) they may not listen to the exalted assembly (of angels) and are pelted from every side. Repelled, and for them is a constant punishment. Except one who snatches (some words) by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing (in brightness)” (al-Saffat, 6-10).

The word used for throwing meteors at the jinn is rajm. Generally, in Arabic rajm means “stoning” or “pelting someone or something with stones”.

For example, cases of adultery committed by a married man or married woman are punishable by rajm (stoning).

Rajm also means “missile”, “projectile” and even “meteor”.

Hence, the main attribute of Satan is al-rajim, which is normally translated as “expelled” and “accursed”. However, the root of the word is rajm (stoned).

Believers persistently seek Allah’s protection against Satan who is al-rajim (both the “accursed” and “stoned one”).

That means that Satan is stoned and kept at bay in the heavens with meteors, before being “stoned” and held back on the earth by the devout deeds of believers.

Emblematically stoning Satan as a compulsory ritual of Hajj (pilgrimage), by throwing stones at three pillars representing Satan, symbolizes this dreadful fate of his.

Indeed, there is neither peace nor asylum for Satan and his followers from the presence and constant involvement of Almighty Allah and His soldiers in the heavens and on earth.

The Qur’an says: “And to Allah belong the soldiers (forces) of the heavens and the earth.

And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise” (al-Fath, 7).

“As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers - it is the fellowship (party) of Allah that must certainly triumph” (al-Ma’idah, 56).

These are the possible takes on the mentioned hadith.

First The Prophet encouraged people to be curious, inquisitive and to ask. He did so in order that they could increase their knowledge and, in turn, enhance their guidance.

If there were sincere questions, there were also sincere answers in the offing. A person who thinks he knows enough will not progress. He will not conquer, but will be conquered.

“So ask the people of the message if you do not know” (al-Nahl, 43).

“The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life” (Confucius).

Second People should be open-minded and critical in

their pursuit of knowledge. They should reject blind following.

Superstitions, myths, legends and even halftruths should not be entertained. People should be free and motivated, and should not recognize any imposed or artificial boundaries.

The only thing that should inspire and guide them is the infinite truth premised on the revelation and reason. Their only goal should be to find, embrace, and serve that truth.

Third Asking questions, investigating, (re)searching, disputing, and doubting are critical concepts.

They should be clearly defined and their scopes, as well as roles, clearly established against the backdrop of true knowledge and wisdom.

In no way should mere guessing, conjectures and skepticism be accommodated. They are all antitheses of knowledge – and the truth.

Agnosticism is a bane of existence and can bring about only hopelessness and depression.

Therefore, an appropriate ethics for knowledge seeking and knowledge application is paramount.

A hint at it is given in Allah’s directive to “read and proclaim”, but “in the name of your Lord who created” (al-‘Alaq, 1).

Such a form of knowledge acquisition is expected to lead its executors to the utmost levels of humility and appreciation.

That is one of the reasons why the Qur’anic surah (chapter) al-‘Alaq, which begins with the imperative “read!,” ends with three other imperatives: do not obey him (the non-believer and his non-belief), bow down in adoration, and draw near to Allah.

This arrangement is by no means coincidental.

It indicates the beginning and nature of the knowledge seeking process, on the one hand, and the end, together with the impact, of the same process, on the other.

Fourth A person’s worldview ought to be sound and comprehensive. It should comprise the spiritual realm as well. Otherwise, it will be incomplete and misguiding.

Everything stemming from such a worldview (philosophy of existence) - such as society and civilization building processes - will be correspondingly inadequate and misleading.

As a result, people will be perennially torn between their intrinsic needs and that which is being served to them. Life will remain an anticlimactic and unfulfilled business.

It goes without saying that only with the revealed wisdom and guidance on-board, can people reach their full potentials. Only then can life be lived to the fullest.

Matter (physics) can make sense only when in company with spirit (metaphysics), and this world when in company with the Hereafter.

Fifth If the revelation is rejected, people will become vulnerable and an easy prey for Satan, who is willing to stop at nothing just to mislead and destroy man.

One of Satan’s major methods pertains to the realm of metaphysics, the same realm he works tirelessly to alienate people from. Satan knows if people are kept away from and confused about it, he will be given more freedom to do what he was up to.

The spiritual world is as real and compelling as the physical one. When people are deceived concerning it, Satan becomes their only source of ontological “inspiration” and “direction”.

In order to “excel” in his duties and to make his promises as plausible as possible, Satan eavesdrops on the proceedings of the spiritual world. He then adds countless lies and distortions to what he had earwigged, passing them as such to his servants and associates on the earth.

So important is this strategy to Satan that he yet risks being stoned by meteors.

Once people are misguided thus and afterwards continuously fed with untruths in relation to the spiritual and unseen world (ghayb), they have no choice but to keep resorting to superstitions, fantasies, and outright lies when dealing with that world and its portents.

It is interesting to note that this sort of doubtful guessing at the unseen and the unknown (ghayb), and making mere conjectures about it, the Qur’an describes also using the word rajm (rajman bi al-ghayb) (al-Kahf, 22).

That means when a person does not know the unseen (ghayb), yet speaks about it, he speaks without knowledge. He only speculates, doing injustice to his self and his rationality.

He is like a person who aims - by pelting stones (rajm) - at an unknown and invisible target. He is unlikely to ever hit it, and even if he does, it will not be by design and he will never know it.

Certainly, no serious life initiative or system can ever be built upon such an epistemological foundation.

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Ighalo’s Transfer ‘Windfall’ Puts Osun Utd in Spotlight Again Osun United’s €10,000 gain from Odion Ighalo’s loan to Manchester United has been moved into the account of

the state’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, the club media officer Tajudeen Amodu has explained.

Saka Gets Three Lions’ Invite to End Nigeria’s Interest in the Gunner Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigerian-born, Arsenal left-back, Bukayo Saka, has received his first England invite to the Three Lions’ squad to play this month’s matches against Wales, Belgium and Denmark.

Saka who has remained in the radar of Super Eagles coaches due to his superb form last season was hesitant in committing his future to the

Arsenal wing-back Bukayo Saka has been called up to England’s senior team to end Nigeria’s interest

country of his parents having played age grade football for England.

Gareth Southgate’s invitation to the Gunners’ player appears to have ended the quest to have him play for Eagles. Although new FIFA still opens a window of opportunity for him if not featured in a competitive tournament like the World Cup. Saka along with Everton striker, Dominic CalvertLewin, and Leicester’s Harvey Barnes were the three uncapped players in the squad released by Southgate yesterday.

Saka, 19, only made his England Under-21s debut last month but Southgate said he had been “impressed” with his progress through the Three Lions’ youth system.

“At times for Arsenal he has been very exciting,” Southgate said. “He is improving all the time - really high potential, really high quality.

Another Football Weekend on DStv and GOtv The weekend is booked for sports fans with the best live football action on SuperSport for DStv and GOtv subscribers.

Matches are scheduled for 2 to 4 October, 2020.

Top on Premier League this weekendis the meeting of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, on Sunday 4 October at 4:30pmlive on SS Premier league. With Jose Mourinho coming up against another of his former teams, United are unbeaten in their last three matches against Tottenham, though the pressure will be on the hosts to put in a better showing at Old Trafford compared to their last home match, which ended in a surprise 3-1 loss at the hands of Crystal Palace.

Elsewhere on Saturday 3 October, a fascinating tactical battle awaits in the meeting of Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road at 5:30pmon SS Premier League.

Citizens boss Pep Guardiola is an unabashed fan of his counterpart Marcelo Bielsa.

At 12:30pmChelsea will clash with Crystal Palace, Everton vs Brighton & Hove Albion at 3pmand Newcastle United vs Burnley at 8pall on SS Premier League.

The premier League continues on Sunday 4 Octoberwith Leicester City vs West Ham United and Southampton vs West Bromwich Albion both at 12pm,

Arsenal vs Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Fulham both at 2pmand Aston Villa vs Liverpool at 7:15pm.

All on SS Premier League and SS Football.

This round of La Liga’s top flight matches will see the top clash of Barcelona and Sevilla at the Camp Nou, on Sunday at 8pmon SS La Liga. These teams have traditionally produced high-scoring affairs in recent seasons, though post-lockdown they played out a 0-0 draw in June.

Another must see clash is between Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, as Atletico Madrid hosts Villarreal at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday at 3pmon SS La Liga, with two of Africa’s foremost players – Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey and Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze – going head-to-head.

More on La Liga this weekend, Real Valladolid vs Eibar at 12pm, Real Sociedad vs Getafe at 5:30pm, Elche vs Huesca also at 5:30pmand Valencia will be hosting Real Betis at Mestalla at 8pmall on SS GOtv La Liga.

On Sunday 4 Octoberon SS GOtv La Liga, we will see, Alaves take on Athletic Bilbao at 1pm, Osasuna vs Celta Vigo at 11am, while at 3pm, Levante will battle Real Madrid, Cadiz will take on Granada at 5:30pm.

SuperSport is the only place to get English commentary from the legendary La Liga.

The management of the Nigerian second division club is being probed by the Osun State House of Assembly over the alleged diversion of the financial gain from Ighalo’s return to England.

Being the first professional club the 31-year-old played for in his career, Osun United received €10,000 as their share after his move from China’s Shanghai Shenhua to Old Trafford in January this year.

Contrary to other media reports, Amodu claimed the money has not been spent but it was moved from the club’s account to the government’s account under the watch of the state’s Ministry of Youth

and Sports.

“When a new board is appointed there should be a change of signatories to the club’s account but it’s under processing until the lockdown started,” Amodu told Goal.com yesterday.

“Those who were part of the immediate past administration, some of them are still signatories to the account and they are the ones that signed for the release of the money.

“Those people, we can say they are heavily involved in the Ighalo money because they have to sign before the money is removed from the coffers of Osun United, all of them are working together and the

money is in the custody of the commissioner.

“They signed for the release of the money to the government purse, initially some people would have embezzled it but they signed to put in the hands of the commissioner which is the account of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Osun State.”

After three months without receiving their salaries, Amodu confirmed the Government of Osun State has started paying all outstanding dues to the players of Osun United and Osun Babes on Wednesday.

“Majority of the players of Osun United, Osun Babes and the contract coaches

have started receiving their outstanding salaries since Wednesday,” he added.

“Though the salaries were suspended in July, but the special intervention of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Sports, and through the support of the National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers, the SWAN (Osun State chapter) who waded into the issue when it started.

The governor has rescinded his earlier decision and the players have started receiving their outstanding three months salaries,” the media officer clarified yesterday.

Odion Ighalo...windfall from his loan spell at Old Trafford causing ripples at Osun United

SERIE A

Osimhen Unites Pirlo, Gattuso as Napoli Face Juventus on Sunday Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen will face his first acid test since the switch from Lique 1 to Serie A this Sunday when Napoli take on champions, Juventus on Sunday.

It will be the first time two great friends and former AC Milan teammates, Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo will come face to face in managerial capacity.

The duo were one of football’s most successful midfield partnerships: on the one hand, the snarling, combative Gennaro Gattuso, and on the other, the thoughtful, elegant, unflappable Andrea Pirlo.

The pair formed the backbone of a memorable AC Milan team for more than a decade and

Victor Osimhen...to be in the thick of action as Napoli battle champions Juventus on Sunday

helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

On Sunday, the old chums will

face each other on the touchline for the first time as Pirlo’s Juventus host Gattuso’s Napoli in Serie A. Napoli have made an impressive start to the season, winning both of their opening games, while Juve, chasing a 10th successive Serie A title, began with a win and a draw.

While the coaches are good friends, there is no love lost between their teams. More than any other fixture in Italian football, it has come to be seen as a clash between the rich, industrial wealth of the north with Juve and the much poorer south represented

by Napoli.

Napoli have enjoyed the upper hand in the last two meetings, beating Juventus 2-1 in Serie A and winning last season’s Coppa Italia final on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

In coaching terms, Gattuso,

42, has had a head start on his former team mate. He is already at his sixth club since embarking on his new career at Swiss side FC Sion in 2013, where he was unceremoniously sacked after three months.

The 41-year-old Pirlo, meanwhile, will be in charge of only his third game as a coach, having surprisingly been handed the reins in August following the dismissal of Maurizio Sarri.

“He’s lucky to be starting at Juventus, but this profession is one where a great playing career is not enough,” warned Gattuso.

“You have to study, work hard, and you don’t get much sleep.”

Despite their very different playing styles, the two players complemented each other perfectly at Milan.

‘Who Is Who in Nigeria Golf’ to Direct New Beginning, Says Oyinlola The President of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has said that the new historic golf book, ‘Who is Who in Nigeria Golf’ would chart a fresh beginning for the game in Nigeria.

The 500-page book which is a direct production from a rare collaboration between the NGF and an Abuja-based blue chip printing home, the Marvelous Mike Press, provides an uncommon profiles on some

250 Nigerian golfers who had offered selfless services to ensure rapid growth of the golf game in Nigeria.

Interestingly, nominees that made up this authentic Hall of Fame in golf, both living and dead, were drawn from 1897, the year golf was first played in Nigeria at the Sapele Golf Club in present day Delta State.

The book indeed portrayed the bold effort of the late sage, Chief Anthony Enahoro, who

wrestled the game from the firm grip of white settlers and threw it open to all Nigerians who wanted to play.

“The book is fascinating in the sense that it brings to public domain those Nigerians who offered so much for the growth of golf in Nigeria”, Oyinlola, a former Governor of Lagos and Osun states disclosed.

“It is now clear that those who helped our game to grow are never forgotten. This is

even a clear indication that those who will still assist the game in future will equally be remembered. This is definitely a milestone for the NGF and generally the game of golf in Nigeria. I can refer to this as a new beginning for our game”.

The book which would be launched with a five-star Pro-Am golf tournament was packaged by Nigeria’s foremost golf writer, Tony Akhigbe.

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FridaySports C H A M P I O N S L E AG U E D R AW

Messi, Ronaldo Rekindle Rivalry as Juve, Barca Paired Same Group Great rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will finally do battle once again in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season after Juventus were pitted against Barcelona in yesterday’s draw.

It will be the first time both football icons will face off since

2018 when Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus.

The draw was concluded at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with the pick of the fixtures being the high profile Group G showdown between the wounded animal of Barca and European under-performers

..UEFA Plans to Return Fans to Matches Football fans could soon be allowed to attend certain Champions League matches, with UEFA looking to work with local governments to determine which European cities are able to accommodate live spectators.

Following on from a limited attendance at the UEFA Super Cup final showdown between Bayern Munich and Sevilla in Budapest, Hungary, further pilot schemes are expected in the coming months to get fans back this season.

UEFA have taken steps to work with local governments around Europe to determine safe cities and stadiums which could permit a reduced number of supporters distanced within the ground, as reports Mundo Deportivo.

The Super Cup final saw an allocated total of 20,000 people allowed into the Puskas Arena in Budapest, which seats 67,215.

Almost a third of the stadium was permitted for use, though only 15,180 turned out in total due to fewer tickets being taken on by supporters of Spanish giants Sevilla.

Mundo Deportivo state

that on Monday UEFA will make an official statement confirming their plans to ‘allow supporters in the stands of those stadiums whose local governments authorise it.’

Stringent measures would be put in place at the designated stadiums, in order to allow fans to watch their team and financially support the football clubs involved without putting their own health at risk.

In Spanish football, like English football, supporters are still watching on from sofas as stadiums remain closed.

Further reports outline how Barcelona are among the many clubs who have already started to draw up provisional plans for getting fans back into stadiums.

Mundo Deportitvo reported that the club will dictate that 85 per cent of tickets would be paid upon registration on a form, and a ticket allocation draw would be possible if there is more demand than supply.

A remaining selection of tickets would be for ‘nonsubscribers, partners and the general public.’

Juve.

Premier League clubs have also learned their fate with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool set to go up against two tricky opponents in Ajax and Atalanta in Group D, while the returning Manchester United will once against meet Paris Saint Germain in the competition.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have not been afforded a pleasant welcome home party to European football’s premier competition, and will also have to overcome last season’s semifinalists RB Leipzig in Group H while also contending with a trip to Istanbul Basaksehir.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City missed a horror draw

against the likes of current holders Bayern Munich or Spanish royalty Real Madrid, and will instead face a trip to Portugal to lock horns with Porto, before meeting Olympiacos and Marseille in Group C. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea find themselves in a testing group with last season’s Europa League winners Sevilla, along with FC Krasnodar of Russia and Rennes.

Holders Bayern Munich face a tasty encounter with Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, with potential dark horses RB Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow also joining the two giants in Group A.

Group B sees Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid go up against Serie A giants Inter Milan, with Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Monchengladbach making up the places.

Bundesliga side Borussia

Dortmund may well be breathing a sigh of relief and will fancy their chances of progression, after being drawn in Group F alongside Zenit St Petersburg, Lazio and Brugges.

THE GROUP STAGE DRAW Group A: Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Salzburg, Lokomotiv Moscow Group B: Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Bo’Mo’gladbach Group C: Porto, Manchester City, Olympiakos, Marseille Group D: Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, Midtjylland Group E: Sevilla, Chelsea, FK Krasnodar, Rennes Group F: Zenit St Petersburg, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio, Bruges Group G: Juventus, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv, Ferencvaros Group H: Paris St-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, Basaksehir

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi will rekindle their rivalry in the group stage of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League

Ruthless Djokovic Reaches Named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year 3rd Round of French Open Lewandowski Robert Lewandowski was City’s Kevin de Bruyne to win against Red Star Belgrade France Football magazine due

Novak Djokovic continued his dominant start to the French Open with a ruthless straight-set win against Lithuanian world number 66 Ricardas Berankis in the second round.

The world number one won 6-1 6-2 6-2, meaning he has lost just 10 games in his first two matches.

Djokovic, 33, is one of the favourites to win the tournament and put together an almost flawless performance to triumph in one hour and 23 minutes.

“I felt really good,” Djokovic said.

“I hope I can carry on like this.”

The top seed has tough competition for the title in Spain’s 12-time champion Rafael Nadal and Austria’s two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem but he looked focussed

and in control against Berankis on the Roland Garros clay.

After dropping just five games in his first-round win against Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, the Serb continued his bid for an 18th Grand Slam title in equally brutal fashion.

Djokovic broke Berankis’s serve in the first game of the match and went on to win the first set in 22 minutes, with the Lithuanian 30-year-old winning just 10 points.

Looking increasingly focussed and in control, a further two breaks helped Djokovic take the second set and his level continued to rise even higher as Berankis struggled with a back injury.

In total, the world number one served 10 aces, hit 25 winners and won 95% of points on his first serve to claim an easy victory.

Novak Djokovic berths in next round of the French Open with relative ease

named UEFA men’s player of the year on Thursday following a superb season in which he won the treble with Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski was at the Champions League groupstage draw in Geneva to receive the award, just weeks after Bayern won the 2019/20 edition of the competition.

The Poland striker, who scored 55 goals in 47 games as Bayern also won the Bundesliga and German Cup, saw off Bayern teammate Manuel Neuer and Manchester

the award.

“It’s an amazing feeling, because you work so hard, so this trophy is something special,” said Lewandowski after receiving the award.

“I have to say thank you to my teammates and coaches who helped me get where I am. Also my family have given me so much support and are so important.”

Lewandowski also picked up the award for best forward in last season’s Champions League after amassing 15 goals in 10 games. In one match

he needed just 14 minutes to score four times.

The 32-year-old was also top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 34 goals, equal to a goal a game in the 18-team league.

It was the fifth time he claimed the award for the highest number of goals in the German top flight since arriving at Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

Lewandowski would have been the strong favourite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or had it not been cancelled by

to the coronavirus pandemic.

It was a good evening overall for Bayern, with Neuer winning the 2019/20 Champions League goalkeeper of the season, Joshua Kimmich winning defender of the campaign and Hansi Flick being named men’s coach of the year.

They will also be favourites to qualify for this season’s Champions League knockout stages after being drawn in Group A alongside Atletico Madrid, Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.

‘Cashless’ Barca Beat Bayern to Land Dest in €21m Deal Barcelona have pipped Bayern Munich to the signing of Ajax star Sergino Dest, the Catalan outfit confirmed yesterday.

Dest, 19, came to prominence with a stellar Eredivisie season in 2019-20, helping lead his side to first place in the Dutch top flight before the campaign was declared null and void due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That form had led to a fierce tussle over his future, with both Barca and the reigning German and European champions keen to add the USMNT international to their ranks.

Bayern at first appeared to have the upper hand in

negotiations, with reports suggesting that the Bavarians had struck a deal with both Dest and Ajax to add the teenager to their ranks.

But to the Germans’ chagrin Barcelona stole in with a €21 million (£19m/$25m) deal with Ajax, higher than the offer filed from Allianz Arena, and upon agreement of personal terms the Blaugrana have clinched the signing.

A statement from the Liga giants on their official website read: “FC Barcelona and Ajax have reached an agreement for the transfer of Sergino Dest.

The cost of the operation is 21

million euros plus a further five million in variables.

“The player will sign a contract for the next five seasons, through to the end of the 2024-25 season, with a buyout clause set at 400 million euros.

“Sergino Dest combines many excellent qualities needed in a full back: attacking when called for, solid defensively, unruffled in possession and creative with it.

“The defender has the ability to take players on and his pace is a virtue going forward and defending. Those qualities will be on display from now on in

a Barca shirt, a challenge for a fearless young full-back.”

Dest arrives at Camp Nou with the opportunity to stake his claim for the right-back spot following the exit of Nelson Semedo to Wolves.

Born in the Netherlands, he nevertheless chose to represent the United States at international level, being eligible through his SurinameseAmerican father.

The full-back represented the US at Under-17 and U-20 level before making his senior debut against Mexico in September 2019, the first of three caps he has accrued to date.

Friday October 2, 2020

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& RE A SO

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Price: N250

MISSILE

SMBF to Buhari

“In the midst of all the country is going through that requires the leadership to summon the constituent units to the table of brotherhood to seek fundamental ways out all we were treated to were the usual bland sermons and empty rhetorics” – The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum faulting the nationwide broadcast by President Muhammadu Buhari to commemorate Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary.

SHAKAMOMODU THIS REPUBLIC

shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com

0811 266 1654

The Rail Line to Maradi J

ust when one thought this government has reached the zenith of its failings, misgovernance, lurid melodrama, not-sohidden agendas – such as the Grazing Bill, Cattle Colony, Ruga, now disguised as the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), the National Water Resources Bill, the government just escalated its tragic follies, buffeting us by another contentious and insane project close to the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari, the rail line from Katsina to Maradi in Niger Republic. In tow are willing accomplices to help him implement his bizarre agendas.

Fellow Nigerians, it is not a coincidence but a testament to his persona that all Nigeria’s ills or the failings of General Buhari’s regime when he was a military head of state between 1983 and 1985 are present today with terrible ferocity. It is noteworthy that in his second coming, Buhari first showed his cards while waiting to be sworn in as president in 2015.

His very first and urgent act was to prepare a grazing bill which was to be sent to the National Assembly and has, despite strong opposition from other stakeholders, stubbornly stayed true to that agenda under different guises.

Nigerians are paying a huge price for electing a ruthless ethnic marksman as president. His actions beat his own worst record of why he should never have been president of a diverse country as Nigeria and have made even his greatest critics and supporters alike numb with shock and disbelief. Now, some of the political/intellectual colossi that provided him vital bulwark of support in 2015 are regularly criticising him from the rooftops as a failed president.

If this brief walk down memory lane gives you hives, his past should have forewarned you of what was to come. Today, we have become frozen in an endless nightmare as Buhari systematically knocks down the walls, brick by brick of this edifice called Nigeria. There is no retelling here, how perilous the state of affairs has become for our country, brought about by the maniacal passion of one man still romanticizing the ancient history of conquest - where human life counts for less than that of a cow, where arson, killings, destruction of properties and raping of women as booties of war are celebrated and recognised as heroic matador.

Having surrendered to Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the nation has just realised albeit belatedly that Niger Republic is competing with it for the president’s attention.

Buhari’s fascination with Niger Republic started in his first year in office. In November 2015 to be precise, the then Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the late Maikanti Baru, announced with glee that the federal government would build 1,000 kilometres of pipeline from Agadam in Niger Republic, to supply crude oil to Kaduna refinery. This was just barely six months of the government in the saddle.

Baru had said then that high-level contacts had been made with Niger Republic on the possibility of importing crude from the country. This was how he stated it: “President Muhammadu Buhari has made several contacts with the President of Niger Republic. We are talking with the Niger ministry of petroleum.

We are also talking with the Chinese Company

Amaechi operating in Agadam.”

Now, this should worry you if Nigeria means anything to you and the honour of the fatherland counts for anything. Niger’s total petroleum refining capacity is 20,000 barrels per day, which exceeds their 6,050 barrel per day domestic consumption. It is instructive that Nigeria continues to throw billions of dollars on endless turnaround maintenance of its obsolete refineries, but poor Niger Republic has built its refinery in less than three years, attracting the attention of “rich” Nigeria which is now spending billions of naira to build 1,000 kilometres pipeline to pipe oil from there to Kaduna refinery. If this was conceived as an escape route from the sabotage of pipelines by the Niger Delta militants, they better have a rethink because the more armed Boko Haram which has turned into a Frankenstein’s monster, is lying in wait for them in that part of the country. So it is futile escapism from the Niger Delta agitation. Anyway, why should you spend billions of naira to build new pipelines to feed crude to a “worthless” refinery in a perpetual state of turnaround maintenance and empower Niger Republic economically in a bid to dodge the Niger Delta issue? Some things are just stranger than fiction in this clime.

Sometimes you don’t know whether to cry for this country or laugh at its stupidity. There is a saying in the land of my fathers that “you never really know what stupidity is until we have experimented on yourself”. With mouth agape, we are experiencing tonnes of stupidity from this government. And according to Oscar Wilde, “The only thing that ever consoles a man for the stupid things he does is the praise he always gives himself for doing them.” I have been struggling to find the economic rationale for this project beyond the nihilist desire of one man; a man whose contempt and disdain for Nigeria’s diversity have become an inordinate obsession to drag the country back to the medieval era.

In continuation of its many actions that defile reason, this government last week through the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, told a bewildered nation that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved $1.95 billion for the construction of Kano-Dutse (Jigawa)-Katsina-Jibia–Maradi (Niger Republic) rail line project.

Well, was it not Elbert Hubbard who warned mankind that genius may have limitations but stupidity is not so handicapped? At a time of severe economic downturn when there are all kinds of restrictions on forex use or transfers, when revenue is at 60 per cent reduction, when the government just removed subsidy on petrol consumption, when electricity tariffs have just been increased by over 100 per cent, when foreign and local debts have reached unprecedented levels never before seen in our history, this insensitive government announced it had approved nearly $2 billion to construct rail line to Maradi.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was on point when he stated that “nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”. What is the economic benefit of this multi-billion naira investment?

What is the trade volume between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger? Something is certainly wrong with the people in power in Nigeria.

Contrast the zeal exhibited by this government to build the rail line to Maradi with the lacklustre attitude to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that has been under construction for the past six years with no end in sight. Take a drive through the economically strategic Lagos-Badagry Expressway and feel the horror of Nigeria, like everyday Nigerians who have to commute that road every day and imagine the nightmarish experience they endure. This road connects the Seme Border and is of great economic importance to Nigeria. In terms of revenue, more than 55 per cent of Nigeria’s intra West African trade passes through that border, compared to less than 5 per cent through the border with Niger Republic. So, it is curious, very curious, that Buhari is so focused on Niger Republic.

Sani Bala, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Establishments, who led the House Committee on oversight visit to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), recently lamented the five-hour trauma his delegation experienced on the Lagos-Badagry road thus: “We have passed through the road and discovered that the expressway is not even from one state to another state but an international road which needs federal government’s attention.

“We will try and see other members of the committees on Appropriation and Works to see what they can do to actualise the Lagos-Badagry Expressway project.

“There is no way ASCON and other establishments will function well when the road that should take just 45 minutes now takes between four and five hours.

“Not to talk of the trauma and fatigue one passes through while plying the road. The stress is too much.”

The federal government on October 24, 2018 awarded the reconstruction of the 46km Agbara–Seme section of Badagry expressway to CGC Nigeria Limited at a sum of N63.2 billion. But a paltry N280 million was allocated to the construction in this year’s budget; an amount Bala described as “a mere joke which cannot go anywhere”.

Instead of fixing the all-important economic artery which will fetch more money for the country, Buhari would rather borrow $2 billion to build a rail line through vast barren uninhabited lands to Maradi with little or no economic benefits to Nigeria. What about the East-West

road which has remained a caustic shame?

Buhari unlike Bala is not bothered, it is the rail line to Maradi in Niger Republic, with dubious economic value he is more interested in.

Who would forget in a hurry that during the 2019 presidential campaigns, Buhari welcomed the open endorsement of two governors from Niger Republic, Issa Moussa of Zinder and Maradi State Governor, Zakiri Umar? They participated in Buhari’s Kano campaign rally.

If that was not interference in our electoral process, someone should tell me what it was.

Yet the nation shrugged off the violations. I leave you to connect the dots. It was the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who once described Buhari as a man the nation cannot call to order. Yes, despite all his transgressions against this country that has given him so much, he continues to act in a manner that leaves no one in doubt that he does not believe in this country. Or that the country only exists to satisfy his medieval interests.

Rotimi Amaechi’s Defence The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on ARISE NEWS yesterday, after some days of silence following the outcry and outrage that greeted his announcement, finally found his voice to defend the Maradi rail line. As usual, he came short on specifics, but long on monologue. According to him, the motivation behind the $2 billion rail line Maradi in was purely driven by economic reasons, not politics and defended its viability.

“We last week awarded the contract for Kano to Maradi and people were complaining. It’s important we take it to Niger Republic because of economic reasons. Most coastal countries in Africa are competing better than us in terms of cargoes coming from the land locked countries around us.

“We decided to join the market and compete so that we can make the Lagos seaport very viable. Since they cannot use our roads due to crime as well as customs and police checkpoints, we decided to introduce the Kano-Maradi rail line. So it is about economics and development and not politics,” Amaechi said.

Now we all know these people are not so foresighted in their development plans as the minister suddenly wants Nigerians to believe. As convenient as his illogical economic reasons may sound, they are mere smokescreen to deceive Nigerians. The Lagos seaports, Apapa Port and Tincan Island that will become “very viable” from the rail line because of added volume of trade traffic from Niger Republic as the minister claims, are in a deplorable state. Apapa seaport was built in 1921, while Tin Can Island Port was begun in 1981 and opened in 1997. The roads to both ports are a mess. Reconstruction works going on on some of the roads have lasted an interminable amount of time. The state of infrastructure around the ports is a tragic referendum on the bad leadership of this country. The attendant massive economic losses suffered by both the government and the private sector is incalculable. It runs into billions of Naira lost daily to the massive traffic congestion, massive environmental rot and decaying infrastructure that cannot support a rising economic power in the near future.

Continued on page 45

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